Tag: long beach

Sundays at The Starling Diner

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BREAKING NEWS: I found my new favorite Sunday brunch joint, and it was right in my backyard. The Starling Diner is in the middle of a neighborhood on 3rd Street in Long Beach, CA and has been around since 2007. Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal and The Starling Diner has plenty of options for everyone. When you walk in, you immediately feel as if you are dining in someone’s home. Between the size, decor, and service, you feel very comfortable right off the bat.
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I love their mimosas. It takes a very good alternative beverage for me to forgo coffee during breakfast, but their mimosas are not only beautiful, but also quite delicious. My favorite so far is the pear mimosa with lavender garnish.
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Their Breakfast Bruschetta is the perfect place to start. It is broiled baguette slices slathered with creamy mascarpone and topped with fresh berries. The first time I ordered it, I was pleasantly surprised to see honey on each slice of baguette which wasn’t in the description on the menu. It was the perfect natural sweetener to an already decadent dish. Similar to the mimosa and every other dish that I have had so far, everything is beautiful and delicious.
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Speaking of sweet, the Broiled San Francisco Stuffed Toast is my favorite ‘dessert for breakfast’ item on the menu. They broil the French toast and stuff it with creamy mascarpone and creme fraiche and top it with various fruits including berries, peaches, caramelized apples, and other seasonal specials.
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For savory, I chose the Blue Crab Cake Scramble upon a recommendation from a friend. He did not lead me astray. The blue crab cakes were the perfect consistency and went very well with the fluffy scrambled eggs. If you are an adventurous bruncher, I would definitely recommend this one.

The story behind The Starling Diner is quite an interesting one. The owner opened her first cafe in San Francisco in 1995 after graduating from Rutgers Law. Reverie Cafe was her first successful venture, and although she has since sold it, I couldn’t be happier that she decided to open her third venture, The Starling Diner, so close to my home. The Starling Diner has been around for 7 years and I hope that it stays open for 70 more! Be sure to check out their sister cafe, La Galette Creperie, if you are ever in San Clemente.
If you ever would like to meet me in person, chances are I am here drinking a mimosa or dirty chai latte on Sunday mornings! Also, they are open for dinner Thursday-Saturday from 5PM-9PM which I can’t wait to check out sometime soon!
For more information, see http://www.starlingdiner.com/index.htm.

Kickstart a Coffee Shop

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Living on the border of LA and OC, I always feel pressured to venture out of my hometown to find the next big thing. A couple of months ago, I never would have guessed that stumbling on a coffee pop-up shop in my little town would have turned into a friendship and an obsession. Let me explain. Gretchen Williams from Heartbreak Coffee was having a pop-up event at a local flower shop. She was serving some of the best cold brew and cookies I had ever had. After getting her contact information, attending future pop-ups, and working with them for various community events, we have become friends. As far as the obsession goes, you will become obsessed with the vision and branding as soon as you peruse their Instagram.

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Heartbreak Coffee is a local roaster that is expanding to a brick and mortar coffee shop in Downtown Long Beach in the next couple of months. Gretchen had a dream of opening up a coffee shop after her previous experience as a barista. She witnessed the community that a coffee shop sheltered, from first dates, to reunited friends, to families, and breakups. She fell in love with the idea of sharing that kind of space with her community, a space that fosters such delicate human interactions and relationships. In 2012, she began roasting on her stove-top burner. After burning many beans and suffering several setbacks, Gretchen decided to turn her many heartbreaks into inspiration. She teamed up with designer Michelle Bandach (co-owner) to launch and start up the business – since then, they have perfected their roasting technique, started an online store, and hosted several community pop-up events.

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Check out their Kickstarter project and help them reach their goal!
For more information, or to place an order, visit https://heartbreak-coffee-roasters.myshopify.com/