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Home  ACE Stories Entree Table Hailey's Café: A Healthy Dining Experience in Wilmington
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Hailey's Café: A Healthy Dining Experience in Wilmington |
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Monday, 22 September 2008 |
Christine Rodriguez is too young to remember San Pedro’s legendary women’s boxing coach Dee Knuckles. Rodriguez’ intense desire to box brought her to the Broadway Gym in South Central L.A. where she traded home cooked meals for training sessions with old time coach Bill Slayton. Slayton told her, “You are too pretty and smart to box. Use your good cooking and open a restaurant!”
“I started cooking at age 5” said Christine. “I was the oldest child in
a large family and I liked the instant reward of cooking, and the
smiles on the kids’ faces.” She took Slayton’s advice and graduated
from the culinary education program at Long Beach City College. Always
exploring different avenues, Rodriguez is also a massage therapist, but
continues her involvement in the sport of boxing as a manager of up and
coming Rico Ramos.
However, the title "Mom" is her favorite job. "My son is part of
everything I do,” Rodriguez explained of her 11-year old son Quincy.
“I am thrilled to be a positive role model for him." Motherhood is
first priority for partner Liz Perada as well, with her lively 3-year
old daughter Hailey, the café’s namesake, in tow. Good food and good
parenting brought two talented and energetic women together, and the
combination is dynamite!
Hailey’s Café is a delightful surprise in an unlikely location––a
working contradiction that turns out delicious and healthy meals, great
coffee, internet access and even excellent ice water. The small café’
is in downtown Wilmington, an area that includes the Don Hotel where in
its heyday Howard Hughes was an occupant while he was testing the
Spruce Goose in the harbor. With a fine view of the historic building
housing Janice Hahn’s field office, Hailey’s is at the corner of Avalon
and “F” Street in Wilmington. At home in a strip mall, the café is
near the ILWU Local 13 dispatch hall, giving wise workers the
opportunity to pick up lunch and coffee to go while checking their
e-mail. Ten minutes on the web is $1.95.
Everything about Hailey’s is thoughtful and delicious, from the
refreshing ice water (cucumber, lemon and mint are the secret) to the
best chicken tortilla soup you have ever tasted, unless your granny was
called “abuelita.” Called “pollo verde,” the homemade broth is packed
with chicken and vegetables, with a touch of green chilies, crunchy
tortilla strips and minced cilantro. Just zingy enough, this soup is
so compelling, it merited two trips to Hailey’s in one day!
Breakfast starts at 6 a.m., with “build your own” selections to put
together the combo of your choice. Have some great java while perusing
the assortment of choices – this is a good deal for $6.95, with a pick
of five items from breads, meats, vegetables, cheese, potatoes and
eggs, any style. The red skinned rosemary spuds are crusty outside and
tender inside, seasoned nicely with rosemary. Breakfast burritos are
the best way to eat some of Hailey’s fantastic salsa––fresh and
perfectly spicy. Omelets are all custom, with three eggs the basis for
any combo of tomato, onion, bell pepper, mushrooms, olives or scallions
and Cheddar, Mozzarella, Swiss or cream cheese or sour cream. The
Deluxe omelet has the addition of a choice of ham, bacon, turkey
sausage or turkey bacon.
Children will be pleased by the silver dollar pancakes on the kid’s
menu, while the special French toast made with fresh croissants would
thrill anyone. Topped with fresh strawberries and banana, crowned with
powdered sugar and whipped cream, this is a dish fine enough to set
before a king. (Or the prince or princess in your family.) Multigrain
banana pancakes are hearty and satisfying, lovely to eat with
strawberries.
Lunch at Hailey’s is even more amazing – has there ever been balsamic
vinaigrette on a menu in Wilmington before this? There has always been
great food in the port center, but you have to know where the best
carne asada tacos or ceviche or chile verde burrito come from. Not
since the swinging days of the Persian Room has cuisine this cutting
edge been found in the heart of the harbor.
Steak is marinated for 48 hours before hitting the grill for the steak
sandwich on baguette, with avocado, tomato, grilled green peppers and
red onions, provolone cheese and a lemon sauce. Smoked turkey holiday
sandwich is a fun combo of smoked turkey, fresh spinach, red onion,
provolone cheese and zippy cranberry jalapeno chutney on multigrain
baguette. Hot grilled panini sandwiches are beautiful, with layers of
colorful roasted eggplant, fresh spinach, roasted bell peppers,
provolone cheese and sun dried tomato spread on baguette. Hailey’s
lunch special is a true winner – signature pollo verde on baguette,
grilled chicken breast, roasted Anaheim chili, provolone cheese and
cilantro pesto sauce. “Wraps” are burritos in disguise, using spinach
basil or sun dried tomato tortillas to wrap terrific mixtures like the
chicken salad, with lots of chopped chicken breast, chopped celery,
apple, dried cranberries and walnuts, or the steak wrap with grilled
steak, avocado, basil, cucumber, tomato, cheese and lemon vinaigrette.
Though under whelmed by flavored tortillas, the inside is so good that
the “wrap” part becomes unimportant.
Garden salads are prepared with care and are artfully arranged,
brimming with color and flavor. Salad dressings are all homemade and
wonderful, especially the balsamic vinaigrette. Popular Chinese chicken
salad is a light mix of crisp Romaine, grilled chicken breast, shredded
carrots, scallions, chopped almonds, fried wontons and a ginger
vinaigrette dressing. Intriguing strawberry spinach salad has fresh
spinach, sliced strawberries, walnuts, bleu cheese and poppy seed
vinaigrette –interesting and tasty! With advance notice, Liz and
Christine will pack your pick of spectacular salad dressing for use at
home, too.
The famous pollo verde soup is served every day, along with a changing
soup of the day. Lentil soup was full of flavor, distinct with lentils
and broth instead of the standard thick recipe. Water, bread and soup
are often the signs of quality and care in a restaurant – Hailey’s Café
rates 100 percent in all categories.
Hailey’s Café’ is located at 600 N. Avalon Blvd. Suite C, Wilmington. Call (310) 834-7226 for more information.
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