[pct-l] Campo area dining update

[David Plotnikoff]

Hello from a longtime list-lurker.

Just in time for the kickoff, I've updated SoCal pages at Best On The 
Crest, at www.emeraldlake.com/pctguide/

As has been the case for the last seven seasons, you'll find complete 
trail town restaurant and lodging info from Campo through Manning. 
This week's minor updates include Campo, Mt. Laguna, Idyllwild, Big 
Bear, Agua Dulce, Tehachapi and Wrightwood.

Here's the beta that's pertinent to the kickoff (current as of 4/15/09):

Your best bet for restaurant chow is the El Rancho Bar and Grill, the 
latest operation to occupy the site of the former Village Inn and 
McGuffy's Bar and Grill in Lake Morena, (29804 Oak Dr, 619 478-9553). 
They're serving gringo-style Mexican fare and barbecue seven nights a 
week and lunch Fridays-Sundays.

  The Oak Shore Malt Shop (2425 Lake Morena Drive, 619 478-5845), 
which had been the first bankable food of the journey, a half-mile 
east of the trailhead at Lake Morena County Park, is still operating 
as a convenience store but serving only deli sandwiches.

The Campo Diner (1367 Dewey Place, 619 478-2888) on the site formerly 
occupied by the Old Oak Inn has breakfast, lunch and dinner seven 
nights a week. The location is off Highway 94, between Buckman 
Springs Road and Campo Truck Trail.

The La Posta Diner (32337 Old Highway 80, 619 478-5600) is not in 
Pine Valley proper, but rather northeast of the main drag, on a 
frontage road. Take the Kitchen Creek exit off Interstate 8. Lunch 
only Mondays-Thursdays. Lunch and dinner Fridays and Saturdays. Open 
until 5:00 Sundays.

In Pine Valley,  Major's Diner (28870 Old Highway 80, 619 473-9969) 
offered underwhelming, standard diner fare -- mediocre burgers and 
sandwiches -- in a too-kitsch atmosphere that reminded us of a 
perpetual garage sale. Probably no dinners on weeknights -- and no 
beer-and-wine permit either.

El Rancho Grande (28944 Old Highway 80, 619-473-0380) was another 
miss -- an entirely forgettable gringo-style Mexican joint that 
seemed to be more of a sports bar than a restaurant.

One final option on the main drag in Pine Valley is the Frosty Burger 
shack, with decent burgers, indifferent service and a cash-only 
policy.

Bon appetit.

And best of luck to the Class of 2009

DP
(Who has somehow managed to miss the kickoff nine years running. 
That's got to be some kind of record...)