When Forbidden City Restaurant closed itself down in the 2018 winter season, it left a painstakingly designed and stunning shell behind. The Asian eatery had been among the chicest restaurants in California’s Long Beach city for years. However, the real estate property did not sit vacant for long, as Dogz Bar owner Rod Frontino introduced Long Beach to Jade Restaurant. It was viewed as the second version of Forbidden City Restaurant.
The restaurant had menus that were thoughtfully put together with the consistent food executions of Forbidden City Restaurant in mind. Therefore, expectations for Frontino’s Jade Restaurant were high.
The location did not require any remodeling when it stayed almost the same as Forbidden City Restaurant, the ornately decorated restaurant. It had a fountain carved manually from a jade boulder, lotus pendant lighting and Asian statues. The shades were drawn right through the afternoon in order to stop the sun glare from the water that cast a moody night spot vibe. The central feature of the eatery, the square bar, used to be a crowded location at any time of the day.
At Jade Restaurant, there was a period of 180 minutes where it sold products at reduced rates on weekdays. The happy hour period included not just a bento box with multiple components but also a deal on most weekdays that let people have as much sushi as they wanted.
In 2019, the restaurant used to start a day with a meal with the so-called Rasta Roll. It was a sushi roll from the restaurant with avocado, cucumber, and asparagus wrapped in albacore, seaweed and a mustard-lemon aioli. The restaurant not only cut the roll into perfect single-bite rounds but also used the asparagus with an ideal snap, plus floral and fresh albacore.
Jade Restaurant offered a sweeping menu of rolls and sushi, which included interesting house specialties such as the Krazy Kraw and the Ex-Wife. The former was a California roll that was topped with sauces and baked crawfish. On the other hand, the latter specialty item contained spicy tuna, cilantro, soy paper, ponzu, and yellowtail. The sushi at the restaurant was faultless, with well-adjusted flavors and quality seafood.
There were some hiccups with the other items on the restaurant menu. The restaurant categorized its entrée selections as From the Sea, Birds, From the Land of the USA as well as Beef and Pork. The restaurant section named after the USA offered Asian-fusion-type products that served as nods to the successful Dogz Bar of Frontino.
A popular product at the restaurant was the so-called Kobe Hot Dog, made with a sweet bun, a ginger-soy glaze, garlic bits, green onions, and gochujang aioli. For some customers, the hot dog was the lone bright note in an enjoyable, yet bulky, plate. Each burger or hot dog at the location came with a heap of French-fried potatoes. According to the menu information, the French fries were available in Szechuan salt-and-pepper or garlic-parmesan-truffle varieties. There were also plain fries, which many customers regarded as perfect products to eat without anything else.
The section for the seafood at the restaurant included a miso-glazed cod filet, with a big part of moist and soft white cod topped with miso purée. It served the fish over baby corn, carrots and mushrooms in a brown and salty broth.
After its opening, people used to visit the restaurant for its sushi or happy hour offerings. There is still a waterway around the restaurant location that offers customers stunning views. Besides an in-person visit, you can order pickup or delivery from the Long Beach restaurant.