illustration by LIAM TURNER
GOOD EATS TABLE OF CONTENTS
4 6 8 10 11 12 14
STORIES
EDITORS’ CHOICE: GO OD EATS AROUND CHI CO ‘ PA S S I N G FA N C Y ’ C H A LLENGE BREAKS SPIR ITS ICE CREAM, YOGURT S H O P S S W I R L I N F L AV O R TR ACKING CHICO’S TA CO TRUCKS VEGETARIAN SANDWI CHES ABOUND IN CHICO DESPITE DOMIN ANCE OF MEAT SUBS SPORTS BARS UNITE S NACKS, BIG GAMES
OUTSTANDING MARGA RITAS AT TRES HOMB RES
GOOD EATS 3
GOOD EATS 4
Downtown
EDITORS’ CHOICE:
Good Eats around Chico
map courtesy of • google maps
Tres Hombres 100 Broadway St. Tres Hombres Long Bar and Grill offers customers an array of fine dishes in a jovial environment. They also offer some of the better tasting drinks in Chico. Anything from an Irish coffee with whipped cream to the spicy, yet excellent, Tres Fuego Margarita is available for purchase — and at affordable prices as well. – Kenny Lindberg, News Editor
Peeking Chinese Restaurant 243 West Second St. I spend most of my day in The Orion, a windowless, subterranean fortress of journalism insulated by several feet of solid concrete. When I get hungry, I brave the sunlight for a five-minute walk to Peeking, which serves the best Chinese food I’ve ever eaten in a basement. Service is prompt, the tea is delicious, and you can get a generous plateful of food for just $6. – Ben Mullin, Opinion Editor
Smokin’ Mo’s 131 Broadway St. Dripping in barbecue sauce and ranch dressing with an entire avocado sliced onto a bed of greens, Smokin’ Mo’s chopped chicken salad is probably the most delicious attempt at healthy in Chico. At almost $12 with the avocado and tax, it’s also the most expensive salad that I will never regret buying. – Allie Colosky, Sports Editor
Woodstock’s Pizza 166 East Second St. Woodstock’s Pizza has everything that you would ever want in a pizza place — liters of beer, big TV screens to watch the latest and greatest sporting event and of course one of the best pizzas in town. Not only are the food and beer amazing, trivia night and bingo night offer great fun for everyone. –Gerardo Rocha, Jr, Online Editor
La Cocina Economica 905 Wall St. I’ve been to more than 15 Mexican restaurants or taco trucks in Chico and La Cocina Economica is still my favorite spot. My go-to order is two “Baja Style” fish tacos, which are about $1.65 each. The tacos are small, but packed with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and crispy fried fish. Chico may be far from the beach, but the atmosphere at La Cocina Economica will make you think you’re just a few feet away. –Almendra Carpizo, Editor in chief
GOOD EATS 5
NORTH of chico state
The Pour House 855 East Ave While I can’t say it’s my favorite, I really enjoy The Pour House. Although it’s in north Chico, at the Esplanade and East Avenue, it seems like it belongs in downtown Chico. It’s designed to be Chico native, with locally brewed beers named Hooker Oak and Bear Hole Honey Blonde. The food is delicious as well — albeit a little pricey — and it’s worth the short trip north, at least for a try. – Liam Turner, Art Director Big Tuna 1722 Mangrove Ave. Big Tuna Sushi Bistro is definitely one of the better places to get delicious sushi at a decent price. Their menu ranges from all fresh fish types to sake deals and specialty plates. They have a great environment that caters to large groups or intimate dates plus their service is awesome. – Leila Rodriguez, Arts Editor
Bidwell Perk 664 East First Ave. If you’re looking for the best coffee, atmosphere and music in Chico, you need to go to Bidwell Perk. Located at Mangrove and East First Avenue, it is close enough to stop in between classes. Their specialty drinks change every month, and it is worth it to get a loyalty card and try all of them. Add breakfast, lunch or a pastry and you are good to go. – Samantha Youngman, Photo Editor map courtesy of • google maps
Tacos Cortes 1530 Park Ave.
SOUTH of CHICO state
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. 1075 East 20th Ave.
I worship at the altar of the holy nacho tray. That’s why when it comes to my weekly burnt offering of my paycheck to the Nacho Gods, my church is always Tacos Cortes. Fresh chips, heavy meat, guacamole, salsa, cheese and more, all for less than $5. Nachos be praised.
Don’t be like me and wait until your junior year to have dinner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Though most students probably can’t afford to eat at this classic Chico restaurant regularly, it’s a fun place to share local and tasty beer and food with family from out of town. – Kacey Gardner, Chief Copy Editor
– Anthony Siino, Managing Editor
map courtesy of • google maps
GOOD EATS 6
‘Passing fancy’ challenge breaks spirits Ben Mullin OPINION EDITOR
After a stomach-bending wait in line, I make my order. Ten minutes later, three fry cooks converge on the service window with conspiratorial smiles, shielding my meal from view. I catch a brief glimpse of fries and bread before one cook picks up a 6-inch knife and buries it deep into what I can only assume is my meal. Then they part, grinning, and slide Madison Bear Garden’s 50:50 burger across to me. My fi rst impression is that it looks like a scale model of McDonald’s corporate headquarters, if the company was fool enough to let Ronald design. The 50:50 is built like a skyscraper, a tower of four separate bacon cheeseburgers stacked one on top of the other, each bun spaced by a duo of onion rings. It’s held together by hope, prayers and a dense thicket of cheese fries that surround it several inches deep on all sides. The manager passes me the tray and a pitcher of Coke, then follows me as I totter around The Bear twice, looking for the booth my friends reserved in preparation for this event. When I arrive, their eyebrows climb into their hairlines. It occurs to me that what’s about to take place is something fundamentally, undeniably male. Someone announces I’m taking the “Aaron Rodgers Passing Fancy” challenge over the intercom, and the table next door eyes me like a rail-thin prizefighter. Several give enthusiastic cheers. If I can fi nish the whole thing in 30 minutes, untold riches including $30 of the $50.50 purchase price and glory await. I can’t wait to dig into this gorgeous monstrosity. Of the 20 or so brave souls who have taken this challenge, only one, described by the fry cook
as “burly,” has succeeded. His challenge was apparently a pulsequickening race to the fi nish, with the last morsel of lettuce being swallowed down with just 30 seconds left. As I bury my hands wrist deep into the scalding mesh of cheese fries, I know deep down in the warmest corner of my soul that I can outdo him. I will conquer this burger. The crowd can’t stop staring as I begin shoveling fries, one after the other, into my mouth. At any given moment, my hand spiders blindly around the wax paper for a handful of fries, and the other, laden with cheese, is en route to my mouth. My cheese-covered face is bowed as if in prayer, and my eyes bore into the wooden table with Neanderthal intensity. The crowd has gathered here to watch something primal. I don’t intend to disappoint. I make my way through the fry-moat as quickly as possible, stopping only to crane my neck a few inches to the right and take a swig of coke from the pitcher. I instantly murder two of the 25 napkins piled in a neat stack next to me and toss their carcasses to the side. Next to me, junior nutrition major Jeff Moore coaches me like a 1920s-era boxing manager. “Ben, you either have to lubricate your throat or your burger,” Moore said. “You’re going to have to dump the Coke on your burger.” I acknowledge with an animal grunt and make a mental note to take more sips of Coke. After eating my way through the fry-wreath, I pull the knife from the stack of burgers and take a vicious bite. My stomach begins to feel unpleasantly tight. I come up for a breath of air. “Getting kind of full,” I groan. “Ben, that’s just not true,” Moore said. If I never eat another burger, it will be too soon.
In front of me, Anthony Siino, junior journalism major and managing editor of The Orion, takes notes and admonishes me for refusing to eat the knife that lies forgotten in the debris of wax paper, torn napkins and clumps of cheese. “Son, you haven’t even touched your knife,” Moore said. “What’s wrong?” I stop eating long enough to shoot him a glare and resume shoveling. My pace is slowing. My eyes are twitching and my mouth begins to loll open. In between progressively smaller bites, I marvel at the depth of my pre-meal arrogance. “Alright, just because it hurts doesn’t mean you have to stop eating,” Moore said. “That’s the mental wall most common folks hit.” Moore informs me that Gandhi fasted for 30 days for the sake of his cause. I take a moment to envy him while I fight the urge to puke. The manager comes by with his camera and hovers over me like a news chopper, surveying the carnage, and informs me that I have 10 minutes left. “You’re doing a lot better than I thought you would, brother,” he said, pausing to snap several pictures. A crowd gathers to my left, all staring, looking almost afraid. I can feel the formerly delicious bar food piling up in my esophagus, and every swallow is an exertion of nearly superhuman willpower. Six minutes to go. “Ben, all these beautiful people came here to see you succeed,” Siino said, waving an arm at the assembled crowd. “Don’t let them down.” I continue taking bites, but I know it’s a foregone conclusion. Three minutes to go, with two bratwurst and two burgers left. The food has become tasteless. The intercom crackles to life to give me encouragement. One minute to go. I make it my mission in life
pHoto courtEsy of • aaRon SMItH
FANCY THAT The “Aaron Rodgers Passing Fancy” had no problem wrecking the gut of The Orion’s opinion editor, Ben Mullin. The beast is made of four patties, two bratwurst, onion rings, lettuce, cheese, fries, and a pitcher of Coke. to finish this bratwurst. Thirty seconds left. The manager comes over and gives me an entirely unnecessary countdown. “It has to go in your mouth,” Siino instructs, gesturing franticly at one of the two remaining burgers. Time’s up. I swallow the last of the brat and sit back, with 1 1/2 bratwursts, 1 1/2 burgers and a halfpitcher of Coke still left on the table. I trade conciliatory fist bumps with the crowd and shuffle over to the bathroom to clean myself up. When I see my reflection in the mirror, I pause. My fingers, knuckles and wrists are covered with splatters of cheese. There are tigerish smears of yellow on my chin and mouth. My stomach sags uncomfortably. My jaw aches, and I think hopefully that eating the burger
might have taken more calories than it contained. The bloated man staring me in the mirror is several pounds and one experience heavier than the college kid who walked into The Bear just 45 minutes earlier. For 30 minutes out of my 19-year life, food became an objective rather than a leisurely pursuit. The man in the mirror is one who has done battle with his inner hunter-gatherer, and emerged with the cheesy, greasy scars to show it. Snatching a paper towel from the dispenser, I scour my skin as best I can, but I still leave The Bear with the residue of the 50:50 burger in my memory. Ben Mullin can be reached at opinioneditor@theorion.com
GOOD EATS 7
$1.00
OFF ANY REGULAR DOZEN
Doughnut Wheel 2404 Esplanade Chico, Ca. 95926
(530) 345-4528 Open 5a.m. ~ 3p.m. Mon.-Sun. Call Rose to place an order
¢ l 80 ¢ l a Sm m 95 iu 5 Med e $1.3 zen g Lar eg. Do 0R 5 . 8 $
Be your own chef. Get delicious recipes in the Features section of The Orion available every Wednesday. #TheOrion
GOOD EATS 8
Ice cream, yogurt shops swirl in flavor SoME ICE CREaM PLaCES to tRY Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy Co. Big Al’s Drive In Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe Cold Stone Creamery Ben & Jerry’s Baskin-Robbins
SoME fRoZEn YoGURt PLaCES to tRY: Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe Kiwi Blast Frozen Yogurt Brain Freeze Yogurt Gelayo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato Top This Frozen Yogurt U-Swirl
pHotos by • SaMantHa YoUnGMan
SINGLE SERVING A small chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe.
Kathleen Dazzi STAFF WRITER
White ice cream trucks playing “Pop Goes the Weasel” may cause drooling, but consider other ways to satisfy frozen desires before sprinting down the block. There are options for both frozen yogurt and ice cream in Chico. One is not necessarily better than the other, but touting multitudes of flavors, they each have their own cult following and stigma. Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe and Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy may not serve cuttingedge flavors, but they are the oldest operating frozen yogurt and ice cream establishments in town. Shubert’s has been family-owned and operated since 1938, and its ice cream making process hasn’t changed since. The company has also continued its tradition of buying local ingredients. An inverse of a typical mint chocolate chip, the “Chico Mint” flavor has chocolate ice cream speckled with mint chips. The flavor won second place in “Good Morning America’s” Best Scoop in America contest in May 2008. Chicoans enjoy Shubert’s ice cream because it has remained the same through generations, said Kasey Pulliam-Cowan, fourth generation Shubert’s co-owner. “If they came in 50 years ago and came in today, they would get the same product,” PulliamCowan said. Vanilla remains the best-selling flavor, she said. Jon and Bon’s vanilla flavor sells the most as well, said John Thompson, Jon and Bon’s owner who started the business in 1981. Jon and Bon’s serves frozen yogurt at locations on Broadway Street, Mangrove Avenue and West Sacramento Avenue and offers plenty of choices in flavors and toppings. “Peanut butter cups are our most popular topping,” Thompson said. “But we also get a lot of requests for cookie dough, carob chips, peanuts and raisins.”
The skinny on frozen yogurt LeeAnn Loui, a graduate student in the multiple subject credential program, prefers frozen yogurt to ice cream because she feels she gets to eat more per serving, she said. Kathryn Larrowe, a sophomore nutrition major, also enjoys frozen yogurt when she wants something sweet and doesn’t want to out-do herself, she said. Her favorite flavors are the fruity ones. Toppings can add calories and may take away from the flavor of the frozen yogurt or ice cream. Donna Walton, a senior liberal studies major, is a purist who doesn’t like toppings on her ice cream, she said. Walton prefers her mint chocolate chip ice cream in a cone. It’s a common misconception that frozen yogurt is healthier than ice cream. After adding toppings, the calories may be the same. Frozen yogurt, if labeled, may have live cultures or probiotics, which are good bacteria that make it difficult for bad bacteria to thrive in the intestines. A probiotic label means 10 million cultures per gram were put in at the time of manufacturing, said Stephanie Bianco-Simeral, associate professor and assistant director for the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion. But live cultures may not survive the freezing process, so there is no guarantee that they have any probiotic benefits. Normal, unfrozen yogurt with a probiotic label has 100 million live cultures per gram at the time of manufacturing — 10 times more than put initially into frozen yogurt, BiancoSimeral said. Juan Benitez, a freshman psychology major, doesn’t like any yogurt, frozen or otherwise. ”Yogurt is yuck to me,” Benitez said. Sugar-free, non-fat or less fat versions of frozen yogurt and ice cream may have fewer calories, but they still stimulate sensors for sweetness. “Some people say ‘Oh, I ate the whole pint,’ rather than the serving,” Bianco-Simeral said. “There’s a sweet sensory stimulation that inhibits satiety and feeling full for
GOING NUTS A small peanut butter yogurt with chocolate chips from Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe.
many individuals.” Hormone release and sensory stimulation account for the inability to stop eating. High fat and high sugar content especially make it hard to feel satiety, or a full feeling, she said. This explains the effortlessness in guzzling down a tub of ice cream or frozen yogurt. “Your body reacts with certain foods, releasing ghrelin, which at high levels increases hunger,” she said. “When leptin is released it helps with satiety.” Hormone release depends on the kind of food consumed, the pure volume of food and genetic factors, she said. People that are heavier are more likely to have a problem with balancing hormone levels. Ice cream and frozen yogurt do not have to be off-limits, she said. The best way to eat them should be as snacks, not meals, eating whatever tastes best in a snack proportion. “Two-hundred calories is the serving size for a snack,” she said. But sometimes, piling on the toppings is most fulfilling. Derek Bovee, a junior applied computer graphics major, said his own flavor, “Lil’ Bit of Everything” could take off. “Five different candy bars shoved into chocolate ice cream,” Bovee said. Kathleen Dazzi can be reached at kdazzi@theorion.com
Now Two Locations
t Eats h g i N e t La til 3am
n Open U
NORD AVE. 1000 W. Sacramento #D 343-0909 DOWNTOWN 133 Broadway 894-0191
GOOD EATS 9
Open Early Open Late!
Follow us!
(530) 321-4511 Like us on Facebook and receive 2 FREE SNICKERDOODLES with your order!
We have wheat tortillas!
Breakfast ~ Lunch ~ Dinner
FREE
BURRITO Valid at both locations!
Thurs, Fri, Sat
Buy any burrito and 2 drinks, get the 2nd burrito of equal or lesser value for
FREE!
Menu: Ask Us About Milk! $1.00 Cookies Snickerdoodles Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Wildcat Scat Peanut Butter
$2.00 Brownies 7-Layer Bar Open 8pm-2am 7 Days A Week!
SCHOOL Of EduC atiOn Cr EdEnti a L PrOgr a m Deadline for Spring 2012 Multiple & Single Subject • Credential Programs Applications: October 1
Graduate Admission Closes October 1 • aPPLy nOw! The Department of Education promotes passion for learning, respect for the individual, and service to society. Collaborating with K-14 educators and university partners, we prepare professional educators to improve the quality of life through education.
BE a tEaCHEr • High Quality Teacher Credential Programs • 115 years of teacher education experience • Graduates sought by hundreds of school districts statewide Download the School of Education Application at www.csuchico.edu/educ Visit the School of Education in Tehama 101 or call 898.6241 to meet with an advisor.
G O O D E ATS 10
1
Name: Burritos el Caporal Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.25 Burritos: $4.75 Place of origin: Jalisco, Mexico Owners name: Jovito Hernandez Time in Chico: Seven years Address: West Lassen Street and the Esplanade
This truck has free chips and salsa — and that’s about it. Burritos el Caporal had very little to offer that made it stand out from the previous taco trucks. Sure, it’s shaded, has plenty of seating and they give you a jalapeno and carrots with your purchase, but the tacos aren’t anything special. The salsa was OK and the carne asada was broiled but with very little taste.
Name: Tacos el Tapatio Hours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $3.00 Place of origin: Jalisco, Mexico Owners name: Ramiro Meza Time in Chico: Five years Address: East First Avenue
2
Tacos el Tapatio has superb carne asada and tortillas, but the salsa left a lot to be desired. Despite being the spiciest sauce of the six taco trucks reviewed, it seemed watered down with not a lot of flavor. On the plus side, the rest of the menu is very cheap — the cheapest of the taco trucks I visited.
Name: Tacos Puerto Vallarta Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $3.00 Place of origin: Jalisco, Mexico, and Michoacan, Mexico Owners name: Gerardo Montes and Marisela Ramos Time in Chico: Six years Address: West 11th Avenue and the Esplanade.
3
Name: Taqueria Ramirez Hours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $4.75 Place of origin: Guanajuato, Mexico Owners name: Adrian Ramirez Time in Chico: 15 years Address: Nord Avenue Market parking lot
Contrary to the taco truck before it, Tacos Puerto Vallarta had by far my favorite salsa. It had a better taste than the rest and was spicy enough to enrich the flavor of the carne asada, which had a lot of fat and made it hard to bite. The tacos were a bit on the smaller side too, which often meant that every bite had a piece of fat in it.
Name: Tacos el Paisa Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $4.00 Place of origin: Durango, Mexico, and Michoacan, Mexico Owners name: Maria Ortiz and Pepe Ortiz Time in Chico: Nine years Address: West Second and Walnut streets
4
–Compiled by Gerado Rocha, Jr
This taco truck proved to be a disappointment. After being renamed from Tacos Tonaya to Tacos Ramirez, my hopes were high for this taco truck. First off, the carne asada didn’t taste like anything. It lacked flavor and even salt. The salsa seemed diluted in water and the overall taste was bland. Stay away, unless you crave taco truck food after 9 p.m. Maps courtEsy of • googlE Maps
After nine years in Chico, Tacos el Paisa really caters to the right crowd. With cheap tacos and burritos bundled with great customer service, Maria and Pepe Ortiz, the owners of the establishment, provide with one of the most delicious tacos. The salsa isn’t very spicy, but it has plenty of flavor with the carne asada, which has more seasoning and flavor than any other taco truck.
tracking Chico’s taco trucks
5
■ fULL MaP For a map of all 12 taco trucks in Chico, go to theorion.com.
Name: Tacos el Pinolero (South) Hours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.25 Burritos: $4.00 Place of origin: Durango, Mexico Owners name: Mauricio Enriquez Time in Chico: Five years Address: 275 Skyway
6
Tacos el Pinolero proved to be a great spot to enjoy tacos. Although priced 25 cents higher than the usual, the tacos were pretty big and packed a mouthful of flavor and taste. The green salsa, just spicy enough that one can enjoy its rich flavor, perfectly complemented the cilantro and onions that covered the carne asada taco.
G O O D E A T S 11
Grilla Bites 196 Cohasset Road $9.50+ This all-organic and locally grown produce is a bit on the pricey side but well worth the cost. Their wide variety of veggie options ranges from soy bacon and pesto barbecue to curry. All sandwiches are topped with fresh cut mushrooms, tomatoes, red onion, sprouts and roasted bell pepper vinaigrette.
5
Vegetarian sandwiches abound in Chico despite dominance of meat subs Leila Rodriguez ARTS EDITOR
Finding good vegetarian eats is always a challenge for those on a strict no-meat diet. I once was served baby corn and broccoli with white rice in a veggie burrito as if that was an acceptable meal. That kind of disappointment makes going out to eat much more of a menu scavenger hunt. This Chico vegetarian guide offers some of the best places around town that cater to a distinct diet of no meat, especially for quick, yet filling bites of a veggie sandwich. Leila Rodriquez can be reached at artseditor@theorion.com.
Safeway (My personal favorite for a decent size veggie sandwich under $6.) $5.49 720 Mangrove Way 1016 West Sacramento Ave. Safeway’s deli menu doesn’t actually have a specific veggie sandwich, but anyone can create one using options such as lettuce, tomato, onion, a delicious olive spread and choices of cheese and avocado. A small bag of chips and drink can be added to the meal for an extra $1.50.
2
Kona’s Deli 138 Main St. 965 Nord Ave. $3-3.50 half sub $5-5.50 full sub Subway’s foot-longs do not compare to Kona’s $5.50 foot longs. Kona’s two delicious veggie sandwiches, the Kalifornian and the Veggie Special are 12 inches of good eats. Light cream cheese with artichoke heart slices on the Veggie Special make this sandwich so delicious. Other condiment options are available to add as well. All sandwiches can be served as a wrap. Best size-to-price ratio.
1
Beach Hut Deli 146 W. Second St. $6-$10.70 Beach Hut Deli is known for their pile-high meat heavy sandwiches, but their few vegetarian sandwiches are worth the trip. Their California sandwich includes avocado, monterey jack and alfalfa sprouts. Potato salad, nachos, chip or a salad are some sides offered to complete your meal. Weekday happy hour from noon to 2 p.m. includes a $1 beer with any choice of sandwich, but this deal doesn’t seem worth it.
4
Mr. Pickles 215 W. First St. $6.99 This delightful deli is steps away from campus but short on veggie options. Their Veri Veggi only has toppings of cheese, cucumbers and avocado, although anyone can add extra condiments of tomatoes, pepperoncinis, lettuce and pickles to bulk up this lean sandwich.
3
Maps courtEsy of • googlE Maps
GOOD EATS 12 We Also Accept:
Turn Your
All Metals CRV/Recyclables Car Batteries Iron/Tin Appliances
SMoKIn’ Mo’S
into
tHE BanSHEE BELLa’S SPoRtS PUB tHE GRaDUatE MaDISon BEaR GaRDEn Maps courtEsy of • googlE Maps
Sport bars unite snacks, big games Allie Colosky SPORTS EDITOR
Located at 878 E 20th Street 530.343.7166 Mon-Fri: 8am-12pm, 1pm-4pm Sat: 8am-12pm Sun: closed
*NOTE: Call ahead for appliances Directly across from Sierra Nevada Brewery Also located in Oroville & Durham
When it comes to determining the best sports atmosphere in Chico, there are many places to choose from. But just like in fantasy football, tough decisions must be made. You don’t want to be left fishing chip crumbs out of an empty bag with your stomach still growling at halftime. There’s no talking about sports bars in Chico without mentioning The Graduate or Bella’s Sports Pub. Should you be able to squeeze into Bella’s, take a crack at their signature shot “Soccer Mom” and indulge in a bar that offers everything a sports fan could wish for. If nothing else, there’s no chance you could miss a play if you go to The Grad. The bar boasts three giant projection screens and 11 flat screens. If you missed the tag at the plate that ended the Braves and Pirates 19-inning game in July, well, that’s your own fault. The Grad had it on at least seven screens. As a fan favorite, Madison Bear Garden brought it home when watching game five of the 2010 World Series. As my jiff y burger dripped melted peanut butter onto my shirt, Brian Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz and the place ignited as Giants fans celebrated with yet another pint of Sierra Nevada. Watching the Giants win the World Series at The Bear almost made me feel like I was home. You haven’t experienced Chico if you haven’t
tried the melted goodness of the $8.29 jiff y burger — game day or not. For all the soccer, or futbol, fans out there, The Banshee will be there for you at 7 a.m. if you are willing to wake up to watch the coverage. When the United States men’s national team lost 2-1 in extra time to Ghana in the 2010 World Cup, I watched the broadcast at The Banshee. While the ending score was depressing, I found comfort in the mac and cheese with bacon. The king of all comfort foods, this $11 dish left me more than full and is worth digging for some change. If going out doesn’t suit you, don’t let yourself become the guy licking chip crumbs off your fingers expecting to feel full. Grab a bucket of wings from The Bear for $19.99 and head straight for the sofa. Just make sure you snatch some extra blue cheese dressing for those spicy things. I enjoyed the Heat’s fourth-quarter selfdestruction as much as anyone from the confines of my living room. I ditched the salsa for my Smokin’ Mo’s tri-tip sandwich, but for $8.95 I took great pleasure in an evening of barbecue and basketball at home. So call up some friends or even make some new ones down at Bella’s while you heckle the zebra on the field. Every sports fan is a friend as long as you aren’t the bum rooting for those damn Yankees. Allie Colosky can be reached at sportseditor@theorion.com.
GOOD EATS 13
AM 3 l i t ‘ urday Opedn ay Sat d i r F y a Thurs 1AM l i t ‘ n Opeday Friday Saturdnlyay ation o Thurs ento loc m a r c a S W.
$
FREE
HAMBURGER, CHEESEBURGER, OR GARDEN BURGER Buy 1, get the 2nd, of equal or lesser value, FREE! Coupon valid 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Not valid with other discounts. Exp. 10/31/2011-
monday tuesday ORIONday thursday friday
5
with l a i c e t Sp n e d u t S t ID a c d l i W $5 s e h c i dw 13 San e $6 5 ar
1000 W. Sacramento Ave.
So, you missed the game-winning shot because you were running away from Willie the Wildcat. Read the game reports and more from Chico State Athletics in the Sports section of The Orion every Wednesday. #TheOrion
G O O D E AT S 14
Outstanding margaritas at Tres Hombres Kenny Lindberg NE WS EDITOR
make for most customers, but I’ve had those margaritas so many times by now that I pretty much know what they’re supposed to taste like. The king is the Ultimate Margarita made with 1800 Silver tequila, Agavero Orange liqueur and lime juice. This margarita has plenty of bite and will have you asking for a second round. The 5 Spice Margarita is also good. It’s made with Patron Silver, Tres’ special five-spice agave nectar, orange liqueur and lime juice. It’s one of those drinks you have when you’re not really sure where the night is going to take you. In my experience, it normally leads to another drink. For those interested in something different, order the Tres Fuego Margarita. It’s actually made with fresh jalapeno, and it pretty much clears up any sinus problem you might have for a good 60 minutes. Tres Hombres also offers a variety of frozen margaritas and other off-the-menu margaritas that will surely satisfy almost any drinker’s taste buds.
SERVING IT UP This is the house margarita on the rocks served at Crush. This drink tastes like the watered-down drink one would expect at an outdoor concert. Not worth the money.
What makes me a regular at Tres Hombres Long Bar and Grill is their fi rst-rate service, outstanding kitchen, and most importantly, their liquor collection. This collection sports everything from high-end Patron to Jameson, and I’m pretty good at taking advantage of it up to three times a week. So when my editor asked me if I wanted to review some of their margaritas, I pounced on the idea and decided to put myself through the intense torture of doing extensive research on the topic. After taking on the burden I started to get phone calls from reporters and photographers alike, offering to help me in my research. Naturally, I accepted and got totally hammered a few times before I could compile my fi ndings. Granted, some of my fi ndings may be a bit skewed, since my drinks are typically a lot stronger than what they
THE ULTIMATE The Ultimate Margarita is made with 1800 Silver tequila, Agavero Orange liqueur and lime juice. Priced at only $7, the Ultimate Margarita is both affordable and a good drink.
CRUSHING The blended house margarita at Crush doesn’t really leave the customer too eager to order the next round. It’s just a standard margarita with nothing too special to offer.
pHotos by • SAMANTHA YOUNGMAN
So it’s no wonder that with a collection like this, Tres earned “best margarita” honors by Chico News and Review readers last year. But that doesn’t mean that its menu is full of highlights. Stay away from the La Tradicional margarita. It’s boring and simple and shouldn’t be on their menu. I feel like it’s something that a lesser establishment would serve as its highlight item. And the Cadillac Margarita isn’t really too special either. Anything made with Sauza Gold is probably not going to earn very high marks in my book. But overall, I think they pretty much know what they’re doing at that establishment. They’re always packed, and they have some of the best service in the city. I just wished they started the Tequila Club already so I could do some more research and report my findings in another review. Kenny Lindberg can be reached at newseditor@theorion.com
MANGO The Mango Margarita is a good choice for those who want to add a little fruit twist to your life. The mango drink is just one of many flavors Tres Hombres offers its customers.
GOOD EATS 15
Expires 9/21/11
530.899.2847
240 Broadway St.
Chico . CA
G O O D E AT S 16