Ramona’s 3rd Street Grill featured on Channel 8

Ramona’s Jim McWhorter and his 3rd Street Grill was featured on channel 8 news on Wednesday evening, Jan. 11.

Channel 8’s Larry Himmel interviewed McWhorter for his In Your Neighborhood segment and had the Ramona chef cook up some of his specialties.

For those who missed the TV segment, Himmel said it will be on Channel 8’s website, www.cbs8.com and will remain in the archives for about two months.

When doing a story in Santa Ysabel, Himmel said he noticed 3rd Street Grill during his drive and thought the mobile kitchen was “very intriguing.” Himmel said he met McWhorter and thought he was a wonderful Ramona character.

In the segment Himmel talked about how McWhorter has made the best out of a bad situation and how the locals support him.

“It’s such a great community,” he said of Ramona.

McWhorter bought the 3rd Street Grill property at Main and Third Streets with plans to turn the old house at that site, which once held an Italian restaurant, into a full-service restaurant with outdoor dining. County regulations, a tanking economy and other factors stalled his plans so to get the business going, McWhorter opened the mobile kitchen while continuing to renovate the house.

The Channel 8 feature reporter said he enjoys doing stories on the backcountry and on the “little guys.”

McWhorter prepared for Himmel some of his specialties—a Cali-Mex bean burger, sweet potato fries with bleu cheese dip, and broccoli cheese soup.

3rd Street Grill offers a variety of hamburgers including the Baldwin Burger, named after Ramona High School Athletic Director and Head Football Coach Damon Baldwin. The half-pound burger comes with grilled mushrooms, choice of cheese, bacon, avocado, all the fixings, bar-b-que sauce and “bucked up” mayo.

McWhorter recently lowered prices and added some more items to his menu. Sandwiches include a tri-tip, B.A.L.T.—bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato, a reuben, and Nathan’s hot dogs. Healthy vegetarian options include a turkey burger in honor of Ramona’s former stance as turkey capital of the world, and The Bird with a marinated grilled chicken breast.

3rd Street Grill’s winter hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. The grill is closed on Mondays. For more information go to www.3rdstgrill.com or call 760-789-2866.