Restaurant review: The Red Barrel

Cory Bilicko
Managing Editor

When pressed to name several local restaurants off the top of your head that provide excellent food, service and ambience, that number may be limited to the digits on one hand.
But there’s a new eatery in town that would make it easier to add a number to that list.
The Red Barrel recently opened its doors at 1940 Ximeno Ave. in Long Beach, offering modern and sophisticated twists to some well known and beloved classic dishes.
Last Sunday, I invited my friend Marty to join me for brunch there. We arrived just before 10:30am, when they open, and we were welcomed in by the staff even though we were a bit early.

First impression is that the atmosphere is inviting and strikes a comfortable balance between being upscale and casual. One of our favorite aspects in the décor is that there are numerous types of seating choices: cozy sofas with coffee tables, more traditional café-style tables and chairs, and high-top tables with bar stools, which was the option we took. Additionally, there is a mixing-and-matching of the furniture that, though eclectic, works seamlessly and cohesively somehow.
The service was impeccable. We had the good fortune of getting Emily as our waitress. (Is it still politically correct to call a female server a waitress, or has the term fallen by the wayside like “stewardess?” In any case, Emily was fantastic.) She was warm and funny, and she informed us that she has tried everything on the menu so she was well prepared to answer any of our culinary questions.
Marty later said, “The service was attentive and cheerful, and the ambience was relaxing and immediately comfortable.”

I mentioned to Emily that I was planning to be rather “social” later on and asked her to assist me in identifying some garlic-free, but healthy, options. She steered me toward the Red Barrel House Salad, which was the perfect suggestion: mixed greens, strawberries, goat cheese, sliced almonds and creamy strawberry-balsamic vinaigrette. Like any good salad, it was easy on the tummy but also satisfying to the palate. It embodied some of the best characteristics of savory and sweet, with just the right level of acidity from the balsamic vinegar. The almonds and goat cheese contributed an ample amount of protein and fat without weighing down the salad. I couldn’t have been happier with the direction Emily steered me in for my main course.
Marty, being more inclined to indulge himself, went the way of the West Coast Croissant, which is in the brunch section of the menu. The Red Barrel takes that French-pastry guilty pleasure and stuffs it with eggs, spicy maple bacon, avocado and jalapeño aioli and then gives you a choice of home potatoes, garlic-parmesan potatoes or fruit.

Here’s what Marty had to say about it when I sought his feedback later on: “The food at The Red Barrel was very good. In particular, the West Coast Croissant was super flavorful, and the spicy kick from its jalapeño aioli was perfect.”
He also ordered a cup of coffee, and, when Emily brought the steaming cup of it over, just the aroma of it alone was enough for me— with that rich, roast-y, freshly made fragrance that a good cup of Joe can provide.
Being that it was brunch time, he and I decided we’d partake in some sweetness to follow up our entrées, and we chose two desserts. We went with the Crème Brûlée and, although not listed as a dessert selection per se, the Berry-Stuffed Toast, which boasts strawberries, brie and peanut-butter drizzle.
I found the crackly sugar crust to be a bit on the burnt side, but I was actually okay with it. (Burnt cheese is my favorite part of a lasagna.) However, Marty was less enthusiastic about it. The creamy part was appealing to both of us though.

The toast served as a fun way to end our meal, and the brie was our favorite part, but we agreed that the choice of bread seemed a bit uninspired; with a more interesting type of bread, the dish would have been elevated to a level that matched the pleasures of the other components.
All in all though, we left very happy and both announced that we’d definitely be returning, with more friends in tow next time.

The Red Barrel is located at 1940 Ximeno Ave. in Long Beach, near the traffic circle, and can be reached at (562) 494-6400.