The quick and dirty:
OG literary vibe
Splendiferously crafted cocktails
A satisfying menu
Checks the box for date night, drinks with friends, and celebratory meals
Very glad to have this place on the Long Beach culinary map!
The story:
January’s Ladies Who Dine was a bifurcated one. I put out the call out for an outing early in the month, committing the gang to regular meet-ups this year – at least every other month. When all was said and one, and a date selected, there were three LWDers able to go. Three is our minimum. At least, it had been in previous years. There were two, however, who could meet a couple days earlier. I, of course, belonged to both groups. So I, of course, had dinner and drinks at The Ordinarie on Wednesday with one Lady, and on Friday night with two different Ladies.
Outing #1 allowed a pair of us to do something LWD was designed to do – catch up and vent and laugh. And also share food. We started with cocktails, me getting the Old Fashioned (I’m in a whiskey way these days), my comrade Lady Burps-A-Lot felt real brave in my opinion, opting for the Beet the Yankees made with honey syrup, egg white, bourbon, lemon, and – you guessed in – beet juice. I’m scurrrred of the beet. But, fresh off a two week fast, I figured it timely to be brave myself. And that proved a good choice, the concoction surprisingly balanced in its tang, sweet, and acidity. (Spoiler Alert: I ordered my own Beet the Yankees on Outing #2, even though my Old Fashioned was lovely).
Next came food. I went for it, ordering the fried chicken sandwich. Buttermilk brined, the chicken arrived deliciously tucked underneath coleslaw and between a perfectly soft and toasty brioche bun. This sandwich did not disappoint. The quarter of it I swapped for an equal portion of Lady Burps-A-Lot’s burger wasn’t really a fair trade, hers tasty, mine incredible.
Outing #2 came two days later, when I was joined by Lady Thick Leg and Sheltered Lady. With them came more catching up, more cocktails, and more food. In addition to my Beet drink, I tried a French 1776, a fizzy, citrusy sip that got me boozy buzzy, a feeling I quite enjoy, especially as the space filled with Friday night-ery.
I didn’t talk yet about the macaroni and cheese. It’s not that I forgot. It’s just that it needs its own little stanza. An ode to itself. It rivaled my chicken sandwich quite well for yummiest bit during outing #1, and it held its own again with round #2, going up against an even wider range of plates. It pleased very much with its deep, creamy cheesiness. Okay. I’ve talked about it now.
And there isn’t much more to tell. Not that everything else wasn’t terrific (including their wings and fun chicken pot pie bites… and I ordered the fried chicken sandwich again – creature of habit). But that’s the point – The Ordinarie is a nifty little joint with much to offer the LBC. On behalf of those who couldn’t join us, the Ladies Who Dine certainly welcomes it to our downtown. We will be back – in twos, threes, and more.
The Ordinarie
210 The Promenade North in the LBC