
6 new food and drink spots in Long Beach
The big money nachos at Moneyline in Long Beach are smothered in a homemade cheese sauce. Credit: Newsday / Andi Berlin
Long Beach is just getting revved up for the season, but the barrier island has already seen a string of openings that signal summer is coming. Many of the newest spots are bars, but there are also places to rip into a lobster roll, slurp some ramen and even enjoy a 16-course omakase dinner.
A few concepts are still upcoming, including the third location of a Canz sports bar. The growing chain from Westbury briefly opened in May where Seven used to be, but has closed for a few more weeks for renovation. Likewise with Salty's, which is taking over the Five Ocean space at the western end of the boardwalk, but isn't serving food for a few more weeks. And this fall, the popular Mexican restaurant chain Tulum Tacos & Tequila is expected to open a "Mexican chophouse" on the eastern end of the boardwalk. Here are a few new food spots to get the party started.
Beach Wine & More
515 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach
The Long Beach Boulevard corridor of auto shops and gas stations is the last place you'd expect to find a natural wine shop. But it is just down the street from the beer warehouse Monarch Beverages. So it makes sense. Owned by Derrick Sherman, the petite but stylish Beach Wine offers a well-curated selection of natty wines and additive-free spirits, often local with cool-looking labels. Natural wine is well on its way to being mainstream, but sadly still hard to find on Long Island, outside of hipster locales. And if you're curious about orange wines, which get their color from grape skin coming into contact with the juice during fermentation, this is the place to go. They got me hooked on the $20 liter bottles of Gulp Hablo from Spain, which is almost like a sauvignon blanc but with more body and kick to it. There's also a nice selection of canned cocktails for summer beach parties. More info: 516-208-6151, instagram.com/beachwinelbny
CHIRAMEN
2 W. Park Ave., Long Beach

The sushi deluxe combo and a yellowtail hand roll at CHIRAMEN in Long Beach. Credit: Newsday / Andi Berlin
After Burger King and Five Guys closed, Park Avenue has become less about fast food burgers and more like a noodle highway. But the community seems to be on board, because Chiramen has been packed since it opened in the former Five Guys this May. The locally-owned Japanese spot bears a lot of similarities to the minimalist chic Kyuramen, which has locations in Garden City and Huntington. But in addition to the omurice and the boba drinks and the matcha crepe cakes, Chiramen also has a full sushi menu. On an opening week visit, the ramen shined above all the other options. One of 10 varieties on offer, their spicy tonkotsu ramen ($16.99) impressed with its delicate but juicy slices of chashu pork. More info: 516-208-3060, chiramenlb.com
Driftwood
1 Grand Blvd. and the boardwalk, Long Beach
Long Beach is surprisingly low on lobster rolls. All the big lobster spots are in Island Park or Point Lookout, and that's a fact that Remy Watts wants to change. He's returning to the boardwalk by converting Beach Burger into a lobster roll joint that also happens to serve smashburgers, chicken sandwiches, breakfast waffles and smoothies. Watts previously owned food trucks Cultured LB as well as Odie's Ocean Grill, which once served Anthony Bourdain a lobster roll and made him come back for seconds, he said. Driftwood's lobster rolls are economically priced at $29 for 4 ounces of lobster with a side of fries. They're still getting revved up and only open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, weather permitting, but plan to expand hours to weekdays. More info: driftwoodlbny.com
Moneyline
906 W. Beech St., Long Beach

The shrimp cocktail is a good move at Moneyline in Long Beach. Credit: Newsday / Andi Berlin
With the Yankees and Mets off to good starts this season, Moneyline is a primo spot to watch baseball. Or any other sport, because the bright-pink accented bar is plastered with flat-screen TVs. If you were a fan of the previous tenant, The Ugly Duckling, you know what this place is about. Sweet drinks beckon, or go for a round of beer. What you don't know is that Moneyline has surprisingly great french fries. And while the nachos look better than they taste, the kitchen makes a mean shrimp cocktail ($18) with big, fat shrimp. Also on deck: deep-fried Oreos for dessert ($12). More info: 516-208-7807, instagram.com/moneylinelbny
Oishi Omakase
116 E. Park Ave., Long Beach
All-you-can-eat sushi at Oishi Omakase in Long Beach. Credit: Newsday / Andi Berlin
You may remember this as Himawari Sushi on Park Avenue. Owner Jimmy Lin wanted to distinguish the place from its larger sister restaurant Himawari Asian Pan down the street, so he painted the outside bright orange and gave the inside a sleeker vibe that's still more casual now than what you'd imagine an omakase bar to be. The $99 omakase is 16 courses and includes beer and sake as well as all the food you like. But the $34.95 all-you-can-eat seems like a more natural choice for this venue, and the fish quality is respectable. Elaborate concoctions like a Hokkaido Monster roll with scallop, eel and hamachi tuna are served in smaller portions, which just means you could order more. More info: 516-208-8002, oishiomakase.com
ViVi Bubble Tea and MD Fried Chicken
1024 W. Beech St., Long Beach

Vivi Bubble Tea in Long Beach sells mochi doughnuts, bubble teas and also has a separate menu for MD Fried Chicken. Credit: Newsday / Andi Berlin
This popular Taiwanese bubble tea chain is a one-stop shop for Asian snack foods. The front counter has a selection of mochi doughnuts covered in strawberry icing or topped with marshmallows. Then there's Taiwanese sausages and popcorn chicken. But the secret weapon of ViVi Bubble Tea is that franchise owners Frankie Jiang and KD Chen are also licensed to sell Korean fried chicken from a different business, MD Fried Chicken. With just one other location in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, this brand isn't as well known as Bonchon or bb.q Chicken. But the wings slap. Get a 10-piece mix and match combo ($14.99) with the soy garlic and spicy sweet flavors. And maybe a milk tea to wash it down. More info: 516-517-2114, vivibubbletea.com, instagram.com/mdfriedchicken
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