Long Beach Thursday: Date Place
2 gay twenty-something men in Long Beach are looking for a night out. Where to go? One is new to the area, the other lives in Santa Monica. Don't want to spend a fortune and willing to try off-the-wall places. Any suggestions? This board is always good to me... don't steer me wrong.
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Most of the city is gay-friendly. In Belmont Shore you can go to Biggs on Second Street-- basically a tapas place. Service is leisurely, but the food is really tasty, and the house red is surprisingly good and cheap.
Bono's, across the street and down a block from Biggs, is a nice room and has an attractive (mixed) clientèle. The food can be hit-and-miss, but my last time was really good.
Christy's and Lasher's are both on Broadway in Belmont Heights. I love them both; the former is northern Italian, the latter is high-style Comfort Food. Presentation and flavor are great at both; Christy's has a somewhat better wine list, if that's important.
Benley, way over in East Long Beach (Wardlow and Los Alamitos), serves Vietnamese small plates in a surprisingly stylish, low-key room (in a mall with a Curves and a TJ Maxx-- or is it a Marshall's?!). Real thought goes into the preparation, and every ingredient clearly contributes flavor and texture to every course. Their pho is a work of art. NOTE: No liquor license. BYOB is happily accomodated.
If you want Mexican and don't need a low-lit, romantic room, Enrique's on PCH (at Loynes) serves superb cocina jalisqueña. NOTE: Beer and wine only.
