The Inland Empire Tamale Festival returns today

Got a taste for tamales? Then Riverside’s White Park is the place to be today (April 16).

The fourth annual Riverside Tamale Festival is set for 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Of course, there will be contests — for tamale eating, and for both professional and non-professional tamale makers — but the festival is much more than that.

Continue reading “The Inland Empire Tamale Festival returns today” »

Buy your Inland Empire Salsa Festival tickets now and save

If you’re thinking of going to the Inland Empire Salsa Festival — which takes place 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 14 at White Park in Riverside — today (April 12) is the day to buy tickets.

That’s because through the end of the day today, you can save up to 52% on tickets to the festival via a special Groupon deal.

Continue reading “Buy your Inland Empire Salsa Festival tickets now and save” »

Miguel’s Jr. rolling out breakfast…finally

Miguel's Jr breakfastIt only took 40 years, but Miguel’s Jr. is now serving breakfast.

The morning meal is currently available at the chain’s Fontana, Ontario and Galleria at Tyler locations.

On Tuesday (January 23), the chain will begin serving breakfast at its south Corona location, too.

It’s something its customers have been wanting for a long time.

“People would always ask us ‘When are you going to serve breakfast?’ ‘One of these days.’ Well, that day is here,” said co-founder Mary Vasquez at a recent launch celebration.

The last few years, the Corona-based Mexican restaurant had been offering breakfast items during Christmastime at its Galleria at Tyler location, as sort of a test run for when the time was right to begin serving it year-round.

In November, the Fontana location became the first to begin serving breakfast daily.

Miguel’s Jr.’s breakfast menu consists of six burritos and three plates:

Burritos

  • Carne Asada: Grilled steak, eggs, cheddar cheese and chile verde-marinated potatoes. ($8.59)
  • Chorizo: Mexican-style sausage, eggs, refried beans and chile verde-marinated potatoes. ($5.99)
  • Green Pig: Marinated pork, eggs, cheddar cheese and chile verde-marinated potatoes. ($6.49)
  • Machaca: Shredded beef seasoned with tomatoes, bell peppers and onions, eggs and refried beans. ($6.49)
  • Spud: Eggs, chile verde-marinated potatoes and cheddar cheese. ($4.99)
  • Sunrise: Bacon, eggs, cheddar cheese and chili verde-marinated potatoes. ($5.99)

Plates

  • Americano: Scrambled eggs, chile verde marinated potatoes, tortillas and choice of bacon, chile verde pork or carne asada. (Bacon $5.99 / Carne asada $8.59 / Chili verde pork $6.49)
  • Chorizo: Served with Spanish rice, refried beans and tortillas. ($5.99)
  • Machaca: Served with Spanish Rice, refried beans and tortillas. ($6.49)

Breakfast hours are 6 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

In celebration of the introduction of the chain-wide breakfast rollout, the chain is hosting a “Pajama Jam Family Morning Out” from 7 to 8 a.m. Saturday (January 30) at the south Corona location, 2320 Compton Ave. Guests who wear their pajamas to the restaurant will receive a Green Pig burrito and coffee for free. They’ll also be giving out T-shirts while quantities last.

In addition, Tuesday through Sunday (January 26 to 31) guests at the south Corona location can receive a free coffee with any breakfast entrée purchase.

To further the celebration, guests that “check-in” at the south Corona location on Facebook and post a message or photo of breakfast support will receive a coupon for a free breakfast burrito valid on their next visit, while supplies last.

The chain will continue to roll out breakfast to another location every two weeks, with all 14 locations expected to be serving breakfast by mid-June. A new location under construction in Riverside will serve breakfast when it opens this summer.

We’re also getting into the celebration. Thanks to the generous folks at Miguel’s Jr., we’ve got five $10 gift cards and five coupons for free breakfast burritos at the south Corona location to give away.

All you need to do to enter is simply leave a comment below. Good luck!

Here are the rules:

  • One comment per person.
  • Your email address or social media account (linked to your Disqus profile) will only be used to contact you in the event you win.
  • Employees of MediaNews Group/Digital First Media and its affiliates, along with members of the employees’ immediate families are ineligible to win. Sorry, Mom.
  • The contest ends at 5 p.m. PST Monday, February 1, 2016.
  • Ten (10) winners will be chosen at random via random.org after the close of the contest. Five (5) winners will receive a coupon for a free breakfast burrito from the south Corona Miguel’s Jr. location. Five (5) winners will receive a $10 Miguel’s Jr. gift card.
  • Winners agree to have their name mentioned in the Dine 909 blog and/or newspaper column.

Update: Everybody wins!

Since there were only nine entries, everyone who entered has won a prize!

Based on our random.org draw, here’s how the prizes will be divided:

  • $10 gift card: Rebecca Childers, Teresa Reyes, ReadorDie, Raylene Sausedo and Shawna Hemstreet.
  • Breakfast burrito: Kendra Farmer, Shayla Nash Simien, Sheri Sevilla and Jessica Chavoya.

And just because I don’t want to have another drawing just to give away that last breakfast burrito, I’m also giving the first-picked entry — Rebecca Childers — that other breakfast burrito coupon. Enjoy!

Check your inbox for an email asking for your address to send your prize to.

Thanks for playing!

San Bernardino International Tamale Festival moved from Perris Hill Park

San Bernardino International Tamale FestivalTalk about your last-minute drama.

The permit for inaugural San Bernardino International Tamale Festival, set for this weekend (January 9 and 10) at Perris Hill Park, was revoked by the city late yesterday (January 7) due to an expected 40% chance of rain at around 9 p.m. Saturday night.

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Naugles has been resurrected

NauglesRemember Naugles?

The Mexican/American fast-food chain was started in Riverside by an early Del Taco cohort — Dick Naugle — back in 1970.

However, Naugle sold the three-restaurant chain in 1979 to Harold Butler, the founder of Denny’s, and Butler grew it to 225 restaurants, with several in the Inland Empire.

The chain was sold again in 1986 and then in 1988 was merged with Del Taco, when businessman Aniwar Soliman purchased both chains.

The majority of the Naugles restaurants were converted to Del Tacos shortly afterward, although some of the Naugles items lived on by making their way onto Del Taco’s menu.

Continue reading “Naugles has been resurrected” »

Discount tickets available this weekend for inaugural Inland Empire Salsa Festival

Inland Empire Salsa FestivalPre-sale tickets are available for the inaugural Inland Empire Salsa Festival.

The event — scheduled for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 16 at White Park in Riverside — features salsa tasting and competition, a beer and wine garden, and live entertainment, including host Jordin Sparks, Baby Bash and A Lighter Shade of Brown.

If you’re interested in going, though, you might want to purchase your tickets this weekend.

You see, general admission tickets are available on the event’s website for $10 (plus $1.54 service fee). The site is also offering early bird discount tickets (through May 1) for just $8 (plus $1.43), a decent bargain. Kids 12 and under are admitted free.

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Fontana’s Tio’s Mexican Grill goes upscale with new addition

Tio's Grille and CantinaFontana’s Tio’s Mexican Grill, 16953 Sierra Lakes Parkway, just went upscale with the addition of Tio’s Grille & Cantina next door.

The new place — which had its grand opening on Saturday — looks amazing!

It’s truly a family affair, as the owners’ niece, who operates designstiles, created the look.

You can check out the pics (from Sabra Lattos Photography) here.

It’s Sofritas Monday at Chipotle Mexican Grill

Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?

Chipotle Mexican Grill is giving away free food in a promotion for the restaurant’s Sofritas, its organic tofu filling.

But before you head on over and demand a burrito, here’s how it works: Simply head to any location today (January 26) and order any entrée with Sofritas. Then simply bring your receipt back any time between Tuesday (January 27) and February 28 and you’ll get a free burrito, salad, bowl or order of tacos.

Pretty simple, huh? It’s a deal even carnivores can enjoy.

For more information, click here.

Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants can be found throughout the Inland Empire.