Food and Drinks Week 1

RATING LEGEND: 1. Shocking (puke); 2 Really bad; 3. Bad ; 4. Almost edible; 5 Edible

6. Adequate: 7. Reasonable;  8. Good would go back; 9. Excellent; 10. Can I get more of this and where.

Day 1: After a 6.30 am arrival in LA, and the usual overindulgence in food/snacks of the flying kangaroo, we went straight to the Greyhound Bus (the dog) Terminal for our 7 hour trip to Las Vegas (Lost Wages LW). Naturally any stops for food were at Fast Foot outlets, (as seems to happen every bus trip here). So our first food in the US was a 12” sub at Hollywood subs at Bairstow about halfway to LW, rating 6, arriving in LW at 8.30pm we were, knackered and opted to dine in at the Market Place Café at our digs, we opted for a couple of slices of Pizza, which was thin base and   rated 6.5. Also, discovered that they do cater for Aussie beer drinkers here, they have24oz Heinekin tinnies,(which is 2 standard H stubbies) see the photos, costing about $4 ea which went down a treat after Pizza rating 9.

Day 2: After coffee only for brekky we waited until lunchtime to eat again, this time in a Food Court(FC) at a shopping mall, wide choice, opted for Mexican, a burrito, taco, salsa and nice hot chilli sauce cost about $6.50, wasn’t too bad, rated 7, but anticipate better Mexican food ahead. Dinner was at a restaurant in Planet Hollywood Casino, Grilled Chicken, salad, Veges with Black beans and Jack(?) Cheese, the salad and veg were good after fastfood, rating 7.5. Drank a Heinekin afterwards, rating 9, very refreshing.

Day 3, We decided because all meals here are huge brekky would be coffee only, so onto lunch back to the FC, this time we shared a meat?

Lasagne, the sauce was good, not sure about the meat part, it seemed like some processed stuff that may have had some distant relationship to meat. i.e. the people who made it ate actual meat?, because the sauce was ok rating 6, afternoon drinks after catching a comedy magician act at Flamingos Casino, was frozen margarita for me, and frozen pina colada for lizzie rating 9.

Dinner (after the ordinary and doubtful lunch), I opted for a chicken ceasar salad from Marketplace rating 7, must have been bad Lizzie had carrot, celery sticks and dilled cucumber (it was a truly MAN sized pickle) Afterwards Heinekin rating 9.

 

Day 4 Our long day trip to Grand Canyon, so we had no or little choice in foods, after a 5.45am start we had a nice coffee , orange juice and Danish pastry for brekky rating 7, lunch was a choice I had spicy( not much kick) chicken and veg with rice, Lizzie had a pizza hut pizza, also picked my first fruit in US a banana for 50c which was ok, for those who know me well this would be a record for least amount of fruit eaten for 5 days. Dinner was at 10.00pm at Maccas,about 1 and a half hours out of LW, I had grilled chicken burger (no fries) rating 5.5.   Alas because we got back so late and had washing to do I denied myself a beer reward. But the trip wasn’t wasted met an aussie airforce guy who reckons Coors is about the best US beer, having tried Bud and Millers, it wouldn’t have to be too good to rate above them , so my next beer challenge is Coors, probably tonight in San Diego, if its crap, well I have old faithful to fall back on BIG H. On the dog back to LA, just had the same sub at Bairstow, so won’t repeat myself re rating. 

Arrived in San Diego, around 8pm, so after dropping bags at accomm, headed own to restaurant strip at Pacific Beach, quickly found a Mexican joint, had Burrito Bowl, shredded spicy, pork, brown rice, salsa, guacamole for $7, the food was worthwhile and tasty, rating 8.

Super size Sub for $5

Day 5 headed down to Vons the Coles equivalent, bought some real fruit, bananas, apples and oranges. Ate a fresh baked roll and had a starbucks coffee, rating 7. Big day checking out San Diego transport, buses and trolleys, headed back to Pacific Beach for a late lunch of Beer Battered Fish (coldwater cod) and chips, because we were so close to the Pacific Ocean, rating 8, this was my first sample of French fries in the US. Because we had a late lunch opted for a light snack for dinner, which was a Mr. Frosty Ice cream, very popular place, rating 7.5. Also important to note that at Vons I found no big H, but instead a Supersized Stella Artois largie, 26 Fl.oz., enjoyed immensely after a long pushbike ride to Pacific Beach and back, served icy cold, went down a treat, rating 9. Also identified possible business opportunity here, have seen no big can or largie coolers, and in warm weather don’t care how fast you drink it must start to get warm before finished, because of its sheer size.

Day 6, back on the dog, heading back into LA, brekky of fresh fruit and OJ, rating 8. Long bus trip, dinner at Burrito King, Grilled Fish Burrito, with rice beans and salsa, must have weighed over ¾ of a kilo, plus condiments, rating 8, also made mistake of having a soft chicken taco, no flavour, rating 5. Finally found a full strength Coors made with pure Rocky mountain water,big tinnie 26fl.oz, 5.0% alcohol; good advice from aussie airforce joe, went down a treat after Mexican rating 8, will try again for sure, so if you see Coors heavy on special anywhere try a 6 pack.

Day 7, Hotel has fresh coffee, Danish pastries and ok orange juice, rating 7. Took a tour of LA, and had late lunch at LA Farmers Market, which is a huge food outlet, had a roast beef roll and roast potatoes, gravy, rating 7.5. As we were at Farmers market picked up 1 kg of fresh strawberries, bananas, oranges, so dinner was fruit, huge berries and bananas  rating 8.