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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 5, 2011 - 05:38pm PT
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Before an afternoon of Top roping, scrabbling and hiking the boys and I decided to give the new Crossroads a shot. We arrived at the cafe with a good attitude hoping for the best.
I like small business and know that hard work and belief in your product/services can and do pay-off. That said,
The things we liked about the new place.
*They say hi when you come in
*Eggs were well cooked
*Got to sit anywhere we wanted (we were the only ones there)
*Waitresses were nice and checked on us frequently
The things we thought needed work.
*The same menu as any of a 100 greasy spoons along the highway.
* With two eggs they served me what looked like a whole potato that had been smashed with a hammer and crushed onto a hot, well used griddle until it turned black.
*My 7 year old said "I could have eaten five of these" referring to the small serving of 1 piece of french toast w/fruit bowl he ordered.
* Pricey for mediocre food.
*Wierd Biker/antique/Ikea/stuffed wildlife theme
I'd like to see these guys succeed but, they have some work to do to achieve this, IMO.
Maybe if they ask around a little and get more in touch with the local community, climbing, artists and otherwise, they'll have some luck.
I didn't frequent the old Crossroads as much as many of my friends but, I liked it when I did. Bonnie supported the community and I think the favor was returned.
Now the good !
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graniteclimber
Trad climber
The Illuminati -- S.P.E.C.T.R.E. Division
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Before it was bought, the place was so busy I had trouble finding a seat.
What did the new owners think needed to be "improved?" They were popular enough before. Did they not have a sufficient profit margin?
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CrackAddict
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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I liked the old order first, seat yourself format much better. The new regime sounds a little too formal for us simple climber types. Also I always thought animals stuffed on a mantle was a bit of a turn off in a restaurant. If you don't allow live ones in there, why dead ones?
Is the self seating bar still there at least?
One thing that was a little tacky about the old restaurant is the dish washing right where you order - I always hated to order because I felt like I was keeping them from finishing the stack of dishes. Hopefully they fixed that.
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Dirka
Trad climber
SF
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Bump! Iv'e deffinately had more than a couple of meals there.
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Rudder
Trad climber
Long Beach, CA
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I like smashed burnt potatoes. lol
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
www.climbaddictdesigns.com
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The single french toast is waaay too skimpy. Unless it costs a buck....
The stuffed cat grosses me out.
I am sure they will survive for at least a while, so long as the competition for 'regular food" breakfast is the Country Kitchen, and there is no other dinner place in JT except the pizza place(which seemed pricey to me, and although I have heard others say it us great, I had a lousy, expensive, not even hot, piece of pizza served by someone who didn't seem to want to be bothered in stopping goofing with her coworkers to take my order when I was there.
Oh... I forgot. The Saloon. The burger/fires I had a few times there this winter was quite good for the price. They had a really good chocolate cakey piue thing one night, and with the free wifi in the afternoon, they let me sit there after buying a coke, for hours with zero attitude.
I'll give Crossroads a chance, of course, but at this point my "Virgin's Guide to Joshua Tree"(which gets quite a bit of traffic) is not recommending them.
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Mike Bolte
Trad climber
Planet Earth
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I like the cat
and the shadows
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Ezra Ellis
Trad climber
WA, & NC & Idaho
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Aliens Attack, Thamnks!
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apogee
climber
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Damn. That's not an encouraging TR. I want Bonnie back!
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doc bs
Social climber
Northwest
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A snarling dead cat has got to be bad chi! What were they thinking?!?!
I miss you Bonnie, if you are reading...
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SofCookay
climber
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Thanks for the update - we had been checking out the new menu online and we almost made a special trip down (from Ahwahnee) to check out the food. Question - was your son's food (french toast & fruit bowl) from a kid's menu?
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Sagebrush Sally
Trad climber
Joshua Tree, Ca
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I wish you all would give Stacee some credit for making the old Crossroads work. Bonnie is lovely, but she answered the phone and talked to customers which while it seemed to have an effect on all of you, did not get the hard day to day work of that restaurant done. She did not arrive there every day at 4am cook, order supplies, manage the employees, clean, prep food. That fell on Stacee's shoulders and she worked her ass off for years. I hate seeing her get continually get stiffed on the credit for Crossroads in ST forums. Bonnie had a business partner named Stacee who did most of the work!!!
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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i miss the winner's circle
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Yup Stacy definitely deserves major props for her efforts. But the truth is that place was major league in debt before Bonnie took it over and turned it around. Bonnie new how to run a business. She's a very smart an capable woman.
Your assessment is not from the point of an owner. Bonnie did her job and did it well.
The new owners are going to have some growing pains ahead of them. So far the local word is not horrible, but not encouraging. I'm in no hurry to try it.
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CrackAddict
Trad climber
Joshua Tree
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Aug 29, 2011 - 02:40pm PT
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Had breakfast there... it gets a thumbs up with me. But overall it is clean, fairly nicely decorated (except for the dead bobcat), and the menu looks well rounded. I had the Huevos Rancheros which was very good. Two things missing: Dancing goat brand coffee (the new stuff is too weak) and BONNIE (that could be a deal breaker for many people).
I think it is supposed to open for dinner in a couple weeks. It seemed very busy for breakfast in August, hopefully it is not a "dead cat bounce" so to speak...
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Aug 29, 2011 - 03:13pm PT
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Sam's Market = no marg salt.
Jus' sayin'....
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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Aug 29, 2011 - 03:50pm PT
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J. Werlin
Social climber
Cedaredge, CO
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Sep 22, 2011 - 09:41pm PT
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Indian food at Sam's is quite good.
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rlf
Trad climber
Josh, CA
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Sep 22, 2011 - 10:16pm PT
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I have to jump in here. I'm really good friends with the family and have done, and am currently doing a bunch of work for them.
The food there is excellent. The family is great. I've known them for years. They have given me work when I needed it and have always been gracious, generous, and inviting when I've been to their home.
Please support these folks, they really are the best!
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