JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska--She pulls her car into the parking lot. The sun lights the sky with warm, sunrise hues. The smell of freshly brewed coffee lingers in the air. It’s early morning and Mikhaila Brown is just getting off her last night shift of the week, ready to enjoy a steaming cup of joe and relax for the weekend.
“What can I get for you today?” the barista asks.
“A sugar-free vanilla soy London fog, please,” replies U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mikhaila Brown, a national tactical integration analyst with the 381st Intelligence Squadron.
Brown joined the Air Force on her birthday in May 2016 and arrived at Joint Base Elmendorf-Alaska in February of 2017.
“My job is incredibly rewarding, and I cannot emphasize how much I love Alaska,” she said. I have found that people either love it or hate it, and I most certainly love it.”
Being from Huntington Beach, California, amazing cuisine was a commonality for the sergeant.
“Growing up in Southern California, I experienced a true melting pot of darn good food,” she said. “So when I arrived in Alaska and heard the local food wasn’t up to snuff, I set out on a mission to prove the doubters wrong. Since then, I have created an extensive food list spanning from Barrow to Valdez, Tok to Homer and Fairbanks to Seward. Near and far, I have sought out to find the good food people claimed didn’t exist. Man, were they wrong!”
Brown describes herself as adventurous, and with 1,485 restaurant establishments in Alaska, it’s really the perfect location for exploring, in more ways than one. Sometimes, when she finds a new location to try, she will tell the barista or waitress to “simply surprise me”.
“I enjoy the adventurousness of it all,” Brown said. “Sure there have been some bumps in the road with that method, but I have also found dishes and combinations I never would have thought to try, and I’m happy I did.”
Brown often finds new places by scanning social media, word of mouth, or simply just driving around.
“You can often find me off on some drive, somewhere popping into little eateries and galleries,” she said. “I often say, ‘a U-turn never hurts’ when something catches my eye.”
She avoids chain restaurants to really seek the most “local” experience and make it easier to venture off and try something new. She has easily tried hundreds of restaurants in Alaska so far, and of course has ones that she frequents. However, when she is a return customer, she rarely orders the same menu item to get a good feel for the variety the restaurant really offers.
Her list is composed of restaurants she either has tried or wants to try, but she also rates each place she tries.
“Honestly, the rating is simple: Would I eat here again and would I tell my friends or family about it? Obviously, I am not a true food critic, and I do my best to avoid being too judgemental,” Brown mentions.
She also loves sharing her list and personal recommendations with anyone who’s looking for a specific food, special vibes, or just a refreshing experience.
“From work to personal life, I’m all about helping others,” Brown said. “So if I can help people find a little piece of home by way of food in a state so far away, then I have done well. I love seeing peoples eyes light up when they realize that they have someone who is eager to help acclimate them to the joy that is Alaska living.”
This is a hobby for Brown and occasionally her significant other, U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Marcus Davidson, a firefighter with the 673d Civil Engineering Squadron.
“I have changed the way that I look at dining out. It’s enjoyable with her because I used to eat at those chain restaurants and she’s made me grow outside of my comfort zone. It’s been quite an adventure with a lot left to explore” said Davidson.
Brown still has four years left on her assignment in Alaska and aims to hit as many places on her list as she can.
“I once thought it was my goal to hit all the places on my list,” she said. “And though that is still somewhat true, I have come to find that it won’t likely happen. My list is ever-growing and evolving.”
She does plan on continuing her hobby to any locations the Air Force takes her in the future.
“I am grateful for this hobby because it has opened my eyes to so many good times spent with good people. It has tested and bested my pallet and it has given me something to give to others.”