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I’d like to start by thanking all who emailed their suggestions on seafood spots in the city — stay tuned for a newsletter in the coming weeks that will detail all of your recommendations and what I tried out.

And now for a hot take.

Yellow curry is the perfect winter dish — it heats you from the inside out (both because of its temperature and spice level of your choosing) and keeps you satisfied until your next meal.

Chiang Rai, a northern-style Thai restaurant in East Long Beach recognized by Michelin Guide, offers such a curry with crab ($18.95), which satisfied more than one of the cravings I’ve been having recently. It’s served with two soft shell whole crabs, battered and fried, atop a large lettuce leaf to keep them from getting soggy. Underneath is that golden, warm, creamy broth. 

Largely chopped potato, carrot and onions were gently cooked in the curry, leaving them soft enough to sink your teeth into but firm enough that they don’t just dissolve under pressure. A warm bowl of white rice comes on the side. 

While I picked off a few crab legs almost the second my server set the bowl down to get that great crunch, ultimately the crab ended up dunked in the rich broth — which somehow made it even more delicious.

By the end of the meal I was stuffed. But not so stuffed that I couldn’t try a bite of my friend’s order and ultimately, what the restaurant is known for: Khao soi ($18.95).

The noodle dish came with spicy curry, onions, lime, pickled mustard and fried shallot. It was topped with crunchy fried egg noodles and my lunch companion picked sausage as their protein of choice.

Everything was delicious, but the standout really was the sausage. Sai uao (sausage) is traditionally minced pork ground with herbs, spices, and red curry paste. It’s salty, fatty and a remarkably good partner for the noodle dish. I would happily eat a link of sai uao with some white rice any day. 

Chiang Rai is at 3832 E Anaheim St. Directions | Website

Dishes on my to-try list 

There are two types of foods that are almost always on my mind: burgers and tacos. For a burger, I’m excited to try Nice Burger which is 100% vegan. Their mainlander burger with cheese, pineapple, lettuce, tomato, onion, mayonnaise, and Teriyaki sauce ($12.99) sounds just like my style. 

Joliza’s is where I’ll go next for my taco craving. I love asada tacos, so I think that would be my protein of choice ($2.75 per taco), but their potato taquitos ($7.50 for three) are also calling my name. 

New eats around town

And speaking of East Long Beach, the area will welcome a gourmet pizza place when Pizza Parlor LB opens its doors. The new restaurant will replace Ottimo Pizzeria and is co-owned by chefs Joshua Knight and Mike Ortiz. Knight is also the owner of COPA, a specialty coffee and breakfast/lunch cafe, while Ortiz was most recently working as the general manager of  Little Coyote. Ortiz has also worked as a sourdough master at places like Lodge Bread Company. Read more here. 

Have you been to any new restaurants or have some recommendations for me? I would love to hear your thoughts. Make sure to reply to this email or reach me here: caitlin@lbpost.com. 

Events and Specials

Pick up a meal for four from Colombian restaurant Selva this Christmas. The restaurant will offer a full chicken dressed with Colombian spices, two sides (think buttery corn arepas, braised greens with smoked pork belly or mamas arroz & frijoles) and a coconut panna cotta for $100. 

Orders must be placed before Dec. 22 and picked up on Dec. 26. Call Selva at 562-343-5630 to order. 

Check out our list of which restaurants are offering special New Year’s Eve celebrations and our list of bars to get a holiday cocktail this season.