Owners of late night dining in La Verne, (left to right) Kenny Schonfeld of Warehouse Pizza, and Naomi and Tony Spencer of T. Phillips, serve their hungry clientele after hours. / photography by Michael D. Martinez

by Julissa Cardenas
photography by Michael D. Martinez

Approaching one of her favorite La Verne restaurants, Kelli Castillo, a student at Mount San Antonio College, notices a slight change. It is subtle, but her eye catches it. The restaurant’s usual high grade has slipped from an “A” to a “B.” Kelli is undeterred, but she is perhaps more forgiving than others. For some, a restaurant’s grade makes all the difference on where they dine. And for La Verne’s restaurant owners, it is the realization of their worst fear to slip to a “B,” never mind a “C” rating. For even a “B” plastered on the front window is as unwelcome as graffiti. Yet, as more and more questionable grades—”B’s,” even occasional “C’s” appeared on some local restaurants last fall and spring, diners may have wondered about the trend.

The Bowl House, the place where many members of the La Verne community grab a delicious bowl of teriyaki chicken, briefly held a “C” grade, along with the Phoenix Garden Chinese Restaurant and T. Phillips Alehouse & Grill. The Phoenix Garden had a “C” in the beginning of January 2010, while T. Phillips had a “C” in May of 2009. Both quickly corrected the ratings to “A’s.”

The Bowl House, too, managed to bounce back, improving its score to a “B.” While an improvement, the “B” was given due to dirty food contacts and improper food temperature. These two violations impeded Bowl House’s chances to gain an “A.” As the Bowl House owners learned, just two violations in section one, which deals with serious issues such as rodents, water temperature and food contamination, can drop a restaurant’s grade dramatically.

Angel’s Place, also located on La Verne’s “D” Street, in March 2010 carried a “B” rating for “Clean/ Sanitizing Food Contact Surfaces.”

For Kenny Schonfeld, the owner of Warehouse Pizza, located on “D” Street, getting a “B” was a real shock. “I had a “B” for the first time in 24 years,” recalls Schonfeld. “I’ve always had an ‘A.’” According to the inspection form, Warehouse Pizza had two violations. The salad bowl was not covered, and the food temperature was not up to par. While less than excellent ratings were the situation for many La Verne restaurants, Schonfeld was determined to change his “B” as quickly as possible. “I paid $274 for the re-inspection, and within 10 days [the inspector] returned. I have to say I was surprised because we had been doing the same thing for 24 years, but I am happy to say my final grade returned to an ‘A,’” Schonfeld says.

A restaurant that has managed to keep an “A” rating is the Taco Factory, located on Foothill Boulevard. Christina De Anda, cashier of Taco Factory, is happy about her rating. “As long as I can remember, it has always been an “A.” At times, it has been borderline, but we always manage to get the best rating,” De Anda says. “It’s always done at random; we never know when the inspector is about to show, but we are always prepared,” De Anda explains.

The element of surprise is something that many restaurant owners deal with; for some, it can be difficult managing customers and the health inspector at the same time. “The inspector can be inspecting for quite some time. There are some who stay and thoroughly inspect everything, but my staff and I have to continue on with the business; there are hungry customers,” Schonfeld says.

The La Verne inspector explains his job

Angel Ramirez is the health inspector who inspected Warehouse Pizza and other restaurants in La Verne. “We are trained to have a bird’s eye view, to take everything in all at once; that is my job. The first thing I do is to take a good view of the place. I look at the windows, the walls, the staff, pretty much everything and my surroundings,” says Ramirez.

Ramirez never leaves his office without his tool kit, its main implement being a thermocouple, which is a fancy evolved thermometer that allows inspectors to receive fast readings of temperature. In his kit, he also carries his evaluation forms and the big letters that one sees in a restaurant’s window. He has been doing this job for eight years.

The element of surprise that the owners get during a visit from Ramirez is not as enjoyable for him as one would think. “The surprise is part of my job; it is the way it is. I don’t enjoy it, and I don’t hate it. If we didn’t do it that way, they would prepare ahead of time, and we would not see how it really is. It’s like a candid view, a candid camera.”

During the inspection, Ramirez prefers to separate business and friendship. “I am a health inspector, and during the inspection that is my job. After the inspection is when we can socialize.” The one thing that Ramirez understands and emphasizes during his visits is the education that an owner needs in order to understand why her rating was the way it was.

“The best tool for this kind of relationship is education; otherwise, they don’t understand the details. If you educate them, they don’t question because they know what it takes to get a “B” or an “A,” although everyone wants an “A” even though a “B” is not bad,” says Ramirez. “When an owner questions my final rating, I encourage them to have a meeting with the Health Department in order to fully understand what it takes to get an “A.” I do not do it on purpose; I simply am doing my job.”

Asked whether he eats at a “B” establishment, Ramirez’s answer was surprising. “You look at a ‘B’ rating, and that is normal; it’s not too bad. I eat at restaurants with a ‘B’; there are just a couple of minor violations. Now a ‘C’; those are major food violations, and there is no way I will eat anywhere with a ‘C.’” In order to get a “C,” a restaurant has violations in both section one and possibly section two on the inspection form. Section two has in-depth violations that deal with improper food handling, improperly cleaned utensils and surfaces, and hazardous chemical storage. For example, if a restaurant has uncooked food stored above cooked food, that is a dangerous violation because of food contamination risks. There is a grade below a “C,” which results in restaurant closure. When a restaurant receives a closure rating, it receives 48-hour notice by the Health Department. “I always make it my mission to complete the inspection before making any brash decisions. I continue to inspect, even if I see questioning signs; everyone deserves a thorough inspection,” Ramirez says.

A retired health inspector remembers

Kaleigh Downing is a retired health inspector who recalls many horrors in the food industry. “I’ve inspected restaurants, bars, strip joints, markets; you name it.” Aside from viewing cockroach spray in many restaurants’ pantries, there were other memorable items that are hard to forget. “I remember this place in China Town where the cutting boards had animal droppings. There are places where you instantly walk in, and you know they have to be shut down immediately,” Downing recalls.

As the food industry keeps evolving, many rules that are enforced now did not exist while Downing was inspecting. “I remember that we did not have a grading system with ‘A’s,’ ‘B’s,’ and ‘C’s,’ and restaurant owners did not pay for re-inspection,” says Downing. Depending on the violations, inspectors would return within a day, weeks or months. Owners would simply have to wait. As more and more restaurant owners complain about the re-inspection fees, Downing has a few words to say about their complaints. “The restaurants shouldn’t be complaining about paying for a re-check fee because they shouldn’t have gotten a ‘B’ or less in the first place.”

Public opinion on the ratings

With the grading system, many restaurants may suffer business loss with a “B” or “C” rating due to public misconceptions. “I never eat at a “C” restaurant,” says Michelle Kazman, a University of La Verne education major. “There are many things that come to mind when I think of those ratings, and, personally, those restaurants are not for me. A sushi place definitely must have an ‘A’ because I am eating raw food. When it comes to a ‘B’ rating, I may still eat there, depending on the food and the place, but it is always best to have an ‘A,’” says Kazman.

For Kelli Castillo, ratings are not so important. “I rarely check for ratings, or I rarely see them on the windows. If I stumble across a ‘C’ rating, that’s when I pay attention and choose to not eat there. Other than that, it’s not a big deal.”

While some prefer “A’s” and do not pay much attention to the ratings, others are very particular about the places where they eat. “I only eat at places with an ‘A’ rating, and I specifically look for the ‘A’ if it is hidden,” Brenda Pena, a student at Pasadena City College says. “It’s a matter of health for the customer, but it is also a matter of pride as a business owner to have a good rating,” says Pena. “With a good rating, which is an “A,” the owner is happy, and the customers keep coming back.”

Also see the companion story, “How restaurants earn their letters.”

With boastful pride, the La Verne management of T. Phillips Alehouse & Grill on “D” Street keeps its coveted Health Department “A” rating in a locked display cabinet. / photo by Michael D. Martinez

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by Dan Sayles
photography by Rhiannon Mim

Thank goodness for local restaurants that serve hamburgers. Real hamburgers, that is, with the pleasing aroma of smoke and meat, and the sizzle of onions being grilled. Burgers at places like these are just simply better tasting, and the atmosphere is usually more relaxed than the average drive-through.

Many local places offer hamburgers for a decent price and can prove much more fulfilling, in terms of quality and service, than your standard chain restaurant. The Habit, a burger grill restaurant that has recently opened on Foothill and Chase, has impressed many with its simple yet broad menu. Choices range from the simple Charburger to the more exotic Teriyaki Burger, with pineapple and teriyaki sauce to titillate the senses. A trio of restaurants on D Street: Angel’s Restaurant, Roberta’s Inn, and T. Phillips, all offer hamburgers in comfortable and relaxed settings. Nestled inside the Brackett Field Airport in La Verne, is Norm’s Hangar, providing terrific cuisine and a rather breathtaking view of the local scenery. An then there’s the place against which all others are often measured: In-N-Out.

For the hamburger connoisseur in the La Verne area, here are a few helpful reviews.

photo by Rhiannon Mim

The Habit

The Habit, located in the newly built shopping plaza at Foothill and Chelsea, is new to La Verne. Customers can dine indoors or out on the patio. The menu selection at the Habit is small, but solid, offering not just hamburgers but salads and sandwiches, which is also a reason to come to this jaunty burger joint for its white albacore tuna filet grilled sandwich. But the Habit has an excellent burger base in its Charburger. Coming with a single or a double patty, the Charburger can be made to your specifications – tomatoes, extra pickles, grilled onions, etc. Instead of an obscenely large amount of lettuce, the Habit uses much more manageable, and possibly fresher, shredded lettuce. The Charburger’s only drawback is that is tastes a bit like In-N-Out burger, which is not necessarily a bad thing if you are a fan of In-N-Out. However, if you’re looking for something different, you may want to try something else. You might consider the Teriyaki Charburger, which provides a much more unique experience with its sweet teriyaki sauce and ring of sliced pineapple.

Score: 4.5/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

Roberta’s Village Inn

Roberta‘s Village Inn, located on D Street in downtown La Verne, has changed little over the years, and in some cases, that can be a good thing, with its relaxed atmosphere and friendly waitresses. In stark contrast to The Habit’s more modern, quick and made-to-order delights, Roberta’s instead has a rather fun way to eat a hamburger: make it yourself. No, you don’t actually don an apron and grab a spatula, but you get the hamburger, meat, fries and the toppings on the side. The burger itself rests on an open-faced bun. This eliminates most of the fuss when ordering toppings. Simply put on the ones you want, seal the deal with the other half of the bun, and chow down. It is nothing life-changing, but it is nice. “We’ve been going here for a long time,” says Barbara Shipcott. “It’s all reasonably priced and delicious as well.”

For those who want a burger already made, this may be a bit cumbersome. However, for those who like to sit back and chat with other people or waitresses while they build their burger, it can be a nice change.

Score: 4.0/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

Angel’s Place

Right across the street from Roberta’s Village Inn is Angel’s Place, a Greek and Mediterranean food restaurant. The cheeseburger it offers can be ordered with or without toppings, and it comes with fries. Although a solid hamburger in its own right, it falls prey to the infamous head of lettuce burger trap that plagues some restaurants. Namely: lettuce, and too much of it. Nothing kills a hamburger quicker than thinking you are eating a salad between two pieces of bread. It is all a minor inconvenience in an environment that produces a burger that anyone can enjoy, in their spacious restaurant, with big-screen televisions and amiable hosts. The price is reasonable as well.

Score: 3.5/5.0

Norm’s Hangar

Tucked away at Brackett Field, Norm’s Hangar offers diners a unique chance to watch planes and helicopters take off and land right in front of them as they eat. Norm’s offers a variety of burgers that are quite delectable – the ortega burger being one of them. Overall, it was good. However, given the size of the burger and relative tastelessness of the ortega chile, it was rather bland for something that has chile in it. It also had way too much lettuce, which consisted mostly of the spine and the base. The burger was fresh and well-cooked, but the toppings were not outstanding. Thankfully for burgers such as that, there are remedies on hand, such as ketchup or Norm’s own Uncle Kenny’s Fries, which seemed to snatch the spotlight from the hamburger. The Hot Burger, slathered with gravy with a side of mashed potatoes, provides a unique experience, and a delicious one at that, with flavorful gravy and creamy mashed potatoes. Despite the flaws in Norm’s burgers, Norm’s provides many alternatives to suit your tastes and desires, not to mention a really breathtaking view of the runways and of the surrounding mountainside.

Score: 3.0/5.0

photo by Rhiannon Mim

T. Phillip’s

T. Phillip’s, in downtown La Verne, offers an alternative to restaurants that offer one large burger that can fall apart. Their burger is on four pairs of buns with four small patties. Easily picked up with two fingers, these burgers come with a large helping of fries and a drink. The mini-burgers can be eaten slowly as you converse with family and friends in the friendly atmosphere – a roomy and cool interior, perfect for get-togethers and gatherings. It is a bit pricey, though, which could put a damper on your plans. But the price is quite worth it if you find yourself wanting a night out in downtown La Verne.

Score: 4.0/5.0

In-N-Out

In-N-Out, the Inland Empire’s fast food gem, certainly lives up to its reputation as an inexpensive, tasty and quick food stop. There is an In-N-Out located on the corner of D Street and Foothill Boulevard, with two drive-thru lanes and a small walk-in for those who want to sit down at the benches outside. In-N-Out has a deceptively simple menu: burgers, shakes, and fries. “In-N-Out has the best burgers at a fast food restaurant,” Timothy Hight says. “And great shakes and fries, too.”

The double-double itself was certainly delicious to eat, not too large either, and seems to have forgone the lettuce leaves for shredded lettuce. The burgers are freshly grilled, and can be arranged with whatever you like. In-N-Out is definitely recommended, thanks to the quality and low cost.

Score: 4.5/5.0

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