Sorry I’ve only written TWICE this year, but just been busy eating tacos and minding my own business. Lots of fun little things going on though… Probably the biggest news is SLO FISH CO opening in the former… what was it… I can’t even remember… the distillery at the south end of SLO Public Market that closed suddenly with its 4 siblings maybe 2 years ago? 3? All of them have been re-purposed by a new proprietor: the tasting room became the weird breakfast spot will a full bar (explain that); the retail market became a Goshi outpost; and on and on in classic public market’ rotisserie fashion but the big anchor has been enthusiastically re-worked by a Morro Bay local who KNOWS the fish industry into a market and restaurant. Not sure the status of the 74.

Down the road a bit, Compass Health continues its re-purposing of Edna Valley Vineyards and this place is supposed to be stunning. Originally the rumors were it was going to be Randall Grahm’s tasting room for his Gallo-corporate-boring Language of Yes offerings but who knows. Speaking of Compass, the big dirty hush-hush news was Ventana closing, but that turned out to be a forced coastal-siesmic-safety-slippage thing and not the failure of the resty. *Allegedly*. Pretty good run though, even though I hated it. When did Pelican Point close? When did the stairs get torn down? I think Ventana has to be a solid 15 years. What a strange run, Compass Health restaurants: Alex in Shell, Mixteca or whatever downtown, the botched Custom House remodel, Ventana, I guess Oyster Loft is still open? God, forgot totally about that place. Also around the corner at the former Spyglass is the new WESTERLY which I’ve looked in the windows several times but never actually been in.

Up in SLO, the new owners of SLO Brew Rock have completed their transition and are in control of everything EXCEPT the Rod & Hammer Tasting Salon. Been a slight name change too, can’t remember… gonna hafta look it up–there it is THE ROCK SLO. Pretty much the entire original staff are retained, so basically it will just reflect on your IG feed as a change in marketing. The Carrisa is NOT part of these changes, and, I suppose while we’re on the subject it is fair to mention they lost their liquor license and a shocking and immediate about-face on alcohol consumption and its moral and health implications was performed INSTANTLY on all their marketing channels. Basically their IG went from *come get the youngest drunk girls in town* to *come get the 18-and-over WOW’s who have taken the high road on partying*. All other rumors concerning that property–upstairs and down–are completely unfounded.

PARK 1039 has re-opened. Betcha didn’t see that one coming. And AS “Park 1039”. What a long strange trip that’s been. At one point it was for sale for 100k. THAT was a steal. Now it is “curated plates and wine”. Of course it’s curated. Can you expect any less from PARK? Next door Mo’s Mediterranean has been slinging the “sandwiches” (yes, they are considered sandwiches) to the downtown lunch crowd while the halal spot across the street shut down. But the truly exciting news is: Mo’s has also opened HABIBI GRILL on the park in Paso so we got gyro, falafel, dolma and New York Over Rice and kebab right downtown. It’s good. Very good.

Speaking of sandwiches, there’s some taco news of course. Still in Paso, there’s 3 important things to underline. Got snooping around at the far northern end of main street–the dodgy end–and discovered J&J’s Liquor who serve a Top-3 taco out of an extremely English-limited kitchen in the back. DO NOT MISS. Down the road under the considerably more poshy watchful eye of Paso Market Walk sits a tiny kitchen–and YES it is literally just a kitchen–called Guisado’s To Go. And from the one or two tables inside you can nom the most beautiful birria & consomme I have ever had WHILE WATCHING the ladies-who-lunch giggle over their ridiculous “duck al pastor” at Finca across the street. Number three, Burritos Express kinda feel off my map when they closed in Atascadero and SLO, but finally got to re-visit them out on Creston Rd where they took over a formerly VERY mediocre taqueria (Mr. Taco? Senor Taco?) and are serving–I believe–the finest taco in Paso Robles. YESSSSSSS I KNOW I HEAR YOU: WHAAAAAAT? La Reyna? HELLO La Reyna??? Listen. La Reyna is good. Really really stupidly good and always will be the queen of Paso. But Burritos Express is making a taco I DARE you to compare. This is the al pastor trifecta in Paso RN: Burrito Express, J&J’s and La Reyna. Load them in your maps. It should be noted Al Chile was open for about 5 minutes between Orale closing and Habibi opening and it was FIRE. Not sure what happened there.

BUT IT GETS BETTER! Guess who re-opened the old Jay’s Diner on 41 in Atascadero that’s been 17 other Mexican things the past 5 years? BURRITOS EXPRESS! and it’s called ARROYO’S GRILL and if you can overlook their fondness for AI menus, they are making THE best tacos in Atascadero. Your Atascadero trifecta? Arroyo’s Grill, AZTECA, and El Gaucho (the former Papi’s #1). On a sad note, I used to place Suprema and Super Fiesta nearly side-by-side in the taco ratings and the former remains supreme but the fiesta market has taken a turn for the worst. Terrible dyed-red over-salted meat on pasty double-wraps–barely edible.

Down in SLO, there’s exciting taco news as well. Come’ON! EVERYTHING about tacos ALWAYS is exciting. The former hamburger joint inside Cork & Bottle closed sadly several years ago BUT! has been reopened as FAT JAY’S KITCHEN and he’s making a ridiculous taco. One of the best tacos in SLO since El Tizon went away. Your SLO trifecta? Taqueria Santa Cruz Express #2 (on Foothill NOT the horrible one on Monterey), Fat Jay’s, and oh boy… a third one is hard. Lemme think. Probably gonna hafta stick with Chicho’s.

Let’s see. The rooftop bar at AVA HOTEL is amaze-balls. Charlie Palmer opened the saloon or something at the PR Inn and now they’re remodeling the steakhouse again, so is PAlmer going to take that over too? Very confused about what’s happening there and what kind of food is available where and need to just walk in one day. Jan’s over in the railroad center took over Tastes in the Alley in Paso and is open with his vinyl and crazy deep natty wine list. Next door, apparently the vegan thang didn’t go over too well in yee-haw paso so Ziggy’s reverted back to its owner: Sylvester’s. At the other end of Spring, some more exciting news as Ben Franklins opened #2 and with it, their Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken franchise. So now you have a FAR better option than KFC. As an aside, The new deli is basically next door to McGregor’s, so the juxtaposition of the WORST FRIED CHICKEN YOU’VE EVER HAD IN YOUR LIFE and some stuff so good it rivals Popeyes on a good day side-by-side is… well… funny.

Down in Colony District, Lebber’s is open full-time (american’s don’t eat pizza for lunch though, remember that whenEVER you try to visit a pizza joint around here. Oh Oh Oh I hear you kicking and screaming but it’s TRUE. Shall we make a list? No, we shouldn’t, because you would see I am right. The only place to get pizza for lunch is Round Table and Guiseppie’s. Period.) Around the corner Momotaro Ramen has finished their transition from Paso Market Walk and everyone says it is open, but wow, what a marketing plan. No sign. No lights. Door closed. Blacked out windows. No postings. No nothing. I mean…. I *get* it. I LOVE a good secret location or invite-only nightclub or IYKYK Resty, but sheesh. Better be good ramen. Please put a curtain over the door at least.

Speaking of noodle soup, I got into a tiny pho place in Paso I had completely mis-represented for YEARS. Driven by thousands of times–that weird kinda medical complex at the corner of Niblick (1st St.) and Spring as you get on the freeway going south. I always knew there was an Asian resty there, but didn’t realize there were TWO. Yes, there’s the Thai place I’ve never bothered visiting AND A LITTLE PHO JOINT NEXT DOOR. Run by a white guy. I mean–talk about goalz. And it’s good. He knew exactly what I wanted without either of us looking at a menu The first place outside of Ventura or San Jose to bring my rare beef on a separate plate. Now my mouth waters every time I drive by. See? Even now trying to find the name, I can’t. There is ONLY “Thai BBQ & Combo” listed there, and IT IS NEXT DOOR. There’s no listing of this place whatsoever. OK so now after another 10 minutes of googling and re-wording things, I come up with Thai Combo AND Pho-Nee “operated as a take-out restaurant next door” but I’m telling ya, this is no take-out spot! This is a real pho-joint with several tables and all. Googling “pho-nee” gets you Pho-4-U in Atascadero as closest match. So weird. GO EAT THERE.

OK, I gotta get going but the other big news is Crab It While It’s Hot opening in Morro Bay. Yes, Hanford, Porterville, Visalia…. the whole lot. I haven’t eaten there yet. I may never. I dunno. I keep walking by. I keep talking to people who have *experienced* it. Notice I didn’t say “people who have eaten there”. Clutch difference. Experincing it may-or-may-not include actually dining there. Clear enough? Good. The pictures (yes the entire menu is pictured out front) look disgusting, like there’s some ridiculous red sauce covering everything. Apparently, you must wear a plastic bib with a lobster on it. If you know me, bibs, Crocs, bedazzled jeans, fanny-packs, electric cars, Costco, iPhones….. there’s a LONG list of things I will go to my grave without experiencing. And I walk by constantly and every time, I survey the dining room (and don’t get me wrong: this place is PACKED), and there is a VERY DEFINITE *demographic* seated inside. Like 100% one demographic. EVERY. TIME. So maybe one of these days. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll work up the nerve some day.

Other Morro Bay news? Abe-spotting at the Avo & Marg Fest last weekend. Had his pizza oven fired up inside the event and was observed screaming at his wife as per usual. Also Shawn Behrens and Bear City Social among a packed crowd of hungry drinkers. I bring him up to segue to his *almost-opening* a brick & mortar up in North MB in the Manfredo building and original location of beloved Three Stacks Brewery. I don’t think the restaurant is quite operating yet, but close. He sets up his food-truck occasionally and serves to a few tables in the parking lot, but it’s spotty. This will be a great addition to North Morro Bay.

Oh. Brambles is slated for re-development. And I’m kinda out of news but I’ll think of more. Don’t flip around.