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Food & Drink

Mountain Views News Saturday, July 26, 2014

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FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain Views-News Saturday, July 26, 2014

TAYLOR’S STEAKHOUSE IN LA CANADA

A Brunch to dine for. Still. (Repr

Everyone has the favorite idea of the perfect
Sunday afternoon. Some prefer the beach, others
like to lounge and for me it’s sipping good
champagne with a great meal. Madame Begue’s
restaurant in New Orleans might be the initial
restaurant to offer ‘brunch” but many claim credit
for the invention of the Sunday Brunch. The
Sunday Brunch may have not been invented in
Las Vegas but the act was perfected there.

I truly think that life should be a celebration,
time stops for no person, and before you know it,
you are in your 40’s and writing in a newspaper
about classic restaurants. That’s how I came upon
Taylor’s Steak House in La Canada for this story
on Sunday Brunch.

The area of La Canada sure has changed even
in the last year, but the good news, the prices at
Taylor’s have reflected little of that change. I made
it a point to write the owner Bruce a note upon
my exiting one Sunday Brunch, “Don’t change a
thing.”

Old School is a term of affable endearment. Red
leather booths, Marge as the server and of course
a good stiff drink for under ($10). Elva was my
server on this visit and she pulled a full bottle of
“J” sparkling wine for ($28). Crazy - good!!! If
you want to invest the day in the House Sparkling
Wine, it is available too. With the first glass being
on the house. So what is on the menu? A Classic
Eggs Benedict ($13.95) a dish that is so good
the originator Commodore E.C. Benedict would
be most proud to pull a fork over. For omelet
worshippers, the build your own at ($13.95) has
local restaurateur David Yost in just about every
Sunday when he is not working at one of his own
restaurants. Fish lovers will rejoice on the Alaskan
Halibut ($18.95), it is in season at the moment
and fresh. If you compare the price to the
regular dinner menu and that you are getting a
complimentary glass of bubbly it is quite the deal.
My Brunch companion was very pleased with
the Poached Salmon and Hollandaise for (19.95).
Also, for bacon aficionados something unique
to Taylor’s is the hand cut Virginia smoked ham
trimmed to bacon. It will straighten your tail with
delight. Waffles and other morning food items are
available. One additional recommendation, order
the “J” Champagne off the regular wine list. If
you love good bubbly and want to treat yourself.

History Taylor’s originally started on 8th St.
in downtown LA; Tex Taylor started the clubby
namesake restaurant location over 45 years ago.
The downtown location is still going strong. Son,
Bruce Taylor has since taken over the reigns and
opened this second location in La Canada. Red
leather booths, full bar and veteran servers, just
like the good old days.

Our server “Elva” did a great job of making us
feel at home. The afternoon was worth the label of
celebration. I will be back.

Brunch Hours are from 10 AM to 2 PM.

Reservations are suggested. Open for Lunch
and Dinner, Full Bar

Taylor’s Steakhouse 901 Foothill Blvd. La Canada
(818) 790-7668

Log onto www.taylorssteakhouse.com for complete
menu and prices

This article was originally published in 2011.

ANTIPASTO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup (6 ounces) uncooked orzo

6 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths

2/3 cup bottled Italian dressing

1 (4-ounce) jar fancy pimientos, drained and diced

8 cups torn salad greens

4 large ripe plum tomatoes, sliced

12 small balls fresh mozzarella

1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

8 thin slices baked ham, cut in half lengthwise

16 long, thin breadsticks

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com

DIRECTIONS:

Bring a large saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook it according to the
package directions, or just until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the beans to the water for the last 2 minutes
of cooking. Drain out the hot water, rinse the orzo and beans under cold water, and drain again
well. Return the cooked ingredients to the pot. Add 1/4 cup of the dressing and the pimientos and toss
to mix.

Arrange the salad greens on individual plates. Divide the tomatoes, cheese, and artichoke hearts
evenly among the plates and then drizzle each salad with the remaining dressing. Top each salad with
a helping of orzo.

RECALL NOTICE!!!

If you've picked up fruit at Costco, Trader Joe's or
Walmart stores recently, keep reading.

Wawona Packing Co. is voluntarily recalling
peaches, nectarines, plums and pluots that were
packed at its Cutler, California, warehouses
between June 1 and July 12. Wawona believes
the products may be contaminated with Listeria
monocytogenes.

Costco, Trader Joe's, and the Walmart Corp. --
which operates Walmart and Sam's Club stores,
have all posted notices about the fruit recall on
their websites. The recall is nationwide, according
to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Internal testing at Wawona revealed the potential
Listeria contamination, the FDA says. The facility
was shut down and sanitized; subsequent tests
have been negative for the food-borne illness.

"We are aware of no illnesses related to the
consumption of these products," Wawona
President Brent Smittcamp said in a statement.
"By taking the precautionary step of recalling
product, we will minimize even the slightest risk
to public health, and that is our priority."

Trader Joe's has urged customers not to eat any
of these stone fruits -- meaning fruits with large
pits -- and to return them to a nearby store for a
full refund.

In addition, Wegmans Food Markets, Inc. has
recalled several of its baked goods that contain
fruit from Wawona Packing Co. This includes
cakes, pies, tarts and other pastries. For a full list,
see FDA.gov.

Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can
cause Listeriosis. The most common symptoms
of Listeriosis are gastrointestinal issues (such
as diarrhea), fever and muscle aches. Pregnant
women, infants, older adults and people with
a weakened immune system are particularly at
risk for a more serious infection, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC estimates about 1,600 illnesses and 260
deaths are caused by Listeriosis each year in the
United States. Overall, outbreaks have been on the
decline since 2001, but the largest in U.S. history
occurred in 2011. Cantaloupes from a farm in
Colorado sickened 147 people and killed nearly
three dozen. The farmers responsible recently
were sentenced to five years' probation, including
six months of in-home detention.

From CNN News Reports

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