Frequently, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter has lunch at a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
By ANON E. MUSS, Journal Services
If I could live in any state, California just might be the place.
The Pacific Ocean. Malibu. La Jolla. Dodger Baseball. Flip-flops all day long.
So, each time I pass California Bar & Grill (1903 Benton Road, Bossier City), I think, “Surely any place which has California in its name has to be good.” With that in mind, on a recent, rainy Saturday, I invited a friend to join me for what I hoped would be a little West Coast foodie fun.
We arrived at 12:15 and found plenty of parking available. Hmmm . . . . Normally, that would not be a good sign. But, considering the weather, I gave the restaurant the benefit of the doubt. We walked in, and were immediately greeted by Christy, who was wearing a #18 LSU jersey. I liked that. It’s something you see at a lot of college-town restaurants on Saturday’s during football season. Hey, even though Bossier isn’t a college town, why not show some spirit?
Since the parking lot was fairly empty, I wasn’t surprised to see only three customers, and they were at the bar. That meant we could sit wherever we wanted – in the main dining room, or on the enclosed patio. We chose the latter. After all, how many times do you have the room where you eat all to yourself?
The inside and outside of California Bar & Grill don’t look like much. Rusted aluminum on the exterior, dark wood and an overall cold atmosphere on the interior. However, there were four large televisions in both dining areas which helped brighten things up a bit. And on the patio, there was a string of colorful light bulbs which gave off a Mardi Gras feel.
Christy, who also was our server, could not have been nicer and more accommodating. When I asked that one of the TV’s be turned to a specific game, she spent quite a bit of time switching through what seemed like every DirecTV channel. When Christy found the right one, she was happy to adjust the volume to our liking. Those may sound like small things, but when I eat out on a Saturday in the fall, being able to keep my eye on a ball game adds to the experience.
Now, on to the food. California Bar & Grill offers what the name implies – bar and grill food. Appetizers, salads, wings, wraps, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, and dinners are all on the menu. By the way, the menu even has an outline of California with a couple of palm trees, to help you imagine you are somewhere other than northwest Louisiana.
One item caught my attention – Texas Chicken Wrap ($12.45). I liked the fact I could eat healthy (grilled chicken) and have a little kick to my meal (Jalapeno Jack Cheese, Black Beans, Chipotle Ranch). Even though the menu indicated the wrap came by itself, I asked, and was told I had a choice of regular fries, sweet potato fries, or homemade potato chips. I went with regular fries, but Christy was so proud of the restaurant’s chips, she offered to bring me a few. (They were crunchy and greaseless but had no taste.)
My friend wasn’t overly hungry, so, she ordered the Southwest Roll ($10.32) which was listed as an appetizer. It was described as “Smoked white meat chicken, black beans, corn, pepper jack cheese, and spinach, blended with southwestern spices and wrapped in crispy egg roll wrapper.”
By the way, I found it interesting that several of California Bar & Grill’s food prices are odd amounts, like $12.42 and $10.35. I guess every penny counts!
In due time, Christy arrived with our lunch. When seeing my Texas Chicken Wrap, my first thought was, “That looks small.” But after my first bite, that thought was replaced with, “Wow, this is really good!” First of all, everything inside the wrap was hot. If you read these reviews with any frequency, you know that for me, there’s nothing that ruins a meal more than it not being served hot when it’s supposed to be hot. My wrap was not only served hot, but stayed hot until I was finished.
Now, let’s talk about those “regular” French fries. There was nothing regular about them. In fact, I’ve never had French fries which looked and tasted like these fries. Each fry was thick and had a curly shape. Think the capital letter “S”, written in cursive style. That’s what they looked like. One bite was like sinking your teeth into a baked potato. They were delicious! I asked Christy for the story on the fries, but just like someone guarding state secrets should, she politely declined to disclose details.
As for my friend’s Southwest Roll, she said despite being overcooked, the roll – cut into seven pieces – was favorable and had a lot of the promised ingredients. I took a bite and agreed with everything she said.
The cost of our meal, before tax and tip, was $29.90. I paid with a credit card, which triggered a slightly higher price than if I had used cash. Notwithstanding the restaurant’s rather drab atmosphere, I thought the price was fair for the quality of food and service we received.
I give California Bar & Grill Three Forks. Frankly, I was surprised the food was as good as it was. The building hardly looks like a place that screams, “Come on in! You will enjoy really good food!” But sometimes, a gamble pays off. By the way, due to the lighting (or lack thereof), the pictures in the gallery below do not adequately represent how good our food looked.
I would return to California Bar & Grill, especially when I am in Bossier. Hey, it’s not California, but it beats getting on a plane.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit for lunch?
Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
