On 2015-09-16 23:18:08 +0000, Dave Smith said:

> I have just returned from 12 days in California and have some
> impressions I would like to share. First of all, I have to say that I
> can see why there are so many people there. I can understand why
> people tolerate the population density, the high prices, the traffic,
> the water restrictions. Physically, and even with the drought, it is
> beautiful.
>
> We had lots of great food. I had long been interested in heuvos
> rancheros. My first sampling was at our hotel in Newport Beach. They
> were great. I had them again in Monterey and they were much better.
> However, it is way too much breakfast for me. It should be a lunch or
> even a supper.

I wish I'd known you were in the area--I always pick up the drink tab
for out-of-towners! Regarding huevos rancheros, there are bigger and
lesser orders of everything. I've had them many times, but usually at
smaller mom-and-pop joints and they were quite manageable, and I'm a
fairly light eater.

> We spent a night in Santa Barbara. We ate supper at Chuck's Hawaiian
> Steak House. It wasn't very Hawaiian but we were there for the early
> bird special and I had an open face beef tenderloin tip with blue
> cheese. I was expectitn

Yes? Yes, yes?

> Supper on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey was a disappointment. The
> seafood grill with salmon, swordfish and shrimp was okay, but no wow
> factor. I could get as good or better here.

Such places are usually a little touristy--Where did you get your
restaurant picks from, local friends, yelp, travel sections of
newspapers?

> We spent three days in Monterey and on the first day we had breakfast
> at First Awakenings. It was so good that there was no question about us
> going there every day we were there.

I don't do breakfasts much and don't put a lot of emphasis on it in
life or on vacations. On the other hand it's really great to find a
quick, easy, tasty breakfast solution near the hotel. Really makes it
easy to get the day going--and we do the same: Find one and stick to it.

> In San Francisco I was reluctant to have Chinese food, not being sure
> how it might react with my system, but when we were hungry and unable
> to find anything else we ended up eating at Dong Bei Mama on Geary St.
> and had Chicken Kung Pow and Crispy Fried Lamb and they set a whole new
> bar for rating Chinese food. The next night we were in Palo Alto and
> ate at an Iranian place where I had gyros that also set the bar for
> Middle Eastern food.

Glad you had a good time. Come back soon with more money!