Restaurant Review: P.F. Chang's China Bistro in Omaha

 For my birthday we visited P.F. Chang's in Omaha by the Westroads Mall which is by the 680 and Dodge intersection.  This is a restaurant with a Japanese, Japanese Asian theme but also with American dishes.  I think of us three I was the one most pleased with my dinner.  I had Mongolian beef with noodles.  Sheri had sweet and sour chicken with fried rice and Tony had Teriyaki beef with fried rice.  Tony thought his meet was too tough but it was the same meet used in the Mongolian beef, cut in small strips with different spices.  The Mongolian beef had green onions with it which was nice.  It was a bit pricey.  The fried rice and the noodles were upgrades from steamed rice and cost $4 more.  Being a bistro they serve alcohol and wine glasses on the table were r4emoved for us.  I do not think it is a restaurant we will return to.  We are still looking for a good Chinese restaurant in the Omaha area.  

Bellevue Restaurant Review: Raising Canes ©

 Canes is on Cornhusker, just a bit east of the 75.  It is a chain restaurant with about 1000 stores.  They do not franchise but all their stores are run by the corporation.  They specialize in chicken fingers and make their own sauce.  There sauce is advertised as tangy and peppery.  I thought it had too much vinegar? or something for my tasted.  The also make Texas toast, but I did not get any as didn't like it at Dairy Queen.  They also make cole slaw as a side but not my favorite either.  The redeeming factor with Canes is that their chicken fingers are very good.  They have a very nice crust and are very juicy.  They have crinklycut fries.  I like crinkly cut friens but they were under done.  

Omaha Restaurant Review: Denny's

 Denny's is a national chain and we have been frequenting them for many years.  There was one close to our home in San Jose/Cupertino.  It changed to a different restaurant, but we often enjoyed their grand sla breakfast.  We could feed the whole family for not much money.  However Denny's has changed.  We were in Cleveland (Rockside Rd just off the 77) needing dinner and took the boys.  It was a terrible experience.  We were hungry, and they took forever to serve us.  When they did the food came out one plate at a time, so some were served and others still waited.  And except for the pancakes the food was not very good.  I had salmon, which was overspiced and very salty.  Those who had breakfast seemed to do okay with their food.  Sheri had onion rings, which weren't done crispy and she asked them to fry them a bit more.  They still seemed rather soft.  The worse part about the experience is we were there with hungry boys and it took over an hour for us to be served.  It will be a long time before we visit a Denny's again.  There are a couple of Denny's in Omaha.

Restaurant Review: Elkhart: Biebs and Ash Smashburger

 This is a restaurant with a couple of locations.  We visited in downtown Goshen.  There is another Biebs and Ash in Mishawaka.  They also have a food truck.

They specialize in smash burgers.  They really are very good.  The burger is smashed in addition to the bun.  This results in the burger extending past they edge of the bun.  I had the Bieb burger and it was very good.  Their fries are also good.  A bit pricey for burgers, but well worth it.  They also have chicken and fry upgrades.  They have appetizers and salads.  They also have a children's menu.

Welcome to Kingman: Hualapai Mountain Resort Restaurant

 The setting for this restaurant is lovely, and the food is equally as pleasing.  I was told that you can see elk and deer as you eat through the window.  We did not have that luck; must have been the wrong time of the year.  The only wildlife we saw was bird and squirrels.  

The food was delightful.  I ordered the meat loaf sandwich I had hear about.  It did not disappoint.  The meatloaf had enough sweetness, and adding the onion and lettuce made the taste exquisite.  My only issue was how to eat it as a sandwich.  The meatloaf was just too thick so I had to use a knife.  I had ordered the clam chowder as my side (which was nice) but then wanted to try their home made potato chips so added this as an appetizer.  The really were good for the most part.  Every once in a while a chip had too much salt.  Sheri had prime rib French Dip.  Being prime rib the meat was too red for her taste.  Tony enjoyed his club sandwich and in fact shared with Sheri.  Miranda had a basic hamburger.  I think we all left satisfied except for maybe Sheri.  This is a restaurant to which we intend to return.  The 15 minute drive to get there is well worth it.  

Welcome to Kingman: Cracker Barrel Restaurant and store

Cracker Barrel is a national chain with a southern twist.  I had never been t a Cracker Barrel before coming to Kingman.  They started in Tennessee and have only moved to the West the last coupe of years.  there are stores in Las Vegas, and even California. This is a nice restaurant and country store.  There food is very good.  Better yet it is reasonable priced.  They always seem busy.  The only unpleasant thing is you have to pay at the store.  This allows them the opportunity to get you to spend more money. Sometimes there is a line to pay.  Last time we went we had the daily special, country fried pork which was very good.  The southern cooking seems to hit the comfort food spot.  There are 664 restaurants in 45 states.  

Welcome to Kingman: Mr. Dz Route 66 Diner

Mr. Dz is an icon in Kingman.  It takes its theme from Route 66 and is downtown across from Locomotive Park.  It is decorated inside with pictures of vintage cars.  It also has an Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe theme.  It is they who decorate the entrance to the restrooms.   Then outside there are a couple of vintage cars, one a police car and the other a pick-up truck.  We really enjoyed our meal.  We both started with ice cream, I a caramel shake and Sheri a root beer float.  The root beer was endless.  The shake came with the canister and was more than enough.  The caramel was delectable with extra at the bottom.  By the time our food came I was stuffed with milk shake.  I had their Chili burger.  They use a large patty, and I had to take most of my burger home.  Sheri had the large hamburger and she took most of hers home as well.  I had fries, which had an interesting crust.  The crunchiness was good--but didn't last when I microwaved them at home.  Other restaurants in Kingman.

Happy Anniversary (34) to Us

We went to Alviso for our birthday.  Ae at two so-so restaurants.  Vahl's in Alviso wasn't as good as I was expecting.  And then Bill's restaurant for breakfast also disappointed.  However the company did not.  We took a tour of Alviso, and walked out to the bay at Alviso Marina.

Restaurant Scene: Manteca: Five Guys, Sizzler

The Manteca restaurant scene has really changed with the addition of Sizzler, and Five Guys.  Five Guys is a chain I have visited before.  This is a review of the Twin Falls store.  I have still been trying to get the same flavor on my mushroom burger, and always seem to come up short of my memory of that first one.  However I have discovered their shakes and they are terrific.  I had a caramel shake to my delight.  I also like their fries, and the way they overstuff them in the bag.  I have found it is best for me to order the smaller burger.  The regular burger comes with two patties, which is just too much for me as then the meat dominates the flavor and it is hard to taste whatever else you want on your burger.
The bigger impact in Manteca has been Sizzler.  This is a national chain that features steak and salad buffet.  That restaurant always has a very large crowd.  It has drawn the crowd away form Chili's it appears.  We visited and I had sirloin tips over rice pilar which was excellent.  The juice form the steak did a good number on the rice.  Two excellent additions.

Restaurant Review: Strings Italian in Manteca

Sheri and I visited Strings restaurant last summer and I have meant to write a post about our experience.  This is not a post about the grand reopening on North Main Street.  It wasn't terribly positive.  I ordered the pork Gorgonzola.  I discovered I don't care for Gorgonzola.  I also ordered gnochis, and discovered the fried them, which made them too dry for my taste.  I must admit, I took them home, and after being in the fridge and then microwaved they tasted better.  Sheri had better luck with her order.  The Strings closed shop by Walmart in Manteca, and are moving to North Main Street.  Hopefully they turn out better than they were.

Life in Manteca: Chubby's Grand Opening

By chance when we went out to eat last week, we visited the grand opening of the new Chubby's  We knew they planned on moving, and when we decided to go to Chubby's for dinner and shakes, we were a bit disappointed driving by and seeing everything dark.  However knowing they were moving we ventured to Orchard, and found Chubby's in the old Hollywood Video location.
Chubby's new digs are much larger, which allowed much more space for decor.  The decor is like 50s style with pictures of actors and singers throughout.  There is a focus on Marilyn Monroe, but many other artists are represented.  You could spend a day just trying to remember everyone.
Chubby's has an updated menu, making it easier to find what you want.  Most of the old favorites are there.  And the great prices are also still there.
Chubby's specialty is milk shakes.  They have many different flavors.  The regular adult shake comes with the extra tin, so it is like getting two shakes for one.  I had caramel, Sheri had chocolate, and Tony (child's size) has chocolate peanut butter.  After Tony suggested next time he and mom could get a regular shake and share.  Her tin would make more than enough shake for him and Sheri seems to never be able to finish her shake.
Being the grand opening day we came upon, they had much more business than the expected.  So we have a hamburger joint that ran out of buns.  We were all pleased with our meals, Tony had a corn dog, I hamburger steak with mushrooms, and Sheri country fired steak with white gravy.
I highly recommend Chubby's.  It is my favorite Manteca restaurant, while Tony and Sheri still lean to Chili's.
They also serve breakfast when they are open, and make their own hamburger buns.

Manteca Restaurant Review Cabana Del Sol

This restaurant is located where Nayarit use to be, close to the corner of Union on Yosemite.  The new restaurant is quite an upgrade, in decor, menu and price.  It is now an upscale Spanish cuisine, which has an Italian and Peruvian flavor.  I gad a pasta dish which was delightful, lots of flavor.  Sheri had three taco plate.  I had one taco the next day, which had a big glob of fat.  Not cool at what they were charging.  They even charged a hefty amount for the chips and salsa.

Life in Manteca: Restaurant Reviews and Dental Work, and Missionaries for Dinner

My last couple weekends, we have been to a couple different local restaurants.  We tried Texas Roadhouse again.  However, this time we went to Modesto instead of Tracy.  We enjoyed it a bit more.  The dancing was actually fun, and it wasn't near as noisy.  That was good because the Tracy restaurant was just too loud.  I can say I really enjoyed my meal.  I had chili, sweet corn and roadkill steak.  I chose this stake because it came with onions and mushrooms at no extra cost.  The mushrooms were excellent.  The onions and corn not so much so.  The steak itself was a hamburger steak and very good.  Sheri had a regular steak, which she ordered medium well.  She would have liked it a bit more well done.  Tony had chicken nuggets and fries.  I enjoyed his fries and some nuggets the next week at work.
We also tried a new restaurant in Manteca, just Sheri and I; it is at least new to us, Rocky's Diner.  Sheri and I both commented that it was a bit expensive for what they offered, gourmet burgers.  They  were similar to Red Robin, but not as good and without endless fries.   I had a strawberry shake.  There selection of flavors was very poor.  Chubby's has them beat there, and Chubby's gives you the tin so it is like two shakes for the price of one.   The decor was on of a tin looking inside with picnic tables.  The tables were mostly empty.  Sheri and I decided we wouldn't want to try it again.  The nice thing was Sheri ordered her burger bunless and they brought her a regular fork.
I am just back form the endodontist, where I had a root canal.  The dentist said I had lots of work to do, but I usually don't do all the say.  This was important however because I was scared to eat anything cold.  It didn't hurt when the did it, and I hope is doesn't hurt as the pain shot wears off.
And oh yeah, we had the missionaries over for dinner a couple Saturdays ago as well.  Sheri served Steak, potatoes and gravy; an old traditional meal.

Boise Trip 2016

Trip to Boise this past weekend to attend my sister's funeral.  I must admit, the weather was much better than a couple years ago when we went for my nephew's funeral.  We really didn't hit snow going.  I think we saw a couple flakes at one point, but that was it.  We made good time and were able to attend the dinner at Krista's, shared memories of my sister and honored Breanna and Devin who had birthdays.

Snow over the Sierras.  There was much more on the return trip, but not on the road.

We didn't do much for fun in Boise.  We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.  We did eat at the hotel a couple times which served a good free breakfast.  I really enjoyed it as they had biscuits and white gravy and sausage.  Nothing more exciting to me, and I ate this two days in a row.
The ward relief society provided ham and funeral potatoes for dinner, with brownies and whipped topping to go on them for lunch after the funeral.
Sheri and I also went out for one meal; to
the Boise Fry Company.  I had read about this in a article about the best fries in each state, and wanted to try them.  We attempted to go to the restaurant by the capitol building, but there was no parking that I could see.  So we went to another store a few miles away in a shopping center.  They have about eight varieties of fries.  I tried the purple fries, and Sheri ate the golden fries.  Of course I tried both.  They were both great.  They had many fry topping; my favorite was the fry sauce.  Ketchup is OK.  I also tried the sweet mustard, which was too hot.  The fry sauce spicy was also too hot for my taste.  The purple fries were great.  The golden are unusual because they are a very light fry--they actually seem less dense than a regular fry.   As for burgers, I had the bison burger, and Sheri a BLT.  The sauce on the buffalo burger clashed in my mind.  It wanted to dominate rather compliment so it was difficulty to taste the meat and cheese.   Sheri and I also both had root beer floats.  Sheri didn't care for the root beer.  She thought it tasted more like Coke.  It was distinctive.  I enjoyed it however.  The atmosphere was nice.  The menu is a bit pricey.  A football game was on.  I saw the missed field goal as Minnesota's season ended.
Again the trip home was uneventful.  You could tell it had snowed between our trips.  We picked a good day for travel.  As we arrived in Nevada the roads were a bit icy, but it didn't last long and there was always a path with the surface of the road exposed.

Life in Manteca 127: Barbecue Restaurant Reviews

Sheri and I have been to three barbecue restaurants in Manteca over the past couple of months.  These restaurants do not represent all the places where you can get barbecue, put those who specialize. Sheri eats more ribs at Chili's than these restaurants.  The three restaurants are Billie Hill's Hillbillie Bar-B-Q, Weber's Barbecue and Papa Joe's Big Barbecue.  These are restaurants that are unique in their own way.  Pap Joe's has a country western style.  They make a great chili.  Last time we went we had the family meat platter, which gave more than enough meat and salad.  The barbecue is more dry rub rather than barbecue sauce.  Although they have sauce you can add.  Pa Pa Joe's is the most expensive, but I had meet enough for the next couple days.  The sausage was so hot I finally fried it in scrambled eggs to cool it down.  Weber's Barbecue has a southern Louisiana type of theme.  Their ribs are dripping in sauce which is very nice.  However it is hard to find them open, they close rather early, and when we were there it was almost like we were an inconvenience.  Hillbillie Bar-B-Q has a very nice feel overall, and was the most fun of the three. They gave a presentation on all the sauces.  It seemed like they had almost a dozen different sauces from really hot to mild, to peach sauce and other exotic selections.  They gave us a taste test which was fun.  They also gave us each a back scratcher on our way out.  There is also a story on the wall about a cat which we found really cute.  The only drawback here is location as it is next to a bar with people hanging out on Yosemite.  But once inside that is just not an issue and the atmosphere is delightful and the food good.
So the winner is, Billie Hill's Hillbillie Bar-B-Q.

Iowa Trip Day 3: Des Moines

We started early from Terry's house after an interesting conversation about kids.  We stopped briefly for pictures in Elk Horn where they have a Danish windmill.  The also have an old viking house, circa 900 a.d. replica.

Danish Windmill

Viking House

Adair Iowa

We then hit the road, and were in Adair for breakfast where Jesse James and his gang carried out a train robbery.  The park was very nice, with a small playground and picnic tables.  We were off to Des Moines for our next stop.  

In Des Moines it was the first day of the State Fair, and we thought long about attending.  However, the crowds, my need for a haircut, and the need to pick up Ty at the airport put us short on time so we did not get there.  We drove through down town, no one wanted to get out, but have a couple pictures from the car.

801 Grand, tallest building in Des Moines

church through the bugged windshield

Des Moines Arboretum part of botanical garden

Cow and calf outside dairy

We picked up Ty, and then headed for something to eat.  We chose Perkins Restaurant and Bakery, which was a good choice.  They had breakfast as well as dinner.  I had the chicken fried steak with banana cream pie.  Very good.  

We then checked in to the hotel, and I was able to get in a swim.  Not the largest of pools, but I could get a bit of a swim in swimming diagonally.  The highlight of the day was picking up our Caleb.   This was Thursday August 13.

Life in Manteca 118: Manteca Fries

Yahoo
Utah Mikes Grill at Logan's Lanes.  It's the fry sauce.
California Carne Asada fries in Pasadena
Idaho Purple fries at Boise Fry Company
Washington Pike Street Fish Fry in Seattle.
I came across an article from Yahoo, about the best fries in each of the 50 States.  I have eaten at only one of these places, the Washington Pike Street Fish Fry in Seattle.  And we did have fish and chips, but I was more interested in the fish (while everyone else had chicken) than the fries.  I remember we had more than enough fries, but I never thought they were fantastic.  And the Idaho winner is from Boise, which city I have visited but never the Boise Fry Company.  Maybe an Idaho date night.  I have been to Logan Lanes, but never tried the fries.  However, the Arctic Circle Restaurants in the area have pointed to the need for fry sauce, ketchup and Miracle Whip mixed.  We make this regularly, especially when Sheri has chicken and fry nights.  I have also not visited the California winner, of course from Southern California.  Carne asada fries may be too much, but we do have great carne asada in California.
But as for the best fries in Manteca, I must conclude that Sheri's are the best by a long ways.  You have the choice of dipping in ranch, ketchup, fry sauce or barbecue sauce.  Her fries will stand up to any in the country I am sure.  She makes them fresh, hand cut, and she always cooks them until they are golden.  When I cook fries I have a tendency to undercook them as I lack patience.
I had been of the opinion Del Taco had the best fries, but our last trip there they were undercooked and mushy.  They have the curly fries, and this experience was disappointing.  However Tony likes Del Taco for the play place.
One added note, I think now I lean to Red Robin as the best restaurant fries in Manteca.  Especially if eaten with the onion ring sauce.  This sauce combines fry sauce with barbecue sauce (something Tony does at home on fry night) and it is great on the bottomless steak fries.

Life in Manteca 114: Columbus Day Weekend

Columbus Day was a bit of a lazy day.  I pulled a few weeds.  I took Jeremy, Kayla and Skylar to see "Meet the Mormons."  I still recommend it to anyone who wants to see a positive movie.  Went to Tracy and helped shovel a bit  with Jeremy and his father-in-law.  I must admit I didn't do much.  I took a drive first up Corral Hollow Canyon and then Patterson Pass, following the route of the 49ers many years ago.  I was looking for the old zinc house plaque, but couldn't see it.  I had read on the internet that it had been destroyed, but thought maybe I could find where it was.  Patterson Pass road is not very safe for two-way driving, and I was going up at the wrong time. 
I tried to new fish and chips in Manteca.  No need to give the address, because it was not good.  The waitress tried hard, but her attention was split with watching her three children.  But the worse part was the fish.  It actually did not have any taste.  The only taste was the tarter sauce or the lemon,  The fish had no taste, and the dough crust was either gooey or crunchy.  This place was even expensive.  When I saw the prices I wanted to bolt, but thought I would stay and try the deep fried Twinkie.  I had never tried one of those.  It wasn't worth it.  Again the Twinkie sort of melted in the deep fryer, and parts were crunchy and parts were gooey.  The whipped topping that came with it was OK.  Their chips were tolerable, and their clam  chowder must of sat too long.  It had plenty of potatoes but was short on clams. 

The construction continues to progress at the Lathrop-99 interchange.  Here is the new clover leaf on ramp from Lathrop going West to 99 going South. 

Life in Manteca 113: Meet the Mormons, restaurant review.

I am home alone for a few days while Sheri is off to Utah for a wedding, and to see the new grandson.  She has Charity, Camberly and Anthony with her.  Thursday night I went to Carl's Jr. for a change.  I think sit down restaurant would be awkward by myself;  so went to the upscale fast-food place.  I had a Big Carl.  I don't want to think of how many calories. (920, I looked it up)   It was OK with two patties and hamburger sauce and cheese.  I had a small fry and a milk.  I think their fries may be the best in town.  They were very good. 
Last night to the movies for the opening of Meet the Mormons.  I was so moved.  I went to the late show 10 p.m. at the AMC close to home.  Even so, it was well attended. I could have gone earlier, but wanted to avoid the crowds and the rush.  I just took it easy at home, but went over with plenty of time to get a good seat.  I like to sit in front so I can see.
This, for me was a memorable experience.  I knew I was going to cry; and I did, when they told the story of the missionary and his mother who sent him.  However, there were other parts of the film that were very moving.  The bishop's boys were funny, the relationship between the coach and his children was also humorous.  The story of the kick-boxing mother was very moving as well.  I also enjoyed the humanitarian story.  The Candy Bomber story brought me to tears.  Service is such a key part of our existence, and part of what we are about.  We are often looking for ways to serve. 
Then the story of the mother of a missionary.  This was not your typical Mormon story.  She was a convert, and her son was born to her when she was only 16.  She never married the father.  He left, but they did get back together in time for her to become pregnant again.  This time he left for good, and her new baby passed away shortly after being born.  She when through a time of feeling God had forgotten her.  However, at her lowest point, someone reached out to her.  She joined the church, picked up her roots and moved to Utah.  There she started a new life, and eventually a new family.
The farewell of Anthony, their son, was very moving.  All his younger siblings were getting hugs and crying.
This part moved me the most, because it is hard to send your children on missions.   We have two Caleb and Miranda serving now.  I miss them.  I have noticed I have been very emotional, especially since Miranda left.  I don't know why I am more sensitive with her being gone than my sons (Jeremy served a few years ago); but I am.  Both Caleb and Miranda write of positive experiences, which is good.  I think they are growing.  I already posted their comments about this movie.
I ran into Rhiannon Archibald from Tracy.  She is Caleb's friend.

Life In Manteca 110: Week Review: Broadway Review, Sunday School and Restaurant Review

My week has been great.  Sunday was fun.  Last weekend of rehearsal before the Broadway review and we have been having Sunday rehearsals.  It was actually fun.  In addition to the bit from Evita, I am also going to sing a Phantom line a' capella which is my forte. 

You are invited

We made it to Turlock yesterday, for just a short but fun visit with Charity, Anthony and baby.  Camberly took care of our chess game for us. (Tony and I were playing.)  She is a cute little thing.  Not quite walking yet, but she soon will get brave enough.  She will stand, but then sits back down where she feel safer.

Sunday School lesson was on missionary work, using Jonah and as an example.  He first didn’t want to go, then did, and was disappointed when the people of Ninevah repented.  He wanted the lord to destroy them, so the Lord taught him about the importance of souls and loving people.  
We also talked about a prophet Micah in the old Testament who saw our day.  He compared the children of Jacob (members of the church to dew on the grass.  The morning dew can give nourishment to all the grass.  We as members do this through example, service and opening our mouths.  He also compared us to the Lion among sheep.  I think he was saying that if we step out and do missionary work, none will be able to stand in our way.  The Lord will bless us with the faith to do.

It was a fun lesson.  I introduced the lesson, talking about my kids who are serving missions, Caleb and Miranda and the new spirit of missionary work. 

I went to the dentist Saturday.  I did a crown and have a temporary in.  It doesn’t quite fit right, but I can put up with anything a few days.

I also worked on making slide shows of the Skyview music.  It is enjoyable.  I have used many shots from the Yearbook.  I am about half done with the album, with a few more to go.
Sheri and I had a nice date night at ***^ Jack's Pizza Cafe.  We had a large pizza to share, half Hawaiian and half pepperoni and sausage.  Their sauce was pretty warm, but the pizza was good.  I did not venture to the Hawaiian side.  That was for Sheri.  I really liked their cheese bread that came with the special we ordered.  Sheri says she prefers Crazy Bread from Little Caesar's.  We also had mozzarella sticks with marinara sauce.  They were good with the sauce.  The also serve hamburgers and such but we stuck to the pizza.  They have a small game section.  The bathroom was not very clean--or actually someone had put paper towels in the toilet and I fished them out, worried they might cause an overflow.  They gave as a Manteca Bulletin to read so we were entertained.  It was comparable in price to Mountain Mike's; which I think we still prefer.  However Caesar's most often gets our business for the price.