Road Trip – Page 4

Road Trip – MacCallum House Inn and Exploring Mendocino

November 20, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Mendocino, CA, Road Trip, Salads, Travel

After lunch we set about walking around Mendocino. From what I was told; the history of the area starts with the Pomo People, who lived here for over a millennium. The redwoods brought the lumber industry in the 1850’s and Mendocino Village was established in 1852. Many of the workers were from New England, which explains the Victorian stylings and Saltbox Cottages we saw. The town itself is quite charming, though folks I know warned me of how expensive they though things were…..they called the place “Spendocino”…..to us, it wasn’t as pricy as the Bay area.

Right off Main Street in Mendocino are two really easy trails. While waiting for our room, we strolled along the Mendocino Headlands Trail. The views were lovely.

Quite peaceful and relaxing, not another soul in sight.

Hard to believe that right across the road is Main Street!

We walked to the area overlooking Big River Beach.

And then up to Church Street where there’s well, a church of course.

That’s the historic Mendocino Presbyterian Church, which was build between 1867 and 1868.

And made our way back to our accommodations in a roundabout way. When visiting this charming village one quickly notices how many water towers there are.

In fact, our accommodations even had a Water Tower Suite….good ol’ number 13. According to this post, the water table is the area is close to the surface, thus the area was lacking with regards to in ground water storage. Most of the water towers were built at the end of the 19th century. That water tower above also has a history, which you can read about here.

Walking on Albion Street we noticed this Chinese Temple.

This is the Temple of Kwan Tai a Taoist temple dedicated to Kwan Tai (Guan Yu).

The Missus and I were immediately interested in how this got to be built in Mendocino. Apparently, the Chinese came to the area in the 1850’s to work in logging camps. It is said the the temple either dates back to1854 or 1867, depending on the source. Interesting, huh?

A block down Albion was our accommodation; the MacCallum House Inn which dates back to 1882.

This lovely inn features a variety of accommodations. We stayed in one of the suites in the “North Barn” building.

Which was lovely and had a private patio and even a hot tub, which was nice, even though we never used it.

The main building features a rather popular restaurant with patio seating, which was perfect for JJ. This was where we had breakfast, which was included with our stay. We decided to have an early dinner on this evening. The friendly Server told us that most of the ingredients were locally sourced.

Things started out with some really delicious bread.

The butter was decently whipped and light.

The Missus had Her sights on getting Her veggie fixes, so that was the focus of the meal; starting with the Field Lettuces.

Nice variety of greens, great crisp texture, loved the beets. The avocado was under ripe, hard, and lacking in flavor. The vinaigrette was quite simple, like something I’d make at home. That avocado and sourdough was a $7 upcharge.

The Grilled Asparagus and Proscuitto was fine; though the asparagus was overcooked and mushy, not quite how the Missus enjoys it.

The proscuitto was super fatty, almost like lardo. The egg was perfectly cooked and the cheese was nice and sharp in flavor.

The Olive Oil Roasted Cauliflower was simple, which was actually a good thing. Though the price for this dish was $32!

The Missus loves Her cauliflower and this was lightly sweet – earth – nutty, She loved it. The Kale might have been better served in smaller pieces. The quinoa was fine. That sauce had an interesting sweetness to it. I later found out it was pea “jus”.

I did see something on the “side dishes” menu that interested me. The Collard Greens, Ham Hocks, and Black Eyed Peas.

While the ham hocks were on the crisp side like lardons; we both loved the flavors – so savory and smoky, the beans were cooked perfectly, slightly firm and tender. This was very good.

Overall, a nice meal, the service was very friendly and we appreciated that most of the produce was sourced locally. Not a cheap meal coming in at over $120 not including tip….but heck, we were in “Spendo-cino” right?

MacCallum House
45020 Albion St.
Mendocino, CA 95460

We took a nice stroll after dinner. There’s a Health Food Store; with the interesting name of Corners of the Mouth Health Food Store right next to the back entrance of MacCallum House. Looks like it could have possibly been a church in a previous life?

We got some snacks and I got a couple of beers for the next two nights.

Corners of the Mouth, Health Food Store
45015 Ukiah St.
Mendocino, CA 95460

It was obvious that we wouldn’t be starving in Mendocino…….

Road Trip – Peaked Hill (Sonoma), Point Arena – Stornetta, and Frankie’s (Mendocino)

November 19, 2025 mmm-yoso Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Mediterranean Restaurants, Mendocino, CA, Road Trip, Travel

Our next stop after Bodega Bay was the town of Mendocino. I’d heard some really nice things about the town and was excited to visit. The actual drive was set to be less than 3 hours, so I had some detours in mind.

Our first stop was right before the Russian River. I took a turn off Highway 1 onto Goat Rock Road making several stops at places like Blind Beach.

A then drove south finding some parking to the trail to the summit of Peaked Hill. Needless to say, the views were beautiful.

Loved the views of the shoreline.

I like to mix in interesting places when we travel and there happened to be a place I read about in Sea Ranch. Right off Highway 1 is a sign directing one to the Sea Ranch Chapel.

A non-denominational chapel dedicated to the memory of local artist Kirk Ditzler, it is designed to be a “serene refuge” for meditation and prayer. There were several people inside the building, so I didn’t want to bother them.

You can find some photos of the interior here.

We made a short fuel stop in Gualala and then the Missus went to check out this lovely little book store.

Right at the Rollerville Junction, we once again did a detour off the Shoreline Highway. This time up Lighthouse Road. We took a quick look at the Point Arena Lighthouse.

Before heading back down the road and parking at the beginning of the Point Arena – Stornetta Trail.

It’s a lovely coastal trail.

We only went until we could view the shore and rocks before heading on our way.

JJ did have time to stop and smell the flowers though.

From there it was just an hour to the town of Mendocino. We were instantly charmed by the village.

The Victorian style houses instantly took us to the East Coast.

In need of lunch, we stopped by a little shop steps away from where we were staying. You know why we “had” to stop here, right?

Yep, that’s right, it’s Frankie’s! Frankie’s is mainly a pizza and ice cream shop; but they also have salads and falafel…and even piadina.

There’s some patio seating, which was great on a nice sunny day.

The Missus and I really weren’t feeling like pizza, so we got Frankie’s Falafel and the Mediterranean Piadina.

The portion size for the Falafel Salad was quite generous.

This dish is actually Vegan. The exterior of the falafel wasn’t crisp enough, nor was the interior nice and creamy. We did both love the Tahini Dressing though. Nice and earthy, with a good acidic kick. The hummus was passable.

Both the Missus and I enjoyed the Piadina, which, while not being close to what we’d had in Malta, was quite refreshing.

The pita was crisp; the Tahini, like the salad was very refreshing; the Parmesan Cheese adding that salty-milky component. Crisp spinach, with olives and sun dried tomatoes as “hidden” surprises.

And while there wasn’t a “rainbow from Frankie” signifying his approval (we miss you F), this was a decent lunch.

Frankie’s
44951 Ukiah St.
Mendocino, CA 95460

Glad the lunch wasn’t too much food as it was now time to explore a bit before checking in.

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Doran Regional Park, Fishetarian Fish Market, and Dinner Again from Terrapin Creek Cafe

November 12, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Dog Friendly, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Road Trip, Seafood, Travel

After our caffeine fix at Roadhouse Coffee we headed off down Shoreline Highway a bit. The Missus wanted to do a bit of walking this morning, so I headed to Doran Regional Park. We got to the parking lot at the end of the road and had fun walking along the North Jetty and Doran Campground area.

We took the Doran Beach Trail, where JJ could find all sorts of “stuffs” to entertain himself.

After strolling along the beach area, we headed up the road a bit and found some parking on Doran Beach Road and did the Cheney Creek Trail and Bird Walk which was a lovely loop trail.

Walking the loop along the salt water marsh was beautiful and peaceful.

I’m sure my good friend “CC” would have really enjoyed the bird watching.

We actually did the loop counter clockwise from the south. Didn’t run into anyone until we got near to Highway 1.

Saw this interesting rock….but can’t really find anything about it online.

It was a nice way to start the day.

It was already getting pretty late for lunch so, we ended up stopping at Lucas Wharf at the Fishetarian Fish Market.

I wanted to give the Dungeness Crab Sandwich another try. Even though the Missus wasn’t really feeling it, She relented. The shop is a rather charming restaurant/fish market.

Where you order at the counter.

There’s ample outdoor seating….well, at least on this day there was. So, JJ could hang out while we ate.

To make the Missus happy, I got a side of Kale Slaw to go with the sandwich and sweet potato fries..

The sweet potato fries were tasty, but on the dry – soggy side. We enjoyed the crab filling more here, but it still had too much mayo for the Missus.

That ciabatta roll didn’t hold out for the entire meal.

At least you could make out the oceany-sweetness of the dungeness crab here. And it seemed like the amount of crab was generous. I requested the sandwich with no cheese which I believe helped things.

I did get a small side of the kale slaw which seemed to have an Asian touch as we tasted sesame oil?

All in all, a fine, somewhat touristy meal. But JJ enjoyed himself.

Fishetarian Fish Market
599 Highway 1
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

After this, we did a couple of stops along the way, and then headed back to our accommodations for some R&R. After our nap, since Bodega Bay really isn’t great for walking, we just decided to get take out again at Terrapin Creek Cafe. While the Missus hung out in the Bodega Bay Inn “wine shack” to finish the wine we’d bought there the night before; I walked over to get our takeout.

We got the Charred Octopus and Cauliflower Salad again which was better this time around.

You can’t really see it here; but much more octopus which was fairly tender.

The Roasted Asparagus and Maitake Salad didn’t have a whole lot of maitake….but a load of grated Manchego.

This was fine for a salad, the Missus enjoyed the chopped boiled eggs.

I also got the Pan Roasted Hokkaido Scallops….three scallops for $23.

Pan seared….not sure about “roasted”. Did not enjoy the overwhelming flavor of fennel, but the scallops were fine.

Overall, this was fine. I’m sure eating in the restaurant would have been better; though we enjoyed having the “wine shack” all to ourselves.

Terrapin Creek Cafe
1580 Eastshore Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

We had enjoyed our visit to Bodega Bay; though I’m not sure we’d return as we prefer towns where we can walk and explore.

Road Trip – Terrapin Creek Cafe and Roadhouse Coffee (Bodega Bay)

November 7, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Caffeine Fix, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Road Trip, Travel

After a short post lunch nap; the Missus wanted to do a bit more exploring. I knew about the Coastal Prairie Trail close by. But of course, with all the speeding cars on the Shoreline Highway, we’d have to drive the two minutes to get there. There was ample parking and some interesting things to see.

And there’s this touching memorial, known as the Children’s Bell Tower.

It is here in remembrance of Nicholas Green, a local boy who was killed during an attempted carjacking in Italy. Nicholas’ parents donated his organs and corneas, in turn changing and preserving the lives of 7 others in Italy. This amazing gesture spurred on organ donation in Europe; creating what is termed the “Nicholas Effect“.

The Tower, designed by sculptor Bruce Hasson consists of 140 mismatched bells; most coming from Italy, those donated bells were flown to the US by the Italian Air Force.

The center bell was blessed by Pope John Paul II. To hear the gentle ringing of the bells when a light breeze passes thru is beautiful.

We decided to just take a nice stroll along Bodega Dunes.

After our walk, we headed down Highway 1, then up Bodega Highway to the little town of Bodega. There was one place I wanted to see. This church.

This is St Teresa of Avila Church. Does it look familiar? Probably not to many from Gen Z and beyond. But this church was in the background of some important scenes in one of my Mom’s favorite movies.

Yep, she loved The Birds!

After taking a gander we headed back up the 1, stopping at another location that was in the movie.

Yep, the Tides Wharf and Restaurant. If I recall, this is where people sought refuge from the birds. Though the original restaurant burned down in 1968. Still, this place really milks it!

If you’re interested in filming locations for the Birds, you can find more here.

We enjoyed looking at the views from the wharf area.

And also this cute “couple”.

We had fun exploring.

We then returned to the Inn and decided on getting dinner at the place right across the parking lot from the hotel. The place is named Terrapin Creek Cafe and sheesh; there was a line out the door. We hadn’t made reservations, so there was no way we’d wait like 2 hours. Also, we wanted some wine with dinner and there was no way I’d want to attempt walking down Highway 1. So I placed a takeout order.

Although Bodega Inn didn’t have a fridge or microwave in the rooms, there’s a nice shared dining area.

But even better than that was this little room set in back of the Inn.

They call this the “wine shack”. It’s a charming place to hang out and have some wine and maybe a self catered meal.

And no one was using the wine shack. Also, the front desk sells bottles of wine from local wineries. So guess what? I went and picked up dinner and then a bottle from the front desk and we relaxed and enjoyed things.

The Charred Octopus and Cauliflower Salad ($22) was kind of short on the cauliflower, though there was a good amount of decently textured octopus hidden under all the arugula and almonds.

There were also some brussel sprouts as well; which tasted really good with the smoky-sweet pepper aioli.

The Mediterranean Fish Stew was not a favorite though. The fennel broth was really salty and fishy. The calamari and mussels were super tough.

The cod fillet was tender; but the salmon was also on the fishy side. And priced at $36, we expected a bit more.

Still, the Missus enjoyed the salad and since the place was just across the parking lot, we’d return for takeout again the next night and dine in the “wine shack” and finish up our bottle of wine.

Terrapin Creek Cafe
1580 Eastshore Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

Right at the other end of the building from Terrapin Creek Cafe is Roadhouse Coffee.

The place opens super early and was a handy stop for our morning coffee.

The folks working were super friendly and I got the Missus Her latte which She enjoyed and a scalding and stiff Americano for me.

Which we had on our little porch before heading out for the day!

We were looking forward to another fun day!

Road Trip – Earthbound Farm Stand (Carmel) and Ginochio’s Kitchen (Bodega Bay)

November 6, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Breakfast/Brunch, Caffeine Fix, Dog Friendly, Farmer's Markets/Night Market, Marin, Napa, and Sonoma Counties, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After our wonderful dinner at L’Escargot and a nice night’s sleep we woke ready to head on to our next stop. Of course we needed our caffeine fix and I needed some breakfast, so we headed out east on Carmel Valley Road to a place I had on my “list”; Earthbound Farm Stand.

In addition to being a large farm stand; the shop served coffee, breakfast and lunch, and the garden grounds were lovely as well.

Dogs were not allowed in the market.

But JJ got to hang outside while I went in to get coffee and some breakfast to share.

The Missus got Her latte; I got a very smooth Cold Brew.

And I was shocked that the Croissant Breakfast Sandwich was $16; but it was huge and came with a salad as well.

Of course, this was a “Croissant” in name only as it was doughy, not crisp, etc, etc…..

There was a sizeable omelet with bacon and cheese in the sandwich.

Which was more than enough for “brunch”. Nothing amazing, but quite filling.

And after eating we strolled the charming grounds.

And JJ enjoyed all the smells and sounds……

Earthbound Farm Stand
7250 Carmel Valley Rd.
Carmel, CA 93923

From here it was about a 4 hour drive to our next destination. And JJ got to drive on a famous landmark.

We drove up to Bodega Bay, a place we hadn’t visited before. We were staying at the Bodega Bay Inn, which was right on the corner of Highway 1 and Eastshore Road.

We were staying in one of the units in the back of the parking lot which had its own parking spot.

It was rustic, but quite charming. Good thing it wasn’t raining since the lot was a basically all dirt.

The Inn had a couple of nice amenities which I’ll go into in the future post.

We had arrived early and our room wasn’t quite ready yet; but the nice gentleman at the front desk told us to go ahead and park our car and maybe get some lunch.

We decided to head on down Eastshore Road to the Marina area to grab some lunch. Looking at Google Maps I thought it would be a nice walk and not on crazy Highway 1. However, Eastshore Road doesn’t have true pedestrian walkways.

And the cars were zipping past us…..not a great walk for JJ and us, but we made it to the marina area in one piece.

For lunch I chose Ginochio’s Kitchen since it had outdoor seating.

And of course we had to try the Dungeness Crab Sandwich and some Clam and Scallop Chowder.

That sandwich was not cheap at $28!

The Missus didn’t care for the sandwich much as it had too much mayo-cheese which detracted from the flavor of the crab in Her opinion. We did like the nicely toasted sourdough which was crisp and light.

Was not a fan of the overly gloppy and thick chowder. Really too salty as well.

We like to be able to taste the seafood when having these type of dishes, which wasn’t the case here.

Ginochio’s Kitchen
1410 Bay Flat Rd.
Bodega Bay, CA 94923

We did enjoy walking down to the marina at the end of Eastshore Road.

It was quite relaxing and JJ had some fun as well!

Before we took our lives into others hands and walking back up the road. Our timing was perfect as our room was ready when we got back. It was time to relax and have a nice afternoon nap.

Road Trip – The Secret Garden and Dinner at L’Escargot (Carmel)

October 25, 2025 mmm-yoso Dog Friendly, French Restaurants, Memorable Meals, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After doing the 17 Mile Drive and some shopping in Pacific Grove, we headed back to Carmel. After parking the car, we decided to take JJ down to Carmel Beach which was just a few blocks from where we were staying.

It was kind of overcast, but we enjoyed the short stroll.

We then headed back up Ocean Avenue where the Missus did a bit more shopping.

While looking at this window display, the Artist and owner of the shop, Edi Matsumoto came out. She was so nice and we had a lovely chat!

As we headed on back to the Green Lantern, I happened to look down the driveway off of San Carlos Street and I noticed something.

Hmmm…..

Ok, they really know how to get me, right? You know I just had to see what was down that path.

It was a cute little path, adorned with statuary, fountains, very serene and relaxing.

There’s a little Garden shop.

And the path leads out to Dolores Street and this bookstore.

It was a very nice community bookstore and the owners were oh so friendly and kind.

You can really tell they’re part of the community here!

And you know what; I just happened to open up this Children’s book….

And I saw all those places we’d been walking past! I loved it! I wanted to support this shop, so I bought an Autographed copy! Of course it features pooches, right? But wait, there’s more! There’s a fabulous map, and you can follow Olly’s and Lucille’s adventure using the Voicemap App – from the book’s website!

Here’s a screenshot of the map from that website:

Also, more about the Secret Garden here and here.

Pilgrims Way Community Bookstore
Dolores St. between 5th & 6th
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

On the way back we came across this cute little park between all the art galleries on Dolores Street.

Away from the hustle and bustle, Carmel is quite charming.

We took a short break before heading out to dinner. I had made reservations at a French restaurant for our last dinner in the city. The name, L’Escargot hooked me. The restaurant was a 15 minute walk from our room. It was dinner time and all the traffic was back. Though once we got past 6th Avenue, things seemed to quiet down a bit. The restaurant had ample outdoor seating.

I walked over; peeked into the restaurant and the host seated us at one of the al fresco tables.

I got a Kir Royale and some baguette and butter was dropped off while we looked over the menu.

The butter was cold, but nicely whipped very creamy, milky, and light. The baguette was a bit damp, but the crust was very good!

As we often do; we just went with several apps. Starting with the Duck and Pork Country Pate.

Coarsely ground, but oh so rich….deep earthy-gamy flavors. Those cornichons came in handy. The mustard helped to cut the liveryness. Man, this was so good with the baguette….our Server saw us blasting thru it and brought us another basket!

Of course we had to try the Escargot, right?

Man, these were jumbo sized! Plump, great texture, toothsome, but not chewy! Oh my, that garlic butter was so rick and savory….guess who needed more baguette?

The Sweetbread and Mushroom Vol au Vent was also a big winnah!

Light, crisp puff pastry; crisp and creamy, mildly gamey-sweet sweetbreads, earthy-sweet mushrooms. That mushroom sauce was earth-buttery-perfectly seasoned.

Our Server saw how much we loved this and he brought us another piece of the Veal Sweetbreads – such great service!

Man, I wish this were in San Diego! Even though we were outside of the restaurant; we were checked on on a regular basis. And they gave us that extra sweetbread! This was a delicious meal, our favorite of the two week trip and made up for the other mediocre meals we had in Carmel!

L’Escargot
Mission At 4th Ave.
Carmel, CA 93921

Road Trip – Treehouse Café (Carmel) and the 17 Mile Drive

October 24, 2025 mmm-yoso Dog Friendly, Fusion Cuisine, Mediterranean Restaurants, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Road Trip, Travel

After checking into our room at the Green Lantern Inn we rested a bit and then decided to do some shopping before having a rather early dinner. The place I picked; because it was just a few blocks away from where we were staying…..the sidewalks are small and traffic both pedestrian and autos are pretty bad during peak times; was the Road Trip – Treehouse Café (Carmel) and the 17 Mile Drive. It’s a very cute location.

On the terrace of a charming little building. There’s a nice outdoor eating area.

Carmel claims to be the most dog friendly cities in the US. And heck, there were no less than 8 pooches hanging on the terrace. Including these two!

The pooches were so well behaved….even more so than their two-legged counterparts, many of whom seemed snooty and demanding. And I gotta say; the service here was on the abrupt side…..though that could have been because of the customers. And quite slow to boot.

Treehouse Café has an interesting menu. There are Thai, Mediterranean, and Italian dishes on the menu. A crazy mix that I would usually avoid….but because of how pooch friendly the place was, I thought we’d just have our first dinner here.

I started with an Allagash White, clean, citrus tones. Which went well with the bread and the herbaceous olive oil.

Being quite curious; I ordered the Thai Pork Sausage.

Very porky with a good amount of rice stuffed into it. Lacking in the herbaceous tones and spice I look for though.

Because I could not get enough bread…..I ordered the roasted garlic. Which was interesting as the garlic was still hard and bitter….not soft and spreadable like I prefer.

The olive oil it was soaking in was quite good though.

And for more carbs….we got the Veggie Combo Platter. Along with the overly chewy pita included…counterclockwise; Dolmas, which were too chewy and bland, some incinerated falafel….not good eats, both the hummus and baba ghanouj were good though…nicely blended, creamy, full of flavor.

And to finish off, a basic Greek Salad.

Overall, a fairly mediocre dinner, that took quite long…..and most places were closed by the time we finished.

Treehouse Café
7th & 8th San Carlos St.
Carmel, CA 93921

So, we just walked on back to our accommodations and called it a night. I did a post; while someone totally crashed out.

As for our full day in Carmel…well, we decided to do something that we had done once before, when we still lived in LA. We decided to take JJ on the 17 Mile Drive from the Carmel Gate.

But first, I took JJ to get some coffee. Carmel is a totally different city in the morning.

Peaceful and relaxing.

Though I did find that the Seagulls here feel quite entitled as well. I actually saw seagulls taking their time crossing the street, stopping traffic three times! I managed to get a photo of one of those occasions!

When you have time to relax and stroll you notice things……I hadn’t taken notice of Carmel’s City Hall before, though we walked past it twice the previous day!

I went to the Carmel Coffee House and Roasting Company to get the Missus a latte and myself a cold brew.

The Missus enjoyed Her latte; my cold brew was quite smooth and easy to drink.

Carmel Coffee House and Roasting Company
Dolores St.
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921

And then we headed out. We paid our $12.25 fee at the Carmel Gate, then headed out to see some of the sights. We made a few stops.

Of course we had to stop at that symbol of Pebble Beach, the Lone Cypress.

It is said to have started growing in the mid 1700’s and has survived so much. Even several arson attempts. A symbol of resilience it has been declared the most photographed tree in the world.

We made a stop at Crocker Grove.

There are only two Monterey Cypress Forests in existence and this is one of them.

Bird Rock Vista Point for both the view and a bathroom break.

And JJ seemed to be enjoying himself.

There was just one more stop I wanted to make. When we did our previous visit, China Rock.

Which was once the site of a Chinese Fishing Village.

For some interesting stories and history, check out these two posts.

By this time, we’d kind of had our fill and decided just to head on out to Pacific Grove. We turned on a familiar street; Lighthouse Avenue, where we enjoyed exploring the city on the self guided historic houses tour several years back. The Missus had really enjoyed shopping here and so we stopped and the Missus got some shopping in.

And then it was time to head back to Carmel….we still had the afternoon to do more exploring.

Road Trip – Revisits to Industrial Eats (Buellton) and Alchemist Garden (Paso Robles), and Lunch at Jeju Kitchen (Carmel)

October 18, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Korean Restaurants, Monterey/Carmel/Santa Cruz - Monterey Bay/Peninsula, Paso Robles/Cambria/San Luis Obispo County, Road Trip, Taco Shops

Back in April/May, we took a two week Road Trip with JJ. He’d already proven himself during our road trips to June Lake, Morro Bay/Cambria and to Scottsdale/Winslow/Lake Havasu among others. We were basically doing a road trip every month and this “two-weeker” would cover two months!

This one was more “my thing” as I’m more of a city/coast kinda guy. Our northern destination was Mendocino.

Our “first leg” was going to be to a place now familiar to us Paso Robles. We decided to go up via the 101 and stop for lunch at another place I’ve posted on twice already; Industrial Eats in Buellton.

We had the same two dishes as on our last visit; the Smoked Duck Salad and Miso Cod. Both were just as delicious as what we’d had last time.

We’re still not quite sure what that avocado is for; but the cod is so buttery and the mushrooms add a wonderful earthiness.

From Buellton, it was an easy hour-and-a-half to Paso Robles. Since we started doing so many road trips during Covid; Paso Robles has become a favorite stop for us.

This time, with JJ in tow, we decided to stay at the Paso Robles Inn, which is right across the street from the Downtown City Park.

It was fairly pricey; but the location was great, as were the grounds….JJ was fascinated by the Koi Pond.

Our room wasn’t that great, the noise from upstairs and the rooms next door were fairly loud. So, while we loved the location; we’d try and find a different place to stay at the next time…..

Paso Robles Inn
1103 Spring St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

Of course, once we settled in we headed out.

We enjoy stopping in at the Paso Robles General Store…….which is dog friendly.

And they stock Paso Almonds which are a must buy for snacks and gifts when we get back home.

General Store Paso Robles
841 12th St.
Paso Robles, CA 93446

As for dinner….well, our favorite restaurant in Paso; Les Petites Canailles is not dog friendly; so we thought we’d just grab some eats at what is possibly my favorite Cocktail Bar in California; Alchemist Garden; which I’ve already posted on three times! Though this would be the first time we’d actually be having a full meal there. We got a table on the patio so JJ could hang out with us.

Of course the cocktails were awesome!

We were pleasantly surprised at the food as well. The Bone Marrow was very buttery and though we had doubts about the Cherry Onion Jam; the sheet-acidity really paired well with the marrow.

It was also “Taco Tuesday”….so we ordered one each of the Shrimp, Duck, Chicken, and Skirt Steak Taco. Our expectations were very low….but man; the corn tortillas were decent and held up well. And the meats; especially the skirt steak and the shrimp, with a perfectly crunchy-crisp batter and tender shrimp were very good!

The skirt steak was topped with harissa; which had an almost kimchi like sour-spiciness….surprisingly good. We could even deal with the sour cream on the tacos as well!

Such a nice surprise and meal!

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

The following morning we headed out to our next stop Carmel By the Sea. But first we decided to make a stop at Fiscalini Ranch. We had really enjoyed the easy trails and the views before, so we thought JJ might have fun. This time we did the Marine Terrace and Bluff Loop Trail.

Which JJ enjoyed!

And the views on the bluff trail are lovely.

And the wildflowers were beautiful.

And of course, there are the benches……

It was a fun time!

From here it was a two hour drive to Carmel. We’d be in early, so we decided to get some lunch. There is a Korean Restaurant in Carmel Plaza with outdoor seating…Carmel is known to be very dog friendly; we found street parking and headed on into the mall and Jeju Kitchen.

It was past noon, but it was pretty quiet. We easily found a table near the fire pit.

Serers were very friendly; even bringing JJ a bowl of water. Though the prices gave me pause.

The Missus got the Dolsot Bi Bim Bap. Which was $26 but had no meat!

The egg was fine; though we prefer crisp edges. Still the yolk was fairly soft and runny. The dolsot wasn’t hot enough, so no rice “crust” developed. The kimchi didn’t have a deep fermented flavor and was just salty and sour. And within the confines of the dolsot made this dish pretty bland.

Like I mentioned above; the panchan was pretty bland.

I ordered the Korean Fried Chicken – would you believe this cost $28?

The Mu Kimchi was overly sweet. The batter was too thick and initially crunchy, but got mushy pretty quickly. It was also pretty bland….something I’ll almost never say about “KFC”. I appreciate a bit of “lightness” in my KFC; but this was definitely not that. This one went in the “soy-garlic” direction. Though it was more drizzled sugar-soy. Overly sweet for our taste. Not enough sauce, lacking in depth of flavor….

The meat was chewy, but fine.

In the end, a shadow of Korean cuisine. I should have known better when I saw Miso Cacio de Pepe, Smashburgers, and Coconut Prawns on the menu. Lesson learned.

Jeju Kitchen (In Carmel Plaza)
106 Mission St.
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93923

We took a stroll around the plaza….I think we prefer the shops in the Downtown Village/Ocean Avenue area.

We did manage to kill time before heading to our accommodations. We were staying at the Green Lantern Inn once again. Though this time for two nights, so we could spend a bit more time exploring!

Thanks for stopping by – hope you have an awesome weekend!

Road Trip – Tiger Bar & Cafe (June Lake) and it’s back to Erick Schat’s Bakkerÿ (Bishop) and Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery (Lone Pine)

July 26, 2025 mmm-yoso American/New American Restaurants, Bakery, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Pubs and Pub Grub, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

I thought I'd best finish up this series on our stay in June Lake so here goes…..

After the Missus did Her morning paddleboarding while I got breakfast at Silver Lake Resort Cafe and then hiking the Reversed Peak Loop Trail, we headed back to June Lake to freshen up. We waned to grab a quick lunch and just relax. Right across the street from our accommodations is the Tiger Bar & Cafe, one of the few places opened daily from nine to nine.

The place serves everything from breakfasts, to "Mexican" dishes, to burgers, to salads……you get the picture. We decided to just get a simple sandwich and you know the Missus….She loves Her bacon; so we got a BLT on sourdough, with chips as our side to go and walked on down to Gull Lake, returning to pick up our lunch.

Once we picked up our order; we simply strolled across the street, to our accommodations, and split our sandwich in the comfort of our room.

This was pretty much a by-the-book BLT. The chips were a bit thicker than we prefer.

The bread was a bit under-toasted, but the bacon was nice and crisped, the tomatoes decently ripe.

Would I go out of my way for this sandwich…..well, no. But since it was right across the street…..

On my way out, I noticed the "specials" menu.

I noticed a couple of items that we interesting. Plus, the Missus and I just wanted to relax before leaving the next morning. So, after our afternoon nap, we decided to head on over for an early dinner.

It was 4pm and there were a few customers already in the place….most of them having a "happy hour" it seems.

The Missus had a glass of wine, I had a light and refreshing Mammoth Brewing Pilsner.

And we ordered from the specials grease board menu, all items were priced at $9.95. Our Server was very nice and friendly.

First to arrive were the pork rib tips.

This was actually pretty good. Not a huge fan of the overly sweet, mass-produced BBQ sauce; but the rib tips were fairly tender, with nice cartiledgeous chewiness. A decent amount of smokiness with a mild rub. It was better than we had expected.

Next to arrive were the fried pickles. Man, the portion size was pretty large.

Crisp outside, with a sour-tangy-saltiness, this was a nice version.

The Fried Brussel Sprouts on the other hand was our least favorite.

The batter didn't hold up well and was quite salty. The actual brussel sprouts were mushy and had a weird texture.

Still, two out of three ain't bad. Again, I wouldn't go out of my way for this, but being across the street…..

Tiger Bar & Cafe
2620 CA-158
June Lake, CA 93529

Of course, after all of that fried food, we needed to take a walk and headed back down to Gull Lake to watch the day turn into night.

The next morning we headed out early and made a stop in Bishop at Erick Schat's.

This time we got the Sheepherder Bread and of course more cookies for the Missus.

That bread is great…..this will be a regular stop for us from now on.

Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ
763 N Main St.
Bishop, CA 93514

About an hour south of Bishop is Lone Pine and it seemed like a good idea to make a brunch stop before the five hour plus drive home. We decided on revisiting Alabama Hills Cafe. We stopped an easily found parking and unlike our previous visit, things were rather mellow in the restaurant.

The Missus got the bacon and egg breakfast, which came with a rather dense biscuit, and breakfast potatoes….and of course bacon.

While the potatoes had a generous amount of bell peppers and onions, it was bit on the greasy side. No complaints about the bacon as She also ended up poaching some of mine.

Having thought that the BLT I had for lunch here was decent; I got the Breakfast BLT.

Other than the bread being a bit under toasted….and the interesting portion of grapes….I guess they wanted to make sure I had some fruit with breakfast; I enjoyed this sandwich. Even though the eggs could have been a bit more runny; there were no off flavors, the nice smoky saltiness of the bacon (before the Missus stole it), acidity of the tomato, this was a decent sandwich. I'd have it again.

Typical diner-ish fare; pretty much what we expected.

Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery
111 West Post St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

And then we were headed home……intent on getting some Asian food for the Missus!

Thanks for stopping by!

Road Trip – Silver Lake, Silver Lake Resort Cafe, and Hiking the Reversed Peak Loop (June Lake)

July 12, 2025 mmm-yoso Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

Since I've posted on these places before, I'll just mostly do photos for this one.

After a pretty busy evening, we both slept well. The next morning the Missus was ready to get Her paddleboard out. I had suggested Silver Lake, which always looked quite nice in the morning…plus, well, I knew I could get a decent breakfast nearby while She was out on the lake.

After getting our caffeine fix at The Lift, we headed on out. This time we parked in the Silver Lake parking near the boat ramp and the Missus headed on out. It was as usual during our visits, a lovely day.

Once the Missus was out on the water, I headed across the street to the Silver Lake Resort, which is the oldest "resort" in the Easter Sierra's; formerly known as Carson's Camp it was established in 1916. It's basically a bunch of cabins and RV parking, but it has a shop and most importantly, Silver Lake Resort Cafe, all of which I've posted on before.

Quaint and charming, it's a great place for an old school breakfast.

A bit busy on this morning, I found a spot at the counter. Deciding what to get was easy……

Nice, hearty breakfast…and heck, that slice of watermelon helps suppress the guilt from enjoying that sausage gravy.

Looking at this photo makes me miss Perry's. I guess I need to get back to Rudford's one of the days!

Silver Lake Resort Cafe
6957 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

After my filling breakfast I sidled back to the boat ramp to see what was up with the Missus. Lot's of folks fishing and pooches splashing!

I could see the Missus make a turn and head back to shore.

While I waited for the Missus a boat was being winched up the ramp. One of the guys was really friendly and he'd done quite well fishing, don't you think?

Once the Missus got to shore, we stowed Her paddleboard and headed back to our room where we freshened up, before heading right back out to our next stop; the Reversed Peak Loop Trail and 4 Lakes Loop.

The beginning was pretty steep with a 600 foot climb, but things flatten out after that.

You do see a couple of lakes/ponds.

Though some had already dried up.

I enjoyed the rock formations and the view of the mountains.

And I learned a new term on this trip. I've been fascinated with the dead trees I've seen on hikes, I found out that they are called "Snags".

The hike was a bit over 3 1/2 miles, with an 800 foot elevation gain. We finished in about 2 hours, not bad. But at this altitude the sun does get to you and there's no shade on the trail.

I'm glad I had my hearty breakfast. And the Missus had gone paddleboarding, plus we'd gone on a hike….and it wasn't even lunch time yet!

Thanks for stopping by!