Pretzels, Angus Burgers, and Rock Music at the Firestone Walker Taproom in Paso Robles, California by Ruth Paget

Pretzels and Angus-Sharp Cheddar Cheeseburgers at Firestone Walker Brewery Taproom in Paso Robles, California by Ruth Paget 

After a day of touring in Morro Bay and the Paso Robles wine country in California, my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went to the Firestone Walker Taproom for lunch. 

Stacked barrels greet you at the entrance of the Taproom that remind me of the bierkellers (beer cellars) I saw when I lived in Stuttgart, Germany. Firestone Walker is Anglo-American, so I should more properly call it a public house or “pub.” 

I think it is a great California brew pub offering fish and chips, burgers, deep-fried fish tacos, and salads on its menu. I like these meal options in bars. 

We started our meal with a huge warm, brown crusted, soft pretzel. We cut off chunks and dipped them in warm cheese sauce followed by sweet honey mustard sauce. That flavor combination for me is the taste of sweet German memories of visiting Munich. Pretzels seem to taste better in brisk fall weather redolent of freshly pressed wine grapes in Paso Robles. 

The Firestone Walker Taproom serves Angus hamburgers, which I love. I ordered a Cali-Western burger that came with sharp cheddar, honeyed bacon strips, and BBQ sauce. The two patties were juicy and cooked medium; the way I like it. I ordered skinny fries to go with my bar treat meal. 

I had fun listening to the rock music at Firestone Walker Tap Room and enjoying the end of a recharge vacation in Paso Robles, California. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Calamari Appetizers and Seafood Pasta at Tognazzini's Dockside Restaurant in Morro Bay, California by Ruth Paget

Calamari and Seafood Pasta at Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant in Morro Bay, California by Ruth Paget 

Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant in Morro Bay, California really does sit on the docks with coolers used to store fish in during the trip from the ocean to shore. The restaurant’s warm and cozy interior sets the tone for a sumptuous Italian seafood meal. 

On the night my husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went for dinner, I started with lightly fried calamari cone-shaped bodies and tentacles with horseradish heavy cocktail sauce. The octopus bodies tasted of briny saltwater. I loved every bite. 

Laurent ate six Morrro Bay oysters that he said reminded him of Oléron oysters in Charentes-Maritime, France. Oléron oysters have a less salty taste and are clearer than other oysters. If you like raw oysters, they are a perfect winter appetizer. Florence ate a creamy clam chowder as her starter and said she would be back for more. 

Laurent and I ordered seafood pasta in Alfredo sauce that came with sliced scallops, whole sautéed shrimp, and an entire Pacific cod fillet that was chopped into large chunks. The Alfredo sauce was thick and creamy with loads of Parmesan, white wine for flavor, and a little garlic. The portion was large. We both ate every bit of our delicious iodine- and selenium-rich winter supper. 

Florence ordered Pacific cod fish and chips and ate the garlic bread topped with melted Parmesan that came with our pasta meals. 

If you want to stroll along the oceanfront after dinner like the Italians, it is easy to do. You can even check out seafood companies located dockside. 

Tognazinni’s Dockside Restaurant is a perfect spot for seafood lovers and those who believe in the therapeutic benefits of a winter shellfish meal. 

By Ruth Paget, author of Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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Franco-Italian Meal at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget

Franco-Italian Meal at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California by Ruth Paget 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I went to San Luis Obispo, California to have a dinner creekside at Novo Restaurant and Lounge. We reserved a table on the terrace, but rain drove us inside and downstairs to the wine cellar room. We settled in for a delicious meal of steaks for Laurent and Florence and seafood pasta for me. 

We began our meal with the chèvre sharing plate. Everything was heated up and arrived very warm and fragrant of thyme. The plate held a generous bowl of chèvre, marinated black and green olives, a confit of red and yellow plum tomatoes, and toast crostini. 

The chèvre sharing plate would be perfect for catering for cocktail parties with French themes like a Bastille Day Party, the French Open, the Tour de France, or Cannes Film Festival Week. 

I also loved the papardelle al limone I ordered which seems to have its origins in Southern Italy. However, the French capital of lemons, Menton, might do something similar. 

Novo’s version of this dish is pretty over the top with a zesty spice flavor. The papardelle ribbon pasta was made with only egg yolks, which gave the pasta an almost orange color and velvety texture. The pasta sauce was made with lemon juice, cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. (In Southern Italy, they probably use pecorino cheese in this sauce, but Parmesan is an elegant substitute.) 

The papardelle al limone was loaded with briny shrimp, slightly sour artichoke hearts, savory broccolini pieces, tart sun-dried tomatoes, and zesty and pungent red chili peppers. The red chili flakes may have been Calabrian. I liked this combination very much, but other diners might want fewer peppers. 

The papardelle al limone would be good dish for a small dinner party too with Italian themes like the Venice Film Festival or the Milan Fashion Week. 

Both the chèvre sharing plate and the papardelle al limone made me happy despite rain on our mini vacation to San Luis Obispo. 

Novo is most famous for its steaks and lamb shank, but they offer several dining options including curries, risottos, salads, and papardelle. The extensive wine list and full bar has a match for everything. 

Diners will find many dishes to choose from at Novo Restaurant and Lounge in San Luis Obispo, California, making it a great spot for large parties with varying tastes. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Pescado a la Veracruzano at La Tortuga in Seaside, California by Ruth Paget

Thank you Monterey County Weekly (Circulation: 200,000) for pulling up my review of La Tortuga in Seaside,California from the archives.

I loved the pescado a la Veracruzano in the old neighborhood.

La Tortuga Review by Ruth Paget

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

A Blessed Eid by Ruth Paget

Thank you Monterey County Weekly (Circulation: 200,000) for retrieving my article A Blessed Eid: Local Muslims Bake for the End of Ramadan from archives.  

My article follows:

A Blessed Eid by Ruth Paget

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Streets of Bethlehem is December 4 - 7, 2025 in Salinas, California posted by Ruth Paget

The longstanding outdoor play Streets of Bethlehem is being put on by the First Baptist Church of Salinas, California between December 4 - 7, 2025.  There will be a food truck for meal purchase before and after the show.  The event is free, but donations are accepted. (See website below)

Details about parking and tickets are on the event website below:

https://streetsofbethlehem.com/

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

Southern Big Sur California Day Trip by Ruth Paget

Southern Big Sur California Day Trip by Ruth Paget 

My husband Laurent, daughter Florence Paget, and I began our tour of Southern Big Sur California at Morro Bay, about 5 miles to the coast from San Luis Obispo. 

Morro Bay is famous for its oysters, portside seafood restaurants, cozy hotels, and charter deep-sea fishing boats. 

There is plenty of public parking across from the portside restaurants that make it easy to dine, stroll, and shop. Morro Bay sits directly on Highway 1, making it an easy to go up the coast north to San Simeon and Hearst Castle as well. 

If you turn right from Highway 1 at San Simeon, you can drive up the hills to Hearst Castle for a visit or just shopping at the gift shop, which has copies of the Hearst Castle cookbook. 

The day we did our tour, we wanted to eat along the oceanfront and travel as far as we could in Big Sur before the highway closure point. We ate lunch at our favorite restaurant along the coast – the Cavalier Oceanfront Resort. 

The Cavalier and hotel have been in Big Sur for the 30+ years that we have lived in California. We always went to this restaurant after visits to Hearst Castle when Florence was a child. Our main reasons for eating at the Cavalier are the excellent clam chowder and fish and chips with tart yet creamy coleslaw. I like the Cavalier’s comfortable booths, marble top tables, air-conditioning, and clean bathrooms, too. It is very enjoyable to eat at this restaurant.

On our day trip, we sampled the charcuterie platter, which came with locally produced ham and salume, slices of a cheese that resembled Manchego, dry toast, goat cheese, cranberry sauce, and large-grain mustard. That was a great start for the fish and chips Laurent and I ate and the turkey club sandwich that Florence ordered. 

After lunch, we set out for the climb up along Highway 1 to Big Sur. Along the way, we passed a pullout for sea lion viewing. The sea lions roll in the surf and sun themselves on coastal rocks with occasional bursts of sea water showering on them from sea water crashing on the rocks. 

Highway 1 begins to rise up at San Simeon and go from a two-lane highway to a single-lane highway with no passing just turnouts for slow drivers. Only 28 miles of Highway 1 is open from San Simeon due to falling rocks and repairs from landslides. 

The fantastic views are worth the thrill of driving along the curvy highway. There are restaurants, hotels, gas stations, bathrooms, and general stores located at Ragged Point and Gorda Springs. Trees from Limekiln State Park line the way till you see sheer drops down to the ocean on the southbound lane side of the road. 

We turned around at Lucia (28 miles from San Simeon) and took Highway 1 back to Highway 46, which cuts over the hills to Paso Robles and Highway 101 by the Firestone Walker Brew Pub. 

Highway 46 goes through a good portion of the wine country of Paso Robles. Each inch of ground seems to have a winery on it. I looked at the wineries and thought they should all have markets with foods that go with wine and wine-related products like wine vinegar, picnic tables, bistros with live music, and maybe some artwork and books for sale. 

I had fun thinking of wine country marketing ideas on the way back to ag capital Salinas, California with its 120+ agricultural products grown in Monterey County. 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France

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