Selva’s new, bi-weekly tasting menu takes the Long Beach space to sweet Colombian heights

If there is one thing to say about 2025, it is that no talented chef in Long Beach is resting on their laurels. Case in point? Chef Carlos Jurado of Selva. He is introducing a regular tasting menu every other Wednesday that showcases the breadth of his interpretation of Colombian cuisine while also having some genuine wow moments.

In particular? A Selva-logo-engraved-on-the-bone beef shank. Surely, social media-worthy. But even more, it’s a reflection on the chef’s determination to evolve, to connect people to the food of Selva on a different level. And, on a larger scale, uplift Long Beach as a culinary gem.

And it all starts on Sept. 10.

For Chef Carlos Jurado, an evolution that has been met with glory. Challenges. And a determination not to let either determine the endgame.

Selva opened in 2022 and, in terms of the Long Beach food scene, skyrocketed—and rightfully so. The Los Angeles Times wrote a glowing review, offering one of the rare instances where Bill Addison clearly spoke to the chef—albeit still anonymously via social media—and learned their story, and then incorporated it into his review. The result? A placement in the 101 Best Restaurants List. Twice.

When Selva had dropped to #99 in its second year—a feat that still stands strong, no matter the criticism—Chef Carlos, who was present at the unveiling ceremony, was rightfully devastated. In a moment that few witness, here was a chef who had been let down. And, if I can speak for him without his blessing, let down by himself (though that let down wasn’t quite directed in the right direction). All in a world where creators constantly second-guess and lose trust in their own creative force. And he was beating himself up: “I fucked up.” “I know I can do better.” It is the dark side of an otherwise fairly glamorous world.

And though the battle is anywhere but won—I am fully convinced that any true creative is constantly seeking the next phase and tends to have nagging, self-perpetuated criticisms always at the front—there is no question that the ongoing battle has built up a beautiful resilience.

What to expect from the tasting menu at Selva.

Suppers at Selva are offered family style at stapled cost per guest at the table, with an optional wine pairing, truffle service, and supplement for the mighty beef shank.

The first course, served for the table, begins with mushroom croquets—mushroom gravy balls topped with prosciutto and set atop jalapeño jam—alongside a scallop crudo of Peruvian scallops served on fermented rocoto and ají amarillo, and chicha bites, smoked pork belly bites paired with blueberry barbecue sauce. It’s the most wonderful reflection of his food in terms of looking back: Unafraid to show off the classics, these are bites that have defined his work.

For the second course, guests choose one dish to share. Options include sobre barriga, a skirt steak grilled and then braised in Colombian salsa criolla, served with papas colombianas, mama’s rice, avocado, a fried egg, and sweet plantains. Another option is smoked duck confit, plated over mama’s lentils with tostones, avocado, egg, and sweet plantains.

Guests may also opt for the engraved beef shank. Dry rubbed, aged across three days, smoked for hours on end, then braised for another two hours, it is served with mama’s rice, arepas, tostones, and sweet plantains. It’s a monster of a dish, showcasing skill, wonderful absurdity, and a layer of flavors that keeps hands reaching across the table to tug another tear of meat.

The meal closes with a third course, where diners again choose one dessert to share. Choices include arroz con leche—taking on a crème brûlée characteristic—infused with pink guava and served with fruit and pudín crumble. Or merengón, a vanilla bean meringue infused with elderflower and topped with market fruit in chancaca syrup, finished with a hint of opal basil and mint oil.

The importance of tasting menus for the Long Beach food scene.

Tasting menus are, at their core, the way a chef says, “This is who I am, this is what I want you to taste.” They strip away the safety of choice and instead invite diners into a story that unfolds plate by plate. Done right, they capture not just technique but memory, place, and culture. (Heritage’s most recent immensely stellar tasting menu comes to mind.) It’s where a chef gets to flex, sure, but it’s also where they become vulnerable; the ticket costs more and the expectation is heightened.

For a city’s food scene, tasting menus are a kind of litmus test. They show that dining here isn’t just transactional, but aspirational; that chefs want to push. And, even more, diners are willing to be pushed. It speaks a lot of Long Beach’s evolution, as tasting menus encourage exploration, spark conversation, and demand attention. Suddenly, people are talking about fermentation, heirloom varietals, or genuinely experiencing a what-is-this-flavor? moment. It raises the baseline for what food can be in a community, setting a tone: we take this seriously. And you should too.

And maybe that’s the most powerful thing: tasting menus turn eating into an experience worth remembering. They connect strangers at a table, give people something to collectively gasp over, and remind everyone that food is culture in its most immediate form. When a city embraces that—when tasting menus are not outliers but part of the rhythm—it’s a sign the culinary scene isn’t just growing, it’s thriving.

And Chef Carlos is an essential part of that.

Selva is located at 4137 E. Anaheim St.