INDULGENCES eating out by tony reverditto
From the time that I discovered I would be review-
ing a restaurant with the catchy name, The Bitter Chef, it immediately captured my interest. Truth be told, the name seems to be a smart gimmick to intrigue passing traffic, locals, especially the gays in Long Beach to check it out. As a matter of fact, the chef didn’t seem bitter at all. He came over for a glass of wine after his shift and seemed like a personable guy; but then again I didn’t see him in action during a Saturday breakfast rush. Either way this is the culinary love child of the internationally trained Chef Extraor- dinaire/Owner Andrew Lord. The up-and-coming eatery specializes in traditionally infused dishes and is located in a desirable location. Now, The Bitter Chef is all of six months old and nestled in a build- ing, formerly known as the Americana Restaurant. Andrew Lord first got a job cooking at the Farniente Restaurant in Glendale, which was the foundation of his cooking career. He clearly has taken his experi- ence with him from the many restaurants where he has worked along the way. I have never seen a chef with such dedication; he is literally there 24/7 and determined to see The Bitter Chef succeed, as am I. So, three decades later he is living his dream with the chutzpah it takes to survive and grow in an unstable economy. The food is excellent with reasonable prices, and there is the option of take-out. They serve a vast selection of hearty breakfasts (with a good fol- lowing), healthy lunches and gourmet dinners. They are on an uphill climb, but once the word gets out about their well-prepared home-style eatery, they should be fine. Starting a restaurant is not without challenges; the building is catty corner on a busy intersection, which is great, and I am told that each day new touches are being made to the décor. We went in for dinner on a Thursday night and
The Bitter Chef
in Long Beach
SOMETIMES BITTER IS BETTER
Chopped Vegetable Salad
64
RAGE monthly | APRIL 2010
were greeted by the amiable front-of-house person, Gabe Avila. He was a well-informed food server; his knowledge of the menu and the history of the estab- lishment were impressive; that is in part because he believes in this restaurant’s value. We ordered wine (they carry beer and wine only for now). For starters, we chose the Calamari Fritti; I have this thing about judging a restaurant by their calamari, and it suc- ceeded. Dusted with flour, fried to a crispy golden brown, it was perfect. The marinara had a secret ingredient and was one of the best I have had. So, I knew it was going to be a tasty dining experience. We also had Hot Chicken Wings which were tender with a nice crunchy coating, but needed more fire for me. I am sure extra spicy is available upon request. Some other stand-out appetizers were the Crispy Sweet Potato Fries, Warm Artichoke and Spinach Dip, Steamed Mussels and Clams, and various Pizzas. We were impressed with the ultra-healthy home-
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96