This week the organizers of Eat LBC, Long Beach Restaurant Week, launched a Q&A series on their website, www.eatlbc.com, that features some of the city’s more famous residents. From politicos to professors, rock stars to world record holders, everyone has a favorite restaurant, neighborhood dining spot or chef.
• Tom Dumont, guitarist for No Doubt, has lived in Long Beach since 1997. His favorite spot for sushi? White Wasabi on Pacific Coast Highway near the marina.
• Nancy Foster, former First Lady of Long Beach and mental health advocate, likes to take out-of-town guests to Parkers’ Lighthouse and Queensview Steakhouse.
• Ilan Mitchell-Smith, former childhood actor (The Chocolate Wars, Weird Science)turned Long Beach State professor, can’t get enough of the Mac and Cheese with Cheetos at The Attic.
• Governor George Deukmejian reminisces about where he was dining when he learned he won an election and how Princess Diana once fainted after meeting him.
“We have many notable residents living in Long Beach,” says Eat LBC Co-Founder Elizabeth Borsting. “I bet a lot have people have sat next to Tom Dumont or Ilan Mitchell-Smith while enjoying the city’s dining scene and not even realized it. We thought it would be fun to get their take on their adopted city and where they like to eat.”
Other well-known residents who dished about Long Beach and its dining scene include LA Times Food Editor Russ Parsons; Stuntman Greg Tracy, who earned a place in the Guinness World Book of Records for his seven-story Hot Wheel stunt at the X Games; Chef Rahm Fama, former host of Food Network’s Meat & Potatoes; Noelle Polmanteer, costume designer for Two and a Half Men. The full interviews can be accessed at www.eatlbc.com.
Eat LBC, Long Beach Restaurant Week takes place March 22-28. Restaurant Week is a non-ticketed event where participating restaurants offer three-course meals—appetizer, entrée and dessert—for $20, $30 or $40 depending on the restaurant. Fine dining options will feature a Chef’s Tasting menu for $50 with optional wine pairings.
“We have more than 50 restaurants participating,” added Terri Henry, Eat LBC co-founder. “And we have an array of fabulous cuisines, settings and price points to suit every taste and budget. It’s going to be a fabulous week for foodies.
A kick-off party, hosted in part by hotel sponsor Hyatt The Pike Long Beach, will take place on the afternoon of Sunday, March 15 at the hotel. A limited number of tickets will be sold to the public at $35 per person and will include food from select participating Eat LBC restaurants. Celebrity Cruises will host a wine bar and tasting, while Stella Artois will pour beer. Partial proceeds will benefit Food Finders, a community-based food rescue organization that serves as a conduit for food, education and awareness between donors, volunteers, agencies and people in need.
