{"id":328914,"date":"2026-05-23T04:35:15","date_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:35:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/328914\/"},"modified":"2026-05-23T04:35:15","modified_gmt":"2026-05-23T04:35:15","slug":"james-tir-of-lbfoodcoma-shares-his-journey-thoughts-on-long-beachs-cuisine-scene-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/328914\/","title":{"rendered":"James Tir of @LBFoodComa shares his journey, thoughts on Long Beach’s cuisine scene and more"},"content":{"rendered":"

When dining with James Tir, the digital food chronicler behind @LBFoodComa<\/a>, it\u2019s imperative to remember one thing: phone always eats first.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s half past noon on Wednesday, May 13 and I\u2019m meeting Tir and Signal Tribune Photo Editor Samuel Chacko for lunch at Dilly\u2019s Sandwiches (4144 North Viking Way), a paradoxically memorable yet unassuming deli tucked away in a beige, tree-covered stretch of Lakewood Village. Since he\u2019s the expert, I suggested Tir choose our lunch location.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On this particular day, this meal is sandwiched between a morning brew at Wrigley\u2019s Dedo Coffee and an early dinner at Massimo\u2019s in Naples \u2014 a first-time visit for Tir.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When I spot Tir \u2014 dressed in a black Barely Alive dad hat, a matching 1800 Tequila T-shirt and blue jeans \u2014 he seems blissfully at home, heartily chatting with two workers at the counter like an old friend paying a visit. Of course, I soon find out he\u2019s already been to Dilly\u2019s a handful of times. It\u2019s one of nearly countless spots in his rolodex of local restaurant knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"\"The Carrot from Long Beach sandwich shop Dilly\u2019s is made with roasted carrots, kimchi and monterey jack cheese on ciabatta bread. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\"\"The PB & Pickle from Long Beach sandwich shop Dilly\u2019s is made with crunchy peanut butter, butter pickles and pullman bread. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

We find a central spot in a row of long tables and benches, with vibrant pickle figurines decorating the adjacent side wall. There, we split two of the deli\u2019s most unique items: the PB & Pickle \u2014 an oddly comforting pairing of crunchy peanut butter and loads of sweet bread & butter pickles on white Pullman bread \u2014 and The Carrot, a flavorful combination of kimchi, roasted carrots and melted Monterey Jack cheese on pressed ciabatta. I ordered the former, while Tir took care of the latter.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Once the food arrives, Tir readies himself to photograph our feast, helped by the handy portable spotlight he brought along to liven up his social media stills. He moves swiftly to capture the images, with the instinctive eye of someone who\u2019s done this hundreds of times. After the photoshoot is finished, we dig in.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This experience is ritualistic for Tir. After all, he\u2019s built a localized social media empire due to his ability to capture Long Beach\u2019s deluge of delectable spots and the eats that make them worthy. But to Tir, gastronomic exploration is no mere passion; it\u2019s a necessity, an all-important key to living life to the fullest.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cFood is primal, we eat to survive,\u201d he explained. \u201cWhen you\u2019re eating, your guard is down, you are at your truest self. And if you\u2019re taking a risk in that context, you\u2019re more likely to take risks in other contexts \u2026When you start with something like this, you\u2019ll eventually become a better person overall.\u201d<\/p>\n

James Tir, @LBFoodComa<\/p>\n

Tir\u2019s Instagram page \u2014 his primary method of reaching hungry viewers since 2014 \u2014 is an absolute feeding frenzy of reels featuring hole-in-the-wall joints, newly opened eateries, acclaimed favorites and an assortment of festivals and special events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It alone is on the doorstep of 100,000 followers (99,400 as of May 20), with an additional 83,000 and change spread across Facebook<\/a> (52,300) and TikTok<\/a> (31,100). <\/p>\n

As his moniker would suggest, a plethora of mouthwatering bites are featured, decadent meals destined to lull viewers into a comatose state of enjoyment \u2014 nearly all of which reside within the confines of his hometown.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI just couldn\u2019t imagine doing anything else,\u201d Tir said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Eating Origins<\/p>\n

Growing up in Cambodia Town during the \u201890s and 2000s, Tir recalls him and his brother spending time exploring the city with their neighbor, a retired teacher who suffered from schizophrenia. His parents \u2014 who made Long Beach their home in the \u201880s<\/a> after escaping the genocidal Khmer Rouge \u2014 were often working at the now-defunct Daily Donut in Westminster during these outings.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tir looks back fondly on his childhood, and despite his neighborhood being admittedly \u201chairy\u201d due to the regularity of crime, he believes the explorative lens of his adolescence shaped his modern-day curiosities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt opened my eyes to kind of how fascinating and unique the world is, and I think that plays a huge part in why I am the way I am,\u201d he recollected.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tir was exposed early on to the magical inertia that surfaces when working in a kitchen. He experienced it firsthand while working at his aunt\u2019s Cambodian restaurant Hak Heang (2041 E. Anaheim St.), spending his youth progressing from busboy to sous chef by the time he graduated from high school and cementing his love for the act of culinary innovation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI found my love for just creating things with my hands,\u201d Tir said. \u201cI love the fact that I can take all these different elements and make something better than the sum of its parts, or something that\u2019s worse than the sum of its parts. It\u2019s awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n

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In 2013, Tir graduated with a bachelor\u2019s degree in industrial design from California State University, Long Beach, which led to him working what he called a \u201csoulless\u201d job at a skateboarding company. To escape the mundanity of his 9-to-6 work life, he resolved to meet five new people per day, simultaneously expanding his network of foodies and pushing him to explore third spaces \u2014 all while documenting his experiences. This strategy served as a helpful foundation when he decided to fully dedicate himself to food in 2018.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Tir became one of the city\u2019s go-to food influencers and wrote articles for L.A. Taco<\/a> and Eater<\/a>, his videography style remained intentionally consistent. The only change has been an increased awareness of how he operates and uses his platform, strengthened by the years spent honing his skills and a specific focus on what\u2019s being served in Long Beach.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal has always been to uplift the Long Beach food scene,\u201d Tir said.<\/p>\n

\"\"James Tir, founder of the Instagram account LB Food Coma, splits half of the PB & Pickle and The Carrot sandwiches from Dilly\u2019s LB and holds them up in the air on May 13, 2026. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

Mastering the Routine<\/p>\n

A typical work day sees Tir visiting 3-4 places \u2014 plus one spontaneous stop to liven up the otherwise adherent routine \u2014 and spending copious amounts of time editing his reels on LumaFusion. On occasion, he\u2019ll cook for himself, and sometimes even don the hat and apron for a special event, but he mostly eats out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In a given week, Tir will post 7-10 videos on his account. This includes weekly recaps<\/a> of the best things he\u2019s eaten over the past seven days and curated lineups<\/a> of filling yet frugal meals available for under $20.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Tir also spends time promoting businesses via disclosed paid partnerships, but says he retains \u201croom for integrity,\u201d allowing him autonomy over what\u2019s ultimately posted on his page.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have to cater to the whims of the universe; I can enjoy what I enjoy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

By this point, when Tir arrives at a restaurant to film, the concept for each shoot is already pre-planned in his head. Even his strategy of what foods to order when dining somewhere for the first time is fairly tried and true.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fortunately for Tir, he has no allergies, aversions or dietary intolerances that prevent him from trying dishes that may intimidate the average patron. It\u2019s something his Khmer heritage duly prepared his taste buds for.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"James Tir, social media content creator and food critic, takes a bite of the PB & Pickle sandwich from Dilly\u2019s LB on May 13, 2026. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

\u201cCambodian flavors are really punchy,\u201d he said. \u201cYou\u2019ve got lemongrass, galangal, tamarin, everything\u2019s really fermenty and really strong and really herbaceous and really bright. So when that\u2019s your baseline, that\u2019s your normal\u2026everything else is easy, nothing shocks me.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Oftentimes, he\u2019ll test the spectrum of a menu by ordering a place\u2019s go-to dish and their most \u201cesoteric\u201d option. This, ideally, allows him to taste both the subtle and standout flavors of a particular cuisine, thus receiving intimate insight into a range of palettes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I eat at all these places and I selectively choose the weird and the popular, it gives me such an overarching view of how those countries, those cultures, eat,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

With over a decade of experience under his belt, Tir has noticed a growth in popularity regarding the city\u2019s food scene, which he says has gone from \u201cvery boring\u201d to the midst of a \u201cculinary renaissance\u201d since he first began posting. Tir champions this evolution and the influx of local food influencers to the ecosystem that once primarily consisted of Tir and Brian Addison \u2014 steward of Long Beach Food Scene<\/a> and several additional appetite-related ventures \u2014 as proof.<\/p>\n

Community Resilience<\/p>\n

Changes to the local food scene have also come more recently in the form of rising food prices<\/a> and the chilling effects Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity has had on the city\u2019s diners and workers. For instance, Tir mentions the harrowing story of Babblejit \u201cBubbly\u201d Kaur, a longtime Long Beach resident and beloved figure in the city\u2019s food scene, who was detained by ICE in December 2025<\/a> during a routine appointment to further her green card application.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Following calls for her release by community members and Congressman Robert Garcia (CA-42), Kaur was set free the same month<\/a>, but not without fears that the people who fueled the city\u2019s culturally diverse food scene remained under attack.<\/p>\n

Still, Tir emphasizes the widespread support Long Beach residents have shown for their neighbors, including the pride displayed by those stepping outside their culinary comfort zones. When each bite acts as an entryway into a country\u2019s cultures and traditions, exploration becomes paramount to understanding the city\u2019s people, as much as what\u2019s on your plate.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve become a community where taking risks in what you eat is cool, and you don\u2019t really find that in very many places,\u201d Tir said. \u201c\u2026Here I\u2019ve found people want to try what\u2019s exciting and new and whatever the signature dish is. It\u2019s really nice to see. I do think that outlook is different from what it was a decade ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

James Tir, @LBFoodComa<\/p>\n

To expand one\u2019s scope of what the city\u2019s eats have to offer \u2014 especially outside of popular areas such as Retro Row and Belmont Shore\u2019s Restaurant Row \u2014 Tir suggests the broadening of geographical horizons. Dilly\u2019s is just one pertinent example in a sea of hidden gems spread throughout the surrounding region.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think it\u2019d be nice for people to explore [the] westside, Wrigley and North Long Beach a little bit more because there\u2019s good cuisines out there. You just gotta dig for it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"The content creator of the Instagram account LB Food Coma, James Tir, wipes his hands with a napkin after taking a huge bite of the sandwiches he ordered at Dilly\u2019s LB on May 13, 2026. (Samuel Chacko | Signal Tribune)<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next?<\/p>\n

For now, and into the future, Tir plans to keep his account active, acting as a reliable food-finder for those who come across his steady flow of posts. However, he does have a desire to expand into a more curatorial role someday with a few potential ventures, all of which are still in the idea stage.<\/p>\n

They include directing a food documentary, a la Netflix\u2019s \u201cChef\u2019s Table\u201d series and launching a local food festival, building on his experience as co-founder of the Long Beach Tacos & Tequila and Tamales festivals, among others. Plus, Tir envisions opening up a cocktail bar with a theme that unites French colonial architecture with Southeast Asian motifs and ingredients, giving him ample room to play with unexpected flavor combos.<\/p>\n

Next time you dine out in Long Beach, consider trying a new restaurant, cuisine or neighborhood for your meal. If you\u2019re doing it right, there\u2019s a good chance Tir has already been there.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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