Treat your mom to a fabulous meal

Kathy Mader

Ahhh, mom. Mother’s Day. It’s important to celebrate Mom, everyday

and always. And in my family, there is no better way to celebrate

than to eat.

Moms -- at least this one -- love to eat. You say your mother is

no longer with us? Eat in her memory. You say you never had a mother?

Eat to what could have been. You say you never wanted a mother? You

have to eat anyway.

This Mother’s Day, I’m offering you an opportunity to think both

inside and outside the box. Let me explain. When I say “inside the

box,” I mean “inside the pastry box.”

Picture this: never getting out of your brand new pajamas and

barely even lifting your head off the pillow but to sample some of

the most righteous chocolate cookies and brownies of all time.

Send someone who calls you “mother” over to Let Them Eat Cake, a

bakery and cake shop on the corner of Wilson and Newport Boulevard,

and have them go straight for the chocolate decadence cookie. This

monumental cookie has five kinds of chocolate and is a bit crispy on

the outside and melty-gooey on the inside.

Let Them Eat Cake is a first come, first served bakery unless you

have the presence of mind to call ahead. Needless to say, I have been

left without way too often.

The five-pound brownies are my second choice (People have been

known to take several days to eat these). Put them in the microwave

for about 45 seconds, and you have pecans swimming in molten

chocolate cake. Simply to die for.

The lemon bar is in a league of its own, with a fresh lemon slice

right on top. You cannot -- I repeat -- cannot go wrong bringing home

a box of these treats for your mama. Their address is 2346 Newport

Blvd. Call (949) 646-0542. They will not be open Sunday, so plan

ahead and pick them up Saturday.

Now, outside the pastry box. While dressing up for a fancy brunch

is quite nice, and the Hyatt Newporter always makes it worth your

while with the mother of all brunches (definitely call ahead!), don’t

make your decision until you have considered some of your more casual

choices. Maybe mom doesn’t want to wear a dress this year. Maybe she

can’t fit into her dress this year. Whatever.

My all-time favorite breakfast or brunch place is Plums Cafe, on

the corner of 17th Street and Tustin Avenue behind Jack in the Box.

For Mother’s Day this year, it is offering a brunch that is the

regular outstanding breakfast menu, with cocktails, coffee and juice.

Salmon hash, crispy coconut French toast, apple-honey sausage and the

unbelievable Dutch baby, a jumbo “pancake” sprinkled with powdered

sugar and served with lemon and marionberry compote ... everyone will

be happy. Don’t make mom share, and she will be the happiest of all.

Another option outside the box is El Ranchito on Placentia in

Costa Mesa. In a casual and lighthearted atmosphere complete with

live mariachis playing requests, you can enjoy all of the specialties

-- fajitas, omelets, carnitas and chicken mole, a Mexican delicacy

made of chicken in a rich and spicy sauce with a hint of chocolate.

Best of all, the tortillas are handmade. Can’t beat that with a

stick, mi madre!

If you really want to take it easy, and at the same time enjoy

some California sun and atmosphere, try the Back Bay Cafe next to the

Dunes. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., it will be offering a major brunch out

on the patio with a view of the water and the boat docks. You are

definitely in Southern California and the better for it.

The brunch will include raviolis, salmon glazed ham and carved

roast beef for entrees, with you name it on the side -- garlic mashed

potatoes, cheese board, salads, an order-your-own-omelet station,

breakfast meats, various desserts and mimosas for all older than 21.

Obviously, these are only several of the many choices you have

this Mother’s Day. Many of the local restaurants have something

special going on. But it really is fun to try something different,

and sometimes, a relaxed atmosphere is best.

Whatever you choose to do, take this advice from me, feed your

mom. Happy Mother’s Day!