Mar52 and I do 80 mile round trip, "L.A. County Roadfood" !!!

Marlene (wonderful Roadfooder "Mar 52") and I took an "L.A County" Roadfood Trip on Sun. Aug. 9th ...
We drove 80 miles round trip !  (starting near LAX)
 
Our first stop was the OINKSTER in Eagle Rock

The OINSKTER is known for their "house cured" PASTRAMI.... there are tons of YELP.com reviews on the place...mostly good..
It's been around about 3 years..   it's on Colorado Blvd, near PASADENA
 
 
The "house cured" PASTRAMI from the OINKSTER.... neither one of us liked it!  It was $8.49
 
The pastrami had NO TASTE, IMO ...(and whatever little taste it did have, was more like a roast beef)
 
Marlene looks adorable here!
 
About the only thing we liked was the CHOC SHAKE... although I would've liked it to have been colder!!
(but we were sorry we had it, cause it was too filling!)
 
MORE pig out stops coming!!!

Ellen..... you have a way of making bad pastrami look good.  That is one thing I didn't have on my trip.  I didn't make it to Canter's or Langer's.   Although I did park right in front of Canter's for one of my stops.

I haven't even started my trip report yet.  I took about 300 pictures, I'm going to have to delete some of them!

Sorry we weren't able to meet up , Ellen. Looking forward to the rest of your report.

Is The Oinkster in a new building that was designed to look retro, or did it take over an existing structure?

Bummer about the pastrami.  Guess it looks better than it tasted...

Brad

<<Guess it looks better than it tasted... >>

It doesn't even look that good to me. And what's up with that roll, where's the rye bread??

And, come to think of it, "Oinkster" is an odd choice of names for a place that's noted for Pastrami...

Caught me with my first and I think only bite of that sandwich.  It really wasn't good.

My shake was a malt with extra malt.  Ellen was right in that it could have been colder, but it was a Malt!  A chocolate malted as my mother would say.  I drank the entire thing and it really ruined my appetite for the rest of the day. 
Didn't stop me from eating, of course.

The fries don't look that good in the picture but they weren't bad.  They wre home made fries served with their "famous" ?? aioli garlic sauce.

The fries were a little underdone for me.  I like them to have some crispies in the bunch.

The garlic sauce was nice.  Not outstanding, but nice.  The other sauces available for the fries were catsup, chipotle catsup and a mustard similar to Zatarains with the whole mustard seed showing.

I think they must have put plain catsup in the chipotle dispenser.  I couldn't taste a difference.

The building was once something else.

Cute place with a good crowd.  Maybe their burgers are good.

Nancypalooza prompted our next stop with one of her delicous reports.  I thought I'd never get there!....

Foodosaurus
 
  I didn't make it to Canter's or Langer's.

I haven't even started my trip report yet.  I took about 300 pictures, I'm going to have to delete some of them!

Mar52 and I wanted to go to Langer's ...but we found out beforehand that they were CLOSED on Sundays ..(good thing we knew, or else we'd get "Travelin'-manned"..)
 
I did hit Canter's with my buddy, Arnie, on my last full day in L.A. , Aug 10th..
I'll post pics on yelp and and perhaps on here, too..
 
No, no , no, try not to DELETE those pics , foodosaurus..
I rarely delete much anymore, cause memory is SO cheap!
I know how you feel, as I noticed my grand total when I transferred them to my computer..
looks like I took 500 pics during my 7 days in Southern Cal !!
 
p.s.  I agree with you, Mar52, as I like my FRIES crispier as well... those just did'nt do that much for me...  and I did'nt think those dipping sauces were all that..
(I'd been really looking forward to their garlic aoli; it was "okay")

Brad_Olson


Is The Oinkster in a new building that was designed to look retro, or did it take over an existing structure?

It started life as a Der Wienerschnitzel drive-thru restaurant.

enginecapt

Brad_Olson


Is The Oinkster in a new building that was designed to look retro, or did it take over an existing structure?

It started life as a Der Wienerschnitzel drive-thru restaurant.

Yeah, they don't look like anything else. Can you still drive thru the middle at this one?

Sorry I didn't know about it, or I would have been delighted to join up with you both!

Nope.

"Weiner-Dude" has a sort of easy-recognition factor built into its buildings, doesn't it? Not quite on a par with Howard Johnsons Red Roof, or the Golden Arches, but if you see one, you know what it is/was !!

Pilar!  Next time!  We had a lot of fun, but I didn't fit in my vehicle by the end of the day.

Our next stop was AUNTIE 'EM'S, also in Eagle Rock..
Mar was intrigued by the nice write up that NANCYPOLOOZA had given this place!
 Marlene was excited about trying the APPLE CUSTARD PIE....
but sadly, they did not have apple custard pie that day..
Meanwhile, I was looking forward to their CUPCAKES !
Mar had to settle for a few of those....(How were they , girl?!?)
We took the cupcakes to go, and I had mine the next day!

I give a "Thumbs Up" to both their CHOC. CUPCAKE and their COCONUT CUPCAKE...
I also had the RED VELVET which was just fine, but I think I'm getting burnt out on red velvet..
(maybe the novelty has worn off for me....       however, coconut cupcakes with vanilla icing is kind of new to me!)
Here's their specials for Sunday, Aug. 9th....

It was early afternoon, and the Sunday Brunch crowd was in full force..!
The secret was that Mar and I ALREADY had OUR "Sunday brunch"....  my super good buddy Arnie insisted on making us some homemade cheese omelettes and KILLER home fries when Mar came to pick me up...
So were were stuffed before we even left on our Roadfood Journey...(but don't tell anybody!)
 
SUNDAY BRUNCH over ARNIE'S, LA, CA 90045
...before our Roadfood journey..

...
 
Don't go anywhere!!  We've still got a few MORE PIT STOPS (aka PIG STOPS/pigout stops!)

Looks like you all are having fun!  Coast to Coast

Thanks, to Marlene and Ellen!

I always enjoy your travel reports, and all the travel reports here on Roadfood, for me as a german, a very interesting insight to America, the landscape,  the People, the Food.

Thank you all so very much!

Regards from Germany


Michael

Thanks, Michael...

When I realized that we'd be around the corner (sort of) from Auntie Em's that Nancypalooza so temptingly described I asked Ellen if she minded stopping there.  What was I thinking?  Of course she'd stop!

I was so excited that I left my camera in the car and would not go back to get it.

I REALLY was disappointed that they didn't have the custard apple pie.  I could almost taste it.

However those cupcakes were excellent!  I bought 2 of the full size, fully leaded red velvet.  I'm not for sure tired of them yet.  Moist and delicious!

Thank you, Nancy!

Hey Roadfooders, you'll have to take our word on the cupcakes..
(no pics!!)

p.s. Hello Germany!!

Ellen, you have such great food adventures! Being a pastrami lover myself I'm sad that you were disappointed; I hate anticipating that first fabulous bite and then not getting the follow through - can't wait for the rest of the trip!

Ellen -

You're my go to person for pastrami!  You casn always find it!

Great start to the trip...looking forward to more!

Thanks for sharing and to you also Marlene!

WOW!  I love that you girls had to stop at Auntie Em's.  Marlene, you should go back for the apple custard pie for sure; I bet there's an email contact at their website and they should be able to tell you when it's on next.  Hell, call my mother--she'll go with you.  :)

ChiTownDiner


Ellen -

Great start to the trip...looking forward to more!

Thanks , ChiTown Diner !
And nice hearing from my CT buddy, Tn Tin !!
 
More coming ASAP !  There will be a "part 2"..
Wait till you see me dig into my beef ribs !!

Thanks for the great report so far.  Sorry that the pastrami turned out to be so tasteless, but I am hoping that the ribs have a better report.  Maybe I can use that information for my trip next week to Bakersfield and Ontario, depending on where you all ended up eating.

TOPS Burgers, Pasadena is our next stop !!!
This was a true pit stop, as it was'nt on our "original" schedule..

More coming soon !!  
Hey , Buffalo Tarheel, check out Joey's BBQ while you're in the Ontario , CA area...(4 locations, including Upland, Pomona, etc)
www.joeysbbq.com... ( this is a hint of what's next to come after my TOPS burger pics!
..

Marlene took this next pic with her camera ...I think it's an award winning pic!
These onion rings at TOPS in Pasadena were the REAL thing!
And ever see onion rings that BIG before?!?
 
Another view of those homemade onion rings.  I loved the crunchy batter on them... just my type...
(it took me a while to admit that "beer battered" does'nt really do that much for me... and THESE onion rings were NOT beer battered)

TOPS verdict: Loved the onion rings; but wished  they had thicker burgers available, so I could have a little PINK...
but the burger still had a real nice flavor.  It was typical of many of the L.A. County burger places: THIN burgers...
and if you order a double, you just get 2 THIN burgers... 
 
The ingredients and toppings were all fresh and yummy , though...nice toasted bun, nice homemade thousand island sauce, etc..
 
 

If you're in to onion rings which I could become if I lived in Pasadena or whatever city along Route 66 Tops resides in theirs have to be the best ever.

I've really never had any better, anywhere.

However, I've been ruined by the Awesome Blossums and onions flakes or whatever they are called.  I now crave something to dip the rings in to no matter how great they were on their own.

These really didn't need anything more than a bigger appetite.  I was still stuffed before we ever got here.

I ordered a self-serve lemonade that I doctored up with Seltzer.  Very refreshing.

Not a lot of people notice, but on a good percentage of self-serve soda machines there is a tiny button for plain soda.

Great stuff for the stuffed!

Great stuff just 2¢ Plain.

looks like you 2 girls are having a great time.

mar52

However, I've been ruined by the Awesome Blossums and onions flakes or whatever they are called.  I now crave something to dip the rings into

  I was still stuffed before we ever got here.

I , too , love those "blooming onions" ...!  I love to dip, etc! (and I'm so bad, that I actually like the ones that are a little greasy)
 
Yes, Marlene was so stuffed when we got to Tops (it was a "let's stop here!" on my part, very impromptu)   ...so Marlene just had her selzer, and tried a ring or two ...
(and got her camera out to take a great pic: "me vs. my onion rings!")
 
Final view of TOPS  ...(there's Mar52 on the right , taking her final pic, as well!)

 
Stay tuned for JOEY'S BBQ, our last meal stop ....www.joeysbbq.com...
4 locations in the Inland Empire...
Wish I had places like that for beef ribs near ME here in AC ! 

ellen4641


Marlene took this next pic with her camera ...I think it's an award winning pic!
These onion rings at TOPS in Pasadena were the REAL thing!
And ever see onion rings that BIG before?!?
 

No, I haven't... but you can rest assured that situation will be rectified as soon as I find myself near a Tops restaurant.

And now we are approaching our last meal stop of the day !
Joey's BBQ in Upland, CA...(the restaurant is about 50 feet to the right of this pic!)
I love getting in signage in my pictures!
 
And I feel one can't get better SIGNAGE than THIS!
(Incidentally, we are on old Highway 66... this part is called Foothill Blvd)

Them there mountains look suspiciously familiar.

ellen4641


TOPS Burgers, Pasadena is our next stop !!!
This was a true pit stop, as it was'nt on our "original" schedule.. 

More coming soon !!  
Hey , Buffalo Tarheel, check out Joey's BBQ while you're in the Ontario , CA area...(4 locations, including Upland, Pomona, etc)
www.joeysbbq.com... ( this is a hint of what's next to come after my TOPS burger pics!
..

Ellen,
 
Thanks for the recommendation for Joey's.  The web site indicates some good food, and from what I have read so far, it sounds as though you all had a great visit as well.  I will definitely go to Joey's next week in Ontario, as by that part of the week (Wed-Thurs) I should have my In-n-Out burger fix: first stop after leaving the airport Monday.

JC!, Ellen..., the giant Burger, the Onion-Rings, the sides...

I would not be able, to enjoy all this within a week, too much food for me, would I consume like this, I would look like a "monster of food", overloaded to 200 %.

Ellen, do you ride a bicycle, between all these eating orgies, I hope so...

Be well, german greetings!


Michael

enginecapt


Them there mountains look suspiciously familiar.

Hey, there, Engine Capt . !
Ever try "Cowboy Burgers and BBQ" in Fontana?  right there in your neck of the woods..
Not yet for ME; but I may have to put it on my "to do" list for next time!
 
I went to 6 rib joints in 7 days out there....!! but I just read about this last one after I got home...

Michael_Germany

I would not be able, to enjoy all this within a week, too much food for me
Ellen, do you ride a bicycle, between all these eating orgies, I hope so...

And this was just what I had in ONE DAY !!
I still had 6 other days of my wild eating ORGY !! 
Talk about an orgy, man!! I was stuffed...
 
p.s.  I cut back a bit since I've been back home on my own turf... (maybe it's a good thing I DON'T have all these beef rib joints back in my Atlantic City area!)   ....
I try to do lots of brisk walking, but I need to do more!

And NOW , it 's MARLENE'S turn to pose in front of the sign on ROUTE 66 !!
This is Foothill Blvd in Upland, about 50 feet from Joey's Ribs ! Also known as Route 66
 
JOEY'S BBQ, Upland, CA..... our final meal of the day ! 
 
My BEEF RIBS and BBQ chicken at JOEY'S BBQ....  (I ordered the ribs with the "sauce on the side", so I can taste the meat)
 
I LOVED their old fashioned FLAG system... one simply raised the flag up when they were ready to order!
The cow was cute, too !
 
Marlene surveys the  dining room scene at Joey's BBQ, late afternoon on Sunday, Aug. 10th, 2009
 
I love the SIGNAGE on the walls!
 
The beef ribs could've used a little bit more MEAT on them, but they had an EXCELLENT flavor and texture!
I would definitely have them again!  (But I'd get the full slab next time)
 
Marlene took HER camera out again for this shot of me going to town on my beef rib...!

Joey's will deliver right to your house !! 

...
 

ellen4641

enginecapt


Them there mountains look suspiciously familiar.

Hey, there, Engine Capt . !
Ever try "Cowboy Burgers and BBQ" in Fontana?  right there in your neck of the woods..
Not yet for ME; but I may have to put it on my "to do" list for next time!
 
I went to 6 rib joints in 7 days out there....!! but I just read about this last one after I got home...

Never heard of it, and it's only a couple of miles away from the house.... and I've driven by it a number of times but never noticed it. Might be time for new glasses.

I'll give it a try and render my opinion unto Roadfood.

Marlene, Ellen...!

What about some german Chicken-Wings, fresh from my Pan ?



Still hot, 10 more minutes in the oven, and they are ready...

Greetings


Michael

Hey!  What's with the small pictures?

When Ellen eats a rib she gets in to it with gusto!



I had a difficult time ordering at Joey's.  I was still overly stuffed from the malt and big breakfast.

On the left side of the menu are the full dinners and on the right side the same items but snaller versions.
I ended up opting for the tri tip abbreviated version.
It consisted of 3 slices (small) of perfectly cooked tri tip and 2 sides.

I think the sides were lacking.  I had an overly soaked cobbette of corn and non-descript coleslaw.  

Any other time I would have had a baked sweet potato with a scoop of marshmallow cream.

I was able to eat one slice of meat and the corn.  The rest was packed for the trip home.

Joey's is one of my regular stops when I drive home from Palm Springs.  It's better than any of the barbecue places in the city.

Ellen wanted to do a little walking before eating.  I was not a good partner for this.  I could hardly breathe!

But... this was not our last stop!

Michael, those wings look delicioius.

Thanks for the offer!

Do you not like the tips?

Greetings, Marlene!

I just wanted to try my NIKON camera here in the Forum, sorry...

Kind regards


Michael

You did good!  Which one did you get?

I'm using the D60 which was more than I could afford but I wanted it.

I'm shooting on Automatic and everything seems to be coming out too dark.

On to dessert!

Marlene, it is the NIKON D40 for me, for one year now

http://www.digitalkamera.de/Kamera/Nikon/D40.aspx

I needed a small DSLR, I am very often on the way with my bicycle, so the D40 is perfect
for my demands...

Kind regards


Michael

* Sorry, not a single Chicken-Wing left over here...

ellen4641


Marlene took this next pic with her camera ...I think it's an award winning pic!
These onion rings at TOPS in Pasadena were the REAL thing!
And ever see onion rings that BIG before?!?
 
TOPS verdict: Loved the onion rings; but wished  they had thicker burgers available, so I could have a little PINK...
but the burger still had a real nice flavor.  It was typical of many of the L.A. County burger places: THIN burgers...
and if you order a double, you just get 2 THIN burgers... 

Did the burger have an advertised weight?  While it's pretty thin it looks like it had a lot of surface area...1/3 pound, maybe?
 
Also, State Farm is now offering new lower auto rates.  You might be able to save some money to put toward future Roadfood trips (and beef ribs)!
 
Brad

Those ribs look pretty good.  Marlene it is so hard to find a place that does a good job with both the meat and the sides.

Wish I were there.

Ellen, as always, great report.

mar52

It consisted of 3 slices (small) of perfectly cooked tri tip
I think the sides were lacking.  I had an overly soaked cobbette of corn and non-descript coleslaw.  

Oops, I still need to post the pic of MARLENE'S perfect TRI TIP !!
She gave me a taste, and it was very tender...(I've had bad experiences with tri tip in the past, but the Joey's BBQ TRI TIP renewed my interest !!!)

 
I actually enjoyed the cole slaw, as I thought that the heavy purple cabbage gave it a bit of a unique flavor .... (I was stuffed already, so I savored the cole slaw for the next day to eat!)
Also, I liked the homemade potato chips that I ordered.
Your oversoaked corn cobette sounds like heaven to me, cause I like "extra buttery"
 MARLENE: I need to try downloading (again!) that pic of me with the rib in my mouth ...
I don't like it coming out that SMALL , either... it looks much better BIG (more playful!)
 
GREGG: Nice hearing from you on these boards.... hope you got the Southern Cal.  postcard I sent you up there in Northampton, MA. !! I  have to get up to your area again to share some good conversation and that KILLER garlic bread at Joe's Pizza (best ever!!)
 
BRAD OLSEN : The TOPS burger weight was'nt listed, but you are right that the circumference was real WIDE !  It was still a nice sized burger... 
 
MICHAEL in GERMANY : You got any of those GERMAN CHICKEN WINGS left , lol?!? 
I could go for a few right now!

Hey, Engine Capt..
Let me know how those RIBS are at the Fontana "Cowboy Burgers and BBQ"....(I love the NAME of the place, anyway)
It looks like there are 4 or 5 locations around..

I saw a few pics online of the ribs; they don't look CRUSTY like I like  them,  but we'll have to see ...
(Joey's had killer CRUST)

Ellen,  right click on the picture and then Save As...  I always save to my desktop and then move it where I want it.

One thing I did not like at Joey's and I don't like it anywhere it's done.

I HATE eating off of metal plates.  It's like chewing on aluminum foil.  I don't want my fork or knife touching it.

I'm almost ready for dessert now.

Michael:  Your Nikon D40 is just like my Nikon D60. 

They take a whale of a picture.  ;)

I'm not a rib fan, so it'll have to be something else from the menu.

It looks like you girls had a ton of fun! I'll have to try Auntie Em's now for the cupcakes and Tops for those amazing looking onion rings. Thanks for the great report.

"Michael:  Your Nikon D40 is just like my Nikon D60. 
They take a whale of a picture.  ; "
------

Greetings Marlene!

In earlier years, I used a  CONTAX RTS-1, + Real-Time-Winder, + several lenses.



And I was so very tired, with all this more than heavy equipment...

The "smallest" of all the NIKON DSLRs, nowadays, is my choice, to me, the perfect camera!

Be well!


Michael

Hi Morganen!!!

morganen


It looks like you girls had a ton of fun! I'll have to try Auntie Em's now for the cupcakes and Tops for those amazing looking onion rings. Thanks for the great report.

Hey, Welcome to Roadfood, MORGANEN !
You are so lucky you live right there in L.A., my favorite city in the country for restaurants!!!
(burgers, Mexican food, beef ribs, espescially !!!)

Hi Marlene! Great to see you again (in photographic format haha).

Ellen - Thanks for the welcome. Yes it truly is restaurant paradise here. I have to do quite a bit of brisk walking myself.

Is this Morganna the kissing bandit? (anyone remember her?)

The one that drove Johnny Bench crazy.

Yep.

And NOW for our FINAL pit stop of the DAY :
FOSSELMAN'S ice cream in Allhambra ...
since 1919 !!

One thing Marlene and I both learned was that just cause a joint has been around 4-ever, does'nt mean we are going to LIKE it!!!
In THIS case, Fosselman's ice cream did'nt really do anything much for us...  my choc. flavor had very LITTLE "chocolately" flavor!!

We did'nt even really care much for the way the ice cream looked in the barrels, but we were already there, so we got some anyway...

I know you really enjoyed Fosselman's , MR. CHIPS, and we respect your opinion, of course...
I believe you tried the TARO flavor?!?
Fosselman's may be best for those "exotic " flavors, as they supply a lot to the local authentic Asian restaurants , including nearby Monterey Park...

I asked if the hot fudge was HOMEMADE and it was NOT...
so it was not even close to the bittersweet, sticky homemade hot fudge at HERRELL'S ice cream in NORTHAMPTON, Massachusetts (visited in May 2009).
  

I also had the taro flavor on top of rocky road.  

Who are they trying to fool?  The taro tasted just like coconut but it was a purple runza kind of color.

I love Rocky Road but this didn't do it for me.  The flavor was not pronounced.

The place was cute in an old fashion sort of way and I'm glad that I tried it but it won't be a destination place any time soon.  

I thought it funny that their other specialty was salt water taffy with Ellen coming all the way from Atlantic City.

I had planned to take a couple of quarts home with me.  I even planned ahead and brought a cooler!  However there was no need to buy so-so ice cream.  I can buy Breyer's for that.

I don't know if I'm in the minority but I still find that Baskin Robbins is my favorite for flavor and texture.

With the last lick of our ice cream our duo dining for the day was over.

Spending a day with Ellen is a lot of fun and I look forward to doing it again.

Hopefully soon!  Thanks, girl!