A few new places in Pismo–all down in no-man’s land. Weenie World has taken over the roof-of-mouth-wrecking Chipwrecked. Mariscos El Picosito of Santa Maria is taking over our beloved El Mirador and around the corner there’s finally the Mediterranean food/wine place finally opened: At The Pier Shawarma. Fay’s Fusion has finally gone away–not sure when that happened–I loved it but location was kinda cursed. Also don’t call yourself fusion.

The artist formerly known as Panda Panda until it became Bamboo Bamboo has re-opened their SLO location as Shake Shake, already paying for and making its rounds through the over-joyed spotlight to success success. This is of course in The Creamery where the ill-fated tequila & taco franchise of Cioppinot was. Bob Cantu has opened a second location of his Marv’s Pizza in the old Sidecar building… next door Sinaloa Tacos y Birria stays vacant–as they should. Besides, white people can flock to Efren’s up in the bro-food Mall for their fix. Or El Guero. Speaking of El Guero, two things: Everyone knows by now they are opening in Morro Bay on the Embarcadero. As we all know, the demo here will be FAR AND AWAY the most #whitepeopletaconight grouping of low-hanging palates of any of their locations. Except maybe Pismo–which will be nearly identical in demo to Morro Bay. So I went in to see if the tacos at Pismo were like the wonderful ones in Arroyo Grande or the disgusting ones in SLO, and wouldn’t you know, they were AMAZING. So cross your fingers. No sign of progress on the actual remodeling of the building… although they have taken to parking one of their many taco-trucks in the parking lot and staying open fairly consistent hours. The trucks are wonderful. Would be a shame if they lured all these people out there to the brand with their truck-food, only to open the brick & mortar with tourist-food. But number two–and MOST interesting: their ABC application on the door is for a 74, the booze-board’s latest loophole to an easy liquor license.

Speaking of tacos, someone asked me to make a list of all the rotisserias left. There are shockingly few, with some towns having none–others perhaps one. I’ll think about it.

Up enduring the never-ending El Camino Real “safety and parking enhancement project’ is Kula Hawaiiann BBQ next door to Kula Winery tasting room. Speaking of Atascadero, I was handed a copy of the North County BEST OF Awards and boy oh boy is THAT a piece of work. You know we all love to cap on New Times’ annual list, but this thing is a seriously precious document. Pedro’s for best Mexican resty. No seriously: HAVE YOU EVER EATEN AT PEDRO’S???????? This is not food for human consumption. La Parilla won best taco, of course–this would be akin to Efren’s winning in SLO. There are Pancake, Waffle, and French Toast categories. Barley & Boar won best restaurant and Outlaws best night out. Stay classy, Atascadero. Farther south, Le Plebe has opened in the former Martinez, which has moved the panaderia-only portion of the business down to the old Taco Stand place across from Chalk Mt. Deli’s atrocities.

Was also handed a list of on-market industry locations. Resty listings are always interesting because typically cloaked behind troublingly-vague yet identifyingly-specific descriptions, stock photos and rarely an address. Kicker’s is still for sale. Nick the Greek also–for a lot less than I suspected. Probably about as much as he put into the build-out. Or at least the stucco job. Park reduced its price again: $80k makes it easily the bargain in town–provided it hasn’t been stripped. Manny wants 7m for his spot in Avila. I hope it includes the building. Some dude is taking over mcclintock’s downtown slow not sure if it’s like big bad bistro or the okay corral but something’s going on there. Down the street Ben Franklin’s deli has put in a fried chicken franchise alongside their regular menu.

A couple notes in the *tacos de Mexico* realm, and man, am I glad I recently went on a binge to try them all again. The one in Grover is GONE. How many decades has it been there??? Pier Seafood now, ALSO enduring a Grand Avenue excursion identical to Atascadero. That place is TORE UP, but boy oh boy the building going on. But there’s been some crumbs fall through it all. The Persian place is gone and becoming Holy Belly, which…. well… the mind races. Ribline is for sure gone, and next door, CCB has purchased the half-block between 2nd and 3rd which formerly contained Sister Kitchen (already moved) and currently contains The Spoon Trade. But back to Tacos de Mexico: the old highway-side location in Santa Maria has re-badged as Casa Oaxaca El Tacos de Mexico serving v e r y interesting tacos on rustic tortillas and grasshopper as an optional filler. The recently-opened mariscos place in the old pho-side of China Buffet in Grover is becoming Something Something Culiacan, which always makes for rather interesting Sinaloan food.

In SLO, a couple of fairly curs-ed locations have found people willing to make a go. Saint’s Barrel is gone, and opening is a spot dedicated to WAIT FOR IT chocolate and wine pairings. I know this is the wrong account, but anyone who follows my wine blog for more than about 3 minutes knows exactly how I feel about that. Wine and chocolate do not go together, end of conversation and yes I can hear all you wine-moms who read WineFolly and hang out at Paso tasting rooms going ballistic. I don’t care. Wine and chocolate is a terrible pairing. I’m assuming from the title it is the chocolatier formerly inside Mistura’s lobby. Down on Broad through mid-town, the former Giant Grinder-cum-lesbian bar-cum-Wicked Garden is reopening and I knew who it was and forgot it already.

I’ll think of something else.