Anna and I made a run to Las Vegas which gave us the opportunity to visit some more DDD spots.  We used to live there and so we know our way around pretty well.

Stromboli at Four Kegs Sports Pub
(It’s so big it won’t even fit the shot.)

We arrived just in time for lunch and so we headed out to the Four Kegs Sports Pub.  To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much.  I’m happy to tell you that I was very pleasantly surprised.  We ordered the Original Stromboli and it was the best I’ve ever had.  The crust was like magic.  It was golden brown and delicious, super flavorful, tangy, with a buttery pastry type crunch.  And yet for all it’s wonderful qualities, it was light and didn’t overpower the Stromboli.  I was just absolutely floored.  We also ordered a bacon cheeseburger, but the large Stromboli is big enough to feed two people.  The burger was good, and I have to try the cheesesteak sandwich next time we go.

We got to meet the owner, Mario, and he was very friendly to us.  I hadn’t seen the show in awhile and I asked about the magic of the crust.  He said, well it’s just like I said in the show… Continue reading →

Restaurant La Texanita

We drove down the Oregon and California coast on our way to Santa Rosa.  After spending the night in Eureka, we arrived in Santa Rosa in time to have lunch at La Texanita.  I must warn you that I am a taqueria nut.  I love Al Pastor and Carne Asada.  There’s a burrito truck near where I live and I’ve been enjoying their food for about 20 years now.  So I was looking forward to lunch and it did not disappoint.  Again, I was so excited I forgot to take pictures.  We left happy.

Anna in front of Guy’s DDD Poster
at Restaurant La Texanita

The big thrill for Santa Rosa was dinner at Johnny Garlic’s.  We arrived and the place was jumping.  We got a good table and a good server.  She was friendly and took good care of us.  We don’t usually eat real big, but we decided to make an exception for Guy Fieri’s place.  It was close to Anna’s birthday (uh, 29) and we were in the mood to celebrate. Continue reading →

Anna is feeling the love at the Blue Plate
Lunch Counter and Soda Fountain

I’ve passed through Portland, Oregon many times in my life, but never spent any time there to speak of, and certainly not for the food.  That was all about to change. Portland was now a destination and we were looking forward to having some great food and meeting new people.  Besides food, I just love to have fun and go on adventures; and Portland is just as good a place as any other to go exploring.  Portland is fast becoming known as a foodie destination, and we were happy to get in on the action and check out the local offerings.  We were rewarded handily.

Combo Platter at Podnah’s Pit
(after we split the plate)

Anna and I had spent the day touring Astoria, the Lewis & Clark museum and the Tillamook Cheese factory.  By the time we rolled into Portland, it was dark and the traffic was heavy.  We still didn’t have GPS and it was no easy feat to navigate ourselves over to Podnah’s Pit for dinner.  It was worth the trouble though because it was some of the best barbeque we’ve ever had (and still is).  We started with a Frito Pie and then shared a combo plate of brisket, pulled pork, baked beans, cole slaw and cornbread.  (The picture is a split plate)  It’s hard to imagine getting Q that good outside of the South, but they’re doing it right.  Podnah’s Pit gets our highest marks.  Great atmosphere and excellent service.  If you can save room for dessert, they have Pecan Pie (and with a dessert that good, that’s all they need on the menu).  We didn’t save room for the pie, but we will make a better effort next time.

Northwest Sliders with Mac & Cheese
at Blue Plate Lunch Counter

As if Podnah’s Pit wasn’t enough of a treat, we were absolutely delighted when we arrived the next day at the Blue Plate Lunch Counter.  I ordered the sliders from the show (with Tillamook cheddar, bacon and basil mayo) and Anna ordered the grilled cheese with tomato soup combo.  The sliders were right on the money, hot and juicy.  It’s not the best picture of burgers that I’ve ever taken, but don’t let that throw you off.  These sliders are some of the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had the pleasure to shove in my mouth. Being a soda fountain, we also ordered a pair of milk shakes and they were to die for.  Anna ordered a chocolate malted and I ordered a butterscotch.  Crazy good.  It’s a good thing we spent the rest of the day walking around downtown Portland (except for the hour that we waited in line at Voodoo Donuts…Shhh). Continue reading →

Anna at Pike Place Market
Downtown Seattle

Seattle—misty and overcast, kind of the typical dreary morning people expect in Seattle.  One quickly learns to appreciate sunshine when you can get it.  I lived there for a few years and absolutely loved it.  I didn’t want to leave, but returned to California to finish college.  I was excited to get back to Seattle and see all my old stomping grounds.

Our first stop was Voula’s Offshore Café for breakfast.  The place was packed and we had to wait nearly an hour.  They had self-serve coffee out front, which was hot and satisfying.  We got a good table and a good waitress.  Unfortunately, Voula herself was not there that morning and we were really hoping to meet her.

The Hobo Breakfast at
Voula’s Offshore Cafe

It was quite a wait for our order to come, but it was worth it.  I ordered the “Hobo” and Anna had the Piñata Eggs Benedict with smoked pork and chipotle hollandaise.  Both dishes were fabulous and they served us enough hash browns for six people.  As you can see from the pictures, all the food was perfectly cooked.  The smoked pork is still some of the best we’ve had anywhere.  We must have been there close to two hours, but we rolled out of there happy.

Pinata Eggs Benedict with Smoked Pork and
Chipotle Hollandaise at Voula’s Offshore Cafe

We had dinner with my brother and his wife at Southern Kitchen in Tacoma.  Sadly, they were just getting ready to close and the food wasn’t their best.  We did get to meet the owner, Gloria Martin, and she was very gracious.  I sampled the fried chicken and Anna ordered the catfish.  We sampled a few other goodies and Anna enjoyed a glass of the strawberry lemonade with whipped cream (what’s not to love about that?). Continue reading →

After visiting an old friend in Moscow, Idaho, we arrived in Spokane in time for dinner.  We chose Hill’s Restaurant and settled in for some haute cuisine.  We didn’t get to meet the chef, but we did get to meet his brother and co-owner (who was tending bar).  At this point in time, DDD had filmed about six or seven restaurants in the Spokane area; but none of them had aired yet (and so they couldn’t advertise it).

Anna in front of Hill’s
Restaurant & Lounge

I would have preferred to order the Ribeye Steak, but I settled for a cheesesteak sandwich.  We didn’t have time to drink wine and savor a steak.  The sandwich was good.  The flavor and texture of the meat was as close to perfect as anyone can get, but the bread was just a touch on the dry side for my taste.  Unless you have oven-fresh bread, I guess a cheesesteak sandwich needs to be wrapped in paper before it is eaten (so the moisture and flavor of the meat infuses the bread).  Anna had an order of the chicken and smoked-Jack phyllo wraps, which were fabulous.  I would definitely look forward to dining at Hill’s again, and I’m sure I will the next time I get to Spokane.  I really enjoyed the atmosphere of the place—elegant but casual; and the menu is impeccable. Our server took good care of us.

Our next day began with lunch at Elk—a local eatery and taproom in an old residential neighborhood.  The bar was impressive, as was the food.  The place was very busy and our waitress was attentive and friendly.  Despite a big lunch rush, they seemed to have a hard time making change for a $100 bill (or making change at all for that matter).  We started with an appetizer of BBQ chicken quesadilla with a dipping sauce.  Cheesy goodness.  I ordered a beer-braised Reuben sandwich and Anna ordered a chicken Caesar wrap with a chipotle corn pasta (which tasted as odd as it sounds).  The wrap was good, and the Reuben was outstanding.  My only objection was I would have liked to see a little more meat on the sandwich—even if they needed to charge a little more.  I’d be happy to visit Elk again (especially at happy hour) but there are so many great places to eat in Spokane, I doubt I’ll ever get the chance.

Cactus Burger at Picabu Bistro

We drove down to South Hill for dinner at the Picabu Bistro.  The place was a bit snug, and they were packed (although DDD hadn’t aired yet).  The tables were turning fast and we didn’t have to wait too long.  Our server, Nicole, was great and I ordered the Cactus Burger which turned out to be crazy good.  They top it with a concoction of caramelized onions, peppers and spices all sauteed in bacon fat—with the bacon.  It was super rich, super tasty, with a peppery finish that bites you back.  It was a hamburger elevated to its highest form (and it was so good I had to go back later and get another one). Continue reading →