I Got The Munchies (Pizza)!

The spirited story of Munchies Pizza thumps in the hearts of local residents of beautiful downtown Huntington Beach, and it goes something like this: "I used to work there when I was in High School, man;" "Back in the 80's we used to stick dough to the ceiling and see who's stuck the longest;" "Man, this one time . . ." And the stories are rich, fun, and never-ending. Tradition, hospitality, and the best thick crust pizza in Huntington Beach have long been staples of Munchies Pizza, but as their 35 year anniversary approaches, it's the sense of pride and ownership local HB residents take in Munchies that carries weight.

 Since 1978, Munchies Pizza has delivered the goods: Thick crust, gourmet pizza; monster wings drenched in hot sauce; novelties like garlic bread with cheese; and a homemade sauce procured from bold seasonings and the perfect amount of sweetness. But more impressively, the patrons of Munchies Pizza are the "salt of the earth" locals of Huntington Beach, rich in character and proud of the landmark that has supported them, their kids, and even their kids kids!

204 E. Adams Unit C, Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Munchies is like Huntington Beach's family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. It is a first-time employer for many of HB teens, a popular hang-out for tourists, and a charming re-imagination of what a local diner should be.

In an era dominated by haughty restaurant rating systems like Yelp, Munchies Pizza and their devoted patronage inspire me to look beyond the Yelp-happy martyrs and reveal inefficiencies in restaurant review methods.  What Yelp will never be able to accurately gauge is the efficacy a restaurant has on the people who really matter, not just the small fringe of social web users eager to pump their chests behind the veil of the Internet. And it is days like this that I am happy DishClips will help foodies discover and share pizza joints like Munchies, rather than use fear-mongering to dissuade me from discovering a gem of a diner.

Oh, and if you're ever in Munchies, try the Sarafina: Alfredo sauce, basil, pepperoncini's, garlic, and tomatoes. Bon Appetit!

Sarafina
MunchiesPizzaHB.com

California Chicken Cafe

Hey there foodies, it's been a minute since I last posted. Lately I've been eating at the same places and haven't really gotten around to trying something new. I visited a client and colleague in Santa Monica recently and I figured it would be the perfect time to explore a new gem. As I've said before, I'm familiar with the Los Angeles scene, but not much of Santa Monica other than eateries near the Santa Monica pier or the amazing food stands and hot dog trucks around. So I was very surprised to have discovered California Chicken Cafe!

I've had my fair share of visits to Peet's coffee on Woodward and that was the only shop I knew on the the street. I pulled in to Peet's then suddenly heard my stomach churn, demanding to put food in my belly. So I backed out and decided to drive down the street and randomly pick a place. It was rush hour so the first street parking I found, I parked. Cal it fate, but I parked in between CCC and Radio Shack. I took one look at the place and said "What the heck, let's try this place out."And I'm glad I did.

My first thought about the food and menu was "This place reminds me of Chicken Maison" (I wrote about Chicken Maison in a previous post). As much as I wanted to eat something light so I wouldn't feel sluggish during my meeting, I knew I had to eat something more than a simple piece of bread. So I ordered the 3-piece with 2 sides Rotisserie Combo with fresh fruit and chinese cabbage salad (red and green cabbage, green onions, almonds, sesame seeds, and sweet dressing).

While waiting for my meal, which took less than 10 minutes, I observed my surroundings. It seemed pretty crowded, but the dinner rush went by harmless. When my food arrived, I started with the fruit. Oh my word, it was sweet. I confirmed with one of the servers that the fruit was seasonal so every day it was different. The mix I had was ripe and flavorful. I took my time eating every piece of fruit because it was so juicy. Next came the salad. I've had chinese cabbage salad before and the best one I've ever tasted was homemade by an old friend who sadly moved to Florida. There was only one restaurant that had something similar to my friend's salad and that's a mom and pop in San Diego. So I kind of had expectations for this. You remember in the movie Ratatouille when Anton takes a bite of the food and suddenly nostalgia passes through his very soul, reliving a moment in his childhood? The thing about memories and when this phenomena happens is we quickly have a strong desire to go back to that moment and savor it as long as we can. That's what it felt like when I took a bite of that salad. It reminded me of my dearest friend in Florida and it certainly put me in an even better mood.

The chicken was far from dry (thank goodness), not it was appetizing. I asked the family sitting next to me if they would consider this place "healthy" because I've realized how light everything felt and even after finishing my combo and pita bread (they ask if you want white or wheat option!), I was just about full. The family next to me told me that this place was considered a healthier alternative to some of the eateries here and they like the menu and location for it as well. I couldn't agree more.

I was lucky to have found California Chicken Cafe on a last minute dinner rush and I'm glad I chose it over going to the nearest fast food drive thru. You really can't go wrong with any meal you order here. So, let's take my checklist out... Was the food delicious? Check. Was it healthy? Check. And did I enjoy my experience? DOUBLE CHECK. If you're ever out to eat in the West Los Angeles/Santa Monica Area and are looking for something fast, healthy and delicious, I recommend California Chicken Cafe. They are definitely a restaurant that promotes healthy eating and happy living :)

The California Chicken Cafe I ate at was located on 2005 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, Ca 90025. I also know there is one on 2401 Wilshire Blvd Santa Monica, Ca 90403.

www.californiachickencafe.com