Agrippa's Profile
Fresno Chowhounds?
Thanks for the shout out. You can call me a Fresno hound although I chow up and down the valley especially in Modesto, Merced, Fresno, and Bakersfield.
Valley posts in general seem to be rare these days.
Karioko's Chicken: Peruvian in Merced?
Thanks for the review. I will give it a try soon.
That place used to be Jerry's Drive-in.
Location may be tough for that style of food.
Who's got the best mexican food in Ca? LA, SF or SD?
LA has the best Mexican food, even better than what you would find in Mexico at times.
SF has gotten better with some newer upscale places opening that do not focus on the 'SF burrito', which is not even a traditional Mexican dish.
'Tacolicious' and 'Nopalito' SF are all the rage right now, although their flavors taste somewhat bland and seem to be missing a certain soulfulness.
Supposedly Chicago has excellent Mexican food as well.
Growing up Mexican in Cali I have yet been to a restaurant that makes anything as good as grandma's cooking, or the food one encounters at family gatherings or impromptu parties.
Grocery Outlet
Saw Dagoba Hot chocolate mix in Merced. It was a pretty large bag for $25 or 50% off.
Not sure if they'll have any luck selling considering the price.
Karioko's Chicken: Peruvian in Merced?
Sounds intriguing , I'll have to investigate.
Lucky Pho, Merced: Report
I am suprised the building has not been condemed, its been there forever.
I remember when I was growing up I used to eat there when it was Rice Bowl.
It was like a cross between an old fashion diner and chinese restaurant.
They had the BEST sweet and sour pork and fried rice.
Macapuno Ice Cream at Mel's Cafe, Merced
Last time I went there for lunch about 8 months ago the food was pretty bad.
I ordered a teriyaki chicken bowl, and it tasted like one of those frozen meals that are microwaved.
Coffee Bandits Merced Ca
A new non-chain coffee place opened in Merced called Coffee Bandits.
The location is on Main st. and MLK next to the old theater.
They serve locally roasted coffee from Clayton's in Modesto and 'San Joaquin Roasting Company' from parts unknown. The baristas can make a pretty good cappucino , and pull decent espresso shots, definitely much better than Starbucks.
They use San Joaquin Beans for the espresso which I thought was quite good.
http://www.sjcoffee.com/index.html
The cafe has an eclectic interior that borders on the shabby.
Coffee Bandits is a nice addition to the downtown scene, and they serve good coffee worth the visit.
I do think the staff need to hone their coffee skills more to bring out the best of their coffee to show people why to patronize them and not Starbucks.
http://coffeebanditscafe.com/
Panaderia Guadalajara Merced
Panaderia Guadalajara is an excellent Mexican bakery in Merced Ca.
All of their baked goods including 'Pan Dulce' are always fresh and have rich flavor, and the prices are VERY reasonable priced given the quality.
I highly recommend the 'Bolillo' rolls when they come fresh out of the oven, they are amazing with a perfect balance of soft , sweet and semi salty flavor. They are one of the best things I have eaten.
I also really like the 'pan-cake' bread.
The hot bolillos are worth a visit alone.
Panaderia Guadalajara is one of the best bakeries around including non-Mexican bakeries.
1339 W 18th St
Merced, CA 95340
(209) 383-1100
Bella Luna Bakery Cafe Merced
Bella Luna Bakery Cafe is now open in Merced at the former De'Angelos space on Main st.
After the fire closed De'Angelos, Vinnie (owner) moved it near motel drive off the freeway.
Then he decided to open the new bakery/cafe after major reconstruction of the burnt out location.
The new cafe/bakery serves sandwiches and house baked goods including fine breads, pastries, and cakes.
I have been there 4 times, and so far I am really impressed with the quality of food Vinnie is serving.
I tried the Caprese, San Joaquin, and Italian Beef sandwiches which are prepared on awesome house baked bread and made with the freshest ingriedients.
Vinnie sells a nice selection of high end breads including ciabatta and an italian baguette, both of which are excellent.
I hope Vinnie's fresh baked goods go over in Merced since he has put a lot of money and effort into making them fresh daily.
Bella Luna is a great addition to Merced's anemic dining scene.
http://bellalunabakerycafe.com/
Seafood in Modesto ?
'Dewz' has pretty good seafood.
Usually fish specials (ahi, seabass) nightly .
Best Cappuccino in SF
Consistently, I agree blue bottle is one of the best.
Four Barrel (Valencia) and the Beanery (9th/Irving) are good as well.
Even Peets can foam some good milk.
Greens Market Modesto
Greens market, a small gourmet market/deli, opened in downtown Modesto a while back.
It is a nice spot for purchasing hard to find gourmet items in Modesto.
They carry rancho gordo beans, acme bread, quercia meats, and organic local produce.
Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield - a great experience
Because of all the buzz, I decided to give Noriega's a try when I was in town visiting family last week.
Overall I felt the food was mediocre, most of the food tasted bland and tired.
They were serving fried chicken and oxtails that night, even the oxtails tasted lazily braised.
I think the novelty of the place helps it stay popular.
Noriega Hotel in Bakersfield - a great experience
That is good news, but I am sure the place will be more of a madhouse.
I've eaten there three times, the food was good, especially the beans and soup, but I felt the entrees were overly spiced and inconsistent.
An example is the fried chicken, slathered in minced garlic.
But I agree their oxtails are awesome.
Glancing at their menu, I think Weds, Thurs, and Saturdays offer the best menu items.
Dinner for Family in Merced
I have not been in a long time, but I do not think they have a private room.
Dinner for Family in Merced
I would recommend either deangelos or branding iron. Both have nice private dining rooms and good food.
Modesto, seeking good eats
Thanks, I'll have to check it out.
Have you tried their tacos?
I have heard good things about compadres as well
Dewz In Modesto
I love Dewz, it can be a bit pricey, but I agree it is high quality.
Their Caesar Salad is the best ever.
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Dewz
1505 J street, Modesto, CA 95354
Santa Maria: New Mexican Supermarket, Vallarta
I went to one of their locations in Bakersfield.
I was impressed as well, store had a nice mix of products, and the bakery, deli, and carniceria looked like quality and were clean.
There are a handful of regional Mexican supermarkets coming up in California.
Is Vallarta the frontrunner?
I live in Merced, and we have Rancho San Miguel which is pretty good, but their meat quality and produce deteriorated a few months after the opening.
http://www.vallartasupermarket.com/index.php?/en/locations
The Branding Iron, Merced: Report
I go to BI at least twice a month when I am craving a NY steak.
Deangelos may take two years to reopen on main street.
Although the temp location is not ideal, it has gone over really well with the customers because they have more space and easier parking.
But it is not as much fun as its main street location where it was part of the bar crawl.
Macapuno Ice Cream at Mel's Cafe, Merced
Not much of a wait for lunch, but I agree the word is out. I noticed a lot of students and others coming in and out and ordering to go.
Macapuno Ice Cream at Mel's Cafe, Merced
Ate here today for lunch.
Ordered beef noodle soup, pot stickers, onion pancake, and 'pop corn' fried chicken, washed down with boba tea.
The soup was pretty good, very tasty broth , but the noodles were somewhat bland.
The potstickers were average.
The onion pancake was excellent.
Fried 'popcorn' chicken was ok, it tasted a little old.
Boba tea was pretty good, but they should use crushed ice.
Overall the food was a little inconsistent, but I will go back to try some other things on the menu.
It was very reasonably priced.
They only serve the food in to-go styrofoam containers making eating the soup difficult.
The service seems a little indifferent, but the food is a bargain.
The soup with boba tea was $8.00
Next time I want to try the 'house chow mein'.
Macapuno Ice Cream at Mel's Cafe, Merced
Thanks, I'll have to give them a try.
I also want try 'bubble cup' near bagel tyme.
Meeting place for a meal and sit around for 3 -4 hrs in Merced, CA
I second branding iron, or deangelo's at their temp location.
Fresno - local coffee
Thanks for the info.
I'll have to check out corazon.
If you find yourself in Modesto, stop by Serrano Social Club
On Jst for Coffee. Some of the best coffee in the valley
Twain Harte: The Prospector - VPN Certified Napoletana Pizza by the pizza perfectionist?
Even if its the best pizza in world, the dude sounds like a jerk, and why give them your $$$?
Bakersfield
Has anyone tried the 'rib shack' on rosedale ?
Looks interesting.
I also like KC's Steakhouse, good steaks and vibe.
They have some nice looking spots in the recently remodeled Padre hotel, although I have not tried them.
I'll have to check out that taco place.
