Michael's Grill & Taqueria - Salinas, CA

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:   NOT EAT :(

*NOT WORTH THE TRIP*

My friend Steve and I used to eat at Michael's Taqueria in Pacific Grove back in the 80's.  We always liked it, but I haven't eaten there in years.  So when I saw that Michael's had a location in Salinas, I had to try it. (Michael's also has a location in Marina, but I have never eaten at that location.)

When I go to a restaurant for the first time, I try to order off their "House Specialties" section of the menu.  So I ordered the House Burrito which had charbroiled shrimp and blackened chicken with rice, cheese, pico de gallo, and roasted tomatillo-chile sauce.   It is topped with cilantro.  The charbroiled and blackened aspect of the burrito tasted like dirt.

It was edible, but with all the wonderful Mexican restaurants in Salinas, why would anyone eat Mexican food here.  My husband's feeling was how can a place named "Michael's" have good Mexican food.  You know...he has a point. Dont' waste your time with this place.

John had a Burro wrap with chicken. Although it was okay, it isn't even worth describing it to you.

Perhaps it wasn't the food that kept Steve and I going back in the 80's to the tiny Taqueria located in the corner of a strip mall in Pacific Grove.  But one thing is for sure, I won't be going back in this lifetime.

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Texas Pride BBQ - Adkins, Texas (Near San Antonio)

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:   Eat:)

*Not quite Joe Cotton's, but almost there*

ENTREE:  From my last barbecue post, you know that I have been on a mission to find a Texas barbecue that is comparable to Joe Cotton's which burned to the ground.  Green Mesquite in Austin didn't come close, but Texas Pride is as close as I have been able to get so far.  It's out in the middle of nowhere, but really is only about 19 miles from downtown San Antonio.

They offer a selection of brisket, smoked pork sausage, baby back ribs, pork tenderloin, and smoked turkey.  You can order 1 meat, 2 meats, 3 meats, or 4 meats for your dining pleasure.  For this trip, I ordered the 2 meat choice and asked for brisket and ribs.  I am normally not a rib girl, but at the prompting of the friendly and colorful meat "connoisseur" behind the counter, I ordered them as my second choice; and I was not disappointed.

The ribs were so juicy and tender, they fell off the bone.  You didn't have too work hard to get a nice tasty chunk of meat off the rib bone.  Continuing in Texas tradition, the ribs were not smothered in sauce which is the way I like them.  Texas Pride offers barbecue sauce on the side for dipping.  If ribs are done right, they should be tasty without the sauce, and these definitely were.

When I ordered the brisket as my first choice of meat, I was given the choice of fatty or lean.  When my group all responded that fatty was the only way to go, my meat "connoisseur" said, "If God wanted you to have meat that wasn't fatty, he wouldn't have made cows so slow."  And you know....he has a point.  Even if you don't eat the fat, it makes the meat so juicy and flavorful.  My meat choices were sliced right in front of me and wrapped in butcher paper, which later is used as your plate.

Along with my meat selections, you have a choice of 2 sides from either cold or hot selections  I chose macaroni and cheese and cheesy potatoes.  They weren't the best, but I certainly wasn't here for the side dishes.  I tasted the pinto beans which were absolutely tasteless.  I expected more from a barbecue place as far as their beans go.  Don't even bother with the beans.

I tasted the pork tenderloin which was also in the category of "Winner."  The pork tenderloin and the ribs were a lot better than Joe Cotton's ever served.  However, when it came to the brisket, I have to say that Joe Cotton's is still the King of the Brisket.  Although the brisket from Texas Pride was very juicy and tender and had a nice smoky flavor, it was missing the spices of a good rub.  As my husband put it, you could taste the meat and not the flavor.  If Joe Cotton's is gone forever, then I would have to crown Texas Pride as the new King of the Brisket; but don't worry, I am still looking.

DESSERTS:  Please, please, please save room for dessert.  In fact, don't eat your sides and get dessert instead.  We ordered the peach cobbler and the pecan cobbler.  The peach cobbler was very good (not the best I have ever had, but very good).  However, the pecan cobbler was out of this world.  It was like a pecan pie, but the topping was a crunchy caramelized brown sugar crumb crust that made your eyes roll back with every bite.  Both were served warm, and I recommend you order them ala mode.

RESTAURANT:  The owner, Steve Talanco, came over from Italy in the early 1920's with $500.00 in his pocket.  He bought a filling station, and, with is wife, started selling gas, spaghetti and meatball sandwiches.  As the people began enjoying their first taste of Italian food, Mr. Talanco had to expand his restaurant.  He hired Mexican nationals, who not only did the construction work on his restaurant, but also taught him how to barbeque using mesquite wood.  The rest is history, and Mr. Talanco's family has continued the barbecue tradition.

Today, the restaurant still looks like a gas station.  When you walk in, you stand in line and order your food from the meat "connoisseur"" behind the counter.  You then proceed cafeteria-style around to the cashier where you order your drinks and pay for your meal.

**At this point, I recommend that you order and pay for your cobbler.  After your meal, you can go back to the cashier and request it when you are ready. This way it stays hot, and the ice cream won't be completely melted.

You then carry your food out to the dining room where you serve yourself with the condiments such as fresh sliced bread, pickles, onions, jalapenos, and utensils.  You have your choice of mild or spicy barbecue sauce. The barbecue sauce was okay.  The spicy version was not spicy at all.

ATMOSPHERE: Texas Pride is a great place.  I would love to go back on a Friday or Saturday night where they have a stage for a live band out back.  You can sit on wooden picnic tables and eat wonderful barbecue on a warm night while listening to live music.  As soon as you walk in, you just know you are going to get good barbecue,  It is very rustic and informal, but clean.

SERVICE:  The people are very friendly.  Everything was done either cafeteria style and/or self-service, so they can move people through the lines fairly quickly.  I was there in December for lunch, so it wasn't too busy.

Texas Pride also provides family size meals by the pound, as well as catering.

SPIRITS:   At lunch, the bar area was closed.  I'm sure it opens up on the nights they have live entertainment. However, you can order beer from the cashier.

COST:  The cost is fair.  They charge anywhere between $6.00 for a sandwich to $16.00 for the 4 meat plate.  There is no doubt that you will get full in this place.

HOURS OF OPERATION:  Monday - Closed; Tues & Wed - 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Thurs - Sat - 11:00 a.m. - 930 p.m.; and Sunday - 12:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Their address is 2980 E. Loop 1604, Adkins, Texas; Phone: 210-649-3730.  They have a nice web site which has a complete menu - http://www.texaspridebbq.net

PARKING:  There is plenty of parking in front.

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Snoopy's Pier - Corpus Christi, Texas

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:   A must eat!!!

*The best fish and chips I have ever had in the WORLD*

ENTREE:  I spend a lot of time in Corpus Christi, Texas, and when we are there, we absolutely have to eat at Snoopy's.  Over the years, the food has been exceptionally and consistently excellent.  The fish and chips are usually made with fresh Mahi Mahi, and it is deep fried in this heavenly light and airy batter, but still has a wonderful crunch when you bite into it.  The fish remains juicy and flavorful inside.  It is served with French fries, poppy seed vinaigrette coleslaw, and homemade tartar sauce.  I love that they don't do a mayo-based coleslaw, because it usually quite warm in Corpus, and the vinaigrette coleslaw is very refreshing.

*I do have to disclose that the last time I was there, I don't think they were using the Mahi Mahi.  The fish was a little smaller, although they gave you 6 pieces instead of 4 to make up for it.  It was still good, but I much prefer the Mahi Mahi.

Their fried oysters are quite good as well.  Their menu offers a variety of choices. However, I have not been able to pry myself away from the fish and chips in order to have something new. True to the name of my blog, I order the fish and chips and then something else on the side, like the oysters. I have had bites of the shrimp dishes that my friends have so kindly allowed me to taste.  They are quite good.  There is something for everyone here.

The other thing they do well is properly dressing a Corona beer.  Somehow they get the granules of salt to coat the ice cold bottle and stay firmly in place until you are ready to lick the side of the bottle before drinking the ice cold beer.  Close your eyes and picture doing this while sitting outside on their pier in the warm sun watching the dolphins play in the intracoastal waterway as they pass by. There is nothing like it in the world.  This is definitely one of my happy places.

(These pictures were taken from their web site.)

There is one downfall to this restaurant.  After I leave Corpus, I am constantly on a quest to find fish and chips that are comparable to Snoopy's.  I have never been able to do it, and I challenge you all to try.  I even tried them in Gibraltar while on a cruise, and they didn't even come close.


DESSERTS:  For dessert, go next door and have some ice cream.  The ice cream parlor is called Scoopy's.  Very refreshing on a hot day.


RESTAURANT:   Snoopy's physical address is 13313 South Padre Island Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas; 361-949-8815.  Their web site is http://www.snoopyspier.com.  Snoopy's has been in business since August 1980 and is family owned.  They give special attention to local harvested seafood and have an on-site fish house and shrimp breading facility.


ATMOSPHERE: Snoopy's is a very friendly place.  They always greet you like they have known you for years. It is a very casual atmosphere.  The only requirement is that you wear shoes and a shirt.  You can sit inside or out on the pier.  In the winter, they have a big fire going on inside, so you are able to stay nice and warm on those rare cold days in Corpus.  The restaurant is an old wood restaurant, and when you look at it, you just expect it to serve fresh seafood.


SERVICE:  As soon as you enter the restaurant, you order at the register before sitting down.  Before long, you order is ready, and your name is called over a loud speaker to pick up your order.  They offer a self-service bar area for you to get all your accompaniments such as  malt vinegar, ketchup, hot sauce, and fresh sliced lemons (for fish and iced tea)


SPIRITS: Snoopy serves wine and beer, in addition to soft drinks and iced tea.


COST:  Very inexpensive.  Their menu ranges from $4.00 to $14.00.  Snoopy's is a cash only business. However, they do provide an ATM inside the restaurant for you to withdraw cash.


HOURS OF OPERATION:  They are open 7 days a week from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.


PARKING:   Plenty of parking in the parking lot.  One of the great things about this restaurant is you can also get there by boat.  You can dock your boat at the pier while enjoying a fabulous lunch.

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Green Mesquite BBQ & More - Austin, Texas

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:   I'm on the fence

* I would go back for the brisket and try the pulled pork *

I have to preface this review with a comment about Texas BBQ.  My peeps and I loved Joe Cotton's in Robstown, Texas.  They had the best brisket served on butcher paper, along with other choices of meat.   Unfortunately, Joe Cotton's burned down a couple of years ago, and we have been searching the country to replace it ever since.

APPETIZER:  In this restaurant, appetizers and sides are listed under the same heading.  Darcy ordered the fried okra.  There was nothing special about it.  It tasted like every other fried okra I have had.  It did appear to be a little slimier, but it was ok.  Mondo had the pinto beans with his meal.  The beans were a little undercooked for my liking.  I like my pasta al dente, but my beans...not so much.  Again, nothing special about these beans.  I had the potato salad which was ok; nothing to write home about.  I was very intrigued about the Cajun rice.  However when I tasted it, I was very disappointed.  It tasted like bland rice with a lot of pepper.  Nothing Cajun about it in my book.

ENTREE: I had the 3 meat BBQ plate.  I chose brisket, sausage, and chicken. I really wanted the pulled pork instead of the chicken, but they were out.  The brisket was outstanding!.  I could have cut it with a knife.  It was very comparably to the old Joe Cotton's and perhaps even a bit more tender and juicy.  However, that is where the comparison stops!  The chicken was served as a leg and thigh combo, which is fine with me because I love dark meat.  However, the leg was way over cooked and dry, but the thigh was juicier, and again, nothing special. I would not order the chicken again.  Mondo, who is a huge chicken lover, agreed.

I did like my sausage.  It had good smoky flavor and was a little spicy.  It wasn't greasy.  However, it is not good enough to get me back to this restaurant.

Mondo had the ribs which were really good, but we have had better.

Darcy had the chicken tacos.   Need I say more?!!

John had the 3 meat BBQ plate also.  He thought the sausage was too dry.

DESSERTS:  I was so hopeful about the desserts!!  They boast about their homemade pecan pie.  It was mediocre at best.  The peach cobbler was very good.  It reminded me of my grandmother's "poor man's pie" that had a kind of doughy crust on the top.  When I say crust, I don't mean like a pie crust.  I mean a fluffy doughy consistency with a little crunch. It was excellent.  I had vanilla ice cream on top which complimented the cobbler very well.  If you go, peach cobbler is a must.

John had the blueberry cobbler.  It was ok.  It was more like apple crisp with blueberries. 

RESTAURANT: They have 2 locations; Barton Springs and South I35.  We had our experience at the Barton Springs location.  Perhaps the I35 location is better.  That remains to be seen.

The restaurant is an old barn-looking building which sets the perfect setting for a good Texas BBQ.  Just looking at the building got my juices flowing.  However, overall, the experience was disappointing. 

The service was fast, but our waitress was horrible.  Texas is well-known for their friendly people, and we can certainly attest to that since we spend a lot of time here.  However, our waitress was not very friendly and was very short with her answers to our questions about the menu.

The Green Mesquite offers catering from 25 to 2500.  They even provide the lemonade and iced tea.

ATMOSPHERE:  The atmosphere is exactly what you would expect it to be for a Texas BBQ.  In fact, it's the kind of place where you would expect to see saw dust on the floors, although that was not the case.  It seems like a real down-home locals place.

The web site advertises live music.  I am sure it is a happening place in the summer. We had our experience on a Tuesday night, the week before Christmas.  For my purposes, they could have had George Strait performing, and it would not be enough for me to choose this place for good Texas BBQ.

SERVICE:  Unfortunately, we had only 1 experience at this restaurant, and the waitress certainly didn't have the time of day for us.

SPIRITS:  The Green Mesquite serves beer (import and domestic) and wines by the glass (Merlot, Chardonnay, and White Zinfandel).

COST:  It is pretty cheap.  It will cost you $11.69 for a 4 meat BBQ plate, $10.69 for a 3 meat BBQ plate, and $8.89 for a 2 meat BBQ plate.  Their Po Boy sandwiches range between $6.00 and $7.00.

HOURS OF OPERATION:  They are open everyday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.  I believe the Barton Springs location is open until 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Green Mesquite does have a great web site.  Check it out at www.greenmesquite.net.

PARKING:  There is plenty of parking.  However, we were there on a Tuesday night, the week before Christmas.  I am sure it is very busy in the summer.

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Carbon County Steakhouse - Red Lodge, Montana

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:    Eat :)

*The mussels are to die for*

APPETIZER:  OMG BECKY!!!! These mussels are probably the best I have ever had.   This says a lot, given that I am from Northern California and have lived on the coast virtually my entire life.  There are 2 ways to order them; seared with lemon and butter or sauteed with a homemade garlic and basil marinara.

Each time I have ordered them, I have had the seared with lemon and butter.  (I'm a little snobby when it comes to restaurant marinara, given that my Italian aunts made the best in the world!) The fresh (yes, fresh in the mountains of Montana) mussels are served searing on a cast iron oval dish.  They are generously sprinkled with sea salt.  We squeeze a lemon in the side dish of melted butter and dig in.

Unlike the pacific mussels, which can be sometimes strong tasting, these are very mild.  When dipped in the lemon butter, they just melt in your mouth.  (My mouth is watering now just thinking of it.)

HINT:  Mussels are flown in fresh every Thursday.  So if you order them after Friday night, they may be out.  So make sure you go either Thursday or Friday.


ENTREE:  I ordered the prime rib. It was excellent!  It was juicy, tender, and very taste.  The thing I love about this restaurant is that they serve the prime rib with straight horseradish; not wimpy horseradish "sauce."  This stuff will clear your sinuses like wasabi.

My cohorts had the ribs and buffalo steak.  The ribs were just okay for me, especially when there are better things on the menu.  The only flavor was due to the BBQ sauce on top. The group consensus on this trip is that buffalo sirloin is much better than beef.  A lot of people, not from this part of the country, are hesitant to try buffalo.  However, if you ever get the chance, give it a try.  It is also healthier for you.  Darcy even tried it for the first time, and she loved it.  (Darcy is used to seeing the cute buffalo cross the street in Yellowstone National Park.)

Overall, the mussels will bring me back.  The rest of the food was fine, but it doesn't get my juices flowing.


DESSERTS:  Desserts were ok.  The bread pudding was the best.  It was nice and doughy.


RESTAURANT:  This restaurant does encourage reservations.  Although Red Lodge is a very small town, it can be very busy on the weekends.  However, even if they are not busy, the steakhouse is kind of uppity if you don't have reservations.  You will get seated, but they always kind of snort when you say you don't have them.

They have a great web site which has a sample menu. http://thepizzaco.com/steakhouse/.  They are owned by the same owners as The Pizza Company, so don't let the web site name throw you off.  This is not pizza-quality food.


ATMOSPHERE:  The ambiance is rustic and dark.  It is a nice place to have a romantic dinner.  However, we did have a table where the alcohol was flowing, so our part of the dining room was filled with drunken cackle of laughter from the woman two tables away. I would consider this fine dining, but you can wear jeans.


SERVICE:  Our waitress was friendly and attentive, but not memorable.  She wasn't real familiar with their wine list, but there were plenty of wines that we recognized.  The food came promptly and in the correct order, and we didn't feel rushed.


SPIRITS:  They offer full bar service and a full wine list.


COST:   Their entrees are between $20 and $35.


HOURS OF OPERATION:  It is best to call depending on the time of year.  They are now offering lunch, but that could change in the winter months  Their phone number is 406-446-4025.


PARKING:  They do offer parking behind the restaurant, with a back entrance.  However, Red Lodge is such a small town, you can also find parking in the front or on the side streets depending on what's going on in town.

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Bogart's Restaurant - Red Lodge, Montana

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:   NOT EAT :(

*MOST OF THE FOOD WAS NOT EDIBLE*

This restaurant, located in downtown Red Lodge, Montana, is a hodgepodge of food.  It has pizza, Mexican food, and American food.  We opted for the Mexican food.  My group ordered the grilled fish tacos, breaded fish tacos, chili verde burrito, an chicken fajita burrito. The food was so bad that I am not even going to waste my time and yours with a review.  However, just to give you a flavor of what we tasted, there was way too much cumin and salt in these dishes.  We didn't even finish our dinner.  Perhaps Mexican food isn't the best thing to have in the mountains of Montana...just sayin.

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Santa Cruz Diner - Santa Cruz, CA

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT:     EAT :) 

 *Food was good enough to warrant a return trip*

APPETIZER: Just the 2 of us this time. We shared an order of spring rolls served with peanut sauce for dipping purposes. They were stuffed with rice noodles, lettuce, and chicken. The online menu says the rolls have shrimp, but it was definitely chicken in the middle of ours. They aren't deep fried, so are very healthy. I have to say they weren't the best spring rolls I've ever had, and I'm not sure I would order them again. The chicken was dry and not very flavorful. However, the peanut sauce was decent. At the direction of my waiter, I saved the peanut sauce for my entree, and I'm glad I did.

ENTREE: I had the Pork noodle bowl. It came with strips of breaded pork meat over white soft noodles. It was served with a side bowl of luke warm broth (referred to on the menu as an "Asian vinaigrette") that you pour over yourself. It was good, but definitely not orgasmic. However, when I added the peanut sauce (saved from the appetizer), the flavor of my pork noodle bowl was much better. My entree was served room temperature, and I'm not sure if that was the intent of the chef, but I think I would have like it better had it been served hot.

My husband, John, had the Pho, which is a Vietnamese noodle soup. You have a choice of chicken or beef, and he chose chicken. It was definitely more interesting than my entree. Before the soup was brought to the table, John was served with a side dish of bean sprouts, mint leaves, and sliced fresh Jalapeños. When the steaming soup was served, it included chicken, rice noodles, onions,and cilantro already in the broth. He added all the bean sprouts and jalapeños, but only one slice of mint.

The Pho was really good! The flavor of the cilantro really came through. Although I am not a huge fan of mint in my food, it really added a great dynamic to the overall flavor. It was nice & spicy too. This would be great dish on a cold day when you need something to clear your sinuses.

          (picture taken directly from web site)

RESTAURANT: We were there about 11:00 a.m., on a Saturday, and it was packed. The menu is huge. I would like to go back and try the omlettes for breakfast. They looked quite good. I'm not sure about the hollandaise sauce on the eggs benedict, however. This is purely a visual observation, but it looked too orangey in color; almost a little fake looking or processed. I would also like to try something off the dinner menu. It definitely peaked my curiosity.

This is a great place to take a group of people with different tastes. There is something for everybody here. The sandwiches sound good too. One of the owners is Asian; hence the Asian influence on some of the dishes. Otherwise, it appears to be a regular diner.

The restaurant has a great web site:  http://www.santacruzdiner.com

ATMOSPHERE: Noisy, crowded, and very diner-like. Kid Friendly. (In fact, we had a screaming toddler next to us. However, one of the parents very kindly took him outside.) The web site indicates they have a play area, but I didn't see it.

SERVICE: We had to wait about 10 minutes for a table. Service was fast, and the waiter was very good.

SPIRITS: Beer, wine, and champagne.

COST: Our total bill for a party of 2 was $24 (without alcohol), not including tip. All credit/debit cards accepted. ATM on site. Senior discounts are given to peeps 55 and older.

LOCATION: 909 Ocean Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; Phone # 831-426-7151

HOURS OF OPERATION: Diner is open late for late-night dinners.

PARKING: Free parking, but it is a small lot. We had to park down a side street.

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