Palace Saloon

It's a historical landmark, but do you
need more reasons to drink here?

Palace Saloon

353 Main Street

Ferndale, CA

Palace Saloon is more than a mere watering hole for tourists who just inhaled way too many free samples at nearby Loleta Cheese Factory.  It’s home to one of the best Amaretto Sours I’ve had in Humboldt County.

This drinkery with a Victorian façade bills itself as the most Westernly bar in the continental United States.  I’m too lazy to research whether that’s true or not, but it sounds cool!  What I do know is that the barkeep is genuinely friendly, the locals were gracious and engaging,  and my drink was heavy on the Amaretto.  Plus, the exterior of the building is super cute – which should attract chicks, right?

My visit took place the weekend of the Kinetic Grand Championship, but well before the bar became packed as crazy-ass homemade sculptures made their way up the street to complete the final leg of the race.  Wacky or not, the event is good for business – it’s Palace Saloon’s busiest weekend of the year.  And who wouldn’t want to take shots as giant homemade moving poodles, bananas and pirate ships are heading your way?

Berry Patch Restaurant

Berry good BBQ here!

Berry Patch Restaurant

900 Newville Road

Orland, CA

I pulled up to the restaurant, and not one berry patch in sight!  I did notice a rather strong scent of barbecue smoke wafting my way, however, a good sign considering I was still inside my vehicle.

I’m going to pretend that all of the stares I got as I walked in were the locals’ way of welcoming me and not because I was a female dining solo.  Additionally, I’m going to pretend that the continued stares were the result of other diners’ attempts to telepathically suggest what to order for lunch.

I had one craving today: MEAT!  Lots of it!  With as few accompanying carbs as possible, thank you.  I settled on the Bar-B-Q Pork Sandwich, justifying the sandwich roll solely as the means to transport meat into my piehole.

Moments later, it arrived.  A toasted, sturdy roll was piled high with ten to twelve slices of smoky, fork-tender slices of pork, with just enough sauce for moisture.  No other condiments or toppings were needed.  A toothpick held the monstrosity together.  The small side dish of cole slaw went completely ignored.

If only I could have gone ignored!  I felt a few eyes on me as I scarfed down that delectable sandwich.  Did they think I was going to dine and dash?  While waiting for a to-go box for the second half of my sandwich, I grabbed my purse and made my way to the ladies room to see their reactions.  They were nonplussed.  The mystery remains.

Manny's California Cafe

I've been coming here for over three decades!

Manny's California Cafe

1612 Pacific Avenue

Stockton, CA

How much do I love Manny’s?  Well, I named my Chihuahua after the place.  Does that give you a good idea?

Raised by single-income parents who knew how to perform miracles in the kitchen, I always looked forward to Fridays, which usually meant dinner out.  And when my dad said, “Let’s go to Manny’s!” it incited a Pavlovian reaction in me that still occurs today.

Step into Manny’s during typical lunch or dinner hours and there will be a line.  Get over it, because it’s worth it.  If you’re lucky enough to snag a booth, you’ll witness a steady stream of diners wearing everything from pajama pants to three-piece suits, clamoring for burgers, fancy sandwiches (i.e. sandwiches with sprouts), and the BEST fried chicken in town.

After three decades I’ve established a short list of items I keep in heavy rotation.  Their Fried Chicken is crispy, juicy, tender and not overloaded with a ton of unnecessary spices.  The Grilled Cheese is oozy, epic, and made with the best honey wheat berry bread on earth.  The best Tuna Sandwich I’ve ever had is also here, and I’ve spent the better part of my life trying to recreate it in my own kitchen, only to fail each and every time.  Finally, their Café Burger on its chewy roll with melting, stringy Swiss cheese is so amazing that I forgive them for trying to fit a round patty into a rectangular bun.

I hope Manny’s outlives me.  After such Stockton closures as the Bagel Kitchen, Prime Rib Inn, and Bow Bow’s, I can’t take much more heartbreak.

Buttercup Cakes & Farm House Frosting

Sweet.

Buttercup Cakes & Farm House Frosting

109 Locust Street

Santa Cruz, CA

I’m not a huge fan of cupcakes, so the fact that I visited this adorable bakery twice in 24 hours should tell you something.

Let me clarify that a little: I’m not a huge fan of the CONCEPT of cupcakes.  I like food to be mobile, so walking around while peeling a fluted paper cup off of a top-heavy baked good tends to make both me and my outfit nervous.  At least it did during my visit as part of the Santa Cruz Food Tour.

Buttercup Cakes was one of the highlights of this tour.  I was offered a choice between a Blood Orange Cupcake with Earl Grey Frosting and…something else.  I pretty much ignored anything else that was said after “blood orange” since I’d never heard those words in the same sentence as “cupcake”.

I took my cupcake and trotted off down the street, but came to a screeching halt after one bite.  What the?!  This bite was infused with flavor and my taste buds exploded!  A rich orange flavor permeated the thick cake without being too sugary-sweet, and the delicate tea frosting was the perfect foil.  It was unique without being over-the-top, and a far cry from the lesser impressive cupcakes at so many shops which have popped up recently.

I planted my feet until the last crumb was finished and made sure any frosting on my fingers wasn’t wasted on my silly paper napkin.  I found myself back in the shop less than 24 hours later, stockpiling German Chocolates and other delicacies that didn’t last long on the car ride back to the valley.

Mama's Pho & Sandwiches

Who cares if it's 100 degrees outside?  I want this NOW.

Mama's Pho & Sandwiches

8014 North Lower Sacramento Road

Stockton, CA

Mama's Pho took my Banh Mi virginity.

I ordered the Grilled Pork Banh Mi, expecting to call it a day after that. However, after glancing at the $2.50 price tag, I decided on a SMALL bowl of Beef Ball Pho as backup.  I mean, I couldn't possibly be satisfied on $2.50, right?  Right?

Wrong.

The sandwich arrived, chock full of pork, jalapenos, and a bunch of other things I didn't spend long enough bothering to identify before shoving that baguette into my gullet.  Mmmmmmm....another bite....mmmmm!!  Oh, snap!  There's my bowl of soup.

Uh-oh.

$4.95 gets you a rather decent size bowl of pho and all the accoutrements you can handle.  Hearty meatballs in a rich broth, covered with bean sprouts, were calling my name.  I figured I'd work on the lake of soup, then get back to the sandwich.

You can imagine how that panned out.  Doggy bag, please!

I took most of the sandwich home, devoured it for dinner, then pondered why I waited over three decades to try Vietnamese food for the first time.  What a loser.