Samoa Cookhouse

Arrive early to beat the crowds.

Samoa Cookhouse
908 Vance Avenue
Samoa, CA


Samoa Cookhouse has been on my must-visit list for quite a while now, and for good reasons:  first of all, the last surviving cookhouse in the West has been serving customers since the late 1800s (a feat in itself), when they fed workers in the nearby lumber and logging industries.  Secondly, the fare is all-you-can eat, AKA “lumber camp style”, and servers bring the food to you at your request, something I appreciate since I typically make 4-5 embarrassing trips to any given buffet.  In fact, I wore stretchy yoga pants in preparation for this hearty meal.

I headed to the cookhouse early on a Sunday morning, ravenous after a day traipsing through redwoods along the Avenue of the Giants.  As I stepped inside I found rows upon rows of long tables covered with old-fashioned red and white-checked tablecloths.  A few families and solo diners were already digging into their breakfasts, and the air had a slight smell of cinnamon.  I was seated, immediately offered water, juice and coffee, then told the biscuits and gravy would arrive shortly.

The cookhouse has a set menu each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Today’s menu board revealed that the biscuits and gravy would be follow by French toast, sausage and eggs; I tried to pace myself, but ended of gorging on a couple of biscuits with warm, buttery milk gravy.  I spied the chef behind the counter dipping thick, hand-sliced homemade bread into a vat of cinnamon egg mixture at a furious pace, keeping up with the steady stream of customers coming through the front door.  At the same time, he scrambled eggs and made sure there were enough hot sausage links to go around.

I declined a second round of biscuits and gravy (!) and cleansed my palate with a little OJ before the main event.  Moments later, I was presented with a pile of golden French toast, sizzling sausage links and fluffy scrambled eggs.

Few things top the taste and texture of home-baked bread; and, as a result, this might have been some of the best French toast I’ve ever had.  I drenched each rich, chewy bite with butter and syrup and watched as dozens of loaves behind the counter were being sliced up for the next day’s breakfast crowd (only day-old bread will hold up to that thick egg batter).  It was so good that even after the first helping AND my previous biscuits and gravy, I asked for seconds.  The sausage and eggs proved to be a nice balance to all of that carb-loading.

Completely satisfied, I lumbered (ha!) into the next room for a trip back in time.  The Logging Museum houses antique equipment and tools and displays turn-of-the-century photos of workers who likely dined at the cookhouse decades ago (just not in yoga pants).  Rigorous work under dangerous conditions can work up quite an appetite, which is why the cookhouse’s meals are indeed “fit for a lumberjack”.

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.

Webster's Country Burger Drive-In

I told you so!

Webster's Country Burger Drive-In

18737 E. Highway 88

Clements, CA

My mom and I were surrounded by cocks the moment we got out of my car.  Really, we were!  Several roosters and chickens were taking shade in some brush in the corner of the parking lot.  Get your mind out of the gutter.

Webster’s is a true roadside joint in every sense.  Pull up, order at the window, grab a table and ask your stomach to stop grumbling while you wait for your food.

A wide variety of burgers, dogs and chicken are available, alongside salads and kiddie treats like grilled cheese and PB&J.  I chose the Ranch Burger, with two beef patties on a French roll with all the fixings.

Great choice.  Juicy beef with crisp lettuce, red onion, and sweet tomatoes slathered with their house sauce on a sturdy, chewy roll.  No clue what’s in the sauce, reminiscent of Thousand Island dressing, but it was amazing and I made sure not to waste a drop.

Completely sated, my mother and I headed out to the next culinary destination. After a few more cock jokes, of course.

Gayle's Bakery

Drop your jaw in 3...2...

Gayle's Bakery
504 Bay Avenue
Capitola, CA

Beach eats aren't just limited to cotton candy and corn dogs (not that there's anything wrong with that!); truly outstanding dining options can be found if you're willing to wander inland a bit. Gayle's Bakery is one of these spots in laid-back Capitola. 

"Bakery" may be a bit of a misnomer, since they offer so much more than your typical neighborhood bakery. Walking in, I noticed what seemed to be a neverending glass case and counter that snaked around a corner and ended at the other side of the building next to the espresso bar.  At the front was a wide variety of hot deli items such as thick, eggy casseroles, roasted meats, pastas and sandwiches made-to-order. Moving down the line I encountered dozens and dozens of mouth-watering flaky pastries, sky-high cakes, plump pies, tarts and unique breads.  The full-service espresso bar was the finish line where I ordered a mocha before finding a window seat to watch locals walk their dogs and diners devour humongous fruit and cheese danishes.

I wanted a hot breakfast this particular morning, and the scents from the casseroles accosted my nostrils when I walked in.  A huge pan of Fresh Corn Frittata was staring me in the face and I thought this would be an interesting, more healthy alternative to a croissant.  A large square was dished up and my fork plunged into the light and tender egg mixed with cheese, fresh corn kennels and a few secret ingredients.  It was rich, like a quiche, but light and airy at the same time.  Corn kernels added a distinct crunch to the soft texture and it all came together as it melted in my mouth.

My mocha now seemed to be an odd pairing, but it all somehow worked; and minutes later, I found myself completely satisfied...but sneaking bites of my friend's croissant for good measure.

Donut Factory

Next time I'm not sharing.

Donut Factory

23 Fair Lane
Placerville, CA

A co-worker told me about the cabeza-sized cinnamon rolls here.

When my boyfriend and I woke up one Saturday at 5:15am to get ready for a big 7:00am yard sale, only to find I was a week early, we naturally decided to take a road trip for breakfast (after my boyfriend shook his head in disappointment, of course).

So there we were, after only four hours of sleep, driving 45 minutes to a non-descript donut shop
in the middle of Placerville.

We walked in and immediately spotted the oversized treats.  I told the lady behind the counter that we drove all the way from Elk Grove for these cinnamon rolls because of a co-worker's suggestion, and she mumbled something in a mysterious Asian (?) language to her husband (?) and he exclaimed, "Really?" as if we were crazy.

Moments later, we tore into the embarrassingly large monstrosity, exposing gooey layers of warm pastry, butter, cinnamon and cream cheese frosting.  You can choose between cream cheese frosting and sugar icing, but is that really a choice?  Cream cheese wins every time. My half was washed down with a delicious White Mocha, because clearly there wasn't enough sugar already involved.

I'm never going to pass through Placerville again without snagging one of these.  Now, that would be crazy.