Great food stops

I'm celebrating a milestone birthday tomorrow night with dinner at the famed Shady Maple Smorgasbord in East Earl, Pa. (In the vicinity of Intercourse and Blue Ball!) Food done the Amish way, as far as the eye can see.

Shady Maple Smorgasbord | Authentic PA Dutch Cooking | Lancaster County PA

What are some other can't-miss places?

I'll add another: The Bonfire in Ocean City, Md.

https://www.thebonfirerestaurant.com/

 

I have never been there but some of my friends swear by McClintock's Steak House in Pismo Beach, Calif.

 

Acre in Auburn was one of the best meals I've ever had.

 

Went there a few times, excellent steaks.

Also a butterfly grove in Pismo for butterfly lovers.

 

Great, melt-in-your-mouth steaks are so rare around here, I don't even order it anymore.

 

McClintocks is great. And there are two locations, if I'm not mistaken. One is a fancy steakhouse and the other is more low-key country feel.

 

In San Jose, it isn't fancy but La Victoria Taqueria on Third and San Carlos in downtown is good. The Orange Sauce is the whole reason to go. Their recipe is a closely guarded secret. Totally worth it.

 

If you ever find yourself meandering along U.S. 64 in western North Carolina, it will be worth your time to stop at the Cashiers Valley Smokehouse for the best BBQ I’ve had in the Eastern Time Zone.

https://www.cashiersvalleysmokehouse.com/

 

Used to drive by Shady Maple a couple or three times a month and never stopped in. Let us know what you think of it.

 

Oh, I've been there before. It's pretty awesome. Four or five chef stations for steak, seafood, brisket, etc. About 50 yards worth of two-sided buffet, mouth-watering Amish dishes like brown-butter noodles and ham balls. And a dessert stand that will blow you away.

 

I didn't realize how iconic it was until I moved away. Just figured it was a Ponderosa/Golden Corral clone. I've kicked myself ever since.

 

There's another Amish-country buffet that's a must-stop -- Miller's Smorgasbord in Ronks, on Route 30 just past the Lancaster outlets. High-end buffet fare here.

https://www.millerssmorgasbord.com/