Roadtrip Dining Highlights

Gentle readers, if you were wondering if I feel off the face of the earth, the answer is, yes, I have. I'm in a Motel 6 in Van Horn, Texas, trapped by illness and weather. Until you've had this particular experience, you don't know what falling off the face of the earth is.

In healthier days back in San Diego, I had a fabulous dinner at Maria Maria. I was too busy shoveling in the delicious vegetarian enchiladas and listening to the wonderful live music (no, not Carlos Santana, but still very good) to take a picture.

Another terrific enchilada meal, this one at Nati's in San Diego, with my brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, and my cousin's girlfriend. Not quite as good as at Maria Maria, but darn close.

Monica and I had to try Roberto's Very Mexican Food, simply because of the name. If by "very Mexican" they mean "very greasy," then the name says it all. This time I had the tacos.

I had no idea that ramen is an actual dish, not just something that comes in a square package with a packet of overly salty "broth." I stand corrected. My brother and his girlfriend took me to Shin Sen Gumi in Los Angeles for real ramen. It was delicious. Who knew?

This was the house specialty at the Sands Motel, Steak House, and Restaurant in Van Horn, TX: "crispy bacon and butter fried eggs between two golden brown pancakes." I had it for breakfast this morning, and it was delicious. Not the healthiest breakfast, granted, but between my body needing to keep warm in the frigid temperatures of Van Horn and fighting off the malaria or typhoid or whatever it is we have, I'm not worried about a few extra calories.