RESTAURANT REVIEW:

The Shore House Café is the warm, ratty blanket that you have had for years and swear you are going to throw out, but can never seem to part with no matter how many times you say you will.

My first experience with the all-night café was when I was going to Long Beach State University in the late ‘80s.

I didn’t study much and was too busy hustling poker and pool to pay for my education. After those pursuits it was usually late at night and most places were closed.

The Shore House in Long Beach was open 24 hours so my friends and I would go over there and eat with the winnings I had made. It was a nice luxury compared to the dorm food we were forced to eat.

What was so appealing then is the same thing that has kept college students and bar hoppers coming back for decades — cheap food and plenty of it. The food was greasy and the portions huge, and it was the perfect antidote to sop up the alcohol.

Now my tastes have graduated, and my selections at Shore House have gotten a little bit more sophisticated.

That doesn’t mean I can’t find anything on the menu. There are 11 pages of food and if you can’t find something here, you never will.

With the Huntington Beach location within walking distance from my house, I have gone there several times for breakfast but have also swung by for lunch.

It doesn’t matter if I show up at breakfast because most of the menu is available, so often I get something besides eggs and bacon.

The breakfast menu isn’t bad. I like the eggs Benedict, and there is a cool variation of the Marco Polo, which has broccoli spears added to it. The eggs Florentine are also really good.

The omelets and stuffed croissants are great deals. Both have ingredients like ham, mushrooms, bell peppers and tomatoes. They are both $6.95 and come with home fries, hash browns or pancakes.

I often bypass the breakfast items when I go in the morning because I am such a fan of some of the sandwiches.

One is the filet of Dover sole. It is under the vegetarian offerings, though I don’t think PETA would agree with the classification. The sandwich is on a croissant or ciabatta roll with melted cheddar and a chipotle mayonnaise.

Another sandwich I like is the Philly Hoagie. The steak is thinly sliced just like it should be, though I ask for Provolone cheese rather than the jack cheese it usually comes with it.

The appetizer menu is as big as some restaurant’s entrée selections. There are 21 of them and include the standard fare, such as nachos, potato skins and mozzarella sticks.

A couple options are intriguing. Try the New England-style Lump Crab Cakes served with creamy roasted red-pepper roulade — it’s made with real snow crabs.

Another appetizer I had never seen was deep-fried artichoke hearts. They are served with lemon butter, fresh garlic and melted mozzarella, and the trio of tastes disguise the gritty taste of artichokes.

Other choices include deep-fried mahi mahi bites, which are beer-battered and very tasty but a little too greasy. The other is tender prime rib strips, sliced and served in au jus with horseradish and garlic bread.

The entrees I’ve had there have been hit and miss. The pork chops were a little chewy when I had them, but the filet mignon brochette was actually quite tender.

The stone-hearth pizzas are very popular, and there are several to choose from. You can also make your own pizza. I liked the White House, which has Alfredo sauce, chicken breast sautéed with fresh spinach and feta cheese.

The outdoor dining is nice, and they are pretty relaxed about tying up a dog to a chair while you enjoy your meal. The restaurant is up from the craziness of Main Street and is always a good option for any meal.

THE SHORE HOUSE CAFE

ADDRESS: 520 Main St., Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 960-8091

WEBSITE: www.theshorehousecafe.com

CUISINE: American

SPECIALTY DISH: The renowned Shore House Burger

ALCOHOL SERVED: full bar

ENTRÉE PRICE RANGE: $5.45 to $18.95

FAMILY FRIENDLY: yes

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: Visa, MasterCard, American Express

RATING: ***

JOHN REGER reviews local restaurants and may be contacted at Nolimepublishing@aol.com or P.O. Box 2984, Seal Beach, CA 90740.