The next morning Jake and I got up at a reasonable time, grabbed some continental breakfast from downstairs (waffles and bananas) and then headed back to my car. Of course, it wouldn’t start. I lifted the hood and glanced at my dead battery, which was covered in battery acid (oops). I had a broomstick from a Harry Potter party I had for my birthday awhile ago (stop snickering) and used part of the broomstick to get some the crud off.
Meanwhile, Jake found someone to come and help us jump start the car. I have these cool jumper cables that don’t need to be put on the positive/negative sides (I figured I would never figure that out). After a few minutes of adjusting and trying it out, Jake went to try and jump start the car… and the battery started smoking. Uh oh.
We gave up on the jump start and I called for a tow truck. And that’s when the waiting began. We called the tow company 3 times during this wait period, each time being assured the truck was on route.
After nearly TWO HOURS, the tow truck finally arrived. Jake went to put the car in neutral… and that’s when the car roared to life. This is also when I swore a whole bunch, but you don’t need to know what I said exactly.
We managed to get the car over to Pepboys for a battery replacement and new cables. While waiting, we walked to a nearby little cafe I noticed on the drive in: The Crooked Duck.
And yes, I wanted to eat here just because I loved the name. Turns out they had only been open for a week when we dropped in for lunch!
[Legend of the Crooked Duck]
It was a lovely day to sit outside and we took the large corner table at the end of the patio. We had a few hours to kill while the car got worked on so it was nice to just relax in a comfortable environment and get a little grub in our bellies before picking up the car. I liked that their outdoor patio is enclosed and covered, but you can still feel the breeze and enjoy the day without boiling in the sun.
[Texas Style Beef Chili / $2.50 with entree]
Jake started off with some Texas Style Beef Chili, which was added to his entree for an additional $2.50. It came with some matzo bread on the side. They also have a Duck Chili on the menu, but since Jake doesn’t like duck, he stuck with the beef. Jake didn’t think the overall flavor was bad, but he thought the chili was a bit too loose and didn’t mesh well together. He told our waitress though who was happy to inform the kitchen staff to help improve the menu items. Ah, my Jake. Giving out constructive criticism!
[Gorgonzola Bacon Burger with caramelized onion and sautéed mushrooms / $9.95]
I was feeling like having a little comfort food after dealing with my car problems, so I ordered the Gorgonzola Bacon Burger. It came on a standard sesame seed bun and was piled high with caramelized onions, mushrooms and plenty of bacon along with some oozing gorgonzola cheese. I prefer gorgonzola since it’s a little softer on the senses, not quite as bold flavored as other blue cheeses. I like it a little milder so gorgonzola totally floats my boat.
The burger was cooked to a perfect medium range and retained it’s juiciness and flavor throughout the burger. My only thing is that I would have liked a little lettuce on my burger. I’m sure I could have asked for it, but it was really more of an afterthought once I was finished. A little nice crunch would have been perfect here. Fries were decent as well – nothing to sing about, but they came out perfectly done and crispy.
[Will’s Monte Cristo with ham, turkey, swiss, cheddar, white bread, battered & fried – $9.95]
Since Jake discovered the Monte Cristo at the Studio Diner, he gets a bit excited when he sees them on other menus. Case in point: he saw this on the menu at the Crooked Duck and he knew what he was having for lunch! Ham and cheese fried sandwich with raspberry jelly and powdered sugar. God, I could not have this for lunch. I had one bite and it was so rich that I didn’t want anymore. Jake loved it though. I forgot to ask him which one he prefers though…
We enjoyed our lunch over at the Crooked Duck. It was a nice, relaxing and comfortable atmosphere. The service was quick and friendly and it allowed us to sit back in some comfy chairs while waiting for my car to get fixed!
Once the car was finally fixed (at about 3PM), we went to a local bakery to pick up some baked goods for the show that night. We couldn’t go see Gabriel and not bring him baked goods!
The Crooked Duck
5096 E. Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, CA 90804
(562) 494 – 5118
Closed Mondays
