Welcome to Foodie Friday, our biweekly report on the latest neighborhood nosh and local libation news in Long Beach, where every other week we’ll feature what’s happening in the scene and the latest buzz in the blogosphere about the best places to eat, drink and be merry.
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Tired Eyes Coffee, the local roasting operation of 25-year-old Long Beacher Tyler Herrera, will launch its webstore on Wednesday, March 21. Herrera started Tired Eyes Coffee about two years ago, learning to roast while he worked in sales for Stumptown Coffee. The San Diego native-turned-Long Beach resident hopes to partner with multi-roaster shops like Steelhead and Commodity in the near future, but for now he’s working on getting the wholesale side of the business up and running.
Herrera’s right hand man and art director, Bradford Lynn (@bradfordlynn) designed the company’s sleepy mug logo, a mood most coffee drinkers can relate with all too well. And photographer Michael Linn (@michaelelinn) captures the brand quite beautifully. Follow @tiredeyescoffee for updates on the site launch.
“I guess I just couldn’t let myself believe that that’s what I should be anticipating,” said Tyler Lee, owner of Do Good Donuts, the recently opened mini donutery on 4th Street. “No one will ever know, unless they’ve opened a small food business, how much work goes into it.”
Learn all about Lee and her new donut venture here.
In more females-taking-over-the-culinary-industry news, The Federal has hired a new head chef by the name of Tia Baker. While the restaurant’s new menu won’t be available until April, Baker is just warming up with the addition of “Flights Around the World,” featuring Irish-inspired offerings this month. It’s also worth noting that Metro and The Federal are offering Blue Line riders a 10 percent discount on their meal, all you need to do is show your server your TAP card. Learn more here.
Go the healthier route with a tasting menu of organically-grown produce at the Farm Lot Eats fundraiser on March 25. Attendees will get swag bags that will include FL59honey, stickers, buttons and Tater Tats. If you’re thirsty, Ten Mile Brewing and The Wine Country will be offering craft brews and wine. Farm Lot 59’s educational programs and the reopening its farm stand will benefit from the event. Tickets can be purchased here.
Honed in on the Belmont Shore beat, The Grunion Gazette reported recently that Theory Cafe has opened on 2nd Street where Brix Belmont Shore used to be located. The new restaurant serves American and some Yugoslav-style dishes for vegetarians, vegans or anyone with a special diet. Restaurant owner Amila Malovic is a cancer survivor and understands how much a balanced diet can impact a person’s well being.
Corona-Based Poki Cat Quickly Expands to Long Beach With Two New Locations
A new poke chain has opened up in downtown Long Beach at The Current. With its second Long Beach locale expected to open soon at The Streets, Poki Cat offers bowls and sushi burritos from $9.95 to $12.95. The name and logo is based off the owner’s tuxedo cat, Maestro, who resembles a conductor and fancies fish as much as the next poke-loving person.
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Dogz Bar and Grill, the Belmont Shore bar forced to close down indefinitely in January 2017 following an incident that sent a geyser of water onto the roof of the building from a nearby fire hydrant, posted on Facebook last week that they’re close to reopening. In the meantime, Dogz fans are invited to a St. Patrick’s Day Parking Lot Party on Saturday at Roe Seafood.
Whole Foods Market 365 is scheduled to open on April 25 as part of the Long Beach Exchange shopping center currently in development. The store has partnered with Yellow Fever, which serves “asian bowls for your soul” as well as Groundwork Coffee.
Long Beach journalist and food writer extraordinaire, Sarah Bennett, sifts through Panxa Cocina’s love for the Hatch chile and how chef Art Gonzalez discovered its life-altering flavor in Santa Fe, New Mexico. As one of two Southwestern restaurants between Long Beach and Phoenix, if you haven’t visited the three-year-old establishment yet, you’re seriously missing out. Check out the EATER LA article here.
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Another ramen shop is opening up in Bixby Knolls, according to LongBeachize. The second franchise for HiroNori Craft Ramen will be located at 610 East Carson Street. The original shop located in Irvine opened up in August and is known for their traditional Tonkotsu and Vegan Ramen. An official date for the second shop is yet to be announced.
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Commodity Coffee offered fans a sneak peek at the progress of their expansion into the space where Working Class Kitchen used to be located. The pop-up-shop-turned-established-coffee bar will remain open during construction, serving both local and international roasts, as well vegan donuts from The Caffeinated Kitchen.