Just less than a year after opening his first restaurant, Martin Luzanilla is now just days away from opening his second Mexihanas Hibachi Grill in East Long Beach, taking over what was formerly the SideYard Café on Palo Verde Avenue.
There are banana pudding pies, cakes, cupcakes, popsicles, sandwiches, even tacos.
“Drinking and golfing go hand-in-hand,” Andrew Esparaza said sitting in his new bar surrounded by golf-related decor.
Cumbia music plays as the aroma of toasty empanadas, rounded buñuelos and cheesy pan de bonos resting on the counter’s heated display embrace guests who walk in to Melvin Henriquez’ El Paisa Colombian restaurant.
The sound of french fries sizzling in scalding hot oil while the scent emanating from the fryer hangs heavy in the kitchen of a small, triangular building in North Long Beach where Mr. Fries Man employees—all clad in black—pile mounds of meat, cheese and sauces on a bed of deep-fried potatoes.
Portside Fish Co. joins independent restaurants Main Chick Hot Chicken, Oi Asian Fusion and Shomi Noods: Ramen Bar at the Uptown Commons retail space on Atlantic Avenue and Artesia Boulevard.
Best friends Joty Kaur, 28, and Lucy Singleton, 30, are always catching people by surprise with their youth and “remixed” Mexican food.
If you’ve ever relished flan from local eateries like El Taco Loco, Los Tres Cochinitos or La Michoacana, those belong to 58-year-old Daniel Gascón, owner of Molto Buono Cheese Flan Factory in West Long Beach. Now, he’s bouncing back from the pandemic with a total of seven flan flavors.
“It’s not the rich people giving back,” Luzanilla said. “It’s us.”
Local eateries, urban gardens and farmers offered the community free samples, live music and food education as part of a community tour event in West Long Beach on Sunday.
