salvage's Profile
Lone Pine CA suggestions
Hi,
Planning a trip next month and passing through Lone Pine. Any suggestions on places for dinner and breakfast?
Thanks in advance,
Jimboys tacos, sac
They have been around the Sacramento area for years. They tacos are the best offering; different, kind of like Jack 'n Box's 2 for $1 tacos, a guilty pleasure snack. Their other food is tex-mex fast food forgetable IMO.
Cheap and tasty near the Salton Sea?
Hi Piglet,
I am planning a trip in early spring and would love to hear if you find any jewels. I lived in that area over 20 years ago and (due to the limited population and tourist interest) the area surrounding the Sea was a dining and basic services wasteland between Indio and Brawley. I doubt if things have changed that much although the prison in Calpatria probably created a local dining demand. A major detour but there were surprising good Chinese and French restaurants in Mexicali. But what is bad for visitors is probably good for wildlife. Some of the best migratory birding is in the Niland area.
Cheers,
Salvage
Kinder's Meats & Deli BBQ in Tracy
We were in route to the coast when we stopped at the newest shop in San Joaquin County for an early lunch yesterday. Our original choice (a Japanese restaurant on Tracy Ave.) was closed unexpectedly so visit to Kinder's was not planned.
The staff were very helpful and order their noted ball tip sandwich and BBQ beef sandwich. We shared a combo of mac salad and BBQ beans. The sides were good but not exceptional. I appreciated that they did not drown the mac in dressing and the mac was cooked locally. The BBQ beans was tasty especially if you asked for cheese and onion topping. The ball tip was thin sliced and was very tender. I liked the how the BBQ beef was stuffed into a hollowed french roll; it held the generous filling perfectly and avoided the mess of spilling. We both commented on the freshness of the bread on both sandwiches.
Ploy Thai Cuisine in Lodi
I saw this new Thai restaurant last Friday after trying one of Lodi's newest sushi bar. It was in a relatively cursed location for a successful restaurant since most attempts have failed here. But we are suckers for Thai food.
The attendant was relatively inexperienced but eager; she apologized for forget our plates or serving spoons and said that the restaurant had just opened this Monday. With the exception of the Thai shrine and displayed newspaper reviews the décor was essentially the same as the former fish and chips shop.
Since our sons were expecting some leftovers, we order 4 dishes. The papaya salad and pad thai noodles were basic but well executed and very tasty. The spicy green beans with pork was excellent: great balance of favors and ingredients. I really enjoyed the fresh basil in this dish. The chicken yellow curry has a great curry sauce and large pieces of chicken. Portion sizes were decent and prices were very reasonable for dinner; lunch prices were cheaper.
We wish that this business will buck the trend of the string of unsuccessful restaurants at this location. The food was definitely worth of the patronage of the local community.
Indian Food in Stockton?
I enjoy dining on Indian cuisine away from home but haven't kept up with recent reviews of restaurants in nearby Stockton. I would appreciate some current recommendations.
Thanks in advance.
Haru Sushi Bar in Lodi
My family is fond of Japanese food and this new restaurant was reviewed last week by the local newspaper. We arrived at 5:30 yesterday and there were only two other parties present but more customers arrived later. The owner did a tasteful job of redecorating the restaurant from the former Chinese buffet. My wife ordered a sushi combo and I tried a bento box to see how they prepared a wider range of item in addition to sushi. The usual miso soup was done better than most; good dashi favor with the right amount of fresh wakame and tofu. Her combo was generous; 8 pieces of nigiri style and 1 "rainbow" roll. The sushi were arranged artfully and properly prepared. She thought that her sushi was excellent; I tried a piece with yellowtail and some of her rainbow roll. Compared to a recent offering in Stockton, I thought that the fish was fresher and more favorful.
My bento box was a pleasant experience; beef teriyaki had a good quality and quantity cut of steak. The tempura was the best I had recently, fresh vegetable and large shrimp cooked and presented perfectly. I usually I order tempura as a test since few restaurants can prepare this common item well. I thought that the California roll was made ahead of time and served a little colder than I am use to. Steamed rice portion was small but adequent for most diners.
The service was attentive and I was impressed on the presentation quality and the portion sizes of the other orders that I observed. The older strip mall that this restaurant is located has been a tough location for successful higher-end restaurants. We thought that this restaurant should complement Lodi's expanding collections of Asian dining locations.
Chinese in Fresno
I grew up in Fresno and visit it frequently and agree that Imperial Garden has been serving consistently the best food for sometime now.
Turlock and Modesto
I agree about Gyros and More. We drive frequently between Stockton and Fresno and it was a great change from the usual fast food or chain restaurant on Hwy 99.
Ate at a decent Persian restaurant across the street from CSUS; authentic and reasonable prices.
Ate an awesome hot pastami sandwich from the Scotts Sub Co Sandwich Shoppe in Modesto near the community college. I am looking forward to the next time that I can have another.
Lodi Eating
If you are looking for American, there are many good choices depending what you prefer especially for breakfast or lunch. For breakfast, I like the Country Kitchen and the Omelet House is very popular. The Soup Ladle has great soup and breads. Andre' Cafe's burgers are considered the best in town. Fiori's Butcher Shop make great deli sandwiches. Lodi has always been known for their archtype local coffee shops or cafes although recently chain restaurants have been making inroads into our community.
Most out-of-towners mention Wine and Roses for dinner but the School Street Bisto and Rosewood can be very good for dinner. The long standing popularity of the Taste of Thai is well deserved. We regularly dine at Saigon Grill although their seasonings is a little toned down compared to more authentic restaurants in Stockton. The Shangri La Asian Bistro if you wish choose from a Pan Pacific menu. If you want Mexican, there is the largest selection and variety restaurents depending on your taste; too varied to mention without more information.
