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Original poster

California - fast food recommendations and other trivia we may not know about

125 replies

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 21/07/2022 20:41

Big bucket-list road trip holiday that was originally meant to happen back before Covid. While we won't be eating in fast food places every day, I want to try some of these places I've been reading about for years, like Denny's, IHOP, Wendy's... also heard that Gordon Ramsay is a fan of In n Out burger.

Any recommendations for fast food we must try, or should avoid? Also, any other less well known advice or tips (never been to America before) would be appreciated!

OP posts:
gogohmm · 22/07/2022 18:05

Denny's for breakfast - but go late and we won't need to eat until dinner. If there's Ivor's that's nice (I lived further north) also Cheesecake Factory, not fast food but good. I highly recommend independent diners in small towns - get a Reuben with a strawberry milkshake for utter deliciousness (share if you are not big eaters, they won't mind) if in a city and you want quick food Whole Foods has amazing hot food to go

gogohmm · 22/07/2022 18:05

Oh and taco del mar

PeloAddict · 22/07/2022 18:06

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 11:19

Btw OP ... really enjoying this thread so I can live my imaginary junk foodie holiday

I'm really relieved nobody's slating me for going on a decadent gluttonous holiday when DON'T I KNOW THERE'S A COST OF LIVING CRISIS. (I'm sure it'll happen eventually...)

Also enjoying it
You would have to roll me home

Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:14

maranella · 22/07/2022 14:05

IHOP is decent for breakfast, if there aren't better options, because it has everything and you don't have to eat pancakes. They have waffles, eggs, bacon, toast, porridge, fruit salad, omelettes, home fries, etc, etc. You can literally have anything you want.

In-N-Out Burger was a big hit with my family last year (I don't eat burgers, so I'm afraid I can't vouch for it).

Cheesecake Factory is a big favourite of mine and DH's, but beware, the portions are HUGE. The cocktails and desserts are also excellent.

You're doing an interesting route - I'm guessing your DH is into trains and cars and stuff given a couple of your stops. If you happen to be passing Lee Vining (small town at eastern end of Tioga Road as you exit Yosemite), at a mealtime, go into the little general store and get yourselves a Monorito (a burrito - but named after Mono Lake, which is a saline lake next to the town). My DS had one last summer and said it was excellent and it did look very good!

I've sent DH a link to this thread, so if he can fit anything else on his spreadsheet I'm sure he will!

OP posts:
Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:16

I LOVE both fish tacos and shrimp, so will be eating lots of that!

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Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:19

AcrossthePond55 · 22/07/2022 17:30

If you're going to Lone Pine be sure to hit up Schatt's Bakery in Bishop. Great sandwiches and baked goods. Try to find time to visit Bodie as you're heading up 395. A ghost town in 'arrested decay' where you can peer in windows and tour the old stamp mill.

That sounds very cool. DH has just finished reading Islands of Abandonment, which is all about ghost towns and areas that have been reclaimed by nature.

OP posts:
Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:22

BabyMoonPie · 22/07/2022 17:38

Ghiradelli, California Pizza Kitchen, Cheesecake Factory, IHOP and Dennys are all fab

Bit random but I'd recommend going to a baseball game as it's a quintessential American passtime and has the bonus that ballpark food is amazing! At Oracle Park in San Francisco they have garlic fries which are delicious

DH is hoping to take DS to a game. I would literally only be going for the food though... maybe they can throw some over the wall to me.

OP posts:
Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:29

Looking at the Cheesecake Factory menu and it is HUGE! I've read novels that are shorter than that, WTF. It sounds amazing though.

OP posts:
RelentlessForwardProgress · 22/07/2022 18:47

IHOP and Denny's for breakfast. (Dinners not so much) and also the breakfast sandwiches at Eggslut.

For dinner I'd definitely try some local independents instead. Have you ever seen any of the series "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri? You can get it on the Food Network Channel in the UK or lots of bits of it are on youtube, he basically tours the states filming the best dishes at individual diners. You do put on weight even watching it but you can have a lot of fun rehearsing your trip!

I'd also highly recommend the book "Los Angeles Cult Recipes" by Victor Garnier. He profiles lots of places in that and you can recreate their dishes using the book. My seven year old now asks for an Arnold Palmer to drink if its hot 😀

Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:53

RelentlessForwardProgress · 22/07/2022 18:47

IHOP and Denny's for breakfast. (Dinners not so much) and also the breakfast sandwiches at Eggslut.

For dinner I'd definitely try some local independents instead. Have you ever seen any of the series "Diners, Drive Ins and Dives" with Guy Fieri? You can get it on the Food Network Channel in the UK or lots of bits of it are on youtube, he basically tours the states filming the best dishes at individual diners. You do put on weight even watching it but you can have a lot of fun rehearsing your trip!

I'd also highly recommend the book "Los Angeles Cult Recipes" by Victor Garnier. He profiles lots of places in that and you can recreate their dishes using the book. My seven year old now asks for an Arnold Palmer to drink if its hot 😀

I am really looking forward to trying a proper diner or two (or ten). I especially want to try chicken fried steak, and red eye gravy. I have no idea what they are and I'm not even going to look it up as I want it to be a surprise.

I will see if I can get the Guy Fieri thing, that sounds perfect!

OP posts:
BabyMoonPie · 22/07/2022 19:03

JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 18:22

DH is hoping to take DS to a game. I would literally only be going for the food though... maybe they can throw some over the wall to me.

Show quote history

Baseball is fun. You can people watch and wander about - you don't have to sit and stare at the game all the time.

I forgot Red Lobster from my original post - they bring cheese biscuits (American definition of biscuit, like a scone) when you sit and they are lovely

Newpuppymummy · 22/07/2022 19:06

If you’re going to Big Sur then Monterey is also lovely.

I bloody love Taco Bell.

Original poster
JesusInTheCabbageVan · 22/07/2022 19:15

Newpuppymummy · 22/07/2022 19:06

If you’re going to Big Sur then Monterey is also lovely.

I bloody love Taco Bell.

We have a Taco Bell in Cardiff! It is indeed lovely.

OP posts:
WudYouSayItInRealLife · 22/07/2022 20:07

CocktailNapkin · 21/07/2022 21:25

Almost any donut shop. Lord knows why California has (almost) the best donuts in the country but they do. They are almost all mom n pop style set ups, though there are some fancy type places in the LA area. Winchells is the primary chain (with their hideous yellow and brown signs) and man, id kill for a maple longjohn right about now. They put Krispy Kreme to shame.

🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩🍩
So true. We were talking about our favourite food ever the other day and one of mine was donuts from a local donut shop in Valencia. I lived there 28 years ago and they are still in my mind as being amazing.
They were Fresh, light and so very very tasty. They are nothing like the sweet things you find at chains

WudYouSayItInRealLife · 22/07/2022 20:09

BTW that's Valencia, California not Valencia, Spain

DeusInAbsentia · 22/07/2022 20:25

If you find a pleasant security guy they will often let you in the Giants Stadium when there is no game on. We had a wander round and took it all in.

We did do an Anaheim Angels game though and the food was amazing. A full size baseball cap FULL of Nachos. Best night ever that. Wont be able to catch a baseball game this time as we're going November, so thinking maybe Ice Hockey.

CocktailNapkin · 22/07/2022 20:38

In Santa Cruz try Lupelo Craft Beer House, and Pizza My Heart around the corner. Fond memories of both!

WeAreTheHeroes · 22/07/2022 20:50

Find a popular, independent diner and you can't go wrong. Be prepared for the coffee to be shite though. It's no wonder they give free top ups. I've never been so disappointed as when we had coffee in the US and it was absolute piddle. On our first trip we went to a bloody Starbucks Drive Thru so we could order extra shots and get something approaching a strong coffee.

TomBradysLeftKneecap · 22/07/2022 20:51

It's honestly blowing my mind how many recommendations there are for the Cheesecake Factory. I hate that place with a passion lol. Ditto Red Lobster, although that would pain one of my children who insists on going there for every birthday. 😁

@CocktailNapkin I agree on both of those.

stormsurfer · 22/07/2022 20:52

Red lobster- all sorts of sea food -I like the shrimp cocktail and also the coconut coated shrimp... but the best bot is that they bring out "Boston bay biscuits". Which are freshly baked and like warm cheesy garlic scones.

In and out burger.

Sizzler?

CocktailNapkin · 23/07/2022 08:46

@TomBradysLeftKneecap I was trying to recall the name of a seafood restaurant between Santa Cruz and Monterey we went to (on the reccy of an American friend at work actually FROM Santa Cruz) and had been featured on the BBC perhaps? It is on the beach and the portions were so huge it made me actually feel ill to look at them. It also wasn't very good lol. Maybe it had been at one time but no longer.

maranella · 23/07/2022 09:55

Another tip for you OP - when you're in Grover Beach pop over to Pismo Beach (the next town north) and go to Old West Cinnamon Rolls. And if you can manage to have dinner at The Cracked Crab, do. They do this amazing seafood stew thing that they dump on the table in front of you and you eat it with your fingers.

onlyhereforthefood · 23/07/2022 10:17

Not fast food but highly recommend The Mogul in Mammoth Lakes www.themogul.com/

Doubleraspberry · 23/07/2022 14:40

Fried clams are lovely, as well as the normal shellfish. I’d avoid Bubba Gump and go for a decent independent seafood place. There are a lot. I also love clam chowder served in a sourdough loaf, so you can eat bits of bowl at the end.

Taco Bell in the US is way better than in the UK but again independent taco places will be best.

In SF, I would recommend the Alcatraz tour in the evening. It’s much quieter and very atmospheric.

You’ll find biscuits served everywhere - very normal with chicken fried steak (which is INCREDIBLY hearty so go hungry if you’re ordering that).

AcrossthePond55 · 23/07/2022 20:42

maranella · 23/07/2022 09:55

Another tip for you OP - when you're in Grover Beach pop over to Pismo Beach (the next town north) and go to Old West Cinnamon Rolls. And if you can manage to have dinner at The Cracked Crab, do. They do this amazing seafood stew thing that they dump on the table in front of you and you eat it with your fingers.

That 'stew' was probably some version of a 'Low Country Boil' popular in the Southern Coastal States. Incredibly simple to do but if you get it wrong, ugh!

For those headed to SF and hankering for superb coffee, try Blue Bottle. Expect lines.