Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill

Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill
2785 Lakeshore Drive
Corona, CA 92883
951-667-4200

When I think of a barbeque restaurant, it is difficult not to picture horseshoes on the walls, sawdust on the floor and perhaps a stuffed boar’s head staring down at me from above the big-screen TV that looms over the dinning hall full of picnic benches with checkered tablecloths and the Plexiglas cover that slides around when you accidentally bump it. All the food comes in baskets, they only sell beer to drink and Hank Williams is on a loop. We’ve all been to places like that, and that’s not saying the food isn’t outstanding—it almost always is, which is why they can get away with having so much, er… charm—but the point is that it is predictable, a stereotype for barbeque joints that doesn’t properly prepare us for when we visit places like Wood Ranch.

Of all the pads created around Dos Lagos, Wood Ranch lucked out and grabbed the best one, right on the lake with views of the waterfall. So far, no other establishment at the development is offered such vistas, and if you’re there when the sun goes down and they seat you in the back by the veranda—which I was—then it only adds to the ambiance of the experience. Wood Ranch’s décor borders on something you’d find in a fine restaurant in a posh neighborhood: Subdued lighting, dark woods, stone, glass and amber hues create a relaxed environment without being snobbish, and the arrangement of the booths and tables is varied enough to give most parties a sense of seclusion. However, if they’ve got the fire going, I’d suggest sitting on the veranda outside, if for nothing but the views of the lakes.

Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill began in 1992 as a dream of two college roommates tired of working 100-weeks for other people, always feeling that they could run a better restaurant. After going their separate ways after graduations, Eric Anders and Ofer Shemtov reunited and revived their dream. Wood Ranch BBQ and Grill was born and the first location was in Moorpark. Since then, they’ve added 11 more locations, the last one being a new restaurant in Los Angeles, which opened last May. At the Corona branch, they employ roughly 85 people during the dinner shift and it is managed by Brandy Vanderbeck and Ricky Rufatt, and duties in the kitchen are overseen by head chef Ruben Pichilingdue.

The first plates to arrive at my table were two of their most popular appetizers: Famous Shredded Onions and the spinach and artichoke dips. The shredded onions were thinly sliced onions with a light seasoning of salts and garlic, and although well recommended, I would have preferred much more garlic to give them the zing that they needed. The spinach and artichoke dip was creamy as well as flavorful, perhaps on account of their use of fresh ingredients. And as I would come to find out, the portions at Wood Ranch exceed expectations.

Right when the salad made its entrance, they also brought one of their signature drinks, a raspberry mojito, a surprisingly refreshing martini-like drink made with Cruzan raspberry rum, which would have been perfect if it was about 30 degrees warmer outside. The salad wasn’t the sort of salad I would have expected—the BBQ chopped salad with chicken and tri-tip—and believe me when I say that you could order this salad and not worry about the main course. It featured everything you’d think a salad should be, including a few additions, like corn for instance, that would be right at home on the back of a chuck wagon, but the real treat was the chicken and tri-tip (you can have one or the other…or both). These two meats, juicy, hearty and bursting with Wood Ranch’s proprietary barbeque sauce, were plenty to fulfill any barbeque coinsurer.

The main dish was the Wood Ranch BBQ combo, which consisted of baby back ribs and tri-tip along the same lines as what was in the salad. Side dishes were macaroni and cheese and coleslaw (strangely enough with peanuts). The ribs didn’t fall off the bone when I touched them, as much as stereotypical barbeque joints suggest that they should, and I’m glad they didn’t. Half the fun of eating ribs is…well, eating ribs: you pick them up and chomp away, which is why they provide extra napkins and those lemon-scented wet napkins when you order the ribs. The tri-tip was a revisit of the salad, only this time they were in their own element, smothered the with extra sauce that would have surely ruined the taste of the salad. It was the sort of meat that instantly fills your mouth with spices and flavors no matter how small of a bite you take. It was prepared medium well, with just enough char to give it a smoky zest.

I wasn’t entirely impressed with the coleslaw, though it is only fair to mention that I have never been impressed with any coleslaw I’ve ever eaten, as it always seems like a salad that is trying to hard. However, the addition of the peanuts gave it a traditional Peruvian (okay, and Indonesian) feel to an otherwise European dish (hey, the Romans were Europeans). On the other hand, I can’t imagine anyone passing up the macaroni and cheese, and after one bite, it reminded me of my childhood, which is why, I guess, macaroni and cheese tops the list of comfort foods right after, say, meat loaf (though nobody will admit liking it). When I return with my kids, they’ll probably lick the plates clean and ask for more.

The Oreo Cookie Crunch isn’t exactly how it sounds. For starters, it didn’t crunch much, as Oreos lose their crunch ability as soon as they’re pulverized into a fine granular toping and added to a mound of ice cream. But, I’m not going to split hairs here, as it was the finest use of the Oreo cookie I have ever tasted. It comes to the table looking very much like Morro Rock, a rotund heap of Oreo cookie-encrusted ice cream completely surrounded by a sea of melted chocolate. You’ll forget your own name after the first bite, and by the third, you’ll need resuscitation. If you order nothing else at Wood Ranch, get this… get two, one more for the ride home.

After that, nothing could compare. I tried really hard to judge the Mom’s Deep-Dish Cobbler on its own level. Hot apples, flaky and crisp crumbled crust served in a tall-sided ramekin: It would have been perfect after that meat loaf and macaroni and cheese I mentioned above, but I couldn’t get over feeling that I was driving a Volkswagen just after getting out of a Ferrari. I took it home with me, and after given my body time to recoup, I gave it another shot. This time, the cinnamon on the apples and the semi-sweet-slathered apples came shining through. My advice is don’t get both.

The evening was finished off by a tall vodka cappuccino, and I had trouble finishing it. It wasn’t because of the drink, as it was well made, frothy with a warming bite from both the espresso and vodka (which is always subdued in a coffee drink, for those looking to better hide your winter alcoholism). I was unable to finish it because I was quite full from the previous dishes, but mostly because I had worked my way through college in an espresso bar. So the very sight of any coffee-based drink brings back horrible associations attributed to the espresso bean and my constant exposure to its smell, something I am completely desensitized to. I imagine this runs along the lines as slaughterhouses producing vegetarians; they just lose the taste for meat in the same why I have for coffee.

Overall, there is something for everyone at Wood Ranch. The staff is very amicable and accommodating. However, excellence comes with a price, as this isn’t an inexpensive place you’d take a Little League team after winning the big game (though they’d kill for the mac and cheese, no doubt). The prices are fair for the quality, the ambiance and the experience of a fine restaurant in Corona, and if you’re trying to impress a first date, you can’t do any better.

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Backwoods BBQ

Backwoods BBQ
4300 Green River Road
Corona, CA

Did you ever throw a backyard barbeque where everything just came together perfectly? The meat was sublime, you ate it hot, and you didn't think meat could taste any better? Me neither. But Steve Nolan serves up this sought-after dream daily at Backwoods BBQ. This slightly out of the way goldmine is well worth your attention for lunch or dinner. It's not so hard to find (Green River exit off the 91), it has something for everyone, and the owner is mastering a craft that few people can.

When I first walked in, I immediately felt like Fred Flintstone when he catches a waft of an irresistible aroma in the air and begins to follow it. No matter what you order, you'll have that sensory confidence that it's going to be good. This is a casual place with some very serious Texas-Style Barbeque going on. This kind of barbeque relies heavily upon the preparation of the meat and the grilling technique. It does not find safety or forgiveness behind some thick sauce. This is where the craft comes in. These meats are perfectly marinated. The chicken is even tumbled. The fire is outside, behind the restaurant, and all meats are cooked and/or
smoked over mesquite wood. Fortunately for all, the fire pits are mobile and Backwoods can cater for events large or small. Catering is actually how the company began, and it's still a big part of what they do.

It is meat that I tell you what's good here. Your chicken won't be dry—it is arguably the most impressive chicken breast in town. I found it to be moist and tender, with a distinct mesquite barbeque flavor. It puts a swift end to dull white meat. The St. Louis Style Ribs are excellent. They're great before you add the sauce, as are the Pork Spare Ribs. The Smoked Kilbasa Sausage was one of my very favorites. My internal delicious meter (or IDM) kept taking me back for another bite between each new thing I was supposed to try. The strong, full flavor is
outstanding. It's a perfect compliment to anything else you'll order. The tender and flavorful Carne Asada is way up there, too. It's a favorite among locals for good reason. New items? Try the Carnitas. They are incredibly moist. I say they're one of the best offerings on the board.

Helping you in what could otherwise be a difficult decision, the menu mercifully offers you some BBQ combination entrees. It is not easy to visit this restaurant and have only one kind of meat. Go combo. Owner Steve Nolan takes great care to serve the right-sized cuts of meat. This principle seems to apply both to the grilling size as well as the generous serving sizes. To compliment your meats (since I told you to go combo), there are plenty of wonderful sides to choose from. You'll find potatoes, corn, beans, cole slaw, green salads and even a potato salad better than your mom's.

Backwoods BBQ has a welcome family style to it. There are video and vending games for the kids, as well as TV screens for the adults. A couple of pool tables can be found toward the back, too, if you are so inclined. Live local bands appear on Friday and Saturday nights.

The barbequed meats here are some of the best-cooked and tastiest I have ever had. What's great about this place is that you don't have to dress up, get a sitter, or buff your car with hi-gloss wax to spend an evening here. This is a place to relax and let someone else get smoke in their eyes. There's only a short wait for your food, so crack open some appetizer peanuts and, well, let the shells fall where they may.

Ryan Keane writes exclusively for MyCityCorona.com

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Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon

Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon
955 Montecito Drive
Corona, CA 92879

It must be the protein that generates the fervor which has me confessing that I recently had my carnivorous lobe satiated. If the average American consumed over 51 pounds of beef last year (and 37% of all statistics are made up), I didn’t want to be outdone. Fortunately, I reached toward fulfillment of my own personal quota at Corona’s Lone Star Steakhouse.

You can see it from the 15 and you can see it from the 91, but take my advice and see it from the inside. Steadfast food snobs like me usually assume that chains or franchise corporations are going to be factory food let-downs. But Lone Star delivers quality food and an above-average experience. Saddle up and ride.

The brief on the beef is that it’s grain-fed and aged for 21 days. It’s the good stuff. Assessing the menu and being fully aware that life is short, I signed up for the Five-Star Filet Mignon. It was a tender steak with a very good, full flavor. Someone remind me to wrap more things in bacon.

Big, hot, Texas-sized rolls arrive at your table after you order. They are soft and delicious and bigger than your fist. You know an excellent roll by how good it is without or before the butter. These rolls are great. Try not to fill up on them (four could make a pillow). When ordering your sides, you absolutely must order the runaway favorite, the baked sweet potato. Venture here and you’ll see that it comes equipped with cinnamon sugar and butter. Sounds simple enough, but the knock-out flavor combination on its own as well as with your entrée is hard to describe.
Trust me and get it. Our enlightened server told us it would even fill our “dessert spot” during dinner. She was right. I hate missing dessert, but I’m still grateful to her. Now that several days have passed, I want another one.

I counted at least seven different cuts of steak on Lone Star’s menu. But there is much more than beef. Rib lovers will enjoy good baby back pork ribs at Lone Star. So you know, they are tender, but not falling off the bone. Seafood lovers will find lobster, crab legs, shrimp or salmon. There are soups and there is even homemade chili. For people that wish to have no meat of any kind (but who are still taking up space at your table), I can recommend the great salads and pasta.

Finally, I must applaud the service ethic at Lone Star. Having been a food server not so many years ago, I am impressed with the restaurant’s insistence that no server has more than a three-table station. The smallest stations I ever covered always had four. Utter mayhem occurs far less often with smaller stations. This concept has the diner in mind. Another welcome rarity is the chance that if you happen upon Lone Star at a popular hour with a wait time or line, you might find yourself being served complimentary appetizers. Now THAT is what I call civilized.

Owner Gregg Rotcher has struck a formula for restaurant success and it shows. Tarry to Corona Pointe off Magnolia and the 15 and see what it is that makes Lone Star, well, stellar.

Ryan Keane writes exclusively for MyCityCorona.com

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