Rate-A-Restaurant #189: Open Sesame

Restaurant: Open Sesame

Location: 5215 and 5201 E. 2nd St. (Long Beach)

Type of restaurant: Mediterranean

We stipulated: My parents were in town, and we were heading down to Long Beach to visit my high school pal Anthony, his wife Candice and their two kids (including Evan’s little g.f.). Anthony and Candice suggested Open Sesame.

What we ordered: Appetizer: Baba ghannouj (fire roasted eggplant, delicately mixed with garlic, lemon juice and tahini sauce sprinkled with sumac (sourberry) and drizzled with extra virgin olive oil), $6.25. Entrees: Chicken Shawarma (tender marinated chicken breast and thigh cooked on an upright spit then sliced, served with hummus, garlic sauce, wild cucumber pickles, pita and choice of salad), $11.99. Also: Beef shawarma pita (marinated beef cooked on an upright spit then thinly sliced and rolled into a pita, with tomato, onion, parsley, sumac, wild cucumber pickles and garlic sauce), $6.99.

High point: With a party of eight and no reservation, we sprung ourselves on them — and yet still managed to get a table fairly promptly. I also liked the constant stream of pita bread, and the garlic paste was excellent.

Low point: We were hoping to sit in the main restaurant, but had to settle for the satellite location. The hummus was also of a questionable flavor. And the fact that rice didn’t automatically come with the shawarma — it was $1.50 extra.

Overall impression: Nice menu, and decent food. But nothing too memorable about Open Sesame.

Chance we’ll go back: If we’re in Long Beach, perhaps. But we won’t make a special trip for it.

For a complete list of our nearly 190 restaurant reviews, check out our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.

Equal Time: Why The Rain Rocks

I’ve been bitching about the rain — no, still haven’t flipped the fuse back on for the lights in our bedroom — because of the house. But I wasn’t always a homeowner, and back pre-insane investment, I loved the weather.

And there are times I still do. Above, that was the view from our Glendale home this morning. There’s snow in those Verdugo San Gabriel Mountains! Over the weekend, we also noticed some green starting to return to the charred Griffith Park topography.

The rain also has a way of clearing out the sky (on the flip side, it also shuttles all the trash that has collected in the L.A. river out to Long Beach — sorry, Long Beach!) What do you like about the rain?

A Day at the Aquarium

If I were a fish stuck in captivity, I could definitely do worse than Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific.

With the parents in town this weekend, I thought it would be a good time to finally bring Blogger Toddler to the aquarium, and check it out myself for the first time.

To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and wasn’t anticipating anything that great. But the Aquarium of the Pacific managed to far exceed my expectations: It’s easy to navigate, stocked with well-organized exhibits, and not obnoxiously slick.

There are plenty of interactive opportunities, such as petting sharks (I, um, passed) and getting a feel (below) for marine life such as starfish (below).

To make it even more relevant, the non-profit aquarium focuses on the Pacific Ocean, with exhibits geared toward Southern California and Baja, the Northern Pacific, and the Tropical Pacific.

Also on display: The exhibit “Catch a Wave,” which celebrates surfing culture (below, Duke Kahanamokou is celebrated) as well as displays on tsunami and other ocean phenomena.

The Aquarium also makes an effort to explain the impact of climate change on the planet, and what can be done to reverse the damage being inflicted on the planet.

The Aquarium is open every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a few exceptions (including Christmas). Tix cost $20.95 for adults and $11.95 for kids 3-11. Bring your KCRW card — they take $3 off.

The Aquarium of the Pacific
100 Aquarium Way
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 590-3100

Rate-A-Restaurant, #131 in a series

Restaurant: La Creperie

Location: 4911 E. Second Street (Long Beach)

Type of restaurant: French/crepes

We stipulated: We usually talk our pals Anthony and Candice — with Evan’s gal pal Sophia — into coming up north to hang out in Glendale and L.A. It was definitely our turn to head down to Long Beach. They suggested La Creperie, in the walkable Belmont Shore neighborhood.

What they stipulated: Smaller, cheaper lunch-portion crepes are only available on the weekdays.

What we ordered: CREPE CARBONARA (Bacon in a garlic parmesan cream sauce topped with pesto sauce; $9.95)

AU BON CURRY (Blend of curry, coconut milk, chicken finished with a cilantro cream sauce and topped with sour cream and mango chutney; $11.95)

AL MARE (Jumbo shrimp, sun-dried and plum tomatoes, Shitake and button mushrooms, shallots in a lobster basil cream sauce; $13.95)

THE SOUTHWEST (Southwestern style crepes filled with fresh avocado, green chilis, tomatoes, cilantro and scrambled eggs, with homemade salsa and sour cream; $9)

Grilled ham and cheese sandwich with French fries (for the kids; $7)

Dessert (yeah, we went a little nuts): LA TRAVIATTA (Caramelized apple and cinnamon with brown sugar and apple brandy; $7)

High point: I’d have to say the Al Mare and the Au Bon Curry were our two faves. The Southwest was a tad too ordinary, while the Carbonara was too salty.

Low point: Less is more — they pack in too much of the ingredients per crepe and the sauces are too rich. For instance, the potatoes and sour cream from the Au Bon Curry would not be missed if they were taken out.

Overall impression: Not a place you can eat at too often without setting your cholesterol levels off the charts. But a nice once-a-year spot that’s kid-friendly and good for larger groups (the portions are large enough that you’ll be sharing with the table).

Chance we will go back:: Not immediately, but once I get that cholesterol back in check.

(For our complete list of over 130 restaurant reviews, visit our companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.)

Southern California, Home to Two of the Nation’s Most Dangeous Airports

Congrats to Los Angeles International, named fifth-most dangerous airport in the country, according to Forbes.com research.

Even more dangerous: Long Beach/Daugherty Field. TravelMole covers the Forbes story:

(Ranked first,) North Las Vegas, known as Northtown, had 63 runway incursions since 2001 resulting in six deaths. It is followed in the rankings by Long Beach/Dougherty Field, the scene of 78 incidents and no fatalities. In these cases, it was congestion and high flight volumes that led to the large numbers, said the report.

Busy Los Angeles International reported 95 serious incidents or collisions since 2001, giving it a No. 5 ranking on the list. The nation’s fourth busiest airport had 128 runway incidents since 1997.

The Forbes article notes that travelers face more danger on the ground than on the air. Forbes.com editors examined 452 airports the size of the facility, the numbers of takeoffs and landings, and the severity of the incidents as categorized by the FAA.