Don Sal Cocina Cantina A Mexican Feast & Treat
Need an excuse to get out of Los Angeles for a weekend road trip?
Tired of Las Vegas? Looking for something other than Palm Springs or even Santa Barbara?
Well, I have the location for you. It’s Lancaster and before you discard this post as something from a bloated blogger, let me first tell you that I’m about to tell you about a Sunday champagne brunch that alone makes this town in the high desert well worth the trip.
Picture a Sunday brunch with a Mexican twist. That alone is unique.
Homemade recipes featuring pork that has been marinating for 24 hours.
Tacos made with carne asada right off a grill.
A mariachi band!
And mimosas so bottomless you don’t ever have to worry about flagging down the server to get a refill because they are served in a 2-foot-tall tower.
And all for just – are your ready for this!? – $20.
This is what you get at Don Sal Cocina Cantina, a family-run restaurant on The Blvd., the main business section of Lancaster, a city famous for its aerospace history that is located along Highway 14 less than an hour and a half from Los Angeles. Don’t feel like driving? I don’t blame you and you don’t have to, for the final stop on the Metro is at one end of The Blvd., maybe half a mile from Don Sal.
Here’s what it’s like at Don Sal. You walk into a lively, festive atmosphere. The mariachi band is playing and you see tables full of people with dozens of those mimosa towers in front of them.
Once you get seated (and be patient, this place is popular so you may have to wait half an hour) you’re presented with your tower and a rundown of all there is to eat here.
Up against the open kitchen, there are tables that includes a gentleman making omelettes. Outside, there’s a grill with pork ribs and shredded pork that can be used to make truly awesome tacos. And while there, don’t dare pass up the grilled corn rolled in parmesan cheese and garlic.
Along one wall in another room are a series of tables filled with the metallic serving trays, behind which is a staffer who describes everything in delicious detail:
“This is a recipe that’s been in our family for three generations.”
“This is pork that has been marinating for 24 hours.”
“This is the owners’ mother’s secret recipe that she brought here from Mexico.”
And on and on and on, and let me tell you, this will really build up your appetite.
I took pretty much all of it – I mean why not, right!? – and after a few bites I came to the realization that the Sunday brunch at Don Sal is so good, that the atmosphere is so fun and lively, that it alone is worth traveling to Lancaster for a weekend getaway from Los Angeles.
Combine the brunch with one of Lancaster’s craft beer bars (there’s one across the street), the live music cowboy bar on the other side of the wall from Don Sal, the fun Pour d’ Vino wine bar (also across the street), a bowling alley, the Museum of Art & History and a stroll to see all the interesting murals on the buildings, then you’ve got yourself a pretty fulfilling weekend.
Not once will you be saying “gee, we should have gone to Vegas.” In fact, you might even say “aren’t you glad we didn’t go to Vegas this time!?”
providing a website, OR a phone number, OR directions woulda been pretty fabulous, but that O.K. I,ll just do my best to remember the forgettable, (for a white boy), name of this place thats 60 miles from me here in L.A.!