BEST of Kaweah Country
Annual
Readers' Poll
Coming
in August 2013:
The
15th annual
BEST
OF KAWEAH COUNTRY
Readers'
Poll Results
Also
see:
2006
Poll Results
2007
Poll Results
2008
Poll Results
2009
Poll Results
THE
12th YEAR!
BEST
OF KAWEAH COUNTRY
RESULTS
2010
By
Sarah Elliott
Photos
(in print edition) by John Elliott
It’s ironic that as I write this, I am
eating my half of a muffuletta sandwich that
I am splitting with John. Since I work out of
my home office, the food choices are usually
determined by what groceries and fresh produce
are in the refrigerator and the pantry.
It’s a treat to today have
this creation that was made fresh by Dane and
Allison Millner at Sierra Subs and Salads.
A muffuletta is a New Orleans specialty,
and it brings back a host of memories as I indulge.
We visited New Orleans with our children in
January 2005, mere months before Hurricane Katrina
forever changed the Crescent City. It was a
whirlwind trip, so to speak, as the majority
of our vacations seem to be.
But we made the best of it. We
stayed at a bed and breakfast in a classic New
Orleans shotgun house just blocks from Bourbon
Street. Coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde
started the day; dinner consisted of oysters,
gumbo, and Po’Boys at Acme Oyster House
after a ride through the Garden District in
a St. Charles Avenue streetcar, a tour of the
French Quarter, a walk through Louis Armstrong
Park and a historic New Orleans cemetery, taking
in the views of the Mississippi River, a visit
to a voodoo shop where John’s camera forever
after had a spell on it, and so much more.
On the day we were to depart, we
visited Central Grocery and waited in the long
line for a muffuletta. We sat on a bench in
Jackson Square and shared the oversized, overstuffed
sandwich, followed by homemade sweet potato
pie for dessert.
The sandwich was so delicious,
and knowing we would have slim pickings offered
to us on the airplane, we raced back to Central
Grocery, took our place in line once again,
and bought one more muffuletta for the trip
home. As we unwrapped that sandwich on the plane
and started passing it around to each other
in our various seats, there was one minor detail
that we had neglected to consider.
The aroma of this delectable meal
wafted throughout the plane reaching the olfactory
senses of every passenger and flight attendant,
most of whom had been deprived of food for several
hours...
Food does that to people. It creates
powerful memories and associations.
Sierra Subs and Salads, who have
recently added the muffuletta to their regular
menu, are creating memories for everyone who
discovers this little sandwich-and-salad shop
located in the middle of Three Rivers. Visitors
and residents alike made Sierra Subs the big
winner in this year’s BEST of Kaweah Country
readers’ poll.
Out of 20 categories in the Dining
section of the poll, Sierra Subs was voted into
first place in eight of them. They placed in
the top three in five other categories.
Locals know that this is a great
place to spend a lunch hour, but it’s
gratifying to know that visitors are discovering
Sierra Subs, too. Most likely, the diverse selection
of sandwiches and salads has created many a
pleasant memory for travelers, and perhaps even
a muffeletta or two has made it past security
and onto an airplane, which would make those
skies friendly once again.
*
* *
That’s what is so amazing about this place
we call Kaweah Country. Yes, the scenery, the
river, and the mountains are the focal points,
but amidst all that splendor is a sprinkling
of small, eclectic businesses that offer a diverse
experience for whoever might enter.
It’s unknown what memories
the hundreds of thousands of people will take
home after they pass through this unique place.
But we Three Riversites all play a role in those
experiences as we interact with these visitors.
We are the hosts and it’s
so wonderful to have this constant stream of
houseguests.
Inside this issue are all the winners
of this year’s readers’ poll. Enjoy
reading and remember to support these local
businesses that are making a difference, especially
those who advertise in this newspaper, because
they are making the commitment to ensure that
Three Rivers remains home to the last independent,
family-owned newspaper in Tulare County.
DINING
Family Dining
Sierra Subs and Salads dominated
the family dining category this year. And families
love Sierra Subs.
There is something for the pickiest
youngster and selections substantial enough
for the hungriest dad, while mom is happy knowing
everyone is eating the healthiest of ingredients.
Tantalizing weekly specials always feature a
vegetarian alternative, there is a large variety
of salads to ensure all get their daily supply
of crunchy raw veggies, quesadillas when there’s
a craving for a Mexican flavor, and pizza to
take home and bake to give the cook the night
off.
River View Restaurant came in second
(same as last year) and Pizza Factory took third
(last year’s winner) in this all-important
category.
Romantic Dining
The perennial winner in this category
is The Gateway Restaurant, and this year is
no different. There’s just something about
that river...
Wuksachi Lodge dining room in Sequoia
National Park and Orange Blossom Junction at
the old Merryman Station junction tied for second
place; they were both in the top three last
year as well. Sierra Subs came in third.
Outdoor Dining
As usual, the Gateway walked away
with this top honor again. Just can’t
top the river views in this wild section where
the Middle and Marble forks combine. River View
and Sierra Subs came in second and third, respectively,
and it’s no surprise that both of these
establishments offer outdoor, riverside dining
as well.
Budget Eats
Get a hamburger for under $5. Choose
from eight scrumptious grilled sandwiches, all
for under $5. Take-n-bake pizza for under $10.
Fresh-made salads for less than $6.
This varied selection of great
deals with a gourmet taste is why Sierra Subs
won this category again this year.
Mexican food is always a good bang
for the buck, which is why Super Taco in Woodlake
and Serrano’s Mexican Restaurant came
in second and third place, respectively.
Place to Go When
Someone Else Pays
Orange Blossom Junction stole this
category from Wuksachi this year, which is the
restaurant that most select if someone else
is shelling out the cash.
And, okay, we get it! You like
Sierra Subs. Sierra Subs came in second in this
category, which is ironic because they also
won “Budget Eats.” This basically
means that if someone is offering to pick up
the tab they should be ecstatic when their guests
choose to visit Sierra Subs because of the reasonable
prices.
Wuksachi, which always appears
on diners’ wish lists, took a close third.
Breakfast / Brunch
Readers are just getting used to
We Three Restaurant being open for dinner as
became obvious by We Three being mentioned in
several of the dining categories (Family Dining,
Outdoor Dining, Budget Eats). But the venerable
cafe will always be known for what they’ve
always done BEST: Breakfast, and they win this
category every year.
As is also usual, in second place
is Gateway as they offer a year-round Sunday
champagne brunch. In third place is River View.
Did you know they serve breakfast now? If you
didn’t, then you ought to stop in and
see how well they prepare the most important
meal of the day.
Not everyone submits comments with
their poll answers, so it is always worthy of
mention when someone chooses to elaborate. As
such, a reader gave a shout-out to the breakfast
sandwich at Anne Lang’s Emporium.
Vegetarian
Sierra Subs is back at the top
of the list in this category. Allison, who owns
and operates the sandwich shop with her husband,
Dane, is a lifelong vegetarian, so she knows
how to prepare such fare so well that even the
most diehard meat-eater won’t miss their
saturated fat.
Serrano’s came in second
for their vegetarian creations. We Three took
third for their efforts to provide the meatless
crowd with sustenance.
Mexican
Our grown children both live in
the Bay Area these days, otherwise known as
the land of limitless restaurants. But they
both have admitted that their favorite Mexican
restaurants are still back home in Tulare County.
Preparing Mexican food is the specialty
of Serrano’s, located in the Village Shopping
Center, and they took first place in this category,
as they did in years’ past.
Super Taco on the corner of Naranjo
and Valencia in Woodlake came in a close second.
Sequoia Cider Mill took third.
Pizza
It’s a staple of most everyone’s
diet and that is why at dinner time most summer
evenings, Pizza Factory is overflowing with
customers from near and far.
River View has a pizza oven, so
their pizzas are baked to perfection, garnering
them a second place. Sierra Subs offers to make
the pizza with their fresh ingredients, then
customers bake them at home, which guarantees
them a spot in this category as well.
Sandwich
After all the hype, Sierra Subs
better win this category, and they did!
Anne Lang’s Emporium, which has been in
Three Rivers for more than 30 years with Anne
herself still at the counter, came in second
for their sandwiches that can be eaten there
or packed in a picnic to go.
And here’s a new addition
to the poll this year. Jessup’s Orange
Works, on Highway 65 near the Strathmore turnoff,
received enough votes to edge out We Three for
third place. Ever had a freshly squeezed orange
shake? Only at Jessup’s.
Salad
We all know that we need nine-plus
servings of fresh fruits and vegetables daily,
but where to get them seems to be a challenge
for so many. Well, when they have “salads”
in their name, then the obvious choice is Sierra
Subs and Salads, where they have a choice of
nine salads, available in a large size or small
or in a wrap. The dilemma of where to get your
servings of veggies has just been solved.
In second place is the Gateway for their delicious
dinner salad that includes fresh greens, baby
corn, garbanzo beans, in-season produce, and
more with a choice of dressings.
Orange Blossom came in third for
their fresh-from-the-farm creations.
Dessert
If you cleaned your salad plate
then you are allowed to have dessert. And here’s
where you should go:
First place— Reimer’s
Candies, Gifts, and Ice Cream... need we say
more?
In second was Orange Blossom, where
Chef George Quilty offers a daily dessert special
along with his other absolutely decadent creations.
We Three Bakery and Restaurant
took third place for their baked goods and other
delights that are sure to top off the meal.
Readers’ comments specifically
mentioned Orange Blossom’s homemade sorbet
(it comes in many unique flavors) and Sequoia
Cider Mill’s flan.
Baked Goods
We Three has been here and owned
by the same family since 1979. And they’ve
developed quite a reputation for quality sweet
treats. They took first place for their made-fresh-daily
pastries, cookies, and other melt-in-your-mouth
specialties.
Village Market came in second for
owner Nataliya Dixon’s fresh-from-the-oven
goodies. Sierra Subs took third place.
Burger
Voters went for the selection of
burgers available at Sierra Subs. The Sierra
Burger with or without cheese is a quarter-pound
traditional hamburger, but a recent addition
to the menu is the Red, White and Blue Burger
that is topped with Spicy Buffalo Sauce, blue
cheese, tomato, red onion, and lettuce. In fact,
several voters specifically pointed out this
patriotic version of the traditional American
favorite. And, as always, Sierra Subs offers
a vegetarian choice.
Anne Lang’s Emporium now
offers Barbecue Burger Fridays and people have
noticed. Their burgers came in a close second.
Sequoia Cider Mill grabbed third
place in this competitive category.
Steak
Gateway is the BEST place to find
these cuts of beef, which include several menu
selections of petite filet mignon, New York
steak, and top sirloin.
Cider Mill and Orange Blossom took
second and third, respectively.
Takeout
Sierra Subs better be good at takeout
because that’s all they do. And they do
it well, as voters can attest. As their motto
says, they offer “Fine Dining in a Sandwich.”
Anne Lang’s came in second.
New China, which offers the BEST Chinese takeout
ever, garnered third place.
Barbecue
Sequoia Cider Mill grabbed first
place in this category and it’s owner
Efrain Ponce himself that tends the barbecue
much of the time.
In second place, Village Market’s
barbecued items have become so popular that
there’s a permanent barbecue structure
now set up outside of the store. In third place,
is River View for their expertise with the grill.
Coffee
May 5, 2003, was a great day for
Three Rivers. That’s when The Cabin coffeehouse
opened.
However, four owners later, The
Cabin’s dream fizzled and died, but it
wasn’t for lack of support from Three
Rivers residents and visitors.
For more than a year now, Three
Rivers has again been without a gather-over-coffee
place. We left this category in the poll this
year so we could receive the feedback. So in
response to the Coffee category, here are just
a few of the comments: “Good question”
and “Nowhere in Three Rivers” In
the Local Hero category, a voter wrote, “Anyone
who opens a coffee shop.”
Until then, Anne Lang’s Emporium
(first place) does their part in keeping Three
Rivers caffeinated. Reimer’s came in second;
Wuksachi and Silver City tied for third for
their efforts in jolting people awake before
they embark on the mountain roads.
Ice Cream
It’s frozen; it’s homemade.
‘Nuff said: Reimer’s wins this each
year, no problem.
In second place is Anne Lang’s;
Pizza Factory takes third.
Creative Menu
We’ve mentioned this menu
several times previously and others have noticed
too that Sierra Subs is thinking outside the
box, and they continue to do so as they come
up with a new special offering nearly every
week.
Orange Blossom Junction has an
award-winning chef, so even though they are
located about 20 miles from Three Rivers, it’s
worth the drive to see what Chef Quilty is cooking
up.
Wuksachi, which is about a 23-mile
drive and in the opposite direction and elevation,
received third place as a result of the dedicated
efforts of Joni Badley of Three Rivers, the
dining room’s manager, and Executive Chef
Karl Winkelmann and his team of culinary experts.
SHOPPING
Place to Buy Souvenirs
1st Place— Three Rivers Drug
2nd Place— Reimer’s
3rd Place— Anne Lang’s, Park Visitor
Centers (tie)
Place to Buy Outdoor Gear
1st Place— Three Rivers Mercantile
2nd Place— Kaweah General Store
3rd Place— Sierra Sporting Goods (Yokohl
Valley)
Place to Buy Locally Grown / Raised
Food
1st Place— Flora Bella Organic Farm
2nd Place— Family Farm Fresh (CSA)
3rd Place— Visalia Farmers Markets
Bargain Buy
1st Place— The Thingerie
2nd Place— My Sister’s Closet
3rd Place— The Art Co-Op
Place to Buy Handcrafted Arts / Goods
1st Place— The Art Co-Op
2nd Place— Colors Studio and Gallery
3rd Place— Nadi’s Studio and Gallery
Place to Buy Gifts
1st Place— The Art Co-Op
2nd Place— Three Rivers Drug, Colors (tie)
3rd Place— Nadi’s
Place to Buy Antiques
1st Place— Rocky Hill Antiques
2nd Place— Lemon Cove Antiques
3rd Place— The Thingerie
Place to Buy T-shirts
1st Place— Three Rivers Drug
2nd Place— Nadi’s Studio and Gallery
3rd Place— Lodgepole Market
RECREATION
Hiking Trail
1st Place— Tokopah Falls
(Sequoia)
2nd Place— Mist Falls (Kings Canyon)
3rd Place— Ladybug (South Fork entrance
to Sequoia National Park)
Bike Ride
1st Place— Skyline BLM
2nd Place— Kaweah River Drive
3rd Place— Colony Mill Road (Sequoia National
Park; this road is closed to mountain biking
but it receives enough votes every year to be
listed in the readers’ poll results as
many activists wish to see this historic roadway
opened for non-motorized wheeled vehicles that
could then ride from North Fork Drive to the
Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. Would
that be awesome or what?).
Picnic Spot
1st Place— Crescent Meadow
2nd Place— Lake Kaweah
3rd Place— Mineral King
Campground
1st Place— Lodgepole (Sequoia)
2nd Place— Cold Spring (Mineral King area
of Sequoia)
3rd Place— Kaweah Park Resort (private),
Stony Creek (public), Lemon Cove-Sequoia (private)
Place to Take the Kids
1st Place— Sequoia National Park
2nd Place— Adventure Park (Visalia)
3rd Place— Our Place Playground
AROUND TOWN
Everybody’s
a winner here; anyone who received votes gets
listed in the “Around Town” section.
Local Hero
Rusty Crain, Tom Sparks, Laurie Schwaller, Yvonne
Sweeney, Sue Sherwood, Jim Fansett, Dane and
Allison Millner, Marty Stone, Dennis Villavicencio,
Rev. Arlin Talley, Bill Haxton, Mona Fox Selph.
Community Service
Business
Three Rivers Mercantile, The Thingerie, Waste
Connections, Gateway, The Kaweah Commonwealth.
Environmentally
Friendly Business
Ja Nene Natural Body Products, Sequoia Sightseeing,
Flora Bella Farm, Three Rivers Disposal / Waste
Connections, Buckeye Tree Lodge, Wuksachi Village
/ Delaware North Companies, Silver City Mountain
Resort.
LODGING
Hotel / Motel
1st Place— Buckeye Tree Lodge
2nd Place— Rio Sierra Riverhouse
3rd Place— Sequoia Motel
Bed and Breakfast
1st Place— Three Rivers Bed and Breakfast
(Voter comment: “I would recommend this
place to anybody”)
2nd Place— Rio Sierra Riverhouse (“Very
beautiful”)
3rd Place— Plantation Bed and Breakfast
(“We adored the friendly hosts”)
Family Lodging
1st Place— Buckeye Tree Lodge
2nd Place— Lazy J Ranch Motel
3rd Place— Rio Sierra Riverhouse
Cabin
1st Place— Silver City Mountain Resort
2nd Place— River Inn and Cabins
3rd Place— Lake Elowin Resort
Room with a View
1st Place— Rio Sierra Riverhouse
2nd Place— Wuksachi Lodge
3rd Place— Three Rivers Bed and Breakfast
SOCIAL SCENE
Place to Meet People
1st Place— River View
2nd Place— Gateway
3rd Place— Three Rivers Post Office
Local Band
1st Place— High Sierra Jazz Band
2nd Place— Mankin Creek
3rd Place— Blue Lightning
Entertainment Venue
1st Place— River View
2nd Place— Orange Blossom
3rd Place— Gateway
Local Event
1st Place— Jazzaffair
2nd Place— 1st Saturday
3rd Place— Redbud Festival
Place to be on a
Saturday Night
1st Place— River View
2nd Place— Gateway
3rd Place— Chump’s Videos
OUT AND ABOUT
Place to Take
Out-of-Town Guests
1st Place— Sequoia National Park
2nd Place— Sierra Subs
3rd Place— The Art Co-Op
Scenic Drive
1st Place— Generals Highway
2nd Place— Kings Canyon Highway
3rd Place— Highway 198 / Sierra Drive
National Park Attraction
1st Place— Moro Rock
2nd Place— General Sherman Tree
3rd Place— Big Trees / giant sequoia groves
Historical Attraction
1st Place— General Sherman Tree
2nd Place— Kaweah Post Office
3rd Place— General Grant Tree, Tharp’s
Log (tie)
Way to Tour
Without Using Your Car
1st Place— Walking / running / hiking
2nd Place— Sequoia Sightseeing Tours
3rd Place—Sequoia Shuttle
Summer Outdoor Activity
1st Place— Swimming in the river
2nd Place— Backpacking / hiking
3rd Place— Boating
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