Rallying around the frying pan

Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye. As 17-year customers of both Vons and the

Omelette Parlor, we hereby announce that not only will we not shop at

Vons anymore, we will also not be able to patronize any new business

that goes into the Omelette Parlor space. The memories of good old

home-cooked-style food in a fun and friendly atmosphere would be too

much for us to bear should we ever enter upon those premises again. I

suspect that many people will have the same reaction.

By this public notice, let any prospective tenant be made aware of

the uphill battle that they will fight in trying to survive there.

Also, shame on Vons should they not inform any new tenant of what

transpired and how difficult it will be for any business to be

successful in that location for many years to come.

DON, PAT, COLLIN and EMILY INSLEY

Newport Beach

Our family has frequented the Omelette Parlor for at least 20

years. I never knew it was that long, but I used to meet a retired

friend there for lunch. Just looked up on the wall and noticed his

retirement was 1981. Enjoy seeing the waitresses and employees and

asking the boss, Susan, to tell me about her latest revision. Whether

it was the floor or the air conditioning, she knows it all.

Yeah, the history and nostalgia, the decorations, the horse

carriage, the historic pictures of the area, and yes, the

old-fashioned menus that even teach me some manners: Yeah I like it

all, and the price is right, too. We first visited the place when it

was a family restaurant. It then became the Omelette Parlor.

Breakfast is great, with little features that I particularly

enjoy: the breakfast potatoes, cubed and fried; half-baked potatoes;

the wheat English muffins with nuts and served with apple butter;

green garnish; the variety of omelets; and finally, the names:

following the old and/or maybe present Costa Mesa officials. One

omelet, Nate Reade’s Right -- I finally met someone who knew him, his

son-in-law, a lawyer, Rick Taylor, who recently ran for Newport Beach

City Council and grew up in this area. Guess living in Corona del

Mar, we never thought we would personally know any of the honored.

Our family has grown up there; now the kids are out of college,

and we have our first grandson. He’s learning his manners at the

Omelette Parlor, even if now his favorite dish is oatmeal with

raisins and brown sugar. Although I never liked oatmeal as a kid, I

have to say, it’s pretty good. We sometimes eat so late in the

afternoon, after 3 p.m., that we have had a sandwich in Chester

Drawers, but that’s not normally our menu. Food’s good there, too. My

boys tell me the drinks are reasonable and the place is fun. Although

Chester Drawers has had crowds, we have never heard of major

problems.

The customers are respectful, the clientele varies from the young

to the old. Even the dogs that a customer may leave tied to a fence

rail are friendly. Although there is once and a while a wait, there

are a few pew benches and garden out front for the waiting customers.

Although I can’t say we are regular customers of Longs Drugs or

Vons, we have stopped in to buy things after lunch. We also

frequented the pizza joint that was on the end and in fact used to

meet there with swim team after meets. We believe the Omelette Parlor

is an asset to Costa Mesa and we hope it can remain where it is, a

fixture in the city. Yes, we would love to have the Omelette Parlor

in Corona del Mar. If Susan could find all our historical photos,

maybe we too could learn our history, as well as we know Costa

Mesa’s.

DICK and SANDY NICHOLS

Costa Mesa

It is sad to me that Vons has chosen to terminate the lease of the

Omelette Parlor in Costa Mesa. I have enjoyed many special occasions

there with family and friends, and its unique food and atmosphere

made it a nice alternative to the typical “corporate food” available

in Orange County. I sincerely hope that Vons will reconsider its

decision and let this landmark remain for years to come.

DAN PARSONS

Newport Beach