Long Beach Restaurant Guide

The dining room in Belmont Heights's newest eatery, the Raven's Nest, is musically inspired: instruments dot the tablecloths and are hung on the walls.

The menu is Cuban-inspired with something for everyone. Appetizers include calamari, coconut shrimp with a drizzle of mango, and yellowtail marinated in lime and ginger on the weekends.

There are salads and sandwiches for lighter dining. Salads include one that is made with organic greens with candied nuts and blue cheese, and a spinach salad with similar trimmings. The sandwiches are grilled and stuffed with ham, roasted pork, pickles and cheeses.

Entrees include Lechon Asado (pulled pork Cuban-style), Ropa Vieja (literally 'old clothes' is shredded beef), Carne Con Papas (beef tips and potatoes), Picadillo (ground beef and sofrito), Mahi-Mahi with lemon-ginger sauce and Camarones Enchilados (shrimp in a Creole style sauce). The dining room is intimate, but with the tall ceilings, the noise level is low. Muted color adorns the walls and many types of musical instruments are hanging around the corners of the room. It is a very pleasant space. There is also a small outdoor patio for summer dining.