The Local Spot
6200 East Pacific Coast Highway, Suite B
Long Beach, CA 90803
5K number ten was in the books, and we needed to celebrate. Since last July, Katie and I have done one race a month. It sounds more impressive than it really is, except if you take into account getting Katie up and out the door before 7am on a Sunday. A true miracle and something that rarely ever happens, even on her typical workday. We also have not broken the one-hour mark on any of these 3.1-mile races, but at least we are out bright and early, getting some fresh air, and as is the case on this morning, getting a chance to eat at a new place for us, The Local Spot in Long Beach.
The Local Spot has been around since 2011 and comes to us from the McKee family, who also operates Eggs Etc., which has been serving breakfast to the people of Long Beach since 1977. The Local Spot started as a barbecue restaurant only open for lunch and dinner but transitioned to a breakfast and lunch spot sometime along the way. That change worked as they have an impressive four-and-a-half-star rating on Yelp with over 1,400 reviews.
We arrived here before 9am on a recent Sunday and immediately got a table. It was a different story when we left, as waiting to be seated is typical on weekends. We were seated on their patio, and although it was a bit chilly, we made the best of it. The Local Spot menu is broken into sections of omelets, egg dishes, benedicts, griddle items, a trio of south-of-the-border offerings, and a smattering of healthier breakfast options. The prices are modest, with nothing above the $15 price point. Very reasonable. Let's check out what we had to eat after our grueling 3-mile race.
Up first was the Country Mix ($14) that Katie selected. This consisted of three scrambled eggs, bacon, onions, and home fries. This usually comes with ham, but Katie asked to substitute bacon instead, and they kindly obliged, and there was no upcharge due to the substitution. That is not always the case at most restaurants. She really enjoyed this scramble. Plenty of bacon, the potatoes were tender, and the red salsa provided a nice flavor boost. With this, you also choose toast, tortillas, a pancake, or, as Katie got, a biscuit with gravy. The gravy here was nice and thick, but I would have liked it to be more peppery. The biscuit was good, not too mushy. Katie was pleased with her breakfast choice.
I did not even have to turn one page of the menu at the Local Spot because this Farmer's Favorite ($14) was listed on the front of the menu under House Specials. This came with a layer of home fries on the bottom and then was topped with two fried eggs, ranchero sauce, plenty of cheese, and diced sausage, bacon, and ham. This was one of the better breakfast dishes I've had in a while. There was plenty of cheese and breakfast meats, but another egg would have taken this to the next level by giving it more balance. The ranchero sauce did not overwhelm but added just enough to make it noticeable. I went with a pancake for my side item and added chocolate chips, a $2 upcharge. I liked this pancake because it was thinner than most, and they gave me plenty of maple syrup to go along with it. It might not look like it in the picture above, but plenty of chocolate chips were on the other side of the pancake.
The Local Spot definitely hit the spot after our 5k. They got us in quick, the service was friendly and cordial, and the food was not lacking. As is the case with about 90 percent of breakfasts that I've reviewed on this blog, it's probably not drive-worthy from more than fifteen miles, but if you live in the area or find yourself running a 5k and need a place to refuel for breakfast, The Local Spot is where you should head.
Out of five Olympic medals (because there have been 51 Olympians born in Long Beach, and I'm sure some of them have won medals), five being best to zero being worst, The Local Spot gets a very solid 3 Olympic medals.
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