Berlin Bistro in LBC: Decent Kalua Pork with Grilled Pineapple and Rice

Berlin Bistro, a cute little cafe that serves decent food in Long Beach, also goes by berlin coffee house on its URL. I love the concept of this joint -- modern decor, a cool, alternative vibe and artisan coffee. I was skeptical about the food menu because I didn't love the coffee the one time I tried it. I dared to get something that isn't easy to do well -- the kalua pork plate.

If not done properly, this dish would smell excessively porky and not in a good way. I was pleasantly surprised. The pork was tender and juicy, and it didn't have the nasty smell. The marinade wasn't overly sweet and while a tad salty (to soak up the accompanying rice), it was good.

The sides included a wedge of steamed bok choy and my personal favorite, a perfectly grilled slice of pineapple (with perfect grill marks), complete with the most inviting smokiness. It also came with two cute little scoops of white rice sprinkled with some black sesame seeds. Very nice touch. I'm always hesitant when I see folks doing Asian or Asian fusion-type menus (other items on the menu: yellow curry and katsu bowl) but I may just try them on my next visit (I may have to draw the line at the banh mi, though). My only beef was its insistence on calling things "pomme frites" or "steak frites" when it could have easily called a rose a rose. Besides, Berlin isn't known for its bistros! How do you like that alliteration?! If you're trying to go local, might as well call the katsu bowl katsu don instead, no? Ok, I'm being nit picky. Bottom line: I liked the food but not the coffee.

Pier 76 Fish Grill in Long Beach: Excellent Vietnamese Catfish, Good Watermelon Lemonade and Sides that Need Work

I confess I wasn't too enthused about the limited choices when I took a peek at Pier 76 Fish Grill's menu. It's a very casual semi-self-service restaurant that specializes in seafood. It has nice outdoor seating but the most uncomfortable chairs. The menu features four types of grilled fish, one jumbo shrimp and one chicken. These entrees come with a side of short grained rice and a choice of various sides like mac-n-cheese and kale and tomato salad (which I got -- it's an extra $1.50 when you forgo the rice for a second side).

While waiting in line to order (you get a number and they bring it to your table), my dining companion and I "grilled" one of the owner/managers who very generously answered our million questions. What is Swai? Vietnamese Catfish. Would the sesame be too strong in the sesame lime Tilapia? No. What is the difference between the three home-made lemonades (fountain drinks), each of which showed a hue of brown, green and red, respectively? They are tamarind lemonade, cucumber lemonade and watermelon lemonade. Are all the fish cooked as fillets? Yes.

The grilled Swai that I got with a side of the mac-n-cheese and kale and tomato salad was superb. It was fresh, tender and grilled to perfection. I felt like I was having freshly caught fish cooked right off the boat. Check out those picture perfect grill marks on that beauty! The arugula almond pesto came on the side instead of smothered on the fish, which I liked, and the pesto itself wasn't as heavy as the regular one made with basil and pine nuts. In fact, the pesto was a gorgeous, bright green color that made it look freshly made and gave it a taste so nutty and wonderful that it made me want to make it at home. I'm usually not huge on pesto so it was a welcome surprise to enjoy it so much.

Now for the not so good. The sides were somewhat disappointing. Loved the selection. Didn't love the execution. The mini pasta shells in the White Cheddar mac-n-cheese was overcooked and the cheese wasn't as flavorful. The kale and tomato salad that came with thinly sliced red onions was refreshing but it was a tad on the overdressed side so quickly wilted.

The fries were average -- probably one of the better sides among the four we tried. The least successful was the broccoli coleslaw that was far too overdressed with vinegar and the very overpowering sesame oil. It's true I'm not a big fan of using sesame oil for non-Asian dishes but sorry to say this one didn't work at all.



The yellowtail fillet that came with roasted garlic butter on the side for dipping was thicker and perhaps for that reason, way dry. It was a must to dunk it generously in the butter to remotely enjoy each morsel of fish. Otherwise, it was pretty bland and devoid of any moist.

I got the watermelon lemonade, which was good but nothing too special. The cucumber one is more of an acquired taste since it's a rather unusual combination. But they were both refreshing. Good for toasty summers.

Service was friendly but they close a bit early -- at 9pm! The outdoor seating area is dog and kid friendly. I may return to try the poke or the fish sandwich (Swai) for lunch but don't think I'll return for dinner. Think I had the best thing on the menu.

Asha -- Moroccan in Long Beach: Hold the Salt in the Kafta Tajeen, Excellent Baba Ghanouj

I was craving Moroccan and fortunately had a chance to try Asha in Long Beach, whose service for a large party was pretty ghastly but food was good if not over-salted. The kafta tajeen with roasted tomatoes over couscous was too salty but the poached egg somewhat balanced it out. Because everything is made better with the addition of an egg, the ground beef and lamb slow cooked with roasted tomato, garlic, cilantro and spices was good if not for the saltiness. I later added a lot of labni, creamy kefir cheese with a consistency of thick yogurt, which helped to further balance out the saltiness and made it perfect. I'd definitely order it again. I also loved the presentation in the traditional tajeen (or tagine, as I know it) clay pot with the reversed funnel-like lid that is removed at the table upon serving.

The second best thing was the Baba Ghanouj that we got as part of the appetizer sampler. I usually like the eggplant dip more than plain ol' hummus. Zankou Chicken makes my fave but this one was super smoky, which I love, and really fresh-tasting. Can't say the same for the olives, which were these sad, little, over-brined, hollow things.

The falafels had just been fried and were crunchy with plenty of chickpea flavor. The Shakshooka, a tomato and red pepper mix with hints of garlic and parsley was good but probably better with some pita bread and labneh. The grape leaves were just average.

The potatoes, fried and then smothered in a tangy garlic sauce (I know) weren't as good as those in Sunnin Cafe in Westwood. Called batatas here, they weren't as flavorful as the ones in Sunnin. The potatoes seemed a bit hard, perhaps over-fried?

The venue has tasteful decor and friendly service but if you go as a large party (say more than 5), make sure you order as soon as you arrive or ahead of time. This place doesn't do well with large parties. While I understand this can be a challenge (we had about 12+ people, I think), what bugged me was that the server never once checked in on us letting us know it was on its way or apologize. That's not good service. I know sh*t happens but if you can't address the root cause, at least make it better with complimentary appetizers that don't need cooking or drinks.

I want to support this joint because it's a mom and pop establishment, the Downtown Long Beach eating scene could use some diversity and Morocco is one of my dream destinations. Please don't over-salt, over-fry and if you can't have quick group service, give the group something to make up for it.

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.

 

The Attic in Long Beach: Cheetos Mac-n-Cheese -- 'Nough Said

Behold this beauty. It's a signature dish at the Attic in Long Beach and it's food porn at its best. Mac-n-Cheese with bacon bits topped with crushed spicy Cheetos. Yes, Cheetos. I thought it'd be gimmicky but upon taking a bite of this super creamy concoction, I couldn't stop scooping spoonfuls into my mouth (while daintily wiping the red crumbs off my face).

It isn't exactly what you might want for breakfast, but it's pretty genius. The chopped fresh green onions added a bit of fresh crunch to the dish, not to mention my favorite color combo of orange and green. I got a reality check about how fatty it was when I had the leftovers and the whole thing just congealed in the fridge. Needless to say, this didn't deter me from devouring the leftovers after a quick spin in the microwave.

In retrospect, the pasta could have been a bit more al dente but heck, I was too busy enjoying the richness to notice.

I also liked the restaurant's list of refreshing drinks, like this one that had a gorgeous, bright orange hue and included carrot and ginger. It was a delightful drink to be had for brunch and I relished it.

Funny how the purported main course of a brunch, namely its version of eggs benedict, is getting second class citizen treatment here thanks to the creative use of Cheetos. The Boxty Benedict included two perfectly poached eggs and corned beef atop nicely toasted English muffin slices with a side of potatoes. I would have liked hash brown-y potatoes better but that's me getting greedy.

The kicker was the Guinness Mustard Hollandaise sauce, which sounded better in concept than in reality. I'm no lush but the mustard was so overpowering that I couldn't taste the Guinness at all. I'm not a huge fan of Hollandaise so it was fine. I got my fatty fix from the Cheetos pasta so I was good.

Service was pleasant and most of all, I loved the ambiance. The restaurant is a converted house, so it felt very homey and outdoor seating seemed nice too. The place was very bright and airy, almost like having breakfast at home -- except we got a sizzling plate of Cheetos sprinkled over elbow macaroni. I swear this isn't an indirect ad for Cheetos and no sponsorship deals were made prior to the writing of this post.

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.