California Restaurant Assn, Fresno Chapter - 24 Years of Awards - Part 1

What a treat we have for you in our 4 Part Series

Fresno's Lifetime Achievement Awards

Best of the Valley Restaurants -1991 to 2014

We recently visited with Roman Cotta of Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center. Roman Cotta is past President of the California Restaurant Association, Fresno Chapter. He was kind enough to share with us the list of the Past 24 year Lifetime Achievement Awards for the Best of the Valley Restaurants.

Many of you have seen these plates hanging on the walls of a few local restaurants. Pictured below is the award for the Vineyard Restaurant and The Mariscotti Family in 2009. The Vineyard will be one of our upcoming features in this series.

1991 - Marie Vallis, Vallis Restaurant, Kingsburg

Today's list of featured restaurants and restauranteurs begins with Marie Vallis of the Vallis Restaurant in Kingsburg. Our research on the web provided only a tad bit of information and digging for a photo only provided us with the one above of Jonathon's Restaurant which followed after the close of Vallis. Jonathon's is also closed now and our research shows that it has been replaced with an Armenian restaurant called the Hye Life. Marie Vallis and her youngest son have passed away and we understand that her oldest son is an attorney still practicing in his office next door to the restaurant. 

NOTE: We are unsure of the validity of the information here and in the remainder of the stories in today and tomorrow's report. We are simply reporting information we have been able to locate on the internet. Please feel free to advise of corrections or information that you might have.

1992 - Elmo Del Bianco - Lucca's Restaurant, Madera, CA

The only information we were able to locate is that Victoria and Sirio Del Bianco became co-owners with Elmo and Anna Del Bianco of Lucca's Restaurant in Madera shortly after WWII. Lucca's Restaurant originally began in 1935, started by Sirio and Elmo's parents, Georgio and Lela Del Bianco. This information was gleaned from Victoria Del Bianco's obituary after she passed away on May 6, 2015. There is no working phone number for Lucca's in Madera that we could find.

1993 - Tom Ferdinandi, Sr. & Jim DeMera - Me-N-Ed's Pizzerias

Please see our blog on Me-N-Ed's dated 9-21-15.

1994 - Albert Pardini - Pardini's Restaurant, Fresno

The year was 1958 and Al Pardini was a young restauranteur, just new to Fresno. He had a passion for serving fine food, bringing a quality product and a customer-focused mentality.

The name Jim Pardini is familiar to all of us, as he continued with his father's values since 1981. And in recent years, Jim's two sons have entered the business, now three generations of fine food for the Fresno area!

Many of us will remember the fine dining at the old Pardini's Restaurant, fabulous steaks and seafood. It was at Pardini's where I was first introduced to one of my favorites, escargot! Yes, I'm telling my age, and I remember many evenings enjoying the music of Jim Lyons and socializing with the young crowd in the Pardini's Bar.

How many of you remember Jim Lyons first album that he produced back in those days? He's still performing regularly in Fresno today! But we're getting off the subject here.

1995 - Arthur Bender - McDonald's

What a story Arthur Bender has! Many claim that the first ever McDonald's restaurant was the one at Shields and Blackstone. In fact, the first ever McDonald's was opened in San Bernardino, California in 1948 by two brothers, Dick and Mac McDonald. The Art Bender who received the Best of the Valley Restaurant award in 1995 was there in San Bernardino in the very beginning! With just a little research on the internet, you'll find an interview with Art Bender that will give you in-depth background.

So, you ask, what't the deal with Fresno if he is from San Bernardino? As Art had been working with the McDonald brothers from the start,  once they started opening franchises, they sent Art to Phoenix, then back to California to open a store in Azusa, then one in Pomona. While Art was in Azusa, Ray Kroc became involved. That's when Art came to Fresno and in the long run opened 7 stores here. In 1980, he sold them all back to the corporation.

As far as we can learn through our research, Art now resides in Carmel and enjoys music; playing banjo, mandolin and a keyboard. He enjoys his loving wife and loving children and spends time walking around the Carmel area.

1996 - Joseph Desmond - Hart's, Uncle John's, Wendy's and KFC

Joseph Desmond, owner of JEM Management Corporation and  22 Wendy's restaurants, 15 KFC outlets and a 1,500 acre walnut farm left an amazing legacy when he passed away August 19, 2007.

Joseph was born in 1920 in New York City. His father passed away when he was 5 years old. Due to the Recession, Joseph grew up quickly. He graduated from high school at the age or 15 and joined the work force when his family moved to San Francisco.When he worked at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, he moved from dishwasher to dining room steward in just one day! As he grew older he married Edna Henbury and together they had two daughters. In 1942, Joseph went into WWII with the Marine Corps and fought at Guadalcanal and other sites in the South Pacific. He was wounded and discharged with an Honorable Discharge.

Eventually, in 1948, he became the manager of Hart's Restaurant in Fresno. He and Edna purchased Hart's in the mid 1950's, selling it in the 1960's.

With his ability as an entrepreneur and having a great sense of what the future was to bring, he risked moving to north Blackstone in 1959 where he opened Uncle John's Pancake House. Talk about a keen sense for the future, he was one of the first ever ten franchisees with KFC and the first franchise owner west of the Mississippi with Wendy's Old Fashioned Hamburgers. Joseph earned a multitude of awards from many associations in Fresno. He earned the Wendy's Dave Thomas Award in 1990. A Google search on  Joseph Desmond will give you much more detail on this forward-thinking successful restauranteur in the Fresno Area.

Stop by soon to learn of more dynamic restaurants and restauranteurs from Fresno's past!

A Short Trip to Coarsegold - Gold Mine Pizza then Zander's on the way Home!

Every once in a while, one might get the urge to take a drive to our fantastic Sierra Nevada Mountains. It's but a short jaunt to Coarsegold, barely one-half hour drive from North Fresno. Whether you're planning on heading further up to Oakhurst, Bass Lake or Yosemite, should you get the "hungrys" about the time you hit Coarsegold, it's worthwhile to stop at Gold Mine Pizza. Right on 41, on the east side of the road, right past the gas station is where you'll find great pizza, sub sandwiches, salads and even soup in the fall and winter!

Gold Mine Pizza first opened almost 25 years ago. It's first home was up the road a bit, just before leaving the great metropolis of Coarsegold. It did a good business there, but after a few years, the owners, Ron Garrett and Kay Bowen thought that relocating to the heart of Coarsegold might just do the business well. As soon as they moved into "town" almost across from the Old Indian Village, their business almost doubled and has stayed a healthy business until this day. Recently Ron and Kay decided retirement was justifiably deserved and they sold the restaurant to another local couple who is doing a great job learning the ropes.

A personal favorite of mine is the Turkey and Swiss sub and sometimes I opt for the Italian Sub. Either way, the sandwich is full of meat and veggies and the bread which is purchased from our local Basque Bakery is fresh and toasted to perfection. I enjoy adding a bit of creamy Italian dressing which they are happy to share with me.

If you're a die-hard pizza kinda person, you won't be disappointed here. They make their own dough and roll it when it's ordered. The crust isn't a super thin crust, but it's not one of the thick crusts either. It's a nice middle of the road crust with a nice crunch to the bottom, but still enough of the fresh bread-like top to support your sauce, toppings and cheese. Should you require a dinner salad with your pizza, they don't skimp on that either!

During the fall and winter months, they offer a soup of the day. Of course, it's up to the "chef" as to what they will offer, but you can bet it'll warm you up on a cold, drizzly day (let it rain, let it rain, let it rain!)

Zander's Coffee

No trip to the mountains is complete without a stop by the Zander's Coffee drive-thru in the Indian Village in Coarsegold. Should you prefer to stop and sit a spell, you can go inside and order, then take a seat on their patio and enjoy the comings and goings of those visiting the various shops at the village. Often times you'll be entertained by the locals stopping to chat with other locals and solve all the problems of the day.

Zander's menu is fairly simple, but rest assured, any concoction you might have a hankerin' for, they can whip up for you. My personal favorite is the Mudslide Blended Drink. It's the best companion on my drive down the hill.

So, the next time you're about to head up the hill, remember Gold Mine Pizza, then stop by Zander's to see a barista with a winning smile and for the best taste in coffee drinks in the Central San Joaquin Valley!

Mortadella, Proscuitto? Tuscans, Barolo's? Sam's Italian Deli is the Place!

When one does a search on Google for Sam's Italian Deli, Fresno, one can't help but notice  the repeating factor of Five Stars! Sam's Italian Deli is loved by many, if not by all!

The history that you find on Sam's Italian Deli website explains that a young Italian couple living in Canada decided to open up a grocery business in 1968. While fighting the fierce Toronto winters, they and their two children sold the freshest produce, meats, hot bread and foods of their native Bari, Italy.

Sam and Angela Marziliano opened Sam's Deli in Fresno in 1980, after relocating here from Toronto. Sam, the family patriarch and founder of Sam's passed away in 2011. Nick has taken the reins and has simply taken a great thing and make it better! And it still improves to this date.

The aisles of the deli are a delightful scene of imported Italian pastas, olive oils, fresh cold cuts, imported cheeses, Angela's take-home pasta dinners, specialty dishes, Sam's homemade sausage and specialty groceries. Their bread and foccacia are baked on site and the heritage of old Italy is preserved within the walls of this fantastic deli located at the north-west corner of Clinton and First streets in Fresno.

With Nick's direction, Sam's Italian Deli has grown, taking over most of the entire corner building with but a couple of small businesses yet occupying a couple of spaces. Sam's Deli pastas are actually made in the area which used to be the back of the old US Post office that occupied the far end of the building.

Further, Nick is gaining massive attention in the Fresno Area  for his expansion of their specialty wine department. If you want it, they have it! From the boutique style wines of California to the highly sought after, Super Tuscans, Barolo's, and Brunellos di Montalcino produced in Italy to Argentinean Malbecs. You will have a difficult time picking your favorites from Sam's Italian Deli's collection of over 700 different labels. Further, Nick has reached out to the internet market and made it easy for you to purchase them on line at his website www.NicksWineCorner.com.

On June 16, 2014, Henry Perea spoke of Sam's Italian Deli, "Their commitment to serving the community and expanding their business has been passed down to the next generation as Nick continues to run the business and bring the business online. Congratulations to Sam's Deli!" This statement made when Sam's Deli was honored in Sacramento  on that date as the 31st Assembly District's Small Business of the Year "for their Italian spirit and familial feel that has customers enter as strangers and leave as family."

 

Thank you, Nick and Sam's Italian Deli!

Fresno Has Nostalgic Taste

With all this talk of restaurant history around Fresno, it's probably a good time to bring up one of the old time favorites that so many of us still miss today!

This is what it looks like today - YES, TODAY! The photo was taken today...

An empty lot - just DIRT! Do you have a clue yet? Here's a little more history for those of you who don't know which restaurant we're talking about:

The restaurant was built in 1946. It's original name had the word Bavarian in the name. At that time, most of it's customers came from Hammer Field. Now who knows what Hammer Field was and what it is today? We'll tell more as we talk more about this wonderful establishment where such great food was served at excellent prices. After several years, it was described as a "cozy 1950's roadhouse". It had open-beam ceilings, red brick walls and redwood paneling. There was a Cheyenne Banquet room that sported vivid red booths and table linens. If you haven't guessed it yet, you're probably one of the younger crowd.

Back then, your choice of appetizers were shrimp cocktail or.... yes, you guessed it, shrimp cocktail!

One of the customer's favorites was the "Signature Clam Chowder". And get this: At it's peak performance between 1965 and 1985, it sold up to 4,500 dinners a WEEK! That's over 640 dinners a night for 20 years running - seven days a week. Phew! Most likely many restaurants do that kind of business today, but back then with a privately owned establishment, that was a bunch!

And imagine this - $9.95 in 1993 would get you prime rib or filet mignon dinner with foil wrapped baked potato, soup and salad along with hot French rolls  with garlic butter. And it's safe to guess that they didn't charge for the sour cream, butter or chives, either. Find that kind of price for prime rib in Fresno today!

Alright - one last clue - Do you remember when a Learjet crashed? The two men on board were killed and several people on the ground was injured. The restaurant we are talking about was spared and the pilots were called heroes for managing to miss the private school that was in their path about 3/4 mile before the crash scene. That was December 14, 1994.

http://abc30.com/news/fresno-learjet-crash-20-years-later/413056/

Alright, most of you are most likely saying, "Fine, we KNOW already!" So here's the facts:

Yes, it was The Outpost, originally named The Outpost Bavarian Gardens - built in 1946 on the southwest corner of Olive and Chestnut avenues. We mentioned Hammer Field, which was an army base back then and is now the location of the Fresno Yosemite International Airport (often known as either FAT - by the airlines or as FYI - by Fresno locals).

The restaurant was purchased by Dan Vukson and Pete Troisi in 1951 and although they sold it in 1956, they purchased it back in 1959. Finally, Dan Vukson and his wife, Betty, became the owners in 1965. (Editor's Note: The name rings a bell and just might be a name for research for a future story on Fresno Has Taste)

1990 brought the passing of Dan Vukson. That, the plane crash in 1994, changes in the neighborhood and the debut of Highway 180 through the area affected the decision to close the Outpost in 1997. Certainly, we understand that the Vukson family owned the building and property at that time. When a suitable offer never appeared, the decision was made to demolish the restaurant in 2003 with the hope that the vacant parcel would attract better offers. That's as far as our information goes - if anybody knows anything that has transpired since 2003, please share what you know in the comments.

And another tad of nostalgia about a restaurant that still exists at the north-west corner of Chestnut and Olive: Chopsticks Chinese Restaurant.

Chopsticks is your classic little neighborhood Chinese restaurant, pictured above. There was a day when the Valley Yellow Pages advertising sales reps would make the tough choice about where to enjoy their lunch. It was a tough choice between The Outpost and a fabulous steak lunch and Chopsticks and their Cornish Game Hen special. Chopsticks would prepare a full Cornish Game Hen if one would give them a call about 1/2 hour before your arrival. That was back in about 1998, give or take a few years. Upon research, it was learned that they no longer serve the Cornish Game Hen. But by the looks of things, they are still serving up some good Chinese food!

Another Long-Time Fresno Restaurant - Me-n-Ed's Pizza

Many people in the Fresno area believe that Me-n-Ed's Pizza is native to the Fresno Area. In some ways it is and in other ways it isn't!

Me-n-Ed's first came to be 57 years ago in 1958.Two friends, Russ "Me" Johnson and Ed Sandlin chose to start a pizza business in Sacramento, California. Although they didn't originally open with the intention of building franchises, it happened anyway.

Me-n-Ed's franchises started springing up throughout Calfornia while Russ and Ed operated their own restaurants around the San Francisco Bay area.

Here's where Fresno comes in: Once Russ and Ed expanded into Fresno, they met a couple who ran a boarding house - Ben and Marcella Watters. The Watters made frequent visits to Me-n-Ed's. The story goes on to say that Marcella really desired to purchase a potted plant that was at that restaurant.  The owner refused to sell it to her, so Marcella took matters into her own hands and purchased the entire restaurant. The plant was now hers, but also she was the new owner of the franchise rights to Me-n-Ed's.

Transitions took place. Marcella and Ben joined forces with Bob Cox, who worked with a local baker and perfected a recipe for the signature thin crust pizza of Me-n-Eds.

As time went on, Me-n-Ed's continued to grow. In the 1960's they had even expanded into Orange County! In the mid-'60's, Marcella's nephew, Doug, who had come to Fresno from Saskatchewan, Canada went to work for the Watters. The Watters by then had moved to Southern California, expanding all the while.With the Canadian influence of Doug, in 1969, they expanded to Burnaby with the first ever Me-n-Ed's in Canada. By then, Doug was a co-owner.

Bringing our tale back to the Fresno/Clovis area, today there are more than 20 Me-n-Ed's Pizza Parlors in the Fresno/Clovis area alone! 

Just two days ago, my grand-daughter celebrated her 2 year birthday at Me-n-Ed's Coney Island Grill in River Park. It was my pleasure, of course, to enjoy her celebration.

Me-n-Ed's Coney Island Grill makes for the perfect  birthday party venue for kids. With their private rooms that are available and the back room full of arcade games, it's a perfect spot and at the right price! 

Not only do they have great pizzas, they also offer many more choices at the "Coney Island Grill" including salads, hot wings and a whole lot more!

So, the next time you stop to visit Me-n-Ed's, you'll be the most knowledgeable person about Me-n-Ed's history! You'll be the hit of the party and everybody will want to hear your story.

Lobster - A Delicacy - Interesting Facts

Yesterday we visited the Lime Lite Restaurant in our blog. The main course which was highlighted was their Thursday Special which is lobster. As a matter of fact, should you choose to stop by on a Thursday and order their lobster, you'll find that it's most likely the largest lobster you have ever seen on a plate before you!

All this talk of lobster leads us to today's post. Interesting Facts about Lobster! Now since we're professing "Fresno Has Taste", we must be well-educated about our food. So, read on... below are some interesting and fascinating facts about our beloved crustacean, the Lobster!

First we'll talk about the lobster - as the crustacean that it is. Many people don't know that lobster's aren't red. In fact, they are green or yellow or even bright blue in nature. It's when they are thrown into that pot of boiling water or under a broiler that they turn red. I suppose we would too!

Speaking of their shells, lobsters shed their shells, or molt. A female lobster can only mate just after she has molted.We'll get on to reproduction in a moment. A soft-shelled lobster is one that has just molted - and at that time they are in a growing phase. Many say that the soft-shelled lobster has sweeter, more tender meat. Soft-shelled lobsters are called "shedders" and are generally caught from July to October. As the molting phase takes a toll on the energy of the lobster, they are extremely hungry after molting and eat voraciously.  Often they will even eat the shell that they have just shed. The benefit to that is that it replenishes the calcium lost during the process and hastens the hardening of the new shell.

Ah, so back to that stuff about reproduction. Interestingly enough, when lobsters mate, the eggs aren't fertilized right away. The female chooses when to fertilize her eggs and carries the male's sperm until she is ready. Lobster eggs are called roe, just like fish eggs (caviar). The females carries the fertilized eggs until they are ready to hatch, at which time she lays them. While the female is carrying those eggs around, she carries them with her swimmerets - the abdominal appendages. That female lobster will even carry her eggs for up to year, this all depends on how warm the water is. And sadly, only.1 percent (that's only 1/10 of a percent) of the lobster's eggs live more than six weeks.

So now that we have learned how baby lobsters come to be, let's talk about some of the facts about harvesting. Most people recognize that Maine is the Lobster Capital of the world with nearly a million pounds of lobster caught annually. The second highest record of Maine lobster landings was in 2013 with 125,953,876 pounds! WOW! Maine requires lobstermen to complete a two-year apprenticeship before they can captain their own boat, Apprentice lobstermen can be on a waiting list for 10 years before they get their own license. A crewman on a lobster boat makes about $50,000 a year, while boat owners make quite a bit more than that, but must invest a lot more as well. A lobsterman usually starts around 4:30 AM and works until dark. It's necessary to catch about 150 pounds of lobster a day just to cover the cost of bait and gas. There are around 6,000 licensed lobstermen in Maine.

Now on to the best about lobsters: A little about dining and the history of lobster as food. Amazingly, lobsters were once considered the poor man's chicken. Even in Colonial times, it was fed to pigs and goats and only eaten by humans that were paupers. Slaves sometimes dined like kings, often eating lobster because it was plentiful and cheap. Native Americans ate lobsters after wrapping them in seaweed and baking them over hot rocks. They also used lobster as bait and to fertilize their crops.

Lobster meat  is a great source of protein, providing 28 grams of protein per cup consumed. It is also a great source of heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids. Lobsters are not fattening, as long as you pass on the butter (but who would want to do that?). Three and half ounces of lobster have under 100 calories and about 2 grams of fat.

It's a myth that lobsters scream when put into hot water as they have no lungs and no vocal cords. A one-pound lobster should be cooked for about 15 minutes, overcooking lobster leaves it tough and rubbery. Lobster steamed in beer is delicious. A pilsner or lager is the best choice. 

And as a last thought, some people believe that lobster is an aphrodisiac! It ALL sounds good to me!

The Lime Lite, Palm & Shaw, A Reason that Fresno Has Taste

The Lime Lite Restaurant has been a well-respected name in the Fresno area for over 50 years. When it first opened its doors in 1964 on Clinton Avenue, it was a bar with but eight tables, and was already establishing its reputation for great dining.

In 1976, George and Cathy Milutinovich purchased the Lime Lite and naturally a loyal clientele became the mainstay. They developed their claim to fame through their steaks, appetizers and signature menu items such as the “Lime Lite” Seafood  Cocktail and Seafood “Martini”.

Back around 2000, the Milutinovich relocated the Lime Lite to its present location on Shaw and Palm. This is the location which was previously occupied by The Elbow Room which is now located at what was once the old Borelli’s at Fig Garden Village.

Stone Fruit Salad at Today's Lime Lite

What was an eight table restaurant became a much larger establishment with 75 tables and a patio that seats 80. A little known fact is that there is a private dining room in the back that seats 20. A good tidbit to remember should you be looking for a great location for a nice birthday celebration!

The Milutinovich’s continued their expertise of serving first class lunches and dinners until 4 years ago in 2011 when they made a decision that it was time for a little more R&R and made plans to place Brandon Smittcamp, son of well-known food processor Bob Smittcamp, in the position as managing general partner of the Lime Lite.

Thursday's Lime Lite Lobster Special 

This is a good time to share a little trivia. George Milutinovich is a well-respected American Kennel Club judge and enjoys traveling to AKC dog shows, acting as judge in the show ring. George is also the brother of Dave Milutinovich who owns the Manhattan on the south-east corner of Bullard and West in Fresno. (Of course, the Manhattan is on our list for another story.)

A little background about Brandon Smittcamp: He used to be a bartender and server at the Manhattan, so he is a long-time friend of the Milutinovich’s. Further, the Smittcamp family has a food processing venture called Lyons Magnus. Lyons Magnus packages the Lime Lite’s own line of salad dressing and spaghetti sauce.

Fresh Wawona Peach Cobbler & Ice Cream

Brandon has maintained all of the favorites that the Milutinovich’s and the Lime Lite has been famous for in the past.  Brandon has added to the delightful fare by focusing on bringing in as much seasonal, local produce as possible. His menu also boasts fabulous specials on a daily basis as well as the most decadent desserts that have ever tantalized your taste buds.

The Lime Lite is definitely a Jewel of a restaurant in the Fresno Area.

A special thank you goes to Sean Cagle for providing "Fresno Has Taste" with the photos for this blog.