We stopped for fuel in Placerville.

I know it is hard to believe, but this chili dog from a roadside stand was the best food so far, all month long.

With a Coke, my lunchtime total was $4.35.

Back on the road, we talked and played cruel Catch Phrase until we dropped the Hamiltons off at the train station.

I forgot to take a photo of my meal until I had nearly finished it.

Pyramid is a good place, with pretty good food. It would probably be better with three or four beers.

Pyramid is another place that doesn't bring any water unless you ask for it, which I've always disliked. In fact, I stumbled into the role of consumer advocate when I found a corporate Coca-Cola page denouncing tap water at restaurant tables back in 2001.

Waiting.

I tried approximating the total price of the meal, but I refused to err on the side of the tip, and I didn't want to be accused of any wrongdoing. We considered walking out. I also considered hunting down our waitress, or a manager. Pyramid is a big place, but it was a slow night.

Waiting.

I didn't feel like I had any polite options other than just sitting there. 

Eventually the check arrived, we paid, tipped poorly and left. The total for my meal was $16.70

I think it was the flu.

Determined to continue eating out, even in my desperate state, I dragged myself out of bed and ate lunch at Bon Aire Market, on the corner of 26th and J Street.

Bon Aire Market has really good sandwiches, at an excellent price. This is no secret, so there is often a long, slow line snaking around inside. I ordered the $2.99 special: Pastrami and Swiss on a roll. With a vanilla Coke, my total was $4.28.

Bon Aire was the only restaurant I wrote about in Why would anyone want to visit Sacramento?

Pho Bac has a very broad array of selections on their menu. Two-hundred and eight different dishes, in fact.

I ordered the #53, which was noodles with a variety of meats, and a Vietnamese lemonade.

Dinner was awesome. Really good, with excellent service. $11.67 total.

I tried a roast beef sandwich from the New Roma Bakery.

I really like sushi, and at Taka's it is particularly good. It is one of my favorite restaurants in Sacramento.

I walked in and ordered, then sat for 27 minutes before my order was ready. I don't think I've ever waited that long to be served there, but I'd never timed it before this night. The wait was also more noticeable because I was alone.

For lunch Wednesday I visited Hana's Deli on 10th and K Streets. This was my first visit, and I was impressed with their wide array of lunch options. 

Flawed cup/lid interface was responsible. I shouldn't complain, the waterproof connection between 18¢ paper cups and 2¢ plastic lids is something of a miracle.

I had the Chicken Club Combo. 

My fast food habits had tapered off in the last two months, and it had completely lost its appeal, as if the spell had been broken. I left the chicken sandwich unfinished.

$6.13, four minutes in the drive-thru.

I asked a Carl's Jr. employee what their drive-thru service time goal was, and she told me it was 3 minutes. I figured they would have contests to get that number as low as possible, but she said it was a service requirement, not a contest.

Please continue reading March 25th.