Yao Chi's Favorite Restaurants
From Southern California to the Southwest
Arizona
California
Arcadia Todai Seafood Buffet Restaurants - Dinner at these is a good value if you come hungry. Buffet style Sushi and Hot dishes. I have not yet succeeded in trying one of each dish on a single visit. The one in Arcadia is closest to home, but I have also visited the Todais located in San Diego and also in San Jose. If you like sushi and seafood, this is worth a visit.
Barstow Bun Boy Cafe - Is a nice place to eat in Barstow. Nowadays the one in Baker has a different owner and thus each should be judged on its own merits. Friday is a particularly good day to hit the BunBoy in Barstow.
Rosita's - Barstow's Mexican Restaurant
Boron Domingo's Mexican Restaurant -A fine place to get good Mexican food when East of Mojave and West of Kramer Junction.
Kramer Junction Roadhouse Restaurant & Bakery - Since Big Daddy's is gone, this is the only REAL restaurant left at Kramer Junction and your last chance for real food if you are heading up to the Randsburg Area. The Roadhouse Restaurant is located on the SE corner of the junction of Highway 58 and US 395. If you miss it, I want to know what you have been smoking. Open 24 hours, breakfast available 24 hours, (760) 762-6639
La Verne Baker's Square - A good place for breakfast or other meals when coming and going to Fairplex in Pomona. Exit the 210 Freeway Eastbound at the Foothill Ramp.
Lucerne Valley Cafe 247 - a modest eatery which includes among its fare: Poppers; almost always a hit with me, Peanut Butter Milkshakes; how many places will you find these ? Introduced to me by a local resident, whom also informed me that hours can be unpredictable. 32866 Old Woman Springs Rd (at the corner of Barstow Road), Lucerne Valley, CA 92356 Phone: (760) 248-6088
Norwalk Outback Steakhouse Restaurants - There are lots of these, but the ones at which I most often eat are first the one in Norwalk and the other in San Diego. My favorite dish at Outback is the Swordfish, but when this is not available, the Mahi Mahi or Salmon are also great.
Pasadena Fu Shing Szechuan Chinese Restaraunt - My personal favorite dishes here include: The Assorted Seafood Casserole, Firecracker Lamb
Islands Restaurant - there are locations in East Pasadena and at The Paseo
Acapulco Restaurants - their original location is the Acupulco's Pasadena Restaurant. My favorite dish is usually not on the menu at all. It is called the Vista Del Mar, a combination of chicken and fish with a sherry butter dipping sauce.
Steer N Ale - one of my very favorite steakhouses. I almost invariably order the Stockyard, with the steak well done, butterfly cut, baked potato with everything on it, and their chili soup topped with jack cheese. Yummy. Located at the intersection of Foothill Blvd and Rosemead. 3644 E. Foothil Blvd, Pasadena, CA phone 626-796-2278 Hours 11:30 AM to 9 PM seven days a week.
Randsburg / Johannesburg / Red Mountain There should be a place to eat here, except there isn't. This is a culinary wasteland. Timbuctu of the historic desert mining communities.
Ridgecrest Texas Cattle Company - a reasonable place to eat in the China Lake area.
San Diego Todai -
Outback -
San Jose Todai -
Santa Barbara Sambos - Yes Sambo's the very last surviving Sambo's Restaurant is here. It happens also to have been the very first one as well. Be sure to check the availability of the crabmeat omelette. When I last ate there, it was made with REAL, not faux crab.
Springville Hamburger Stand - Yes, that is all it is called. Have been stopping there for years. My favorite dish there is The Australian Burger.
Whittier El Buen Gusto - A favorite restaurant in a somewhat obscure location. My personal favorite dish there is the Chicken Tostada, sometimes I order the Pork version. 10820 Beverly Blvd, Unit A-2, Whittier, CA 90601. 562-692-4448 Hours are M-F 11 AM to 8:30 PM. Saturday 5 PM to 8:30 PM. Sunday 8 AM to 3:30 PM. Say hello to the proprietor: Ceasar. GoogleMap to El Buen Gusto Map notes: The arrow is pointing at the Valero Gas Station on the corner. Behind that is a fast food joint. The 3rd building along Beverly Blvd. contains El Buen Gusto, an Ice Cream shop and other businesses.
Jacks Whittier Restaurant- 13221 E. Whittier Blvd, Whittier, CA 90602 562-693-8713 A Favorite place for breakfasts. A frequent choice is their Spinach, Feta Cheese, Bacon & Mushroom Omelette. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have other restaurants at additional locations.
Yermo Peggy Sue's Nifty Fifties Diner - When I am hanging out in the Calico area, this is a very convenient and satisfactory place to get any meal.
Missing In Action The following restaurants have closed. In East Pasadena, International House of Pancakes, and Baker's Square (which said location was once itself a Sambo's Restaurant)
Nevada
Goldfield No place for breakfast in Goldfield. One or two bars that purport to serve food later in the day. There have been suggestions that this may change. I won't hold my breath.
Moapa The Moaps Paiute Travel Plaza - A place to purchase snacks, visit their casino/bar, gas up and a gift shop with Native American themed merchandise. There are indications of modest dining facilities in this rapidly expanding enterprise. Who knows what the future may bring. Ah, yes, since it is tribal land, the enterprise also includes a prominent fireworks store. A word to the wise, most online map searches will yield a very wrong location for the travel plaza, by a few miles. Use the link at the beginning of this paragraph.
Las Vegas Cafe Heidelberg - A German Restaurant - this is located directly behind the Marie Callender's restaurant listed below. Just use the map for the Marie Callender's to find it.
Marie Callender's Restaurants - On Sahara Blvd directly in front of the Cafe Heidelberg is the - Marie Callender's on Sahara Blvd. .
Stateline At Stateline on I-15 there are a number of casinos which can be excellent places to get food and gasoline if one is hungry and cannot wait. Frankly though, I prefer the Marie Callender's Restaurant in Las Vegas if I have the choice.
Tonopah The Banc Club - a very satisfactory place to get a meal in an area with somewhat of a dearth of sit down eateries. There is also a very interesting assortment of mining equipment scattered about the parking lot and around the restaurant / casino.
Utah
Saint George - As often as I pass through St. George, I guess it is remarkable that I have not looked for any special restaurants in this town. My usual haunts here are the Denny's where I usually get breakfast. There is one at the North end of town and another at the South End.
Almost Everywhere Denny's Restuarants -