Our trip happened to fall on Valentine’s Day but that was purely coincidental (and actually worked to advantage, too). Since Ryan got his new car, he had wanted to take a mini-road trip up to Morro Bay. I think it was the excitement of having the new car and wanting to be in the new car as much as possible that stood as the initial enticement. Well, he’s had the thing for several months now and with this kind of LA/Valley drive to work in gridlock everyday, twice a day, things put a really quick damper on their honeymoon phase. Luckily, there was more than just a small, quaint, beach side community luring the drive – there were french dip sandwiches.

That pickle's in the way of deliciousness - french dip sandwich at Morro Bay's Hofbrau. That's a mini, too!

I’ve only been to Morro Bay along the way to the Pielow & Co. summer camping trips and other than a welcome stretch of the limbs from being in a car since way before Ventura County, there’s the Hofbrau the get excited about. To get this out of the way, I’m not a particular fan of french dip sandwiches. I have other staples I try out as “safe” foods in new places but Ryan loves french dip sandwiches and roast beef especially. He’s always looking to try out the french dip on the menu. I think it was one of the first things he ever made for me. He was very excited to use his San Diego apartment crock pot, I remember that.

Anyway, to be honest, during my first visit to Hofbrau, I wasn’t all that excited about their famous french dip sandwiches but I got one anyway (because everyone else did and man, I didn’t want to be like the guy asking for a fork at the sushi place and stick out). So I got one and it was the best thing I could have ever done. They were delicious. Absolutely delicious. There’s no extra decadence to the thing either. It was just pure flavor that melded so well that I thought this is the perfect balance of all the ingredients that should go into making/preparing french dip.

It was the draw of the french dip sandwiches and the fact that Morro Bay was close enough yet far enough to label our trek a “road trip” and still get the thing done in a day that made us think of this in the first place. Between busy weekends and plans just not falling into place, we were left with today. It worked out really well, too. We’re not ones to get all epic and intense over Valentine’s Day. Exchanging cards and sour gummy straws will do (he likes gummy candy!) with spending time together as a given but still a plus. This mini trip just the thing to do with each other and for each other that we would have done anyway, regardless of the Hallmark holiday.

View off the pier lining Morro Bay at sunset. The birds had just started to get all crazy and flighty for some reason.

It was fun to drive up, grab some good eats, walk around the tiny town and try out some photog moves on a new subject – water and sunsets. I’ve just posted the day’s spoils on Flickr. They have adorable little inns along the main drag, too. I’m thinking a mini-weekender next time? Maybe? Maybe. Whatever the duration of time, good company always makes any moment worthwhile and today was a testament to that time-honored truth.