On California’s Central Coast, San Luis Obispo is a good place to get a taste of the region’s unique BBQ. Tri-tip cooked over live oak flames develops a smoky flavor and turns tender. It is served with pinquito beans and, at Old San Luis BBQ, with jalapeno-spiked corn and cheddar pie. Old San Luis also serves its tri-tip sliced as a sandwich in a sourdough roll. Other San Luis Obispo faves include Lotus for Vietnamese pork Banh Mi sandwiches, Taqueria Santa Cruz Express for fish tacos and a Cal Poly burrito baked in green sauce and cheese sided by fresh guacamole, and SloDoCo for silly-colored donuts and California’s unique buttermilk bars.
Originally Published 1997 Gourmet Magazine After a good day of boldly eating where no food writers have eaten before—truck stops, diners, smoke shacks, even the occasional scurrilous road-house that anchors...
