Jack in the Box

Quick breakfast this morning, and though it is a national chain, it is here in Red Bluff, so we will review it.

We went through the drive-thru since we were in a hurry. Mistake. We really should have gone in as the people in front of us seemed to have some sort of problem which caused a big delay.

James ordered the Breakfast Jack: ham, egg and cheese on a hamburger bun. He also had a coke. A coke at breakfast? Yeah, that's right.

Tina had the #21, which is a sausage croissant sandwich with egg and cheese. The sandwich was good, but very greasy. It came with hashbrown sticks, also very greasy, and a coffee, which for fast food was extremely good. However, 3 hours later, I'm still tasting the greasy food.

Overall, slow service, tasty but greasy food, but seemingly just like any other Jack in the Box I've visited.

Lucky Chinese

This new, quick Chinese restraunt is located in the original Luigi's Pizza building on Walnut next to Tesoro (Circle 7 Days? I'm not sure what it is called now. When I was a kid living in that neighborhood, it was Jackpot). They have completely remodeled (actually, I think that they short-lived BBQ place remodeled) and have enclosed what was the open-air dining room. The menu is pretty typical for Chinese cuisine in our area, and we we're not expecting to be blown away. We were wrong.

We both went in, craving Egg Foo Young. It is something that each of us remember our parents preparing in our childhood, something simple and comforting, something bad for you and yet so tasty. We each ordered Egg Foo Young off the menu along with Chow Mein. The waitress smirked a little as we ordered, but took it down.

A bit later, she returns, pushing a wheeled cart with our order. Apparently, one order of Egg Foo Young and Chow Mein is actually a FAMILY SIZED order. Each of our servings were actually more than enough for us to share. There were 3 foo young patties in a rich brown sauce with chicken, and an enormous (pie plate sized) portion of savory chow mein, with crisp bean sprouts, delicious noodles and topped with chicken. We had enough food for a party of 6 on our table for the two of us. Needless to say, to-go boxes were required.

Even with the giant portions, the price was resonable, especially considering we purchased dinner for that night and lunch for the following two days!

Carlitos

On March 11th, James and I celebrated our nine-month-a-versary. That is, it was 9 month since our very first date. As we are planning our wedding for June 12th of this year, we relish celebrating each month we are together and can't wait until our wedding day. What does this have to do with local Mexican food, you ask? Well, Carlitos was the location of our first date and so on the 11th of March, it was our lunchtime destination.

James, being the predictable guy he is (at least when it comes to Mexican food), chose the fajitas.

Tina, lover of most dishes Mexican, was torn for what to order. The Arroz con Pollo is quite good--savory in its orange-y sauce, as it their chili verde (spicy and juicy, this is one of my all time favorites!!) but went with the Pollo al Crema. This creamy, rich sauce is loaded with mushrooms and sauteed onions, tender white meat chicken and served with Mexican rice, refried beans and tortillas.

Tremont Cafe and Creamery

Red Bluff now has a wonderful selection of good choices for a tasty lunch, and the Tremont is one of our new favorites. This place is located in the old Ry Del's shoes storefront, and was an ice cream shop briefly before it opened under this name.

The Tremont, in case you are unfamiliar with Red Bluff History, was a grand hotel on Main St. to the south of the Cone Kimball building. The white, stately structure featured massive columns and was a beautiful landmark. It the 1960's rush to make everything modern, it was torn down and replaced with the very non-descript (or, in my opinion, ugly) Peter Lassen Square.

Our first visit to Tremont was for ice cream. We each had two very generous scoops and our cost was around $6. Really reasonable!

We tried Tremont for lunch another day. And have gone back twice more since...

1st Visit: James: cheeseburger and fries
1st Visit: Tina: Breakfast
2nd Visit: James: Dip Sandwich
2nd Visit: Tina: Fish and Fries...great, flaky white fish, breaded with a light beer batter. Breading was crisp and not at all soggy. Their fries, we'd already discovered, are tasty and crisp, soft on the inside. The tartar sauce was good, with a strong dill pickle flavor.
3rd Visit: James: Cheeseburger and fries
3rd Visit: Tina: Fajita Salad (Chicken)...I think this salad is mis-labeled. Except for the fajita spiced chicken, this did not resemble a fajita in any way. I sort of expected caramelized onions and roasted bell peppers. That being said, the salad was quite good; chunks of white meat, crispy fresh greens, fried tortilla strips (made in-house), served with salsa and sour cream (I also requested ranch dressing). It was a VERY generous portion and I actually was unable to finish it.

Los Mariachis

Hola mi amigos! Bienvenedo a Los Mariachis!

With that friendly greeting, we took a table near the window at Los Mariachis, on the corner of Main and Antelope. Our ultimate goal: Watch the Red Bluff Christmas Parade from the warmth and comfort of a Main St. eating establishment. It didn't hurt that we both love Mexican food!

Tina: Chili Verdi
This was really tasty chili verdi, savory and spicy, like I expect this pork dish to be. The portion was huge, and while it was not very appetizingly plated (it sort of just spread and filled in all of the open space on the plate) is was a very satisfying meal. It was served with rice and beans and flour tortillas. My one complaint would be the tortilla chips served to us when we sat down. They were rather hard, rather than crispy. The salsa was mighty tasty, though.

James: Fajitas (of course!)

After dinner, the parade had not yet started (darn their quick service!) so we decided to order dessert. We shared flan and fried ice cream. The flan was excellent, smooth and creamy and with a wonderful caramel sauce. The fried ice cream was really just ice cream rolled in crispies (corn flakes, maybe?) It was good, as far as vanilla ice cream is good, but not spectacular.

The parade, by the way, was great, though we had to sit outside in the chilly December air to watch!

Cozy Diner

Breakfast for 2= $12.00 (plus tip, of course)

James: Being the lazy sort that we are Tina and I decided to skip cooking and headed out into beautiful red Bluff Veteran's Day to find some breakfast. We decided on the New Cozy's Diner located where the Feed bag used to be and MAN were we pleasantly surprised. I had the $4.95 Steak & Egg's breakfast (5oz Steak, 2 Eggs, Hash browns and 2 pieces of Toast) and I have to say it was damn good. The steak was cooked perfectly. The egg's where well cooked and nicely seasoned and the hash browns were nice and crispy. Add in a pleasant staff and it was a damn fine meal and for the price you can't find better. My only real complaint was the service was a bit slow, but given the excellent prices and quality of the food they were hopping so that can be forgiven. 5/5

Tina: (Country Biscuits and sausage gravy) Wow, what a mound of food this turned out to be. The plate contained two biscuits, 2 scrambled eggs and two sausage patties generously covered with country gravy. The biscuits were light and extremely fluffy. The sausage was crispy on the outside with great flavor--not too salty. The eggs were very nearly overlooked under all the gravy. And the gravy: creamy, nicely seasoned with crumbled sausage throughout. I sprinkled a little green Tabasco on it--very, very tasty.
Another cool special at Cozy: $3.95 coffee and pie special from 2pm-6pm. So great, I'm coming back another day for that one!

Bud's Jolly Cone

James: Ok today we visit Bud's Jolly Cone on Antelope Blvd. Bud's is pretty much a Red Bluff institution so I'm sure what I have to say isn't going to be news to anyone. Buds is a 50ish style burgers, French Fires and Shakes place. I had a #2 a Double Cheese burger, Fries and a drink. It was pretty good, not the best burger I've ever had, but it was a good solid burger. I'm going to repeat. Bud's also had a special, get a .40 cent burger with any order. That burger WAS not the best. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give the .40 cent burger a 3. So in the end Bud's Jolly Cone is a very good serviceable burger joint. 4/5

Tina: (Chicken Sandwich, small gems) The sandwich was grilled chicken breast on a white bun, lettuce tomato and mayo--altogether, the sandwich was tasty, though the chicken was a little on the dry side. It had great flavor though, lightly seasoned and grilled. I poured a little of my fry sauce ( one of my most favorite features of the Cone) on the bun--great combo! I love their gems (some people call them tater tots...), crispy, lightly salted and always fresh from the fryer. The dining room is positively miniscule, and a shrine to Red Bluff past--photos of drag boats and monster trucks adorn the teal, white and black walls. Really, this place has been a family favorite for years and is a 195's artifact.

Embarking on a Red Bluff Culinary Journey

My boyfriend James and I are on a mission: to eat at every restaurant in Red Bluff. James just moved to Red Bluff in September from the metropolis of Corning...before that, Chico and before that the Oroville area. We enjoy going out to eat and decided that we should support our local restaurants by sampling them and writing about it.

Okay, the rules: In order to count as a true stop on this journey, we must have a full meal at said establishment. It is not enough to sample the pie at, say, the Countryside Cafe, or have a milkshake at Hal's Eat 'Em Up. We must both order something different. And we must blog about it. Not too tough. We will also include pictures as appropriate (or as we remember to).

I'm looking forward to this project. You're going to hear from both James and I, and in the coming days we will review The Cowgirl Cafe, Cozy Diner, Thai House and Luigi's Pizza.

Manicotti Tonight

Spinach Manicotti:

Filling:
1 large carton of Cottage Cheese
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 package Frozen spinach, thawed
Generous handful Shredded Cheese

Mix filling ingredients, stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Line up in baking dish, top with sauce:

2 cans Tomato Sauce
1 can Tomato Paste
4 cloves Chopped Garlic
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup Sun Dried Tomatoes
Oregano
Parsely
Salt
Sugar

Bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes, until the pasta gets soft. Top with a generous amount of shredded cheese, brown for about 15 minutes. Meatless and tasty!

Awesome Dinner

Chicken Enchiladas:

Cooked Chicken Thighs
2 onions, sliced
1 can of olives, sliced
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup canned enchilada sauce

Saute together, then roll in corn tortillas. Pour 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce into a cake pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Place rolled tortillas, seam-side down, in pan, top with more sauce and a generous sprinkling of cheese, then bake at 400 until hot, bubbly and browned on top.

We served it with rice mixed with black beans, frozen corn and salsa. MMMMMMM!

French Bread Pizza

Dinner tonight:

2 large inexpensive french breads, cut in half lengthwise and topped with sliced mozzarella, canned pizza sauce, thick sliced pepperoni, shredded cheddar and a chunky sauce made of chopped tomatoes, sliced garlic, canned artichoke hearts, black olives, dried basil and oil.

So good. I am ready to eat it again!

Red Bluff's M & M Ranch Restaurant

Boy, it seems I've been trying lots of local eateries this month. Today, for my co-worker's birthday, we went to M & M Ranch in Frontier Village (Old Cowtown, for those of us who've been here for a while).

M & M, in case you are a long time resident, is in the old Da Vinci's building. It has a clean, comfortable interior; nothing special. The food, however, was pretty great. I had the tri-tip vegetable soup which was full of thick sliced zucchini, carrots, celery and hearty pieces of tri-tip. My lunch was their island burger, a thick (really thick!) hamburger topped with a slice of ham, cheese, a pineapple ring and teriyaki sauce. This was a tasty burger! The patty was juicy, cooked perfectly medium, the ham was flavorful, not too salty, and the sauce was not overpowering. I would have loved a larger slice of grilled pineapple, but that is my only complaint. It took all I had to keep that nice, drippy burger from getting all over my clothes.

This was a keeper. My co-workers also seemed quite happy with their selections, some with breakfast foods like fluffy pancakes and a really lovely looking egg, spinach and cheese wrap, mounds of hash browns, and crispy bacon. One had a really nice tuna melt with toasted bread and pepper jack cheese. Everything looked great.

A Plethora of Ice Cream Choices: Leisert Ice Cafe

Red Bluff is one happening town when it comes to the urge for ice cream treats. Besides the Baskin Robins that has been here for years and recently remodeled, and Tommy K's, we are also graced with Leisert Ice Cafe on Main Street in the old Ry Del Shoes location.

Leisert is a gelato shop, featuring (what else?) gelato and sorbetto. They have a wide array of flavor choices as well as sundaes and treats. Despite some set backs in their first months, like a very public dispute with the building owner and some troubles with former employees, plus a very ugly economy, they offer high quality products in a lovely atmosphere. Now they will be serving lunch items like soup and sandwiches--very welcome if the weather decides to act like it is November.

It is gratifying to see that, despite a bleak economic outlook, businesses are still taking hold in our community. All the best of luck to our new businesses--here's to a fully filled main street!

Tommy K's Frozen Yogurt

The other night I went to a new business here in Red Bluff--Tommy K's 3 Alarm Yogurt. Our town has been without a frozen yogurt shop for a couple of years since Yogurt Alley closed, and so when this place opened up, we were so excited. Add to that the fact that it is the realization of a dream of a well-know local fire fighter whom was killed and I definitely feel the need to support this place.

It is an unusual place. You are given a cup and sent to the yogurt dispenser to choose from four flavors or swirls. They you can have at the topping bar. There are dozens of toppings to choose from: candy pieces, sprinkles, fruits, coconut, nuts, cherries, chocolate or butterscotch sauces, you name it. It was an overwhelming task to choose the right combination (I went with a raspberry yogurt with caramel pieces, chocolate sprinkles and strawberries). After you create, your masterpiece is weighted and you are charged 40 cents an ounce.

The price was reasonable, the yogurt was great and the topping choices were spectacular. I will be going back--what a great treat!

Bagel Lunch Box

Okay, so this isn't a craft so much as a clever use of an item that I have always thought shouldn't be thrown away--the plastic container that blank cd's come in. You know, the thing with a spindle in the center and a plastic lid. I saw this done on another blog, so I am not the inventor, merely the girl sharing the love with you...

These things are about the same size as a bagel...and bagels have holes in them...and bagels are great for sandwiches...do you see where I'm going with this?

To protect your bagel, first make your sandwich (I'm partial to turkey, cream cheese and sprouts, but use your imagination), then skewer it onto the cd spindle (please, wash the box first!). Lock down the lid and there you go--crush proof storage for your lunch! Mine had a plastic cd shaped divider that I placed on top of the sandwich, then piled chips on top of to keep them separate. Just make sure to open the box upside down to avoid spilling the chips.

This will be GREAT on my next flight--and can be used for other items I'm sure. Donuts also have holes...

A Little TLC from Kashi

I am sometimes a little behind in the times on various products, but I have hit the Kashi Bandwagon in a big way over the past year. I love that most things are TLCs (Tasty Little Crunchies, Tasty Little Chewies, Tasty Little Crackers, Tasty Little Cookies). What I am a big fan of is the Frozen Entrees. They are made with the Kashi-promised 7 whole grains, but in neat and unique meals, both containing meat and vegetarian, like Lemongrass Coconut Chicken and Lime Cilantro Shrimp. The meals and the flavors are very light, but I feel so self-satisfied knowing that I ate something so good for me. It justifies my afternoon Snickers bar.

Pickle it up!

I just had lunch at Mr. Pickle's Sandwich Shop. I am a huge fan--really tasty sandwiches. Their menu is great. I had the Golden Gate today, a warm chicken sandwich with jack cheese, teriyaki sauce, jack cheese and veggies. So yummy! It is drippy, so you have to assume the hunch position to eat it or wear it home with you.

There are lots of interesting options--I might try the Got Beef next time (roast beef, pastrami, and melted jack cheese) or the Hot "T" (hot turkey, melted pepper jack, baja and cranberry sauces). There are many sandwiches that center around avocados, but alas, I will not be able to experience them (deathly allergic to avos). They also offer warm fresh chocolate chip cookies, a wide variety of chips and all sorts of drinks.

My niece likes their mascot, a 6 foot tall pickle in a chef's hat. The place, which opened a few months ago next to the new Starbucks on Adobe Rd. is usually packed, though on a weekday around 1:30 or later it seems to quiet down. The first time I went, on a Saturday around lunch time it was a zoo--but everyone always greets you as you walk in, no matter how busy they are.

Starbucks

So, we all know that Starbucks has a bad rep, being corporate and ruthless in their takeovers of small markets and such. My most favorite Lewis Black bit is about the Starbucks with a Starbucks across the street, in the same building as the first one. He claims that the only people who would need that kind of Starbucks saturation would be Alzheimer's patients. I would disagree with that--there are Starbucks that are smelly, grimey or otherwise undesireable which warrant another option. There are also days that require another cup of coffee, incognito (I mean, who wants to go back again and again for a fix from the same all-seeing barista? Caffeine paranoia, anyone?). But this is not why I needed to write to you today.

I like the "vintage" Starbucks cups. They are marketing their Pike's Place Roast in honor of their original store in Seattle (opened in 1971 for anyone who cares). They have rolled out the original, double tailed mermaid design in brown on their cups, all of their promo signs are written like cafe chalk boards, and there are these cute green cup spout stoppers that you can get. Those are completely unnecessary and wasteful, especially if you are (and you SHOULD be) using your own cup. But I love little details and gadgets and these are cool nonetheless.

Here's the thing about Starbucks, though. First of all, I am adverse to spending $4 on a cup of coffee. I just can't justify it, especially when regular food is now a fortune and you have to be a millionaire to fill your car's gas tank. I have been getting just brewed coffee, but even that, at a buck seventy-five, is pricey when you consider I can make it myself for mere pennies. Second of all, I go through cycles of not being able to tolerate their coffee. It is so darkly roasted that it tastes scorched to me, and I am not happy with it. I drink espresso elsewhere and it is rich, chocolaty and not BURNED. But at Starbucks, they pride themselves in this roasting style.

But I love to sit there in the squishy chairs, slowly sipping a cup of joe, talking with my companion, whomever they may be (oh, who am I kidding? It will be mom). It is amazing that Starbucks has built an empire on selling a stimulant drug in an environment for relaxing.

Okay, gotta go get a cuppa.

Brie and other random loves

I love Rouge Et Noir Brie. It is a California company and the brie is creamy, sweet and so tasty. We put it on crusty bread from Raley's--I think its called a pugliese bread.

I love cheap, fruit flavored wine. There is one in particular, Fruitezia, that has a tropical flavor. It is slightly carbonated and a little tart.

I like pepsi, and Red Robin burgers, and mochas from Starbucks. I love Simply Orange juice.

There you go. I think I have the munchies.

Local Food, Trying New Restaurants

For the past several weeks we have been eating out more than usual--we have been extremely busy and either don't find time to grocery shop, or are too exhausted to cook what we have. It's okay, since I have gotten to try a variety of new-ish places in town.

We have eaten lunch at the new Cowgirl Cafe a few times. This is the place on Main St. that used to be Red Rock Cafe, and before that, The Feedbag. They focus on burgers and other hearty, "cowgirl sized" fare, or at least that is how their pancakes are described. I really loved their green chili cheese burger. It was a well seasoned burger on a toasted bun and topped with jack cheese and an ortega chili. Really tasty, and huge! I was also a fan of their patty melt, and they put it on sourdough for me instead of the rye it usually comes on (I HATE RYE BREAD!) Apparently, Cowgirl Cafe is a franchise, and there are others like it all around California. The theme is really appropriate, this being cow country and all, and I am sure it will be packed solid when the Red Bluff Round Up starts next weekend. The decor is very rustic, with barbed wire and rope motifs framing the old rodeo posters and western accoutrement adorning the walls. I particularly love the horsey next to the front door which serves at their mailbox. I am always disappointed that they serve Coke products instead of Pepsi, but have really liked what I've seen so far.

We also have eaten at Carlito's. This one is in the spot Francisco's used to be in. Man, do I miss Francisco's, with their tasty white sauce on their chili rellenos...mmmmmm! But Carlito's has impressed me as well. First of all, when I walked in with my 16 month old neice, she was handed crayons and a placemat right away, which curbed a tantrum. At my first visit I ordered Chili Verde, and it was wonderful, tender and juicy and perfectly seasoned. They also remembered to leave the guacamole off (I am deathly allergic to avocados, and I always tell servers that. I have actually had restaurants forget to hold it, scrape it off my entree, and cover up the green residue with sour cream. So then I eat it and spend the rest of the day in a Benedryl coma). The second visit I had Pollo al a Crema, which was very good, sort of tart and creamy, with nice vegetables and a sauce that was really tasty on rice. I did not like the chips on the table, however. They tasted as though they were cooked in really old oil. The salsa was good, but the chips were terrible! The restaurant's decor has not changed much since the building's Francisco's days, as it still has the beautiful mural of prominent Latino figures on the back wall, bright colors, etc.

I love food, so as I try various places, I will report to you.