Dining Review -- Kathy Mader

I confess, I am not that crazy about chicken. I think it’s a

combination of the horror stories you hear on television, or that random

sketchy bite that sneaks up on you during an otherwise delicious meal. So

when I saw that a recently opened restaurant was not only focused on,

but named after chicken, I was a bit skeptical on choosing it to write

about.

I went in with the disclaimer that if it wasn’t good, I wouldn’t

review it. But the thing I keep forgetting to factor in about chicken is

that when it’s good, it is really good. And it is really good at Chicken

Fresh, on 17th Street in Costa Mesa, between Irvine Boulevard and Tustin

Avenue.

Partners Joe Gall and James Fuller have been around successful

rotisserie chicken restaurants before, both in Los Angeles and Texas, and

thought they would bring a little of that chicken magic to Newport-Mesa.

So how is Chicken Fresh different from a major chain chicken

restaurant? No. 1: It’s not a major chain, and that always makes me

happy. No. 2: Everything is made fresh, every day, and that which is

made, is made from scratch, including the salad dressings and the crispy

pita croutons, which are made by a local bakery. The produce is all

purchased locally as well, and the chicken is quality and comes “farm

fresh.”

The wide-open restaurant, though a little sparse in decor, is clean

enough not only to eat off the floor, but anywhere else you might invent,

including the sink. The No. 3 difference, and definitely not the least,

is that this restaurant is run by a couple of very nice guys, not a big

corporation.

The one drawback for the guys is location. You would be hard pressed

to find a parking space in front, but there is plenty, yes plenty, of

parking in the back.

The menu is not huge, and yes, it’s heavy on chicken, but vegetarians

will find a thing or two to their liking. I am a fan of the “fresh wrap”

sandwiches, and it is the California wrap ($7.50) that does it for me.

It’s big -- very important to me -- and full of chicken, jack cheese,

avocado, tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts and Italian dressing.

When it comes to wraps, Chicken Fresh has several to choose from,

including the market fresh wrap ($7.25), chicken with all kinds of

veggies; the chicken rice wrap ($7.25) with garden rice; and the spring

roll wrap ($7) with chicken, Chinese noodles, veggies and a sesame

dressing. Vegetarians can eat the fresh garden rice wrap or the fresh

garden wrap, both $6.50.

It is the rotisserie chicken that brings the people in. You can smell

it roasting from the street, and that is just plain good business. The

prices vary depending on your order of white meat or dark meat, breast or

thighs, one, two or three side dishes, but it is all fairly reasonable. I

myself am always willing to pay a little more for chicken that I know is

fresh and cooked in a clean environment. And this chicken really is

mouthwatering. I mean it.

The side dishes include one of my favorites, butternut squash, but

also garden rice, roasted potatoes, broccoli -- which I am not sure is a

selling point -- pasta salads, fruit salads and Caesar salads. All that’s

missing is the macaroni and cheese, please! I mean it, please think about

it.

Chicken Fresh also offers several salads, with or without chicken,

including a Cobb and a Mandarin chicken salad. So obviously this place is

good for both lunch and dinner.

Almost everyone knows it is difficult to start a new restaurant, but

according to Joe, “things are going great, getting better and better

every day.” Only open three weeks, they are thrilled to see repeat

customers already.

“Once you sample it, you’ll be back,” says Joe. In the meantime, Joe

and James say they are having “a wonderful time getting to know the

community.” Look for their coupons all over town, because they are

getting them out there so you will get in the store. And yes, I’ll be

there too.

* KATHY MADER’s dining reviews appear every other Thursday.

FYI

WHAT: Chicken Fresh

WHERE: 462 E. 17th St., Costa Mesa

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday

HOW MUCH: Moderate

CALL: (949) 548-2442 or fax (949) 548-2332