Whether you’re looking for something light enough to forget the effects of last night’s reunion with Jack and José, or you just want to indulge yourself before the clock strikes noon, an omelette is almost always the best choice—you can’t go wrong with a couple of eggs stuffed with whatever’s clever. But if you want [...]

Space has always been an issue for Angelo’s Italian Deli, a cramped place carved out of one of those claustrophobic Belmont Shore storefronts. But because of that lack of square footage, Angelo’s has always made good use of its close quarters—an economy of stocking that saw all of its products (imported oils, wines, spreads and [...]

Mother’s Market
While other gourmet grocers are spreading out beyond organics (jumping onto and over the “green” trend), Mother’s Market has kept its shelves healthy. The market has always done that, though—the place has long been as much a vitamin and supplement shop as it is a traditional market. So it’s not surprising that all the [...]

Joe Jost’s special
Time was when I could pedal over to Joe Jost’s and exchange a handful of dollar bills for a schooner of beer and a Joe’s special—a butterflied hot dog served in between two slices of rye bread with mustard and a pickle. Fortunately, you can still enjoy this simple treat, which, if you [...]

Big Belly Deli
Barely beyond Huntington Beach, Big Belly Deli is a little place that sometimes gets forgotten between Main Street and Balboa. But that’s not to say that the deli doesn’t do a big business—even in the coldest months, the deli reels in beach-going appetites. It’s not hard for a place so small to get [...]

Tiki Island
There’s nothing like the scent of the Alamitos Bay Farmers Market, the aromas of hummus and fresh fruit all combining in a sort of swirl that always seems to add on more to your appetite. But I wasn’t there for the produce alone, so after filling up on fruit samples, feta cheese and tomatoes, [...]

Fuji’s Famous Burger
Fuji’s Famous Burger, a Huntington Beach institution since 1973, specializes in offering fast food given the Fuji’s touch via teriyaki and/or avocado (avocado tacos, teriyaki beef sandwiches, you name it). There’s also Japanese-Hawaiian cuisine (Spam musubi, which is a block of salted rice with Spam on top and dried seaweed wrapped around it), [...]

Mishi’s Strudel
Mishi’s Strudel is a place of intense thought, modeled after the kind of Old World cafés where philosophies were formed and great art admired. But there’s no pretense here—Mishi’s Strudel is as simple as it gets. As its name suggests, the café fills its ovens almost exclusively with strudels, flaky pockets stuffed with only [...]

Laventina’s Big Cheese
A menu from Laventina’s Big Cheese hangs on just about every refrigerator on the Balboa Peninsula, a crucial take-out text for all those weekenders crawling from one bar to another. The restaurant has never put its clientele out of mind, either—the place knows full well that it’s the go-to spot for anyone with [...]

Grill Pressed Eggplant Wrap
Pre-packaged food is usually as appealing as a nice cool glass of Long Beach ocean water, but there are times when a home-cooked meal just isn’t a reality. Still, your stomach sure as hell doesn’t know that Jeeves is on vacation or that your oven broke—it’s hungry, needs to be fed and [...]