Dollar Stix Filipino Exotic Grill, a new restaurant that opened in December in West Long Beach, aims to stand out from the small bunch of Filipino venues sprinkled across the area with its signature street food.

Nickey McKnight’s self-made-boss mentality and Southern upbringing inspired her to open The Boujie Crab restaurant in North Long Beach—and despite opening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the upscale seafood restaurant is already making waves.