Review - Restaurant - The Coffee Pot Restaurant

I had a fasting blood test this morning and decided to spend my last dollars of the month at The Coffee Pot Restaurant. I had been here for breakfast once before, as I recall I had the Eggs Benedict with turkey instead of ham. I am sure that time I was disappointed that they did not serve lunch before 11:00. Luckily for me, I arrived shortly after 11:00 today.

After verifying with the waitress that the croissant turkey and bacon sandwich came with cheddar cheese, I ordered that with french fries. I normally order a side salad, but sort of lost my "salad" appetite after I discovered that their salad comes with pickles, that's right, PICKLES in the green salad. Also, I usually order soda, but only if it is bottomless. This restaurant charges 75¢ for refills, and I noticed a refrigerator filled with cans of soda.

I was happy with the french fries, they were crispy and I didn't even need the ketchup until the last few. This may have been because I was the first lunch-eater of the day, I don't know if they are always this crispy. [Note: on another day they were not so good]. The sandwich actually came with Jack cheese, but at least it wasn't Swiss cheese. I had been hoping that the croissant would be crispy and fresh, but was disappointed. It was probably fresh, but not crispy and it fell apart as I was eating it. It did taste ok, though.

Overall, the quality of the food was good, but I don't think I will come here again. While I was still eating, the waitress came by to refill the sugar packet container. She should have waited until I had gone. [Note: this happened on another visit, and some friends of mine had the same thing happen and worse, the waitress kept trying to clear away the dishes while they were still eating!!] Their salad may have been good, but I didn't try it. [Note: on a later visit I did have the salad, I asked the waitress what came on the salad and she neglected to tell me about the pickles, at least they were on the side!!] The prices are a bit steep, depending on the tourists, I suppose. I paid $12 for my sandwich and fries.


I decided to try this restaurant again, was craving some chicken strips. They do not list them on the menu, just a croissant chicken strip sandwich. The waitress let me order them separately, for which I was grateful. I confirmed that they still do not offer the bottomless soda option before ordering water to drink. I recalled that their fries were not very good and got a salad with the chicken strips. The waitress, again, neglected to disclose that the salad has pickles on it. But it was tasty, if a bit small, with Romaine lettuce, large pieces of carrots, and lots of blue cheese dressing. I was surprised that the strips came out with no dipping sauce, perhaps they thought I would use the blue cheese dressing? They were fried fresh, but there was an odd flavor as I ate them. I couldn't nail down where the flavor was coming from, perhaps the breading, or the dill in the Ranch dressing, or even from the oil it was deep-fried in?

The owner is a nice man, and when you interact with the waitresses they are nice, too. Unfortunately, on my previous visits my waitress never came back to make sure all was OK, I had to wave down the other waitress for a refill of water and to bring me the ketchup. I was sorry to leave just a 15% tip, but she didn't do anything to earn more than that. This most recent visit had a more attentive server, but the food was not good enough to warrant a return to this restaurant. The other guests seemed like a mix of locals and tourists. The owner even sat down at one of the tables!! I wish I could say that I will be returning, but that will only happen if I happen to be with a group who goes there.

Review - Deli Sandwich Options in Morro Bay

Nibble Nook

I love a good deli sandwich, and have been trying to find a good deli option in town. So far the best place I have found is the Nibble Nook on Quintana. They are a friendly place that also serves pizza, real pizza. I got a half sandwich and salad combo, a soda, and chips to go. The prices are a bit steep, seeing that I could make the same sandwich for half the price at home. If I was out and about, and needed a good sandwich, I would go here again. The best thing about the sandwich is the fact that the bread is nice and fresh.

Subway

I also tried the sandwiches at the local Subway franchise ("Five Dollar Foot Longs"). I was really disappointed in the quality. The bread was so dry it gave me the hic-ups!! And the sandwich had no taste. They never seem to have my favorite chips, and their sodas are quite expensive. So, I end up getting chips at the Dollar Tree and a soda at McDonald's. I have been here several times since, especially when they have the $5 footlongs and coupons. The last time I tried their new healthy roll and was pleased. But, they discontinued the roll and now I go to Albertson's for their $4.99 sandwich.

Del Mar Market

I was excited to check out the deli portion of the Del Mar Market up on Main in North Morro Bay. They had not one, but three, signs that indicated that they had a deli. When I asked inside, however, the guy said that they used to have one but now they just have ready-made deli sandwiches for sale!! Change the signs already ...

Bottle Liquor Shop

Woo Hoo!! The Bottle Liquor shop on Main St. has opened their deli counter!! I talked to some people at a local jewelry shop and they said the sandwiches were fantastic. In fact, one of them said it was the best pastrami sandwich he had ever had!! They use the order technique that the many of the local delis use, which is eminently logical. Instead of a set menu, they provide you a form that you fill in to build your sandwich. They are open from 10 am - 3 pm. There was also a form for breakfast items at the same counter.

I tried the deli today and ordered a croissant sandwich with chicken breast. The sandwich was HUGE, but it wasn't anything to write home about. Next time I will try a regular sandwich, or perhaps one of their "salad" sandwiches. They did have a ton of choices for chips and sodas, including a 20 ounce Cactus Cooler!! While I was here I also noticed that they have a ton of wine choices in individual-sized bottles. I will have to come in here and stock up soon.

Later, I returned to this shop to have their cheeseburger meal. $3.99 for a burger, fries, and a drink (any size). The people are friendly, the burgers are good, and who can pass up a large burger meal for four bucks?? I didn't like their slightly seasoned fries much, but I think it is still a good deal.

Wow, I went here yesterday for a chicken salad sandwich (pictured above), I got mine on a croissant. It was amazing!! Some sort of nuts, red grapes, celery, and green onions mixed with mayo and big chunks of chicken breast. Fantastic. I will definitely return here. They also sell a 16 oz. can of Coca Cola now for 99¢. I could have eaten half and been full, but since I was out and about I ended up eating both, plus 2 sodas and a bag of chips. YUM!!

The next time I visited this shop, I realized that they charge 50¢ for a non-cash transaction!! I wouldn't have had a problem with this if they posted the sign in a more prominent fashion. They have a little sign posted on the glass counter at the register, which can easily be overlooked by the shoppers. In fact, my friends who were in town last week were surprised by this as they didn't see the sign either. They did say that the burgers were great and they had the vegetarian sandwich which was also good. I would have hoped that since they had a lottery winner there and "won" over $600,000 they would take away the charge for non-cash payment, but it was still there when I paid cash the other day!! Nonetheless, I will still return here for their great deals and wonderful deli sandwich options!!

Follow-up: They no longer charge the 50¢ for a non-cash transaction, but the quality of their chicken salad has tanked. They are using dark meat rather than white meat and I keep getting bones in my sandwich!! I think their standard deli sandwiches are still fine, and large. I like that they have a wide range of chips and drinks. I think the next time I go I will try a standard deli sandwich on a croissant and hope for the best.

La Parisienne

I decided to try out the sandwich options at La Parisienne, their croissant was nice and fresh. The sandwich was a bit more expensive than I had hope for, but it tasted good. If I was down on the Embarcadero and wanted a nice sandwich I would try here again.

Albertson's

Lately, I have been buying my deli sandwiches at Albertson's. They offer several bread options, and you can choose any of their meats and cheeses. I usually get a turkey on wheat with lettuce, mayo, and Havarti cheese. They give you plenty of meat and 2 big slices of cheese. In fact, I usually eat half for one meal and save the other half for later!! Their sandwiches are only $4.99, too, can't beat that.

Review - Restaurant - China Dragon

This is the best Chinese restaurant in Morro Bay. It is on Main in North Morro Bay, and I will definitely return. The food must be good because Jack LaLanne was dining there with his wife the first time I dined here. He had Almond Chicken, and ordered hard-boiled eggs and pot stickers. I guess he comes here often, as the owner came out to talk with him. The staff is friendly and they also do take-out & delivery. They don't offer bottomless sodas, so I just had water. I was surprised that I had to ask for chopsticks.

I usually order the Almond Chicken, with steamed rice [they used to offer brown rice, but not the last time I was there]. The lunch comes with soup and an egg roll. I also ordered some pot stickers because there is a $10 minimum on the order to use a credit card.

The egg flower soup was hot and flavorful. I will order their wonton soup in the future, though, because it is so yummy.

The pot stickers were fantastic, although the sauce is a bit spicy for my mouth!! I am happy to find a local place with pot stickers, because I often get a craving for them.

The Almond Chicken is great, with a lightly flavored sauce and lots of crunchy veggies. The chunks of chicken are large and the almonds are fresh and crunchy. I appreciate that the onions, zucchini, and mushrooms are large enough for me to find and remove.

The last time I had the Almond Chicken the owner noticed that I had not eaten the zucchini, I promised her that next time I would try them. And, I did!! The chunks of zucchini were small enough and cooked lightly enough that I enjoyed them.

I ordered the meal and it came with soup, entree, egg roll, wonton, and fried shrimp!!

One time I visited this restaurant, I ordered the appetizer sampler for two as my dinner. And, I ordered the Almond Chicken as a to-go order. The appetizers included 2 of each of the appetizers on the menu and some dipping sauce. I will always choose to come here when I have a craving for good Chinese food.

The last several times I visited for lunch they offer a lunch menu. Sometimes I luck out and they have brown rice, but I almost always get the same meal -- Almond Chicken. I am never disappointed.

Review - Restaurant - Chapala

Everyone told me that if I wanted good Mexican food I should try Chapala Restaurant. I liked that the dining furniture was authentic Mexican and that the menu was actually in Español!! The dining area was pretty crowded with workers on their lunch break and families. The TV was blasting some sporting event, racing? After my order was taken the waiter never even came back to see if I needed anything. I think it was the chef who delivered my meal. There were no free refills on the sodas, so I drank water. There was no blue cheese option for the salad, so I went without.

I ordered the fajitas de pollo, with sour cream and cheese. I should have said "on the side" because they just sprinkled the cheese and sour cream over the fajitas. The chicken pieces were chopped so small it was hard for me to pick them out to make up my fajita. The flour tortillas were good, and the chips were ok. The rice and beans were good, and I dipped the chips in them. I was surprised to see that there was no guacamole with the rice and beans. The salsa and fajitas were quite spicy, also. I drank lots of water, had to flag down the chef to get some more water!!

I probably won't return to this restaurant, unless I am with a group who wants to go here. I do know that they are known for their tacos, so perhaps I will try those next time.

Review - Restaurant - Tognazzini's Dockside Fish Market

I decided to start at the Rock end of The Embarcadero when trying new restaurants. The last restaurant is Tognazzini's Dockside Fish Market. The owner and people behind the counter were really friendly.

I was happy that they had blue cheese dressing, which is sometimes hard to find, for the salad. Not surprisingly, the menu is mostly fish and seafood so I had a hard time finding something to try. They say in their menu that they "lean heavily on the bounties of the sea". I decided to get the cheeseburger, a salad, and bottomless soda.

As I went outside to the dining area, I noticed that they have hooks to use for your dog's leashes. I like this idea, although some people may not like eating somewhere near dogs. I noticed a dirty fish tank right by a table, and the tables were not cleaned between customers (at least that day). The other thing I noticed was that people were allowed to smoke out in the dining area. I thought that was against the law, but apparently not as they were handing out ashtrays. I didn't have any inside dining options, so I was forced to take my food to-go. I ate in my car.

The salad was just limp weeds, and the burger was nothing to write home about. I had to walk back to the restaurant to get my soda refill. On my way back to my car I realized that the Fish Market is not the main restaurant. The menu is the same, but the restaurant is enclosed. I might try the main restaurant the next time. [see separate review for Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant] I like the restaurant's sign that was made of sand dollars. But, I won't be back to the Fish Market for a meal. If I wanted outdoor dining I would go to the Lil Hut or the Hofbrau instead.

Review - Oceano Restaurants

Rock-n-Roll Diner

Housed in two old train diner cars, this restaurant is definitely picturesque. One car has fixed booths, and so the diners usually get in this car. The other car has moveable tables, and so you can accommodate a larger party here. They also have events here and cook outside. Bands perform outside and drinks are served. I discovered that they also offer some Mexican and Greek options on the menu, apparently the owner is Greek!!

The first time I went here it was when I was down interviewing for a position in Grover Beach and I was checking out the area. I came upon this fifties diner and HAD to have lunch there. I love the old ads and maps posted around the booths walls. They have little juke boxes at each table, but they were not working. The music playing was fifties and I noticed that the tradition is to leave your business card on the ceiling. I browsed these cards and many were from tourists, but more were from locals. You have to love a place that the locals enjoy. While I was there, a table full of local men were gossiping. It really was a local hang-out and I got a feel of the community. Some other visitors were some photo-journalists from Australia who gathered some local kids and interviewed them for their show. Fun!!


I have ordered the cheeseburger meal and the BLT, which was good but I wished they didn't use processed turkey. The most recent visit I ordered the cheeseburger, but with a salad this time. They have bottomless sodas, and I used a coupon for a free milkshake (which I took to-go). The prices are a bit stiff, but it's worth it for the atmosphere. My server helped me with some local directions, and I appreciated his accuracy as I didn't get lost!! I will definitely return to this restaurant, especially with some friends.

Review - Restaurant - Harbor Hut Restaurant

This restaurant is a major landmark in Morro Bay. I remember having a surprise cocktail hour for my grandmother's 70th birthday party here back in the day. However, I am sorry to report that I was not happy with the restaurant portion of the Harbor Hut.

It was a warm day and I decided I didn't want to cook dinner at home. So, I headed off to The Embarcadero. The Harbor Hut seems so high-end, but when all is said and done it is just a bar with a mediocre restaurant attached. Great view, though.

As I entered the restaurant, an unfortunate odor emanated from the restrooms. I should have turned right around, but I thought it would not waft into the dining area. Wrong!! In addition to the odor, there were flocks of flies buzzing around. Did I give up? No, but perhaps I should have.

I ordered Chicken Marsala, which came with mashed potatoes that were not listed on the menu!! They offer bottomless sodas, although the refills are few and far between. They were stingy on the ice, for some reason. Their bread was only so-so. I also ordered a side salad (minus the red onion) and was happy that they had blue cheese dressing. The salad greens were nice and crunchy and I liked the beets and croutons.


I was not impressed at how SLOW the service was, even though there were not a lot of people in the restaurant. The food was not really so bad (although I had a really bad steak here once), but the combination of slow service, bad atmosphere, and high price for low quantity rates this restaurant pretty low on my list.

Follow-up: I have to say that I was quite impressed with the service and food I had last night at The Harbor Hut. It was the night of the lighted boat parade and I had neglected to make a reservation for a window seat!! Duh ...

Well, the tall manager was so sweet and moved some people around to fit me in. I was so grateful that, despite the fact that I am still unemployed, I bought a glass of wine, soda, meal, and dessert. On top of that I tipped them 25%, which of course I can't afford, but was necessary. My table was at the side of the restaurant, so I was able to see the boats as they passed the restaurant, and got some pretty good shots with my camera, too!! There was no smell, and I was happy that the service was slow (at least this time they had reason for the slowness due to a FULL dining room!!) I was able to see the entire parade and left right as it finished. I will definitely return here next year if I am in town for the parade, in fact I will make a reservation for the little table at the front window for 5:45.

Another followup: I ate dinner here again, and the service was pretty lousy. Really slow, and it was like pulling teeth to get the waitress back to my table for a soda refill or the bill. I never know if it is the fact that I am a singe diner or just the wait staff when this happens.

Review - Restaurant - Giancarlo's

I am so happy to have discovered a great Italian restaurant in Morro Bay. One expects to find restaurants down on the Embarcadero (which is where the other inferior Italian restaurant is), but this gem is up at the top of Morro Bay Blvd. Opened in December 2008, I hadn't gotten around to dining here until just last week.

I stopped in for lunch and was happy to see a great restaurant with a wonderful chef, wait staff, and bussers. I felt as if I was treated with respect, which is hard to find when you dine alone. By the time I was finished the restaurant was almost full. The wait staff are charming, which may explain why so many ladies were "doing" lunch. Or, it could be the phenomenal food!!

Although the specials sounded great, I chose from the "living" menu and ordered the Tortellini Carbonara, yummy! The lunch came amazing ciabatta bread, along with a delicious salad with poached pears and candied walnuts. Just the right amount of dressing, too. The food was great, and the price quite reasonable. My bill, with bottomless soda, came to about $20.

This restaurant has a Sunday Brunch and special events, such as an opera-singer dinner. I sat at a table, but you could choose to sit at a bar and observe the chef at work. I think I will do this next time so that I can see how each dish is prepared.

Review - Los Olivos Restaurants

The Brothers Restaurant (aka Mattei's Tavern)

I loved this restaurant.

I have fond memories of dining at Mattei's Tavern, so when I was recently down in Santa Barbara and decided to stop by for dinner. I was surprised when I arrived that the restaurant had been purchased by two brothers from Iowa in 2002. I was happy that I decided to stay for dinner.

I had the Hearts of Romaine with roasted garlic dressing and shaved parmesan salad (basically a Caesar salad), which was really yummy. Just the right amount of dressing, a bit spicy - probably white pepper. The croutons were diagonally-cut slices of bread made into croutons. The Roasted Chicken Breast stuffed with goat cheese was cooked perfectly, the mashed potatoes were divine, and I actually ate my green beans!! I even ordered mud pie for dessert and they made me a mocha for the drive home.

This is a high-quality meal for a reasonable price. My bill was around $40. On my way out I noticed that the bar portion of the restaurant was packed. The wait staff told me that people come all the way from Santa Barbara and Santa Maria to dine here.

Review - Beauty Salon - The Golden Shears

After searching for a salon that doesn't charge a lot of money to trim my hair, and passing on the ones that scream "Jesus" on their front doors, I found The Golden Shears on Morro Bay Blvd. I liked the fact that is is small and is only open every so often!! I needed a clean-up to my hair cut, which you may recall I had to fix after my last try. She laughed and cleaned it up for me. I laughed when I saw that one of her clients is Jack LaLanne!!

I was happy with this cut, and the owner was really nice and simple. I plan on returning here soon, since one day last month I decided to cut my own hair (from a one-length bob to a shorter layered look). Actually, the front looks ok, but the back is a bit sketchy. She can clean it up for me and then I will use her services from then on!!

Review - Cobbler - T-N-T Coast Boot-N-Shoe Repair

I was so happy to see that there is a qualified cobbler right here in town. When I have walked by, there is usually a little line of customers. Some of them appear to be from out of town, so the cobbler's reputation must be good.

I brought in some non-shoe repair and they were happy to use their sewing machines to repair my item. A friend also needed to have the scuffs fixed on the front of his shoes. He wanted to "stain" them, but they told him that he should use polish instead. There are some fun display items and shoes for sale. They post local announcements, also.

Review - Restaurant - Taco Temple

This restaurant has a huge following, people from out of town always make sure to visit when they are in town. Located in North Morro Bay on Main in the Spencer's parking lot, this restaurant is always full. When I drive by I see lines of people waiting to be seated. They do not take debit or credit cards, but you can write a check if you are local. Reasonable prices, "cool" wait staff, and decent food combine to deliver a hit. That said, I only order one thing from their menu and it isn't any better here than at any other Mexican restaurant. People say that their carnitas are great, and they do have many unusual specials (such as scallop tacos). I always see a great cross-section of people here, from families, to single diners and large groups. The restaurant has a great atmosphere, with surfboard styled benches where people wait for their take-out. The North Morro Bay trolley stops right out in front of the restaurant, so you can easily get here from the campground or somewhere else downtown.

They gave me (a single diner) a small bowl of chips, which was more than enough. The other diners (including a male single diner) got a larger basket of chips. The salsa was good, not too spicy, but the chips were overdone and a bit dry. But, they were crispy and I ate them with my dinner.


I have only ever ordered the trio of chicken taquitos, which come with a little salad, some green sauce, and sour cream. I got a bottomless soda, which comes in a nice large glass so the server doesn't have to refill mine so often. That said, I had to wait a while for a server to see that I needed my refill. The taquitos were only OK, rather tasteless actually. The creamy cilantro dressing didn't get on all the greens, and it was a bit too vinegary for my taste. It might have been a good thing to dip the taquito in to give it some more taste.

Generally, this is a restaurant where I wouldn't mind meeting people. However, I will not be coming here on my own again.

Review - Theatre - Bay Theatre

It is great to have a theatre right in town!! They show first-run movies and have two or three showings a day. The sound is good and seats are relatively comfortable. All shows cost $7.00 and their treats are relatively affordable. I confess, though, that I usually hit the Dollar Tree store before the show. The popcorn is a bit stale, even though it was freshly popped. They must not store it well, or they have a bad provider. But, it had real butter and kind of tasted to me like home-popped popcorn. Their sodas were good and there is a combo deal with a small popcorn, soda and candy for $5.50. I think they also have low-priced refills on the soda and popcorn. I wish they had hotdogs, since I like to have some protein with my "popcorn" dinner!!

Note: I went to the theatre last night and am happy to report that their popcorn is much less stale than before!! I hope they keep whatever changes they made to prevent their popcorn from getting stale before it gets popped!!