Well what with all the holidays and me attempting to watch my ever growing figure, I passed on a lot of dining out, as dining in was simply too delicious to pass up.
But with the holidays behind me and my culinary appetite in need of whetting, hubby and I head out in search of the all illusive middle of the week prime rib. Well, I was in search of antique stores and yard sales, but he willingly came along when I mentioned I was also insearch of prime rib. Thats the real buzz word in our home.
So as he begins to don his motorcycle garb, I am realizing that my shopping experience will be limited to what I can fit in my purse...not what I had envisioned for my day out exploring. So with a little more cajoling and I admit a little whining we load into something with four wheels and (lucky me) a trunk!
Which way do we go, hmmm, off the beaten path if one is looking for treasures.
Once again our journey takes us to places where I swear I hear banjoes and I begin to have flashbacks of B movies...LaGrange.
Yup, we ended up in LaGrange. Where whadaya know? Theres a mercantile going out of business with dirt cheap antiques AND a restaurant that serves prime rib. Well prime rib sandwiches.
After spending all my $20 on bags of wonderful treasures, affectionately called junk by hubby, we strolled across the street to Louie's Place. A gem in the wilderness.
Built in 1897, the beaten wooden doors swung open into a classic old time bar. The wooden floor was aged and worn, uneven and perfect at the same time, there was heavy bar encrusted with silver dollars spelling out Louies on the top running the length of the restaurant, and a jukebox belting out country music in the back. The only thing missing to complete the home grown neighborhood country hangout was a pot bellied stove and two old men in rockers smokin' corn cob pipes.
As if the ambiance didn't take you back in time, the menu did. Delicious 100% beef hamburgers of all kinds, hearty soups and salads, deep fried pickles and the coup d'etat - a prime rib sandwich boasting a 10 or 16 oz slab of prime rib. Enough for two, but made for one.
Bring on the fried pickles of course. Hand battered and fried to perfection. Next up the bacon blue cheese burger. So large I had to smash it down to get it in my mouth! And thats sayin' a lot. Well we all know what hubby had, 16 oz prime rib sandwich skip the bread and bring on the fresh horseradish.
He was is seventh heaven. Oh and his came with a side salad made for a king, with real blue cheese crumbles and plenty of fresh greens and toppings.
Suffice it to say I was rolled out of there, leftovers are for wimps is my motto!
If you want to enjoy a leisurely drive through the foothills, I really would add this gem to your list, but go hungry, its ALL good.
Oh and I forget to mention the prices....um what would you say if I told you hubby and I got out of there with drinks included for under $30.00! Yup. I guess this would be a good time to tell you we have been back and it was just as good the first time, except I ordered less, food comas are not good on winding roads:)
And if you want to continue to explore, Coulterville is just a few winding miles up the road.
If you go on a Thursday or Saturday, say 'hi' to Mishawn and tell her I sent ya:)
(My little disclaimer: 'To dine or not to dine' is meant to be a helpful - and humorous - informational piece only. I receive no monetary compensation for this column nor do I endorse any one eatery. This is simply my opinion. My tastes will be different from others and I readily admit that I have no culinary background, but I am fairly confident I know when food is cooked correctly or not, whether a drink is poured well or not and especially whether wait staff is first-rate or in need of a career change.)
