By Vicki Paris Goodman, Arts & Entertainment Editor
Venture inside Gaslamp and find a very different atmosphere depending on which way you look. Two bars at center anchor the vast expanse, while a row of comfy booths for diners lines one wall. High bar tables partition the center space between the two bars and offer perhaps the best view of the stage. Depending on which night you come, the stage might be featuring a band, a DJ or karaoke. The remainder of the room is devoted to tables and chairs, which do double duty as additional dining space and areas for parties or meetings.
So fancying itself a bar, a restaurant, a night club, a meeting venue and a party hangout, Gaslamp is many things to many people.
We showed up for dinner on a Saturday night, all set to sink our teeth into a couple of steaks at one of the cushy booths. Sam changed his mind when he noticed the menu’s tempting chicken entrees and went for the Chicken Parmesan ($15), an enormous tender cutlet generously topped with mozzarella and a tangy marinara sauce. Accompanied by Sam’s side dish choices of really good, though barely hot enough, “smashed” potatoes and perfectly cooked, slightly crisp, fresh whole green beans, his dinner was just delicious.
I stuck to the plan and ordered the New York steak ($19), an ample and tender cut that arrived medium to medium rare and plated with those same lovely green beans and wonderful roasted red potatoes. The rather rich whiskey peppercorn sauce, which came on the side, was a fabulous addition for dipping pieces of my steak.
Since the menu didn’t specify, we were surprised and gladdened to learn that our selections included lovely dinner salads composed entirely of fresh chilled romaine lettuce strips, chopped tomatoes and shredded carrots. Gaslamp’s blue cheese dressing is full flavored and very nice.
Fresh warm French bread and butter was ours for the asking.
After consuming all we could of our abundant suppers, we weakened at the prospect of Chocolate Molten Lava Cake ($7), and were glad we had. The presentation was adorable, the small dark chocolate lava-filled cake placed at one end of a foot-long rectangular plate and a scoop of nice vanilla ice cream at the other end. I chuckled as the arrangement instantly reminded me of old movies in which the wealthy couple sit at opposite ends of a dining room table capable of seating twenty, but with no one in between. Oh, and yes, the lava cake was absolutely divine.
If you arrive before 7 p.m., as we did (barely), you are offered Gaslamp’s Happy Hour specials. As fortunate early diners, you can choose any of the menu’s appetizers for half price, well drinks and domestic beer for $2.75, and $4 glasses of the house wines. Sam and I can vouch for the Spinach and Artichoke dip ($9 or $4.50 during Happy Hour), a warm and bubbly concoction blended with parmesan, cream cheese and crushed red pepper, served with tortilla chips. Delish.
Since weekends are Gaslamp’s busiest nights, weeknight specials combining food deals with entertainment attempt to draw in a crowd. We showed up again on a Wednesday evening for $5 Burger, Beer and Band.
Oh my gosh. What a deal this is! Five bucks gets you a really fine 1/2-pound burger on an outstanding toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, sliced red onion and dressing. This is what I call a burger purist’s hamburger–excellent ingredients with nothing extra to mask the flavors. The burger is served with a plate full of enchanting warm house-made potato chips. Don’t forget, you also get a free ice-cold beer with your burger. This one’s worth many return trips.
Other weeknight specials include Monday Steak and Karaoke night ($5 off all steak dinners), Tuesday 2-for-1 Chicken Dinner night, and Thursday Wine and Lounge night (wine tastings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and, if you’re there for dinner, half-price wines by the bottle, or bring your own and the restaurant will waive the corkage fee).
Service at Gaslamp is competent and very friendly, and we have never felt rushed.
Gaslamp is located at 6251 East Pacific Coast Highway (at Loynes Drive) in Long Beach. Open Monday thru Saturday at 5 p.m. Happy Hour is 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every day. Phone (562) 596-4718 or visit Gaslamp online at www.thegaslamprestaurant.com
