Friday, September 3, 2010

People's Choice: A Different Kind Of Anaheim Catering Experience

By John Carl

Every now and then, something simple gives you a really nice surprise. Like your kid saying "yes sir" and doing what they were told without prompting, a pat on the back from your boss, a kind word from a stranger. For me, while I certainly appreciate all of those things, my favorite moments tend to be with food. It turns out I'm not that easy to impress. But I found something recently in the Anaheim catering listings that's worth more than a second look. The People's Choice Cafe in Anaheim is one of those rare places that stands out - it's different, and that's a really good thing.

Now it's not very often that I find myself needing to feed twenty people. But it happens, like when my wife's extended family descends upon us en-masse. I'm a bit of a foodie, and so I appreciate entertaining with providing the most basic need we have (besides breathing) food. And I love food. So really good food always catches my attention. But food is more than just chewing something tasty, it has to have other things to make it a really great experience. We can all pop open a can of something and get full, it's quite another to be served by someone who really cares - with really great food.

I'm not a huge sandwich guy either. The wife loves them, but typically I'll stick with a fat steak or something complicated that takes me hours to prepare. But People's Choice doesn't say they have the best dressed sandwiches for nothing. It's obvious that the owners, John and Victoria Mouroulis take a lot of pride in making really great food, and even something as simple as a sandwich takes on a whole new meaning in their place. When asked what the most rewarding part of serving their customers was Victoria doesn't hesitate for a second; "Building a relationship with them...we enjoy making part of their day enjoyable and seeing them frequently makes our day enjoyable."

They aren't just building sandwiches at the People's Choice cafe, they are doing something else. And yes, they do more than sandwiches, but you simply have to have one. Really, and this is from a guy who isn't a huge sandwich lover. What comes through every part of the Mouroulis' cafe is that they like you. The staff of cooks with decades of experience, other places can boast that. Other caterers may talk about big portions and high quality ingredients, but People's Choice does it that way because it's what they would do for family. They know your name and make it a treat. Just like I try to impress my extended family when I cook, they do it for every single person who comes to them. You'll come for the food, you'll come back for more than the food.

And it's good food (have I mentioned I like that)? You'll never worry about having John and Victoria cater at your office with all those persnickety folks who can complain about almost anything - the food is going to be great. But it's also the service that's going to make a difference. I've used caterers that brought in big pots of this and huge trays of that and the food was okay, but it didn't come with the smile and the personal touch. It certainly didn't feel like family. If you really want the whole package for your next office party or luncheon (or breakfast) you won't find anyone who can make everyone there love the food and enjoy the service like People's Choice.

Lots of businesses talk about community, but People's Choice puts it into action. You'll find a table in the cafe where local businesses leave their cards and literature. Everyone working together. One business helping another. And you can see it in how they treat people too. They seem to know almost everyone by name and it feels a bit like - family in there. And that was my nice surprise. I went looking for an Anaheim catering company and I found something else. I found a great, no, a fantastic sandwich and a place that felt like home. The fact that they can bring that little bit of home to you is something not every caterer can do. You can tell they care, and it makes everything they do stand out from the rest of the pack, even something as simple as a sandwich.

About the Author: