Casa Orinda Restaurant

Hard call, wanted to love this place more.  TV hypes places up too much , people go in with greater than normal expectations and then are let down.  Veggies and the like, mashed potatoes a little too mediocre and blah.  Fried Chicken was a stand out star but nothing else was.  So 4 for the chicken and wish I could give 5 for everything else, but, here's hoping they will change things around.

Why don't they call this place casa fried chicken? Their fried chicken is finger licking deliciousness. The mashed potato and mixed vegetables that came with it was ok. The chicken is the definite star. The biscuits were pretty good but once you put the local honey on top, I could probably eat a basket full.

I hadn't eaten in Casa Orinda  regularly for about 25 years or so.  I'd always meant to but seldom get to Orinda anymore.  My group was looking for a place near the BART and I suggested Casa Orinda.  Since a couple of members of the gang used to live in Orinda they knew the place so it was an easy choice.  You know something.  The place is pretty darn good.  This is not fine cuisine type dining where the chefs try to impress you by their creativity with mixing culinary traditions with small portions that are exquisite and small.  This is hearty, belt busting good old American style food.  I took a look at some of the other reviews and got a kick out of a ding-dong who gave it a bad review because it didn't serve Mexican food and "Casa" is in the name.  Well, duh,  the Casa Orinda has been there since Orinda was a cow town off the beaten path in  1932 and has never been a Mexican restaurant.  The "hearty" menu of big portions of meat, fried chicken, and potatoes has been a staple of theirs for 80 years.  About 50 years ago they had an Italian Chef and Italian dinner staples were added to the menu.  My friend and I had the Chicken Saltimbocca and we cleaned our plates and even ate the broccoli.  It was hearty, hot, and tasty.  My other friend next to me had a prime rib.  It was a huge piece of meat and perfectly cooked.  He finished everything on the plate except the bone.  A couple of people had the famous fried chicken (which is supposedly what they're known for).  They told me that the chicken was perfectly seasoned, not too dry and not too wet not glamorous but just right.

Other things of note: bread was fresh and warm, ambiance was typical roadhouse with a cowboy/ranch motif from the days it catered to local ranches.  Parking is valet (although there is street parking if you're patient).  We did not have coffee or dessert so no opinion on that.  Our water glasses were kept full and the bartender mixed a good martini.  Some people will complain that it's too dark and caters to old people but since I'm now one of those old people that's OK. by me.  This place is an institution and has a good reputation in the community -- deservedly so.  Mind you this is not fancy smancy fusion French or Italian cuisine.  It's just good old fashioned food standards with waitresses that call you "honey."  A type of place that used to be common before the politically correct "food" police took over.  But hey -- I liked the place and plan on returning with the family soon.  I know we won't go home hungry.  I can always go to my favorite Asian fusion place another time.

P.S.  Those folks that think Casa Orinda is expensive for what you get, must not dine out very often or limit themselves to the 2 fors at Denny's or Black Angus when they do go out.