Monday, July 3, 2017

The Offspring’s lead vocalist and Lit’s guitar player make culinary music at The Slidebar in Fullerton, California


The menu items in this post were provided by The Slidebar but the opinions expressed here are my own.

The Slidebar has been a favorite of mine for years. Even with changes to the menu and executive chefs, The Slidebar keeps the beat with its rock-n-roll kitchen. The building itself has a bit of historic meaning to me. When I attended Fullerton College, one of my art classes had an art opening in this very building, once known as The Hub. The Slidebar revamped the space with an upbeat, rocking vibe with indoor and outdoor seating and bartenders making drinks until the wee hours of the morning. They also have a lot of concerts here from cover bands to well-known OC bands.

If you didn’t know, The Slidebar is owned by Jeremy Popoff, guitarist of Lit. They have joined forces with Gringo Bandito owned by Dexter Holland, lead vocalist of The Offspring, for an new menu item called the Cali Bandito Tacos ($9.95). This deconstructed take on the California Burrito starts with handmade tortillas loaded with marinated carne asada kicked up with Gringo Bandito hot sauce folded into melted cheddar cheese, crispy French fries, and finished off with sour cream and avocado. This was a huge portion for lunch or dinner with three tacos, chips, salsa, and side of beans. The tacos were meaty but the “cali” addition of French fries plateaus the flavor the steak. But after adding a bit more Gringo Bandito red sauce to the tacos, it punched up the flavor bringing the beefy flavor forward. Modern Times Beer’s Booming Rollers is a hoppy citra IPA and paired well with the tacos. Even though it was a spring ale, it had a lot of summer facets to it like citrus flavor, mellow hoppiness, and floral aroma. Rating: 4/5

If you are not into meat, there is a vegetarian version made with Portobello mushrooms. I am not a vegetarian, but these tacos are GOOD! I actually liked them better than the carne asada. The mushrooms acted like sponges and absorbed the marinade better. The flavor was locked in versus the carne asada where it caramelized on the outside and lost some flavor in the cooking process. Modern Times Beer’s Booming Rollers also paired well with this version. Rating: 4.8/5

Here are some other items to try:

Nachos ($13.95 for full order, $8.95 for half order) are a bed of white corn tortilla chips topped with your choice of chicken breast or steak, house-made refried beans, red salsa, queso fresco, Monterey jack and cheddar cheeses, pico de gallo, and sour cream. I have to say, the full order was HUGE! It is an item to share with friends while drinking or before dinner. The cheese was perfectly melty and gooey. The steak was seasoned to perfection with a meaty bite. I loved that the chips stayed crispy and stood up to all the toppings without getting soggy. The salsa was a bit light in flavor but we punched it up with some Gringo Bandito. Rating: 4.7/5

Cowboy From Hell ($13.95) is a half-pound burger topped with Velveeta cheddar, jalapenos, lettuce, tomato, and finished with BBQ sauce, habañero aioli, and crispy onions. The guys in Pantera would say that this burger kicks ass! Your taste buds will feel like they are in a fiery, spicy mosh pit. I love spicy so this may be too hot for the novice. The burger was sloppy so get those napkins ready and the heat lingers so have a cold, tasty beverage at hand. The fries were excellent, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Rating: 4.8/5

If you are looking for some tasty eats, whether you like it hot or not, get your taste buds rocking at The Slidebar!

Specials:

  • Taco Tuesdays – Tacos starting at $1, $2 domestic draughts and $5 margaritas from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m.
  • Kids Eat Free – Wednesday nights from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Sunday Brunch – Mimosas & BBQ from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.


Ambiance: 5 out of 5
Décor: 5 out of 5 stars
Service: 5 out of 5 stars
Food: 5 out of 5 stars

For more information:
122 E. Commonwealth Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832
+1.714.871.7469
Reservations: First come, first serve
Hours: Monday – closed; Tuesday and Wednesday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thursday and Friday from 12 p.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. 2 a.m., Sunday 10 a.m. 2 a.m.
Dog-friendly: Not sure, check with hostess

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The Slidebar Rock-N-Roll Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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