Modern Mexican · Long Beach
El Barrio Cantina
The shared-plate spirit of an izakaya.
Jesse’s involvement
Concept & food direction with the team
El Barrio Cantina brings the shared-plate spirit of an izakaya to a modern Mexican restaurant. Jesse helped shape the concept and food direction, pairing smaller dishes with a strong cocktail program in Long Beach.
01 / The story
The idea
A neighborhood restaurant where the table can order a few things, share, and keep the evening going. The food, bar and room were developed together around that experience.
02 / The story
Jesse’s role
Jesse helped connect the concept and food direction with the experience in the room. That included menu structure, guest flow and the restaurant’s positioning.
03 / The story
The people behind it
Jesse worked with partners Joe Lin and chef Ulises Pineda-Alfaro. Opening coverage identifies the chef as the primary voice behind the food, with the partners contributing to its direction.
A closer look
El Barrio Cantina
Photographs from the restaurant’s own archive.
In the Spotlight
Read more about El Barrio Cantina
Restaurant coverage
El Barrio Cantina · Opening feature
El Barrio Cantina opens in Alamitos Beach
The menu, room and partnership behind the Cantina.
Read the story ↗El Barrio Cantina · Restaurant feature with Jesse
The ideas and food behind El Barrio Cantina
Brian Addison on the Cantina’s food, space and partners.
Read the story ↗Your next chapter
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