January 2022 Big Bear Today Magazine

Page 8—January 2022
Ribs, pot pie, killer breakfast
For over three decades Thelma’s has been home to
Big Bear’s best comfort food...and bakery too!
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T○ hick, meaty beef ribs, all-you-caneat
on Saturday nights. Footballsized
chicken pot pies that only
seem like they’re endless.
Wait, there’s more. Fresh ground coffee,
Thelma’s own blend, and oranges machine
squeezed right before your eyes for
the tastiest juice. Homemade soups including
Friday clam chowder that’s to-die-for.
All served around two cozy fireplaces in a
quaint, homestyle family environment.
Thelma’s restaurant and bakery in Big
Bear City has been a favorite with visitors
and locals for decades now. Interestingly,
Thelma’s only did breakfast and lunch
when owners Mark and Elaine Henderson
took over in 1988. They’ve since built it
into a dinner house too by offering a nice
selection of evening entrees like steaks and
seafood plus specialty items. Adding a nice
selection of beers by the bottle and on tap
plus wine hasn’t hurt either.
Chicken pot pie is one of those specialties,
available in limited numbers Fridays
and Saturdays. Each large casserole
is overflowing with golden, flaky puff
pastry bursting at the seams with tender
bird, veggies like peas, carrots and celery,
all in cream sauce. It takes a big appetite
indeed to polish off one of these delights,
but I was up to the task on a previous visit.
“We make just 18 pot pies each night,
and it’s not enough,” said Ronna
Year-Round
Christmas Room!
VanOostendorp. “We always sell out, especially
since coronavirus. People want
their comfort food.”
Saturday night all-you-can-eat beef
ribs are another Thelma’s tradition. Pick a
bone with Thelma’s and see how many
meaty ribs smothered in house barbecue
sauce you can handle. A guy next to me
stopped after just the initial three ribs that
are served but another guest across the way,
along with his wife, were each on their
second plate of bones when we left and
might still be there eating for all I know.
Then there’s Thelma’s famous chicken
fried steak, regular or Paul Bunyan-sized
that’s three-quarters-of-a-pound, each
smothered with homemade gravy. Prime
rib is another favorite, one of the specials
on Thursdays and Sundays, thick and savory.
Barbecue chicken is still another.
Thelma’s is one of Big Bear’s most
popular morning breakfast spots for good
reason. There’s a dozen three-egg omelettes
to choose from, Denver, Popeye
stuffed with spinach, and Polish featuring
sausage are highlights. Light, fluffy pancakes
and waffles are signature items, one
reason Thelma’s has been voted Big Bear’s
best breakfast. Try the chocolate chip or
pecan cinnamon roll French toast, both as
decadent as they sound, and homemade
biscuits and gravy are a must.
From a wide variety of benedicts and
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Chicken pot pie
(above) and savory
desserts—including
amazing pies and
apple dumplings—
at Thelma’s
florentine to the
popular Hobo with
three eggs and four
ounces of Polish sausage
mixed with onions
and home fries,
Thelma’s has mastered
the morning
meal. Head south of
the border for
huevos rancheros,
chorizo and machaca.
Lunch meanwhile features favorites
like a wide variety of burgers such as the
Big Bleu, my personal favorite. Along with
tasty pitas starring tuna, turkey or chicken,
a wide range of sandwiches like the
Brawny beef and French dip, salads and
much more.
Thelma’s has its own bakery too with
delicious creations baked by
VanOostendorp. Her specialty: famous
football-sized apple dumplings. She starts
with a whole cored and peeled Granny
Smith apple with cinnamon and sugar inside,
then it’s wrapped in homemade croissant
dough and “baked with love,” she said.
Each is served warm with vanilla ice
Continued from page 6
Black bears have their own rock-lined
pool plus glass walls around their home
that they love to lean against and soak up
rays. Which lets visitors get just inches
away from the bruins, albeit separated by
thick glass, allowing for great views of
inches-long claws and massive feet.
Folks love to look at snow leopard sisters
Asha and Shanti, but unfortunately the
cats can’t look back . Both cats have suffered
significant deterioration in their remaining
eyes after previously losing sight
in their other eyes due to rare cancer that
strikes snow leopards. Now the animals are
basically blind but have gotten used to their
new homes, taking advantage of special
15-foot structure built just for them.
Big Bear Alpine Zoo’s five resident
gray wolves also have room to roam with
double enclosure that allows them to trot
back and forth. Before the move the wolves
had formed distinct packs but relocating
Big Bear Today
cream, caramel sauce and whipped cream
and is every bit as luscious as it sounds.
Better than apple pie a la mode it’s also
bigger, a virtual meal in itself.
Thelma’s also bakes 50 or more fresh
pies a week, displayed in the glass case
guests walk right past on entering, cream
ones like chocolate, lemon and banana
among others. Specialty pies include the
three-layer peanut butter banana chocolate
with Oreo cookie crust. Fruit pies include
apple, peach, blueberry, strawberry rhubarb,
cherry and fruits of the forest.
—by Marcus Dietz
Thelma’s is at 337 W. Big Bear Blvd.
in Big Bear City. Call (909) 585-7005.
Dental work for zoo grizzlies...
to a new home a year-plus ago meant they
can all be kept together again.
Raccoons, bobcats, fallow and mule
deer, bald and golden eagles and many
more have adapted to their new digs.
Snowy owl exhibit is another favorite. The
5.6 acre zoo is full of creature comforts
for humans too, with new stage and
benches for animal presentations, picnic
area and kid’s playground with equipment
also donated by the Friends of BBAZ, even
a climbing wall.
Guests also find a new parking lot at
the zoo on the property’s east side next to
Rathbun Creek. There’s a path and bridge
leading past outdoor fireplace to the new
welcome center and well-stocked gift shop.
The zoo is open daily from 10 a.m.-4
p.m. Admission is $15, $10 ages 3-10/60
and over, under three free.
The zoo is at 747 Clubview Dr. at
Moonridge Rd. Call (909) 584-1299.