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.
Photo from Foundation Sandwich Shop.
Foundation Sandwich Shop celebrated its grand opening on March 21 with a ribbon-cutting at 160 The Promenade North. Offering freshly-made artisan sandwiches and salads for lunch and dinner, the new shop is located next to The Stave right off of Broadway in downtown and offers sandwiches like the toasted MexiCali Chicken, with spice-rubbed chicken, pepper jack, avocado, tomato, pickled red onions, cilantro and chipotle aioli, alongside a deli menu and sides.
https://www.facebook.com/longbeachcreamery/photos/a.1408216542724493.1073741825.1408190342727113/2094026530810154/?type=3&theater
Long Beach Creamery not-so-quietly soft-opened its second location on March 24 in downtown Long Beach, located at 222 East Broadway. The Bixby Knolls-raised, experimental ice cream shop uses local ingredients and collaborates with local shops, including The Pie Bar. With owner Dinah Amadril’s knack for throwing together the most drool-worthy, seasonal flavors, downtown residents are certainly in for a treat.
Photo courtesy of The Social List.
The Social List has added three vegan-friendly dishes to their menu, the restaurant announced recently; the Mozzarella and “Sausage” Flatbread, featuring Impossible Foods sausage, melted vegan mozzarella, brushed marinara, garlic, caramelized onions, mushrooms, and diced spicy peppers, and the Impossible Burger (pictured), with an Impossible patty, vegan cheddar cheese and thousand island, grilled sweet onions, lettuce, pickles and tomato, as well as the Local Garden Ravioli, with mushrooms, onions, leeks, carrots, bell peppers, garlic, wilted spinach, and vegan cream cheese, topped with house made marinara and vegan parmesan.
They’ve also added a new vegetarian item called the Vegetarian Polenta Bowl with creamy polenta, foraged mushrooms, broccolini, carrots, sweet onions, garlic and a fried egg.
In more news from The Social List, on Friday April 6 the Retro Row eatery will host a block party and tap takeover called the Power of Women. Expect woman-brewed libations from Drake’s Brewing, live music from Bearcoon and photography from Viviana Camacho.
LONG BEACH CALLING! To Celebrate the “Unofficial, Official IPA of Long Beach”
Long Beach Calling!, an event at the Willmore-based watering hole, The Hawk in collaboration with Beachwood Brewery, will celebrate Beachwood’s release of its LBC IPA, now available to a wider audience via more kegs and six-packs waiting to be guzzled around town. You won’t want to miss this event, set to take place on Saturday, April 7 and to spotlight other local brewers including Long Beach Beer Lab, Ten Mile Brewing and San Pedro’s Brouwerij West.
Photo from Wide Eyes Open Palms.
It’s been one year since pop-up coffee shop Wide Eyes Open Palms opened their first brick and mortar right off Retro Row. On Sunday, April 8, owners Kat Laukat and Angie Evans have invited the community to celebrate their anniversary with mini workshops, music, food, delicious beverages and more. Stay tuned to the Facebook event for more details.
Weiland Brewery and Restaurant in Bixby Knolls has undergone a name change to knolls eat/drink. According to local sources, the owner is making some slight changes to the menu for the better.
Liberation Brewing Company Set to Serve “Homegrown Beer Zealotry” to Long Beach
Elsewhere in Bixby Knolls, Liberation Brewing Company sounds like they’re really close to announcing an opening date, according to Blair Cohn of the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement District, but we’re waiting in anticipation to hear what that is.
EATER LA took a crack at naming 17 essential Long Beach restaurants, the likes of which include Panxa Cocina, Beer Belly, Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu and more. It’s the 2018 edition of the list focused on Long Beach cuisine, with local staple Joe Jost’s even making it on, albeit without a mention of their signature pickled eggs as one of the best bar snacks you can get in the Zaferia district.
Sgt. Pepper’s Dueling Piano bar located right outside The Pike Outlets at 91 South Pine Avenue has officially become the Broken Drum Bar, according to LongBeachize. Owner of Iguana Kelly’s Steve Guillen is opening the live music, bar and restaurant officially on April 1, with the goal of claiming a stake in the downtown entertainment scene.
Long Beach chef AC Boral created a Wu Tang Clan-inspired dinner and The Grunion Gazette was there to witness the pop-up event. It was also a preview for Boral’s Rice & Shine brunch, where “American brunch meets Filipino hospitality and flavors.”