We got a late start out of Las Cruces, but it was worth it visiting with some old friends.  We crossed into Texas and stopped in El Paso for some of the famed Chico’s Tacos (recommended by Aaron Sanchez).  We spend the whole rest of the day and into the night driving 80 miles an hour to make it to San Antonio.  It was an uneventful drive, and it sure was long.  With the time changes, we barely made it into Dough Pizzeria Napoletana before they closed.

The restaurant is good sized with a large dining room and an equally large patio out front.  The decor is muted, dark reddish colors, and not much in the way of artwork.  I suppose the emphasis is on the food and that’s not a bad thing.  The star attractions at Dough are the pizza oven and the Burrata Bar.  I had been telling Anna that as far as I could tell, this was one of the most authentic old world style Naples pizzerias in all of DDD.  As we walked in, we were greeted by none other than the Chef/owner himself, Doug, who greeted us and chatted with us for a few moments.

Pork Lover Pizza
at Dough Pizzeria Napoletana

We drew a friendly waitress named Tanya and she took great care of us.  We ordered the Pork Lover pizza which is a succulent creation of the famed pizza dough, San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh house pulled mozzarella, salami, house made sausage, pancetta and speck (smoked prosciutto).

As you might be able to tell from the picture, it was superb.  The crust was cooked to perfection with just the slightest bit of char.  The fresh mozzarella was creamy and provided a nice contrast for the spicy meats.  The sausage was scrumptious with great flavor and texture.  Overall, none of the meats were particularly spicy or hot, and if they were, the rocket-hot oven took care of that. Continue reading →

We braved a trip deep into the hot desert and rolled into Phoenix.  After getting a room and unloading the car, we drove up to Thee Pitts Again.  In an area where most of the buildings look like ubiquitous corporate strip mall crap, Thee Pitts Again really stands out as an inviting destination.  It’s a bit garish, with lots of color, neon and stainless steel; but you have to appreciate that it’s bold in its appeal.  The inside matches the outside with lots of comfortable booths, tying in with the old-style diner vibe.  I have to warn you, if you’re averse to the color pink, you might have to shield your eyes a little as you take it all in.  There’s enough pink on the walls to make Pinky Tuscadero envious.  I asked about the pink and was told that it is their pig theme.  I should also warn you, if you like twangy country music, you’ll love this place.  (Note: We stopped by Alice Cooperstown later that night and I got enough rock and roll into my ears to repair the disturbance in the force.)

Combo Platter at Thee Pitts Again

We drew a waitress named Tammy and she took good care of us.  She was warm and friendly, which is just how we like our servers.  We were a little frazzled from the long hot drive, and needed the TLC.  We ordered a 3/2 (three meats/two sides) of pulled pork, brisket, chop, and the sides of baked beans and mashed potatoes & gravy.  The meal includes corn bread with honey butter.  On balance, it was a satisfying meal at a good price.  Good portions, good value.  My favorite meat was the chop; which is a blend of beef, pork and ham, chopped up and cooked together in BBQ sauce.  It was very rich, and would probably make a killer sandwich.  Anna liked the pulled pork the best, and it was excellent (although I’m not a big fan of pulled pork).  The brisket was fair.  We both thought the baked beans were scrumptious and the mashed potatoes were piping hot. Continue reading →

We’ve driven to Las Vegas more times than I care to remember, but on this trip we had six new DDD places to check out.  A real treat.

Mixed Grill at Forte

We first headed to Forte European Tapas Bar & Bistro.  We were way too early for dinner and so we didn’t have to wait for a table.  The décor inside has to be seen to be believed.  It was very colorful yet elegant.  Our server, Denitza, took great care of us; and we got to meet the owner, Nina Manchev.  If you haven’t seen the DDD segment, I don’t want to spoil it for you.  If you have seen it, then you’ll understand all the fun things we had to talk to Nina about, not the least of which is the great food.  Nina is talented, sharp, warm and gracious.  She posed for a picture with Anna but sadly it did not turn out.

Beef Stroganoff at Forte

We ordered the mixed grill plate that was made on the show, as well as an order of beef stroganoff.  We were first served an irresistible basked of bread called Lepina.  The rest of the food came out promptly and it was a delight.  All three sausages were great, and our favorite was the Kebabche (the one in the foreground).  The salad, slaw, and sauce made for a fun variety of tasting sensations.  The stroganoff was the best I can ever remember having in a restaurant (note it was more of a tapas portion than an entrée portion).  Between the two dishes, the bread, the great service and lovely atmosphere, Forte was a big hit with us and it gets our highest recommendation.  It’s a little off the strip, but well worth the short trip. Continue reading →

For those not familiar with California, the stretch of coastline roughly between San Francisco and Los Angeles is referred to as the central coast.  More specifically between Monterey to the north and Santa Barbara to the south.  It’s a very popular destination for Californians to beat the heat of the blistering hot California summers.  The main hub of the central coast could be referred to as Pismo Beach/Morro Bay/San Luis Obispo.  Anna and I go there as often as we can, but we rarely make it as far south as Santa Barbara.  We were long overdue for a visit to Santa Barbara, and when we saw Guy Fieri visit Norton’s Pastrami Deli, I knew we would be visiting soon. Continue reading →

Our first destination in Berkeley was Rudy’s, and ironically enough Rudy’s Can’t Fail Café failed.

We decided to try our luck at Bette’s Oceanview Diner.  The place was packed and we had to wait for a table, maybe 20 minutes.  Every seat was full and the tables are packed tight.  They have an open kitchen and we got a table near the action.  We drew a nice young waitress, Haley, who took pretty good care of us.

Souffle at Bette’s Diner

Anna ordered the pancake soufflé with strawberries and a chocolate swirl (because it is something unique and was featured on the show).  I was more in a savory mood and ordered a hot chicken sandwich with cheese and peppers.  Anna enjoyed her creation and gives it three stars.  I wasn’t quite so lucky.  The sandwich was good, but they put too much cheese on it which overpowered the rest of the sandwich.

Chicken Sandwich at Bette’s Diner

We would be happy to go back to Bette’s, but we’d have to get a better table.  On this day, it was just one of those situations where you feel as if you’re in the way and everyone is trying to squeeze by you and bump into you constantly.  That’s no way to enjoy a meal.  Anna had it worse than me.  I was up against the wall, but Anna was out in the thick of things.  Also, our table was pressed right up against a bussing tray/cart and it was not fun to watch that action.  Surprisingly enough, even though we were not more than six feet from the kitchen, our dishes did not come out together, and they were served by a runner. Continue reading →