Regular Joe's Guide

Latest visit: Dec 2024 (Powers) First visit: Dec 2018 (Austin Bluffs @ Centennial) They have a third location in Fountain. You won't get too far in a discussion about barbecue in Colorado Springs without Bird Dog jumping into the conversation. They generally win the Best Of awards in various magazines and newspapers. It has been precisely six years (to the day) that I first tried Bird Dog, and I wasn't overly impressed. Let's see how the second visit goes, this time at their eastern location. Walk in and you'll see the line to the counter. On this Saturday for lunch, only old farts like me were in the place, but nonetheless their barbecue was hot and ready. I went with the Saturday special which was a brisket sandwich (or I could have gotten pork), which comes with a side and a fountain drink. I chose mac n' cheese as the side. My lunch was quickly assembled, I paid up, and grabbed a bottle of the X-tra hot since it doesn't reside on the table. Poured a Diet Cok...

I refer to the RJG Rotation often but have never really clarified what it means. In effect it represents restaurants that I would like to return to at least once a year. As time has marched on, once a year is usually the only frequency in which I go to most of these restaurants. Much of this has to do with eating better, which means eating at home. Other factors include expense (which, as everyone knows, has gone beyond the reach of normalcy) as well as interest level. But the fire to try new places is still there! And, the purpose of the topic here, to revisit places we really enjoy. For the inaugural entry (and I will attempt to update this annually), I will highlight what is currently in rotation, and where I plan to visit at least once in 2025. Almost all of these are in Colorado Springs just because of the logistics. There are a couple of outliers as well. I do see adding more in Denver and Pueblo soon, and I will explain why when I'm ready, but for now Denver only has a coupl...

First visit: Nov 2024 The original plan was to have Italian food, but both Mrs. RJG and I weren't really in the mood for a pasta dish, and besides we really didn't see a place that caught our eye. Maybe next time we're town, we'll try one for lunch. Now what? After some deliberation, we decided on a brewpub that had hamburgers. Alien Brewpub, which is Sierra Blanca / Rio Grande Brewing, is an old fashioned brewpub. It reminds me of Heavy Seas in Baltimore before they closed up (we have a writeup in the RJG somewhere), and many other places from the 90s and 00s. A little bit different than the historic Phantom Canyon (Colorado Springs) or Montana Brewing (Billings) that we've covered here. More of a mix of sports pub meets brewery, and the latter has a set list of beers that doesn't change much. More sports bar than brewery I'd submit. Near a large indoor shopping mall with familiar big box anchors. These places have been steadily going out of business in rec...

First visit: Nov 2024 We're slowly but surely working our way through the Albuquerque breweries. Like with yesterday, we were busy all day, this time going to antique shops and record stores, and by the later afternoon we were both thirsty. Time for a beer!  Flock of Moons is one of those classic right-off-the-university hangouts. Lots of hipsters, oddballs, and eccentrics. In other words, we fit right in then! At least the latter two characteristics. The decoration is pure mid-century modern with hanging globe lamps and clean lines. They also sport a full patio where you can enjoy your beer with your dog. Or the dog can enjoy a beer with you... Excellent beer BTW. All good vibes . Dude. 11/16/24 (new entry)

First visit: Nov 2024 After a full day of estate and garage sales, along with a pile of thrift shops, it was time for an adult beverage. The nearest one to where we last shopped was Vision City Brewstillery, so let's go there. It's a large space, with lots of big screen TV's. And on this day, that was important as many folks were gearing up to watch the Mike Tyson fight. Like most normal people, I had no idea Tyson was back in the ring. I thought he stopped fighting while I was still a road warrior consultant (i.e. a lonnngg time ago). It also answered my second question: Boxing still exists? Whatever the case, the space was alive with enthusiasm. We didn't stick around to see the fight - good thing based on the news clips I read afterward about Netflix's hiccups. In any case, we each had one very cold beer that was delicious (mine is cataloged in the Bier Reise link above). We also tried their chips and salsa, and the latter was both excellent and spicy. Good place...

Latest visit: Mar 2025 First visit: Nov 2024 We were excited for our best new Thai discovery from last year. Only to leave very disappointed. Our meals were flavorless (Mrs. RJG went with Pad Thai this time, I stayed with the below), and we wondered if maybe they have changed ownership? This happens often in the Thai restaurant business. Sorry Thai Boran, but we will not be returning. Looks like the battle between Thai Spice and Thai Cuisine II is back on! ---11/28/24 We had planned on one Thai meal for the trip but couldn't decide which one to go to. Mrs. RJG favors Thai Spice while I lean in with Thai Cuisine II. While enjoying our beer at Vision City Brewstillery, I decided to research on my iPhone what was nearby. Thai Kitchen came up first but the menu screamed American variation. Then I came across Thai Boran. Now this looks authentic Thai. Mrs. RJG agreed and off we went. It's a relatively large space and too bright for cozy dining (they simply need to dim the overhead ...

Latest visit: Oct 2024 First visit: Mar 2002 (Lynwood, WA) Founded: 1969  HQ: Portland, OR Locations: ~40 in the US and 15 in Canada. Mostly in the west. It's now Monday and time to pick up Mrs. RJG from the airport after spending time with her family in Arizona. We'd agreed before she left that we would dine at the Old Spaghetti Factory on the way home. They opened here a couple of years ago, and we'd been meaning to try it again, but we're rarely down this way together at meal time. The Old Spaghetti Factory comes from the same era as The Spaghetti Warehouse, which is what we had growing up in DFW. The concepts are similar. This was from the time when theme restaurants were all the rage. It wasn't enough to cook you a good meal, you had to have another reason to go. So the theme would usually appeal to families looking for more to do than just eat. Back then, adventurous cooking wasn't yet in the cards. As such, The Old Spaghetti Factory offers up basic red sa...

Latest visit: Oct 2024 First visit: May 2014 (DTC - now closed) This is only my second visit to Yolanda's, and the first was over a decade ago. At that time, we were going to one of our niece's college graduation at CSU. Since we lived in DFW at the time, we decided to make a week of it, and I worked remotely from the Residence Inn in Denver before heading up to Fort Collins on a Friday night. On that first try, Mrs. RJG picked up some tacos from Yolanda's on the way back to the hotel from her sister's where she had spent the day. We both thought it was delicious and needed to revisit. And yet, we still haven't. They are no longer in the DTC (I think they were in the same center as Pat's), but their sole location is now in Castle Rock. I'm on my way back home to the Springs, and it's lunch time, so let's finally get over to Yolanda's. I was the first patron in the door, and it's counter service. Yolanda's is a relatively large place and t...

First visit: Oct 2024 I received an email a couple of weeks ago from International Hotel Group (IHG) that my "loyalty points" were to expire unless I did something about it. Regular readers will recall (they don't exist but I like to pretend) that I spent a night last December at the Kimpton in Washington DC ahead of a business trip. That was a treat for myself, and an expensive one at that. Kimpton is part of the IHG group. I find it annoying they are chasing me already for activity. Whatever the case, I didn't have enough points for a free night, but I had too many to forfeit. So essentially if I stay one night I'll get another free later. Since Mrs. RJG is in Arizona, it seemed like the perfect time. I'll dig in the Denver record shops until early evening, eat, and crash there.  IHG's most known brand is Holiday Inn, and they are much cheaper than Kimpton that's for sure. In researching which one to stay at (and I was willing to stay anywhere in the...

Latest visit: Oct 2024 First visit: Jun 2009 They have one other location further east on Illiff and Quebec. This is only my third visit to Pat's, and the first in 13 years. I had first gone here the week we bought our summer townhome, which was not the plan originally. Such were the times. Pat's has since moved from that location that sat in a hotel parking lot area (I think a gas station is there now), and moved across the street to a strip center area south of Arapahoe @ Dayton. I can reasonably argue that this center is where the RJG has dined more than any other, as it housed many restaurants I would eat at lunch when I worked in the Denver Tech Center (1995-1997). Pat's didn't exist then, coming around a couple of years later.  I've always been confused about the legacy of Pat's because Pat's King of Steaks is one of the legendary cheesesteak places in Philadelphia. But apparently there is no connection. Seems like a risky legal move to go with the nam...

First visit: Oct 2024 I've had Abby's Irish Pub circled for some years now. I see the establishment often on my way to one of my favorite craft beer stores (Twins). These are places Mrs. RJG would reject, so while she's away in Arizona, I don't want to waste the opportunity. It's Friday night after 5, and it appears the parking lot is full and vehicles are parked in the field next door. Uh-oh. Will I even be able to get in? I was thinking of alternatives as I opened the door. But fear not, while the place was certainly hopping with patrons, I was able to find a solo bar stool without issue. So for two nights in a row (including Back East), I've gone to restaurants that were packed. Good to see, though the demographics of both indicate an older audience (like myself), which is a bit disconcerting. Why disconcerting? Because it feels like we may be the only ones with disposable income. That's not healthy for a functioning society. In any case, I went about ord...

First visit: Oct 2024 While Mrs. RJG is away in Arizona, I had planned out my meal schedule until she returns. The exception was Friday's lunch. I wasn't sure where I was going to be, but I had enough (real) work to do, so I stayed home until the lunch hour. Looking for something new to try, I found Piglatin. This is a place that wasn't on my radar until I literally put it on a radar. They have Cuban's, so that makes a perfect lunch. The matter is settled. When I resided in Colorado Springs for the first time (1993-1995), I lived in a apartment complex very close to where Piglatin resides (Dublin @ Union). It was one of those shopping centers that's always housed some sort of bar and grill, but for whatever reason, I didn't engage here back then. Though Piglatin sits in a typical 80s strip center, once inside, you might think you were deep in the city center, where the punk clubs and record stores might be. Dark with lots of stickers and vulgar signs. Inside it...

Latest visit: Oct 2024 First visit: Feb 1995 (Colorado Springs downtown - closed) They have one other location in Pueblo, though it appears they're separately owned at this point. Like with The Bagel Deli in Denver, S.S. Subs is another place I hadn't revisited since my first tour of duty in the Springs. The original visit was memorable since I had been called downtown for jury duty (the date below is an educated guess). I was almost certain to be selected for trial since I was juror #1 when we broke for lunch. Nearby was S.S. Subs and I enjoyed a sandwich before heading back. I didn't recall much about it, other than I should try to go again sometime. Incidentally I was not selected, much to my glee. Ironically I was recently chosen for jury duty again a month ago, my first time back there in Colorado Springs. This time I wasn't so lucky, and I was selected. Fortunately it was only a one day trial. I'll let you guess who ended up being the foreman... In any case, t...

First visit: Oct 2024 (Northside) Other locations: Colorado Springs (Austin Bluffs); Florence Though Papa's bills themselves as an Italian restaurant, there's little of that on the menu. It's primarily a pizza joint that offers pasta in addition. Very similar to all those pizza-pasta places we used to frequent in DFW, but with even less entrees to choose from. The restaurant itself is small with only a few tables. It has the look and feel of a take out pizza joint. It's position near the Ford Amphitheater should provide ample customers during event nights. On this visit, based on what I could figure out online, it seemed I would be best served to order a pizza and pick it up. And on this fine Sunday football afternoon, that's exactly what I did. Brought it home and Mrs. RJG had the comal ready to add a little extra crispness. We watched some NFL Red Zone and devoured half the 16 inch sausage and cheese pie. The sausage is basic off-the-truck crumbled, and the cheese...

Lady Music and I joined the BFF family to celebrate Lady Music's BFF's birthday. Northern Cafe on Second in Cerritos was the choice of the birthday girl. I enjoy this type of restaurant (that seems to be popping up more and more) which specializes in handmade dumplings, noodle dishes, and more.  What makes Northern Cafe different is that they also have an array of wontons as well. Here, wontons are a filling loosely wrapped in a wide noodle and served in a dish of sweet and spicy sauce. Whereas dumplings are either a steamed or fried noodle wrapping tightly encasing the filling (pork, chicken, shrimp with or without cabbage or scallions). They are served without special sauce and may be enhanced by using the soy sauce, black vinegar and/or hot chili oil that adorns each table as ubiquitously as the salt and pepper shaker at the local diner.  We ate family style, and being guests, Lady Music and I pretty much let the BFF family choose the dishes. We got pork wontons and shrimp...

Latest visit: Oct 2024 First visit: Sep 1994 Founded: 1967 It's Sunday and I'm on my way to the main record show in Denver. It's a two day show, but I go on Sunday when it's free just to scrounge around for deals. That event is an energy burner, so I need protein before venturing in. What could be better than a big ol' honkin' meat sandwich from an old fashioned Jewish Deli? Not much.  This is only my second visit here, and if you carefully look at the top, you'll note it's been a full 30 years since. I also lived in Colorado Springs back then (a few years before Mrs. RJG), and dined here because there used to be a record store on the other side of this strip mall. Why I never came back again is one of the great RJG mysteries. Only a few months later I became a full-time resident of Denver. And many years after that we either lived there or had a summer place. And even six years after moving back to Colorado and visiting Denver a few times a year, I stil...

First visit: Oct 2024 As noted last week, we went to the Black Forest Brewery after a hike. On the way I was reminded of Firehouse On The Run, A place I'm always going to try, but quickly forget about. So Mrs. RJG and I committed to coming back the following weekend to finally try it. It was a beautiful Saturday near Noon time, and we made our 15 minute journey northeast to Black Forest. Firehouse On The Run is from the time honored tradition of a barbecue joint sitting in the back of a gas station. They have smokers all around, and the smell is delightful. The setting couldn't be better. One feels like they're on vacation deep in the woods, even though in reality Black Forest is a remote suburb of Colorado Springs.  Unfortunately the setting is the highlight of the restaurant. I ordered a smoked chicken sandwich with a side of Western beans and Bab-n-Hero sauce. The bread was right out of the bag, slightly cold. Good quality bread though. The chicken, while very flavorful,...

First visit: Oct 2024 I've been wanting to get to the Funky Town Brewery since we moved to Colorado Springs well over six years ago. But there was always some reason why we didn't, generally the timing. Usually we're just passing through on US-24 on our way to some mountain destination or back home. Stopping for a beer wasn't in the cards. And then there's the fact that they only serve brunch on Sunday's when we'd rather have lunch with our beer. But on this fine sunny and crisp October Saturday, we decided to make the brewpub our destination. There isn't much to Florissant, a wide place in the road west of Woodland Park and Divide. Primarily it serves as a supply base for the rural community around. It sits in a beautiful setting though. After our lunch we decided to go to their public library, something we never do, but glad we did as it's a wonderful space. But that's about all there is to do here, to give one an idea. And, of course, eat at t...

Zaap Kitchen has 7 other locations in DFW: Dallas (5); Plano (1); Fort Worth (1) Mr. Music and compadres ventured to Zaap Kitchen in Las Colinas. It is in a strip center on MacArthur and has a fancy fast food vibe. I was a little concerned. We ordered lots of food to share! Green Papaya Salad Lao style (more spicy, less sweet), Dancing Lao Riblets, Lao Sausage, Lao Fried Rice, Thai Fried Rice, and Thai Basil Stir Fry (pork). We really liked everything and ordered it all a heat level 5 of 5. I'd say the heat was weak. Fortunately they made us some fresh pik nam pla (Thai chili and fish sauce), which did the trick. The green papaya salad was yummy, tangy, crunchy, and had a little heat! The Lao sausage was plump and juicy loaded with herbal flavor. Both fried rice dishes had chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp. The flavor was great and I think we all preferred the Lao style by a little. The riblets had a nice flavor, a little sweet and they were small but tasty. The Thai Basil Stir Fry...

Baby Music and I decided to go out for pho. Oddly, the small city of Lake Dallas has two pho restaurants a couple blocks apart. Pho Luv is a little newer on our radar as we've been loyal to our other spot. This is our 3rd time to go and 3rd time to be delighted!  We started with grilled pork spring rolls. They were fresh and the grilled pork was moist and tasty and warm. Baby Music had Pho Ga with while chicken meat. She loved it and said the broth was extra delicious tonight. I had veggie pho with tofu. The tofu was lightly fried and the veggies (broccoli, bok choy and carrots) were fresh and had just the right bit of crispness. The chicken broth was tasty and noodles perfectly al dente! The pho comes with the customary fixins': Fresh Thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno and lemon slices. I squirted plenty of Sriracha sauce on mine and used a little hoisin to dip the tofu and veggies in! In the past, we tried the grilled chicken over rice as well as the grilled pork over rice....

OK, Mr. Music is getting back into the action. Here's his latest contribution: We drove out to Blackrock, CA (halfway between Sacramento and San Jose) to meet Lady Music's brother, Music Bro for lunch. Six of us met at The Grille; Music Sis and their mom, Music Mary rounded out our group. We opted to sit outside by the man-made pond with waterfall which was surrounded by restaurants and shops. It could have been beautiful, but the pond wasn't well maintained.. at least that day. From a distance it was pretty!  We got roasted broccoli with crispy pancetta and Parmesan chips sprinkled with a Worcestshire dressing and crab and shrimp dip with sourdough. Both were good, although the dip was light on sourdough. I ordered the haddock fish and chips with coleslaw. I also ordered a Caesar Salad before I realized I was getting coleslaw. The dish was one big piece of fish, nicely battered with malt vinegar and their homemade tartar sauce. It was good; fresh fish with not too heavy bu...

First visit: Sep 2024 After lunch at Rosenberg's I went back for a final round of digging. I was feeling a bit tired, which happens when I socialize too much. I needed a nice quiet dark place to chill. What better place than Stanley Marketplace's own brewery Cheluna. They're like the Springs' local Atrevida with a focus on Mexican and Latin culture. I tried two small 10 ounce beers (both great) and took in the moment peacefully. I still had a couple of hours on this hot afternoon to browse another record shop in the center of Denver, before making the hour plus drive back home. 9/14/24 (new entry)

First visit: Sep 2024 (Stanley Marketplace) They have two other locations in Denver: Five Points & Monaco. There's a new record show up in the Denver area, and I caught wind of it only a couple of weeks ago. So yesterday Saturday I made the drive up to the Stanley Marketplace where the show was being held. I've never been here, but it's a wonderful space renovated from the old Stanley Aviation factory that sits near the also renovated former Stapleton airport area. I wasn't sure when or how I was going to eat lunch on this day, but once I was inside, it became evident I had multiple choices. So after a couple of hours of crate digging, my stomach was growling wildly. I saw the (awesome) sign for Rosenberg's walking in from the parking lot, and that sounded perfect. You order at the counter to your left as you enter. Be sure to check their bagels first if you are going to get a sandwich because they will ask you which kind. I ordered my trial Jewish Deli sandwich...

Latest visit: Apr 2025 First visit: Nov 2018 Personal history: The first visit was solo and was a fine experience, but circumstances didn't allow for an easy follow up. The second try was last year with Mrs. RJG, and we enjoyed it immensely. We're back again one year later. Location: Basil & Barley is not too far from our house, a few blocks east from The Promenade shopping area. The restaurant is in a nice setting in a modern strip center. Perhaps too much natural light but one doesn't have to squint while eating here either. Food: I was initially reticent to take Mrs. RJG here because Italian styled Napoletana pizzas were a real mixed bag back in DFW. They started with a bang but it seemed each restaurant lost their luster as time went on. If you have the will and time to research, this blog is filled with places like that: INZO, Cane Rosso, Spin!, Cavalli, Pazzo!, Campania, Apeizza e Vino. The latter three spectacularly crashed and burned, especially Campania (litera...

We just had a landmark moment here at the RJG: Colorado Springs now has more reviews than any other metro area in the country! I'll caveat that quickly by reminding everyone that we only count open restaurants, not including ones that have closed. DFW would still win easily if we counted everything. ---3/21/24 Just wanted everyone to know I added a new page above that outlines the most visited areas of the country that the RJG has written. Check it out!

First visit: Sep 2024 On this fine Sunday, Mrs. RJG and I decided to visit the local flea market for the first time. It wasn't really our kind of shopping, but we each found a few things to take home and/or resell. After a couple of hours of that and another local antique mall, it was time for lunch, right after the noon hour. There's a new brewery / brewpub in town that I wanted to try, and I was pleasantly surprised Mrs. RJG wanted to join me. The matter is settled. South Park isn't really new, just new to us denizens of the Springs. They had been located in the small mountain town of Fairplay for about a decade. In talking with the owner, I had mentioned my desire to try them while passing through. But the timing was always wrong. Too early to drink and too far to drive on winding mountain roads. And she said that is what many told them, and thus the decision to move to a much larger and static thirsty populace. So they took over the old Smiling Toad Brewery (who retired...

First visit: Sep 2024 I was working the northern reaches of Colorado Springs on this fine Saturday morning when it was time for lunch. I was in the mood for a hamburger and a beer, as I needed to chill out a bit. I had remembered driving by the Palmer Lake Pub prior, and it looked good, so let's go there. Parked up front and walked in. Classic bar setup with stools and tables. Very few patrons, but it was early. Grabbed a local beer from nearby Pikes Peak Brewery and proceeded to review the menu. No burgers! What? What kind of pub doesn't have burgers? Well they have sliders but that tells me a different story. Well no big deal, plan B - sandwich. I ordered the Italian Panini.  It took awhile for me to receive my order but I secretly hoped that's because they were taking the time to properly make my sandwich. And indeed that held true! It was super hot and toasty (toastier than any of the sandwiches from our recent Montana trip). A very filling sandwich and those banana pep...

First visit: Aug 2024 I was still on vacation on Friday and decided to head into town. I was at What's Left Records and the lunch hour had long passed. I was looking for a quick sandwich (familiar theme apparently), not named Subway, and I asked if there was anything nearby. They recommended Arelita, which is right across the street. You would think for as much as I like Cuban's that I might take a couple of minutes and look for a Cuban restaurant! So I walked (or maybe ran) across Platte, and it's not entirely obvious there's a restaurant here. It looks more like a nightclub from the outside. I opened the door and was warmly greeted with brightly painted walls and Spanish language. Not much English spoken here, but no matter, anyone can point to a menu (which is in English). I went straight for the Cuban sandwich. While I waited, the server was kind enough to provide me with plantain chips and a green sauce to dip it in. I think it was avocado based, but I liked it. A ...

First visit: Aug 2024 The original plan was to visit Montrose (we were there last year as documented in the RJG) with side trips to Ouray and Telluride, but we decided to make that a separate trip, probably next year sometime. US-50 is still a mess, so perhaps by next year all will be ready. So we decided to head on home. It's been a minute since we last journeyed this far west on I-70, arguably the most beautiful Interstate drive in America (though a bit stressful when considering the sheer amount of traffic). We picked up the highway in Rifle, and the drive from Vernal to there was also pretty. We arrived in Glenwood Springs at about 11:00, perfect time for a quick lunch. Chomps seemed to be the local favorite so we went there. Sitting near downtown, it's relatively easy to get to and park despite all the construction. Glenwood Springs always seems congested to me, and I've felt that way since my first visit there in 1994. Mrs. RJG ordered the Turkey and Swiss sub with a ...

First visit: Aug 2024 If one looks only at a map you might think you're in for a slog of a drive going from Montpelier to Vernal, but that happily is not the case. It's a wonderful journey with many visual delights. We did detour through Rock Springs, which is a tough sell for tourists (and a windy one), but we had a few things to do there. We decided to stay at a classic 60s motel in Vernal, and checked into the Dinosaur Inn. It was originally built in 1929 as cabins, but was clearly refurbished in the 50s especially when you see the giant dinosaur model outside (it was called Dine-A-Ville Motel then). Only thing missing is the outdoor pool where the slide seemingly outlets right onto the freeway (lol). One of those "down and out rooms" motels with two large queen beds, and lots of flies. The latter a special feature of Vernal apparently since they joined us for dinner too. Maybe that's why dinosaurs are extinct? For dinner, we found another brewpub right down th...

First visit: Aug 2024 The next morning we had the unique situation of a coffee pot that didn't work (user error I think). And the office didn't open until 9, where they have coffee in the lobby. We want our morning cuppa joe, so now what? As noted, Etna doesn't have anything, so I looked to the next town south and saw rave reviews for The Local Grind. Perfect. I was greeted by a very pretty and friendly lady named Katie (in the drive through - which is all that exists), who was also name checked in Google Reviews. I ordered a mocha for me and a vanilla latte for Mrs. RJG. Drove them back and awaited my wife's verdict. She loved it! In fact she has a new item to seek for comparison. My mocha was great as well, not too sweet as they sometimes can be (cough, Starbucks).  If needing coffee and you're in this area, go to The Local Grind. 8/28/24 (new entry)

First visit: Aug 2024 After leaving Idaho Falls we stopped in to work Rigby and Rexburg, before heading out for perhaps our best afternoon drive of the trip. Didn't mention this prior, but we had great weather throughout. We went to Victor and then back over the Wyoming border to Jackson. By the late afternoon we headed to Alpine to determine the final steps of the day. I booked a cabin room at the Wolf Den Lodge in Etna, a town that seems to exist in theory more than reality. Perfect in-the-woods motel, and would love to stay there again (oh, and has a liquor store next door complete with craft beers - what else do you need?). Since Etna has nothing to offer, we stayed in Alpine for dinner before going "home". It took awhile to figure out where we wanted to eat, and for whatever reason, Melvin was hiding from us in plain sight. Once I put in the right search engine word, Melvin came up, and then it was a no brainer. We're familiar with their beers since they are avai...

First visit: Aug 2024 After a few local stops in the morning, we noticed that The Sandwich Tree opens very early for lunch, It was about 9:30 and we were hungry, so let's go there. We saw the place driving to our hotel the night before and saw some fellas walking out with big ol' sandwiches. Seemed like the perfect lunch spot. The location is great, sitting in an old mid century building on a corner intersection (see photo). Kind of reminded me of the old Cero's Heroes spot in Grapevine (TX) that we have deep in this blog. Definitely an old school sandwich shop. At first Mrs. RJG wasn't keen on it since the bread seemed soft to her, but she got into it as she chomped through her meal, noting it never got soggy (which she hates). I didn't note what I had, but almost assuredly it was an Italian of some sort, which is my trial sandwich. It reminded me some of The Breadboard in Buffalo, Wyoming. My voice notes said that I enjoyed it but not a sandwich I would crave. Tra...