Bungalow Kitchen, in the 2nd & PCH shopping center, will celebrate a grand reopening party with drinks and appetizers — though we don’t know when.
The evening, which does not yet have a date, will also be a charity fundraiser, with ticket sales open to the general public, said Brent Bolthouse, founder of The Bungalow Hospitality Group and Bolthouse Productions. The evening promises to offer a “Full House” of new drinks, food, art and other surprises.
That’s because the evening’s special guest, Bolthouse said, will be actor, musician and producer John Stamos, best known for playing Jesse Katsopolis on the iconic 1980s and ’90s television sitcom “Full House,” as well as its Netflix sequel, “Fuller House.” Stamos grew up in the restaurant industry – working for his father’s eateries in Southern California.
Bungalow Kitchen, meanwhile, opened at the 2nd & PCH shopping center on March 4, 2021, with chef Michael Mina. But he left a couple of years later, so the Bungalow stopped serving food and rebranded as a bar and lounge in May 2023.
John Stamos — shown here at “Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: The Roast of Kevin Hart ” on May 10 at The Kia Forum — will be a special guest during the Bungalow Kitchen’s reopening party and fundraiser. The date for that party has not yet been announced. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Netflix)
Eric Samaniego, shown here in the kitchen at Michael’s on Naples, is the new chef at the soon-to-reopen Bungalow Kitchen. (Photo by Jo Murray)
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John Stamos — shown here at “Netflix Is A Joke Festival Presents: The Roast of Kevin Hart ” on May 10 at The Kia Forum — will be a special guest during the Bungalow Kitchen’s reopening party and fundraiser. The date for that party has not yet been announced. (Photo by Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images for Netflix)
That concept, however, closed earlier this year.
Bolthouse declined to provide details about why the lounge concept closed.
But there had been neighborhood complaints about noise and other concerns, according city officials. And some people referred to the place as a club — which Bolthouse denied.
“It was never a club,” he said recently. “We were always a bar lounge.”
“We made a conscious choice,” Bolthouse added, “that (the lounge) wasn’t the direction we wanted to go as a company.”
So now Bolthouse plans to reopen again as Bungalow Kitchen — leveraging the million-dollar kitchen and the talent of chef Eric Samaniego.
“Third time is the charm,” Bolthouse said while driving on a family road trip to Colorado.
While it’s not yet known when the Bungalow will reopen, it shouldn’t take too long, since they are already working rearranging the business and Samaniego is on site.
New art on display will run the gamut, from garage sale finds to works secured from museums.
Drink menus will include low-alcohol options, mocktails and cocktails. The menu will be French inspired.
For the past 25 years, Bolthouse has used organic, regenerative, sustainable foods at his businesses: fries cooked in tallow, unprocessed foods, filtered water. Diners leave feeling full — but with no food hangover.
Bar Becky closing
Bar Becky — founded by chef Johnathan Benvenuti, the runner-up on season 22 of “Hell’s Kitchen” — created the restaurant as a tribute to his mother, Becky. His brother, Anthony Benvenuti, served as general manager.
But the brothers had some issues over the rent agreement with the landlord at Long Beach Exchange, where Bar Becky is located. After being unable to resolve those issues, they announced on Instagram earlier this month that Bar Becky would close.
Its final night was Saturday, July 25.
The kitchen staff at Bar Becky is hard at work on the restaurant’s final night on Saturday, July 25. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
My husband and I, along with another couple, were fortunate enough to score a table on closing night.
All Saturday, I kept thinking about their mom’s famous maple roasted carrots with toasted almonds and burrata. So many other menu items also came to mind.
The Benvenuti brothers must have sensed their foodie fans would want one last taste on the final night. Their solution was serving a prix fixe menu, including many of the recipes we had grown to love.
It was absolutely brilliant.
They served five courses family-style, with two options for each — for a total of 10 of their best offerings. We ordered all 10 and shared, so we could enjoy every one of our favorites. It was a beautiful way to close the book on Bar Becky and to dream what’s next for the brothers.
I’m hoping for a venue that can truly appreciate the talents this family brings to our dining.
“Long Beach, what a ride,” the brothers wrote in a note that was displayed on the final menu. “We never expected the incredible outpouring of support we’ve received over the years.
“Well, things didn’t end exactly as we planned,” they added, “but we are deeply proud of what we built together. None of this happens without you. Words cannot express our gratitude. But this isn’t a permanent goodbye. See you again soon. We hope you feel mom in here tonight the same way we did every night.”
Colossus opens for dining
Pastry chef and baker Kristin Colazas Rodriguez, who owns Colossus Bakery, always “dreamt of one day opening a café of her own, where the pastries were made fresh daily and changed with the seasons,” according to the eatery’s website.
Her dream came true on Friday, July 25, when Colossus Bakery, 4716 Second St., in Long Beach, expanded to include a full dining room.
Colossus Bakery, in Long Beach, now offers full breakfast/lunch and dinner menus, including a BLT, shown here. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
The bakery is now open to the public for table service, with a full breakfast/lunch menu and a dinner menu.
I scored a reservation for opening day lunch on Friday, and I had a “two napkin” BLT. Colossus Bakery has set the standard for truly delicious bread.
The space is large and once it’s fully outfitted, it will be easier to hear.
Kitty Morgan, a classmate of mine from Rogers Middle School, was once the deputy managing editor for features at the San Francisco Chronicle. She told me a decade ago about the amazing food at a place called Octavia — especially their bread. Well, as it turns out, around that time, Kristen was honing her skills there.
Colossus Bakery is from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays.