Lake County Business Review

Brix Grill [Kelseyville]

2009-08-22T13:32:00.000-07:00

My wife and I discovered [well, "discovered" might be a stretch] Brix Grill in Kelseyville. We actually tried to go to Renee's in Lakeport (too crowded) and then tried Studebaker's in Kelseyville (crowded) and we weren't dressed for The Sawshop Bistro... so I said, "Hey, why don't we try that Brix Grill place." We were literally standing in front of it and couldn't find it -- no signage, no decorations in the windows -- and until we walked up and looked through the windows we didn't even know it was open. (They are open 6am-2pm) So we decided to go in.

At first glance we weren't sure if we wanted to eat there. There were lots of flies on the window and the open tables all needed to be cleared. We chose to sit at the window on two chairs and give it a try.

I was impressed with the prices for such a small place. Burgers (1/2 pounders) were $6.95 to $8.95. Grilled cheese was $4.95. My wife and I both ate for $14 and some change (I had a bacon cheeseburger and she had a grilled cheese). I was very impressed with the burger -- probably the best (and biggest) burger I have had since coming back to California. I believe the tomatoes may even have been home-grown. The fries didn't LOOK appetizing, but they were fresh-cut potatoes and tasted much better than they looked. My wife's grilled cheese was fair -- more home-style than restaurant-style -- but it was as advertised.

I wouldn't say the waitress was friendly... or even a good waitress. The building was [as expected] an old brick building, but it had a tacky lime-green counter for lunch crowds... and the decor was mixed (photos that don't go together, a stick-on border, nail holes, plaster, putty, etc.)... HOWEVER... the food made up for all of those issues.

I think this place has a LOT of potential. If it was mine, I would replace the green counter, paint the walls, and decorate with a "historic Kelseyville" theme. But I think the biggest change I would make is to put up some SIGNS! :) They waitress mentioned that there was an outdoor patio as well, but we didn't see it from where we were (and it was 90+ degrees outside).

So after all of that, would I recommend it? Yes! If you aren't squeemish about some flies on the window and a couple smears on the walls -- and you aren't overly concerned about the friendliness of the wait-staff -- I think you'll really enjoy the food. I know I was overly critical about the visit, but I will definitely be going back. I will likely become a "regular".

Brix Grill
4015 B Main St
Kelseyville, CA 95451
(707) 279-1230

Sicily's Italian Restaurant [Lakeport/Kelseyville]

2009-08-22T10:12:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying I'm not a big "restaurant guy". I'm not into fancy food, wines, or crystal water glasses. I like real food at decent prices with friendly wait-staff. Since I am relatively new to the Kelseyville area, I am on the lookout for a nice steak house -- something comparable to the Broiler Steak House in Redwood Valley.

So I have to say I was intrigued by the "Best Steaks Around the Lake" signs. I mean, here's this little building situated between the airport landing strip and a parking lot -- it reminds me of the little restaurants along the wharf on the coast. It's open at 5pm Tuesday through Saturday. I honestly had no preconceived ideas of what it would [or wouldn't] be when I decided to try it out, but since my family was out of town I thought it would be worth a shot.

So I walked into the front door and found myself in a bar -- well, it was technically a bar but it was well-lit with one entire wall being windows viewing the parked airplanes and the runway outside. The bartender ignored me for a few minutes while I waited to ask, "Is this the place that has the steaks?" Finally I got seated in a little room with tables and chairs which seemed like the "kids table" at my grandma's Thanksgiving Dinner. They were decent and decorated to make them look "fancy" -- linen tablecloths and napkins, water goblets, etc. The decor was unusual. A large life-sized[?] Mona Lisa hung on the wall and Italian music was playing on the stereo -- and when I say Italian music, I don't mean "Lady and the Tramp" kind of music... I mean Italian pop. I heard a new rendition of "Volare", the 80's hit "Gloria" sung in Italian, etc. The music was my least favorite part of the visit.

John, the waiter, was very nice but seemed to preoccupied with other things. It was almost like I [the only customer at the time] was something he had to do while he was getting the important things done. He walked around whistling to the tunes on the radio while he went from the bar to the kitchen... over and over. When I got the menu I was a little taken aback by the prices -- the least expensive dinner on the menu was chicken breasts at $16.99. I settled on a New York steak for $23.99 -- the cheapest "steak" on the menu... and I figured I would start with steak since they had the "best steaks around the lake".

The salad came out and was very good (I had Ranch dressing) but the bread was cold, sliced sourdough from a package that wasn't sliced all the way through. I mention that because I didn't have a knife so I was tearing chunks off to eat and the bread crumbs went everywhere. I ordered a Coke which John had to get from the bartender who remarked, "A Coke? Just say no!"

Then more people started coming in. I heard them talk about how they have never got a bad meal here and one lady commented, "Except for the fish we got one time." I should mention that they did have an impressive seafood menu as well, but it's not really my thing so I paid little attention. I do recall John recommending "swordfish with a pineapple mango salsa" -- if I heard correctly. :)

About 30 minutes later my steak was finished. I was told it was because "medium well takes longer to cook." I assume they were cooking it in an Easy Bake Oven because going from Medium to Medium Well should be a matter of a minute extra. When the plate arrived the steak was a good size and had pretty good flavor. It was a little bit tough, but that's pretty common with a New York. The vegetables were [I believe] sliced zucchini, tomatoes, and basil grilled together. They were okay, but the herb flavor was pretty strong. The baked potato could have cooked a little longer, but I did show up at 4:55 when they opened at 5:00... so I am pretty forgiving.

All in all, the meal was good. Plenty of food and decent flavor. I wasn't thrilled with the price for what I got, but I wasn't upset or really even disappointed. For a steak, salad, bread, and a coke it was about $28 for one person. I couldn't take my entire family for sure -- and I don't know that I would take my wife here for a "date night" -- but if you are into airplanes it's definitely something to check out.

Sicily's Italian Restaurant
900 Sky Park Rd
Lakeport, CA 95453

Rogers' Glass, Lakeport

2009-07-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Big happy smile. Rogers' Glass in Lakeport is very professional and friendly. They have excellent customer service and a knowledgeable staff. I am more than pleased with the screen doors they made and installed. I highly recommend using Rogers' Glass for all your screening needs and wants!

Used Book Stores

2009-07-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Lakeport actually has two used book stores [that I know of] -- both having their strong points.

Catfish Books on 11th St. is a decent sized used book store with a selection of new books and some gifts. What I like about the store is that the books are in easy-to-find categories (a big shelf full of "historical fiction", for example). It's open and airy with couches to sit and read. One personal story about this store: My daughter saved up her money so she could afford a $20 Winnie the Pooh book at Catfish Books. She got proudly carried her book to the register and presented it to the lady behind the counter. The lady saw the huge grin on Emily's face and asked her about the book. Emily had been wanting this book for weeks and was willing to use all of her money to get it. The lady walked over to the shelf, grabbed a large Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal that came from Disneyland (still having the price tag) and informed Emily that Pooh needed a new home. She gave him to Emily who has slept with him every night since. You can't beat "small town friendly".

Watershed Books is located down town on Main St. Watershed looks like a little hole-in-the-wall from the front, but it's actually quite large. You enter a small room with mostly new books and some little gift items. Off of the main room is a back room with children's books and young adult books -- but the coolest thing about this room is the pet iguana. Off the main room to the right is a large room with tall shelves full of books in a variety of subjects. There are many more books at Watershed than at Catfish, but it's more claustrophobic [in my opinion]. One cool thing about this store is that it's connected to a little cafe -- so you can buy a book and sit down with a cup of coffee to read. Another thing that sets this store apart is their regular local author showings. We met a couple authors, picked up an autographed book, and had some wonderful sparkling pear cider.

Fast Food

2009-07-15T18:31:00.000-07:00

I'm classifying "fast food" as the major fast food restaurants, and breaking them down into individual cities.

Lakeport:

McDonalds: One thing McDonalds has going for them is consistency. There aren't any 'wow" factors here, although I do really like the "fish" decor inside. I also have to give them credit for accuracy -- they very rarely forget something and when they do, they apologize and give you the item without a question. They also offer some relatively inexpensive meals (many under $3) which is helpful with a large family.
Taco Bell: Taco Bell is also pretty consistent, although [to me] everything pretty much tastes the same. They are generally accurate in completing your order and offer many selections at a low price.
Kentucky Fried Chicken: At the higher end of the price range for meals, but among the best food [in my opinion]. My biggest issue with KFC is that you have to ask for everything (butter, sauce, napkins, forks, etc.) or you'll go without.
Burger King: Let me first say that I am a huge BK fan. The Whopper is one of my all-time favorite burgers. That being said, the Lakeport Burger King is disgusting. The fries taste like they were cooked in bong water (no matter what time of day you go) and they are notorious for leaving things out of your order. What is worse is that when you go in to let them know they forgot something they act like you're trying to steam from them. "I watched him put the chicken in your bag. I'll give you another one." Riiiiight. I just spent $40 getting meals for 6 people and I'm trying to steal a bag of chicken for a salad.
Jack in the Box: If I was writing this review two months ago I would have said that I loved JATB because the people were so friendly. I don't know what happened, but the people who work there now are downright rude. Add to that the fact that you will have to wait for your food 90% of the time ("Pull around the front and we'll bring it out to you.") for a good 15 or 20 minutes. It could be because we're buying for 6 people, but it's not like we do special orders.

Clearlake:

McDonalds: Our experience is that they have been very friendly, accurate, and quick... but we have only been there a few times.
Carl's Jr.: The drive-thru is very friendly but very slow -- I recommend going inside. When we went inside we observed several workers cleaning (tables, floors, inside cabinets, under the salad bar, etc.) and the manager was extremely friendly and helpful. When the trainee forgot to put my daughters kids meal on the order, he gave it to us for free. One caveat, however, is that their grilled chicken sandwiches are ALL BBQ. I think they must only buy BBQ chicken or something.
Kentucky Fried Chicken: (We have not been here yet)
Long John Silver: (We have not been here yet)
Foster's Freeze: Very good for old-time "carnival food" -- corn dogs, ice creams, fried burritos, and burgers. Although the food is good, the drive-thru is very slow.

Kelseyville:

No "Fast Food" yet! (Hint, hint...)

MediaCom: Phone, Internet, Cable TV

2009-07-13T19:18:00.000-07:00

There's an old saying, "You et what you pay for." With MediaCom you get phone (unlimited long distance), high-speed Internet, and cable TV with DVR all for $99 a month. In my humble opinion... that's still too much money. Let me explain.

When we moved into our home six months ago we got MediaCom. We have had repair crews out here 9 or 10 times (following 20+ calls) because our phone was down so much. When it WAS working people would say, "It sounds like you're under water." The repair crews always "found the problem" (and "the problem" was almost always different from the time before) and were going back to check on something [the node or the lines or the switch or the hub -- it depended on the guy]. Nothing ever changed.

When the phone went down the Internet [which was rarely fast enough to play an online game with a decent ping] would also go down. Our "digital channels" were constantly scrambling or blacking out and the DVR system... well... sucks.

After six months of trying to be patient, we called last week to turn off our services. The convenience of having a single bill (for all 3 services) and the money saved was just no longer worth it. We decided that we would rather lose services and/or pay more money just to have a reliable phone. Unfortunately when we called we were told that it takes 6-8 days to "turn off the service" so even though our modem and DVR and everything was unhooked, we had to continue paying for the service. Also, we had to drive to Clearlake Oaks (about 40 minutes away) to drop off the equipment!

In short, I would not recommend MediaCom for ANY of these three services. We had a terrible experience and I wish I could get the last 6 months back. The only reason I am giving them ANY stars is because they do have a good selection of channels and the price is fair [if you get all three services].

Dentist: Dr. James E. Milani, DDS

2009-07-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

A dentist isn't one of those businesses you would expect to find on a "business review" page, but I can't say enough good things about Dr. Milani's office. From the moment you enter you are greeted by Kathy at the front window. Kathy is one of those rare friendly medical office people. But aside from her friendly demeanor, she is also wonderful about scheduling, calling to remind you of your appointments, and being very flexible. She also did a wonderful job working around my schedule when my insurance was going to be ending -- we got my urgent dental work done prior to that.

As far as dental work, I am impressed. I rarely even feel much more than a little pinch when I get a shot, and have never felt any pain at all when having a cleaning or teeth filled.

The lady who cleans teeth -- I'm sorry I can't remember her name -- is awesome. She also takes the time to explain how things work, why certain things are important, and ways you can improve... and she does it without making you feel like a failure.

The Dr. is friendly, professional, and clean. He does great work and does it quickly.

I have been recommending Dr. Milani to my friends. They are located at:

800 11th St. • Lakeport • (707)263-9992

Mt. Konocti Truck & Auto Repair

2009-07-13T16:06:00.000-07:00

In the past year my wife and I have had an unusual number of car problems. We have replaced two transmissions, brakes, batteries, shocks, tires, hoses, lights, etc. In most situations we felt disappointed at best [and ripped off at worst] -- that is, until we found Mt. Konocti Truck and Auto Repair.

We actually found these guys by accident. We had previously rented moving trucks in Ukiah [more about that in a later post] and decided we would just pay a little more and get a U-Haul... which we got from Mt. Konocti Truck and Auto Repair. What surprised us was that it wasn't "a little more" -- it actually cost us less than the "bargain company". No surprise charges and no additional fees for ridiculous things (like the other place that charged us $10/gallon for gas and then a $30 "fill-up fee"). When we saw that they also had a garage, we figured we would give them a try "next time".

So we had already been having our car "fixed" (they actually never found the problem... after three attempts) and we decided to give up and try Mt. Konocti. Not only did they find the problem, they fixed it in one visit AND it was 1/2 the price that the other guys charged us for just to look at it.

In short, I would recommend these guys to my friends. They are located at:

3510 Merritt Rd. • Kelseyville • (707)279-1974