Welcome to Foodie Friday, our biweekly report on the latest neighborhood nosh and local libation news in Long Beach, where every other week we’ll feature what’s happening in the scene and the latest buzz in the blogosphere about the best places to eat, drink and be merry.
Cambodian-American Chef Chad Phuong is hosting a fundraiser on Saturday serving Southeast Asian food as well as traditional American dishes in an effort to open his first food truck, with 50 percent of the proceeds to be donated to the YMCA of Greater Long Beach, according to the Grunion Gazette. The fundraiser will take place at the YMCA from 1:00PM to 4:00PM.
In other food truck-related news, a grand opening for The Fat Queso food truck will take place at Muldoon’s Saloon and also serve as a toy drive for the Southern California Hospice Foundation from 8:00PM to 2:00AM.
IN PICTURES: Inaugural Filipino Festival Draws Thousands to Silverado Park
Attendees of the inaugural Long Beach Filipino Festival waited in line for full plates of pork and chicken adobo, empanadas, halo-halo, ensaymada and more. All were delicious and part of the festival that an estimated 7,000 people attended. The lines for lunch and dinner were so long last weekend that improvements for next year’s event will certainly include more food vendors, according to organizers.
Smoke and fire damage from a two-alarm fire in 2016 has kept the doors of George’s 50s Diner in Bixby Knolls closed for the past year and a half. Blair Cohn of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association recently confirmed that the Atlantic Avenue diner will open again by Tuesday, May 29.
First Foodways Summit Event Celebrates the Women Entrepreneurs of Local Food
Women trailblazers of Long Beach’s food industry, and those interested in hearing their stories, gathered in the back patio at Lola’s Mexican Cuisine earlier this week during the opening mixer for the inaugural Foodways Summit, organized by Long Beach Fresh. The seven-day series includes tours, panels and tastings those interested in learning more about the city’s current culinary culture and sustainable food movement won’t want to miss these happenings.
HiroNori Craft Ramen is now open for business, the Irvine-based company announced via their Instagram on Thursday. This is the second ramen establishment to open in Bixby Knolls, with Tajima Ramen having opened on Long Beach Boulevard at SteelCraft a little over a year ago. HiroNori notably offers Tonkotsu ramen, as well as vegan ramen.
New Belmont Heights eatery, Lacquered, may offer “fall-off-the-bone ribs” and “Long Beach’s first legitimate poutine,” reports Sarah Bennett for OC Weekly, but their prices may need to be reconsidered. Located down the block from local favorite Manaow Thai and Loma Liquor, a two-piece chicken combo will set you back $16.25, and you’ll have to shell out $22 for Mama Vu’s pork ribs, sides and all. If you have the budget for a decadently priced lunch, don’t let that hold you back from trying chefs/owners Scott McDonough’s (The Fifth Restaurant in Toronto) and Diana Vu’s (Wolfgang Puck) farm-to-table creations.
Taste of Downtown Returns with East Village Kick Off Featuring Mixology Sessions by Padre
Taste of Downtown’s second iteration this season, following its kick-off event in April, will take place June 6 and 7 on Pine Avenue with Beachwood Brewery as the beer host of the evening. Guests can purchase $1 tastings from 20 downtown restaurants including Dog Haus, King’s Fish House, Plant Junkie Cafe, Pier 76 Fish Grill, George’s Greek Cafe. Visit the link here for more information.