Disabled Navy veteran Dan Tapia, owner of the long awaited 4th and Olive restaurant in the East Village of Long Beach, CA announced the official opening of the eatery today. Located at 743 E. 4th Street, the 85-seat restaurant serves authentic Alsatian food complemented by a traditional Franco-German wine and beer list.
Chef Alex McGroarty, formerly of Salt’s Cure in West Hollywood, was tapped to design a menu featuring the foods traditional to the Alsace region of northeastern France, but with a California sensibility added. Specialties include Venison Hunters Sausage with radish relish and farro, Seared Octopus with melted leeks and arugula, Duck Liver Mousse, Pork Shoulder Chop with roasted apple, fennel, cipollini, mustard seed and brown butter, Moules Frites with Carlsbad mussels in a beer and garlic broth, Coq au Riesling featuring quail, haricots verts and potatoes and traditional Choucroute Garnie for two, featuring three different housemade sausages, sauerkraut, house cured bacon, potatoes and apples cooked in Riesling. Meat and produce are procured from local ranchers and farmers. All condiments and accompaniments including pickles, sauerkraut, assorted mustards, ketchup and mayonnaise are made in house.
Unique to the restaurant industry, disabled veterans were actively recruited to staff 4th and Olive, resulting in a 50% make up of current employees. Tapia, a proud Navy veteran and recovering quadriplegic himself who was injured during a stint in the Navy and currently uses a cane, is committed to creating jobs for other disabled vets that are having difficulty finding employment because of their physical challenges. The layout of the restaurant and kitchen were designed with these challenges in mind.
“The 4th and Olive team is excited to serve authentic Alsatian style food to food lovers in Long Beach,” Tapia said. “Along with our great menu and friendly service, my personal goal is to bring attention to the challenges other disabled vets face when they are willing and capable of doing just as good a job as an able-bodied person.”
The restaurant is open for dinner 4:30 – 10pm Monday through Thursday and 4:30 – 11pm Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch is planned for early 2017.
About 4th and Olive
4th and Olive is a traditional Franco-German restaurant and beer garden serving Alsatian style food. Under the culinary direction of Chef Alex McGroarty, the restaurant features housemade dishes such as sausages, braised meats, pretzels and sauerkraut and, and other comfort foods of the region, plus unique European beers and wines.
4th and Olive is located at 743 E. 4th Street, in the East Village neighborhood of Long Beach. Phone 562.269.0731. For more information, visit www.4thandOlive.com.
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