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FOOD AND DRINK
Mountain View News Saturday, February 21, 2015
• Picking horses is pretty tough with so many
to choose from, and I feel the same way about
dining at the Track. Many have tried to feed
the masses but have come up short -- Dodger
Stadium, Staples Center, the Rose Bowl - so I can honestly say that the FrontRunner (Santa Anita
Park’s restaurant and bar) offers top-notch food. It’s not that I don’t enjoy a $7 hot dog at Dodger
Stadium, but there so many levels of enjoyment when dining at the racetrack. Sure, you can go to
the concession stand to get a dog and a beer, but I recommend going to one of the many carving
stations and getting one of the best sandwiches this side of the 405 freeway. Roast beef, corned
beef, turkey, and ham all sliced in front of you - under $11, and you can get it your way. Rye
bread? Sure, they have it. Pickles a must? You got it! I got mine with just mustard. Nothing beats
getting a sandwich and a Firestone DBA and sitting in the Club House with an unobstructed
view of the San Gabriel Mountains... and of course the ponies running in front of you.
• When I feel like a big shot and still want a killer view, I head over to the FrontRunner. Prices here
are very reasonable for topnotch food and a wine list Wolfgang would appreciate. The kitchen is
in great hands with Executive Chef Maranowski. I am a creature of habit, so on my first day I will
head right up to the FrontRunner and order the “real deal” Chesapeake Lump Crab Cakes ($29.50)
breaded with a panko crust (really enough crab for two to share). I have gone to a dozen or so “seafood
houses” in Los Angeles and Orange County that
serve crab cakes for $14, and let me give you a tip:
pay more and be happy. I will start off the Creamy
Clam Chowder ($9) - the menu says famous, so I
have to have that, right? Another great starter is
the caeser salad. For you steak fans, I suggest the
Petite Filet Mignon ($28) with a side of asparagus
– win or lose that day, the price is a winner. Ahi
Tuna is another popular dish - this one is seared to
perfection ($26). Saving the best for last, the view
from FrontRunner is a true postcard, and the bar,
I am told, is the longest bar west of the Mississippi.
• There is a true “cool buzz” when hanging around FrontRunner. New to the scene is the The Gallop
Out, located just past the finish line on the Club House level, a sports lovers dream come true with
plenty of TVs, a private bar, and a menu that would make Charlie Wittingham proud! I suggest
starting with a great stakes cocktail, representing all the “big” horse races of the year. You can’t go
wrong with a Mint Julep inspired by the Kentucky Derby or a Black Eyed Susan from the Preakness.
I loved the Bavarian soft pretzel stick with gobs of mustard and cheese dipping sauce - add a Stone
IPA for your perfect exacta. The menu is relatively small, but so was Seabiscuit, and I like that. The
burger ($15), is one of the best I’ve had - bring your appetite; it’s a half pounder on a brioche roll and
comes with fries. They’ve also got a full bar and very user-friendly wine list. There’s something for
everyone to have a great day of dining at the Santa Anita Race Track. I hope you enjoyed the tour.
Listen to my radio show every Sunday at 12 Noon on KLAA AM 830 and check out my food blog. www.
peterdills.tumblr.com
TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills
thechefknows@yahoo.com
PAN-GRILLED CHICKEN
WITH FRESH PLUM SALSA
INGREDIENTS
1 cup chopped ripe plums (about 2 plums)
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped red onion
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
4 (4-oz.) chicken breast cutlets
2 teaspoons olive oil
DIRECTIONS
1. Stir together plums, next 4 ingredients, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl.
2. Stir together brown sugar, cumin, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt in a small bowl. Rub chicken with brown
sugar mixture.
3. Cook chicken in hot oil in a grill pan or nonstick skillet over medium heat 3 minutes on each side or
until done. Serve with plum mixture.
TK - 8th GradeOpen House
Sunday, January 25, 2015
11:00am - 1:00pm
322 N. Baldwin Ave.
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
(626) 355-6114
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