Taste has been way high on my Long Beach list of spots to sample for moths. Perhaps for years. It sits on Broadway among a crowd of Dianderthal favorites: The Attic. Manaow. Panxa Cocina. So it’s been tough to pick it against a solid string of its neighbors’ dishes that are beloved by me and mine: Creamy poblano fries (on Panxa’s happy hour menu). Mac n’ Cheetos (Attic). Fried tamarind chicken wings (classic Manaow). But new and risk are guiding principles of Ladies Who Dine (okay, you’re correct – we don’t have guiding principles – we’re a restaurant club, not a non-profit; but if we were, new and risk would definitely be guiding principles, along with thug and drunk and cheese; perhaps in 2018, we’ll develop dining principles… hmm). Anyway, the point of LWD was to do new; to do different. And that we did with our August outing in Long Beach.
It’s usual for me to get my monthly dose of red meat at our LWD outings, so our September meet up gave me a chance to be as predictable and risk averse as ever. Yep – burger. But, I did try a few items I wouldn’t have otherwise ordered for myself as part of our shared round of appetizers. Their shishito peppers were wonderfully prepared, roasted to give them a firm and piquant bite. Delightful too were Taste’s lightly battered onion rings (served with a Sriracha remoulade; I could have used a couple rounds of these just to myself) and the sweetly balanced brûléed figs served with burrata – and that’s coming from a bona fide fig hater (we had a tree in the backyard growing up; I balked at even just picking up the fruits that had fallen to the ground as one of my chores; don’t even talk to me about a Newton).
Perhaps that’s why I had no guilt about getting the Taste Burger as my entrée – proud that I’d dared to sample items outside my palate’s comfort zone. Others at the table kept things interesting with their orders of meatballs and flatbreads and noodles and fish & chips. I quite enjoyed the small bite of battered fish I managed to steal, probably what I’ll order the next time I stop by; yes, despite the nearby competition, I plan to return very soon – I think this will make quite a sweet dinner spot for me and my mate before a movie or shopping date (yes, we do shopping dates; Nordstrom Rack is an olive’s throw away).
So the next time you’re on Broadway, remember that you have plenty of options, including the wonderful treat in Taste – aptly named and well placed.
Taste Wine Beer Kitchen
3506 E. Broadway in the LBC