I used to live in Orange County, but I hadn’t been to OC in years and when I went back it seemed like all the best places had met the bulldozer. RIP Lil’ Dudes, Delany’s and many others.
The place I am interested in was there for many years, in a pink building across from Target. It was famous for “big food”. The Rams Football team was always kicking off the season by eating there. You could get ribs there and it was like the Flintstones title, the damn things would tip over your car made of stone, they were that huge and meaty. I still can’t figure out where they got the brontosaurus. Anyway, it’s gone now, and we have another big stupid hotel there instead, but it bugs me that I can’t remember the name of the place.
So does anyone remember the place, and most importantly the name? Thanks!
That’s funny.
Belisle’s may well be the only restaurant that I’ve ever eaten at in Orange County. I still tell people about the over-the-top portions, and how the straws in the Iced Tea were two feet long. They’re gone, huh?
I remember seeing the article in the Orange County Register (ocregister.com) so I did a search in their archives. I’m not going to pay $1.95 to see the archived article, but here’s the synopsis:
NEWS FOCUS
FAREWELL TO BIG EATER’S FRIEND
DINING: The owners of Belisle’s say redevelopment led to the 43-year-old restaurant’s demise.
February 11, 1998
Byline: MUHAMMED EL-HASAN
The Orange County Register
After 43 years of serving up giant helpings of meatloaf, root beer floats and chocolate cake 24 hours a day, an Orange County landmark older than Disneyland has closed its doors. Belisle’s Restaurant, a conspicuously pink stucco building at Harbor Boulevard and Chapman Avenue, closed without fanfare at 9 p.m. on Feb. 1. The owners, Harry and Carmen Roos, blame declining business but have left open the prospect of reopening either in the same location or elsewhere.
Story appeared in the METRO section I.D. number: 1002019 Number of words: 830