Two choices for chicken

Greer Wylder

Costa Mesa residents have seen their share of roasted-chicken chain

restaurants -- Koo Koo Roo, El Pollo Loco and Charo Chicken, just to

name a few.

Yet none match the perfectly grilled chickens at two local

originals, Super Pollo and BC Broiler. Each proudly says it has only

one location.

BC Broiler opened in 1985. Its flaming-hot rotisserie grill,

visible from Newport Boulevard, is its best advertisement, attracting

hungry customers.

Owner Mehdi Kazerooni had an engineer design the giant rotisserie

oven, which still works perfectly. It holds 64 chickens, and it turns

all day.

“People think the difference in the taste of chicken is the

marinade,” Kazerooni said. “It’s not. It’s a lot of little things.

It’s the kind of chicken, washing and removing extra fat, adding

sauce while it’s cooking, and the boiling juices that make it tasty

and tender.

“This is the best chicken ever.”

BC Broiler uses natural California chickens, not southern chickens

that Kazerooni said are usually pumped with hormones. After the

chickens marinate in lemon, herbs and garlic, they’re served with a

choice of sauces -- lemon, garlic, butter or barbecue.

BC Broiler also offers burgers and beef ribs.

“When we first opened, the Mesa Theatre was next door,” Kazerooni

said. “We weren’t sure what customers would want, so we’ve always

offered alternatives to chicken.”

BC Broiler’s menu includes a quarter-chicken ($4.99), a

half-chicken ($6.99) and a whole chicken ($11.49). Sides include

rice, refried or pinto beans, tortillas, salsas and guacamole. There

are also variations on a chicken and ribs combo ($8.49 to $20.99)

with beans and rice, tortillas, salsa and guacamole.

Also available are burritos ($1.95 to $6.49), chicken or shredded

beef tacos ($2.69 to $4.19) and freshly made coleslaw and tortilla

chips. Beer, wine and sodas are available.

The restaurant seats about 50 people.

*

When Juan Delgado opened Super Pollo in 1984, it was, in his

words, “the first charbroiled chicken place in Orange County.”

A native of Michoacan, Mexico, Delgado missed the cooking of his

mother and grandmother.

“At the time, everything was burgers and fried foods,” Delgado

said. “I was looking for a nice healthy meal. It was kind of hard to

find, so the idea came to me to open a place that served chicken that

was so good, so healthy, like in Mexico.”

Delgado said he prefers moist and juicy flame-grilled chicken, not

rotisserie-style, and that his flavors are unique. He serves chicken

four ways -- with garlic, lemon and butter; with lemon and butter;

lemon only; or without seasonings.

Delgado cooks 3 1/2 - to four-pound top quality fresh chickens,

and he also grills carne asada (with his secret recipe) and fresh

fish.

“I only buy what’s best in the market,” Delgado said. “It has to

be ahi or mahi mahi or we don’t have fish.”

Delgado works and eats every day at Super Pollo and loves every

minute of it.

“This is my dream,” Delgado said. “I enjoy working and nothing

makes me feel better than to see my customers happy.”

At Super Pollo, salsa, rice and beans, and guacamole are made

twice daily. Delgado said he won’t cook with lard, opting for

high-quality vegetable oil.

Five breakfast choices are available 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday. The super breakfast quesadilla is like no other --

cheese, scrambled eggs, hash browns, and a choice of bacon, chorizo,

machaca or chicken ($3.89). There is also a great breakfast burrito

with potatoes, beans, cheese, scrambled eggs, and a choice of bacon,

chorizo, machaca or chicken ($3.89).

Super Pollo has large portions, perfect for family-style eating.

It offers nine combination plates, all served with rice, beans, fresh

salsa, guacamole and tortillas. Choices range from a whole chicken

combo ($13.99) to a super taco combo with choice of grilled chicken

or carne asada ($3.49).

Large chicken packs offer from 12 pieces ($20.98) up to 28 pieces

($48.96) and include rice, beans, guacamole and tortillas. Other menu

items include oversized taquitos with chicken or beef ($3.99); a wet

burrito with mole sauce and melted cheese ($5.69); and carne asada

nachos ($6.49).

Modestly decorated, Super Pollo’s kitchen takes up twice as much

space as its seating, so takeout is understandably most popular.

There are only four tables inside, and three tables outside.

No beer and wine served here. Super Pollo serves nonalcoholic

drinks, including Orange Bang, Pina Colada, Tamarindo, Jamaica and

Horchata, along with sodas.

* BEST BITES runs every Friday. Greer Wylder can be reached at

greerwylder@yahoo.com; at 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626;

or by fax at (714) 966-4679.