When you become a foodie or when you go to culinary school or you’ve kinda just decided to widen your horizons in food sometimes certain things you used to eat get ruined but I still believe there are some places or thing that we eat no matter how turned up your nose gets from culinary knowledge, you’d still eat things you ate as a kid because its what you’re used to. This last couple of ventures out have proved that to me and I’d like to share them with you.

I’ve had a very busy last couple days with lots of family and friends.

Saturday night we had Mexican food out in Eagle rock at Ernie Jr’s  with my mom, dad, sister, brother in law and Bachan.

My Bachan, a little Japanese lady who’s my dad’s mom, loves Mexican food but it can’t be anything too spicy because spice is not widely used in Japanese cuisine so she’s not used to it. My dads been going to Ernie Jr’s for my whole life and probably since he was in his 20’s. his buddies would go with him there after tennis and my mom and dad would go there on dates. I always get # 22 Rice with Chile Verde, my dad used to always eat it too; it’s made with a tender Spanish rice topped with braised beef in a light green chili sauce with melted cheese over the top for 7 dollars. We always get an order of guacamole which is okay but we splash it with their house salsa and scoop it up with crispy chips,that I always have too many of, its something I’ve been eating for so long it’s still good. We just sit, talk, and eat all together. It’s always been that way, I’m glad we enjoy each others company in a place so familiar.

Later that Saturday night I had girl’s night out and about with the ladies in Westlake and west hills with a couple of cocktails and some dancing before the babies got home on Sunday  The music was playing the vodka was flowing it was a lot of fun. Times have changed quite a bit but I’m glad we can get out and do a little dancing \ and wake up the next day, spending time on the couch watching cheesy movies. That evening we had Brawts and caramelized onions with baked beans, some real comfort foods with the girls families return.

I got home Sunday night and packed a lunch because I was headed to Mountain High Monday morning with my friends Joanna and Jack for Joanna’s Birthday. They went snowboarding which I opted out on because I’m notoriously clumsy and I didn’t want an unexpected hospital bill. So I woke up at 5am my normal bed time and was so tired from the rest of my weekend, but I’m glad I went. The snow was so fresh and beautiful. I haven’t seen ice sickles like that since I was a kid. The snow was so thick; you sunk in. I know a lot of you live in snow like that. I can’t even imagine. We made it up there and I read harry potter and listened to music, drinking in all the beautiful scenery and taking pictures.

After they got off the mountain, Joanna wanted to go to Johnny Carino’s Now the story behind this is that Jo and Jack both worked at Carino’s in Simi Valley about two years ago. It was one of those sad stories where one day they were open and in this economy one day they were closed. So they really had no closure on the whole event. I was with her though it and I understood she really loved her coworkers and had a lot of fun at her job. We were about 25 miles away from a Carino’s in Victorville when we went to Mountain High, otherwise there are none where we live. Carino’s is at best mediocre chain food, so I drank more than I ate but I understand the nostalgia and I was glad to be a part of their little going away party.

We enjoyed Hand-Breaded Calamari Served with spicy marinara sauce as well as Baked Stuffed Mushrooms Spinach, Parmesan cheese, red onions and garlic topped with lemon basil cream sauce, roma tomatoes and basil.

Then main course Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Penne pasta, cayenne pepper romano cream sauce, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes and green onions.

Happy Birthday Jo I love you!

So where are some of your favorite meaningful places you go?

thanks for tagging along on my nostalgic food journey

cheers

Kimberly
Unrivaledkitch
Twitter and Foodbuzz