Category: American/New American Restaurants

Road Trip – The House Brasserie, Quartz Ridge Trail, and Papago Park Butte Loop (Scottsdale)

American/New American Restaurants, Fine Dining, French Restaurants, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Road Trip, Travel

The Missus wanted a hike during our full day in Scottsdale, so I chose the Quartz Ridge Trail in the Phoenix Mountains Reserve. Being that JJ doesn’t like heat or very much direct sunlight we got an early start. 3 1/2/ miles, 600 foot elevation gain, not too bad.

And of course you get a feel of the Southwest.

Some nice views…..

And JJ did well.

We headed back to our hotel and just laid low during the hottest part of the day. Then headed back out during the late afternoon, walking to Old Town Scottsdale.

Kind of corny in some ways….but also somewhat charming and fun…..

The Missus found a tea shop She liked…..

And did a lot of window shopping……

We’d be having dinner just a block down from the Hotel Valley Ho at a place I noticed during our last stay in Scottsdale, named The House Brasserie. They had outdoor seating and folks told me it was more of a fine dining destination, though I’m not quite sure of that. Based on the name of the place, I was expecting a full on French restaurant, but as you’ll soon see, the menu was quite diverse and our favorite dish was quite unexpected.

Of course, I started with a Kir Royale. I loved the service, my glass of Champagne was brought to the table and the Sommelier brought over the Creme de Cassis and told me let him know when the “color was right” for my Kir! Something that I hadn’t experienced before. This was an awesome start to the meal!

And then the Amuse was brought out…..some pretty decent Gougeres.

Of course we started with some Foie Gras ($26).

We found the popcorn topping to be quite amusing. The Balsamic based sauce wasn’t too sweet and the bread was fine….though perhaps this a bit much. Though I’d probably try this again.

The Escargot ($24) was interesting as instead of the basic garlic-parsley-herb butter, bone marrow “butter” was used instead.

It was just overkill and this was waaaay too rich and oily for our taste.

Then the dishes started deviating from the expected norm. Next up were the Tempura Oyster Mushrooms ($22).

And while the batter wasn’t as light as typical tempura, it was nice and crisp. This came with smoked cauliflower which was awesome.

And yet, our favorite dish of the evening was one I just ordered because it stood out on the menu. The Crab Fried Rice ($26) with house made XO Sauce! My goodness; this was so good!

The rice was a little moist, but that egg was cooked perfectly….soft yolk, crisp edges. The crab was tender and sweet. And the house made XO sauce? It was an umami bomb! Savory, rich, perfectly salty, not very spicy…oh man, this was so good….better than many Chinese restaurant we know of!

Who’s have thought…we’d go to a Brasserie and get some really good XO Sauce Fried Rice? Service was excellent and professional. We really enjoyed this meal and can’t wait to return.

The House Brasserie
6936 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

The next morning, we were headed out to Sedona. But first we decided to check out the Papago Park Butte Loop, which turned out to be a nice 2 mile loop trail.

A very easy walk, well maintained.

Loved the red sandstone buttes along the way.

There’s even an stone amphitheater.

Which was built by the historic stone amphitheater built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression.

This was a fun walk and we left before things got too hot at 9am.

Next stop….Sedona!

Road Trip – Zuzu Revisited and Grabbing a Beer from Craft 64 (Scottsdale)

American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Dog Friendly, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Road Trip, Travel

Back in January, we took JJ for his first road trip of the year. The Missus really wanted to take him to Sedona. Well, I figured we’d stop for a couple of nights in Scottsdale again. The Hotel Valley Ho is very dog friendly and the Missus really enjoyed the restaurant there; Zuzu.

The weather was much more pleasant this time around. On our previous trip, which was during the month of March, Phoenix was experiencing record heat! This time, JJ really enjoyed walking around old town Scottsdale.

And we decided on an early dinner at Zuzu.

I settled in with a nice, stiff Old Fashioned.

The Missus enjoyed the Cauliflower the last time….it was replaced by Romanesco ($14).

We find it interesting that the combination of fromage blanc and Thai Basil works well together. Though the capers were a bit too much for the dish. Still, this was our favorite dish of the meal.

If there’s one thing I want right away after leaving the state of California, it’s foie gras. So, I just needed to order the Beef Cheek and Foie Gras Gyoza ($22) from the Chef’s Special menu.

Well, this was a bit of a disappointment. The wrappers were plasticky and brittle, the chili crunch overwhelmed the dish. We could barely make out the offal-ly-savory flavor of the foie gras, the beef cheeks was really stringy. It was perhaps a too “over-the-top” dish?

We got 2 Short Rib Empanadas ($5 each).

The Chimichurri was very oily and bland…I like a lot of garlic and good sharp tones in my chimichurri and it was missing here. The crust of the empanada was much more crumbly and delicate than I was used to.

The filling was tasty, but a bit on the dry side.

Of course we had to get our favorite dish from our last visit; the Terra Heritage Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, which is amazingly, still just $21!

While still a bargain, this was not as good as what we’d had previously. The beef was room temp, so it lacked that refreshing edge. It also had a metallic taste to it. Loved all the Grana Padano which added some milky-savory-saltiness to the dish and the pumpernickel crumble added textural contrast. Not enough Dijonnaise this time around and we missed the anise tones of caraway which was missing this time around. Kind of a bummer since we really loved this dish last time.

Oh well, at least the service was nice, the price with my cocktail and the Missus’s wine was under $100 before tip! And our dinner the following night was a winnah!

ZuZu (In Hotel Valley Ho)
6850 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

After dinner, the Missus wanted some time to relax, so “Da Boyz” had to find something to do. Well, there’s a Brew Pub – Pizza place less than a block away from the hotel named Craft 64. I walked over and the place has a nice back patio….and it wasn’t super busy so JJ and I got a table on the patio.

They’ve got over 30 beers on tap here! Talk about analysis-paralysis right?

In the end I got a light and refreshing Rocky Point Blonde.

4.5 ABV, low IBU. Just a nice and light brew.

And JJ enjoyed hanging out as well.

Craft 64 – Scottsdale
6922 E Main St.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251

We enjoyed our evening in Scottsdale and the Missus had some activities up Her sleeve for the following day!

Road Trip – Seaside Gardens and Zookers Restaurant (Carpinteria)

American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Dog Friendly, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

On the way back from Summerland, I decided to make one more stop. The Missus is really into Her plants these days….and I had read about Seaside Botanical Gardens right outside Carpinteria. Yes, it’s a nursery and plant shop….however, it spans three-and-a-half acres featuring plants from various regions around the world.

It’s also dog friendly……and plants are separated by region. The folks working here are so very knowledgeable.

It was so relaxing and yet overwhelming at the same time…….it just went to point out how little we know!

We’ll be stopping here whenever we’re in the area!

Seaside Gardens
3700 Via Real #3050
Carpinteria, CA 93013

When we got back to the downtown area, we decided to do some shopping…..the Missus had fun with some of the thrift stores….some of which had fun items…..

And no….that’s not a “real” goldfish!

Walking down Carpinteria Avenue we passed this huge tree.

This is the Wardholme Torrey Pine, standing at 126 feet tall, it is the largest Torrey Pine in the world!

After a short respite in our room, we decided to head on out for dinner. I had chosen a place a short walk away, named Zookers. Located in the Casitas Shopping Center, Zookers also has a meat and seafood market…so I thought the food might not be too bad.

Plus, they had a large patio area…perfect for JJ!

Service outside was a bit slow….we noticed this for others who sat al fresco as well. Very nice and friendly folks though. The Missus enjoyed Her glass of a White Blend from Paso Robles and I got a Island Brewing Blond, made locally in Carpinteria, fairly clean and refreshing, with a hint of hops.

We ordered one starter and an “entree” salad.

First up were the Duck Confit Tacos ($22).

Man, this was not very good. The tortillas were waxy-mass produced stuff. The duck “confit” was dry and chewy; really lacking in flavor as well. Not enough cheese to have an affect on the tacos as well.

What was good was the Dry Aged Rib Eye Steak Salad ($33). I think I need to put salad in quotes since the only representative “garden green” in this was the very crisp and refreshing Romain Lettuce. It was quite good and we were told it’s locally grown.

The rib eye, while a bit overdone for our requested medium rare was very tender in spite of the looks! It was perfectly seasoned and man, it was so beefy and earthy.

Since Zookers had a meat market; in spite of the Missus’s reservations, I wanted to order some red meat and I’m glad we did! This was our favorite meal in Carpinteria and nowadays, the Missus will order a steak now and then! It was a nice way to end our little road trip.

Zookers Restaurant
5404 Carpinteria Ave. (in the Casitas Plaza Shopping Center)
Carpinteria, CA 93013

Breakfast was provided by the hotel. And the next morning, before checking out I took JJ for a short walk where he managed to meet a “cousin”, named Louie…..who it turned out was also staying at the same hotel!

It was a rather short, but fun road trip…..the 11th week took in 2025! Crazy, huh?

Road Trip – Hayashi Vegetable Stand (Oceano) and Rincon Brewery (Carpinteria)

American/New American Restaurants, Gastropub, Markets & Grocers, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

Since we had decided to stop at the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove on the way to our next destination, I decided to head south in Highway 1 instead of the 101. There was one place I had always wanted to check out; Hayashi Vegetable Stand in Oceano.

It’s a nice and fairly busy shop…with an interesting variety of items for sale…not only fruits and vegetables.

We ended up getting some of our favorite almonds here…..it was even cheaper than what we pay for them in Paso Robles and some other stuff!

I think we’ll make this a regular stop when we’re back in the area.

Hayashi Vegetable Stand
2876 Cienaga St.
Oceano, CA 93445

Back on Highway 1, we just had to stop here in Arroyo Grande….just because….you can see why, right?

From here we got back on the 101 South. Our destination for two nights was the town of Carpinteria, which was just South of Santa Barbara and Summerland. It was recommended to me by one of the folks who often goes to Bay Hill Tavern.

We settled into our accommodations which were a bit out of the downtown area. After settling in, we took a nice 30 minute stroll to the end of Linden Street…basically the main street of the town and got a view of the lovely sunset at Carpinteria City Beach.

We strolled back up Linden to Carpinteria Avenue to our dinner destination. The same fella’ also recommended Rincon Brewery for simple pub grub.

Which had an abundance of al fresco seating…and was dog friendly….

The service was pretty slow….I basically had to go inside to place our orders and such. Still, we enjoyed our brews.

The Missus got the Cetacean Rice Lager, which was quite refreshing, while I got the Dos Arboles Pilsner which was perhaps a bit too light for my taste.

Since it was early, we got two Happy Hour items…one of which was recommended.

We started with the Potato Skins.

These were really dry, the bacon hard, and super salty.

And the Crispy Cauliflower ($9.25) which the fella had also recommended.

These decently spicy, though the “panko” breading really wasn’t too crisp. At least the cauliflower were on the tender side.

Overall, pretty basic pub grub. Which was pretty much all we needed on this evening.

Rincon Brewery
5065 Carpinteria Ave.
Carpinteria, CA 93013

We took a nice leisurely stroll back to our room. We even saw this cat sleeping in the window of one of the businesses on the way back!

We’d have a full day in the area ahead of us!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Revisits to Industrial Eats (Buellton), Vaquero Bar, and Good Seed Coffee Boutique (Solvang)

American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Cocktails, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Santa Barbara County, Travel

For our last road trip of 2025, we chose to spend most of our time in a city in Santa Barbara County that we had never visited before. We also decided to visit some of our “favorite” places to dine and drink on the way there as well.

So naturally, the Missus wanted to have lunch at Industrial Eats. Which I’ve posted on several times already! We arrived in time for lunch and along with the Missus’s favorite, the Smoked Duck Salad, She wanted to try something new; so I finally had a chance to try the Reuben, the salami is made inhouse, which interested me.

The salad, with a simple vinaigrette, was as good as ever.

The Reuben was quite large.

It had a bit too much cheese for my taste; the sauerkraut was crisp and assertively sour, though a bit too salty. Which combined with the generous portion of somewhat chewy pastrami really made this a sodium bomb.

Still, not a bad sandwich….though a bit too much for lunch for me!

Industrial Eats
181 Industrial Way
Buellton, CA 93427

I’ve mentioned how much JJ enjoys Solvang before……so, we decided to stay the night before heading further North. It was a Sunday, so things were a bit hectic.

But we enjoyed walking around the town.

The Missus got to do some shopping.

And JJ….well, got to do JJ things.

We settled into our usual accommodations. When it came time for dinner, I wanted to try a place we had been to twice, but only for drinks, Vaquero Bar. The bar is attached to Coast Range Restaurant and on my last visit I found out that the bar features the same menu as the restaurant! So, I figured since it’s dog friendly and quite relaxed that we’d have dinner there.

I had a Medicine Man, a version of a mule that had both Tequila and Mezcal. Nice and stiff!

The Missus had a glass of wine.

We ordered two appetizers which proved to be enough for dinner. Starting with the Crispy Pork Belly.

This was interesting as the Gochujang Sauce had a sweetness to it. Came to find out that they actually put Coca-Cola in the sauce! The pork belly was more chewy than crispy by the time it got to our table.

We also got the Bone Marrow, which was quite good and a rather large portion to boot!

Nice fatty-rich bone marrow, tempered by a not overly sweet marmalade, with grilled bread. That pickled shallot vinaigrette would make for a heck of a salad dressing, but was a bit too much for the marrow.

We enjoyed this meal and it seems we’d finally found a place we enjoy having dinner at in Solvang!

Vaquero Bar (In Coast Range Restaurant)
1635 Mission Dr.
Solvang, CA 93463

Weekday mornings in Solvang is usually nice and relaxed. This morning was no different.

We took JJ for a nice walk, where he even made a “friend”.

We had enjoyed the coffee at Good Seed Coffee Boutique on a previous visit and decided to drop back in.

Even though the shop sits right on the corner of Atterdag and the 246 it’s easy to miss.

It was very quiet and mellow on our visit.

The Missus enjoyed Her latte.

And I found the cold brew quite refreshing.

Looking over the breakfast offerings; I decided on the Pesto Bagel with Tomato and Balsamic Reduction…this was quite good. The Mozzarella added a meaty-mild milkiness, the savory nuttiness of the pesto, and the acidity of the tomato. The bagel had been toasted and was nice and crisp.

Good Seed Coffee Boutique
1607 Mission Dr.
Solvang, CA 93463

Well, it looks like we’ve found our coffee place in Solvang as well!

And after hamming in up a bit more……

We headed back to our room to relax a bit, then pack up, and headed on out……

To our next stop…..to a small beach town where we had enjoyed a nice dinner on a previous visit.

The clock was ticking!!

Road Trip – Raven Hill Bagels, Idyllwild Nature Center, Atomic Cow Revisited, and Lumber Mill Bar & Grill

American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Dog Friendly, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Travel

On our last visit to Idyllwild many businesses were closed. We were here on Tuesday and Wednesday so that seemed odd. It’s during our meal at Ferro that our wonderful Server explained that weekends are the busy times for Idyllwild, so many businesses use Tuesday and Wednesday as their weekend so to speak. So, I took that into consideration when planning this road trip. We were visiting on a Sunday and Monday, leaving on Tuesday morning. So, all of the businesses seemed open during our visit.

That made the short walk from our accommodation to Raven Hill Bagels so easy to grab some breakfast and coffee. The shop is indeed closed on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It’s a small shop with some outdoor seating. You order at the counter….it’s basically a deli and then take your food.

There were some tables outside and the Missus waited with JJ.

A simple order, two Americanos, and a Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Bagel Sandwich ($13), with Avocado ($2).

I chose a Jalapeno and Cheese Bagel, which was fairly dense, but tasty.

It would have been on the saltier side; but I added avocado which was a nice buffer. This was also quite large….I saved half for the next morning’s breakfast.

I also noted that the shop also sells various cheeses and deli meats by the pound as well.

Raven Hill Bagels
54440 North Circle Dr. Unit A
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549

Heading back to the Fireside Inn, we got into the car and headed up to the Idyllwild Nature Center.

There are several easy trails here and also ample parking on this day. We took the super easy Idyllwild Park Trail.

There was some interesting signage along the way with some interesting things to see; like these Bedrock Mortars used by the Cahuilla, the Indigenous People who settled in the area.

There were also some nice views along the way.

Which JJ enjoyed.

It was a nice way to spend a few hours.

Back in town, we parked at our cottage and walked down North Circle Drive, stopping at what is probably the Missus’s favorite shop in the town, Idyllwild Gardens.

Though this time the Missus resisted the urge to buy a bunch of stuffs!

Idyllwild Gardens
54385 North Circle Dr.
Idyllwild, CA 92549

Our stop for lunch would be where we had what was our favorite meal on our previous visit….yes, it was at Atomic Cow.

The Missus and JJ hung out on the patio and I went in to order.

This time the Missus also wanted to try the Chili Cheese Fries. Which turned we turned out to not really enjoy.

Soggy dry fries…really weak, but salty chili, and gooey, but tasteless cheese.

On a positive note, we enjoyed the item that was our favorite on our last visit.

Yes, it was the Cubano, which had Kalua Pork as one of the ingredients. Nicely toasted bread, nicely melted provolone cheese, pickles helping to cut the richness of the tender, smoky, porky, but not overly salty “Kalua pork”.

I’m glad we still enjoyed this. We had also learned that the sandwiches are pretty large here, so one plus a side is more than enough for our lunch. In fact, we needed a nap after this.

Atomic Cow
54200 North Circle Dr.
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549

We then had our afternoon “break” before heading back out to grab an early dinner and headed down North Circle Drive. It was nice to be here when most places were open. Right next to the Mountain Paws Pet Supply store was this lovely Gallery – Gift Shop.

The owner was super friendly and the Missus ended buying some small “stuffs” as gifts for folks.

Artspresso Art Gallery
54380 North Circle Dr.
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549

We kept heading on down the road and before you knew it, we had reached the Market, where North Circle Drive meets the 243…….

Right across the street was this place, called the Lumbermill.

Which had a patio, so we decided to head on in. We were led to the patio….which we really didn’t take to.

But the stools at the rail seemed nice and the place had a pleasant view of the street.

Looking at the condiments provided, you just kinda knew this was one of those burger-sandwich family diner – bar kind of places. And the menu, with burgers, burritos, nachos, hot dogs, sandwiches and such confirmed things. With this in mind, I went simple with regards to my cerveza….

And we just ordered two apps for dinner….which we were happy about since the portions were pretty large.

We got the boneless wings ($16.95).

Which looked over-sauced. It was pleasantly crunchy, the Buffalo sauce was on the sour-puckery side, but it did go rather well with the Blue Cheese Dressing. The really nice Server told us that they make their own dressing inhouse.

Of course, I just had to try some Cheese Curds ($15.95).

A bit too gooey with the batter not crisp enough…the menu said Wisconsin White Cheddar, but I really couldn’t make out any of the cheddar “sharpness”. Of course, it’s probably mass distributed young cheddar. I wasn’t expecting what I’d get at say………..The Old Fashioned in Madison, but it was still mediocre.

Still, not a terrible meal. JJ got treated nicely’ they brought a bowl of water for him. Service was welcoming….very nice folks working here. And it was enough food for our dinner.

Lumber Mill Bar & Grill
25985 CA-243 #243
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, CA 92549

It closed up a nice short stay in Idyllwild for us.

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Oakside and Cocktails at De la Nonna (Big Bear)

American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Road Trip, San Bernadino County, CA, Travel

After a lovely afternoon slumber; we woke and decided to take a stroll and then head to dinner. This was a Thursday evening at the end of October, so things were really quiet and relaxed.

We strolled up the main street, Pine Knot Avenue. There were a lot of cool wooden sculptures along the way.

We saw the sign for this candle making bar, which stated they were dog friendly, so of course we headed in with JJ.

The young lady working was a joy…so very friendly. And she cracked up when we told her we were from San Diego. She used to live in North Park!

The Missus found a few items She ended up purchasing….some tea and other stuffs. Really nice little shop. We didn’t know they closed at 5; but the young lady kept the place open. When we found out we apologized, but she just said “don’t worry, I’ve got nothing else to do right now!”

Mystic Moto | Ritual Provisions Candle Bar
625 Pine Knot Ave.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

We really don’t get much fall colors here in San Diego; so it was nice to see that.

We walked up to Village Drive and after stopping in a couple of shops, headed to a place recommended by one of JJ’s Aunties, Janeli. Named Oakside. We had a seat on the nice outdoor patio….the heater was already started!

The place was actually bustling, though not many people on the patio, there was a line at the door for dinner.

The menu was had things like pizza/pasta/seafood/steaks…you know, right? Anyway, our wonderful Server after asking for my taste preferences recommended the Monkey on a Mule, basically a Mule with Monkey Shoulder Scotch. A nice version of a Highland Mule, smokey, but still smooth, and not overly sweet.

We weren’t very hungry, so we settled for two appetizers, which was a good move since one of them, the Fried Green Beans was a rather large portion, of fried stuff.

Decent crisp – crunchy batter, lightly “snappy” green beans. We both enjoyed the wasabi ranch dressing….the pungency of wasabi did a nice job of cutting the richness of the dressing.

We also got the Oakside Wagyu Sliders.

The brioche like slider rolls were nice and fluffy. The almost thousand island like sauce wasn’t too thick and it wasn’t over sauced.

The beef was juicy and decently tender. Mild beefiness.

The cheese had been nicely melted as well.

Most of all; the Missus, who is not a “burger person” actually enjoyed this. It qualified for Her “once a year burger”.

Service a bit slow, but heck this is Big Bear and we’re on vacation, right?

Oakside
40701 Village Dr.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

We headed back to the Marina Riviera and decided to get a nightcap. There a restaurant and bar with outdoor seating. It has a great view of the lake, but of course it was dark by this time. The place was doing some good business. We peeked into the bar and the bartender, named Kinzey waved us in telling us, “come on in, you can see, we love dogs”!

And so we had a seat at one of the tables. I had an Old Fashioned which was a nice way to end the evening.

They made us feel so welcomed that we’d either have drinks or dinner here during the rest of our stay in Big Bear.

De la Nonna Big Bear (In the Hotel Marna Riviera)
40770 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

This was a nice way to spend our first evening in Big Bear!

Roadtrip – Kalani’s Revisited, South of North Brewing Company, and the Echo Lake Trail (Lake Tahoe). A revisit to The Alchemists’ Garden (Paso Robles)

American/New American Restaurants, Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Beer, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Travel

On our last full day in South Lake Tahoe; the Missus chose the Echo Lakes Trail, which you need a permit for. It was a pretty easy trail.

There’s an area called Echo Pass which has wonderful views.

The trail is basically along the lake.

JJ’s not fond of the heat and direct sunlight, so we’re glad we made an early start.

Another benefit of getting an early start is that we easily found parking. The lot isn’t very big and was full to the brim upon our return. The trail was starting to get busy, so we were happy to leave and head back to the hotel.

For lunch, we just stopped by the Whole Foods and got some prepared food and it enjoyed it on the porch and relaxed. And of course we had a nice nap!

When dinner time arrived, we strolled on over to Heavenly Village. This was a Tuesday evening so things weren’t quite as hectic.

We had enjoyed Kalani’s the previous evening; so we decided to head on back.

We walked in, fully intent of doing HH in the bar area again; but strangely, it was quite busy. The wonderful hostess just sat us in the dining room. As it was just past 5pm, we were the only customers.

I only got a mocktail on this evening….which was quite refreshing.

The Missus wanted those Brussel Sprouts again, which were just as good as what we’d had the previous evening.

And of course that crisp; then buttery textured pork belly.

Though we tried it with the sauce again….well, it’s still “no bueno”. The lovely pork belly was just perfect for our taste as is.

The Missus wanted one more dish and decided to try the Baby Back Ribs.

The Ginger-Soy-Garlic sauce was pretty good; if a bit strong in terms of ginger flavor; but the ribs were super tough and chewy. We probably should have stuck with the Miso Chilean Sea Bass.

Still, if we’re in the area, we’ll definitely return to Kalani’s. Here’s some history on Kalani’s if you’re interested. The founders are from Oahu.

Kalani’s
1001 Heavenly Village Way
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

On the way back to our room…..well..to give the Missus a break I took JJ to South of North Brewing.

It was a nice outdoor, really mellow area.

And we had a nice Blonde Ale……

And all seemed right in the world…….

South of North Brewing Co.
932 Stateline Ave.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

The next day we had head back home……

But my goodness, a direct 7-8 hour drive wasn’t going to do it for us. So, we stopped in an area we had been to several times…….Paso Robles.

And then, after doing some shopping, had dinner a a place we’d been to many times before….The Alchemists’ Garden.

And while there were other places we’d prefer to dine at; the rail here was so very convenient. And having been here so many times; things were kind of easy.

The cocktails here are “king”….. I had the Nicolas Flamel…nice and spicy…..

The Missus got the Fifth Heaven, Mezcal with Dragonfruit and apricot…..

The last time we’d been here we thought the food was pretty good. So, we had dinner here.

This time though, it wasn’t quite as enjoyable.

The Yellowfin Tostadas were really fishy.

In fact, the Missus had one bite and couldn’t bear with anymore. It was on the very “pungent” side and quite assertive in flavor.

And then there was the Deviled Eggs.

Very strong tumeric tones….on the bitter end of the scale.

At least the bone marrow was still as good as before.

That cherry onion jam went really well with the rich, fatty, savory bone marrow.

Still, one out of three wasn’t really great for us…..we’ll need to find other options next time we’re in the area.

The Alchemists’ Garden
1144 Pine St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

As for where we stayed….well, the Missus has developed an affinity for boutique style motels….and the Stables Inn really was that.

I mean…..it was a very hipster style motel…..very convenient.

I guess we’ll be staying here whenever we’re back in Paso Robles.

Road Trip – Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen, The Landing Lakeside Dining, and Sugar Pine Point State Park

American/New American Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Indian Restaurants, Lake Tahoe, Nepalese/Himalayan Food, Road Trip, Travel

After spending two nights at the Forest Suites Resort, we checked out. We’d be spending the next three nights at the place I really wanted to stay at; the Landing Resort & Spa. Of course we had to figure out what to do before checking in….which was really easy. The Missus really enjoyed our stay in Tahoma on a previous road trip and while the small town didn’t have dog friendly restaurants or accommodations, we headed back up so She could do some paddleboarding at Sugar Pine Point Beach. The drive there was of course quite beautiful.

And once we got to Sugar Pine State Park, well, the Missus got to doing Her “SUP” thing ASAP. Which initially included JJ.

Who soon got tired of the whole thing. After which, I just took him to explore the area, which I was somewhat familiar with from our previous visit.

He enjoyed the walk and exploring.

Though he did miss his “mom”.

And then I saw this sign……which was indeed a “sign” for us to take our leave…..

On the way back into South Lake Tahoe, we decided to stop for lunch. The Missus waned something “different” so I found a place named “Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen”, a bit off highway 50 for lunch.

There was ample outdoor seating…..

And though the place was quite busy, the folks working were really accommodating as we sat outside.

We started with the Vegetable Pakora, basically vegetable fritters.

We enjoyed the sauces, because the fritters were on the bland side and the texture was quite “gummy”.

The Garlic Naan was fine, if a bit doughy. At least it had some nice garlic flavor.

The Lamb Curry was fine. Though the lamb was on the tougher side, at least it was quite aromatic, with a decent savory-richness. And quite hearty.

Really thick in texture…and we would have enjoyed a bit more spice.

We didn’t leave hungry though.

Shangrila Himalayan Kitchen
1142 Ski Run Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

We stopped to do some shopping on the way to check in…… We both cracked up when we saw this shirt.

And were tempted to get for….well…someone!

We then went over and checked in at the Landing Resort & Spa. I just wanted to stay here for the location. I enjoyed the view.

While JJ enjoyed…….

We just really enjoyed the fact that it was across from Lake Tahoe.

We decided to dine at the hotel’s restaurant; the Landing Lakeside Dining. The menu was no joke with entrees hitting the sixty dollar mark. Luckily, we weren’t very hungry and just did some cocktails and two apps.

The Duck “Nachos” were really like two tostadas.

The butternut squash sauce seemed a bit on the “thin” side and was too sweet. The duck confit tasted fine; good savoriness, but was on the chewy-dry side.

The Pork Belly just had too much going on.

With the yuzu emulsion clashing with the passionfruit glaze. Not sure why this needed chorizo, since the pork belly was nice and porky, and quite tender. The little dollops of parsnip puree was not enough to really contribute to the dish.

Really nice service with a good view of Lakeside Beach, but the dishes were a bit too over-the-top for us.

The Landing Lakeside Dining
4104 Lakeshore Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

But staying right across the street from Lakeside Beach had its benefits.

And dogs are allowed on the beach during the summer months; which is when we were here.

JJ does love the sand!

This was a lot more relaxed and peaceful than the busy Heavenly Village area. We enjoyed watching the sun set over the horizon!

Road Trip – Locals Taproom, Mr. Rick’s/Custom House (Avila Beach) and Industrial Eats (Buellton) Yet Again

American/New American Restaurants, Beer, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Santa Barbara County, Travel

Just three weeks after returning from our short stay in Idyllwild we were headed out again. This time for a bit of a longer Road Trip. Because our final destination would be over 9 hours driving, I decided we should break things up a bit. We’d be going in a bit of a roundabout way, but I thought the combination of both the shore and the mountains would be fun.

On our way out, we stopped at a place I’ve posted on numerous times; Industrial Eats in Buellton. Of course, we just got our favorites; the Smoked Duck Salad and Miso Cod which never fails to satisfy.

Industrial Eats
181 Industrial Way
Buellton, CA 93427

From there it was just an hour drive to our destination in SLO. I’d read a bit about a little beach town named Avila Beach. So, we decided to stay there to expand our horizons a bit. It is a charming little town of about 1,600 people. There’s basically one avenue where most of the businesses are located, Front Street, a portion of which is pedestrian only.

We stayed at the Avila Lighthouse Suites, which is very dog friendly, at one end of Front Street, and right across from the beach.

A decent view of the park and the some of the beach from our patio.

After checking in, we decided to take a short stroll.

Being just a short drive from SLO, I can imagine how busy the beach here must be during weekends and holidays. But this was a Wednesday, so things were so laid back and mellow.

We walked down Front Street until the road headed up the hill.

Then wandered back down the street to the pier, which is dog friendly.

Which gave us an nice view of the waterfront.

We headed back to our room to relax for a bit. Dogs are allowed on the beach before 10am and after 5pm. So a bit before 5 we headed out and took a look at the lagoon and river on the other side of Avila Beach Drive. I wanted to find the path we’d be taking for our walk the following day.

And immediately at 5pm, we were back on the beach, right across from Avila Lighthouse Suites where JJ had a “swinging time”.

The Missus went to change and freshen up for dinner. JJ and I decided to grab a “cold one” and the Missus would meet us for dinner.

There was a place about a block away, down on the corner of San Miguel Street and 1st named Locals Taproom.

I asked the woman manning the bar if dogs were allowed, she laughed and said, “of course!” The small bar was full of folks, all of whom seemed to be from the area. All of the brews were also from the area….I guess that’s why they call it “Locals”.

I got the Aurora a Belgian Blonde made by the Apogee Brewing Company made in Grover Beach, just south of Pismo Beach.

Very easy to drink…perfect for a warm day!

All the folks came to pet JJ….who ate it up!

It’s totally our kind of place!

The woman working, who is also one of the owners was so welcoming saying if we wanted to, we can bring outside food here as well. She also introduced me to one of the local brew masters who was having a beer at the bar! Really nice folks!

Locals Taproom
90 San Miguel St.
Avila Beach, CA 93424

Soon enough, the Missus walked on over and we strolled down Front Street looking for a place to have dinner. There are two businesses right next to each other; a large bar named Mr. Rick’s……

We had a seat on the patio and I ordered the Missus some wine and I got myself a cold one. The food is provided next door at Custom House, which has a typical food menu; everything from burgers to sandwiches, salads, fish and shrimp tacos, that sort of thing. I ordered the Carne Asada Fries from the counter at Mr. Rick’s when grabbing our drinks. And soon enough it was brought to our table from Custom House.

Man, this was huge! I’m thinking it was worth the $21 price tag.

It was typical, cheesy, chewy, but slightly smoky tri-tip, the fries were nicely crisp. The hot sauce was pretty mild, but it was what we basically expected.

And it was more than enough food for both the Missus and I!

Mr. Rick’s/Custom House
404 Front St.
Avila Beach, CA 93424

We rolled back to our room at Avila Lighthouse Suites and enjoyed a restful evening.

Thanks for stopping by!