Recently in Covina Category

By Eric Terrazas

As a lifelong enthusiast of Mexican food, I am always on the lookout for eateries that serve good Mexican cuisine.

One place I decided to sample was Manny's El Loco in Covina, which I had never visited until a recent Friday.

After a quick look at Manny's menu, I decided to order one of their several combination plates - the two cheese enchiladas plate, which came with rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream. The meal cost me $6.75.

I have tasted enchiladas at many different eateries over the years. Some of the fast food places that serve delicious enchiladas include Super Burrito, Hacienda San Isidro Grill and Los Sanchez, all located in Whittier.

After cleaning up my plate at Manny's El Loco, I left a happy customer. I would rate Manny's cheese enchilada meal among my favorites.

The enchiladas had a little spicy taste to them, which posed no problem with me. I also had no trouble finishing my rice, beans, lettuce and tomatoes. The sour cream also added to the enchiladas' taste.

After finishing my meal, I cooled off my taste buds with a small horchata. It was a nice way to wrap up my lunch.

Other $6.75 combination plates Manny's offers include quesadillas, two chile rellenos, chicken or beef fajitas, two sopes, steak picado, two beef tacos, and three rolled taquitos. All plates come with rice, beans, lettuce, tomatoes and sour cream.

If you don't want the combination plate, you can order individual burritos or tacos. Several different kinds are available.

Manny's menu also includes hamburgers, hot dogs and pastrami sandwiches. Being a big fan of burgers, I'm wondering what Manny's take on the cheeseburger tastes like.

Breakfast choices are also available. Combination plates offered include huevos rancheros, machaca, chorizo and two eggs, two bacon and two sausage.

Now that I have tasted their delicious enchiladas, I definitely plan on returning to Manny's. I might order one of their burritos, tacos or burgers on my next visit.

Manny's El Loco is at 845 W. Cypress St. in Covina, and at 437 Glendora Ave. in West Covina. For information, call the Covina location at (626) 339-6025 or the West Covina location at (626) 814-3474.

Lisa's Coffee Shop catches my eye often, when I travel east on San Bernardino Road to an assignment or have lunch somewhere else.

I was in the mood for a warm American dish and decided to satisfy my curiosity for what's inside this little diner that's surrounded by auto shops and industrial buildings.

The cozy restaurant, with its small town 1950s feel, has lent itself to a few movies and commercials. The vintage Coca-Cola signs and the many state license plates hanging on the walls helps add to this old style diner.

Open everyday for breakfast and lunch only, Lisa's menu offers a selection of classic American dishes, with some Mexican plates thrown in for good measure.

Although steak and eggs sounded good and Lisa's serves breakfast until closing, breakfast for lunch didn't feel right this time and I went for the Texas-style sirloin steak lunch instead.

My plate came with mashed potatoes and gravy and two halves of a dinner roll buttered and thrown on the grill for a bit, and a choice of cup of soup or salad.

 

I went with a cup of the soup of the day - albondigas, a Mexican meatball soup with chunks of potatoes and carrots. 

I can't help but compare my mother's Mexican cooking to other Mexican dishes, and though this albondigas was slightly different than mom's, I liked it better.

Sorry, ma.

 

The broth wasn't as greasy as I'm used to. It was very light and the meatballs were soft and seasoned just right. 

The sirloin steak can be rubbed with chipotle sauce or blackened for only 79 cents more. I love spicy food, so I went for the chipotle rub.

Now I can't recall if I asked for a small cut of steak or a large cut, but if what I got was a small cut, the large cut could have fed me all day and then some. 

My large piece of steak came medium, just as I asked, juicy and colorful with the chipotle on top. 

From just a few bites of the mashed potatoes, I could tell they were freshly mashed with skin and all. They were great.

The gravy was good, not too syrupy and not too thick. But it was a little too salty for my taste. The soft dinner roll was perfectly buttered and toasted.

With the soup and a good helping of mashed potatoes and steak, I was full and had to throw in the napkin. 

But there was still plenty left for dinner, which is good since Lisa's is closed for dinner.

There was only one waitress at the time and she patiently tended to the locals and regulars stopping in for a good hearty lunch, so be patient for her to come around and help you too.

Once she took our order though, my and my lunch companion's meal were out in about ten minutes, fresh, warm, and just what we ordered.

I don't know if I'll ever be around the area early enough to have breakfast at Lisa's, but I sure will be back sometime to have breakfast for lunch.

Lisa's Coffee Shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily and located at 1530 W. San Bernardino Road in Covina. Visit www.lisascoffeeshop.com or call (626) 339-2014 for more information. 

By Eric Terrazas

You can never go wrong with a tasty Chinese food dish.

As a lifelong fan of Chinese food, I have visited several different eateries over the years. One of my favorite Chinese food places is Town Sent, located in Covina.

When I visit Town Sent, I always order the orange chicken lunch special, which costs $5.45.

Town Sent serves the best orange chicken I have ever tasted. The scrumptious chicken is covered with a sweet orange sauce. I especially like to mix the chicken with the steamed rice. All in all, it makes for a very delicious meal.

 

A few years ago, I took my parents and my sister to Town Sent, and they all came away impressed with the fare Town Sent had to offer.

Lunch hours are set from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. seven days a week. Town Sent offers three groups of lunch specials. 

For $5.45, you can also order the Chinese Broccoli with chicken or beef, kung pao chicken or beef, sweet and sour pork or chicken, eggplant with garlic sauce, or bean curd with brown sauce.

Meals offered for $5.96 include chop suey chicken, beef or barbecue pork, mushroom with chicken or beef, squid or fish fillet with black bean sauce, shrimp with lobster sauce, or crispy fried pork chops with pepper spicy salt.

If you are willing to spend a little more, you can order one of several $6.98 specials. Those choices include steam whole fish, scrambled egg with assorted seafood, or clams with black bean sauce.

All lunch specials are served with steamed rice and the soup of the day. The soup is not included with a to-go order.

I also recommend the sweet and sour chicken special. Town Sent's take on that dish is also delicious. Several fried rice dishes and noodle meals are also offered.

If you have room for dessert, you can order the almond Jell-O for $1.50.

Town Sent is at 1069 W. San Bernardino Road in Covina. For information, call (626) 915-8982.

By Emma Gallegos

At the intersection of Italy and Americana (specifically, the intersection of Citrus and College), there's Claro's.

The market, deli and bakery in Covina is the latest addition to the Claro's empire that got its start in San Gabriel and now includes outposts in La Habra, Tustin, Arcadia and Upland.

Browse the aisles and you're sure to find a healthy mix of devotion to the homeland and imports from the homeland. 

There are T-shirts and keychains and caps and vanity license plates proclaiming love for Italy or Sicily right alongside some of the imports that are trickier to find at, say, Ralph's. There are chocolate hazelnut "Baci" and "Kinder" candies or the menthol cough drops that Italians suck on in sickness and in health. There's dark, bitter chinotto soda and light Italian beer.

But, if you are truly dining on a budget, I'd advise you to skip most of the imports. Undoubtedly, the weak dollar and the fuel it takes to bring Italy to Americana contributes to a ridiculous mark-up on some of the items. I found myself unknowingly shelling out $4 for an Abbondio Rossa soda - a bitter, subtly sweet Italian soda that would have tasted less bitter without the aftertaste of sticker shock.

Penny-pinchers should stick to the deli on one side of the store and the bakery on the other.

For only a few dollars more than Quizno's foot-long special ($6.99), you can order a sandwich and watch the meat being sliced right in front of you. 

Or you can wander over to the other side of the market and salivate at the sight of so many beautiful loaves of bread and cornettos (Italian croissants) and a broad selection of other freshly baked goods to dunk in your morning coffee. 

I opted to try their take on a cannoli ($2.49). I've never met a cannoli I didn't like and this one wasn't any different. The ricotta filling was rich and fresh but not too sweet. The ground pistachios at either opening of the crispy shell was a nice touch.

Back at the deli counter, the man who made my prosciutto sandwich warned me that the Canadian kind would be a little saltier, a little less tender than the imported Italian kind. To his credit, he was right. The budget diner in me didn't want to spring for the imported kind that would cost an extra $2.

The domestic prosciutto was as delicious as any I've tried, but the stack of so many slices of salty meat was overwhelming. Savory Italian prosciutto crossed with the all-American love for sky-high stacks of meat isn't exactly a match made in heaven.

Next time, I'll skip the bitter soda and splurge on the saltier, tender meat or I'll tell the man slicing my meat "when" midway through. A little goes a long way, as they say.

But I'll be coming back. All the ingredients in my sandwich were fresh and high-quality. The bread was firm and flavorful and the mustard was sharp and tangy.

And I know that even in such a small grocery store, I hadn't even scratched the surface. It might take a few tries, but if there's anywhere that will hit the sweet spot where Italy meets Americana (on a budget and around the corner), Claro's will be it.

Claro's Italian Market is at 159 E. College St., Covina,  (626) 339-3333.

Working in a big office like I do, and sitting right next to the lunch room, I feel like I am always getting hungry.

People warming up their food, popcorn, or organizing pot lucks in the next department over, bring so many smells that even if I just ate, I could snack a little on popcorn, or grab a hot dog from the pot luck if it's offered me.

No it's not good for any diet, but luckily I don't believe in them. I believe in moderation, so I try to just eat small meals and snacks a few times throughout the day and use water to hold me over between meals.

Today, though, really tested my strength. First, because of a department meeting, we were being treated to lunch. But at the same time, a 'roast' pot luck was being held in the department next door as a 'going awa' for someone.

So while I waited until lunch time for the free pizza, (can't pass that up!), the smell of hot dogs 'roasting' on a grill roller wafted through our section of the news room hours before our pizza would arrive.

Oh, but when it did - mm mm mm mm. It was worth it. I love pizza, but I can be picky at times. I don't like really thick greasy crust, despise black olives, so over pepperoni, and absolutely love mushrooms!

I am more partial to the little family-owned pizza houses than the 'fast-food' type, but if they meet the above standards, they'll do as well.

Rio's pizza in Montebello is one of those family-owned places that I grew up with and is my absolute favorite pizza. Freshly made pizzas, no skimping on toppings and a good price, especially on Sundays.

But today, I must say I found a close second to Rio's - Michelangelo's Pizza in Covina.

Thanks to a fellow reporter recommending this local eatery to our editor, we were treated to a fresh, warm, soft, cheesy pizza.

We had a cheese, a pepperoni, a sausage and a vegetarian pizza. Something for everyone.

I had the sausage and vegetarian pizzas, despite the vegetarian having black olives I had to pick off.

I have to start with the crust. It wasn't a thin crust that's for sure, but it was more airy than greasy. I usually don't care to eat the leftover crust end, but i couldn't help myself because it was just that tasty.

The sauce and cheese were just enough to cover each slice well and perfectly seasoned, not bland and not too much. The sausage was not too salty either, too much salt just kills every other flavor.

The vegetarian had the usual suspects - mushroom (yay!), green bell pepper, onion, black olives (yuck!) - but it also had slices of tomato that I thought were perfect, they weren't soggy and added more flavor. There was plenty of mushroom, too, that more than made up for the black olives.

I am curious to see what the rest of their menu offerings taste like.

Michelangelo's has two locations - on Citrus in Covina and Arrow Hwy. in San Dimas - and offer sandwiches, salad and pasta as well as pizzas, of course.

You can order online as well as by phone.

Dining at a new restaurant can be confusing, even overwhelming. With more than 100 different items on most menus, ordering the right dish is like picking the winning lottery number or guessing the exact number of jelly beans in a candy jar.

The problem gets worse when you’re trying a new cuisine. The dishes use new flavors, different ingredients and are sometimes in a foreign language.

Offering popular yet simple dishes, Rosie Thai Food in Covina is an excellent introduction to Thai food, especially if you’re not familiar with the cuisine.

First, try all-day specials. You’ll find familiar Asian dishes, such as Kung Pao chicken and teriyaki chicken, as well as classic Thai favorites like pad Thai and spicy beef with mint.

For $5.95, the all-day specials come with rice and salad, and during lunch, a small cup of soup. For a few extra dollars, the specials include more exciting dishes, such as stuffed chicken wings, shrimp sauteed with black pepper and garlic, and Thai barbecue spareribs.

Keep in mind that Thai food expertly combines sweet and savory flavors, so the beef and broccoli stir fry at Rosie will taste very different than at a Chinese restaurant. The combination of the two flavors creates dishes that will make you hunger for more but not weigh you down.

Once you’ve graduated from the specials menu, I highly recommend dining family style and ordering more authentic Thai dishes from the second half of the menu. Not only is the food delicious and flavorful, but it’s also very affordable.

One of my favorites is panang curry with chicken, a sweet and savory coconut-based curry. I also like the Tom Kha Gai soup, which includes coconut milk, lemongrass, straw mushrooms and various herbs. Both sweet and savory, the soup is light enough as a starter or can be ordered as an entree. On a cold night, it’s especially satisfying.

If you enjoy spicy food, the hot mint leaves and chili paste with chicken is a highly addictive stir fry dish. However, you may want to keep a large glass of ice water or milk close by.

Rosie Thai Food is at 474 E. San Bernardino Road in Covina. It is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays. For more information, call (626) 339-4935.

By Esther Chou

Two locations of Red Brick Pizza in the East San Gabriel Valley have closed recently, and I can only guess why. There was one location at the Lakes in West Covina, close to Edward's movie theaters, and another in Covina on Badillo and Grand, next to Von's grocery store.

Neither of the restaurants had great business, and I'm not sure why. I have a few guesses.

First, let me start with what they don't do wrong:
1. The pizzas taste good.
2. The menu offers a lot of a lot of variety and creativity. Toppings included prosciutto, pine nuts, ricotta cheese, sesame thai sauce, arugula, kalamata olives, and all the traditional pizza toppings.
3. They also have breadsticks, salads, sandwiches and gelato
4. They offer coupons and specials
5. Every booth has its own flat panel TV and remote control

Here's what I don't like:
1. It is expensive. Small pizzas cost about $7, mediums for $10.50 and larges for $17. Sure, the pizzas tasted good, but they weren't that good. The pizzas didn't feel like a good value for the money.
2. The pizzas aren't filling. A medium pizza feels like a small pan pizza from Pizza Hut.
3. Service is slow. The restaurants can operate with just two people in font -- one person making pizzas and another person taking orders and making salads.
4. The casual dining environment feels fast food restaurant, but the menu prices aren't.
5. The restaurants don't market themselves as a take-out pizza place, don't offer delivery nor do they allow customers to order online. They want dine-in customers, but it's not very enjoyable to dine there either.
6. You can't control the volume level on the televisions.

When a restaurant gets shut down by the Health Department, it's not only embarrassing for the restaurant owners/managers, it's also embarrassing for its customers.

On Thursday, Bishamon, a Japanese restaurant in downtown Covina, had this sign on the front door. "Closed due to construction."

The front window displayed the Health Department's closure notice. "Vermin infestation, no hot water, scored below 70."

I couldn't believe it. I've eaten at this restaurant at least a dozen times, and I go there about once a month. The restaurant has plenty of customers, and the sushi bar is usually full. I thought the food was pretty good and never dreamed about unsanitary conditions in the kitchen.

I've even taken my friends to Bishamon and recommended it to others. How embarrassing.

There's no way to know that these poor conditions were around when I dined there, but it certainly makes you wonder.

I was never a huge fan of Spike's. Now that it's closed, I'm sure some readers will be looking for an alternative. Try Golden Bowl (aka Golden Burger) in Covina. They have excellent chicken teriyaki and teriyaki burgers. They also sell gyoza and teriyaki chicken sandwiches.

Golden Burger (aka Golden Bowl)
207 E Rowland St
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 974-5751

This comes from sports reporter Steve Ramirez:

The news business is often filled with shocking, unbelievable stories.  But today was like no other.

Spike's, one of my favorite eateries, is closed.

I was visualizing today my favorite - a chicken teriyaki bowl with steam rice - for lunch, only to be broadsided by a sign that simple read: "Permanently closed due to illness. Thanks for 15 wonderful years."

I was completely shocked. I had to give it a second read, just to be sure.

I was enlightened to Spike's by former Tribune staff writer Joe Haakenson, and it was always a must visit, at least once a week. I always stopped by in the spring before I headed out to a Cal State Fullerton baseball game. There was nothing like watching the Titans while eating a chicken bowl.

Oh well, I guess Panda Express will have to suffice for now.

Steve is referring to the Spike's location in Covina on 420 N Azusa Ave. There are two other locations in San Gabriel and in Ontario. Hopefully, those restaurants are still open.

Dining on a budget:

I have tasted a lot of good Mexican cuisine over the years, whether it be homemade or of the fast-food variety.

Some of the best Mexican food comes from small mom- and-pop eateries. Boca Del Rio, located in Covina, is one such place that serves delicious fare.

Tacos and burritos dominate Boca Del Rio's menu, which also offers drinks such as an Orange Bang and a horchata.

When I visited Boca Del Rio, I ordered three tacos. After finishing my meal, I came away thinking that I just tasted the best tacos out there.

My tacos consisted of meat, cheese, cabbage and a red chili sauce that gave my dish the right amount of spicy kick. Carne asada and grated cheese enhanced the taste of the tacos.

Rosie Thai is one of my favorite local Thai restaurants. It's close. It's cheap. And it's not bad. Recently, I've noticed the quality of the food has gone downhill, especially in their curries and pad thai. The prices have also gone up. I used to go to Rosie's about once every two weeks, sometimes once a week. Now, I go there about once or twice a month. It's the food. If the food is bad, people won't come back, no matter how great it was in the past.

Today, I had the BBQ chicken. It was OK.

My friend had the ginger chicken:

Rosie Thai
474 E San Bernardino Rd
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 339-1547
(626) 339-4935

What did you have for lunch today?

Have you ever been to Sandwich City in downtown Covina? The idea is simple: homemade sandwiches made with with good ingredients. Today, I had an egg salad sandwich on squaw bread. It comes with a pickle spear and a side of potato salad (although you can ask for macaroni salad or coleslaw instead). My total? About $5.

Sandwich City
117 N Citrus Ave
Covina, CA 91723
(626) 966-7363

I tried out A&A Express on a whim today. The focus of this Chinese restaurant is steam plate lunches, although you they have a special order menu. I ordered the House Special Rice Noodle, which comes wth chicken, beef and shrimp.

Unfortunately, it did not taste like Chinese food. I should have known better when I first walked in. Chinese restaurants have a certain smell about them -- garlic, ginger, carmelized sugar, hot oil, savory meats, vinegar and tasty sauces. But this place smelled of stale medicines. My dish wasn't much better. Sure, it had all the main ingredients -- rice noodles, cabbage, onions and meat -- but it didn't have any of the flavor, aroma or satisfaction that I was expecting.

A&A Express
519 N Azusa Ave
Covina, CA 91722
(626) 332-1398