It was 2015 and 85 degrees in Wailea on Maui; although, the oppressive humidity in the air made it seem much warmer than the mischievous little mercury dial displayed, but to be honest, we couldn’t have cared less. Anthony sat blissfully in his seat slowly enjoying his mojito while I was halfway through my delectable Monkeypod Mai Tai.
My favorite cocktail on the island — when done right — is the Mai Tai. Specifically, the aforementioned Monkeypod Mai Tai at Monkeypod Kitchen. I am a sucker for rum-forward lime cocktails, and this mix was filled with three types of rum, lime juice, macadamia nut orgeat, and topped with a honey lilikoi foam. I could devour these all day were it not for the high alcohol content. It wasn’t just this particular drink and this restaurant. Maui was filled with tasty craft-cocktails (and unfortunately, some mediocre overly-sweet touristy fare at some of the local resorts.
To say we were culinarily spoiled when we lived on Maui is an understatement. The access to sensational tropical dishes and craft cocktails was seemingly endless, so when we moved to Southern California in 2018, we were pleasantly surprised to find that dedicated tiki following in LA County! When we moved to Long Beach last week, our social media pages were filled with variations of, “You’ve got to try Bamboo Club!” With rave reviews from our friends and a menu boasting a variety of tiki drinks and tropical dishes, we agreed! A bonus: it is around the corner from our new home.
To celebrate our one-week anniversary as Long Beach residents, Anthony and I ventured out to The Bamboo Club for dinner and cocktails.
Because Long Beach was suffering a massive heat-wave this week, we chose to drive as opposed to walking the half mile to The Bamboo Club; although, we had been warned that parking was scarce. Our friends weren’t kidding. There were only about 10 spaces in the parking lot due to the outdoor tent covering a large portion of the parking lot as protection from Covid-19. (I’ll take covid protection over ample parking any day, so this did not bother us a bit.) Luckily, a woman was leaving as we were driving in, and we were able to snag a prime spot.
We chose to sit outside under the tent which was filled with bright holiday lights and tiki decor. A large party nearby had donned aloha attire and paper lei in celebration of an event/gathering, and they were having a ball! We ordered our drinks, and within minutes, we too, were having a ball!
The Bamboo Club Drinks menu is packed with inviting rum-centric and non-rum cocktails, wine, mocktails, and standard beverages. Anthony ordered a favorite of ours — the Jungle Bird — with black rum, lime, pineapple, and coconut-washed Campari. The Campari and lime nicely complimented the sweetness of the pineapple and the rum resulting in a perfectly balanced party of flavor. Again, he slowly slipped his drink. Savoring the taste.
I opted for the Monkey Pod the moment I spotted it on the menu. A delicious blend of The Real McCoy rum, lime, tamarind, and coconut, I fell in love with this cocktail at first sip and was taken back to our Maui days. Seriously, I could almost feel the humidity and the Trade Winds at that moment as if a tropical portal pulled me back to Wailea. The sour of the tamarind and lime also provided an elegant and flavorful balance to The Real McCoy Rum. Aged in Bourbon barrels, The Real McCoy is celebrated for its powerful taste and slightly sweet and oaky spiced notes that are known to pair nicely with sour flavors, so it is no surprise that this cocktail is speckled with the sour ingredients of lime and tamarind.
My first choice for dinner was the Five Spice Spare Rib Plate with spareribs, mac salad, and rice. On Maui, I often ordered a similar meal at a beachside bar that I loved for a strange, yet delectable reason. The mac salad and the tropical BBQ sauce. When the BBQ sauce crossed paths with the mac salad, the combination of flavor was something of a treasure. Every single time I ordered this dish, I allowed my BBQ sauce to run free across the plate and mingle with the mac salad. Unfortunately, the Five Spice Spare Rib Plate was sold out, while fortunately, it confirmed my suspicion that this dish was both popular and delicious.
I opted for my second choice, which was called The Best Grilled Cheese Ever on sourdough bread with cheddar and Swiss. The sandwich was tasty and the combination of cheese was well-matched with the bold Cheddar and gentle Swiss. The sandwich was tasty, but it was the mac salad that really won my heart. Slightly brown and topped with crunches, it looked stunning for a scoop of macaroni, but the flavor…oh, the flavor. Remember that tropical BBQ sauce I mentioned that I would allow to mate with my mac salad? This pasta party on a plate offered every single bit of flavor that I loved on that old familiar Maui plate by the beach. The house-made Unagi sauce elevated this mac salad to a level that surpassed even some of the best I’d tasted on Maui. I scraped every morsel from my plate and encouraged Anthony to order a side as well for himself. He did. He ate. He loved. He praised. He will definitely order again. So will I.
Anthony chose the Spaghetti Squash Pad Thai with spaghetti squash noodles, carrots, peanuts, bean sprouts, cilantro, fresno chilis, and crispy garlic. The verdict? He loved it. He’s sensitive to dairy, so finding one delicious dairy-free or Vegan dish on some menus is a challenge, but at The Bamboo Club, it’s an integral part of their menu with Vegan Loco Moco (yes, really!), a Vegan Unagi Birger, Beyond Burger, and Sorbet. Not only was his choice gentle on his stomach, it was delicious and healthful. Great news all around!
Long story short — we LOVED The Bamboo Club. The service was exceptional and prompt, and the tiki bar ambiance and the tropical food and drinks transported us (for an evening) back to our beloved Maui home. Thank you, Bamboo Club, for making our one-week Long Beach-aversary an evening to recall wonderful memories and to start making new ones. You’ll see us again soon!
PHONE
(562) 343-2534
LOCATION
3522 East Anaheim St.
Long Beach, CA 90804
HOURS
Sun – Wed 11 a.m.–12 a.m.
(Kitchen until 10 p.m.)
Thurs – Sat 11 a.m.–2 a.m.
(Kitchen until 1 a.m.)
HAPPY HOUR
Mon – Fri 3 p.m. – 6 p.m.
