Ladies Who Dine :: Bo-Beau Kitchen + Roof Tap

It’s only been open for a couple of months, but I’ve been craving a taste of Bo-Beau (fun to say, right?) for a long while, ever since spotting the sign announcing its arrival as a construction crew worked to transform the site of previous LBC classics, Smooth’s and Mum’s. I was quick to Google the name, learning about the existing Bo-Beau locations in San Diego and La Mesa, and the owners’ hopes for starting a revitalization of our downtown, bringing an SD Gaslamp District vibe to the area. I can only hope.

From my first evening here, Bo-Beau seems primed to start a Pine Street revolution. The Ladies had invited our big (tiny) boss to join us for this month’s LWD outing a few weeks back. She’d received an invitation for Bo-Beau’s official grand opening, asking if we wanted to pre-eat there – that’s my kind of boss! The celebratory evening was also a chance to raise funds to benefit Children Today, a local agency that serves families experiencing homelessness. There was to be a sampling of Bo-Beau’s offerings, live music, and hosted drinks, all on the restaurant’s rooftop bar. These and an opportunity to help others? That’s what I call a good night. The Ladies agreed – Bo-Beau was on.

As the date for our outing approached, the synergy seemed to quadruple about Bo-Beau, with folks slowly dismissing themselves from the actual restaurant for the night, Pier 76 (which was okay because my son and I still wobbled our way over to get our fish on – see Dinner Date :: Pier 76 Fish Grill). But that was fine – as LWD Prez, I made the executive decision to make Bo-Beau our July LWD pick.

And how wonderful it was. The Ladies got their eat on and their drink on, mingling with the seemingly connected crowd (I’m sure the Ladies weren’t writing the biggest donation checks of the evening) and chasing down any staff person with a tray. Our menu for the evening?

• Lamb meatballs with dill Greek yogurt
• Wild mushroom arancini with truffle oil
• Duck fat deviled eggs with cornichon and smoked prapika
• Salmon tartare with an herbed crouton
• Chorizo stuffed baked mussels with a lemon aioli
• Seared scallop with smoked broccoli coulis and balsamic strawberries
• Caprese skewer with a balsamic port reduction
• Mini croque monsieur
• Cherry cheesecake with a snickerdoodle crust
• Roasted s’mores stuffed pretzel puff with peanut butter

Additionally, they served two signature cocktails:

• The Bo-Beau Sour: Old Forester Bourbon, Bigallet China-China, lemon, and house syrup
• Pine & Roses: Peyka vodka, Giffard’s Pamplemousse Rose, yellow chartreuse, lemon, and house syrup

I lost track of how many glasses of Pine & Roses I drank. And how many globes of mushroom arancini I ate. Same with the salmon tartare. I can say with certainty that (unfortunately) I only had one of the s’mores desserts – I’d hoped to lose track of how many of those I ate too. I want to use better adjectives and stronger verbs in order to make you and your mouth frothy with envy; to help you vicariously taste my experience. But it’s all a succulent blur now, though the pleasant acridity of the Pine & Roses still gives me flashbacks. I can’t wait to go back for more. It will be harder to lose count when I’m paying for them. But boy will I pay for them; to go along with the fancier fare Bo-Beau serves in its downstairs space, or the bar menu available on the rooftop.

When the party ended, we still weren’t quite ready to call it a night, so we ordered their crispy Brussels sprouts, one of the best I’ve tried. I told executive chef Katherine Humphus of my like of them when I got the chance to say hello to her as she made her way around the festivities. If the rest of their plates are as amazing as the ones we tried at the opening, I’ll surely be spending lots of time and dough at Bo-Beau. Cheers to another LWD outing, and welcome to Bo-Beau – the Ladies are very happy to have you in the LBC.

Bo-Beau Kitchen + Roof Tap
144 Pine Avenue in Long Beach and other locations
(Oh yeah, and they also have 50+ craft beers on tap and a martini bar with over 100 vodkas)

*The Ladies have adopted Children Today as it’s official charity this year. With each outing, we’ll forgo a drink or a dessert or dish and contribute money to a fund that we’ll donate to the organization at the end of the year. Thanks, Bo-Beau, for inspiring us to be the Ladies Who Give!