Downtown Long Beach is at the edge of Seabridge Territory, but neighbor Debby and I just had a dining experience there that was too amazing not to write about.
Pâtes Fraîches means "fresh pasta" in French - and that perfectly describes the essence of the restaurant: fresh, artisan pasta with a french flair. It's located just east of downtown Long Beach, at 1st and Elm, in an area that's seeing a lot of redevelopment. As it's situated on the corner, it has two full walls of windows that let in a lot of light. The back wall is a colorful mosaic of tiles based on a french textile. And the focal point of the restaurant is the 10-person communal table in the center. You can almost imagine that the people surrounding you are family.
But it's the food that was the highlight of the experience. The herb salad tasted like it came right from the garden, with a mix of flavors that blended perfectly. I had a whole-wheat fusilli with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella, while Debby had a wonderful salmon and asparagus on top of barley cavatelle shells. All the pasta is made fresh daily by the restaurant. Neither of us could pass up dessert, so we shared the chocolate mousse and pear clafoutis. In the true French tradition, the meal satisfied without stuffing us silly, and it didn't take a big hit on the wallet, either.
I would totally recommend it for a new and different casual dining experience - and it's only 25 minutes away. Pâtes Fraîches is located at 400 East Elm in Long Beach. 562-437-2222.
Do you have any dining recommendations to share? Write about them in the comments!
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