Review - Restaurant - Ciao Bella

This restaurant has limited hours, usually dinner only, but breakfast and lunch on the weekends. I finally got a chance to visit, but was disappointed. The window view is nice, except you see the roof of Rose's below.

I ordered Chicken Penne, salad, and a bottomless soda. The salad consisted of weeds, some slimy from spoiling, and the blue cheese dressing was a bit spicy. Later, I saw some of the greens that were from my salad growing in my backyard!! They were playing Reggae music, which seems like a strange choice for an Italian restaurant. There were only 4 tables in use, and the service was incredibly slow. My salad was delivered at least 10 minutes after I ordered, and there was no bread to tide me over until it came. I finished my salad and had to wait another 10 or 15 minutes for my dish. My neighbor's food arrived sooner than mine did, even though they arrived after I did. Another server asked if I needed a refill, but my server delivered it. My server finally came out and told me that my dish would be right up, that the cook had to find my "pre-cooked" meal!! When it finally came, the sauce was watery and it had no flavor. The chicken chunks were good, but I was offered no bread with which to soak up the sauce.

While I was waiting, I noticed that they made a mistake on my neighbor's dish (I think they left the crab off of their Benedict). The presentation of the dish was even tacky, they served it in a big bowl with dried parsley (basil?) around the rim. I will not return here, terribly disappointed.

Review - Restaurant - Taco de Mexico

I have driven by this place for over a year and only recently made it in for lunch. It is always packed, and my brother-in-law loves coming here for breakfast burritos. I had the chicken burrito, some tortilla chips, and a soda.

The food was ok, but remember that I am coming from the San Francisco Bay Area where "Mission" burritos are common. The gal behind the counter was more interested in cleaning up the tables rather than helping me out, sort of like I was interrupting her. She even had me go behind the counter to fill up my soda!! I might go here again, if I get a hankerin' for a burrito.

Follow-up: I did return for another chicken burrito, but I realized that I really didn't like it. So, I need to find a better burrito place in town. Or, perhaps I should start making my own. This restaurant is quite popular, though, and is always crowded. I was treated better by the male behind the counter.

Review - Restaurant - The Cannery

I visited this restaurant when it was called The Outrigger, now it is under new management and has a new name. The menu is the same, though, and they currently don't have a liquor license.

This building is a staple, right in the center of the Embarcadero. The views are fantastic, and they have a dog-friendly patio. The decor is sea-faring with maps on the table and portholes to the kitchen, and block & tackle hanging from the ceiling. The menu was pretty balanced with some beef, poultry, and fish options. Note, the photos here are from my first visit, when it was still The Outrigger. The photos I took tonight were too dark to use here!!

I was able to get a window seat with a nice view of the Rock. They brought out some whole wheat rolls and butter, the rolls were a little warm, but got too hard as they cooled. I probably wouldn't eat them next time, not worth the carbs!! I ordered a cheeseburger, fries, a green salad and a bottomless soda. The soda came in a HUGE glass, my hands could hardly get around it!!

The salad, while tasty, was just a bit too small. I ordered mine without tomatoes and onions. I liked the Romaine lettuce, the addition of celery, the huge slices of carrot, and the fact that they brought it out with a salad fork. The dressing was nice, and the server offered some extra blue cheese crumbles. The croutons were good, I finished the entire salad.

I was happy to be able to order my burger medium-rare. It is a rather large burger and bun, but rather tasteless, perhaps it needed some salt and pepper while being broiled? I made sure that all the toppings came on the side, because the last time I got some soggy lettuce. The fries were ok, a bit too thick for my taste. Tonight they were a bit more fried compared to the last time I dined here.

The first time I came here my server was not very attentive, but the busboy made up for her deficiencies. I wish there was a way to tip only the bussers!! The second time I dined here the server and the busser were both helpful. Third time's a charm, I guess, I got an attentive server who asked all the right questions. I heard my neighbors order "fresh" fish, that was actually frozen. Perhaps they should update their menus. Also, the shellac on the tables is really sticky, perhaps that is due to the humidity in Morro Bay!! I might return here, if I have guests who have a desire to feel like they are inside a ship!!

Review - Restaurant - Otter Rock Cafe

The Otter Rock Cafe falls about half-way between the restaurants on the Embarcadero. The first time I dined here I had been fasting for a blood test, and had a craving for breakfast. So, I was lucky that I went to the Otter Rock Cafe. I don't normally order breakfast, so this was an unusual dining experience for me. I ordered the french toast, egg, and bacon meal. Boy was it good, the french toast was crispy and flavorful on the outside and still soft on the inside. They cooked the eggs just to my liking, which is difficult because I order broken-over-hard. The bacon was good, too. I liked my meal so much that I immediately ordered a second round!! So, I will definitely go back to this restaurant -- especially for their breakfast offerings. They now have a coupon for breakfast in the local mailer and I plan on using that soon.

The second time I dined here I ordered the chicken strips with a salad rather than the fries. I had to order these from the kids menu because they didn't have them on the regular menu. Their fries are lightly seasoned, and could have been crispier (I also ordered the fish and chips to try them out), but the salad was good. The chicken strips automatically came with BBQ sauce, and I had them bring me some ranch dressing instead. I ordered the salad without tomatoes, and it came with olives and shredded cheese. Their blue cheese dressing was good, although it did have a lot of cheese in it (which most people would like). The strips were thick and crispy and tasted great with the ranch dressing. They also have free refills on the sodas, which I always appreciate.

Both times I have dined here there were bad odors, either from the bar area as you walk by or in the whole restaurant from cigarettes. They have a smoking patio and the way it is designed the smoke comes into the restaurant through the open-roofed-patio. I think that for the night crowd, and the daytime bar crowd, this is a great feature, but not for most families or non-smokers. Oh, and one more weird thing, a guy came in and went out to the smoking patio with his two dogs. One of the dogs proceeded to "do his thing" right there while I was trying to eat my meal on the other side of the glass!! The guy picked it up right away, but I lost my appetite real quick!!

This is a great place for people to have a drink (full bar), enjoy a band or karaoke, or have a nice meal with a good view (see shot at top of page). I think the best tables if you want to avoid the smoke smell and have a nice view are inside on the right, at the window. The chairs are better there, too, and they don't cut into your legs as you sit. Breakfast is served until 1:00 pm daily so I was lucky that I chose this restaurant that day. There are lots of fish and seafood options, and some Mexican items.

I have a feeling that this place is hopping at night on the weekends, or on karaoke night. The first time I dined here I would have to say that the music was a bit loud, seeing that there was not a partying crowd there at the time. But it wasn't so bad the second time I tried it out. There is also an odd echo thing happening, when I was seated nearer the bar I could hear every word of the loud-talking business meeting that was happening by the window on the right. The service was helpful and pleasant, and I will definitely return here, perhaps just for breakfast next time though.

Review - Restaurant - DiStasio's

I have been to this restaurant before, in fact I took my family here after we moved all my stuff in last year. After that visit I felt like I had to apologize for the quality. They have a great view, with a heated outdoor covered deck on the water. This is the building where the Hofbrau used to be before they moved up the Embarcadero. I also visited later when my sister and nephews were in town. I remember being disappointed then also. But, these were just memories, before I was keeping track of the restaurants and my impressions of them.

So, the other day I decided that I wanted some pasta and a view. I thought I would approach this restaurant with new eyes to see exactly why I didn't like it last time. I should have picked a better day because I was getting over a cold and my taster may have been "off". The place was empty and the people working there were very friendly. I ordered a salad and cheese ravioli with Alfredo sauce and chicken. They had bottomless sodas, which I always appreciate. They were good with substitutions, and I appreciated that as well.

They brought bread to the table, with butter, and they had some olive oil at the table (which I assumed was for the bread). Unfortunately, the bread was not good. I buttered the center and ate it with my salad. The bread tasted like it had been made in a breadmaker or frozen at some time. The salad was great, with some cute carrot roses with olives in the center!! The lettuce was fresh and the dressing wasn't too vinegary. The ravioli was great, very large, and the large chicken chunks in the dish were cooked just right, but lacked in taste (but my taster might have been off). The sauce was ok, a bit too much pepper for my taste. My taster was probably off, so it might be better or worse than ok!! They offered fresh Parmesan cheese grated on the dish.

Bottom line, I will probably be back to try some of the other dishes. But, I was more impressed by Giancarlos up on Morro Bay Blvd.

Great News!! The old Anthony's restaurant building is now DiStasio's on The Bay!! They totally redid the exterior of the building, adding some Mediterranean-style columns and painting it. They divided the interior into a wine and cheese tasting room and a restaurant. Currently they are only open for dinner, but will open for lunch soon. I don't know if the DiStasio's on the waterfront will be closed now, but I am looking forward to trying out this new venue!!

Follow-up: I was able to stop by for lunch the other day and the interior is just as nicely decorated as the exterior. The view is fantastic, nice music playing, and the service as friendly as always. They had only been open for 2 days for lunch, so there were some service issues (bad napkins in the bathroom, slow, inattentive, water left on other side of the table, etc.), I am sure they just need to work out the kinks. I was appreciative that they were able to make a tortellini substitute for their Fettuccine Alfredo dish (they had some left over from a special). I ordered their Caesar salad and it was great. There could have been a bit more of the sauce on the pasta, but the chicken and pasta was cooked perfectly. Their bread is still as bad as it was at the other restaurant, so I didn't mind that they didn't offer more when I finished the few pieces in the basket. They should have some authentic sourdough or some herb bread or something, this stuff tastes like it was made in a bread machine or something. Don't know quite what it is, but it isn't appetizing. I hope they can make a go of it at this amazing venue. One problem is there is no parking lot adjacent to the building, there is one kitty-corner and I don't know how full that one gets in season.

Review - Restaurant - Hot Dogs on Harbor

I have driven by this cute little restaurant so many times, but have never stopped to eat there until today. I sometimes have a hankerin' for a hot dog, especially if I am headed to the movies. So, I had high hopes for this restaurant which specializes in hot dogs.

I ordered a corn dog, and an "old fashion" hot dog, plain. I also added some chips and a soda to round out the "meal". I would have ordered a salad, but the only salad option was cole slaw (not a slaw fan). I ordered my meal to-go and ate the chips while I waited for the dogs. I grabbed some napkins and some ketchup packets and took my dogs home.

Unfortunately, these dogs were a total disappointment. The corndog was not your typical corndog that had been dipped in batter and fried. It was in a cornbread "waffle". Later, I noticed the menu says it is baked. Yuck!! I ended up taking the hotdog out and eating is plain, ketchup couldn't even save this dog. I hoped that my appetite could be sated by the regular hot dog. NOT!! This hot dog had an inedible skin on it, and I kept having to spit out the thick skin before I could finish the bite. The insides tasted good, but it wasn't worth the effort to get the thick skin off!! Besides that, the bun was 2 inches short on each end of the hot dog. Perhaps this is a regional style? Perhaps I should have ordered the "little dog", which was called a Central Coast dog and marketed to kids!!

The restaurant is run by a cute old couple, and I normally love to support small family-run businesses. But, I just can't do it this time. In fact, I am surprised that they haven't gone under yet. I can't remember what was there before, but I think this is a new restaurant. They are a bit off the beaten track, just around the corner from the Gold Tree jewelry store. The lady in front of me didn't get the correct change, so if this happens a lot they may not stay in business long. This is too bad because it is probably their dream shop. Come to think of it, I will go back and see if the other small dog is the typical hot dog, and I should try their french fries ...

Follow-up: Well, I returned later to try their smaller hotdogs and french fries. The same man AGAIN made a mistake and I almost got the wrong hotdog. The hotdog ended up having a slightly less tough skin, but I didn't like it much. The french fries were made from fresh potatoes with their skins on, and the unique touch was the sea salt. They also have a sea salt and vinegar option.Perhaps these folks are from the East Coast?? Unfortunately, I won't be back. I will eat my hotdogs at the Mermaid Cafe on the Embarcadero who serve Nathan's dogs.

Review - Restaurant - Fosters Freeze

This is one of the first restaurants I visited when I moved down here last year. It is within walking distance of my house and I have been there numerous times since then. I have tried their burgers and their crispy chicken sandwich which were good, but nothing to write home about. Their hot dogs are horrible, for some reason they split it when they cook it, which makes it dry and rubbery. Their soft cones are good, and I sometimes just go in for one of those. In fact, when I was in there today, about half of the folks ordered only an ice cream item.


I like to order the chicken strips for kids because it comes with 2 strips, french fries, a soda, and a small ice cream cone!! The strips are more coating than chicken, but they taste pretty good dipped in ranch sauce. Their fries are nothing to write home about, but they are good if you eat them with the ranch sauce. Don't forget to check to make sure they included the ranch sauce, they have forgotten in more than once for me!!


I tried all the Mexican-themed items on their menu and was quite disappointed. The taco wasn't very good, too juicy and it broke through on the bottom. I ordered it without tomatoes. The taquitos were really hard, the exact opposite of the taco!! I worried about cracking my bad tooth further so I was careful to eat it on the other side of my mouth. I think the taquitos came with a "guacamole" sauce, but I suppose it could have come with the burrito. I ate my taquitos dipped in sour cream at home. The deep-fried burrito was probably the best of the trio, my friend had told me to order it. I, also, dipped this in sour cream, although the girl behind the counter told me that it was good with the hot sauce packets she gave me. I won't be ordering any of these items again.


I tried their corn dogs and they are pretty good. They were crispy and hot, but they needed some extra salt. I dipped them in ketchup.

They offer two chicken sandwiches, one is grilled and the other is fried. I had not tried the grilled sandwich until this evening, it was quite good. It comes with a whole grain bun, and it is a bit spicy. I think this is my item to order when I come here in the future.

Grilled Chicken Sandwich (no tomatoes) ; Crispy Chicken Sandwich (no tomatoes)

Their hotdogs are OK, they split them when they cook them, I just ordered mine with ketchup.

The "Garden Salad", however, should be avoided. As you can see it is just shredded iceberg lettuce with a couple shreds of cheese. I asked for no tomato.

Each time I go there I see a different demographic of person. There are families, of course, and also solo older people. I see young men lunching here, as well as groups of teenagers. Today there was a cute family who I interacted with. They were quite impressed that there was a fish tank set up in the restaurant. I am, too!! The most recent visit I met with a couple who came out from Reno and they HAD to have the cheeseburgers. He said his Mom used to work there when the waitresses wore roller skates!! I will definitely return to this restaurant and may try out some of the other menu items.