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Culinary Connection
Amelia's Place
Let Their Fingers Do the Walking (and the Cooking!)
By Gerry Furth-Sides
With generations of experience and tradition behind them, two outstanding valley companies provide a helping hand with healthy, tasty prepared everyday meals or unique menus to spark a catered party.
Even before you walk into the spotless Amelia’s Place kitchen where Chef Andrea Halloran and her family lovingly prepare food, the warm and inviting voice of her son, Corey, greets you on the phone with information and directions to their convenient industrial park location with plenty of parking.
Husband Greg, son Sean and daughter Sydney make up the rest of this handsome and capable family in this dual business of Southern Style Cooking to-go and Home delivered weekly food service.
The history goes back generations. Amelia’s Place is named in honor of Andrea’s own grandmother. Andrea’s mother created the Weekly Meal Service, in which quality home-cooked meals are freshly prepared and packaged for delivery once a week ($125 for the week), carefully packaged for fridge or freezer storage so they can be popped into the oven or microwave and on to the table as needed. The idea is ingenious for professionals, seniors, post-op surgery patients and invalids, or new moms. And, Andrea adds with a laugh, “for someone who just needs a break.”
Catering services are also available and even though the company is a year old, have become quite popular, especially practical for weddings and large events!
Though Andrea is a third-generation chef/entrepreneur, it’s not surprising that this down to earth lady, take-charge lady created Amelia’s place from a detailed business plan she completed for a college business degree!
The take-out menu alone draws a crowd. Who couldn’t resist “Fall Off the Bone Tender BBQ Spareribs?” They are not only succulent but perfectly seasoned so that the satisfaction of eating them lingers on and on and on. Part of the reason is because the slow, wood-smoked barbecue with its tantalizing hardwood smoked flavor is smoked right at the kitchen.
Andrea’s “Scottie’s Firehouse Chili” (named after Andrea’s own chef mom) is, as the menu dictates, “not for the faint of heart.” It is indeed peppery and sharp, softened a bit with the little accompanying cornbreads. Meals include all the sides and fixings, such as Fried Okra Corn & Tomatoes that will make fans even out of first-time okra eaters, perfectly seasoned and wholesome Southern Greens and Baked Beans.
The changing weekly dinner menu dishes are healthy and fresh. For example, entrée choices one week included Stuffed Bellpepper, Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops in a White Wine Sauce; Chicken Marengo; Meat Loaf; Garlic Chicken with Wilted Spinach and New Potatoes.
Chef Andrea uses time tested recipes passed down for generations. “I’m proud of my heritage,” she beams. “My family’s restaurant never had the image of the greasy spoon food that is too often associated with southern food.”
Andrea’s history goes back to her grandparents, Amelia and Scott Ashley, who opened S & A Sandwich Shop over 60 years ago. As she says, “with that began a tradition of excellence in her food and in the service.” Amelia, for whom the business is named, also passed down a sense of entrepreneurship. “In the early 1900's, a time when black women had few rights, Nana graduated college and became a teacher. Later, this businesswoman, teacher, mother and wife bought property, built and managed apartment units and the café,” reports Andrea.
The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Amelia’s daughter Scottie (Andrea’s mother) later opened Ashley's Fine Cuisine offering catering and a weekly meal service from that same café, where Andrea learned the trade firsthand.
And the “proof is in the pudding.” And, in Andrea’s case, it is a giant muffin-shaped extravaganza bread pudding with enough texture on the top to make for a museum sculpture. It is so tasty, in fact, that I ate the whole thing in one sitting and it will get its own article!
Amelia’s Place is open Tuesday - Saturday from 11 am to 7:30pm. There is also a daily “Phone-A’Lunch” takeout service. (818)717-8782, 19520-4 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91324, www.ameliasplace.net.
And for those diners who want their event chef in the house (or corporate office) 20-year catering veteran, David Model, and wife Jennifer, of Mr. Omelette, will prepare omelettes (the most popular has 12 items) and a host of other dishes. The congenial and food-loving, fun-loving Model majored in nutrition in college, and comes by his food heritage through his father, “the original” Mr. Omelette, who founded the east coast catering chain. Read all about the valley caterer and some of his menus on www.mromeletteca.com. 2060 Ave De Los Arboles #355 Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, (805) 222-5674
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