STEPHEN SANTACROCE -- Dining Review

Food and dining are very personal experiences to me, and I think that

some of the best chefs are as much creating art as any painter or

sculptor. Which is why I am often skeptical of corporation-owned chain

restaurants, where it often seems that profits and conformity take a

front seat over creativity and individuality.

It’s always exciting to find those chains that can prove me wrong,

offering a fine dining experience that’s fresh and appetizing. P.F.

Chang’s is an example of this, and so are the restaurants owned by

Houston’s Restaurant Corp.

Houston’s, in Irvine, is always popular with the business lunch crowd,

and Cowboy Seafood in Corona del Mar, although pricey, still attracts the

dressed-to-impress Newport Beach scene.

Recently I’ve been going back to Bandera in Corona del Mar, another

Houston’s Corp. offering that I used to think of as the Irvine Houston’s

little brother. I always enjoyed dining on Bandera’s offerings, and my

latest visits proved to be no less enjoyable.

Indeed, Bandera has “grown up” and created its own niche, separate

from its siblings. The menu has been revamped, and most of the items

duplicated from Houston’s are gone.

The restaurant itself has a rustic, hunting lodge air about it.A large

wooden bar dominates the center of the main room, surrounded by

comfortable leather booths. At the back of the restaurant is the large,

open kitchen, where a team of chefs is always busy over the mesquite

grills.

The twentysomething cocktail crowd has taken a liking to the bar, and

there can be quite a wait on a Friday or Saturday for a table. Bandera

doesn’t take reservations. A cold martini or lemon drop prepared by one

of the able bartenders is a good way to ease the wait, and the bar is

usually hopping with eager diners.

Chef Nancy Martin has kept the menu small, focusing on simple American

dishes with Southwestern and Cajun influences popping up every now and

then.

Two items from the starters section stand out above the rest: the

artichoke ($8) and the corn bread ($5/skillet, $1/piece). The former is

a large artichoke that is first steamed, then split in two and grilled

over mesquite. The grilling adds both texture and taste.

The corn bread comes to the table warm in a cast-iron skillet. This

dense, sweet bread is loaded with fresh corn kernels and has a moist

center surrounded by golden brown crunchy edges. It’s delicious comfort

food at its best. I’ve never seen a skillet go back to the kitchen with

leftovers.

While the food may be comforting, the service isn’t always so. It’s

more in the approach than the personnel. The staff is pleasant enough,

but the restaurant (and all Houston’s restaurants) uses a tag-team

approach that has several servers covering a group of tables. I find it

confusing to have different people coming over for my order or bringing

my food. While I’m sure the system is designed to be efficient, quite

often orders are forgotten or confused with another table.

It’s hard to walk in to Bandera, or drive by for that matter, and not

notice the large wood fire rotisserie that takes up an entire corner of

the restaurant. It’s here that the signature roasted chickens

($12/dinner, $9 whole chicken to go) are cooked -- row after row of

golden birds slowly turning on spits over an open fire. The rotisserie is

glassed in both inside the restaurant and on the external wall, and smoke

drifting out of the corner chimney carries the enticing aroma of roasting

meat to passing drivers.

I’ve more than once entertained the fantasy of crashing my car into

the window, grabbing a bird, and speeding away, gnawing on the juicy meat

with one hand as I elude the authorities with the other. Fortunately, I

can just sneak in and grab a table or a seat at the bar and enjoy the

herb-seasoned meat. It’s served with deliciously creamy mashed potatoes

($2 a la carte) that are laced with sauteed leeks. This is my idea of

American cooking at its best.

Other entrees mirror the concept of simple preparations served in

ample portions. Pork tenderloin ($18) is barbecued in a honey glaze and

served sliced with the same mashed potatoes. Or try it with the roasted

peanut cole slaw -- the addition of roasted peanuts elevates this creamy

standard to new levels.

The cole slaw is also served with the beef ribs ($18),

fall-off-the-bone tender back ribs served in a portion that would make

Fred Flintstone proud.

Seafood offerings include barbecued salmon ($20) served with fresh

vegetables or the grilled fish, a selection that changes daily and is

priced to market.

The wine list at Bandera is pretty basic. A decent selection of

California bottles are offered, most of which are also available by the

glass. The prices are reasonable, such as a bottle of Cambria Chardonnay

for $26, and the selection, while small, complements the menu well.

Bandera offers only two desserts ($6 each) -- a homemade Oreo

ice-cream sandwich and a sinful banana-cream pie with homemade caramel

and crushed chocolate. Either choice is satisfying, and both are served

in portions large enough to share with several others.

I’ve never been disappointed at Bandera. The service may be a bit

corporate for my taste, but the food is consistently good and the prices

are refreshingly reasonable. It’s the perfect choice for that weeknight

dinner out, when a cold cocktail and some good comfort food is the

perfect end to a hectic workday.

* STEPHEN SANTACROCE’S restaurant reviews appear every other Thursday.

Send him your comments at food_critic@hotmail.com.

FYI

WHAT: BanderaWHERE: 3201 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar

WHEN: 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and

Saturday, 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Sunday

HOW MUCH: Moderate

CALL: (949) 673-3524