Upland’s Fastfood Boulevard

Here’s a note from reader Wes Ray:

“You wrote an column a few months ago about Upland not changing the Foothill Boulevard name to Route 66. Since that time my wife and I have conducted a loose survey of Foothill Boulevard from Central Avenue to Grove Avenue.

“We have concluded that the City Of Gracious Living should rename Foothill Boulevard. Our choice would more appropriately fit the boulevard. Our choice is FASTFOOD BLVD, as we counted over 20 — as I recall, more like 30, but my wife didn’t want Upland to sound quite that trashy — fast-food restaurants on Foothill in the city.

“We saw only one restaurant, of any size, we would call a sitdown restaurant only. That was Coco’s at Euclid. We could have missed some minor sitdowns in the back of shopping centers, but if so they were unknown to us and we have lived in Upland since 1964.”

Wes, I appreciate your legwork, and I can understand your frustration at the numerous fast-food chains along the street. The days of the grand old restaurants in Upland seem to have passed: The Arbor, the Stuft Shirt, Lord Charlie’s, York’s, the Sage Hen, Noble Inn, etc., etc.

However, things aren’t as dire as you think. I can think of a bunch of sitdown restaurants along Foothill, although they may not be to your liking.

From memory, heading east from the city limits at Monte Vista:

New China, Joey’s BBQ, Buffalo Inn, Spaggi’s (which is one of the valley’s finest restaurants), Jarritos, Pho Century, Athens Gyro House, Kishi, Sizzler (still there, I think), Sushimaru, Brandon’s Diner, El Perico Ranchero and Thai Satay BBQ. Plus another three or four sushi bars whose names slip my mind.

I’m sure I’m leaving out a few more places where you order at your table rather than at a counter.

Still, Fastfood Boulevard does have a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

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Montclair Plaza at 40

It was on Aug. 3, 1968 — 40 years ago today — that Montclair Plaza opened for a sneak preview, prior to an Aug. 5 opening.

That’s the subject of today’s column — which you knew already, right?

Lots of you must have memories of the Plaza. Stores and restaurants you enjoyed over the years (Bob’s Big Boy, the Hollander Cafeteria…). Shopping trips from childhood. Movies you saw back when the Plaza had a couple of theaters. Features of the mall you liked — the big clock, for instance. If you’re old enough, you might have been around to know what life was like before the mall, or what opening day was like.

So post away and we can create a sort of informal history of Montclair Plaza.

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Charles Phoenix and the Monorail

A fair-sized crowd turned out Thursday evening for the Charles Phoenix slide show at Fairplex’s NHRA Museum. I was told that 60 or 70 people, or more than half, had reserved spots after seeing a mention in Wednesday’s column, which was nice to hear. Nobody glared at me afterward so they must have had a good time.

Phoenix narrated vintage slides from his collection of various Pomona and Ontario landmarks. Among them: Tate Cadillac, Sears, Vince’s Spaghetti, the Fox Theater, Betsy Ross, the Agitator Shop, the Valley Drive-In, Donahoo’s Chicken and L.A. County Fair attractions such as the Fun Zone, the Flower and Garden Pavilion, the Clock Tower, the Garden Railroad, the Grandstand and the Monorail.

Ah, yes, the Monorail. It was built in 1962 — “Richard Nixon rode on it,” Phoenix said — and removed in the 1990s. It hung from an overhead track and plied the fairgrounds. The original design was by sculptor John Svenson, of all people.

A success? Not exactly.

“They forgot one thing. There was no air conditioning,” Phoenix said. “And the windows didn’t open.” As Quizno’s likes to say: “Mmmm…toasty.”

Anyone ever ride the fair’s monorail? And do you know if the ski lift replaced it and follows the same route?

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Restaurant of the Week: Wapango

CLOSED

This week’s restaurant: Wapango, 7881 Monet Ave., Rancho Cucamonga.

Wapango, an upscale, pan-Latin restaurant in Victoria Gardens, had a low-key opening July 7 before a grand opening this month as they work out the kinks.

A friend and I had dinner there Monday. Wapango is a Texas-based chain and this is its second California location, next door to Gyu-Kaku and near Fleming’s. The ceiling is industrial-looking, the floor is bare concrete and the hanging fixtures, booths and walls are colorful and stylish. Very modern interior.

We were seated in a crescent-shaped booth with a screen behind it, orange plastic and brown wood in vertical slats. Kinda cool. Service was good because our waiter confided we were his only table.

The menu features various Mexican, Cuban and South American dishes in new combinations. I’d compare it to Border Grill in Santa Monica; it’s not to that level but the comparison may be helpful.

My friend had spinach and black bean enchiladas with rice and slaw ($14) and I had the Wapango tropical salad ($16). There’s a full bar as well. She had a Cazadores margarita ($11), which was too sweet; the waiter volunteered to exchange it for a Patron ($12), which was much better. Me, I had an iced tea.

My salad arrived on a plate roughly 12 by 12 inches and looked lovely: Romaine lettuce (not very much, frankly) topped with orange and mango slices, raspberries, strawberries and large grilled shrimp. I really liked it — it was very fresh and flavorful — and our waiter said he thinks it will become a favorite.

The enchiladas came on a large oblong platter and my friend thought they were all right, although the cream sauce was on the heavy side. (It was the only vegetarian dish on the menu, which seems awfully limited for 2008.)

Personally I thought the entrees were too large; I could eat only half my salad, taking the rest home. But that’s how it is at a lot of restaurants anymore, and my friend thought my objection was silly. So take that for whatever it’s worth.

No room for dessert, especially with the free rolls, served with tapenade and pico de gallo. I recommend Wapango, which I’d judge one of the VG’s half-dozen best restaurants.

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