Chef Jeff Oliver hold the 300 Sampler

When my editor suggested I should review the food in a new local bowling alley it confirmed my suspicions that he is an idiot. Turns out he was right, this place is really different. The idiot part is out to the jury.

The best food most bowling alleys have to offer are over-cooked hot dogs and nachos with squirt-on plastic cheese. Hastings Ranch’s 300 Pasadena begs to differ. A totally new spin on your typical bowling establishment, 300 Pasadena takes it to the limit with state-of-the-art television screens, mood lighting and good food!

Yes, you read that right: Good food. Where else can you play a frame and then nosh on crab cakes or Vietnamese Summer Rolls or delicious Asian BBQ Ribs? No bowling alley I’ve ever been to.

Classic Caesar Salad with Thai Shrimp Skewers

300 Pasadena opened last week presenting a completely rebuilt vision of what bowling can be. Think Vegas with bowling lanes. It occupies what once was the Bahama Lanes but the actual site is the only thing the two have in common. 

We met with Chef Jeff Oliver who explained that 300 Pasadena’s kitchen ensures that “everything looks great and tastes great as it comes out the window.”

One favorite for families is the 300 Sampler, brimming with Quesadillas, Asian BBQ Ribs, Kettle Chips, Classic Buffalo Wings, Salt and Pepper Onion Rings and dipping sauces. That hearty combo platter is “something that’s a big favorite. Everyone can sit down at the table and enjoy,” commented Chef Oliver.

It was, indeed, big on size and on taste. The Quesadillas were filled with smoky roasted peppers, onions and spicy cheese and served with pico de gallo on the side. These were great and if you must have meat in your quesadillas, ask for the addition of grilled chicken, steak or shrimp – but these quesadillas hold up deliciously even without the protein.

Thai Chili Wings

I cannot say enough about the Asian BBQ Ribs. They were in a word, fantastic. Meaty and smoked, they were doused in a combination of hoisin sauce and sesame; finger-licking good!

The Kettle Chips and Salt and Pepper Onion Rings provided a crunch to the platter. 300 Pasadena makes their own waffle-cut chips and serves them with an out-of-this-world spicy bleu cheese dipping sauce. As for the onion rings they are cut on the thick side (just the way I like them) with a light crunchy crust which benefits from the coarse ground salt and pepper. These are served with ketchup.

The Classic Buffalo Wings come in either spicy or hot. We were served the spicy and my lips may never be the same! These wings are hot, so I shudder to think what hot might taste like, probably more like molten![continued]