Photos by Brian Addison.
Where the $4.5M investment San Diegan restauranteur David Cohn put into BO-beau on Pine Avenue went is unquestionably obvious: from the intricate interior (think French decadence mixed with industrialized, reused metals and woods) to the gorgeously refurbished rooftop that puts any former incarnation of the space to absolute shame, BO-beau can boast that it has indeed filled a hole in the downtown scene. Clean, contemporary, and slightly upscale—it’s a refreshing alternative.
But it still has a bit to work out since BO-beau has a lot of highlights and a hefty amount of detractions that make going there something of a gamble.
Take, for example, their signature cocktails list. Should you opt for the Pear’fect Martini—a beautiful concoction of Grey Goose poire vodka, muddled serrano chiles, agave, and lemon—you’ll get a beautifully made drink that is uniquely spicy and not overwhelming sweet. On the other hand, should you go for the house’s so-called signature Manhattan—pancetta-infused bourbon served with sweet vermouth—the mistake arrives before the drink even hits your mouth: it is served over ice, making it a stretch to call it a Manhattan. Manhattans are served straight up, shaken or sometimes stirred, and in a chilled martini glass so the flavor stays consistent throughout the drinking experience. However, this “Manhattan” becomes, within a few seconds thanks to melting ice, a drink that tastes more like bourbon that’s been sitting on the rocks for far too long.
Or you can glance at their extensive moules-frites section: five styles of the classic seafood dish (including the one version, the Long Beach tip-of-the-hat that is the Molina Moules Frites, not offered at the restaurant’s San Diegan, OB sister). Moules-frites is a dish that is comforting and in a very particular sense, should not be reinvented. BO-beau unfortunately committed a culinary crime in the way they offer the classic Belgian dish: if you happen to not want a massive pot of mussels and go for the appetizer serving, you won’t get the frites (despite it being under the section labeled “Moules Frites”). Yup: no frites for you—notwithstanding the dish having the same cost as the moules-frites across the street at Pier 76 (that induce salivation). The lack of fried taters just because the dish is smaller is truly an oddity that leaves the diner wondering if french fries are that special. And it’s unfortunate because the rosemary fries they serve with the entrée version are truly delicious.
It could very well mean that BO-beau is simply finding its footing. After all, Executive Chef Katherine Humphus is no mere underdog as she shines through (and best) with her appetizers and entrées.
The citrus-fennel moules-frites.
Her brussel sprouts could be the best this side of the 10, a sweet-and-salty combination of fried sprouts, a balsamic reduction, shaved parmesan, and chunks of pancetta laid out in Humphus’ deconstructed style (the sprouts come bursting out of a glass jar and spread onto a wood panel). Meanwhile, her salmon tartare—a steal at $9—is nothing but dilled-out perfection when put on a crostini with a healthy dollop of chive cream cheese. And if it weren’t for the $14 price tag—take note, BO-beau: you have comparable versions at Federal Bar and Beachwood BBQ that are double the size and cheaper—her leek mac ’n’ cheese would certainly be a regularity in my order every time I visited. Paired with one of their 40+ beers, of course.
But the entrées. Oh, the entrées.
Boeuf bourgignon, much like the aforementioned moules-frites, is a dish that reminds me of my French-trained-but-truly-Italian great aunt because she was the one that introduced me to French and Belgian cuisine. The dish was traditionally a peasant dish that, over time, is now considered a high end French classic: beef (and in Humphus’ version [pictured left], a smart choice of short ribs) braised in red wine, broth, and a bouquet of herbs, with potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, and mushrooms. We are talking beef stew at its finest and Humphus doesn’t skimp on a single level. Sweet, salty, decadent: everything you want from a French dish (not to mention that the portion is decidedly American in size).
Don’t skip ordering the chicken out of a fear of being boring, as Humphus’ version of the classic French chicken-and-dumplings dish, chicken fricassée, is nothing short of comfort food gone upscale and complex. Humphus—as she tends to do—deconstructs the dish. Typically, chicken fricassée sits somewhere between a broth-y dish and a sauce-y dish. Humphus ditches the more sautéed and stewed versions of the entrée to give you perfectly browned chicken atop a serving of broccolini, drizzled with a whole-grain mustard sauce and served with tarragon dumplings.
The dumplings need their own section, praise be to the Culinary Gods. These beautifully constructed balls of decadence are made in the same matter of a pâte à choux dough, baked, fried, and then re-baked. I persisted in attempting to get Humphus to tell me precisely what created their perfect hint of sweetness and all that was returned to me was, “Magic—they’re made with magic.” I’ll take that magic on a daily basis.
In the end, BO-beau is a welcomed addition to Pine’s growing scene—and like all things Long Beach, it just has a few kinks it needs to work out. Meanwhile, I’ll take another bourbon-sour on tap.
BO-beau is located at 144 Pine Avenue.
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