Fresno Famous

Downtown Fresno doesn't seem the most likely location for a restaurant that focuses on good service and quality food. Considering that in the evenings the vast swathes of government office buildings and elderly care facilities are all but vacant and that during the day the place buzzes madly with attorneys, politicos and well-heeled time-is-money business types -- the task of finding an oasis of calm where you can enjoy your food and perhaps even a few pages of a book seems downright impossible.

Luckily the Fresno urbanite with a few minutes to spare will find that George's Shish Kebob Restaurant (2405 Capitol St, ( 559 ) 264 - 9433) is an ideal place to find those few quiet moments. Sandwiched between a hair salon and a shoeshine booth, the pace at George's is deliberate, friendly, and social. Regulars walk in the front door every few minutes and exchange pleasantries with the cooks behind the counter (I assume they are pleasantries, but they're usually spoken in Armenian, so what do I know?) and sit down at their regular stool to enjoy the coffee that's often already on the counter, requisite creams and sugars piled next to the cup.

"This place is great," said regular customer Hal Vartanian. "I've been coming here almost every morning since these guys opened. I read the paper. I can even work here sometimes."

Featuring affordable breakfast and lunch prices as well as generous portions, the food is simple and hearty. My breakfast ran me a total of 6.50 for a two-egg platter with potatoes, peda, sausage, and a tasty cup of coffee that would rival that of any late night New York diner. Lunch is a bit more expensive, but is well worth the bump in price as the Shish Kebob dishes are the specialty of the house and are served with a variety of side dishes. If you can't finish the meal (which seems to happen often), you can sneak the leftovers back home to the fridge or smuggle them into the office where the delicious smells will make you the envy of your co-workers (Sniff, sniff, sniff. "What smells soooo good?").

While the stark purple decor and the retro styled counter in the center of the restaurant lends George's a distinctly cosmopolitan feel, the large black and white photos of local landmarks and Fresno celebs like William Saroyan are stylish reminders that these few minutes of lunch or breakfast respite are being well spent quietly in downtown Fresno.

George's Shish Kebob Restaurant is open 6:30AM-3PM Monday thru Friday, 7AM-3PM on Saturdays, and is closed Sunday. Cash only.

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