Fresh Fire Grill - Palo Cedro, CA

Ah, “Asian fusion”, my least favorite words. But these bowls aren’t too bad. 

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.

Good Times Pizza & Things - Palo Cedro, CA

Aptly named, this neighboring pizzeria is one of few places within ten minutes. 

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.