I was determined not to come back to the UK two dress sizes bigger; it was a hard challenge.
Here is the first instalment of my more memorable food observations from our trip doing the route in Oct/Nov 2012, starting in no
particular, helpful order.
Johnny Rockets (Santa Monica) – Malts
This was my first few hours in the States and my first
experience of a malt shake. I have a
strong sweet tooth so I had a Very Cherry malt shake and H had a Strawberry
Oreo Crumble one for $5.49 each.
O.M.G. it was great!
O.M.G. it was great!
I don’t think my impression of it was down to the fact it
revived me as I was flagging from H’s regime - no sleep on the plane and only do so with the new time zone as late in the day as possible. I was a zombie as you can see in the pic.
I love the old diner theme and the mini juke-boxes that are placed at every booth/table as well as the counter. Interestingly there were a lot of old British songs to select from rather than old American hits.
I love the old diner theme and the mini juke-boxes that are placed at every booth/table as well as the counter. Interestingly there were a lot of old British songs to select from rather than old American hits.
I have had malt shakes in Ed’s in the UK since (I’d never
noticed Ed’s until now! Where have I been??) and they are NOT a patch on the
ones in the States...
Barney’s Beanery (Santa Monica) – Smores
A Route 66 historical landmark, Barneys was
apparently once frequented by Ms. Monroe for the chilli. This place was always busy when we had a
stroll into town and we visited on a Saturday night, sitting out at the front
so we could see the street entertainment and the passersby. This was good as we had a while to wait. I’ll write more about Santa Monica and the
area in another post later. The menu is
extensive to the point of being too big!
For dessert we sore Smores listed.
After asking what on earth it was and being informed it’s a typical
American thing we ordered to share for $5.95.
It is basically marshmallows for toasting, chocolate and
biscuits and what I’d term ‘interactive’ food like fondue. You toast your marshmallows, get them gooey,
put them with the chocolate between the biscuits and stuff in your mouth! I wasn’t overly impressed to be honest so let
H carry on and took a picture. I was more
interested in the pink, flaming gel that came with it that you use to toast
your marshmallows with.
Where can I get more of that just for the sake if it?!
Where can I get more of that just for the sake if it?!
Panda Garden (Needles) – Chinese
Sometimes you just want a quick, decent size meal that’s not
fussy and doesn’t cost the earth. When
we got into Needles it was late, we were tired and starving. This place fitted the bill and was open. Basically Chinese food is the cheapest we’ve
found in the states and was always good.
We ate a huge meal for 2 with alcoholic drinks here for less than the
equivalent of £14. Bargain.
Shelly’s Route 66 Cafe (Cuba, MO) – Meatloaf
402 S Lawrence St, Cuba, MO 65453, USA.
We stopped by for a late lunch at this small diner on the
route - Washington Street, Cuba, Missouri.
Run by a lovely lady, it was
busy with lots of local people who seemed to be regulars. I recall they advertised their Face Book
presence and they produce their own
souvenir t-shirt. The food was 'home-made’, generous portions and tasty.
I can only find the card receipt so not sure how much the individual
menu items were but I had memorable meatloaf, with mash, gravy and green beans
(yes vegetables!) and it was great. A
good place to stop. Closed on Mondays I think.
Yippee-Ei-O Steak House (Tusayan,Grand Canyon) – Evening meal
We were staying at the Holiday Inn down the road and it was
a 5 minute walk between there and a convenience store for provisions – an
off-the shelf sinus spray so strong that the MOD would insist on CBRN training
to use it over here and an apple that cost me $1.89!! Really!
We were hungry so stopped off at this tacky-looking place in
between which was heaving. Seated first
by the door where it was bloody draughty we got moved further in where I was
swamped by the barbecue sauce smell that churns me so. Here-on-in assume I wasn’t best pleased. The food was OK actually and there was a lot
of it but it wasn’t fantastic. I think H
was mentally scoring each place we ate in by the quality of the T-bones and
this one was middling I recall. The meal and drinks
were only $40 but half of eating out is the service. Just because you are down the road from THE
most famous and biggest natural phenomena and national park in the world and
you’re an almost captive audience it doesn’t mean you should accept and tip for
OK food served scrappily.
Buca di Beppo (Chicago) – Coffee
A long-established Italian-American restaurant with a fascinating
sumptuous decor, walls covered in artwork and photos from the 40s and 50s – if
I didn’t know any better I’d say this is what the Frankie and Benny's UK chain
has tried to emulate but is only a third of the way there. The clientele that Saturday in Beppo’s were
rich ladies who lunch and, with the coffee not even listed on the menu, we felt
out of place and poor. Well worth
visiting for a coffee and a good bog at the pictures on the walls but the menu
was too expensive for us.
Muskrat Coffee (Tijeras, New Mexico) – The best coffee we have EVER tasted
Two guys have set up to blend and roast coffee, catching the
local commuters into Albuquerque.
They seem to be in the middle of nowhere to us but the guy
who served us was using an iPad till system as his colleague, the roaster,
painted the outside of the building as part of setting up their business. They are next to the Hitchin’ Post Feed store
right on the route and have a Face Book presence.
We like coffee and drink a lot of it. We’ve tried lots and this was fantastic.
When
you drive past here, turn around, go back and have some!