Months I wandered Fourth Street between Temple and Redondo like a chicken without a head. The Ralphs grocery store that filled my belly and emptied my wallet had gone missing, leaving nothing but a fenced-in parking lot in its place. Then one day, like the Bat Signal, my phone rang. It was my friend Jeremy, who had been as distraught over the store’s absence as I was: “Dude, it’s back.” Yes, but nothing is as it once was. Liquor on the right? Produce on the left? It took awhile, but I’m getting comfortable with the new design. The biggest improvement to the new Ralphs is the array of fruits and vegetables, many of which are organic. This expanded selection means choosing from six types of eggplant, plain and red bananas (and plantains) and more pre-packaged salads than a fast-food chain. Unfortunately, this also means more customers. Where were all these people back when this place was nothing more than a glorified liquor store? But the day-old bread rack nearly makes up for that. So does the seemingly limitless supply of canned soups, a floral selection perfect for late-night apologies and a deli serving dolmas, rice plates and a slew of fresh bagels. Finally, my life is complete again.

RALPHS 2930 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90814 | 562.434.3899

Tags: Fourth Street, Long Beach, RALPHS, SIDES