By Peter Celauro
Assistant A&E Editor
If not for the enormous copper rotisserie stove in the window, nobody would probably ever go to Chick’s. Understatedly decorated and nestled away between a Subway and a Sav-On, the Mexican rib and chicken restaurant is the last establishment on its block to catch your eye, and certainly the last place you’d just wander into.
That is, until you see the stove.
The massive copper contraption stands tall and proud through the tinted glass of the eatery, fiery hot and filled to the brim with whole chickens being slow-cooked to perfection. Upon seeing the stove and its wares, hardly a passerby can resist entering the shop, even if only to snoop around.
Thankfully, Chick’s is one restaurant you can read by its cover. The tiny ma and pa-owned place boasts a surprisingly varied menu of authentic ethnic dishes. Patrons can indulge in practically anything, from the Caesar rotisserie breast sandwich to the family-recipe beef or pork ribs to the spicy chicken enchiladas. Though the food is expensive (the salad is $7.25 and a chicken/rib combo is $13.49), each dish is tantalizing and, for the most part, worth the money.
The wide variety is a result of the diverse ethnicity of the owners.
“I am a Russian, Lithuanian, Mexican Jew with a French name,” said Jean Berkman, manager of Chick’s and son of its owner. “I’m a mutt. Basically, I’m an American.
“My parents started (Chick’s) when I was 6 years old,” Berkman explained. “When we came here from Mexico City, my parents didn’t want us eating McDonald’s and Taco Bell.”
The result was a delicious, family-owned eatery. Upon entering the shop, patrons will instantly notice the unique decorative scheme; Chicks comes off as a cross between a greasy-spoon pizzeria and a deeply Mexican taqueria.
A simple, picture-filled list of food choices adorns the walls behind the counter, while bronze, Aztec-looking suns line the walls next to the tables. Next to the counter is a very normal-looking soda machine, while nestled in the corner and taking up nearly a third of the restaurant is the one-of-a-kind stove, the trademark of the bistro.
“My father built that stove,” Berkman said of the contraption responsible for his livelihood. “You can take pictures of it, but only from outside.”
That was in 1982, when Mr. and Mrs. Berkman opened and operated Chick’s. Now, 21 years later, the responsibility for keeping the place running rests on their son.
“I’m the slave, basically,” he said. “They make all the money, and I do all the work. But they’re getting ready to retire.”
When they do, ownership of the eatery goes to Berkman Jr., who plans to maintain the spirit of Chick’s.
“These are all my great- grandmother’s recipes,” he said. “Everything we make is from scratch, everything is authentic. My parents never liked fast food. They wanted good healthy food.”
He laughed and patted his belly.
“If you’re gonna get a gut like this, you might as well do it right.”
Chick’s is located at 23355 Mulholland Dr. in Woodland Hills, just south of the Calabasas Commons.
It’s open Monday through Saturday 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 to 9 p.m.
DIRECTIONS
-Take 101 South to the Mulholland exit.
-Turn left at the first light.
-Turn right on Mulholland.
-The strip mall Chick’s is in is on the left.
February 06, 2003