Lorena Lopez and Jorge Quintero opened Golden Oak Grill in March 2015, the same year their son Tristan was born. Tristan is 2 1/2-years old, and the Grill is coming up on its third birthday.
What inspired you to start your own restaurant?
We love cooking. We both worked almost 18 years in the kitchen.
What’s new on the menu for this season?
We have daily specials, and had a special menu for Thanksgiving. The day after Thanksgiving, we made waffles out of the leftover stuffing and smothered them with gravy and cranberry sauce.
Do you have an entrée that is considered your signature dish?
We have pork carnitas chilaquiles, and cinnamon roll french toast. It’s really different than anyone else. We have a really simple menu, but really fresh. We also do a pain perdu french toast, and make a paprika vinaigrette.
What ingredients do you source from local farms or vendors?
We get fresh strawberries, and in summer we buy the organic cherry tomatoes and large tomatoes, and many other vegetable and fruits. We love our local wineries as well. We have Vina Robles Pinot Grigio, a J.Dusi, Opolo, and Tarrica wines.
What special ingredient can you not cook without?
Not just one. We use a lot of cumin, balsamic vinaigrette, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers.
What keeps your customers coming back?
We have friendly, good service. It is one of those things that people like.
