Shore House Cafe

Here we go again...
more foooooddd...

some yelps here.

This place was a traditional 24-hour diner with all your American favorites. Inexpensive, good portions and lots of options. (even vegetarian). Joe and Debbie's favorite local eatery.

We ate here on Saturday night after the convention. It was a nice late night feels really guilty, but still so good, meal.

I just wanted to add this super (insert boy band here) picture. I totally got a Jarritos banner.

So it took us a little bit to find this place because we were told a different name of the restaurant which was actually about 5 blocks north of the actual place. Needless to say we were a little confused. All of us are in the car searching for the place on our phones/GPS and it was taking us to another place, but the location didn't match the directions we were told. So finally we get the RIGHT name of the place and find it...nicely situated across from Phuket Thai.

I didn't take the normal photos I usually took, like of the exterior, etc. It was a late night.

I tried to go easy and eat somewhat healthy. A salad with Italian dressing.

I also ordered the fried artichoke, guilty meal. I think they were canned artichoke hearts, but they were breaded and fried and covered with buttery cheese sauce. So it was all good. Served with a side of Ranch- I didn't eat that garbage. They need a better sauce to serve it with. Any suggestions?

Marcie ordered Albondigas soup. A pretty picture and good recipe here. This is basically the Mexican version of Matzah (Matzo) ball soup (A very neat site w/ good instruction). When I asked the waitress what soups they had, she mentioned the above soup and New England Clam chowder. You can't order New England clam chowder in California?!?! Why is it even on the menu? They should have like halibut chowder or taquito chowder. No?

David and his mozzarella sticks. This was pre-dairy free diet. I guess his cheese stick blog isn't going to work out for now. They were delicious and there were so many sticks!

David's cheeseburger. I told you he's a cheeseburger kind of guy.

Noel's pizza. He couldn't wait for the photo op, he had to eat.

This was Debbie's veggie burger. It looked delicious. I think I may have scared them, making them wait to eat so I can take pictures of their food and all.

Shore House Cafe
5271 E 2nd Street
(Intersection of 2nd Street and La Verne Avenue)
Long Beach, CA 90803-5327

Pinches Tacos

I liked the table cloths.

This place was pretty good.

They had a good menu selection, delicious drinks, interesting decor and outdoor seating with a view of Chateau Marmont.


The restaurant's interior was embellished with authentic old time Mexican photos, paintings, pinatas and dia de los muertos decor. The ceiling was scattered with colorful sombreros and flags. The only thing missing was a mariachi band. ;)



I ordered a nopal taco and a fish taco.

Nopal (cactus) taco tasted like a really mild bell pepper. I'm not crazy about peppers, so I was happy it was mild. It was delicious!

Narwhal's meal. Can't remember what he got. I think it was carnitas, beef, and fish.

David got a chicken burrito and forgot to order it without cilantro. He didn't finish it. I thought it was good but I like my tacos much more.

Jamaica (Hibiscus flower) and horchata. More info on aguas frescas.

Dessert:

Guava flan.

He really wanted me to try it.

David was all about this flan. Noel got one and David had a bite and just had to have one of his own. The bottom of the flan was SUPER hard, we were trying to figure out what temperature of water they would have to soak it in to clean the bowls. David was convinced they never clean the hard sugar, "it gives it more flavor"


Pinches Tacos
8200 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90046

a few road snacks

Things we acquired in Little Tokyo...

Taro Boba Tea

Mini cookie hamburgers. Made with chocolate (burger patty), cream filling (cheese), and real sesame seeds on the cookie buns.

After yoga at Yoga World in Long Beach...

English Breakfast Tea

Echo Park.
We were trying to decide between Mexican and Thai for our last meal in LA. We figured we'd get some good authentic Mexican food in Echo Park considering all the mom and pop places there were (not to mention the high population of Mexicans). No offense here meant, it's just how it was.
So Corey tells us, "I think there's a few Mexican places up here and a Thai place down the road." David asks us "Mexican or Thai, Mexican or Thai?" We reply "Whatever, doesn't matter." Marcela "I could kinda go for both actually."
As we gas up at the gas station, we eye this place, Burrito King. I think our eyes lit up. So we're like screw it let's just go to that place right there. We pull in and the parking lot is on front of a convenient store and David says "wait, this is like a window, not a sit down restaurant, I want to sit down and eat!" The rest of us are like ok ok, forget it we'll get Thai. So we yell out the window to Corey, "Thai food!" But before David can back out of the parking spot, Marcela jumps out of the car and says, "I'm getting a taco!" Then Noel, "I'm getting one too" So then I'm like, "well I want one too" then David yells, "get me a taco too!!"

I think we all secretly wanted Mexican AND Thai that day.

"Save it for the plane trip home" - David

Jerky from The Jerky Hut at Ink 'N Iron. He didn't have vegetarian jerky.

I was very excited about this...
I had read an article about donuts in the plane on the way to LA (specifically Randy's) and I remembered on our last trip to LA we didn't get donuts and I really wanted them. So this time the whole trip I kept saying, "oh let's stop there, oh donuts! I want donuts! Cant we get donuts? There's a donut place!" we didn't get donuts!! So on the way to return the rental car to Enterprise we get off the highway and it's like 10pm and in a warehouse district. I see the giant donut glowing in the sky. Needless to say I was happy. "Donuts, I want donuts!"

They are open 24 hours!!

I ordered a buttermilk donut and the lady said they only had plain. I said yea sure that's fine. Then I ask "How much are the mugs?" "4.95" the lady replies. I said "OK, I'll get a mug too" She asks "would you like a drink in it?" I'm like "oh, yea that's a great idea, hot chocolate" Duh, Brilliant. When I take the donut out as we are driving away, I realize this donut is nothing like I expected. Now I know what she meant about only having plain buttermilk donuts. It was like a brick of coffee cake. It was still good and I will definitely hit this place up again when we return.
Their website isn't working right now.

David drank most of the hot chocolate. Vegan day had ended much earlier.

Omelette Inn

3rd serious meal on my trip to Long Beach.

The Omelette Inn was a cute little sidewalk restaurant in Long Beach. Their website does no justice to the extensive menu they have. I'm very upset that I didn't take a menu or atleast take a picture of one. UGGHHH!!!!! They had a ton of omelettes, vegetarian options, sandwiches and brown rice too.

I shared two items with a friend. We split the Veggie Chilaquiles and Eggs Florentine.

The chilaquiles were made with tortillas, soy chorizo, scrambled eggs, salsa/red sauce, peppers, cheese and crema. All of this is then fried. It was wonderful. It came with a side of home fries. This was my first chilaquiles experience and I will be seeking them again. I can't believe I don't have the menu!!

The eggs florentine were like eggs benedict but with spinach instead of ham. But you knew that! We got this with a side of has browns so that we tried both forms of potato sides. I think I actually like the hash browns more than the home fries. But I think it's because I'm picky about my home fries. They were good, but too potatoey, and I was soo full. Otherwise this dish was oretty good, very saucy. The english muffin was pretty soggy and the spinach was a little bitter, which makes me think it could have been frozen or canned spinach. But it most likely wasn't.

I loved that David kept trying to like coffee on this trip. He would try it whenever I ordered it, but would make sure that he sipped it before I tainted it with sugar and cream. He's so cute. Needless to say the guy that consistently orders hamburgers and fries didn't like coffee, any time he tried it. His words "that's HOT" "ugh, that's turrible, how can you drink that?" HAHAHA I love him.

That same hamburger guy who hates coffee, also hates eggs. Guess who ventured out of the comfort zone at the Omelette Inn? He said "F#$k it, we're at an egg place right? I'll order eggs." So he ordered an omelette with chili and cheese. Ha! It was like an egg burrito. He liked it and was full very fast. I'm so proud of him. :)

Noel ordered the Huevos Rancheros. I'm happy he didn't want his avocado bc I got to eat it. :) It looked pretty good. I think he liked it.

Downstairs to the bathroom.

There was a curtain for one of the bathroom stall doors.

I highly recommend this cute place to anyone looking for a good meal in Long Beach.

Omelette Inn
318 Pine Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90802

The Promenade Cafe Queen Mary

Aboard the Queen Mary for Ink 'N Iron in Long Beach, CA.

We ate an early leisure dinner at the Promenade Cafe. They serve up some American favorites overlooking the shores of Ocean Blvd. The restaurant reminisces of old days on the ship with Art Deco carpet and light fixtures, and thick sturdy tables.



There are so many little details in the architecture that take you back to the 1930s. The ocean liner is elegant inside with golden elevators and staircases that open up to large sitting rooms. When you step onto the ship it's like your thrown back in time.

Our meals were served with metal plate covers, which I thought was pretty cool. I felt like I was getting room service.

I ordered the Vegetable Panini- grilled seasonal vegetables, tomato, onions, spinach, jack cheese, roasted red pepper aioli.

It was delicious, grilled portobello, squash, zucchini, spinach, onions.....on a pressed chiabatta type bread. It comes with a choice of fries or fresh fruit. I opted for the healthy alternative of fruit. You can substitute a different side for an additional cost. I knew that this trip was going to take a tole on my diet so I tried to add some healthy choices. It was hard.

What will he order...
...a cheese burger (what a surprise).

What our foodie friends ordered.

Chicken Ciabatta sandwich- grilled marinated chicken, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles, chiotle mayonnaise.
Classic hamburger with jalapenos. She likes her spicy stuff.

This meal was great. My only complaint was that my veggies kept falling out of my sandwich. It was a pretty big stack of veggies.

The Promenade Cafe
The Queen Mary
1126 Queen's Highway
Long Beach, CA 90802