It’s been a week since I’ve eaten at Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern (3325 E. Imperial Hwy, Brea, CA 92823; 714.733.1310) in Brea. My mouth can’t stop watering as I think about my time there. This restaurant specializes in taking American regional comfort food and putting an ‘Artisanal’ spin on it. Let’s be honest, I’ve heard this before. I was expecting to get some regular dishes with a few extra spices added to them and voilà – my meal was now classified as ‘Artisan.’ Thankfully, I was wrong.
JFAT mixes flavors I would never have thought to. The Town Dock Calamari is cooked with Sage, Rosemary, Serrano Chiles and Remoulade. Take all the yummy goodness of calamari and add an explosion of flavor in your mouth. Delicious! The Charred Brussel Sprouts were the perfect combo of sweet and savory. The Signature Santa Fe Caesar salad was next. Just when we thought the dish couldn’t get any better, we added seared ahi tuna.
While I was busy tearing up the salad, my friend was digging into the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, complete with mashed potatoes and green beans. This chicken was more than just finger-lickin good as the plate was cleaned. Being so close to the holidays, we had to try their special turkey and mashed potato sandwich with mashed sweet potatoes cranberry sauce and brussels on the side. All I can say is imagine Thanksgiving on a sandwich.
By now, the food coma was about to set in, but we HAD to taste dessert. What other way can you end a fabulous meal, than splitting the Jimmy’s ‘Old School’ – JFAT’s hot fudge sundae, atop two homemade, warm chocolate chip cookies.
I’m already thinking about my next visit to Jimmy’s Famous American Tavern. Next time, I’ll be ordering a flatbread and more sandwiches. Oh, and I’ll be getting the calamari again – it was just THAT good!
