Review: Blondie's, Big Bear Lake Village

Blondie's Steak House
Pine Knot Blvd
Big Bear Lake, California 92315
Cuisine: American
Features full bar

Food
Service
Price/Value
Atmosphere
Overall

We had mixed feelings as we put this review of Blondie's Steak House together. Our dining experience at Blondie's was plagued by several serious issues and we're going to be frank. We want to be fair in our explanation of what went wrong at this new Big Bear Lake restaurant, and we want Blondie's to know it is with concern that we point out the problems. We hope this review will help illuminate some trouble spots that if corrected may help improve diner's experience at Blondie's.

Appetizers


Creamy and rich homemade soup.


Cheddar Potato Soup with bacon and sausage.

The Soup Of The Day ($2.95) at Blondie's Steak House was a chunky and satisfying cream based soup. Of all the potatoes served to us on this visit, this soup had the most pleasant potato texture and flavor. We liked the aroma and mouthfeel of the base. It was slightly smoky. We were served this soup around seven o'clock and it was in great shape. There were no overcooked flavors distracting from the rich ingredients of this very pleasant, comforting soup.


Sampler Platter

Blondie's appetizer sampler features the standard line up of popcorn shrimp, chicken fingers, onion rings plus a signature offering, Blonde Bombshells with Chipotle Aioli ($8.95). The main problem with the platter that we were served was the uneven cooking of the fried foods. It's clear from the photograph that the onion rings were dark brown on one side and pale on the other. The onion inside was overcooked and so we stopped eating them. The popcorn shrimp had many soft and pale spots in the breading. We were left with the impression that they may have gone into the frier in clumps that weren't separated. The cocktail sauce had a horseradish kick but a juicy lemon wedge sadly, was not present. The chicken strips were pleasantly cooked and served with ranch dressing.



Blonde Bombshells

The platter's highlight are two whipped potato fritters called a Blonde Bombshells. Smoky bacon, cheddar cheese, green onion and chipotle chili stud the potato mixture and the Bombshells are rolled in a touch of parmesan cheese. They had an earthy taste that wasn't pleasant. We debated whether the light dirt flavor was from the potatoes or the scallions. What was less subtle was the gluey texture of the whipped potatoes. They were crisp on the outside. The taste and texture of the Bombshells on our platter we're not what we expected. We weren't sure if the aioli was freshly made, but the chipotle chile in it overwhelmed anything we put it on. It wasn't overly spicy, but the smokiness of the chipotle was very strong.


Entrees
Once again we apologize for the absence of entree pictures. We have discovered the technical problem with our camera and will make sure that all the pictures record for the next review

Blondie's Steak House has great looking steak selections on the cover of the menu, and when we asked our server what she recommended she strongly suggested the steaks. The head chef of Blondie's, Tom Ramirez has a solid reputation for selecting and cutting excellent beef. He's a grill master and we've experienced his finesse with beef at another location. We had no doubt that Chef Tom's steaks would be excellent but we both had prime rib over the holiday and wanted to try other things on the menu. We still have plans to return to Blondie's at a later time to give the steak dinners a try.

What we did sample on our visit to Blondie's was the Liver and Onions dinner ($9.95)and The Classic Burger ($6.50) with fries.


A very juicy burger patty

I hope you can see from the only surviving photograph of our entrees that this burger is juicy and thick. Seven ounces of fresh ground sirloin are hand pressed, charbroiled and served on an onion bun. The burger we were served was nicely cooked just a touch under medium. The quality of the ingredients are great. The main problem with this burger is that the meat seemed overworked. It had a meatball like texture. The bun was not extraordinary, it was a little disappointing because it reminded us of grocery store buns. The iceberg lettuce was crisp but the huge clump that was on it, hanging out over the sides of the burger was a pain to deal with. The tomatoes had a nice color and were flavorful. The fries were soggy and pale but had potential.

Liver and onions at Blondie's is sauteed in butter with onions and bacon. Like other dinner selections, it's served with soup of the day or salad and a choice of fries, garlic mashed or baked potato. The salad had iceberg lettuce as it's only green but it was very crisp, clean and had no signs of oxidation. The tomato, cucumber and croutons were all fresh. The blue cheese dressing was not sharply flavored.

The entree itself was shocking. This dish should have been sent back to the kitchen. The liver was much too overcooked. It had become leathery with a lot of black char here and there. The onions were undercooked in some spots and burned in others. The bacon crumbles didn't seem fresh. The garlic mashed potatoes were served bare and were far to dry. Similar to the Bombshells, the potato starch seemed to have broken down into a gluey, pasty state. They had a grayish color and were hardly edible. The green beans were mushy and falling apart on the fork. The plate was very crowded so it was hard to cut the meat and eat the sides without spilling a little.

Desserts


Blondie's Signature Dessert

We ordered the "Blondie of the Day" ($3.95) which was presented as two huge and thick blondies with chocolate hazelnut mousse in between and on top. Each day the chefs come up with a different flavor for the mousse. The dessert is huge but it's served on a tiny, little plate. We tried to keep it together but the whole thing toppled off the little plate and all over our table after we each had a couple of bites. The blondies are well over an inch thick, super-dense and chewy. It's not easy to get a fork through them. The mousse did not have the texture we were expecting. It seemed like lightly flavored whipped cream, soft and runny. The blondies have hints of butter, egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. We would have liked the blondie to be a little easier to chew and for the mousse to be more substantial in both flavor and texture.

Dining Experience Summary



Panoramic view of dishes and trash piled up next to our dessert.

Blondie's is tucked away inside of the mall it shares with Wings Jewelers. The parking lot entrance is only marked with a big X on the ground next to the jewelry store side. Don't pass it or you'll have to go around the block. Blondie's itself is in towards the back of the mall. It shares bathrooms with the mall.

The decor was very minimal. The menus were stylish, clean and well laid out. There is a large dining area and a generous sized room if you prefer tables rather than booths. Blondie's has a full bar to enjoy.

We ordered coffee and a glass of Coca-Cola when we sat down. The coffee served at Blondie's is a coffee concentrate. It has a strong flavor with a strong caffeine kick to match but coffee sticklers may miss fresh brewed coffee. They serve fresh half and half in a little cream pitcher. The Coke was as flat as it gets and overly sweet. You can see in the appetizer photos of the soup that there is not one bubble in our Coke. It came from the bar and it seemed like warm Coke poured over ice. I wasn't given a straw.

The food had problems, some were critical but it was the service that left us most concerned about the dining experience at Blondie's. Our server was nice but she didn't listen carefully to us. While we were deciding what to order she hovered but as soon as our food was served we didn't see her much. She never cleared one dish as our courses were served. She didn't return soon after our entrees were served to find out if everything was alright. We were done eating when she finally came back and asked us how everything was and if we needed anything else. I had made the mistake when we ordered of asking for a Classic cheese burger. I should have asked for a Cheese burger and I noticed right away so I corrected myself by adding that I wanted the burger that comes with cheese. When she asked how the meal was I told her I missed the cheese on the burger. She said but the Classic doesn't come with cheese. We understood that miscommunication, but when we mentioned the problems with the liver and onions and the sides that came with it, she just said she was sorry in a sheepish tone and left the plate sitting in front of us.

We ordered dessert and wondered if our table would be cleared off before it was served. Our server returned quickly with our Blondie of the Day and set it in the last little space on our table. She looked around and suggested that if we needed more napkins to just grab them from the empty seats next to us. She was about to leave when we asked if we could have refills on the coffee which had long been empty and she refilled our cups. We had our mishap with our toppling blondie tower and then waited and waited for our check.

We want to come back to Blondie's Steak House on our next round of reviews for steak dinners to give them a chance to show off what they probably do best. We've decided to hold off giving Blondie's their grade until we've tried their steak menu. Based on this experience I would recommend Blondie's to someone that wants a to duck out of the cold for a great cup or bowl of soup and a juicy burger while shopping or sight seeing in downtown Big Bear. Since Blondie's is hidden from the sidewalk foot traffic and it has such ample seating, you can dine in a set back and spacious environment.

Blondie's offers a light menu featuring Broiled Tilapia with Teriyaki Glaze ($9.95) and the Blondie Lou Shrimp and Crab Salad ($8.95) among other sensible selections. The kid's menu features all the favorites, Grilled Cheese and Fries, Chicken Dippers and Fries, Mac and Cheese and Kid's Burgers at $3.95 each for children under 12.

If you've dined at Blondie's Steak House in Big Bear Lake Village please post to tell us about your experience. If you would like us to review a restaurant in Big Bear Lake, California please leave your request.

Review: Nuevo Vallarta Grill, Big Bear Lake

Nuevo Vallarta Grill
40949 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, Ca 92315
Cuisine: Mexican
Beer and wine are served
Food: A
Service: A
Price/Value : A
Atmosphere: B+
(have to walk through kitchen for bathroom access)
Overall: A-

Nuevo Vallarta Grill struck us as the perfect Big Bear Lake, California restaurant to begin Big Bear Bite's reviews. The restaurant is tucked in the corner of shops at Big Bear Blvd. and Alden Road. Or as most phone book ads say, one block east of Big Bear Lake Village next to Sandy's. It seems many Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake residents haven't had a chance to try this charming restaurant.

We wanted to have a great dining experience for our money and our third visit to Nuevo Vallarta Grill did not disappoint. This restaurant gives every consideration to it's diners starting with the salsa bar.

Fresh Salsa Bar

Mild marinated vegetables, tomatillo/avocado salsa, medium salsa

All the offerings of Nuevo Vallarta Grill's ample salsa bar are lively with fresh flavors to please hot and mild salsa lovers alike. The salsa bar is always clean and full. The tortilla chips are ordinary but the highlights of the salsa bar shine through. The mild and tangy Tomatillo Salsa with huge chunks of fresh avocado is a treasure for green salsa fans and we give it an A. The Grilled Tomato Salsa is bursting with freshly grilled tomato flavor and a warming heat. The Tomato and Oregano Salsa is perfectly mild with sweet oregano flavor. Standards like pico de gallo, mild, medium, and hot salsas are all present and easy to reach. There are also marinated carrots and onions with or without jalapenos. Most salsa bars run out of carrots long before jalapenos and onions but this salsa bar avoids that with generous containers of hot or mild veggies. No fishing around a container of vinegar, onions and jalapenos for carrots. Brilliant! The refreshing looking bottles of Mexican sodas such as assorted Jarritos flavors and Senorial Sangria are cleverly placed alongside the salsas. The bottles are kept ice cold and we enjoyed sipping on sangria while waiting for the food to come.

Appetizers

Queso Fundido

Since the salsa bar has such tremendous appeal we thought we'd order the Queso Fundido appetizer for $5.99. The food service seems to always be in synch with the kitchen so the plate of bubbling Monterey jack cheese was lightly browned and piping hot when brought to the table. The mild cheese is a wonderful accompaniment to the bright flavors of the Grilled Tomato and the Tomato Oregano Salsas. Now that we're certain of the quality of the seafood from our combined experiences here at Nuevo Vallarta Grill we are looking forward to trying the Campechana (shrimp and octopus cocktail with cilantro, onion, tomato and avocado $9.99) on our next visit. As the weather turns colder here in Big Bear Lake the Chicken Tortilla Soup ($6.99) and 7 Mares Soup ($12.99) both sound inviting.

Tortas and Specialty Lunches and Dinners

(sorry the pictures were lost, perhaps Nuevo Vallarta Grill will allow us to stop in sometime to photograph some of their lovely entrees)

For our main courses we ordered the Carne Asada Torta for $6.99 and Camarones Tequila priced at $11.99. The carne asada steak served on this medium sized torta was just the same as the carne asada you'll get on the steak tacos (1.99) and no doubt the steak fajitas ($12.90). It was cooked tender and juicy, with lots of chargrilled flavor. This torta had a light lime twist to the meat. The lettuce, tomato, and onion were crisp. The avocado was bright green and spread on the soft roll. There was no mayonnaise on this torta and it wasn't missed one bit with the citrus and fresh vegetable flavors. We've seen much bigger tortas before but the excellence of the steak was still enjoyable. Not a bad dish at all, but many other selections on Nuevo Vallarta Grill's menu are hard to beat. My suggestion is to save the tortas for when you need to order something quick, to-go and you're tired of burritos.

There's something very special about chef Jesus Diaz's Camarones Tequila. It is apparent from the first bite of this shrimp dish that great care is taken to make sure the shrimp are cooked to perfection. The shrimp were firm and tender when bitten into, they were the definition of al dente. There was no hint of overcooked shrimp flavor at all. The flavor of the red sauce was mild yet rich. The complexity of the sauce hits the palete slowly while allowing the shrimp take center stage. This is not a cream sauce. You'll want to incorporate the remaining sauce into the rice, because the flavor is not one you'll want to leave on the plate.

The rice and beans are among the best you can get at any Mexican restaurant. The rice is beautifully cooked, fluffy and nicely seasoned. The beans are creamy and the cheese that tops them is of a good quality and completely melted. Sour cream and guacamole on the side and tortillas come with each entree.

On a prior visit we tried Mojarra Frita (deep fried tilapia for $10.99) and it was plump, flaky and moist. This seafood dish is one of Nuevo Vallarta's great values. The whole fish is presented on the plate from head to tail. The skin is crisp and delicate. It's a dish you have to work at to get the hidden chunks of meat, but the flavor is a great reward. We could tell that the fish was very fresh because it was firm and the taste was mild. It's priced a couple of dollars lower than a few other Big Bear City and Big Bear Lake restaurants that offer tilapia.

We've seen fajitas served three times to other tables and the presentation is exceptional. Again, the timing the food servers have with the kitchen makes this fajitas dish a sizzling announcement of excitement and all the diners have seemed thrilled with their fajitas entree. Expect to hear a lot of oohing and ahhing from the people that order any of Nuevo Vallarta's Trio of Fajitas dishes (steak $12.90, shrimp $12.99, chicken $12.99, or all three combined $14.99). The Fish Tacos ($2.00) are overflowing, tender and juicy. All the tacos have plenty of filling and range between $1.99 and $2.50.

We enjoyed a Coca-Cola from the fountain and a mug of coffee with our meal. The Coke had plenty of carbonation and the syrup was right on. The coffee was your average restaurant coffee but you could tell it was just brewed even though we forgot to ask our server to make sure it was fresh.


Dessert

The Diaz Family's Homemade Flan

Oh we didn't want to do it! We were much too full from the generous portions at Nuevo Vallarta for dessert, but you can't review a Big Bear Valley restaurant and not talk about the sweet endings that are offered.

We asked our gracious server if there was a dessert she recommended. She smiled proudly then quickly and confidently stated with a nod, "The Flan! It is homemade." Homemade flan? After one too many disappointing packaged style flans at restaurants we'd almost given up on finding that perfect, ultra-rich flan. As soon as our server mentioned the word homemade our curiosity was sparked. That charge of flan excitement was in the air. Once again Nuevo Vallarta didn't let us down. This is the kind of dense flan that your spoon sinks into as if it were diving into thick cheesecake. This flan was not like a wobbly cross between pudding and Jello hybrid. Presented in a large boat, rich vanilla custard with the aroma and taste of caramelized cane sugar is crowned with rosettes of freshly whipped cream. This is it, the real deal in flan. We have not had flan this good on the mountain before. If nothing else, go for the flan!

Dining Experience Summary

Nuevo Vallarta Grill is bigger inside than it looks outside. The interior is a little dim, but still lively with underwater murals and big comfortable chairs to sit down in. Each time we've visited there have been 4-5 tables full. There is a jukebox with a big selection of Spanish music. The entrance and dining areas are very clean. You have to walk through a passage that runs along the kitchen to reach the bathrooms but they are well stocked and clean. The air freshener isn't overpowering but does it's job. On your way to and from the kitchen you'll notice it appears to be a very traditional Mexican cocina. It is clean and easy to walk past.

The service here gets a big A for several reasons. Always friendly, the servers will ask you often if you need anything. They know the menu very well and offer helpful suggestions. As mentioned before they have their timing with the kitchen down pat. Both the front and back of house are paying attention to details here at Nuevo Vallarta Grill. The servers pre-bus the tables between courses at this restaurant. It was so pleasant to have the table cleared off before our dessert was served. Drinks are refilled quickly. Jesus and Elena Diaz, the owners of Nuevo Vallarta Grill frequently check on the diners. Each time we've been in Jesus has taken a break from cooking to walk through the dining room, graciously taking compliments and making sure everyone's happy with their food.

Elena Diaz mentioned that they will be removing some of the Americana menu selections such as the NY Steak with white rice and veggies in order to offer more of their traditional Mexican dishes. This is a decision we at Big Bear Bites applaud because Big Bear, California needs more offerings like the Diaz's traditional recipes. With Chef Diaz's flair for sauces we would love to see his interpretation of Pollo de Mole. He's established himself as an expert in selecting and preparing seafood, so any traditional Mexican dishes from the sea would be exciting new additions to Nuevo Vallarta Grill's already outstanding menu.




If you would like to share your experiences at Nuevo Vallarta Grill or you would like us to review other Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Fawnskin, Moonridge, or Boulder Bay restaurants please post your comments.

Biting Big Bear Lake, California

Big Bear Bites is a new website for locals and visitors to dish about their dining experiences. We welcome you to post food reviews for restaurants in;

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Boulder Bay
and more in California's Big Bear Valley and surrounding areas.

Then next time you dine out in the Big Bear Lake area, why not share your experience? Not only is it a great way to help people make dining decisions, you could let owners and managers of restaurants know how you’re being treated when they are away.

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