Food and Drink – Page 3

Northeast Fresno Doesn’t Deserve The New Benaddiction

November 8, 2021November 12, 2021 The Fresnan

Hey, I’m happy for the owners of Benaddiction, getting a new place. A nice big fresh spot. I am sure it will do well. They totally 100% deserve it! They are good folks and worked hard for this.

BUT! (you know there is a ‘but’ coming)

But, it’s kinda fucked up for those of us that live by the NW location. That have been supporting the Bullard & Marks spot all these freaking years.

Braving the long waits and postage stamp sized suite wedged next to a pool supply shop and a Supercuts training center, in hopes of one day raising the stature of the place to a full-sized NW Fresno location.

Finally it happed. Only North EAST Fresno, (the Taint District no less) got the new bigness. It feels like NW Fresno put in the work and NE got the reward.

This is how OG hardcore Green Day and Jawbreaker fans must have felt when the bands signed their first label deal.

No, I won’t be turning my back to them as they play onstage. So, I will still go to the Bullard & Marks location. And love the food.

But I might carry a chip on my shoulder when I do. Maybe mutter under-my-breath “sellouts” as I am getting seated, just to make myself feel better, I guess.

The “Who Made Who” will still taste good, just not as satisfying.

The Best Salsa For A Quesadilla from Quesadilla Gorilla Is…

August 24, 2021August 24, 2021 The Fresnan

There can be only one salsa that is the BEST salsa at Quesadilla Gorilla and that is the one on the right: Cilantro Cream.

Roasted Sour Cream? No.
Avocado Salsa? Fine but no.
Roasted Red Salsa? You would think but NO!
Spicy Salsa Verde? Pretty good but still NO!
Habanero Salsa? Totally NO!
Liquid Gold? Awesome name but actually terrible.

You can go at me in the comments all you want if you disagree, but you will be wrong.

Why Can’t Fresno Be The Test Market For THIS, Taco Bell?

August 12, 2021August 13, 2021 The Fresnan

Fresno is king of Drive-Thrus. We are also the test market for many things fast food – we approved Doritos Locos Tacos (you’re welcome? world).

So why the HELL aren’t we getting this new Taco Bell drive-thru concept first!?

The innovative restaurant reimagines the traditional drive-thru experience with four lanes, three of which are dedicated to mobile or delivery order pickups, providing fast, skip-the-line service for customers who order via the Taco Bell app and third-party delivery services. These three lanes will supplement one traditional lane, easing the flow of traffic and ensuring a speedy experience.
-Somebody at Taco Bell

I guess some town in Minnesota is getting this first.

Really, all our drive-thrus should be this concept or we should trash them and not have any.

Is Maroo Closed?

January 23, 2021January 23, 2021 The Fresnan

Yes. Yes it’s fucking closed. Dammit. That sucks.

Not closed in a “We’ll be back when this is over” kind of way. Nope. It’s gone.

0790F9DD-0EC5-445C-89CB-0B34F7A23C05 Is Maroo Closed?

It kinda makes sense. Before everything went South, they weren’t all that busy. A Friday night was about the only time it was kinda lively.

Then the Pandemic hits and that’s that.

I will miss this place. Really solid sushi. End of a Fresno sushi era. Good luck to everyone that worked there.

Does Fresno Have A Great Grocery Store?

December 27, 2020December 27, 2020 The Fresnan

I don’t know that we do.

Let’s just pull Save Marts off the board. Don’t get me wrong; they are workhorses. I’m thankful for them. It’s where I do the bulk of my shopping. But I am not aware that any of them are “great” stores.

Yes, you can drop the Wincos and Pack-n-Save and anything with “bargin” or “outlet” or “dollar” in the title. They are trash, but can serve a purpose for a neighborhood so I will at least give them props for being in areas where nobody will go.

And no, Costco is not an everyday grocery store. It’s a nightmare.

Vons? Well, I do like Vons and as a former employee, I am partial to them. But fuck them since they completely left the western side of Fresno. (I miss the Blackstone, First & Tulare and Marks & Shaw Vons greatly)

Every city seems to have a Whole Foods, a Trader Joe’s and a Sprouts. I am not going to count those since they are out-of-the-region chains. I haven’t even been to the new Trader Joe’s (wrong side of 41 for me now, bro). Drop them.

We are whittling it down here now.

The Tower Market? No. It serves the neighborhood, props for that, but nah.

The Vallarta on Clinton & 99? Maybe. I have not been in there, I am embarrassed to say. So I cannot accurately give it a call either way. For the sake of finishing this post and using firsthand feedback, I am going to say that it is good but not great.

Unless I am missing something, we are left with The Market at Herndon & West. Is The Market a GREAT grocery store? …

[rubs forehead and thinks]

It’s… you know, it’s… well it’s GOOD. Good but not great. So I guess Fresno does not have a great grocery store. Case closed.

Hit me up on Twitter if you feel otherwise.

Inspiration for this post:

Safeway, owned by Albertsons, has done a good job of "restoring" the Marina Safeway in San Francisco back to its glory days as a great supermarket. Not completely. But a good job. The store sits on one of the most beautiful — and expensive real estate-wise — pieces … pic.twitter.com/aDi79CYSd4
— Grocery_Retail_Insight (@freshneasybuzz) December 28, 2020

The Guilt of Corona

November 25, 2020November 25, 2020 The Fresnan

I had not sat down inside or outside a Fresno business for nine months. Until…

65b1d52a-5833-45df-9cbf-d85cafd2c813 The Guilt of Corona

Yep. I broke down and went to the new (still improving) beer garden setup at Zack’s Brewing in Downtown Fresno.

I had a couple beers along with some tri-tip.

It’s looking good, the beer is still awesome, food was great and it all felt weird.

I sat outside and away from everyone. Wore a mask except to drink and eat. I felt safe enough.

But I didn’t have to go. I could have stayed home. This is what I have done this whole Pandemic: Getting takeout & delivery. No inside or even parking lot seating, for me.

But I broke, had some beers and got some flack for it on Facebook with a reminder of how things are going out there:

I can’t say disagree with the flack. But I wanted to support a friend’s business and have a Birthday Beer.

Zack’s and Tioga are making things as safe as possible and I was thirsty for an hour of normalcy.

We have all made our Corona choices somewhere. A tasty beverage on a nice Sunday afternoon broke me.

Now I gotta re-focus, a long Winter lies ahead.