As much as I enjoy baking and cooking, I also enjoy eating out. This weekend was no exception since I was feeling a little under the weather and couldn’t seem to get myself going in the kitchen. So, we decided to treat ourselves to lunch at, where else, but Claim Jumper. I can’t seem to recall if I’ve ever eaten at this popular West Coast chain before. I just know that this restaurant is known for its huge portions and huge crowds, especially on the weekends. Since we had a late lunch (around 1pm-ish), we got our table-for-two right away. The place was still bustling with the Sunday afternoon crowd but we didn’t have to wait very long at all before our waiter came by with menus and took our drink orders. My boyfriend already knew that he wanted a hamburger but just in case you’ve never been to a CJ’s yourself, be forewarned that their menu is pretty vast and they have about a half-dozen different types of burgers. He decided on the “black and bleu” burger—half a pound of ground beef with blue cheese and applewood bacon on wheatberry bread (he’s not a huge fan of hamburger buns), with a side of french fries. After much page turning and changing my mind several times, I chose the roasted turkey sandwich on tomato herb bread with a side of Thai peanut slaw. I was very pleased with my turkey sandwich. First of all, the tomato herb bread was quite good—think of foccacia with that wonderful rustic flavor, speckled with sun dried tomatoes. The texture had a nice chewiness to it and the generous amount of turkey slices, lettuce, and tomatoes in between the bread made for a very hearty lunch. The Thai “slaw” that came with my sandwich was also tasty and light. This is not your typical creamy coleslaw but is instead a slaw that’s been lightly tossed with a tangy, vinegar and sesame oil-based dressing with lots of chopped up veggies like zucchini, carrots, and Napa cabbage, with some roasted peanuts tossed in. I liked the slaw so much that I’m hoping to make something similar in the near future! My BF was also singing praises for his burger which was cooked just as he prefers, medium rare, topped with bacon and served with a side of blue cheese. In fact, he found the beef to be so juicy and flavorful that he didn’t think all the additional accoutrements were even necessary. The shoestring fries were also a big hit with him which says a lot because he is one person who certainly knows his French fries! Overall, I really enjoyed this visit to Claim Jumper Restaurant--high quality food, great service and reasonable prices. See, taking a little break from cooking does have its perks too!
Claim Jumper Restaurant
820 W. Huntington Dr.
Monrovia, CA.
(various locations in California, Colorado, Washington, and Arizona)
2 comments:
I have been to Claim Jumper a few times, but I dont recall seeing this sandwich before. It looks really good! You are correct in the fact that their portions are huge so you better be hungry when you go! There is always the 6 layer chocolate cake which is literally 6 layers! Thank You for yet another wonderful journey in your blog!
yep, the turkey sandwich is a good and healthy choice, i think. I saw the 6 layer cake you're talking about--I'll definitely have to bypass lunch next time and just go for dessert!
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