Sunday, April 12, 2009

Shenandoah at the Arbor - Los Alamitos

Add Shenandoah at the Arbor to a list that already includes Victoria's Secret, Bath and Body Works, and Hallmark stores. These are, of course, places where the dominant chromosome of the customers is X. If you're a dude, and you find yourself in one of the mentioned establishments, you will be outnumbered, as I always am.

This isn't to say that you can't enjoy yourself if you just happen to be dragged into one by a female. For example, I've sampled lots of lovely (yes, I said lovely) fruit-scented hand soaps at Bath and Body Works' in-store sink. I've marveled at how science and technology has advanced, not in curing cancer, but in being able to fit minuscule speakers into those music-playing Hallmark greeting cards. And Victoria's Secret? Well, where else can one ogle half-naked posters of Adriana Lima without getting bitch-slapped for ogling?

And at Shenandoah, you will be rewarded with a good meal. That's not to say that you still won't feel like you've stepped into a tea party hosted by the Gilmore Girls at the Dragonfly Inn. The room is predominately pastel colored. There are floral slipcovers on the chairs. Outside, there's a patio seating area next to a gurgling pond full of koi -- an idyllic scene for trading gossip and girl-talk.

But the food? It's served in surprisingly manly portions, and starts with a wicker basket of complimentary donuts that will be refilled until you say stop (and why would you want to do that?)

Well, to be more precise: they are apple fritters, deep-fried donut hole-sized balls of sweetly-battered cinnamon-apple-y dough sprinkled with powdered sugar, served with a ramekin of softened butter to dip them in. Why butter on something that's already deep-fried? You're a man, remember? The only question you should ask is "Why not?"

And as long as you've already started on your chosen path of heart-disease, you might as well order the sand dabs, which are advertised as being served with garlic brown butter, and comes out drenched in it, cancelling out any benefits of the fish's omega-3 fatty acid content. In any case, it's a lovely dish (there I go again), tender, flaky, and awesome. It's all thanks largely to the garlic-infused butter, which, by the way, can be soaked up and mixed into the mashed potatoes so as to not waste a single, artery-cloggin' drop.

If the thought of downing what seems like a whole stick of butter for a "light" lunch makes you queasy, there are lots of other options, including the hot turkey sandwich. It consists of real roasted turkey breast, moist, sliced thickly, stacked in layers on top of a toasted sourdough, then smothered with gravy and served with cranberry sauce. It's like Thanksgiving dinner! But without football, and with a lot more doilies.

Shenandoah at the Arbor*
(562) 431-1990
10631 Los Alamitos Blvd
Los Alamitos, CA 90720

THIS WEEK ON OC WEEKLY:
Haru Izakaya - Tustin

*Special Thanks to Monster Munching location scout Cecile for the tip on Shenandoah.

13 Comments:

At 11:29 AM, Blogger mark said...

Nice to see you getting in touch with your feminine side Elmo, haha.

 
At 12:16 AM, Blogger Frequent Traveler said...

That was a 'lovely' post elmomonster (rolfmao) ! I liked your dry wit throughout it :)

It looks like a pretty restaurant, and the apple fritters, oh my... yummm !

So THAT's why men like going into VS - to look at the posters... (lol)

Hope that you are having a good Easter weekend.

Your linking me in the 'Tradition by Pascal' post ended up sending me almost 1,000 people over a week's time - THANK YOU !

London is wonderful - you HAVE to eat at 3 Michelin Starred 'Fat Duck' in Bray once in your lifetime.
You will absolutely love the magic of Heston Blumenthal's presentation in their excellent 15 course tasting menu !

Hope that you are having a good Easter holiday weekend -

 
At 12:34 PM, Blogger polar said...

Bahahah @ the "manly portions." Just goes to show you that girls do like to eat, just not in front of guys (despite all the stereotypes of women and their eating habits).

I think I cannot go here w/ a bunch of dudes.. I need to be "dragged" here by a girl or two.. tehehe..

 
At 12:55 PM, Blogger Diana said...

Complimentary donuts?

Ding ding ding! Sold!

 
At 4:32 PM, Blogger Melissa said...

That's not to say that you still won't feel like you've stepped into a tea party hosted by the Gilmore Girls at the Dragonfly Inn.Dude. You knew enough about Gilmore Girls to make that kind of a reference?

*pointing and laughing a la Nelson* HA HA!

Ahem.

And hello, Adriana Lima. She is amazing. Did you know she saved herself for marriage? She got married last year to Marko Jaric aka the luckiest bastard on the planet. And he is so fug. His eyes are, like, 2 inches apart. We were just watching the Laker game yesterday and remarking on how fortunate this dude is.

Oh, I'm sorry, food. Right. I'm down for the turkey sandwich!

 
At 10:58 PM, Blogger EatTravelEat said...

Food certainly looks great :). I've never seen complimentary apple fritters before at any restaurant! These look awesome.

Hmm...sandabs. I need to remember to try that soon at our local restaurant in the area which has it daily...

 
At 8:01 AM, Blogger Juliet said...

Casually glancing the title of your post, I thought I read "Ann Arobr", and then I thought "How dare he come to Ann Arbor and not tell me!" LOL

I usually don't like, but I love apple fritters. I also love working out afterwards. :-p

Anyway, it does indeed look lovely. :-)

 
At 10:32 AM, Blogger shavedicesundays said...

I choose the heart disease path!

 
At 11:42 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Remember Shenandoah Cafe in Belmont Shore? This is a sister restaurant. I had to look up the website to check, but it was the comp apple fritters and gave it away! I sure do miss that restaurant.

 
At 2:27 PM, Blogger elmomonster said...

Mark,

"That's what she said!"...sorry, that was me getting in touch with my immature side.

Annie,

I got the same traffic spike on my side from your link! So thanks right back at you!

Fat Duck is definitely already on my list. But French Laundry first, since I'll probably be able to afford the car trip to Napa before I can splurge on a plane ticket to England.

Also, I heard French Laundry just lost its chef de cuisine, Corey Lee, who's moving on to open his own place.

polar,

Two girls would do well to counterbalance any teasing by your buds. But then I guess we're not in gradeschool anymore.

Diana,

I'm surprised not more cops eat here, actually. Plus, a studly guy in uniform would be most welcome!

Melissa,

Who me? Nah...I don't watch Gilmore Girls. So I wouldn't know about how Luke stayed up all night to stitch up that tarp for Rory's going away party so that it wouldn't get rained on, and it made Lorelai all emotional because he's so the right guy for her after all that they've been through, especially that bit about his love child...*sniffle* *sniffle*...

No...I don't watch that show. Blech. That's for girls!

*wink*

EatTravelEat,

Yep! Although my friend Cecile told me about the fritters, I was still surprised how good (and free) they were!

Juliet,

If I were in Ann Arbor, I'd call you up and ask you to meet me at Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger. Verbal abuse loves company!

shavedicesundays,

So did I. Long ago. Which means, I don't have long at all. *knock on wood*

Anonymous,

Yep! Same family. And although I haven't tried the original, I bet the fritters are exactly the same.

 
At 7:35 AM, Blogger joanh said...

complimentary donuts?? that's worth the trip!

 
At 10:04 AM, Anonymous arifa said...

you have not lived until you have eaten their german butter cake.

 
At 9:02 AM, Blogger elmomonster said...

joanh,

As with all things free and deep-fried: Totally worth it!

arifa,

They were pushing the german butter cake when we were done eating, but we thoroughly stuffed ourselves to even think about doing anything else but sleeping.

If they want people to order desserts, they need to cut people off the free fritters at about two baskets. Of course, I don't want them to really do that.

 

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