Grande Bakery and El Pollo Norteño, Legendary Mexican Restaurants, Closed by Santa Ana via Eminent Domain
“Multiple generations of Mexican families have sworn by the masa of Grande Bakery, off Grand Street in SanTana, open since 1951 and the second-oldest remaining Mexican eatery in Orange County. They were drawn by their pan dulce and tamales and champurrado and tortillas. And when they were done with the compras for the day, they’d walk down the strip mall to El Pollo Norteño, one of the first Mexican charbroiled chicken restaurants in Orange County when it opened for business in the early 1980s. They were both grand places worthy of their address, and it’s a damn shame that I have to write about them in the past tense. See, this week is the last week of business for the both of them, as the city of SanTana is pushing them out via eminent domain to demolish them and widen Grand Avenue.”
Arellano, Gustavo. OC Weekly 28 October 2013.