The chain, now named Anchor Blue, was launched in 1972 with locations in Ontario, Pomona, Upland and El Monte, although its roots go back to 1948 in Ontario. My Sunday column has details on that. Check out this November 1972 ad from the Ontario Daily Report. For a larger view, click on the image. And thanks to Kelly Zackmann of the Ontario Library for the ad.
Monthly Archives: October 2010
Unconstant comment
As you may have experienced yourself already, we’re having some commenting problems of late on various Bulletin blogs (sigh), so if yours won’t go through, it’s probably our fault, not yours. It’s being worked on.
Our tech folks say PC users with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome or Safari as their browser are having trouble. That’s basically every browser, isn’t it? It’s still possible to slip one through but it may take several attempts. Don’t blame you if it’s not worth your time. I left a comment on RC Now the other day and it required seven tries.
If all else fails, e-mail your comments to me at david.allen (at) inlandnewspapers.com and I’ll post them manually when I get home, where I have a Mac. And thank you for your patience.
Restaurant of the Week: Vince’s Spaghetti, RC
Vince’s Spaghetti, 8241 Foothill Blvd. (at San Bernardino Road), Rancho Cucamonga
While I prefer the Holt Boulevard Vince’s in Ontario for history, as it’s been there since 1945, the location in Rancho Cucamonga, known as the Route 66 Vince’s, is closer to the newspaper, and thus more convenient at lunchtime.
By this point the upstart, in operation since 1984, is starting to feel historic too. The high-backed wooden booths are private and some are capped by the top of a wine barrel, stamped name faded but visible.
The food, of course, is the same. The In-N-Out of pasta, Vince’s has six menu items, and I don’t know that anyone orders one of them, Victoria’s antipasto salad. Actually, this Vince’s has a dinner item known as mostasagna, a combination mostaccioli and lasagna, unique to this location.
On a recent visit, a friend had his standby, a half-order of spaghetti with meat sauce ($8), which comes with soup or salad and bread, either garlic or cheese. Having been there fairly recently for spaghetti, I plowed new territory and finally tried the french dip ($7) with soup.
Have you had the Vince’s french dip? That was the main item when Vince’s opened as a six-stool dip stand. As a history on the website says, “If Frank Cuccia’s uncle hadn’t eaten a plate of his grandmother’s spaghetti in front of the customers, Vince’s Restaurant might still be a French Dip Stand.”
The sandwich turned out to be tender and delicious, even better when dipped in the au jus. I began wondering if they don’t put a little extra care into the dips simply because it’s more of a specialty item. In any event, while I dote on the pasta, the french dip may be Vince’s secret weapon. Why, it might almost be the “revelation in taste” the menu quaintly promises about the cheese bread.
MDs must groom themselves
Farewell, Mel’s
No, U-Haul wasn’t expecting drive-up service. Mel’s Drive-In, the ’50s diner inside an ’08 shopping center across from Ontario Mills (but technically within Rancho Cucamonga), closed Sunday. On Tuesday, items from the drive-in were loaded and driven out. Read more about Mel’s in my Wednesday column. I miss Mel’s already.
Lesser of two evils?
Back to work
It was a rainy week off, but it was a week off, and that’s always good. I reread “Fahrenheit 451” (Pomona’s Big Read choice), saw “The Marriage of Figaro” by LA Opera and the concert by The National in Pomona, tried four new restaurants for upcoming Restaurant of the Week entries, threw out a bunch of stuff at home, and basically just relaxed and caught up on personal business.
Readers, I hope our week apart went well for you too — but not too well.
‘Psycho’ correction
Sunday’s screening time at the Fox Theater in Pomona is 2 p.m. My column gave a later time, taken from old information. Sorry for the mistake.
Did you know that since “Psycho” was released in 1960, this is its 50th anniversary? As part of the hoopla, Janet Leigh’s body double from the shower scene, Marli Renfro, is scheduled to show up at the Fox to sign a new book, “The Girl in Alfred Hitchcock’s Shower.” Let’s hope she has the correct time.
Staycation
I’m taking the week off to relax, so no further blog posts are planned this week. However, you’ll still find columns on Wednesday and Sunday in the paper or online this week. You get a break on Friday.
Wednesday’s column is all items. I wrote it last Thursday and Friday. Sunday’s is a followup about the long-gone restaurant Henry’s. I wrote it in August but put it on hold, under the theory that since I’m a little sheepish about writing more on that topic, it would be a good piece to run during a vacation!
I’ll continue checking in here as blog moderator to publish your comments.
Inside PFF
Above is David Armstrong on the main floor of the old PFF Bank at 399 N. Garey Ave., Pomona, gazing at the Millard Sheets mural, which has been written about in this space previously.
Armstrong, who bought the building from the FDIC, is offering tours of the building from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday. You can also be an armchair tourist by reading my Sunday column about the building and Armstrong’s plans.
Below is a view from the bank’s roof, looking south. In order from front to rear, you can see the Metrolink depot, the construction-shrouded Chase Bank (formerly Home Savings) and the Fox Theater.