That Hole In The Wall ....

So here I am in the old ghost town of Snelling California.  This little town was formerly known as Snelling's Ranch.  Charles Snelling opened a hotel here near his cattle ranch in 1853.  This was the lower end of the gold mining craze as it ran along the Merced River.  It was also the County Seat from 1857-1872.  

The first courthouse in this County was built in 1857, but I'll get into those interesting stories at a later date.

The courthouse is still standing, although it needs a little repair here and there.  

Anyhoo ..... I was starving since all the restaurants, or at least the ONE restaurant in Coulterville was closed.  The same was true as I drove through La Grange ... another fascinating piece of history.  My last resort before wasting away was Freddy's in Snelling.

You know how sometimes you find a real hole in the wall looking place to eat, but you go inside and you are just amazed?  Well that's not this one.

I thought ... how could I go wrong with an amazing new paint job like this?  This used to be the best burger joint in the County ... certainly in this neck of the woods.  Maybe that's just because we were Harley riders and starving.

You know how you go to a hole in the wall recommended by someone who has eaten there before and the service is fabulous with a menu a mile long?  Well that's not this one.  There wasn't a sole inside and the menu was pictures hanging on the wall.  No prices ... just pictures of food.  What do you do?  You're already in the door .... it would be rude to just walk back out. 

I stared at the wall for a time because the pictures were really blurry, covered in plastic, making them very hard to see.  Truly, I was looking for price tags.  There were none, so I settled on the plate that looked like two enchiladas, rice and beans.  

I heard the gal behind the counter say THREE ENCHILADAS, but it didn't quite register until it was too late.  Did she up charge me??  She asked if I wanted chips.   Well of COURSE!!  That will be $15.89.  YIKES!!!  By then it was too late to run out the door.  

In no time ... about ten minutes because you know how busy they were ...  she brought the chips.  Always be wary of Mexican restaurant salsa.  I took my first bite and I was ON FIRE!!!  I started coughing .... the waitress says, oh ... would you like some water?  I coughed out a yes please.

Fifteen minutes later my food arrived.  You know how when you go to a hole in the wall restaurant expecting to find the most amazing food you've ever eaten so you can recommend it to all your friends?  Well that's not this one.

I guess you can't say they didn't give me my monies worth.  See that red tray?  It's one of those big cafeteria trays.  See that plate?  It almost covers that BIG cafeteria tray!  It didn't look too bad, so I dove right in.

These are chicken enchiladas.  I cut the first one open to see a mixture that was the same color as the beans.  I was absolutely positive this was beef ... tiny pieces smothered in a red sauce.  Remember that amazing lunch you had at the hole in the wall joint in Texas?  Well that didn't happen here!  Gracious ... I couldn't really tell you what it tasted like, I was just thankful it wasn't as hot as that salsa.

It was edible ... sort of ... and I was able to choke down 1-1/2 enchiladas along with some rice and beans.   I paid a chunk for this food ... I'm not wasting it.  I left the blackened avocado on the plate and asked for a to-go box.  Not that I had any intention of eating the rest of it .........

What they DID have was a chest of six different ice cream flavors.  I thought that might soothe my stomach a little and stop the salsa burn.  She made up a two scoop cone, then dumped it into the cup, saying it was easier to eat that way.  The soup spoon she gave me made it a little difficult, but I persisted.  It was VERY good ... for $3.65.

And so ended my culinary experience at Freddy's top notch fine dining establishment with a Michelin rating of negative sixteen.  The next time I'm in the neighborhood, I'll just go to the tiny grocery store and buy a box of crackers.

In the meantime, I've got COMPANY!!  Sadly it's not Prince Charming, but my gal friend from Sacramento.