Not gonna get all carried away with a lot of catchy dialogue this week, just going to run down a random collection of sightings and rumors.

Infusion in the old Flavor Factory Morro Bay has a sign up and I swear I saw the windows un-papered. Allegedly former employees. So this leads the question: FF used to consistently be tipped by insiders as “The best hamburger in the county”, so who is it now? Seriously: I don’t think since they closed have I even heard this conversation and it used to come up regularly. Maybe time to re-write 5 Towns 5 Burgers? Wow that was EXACTLY 5 years ago. Gotta start thinking about that. Galley? Grenada? Brooks again? Lunada? Hmmmmmmm Make it so. Oh and Beach Burger closes Dec 31 which doesn’t crush my heart because cheese-stuffed patties are kinda ghetto and Dutch crunch destroys the roof of your mouth.

New 42 liquor license up in the window of the new remodel of the old Restore Thrift in downtown MB. Whew, that was a long and bad sentence. Coast Wine Collective: WHICH–I might add–is impossible to Google because of SLO Coast Wine Collective‘s massive SEO. Either that or they have no online footprint. Boy, it’d be a shame if SLO Coast had an overlapping trademark or ‘other version’ infringement issue. I also think it is interesting to note the new wineshop took the building (of the two) NOT specifically designed for a tasting room. It will be very interesting to see what ends up going into THAT one, as the layout, accoutrements, and planning are Just. So. Specific. If you’re a winemaker or anyone in the wine industry locally and are wondering what property I’m talking about, it’s that email or three you got from her. Yeah, THAT one. You ALL got it. That makes 3 wine bars in Morro Bay, though Stax has morphed far more into “restaurant” with the new owners and Savory Palette holding down the “interesting wine & beer from nether regions and live music” genre. Historians will note the wine bar which was open for about 5 minutes basically across the street from the new one–with 1 MILLION TIMES the views.

Speaking of wine bars, wanna hear a secret? Two of them. Up in Cayucos at The Pacific Motel is The Salty Tiger, which actually has regular hours and a little marketing. This place reeks of Kimberly Walker, but I don’t think it is. Just another cool gentrification of a classic motor lodge. Back down in Morro Bay, tucked inside Estero Inn down at the south end of Embarcadero is Vino Estero, a beautiful little spot with a fair selection of popular local wines. Ridiculously cozy and basically NO advertising at all, it appears to be unstaffed but open to the public. “Ring the bell for service”! I mean… if you wanted a quiet meeting or gathering, THIS would be the place.

Have you been to the new iteration of Farmhouse Corner Market yet? They have a RATHER interesting selection of wine and various bites with bar or loungy seating. We could just make this whole post about wine, I suppose. A subject I never tire of. Of course the big dogs in town remain WINESNEAK in south county and Grape & Grain in North county. I still meet people almost weekly who have never been to either one. Just sad.

Coya Peruvian has apparently moved from Coner Market to Higuera Street somewhere around Charles Shoes–that strip somewhere. Maybe the old Federico’s? Keep forgetting to look when I drive by. There might even be a couple spots below the Wineman open. The old German resty? I’ve had her stuff a few times. It’s good! Hearty fare. Soup. You DO realize we now have 3 yes THREE Peruvian restaurants in SLO??!? Three Hawaiian, too. 22 Starbucks. ONE pho.

Oh! but we have Ethiopian! Pretty sure Ebony was the people out at The Kitchen Terminal but have crossed over into town and landed at the former Bliss Cafe in not Mission Mall, but the other one. The Network? Bliss still exists, BTW but is now Bliss Health & Wellness or something. So ya… if you need to get your vegan OMMMMMM on, call them. Seem to recall Ebony being vegan too, but may have that all wrong. Hope so.

Pretty sure CJ’s BBQ is open. I seen a roll of fresh Bounty on every durn table the other day when I rode my horse by. No website or anything. Call me if they have brisket. Pismo Beach icon ALEX has re-opened after, what, a nearly decade? in the forever-for-sale La Bodega Tapas bank building and a for sale sign up at the former historic oopsie location. I didn’t think Compass Health ever sold properties. Remember when they were the biggest resty game in town? Maybe still are by sheer numbers but Streetside HAS to be gaining on them.

Since we talked about wine all morning, we can discuss coffee this afternoon. Did you know Top Dog‘s rent was $18,000 annually??!?!? For those who went to public school, that’s 1500 bucks a month. Sheesh can I get a zoning variance from the city for R-1 and move in? PLEASE???? Also in Morro Bay, rumors of it *could* be just weird holiday hours have been de-confirmed and Daisy’s Coffee has closed.

Oh and two more things: I tried the Burger King tacos and Die Hard is not a Christmas movie.

See you’d know all this already if you followed my stories on @thatmcconnellguy