Sunday, June 21, 2009

Review - Restaurant - Frankie & Lola's Front Street Café

I tried out Frankie & Lola's Front Street Café and was not quite sure what to make of it. When I used the unisex bathroom there was a framed poster of Burt Reynolds' Playgirl centerfold!! There are 4 large tables and 2 small tables inside, and about 5 tables outside. The servers were pleasant and I got a window seat with a view of the Rock. It was a Sunday and was quite crowded.

I ordered their "French Toast", which was not exactly the french toast I was expecting. But it was quite tasty, with good flavor -- no syrup necessary. They allowed me to order from the child's menu and I got an egg with bacon and potatoes. Water to drink.

This is a great place for breakfast, although I was unable to order lunch so I will have to try them out again for lunch.

I was able to make it down for lunch and ordered the Caesar Salad with Chicken. It was HUGE!! I could only finish half, and took the rest home for dinner. Next time I order this I will definitely ask them not to "dress" the salad so I can take it home and dress it later.They have great homemade croutons, too!!

I liked the great old time music and the bendy straws!!  I didn't like that they had flimsy napkins, I went through a ton while I was eating.  I will definitely return here, perhaps to get a pic of the delicious french toast dish I tried last year!!

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Review - Restaurant - Great American Fish Company

This is one of the three restaurants that is on the north (Rock) end of The Embarcadero. The decor is clearly fisherman-themed, my table had some lures embedded in the plastic and other tables had maps, etc. There is a nice fish tank in the center of the room and a window in the middle of the room so that we can watch the cooks preparing the food. There were several large groups here, and there is a separate bar area that is quite full whenever I am here.


The first time I dined here the food was ok, nothing to write home about. The service was less than stellar, slow seating, ordering, and refills. Also, there was a mis-deliveries of food. I ordered the cheeseburger with fries, a salad, and a bottomless soda. I tried to substitute a side salad for the cabbage slaw, but they wouldn't even offer me a discount on the side salad. In fact, the server said "The salad is only $3.75". The salad was large, but it was all iceberg lettuce. I was happy that they had a pretty good blue cheese dressing. The burger was a bit dry, but the bun was good. They had double cheese slices and good healthy lettuce. The fries were seasoned and were pretty good.

I returned here to try the fish and chips (see separate Fish and Chips review) the service was much better, in fact even the busser was asking me if I wanted a soda refill. I have to say that the soda was fantastic, perhaps it was the cherry on the top?


They also brought bread to the table, don't know if they were getting ready for dinner. The wheat dinner roll was nice and fresh, but the sourdough roll was so hard and dry I didn't even eat it!!


They did make mistakes on my salad order, but it was romaine lettuce this time, and it was a smaller side salad rather than the dinner salad.

I dined here again recently, and I ordered virtually the same meal I had on my first visit. I was not as disappointed this time, and took some pics. I loved the salad, and the burger was nice also, but it was a bit dry and the bun was burned. The soda was only OK this time, no cherry!! The fries are lightly seasoned and good.



Didn't like their flimsy napkins, used many throughout my meal. I like that you can see through to the kitchen, but their server station was a bit "chatty". Their prices are a bit high, but I might return for a nice dinner, especially with a group.

EARTHQUAKE


So, I have been here almost a year and just experienced my first large earthquake here. It was a 4.6 [later downgraded to a 4.4] and hit at 5:30 am!! The epicenter was near Lake Nacimiento, the press will probably call it Paso Robles, though.

As usual, I was awake right before it happened, wondering why I was awake at 5:30 on Saturday morning!! Then it hit. I moved down here from an earthquake-prone area, and we would have called this a large earthquake. It didn't last too long, but I heard my house creaking and stuff clanking. Nothing fell, but I'll bet people near the epicenter had some damage.

Let's hope this is the largest earthquake I will feel down here.

Review - Spa - Serenity by the Sea

After a fairly unsuccessful search in Morro Bay for a salon that would do body waxing, I was directed to Serenity by the Sea. WOW!! I am impressed, spa music, etc. greeted me on the way into the office. There was a treatment in progress, so I left my name and number on the counter. They called me back right away and were able to see me that evening. They have great spa options, which I will use in the future.

Review - Salon - Catch a Wave

So, I was returning to my quest for a place to get a bikini wax, and I saw this sign in the window. When I went in it was apparent that "walk-ins" weren't exactly welcome. I also learned that their window was a bit misleading. Instead of "waxing" it should read "Facial Waxing". I didn't like how I was treated here and won't return.

Note: I have lived here for 3 years and do my laundry next door to this salon. I have to say I am surprised they are still in business, there is hardly ever anyone there!! They must have their regulars, though.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Review - Restaurant - Maya Mexican Restaurant

From the outside this restaurant sort of looks like a walk-up type of restaurant, but inside they have booths by the windows and tables in the center. It was crowded with the breakfast crowd, but after a couple of questions to the cook it turned out I could order lunch. It used to be run by a bunch of guys, but now the ladies have taken over. They have made a lot of changes to the menu and service, I had to make a special request for lunch during the breakfast hour since they hand out the breakfast menu now. I find that the service is a bit lacking as well now, with mistakes to my order and them forgetting things like tortillas for fajitas and chips & salsa on the table. Also, the ladies don't offer to refill my soda, I have to ask them specially. They really do have the best chicken fajitas in town, so I will definitely return here often.

They have good chips and their salsa is not too spicy. They are light and crispy, without being greasy.


I order chicken fajitas, green salad, and a bottomless soda. The salad was small but good. Iceberg lettuce with carrots and cabbage mix, I ordered mine without tomatoes. They had blue cheese dressing, but it seemed to be the same brand all the local restaurants use which is a bit too vinegary for my taste. The last time I was there, though, the salad seemed to have been frozen, as it was limp and I couldn't even finish it.


Their chicken fajitas were wonderful with large chunks of chicken breast, seasoned just right. The chunks of chicken were easy to pick out of the bell peppers and onions. They come with beans and rice, and some guacamole and sour cream. They sometimes offer me an extra plate to "build" the fajita on, which I appreciate, but usually I have to ask them for the plate. They come with two tortillas, which are now larger so I can fit all my chicken into them.


Overall I am pleased with the quality and affordability of my meal at this restaurant. When I first came to this restaurant, when the guys were running it, I needed to avoid a young female server because she almost totally ignored me. I went to the tables that the men served and everything was fine. So far the ladies are doing a satisfactory job, but I have not left higher than a 15% tip since they took over because there is always something lacking in the service or quality of the food. I might have to seek out the restaurant where they moved the guys in the future, perhaps they are at the Los Osos restaurant?

Follow-up: I went here for chicken fajitas tonight and was quite disappointed!! They were dry, primarily due to the lack of veggies in the pan. I hadn't realized how much moisture the veggies added. They also gave me a plate with less sour cream and guacamole, without the bed of shredded lettuce under them. The service was slow, probably because they only had one server. I ended up eating two bowls of chips. The server was friendly, and probably overworked, but the food lacked quality. This was more than just disappointing due to the fact that this was to be my final restaurant meal for a long time since I ran out of my unemployment insurance.

Another follow-up: I stopped by here again during breakfast and they totally ignored me while I was at the table. The building was quite warm, there were no napkins or utensils on the table (even after my salad was brought to me). When I ordered the fajitas the server looked at her watch, I suppose that she decided it was late enough for fajitas. When my salad arrived it was drenched with water and there were no croutons. I watched her bring out another diner's burrito, and then 5 minutes later the rest of the table's food came out!! They didn't offer a chips refill, even though I had to wait quite a bit for the food to be served. When the "extras" plate came out it was placed WAY on the other side of the table!! And the plate was sort of "used" looking, not clean. It was almost like this was a different restaurant!!

More Follow-up: I dined here the other day and, as usual, I ordered the fajitas. I found it interesting that the men seem to be back in charge of the restaurant, the same men as before. Perhaps the men and women trade off restaurants seasonally? I know there is a Maya in Los Osos and I think I saw one in Paso Robles, as well. The "extras" plate was better than recently, but the fajitas were a bit dry. Also, the salad was simply shredded lettuce, not chunks. It had some shredded cheese on the top that I removed to use with my fajitas. The men were pleasant and the food is still good. I will still return here, since they really do have the best fajitas in town!!


Bottom line: The inconsistency of this restaurant can be frustrating, but the servers are usually friendly and their chicken fajitas are the best in town. I had lunch recently and their salsa was really spicy, don't know if they have changed it or if this was just a spicy batch.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Review - Restaurant - Beach House Bistro


Well, after almost a year of driving by this place and wondering why it was never open, I finally read the sign. They are only open from 3:30 - 8:30 Tuesday through Sunday. I lucked out today and drove by at 3:15. So, I stuck around for an early dinner.

Where do I begin. Well, I entered and was greeted by the chef/owner. I was met with his extreme frustration when I told him that I had driven by for almost a year and it was never open. He blew up and said that he was not happy to hear that. He said that his hours are clearly stated outside. I suspect that other people are telling him the same thing.

So, I was seated and he went through the specials. Only one special was listed on the white board outside, but there were more listed inside. I got a good window with a view of the Rock. I have to say that I was put off by the fact that the chef of an establishment didn't know how to pronounce "du jour". He kept saying "de jour". I don't think I am a food snob, but this should have been my red flag!! Also, why they call this a "bistro" is beyond me!! One online definition of a bistro is "a small restaurant serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting." This is definitely not a moderately priced restaurant, nor are the meals simple. They definitely have the "Beach House" part spot-on with all the kitschy decor.

As usual, I asked the server (who is the other owner) if they had free refills on the sodas. She brought me the drink and apparently it comes from cans not a fountain. When I told her she could just leave the cans on the table, she said that there were no cans allowed on the tables. My perception was that she was a bit rude about this. I was just trying to save her the effort of coming back to refill the glass so often. She was fine, however, when she returned to take the order. She was nice and brought me a sample of the Caesar dressing so I could taste it.

I ordered the Almond Chicken Fingers appetizer because the description sounded yummy. I also ordered the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and a Caesar Salad. While I was waiting for dinner I tried their herb bread. Served in a cute bucket with oil and vinegar, it smelled great. Unfortunately, that was as far as the appeal went. I had the texture of bread that was baked in a bread-maker or perhaps it had been frozen. I really am a bread person, and if it was good bread I would certainly have finished it and asked for more. I only ate the centers of the slices, dipping them in the salad dressing, the Alfredo sauce, and of course the oil and vinegar.

The Almond Chicken Fingers arrived all decked out on a bed of spring greens, with a "ponzu" dipping sauce. These were HORRIBLE. I ate two of them and took the rest home, planning to use the chicken portion in a quesadilla so I didn't waste it. They were heavy and dry and, although the idea sounded scrumptious, the execution lacked expertise. I did some research, and ponzu sauce is supposed to be thinner, and perhaps not served warm. Definitely not worth the $10 I paid for them.

The Caesar Salad tasted good, but I was surprised to find purple cabbage and carrots. Definitely not traditional Caesar Salad. At least there was no anchovy on the top, though. [Note: I later learned that it wasn't cabbage, but some fancy purple lettuce, radicchio, perhaps.]

When the Fettuccine Alfredo arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of chicken on the top. It appeared that there were two boneless chicken breasts, grilled and sliced decoratively on top of a small bed of fettuccine noodles in cream sauce. There was no offer for extra Parmesan, but at least it was served with a new fork and a spoon for turning. When I twirled up my first round of pasta, I got an unpleasant whiff of a fishy nature. I wonder if he uses a fish-based cream sauce for both his Alfredo and clam chowder. It ended up being ok once my tongue got used to it, and I have to say that the dish was served nice and hot.

Overall, the owners were trying to be friendly, talking to some guests who were passing through on their way to Monterey. The other guests were asking if they had lots of reservations, and if they were from locals or out-of-towners. It sounded like there were some large parties coming in later today, graduations, etc. So, perhaps my personal experience here is different from other people's. Although I was happy to have the option of paying 5% less if I used cash, I felt that $40 for this meal was WAY too much. I won't be returning to this restaurant.

Well, I did return. I wanted to make sure that I hadn't been too picky on my first visit. My experience was almost a rerun of my first visit. The white board outside (again) did not list all the specials, they were on the board inside. I found it odd that Christmas and Halloween display pieces were still out in January. I noticed that the chicken fingers were not on the menu, perhaps they gave up on those.

I ordered the Rosemary Chicken Ravioli, substituting an Alfredo sauce instead of the tomato-based sauce. I was able to substitute the veggies for a side green salad. The dish came with a piece of artichoke heart on each ravioli. This dish was tasty, although I could barely taste the rosemary in the ravioli, perhaps the tomato sauce had more rosemary in it? The Alfredo sauce was a good combination with the ravioli.

I was able to substitute a side Caesar salad for the veggies and I, again, wondered about the purple lettuce and carrots in a Caesar salad, perhaps I am just a traditionalist. I was disappointed that such an expensive restaurant seems to use ready-made croutons.

I finally figured out what is wrong with the bread here. It still tasted like it was made in a bread maker, but the worst offense was that I believe they heat it up in the microwave!! No wonder it is all dried out and the texture is "off". I, again, only ate the inside portion.

I ended the dinner on a sweet note, though, with their homemade lemon ice cream with a berry-topped dessert. It was delicious!!

I am sorry to say that I really, truly won't be eating here again. I wanted to give this local pair of chefs another chance. I had high hopes that I would be more impressed than my last visit, but no such luck. I found it way too expensive for the quality of the food served. I did notice that there are some random folks stopping by, and definitely some regulars. So, they will be fine even without my patronage.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Review - Morro Bay Pizza Restaurants

Domino's Pizza

I have always been a Domino's Pizza fan, but lately I have found that their ingredients seem to be going down in quality. They recently changed their recipe, so I tried it out. The new garlic salt they slather on the rim of the crust is too salty. Their new sauce is too spicy for me, although I tried their white sauce and it was good. Their new cheese is a bit less grainy compared with their old cheese. Apparently, you can order your pizza without the garlic salt, and if you ask for the Marinara sauce instead of the new sauce it tastes like their old sauce. I have to say that I have also ordered their pasta bowls and they were good. I got the Chicken Alfredo bowl. I will probably continue to use Domino's, especially since they have some coupons to use. Domino's has this new online ordering system which works great. They have all the coupons online and you can even watch a progress bar so you even know when the pizza left the shop. I still order from Domino's, usually getting a pizza or a pasta bowl.

Round Table

The first time I went by Round Table to buy a pizza, boy was I disappointed. I waited at least 5 minutes at the counter while the guy was fooling around in the back somewhere!! Forget it, I don't need their pizza. They had a salad bar, which looked like it had been sitting around all day. I do like that they offer personal sized pizzas, but they were still rather expensive for a chain store. And, they had a wide selection of toppings, also. But, the bottom line is that they should treat the customers well, and they should have at least two people working at the same time, one in the back and one at the counter!! I will probably not go back there.

Well, I did go back and ordered a personal-sized pizza. I ordered white sauce and baked chicken as a topping. Their salad bar looked a bit better this time, but it was nothing to write home about. My favorite toppings were not there so I didn't get a salad. They offer a weekday lunch deal that I am sure people take advantage of. The pizza was OK, I ate it in the car while I did my laundry.

Nibble Nook

I was so mad when I left Round Table the first time, and I still wanted a pizza, so I drove down the hill to the Nibble Nook. When I was there for sandwiches the pizza smelled authentic, like the pizza place I worked when I was a teenager. They didn't have a personal size option, so I ordered a small cheese with extra cheese and light sauce. Thick crust costs a bit more, but it was still cheaper than the Round Table small. I also ordered a drink, which I refilled while I waited. I should have ordered a salad to eat while I waited for the pizza to cook. I took the pizza to go and ate 3 pieces for dinner and ate the other three pieces the next day for breakfast!! The pizza crust was nice, and the cheese good. However, I think he forgot to go light on the sauce, or else they have a ton of sauce normally. I have to say that the pizza did not reheat as well as I had hoped. I might go back here again, but I must say that I was not overly impressed.

Pizza Port

I tried out the Pizza Port in town and it was not as good as I remembered. The person at the register did not act welcoming, like I was interrupting her work or something. Their menu is not very flexible, but I did get a good pizza to go. The side salad was simply a pile of big romaine leaves with some grated cheese and croutons. I should have ordered the garden salad, which apparently includes some other items like olives, etc. The blue cheese dressing was too vinegary, but I ate this salad while I waited for my pizza to bake. The crust on their pizza is good, doughy like I prefer. I ordered the Longwood with no mushrooms and it had good flavor. The cheese consistency reminded me of the Domino's cheese, a bit grainy. This restaurant is great if you want to hang with the locals, play some arcade games, or watch a game on TV. They have long tables inside and a patio area outside (they kept the door open so all the cigarette smoke came in the restaurant). They do deliver after 4 pm, so I may try that so I don't have to go into the restaurant. One good thing, though, the register person told me to try the pizza place up the street for other flavors.

Follow-up: This restaurant recently has new owners who totally redid the theme of the restaurant. It is more open now, with a Hawaiian surfing theme. They are advertising as being more "family friendly", I suppose that means they are no longer catering to the partiers who I frequently saw dining on the patio? That said, their menu seems to be the same. They have bottomless sodas (although the soda was a bit flat) and the pizza guy actually hand-tosses the dough!! They kept the game machines, and there is one TV mounted on the ceiling. They seem to have added several picnic tables outside on the grass, but they still keep the patio door open, which could allow smoke to enter. I noticed that there is bar-seating, which is used by many locals. The salad came to me without a fork and the soda with no straw, utensils are self-serve. The napkins are too thin, especially for such a heavy meal.

I ordered a side salad, which was really good. The pieces were bite-sized (unlike my previous visit) and there was plenty of blue cheese dressing. I ordered it without onions and tomatoes. I wish it had something else, like maybe carrots.

The Longwood is a pizza with Ranch dressing as the sauce and baked chicken, I ordered without the mushrooms. It was tasty and I took half home for reheating later. I will have to see if they deliver. The chicken was a bit spicy, but tasty.

Sabetta's

I finally got a chance to try Sabetta's. They sell full-sized pizzas, but primarily they do the "pizza by the slice". They are great at mixing and matching, and I was allowed to order an Alfredo slice with only cheese for me. You have to wait while it cooks, of course, but the girl working there was pleasant company. Several locals came in while I waited, apparently having called in their order earlier. My sense is that the people working along Main St. come in for their lunch. I bought a soda and some chips. Tasty pizza, I will definitely be back. They also deliver if the total is more than $20. I imagine that the people who frequent the bars on the corners will take advantage of this late-night treat, since Sabetta's is open until 11 pm. I have found a pizza place that I enjoy and will frequent this place whenever I get the hankerin' for pizza.

I returned for lunch today and ordered a slice of pizza with a mixture of pesto and Alfredo sauce with chicken topping. It was fantastic, and I love that I could order exactly what I wanted :-)




Monday, June 8, 2009

Review - Restaurant - Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant


After my less-than-stellar experience at Tognazzini's Dockside Market, I was not sure I would like the restaurant. However, I realized that the reason I didn't like the Market was that there was no smoke-free seating options. The restaurant had plenty of smoke-free seating, and so I decided to try it out.

All of the things I liked about the Market hold true with the Restaurant, pleasant servers and the view. This is a family-run business and the customer's are more like friends. The tables have historic photos under glass, each table showcases photos of specific boats that have been docked at the piers. In fact, while I was there, a D-Day veteran was dining on calamari. When his bill came out, the waitress said that his meal was on the restaurant, that he was a hero and she thanked him!! Amazing.

The menu is heavily sea-food and fish oriented, which is always hard for me. I had ordered the cheeseburger at the Market, so I wanted to try something else. I ordered a stacked club sandwich with bacon and turkey. I also ordered a salad and a bottomless soda. The server was prompt with my refills, which I always appreciate. The sandwich was really nothing to write home about, but it was filling. The kitchen forgot to add cheese to my sandwich, which was o.k. as long as they didn't charge me for it.

When the bill came by, the server told me that the owner apologized for leaving off the cheese and knocked my bill almost in half!! I was quite impressed, and will definitely return to this restaurant. This customer service in a friendly manner is the reason that people will return. I have a feeling that the seafood is good here, also. The only negative thing is that initially they attempted to seat me in the non-view seats, something I am used to as a single diner. I plan on bringing friends here when I have the next opportunity.


Second Mate Side Salad (minus cucumbers and onions), blue cheese dressing
[next time I will order the Romaine if possible, these were "weeds"!!]

Review - Restaurant - Lolo's Mexican Restaurant

I have been to this North Morro Bay restaurant several times, and am always pleased. The servers are friendly, the chips and salsa are great, and the menu offers some unique dishes. I always chose the same dish, the Chicken Taquito Dinner, which included three taquitos, tortillas, salad, guacamole, rice, and beans. I order a bottomless soda, also. I love the festive Fiesta dishes and I try to sit at the window with a view of the Rock. This meal will last you the entire day. The prices are reasonable, I got my whole meal for under $15. I will definitely be back to this restaurant, and I will bring my whole family!!




I decided to try something a bit different the last time I dined at Lolo's. I was working on my computer and even sat in a different table so I could plug in my computer!! This steak was good, although it was uneven so that the thinner half was medium and the thicker half was medium-rare (like I ordered). There was a bit of gristle on the edge, but the meat was tender and delicious. I ordered mine with a cheese enchilada, light sauce. It was yummy, just hit the spot. I ordered a salad and bottomless drink, too. The meal came with some tortillas, which I used to eat the medium end of my steak, sort of like a fajita (which they don't offer on the menu)!!


I will definitely return here, even if my favorite waitress is moving out of the area ...

Review - Restaurant - Kitty's Kitchen


I have been to this restaurant twice. It is sort of cramped, a counter with a few tables and some more on the side patio. Both times I ate at the counter. The first time I recall that I liked the breakfast and atmosphere. The second time I was disappointed. I ordered the Eggs Benedict. Not only did it take a LONG time to arrive, the servers never even checked back to see if I needed anything else, etc. Now, to be fair, there seemed to be only two people working the entire restaurant. Perhaps the other workers called in sick that day. The other negative was that the food is quite expensive. I could have eaten Eggs Benedict at Dorn's for the same price, and would have gotten a Mimosa and a view of the Rock!!

I decided to try this restaurant out again and ordered a ham and cheese omelette. It came with "cottage fries", but they were really just shaved potatoes. The ham in the omelette is quite salty, but it was a nice large omelette with lots of cheese and ham. I suppose I might return here again, but I prefer The Hungry Fisherman, where I can get lunch for breakfast. This place is always packed, and there never seems to be enough help. Trying to get a drink refill was like pulling teeth. I like the bar option, but this day I sat at a table. I didn't like that instead of "You're Welcome" the server says "No Problem". I know, it is probably just me, but these two are not interchangeable!!

Review - Restaurant - Jasmine Thai Cuisine


I was happy to see a Thai restaurant within walking distance from my house!! However, I was bummed after I ate lunch there one day. First of all, I noticed that I was the only one in the restaurant during the lunch hour. That should have been a clue.

I ordered a chicken thai dish, mild, and drank water. When the dish arrived I began to eat and was instructed by the server that I was not eating correctly!! Yeah, that's right, she told me how I should eat my meal. That was when I decided not to tip her higher than 15% exactly. During the meal she kept talking to me, even though I had my ear-buds in and was listening to a book-on-tape!!

One other person came in while I was there, and I don't even remember if the food was good or not because I was so put off by the server (owner?). There is another Thai place down on the Embarcadero that I will try soon. I hope that one is good, because being from the South San Francisco Bay Area, I really miss good Asian food.

Today I walked down the Boulevard and decided to try this restaurant again. There were more people here, including a large group of about 6 guys and a little family. While I was there another couple came in and a group of 4 folks. The lady who had been so rude before was not there, instead an older gentleman was my server. The menu didn't seem to have the dish I had ordered last time, so I tried the Chili Basil with chicken. I ordered it "very, very mild". The server asked me if I wanted steamed rice.


Not only was the dish way more spicy than "very, very mild", I heard the table next to mine order brown rice. He didn't even let me know that was an option!! Also, I was turned off by the fact that they charged extra for the rice, it should be included in the dish. Another turn-off was that when they brought me the credit card slip to sign, they actually circled the TIP line!! And, they didn't print a copy for me to take with me. I tipped exactly 15% this time, too, and am most likely not going to come here again. The server did recommend a couple of less spicy alternatives, so if I come here with some other people I will know what to order.

Taxes ...


I was lucky this year and was able to make almost $800 at the city-wide garage sale. Ironically, that is the exact amount of my taxes this year!! They were going to be twice that but, after talking with Richard Dixon at H&R Block on Kennedy Way, I was able to write off my move as an adjustment. This is the first year that I was not able to use the EZ forms, and I was understandably worried about how to fill out all the forms. Mr. Dixon patiently gave me a tutorial in non-EZ taxes. Although I didn't use his services officially, I will definitely use him when my future taxes get more complicated.

I encourage you to use his services.

Review - Restaurant - Giovanni's Fish Market & Galley

When I had just moved down here I got a great coupon for $10 at Giovanni's in the mail. I didn't redeem it until it almost expired. I am not a fish person, so I was nervous that I wouldn't find something on the menu for me. No problem.

This is a walk-up and order kind of place, and then you eat on the waterfront patio. I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, a salad, and a soda. Fine food, friendly service and a waterfront atmosphere. There was a really long line when I left, so everyone else must like this place, as well. I will definitely come back to Giovanni's again. And I appreciated their gesture to me as a newcomer with a nice coupon.

I returned later to try their chicken strips, which were nice. I ordered these to-go and decided not to get a soda because there is a 50¢ refill charge. The chicken strips came with chips (i.e. french fries) and were thick and filling. The fries were better when they were hot, but since I ate them when I got home they weren't as good as I had hoped. They gave me only one little ranch sauce, and the sign at the window says they would have charged for the second one (although I didn't try to get one so I don't know if that is just to discourage people from wasting sauce). I might get these again if I was with folks who wanted to come here, but there are better chicken strips places on the Embarcadero.

Review - Restaurant - Dorn's

I wanted to treat myself to a nice dinner one night and decided to try out Dorn's. I had a bad filet mignon there a couple years back (totally charred on the outside), but I wanted to give them a second chance. Although they are not on the waterfront, they have a nice view of the Bay.

I ordered a salad and chicken Marsala. The sodas were bottomless, and they served a nice bread with the meal. The salad was Romaine with beets and carrots, and good blue cheese dressing. The chicken was fantastic, double-breast with mashed potatoes and broccoli. Big chunks of mushrooms in the sauce, so it was easy for me to pick them out!!

I went to Dorn's again last night and was only slightly disappointed this time.

We ordered the clams appetizer and although I didn't partake, the others said they were great. There were so many that they couldn't even finish them!!

I ordered the filet mignon and it was fantastic!! However, I was not thrilled with the roasted red potatoes, too dry and the hard rosemary on the outside was a turn-off. My friend told me that broccoli was cooked perfectly, although since I am not a broccoli fan I passed. My salad was large and used Romaine lettuce. For some reason I didn't like the beets this time, they tasted strange to me. Perhaps I am coming down with something and my taster if "off"? The sourdough bread came to the table already sliced and so it was dried out. My other friend ordered a steak sandwich, medium rare. The steak was so thin and unevenly sliced that about half of it was dry, though. Their french fries are great, nice a hot and crispy. My friend ordered the chicken Marsala and it wasn't as good as my previous experience, dry and not as flavorful.

We decided to order a creme brulee to split, and it was yummy, the blueberries were a perfect flavor addition.

I decided to stop at Dorn's for lunch, and was not disappointed!! The view was fantastic, one of the best days this Summer. I ordered the cheeseburger, with a full Caesar salad, and a bottomless soda. I also chose to have bread on the side. They brought out water for me while I waited, which was appreciated. I was surprised that there was no menu on the door. There were nice shady tables outside, a perfect breeze, and umbrellas. The fresh plants on the tables and deck were a nice detail. The deck has a glass shield at head-high so the breeze won't interfere with your dining experience. While I waited for my lunch, I enjoyed watching the tourists on the Embarcadero below. I also heard the seals at the Aquarium, all part of the Morro Bay experience!! I loved the thick napkins, too.

The Caesar salad was fantastic, it could definitely be considered a meal in and of itself. They offer the option to add protein to the salad, which I will definitely consider the next time I dine here. The pieces of Romaine were small enough to be able to eat delicately, and the strong shreds of Parmesan were perfect. The dressing was a bit spicy to my tongue, not sure if there was too much pepper or vinegar. Croutons were also nice and crunchy. They offer a 1/2 salad, but it was only $2.50 less so I ordered the whole salad!!

The sourdough bread this time was nice and warm, and I finished it all. You can't waste good sourdough bread, right?

The cheeseburger was humongous!! Although it didn't seem to be the medium-rare that I had ordered. Perhaps this was due to the fact that it came to the table without the cheese and the server took it back to get melted cheese on it. The french fries were good, nothing exceptional. I ate a couple bites of the pickle while I wondered about the inclusion of the beet on my plate!!

The bottom line is that the quality of their food seems to be inconsistent. Even the same dish can be wonderful one visit and not-so-good the next. The service was good, although as a single diner I didn't appreciate the server's "Just you?". I will definitely return here and hope for the best!!


I decided to try the Caesar salad with chicken for lunch last week. It was great, although I wish there had been more chicken. I love that the croutons were made from the restaurant's sourdough bread. I had water with the salad and it was a relatively healthy lunch. It can be expensive, though. I will definitely return here in the future when I want great service, great food, and a great view.

I came here in March for my birthday and ordered the Chicken Marsala. It was nice and tasty, the salad and bread were perfect, and I ordered the chocolate mousse for dessert!!



I also recently took my cousin here, who was visiting from Japan, and he enjoyed the blackened local fish. It came with so much broccoli I was shocked that he was able to finish!!  I ordered the chicken Caesar salad, which was great with the home made croutons and sourdough bread!

This is really one of my "go-to" places when people are visiting Morro Bay.