Don’t be fooled by its metallic sleek interior. Chicken Dijon Rotisserie and Grill’s modest kitchen dishes out anything but bland. This under-the-radar Mediterranean restaurant off of Pacific Coast Highway not only serves as a quick-casual restaurant for food connoisseurs, but it also has a delicious variety for vegetarians and health-conscious eaters. Entrées such as the falafel sandwich, stuffed grape leaves and baba ganoush are herbivore-friendly, and the pita bread and garlic sauce is a definite must.
Founded in 1993 in Los Angeles, the restaurant became more and more popular as Mediterranean cuisine became more profitable over recent years. After the loss of their father, the family business of Chicken Dijon Rotisserie and Grill fell into the hands of two college-going brothers. Under the guidance of Joseph and Steven Nimeh, Chicken Dijon is now enjoyable today as a popular expanding franchise with six locations, one of which recently opened in Long Beach.
Unlike other Mediterranean restaurants in the Long Beach area where lines are long and crowds are large, Chicken Dijon’s efficient multi-unit kitchen produces quality food without the long wait or annoying lines.
Open Sesame, an eatery on Belmont Shore’s ever-popular Second Street, is always busy. Crowds of hungry, frustrated customers bombard the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, sometimes overflowing so much that they become a nuisance to patrons already seated and eating their dinners. However good the food may be, the pressuring evil-eye of strangers does not make Open Sesame very appetizing.
Chicken Dijon, on the other hand, is surprisingly bare. But it won’t be very long before people catch wind of this up-and-coming eatery, so get a quick bite before the crowds come.
Modern design and high ceilings give the restaurant a crisp and clean but inviting appeal. (Think Chipotle’s interior but more comfortable.) Overall, the modern atmosphere and delicious creamy food complement each other for an enjoyable and inexpensive dinner. However, bring a jacket because sometimes it can get a little too breezy inside.
You can even eat at Chicken Dijon several times a week on a college student budget. A quarter plate of the signature rotisserie chicken with a choice of two sides is only $6.50, excluding tax. Side choices include incredibly tasty Mediterranean fries, baked potatoes, coleslaw, and rice pilaf, to name a few. The side portions are quite large and filling. Also try the garlic sauce; it’s perfect as a dipping sauce or as a spread.
Located at the Marina Pacifica shopping center at the PCH and Second Street intersection, the restaurant is perfect for a convenient stop not too far away from campus. The restaurant’s neighbors include an AMC movie theater and Barnes & Noble.
Take-out food is easy and hassle-free and they also provide delivery service for those too lazy to get off the couch.
