Alegria in Long Beach: Inexplicably Empty Despite Solid Entrees

We walked into an empty restaurant when entering Alegria in Long Beach and thought maybe the food was sub par. Well, we were proven wrong because I was impressed by the creativity of the dishes and good execution.

The biggest pleasant surprise was the pescado negro ("black fish") entree -- blackened halibut that's been pan fried atop mashed potatoes mixed in with jalapeno with a side of grilled nopales (cactus) and garlic roasted tomatoes. There was also an avocado puree/sauce on the side that provided an additional layer of great flavor to the entire dish. With all these components, it would have been easy to get lost in the flavor explosion but it all came together and worked very nicely. The cactus was mild and smoky from the grill and that green sauce complemented the fish perfectly. The fish was sprinkled with some arugula and other greens for freshness. I loved this dish.

The appetizers were ok but nothing earth shatteringly awesome. The shrimp and queso fundido mix tamale was good in a heavy, artery-clogging way. Even with this dish, it had some kind of avocado or jalapeno-infused oil drizzled on top, which are the kinds of details I appreciate. It shows that the chef took the time to think about the various dimensions of the dish and where she could take it.

We also had the calamari, which was crispy and warm, just the way I like them. However, the batter wasn't that flavorful and they tasted a tad bland. The sauce didn't do much to ameliorate that. But I do give props for keeping them crispy and warm without overcooking the very easily overcooked squid.

The Caesar salad that came with the entree was nothing special if not a bit overdressed but that seems to be the story of Caesar salad's life.

 

The Nachos weren't anything special either. I got the sense that Mexican food was thrown in the menu to appease Mexican food lovers but it wasn't necessarily the chef's forte. The chef seemed to be stronger on the Cuban or Latin American dishes. I haven't tried the Spanish dishes like Paella but would definitely like to try them. 

Bonus was that it offered some Chilean dishes and I love anything Chilean, pretty much. I just get sad when I see if empty all the time, especially when neighboring restaurants like George's Greek and others inexplicably get crowds. Am I missing something? I think Alegria is far better than others on the same street but alas, maybe it's the decor or some other kind of marketing it needs to do to attract more patrons. It deserves more business.