Route 66: Chow Time (Part 1)

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! 

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 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?!

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!