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I have returned to Long Beach after a short break in San Luis Obispo last week, and I am so happy that I made Nova Bakery one of my first stop.

The Venezuelan bakery opened recently just across from Gumbiner Park and has a large menu of delicious, made-to-order items like arepas, empanadas and more. 

But I was most excited about their potato balls, which are mashed potatoes stuffed with either beef or chicken and coated in breadcrumbs and fried. The first time I had tried one was at the famed Porto’s Bakery. When I’m in L.A. or in Buena Park, I almost always stop by Porto’s to grab some, but now there’s no need. 

The beef is shredded (Porto’s uses ground beef) and well seasoned. Customers can also choose a chicken filling, but I would recommend the beef. Frying the potato ball creates the crispiest shell that perfectly contrasts the softness of the mashed potatoes. I only ordered one because I knew I wanted to try other items, but I could’ve easily eaten multiple (and next time I will). 

I also ordered arepas with shredded chicken and shredded cheese, a beef empanada and a cheese cachapas. 

The arepa is masa, or corn flour, shaped into a thick pancake then sliced through to create a pocket and stuffed. They were very generous with the filling, piling on the shredded cheese and chicken. It was crispy, savory and addicting. 

Similarly, the empanada was crispy and well-stuffed with the same shredded beef as the potato ball. The bakery has five sauces which an employee told us went with all the items we ordered except for the cachapas. 

It’s been well-established that I’m a garlic lover, so my favorite sauce was, of course, the garlic sauce. The savory meat and hearty cheese also needed some heat to cut through the heaviness so I also really enjoyed dousing each bit with the green sauce which was, for me, very spicy. 

Finally, I tried the capachas. A sweet corn dough similar to a pancake stuffed with Venezuelan cheese. It was a great way to round out the meal. I wouldn’t consider it a dessert necessarily, but it certainly didn’t feel like I could go back for savory bites after trying it. The cheese layer was thick and stretchy, the dough was fluffy but had bits of char where the uneven dough sat just a moment too long on the griddle that added another delicious dimension to the bite. 

I’m so glad Long Beach has a place like this, I’ll be going back for more soon.  

Nova Bakery is at 865 E. Seventh Street, Unit C. Directions | Website

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New eats around town

Remix Kitchen is now home to pop-up Bar Becky which Chef Johnathan Benvenuti hopes to make a permanent move. Hot off a runner-up finish on Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” Benvenuti returned to Southern California to find a home for his Italian-American concept. He found it at Remix. Read more here. 

Coffee Drunk has officially opened its third location in Bixby Knolls. The concept first debuted on Retro Row in 2020 before a second shop opened in Cal Heights last year. The brand has become known for its “Last Call,” a semi-sweet dark chocolate chai latte, and its “Instigator,” an espresso shaken with maple, brown sugar and a touch of milk. Read more here. 

Le Macaron in Belmont Shore also opened recently. Their grand opening is set for March 2, but they’ve already begun serving up the famous French pastries and will soon add gelato to the mix. Read more here. 

Taco Shore has been around for years, but owner Jenny Cuevas is now offering a full bar to revamp the restaurant. Read more about what the restaurant will offer and Cuevas’ journey from server to owner here. 

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].