The Pub at Chino Hills – Quality at a Pub

by Julio Zuniga

When the word “gastropub” was originally coined during the 1980’s in England, it meant a bar, tavern, or in this case, a pub that serves high quality beer and food. This definitely holds true for The Pub at Chino Hills.

The first thing you see when you walk into the place is the huge bar, the focal point of any good pub. The Pub at Chino Hills  stocks their bar full and has 20 craft beers on tap, as well as various bottled and canned beers. For my visit here I enjoyed a Firestone 805 blonde ale. Light, crisp, and with just a touch of hops taste, this was one of the most refreshing beers I’ve had. If beer is not your drink of choice, no problem; the bar also has a nice wine selection, and also features an extensive cocktail menu with premium spirits.

Most places start you off with some chips and dip when you sit down. Rather than follow suit, The Pub at Chino Hills starts you off with a bowl of popcorn made with duck fat. The taste is light yet distinct, without the oily feeling that butter leaves on your fingers.

Next I tried one of their newer items: the Fried Pork Belly Bites. These tender pieces of pork are crispy on the outside and served with a crème fraise. These are truly a sinful delight.

Followed by that, I sampled their Duck Chorizo Tacos. The chorizo was delicious, tangy, with a hint of spice, while the cilantro slaw was combined with chopped pear to top the taco. Such a combination of flavors complimented the dish, and the pear kept the flavors of the red cabbage and sour cream from being overpowering.

The third appetizer that I had the pleasure of tasting was the Duck Chorizo Scotch Egg. This appetizer consisted of a hard-boiled egg wrapped in duck chorizo and fried to perfection. To me this appetizer stood out the most because the idea was simple, elegant, and very flavorful.

Looking at the menu, there are a multitude of choices you could make when choosing an entrée. No matter what you choose you can’t go wrong. Of the many choices on the menu, I had the pleasure of tasting several dishes: the Korean Pork Burger, Chicken Pappardelle, Gnocchi Clam Chowder, Apple Grilled Cheese, and the Prosciutto Flatbread.

 

If you’re ever in unfamiliar territory, the burger should be your go-to-meal in any restaurant. The Korean Pork Burger is one of The Pub at Chino Hills’ many burger variations. Made with pork instead of beef, topped with pork rinds, house made sundried tomato ketchup, kimchi, bean sprouts, and cilantro, this burger is reminiscent of Asian cuisine.

I like pasta as much as the next person, but the Chicken Pappardelle took it to another level. The pasta and chicken were cooked perfectly with the addition of mushrooms and spinach. All ingredients were tossed in a spicy sauce and topped with prosciutto.

The Gnocchi Clam Chowder was some of the best chowder I’ve ever had. Thick, creamy, with bacon, and topped with clams; what’s not to love?

The Apple Grilled Cheese was definitely something new to try. This sandwich is made with aged white cheddar, jalapenos & cilantro pesto, and an apple slice right in the middle of sourdough bread. The crisp flavor of the apple balances perfectly with the cheese and bread, keeping them from being overwhelming. Served with house chips, this definitely brings back memories of younger days.

Finally we have the Prosciutto Flatbread. This dish is made with mozzarella, parmesan cheese, topped with fresh arugula and prosciutto. The dish looks like it’s made to share, but trust me, you won’t want to.

I ended the meal with some desserts I’ve never tried before. I tried the freshly prepared in house Bread Pudding a la mode. As they brought out the plate, the bread pudding was still warm from the oven.

The mouth watering Heath Bar Brownie a la Mode followed. Instead of regular ice cream, they use a salted caramel ice cream, and Chantilly cream with heath bar crumbles. I was in heaven!

Despite all the different food I tasted, there’s still so much more for me to try here. You can bet that this won’t be my last visit to The Pub at Chino Hills.

The Pub at Chino Hills

5771 Pine Ave.

Chino Hills, CA 91709

(909) 597-2224

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