Hidden Gem: The Crooked Duck in Long Beach

When I heard about the upcoming Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant Week 2.0, I realized that I rarely dine in Long Beach. I am always dining around Orange County, San Diego, and Los Angeles, but for some strange reason often skip Long Beach. It was time for that to change so I planned a date night with my husband at the popular local dining destination, The Crooked Duck.

We dropped the kids off at their grandparents house in Huntington Beach and enjoyed a scenic drive along Pacific Coast Highway to the restaurant. When we arrived at The Crooked Duck, we were surprised with the location. The restaurant is located right in the heart of a residential community in Long Beach and looks just like a house that has been converted into a local eatery.

Inside the restaurant was one of my favorite aspects. There are lots of neat nick knacks to look at on the walls, and all centered around the waterskiing sport. It was a cold and drizzly night, but we were warm and comfortable when seated on the outdoor patio. It was a very relaxed and romantic ambiance to have dinner.

Then it was time for the best part – the cuisine. This restaurant was just full of surprises throughout the evening with their incredibly delicious cuisine, impeccable service, and everything that they serve to their customers is made in house. From the salad dressing to the sauces, absolutely everything we ate was made from scratch.

Duck Chili

Traditional Chili

We started dinner with a sampling of their famous chili. We sampled both the duck chili and the regular chili with the duck chili being our absolute favorite. The chili boasted bold flavors that had our taste buds dancing with delight.

For our main appetizer, we shared the ahi tuna tartare. The dish was light, fresh and loaded with tons of ahi. So many times, we will order an ahi tuna tartare, and it is more avocado vs. ahi. That was not the case at The Crooked Duck, and the cilantro aioli sauce with a hint of wasabi is what made the dish unforgettable.

With us, dining at The Crooked Duck, my husband ordered the duck à l’orange. The presentation was impressive, and the flavors were pure perfection. It was his first time having duck, and it is now a dish that will enjoy ordering again.

I choose to have the bacon wrapped scallops with a seared tomato bisque puree. The seafood was fresh, and the seasoning didn’t overpower the freshness of the fish.

Not only do they have superb gourmet cuisine at The Crooked Duck, but they are also very talented when it comes to wine pairing. All of the dishes we enjoyed were paired with the perfect wines that brought out the flavors of the food.

The Crooked Duck is one of our new favorite date night destinations. If you haven’t tried eating here yet, Dine Out Long Beach, Restaurant Week 2.0 is the perfect time to give it a try. They will be offering a unique prix fixe menu during the restaurant week from February 28th–March 5th.

The Crooked Duck is located at 5096 Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach, CA 90804.

We dined as a guest of the venue