I’m not a cash-carrying kind of gal. The green stuff just ends up stuffed in a pocket somewhere, or worse, spent. This is rarely a problem until I end up walking into a restaurant, ordering my meal, and only then discovering they don’t take Visa. Or checks. Or my sweet smile as collateral. (Actually, that worked once.)

In fact, I usually make a mental note to avoid places that don’t take credit cards. There is one exception, however: the In-N-Out in Rohnert Park. That is where I’ll actually spend half the cost of my lunch in ATM fees just to get some quick cash for my Double Double. And as much as I hate doing that, it beats getting the stink-eye from the eight people in line behind you while digging for pennies in your pocket. If you’re feeling my pain at all, join me in a moment of elation over the fact that they now take ATM cards.

Also on the In-N-Out tip: A Petaluma branch recently opened off Highway 101 at the Lakeville St. exit, making it possible to stop three times for your Animal-style between SR and SF.

Speaking of Animal-style, need a primer on the secret menu? Here’s the 411:

– Animal Style: Gets you a burger with a grilled, mustard-covered bun; grilled onions (instead of raw); pickles and extra special sauce.

– Protein Style: Atkins is so over, but hangers-on like their burger between two pieces of lettuce. No bun.

– Grilled Cheese: Cheeseburger, hold the burger

– Double Meat: Double Double, hold the cheese

– Wish Burger: Veggie burger

– Flying Dutchman: Two meats, two cheeses, nothin’ else

– 3×3, 4×4-100×100: Three meat patties, three cheeses-up to 100-which someone recently actually ordered and ate with several friends-who later puked in the parking lot.

Wanna talk food? Email me at biteclub@pressdemo.com

 
Good things never last.
Takeshi Uchida, who’s been serving up reasonably priced takeout sushi every Monday, Wednesday and Friday out of Santa Rosa’s Oddfellow’s Hall is packing up his knives and moving on.
Since last spring, he’s been my secret sushi fix, hidden away in the industrial stainless steel kitchen every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. No lines. No annoying music. No waiters. Just amazing sushi. Probably the best in the area.
But as of next week, he tells me, he’ll be splitting his time between Rohnert Park’s Hana Japanese Restaurant (where he’s worked nights since January) and his boss’ new digs over in St. Helena–Go Fish. Arrrrgh.
Uchida says the combination of somewhat lackluster foot traffic (hey, this is the Oddfellows Hall) and his increasingly busy schedule between Hana and Go Fish has dictated the move. He’s considering re-opening in the spring, however.
You can wish him well through next Friday (10/20) at 545 Pacific Ave. from 11am to 1pm. After that, you and I will have to our sushi fix in public, like every body else.