System M Cafe Blends Art, Jazz and Dining

Most of the world’s great cities are designed for pedestrians--New York, Paris and Barcelona, to name a few favorites. Los Angeles, on the other hand, no more encourages walking, especially at night, than Mt. Everest invites skiing.

Still there are sidewalks around town where a walker can enjoy the evening: the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, Old Town in Pasadena and a relative newcomer to the nighttime scene, Pine Avenue in Long Beach.

Anchored by two old bank buildings--the 1922 Farmers & Merchants Bank at 3rd Street and the 1906 Bank of America building at 1st Street--Pine Avenue is full of evening strollers who come to enjoy the jazz clubs, the billiard parlors, the 16-screen movie complex, the street musicians and, of course, the many restaurants.

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There wasn’t much of a night scene on Pine nine years ago, but brothers Mosha and Moins Rastgar saw the area’s potential. Fresh from the then-peaking Melrose Avenue scene, they opened System M Cafe, which is now smack-dab in the middle of the party.

The owners like to think of the System M Cafe as three places in one: art gallery, jazz club and restaurant. Indeed, a changing display of the works of Los Angeles-area artists decorates the walls. A loft 12 feet above the dining room floor is the stage for nightly jazz concerts.

And Mosha prepares a menu heavy on Indian and Mediterranean influence. He spent some time with Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken (owners of the now-defunct City Restaurant and the still-flourishing Border Grill in Santa Monica), and their eclectic style shows up on System M’s menu.

A good way to begin a meal here is with the Brie rolled in fine bread crumbs and fried, then set atop a pool of mango chutney dotted with pomegranate seeds ($5.75). Another popular first course is the Middle Eastern platter ($7.75), consisting of roasted eggplant dip, hummus, feta cheese, tabbouleh and a falafel ball.

For a main course there is a spinach curry leg of lamb ($12.75). The slightly dry chunks of lamb are set atop basmati rice and spinach, then topped with a yogurt sauce enlivened with curry powder. The camarones negros ($13.75) are five large black tiger shrimp with spicy Jamaican jerk seasonings, served over Spanish rice.

System M Cafe is at 213 A Pine Ave., Long Beach. (310) 435-2525. Open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. to midnight, Saturday 4 p.m. to midnight.