California recommendations?
dm...@virginia.edu
the last two weeks of May. The Family decided to rent a car
and drive down the coast. TF is starting in SF, and going
through Berkeley, Carmel, a national park like Yosemite but
whose name escapes me momentarily, LA, and ending up in San
Diego. I probably don't have the geographical order right, but
undoubtedly TF knows exactly what we are doing. Anyway :) , if
anyone could offer restaurant names in any of the above places
or points in between, I would be REALLY grateful. I like
special places, but TF frequently displays a conservative
predilection for the first chainlike stereotypable place with
potted plants they see. ;) So, if anyone could clue me in to
restaurants that I could recommend as if by sudden inspiration
to TF as we drive past a given area, I would really, really
appreciate it! :)
TF will be dressed like total roadtripping slobs, although we
could freshen up a little if necessary.
TF cannot be convinced to go to any very offbeat or difficult
to find restaurants.
TF does not have a huge amount of money to spend. TF does not
drink, so I am assuming TF spends an average of $5-15 per
person per meal.
I guess personally, my favorite restaurants are the kind where
the food made me leave happy, for whatever reasons. It's hard
to explain, but I'm sure someone knows what I'm talking about.
Thanks for your help. Have a great day, even if it IS exam or
contract proposal or whatever stressful time. :)
Diana
Steve Pope
> predilection for the first chainlike stereotypable place with
> potted plants they see. ;) So, if anyone could clue me in to
> restaurants that I could recommend as if by sudden inspiration
> to TF as we drive past a given area, I would really, really
> appreciate it! :)
>
> to find restaurants.
> I guess personally, my favorite restaurants are the kind where
> the food made me leave happy, for whatever reasons. It's hard
> to explain, but I'm sure someone knows what I'm talking about.
Well, when cruising thru Berkeley you can always eat at
Spengers, convieniently off I-80 (University Ave. exit),
and iff you order carefully you will get a very nice
meal. I generally have a lobster cocktail (Pacific Lobster,
but cheap), and a Scallop Sandwich, which is excellent...
unlike the yupscale 4th st. Grill across the street,
Spengers actually knows how to deep-fry seafood.
Other okay items are the fish and chips, and the crab sandwich.
Another thang to keep in mind is Harris Ranch Restaurant,
right on I-5 near Coalinga in the central valley. There
you don't have to order carefully, you pretty much can't
miss.
Have fun and I hope TF survies the ordeal.
Steve
Mark
dm...@Virginia.EDU ("") writes:
>Hey, my family is taking their first vacation since 1977 over
>the last two weeks of May. The Family decided to rent a car
>and drive down the coast. TF is starting in SF, and going
>through Berkeley, Carmel, a national park like Yosemite but
>whose name escapes me momentarily, LA, and ending up in San
>Diego.
Try "Wolfe Burgers" in Pasadena. (Free parking in the back!)
boyd johnson
>
>Another thang to keep in mind is Harris Ranch Restaurant,
>right on I-5 near Coalinga in the central valley.
It doesn't sound like TF is going through the central valley, and I
would strongly encourage them to follow the original plan, going the
slow, scenic coast route rather than the fast, boring, hot inland
route. Go over the Bay Bridge to The City, go on to Santa Cruz via Big
Basin or the coast, going around the bay to Monterrey, Carmel (17 mile
drive, etc) Big Sur (the name that escaped you) State Park & Pfiffer
SP, down PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) maybe stopping at Hearst Castle
and Solvang and on to LA and San Diego. After you get to Ventura
you'll probably be disappointed with the scenery after the magnificent
route you just took.
It's been many years since I've been that route, so I won't even attempt
to recommend restaurants, but you can be sure to find many good seafood
restaurants all along the way and good Mexican restaurants at least from
LA south.
--
====== Boyd Johnson nosc!spectra.com!johnson San Diego, California ======
Intermittent newsfeed at best and only to selected groups.
My opinions certainly don't match those of my employer.
ow...@ducvax.auburn.edu
>
> It's been many years since I've been that route, so I won't even attempt
> to recommend restaurants, but you can be sure to find many good seafood
> restaurants all along the way and good Mexican restaurants at least from
> LA south.
>
can't imagine *anyone* not liking Nepenthe. Besides, it is, in and
of itself, one of the real attractions of Big Sur. Dinner would be
best, preferrably being seated shortly before sunset (Nepenthe is
built "into" a hill/rocky bluff overhanging the coast). There's
some sort of little outdoor patio cafe there you might try if your
there for lunch, but I've never tried it. Oh yeah, the food is
very good; try the roast chicken.
Larry Owen
p.s. Nepenthe's not terribly expensive. Since TF doesn't drink, you
can probably have a good meal for about $15/person, plus tip.
Robert Lauriston
>>Another thang to keep in mind is Harris Ranch Restaurant
Great place if you're doing I-5, but if you're on a vacation it's
really one of the least interesting areas of the state. Highway 1
(or even 101) is more fun.
The place in Cayucos with 800 varieties of beer is good if you're
staying nearby.
Daniel Paul Checkman
>Steve
YES!!! Eat at the Harris Ranch Restaurant. It's one of those "fly-in" places
if you have a pilot's license. Either way, it's a great place to eat, and
the perfect point on the road to get off for a little while. I haven't been
there in about 10 years, but I'm sure it's as good as it was back then. The
food is great, and they even have potted plants for TF to look at! (they are
potted coffee plants). And if you're there on a nice day, you can get a
window seat and watch the planes take off and land (will keep kids busy for a
while). It's definitely one of the few nice things along I-5 between Stockton
and L.A. Besides it, the road is pretty boring (which is why I've been taking
US101 for the past 10 years anytime I'm going to LA).
:-Dan
Daniel Paul Checkman
Okay, here goes: in SF, a good place to go that will please the family is The
Stinking Rose- it's a garlicy, Italian place that I've been to a couple times
and enjoyed, but it is a little pricy (still under $15/person). If you go
along the coast to Santa Cruz/Monterey/Carmel, try The Shore Bird in Half Moon
Bay for the best seafood anywhere between SF and LA, at least as far as I'm
concerned (and I'm a big seafood fan). If you stop in Solvang, there are some
good places to get Aebleskiver, another kid-pleaser, but I can't remember any
specific names of restaurants. Still, it's the only place that I know of in
CA where you'll find some Danish food, or so they say. It's on 101, south of
San Luis Obispo, which has a good donut place across from one of the gas
stations, not too far from downtown. Another spot to try, if you take that
route, is the Madonna Inn. I have an aunt and uncle in the LA area that drive
up there at least once every other month for a Sunday brunch. It's also near
SLO. A good Chinese place in the LA area, near an awesome view of the ocean,
is a place in Palos Verdes, called the Golden Lotus (or was it Dragon). It's
a little fancy, but nothing TF couldn't handle. That's basically the extent of
my knowledge of the LA area.
Now, if TF ever happens to be in the South Bay Area, email me and I'll
give you some excellent reccomendations in San Jose, Palo Alto, Sunnyvale, and
the like. I can even give you directions on how to get to the various spots in
the area. Actually, that goes for anyone requesting good food in the Silicon
Valley area.
:-Dan
Greg Wright
You can try SantaFe Bar and Grill on University Ave. I have had good good
food
there. The person that started 4th St. B & G used to work here. He should
have stayed. The food at SantaFe is better. If you want pasta or pizza
go to Shattuck Ave. Giovanni's is good. If I think of any more I'll
post.
Greg
David A. Andersen
>right on I-5 near Coalinga in the central valley. There
>you don't have to order carefully, you pretty much can't
>miss.
Like everyone said, Harris Ranch is a very good place.....but,
I wouldn't go through the central valley to get there...101
is a much more scenic drive.
David Andersen
UC Irvine