The Rib Co – Yucca Valley, CA

by Adrienne Wilson on

Never imagined I’d wind up in the Yucca Valley area of California one day on foot, so in the event that you too find yourself there by way of plane, train, automobile or foot you may wish to know where to grab a bite. My answer – The Rib Co. Now because I’m not a huge rib connoisseur I won’t venture as far as saying they’ve got the best ribs on the planet, but I will say they’re pretty darn close. Known as the Best Little Rib House in the Desert, the Rib Co. offers a large variety from the menu and right out of the kitchen. Burgers, sandwiches, salads, fish and chicken can all be located somewhere in the establishment, though it is suggested you go for some kind of rib dish. It was my first time in a long time to have a half rack of my own and they were falling off the bone, finger-lickin’ good, and down right delicious. The service at this spot could have been a lot better, but I wouldn’t hold it against them in giving them another try. If you’re in Yucca Valley give them a chance for yourself.

The Rib Co. is located at 56193 Twentynine Palms Hwy., Yucca Valley, CA 92284. Ph. 760.365.1663.

Red Corner: Fine Moscow Cuisine

by Neil Woodburn on

There was a time when “fine cuisine” and Moscow were never uttered in the same sentence. When I first ate in the Russian capital in 1991, there were less then 20 restaurants for an entire city of 9 million. The food, as you might imagine, was very sub par.

Then came capitalism and anyone with money it seemed, was opening up eateries, which, as you might imagine, were also sub par since no one had any experience running private restaurants.

But today, oh boy today, Moscow is awash in fine eating establishments. Sure, there is still a selection of junk and fast food, but high end dining in Moscow, fueled by a flush of cash from rising oil prices, has finally made its grand appearance.

Fortunately we have Robin Buss from The Independent to tell us where to go and what to eat. While not the most in-depth article, it does provide a nice insight into Moscow dining and has a couple of interesting stories as well. I particularly liked the one about the guy who was turned down for a job at McDonald’s so he borrowed money to start his own restaurant and now owns 90 of them.

Press-Bot

by Erik Olsen on

I’ve got a rather serious addiction, probably the most common addiction in the world. I LOVE coffee. Not only do I drink a cup most everyday before and during and sometimes after work, I also LOVE a good cup of Java when I’m outdoors. There’s nothing quite as sweet as waking up and having a fresh cup of Joe right there waiting for you…OK, molasses covered sugar cubes are more sweet, but you get the point.

Anyway, for all those out there who shake in this luscious addiction, I want to point you to this rather handy gadget. Nothing too extraordinary here, but the Press-Bot is a kind of take-along coffee press that beats the heck out of Nescafe. One of the great things…OK, two great things…about this sleek gizmo is that it provides the kind of high-quality French-press effect you might find in someone’s home on the Upper East Side, while also working with just about wide-mouth Nalgene bottle. Now THAT’s cool. Never mind that all your water afterward will taste like coffee. You might just have to get used to that. But in the end ,it means no carrying along some big, clumsy container, AND you get some excellent coffee beneath the trees.

Kayak and Eat

by Erik Olsen on

I’m always eager to find cool stuff about kayaking and, well, food, too. So here is a unique kayaking excursion that may satisfy your palate and curb your hunger pains as well. A company called Edible British Columbia, has teamed up with a kayaking adventure company called Blue Planet to organize a 3-day Gulf Islands Gourmet Kayaking Weekend includes a menu of locally sourced organic vegetables, wild British Columbia fish, pasture raised poultry, artisan cheeses and creative desserts paired with BC wines. There are several 2006 trip dates left for July, and one in August. The cost is $549 for what sounds like a suberb series of things to do with fitness and food.

America’s Best Fast Food, Road Trip Style

by Neil Woodburn on

We all know the feeling; you’ve been driving for a number of hours, your stomach is starting to growl, and up ahead in the distance, you see an old weathered sign, or perhaps it’s neon, advertising some type of fast food joint.  You pull over, coast into the parking lot, and play intestinal Russian roulette with whatever food you happen to be served.

Frank Bruni, of the New York Times, recently did just that.  Bruni embarked on a road trip that, “spanned 9 days, 15 states, 3,650 miles, and 42 visits to 35 different restaurants.” His goal was to “single out the best fast food from familiar national chains, relatively unfamiliar regional chains and tiny local chains,” across America. 

As the Time’s restaurant critic, Bruni, is not accustomed to such dives and unhealthy gluttony. Nonetheless, he took on his challenge with relish (no pun intended) and dove in enthusiastically. 

The resulting article is a rather hilarious encounter with America’s fast food obsession, its automobile culture, indigestion, and mounds of brightly colored fast food trash. 

Over the course of his journey, Bruni manages to narrow down a top ten list of best foods encountered on his adventure.  I can’t say I entirely agree with his taste, however, since he bashed the heavenly chili at Tommy’s and lost my respect in the last paragraph of the main article.