Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

I’ve only heard good things about Porto’s Bakery & Cafe, so I was excited that they opened up one in Buena Park, off Beach Boulevard down the street from Knott’s Berry Farm.  It just opened last month. We attempted to go there a couple times, but the line wrapped around the building.

We finally went there recently and only had to wait in line for 15 minutes.

A large, beautiful space with indoor and outdoor seating was constructed for Porto’s in Buena Park.

On this day (and perhaps always), there were secondary lines.  Once inside, we were directed to one of two other lines to order food.  Each area included glass cases displaying gorgeous desserts and savory items — Cakes, Cookies, various Pastries, Croquettes, Empanadas, and much more.

I asked for (at least) one of each of the House Specialties listed below.

Though I ordered one of each of the House Specialties, I only ended up with most of them — One of each from the case below, except the Rellenito, because they were out of them.  Now we have to go back for the rest, plus more, which is fine without a line.  Matt (pictured at top) leaving with our sweet and savory boxes — A great moment.  We were eager to get home to try it all.

Our savory box below included a Ham Croquette, Cheese/Pepper Potato Ball, a Chicken Empanada, a Chorizo Pie, a Seafood Potato Ball, two Meat Pies, and two Potato Balls, because it is one of Porto’s specialties — Potato Balls filled with ground Beef and Peppers.  We each had to have our own.

We shared it all — And the Potato Ball was our favorite too.  The meat inside it is so well seasoned.

We also shared a Guava Strudel, Raspberry Kiss Cookie, Cherry Turnover and Mango Empanada.

I loved the Raspberry Kiss Cookie — It’s not the most dazzling dessert there, but it is tasty.

Porto’s closes at 7 p.m., but allows those in line at that time into the building to order.

Porto’s prices are pretty good too — There’s much more we want to try there.

Seemingly free or not, there were times that I just couldn’t eat it — I didn’t want to use Knott’s Berry Farm’s All Season Dining Plan, though I had already paid for it.  Sometimes because the food just didn’t sound good, and other times because I didn’t want to wait in a long line to be greeted by a Knott’s employee with no sense of urgency.  They get paid no matter how many meals are served.

 

Knott’s Season Dining Pass (Report #5):  1/2 lb. Cheeseburger (above) and a Spicy Chicken Sandwich (below) from the Wilderness Broiler on the edge of Ghost Town.  It’s our first time trying the Spicy Chicken Sandwich.  It’s not as commonly offered as the Cheeseburger.  Speaking of, we may be on the verge of discovering that Knott’s Cheeseburger tastes the same no matter what restaurant it’s from.  It’s just called a Cheeseburger at the Grizzy Creek Lodge, but it seems to be the same, though the Grizzy Creek Lodge has a Condiment Bar offering more to put on a Cheeseburger, Sandwich and/or Hot Dog.  Outside the Wilderness Broiler there’s Yellow Mustard and Ketchup only, and neither sound right to remedy a dry Spicy Chicken Sandwich.

I suppose it’s called a “Spicy” Chicken Sandwich because it has Jalapenos on it.  That’s the only spicy part.  The Chicken didn’t appear or taste spiced in any way.  The Chicken Breast was relatively thin, large, well-done and crispy — The type that’s best smothered in Gravy and had with a knife and fork, not served on a small, equally dry Focaccia Roll.  Where’s the Chipotle Mayo or something like it?  Flavor needs to be added to Knott’s so-called Spicy Chicken Sandwich.  I wish I could report it’s better.  We like Knott’s, but it’s only April and I’m starting to realize that I somewhat dread its meals, though we paid for an annual Season Dining Pass.  Well, there’s more to try and test and we’ll continue to hope for the best.  Come back later to read about the rest.

March just started and we’re already annoyed with the lack of efficiency and under staffing at Knott’s Berry Farm restaurants, specifically those participating in Knott’s Season Dining Pass.  Lines are worse than I thought they would be.  The Cantina (above) needs more organization.  We joke that employees are told to ‘move slowly’ so not to hand out too many meals each day with the dining pass, ha.  Could it be?  Not saying that, just asking Knott’s to make things better, please.

We’re eating our way through Knott’s Berry Farm’s Season Dining Pass — The Chicken Tostada Salad (above) from the Cantina in Fiesta Village is my current favorite meal there, though I haven’t yet tried them all.  Pictured below is the Pepperoni Pizza and French Fries from Boardwalk Barbecue.  It was described as a Flat Bread Pizza, but appears more like a typical slice of Pizza, and with French Fries it’s quite heavy.  It would be better if the Pizza was served with a Salad.

All Knott’s Season Dining Pass Meals will eventually be pictured here on Nibbles of Tidbits — Check back once I stop eating the Chicken Tostada Salad.  Previous meal reports are linked here and here.

We just purchased Knott’s Berry Farm 2016 Season Passes and Knott’s All Season Dining Pass. For around $185 each, we get (1) Lunch and (1) Dinner every day in 2016 at Knott’s Berry Farm. There are no blackout dates.  What a deal!  We technically wouldn’t need to spend anything more on food or entertainment for the entire year.  We can go to Knott’s every single day and eat twice. There’s a (4) hour interval between meals.  Locals should seriously consider this as a good meal and entertainment plan, especially if poor and often bored.  We’re within biking distance and couldn’t pass it up.  We plan to try and report on the food at all participating restaurants.  There are seven.

With a Season Pass Dining Plan one can enjoy Lunch and/or Dinner at each of the following restaurants… Sutter’s Grill, Wilderness Broiler, formerly known as Bigfoot Broiler, Hollywood Hits, Coaster’s Diner, Boardwalk Barbecue, Cantina and Grizzly Creek Lodge — They are listed in the same order they’re pictured herein.  We barely photographed all of them before the sun went down.

Sutter’s Grill is pictured at top, as Matt points out, and its Season Pass Dining Menu is below it.

If you circle Knott’s Berry Farm clockwise from the front gate, you’ll find each of these participating restaurants in the same order they are presented here.  The Wilderness Broiler, also in Ghost Town is pictured next.  They’re grilling up Chicken Sandwiches, Cheeseburgers and Hot Dogs.

It’s hard to see the various menus here (better if enlarged), but they’re all somewhat similar.

Moving into Boardwalk, Hollywood Hits restaurant offers Pizza.

If wanting Pizza instead of a Burger or Hot Dog with Season Pass Dining, go to Hollywood Hits.

Each participating restaurant menu offers four Combos and a Caesar Salad to choose from.

Coaster’s Diner (below), also in Boardwalk is a cute place to eat.

Chicken Tenders and a Southwest Cheeseburger are offered here, differing from the other menus.

Boardwalk Barbecue (below), another participating restaurant is also in Boardwalk.

In addition to a Grilled Foot-Long Hot Dog, Cheeseburger and Grilled Chicken Sandwich, Boardwalk Barbecue offers a Flat Bread Pizza.  And then there’s the Cantina in Fiesta Village, the only restaurant where you can get a Burrito, Taco or Tostada Salad on the Season Pass Dining Plan.

The Cantina is pictured above and below.  Every restaurant offers a Caesar Salad too.

And finally there’s Grizzly Creek Lodge, the largest restaurant of all in Camp Snoopy (below).

It offers dining downstairs and upstairs, inside and out.

Once you have circled the park stopping at each of the participating restaurants on Knott’s Season Pass Dining Plan, there are no new menu offerings at Grizzly Creek Lodge, except for the large condiment bar pointed out by Matt below.  Though the menu items are somewhat repetitive, the deal is good, since each combo costs around $15.  Drinks are not included with Season Pass Dining.

A 2016 All Season Bottle can be purchased for about $25 for Unlimited Free Refills on drinks.  We didn’t purchase that.  I believe we’re allowed to bring a bottle of water into Knott’s (I need to confirm that), which will suffice since we rarely drink sodas.  We’d rather purchase a liquor plan.

We start our Season Pass Dining at Knott’s Berry Farm in 2016.

Check back to see what tastes best there.

If I’ve ever had Mrs. Knott’s Fried Chicken before, I don’t remember.  I should have, since I’ve probably been to Knott’s Berry Farm a hundred times.  I grew up nearby.  Most of the time there’s a long line and I don’t like long lines.  This day it was free and clear.  We walked right in the very day we resolved to stand in line for it — At Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant.

In one of several dining room areas — It’s fairly large inside and often full.

I came away thinking it could be the Hot Buttermilk Biscuits they stand in line for — WOW, they are good!  They’re warm and something special.  And I’m not one to get excited about Biscuits.

Soup and Salad is served with all Chicken meals — Mrs. Knott’s Famous Fried Chicken for us.

It also comes with the choice of Cabbage seasoned with Ham or Sweet Kernel Corn.

Though the Cabbage with Ham looks basic, it’s flavorful and rich — I’d get it again too.

We split a meal, like others often do, we’re told — It’s a lot of food for one.

Prices have changed in 70+ years — Today all is $16.99, and the same was only $0.85 in 1940.

We upgraded to all White Meat — It’s $3.59 more, perhaps $0.15 back in the day?!

We like the STAR with longevity too — Fried Chicken.  Okay, I’ll stand in line for all.

Shouldn’t they be offering Knott’s Jellies, Jams and Preserves?!  What’s up with the Smucker’s?

Have you ever wondered what a raw, frozen Egg looks like underneath its shell?

We wanted to know, thus froze an Egg and dropped it on the concrete to see what happens.

It didn’t crack, shatter or peel, like I hoped — We had to peel it, but it wasn’t hard to do.

Our frozen Egg looked like this (below) underneath its shell.

It was somewhat clear with an opaque cloudy line running through it.

We threw it down (shell-less) a couple more times, but it wouldn’t crack.

So we power washed it until it mostly disappeared onto now smelly grass — Hhmmmm.

The Yolk became more and more visible.

We won’t have to wonder what it looks like anymore — Check 🙂 .

Ta-da!  The Yolk wouldn’t disappear fast enough, so we gave it to the Dog.  He’s still alive.

We probably should of cut it in half, but it’s too late now and our curiosity is satisfied.