Mission Inn Restaurant Weblink 3649 Mission Inn Ave. Riverside, 92501 (951) 341-6719
Hours: Sunday Brunch 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Breakfast Monday - Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Sunday 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Lunch Monday - Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Dinner Monday - Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m
Kid friendly Disabled accessible Full bar
Price Range: Breakfast $6.50 to $13.50 Lunch $$10.50 to $18.50 Dinner $20.00 to $32.00
Rating: Food - 5 Service - 4 ½ Ambiance - 5 Value -5
|

The Historic Mission Inn resort has a long and colorful 104 year history however
over the past 2 years, many changes have taken place and a new chapter has
been added to this crown jewel resort of the Inland Empire. For starters, the
dining room at the Mission Inn Restaurant has been slowly been refurbished with
plush new tables and chairs, newly painted murals on the walls and on the
ceiling, new plates and silverware and now, a stunning new display kitchen where
all of the magnificent food is prepared fresh, for all to see. The sight of chefs
hustling around busily preparing and cooking behind the beautiful rustic colored
marbled counter, with shinning copper walls, a large rotisserie along a flames
from food being cooked dancing through the air is poetry in motion.
The large dining room is elegant, inviting yet casual while the adjacent Spanish
patio with colorful plants, lush greenery, and beautiful architecture surrounding
each person sitting in the patio is the ultimate place to relax and rid your self of
stress.
My guests and I started our dinner off with the Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Cap
$9.00. This masterful creation featured a huge mushroom cap stuffed with an
herbed laced goat cheese and roasted peppers pate and was topped with
arugula with a olive oil sherry vinaigrette gently floating beneath the giant
mushroom cap. The mushroom was “meaty” in texture and pate mixture was
delicious.
Another appetizer we tried and loved was the Chicken Kabob $8.75. This popular
plate consisted of a nice size grilled herb and olive oil marinated leg and
boneless thigh & leg portion of chicken that was skewered and served with a
mildly spicy curry yogurt sauce and a cucumber and watercress salad. The
combination of the tasty herb flavored chicken, the curry sauce and the salad
complimented each other very well and was excellent.
Moving onto the dinner entrees, our first wave of dishes to sample were the
Braised Short Ribs $24.00, the Rotisserie Chicken $20.00 and the Jumbo Shrimp
Provencal $26.00. The Braised Short Ribs featured 2 large meaty thick boneless
short ribs that were slowly braised 3 ½ hours in a rich, bold and assertive
cabernet sauce. The meat was very tender and delicious while the creamy
polenta and perfectly sautéed fresh vegetables made this dish very special.
Although Rotisserie Chicken may seem boring to some, the Mission Inn version
was outstanding. The chicken had a crisp exterior and while the addition lemon,
limes and herbs stuffed inside the slowly roasting chicken made the chicken very
moist and full of flavor and one of the best rotisserie chicken dishes I have every
had. The next dish, the Shrimp Provencal was a real palate pleaser! Imagine 4
sweet succulent jumbo shrimp majestically sitting onto 3 large tri-colored goat
cheese filled raviolis with tomatoes, garlic and fresh herbs and fresh sautéed
zuchini and yellow squash. What a treat!
Speaking of treats, one of my fondest memories of Disneyland was eating at the
Blue Bayou restaurant and savoring the best Monte Cristo sandwich in the world.
When I heard this incredible sandwich was on the lunch menu, I begged and
pleaded with the chef to make an exception and make one for me for dinner. He
did so, and my life is that much more fulfilled. For those who have never
experienced this memorable sandwich, it starts off with two slices of thick sliced
egg bread with turkey, smoky ham and Swiss cheese. The sandwich is then
dipped in a light tempura like batter and deep fried until crispy brown. It is then
dusted with powdered sugar and served with black berry current jam. Tears of joy
and pure ecstasy overtook me as I slowly devoured this sensational sandwich. If I
were you, call ahead if you are going for dinner and ask if the chef will please
make a Monte Cristo sandwich for you. Pleading, putting guilt on him and just
plain crying will surely help your cause. You must try this sandwich before you die
and go to culinary heaven!
Other dishes that we ordered and were just as outstanding included a fantastic
10 oz. slice of Prime Rib with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh veggies $28.50,
and a delectable Rib Eye Steak that was first blackened and then finished off on
the rotisserie and served with a complex tasting goat cheese, kalamata olive demi
glace.
For dessert, the Crème Brule $6.50 and the Chocolate Crunch cake $7.50 were
the perfect ending to a most enjoyable and memorable dining experience.