Lou's Drive In

The lipstick on my straw means one thing:
HANDS OFF!

Lou's Drive In
6229 Watt Avenue

North Highlands, CA

To passersby, Lou's may seem like your typical, mild-mannered drive-in burger joint.  Walk up to the window, however, and you'll be bombarded by the enthusiasm that can only come from someone who truly enjoys his job.

I was privy to two Lada Gaga jokes, compliments of a male cashier, as I completed my debit card payment.  I settled in at an outdoor table and patiently waited for my order; in the meantime, that same cashier called patrons' names so boisterously it caused one customer to comment that he hadn't been yelled at like that since he lived with his parents.

The menu here is basic: burgers, dogs, drinks and a few fried items to round out the offerings.  I picked up my Chili Burger and large Chocolate Malt at the window and couldn't unwrap that sandwich quick enough, already salivating over everyone else's shakes and burgers.

All burger joints should take note: a little mustard makes a good chili burger a GREAT chili burger.  Lou's also goes so far as to add a little pickle relish.  It added to the mess, although slightly, but provided a new flavor profile to contrast with the thick, rich malt.  Genius.

For a few bucks, this is your best bet in North Highlands.  Watt are you waiting for (come on, that's clever)?

Chicago Fire

This will be the longest 45-minute wait of your life.

Chicago Fire

Various Locations

Folsom, Sacramento and Roseville, CA

I’ve dined at three of the four Chicago Fire locations more times than I care to admit to my personal trainer.  I go for intimate casual meals and celebrations with friends, and it’s also my venue of choice when planning work events.  Have they ever let me down?  Nope. 

I’d been searching for authentic Chicago-style pizza here on the west coast ever since I spent two consecutive college summers interning in the windy city.  Chicago Fire’s decadent Stuffed Pizzas are the closest I've had to Giordano's, the mother of all Chicago pizza joints; I no longer have to mail-order bricks of frozen meat, cheese and dough to satisfy my frequent cravings.

Stuffed Pizzas are hefty and can take up to 45 minutes to cook.  Plan accordingly.  Chicago Fire offers plenty of delicious salads, incredible wings and an extensive beer, wine and cocktail list to keep you occupied.  You can even order a thin-crust pizza (I recommend the Traditional) to snack on which bakes in a fraction of the time.  Pre-pizza pizza?  Yes, please.

I always, order two stuffed pies in particular: the meaty Chicago Fire Combo, and the lighter (ha!) Spinach & Mushroom.  You may be asking, what is a stuffed pizza?  Well, you take heavy, high-rimmed pizza pans large enough to bake wedding cake tiers and line it with dough.  Add your toppings, another layer of dough, THEN top it with chunky marinara.  Bake.  Devour.  Roll eyes to the back of your head.

 

Here’s a tip: these slices are tall and rich with high-quality ingredients.  When the menu says a small stuffed pizza will feed 2-3 people, BELIEVE IT.

Taqueria Eduardo 2

157 cubic inches of heaven can be found here.

Taqueria Eduardo 2
1104 W. Tennyson Road

Hayward, CA

If you want a perfectly assembled, lean and mean burrito for $8, I suggest Chavez Supermarket and Taqueria.

But if you haven't eaten in 7 hours, and wanna initiate a knock-down, drag-out fight with your intestines, for less than $7, come HERE.

When the lady behind the counter brought me my Carne Asada Burrito, I pretty much gained a couple pounds just looking at it.

I'm not kidding when I tell you my burrito was five inches in diameter and about 8 inches in length.  Do the math and you'll find that's roughly 157 cubic inches of burrito.  What's the capacity of the unstretched human stomach?  I'm afraid to find out.

The steak?  Phenomenal.  And lots of it!  Maybe a little bit too much rice, but that didn't stop me from eating 80 percent of the thing.

Towards the end everything started becoming a little greased-soaked, so I ended the battle, using about 17 napkins to clean up my hands.  Classy.