Emmett T.
Yelp
This establishment started out over a decade ago as The Beachwood in the Promenade at Pacific Beach. After undergoing a makeover over the past several months, The Beverly Beach Garden debuted this week. I visited for dinner on the opening night and stayed on the main level so I can't comment about the rooftop view overlooking the waterfront. A couple of aspects were very noticeable when I entered the premises... one, the pink/floral ambiance, and two, the high noise level. I have dined at multiple beachfront venues that double as a nightclub, but this was the loudest of all the places.
I sat at a corner table diagonal from the central bar area. The menu sheet featured Baja coastal cuisine with starters, tapas, salads, tacos, entrees, and desserts. I was glad to see it wasn't typical bar fare, but the prices were elevated for this style of food. My order consisted of the Birria Dumplings and the Adobo Pork. The first was an appetizer of six slow-cooked beef dumplings served in fried morita chili oil garnished with micro-greens. I didn't notice the presence of avocado as described on the menu. The dumplings were average in size, and the shredded meat was decent. Twenty dollars for the dish was a bit much as eight pieces would have justified the cost.
The entree was a pork shank that was slow roasted inside a banana leaf. Rice, black beans, corn tortillas, and salsa macha were the accompaniments. When I unfurled the banana leaf, the bone immediately slid off the pork. I was impressed at the tenderness of the meat. I only ate one of the tortillas as the beans and rice provided enough filler. The waitresses that served my table did a good job. I couldn't help but think that the workers should have been wearing ear protection because the decibel level reached the upper 80s, and you had to shout to have a conversation. The uncomfortable din was why I reduced my rating to three stars for The Beverly Beach Garden.