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Top-10 Hidden Treasure Restaurants

By Teri Bayus
Since everyone can’t enjoy fine dining every day and our need to regularly consume fuel, I thought I might share the “Best of the Hidden Treasure” restaurants.
These are the ones you can eat at often and always be impressed and these culinary universes deserve as much accolades as their white tablecloth brothers.
10. Penny’s All American Café: Restaurants that have become a staple in a town bring a sense of community and connectedness to all who eat there. Penny’s All American Café is one of my favorites for the cooking, the camaraderie and just to listen to Penny laugh (the most infectious sound in the universe).
Penny and her family serve the best breakfast, soups, salads and charbroiled burgers, and do some amazing fundraisers for our community. Penny puts her passion into helping those in need, all the while cooking up paradise chow. Located at 1053 Price St., in Pismo Beach.
9. Surfside Deli. The sandwiches are an epic example of passion, quality ingredients and a couple of highly trained chefs. All the meats are roasted in-house, the vegetables are from farmers market, and the results are delicious. I love the pork belly Bahn Mi with house brined pork belly, kimchi, chimmichurri, cilantro, jalapeño on a Dutch crunch roll. This mixing of Asian and Western flavors is pure genius.
The Kook burger is made with a half pound of house ground rib eye, tomato, onion, lettuce, pickles, cheddar cheese, guacamole, and house made aioli. The food, atmosphere and this heart inspired family run business, win every time. Located at 191 South Oak Park Blvd. Ste. 1 in Grover Beach.
8. Lil’Bits Café. I always try restaurants that represent the “diner” aspect of the food scene. Many of these places are so good it’s like walking into grandma’s kitchen. Lil’Bits Café is open for breakfast and lunch, and they do down home cooking with bigger portions of better food.
From the omelets to the stuffed French toast, to the insanely perfect potatoes with incendiary salsa, everything is exceptional. Sunday brunch is the highlight of this café. Here you find the best Eggs Benedict. Fresh baked biscuits, with a slice of lean ham, perfectly poached egg and a hollandaise sauce made out of angel wings. Located at 151 North 7th St., in Grover Beach.
7. Papi’s Grill. I long for those chefs that truly create; take something that is blank and turn it into art. This taco stand specializes in taco de pescado. Fresh halibut caught daily from local waters that is cut and grilled, served with pico de gallo, cabbage and a special white sauce that like everything else, is made from scratch. The corn salsa that accompanies most dishes was spectacular.
With the traditional Mexican Coke in a bottle and a Model Negro beer, we shared the potato tacos. These crispy little treasures are filled with potato, chorizo and a queso fresco combo, then deep-fried and served with fresh guacamole (also made as ordered). Located at 1090 Price St., in Pismo Beach.
6. Puffer’s of Pismo. Puffer’s is a wine bar in Pismo Beach finding its “food legs” while the entertainment and grape juice selection is epic. I love the cheese tray with hand picked cheeses accessorized with salami, house made pickles, carrots, spiced nuts and sliced apples. The delicious crusty bread was a new complement to the otherwise cracker offering. Grab a glass of wine, listen to the music and check out the food specials. Located at 781 Price St., in Pismo Beach.
5. Las Comrades. The house specialty is Pupusas from El Salvador. These maze wonders are stuffed with cheese, pork, beans, rice and more. They are fried and served like an extra thick tortilla. You then put a vinegared cabbage, pepper and onion mixture on them, sprinkle the Salvadoran tomato sauce and pick them up and engorge yourself. The cooks are as authentic looking as the cerveza signs stating beer keeps away sadness. And the bonus is they cost $2.50 each! Located at 202 West Main St., in Santa Maria.
4. Bunn Thai Bistro. Thai food is my happy place. The flavors and textures are complicated and so satisfying. Bunn Thai uses organic, natural, and local ingredients and some Thailand treats. I love the Thai fried rice with chicken, brown and green onions, eggs, Chinese broccoli, peas, carrots, cilantro and tomato.
I also like Kung Pao chicken with hormone-fee chicken, stir fried onions, bell peppers, dried chilies and peanuts. They offer a tour of the curries featuring many on the menu and making each currie from scratch daily. Located at 968 west Grand Ave., in Grover Beach.
3. Fay’s Fusion (formerly Tao). Here you can sample conscious Chinese food with a friendly taste of Pismo, offering fries, boba and slushies with decidedly Asian surfer flair. I inhale their Asian sliders. These are boa buns (a steamed yeasty bun with the texture of clouds). Stuffed with succulent pork, Asian slaw with house made Mandarin sauce. The sauce is lightly spread on the outside too, with a sprinkling of sesame.
Try the crispy chicken rice plate with sesame chicken, bell peppers and onions added. This is the best Chinese food in two counties. Located at 220 Hinds Ave., in Pismo Beach.
2. Oki MoMo. The menu includes dishes with Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese influences. I enjoy the teriyaki chicken, Thai chopped salad and a bowl of Pho.
I love the Korean BBQ chicken wings — dreamily done crunchy chicken wings tossed in Korean BBQ sauce. You could also choose honey lemon-pepper or soy buffalo sauce. I fell in love with each dish. Located at at 2256 Broad St., Ste. 120 in San Luis Obispo
1. Chipwrecked. This bistro is family run by Sarah and her daughter Larkin, serving the most outstanding and creative meals. The chip concept is achieved by taking large Kenabec potatoes, sliced paper thin and deep-fried; then layered with palate busting flavors, and served with dazzling house made dips.
The sandwiches are outstanding, like the Port Astoria sandwich, a tuna salad blend served on delicious poppy seed bread. Inside, the tuna was blended with chopped Granny Smith apples, cucumbers, pine nuts, celery and a bit of mayonnaise. My favorite is the Port Bane, fried plantains with a spicy sauce that is at once comforting and exotic.

Chipwrecked is a wonderful place to have lunch once a week. It is family run with fresh soups and specials. Sarah has an amazing palette and is constantly creating new addictive recipes. Located at 246 Pomeroy St., in Pismo Beach.

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