Schooner or Later Diner - A Marina View in Long Beach

My chef-friend is a fan of the Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and has tried several of the recommendations in Southern California. Up for trying something new, we met at Schooner or Later in Long Beach. What's unique about this place? It's a diner that is a stone's throw away from a marina. Literally. It was a sunny, warm morning and my friend scored one of the best tables on the outside patio. We decided on "The Mess" which is basically an omelette with everything in it but the kitchen sink. It was good - I wouldn't give the meal rave reviews but altogether it was a very pleasant experience.http://www.schoonerorlater.com/

Mediterraneo in Hermosa Beach - Amazing Tapas

A girlfriend and I tried this Pier Ave hang-out and were very impressed with our fare. We each picked two selections. I choose the stewed calamari with red peppers. I was happy to see it arrive with grilled bread for mop sauce. It was hearty and satisfying. The asparagus wrapped in prosciutto with Romano cheese was perfect. The vegetable was cooked perfectly, still had some snap, and was wonderfully salty between the cured meat and Romano. The sweetness of a glass fof pinot grigio was a good accompanyment.My friend hit the mark with her selections of roasted dates stuffed with cambozola cheese (yum -yum and yum!) and a shrimp and scallops in a basil cream sauce.The staff was helpful and prompt. There is an outside patio is equipped with heat lamps for perfect people-watching. The weather was cold and rainy so we opted for inside seating which was a bit noisy but happily festive for a Friday night outing.On a final note - this tapas bar far surpassed my tapas experiences in Spain and I look forward to coming back and sampling more of the menu.Here's their website: http://www.mediterraneohb.com/

Glorious Apple Pancakes at Dinah's

Yesterday a friend of mine, trained in the culinary arts, suggested breakfast at Dinah's. I had driven by dozens of times over the past 15 years. It is located in a non-descript, semi-run down looking strip mall. Little did I know it was a hotspot for Angelino's. A brief history: Dinah's has been around since the 50's and is known for their fried chicken, ribs and pancakes.

We split the apple pancake - LARGE. I was not dissapointed. With lots of cooked apple slices and a thin layer of pancake topped with lots of butter, sugar and cinamonn, this was more like a dessert than breakfast. Proud to say, I only ate a quarter at our get-together, later in the day, I warmed the left-over in skillet and topped it off with sugar-free vanilla ice cream. I enjoyed every mouthful. And promptly went to the gym for a 30 minutes! Ah the desire to be healthy challenged by sweet desire!

Tip: The apple pancake takes 20 minutes to prepare. Good things come to those that wait!

Dinah's website: http://www.dinahsrestaurant.com/aboutus.html