Colossus bakery in Belmont Shore will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday afternoon, Aug. 27, to celebrate its expansion into a full restaurant.
Belmont Shore residents like me know Colossus for its seasonal pastries and whole grain bread, and for being owned by local baker Kristin Colazas Rodriguez, who is nationally recognized for her artisan talent.
Colossus bakery in Belmont Shore has expanded, and now has a dining room, and offers a full breakfast/lunch menu and a dinner menu. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
Colossus in Belmont Shore may have a full restaurant now, but it still offers its delicious baked goods, such as these jalapeño cheese levain breads. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
Colossus bakery in Belmont Shore has expanded, and now has a dining room, and offers a full breakfast/lunch menu and a dinner menu. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
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Colossus bakery in Belmont Shore has expanded, and now has a dining room, and offers a full breakfast/lunch menu and a dinner menu. (Photo by Jo Murray, Grunion Gazette/SCNG)
The café, 4716 E. Second St., expanded into an adjacent spot, allowing Rodriguez to add a full dining room — with the restaurant portion officially opening last month. And the restaurant has allowed Rodriguez to show how high her skill level really is.
Colossus now offers a full breakfast/lunch menu and a dinner menu.
We all can celebrate the restaurant’s expansion and five-year anniversary of being on Second Street during the 3 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. The bakery will serve cheese and snacks from the shop Oh La Vache, share free birthday cake, and offer free caricatures and airbrush tattoos from 4 to 6 p.m. Pizza can also be purchased by the slice, and Colossus will serve special wines by the glass.
New apartment building
A 281-unit apartment building at 6700 Pacific Coast Highway has been drawing attention as its 6 stories rise quickly.
The E-shaped project, dubbed Ellery Shores, will replace an office building with a 590,000 square-foot development containing a mix of studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. Of those, 13 will be designated for very low-income households. There will be parking for 507 vehicles.
Holland Partner Group, which acquired the 2.5-acre site (the former Congressional Cup Place office complex) for $41 million in 2022, is one of three companies building major residential units on that section of PCH. Onni Group tore down the shopping center where Whole Foods had been to make way for a 600-unit development, 6500 Pacific Coast Highway, while Carmel Partners has plans for a project across the street, at 6615 Pacific Coast Highway.
I asked Linda Treffry, a senior associate with Coldwell Banker Commercial BLAIR, who has the commercial listing for the ground floor retail space at Ellery Shores, what type of business she anticipates leasing to.
This rendering shows Ellery Shore, a new 281-unit apartment building, 6700 Pacific Coast Highway, that’s currently under construction. (Courtesy of Ellery Shores)
“We have 3,100 (square feet) of commercial space that can be divided into two smaller spaces if needed,” she said. “Ideally, the retail tenants (will) serve as an amenity for the residents of the property as well as the local community. There will be approximately 1,300 new apartments in the area so (there will be) lots of foot traffic. (We’re looking for) restaurants, quick-serving food, wine bar, craft beer tasting room, etc., or services that are meaningful to the residents.”
The space is expected to be occupied by December 2027, Treffry said, but it could be earlier — since construction is ahead of schedule.
“This is a good time for a commercial tenant to consider property while it is still being built,” Treffry said, “and tenant requirements can be considered.”
As for the name of the project — Ellery Shores — the Holland branding team told Treffry that “Ellery” is associated with cheerfulness and joy. It captures the “relaxed optimism of life along the Southern California coast,” Treffry said.
“Warm, lyrical and refined, it has the character of an established residential place rather than a conventional development name,” she added. “Paired with ‘Shores,’ the name becomes distinctly connected to its setting on PCH, just steps from Alamitos Bay. Ellery Shores reflects the property’s promise of an elevated yet effortless waterfront lifestyle, from sunup to sundown.”
The Bungalow Kitchen
Back in July, I shared with readers that The Bungalow Kitchen, in the 2nd & PCH shopping center, would reopen as a neighborhood restaurant — and less of a lounge — but I did not yet know when.
But I do now — Sept. 16.
To celebrate its reopening, The Bungalow Kitchen will host a special, one-night-only charity event from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 24. It will be hosted by John and Caitlin Stamos, Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson and owner Brent Bolthouse.
The evening will feature craft cocktails and seasonal bites, along with some VIP guests.
“The return of The Bungalow Kitchen is a great moment for Long Beach, and I’m especially proud that we’re celebrating its return by giving back to local families,” Richardson said in a press release. “Proceeds from this event will support the Mayor’s Fund for Long Beach and its Early Learning Hub, helping connect young children and their families to the resources they need to thrive. It’s a great example of how our community can come together to celebrate while making a meaningful difference.”
On a personal level, I’m looking forward to experiencing how executive chef Eric Samaniego will showcase his diverse culinary talents.
The Bungalow Kitchen, in the 2nd & PCH shopping center, will reopen on Sept. 16 as a neighborhood restaurant, with country fried steak among the menu items. (Courtesy of The Bungalow Kitchen)
Years ago, during Samaniego’s decadelong stint at Michael’s on Naples, he told me that growing up, he and his grandmother would enjoy watching Julia Child’s television shows. His grandmother enjoyed using local California produce to cook and was Samaniego’s first cooking instructor.
“Building this menu from the ground up was incredibly exciting,” Samaniego said in the press release. “After years focused on regional Italian cooking, I had the freedom to bring together everything I’ve learned throughout my career — from French technique to California seasonality — into a restaurant that reflects how people want to eat today.”
Last month, when I met with Bolthouse, owner of The Bungalow Hospitality Group, he shared that they have redesigned the dining space, including changing some of the art, though they kept the signature pool table.
“The Bungalow Kitchen has always been about bringing people together,” Bolthouse said. “We’re incredibly proud to reopen with a renewed focus on great food, genuine hospitality and creating a place the Long Beach community can enjoy any night of the week. Chef Eric shares that vision completely, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back.”
For tickets to the Sept. 24 special event, which cost $75 a person, go to shorturl.at/eTcd9.
The Bungalow Kitchen will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesdays to Saturdays, and 5 to 10 p.m. Sundays.