HOTSPOTS OF THE WEEK
OPEN FOR BUSINESS — TAKE-OUT • DELIVERY
KATZ N’ JAMMERS
This fun, nostalgic diner is known for its’ large portions of freshly made in house food. Last week I was in the mood for a late breakfast and knowing they are open 7AM2PM daily, I immediately called in my order—bacon and eggs, hashbrowns and an English muffin. I have been eating in this estab;ishment for over 30 years and there is a reason for it. Not only have I always enjoyed a great meal; but it always seems their eggs and hash browns are cooked in butter as they have such a buttery goodness about them. My eggs were cooked to a perfect overmedium—just the way I like them, becoming even tastier when mixed with the crispy hash browns. Of course, you can never go wrong with bacon and those four thick strips rounded out my meal, followed by the muffin with grape jelly dripping onto my plate.— crispy, salty and savory ending on a delicious sweet note. Quite a few other items don the menu— eggs, etc., omelets galore, pancakes and French toast,all-American authentic burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, salads and light lunch, light side, soups, chili, malts and old-fashioned sodas plus taco Tuesday with home-made pico. Open for take-out and delivery.
JON SMITH SUBS
( 661) 526-5266 38029 47th St. East Palmdale
Stopped by last week to take care of my tuna salad craving. It was light and fresh with a very smooth, whipped-like consistency that just melted in my mouth, then wrapped up in the softest roll ever! The added lettuce and pickles put in right over the top and so delectable. Next, was the best steak to ever meet a grill—the one that started it all and the one that has made them famous; the steak bomb with grilled onions, peppers, mushrooms,bacon, tomatoes and provolone cheese. Boldly seasoned meat, juicy and perfectly grilled veggies and exactly as I ordered it right down to the last detail—adding mayo and sliced tomatoes on the roll. That fabulous mixture created a great flavor, so great that I practically inhaled the sandwich. The thing that sets Jon Smith apart from the others, is their delicious French fries cooked fresh to order. Plenty of other great sandwiches are on the menu as well as daily specials that include 6” sub, fries and a drink for $7.95, with a different sub each day—Sun. BLT; Mon. classic steak; Tue. meatball; Wed. turkey; Thurs. Grilled chicken; Fri. tuna and Sat. Italian cold cut. Open daily 11AM-8PM for take-out, and delivery.
GREAT WALL MANDARIN & SZECHWAN CUISINE
( 661) 942-7048 2001 W. Ave. J Lancaster
Fabulous Chinese food is exactly why Great Wall has won Av’s Best Chinese food for over 24 years, featuring traditional, authentic, fresh, made-to-order healthy Chinese food using no MSG and offering fast, efficient, take-out and serving daily lunch combinations (11AM-3PM), early bird dinners (11AM-5PM), fancy cocktails, beer, wine, boba milk tea, Thai iced tea and smoothies. I called in my dinner order to pick up—almond chicken with steamed white rice and an order of potstickers. Great comfort food and ever so satisfying. A beautiful mixture of color, texture and flavor and each bite was so scrumptious, especially when scooped up together with the rice. The dark brown savory gravy had the perfect consistency and was stir-fried with nice-sized chunks of moist meaty chicken, celery, water chestnuts with an ample amount of almonds. In case you never tried potstickers before, you have missed out on a traditional Chinese appetizer— steam-fried dumplings stuffed with a very flavorful filling— crispy, savory little bundles of joy. Of course, I added a Mai Tai from the fancy cocktail menu to enjoy with my dinner, feeling like I was on vacation— sipping on my drink with a tiny little umbrella and partaking in some gourmet food. Open daily 11AM-9PM for take-out and delivery.
RIO BRAZILIAN
( 661) 860-4127 630 W. Lancaster Blvd. Lancaster
Celebrating the flavors of El Salvador with a pupusa & steak platter was so much fun and delicious, too! Sweet platano bites with homemade Salvadoran cream, tasty refried beans, crunchy yuca frita, chicharron, juicy, yummy, tender steak cooked to a perfect medium rare and last but not least a one-pound pupusa with melty, stretchy cheese and lorocco, paired with curtido, salsa roja and freshly made chimichurri. We had a wonderful culinary experience and can’t wait to go back and try one of the other amazing dishes from around the world like the entrana plate with one of the most legendary cuts of meat in Argentina culture—skirt steak. Famous for its rich flavor and extreme juiciness. Paired with more of that wonderful chimichurri sauce, golden crispy potatoes and a refreshing salad. Or, the lomo saltado—juicy marinated prime top sirloin, tomato and onion stir fried and paired with white rice and fries served on the side or mixed in to soak up the juicy goodness. You might want to start your meal by enjoying a tropical escape with one of their new refreshing cocktails—spicy tamarind paloma, guava pisco, cocolomo and mango chamoy margarita, so good you will want one of each—we tried two and were quite happy. Open daily 11AM9PM for take-out and delivery.
EL CHILAQUIL MEXICAN AND SEAFOOD ( 661) 941-4068 1052 E. Ave. J Lancaster
Cooking up new cravings daily, this little eatery features homestyle cooking with hand-made tortillas for everything from burritos, tacos, quesadillas, huaraches and gorditas to freshly made tortas, chalupas, sopas, nachos and chilaquiles. Barbacoa by the pound (includes tortillas & consome’) plus an endless variety of seafood from ceviche, shrimp cocktail, tilapia, fish soup and shrimp. Fajitas, birria, pozole and menudo finish the menu. I ordered a bottle of beer, shrimp tostada, shrimp cocktail, a steak fajitas burrito loaded with onions, bell peppers, rice and beans. The incredible aroma was permeating my car all the way home—just couldn’t wait to get inside and dive into all the deliciousness! The shrimp cocktail was everything I hoped it would be and more—rich red sauce loaded with large succulent shrimp, avocado cubes, onions and cilantro with saltine crackers on the side. The flavor was absolutely outstanding, that I didn’t want it to end. And, of course the tostada was no different; same fabulous flavor every time I have one—flat corn tortilla shell, topped with just the right amount of fresh shrimp, diced avocado, tomatoes, onions, cilantro and loads of freshly squeezed lime—so enticing. In fact, everything was excellent— so many wonderful flavors. Open daily 10AM for take-out and delivery.
JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS 44418 Valley Central Way Lancaster ( 661) 471-8781 1006 Commerce Center Dr. Lancaster ( 661) 945-8855 39604 10th St. West Palmdale ( 661) 267-1515
Jersey Mike’s definitely delivered on their promise of “A Sub Above” with subs straight from the Jersey Shore like the one I chose—Jersey Shore’s favorite; provolone, ham and capicola on a soft white roll,then ordering it “Mike’s” way— onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and “the juice”. Before I go any further, I need to say a couple of words about the juice—this red wine vinegar and olive oil blend is a drizzle of ‘Dang! I would call this awesomesauce or a little bit of heaven and once I added the spices it had the most memorable flavor, that I crave over and over again! Each bite of this yummy sandwich made my taste buds jump up and down in delight, almost too delicious for words but fabulous would sum it up. My companion ordered the “Mike’s Famous Philly”—in other words—the real deal. Grilled fresh to order tender, juicy steak, peppers, onions and melty white American cheese—a mouthwatering medley of flavor. The freshly sliced meats and cheeses are premium quality and the bread including gluten-free is baked fresh daily on the premises. Open Mon-Sat10 AM-9 PM; Sun 11AM-7PM for take-out and delivery.