Union at Compound—one of Long Beach's most unique spaces—expands into lunch

Chef Eugene Santiago—the founder of the Southeast Asian fusion pop-up Baryo and the head honcho at Union at Compound—has taken on the lunch hour at his restaurant inside an art gallery.

And with it, not only marks a new step in evoluton for Union at Compound (and the space in its entirety) but also reflects a really beautiful thing: Chef Eugene is one of the kindest, brightest spirits in our food scene. His food is whimsical, nostalgic, and lacks pretense exactly when it needs to.

Union at Compound’s expansion into lunch perpetuates Chef Eugene’s playfulness while showcasing the space as it was meant to be.

Union’s menu has long been full of playful dishes—like Chef Eugene’s riff on Spanish papas brava made with cassava and pancit with egg noodles over vermicelli from the space’s inaugural menu—and the lunch menu is no different. Approachable, outright nostaglic dishes like a stellar grilled cheese and a perfectly dill-ed out chicken salad sandwich sit next to kale salads and plates of crispy rice layered with tangerines and minty herbs.

It is befitting for a space that has, ultimately, decided to define itself by not necessarily adhering to what others tell it to become but, rather, sticking to its guns. Compoound has beautifully held its ground on what it has intended to be from day one: An art gallery meets community space meets restaurant meets bar.

compound long beach — Compound Long Beach in the Zaferia District. Courtesy of nonprofit.

And surely, while the concept was initially something Long Beach hadn’t really witnessed before, it has slowly becomed engrained into its surrounding community and the art world at large. Under the leadership of its new executive director, January Parkos Arnnal, the space has seen two extraordinary exhibits: When the Veil Thins, the complex’s first major exhibit curated by artists Tofer Chin and Mari Orkenyi and Los Angeles artist Fay Ray’s amazing, current exhibition.

To experience food in such a space is something we should be uplifting—and the fact that Union has dived into the lunch hour proves that many are beginning to understand why Compound is such an awesome place to experience food at.

Lunch is inspired by family meal in the kitchen as well as listening to patrons.

“That right there? That was something I made for family meal and everyone insisted I put it on the lunch menu.”

Chef Eugene points to a gloriously oozey grilled cheese, aged cheddar dripping with a hefty creaminess thanks to the addition of Boursin and American cheese. Stuffed between two delightfully thick slices of Hey Brother Baker’s country loaf bread that were grilled in garlic butter, it is the adult version of a kid’s favorite.

And yes, there were arguments over the amount of mayo for the chicken salad—and while some naysayers will likely disagree, if you’re doing chicken salad, the last thing we want it to be is dry. And when using Kewpie, there is no fine line between just right and excessive; please, don’t be shy, Chef Eugene.

Plates like these make Union at Compound not just a great lunch spot but a solid work spot. With access to the art, access to a bar, access to wifi, and access to some peace given its calming interior, lunch time at Union proves, well, pretty damn awesome.

A look into the lunch menu from Union at Compound…

Approachable, lacking gravity in the best way possible—there’s the art for that—and beautifully melding Chef Eugene’s roots with a contemporary space’s vibe, lunch is solid at Union at Compound. Take a look.