Pita Kabob Mediterranean Gastropub - Visalia, CA

Heading home from Sequoia National Park can be a bit of letdown. It's not the prettiest drive, and the towns you pass through on your way back to SoCal aren't exactly known for the food. 

Well this is a pleasant surprise. In the middle of a pleasant little town called Visalia sits a cool Mediterranean joint with a bar and a beer garden. 

The food tastes fresh, and the kitchen has savory-looking rotating spits of gyro meat and shawarma. The Babba Ghanoush makes a great starter. It comes out right away, a bridge for low blood sugar if you're starving while waiting for your made-to-order. I don't know much about babba ghanoush, but this one is thinner in texture than some others I've had. The eggplant and the smoke are still ever-present, and the I do think the flavors are good. Dip with the pita chips - they're literally the best part of this meal. 

Chicken Kabob Pita with two sides, a frugal lunch special that fills you up for the day. The chicken is tender and not at all dry, and you can't go wrong with hummus and fries. The Cilantro-Jalapeno Hummus is a wise choice if you're looking for a bite that bites you back. 

Gyro a la carte is better if you want more meat and less filler. The meat is tender, and the I love the onions too. 

Even after a weekend of easy car camping, I'm grateful to not have to make my own lunch. They know how to make a good lunch at Pita Kabob, and I would definitely pause for their beer garden next time I'm near Visalia. 

Ashland Hill - Santa Monica

There is no better way to spend a sunny Santa Monica summer than to sit outside and eat. If that's what you're looking to do, look no further than Ashland Hill.

Parking is uphill both ways, but I swear you'll like it when you finally arrive. The location is ritzy, but Ashland Hill strives to be chill. This casual-chic beer garden embodies Santa Monica swagger, with high-end ingredients set into casual dishes for a higher-maintenance laid-back look.

What better way to start your beer-garden brunch than with a classic hash? The Main St. Hash is traditional with a twist. Two eggs blanket a rich potatoes-and-tomatoes combo, while the lamb gives it a gamier spin.

The Charred Shishito Mac & Cheese is non-euphemistically interesting. I didn't think pickled pepper would go with dairy but it does. And though the day was a little too hot and heavy for a thick coat of the whitest cheddar I've ever seen, the sharp sting of fresh shishitos and pickled peppers perk it up to make it a little more manageable.

Located uncomfortably close to tourist territory, I expected most things at Ashland Hill to be swill. The parking nightmare also makes for a hard sell, but I'd come back for a pleasant brunch and I'll be back to try the beer as well.