April 2011:  This is the trip that put us into the Big Time as serious DDD fans.  We went on the road for seven weeks and went to over a hundred DDD places; going as far as Portland, Maine.  It was a trip of a lifetime; and there were so many places to see and things to do, that it took over a month just to plan the trip.  As usual, we had family and friends to visit along the way.

We bought a GPS, and preloaded all of our destinations into it (it worked perfectly).  It was amazing actually.  By the way, driving on the east coast is a lot different from the west coast.  Even with the GPS, I made several aggressive lane changes and more than a few illegal turns just to negotiate the toll booths and busy surface streets with no left turns (craazeee).  It was entertaining and a bit harrowing at times, but no harm done.  I got the finger a few times, but I can get that just for having California plates.  I’m sure Anna was relieved that she didn’t have to navigate (although she is a real heads-up passenger).  She keeps her eyes out for critters, cops, pile-ups, rest areas, coffee stands, taco trucks, adult superstores, aluminum cans and loose change.  She also helps spot our destinations as we roll up on them.

Continue reading →

Fab Hot Dogs in Reseda

We live just a few hours north of Los Angeles, but hardly ever go there anymore (if we can help it).  We figured it must have been ten years since we were there last (although we used to go fairly often).  That’s where the DDD spots are at, and so off we went.  We only planned to hit a few spots and stay for a couple of days.  Turns out Anna and I had never been to Disneyland together, so we were due for a trip to the magic kingdom.

Texas Burrito Dog
at Fab Hot Dogs

We jumped off the 405 near Reseda and made a beeline for Fab Hot Dogs.  On their episode, they made chili from scratch and then used it on a Texas Burrito Dog (which is exactly what we ordered).  As you can see from the picture, it is an inspired creation of grilled hot dogs smothered in chili, topped with cheese, onions, bacon and corn chips, then wrapped up in a tortilla and grilled.  I’m happy to tell you it tasted just as good as it looks and I’ll be having it again next time I get to town.  We split the dog because we had to save room for our next stop.  Fab Hot Dogs has an impressive menu, and some of the best dogs you’ll find anywhere.  It’s a good thing I don’t live anywhere close. Continue reading →

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 →