Old Town Mexican Cafe

Delicioso!

Old Town Mexican Cafe

2489 San Diego Avenue

San Diego, CA

Home of the world's best fish taco.  Says who?  Says ME.

I ordered a 3-Item Combo consisting of a Chicken Enchilada, Fish Taco and Chile Relleno.  I then proceeded to eat an entire basket of chips and drink a Raspberry Margarita.

Therefore, I was full four bites into my dinner entree.  But, guess what?  I finished the plate because it was so f**king good.  Story of my life.

The mariachis were awesome AND had a great sense of humor.  They serenaded my soon-to-be 23-year old male cousin with a quince song.  Gracias, amigos.

Olive Pit

Go ahead...try olive them!

Olive Pit
2156 Solano Street
Corning, CA


If you're driving anywhere near Tehama County and don't spot one of Olive Pit's 327 billboard ads, you clearly need to be paying more attention to your surroundings!

A popular stop among locals and tourists alike, Olive Pit continues to supply passersby with burgers and frosties like they have for over four decades.  The main attraction, however, is the expansive gift shop with more olive products than you can imagine.  I haven't tried olive body butter, but I'm sure it beats the crap out of Jergens.

Almond-stuffed, jalapeno-stuffed, pickled or smoked -  you can find them all here.  In fact, you can taste nearly every variety, along with olive oils and other products, at the hosted olive tasting bar.  Personally, I'm not a fan of green olives...but I will admit I developed a fondness for their house-made Chocolate Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Big surprise.

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.