Shouldn’t We Have Been Paying Them?
Yesterday my FFFF colleague Disillusioned Ex-Hippy wrote a post about some nonsense written in the Fullerton Observer by the young and lively Elijah Manassero. It was about the mean and corrupt City of Fullerton victimizing and abusing the restaurant, Les Amis. So I went to the website to see how ridiculous it really was. Tender bud Elijah didn’t disappoint. What a load of bullshit.
The best part really needs to be highlighted for its sheer stupidity. And by best, I mean funniest. Get this:
Outdoor dining is rarely a profit center. It brings extra costs for staff, heaters, maintenance, and, in Les Amis’ case, live musicians. Restaurants maintain patios to beautify downtown, attract foot traffic, and create a sense of community. “Our patio is our thank you to the community,” Montecristo said.
Why, Les Amis is a veritable charity! According to Mrs. Jinan Montecristo, proprietor, their patio didn’t make them any money. Really, it was there as a gift from her to us. And when someone makes you a present of something you don’t charge them rent for the space where their good and kindly philanthropy is going on. In fact, I’m surprised the saucy young stem Elijah didn’t suggest that the taxpayers should have been paying Les Amis all along for their sacrifices for the community!
And remember this: Sharon Quirk doesn’t hand out Woman of the Year trophies like party favors for party givers. Oh, wait.
We can forgive tender Elijah for misusing the term “profit center” because he is probably studying sociology and left wing political thought in some diploma mill, somewhere. Still, the idea that restaurants operate outdoor patios as a gift to their communities is so profoundly stupid as to make us suspect young sprout Manassero’s sincerity about any of this.
It’s hard to believe that even he really believes the nonsense he wrote, or even supposes he can sell this tripe to the readers of the Fullerton Observer. Still, he wrote it and they published it; so maybe they really are that oblivious to reality.
Anyhow, if you believe this crapola then you must also believe that the City actually did Les Amis a favor by removing their illegal squatting accoutrements. After all, if your thing is a money loser why be in business, big or small?
Squatters going to squat.
(I really liked that part of his…. err, brain dribble.)
Comedy right in line with the publishers of the Fullerton Outhouse!
In the November 12, 2025, issue of the Fullerton Observer, Elijah Manassero’s article, “Broken Promises and Donor Privilege”: The Story of the “Les Amis Patio,” presents a series of intriguing claims. However, a meticulous examination of the article reveals several inconsistencies that warrant closer scrutiny.
Manassero’s piece features an image here: https://i0.wp.com/fullertonobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/20250720_134458.jpg?ssl=1 that depicts a scene on the Les Amis patio, where people are seen enjoying meals with food and drinks on the tables. The article then draws a parallel between the experience at the Express Café at the Fullerton train station. To validate this comparison, Manassero directs readers to another photograph here: https://i0.wp.com/fullertonobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1000023734.jpg?ssl=1, of people sitting in the Depot patio.
Upon closer inspection, the reality portrayed in the second photograph tells a different story. The patio at the Express Café is not an eating and dining experience as depicted in the Les Amis article. Instead, it shows to be a functional waiting area for commuters. The photograph reveals five tables occupied by individuals who are not engaged in dining. Rather, they are using laptops, cell phones, and are involved in conversations or waiting for their trains. This observation contradicts the impression given by Manassero linking the two patios as a “public” benefit.
All one needs to do is examine the photographs for yourself and form your own conclusions.
Bingo. None of those people is eating anything. They are waiting in the shade. I’m pretty sure the cafe has no table service.
Another Baby Elijah unforced error.
Haha. I have to admit I left out reference to that sentence because it was so supremely dumb.
“…he is probably studying sociology and left wing political thought in some diploma mill, somewhere.”
Probably true. And trying to get that part in Zahra’s next movie he was promised. He has to audition against Young Oliver.
Is this code?
The quote says profit center, then you say he misused the word cost center? Should’ve invested in one of those diploma mills buddy
How’s that CSUF thing working out for you? Good thing Papa Manassero has some money.
The irony to call CSUF a rich kid’s school while this blog’s owner is heir to $400M
Talk about out of touch.
How much do you think a gallon of milk is? $20?
Haha. Good one. He misused the phrase “profit center.”
That is correct.
Good job correcting your blog post! Maybe next time write it sober, that’ll help you avoid errors in the future
This blog is obsessed with blasting small businesses. I don’t get it.
I guess this is a hot take here, but I like our restaurants
Even the ones that don’t pay rent?
LMAO
I swear, I sometimes feel bad for trying to get simpletons to understand the most basic of common sense.
If you rent a building, you must pay the rent. If you don’t pay the rent, you are not a victim…..you are just a deadbeat. Period.
Is a sidewalk a building now, Mr. Not A Simpleton?
Now who’s drinking?
If you rent a sidewalk you pay rent. There. How’s that?
How much does your Daddy Bushala pay for his patio?
Oh it’s free? Wonder why you’re not talking about that, and instead talking about small businesses that actually contribute to the community
It’s open to the public and he has City approval. Stupid case closed!
Just one big difference here; The City owns in fee the Depot building AND the area that is adjacent thereto. The area that the City owns in fee is adjacent to the les Amis building which is owned by a private party.
Well that’s a load of BS.
BTW, be sure to enjoy our new Zahra video, Young Elijah. Don’t stop asking questions, just ask the right questions of the right people, such as “who is Michelle Salmon?”
Small businesses that break the law need to be blasted. Unless your agenda is to create a victim and ride it like a rented mule.
You will learn a sense of ethics yet, tender Elijah. Or maybe not if you keep hanging around Zahra.
“Small businesses that break the law need to be blasted”
Everyone knows for 99.9% of businesses and individuals, you couldn’t give a flying fuck.
So why are you targeting Les Amis?
And for the 100th time what’s with your “paper” creeping a kid
Targeting a lawbreaker? And how do you know what I give a flying fuck about you self-important, empty-sacked twat?
It’s easy to blast people for breaking the “law” (municipal code lol) when the elected officials carve out the very same law to suit your business interests.
This whole forum is just pathetic. No more than 10 daily viewers and still sucking up to the big guy. Get a grip
“No more than 10 daily viewers”
This is what the Observer commonly refers to as “community support”!
Ahahaha! Brilliant.
Get ten loud mouthed broken toys – Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Z, Curtis Gamble, Mean Little Beaked Bike Rider, Karen Lloreda, Diane Vena, Baby Elijah, Oliver’s Twist, and Big Sister Kennedy and you have “the people have spoken.”
Broken toys. Now that’s just mean. Anyway now there are only nine.
The best thing to do to avoid breaking the law is not to break it.
The “people” don’t give a flying fuck about Les Amis. There are hundreds of choices for dining dollars. Read the reviews of Les Amis online: “portions are small”, “food is bland”, etcetera.
The complainers are all pals of some ignoramus musician named Roy (or Ron) Kobayashi who used to play there – probably for food.
Located in downtown fullerton off the recently opened to traffic “walk on wilshire”, this was a restaurant I really wanted to like, no…LOVE.
Unfortunately, it was a big NOPE. Here’s why:
1) Live music! LOVE LIVE LOVE it. But it was cold, so we opted to sit inside. Inside the owner is blasting music completely discordant with the outside. I see your audio setup inside, just pipe the outside to the inside. So the night began with an aural assault. Can’t hear the family at the table nor can we hear our server (who keeps apologizing and asking us to repeat things because she can’t hear us.)
2) The food. Taste was OK, but for a senior chicken plate with hummus (1 stick = 4 squares of dry chicken) $15, and anemic shawerma wrap $17, and my full plate (2 skewers) which i asked to try a lamb and a steak. Lamb with 2 skewers would have been 28 and 2 steak skewers are 27… SO 1 of each is.. 28! Ok i can deal with that, but the lamb had the texture of liver. Pasty. Bleach.
I washed it down with a glass of Adyar red wine $15.
Total for 3 people, 3 dishes, no apps or dessert, and 1 drink (wine) $95 with tip.
It also pisses me off when they suggest the tip starting at 20% AND they calculate it on top of the tax. You don’t tip on tax!
“but the lamb had the texture of liver. Pasty.”.
I was once told by the proprietor of a now defunct bar on Harbor that Fullerton residents should be expected to pay for the bar’s alley rear entrance improvements for the privilege of having such businesses downtown.
That’s Noaccount of Montecristo level arrogance.
Hey, that building owner owes the City big time for opening up a whole new storefront when they removed the house that was there and blew out that alley.