It’s often forgotten now, but the most popular drink of the American West was once cider. It was so associated with the frontier that one presidential candidate attacked another as the “log cabin and hard cider” candidate — that is, an uncultured hick from the sticks. Voters did not fault the cider-drinker; they interpreted the insult as an attack on working folks like them: people who lived in cabins and drank cider and whiskey rather than more genteel beverages.
Real cider has more character, and the place to discover it is in downtown Long Beach. Great Society is Los Angeles County’s only restaurant specializing in cider and mead, and it has become a place of pilgrimage for ciderheads.
The restaurant has a pleasantly funky wood-paneled interior, but we decided to dine on the outdoor patio in spite of the alarmingly squeaky floor — it feels solid but sounds like it’s about to collapse. A charming fellow named Hunter showed up with menus and an encyclopedic knowledge of their contents. Servers like this are an asset to any restaurant and vital in one that serves things most people won’t be familiar with; he was a fine guide to both food and drink.
Drink was first on our minds. My friends and I ordered two tasting flights of cider and one of mead. Mead is both more ancient than cider and even more obscure in modern America. In general it has a thin, light body and flowery sweetness. Sometimes the makers add herbs or fruit essence to punch up the flavor. The sweeter ones I tried verged on perfume territory, but the Honeypot Prelude and Mysterious Mead with Meyer lemon flavor were delightful.
We had eight ciders to sample between our two flights. I’d tell you about all of them if I had the space. Highlights were the Seattle Cider Dry, which had a flavor that would please Belgian ale fans, and Golden State Gingergrass that used lemongrass and ginger to make the perfect refreshing summer beverage.
In this age when every bar seems to have its own barreled cocktails, it’s no surprise that cider makers are experimenting with aging, too. Tilted Shed stores their ciders in used rye whiskey barrels for a rich, deep flavor that will appeal to cocktailians. Shacksbury from Vermont uses both rye and Madeira barrels for a slightly caramelized woodiness. We were polarized by another experiment, a salted caramel cider by Turquoise Barn. I enjoyed it, while my companions thought it a novelty. The big surprise was the Mission Trail Jerkum made from fermented plums. We all rated this dry, fruity beverage highly and will look for it again.
We considered ordering starters to accompany our drinks but saw the size of the burgers on passing plates and decided against it. Burgers and sandwiches are mainly what they do here. They make a steak and ribs with a sweet sauce, but everybody I talked to, including our server, said that the burgers are the way to go.
The burgers were, indeed, good. They towered at least six inches high when delivered. If you order one, you have two options: unhinge your jaw like a python devouring an unfortunate antelope, or smash the burger and make it less photogenic yet more manageable. The standard burger is exactly what you want it to be: the meat a bit smoky from the grill, the usual lettuce, cheddar and tomato enlivened with some aioli, and a good pretzel bun as base and crown. Bravo on those buns, by the way — they maintain structural integrity even with a moist burger. They have a gluten-free option too, which was good to know.
The lamb burger was even better, featuring feta, caramelized onions and some mint in the mayo to give a Greek feel. I was less thrilled by the Thai spice burger because it didn’t live up to its name. It was a standard burger accompanied by peanut sauce and mango-pineapple chutney; the sweetness and richness of Thai cuisine were missing. Good Thai peanut sauce adds some chili for balance. It was sorely needed here. Hot sauce was offered instead, but this burger was already the most moist of the bunch, and it didn’t need more liquid.
The burgers were offered with a side salad, coleslaw and either regular or parmesan fries. We tried both types of fries and were happy because they were hot, crisp and plentiful.
Dinner for three with flights of cider ran $80. For a unique tasting experience with good burgers, it was completely worth it. The cider resurgence is happening and the place to experience it is right here in your neighborhood.
Great Society is at 601 E. Broadway in Long Beach.
Details: (562) 270-5625