I can’t think of a better birthday spot than CJ happy hour. We recently celebrated my wife’s 40th with a bunch of friends and family. We went all out and got an entire chocolate motherlode cake. It was excellent, fresh and rich. Looks like a big tophat with nuts!!
Back to Panera to try a Cobb Salad this time. Turned out much better than the Chicken Caesar I had a couple weeks ago. For $8.99 it’s a huge bowl of fresh lettuce; avo chunks; diced mater; bacon; chicken; hard boiled egg; blue cheese chunks; and whatnot. Dressing was zesty and more plentiful than last time with the caesar. I did ask for extra on the side just in case.
Their salad presentation is really haphazard. They obviously do not take the time to make it look nice, which is ok. It was a satisfying meal for a salad. I’ll be getting this one again…
Had lunch recently at a new susie place in 4S Ranch called Sushi on the Rock. I had a “Grilled Shrimp Roll”. It’s made with grilled shrimp (duh); crab (with a C, not a K); asparagus; cucumber; sprouts; and avocado. It was excellent. Good texture and mouthfeel. Not mealy like a spicy tuna roll. At first I thought the substance at the bottom was some sort of Japanese mayonnaise. Taking another look at the menu, it’s a “sriracha aioli”. I think “aioli” is a fancy word for mayonnaise anyway, so I was close… This place is extremely dark inside, but my new iPhone 6+ handled the exposure flawlessly.
Back to this little taco shop really close to my office. Here’s some tasty carne Asada tacos. They prepare them in the traditional fashion with fresh doubled up corn tortillas, salsa fresca, a daub of guac, etc. I usually prefer my tacos street or mini size however. These are just too big to pick up and eat without making a giant mess. The trick is to eat some off the top with a fork, then the whole affair becomes more manageable.
Had a quick/early dinner at the Par Lounge/Oaks Grille tonight. Last time I ordered the calamari, it was excellent. Now they seemed to have rolled it back to a more institutional type, more fitting of a bowling alley snack bar. Apparently there have been complaints about the traditional ring/leg/body meat style. Personally, I’m not a fan of the hideous spidery legs with suction cups and all, but there were so few it didn’t bother me. This seems like such a slide backwards to me, but I understand some may prefer a more plain variety. It just doesn’t seem fitting for a restaurant that spells “Grill” with an E.
As always though, the service, onion rings and IPAs are consistently excellent!
At Karl Strauss in 4S Ranch having Asada Fries from the starters menu. Plancha-seared steak (whatever that means), house-made jalapeño cheese whiz (?!?!), Gorgonzola, avocado-chimichurri, cilantro, pickled onions and chipotle chup. Pretty decent and made for a fantastic pic with all the vibrant colors.
One of my favorite go-to dishes for lunch at Pei Wei is the fried rice bowl with beef. An outstanding and satisfying meal.
Recently tried The Habit in Carmel Mountain. Really tasty burgers that are reminiscent of In-N-Out. Although a little more extensive with the topping choices. Next time I plan to omit the cheese so we can get a good look at the beef patty.
I’m pleased to report that the AC is crankin at our Ramona McDonald’s! The ice dispenser on the other hand was empty …
Tried the Crispy Chicken Club Sandwich. I have to say it was fairly decent. Better than the last two sammiches I had at Wendy’s.
Your choice of grilled or crispy chicken patty with lettuce, mater, bacon, Swiss cheese and mayonnaise on a “bakery-style” bun.
Food Observations 