JANUARY 14, 2018
Did you know?, Page 2 Wood Grill Buffet, Page 8
DINING OUT
TAMALE TWIST El Salvador Del Mundo’s food will make you go bananas!, Page 4
2
DINING OUT
Sunday, January 14, 2018
DID YOU KNOW?
DINING OUT
A
ccording to Zagat’s 2016 National Dining Trends Survey, diners love Sriracha, a spicy type of sauce that is made from a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt. When asked how they feel about popular food trends, including Sriracha, quinoa and bone broth, 31 percent of respondents said they love Sriracha, making it the most popular item listed among the trends. Quinoa was the second most popular, with 27 percent of respondents saying they loved the protein-packed grain that also is high in fiber, iron and potassium. Ramen, a dish of wheat noodles that is traditionally served in a broth, was the third most popular trendy dish, with 26 percent of respondents admitting they loved the dish. Respondents seemed to be losing their love for green juice, which was long touted, accurately or not, for its restorative properties and ability to boost consumers’ energy levels. Just 11 percent of survey participants said they loved green juice, while 35 percent admitted they were “over it.”
Dining Out Did you know? ��������������������������������������������������������� 2 Weekly specials ������������������������������������������������������� 3 El Salvador Del Mundo ��������������������������������������������� 4 Enjoy dining out with kids ����������������������������������������� 6 Happy Hour specials ������������������������������������������������� 6 Where to dine ���������������������������������������������������������� 7 Wood Grill Buffet ����������������������������������������������������� 8 Dining Out is published by the Victor Valley Daily Press, 13891 Park Ave., Victorville, CA 92392. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.
President and Publisher Steve Hunt Advertising Director Steve Nakutin Advertising Manager Lisa Woodhart Circulation Manager Mario Mejia Contributing writers Kathy Young Martial Haprov Steve Hunt Contributing photographers James Quigg, Kathy Young, Lisa Woodhart Cover and page design Ivan Hundric Copy editing Steve Hunt To advertise, call Lisa Woodhart at 760-951-6253.
vvdailypress.com
A1 Grill, Teriyaki and Roll
W Spoon Buffet
Daily Deals
Daily Deals (cannot be combined with
Buy one specialty roll, get second roll 50 percent off (with coupon in this publication only!)
any other offers) Monday: Buy 2 regular adult price buffets, get 1 kid’s buffet (3-7) free or (8-11) half price
Daily Deals Monday through Friday: 2 slices with 2 toppings and a drink for $6.95
Tuesday: Military extra 10 percent off with military ID Wednesday: Senior 65+ extra 10 percent off Thursday: Buy 4 regular priced adult buffets, get 1 adult buffet free
El Salvador Del Mundo Daily Deals
Friday: Buy 9 regular priced adult buffets, get 1 adult buffet free
Wednesday Pupusa $1.99 all day
Mile High Cafe Daily Deals Monday through Sunday: Daily breakfast and lunch specials
Wood Grill Buffet Daily Deals Taco Tuesday: after 4 p.m. Wednesday: Wing Night after 4 p.m. Seafood Night after 4 p.m.
vvdailypress.com
DAILY SPECIALS
Cross Eyed Cow Pizza
Sunday, January 14, 2018
3
DINING OUT
4
COVER STORY
Sunday, January 14, 2018
El Salvador Del Mundo takes tradition to tasty heights There’s a whole new world to discover at the family-owned Victorville restaurant By Martial Haprov Dining Out
V
vvdailypress.com
Tamales at El Salvador Del Mundo in Victorville are steamed in banana leaf instead of the traditional corn husks. James Quigg, Dining Out
ICTORVILLE — Just when you think you’ve tried it all, you discover a place like El Salvador Del Mundo. Describing all this small restaurant has to offer in one article is nearly impossible. But tasting every flavor their food delivers is an adventure we recommend taking at least once — because once is all it’ll take to get you coming back for more. And you can start simple. How about tamales? You’ve likely eaten tamales before, but the tamales at El Salvador Del Mundo stray far from the norm. The first difference is a visual one: instead of being steamed and cooked in corn husks, these tamales are cooked in banana leaves. The textured, thick, green wraps provide a shield from moisture loss but allow the cornmeal to cook thoroughly, marrying the flavors of its filling and solidifying each tamale’s foundation. This also leads to another difference: the cornmeal is remarkably sweeter than a traditional Mexican tamale. The differences in the tamales are clear, and the uniqueness of nearly everything on the menu at El Salvador Del Mundo makes it a place worth trying when you’re ready for a change in food scenery. Arguably their signature item and the one many of its loyal customers call their favorite is the pupusa. A traditional Salvadoran dish, a pupusa is essentially
a thick corn tortilla (sometimes made with rice flour) that has ingredients stuffed in the middle before being cooked on a flat-top grill. El Salvador Del Mundo offers pupusas with cheese, beans and cheese, spinach, squash or fried pork. The pupusas served here are soft but firm and the bread offers a rich texture that allows the ingredients to remain inside even when cutting a piece off. For the uninitiated, we recommend trying one with pork or beans and cheese. The beans pair especially well with the dexterity of the bread while the savory flavor of the pork shines brightly. An added benefit of dining at a place that isn’t the “norm” on the local food scene is the alternative “extras” — the ones that make traditional dipping sauces and gratuitous bread seem of the overly bland variety. Up o n r e q u e s t , t h e restaurant staff will provide a small dish of their house pickled veggies featuring cabbage, carrots and sliced jalapeno. They also offer sauces — one, a mild “tomato sauce,” as they call it; another, a spicy version of that sauce. We recommend trying the sauces on the pupusas as the flavors are clearly made for one another while the pickled veggies make for an interesting appetizer of sorts, preparing the palate for what’s to come. Another traditional Salvadoran dish served here is the pan con pollo. Simply put, it’s a chicken sandwich with veggies, though the taste is anything but
Sunday, January 14, 2018
at the southwest corner of Palmdale Road and Park Avenue in Victorville. It’s here you’ll discover a culinary adventure worth taking at least once — and you may just find in it a new favorite spot to dine out. El Salvador Del Mundo, in Suite J at 15329 Palmdale Road in Victorville, is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Call them at 760-241-8308 for more information.
El Salvador Del Mundo in VIctorville offers a variety of dishes as its location near the intersection of Palmdale Road and Park Avenue. James Quigg, Dining Out
vvdailypress.com
simple. The veggie array consists of bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, green beans and radish, bringing incredible depth and texture to every bite. They evenly balance the marinated chicken and make for a delicious detour from the “normal” sandwich. You can find these delicious dishes and the rest of El Salvador Del Mundo’s menu situated almost precisely in the center of a long strip mall on the south side of a shopping center
5
COVER STORY
6
DINING OUT
Sunday, January 14, 2018
P
Enjoy dining out with kids
arents know taking kids out to eat requires patience. The sights and sounds of a restaurant can be overwhelming and distracting to children used to eating at home. Toddlers have not learned to control their impulses yet, and even school-aged children may experience intermittent breakdowns when they are uncomfortable or not feeling well. But parents who want to take their tots out on the town can employ some easy steps to make eating out a fun kids can handle it. excursion for everyone.
vvdailypress.com
Practice Daniel Post Senning, the great-grandson of etiquette expert Emily Post and co-author of “Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18th edition,” says parents can practice dining out by replicating the experience (as much as possible) at home. Ask the children to use inside voices and exhibit proper behavior at the dinner table. Remove children from the table if they misbehave and try again another time. Parents also can acclimate their youngsters to dining out by gradually working their way up to more formal restaurants. Start by dining out at a place where table behavior or noise may be more tolerable, such as a fastfood restaurant, before moving on to a casual restaurant and then a nicer restaurant when
less busy right before dinner service and directly after. If you can time your meals to these off-peak hours, it may make for a more enjoyable dining experience.
when appetizers are served or think ahead Provide distractions and have some light Many young children snacks, such as crackers cannot sit still for long or dry cereal, available to and may need a series of tame kids’ hunger pangs. distractions to keep them Choose restaurants entertained throughwisely out meals. Pack a bag of Make concessions as tricks that includes toys, games, books, and even to where and when you a digital device tuned to kids’ favorite programs. Pick restaurants that do not have a long wait to get a seat so that kids’ patience has not worn thin before you even make it to the table. A sightseeing walk around the restaurant also may be able to provide a welcome distraction until the food is ready.
eat. Coordinate around nap times so children will be happy and well-rested. Select restaurants that accommodate children. Ask to be seated out of the way just in case Be courteous and your son or daughter acts respectful up. This way you will not Many children will disturb other patrons. Restaurants tend to be eventually act up in
HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS
Pack snacks Although the goal may be to eat out, kids may not be as patient as adults when waiting for their meals to be delivered. Ask servers to bring out the kids’ meals
Offer plenty of praise Always let children know when they are doing a great job and behaving well in a restaurant. Engage kids in conversation and keep them entertained. Boredom or attention-seeking behavior can make dining out with youngsters more difficult to manage. A treat or a special reward (sticker or coloring book) can be offered to a child who behaves when dining out.
restaurants, and parents should respond to such instances as courteously as possible. Apologize to those around you whom your child has disturbed. Remove your son or daughter from the area and take a few moments to help him or her calm down. If kids can’t be calmed down, ask that your meal be wrapped. Remember to clean up after yourselves and thank the waitstaff for any extra service, such as lugging a heavy high chair or providing extra silverware if kids drop any forks or spoons. Don’t leave a large mess for the server, and tip accordingly. Children grow accustomed to dining out over time. It may take some practice, but with the right planning, families can enjoy meals away from home.
A1 Grill, Teriyaki and Roll Happy Hour 20 percent off on teriyaki bowls and specialty rolls from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (with coupon from this publication only!)
Mile High Cafe Happy Hour Taco Tuesday, 4 to 9 p.m.: $2 tacos, $2 enchiladas, beer specials
Wood Grill Buffet Happy Hour Monday through Friday, 2 to 4 p.m. Senior Happy Hour, $8.99
WHERE TO DINE SYMBOL KEY A Serves Alcohol
B
Breakfast
R
Brunch
C
Catering
D
Dinner
H
Happy Hour
O
Online Ordering
7 Sunday, January 14, 2018
DINING OUT
14689 Valley Center Drive, #C, Victorville 760-241-0900
A
D C
A collection of delicious plates from Wood Grill Buffet in Hesperia. James Quigg, Dining Out
ITALIAN
Cross Eyed Cow Pizza 19242 National Trails Highway, Oro Grande
AMERICAN
Mile High Cafe 8832 Orange St., Hesperia 760-947-8844
B C
A
760-241-1987 www.crosseyedcowpizza.com/
A
D C
JAPANESE
A1 Grill, Teriyaki & Roll 15061 Bear Valley Road, Hesperia 760-949-8900 www.a1grill.com
D C
Wood Grill Buffet 14135 Main St., Hesperia
B
D C A
H
W Spoon Buffet
SALVADORIAN El Salvador Del Mundo 15329 Palmdale Road, Suite J, Victorville 760-241-8308
B
D C
vvdailypress.com
760-981-4418
8
DINING OUT
Sunday, January 14, 2018 Cold weather demands comfort foods like meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, all available at Hesperia’s Wood Grill Buffet, open seven days a week. Jim Quigg, Dining Out
Wood Grill offers ‘the buffet experience’ and caters to your favorite meal options By Kathy Young Dining Out
I vvdailypress.com
f your favorite edibles fall under the heading “The See Food” diet — you “see food,” you grab a plate and help yourself — by all means stop by Hesperia’s Wood Grill Buffet and let them help you expand your list of favorites. Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week (and for breakfast on the weekend), Wood Grill has serving tables
loaded with all manner of dishes from different cultures designed to please every diner who walks through the doors. (Their Mexican breakfast options are nothing short of amazing.) Of course, there is also comfortable seating — tables and booths — that provide you and your party with a place to enjoy your meal. Do you pride yourself on your exacting culinary standards? You will find plenty to please
your “most demanding” tastes. From appetizers and salads to main course dishes, side dishes and desserts, Wood Grill Buffet will not disappoint. The chefs and others “behind the scenes” at Wood Grill Buffet hit the prep tables early every morning, washing, chopping and preparing every item that makes up the lunch and dinner choices as well as desserts displayed each day. And there is plenty
of delicious coffee, cold milk and soft drinks to quench your thirst. This is soup weather, and Wood Grill offers different soups on a daily basis. Cream soup lovers, clam chowder devotees or clear soup fans will find options that will have them coming back to the soup table for more. This is definitely chili weather, too, and Wood Grill has a recipe that is hearty — just the right ingredients to warm the heart and
keep you working “up to speed” throughout the day. If soup and salad sound like a good combination, be aware that more than 40 ingredients are available to make your very own salad absolutely perfect for you. M e n u o p t i o n s a re available online, www. woodgrillbuffethesperia.com, and there are coupon offers as well as senior specials and seasonal attractions as well
as Taco Tuesday and more. Check the pages of Dining Out for additional specials, too. Wood Grill Buffet is located at 14135 Main St., Hesperia. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. The telephone number is 760981-4418.