The sign outside Ashton Family Restaurant in Manassas invites guests in for “Greek, Italian, Tex-Mex & American Cuisine.” This is already enough to give a visitor pause: Could one diner-style restaurant effectively execute all those cuisines? But the homey eatery is also next to a Central American grocery store, and many of its employees have arrived in Manassas from that part of the world. So although it’s not mentioned on the sign, in my estimation, the best reason to visit is for the all-day breakfast that includes a slam dunk of a Guatemalan morning meal.
The Guatemalan tipico shares menu space with a Costa Rican tipico, huevos divorciados, and caramel-drizzled Cuban French toast. But at lunchtime, I was craving something not only thoroughly savory, but significantly meaty.
The thinly pounded skirt steak in the Guatemalan tipico called to me from an unexpected cavern of my brain. The marinade bears a striking resemblance to that of Roumanian steak, a childhood diner favorite of mine. But the rest of the hefty plate of food made me think of nothing but a tropical vacation. Warm tortillas are ready to wrap around creamy-centered over-easy eggs topped with ranchero sauce and sweet, crisp-edged plantains. Refried beans are surrounded in freshly fried tortilla chips, making the mush ideal for both dipping and for spreading on the tortilla. A bottle of Cholula waiting on the table provides additional sizzle.
I can’t attest to the quality of Ashton Family Restaurant’s Greek, Italian, Tex-Mex, or American cuisine (yet), but I’m already craving a return for Guatemalan fare. Maybe next time I’ll start with some dolmades, too.
9920 Cockrell Rd., Manassas
Feature image by Alice Levitt
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