Sayaka Japanese in Corona Report

I came across a new show on Netflix recently called Japanese Style Originator which is a series from Japan where various elements of Japanese culture are showcased. The first episode I watched had a section on tempura and how it is eaten in Japan so that set me craving tempura. So when I was down on Colton recently looking for a place to get lunch I was able to satisfy that craving.

The restaurant we found was called Sayaka Japanese Restaurant and they had several bars/rooms with various subcategories of Japanese foods but we sat in the dining area because we were there for tempura. We started with an order of gyoza and for our entree my wife and I both ordered Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura. It came with miso soup, rice, a salad and a bowl of dipping sauce for the tempura. Each item was good. The light fried coating and the well cooked vegetables and shrimp helped us experience what we had seen on the show a few days before, a small part of Japanese culture.

The high desert has a number of Japanese restaurants so hopefully I will be able to share reports on our local options in the upcoming months. In the meantime if you are travelling and Japanese foods fits the bill Sayaka Japanese restaurant is located right off the 15 freeway in Colton at 1060 S Mt Vernon Ave.

Los Alazanes Report

We recently braved some stormy weekend weather to satisfy a craving for Mexican food. Our search brought us to the Apple Valley location of the local chain Los Alazanes. Los Alazanes bridges the gap between a more formal sit down type restaurant and a carry out place. On the night we were there we had the dining area to ourselves but despite the weather there was a constant trickle of people in getting carry-out orders. Los Alazanes is also a good compromise between a place with more authentic food and one modern and clean enough my wife doesn't have to worry.

We ordered a carnitas sope, grilled chicken wet burrito, machaca combination plate and both a bean burrito and quesadilla kids meal. I only had one bite of my wife's sope. It consisted of a thick base of corn masa formed into a disk and cooked than topped with your choice of meat, shredded lettuce, cheese, Pico de gallo and crema. The shredded pork carnitas were a good choice complementing the sope well. The grilled chicken burrito had big chunks of grilled chicken that tasted of their time on the grill and some time in a marinade that included lime juice and some spices. My machaca was also well prepared. The shredded pork was flavorful and moist and the slices of peppers and onions were cooked to tenderness without being too soft. The meat and veggies were scrambled up with some eggs and covered with cheese. The combination plate was served with hot corn tortillas and a side of refried pinto beans and rice. Each were a good version of their kind. One added note is that their salsa bar includes sliced radishes and carrots pickled with jalapenos which are accompaniments I am always glad to see.

Los Alazanes is located in the Jess Ranch Theater shopping center northwest of the Best Buy. The address is 18805 Bear Valley Rd in Apple Valley. They don't appear to have a website so to preview their menu you'll need to use a third party menu site. They have all of what I would consider the standard menu items and the prices rest between more formal dine in Mexican Restaurants and take out places. I have also enjoyed eating at the other Los Alazanes  locations in the high desert but we return most often to the Apple Valley location. One thing of note is they are open very late so it's a great choice for a late night craving.

Spice of India Report

It was not long ago that I went for the first time to Spice of India and had a lot of great food. Since then I have been hoping that I would be able to go back soon. That finally happened Saturday night when we left our pitiable kids home with a Hot-N-Ready and went. It actually worked out well for us because we were trying to get some shopping in and noticed they stayed open until 10:00. We weren't there that late but it feels good to not have to worry about being there after their normal hours.

Though we had ordered them on our previous trip we still wanted to try the vegetable samosas again. I think they may have been even better this time. I didn't remember the garnish before but this time they had thin sliced carrots and lettuce with a spice mixture sprinkled on top. The garnish alone was worth the price but the samosas were great too. The pastry was flaky and buttery and the vegetable filling was spiced and well cooked.

I ordered a sweet Lassi to drink which was a sweetened plain yoghurt drink. It was very refreshing, not too sweet and the perfect accompaniment to spicy foods which becomes important later in this meal.

We each chose an entree to share. My wife got aloo gobi and I ordered the tandoori platter. I justified the big plate reasoning I could bring what I didn't eat home to my son to make up for leaving him home with five dollar pizza. The aloo gobi came with a side of basmati rice. It consisted of diced potatoes and cauliflower all cooked with a mixture of spices.

The tandoori platter was a collection of most of the items on the tandoori part of the menu, specifically there was tandoori chicken, chicken tikka, tandoori fish, lamb tikka and ground lamb kabob. All of it was served on a hot iron griddle with sliced onions, peppers and lime wedges and it came sizzling and steaming to the table. We also got an extra order of garlic naan. The meats and vegetables were all timed right. The vegetable cooked enough to be softened but not so soft they lost their texture. The meats were all still moist inside but seared and with a hint of char outside. I requested medium spiciness and they were spicy. Not painful but the kids would have had no chance at that level. The fish was firm and tasted fresh and the spice mixture they were dusted in was not too strong to cover the flavor but pleasant and tasted slightly of ground coriander which has a bright flavor. The chicken was well flavored. The tandoori chicken had a noticeable yoghurt flavor which is the trademark of that item. The ground lamb kabob was good too but my favorite item on the tray was the lamb tikka. It was well flavored, not too gamey, and the spices subtle enough to let the flavor of the meat shine. 

The naan bread was chewy but crispy at the edges. It tasted like it was cooked in a clay oven over a hot charcoal flame.

I feel a little worried that there is only one restaurant like this in the high desert that I might be judging it too lightly but I really feel that it would equally match the better Indian food I have tried over the years. I look forward to coming back many times.

Spice of India is located at 15751 Main Street in Hesperia. It is in the back corner of the  Stater Brothers Shopping Center. The restaurant appears clean and orderly. The decor is standard fare for an Indian restaurant and the service has been good on each of our visits. In the back is a large buffet table which is used at lunchtime and the buffet specials are a great way to experience Indian food because many of the dishes translate well to that type of service and you can try many different dishes. I especially like to go to Indian food with a group of people because it is commonly shared family style and you get to try a bigger variety that way.