Somewhere in between the Star Trek diner and America's best bean burrito, there's a restaurant in the middle of the desert that sells plates of lamb and mint jelly from the Basque country of Spain. The wooden building was built by an immigrant sheep herder, and it feels like the old country despite the fact that it straddles the I-8 freeway.
It was here that we realized it: The road to San Diego is a fantastic, otherworldly place full of surreal adventures and awesome roadside eats.ย
The 300-mile drive is one of the few left on the west coast that's not littered with strip malls and Cracker Barrels. The I-8 cuts through blistering desert and the farmlands of California's Imperial Valley, so most people usually speed right through. They don't know what they're missing. Right off the road, you'll find ancient petroglyphs, quirky ghost towns and restaurants that have been there for generations.
Everyone's gotta eat, but not everyone has to eat Carl's Jr. So without further ado, here are five places worth a stop ... even just for takeout!ย
Space Age Restaurant, Gila Bend
Most people stop at theย Shell Stationย hereย to go to the bathroom. But if you head down Butterfield Trail for a minute you'll get to a massive replica of the Starship Enterprise. The Space Age Cafe was built in 1964 by businessmanย Al Stovall, who lined the building with NASA memorabilia from the plastic factory he owned. After it burned down in 1998, it was rebuilt with all kinds of Star Trek stuff including a pretty stellar Enterprise mural in the front. The food is standard diner fare, but I liked my Double Jupiter Burger with crispy onion rings. For dessert, they've got strawberry shakes and alien lollipops in the gift shop. Call ahead, they do takeout! 928-683-2761,ย 401 E. Pima St., Gila Bend
More info here.ย
Other stops in Gila Bend: The locals recommend gorditas at the pleasantly decoratedย Sofia's Mexican Food, 530 W.ย Pima St.ย
The drive-thru Humberto's might be quicker though, and has awesome carne asada French fries, 610 E. Pima St.
There's also takeout sub sandwiches next door at Little Italy Pizza and Italian Restaurant, 502. E. Pima St.ย
Stop at the Dateland Travel Center for homemade date ice cream, $5.75. Photo by Andi Berlin / Arizona Daily Star
Dateland Travel Center, Dateland
This market has been a roadside stop since the '20s, when people traveled through on railroad cars. It's a pity they didn't have air conditioning back then, because the weather out here is like Iraq, and can reach up to 120 degrees in the summer. The date trees love it of course, and the 22-acre fields yield half a dozen different varieties, which you can sample for free in the gift shop. The dates go into everything from candy to barbecue sauce. But you can't miss the frozen date shakes and date ice cream in a crispy waffle cone. It's incredibly rich and fibrous almost like a banana, with a mildly sweet honey flavor. 928-454-2772, 1737 S. Ave. 64 East, Dateland.
Basque Etchea, Tacna
The town of Tacna, Arizona is home to about 555 people, a whole lotta sheep and Arizona's only Basque restaurant. Immigrants from this northern region of Spain came to Arizona in the 1800s, bringing their sheepherding traditions to little towns like Tacna. Sheepherder Fidel Jorajuria built Basque Etchea himself almost 40 years ago, and today you see his wifeย Francesย holding court at the table in the front. These days the menu is mostly American burgers and sandwiches, but you can still find a few Basque specialties like trout fillet and leg of lamb with bright green mint jelly. They also sell sheep pelts! 928-785-4027, 8575 South Avenue 40 East, Tacna.ย
The Chile Pepper, Yuma
This 60-year-old Yuma spot may have one of the best best burritos in America, according to a recent article in Thrillist.com.ย The Gutierrez family employs a team of 17 people to work in a nearby factory making fresh corn and flour tortillas every day, starting at 1:30 in the morning. Their masterpiece is the simple bean burrito, which The Chile Pepper sells in fat little chubs for $1.89. It's not too big, so you can eat a couple and still feel good on the road. 928-783-4213, 1030 W. 24th St., Yuma.
More info here.ย
Other stops in Yuma: You can get the same burritos closer to the freeway at the Gutierrez family's other restaurant Mr. G's Mexican Food, 501 S. Fourth Ave.
Beer lovers should make the trip out to Prison Hill Brewing Co. for a pint of Jailbate Date, brewed with fresh local dates,ย 278 S. Main Street.
Or you can just get Italian deli takeout from Bernardo's Foothills, which sellsย a stuffed steak stromboli big enough to feed three people, 11242 S. Foothills Blvd. Suite 15.
Fish tacos and shrimp ceviche at Tacos de Pescado Marlyn, El Centro. Photo by Andi Berlin / Arizona Daily Star
Tacos de Pescado Marlyn, El Centro
After the sand dunes give way to lettuce fields, you'll come up on the city of El Centro in California's Imperial Valley. The mid-sized farming town sports a dozen Mexican restaurants right off the freeway, serving everything from raspados to Acapulco-styleย green pozole. For a quick plate of tacos and a cold Dos Equis, head over to Tacos de Pescado Marlyn. Baja California is still 45 minutes away, but you wouldn't know it from theย fresh fish ceviche tostadasย and Ensenada shrimp tacos. The salsa bar is beautiful and fresh, but be careful about that bright orange "Yahualica" salsa. It's really hot! 760-353-1686, 1614 S. Fourth St., El Centro, California.ย
Other stops in El Centro: There's a little Mexican sweets shop right next door called Jardin Hawaiiano that sells fresh jugos and raspados for the summer heat, 1600 S. Fourth St.
Antojitos Como En Casa is packed with trucker types and people enjoying gorgeous caldo stews, 425 Desert Gardens Drive, #C.
Or head to Sobe's to find out what's with that "Special Quesadilla," which looks like a giant empanada to me, 1151 S. Fourth St.
