Foodie Alert For Downtown Long Beach

Downtown Long Beach is one of Southern California's most unique waterfront urban destinations. With world-class attractions like the legendary Queen Mary, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach is among the top destinations for hundreds of thousands of annual visitors. Cali- fornia's sixth largest city, with more than 6,000 residential units recently completed in the Downtown area, there are more than 500,000 consumers who live, work and play within a few miles radius. The Downtown Long Beach Associates (DLBA) produces a series of dynamic public events throughout the year that attract a diverse collection of local residents and visitors from Los Angeles, Orange County and surrounding areas.

This quaint setting on Pine Street is the backdrop for Taste of Downtown, the annual event in which local restaurateurs' showcase their take on cuisines from around the world. Wonderfully diverse restaurants continue to emerge in this thriving metropolitan city and this event is a great opportunity for them to reach out to the public. More than 3,000 guests are expected to enjoy a sample of their signature dishes while live musical performances fill the air as local artists play throughout both evenings.

Chefs serve up artistic samplings of their favorite dishes, designed to whet the appetites of the attendees in the hopes that it will lure them to their downtown locations for future dining experiences. This year there will be 20 plus vendors, some new and some veterans ranging from upscale to casual, each hoping to seduce your taste buds.

Some of those vying for your affection include: Long Beach's newest hotspot :SIP. Modern cocktails, great craft beers, and fine wines by the glass perfectly paired with entrees and appetizers. The vibe is urban, upscale, and upbeat with simple, delicious foods created from locally grown produce, sustainable seafood and responsibly raised meats. This team rejoices in the work of the farmers, artisans, ranchers and fisherman. siplongbeach.com

Owners, Terry Antonelli and Enzo DeMuro of L'Opera Ristorante serve up a warm and elegant blend of Brooklyn and Roman Italian fine dining with a fusion of old world traditions and new world creativity. lopera.com

Alegria Cocina Latina highlights the talents of Chef Walter Cotta who has created an exquisite menu featuring the tastes of Latin American with fresh ingredients. alegriacocinalatina.com

George's Greek Caf� is the love child of father and son proprietors, George and Demitri Loizides who bring, "A little piece of Greece to Southern California." George's experience encompasses 48 years in the deli and market areas, while Demitri has spent more than 28 years in the restaurant business-A winning combination. georgesgreekcafe.com

The prestigious Sky Room originally opened in 1926 and is located atop the historic Breakers of Long Beach Hotel, a preferred destination along the Pacific Coast. Since the beginning, the Sky Room has continued to draw impressive clientele of local guests, Hollywood celebrities, politicians and world-renowned personalities of the time. theskyroom.com

Gladstone's Long Beach (newest waterfront development at The Pike at Rainbow Harbor) has fish so fresh that it needs to be slapped. It is simply prepared in your choice of: wood smoked char-broiled 'California style' or griddled with blackened seasoning. gladstoneslong- beach.com

Others scheduled to please will be the Gaucho Grill and Taco Beach; both will offer south of the Border delights. Shannon's on Pine, an Irish Pub and Sports Bar with friendly neighborhood appeal and cheap prices, Frozen yogurt by Pinkberry, Congregation Ale House has pub-themed eats, a huge beer selection and many more options.

Restaurants that are not actually located on Pine Avenue will be serving in the parking lot next to Le Creperie. There will be high cocktail tables throughout the sidewalk area, so that attendees have a convenient yet picturesque place to enjoy their food and drink.

Taste of Downtown returns on Wednesday, Septem- ber 21 and Thursday, September 22 from 6 to 9 p.m. on Pine Avenue at Broadway. Tickets are $1, or you can get a booklet of 12 tickets for $10. Thanks to our partners at the Aquarium of the Pacific if you buy two booklets, you'll receive one free Aquarium ticket (while supplies last).

Pre-sale tickets are available now and as always, tickets are available at the event. If you have any ques- tions, please call the DLBA office at 562.436.4259 or go to downtownlongbeach.org -please note that tickets are non-refundable, except due to inclement weather.