The Buzzfeed lists are wrong. Anyone who thinks dropping a spoon into a hot bowl of soup is the worst thing ever never tried to plan a rehearsal dinner in Long Beach. The paucity of restaurants, both respectable and willing, puts the zilla is bridezilla, and I am at the point of telling everyone to bring a folding chair and a sandwich.
By the time we get to Michael's, I'm staring daggers into a glass of Montepulciano even though it's not the wine's fault and the wine is actually quite good.
I'm calmer by the time we get up to the more-casual rooftop for breezy beach-side dining. We start with a warm-up Flatbread as I am hangry, and we expect fine-dining pasta portions to be more modest. This ends up being the worst great idea ever as the portions are actually quite substantial. I can't recall the ingredients of this flatbread as well as I would like, but I believe this one was grilled crisp and chewy with savory shreds of duck and slices of soft potato.
Little pizzas are perfect for a rehearsal. Carbs for energy, protein for stamina, and a delicious neutrality of ingredients that all guests can enjoy. The pasta is just as accommodating. A light Capellini Vongole looks fairly innocent, but the al dente angel hair hits hard with soft, briny clams and shards of pungent garlic.
The Pappardelle is oh-so-perfect, and there is an overly-generous smothering of braised beef cheeks that melt when they hit your mouth.
You don't really know the amount of dietary restrictions; real, imagined, and entitled, that exist in this world until you plan a wedding. Michael's on Naples takes advantage of being Italian, pulling from every aspect of a colorful country for a varied menu that can adjust...and yield.
Sadly, we had to yield to the 5000-dollar minimum for the rooftop bar, but that's hardly going to keep me away from Michael's. I've done a fair bit of exploring in Long Beach, and Michael's is their fine-dining leader. The restaurant search continues, but at least we got a nice dinner out of the ordeal.
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