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Saturday, November 15, 2008

Rose Canyon Cantina and Grill - Review #3

Rose Canyon Cantina and Grill
20722 Rose Canyon Rd
Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679
(949) 766-6939

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Voted Best Mexican Restaurant of OC 2008 by MyFOX LA Voters

During the Fire

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Here's a place I reported on before. I went to this restaurant first in November 2006 with Chris and Kristanna, then, a year later, I went by myself when the wildfires were raging to obtain photographic evidence that it had not been damaged by the fire. Then I thought maybe I could go to the Rose Canyon Cantina as an annual thing every November. When I set out to go there earlier today I didn't know there'd be another fire going on.

I regrouped with Chris and Kristanna for this third trip and after we got out of an early showing of the new James Bond movie we were met with this smoky scene:

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As we headed east on Katella towards Rose Canyon the smoke began to clear up:

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Once we got on Santiago Canyon Road there was no smoke anymore to be seen in front of us:

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Then we turned left at the biker bar on to Live Oak Canyon Road:

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And we eventually arrived at Rose Canyon Cantina and Grill, which was happily untouched by any flames:

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We started out by sharing the Queso Fundido, "A spicy Mexican cheese fondue blended with mild green chiles and served with your choice of corn or flour tortillas:"

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For entrees Kristanna ordered the beef fajitas:

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Chris the Carnitas fiend thought he ordered something with carnitas in it but didn't realize he had actually ordered a chicken taco and chicken flautas:

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I, too, broke from form by ordering a non-Mexican entree, the "Beardslee Burger." This is a burger that Wendell Beardslee created when, in 1956, he opened the restaurant that later became Rose Canyon Cantina and Grill so it has some history to it.

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Everyone was fully satisfied with their entrees and didn't really have any room for dessert. Expect another report next November but keep in mind this is a great place to visit and has been unharmed by the fires unfortunately raging around us even though we did see the smoke column again on the way back:

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View the complete photo album at

Follow the "rose canyon cantina" label below to read about my adventure there the prior two years:

2 comments:

Captain said...

I used to frequent this place in the late sixties and seventies when it was known as The Hideout. Then it became Senor Lico's Mexican restaurant, which was one of my favorites.

Haven't tried it since the Beardslee daughters turned it into this current incarnation, but it's nice to see an homage to old Wendell.

No Speedy Gonzalezes for this visit?

ChristianZ said...

No rating this time because there was no substantial change in quality since the last time I rated it.