Riley's Pub on 2nd St.

RILEY'S REVIEW
by jwg

Living in the Shore, as Belmont Shore is known, is about as close as it gets to "making it."  It doesn't matter if you are like 73% of the population and rent, hell if you are lucky enough to live here...you are lucky enough.  I rent and pay way too much, but I don't care...because at the end of the day, I get to walk down to 2nd Street, sit down at a table perfect for people watching, and enjoy my family.

My wife Pam, and three of my four kids decided to eat at Riley's.  I have been there several times before and I love there food.  I found out that one of the owners shares similar beer taste with me and I was most happy to find RED NECTAR on tap.

It was cold and fresh, and served in chilled schooners glasses they way a beer should be.  Riley's is popular with just about everyone I graduated from school with here in Long Beach.  Somehow it feels like both a high school reunion, and family night out at the same time, and I am not sure why.The interior is tastefully paneled in dark wood, there are plenty of flat screens available from just about every seat, and most importantly, the FOOD is second to none!  We orderded different things, and full disclosure here, told the manager we were going to blog about his fine establishment.  We had impecable service, but we already liked this place, so I guess we already expected it.

I ordered the Garlic Burger.  It was fantastic, my son ordered the Buffalo Chicken Salad...

Here is a before and after picture.

 

Desert was ridiculous....

The management was great and we will be back soon...

Thanks Ian!

--jwg

Where Can I Find a Great Coffeehouse in Long Beach?

Okay. I have to interrupt this article with a slight disclaimer. I am one of those people who loves Starbucks. I love the fact that I can get my iced tall double-shot made the same every time without deviance. I love that when I step out onto the street, wherever I am, I can turn slightly left and face one. But, with all that said, the reason why I buy a coffee from Starbucks is only convenience. I can run in and run out, or better yet, when my little girl was a toddler, I could roll through the drive-thru. There is a completely opposite reason as to why I visit an independently owned coffeehouse in Long Beach: the environment.

Environment is everything if your long-lost friend from high school wants to sit for hours and catch-up. (Man, that’s twenty years of stories; the environment better be good!) It is equally important if you need to meet a potential client or network with influential people. It is crucial if you have to sit through the endless stream of consciousness of the mommie-group, trying to decipher if little Johnny is a good enough student to be friends with your little Susie. So when talking about the great coffeehouses of Long Beach, I will grade them not so much on their cup of joe, but on the environment.

First, let’s talk about Viento Y Agua. Located at 4007 E. 4th St right across the street from Fremont Elementary, this coffee spot has a great mix of funky flavor. They have all the usual: espresso drinks, iced blended concoctions, herbal teas, pastries, muffins, snacks. The Mexican Moka is especially decadent; they use real Ibarra Mexican chocolate and the taste is so rich and creamy, it is like having a chocolate molten lava cake in a cup. This is where you can still find local art on the walls and hear local musicians in the evening, or you can just find a quiet space to read, or sit with your laptop at one of the little tables (they have free WiFi), or have a private conversation with your friend in a big squishy chair. Either way, this little coffeehouse will not disappoint.

 Going west along 4th street is the infamous Portfolio coffeehouse, at 2300 E. 4th. If you have not visited this location, then it is time you did so. And when you do, don’t be surprised when you sit down with your steaming cup of morning brew that you stay all day. Not only do they have all the coffees, teas, and munchies, but they also boast grilled Panini sandwiches, vegetarian dishes, soups and salads as well. They also have free WiFi, the art on the wall is also local, and the musicians are too, but Portfolio likes to mix it up a bit. They also feature local authors with readings and book signings, workshops for the creative, and on Sunday mornings they have children’s story time. And if the weather is nice (and hey, the weather is almost ALWAYS nice, it’s California!) they also have an area outside under the shade of umbrellas and leafy trees that you can ponder your life or write your next big-hit screenplay. This place has character and charm; it will embrace you with open arms.

Heading down Junipero toward the beach is another local gem, Hot Java, at 2101 East Broadway. This used to be my favorite back in college when I lived walking distance from the place. And even though it has gone through a massive transformation, it still serves as a great hangout. The best time to go is in the morning when you can sit in a comfy chair and watch the morning news on their plasma tv. Or visit in the evening—the huge fireplace will warm you and send you into a relaxed state of bliss. And for all you dog owners, bring Fido along! This was the great thing about this place way back; I would walk my doggie along the bluff and then hit Hot Java for a little afternoon refreshment. It is good to see that over the years, that policy has not changed. They still welcome your pooch and even offer him dog biscuits while you are sipping your espresso and people-watching from one of the huge windows. Sounds like a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon.

KM Covington

Great Deals in Long Beach, Café La Strada

Since moving here about four years ago I have gone to several restaurants in Long Beach and I can say that this town has some great places to eat. There are numerous local restaurants that are deserving of a spotlight. One area in Long Beach that has a lot of great places to eat is South Long Beach and to be more specific the 2nd St or Belmont Shore or The Shore as locals call it has a ton of great places to eat. It seems to have a small town feel in a large city where everybody seems to know everybody. This is especially true for my girlfriend since she was born and raised in the area. I like the culture, the people, and it is one of the few places where people actually walk to go places or just go walking. In a place known for people who drive everywhere its nice to know there is one place where everyone still walks everywhere. I like to walk, bike or skate down to the shore from time to time, which is only a couple blocks away. One place I like to visit is La Strada Café; it is only a 5 minute walk from my home. I have been there several times but just recently I found out about the special they run on Tuesday Night.

Last Tuesday my girlfriend and I were picking up her daughter from school. We got our communication mixed up because when we arrived, her grandfather Richard Lopez was also there to pick her up. Richard Lopez is a Long Beach icon—he is a famous artist known for his abstracts and landscape paintings which in my opinion and the opinion of many others are fantastic! If you like art you have to check out his work—you will see him in upcoming articles. We didn’t know Richard was going to be there at the school but we were lucky to see him because he invited us to dinner at Café La Strada. Apparently Tuesday is a good night for Cafe La Strada because of their special for the night which is $5.00 entrees. Kari and I accepted since we love going there and we couldn’t pass up the deal. We called up Pam and Jess to see if they wanted to take advantage of the deal and we decided to meet at their house before we go. We all walked there since it was just down the street.

Café La Strada is located on 2nd St between Roycraft and Park Ave. Parking on 2nd Street is kind of difficult especially during busy hours. If you cannot find parking on the street then here are a couple of lucky places where you can probably find parking. One place is behind La Strada there is an alley and you usually can find an open space. You can also park across the street in the parking lot behind Super Mex. If all else fails there is also a paid parking lot behind Café La Strada which I think is $5.00 for all night. Either way when you make plans to go there you have to factor in parking time if you drive. We all planned to get there at 5:30pm because the special starts at 5:00 pm and I would suggest you get there early because Café La Strada is a small place and it fills up quick. Anyways another reason I like this place is because it is a small café with a couple of outside tables which is good on summer nights and it makes you feel like you are in a small café in Italy. It also has a very homey and friendly atmosphere. If you are not afraid to be close to people even if you do not know them then this is a place for you.

Luckly we got there early and we were able to get the big table in the middle because we had 10 People. It is the only big seating area there so if you have a big party plan for it. They have their own menu for Tuesday night which has selected items for $5.00 but not only were the entrees $5.00 but all the appetizers were $5.00, they had glasses of house wine for $5.00, and 2 beers for $5.00 which I thought was really cool because when restaurants have specials they usually get you on the alcohol or any extra stuff. For the Entrée’s they had 3 to choose from Spaghetti and meatballs, Chicken Lasagna, and Fettuccini Prima Vera. You can also order from the main menu but what I got from that night anyone of those entrées will be good. I also have to say they have great bread which is a French baguette made just right, not to hard and not to soft. I ordered the Chicken Lasagna and before I get into how it was don’t be fooled by the serving because it is very satisfying. It kind of looks small but it really isn’t. As for the dish it was fantastic it has this buttery garlic taste that lingers in your mouth even after you have left. I have heard other people say that’s one of the dishes they go to Café La Strada to get is the Chicken Lasagna. I highly recommend it especially with some wine. Usually with chicken they say you should get white but I had a red wine and it went really well with the lasagna. My girlfriend got the Fettuccini Prima Vera which she said was excellent. I also tried the Spaghetti and Meatballs and that was also really good. I have eaten here several times and got different dishes and I can honestly say that you will be happy with whatever you order. Our server was Sarah and she did a great job. She was friendly and made sure we had a good experience even though they were busy. My friend Jess even mentioned that he used to teach the owners kids at his school and one of the other servers overheard us and said that she knew and had texted the owner that he was there. I thought that was especially nice because I knew right then that this was a real local family restaurant.

Overall on a 5 star rating I would give Café La Strada a 5 and on Tuesday night because of the Special I would give it a 6. So if you have no plans on a Tuesday Night in Long Beach and want Good Food, Good Service and a great Atmosphere at a good price come to Café La Strada, say “hi” to Sarah and tell them that we sent you!

If at first you don't succeed, come here for dinner!

DJ TimTim

Best Liquor Stores In Long Beach

You probably wouldn't think that there is a difference between this and that liquor store.  Well I am here to tell you that you are dead wrong.

It used to be that Morry's of Naples was the coolest place to find a good bottle of beer or wine, but sadly, the yuppies have taken over and now, its just an overrated, overpriced, Trader Joe's, with expensive interior.  Sad, but that's what happens...

There are more than several places in Long Beach that have exceptional prices and a fantastic selection.  The first place I visited, Marc's Liquor on Bellflower, just North of Carson St.  This is one of my favorite places.

They have a killer  beer selection, fantastic deals on beer, wine, and alcohol.

If you need crazy keg deals then come here.

This place has been around since 1985, and there is a reason why.

Cheers,

jwg.

Best Burger Places in Long Beach

Hello fellow TOOPers! Today I would like to discuss the best burger places in Long Beach. First I would like to apologize to all of you vegetable eaters out there but there is nothing like a fat juicy cheese burger, a side of fries, and a large coke on a beautiful sunny California day. Don’t get me wrong, I have had tofu burgers, veggie burgers and the like but in the great words of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terell: “There’s nothing like the real thing, Baby!”

I compiled this list from places that I have visited already and from asking some of my friends and family who live in Long Beach. I want to give special thanks to Casey, Amy, Chad, Lyndsea, and Jess for their input. I also had some pre-requisites for the burger places: they had to be local to Long Beach and they couldn’t be found anywhere else but Long Beach. I’m sorry that In‘N’Out and Tommy’s did not make the list even though I believe they have great burgers. I also haven’t visited all the places because I wanted to leave it open to comments and I wanted to visit all of them throughout the year and write about them. So please feel free to comment and add other places that you think should be on the list. I will not be putting these burger joints in any particular order because one of the things I found is that each one I have been to has had different strengths and it all depends on the consumer’s particular taste. So I believe this list will satisfy all the burger connoisseurs out there.

Here is a list of the places I have been to:

• Belmont Burger

• Belmont Brewing Company

• John’s

• MVP’s

Belmont Burger – This is a regular burger joint located on the corner of Ximeno and 4th St. I have visited it a couple of times and got the bacon cheese burger combo and the chili burger. The bacon cheese burger was amazing—everything I would expect a burger to be—MESSY. I have a rating system which is the messier the burger, the better, and this one gets high marks. As for the chili burger, it was ok. I usually rate a chili burger by the amount of fries it takes to mop up the chili and I give it a 5 fry rating which is not that good. As for the décor—this is not the place to bring a first date, but if you want to do laundry and have a great burger at the same time, there is a Laundromat conveniently located across the street.

Belmont Brewing Company – This one is walking distance from my home. It is a nice restaurant/bar located right on the beach at the beginning of Belmont Pier. I have not had the burger here but have been here several times for beer and sports. I am writing about it because I have gotten high praise for one particular burger here which is the “Grand Prix”. Next time I go I am going to try it but I highly recommend this place not only for the burger but just to have a good time.

John’s Burger – I have been here a couple of times for breakfast; they have awesome breakfast burritos. Most recently I have tried one of their burgers, the sourdough bacon cheese burger. If you like the sourdough burger from Jack ‘N’ Box then you are going to love this one, it is 10x’s better. I got the combo and I must say it is really incredible. Thick slices of spongy sourdough bread, toasted on the grill along with a ¼ lb. of succulent beef, fat carvings of bacon, melted swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and thousand island dressing. It was messy and dripping all over my face. I asked Alicia at John’s what the most popular burger was and it was the Old World which is a 10oz burger. I guess I have to try that one next time I am there.

MVP’s – Last but not least this has to be one of my favorite burger places. Whenever I asked someone where to get a good burger, MVP’s is always the top of the list. It is a cool little place in front of a house with outside seating. My personal favorite is the George Foreman III. It is a bacon cheeseburger with all the fixings and if you top it off with some Cajun fries you have a complete burger feast. I guess I am a bacon cheeseburger connoisseur, because this burger is extraordinary. A giant slab of beef topped off with a heap of crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, lettuce and dressing. The combination of flavors is intense and cannot be justified in words. Just go and try it, right now. It is a must if you are in Long Beach.

Here is the list of places I have heard about:

• Bouchee’s Bistro

• Chuck’s

• Curley’s

• Fantastic Burger

• Fantastic Café

• 49’r Tavern

• Ma ‘N’ Pa Grocery

These are the places that I plan to visit this year. From what I have heard all these places have great burgers and I am looking forward to checking them all out and writing about them. I hope this list helps you out the next time you have a craving for a burger I am looking forward to comments on other locations. I have placed links on all the places I have listed for your convenience if you want to go check these places out yourself. Have FUN and ENJOY your next burger!

DJ TimTim