Recently in Salad Category

By Eric Terrazas

I am a big fan of pizza, which has long been a favorite dish of mine.

Always on the lookout for a tasty pie, I decided to check out a place called Anna's Pizza, located in West Covina.

I ordered the mini 8-inch two-topping pizza for $4.99. The two toppings I selected were pepperoni and pineapple.

My first impression of Anna's was pretty positive. While it was not the best pizza I ever had, I still came away a satisfied customer.

For $4.99, the two-topping pizza is not a bad deal. I ate all of my pineapple and pepperoni pizza, which tasted pretty good.

I decided to give Anna's another try the next day. This time, I selected the $6.99 lunch special, which consisted of a mini 8-inch two-topping pizza, a small salad and a medium soft drink.

The toppings I selected were sausage and mushroom. 

I thought the sausage and mushroom pizza tasted better than the pepperoni and pineapple.

The salad, which comes with several choices of dressing, wasn't bad. I wish it included a couple more tomatoes.

Anna's salad dressing list includes ranch, blue cheese, Italian, thousand island, vinegar and oil, and Caesar. I ordered the thousand island.

I had no problem finishing my sausage and mushroom pie.  

For $6.99, I thought Anna's lunch special was a nice meal and deal. Other pizza sizes are also offered.

The choice of toppings also include meatballs, salami, ham, Canadian bacon, tomatoes, garlic, onions, green peppers, olives, jalapenos, anchovies and chicken.

If you happen to have a light budget, the $3.99 mini 8-inch cheese pizza sounds like a good choice.

Anna's menu also features dishes such as spaghetti ($6.99), lasagna ($7.75) and ravioli ($7.25). All dishes are served with garlic bread.

Different varieties of sandwiches and salads are also available. A regular (8-10 inches) sized sandwich costs $5.25 while a foot-long is priced at $6.25.

Salad selections include chicken ($6.50), antipasto ($6.25), and garden ($4.75).

So if you are in the mood for Italian fare and happen to be in the West Covina area, Anna's just might sound like a good place to eat.

Anna's Pizza is located at 1010 West Covina Parkway in West Covina. For information, call (626) 337-7297.

I was at a Californa Pizza Kitchen last month and not intending to have wine with my food, I went ahead and had a small serving any way - since they were free.

Trying to get ahead of other casual dining chain restaurants, CPK has launched its new redesigned wine list nationwide and looking to start a new "wine culture" at its restaurants.

To give diners a glimpse they are offering free wine tastings to diners ages 21 and over. Each week two featured wines are chosen and offered as tastings.

The selection of wines were handpicked by the restaurant's co-founders/co-CEOs Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax. Most selections on the new list are priced under $10 for a glass but still considered high quality for their price.

The selection includes:                                 

-Sonoma-Cutrer Russian River Chardonnay

-Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay

-Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio

-La Crema Pinot Noir

-Stags' Leap Merlot

At my visit, I tried the pinot grigio, a white wine for those unfamiliar with wine, and the pinot noir, a red.

I'm not big on white wines and even though the Santa Margherita was tasty and a little woodsy, it was too sweet for my wine taste.

The La Crema pinot was nice and smooth for a more dry and bitter wine but it had the right amount of dryness which is not easily accomplished in many reds.

It's nice to see CPK step it up to compete with the many smaller upscale restaurants that are more able to switch up their wine offerings. I wonder if they'll also start offering pairing suggestions too.

Now, can I just have a truly small side salad for like $3 with my pasta? Please....

By Eric Terrazas

I have made a recent addition to my list of most visited fast-food eateries.

Earlier this year I decided to sample the Flame Broiler, which had recently opened in my hometown of Whittier.

I ordered the rib plate, which featured two beef short ribs served over steamed rice. The meal also came with fresh green salad and orange slices. The tender ribs, topped by a helping of green onions, satisfied my taste buds. I also thought the salad, served with Oriental Sesame Supreme dressing, enhanced my meal.

After finishing off my ribs and salad, I wrapped up my dinner by eating my orange, which nicely completes the meal.

On a recent Saturday, I elected to spend my lunch at the Flame Broiler's location in Hacienda Heights. I once again went with my favorite selection, the Rib Plate, which costs $7.39. Granted it's a little on the pricey side, but overall it's still not a bad deal since you receive a healthy portion of food.  

Four other plates are available: chicken, beef, chicken and beef and The Works. All of those choices include the steamed rice, salad and the orange.

The chicken plate costs $6.99 while the beef, along with the chicken and beef, both cost $7.09. Those with more hearty appetites might be interested in ordering The Works plate, which carries a $7.39 price tag. The Works consists of chicken and beef that is served over steamed rice and steamed vegetables. It sounds like I might have to try The Works on my next visit.

If you happen to have a tighter budget, the Flame Broiler also offers several bowls, which are all served with steamed rice. At $4.99, the chicken bowl sounds especially good. The beef bowl costs $5.09. If you happen to be craving both beef and chicken, a half and half bowl is also offered for $5.09.

Vegetable lovers might want to try the chicken veggie or beef veggie bowl, which both cost $5.29. Both selections come with steamed rice and steamed vegetables. And if you want a meal without the meat, you can order the veggie bowl for $3.99. The Works bowl, which includes chicken, beef, rice and vegetables, costs $5.39.

The Flame Broiler has two locations in the San Gabriel Valley: 17110 Colima Road in Hacienda Heights, and 21750 Valley Blvd. in Industry. For information, call (626) 964-7041 for the Hacienda Heights location or (909) 598-5777 for the Industry location.

By Evelyn Barge

I'm not a big fan of restaurants with gimmicky food names; even less so, nightclubs with lame drink labels.

It's an allergy I developed after ordering, with head hanging in shame, the embarrassing "Jenny's Favorite" smoothie at a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. in Monterey many moons ago. I still haven't figured out just why Jenny - an abused child, turned counterculture hippie, turned druggie, turned baby mama, who finally gets sick, settles down and then immediately dies - would have a predilection for strawberries, cranberry juice and non-fat raspberry frozen yogurt. (Send me a memo if you know more than I do.)

At any rate, New York's Finest Bakery and Cafe proprietor Salvatore Mangiafreno obviously disagrees with me. 

Every sandwich on the West Covina eatery's menu is named for a New York City attraction or borough - The Bronx, The Staten Island, The Yankee Stadium, The Shea Stadium, The Park Ave., and on and on.

I find this a little too cutesy for my taste. But, let's be honest, a good taste - the kind that really counts at a restaurant - can overpower all sorts of cornball phrases.

That's how I felt ordering "The NYPD" sandwich ($5.50) at New York's Finest. Yes, the sandwich is really called that, and just speaking the name aloud gave me low expectations for it. 

But I was won over by the force - or, more specifically, the ingredients, which piqued my interest from their place on the menu.

Hot capicola, prosciutto, provolone cheese, pepperoncini, lettuce, oil and vinegar. Simple, spicy; I'll take it. I picked the round roll, which is really more of a giant oval, but the sandwiches are also available on 12-inch hero subs.

The pepperoncinis really steal the show here, acting en masse to overpower thick layers of meat with a mild, pleasing, pickled heat.  

The New York Style salad ($5.00) with lettuce, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, olives, olive oil and balsamic vinegar glaze was beyond basic but comprised of fresh ingredients and quite satisfying. It reminded me of something I'd whip up at home to take on a picnic.

New York's Finest has an interesting kind of appeal for a city like West Covina. It's Italian-American deli fare through-and-through, with fresh bread, cookies and pastries baked daily on the premises.

It's the kind of place you stop on the way to work to get a baker's dozen of cannolis for the office.

It's refreshing, light, healthy fare - just don't forget something to satisfy your sweet tooth.

New York's Finest Bakery and Cafe is located at 648 S. Sunset Ave. in West Covina. (626) 814-9900. www.nyfinestbakery.com. 

Enjoying the first full day of fall in triple-digit weather was not cool (pun intended).

Last week, I sought refuge from the heat with a tropical lunch at La Tropicana Fruits & Juices in West Covina.

Aside from the various fruit smoothies, waters, tropical ices and other cool treats, they also serve sandwiches, salads and tortas.

The sandwiches start at $4.45 with options of chicken, pastrami, ham, turkey, tuna, avocado and a BLT. 

Each sandwich comes with lettuce, tomato, cheese, mayonnaise, mustard, bell pepper and jalapenos. Avocado, extra cheese and bacon cost an extra 50 cents each.

I went with the ham sandwich on a telera bread, a thinner Mexican bread.   

I love these type of sandwiches because they taste homemade, like the ones my mom make. 

I liked that the ham was thinly sliced and everything else on the sandwich tasted fresh. There was a little more mayonnaise than I prefer and the bread wasn't toasted the way I like.

Warning: If you can't stand the heat of the jalapenos, order without or be sure to ask for only a few. In my sandwich, there was one in every bite.

It felt good having something light, but next time I'll try a torta or salad and see if they have more flavor.

I also ordered an extra-large serving of freshly squeezed "agua de mamey," or water-based juice of a tropical fruit that has a slight nutty taste to it.

The mamey really hit the spot - all fresh and cooled down with ice.

The prices for the "aguas frescas," or fresh juices, are $1.95 for a medium, $2.45 for a large and only 50 cents more for an extra-large.

Tortas start at $5.45, green salads start at $2.45 and fruit salads start at $2.75. Fruit party trays are also available.

If this hot weather keeps up, I might have to return for a raspado (snow cone) or chamango (slushed ice mixed with small pieces of mango, chamoy, a sweet and spicy syrup, chili powder and lemon), all enjoyed with a spoon.

La Tropicana Fruits & Juices is at 1324 W. Francisquito Ave., Unit C5, at Sunset Ave. in West Covina. For more information, call (626) 919-1920.

By Amanda Newfield

Fresh, healthy Mediterranean food is hard to find, but Pitas To Go in Irwindale offers light choices that do not steer away from their Greek authenticity.

As we walked into this fast-food restaurant, the smell of fresh ingredients filled my nostrils and intrigued my appetite.

The menu was simple - offering pita wraps, pita pockets and Mediterranean salads. The prices were reasonable even for a poor college student like myself. Small salads start at $2.99, a falafel wrap is $3.99 and a side of hummus is $2.99. 

But for those with more blessed bank accounts, there is the $7.99 beef shawerma with thin slices of beef marinated and seasoned with a special blend of spices and tahini sauce.

I was on a mission to see just how healthy I could be while still experiencing that Mediterranean taste, so I ordered the $5.59 falafel salad.  

One pleasant surprise was finding the Sobe Diet Cranberry Grapefruit option as a fountain drink. Not only was my meal healthy and tasty but so was my beverage.

I ordered my food to-go and it was ready faster than I could fill up my drink. The food tasted as good as it smelled. 

The salad was full of fresh tomatoes, green and red bell peppers, sliced radishes, crunchy lettuce and tasty falafel.

This was my first encounter with falafel and it was a good one. The bite-size pieces were each packed with flavor and still not overwhelming.

Overall, my meal was satisfying and not too filling. The nutritious food gave me enough energy to work and didn't cause the usual lunch food coma.

I give Pitas To Go two thumbs up. I will definitely go back again.

Pitas To Go is at 15652 Arrow Hwy. in Irwindale. It is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and closed Sundays.

For more information, visit the website at www.pitastogo.com or call (626) 962-4111.

I didn't grow up eating at fancy restaurants. The first time I stepped into a Denny's I thought it was fancy because we had to be wait to be seated.

So when I first went into Sizzler and saw it's salad bar I thought I was in heaven. I love creating my own salads and when I was younger I used to eat almost everything in sight. (Can't really do that now that I'm not as active.)

After high school, I really found out what a fancy restaurant really is but I still love having the freedom of creating my own salad every once in a while, so I made a lunch trip to Sizzler in West Covina with some colleagues recently.

I think Sizzler's steaks are decent and I definitely loved when they had all-you-can-eat ribs, but I never tried a cheeseburger there.

I took a chance on it this time since the restaurant chain's promotional commercials of a cheeseburger, side of fries and endless salad bar for only $9.99 had me brainwashed.

I ordered my burger medium raw, I would usually go raw on meat but I didn't want to take that much of a chance this time. The burger comes with your choice of cheese, I went with Swiss, lettuce, tomato and sliced red onion, which is my fave. Of course I like a little kick so I added some steak sauce and jalapenos.

After a cup of clam chowder soup and a nice helping of salad, complete with mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, bacon bits, sunflower seeds, and drenched in ranch, I dug into my burger.

The toppings were fresh and the meat was cooked the way I ordered, not too raw or too cooked, but the meat didn't seem to be the best quality of beef used.

I know I'm spoiled because I have a chef at home who makes amazing burgers, any way I want them, but I was dissapointed with the quality at Sizzler. Even Carl's Jr. and Burger King burger patties taste better.

So finally, I will still be going back to Sizzler for the endless salad bar, including frozen yogurt, but I'll stick to other menu items I'm more familiar with like steak and lobster next time.

But since I don't have much room in the belly anymore, the salad bar hits the spot all on its own.

So here's my final installment in the $5 lunch wars.

For the last battle I thought I would put the tuna sandwiches head to head.

I started with Quiznos Big Kahuna Tuna Torpedo for just $4. I had a coupon for a torpedo meal for $5 so I scored with a bag of chips and soda for just a buck more.

The Big Kahuna Tuna has tuna salad, cheddar cheese, sliced banana peppers, lettuce and chopped tomatoes in a foot-long warm and toasty ciabatta bread.

 

The tuna salad alone was tasty. I don't know if there was something other than mayonnaise in there but there was some type of seasoning that really brought out the tuna.

The peppers were a perfect addition as well. I sometimes add pepperoncini's or jalapenos to make things spicy but didn't want to ruin the sandwich really so I left them out.

At Subway, I had to get a six-inch tuna sandwich, on wheat bread, because the foot-long was more than my $5 budget.

I thought I would take a cue from Quiznos and keep it simple by just adding a few items on top of the tuna.

What I do like about Subway lately is the toppings menu has expanded. I can now get sliced cucumbers and spinach instead of plain iceburg lettuce. And I can add red wine vinaigrette instead of only having mustard and mayonnaise to choose from. 

I must say I was impressed with the taste. I think mostly because of my combination of ingredients but I must also admit, the couple Subway's I've been to since this little project of mine started have been cleaner and fresher than I last remembered, and the reason I stopped going to Subway.

So I think in total, Quizno's tasty torpedoes and bullets have won the battle for my taste buds and my wallet but Subway was not as far behind as I expected.

But I'm pretty sure the lunch wars are not over yet.

Check out Staff Writer Eric Terraza's own take on Quizno's in Thursday's Highlander edition at www.sgvtribune.com/highlanders.

WHO WON THE BATTLE FOR YOUR TASTE BUDS AND WALLET?

Since it was only $5 for a foot-long for a limited time only, I thought I would give Subway another chance by trying its new Orchard Chicken Salad sandwich.

It's like a Waldorf salad with cubed pieces of cooked chicken, cranberries, raisins, and small pieces of apple. I'm assuming it's all tossed in a mayonnaise sauce but it didn't seem too heavy or thick so that's good.

I'm not a huge fan of cranberries so I must admit I picked them out of my sandwich. The raisins were golden and added a nice sweet flavor without overpowering. If there were apples in there they must have been green ones and soft, because I don't remember any crunchiness.

I had my sandwich on wheat with spinach instead of lettuce and avocado at 60 cents extra per 6 inches. It's not much on the caloric and fat factor either at 340 calories, 7 grams of fat and 6 grams of fiber for six inches.

I must say it was better than I expected and maybe the avocado helped but I just might try this sandwich again. Especially if it's under $5 for the six inches or just $5 for the full foot.

NEXT UP: THE ULTIMATE SHOWDOWN - TUNA vs TUNA. I love tuna and I will face off Subway's tuna sandwich with Quizno's Big Kahuna Tuna in the final phase of this lunch war.

By Maritza Velazquez

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But for me, it's almost nonexistent. I enjoy my sleep and I'm not willing to wake up even a few minutes earlier to prepare myself some eggs or even a piece of toast.

On weekdays, I let my stomach rumble for a while before I scurry off in pursuit of a meal. 

The weekends are the only exception, when I occasionally indulge in my favorite breakfast foods - French toast, pancakes or omelets. 

In lieu of the same old dishes at Denny's or IHOP, I've recently opted for Cafe Verona, a quaint bagelry in Diamond Bar. The place is nothing spectacular but it has unique food offerings, as well as a wide selection of coffee and other beverages. 

On some Sunday mornings, I head to the cafe for the bagel omelets, which range from $4 to $5. They have a few choices, including my favorite, the veggie bagel omelet.

For $3.35, it comes with bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and cheese. The omelet is cooked and placed between the toasted bagel of your choice. For me, it was onion. 

 

Other bagel options include spinach parmesean, jalapeno cheese, cranberry, chocolate chip sourdough and garlic.

If you want to take some bagels home with you, it'll cost you $9.95 for a dozen. 

There's also a special - for $3.95 you get a small coffee and choice of plain, veggie, ham or bacon bagel omelets. 

I also tried the strawbana smoothie for $3.95, made with real strawberries, bananas and vanilla yogurt. 

If you go for lunch, there's a lunch special - a ham, turkey or tuna sandwich with potato salad and dill pickles for $4.25. 

For healthy alternatives, there are pocket sandwiches prepared in pita bread, as well as a good selection of salads. 

The cafe has a great patio with bistro tables and shaded by a verdana. Most times when I come here, I order a coffee and some breakfast and sit down with a newspaper. 

Others do the same and it's a nice place to meet up with a small contingent of friends. 

Cafe Verona is located in the Ralph's shopping center, 1138 S. Diamond Bar Blvd. in Diamond Bar. For more information, call (909) 860-2044.

Looks like we're not the only San Gabriel Valley News folks looking for good eats in the SGV.

Check out our Public Editor Larry Wilson's Public Eye blog as he dishes about great little finds in the east and west side of the valley to enjoy a delicious, fresh meal. 

Although I've tried a few different dishes at Chang Thai in Irwindale, a thai joint Larry mentions, I can't resist the silver noodles salad with shrimp, chicken and black mushrooms in a tasty spicy sauce (and yes I would say it's 7 or 8 on a 10-scale of spiciness.)

And although I'm on a week-long high protein/low carb diet, I am now tempted to return to Birrieria y Cenaduria in Baldwin Park for some of those ropa vieja tacos. The first time I went to this local joint, a sweet older lady working there served me a yummy warm bowl of albondigas soup as I waited for my to-go order. So sweet and motherly (sigh).

By Lafayette C. Hight Jr.

Something Healthy does something simple in Monrovia.

The most expensive menu item is $7 and their fare can be summed into five groups: Panini sandwiches, wraps, soup, salad and fruit.

Located in a shopping center on Shamrock Avenue that seems to share the healthy-living philosophy - with a gym and health-food store (ignore that fried chicken place on the corner) - Something Healthy is a 10-table restaurant where everything is handmade.

On my first visit to the restaurant I decided to try a $7 tuna melt on whole wheat bread (sourdough is the second option). 

I'll admit that I didn't read the fine print on the menu, so it came as a surprise when I tasted the very powerful flavor of rosemary. 

While unexpected, it wasn't a bad addition to to the fish. Generally I'm used to the herb on poultry potatoes and other meats, but don't think I've ever had it on tuna. On this sandwich, however, it was the perfect ingredient. 

And of course, as I looked closely at the menu, I noticed "smoky rosemary aioli" listed in the description.

I made my sandwich a combo by adding potato chips and homemade iced tea and it was then that I noticed that all of the chips available were baked varieties of popular brands. And the iced tea offered - that day the choices were Mango Lassi, Cherry Raspberry and Blood Orange - are bottomless, and served sweetened or unsweetened.

I had this fear that unsweetened tea from a healthy food place was the equivalent of water, with three drops of flavor, but I'm happy to say that I was proven wrong.

The Cherry Raspberry was my first pick - and probably my new favorite tea - and I had to try a second on the refill, which was the blood orange. Both were flavored very well, and though I ordered them sweetened, it wasn't at all over sugared.

With each sandwich or wrap comes a side salad and it turned out to be a real salad - none of that non-nutritional iceberg stuff here - and dressing made from scratch.

The next dish I tried was the southwestern turkey wrap, which contained lettuce, onion, corn, tomato, hummus and salsa.

The salsa was only slightly spicy in my opinion (to me it felt like 400 Scoville units) but there are some lightweights who might actually feel the burn. I did find myself wishing that there was less lettuce and more turkey, but that could be because I was hungry that day.

Next time I'll have to try one of the soups. They were advertising some sort of southwestern chowder and I hope they have it the next time I visit.

Something Healthy is at 1014 S. Shamrock Ave. in Monrovia.

By Claudia S. Palma

News Cafe & Sushi in El Monte is like two worlds in one.

The counter on the side facing the open kitchen and the signs for breakfast specials give the place a diner appeal.

But the table settings and chairs make the cafe look like a small Japanese joint. As you look around and head towards the back, the Asian decor and sushi bar counter say they mean business when it comes to sushi.

The menu is expansive. There is a separate list for sushi items, which were not all available during lunch the last time I went.

The menu is expansive. There is a separate list for sushi items, which were not all available during lunch last week.The cafe menu featured typical breakfast and lunch fare, from country breakfast to cobb salad and pasta dishes to a bacon cheeseburger.

There are also plenty of vegetarian and salad choices.

The Japanese lunch special featured a bento meal, with items such as chicken or beef teriyaki, miso soup and choice of California or spicy tuna rolls. There were also cut rolls such as caterpillar rolls and crunchy rolls.  

Unfortunately for me, having too many choices is not always a good thing. I am not a very picky eater and want to try everything. I eventually just gave in and tried something from both worlds.

The crazy salmon roll, $9.95, called to me, as well as the Reuben sandwich (nix the sauerkraut).

The Reuben sandwich combo, at $7.95, came with either a pasta salad, cole slaw or fries. I went for the pasta salad (which I regretted later when I saw someone else's plate with huge steak fries - darn, I love thick fries.)      

The corned beef, sandwiched with squaw bread and cheese, was good but could have used more pepper or seasoning and I would have preferred it more moist. The pasta salad was made of colorful rotini pasta, some crunchy pieces of bell pepper and onion and a light, tasty vinaigrette.

The crazy salmon roll featured spicy salmon, avocado, cucumber and rice rolled in seaweed and completely covered with long strips of raw salmon and topped with a special light sauce and sesame seed.

The whole roll was surprisingly good but I wouldn't make it my favorite. Having their own separate sushi chef was a good call though.

The spicy salmon wasn't as spicy as I expected. Usually when I order spicy anything from a Japanese restaurant, it really does have a kick.

Warning - the cafe was pretty busy when I went around lunch time and there didn't seem to be enough waitresses for the crowd swarming in for some cafe food. Be patient or call ahead of time if you are picking up. 

News Cafe & Sushi is located at 11357 E. Valley Blvd., next to El Monte City Hall. They are open from 6 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday; 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Saturday; and 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

For information or delivery, call (626) 443-2603.

I can't stand the idea of bugs, flies, spiders or any sort of insect near me, much less in my food. Fortunately or unfortunately, diners have no clue and no control of what goes on inside the kitchens of most restaurants. Who knows what the conditions are like behind the swinging doors. At a few establishments, however, the kitchen or prep area is out in the open. I'm referring to places like Subway, Quizno's, taco stands, and to some extent, Panda Express and El Pollo Loco.

For lunch the other day, I stopped at O Salads, a restaurant in Irwindale that's basically a large salad bar. The last thing I expected to see was flies buzzing around, but I saw at least three. One was a super plump fly resting on the counter. Another was flying wildly all over the restaurant. The third was crawling on the slices of carrots and cauliflower.

You might say that three flies is no big deal. I'm sure there are worse kitchens and more serious health violations at other restaurants. And really, O Salads seems like a very clean, well-run restaurant. But watching the flies buzz around made me lose my appetite for a salad.

I went next door to Xa Vietnamese Grill and ordered a plate of grilled beef over rice.