YEE: Taste of Downtown Waterfront Kick-off at Gladstone’s

Wow! Another awesome Unilocal Elite event that I was happy to enjoy with fellow Unilocalers. This event was a kick off to the Taste of Downtown event that was happening the following week, where a few Long Beach restaurants come together for this event and offer taste sampling of their food to the attendees. From what I heard, Gladstone’s has been participating in the event series for a long time, so of course this would be the best place to hold the kickoff event!
It was nice to see many Unilocalers attend this event and enjoy the food Gladstone’s has prepared for us. They offered many items which included cheese and crackers, salmon salad, sushi, shrimp enchiladas (my favorite), and the lobster mac and cheese. Everything was pretty good and filled us up! Happy tummies. In addition we were also lucky to get drink tickets which was pretty cool. At the end of the event, there was a raffle to win tickets to use at the Taste of Downtown Waterfront and guess what… I won twice! I guess I was really lucky that day.
Overall, my boyfriend (+1) and I had a great time enjoying the food with some fellow Unilocalers. Thanks again Ryan C for holding this great event :)

I’m so late on this… talk about ridiculous Filipino time. Special thanks to Ryan C. and the staff of Gladstone Long Beach, to an fabulous evening of food and drinks.
The map to this event was a little off, I ended up a tad late, my internal GPS is always off so I know the BF will be waiting for me, as usual. This evening was a little different, cuz he followed the map on Unilocal and ended up where I was, ha!
By gones… we sat next to the door way, that way, we were able to see that it was a packed house! So the Unilocal event had a tie in to the ‘Taste of Downtown Long Beach’, Gladstone’s Long Beach was participating in and we got a sneak taste of what they will be serving and more. I know this event has past but be on the lookout for more events, for instance, this coming weekend, Saturday, September 25^th, beer and wine festival, from 5pm to 10pm @ The Promenade. Hint hint…
Oh back to the food, appetizers were the deviled eggs and sushi, was complimented by the Pinot Grigio… the sweet and spicy calamari was a surprise. then there was the shrimp enchilada, lobster Mac and cheese, coconut shrimp, and the grilled romaine (tasted off the BF’s plate), had no more room on mine.
My fave out of all those… was the shrimp enchilada, just the right amount of cheese and flavor from the sauce, and shrimp was so tender, at each bite. So much nom noms, such a small plate! After getting seconds, they bring out dessert, a dark chocolate ganache mini martini. E’nuff said.
It was so decadent, creamy, and oh so gud! After this, I had to be rolled out. I ate so much.

My 5 stars is for the restaurant, the event and for Ryan as it was a really lovely, quality event all around. So happy to have been a part of it on a number of levels:
1– It’s been a while since I did an elite event and one in my hometown is a big BONUS for me!
2– The presence and interaction of the Gladstones’ owners, the chef and the downtown long beach business representative added a nice touch. Very impressive community relations and customer service ~ this does not happen enough and for all of them to take time out of their busy lives and schedules to not only be part of the event but to also briefly say a little something was very nice. I appreciated it immensely as I know it’s a really pivotal touch which many don’t bother with now a days.
3– Having been to Gladstone’s in the past; I had eaten on the opposite side of where this event was held and so the exposure to this side of the restaurant and this banquet/​event room was a real plus. It’s roomy (can hold I’m guessing; approx. 120 people), has a very large screen television, is very well laid out; is not at all cramped and provides waterfront view from all angles. Plenty of natural light with it’s own private entrance — will definitely be recommending it, to anyone in need of space for a special event.
4– Of course the food is what this was mostly about and as everyone else has mentioned here; they delivered an amazing array of quality tastings which appealed to one and all. I won’t go into all that they had because it’s pretty much been well documented here already but I will say bravisimo Gladstones!!! The variety, the wonderful tastes and your chef’s magic touch were on display and then some. I know many were happy to have such a great opportunity to sample your food and I have a strong feeling that many people will be returning to get more of the same as well as try additional items while enjoying waterfront dining in the LBC.
5– Last but not least; it was a real pleasure to meet and interact with other Unilocalers and share in such a wonderful experience. There was some good stories, laughter and fun moments at our table and that is added plus to an already fabulous event.

Honestly, I didn’t know what a Unilocal Elite Event was until the day before when asked to come as a +1 so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Needless to say the experience was extremely enjoyable. I found out that a gentleman named Ryan coordinates these evens. I give my absolute props for his efforts.
* — –
Now to the food!
Things I Liked –
#Deviled eggs: These were delicious and what you look for in a deviled egg. Creamy consistency, simplicity, and packed the complete taste of what you would think a fancy egg salad would taste like.
#Coconut shrimp: Crispy and enjoyable. This is what you want to see when you’re having breaded shimp.
#Romaine Salad: Whatever dressing was on that salad was crack! I wish I had more.
Things I did not like –
#Sushi rolls: These were very bland and dry.

Things that were just OK –
#Calimari: Sweet and had good flavor, however it was just way too soggy for my tastes.
#Lobster Mac & Cheese: This actually just tasted like regular mac and cheese to me, nothing special.
#Ahi Tuna: Nothing amazing, but not bad either. Honestly, the quality of the tuna could have been a tad better (maybe it was because part of the last batch to receive food)
* — –
The setting was pretty amazing. The Unilocalers I sat around were an complete blast to talk to. I learned so much cool things and about so many cool places from these genuine foodies. The table also had a great view of the water front, you can see little and big boats breezing by.
Fantastic experience overall.

I am so happy I am able to be here and enjoy this awesome event with my Unilocal Buddies, a chance to try out Gladstones here in Long Beach for the first time with and with such a beautiful view of the oceanfront, great food, and of course to see Ryan C. We also had the opportunity to meet the owner and chef of Gladstones! How awesome is that?!
The event was held in a section of the restaurant that is for corporate parties, events and other private parties. This party section was filled with many huge glass windows that can give you the beautiful view of the shore line.
Aside for the amazing ambiance, we also got great food and great service!
We got to try all sort of delicious dishes from Gladstone. The menu included not just one but a few delicious dishes here. Lobster mac and cheese, Shrimp enchiladas, calamari (The sauce for the calamari gives it a delicious kick!), fried coconut shrimp, sushi and sashimi plate– (didn’t get to try it because they ran out of it before it even made it to our side of the room, :-() Lobster devil’s egg, 3 different kind of salads, cheese and cracker platter, veggie platter and Chocolate Granage pudding for dessert!
Everything was so good. My favorite was the calamari and Lobster mac and cheese. Super yummy! Last but not least, taking 12 shots of pics on my cell phone of the dessert, (Chocolate Ganage with rum) tells you two things. 1.) Delicious! The chocolate was so rich but yet not sweet. 2.) great presentation
Always fun to connect with new Unilocalers, especially the ones that are already on your friend’s list and meeting for the first time! :-)
Ryan always does such a great job at his events. Always, always so organize, full of fun and memories! I thought he only does his raffles during his movies events, but he did it at this event as well. So cool!
Thank you Tim C. for having me as his plus one at my first Elite event of 2013!
Thank you Ryan C. and Gladstone for the great fun!
Sure is a Taste of Downtown Waterfront Kickoff! Woohoo! Sure made my week!

Another great Unilocal event!!! Met some new people and tried a variety of foods that chef Pete served up for us. This was the first time I had ever been to Gladstones so I was excited to try something new. It was unfortunate that the portions of food that were laid out buffet style for us was not very evenly portioned. I was part of the first half of the room to get food but even then I missed the sushi and sashimi salad (only got the salad since there were only ten pieces of sashimi for the whole event). I would say the Lobster mac and cheese, calamari, and shrimp were the highlights of the event.
Ryan did a great job serving, organizing, and hosting the event. I barely saw him take any time to actually sit and take a bite to eat. The only thing I did not like is the forced valet. I am not too fond of people driving my car. Other than that the event was fun and I am glad I was able to meet a couple more Unilocal peeps.

Yay for a great YEE evening at Gladstones.
Stoogie and I got there a bit late and this place was packed with hardly a place to sit. Thankfully one of the Gladstones staff was able to get us seated near the entrance which was awesome as we were able to get a nice breeze.
Ive dined at the Gladstones location in Malibu and Universal City Walk when it was still open and have enjoyed my experience at both location.
Gladstones set out an amazing spread for the event. I tried pretty much a little of everything as you can see on my plate.
The one thing I didnt have pictured here that I really enjoyed were the deviled eggs. Seriously I could have popped a few more of those in my mouth and would have been happy, happy, happy! From the plate I really enjoyed the Lobster M&C and the Thai Hot and Spicy calamari.
We sat at the same table as Trina D who was celebrating her birthday and was treated to a huge bluberry flavored cotton candy and cake and ice cream. It was nice to meet other Unilocalers who sat at the same table.
Surprisingly with my crazy schedule I had not been able to get out to much YEE events and this was my first YEE at a resto this year as Ive only been hitting up the Movie events. Its all good though.
As with all events our awesome CM Ryan pulled it off again woohooo! Thanks to Gladstones for a tasty evening and will definitely be heading back soon.
Eyes ~ So many happy Unilocalers
Nose ~ Smells yum.
Ear ~ Happy Unilocalers mingling.
Mouth ~ Oh the deviled eggs are heavenly!
Tummy ~ So so yummers!

3^rd Elite Event and it was in Long Beach (My home)
It is always nice to see Ryan’s smiling face :) this was another fun event, thanks!!!
On the waterfront in Long Beach such a beautiful setting, there are large windows along the water with a lovely patio for outside dining as well.
We were in a large room off to the side (which I never knew they had) its a great spot for Corporate Events, Baby/​Wedding Showers, Wedding Reception’s etc. There is a large drop down screen also perfect for those «event’s» that can be held here.
I met a really cool couple Cat & Nancy (Lol, Nancy wasn’t really «Nancy» but a guy who came as «Nancy’s» replacement, but he was cool enough to wear her name, oh and I don’t think they were a «Couple» either, just friends)
Had a lovely evening with my Bestie Jackie W.
By the time we got up to get food, there were no Shrimp Enchi’s, No Grilled Hearts of Romain, No Sushi, but I’m not complaining ;) What I did try was really good! Coconut Shrimp, Seared Ahi Salad, Lobster Mac N Cheese, and especially that Chocolate pot, wow! I am not a fan of chocolate (I know not too many people say that!) but this was really good, smooth, thick rich chocolate in a really cute presentation!
This event convinced me that I need to come to this area more often to try different restaurants (instead of the same ol in Belmont Shores) I’d def come back to try other menu items at Gladstone’s
But why didn’t I get any cotton candy :(

This was a fantastic event! Thank you to the Ryans, Chef Pete and Gladstones…
I have been to the area, but never for Gladstones. My friend and I arrived early and discovered a pretty great Happy Hour. We got drinks ($ 5 MaiTai, $ 3 Draft) and Truffle Fries for $ 5. DELICIOUS! The fries are amazing, I would come back for those alone!
On to the event… I had Beer, Lobster Mac, Shrimp Enchilada and Lobster Deviled Eggs. Everything was excellent. I think it was the best Lobster Mac and Deviled Eggs Ive ever had! Oh and dessert, Chocolate Ganache; very rich — but it wasnt over sweet; so I thought it was a great way to end a meal! Went great with beer!
To keep it short, I thought the venue was gorgeous; both inside and out. The staff were very friendly and had smiles on their faces the entire evening. The food was awesome. The bathrooms were clean.
Thanks to this event, I have found a new place for dinner and Happy Hour!

I told myself I wasn’t going to drink but damn that chardonnay was splendid.
Boyfriend devoured the lobster deviled eggs. Along with the lobster mac & cheese which he said was «rich and delicious». I’m allergic to certain types of seafood so this review is based primarily on the limited seafood I was able to eat.
Shrimp enchiladas: YUMM! Something new and different. I’ve never had enchiladas with shrimp and I am super glad to have tried it here. It was the perfect amount of cheese and seasonings. ANDDDD they were generous with the shrimp.
Thai calamari: DROOLS* Definitely my favorite item. It was fried to perfection and the sauce that accompanied the calamari complimented the calamari VERY VERY well. It wasn’t super drenched in the sauce so it didn’t get soggy (which is good!)
Grilled hearts of romaine: Decent, nothing super special though.
Chocolate pots: The chef personally served the chocolate pots. MHMMMmmmMm CHOCOLATE it was super rich and heavenly. I inhaled that chocolate pot, poor thing didn’t stand a chance LOL. It had a hint of rum and it was pure perfection! I LOVED IT!
Enjoyed the activities and new people I met. I am super glad that I attended this event and I hope there are more just like it! Thanks to all that were apart in making this YEE happen! You guys are greatly appreciated in my book! :D Keep up the good work!
In regards to the restaurant, great friendly staff and service was spectacular. I will definitely come back if ever in the area.

MMMM deviled eggs
MMM Lobster mac and cheese
MMM Thai Calamari (The chef won a food competition with the Thai Calamari!!)
This event was awesome. The chef was so nice!
Big thanks to Ryan C., Unilocal Team and Gladstone’s for putting together this wonderful tasting event.

Yay! My first YEE since my Hazel days! Hello Ryan C. I’ve been MIA for farrr too long!
I arrived a fashionable 30 minutes late so I missed out on the chef speaking, whompp. Apparently 45 minutes wasn’t enough time from CM to Gladstones. A okay! I arrived just in the nick of time! Ever so accommodating, they added a table for me and the boyfriend. We joined fellow Unilocalers Jason A. and others that I wasn’t properly introduced to but all were very friendly.
Our side of the room were first to get to attack the buffet. If only it was a 2 sided buffet because it was very slow moving. I felt bad for peeps on the other side of the room. I sampled almost everything. Coconut shrimp was good, not overly coconutty which I’m not a fan of. The calamari had a sweet and tangy flavor that kind of grew on me. Shrimp enchilada was the boyfriends favorite but my personal favorite was the Lobster Mac & Cheese. Yumm!
The event seem to pass by really quick! I guess that’s what happens when you’re having a good time. Gladstone’s has a great location! Great views of the harbor and the Queen Mary. Servers also brought us a little coupon at the end for a free appetizer on our next visit, valued up to $ 12!
I would definitely love to come back to Gladstone’s. Great views, great food and the chef seemed really awesome. I always love watching people who love what they do.

Thank you Ryan C. and Thomas O. For another great YEE!!! Yay!!! Oh! And thanks to the Gladstone’s staff and Ryan with The Taste of Downtown Long Beach!!!
I took the hubby as my «plus 1», and he enjoyed the food and the great Unilocal*company.
We were a touch early (lol… Actually, really early…) so we hung out at the bar for a bit. Hubby enjoyed some Stella, while I had a mango Mojito.
When we finally made our way around to the back… Whoa! Unilocal*Elite’ers galore!!! I instantly recognized Steph H. and fortunately there were 2 seats available at the table she was at. Andrea B. and her plus 1, Peter, Caitlin H., and her plus 1, Leslie completed our table.
We kept to our table for the most part, but it was great company and conversation. It’s great meeting all of y’all in person!!! Yay!!!
The Chardonnay was a nice drink to start off the night… Actually… I had a mango Mojito from the bar to start off my night, lol… Hubby chose the Coors light for his drink ticket, then later opened a tab to keep the Stella’s flowing.
The lobster deviled egg was what we tried first… So good!!! It was a one-​biter for a lot of us at the table. Of the sushi selections we had, I liked the spicy tuna the most. Hubby isn’t much of a sushi eater, but he liked the tempura shrimp roll. The other roll was a California roll of some sort (I think!).
Other selections tried that night:
Lobster Mac n’ Cheese… My favorite of the night. I was told there were four cheeses, but that’s all I could find out.
Shrimp Enchiladas… They were smothered in green sauce that had a slight kick to it. Very good, as well!
Grilled Hearts of Romaine… This was the table favorite! We all liked this dish very much! I thought, at first, «burnt lettuce»???
Lol… Who would’a thought «burnt lettuce» would taste so good!!!
Calamari… I tried my bestest to take the remaining tails (my favorite part…). They weren’t as crispy as I would’ve liked them to be, but for buffet style, the calamari was pretty good.
The veggies and ranch rounded out the rest of my plate.
I missed out on the salmon salad and the coconut shrimp… Bummer… A lot of us at my table missed out on them…
The Chocolate Pot!!! Oh. Em. Gee!!! That was The. Perfect. serving of chocolate goodness!!! A tiny dollop of whipped cream, rum goodness in every bite, and the cutest of tiny spoons made this dessert a great way to end the night!
Trina D. celebrated her birthday that night… She was presented with chocolate cake and cotton candy and two birthday serenades! Woo hoo!!! Hope you had a Unilocal*y birthday!!!
Plenty of raffle winners, including Caitlin H! Yay!!!
Overall??? Great night! Great food! Great company! Yay, Unilocal*!!!

Yay! my first elite event in a LONG LONG time! I drove all the way from Aliso Viejo to attend!
Parking was a bit tough to find, but I called the restaurant and they told me that they validate in the parking structure for the first 90 minutes so I ended up parking there.
I got there a bit later (around 7:20pm) and the place was packed! My +1 and I (and the couple behind us) couldn’t find a place to sit so we ended up standing while eating our food, we asked one of the servers if we could sit at one of the tables outside of the Unilocal area and she said she would ask, came back telling us no which was fine so we just stood and ate, then 45 minutes later or so (i’m guessing a manager) walked by and asked us if we wanted to sit in the seats outside the Unilocal area, we told her that someone told us we couldn’t and she looked surprised and said of course you can! so we did eventually get a seat which was nice but we only have 30 minutes or so left of the night left haha
the food itself was pretty good, the lobster and crab mac and cheese was great. the enchilada shrimp was even better and the deviled eggs were amazing! Service was pretty good despite them having to deal with such a large group.
Overall I had a great time! it was great meeting new fellow elites and trying out new food, much thanks to Ryan for putting this together and Gladstones for hosting the event!
oh and my first time ever winning the raffle at an elite event! I will remember this one for sure! :)

I’d never been to Gladstone’s before because of the so-​so reviews, but this event has made me interested in trying them «for real». Thanks SO MUCH to Ryan C, Ryan L (? — the Taste of Long Beach guy), and the wonderful management and staff of Gladstone’s for making this a very special evening. Our group was in a special events room around the back – this would be a great place for special gatherings, personal or business! Gladstone’s was so very generous to us lucky attendees. We got to sample:
— Complimentary wine or beer (the pinot grigio was excellent)
— Lobster deviled egg (oh my, a wonderful spin on a classic)
— Lobster Mac n cheese (my fave item of the night, with the eggs running a close second)
— Shrimp enchiladas (a trifle bland, but still good)
— Thai calamari (tender calamari with crispy coating with bit of a kick)
— Sushi rolls (assortment of 3 popular rolls – the rice wasn’t quite there but not sure if you’d come here for sushi if you’re a sushi snob)
— Caesar salad (grilled romaine adds a really nice dimension to this favorite)
— Crudités, cheese & crackers (a nice assortment)
— Mini Chocolate pie in a tiny martini glass — rich, silky, creamy with a hint of rum
— Coupon for appetizer on next visit
There was a raffle draw, a bday celebration for Trina D (complete with cake & cotton candy!) and general merriment. I got to meet a bunch of new Unilocalers and had a great time. Thanks again everyone!

Fun time! Met a great group of new people at the table. I really like the place and it looks like a great place to hold an event. Parking was kind of a bummer but I guess most downtown places are like this anywhere.
I don’t like how the food was served buffet style because we all didn’t get to eat at the same time and missed out on a substantial portion of the food since the servers never stopped by our table with the sushi. But the food I did get to try was really good. Lobster mac and cheese was bomb and the grilled romaine was surprisingly good.
The event was great and can’t wait for the next one. Thanks Ryan C!

What a great event. After battling Google Maps and the Unilocal addressing, I finally arrived a shade late (with my plus 1).
Sat near the door, so there was a good breeze. And we had a packed table, so it was nice to meet some of my fellow Unilocalers. For starters, the deviled eggs and sushi went well with the pinot grigio. My favorite of the small bites was the sweet and spicy calamari. The shrimp enchilada, lobster mac n cheese, the coconut shrimp, and the grilled romaine were a close 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th… Nice spread.
I don’t know what they called the dessert, but I have renamed it chocolate rum decadence. Really good, but I do not think I could eat much more than the small cup they gave us.
I think that Gladstones has found a convert in me. Very fitting for my 400^th review…

What a wonderful way to spend my birthday! I was excited to have something to do since my birthday was in the middle of the week this year. My actual party isn’t until Saturday so I RSVPed for this event and was excited I got in. I celebrated last year at Ryan’s first CMYE in Long Beach so why not make it a tradition! First off, my plus 1 and I parked super far away not knowing that Gladstone’s had valet that they validate. Rookie mistake. We arrived promptly after walking a few blocks and were given raffle tickets and drink tickets. The drink tickets were good for wine, beer, or soft drinks. Excellent! Thank you Gladstones!
Ryan announced my birthday to the entire room which was super sweet of him to do. Thanks, Ryan! We had a short presentation regarding the Taste of Downtown which is next week and the chef came out to describe the food we were going to have served buffet style. It was only supposed to be a tasting but I saw some people pile food on their plates. Oh well. I tried bites of the lobster mac & cheese, shrimp enchiladas, coconut shrimp, cheese & crackers, crudités, and grilled romaine with dressing. Everything was delicious but I wished for more coconut shrimp since I only grabbed one. I saw later that others had grabbed a few extra. I waited until everyone had gotten food before venturing back to the table to see if their were anymore coconut shrimp. No dice. I did find some yummy calamari though. So it was all good.
Just when we thought we were just waiting for the raffle, the servers brought out a gigantic serving of blue cotton candy and a glorified slice of chocolate cake with ice cream. Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and pictures were taken. I blew out the candles and had the Unilocaliest birthday with my fellow Unilocalers. Just wait until Saturday when my real party starts. You haven’t seen anything yet.

Wow! This was a fun filled night… super packed with awesome people. I made some new Unilocal friends and met some «old» Unilocal friends! Haha. You know who you are! Lol.
Ryan was, of course, awesome as usual. The chef, owner, managers, staff were very nice… food was great and so much of it! Dessert, so yummy!!! Plus a lovely surprise of getting a drink tix for my glass of wine! Just love these Unilocal events where you enjoy the food, drinks, and the great company! Thanks Gladstone’s!!! Amazing night!

As usual, Ryan C organized a pretty cool event. It was a packed house. The people at my table weren’t too friendly… But then I didn’t extend myself to chat with them.
The food offering started with deviled eggs. I believe there were also other offering that was served on the platter but I don’t think the servers ever got to my table.
The meal was served buffet style. The lines were long. And by the time I got there I only had the lobster Mac n cheese., spring mix salad with ahi tuna, veggie sticks, coconut shrimp, calamari, spicy tuna sushi.
Although now looking at the picture I didn’t get shrimp enchiladas, no grilled romaine, no cheese or biscuits, no other kinds of sushi.
Oh well. … But I had a good time catching up with Priscilla.
And I won a Unilocal T-​shirt :)
Parking validation was offered, with it it’s $ 6 for 5 hrs