Guitarist for No Doubt

He’s known around the neighborhood simply as Tom, but to millions of fans across the globe Long Beach resident Tom Dumont is a rock star – literally.  That’s because when he isn’t doing double duty as husband and dad, he’s on stage playing guitar with No Doubt (yes, that No Doubt!).   You’ve probably sat next to Tom at a local restaurant or bellied up beside him at a neighborhood bar, yet didn’t even know it.  We discovered that man cannot survive on a diet of rock and roll alone, so Tom shared with us some of his favorite places to break bread with his wife Mieke and three kiddos in his hometown.

How long have you been a resident of Long Beach?

I moved to Long Beach in 1997, although I started coming here in the late 80s playing shows with No Doubt at Fenders Ballroom in downtown, and also at Bogart’s which was located in what is now the Marina Pacifica shopping center on PCH.

Who could forget Fenders Ballroom and Bogart’s! Ah, the good ol’ days. So what are some of your favorite Long Beach restaurants now?  

I love White Wasabi on PCH, it’s my fave LB sushi place, hands down. The decor is modern and casual, and the menu is inventive, yet light and clean.

What restaurants or restaurants might we see you at during Eat LBC?

I’m looking forward to going back to Panxa Cocina, and La Strada has been a long-time neighborhood favorite of ours. And Fuego at the Maya has the best view in the city; the perfect spot for Margaritas!

When you’re on the road with No Doubt, what’s a typical meal consist of? 

In the old days, when we toured in vans, it was Denny’s and fast food all day every day. And of course we always took advantage of the free beer & booze! As we got more popular, a great benefit of traveling with the band is eating at insane restaurants all around the world. Everyone in the band loves Asian food in particular, so we’ve been spoiled with amazing meals in India, Singapore, Japan, Bali & Thailand. However during tours in the USA we usually spend our show days at the venue so we eat all day at catering. We all try to eat healthy so lots of veggies, fruit and organic whenever possible.

So, having traveled the world, what’s the one food you can’t live without? And please don’t say the Grand Slam!

Avocados! I think of it as nature’s butter!

Now that you’re a dad with three boys, do you find yourself gravitating to restaurants that offer kid menus and crayons?

Yes! We realized that restaurant dining with kids is a totally different scene. Our boys are good but they’re still boys, they’re loud and make a mess, so we do gravitate towards restaurants that deal well with that. We try to get them to be adventurous but they have their favorites- Rubio’s, Wahoo’s etc.

What’s your favorite Long Beach neighborhood for dining?

I like them all. We’re lucky to live in such a diverse city with new gems as well as the mom and pop places, which are creative and dedicated to being great.

How about the communal table and sitting with strangers. What do you think of that concept?

It’s one of the things I like about Simmzy’s in particular. It’s great bumping into friends and chatting with neighbors.

As far as settings, do you prefer sidewalk dining, a table with a view, or saddling up to the bar for a brew and a burger?

All of the above! We’re spoiled in Long Beach to have so many options and great dining experiences. Food and restaurants are like music in some ways, there is so much creativity in the whole experience- with decor, lighting, vibe, food, etc.

Have you ever been sitting in a restaurant and a No Doubt song is playing? What must that feel like?

I love it when I’m out and about and a No Doubt song comes on. I live such a normal suburban life in Long Beach that it’s a nice reminder to me – “Oh yeah- I’m in a band!” I rarely get recognized when I’m out so when a No Doubt song comes on I wonder if it’s just a coincidence or did someone put it on cause I’m there?

One of my go-to karaoke songs is “Just a Girl.” Can I sing it for you now?

Is that really necessary?