Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 1, 2014

7

FOOD AND DRINK

Mountain Views-News Saturday, November 1, 2014 


BREEDERS CUP 2014….. 

DINING THROUGH THE VALLEY

Welcome to the Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains 
and the palace where Champions are crowned. Santa 
Anita hosts the Breeders Cup this weekend.

 Panda Inn is the place where you may find John Sheriffs 
or Laffit Pincay digesting the enterprise of the day. Panda 
Inn is fixed with a loaded bar and enough space to stretch 
your Racing Form. The broad menu offers a classis 
Orange Flavored Chicken, the spirit warming Won Ton 
Soup and the vogue Chicken Wraps. Beware of Gus’s 
daily double, the two handed Mai Tai pour. 

3488 E. Foothill Blvd. Pasadena (626) 793-7300

 Place Bet…. Fu Shing on Colorado Pasadena

Robin’s Wood Fire BBQ is tucked away on a vista of upper 
Rosemead Blvd and like a live long shot it produces yelps 
of sheer rapture. Known for ribs that tussle in a Southern 
Pride the Beef Ribs perfume in the animated scents of 
hickory and rubs. The tri-tip sandwich melts as ice cream 
in your mouth. A Full Bar as colorful as a jockey’s silks.

Open for lunch service or dinner 

395 N. Rosemead Pasadena (626) 351-8885. 

 Place Bet …..Two Hey’s on Huntington dr. Alhambra

If you have to have a knife in your hand the steaks at the 
The Derby Restaurant are a front running winner. A 
delicious cut of Choice or Prime is offered at this Racing 
and Restaurant Institution. After the excitement of the 
meal take a few minutes of exploration and marvel at 
the historic old pictures, 
trophies, jockey boots 
and historic ribbons. 
The owners tell me that 
George Woolf himself 
made the Derby his home 
away from home in the 
early 1930’s and became a 
partner in the restaurant 
in 1938. 

233 E. Huntington Dr. 
Arcadia (626) 447-2430

 Place Bet….Sahara Restaurant on Colorado , great 
Middle Eastern food

If you have something different in mind, Din Tai Fung 
is the place for you. The San Gabriel Valley has a large 
Asian population and this restaurant has many of those 
transplants huddling in line for their famed Dumplings. 
I recommend a sampling of the Dumplings and I 
especially like the Xiao Long Bao (a dumpling packed 
with minced pork). Fresh Crab Meat is a perfect topping 
for this irresistible blanket wrapped treasure.

1088 S. Baldwin Ave. Arcadia (626) 446-8588

 The place where winning photos dress the walls and 
first place entrees fill the tables is Nikki C’s. Only a few 
minutes from the Race Track it has been a retreat for 
all those that love the company of friends for years. The 
Ciaopino is riddled with seafood, including: always-fresh 
mussels, scallops and crab legs. Nikki C’s is a single on 
all of my tickets.470 S. Rosemead Blvd. Pasadena (626) 
792-7437

Peter Dills Hosts a one hour radio Show on Ducks Radio 
KLAA AM 830 on Sundays at 12 Noon and TV Show 
on Charter cable Channel 188 on Sunday Evenings 
at 7 PM, he can be reached through his website www.
peterdills.com

ROAST CHICKEN ENCHILADA 
SUIZAS STACKED CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

4 medium poblano peppers
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
12 medium-large tomatillos, peeled, rinsed and quartered
2 small handfuls cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/3 palmful
2 teaspoons honey
1 quart chicken stock-in-a-box
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lime, juiced
2 pounds cooked chicken, meat pulled or shredded
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas or 16 (5-inch) corn tortillas, softened over flame or dry skillet
1 cup Mexican crema, creme fraiche or sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese (from about 1/2 pound piece)
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (from about 1/2 pound piece)
Raw red onion rings, for garnish


DIRECTIONS

 Heat the broiler to high. Arrange the poblanos on a sheet pan, put them under the hot broiler and char 
until blackened an all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Leave the door of the oven cracked to allow the steam to 
escape. Peppers can also be easily charred over and open stovetop flame if you have gas burners. Put the 
peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to sit until cool enough to handle. 
Peel and seed the peppers. 
Heat the extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the jalapeno, 
onions, and garlic and cook until the onions soften, about 5 minutes. Put the tomatillos and a small handful 
of cilantro in a food processor. Coarsely chop the poblanos and add them to the processor. Process until 
almost a smooth sauce forms, about 1 minute. Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to combine. Stir in the 
cumin, honey and stock, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer about 20 
minutes, then add the lime juice and turn off the heat. 
Pour a thin layer of sauce into the bottom of a medium casserole. Layer in 3 flour tortillas or 4 corn tortillas 
then top with some shredded chicken, dot with some sauce and small spoonfuls of Mexican crema, creme 
fraiche or sour cream and sprinkle with a little Swiss and Jack cheeses. Repeat twice more. Cool and chill for a 
make-ahead meal.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the casserole on a baking sheet and bake until heated through and 
bubbly on top, about 40 to 50 minutes. The baking sheet will catch any drips of sauce or cheese. Garnish the 
stacked enchilada casserole with raw red onion rings and serve.
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills

thechefknows@yahoo.com


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com