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Mountain View News Saturday, July 4, 2026 
FOOD & DRINK 7 
Mountain View News Saturday, July 4, 2026 
FOOD & DRINK 
YES, WE GET YOUR EMAILS 

Happy Fourth of July! With Sierra Madre ready for another 
wonderful parade and thousands of people expected to line the 
streets, I know this week’s edition of Mountain Views News will 
find its way into a lot of hands. So instead of reviewing just one 
restaurant, I thought I’d spend a little time answering some of your 
emails and social media comments. 

First, thank you. 

I read every email and just about every comment that comes across 
Facebook and social media. I may not answer every one personally, 
but many of them become ideas for future columns. 

Reader Al recently suggested I visit Fillet Sushi in Monrovia. Al, it’s 
on my list. Some of my favorite restaurant discoveries have come 
from readers who simply said, “Peter, you’ve got to try this place.” 

Chris wrote after reading my recent column on the best sushi deals 
around town. Like me, he’s always looking for great sushi without emptying his wallet. Judging from 
the response, I have a feeling there will be another sushi column before too long. 

One of my favorite comments came from Donna and Jamie Rey at Casa Del Rey in Sierra Madre. 
They had read my recent post about Damon’s Steak House in Glendale and told me they believe 
Damon’s serves one of the best cheeseburgers around. 

I always appreciate hearing that from restaurant owners. They’re in the business every day, yet 
they’re willing to compliment another restaurant that’s doing things right. That’s good for everyone. 

It also reminded me of something my father, Elmer Dills, taught me years ago. Too many people 
drive right past a great restaurant because they’re convinced the best meal must be somewhere 
across town. Sometimes the answer isn’t twenty miles away. Sometimes it’s the place you’ve driven 
by a hundred times but never stopped to visit. 

Gabriel V. was surprised about the prices at Twoheys in South Pasadena. That’s perfectly fine—I 
get that. But that’s also why you should keep reading. Restaurants evolve. Menus change. I recently 
stopped by Twoheys and enjoyed their beer and burger special for around twenty dollars. In today’s 
restaurant world, that’s outstanding value. 

Jose Luis, the pride of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, reminded me about Moffett’s Family 
Restaurant on Baldwin Avenue. Jose, thanks for the reminder, but I actually featured Moffett’s a few 
months ago. That’s another reason to keep those copies of Mountain Views News around. 

Pete Jones suggested Wistaria in Sierra Madre for martini happy hour and then asked the question 
that always starts a debate: “Peter, where’s the best martini?” 

Now that’s a dangerous question. 

Everyone likes a martini a little differently. Gin or vodka? Dirty or dry? But if you’ve been reading 
my column, you already know Plate 38 remains near the top of my list, although I’m always happy 
to accept another recommendation. 

One question I receive quite often is, “Do you pay for your meals?” 

The answer is almost always yes. 

I’m not reimbursed for my restaurant visits, and I’ve never asked a restaurant to pay me for a review. 
If an owner wants to support local journalism by offering me a cold beer while I’m there, I’ll gladly 
raise a glass with them. But if not, I happily pay my own way. 

There are plenty of people these days willing to trade glowing reviews for free meals. That’s their 
business. Ours is different. 

My father, Elmer Dills, and our family have been reviewing restaurants in Los Angeles for more than 
fifty years. Long before influencers and hashtags, Elmer believed one thing above all else: be fair, be 
honest, and remember you’re writing for the reader—not the restaurant. 

To all the newcomers who have recently discovered restaurant reviewing, welcome aboard. There’s 
room for all of us, and I wish you success. 

As for me, I’ll keep doing what I’ve always done—looking for good food, good service, good value, 
and the stories behind the people who make our local restaurants special. 

So yes, we get your emails. Keep them coming. Whether you’re recommending a neighborhood 
favorite, disagreeing with one of my ratings, or reminding me about a restaurant I’ve driven past one 
too many times, I’d love to hear from you. 

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July, enjoy the Sierra Madre parade, and I’ll see you around the 
table. 

And If I missed a spot email me diningwithdills@gmail.com listen to the podcast Peter Dills 

SERVINGS: 4 

INGREDIENTS 

Step 5 Make dressing: 

4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 ¼ 

Soak onion in remaining 3 tablespoons lime 

pounds) 

juice and pickling liquid, about 5 minutes. Whisk 

1 ¼ teaspoons ancho chili powder 

in 1/3 cup oil and remaining 1/8 teaspoon ancho 

Coarse salt 

chili powder. Season with salt. Set aside dressing. 

¼ cup fresh orange juice 
5 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 2 to 3 Step 6 Cook hcans with garlic; toss 
large limes) with some of dressing: 
7 tablespoons canola oil In a medium skillel, heal remaining 1 tablespoon 
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced oil over medium. Add remaining garlic, cook, 
4 ears corn, shucked slirring, for 30 seconds. Add beans; toss lo coat 
¼ cup minced red onion and heat through, about 1 minute. Remove from 
½ cup drained pickled jalapenos, plus 3 heat; stir in 2 tablespoons lime dressing. 
tablespoons pickling liquid 

Step 7 Toss let ucc and cilantro wit! 

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and 

dressing: 

rinsed 

In a mixing bowl, toss lettuce and chopped 

2 hearts of romaine, shredded (10 cups) 

cilantro with 6 tablespoons dressing. Season 

¾ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus 

with salt. 

more leaves for garnish 
2 cups tortilla chips Step 8 Divide lettuce among 4 howls. 
2 large ripe tomatoes (10 ounces), cut into Line half of each bowl with 1/7 cup tortilla 

small pieces (about 2 cups) 2 small avocados, chips. Divide chicken, corn, beans. tomato, 

peeled, seeded and cut into small pieces avocado, and cheese among 4 bowls. Top with 

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (4 cilantro leaves and pickled jalapenos. Drinle 

ounces) with additional dressing, if desired. Serve 

immediately. 

DIRECTIONS 

Step 1 Combine chicken with chili 

Storage 

powder, citrus juice, oil, and garlic: Preheat 
oven to 400°F. Arrange chicken in a single layer We don't recommend refrigerating leftovers for 
in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Season chicken more than a few hours as the dressing will cause 

with 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder and salt. Stir the lettuce to wilt and become soggy the longer 
together orange juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 it sits. If you don't anticipate all four salads 
tablespoon oil, and half of the garlic; pour over being eaten, you can hang onto the individual 
chicken. ingredients for up to two days and roll them in 

tortillas or serve them over rice for easy burrito 

Step 2 Bake chicken; shred using two 

bowls. 

forks: Bake, basting occasionally, until chicken 

is cooked, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, 10 

Variations: 

minutes; shred with two forks. 

This salad would be equally delicious with 
Step 3 Char corn: chicken breasts, tofu, or cubes of pork tenderloin; 
Meanwhile, char corn over flame of a gas swap them in for the boneless thighs, adjusting 
stove, turning with tongs, until blackened and oven time as needed. To cut down on prep time, 
blistering, about 3 minutes per cob. Transfer to you could also swap in two and one-half cups of 
a plate until cool enough to handle. shredded rotisserie chicken instead. Feel free 

to swap in your favorite taco toppings like sour 

Step4 Remove kernels from cohs: 

cream, black olives, or crumbled cotija cheese 

Working 1 ear at a time, stand corn in a wide 

for any of the ones listed a 

shallow bowl; with a sharp knife, slice downward 

to remove kernels. Season with salt. 

Peter A. Dills 
L.A.’s King of Cuisine

https://
podlink/1116885432 


CHICKEN TACO SALAD 
Charred corn, smoky chicken, and creamy 
avocado make for a party in a bowl. 
By Esther Reynolds 
THE TASTING ROOM 

TIRED OF SAUVIGNON BLANC 
AND CHARDONNAY? TRY THIS 
WHITE WINE! 

I’m Gustavo Lira, Tasting Room Manager and Wine 
Buyer at The Bottle Shop in Sierra Madre with another 
wine and spirits selection. 
The heat is here. You need a crisp, refreshing, zesty 
white wine, but you’re bored with the same ol’ same 
ol’. Chardonnay just doesn’t cut it for you. Neither 
does Sauvi B. Let me tell you about a white wine I’ll be 
drinking all summer long. It’s the Antxiola Getariako 
Txakolina 2022 from Spain. This wine is crisp, 
zesty, refreshing, mouthwatering, juicy, and has 
a little effervescence. 

Antxiola is in Northern Spain on the Bay of 
Biscay in Getaria. It was founded in 1989 by the 
Errasti family. It’s a small family run winery in 
the Basque Country of Spain. The vineyards are 
farmed organically. They farm the local grape 
varietals - Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi 
Beltza. Everything in the vineyards is done by 
hand including harvest. Fermentation is done 
in stainless steel tanks. The wine is bottled 
young to retain freshness and some of its 
natural effervescence. The 2022 vintage is 100% 
Hondarrabi Zuri. 


This wine has notes of zesty citrus, tangerine, and lime, with taut minerality. There is a little 
effervescence or fizz to this wine which gives it a refreshing, clean, and vibrant taste. It is 
thirst quenching to me. It really is one of my favorite white wines in the shop, and one of my 
favorite wines to drink in the summer. Pair this wine with grilled scallops, grilled octopus, 
raw oysters, and any shellfish. 

Until next time – Salud! 

Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: