Overdraft at Steelcraft

Steelcraft isn’t an individual restaurant, but rather a collection of vendors tucked away in an array of used shipping containers reclaimed from the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles on the corner of Bixby Road and Long Beach Boulevard. Its website makes sure to point out that the tables and bike racks are also made mostly of recycled materials.

Think of it as a parking lot full of food trucks, without the wheels… and also, they’re made from shipping containers instead of vehicles.

As of this February, the active vendors are: Pig Pen Delicacy, Tajima Ramen, Desano Pizza Bakery, Waffle Love, The Fresh Shave, Lovesome Chocolates, Steelhead Coffee and Smog City Brewing.

Upon entering the space, the first impression is one of intrigue; the aesthetics of the place are like no other. The repurposed shipping containers are a nice touch, as well as being the perfect size for the small kitchens to operate in. One thing’s for sure, they send a clear message of unique Long Beach character.

The dining area is comfortable, with an open-air patio covered by tarps stretched between the containers to provide shade, and plenty of comfortable wooden seats and tables. While the space still looks a little plain and rough around the edges, hopefully that will change in time.

The only real complaint is that it’s small and only houses a few different vendors, but hey – that’s what places like the Anaheim Packing District and Downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Central Market are for.  

Steelcraft is reminiscent of the more established “hipster food courts,” but with a character all its own. It may not be quite as big or have as many options, but it provides a fresh new spot for locals to hang out and enjoy some delicious boutique foods.

But what about the important part: the food? Glutton that I am, I managed to try full meals from three of the different restaurants over two days: Tajima ramen, Pig Pen and Desano Pizza Bakery.

The standout of the three is definitely Pig Pen – the menu items were the most creative, the prices were competitive, and the ingredients seemed to be highest quality. I had the veggie burger and the Buffalo tots, and both were among the best I’d ever had.

The veggie patty tasting like it was made in-house and not from a factory, not too mushy or dry. The seasonings used were also delicious, and paired together perfectly. The portions were not huge, but not too small either – fair for the price and perfect for a filling meal.

Tajima and Desano, on the other hand, were unimpressive. The dishes were fresh and tasted fine, but lacked the uniqueness so important to Steelcraft’s target demographic, while still carrying a hipster-food-court price and smaller-than-normal portions.

Overall, Steelcraft is a great new place to check out, whether you want a quick snack, a full meal, a drink or just to take some cool pictures.

It’s exciting to see a new community center, and the Steelcraft website does have a section for events, with the current list containing only a chocolate & beer pairing on Feb. 14.

It lacks some polish, and the recent opening’s hype makes lines and wait times long for much of the day, but it’s still worth a visit. It should be exciting to see what’s in store in the future for Steelcraft.