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G O O D E A T S 4

Smokin’ Mo’s131 Broadway St.

Dripping in barbecue sauce and ranch dressing with an entire avo-cado sliced onto a bed of greens, Smokin’ Mo’s chopped chicken salad is probably the most delicious attempt at healthy in Chico.

At almost $12 with the avocado and tax, it’s also the most expen-sive salad that I will never regret buying.

– Allie Colosky, Sports Editor

Peeking Chinese Restaurant243 West Second St.

I spend most of my day in The Orion, a windowless, subterranean

fortress of journalism insulated by several feet of solid concrete.

When I get hungry, I brave the sunlight for a five-minute walk to

Peeking, which serves the best Chinese food I’ve ever eaten in a basement. Service is prompt, the tea is delicious, and you can get a generous plateful of food for just $6.

– Ben Mullin, Opinion Editor

Woodstock’s Pizza166 East Second St.

Woodstock’s Pizza has every-thing that you would ever want in a pizza place — liters of beer, big TV screens to watch the latest and greatest sporting event and of course one of the best pizzas in town. Not only are the food and beer amazing, trivia night and bingo night offer great fun for everyone.

–Gerardo Rocha, Jr, Online Editor

La Cocina Economica905 Wall St.

I’ve been to more than 15 Mexi-can restaurants or taco trucks in Chico and La Cocina Economica is still my favorite spot. My go-to order is two “Baja Style” fish tacos, which are about $1.65 each. The tacos are small, but packed with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa and crispy fried fish. Chico may be far from the beach, but the atmosphere at La Cocina Economica will make you think you’re just a few feet away.

–Almendra Carpizo, Editor in chief

Tres Hombres100 Broadway St.

Tres Hombres Long Bar and Grill offers customers an array of fine dishes in a jovial environment. They also offer some of the better tasting drinks in Chico. Anything from an Irish coffee with whipped cream to the spicy, yet excellent, Tres Fuego Margarita is available for purchase — and at affordable prices as well.

– Kenny Lindberg, News Editor

Downtown

EDItoRS’ CHoICE:Good Eats

around Chico

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G O O D E A T S 5

Bidwell Perk664 East First Ave.

If you’re looking for the best coffee, atmosphere and music in Chico, you need to go to Bidwell Perk. Located at Mangrove and East First Avenue, it is close enough to stop in between classes. Their specialty drinks change every month, and it is worth it to get a loyalty card and try all of them. Add breakfast, lunch or a pastry and you are good to go.

– Samantha Youngman, Photo Editor

Big Tuna1722 Mangrove Ave.

Big Tuna Sushi Bistro is definitely one of the better places to getdelicious sushi at a decent price. Their menu ranges from all freshfish types to sake deals and specialty plates. They have a greatenvironment that caters to large groups or intimate dates plus theirservice is awesome.

– Leila Rodriguez, Arts Editor

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.1075 East 20th Ave.

Don’t be like me and wait until your junior year to have dinner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Though most students probably can’t afford to eat at this classic Chico restau-rant regularly, it’s a fun place to share local and tasty beer and food with family from out of town.

– Kacey Gardner, Chief Copy Editor

Tacos Cortes1530 Park Ave.

I worship at the altar of the holy nacho tray. That’s why when it comes to my weekly burnt offer-ing of my paycheck to the Nacho Gods, my church is always Tacos Cortes. Fresh chips, heavy meat, guacamole, salsa, cheese and more, all for less than $5. Nachos be praised.

– Anthony Siino, Managing Editor

The Pour House855 East Ave

While I can’t say it’s my favorite, I really enjoy The Pour House.Although it’s in north Chico, at the Esplanade and East Avenue, it

seems like it belongs in downtown Chico. It’s designed to be Chico native, with locally brewed beers named

Hooker Oak and Bear Hole Honey Blonde. The food is delicious as well — albeit a little pricey — and it’s worth the short trip north, at least for a try.

– Liam Turner, Art Director

noRtH of CHICo StatE

SoUtH of CHICo StatE

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G O O D E A T S 6

Ben MullinOPINION EDITOR

After a stomach-bending wait in line, I make my order. Ten minutes later, three fry cooks converge on the service window with conspiratorial smiles, shield-ing my meal from view. I catch a brief glimpse of fries and bread before one cook picks up a 6-inch knife and buries it deep into what I can only assume is my meal. Then they part, grinning, and slide Madison Bear Garden’s 50:50 burger across to me.

My fi rst impression is that it looks like a scale model of McDon-ald’s corporate headquarters, if the company was fool enough to let Ronald design.

The 50:50 is built like a sky-scraper, a tower of four separate bacon cheeseburgers stacked one on top of the other, each bun spaced by a duo of onion rings. It’s held together by hope, prayers and a dense thicket of cheese fries that surround it several inches deep on all sides.

The manager passes me the tray and a pitcher of Coke, then follows me as I totter around The Bear twice, looking for the booth my friends reserved in prepara-tion for this event.

When I arrive, their eyebrows climb into their hairlines. It occurs to me that what’s about to take place is something funda-mentally, undeniably male.

Someone announces I’m tak-ing the “Aaron Rodgers Passing Fancy” challenge over the inter-com, and the table next door eyes me like a rail-thin prizefi ghter. Several give enthusiastic cheers. If I can fi nish the whole thing in 30 minutes, untold riches including $30 of the $50.50 purchase price and glory await. I can’t wait to dig into this gorgeous monstrosity.

Of the 20 or so brave souls who have taken this challenge, only one, described by the fry cook

as “burly,” has succeeded. His challenge was apparently a pulse-quickening race to the fi nish, with the last morsel of lettuce being swallowed down with just 30 sec-onds left.

As I bury my hands wrist deep into the scalding mesh of cheese fries, I know deep down in the warmest corner of my soul that I can outdo him. I will conquer this burger.

The crowd can’t stop staring as I begin shoveling fries, one after the other, into my mouth. At any given moment, my hand spiders blindly around the wax paper for a handful of fries, and the other, laden with cheese, is en route to my mouth. My cheese-covered face is bowed as if in prayer, and my eyes bore into the wooden table with Neanderthal intensity.

The crowd has gathered here to watch something primal. I don’t intend to disappoint.

I make my way through the fry-moat as quickly as possible, stopping only to crane my neck a few inches to the right and take a swig of coke from the pitcher. I instantly murder two of the 25 napkins piled in a neat stack next to me and toss their carcasses to the side.

Next to me, junior nutrition major Jeff Moore coaches me like a 1920s-era boxing manager.

“Ben, you either have to lubri-cate your throat or your burger,” Moore said. “You’re going to have to dump the Coke on your burger.”

I acknowledge with an animal grunt and make a mental note to take more sips of Coke.

After eating my way through the fry-wreath, I pull the knife from the stack of burgers and take a vicious bite. My stomach begins to feel unpleasantly tight. I come up for a breath of air.

“Getting kind of full,” I groan.“Ben, that’s just not true,”

Moore said.If I never eat another burger, it

will be too soon.

In front of me, Anthony Siino, junior journalism major and man-aging editor of The Orion, takes notes and admonishes me for refusing to eat the knife that lies forgotten in the debris of wax paper, torn napkins and clumps of cheese.

“Son, you haven’t even touched your knife,” Moore said. “What’s wrong?”

I stop eating long enough to shoot him a glare and resume shoveling. My pace is slowing. My eyes are twitching and my mouth begins to loll open. In between progressively smaller bites, I mar-vel at the depth of my pre-meal arrogance.

“Alright, just because it hurts doesn’t mean you have to stop eating,” Moore said. “That’s the mental wall most common folks hit.”

Moore informs me that Gandhi fasted for 30 days for the sake of his cause. I take a moment to envy him while I fi ght the urge to puke.

The manager comes by with his camera and hovers over me like a news chopper, surveying the car-nage, and informs me that I have 10 minutes left.

“You’re doing a lot better than I thought you would, brother,” he said, pausing to snap several pictures.

A crowd gathers to my left, all staring, looking almost afraid. I can feel the formerly delicious bar food piling up in my esophagus, and every swallow is an exertion of nearly superhuman willpower. Six minutes to go.

“Ben, all these beautiful peo-ple came here to see you succeed,” Siino said, waving an arm at the assembled crowd. “Don’t let them down.”

I continue taking bites, but I know it’s a foregone conclusion. Three minutes to go, with two bratwurst and two burgers left. The food has become tasteless.

The intercom crackles to life to give me encouragement. One min-ute to go. I make it my mission in life

to fi nish this bratwurst. Thirty sec-onds left. The manager comes over and gives me an entirely unneces-sary countdown.

“It has to go in your mouth,” Siino instructs, gesturing franticly at one of the two remaining burgers.

Time’s up. I swallow the last of the brat and sit back, with 1 1/2 bratwursts, 1 1/2 burgers and a half-pitcher of Coke still left on the table. I trade conciliatory fi st bumps with the crowd and shuffl e over to the bathroom to clean myself up.

When I see my refl ection in the mirror, I pause. My fi ngers, knuck-les and wrists are covered with splatters of cheese. There are tiger-ish smears of yellow on my chin and mouth. My stomach sags uncom-fortably. My jaw aches, and I think hopefully that eating the burger

might have taken more calories than it contained.

The bloated man staring me in the mirror is several pounds and one experience heavier than the college kid who walked into The Bear just 45 minutes earlier. For 30 minutes out of my 19-year life, food became an objective rather than a leisurely pursuit. The man in the mirror is one who has done battle with his inner hunter-gatherer, and emerged with the cheesy, greasy scars to show it.

Snatching a paper towel from the dispenser, I scour my skin as best I can, but I still leave The Bear with the residue of the 50:50 burger in my memory.

Ben Mullin can be reached at

opinioneditor@theorion.com

pHoto courtEsy of • aaRon SMItH

FANCY THAT The “Aaron Rodgers Passing Fancy” had no problem wrecking the gut of The Orion’s opinion editor, Ben Mullin. The beast is made of four pat-ties, two bratwurst, onion rings, lettuce, cheese, fries, and a pitcher of Coke.

‘Passing fancy’ challenge breaks spirits‘Passing fancy’ challenge breaks spirits

G O O D E A T S 7

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G O O D E A T S 8

Kathleen DazziSTAFF WRITER

White ice cream trucks playing “Pop Goes the Weasel” may cause drooling, but consider other ways to satisfy frozen desires before sprinting down the block.

There are options for both frozen yogurt and ice cream in Chico. One is not necessarily better than the other, but touting multitudes of fl avors, they each have their own cult fol-lowing and stigma.

Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe and Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy may not serve cutting-edge fl avors, but they are the oldest operating frozen yogurt and ice cream establishments in town.

Shubert’s has been family-owned and operated since 1938, and its ice cream making process hasn’t changed since. The company has also continued its tradition of buying local ingredients.

An inverse of a typical mint chocolate chip, the “Chico Mint” fl avor has chocolate ice cream speckled with mint chips. The fl avor won sec-ond place in “Good Morning America’s” Best Scoop in America contest in May 2008.

Chicoans enjoy Shubert’s ice cream because it has remained the same through gener-

ations, said Kasey Pulliam-Cowan, fourth generation Shubert’s

co-owner.“If they came in 50

years ago and came in today, they would get the

same product,” Pulliam-Cowan said.

Vanilla remains the best-selling fl avor, she said.

Jon and Bon’s vanilla fl avor sells

the most as well, said John Thompson, Jon

and Bon’s owner who started the business in

1981. Jon and Bon’s serves frozen yogurt at loca-

tions on Broadway Street, Mangrove Avenue and West

Sacramento Avenue and off ers plenty of choices in fl avors and

toppings. “Peanut butter cups are our most

popular topping,” Thompson said. “But we also get a lot of requests for cookie dough, carob chips, peanuts and raisins.”

The skinny on frozen yogurtLeeAnn Loui, a graduate student in the

multiple subject credential program, prefers frozen yogurt to ice cream because she feels she gets to eat more per serving, she said. Kathryn Larrowe, a sophomore nutrition major, also enjoys frozen yogurt when she wants something sweet and doesn’t want to out-do herself, she said. Her favorite fl avors are the fruity ones.

Toppings can add calories and may take away from the flavor of the frozen yogurt or ice cream.

Donna Walton, a senior liberal studies major, is a pur-ist who doesn’t like toppings on her ice cream, she said.

Walton prefers her mint choco-late chip ice cream in a cone.

It’s a common misconception that frozen yogurt is healthier than ice cream. After add-ing toppings, the calories may be the same.

Frozen yogurt, if labeled, may have live cultures or probiotics, which are good bac-teria that make it diffi cult for bad bacteria to thrive in the intestines. A probiotic label means 10 million cultures per gram were put in at the time of manufacturing, said Stepha-nie Bianco-Simeral, associate professor and assistant director for the Center for Nutrition and Activity Promotion.

But live cultures may not survive the freez-ing process, so there is no guarantee that they have any probiotic benefi ts.

Normal, unfrozen yogurt with a probiotic label has 100 million live cultures per gram at the time of manufacturing — 10 times more than put initially into frozen yogurt, Bianco-Simeral said.

Juan Benitez, a freshman psychology major, doesn’t like any yogurt, frozen or otherwise.

”Yogurt is yuck to me,” Benitez said.Sugar-free, non-fat or less fat versions of

frozen yogurt and ice cream may have fewer calories, but they still stimulate sensors for sweetness.

“Some people say ‘Oh, I ate the whole pint,’ rather than the serving,” Bianco-Simeral said. “There’s a sweet sensory stimula-tion that inhibits satiety and feeling full for

many individuals.”Hormone release and sensory stimulation

account for the inability to stop eating. High fat and high sugar content especially make it hard to feel satiety, or a full feeling, she said. This explains the eff ortlessness in guzzling down a tub of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

“Your body reacts with certain foods, releasing ghrelin, which at high levels increases hunger,” she said. “When leptin is released it helps with satiety.”

Hormone release depends on the kind of food consumed, the pure volume of food and genetic factors, she said. People that are heavier are more likely to have a problem with balancing hormone levels.

Ice cream and frozen yogurt do not have to be off -limits, she said. The best way to eat them should be as snacks, not meals, eating whatever tastes best in a snack proportion.

“Two-hundred calories is the serving size for a snack,” she said.

But sometimes, piling on the toppings is most fulfi lling. Derek Bovee, a junior applied computer graphics major, said his own fl avor, “Lil’ Bit of Everything” could take off .

“Five diff erent candy bars shoved into choc-olate ice cream,” Bovee said.

Kathleen Dazzi can be reached at

kdazzi@theorion.com

The skinny on frozen yogurtLeeAnn Loui, a graduate student in the

multiple subject credential program, prefers frozen yogurt to ice cream because she feels she gets to eat more per serving, she said. Kathryn Larrowe, a sophomore nutrition major, also

herself, she said. Her favorite fl avors

Toppings can add calories and may take away from the flavor of the frozen yogurt or

Donna Walton, a senior liberal studies major, is a pur-ist who doesn’t like toppings on her ice cream, she said.

Walton prefers her mint choco-late chip ice cream in a cone.

SoME ICE CREaM PLaCES to tRY

Shubert’s Ice Cream & Candy Co. Big Al’s Drive In

Jon and Bon’s Yogurt ShoppeCold Stone Creamery

Ben & Jerry’sBaskin-Robbins

SoME fRoZEn YoGURt PLaCES to tRY:

Jon and Bon’s Yogurt ShoppeKiwi Blast Frozen Yogurt

Brain Freeze YogurtGelayo Frozen Yogurt & Gelato

Top This Frozen YogurtU-Swirl

Ice cream, yogurt shops swirl in flavor

pHotos by • SaMantHa YoUnGMan

SINGLE SERVING A small chocolate peanut butter ice cream from Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe.

GOING NUTSA small peanut butter yogurt with chocolate chips from Jon and Bon’s Yogurt Shoppe.

G O O D E A T S 9

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G O O D E A T S 1 0

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tracking Chico’s taco trucks

Name: Tacos el TapatioHours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $3.00Place of origin: Jalisco, MexicoOwners name: Ramiro MezaTime in Chico: Five yearsAddress: East First Avenue

Tacos el Tapatio has superb carne asada and tortillas, but the salsa left a lot to be desired. Despite being the spiciest sauce of the six taco trucks reviewed, it seemed watered down with not a lot of fl avor. On the plus side, the rest of the menu is very cheap — the cheapest of the taco trucks I visited.

–Compiled by Gerado Rocha, Jr

3

Name: Tacos Puerto VallartaHours: Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $3.00Place of origin: Jalisco, Mexico, and

Michoacan, MexicoOwners name: Gerardo Montes and Marisela

RamosTime in Chico: Six yearsAddress: West 11th Avenue and the Esplanade.

Contrary to the taco truck before it, Tacos Puerto Vallarta had by far my favorite salsa. It had a better taste than the rest and was spicy enough to enrich the fl avor of the carne asada, which had a lot of fat and made it hard to bite. The tacos were a bit on the smaller side too, which often meant that every bite had a piece of fat in it.

4Name: Tacos el PaisaHours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $4.00Place of origin: Durango, Mexico, and Michoacan, MexicoOwners name: Maria Ortiz and Pepe OrtizTime in Chico: Nine yearsAddress: West Second and Walnut streets

After nine years in Chico, Tacos el Paisa really caters to the right crowd. With cheap tacos and burritos bundled with great customer service, Maria and Pepe Ortiz, the owners of the establishment, pro-vide with one of the most delicious tacos. The salsa isn’t very spicy, but it has plenty of fl avor with the carne asada, which has more seasoning and fl avor than any other taco truck.

Name: Taqueria RamirezHours: Monday-Thursday 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Sunday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Pricing: Tacos: $1.00 Burritos: $4.75 Place of origin: Guanajuato, MexicoOwners name: Adrian RamirezTime in Chico: 15 yearsAddress: Nord Avenue Market parking lot

This taco truck proved to be a disappointment. After being renamed from Tacos Tonaya to Tacos Ramirez, my hopes were high for this taco truck. First off , the carne asada didn’t taste like anything. It lacked fl avor and even salt. The salsa seemed diluted in water and the overall taste was bland. Stay away, unless you crave taco truck food after 9 p.m.

5

6Name: Tacos el Pinolero (South)Hours: Monday-Sunday 10 a.m. to 8:30

p.m.Pricing: Tacos: $1.25 Burritos: $4.00Place of origin: Durango, MexicoOwners name: Mauricio EnriquezTime in Chico: Five yearsAddress: 275 Skyway

Tacos el Pinolero proved to be a great spot to enjoy tacos. Although priced 25 cents higher than the usual, the tacos were pretty big and packed a mouth-ful of fl avor and taste. The green salsa, just spicy enough that one can enjoy its rich fl avor, perfectly complemented the cilantro and onions that covered the carne asada taco.

1Name: Burritos el CaporalHours: Monday-Saturday

10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.Pricing: Tacos: $1.25 Burritos: $4.75Place of origin: Jalisco, MexicoOwners name: Jovito HernandezTime in Chico: Seven yearsAddress: West Lassen Street and

the Esplanade

This truck has free chips and salsa — and that’s about it. Burritos el Cap-oral had very little to off er that made it stand out from the previous taco trucks. Sure, it’s shaded, has plenty of seating and they give you a jalapeno and carrots with your purchase, but the tacos aren’t anything special. The salsa was OK and the carne asada was broiled but with very little taste.

■ fULL MaPFor a map of all 12 taco trucks in Chico, go to theorion.com.

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G O O D E A T S 1 1

Leila RodriguezARTS EDITOR

Finding good vegetarian eats is always a challenge for those on a strict no-meat diet.

I once was served baby corn and broccoli with white rice in a veggie burrito as if that was an acceptable meal.

That kind of disappointment makes going out to eat much more of a menu scavenger hunt.

This Chico vegetarian guide off ers some of the best places around town that cater to a dis-tinct diet of no meat, especially for quick, yet fi lling bites of a veggie sandwich.

Leila Rodriquez can be reached at

artseditor@theorion.com.

Kona’s Deli 138 Main St.965 Nord Ave. $3-3.50 half sub$5-5.50 full subSubway’s foot-longs do not compare to Kona’s $5.50 foot

longs.Kona’s two delicious veggie sandwiches, the Kalifornian and

the Veggie Special are 12 inches of good eats. Light cream cheese with artichoke heart slices on the Veggie

Special make this sandwich so delicious. Other condiment options are available to add as well. All sandwiches can be served as a wrap. Best size-to-price ratio.

1

Mr. Pickles215 W. First St.$6.99This delightful deli is steps away

from campus but short on veggie options. Their Veri Veggi only has toppings of cheese, cucumbers and avocado, although anyone can add extra condiments of tomatoes, pep-peroncinis, lettuce and pickles to bulk up this lean sandwich.

Beach Hut Deli146 W. Second St.$6-$10.70Beach Hut Deli is known for their pile-high

meat heavy sandwiches, but their few vegetarian sandwiches are worth the trip.

Their California sandwich includes avocado, monterey jack and alfalfa sprouts.

Potato salad, nachos, chip or a salad are some sides off ered to complete your meal.

Weekday happy hour from noon to 2 p.m. includes a $1 beer with any choice of sandwich, but this deal doesn’t seem worth it.

4

Safeway (My personal favorite for a decent size veggie sandwich under $6.)

$5.49720 Mangrove Way

1016 West Sacramento Ave.Safeway’s deli menu doesn’t actually have a specifi c veggie sandwich, but

anyone can create one using options such as lettuce, tomato, onion, a deli-cious olive spread and choices of cheese and avocado.

A small bag of chips and drink can be added to the meal for an extra $1.50.

2

Grilla Bites196 Cohasset Road$9.50+This all-organic and locally grown produce is a bit on the pricey

side but well worth the cost. Their wide variety of veggie options ranges from soy bacon and pesto

barbecue to curry. All sandwiches are topped with fresh cut mushrooms, tomatoes, red

onion, sprouts and roasted bell pepper vinaigrette.

5

Vegetarian sandwichesabound in Chico despitedominance of meat subs

3

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G O O D E A T S 1 2

Allie ColoskySPORTS EDITOR

When it comes to determining the best sports atmosphere in Chico, there are many places to choose from. But just like in fantasy football, tough decisions must be made. You don’t want to be left fi shing chip crumbs out of an empty bag with your stomach still growl-ing at halftime.

There’s no talking about sports bars in Chico without mentioning The Graduate or Bella’s Sports Pub. Should you be able to squeeze into Bella’s, take a crack at their signature shot “Soccer Mom” and indulge in a bar that off ers everything a sports fan could wish for.

If nothing else, there’s no chance you could miss a play if you go to The Grad. The bar boasts three giant projection screens and 11 fl at screens. If you missed the tag at the plate that ended the Braves and Pirates 19-inning game in July, well, that’s your own fault. The Grad had it on at least seven screens.

As a fan favorite, Madison Bear Garden brought it home when watching game fi ve of the 2010 World Series. As my jiff y burger dripped melted peanut butter onto my shirt, Brian Wilson struck out Nelson Cruz and the place ignited as Giants fans celebrated with yet another pint of Sierra Nevada.

Watching the Giants win the World Series at The Bear almost made me feel like I was home. You haven’t experienced Chico if you haven’t

tried the melted goodness of the $8.29 jiff y burger — game day or not.

For all the soccer, or futbol, fans out there, The Banshee will be there for you at 7 a.m. if you are willing to wake up to watch the coverage.

When the United States men’s national team lost 2-1 in extra time to Ghana in the 2010 World Cup, I watched the broadcast at The Banshee.

While the ending score was depressing, I found comfort in the mac and cheese with bacon. The king of all comfort foods, this $11 dish left me more than full and is worth dig-ging for some change.

If going out doesn’t suit you, don’t let your-self become the guy licking chip crumbs off your fi ngers expecting to feel full. Grab a bucket of wings from The Bear for $19.99 and head straight for the sofa. Just make sure you snatch some extra blue cheese dressing for those spicy things.

I enjoyed the Heat’s fourth-quarter self-destruction as much as anyone from the confi nes of my living room. I ditched the salsa for my Smokin’ Mo’s tri-tip sandwich, but for $8.95 I took great pleasure in an evening of bar-becue and basketball at home.

So call up some friends or even make some new ones down at Bella’s while you heckle the zebra on the fi eld. Every sports fan is a friend as long as you aren’t the bum rooting for those damn Yankees.

Allie Colosky can be reached at

sportseditor@theorion.com.

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BELLa’S SPoRtSPUB

Maps courtEsy of • googlE Maps

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FREEHAMBURGER, CHEESEBURGER,

OR GARDEN BURGERBuy 1, get the 2nd, of equal or lesser value, FREE!

Coupon valid 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Not valid with other discounts. Exp. 10/31/2011-

Open ‘til 3AM

Thursday Friday Saturday

Open ‘til 1AM

Thursday Friday Saturday

W. Sacramento location only

Student Special with

Wildcat ID

13 Sandwiches $5

5 are $6

1000 W. Sacramento Ave.

Open ‘til 1AM

Thursday Friday Saturday

W. Sacramento location only

5$

mondaytuesdayORIONdaythursdayfriday

Read the game reports and more from Chico State Athletics in the Sports section of The Orion every Wednesday.

#TheOrion

So, you missed thegame-winning shotbecause you wererunning away from Willie the Wildcat.

Kenny LindbergNEWS EDITOR

What makes me a regular at Tres Hombres Long Bar and Grill is their fi rst-rate service, outstanding kitchen, and most importantly, their liquor collection.

This collection sports everything from high-end Patron to Jameson, and I’m pretty good at taking advantage of it up to three times a week. So when my editor asked me if I wanted to review some of their margaritas, I pounced on the idea and decided to put myself through the intense torture of doing extensive research on the topic.

After taking on the burden I started to get phone calls from reporters and photographers alike, off ering to help me in my research. Naturally, I accepted and got totally hammered a few times before I could compile my fi ndings.

Granted, some of my fi ndings may be a bit skewed, since my drinks are typically a lot stronger than what they

make for most customers, but I’ve had those margaritas so many times by now that I pretty much know what they’re supposed to taste like.

The king is the Ultimate Margarita made with 1800 Silver tequila, Agav-ero Orange liqueur and lime juice. This margarita has plenty of bite and will have you asking for a second round.

The 5 Spice Margarita is also good. It’s made with Patron Silver, Tres’ spe-cial five-spice agave nectar, orange liqueur and lime juice.

It’s one of those drinks you have when you’re not really sure where the night is going to take you. In my expe-rience, it normally leads to another drink.

For those interested in something different, order the Tres Fuego Mar-garita. It’s actually made with fresh jalapeno, and it pretty much clears up any sinus problem you might have for a good 60 minutes.

Tres Hombres also offers a vari-ety of frozen margaritas and other off-the-menu margaritas that will surely satisfy almost any drinker’s taste buds.

So it’s no wonder that with a col-lection like this, Tres earned “best margarita” honors by Chico News and Review readers last year.

But that doesn’t mean that its menu is full of highlights.

Stay away from the La Tradicio-nal margarita. It’s boring and simple and shouldn’t be on their menu. I feel like it’s something that a lesser establishment would serve as its highlight item.

And the Cadillac Margarita isn’t really too special either. Anything made with Sauza Gold is probably not going to earn very high marks in my book.

But overall, I think they pretty much know what they’re doing at that establishment. They’re always packed, and they have some of the best service in the city.

I just wished they started the Tequila Club already so I could do some more research and report my findings in another review.

Kenny Lindberg can be reached at

newseditor@theorion.com

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Outstanding margaritas at Tres Hombres

pHotos by • SAMANTHA YOUNGMAN

SERVING IT UP This is the house margarita on the rocks served at Crush. This drink tastes like the watered-down drink one would expect at an outdoor concert. Not worth the money.

THE ULTIMATE The Ultimate Margarita is made with 1800 Silver tequila, Agavero Orange liqueur and lime juice. Priced at only $7, the Ultimate Margarita is both aff ordable and a good drink.

CRUSHING The blended house margarita at Crush doesn’t really leave the customer too eager to order the next round. It’s just a standard margarita with nothing too special to offer.

MANGO The Mango Margarita is a good choice for those who want to add a little fruit twist to your life. The mango drink is just one of many fl avors Tres Hombres off ers its customers.

Outstanding margaritas at Tres Hombres

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530.899.2847

240Broadway St.

Chico . CA

Expires 9/21/11

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