Thanks to reader Dave of Tustin, here are two photos of the late, lamented Belisle's Restaurant in Garden Grove. Harvey and Charlotte Belisle opened it shortly before Disneyland opened just up the street. This popular restaurant was torn down by Garden Grove's Redevelopment Agency in the 1990s to make way for a big hotel which, as it turned out, couldn't be built on that exact spot after all. Soon, a sign reading "restaurant pads available" was posted, leading many to shake their heads at the stupidity of it all. It has now been replaced by several chain restaurants that can already be found all over Orange County.
The workmen who built Disneyland frequented Belisle's, as did noted Modern architect Philip Johnson. In fact, countless thousands visited again and again for their giant-sized portions, vast menu, "home cookin'," and small town, family-run atmosphere..
I met Ronald Reagan once. He was speaking in Garden Grove. Guess where he went for lunch afterward. Yep. Belisle's for meatloaf!
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It's not easy to find, but if you're interested in the history of Belisle's, I recommend Charolette Belisle's book, Orange County and Life Before Disneyland: The Story of the World Famus Belisle's, 1955-1995. Her book gave me a new respect for restaurant owners and just how much hard labor goes into operating a popular establishment.
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The photo below is from 1980 and cames from an old online auction, I think.
