During my day trip to San Diego a few years ago, I had to visit the parlour in Mira Mesa. The folks who owned that parlour had been operating Farrell's parlours in San Diego and Imperial County since 1968. This parlour has since closed.

Walking into the parlour for the first time, I could immediately smell the hot fudge which harkened back to my ice cream days years ago. The first thing one sees inside the parlour is the semi-circular fountain counter with stools encircling it. The counter has a merry-go-round appearance, but the surface had various displays on it - apparently the stool seating was not a hit with customers. The candy section is no longer near the entry/exit. It is located in the center of the parlour, which seems awkward from a traffic flow perspective.

Part of the Dining Room at Mira Mesa

The classic booths, tables and bentwood chairs are still used, and tiffany lamps abound. The wallpaper is a pleasantly patterned gold and red style which simulates the red-flocked paper of the old parlours. Since the parlour is in a strip mall, external treatments are nearly non-existent (no bay windows). The open ceiling gives the dining room that loft look which is prevalent in so many restaurants these days. An old-fashioned player piano, complete with paper rolls, is parked by the front entry.

The Candy Store....Then and Now

The paper menu has the look of a newspaper, complete with byline. The menu features many of the classic items that Farrell-ites remember, plus a few that seem out of place for an ice cream parlour. Much of the menu evolution is in response to the parlour's location, in a predominantly Asian neighborhood. Beer and wine are on the menu - in response to customer demand, I am told. Still,...

I had a Patty Melt for dinner. It was quite tasty, and reminded me of the exact same sandwich which I first sampled when working at my first parlour in Greendale.

Being a Wednesday afternoon, there were only three tables in the parlour. In the corner booth a group was celebrating a birthday, so I got to hear some banter during an otherwise quiet meal. During my stay, some (apparently) off-duty employees came in, seated themselves, and one proceeded to wander behind the fountain. As a former parlour manager, I find that behavior annoying. Perhaps that's just me...

Farrell's Mira Mesa is located at 10606 Camino Ruiz, in Mira Mesa. It is a fair distance from I-805, but worth the trip if you are in San Diego. This site was reviewed in 2002 in the San Diego Union Tribune. It's also been featured on the Food Network's "Top Five" show.