Category: Travel

Road Trip – Vulcania, Revisits to Emberz BBQ and Shelter Distilling, the MacLeod Lake Trail, Crystal Lake Trail, and Other Stuffs in Mammoth Lakes.

American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Italian Restaurants, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

After spending a few nights in June Lake, we headed back to Mammoth Lakes. Being a bit early for check in, we headed off to the Twin Lakes area and took a nice walk and got some views of the falls.

When it was time for an early dinner, we headed back to the Emberz BBQ trailer.

We had enjoyed both the Heirloom Tomato salad and the Elk Sausage the last time. So we made sure to order those items.

That tomato salad was so refreshing; still a favorite.

Loved the smokey-savory elk sausage as well.

Didn’t care for the bland beans; though the potato salad was better this time around; not overly dressed as before.

While we were eating; the really nice gentleman came out and handed us some cornbread; gratis.

As I mentioned in my previous post…..so far, Emberz has been our favorite food stop in Mammoth Lakes.

Emberz BBQ
120 Commerce Dr.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning we woke and did the fun and easy MacLeod Lake Trail.

We had lunch at Old New York Deli & Bakery which I’ve posted on twice already.

Then the Missus just “needed” to do another hike during the early afternoon, so we did the Crystal Lake Trail.

Which along with the beautiful lakes had some lovely views as well.

Which even JJ appreciated.

When dinner time came along, we headed across the street to the Village. We noticed that there seemed to be an event going on.

Turns out that Mammoth has a yearly Reggae Festival in July and we just happened to be here on this weekend.

Several booths and lots of people enjoying the music!

On our previous trip to Mammoth we had wanted to dine at Vulcania, an Italian style restaurants, but was told that patio dining was not yet available. So, we decided to head on over. This time the patio was set-up and we had a nice table outside here we could enjoy the music.

We ended up getting two apps and one main for dinner,

Seeing Beef Carpaccio ($24) on the menu…well, of course I had to get that, right?

I’d say that this was more of a salad. The vinaigrette was so strong that it overwhelmed the beef. And even more strange was where those french fry looking things at top…they were hash browns! Still, I got my arugula fix, right?

We also got the Mortadella Toast ($23). The bread was nicely toasted, but was just your run of the mill ciabatta…like you’d get at the market.

Standard issue Mortadella, but I liked the Pistachio Mustard, which while nicely pungent, had a nice nutty-savory tone to it and went nicely with the Mortadella and (yet more) Arugula.

For our shared main we went with the Ravioli Bolognese ($30). I was looking forward to seeing how the lamb ragu was going to taste.

This was very over-sauced, so definitely an American style dish, definitely not the “Ragu” like we got in Emilia-Romagna! The ravioli was on the chewy side and the flavor of lamb was quite mild. I know that mint is supposed to go well with lamb, but in this case that was a distraction.

We enjoyed the service and the vibe, but am not sure we’ll return.

Vulcania
6201 Minaret Rd. #240
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

And of course, we ended the evening right across the way at Shelter Distilling, another place I’ve posted on before.

We enjoy sitting on the back patio area to enjoy an after dinner cocktail. And JJ likes the shade here as well!

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning we had leftovers for breakfast and then checked out of the Westin. We headed back to the Twin Lakes area and went to take a look at the Tamarack Lodge.

Apparently, the Cabins on the grounds are dog friendly, but not the lodge itself. Still…..

And of course we walked along the lakes again and saw this posted on the bridge.

And JJ even had a morning “dip”!

And then we headed back home.

The Missus (and JJ) can’t wait to return to Mammoth!

Road Trip – Tiger Bar, Pino Pies, the Fern Lake Trail, and More June Lake

Australian/New Zealand Cuisine, BBQ, Road Trip, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

Less than a month after returning from Mammoth, we were headed back. This time we needed to make a stop at June Lake. Just as the previous year, the Missus’s coworkers were camping out at June Lake and wanted me to cook for them. So now, with JJ in tow I prepped and we packed up everything and heaed on out to June Lake. We again stayed at the June Lake Villager, we like the rooms, which have kitchens and they have dog friendly accommodations.

And upon arriving, we headed straight down the street to Gull Lake.

And of course the Beware of Cats they Will Attack Dogs Sign. Which seemed like a good photo-op for JJ.

And of course………that cat was present!

We got JJ dressed in his life jacket……

You see, we had a plan…..at this time JJ was afraid of water…even little puddles! We needed to cure him of this fear. So, I decided that JJ had to learn how to swim, the way I did “back home”……

And he was a champ! In fact, I have a video somewhere of folks hanging around on the dock…they asked us if this was his first time swimming and we said “affirmative”. Well guess what? They were all cheering him on!

The rest of the day was quite busy with additional prepping, then cooking and such. So, we didn’t do much else until the next morning when the Missus….well, you know….”needed” to go on a hike.

We did the Fern Lake Trail which Alltrails grades as “Hard”.

There was a 1,550 foot elevation gain and was pretty steep; but JJ did well….better than me to be honest.

Here he is telling me to hurry up!

Nice secluded lake at the end.

Where JJ got to show off a bit more…..

Lunch was leftovers and we relaxed. When dinner time arrived, well, it was going to be interesting. You see, other than the local pizza place, there was really nothing open for dinner that was dog friendly. Heck, even June Lake Brewing, which was basically outdoors did not allow pooches. In fact, we’d seen dogs leashed up on poles on South Crawford Ave while their owners were having brews and eating al fresco several yards away. Sorry, that wasn’t for JJ!

So what we ended up doing was that the Missus hung out with JJ who was pretty pooped, while I walked across the street to Tiger Bar and ordered the special of the day Baby Back Rib Plate. We had thought the rib tips were pretty good on a previous visit, so we went with that.

I had a seat at the bar while waiting and had a Pilsner and admired the decor!

When our dinner was ready, I strolled on back to the room and we had the remainder of our leftovers and the baby back ribs.

The portion size was quite generous; though the fries got soggy quickly.

The ribs were decent, not very much smokiness as you can tell by the lack of a smoke ring. The meat was very moist, though I should have asked to have the commercial grade BBQ sauce separate.

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

We love June Lake, but the lack of dog friendly dining kinda dampens things.

The next morning the Missus wanted to do the Gardisky Lake Trail again on the way to Mammoth.

I needed a bit of breakfast, so we walked over to Pino Pies. This used to be the Lift which was our stop for coffee in June Lake, but now the place specializes in Meat Pies….and coffee.

Being one of the few places that opens early in the morning in June Lake, it was fairly bustling. The Missus watched JJ while I went in to order.

And of course I had to try one of their New Zealand Hand Pies.

Even though it might seem odd for breakfast; I decided on the Lamb Pie ($13). The Missus got Her latte and I had an Americano.

The Lamb Pie was pretty good.

The best part was the crust, which was quite fairly flaky and buttery. It had been nicely heated for us. The filling seemed more “beefy” than “sheepy”, but the lamb was very tender and the filling quite rich.

I’m fairly certain we’ll be back….if we can find a pup friendly place for dinner in the area…or perhaps, we’ll just have to pack our own food.

Pino Pies
2587 Hwy 158
June Lake, CA 93529

And the hike to Gardisky Lake was as lovely as before.

Though I still wasn’t “fast enough” for JJ!

And by now; JJ had no fear of “dem big puddles”!

Next stop….lunch in Mammoth!

Galapagos – Bachas Beach – Santa Cruz Island

Airport/Airline/Cruise/Rail Food, Ecuador, Galapagos, Travel

To be totally honest; when I read that we’d be spending the morning at Bachas Beach, which is on Santa Cruz Island, I wasn’t too thrilled. You see Santa Cruz Island is the most populous in the Galapagos, with the village of Puerto Ayora being the most developed and touristy. Though I should have known better as the only way to Bachas Beach is by boat.

And after breakfast and a short break, we did a wet landing on the beautiful white sand beach.

In case you want to know what a wet landing is, Per the Ecoventura Site:

“Wet landing: Step into shallow water (ankle to calf-deep) from the Zodiac and walk onto a sandy or rocky beach.”

Once on the beach, the pangas headed back to the Ecoventura.

And we were taken for a short nature walk along the beach.

Here’s a Marine Iguana chilling out.

So many of those bright red Sally Lightfoot Crabs.

There’s a lagoon where you’ll often find Flamingos, but none were here on this day.

But as we looked out into the lagoon, we noticed a little head pop up.

It was a Marine Iguana taking a morning dip!

One has to pat attention, because it’s amazing what you might see!

After the walk we did some snorkeling. When I came to take a peek to see location; I saw this sea lion hanging out!

The water is so clear!

Digital Camera
Digital Camera

After which we just hung out on the beach and even swam a little.

Back on board we had a nice refreshment break.

Where I got to watch the Frigatebirds gliding around.

It was also interesting to watch the Evolve refuel at this stop.

After refreshing and relaxing we were given a lecture on the Geology of the Galapagos and then it was time for lunch.

Before we headed off to our next stop!

Thanks for dropping by!

Honolulu – Waiola Shave Ice

Desserts, Honolulu, Travel

After having our poke at Ali’i Fish Market we decided to head on back to Ala Moana. It was actually enjoyable walking since there were so many memories in the area…looking at the huge First Hawaiian Bank building….I recalled when Chunky’s Drive In was there. And of course there’s Stadium Park….I’m old enough to remember the old Honolulu Stadium…I even saw some Islander games there.

Ah yes…the good old “Termite Palace“!

Right around this time; the Missus was wanting some “dessert” and I knew just the place. Just about a block away is Waiola Shave Ice…..which has been around as long as I can remember.

Way before they opened a shop in Kapahulu, there was this original location. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth these days; but I thought the Missus would enjoy some refreshing shave ice on this day. I haven’t been here in nearly 30 years and my goodness has the menu expanded!

I remember first having shave ice at the Zoo…and basically strawberry was the only flavor. Oh my, look at all the flavors these days!

The Missus ended up getting a Rainbow with Ube Mochi.

The blue color for vanilla has always kinda freaked me out.

We had a seat in the back of Waiola with all the stuffed animals and “stuffs”…..

And the Missus really enjoyed the shave ice….She said it wasn’t overly sweet and so refreshing….and of course; it’s so Hawaii.

And of course She asked why I hadn’t brought Her here before! Well, we were never close by….but now, especially with walking and not having to find parking; well, the time was right!

Shave ice….so many good memories…..

Waiola Shave Ice
2135 Waiola St.
Honolulu, HI 96826

Honolulu – Ali’i Fish Market (Moiilili) and Island Brew Coffeehouse (Ala Moana)

Caffeine Fix, Honolulu, Oahu, Poke, Seafood, Travel

Well, since I did Ireh, I thought I’d go ahead and finish my Honolulu posts. I’ll do my Australia posts later on.

Anyway, upon waking at the Ala Moana Hotel, I did a search on coffee places nearby….I had already been to the Ala Moana location of Honolulu Coffee Company, which didn’t open until 9 and I wanted a cup ASAP. I did find that there’s a location of Island Brew Coffeehouse located on the third level of the shopping center. They open at 730, so after chilling out for a bit, I went and walked on over.

I don’t recall walking thru “Ala’s” at 730 in the morning. Man, the place is so chill.

And I got me morning cold brew.

Smooth and on the milder-weaker side, but it did the job…..

Island Brew Coffeehouse (Ala Moana Center)
1450 Ala Moana Blvd. Suite 3066
Honolulu, HI 96814

Coffee’s in hand, we walked over and did Ala Moana Park and went back to the room to relax. We decided to get an early lunch and the Missus wanted some poke. I had a sort of newish (at least to us) place in mind in the Moiilili area named Ali’i Fish Market. So we decided to walk on over. It was about a 25 minute walk or so….which we enjoyed. You see, I grew up in Kaimuki and spent my first 21 years in there. After rent got too high, I moved my Mom and I to Kalakaua, but den dey was goin buss down the apartment…it’s now a parking lot (?!?!?). Then it was over to Kalihi….I had two good friends in the area, but that apartment was a mess. So finally, I got an apartment, whose owners at the time was neighbors of a friend of mine in McCully where I lived until my mom passed on and I eventually moved to the mainland. As we walked up Kapiolani, I took one of the side streets and got to show the Missus where I used to live. They’ve done a really nice job painting the place as it looks better then when I lived there!

Though there’s still quite a few chickens running around. Yes, chickens in McCully….you don’t mess with them…even the cats in the ‘hood know betta den to do dat!

It was an interesting walk up King Street…bringing back memories of places now gone like Ebisu’s, Suehiro, McCully Chop Suey. Where the original location of Anyplace was.

And then we had arrived, to Ali’i Fish Market.

A very non-descript location off South King. Actually, right across the way at 2334 is where the original location of Choi’s used to be. It was a favorite of my mom’s!

And so you walk in.

The place does all kind of stuffs, from musubis to bowls, but we were here for one thing….

Poke of course. And within that, I’m looking for simple stuff, not covered in mayo or “spicy sauce”….fish is first. The young lady working is so nice……..and I got some simple stuffs.

Ahi Limu and Spicy Hawaiian…not drenched in sauce.

You can tell right? The limu ahi was much better than the “spicy” as there was a good amount of oceany, crunchy ogo. The fish was also of better quality.

Though it was still seemed kinda thrown together and not evenly seasoned.

The “Spicy” was not good, not even spicy.

Lots of pieces with “sugi”, chwey connective tissue. Not evenly seasoned, really overly chewy….like it was just thrown together and not mixed well.

Kind of a bummer since I think I’d get better at Foodland, or even Ruger Market, and definitely at our favorite Ono Seafood. Still it was good to try this place and perhaps I didn’t get the right thing?

Ali’i Fish Market
2320 South King St. Suite H
Honolulu, HI 96826

Road Trip – Smokeyard BBQ and Chop Shop and Emberz BBQ (Mammoth)

American/New American Restaurants, BBQ, Road Trip, Salads, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

So yes, here we were in Mammoth. The Missus loved the hiking with JJ….on this day we headed back out to the Horseshoe Lake Parking and then took the McLeod Lake Trail. Of course JJ just loved it out here.

And the views were outstanding.

And while the lake was lovely….it was what we saw near where w parked the car at the Horseshoe Lake Parking lot. While the lake views were lovely…..

This section looked totally different.

All those dead trees. We walked over and read the signage.

Apparently, there were a series of small earthquakes under Mammoth Mountain in 1989. This caused the magma to push CO2 up thru the soil, which caused the roots of the trees to die. Testing by the USGS in 1994 confirmed this. Crazy, huh?

We headed back to the Westin to…well….you know what….

After resting up a bit; we headed across the way to the Village. There was a place we were interested in dining at; but because it was still early in the season, the place was not yet opened for outdoor dining.

So, we walked over a bit and found this place.

Which had a large outdoor eating area and also a Happy Hour menu.

We ordered a couple of appetizers and a salad…..

We started with the Tri-tip skewers.

The cubes of tri-tip was really dry and tough. The sauce overly sweet.

We also got the Peri Peri Wings. We were warned by the really nice Server that it was going to be spicy.

Which it wasn’t. The sauce was quite tangy and salty. The chicken had been really overcooked and was tough. It did have some decent smokiness though.

The Missus did enjoy the Wedge Salad, especially the Blue Cheese Dressing which had a nice funky tanginess along with a not overly sweet balsamic glaze.. This is why the Missus had me start making Blue Cheese Dressing from scratch at home.

Lots of crumbled bacon…nice refreshing salad.

Overall; very nice service, but I don’t see us returning here.

Smokeyard BBQ and Chop Shop
1111 Forest Trail Suite 201
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

We did sleep well. And JJ did fine staying on an upper floor. There’s quite a bit of open space around the hotel and I even saw some wildlife while taking JJ out to potty early…think 5am in the morning!

Up early the next morning, we did the hike from Lake George to Emerald Lake.

Where JJ could show off some of his newly found balancing skills…..

You actually pass five lakes along this hike. This is Lake Barrett.

Even though it was early June, there was still snow on the ground in places.

And of course you know JJ and snow, right?

Making it to Emerald Lake, we headed on back.

We had lunch at Old New York Deli & Bakery and then had a well earned nap. Upon awakening, we decided to take a drive around…we did the Mammoth Scenic Loop…then went to by JJ some toys and snacks at Tailwaggers. By now it was just about 430. The Missus was really not into hitting up the Village again. I had found a BBQ truck/trailer of sorts while doing some research. It was located in a business park, next to Devils Creek Distillery.

We got a combo plate with Ribs and Elk Sausage, plus a tomato salad.

The tomato salad was excellent…using sweet-acidic-tangy tomatoes.

The slightly sweet-acidic balsamic dressing was wonderful.

Our favorite item was the Elk Sausage, very savory, nice and smoky, quite rich. The ribs were nothing special…though decently smoked.

That mashed potato salad had a bit too much mayo in it, though the greens were really refreshing.

The gentleman working was really nice. And he even gave us some moist and tasty cornbread….which was gobbled up so quickly, so no photos.

Anyway, we enjoyed our meal and even returned here the following month! We made sure to schedule that stay with the days the trailer is open – only Thursdays thru Sundays.

Emberz BBQ
120 Commerce Dr.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

As we took in the view of the Village from our patio, the Missus had me planning a return trip to Mammoth the following month. She, and JJ had really taken to the place.

Where on the road were we?

Flagstaff/ Sedona/Winslow/Northern AZ, Phoenix/Scottsdale/Chandler/Central AZ, Road Trip, Temecula/Idyllwild/Palm Springs - Riverside, CA, Travel

We just got back from our first road trip with JJ for 2026. It was a fun and interesting drive; starting in a place that JJ has already been to.

This time there wasn’t record heat and JJ enjoyed things more…..

And we did a couple of hikes and enjoyed the views….

And ate well…..

The next stop was one we had last visited during he waning days of Covid…..

And this is where JJ enjoyed hiking the most. And of course the views were fabulous.

It was interesting as we did a favorite hike of ours…but this time around…well, it was still icy.

Which JJ loved!

What he also loved was the place that served a Doggie menu; with a version of beef tartare he loved.

We actually returned the following evening….

On our previous visit, we hadn’t been too impressed with the food; but his time around…well, we found our spot.

Which served up a dish that is a favorite of ours; especially when we visit Paris, but is not allowed in California….

Definitely our favorite meal of the trip.

We’ll definitely be back!

Our last stop was a city; with definite retro vibes. We last visited back when we lived in LA. It had been a while and we recall not being particularly taken by what seemed a superficial, image driven vibe. But time changes things. And while there’s still a strong commerciality, we’ve come to appreciate the history…..

And of course everything with JJ in tow makes things more entertaining…..

Anyway, thanks for stopping by. We’ll be back to our regular programming tomorrow!

Road Trip – Old New York Deli & Bakery (again), The Eatery at Mammoth Brewing Company, and Shelter Distilling again (Mammoth Lakes)

American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Travel

The Missus was so excited to be in Mammoth…She couldn’t wait to take JJ hiking. And so first thing in the morning we headed out. She had decided on doing the Skelton Lake Loop, which started at the large parking lot at Coldwater Creek Road. This was an interesting hike as there was still snow and ice at some parts of the trail. It was only 3 1/2 miles long, but seemed longer. What we did find out on this trail was that JJ loved snow….

And the views of the different lakes we passed were gorgeous.

Including Skelton Lake which we got to at the end.

We then headed back to the Village. The Missus decided that we should hit up Old New York Deli & Bakery again. She had really taken to those Sweet Potato Fries. This time we went with the Vegetarian Sandwich ($16.99) + Sweet Potato Fries ($1.89).

The sandwich was not nearly as good as what we’d had the day before. Very bland and routine, the red bell pepper hummus was not up to the task of adding flavor.

Still, the Missus loved the sweet potato fries.

From this point on, we’d stick with the club sandwiches all the way.

Old New York Deli & Bakery
6201 Minaret Rd. Suite 105
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

After a short afternoon “siesta” I headed out to the Earthquake Fault Trail. A place where one could actually see an actual earthquake fissure which was initiated 500-600 years ago!

It’s not really a hiking trail per se, but an amazing thing to see…….

And then we headed back to the Westin to relax before dinner.

For dinner, we decided to walk down basically a block from where we were staying to Mammoth Brewing Company. We weren’t looking for any beer; there’s a restaurant on site called the Eatery.

The Missus went with the Quinoa Falafel Bowl ($18). The looks of the falafel tells it all.

The menu said “crispy falafel”; this was actually overcooked, dry and gritty falafel. That tzatziki tasted a bit odd….then I read that it was coconut tzatziki. The quinoa was fine as the lemon vinaigrette paired well with it.

I saw a Pork Belly Banh Mi ($16) on the menu and I couldn’t help myself.

While there was so much “not right” about this sandwich…starting at the bread which was not a banh mi….so basically this was a banh mi in name only. The cabbage and carrots was basically the shredded stuff you can buy at the market. The pork was hard and dry, though it had a some hints of savory and sweet. At least that egg was decent, crispy edges, slight soft interior.

Totally “con-fusion” cuisine.

The Eatery at Mammoth Brewing Company
18 Lake Mary Rd.
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

As we crossed back to the Westin thru the Village, we decided to stop at Shelter Distilling. While not being fans of the food there, we had enjoyed their cocktails.

This time; instead of sitting in the front of the restaurant, we took JJ thru to the rear which had four tables with views of the ponds and courtyard.

We had the “Crib” again and also tried out their Old Fashioned. Both of which were really good.

While still on the search for something good to eat for dinner, at least we knew where to get our cocktails….

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

The next morning, the Missus (and JJ) were rarin’ to go. This time I chose the Sherwin Lakes Trail, which was a 8 1/2 out and back.

There was a 800 foot elevation gain, but JJ had no problems with that at all.

Sherwin Lake is quite beautiful…..

I was just glad to be done with it…..because then we could get some lunch….

Honolulu – Ireh Restaurant

Honolulu, Korean Restaurants, Oahu, Travel

So, after our revisit to the Alley and Ko Olina we actually went to Australia, before returning to Oahu. But recently, Bruddah Kimo asked me if there were other places than Kimchi II to get some Meat Jun. He is staying at Pagoda Hotel. Well, during our return from Australia we actually stayed again at the Ala Moana Hotel. The Missus had finally taken to meat jun during this trip and I had heard of a place right on the corner of Ke’eaumoku and Makaloa in the Azure Condo complex named Ireh. So, I’m kinda doing this one out of sequence so that Kimo can get an idea…..ok?

So yes, we were staying in the Ala Moana Hotel, yet again. Because of our stays at Accor Hotels, I had a nice discount and got us an upgraded room.

Even had a kitchen….but nah…I’m “home”…I going eat out….

Still, it was comfortable room and I didn’t get the “Ji-chan treatment” (jjk) when we checked in.

With our some what jetlagged schedules going, we wanted an early dinner. I asked the Missus what She wanted and wouldn’t you know it! She wanted Meat Jun! You gotta love it!

A couple of places came to mind. Choi’s Family Kitchen used to be a favorite way back when I lived in McCully and they used to be on King Street, but we didn’t feel like driving. I searched a bit and noticed that there was a place name Ireh right on the corner of Ke’eaumoku and Makaloa. It’s a huge condo complex now; but I remember when Green Papaya and a Jewelry Store used to occupy a small two story building on the corner.

Anyway, we walked on in…since it was still early, the place was pretty empty. The woman working greeted me in Korean! I had to crack up…..my friends used make fun of me because I’d often get mistaken for being Korean when I lived in HNL!

Anyway, we were seated and handed menus; but the Missus had already made up Her mind. Since it was pretty warm I got the BiBim Naengmyun.

The baechu kimchi revealed that this was more of a true “Korean” restaurant, than a local style one. It was more pickled, but still had some fermented tones to it. The Yangpa Jjangachi had good soy-garlic-slightly sour tones and was kinda refreshing.

The Bibim Naengmyun ($16.95) was a disappointment.

The noodles weren’t very stretchy….there was no need for scissors for these. The sauce was quite watered down, having more of the sweeter mul naengmyun type of flavor. It really needed some umph!

This made me somewhat worried about the Meat Jun ($18.95), but it was quite good.

A pretty large portion of meat jun. Which was on top of the rice, which was a bit on the hard side. But of course, this was about the beef….

The dipping sauce was good; savory soy, a hint of palate cleansing vinegar.

As for the meat….this was quite good. It was very tender, the savory egg batter batter had spots of light crispness rather than the usual sogginess. The marinade had flavored the meat well; soy sauce, some sweetness, a hint of garlic.

The Missus really enjoyed this and She said it was a step above Kimchi II. Hmmm………

Ireh Restaurant
629 Ke’eaumoku St. Suite 104
Honolulu, HI 96814
Current Hours:
Daily 10am – 10pm

Bruddah Kimo; if you check this place out, let me know what you think?

Road Trip – Tacos Los Hermanos (Lone Pine), Old New York Deli and Bakery, and Shelter Distilling (Mammoth Lakes)

American/New American Restaurants, Cocktails, Distilleries, Dog Friendly, Food Trucks, Road Trip, Sandwiches, Sierra Nevada, California, Taco Shops, Travel

Just about a month after we returned from our two week road trip up to Mendicino, we were back on the road again. This time to where the Missus wanted to go, Mammoth Lakes. One great thing I found out was that The Westin Monache Resort, Mammoth Lakes is dog friendly. And it was right across the street from the Village at Mammoth, which had a variety of restaurants. We’d been to the area around Old Mammoth Road before and really hadn’t enjoyed ourselves.

We decided to make an overnight stop in Lone Pine to rest up before heading to Mammoth. So, I got us a night at the Dow Villa Hotel. This was back in June, so it was pretty darn hot already in Lone Pine. We checked in and basically just stayed in air conditioned comfort. When dinner time rolled around we just wanted to eat in the back garden area of the motel. It was too hot for JJ, so I walked the four blocks up to the Tacos Los Hermanos Truck. I was in a rush so I didn’t take photos of the truck which is on the corner of North Main and Willow Streets. I hustled back to the Dow Villa and we had dinner in the shaded public area behind the offices.

I got us four tacos, Adobada, CArne Asada, Buche, and Cachete. The Adobada wasn’t too bad, some good smokiness, sweet tones, and not too tough. The worst was the Carne Asada which was quite tough.

The Buche was pretty chewy, but the Cachete, beef cheek was nice and beefy. The tortillas were no big deal, but the salsas pretty good and spicy.

Not too much variety in Lone Pine, so this was a decent meal.

Tacos Los Hermanos
120 E Willow St.
Lone Pine, CA 93545

This is what Lone Pine looked like when I took JJ out for his 430am potty break…..

In the morning I took JJ for a short walk before things got too hot…..

And then we headed out….stopping in Bishop at Erick Schat’s Bakery which I’ve posted on twice before. The Missus ran in and got us some stuffs and we ate at the park across the street, under the trees. JJ needed the shade!

We then headed up the 395. We knew we were going to be early, so we decided to take a detour to Convict Lake and did the easy loop trail.

JJ got to try out his “boots” which we would later find that he really didn’t need.

He even saw horses for the first time and did well when they passed by!

We then headed up to Mammoth Lakes. We were still too early to check in, so we got our parking pass and headed across the road to the Village.

We walked around Village Plaza and found this sandwich and bakery along the side facing Minaret Road.

And as you might know, I’m a sucker for a club sandwich ($18.99) which seemed kinda pricy, but I added sweet potato fries (+ $1.89) which ended up being a good move.

The Missus enjoyed the sweet potato fries, which while not crisp, was quite creamy with a nice sweet and earthy flavor. The sandwich was pretty massive and this was enough for the both of us for lunch! The sourdough was fine, the turkey thinly sliced and quite moist…….. Good crisp bacon.

This would end up being our “go-to” lunch during our visits to Mammoth Lakes.

Old New York Deli & Bakery
6201 Minaret Rd. Suite 105
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

Soon enough we got to check in at the Westin. We enjoyed the service there…in fact, one of the Bell men is from San Diego….Bay Park! He was so nice to JJ. To get an idea of how closed we were to the Village; this is the view from our room.

And there was a lot of space for JJ to do “his thing” as well.

When dinner time came along er headed down and across the street. It was interesting to see folks who didn’t want to walk down the steps actually drive their cars around the block! We came across Shelter Distilling, they actually make many of their own spirits, have outdoor dining, and serve food. So, we thought, why not?

Of course we started with some cocktails and man were we hooked!

I think the favorite was the “Crib” which was made with Jalapeno infused Blue Agave.

So good! We actually ordered another one!

We also tried the Beet It, made with Bourbon, honey, lemon, and of course beets! It was a bit sweeter.

We liked the fact that you could actually taste the spirits and it wasn’t overly watered down or overly sweet.

As for the food…well, we weren’t impressed. The Mandarin Orange Salad ingredients were good, but the Ginger-Soy dressing didn’t have enough savory-salty-tangy tones.

Like PF Chang’s lite…..

The Crispy Confit Pork Belly Tacos was fine, but one was served on a pita? The Harissa Shrimp Taco didn’t have much of a kick.

The pork was more chewy than crisp. The pico de gallo was too mild. The Harissa Shrimp was at least served on a tortilla…which fell to pieces quickly. The shrimp was overcooked and rubbery.

On a good note, we’d found a place to have cocktails each night we were here. And I also noticed a back outdoor dining area which we enjoyed the next evening. We’d be looking to dine elsewhere…..

Shelter Distilling
100 Canyon Blvd. #217
Mammoth Lakes, CA 93546

And the Missus and JJ both were really enjoying Mammoth….