Greer's OC

Long Beach restaurants are gearing up for Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant Week 2.0 taking place February 25-March 3. Nearly 50 restaurants are participating with a Chefs’ Cooking + Tasting Kick-Off, free to the public, Saturday, February 24 starting at noon at Friedmans Home Experience with Neil Saavedra, host of “The Fork Report” on KFI-AM 640,  broadcasting live from 2-5 p.m.

Nearly 50 restaurants throughout the city will offer 2-option menus for breakfast and lunch starting at $10 and 3-option menus for dinner starting at $20.  Some restaurants will also offer a shared menu where two guests can split an appetizer and dessert but enjoy their own entrée. Others will do small plates and wine or beer pairings. As for settings and cuisines, California’s sixth largest city has an abundance of offerings.

"Long Beach’s dining scene has really come into its own,” said Elizabeth Borsting, founder and organizer of Dine Out Long Beach and a local public relations consultant for several restaurant concepts and hotels. “We have quite a few recently-opened restaurants participating, too, including Lasher’s Kitchen, Ellie’s, and The Plunge at 1900 Beach Club as well as some dining landmarks, such as L’Opera, Michael’s On Naples, Papalucci’s and The Crooked Duck.”

Borsting added that Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant Week 2.0 will feature some exclusive dishes, including alligator (available at Louisiana Charlie’s) and Chianina beef (available at Chianina Steakhouse – the only restaurant the United States that breeds, raises and serves in the Italian-bred cattle).  Pike Bar & Restaurant, located along the city’s Retro Row on 4^th Street, is owned by Chris Reece, drummer for Social Distortion.  Great Society Cider & Mead is the only restaurant in Southern California to specialize in cider and mead, a honey-based wine.

Dine Out Long Beach doesn’t require any tickets or passes.  Guests simply can peruse the special, prix-fixe menus at dineoutlongbeach.com and decide where they’d like to dine by selecting a neighborhood, price point or cuisine. Restaurants will also have their regular menus available, and guests can make reservations on the Dine Out Long Beach website via OpenTable. 

On Saturday, February 24, the day before Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant Week 2.0 gets underway, the public is invited to take part in a Chefs’ Cooking + Tasting Kick-off at Friedmans Home Experience at 1827 E. Spring Street in Long Beach located off the 405 Freeway at Cherry Avenue.  Four chefs from participating Dine Out Long Beach restaurants will conduct 30-60 minute cooking demonstrations every hour on the hour starting at noon with beer tasting hosted by Stella Artois and cocktail tasting with Blue Marble Cocktails.

A wine expert from VUE Bar + Restaurant, located on the Penthouse Level of the midcentury Holiday Inn Long Beach Airport, will host wine tasting throughout the day.  The event is free to attend.

Image James Republic