http://www.elpotrocatering.com/dinnerspec.htm Live Music at Winter Park location (sometimes Apopka as well). The buffet will defeat you... the breakfast buffet will own your soul. Says they only have 5 locations, but I saw one in the middle of nowhere, South Carolina once. A waiter told me they were up to around 12+ locations by now. Ex-FLASKer resin celebrities monstrehero probably ate here(!) And if you like margaritas... Only know of 1 good Ethiopian spot around here, but it's deep in the heart of the tourist trap area.
Re: Clear Zagoran Custom- Sprayed Inside CA has the best mexican food around (Breakfast tacos excluded...that goes to Texas). You can't eat at chipotle or chevy's and claim that the mexican food here sucks. That's like going to domino's in jersey & saying east coast pizza is shit. On the other hand, I'd rather have a shit pizza than a shitty custom anyday.
My favorite oldskool hamburgers in San Francisco are at Joe's Cable Car in the Excelsior District. The place is seriously lost in time. Not nostalgic or retro, not "nouvelle," but THERE. Stuck in the 60s. It's tacky as all get-out inside but that's part of the fun, and the freshly-ground burgers totally deliver. They really want you to know that Joe is on the job. And he is, with all the earnestness of a serial killer. Authentic folk art! Rotating assortment of weird cheesy stuff inside. Doesn't matter if Christmas is seven months away, something Christmas-y will be out. It's all about the payoff. Mmmm.
I wish I could help with this but I have the taste buds of a 5 year old. why don't you start with a photo of your hand?
I bought a couple of those large burlap bags from Badass the last time I was in Hawaii. Too many variables with coffee. The harvest quality, the storage, the freshness, the roaster, the water, the sweetener/milk/cream, the barista, etc. When I have a great cup of espresso or coffee I try and savor it since it probably won't be the same the next time.
Haven't heard of Badass before ... I'll order some. De La Paz Coffee is great. Jordan23, you're right the variables, but since approx. 1980 I've never had a bad espresso drink at Cafe Trieste.
De La Paz makes great shit. Check out this article: http://missionmission.wordpress.com/200 ... grown-man/ Probably my favorite of all the coffee we carry (& we carry A LOT).
For the quick, dirty & widely available, 7-11's regular coffee is my poison. I got them to install a Keurig machine at my last job. You can't really get any more fresh than 1 cup at a time. They have a ridiculous amount of types/flavors, in our 2nd month the company spent almost $500 in coffee for less than 20 employees.
i'm with you on that. 7-11's and kwik trips, whichever is closer. forget all that specialty garbage. i like my coffee dirty, corporate, and all around american.
In SF I will still stand by Blue Bottle but I agree with Henry; enjoy a great cup when you get it because the next cup won't taste the same. Blue Bottle is my SF fav. They only serve drip (regular) coffee in size small. If you want/need more I guess you should head to starbucks. My mornings are a lot better since Blue Bottle set up in S7's hood (@ newpeople). One of the best cups of coffee I have ever had was outside the Shibuya station in Tokyo. It cost about $12 so it is a special occasion coffee.
I wish I had a bad ass french press set up. One day. Until then, the best coffee, to me, is cheap-o "bodega" style brands. Usually from Puerto Rico, Cuba, Ecuador, crap like that. I always make it super-strong, more scoops than needed. I also like southern coffee with chicory, I can't get it for a good price in Chicago, but in GA it was all over and fairly priced. If I HAVE to go to a place to get it I go to 7-11 because I'm way too cheap. I mean, I like the snooty-cafe joint coffee's, but what I can make at home for a fraction of a price is just as good as far as I'm concerned and only go for them in rare situations. Otherwise, if I'm just out for a caffine kick, 7-11 is ok, I'll choke it down for the buzz. I don't HATE Starbucks either, but I better have a gift cert or someone else paying or a coupon. Again, my cheapness genes run deep.
this weekend my plan is to try out Intellegentsia. i'll see if it lives up to the hype. and next trip to SF will include Blue Bottle
Nowhere near as good as NJ. Junion City mang! La Cachita FTW! NYC does have a few good old school Chino/Cubanos though. They're perfect for when you can't decide between Cuban or Chinese, or you really want some fried rice with maduros.
