RESTAURANT REVIEW:

It was a day filled with errands, which left little time for lunch. My choice had to be strategic since time was precious, but I wasn’t looking for anything that came in a Styrofoam box.

The plan was to sit for a bit, eat something quick and then move on to a haircut, shopping and other tasks I had waited too long to address.

Fortunately, I eat lunch early to avoid the crowds and was able to sneak into the Corner Bakery Café.

This is an immensely popular restaurant in Bella Terra. When I got there at 11:15 a.m., there were a few holdovers from breakfast lingering over coffee, but there were plenty of booths and tables available.

It didn’t stay that way. Twenty minutes later, a small line of people began to form at the register, and by noon people were looking in vain for places to sit.

My belief as to why the café is so popular is one of the big reasons why I enjoy it so much. The sandwiches are filled with unique combinations of ingredients, and there are many from which to choose. I have eaten there several times and have not had the same meal twice.

Every time I visit, I want to try the corned beef Reuben, but I talk myself out of it, because I can get that anywhere. I would rather sample something a little rarer.

On this visit the Bavarian caught my eye. The sandwich comes with the choice of smoked ham or smoked turkey. The bread is the bakery’s own pretzel baguette, which has a sourdough taste with a slight sprinkling of sea salt.

Inside the sandwich are red onions, plum tomatoes, Havarti cheese and a stone-ground mustard-mayonnaise spread, which is used judiciously.

Surprising to me, the tomatoes complemented rather than competed with the sandwich, and I liked that it wasn’t burdened with fillers such as lettuce or sprouts.

The Bavarian is one of eight specialty sandwiches, and each one intrigues me in one way or another. I have already committed to the turkey frisco on my next visit. The combination of turkey with artichokes, spinach, provolone and sun-dried tomatoes with a pesto mayonnaise has me curious whether that combination of flavors works.

My move to the specialty menu comes after a romp with the panini sandwiches. There are five of them, and I have had four of the five, sans the Reuben.

Of those, the favorite is the chicken pomodori. The café’s signature sandwich has sliced chicken breast, basil and spinach, oven-roasted tomatoes, provolone cheese and a pesto mayonnaise on grilled sourdough bread.

The club panini is a close second. Hickory-smoked turkey breast is combined with applewood smoked bacon, white cheddar cheese and plum tomatoes on sourdough country bread.

The salads and soups are just as inventive. The Santa Fe Ranch has roasted chicken, corn and tomato salsa, and cheddar cheese tossed with iceberg and romaine lettuce, with and ranch dressing. Tortilla strips are sprinkled on top.

One item I get when I don’t want a whole sandwich is the corner combo, which features half a sandwich or panini and a choice of Caesar salad, mixed green salad or a cup of soup.

If you order a sandwich it comes with potato chips, which I painfully forgo, opting for baby carrots instead.

One perk for me is the café serves caffeine-free Diet Coke (I try to limit the stimulant whenever possible).

The restaurant has plenty of breakfast items and advertises dinner, but there are only four pasta dishes available with the sandwiches. This is better as a lunch spot, despite the crowds.

I have come at noon and waited only 10 minutes for my meal. It’s well worth it.

CORNER BAKERY CAFÉ

ADDRESS: 7621 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach

PHONE: (714) 891-8400

CUISINE: Sandwiches

SPECIALTY DISH: Grilled club panini

ALCOHOL SERVED: None

ENTRÉE PRICE RANGE: $5.29 to $7.29

FAMILY FRIENDLY: Yes, multi-item menu and activity book

CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED: American Express, Visa and MasterCard

RATING: ***

JOHN REGER reviews restaurants for the Independent.