---

---

As someone who dines out professionally, I am often asked how I know I’ll like something I’ve never eaten before. My answer is always pretty simple: I look at the individual ingredients of a dish to see if I like them and then I order with an open mind. 

When I went to Uncle Fung Borneo Eatery this week with my editor Kat, who you may know from her newsletter Off the Clock, I was faced with yet another unfamiliar menu. I had never tried Borneo cuisine, although I did do a little research ahead of time — skimming the menu and brushing up on my geography. But when it came down to it, this time, I took the easy way out and asked an employee what dish would be most emblematic of their cuisine. 

He did not steer me wrong. 

I chose the Singapore Laksa, a shrimp-based curry laksa broth with flat rice noodles, shrimp, fish cake, fried tofu, soy-marinated egg, sweet corn and bean sprouts ($14.50). Kat, a vegetarian, was recommended the veggie curry plate with sweet marinated tofu, curry egg, balado-styled potato, steamed cabbage topped with curry served with curry covered steamed rice ($12.99). 

All of the ingredients listed on the menu for the laksa dish were something I knew I’d like, but that first sip of the creamy, warm, spicy broth knocked the dish out of the park (to my great relief). As I’ve mentioned in previous newsletters, I don’t have the highest tolerance for spice, but I got the dish as-is and it was perfect for me. It made me sniffle, but it didn’t feel like I was burning off any taste buds.

I was given the option of a couple different types of noodles, but went for the flat rice noodles because I love the texture of those soft, slippery noodles that tend to soak up so much flavor. They were generous with the portion size and even though I felt like I consumed a lot of broth throughout the meal, there was still some left at the bottom of my bowl when I finally tapped out.

Kat’s dish, which she generously let me sample, had wonderfully fragrant, garlicky rice that perfumed your whole mouth. The steamed cabbage was simple, but was so savory I said out loud that I needed to eat more cooked cabbage in the future. 

Next time I plan to grab a Borneo Rice Plate, an authentic Bornean rice place served with char siu (Cantonese–style barbecue pork), Chinese sausage, fried chicken, marinated egg and gravy broth. 

The restaurant has two other locations, one in Buena Park and another in Alhambra. 

For Long Beach residents who have been, it’s probably not a surprise that I’m raving about this restaurant which opened in 2017. But I’m surprised that it took lurking around a Reddit thread to find it. I have to suspect it’s a popular spot for Cal State Long Beach students, since it is right across the street from the campus.

Long Beach has a wonderful and diverse pool of Asian cuisine with a lot of delicious establishments that are constantly recommended and raved about. I hope Uncle Fung comes up often in those conversations. 

Uncle Fung Borneo Eatery is at 5716 Suite A E. 7th Street. Directions | Website

Dishes on my to-try list

• Tacos La Carreta food truck in North Long Beach recently made L.A. Times’ 101 best restaurants in L.A. guide. Their food is Sinaloa-style, so I’ll probably grab some tacos dorado although their torta de asada looks tempting. Menu prices are hard to find online, but Yelp reviews from people who’ve eaten there say tacos are around $3 to $4. 
• I dine out a lot, obviously, so sometimes I just want a piece of home. I’ve been eager to check out a few mezza dishes from Open Sesame in Belmont Shore, specifically, the foul m’damas, a dish with chickpeas, fava beans, garlic, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil – served with onion, wild cucumber pickles, radish, cucumber, tomato, fresh mint  ($14) and their arayes, a grilled pita stuffed with prime ground beef and lamb, tomato, parsley, onion and sumac ($16). 

New eats around town

If you’re craving some vegan pizza and bagels (and some non-vegan options), Jug Band Coffee and Tea may be just what you’re looking for. Hypnotic Vegan Pizza Long Beach moved inside Jug Band Coffee and Tea across the street in September of last year after their lease ended. It took them a few months to get fully up and running, but the move afforded them a larger kitchen and menu. They now serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Jug Band Coffee and Tea is located at 2771 E. Broadway. 

Fans of See’s Candies can rejoice as the beloved 103-year-old institution is now open at the Bixby Knolls Shopping Center. Read more about grand opening deals and specials (including free samples) 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]. 

Events and Specials

Black Restaurant Week is back again with over 18 restaurants participating starting Jan. 21. Generally, restaurant weeks nationwide are meant to boost patronage at restaurants during less profitable times of the year. This is the first year Qiana Mafnas, co-owner of popular barbecue pop-up Axiom Kitchen, will coordinate the event. Read more here. 

Chef Richie, a Grammy-nominated producer and MasterChef competitor, is teaming up again with Sake Secret for a five-course tasting menu and sake pairing on Jan. 25. More details can be found here. If you want to learn how to do your own sake pairings, Sake Secret is doing a guided tasting and class on Jan. 14. Details here.