Reliving a Bygone Era at Clifton's Cafeteria

Clifton's Cafeteria

648 South Broadway

Los Angeles, CA 90014

Not to give anything away, but I'm going to preface this review by stating that I'm not nostalgic about this restaurant. It's very rare for me to be able to say that, "I'm a little too young to have experienced something", but that is the case with Clifton's Cafeteria. Ask any one that is over 50 years old though, and grew up in Southern California about this place, and their eyes glaze over, like you just found their long lost baseball cards in your attic. 

Clifton's has a very storied history in Los Angeles. Clifford Clinton opened his first cafeteria in 1931, and in its heyday, they had eight locations going, with one even being located in OC, right across from the gates of Leisure World in Laguna Hills. That spot closed in 1999, much to the chagrin of the the nearby residents. The only remaining location is this one, located in Downtown LA's Jewelry District. 

This restaurant has been here since 1935, when it was called Clifton's Brookdale. Now under new ownership, and a remodel that took way longer than expected, they finally opened up to the public in late September of 2015. Back in the 40's they served more than 10,000 meals a day, but that trailed off to only 2,000 in 2009. The new owners hope that this remodel, along with a resurgence in the downtown area will bring people back to Clifton's. 

It just so happened that we were going to be coming down this way for my very talented brother in law's art exhibit at the Los Angeles Center for Digital Arts. To be honest, there were about ten other places that I had wanted to try while we were down here, but my in-laws were very excited to relive a part of their youth that they thought might be gone forever. So, who am I to ruin the day of these fantastic people? 

Entering Clifton's from the busy downtown street, you are transported to another world that takes a few minutes to adjust to. I got a mixed feeling from this space. Part Knott's Berry Farm's Log Ride, part Sequoia National Park, and throw in an antique mall vibe, and that's what this place felt like to me. Three stories are available right now for customers enjoyment, The fourth floor is going to be open in the future, as a tiki inspired bar. There's plenty of stuffed wildlife throughout the three levels, along with a large fake tree that rises through the center of each. Adding to the antique feel of the restaurant is some vintage furniture. Also, be on the lookout for some hidden pathways that are hidden around the space. 

The cafeteria is located on the ground floor, with the entrance to the cafeteria just to the left of the front door. True to cafeteria style, you grab a tray, and visit each station. There was a salad spot, a place for grilled burgers and pastas, a pizza station, a carvery in the middle, and desserts. Some items are grab and go, and some you have to wait for them to be prepared. After you've made your selections, you head to the cashier, pay, and then find a spot on any of the three floors to eat your meal. It was a little awkward walking with your tray up the stairs, but we managed. Workers were a little slow clearing tables, so it was kind of a challenge finding a place to sit. We settled on a second floor table, right next to the bar. Let's take a look at the food. 

Let's start things off with my meal. All six of us got our meals from the carvery in the middle of the cafeteria. I guess we should have gotten some variety, but I had heard that this was what Clifton's was famous for. I had the Sliced Roast Beef ($12), which came with two sides. and a roll. I should have aborted this meal when I saw the guy slicing this using too much effort getting his knife through this giant hunk of meat. One of the worst pieces of roast beef I have had in awhile. Dry, flavorless, and not made much better with the provided horseradish or when I tried to get it down with the mashed potatoes. The mashed potatoes and gravy was pretty pedestrian. The stuffing was pretty average as well, and did not elevate this meal too much. The lone bright spot food wise here was the Chocolate Chip Cookie ($2). It was baked nicely, with a crunchy outer edge, a softer middle, and plenty of chocolate chips. Delicious, and it helped ease the pain of this lackluster meal. 

I should have known something was up when Katie's dad was basically begging people to try some of the Roasted Turkey ($12) off of his plate. He gave me such a big piece, and after trying it, I know what he was up to. This turkey was like sand paper going down. I made it through one bite, and that was it. My aunt was never such a whiz with her dry turkeys on Thanksgiving, but hers was way better than this. Absolutely awful. I heard the mac and cheese was good, but Katie's dad did not part with that. He probably needed all the moisture he could get after trying that turkey. 

The overwhelming favorite entree that we had on this evening was the Fried Chicken ($12) This was not great fried chicken by any means, but when compared to the other sliced meats, this was at least edible. I liked the dark meat piece that Katie gave me. It was moist, and had a decent breading around it. The piece of breast that I had was just like the turkey, dry as the Sahara. If you must get something from the carvery in the middle of the cafeteria, this is your best bet. 

When I told people of my experience at Clifton's, they all said the same thing, "what did you expect from a cafeteria?" To be honest, I expected it to be way better. A cafeteria is basically just like a buffet, and the buffets in Vegas are way better than this. I also understand that people love this place because it reminds them of their younger years, and that usually makes people happier. The harshness of this review is due to the fact that this was my first visit here, and I had no nostalgic bias when dining here. I did like the uniqueness of this restaurant, and would be open to coming back here to experience their cocktails and nightlife scene, but I'd skip the carving station in the cafeteria for sure. 

Out of five bowls of Jello, (because this is probably the most iconic of all the food served at Clifton's), five being best to zero being worst, Clifton's Cafeteria gets 1.5 bowls of Jello. 

If you'd like more information about Clifton's Cafeteria, go to their limited website here: http://www.cliftonsla.com/ 

 

Paying A Visit to the House of Chicken

Chicken Maison

3332 South Bristol St. 

Santa Ana, CA 92704

I'm not really a big fan of chicken. It's not that I don't think that's it's okay, but I think that out of all the proteins out there, it's usually kind of boring. A lot of places overcook it, and it tends to be dry. I also have a subliminal reason for not liking this particular poultry item, math.

When I was in 6th grade, my math teacher, Mr. Taravella was obsessed with chicken, and he included it in any math problem that he could. Without getting to psychological, I figure my low math score back then has something to do with my feelings towards chicken. Even with this hanging over my head, I simply had to try Chicken Maison in Santa Ana.

Chicken Maison has been on my list for a long time, and because the guys over at OC Weekly always wax poetic about their garlic dipping sauce, we had to make a visit. After Katie's work closed up shop in Ontario, she has been trying to find a restaurant in OC that has a great garlic dipping sauce. We were hoping that this spot would be able to replace what Katie called a medicinal garlic sauce that she used to enjoy out in the Inland Empire.

I did not know it at the time, but Chicken Maison is a mini chain, which is based in the South Bay, and has five locations, with this being the only OC spot. Their menu of course features their famous rotisserie chicken, but also includes other Mediterranean favorites, such as kabobs, gyros, falafel, soups, and salads. Ordering is done at the counter, and then you find a table in the larger than I expected dining room. Even at this later than average dinner hour, (8 pm), the restaurant was lively, with many people gorging on chicken.

Before we get to the rotisserie chicken, let's take a look at Katie's selection on this evening, the Chicken and Veggie Kabob ($9.50). This combination plate came with one chicken kabob, one veggie kabob, two side items, pita bread, and of course a cup of garlic sauce. A very good value for under ten dollars. Katie called this meal delicious, and loved the tenderness and flavor of the chicken. The garlic sauce was still not as good as the one by her former workplace, but she liked it, and she thought it kind of had a tzatziki feel to it. For her two sides she went with the Humus and Rice. She thought these were okay, and would probably get another one of their eight other side items on her next visit. She did not like the sweetness that was added to the rice in the form of golden raisins. She also felt the humus had a good texture, but the flavor was kind of flat. Still a filling meal at a great price.

Now the reason why I was here, and maybe everyone else, by the looks of the people eating here on this evening, the Half Chicken ($10.95). Chicken Maison offers three varieties of rotisserie chicken; original, lemon-basil, and the version I had, the spicy lemon-garlic. The first bite I had of the breast was a little on the dry side, but made much better with the more garlic than spicy coating surrounding the chicken. I also liked the garlic sauce, but wished that it packed more of a garlic punch. The dark meat pieces of the chicken were tender and moist. I'd definitely ask for all dark meat on my next visit here, as I'm always partial to dark meat. The spicy humus was on point, and went well with the pita that was supplied. Unlike Katie, who thought the rice was too sweet, I kind of liked this, and enjoyed mixing it with the garlic sauce. A very solid, and filling plate of food.

Eating here at Chicken Maison did not turn me into a chicken fanatic, but I would not shy away from the chicken when coming here to eat. This place is a great option for people in the South Coast Plaza area, looking to get out of the madness of that shopping center, and ready to have a good meal at a more than fair price. The service here bordered on great. Everyone was so nice, answered all of our questions, and seemed to genuinely care about how much we enjoyed our food. They also kept the tables cleared quickly, as it was still pretty crowded at 8:30 when we left. We would definitely not shy away from coming back here again when we are in the area.

Out of five coops, (because I learned that maison means house in French, and a house for chickens is usually a coop), five being best to zero being worst, Chicken Maison gets 3 coops.

For more information about Chicken Maison, go to their website here: http://www.chickenmaison.com/index.html

 

Top 10 Best OC Restaurants of 2015

The end of the year is fast approaching, and thanks to my computer crashing on me this week, it's going to be close trying to get this best of list out before 2016 rolls around. So if this shows up a little late, please forgive me.

2015 was an awesome year for me in so many ways. Number one of course was getting married to the woman of my dreams. Katie finally said yes, and we got hitched in April. Everyone has asked me the same thing, "How's married life"? My answer always is that it's really the same. It has been one smooth transition from dating, to engaged, to marriage. We do the same things, she allows me time to blog, I allow her time to nap, and we just have to find time to see our families.

Speaking of families, 2015 was the year of the wedding for us. Besides our own, we went to six other weddings this year, which gave us plenty of time to see our families. It also gave us a little time to blog some restaurants in some places that we would not normally get to. We always enjoy traveling, but unfortunately due to the abundance of marital bliss going around, our only vacation adventure this year was going to Jamaica for our honeymoon, and the food at the resort was definitely not worth writing about.

As far as this blog goes, this is our sixth year doing it, and we are not stopping anytime soon. I really want to hit at least 1000 different restaurants before I even think of taking some time off.. Right now we are at 580 different restaurants, and 653 different posts. So I guess you can say that we still have a lot of work to do. It's a good thing that I still really enjoy eating out, and hope that this is a great resource for all of you.

As always, before we get to our top ten list, I just want to thank all of my dining partners over this last year. Thanks for allowing me to take so many pictures of your food, before digging in. I would also like to thank all of you out there who have read, commented, and follow us on social media. I greatly appreciate it, and look forward to many more of your suggestions and complaints throughout 2016, and beyond. So without further ado, here's the top 10 restaurants we ate at in Orange County this year.

#10 Cafe Mimosa - The only breakfast spot to make our list this year. It was a spur of the moment decision to try this place while walking the San Clemente Beach Trail, and I could not have been happier with their baked goods, and their pork belly breakfast. As with most breakfast spots around the county, there's going to be a wait, but this place is worth it. With a promise of eating here, I'd even agree to go walking again.

#9 Pub Thirty-Two - Chef driven restaurants are all the rage right now, and they are even popping up in South OC, where chain restaurants used to reign supreme. That's not the case anymore though, with great restaurants like Pub Thirty-Two surfacing in this Mission Viejo shopping center. We had a wonderful meal here that featured Chef Glen Tinsley's version of farm to table cuisine, which almost made us forget the awful meal we had at this same address when it was home to one of the worst Mexican restaurants we had the displeasure of eating at. A definite upgrade now.

#8 Reunion Kitchen and Drink - Coming to us from the people behind Nick's, French 75, and Claim Jumper, (back when they were good), is Anaheim Hills very own, Reunion. This is American comfort food at its best, with a wonderful menu that hasn't missed the mark with any of the items we have tried. Standouts include the Fried Chicken, Meatloaf, and save room for the Butter Cake for dessert. We're eagerly awaiting the opening of a new Reunion in Laguna soon.

#7 South Coast Kitchen - Unfortunately this is one restaurant you will not be able to make it to on this list. It saddened me to hear that this South OC gem had closed after a dispute with its landlord. Chef Justin Davis has headed up to Northern California now, and it's a bummer we won't be able to sample his menu which changed every week depending on what was available. Hope Chef Davis returns to us in OC someday.

#6 Driftwood Kitchen - Usually restaurants with a killer view serve lackluster dishes, and hope that the beautiful OC coastline will be enough to lure people through their doors. We did not find that to be true when we dined at Driftwood Kitchen in Laguna. The food here was prepared simply, and we found lots to like from Chef Rainer Schwarz's menu. I'd probably get the Pork Belly and Butcher Steak combo that I had on my first visit again, but you definitely need to tell them you're celebrating something so you can try their Toffee Cake, which is given out for birthdays, anniversaries, or whatever occasion you care to make up.

#5 SOCIAL - I can admit that SOCIAL may not be for everyone, but we really enjoyed this joint. Part hipster, kind of a rowdy bar scene, and some very good southern food with a California twist make this place a winner. We've been here twice now, and have had a real pleasurable time both visits. I'd talk about the food I had when I was here, but the menu changes often, so you're likely to see other items when you come here. Come in with no preconceived notions, and you will more than likely leave happy.

#4 Leadbelly's Barbecue - I'm a big fan of barbecue, so it's no surprise that there are two barbecue restaurants on this list, the first of which is Leadbelly's in Placentia. I liked that this BBQ place did not pigeon hole their barbecue into a specific region. They just have good meats, and are willing to take chances with the way that they serve them. You have to try their Loaded Pork Garlic Fries for sure, and their Burnt Ends if they are available. If they're not, order something else, and make plans to come back again until you get to try those elusive burnt ends. Worth the trip.

#3 Pina's Bistro - Yes, only one Italian spot on my list, but what a memorable meal it was. I usually shy away from specials, because I always figure that if they were really that great, they'd be on the menu. Glad I didn't listen to my own advice, and had Pina's almost always offered special, the 16 ounce Veal Chop Marsala. This massive chop is flown in directly from New Zealand, and is then cooked wonderfully here at Pina's. Don't scoff at the $40 price of this, you will leave full and satisfied.

#2 370 Common - I figured that since Owner/Chef Ryan Adams was splinting time between this place, and his new venture, The North Left in Santa Ana, that maybe the quality was going to suffer here. I was wrong. Everything we had was great, the Short Rib Poutine, the Hanger Steak, and one of the better Burgers in OC. Definitely one of the crown jewels of OC chef driven restaurants.

#1 Lillie's Q - That leaves Lillie's Q as the best restaurant that we ate at in 2015. We are extremely lucky that this Chicago based restaurant has opened an outpost in Brea. Their barbecue is legit, they have a great variety of sauces on the table, and I can not say enough good things about their grits, which are the best I have ever had. Need another reason to come here? How about all you can eat Sunday brunch? Yes, they have that, and I am salivating just thinking about it.

Okay, so that gives you a few places to try in this new year, if you haven't tried them already. Thanks again for taking the time to read the blog, and I look forward to sharing more dining adventures with you in the new year. Happiest of new years to you are yours.

Another Colombian Spot in South OC - CLOSED

La Colombiana

1640 North El Camino Real 

San Clemente, CA 92672

Yes, we eat our fair share of burgers, Italian, and Mexican food on this blog, but we also like branching out and trying other kinds of food. No, I'm not going to stop eating my favorites, but we had a good experience with Colombian food a few years back and wanted to give it another try. We were coming down this way to visit our friend who was in a rehab facility and decided this would be the opportune time to try Colombian food again.

I had heard about La Colombiana, as many people have, through an article in Westways Magazine. In that article, the author described this restaurant as a meat lover's paradise, and that's all I had to hear to put them on my list of restaurants to try. The Westways article came out earlier this year, and we finally made it in to see if this would be better than our first foray with Colombian food.

We arrived at about 8 p.m. on a recent Saturday night. The restaurant is within shouting distance of Riders Club, and there was plenty of parking right next door at the closed Bread Gallery Bakery. We showed up without a reservation but were seated promptly on the darkened patio out front. We could have eaten inside, but a guy was singing rather loudly.

The menu here is dotted with all of the Colombian staples. Eight appetizers are offered, along with 11 entrees, all of which are the recipes of the owner, Eddy. She settled in San Clemente via Colombia many years ago and wanted to share her passion for Colombian cuisine with her community. She's a very hands-on owner; we saw her talking with customers, clearing tables, and running food. I was hungry and looked forward to seeing the food hit our table. Let's see how it all came out for us.

First up was an appetizer, the Colombian Empanadas ($9.95). These were filled with beef, onion, tomatoes, and potatoes. The outside is a corn and flour dough, which is a little more structurally sturdier than their Argentine empanada cousins I have tried. These insides were good but made much better with the provided aji, which is described on the menu as Colombian salsa. It had a real depth of flavor. When using this condiment, I got hints of cilantro, onion, and citrus notes, which Katie liked to use liberally on her entree, as well as these empanadas.

Speaking of entrees, they were just a little behind our appetizer, and let's look at Katie's selection for this evening, the Pollo Asado ($12.95). This featured grilled chicken marinated in citrus juice. Anytime our waitress came by, Katie gushed about how much she enjoyed this meal. The chicken was tender and had added flavor from the grill and the marinade. This meal was rounded out by plantains, rice, and a Colombian salad, which is more slaw, but if they want to call it a salad, who am I to judge?

I once described the national dish of Colombia as a Grand Slam Breakfast on steroids, and after eating this, I'd stand by this statement. This Bandeja Colombiana ($17.95) was a much better version of this dish than my first time eating Colombian food. This plate featured a portion of carne asada, a chorizo link, beans and rice, a fried egg, and an arepa, and was finished with plantains. Of course, the meats were the show's stars for me here. The carne asada was flavorful, with some tender bites included. The chorizo was a tougher grind than most people would enjoy, but I liked the meatiness of it. The beans and rice, mixed with the egg yolk, created a hearty portion, which you could imagine sticking to your ribs. I'm also not much of a plantain fan, but these were a good version. Smashed and then fried, they were not overly sweet and went well with this plate. The arepa, which is like a cheese/corn patty, was another highlight here. It paired nicely with the aji provided. A very satisfying meal and a good choice for first-timers to Colombian cuisine.

We finished up our night at La Colombiana with Colombian-style flan ($4.95). This version was like the other flan versions I have had, but a little less sweet. It had a creamy structure with a slightly less sugary caramel sauce. It was a lovely end to our meal.

The flan above helped me sum up what I believe to be Colombian food. I'm not an expert on this country's cuisine, but I'd summarize Colombian cuisine as good, solid, and stick-to-your-ribs food that does not rely on big pops of flavor or its condiments. The aji does not add spice but adds another flavor element to the food. It's worth a try if you have never tried Colombian food, and La Colombiana is the only game in town for South OC. With Colombian food no longer being served at Mitzi's Kountry Kitchen in Laguna Hills, this is your only Colombian option south of Santa Ana. We experienced excellent service this evening. The restaurant is small, and its decor will not awe you, but it is homey and a comfortable restaurant to dine in. I'm glad we gave Colombian food another try.

Out of five roses (because the country of Colombia is one of the leading producers and exporters of roses worldwide, so many of those roses you see in next week's Rose Parade could be from Colombia), five being best to zero being worst, La Colombiana gets 3.5 roses.

To find out more information about La Colombiana, go to their website here: https://www.lacolombianaoc.net/

Truly Eating Our Way Through All of OC

Crema Cafe

322 Main Street 

Seal Beach, CA 90740

Well it took me almost a full twelve months, but I can finally cross one of my new year's resolutions off my list. With this visit to the wonderful city of Seal Beach, we have now officially eaten in every city in Orange County. Yes, that's all 34 of them, which does not seem like a lot, but because we are deep in south OC, it is kind of hard to make a trip to La Palma or Seal Beach. With traffic being what it is most of the time, an hour and a half drive does not really work so well for dinner. We were not to be deterred though.

Both Katie and I woke up earlier than normal on a recent Sunday morning and made the forty minute trip up the 405 Freeway. There was no traffic on this colder than average December morning, as there was plenty of room to race up to our destination. We parked at the pier and decided to walk the downtown strip towards Crema Cafe. Yes, there were other options, but Crema had been on my list for so long I almost felt a duty to them that they would be the first restaurant we ate at in this coastal city.

Walking up Main, I noticed a lot of near empty places serving breakfast, and there was only one spot that seemed to rival the wait at Crema, and that was Old Town Cafe. I felt pretty good about my choice, especially since I have read so many good things about this place in the OC Weekly. Of course since this was a Sunday morning at just after 10, I was prepared for a wait, and yes, there was one of about 45 minutes. We left our phone number with the hostess, and were able to walk around the shops until our table was ready.

I was already hungry, so our first stop was to their walk in bakery next door to get something to tide me over. I went with their Chocolate Croissant ($3) as the thing that would keep my hunger pains at bay while we waited for a table. This was probably one of the better croissants that I have ever had. Very flaky and buttery on the outside, soft near the center, and good quality chocolate in the middle. I was very impressed, and excited that Katie only wanted one bite of this.

We finally got a text that our table was ready, so we scurried back as quickly as we could. When seated, we were placed on the larger than I expected patio. I was not done trying their baked goods, so I made sure to order this Cinnamon Pull Apart ($2.75). I'd describe this as a miniature monkey bread, which was a little more dense. It had plenty of cinnamon inside, and the icing did not intrude too much with this. A very solid pastry.

Katie looked at the menu long and hard before making her decision to have this Seal Beach Omelet ($10.88). It came with bacon, tomato, avocado, cilantro, and cheddar jack cheese inside of it, and was served with their breakfast potatoes and choice of toast, which Katie went with their marbled rye. She really enjoyed this breakfast, which she called fresh, well seasoned, and delicious. The potatoes, and the rye bread, which was made on the premises, were standouts in her mind.

I also had a tough choice to make when choosing a breakfast selection here at Crema Cafe. I eventually went with the Breakfast Crepe ($11.49). This crepe was filled with chorizo, scrambled eggs, potato, cheese, and then topped with avocado slices and sour cream. With all this going on here, I'm still surprised that the thing that sticks out to me the most with this plate is the sour cream. This was not your grocery store kind of sour cream. It was well made, and was one of the creamiest I have ever had. The crepe itself was well done, and was a great vessel for the guts of this breakfast. The chorizo had an odd texture to it, but I still enjoyed it. There could have been a little more cheese, but in the end, this filled me up nicely. I'd probably try something else on my next visit here, but this was a good choice for my first time at Crema Cafe.

Crema Cafe did well to introduce us to the cuisine of Seal Beach. Both Katie and I really enjoyed our stay here, and could easily see why this restaurant gets such high praise from locals, and the restaurant blogs that we read. Service was cordial, and the food made its way out of kitchen in a timely manner. Not the best breakfast that we have ever had, but definitely better than average, and the bread items are what to key in on at Crema Cafe. With other Seal Beach favorites, Walt's Wharf, 320 Main, Spaghettini, Beachwood BBQ, and Nick's Deli yet to try, the city of Seal Beach will soon be tired of having us around.

Out of five wooden piers, (because Seal Beach is home to the second longest wooden pier in the state, with only Oceanside's pier being longer), five being best to zero being worst, Crema Cafe gets 3 wooden piers.

For more information about Crema Cafe, go to their website here: http://cremacafe.com/