“I love mushrooms because it forces us to eat locally and I think that’s how you’re supposed to eat anyways,” said Nguyen, who is aiming to double his mushroom growth soon. “There’s some spiritual aspect about eating stuff where it’s grown.”
After losing his job to the pandemic, Chad Phuong turned to food and launched his North Long Beach pop-up, Battambong BBQ, that honors traditional Texas-style barbeque with Cambodian flavor.
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.
Growing up with Jaliscan parents, seeing Latin food cooked so differently fascinated Agustín Romo, owner of Peruvian restaurant Casa Chaskis in West Long Beach. Peruvian gastronomy, for instance, has been heavily influenced by an influx of Asian immigrants to the region over centuries. These influences show through characteristics such as the use of woks while sauteing or stir-frying noodles and rice.
“I just wanted to make something I grew up eating.”
From the ashes of a fire at Bebot Filipino Soul Kitchen last year emerged four chefs of The Corner Stoop, a Filipino-owned catering business that hosts weekly pop-ups.
Seven days a week, Hellen-Lloyd and his musician-wife Christina Wilson work from home, churning out hundreds of loaves of ciabatta, baguette, country loaf, levaine, alpine rye, burger buns, and more to restaurants and coffee shops in Long Beach and Artesia.
Over the past seven years, Golden has developed over 30 fillings for her rolls, of which she makes and sells two to three dozen per week, taking orders via phone or social media.
“It’s just so good. We’ve had other burritos and they’re just a waste of time—this has just set the bar so high.”
Just like her salsas, Dina Feldman is mixing in different aspects of the Feel Good Salsa brand to create one simple flavor: community service.
