Does anyone remember Belisle's restaurant?

[eeyoresnr]

Does anyone remember Belisle's Restaurant? it was on the Corner of Harbor Blvd. and Chapman Ave. 1 mile South of Disneyland. It opened as Belisle's in 1955 same year as Disneyland. Walt and his imagineers used to eat in there when Disneyland was being built. My mom worked there for 22 years, and I have 6 paper placemats that have doodles of disney characters signed by Walt and the other's who ate with him. The restaurant closed in the late 90's and now a Outback sits in it's place as well as 2 or 3 tall hotels. It broke my heart when I traveled back to So Cal in 2004 to see all those buildings sitting there.

[jlmarr]

Yes, I remember it - huge portions, huge desserts, and, well um, the prices were pretty high too. :rolleyes1 But I was sad to see it go - it was a landmark restaurant.

I was glad that Los Sanchez, the Mexican counter service restaurant that also got uprooted by the redevelopment of that block, ended up reopening down on Garden Grove Blvd west of Harbor Blvd and is doing land-office business.

[eeyoresnr]

my mom worked the graveyard shift and sometimes I used to go to work with her and get to stay up all night...I remember the whip cream on the hot chocolate was a mile high (or so it seems as a child) and the strawberry's in the pie were so big you had to cut them up to get them in your mouth!

[eeyoresnr]

bump:laundy:

[queenrollog]

I used to work at a nearby hospital and we'd go there for breakfast after a long night shift. I was sad to see it go.

[tlovesdis]

Oh yes! We called it the big food place!

[2GuysSeattle]

Oh my goodness! I used to live at Harbor and Orangewood and used to go to Belisles all the time for the *HUGE* eclairs! Big enough for 3-4 people easy! We also used to go to Los Sanchez all the time....my ex-wife loved that place! Going back in October for the first time in about 20 years! It'll be interesting to see how the neighborhood has changed. It'll be weird to see CA where the old DL parking lot used to be. Please don't tell me, I suppose the "Happiest Place on Earth" sign is gone!?!

[eeyoresnr]

that is so neat to hear from people who used to eat there..... I live in Florida now, but I still lived there when they tore down Belisle and my mom was still alive...she was heartbroken...I was going to go after work and ask if we could have a brick from the building for my mom and even the rubble was already gone:sad1: when we went out there in 2004 it was so sad seeing all the buildings OUTBACK Steakhouse and Hotels sitting on that corner lot:sad1: I took pictures and will post when I get them scanned

[eeyoresnr]

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x108/eeyoresnr/Belisles001.jpg

[eeyoresnr]

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x108/eeyoresnr/Belisles3.jpg

[eeyoresnr]

this is from one of their menus... the one with the pencil tucked behind her ear is my mom:goodvibes

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x108/eeyoresnr/Belisles002.jpg

[eeyoresnr]

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x108/eeyoresnr/disneyland04010.jpg

this is the way it looks now

[eeyoresnr]

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x108/eeyoresnr/disneyland04009.jpg

[Mililani Mouser]

:sad2:

i love the pictures..

i love looking at old menu prices. darn that inflation!!!

[belisle]

Thank You for the pictures, this is one I don't even have! You have all said wonderful things regarding our restaurant and I just wanted to say thank you. There were a lot of good memories there for everyone I guess. As a true Belisle I still get praise and recognition today from our restaurant and the huge portions. One good thing about memories, they never died nor get torn down. Are you all aware of the fact that there is actually a paperback book out all about Belisle's? With pictures too if you really get hungry!
Thank You again for all the kind words, may the pink restaurant live on!!

[eeyoresnr]

Thank You for the pictures, this is one I don't even have! You have all said wonderful things regarding our restaurant and I just wanted to say thank you. There were a lot of good memories there for everyone I guess. As a true Belisle I still get praise and recognition today from our restaurant and the huge portions. One good thing about memories, they never died nor get torn down. Are you all aware of the fact that there is actually a paperback book out all about Belisle's? With pictures too if you really get hungry!
Thank You again for all the kind words, may the pink restaurant live on!!

yes...if you are referring to the one Charlotte wrote? I have the copy I bought for my mom before she passed away... signed to my mom... may I ask which Belisle you are?

[rystarr]

I remember Belisle's very well i use to work there in the middle 80's until they closed. I made many great friends who i still see on a regular basis. A friend emailed me this and i am glad he did.

[woody73]

We loved Belisle's! Huge portions, but more importantly the food was delicious.
We were very sad to see it replaced by a chain restaurant.

Woody

[jacksmom93]

Is there any way to find recipes from the old belisles restraunt? I went ther for many years and was sad to see it closed on my last trip to cali.

[eeyoresnr]

bump

[Stacerita]

I totally remember this place. The portions were huge! And I remember they had a huge pancake or a stack a mile high. MMMMM!

[FEBoyd]

It broke my heart to see Belisle's torn down I spent a lot of time there my Dad was the head chef there for quite a while (Don Boyd)for those of you who remember him he is still alive and kicking he and my mom now live in Auburn Ca. He was also the pastry chef till he retired yea he made all those monster pies and cakes and whatnot it was a miracle that i didnot weigh 300lbs eating all that stuff over the years.Eyore who is your mom ?? I've prbobly met her before :banana:

[MTCruiser]

That old menu was fun to look at.

[eeyoresnr]

It broke my heart to see Belisle's torn down I spent a lot of time there my Dad was the head chef there for quite a while (Don Boyd)for those of you who remember him he is still alive and kicking he and my mom now live in Auburn Ca. He was also the pastry chef till he retired yea he made all those monster pies and cakes and whatnot it was a miracle that i didnot weigh 300lbs eating all that stuff over the years.Eyore who is your mom ?? I've prbobly met her before :banana:

My mom's name was Emma:goodvibes

[eeyoresnr]

bump

[DanGarion]

One of their old chefs or cooks or something now owns/runs a small restaurant in Santa Ana.

I wrote a review about it today on my website. I'd post a link but since I'm a new member I can't. Just do a google search for Eat in OC and look for my review of Mini Cafe.

[eeyoresnr]

One of their old chefs or cooks or something now owns/runs a small restaurant in Santa Ana.

I wrote a review about it today on my website. I'd post a link but since I'm a new member I can't. Just do a google search for Eat in OC and look for my review of Mini Cafe.

looking it up now

[eeyoresnr]

here's the link

http://www.eatinoc.com/

[FEBoyd]

One of their old chefs or cooks or something now owns/runs a small restaurant in Santa Ana.

I wrote a review about it today on my website. I'd post a link but since I'm a new member I can't. Just do a google search for Eat in OC and look for my review of Mini Cafe.

Chef Mario is 1 of the many cooks/chefs that my dad trained in his many years at Belisle's.I have eaten at the Mini Cafe during 1 of my trips back to socal and the food there is great

[bummer]

I haven't been to So Cal in forever, my grandparanets live in Placentia. I was so excited about taking my new husband this weekend on our trip, all this time I think my grandparents just thought that Belisle's relocated and I was trying to find where they moved! I live close to Auburn, CA, and saw someone from the restuarant is there. Is there somewhere to eat in Auburn even close? I am so distraught!

[DisneyGuy2006]

Those are VERY Valuable in my opinion...got any more???

[eeyoresnr]

Those are VERY Valuable in my opinion...got any more???

any more what?

[Littleladybug]

I was just recently telling my husband about Belisle's restaurant when he informed me that he would be going to California on business! OMG...I loved that restaurant and grew up going there. I grew up in Garden Grove and now live in the Seattle area, but I can tell you I have never found a teriyaki steak that has ever been able to touch the one served there. Not to mention it is almost impossible to find any restaurant that offers cheese sauce to put on your baked potatoe any more! We loved it too when they started trying some of the "exotic" meats, and my husband who is a hunter, thought if he was going to be there longer than overnight he would have loved to have gone with some of his coworkers...oh well...guess I'm glad it ended up being an overnight trip. It just breaks my heart that the restaurant is gone along with so much of what I remember of a magical area to grow up in at the time.
If I am right...the restaurant Kono Hawaii is probably gone too...I have never found food that compares to theirs either...sigh!:sad2: Thanks to y'all for the pictures and memories...Would love to know how to make that teriyaki steak though...along with the chicken fried steak...the cheese sauce...
pies...and on and on....lol Mmmmmmm::goodvibes

[eeyoresnr]

remember their strawberry pies! they had to be a foot tall! yummm

[DisneyGuy2006]

ummm like Images.

[eeyoresnr]

I'll have to scan them...give me a couple days:thumbsup2

[eeyoresnr]

bump

[DocJerry]

I was a Pulmonary Fellow at UCI (the old Orange County Medical Center) early in the 1970s. We would go to Belisles after a long night on call and chow down. We did not worry about our weight back then and the portions served were huge..I especially remember the largest strawberries I had ever seen--Sorry to see that is it closed, although these days we do think more about dietary matters..JB

[eeyoresnr]

yes they were also known for their huge strawberries...the pies were like a foot high

[jlima]

Five out of four eat here

[lwanthony]

I remember I ordered a meatloaf sandwich, and it was as big as my head. You had to cut it into quarters then eighths to even start to think about eating it. yummmmmmm

[eeyoresnr]

bump

[RevDrJBTDDPhD]

I was born in Anaheim (the former Martin Luther Hospital near Euclid and Orangethorpe). Grew up in Anaheim (first home for a couple of years after our apartments was 6831 Blue Ridge Court in Yorba Linda, until we moved across Esperanza to the "flats of the Santa Ana Canyon part of Anaheim Hills" where we lived at 7761 East Northfield Avenue in Anaheim Hills).

When I was growing up, and we were hungry, we went to Besliles to fill up and we left with full stomachs.

Whenever we went to "Visit the Mouse" at Disneyland, we always ended our day after the fireworks at Besliles.

When I worked for Disney Imagineering and I had to bring clients to Disneyland all the time. We would do the Club 33 bit, but to end the day, after the fireworks I would always get everyone well fed at Besliles.

When I went on Disability back in February of 1989, after a heart attack at age 20 (on top of my being a paraplegic due to Guillain-Barre Syndrome), I went to Besliles less, but was there whenever I could afford it.

I really miss Besliles, and I am so sorry that the "grandkids" did not want to continue the business. It was a "cash cow" and had a perfect location and was always busy, and making a lot of money. It was a shock in 1995 when they closed it after 40 years of wonderful service.

God Bless,

John

[Dan Moreno]

I went there for my Honeymoon in 1974. Never forgot the place because it was so cool. I was just researching the restaurant to find out what happened to it. The one thing I remember vividly was the they also served RABBIT, yes Rabbit was on the munu there! Cool Huh? I have never seen Rabbit on any menu since.

Thanks for the Posts and the memories!! Glad to see I am not the only one who was "smitten" by this fantastic place!!!

[woody73]

I can still picture the dessert display case, with massive pies. Priceless!

Woody

[usnuzuloose]

I haven't been to So Cal in forever, my grandparanets live in Placentia. I was so excited about taking my new husband this weekend on our trip, all this time I think my grandparents just thought that Belisle's relocated and I was trying to find where they moved! I live close to Auburn, CA, and saw someone from the restuarant is there. Is there somewhere to eat in Auburn even close? I am so distraught!

I remember it but I never ate there. I used to live in fullerton and now I live in Sacramento not that far from you. I moved back here in 98 so I imagine orange county has changed so much.

[eeyoresnr]

bump

[DharmaLou]

This restaurant was a part of all of my childhood visits from Minnesota to Disneyland, as one of my dad's close friends was a Belisle. We ate there at least once on every trip. I have some really fond memories of that place, back to age 6.

[Andreas Mom]

When my DH and I went to California a few years we were told to try it out but when we looked the resturant up we were so sad to see that it had closed.

Our last name is Belisle (no relation) but we thought it would be fun to go anyways.