JANUARY 7, 2018
DINING OUT
A PASSION FOR
PIZZA
Cross Eyed Cow owners go for larger piece of the pie, Page 4 Happy Hour specials, Page 6 • Ninja Sushi, Page 8
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DINING OUT
Sunday, January 7, 2018
RESTAURANT GRADES
DINING OUT
Victorville
Shakey’s (Bear Valley Road) ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 98 33 Degree Frozen Yogurt ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 98 Adelita’s Restaurant ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93 Ala AlDeen Restaurant ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill & Bar ����������������������������������������������������������������� 97 Arby’s (La Paz) ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Arby’s (Bear Valley Road) ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Archibald’s Drive-Thru ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Baja Fresh Mexican Grill ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Baja Taco ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Baker’s Burgers (7th Street) ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97 Baskin-Robbins ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Bob’s Cajun Boil ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 96 Bosco’s Diner ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90 Broken Saddle Saloon & Steakhouse ��������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Brooklyn Italian Pizza & Pasta ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Burger King (Outer 7th) ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Burger King (Hesperia Road) ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 96 Burger King (Bear Valley Road) ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Burger King (Palmdale Road) ����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Burgerim ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Cafe 154 ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 90 Carino’s Italian ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Carl’s Junior (7th Street) ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 96 Carl’s Junior (Bear Valley Road) ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 98 Charley’s Philly Steak ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91
Dining Out Restaurant grades �������������������������������� 2 Weekly specials �������������������������������������3 Cross Eyed Cow Pizza ���������������������������4 Where to dine ��������������������������������������� 7 Ninja Sushi ���������������������������������������������8 Dining Out is published by the Victor Valley Daily Press, 13891 Park Ave., Victorville, CA 92392. Copyright 2018. 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.
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A1 Grill, Teriyaki and Roll
Ninja Poki Yaki
Daily Deals
Daily Deals
Buy one specialty roll, get second roll 50 perMonday through Sunday: All sushi and rolls cent off (with coupon in this publication only!) 50 percent off (all day)
Daily Deals Monday through Friday: 2 slices with 2 toppings and a drink for $6.95
El Salvador Del Mundo Daily Deals Wednesday Pupusa $1.99 all day
Firehouse Subs Daily Deals Wednesday: Kids eat for 99 cents
Mile High Cafe Daily Deals Monday through Sunday: Daily breakfast and lunch specials
W Spoon Buffet Daily Deals (cannot be combined with any other offers) Monday: Buy 2 regular adult price buffets, get 1 kid’s buffet (3-7) free or (8-11) half price 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 Friday: Buy 9 regular priced adult buffets, get 1 adult buffet free
Wood Grill Buffet Daily Deals Taco Tuesday: after 4 p.m. Wednesday: Wing Night after 4 p.m. Friday: Seafood Night after 4 p.m.
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DAILY SPECIALS
Cross Eyed Cow Pizza
Sunday, January 7, 2018
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DINING OUT
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COVER STORY
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Cross Eyed Cow Pizza keeps it simple and savory Owners Jim and Donna Granger find the recipe for success is good food, people and atmosphere By Martial Haprov Dining Out
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Cross Eyed Cow owners have found good pizza attracts people like a magnet. James Quigg, Dining Out
RO GRANDE — Five years in, Jim and Donna Granger are as passionate as ever about Cross Eyed Cow Pizza. They opened here along National Trails Highway after previous business owners failed to succeed in the building they own. “We moved up from Orange County where we sold our house and had money to invest,” Donna Granger said. “We bought this as an investment.” But after the aforementioned failures by initial tenants, Donna was clear: “I said either sell it or do something with it.” The answer she got was resounding — almost prophetic. “Jim said, ‘What do you think about pizza?’” Donna said. In a moment of entrepreneurial reflection, she pointed out that a wellknown national pizza chain had “started in a college town,” and here in Oro Grande, Riverside Preparatory School was “starting to expand.” “Pizza brings teachers, students, people,” Donna said. Building on the idea, the couple said they started asking just about anyone who would listen, “Where’s the best pizza? What’s the most popular pizza?” And they studied the responses carefully, even visiting some in person to discover what made other businesses like the one they wanted to launch successful. “We kind of built a menu from that,” Jim said. The menu itself is based on a simple mantra Donna keeps close to her and operates on here and other facets of life. “My motto is, ‘keep it simple, stupid,’” she said. “We just try to do things that are simple. Good food, good people and a good atmosphere. We keep our employ-
ees happy, the place clean and we always serve quality ingredients.” Virtually every item on the menu is named after someone or something in Oro Grande, the High Desert or related to Route 66. Take the Mayor Joe’s, for instance. Named after Oro Grande’s honorary mayor Joe Manners, it’s a chicken salad sub with cashews, craisins, mayo, lettuce and tomatoes. Or how about the all-meat Iron Hog pizza, “a manly man’s pizza,” Jim says, which happens to be his favorite here. It’s named after a long-standing bar and saloon just up the road from the restaurant that’s had a bit of a tumultuous past but, for many, is synonymous with Oro Grande. While Cross Eyed Cow is revered for its hearty pizzas featuring housemade marinara, bold toppings and cheesy goodness, Donna’s daughter and restaurant marketing manager Grace Preston says their Cali Winter salad is a popular option for “the ladies at the cement plant” and “a lot of the teachers” at Riverside Preparatory schools in Oro Grande. The salad features a bed of spinach and lettuce topped with artichokes, red onion, red peppers, black olives, bacon, shaved Parmesan and croutons. It can be finished off with a house-made balsamic vinaigrette. It’s no wonder customers have a variety of favorites here as the Grangers have put and continue to put in tons of work into Cross Eyed Cow’s identity, Preston tells Dining Out. “My mom and stepdad are just natural born leaders and trendsetters,” she says. “They come up with these ideas that even I second-guess sometimes but they really work. It’s crazy.” The work they put into the restaurant is evident in more than just the food — there are visu-
Sunday, January 7, 2018
we’re here.” To fill up on Cross Eyed Cow’s tasty offerings, visit them at 19242 National Trails Highway in Oro Grande. Call 760-241-1987, visit www.crosseyedcowpizza.com or find them on Facebook for more information including menu and hours. Cross Eyed Cow also caters. For information, call the restaurant or send them a message on Facebook.
Sandwiches like the Train Wreck also are popular for lunch at Cross Eyed Cow Pizza in Oro Grande. James Quigg, Dining Out
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al treats to enjoy before, during and after the visit. Inside, Route 66 decor and photos adorn the walls. Outside, a restored trailer is planned to open that will sell Route 66 memorabilia and trinkets. “We get so many tourists down Route 66 that are just starved for something to do — and something to eat,” Donna said. “They often ask, ‘What’s there to do around here? Where can we go?’ That’s why
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COVER STORY
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Sunday, January 7, 2018
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DINING OUT
Breakfast
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Brunch
C
Catering
D
Dinner
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Happy Hour
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Online Ordering
WHERE TO DINE The apple pie pizza at Cross Eyed Cow Pizza in Oro Grande. James Quigg, Dining Out MEXICAN
AMERICAN
Burgerim The Mall of Victor Valley, 14400 Bear Valley Road, #701, Victorville 760-243-4494 www.burgerim.com
Mile High Cafe
A
Wood Grill Buffet 14135 Main St., Hesperia 760-981-4418
D C A
H
W Spoon Buffet 14689 Valley Center Drive, #C, Victorville 760-241-0900
A
D C
Cross Eyed Cow Pizza
8832 Orange St., Hesperia 760-947-8844
B
A
ITALIAN
D C
B C
Los Domingos
D C HEALTHY
760-242-3913
D C
A
H
R
D C A
Firehouse Subs
13325 Main St., Suite 108, Hesperia 760-983-5512 www.firehousesubs.com
O
D C
SALVADORIAN
El Salvador Del Mundo 15329 Palmdale Road, Suite J, Victorville 760-241-8308
B
D C
H
19242 National Trails Highway, Oro Grande 760-241-1987 www.crosseyedcowpizza.com/
A
D C
Shakey’s Pizza 14120 Bear Valley Road, Suite 103, Victorville 760-952-0010 www.shakeys.com
D C A
H O
JAPANESE
A1 Grill, Teriyaki & Roll 15061 Bear Valley Road, Hesperia 760-949-8900 www.a1grill.com
D C
Ninja Poki Yaki 17878 Wika Road, Apple Valley 760-646-9966
#116, Apple Valley
17790 Wika Road, Apple Valley 760-946-5344 www.losdomingosapplevalley. com
SUBS & SALADS
Ninja Sushi
15850 Apple Valley Road,
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Sunday, January 7, 2018
SYMBOL KEY A Serves Alcohol
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DINING OUT
Sunday, January 7, 2018
Apple Valley’s Ninja Sushi caters to both traditional and new tastes By Kathy Young Dining Out
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raditional Japanese sushi — what “sushi purists” order in their favorite Japanese restaurants — combines specially prepared vinegared rice, usually short grain and sticky, on a sheet of seaweed placed on a bamboo mat and joined with various other ingredients, then wrapped into tightly into a tidy roll. Once the ingredients are compacted, the mat is removed and then comes the fun — the sushi chef tops the roll with additional ingredients that make a lovely presentation and then slices the roll into bitesized pieces. The ingredients are what make sushi traditional or “new” and include combinations of vegetables and fish that challenge the palate; they are often accompanied by spices that “bring on the heat.” Some avowed sushi lovers dare to look outside the box, so to speak, and demand even more variety. Savvy sushi chefs have complied, adding fresh fruit, slices of avocado or cooked meats and seafood to the rolls. Ninja Sushi in Apple Valley has been making a name for itself offering traditional as well as unique rolls for its loyal c u s t o m e rs . W h e t h e r you are in the mood for Peter’s Signature Roll, which includes Spring Mix salad greens, or the
Teriyaki Chicken Roll (no surprise what’s in this one) — or you crave a traditional Fire Cracker or Dragon Roll — Ninja Sushi will serve you well. As for tweaking your order with condiments, sushi lovers can select soy, which is used on the topping rather than the rice because the sauce would cause the rice to soften and the roll would fall apart. Another condiment option is pickled ginger — a palate cleanser if you are enjoying several different types of rolls. It is a super garnish. If you like a bit of heat with your rolls, there is wasabi mustard, often made with horseradish instead of real wasabi root, formed into a delicate leaf that decorates your plate. With the New Year, why not try something new — either as a new sushi diner or ramping up your list of favorite sushi rolls and sampling something you’ve never tried before. Ninja Sushi and its sister restaurant Ninja Poki Yaki have beautiful options that look as wonderful as they taste. Ninja Sushi is located at 15850 Apple Valley Road, Suite 1161, in Apple Valley. The telephone n u m b e r i s 76 0 - 2 4 2 3913. Ninja Poki Yaki, which serves Poki Bowls (“seafood in a bowl”) as well as sushi, is located a 17878 Wika Road in Apple Valley. Their telephone number is 760East meets east with the Teriyaki Chicken Sushi Roll at Ninja Sushi. Kathy Young, Dining Out 646-9966.