Seventh Street restaurant hits jackpot

By Chris Ledermuller
Daily Forty-Niner

Las Vegas is known for two things besides gambling. One is a Wild West theme prevalent in many establishments. Another is low-cost, big-portion food for weary gamblers who lost their shirts.

Haskell's Prospector has both, but going there does not involve a five-hour drive on Interstate 15. Just a ten-minute drive west on Seventh Street will do.

Prospector has a dark and weather-beaten setting that could easily pass for a saloon seen in many western films, though the name has connotations of California's Gold Rush, our Wild West.

But what Prospector prides itself on is stuffing patrons with quantities of food so large that the rivets on their jeans pop off like fleas from a mangy hound. Best of all, prices are very reasonable for the portions Prospector offers.

First off, Prospector is perfect for anyone, as long as they like meat. The menu has several different cuts of steak, including the popular porterhouse. Prime rib is served, in a 16-ounce Jim Brady cut and 12-ounce Diamond Lil cut. What canny marketing by the management ó giving an emasculating name to the smaller prime rib cut so male diners, not wanting to lose face in such a rugged environment, would order the more costly larger cut.

Along with beef, Prospector also boasts pork, chicken, lobster, crab, clams and frog legs. Frog legs are on the menu, I kid you not.

The taste and quality of the meat is not in the league of a steakhouse or fish restaurant, but is far better than Sizzler or other restaurant chains.

Taste is only one part of a Prospector dinner. Quantity is another.

The meal begins even before an entrée is ordered. Diners can snack on cold, crisp carrots, celery stalks, radishes and peppers served in a boat. As if that is not enough, Prospector includes a soup and salad with most entrées. Every dish comes with a choice of potato - mashed, fried or baked - and a dollop of pudding for dessert.

Most entrées run under $15 a person - a very good deal for a top-to-bottom meal. For maximum gorging, "surf-and-turf" dishes combine Prospector's best land, sea and amphibian meats, with the full spread at about $15 to $22 a person. Currently, a steak and lobster combo is offered for $14.99.

As for the service, the waitresses make the Wild West experience more genuine. They don't wear saccharin smiles nor put up with any guff from highfalutin patrons. The attitude just feels appropriate for Prospector, and adds to the restaurant's charm.

What would a western theme be without a saloon? Prospector has a well-stocked bar with live music, too.

If you are looking to satisfying the carnivore within with a juicy steak or lobster, or just have a hankering for a plateful of Kermit, Haskell's Prospector is a safe bet. Now if only slot machines were legal in California, the Vegas experience would be complete.

RESTAURANT INFO

Haskell's Prospector
2400 E. Seventh Street
Long Beach
(562) 438-3839

Beer, wine and liquor served.

Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover accepted.

Ask about the frog legs.

Rating is a 3 out of 5.