2009 Aug 14 - Phillips Farms

2009 Aug 14 - Phillips Farms Café (Lodi)

{Click on any photo to view the full size image}

Today we are meeting at the Breadfruit Tree, a Caribbean restaurant located at a river marina just north west of Stockton. There are just Elsa, Gobo and me today everyone else bailed.

Well. Because of physical impairments the Breadfruit Tree stopped serving lunch for the year as of yesterday. They are still serving dinner.
Gone fishing sign in window

The owner with his arm in a sling did unlock the door as I sat outside taking a smoke break. He told us that he had no one to cook lunches, so they had to stop for this year. They normally quit serving lunch after the Summer boating season anyway. It also turns out that his wife besides cooking sometimes at the restaurant is a dance instructor at the local Junior College and a choreographer for local plays. Elsa is involved in the Stockton Civic Theater and knows the wife.

Note that they are having a Raggae Event on Saturday night, Aug 29th

So during my cigarette break we toss around a few ideas and decide on heading to Lodi and the Phillips Farms Café. Gobo had never eaten there and it had been quite awhile since either Elsa or I had eaten there.

Phillips Farms Café and Fruit Stand and Winery Web Site

Phillips Farms has a Lodi address, but it is over 5 miles from the town of Lodi. In fact is is barely over a mile east of the Flag City Flying J at I-5 and Hwy 12. It is on the south side of Hwy 12.

Just off the parking lot we see goats grazing on the grass.
Elsa has to go over and pet a goat

The pick up on the left is Gobo's the one on the right is Elsa's

Phillips Farms Café, Fruit Stand and Wine Tasting Room

Gobo looks over the weekly specials board

They also have pies to sell

You can see a few of the tables behind this baked goods display

Grapes. Lodi has tons of vineyards and grape orchards

Michael and David Phillips use their first names for the wine

Part of the fruits and vegetables

More fruits and vegetables

Vine ripened tomatoes in a number of varieties

Just as we are seated I see our neighboring table being served one of the specials, the turkey pesto sandwich with fresh fruit and potato salad so I ask if I can take a photo

The café has added a lace covered patio since last I ate there

I missed this first time around. note my homemade jams :-)

More veggies in the entrance foyer

Raggae must be the "in thing" around these parts

Elsa's bbq tri-tip on a Genova Bakery soft French roll

Gobo's chicken club on sourdough toast

My traditional BLT

We finish up and head back to the vehicles. And what happened to the goats?
Temporary fences being taken away

Around here rather than weed killers and mowing; sheep and goats are brought in to control the grass and weeds.

During our lunch conversation the Barrio Festival {Filipino} comes up. And Elsa says that her relative has mentioned that Rainbo something or other has good Filipino food. Remembering that my second favorite donut shop in Stockton had been bought by Filipinos a few years ago and started having take out Filipino food. I said that I think it is the Rainbo Donut Shop, which makes the best apple fritters (donut style) in the area. I say let's go there to pick up dessert and check out the Filipino food.
It turns out that this is the place

Now serving all kinds of Filipino dishes

Some Filipino pastries

Pork and chicken Adobo

Some bbq skewers and chocolate meat

We each buy a couple of items. I buy an apple fritter and custard filled maple donut, Gobo a custard filled and Elsa an apple fritter and a dozen donut holes. But I forgot to take pictures of the donuts, oh well.

Here is the route of today's Lunch Bunch journey. A is the Breadfruit Tree, B is Phillips Farms and C is Rainbo Donut.


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~End of another Lunch Bunch Adventure
..