continued from page 1 (picture link on the bottom of this page)...

Barney and Martha Parsons, of Brentwood and Antioch KIWANIS Clubs, were there to point people in the right direction as well. The Restaurant Tour is a real moneymaker for the KIWANIS Club and there are two other tours that take place each year as well, in Antioch and Pittsburg. The Brentwood Chamber of Commerce was gracious enough to co-sponsor this tour.

After getting our fill of chowder and warming up for the day ahead, we were greeted by bus driver, Don Schulte. He was very friendly and helped clear up some confusion (after I got behind the yellow line, that is) as he drove us to destination number two. Our next stop was Caffe Bacio where we were treated to a plate of ribs and macaroni salad. We enjoyed our plate of yummies at a table outside of the small shop. We barely had time to finish the food, before we were off and running to the next place.

Stop number three, was the Brentwood Olive Oil Company. Having lived in Naples, Italy for two years, I'm very picky about my pasta but I was not to be disappointed. This quaint little haven is tucked away in a quiet area of Empire Avenue.

The vineyards of the Brentwood Olive Oil Company are really quite impressive. In fact, one of the trees in the front came from the original clippings brought over from Spain, many years ago.

Lillian Pierce Navarrette and David Navarrette are the co-owners, and Lillian was in her element, as she explained the various types of Olive oils available. Lined up on the counter, were four types of Olive oil, with various spices thrown in for the purpose of dipping the crunchy, little crouton-style pieces of bread. Tuscany, Parmesan, Rosa Maria and Sicilian all had very distinct flavors but their flavor was not for the feint palate.

The shop was beautiful, with every type of ceramic dishware, olive oil/vinegar bottles, serving carafes and gift-baskets imaginable. On the outside of the shop and off to the side, wine and sodas were sold to accompany the tasty dishes there. While Lillian was shining inside the gift shop, there was no doubting the fact that Rosie Pierce, Lillian's Mom, was the star of the show in other areas.

Lillian, teacher of "Shortcuts to Cooking" at La Paloma High School, had prepared a delightful "Tour of Italy" dish, featuring various types of pasta, with no meat and no cholesterol. The Butterfly Farfalli, a tasty treat of pasta cooked in olive oil (but, of course), with sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts, butter and garlic, accompanied this. To help balance the scales, there was sliced, toasted bread with an interesting topping of an Amagio Cheese mixture.

The Brentwood Olive Oil Company was one stop some of the patrons didn't seem in a hurry to leave, but alas, it was time to get on the bus (after I missed the first one) and on to the Boardwalk Grill & Pizza Co. Of all the stops on the tour, I must confess this was not one of the more enjoyable ones. We got there and waited for at least 20 minutes with no direction. There was no one to punch our tickets and we didn't know who to talk to. Finally, after bussing our own table to clean up, we had someone show up with plates of Foccacia bread and Penne Con-Pollo. The pasta was delicious and helped to make up for the long wait, causing us to miss yet another bus. The pasta had a hint of nutmeg and there was some incredible lemonade to help wash it down.

The next bus rolling around was headed for Perko's Cafe. This was the only restaurant on the tour, to which I had previously been. There was a "buffet" style line set up with plates, silverware, etc. We walked through and were served with noodles, covered by a unique beef sauce. This tasted like Beef Marsala but wasn't quite there. Along with the noodles, we were served cream of potato soup but it wasn't in the same category as the chowder that started our day. After rushing through this, since I had already missed several buses, I was in a hurry to catch up with my original crowd. I finished off my notes and my water then "walked" next door to the next stop.

Willy's Bagel & Blends is a friendly little shop, which was pretty self-explanatory. I had just enough time to grab a bagel (to go), topped it off with their unique blend of pumpkin cream cheese, and washed it all down with a sample of their Chai Tea. This had a soothing sensation after all the food and flavors of the day.

All aboard! It was time to grab the bus again and we were off once more, this time, headed towards "Down-home Texas BBQ." Now, I have to admit, being from Texas, this was of course, my favorite stop of the day and the highlight of the tour for me.

We were greeted by a smiling Vicki, CO-owner of the restaurant, along with hubby, Jeff Lohmann. Of course the first thing I asked Vickie was "Are y'all really from Texas?" to which she replied, "Yes, I was born in San Antonio but I grew up in Corpus Christi." I lived in CC when I was 13 and my dad was stationed there with the Navy, so we swapped stories about South Padre Island while she explained that the recipes used there, are all made from scratch, including their "secret" BBQ sauce.

I was there asking, "Where's the beef?" while others started their trip through the line for their choice of pasta-salad, potato salad, Cole slaw and macaroni salad. The smell of BBQ wafted lazily through the air as we listened to the twang of Country & Western music in the background. If I closed my eyes, I could almost pretend I was back home and the only thing missing was the sawdust on the floor. When I opened my eyes and came back to earth, there was Vicki, serving me up a plate of Baby Back Ribs, Tri-tip and Turkey that was so tender, you could cut it with a spoon. The meat was cooked to perfection and the sauce was amazing. Any good Texan knows that the real secret to outstanding BBQ is in the sauce. Trust me folks, they've got this one down.

I thought I couldn't get any closer to heaven, this side of Texas until one of the nice ladies brought me a plate of homemade peach cobbler. There are no words to describe that "oh, so good, melt in your mouth" feeling as I bit into the delectable dessert.

While I looked around for the nearest wheelbarrow to wheel me out of there, all I found was another bus. As I crawled up the steps and into the comfy seats, I was greeted with the realization that the next stop would be our last. It was a bittersweet thought as I had been having such a wonderful time but I was so full, that I was glad I wouldn't have to try to push anything past my lips (except maybe some Alka-Seltzer when I got home) after the last stop.

However, sometimes when you're full, the next best thing to a hot cup of tea, is a soothing glass of wine. I wasn't disappointed. The Brentwood Wine Store, which was also on the tour last year, was our next destination. Steve and Jane Cropper CO-own the shop with Paul and Lois Laza. Paul explained that last year they could not serve wine, as they did not have their liquor license at that time. That was rectified and we were served a dark, French wine to compliment the fresh vegetables, dip and Swedish Meatballs simmering in the crock-pot.

The shop was immaculate and boasted of not only several types of wines available, but also the goodies that go with them. There was even a "Wines for dummies" book there to help out the amateurs. The Wine Tasting Bar, Wine Storage and Wine Sales are some of the main treats awaiting you at the Brentwood Wine Store and various events will take place there throughout the year. For more information on the events or to check out their selections, visit their web site at BrentwoodWineStore.com or call them at 513-WINE.

Our last bus pulled up a few minutes later, to take us back to Pee Wee Muldoon's Bar & Grill where all the fun began. By the time I got back there, almost everyone who had begun the tour, had already gone home and it wasn't even five p.m. yet so all in all, the tour was very efficiently orchestrated. I found Frank MacCallister, www.eastcountylive.com photographer and Peggy Thomas, assistant photographer (with whom I began the tour) and we sat back and relaxed for a while, comparing notes.

I've never done one of these tours, but for $10, you can't beat it. It's a great opportunity to get to know the different cities, the best places to eat and make some new friends. It's more fun if you go with a group so you can compare opinions but you can go by yourself as well. For more information on any of the next Restaurant Tours taking place, make sure you check out eastcountylive.com for the details in the months to come. If you missed the tour this time around, don't worry. Frank will have the photo gallery there for you to check out all the fun and next time, get on the bus, Gus! You'll be glad you did. I was. Bon appetite'

By Cher Grace
Freelance Publicist

See all the Restaurant Tour Photos

Have a comment about the tour? Want to know about the next one?
Send www.eastcountylive.com an e-mail