Visalia CA (Abundant Sunshine High 76)
The Morro Bay Kite Festival is held the last weekend of April so we decided to check it out. Here is our campsite with Morro Rock in the distance.
On our way to the festival we stopped and had lunch at Giovanni's Fish Market. The clam chowder there has won the harbor clam chowder contest a number of years in a row and we were really looking forward to it. When we got there a long line awaited us which really got our juices going. Outside there was a bbq oyster kiosk and they offered a free sample and we just had to have one and then more because they were sooooo good. Jo kept our place in line and Bob went and got the oysters. We just knew we were really going to get some good chowder.
We had company in the line, seals on the rocks at the waterfront. Here is a momma and her baby on the rocks.
More seals to keep them and us company.
By this time we ordered and got a clam chowder each and split a halibut tostada order of two small tostadas. This is one time where anticipation must have killed reality. The clam chowder was watered down, our least favorite clam chowder in a long time. The halibut on the tostada was tough, the shell and everything else was just ok.
Being less than satisfied we headed towards Morro Rock
and the Morro Bay Kite Festival. Here is the Kite Festival Pirate.
It was certainly windy enough for the kites.
Here are some kites.
Of course at a festival you have to have a chocolate covered cheesecake on stick and this festival had that vendor. Plus this vendor had what they called an ugly brownie dipped in the same chocolate which also looked good so we got one of those for later. Both were excellent.
This is a good time to bring up the food scene in Morro Bay. As with other tourist havens this place abounds in good places to eat, other than Giovanni's. Frankie and Lola's serves a great breakfast which we had a few times. They have a brulee souffle flambe french toast; brulee (soaked in brulee), souffle (baked), flambe (toasted pecan caramel sauce on top) that is incredible. The omelets and scrambles are also very good.
But the main food thing we will be checking out when near the coast is clam chowder. Right now our favorite place is Ivar's in the Seattle area and none of these rose to that level. The best in town for us was Hofbrau with Tognazzini's Dockside a close second. Hofbrau also had the best fish n chips but again not to the level of Ivar's. The best chowder we had here was the Tuesday special oyster chowder at Dockside.
We are off to Visalia today.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Oh what fun a kite festival would be. We just missed the one held at Haystack Rock.
ReplyDeleteSorry about the chowder. But I think your festival desserts made up for it.