Category Archives for "Canyon Lake Restaurants"

My favorite food has always been sandwiches so I was pretty excited when Jersey Mike’s Subs opened last week on Railroad Canyon Road.  Jersey Mike’s is not new in Southern California but now all that sandwich deliciousness is just 5 minutes from Canyon Lake.

Jersey Mike’s is famous for their “Mike’s Way” subs that are made with super thinly sliced onions, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, spices, and what they call “The Juice” which is a combination red wine vinegar and olive oil.  It’s a little different taste than you get from most sandwich shops around here.  If you’re a fan of Blimpie’s, it’s similar, but Jersey Mike’s in my opinion is a little tastier.

The menu is pretty simple with about 9 cold sandwiches featuring some great meats like prosciuttini, cappacuolo, pepperoni and others.   There are also 6 hot sandwiches including some great ones like cheesesteak, chicken parm, and pastrami reuben.  Want a wrap?  They have that too or you can turn your sub into a salad and eat it out of a bowl (without the bread I assume).

Now this is a pretty simple sub shop (the way it should be).  They only have one type of bread, but it’s delicious, and just a few types of cheeses.  Fixings are limited and no soups or anything like that on the menu, but trust us, it’s delicious and something unique for the area.

The first week they were open, Jersey Mike’s was busy, but the line moved fast and they have this sandwich making stuff down to a science.  If you are looking for something a little bit different for lunch or dinner, or maybe a take-out order for cruising the lake in your boat, give them a try.  They are open 7 days a week from 10am to 9pm and you can order online at www.jerseymikes.com.

Just a short drive from Canyon Lake, down the road in Murrieta is a little hole-in-the-wall Thai restaurant called Thai Orchid.  I don’t know who is in the kitchen whipping up these amazing Thai dishes, but my guess is that it’s some wise elderly Thai woman with mad cooking skills and an amazing palette, because the food here is some of the best I’ve ever had.  And it figures because the best restaurants are usually the family owned ones with recipes handed down from generation to generation.  Needless to say Thai Orchid does not disappoint when it comes to traditional Thai cuisine.

This is no fancy place with expensive dishes and artwork and fountains, but it is always clean.  In the many times I’ve been there, I’ve always been able to get a table quickly and the servers are always fast to take my order.  What amazes me is that they always remember what I ordered last time.  One time the wife and I went in with another couple and the server remembered what everybody at the table had ordered when we were there a month prior.  That’s customer service.  The food always comes out fast and hot and everybody’s dish comes out within a few seconds of the others, which you may know is no small feet if you’ve eaten at other Thai restaurants.

The menu has your usual selection of classic Thai dishes like Tom Yum, Curries, Panang and of course the classic Pad Thai.  Each dish is made to the level of spiciness you request and in my experience, it always comes out consistently perfect.  The Thai Orchid serves beer and wine along with traditional items like Thai Iced Tea, Boba and a delicious ginger tea.  Food prices are very affordable for a sit down dinner and most entree’s clock in at $8-$12.  You Yelp-er’s out there should be pleased with their 4 star rating.  They’re probably the closest and most authentic Thai restaurant near Canyon Lake.

It’s always a quiet experience and occasionally there is sports or something else entertaining on the TV.  They are open for lunch and dinner and they also take reservations which might be a good idea if you have a large party as seating is limited.  Call them at 951-894-2863 if you’re headed down and they’ll save you a table.

As Canyon Lakers looking for good food choices, sometimes we have to venture out to find a variety of dining experiences.  One of the newest options nearby in Canyon Hills is a restaurant called Bites.  Bites officially opened April 5th 2013 with rather unique menu featuring recipes from around the world.  One look at the menu and you’ll quickly realize you’re in for a special treat.  The first thing you’ll notice is a strong selection of wild game including venison, boar and quail all prepared and served with an international flair.

Another surprise is a separate menu with a variety of salads and other appetizer specialties.

You also won’t get your run of the mill beer and wine selection.  On tap is a variety of less common brews including a Hef and an IPA.  The wine list includes some unique selections from places like Chile, Spain, France, and Argentina.

On a recent Friday visit to Bites, the restaurant was full, with a good mix of young and old.  The staff were friendly and accommodating and even though the food took a little longer than expected, it was cooked perfectly and worth the little extra wait.  On day two of opening week, one expects any business to still be working out the kinks and it’s likely to get better with time.  It was obvious when the food arrived that the chefs had taken extra care and attention to be sure it was cooked perfectly and presented well.

I had the pork chop which was served on the bone and was savory and juicy with a delicious red wine reduction.  The chop was served over real mashed potatoes (the slightly chunky kind that you just can’t stop eating).  The chop was lean and filling.  Ellen had the almond crusted halibut with a deliciously prepared cream wine sauce and asparagus.  I’m told it was perfectly prepared and also delicious.

At all the nearby tables, praise for the food could be heard and it seemed as though all the diners that night were beyond satisfied.

Bites is located in the Canyon Hills Shopping Center and is open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday and open for breakfast on the weekends.  Check out their website at www.ExcellentBites.com or call ahead to 951-244-3121 and let them know you’re coming.

If your looking for a good slice of pizza in Canyon Lake, you don’t need to go any further than Troy’s Pizza Oven in the Canyon Lake Towne Center.  Troy’s has been open for about a year in the southwest corner of the shopping center and has been delighting locals with delicious pizza, calzones, and oven baked sandwiches.

It’s a simple little restaurant with a dozen or so tables featuring both dine-in and take-out options.  The menu choices are varied and even includes some alternate options like lamb Gyro’s, Burgers, and some delicious seasoned French Fries.

The Pizza menu includes all the usual suspects and few specialty pizzas such as the Smoked Salmon Pizza with Alfredo sauce, ricotta, capers, and green onions… or the Chicken Pesto with pesto sauce, sun dried tomato, Kalamata olives, and artichoke hearts… or the Greek Spinach Pie with olive oil, spinach, feta chees, and garlic. And you can design your own pie from all the typical ingredients you would expect. The pizzas are sized generously and come out pipen’ hot!

The cool thing is the pizzas and Calzones are cooked in a tradional pizza oven instead of the assemply line style ovens you see in most big chain pizza shops so the crust has just the right amount of crispiness and great flavor.

In addition to all the great hot food choices, Troy’s offers some tasty salads like Classic Greek and Antipasto Salad. And these aint no small snackin’ salads… the portions are generous enough to fill anyone up.

Troy’s phone number is easy to remember 951-244-1234 (in case you get that emergency pizza craving on the way home from work and want to call it in for pick-up). They also have a facebook page at http://facebook.com/TroysPizzaOven if you want to go show them some love.  They are also a member of SpotOn rewards.

They’re open for lunch and dinner, so the next time you’re looking for a great quality pizza experience, jump in the golf cart and head out the main gate to Troy’s Pizza Oven.  It’s pizza pie heaven.

I decided to give the new Lighthouse Early Bird menu a try this weekend and I have to say I was impressed at the quality of food and service for the price.  The wife and I showed up around 5:30 the Saturday before Easter to find that the nearby bar and patio were busy with Happy Folks enjoying a Happy Hour with a live husband and wife musical duo which really added to the ambiance of the Lodge upper floor.  We were seated quickly at a nice table by the window overlooking the pool deck and lake with historic Canyon Lake lighthouse just beyond.  Our waitress Rachel showed up soon and was very attentive and had some great suggestions regarding the menu.

We were pleasantly surprised at all the choices on the cocktail menu and the reasonable prices as well.  I opted for a Rock n Roll margarita for under $5.  Dinner rolls and water came out quickly.

The early bird 2 for $20 menu had 8 meal choices all which included a soup or salad and a dessert.  There were a few pork dishes, 1 fish, burgers, steaks, and an eggplant parmesan to choose from.  I picked the sirloin with baked potato and veggies and the wife tried the pork chop with mashed potatoes and veggies.  The salads arrived right away and the main dishes were up within 10 minutes.  At $10 a plate I wasn’t expecting anything extravagant, but the food was hot and taste was on par.  The amount of food between the salad, main course, and dessert was certainly filling and worth the price.  The sirloin and the pork chop were both cooked right on.

The staff bussed our empty plates quickly and Rachel was out just as fast with the dessert choices which included Bananas Foster, German Chocolate Cake, Sundae, or Carrot Cake.  We opted for the German Chocolate and the Carrot Cake.  These are not world class pastries by any means, but they were delicious and filling.

Overall, it was a great evening at a great price.  There were about 8 other parties in the restaurant at the same time and the noise level was quiet and relaxing.  And of course the view of Canyon Lake and activity by the pool made the atmosphere all the more enjoyable.

Nest time you’re looking for an affordable dinner option, be sure to check out the Lighthouse 2 for $20 from 5 to 7pm Wednesday through Saturday.  Expect a pleasurable experience in a nice setting.