Hartland's opens, offering beach-ready fare in luxury high-rise

The team behind Hartland’s, a new restaurant located at The Mezzanine, 1900 Ocean Blvd, including chef and restaurateur Rob White (center). (Photo by Jo Murray).

A new restaurant hidden on the mezzanine floor of the Ocean Beach Club luxury apartment complex officially opened its doors on Friday, June 14.

The restaurant, Hartland’s, is located in a historic high-rise at 1900 Ocean Blvd. and offers spectacular views of the Alamitos Beach Wibit water playground, the Pride Tower and, of course, the beach itself.

The restaurant’s cafe is open seven days a week and offers hot breakfast items like chipotle aioli breakfast burritos, avocado toast made with rustic bread, and French toast with cinnamon.

Hartland’s takeout station also offers gourmet items, including nut butter-stuffed dates in a chocolate and shrimp cocktail, as well as simple items like yogurt and a wide assortment of breakfast pastries. All can be packed in convenient, ready-to-go bags.

The cafe’s name, according to chef and restaurateur Rob White — who also owns Liv’s in Belmont Shore — is a combination of the names of his two younger cousins: Hartford, 7, and Holland, 3.

White has a knack for creating addictive dishes. The fried chicken sandwich, prime rib dip, sesame ginger salad and other lunch menu items have all developed a personal following as favorites.

Currently, Hartland’s is open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a breakfast and lunch menu, several takeout options and a range of coffee drinks. Soon, weekend hours will expand to include dinner time.

Union @ Compound

In January, Union Restaurant opened inside Compound, a nonprofit cultural and community space with an art gallery in the Zaferia neighborhood at 1395 Coronado Ave.

Chef Eugene Santiago, trained chef at Le Cordon Bleu Pasadena and founder of Southeast Asian fusion pop-up Baryo, arrived as the first resident “culinary artist” and became the creative force behind the fusion menu items Asian.

Santogo prepares the food artfully. Some menu items include, for example, shrimp focaccia toast, brined fried chicken bao buns, and yellowtail crudo infused with passion fruit, citrus, serrano pepper, green pepper, ponzu and olive oil.

Bar manager Stephanie Butchko’s cocktail menu includes 11 craft cocktails with names like “The Rum Around” (with calamansi extract, lime, demerara and falernum velvet), “The Doctor’s Order” (washed coconut bourbon 1776, Sichuan pepper and cinnamon syrup) and “Tea Time” (gin, Dolin Blanc and Suze). Three equally creative non-alcoholic cocktails are also offered.

General Manager Samantha Carrillo credits Navarro Hospitality Group, the restaurant’s chief consultant, for helping Union put all the details in place and putting in place a staff with impressive experience and formal training in-depth.

The nonprofit organization is the vision of philanthropist and interior designer Megan Tagliaferri, a member of the Scripps media family who serves as its executive and creative director.

Tagliaferri financed the building and opened the complex in 2020. The restaurant component, which appears to bring the project together as a destination, was delayed until January of this year.

Compound is open to the public with a selection of free programs for everyone. The compound programming schedule, tickets and reservations are available at compoundlb.org. To learn more about the restaurant, visit unionlb.com.

Art Gallery

Happy Hanks Plaza is set to open on Saturday, June 22 with its first art exhibit “Supernova.” Gallery opening hours will be announced soon.

“Naples Island is a beautiful and serene community, and we wanted to bring something that would support the cultural landscape of the island,” founder Pearl Hanks of PEnterprise Consulting Services said in a recent statement. “An art gallery seemed like the perfect addition, providing a quiet but enriching space for residents and visitors to enjoy and appreciate the arts, fostering community engagement and showcasing the talents of artists.” »

Located at 5870 Naples Plaza, Happy Hanks Plaza plans to host several exhibitions throughout the year, showcasing a range of artistic styles and mediums.

Hanks will collaborate with art consultant Susan DeLand, who served as co-chair of the Long Beach Museum of Art Phoenix Branch Art and Education Committee.

Look at me

Jackie Diener and Megan Eddy will soon open Watch Me, a sports bar focused on female athletes and their competitions, according to a recent social media announcement.

The bar, which will be located at 6527 Pacific Coast Highway – formerly home to Playa Amor in the Market Place shopping area – is expected to open in late July.

Dog treats

Belmont Shore dog owners now have a new local place to spoil their beloved four-legged friends with the opening of “Bark!” bark! », a retail store offering a range of services.

The store is located in the former Runners High storefront at 5338 2nd St.

“We are known for our dog daycare, hotel, grooming and training facilities,” owner Danielle Portillo wrote in an email, “but now we are venturing into the retail space – with an official grand opening planned for next month.”

The company was originally started in downtown Long Beach more than 15 years ago, according to its website, and is barking! to bark! later opened a second location in Signal Hill.

They currently have a pop-up store at the 2nd & PCH mall, Portillo said, which has seen great success since opening.

“Our new business is a dog boutique and treat bar,” Portillo said.

Except for the bark! to bark! Treat Bar, the storefront will offer a “bark and craft” experience, where customers can make friendship collars and bracelets for their dogs.

“We offer our customers a unique retail experience,” Portillo said, “that goes beyond just a store where you make a quick purchase.”

Store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Beer and analog

Ambitious Ales microbrewery will host “Modern Analog – A Nostalgia Market” on Saturday, June 29.

The community event will feature an analog market, vinyl DJ sets, vintage treasures, food and craft beer.

There will be several sellers specializing in film photography, vinyl records and cassettes. The event will begin from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Ambitious Ales is located at 4019 Atlantic Ave.