{"id":574,"date":"2018-08-21T12:27:12","date_gmt":"2018-08-21T19:27:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/?p=999914222"},"modified":"2020-09-17T19:51:36","modified_gmt":"2020-09-18T02:51:36","slug":"long-beach-underrated-restaurants-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lbpost.com\/esd\/hi-lo\/food\/long-beach-underrated-restaurants-2018","title":{"rendered":"Long Beach’s most underrated places to eat: 2018 Edition"},"content":{"rendered":"

I When my first underrated restaurants list<\/a> was published, it was\u2014at the time\u2014my most popular piece. I don’t mean this as a humblebrag (honestly), but if that was to say anything, it was a testament to the fact that Long Beach’s culinary scene was, and is, undergoing a renaissance.<\/p>\n

That renaissance has been happening for a few years now and with it, changes happen\u2014including changes to lists like these. Surely, you’ll find some repeats from last year’s list\u2014an inevitable outcome of creating such things\u2014but you’ll also find some noteworthy newbies. (Of a sad note: one of the places I had longed bookmarked for this year’s list,\u00a0Villas Comida Mexicana\u2014the only place in Long Beach to score solid\u00a0pambazos<\/em><\/a>\u2014suffered a fire that the family couldn’t afford to repair.)<\/p>\n

When it comes down to it, amid the gastronomical growth, both good and questionable, hide underrated wonders, both old and new. We all know the staples and we definitely know the sadly Googled-listicles of LA and OC publications but I want to shed light on some of my favorite, under-the-radar joints that deserve a bit more love.<\/p>\n

In no particular order…<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Gus's
Gus’s thigh-and-wing combo is some of the best fried chicken you’ll have this side of Memphis. Courtesy of Gus’s.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken (2580 Long Beach Blvd.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

There were officially two places to go to for fried chicken in the region: Howlin’ Rays in Chinatown and Gus’s Fried Chicken in Arlington Heights, both in L.A.<\/p>\n

Well, that is, until Gus’s finally opened a location in Long Beach. And, in my own bafflement, I have yet to understand why there isn’t a constant line snaking its way out of its humble doors.<\/p>\n

This tiny but mighty altar dedicated toward the almighty cluck is dedicated to the style that is Memphis hot chicken\u2014not quite on par with Nashville hot chicken made Easterly famous by Prince’s in the city of country music and made famous here in SoCal by Howlin’ but a damn close second.<\/p>\n

Emphasis needs to be made: While not quite Howlin\u2019,\u00a0Gus’s is spectacular; it’s the type of chicken that looks overcooked in Instagram photos because of its bleeding red color, a pepper’n’cayenne-y heat that doesn’t immediately hit your tongue but when it does, you questionably keep plowing through\u2014perhaps dipping pieces in your greens or beans to cool it off a bit or grabbing a spear of a fried pickle that puts Beachwood’s own version of the salty apps to shame.<\/p>\n

It’s the stuff of magic and, like the magic of Robert Earl’s BBQ, comes on a disposable plate that is removed from pretense, a couple of slices of starchy white bread, and your choice of sides, from fried okra that is the best I’ve had since visiting Missouri, to corn.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"El
El Pollo Imperial’s seco de cordero. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

El Pollo Imperial (5991 Atlantic Ave.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This isn’t only one of Long Beach’s most underrated restaurants; it is also one of its best.<\/p>\n

Unwitting Angelenos and OC’ers\u00a0might claim El Pollo Inka or Picca or Aji Limon as the best Peruvian joint. But in reality, it has always been El Pollo Imperial in North Long Beach, with its takeover of an old drive-thru (that they still keep active) filled with classic, unapologetically Peruvian grub.<\/p>\n

Surely, if you’ve never had Peruvian before, go for the country’s staple dishes first, like lomo saltado\u00a0<\/em>(the OG carne asada fries) and\u00a0Peruvian ceviche (one of the best you’ll ever have with its blend of\u00a0lime juice, onion, salt and aj\u00ed paired with sides of choclo<\/em> and cancha<\/em>, boiled corn and dry-roasted corn kernels).<\/p>\n

But my suggestion will be to always try something new. Take, for example, the dish pictured: seco de cordero<\/em>. This braised lamb shank\u2014for $15 no less\u2014is slow-cooked to perfection in a cilantro sauce that is inimitable.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Flamin'
Flamin’ Curry’s variety of Indian cuisine offerings is both quick and quality-driven. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Flamin’ Curry (3344 E. Broadway)<\/strong><\/p>\n

If there one thing that should never be downsized or maligned, it is quick’n’cheap food that is also wonderfully satisfying. In the land of immigrants that is SoCal, perhaps no place exudes this quality more than the almighty taco truck\u2014but others lurk in the shadows and shine bright once discovered, like Flamin’ Curry, the newest restaurants featured on this list (and therefore culpable in questioning its underrated-ness).<\/p>\n

But great Indian food is actually difficult to find in Long Beach\u2014I slightly regret having Natraj on my list last year as subsequent visits have satisfied me less and less\u2014but this joint is unapologetically straightforward, a line of steam trays offering up a splendid array of Northern and Southern Indian staples that help my inner cravings for\u00a0channa masala\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0biryani\u00a0<\/em>and, of course, various curries with the type of spiciness to transcend dining experiences.<\/p>\n

(A note has to be made: SoCal’s palate is often used to the heat of Mexican and Thai\/Chinese foods, centered on things like Serrano and Sichuan peppers; Indian heat is like discovering these spicy peppers for the first time but in a different place, a kind of hot that doesn’t hit suddenly like a hookup with a haba\u00f1ero but sneaks up like a lingering kiss of a Kashmiri chile, a long lost lover of sorts.)<\/p>\n

Surely, some of the dishes can lean toward the salty but that being said, it is quite possible that the city’s best biryani\u2014<\/em>the dish that defines the city of Hyderabad in India and is centered on two things: Rice and meat\u2014is right here at Flamin’ Curry.<\/p>\n

If I were to be entirely forthright with any eater\u2014at least the meat eaters of Long Beach\u2014this plate should be ordered with the goat. (As should their curry.)<\/p>\n

Succulent, bone-barely-clinging chunks of marinated goat sit atop a bed of basmati rice, where strips of steam tinged with the aromatics of lemon, coriander and saffron lurk up from the pile of food when you open the lid of its black styrofoam vessel. It’s nothing short of wondrous.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Long
Long Beach Beer Lab’s brews and pizzas. Photo by Harmony Sage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Long Beach Beer Lab (518 W. Willow St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When the announcement that the Beer Lab was opening in Wrigley came, it was heavily focused on the beer\u2014and rightfully so: Co-owner and founder Levi Fried is a beer enthusiast-meets-fermentation nerd that churns out incredible brews.<\/p>\n

But hidden in the fabric of this brewhouse was a baker, co-owner and founder Harmony Sage, a woman creating some of the city’s best sourdough boules (made from their witbier), garlic rosemary loaves, and more carby wonders that should be garnering more attention.<\/p>\n

Using\u00a0wild microflora harvested from local fruits and then incorporating malt grains from the brewhouse, Sage creates baked perfection on a level that perhaps\u2014emphasize the “perhaps”\u2014no other baker achieves locally. (And that is saying a lot considering powerhouses like Saint & Sinners Bakeshop in DTLB and cottage businesses like Colossus Bread and Gusto Bread are churning out astounding loaves of gluten greatness.)<\/p>\n

And Sage doesn’t just stop at bread.<\/p>\n

Her sourdough starter is used in the mash of multiple beers, like their spectacular\u00a0Trueberry Blast, a blueberry sour with a hint of salt that pairs perfectly with, well, Sage’s sourdough. In fact, expect the cicerones pouring your beer to offer pairings\u2014and I deeply suggest you take them up on their offer.<\/p>\n

Her pizzas are spectacular, with an extensive list of vegan offerings that are nothing short of impressive and oddities like her wonderful blue cheese’n’walnut pizza. Her sandwiches? Wonderful. Her soups? Awesome. And her food overall? Underrated and damn tasty.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Ph\u1edf
Ph\u1edf H\u00f4ng Ph\u00e1t’s combo #10, Pho Tai Gan Xach with meatballs added. Courtesy of Yelp!\/Andrew U.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ph\u1edf H\u00f4ng Ph\u00e1t (3243 E. Anaheim St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

For those in the know, this place isn’t underrated\u2014hence why I never had much discussion about it on an underrated list because it easily outshines other joints like Pho America and 123 Pho and the definitive Wypipo Pho that is Number Nine. However, I’ve learned that those in the know are in the few.<\/p>\n

Ph\u1edf H\u00f4ng Ph\u00e1t’s focus is spectacularly simple: beef pho. And that beef pho is served in a tiny, packed, loud, no-A\/C, Cash Only joint that eschews complexity or costly extras and sticks to doing one thing incredibly well.<\/p>\n

Sure, they have three options outside of beef pho\u2014an all right chicken soup, a noodle-only soup, and a seafood soup\u2014but these options are the only ones out of a list of nearly 20 pho offerings that revolve around beef.<\/p>\n

From rare flank to beef balls, everyone appreciative of consuming beef will find something they like but my inner Creature of Habit always goes for the #10, Pho Tai Gan Xach with meatballs added. A cow-centric concoction of rare steak, tendon, and tripe\u2014an homage to the heifer if there ever was one as pink bits of beef float toward the top while swimming alongside the parts of the cow frowned upon by most American palates.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Seabirds
Seabirds Kitchen’s famed avocado tacos. Courtesy of Seabirds.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Seabirds Kitchen (965 E. Fourth Street)<\/strong><\/p>\n

In all frankness, I don’t think this place will be underrated for much longer given it is one of Long Beach’s best new restaurants.<\/p>\n

Vegans\u00a0and veggie lovers should be ecstatic that food truck pioneer Seabirds Kitchen opened a brick-and-mortar at the former Bond\u2019s Home Appliances building, bringing in a style of vegan cuisine that is truly unparalleled in the city.<\/p>\n

Inventive, witty, and outright addicting,\u00a0Seabirds creates and serves vegan food that smacks down almost every meat eater’s assumptions and stereotypes about what vegan food is and how it can be prepared.<\/p>\n

Chef Stephanie Morgan opened her Seabirds food truck in 2010 with the sole mission of \u201cpushing the boundaries of vegan cuisine.\u201d That mission proved successful, giving the restaurant, well, an actual restaurant with a location at Costa Mesa\u2019s The LAB (whose owner,\u00a0Shaheen Sadeghi,\u00a0is looking to alter the way North Long Beach looks<\/a> and shops and interacts).<\/p>\n

Pricey for the offerings? Sure. But it is not only a welcomed and much-needed vegan option\u2014directly across from a McDonald\u2019s, by the way, scoring extra points for Awesome Dichotomy\u2014for the stretch of Fourth that is home to everything from Hole Mole\u2019s fast Mexican to The Social List, there is simply no question that\u00a0Morgan creates food for everyone. And it just so happens to be food that has not one drop of animal product in it.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"La
La Parolaccia’s ravioli di astice e gamberetti. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

La Parolaccia Osteria Italiana (2945 E. Broadway)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Italian food was America\u2019s first Mexican food\u2014and by that, I mean that it was largely described as basic and inexpensive, despite both of those accusations being offensive falsehoods among any Italians in the kitchen.<\/p>\n

And while I am honored and happy to see my heritage\u2019s cuisine reaching the upper echelons of fine dining\u2014much like the cuisine of Mexico is achieving as of late with joints like Broken Spanish, Tacos Maria, and \u2014 I am discovering more and more that high-quality, simple Italian food, the kind that made\u00a0The Silver Spoon<\/a>\u00a0<\/em>such an important text, is no easy feat to find\u2014much like a good\u00a0mole\u00a0<\/em>on the Mexican end.<\/p>\n

La Parolaccia, one of Long Beach\u2019s longest-running Italian joints, does just that with a never-ending supply of sophistication and simplicity. Long before Michael\u2019s, La Parolaccia was slingin\u2019 out\u00a0pizza Napoletana<\/em>\u00a0and handmade\u00a0orecchiette<\/em>\u00a0on the regular.<\/p>\n

I am talkin\u2019 some of the best\u00a0arancini\u00a0<\/em>(deep-fried risotto balls) this side of the Mediterranean. I am talkin\u2019\u00a0vitello piccoso\u00a0<\/em>that makes you understand just how impactful of a plate veal scallopini really is in the food world. I am talkin\u2019\u00a0ravioli di astice e gamberetti<\/em>, the beautiful pasta plate pictured that has\u2014wait for it\u2014lobster meat, shrimp and ricotta-filled, handmade ravioli in a limoncello liquor cream sauce with cherry tomatoes and shallots, finished with lemon zest.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Wide
Wide Eyes Open Palms near Retro Row in Long Beach serves both some of the best coffee and food in town. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wide Eyes Open Palms (416 Cherry Ave.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I\u2019ve touted Long Beach\u2019s coffee scene<\/a>, particularly its roasting scene, and Wide Eyes Open Palms, located at the western edge of Retro Row, is part of that touting\u2014but beyond the powerful caffeinated offerings they serve, it is their food that shines just as brightly.<\/p>\n

Girlfriend team Kat McIver and Angie Evans have a menu of edible offerings that is genuinely great and speaks to the inner Italian and Californian of many.<\/p>\n

Their olive oil cake? A perfect pairing of olive oil’s earthiness and the sweetness of a cake, all held together with a grainy polenta.<\/p>\n

Their jam and ricotta toast? Almost on\u00a0the level of LA’s Republique: a thick slice of a rustic country loaf slathered with house made ricotta and jam\u2014is nothing short of addictive. My suggestion? Get the half-and-half if they have two jam flavors because I guarantee you that you\u2019ll love both.<\/p>\n

Add to this frittatas, cocottes<\/em> (cream-baked egg), granola, and more, and, well, you\u2019re set.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Plunge's
Plunge’s “Bringing Sexy Mac” triple-cheese macaroni is the definition of decadence. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Plunge (1900 E. Ocean Blvd. on floor above front lobby)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Perched inside the massive luxury apartment tower on Ocean just a bit west of Cherry sits Plunge, a hidden gem of a restaurant filled with great food that matches its stellar views of the city’s shoreline.<\/p>\n

Owner Randy\u00a0Kolstad is not only one of the most down-to-earth folks you’ll encounter at Plunge, he has created an enclave for food lovers wishing to escape the concrete metropolis of Ocean and enjoy an almost secretive space.<\/p>\n

There’s wine you can score by various sizes through an incredible system that lets you load whatever amount of money you want to load on a card and have at it. You determine the pour and how much you wanna spend while wine remains consistently fresh thanks to an air-tight preservation system that keeps oxygen from getting into the bottles.<\/p>\n

You have fantastic comfort food\u2014a pastrami on rye, mac’n’cheese\u2014that supersede their commonality as home food and become some of the best versions of the dishes you’ve ever had\u2014their mac is made with a wondrous blend of smoked gouda, parmesan, and cheddar while their pastrami is stacked to heights that will induce carnivore envy.<\/p>\n

You have a healthy array of vegan options, including spectacular vegan ceviche (made with lentils and strawberries) and chickpea tuna that puts Ahimsa to shame.<\/p>\n

And, perhaps the oddest bit of it all, you have tower residents coming in to either fill up on wine themselves or lounge around because, well, you’re in their apartment complex. Strike up a conversation\u2014but most importantly, order some food.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Tito's
Tito’s Bakery on Fourth Street in Long Beach offers some of the city’s best burritos. Here, their chile verde [left] and chicharrones [right] burritos. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Tito\u2019s Bakery (1107 E. Fourth Street)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Here, Long Beach, is the home of the best breakfast burrito in town and certainly one of the best burrito joints period<\/p>\n

Nope, this isn\u2019t your heavy-cheese-and-egg concoction that borders the American palate preference but this is a hot-damn\u00a0taqueria <\/em>rolled into a tortilla for $6.<\/p>\n

One of the few places that isn\u2019t afraid of refried beans, any burrito of your choice\u2014breakfast or otherwise\u2014gets a slather of those delicious kernels of protein (and surely lard, considering how smooth and delectable they are). This is then paired with onions, cilantro, and your protein of choice. At breakfast time, that\u2019s chorizo, chicharrones (when available and they’re wondrous), bacon (chopped fresh and cooked right there\u2014not precooked for days beforehand so specifically request crispy if that\u2019s your preference), shredded beef, or chicken (though the pollo is not listed).<\/p>\n

Wrapped, tossed into a small paper bag with a grilled jalape\u00f1o and your choice of red or green salsa\u2014get both, FYI\u2014this is the kind of \u00a0burrito that by its end will be soaked, hard to hold, and bring a sense of sadness when the last bite is consumed. But that\u2019s OK, because you can always order another if you dare\u2014or you can just go full beached-whale status and have some pan dulce.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"The
The Pan in Bixby Knolls serves up some of the city’s best breakfast plates. Photo by Joinie Di.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Pan (3550 Long Beach Blvd.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am baffled as to why The Pan doesn’t get more love\u2014at least in terms of its breakfast menu, which is what everyone needs to stick to.<\/p>\n

The place is constantly filled with diners awaiting Pan-specific concoctions like their Loaded Hash Browns\u2013a massive plate of hashies scrambled with eggs, cheese, bacon, green onion, and chili aioli\u2014or their crazy assortment of pancakes.<\/p>\n

Their pancake list is the stuff of legend. From Chocolate Peanut Butter Pancakes (complete with peanut butter butter) to their mythical Banana Pancakes (that comes with this addicting banana cinnamon pur\u00e9e)…<\/p>\n

It’s just great food in a homey joint filled with good vibes and good people.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Prime's
Prime’s fried chicken sandwich. Photo courtesy of Jessica DeVenuta\/MoreGarlicPls<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Prime by Shenandoah (3701 E. Fourth Street)<\/strong><\/p>\n

As each year passes since Prime has been open, I remain entirely miffed that it is not constantly mentioned as much as other Fourth Street hubs like its neighbor, Coffee Cup, or Taqueria La Mexicana or Lola’s or…<\/p>\n

The space occupied by Prime holds a bit of history: it is the OG locale of MVPs Burgers (which moved into the space formerly occupied by\u00a0Shillelagh at Fourth & Temple a couple years ago) and formerly the Whistle Stop, which came and went with the blow of its namesake.<\/p>\n

But Prime surpasses each of these unquestionably in finding a fusion cuisine that is neither offensive (go home,\u00a0Ramen Burrito<\/a>, you\u2019re drunk) nor gag-inducing (when fashion met food in this trainwreck<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Here, they have happily married Mexican food with some Southern grub love\u2014we\u2019re talking brisket tamales, mac y chorizo, \u201cboaritas\u201d tacos, and green chorizo quesadillas\u2014Prime offers spectacularly quality food with almost overwhelmingly kind service. (I can assure you that the charm of their servers will surely win you over along with their fun, if not outright witty cuisine.)<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Cheko
Cheko el Rey del Sarandeado’s smoked marlin taco [right] and Gobernador taco [left]. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>Cheko el Rey del Sarandeado (343 E. Market St.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This tiny, off-the-grid seafood joint is dedicated to the sarandeado-style preparation of fish, where it\u2019s cooked over the high heat of simmering coals. What makes Cheko so special is that the SoCal chef responsible for introducing us northerners to the style is Chef Sergio Pe\u00f1uelas, who developed a cult-like following at his former place, Coni\u2019Seafood.<\/p>\n

Now, his work is right here in Long Beach inside the most unassuming of places creating Long Beach\u2019s best fish taco: Cheko\u2019s marlin taco. Yes, Long Beach\u2019s best fish taco is found in this tiny-but-mighty North Long Beach restaurant.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s smoky, salty, downright spectacular, and even minimalist with just smoked marlin that is then heated over hot coals, cheese, and a single avocado slice smudged inside a wonderfully hand-crafted tortilla.<\/p>\n

And do not forget to get down on Pe\u00f1uelas\u2019 tostaditas locas, the ultimate appetizer that heaps shrimp and octopus ceviche on top of marlin \u201cp\u00e2t\u00e9\u201d raw and small fried tortilla rounds.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Vino
Vino e Cucina’s gnocchi and gorgonzola sauce.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Vino e Cucina (#105, 4501 E Carson Street)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vino e Cucina is the type of place that lacks any sense of pretense. Bright yellow walls meet white tiles and little knick-knacks hung on the wall. It reminds of a place my Grandpa Natalino and Mom would enjoy and, more importantly, one they would both cook at.<\/p>\n

This East Long Beach staple\u2014right by the airport and LBCC\u2014was admittedly off my radar but with friend after friend telling me to visit, I made a few treks and tried the things I judge homey Italian joints on when they have the audacity to offer it on their menus: gnocchi and, as it was the special one time I visited, the cioppino.<\/p>\n

I judge on these because, while common, they’re difficult to execute. Gnocchi\u2014basically a potato dumpling in pasta form\u2014can often come out excessively hard, excessively chewy, or excessively flour-y. Vino e Cucina’s version is none of that; instead it\u2019s rolled to soft, pillowy goodness and garnished with either a wonderfully creamy gorgonzola cream sauce or slathered in a cheesy basil pesto.<\/p>\n

It’s straight-forward pasta at its best, all made in-house and fresh. Even their takes on things that are starter bites like crudo\u2014here, they taken Sicilian yellow tuna, thinly slice it, and pair it with white cannellini beans\u2014and polenta\u2014they create a ch\u00e8vre polenta with mushrooms and drizzle a bit of truffle oil over it\u2014are on point.<\/p>\n

And the cioppino? While it is not my Grandpa or momma’s version, it’s a wonderfully rich, aromatic plate of seafood, tomato, and red pepper. (My suggestion, chef? Try some fresh fennel in the broth.)<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Appu<\/a>
Appu Cafe’s pav bahji dish. Courtesy of Yelp!\/Kersti P.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Appu\u2019s Cafe (3816 Woodruff Ave., suite 100B)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This pseudo-Indian, maybe-fusion joint is an underrated, hidden vegetarian gem (that also heavily caters to the vegan lifestyle right when you walk in with a sign written on a paper plate: \u201cPlease advise the cook if you are vegan”).<\/p>\n

Fear not: it\u2019s not because they cook meat but, given that the owners are from India, they have vegetarian-friendly dollops of yogurt or paneer (or, amusingly, straight-up quesadillas).<\/p>\n

My suggestion? Go for their\u00a0pav bahji\u00a0<\/em>or one, some, of their\u00a0incredible soups. From both yellow and black lentil offerings to a mushroom soup that is genuinely stellar (and make sure to get the croutons added), there\u2019s little to go wrong with. But their mulligatawny soup is where it\u2019s at: black pepper, an assortment of split legumes, and overall deliciousness.<\/p>\n

****<\/p>\n

\"Knead
Knead Donuts & Tea’s spectacular Blueberry Donut. Photo by Brian Addison.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Knead Donuts & Tea (3490 E. Seventh Street)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The sweetest of places on this list I save for last: Long Beach, this place is not only home to the best classic blueberry donut, it also rolls out some of the most creative donuts in the city.<\/p>\n

Ran by Cambodian family patriarch Huey\u00a0BeHuynh and his endless array of charming, kind, and outright lovable family members, Knead took over the old Gladstone Donuts at Seventh and Redondo and brings with them their long tradition of making donuts.<\/span><\/p>\n

And I’m talkin’ creations like cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e donuts, Tiger Tails, strawberry-banana delights, Drake’s passionfruit donut\u2014yup\u2014and the best damn blueberry donut this side of Maine.<\/span><\/p>\n

Donut making has a rich history in Cambodian culture and, therefore, a rich history in Long Beach given\u00a0the Cambodian community\u2019s extensive influence on local culture after escaping the Khmer Rouge to build new roots here<\/a>. It became a way for these immigrant families to sustain the future of their children while assimilating into a culture beyond opening a noodle shack. (Hey there, Phnom Penh<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

This is the place where you’ll often run into Amy, the daughter of owner Huey, who not only takes me through the menu item-by-item if there are any updates to be had but is honestly one of the most genuine people to talk about in support of her family\u2019s endeavors. Hell, when one customer asked if they had their maple bacon donuts, she said would be willing to whip some up if they gave her a few minutes since they were sold out.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s that kind of joint; filled with love and the aromas of an old-school donutery but with contemporary flair.<\/p>\n

Their Tiger\u2019s Tail, a twisted strip of chocolate cake intertwined with their yeast-based dough, is nothing short of addicting; the sweetness of the chocolate pairs wonderfully with the sourdough-y flavor of the yeast dough.<\/p>\n

Or their\u00a0cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e donut, a cream-filled round wonder topped with caramelized sugar that gives the I-have-to-get-out-my-spoon crack of the French dessert\u2019s traditional topping paired with the creaminess hidden underneath.<\/p>\n

And that blueberry donut.<\/p>\n

Taking a glance, one expects the typical, heavy-cake that comes with the history of this esteemed piece of fried dough. But like my go-to Sidecar\u2019s famed huckleberry donut, Knead\u2019s blueberry concoction is light, sitting perfectly between cake and donut\u2014and therefore, creating the perfect blueberry donut.<\/p>\n

On top of it all, they offer taro milk tea, Vietnamese iced coffee, boba, and a plethora of other Asia-centric sweet drinks on top of some spectacular house-made croissant breakfast sammies.<\/p>\n

In other words, go.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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