A Coma Item: The Pot Roast Bundle at Starling Diner
“Warning: don’t eat this and drive. This is a coma item.”
That’s Guy Fieri’s verdict on the Pot Roast Bundle at Starling Diner in Long Beach, California. Located on 3rd Street in the Belmont Heights neighborhood—ten minutes from downtown in one direction, ten minutes from Long Beach State in the other—this spot made such an impression that Guy declared if it had been open when he lived in the area, he never would have moved.
From Law School to the Line
Behind Starling Diner is Joan Sampson, a restaurant veteran who got her start at age ten running a snack shack out of her parents’ garage. College took her down a different path—all the way to Rutgers University for a law degree. But instead of taking the bar exam, she opened restaurants, including this Long Beach location in 2007.
Don't lose this list! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy next time you're hungry or planning a trip.
As Joan puts it about the pull of the industry: “Does it matter what you do? End up back in the restaurant. They just suck you back in.”
Building the Bundle
The Pot Roast Bundle is a slow-roasted masterpiece wrapped in a flour tortilla with polenta and potatoes. Here’s how Joan and her team construct this powerhouse dish:
They start by searing chuck roast in butter, then add the mirepoix—celery, carrots, and onions. The aromatics come next: rosemary, bay leaf, peppercorns, and as Guy noted, “a lot of garlic.” The liquid is where things get interesting: they use stock saved from the last batch of pot roast, plus wine. Salt and pepper finish the setup before it goes in at 275 degrees for four to six hours.
The potato polenta base is equally thoughtful—mashed potatoes mixed with organic polenta, then finished in the salamander to get a crispy top. Assembly involves layering that potato polenta with caramelized onions, adding tender pieces of pot roast, and pouring gravy inside before folding and flipping the tortilla. Then more gravy on top, finished with lettuce and a bit of parsley.
Tips from the Starling Kitchen
Save your braising liquid: Joan uses stock from the previous batch of pot roast to build depth in the next one—a technique that creates increasingly complex flavor over time.
Low and slow wins: Four to six hours at 275 degrees gives the chuck roast time to become fall-apart tender.
Salamander for texture: Running the potato polenta under high heat creates contrast—crispy on top, creamy underneath.
The Verdict
Guy’s reaction built with every bite. He called out the “creaminess, the potato, texture of the polenta, the rich pot roast” and declared the whole thing “a power bomb of flavor.” The gravy? “Ridiculous.” Much like other comfort food standouts on the show—similar to the hearty dishes you might find in segments like Menorcan Chowder (THROWBACK)—this Pot Roast Bundle delivers serious satisfaction.
The Long Beach location keeps the menu eclectic, with items like breakfast polenta and stuffed french toast also getting camera time. But it’s that Pot Roast Bundle that earned Guy’s most memorable warning. For fans of bold, braised dishes who appreciate a carefully crafted signature item, this one delivers.
Looking to find more Triple D destinations? Check out our restaurant directory to explore all the spots Guy has visited.