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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 |
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Deep fried foods… nutritionists tell us to avoid them, but our appetites tell us to order them for lunch. So head over to Boardwalk Betsy’s World Famous Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips on Paradise Pier. Boardwalk Betsy serves deep-fried fish filets, deep-fried chicken strips, and deep-fried mozzarella strips—all served with deep-fried jumbo french fries. If that’s not enough fryer fat for you, you can also get deep-fried funnel cakes. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2003 Easy to find |
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Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips may not be charming, but it’s easy to find. Look for the unlovely sign below the immense Mickey head on California Screamin“. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2006 She sells chicken strips by the seashore |
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We don’t know much about Boardwalk Betsy. She probably has a backstory, but her walk-up snack bar doesn’t explain it. Is Betsy winking at you? Or is she a one-eyed sailor like Popeye? Why is there a life preserver on her sailor cap? How did she (or her food) become world famous? The official park website quotes Betsy saying, “The cluck stops here.” Are you ready to take a dip here at Paradise Pier? Not a dip in the “ocean” below the pier, but a dip in a dipping sauce with a chicken strip, fresh from the fryer. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2006 Ordering |
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It’s your turn to order. The menu changes from time to time, but the basic idea remains the same. First, choose from one of six main courses:
They all come with jumbo fries. Now choose one of the delicious dipping sauces:
There’s no children’s menu, but the entrees at this eatery are perfect for sharing with kids. If all you really want is a serving of jumbo fries with a dipping sauce, that’s another option. If you prefer something that’s not deep-fried, have some apple wedges with caramel sauce for dessert. Coca Cola and other beverages aren’t deep-fried either. But, frankly, if you don’t want deep-fried foods, what are you doing at Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips anyway? |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2006 Kitchen behind glass |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 Boardwalk Betsy’s friendly cooks |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Paradise Pier seating |
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Take your food to a table surrounded by the high energy of Paradise Pier—California Screamin’ trains being catapulted from 0 to 55 m.p.h. in four seconds, the carousel organ soundtack from King Triton’s Carousel of the Sea, and excited guests making the grand circle around Paradise Bay. |
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Disney’s California Adventure opened in February 2001. Boardwalk Betsy’s face was not yet on the marquee, but Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips was one of many places to eat. |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 What opening month guests saw, February 2001 |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 No Boardwalk Betsy yet |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2001 With Boardwalk Betsy added |
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Unlike nearby Malibu-Ritos, which closed during the park’s first year, Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips operated for more than five years (although not every day). |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2001 Menu in 2001 |
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Photo by Tony “WisebearAZ” Moore, 2003 Menu in 2003 |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2006 Menu in 2006 |
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The menu changed several times over five years, but the emphasis was always on fried foods. |
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Photo by Chris Bales, 2007 Construction wall enclosing Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips and its surroundings |
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Photo by Allen Huffman, 2007 Toy Story Midway Mania emerging behind the wall |
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In September 2006, a construction wall went up in front of Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips. Two months later, workers demolished the boxy stucco building that had contained Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips and Malibu-Ritos to make way for the Victorian splendor of Toy Story Midway Mania. Soon after Strips, Dips ’n’ Chips closed, its popular deep-fried menu moved to the Bountiful Valley Farmers Market. The original 2001 menu of the Farmers Market had emphasized fresh, healthy foods, but it was seldom open until the fried foods arrived in 2006. Bountiful Valley Farmers Market closed permanently September 7, 2010, for the demolition of Bountiful Valley Farm. There’s still deep fried food at Disney California Adventure, but there’s no longer an eatery with a singular focus on it. Smokejumpers Grill offers chicken tenders with crinkle-cut Fries. At Flo’s V8 Cafe, a seasonal specialty entree is mango-habanero chicken strips, served with steak fries drizzled with ranch dressing. A Flo’s V8 Cafe kids’ meal is “Chicken Fenders” (how clever!). |
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© 2024 Werner Weiss — Disclaimers, Copyright, and Trademarks Updated September 20, 2024 |
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