Chicken That Sings, a Diner to Clean the Plate

Celebrity-owned restaurants are a tradition in Southern California, thanks to an abundance of actors, sports figures and entertainers in permanent residence. Add two recent Orange County openings to the list--Kenny Rogers Roasters and Blyleven’s Dugout Diner. One is part of a growing nationwide chain of rotisserie chicken houses. The other is a homey, one-of-a-kind neighborhood hangout.

Don’t count on running into legendary country singing star Kenny Rogers in his Fountain Valley chicken shop, but plan on getting an eyeful of the man anyway. Kenny Rogers Roasters is plastered with pictures of the singer (a part owner), plus copies of his gold records and other Rogers memorabilia.

Rotisserie chicken is a hot item in the food industry at the moment because the masses have come to realize it contains less fat, sodium and calories than traditional fried chicken. The result: a rotisserie explosion, from KFC to your local supermarket. Kenny Rogers Roasters has several things going for it: a courtly manner, 64 gorgeous chickens twirling languidly on spits over an oak fire, and a line of fresh-faced servers (in black and red caps and colorful striped shirts) waiting to take your order.

Service is wonderful, considering that the restaurant’s fare is priced to compete in the fast-food market. Someone opens the front door as you approach it. When you have picked a table and set your tray on it, the empty tray is immediately bussed away and you’re offered sauces, condiments or anything you may have overlooked.

The slogan is, “It’s the wood that makes it good,” and that is not in dispute. The oak gives this chicken a smoky, country-style taste, though not as intense as, say, the hickory-smoked chicken at a Richard Jones BBQ or in one of Fred Burrell’s pit barbecues. Neither is the skin ultra-crisp--the style KFCs are promoting--but rather on the soft side, similar to the popular rotisserie chicken at Claim Jumper. This chicken is a nice, middle-of-the-road rotisserie model, and good value for your money.

Now the restaurant needs to improve its side dishes. Among a half dozen or so tasted, only the firm, red-skinned parsley potatoes and tart cinnamon apples make a positive impression. The mashed potatoes are gluey, and their brown gravy topping is unspeakable. The macaroni and cheese is thick, starchy and an unappetizingly pallid shade of yellow. A cold salad of tomato, cucumber and onion is a good idea that fails in execution. By the time it reaches the table, it is runny and soggy.

I’ll vouch for the surprisingly good chicken vegetable soup, perfumed subtly with fresh dill, and the roasted chicken pita pocket, filled with chicken, shredded lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, onions and Kenny’s Secret Sauce, a flavored mayonnaise. But the best bet is still the bird. A plump whole chicken is $7.99 without side dishes.

Kenny Rogers Roasters is inexpensive. A quarter chicken is $2.99 to $4.69, a half chicken is $4.99 to $5.99.

* KENNY ROGERS ROASTERS

* 18315 Brookhurst, No. 2, Fountain Valley.

* (714) 378-0798.

* Lunch and dinner Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday till 11 p.m.

* MasterCard, Visa and ATM cards accepted.

Blyleven’s Dugout Diner

Blyleven’s Dugout Diner is owned by blazing Bert Blyleven, a big right-hander who won 287 games pitching for, among others, Minnesota, Cleveland and the Angels in a long major league career.

Blyleven owns this baseball-themed diner along with partner Norman Foster, and there is a good chance you will to see him in the flesh if you come early enough in the morning. We did. Look for a rugged, auburn-bearded guy wearing a flowered shirt. The man looks remarkably like a 20th Century incarnation of van Gogh (with both ears, of course).

This is a cute, kid-friendly place in mostly residential Villa Park, and it projects an infectious enthusiasm. The tables are glass-topped showcases of Angels memorabilia, and there are bat racks, major league team caps and news clips about Blyleven’s career throughout the restaurant. You order off a menu designed to resemble a baseball, drink your juice out of plastic tumblers that won’t break when you bounce them off the floor. Few people know the diner genre better than major leaguers. These guys eat half their meals on the road, in cities like Pittsburgh, Boston, Seattle and San Francisco. With all that experience, you expect Blyleven to know his diner stuff, and, largely, he does. Breakfast foods are dependable, other dishes spottier. You can rely, for instance, on the terrific huevos rancheros. They come with a delicious salsa and good, squeaky fresh tortillas.

Pancakes are airy and tasty, though Blyleven should know better than to serve these good cakes with a blah commercial table syrup that comes in a pull-open packet. There’s also what the restaurant calls a sandwich of grilled sausage, fried egg and cheese, which makes a satisfying start when eaten on sourdough bread. Egg dishes come with freshly grated, crunchy, golden hash browned potatoes. They are almost good enough to make a Red Sox fan smile.

Naturally there are burgers, made with one-third of a pound of fresh beef. Just see that they don’t overcook yours, as they did mine. You can get a steamed hot dog with sauerkraut, a good Pirates steak sandwich with grilled onion, bell peppers and Swiss (like the one made famous at Three Rivers Stadium). Pass on the Cleveland Bratwurst, though, a bland veal sausage, and Carlton’s teriyaki chicken, which has a sticky sweet pineapple glaze.

If it is dessert you want, there is good cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, plus good homemade brownies and carrot cake from a private baker. “Minor leaguers”--kids under 8--can content themselves with things like grilled cheese and peanut butter sandwiches from a kids’ menu with nothing over two dollars. With a few small improvements, Blyleven could throw a complete game. Oh heck, give the man a “W” anyway.

Blyleven’s Dugout Diner is inexpensive. Breakfasts are $2.75 to $4.95. Lunch and dinner is $2.50 to $6.45.

* BLYLEVEN’S DUGOUT DINER

* 17767 Santiago Blvd., Villa Park.

* (714) 998-0400.

* Breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday till 10 p.m.

* MasterCard and Visa accepted.