Delicious Monday night chicken dinner, served at Meling Guest Ranch

Monday, October 1, 2007 didn't start off that well with me, as problems encountered during a visit to a roadside taco vendor in San Quintín seemed to morph into a case of Montezuma's Revenge, which caused me to skip breakfast, and stay in my motel room until mid afternoon. I managed to drag my tired body around the ranch to take a few photos, and when Andrea asked me what I wanted for dinner, I told her anything they were serving, as long as there were beans included with dinner. After she observed my eating performance at dinner from the previous evening, I got the idea that she took me as a man of my word, in that I love everything, so she and the girls went "all out" to prepare me one of the most delicious meals that I've ever eaten.

Left: Jicelia and Julie are just getting started to prepare the evening meal. Right: Jicelia prepares salsa, which is a staple at every meal served at Meling Ranch.

If all you do is rattle off the contents of this particular meal, boring might be the word that comes to mind, as the dinner consisted of fried chicken, Mexican rice, refried beans, corn, tossed green salad, corn tortillas, and all of the usual condiments. Well, this is not the food you're used to eating at your local diner, or your local fast food joint, as this food is composed of fresh, locally-produced ingredients, cooked over a wood-fired range, by friendly staff, who treat you as family, and serve you food fit for a king. The food is cooked perfectly, the taste is delicious, the presentation is attractive, and its prepared and served to you by some of the friendliest people that you'll ever meet.

Photo: Rice and beans are cooking on the wood-fired kitchen range, and I'm enjoying the delicious odor of beans and wood smoke. Right: Jicelia and Julie in the kitchen. Note that it is early evening, as the lights are on.

When I heard the dinner bell ring, I headed for the dining room, where my place at the table was already set. I felt sort of special, or maybe sort of lonely, as I was the only guest in the large dining room, that could seat probably excess of 100 people. Anyway, Julie and Jicelia brought me bowl after bowl of delicious food, including fried chicken, Mexican rice, refried beans, corn, freshly made, warm, corn tortillas, tossed green salad, butter, salsa and more. Meling Ranch's fried chicken isn't like fried chicken found north of the border, or coated in heavy batter like "The Kentucky Colonel's" fried chicken, as the fried chicken served at Meling Ranch is seared, then browned in a cast iron frying pan, which leaves the outside slightly crispy, but the inside is pink, and the whole piece of chicken is tender, moist, juicy, and delicious. Ymmmmm! Not to mention that the chicken is already cut into attractive, small pieces, coated with just enough batter on the outside to be a little crunch, yet the chicken is delicious, and tender on the inside. I can truly say that this is some of the best chicken that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy.

Left: Jicelia chats with Uncle Manuel, who lives at Rancho Coyote, about 20 miles distant, while Julie prepares refried bean on the wood-fired kitchen range.

The fried chicken is the main dish of the enjoyable dinner, but accompanying the fried chicken were some of the most delicious side dishes that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy, including ranch-style Mexican rice, refried beans, steamy, warmed corn tortillas, a bowl of corn, tossed green salad, butter, and homemade salsa, made fresh just minutes before the meal was served. Keep in mind that the fried chicken isn't the greasy stuff, dipped in a soggy batter that you'll find north of the border, as the fried chicken that I enjoyed at Meling Ranch is light, flavorful, and not at all heavy with batter, and not greasy at all.

Left: Julie is cooking my delicious fried chicken breasts on the wood stove. Right: Julie and Jicelia collaborate chores on the wood stove, in Meling Ranch's kitchen.

Photo: My Monday evening meal is placed on the table by Jicelia and Julie, some of the most gracious and beautiful hostess' that I've ever had the pleasure to get to know. Darn, I missed Monday Night Football, but I enjoyed one of the best meals that I've ever eaten!

Factor in delicious food, served family-style in a rustic dining room, friendly staff who treat you as a member of their family, and you have a winning combination at Meling Ranch. I told Andrea, Jicelia and Julie that the meal that I enjoyed was one of the most delicious meals that I've ever eaten, and I stand by that statement. Yes, I've experienced the $100-plus per person meals served at the Top of the Mark Restaurant in San Francisco, at the 19th floor of the Mark Hopkins Hotel, while dressed in a stuffy suit, overlooking San Francisco Bay during the dining experience, but the meal that I enjoyed this particular evening at Meling Ranch cost me only $11.00, and was more delicious than any meal that I've eaten in San Francisco, or any other place. This evening's meal that I enjoyed at Meling Ranch was definitely one of the most enjoyable, and memorable meals that I've ever eaten. Yes, the meal was that good, and everything served, and I mean all dishes, were prepared perfectly and tasted delicious. Due to the very remote location of Meling Ranch, I missed Monday Night Football that evening, and I missed watching the Patriots beat the Bengals by the score of 34 to 13, but I enjoyed one of the most delicious meals that I've ever had the pleasure to enjoy, during the 50+ years that I've been on planet Earth.

Photo: Homestyle cuisine at the best, as enjoyed at Meling Ranch. My outstanding dinner of refried beans, rice, corn, fried chicken, and green salad. This meal sounds and looks simple, but it is one of the better meals that I've enjoyed in my life. Dine at Meling Ranch, and forget about the New York or San Francisco restaurant cuisine!