Chelsea: Fine Dining for Any Occasion

Everybody in Glendora knows that if you want an elegant meal, you have to drive out to Pasadena, right?  That is only the case if you have not discovered Chelsea Restaurant.

Tucked away in the Stater Bros. strip mall on Lone Hill and Route 66, Chelsea’s dining room has a cozy Euro bistro feel to it, with wood paneled booths and oversized art on the walls. The décor is as eclectic as the menu, which ranges from Italian to Asian to American. 

The diverse range of cuisines is not surprising given the international backgrounds of the owners, Norman and Maggie Cheng.  Norman, who oversees the food, hails from Hong Kong and honed his culinary arts in Europe, while Maggie, who is from Malaysia, manages the front (and brings in the art from her homeland).

We first discovered Chelsea shortly after we moved here when we visited after Christmas Eve church services. We innocently ordered my then 3-year-old daughter the steamed clams appetizer.  What was presented to her was a gargantuan bowl of steamed clams in a white wine garlic broth with shiitake mushrooms and spinach, blanketed with a massive mound of bread crust. 

It was quite a comical sight to see her, wide-eyed, peering over the top of the bowl that was bigger than she was.  She proceeded to devour every single clam and it has become our Christmas Eve tradition to visit and order the “appetizer” for her every year.

On this day, my husband and I were simply looking for a pleasant lunch.  After we were seated and ordered, we were served hot garlic rolls—soft yeast rolls, tossed with olive oil, Parmesan cheese, garlic and fresh parsley.

I splurged and ordered the lunch special ($13.95), which included soup or salad, an entrée and a non-alcoholic drink.  The smooth, creamy clam chowder with chunks of potatoes, onions and celery featured fresh, whole clams that practically dissolved in my mouth.  Topped with parsley, basil and croutons, each bite was buttery decadence.

My ribeye steak was grilled to a medium rare, served with a savory cabernet reduction and topped with green onions and capers.  Like most of Chelsea’s dishes, the 8 to 10 ounce slab of juicy goodness was too hefty to polish off in one sitting (a nearby diner’s lasagna was almost as big as a baby’s head…but more appetizing).  The side vegetables were lightly sautéed in butter and the silky mashed potatoes had just enough tiny lumps to divulge their homemade status.

My husband chose the prosciutto calzone ($14.50), a football-sized garlic Parmesan crust stuffed with salted cured ham, gooey mozzarella, red onions, basil, tomato, lightly sprinkled with parsley.  Somehow, he managed to clean his plate (barely).

Besides the lunch specials, which are a fantastic deal, Chelsea offers early bird specials from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., which are an even better deal (they include dessert). Whether you are celebrating a special occasion or simply desire to sate your hunger with an overabundance of excellent food, Chelsea is the place to visit.

Chelsea

Address: 1810 E. Route 66, Glendora, CA  91740
Business Hours: Sunday 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., 4:30 pm – 9 p.m.; Monday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

Phone Number: 626-914-0089
Website: www.chelsearestaurantca.com
Price Range: $4.95 - $27.95
Type of Cuisine:  Eclectic California Cuisine
Standout Dish:  Three Cheese Baked Penne Pasta