SideDoor

PICTURED (top to bottom): Restaurant Sign, Restaurant, Prime Rib Chili, Avocado Mash with Pita Chips, Arugula Salad, Fish and Chips, Prime Rib Sandwich, Beef Fat French Fries with Aioli.

We have been enjoying the Five Crowns in Corona Del Mar for years, and decided it was time to try their new SideDoor "gastropub". We have been reading a lot about it and gave it a quick look last time we were in the restaurant. It's very warm and cozy and oozes ambiance, just like the Five Crowns. Great food and good service help explain why it has become so popular. Everything is reasonably priced, so we decided to "graze" the menu.

Sweetie Pie started with the Avocado Mash with Pita Chips and her mother had the Arugula Salad. I started off with the Prime Rib Chili with Fried Onions. All three dishes were delicious, although the Chili could have been a little hotter. The ladies both ordered the Prime Rib Sandwich with Au Jus and Horseradish. The meat was tender, lean and succulent; but a little rare for the ladies liking. I ordered the Fish 'n Chips with Tartar Sauce. Perfectly prepared, delicious and, I feel, the hit of the evening. We also ordered the Beef Fat French Fries with Aioli. The order took seemingly forever to arrive. The server explained the Beef Fat Fries take a long time to cook. But they were very good-fresh, hot and crispy; and the Aioli dipping sauce was very tasty.

Tonight's SideDoor dinner gets two and a half thumbs up from the 3 Tubby Tummys.