Sal's Tacos

!Aye carumba!

Sal's Tacos

400 C Street

West Sacramento, CA

It's absolutely amazing that I'd never heard of this place until a coworker brought me here!  It's got everything you need in a Mexican joint: mosaics from floor to ceiling, Spanish music thumping at you from every direction and a fully loaded "Sal's-a Bar".

Get it?  Sal's-a?

Oh yeah, one more thing: gargantuan proportions!

Before ordering, the salsa bar had my full attention.  I had already concocted the perfect crema fresca/salsa/onion/cilantro combination in my mind; my actual meal was an afterthought.  I quickly ordered a Carnitas Burrito (no frijoles), then began piling chips into small wooden bowls.

Moments later, it arrived.

My jaw literally dropped.  To the point where it hurt my jaw.

Looking back, I wish I'd had a measuring tape handy, because the photos I took barely did it justice.  For one thing, this burrito was served on a dinner PLATTER!  A platter, for Christ's sake!  Furthermore, the burrito took up most of said platter.

Inside, crispy carnitas goodness.  I looked for it, but couldn't find the pools of grease I've come to expect from a beanless burrito. Could it be?  Finally?  Burrito perfection?  Shredded lettuce was a unique addition, and helped cut down on the overall richness that lied beneath globs of smooth guacamole and sweet crema.

45 seconds in, I told myself to take two more bites, then take the rest home.

Eight minutes in, 40% was devoured and lethargy kicked in.  Unfortunately, it's not ladylike to lie in the  fetal position in restaurant booths.  On the other hand, it's probably not ladylike to eat 40% of a burrito the size of a toddler, either.

Have I mentioned prices?  At the time of this review, I had eaten 40% for lunch yesterday and 30% for today's lunch.  I think you know what's on the menu for tomorrow.  For you math wizards, that's three meals.  The cost?  Seven bucks and change.

Sal's is an outstanding value and certainly a hidden gem in West Sacramento.  Come for the salsa bar, stay for burritos the size of your forearm.

Old West Cinnamon Rolls

Breakfast of champions!

Old West Cinnamon Rolls
861 Dolliver Street
Pismo Beach, CA


When I see a line out of any establishment's front door, it's usually a good sign.

In this case, it was a GREAT sign.

Propping open that front door allowed the fragrances of sugar, cinnamon, nuts and cream cheese to make their way down the street...clearly calling out to passersby who hadn't even considered breakfast yet.  These were aromas coming from an open kitchen manually cranking out some of the best rolls I'd ever encountered.  Cinnabon and its artificial, overmanufactured sweetness had officially been put to shame.

With so many choices of ooey, gooey cinnamon rolls to consider, it's amazing I didn't piss off everyone in line behind me.  Raisins or no raisins?  Walnuts or pecans?  Cream cheese on top, or on the side?  The winner was a Walnut Roll, with nuts on top and peeking through layers of warm, chewy dough speckled with sugar and cinnamon.  Each bite was dunked into the generous plastic container of frosting, with the last bite used to wipe that cup clean.

I savored that last bite, then looked forward to the six and a half hours of cardio that would be required to balance it all out.  Boo.

Heidi's Pancake House

Corned Beef Hash: go crispy, or go HOME.

Heidi's Pancake House
3485 Lake Tahoe Boulevard
South Lake Tahoe, CA


Heidi's.  It looks fun.  It sounds fun.  It tastes fun!

Some complain about an oft-packed house with lackluster service, but I experienced quite the opposite at 10:00 on a crisp Sunday morning.  It was busy, but I was able to get a small booth for two right next to the podium belonging to a hostess who gave a myriad of mysterious hand signals to another hostess at the front of the restaurant. Fascinating!

Breakfast offerings were numerous and we had a tough time deciding between health-conscious omelettes (ha) or platters large enough to feed two lumberjacks.  I chose the Corned Beef Hash, extra crispy (soggy is for SUCKERS).

Lord almighty, it was one of the best hashes I've had in years.  Perfectly crispy, just salty enough, topped with runny yolks from two sunny-side-up eggs.  With a side of three fluffy pancakes, it was indeed enough for two lumberjacks...or, in this case, one ravenous little Asian chick.  Score.

Angelina's Spaghetti House

The entrance...to heaven.

Angelina's Spaghetti House
1563 E. Fremont Street
Stockton, CA


Ah, Angelina's.  A staple of my youth.  A staple of my adulthood.  And eventually, a staple of my twilight years.

Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself.  I'm only 30-ish, for crying out loud!

At Angelina's, you'll start by eating a couple loaves of complimentary garlic bread - on your own.  Believe it!

Their salad bar is the standard by which I compare all others.  Greens are always crisp, mushrooms and red onions are always fresh, and they never run out of bleu cheese dressing.  On Fridays, they add bay shrimp and imitation crabmeat to the salad bar.  It is damn good.

The Friday lunch buffet is the best deal around.  I always, always, always get the Fettucine Alfredo because it's the best I've ever had. Seriously!  The Lasagna and Ravioli are pretty spectacular as well.

The next time I'm there I want to meet the owner or head chef just to tell him/her how happy he/she has made me over the years.  Is that too stalker-ish?

Soda Jerks

This guy's a jerk!

Soda Jerks
200 Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, CA

As much as I appreciate having two (!) self-serve yogurt joints within a half mile of my home, sometimes I long for the ability to plop my butt on a stool and command the jerk behind the counter to whip me up something delicious.

I lived this dream after stumbling upon Soda Jerks at the Santa Monica Pier.  I declared, "I'll take a large Chocolate Egg Cream, my good man!"  By the way, this demand was made towards my boyfriend, who rolled his eyes as he got in line to pay.

It was everything I had hoped for - simple, yet rich and frothy with a nod to nostalgia. Other patrons were as varied as their orders: kids with chocolate malts, their parents with ice cream cones, and the older set with phosphates and freezes.

A 6 oz. glass of soda water still sells for two cents.  I challenge you to find any other LA-area menu item for that price.

Mee Mee Bakery

I could watch this all day.

Mee Mee Bakery
1328 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA

There seem to be a jillion bakeries in San Francisco, half of which are located in Chinatown; therefore, your fortune cookies must be infinitely better than most if I'm gonna write home about them.

Chinese bakeries typically offer a mixed bag of sweets: buns, cookies, etc.  But only at Mee Mee's have I found actual mixed bags...of fortune cookies!  I grabbed a huge neapolitan mix of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate, a steal at four bucks.  After sampling each of them, I would have paid twice as much.

A variety of other traditional cookies, breads and pastries round out the offerings.  They also create giant fortune cookies, perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or very polite break-ups.  Sweet!

Bartels Giant Burger

No, it's NOT a gas station!

Bartels Giant Burger
22355 Corning Road
Corning, CA

It was by sheer coincidence that I stumbled upon this place.  I was actually heading south on I-5 and exited intending to head over to the Olive Pit because of their 327 billboard ads I had seen in the last 3 miles. But who can pass up an inconspicuous roadside burger joint?  Not this girl.

I could tell Bartels is probably packed at lunchtime and on weekends with their no-nonsense burgers, fries and shakes.  They asked me how I wanted my burger (surprising when it comes to $3.95 burgers)...and when I said "still mooing", they obliged.

Crisp lettuce and extra onions and tomatoes topped a bloody patty, just like I asked for. This is my new favorite place!  I'll be coming here every time I pass through Corning, wherever the heck that is...