Munch on curly fries and marvel at statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II.
Riding along the 71 freeway through San Bernardino County, you might have noticed the ornate, mysterious structure that looks like a slice of ancient Egypt has dropped out of the sky and landed in The Commons Shopping Center’s parking lot. Nestled amongst chains like Arby’s and BJ’s Brewhouse, you’ll find a very impressive replica of the Egyptian Abu Simbel Temples chiseled into the mountains along the Nile River in 1244 B.C.
While you might expect this to be a cultural museum of some kind, it’s actually an unfinished Egyptian restaurant Farou Food. All four sides of the facade of a building have been complete to a tee (it’s worth Googling once you’re there), but the interior remains completely gutted thanks to COVID-related delays. In the near future, hopefully, the scattering of materials and tools will be replaced with Lebanese, Mediterranean and Persian fare as planned.
On the eastern side of the 5,945-square-foot building, you’ll see four ancient-styled statues of Pharaoh Ramesses II looking directly into Hobby Lobby. As a testament to the likeness, the second statue from the left is missing its head temple just like the original temple which was damaged shortly after it was built 3,000 years ago. Around the legs of the Biblical figure, you’ll find see smaller figures representing family members of the king. The three other sides feature Ramesses II’s favored wife Queen Nefertari and the goddess, Hathor.
So if wanderlust is creeping in, but you’d also like to get your weekend shopping done, the Egyptian building out in Chino Hills makes for the perfect day out. You could also stop by the Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, just around the corner while you’re at it.
Location: 4525 Chino Hills Pkwy., Chino Hills, CA 91709