When I first started scribbling on these pages maybe 10 years ago, I complained constantly about how Paso got all the good restaurants, and SLO seemed to plod along with the usual suspects of pretty safe stuff. OK, maybe not *complained*, but observed loudly. Anchored by the Artisan-Bistro-Villa Creek trilogy, but also Panolivo, THO, Mistura,…
Tag: Stephen McConnell
THE TACO LIST
Roughly North-to-South from Salinas to Santa Barbara–with heavier population Paso to Santa Maria. Please note this is not a “Best Mexican Food” list. It is STRICTLY taquerias, and I only order ONE thing. Scroll to the bottom of this list for a rough outline of my parameters for “Tacos”. ◊◊ No No ◊ No ♦…
RESTY GOSSIP 10.30
Who’s had MONIKA’S MACARONS??? Along with LA PARISIENNE in Morro Bay, this is easily the best-kept dessert secret in the area. OK–and maybe DE PALO & SONS. Seriously, though: I just can’t get enough of those pistachio things (YES THE GREEN ONE) Salted caramel too. Oh and mocha! Of all the things Garden Street has…
RESTY GOSSIP 10.24
Have you been to the new HIGH ST. DELI in Los Osos yet? Baywood, actually. Menu’s a bit different–not quite as large as the midtown location–but has most of the favorites. PLUS–and this is key–a WINE SHOP on site! Yes, there’s a place to buy wine in Los Osos now besides the Shell station and…
Resty Gossip 10.17
There’s a new eatery in the troubled spot on Chorro in Chinatown where the Iberian wine-shop was: about 5 tenants ago. THE HEALTHY CRAVE seems to promise more than just smoothies and I’m not sure what their shtick is, nor do I honestly care. Quite confident I will visit them exactly the same number of…
9 Central Coast Secrets
I’ve written *Best-Of’s* and *TOP-5’s* and honestly those are kinda boring lists–both to read AND to write. Parade out the usual suspects, bang a stamp on it, drop it in the mail and BOOM people click and cheer. Loyal readers will know my handful of upper eschelonic white-table-cloth eateries by heart and will also know…
Top 5 Wine Service Peeves
Dear Restaurants: Can you please stop seating me without a wine-list. This is wine-country. THIS IS RIGHT SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING AND HIGHEST-ACCLAIMED WINE AREAS IN THE WORLD. From where I’m sitting in your restaurant, I could hit 10 wineries with a 5-wood. Hundreds of thousands of dollars…
5 Towns 5 Burgers
Every menu on the Central Coast has a burger on it. It is something I have learned to accept in dining along the coast. Burgers are popular, no doubt, and a welcome menu item and ubiquitous with American dining culture. There are probably 300 burgers within 10 miles of where I stand and yes, I…
200 miles of Tacos
I haven’t counted lately, but there are probably well over 150 taquerias listed on my TACO PAGE and that is a LOT of information for all but the die-hard taco-freaks. I get emails, texts, DM’s almost daily, “HELP I’M IN _________ WHERE’S THE BEST TACOS??” Everyone wants a short-list. I’ve never made a TOP-10 or…
Resty Gossip 5.27
Been kinda cruisin through the classics lately because I feel my TOP-5 Restaurant list needs updating. In that intent, ate at BISTRO LAURENT for the second time in about a month. Best restaurant in Paso Robles right now–and has been for some time. Oh wait, my bad: it’s BL BRASSERIE now. STILL the best resty…
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