Jacalito - Lomita

We’re the only people here who don't speak Spanish, but you only need two words to eat well. Repeat after me, “mole negro”. 

A plate of half-rice, half tar-chicken will magically appear...in a less magical amount of time. The chicken is cooked just enough, and the mole makes a silky drape. A hot, fluffy flour tortilla can encase it all in a dark and bitter-sweet burrito, though you might want to opt for the corn tortillas, which they make in-house. 

The mole here is a bit more one-note than, say, Madre, but it is a delicious note at a pretty good price, and for this, all I need to say is "mas". 

Whoa Nellie Deli - Lee Vining, CA

This convenience-store-deli guards the gateway to Yosemite National Park. Last stop before you hit the park, perfect stop to fuel up on fish tacos and get a look at Mono Lake. 

The World Famous Fish Tacos are pretty okay considering they're seafood in a landlocked city surrounded by mountains and trees. The fish is pretty fresh, and the portion is substantial. The mango salsa is sweet with very ripe fruit, a bit less bland than the ginger slaw. 

The BBQ Chicken Sandwich is about what you'd expect. It's a bland breast saturated with sauce, though the chicken isn't dry and the sauce does have a nice flavor. 

A slice of Cheese Pizza placates the kids but I would recommend anything else.

I did like this deli, but I don't know if the fish tacos are fully deserving of their fame. The food is decent deli fare, and I do think it's a fun stop on the way to wherever you're going, but I don't think I would stop for the food. 

R Town Pizza - Reno, NV

Pizza just might be Detroit's best contribution to America, and you can grab a slice right in R town. 

R Town pizza slathers steamy square pies like the Normcore with Wisconsin cheese and creamy whipped ricotta. 

The red sauce carries a savory tang, spicing up the pepperoni, floating the fennel sausage, pulling together all the forceful flavors of the El Vaquero. Salty olives add an umami hit to a meaty marvel. 

Whoever thinks pineapple doesn't belong on pizza needs to try the Panopoulos. Pineapple jam supplements smoky bacon with sweetness, and Canadian bacon ties it together with its deeply savory flavor. 

Dessert is nuggets of Pick and Pull Bread encased in hard cinnamon sugar so good they negate the pizza. I would have ordered five of these and nothing else had I known. Dip in delectable caramel sauce if you'd like, but this bread is so good it's better eaten as is.

The best pizza is the pizza you like to eat. If you're aiming for a floppy, foldable New York slice, this isn't the place for you, but if you're looking for Detroit pizza, or just delicious pizza, look no further than R Town with its thick, fluffy crusts and flavor-forward toppings in any combination you may crave. 

Louis' Basque Corner - Reno, NV

Everytime I come to Reno, I fall in love with the city just a little bit more. There's always a new corner to uncover, and on this trip, we found Louis's Basque, a bar on the brewery-filled 4th street. 

The food is family style, and everyone acts like family. Be prepared to sit next to strangers and pass the communal plates. Every lunch comes with a set of staples and your choice of entree if you choose to have one. 

The Soup today is a hearty chicken and rice, 

the Salad has a simple vinaigrette, 

The Basque Beans are meaty and savory, soft from so much simmer. 

You get bread and a plate of fries as well, perfect for dipping and soaking, sopping up all the broth, lest you waste a single, savory drop of the soup or beans. 

The kiddos get some Chicken Nuggets fried to order, and I swear, these are so good we ate them all.  

Thin slices of Beef Tongue are stewed in tomato and pepper sauce, super-tender with a sharp tang to finish. 

Oxtail meat simmers in a savory brown sauce, so soft it slides off the bone. 

I love the food here, but I might love the feeling more. In a world where social standards forbid this kind of set-up, Louis keeps community alive, facilitating finding common ground through sharing starters and passing plates. It seems daunting to dine this way, but I suspect that’s why lunch comes with a glass of wine if you want it. Even if you're not feeling social, take a sip and seize the day. Say hi to those strangers and get to know your neighbors a little bit. People can pleasantly surprise you if you give them a chance, especially when you're sharing some of the best food in the city. 

Pasta Fresca - Reno, NV

Some genius opened a fresh pasta place right next to a children's museum. 

All organic, all housemade, this menu is a parent's dream. 

The Mortadella Panini makes a pleasant lunch, with a crust so crisp, a bread so fluffy, filled with a chunky slice of fresh mozzarella, topped with sharp greens and soft mortadella. 

There's a menu for kids, and my not-quite-two year-old ate an entire order of Ravioli 4 Cheese with marinara. Even my impossibly picky kid ate a substantial amount of spaghetti plain. 

Then, the Tagliatelle Agli Scampi was so good that my little one ate half of that as well. I love the eggy flat noodles, and the subtle chili-oil sauce brings out the savory-sweetness of the shrimp. 

Great food for kids, amazing for adults as well. Perfect pasta for a meal or snack if you're in the area.  

Charlie Palmer Steak - Reno, NV

Classy dining in a casino, delicious steak in Reno. The grandparents wanted to treat us, not realizing that the real treat is any time we spend with them. 

Well, they sure do know how to treat us - this place is so pretty! Even the basket of bread is beautiful. My kids ate all the brioche, and we tore into buttered baguettes and nuggets of jalapeno cornbread. 

The French Onion Soup is our only photo of the food due to the demands of wrangling a kid and a toddler in a fancy place. This stuff is steamy, beefy, cheesy, and hot, exactly what it's supposed to be. 

The Cowboy Ribeye arrives, and I am prepared. Eat it up, chew it well, drink all the juices, savor the fat as it coats the tongue and lingers on the tastebuds. Hubby had the NY Strip, a happy medium between meat and marble. 

The steak doesn't come with sides so we get French Fries to share, and they are just what you'd want them to be. The Lobster Mac n' Cheese was supposed to sate my shrimp-and-crab-scarfing baby, but they make it with meat that isn't all that fresh. Makes sense that it wouldn't be the best cuts, but cheese should never be fishy to any degree, and this has an aftertaste that is mildly unpleasant. 

Sometimes you just want a good steak, and Charlie Palmer will deliver. Service could be better - more patience is required, and better listening wouldn't hurt as the guy forgot my husband's drink while waiting no more than three tables. Still, it's a delicious meal made that much more enjoyable by our family, and sometimes it pays to splurge on a sure thing. 

Sorry for forgetting photos. Go to google if you want an eyeful of what we ate - those people take much better pictures than I ever will. 

Copper Top - Big Pine, CA

On our way up the picturesque 395 to see the Ottens, we came across a pit stop owned by some Ottens, this Big Pine place called Copper Top. 

A line winds around the building before they even open, as a diverse group of visitors and locals alike stand in the sweltering heat to score some sustenance straight out of the smoker. 

The Big Pine Mega Platter has a so-so scoop of Pulled Pork sitting next to slices of the tenderest, smokiest, like-liquid-in-the-middle tri tip and some salty-and-saucy, grab-by-the-bone Ribs. Chicken Sausage is full of sweet and savory juice,

and my not-even-two year-old ate an entire side of this cheese-lake Mac and Cheese. 

Great things come from my family, and if these Ottens are like all the other Ottens I know, it's hardly surprising that they'd be masters of meat. If you're trying to take a roadtrip, time it so you get to eat in Big Pine because this just might be the best stop up the 395.