tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73888726464001532412024-03-13T01:05:59.768-04:00Colorado CriticsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger110125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-44937602131372337902018-01-15T13:41:00.002-05:002018-01-15T13:41:55.607-05:00Denver Biscuit Company<div>
When we make it back to Denver we will stop at nothing to make a trip to the Denver Biscuit Company. Just look at these photos and tell me you are not drooling already! I would advise that even this sweet tooth had to sneak some bites of my husbands savory ham biscuit as the Strawberry Shortcake is quite a treat! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeeZmETNfrkFRn51G3xFWlkuTq0LcLtwUCsSN19IpYJZVetNccgGJmXvLHKSq9p7UoRT0TscotLc716DdRRzjN32VRQd9eK5p22dpBAsSbqyHPr55ehRcGXf5px5x3cnfNsOGQc8A8Zys/s1600/thumb+%25285%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNeeZmETNfrkFRn51G3xFWlkuTq0LcLtwUCsSN19IpYJZVetNccgGJmXvLHKSq9p7UoRT0TscotLc716DdRRzjN32VRQd9eK5p22dpBAsSbqyHPr55ehRcGXf5px5x3cnfNsOGQc8A8Zys/s320/thumb+%25285%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6nB6NhCbwjzn6M2th6wub7dkE-t5qDlHo6e6Qx8vBJXWhkdLtC4kwBzBnG5-9DwgMNNWHoliuj-_ryQpq0JhEU8n32H_vXijXf22HYvgHUo1rKxxYScWEeD9r8QJ5yme4a5jAYtaE-d4/s1600/thumb+%25286%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU6nB6NhCbwjzn6M2th6wub7dkE-t5qDlHo6e6Qx8vBJXWhkdLtC4kwBzBnG5-9DwgMNNWHoliuj-_ryQpq0JhEU8n32H_vXijXf22HYvgHUo1rKxxYScWEeD9r8QJ5yme4a5jAYtaE-d4/s320/thumb+%25286%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4vyPpJhs45eKtTcoONvVf8JBObk5TeXybq6N4iFvvVbPO1ZICYj8npsIsJkEOOREgXl9Rk7FIxq5ZGDgq-EZa64jOIkxu7C59LASp5q8s2ex6NRTByFSvRUp9jkufClYccBlwvR0vur2/s1600/thumb+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx4vyPpJhs45eKtTcoONvVf8JBObk5TeXybq6N4iFvvVbPO1ZICYj8npsIsJkEOOREgXl9Rk7FIxq5ZGDgq-EZa64jOIkxu7C59LASp5q8s2ex6NRTByFSvRUp9jkufClYccBlwvR0vur2/s320/thumb+%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/denver/denver-biscuit-co-city-park" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Denver Biscuit Co., City Park and other Restaurants in Denver"><img alt="Denver Biscuit Co. Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/16974159/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-49095639936007408322018-01-15T13:21:00.000-05:002018-01-15T13:23:46.395-05:00The Hearthstone BistroI love food and I'm pretty hard to disappoint but when I tell you that you will LOVE <a href="http://hearthstonerestaurant.com/">The Hearthstone Bistro</a>, I'm serious. Aside from the beautiful west Michigan beaches, this place is the best thing Muskegon Michigan has to offer.<br />
<br />
Hearthstone has been around since 1975 and uses fresh local ingredients. Their menu offers soups, sandwiches, beef or poultry dishes, pasta, burgers and salads. As simple as it may be, my favorite menu item is their soup and sandwich combo. The daily soups are always unique and exquisite. Hands down, they offer the most delicious soups you will ever taste. Just in the past month they have offered Pumpkin Curry, Roasted Parsnip and Carrot, Roasted Tomato & Apricot Bisque and Asparagus Leek Bisque with Lemon Basil Goat Cheese Garnish. Their most popular soups are always available and include Wisconsin Cheddar with Popcorn and French Onion Gratinèe.<br />
<br />
We've ordered their specials on several occasions and never been disappointed. Actually, of the dozens of dishes we've enjoyed we've loved and savored ever single bite. Hearthstone will not let you down!<br />
<br />
While the atmosphere is beautiful and nice enough to enjoy a nice date or business meeting it's also inviting, casual and welcoming to families. Their prices are outstanding! For the same price as a foot long at Subway you can enjoy a soup and sandwich combo created by a real chef with local and fresh ingredients.<br />
<br />
If you find yourself in west Michigan I highly encourage you to make a special trip to enjoy a meal here!ColoradoCriticshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05532638442623645104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-10553768517531953632016-01-09T23:08:00.001-05:002016-01-09T23:08:13.606-05:00Bite Squad to Namaste Bite Squad was crafted out of the need for an “easy, fast and affordable way to order all the wonderful cuisine [from around the area] without shuffling through a mess of menus, making endless phone calls, or trying to navigate a great restaurant's not-so-great website.”<br />
<br />
First off, we must state our prejudice, that of, we go out to eat with the intention of going OUT. So, Bite Squad had a large plate to fill in order for us to approve.<br />
<br />
With their claim of:<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Bite Squad is the last place you'll ever have to go online to order yummy cuisine for delivery or take-out. We've partnered with local restaurants, hand-picked our food lovin' customer support squad, and wrangled up a fleet of environmentally friendly vehicles to get fresh food from the restaurant straight to your door, quickly and hassle free!”<br />
<br />
So we put it to the test!<br />
<br />
Sadly during the first step (typing in your address) we received this message:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnKGxdj8P3bJK9UQRRHlc_X79saCxbAEbxEenrJUq6Szlwvpu7u2BfYpFNqWCeZ4gHnet8y0UZPHGzBmhFCgKsu5TOVcQtQXQiXwsFy7hl6DtP_5KDRQqKQ2SnBveKPMUcI5b6SQKy1kk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+7.32.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="27" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnKGxdj8P3bJK9UQRRHlc_X79saCxbAEbxEenrJUq6Szlwvpu7u2BfYpFNqWCeZ4gHnet8y0UZPHGzBmhFCgKsu5TOVcQtQXQiXwsFy7hl6DtP_5KDRQqKQ2SnBveKPMUcI5b6SQKy1kk/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+7.32.49+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
This frustrated us, so we aggressively hit the red X to <b>CLOSE</b> the matter. But our fortitude is strong and we would not be deterred so easily. Thus we got back on the next day and to our dismay the exact SAME thing happened when we typed in the SAME address!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
**Snarl**</div>
<br />
So we went in search of a Map to find the way to the closest restaurant. For if we can’t get delivery, then we’ll just have to deliver ourselves.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
No Map!!! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
** Double Snarl**</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
But to their credit they are a DELIVERY SERVICE. So why do you need a map if they are coming to you … You don’t. It just happens that my case is outside their map.<br />
So we then turned to their little radio button of “Pick Up” instead of “Delivery”<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnKGxdj8P3bJK9UQRRHlc_X79saCxbAEbxEenrJUq6Szlwvpu7u2BfYpFNqWCeZ4gHnet8y0UZPHGzBmhFCgKsu5TOVcQtQXQiXwsFy7hl6DtP_5KDRQqKQ2SnBveKPMUcI5b6SQKy1kk/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+7.32.49+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="27" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnKGxdj8P3bJK9UQRRHlc_X79saCxbAEbxEenrJUq6Szlwvpu7u2BfYpFNqWCeZ4gHnet8y0UZPHGzBmhFCgKsu5TOVcQtQXQiXwsFy7hl6DtP_5KDRQqKQ2SnBveKPMUcI5b6SQKy1kk/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+7.32.49+PM.png" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
**Snarl**</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
**Idea** </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Change the address to just the city and click “Pick Up”</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
**AHA**</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
9 results! Now We’ve gotten somewhere!<br />
We looked over the options and decided that Indian Food might just be the hardest option for Bite Squad’s system. We clicked on the restaurant and we were instantly looking at an excellent user friendly menu.<br />
<br />
<br />
I was impressed by the collapsing and expanding menu sections, description of food, and OBVIOUS Price which all made for an easy read and check out. Once a menu choice has been made the pop up options further the ease of ordering with Bite Squad. Just look at it! It’s more options than the waiters give you and you don’t even have to try and memorize the spew of options that they rattle off their tongue.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKHwFHGnb3bpM5mrMbUJVcWfHdZmF5Zf6AJRbS79GlYdlrWusCT9YCVYYrWn6y9B314j3zbB7O2Nz78cbrNCfdieJz_IxfeQvf3Q-T-2lUZEDMOzZvdekERtnLrqDbb6zzBIBTTdeL-1K/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.29.59+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiKHwFHGnb3bpM5mrMbUJVcWfHdZmF5Zf6AJRbS79GlYdlrWusCT9YCVYYrWn6y9B314j3zbB7O2Nz78cbrNCfdieJz_IxfeQvf3Q-T-2lUZEDMOzZvdekERtnLrqDbb6zzBIBTTdeL-1K/s400/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.29.59+PM.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
We made our selection, added in a few special comments, (we of course had to test if it would be passed along to the cooks), and just as a final test we scheduled the pick up for a day and a half later! Let's see if they deliver (that is figuratively of course because they don’t actually deliver food to my house)!<br />
<br />
<br />
Day and a Half Later …<br />
<br />
**Smile**<br />
Success!<br />
Every thing is in order and as requested.<br />
Besides the sad fact that I live outside of their delivery circle and the error which that causes on the website, Bite Squad is an exceptionally convenient menu and ordering system for those who can not or wish not to eat OUT.<br />
<br />
Bite Squad's Site :)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicluBrAwhvq3u30_PP-bU5ybk9lqxfGPVHXZle9rewVVmndoIyIiIK_9hxLOHZ9CJUpfYe481-ke8ZwyaMBAAyR5Nx71emiGyxHZAcvMyB2rbIN_QO2fTmB0EXYj9G4m8Ejuulp3MINxk6/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.31.36+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" height="403" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicluBrAwhvq3u30_PP-bU5ybk9lqxfGPVHXZle9rewVVmndoIyIiIK_9hxLOHZ9CJUpfYe481-ke8ZwyaMBAAyR5Nx71emiGyxHZAcvMyB2rbIN_QO2fTmB0EXYj9G4m8Ejuulp3MINxk6/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.31.36+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
VS</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Restaurant's Site :(</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NAgkbqBxwbHefconuvVqUfqdFXCBJDLAR_-vIUsaKyWt6mz9Pu8uI-eJiLxKgg29wtynGGKW13__Q40z-Yne-RWJO3CO1EDsEHjTZTDOpykPSJV4iy9_l6SlnHaaYyw5xb5Gj6mCEF4C/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.23.09+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0NAgkbqBxwbHefconuvVqUfqdFXCBJDLAR_-vIUsaKyWt6mz9Pu8uI-eJiLxKgg29wtynGGKW13__Q40z-Yne-RWJO3CO1EDsEHjTZTDOpykPSJV4iy9_l6SlnHaaYyw5xb5Gj6mCEF4C/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-01-09+at+8.23.09+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Droverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438189902410127019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-48642158231184048882015-11-18T11:37:00.001-05:002015-11-18T12:12:53.749-05:00Lake House Waterfront Grille<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNbipuPAO7UhPM4o4Vv3DiglDHnb1p4dAqZiKgDuDB5THreb6lTOsFbn-bEm-lQW6eu07pHIvr84RKAS9MQqISci48pCrbIh3tjA28p-QxloZCBqD4uBmC3nKceLtZGAkUxH5UBMVnAtq/s1600/thumb+%252819%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnNbipuPAO7UhPM4o4Vv3DiglDHnb1p4dAqZiKgDuDB5THreb6lTOsFbn-bEm-lQW6eu07pHIvr84RKAS9MQqISci48pCrbIh3tjA28p-QxloZCBqD4uBmC3nKceLtZGAkUxH5UBMVnAtq/s400/thumb+%252819%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My favorite summer evening was spent sitting and enjoying this miraculous view at sunset while savoring the most delicious food Muskegon has to offer. The Lake House Waterfont Grille is probably my #1 favorite restaurant in Michigan so far. The wait staff is exceptional. They even offer blankets if you get cold. The environment is nice enough to go on a special anniversary date or hold a nice business meeting yet the outside deck is causal enough to make families with children feel welcome.</div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oGXtc2q4nC0W-7j9A-7D6wCq51-QJh3vL3QeqzFmA_PfusW6iu923S_NFqW2iYeWQRyAlJ9g2CuE1BzdxQm5zxeGABGp1keKWjmErtgktb06arJHphRDJheX4a1agzh37iLhWi2ihEjn/s1600/thumb+%252815%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6oGXtc2q4nC0W-7j9A-7D6wCq51-QJh3vL3QeqzFmA_PfusW6iu923S_NFqW2iYeWQRyAlJ9g2CuE1BzdxQm5zxeGABGp1keKWjmErtgktb06arJHphRDJheX4a1agzh37iLhWi2ihEjn/s320/thumb+%252815%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We had my mom in town from the West Coast. She insisted we try truffle fries since we'd never had them. These were mind blowing. Bacon, malt vinegar/tarragon aioli , Parmesan... fries have never been so decadent. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnxxiHwwfqSJVxPimavm_FhyphenhyphenbGBpE8Sow8CbslEVj7RL2WZ4JQs7OlLjJq346e_iIcwzi85pK2GxJEXzTh-n1PBRH2TxZW-EFWiQWN6vNdnjcjfGsrooja1swan3rXfFWAtYi_5LouX1C/s1600/thumb+%252814%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOnxxiHwwfqSJVxPimavm_FhyphenhyphenbGBpE8Sow8CbslEVj7RL2WZ4JQs7OlLjJq346e_iIcwzi85pK2GxJEXzTh-n1PBRH2TxZW-EFWiQWN6vNdnjcjfGsrooja1swan3rXfFWAtYi_5LouX1C/s320/thumb+%252814%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Their crab cakes were made to perfection. Not only do they taste incredible but look at them! They are beautiful!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCiuoz1wKHAM5c-RihhumpoKjN4g955D2aVBvzh4ojEc35O3LznrSBbrtHrvShvwm5tF4HJzcjFdI_z8YjUglRjkFAvRa5fRs6pQz1rcJUz4UdU8LmEYDhEJTRvXxKsjSe-TLL2qzjVQD/s1600/thumb+%252818%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnCiuoz1wKHAM5c-RihhumpoKjN4g955D2aVBvzh4ojEc35O3LznrSBbrtHrvShvwm5tF4HJzcjFdI_z8YjUglRjkFAvRa5fRs6pQz1rcJUz4UdU8LmEYDhEJTRvXxKsjSe-TLL2qzjVQD/s320/thumb+%252818%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I had the lobster roll. Not only was this the most delicious thing I've eaten in a long time but the quality was exceptional. The chunks of lobster were huge! The amount they stuff into a sandwich is impressive. This dish right here, is the reason I'll be back sooner than later.<br />
<br />
I took a look at the menu as I wrote this. It looks like these are summer items that are not on the menu now that it's fall. I did notice they have a pumpkin ravioli though. I might have to stop in and give that a try.<br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/muskegon-mi/lake-house-waterfront-grille-muskegon" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Lake House Waterfront Grille, Muskegon and other Restaurants in Muskegon"><img alt="Lake House Waterfront Grille Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17519874/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
ColoradoCriticshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05532638442623645104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-2689387911821835502015-11-18T10:52:00.000-05:002016-01-01T00:22:58.584-05:00Apple Holler<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
Imagine... you are 5 hours into a 9 hour drive. The kids are cranky. The wife is cranky. The husband, being the hero that he is, sees a sign for a farm and restaurant. Without mentioning it he pulls off and parks. That is exactly how we landed at Apple Holler. He claims we were hangry. I believe him, that's a real thing in this household.<br />
<br />
We walk into this cute little place. I feel like I've time hopped back into the 90's and landed in hillbilly Timbuktu. When you first walk in you see a cute country store with baked goods, jams, pies and souvenirs. The waiters are dressed in overalls. Everything is dark and every surface is made of wood.<br />
<br />
Our young waiter is overly happy and seems helpful. We ask him what's good. He tells us their burger that's stuffed with apples and topped with cheese is great so we order that with a side of onion strings. We ordered our little girls home made macaroni and cheese. We wanted to try a pie so we decided one burger and ask that the pie comes out at the same time.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oJ3jeZVoyb_18qbmq5_o2loOZMGTKwwWp77huYaxX0pHQ4fTWnxaEOQt79SDRXnxnmWXMFWWrfMDXJtp_GnssfmbEQoOIkaHizFeaPcEBTTX3wrXMPbRxIasbkUe0gz6zn7809tzUuWO/s1600/thumb+%25289%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0oJ3jeZVoyb_18qbmq5_o2loOZMGTKwwWp77huYaxX0pHQ4fTWnxaEOQt79SDRXnxnmWXMFWWrfMDXJtp_GnssfmbEQoOIkaHizFeaPcEBTTX3wrXMPbRxIasbkUe0gz6zn7809tzUuWO/s320/thumb+%25289%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
The waiter comes back with water and gives us 2 straws for the 4 of us. Next he brings our food. He forgets the pie. We eat our food. The burger was good but there is absolutely no sign of apple anywhere. Either they gave us the wrong burger or their apple stuffed burger has one microscopic apple piece in it. Not sure. It was also under cooked. But! The cheese was good and so were the onions. The girls loved their noodles.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEdQvgglzkp-6exzhC3X4FfCAFR7ABCuAD_uM-2rd-KaXAt11ZmVMPnuY63RvZxh0-X6PPFVOHsT6LIjcS1vASAsW4J50vVw2JFjo_iTAgMcOJcjy6RGp4znc07FDlD3TVw-OQnPUNL8R/s1600/thumb+%252810%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqEdQvgglzkp-6exzhC3X4FfCAFR7ABCuAD_uM-2rd-KaXAt11ZmVMPnuY63RvZxh0-X6PPFVOHsT6LIjcS1vASAsW4J50vVw2JFjo_iTAgMcOJcjy6RGp4znc07FDlD3TVw-OQnPUNL8R/s320/thumb+%252810%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
We wait and wait, as we still have 4 hours left on the road with tired kids. We keep waiting. We all take potty breaks. Finally! The waiter comes back and tells us he'll bring our pie. Great... not really the time now buddy. What feels like 10 minutes longer he comes and tells us they don't have any more apple pie and asks if this other flavor (cheery?) will do. We declined. We wanted it with our dinner and by then it was time to get back on the road. <br />
<br />
The front is so cute we did take time to take some photos. The farm would have been fun but it was closed.<br />
<br />
Overall, I'd not hesitate to check this place out if I were you. I'd just be sure you know it's not a stop into an average diner. You'll be here a while but it's kind of fun.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA53SW0SdWShXANkRsFSKZhtdHqn46tt9EshzFLbMas7bDcm1O779JjQX1LHBD9jeLiA78h7kHMoCQiwPJ3qD4jFQBwPR-BZR2ZzZWOZTImN0_4tw_CKm1ZM-4rXRWUDkylkCCQiAr7kY/s1600/thumb+%252813%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbA53SW0SdWShXANkRsFSKZhtdHqn46tt9EshzFLbMas7bDcm1O779JjQX1LHBD9jeLiA78h7kHMoCQiwPJ3qD4jFQBwPR-BZR2ZzZWOZTImN0_4tw_CKm1ZM-4rXRWUDkylkCCQiAr7kY/s320/thumb+%252813%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/milwaukee/apple-holler-sturtevant" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Apple Holler, Sturtevant and other Restaurants in Milwaukee"><img alt="Apple Holler Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17178551/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-13191884305778307292015-11-17T13:56:00.005-05:002024-01-03T07:51:20.595-05:00Fricano's<div style="text-align: center;">
I dislike writing negative reviews. I wish I could just write positive reviews but, that's not what critiquing is about. When we moved to West Michigan, we had a few people tell us to try Fricano's. I love pizza and Fricano's is on the lake so I thought this would be a special night out. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't think I can even begin to express how disappointed I was with our Fricano's experience. To put it nicely, Totino's Party Pizza is better. <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
First of all, our waitress greets us by asking "What will you have?". We looked at her confused. We explain that we have no way of knowing what they serve as we received no menus. She explains that they only have 5 toppings and one size pizza so they have no menu. At this point we don't know how much or how big a pizza is. How much would it cost to have this information printed onto a little place card to set on the tables? <br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
So Fricano's only offers 5 toppings. You can choose from sausage, peperoni, anchovies, green peppers or mushrooms. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We tried a sausage and mushroom pizza and a peperoni pizza. The peperoni here is fine. It seems like a good quality pepperoni. The sausage too seemed to be pretty decent. I was really shocked and disgusted by the canned mushrooms. Maybe it's a Michigan, thing but I've never been to a restaurant that serves canned mushrooms. I wish they'd use fresh!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I especially didn't like the crust. It may just be a tortilla. I don't know, but it's not a good pizza crust.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I am so sorry Fricano's and Fricano's lovers. </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Oh, the one positive... the view is wonderful!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/muskegon-mi/fricanos-muskegon-lake-muskegon" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Fricano's Muskegon Lake, Muskegon and other Restaurants in Muskegon"><img alt="Fricano's Muskegon Lake Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17519492/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
ColoradoCriticshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05532638442623645104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-79198686124044955312015-08-15T15:17:00.000-04:002015-08-15T17:58:17.491-04:00PizzaRev<div style="text-align: center;">
Colorado's 1st <span style="font-size: large;"><b>PizzaRev</b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
With the revolution of pizza transforming to fast casual dinning PizzaRev is a great addition to the pie.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrMK640fJhRFpaMExVS56nefqMo891DRobwydMeWoADQ99v5qyuAgZ686ZKpjjCKMmzBqhIdwvbz2JjQcF5UuTWZ91hiQv44p185QfyvxZ0iMZf0J7RiJKMYl2rZTdEplp2gg_mdyW6Xa/s1600/DSC_0569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNrMK640fJhRFpaMExVS56nefqMo891DRobwydMeWoADQ99v5qyuAgZ686ZKpjjCKMmzBqhIdwvbz2JjQcF5UuTWZ91hiQv44p185QfyvxZ0iMZf0J7RiJKMYl2rZTdEplp2gg_mdyW6Xa/s320/DSC_0569.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
As the first PizzaRev opens it's doors in Boulder, Colorado we had the privilege of experiencing its revolutionary speed. With its slogan of "Craft Your Own" you truly can get the exact pizza you desire. They have around 35 fresh toppings to decorate you roman style thin crust and a choice of red, white and bbq sauce. PizzaRev has hit the market of fast fresh personalized pizzas. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuIe5qzicQZa5_FAoqwx0jup2p-p4FI2-P6d-7RnoApuGVZPJD_WUbXHAO63T7QWkZ2ykSKhdGS0cyat7aBKWzNTsBc3ES76GLgBZ3gKtD3pYk55bti3qeJzIvweuphVL5j11R1srsMfr/s1600/DSC_0565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzuIe5qzicQZa5_FAoqwx0jup2p-p4FI2-P6d-7RnoApuGVZPJD_WUbXHAO63T7QWkZ2ykSKhdGS0cyat7aBKWzNTsBc3ES76GLgBZ3gKtD3pYk55bti3qeJzIvweuphVL5j11R1srsMfr/s320/DSC_0565.JPG" width="320" /></a>We got one pizza from the menu and the other one we crafted with our own genius. The first pizza was Fennel & Sausage (olive oil, all-natural Italian cheese, ricotta, sweet fennel sausage, and fennel seeds). This one was chosen for it's oddity, if PizzaRev can make the oddest sounding pizza on their menu taste good then they should have no issue with more traditional pizzas, and they did not let us down. Choosing from one of the 8 preset pizzas is definitely the easiest option, just say which one you would like and walk to the end to await your freshly fire baked pizza.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUNh5z1PS6sL25_E6DMFHqcmsTjXAqfvdT4-OPCjV2f1dTgrF1BuCA8_HHqihqynLyMsshjipWy7o7gmLBL9fw2_eAFEC-n7s0uLwgwZODCz-C1BDEtB3FY3K-d7V-y9hDw23qZ4zOqYR/s1600/DSC_0570.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaUNh5z1PS6sL25_E6DMFHqcmsTjXAqfvdT4-OPCjV2f1dTgrF1BuCA8_HHqihqynLyMsshjipWy7o7gmLBL9fw2_eAFEC-n7s0uLwgwZODCz-C1BDEtB3FY3K-d7V-y9hDw23qZ4zOqYR/s200/DSC_0570.JPG" width="133" /></a>For those more adventurous souls you can chose to walk down the path of options, options and more options. Thus able to create either a master-pie or a monster-pie. Our second pizza was crafted, and of course a master-pie. First the thin crust pizza was lightly covered with a white ranch soon to be sprinkled with Italian and Feta cheese. The meat came on as grilled chicken and crispy bacon. Next came the large options of veggies and herbs: spinach, green peppers, onions, and garlic were all added to the master-pie. After all off the choices were chosen into the furnace it had to go. This gives you time to go choose from the drinks, one of those fancy touch screen flavor adding beverage machines. My cup was only halfway full by the time they called my name to pick up my pizza, so as far as quickness goes, they got my vote. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The seating is a standard fast food seating and was in excellent condition. We sat down and thoroughly enjoyed our single serving pizzas. The pizzas were quickly made and in our possession. The crust was wonderfully crispy and the toppings warm and flavorful, especially because you can get exactly what you want. The nice thing being that you can always improve your recipe the next, and next, and next time you go.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
PizzaRev has an Oreo dessert pizza as well, however the texture was a little powdery and was sweet but not quite dessert sweet. However, it was plenty good enough for us to devour. </div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAxrm0ZNpQ6_6u4HROt6gNzEzGLpmbEc1N10GES7RJ8-PSA_CpF5Tza0RfqAKqFSxPNewdiXZj58_N7xvXbqRy-k7g-bHhKN7SFo8LrL5mibAfH_jwdEg4ocdTqVJ5XSnzZCbk_QmdFO2/s1600/DSC_0568.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicAxrm0ZNpQ6_6u4HROt6gNzEzGLpmbEc1N10GES7RJ8-PSA_CpF5Tza0RfqAKqFSxPNewdiXZj58_N7xvXbqRy-k7g-bHhKN7SFo8LrL5mibAfH_jwdEg4ocdTqVJ5XSnzZCbk_QmdFO2/s400/DSC_0568.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Droverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438189902410127019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-57347572545595430042015-06-27T12:11:00.000-04:002016-01-01T00:28:35.350-05:00Toast 'N Jams<br />
I will start off by stating that I will be back to give Toast 'N Jam a second chance. To be fair, rumor has it that the chef was out on the day I went in and tried to enjoy a nice breakfast with my family. <br />
<br />
I ordered the Strawberry Cheesecake pancakes. I've heard they are amazing! I love strawberries. I love cheesecake and I expected this dish to be a good combination of both. What I got was some pancakes that were fine. The topping was the awful though. It was a foam that literally tasted like freezer burn with a hint of banana. The first flavor that hit my mouth was actually banana. I'm not picky! We were in the middle of moving and I was starving. I couldn't even get myself to eat these.<br />
<br />
I understand it's a little mean to post a review of a restaurant on their bad day. You know what though? It's also mean to open shop when you can't preform well. It's rude to expect your customers to pay full price for food that isn't what it should be. In my opinion, that isn't very good customer service. Shut down for the day or hire a substitute cook that can do a good job. <br />
<br />
Don't worry Toast 'N Jam. I will gladly give you a second chance and update my review. I have high hopes though and I hope and pray I will not be let down a second time.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.zomato.com/muskegon-mi/toast-n-jams-muskegon" target="_blank" title="View Menu, Reviews, Photos & Information about Toast 'N Jams, Muskegon and other Restaurants in Muskegon"><img alt="Toast 'N Jams Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato" src="https://www.zomato.com/logo/17519676/biglink" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0; width: 200px;" /></a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-82368532315836911972015-05-29T15:34:00.000-04:002015-05-29T14:23:35.208-04:00Pasta Jay's at Lone Tree<div style="text-align: left;">
Beating the rush is an excellent endeavor, and generally well worth it! It's a grueling pain to wait in line as your stomach rumbles and you see countless others eating away. We were thus so privileged when we arrived at Pasta Jay's in Lone Tree. We arrived quarter after 5 to a "calm" Italian restaurant but left a bustling scene with a line of people waiting for food.<br />
<br /></div>
Another advantage of showing up early is their daily happy hour in which many of their scrumptious meals are half the price! Always a good thing. We sat down to a red and white checkered cloth and under an arch of brick, feeling as though we were no longer in a Denver suburb. Cups of water were brought along with a PITCHER of water. I always jump for joy when I discover another restaurant which brings me the pitcher. As an avid water drinker I have only found a few places that can keep my cup full, and a pitcher will definitely stay the drought.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8JtYQRNsxDSzPIaFqMaDsMmrG8IznGxFFfbxdFxk0ruLznuIjJ_g2KPzTTNPyQ1XeIh9w133GIMGJe6zsXaEtyyNOZi7gnndNlL8U8jaCZbBUNLdDY4nodkmycTNqaQELrwb964-EjwT/s1600/IMG_20150515_173819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS8JtYQRNsxDSzPIaFqMaDsMmrG8IznGxFFfbxdFxk0ruLznuIjJ_g2KPzTTNPyQ1XeIh9w133GIMGJe6zsXaEtyyNOZi7gnndNlL8U8jaCZbBUNLdDY4nodkmycTNqaQELrwb964-EjwT/s320/IMG_20150515_173819.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Our waiter, Jordan, comes and tantalizes our taste buds as she describes the daily specials and lets us in on a little secret that is not on the menu. The description wins us over and Beth chooses the Jalapeno Stuffed Ravioli and I chose their Florentine Pizza.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIZRGbC03WUrOYIoWbPrIeKQd6TR5zNNO51_ROwUdhlDIwuN-kIDRM_Pos7pKt-XNcyp419B1b_OG_4Ao5eZKj8qtktshuqKZKusTOesRI_XPpGXCKUruOvS-bObQW2fXS3oGP2bH845G/s1600/IMG_20150515_175214.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzIZRGbC03WUrOYIoWbPrIeKQd6TR5zNNO51_ROwUdhlDIwuN-kIDRM_Pos7pKt-XNcyp419B1b_OG_4Ao5eZKj8qtktshuqKZKusTOesRI_XPpGXCKUruOvS-bObQW2fXS3oGP2bH845G/s320/IMG_20150515_175214.jpg" title="" width="320" /></a>The pizza is made with the traditional thin and crispy crust, an alfredo sauce, chicken, fresh baby spinach and black olives. I X'ed the black olives, because those do not taste good, and added some scrumptious roasted garlic. They readily accepted the change in menu and showed that they are flexible and an easy restaurant to eat at. The crust was a little too cooked on the outer edge, it being black, but surprisingly still tasted great. The pizza was good and I'm glad I got the lower price during happy hour.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29ALDTxw9XRqeIoDbIf8U5rMrXssYB9xRqde4FCkWeQ2959nz8bEDeUIi7N4FnfalPlFfSLiEcxus0Ff9Z-78IQrGBPi1zneCTcdA6cLKvdwN57UWIRSTWVvNd-3xhV4q06-M_OXvTvzW/s1600/IMG_20150515_175144.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg29ALDTxw9XRqeIoDbIf8U5rMrXssYB9xRqde4FCkWeQ2959nz8bEDeUIi7N4FnfalPlFfSLiEcxus0Ff9Z-78IQrGBPi1zneCTcdA6cLKvdwN57UWIRSTWVvNd-3xhV4q06-M_OXvTvzW/s320/IMG_20150515_175144.jpg" width="320" /></a>The Stuffed Ravioli was exceptionally amazing. With the ravioli smothered in Pasta Jay's famous marinara sauce, multiple types of cheese and the peppers being that perfect spice with out burning your mouth off, I endorse it. Worth going back at any time, even if those lines are long.<br />
<br />
For our dessert we ordered Tiramisu and cannoli. And for once my order was better then Beth's. I got the tiramisu which was good and light with a superb flavor. The chocolate dressing was at a slight variance to the flavor of the tiramisu but I just ate it without dip it in the excess dressing and was thoroughly "picked up". The cannoli, Beth's favorite, had an excellently deep fried crisp shell but the cream was a little too grainy due to the much added cinnamon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEPFGsOdCcsX45Yrx1uw-m00LYFZqzeCx_1PZRNkA4NJTCXL99HmmuqF9ZJFR99m9ufgR1vzMIrDiqfgRhykigv4KF1wZMqaiXeON03YtZHxgObFRDwUdvRJBN0Aer8zb2kXmy3qhehEA/s1600/IMG_20150515_183432.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFEPFGsOdCcsX45Yrx1uw-m00LYFZqzeCx_1PZRNkA4NJTCXL99HmmuqF9ZJFR99m9ufgR1vzMIrDiqfgRhykigv4KF1wZMqaiXeON03YtZHxgObFRDwUdvRJBN0Aer8zb2kXmy3qhehEA/s200/IMG_20150515_183432.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOTP6K4M-XPo3Ect2vpzyrvkkn_9VUCpOcPi0Nk1-_5UkRL3Jg-312Bfg4QWw4hT5El45uj5mRxksBjDJuqbxHJgmZbpl17vguzMSTgeMcv7-QL_7qFh3w1cS0zRGBXYHL8sPh92O4_q8/s1600/IMG_20150515_183213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFOTP6K4M-XPo3Ect2vpzyrvkkn_9VUCpOcPi0Nk1-_5UkRL3Jg-312Bfg4QWw4hT5El45uj5mRxksBjDJuqbxHJgmZbpl17vguzMSTgeMcv7-QL_7qFh3w1cS0zRGBXYHL8sPh92O4_q8/s200/IMG_20150515_183213.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
Jordan, our waiter, was exceptional, truly the best of the whole lot at Pasta Jay's in Lone Tree. She was truly honest! A great quality, one sometimes lacking in waiters.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1424089/restaurant/Denver/Pasta-Jays-Lone-Tree" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pasta Jay's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1424089/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Droverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438189902410127019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-8778487469468937562015-05-29T14:21:00.001-04:002015-11-18T11:38:17.979-05:00Handsome HenrysI had heard a few people mention Handsome Henry's. I didn't know it was a pizza place, nor did I know it was within a mile of where I was currently staying. Most importantly, I didn't know just how amazing <a href="http://www.handsomehenrys.com/#/" target="_blank">Handsom Henry's</a> would be or I would have been all over this place!<br />
<br />
A couple weeks into our stay, I finally made it to Handsome Henry's. We were seated at a squishy little center table. I hate center tables. They shouldn't even exist. Booths are so much easier and a lot more comfortable. Anyway, I wasn't pleased with our seats.<br />
<br />
Our waitress came out and got our drink order in a timely fashion. She quickly returned with drinks. My little girl's drink was in one of those cups you get to take home that came with a lid and the waitress made the coolest little design with the extra long curly straw. Simple details like that seriously win me over!<br />
<br />
We ordered and waited the perfect amount of time for our food. I ordered the Crab Rangoon pizza. My husband got the Sirloin Steak pizza. <br />
<br />
I usually write about my favorite item last but the Crab Rangoon pizza was SO amazing I have to write about it first. Imagine heaven in your mouth. There you have it. Crab Rangoon Pizza. Not good enough? Ok... Crab Rangoon pizza is a pizza made with "<small id="item-description">Garlic cream cheese, imitation crab, green onions, mozzarella, crispy wonton strips and sweet chili glaze".</small> If you love crab wontons like I do, you will die. This is basically a giant pizza version of a crab wonton. The creamy sauce is outstanding. The subtle crab flavor adds a uniqueness but fun edge to pizza and the sweet chili glaze as a final touch makes this pizza<i> thee</i> very best pizza that I have ever eaten in my life. Now to be fair, it's hardly "pizza" but I don't care. This is my favorite food. Numero uno. Best food I've ever put in my mouth. That's how good it is. Just a warning, it's incredibly rich. I could only eat once piece before I had to steal my second and third slices from my family to make up for all the goodness of this creamy, sweet dish. I'm afraid this pizzas only downfall is that you really can't eat this as a meal. I'm afraid of the painful stomach ache that would follow.<br />
<br />
The Sirloin Steak Pizza was almost as delicious. The biggest difference here is that you can actually consume a few slices of this one without feeling sick. The Sirloin pizza is made with "<small id="item-description">Sliced tender sirloin steak, tomato sauce, chopped green peppers, sweet onions and diced tomato topped with provolone cheese". </small>The steak pieces are good size and good quality. The sauce wasn't actually tomato sauce as they claim however. It's half tomato sauce half BBQ. I think that's not only a creative idea but I thought it was pretty great tasting too. My husband really isn't a fan of sweets though so he was off put by that and was pretty frustrated that the menu didn't state that. Don't let that deter you though. This is an excellent pizza! As I said, the meat is divine, the sweet onions are perfect the tomatoes add the perfect touch of acidity to the mix.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/228/1661153/restaurant/Handsome-Henrys-Muskegon" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Handsome Henrys on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1661153/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-81216300596812179162015-05-29T10:49:00.001-04:002015-11-18T11:38:33.900-05:00Mr Scrib's PizzaMy family and I just moved from Denver to Michigan on what we are calling our 3 year vacation. We're here for work and are already falling in love. We have heard that locals hold strong opinions in regards to pizza so naturally as food bloggers, we ventured out and tried a few different joints as soon as we had the chance. Mr Scrib's was the second we tried.<br />
<br />
We drove up to this particular location and were shocked and excited to see a drive through! A drive through pizza shop! Are you kidding me?! How neat! The lady at the window was very friendly and kind. She explained how things work, for example... you order at the window and go away for a while till your pizza is ready. Once it is ready you drive back up to the window. You can pay when you order or when you pick up, your choice.<br />
<br />
We ordered a pizza for us and a pizza for the kids. Ours had sausage and peppers. The kids' had pepperoni. I wasn't very impressed with the pizza until I snuck a bite of the pepperoni. That one was pepperoni and cheese perfection. The cheese was the perfect consistency. The pepperoni was bursting with savory flavor. It put our bland, boring sausage pizza to shame. No pizza should be bland or boring. Needless to say, if we go back we'll be sticking to the basic and simple pepperoni. More than likely though, we won't be back.<br />
<br />
I like to add a link to restaurants websites but looks like they forgot to renew their domain. Oops!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/228/1098359/restaurant/Mr-Scribs-Pizza-Muskegon" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Mr Scrib's Pizza on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1098359/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-37898246308860476572015-05-21T22:59:00.000-04:002015-05-29T00:54:17.950-04:00Voodoo DoughnutI am pretty sure that my husband is the only person I've ever met who
doesn't love doughnuts. The deep fried, sickly sweet dessert is too
delicious for <i>me</i> to not love. While I've never had a Krispy
Kreme, eating a warm fresh Krispy Kreme doughnut is on my bucket list. I've heard that's as good as it gets in the doughnut world.<br />
When I heard that Voodoo was opening a store in Denver I pinched myself
to make sure I wasn't dreaming. As a Portland native and Colorado
transplant it was too good to be true. I actually haven't been to Voodoo
in Portland but have always wanted to. I was SO EXCITED to
have the infamous Voodoo Doughnut shop come this way.<br />
We avoid crowds so we waited till just recently to go waste time standing in line for an extremely overpriced doughnut. My husband
was not thrilled to say the least but he's supportive and tagged along
anyway. We parked a few blocks away as suggested. Part of
the experience is to check the back lot and watch naive people's cars
get towed away. If you think you are above getting towed from "the back
lot" you are foolish. There were boots and tow trucks galore.<br />
We got into line and people watched. We, in our late twenties, were the
second or third oldest group in the line of about 100 people. The guy a
few people ahead of us was one of the very few that was older than us
and he happened to be on speaker with his teenage daughter asking her
what it was she wanted. Even he was fetching doughnuts for someone
younger than I. Point is, this is certainly a shop who's marketing
screams at the young crowd.<br />
I loved the duck tape wall art. The decor and environment was fun. The
line took a bit more than half an hour on a random Thursday night. I was
so sure that would have been the least busy time to go and yet we still
had to wait a long time. My husband and I are 98%
sure they contribute to the long, slow lines. Sure there are a ton of customers but the cashiers just go painfully slow. Once we got to the
counter the man just folded boxes for a while before taking our order.
There were already dozens and dozens of folded boxes and yet he felt the need to
fold a few more before helping us. We told him what we wanted and he
went and grabbed one at a time and very casually placed them in our box.<br />
So, finally... the doughnuts! If you're like me you've heard that they
are average. They are just over hyped doughnuts famous for their quirky
thyme. Wrong. The Voodoo doughnut is actually really good! The raspberry
filling was amazing. The dough was great. The pretzel soggy. Ew. The
frosting was excellent. Overall an amazing doughnut!<br />
The bacon maple bar is like $3. In my opinion it was dry, bland and the
bacon was kind of gross. I never in my wildest dreams I'd ever put gross
and bacon in the same sentence.<br />
If you want to have your socks knocked off, order a fritter. We tried
the apple fritter. Oh. My. Word. SO GOOD! It's deep fried. the glaze is
perfectly sticky while the luscious apple pieces and add a pop of flavor
making it impossible to put the fritter down. This pastry is absolute
perfection. It is worth standing in line for.<br />
<br />
The cake doughnuts are average. You could might as well go get a store
bought doughnut. These are what you would get if you ask for the Voodoo
dozen or whatever the box deal is. It looks like a good deal but it's
not. You don't get the good stuff. It's better to just order fewer of
what you actually want.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1760591/restaurant/City-Park/Voodoo-Doughnut-Denver" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Voodoo Doughnut on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1760591/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-87804113311007078202015-05-13T11:24:00.001-04:002015-05-13T13:47:50.285-04:00Timberline Grill at Ameristar in Black Hawk, Co<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1">The clang of slot machines, the flipping of cards, and the low drum of hundreds of people talking permeates the air as you enter the Ameristar Casino in Blackhawk. But there is relief, a little get away, a mountain lodge of serenity built as a beautiful timber frame lodge with slated wood walls. It offers a cozy fire place to absorb warmth by and there is excellent food to enjoy. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="s1">It is the <span style="font-size: x-large;">Timberline Grill</span>!</span></div>
</div>
<div class="p1">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAleAaZHdId3E_Y0aw8r06BpywXO3usOsHB9DYt17TkSVAUtDVPyQIt_lPSHMisnYdMQYKYUAJ79j5rKeQBwaVoR0Rdzi6-E4NzVkLPc1SYaDBA1zOupmHXfuB2m8RkLs6hXL8vSAhl7Ix/s320/36_1ameristar_20_abh_timberline_grill.jpg" width="320" /></div>
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Chef Philippe Georges has recently upgraded the menu to incorporate the ideal of grow local. They have partnered with local dairies to bring in their expert cheeses. They use Colorado raised lamb, trout from our very own Rocky Mountains, and choice aged beef.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvr6wDS6-5faDzRjOQnOX0oxU1iMR9S6X5tC_EQ7L48igUy7KF2LkgDFkiJZePxaocOqAT9BH7AUinrQdbLk5S_LNmKnIN4SY-sps54TgMINC6OscEOg8Ig5YE1oRgj2CFXQ4VSQjvNRC/s1600/appitizer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvr6wDS6-5faDzRjOQnOX0oxU1iMR9S6X5tC_EQ7L48igUy7KF2LkgDFkiJZePxaocOqAT9BH7AUinrQdbLk5S_LNmKnIN4SY-sps54TgMINC6OscEOg8Ig5YE1oRgj2CFXQ4VSQjvNRC/s1600/appitizer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuvr6wDS6-5faDzRjOQnOX0oxU1iMR9S6X5tC_EQ7L48igUy7KF2LkgDFkiJZePxaocOqAT9BH7AUinrQdbLk5S_LNmKnIN4SY-sps54TgMINC6OscEOg8Ig5YE1oRgj2CFXQ4VSQjvNRC/s320/appitizer.jpg" width="320" /></a><span class="s1">We had the privilege of trying a sampler of their appetizers. A plate full of <i>Jumbo Shrimp</i>, <i>Smoked Trout Mousse</i>, <i>Crab Aspic,</i> and <i>Lobster Salad</i>. The <i>Jumbo Shrimp</i> were too jumbo for Beth, as after three bites half was still left, but that very fact made them perfect for me. They were LARGE shrimp with just the right amount of sauce, full flavor and good texture. The <i>Smoked Trout Mousse</i> was smoked! It was heavily smoked, which producing a rich flavor to the mousse, complemented well with the horseradish foam, and the roasted beets made it stand out. If you love a smoked flavor, get it! If you don’t, go for the shrimp. The <i>Crab Aspic</i> (a gelatin) was rejected by Beth due to her years in Russia and a bad experience with K</span><span class="s2">holodets. I found it intriguing. It was of a good softness and was well presented but had a dull flavor.</span><span class="s1"> The <i>Lobster Salad</i> with an avocado base had me on edge at first. As I put it in my mouth it felt chunky but then the flavors combined into a melody of deliciousness, especially with the accompanying bread. It was a good portion and filling. </span></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUtGcx95QBcSRDf-hQD7sqNoggCwm4kmDGYaeNUqn1F0J5G9EzMp4893ncPp_oyg-gHYg-GVzsa42Le0Ir3wBD0UGQC3jLfXnmzHTzZgh_XI2KiI6_QJ7oN7O7CI3W54XyonSBVXOwjIy/s1600/lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUtGcx95QBcSRDf-hQD7sqNoggCwm4kmDGYaeNUqn1F0J5G9EzMp4893ncPp_oyg-gHYg-GVzsa42Le0Ir3wBD0UGQC3jLfXnmzHTzZgh_XI2KiI6_QJ7oN7O7CI3W54XyonSBVXOwjIy/s1600/lamb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQUtGcx95QBcSRDf-hQD7sqNoggCwm4kmDGYaeNUqn1F0J5G9EzMp4893ncPp_oyg-gHYg-GVzsa42Le0Ir3wBD0UGQC3jLfXnmzHTzZgh_XI2KiI6_QJ7oN7O7CI3W54XyonSBVXOwjIy/s200/lamb.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3Whu8kyadzXMae5oGO0edqML_YyU7Nxz7anlxj_aIhNBtQ-eiYgmKnW8CNYSFdNsgTvCxSfF_bJSazBMw1Aj8eY2JOj0OUI0iiklRH-KKYK0aPoSWB-aAZ6VOWRMV46ZvTUszNS37Mae/s1600/salmon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG3Whu8kyadzXMae5oGO0edqML_YyU7Nxz7anlxj_aIhNBtQ-eiYgmKnW8CNYSFdNsgTvCxSfF_bJSazBMw1Aj8eY2JOj0OUI0iiklRH-KKYK0aPoSWB-aAZ6VOWRMV46ZvTUszNS37Mae/s200/salmon.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1"><br />After filling ourselves most of the way with the appetizers we began studying the menu. I concluded on getting the <i>Rack of Colorado Lamb</i> as I was intrigued by the combination of lavender, honey, and roasted garlic. Beth settled on the <i>Cedar Plank Skuna Bay Salmon</i>, again due to the combination of a whiskey maple butter sauce. The lamb was arrayed nicely in the center of the plate with the honey artistically drizzled. The salmon came served on the cedar plank with a wrapped lemon and a jar of the whiskey maple butter. Beth was delighted to see the sauce come in a jar, as it calmed her worry of having to ration the sauce. The lamb was cooked exactly as I asked and Beth (a non lamb liker) said it was the best lamb she has had and actually asked for another bite. The sauce was plentiful and good and the lamb tasty, but I wouldn’t go back solely for the lamb. The salmon on the other hand was exquisite and worth any trip. The only bad thing was that it was hard for me to get more as I was sitting on the opposite side of the table and Beth was standing guard. </span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisI_aC3cPyO_zLywBon5ldZClZ3oJiVpBhzSyAaFMQtyCtjbPUWZQAzEeOhhx6Sz_10vojSnxwdZogQAFp8r9Jt4YvWCyGZ_WqXRchA_M-cG0_zGuM5S7o06RZA3bq56OVvHbI7mWGWSMq/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisI_aC3cPyO_zLywBon5ldZClZ3oJiVpBhzSyAaFMQtyCtjbPUWZQAzEeOhhx6Sz_10vojSnxwdZogQAFp8r9Jt4YvWCyGZ_WqXRchA_M-cG0_zGuM5S7o06RZA3bq56OVvHbI7mWGWSMq/s200/cake.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="s1"><br /></span>
<span class="s1">The dessert was a <i>Chocolate Blackout Cake</i> drizzled with raspberry flavoring and backed with a chocolate crisp. It did not look restaurant made nevertheless is was scrumptious and amply big enough to fill any chocolate lovers needs. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNd6tecJGwKXXZRV64aUmjtk-EoCiZRCAWndpYDtu-ZdGZo47azeFYYQVL704vKDVlBNscEEkSq7ltsisqx4JXnNUacO7JAXtZpds8zSApCdou80Iuri3j7yKTOGfBLK6Z9Atn-kD4W74/s1600/Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNd6tecJGwKXXZRV64aUmjtk-EoCiZRCAWndpYDtu-ZdGZo47azeFYYQVL704vKDVlBNscEEkSq7ltsisqx4JXnNUacO7JAXtZpds8zSApCdou80Iuri3j7yKTOGfBLK6Z9Atn-kD4W74/s1600/Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNd6tecJGwKXXZRV64aUmjtk-EoCiZRCAWndpYDtu-ZdGZo47azeFYYQVL704vKDVlBNscEEkSq7ltsisqx4JXnNUacO7JAXtZpds8zSApCdou80Iuri3j7yKTOGfBLK6Z9Atn-kD4W74/s1600/Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDNd6tecJGwKXXZRV64aUmjtk-EoCiZRCAWndpYDtu-ZdGZo47azeFYYQVL704vKDVlBNscEEkSq7ltsisqx4JXnNUacO7JAXtZpds8zSApCdou80Iuri3j7yKTOGfBLK6Z9Atn-kD4W74/s200/Bread.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">The service was enjoyable. We were lead by the hostess, who's dress was much too short, to a nice booth. The moment we sat down we had a bowl of bread placed at our table and I do not think my cup of water ever reached half way before it was refilled. Well done! Our server, April, was a delight to talk to and was very genuine. And although she is one of the newest servers (being there only a little over a year) she is one of the best! Ask for her whenever you go!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/101/1493313/restaurant/Colorado/Idaho-Springs/Timberline-Grill-Black-Hawk" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Timberline Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1493313/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Droverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18438189902410127019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-57764357831287657902015-02-14T17:31:00.000-05:002015-02-18T16:56:51.656-05:00Celestial SeasoningsIt may seem odd to post a "review" on a factory but trust me, I'm doing you a favor! I had heard of people touring <a href="http://www.celestialseasonings.com/" target="_blank">Celestial Seasonings</a> which is located in Boulder. I thought it sounded dumb and boring. I am a tea enthusiast and all but I just thought it would be a waste of time. It wasn't until I agreed to go on a triple date that I was talked into going. <br />
<br />
We arrived and went into the front desk to be assigned a tour. The young lady was kind enough to let us run into the tour that was just starting. She gave us our "tickets" which were actually packages of tea. I really liked that! Each tour group gets a different flavor so if you are picky, just ask what flavor you are getting. If you don't want that flavor you can ask what the next tour flavor will be. Each tour is about 30 minutes so they start every half hour as well.<br />
<br />
They have you watch a little video and then hand you a hair net. You head into the factory and get to see how things run. I won't go into detail here because it's hardly exciting and it certainly wouldn't be exciting to read about. <br />
<br />
Once the tour was over the real fun began! We skipped the gift shop and went back into the café, which is where the tour starts. Here they offer FREE samples of every tea they make. I would like to add that "Free Samples" doesn't do it justice. They give you a small mug or cup. You can go to the counter and serve yourself one of the dozen teas that are hot and ready to be sipped OR you can go to the counter and ask to try any of the dozens of teas listed on their menu. They will happily serve you, answer questions, share little tid bits or spout off neat little facts. After you have yourself a glass of tea you can head over to the counter and add whatever you'd like to your cup. They have everything you can imagine! From cream to honey it's all there. Once you have yourself a drink you can sit at a table or couch. They have magazines and newspapers and they sell snacks. There is even a bathroom. They honestly want you to sit and enjoy as many cups of tea as your heart desires. It's heavenly. They won't even look at you funny if you go up for your 10th cup of tea. I know because I did it. I was starting to feel guilty and mentioned it. The lady reassured me that they are happy to give you as much tea as you want! <br />
<br />
At the end of the day it's really a great marketing strategy. I didn't think I'd buy tea after the tour but after drinking about a dozen different varieties I had no choice but to go back to the gift shop to buy a few boxes. <br />
<br />
Whether you are a local or are just here for a visit, I highly recommend you go check this place out! <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1886648/restaurant/Denver/Celestial-Seasonings-Boulder"><img alt="Celestial Seasonings on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1886648/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-54186935218007938942014-09-13T19:10:00.000-04:002015-05-29T14:23:06.396-04:00Frijoles ColoradoWe've never had Cuban food before. The foundation of this blog was built on the fact that we love trying new cuisines and prefer to try out new places rather than constantly visiting a favorite! Well, we were just driving around and saw "Cuban Cuisine" and had to make a stop.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/frijolescolorado" target="_blank">Frijoles</a> is located in a strip of maybe 3 other businesses right off Alameda. The location lead us to believe it would be a little hole in the wall (with hole in the wall pricing). When we walked in, I felt like I was in a little bakery. The atmosphere is simple and the place is on the smaller side. Just a modest little place really.<br />
<br />
The workers greeted us cheerfully! The staff were a happy and friendly bunch and we loved that! We loved it so much we paid close to $10 for each of our sandwiches! Not that Subway is great, but I totally agree with their pricing. A sandwich should be $5! It's a simple food that is cheap to make. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XEan5z1fejs3D7N6fwKwKiPrOesxEpxW7IBOCrZVkB4aje4rQk_jiMVVpku29EZR5JWltGZf4CfgY1PKvBqqG9eJ7kJuzLqJyaRj5khgihsCjyYlrhCiycoaCecN2PIo1D9HRpUnKCHJ/s1600/photo+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9XEan5z1fejs3D7N6fwKwKiPrOesxEpxW7IBOCrZVkB4aje4rQk_jiMVVpku29EZR5JWltGZf4CfgY1PKvBqqG9eJ7kJuzLqJyaRj5khgihsCjyYlrhCiycoaCecN2PIo1D9HRpUnKCHJ/s320/photo+%252812%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
This place has a focus on sandwiches it seems but they do offer plates and a daily special. All dishes are about $10 which really is a good price (especially for the quality). When our sandwiches arived and we took our first bites, we knew this place serves you their best. The quality of the meats was outstanding. We had a Pan Con Bistec (Steak) sandwich. The steak was tender, moist and bursting with flavor. The tomatoes and onions were fresh and beautiful. The potato sticks were unique but added a load of crunch to the sandwich. It was a great sandwich.<br />
<br />
We also tried the El Cubano (Cuban) sandwich. The owner suggested it as one of her favorites so we figured it must be great. It's served on Cuban bread which they make themselves daily! The sandwich also comes with ham, Swiss cheese, pork roast, mustard and pickles.<br />
<br />
I don't know if I could tell you which sandwich was better. They both offered something so different. I loved the panini feel of the Cuban sandwich. It offered that comfort food feel. The steak sandwich was just as amazing but it offered a bold, almost manly meat with potato sticks that bulked the whole thing up and was served on a thicker bread. If you are hungry, I'd suggest going with the steak sandwich for sure!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr7LAMEPOZxVnhuVWeFkBW1Mn1exnL6aNNZ5EHxFBJRz52G2M6APCL8v25Y4KPpzxz5vWnfg71A5_qQiR5vL_wf4esKZ5iOxI71l6KGBECSvLdGv2ik1FOqZrbpcYFFzKGrPb3zMhfZsJ/s1600/photo+(13).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjr7LAMEPOZxVnhuVWeFkBW1Mn1exnL6aNNZ5EHxFBJRz52G2M6APCL8v25Y4KPpzxz5vWnfg71A5_qQiR5vL_wf4esKZ5iOxI71l6KGBECSvLdGv2ik1FOqZrbpcYFFzKGrPb3zMhfZsJ/s320/photo+(13).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Finally, we sampled the Lechon Moro y Yuca plate which 5280 featured in their magazine. This dish offers their "signature pork, rice infused with black beans and yuca and caramelized onions". The cook (also one of the owners) told us this plate is Cuba's fancy traditional Christmas dinner! You know it must be good then, right? It is. The pork was so juicy and tasty! I don't know that I was a fan of the Yuca but that was a texture thing more than anything. As far as the flavors it was nice. Here is the crazy part: the beans and rice were my favorite. They were cooked to perfection. The flavors were simple and I just couldn't get enough. When we go back (because we probably will) I'll be getting my hands on that rice.<br />
<br />
We were way too full to try a dessert but they offer a great selection that they make themselves daily.<br />
<br />
I just loved the staff and the food at Frijoles. It is obvious that they serve quality, home made products and the food is authentic to Cuba. As I said, we don't like to revisit restaurants but this one is so good, we'll be going back.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1624089/restaurant/Denver/Frijoles-Colorado-Cuban-Cafe-Lakewood" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Frijoles Colorado Cuban Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1624089/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-11854493386727993702014-07-31T12:49:00.000-04:002015-02-17T17:40:47.089-05:00Tam's<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My super awesome husband knows that good ol' Americanized Chinese food is my biggest guilty pleasure. He went to A West for a period of time and explained that Tam's has lines out the door at lunch time because the kids love this place! He warned me that it's a major hole in the wall but with it's great Urbanspoon reviews, he thought I should give it a try. Well, like I said, I'm a sucker for Chinese so he didn't need to convince me!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63PB63lE4DapA3FpE0zaaSL-8bMie0TxGxMupFfOeEPqKkw0PhpitnGBMedXU2xGIzfZleWy0uBieSfH-cVieRmgYbA59MjrLgLo8XF1-7RR0Nkm_NO5Sw1CArTJ3OzCjMBPGM6TwlQVw/s1600/20140711_185000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi63PB63lE4DapA3FpE0zaaSL-8bMie0TxGxMupFfOeEPqKkw0PhpitnGBMedXU2xGIzfZleWy0uBieSfH-cVieRmgYbA59MjrLgLo8XF1-7RR0Nkm_NO5Sw1CArTJ3OzCjMBPGM6TwlQVw/s1600/20140711_185000.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We haven't ever had Hong Kong Noodles so we ordered some. It's a dish of wok fried noodles with a brown sauce topped with shrimp, beef, chicken and mixed vegetables. They weren't our favorite of the items we ordered but they were still great! In fact, just thinking about them makes me want more.</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlWIDoU-uPeuhgmmkvdwjZphlgJ93mcz90I7Nlr-hZ4IkXf7SrxD9mmhvVXS7TXrTPCCTQ89Ik284lb02HhieiQ6jJ4LKzRlOijbbrNGkDzPDBvUHTX9GX6uU-qMB3L-eCXJqDrKdHCOd/s1600/20140711_184526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlWIDoU-uPeuhgmmkvdwjZphlgJ93mcz90I7Nlr-hZ4IkXf7SrxD9mmhvVXS7TXrTPCCTQ89Ik284lb02HhieiQ6jJ4LKzRlOijbbrNGkDzPDBvUHTX9GX6uU-qMB3L-eCXJqDrKdHCOd/s1600/20140711_184526.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I think we always order orange chicken. It's a favorite in this house. When I took my first bite I wasn't sure what I was eating. This dish offers a more bitter side of orange than your typical orange chicken. I realized upon my second bite that it's because they actually cook it with real oranges. You have to pick out the rind chunks or you'll bite into a rather unpleasant surprise. I loved the natural, sweet, bitter zip that Tam's Orange Chicken has. It really is a great recipe that left craving more!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I wouldn't normally mention fried rice. I don't like rice and find it to be a filler to compensate for smaller sized portions. At Tam's that is far from the truth. First of all, the portions are so huge that my husband and had leftovers for days! I would estimate that one plate will feed 3 people easy. Second of all, Tam's fried rice is worth eating. It was especially delicious mixed in with the Orange chicken sauce. Oh my word, it was out of this world!</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We thought we ordered a side of giant egg rolls but it appears we actually ordered the Vietnamese Egg Rolls. They weren't giant but they were tasty. I won't order them again though. While they weren't bad, they were the least favorite for both of us.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Fried wontons are an amazing Chinese appetizer that is almost always dipped in a Sweet and Sour sauce. If you order crab wontons from Tam's, you won't be dipping them. These little guys are so packed full of flavor! The crab flavor isn't too strong but it certainly isn't hidden behind the cream cheese. The wontons are hands down the best wontons I've ever had. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Tam's may be a hole in the wall teen age hang out but I don't care. I'll be back! This place deserves the hype and I really hope that Tam's wife (who is now a widow) keeps this place up and running. This is exactly what I imagine when I crave Chinese food.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/215801/restaurant/Denver/Tams-Cantonese-Arvada" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tam's Cantonese on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/215801/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-30597579217111394412014-07-23T12:15:00.001-04:002014-07-25T17:07:27.932-04:00Tommyknockers Brewery<br />
We had my little sister fly in from the Pacific North West recently. We decided to show her around Colorado a bit and ended up at this brewery up in Idaho Springs. We've been told Tommyknockers has some awesome home made soda and we were anxious to give it a try.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhyphenhyphenrtoIj973vABdAcTneMqen5qkJsm2QV9izN3EWYLWBAdXEsOiGLR8Sa5RD4o4sAA2iGXvuBJ75P4zCsuUFIVkD8Of3mXl5_02znMAIahhn3sg_jVOC-8vnvSg_3EF3qZeVg8zPPCZdY/s1600/20140329_162213.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhyphenhyphenrtoIj973vABdAcTneMqen5qkJsm2QV9izN3EWYLWBAdXEsOiGLR8Sa5RD4o4sAA2iGXvuBJ75P4zCsuUFIVkD8Of3mXl5_02znMAIahhn3sg_jVOC-8vnvSg_3EF3qZeVg8zPPCZdY/s1600/20140329_162213.jpg" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
<br />
We ordered one pitcher of their home made root beer. It was great! I am a sucker for home made and unique sodas. I wouldn't drive all the way up here just to try it, but if you're in the area you should certainly stop in and give it a try. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E6kyTjF7k3im15lfkIEUZG_NK2MePANTG939B89_9s69xxO_Wurc_F2sdLxubuFRvhPDUho4wguMSIpAZ1GDD2xpbFPSIeYjtMDSAzt4-7d4dN3EYx4Idn273B1-ejzUAfu_CMubgXYg/s1600/20140329_163859+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4E6kyTjF7k3im15lfkIEUZG_NK2MePANTG939B89_9s69xxO_Wurc_F2sdLxubuFRvhPDUho4wguMSIpAZ1GDD2xpbFPSIeYjtMDSAzt4-7d4dN3EYx4Idn273B1-ejzUAfu_CMubgXYg/s1600/20140329_163859+(1).jpg" height="255" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
We started off with a plate of Motherload Nachos. If you've read many of my posts you may have noticed I am a nacho lover. I often order nachos so I've tried many varieties. These nachos are seriously the greatest nachos in the world. I can guarantee you won't find better nachos in Colorado. The chips are made in house and taste like Doritos. So imagine... Doritos with cheddar cheese, chili con queso, pico de gallo, black beans and a side of guacamole (you pay extra for guac). I can't even explain to you how good these nachos are. They are worth the drive. I promise. <br />
<br />
Now, we may as well just stopped there. We had amazing draft root beer and the best nachos on the planet. Our luck couldn't be better, right? Right! We didn't' really enjoy our meals much. Gary had a burger and I had their pesto chicken sandwich. Neither are worth mentioning really. If we go again (and we WILL go again) we'll order Nachos all around and pitcher of that home made root beer!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFrFg68DJ2abTyrgPohnlTyez279sMxoqef9gTLkWUzjy-19iTWaTgm2v5ZB-u4fVYBM7C5Aa-8iWH0GIKi0t0rxOC5RQ9E7BiOKc7llcInfMJgo-SjLpitdC1W0LA3ZYXVOdeEd4WoVS/s1600/20140329_163915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJFrFg68DJ2abTyrgPohnlTyez279sMxoqef9gTLkWUzjy-19iTWaTgm2v5ZB-u4fVYBM7C5Aa-8iWH0GIKi0t0rxOC5RQ9E7BiOKc7llcInfMJgo-SjLpitdC1W0LA3ZYXVOdeEd4WoVS/s1600/20140329_163915.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPesOvURhcMoiZl4pNZ75d49TnI93_wTRBAtp29ar9_xHis7t8fiFpBNsdaHokQWILE3llLhdmUqU_dcoaGGHpWf1-Ko8sRJkjgokYXw7ELEixgzo-AJnZhA97TYZ5xJMsx1pjTIQh-py/s1600/20140329_163907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPesOvURhcMoiZl4pNZ75d49TnI93_wTRBAtp29ar9_xHis7t8fiFpBNsdaHokQWILE3llLhdmUqU_dcoaGGHpWf1-Ko8sRJkjgokYXw7ELEixgzo-AJnZhA97TYZ5xJMsx1pjTIQh-py/s1600/20140329_163907.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/101/1460218/restaurant/Colorado/Tommyknocker-Brewery-Pub-Idaho-Springs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tommyknocker Brewery & Pub on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1460218/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-59782835709767847082014-03-24T14:48:00.001-04:002015-05-28T16:44:27.481-04:00Alamo Drafthouse Cinama<br />
I have a four month old baby and I don't feel comfortable leaving her with the babysitter for extended periods of time. I like to think she would miss me too much or whatever. Gary on the other hand loves date night and he enjoys an outing sans kids. He especially loves to go to dinner and a movie. I love my husband but I'm not willing to leave my baby for 4+ hours. I told him he can pick dinner OR a movie. Anyone who knows Gary knows he likes to find the loopholes. He came to me and said "We're going to The Alamo so we're eating dinner and watching a movie at the same time". He won.<br />
<br />
We read the Alamo's website before going and I'm glad we did! They are a little pretentious. If you don't show up before the show starts, you won't be seated. If you talk or have your cell phone out you'll get one warning before being kicked out. You better not even think about bringing your baby! They aren't allowed. Sounds extreme, right? It actually made for a really enjoyable movie experience! If you are a worried mom like me, leave the Alamo's phone number with your movie and showtime for the sitter. Then you wont worry you're missing a major catastrophe at home.<br />
<br />
So we got there 30 minutes before our show started, just as the website states you should. We sat down and our waiter came over. He explained that you order by writing on the paper provided on your table. I suggest looking at the menu and figuring out what you want before the show starts. My husband and I knew we wanted to share a milk-shake mid show so we found the one we wanted and wrote it down on a paper and held onto it till the middle of the show. It was perfect! We ordered our dinners minutes after arriving. I think they prefer that. After reading so many reviews of people complaining that they didn't get their food till the show was ending, I was shocked to receive both our meals before the movie even started! I'm going to bet, if you show up late and order late you'll get your food really late.<br />
<br />
We shared the Royale with Cheese. It's a burger made of 100% Angus Chuck topped with smoked bacon, red onion, lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese. The burgers all come with a side of chunky fries. I recommend asking for extra ketchup. Gary thought the burger was the best of the things we tried. I thought it was okay.<br />
<br />
We also shared a pizza found on their special/seasonal menu. It was a ranch based pizza topped with chicken and tomatoes... I forgot all the details (sorry). I really hate to be negative but the chicken was the driest chicken I think I've ever had. I found that taking it off and eating the pizza without it made for a pretty decent dish.<br />
<br />
We splurged and ended our night by sharing a Chocolate Chip Cookie Shake. I am so glad we did! I loved that thing. It was so creamy and the crunchy little chunks of cookie were fun. The presentation was lovely. It was topped with whipped cream and a sprinkling of the cookie crumbs. The straw was the fattest straw I've ever seen which was perfect for sucking up cookie chunks.<br />
<br />
So. Overall we loved our experience. What I thought was just pretentious non-sense ended up making for an enjoyable movie experience. I appreciated the quiet and the lack of bright cell phone screens. I was in heaven not worrying about silly teens giggling and kicking my seat behind me. I have no doubt that we'll come here for our movies from now on. Here's what I'll do next time though: I'll order their $6 refillable popcorn. They serve it in a metal bowl and you get refills. Their soda is about $4 and it too comes with free re-fills. For $10 you get endless popcorn and soda brought right to your seat? Yes please! If you drink, they offer beers and wines. They even have "adult milkshakes"! They also have snacks and salads. The selection is perfect!<br />
<br />
One of my favorite things about the Alamo was the pre-show "previews". They weren't your typical previews. They actually were tidbits about the actors that are staring in your movie. It's awesome.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
No phones = no photos this time...</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1740622/restaurant/Denver/Alamo-Drafthouse-Littleton" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Alamo Drafthouse on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1740622/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-43377979826254569862014-03-04T17:55:00.004-05:002014-03-04T23:00:12.636-05:00Marino's Pizzeria<br />
I recently received an email from a reader. The reader explained that he's lived in Chicago and New York and loves both styles of pizza but after a recent trip to Italy he really appreciates a good authentic Italian pizza. As you may have noticed, there are not many authentic pizzerias here in Denver so I was excited to check this place out!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGIUSX1WjrlCt22J5V6syb7_higDTSKGoJYSE3hR1bbSi02jLVJwgjUTV18EPNiZFsVhCLyDPtHy7sZsCpduiWDSqEvCjOiHMIHTYuOMvr1H1yE9b6myPdh6WSw5j0Rt_dz3IZ_OeK9CQ/s1600/20140301_171206.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBGIUSX1WjrlCt22J5V6syb7_higDTSKGoJYSE3hR1bbSi02jLVJwgjUTV18EPNiZFsVhCLyDPtHy7sZsCpduiWDSqEvCjOiHMIHTYuOMvr1H1yE9b6myPdh6WSw5j0Rt_dz3IZ_OeK9CQ/s1600/20140301_171206.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Meet Marino. He's the Italian man tossing a pizza in the picture. He's been in the US for about 9 years. He has an amazing Italian accent and can make an amazing pizza. He decided to follow his dreams by starting this pizzeria just a few short months ago. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuhpXrCyyt704YWHbsRZHtw17JWcS1CW1JP08fFElwHsyQHKJ5eN4-3Fe_lOPYCHvD0pAE7FJb1w-wt-ix9vfapsCVowZKPXeE1ai6iBi3c_sx9hS8souonmlig0RO-VKFEB7icSvuCKs/s1600/20140301_180421.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuhpXrCyyt704YWHbsRZHtw17JWcS1CW1JP08fFElwHsyQHKJ5eN4-3Fe_lOPYCHvD0pAE7FJb1w-wt-ix9vfapsCVowZKPXeE1ai6iBi3c_sx9hS8souonmlig0RO-VKFEB7icSvuCKs/s1600/20140301_180421.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
You know each dish is made with pure love because he himself made the brick oven and makes each pizza with attention to detail. He starts by using 00 flour from Italy. He tosses his dough by hand which is necessary for it to be authentic. If you order a Le Pomodorine (also known as a pizza with tomato sauce) he uses San Marzano tomatoes. The ingredients are what make Marino's pizza exceptional. He only uses the finest. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgXGpUWGosuCxmNHiU_3nHE-JdNs0O6pKm3syhraDooHzE3GOoswKqrWFkoM221qVznmFGKIfawMWfY1IM2fun6njfKlSb0GOnukFJKB7V3typJIyy-jpkyUwRDc6amu5cm_YHgCQKqio/s1600/20140301_172447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCgXGpUWGosuCxmNHiU_3nHE-JdNs0O6pKm3syhraDooHzE3GOoswKqrWFkoM221qVznmFGKIfawMWfY1IM2fun6njfKlSb0GOnukFJKB7V3typJIyy-jpkyUwRDc6amu5cm_YHgCQKqio/s1600/20140301_172447.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
He offered to make us a pizza he had just created! It was a white pizza (using olive oil rather than a tomato sauce) topped with brie, olives, thin sliced potato and a sprinkling of rosemary. While this pizza wasn't my favorite of the two, I am so glad we tried it. The flavors worked well together and it was truly unique. I admire his creativity and ability to create something new. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5v8f9R3dzqlgbZZyTBez5YZ5ER7oG14O0I8CacXbn-4ZvuB67WThNXAQ6YJz6WfzGEewevWLDfYHaWIETzH0ubvxQtl7u6CKd5zJVZcODHtLjywNW5rGzGeF2DEMgO4ceHjUOi5ob7QM/s1600/20140301_172431.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji5v8f9R3dzqlgbZZyTBez5YZ5ER7oG14O0I8CacXbn-4ZvuB67WThNXAQ6YJz6WfzGEewevWLDfYHaWIETzH0ubvxQtl7u6CKd5zJVZcODHtLjywNW5rGzGeF2DEMgO4ceHjUOi5ob7QM/s1600/20140301_172431.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Marino suggested the Salvatore which is a pizza with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella and sausage. We love sausage so we knew this was a good choice. It was awesome! I could instantly see that the sauce was made with quality ingredients. The simplicity of the sauce, the sweet yet savory sausage and the mozzarella made for the perfect pizza. <br />
<br />
One of the things I am always afraid of when eating an authentic brick oven fired pizza is the crust. It's a delicate balance between burnt and crispy and being fully cooked. Marino cooks his pizza to perfection. <br />
<br />
I urge you to go on an adventure and go try this place! It's in an odd location. We thought we were lost in the middle of a subdivision when we finally found it but I'm telling you, it's worth it! I have high hopes for Marino and his new pizzeria. I wish him the best and hope he finds success in following his dream. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ZZYD1rqcVhdmiOaJ4-WXO1ok9euC8cfx7aDHzH-MXzxQ7vcgNteEyntXGmBdlBA1m4y6YWLPAoh2koHhgWxXMRvFUtmm8Eyr5rBum4s9C-Ie9ks6ZJ9YEkoYGT_03EjeWaiuLe6vz_U/s1600/20140301_175118.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ1ZZYD1rqcVhdmiOaJ4-WXO1ok9euC8cfx7aDHzH-MXzxQ7vcgNteEyntXGmBdlBA1m4y6YWLPAoh2koHhgWxXMRvFUtmm8Eyr5rBum4s9C-Ie9ks6ZJ9YEkoYGT_03EjeWaiuLe6vz_U/s1600/20140301_175118.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Oh, and even if you aren't a pizza fan... you're sure to love the Pizzotelle (or pizza balls) that are just pizza dough topped with Nutella and powdered sugar. They also serve wings, calzones and salads. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1798028/restaurant/Denver/Marinos-Littleton"><img alt="Marino's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1798028/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-39319182138814007572013-10-17T17:59:00.001-04:002015-05-29T01:02:28.806-04:00Marcos Coal Fired Pizza<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<br />
Last night my little family of three went out for what may very well be our last family night out before our new arrival. I can't believe I had never heard of Marco's Coal Fired Pizza before this! With hundreds of online reviews you would think I would have at least heard of it. Nope.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZeBvLv4vHQtSHowrjepjlZ7ZCQFTqeGSf2EqwUb7Wmz8Nlvf-KrZWenQ18ChStueBHXyvleE2HdgDsq5l9wiZeyaEiwk9qBfeb-PMLsnMOAmj2HIKF0nrm1Fy8cY0lL3MasrDDm60iAz/s1600/photo+(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdZeBvLv4vHQtSHowrjepjlZ7ZCQFTqeGSf2EqwUb7Wmz8Nlvf-KrZWenQ18ChStueBHXyvleE2HdgDsq5l9wiZeyaEiwk9qBfeb-PMLsnMOAmj2HIKF0nrm1Fy8cY0lL3MasrDDm60iAz/s320/photo+(8).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I found a handful of comments raving about the wings at Marco's we figured we had better try them. I really don't love wings. I'll eat them but I don't find them to be anything special. I expected this to stand true at Marco's yet I was blown away by their wings! The quality of chicken itself was great. They marinate the chicken and it's clear that they use fresh herbs that gives these wings the amazing pop of flavor. As I said, I'm not a wing fan but I would order these again!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuinj9s64tkq1RQTYrbm3K8sqZljth5XX-4tO2doKvth_wndlZkLDEQ6wthzH9r6hijQAvNAo6RrMk9x_0DLg8KaDe_F_BYaihE0cjbp2XLl_1_pGbUOx2OwItDgurP7kEjt3BHynxhvC/s1600/photo+(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjuinj9s64tkq1RQTYrbm3K8sqZljth5XX-4tO2doKvth_wndlZkLDEQ6wthzH9r6hijQAvNAo6RrMk9x_0DLg8KaDe_F_BYaihE0cjbp2XLl_1_pGbUOx2OwItDgurP7kEjt3BHynxhvC/s320/photo+(7).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
My favorite food is pizza so I was extremely excited to try what Marco's has to offer. We ordered a simple Margherita so we could really focus on the quality of the pizza. Gary was instantly impressed (which rarely happens) with the quality of each ingredient. He first commented on the basil. I loved that they had large chunks if not whole leaves of basil on the pizza. The fresh mozzarella was the freshest cheese I've ever had on a pizza. It was all amazing. Gary was bummed that the pizza didn't come with tomatoes on top but he was impressed with the chunky tomato sauce.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_urG_Fjkxt6wlzyBmPaH99bCEbzxmrDZD20uajDjhjCTan-gzR6ks0Ba6TS_T9yGG8J7U-SGdjobrvbDJmX0GNE5XeYG5yVjfj4gTgTjlUic7gjA6QI2utgVmqxA5A63vGLt4QnRAgex/s1600/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_urG_Fjkxt6wlzyBmPaH99bCEbzxmrDZD20uajDjhjCTan-gzR6ks0Ba6TS_T9yGG8J7U-SGdjobrvbDJmX0GNE5XeYG5yVjfj4gTgTjlUic7gjA6QI2utgVmqxA5A63vGLt4QnRAgex/s320/photo+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Now here is where things get serious! We ordered the Pistachio pizza because it sounded unique and we both love pistachios. This pizza comes with a pistachio cream as the base and is then topped with fresh mozzarella and sweet Italian sausage. If any food I've ever tried deserves the title "Best Food Ever" it's hands down Marco's Pistachio Pizza. It's more than worth every calorie, every penny and every second of time you may spend getting your hands on this stuff. As I always say, we prefer trying new places when we do eat out. Marco's Pistachio pizza is worth the return. I can not wait to take another bite of that amazing pizza!<br />
<br />
Marco's clearly offers authentic pizza cooked in their imported fire ovens. I love that you can taste the freshness in their ingredients and even though I may not be an expert in pizza making, I can tell you that their pizza crust is as good as it gets. It's cooked to perfection!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWP5R24DNRFGnRZXGCJtxk847AAQpIU1p_bT8wfjfiiLtjJskycFd4d9ktj6dAjZ67UI79S1eC1y7SXISlKeZ2QUD08yKZ_64MBO9JGwPCCD7aU6pWDcmgNn-Y8I01VmG2-23jWDAxD68/s1600/photo+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWP5R24DNRFGnRZXGCJtxk847AAQpIU1p_bT8wfjfiiLtjJskycFd4d9ktj6dAjZ67UI79S1eC1y7SXISlKeZ2QUD08yKZ_64MBO9JGwPCCD7aU6pWDcmgNn-Y8I01VmG2-23jWDAxD68/s320/photo+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Since their pizza was so good that my husband ate most of it, I had a little room to sample some of their desserts. We started with a Cannoli. I loved the ricotta filled pastry! Once again, I could tell that it was freshly made and had top of the line ricotta inside. So good! I also had a bite of their Tiramisu which as just as good as the Cannoli. The textures were perfect unlike others I've had in the past.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3odPjKIqitmgvPxVHl29sbmtRTi4CRt-MbdoAr9iwj0iU9S6GPtfPHL8CBXZBw1rtS9hPr7ZSuVHwL3JtPhp9tDaFaI85nJzGh3O-vzDYTabHfMF-CoXkqJCFabF0COQxtCUKy1vLP4-/s1600/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf3odPjKIqitmgvPxVHl29sbmtRTi4CRt-MbdoAr9iwj0iU9S6GPtfPHL8CBXZBw1rtS9hPr7ZSuVHwL3JtPhp9tDaFaI85nJzGh3O-vzDYTabHfMF-CoXkqJCFabF0COQxtCUKy1vLP4-/s320/photo+%25284%2529.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
As a seasonal item they are currently serving Panna cotta. We love Panna cotta so of course this was a hit. Just as he did with the pizza, Gary devoured this dessert. He's not a dessert person but this Panna cotta was certainly the exception. The creamy, lightly sweetened creamy treat was amazing.<br />
<br />
I hope I've made it clear just how amazing Marco's Coal Fired Pizza really is. From the service to the food you will only get the highest quality here. I can't wait to go back!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.marcoscoalfiredpizza.com/" style="text-align: center;" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Marco's Coal Fired Pizza</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/452026/restaurant/Five-Points/Marcos-Coal-Fired-Pizzeria-Denver" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Marco's Coal Fired Pizzeria on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/452026/biglink.gif" style="border: currentColor; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-8611924978582717982013-10-10T09:01:00.000-04:002013-10-18T13:02:50.299-04:00Melting Pot<br />
Did I write a review for the <a href="http://www.meltingpot.com/" target="_blank">Melting Pot</a> of <span class="neighborhood">Lafayette? I don't remember but if I did, I hope it wasn't a great review. Our server was a little less friendly then he should of been. He did his job just fine. He explained how everything works and brought our food. Maybe I'm crazy but for a $100 dinner, I would hope to get just a little above average service. It was a special anniversary dinner. I asked if we could get a picture and our server said "later". I didn't particularly like that answer but thought maybe he's busy now?? Anyway, he never did take our picture. I've since wished we had one. I know it's silly and a server's job isn't to take pictures but I bring this story up for a reason....</span><br />
<br />
<span class="neighborhood">We revisited the Melting Pot today. This time we went to their Littleton location. We made a reservation a few days ago and I was really looking forward to this special afternoon out! When we arrived the </span>reservation desk had a hard time finding our reservation. After looking a bit she realized that our reservation was set for the wrong time. It was a silly little mistake that initially made me wonder if this would just the beginning of another evening of disappointment at the Melting Pot.<br />
<br />
We were seated in a nice little booth overlooking Santa Fe (surprisingly entertaining). Our server was a very happy young girl. She took our entire three course order and remembered it! All three courses!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F0gLGdAOeQvR9B6Qw3W6BKGhVVWoHjUdRCcYitcZDpzADC3ztgvZ-6NLkmK6BQJWM9eRxgEZdsGPeCCxOH6VnYLqnxHC9fsiP-dzSMk_dTF5QcnUAxSrMHfLtg5QQZRmIGUhgb7PIoR8/s1600/DSCN8052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5F0gLGdAOeQvR9B6Qw3W6BKGhVVWoHjUdRCcYitcZDpzADC3ztgvZ-6NLkmK6BQJWM9eRxgEZdsGPeCCxOH6VnYLqnxHC9fsiP-dzSMk_dTF5QcnUAxSrMHfLtg5QQZRmIGUhgb7PIoR8/s320/DSCN8052.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
We started off with their Fiesta Cheese fondue. I was reminded of just how amazing the Melting Pot is as soon as I took that first bite. Wow! The flavors are right on. The cheddar cheese is the strongest flavor with hints of been, salsa and jalapeno to follow. It's perfection. Unfortunately, the best dipper is the bread. It's just perfect. The apples are great too but certainly not as great as the bread!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsqAp5X0Ck8EOoswvyJakIKSNvVfn9D6Z0192eFW2nf6VDRrdkfgD8JakESEmiBqX24y_lWHTH8qphVPfejkV72Zb2qMZ9VGTkqn70OM9NCytuDuXhDfV_rfgf-o1gbWgjebGJZjdGyev/s1600/DSCN8055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGsqAp5X0Ck8EOoswvyJakIKSNvVfn9D6Z0192eFW2nf6VDRrdkfgD8JakESEmiBqX24y_lWHTH8qphVPfejkV72Zb2qMZ9VGTkqn70OM9NCytuDuXhDfV_rfgf-o1gbWgjebGJZjdGyev/s320/DSCN8055.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArSJSSCKQR38Y50KTWrXP7N-OxyNluax3jt0VCV3T0PVfzZUu10eJ_8xqmwtuhsGSnmvyszq1asOJFi0XTKywg0cdfiIvC5pOHvTa8MQ44zYGKVPDmWp9rRbxJh4a7oh-uBJZKKDfiq3p/s1600/DSCN8057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgArSJSSCKQR38Y50KTWrXP7N-OxyNluax3jt0VCV3T0PVfzZUu10eJ_8xqmwtuhsGSnmvyszq1asOJFi0XTKywg0cdfiIvC5pOHvTa8MQ44zYGKVPDmWp9rRbxJh4a7oh-uBJZKKDfiq3p/s320/DSCN8057.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Next they brought us our salads. I got my favorite which is their California salad. It's served with the best candied pecans and a raspberry walnut Vinaigrette. It is so good and it's light enough to almost allow you to forget all the calories and fat you just consumed while enjoying the first course.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6hcZsTJRROASFdwAupdSpnuc6w0hUOWvEzupgY5Y0QqrF8NeZiyLumrUbYPVEMYx_W84hB0wAH-Bzu2j2T8BI0yT23w-TxOZaJiIDxc0zUGAtX-Joi1x_cAncrV7nDxkAMJERUprvFcw/s1600/DSCN8069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG6hcZsTJRROASFdwAupdSpnuc6w0hUOWvEzupgY5Y0QqrF8NeZiyLumrUbYPVEMYx_W84hB0wAH-Bzu2j2T8BI0yT23w-TxOZaJiIDxc0zUGAtX-Joi1x_cAncrV7nDxkAMJERUprvFcw/s320/DSCN8069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdw_GHme0zirGcTMI0g8iREA2qxmGGjXi3uLJUhwWD73W1zKO9_HnJs_Rvf_VBt2qZmktm8x2SA-GswllARU_cRzvLjJ5qdQW5lxBex5loc65WPjy-PLgkjMA0Ho1UTN4QKXDuuSvFuV_/s1600/DSCN8067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdw_GHme0zirGcTMI0g8iREA2qxmGGjXi3uLJUhwWD73W1zKO9_HnJs_Rvf_VBt2qZmktm8x2SA-GswllARU_cRzvLjJ5qdQW5lxBex5loc65WPjy-PLgkjMA0Ho1UTN4QKXDuuSvFuV_/s320/DSCN8067.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Once you are finished with your salad the main course begins to heat up. You have to wait a few minutes while each course of fondue heats up enough to be eatable. Waiting is what makes the Melting Pot the perfect place for a date. My husband loves that we have to sit there and chat while ignoring the time or worldly concerns. It really is relaxing.<br />
<br />
Ones our seasoned court bullion fondue is hot enough to cook our food we pull out our cell phones and set the stop watch. The waitress will tell you how long each item will need to cook. If you are like me, you'll want to write it all down but if you are lucky, you will have a husband like mine who will remember it all for you. As we wait the few minutes to enjoy each bite we continue to just chat, relax and ignore the time. I think as far as the food goes, the main course is the least amazing but like I said, it's what offers the best experience.<br />
<br />
We were here just to enjoy their lunch special so we didn't get one of the heavenly chocolate fondues. They are to die for though so if you haven't tried it yet you should!<br />
<br />
If spending $100 on dinner for two isn't your thing, consider going in for either just the cheese or chocolate fondues (or both). Each is about #15 and I promise they will blow you away!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/213504/restaurant/Denver/Melting-Pot-Littleton" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Melting Pot on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/213504/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-36653235651000801542013-09-25T17:56:00.000-04:002014-02-21T15:33:50.280-05:00Del Taco Gift Cards!<div style="text-align: center;">
Thank's to <a href="http://www.deltaco.com/" target="_blank">Del Taco</a>, I have two Del Taco gift cards to give away! If you'd like a chance to win one, like our Facebook page. I will announce the two winners on the Colorado Critics' Facebook page on December 2nd.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Colorado-Critics/243634945771811" target="_blank">Click here to like us on Facebook!</a></span><br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-74644177462239588752013-09-18T15:40:00.000-04:002014-02-21T15:34:19.561-05:00Del Taco<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Friday night Gary came home with all three of Del Taco's new Epic Burritos. I was hungry and kind of excited to see what these giant burritos had to offer. They look like what you would find at a Chipotle or Qudoba. </span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPds41LD3pN-B2F2pdUfhvuNuE_jtiUn5h1zhm8ZOtV97FoyUGmozTwq-Vb6Wh0rX5fcver9uaGEyTW5OsES5MQ6Lku3AFwsFGMRnnW1lA9VGLo0X4Bts0bR5K3FcoL9Gt6Www2078jXHx/s1600/IMG_1964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPds41LD3pN-B2F2pdUfhvuNuE_jtiUn5h1zhm8ZOtV97FoyUGmozTwq-Vb6Wh0rX5fcver9uaGEyTW5OsES5MQ6Lku3AFwsFGMRnnW1lA9VGLo0X4Bts0bR5K3FcoL9Gt6Www2078jXHx/s320/IMG_1964.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"> The first flavor I tried was the Steak and Potato burrito. It includes carne asada steak, french fries, bacon pieces, chipotle sauce, cheese and sour cream. The steak has great flavor! I really was impressed. The french fries were an interesting twist but they were surprisingly great in the burrito. I really thought the bacon, the sauce, the flavors in the steak and the cheddar cheese all worked really well together. I love the American twist in this burrito!</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrS3SaoximHtaGhOLFSSWekwB-nclAEIr1-alwVCYBpXbsGV0_Rg6rbaXGX-hgG5_XxTMob8v7OD1g1AX3QZ0VvYBNQOoQgD0ANVLaSfS_UlgxF6Q28FJOKJZEqMjhrs9yBH4n1kqoJ3W/s1600/IMG_1958.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGrS3SaoximHtaGhOLFSSWekwB-nclAEIr1-alwVCYBpXbsGV0_Rg6rbaXGX-hgG5_XxTMob8v7OD1g1AX3QZ0VvYBNQOoQgD0ANVLaSfS_UlgxF6Q28FJOKJZEqMjhrs9yBH4n1kqoJ3W/s320/IMG_1958.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Next I tried the Chicken Chipotle Ranch burrito. I thought for sure this would be my favorite. I have been impressed with Del Taco's chicken and I love chipotle and ranch. It just sounds perfect. I'm pretty sure that they forgot to put on the sauce though, so what we got wasn't very flavorful and it certainly didn't have any signs of ranch or chipotle. The lime rice was good and the bacon and chicken tasted great as always. My husband and I both loved the simple freshness the lettuce gave to this concoction. I would order this one again just to see if we did in fact miss out on the sauce. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwdv-ZrDTNm2Ev7A1XcqoPQFB-hPKmJWfZi9y9fjf7-lP7MUpJ9fziisDDGA_pERsNrJFB3Du7cu-gxJoQHyIA9_6eQ4U90-ZWqM6sbWAkY5qD8Mc7QfQqzw4jZ9n77sowoUqkuF9NbMS/s1600/IMG_1961.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFwdv-ZrDTNm2Ev7A1XcqoPQFB-hPKmJWfZi9y9fjf7-lP7MUpJ9fziisDDGA_pERsNrJFB3Du7cu-gxJoQHyIA9_6eQ4U90-ZWqM6sbWAkY5qD8Mc7QfQqzw4jZ9n77sowoUqkuF9NbMS/s320/IMG_1961.JPG" height="239" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The last Epic Burito is the Fajita Burrito. You can order this with chicken or beef. Since we love the chicken we went with that. It comes with black beans, guacamole, cotija cheese and the meat of your choice. This burrito was really pretty good. I thought it had way too many beans in proportion to everything else but there was also a lot of guacamole which kind of made up for it. While this burrito was still good, compared to the other two it's nothing special. The beans were just too overwhelming for me.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uLjfGflWvr9I8vsX6RXLapanIms3y058KEo3RF9w8VkLEt5WF4LLNjN7c8tojJ73hKIhig24mJITI2uBdVMMIHpbGnSQeA-4_DKdiA7ssPWeRRtY4SGOEmk-JJiWyE5C5EvR2JsV6-Th/s1600/IMG_1957.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5uLjfGflWvr9I8vsX6RXLapanIms3y058KEo3RF9w8VkLEt5WF4LLNjN7c8tojJ73hKIhig24mJITI2uBdVMMIHpbGnSQeA-4_DKdiA7ssPWeRRtY4SGOEmk-JJiWyE5C5EvR2JsV6-Th/s320/IMG_1957.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></span></a></div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We also gave their poppers a try. They were tasty! My two year old especially enjoyed these dipped in ranch. </span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">While I had something to nit pick at with all three burritos, I was overall impressed. Del Taco is fast food yet they make sure their ingredients are fresh. They take dry beans and slow cook them at each location daily. They don't use pre-grated, flour coated cheese but rather, grate their cheese right there. The chicken is freshly cooked and never frozen. The veggies we've had have all been fresh and good. With that being said, it's still fast and it's cheap. These Epic Burritos are only $5 each. Compared to Chipotle or Qudoba, these things are close to the same size and I liked the fact that they weren't 80% rice and beans like Chipotle's burritos. These are a good value and they taste good. It's also worth mentioning that Del Taco has superb customer service! The manager told us if they have it, they will make it for you. So, if you want an Epic Steak and Potato for breakfast but you'd like to add in some eggs, go for it! I like that about these guys.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="text-indent: -24px;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-68327395574573540852013-09-03T14:38:00.003-04:002013-10-18T13:05:39.155-04:00Charcoal We had the pleasure of attending <a href="http://www.charcoaldining.com/" target="_blank">Charcoal </a>on Tuesday. They decided to host their own restaurant week in which they offered a full 3 course meal for only $29 per person. Charcoal is a fine dining restaurant so the main course usually runs about $29 so that's a really good deal! As part of their restaurant week, they offered "Media" to come try a meal for free. I couldn't refuse!<br />
<br />
Unfortunately our babysitter was out of town so we asked if we could bring our toddler with us. They said that was no problem. I spent the day prepping my daughter for our "special night out". We painted her toe nails, did her hair and picked out her favorite tutu. I told her probably 85 times "we're going somewhere special, you have to be really nice"! I know that kids are usually not welcome in more upscale eateries so I didn't want to blow it.<br />
<br />
We arived right in time for our reservation at 6:30. I was surprised at how few people were there when we arived. It was a Tuesday but we were there at what I thought would be dinner time. Anyhow, it was nice that the place wasn't bursting at it's seams. It felt relaxed yet quiet. The atmosphere was perfect.<br />
<br />
Charcoal serves food mainly based on what is in season. They have a garden on the roof and they apparently strive to buy Colorado grown products so you know what you are eating is fresh. Due to the freshness of their food, their menu changes. Well, for Restaurant week they have a special menu just for the week. It looks like the menu items are also available right now on their Summer menu so hurry in to try it out while it's available!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszJvKvxK8AGlY3fyZDw9vl16ry7okFF-me1iXmZkt9x3gyPhUIPPnKajaI_dd6D8MT5yJEk4rH77FHCjIJhd0E20_cysXXq6mrepMGrrtD-CdNW6FlAAWb4tuLrByfN5zxG-jNRs21xxk/s1600/DSCN7855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgszJvKvxK8AGlY3fyZDw9vl16ry7okFF-me1iXmZkt9x3gyPhUIPPnKajaI_dd6D8MT5yJEk4rH77FHCjIJhd0E20_cysXXq6mrepMGrrtD-CdNW6FlAAWb4tuLrByfN5zxG-jNRs21xxk/s320/DSCN7855.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Since I'm pregnant I have a list of foods I need to avoid which limited my options down a lot. I would have loved to try the Brussels sprout appetizer for example but instead I had to stick with the shrimp, oh darn! Gary ordered the shrimp too. He's a Brussels sprout lover so I was a little surprised by his choice. Then again, who can turn down shrimp? Apparently not us! It's a good thing too. This grilled shrimp is served with <span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">romesco, smoked paprika and micro cilantro. The shrimp was seasoned to perfection. It was amazing. I think it was the best shrimp I've ever had. The romesco was really delicious too. I liked it so much I was dipping the bread they start you with in it savoring the flavors once my shrimp was gone. </span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMmmvC61uJM7vPrZxfq6kG8Yy0kDoPRvzVQvOchIzb_So0bUUHPTq1uszk4rLWueGmsXaszz-FtEEuLiEGyJQIJacLS25RK-d0yfnhYrW53tD-mmk4l0c73gZo45NV5ox57eQi-4eHsce/s1600/DSCN7858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZMmmvC61uJM7vPrZxfq6kG8Yy0kDoPRvzVQvOchIzb_So0bUUHPTq1uszk4rLWueGmsXaszz-FtEEuLiEGyJQIJacLS25RK-d0yfnhYrW53tD-mmk4l0c73gZo45NV5ox57eQi-4eHsce/s320/DSCN7858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption"><br /></span></span>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Next we received our main dish, </span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">the Colorado "Never Ever" Sirloin. Again, we both ordered the same thing. Gary is a steak lover so that was no surprise and as for me, I was stuck with the option. The Sirloin was served with "</span></span><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">bourguignonne" beluga lentils, bacon, pearl onion, red wine sauce". The flavors were bold and hearty. I really liked the lentils but my toddler ate them before I could. I guess she loved them too! The <span style="font-family: inherit;">Sirloin was perfectly cooked and lightly seasoned. It was spot on and tasty. </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixr_UOdXYkX0yI0jN_OACMN8zLnjGtSU3MLyFsqoovnT9ASyhN5Gpj7QEAaJtX4T_KdDNrQI2iF5hJSrzdpRDSQLMKm5YIZSOxCuCCeCSoI4zGhVafzLbg-bcGzy5G6CO_s_XPQryMNxy9/s1600/DSCN7879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixr_UOdXYkX0yI0jN_OACMN8zLnjGtSU3MLyFsqoovnT9ASyhN5Gpj7QEAaJtX4T_KdDNrQI2iF5hJSrzdpRDSQLMKm5YIZSOxCuCCeCSoI4zGhVafzLbg-bcGzy5G6CO_s_XPQryMNxy9/s320/DSCN7879.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6s3q7oisMtTGzuM7y4CiI6XwIMp2bx0DvQoePTOjiSioMe5hgyHR7bJXRh4Uhl2y6FMstlAOwq4SMRfS-cLpsj4LDHDjQnXUiV8Kg9Tg2NzEemBf2cPxJPfo-CGXrLxy8oau6WfLvrhq/s1600/DSCN7881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp6s3q7oisMtTGzuM7y4CiI6XwIMp2bx0DvQoePTOjiSioMe5hgyHR7bJXRh4Uhl2y6FMstlAOwq4SMRfS-cLpsj4LDHDjQnXUiV8Kg9Tg2NzEemBf2cPxJPfo-CGXrLxy8oau6WfLvrhq/s320/DSCN7881.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption" style="font-family: inherit;">We finished our evening with dessert. I had the </span></span><span dir="auto" style="line-height: 1.2em;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Crème brûlée</span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"> which was </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">surprisingly</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 1.2em;"> large. We ended up all sharing it. I am a huge fan of </span></span><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Crème brûlée and have had it many times yet I can honestly say this was the best Crème brûlée I've ever had! It was so creamy and offered just enough sweetness to appeal to my sweet tooth. We all loved it!</span><br />
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;"><br /></span>
<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">Our experience at Charcoal was outstanding. Meeting the chef was our pleasure. We were impressed with his food and even more so with the freshness and quality of the ingredients served to us. I would be proudly recommend Charcoal to anyone looking for a casual yet quality meal. We just might even have to make a return visit in the future!</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/1627647/restaurant/Capitol-Hill/Charcoal-Denver" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Charcoal on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1627647/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; padding: 0px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7388872646400153241.post-2586880769475900902013-07-17T16:00:00.001-04:002015-05-29T01:03:35.476-04:00Woody's PizzaI was STILL craving pizza (it's a normal thing for me) and my husband was willing to get it for me but with one stipulation. He wanted a real pizza place this time, not a cheap chain. We made a date out of it and headed to <a href="http://woodysarvada.com/" target="_blank">Woody's Pizza</a>.<br />
<br />
Woody's is a buffet which was the main reason we picked it. I wanted a supreme pizza with all the works while he prefers lighter pizzas such as Margarita. A buffet is a perfect solution when we can't agree. It's even better when your pregnant and hungry.<br />
<br />
We went for salad first. The waitres bragged that their salad bar has (insert some crazy number) of items. I was impressed by the sounds of that! We walked over and my excitement was gone. See, I envisioned pre-mixed salad options, fruit, fruit salads, pasta salads and a variety of fresh veggies. What it actually was, was a bar with ice-burg lettuce (some pieces with brown on them) or spinach if you prefer. Then they had some of the typical toppings for a salad: mushrooms, onion, peas, cheese, carrots... I can't name them all. What I can say is they didn't have what I really wanted. At the very least I would have preferred croutons or bacon bits to top it off. Even unique salad dressings would be cool. While their salad bar isn't impressive, I wasn't too bothered. I came for pizza.<br />
<br />
After eating our salads we headed over to the pizza buffet. I was impressed at first! When the guys saw we were up for our first time they asked "What can we make for you"? They take any requests and make it! Your request is then set out for the world to share so you do have to keep an eye out or your pizza will be gone before you get to try it.<br />
<br />
Their pizza was good! I do think they should do a better job of just keeping regular pizza flavors out and ready (Canadian bacon and pineapple, cheese, pepperoni, supreme). I was a little annoyed that I'd go up, find one piece of this, one piece of that, none of which looked good. I'd go sit down and wait another 5 minutes, go see what's new only to find the same two slices and a full weird pizza someone requested that I didn't want anything to do with (really? Pineapple and jalapeno?). If they kept some regulars out I'd have been happy. As it was I suppose they saved themselves some money and my waist an inch. I would have eaten more than I did if they had more pizza cooked and ready to eat.<br />
<br />
Overall I would highly recommend Woody's. I have no doubt they would have made a pizza of my choice had I asked. I think with it being a buffet it would be perfect for a family get together. It is especially smart if you're feeding boys who tend to eat a lot. Oh! And they do have a menu you can order from if you don't like buffets.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
(Since Buffets aren't very appetizing in looks I decided to forgo the pictures this time.)</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/17/216381/restaurant/Denver/Woodys-Woodfired-Tavern-Arvada" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Woodys Woodfired Tavern on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/216381/biglink.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com