24415 Town Center Drive #115 Valencia, California 91355 Phone: 661-222-9999

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By Michele Buttelman, Signal Features Editor

Smart restaurant owners know that to keep patrons pleased a restaurant has to reinvent itself — or at least its menu — every so often to keep it interesting.

Greg Amsler has fine-tuned that approach with a rotating seasonal menu that always offers tasty and fun surprises. To craft his new offerings Amsler and Executive Chef Ignacio Munoz sit down and try to find new twists on old favorites and food that fits the season.
In the current economic climate, Amsler said he worked hard to keep prices down at his family-friendly restaurant. "We also are offering some 'comfort classics' like meatloaf," he said. "We also brought back an old favorite, Margarita chicken ($18.95)."

Among the tasty new dishes is one that harkens back to the Midwest — Salt Creek Sliders (three tasty mini burgers, $13.95). "I didn't realize that people in California didn't know what sliders were," Amsler said of his ambiguous menu description: Mesquite grilled, gorgonzola cheese, Dijon mayo and caramelized shallots on a special sweet bread with Salt Creek Grille potato chips (made fresh, on site, from purple and regular potatoes).

No mention of meat in the description has left a few diners confused. However, don't be confused about the taste, this menu item is a home run. These little burgers are keepers, for sure! The soft "bite" of the gorgonzola adds just the right touch to these little burger gems — as does the soft dusting of Cajun spices to the "homemade" potato chips.

The Salt Creek Grille Meatloaf (made with the finest ground filet and New York, red wine mushroom demi-glace and served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh veggies) is good solid food and a hearty plate. At $18.95, this dish is dinner and next day's lunch, too. I'm a huge meatloaf fan and Salt Creek Grille has crafted an excellent version — I dare say better than my own! If you ate all your meatloaf at dinner, no fear, Salt Creek has a Meatloaf sandwich on the lunch menu ($11.95).

Another newby is oven-roasted half chicken ($18.95) served bone-in, slow roasted then finished in the oven and rubbed with citrus and mild chili spices. The succulent dish is served with coleslaw and Salt Creek's famous garlic fries.

If seafood is your passion then try the Mahi Mahi ($26.95), served with sautéed mussels and topped with a Colorado sauce, served with sautéed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes.

A nice option for lunch is the Mahi Mahi tacos ($14.95). Three corn tortillas stuffed with blackened Mahi Mahi and topped with avocado.

Salt Creek Grille serves up another crowd favorite with a BBQ Pork Sandwich ($13.95). Thinly sliced pork, sautéed onions, Jack cheese on a Bolillo roll and served with house-made coleslaw. This one immediately goes on my list of favorites.

For veggie lovers Salt Creek's new Portobello Mushroom Sandwich ($12.95) offers diners a mesquite grilled Portobello mushroom with roasted peppers, balsamic glaze and mozzarella on soft Portuguese bread.

If you love meat, then Salt Creek has what you've always wanted, a bacon-wrapped filet mignon ($29.95). This 8 oz. beauty is served medium and stuffed with gorgonzola cheese and finished with a whole grain mustard sauce and served with garlic mashed potatoes and fresh veggies.

Salt Creek Grille, 24415 Town Center Drive, Valencia. (661) 222-9999. www.saltcreekgrille.com. Open 11:30 a.m. daily.