It’s a beautiful drive up the 5N from here, through the Shasta and Klamath National Forests all the way to the border. Once you cross into Oregon, there’s Umpqua, Siuslaw, and Williamette all the way up.
Sunday, July 31, 2022
Fresh Fire Grill - Palo Cedro, CA
The Hawaiian Pork Bowl has several dry spots, but the pork and bbq sauce could be worse. I do love the grilled pineapple - it’s fresh, not canned. No Mac salad came with it, sadly, unclear if that’s an omission or an oversight.
The Korean BBQ bowl sits on white rice and has a side of no-Mayo, neutrally-flavored slaw. The meat is tough but I do appreciate the cabbage.
California Chicken Salad, my fave. I actually liked every element of this bowl. The salad leaves are fresh, not at all wilted, and there’s decent teriyaki chicken and half a ripe avocado on top. Chopped cucumber is refreshing, and the sriracha aioli has some real bite.
A little less than fast-casual, and I didn’t love most of the meat. That said, it’s a pleasant way to get a few sides of much-need vegetables, and I’m sure you could do worse in this food-desert town.
Oregon Trip - Day 3 - Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA
The day starts with a loaf of organic German Farmer Bread.
Baked to order, a whole pound of this stuff costs a mere $7. Perfect for toast, ideal for sandwiches, impossible to eat only a single slice. It’s just another benefit of staying at here.
Then it’s back to Higher Ground for a brunch-like snack, then back into the park we go.
We make it all the way to Bumpass for no reason except to laugh at the name.
But Lake Helen is no laughing matter.
It’s clear, blue, and freezing and so incredibly beautiful.
We stop next at the parking for the Bumpass trail head. No hiking for us, but plenty of photo ops and fun.
Shingleton Store - Shingletown, CA
A little rest-stop gas station with some basic groceries. A small selection of fresh veggies and fruit, a small counter of ready-to-eat hot food.
Dinner is whatever’s sitting in the warmer, our selections taste as you’d imagine. A Tamale is filled with rubbery chicken in verde sauce, masa made chewy by a day’s desiccation. Corn dog looked too gross to eat so we didn’t. Chicken strips were dry, but the toddler ate three.
Picked up some macaroni salad for a side; undercooked elbows drenched in mayo.
Sweet people, service with a smile, convenient if you need something basic but I can’t recommend anything they prepare. If you insist on stopping here, show up earlier in the day.
Oregon Trip - Day 2 - Lassen Volcanic National Park, CA
The destination is Manzanita Lake, which lies half an hour east, through this breathtaking tunnel of trees.
Summit Lake is closed, but no matter. We meander down to a West Fort Hat Creek for Izzy to throw some rocks.
We take a few minutes to meander along the Hat Creek trailhead, but not nearly far enough to see the lake. but the trees are pretty enough.
Manzanita Lake is visible from the highway so we take a little walk and stop to throw more rocks.
A half-day is done, and it’s time to find more food.
Higher Ground Coffee - Shingletown, CA
There’s a cute little coffee shop that sits along the 44 on the way into Lassen.
Family run by the friendliest folks, they make a selection of sandwiches for breakfast, lunch, or brunch.
Cool down with a Mexican Chocolate Mocha, rich and cocoa-sweet.
Bite into a Pesto Parm, fluffy eggs and bacon tucked into a thinner, softer bagel.
My Spicey Bowl is similar, with chunks of fresh jalapeño to spice things up. The pepper is on top so you can control your heat.
They also make Biscuits and Gravy, and this one is a half-order. Fennel adds a fragrance to what may be the smoothest gravy I’ve had.
We also leave with a bag of baked goods, a notably flaky Almond Danish and multiple muffins.
Stop by Higher Ground on your way in or out of Lassen. They make the best food in all the towns.
Oregon Trip Day 2 - Millville, CA & Lassen Volcanic National Park
You don’t have to jump through hoops to have a good time here…though Izzy begs to differ.
After a lazy morning playing around the property we hit the road. First stop is a coffee-shop-cafe on the way out to Lassen.
Good Times Pizza & Things - Palo Cedro, CA
The Gourmet Veggie is a good time indeed, and two of us split the small, with the small one choosing an occasional crust. It’s got all the expected veggies, and we subbed out the ranch dressing for a lactose-tolerant marinara.
I tried to trick my toddler into eating veggies with a Half & Half of fried mushrooms and zucchini, but this dish was sadly inedible. Fresh veggies and golden batter are quality, but the quantity of salt was impossible.
I liked them for a casual, kick-back meal. The over-salting is an easy fix if you’re dining in so maybe just taste your fried food before heading home.
Oregon Trip - Day 1 - Lawndale to Millvillle
Driving like I’m being chased, we speed up the I-5N. It’s 8.5 hours but I’m pretty sure I did it in 8 without the pit stops.
Izzy is a vomit comet but mostly sleeps and makes the journey with zero meltdowns, a few whimpers, and the occasional protest. Remarkable for a trying toddler at the age of 2.5.
We arrive at Bear Creek Falls Ranch, an Airbnb run by a lovely German couple.
It’s rent-a-room situation, with individual locked bed-and-bath suites and a common area with a full kitchen and giant TV.
A more stunning view could not exist. There are trees as far as you can see, and with a back deck like this, even the sweltering heat is not inhospitable.
The downside is that there is no food in Millville. The town has a population of 752 and even the gas station is miles away. There’s a full kitchen stocked with more dishes than you can imagine and basic cooking equipment, but either show up with groceries or plan to pick up pizza.
7 Leaves & Crema Bakery - Fountain Valley
Known for the fresh-brewed teas, their Milk Tea is mmm-mmm good, and the devil's in the details.
This location is also a bakery and cafe, and the food is worth sitting for.
If you're like me and you start every day with angst, go for an Avocado Toast to spite the boomers. It's the real reason we millennials can't afford houses. Crusty bread smeared with ripe avocado topped with a fresh feta salad, to be consumed with caution. Too many of these and Crema Bakery will claim your condo.
I rarely order omelettes, but I actually love this Truffle Mushroom Omelette. It's made Japanese-style with a thin outer sheet of egg that unfolds into a fluffy almost-pudding inside. The mushrooms are perfect, and the truffle flavor is present but not in your face.
The Mochiko Chicken Sandwich keeps crispy, even in a car, and it's a good balance of chicken, slaw, and mayo between slices of toasted brioche. A solid chicken sandwich to scratch your itch for a chicken sandwich.
My favorite Crema concept is their Croffle. Croissant dough in a waffle iron with sweet sauces for dips. Vanilla is good, salted caramel is great, but they're definitely better together.
I can't leave without my Macarons, one in every flavor that isn't sold out. Earl Grey is great, Rose Water is delicate, but tbh, I have no idea what it's supposed to taste like. Sea Salt Caramel is my fave - the caramel is strong. Pistachio is slightly nutty, and Vanilla and Green Tea are as you'd expect.
It's a real cafe here, with wooden tables and shelves of books. Quiet time with your laptop is a luxury, especially when there's good food for fuel. Chatting over reasonably-priced breakfast and brunch makes it a reasonable meet-up for friends with a budget. I don't think I'd consistently choose Crema again over all the other amazing options around, but hat's more about the surrounding Vietnamese food than the quality of this lovely cafe.
Krak Boba - Torrance
As their name would suggest, this SoCal boba house bucks tradition, blending colorful cups of creative concoctions.
The Taro Twist, for one, is a sweet stasis with sugar offset by a grainy ground taro base.
King Brulee is a brutal batch of brown sugar, caramelizing bits of crème brûlée in every sip. Each sip contains more sugar than you should consume in a week, but it’s so good you won’t be able to put it down.
A lighter option is a thick and creamy Lychee Yogurt. You can truly taste the lychee, and the yogurt doesn’t sour the sugar, only mutes it.
I like my milk tea with half sugar or less, but believe me when I say the drinks at Krak are SWEET. Sweet and delicious but loaded with sugar so consider if it fits your personal preference. Disclaimer aside, fantastic ingredients and standout flavors, steps toward an inevitable addiction.
Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea - Torrance
The more I get boba, the more I realize I know nothing about boba. Everyone makes their own iteration of a milk tea, and every menu has a mix of other drinks, both sweet and fruity.
Walk into Yi Fang and you'll notice it smells amazing. Their signature Fruit Tea is full of floating fruit slices, and you'll immediate remark on how pretty their Eastern-themed decor is. Take a sip of their tea...with 50% sugar or less because it is SWEET, and you'll enjoy that fresh-brewed taste, but soon you'll notice how quickly it goes. it's an awful lot of fruit in an awfully small amount of tea, especially if you get a regular size and add toppings. And it's a good tea, so you're always left wanting more.
Same goes for the less-fruit options like the Passion Fruit Green Tea. The tea taste is definitely on the lighter side, especially with less sugar, but it's a lot easier to swallow and you do get more liquid.
Why are they called toppings if they go on the bottoms? I guess "bottoms" would be a much harder sell... That said, there is one distinct bottom-topping I've only seen at Yi Fang that is worth trying. Find an excuse to add some mochi jelly cake. These cubes of mochi-married-egg-pudding are amazing in texture and taste but more difficult to suck into a straw. Get it in a Red Bean Mochi Latte or something similarly milky and you'll like it lot-te, but between that and the non-adjustable level of ice, you do get a lot less drink.
I honestly don't love Yi Fang. I like the refreshing drinks despite the lower volume, and I love the mochi jelly cake, but their drinks tend to look nicer than they taste.
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