QUINN'S ALMOST BY THE SEA - KAILUA, KONA

QUINN'S ALMOST BY THE SEA

KAILUA KONA, HI

We dined at Quinn's in Kona and enjoyed one of the best fish sandwiches ever with some customers. While Quinn's is famous for their Fish n' Chips, I wanted a little less fried food on this day. My customers recommended the Fresh Catch Ono Sandwich served Deluxe style. The deluxe adds huge slices of avocado, lettuce, tomato and onion to the sandwich. The sandwich is huge and delicious. Probably one of the best I have ever tasted. The Fresh Fish Sandwich was served with a large salad. Wonderful lunch with great customers. Doesn't get much better in Kona. Wish the picture I took would have come out. I got too close and it is blurry.

BONGO BENS - KAILUA, KONA HAWAII

BONGO BENS

KAILUA KONA, HI

When a friend and customer that lives in Kona suggested that we meet for breakfast at Bongo Bens, I thought he was crazy. What the heck is Bongo Bens I thought to myself. Well I found out that Bongo Bens is a great place for breakfast and lunch. In a two day period we hosted contractors three times at this Kona eatery. The first time I tried the Huevos Rancheros. Grilled tortillas, covered in refried beans, Two eggs any style, cheese, Ranchero sauce, Sour Cream and salsa, served with choice of Home fries, Grits or Rice. This was a delicious breakfast that hit the spot. Only complaint is that the huge scoops of avacado and sour creme are way too much for this dish. My client and co-worker enjoyed the omelets and said they were great. The second time back I tried the breakfast burrito. Two Island fresh eggs scrambled with, cheese, onions, ham, and Salsa, wrapped in a flour tortilla. This was good but not as good as the Huevos Rancheros. Our third visit was for lunch with customers. On this occasion I tried the fresh fish sandwich. This thing was the bomb. A huge piece of fresh Mahi Mahi grilled and served on a fresh bun with lettuce, tomato and onion. I threw on a bit of tarter sauce and enjoyed one of the best fish sandwiches ever. The portion was huge so I only finished half. I highly recommend Bongo Bens if you visit Kona and want an inexpensive breakfast or lunch. They are also open for dinner.

BONGO BENS

BONGO BENS ISLAND CAFE

BONGO BENS HUEVOS RANCHEROS

BREAKFAST BURRITO

GREAT FISH SANDWICH

V LOUNGE PIZZA - HONOLULU, HAWAII

V LOUNGE

HONOLULU, HI

After meeting the owners of the V Lounge on the golf course today, I just had to drop in and try their pizza. I have read numerous reviews in local magazines and newspapers that said this was some of the best pizza in Hawaii. The owners were very nice on the course and explained to me that they use the best ingredients imported from Italy and make their own mozzarella cheese. We ventured down to Kona street across from Ala Moana Center and found a nice little bar with very friendly employees. We were in before 7:00 pm so the crowd was small. Mostly older couples eating pizza and a large party doing the same. The waitress and bartender were very friendly and provided excellent service with smiles all around. We tried two pizzas. The Margarita and the Supreme. Both were around $15 each. I loved the Margarita. Fresh basil, cheese and sauce on a light crust. The pizzas are cooked in a Kiawe wood oven and come out with a nice char on the crust. Only complaint is that it was a little greasy in the middle. The Supreme had cheese, onions, mushrooms, prosciutto and a sunny side up egg in the middle. The mushrooms were fresh and flavorful. The egg added a different dimension to the pizza and I liked it. The V Lounge only serves pizza. Nothing else on the food side. It is mostly a bar that is opened to 4:00 am. I will return again because the pizza is good and the staff seemed really to appreciate that we were there. Hope this place does well.

THIS GIRL LOVES V LOUNGE PIZZA

GREAT PIZZA AT V LOUNGE

LE GUIGNOL FRENCH RESTAURANT

LE GUIGNOL FRENCH RESTAURANT

HONOLULU, HI

After a delicious lunch at Le Guignol, I decided to go back to try dinner with our good friends Tom and Arlene. We arrived around 6:00 pm on Saturday and found that a very good jazz band was playing on the lanai. They were not too loud and added a nice touch to the dinner. One good thing about Le Guignol is that you can bring your own beer and wine. There is a $5.00 per bottle corkage fee for wine. Most everyone in the restaurant had bottles and bottles of wine on their tables. Of course some locals enjoyed some cold Heineken's too. Let me begin by saying the staff here is very friendly and courteous. They really made us feel welcome. You don't feel this at too many places anymore. The owner is the only cook according to his wife who is the waitress. Add a very helpful hostess that also helps serve the food and you have the most efficient 3 person staff in Honolulu. These people know how to do their jobs well. With the restaurant full by 6:30, they calmly got all the appetizers, salads and entrees out within a reasonable time. Never sweating, running or rushing. Just cool and calm. My hats off to the wife who is pregnant and taking care of each table like it was her only one. The cook was gracious enough to come out and say hi after the rush was over. I really like these people. Hard working, nice and professional. The food however did not live up to the service. Really wish it would have because I love this little place already. We started with an order of Escargot.  The snails were served with garlic and butter. Pretty tasteless. Needs more garlic. The Foie Gras was a tiny portion but full of rich silky flavor especially when you enjoy it with the sauce served. We also tried a Bone Marrow appetizer which looked good but again was tasteless. The dish was served with a spoon full of salt. Believe me you need the salt to add any flavor. I started with a tomato salad ($6). Served in a Martini glass was simply cherry tomatoes, bleu cheese crumbles and some honey dressing. This dish needed some red onion and fresh herbs.  This would make it way better. The House Salads looked a bit bland ($4.50). Two people at are table tried the Rack of Lamb ($29.95 half rack). While a half rack, this is a huge portion of lamb on the bone. Keli said it was delicious, but the adults thought it to be bland. I tried the filet of beef with bleu cheese ($27.95). The steak was cooked to perfection, tasted good but lacked any real big flavor. The Salmon ($23.95) looked good and my friend finished every last bite and said it was good. The Tiger Prawn Pasta ($23.95) looked like a mess and tasted worse according to Shirley. I loved the Chocolate Mousse ($5.95) and our guests liked the Sorbet ($4.95). This was a great evening at Le Guignol. Really like the atmosphere and service. Cannot say enough good about the staff. Truly amazing. Only wish the food would have been as good.
UPDATE:  THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED

LOVED THE LAMB

ANDIAMO RESTAURANT - LOS ANGELES HILTON

ANDIAMO ITALIAN RESTAURANT

HILTON HOTEL - LOS ANGELES AIRPORT

When you fly into Los Angeles and fly out the next day you have no choice but to eat at the hotel where you are staying. Upon arrival to Los Angeles I joined some vendors for a very enjoyable dinner at Andiamo at the Hilton. I started with the Classic Caesar Salad. Crisp lettuce and not overly dressed the way I like it. For my entree I enjoyed pasta with prawns, mushrooms and spicy marinara sauce. The prawns were huge. Probably 6 large pieces. I could barely get down three. I liked the sauce but really did not think that the mushrooms fit the dish. This was a large dish of pasta. Probably enough for two. I got through about half. The best thing about this dinner was the company and wine. Great dinner and conversation.

J.W'S STEAKHOUSE - LOS ANGELES MARRIOTT

J.W.'S STEAKHOUSE

LOS ANGELES MARRIOTT HOTEL

During a very recent and quick visit to Los Angeles on business I was treated to a delicious steak dinner at J.W.'s at the Marriott. This hotel was located next door to the Hilton where we were staying. Both hotels are at the L.A. Airport. I ordered the bone in rib eye cooked medium rare. The steak was large and perfectly cooked. Not a lot of taste. Actually needed salt. The saving grace was the grilled onions that are served with the steak. These little onions were sweet and coupled with the steak made the dish. For my starter I tried the Lobster Bisque soup. It was so so. Not much flavor again. I liked the open kitchen where you can watch the chef cook your steak. I was quite amazed that one cook was turning out dozens of steaks on time and cooked correctly. The place was busy and everything seemed calm.

OAHU COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE - HONOLULU, HAWAII

OAHU COUNTRY CLUB

HONOLULU, HI

I love to get invited to the Oahu Country Club. Since I am not a member, everything is free.

This weekend we enjoyed breakfast in the club restaurant. The place is a bit out dated and the waitresses are very old, but the service is excellent and the members are gracious. I have not eaten a Loco Moco which is one of Hawaii's most famous breakfasts for many years. Just not interested in filling my body with all that fat and calories. Well, I was craving a burger and opted for the Loco Moco which is rice, hamburger patty, two eggs covered in gravy. I asked the waitress to make my Loco Moco with Fried Rice. She said she had never heard of that and questioned if the fried rice would go with gravy. I said lets try it and she did.  This was a huge portion. Lots of fried rice, then a large beef patty topped with two sunny side up eggs. Everything was covered in a rich dark gravy. Simply stated; delicious. The breakfast was better than my golf game, but I don't think I will order this dish before playing again. By the second hole, I was going crazy trying to find a bathroom.

OAHU COUNTRY CLUB IS BEAUTIFUL

LOCO MOCO

RAIN OR SHINE IT IS STILL PRETTY NICE UP HERE

LE GUIGNOL FRENCH RESTAURANT

LE GUIGNOL FRENCH RESTAURANT

HONOLULU, HI

I have lived in Hawaii for around 20 years. During this time, I have always wanted to visit

Le Guignol. There is not much advertising or press for this place. In fact, you really never hear about it. I remember hearing about it several times when they changed ownership. Why I never dined here is a mystery. Well last week I was with a business associate and we needed to find a quick lunch. We drove right past Le Guignol and saw lots of street parking. That was it. We ventured in at around 1:30 in the afternoon while most tables were requesting for their checks. The service was a bit slow because there was only one person on the floor. I was interested to see what the menu would reveal. For lunch there are selections of mostly crepes, salads and sandwiches. There also was a nice sounding Frois Gras dish that one day I will try.

I opted for the Beef Sandwich with Gruyere Cheese and Horseradish served with a light salad for around $8. My guest enjoyed a sandwich that was chicken for about the same price. Don't remember what was in his sandwich but he said that it was fantastic. My sandwich was perfect. Great meat flavor, the cheese and a nice bite of horseradish to finish the taste. Served on a perfect piece of french bread. The waiter recovered from the slam and took good care of our table and expedited our check so we could get out on a timely basis. I can't wait to return here for another lunch or better yet dinner. You can bring your own wine too.

HONOLULU, HI

BISTRO CASANOVA - KAHULUI, MAUI

BISTRO CASAVOVA

KAHULUI, MAUI, HI

While in Maui on business, my customer recommended we dine at Bistro Casanova in Kahului because it was just minutes from the airport. This was a great recommendation. Bistro Casanova serves Italian dishes, steaks, tapas and some seafood. I ordered the Caesar Salad ($7) and was amazed when it was brought to the table. The portion was enough for two people. I actually gave half to my guest. The crunchy romaine coupled with a not too heavy dressing and large fresh anchovies made this a really good salad. I enjoyed the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese ($14) for my entree. Again a huge portion was delivered to my table. This dish features fresh large noodles with homemade meat sauce and three delicious meat balls. I loved the dish. Meaty sauce plus the meatballs that were moist and flavorful. My guests enjoyed the Bouillabaisse ($26). This is a rich seafood and saffron soup with fresh fish, mussels, clams, shrimp, calamari, scallops, potatoes, tomatoes and zucchini served with two garlic crostini. Looked good and there was nothing left on the plate so must have been good. Our other guest enjoyed the Fresh Catch of the day. Fresh Mahi Mahi served over a bed of spinach and some other stuff. He loved it. I am looking forward to returning to Bistro Casanova on Maui. I would order the Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese in a heart beat.

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE - $39.95 SPECIAL

RUTH'S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE

WAIKIKI, HI

There is a special deal at Ruth's Chris that is totally the best buy of any fine dining steak house. For $39.95 you get an entree, salad, side dish and desert. This is the steak house deal of the year and not to be missed. Me and my friends have enjoyed this special several times during the past few months. Everyone agrees it is fantastic. You need to place your order for this special before 6:00 pm. I like the Ruth's Chris Steak House in Waikiki over the one in Restaurant Row because of the excellent service. We have been getting a table outside the past two visits. You can start your meal here with some free freshly made potato chips at the bar. The chips are crunchy and salty. Perfect with a cold beer. The bartenders here are top notch and go out of their way to make sure you are comfortable and filled with their spirits. For my $39.95 meal, I started with a Caesar Salad. Fresh crisp romaine tossed with Romano Cheese and a creamy Caesar dressing. Topped with shaved Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, croutons and some Parmesan cheese crisps that are delicious. The salad is served chilled and with a chilled fork. Simply perfect. I chose the Petit Filet for my entree. A perfectly cooked filet of beef served on a sizzling plate and covered in butter. My steak was a perfect medium rare. My side dish was grilled Tomatoes lightly salted and topped with brown sugar. They are thick and very tasty. We shared other sides such as Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Sauteed Mushrooms. Both dishes were delicious. For desert I enjoyed a strawberry sorbet while my friends feasted on a Bread Pudding. This is hands down the best fine dining deal in Hawaii. Highly recommend you visit Ruth's Chris Waikiki for this fantastic dinner.
Click links below for more posts on Ruth's Chris;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2023/03/ruths-chris-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2022/05/ruths-chris-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2021/11/ruths-chris-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2021/07/ruths-chris-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2021/06/ruths-chris-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2021/05/ruths-chris-steakhouse-again.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2021/05/ruths-chris-steak-house-five-nights-in.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2015/01/ruths-chris-steak-house-waikiki.html

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2011/10/ruth-chris-steakhouse-waikiki.html

THE PETITE FILET

THE BBQ STICK MAN

THE BBQ STICK MAN

HONOLULU, HI

We literally stumbled across this little place located on Campbell Street in Honolulu. While parking my car to go to Ricos Tacos, I saw a sign that read "The BBQ Man Behind the Containers". There were containers stacked in a yard. We walked around and found a cute little grub truck with a few tables next to a recycling place and limo company. The BBQ Sticks are $2 each. We tried the steak, chicken and crispy chicken. The sign said to be patient because all of the Sticks are good to order on the grill. We liked the beef and chicken but were not impressed with the house specialty crispy chicken. This place also serves shrimp and plate lunches for around $6.

WATCH THE VIDEO

TACO RICOS

TACO RICOS

HONOLULU, HI

UPDATE: 2012 - TACO RICOS CLOSED.  I CALLED THIS ONE RIGHT.

We have been waiting to try Taco Ricos for months. Located on Kapahulu Avenue we drive by it all the time. The reviews for the tacos here have been pretty good. In fact, one review said they had the best tacos in Hawaii. We entered the place to find two employees behind the counter. The just stared at us as if we were aliens. No hello. No can I help you. No get lost. The menu is hand written on a board above the counter. There are tacos, burritos, nachos and a fish dish. Not much of an explanation on the board. The tacos served are small 4" soft type that are supposed to be like Mexico Street Tacos. We tried the Carnitas, Carne Asada and Cabeza (cheeks). When I ordered the Carne Asada the guy snapped back "burrito, taco or what". Taco I said. Then I ordered the Carnitas and loudly said TACO. Then the Cabeza TACO. The guy had the personality of a pinto bean but the bean would be more dynamic. We ordered the beans and rice. They were served in a cup. I have never seen anything more stupid. There is a cart by the counter where you order filled with cilantro, onions, jalapenos and sauces. The cart has a large sign on it that reads "Not for Tacos. For burritos only". Thought this was a taco joint. Our tacos came quickly served on a single paper plate. The guy said there was a taco bar in the back with condiments for the tacos. The bar lid was closed so it looked like nothing. I opened the lid and found cilantro, onions, jalapenos, hot sauce, avocado type sauce, marinated onions, radish and maybe some other stuff. The hot sauce was not too hot and did not have much flavor. The carne asada tacos were o.k. The carnitas was o.k. The cabeza was not my favorite. Probably will not return to Taco Ricos. The Tacos are about $2 each.

THE WILD BEAN

THE WILD BEAN COFFEE TRUCK

KALIHI

There is a coffee truck parked on the side of the road at the corner of Puahale and Dillingham. Directly across from the prison and next to a small market. Lines of people (mostly men) line up to get this coffee. I just had to see why the Wild Bean has such loyal customers. The coffee must be really good. Or maybe it is the smoothies that attract such a crowd. I tried the Strawberry and Banana Smoothie. Can't remember the price. Tasted bland but was a great experience. Would definitely go back. Why you ask? Because the girls serving the coffee here are dressed (or undressed) in skimpy little underwear. Yes that is the secret here. Best thing is that the girls here are actually "hot". Rockin little packages wearing almost nothing. I have been twice (doing research) and both times the girls were top notch. As you can see in the video, the fresh buns are perfect.

WATCH THE VIDEO 

STEAK AND LOBSTER DINNER

DINNER WITH FRIENDS

HOME

Shirley cooked up some magnificent lobster tails for my friend Greg, his lovely gal Yuko and daughter Paris. I have known Greg for twenty years and it is amazing to see us now with daughters that are 9 and 12 years old. Wow...how the time has passed so fast.  Our dinner began with a light and refreshing calamari salad with cucumber, onion, tomato, fresh mint and a balsamic vinegar dressing. This is a great salad. Shirley is the master of cooking steak and lobster. Her presentations are also fantastic. These large lobster tails were served up with garlic mashed potatoes and french green beans with shallots and bacon. This was the monster meal. I was so full that I could not finish my lobster meat.

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KELI & AUTUMN MAKE PIZZA

KELI & AUTUMN MAKING PIZZA

HOME

These days there is nothing better than staying home with Keli. Watching her learn, grow and have fun is a blessing and the happiest part of my life. One of her best friends from school came over for a sleep over. They made pizza, played and watched a movie. Ahhh. what a joy it would be to be nine years old again. The pizza came out o.k. but the crust was a little soggy in the middle. We need to work on perfecting the made at home pizza.

ROYS' 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION - HAWAII KAI, HAWAII

4TH OF JULY

ROY'S HAWAII KAI

We had a wonderful day of great food, fireworks and friends this 4th of July. Corey, Sarah and Colette joined forces with us to indulge in too much food and just enough wine at Roy's Restaurant in Hawaii Kai. You cannot beat Roy's for the 4th. They offer indoor/outdoor seating directly on the bay where the fireworks go off. We scored a great table under a tree on the front lawn. For $60 you get admission to the restaurant and all you can eat from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. We attended this event last year and were blown away by the food, service and fireworks. This year the service and fireworks were still great, but the food didn't have the bang. We started with three different Poke dishes. All pretty bland and tasteless. Most of them were not eaten after a bite or two. Honestly, you can get better Poke at Foodland. My girls enjoyed some Root Beer and Lemonade as the others made their way into a Cakebread Chardonnay. Yummy stuff. We paired the wine with crab cakes, shrimp skewers, oysters, soft shell crab burger and a lobster hot dog. The lobster dogs kinda sort of taste like lobster, but lack any real taste. Everyone loved the soft shell crab burgers. They were a hit. I wondered around the various food stations and picked up a mini hot dog, lamb burger, meatloaf burger and some ribs. I loved the mini hot dog. The mini lamb burger and meatloaf burger were also good. The Roy's ribs were fantastic. Keli enjoyed cotton candy and a Root Beer Float. We had an apple thing for desert. Shirley got some vanilla ice cream from the root beer float booth and we made a nice little dish with the apple thing and ice cream. The buffet stations also had great corn on the cob, rice, pork, chicken and some other stuff that I never had room to try. Sarah and Colette made the rounds across the street where dozens of booths were set up to sell food, advertise products and promote various political candidates. After the great fireworks display Corey showed up with a cheeseburger. We split it and ended the night so full that we could barely walk out of the place. The fireworks were spectacular and the Roy's location is absolutely the best seat in the house. Once again the service was great at Roy's. They do a really good job taking care of their customers.  Videos below.

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2013/07/roys-hawaii-kai-4th-of-july-celebration.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2012/07/roys-hawaii-kai-4th-of-july-celebration.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2011/07/roys-hawaii-kai-4th-of-july-celebration.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2010/07/happy-4th-of-july-at-roys-hawaii-kai.html

https://www.greateatshawaii.com/2009/07/roys-4th-of-july-bbq-hawaii-kai-wow.html

CHEF ROY YAMAGUCHI

FATHERS DAY AT HOME 2010

FATHERS DAY AT HOME

HONOLULU, HI

I am a very blessed man. Woke up to the two most beautiful woman in the world today. Had a Eggs Benedict breakfast served with fresh strawberries. After church we came home and worked on the computer, played some volleyball and did some reading. To cap off the day my lovely bride made me a huge lobster dinner with rice, salad and fresh vegetables. This lobster was huge and delicious. I would write more but my girls just presented me with some chocolate covered strawberries.

NICE LOBSTER TAIL FOR DAD

EGGS BENEDICT FOR BREAKFAST

AIR FORCE ONE - REAGAN LIBRARY

AIR FORCE ONE

RONALD REAGAN LIBRARY

SIMI VALLEY, CA

The beautiful Boeing 707 with tail number 27000 dramatically fills an air conditioned space at the Reagan Library. Richard Nixon was the first President to fly aboard 27000. Ford, Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton and W. Bush all used this historic piece of aviation history. The President now flies in a Boeing 747 with tail number 28000. Air Force One was disassembled over a nine week period by a nine-person crew from Boeing. The plane was transported to the Reagan Library by truck and the reassembled in 2003. The Air Force One Pavilion opened to the public in 2005. You can walk through the plane and see where our Commander and Chief conducted business. We could not take photos inside the aircraft. The Pavilion also includes Marine One Helicopter and a replica of a Presidential motorcade complete with Presidential limo, chase vehicle and escort police.

AIR FORCE ONE AT THE REAGAN LIBRARY

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THE OVAL OFFICE - REAGAN LIBRARY

REAGAN LIBRARY

SIMI VALLEY, CA

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley is a must do when in California if you are a Republican and love Ronald Reagan. The library is beautiful set amidst the rolling hills of California. Within the library is an exact replica of Ronald Reagan's Oval Office from the White House.

OVAL OFFICE REAGAN LIBRARY

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WINE STEALS - SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA

WINE STEALS

SAN DIEGO, CA

We left the Padre Baseball game and walked around the block to center field. Right near the park was a great little wine bar called Wine Steals. This place is great. It is a wine store and bar/restaurant. You walk the isles and pick a bottle of vino and then belly up to the bar. The bartender (who was fantastic) opens the wine and tells you about it. We enjoyed a great tasting cheese plate and flat bread pizza. Great way to end the evening.

WINE STEALS ROCKS

DRINK AND BUY WINE AT WINE STEALS

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THE CLAIM JUMPER

CLAIM JUMPER

ANAHEIM, CA

We planned a dinner to see my Mom, brother and sister a few days before my mom had some surgery. Turns out 16 family members turned out for a great dinner at the Claim Jumper. I love the Claim Jumper because they have large portions, fair prices, good food and a nice salad bar. Prior to my arrival we called the family to tell them to order some appetizers because we were running late from the airport. The appetizer platters were on the tables when we arrived. The combo platters ($19.95) included chicken wings, potato skins, parmesan Zucchini Spears, Mozzarella Sticks, Onion Rings, Egg Rolls and Fire-Roasted Artichoke with dipping sauces. After that, I was in for only the salad bar ($10.75). The table enjoyed a variety of dishes. The Prime Rib ($26.95), Full Rack of Pork Ribs ($22.95) and Turkey Supper ($13.95) looked really good. Others feasted on Prime Sirloin ($18.95) and New York Steak ($25.95). I did try the Tomato and Basil Pizza ($9.95). It was terrible because there was no red sauce. No sauce equal no flavor in my book. Citrus Serano Shrimp Pasta ($15.95), BBQ Chicken Salad ($10.95) and Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo ($9.95) were also consumed with happiness. My nephew loved the "Widow Maker Burger". Applewood smoked bacon, hand-battered onion rings, avocado, double thick Tillamook cheddar, may and relish on a half pound patty ($10.95). The desserts here were amazing starting with the Chocolate Mother Load Cake ($9.95). This is a twenty two year tradition at the Claim Jumper. Six decadent layers of chocolate cake and rich chocolate fudge icing topped with walnuts. This cake was named one of the five most decadent desserts by the Food Network. I loved it. We tried the Chocolate Chip Calzone ($7.50). Baked fresh in the stone hearth oven with white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate chips, vanilla bean ice cream and homemade whipped cream. The Warm English Coffee Cake ($3.95) had rich brown sugar and date cake nestled in warm toffee sauce with ice cream and whipped cream. Last but not least came the Carmel Apple Cream Cheese Pie ($7.50).  What a great meal with the family. I was able to listen to great stories from my sisters husband Dane and got caught up with my newly retired brother, hard working sister and mom along with their kids.

 

THE CLAIM JUMPER

 

SPLASH MOUNTAIN - DISNEYLAND

SPLASH MOUNTAIN

DISNEYLAND, CA

We had the absolute best trip to Disneyland ever because Keli is now 9 years old and could enjoy all the rides. One of her favorite is Splash Mountain. Watch the video and see the ride. That is not me screaming, probably the guy behind me.

THE BEST PART OF SPLASH MOUNTIAN

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