Three years after revealing plans to bring Steak ’n Shake to the West Coast, the iconic steak burger chain is finally landing closer to Orange County.
Owned by Texas-based Biglari Holdings, Steak ’n Shake will open Tuesday in Santa Monica. This is the second Steak ’n Shake to open in California after a location opened this summer in Victorville. Details have not been revealed on any pending Orange County outlets.
Local East Coast and Midwest transplants are expected to turn out in droves to get their fix as the burger chain’s reputation back East rivals that of In-N-Out in the West.
Traditional Steak ’n Shake restaurants offer full-service dining and drive-through lanes. The menu includes ground steak burgers, hand-cut fries and hand-dipped milkshakes. The 80-year-old chain is a cross between In-N-Out (premium fast-food style burger) and Ruby’s Diner (full service, retro atmosphere).
The Santa Monica restaurant, at 1455 3rd Street Promenade, opens at 11 a.m. The first 100 customers will receive a year’s worth of free Steak ’n Shake burgers, fries and shakes.
On the Menu
McDonald’s won’t be having a nationwide rollout of theMcRib this year, but it will be available in Southern California on Monday. The barbecue slathered pork sandwich typically pops up around the holidays. In 2009, the McRib returned to Southern California after being AWOL since 2006.
Whenever the McRib returns, sales typically spike due the popularity of the sandwich – a toasted Hoagie-style roll stuffed with barbecue sauce, a pork patty, a few slices of white onion and two pickles. The sandwich will be available through Dec. 28. An unofficial website, dubbed mcriblocator.com, tracks “McRib sightings” across the country. There are no plans for a national rollout this year.
New Zov’s opens
Zov’s opened a new restaurant Wednesday in Anaheim near Angel Stadium. Zov Karamardian operates restaurants in Tustin, Irvine, Newport Beach and John Wayne Airport.
The menu features Mediterranean favorites found at other Zov’s locations and new dishes such as tahini chicken tacos. The bistro opened in a portion of the space once occupied by El Torito Grill. Address: 1801 E. Katella Ave.
CLOSURES
The Burger King on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach, between Yorktown and Adams, has closed. A banner outside the restaurant says a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is coming soon. Reps for the cafe chain said the coffeehouse should open by December.
The Melting Pot in Brea closed Sunday. “There are no plans to reopen the Brea restaurant or open a new Melting Pot restaurant in the Los Angeles metro area at this time,” the fondue chain said on its website. The company asked diners to visit locations in Irvine, Pasadena, Torrance and Thousand Oaks.
Restaurant staff writer Manny Frausto contributed to this report
