Burr's Fountain

Shhh...a master's at work.

Burr's Fountain
4920 Folsom Boulevard
Sacramento, CA


What's better than watching food being prepared on television?  Watching food being prepared right in front of you.

Lucky for me, all of the counter seats were available during my lunchtime visit.  I plopped down on a comfy, padded stool and tuned out the nonsense of the boisterous crowd behind me.  I instead focused on my sandwich and soda fountain options, trying not to salivate down the front of my hoodie.

Corned Beef Sandwich and Chocolate Phosphate, please!

I then turned my attention to a quiet, reserved older gentleman manning a station piled high with sandwich fixings, alongside two industrial-sized panini presses atop bread shelves filled with sourdough, 7-grain and both light and dark ryes.  After only a few moments, I realized this individual was single-handedly cranking out each and every food order, from hot dogs to Reubens to turkey salad...with nary a word spoken to the young men and women picking up and dropping off their orders.  He moved gracefully, yet speedily, as if to say, "A party of 20 just walked in?  Bring it on."

I was enjoying the show so much I was almost disappointed when my order came, providing a slight distraction from the one-man machine.  It was a delicious distraction, however: the perfect combination of juicy corned beef and rye, all washed down with a fizzy chocolate beverage that told me I wouldn't be needing another meal for hours.

The food and fountain treats are reason enough to come back, but the one-man show is the real highlight.  His frenzy likely started well before I arrived and ended quite some time after my departure.  I'm looking forward to that quiet entertainment again.

Squeeze Inn

Drool much?

Squeeze Inn
Various Locations In & Around Sacramento, CA


The Squeeze Inn was one of Sacramento's best-kept secrets until the establishment was featured on the Food Network.  As if the lines weren't already long enough, all hell broke loose and today, the now-franchise is a true legend in Northern California.

I come often for burgers and tacos, but mostly to watch the creation of the Cheese Skirt.  Fistloads of shredded cheddar are dropped over sizzling patties on a flat-top grill, and the intense heat proceeds to morph that queso into a crisp, chewy topping, flavor concentrated by the heat and evaporation of some of the cheese's moisture (there's a bit more to it but I won't ruin the fun for you). The result is a "skirt" of cheese that is often 6-7 inches wider in diameter than the patty itself.  You have to see it to believe it.  And you'll have to taste it to experience it.  It's the icing on the cupcake, if the cupcake were a juicy, beef patty coupled with fresh produce on a perfectly chewy bun.

Over the years, Squeeze Inn has expanded to locations in Galt and West Sacramento and is still on the move.  No matter which location you choose, expect a wait.  Squeeze Inn doesn't rush the process just because there's a line out the door.  Impatient?  Chew some gum and wait your flippin' turn.  You won't be sorry.

Ludy's Main St. BBQ and Catering

This should hold you over till dinner.

Ludy's Main St. BBQ and Catering
667 Main Street
Woodland, CA


This is real stick-to-your-ribs kind of food.

Get it?  Ribs?  BBQ?  Am I amusing only myself at this point?

The line was ten deep when my buddy and I arrived.  The wait was long, but so was the menu; it gave us plenty of time to decide what 5-6 meats we wanted to try.

Yep, I said 5-6!

BBQ Brisket Sandwich, Pork and Beef Ribs, Chicken, Tri-Tip, Hot Link and Western Chili.  Yum!  Tangy sauce with a bit of zing without being overly spicy.  Tender smoked meats with layers of flavors.  Generous piles of brisket atop a soft roll, just absorbent enough to soak up all the juices without becoming too soggy.  Out-of-this-world Dill Potato Salad and Cornbread, served with butter and honey.

I think I just gained a couple pounds writing this article.

Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab

Science: delicious!

Doc Burnstein's Ice Cream Lab
114 W. Branch Street
Arroyo Grande, CA


Doc Burnstein's is an ice cream parlor for all ages.  Adults will love the nostalgic model trains running along the perimeter of the parlor and appreciate the old-fashioned glassware used for their signature fountain treats and desserts.  Kids will get a kick out of watching the creation of new ice creams during the weekly Lab Shows.  Everyone will enjoy the high-quality ingredients used to make such inventive flavors as Motor Oil, Merlot Raspberry Truffle and Vanilla Chai.

I prefer to stick to the basics, and ordered a Regular Sundae with hot fudge, whipped cream and a cherry. It was my birthday, so I was offered an additional treat, on the house!  Amazingly, their Frozen Chocolate Banana managed to stay intact all the way home...to Northern California!

One bite of their luscious ice cream and I was sold.  The Rocky Road was chock full of nuts and marshmallows, swimming in rich, chewy hot fudge which started melting the fresh whipped cream.  The atmosphere didn't hurt, either: bright colors, friendly staff, and smiles on every patron's face are nothing to complain about.

Doc's community involvement takes the form of reading labs, movie nights, blood drives, and even creating a 100-inch ice cream sandwich for your party.  35 gallons of ice cream never tasted so good.

Tadich Grill

Culinary gold can be discovered here.

Tadich Grill
240 California Street
San Francisco, CA  94111


Tadich Grill has had a long, storied history with San Francisco since the gold rush.  Their food has had a long, storied history with my mouth since the early 1990s.

Arrive before lunch and dinner rushes if you want a first-come, first-served seat at the bar, where most great dining experiences occur.  The servers might look more like dentists in their white coats if they weren't floating around behind the bar meticulously preparing place settings and individual sourdough bread and butter portions for each guest.

Running nearly the entire length of the dining room, the bar allows diners to see what everyone else is chowing on, from Louie salads piled high with fresh crab and shrimp to cioppino, pork chops, pastas in meat sauce, and dozens of fried, sauteed or broiled seafood dishes.

San Francisco is already well-known for its clam chowder, but Tadich Grill knocks it out of the proverbial park.  A standard mire poix is the basis for one of the thickest, chunkiest chowders you'll ever try.  No skimping on clams here, and the potatoes are diced large enough to hold their shape and not dissipate into the soup.  Just be sure to save some of your bread to clean the last traces of it out of your bowl before your dentist - er, server - swipes it from you.

Bottley's Bar-B-Que

"Love At First Bite?"  Exactly.

Bottley's Bar-B-Que
2210 Country Club Boulevard
Stockton, CA


Nearly 20 years ago, my late father hired Bottley's to cater his company's annual picnic.  I distinctly remember one dish: Dirty Rice.

Fast forward two decades, and I'm standing at the counter inside their newest location, talking to a family member who not only remembered catering that function, but my father as well.  Unbelievable!

Unfortunately, they no longer offer Dirty Rice as a menu option; however, I was given a sample of the Boudin, which is a spicy meat and rice mixture formed into sausages.  Odd-sounding, but mighty delicious.

I ordered the Pork Ribs Lunch Plate which included four fall-off-the-bone ribs in my choice of sauce (medium), a scoop of tangy Potato Salad, two slices of soft white bread and a choice of sides (in my case, creamy Macaroni and Cheese).  For $8, it was a bargain of a deal, especially when factoring in the genuine hospitality emanating from each and every employee.

The food is prepared with care, the walls are covered with decades of local sports memorabilia, and the operation is family-run. There's little room for improvement as far as I'm concerned.  On second thought, if they could wave a magic wand and make it all fat-free, then that would be perfect.

Deb's Great American Hamburgers

Tasty, even when completely sober!

Deb's Great American Hamburgers
3340 Redwood Drive
Redway, CA


First impression: That's quite an extensive menu on the wall.  Do I want a burger, taco salad, or egg rolls? Apparently Humboldt County residents are pretty specific about their munchies.  I guess being the only diner for miles also lets you get away with charging nearly nine bucks for a Patty Melt.

Twenty minutes later:  This is a pretty f**king good Patty Melt.  I'd pay nine bucks for this again.

Contrary to most online reviews, Deb's isn't swimming in Betty Boop memorabilia.  Sure, there are items on the wall, but it's no Mel's Drive-In or Hard Rock Cafe, for Pete's sake.  Settle down, folks.  I was able to thoroughly enjoy my Patty Melt, juicy and rich with sugary caramelized onions on toasted rye, and wash it down with a creamy shake without feeling like a thousand female Depression-era cartoon faces were staring me down.

Then again, I did not partake in any pre-meal recreational "fun" as was evident by a handful of patrons.