by Terrance Mc Arthur

“Chain-Chain-Chain, Chain of Foo-oods!”

Usually, The Great Food Search seeks out unique dishes and eating establishments in the San Joaquin Valley, but this installment is a little different. I focused on chain restaurants. I dragged my wife (All right, sometimes she dragged me) to places in Clovis, Fresno, and Kingsburg. We discovered Spring menus and new offerings at well-known restaurants … and they were good! Follow us on another Great Food Search to see what’s new in some of the Old Reliables.

Applebee’s—98 Shaw Ave., Clovis, CA—On our way home from surgery for my wife’s brother, we pulled in at Applebee’s to check out one of their Two-Entrees-and-an-Appetizer specials. The starter we chose was Boneless Wings, BBQ Style. We could have stopped right there because those meaty morsels piled together were juicy and the dipping sauce was tangy, and we didn’t really need any more to eat … but we kept going. Bourbon Street Chicken ‘n Shrimp took a while for me to find the healthy-sized piece of meat under the mushrooms, onions, and a pile of blackened shrimp. She likes her Mashed Potatoes on the chunky-or-lumpy side, to ensure they are freshly made, and she was happy chomping her way through her serving. My Classic Broccoli Chicken Alfredo delivered on all counts: creamy Alfredo, a generous helping of chicken, and broccoli that was green and soft, but not limp. A great lunch.

Fugazzis—1335 Draper St., Kingsburg, CA—This is the smallest chain in this sample, six restaurants in Tulare County, Kings County, and Fresno County, but it still qualifies as a chain. We visited the Kingsburg branch in the middle of the Kingsburg Swedish Festival, and it was a cool spot for a lunch on a hot day. It has an upscale bistro atmosphere, but quite friendly. While waiting for our orders, we enjoyed bread with a red dipping sauce that had us guessing until we gave up and adored it. My wife’s Beef Stroganoff, beefy with thinly-sliced steak, oniony, mushroomy, and drizzled with sour cream, came with a corn chowder that did not skimp on the corn. My Porkalini Pesto Pasta featured Burnt Sausage Ends, Applewood Bacon, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Grilled Onions, Pesto Sauce, Scallions, and Cilantro tossed over, under, around, and through Angel Hair Pasta. For the expensive way the place looked, the lunch prices were surprisingly reasonable, with most options under $20.

IHOP—3020 Tulare St., Fresno, CA—I know the International House of Pancakes is not considered haute cuisine, but I was excited because two of my favorite foods returned to the menu: Eggs Benedict and Savory Crepes. The Spicy Poblano Benedict (No, the Benedict in the name is NOT Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War traitor. It’s either named for a New York socialite who wanted something new, or a retired stockbroker who wanted a hangover cure) came with an English Muffin groaning under a load of fire-roasted Poblanos, onions, more peppers, shredded beef, and poached eggs buried under a Poblano-laced Hollandaise—WoW! The Chicken Pesto Crepes rolled around chunks of chicken and roasted Cherry Tomatoes, with Jack and Cheddar cheeses and a Pesto sauce. IHOP is our preferred stop when we’re going to see a show in the Saroyan Theatre in downtown Fresno.

Red Lobster—1460 E Shaw Ave, Fresno, CA—When a $25 gift card has been making a lump in your wife’s purse for five years, it’s about time to use it. We went to Red Lobster. What an experience! The Cheddar Bay Biscuits are cushy and cheesy and choice. The thick Clam Chowder put the K in Creamy (so to speak). Her Grilled Shrimp Skewers clung tenaciously to their skewers, and her salt-studded Baked Potato had chunks of lobster in the sauce. My Cajun Chicken Linguini Alfredo, a real plate-filler, kept me busy eating. On top of all that, we caved and ordered Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes layered with piles of whipped cream and white chocolate shavings. That was something!

The Verdict—Everything was good! Since I have to make a decision, I’ll put Red Lobster and Fugazzis on our upper tier with excellent service and stellar food, but the unique Porkalini swung the scales toward Fugazzis. With all the trouble the pandemic caused, restaurants are doing their best to make people happy. Give them a try. You may be surprised.

Happy Eating!

Check out more food articles and more of Terrance’s Great Food Search column in our Food Fun section. And check out a KRL staff profile this week on Terrance!

Terrance V. Mc Arthur worked for the Fresno County Public Library for three decades. He is retired, but not retiring. A storyteller, puppeteer, writer, actor, magician, basketmaker, and all-around interesting person, his goal is to make life more unusual for everyone he meets.