Life in Morro Bay

Review - Restaurant - Go-Go Coffee

2012-01-15T20:38:00.001-08:00

This new coffee shop is in North Morro Bay, in the old Blue Bean building. They offer sandwiches, ice cream, and pastries in addition to coffee and tea. I happen to be needing lunch so I stopped here recently. I ordered a turkey sandwich on a croissant with lettuce, mayo, and cheddar cheese (at the prompting of the gal at the counter). Halfway through making my sandwich she disclosed that they only had one slice of turkey. I added some bacon to the sandwich. When it came time to add the cheddar, I was told that it was actually American cheese, would I like shredded cheese instead. I figure that they are new at this and will take pity on them, for now!!

The sandwich was tasty, and I would return here again. I saw that they have chocolate croissants so I will have to see if they are any good the next time I need one with my mocha. I heard that the ice cream is only $1.00 a scoop, they had limited flavors, though. They also sold day-old pastries for $1. Rumor has it that the owner of the Buoy Bar is the owner of this shop, also.

Review - Restaurant - The Waterfront Grill

2011-11-13T01:17:00.001-08:00

This restaurant opened recently in the old Distasio's (the really old Hofbrau) location at the South end of the Embarcadero. I was there a couple days after they opened, and I am sure some of the kinks will have been worked out by the time I dine here the next time. They serve breakfast here, which was evident because of the syrup left on the menus!! The lighting is bad and you can't read the specials sign, which is black. The waitress didn't know about the posted promotional special that I ordered, but was happy to oblige. The menu said that a salad substitution was $1.95, but I was charged $2.00. They had a door open, which made it quite windy inside. The knife was dirty, there were dead flowers by the door, and the service was slow. That said, the views were fantastic, the soda was perfectly carbonated (with refills), and boats can drive up and park here!!

The salad was "weeds", but I liked the large carrot slices. I think they use the Kraft "Roka" blue cheese dressing, which is so bad. It is even worse than the really vinegary blue cheese dressing that everyone insists on using all over town!! I won't order a salad on the side again.

Little did I know that the burger promo didn't include cheese!! The burger was OK, but not worth the price I paid, even at the promo price.

The krinkle fries were good, although I had to order them on the side to test them out and couldn't finish them all!! If I did come here again I might try a different burger and get the fries rather than the salad. I stopped by here later the next week to see if I could get some chicken strips, but they don't offer chicken strips. Even the kids menu had "nuggets".

I suppose they will tweak some of the issues and they will be OK, I just hope they make it through the Winter.

Review - Restaurant - Fairways at Dairy Creek

2011-11-13T00:50:00.001-08:00

I have always driven right by this golf course on Hwy 1, but I was on my way back from San Luis Obispo at lunchtime and decided to try the restaurant out. I was expecting it to be more like The View, at the Morro Bay State Park Golf Course, but it was better. They offer a bar, a snack bar, and a restaurant. They offer dining room seating, or the patio, or you can get items to-go. I had a great view of the golf course from inside the dining room, it was not as crowded with golfers as the Morro Bay State Park course, perhaps because it costs more to golf here? It was nice and quiet, even though a group was dining right next to me, good acoustics, I suppose. They were piping in some nice music, rather than the TV station that was blaring at The View.

I ordered their tri-tip sandwich with salad, and french fries on the side because it was cheaper than ordering the sandwich with fries and a salad on the side.

The tri-tip sandwich was lacking a bit in flavor, I added the leftover blue cheese dressing and that really made a big difference.

The fries were fresh, lightly seasoned, and crispy, and I couldn't finish them!! I took them home, hoping to use them in some recipe, but I waited too long and had to trash them. I would order them with my meal next time, mainly because the salad was "weeds".

The server was so accommodating that she brought me this little carafe of soda!! It was the perfect amount and she even offered to refill it half-way through my meal.

I heard the neighboring table talking about how they offer a hummus and pita chips option along with salad or fries. That is interesting, and it makes me want to try out some of their other menu items in the future.

Review - Restaurant - The Wee Shack

2011-10-05T20:50:00.001-07:00

I have been patiently waiting for this new restaurant, they opened this week in the old Fred's building on Main Street (across from Taco Bell). They are calling themselves "your local diner experience", and the waitresses are sporting some pink polo shirts and 1950s accessories. They offer a diner-style counter, some tables with banquette seating or chairs, and also an outdoor patio. The menu offers several specialty burgers, some vegetarian options, salads, kid's meals, and desserts. They are so close to the high school so they also offer the "Pirate Shack Pack", which includes a burger with chips and a soda for $5.99. This is the type of restaurant where you order at the register and they will bring it to your table. The utensils are plastic, there are paper towel dispensers and condiments at the table. The sodas are unlimited refills, and you fill it yourself.

I ordered a basic cheeseburger, with no pickles, onions, or tomatoes. Their burgers come with homemade "Shack sauce", which was billed as a "mayonnaise-based sauce" but turned out to be like thousand island dressing. You could tell the burger was hand-formed, because it had a crack down the middle!! It tasted good, though. Of course they forgot the cheese and there were onions and a tomato on it!! Next time I order a burger here I will order it with mayo instead of the "Shack sauce", and will make sure they have cheese on it!!

I ordered the "combo special", which added french fries and a drink to my burger for $3.00. The fries are slightly seasoned and tasted like those from In and Out Burger, sort of powdery although they are freshly cut.

I ordered a side salad of "mixed greens", which were nice and fresh. Originally the salad they brought out was a side Cobb salad, they brought out the correct one later. The Parmesan cheese on the salad is unique in this area (unless it is a Caesar). I was bummed that they did not offer a blue cheese dressing option. Their vinaigrette dressing was nice, though. I also enjoyed the carrot strips.

This is the fantastic display case that greets you as you walk in the front door!! I think I may have found another source for GIGANTIC cinnamon rolls. The gigantic cookies on the middle shelf are used to make an "Ice Cream Burger"!!

I will definitely return here to try some of their other options. They have some chicken strips & fries, as well as breakfast options!! Parking could be an issue, though, since they only have a few spots right by the restaurant and the rest are on the street or in the parking lot of Taco Bell. One thing I love is when they have the fire going!! One thing I don't love is the smell of the spray cleaner they use on the tables.

I had a hankering for some chicken strips for lunch last week and tried them out here. I was pleased with both the fries and the chicken strips. I will have to remember to ask for more Ranch dip next time.

I wanted to try their hot dogs, and was disappointed. I don't know why some restaurants like to cut their dogs in half when they grill them!! Perhaps it creates a ditch for the toppings? I wouldn't know because I don't "do" most of the toppings. In fact, I ordered just ketchup. So far the best dogs in Morro Bay are at the Mermaid Cafe, where they serve Nathan's dogs.

I tried the Caesar salad, which was made of long strips of Romaine lettuce, was difficult to eat. But it tasted good. I will, again, wish that they had blue cheese dressing.

I wanted to try their corndogs, which were only on the "kid's" menu. It came with some fries and a small drink. I kept having to refill the drink, but at least I could take it with me. The corndog was good, I would order this again.

Closing Restaurants and Shops

2011-09-11T19:48:00.000-07:00

In this difficult economic time I am continually saddened by the closing down of restaurants and stores in Morro Bay.

Today is the final day that the Bob's Big Boy (that took over the former Denny's building on Quintana 2 years ago) will be open. I visited this restaurant at least twice a month, and after the first couple of months their customers stopped visiting. The last couple of months the quality and service had been declining, now I know why -- they were "phoning it in" knowing the end was near.

I usually stay off the Embarcadero during the "high" tourist season, for obvious reasons to whoever lives here. No parking, too many people, etc. I am not complaining, these tourists are keeping our community from sinking even further down in the mire of this economic downturn. But, I was surprised to learn today that another new restaurant had closed down. Anchor Park Cafe, owned by the people who bring us one of the best restaurants on the Embarcadero (The Hofbrau), was only open for about 2 months!! I ate there only once, but was impressed at the unique menu and they had by far the best fish and chips on the strip!! There is an Italian restaurant there now (Rocca's) and I hope they make it through the dry months where fewer tourists are in town.

The Pelican Grill is another restaurant that started out great but, as I returned several times throughout their short time at the South end of the Embarcadero, they began to substitute cheaper quality ingredients and their dishes suffered for it. Next thing I knew they were replaced by Miss Lola's Southside Grill (Lola is known locally for Frankie and Lola's Front Street Cafe up on the North end of the Embarcadero). Only time will tell if that restaurant can pull through.

These last two examples were totally renovated before the two failed restaurants moved in, so I suspect they both took quite a loss and the new restaurants inherited a completely renovated venue. Another restaurant that has closed its doors is The Whale's Tail. Ironically, they used to be down on the Embarcadero in the same building as Rocca's is now. They moved up to a building where the Gourmet Grub used to be, on Morro Bay Blvd. I didn't get a chance to visit the Gourmet Grub before it closed, but was happy to have another restaurant on the Boulevard. I went by a couple weeks ago to take a picture of their sign for this blog and found that they went out of business. Sadly, they were one of my top two fish and chips restaurants, now both are closed!! [Followup: there is another business moving into this building, perhaps another restaurant?]

A thrift store on Morro Bay Boulevard went out of business, but was quickly taken over by another one. Another thrift store at the top of Morro Bay Boulevard also went out of business, but has yet to be taken over by another shop. There are so many storefronts that are available for rent in town, and they have been available for months, even years!! I am hearing rumors that Giancarlos, The Hungry Fisherman, and The Nibble Nook are all for sale. So sad. I sure hope this economy picks up soon, or we could lose our draw for the tourists that help support our lifestyles.

On a good note, a restaurant from the Embarcadero (DiStasio's on The Bay) has taken over the former Anthony's restaurant. They are now open for business for dinner and plan on adding lunch soon. Another restaurant is opening soon over in North Morro Bay (Weeman's Burgers) across the street from the now demolished-waiting-for-renovation Taco Bell. There is a new florist on Main Street in North Morro Bay, there is also a new party store at the top of Morro Bay Boulevard. There are salons closing, and more opening. A new yoga place opened up, and a new spa as well. We have an Urgent Care in town now, great when we don't have to drive all the way into SLO for a simple injury. And we have a wine-tasting place (Stax) now, which I have yet to try, I hear they also offer some food options now.

Bottom line is we need to patronize these restaurants and shops, especially in the "off" season, or they might have to close down.

OK, off my soap box for now.

Review - Restaurant - The View at Morro Bay

2011-09-11T13:16:00.000-07:00

I have been meaning to try out the restaurant at the State Park Golf Course in Morro Bay for a couple of years now, and I finally got the chance. It is basically a glorified snack bar. I had the most fun people-watching while I ate my lunch!! Golfers are a whole 'nother breed of folks!! Most of the business this place has is the golfers picking up some food (and DRINK) for their golf day. Most meals were taken with them on their carts. People also fueled up after their golfing day.

This "snack bar" is also a "bar bar"!! They even have a happy hour. While I was there folks ordered beer and mixed drinks (a double vodka cranberry was ordered for lunch!!) One little old lady ordered a hot chocolate, asking what they had to "go in it"!! I would love to just hang out here people-watching for hours on end. Oh, there was also a Rotary Club meeting going on in the banquet room so there was a bit of a parking issue.

Their items are quite overpriced, but they are made in the back fresh by hand. There are many "regulars" who just have to walk up and the ladies know what they will order. I ordered the Cheeseburger, which came with fries, and I also ordered a large soda (she gave me one refill). When I ordered my meal the "Tip" jar was almost empty, but by the time I added my dollar after my meal it had at least $10 in it!! These ladies sure make great tip money :-)

I had to take a picture of this humongous cookie they are selling!! Check out the size by comparing the $5 bill next to it!!

The burger tasted like one I would get off the grill at home, charcoal taste. It was large and tasty. The fries were slightly seasoned steak fries, although they didn't stay crispy and warm very long. I am not sure I even finished the fries!! I got a soda refill, and I liked being able to take the cup with me when I left.

I decided to try their grilled chicken breast sandwich out, no tomatoes, no bbq sauce, cheddar not swiss. It was a bit spicy and too salty, must have been the seasoning on the chicken. I didn't like the french fries enough to have them this time, but the pickle was a nice touch. I wanted to dine on the patio, but there was a rude cigar smoker. All of the other tables were taken by non-diners so I had to eat at the table right next to the snack bar. The soda was a bit flat, but I was able to get one refill to-go. I didn't like that the credit card slip asked for a tip and there was a tip jar also. I don't like tipping before service, but then I think the gal thinks I don't tip because she doesn't see the money going into the jar!! It took a while to get the sandwich, but that means they cooked it fresh, which is a good thing, and it had a nice char-grilled taste.

They also have specials, so I might try one out one of these days. I don't like the chairs at the tables, they are for skinny butts!! They have a patio, but they allow smoking so that is not an option for many people. They offer breakfast options, as well as lunch and a full bar. I think they forgot my receipt both times I dined here, but one time for sure. I did see that a golfer got the wrong order, but he was nice about it. If I was in the mood for this sort of food and wanted to people-watch I might return here some day.

Review - Restaurant - Miss Lola's Southside Grill

2011-08-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

This is a newly-opened restaurant located in the building on the South end of the Embarcadero which formerly housed the Pelican Grill. Don't know if they plan to use the outdoor grill, but their menu has some promise. The restaurant is related to Frankie and Lola's on the North end of the Embarcadero, and they are known for their unique dishes.

The day I visited this restaurant, however, I got sucked into the special of the day. Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies. You can see by the photo that this is not your typical meatloaf!! The plating was creative, I enjoyed the sprig of thyme (?) sprouting out of the mashed potatoes. I actually ate my cooked carrots, something I usually don't do because they are too mushy!! But these were still crisp!! The potatoes were good, also, with the gravy. However, the meatloaf was a true disappointment. It was wrapped in bacon and pan-fried. I guess I just like my meatloaf moist, I had never seen meatloaf prepared this way before and assumed it would be just a warm slice.

I also ordered a salad, having them leave off the items I didn't want. I was surprised to find some shredded peppers included on the plate, since they weren't noted on the menu!! I picked them off and enjoyed the rest. The lettuce was not torn small enough to be able to eat this salad neatly, but the blue cheese dressing was nice and I enjoyed the salad.

I returned later to try out their Pinochle sandwich, peanut butter, bacon, and sliced Granny Smith apples on sourdough bread. I was excited to try this sandwich, which brings together many flavors and textures. I was not happy, however, that it took over a half-hour to arrive at my table. The restaurant was a bit crowded, but from what I could tell most of the diners had already finished their lunch. Perhaps there were many folks outside. I also would have preferred that the sourdough was toasted, to add to the texture and bring out the sourdough flavor. The french fries were out of this world, however, and made the high price worth it.

I had a hankering for some chicken strips for lunch recently and decided to try out theirs. I didn't want the fries, so I was able to get 3 strips without fries for the same price as 2 strips with fries. They were great, although it took a while to get them. Perhaps I will order them and eat a salad while I wait next time?

Overall the food was acceptable, if a bit high-priced. I noticed that the meatloaf was still on the Specials menu. Several of the tables were missing their napkin holders, and the register person forgot to ask if I wanted fries or cole slaw (luckily I would have had the fries as that is apparently their default). I will return here again to try some of the more unusual menu items, they have a variety of macaroni and cheese dishes, as well as some other interesting sandwiches!! They do offer a child's chicken strip meal which I will also try one day soon. The day I was there the restaurant seemed to be doing a great business, locals and tourists. Now that the Tourist Season is almost over I hope they will be able to make a go of it, as the former restaurant had to shut down.

Review - Restaurant - Rocca's

2011-03-01T16:41:00.001-08:00

You can find the most recent Italian restaurant to open in Morro Bay at the former location of the long-time Whale's Tail restaurant and the short-lived Anchor Park Cafe on the Embarcadero. This place is mostly Italian, but purports to offer "authentic" English fish and chips. We'll see about that later!! I ordered the Tortellini Bake, which comes with a couple slices of "garlic" bread, and a bottomless soda. I was going to order a side salad, but it was puny and cost $3.00!! I notice that they offer a Caesar salad, to which you can add chicken or shrimp, for $6.00, and a House salad for $5.00. I might try one of those next time.

Their Tortellini Bake has a choice of Alfredo or Marinara sauce, and she told me that I could add chicken or shrimp for $3.00. It came to the table in one of those foil take-out containers, which made me think it was going to be like a cheap TV dinner!! It was not cheap, at $10, and it tasted great. For those who don't like fresh garlic, beware, this dish had chunks of garlic that I was chewing!! It is covered with a lot of mozzarella cheese and I could only eat half of the dish. I took the rest home for leftovers, and I suspect it will heat up well (the cream sauce separated when reheated, but the tortellini was still good). The tortellini were cooked just right, and the Alfredo sauce was creamy and tasty. I will definitely consider ordering this the next time I come here.

The bread was nothing to write home about, though, sort of like Texas toast. But, I finished it off while I ate my Tortellini. They offer free refills of sodas, but you have to fill them yourself at the dispenser which is sort of behind the counter.

The newly remodeled building is much brighter than its former incarnation, and offers a nice view of the Rock from the two tables in the back. They have a high-chaired bar for folks who do not wish to sit at the tables, and there are two slatted cafe style tables out front. I chose the table in the back with the best view of Morro Rock. The utensils and condiments are self-serve, but the server brings you your food. I will definitely return here, perhaps to try their pizza and definitely to try out their "English" fish and chips. I might bring my family here when they come to visit, since there are some seafood dishes that are relatively unique. And, I enjoyed a beautiful sunset while I ate dinner.

Note: The date on this post is misleading, I modified my previous post which was about the Anchor Park Cafe. I believe Rocca's opened sometime in late Spring or early Summer 2011.

Review - Restaurant - Shawn's on Main

2011-02-11T15:47:00.001-08:00

Shawn's on Main

I had just come off of a successful interview and I needed a nice relaxing place for dinner. I like that the menu changes and is short. Shawn send out an ahi-based mini-appetizer for me to try while I waited for my salad, I forgot to take a pic but it was yummy.

The salad I ordered was the "Baby Greens, Grapes, Gorgonzola, Pecans, Walnut Sherry Vinaigrette". There was a perfect balance of sweet, salty and sour flavors, with a nice balance of textures.

For my entree I ordered the "Penne Paste, Grilled Chicken Breast, Veggies, Arugula Cream, Feta" dish. The only thing missing was some bread to mop up the sauce with after I was finished!! I tell you, I don't eat cooked vegetables, especially zucchini. My mother's technique for cooking vegetables was to slice them and "saute" in butter, making sure to slather with salt and pepper. If vegetables in my youth tasted like those in this dish I would have eaten them!! I ate all the zucchini, tomatoes, and arugula alongside the pasta, chicken, and feta cheese.

Of course, I had to order dessert!! They offered a granny apple tart that was amazing with its caramel sauce and whipped cream. The perfect end to a wonderful meal. I will definitely return to this restaurant again when I want to experience fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere.

Review - San Luis Obispo Thrift Stores

2011-02-11T15:34:00.000-08:00

Thrift Stores in San Luis Obispo

I often find some great household items in this shop, sometimes it has an odd odor though. They have a great selection of constantly changing items. There is a little parking lot in the back, and you can also park on the side street and walk to the three shops in this neighborhood.

This shop has nice inexpensive books, lots of old textbooks and religious books. They also have a great selection of household items. They get lots of new donations and so their inventory changes frequently.

This shop does not have a lot of turn-around so the same items sit on the shelves month to month. I check it out a couple of times a year.

Review - Atascadero Thrift Stores

2011-02-01T20:37:00.001-08:00

Atascadero Thrift Stores

This shop is affiliated with the Achievement House, although it is much smaller than the other thrift shops of theirs I have visited. They had a bag sale and a sale on books today, I was able to find 6 books to purchase. As with all of the Achievement House shops, you must be patient with the workers, and the money goes to a great cause. This shop is nestled back in a strip mall shopping center just north of Santa Rosa, on the east side of the street.

The Atascadero Goodwill shop is just like all the other Goodwills in the area. This shop has a silent auction case, which you should always check out just in case there are any deals to be had. There are only modern books here, with a few older ones thrown in randomly. I noticed that there were quite a few hardbacks, not so many paperbacks. They offer some new merchandise that had probably been remaindered from some local store, as well as a nice selection of household goods. The Goodwills in the area run daily specials, today's was 10% for educators and students. Too bad there was nothing I was interested in, I could have used the discount!!

This shop is in a new building, after their nice old one burned several years ago. Their old one had so much merchandise, years worth, and I was lucky to have visited before it burned. They have been building up their merchandise since the building burned, and now have a nice collection of items for sale. Once you get past the Christian music being broadcast to the store there are some nice items to be had. They also offer a weekly raffle for those who bring their own bags!! Today I found a couple books, and one interesting vintage collectible bird card book from the 1930s!!

Review - Restaurant - Coffee Cottage Coffee House

2011-01-29T19:40:00.001-08:00

I was hungry for breakfast and headed for the Otter Rock Cafe, where I had some great french toast last year. While I was walking on the Embarcadero I discovered this cute coffee shop. Their street placard indicated they offered breakfast, but their breakfast offerings are bland and uninteresting. They offer some muffins and cookies, and some yummy-looking scones, but I ordered their chicken salad croissant sandwich with a couple of canned sodas. Although there were three tall table indoors I chose to sit at one of the outdoor tables reserved for Coffee Cottage patrons.

The croissant was fresh, the chicken salad was simple and tasty. I liked the crispy shredded iceberg lettuce and the flaky fresh croissant. The chicken tasted like canned chicken to me, it was shredded and rather uniform in color. I would have liked the sandwich better if there had more chunks of other things in the salad (like celery, grapes, nuts, etc.) To be fair, I did order the sandwich without most of the fixin's (no tomato, no onion, no pickle, etc.) She brought the sandwich out to me, and brought me a cup of ice for my sodas.

I think this shop is really a coffee shop that happens to have some food options. The woman who helped me was friendly and many locals patronize her shop. I didn't have a problem with them, but visitors should be aware that there are a couple of resident dogs who hang around outside the restaurant. I couldn't tell if they were the restaurant owners' dogs or if they belonged to the office next door. They kept to themselves, but people with their own dogs might have a visitor to their table!!

The Otter Rock Cafe is two doors down and, unfortunately, in addition to the people hanging out in front of the business next door, this outdoor area seems to be where the workers and visitors come to smoke. To be fair, the wind was working in my favor and I didn't get a whiff of the cigarette smoke until a guy came by to visit with the guys hanging around outside the business next door to the restaurant and walked right by my table.

When all is said and done, I would most likely return for the friendly service, coffee, and the view. And perhaps one of their blueberry scones!!

Review - Restaurants in San Simeon

2011-01-26T22:20:00.000-08:00

Chief's Galley
(Hearst Castle Visitor Center)

I needed to get some lunch before I watched the IMAX movie at the Hearst Castle Visitor Center and decided to try out their cafeteria.

They use Hearst Ranch beef in their burgers, and I added bacon. It was cooked just right, not too dry. They serve the cheeseburger with a pickle and kettle chips. Unfortunately the chips should have been kept separate because they got soggy under the cheeseburger and pickle. I will definitely eat here again if I am at the Visitor Center. There was a special burger that had avocado and bacon on it, this was probably the most popular item. When I got there around noon there was a totally long line, and a wait while they cooked the burger, but by the time I picked up the burger the line was totally gone!! Weird.

There 32 ounce drink cup is $4.00 and is a refillable souvenir cup. I brought it back and refilled on my way out the door after the movie and museum. I will keep the cup in my car so I can get free refills if I ever come up here again.

Review - Cayucos Thrift Stores and Antique Shops

2011-01-26T21:41:00.000-08:00

I enjoy heading up to Cayucos to check out their antique shops and thrift store. There is an antique shop on the left as you drive into town from the South that is hardly ever open. I did shop there once and got a great item so I always look to see if it is open when I am in town. Sometimes the library has books for sale, but I don't know if they will still do this in their new location at the grade school.

Remember When Antiques

This is a great shop that is in an old mercantile building from the late 1800s. There are three floors, and it is a mall-style shop. I enjoy this style of shop because it offers lots of different types of items, and this shop does not disappoint. However, there were a lot of empty stalls, and there are a ton of "new" items for sale now. There is a second shop down the street, perhaps they should consolidate the booths again and get rid of the new items. That said, I did buy one thing here, and it was from a new booth!! The folks were friendly here, and I will definitely return again.

Rich Man - Poor Man Antiques Mall

This is another mall-style antique shop, and it is also in an old 3-story mercantile building from the late 1800s. It is nice to have two shops so close to each other, so you don't have to walk too far between shops!! Most of the items in here are old items, but they have had the same stuff here forever!! This can be good, but it might keep the locals from regularly shopping here, they will assume that they have already seen everything. I will definitely return here, hoping that there will be something I can't live without!!

Remember When Too! Antiques

This shop is a couple blocks south of the other two mall-style shops, and must be related to Remember When. The shop is smaller, only one story, and has lots of jewelry and stuff in glass cases. There is a lot of ethnic art and jewelry booths. There isn't a lot of the sort of stuff I shop for, but most people will find something they like. One negative is that there is a strong odor of mildew when you enter the building. When I am in town I will return to this shop.

Cayucos Seniors Gift 'N Thrift

I try to always stop at this thrift shop on my way through town. It used to be next to the Cayucos library, but now that the library has moved I fear that their customer base might suffer. Of course, the library might also suffer from lack of patrons due to the move away from the thrift store. There is a pretty good selection of books here, and also some home-crafted items for sale. There is not a lot of turnover in the shop, and I see the same things each time I shop here. I will still check the shop out when I pass through town.

Review - Arroyo Grande Thrift Stores

2011-01-09T18:34:00.000-08:00

Once I finish the Grover Beach thrift stores, I continue into Arroyo Grande.

From southbound Grand, turn right on Elm. Turn into the parking lot and go left behind the Domino's to Another Time Around. I think this shop is run by a church group, but I am not sure. They have a little room off to the right of the main entrance for "boutique" items. Don't forget to check out the drawers under the window counter display for hidden items. This shop is good for decorative items and books. I have purchased books here, as well as some craft items. I find that there is not a lot of turnover in this shop, I see the same items there for many months and not many fresh items.

Turn left from the parking lot onto Elm and get in the right lane. Turn right on Grande and immediately get into the left turn lane. Turn left on Briscoe and go up the hill. On the right, just after an auto body shop, is a tiny thrift store run by the Episcopaleans called St. Barnabas Thrift Shop. I like the selection of books here, and I often find some good deals on kitchen and decorative items. Like other thrift stores you might luck out and find a nice collectible item for a good price. They have bag sales periodically, and often have books on sale. Again, I find that there is not a lot of turnover in this shop, I see the same items there for many months and not many fresh items.

Get back on Briscoe and head down the hill. Be careful when leaving this shop because there is a lot of traffic coming down the hill. It is difficult to turn left onto Grande, but if you get impatient you might want to turn right and then make a U-turn to end up going southbound on Grande again. Stay in the left lane and keep your eyes open for a little driveway at the light (between the floor coverings place and the print shop). If you miss this turn you can turn in the next and backtrack. The shop is Treasure Hunters and you can find some real deals here if you are willing to search. The items are in sort of a rough order and sometimes you have to dig for what you want. There is a large selection of books and miscellaneous "guy" stuff. I usually buy kitchen items here, but have lucked out recently with some collectibles that were quite reasonably priced. There are many items that are not marked, and some items look like they have not been cleaned between the garage sale and the shop.

If you are still in the mood for shopping for books and audiobooks, when you leave the lot, turn left on Grande and get in the right lane. Turn right on Halcyon and turn into the lot for A-Z Books. I have never been in this shop before, mainly because I run out of money and motivation by the end of my thrifting day, but one day I will stop by here and update this review. While you are parked here you can cross the street and visit The Sound of Books, an audio bookstore. If you have anything that needs to be notarized, she does this too!! You can buy used audio books, or new audio books, and sometimes she has sales. When you leave the parking lot you can get back on Halcyon and head east to get back to 101. Sometimes I head up to Branch Street to see a movie in the Arroyo Grande Regal Theater or stop by the public library for some audio books.

Review - Grover Beach Thrift Stores

2011-01-09T17:37:00.000-08:00

When I want a good day of thrifting I hit 101 and head south for Grover Beach. I take the 4th Street exit and turn right on El Camino Real, then left on Grand.

My first stop is the Family Thrift Shop. Once I turn left onto 7th from Grand I turn right into the first parking lot (there is a restaurant on the corner). This shop is a bit hit-and-miss. I have found some craft supplies here, as well as some household pieces (particularly kitchen items). They have an area up some steps that has electronic items, and there is also a little area to the right of the main door that is for "boutique" items. This shop also has quite a bit more sporting goods items than others in the area. I find the items here overpriced, and sometimes when I get the item home there was some hidden damage.

After I finish at the Family Thrift Shop, I leave their parking lot on 7th and get back on Grand. Stay in the left lane and then turn left on 9th. Turn right into the parking lot. From this parking lot you can visit two shops. The first one I go to is on the east corner of Grand and 9th. Green Bargain is a great shop, with a large variety of antique and collectible items as well as "garage sale" items. I have purchased decorative items, books, and kitchen items here. I was able to find a vintage candy dish just like my Grandmother's and I filled it with Christmas candy for my brother and his family last year. Some items seem a bit over-priced, but if you need a particular item that might not matter. The items are arranged in a logical manner and the people at the desk know where specific items are if you ask.

The other shop, St. Patrick's School, is across Grand. It is run by a church school and has a nice variety of items. I am always greeted by a friendly person behind the counter. I always check out the books here, they are quite reasonably priced and there is a wide selection available. I have purchased a handbag here, as well as some kitchen items. My favorite purchase here was a pewter tankard for $1.25 that I could use at the Renaissance Festival for my mead!!

When I leave the parking lot I often head up the hill to visit the Grover Beach Volunteer Library, a cute library in an historic building. I accidentally found it on one of my thrifting trips and they sometimes have books for sale. It is up 9th and just past Ramona on the right. When I am finished here I head back down 9th and turn left on Grand. Get in the right lane if you want to stop at Nan's Used Books just past 13th on the right. They have a ton of books, but most are not priced really well. This is the place to go if you are looking for a used book at half price and can't find it anywhere else. She also has some vintage books and I like looking through the crafting books. There is a large selection of audio books if you are interested in purchasing these rather than checking them out from your local library. I believe that you can sell or trade books here as well. I find this shop roughly-organized and I found it a bit overwhelming, and I think the only thing I ever bought here was a knitting book. Several times I have detected a cigarette smell and, worse due to the contagious nature, mildew smell. I have also observed and experienced some rude behavior on the part of the gal behind the counter. However, this shop has its regulars, so this must not bother many people.

Get back on Grand and stay in the right lane. Just past 16th turn right into the big parking lot. Head back into the strip mall and look for the Goodwill Store. This is a typical Goodwill store, but they often have an auction case set up. I recently made a bid on a vintage fly-rod, but was outbid. The one negative about this auction was that they wouldn't open the case for me to inspect the item I was bidding on. It is a silent auction format and there didn't seem to be a lot of people participating. I live out of the area so it was hard for me to follow-up on my bid since I had to do it in person. I have purchased books here, as well as kitchen items. Occasionally they miss a great vintage item and have it priced really low, so keep your eyes open. There are often items that are not marked, and the counter people do not know how to wrap fragile items.

Get back on Grand and stay in the right lane. When you cross Oak Park Blvd. you will be in Arroyo Grande. See the Review on Arroyo Grande thrift shops for the rest of my review!!

Review - Bakery - Carlock's Bakery (Los Osos)

2010-12-31T19:16:00.000-08:00

I finally got in to visit Carlock's Bakery in Los Osos and purchased a grab-bag of items to test out. My favorite was the maple thumbprint cookie (at 1:00 in the picture). I will definitely return for those if I am in the neighborhood. This family-owned bakery is always crowded and people visit when they come to town. There is a great bookstore next door, which is why I was there to begin with, and I will return there as well.

Follow-up: I heard that this bakery is no longer owned by the Carlock family, and that the last time someone visited they were served by a whole new batch of people. I hope they can match the success of the Carlock family, especially since I believe they will be keeping the name. Today I went by and, indeed, there was a whole new batch of folks working there. I ordered my favorite, the maple thumbprint cookie, and it was good. The cookie seemed a bit less crisp than in the past, but it tasted good. There were several people there, and they all seemed happy with the service and quality of the items they ordered. I hope the quality will continue, especially because I saw a listing for a baker in Los Osos on Craigslist today!!

2010 Seaside Highland Games in Ventura

2010-10-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

I know this is not in Morro Bay, but this is apparently the closest that any Highland Games will get to Morro Bay!! I drove about two and a half hours down to Ventura last weekend to attend the 2010 Seaside Highland Games. I expected it to be similar to a Renaissance Faire, but it was a lot more serious, no play-acting that I saw. Serious people in serious plaid!! I lost count of how many men were wearing kilts, mostly plaid but some solid and more utilitarian. And I have to say I was pleased not to be surrounded by people joking about what is under a man's kilt!!

Their advertising promised "large men throwing heavy things", and they didn't disappoint. I watched the "pitching the sheaf" competition where large men (and smaller ladies) pitched a burlap-covered sack with a pitchfork up and over a high bar. The winner of the men's competition (Andrew Hobson) is known nationally and almost broke his personal record of 32 feet 6 inches!! He is a handsome 250-pound, 6 foot 4-inch tall Irish-Navajo from Arizona who teaches art as his "real" job!!

Andrew Hobson

Dancing, folk music groups, and pipe bands abounded. They were out and about practicing and competing all day. I witnessed the amazing Closing Ceremonies where ten pipe bands (known as the "Mass Bands") paraded into the arena and played some songs together.

There were two great tribal Celtic rock bands performing throughout the day on an outdoor stage. I loved that they used a didgeridoo and lots of drums to create that sonorous tribal beat. After most people went home there was a "jam" where they were all to play together on the stage. However, due to my long drive home, I left before that started.

BROTHER

Next time I will watch the loud demonstration of canons and Gatling guns, but this time I got to see some darling Border Collies do their thing with some sheep in the ring.

I could find only one authentic Scottish food booth, and the line stretched for many yards at lunch time. I tried their Scottish Meat Pie, which was some ground seasoned beef mixed with oats, in a pastry. They offered haggis, but I don't think I am ready for that yet!!

I brought my genealogy, which included three Scottish names, and attended the genealogy workshop. The teacher is a renowned genealogist whose specialty is Scottish ancestry. She also heads up several "Family Tree DNA" groups, and encouraged all the men in the room to submit their DNA for inclusion to the growing database. They are finding that you can verify which line you are from using the "Y" chromosome DNA and comparing it to the known samples in the database. If you have already tested with the "National Geographic" DNA project, you can add those test results to the "Family Tree DNA" database for free, but that only covers 12 points. You get a better comparison if you submit more points with "Family Tree DNA". I was disappointed that only one of my Clans had a booth at the Games, but they are not very common names. In fact, one of them does not even have its own clan, but is a "sept" of another one, which means it is under fealty to that name. I am definitely "sparked" now and hope to visit my local genealogy library soon to research some more aspects of my Scottish family names.

Alice M. Fairhurst

I definitely plan on returning to these Games next year, and I will plan on a whole day to enjoy the fun!!

Restaurants between Morro Bay and the Bay Area

2010-10-08T18:30:00.000-07:00

I drive Highway 101 from San Luis Obispo to the San Francisco Peninsula at least twice a month. Often I get hungry on the road, and so I have stopped at quite a few restaurants along the route.

Linda Taqueria
(Gonzales)

One of my favorite places to stop on this drive is the Linda Taqueria in Gonzales. It is located right off the freeway, in the "Dairy Queen" parking lot. In addition to standard Mexican-American fare, this taqueria also offers some traditional Mexican dishes (including dishes with tongue, head, gut, tripe, and stomach). I ordered a chicken burrito with no salsa or onions. They also sell a variety of Mexican drinks, I bought two of the Jarritos. Their food is affordable, and the chips are great. Their salsa was a bit too spicy for me, though!!

Follow-up, I ordered their standard-sized burrito the next time I went there and it was still humongous, I think I will have to see if they have a child's sized one next time!!

I tried something else the last time I was there, I think it was called a Chimechanga, although I could be wrong. It was deep fried and huge!! Definitely hard to drive while trying to eat this thing!! I think I saw something like a taquito on their picture menu, but they called it a "flauta". Perhaps I will try that next time!!

San Ardo Café
(San Ardo)

San Ardo is a little town on that stretch of 101 with the oil pumps. It is the only town for miles around that has a service station, and it also has only one restaurant, the San Ardo Cafe. This restaurant is a family-run restaurant that also runs a mobile food truck. They are known for their Mexican food, but it was so warm the day I stopped that I ordered a club sandwich. Next time I will try their Mexican food. They told me that I could call ahead when I am on the road and place the order to-go and it will be ready for me when I arrive!! They even gave me a paper copy of their menu so I could keep it in my car. The trouble is that they are only open for breakfast and lunch, and often I am on the road after they close.

The sandwich was nice, fries were crisp and tasty. The turkey was good quality, but I think it might have been processed and smoked. There was some confusion about what came on the club sandwich. I ordered a salad, and it was nice. The blue cheese was a bit vinegary, but on a warm day it hit the spot. There was some confusion about whether their sodas had free refills, turns out they are not free refills. One surprise was a bowl of fantastic chips and salsa!! I couldn't leave until I finished them all. I picked up a Jarritos on my way out the door, and they filled a cup I had with ice for the road. I will definitely be back.

Wild Horse Café
(King City)

The Wild Horse Cafe is right off of Highway 101, just south of King City. I have driven past here for years and only recently was I able to stop for a late lunch. I ordered the special tri-tip sandwich meal deal, with a salad on the side. It came with a drink. They are mainly a truck stop, but there are plenty of other travelers and locals as well. There is a little store for stuff you might need while on the road (e.g. pain relievers and no-doz), as well as a whole case of collectible pins. They offer wifi, but it is not free, you need a credit card. This would be great for the truckers, but these days they should not be charging for customers!! The theme of the restaurant was definitely Western, heads of animals and rifles decorated the walls. They had a TV going, on FoxNews!! I will let you draw your own conclusions. They have a bar, tables, and booths. I won't be coming here again, the two servers were so slow and were watching TV the whole time. A local came in and it was several minutes before they helped him, even though he was trying to get their attention by squeaking his chair!! Even though this restaurant has been in the family for over 30 years, good service is still necessary for repeat customers!!

The salad was good, but the sandwich desperately needed more meat!! I liked that the table has a roll of paper towels so I didn't have to ask for more napkins. I like that they use Hearst Ranch beef, but I wish there was more of it ...

In & Out Burger
(Gilroy)

I stopped at the Gilroy outlets on Leavesley and decided to get a burger for dinner. This chain is always popular, although I don't prefer it. I got a Double Double (double meat, double cheese) meal, which includes fries and a drink. They gave it to me in a "car" box so the fries wouldn't fly all over the car. The burger was good, I ordered it plain because they didn't offer mayonnaise (only their "spread", which is like thousand island dressing). Their french fries are certainly unique, purported to be made from fresh potatoes. I personally don't prefer their texture, although they are probably healthier than other fast food options.

I have to say, also, that I am not wild about their placement of Bible quotations on the bottom of their cups and burger bags (John 3:16 and Nahum 1:7). John 3:16 was familiar to me ("For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."), but I had never heard of Nahum 1:7 ("The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him"). I liked the sentiment of the Nahum quote, although I still don't believe that the Bible should be used a "product placement".

MikoMiko Hawaiian Grill
(San Jose)

I stopped off on Cochrane Rd. in South San Jose for the Staples store for some Katsu Chicken at Ono Hawaiian BBQ but, alas, they are out of business and a new owner has taken over the building. I had a craving for Katsu Chicken so I decided to try some. The owner told me that they have the same menu.

The Katsu sauce is a bit more spicy than I remember, I had to mix it with the Teriyaki sauce to make it palatable. I have to say, though, that this dish is not easy to eat while driving!! In fact, I didn't even eat most of the rice. The dish comes with a scoop of macaroni salad and a scoop of rice. The macaroni salad is not very vinegary, which I like, and I suspect it might be bland like this in order to take the edge off the spicy katsu sauce.

Chicken Katsu, white rice, macaroni salad

Canton Garden
(Gonzales)

Stopped by the Canton Garden in Gonzales to get some finger food for my drive. The egg rolls were fantastic, but the cream cheese wontons were just OK. I might stop here again for some egg rolls and I might try some other finger foods. Priced somewhat high, but if the food is good that's OK.

I stopped once more here, but it was too expensive and disappointing. Also, it was hard to drive and eat Chinese food at the same time!!

Egg Rolls and Cream Cheese Wontons

Wendy's
(Paso Robles)

I stopped in Paso Robles at the Walmart and decided to try out Wendy's. I don't think I have ever eaten at a Wendy's and I see their commercials on TV all the time. I decided to try out their Chicken sandwich meal and a coffee-toffee shake. The chicken sandwich was OK, but their "new and improved" fries with natural cut and sea salt were not very good. Some people might like their fries like this but I prefer them thin and crispy. Also, their special shake was TERRIBLE, and it was quite expensive!! If I find myself at another Wendy's in the future I might order their chicken sandwich, but it will be a la carte and I won't be tempted by their coffee toffee shake in the future.

Jose's Country Kitchen
(Paso Robles)

I was driving home from the Bay Area and was hungry for dinner. I had always wanted to stop at this truck stop, but the time of day was always wrong!! This time I saw the light on as I passed and actually flipped a U-ey onthe 101 to get back to the turn-off. They are relatively new, although the building has been there for a while. There weren't too many folks there at 8:15 pm, but there was one "vagabond" couple, a pair of traveling businessmen, and a local guy came in for take out while I was there.

The salad was good, although the pieces of lettuce were quite large. I happily used both containers of blue cheese dressing. They also do free refills on the sodas.

I had decided to try their home-made chips, but won't again. They were either too done or not done enough. And there was no salt or flavoring on them. The cheeseburger was large and tasted good. I wish it had been a bit more rare, but these days it is hard to find a good juicy hamburger. I will definitely come here again, they have a varied menu and told me I could call ahead with my order from my car!!

Cool Hand Luke's
(Paso Robles)

I attended my work Christmas party here, and was impressed with the quality of their food. The server was attentive and friendly. The only negative was that the restaurant closed really early on a Sunday night and we had to rush through our party.

Their bread was amazing, warm and crusty, with herb butter. I tried not to eat too many rolls, but couldn't resist dipping it in everything.

They serve baked beans as part of the appetizer portion of the dinner. I don't eat these, but my co-workers enjoyed them.

I discovered that they will refill your salad unlimited, so I had croutons on my first round. The pita strips were amazing on the salad from my second round. I will definitely order these for all rounds when I come here again!! Great blue cheese dressing, also.

We had a limited menu (for the party) and I chose Prime Rib with a baked potato. I don't remember ever having prime rib, and it was nice, a bit fatty, but I don't know if that is normal. The potato was great, I got all the "fixin's".

I said yes to the dessert, Bread Pudding, which I had never had before. I enjoyed the flavor, although it seemed a bit burned to my tongue. Don't know if that is what it is supposed to taste like, though. It was sort of like french toast with ice cream and caramel sauce!!

I will definitely come here again when I am meeting up with folks in Paso Robles.

Review - Restaurants - Li'l Hut

2010-08-22T16:42:00.001-07:00

My family has come to this cute little walk-up shack outside of the Harbor Hut for decades. There is plenty of outdoor seating, most under a roof, and it is quite casual and good for families. The condiments are on the tables, with the plastic utensils and paper napkins at the pick-up window. You bus your own table into the trash cans.

These chicken strips are the best in town, meaty with not too much batter, and served hot and crispy. There are 5 strips, and they don't offer a half-order like they do for their fish and chips. The french fries are crispy and lightly seasoned, but I wish they would disclose that they are seasoned somewhere on their menu. You could easily split this dish with someone else, the strips are quite filling and I usually can't finish my fries. I need to ask if I can order them without fries next time!! I wish they had a non-coleslaw option for salad, but I would rather have good chicken strips and no salad than bad chicken strips with a salad!!

I will definitely be returning here for chicken strips, but I also wish to try their burgers. My biggest negative is that they only give you one refill on your soda now (12 oz. cup) and that they want to charge you for extra dipping sauces (although they don't always actually charge you). You need to be careful of birds eating your food if you leave it unattended outside. Also, there are no signs posted for NO SMOKING, so people leave the restaurant and light up outside the door, or people are just walking through with a lighted cigarette. The safest place is under the roof if you wish to avoid the smoking.

Best Fish & Chips in Morro Bay??

2010-08-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

To honor my two years living in Morro Bay, I began a quest today to find the best Fish & Chips in town. I often get asked by visitors where they can get the best fish and chips. Now, keep in mind that I am not a fish person, can't stand the taste of most fish. This is difficult to explain to people when living in a fishing town!! My goal is to use fish and chips as a segue to other fish. Once a week I will try fish and chips at a different restaurant, starting at the fishing end of the Embarcadero!!

Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant

I began my quest at the Rock end of the Embarcadero. Tognazzini's has a fish market, so I had high hopes for my Fish and Chips. The Fish was "lightly breaded", not the beer batter style I usually see people getting. They looked beautiful, but unfortunately the fish was rather chewy, rubbery really, it even got stuck in my teeth!! The fish was fresh, though, and didn't taste "fishy". The lemon was hidden under the fries, so I didn't even find it until I was done. They offered a little cup of tartar sauce, which I had never tried before today. They also included a little bowl of cole slaw, which I suspect is traditional. They do offer you the option of ordering a side salad instead of the "chips", but thankfully I didn't do this as the "Chips" were fantastic!! I dipped them in the blue cheese dressing I had left over from my salad. I won't be ordering fish and chips here again, but I will remember to order the french fries next time.

The Harbor Hut

So, my second ever fish and chips was disappointing again. I don't know if the technique of frying the fish makes it chewy at the edges, or if it is the breading, but both tries have been a bit chewy. The inside of the fish was more moist and tender, though. I tried some of their cocktail sauce, but it was a bit too spicy. I also tried the lemon, which helped a bit. Their menu version of this dish has 3 pieces of fish, but the waitress was kind enough to give me two and lower the price. Their "chips" were just passable, a bit too potatoey for me, I was happy they brought some ketchup to the table. Also, they forgot the coleslaw, which was listed on the menu. Perhaps she docked me the coleslaw since I had ordered a side salad? I am curious if the Lil' Hut will have the same fish, I will try them next.

Li'l Hut

I wasn't in the mood for fish today, but I wanted to try their fish. I ordered one piece for $2.00, and they said the "chips" I would have gotten were the same as the ones that came with their chicken strips (see the Li'l Hut review to see a picture of their chips). The big, meaty piece of fish is lightly breaded and is served hot and crispy. Their tartar sauce is also good, and if people like a breaded fish and chips, this is the place to come. They have abundant seating outdoors, are good for families, and you can get food to-go if you want.

The Great American Fish Company

These fish and chips were thick and crispy. Unfortunately, like all the fish I have tried so far they are a bit tough at the edges. These are lightly breaded and were just the right size. I ordered the children's/senior's menu size which was just right. It came with typical tartar sauce, some mildly spicy cocktail sauce, and a lemon wedge. The "chips" are crispy and tasty, just a touch of seasoning on them. I didn't even need to dip them in the blue cheese dressing I save just in case!! The side of red cabbage salad, which I tried because I had never seen it offered anywhere else. I expected it to be a bit vinegary, but it was rather sweet. The view at this restaurant is superb, and I would recommend coming here if you don't want to sit outside at the Li'l Hut.

The Coffee Pot

I have been to this restaurant before and was not impressed by the service, but the food was OK. Since I am trying all the fish and chip options, I had to try theirs. I talked with the owner about getting a smaller portion, perhaps a child's size. It got all confused, and I ended up ordering a half-order (4 ounces) and they took a dollar off the price of a full order. The owner told me that Fish and Chips is sort of a standard item around here, and I told him that I had been to another restaurant which used a tempura-style batter, compared to the others I have tried that use breading. Turns out this restaurant serves a tempura or beer batter style fish here!! It was tasty, crispy on the outside and the fish was not chewy, like it is with the breading style. Although the fish was moist, it was a bit mushy, not flaky. Perhaps it was frozen at some time? The fries, however, were nothing to write home about, and I couldn't even eat them with ketchup. They do not bring the salad separately, so by the time I got to the fish and chips the fries were cold and tasteless. I also found it interesting that they only brought me tartar sauce, no cocktail sauce or malt vinegar (although I didn't ask for it). They didn't even have a lemon wedge on the plate. Another weird thing is that they serve pickles with their salad. Bottom line is that I could eat this fish again, but it is not quite what I am looking for.

Bayside Café

I love eating at the Bayside Café, at the Morro Bay State Park Marina. I try to get a seat by the window so I can have a great view. This restaurant is so popular that people come in from out of town just to dine here. I once waited for over an hour on a Friday night to be seated. They serve some basic dishes, such as chicken strips which are pretty good, but they are known for their twists on the standard. They have an interesting clam chowder, and their beer-battered fish and chips have extra herbs in the batter. They offer two sizes, small (3 pieces) and large (5 pieces), but keep in mind their pieces are quite large. Although I enjoyed the herbed-beer-battered preparation, the smaller pieces were a bit tough and the larger pieces tasted more fishy than I prefer. They are flaky and moist, though, so much that the moisture bleeds through the crispy batter on the bottom of the fish. The fries are nothing to write home about, slightly seasoned and made with the skins on. The tartar sauce was good, but I wished that I had more of it!! Bottom line, these are good if you want a variation on the standard beer-bettered fish, and if you prefer a fishy tasting meal.

Flying Dutchman

I know I said I would start at the rock-end of the Embarcadero, but I ended up trying the Flying Dutchman next. They offer a large (5-piece), small (3-piece), and a child's size (2-piece). Since I wasn't very hungry I ordered the child's size, which the waitress said included the same items as the adult sizes. The fish is Alaskan cod and is beer-battered. The batter was crispy, the fish was fresh, moist, and flaky. In fact, the flakes seemed larger than some of the others I have tried. The pieces are smaller than other restaurants, but it was just the right amount. They serve the fish in a basket with some shredded cabbage as a base, a lemon slice, and a cup of tartar sauce. The chips are lightly seasoned and crispy, no need for ketchup unless you let them get cool. Bottom line is that if someone wanted beer-battered fish and chips on the Embarcadero I would send them here, but I am still searching for my preferred fish & chips.

Giovanni's Fish Market & Galley

Since discovering that I prefer the beer-batter style of fish and chips I checked before I ordered these. I was happy that they had a "fish by the piece" option, and I ordered one. They do offer a children's plate with 2 pieces of fish, their regular fish and chips has 5 pieces. The "chips" are from my chicken strips that I ordered for my dinner, just in case I didn't like the fish and chips. I am sure that they give you more french fries than is pictured here. Also, they will substitute coleslaw for the fries if you wish. Their tartar sauce was good, and the fish was crispy, thick, and flaky, only a bit tough and chewy at the edge. These were acceptable, I am still searching. Fries were better when they were hot, and since I got these to-go they were not as hot by the time I got to them.

Hofbrau

This restaurant is known for its roast beef sandwiches, dipped in "au jus" sauce, and I usually get chicken strips here. Today, though, I tried their fish and chips. It was a good thing they were beer-batter style because I forgot to ask before I ordered!! I ordered the child's size meal, which included 1 piece of fish, fries, coleslaw, tartar sauce, a lemon wedge, and a full-sized soda. They also sell fish by the piece, but this option worked out better for my meal. I am so impressed by this fish that I will put it on my "short list" for the best fish and chips in town. The fish was crispy, moist, thick and flaky. No fishy flavor, and it wasn't too greasy. The piece was small enough not to fall apart when dipping in the sauce, which sometimes happens when the size of the fish is a bit too large. The fries are excellent, also, hot and crispy without a need for ketchup!!

Otter Rock Café

I asked about how these are breaded before I ordered. I almost didn't order them because he said they were just floured, no beer batter. However, they weren't breaded with bread crumbs so I decided to order them anyway. They were lightly breaded, pretty thick, moist, and flaky inside. They did lost most of their structure as I attempted to dip them using my hands in the tartar sauce, though. And, while they are the least tough at the edges of the non-beer battered options, they were a bit chewy at the edges. They offered a 3-piece option on the regular menu, and a 1-piece option on the kids menu (which is what I ordered). The tartar sauce was nice, the fish came with a lemon wedge, and they brought some malt vinegar to the table. The chips are slightly seasoned and thick. Unfortunately they were not crispy and I used the ranch dressing from my chicken strips and ketchup with them, not even finishing them. Bottom line is that this style of frying is probably healthier and lighter than the other breaded options in town, but I still prefer the beer-batter style.

The Galley

Sorry about the dark photo, but I dined at The Galley for dinner tonight. I decided to give their fish and chips a try when I heard they were lightly breaded with panko crumbs. They offer a child's size as well as an adult portion. You can order the fish with fries or a salad, but I remembered that they had amazing fries so I ordered my salad on the side. Their fish portions are generous and, although they weren't as tough around the edges as other restaurants, I still find I prefer the "beer batter" option. There was barely enough tartar sauce for the fish, which was moist, flaky, and thick. The pieces held together pretty well, although I did use my fork for some that fell apart. The fries were not as amazing as I remembered, and I didn't like the little flakes of parsley that kept sticking to my lips!! Bottom line, these are darn good fish if you prefer your fish breaded. The service was great and the view was wonderful as the sun set.

I had found 2 great Fish & Chips places but, unfortunately, both restaurants closed down. I am still after a good battered fish and chips, perhaps the new place Rocca's will have my new favorite. They purport to be English Style. I will try them out soon and let you know.

Central Coast Renaissance Festival

2010-07-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

I went to this festival last year, the first time I had ever attended a Renaissance Faire, and had such a great time that I decided to go again this year. I spent a year trying to find a pewter tankard that I could drink my mead from, and finally found one (and a pair of pewter goblets as well). That is about as far as my costume went, though.

Lara the Lacemaker

This event is nice and intimate, combining living history with vendors and a variety of shows. Kids would love this, but many of the games cost extra money.

The shows are free and usually involve singers, dancers, musicians, performers, and (the most fun) weapons!!

My favorite is the full-contact jousting, specifically the Queen's Joust, which is the final one of the weekend.

The food options are also varied and popular, the funnel cake line was the longest when I was there. I was a bit put off by the price for the mead I had looked forward to for a year. They charged the same amount but used such a cup half the size of the one they used last year. I will not be purchasing mead next year!! Bring lots of water, it gets warm here and the shade options are few and far between.

I loved how all the festival participants stayed in character, clothing, speech, and manner. The participants are like a family, they all know each other from the other Faires and have a good-natured banter going back and forth!! The Queen is perfect, just the right amount of "regalness" and her dress is beautiful. I got to play mancala with a Scotsman!! I will return here again next year if I am in town, fun was had by all.

San Luis Obispo Farmer's Market

2010-07-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I would celebrate my 2-year anniversary of living on the Central Coast by attending the weekly Farmer's Market in San Luis Obispo. I went once before, last Fall, when it was "WOW Week" for Cal Poly. It was really crowded with sororities and fraternities and most of the tables were political or religious in nature. Yesterday it was still crowded, but this time with tourists and children. You have to be really patient while walking through the market.

I noticed that there was only one political table per party this time, and only one blatantly religious one. They should have a grammar-check on their whiteboard!!

There was an interesting table that was pushing some paranoid agenda about the 9-11 terrorist attack. The group was purported to be composed of architects, engineers, and firefighters.

Overall, this event is amazing. They do not allow dogs, and have a bike parking lot. There are tons of different options for food, including crepes, BBQ, Italian, Mediterranean, Asian, dessert, snacks, face painting, dream interpretations, massages, caricatures, etc. F. McLintock's wins for the longest line!! The fresh produce was well-represented, my favorite was the booth that had white, purple, and orange carrots.

The music was also good, there was an old-fashioned patriotic county band, a jazz band, a new age guy, a "regular" band, and my favorite "The Lord of the Cello"!! This guy was dressed in a kilt with combat boots and was playing an electric cello. His music was fascinating, sort of like techno-Celtic!!

I will definitely be back for this farmer's market, especially if Marston Smith (the electric cellist) is performing. Here is a little video I made of a portion of his performance:

Review - San Luis Obispo Swap Meet

2010-07-13T14:03:00.000-07:00

I finally had a chance to check out the San Luis Obispo Swap Meet last Sunday. It is held at the Sunset Drive-In Theatre, and costs $1 for walk-ins, or $2 to park inside. Since my feet are bad, and there were no close parking places outside, I opted for the $2 fee. There are about 7 rows of offerings, about 80% used stuff. About 5% is produce and plants, and the rest is new stuff.

I am hoping to get in there one of these days as a seller, so I asked a few people for advice, and took some pictures of some of the displays for ideas. Most people have their wares spread out on blankets or tarps. The "regulars" have tables and usually got two booths. The people on the perimeter wall used the wall as display space. The type of stuff I sell is not really represented at this swap meet, so I don't know if it would be worth it. The booths cost $20, $40 for produce booths. I think I will try it once, perhaps in November or December as I have some holiday themed items to sell.

The food options were interesting, two Mexican food booths (Tamales and Menudo) and the snack bar was also open. I got a hot dog, but was craving some freshly popped popcorn. I asked at the snack bar and they pop the popcorn the night before. When I bought my hot dog there was no popcorn left, so people must not mind it not being freshly popped. I ended up seeing a movie in town after I left the swap meet to get my popcorn fix!! Next time I will try the tamales, people were crowding their booth.

I was surprised that the swap meet allows weapons to be sold. There were several guns (some rifles and a pair of pistols) as well as various swords and knives. The latter may have been due to the Renaissance Festival being next weekend, don't know. All in all, people were in good spirits, check out the guy smiling in the plant booth!! Unfortunately for the sellers, the only thing I was tempted to buy were some dahlia plants.

Independence Day in Morro Bay

2010-07-07T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have been here for almost 2 years and I was happy to have the chance to experience the Morro Bay Independence Day. Their flyer indicated that there are tons of activities all day long for families. The bike parade starts it all off, and down at Tidelands Park there are bands and games and food from around noon through the fireworks show at night. The city trolley had special routes to take people to and from the park for the fireworks show, and I took advantage of this opportunity to take the trolley (another thing I hadn't done yet).

I waited at City Park for the trolley to take me down to the stairs atop Tidelands Park. I decided that since there were food options down at the park that I wouldn't get the all-day pass, saving 50¢ on the trolley fare. But, many people used this pass and they went between the State Park and the Embarcadero and the Park all day long. When I arrived at the Park, I was surprised to see that there were hardly any food options for dinner people like myself. I don't know if they had more booths during the day or not, but I lucked out and got the last hotdogs from one booth. It was the only booth open that was selling protein, there was still some churros and other sweets. Next time I will go to a restaurant instead, I think, if I just do dinner there.

I walked through the park and was amazed at how crowded it was. People were set up in tents and on blankets on almost every inch of the grass. I was able to find a little patch of grass by the sound guys for the band. I enjoyed listening to the music and watching the dancers while I ate my dinner. I loved all the families that were out and about. Kids were throwing balloons and blowing bubbles, and later they bought some lighted swords to play with. Boy, that lady made a killing selling those lighted toys. She bought them for a dollar each and sold them for $3!! When the band was finished, there was a lady who sang a patriotic song (pretty badly if the truth be told) and then two guys set up for the fireworks to start at 9:00.

When the fireworks started I realized that I had selected the wrong place to sit. The roof on the bandstand totally blocked the lower fireworks. As soon as people realized this, many got up quickly to move to a better vantage point. I decided to sit it out. The show was nice, I especially enjoyed the ones with secondary explosions. There was one which the crowd really enjoyed, it was one of those waterfall effects, but it was set off so perfectly that the crowd literally caught their breath. I attempted to photograph the fireworks, but only a few came out. Most of them were simply "art shots"!!

After the fireworks, it was amazing how quickly and orderly people left the park. Luckily the stairs were one-way, and people were polite. Some people chose to walk up the iceplant on the two sides of the stairs. The trolleys were waiting at the top of the stairs, standing room only. The one I was on went to the State Park first, then went back to the stairs to get more people. The traffic was so bad on Morro Bay Boulevard that they decided to pick up more people instead of attempting the traffic on the way to City Park.

I loved the experience, and saw where people set up for the best views. Next time I will try a restaurant view, unless I have a group of people who want to listen to the music. I was also happy that people were not smoking at the Park, expect one selfish guy smoking a pipe!!

Review - Restaurant - Hofbrau

2010-06-23T17:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe this restaurant was not already on my list!! Probably because I always go here and it wasn't a new restaurant for me. Every time my family comes to town we have to go there, it is easily our most favorite restaurant!! Their specialty is a roast beef dipped sandwich, but I tried their turkey sandwich today and was bummed that they use regular deli turkey. Their big thing is to slice off the roast beef for your sandwich while you watch, I guess I was hoping that they had a big turkey in the back room for my sandwich!! I had a cold turkey sandwich and a salad, I won't have the turkey sandwich again because their bread is best with the "au jus" dipping sauce. It was too dry without the dip.

I usually get their chicken strips with a salad (it comes with fries, but you can substitute a salad for $1.25) and a soda. I like that they have free refills on sodas, and that you can choose two items to go on your salad (I get carrots and beets). Their blue cheese dressing is good, not too vinegary, but I miss the sunflower seeds they used to offer at the condiment area.

The chicken strips used to be large and pretty meaty, with a yummy breading, but yesterday I had some and they were small and not as good. They offer two sizes, I get the small (which has 2 strips). I tried the french fries that came with my friend's fish and chips and they are crispy and tasty, no need for ketchup.

There are table and benches inside and some outside seating on a little deck overlooking the Rock, sometimes they have a heater going outside. There are also some public outside tables if those are full. I will definitely return to this amazing staple of Morro Bay, every time my family visits we have to eat there.

The Sunset Drive-In

2010-06-19T01:28:00.000-07:00

After living here in SLO County for almost 2 years, I finally decided to go to the local Drive-In!! What fun, memories from my past came flooding back. I went the night that Toy Story 3 opened, so I assumed that the line would be long. I arrived at about 7:00 (the movie was set to start at 8:30) and the cars were lined up in two lanes almost back to Elks Lane. I turned off my car and worked on my computer while I waited for the gates to open. I wished that they had wifi for those of us who were waiting in line. People were playing with a ball up at the front of the line, and folks were walking around. I read somewhere that you can get pizza delivered to you in line while you wait (I assume that was from an outside vendor, though).

The gates opened around 7:15 and we moved slowly around the bend up to the gate. I laughed at the sign that read "Sneak-Ins $8.00 No Exceptions". Now that they have raised the price from $6.00 to $7.00 they should also raise the "sneak-in" rate!! I pulled in and saw rolling paved hills flecked with the vintage speaker poles. The white lines are painted and are used by the Swap Meet people on Sundays. I pulled into a spot, but had to move over because they put two cars between the poles. No problem, there was plenty of room for two SUVs between the poles, as long as the kids are careful when opening the doors.

As soon as I parked, I headed over the to the projection building. I liked the window that shows us how the film projector works. This building also houses the restrooms and the snack bar.

Of course I had to try the popcorn, it was great. The only negative was that they only offered the tiny salt that gets into the cracks of my lips and burns. But, the popcorn didn't really need any salt, I got a large with a free refill. The medium and large sodas can be refilled for $1.00. I also tried their hotdogs. Yummy. In fact when I returned to the snack bar between movies for my popcorn refill I got another hotdog!!

Before the movie started they ran some previews and some typical informational screens, including being considerate of others, not smoking, and to tune their radios to the proper radio channel to hear the movie. This sound feature worked great, they played a local radio channel first, and the screen allayed my concerns about running down my battery. I enjoyed watching the kids play around in their PJs, and people watching before the movie started. There were all sorts of people here, kids, adults on a date, teenagers, etc. I was surprised how many fathers were there with their kids, without the mothers!! One thing missing was a kids playground, that is something that I fondly remember from my youth. The kids prevailed, however, by creating their own play zone under the screen!!

I loved that it was a double-feature, and that you could bring in your own food if you wished. I also loved the vintage trailers that showed during intermission, but I couldn't watch them because I was in a crazy long line at the ladies room. After waiting for a LONG time, I decided to check out the outhouses by the gate, but only one of them was open and there were no lights. Luckily I had my lantern in my car and so I was able to use the outhouse!! I missed the beginning of the second movie because in addition to the restroom I had to get more popcorn!! I really enjoyed the rising moon beside the screen as I watched the second movie, too!!

I will definitely come back to the Drive-In again, and will probably go to the Swap Meet one of these Sundays soon. I may even try to sell at the Swap Meet.

Review - Guadalupe Restaurants

2010-06-04T14:05:00.000-07:00

Far Western Tavern (899 Guadalupe St. - Hwy 1)

This is a fantastic restaurant in historic Guadalupe. I have been there twice and was happy about the food and service both times. The decor is amazing, cowhide and mounted animal heads everywhere!! Yesterday, the mayor was dining, as were the "two richest ranchers in the area"!! We were greeted by friendly staff and service was wonderful. I had a slight substitution on the salad and it was perfectly handled, the last time I was there they had some trouble with this. The steak was not as medium-rare as I had hoped, but it didn't give me the hic-cups!! I wasn't sure what to do with the salsa, beans, and butter that was on the table, as there were no chips or bread served separately from the meals. I tried the pinquito beans, since they are a local specialty only grown in the Santa Maria area. I tried the home-made chips dipped in the salsa. One of these days I want to return for dinner and try the filet on polenta!!

Review - Atascadero Restaurants

2010-05-29T09:16:00.000-07:00

Nuevo Mexico
(7109 El Camino Real)

This restaurant offers a wonderful lunch deal, if you order two meals and two drinks you get one of the meals for free. I should have taken part in this deal, but instead I ordered the fajitas, which I usually order if they are on the menu to test out the restaurant. The fajitas were good, although they were way too expensive for the amount of chicken I got. The tortillas were large, and I probably could (should?) have only made one fajita "burrito". They came with salad, so that was good, and they had free refills on the soda. I would normally have eaten all the chips and taken the beans and rice to-go, but I was dining with some friends and that would have been weird!! I might come here again and order one of the lunch specials. My friends got the enchiladas and they looked good.

Der Weinerschniztel / Tastee Freez (8950 Montecito Ave.)

This place is great!! They support the community and have good food. Their ice cream is nice and solid, for a soft-serve, and whenever I am in the area I stop by. I like their hotdogs, too. They offer some of the alternative sizes and styles, but I like the plain old hotdog with ketchup. I recently discovered their crispy chicken sandwich, which I order with just lettuce and mayo. The prices are a bit high, but their food is unique. One weird thing happened at the drive-thru, they didn't tell the person in front to park while their big order was being prepared. Instead, she brought out my food, and the food for the guy behind me, and we had to wait while the first car's food was being prepared. Unusual, but I just started eating, luckily I wasn't in a hurry. I like that they offer good coupons in the Sunday paper every once in a while, too.

Review - Grover Beach Restaurants

2010-05-11T12:21:00.000-07:00

A.J. Spurs (1760 El Camino Real)

I have seen this restaurant off 101 many times, but finally decided to eat there while I was on the frontage road. The decor is decidedly Western, with stuffed heads lining the walls. The service is friendly (at least for me) and they serve meals with a pot of their beef vegetable soup. They offered beans and salsa, which they say you should mix all together with the soup for a taste sensation. I declined the beans and salsa, but the soup was fantastic. I should have ordered some of the beef, but the chicken Alfredo sounded perfect for that day. They allowed me to substitute tortellini for the fettuccine, which I was thankful for. They offer free refills on the sodas and their salad was good. There was so much pasta that I took half of it to-go. They even offer a dessert option (root beer float, scoop of ice cream, or a liqueur). I opted for ice cream, even though I was stuffed full.

The only negative thing I noticed was that the waitress seemed to treat the couple at the next table in a more "neutral" fashion. It was interesting because usually waitresses treat men on dates better because they know they will get a good tip. This time I fear it was due to the fact that the woman was Asian and the gentleman was Black. This is one of the problems I have found in this area, and coming from the diverse Bay Area I find it offensive. Despite this, I will definitely return here in the future. However, if I see this same treatment again I will not return and will certainly say something, perhaps on Yelp.com.

Follow-up: I just checked my receipt and found that they print the amount of possible tip amounts (15%, 18%, 20%) at the bottom. That would be great, if only they used the amount BEFORE tax!! They calculated the tip amounts based on the total bill, including the tax!!

Review - Buellton Restaurants

2010-04-06T11:51:00.000-07:00

Pea Soup Andersen's (376 Avenue of the Flags)

This is a landmark restaurant, more than 80 years old!! It is near the Danish village of Solvang, and was founded by some Danish settlers. They are famous worldwide for their split pea soup, so I had to stop for dinner. I got a bowl of the pea soup, which came with some bread. I loved the soup, and would have been happy with just the bread and soup.

Their pumpernickel bread was much better than their cheese onion bread. In fact, I could only eat the middle of the cheese onion bread. I wish they had given me more than just one little slice of pumpernickel!!
I wanted something with a Danish flair, so I ordered the Danish meat loaf. I asked the waitress what made it Danish and she said they use both beef and pork. Big whoop, isn't most meat loaf with both beef and pork? But, since nothing else sounded good on the menu, I ordered it anyway. I won't order it again, it wasn't bad, but not really my taste. I should have ordered pasta or a pot pie. Their salad was good, though.

I will definitely return here to this restaurant again when I pass through Buellton.

Review - Restaurant - Rose's

2010-03-18T12:28:00.000-07:00

I had been in Rose's with some people visiting, but I forgot to write up a review. So, I returned there with reviewing in mind. I arrived early for lunch, but they let me sit there while they got ready to open. They don't open until 11:00 on Sundays because the breakfast is served upstairs at Belle Ambiance. I ordered a Caesar salad with blue cheese dressing instead of Caesar dressing. I also ordered a cheeseburger. They didn't bring out the salad until right before the cheeseburger, which caused a problem for me because I wasn't done with the salad when the hot meal came out. I think they did this because it was not a side salad, but obviously I wasn't eating it as a meal. Anyway, I was surprised by the shredded cheese on the burger. I don't think I have ever seen this before. The fries were good, and there were free refills with the soda. In fact, the bar tender was really good refilling my glass when it was low. I appreciated this, as I get the hiccups when I eat with no liquid. The salad was good, and quite large. I will return here again, especially because they have coupon deals every so often.

Review - San Luis Obispo Restaurants

2010-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Denny's
(208 Madonna Rd.)

I had a coupon and was going to be in the neighborhood around lunch time, so I thought I would five the Denny's on Madonna Road a chance. After I chose my spot, I placed my order. It was not really a complicated order, but of course the server got it wrong. I had ordered a chicken sandwich without the tomatoes, pickles, or onions. Also, I had ordered a Caesar Salad with blue cheese dressing instead of Ceasar. What came out was the sandwich with all the fixin's and a salad with Ranch and Blue Cheese on the side. She told me she couldn't remember which I had ordered. In fact, we had to fish around in the dressing to see which was the blue cheese. When the sandwich was delivered I told the busser that I had ordered the sandwich without the pickles, onions, or tomatoes. She just shrugged and said it wasn't her problem. I told her I could pick off the fixin's. Then the server came back and was all defensive about the confusion. She claimed that I didn't order it that way, and that she thought it was the salad that I had not wanted the tomatoes and onions on. The salad dressing was watery, and the salad was full of slimy pieces of lettuce. Bottom line, food was all right, service sucked. I left exactly 15% for her, and perhaps I shouldn't even have done this!!

IHOP
(212 Madonna Rd.)

I had a hankerin' for some waffles one day. I figured IHOP on Madonna Road would be the perfect place to have some waffles. I ordered a combo meal, and asked if I could substitute waffles for the pancakes. She said I could, and when they came out they tasted like dough. They were way over cooked, I couldn't even finish them. She had the cook make some more, but they were just as bad. I noticed that a guy at another table was having issues with how his eggs were cooked, also. I just finished what I could and got the bill. Boy was I surprised when I saw that she had upcharged me for the waffle substitution!! I called her over and told her that she should have told me there was an upcharge for the substitution when I ordered!! She finally got her manager to take off the upcharge, but my credit card had already been run so they ended up giving me back some cash. Of course I still had to pay tax on the upcharge amount!! I won't go here again.

McClintock's
(686 Higuera St.)

This is one of the first restaurants I visited when I was deciding if I should move down here. I had been to the Shell Beach restaurant, and I enjoy a good meal. I can't remember exactly what I had, probably a steak and salad. There is a small area out back where you can sit on the Creek, but I was in the front of the restaurant. I enjoyed the fact that there was quite a cross-culture of customers during lunch. There were some tourists, some men on lunch break who were at the bar, a couple, and another solo woman eating lunch. The servings were hefty and price was reasonable. I will definitely return here in the future.

Natural Café
(698 Higuera St.)

I met a friend at this restaurant, and was a bit apprehensive because I am not a "natural" food eater!! I was afraid that I wouldn't find anything to eat. Well, I ended up with the turkey sandwich and a salad. I was impressed by the atmosphere of this restaurant. I understand that the line goes all the way out to the street during popular times, so they are quite popular. We were there for an early dinner and it wasn't so crowded. The workers seem to be devoted to the restaurant and appear to be wholesome and friendly. I might return here, but only if I am meeting someone. Although the food was good, there wasn't enough of a selection for someone like me!!

Creekside Brewing Company
(1040 Broad St.)

I was out and about town one weekday and needed a place for lunch. It was a nice day, and the appeal of dining on the Creek was too much to pass up. I can't remember what I ordered, probably a beef sandwich and a salad. I was happy enough that I wanted to return someday. I don't drink beer, so I can't appraise the quality of their beer. I enjoyed the slow, peaceful late lunch by the creek.

Mo's Smokehouse BBQ
(1005 Monterey St.)

I was in town for a movie, and I was early. So, I thought I would eat at Mo's. I am not a BBQ person, but I was happy to find a chicken Caesar salad made with roasted chicken. I loved the warm croutons, unique flavor and a pleasant combination with the cold lettuce!! I would return here, they get pretty crowded, but they are reasonably priced for what you get. I ordered a burger the last time I returned to this restaurant, along with a little potato salad. The burger was great, fries were OK, and the potato salad was nothing to write home about. I had high hopes in the potato salad because she said it is not really mustardy.

High Street Deli
(350 High St.)

When I worked over in this neighborhood I went to this deli a couple of times. I like how they do their ordering, where you fill in a checklist of ingredients you want on your sandwich. This technique seems to be a popular way of ordering sandwiches in this area. I like that the decor, something to look at while you wait. I always order a turkey, lettuce, mayo sandwich on a sourdough roll. I often get the TacoWorks chips and bottled soda, last time I got the kettle chips and a Cactus Cooler. I will definitely return if I am in the area, their sourdough rolls are usually fresh and taste fantastic!!

SLO Fresh Market
(1285 Laurel Ln.)

I wanted to try out another deli while I was waiting between doctor's appointments. This is a cute neighborhood market, the kind I like to patronize in these trying times. I ordered a deli sandwich and bought chips and a soda. The ordering technique is the "check-box" technique that is so popular in this area. The sandwich was great, I will return here the next time I am in the area.

Tacos de Acapulco
(1273 Laurel Ln.)

This place is great, you order what you want and it is popular with the locals. If I need a Mexican food fix and I am in the area, I will definitely return here. As I recall, I had the taquitos, or a burrito. Either would be good here!! I went there yesterday and had a chicken burrito combo, which was good but too much for one serving. Their chips are a bit greasy and overcooked, but came with the combo. This place is always hoppin', usually with the young folk.

Petra
(1210 Higuera St.)

I met a friend here and was expecting a sit-down restaurant, but was surprised to see an "order-at-the-counter" place. The dining area is small, but it wasn't too crowded. They had free refills on sodas, so while I waited I ordered a soda. I also checked out the menu, and asked the people behind the counter about the difference between a shwarma and a gyro!! I am still confused, but apparently you can't get a chicken gyro so I ordered a chicken shwarma, with pine nuts. My friend ordered a beef gyro plate and some falafels on the side. The sandwich was large, but it was in layers so all the chicken and nuts were on the top. So, by the time I got about half way through there was only lettuce at the bottom!! I guess that is one way to get my salad!! My friend enjoyed her food, also. The other guests ordered pizza. I always thought of pizza as Italian, but apparently it is Greek also. The pizza appeared to be the same style and several people came in to get it to-go. If I feel in the mood for this style of food I will definitely return here.

Carl's Jr.
(195 N. Santa Rosa St.)

I stop into this restaurant as often as I can, usually on my way from Morro Bay to SLO. The people at the registers always remember me and my special order, which is nice customer service!! I used to get the Bacon Swiss Chicken Sandwich, which I order "no bacon, no cheese, plain, with lettuce and mayonnaise." They always got it right!! I don't really like their fries, which are fresh cut from the potatoes, so I get the sandwich by itself with a drink. I like that they have an XL size of soda (they call it a Large) for when I am running errands. They have eliminated the Bacon Swiss Crispy Chicken sandwich in favor of the Hand-Breaded Chicken Sandwich, which I don't care for. Unfortunately I won't be stopping here any longer when I need a fast food fix on the way into SLO.

Copper Café (Madonna Inn)

I had a doctor's appointment that was rescheduled in San Luis Obispo, so I had a couple of hours to kill. I wanted some breakfast so I decided to try out the Copper Café at the Madonna Inn. I had been there once before, with my family. As I recall there was a bit of a wait for a table and, although we were impressed with the quality of our meal, we all felt it was overpriced. So, I decided to eat at the sit-down bar, shaped like a horseshoe and covered in embossed copper. They use multi-colored glass goblets and their sugar is pink!! I ordered the Eggs Benedict and was pleasantly surprised by the quantity and quality of this dish. There was so much of the Hollandaise sauce that I didn't need ketchup for the hashbrowns!! The ham on the eggs was about a 1/2-inch thick and was tasty, even though I am not usually a ham person.

I would definitely come here again, the atmosphere was great, lots of "regulars", especially at the bar. There were also some soldiers and travelers. When you visit this site you MUST check out the toilets in the Men's room, have a guy check first to see that there are no other men in there first!! Fantastic!! On the way out I couldn't pass up a couple of cupcakes. Their bakery offers beautiful cakes, although they don't taste as good as they look they are fun!! They need to develop some specialized boxes that will keep the cupcake upright. After I took the picture these beauties fell over and got all messed up.

Frank's Famous Hot Dogs
(950 California Blvd.)

I have driven past Frank's so many times and I finally had a chance to stop and try it out. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was great. The hotdog was good, I chose mine without all the fixin's, just ketchup. I also ordered some chicken strips, which came with fries. The chicken breading was not good, but at least there was real chicken in the middle!! The fries were slightly seasoned, but I prefer mine to be hot and crispy. These tasted mushy and were cold like they had been sitting around for too long. I will be back, perhaps bringing someone next time!!

Big Sky Cafe
(1121 Broad St.)

A friend was in town and wanted to go to Big Sky Cafe for dinner. She remembered this restaurant from when she used to live here several years ago. I am not usually a "health food" diner, but she and her husband are vegetarians. I checked out the menu on their home page before I met them to make sure there was something for me to order.

They brought out these spicy corn muffins, which I tried but didn't prefer. There was also another bread under them, which I also tried but it was really dry.

Their salad was nice, with healthy lettuce and some peppered-sugared pecans on the top. I tried their house dressing which was meant to go with the salad, it was a perfect match.

I ordered the steak, it was nice. Although I tried the squash on the right, but I did not prefer it. This is not unusual, as I am not a "squash person". The greens in the middle were a bit too bitter for my taste. I had high hopes for the potato fritters on the left but, alas, they were a bit too dry and had no flavor.

I am not likely to come here again unless I am meeting someone here. If I do I will order the steak again, and hope that they will substitute a side salad for the other stuff!!

Pepe Delgado's
(1601 Monterey St.)

We had a work lunch here while we were in a training class at a local hotel. They accommodated our short lunch break schedule well. The chips and salsa were great.

I always order a salad when I have a meal, since I tend to prefer meals that are not always to healthy!! Theirs was a wonderful salad, with cheese and olives. I asked for no tomatoes, and I was happy that they gave me enough blue cheese dressing (see tall container to the right)!!

I ordered something that would be quick, a taco. It was a bit spicy for my taste, but I forgot to ask for no hot sauce. The pieces of chicken were large and were breast meat!! I used the leftover salad dressing to finish up the shredded lettuce on the plate!! Oh, they also have bottomless sodas, something I always appreciate.

Pappy McGregor's
(1865 Monterey St.)

After the class, we went to happy hour at Pappy McGregor's. They had some amazing appetizers, we tried the calamari and the tri-tip nachos. An awesome band was playing that evening, so we had a wonderful time.

I am not usually a calamari person, but these were cooked perfectly and almost melted in my mouth. I wish they had different sauce options, or more of it. The tri-tip nachos were WAY to spicy for me, but my coworkers liked them. I was happy that they had free refills on the soda, since I was driving!!

House of Bagels
(158A Higuera Street)

I was getting some work done at Jiffy Lube and hadn't eaten lunch yet so I thought I should try out the bagels at House of Bagels next door. I am pretty particular with my bagels, and I have yet to find a place on the Central Coast where they serve authentic East Coast style bagels. Usually it is just a dense bread shaped like a bagel. Dry in the middle and the consistency is all wrong. I had high hopes, but my hopes were dashed!! Locals might think these are great bagels, but if you know a great bagel you will also be disappointed. They are better than the bagels you get at the grocery store bakery, but nothing like they should be. I will have to see if there is a Noah's Bagels around here, they are a chain that knows how to make a proper bagel. Also, the seeds kept falling off, when they should have been secured somehow!! Sorry.

The Golden Gong
(Madonna Rd.)

I wanted to try the Chinese Chicken Salad, and was told that they had a side version for me. Not only did it not have nuts, it didn't have the noodles either. The lettuce was floating in a large pile of dressing at the bottom of the plate, which had the chicken in it as well. The dressing was tasty, as was the chicken, so presumably the full-sized version would be good as well.

The wonton soup was good, with large wontons. I wanted to save room for the rest of my meal so I didn't finish all the broth.

Both the fried wontons and the egg/spring roll was nice and hot. The red sweet and sour was as it should be.

I ordered the lunch special with Almond Chicken and it was tasty. They brought me out some chopsticks and I finished off with the fork. Of course, I didn't eat the broccoli, the onions, and the mushrooms, but the rest was nice. I wish they offered steamed brown rice, though.

I would eat here again, if I was craving some nice Chinese cuisine while I was in SLO.

Review - Ragged Point Restaurants

2010-03-18T11:45:00.000-07:00

Ragged Point Inn Restaurant (19019 Hwy 1)

I decided to travel up to Ragged Point for my birthday, such beautiful views!! I should have brought some hiking shoes so I could have hiked down the Nature Trail, but I had sandals on. I decided to eat at the restaurant, and was told to sit anywhere. I took the table on the end, with the incredible views and some shade. I waited and waited for the server to come and take my order, I am not exaggerating. She finally came out and took my order.

I was disappointed that they didn't have blue cheese dressing, and nothing on their lunch menu caught my eye. I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with fries and a soda. It took her a while to get my soda, and she was slow on the refills. The fries were good, but I had run out of soda and couldn't finish them by the time they went cold. The burger was good, and I appreciated that I could order medium-rare. It was so juicy that I had to finish it with a knife and fork!!

Overall, the food was OK, although the dinner menu looked better than the lunch menu. You can't beat the ambiance here, I enjoyed the view, the birds, the butterflies, the flowers, the music, and the frogs in the creek!! you can't beat the ambiance. It is a romantic spot, and I was by myself. I will return here if I have the opportunity for a romantic tryst. Also, I would stop here if I was driving up Highway 1 and needed a stop. Next time I might eat at the snack shack.

Ragged Point Snack Bar

So I was at Ragged Point yesterday and decided to try something from the snack bar. I ordered a hot dog. It was a bit expensive, but everything in Ragged Point is expensive!! I was impressed that they cooked it for me rather than handing me a dog that had been in a warming tray. The hotdog was a bit more spicy than I expected, but it was large and hot. The cook split the dog lengthwise in order to heat it all the way through. I think this technique might have made it a bit dry, though. I might try something else next time, this was more like a sausage than a hot dog, but at least it didn't have thick skin.

Review - Cayucos Restaurants

2010-02-22T15:10:00.000-08:00

Cayucos Restaurants

Brown Butter Cookie Company (250 N. Ocean Ave.)

I had read about this shop is a local paper and was happy to try out their cookies. It is a small shop, with an open kitchen. It was nice to see all the ladies making cookies at the tall table. You almost had the sense that if the customers weren't there they would be gossiping amongst themselves. It sort of had an old-fashioned feel.The cookies themselves were great. I liked the regular brown butter with the sea salt the best and I bought a 6-pack of those and a 6-pack of their honey cookies. I appreciated the option to taste them before spending a ton of money for the cookies!!

The only thing I didn't like was the attitude of the people doing the tasting that day. I think they may have been the owners. I was curious and asking questions, and their answers were borderline rude. For example, I asked if the cookies were a shortbread and she answered "Well, it's OUR version of a shortbread". Kind of snobby. Don't know if I will return to this shop again, I may take visitors in there the next time people are in town. If I get the same attitude vibe I won't return again.

Sea Shanty (296 S. Ocean Ave.)

I was in Cayucos for a library book sale and needed some lunch. The library is right next to the Sea Shanty and it had some convenient parking, so I decided to try it out. It was not clear when I walked in if I was supposed to wait to be seated or seat myself. I ended up seating myself outside, which was nice and I could see the beautiful green hills. I ordered Fried Chicken Breast Sandwich, steak fries, a side salad and soda. It was good, I will probably come here again if I need a restaurant in Cayucos that has ample parking (the other restaurant further down the street had no parking in front).

Cayucos Candy Counter

I know this isn't a restaurant, but I wanted to review it for my readers. This shop has chocolate candies, jelly beans, taffy, and some other candies. It also has ice cream and gelato for sale. I wanted to try some of the chocolates, and asked for an English Toffee. I wanted another flavor candy and asked the counter lady about the Peanut Butter Caramel Crunch. She didn't have anything to tell me about it. I asked her about what the "crunch" was, she looked at me blankly. I said "Like is it honeycombed, or something like Rice Krispies?" She said, "Oh no, it is not Rice Krispies, probably something like toffee". So I purchased it to try. I was shocked at the price!! Over $3.00 for two pieces of candy!! I shouldn't have bought any, but I was trying to get in the Cayucos spirit!! Anyway, the English Toffee was fine, but both candies tasted like they had been in the case for a while. Like they had absorbed the flavors of the other candies in the case or something. And, the coup de grace is that, of course, the crunch in the Peanut Butter Caramel Crunch piece WAS Rice Krispies!! I should have paid for a Whatchmacallit bar instead. I won't be back to this shop for the candy. I might try the ice cream if I can't find another place in town to get a cone.

Review - Cambria Restaurants

2010-02-22T15:09:00.000-08:00

Las Cambritas (2336 Main St.)

I had been shopping at the Antique shops down the street and had to go to the bathroom. This was the first restaurant I found and used the facilities before eating a late lunch. After I used the facilities the waitress just stared at me while I was waiting (as instructed by a sign) at the greeters' podium. I was seated and my order was taken. It was obvious that she just wanted to get back to the bar, where her "regulars" were waiting. I should have put my earphones in and listened to some music, because the bar-folk were quite loud in their inappropriate conversation.

The food was nothing to write home about, either. I had the trio of tostadas, a salad, and a soda. The salad was great, large and good dressing. But I have to say the tostadas were only mediocre. The beef one also had a strange aroma, spicing? It tasted absolutely horrible, I am surprised that I didn't get food poisoning later in the day. The chips and salsa were only so-so.

I would only recommend this restaurant if you are going there for the bar atmosphere, or the toilet!!

Moonstone Beach Bar & Grill

I was staying up the street from this restaurant and decided not to drive into Cambria proper for dinner. I wanted to watch the amazing sunset while I dined. They had a nifty long deep "bar" outside that ran parallel to the beach, perfect for watching the sunset while dining.

The crusty French bread arrived nice and warm, but since we were outside it cooled off too quickly. I was hungry so I ate it while I waited for the waiter to take my order. I waited a while, but he finally came to bring me a menu and ask for my drinks.

Their drinks have free refills, which I always appreciate. The waiter brought new refills just when I needed them, which is great because I get the hiccups if I am not drinking while I eat.

I ordered the Petite Filet, which I was able to substitute a small salad for the vegetables. The roasted red potatoes were topped with a creamy garlic sauce and they were fantastic. The vinaigrette dressing was fantasic, I even dipped my steak fork into it before I ate the steak. The meal was perfect, and the sunset was amazing while I dined. It did get a bit chilly and I wished for an outdoor heater. Perhaps because it is winter they don't have the heaters outside?

I will definitely return here in the future, the only problem I had was that they were really slow. Perhaps they were really full inside?

Review - Los Osos Restaurants

2010-02-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant
(905 Los Osos Valley Rd.)

I wanted to try out another Chinese restaurant in the area, and saw this one from the road. It shares the building and parking lot with a Mexican restaurant, which was odd to me. The first thing I did was use the bathroom, boy what a shock. It was dirty, and they wanted you to put your toilet paper in the trash can!! Perhaps that has something to do with the local sewer issues, I don't know.

Then I chose a little table and ordered. I noticed that there were some women who work in the Mexican restaurant next door dining here, so I figured it had to be good, right? Also, there was a table of folks who thanked the hostess/server and said that they love coming here once a week. So far (except for the bathroom) so good!!

I ordered chicken almond, like I always do when I try a new Chinese restaurant. It was good. I think I had the soup and perhaps an egg roll also. I enjoyed my lunch here, good food for a reasonable price. When I am in Los Osos I will probably return in the future. The service was friendly and I had just a little bit of trouble understanding the server. The other thing that always happens down here is that I have to ask for chopsticks.

Tus Amigos Mexican Restaurant

So now I know why the employees of the Mexican restaurant next to Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant eat at the Chinese restaurant rather than their own!! This place was horrible all around. The only thing good I have to say is that the aroma of meat cooking outside wafts through the air as you enter the restaurant. I was dining in the early afternoon, and was the only diner. The owner/manager/server was sitting in one of the booths doing paperwork and phoning orders in, etc. I chose a booth by the streetside windows but when the fan in the ceiling started blowing stale humid hot air my way I moved to the parking lot window booth. I ordered chicken fajitas, with a free refills soda. Unfortunately they don't have a green salad on the menu.

The chips were good, but there was not enough of them. Since the server did not check back with me during my entire meal I had to pace myself!! The salsa tasted fine, but it was an odd color and the salsa bowl was too narrow at the bottom to get a good dip.

When I drank my soda it was flat and there was a distinct taste of mold or mildew!! I had to send back my soda and get water instead. I don't know if it was the ice or the soda dispensers, but both should be cleaned with bleach periodically!! Luckily the man brought water without ice for me and that was fine, except I found it odd that the price tag was still on the base of the cup!! I hope it had at least been washed once before being used for customers!!

The chicken fajitas were dry, over-seasoned, and tasted horrible. The flour tortillas were a nice large size, but they did not stay moist in the paper wrap and the second tortilla was cracking!! The cheese on the top wasn't even melted, which was odd because the beans and rice were warm. These have to be one of the worst chicken fajitas I have ever had.

I had to ask for the bill, and when it came there was no line on the credit card reciept for the tip. I had to ask for change for a dollar so I could give the appropriately low tip. Sorry, I will not be returning to this restaurant again.

China Palace

I needed a quick lunch before heading back home yesterday and stopped at the China Palace in Los Osos. It is off the beaten track, on 9th Street, in a little strip mall. I was the only customer, probably due to the early afternoon time. I ordered the Almond Chicken "luncheon special", which included wonton soup, an egg roll, a fried wonton, the almond chicken, and a fortune cookie for only $5.50!! This is a quite reasonable price for the amount of food.

The wonton soup was hot and tasty, with slices of celery adding some flavor and texture. I almost lost my appetite, though, when a fly flew right into my soup spoon while I was cooling it off before eating. I couldn't believe it, the old "Waiter, there is a fly in my soup" joke came right back to me!! The owner/manager/server brought me a new spoon and I finished off the soup.

The egg roll was amazing, hot and crispy, and the fried won ton was even better!! However, I was not wild about the chicken almond, it was too fishy. I was also confused about the "fried rice". I had asked if they had a brown rice option, and they don't, so I ordered the fried rice. The fried rice did not have anything in it but perhaps some soy sauce and oil, I would have been better off with steamed rice.

I might return here, but won't try the Almond or Cashew Chicken because of the fishy taste of the sauce. Perhaps pot stickers, egg rolls, and wontons for dinner?? Also of note is the fact that the server didn't offer any extra anything because a fly went into my soup spoon, perhaps an extra fortune cookie or something?

La Palapa

On a rainy day in Los Osos I decided to try another Mexican Food restaurant. They had a nice fire in their fireplace and even in the storm the view of the Bay was nice. I had the restaurant to myself because it was mid-afternoon, so I got to choose my seat. The owner/server was polite and attentive, which I totally appreciate because so often a single diner is virtually ignored!! I ordered the chicken fajitas with a salad, and a bottomless soda.

Their chips were warm and tasty, and their salsa is an amazing color red and is most likely freshly made. The salsa was spicy, at least my Anglo tongue thought so!!

The salad was nice, even though it was healthy "weeds" it was crunchy. The blue cheese dressing was slightly different from the one that most of the restaurants use around here.

The chicken fajitas came to my table sizzling hot, check out the steam rising in the picture!! The chunks of chicken were nice and large. It could be the fact that I had eaten Cap'n Crunch recently (which may have removed some of my taste buds) but I found that the flavor was a bit bland. They were moist, and hot, but I think I will try ordering something else next time. The flour tortillas were home-made and stayed moist during the meal.

I was pleased to see that there was sour cream, and yummy guacamole on the extras plate. Their rice seems a better quality than that I get at other Mexican restaurants, and their beans are a bit different also. I dipped the chips in the guacamole!! I wish there was more iceberg lettuce on the plate for my fajitas, but all tasted great.

This is a Mexican restaurant that I would definitely visit again, perhaps while my parents are in town this weekend. The only thing that would have made it better would have been some free treat because I had to wait due to the Health Department inspecting while I was there!! I like to support local family businesses, so I will make it a point to visit when I am in Los Osos again.

Taco Roco

I had driven by this restaurant for years and finally decided to stop in on my way back from a long hike. I was exhausted, and was hungry, so I ordered a "grab bag" of items so I could test them out. I was surprised to see that this was a sit-down restaurant, I knew it was a chain and I thought it was a walk-up fast-food type of restaurant. They have a salsa bar in the back so you can refill your chips and salsa while you are dining in the restaurant.

I ordered a grilled chicken burrito, with "the works", but was disappointed that I couldn't find "the works" inside!! There was supposed to be some sour cream, some guacamole, etc. It was a bit too spicy for my tongue, as well. So much for my search for the perfect "Mission" style burrito on the Central Coast.

I ordered a chicken enchilada, light on the sauce. It was good, but a bit spicy.

I enjoyed the chicken tamale, but it was supposed to be on sale and I think I was charged the regular price.

I am always on the lookout for good chicken fajitas, these were not good chicken fajitas. As far as I could tell they were made from thigh meat, not breast. They neglected to include the flour tortillas I ordered with them, and so I ended up making nachos later with the bag of chips I bought.

The chips were good, and I really liked the salsa. I bought a bag of chips and some salsa to-go. I ended up making nachos with the fajita chicken and some cheese and sour cream.

I probably won't be eating here again, unless I am with a group who wants to dine here. The woman was quite friendly, and I spent A LOT of money there. She said folks order from her and come from Morro Bay to pick their meal up, so she definitely has some followers. I thought the prices were too high for the quality of the food.

Review - Arroyo Grande Restaurants

2010-02-22T14:51:00.000-08:00

Alphy's Broiler (130 W. Branch St.)

I was in Arroyo Grande for a visit to Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab and needed a place to go for dinner. I was surprised that there were not any sit-down dining options in town, so I checked out this restaurant because it had such high ratings on Yelp.com. As I was perusing the menu on the outside window, a customer who was waiting for her take-out order encouraged me to "Come on in". I was a bit early for dinner and there were no other customers. The guys behind the counter greeted me in a friendly manner, and I was made to feel welcome. I ordered the cheeseburger, with bacon, fries and a green salad. I was a bit wary of their sauce, but wanted to taste it the way it was meant to be.

While I was waiting for my meal I saw that many people order take-out on their way home from work. Also, the servings are so large that many young men eat here. A popular menu item is the Whaler sandwich and fish tacos. A friend of mine ordered the Whaler and the Ahi was cooked perfectly. One negative thing, though, was that when the owner found out I was a teacher he asked me if I was a member of a union. When I said that I had been he wasn't as nice to me. Don't know if he personally has issues with unions or if it had to do with the union bannering of Doc Burnstein's. Either way it did leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab (114 W. Branch St.)

I have seen the signs for this ice cream, and I have walked past this shop several times. However, I have never eaten their ice cream. On Wednesday nights they have a "Lab Show" where the audience participates in the creation of a new ice cream flavor. On some Mondays during a random hour they offer a discount on the ice cream. There is a cute train that rides around the ceiling, I loved watching the kids come in and look for that train!! While I waited for the lab show they played some Three Stooges films!!

The show was fun, although I didn't like the flavor that was chosen (Rice Milk ice cream with Marshmallows and Chocolate-covered Toffee Pieces). Most people there had a fun time. The ice cream is amazingly creamy, almost like it is not frozen. I had their coffee-toffee flavor and it was a bit heavy on the coffee flavor. Next time I will try their praline cream flavor.

Burrito Loco (922 Rancho Parkway)

I needed a quick dinner before heading out to an event, and stopped by this restaurant in the shopping center behind the theater. I ordered the chicken fajitas and was totally disappointed. The chicken was not breast meat (I will verify that the chicken is breast meat in the future) and it was not cut up well enough to be individual pieces. There was gristle in the meat, and the flavor was awful. I was happy that the meal came with chips and salsa, which were only OK, but they didn't offer a salad option. The menu said they would be served with sour cream, but there was none on the plate. Their rice was a bit unique, with pieces of corn and other vegetables mixed in, it sort of tasted sweet. There was only a little drizzling of cheese on top of the beans. I took the left-overs to-go and made a couple of burritos for breakfast the next morning, otherwise I wouldn't have felt as if I got my money's worth. I will not be returning here in the future.

Review - Restaurant - Ciao Bella

2010-01-29T20:30:00.000-08:00

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 - Mermaid Café

2010-01-29T20:23:00.000-08:00

The Mermaid Cafe is a cute little shop attached to an art shop called Under the Sea. I came here for the Nathan's hotdogs, but while I was there I tried the turkey croissant sandwich as well. They had a meal deal going where I got a hotdog, chips, a cookie and a soda.

The hotdog was great, much better than the hotdog shop up off Main. It was even better than the one I got at the theatre in SLO. I also enjoyed the croissant sandwich, which was toasted, even though it flaked off all over my shirt!! The sodas offered here are Hansen's, which I had forgotten were so good and made from pure cane sugar.

I will definitely return to this restaurant!!

Review - Restaurant - Taco de Mexico

2010-01-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T22:14:00.000-08:00

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 might return here, if I have guests who have a desire to feel like they are inside a ship!!

Review - Restaurant - Otter Rock Cafe

2010-01-08T22:03:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T19:41:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-08T18:37:00.000-08:00

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.

Lighted Boat Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting in Morro Bay

2009-12-06T17:46:00.000-08:00

I was out of town last year and I missed the Lighted Boat Parade and the Christmas Tree Lighting events. This year I wanted to participate and so I went to both!!

I watched the parade from The Harbor Hut, which was nice since it was so cold outside!! They were great and let me in even though I didn't have reservations (next year I will return there witha reservation). There were about 30 boats that streamed by the restaurant, some really large and some smaller. Some were tall sail boats and others were small fishing boats. My favorite boat was the small boat that had the Grinch on a motorcycle pulling a tree, it was animatronic and seemingly lifted out of the water as the Grinch "took off". My second favorite was the tropical island-themed medium-sized boat, with its palm trees and cabana. My third favorite was the boat that had some inter-tubes that looked like lighted fish floating behind it. The most amazing boat was the final boat in the parade, a long canoe with about 20 people in it, it must have been a crew boat!! Here are some pictures of my three favorites:

Tonight I attended the Morro Bay Tree-Lighting event at City Park. This event is a great one for families with small children, as Santa Claus arrives at the end. I probably won't be back, but it definitely got me in the Christmas Spirit!! Who can resist free cider and cookies, and a passel of 4-year-olds performing the Nutcracker Suite!! The high school choir did an amazing job singing some Christmas carols, followed by a supposed sing-along (I think I was the only one singing along, though). I didn't bring my camera, but there were plenty of parents filming their kids. Santa arrive in a fire truck, siren and all!! He read "The Night Before Christmas" to a group of about 100 children assembled at his feet. When he was finished, the Mayor had a countdown to light the tree, followed by a round of Jungle Bells. As I walked away on my way home, I turned around and saw the tree, which looks like they thought they might not have enough lights as they started at the top, or they ran out of lights as the ended at the top!! The lights are the energy-efficient LED lights, so they should have spring for another couple of strands!! The cider was great, I brought my own coffee cup and it stayed warm throughout the event. They even provided cinnamon sticks to stir with. The cookie I had was great, homemade oatmeal with raisins and what appeared to be cranberries!! Alas, when I went back for another they were gone ...

Overall, a nice event for families.

Review - Restaurant - The Galley Seafood Grill & Bar

2009-11-08T18:41:00.000-08:00

This is a high-end restaurant with a rotating menu of unique tasty treats. Each time I dined at The Galley I was greeted by a friendly, respectful host. I mention this because so often a single diner is not treated with the same respect as a group of diners. There is a nice dining bar by the door, several booths and lots of window tables. I overheard the host greeting a birthday party and he had a special menu printed up with their name as a memento. These thoughtful touches make an impression on guests and they will return.

On my first visit the restaurant was almost empty, as I was there for a late lunch, so I was able to get a seat where I had a view of the Rock. The waitress was friendly and attentive. I ordered the turkey sandwich, fries, salad, and a soda (with free refills). I was happy that she was able to give me a Ceasar salad with blue cheese dressing. I like a crunchy salad, and theirs are the mixed greens that are healthy but not very crunchy!! The turkey sandwich came with melted cheese, a garlic basil sauce, lettuce, and asparagus. I tried the asparagus, but decided to take it off. The french fries were incredible, made from Yukon gold potatoes and fried crispy. The only negative was that the toasted sourdough for the sandwich was a bit too well-done and added a burned taste to the sandwich.

My second visit was an early dinner. I arrived just after opening so I had the opportunity to choose a wonderful window seat. I ordered a soft drink right away, and they brought out a couple of dinner rolls. I appreciated that they were served so quickly as I had eaten nothing but some yogurt all day and my glucose was in a nose-dive!! The rolls were nothing to write home about, the white one had some extra seeds and seasoning on the outside and the wheat one was nice and fresh. The bread was served with some seasoned butter.

I was able to order my salad with Romaine lettuce rather than "mixed greens", and they offered me some carrots as well. The salad was delivered quickly, which I again appreciated as I was quite hungry. For the main course I ordered some fish and chips, which are reviewed in another post "The Best Fish and Chips in Morro Bay". Bottom line, they were breaded rather than battered so I didn't prefer them over some other restaurant's fish and chips. Also, the french fries were not as good as I remembered.

I will definitely return here, they are a nice high-end option on the Embarcadero with some unique dishes.

Review - Restaurant - Thai Bounty

2009-10-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

This restaurant is where Thai Boat used to be. I never got a chance to try Thai Boat before it went away. Their menu is pretty typical for a Thai restaurant, and it is important to note that there are only 2 inside tables and 3 outside tables (in the sun). This is a great place for takeout. I ordered the Basil Chicken and it was in a styrofoam to-go container!! They did not have free soda refills, so I ordered regular water. They did not have large water cup for the tables, but they did have a small foam cup with a water dispenser (I had to go back 4 times for refills). It is rather loud inside, and they do not have a restroom. I ordered at the counter and had to wait for the food, which is good because that means they made it fresh. I do not like really spicy food and they were able to make it with "no spice". It tasted good, and I ate some vegetables that I don't normally eat (my mom would be happy). Of course, like Chinese food, I was hungry an hour later!!

I might come back here if I have a hankering for good Thai food. I like this better than the sit-down Thai restaurant on Morro Bay Blvd. It was not very crowded at lunch, and there was no place to throw the trash when we were finished. They are not open on Wednesday, and they only take cash and checks. They were friendly and the food was good, though.

Review - Restaurant - Embarcadero Bar & Grill

2009-10-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

I had been to this restaurant once several years ago, when it first converted from The Fish Bowl. At the time I remember a strange ordering process, rude staff, and a HUGE salad. When I moved down here 2 years ago I tried it again and I noticed a new front ordering area, great chicken strips, an odd self-serve condiment area, and a fantastic view.

Imagine my surprise when I visited this restaurant today and found a totally different restaurant!! Not only did they change their name to Embarcadero Bar & Grill, they have hosted seating and servers now!! Their menu is totally different, offering high-end food, and they beefed up the Bar. They will soon offer some of their own brews and plan on having football events there in the future. I will definitely return here, probably with friends and family.

I arrived mid-afternoon on a weekday and had to wait a bit to be seated. My server, Nick, was conscientious and attentive, which is hard to find around here if you are a single diner!! I had a coupon for a free appetizer with purchase of a drink, so I combined that with my dinner. Their popcorn shrimp were hot and tasty, the batter tasted sort of like good chicken strip batter, and they offered both tartar and cocktail sauce. I chose the cocktail sauce for my dipping, and it was great, not too spicy.

Since I prefer a crunchy salad I ordered a Caesar salad with blue cheese dressing (which was not listed on the menu). The salad was a bit expensive, the Romaine was not from the heart which is more traditional for Caesar, and the croutons were nothing to write home about. I will probably save the extra $2.00 the next time and order their regular garden salad. I was happy, though, that I had ordered the Caesar salad because I used the leftover Parmesan cheese in my main dish!!

For my entrée I ordered the Chicken Pesto Penne dish. I was surprised to see that there was no Parmesan sprinkled on the top, or available for me to sprinkle myself. So, I just used the leftover cheese from my salad!! I was happy that I was dining alone because I could use the extra fork to eat my entrée, as they didn't bring me a new one. I am sure he would have brought one, but they should bring an extra one out with the salad. I was so full by this time that I didn't enjoy this dish as much as I should have. The chicken was tasty, and the pasta cooked just right. The pesto was a bit oily, but it was good. The pasta came with some garlic bread that was nothing to write home about. I ended up taking my leftovers home and will eat them for breakfast!!

I will definitely return here, the staff was very friendly and attentive, the food is good, and the view is to die for. I was able to get a good view of the Rock (before it "went on vacation"), boaters, kayakers, some seals, some birds, and a jellyfish!! Nick was great, he gave me another appetizer coupon, I will bring some friends next time.

Morro Rock "On Vacation"

Review - Restaurant - Blue Skye

2009-10-28T14:59:00.000-07:00

Blue Skye

This is a cute place with a great bay-view. I ordered a turkey sandwich, a salad, and a soda. The turkey in the sandwich was great, real turkey and not too smokey. This is also the first restaurant in Morro Bay where I got decent blue cheese dressing!! The sodas were free-refills, which always makes me happy. The sandwich was a bit messy with the avocado, and the bread was a bit dry.

I will return to this place when I want a great view with simple healthy food. Their menu says it is dog-friendly, which was supported by a pair of dogs chasing each other around the tables!! They serve breakfast all day, if this floats your boat. They also have some deli treats at the counter. There are 3 tables outside and more inside, although some of these tables were supposedly for 4, but I barely fit in by myself!!

Update

2009-10-28T14:58:00.000-07:00

Well, there has been a lack of entries lately, that is because I have been living like a starving student because of a mix-up with my unemployment insurance payments!!

Once that was all figured out, I started going to some more new restaurants.

Let the reviews resume ...

Review - Restaurant - Windows on the Water

2009-08-04T21:02:00.000-07:00

To celebrate my first year of living in Morro Bay, I treated myself to dinner at Windows on the Water. This restaurant is only open for dinner, and it is quite fancy. This is the perfect date restaurant, good atmosphere and good food. I was surprised that the restaurant filled up, despite the bad economy.

I ordered a filet mignon and even ordered a chocolate dessert!! The food was fantastic. What I thought was interesting is that each dish has its own side dishes that complement the main dish. Gourmet food, great view, wonderful service (even for us lowly single diners)!! The prices were reasonable for gourmet fare, and I will definitely return to Windows on the Water when I have another event to celebrate!!

A year has passed ...

2009-08-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that a whole year has passed since I moved down here to Morro Bay. I really love it here, in fact I still find myself amazed that I actually live here. I feel like a local now, avoiding The Embarcadero during the Summer while all the tourists are here!!

I have a lot to do still to feel like a local, but I am pretty far along. I celebrated by treating myself to a filet mignon dinner at Windows on the Water. Now all I have to do is find my next job.

Here's to hoping I will still be here next year ...

Review - Morro Bay Antique Shops

2009-07-11T13:05:00.001-07:00

Alas, I remember a time when Morro Bay was chock full of antique shops. This was way back when I collected rhinestone jewelry. 25 years later, hardly a one.

One of the shops from the old days is Harbor Gun Shop on Morro Bay Blvd. It is as it says, primarily a gun shop. Hundreds of rifles line the walls, ammunition is stacked up throughout the store, and he even has some military ammunition boxes. In addition to the guns, there are loads of books, mostly on military history or guns. Also, in some cases are some random antique stuff, mostly related to guns, military or ammunition. This is the place to go if you are looking for vintage guns or books on guns.

Down the street from the gun shop is Mikkelson's Antiques, a small shop that features vintage glass, pottery and jewelry. I believe this is the only surviving antique shop from the golden years of Morro Bay antique shops. A wonderful display of art pottery and art glass, with an owner who knows her stuff!! The inventory does not shift too often, but she will add more items as she acquires them. Not really my style, so I probably won't shop here more than once a year, but the owner is so friendly and the inventory so fun to look at I will visit every chance I get.

Brenda Sue's Consignment Shop used to be sort of a combination of thrift store and antique mall. There used to be many booths where you could find antique or collectible items. I was there yesterday and was so disappointed in the current selection. There was literally only one booth that featured the type of items I shop for. Most of the booths had only new items, lots of vintage clothing and new jewelry. Home-made crafts are also featured quite a bit now. I used to visit here often to catch the seasonal items, but no longer.

I have to give you a warning about Antiques et cetera, on Main at Quintana. This building has been here forever, and I recall a past incarnation where they actually had real antiques here. Not so now, at least I couldn't find any when I browsed yesterday. What I did find was lots of new and imported furniture. And, unfortunately, some bad reproductions of Roseville pottery. I say unfortunately because they were not labelled as reproductions. At least they were not priced as the originals. If you want to compare these to the real thing I suggest that you go to Mikkelson's on Morro Bay Blvd. Even if they had some real antiques in here, I wouldn't trust them due to the many reproduction and new pieces offered for sale here. This is a good place if you are looking for decorator pieces at a reasonable price, as long as you don't purchase them thinking they are antiques as the name of the shop implies!! I will not be returning here anytime soon.

Here's to hoping that some of the empty storefronts will become antique shops in the near future!!

UPDATE: Well, since I originally posted, five more shops have opened up.

Treasures opened up in the building that used to be the Cotton Ball on Morro Bay Blvd. It is a mall style shop and I stopped in when it first opened up. There were some good spots, and a good selection of books in the back corner. The next time I went in things had changed quite a bit. Many of the spots were full of new items, including a lot of large furniture pieces. I was there the day before yesterday and found hardly anything that was of interest. Most of the items in there are new, and there were a lot of furniture booths. This is too bad, because it is a great space and could have been a great shop. I have been in there when it is crowded and there is only one person behind the counter. I have to wonder about all the furniture, too. It is almost like someone is using the shop as a place to store the pieces when they are not being used. I will probably return here but so far nothing has jumped off the shelf for me.

A couple of doors up from the Bay Theatre is another new shop called Jule's. It is also a mall style shop, with quite an eclectic selection including antiques, collectibles, and some ethnic imported items. I have been here twice and have not found anything of interest. Again, I will probably return just in case some piece catches my eye in the future.

Today I found Hwy 41 Antiques out on highway 41 next to Miner's. They have a great location, with the crowds coming and going from Miner's. It is a mall style shop, with an odd assortment of goods. There are a lot of ethnic type items, and natural stone beads. Many of the booths feature newer items. They are just opening up so there are still some empty booths. I will go back to see if any new booths open that are interesting.

Yesterday I discovered a new shop on lower Morro Bay Blvd. called Salvage, it is a darling shop that has a nice selection of true antiques, as well as some items that have been restored for home decorating. I was happy to see that they had some of the vintage pottery I collect, unfortunately I already had all the pieces she had for sale in my pattern. I will return here often to check out the selection of new items.

This new shop, Antiques & Collectables opened up recently on N. Main, next to that cool Art Deco styled building that always seems to be up for rent these days!! Look for the wacky painting of a lady that is displayed on a tall pole. I heard that these two guys moved to town and opened up this shop. I wandered around and was pleased to find a nice selection of true antiques and collectibles. So many of the shops these days feature vintage clothing and jewelry, most have a lot of new items. I drive by this shop and they often have a little yard sale going on along the side of the building. One of these days I won't be in a hurry and I will have to check the sale out!!

Review - Morro Bay Thrift Stores

2009-07-11T12:24:00.000-07:00

Achievement House

Morro Bay offers many thrift store options, my favorite is the Achievement House store on Morro Bay Blvd. They offer a wide selection of affordable items, and support a good cause. I like the hand-made price tags on the jewelry and the selection of books. They even have a little video-viewing station in the back. I have found great kitchen items here, knitting needles, and other household goods. They have books, magazines, record albums, and videos. They even have music scores!! They are always friendly and I will always shop here. A side note, check out their warehouse store at the back of the Cuesta College campus.

Castaways

Castaways is another thrift shop on Morro Bay Blvd, specializing in vintage clothing. There is also a large selection of books, DVDs, and a small selection of random thrift store staples which are a bit overpriced. If you are looking for some sand dollars and other quirky souvenirs, check out this shop. There are a lot of books, but they are hard to get at, I found some good ones here the other day which were on sale.

Fabulous Finds

I love Fabulous Finds, on Napa by the post office. They are a church-run shop and don't always have predictable hours. But, if you see the red, white, and blue banners outside, they are open. The prices are fair and the inventory is constantly updated. I have purchased several items here, including a Cornishware tea pot, a vintage chrome Sunbeam mixer, and a cast aluminum ice cream scoop!! The ladies are nice and they really take their time arranging the items for display.

The Good Flea

The Good Flea on Quintana at Main has been around for a long time, and just recently changed hands, again. The previous owner's remodeled it and opened it up a bit, the new owner has closed it up again!! The previous owner's prices were less steep than the owners before, but now the new owner has returned to steep prices. Most of the inventory is the same, but I miss all the books that the previous owner used to sell. Most of the items seem like someone just cleaned out their house and put it all up for sale at high prices. They offer a new area for clothing, so that might add to the shopability. I wish that the great deals could be found here again, but I will still shop here and hope for the best.

Brenda Sue's Consignment Shop

Brenda Sue's Consignment Shop used to be sort of a combination of thrift store and antique mall. There used to be many booths where you could find antique or collectible items. I was there yesterday and was so disappointed in the current selection. There was literally only one booth that featured the type of items I shop for. Most of the booths had only new items, lots of vintage clothing and new jewelry. Home-made crafts are also featured quite a bit now. I used to visit here often to catch the seasonal items, but no longer.

Love me 2 times

This shop is on Morro Bay Blvd at Main, it recently changed hands. I have been in here a couple of times, but am disappointed. They have a lot of clothing. I think they need to beef up their household, antique, and collectibles or they will not stay open for long.

Review - Restaurant - Dutchman's Seafood House

2009-07-11T12:11:00.001-07:00

This restaurant used to be called The Flying Dutchman. It has recently changed names and has been majorly renovated. Gone are the kitschy booths and pirate-themed wall decor. They sort of "fancied" it up. I was happy to see that there were many diners in attendance the day I lunched there. They still offer bottomless sodas, and their servers are quite friendly. Their menu is rather fish- and seafood-oriented, but they offer a grilled chicken breast on the side, and there are several beef items, as well.

I was happy that I was able to order my cheeseburger cooked medium-rare. Their lightly seasoned french fries were great, crisp and slightly seasoned -- no ketchup needed. There were several that were overcooked, though. The bun is buttered and slightly toasted, which was great because the burger was so juicy!!

As usual, I ordered the side salad minus cucumber and tomato, which left a pretty naked salad. The green lettuce was good, and there was plenty of blue cheese dressing. The croutons were good, too, even if they were not homemade.

I will definitely return here, perhaps when there is a group of people. The view is fantastic, and if you have their old "locals-only" off-season discount card don't throw it away, they still honor it if you show it to them.

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

2009-06-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

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.

I will definitely return here, perhaps to get a pic of the delicious french toast dish I tried last year!!

Review - Restaurant - Great American Fish Company

2009-06-20T07:34:00.000-07:00

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 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.

Their prices are a bit high, but I might return for a nice dinner, especially with a group.

EARTHQUAKE

2009-06-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-20T07:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-20T07:18:00.000-07:00

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.

Review - Restaurant - Maya Mexican Restaurant

2009-06-14T19:38:00.001-07:00

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.

Review - Restaurant - Beach House Bistro

2009-06-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

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.

Review - Morro Bay Pizza Restaurants

2009-06-12T12:19:00.001-07:00

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 :-)

Review - Restaurant - Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant

2009-06-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T20:44:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T20:39:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

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 ...

2009-06-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-08T13:52:00.000-07:00

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.

Review - Bakery - Dolly's Donuts

2009-06-08T13:46:00.001-07:00

I had a hankerin' for some donuts the other day, so I decided to try out Dolly's Donuts on Quintana. I arrived right as they were closing, so my selection was not the best and the donuts were not as fresh as they would be first thing in the morning.

However, I was surprised that they were still quite delicious. I tried a blueberry cream cheese croissant, a glazed, a maple glazed, an old-fashioned, and a buttermilk bar (which he threw in for free). To wash them down I bought a blended iced mocha drink (which gave me an "ice cream" headache)!!

The best was the blueberry cream cheese croissant, now all I have to do is convince them to offer a chocolate croissant also. The glazed was good, as was the old-fashioned. I wasn't wild about the maple glazed, as it didn't have a primary glaze first, just the maple frosting on the top. The buttermilk bar was very dense and I couldn't finish it all, but it tasted good.

I will definitely go back here, especially if my hankerin' comes first thing in the morning.

Follow-up Note: They no longer offer the blueberry croissant, but I tried the red one (strawberry?). They also now offer a chocolate chip croissant, which I will try next time. I bought the donuts in the photo earlier in the day, and they were good. This is the spot to get donuts in Morro Bay, for sure.

Review - Restaurant - Carla's Country Kitchen

2009-06-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

I have driven by this restaurant countless times and finally decided to try it out. I went in for a late lunch on a weekday and was surprised that there was only one other group there. Usually the parking lot has lots of cars, especially for breakfast.

I was not impressed with the service or the food. The girl who waited on me kept gossiping with the other people in the restaurant, when she should have been refilling my soda or seeing if I needed anything else, etc. The food was something that I could have made at home. The prices were high for the quality of food, and I do not plan on going to this restaurant again.

I decided to give them another try, this time for breakfast. Their lot is always full for breakfast, and now that Bob's isn't an option for breakfast I thought I might broaden my options.

I ordered the french toast with an egg and a double bacon. It was yummy. I might be back for this meal, but I would try to get 2 eggs rather than one next time. I sat right by the door, which was the only small table location option, which was a bit distracting. There was a group of local politicians doing their thing at a large table. I think the owner might be involved in local politics, and I for one don't enjoy listening to politicians trying to sell their ideas while I am dining. It was especially hard to listen to the "self-important" talk of one of the guys. Also, I found it odd that the person who brought me my water couldn't take my order!! The menu is a bit confusing, I thought I was getting hashbrowns and toast, but that is only for "egg" breakfasts.

I heard that they had a fantastic burger so I decided to try them out for lunch one day the next week. I chose to sit out on their patio so I could be alone and could do some work while I dined. It was perfect, no one else was there and it wasn't too hot.

I ordered a salad with my burger, it was nice. As usual, the blue cheese dressing was too vinegary, I will definitely miss Bob's blue cheese dressing!! The lettuce was fresh and the croutons were fresh.

I ordered the bacon cheeseburger and it was huge!! The fries, although they were hot, needed salt and were nothing to write home about, but the burger made for a perfect working lunch. The cheese was real, not American, and the large pieces of bacon hardly fit on the bun!! They do have free refills (although the soda was a bit flat), and the waitress was friendly and accommodating. I will be back for this burger again later.

Review - Bakery - La Parisienne French Bakery

2009-06-08T13:36:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for a good chocolate croissant to go with my Iced Mocha. I saw this French bakery and hoped that my search would be done. The restaurant has been crowded each time I was there, and they are friendly in a neighborhood way. The options of fresh-baked goodies are amazing. I was bummed that they did not have a chocolate croissant, but the other goodies made do. I will go here when I need fresh-baked pastries.

Review - Bakery - Sun N Buns

2009-06-08T13:33:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for something to go with my Iced Mocha, and I was hoping that this bakery would carry a good chocolate croissant. They didn't, but I tried one of their danishes and some cookies. Not much to write home about. I could have made better baked goods at home.

However, I was pleased that they also sell home-made doggie biscuits. I bought one of each flavor and am happy to say that my brother's puppy loved them, especially the chicken-flavored one. I will go back for puppy biscuits, but not for their baked goods.

Review - Drive-Thru Fast Food Restaurants in Morro Bay

2009-06-08T13:21:00.000-07:00

I have always been a user of drive-thru fast food restaurants, but was surprised to find that Morro Bay only has three of them. I suppose I should feel lucky with those three, since drive-thru restaurants are prohibited in the city of San Luis Obispo.

Taco Bell

I have decided that I like the Taco Bell, on Main street in North Morro Bay at 41, the best. Their servers are friendly and they don't mix up my special orders. The prices are reasonable and the food is consistently good. The only complaint I have is that they don't have Coke, but they can't control that!!

Combo #6 (2 Chalupas (no tomatoes), 1 taco (extra sour cream), 45¢ chips)

Cheesy Double Beef Burrito

Chicken Flatbread Sandwich (no sauce)

Burger King

The Burger King on Quintana has good french fries when they are fresh, and their sodas are consistently good. I have been ordering their Crispy and Grilled chicken sandwiches quite often these days, especially since they offer a 99¢ soda refill, even for their XL cups. They are offering several low-priced options in these hard economic times, my favorite was their double cheeseburger for $1. They currently have a bacon cheeseburger option that is pretty good. They are my second favorite. I often call up the memory of the original chicken sandwiches that were so good back in the day. Unfortunately, they are smaller and so dry these days that I won't be ordering another one here.

Original Chicken Sandwich, regular-sized French Fries

Double Whopper with Cheese (no pickles, onions, or tomatoes), regular-sized fries

McDonald's

Close behind is the McDonald's on Quintana. I like the quality of the sandwiches, but their fries are hit and miss. The drinks are good, but they often get handed to you with the soda all dripping down the side. The servers are also hit and miss, in terms of friendliness, and for a while there they had some really kooky people at the window. I like their special offer of any size soda for $1, but they tricked the public by eliminating their XL size and reducing the amount of soda in their Large size (from the standard 32 oz. to 30 oz.). You have to be careful when you put one of their new Large cups in your car's cupholder, because it is now too top-heavy and tips over easily. To avoid this I ask for mine in a "Sweet Tea" foam cup instead.

Double-Cheeseburger Mighty Kids Meal (plain)

Quarter Pounder with Cheese (Plain) + French Fries (regular size)
This is my go-to item at McDonalds, when in doubt I order a QP!!

"New" Chicken Sandwich (no tomato)
These are either grilled or crispy, I didn't like the dilly taste of the flavoring.

Review - Restaurant - The Coffee Pot Restaurant

2009-05-29T14:13:00.001-07:00

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.