For decades Baja California Sur has been defined--unfairly-- by the OC on the Sea of Cortez tourist spot: Cabo San Lucas, where American spring breakers go to suck down margaritas, eat nachos until they burst, perform graceless acts at wet t-shirt contests, and develop pre-melanoma lesions under the warmth of the Baja sun. During the 3-year media blitz that has descended upon Baja California, the southern half of the peninsula has stayed on the sidelines, or so it would seem.

I first visited Buffalo BBQ in La Paz back in 2009 and was impressed by the thick cuts of Sonoran beef cooked on a Santa Maria style grill, and the excellent hamburgers, but the menu lacked depth--most of the interesting items were off menu. In the years since my initial visit, Sonoran-born Chef Carlos Valdez has has come up in a major way. On a recent visit to Buffalo BBQ I was surprised by an expanded restaurant and a revitalized master chef of the Sonoran grill and Baja cuisine, a style he calls BajaSon. Chef Carlos Valdez is the best Baja chef you haven't heard of, and is set to reign in Baja California Sur. 

We heard about the Pizza Hut in England's hot-dog-stuffed pizza crusts and the grilled-apple burger from Burger King in Japan. Now comes the Black Truffle Angus XT, offered by Burger King's in Hong Kong. The sandwiches, made with extra thick patties, are slathered in a mayo flavored with the costly fungus and doesn't use lettuce, but endive. 

Ooo la di da! 

It's a scary world out there, folks. As we speak, there there could be thieves hovering around the freezer with a spoon, ready to swipe a bite of your ice cream and hope that you don't notice. 

How will you protect yourself? 

That's the whole point of this column, of course, but it's especially so when it comes to Chicken Box, tucked way up there in freeway-less La Habra. But, for 39 years, this tiny one-room shack has been slinging fried chicken that bests sorry KFC on flavor and shames Mrs. Knott's on value.

It's owned by Elaine Tonthat, who owns Papaya Thai just a few doors down.

See the partial menu below.