Well, this is the February edition - my big Valentine's Day article. I mentioned last month that I would be writing about my big romantic dinner at Morton’s of Chicago. Well, that went down the "terlit". Then I went to a little place in North Highlands that I was excited to write about. Well, I was excited until I actually ate there. So, the reality is: for this month I got nothing!

Now that I think about it I have eaten out quite a bit over the last month. Well, at least I have hit quite a few lunchtime drive thrus. You are not really going to talk about fast food for Valentine's Day are you?! Yes, in fact, I am.

Listen, I can appreciate that you want to take your honey bunny, sugar cookie, pookie wookie, snaggle tooth, ginger snap, pimento loaf, pickled herring, butter cup, tsetse fly, super fly (or whatever inoquous pet name you might have for your significant other) to a nice restaurant for Valentine's Day. You want to have that once-in-a-lifetime, romantic moment that the perfect Valentine's Day bistro was designed to bring about. Well, wake up and smell the lousy service pal, 'cause that is the one night when it is guaranteed not to happen. The three worst days/nights to go out to eat are Mother's Day, New Year's Eve and, of course, Valentines Day. Over-booking, long waits (even if you have a reservation), slow service but quick to be ignored by your overwhelmed server plague the evening.

So, yes, let's talk fast food. Of course, when we talk fast food the discussion begins and ends with Jack’s 2 for 99¢ tacos. But what is it that those 99¢ beauties are filled with? Nobody really knows. It is not meat or beans or even tofu. But when you are hungry and all you have is a $1.13 in the ash tray, the ingredients are of little importance. And tell me, who hasn’t been there?

Now Carl’s Jr. (for a limited time) has brought back their steak sandwich. I don’t understand how they get away with advertising it as steak but, whatever part of the cow it is, I quite enjoy it. My first clue that we are not dealing with real steak, is the fact that it blends well with mayonnaise. The key to this sandwich is the two onion rings that sit on the meat.

Alright, . . . I hate to interrupt this column, but I just heard some breaking news that, like Glen Close, will just not be ignored. Rolling Stone magazine just announced its list of the hundred greatest vocalists of all time. Bob Dylan is seventh on the list. BOB DYLAN! That is four spots ahead of Paul McCartney. You remember Paul. He sang "Hey Jude", "Maybe I’m Amazed", "Let it Be". Just imagine for a moment Dylan singing "Let it Be." It may be hard for me to talk food after that.

Anyway, back to my favorite fast food gems. If we are speaking of gems, we can’t very well speak of Del Taco can we? The 89¢ double cheesy, beef burrito on the other hand is quite the tasty little bargain.

Twenty-seven years ago, McDonalds introduced Chicken McNuggets to the world. Let's face it, they are really not that great. However the McNugget spawned a whole slew of chicken nuggets and strips at eateries all through out the 50 states. My favorite, you ask – KFC popcorn chicken. I love those little guys, and I have their Uncle McNugget, to thank.

I will delve into more of my fast food faves another time. I do actually want to give a shout out to a place I recently visited in Roseville called the Burger Hut. It resides on Pleasant Grove in the Nugget shopping center. Oddly enough, at Burger Hut I had a great burger. Next time you're at the Galleria, give the Burger Hut a try.

Last month I told you about Jee’s Pot Restaurant in North Highlands. This is a great place to remember should you be planning a meeting or party for up to 40 people. Or perhaps you have some extra cash and would just like to eat-in in solitude.

Well, . . . until next month when I do romance in the March column . . .