Category: Dog Friendly

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

American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Road Trip, Temecula/Idyllwild/Palm Springs - Riverside, 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!

Road Trip – Tropicali (Big Bear)

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Dog Friendly, Poke, Road Trip, Temecula/Idyllwild/Palm Springs - Riverside, CA, Travel

Just a month after returning from Tahoe, we were off again. I really didn’t want to be doing that 7 plus hour drive like I’d done the previous month. So, I got the Missus to agree to Big Bear, which we’d never been to, then a couple of nights in Idyllwild again.

I’d gotten us a nice room at the Marina Riviera, perched right on the shore of Big Bear Lake. It had also just reopened a few months before after some renovations and turned out to be very dog friendly.

Our room was ready when we arrived and we were able to check in. We had a nice view of the lake and beachfront from our room.

Right across the street was a restaurant I wanted to check out named Tropicali. You see, the restaurant had just been named as having the best poke in America (not only on the mainland), by that four lettered website. And you know I don’t take all the stuff from that website seriously, right? Though I understand that it did make some major waves, check out this from KHON and Sam Choy! Ho, like beef, huh? Anyway, that was written a few months after my visit; though this one Reddit stuff…….. I just had to check it out.

Anyway, the restaurant has an interesting entrance. You walk in thru the mouth of a shark sculpture.

So, of course JJ had a photo-op…..

They really go all in with the Tiki-ish sterotypes here…… A bit over-the-top……I can see how some Kama’aina’s can get a bit irritated by the cliches.

You order at one of the very colorful kiosks……

Anyway, I placed my order and then joined JJ and the Missus on the lovely deck.

Soon enough my name was called….they try to be funny announcing names, like “Gunnar xxxx” doing pirate themed thing….so of course when my name was called it was “Captain” you know who…..

Anyway, I had ordered two bowls. The rice for both bowls were nicely cooked.

The first was the “Kraken”, which used unagi sauce and was topped with won ton chips.

At least this wasn’t one of those “chi-poke” places. The fish was of decent quality, not too much “sugi”; though the fish was over sauced and the sweetness really overpowered everything. The sprinkled panko was kind of strange as it added a weird grittiness to the dish.

The Pele Bowl was the better of the two. Again decent fish and rice.

The cucumber tasted like Kyuri Asazuke, slightly pickled, which we thought added to the dish. Especially since this was also a bit over sauced and even though was obviously a version of spicy ahi was also too sweet for us. I think some limu and salt would bring back the ocean to the ahi here.

To me, poke is first about the fish, the sauce enhances the experience. Here it overwhelms the dish. That’s probably why I prefer HFS in San Diego to this place. Honestly, it’s not bad; but to me it’s not in the same class as Tanioka’s or Ono Seafood.

Tropicali
40771 Big Bear Blvd.
Big Bear Lake, CA 92315

After lunch we crossed the street back to the hotel and took a short stroll along the lakeside.

Before heading in for a short nap.

Tacos Minali

Dog Friendly, Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I’ve often mentioned my “list” in posts. Places that I’ve listed to visit or revisit….it’s actually a Google Map that keeps getting more and more “crowded” on a daily basis it seems. Well, I only got one stomach so…..

Anyway, sometimes I take too long to visit and places will close before I have a chance to check them out. Case in point Voqozo. And sometimes I’m in for a surprise. Last year an acquaintance recommended a taco stand that opened off of Park named Tacos el Flaco. So, I put it on my map and read that since it’s a trailer set-up with outdoor seating; well, JJ could hang with me.

Recently, I took JJ to Old Trolley Barn Park for a little change of pace. And when things started getting a bit on the warmer side I thought it would be nice to grab some lunch. I initially thought of heading to BFD, since I hadn’t been there since they moved. But, in the end, I thought I’d try Tacos el Flaco. I lucked out and found parking on Park, then went looking for the taco trailer.

Finding this “clue” along the way.

Even though the address listed is for Park Avenue; the place is located on Lincoln Avenue. And even more to my surprise, it’s not Tacos el Flaco, but Tacos Minali!

Hmmm……well now I wasn’t too sure, but then I spied the trompo! Sorry about the terrible photo!

So, I knew I had to try this place out. Next, the prices gave me pause…….the Tripa Tacos were $4.85. The birria and adobado $4.25! Ouch!

Anyway, I ordered and JJ and I had a seat.

And soon enough my tacos were ready. They looked quite good.

I started with the Adobada, which turned out to be the best of the three.

I did find that mashed avocado to be a bit odd, but quickly got past that. I enjoyed the nice crisp and charred edges; really good caramelization. Savory-smoky, a touch of spiciness, I did miss the hint of acidic sweetness….if I ever have this again, I’ll do what the guy who came by as I was finishing up did and make sure to get some pineapple on the taco.

That salsa had some good heat and the tortilla was nice and maizey and held together well.

The tripas was my second favorite.

I loved the crisp and charred pieces, such good texture. The flavor was earthy-savory, not overwhelmingly “offalish”. The onions, cilantro, and other toppings went well with this.

I was not impressed with the birria. I did appreciate the fact that the double tortillas were crisped up; almost like vampiros, thus it held up well.

The beef was a bit too fatty, the seasoning on the milder side, and for some reason, it was a bit weak in the beefiness department.

Overall, two out of three ain’t bad. And JJ enjoyed himself.

Kind of pricey for tacos; especially from a trailer, but I’m glad to have tried it. The 9am opening time might also get me back here…though I’m sticking to Birrieria Enriquez in area for birria.

Tacos Minali
4005 Park Blvd. (actually on Lincoln)
San Diego, CA 92103
Current Hours:
Daily 9am – 11pm

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 – Dinner at Kalani’s, Hiking Big Meadow, and Ha Noi Pho (Lake Tahoe)

Asian Fusion/Pacific Rim/Hawaii Style Fusion, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Pho, Plate Lunch, Road Trip, Vietnamese Restaurants

We really enjoyed our stay at the Landing Resort & Spa. It wasn’t right in the middle of everything and was still on Lake Tahoe. There was a beach right across the street and like I mentioned in my previous post, we loved the view from our patio.

For hike that morning; the Missus chose Big Meadow to Round Lake. There was a 1,200 foot elevation gain, but it didn’t seem to bad and about 6 1/2 miles out and back.

And JJ of course, handled it like a champ….always making sure that Daddy is not going too slow…..

The starting portion is near a main road, that goes uphill. And yes, the trail goes to a lovely meadow area.

And the lake is indeed “round”.

It was quite a way to start the day.

On the way back to the hotel, I noticed a Vietnamese Restaurant and decided to make a stop for lunch.

We weren’t too hungry, so we went with the pork spring roll and the combination pho.

The Nem Cuon was interesting. The pork was nicely griddled.

It was quite hefty, but lacking in herbs….no mint, basil…..just basically lettuce. The dipping sauce seemed like it was out of a bottle and was much too sweet.

Still, that was much better than the pho……

Broth was made by what we call the “wave method”…where upon you wave beef bones above boiling water….it was so thin and lacking in beef flavor. Lots of white pepper and quite salty.

Noodles were overcooked and mushy……

The tripe wasn’t bad at all; but the other cuts of beef were really lean and tough….totally lacking in beefiness.

Man, this was even worse than what we expected.

Service was fine….but this is a no-go pho…..

Ha Noi Pho
3330 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

We made a couple of stops on our wat back to our accommodations….doing a bit of shopping; then had a nice siesta in our room.

When dinner time came along; we headed back to the very touristy Heavenly Village.

There was a restaurant in Heavenly Village that I’d actually read about….years ago in Bon Apetite…and of all things they served Hawaiian Regional Cuisine…in South Lake Tahoe! The owners are from Oahu and the place is named Kalani’s.

I know…in Lake Tahoe? Anyway, we walked on over…the place is dog friendly and we actually had a table in the bar….named the “Puka Lounge”….now this was getting kinda cliche for us, but still; the Ginger Rye Old Fashion was quite good!

As for food’ we decided on one app, a main, and a side……

First up were the Lemony Brussel Sprouts. You know hoe the Missus loves Her Brussel Sprouts; except She doesn’t care for how most places make it. In most cases it’s mushy, overcooked, and over sauced. This however was quite good.

Not overcooked, this had a nice crunch to them. Not over sauced, simply seasoned, citrus tones, good acid, perfect amount of salt. Well, we found some Brussels that the Missus enjoyed that weren’t made at home!

The one dish that I’d read about here at Kalani’s was the Chilean Sea Bass Miso Yaki. So, you know we had to try this, right?

Decent miso yaki flavor…perhaps a bit on the mild side, with a bit more sweetness than we like, but still nice and savory. It as the lovely, rich texture of the Chilean Sea Bass that made this dish….so lovely, almost creamy….it basically melts on your tongue! The ponzu butter sauce was fine….we expected a bit more fruity acidity, but it wasn’t overly rich. The mased potatoes had nice anise tones from Thai Basil. Overall, a good fusiony dish.

The one menu item we really enjoyed was the Crispy Roasted Pork Belly. Think “crisp and rich”.

The the light crispness of the batter that gave way to the rich and tender pork belly. Nice and porky, perfectly seasoned; it went well with a squeeze of citrus. We didn’t care for the basil puree which almost had a greasy tongue feel to it and just over powered the flavor and texture of the pork belly.

Kalani’s was a totally unexpected, nice surprise for us. We’d end up going back the next evening.

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

We made our way back to our accommodations. I went to refill our water and saw this.

Interesting, huh?

And of course, just like the night before, we watched the sun set over the lake!

Thanks for stopping by!

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!

Joyee Noodle House Opens in Renaissance Towne Center

Chinese Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Taiwanese Food and Restaurants

During my revisit to Chicago Fire Grill, I noticed a fairly large turnover of eateries at Renaissance Towne Center. I had Boker Kitchen on my “list”, but never made it before they closed. It’s now going to be a location of Mr Moto’s Pizza. The place that did catch my eye was the business that replaced the Rubio’s in the strip mall. A location of Joyee….which I would not be too interested in; but instead of being Joyee Dumpling House, this is a Joyee Noodle House. I’d actually been to the former location in 99 Ranch Market, which I visited once and had some really bad Jiaozi and Baozi…it was a one-and-done, so I never did a post on the place….though you can read about Cathy’s visit here. Eventually that location closed, with most locations located further North. I was actually going to do a visit to the Poway location, but was stopped dead in my tracks…..you can see why looking at the first photo of this post.

What I did notice is that this location had some outdoor seating and also that they opened at 9am from Friday thru Sunday. This parking lot can get kinda nuts, so that gave me the chance of easily finding parking.

So, I returned on a Sunday morning at around 10am with JJ and easily found parking. I walked over to the doorway and a nice young man greeted me. I pointed to JJ and a table and he smiled and gave me the thumbs up! And soon brought me the menu and some treats for JJ! Talk about getting started on the “right foot”, huh?

There’s an interesting Breakfast Menu which skews toward Taiwanese style, with Dan Bing and the like on the menu. But, this is Joyee “Noodle House”……

So, I ordered the “Signature” Beef Noodle Soup ($15.99). This is a clear broth version.

Which is known for having slices of daikon in it!

Awesome amount of cilantro, which helped since the broth didn’t have much anise – five spice tones. It was also not very beefy. Decent fat content, but super high on the sodium scale…..overly salty for my taste.

It looked like beef shank was used; the proper cut for this type of beef noodle soup, but unlike other versions I’ve had, the slices of beef was tough and dry.

The noodles were run-of-the-mill…seemed like something out of a package; lacking in “body” and texture.

I didn’t care for this much……

But, it was a good thing I ordered another dish; which I’d seen on the menu of other Joyee, but never ordered; the Salt and Smoked Duck ($19.99). I’m thinking that because of the name; this is more of a typical Taiwanese style smoked duck which is salted and rubbed with Shaoxing and other seasonings and held overnight.

While the skin wasn’t crisp and this was a bit on the saltier side; I enjoyed the winey-anise-slightly sweet tones along with the light smokey flavor. You can even see a sort of smoke ring on the meat.

Even though it looked dry; I enjoyed the toothsome texture. And when crisped up a bit in the air fryer…with the fat rendering slightly…well, the Missus really enjoyed the leftovers.

They also were so nice to JJ!

So, a week later, the Missus sent me a text asking me to pick up some duck on the way home. I went and got a couple of other dishes.

I’m glad we did takeout; you’ll find out below.

The Duck this time was even better. Deeper flavor; not as salty, more moist as well.

I saw that Popcorn Chicken was just $11.99. So I ordered it. The portion was quite large for the price.

I opened and took a look and a taste in the car…..while there flavor was fairly spot on; white pepper, a hint of spice, anise tones, perfect amount of salt….the texture was gummy and the coating lacked crispness. I was happy we were doing takeout, because I could fix the texture….you know how, right?

Yep, I removed all the fried basil and it went into the air fryer. Looks much better, huh? Much more crisp-crunchy and for some reason it seemed more moist as well. While not as good as the version at Soup du Jour, it’s cheaper and there’s that duck too.

I had also gotten the Bamboo with Pork ($16.99), which was another generous portion.

But was nothing special. While the julienned slices of pork were decently velveted, there were some pieces of the bamboo that were really hard and fibrous. The seasoning was a basic soy sauce based stir fry, it could have used more overall flavor.

Still, the Missus enjoyed that duck and I’ve figured out how to heat that popcorn chicken, The prices are quite reasonable as well. Though, I’m still not sure if I should retry the jiaozi? What do you think?

Joyee Noodle House(UTC)
8935 Towne Centre Drive
San Diego, CA 92122
Current Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am-9pm
Fri – Sun 9am-9pm

Road Trip – Lam Watah Nature Trail to Nevada Beach (Stateline) and Lotus Pho (South Lake Tahoe)

Banh Mi, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Road Trip, Travel, Vietnamese Restaurants

After our morning hike and lunch at My Thai, we settled in for a nice nap. Upon awakening, we decided to drive across the border into Stateline and right up the 50 to the Lam Watah Nature Trail. It’s a nice, easy, mostly paved trail that takes you thru a meadow area.

Past Jennings Pond.

And then thru a forested area.

You end at Nevada Beach. I had read that there’s a portion of the beach on the south side that was dog friendly. And we found signage that indicated where it was.

And we simply followed the “paw-steps”.

Until we ended up at an area near the dock where pups and people were having a good time.

And JJ made a new friend!

After JJ was done frolicking, we headed back past the campground and back onto the trail.

Heading back to the hotel, we showered up and relaxed for a bit. When it came time for dinner; we decided to get something simple. All the restaurants in Heavenly Village seemed very toursity and the very popular Base Camp Pizza had a super long line.

On the previous evening, I noticed a Vietnamese Restaurant right next to South Lake Brewing Company, which seemed to have outdoor tables. So, we walked on over and yes, the restaurant named Lotus Pho did have outdoor seating.

We weren’t too hungry and it felt too hot for pho; so we just ordered some Spring Rolls ($10.50) and a Grilled Pork Banh Mi ($13.95)…..yes, it was nearly fourteen bucks for a banh mi…but heck, this is Lake Tahoe, right?

The Spring Rolls were basically stuffed with the wrappers stretched and contents under pressure. Did not look very photogenic.

Huge amount of vermicelli noodles and lettuce….no mint or cilantro in sight. The wrapper was super chewy, the peanut sauce on the sweeter side.

Lots of proteins…the pork was decently flavored though chewy, the shrimp had been cooked decently.

I kinda thought that Lotus Pho would be very “gringo-fied” and looking over the menu added to my suspicions. The only options for the banh mi was grilled chicken or grilled pork.

The pork had been seasoned decently…more like pseudo teriyaki; missing savory tones, and on the sweeter side. It was toothsome, but not overly tough. There was even cucumber in this! The pickled veggies were fine; if shredded a bit thinly. Nice amount of cilantro and the peppers did have a nice kick. There was a nice layer of pate as well, a pleasant surprise as I didn’t expect much.

The bread was very dough and not really a banh mi…..closer to a French loaf in my opinion. It lacked the yeastiness, but due to the density was quite filling.

Overall, a fairly westernized Vietnamese restaurant though I’ve had worse.

Lotus Pho
4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 25
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Road Trip – Dumpling 85, South Lake Brewing Company (Lake Tahoe), Van Sickle Rim Trail (Stateline NV), and My Thai Revisited (Lake Tahoe)

Beer, Chinese Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Road Trip, Thai Restaurants, Travel

Leaving Avila Beach, it was almost a seven hour drive to South Lake Tahoe. We had enjoyed our time in Tahoma during a previous road trip, but there weren’t dog friendly places to stay or eat in the area, so we thought we’d stay in South Lake Tahoe. I had wanted to book The Landing for our entire 5 night stay, but I wasn’t able to get accommodations there until Sunday. So, for the Friday – Saturday night stay, I got us a room in Forest Suites Resort, which was basically across the street from the very touristy Heavenly Village. We arrived and checked in…our room was on like the third floor.

Since it was almost five pm, we decided to head on out and find somewhere to eat. I recalled seeing a Chinese restaurant when doing my research…and by this time, the Missus wanted some Asian food already. We walked thru Heavenly Village.

And up Lake Tahoe Boulevard and saw Dumpling 85 in the Chateau at the Village Shopping Center.

We crossed the street and noted that they were pup friendly. They led us to a table and the Missus placed our order.

We saw the XLB and jiaozi on the way in and they didn’t look real good. We had breakfast at Avila Lighthouse Suites and heated up the leftover Beef Bourguignon so we just got the Stir Fried Green Beans and the Pork Baozi.

The Stir Fried Green Beans were undercooked and underseasoned.

Super hard and in need of more savory components. Almost raw…..

The Pork Baozi was strange. The “bun” portion had almost a chalky texture, really weird, that gave way to a soggy doughiness. The bottoms were almost like crackers!

The filling was fine, if on the chewy side. At least it was porky.

Dumpling 85
4125 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

The Missus went back to the room, while I took JJ to the corner of Heavenly Village Way and the South Lake Brewing Company Libation Lounge.

They had outdoor seating, so I walked in, ordered myself a Pilsner and had a seat outside.

I picked up my beer when ready and enjoyed the crisp, clean Pilsner.

South Lake Brewing Co. – The Libation Lodge Restaurant & Brewery
4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Suite 26
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

After which we walked along Heavenly Village Way which led us back to our accommodations. I could see the Heavenly Mountain Gondola passing right over our hotel.

We slept well.

The Forest Suites Resort has a free breakfast, which is nice. We just ran over and got some yogurt and stuff, before walking to our morning destination.

One great thing about where we stayed is that basically across the street is the entrance to Van Sickle Bi-State Park. We just walked along the road, crossing the border into Nevada.

A bit further up the road was the Van Sickle Rim Trail. A nice, almost 7 mile hike, with a 1,000 foot elevation gain. And of course, JJ handled it much better than I did.

Nice views…..

And even a waterfall along the way.

It was nice to have access to a trail in walking distance from our accommodations.

Returning to our room, we decided on a return visit to My Thai which was a ten minute drive away. We had been pleasantly surprised when we had dined here back in 2023. We weren’t sure if they were dog friendly and thought we could do takeout. The host was really funny, he said we could bring JJ, but there was a “two bark” rule in place! Lol! There was an Australian Shepherd having lunch with his family there as well.

We ordered our two favorite dishes from our precious visit. The Lao Style Papaya Salad, which we got medium spicy. Just as before, this was quite legit, from the salted crab to the funky fermented flavors.

All balanced out by the acidic tones and tomatoes. The shredded papaya was crisp and refreshing. I enjoyed the chicharrons as well.

We also got the Basil Duck.

Which was a bit sweeter than on our last visit, but still nice anise-savory tones. The duck was chewy, but flavorful. There was much more “meat” this time as on our previous visit it was mostly skin and fat.

It seemed like they used an onigiri mold to plate the rice, don’t you think?

The rice was on the drier side, but fragrant.

All in all, a nice lunch.

My Thai Cuisine
2108 Lake Tahoe Blvd.
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

And after lunch…well, it was nap time of course!

Sine Wave Cafe (OB)

Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Dog Friendly

During my visit to Sourdough & Moore, I noticed a cafe with an interesting name as I walked to my car by the name of Sine Wave Cafe. So, I looked it up. The place had only been open since last May and seemed to have some major surfer/beach vibes. It was also dog friendly. Since our usual, Bay Park Coffee doesn’t open until 730 on Sundays, JJ and I decided to check the place out. I figured that 7am on Sunday’s in OB would be pretty mellow. And turns out I was correct. I easily found parking on Santa Monica Avenue, a few spaces down from the Post Office.

In what would be…at least to me, a quintessential location for a cafe in OB…tucked between a Smoke Shop and a Psychic, Palm – Tarot Card Readings Shop is Sine Wave Cafe.

We walked in and the very nice young lady working greeted us; came and gave JJ a treat and some “pets”. She took my order and we headed out to the front patio.

On the way out I noticed this framed photo and I asked who this was.

She told me it’s the owner’s dog and his name is….wait for it…Sammy! And suddenly I was getting my own personal “sine wave“! Cause you know why, right?

I had ordered a Cold Brew ($5) and a “Simply Avo” ($7.50). There was a Deluxe Avocado Toast which had Arugula, Feta, Sun Dried Tomato, and Two Poached Eggs, but that just seemed like too much for me at 7am. Anyway, I waited for my Cold Brew and then headed out to the patio.

Fairly light, smooth, and easy to drink. This was fine.

JJ was enjoying things as two customers came to play with him as they waited for their coffees, so he had a blast.

The young lady brought out my Avocado Toast.

This was pretty good. I enjoyed the chili flakes, which gave things a nice spice. There’s an acidic element to the mashed avocado; I’m thinking lemon juice. The avocado was fresh, no brown spots, easy to eat. The bread had been nicely toasted, great crunch, adding to a nice textural contrast. Better than some ten to twelve dollar avocado toasts I’d had recently!

This is a nice neighborhood place. And JJ seems to really enjoy OB. So, we decided to head on back on a recent Sunday.

I had seen an interesting item on the menu during my previous visit. Sine Wave has something called a “Brekkie” Calzone ($8) on the menu. So, I wanted to try that. When I ordered, the gentleman working told me “good choice, we have a current special…coffee and calzone for ten bucks!” Nice!

Basically, the same drill. I waited inside for my cold brew and then headed out to the patio with JJ. And the gentleman kindly delivered the “Calzone”, which I thought looked really light in color.

When I’m thinking of a “calzone”, I’m expecting a nice crisp, brown crust. This was doughy and soft; except for the folds which were really hard.

This was filled with a generous amount of egg and a layer of bacon that was a bit too chewy for my liking. The egg also didn’t seemed to have been seasoned, so the tangy marinara came in handy.

This was fine for five bucks; but I don’t think I’d pay eight for it.

Sine Wave Cafe
4810 Santa Monica Ave.
San Diego, CA 92107
Current Hours:
Mon – Wed 7am – 2pm
Thurs – Sun 7am – 4pm

On this morning, I decided to take JJ down Santa Monica Avenue to the waterfront. Things were a bit odd as I didn’t notice, but there were some folks camped out near the library. Though there’s always something interesting to see in OB.

Though things started getting a bit “grittier” near the CVS with several more folks camping out and asking for cash.

And we needed to really watch our step as the sidewalks in the area was covered in, ahem…”urban landmines” get my drift? The size of which seemed to make it of the human type.

Things cleaned up a bit as we got to Abbott Street and walked along the walkway a bit. It was a very nice morning.

The folks at Sine Wave treated JJ so nicely, that I think I’ll be back….probably for Avo Toast though…..