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Compound, Zaferia neighborhood’s newest art and wellness space, isn’t reopening with its new restaurant and bar concept until Jan. 26, but a colleague and I were able to snag a sneak peek last week — and a few bites too. 

The new restaurant inside is called Union @ Compound, headed by Chef Eugene Santiago.

Santiago is the founder of Baryo, a local food concept you might recognize. The pop-up and catering service operates out of the Daisy Diner ghost kitchen space. (Some clarification: While Union @ Compound is the name of the restaurant inside Compound, Baryo will have a residency there, under which Santiago will curate the menu).

Last week, myself and our Visual’s Editor Thomas Cordova, were able to attend an evening for friends and family at Compound. Full disclosure, the food was complimentary, but the invite did not request coverage of the evening. Still, I thought I’d share. 

Not only is it a beautiful space to eat and imbibe (there’s a full bar inside), but the menu looked unlike anything else I’ve seen in town. Santiago, who is Filipino, has created a menu showcasing the diverse flavors of Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander cuisine.

Here’s what we tried. 

We started with the roasted kale sprouts with five spice pork belly, matchstick apple slices, and a maple butternut squash purée. 

The roasted kale sprouts were tender, but still had a good bite to them and the char added a nice depth to the already sweet peppery flavor of the sprouts. The earthiness of the sprouts was cut by the crispy, refreshing bites of apple, and both complemented the crispy, juicy pork belly. 

For me, it was the maple butternut squash purée buried at the bottom that made the dish. It was incredibly creamy, sweet and, perhaps redundant to mention, buttery. 

Then, for our main meal we tried the whole branzino, which came headless (but with its tail) and covered in nam jim sauce and pomegranate seeds. To be honest, it was really the pomegranate seeds that sold me on this one. The outer edges of the fish were crispy, but as a whole, the fish was tender and moist. 

The nam jim sauce was herby and dense, but the lemon wedge that comes with the dish added a necessary acidity and brightness to counteract the richness of the herbs. We got a side of papaya salad, which I ordered for extra zing, but was surprised to find that it was sweeter than I had anticipated. 

Rounding out the meal was a black sesame and apple galette. The crust was flaky and melted in my mouth, although I didn’t taste too much of the nuttiness from the black sesame that I was expecting. The apple butter and apple slices were wonderfully sweet. Despite how stuffed we were by the end of the meal, I found myself continually scooping bits of the apple butter onto the edge of my fork. 

It’s exciting to have this new restaurant and to see this beautiful space be able to reopen after its pandemic-induced closure. I imagine it’s a spot that people will return to again and again, I know I certainly will. 

Union @ Compound will be open from 4 to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays and from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays starting Jan. 26. Reservations for the restaurant can be made here.  

Watch the video of our visit here.  

Union @ Compound is at 1395 Coronado Ave. Directions | Website

New eats around town

Nova Bakery is a Venezuelan bakery with sweet and savory options that opened last month at the corner of Seventh Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue. Their menu offers things like beef and salchicha arepas, pastelitos, cachapas, empanadas and, of course, some sweet options like churros or sweet arepas. And if you don’t want to drive all the way to Buena Park for potato balls from Porto’s Bakery, give the ones at Nova Bakery a try.  

This eatery isn’t super new, but Charm Siam Restaurant recently opened in Alamitos Beach. The family-owned business served traditional Thai cuisine including tom yum hot pot, pad see ew, and penang curry. And if you’re looking for something sweet, they’ve got mango sticky rice as well. It’s open 4 to 10 p.m. on Mondays through Wednesday and from noon until 10 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.

Wine Cheese Etc. in East Long Beach will start selling fresh to-go sandwiches on Feb. 1. The bread is made with Spanish flour and the cheese, of course, will be from the shop. 

WaBa Grill is now open at the former Mom’s Touch location in North Long Beach. The chain is known for its rice bowls, which come with many protein options like steak and shrimp, as well as plant-based options like tofu and plant-based meat, which are marinated in a signature sauce.

Have you been to any new restaurants or have some recommendations for me? I would love to hear your thoughts. Make sure to reply to this email or reach me here: [email protected]. 

Events and Specials

Culinary bookstore Kitchen Lingo is hosting acclaimed Los Angeles food writer, Farley Elliott, for a short lecture and discussion, with Q&A, on the changing nature of the landscape of food reporting vs. criticism. The event will take place at the store on Retro Row at 11 a.m. on Jan. 27. Limited space is available and tickets can be purchased for $15 here.  

Dave’s Hot Chicken is now offering a vegetarian option by substituting chicken with fried cauliflower. Get that same crispy, juicy, spicy bite, but meat-free. It’s located on the SW corner of Second Street and Covina Avenue in Belmont Shore.

Belmont Shore’s Chocolate Festival will add wine tasting to its annual sweets celebration on Feb. 10. Find out more about the event here.  

In other news, three Long Beach eateries are now in the running for the prestigious James Beard Foundation Awards. Read more about it here.