Sunday, November 25, 2012

Simmzy's in Long Beach: Thumbs Up on Burger and Curried Spinach Dip







I had a good feeling about Simmzy's in Long Beach (multiple locations) the moment I walked into the open-air, communal tables setting that was so inviting. The Brussels sprouts, curried spinach dip with flat bread and fries we started with were all solid. More on that later but first things first. The burger.


The burger was definitely above average and to dissect it a little more, the patty was flavorful with just the right consistency and done-ness.  The works included cheddar cheese, onions, lettuce, tomato, garlic aioli and I added some avocado (yes, to make it as similar to Houston's California burger as possible. I also asked for BBQ sauce but it wasn't as good as Houston's). I would put the burger up there with Lazy Ox Canteen and Rustic Canyon.


I was fairly happy with both the regular and sweet potato fries with the most important factor being they were piping hot and crispy when they arrived at our table.
No soggy fries or overly dry ones that had been either fried four times or sitting under the lamp for far too long or all of the above.
I would return for the burger. Among the starters, I liked the curried spinach dip reminiscent of saag paneer -- that creamy spinach dish found in Indian lunch buffets that you always have one too many scoops of on your plate (guilty).
It was a very ingenious take on the traditional cream-based spinach dip that I couldn't stop dipping into with the flat bread.
The Brussels sprouts were a bit overcooked (see the burnt black parts?) but I liked the garlic, butter, lemon, anchovies and capers seasoning that gave it a decidedly salty edge. I prefer David Chang's sprouts with Sriracha sauce (aka death ketchup) because I'm a spice fiend (although I'm also a sodium fiend). This dish also had the power to transform a friend from a non-Brussels sprouts eater to an ardent devotee. I wouldn't be surprised if she had dreams about them.
The second trip wasn't as good as the first. The appetizers were still decent but the the salad, soup and sandwich combo wasn't as satisfying as the burger the first time around. The soup was too thick and not as flavorful and the salad was nothing special. But my biggest beef was with the pulled pork pressed sandwich.
I was expecting super tender and soft pulled pork but it wasn't. The vinegar overpowered everything and I don't think it went very well with the Swiss cheese. I had to spice it up with some Sriracha sauce because it was borderline bland.
Still, I'd like to return for Happy Hour as they have nightly specials only served after 4pm like chile verde mac-n-cheese and fried chicken. The ambiance was great. It can get crowded but it doesn't feel claustrophobic because of the open space. Service was also solid.

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