NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

There are some new restaurants in the neighborhood and we decided to try them out and let y'all know how they are. Our first stop was just down the street from us at what used to be know as The Second St. Bistro. Now the restaurant is called Second on 2^nd St., An American Bistro. They changed up the atmosphere a bit by removing all the spot lights and adding carnival string lights. This gives a nice outdoor café feel to the place. So the menu has changed big time, the new guys have decided to go American style and this includes burgers, sandwiches, steaks and more. I tried the Chicken Sandwich and it was pretty good. A nice portion of chicken breast on a fresh bun. Susie went for the salmon burger which she really enjoyed. This was no frozen ground salmon patty thing, this was a nice 6 oz salmon steak on a whole wheat bun, cooked perfectly too! The guys at the Bistro, David, Albert and Gabriel were nice enough to throw a soft opening for the locals. Well, the word spread fast and there was a nice crowd of people all enjoying their meals. I have a feeling this Bistro is here to stay, keep up the good food and we’ll keep coming back!

171 West Second St. Pomona, Ca. 91766
info@2ndonSecond.com
http://www.2ndonSecond.com

My next stop was over in Antique Row at Babylon Restaurant and Hookah Lounge, located on Locust St. Now these guys have been open for a while now, maybe under a year, but I had not tried a full meal. They were part of the Taste of Pomona and I did get to sample the hummus and rice, but never a full meal. So I ordered something that should be easy to compare, the Chicken Shawarma Sandwich. It was pretty good, a bit small compared to Aladdin Jr., but no real complaints. I was disappointed to learn they will no longer be doing the buffet. Something about changing the menu for the summer the waiter told me. As I waited for my food, a few groups of other hungry people also asked about the buffet. Too bad, I wanted to try it out and hey, if it aint broken, don’t fix it! Seems to me they may be going for a fancier feel for the place, they had nice leather covered menus printed on nice linen paper. Good luck! Just doesn’t seem like the ideal local for an upscale place that they may be going for.

205 E. 2nd St., Pomona, CA 91766

Just a few doors down from Babylon, I bring you to Cassie’s Soul Food, located at 200 East 1st. St., Pomona 620-5601. We’ve walked by there many times, but have not been able to stop in. A neighbor posted some comment about the food and it sparked our interest. Well, we planned a nice Sunday lunch, and boy was it a good one! Their menu is not too big, but just enough choices to keep your imagination and stomach happy. Susie and I both went for the ¼ chicken, mine BBQ and hers Baked. Our sides of choice were mac and cheese, collard greens, and black eyed peas. The chicken was cooked perfectly and a it was a big portion too. The BBQ sauce was delicious, with a tangy type taste that kept me wanting more. The mac and cheese was also really good as were the black eyed peas. I got to taste the collard greens and they are the real thing. Susie being from Savannah, Georgia knows good Southern cooking and this is good Southern cooking, Cassie and her husband originate from Mississippi. The black eyed peas and collard greens were so good Susie was still talking about them tonight! We got to speak to Cassie’s husband while he was taking a little break, He let us know that Cassie makes everything fresh from scratch every morning, 6am. to be precise and if it runs out, that’s it for the day. So come early and come hungry, this place is a real treat and we are very lucky to have such good Soul Food right here in Downtown Pomona.

~Juan Thorp

Everyone was so busy filling orders, that just kept coming the whole time we were there!