First look
opt for a seafood tower, like The Tugboat ($80), which comes with oysters, clams, ceviche, half a Maine lobster and kombu mignonette. It's a solid appetizer for two to four people.
Distinctive starters include spicy salmon tartare and crispy rice cakes ($12) and griddled corn bread with Calabrian chile-maple butter ($12), while soups and salads skew on the classic side. There's a New England clam chowder ($6 cup, $10 bowl) and LFC Louie salad with choice of Oregon bay shrimp or Dungeness crab ($15 small, $32 large).
For that roasted miso black cod ($38), diArenzo marinates the cod for three days in miso, mirin, sake and sugar. Its accompanying crispy potato terrine is labor intensive: Potatoes are sliced super thin, layered in butter, and pressed overnight before hitting the fryer. Both dishes frequently sell out.
Halibut, a special on our visit, came with colossal asparagus and shaved Brussels sprouts from Stockton's Zuckerman Family Farms. The dish is finished in a scrumptious green garlic and bacon vinaigrette. Burgers and sandwiches round out the offerings.
Even the kids menu is solid. Crunchy, pankocrusted chicken tenders are made from brined Mary's chicken.
DRINK >> There is a selection
of 10 craft cocktails ($14 each) made with local spirits, like Sebastopol's Spirit Works Vodka and Alameda's St. George Spirits Terroir Gin. There are also 11 craft beers on draft, most from Northern California,
and 21 wines by the glass starting at $12. The bottle list includes a mix from California, France, Italy and beyond, with most offerings in the $45-$68 range.
DON'T MISS >> Eye-catching desserts, like a passion fruit tart with Biscoff crumble and a giant, crispy meringue seashell ($12) and an organic black tea-infused panna cotta with syrup boba pearls and black sesame tuile ($12).
DETAILS >> Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays and from 10 a.m. on weekends at 2015 Diamond Blvd., Suite 100, in Concord; www.longportfc.com.