This fusion restaurant inside of a converted gas station is the Coast’s best kept secret
Every time I drive to this converted gas station that’s hidden in plain sight next to a quaint Long Beach neighborhood, I’m surprised the line isn’t out the door and wrapped around the building.
There’s good reason for it — I don’t know many other places where you can get a fried shrimp po-boy and french fries topped with kimchi or Korean barbecue.
A lot of times when I go to Long Beach Market & Deli, I end up ordering many things because I simply cannot choose between items on their menu that fuses Asian flavors with New Orleans classics.
I try to try at least one thing new when I go, and I like to eat there so I can watch other diners play board games and leave with a new craft beer to try. It’s also a joy listening to the owners and workers converse with guests who have clearly been coming to “The Deli” for years. The restaurant also has an expanded covered patio if you like to dine outside.
My cousin Taylor and I recently went for lunch on a weekend and decided to split everything. We started with crab rangoons and ordered sweet chili and sweet and sour dipping sauce. The sweet and sour was served warm and complimented the crispy rangoons, filled with lots of crab and a herbaceous cream cheese.
Taylor and I agreed that they were the best rangoons we had ever had, blowing Chinese buffets out of the water.
I opted for a roast beef po-boy on New Orleans-style French bread and dipped it in brown gravy, and Taylor got the bahn mi po-boy, one of the most popular items on the menu. We both cleared our plates quickly.
I would also recommend the kogi fries, cajun-battered potatoes topped with Korean barbecue chicken, cheese and a sriracha aioli. The bulgogi bowl and sweet and sour chicken are also crowd favories.
The next time you’re looking to try something new, drive over to “The Deli” and go ahead and try as much as you can from the menu. It’ll be the best trip to Long Beach you’ve ever made.
If you go to Long Beach Market & Deli
Address: 20110 Pineville Road
Hours: Tuesday - Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Phone: 228-864-1933
This story was originally published December 23, 2022 at 7:00 AM.
