1/3 rack baby back ribs, 2 chicken thighs, baked beans, brussels sprouts. $17
Babe’s Bar-B-Que & Brewhouse, Rancho Mirage CA
Hmm, this wasn’t very good. The ribs had a weird texture and so did the chicken for that matter. The bbq sauce wasn’t very good either. Lame.
Stir-fried string beans in Szechuan sauce. $5.95
China King Restaurant, Herndon VA
I liked these, but they were certainly greasy! I think they had too much oil in the wok and the wok was too hot when they cooked these. I did like all the chiles in the sauce though.
Soaked for up to seventeen hours and topped with coleslaw and bbq sauce. Served with brisket baked beans. $8.95
Roadside BBQ, San Rafael CA
Mmm, this sandwich was delicious! The brisket was tender, flavorful, and had a nice smokey flavor. It was also great with the slaw on top. I think the bun was a little on the thick side – I like less bun for bbq. The baked beans were very tasty.
Lemonade and Diet Coke. I like the little jars that they came in!
Chicken enchilada and tamale served with Spanish rice, refried beans, and salad. $12.45
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA
I usually get the enchilada/chile relleno combination option when it comes to Mexican combos, but for some reason I was craving a tamale. Maybe masa seemed a bit healthier than a deep fried chile stuffed with cheese, but I’m pretty sure they’re both pretty unhealthy overall, lol! Regardless, this was yummy and it hit the spot.
Salad. Not the prettiness salad I’ve had, but I do appreciate that they threw in some beets.
Two corn tortillas filled with beef, covered with a mild red chile sauce and cheese. Topped with guacamole and sour cream. Served with Spanish rice, refried beans, and tortilla soup. $12.95
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA
This was a great value for only thirteen bucks and everything was pretty good, but all the textures on the enchilada plate were soft. I didn’t mind too much but I wish they would have thrown in something crunchy to balance things out. I think that’s why other places thrown in a small pile of that cheap iceberg lettuce “salad”. You all know what I’m talking about. The tortilla soup was also on the salty side.
Tortilla soup.
String beans, mac & cheese, hush puppy, cornbread muffin. 2 item combo $16
Sandra Dee’s Barbeque & Seafood, Sacramento CA
I liked most of the items on this plate. The bbq pork ribs were delicious, tender, and the bbq sauce had a nice heat to it. The mac and cheese was oozy-gooey and just the way I like it! The catfish strips were tiny and not properly cleaned (there was a lot of that gross silver crap that gives it a metallic flavor), and the muffin was a dense, dry hockey puck. The beans were fine, and the hush puppy was slightly greasy. I don’t know if I’d go running back when in the Sacramento area because there are other bbq places to try first.
House cured bacon, sprouted beans, red pepper, okra. 10-course chef’s tasting menu $75
Roxy’s Cafe, San Francisco CA
Aside from the beautifully cooked and delicious proteins on this plate, the sprouted beans were my favorite part! I’d never had them before, and they had a wonderful texture and tasted great! I will say that my cut of beef had a lot of connective tissue, so while it was still tasty, I really couldn’t cut through it very easily. Lame.
Weathered mailboxes, The Castro.
Tortilla chips, eggs, beans, queso fresco, salsa fresca. $13.95
Luna Park, San Francisco CA
There was certainly a lot of food on this plate! I just wish it tasted a little better. The sauce was on the bland side and the eggs were on the verge of being overcooked. It’s a great value, but probably one I wouldn’t order again.
Redwood tree trunks, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.
Two crispy pizza shells filled with seasoned beef, hearty beans and then topped with pizza sauce, a three cheese blend melted to perfection, and topped with diced ripe tomatoes. 550 calories, 31g fat
Taco Bell, Palm Springs CA
It’s that time again when I end up at Taco Bell late at night to have a “fourth meal” (which in my case is usually a seventh meal, lol)! I know that you all have fast food cravings every now and then, so don’t judge. 😉
Large boulders, Joshua Tree National Park.
Grilled beef, corn shell, refried beans, lettuce, tomato, avocado and sour cream. $3.50
El Farolito, San Francisco CA
I needed a quick snack before ducking into the 24th Street Bart Station so I grabbed this tostada at El Farolito. I’m not a fan of this place because the service is erratic and the food tends to be super salty, but it’s affordable and “usually” quick. I actually liked this tostada though. The grilled beef wasn’t overly salty and they piled on enough toppings to tide me over until my next actual meal.
Hook-shaped dock in the Marina.
Salsa, tortillas, Rio Zape beans, queso fresco and fried Glaum eggs. $12
Solaire Restaurant + Bar, Santa Cruz CA
This dish was lame. The sauce covering the tortilla chips was cold and the tortillas were way too soggy. The Rio Zape beans were bland and boring, and the eggs were overcooked and dry.
Freshly brewed coffee. $3
Mixed redwood forest at The Mystery Spot.
Harissa sausage, yellow eye beans, broccoli rabe, preserved lemon jus. $22
The Alembic, San Francisco CA
Mmm, this was such a hearty dish and it tasted delicious! The harissa sausage was my favorite component, but the lamb was also very tender and juicy. I appreciated the cute Nasturtium leaves too, hehe!
Vittle Monster 