EatFace Travel

New Orleans Night Duck

2010-06-23T11:27:00.004-06:00

I was just inspired. The Westword, a lovely little paper in Denver, posted an article on their CafeSociety blog about the best leftovers. There is absolutely nothing I love in this world more (sorry, Mom) than LEFTOVERS. In fact my mom even brought me some leftovers today so I think she knows where my loyalties lie.

I wanted to not so covertly expand upon (steal) this idea but how? Then I remembered a glorious moment, in New Orleans (Yes, Sara and I went to New Orleans but were much too busy and important to blog about it.) We went to Galatoire's for an early bird dinner. Much has been said about Galatoire's (I'm sure) and I agree with all of it (the good stuff). I ate some food, in fact I think I ate a lot of food thus I didn't have the stomach room left to eat all of my entree of delectable duck.

I guess it's officially called "Roasted Duck." Which reminds me of my absolute favorite thing about Galatoire's, no fru fru fancy named bologna. Well, no bologna, actually. You want duck? Order Duck. You don't have to order the "apricot infused glaze of hashish with pumpernickel garnishment toast mixed with an awe-inspiring lumped potato and Count Chocula approved 7-day duck roast." Call me old fashioned but duck is duck, no matter what cereal character endorses it.

Back to the story. So since I couldn't finish my duck. The waiter tried to convince me that I needed to take it with me. I protested, I was in a hotel, I had no fridge, it would become yuck duck. He said no, you're wrong it will be good for hours! Who am I to argue with a seasoned Galatoire's waiter? If anyone knows his stuff, it would be this guy. So I took it and deposited it in the hotel room.

We went out drinking, as one does in New Orleans. This particular night may or may not have involved Absinthe drinking at a Pirate Bar, the details are understandably fuzzy. Upon return to hotel room I was greeted with the best thing that could ever happen! Leftovers! Sitting in their shiny material, just waiting to be eaten! And so I give you Night Duck. That's a look of elation not demonic possession, I assure you.

Working on the Night Duck! Similar but better than the Night Cheese.

Denver Pride Fest/Parade 2010

2010-06-22T14:08:00.007-06:00

The only reason you needed to have attended...

Seahorses, Forever!

Also, don't suck like I did. Get your turkey legs early, even if that means eating one at 10:30 AM just after breakfast. If you don't follow this advice you'll end up with a fistful of tickets that then get spent on a (mediocre) buffalo burger with (doesn't look like bacon) buffalo bacon and (too weird, even for me) chocolate dipped bacon (It's cold? It's spicy? It melts?) FAIL, fair food, FAIL.

Don't worry fair readers, I'll get my summer turkey leg, if it's the last thing I do...

Pork: the noun, not the verb.

2010-06-20T15:27:00.002-06:00

If you ever find yourself in the position of wanting to go to the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, but lack the $1800 or so that it costs to go to the Grand Tastings, fear not. There are options for you.

For (somewhat) reasonable fees, you can attend individual events like the Grand Cochon and get your eat on.

Kevin and I went to the Grand Cochon, the last event of the Classic, on Sunday afternoon. Most of the crowds had cleared out, but there were still around 200 (or more? I don't estimate well) people in attendance at the Hotel Jerome. Food & Wine events are great for people who like free things like branded glassware. They are also very good for people who like cooking shows, the Food Network, and Top Chef. They are also good for people who like to drink in the afternoon. Luckily I fall into all of those categories.

First, the drinkies: there were 10 wineries to sample, but I mostly stuck to the beer. Coworker was concerned I missed out on the wine, but it was hot. I believe pig goes better with beer. Also, free branded glassware. Near the end of the event I discovered the bar, where Hendrick's Gin was giving out what as perhaps the best cocktail I have ever had in my life. Serious. Make it for yourself. (recipe down at the bottom).

Now, on to the most important things. The chefs at the Grand Cochon were competing against each other for the title of King of Porc, and they were all worthy contenders. Each chef was given one whole heritage pig to work with, and they all created some incredibly innovative dishes. My favorites:

Chef Devin Knell of the French Laundry's Pork Belly "pop tart" with lardo. I love pop tarts. I love pork belly. Nuff said.
Chef David Varley of the Bourbon Steakhouse's ground pork- and mushroom-stuffed pastry pocket. Oh my. Bliss. Mushroomy, earthy, bliss. He later won. A well-earned crowning. He also made a delightful "Porkeo" sandwich cookie with sweetened lard as the filling.
Chef Matt Steigerwald of the Lincoln Cafe's entire menu - pork belly spring roll with avocado, pork head and shoulder pozole, and roasted pork loin sandwich with stone-ground mustard and house-cured pickles. Some very different international flavors, but all were constantly wonderful. I would bathe in the pozole broth if possible.
Chef Scott Romano of Charlie Palmer's at the Joule's excellent, smoky-spicy sausage and sweet mustard.
Chef Jason Barikowski of Olympic Provisions had some really lovely offerings, including a spreadable andouille sausage, pig's foot and tail bean stew and what was quite possibly the best cupcake I have ever had.

It was so good, in fact, that Kevin and I went to ask the chef how they made it. My guess: creamy topping was lard or whatever. It was delicious. Like the best red velvet cake you've ever tasted, only better. Nicely textured, almost the density of a brownie. Creamy inside and out. I almost cried it was so good. So we go ask about it.

"Well, it's a chocolate cupcake. With a little vanilla cream on top...sprinkled with some vanilla sea salt. Oh, and the cupcake batter is made with the BLOOD AND BLUBBER OF THE PIG."

I'm not really a squeamish person, but I am kinda glad I didn't know what was in it initially. Ahem.

An especially nice treat was Chef Jennifer Jasinski of Rioja's "lamb lounge." Her lamb loin with sweet pea, grilled red onion and mint salad, and lamb sausage with tomato jam would make a believer out of anyone who's not a fan of lamb. Both were perfectly cooked, well-balanced and fresh.

Other highlights: a whole pig breakdown by butcher Ryan Farr of 4505 Meats in San Fransisco was...enlightening. In fact, the whole theme of the event - heritage pigs, whole-animal preparations, offal and sustainable farming - was really an inspirational experience. Responsible eating doesn't have to mean giving up on animals whole hog (get it? get it?) but being thoughtful about the animals you do eat - supporting local farms, making an effort to eat fewer processed foods, and returning to the thought process of an earlier generation. If we are to be true stewards of the land, we need to enjoy whole products - even if that means blood in your cupcakes.

Sonic, where I've been for the last 7 months

2010-06-18T14:43:00.006-06:00

So guess what?
I love Sonic.
All you haters can suck it. In fact I'll suck it for you, through this magical straw that provides me with the deliciousness that is a cranberry limeade.
A cranberry limeade that I bought nearly three hours ago that is still cold due to the Sonic genius that is some kind of modern physics marvel. (Physics makes us all its bitches) The equation is no doubt something like this: delicious limeade + extra corn syrup in the flavor of cranberry x ingenious Styrofoam cup ^(cute little crushed ice) = Cold for hours of happiness. Ahhhhh.

And one day I truly do intend to get the frito pie, I will, you'll see.

Junction's not a tourist destination.

2010-05-04T14:11:00.002-06:00

Grand Junction isn't a tourist destination. So, when stuck in town buying certain things you can't get up valley - a bridesmaid dress and comics, what a combination - there's not a lot of places you can go.

Junction is, as Sara says, the capital of chain restaurants. Kannah Creek Brewing Company is a welcome sight to the rest of watered down margaritas, dime a dozen drafts of Mass-Produced Light and taco stands around.

True, when you walk in, you get a crazy whiff of a mixture of yeast, hops and spaghetti sauce. But on a warm spring day, the patio is jam packed with kids from Mesa State along with the energy of last night and relaxing Sunday chatter. The walls on the patio are a bit high, and block your attention from anything else but the people sitting around you, but you take what you can get down valley.

Beer wise, a good selection of microbrewed stuff. They just won a Gold from the WBC for their Lands End Amber - and it was good brew, if straight forward. Most of their other beers seem similar and the refrain is the same: good stuff compared to a mass market brew, decent for Colorado beers, but taken in Western Slope context, delightful.

If you're stuck in Junction, take a gander. I had fun.

Might as well stop eating now.

2010-02-11T11:27:00.004-07:00

I'm going to tell you a little story. And it might make you roll your eyes a little, and it might make you take me a little less seriously, but it will most certainly put the events of a certain evening at Fruition into perspective.

The first night Kevin and I ate together, I knew I would probably keep dating him because he traded plates with me halfway through the meal. This is an odd thing on which to base a relationship. I'll admit that. But food is really, really important to me.

Flash forward a few dinner dates. Somewhere around TAG. Kevin and I come to the realization that we need to talk about our entree choices because we usually end up wanting the same thing. His mom thought it was hilarious. (I can see your eyes rolling. HANG IN THERE.)

Fast forward again. It's a Friday and we've got a very rare 6:45 reservation at Fruition. The maitre d' is charming. He wears a bow tie. He tells me he likes my dress, says women don't dress up enough in Colorado. I appreciate this.

(Sidebar: you may remember that the maitre d' at Six89 had a bow tie. Then we had an excellent meal. Fruition's maitre d': bow tie. Fruition's food: mind blowing. Coincidence? I think not. I'm thinking of adopting this as a litmus test for restaurants I visit, similar to how I usually buy bottles of wine based on their labels. It hasn't let me down yet.)

Anyhow, the restaurant was busy, and had the feeling of a friendly bustle for the entire time we wee there (nearly 2.5 hours). Our seating wasn't perfect (a bit closer to the draft from the door than I might have liked), but I think we were just happy to have a table...and I was happy to watch the bow-tied maitre d'.

The crowd skewed slightly older, but there was a diverse mix. Midway through our meal, a couple seated at the table next to us were celebrating a birthday dinner. One of the diners gave his partner a first edition copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Seriously. Click that link. I think that is a pretty good indicator of how seriously people who eat at Fruition take their food.

This wine list was extensive, though the selection of wines by the glass was somewhat limited. Understandable, because this is the kind of place where you want to linger with a bottle of wine. I ordered a pinot (big surprise) and Kevin ordered a zinfandel. One of the rotating cast of characters that served as erstwhile waiters (while ours was...I don;t know...practicing his maddeningly vague accent?) brought bread, with butter, sea salt and herbs.

Round One: Starters

Winner: Kevin

Veal cheek pot pie, in the cutest little cast iron pot I've ever seen. Kevin said he wished he had about five more. Or a giant one. Or five giant ones. The puff pastry was flaky, the vegetables perfect (not too mushy). Of course, i can't accurately speak to the wonders of this dish, as I only got about one bite of it. This was very abnormal behavior for my dinner date.

I had a microgreen and winter vegetable salad with hazel vinaigrette and prosciutto. It was delightful. But I really wanted that pot pie.

Round Two: Entrees

Winner: Sara

Both of us wanted to order one of two things: confit pork shoulder, or beef culottes. I (maybe a little sneakily) ordered first so I could get the pork, and it was the best selfish decision I've ever made. Confit pork shoulder (click here for a definition) served over sweet potato polenta, with a salad of pears, candied walnuts, red grapes and microgreens. This dish was an example of how simplicity can sing - how the fruit brought out the sweetness int he slow-cooked pork; the bitterness of the walnuts balanced the richness of the polenta. I almost cried a little. I reluctantly parted with two bites. Very strange behavior indeed.

Kevin ordered the beef, and it was excellent. I had some. There were potatoes and carrots involved. It was beautifully cooked. But I just don't remember it. Sometimes, the best things in life overshadow even the really good ones. (See also: Pirate's Booty vs. Cheetos).

Round Three: After Dinner Drinks

Winner: Depends on how you define "winner"

I ordered a Muscat. Kevin ordered Scotch. I really enjoyed my dessert wine. Kevin really enjoyed his Scotch. So much so, in fact, that he wondered why I do not enjoy Scotch. So I tried some, and very nearly died. I think he was punishing me for not sharing more pork. It was worth it.

I have a thing for hipster bars

2010-02-03T10:35:00.006-07:00

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that I've been really hard on the DC restaurant scene in the past. Seems to me like they're contrite because they have to appeal to both left (communist) and right (boring) sensibilities in a town like Washington.

So that seems to be the problem with the "nice" restaurants. Every place that's no-frills, or cheap, has been at least decent, and a couple have been really good.

I was in DC this weekend for work. My twin brother, who is much a more talented writer than I, and better looking to boot, lives in DC with his wife Javi. The three of us get along for lots of reasons - a shared mistrust of politicians, a desire for the snow to go away, and a love for food that some would call perverse.

Anyway, they fed me a couple of times and gave me a couch to sleep on one night.

Before I get to the restaurant portion of this blog, I must tell you of one place that's starting to feel like home to me in DC - the Capitol Lounge, at 229 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. We've been a handful of times, and their pub fare is decent, affordable and touts the right amount of grease. Also, they have Dale's Pale Ale on tap, and that makes me feel right at home.

It's apparently a Michigan State bar, and that's okay, because while I might prefer U of M, most of the people inside are nice folks, a welcome relief from the DC bar scene.

Anyway, food. On Sunday night, we ended up at a place called Bar Pilar. Everything about this place screams hip, and when we sat down and had an immediate problem with our waitress, I was thinking, "Here we go, again." After receiving our drinks, the place started to fill up and our waitress went from late to absent. But that's DC, so I won't mention her again. We tipped her well, cause God Bless Her, SHE WAS TRYING SO HARD, but there's only so much of being ignored you can take.

I was pleasantly surprised at the food, though. We all shared plates, and the portions, while small, were reasonably priced. Javi: Cremini mushrooms that reminded me of the county fair and a Shrimp risotto that only I liked. (Andrew said it was too creamy. Javi didn't say much about it at all, which means she just wasn't a big fan.) Andrew: Caramelized Exotic mushrooms that were really earthy and meaty. Duck Confit in a homemade dijon mustard, cooked fantastically with a crispy outside and juicy in. Me: Roasted potatoes with rosemary and a lemon-garlic aioli. The potatoes were cooked well and flash fried in what tasted to me like a thinned down bacon fat. And I also had suckling pig that almost caused me to forget how far I was from home.

They both loved it, and so did I, aside from the minor freakout I had about almost losing my wallet. "The food's probably the best I've had in DC so far," Andrew said.

I second that emotion. It's sort of close to one of the many bad parts of town, and in the middle of being gentrified. Dangerous! But it's worth the drive to NW, and it's worth wading through the scarf-wearing, tight-jeaned, let's-drink-PBR crowd. Lots of times, these people will eat any old thing if it's moderately priced and they hear from their dealer that "it's good," but this time, these hipsters are lucky that the chef of Bar Pilar actually cares about the food he's serving to a bunch of ironic JD Salinger disciples. Me included.

This is where a pun on the word TAG would go.

2010-01-18T13:28:00.006-07:00

This blog is allegedly about food, and not relationships. If you're looking for a relationship blog, check out Kristen's newest addition to her writing portfolio, Kristen's Fishing Trip. (I don't know if that's supposed to be a secret blog or not. Either way, it's a riot and required reading in my house. [And cubicle. And on the couches of anyone with a sense of humor.])

Therefore, I will only briefly mention that Sara and I went to TAG on Saturday night, and that it was sort of a big deal, because one of us met my mother. And seeing as how I lived under the same roof as my mom for 18 years, it probably wasn't me who was meeting her for the first time. Although we were strangers for the better part of my teens.

When you're deciding on a restaurant in a situation like this, you can go one of two ways: Slum it, pick Village Inn, and hope the food makes everyone decide to call it an early night - or you can pick a fancy restaurant and hope the strong drinks (fingers crossed) make it bearable.

So, very serious things aside. TAG is famous 'round these parts for making their own tonic water. I don't drink many gin and tonics these days, because they get me into the Villegas version of "trouble." Needless to say, I've had my fair share of gin and tonics. And the gin and tonic at TAG is really good stuff. Even though quinine can be nasty stuff, it's magical when included in homemade tonic made with Cinchona bark. By the way, I just earned my two-wikipedia-links-in-one-sentence award.

So we started with a salad (come on, Mom. Live a little.) and two appetizers - the Hiramasa and the Duck confit sope cakes. The sope cakes were very good. They sat on a bed of guacamole and were savory, warm and flavorful. The winner of round one, though, was the Hiramasa - which was pan-seared, had a small amount of truffle oil drizzled on top with and a little myoga.

And, oh yeah, a slice of jalapeno and pop rocks on top. What started as a "What's sizzling?" thought in my head led eventually to, "What's pink on my plate, and doesn't smell like roe?" And eventually ended in my saying out loud, "Holy God, those are pop rocks." Very creative, Troy Guard. Cheeky monky. It was a great way to start this experience.

Main course time. My mother had the safe choice, which was cooked extremely well and still delectable: Caramelized sea scallops. She reported them to be "perfect."

Tamarind mustard braised short ribs was the entree du jour for Sara. Pear, yuzu (or some citrusy fruit) the rib...a great plate, full of balanced flavor. The citrus did it well, I thought. And I never met mustard that I didn't like. Tamarind mustard should be required on all hot dogs. Hear that, Montforts?

No fork needed, although for the sake of appearances, she kept her butter knife on the plate. Polite company apparently uses a knife to cut ALL meat, even when it's not necessary.

And I had Szechuan Colorado Lamb, with couscous and Dragon Sauce...a touch spicy, but in a good way. Lamb is one of those meats that needs another flavor to contrast with when prepared correctly. (And it's uneatable when cooked wrong.) The Szechuan influence is a standard choice, but executed correctly here. The couscous is a welcome addition of an entirely different texture.

I have my problems with Lodo eateries, and especially Larimer Square restaurants. We were seated right next to the door, which wasn't fun. But someone has to sit there, so oh well.

But TAG is a nice place to go, even if it is a little pricey, and can sometimes come off more about appearances than food. Which is not a problem, because, let's face it, I'm can be sort of about appearances. All of this coming from a guy who uses the word "classy" more than Donald Trump.

The Joy of In-N-Out

2010-01-08T10:52:00.004-07:00

and the good news that's it is moving eastward into cold places. This picture was captured by my brother last week in Salt Lake City, Utah.

An outstanding meal at Six89

2009-12-16T14:10:00.006-07:00

Saturday night, I made the 160 mile trek from my front door in beautiful downtown Denver to devastatingly charming Glenwood Springs on Saturday night. Reservations were made, nice clothes cleaned and pressed, personal grooming attended to, drive made.

Six89 (www.six89.com) seems to be a restaurant that most people agree is worth the trek to Carbondale from Glenwood Springs, or further south, Aspen. I'm a fan of crowdsourcing - and the people on Yelp give this place a full five star rating. Mission accomplished.

So Sara (yep, Sara of EatFace fame) and I sit down to eat, and the waiter brings us a couple of Six89's version of fried pickles - except these are pickle chips which have magically somehow remained cool on the inside as a pickle should be, and crispy fried on the outside. They're good. Damn good, especially for what is generally considered bar food.

I have a scotch. She has a glass of Pinot Noir. We exchange pleasantries about the pickles. She smiles. About halfway through her glass of wine, we order dinner. "You may have to drive back," she informs me. I discuss scotch, and she very graciously nods her way through that portion of the conversation, even though my material is about as interesting as watching Guy Fieri sample the food of some ethnic minority. (WOW, THAT'S REALLY GOOD.)

We didn't wait long for our food to come out, and that was after the waiter had informed us that they were really busy.

An aside about our waiter: if you enjoy eating something that one of us has ordered, do tell. We can discuss. But don't say that it's your favorite thing on the menu. Because that means that the thing the other person has ordered is not as good, in your eyes. And nobody wants that. Other than that, our waiter was a stand-up guy, was extremely knowledgeable and just the right amount of attentive.

We both had decided on the hamachi for starters - and we were not disappointed. A lot of times, fish this far inland is hit or miss - but it was fresh, and topped with a really light jalapeno sauce and homemade thin crunchy tortilla strips that gave it some much needed texture. I ate mine quickly, and she, being a lady, took her time with it. So I stared longingly at her plate. Don't think she caught me.

Main courses came quickly thereafter, and that's a definite positive. Hers: Grit and rabbit cakes, braised in milk, in a tomato-based sauce. Mine: BBQ Pork in a pear and melted cabbage sauce with pieces of pear. Both dishes were meticulously crafted, you could tell. Presentation was great, and flavor was - well - outstanding.

Outstanding is not a phrase that I use a lot on this blog. Outstanding is not a phrase I use on ANY blog. But the food at Six89 is outstanding.

Her food was delicious and had an interesting texture because of the grits ("I love it when they call grits, grits," Sara said.).

My pork was tender, flavorful and the pear, which I thought would not go well with pork, actually was what pulled the entire plate together.

Delicious, local, and the host wears a bow tie, which Sara was particularly impressed with.

I'm particularly impressed with a lot of things about Six89. It's in an older style house, and the ambiance reflects that. Huge wine selection, a varied menu that has something for everyone and it's not particularly crowded at all, which you can bet is not going to be the case forever.

That'll do, pig. That'll do.

2009-12-10T20:20:00.008-07:00

Tonight I made a new best friend.

His name is barbacoa.

Let me explain. I've lived in this valley off and on for 21 years of my life. I was here before Carbondale was trendy. Before we had a Target. Before you couldn't find a one-bedroom apartment for less than $1500.

But before all of that, and before me, there was probably a carniceria.

What a shame that it took me such a long time to figure out where one was: 15 minutes away, in Carbondale, by the liquor store and the Family Dollar and by a place that, I guess, installs woodburning stoves. In between all those things is a little bit of perfect. There are three bowls on the plastic picnic tables: onions, limes, cilantro. There are three bottles of salsa (chipotle, green-hot and really hot). There are sodas in glass bottles. There are chicharrones and menudo in glass cases. You can buy a pig head for $20. This is a real butcher shop that happens to have a menu, and happens to make the best tacos I've ever had in my life.

Fresh meat is good meat. I'm a firm believer in that. I don't know how much of it is local, but all of it is hand-cut. And if it looks that good in the case, it's roughly 12473 times better cooked. I got two barbacoa tacos with fresh avocado. My dad got a carne asada burrito.

Both came on fresh tortillas (me: corn. him: flour). I love pork so much I am considering going all Top-Chef-Kevin and getting a pig tattooed on me, and this pork did not disappoint. Slightly sweet/spicy barbecue...amazing. And only $1.60 per taco. Suck it, Chipotle.

Dad's burrito: I think it weighed maybe 6 lbs. And 5 lbs. of that was steak. The remaining pound of burrito was homemade refried beans, onions, avocado, cilantro, salsa verde and queso fresco. Note that not one of those ingredients is rice. And then note that the burrito costs $6.50. Suck it, Qdoba.

So, basically, my plan is to go back until I've tried everything. Except maybe the menudo. You can choose from upward of seven meats, combined into magical creations including tacos, burritos and quesadillas. I'm going to try all of them. Except maybe the tripe. You can also get about eight different kinds of tortas and a lot of things I couldn't read because I don't read Spanish (taking French in high school finally reveals its downfall).

And extra plus: there's a tortillaria next door, so you can pick up some delicious souvenirs. And who doesn't love eating under a collection of giant pinatas?

A short postscript about Cheetos: Here at Eatface, we have determined through extensive research that crunchy Cheetos are texturally a meal unto themselves, while puffy Cheetos are best enjoyed with a robust sandwich. This, of course, is a matter of personal preference. Not a matter of personal preference: Cheetos are the best snack food ever, and I'm not ashamed to say that. Own your love of artificially-orange food. Your life will be better for it.

Chowing in Chicago

2009-11-30T21:09:00.008-07:00

Behold a gallery of Zach eating, with super sleuth notes.

Date/Time: Nov 11th, Mid Evening Time
Location: De Cero
Deliciousness Consumed: Duck Enchiladas (note: not on menu)

Date/Time: Nov 12th, 6:30 PM

Location: Flattop
Deliciousness Consumed: Various mixtures of meats, fake meats, vegetables, noodles, rice and sauce. Approx. 3 bowls and numerous flat breads.

Time/Date: Nov. 13th, 10:50 AM
Location: Hot Doug's
Deliciousness Consumed: Alligator Hot Dog, Keira Knightly (firedog) and Cheese Fries

Also See Unaccompanied Food:

Spotted at De Cero
Possible Suspect: Taco collection: Mahi Mahi Special, Avocado, Flank Steak, Duck
Most Likely to be Eaten Again: Flank Steak, Duck
Suspected Accomplice: Hibiscus Margarita

Spotted at: Hot Doug's
Possible Suspects: BLT Hot Dog with Avocado Aoili and Mini Bagel Dogs with Tots
Observed Suspicious Activity: Hot Dog actually made with bacon

Private Eye Conclusions:

~De Cero is a delicious hot spot of activity. Margaritas are strong, duck is luscious and tortillas are freshly homemade.
~Long Line at Hot Doug's can only be avoided by arriving before opening time (approx 30 min).
~Mixing too many flavors at Flattop can lead to flavor overload and taste-bud exhaustion.

You shuffle with your head down

2009-11-24T10:42:00.008-07:00

I've always found DC restaurants to be a lot like their transient population - always a little bit in a hurry, a little bit like the congressional staffer at 5 p.m., and like the politicians and their aides that infest it, they talk a big game with little substance. You shuffle with your head down, slowly talking into your phone and you end up eating what's in front of you.

It's pretty much the same every place you go. My last trip to DC was 2 1/2 months ago for my brother's wedding. There's a lot to like (but not love) at some places, and in other places, not so much. DC has a burgeoning young population - but again, if you ask me, they don't have really good taste. (With the obvious exceptions of my brother and my sister-in-law, who are great hosts, and even better people to put up with my constant complaining and pretentious way of analyzing food.)

Anywho, it doesn't take much to impress someone who is a starry-eyed aide for a congressperson - they're already impressed by the egomaniacal rantings of political sociopaths.

Anyway, this was a quick trip, and we hit two restaurants during our time. We hit a third in Fado, which I don't consider a restaurant as much as a chain bar, in the style of Baker Street or Cheers. If you've eaten at one Fado, you've eaten at them all. I assume readers of this blog like food or drink, and will have been to one in their lifetime. My experience at Fado is: Dark, chainy, and Smithwick's. That experience has been had a million times by a million people around the country.

Friday night, we went to a place called Matchbox. People seem to like this place, and I guess for DC fare, it stands out amongst the places that don't have to try so hard. One gripe I have is the cover of the menu is made out of wood. Carved into it, the Matchbox logo.

I guess when I see stuff like that, I expect a more business casual atmosphere, which this place (in the middle of Eastern Market, yuppie central) did not have. It kind of seemed like it wanted to go that way, but just can't quite pull itself up like an Italian restaurant that, as its owner, is trying to escape its immigrant past.

Beer: My server seemed to think "I don't know" was a good option when I asked her to recommend a beer on tap. Alright. Either way, she (eventually) suggested Allagash White, an unfiltered witbeer. Allagash is a Maine brewery, and we don't get a lot of that in Denver. I liked it, kind of pale, kind of fruity, very spicy for a wit. Good head, good lace. Not strong, very drinkable and actually went really well for the meal I ordered.

Everything about this place screams "For God's sake, don't order a steak! Please, order the sliders! THEY'VE GOT ONION STRAWS!"

So the clientele, the menu, the server - I really wanted their sliders to be bad so I could write a bad review all thew way around. But I'm sad to report - they were actually very good. It could do with less onion straws, but they were cooked exactly how I ordered them, the buns were lightly buttered underneath the hood, and the gorgonzola on top was just enough.

Damn you, Matchbox. Your sliders got me. Now I have to suggest you.

(Aside: Eastern Market has a wide assortment of restaurants. I've been to 3 now, and my favorite is still Las Placitas, owned and operated by Salvadorians. Any place that bills its weekly flea market as having vendors "from 5 continents" might be a little bit pretentious. I mean, obviously they have people coming from Africa EVERY WEEK to sell their wares to DC residents. That's not that far to go to sell a few prints or handwoven caps.)

On the day I left, we had brunch at a place called Hawk and Dove on Capitol Hill.

Now this is my speed - divey, but not quite dangerous. I had a sausage and cheddar cheese omelet. Aside from being an 8-egg omelet as opposed to the more standard 3-egg, their coffee was decent, their homefries greasy enough. But I didn't like the Bloody Mary (WAY too much pepper) and that's a dealbreaker for me.

Allegedly, Hawk and Dove's food is not its strong point, and I have to agree. Seems like it might be an okay place to drink. I've been to worse places here in Denver.

Starting to look like I'm going to be coming to DC a bit more in the next year or two. I better start finding better places to eat, or this town is going to get real old, real fast.

Quick List: Chicago

2009-11-15T22:14:00.004-07:00

Things I did in Chicago that you should too:

1. Take the train alone, feel accomplished because you didn't get lost.
2. Walk into the Hilton on Michigan Ave. Act like you belong. Get free information from Concierge.
3. Wear a scarf.
4. Take a Bus Tour! (I will always recommend bus tours).
5. Answer bus tour guide's questions, he becomes less disgruntle this way.
6. Go to the Art Institute.
7. Understand that the video-art-clown-room is supposed to make you feel uncomfortable it is the point of it.
8. Make fun of clown room with people from Michigan.
9. See a Show at Second City.
10. Get a little buzzed on $9 spiked coffees at Second City.
11. Make nice with table mates at Second City, get shots bought for you.
12. Hug your friend goodbye and say "thank you."

Bill O'Reilly would be proud

2009-11-13T13:36:00.004-07:00

So I work in Arvada currently, and there's a place we go to fairly often for lunch, although, I'm not really sure why.

This place is called The Sultan Grill, and I'm convinced that it is the only Middle Eastern food in a 5 mile radius. I've had a few different things here, and I'm always surprised that the place isn't a little bit more busy.

Yelp denotes it as another one of those "3 1/2 star" places. The best way to describe 3 1/2 star places are "tweeners." In basketball, it's drafting a guy who could go either way - he could be a star or a bust. In west Arvada, a tweener is just as hit or miss - somedays, it's good. Somedays, not so much.

Today, it was good.

I usually order the Gyros Sandwich combo, which includes a gyro, french fries and a drink for $7.25. Sometimes the meat is a little too greasy, and sometimes the tomatoes are a little squishy, but for $7.25, it's better than fast food. And it's a nice change of pace from regular office lunch spots like Chipotle or Qdoba.

Try the hummus - it's not exactly what I think of when I think hummus, but it's tons better than the store-bought kind. And they give you plenty of pita to go along with it when you order it as an appetizer.

For my money, though, the Falafel is what this place has going for it. You don't get good falafel like this at a lot of places in Denver (unless you're Bill O'Reilly, that is).

So what? I have a thing for chickpeas.

Channel the writing skills of Peggy Hill: If you're ever in the vast desert of Arvada and are looking for a place to eat, take a stop at this oasis.

What to Do In Chicago?

2009-11-04T12:23:00.003-07:00

I will have a little solitary free time in Chicago next week and I feel like a historic home tour. Here are my options so far...

Glessner House Museum/Clarke House Combo Tour (leaning towards this one)

Frank Lloyd Wright's Fredrick C. Robbie House

however these completely non related attractions also look nice...

Shedd Aquarium

Lincoln Park Zoo

Adler Planetarium

I am open to other suggestions, of course. Help!

Snooze a Halloween, Noontime Review

2009-10-31T14:00:00.001-06:00

Much has already been said, probably, about Snooze, long waits, exciting decor, hipsterly-typical spotty service and Sonny and Cher sing-a-longs.

Therefore, I will focus upon the magic that is a breakfast entree that does not feature eggs but isn't oatmeal or pancakes. Thank you God! I have only encountered a wonderful occurrence of this magnitude once before, deep in the mountains of Colorado, that epic tale is, however, for another time.

Back to the big city. The elusive entree for the person who loves eating out for breakfast but doesn't care much for eggs (less a fabulous omelet) is called The Snooze Spuds Deluxe. Official description: "choose two veggies and/or meats from below to compliment heaping portions of our hash browns, covered with melted cheddar, jack cheese & scallions" and the options list: uhm apparently not available for copy/paste. It hardly matters what the options are because I created the best combination possible, green chili and sausage patty.

It is severed in a small casserole dish, layered style, hash browns, scallions, cheese, chili and (chopped up!) sausage patty. The layering is my one complaint, even with a drippy veggie choice (yes green chili is a veggie, to me) by the end I was left with a bunch of good but lonely hash browns. Other than that, it was amazingly super. The Green chili was flavorful but not too spicy (remember spice wuss, here). The sausage was thoughtfully cut up. Hash browns were perfectly prepared, not slimy and not too crispy. I wish I could describe the taste explosion of fabulous that occurs when these ingredients are mixed together but I studied economics, so superfluous adjectives escape me, let's just say, it made my happiness quotient increase.

What's with the peas?

2009-09-21T12:04:00.004-06:00

No seriously.

So I'm on a quest, a quest for tasty really cliche"Mexican" food in my neighborhood (that being Uptown/Capital Hill, Denver). I will never claim to be a good Mexican food critic. While I did eat amazing food in Mexico it didn't stop me from loving the taco/refried beans/rice combo platters upon my return. Also I am a giant wuss and my nose runs at the sight, yes the sight, of spicy food.

I have frequented Las Delicas in Uptown quite a few times and have never really been impressed.

Last night I gave a new place a try. Benny's on 7th and Grant. I ordered the Tamale Dinner (Two pork tamales smothered with chili verde, refried beans and rice). This is where the peas come in. You know I just don't understand why Spanish rice sometimes has peas in it. Granted I think peas are absolutely disgusting, in any form, but they look even worse, if possible, in that rice. I've never heard someone get rice without the peas and exclaim, "WTF, where are the peas?!" So, I don't think anyone would miss them, even if they are insane enough to like them. They look gross. Have they been frozen and heated up multiple times? Where do those odd dimples come from? Traumatic shipping? Too much botox? This is something I'll never get over and it transcends into other food types, see: fried rice. I will move on, unwillingly.

The tamales were fine. The refried beans were good, so refried that there was little hint of bean texture. I'm not saying that's classy but I am saying that's how I like it, liquid bean with cheese, yum. The bits of rice that I got while picking around the peas were fair as well. The best was the chili verde. I wanted more of it. I wanted to make a soup of chilie verde and refried bean liquid. I could die happy. Granted, the chili is probably too mild for the spicy fan but it did come with actual chunks of green chilies and I accidentally put one in my mouth and much to the embarrassment of my dinner companion had to spit it back out, that or suffer death by mouth burn. Luckily this guy didn't see me shaming my state like that as he walked inside. If I lived in California I could make some not so clever remark here like "I'll be back, to Benny's" but alas, perhaps I'll just ride my bike there again soon without any well known tag line.

This is only the food I admit to

2009-09-11T14:51:00.004-06:00

So I just got back from a 12 day trip to the east coast - York PA, Baltimore, DC, Richmond VA. Below is what I came up with. You have to click on the facebook link, cause there's no way I'm redoing all that.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2442146&id=10209802&ref=mf

Anyway, amidst all the wedding stuff in there are some really good restaurants. Coomb's was okay, but Las Placitas in Eastern Market in DC was really good. Full Kee in Chinatown was also good, if a little lacking in the ambiance and feel. Check it out.

Hats in the Highlands, I mean Ice Cream.

2009-08-04T15:57:00.006-06:00

Hold on to your Hats!

I found something I like, in the Highlands (of Denver that is!). Yes, it's okay to gasp now.

Mmmmm Ice Cream. Bicycle rides to ice cream. Served out of a giant milk can. Served by people wearing silly paper hats of the ol' days. A discussion decided that people are just nicer when wearing those funny paper hats. Then I decided that anyone who has to take a court ordered anger management class should be forced to wear paper hats everywhere, I'd like to see someone being an ass in a hat like that, haha an asshat!

Anyway, it's called Little Man Ice Cream. It made me feel like I was doing something summer-y, perhaps on a boardwalk. The Cupcake ice cream was tasty as were the extra sprinkles. The summer night was lovely. The hats were the tops.

Cerveza Costa Rica

2009-07-29T11:53:00.004-06:00

hello readers. (we have readers right?)

I'm planning to be your local beer and booze insider while traveling the globe. I like beer. no. i love beer. It is an art form and should be appreciated as so. Not as fizzy yellow crap you drank in undergrad. In fact, I'm breaking an agreement i made with my girlfriend to not talk about beer for 4 days to write this post.

That being said... La cerveza Costa Rica!

Upon my recent trip to Costa Rica, I was excited to find they have a rather impressive beer selection to offer. And it's cheap!

Don't think since we're in central america this is a kin to the beers of mexico that go great on a beach with a lime. These are serious beers, albeit all lagers.

The stand out champion and price of Costa Rican beer is definitely Imperial. It probably is even more accessible and visible in costa rica then any of the major breweries in america, and there fore i admittedly was turned off at first. Once I had one tho, i realized this was a large lager worth being proud of. Lucky for you, they recently sealed a deal to export to most of north america and australia. If you find yourself in a heavily latin area soon, definitely check it out. Plus, it looks cool.

From here Costa Rican beer gets a little.. less exciting. Pilsen (not pictured) is a lager that does seem to lend a little bit of spirit to the mexican beers mentioned above, and it kind of boring. The Bavarian brand has both a "premium" light lager, and a dark lager. However, if you were blindfolded folded, you'd have no idea which you were drinking, because they taste like nothing.

You'd think that beer that tastes like nothing would be pretty bad. Unfortunately it gets worse. The Rock Ice franchise goes above and beyond anything you ever thought beer should do. unfortunately, they shouldn't have. The Rock Ice flagship is a extremely bland and skunky lager that only seems good due to being the least of all evils. Rock Ice makes an "energy beer", however you have to be able to read japanesse to know this, because the label on the "energy beer" is in japanesse? This isn't sparks, this isn't malt liquor. It is really bad redbull, with a warm Old Style for a chaser. This will only give you energy because you were so grossed out you experienced an adrenaline rush. As bad as this sounds, it gets worse. Rock Ice makes a "lime beer". Again, this isn't what it seems. It's not a beer with lime, like miller chill. This is a beer that is supposed to taste like lime. An important side note right now, is to mention Costa rica has several different types of limes, and even their lime we consider standard here, is orange on the inside. That being said... this beer doesn't taste like any of them. This beer actually tastes like you swallowed a mouth full of sea water... The worst sea water you've ever had. STAY AWAY AT ALL COSTS!!

Another great canned beverage option for adult in Costa Rica, is a competitive market for pre mixed Rum and Cola. However, curiously enough, the two biggest brands are made by the same company. These would be Bamboo, and Cuba Libre. Based on packaging alone, one would suggest bamboo is for the kids (above 18 of course) and cuba libre is for old men (but this writer suggests not old men who went to vietnam, reasons to follow).

Bamboo is definitely the less impressive of the lot. sweet, syrupy, definitely much more soda, but with an after tastes that isn't quite rum, but you know burns a little. Suitable when in a pinch, but, definitely not my go to.

Cuba Libre on the other hand, is not fucking around. You can smell the rum from the first crack of the can. The mix is a little strong, but this actually tastes like a Rum and Cola... or as much as a canned pre mixed rum and cola can. But reader beware, I'm pretty sure they are using the original coke formula in this drink, if ya know what i mean. One night specifically, after a pretty lazy day around La Fortuna, we decided to grab dinner across the street. i ordered a single cuba libra with dinner, and by the end of dinner, I swore the room was spinning around me, and my perception of color was overly saturated. I guess for roughly $2 US, I shouldn't complain.

In all, i hope you find this useful, and are lucky enough to find one of these fine products in a store near you, or better yet take a trip to costa rica yourself. if you choose the later, you will be fortunate enough to discover the ever elusive (and gov't made) GUARO!

The Colorado Highway System Can Suck It.

2009-07-26T23:20:00.004-06:00

I can say this because this is the second time this year I have been trapped on a highway this year and today it wasn't even snowing.

Time of Departure from Glenwood Springs, CO: approx. 5:30 pm

Planned Arrival: 8 PM, Downtown Denver

Time of Return to Glenwood Springs, CO: 11:00 pm

Time in car total: 5.5 Hours

Total distance traveled: 82 miles

Avg Miles per hour: 14.9

Route: Interstate 70

Area of Entrapment: Mile Marker 153 to 157, Eagle County, Colorado

Honestly, it's one thing if it's ski season and it's a Sunday afternoon/evening. Everyone knows that from November to April this traffic equation is always true:

Sunday evening + SUV + California license plates + precipitation = Sitting on I-70 for hours.
(Give or take precipitation) (Also SUV = pick up truck; California license plates = Texas license plates)

It comes as a surprise to me that apparently the equation can simply be reduced to:

Sunday evening = Sitting on I-70 for hours.

I know this is technically MY fault for not thinking to check the traffic on this perfectly sunny July day. After being unwillingly trapped in Eagle County, Colorado I can't help but feel a bit of a kinderance with Kobe Bryant's groupies so let's quit the victim blaming, deal?

There were many things that helped me through this nearly traumatic time and if you ever plan to travel along I-70 I suggest you bring these along:
cold leftover sesame chicken, 1 half a bottle of old water, music from the Knife, a paperback NY Times Best Selling Novel (My Sister's Keeper, was my goodie), a dying cell-phone (the dying helps the dramatic effect), a snide thing to think about every driver around you and this travel quote from modern-day philosopher Jimmy Buffett, "You can throw your luggage down, lose your cool and stomp around but there's nothing, nothing you can do."

But seriously 5+ hours? There has got to be a better method, perhaps a sign near the entrance to I-70, even a hand written one that reads "I wouldn't go this way, buddy!" would have been good enough for me.

And finally the photo that killed my phone battery, which also turned out to be much less dramatic than I had hoped it would be:

A Side of Meat, Bitte

2009-07-12T19:02:00.003-06:00

For a perfectly traditional Swabian dinner go to Stuttgarter Staeffele, in Stuttgart Germany, that's an order.

They had an amazing appetizer garden salad that came with potatoes hiding under the other vegtables, jackpot! The only thing that kept me from eating all of the salad was the knowledge of what was to come (this was my second glorious visit). Feel free to order the potato cakes with homemade applesauce for an appetizer, the Germans may laugh at you and tell you it's a dessert but if you don't eat it first there is no way you'll be able to at the end of the meal. That's thinking ahead, meine Fruenden.

Do yourself a favor and order the a bit of it all platter (loosely translated). It's gigantic and completely worth it. It's delicious pork, beef, sausage, spaetzle, potatoes and probably more that I can't remember because my mouth is watering and stealing liquid from the area around my brain.

The traditional red wine is served in a short glass mug and is very potent as the people in the car who had to listen to my Enrique Iglesias renditions for thirty minutes would testify to, weeee!

This place is great because the food is face-stuffing good, the place is tiny and feels like an old wine cellar and best of all I walked by the kitchen and who was cooking? A round, old, German lady! That's authenticity!

Touristing it Right, London

2009-07-09T17:57:00.003-06:00

Again, I'm a huge fan of kitschy, cheesy, tourist attractions. Here I present my London essentials (not all are cheesy):

1. Tour on the Red Bus.

This is great for your first day in the city so you can get your bearings, see the sights from a distance thus making it much easier to decide where to spend the rest of your time. Parents like it too, see...

2. St. Paul's Cathedral

It's expensive, it's crowded and you can't take pictures inside but a hike to the top of 500+ steps will give you amazing views of the city. Also test out the whispering wall during the first leg of the accent. My brother said it worked but he may have just been humoring me.

3. Harry Potter, nerd points points of interest

Kings Cross Station, where they have actually set up a place for all of us sad people to go to and get photo proof of our nerdom. What place you say? Platform 9 3/4, if you asked you obviously don't know.

A walk across Millennium Bridge, which is very close to St. Paul's, will allow you to get giddy like "my friend" did when you see it get destroyed in the Half-Blood Prince movie.

4. Kew Gardens

A leisurely Underground ride and a short walk from the center of London. This place is a huge botanical gardens with outdoor and indoor gardens, old royal manors and expansive lands. If you've ever imagined yourself a member of Victorian royalty this is the perfect place to daydream (Prince Charming not included). Take some sandwiches and have yourself a picnic or go late for their summer concert series.

English Food isn't bad...

2009-07-05T16:23:00.009-06:00

just expensive and not exactly English.

Exhibit A:
Cote Bistro, French

Grilled Artichoke

Roast Duck Breast with Gratin Potatoes

We found this place just wandering around starving and such. What a happy surprise. The artichoke was on the specials menu and the duck is on the regular menu. Both were exceptional, as were the two bottles of wine, don't worry we still found our way back to the hotel. This method of wandering while hungry only worked out this well once, I suggest other methods of finding food. We went the to location in Kensington but luckily it is a London chain and has many locations throughout and outside of the city.

Exhibit B:
Ping Pong, Dim Sum

I have never had dim sum before, at all, so I don't have a point of comparison but I thought it was really delicious. I have, however, had a few cocktails before and can say quite confidently that their drinks were like nothing I've ever had before. The first was the Lemongrass and Lime made with Finlandia vodka, fresh lemongrass, lime and lychee juice, really tasty. The other drink that we attempted is called a Tennessee Tea Tingle the description for this reads "Jack Daniels, Cointreau and lemon juice topped up with Pepsi. Enjoy the electric feeling from the Sechuan buds!!!" Let me tell you, while the Whiskey may come from Tennessee I'm not sure the Sechuan buds would be legal there. After chomping one down and having my mouth tingle, burn then go numb we asked the waitress about these "Sechuan buds." The only information she had was that they come from Amsterdam, enough said. That's my younger brother up there, double fisting like a champ.

We ordered a lot of Dim Sum the list is: chicken puff, spinach and mushroom dumpling, spinach and prawn wrap, chicken and cashew nut dumpling, vegetable bun, chicken and black pepper spring roll, lemon chicken, honey glazed ribs, and crispy asparagus. I must say, I did crinkle my nose at the steamed vegetable bun but I take it back it was great, I recommend it, that's right, I just recommended something with vegetables.

Ping Pong, like Cote, has numerous locations, making these eateries easy to fit into your sightseeing schedule.

Big Burgers by Jim.

2009-06-25T11:51:00.000-06:00

In my treasured tradition of eating things as big as my head, I give you, Jim's Burger Haven.

Needless to say, the Large Burger is, in fact quite large. It tastes good, nothing terribly special. The fries also good. The onion rings were tasty and perfectly crunchy, I'd pick them over the fries. I also had a chocolate shake. Because I have a weakness for BK Milkshakes I sometimes forget that *real* milkshakes don't just taste like melted soft serve. Jim's Milkshakes are the real deal. Actually I'm quite sure the entire place is the real deal.

Not to brag...

2009-06-15T21:06:00.004-06:00

...but I'm kind of a badass.

A piece of Durian, right before I ate it, swallowed it and ate more.

A video of Andrew Zimmern spitting Durian out.

Let there be Orange-colored Sauce

2009-06-15T16:04:00.007-06:00

17th Ave in the Uptown area of Denver offers many a tasty restaurant. In the event that you, like Zach and I did, wander down the street looking for something other than the usual haunts wander a long way down (yes as hard as it may be to pass Pasquini's). Then you too can have something along the lines of this...

Seco de cordero:
Lamb Stew with Rice

Atun con tacu tacu y aguaymanto:
Ahi Tuna with Lentil cake (and orange-colored sauce of the Gods)

Plato de Crema Quemada:
Flavors: Mocha, Mojito and some fruit we couldn't remember and coconut.

All this can be had at the Peruvian-fusion restaurant: Limon, 1618 E 17th Ave, Denver.

Zach liked his Lamb Stew but thought the rice was a little off. I ate a lot of the onions out of his stew and thought they were quite lovely. My Ahi (you know it's mine because of my awesome dining out attire of a Beatles' hoodie) was really good. Zach thought he didn't like fish and he even liked my Ahi, hopefully this will be a culinary turning point for him. It may have been the magic orange sauce that came with it. Not that it's the case here but I think that sauce could make almost anything (food and perhaps a twig) taste delightful. The lentil cake-thing also pleased me a great deal. Now I really don't want lentils in a different format ever again .

If our entrees look a bit small to you, that's because they are. Limon offers a half-sized option on most of their entrees. Good if you, like we, haven't quite reached baller status or would rather save room for dessert.

The presence of a dessert here is a special occurrence. I very rarely order a dessert. I think the combination of lower priced and mouthwatering entrees, Zach the splurger and ONE wicked strong Sangria (can we say cheap date?) all combined to make that Creme Brulee appear in front of me. My personal favorite was the mystery fruit and coconut and I don't even like coconut. It was terribly interesting a bit like an adventure for the mouth. The first taste is the sweet/burnt of the sugar and fruit followed by a very subtle coconut. I'd say it was downright fun to eat.

My thrill for this restaurant grew as my friend who returned from Peru recently explained to me that the food he ate there with the locals was actually quite bland. Therefore I can only conclude that orange-God sauce was a product of the fusion, thank goodness for food physics.

The Second-Saddest Place on Earth

2009-06-12T19:13:00.005-06:00

Detroit might have it nailed down in the "saddest place on Earth" category, but Albuquerque could close in on it if it doesn't watch its back.

I'm in town for a business trip, leaving tomorrow for the happiest place on Earth, Disney World (duh). But for the moment, I'm in the Hyatt business center (Hyatt=very nice rooms, good pool, decor circa 1993), and here I will recount a little tale about my time in Albuquerque, NM.

I got here and thought, "Hey, not so bad!" It was a reaction spurred by not-so-stellar reviews of the city from, well, pretty much everyone who had been here before me. It was warm. It looked like they had some urban renewal projects going on. There were trees by my hotel. There seemed to be things within walking distance. But soon, my hopes were dashed. To summarize:

Biggest Disappointment
Brazilian food at Tucanos. Turns out this is a chain restaurant, not quite what we had in mind. Anyone remember the Mongolian BBQ in Boulder? This place was that place, only with large skewers of meat instead of grills. And a super wierd salad bar that contained things like garlic mashed potatoes juxtaposed with quail eggs and beef stroganoff. Hm. Also, beware of Tucanos if it is your birthday. They will bang lots of congas and sing in something that I must only assume is Brazilian. There were a lot of birthdays that night. However, local beers were on tap and I had an IPA from the local Marble Brewery which was really quite good. And the old Route 66 area is pretty cool - old neon signs and the like, but not somewhere a lady should be alone at night.

Biggest Fun Surprise
There is a HUGE brigade of bicycle-riding policemen in Albuquerque. This didn't make up for the fact that the 7-11 closed at 9 (as opposed to, you know, 11) or that I counted five passed out drunk dudes and a puddle of vomit in the five minutes it took to walk to the 7-11. Remember how I was heartened by the urban renewal? I think they forgot to finish it.

Biggest Historic Sighting
We ate dinner at the Church Street Cafe in Old Town, which is housed in what the menu claims may be the oldest building in Albuquerque (early 1700s!). Very cool little place with a nice patio and tasty sangria. Sadly, not the best Mexican food, particularly if you enjoy things that are spicy, or, for that matter, things that have salt in them. Nice ambiance, though. Old town is also super cute in the tourist way and there's lots of shopping, some of which is wicked cool, like Santisima - seriously one of the most interesting stores I've ever visited; made me wish my suitcase was way bigger and I was way richer.

Biggest Not-Fun Surprise
My dining companions and I were chilling on the corner waiting for the bus when, out of nowhere, a little to-go side order of salsa flew out a car window as the passenger of said car let out a maniacal cackle. Salsa was everywhere, the carnage smelled of jalapeno. I avoided the drive-by salsing but others weren't so lucky. Then we got on a bus that had a big ad across the ceiling that said, simply, "AIDS." I later saw a bus with a similar sign advertising "SYPHILIS". Wtf.

Biggest Delight
Get ready for a shameless plug. Coworker and I lunched at a restaurant owned by two of our (now married) culinary grads called Cafe Green. It's a French breakfast and lunch joint that had the most delicious (and beautiful) chicken salad sandwich I have ever laid eyes on. Crispy French baguette, cranberries, cucumber, walnuts, hard boiled egg, chives, salt and pepper. Simple and delicious; plus it came with a side of truffle fries. Joy! The menu rotates seasonally based on what is fresh and local. If you ever find yourself here, get there sometime before 2 p.m. and eat well.

Not so free donuts.

2009-06-12T11:47:00.004-06:00

As if there was a choice, we went and got free donuts on June 5.

Unfortunately, at the Winchell's on south Broadway, there were no donuts to be had. So we bought 2, and got 2 for free.

Here's Kristen woofing hers down. She later complained of being feverish from the two-donut combo.

Sorry, Kristen. I had to.

(EDIT: So later on, I get a tweet from Kristen saying that there were two pictures taken that night. I forgot ... and my form, as she remarked, is much better than hers, which she should be proud of. A lady eats donuts with a certain daintiness that a man just doesn't have...I didn't so much eat them as attack them, putting fear in their mother's heart that I would do the same to their siblings, donuts holes.)

Fast Times

2009-06-07T11:56:00.004-06:00

So yeah, we went to some nice restaurants in Vegas (see accidental awesome wine post).

But we also see Vegas as another kind of food Mecca. It is where the best fast food in the world lives. Fast food worth paying for cabs; fast food worth braving the heat; fast food that will change your life.

Or at least it will if you live in Colorado and don't have regular access to In 'n' Out and Nathan's.

The Happiest Hamburger in the World.

There are a few things that make In 'n' Out's food pretty awesome. Most important: Everything is fresh. Crispy lettuce, thick tomatoes and onions, fresh cut fries.

Buns are toasted.

Special sauce is present.

You can get like 5 hamburger patties on a burger if you want, I think.

Also: don't miss the milkshakes.

And if you're a huge burger dork, you can unearth In 'n' Out's secret menu. I personally stick to the basics...it's kind of not worth trying to make it better.

In true Vegas style, In 'n' Out Las Vegas is graced with a giant neon sign, so it'snot hard to find. But remember: even though it looks like it's close to the Tropicana, it's really not. Take a cab. Seriously. Food will only be like $5. Don't kill yourself walking there.

Hot Dog Heaven, and Maybe the Best Fries Ever.

Oh, Nathan's. Yeah, you can buy Nathan's hot dogs in the store. Or at Heidi's deli. Or whatever.

But they won't be made to order, and they won't come with amazing crinkle cut fries.

Nathan's hot dogs might be the only reason I would ever move to New York. They are traditional style, with natural casings (that little "pop" when you bite in will tell you if there are natural casings, btw). They don't get overpowered by condiments (important, because I eat mostly so I can put condiments on things).

But, most importantly, there are fries.

Kristen and I tried to think of fries we liked better. We couldn't. And that's quite a feat. They are thick cut, but not mushy or too stachy. They are soft inside with perfect crispness quotient outside. They come with a teeny-tiny fork to eat them with. They are perfection.

Also! Best tip we discovered in Vegas: If you catch it on the right day, the Coney Island area of the New York New York has a special: buy fries and a drink, and your hot dog is free. Yes, please.

To Do Friday Night in Denver!

2009-06-02T13:56:00.004-06:00

Begin Shameless plug:

My friends Zach Clark and Brandon Proff are showing their art this Friday in Denver.

Information:

Date:	Friday, June 5, 2009
Time:	6:00pm - 10:00pm
Location:	LEGWORK (2nd floor of the Figherfighters association building)
Street:	2342 Broadway St.
City/Town:	Denver, CO

Link to Click for more Information.

The best news? There will be beer! Free Beer!

New meaning to the phrase "garbage plate"

2009-05-30T11:28:00.005-06:00

On Wednesday, I flew into Rochester, NY with a plan: visit what is known to a lot of foodies (including Jason Sheehan, of Westword fame) as one of the best cheeseburger places in America.

One small problem: we didn't have a rental car.

Three things happen when you don't have a rental car on one of these trips. One, we had to rely on our contact to drive us to where we were doing interviews. Two, no control over what you ate or when you ate. Three, the client probably isn't going to have the patience to drive you all over Rochester looking for said burger joint, especially when you've already spent 12 hours in an old van together over the better part of 36 hours.

So needless to say, I didn't end up at Schaller's Drive-In. Which is a huge disappointment in itself, but then, I had the bad fortunate to be tortured by the rest of the cuisine throughout central New York state.

Listen: Denver is not a mecca of great restaurants in the United States. But we get by. We are positively Paris-effing-France when compared to most of these places.

First, before we even arrived, I was pouring over Yelp on my iPhone looking for a sports bar within walking distance of our hotel (the Nuggets game, which I don't care to discuss). Then I found the Thirsty Turtle. 'Thirsty' implies booze - how could we lose? We went in, and immediately got the feeling that this was maybe not the place for a couple of out-of-towners. We got into an unfriendly conversation about the Red Wings with some unfriendly locals, and were saddened by the desperation you can only smell on those late 20-somethings stuck in Victor, with no prospects to get out. "It's good to get some local flavor," my cameraman would later tell me.

As for the food, don't bother. As an ode to knowing I probably wasn't going to make it to Schaller's, I had a bacon cheeseburger that tasted like it was from a seriously dirty grill, and we split 10 hot wings that were not great, but at least were meaty.

The culinary abominations continued the next day. After a 3 1/2 hour drive to Walton, NY and a 2 hour shoot, we decided to stop at Papa's Diner. My cameraman, originally from Wayne, NJ, said he misses diners like this now that he lives in Colorado. I had the Walton Melt, which was chicken and peppers with some sort of (American? Swiss? I couldn't tell, which is a bad sign) cheese. There was also a lot of Elvis crap on the walls, which should have caused us to turn tail and run the second we walked in, but I'm an idiot and convinced us to "stay and try a little local flavor." Take that, cameraman.

That night, with no car and no energy, we walked the 1/2 mile to Chili's by the hotel, where we proceeded to eat basically none of our food (I picked at my disgusting Fajita Quesdillas) but drink a little bit (okay, a lot) too much.

Did I mention that was my birthday? Yep.

Finally, Friday we had another long drive to Angelica, NY (1 1/2 hours), where we built up an appetite shooting a landfill gas to electricity plant (yes, thank you for asking. The smell was incredibly appetizing). The food of central NY was almost vindicated when we stopped in Geneseo, NY for a burger at a bar called The Statesmen. Despite having one of those moments where you walk in and everyone stares at you for about 10 minutes. ("Not me," I plead with my eyes. "The cameraman looks like he'd be a lot better lay than me.") I had another bacon cheeseburger, which was actually very good. I maintain: you find the best cheeseburgers in America in dive bars.

Which brings me to the title of this blog: The garbage plate. Our gracious host told us about a place in Rochester called Nick Tahou Hots that serves what is called a "Garbage Plate", basically a big plate of hamburgers, hot dogs, macaroni, and the like. Why it's called a garbage plate, you got me, but it doesn't sound very good. I guess a lot of restaurants around Rochester have something like it nowadays.

All that talk about what exactly goes into garbage plates was a fitting end to an underwhelming food trip in Rochester. Guess they slipped me the garbage plate the whole time I was there.

So is it Spicy?

2009-05-29T22:43:00.001-06:00

This title sums up my first experiences with Ethiopian food. I like to think I'm rather daring when it comes to trying new food but I'll be the first to admit I'm a giant wuss when it comes to eating spicy food. The experience as I'll submit it to Hollywood...

Cast:
Kristen, a sarcastic foodie from Colorado, cautious about spicy food
Brandon, a sarcastic artist from Colorado, cautious about spicy food
Zach, Colorado native now living in Chicago, lover of Ethiopian food
Rachel, gal with international flair living in Chicago, loves Ethiopian food but knows none of the names of dishes.
Extra:
Friendly waiter
Scene:
Arada Restaurant.
Cast wanders hungrily down Santa Fe Blvd after taking in an art show.

Kristen:
sarcastically, "We could eat at that Ethiopian restaurant"
Zach/Rachel:
"Yeah!"
Kristen:
"uhhm ok"

Cast sits at table, reads menu
Kristen:
"What does this mean? Is this spicy? How does this work?"
Rachel:
"I don't know I just get served the stuff by my Ethiopian friends, it's good."
Brandon:
"Yeah I can't do spicy"
Zach:
"Uhm I think Berbere means spicy. I'm confused is this not family style?"
Brandon:
"Yeah Right!"
Rachel:
"It should be. I'm not that hungry"
Kristen:
"This one says mild, maybe I'll get that one"
(Yebeg Siga Alitcha, lamb stew with garlic and ginger)
Brandon:
"Oh I was going to get that one! "
Kristen:
"Fine, I'll get a different one."
Brandon:
"No, I'll get a different one."
Zach:
"No Way"
Kristen (to waiter):
Which ones are not spicy?
Waiter:
Anything that says "alitcha."
Kristen:
"Ok Brandon do you want chicken or lamb?"
Brandon:
"Chicken."
(Doro Alitcha: mild chicken with special Arada spices)
Kristen:
"Then I'll get the lamb. That waiter is really nice."
Zach:
"You lame losers, I'm getting spicy, spicy chicken!"
Waiter:
"Are you ready to order?"

Cast orders:
Yebeg Siga Alitcha
Doro Alitcha
Doro Wot (chicken in Berbere sauce)
Yatakilt Alitcha (potatoes, carrots, cabbage and onions)
Shrio Wot (chickpeas)
Tomato Fit Fit
Tomato Salad
Yater Alitcha (yellow split peas)
Yemiser Wot (spicy lentils)

Food Arrives, family style.
Waiter:
Explains dishes, serves food

Cast uses fingers and injera (a sour, soggy bread more like an un-fried tortilla) to eat.
Brandon sneakily takes candid Iphone photo of Kristen and food.

Cast stuffs themselves, eating much more than they should
Kristen:
"That spicy chicken isn't too spicy"
Brandon:
"Speak for yourself"
Rachel:
"Well then don't try the lentils"
Kristen:
"This is really good, especially the tomato fit fit, shiro wot, and the alitcha's"
Brandon:
"My chicken was the best!"
Zach:
"Bull Shit!"
Kristen:
"I'm glad I suggested this place"
Zach:
"I'm glad I took you seriously"
End Scene.

Well, my future might not be in screenplay writing but it will include more delicious food from Arada. I have my eyes on the Awaze Tips (Beef, berbere sauce, garlic and tomatoes) now that I know I can take the heat.

A Psychedelic Experience, No Drugs Required.

2009-05-23T14:06:00.001-06:00

As a wannabe hippie (the 1960s version) The Psychedelic Experience Exhibit now at the Denver Art Museum is probably as close as I'll ever get to realizing my dream. Therefore I really liked it. I think those of you out there with more realistic goals could like it too if you take your time and look at the right posters.

First of all, it's worth it to read the artist information and information about the promoters and venues. Stories always add to the interest factor.

The exhibit starts with memorabilia from the Day-Glo days of Ken Kesey, The Merry Pranksters and the Acid Tests. Click for the condensed version of who these wack-a-doos are but if you can read hard to follow books with extraordinary speed, check out Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests.

The most interesting pieces are optical illusion pieces that at first glance may just look like gibberish or more simplistic than they really are. Especially those of artist Victor Moscoso whose use of color contrast to display text it mind-bogglingly fun. We had a game of it trying to read the entire poster. Lee Conkiln's optical illusions are pictures within pictures. It's worth it to stand around and stare at their pieces and see things others miss while merely glancing around.

Also worth a visit is the Side-Trip where you can create your own poster or light show, listen to albums, chill on the couch or in a pillow-lined bathtub and leaf through a 1960s yearbook or LIFE magazine.

The exhibit only goes through July 21st so hurry up and make the trip! (pun intended, har har)

Mamma Knows Best!

2009-05-19T10:00:00.004-06:00

As Carrie Bradshaw would say, "hello lover!" She was talking about shoes. I'll be talking about pizza. My favorite little pizza place in the MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada to be exact.

I discovered Mamma Ilardo's a few years ago and now look forward to it every time I go to Vegas. Apparently it's a chain restaurant, which, sad for me, doesn't exist in the middle of the country. It does exist in the food court of the MGM past all the fancy restaurants.

The only thing I've ever gotten and the only thing I ever plan to get is the deep-dish pizza with sausage and pepperoni (double the pig, double the fun). Sara usually opts for the bread sticks so I'll go out on a limb and recommend them too. It's true I'm not a deep-dish expert (if I were I wouldn't fail at getting deep-dish every time I visit Chicago). Regardless of my status, this pizza is just damn good. Just the right amount of crunchy crust, sauce that isn't yuck like most pizza sauce, tasty sausage crumbles. I'd go on but my mouth is watering.

The point is it's good, it's fast, it's cheap (Vegas cheap) and most importantly it's ready at breakfast time. Mmmm breakfast of champions.

Don't make eye contact with a belly dancer

2009-05-18T11:20:00.005-06:00

If you've learned one thing in the brief time we've had together, it's probably this.

I'm not necessarily the best communicator in the world. I eat - and I'm good at that. (Most obviously.) I drink - I'm pretty good at that. (I've got a no-vomit streak going, and that's not going to end anytime soon.) I can hold a conversation with most people. But when it comes to playing cat and mouse with someone who is half-naked and gyrating like a top, not so much.

Friday night, my friend Marcedes, her husband Matt, and our friend Tom all went to Mataam Fez, 4609 E. Colfax Ave., for dinner. You don't need me to tell you about Colfax east of Colorado Boulevard. Lacking the charm of Capitol Hill Colfax and Golden Colfax, this part of Colfax is the part that you speed through. I wouldn't call it scary, but it's definitely run down - it reminds me more of Detroit than any other part of Colorado.

Anyway, it's not the best part of town. This little place has received 3 1/2 out of 5 stars on Yelp and I guess I'm just going to have to disagree. The service was hit or miss. Our hostess, who also functioned as a tea giver (giver of teas? Is that her formal title?) was warm, friendly and helpful. But our server couldn't be bothered.

Dude, you had like 3 tables. And you still forgot my beer.

Did I mention there was a belly dancer? *Puts "Man Hat" on* She was probably in her middle 40s, which is not a problem, and in great shape, but I just have a problem gawking at women who are mere seconds younger than my mom. So she walks by, hips flying, hand cymbals flailing, and I make the mistake of a lifetime.

I looked at her in the eyes.

In that moment, I glanced at the hint of a life unfulfilled. Dancing for tips, smiling at all manner of food-inhaling gawkers. And I must have given her the sad eyes. Because after she got the sword out (yes, the sword. Which she proceeded to swing about wildly) she wouldn't leave us alone. So Matt gives me a dollar, in the hopes that her money lust will be fulfilled by a single dollar and she'll go away. "Where do I put it?" I ask. They laugh and point to her bottom/underwear thing.

So in an attempt to not catch her desperation, I try to hand her the dollar. And she looks at me, points to her crotch and says, There. Like she's a stripper or something.

Needless to say, I very gingerly place the dollar in her whatever-you-call-it and turn around. Slowly, so as not to disturb the stripper, I mean dancer, in her natural habitat.

On a normal day, I can forget all of that. As long as the food is good, I don't care if I get a smile with my service.

AS LONG AS THE FOOD IS GOOD.

Decent. Edible. Different. These are all adjectives that I would use to describe the food.

Our first course was a Lentil and Lamb soup in a tomato base. It was good, but a little bit too salty for my taste. And I love salty things. Our second course was a plate full of various vegetables cooked different ways - nothing to write home about, except maybe the carrots that had been cooked in a hot sauce. Our third course was a meat dessert pie, which was by far the highlight of the meal. Fourth came our entrees - mine, Lamb in a honey-almond sauce. Again, meh. Finally, tea, which was chai-like and waaaay too sweet.

I took pictures of all our food, but will only threaten you with these two.

If you like to wear a towel over your left shoulder and use it as a napkin, give this place a try. If you like to make awkward eye contact with half naked women, give this place a try. If you are ready to endure mediocre food for one good course, by all means, give Mataam Fez a try.

Intentional Food Snobs, Accidental Winos

2009-05-17T18:00:00.013-06:00

I go to Vegas for the food. That's right, shocking.

Imagine my euphoria when we discovered that the majority of the nice restaurants in the MGM Grand were having spring tasting menus (through the 31st of May). That's like winning at a slot machine people.

After much debate, my group of girlfriends and I decided to go big time and go to Nob Hill Tavern. I campaigned hard for this choice as previously we had merely had appetizers and two drinks and it cost $80 and now I could get 4-courses for $49! Winner? Me.

As a table we decided to invest in a bottle of wine, that's what highbrow people do after all. Still though as none of us have reached our full Housewives of Denver status we picked a cheaper* Pinot Noir on the list. We informed our Sommelier of our wine selection and he seemed unusually excited about our cheapo* bottle of wine. More on this later.

Then the food came! (cue the ding!ding!ding! of winning a jackpot)

We received two pots of delicious gruyere fondue with sourdough bread. Oh so tasty. That's Lizzie in the background and Sara the hand model. Then came the first courses. I opted for the cream of broccoli soup and was ever so pleasantly surprised when grilled cheese came with it. I'm not crazy about grilled cheese probably because I have an aversion to Kraft Singles but this grilled cheese was no "I'm in college and I'm broke grilled cheese." The cheese wasn't mysteriously salty and it was grilled just right. There was also bacon in the soup. If you don't already know bacon makes every food better and I mean EVERY food.

Bring on the Main Courses! By this time I'm already feeling the pinch of too much food. I probably went a little too hard at that fondue out of pure excitement. After leaving half of the grilled cheese behind as a causality I was greeted with this magnificent dish.

I won't lie when the menu said Braised Short Rib with Root Vegetables and Mashed Potatoes I didn't exactly know what Braised Short Rib meant. I chose it because it had me at Mashed Potatoes. As it turns out a Braised Short Rib is like a pot roast, a pot roast from Heaven. It was better than grandma's. I never thought I would say that, I'm sorry grandma. I wanted to eat it all but and I tried my hardest, until my stomach was audibly yelping in pain. I did make a tiny bit of room to try Sara's dish, Chicken and Dumplings. To which my official review was and will remain, "I didn't know chicken could taste that good!"

For dessert I had Irish coffee creme brulee (I don't know how to make fancy accent marks) and by this time I must have been so delirious by deliciousness that I neglected to take a picture. It was beautiful and fabulous and somehow I managed to eat it all.

Finally it was time to go. Our bill arrived and to our surprise (or maybe for some, horror). We had not ordered at cheap bottle of wine. I even checked with our adorable Sommelier to be sure we weren't all food drunk or actually drunk, as we had finished the bottle. We were neither. Instead we had accidentally ordered a 2006 Kosta Browne from Kanzler Vineyards* costing over $200. Nothing to say to that except that fate wants us to be as fancy as we pretend. So go to Nob Hill Tavern they'll assume you fit in and perhaps you'll accidentally prove that you do.

Jet setting on the cheap

2009-05-14T10:00:00.002-06:00

Doing my daily surveying of the Internets, and came across an interesting post on Mashable. Turns out if you aren't too picky about your travel dates, you can go pretty much anywhere in the US, Caribbean and Mexico for well under $1,000 - and sometimes even Hawaii.

Voyij scans all the best deals on the web and combines them in a super easy-to use filtering system so you can decide on a trip based on location, length of stay, star ratings, etc. Very handy, especially if you don't have a schedule to work around. For instance: Four night hotel stay plus airfare to Puerto Vallarta in the beginning of August = $480. For reals? Yes.

Here's to becoming Samantha Brown and having some Great Weekends-style trips.

Today's Special: Have a Semi-Decent Day!

2009-05-10T16:15:00.005-06:00

Do you like goat cheese and arugula omelets? How about quinoa pancakes?
Then this post isn't for you....

If your family is like my family (highly doubtful), your mother likes to be treated extra special on Mother's Day by being taken to a nice breakfast, at the neighborhood greasy spoon diner.

The Village Coffee Shop in Boulder is a family tradition. What can I say? We are classy people. What do most classy people like? Perfect, cheap hash browns, that's what. If you disagree it's because you're just posing as classy, pathetic really.

Let me break it down for you (as you are likely still having issues coming to grips with your lack of classy at the moment). It's a diner. A magical 890 square foot diner. You've got your stationary 2-tops, 4-tops, and counter seating. You also have your regular waitstaff, who I'm sure if you go often enough you'll get to know by name, a mission that my brother is trying to complete before graduation. He just wants to order "the regular," wouldn't we all....

I almost exclusively get a half order of biscuits and gravy with a side of hash browns. This is more food than I can actually eat for $4. For the sake of journalism I ventured out today. I had the Denver omelet that came with those perfect hash browns (crispy on the outside, soft inside and no wading pool of grease, well maybe just a little) and some toast ($7.50). I don't like eggs that much and I don't like green peppers that much but I really liked this Denver Omelet, so it must have been spectacular. Oh, I also had some hot chocolate the kind that comes with a tower of Redi-Whip on top, yum.

When you go (as soon as you get over yourself you arugula snob), if you go on a weekend expect to wait in a line. Don't fret it moves very quickly, especially if you stare at the people eating through the window. Expect to have a cheap, fast and lovely breakfast. Finally and MOST IMPORTANTLY tell the waitress if you or other members of your party are visiting for the first time. They likely won't ask but if you volunteer the information, you'll get a special surprise.

My first foray into DC

2009-05-06T17:14:00.003-06:00

You might know that I have a twin brother. You might not. But what you should know is that he, like I, is a recovering fat dude.

And we still love to eat.

So I got called off the bench to pinch hit in Washington DC at the beginning of this week. Andrew recently moved to DC, and I haven't seen him since. It was a family reunion of sorts, the kind that only happens over beers (lots. and LOTS. of beers) and Irish Whiskey.

Ever heard of Powers? It's good stuff, and I've never had it. My brother's roommate, though, swears by the stuff and who am I to disagree? So we drank too much of it, but it was smooth. ("It's pure pot still," Deeds would tell me later. Which is not entirely true. But it's still good.)

And we ate. Oh my, we ate.

Andrew and his fiancee, Javi, made me dinner the first night. Pollo Asado, or their version of it, which rocked my world, and various assorted veggies. As an aside, Javi squeezes lime or lemon on everything, a side effect of her South American upbringing. It's a delicious change of pace.

Night two, we kind of ate and drank our way around Chinatown. Our dinner consisted of tapas from La Tasca. Reviews on this place are mixed, and my review is a bit mixed, too. The Sangria we had, the Rebujito, was pretty good. Our tapas, various assorted ones, were hit or miss. Some I didn't really like, but two, the Vieras, scallops, and the Sollomiio de Cerdo, pork tenderloin in a rosemary cream sauce, were great. There was a shit ton of cheese on one plate - and it was good, Liz Lemon style.

We somehow (drunkenly) made our way over to RFD, or Regional Food and Drink, which is kind of THE sports bar in Chinatown. A vast assortment of beers made up for a lack of ambiance - and guess what? There was Powers there, too.

My lunches consisted of Au Bon Pain, where I had a mozzarella sandwich (meh) and Chop'd, where I had a TO DIE FOR Ceasar Salad.

My new mission is to find Powers in Denver, and as an ode to the roommate, drink the whole bottle in two nights.

Rain ruins potentially awesome blog post, and other misadventures

2009-05-05T18:20:00.004-06:00

What we planned to do in Montrose:

Hike in the Box Canyon in Ouray with my favorite baby, Castelle. (Photo is of Cas and Brooke, his mom, at the Black Canyon)
Go garage sale-ing.
Go for a nice long bike ride toward Gunnison.
Go to the naked hot springs, Orvis, in Ridgeway.
Have a picnic.
Hang out at the pool at the Best Western Red Arrow, my favorite hotel in the world (disclosure: it is managed by Castelle's mom and dad).

What actually happened in Montrose:

It rained.
A lot.
Wtf.

So stay tuned for a real blog post about the loveliness that is Montrose, CO. Beyond the meth addicts and crime problem, it's really quite a nice area. Of course, I really like deserts; to each his own.

Three things I can write about in spite of inclement weather:

Pollux. I miss shopping so much. Glenwood has, um, Target (which I love, you know that, Target) but I haven't found a store here that caters to my personal style, if you will. Luckily for me, I have Pollux (there's also a location in Grand Junction). Last time, I spent an amount I am embarrassed about. This time, I kept it to a hat that looks sort of like this. Cute. Go me, with the willpower.
Belly. In addition to being my favorite word, this is also a new-ish restaurant in Montrose. Excellent Friday night specials for the ladies ($1 wells), good live music Saturday nights. Food: average, though I hear the coconut shrimp are pretty great. BLT had lots of bacon, which made me happy enough. Oh, and apparently Justin Timberlake and Jessica Beale ate there once when they were in Telluride. So it's kind of like I'm famous now.
Suds. Sure, it may not be the best bar in town, but it's home. They don't serve food. Unless you count hot pockets as food. They don't have a patio. Unless you count the back alley. BUT: colorful characters abound, it's worthwhile to get to know the bartenders, and sometimes there is karaoke. Plus sometimes the bartenders jump over the bar to break up fights. So it's kind of like Roadhouse. You can also smoke in the bar, which may be good or bad, depending on your habits.

The good and the bad

2009-05-03T15:53:00.003-06:00

Let us start with the bad.

Griff's Hamburger, located on 742 S. Broadway. According to some, there are comparisons to In-N-Out. The Drive-thru was looking busy which indicated that perhaps these burgers are kind of a big deal. The menu had your normal everyday burger (but thin patties like In-N-Out) along w/ sides and a variety of shakes. David and I got the Double Double type meal and substituted soda for vanilla shakes. I was excited that the shake was really thick and delicious. The fries were hot and fresh from the deep frier. I was already thinking in my head that I would recommend them...until I had the burger. I don't like tasting the essence of a cow when eating. Yes it should taste like meat but I felt as if I were eating the remains from the slaughter house. This was truly disappointing as I LOVE burgers. I'll even finish the burgers that Wendy's will mess up. This time, a burger was left behind.

Here's the good part:

Boulder Cafe on 12th and Pearl. They have a great happy hour--1/2 off all draft beers, house wine, margs and select appetizers. Favorites include the Spinach and Asiago dip, cheddar cheese fondue, chicken wings, shrimp, and calamari. I'd especially like to recommend the Angus beef sliders that I had on Saturday. It restored my faith in the American burger once again.

Alas, all is well in the world.

Brunch-a-licious

2009-05-02T10:14:00.000-06:00

Tasty = Jonesy's Eat Bar, Denver, 20th and Logan.

Brunch on the Weekends = Any or all of the following:
$10 pitchers of Mimosas, ham and cheese croissants with hollandaise sauce for dipping, sausage biscuits with gravy, truffle french fries and much much more.

Eat it, you'll be glad you did.

Smart? Drink on a Weeknight.

2009-05-01T10:11:00.005-06:00

Because apparently I'm the lush of the group...

I highly recommend Scruffy Murphy's in Denver between 20th and 21st on Larimer St, especially on a Wednesday night during Geeks Who Drink. John Murphy and his Irish accent are very nice, the decor is interesting, they have Strongbow Hard Cider on tap and it's not overly crowded like some trivia events. The trivia is eight rounds of random, including audio and visual rounds.

Just be forewarned that team Angela Lansbury's Brass Knuckles doesn't mess around and we also operate incognito (notice no picture of us). We perform especially strong in goth Linkin Park Covers, Inside the Actor's Studio Clips and Wham! Lyrics "these guilty feet have got no rhythm."

Wherein I admit to the cardinal sin of foodies

2009-04-30T09:55:00.004-06:00

I don't always have time to make dinner.

What can I say? I live a jet-set life, full of adventure and interesting people. People who wear glasses unironically, places that set my soul ablaze with gastronomical delight, full of bright shiny objects to distract me from an existence which is increasingly about selling things.

I'm rarely home. And even though I have three grocery stores within walking distance of my apartment, I've been known to do that which must not be named, from time to time.

Eat. Frozen. Dinners.

I'm constantly searching for a good frozen dinner (which I hold myself to one a week). We're not talking WW, or Hungry Man, or anything like that CRAP. Although I have been known to enjoy a Chicken Philly flatbread from Lean Cuisine. Try it. You might like it.

This is about it in the frozen food department. Which means, once a week, I have a date with one of these Chicken Philly Flatbreads and a Caesar Salad. I'm so sick of it.

So last night, I decided to drop $5 on a real frozen dinner. And fell in love.

Kashi's Sweet and Sour Chicken is actually really good. Don't hate. Try it. You might like it. The brown rice is savory and mixes extremely well with the S&S sauce in the package. The chicken is not dry, and the veggies taste like they actually lived in the ground at some point. It's expensive, but not more than you would likely spend on making yourself dinner or going out for a quick meal. It's better for you than eating a hamburger. And it tastes great.

Swimming Pretty in Denver

2009-04-29T14:11:00.005-06:00

I visited the Downtown Aquarium, Downtown Denver that is.

Years ago I visited the aquarium and was not very impressed. This time around I was pretty pleased so either they've changed things or I'm just more easily entertained these days.

Let's do this one Sara style:

Biggest Mistake:
We accidentally started the tour backwards. We thought we were rather clever (at least I did) going in reverse but I wouldn't recommend it, there is a reason it's set up the way it is and it all has to do with building suspense. We saw the romantic ending between human and stingray before any of the back story. Follow the path for a proper story build-up.

Biggest Silly Girl Moment:
The Stingrays are there to touch. Definitely shrieked like a little silly girl the first time I got a finger on one, they are pretty slimy, you've been warned. Also some of them like to splash, you've been warned, again.

Biggest Surprise:
A really large amount of good sized sharks. They would swim right next to the glass for a very up-close look at some serious teeth, yikes!

Biggest Tip:
The Aquarium closes at 9 PM, we went a little after 7:30 on a weeknight. This was plenty of time to see the whole thing and aside from one or two other groups we had the whole thing to ourselves.

Biggest Bummer:
The Aquarium boasts awesome Tigers. I have not yet seen any evidence besides an empty space. Perhaps they go to bed early or were quarantined for the Swine Flu.

Biggest (cool) Amusement Park-like Feature:
I was rather entertained by the simulation of flash floods in the desert, especially because it caught us off guard (lesson learned).

Biggest (lame) Amusement Park-like Feature:
The animatronic Orangutan, although the sign saying "Don't Feed" made me giggle a bit.

Biggest reason I'd go back:
There is a restaurant on the first floor of the building that smelled like it had some very tasty food.

I think the place is overall worth a visit, especially if you're trying to impress your date.

How About A BBQ Off?

2009-04-28T17:38:00.003-06:00

I don't think much of bars in Broomfield, CO, I have constantly been shocked then that even during daytime hours when I drove by The Old Man (just east of Sheridan on 120th Ave) that there were always cars in the parking lot. Unemployment, I thought, turns out it's BBQ.

Guess what I had, Sara? Get ready..... BBQ Sliders! That's right, point me. Three adorable little sandwiches, roast turkey, beef brisket and pulled pork, all insanely tasty. I liked the pulled pork the most but had trouble dividing my attention between the three, just like if you have kids, I'm sure. To top it all off, the best baked beans I have had from any BBQ restaurant, probably ever.

I also sampled off of my willing relative's plates (for the sake of research, of course). Fried Okra=yum, French Fries=yum, Sausage Links=yum.

I will no longer mock you Old Man.

This is just to say…

2009-04-28T17:37:00.001-06:00

I ate the cheese fries
That you put on my table
They were delicious
So melty, with bacon.

Yeah I made a William Carlos Williams joke just then. But the cheese fries at Rib City are seriously delicious.

So delicious I couldn’t finish my super delicious pulled pork sandwich.

As far as BBQ goes, this ain’t no Rib House (I will always carry a torch for the Rib House) but it’s pretty fricking good for the Western Slope. Plus, within walking distance of my house, and work (that means downtown, such as it is in Glenwood).

Worth pulling off the highway for if you need a snack.

Especially if you like cheese and bacon as much as I do.

Just try not to think of these little guys while you’re eating it.

Good and Not so Good Ideas, Denver

2009-04-27T14:52:00.007-06:00

Good Idea:
Emilio's Superchef Mexican Restaurant, Margaritas 4 pm-close, Thursday thru Sunday for $1.75. I'm no tequila snob but I had no difficulty enjoying these pint-sized babies and even less trouble getting drunk off of two.

Not So Good Idea:
Being too tipsy to fully enjoy my always delicious Steak Bowl with yakatori sauce, white rice and add on veggies from Tokyo Joe's. I did somehow manage to eat all the edamame out with chopstiks, so Margaritas must not kill all fine motor skills.

Good Idea:
Getting a pedi-cab ride to Liploss to get my hipster dance moves on. Drinking a delicious drink titled "Pink Pussy."
~Not so Good Idea:
Arriving after 10 PM, thus having to fork over $6.

Not so Good and Good idea:
A large buffet of Italian food for brunch at Cinzetti's. I conqured eating 4 different forms of potato in one sitting (mashed, rosemary roasted, hashbrown and soup), it's a tie between the mashed and roasted for the best. Disappointed by sub-par pastas. Annoyed to the possibe point of no return by fellow diners. Ate tasty tiny creme puff that was completely worth excruciating food baby pain that was to follow.

Good Idea:
Sunshine Cleaning at the Mayan (probably my favorite movie theater in Denver).

Not so Good Idea:
Dinner at Sputnik. The BLT is very tasty but no matter how often you ask to add the add-on avacado it never seems to show up with it on it. The sweet potato fries were ok but nothing to write to mom about. Also probably had the worst waitress in recent memory. Being hipster is one thing but it shouldn't translate to crap/lazy waitress. "Uhm excuse me miss, I know you're super busy rubbing up on your boss behind the bar but we've been finished eating for about 20 minutes and were wondering if it would kill you to let us pay you, since obviously you aren't going to offer to get us another drink?" Perhaps I'll sit at the bar from now on.

Good Idea:
Iced Coffee with Caramel from Fluid

Good Idea:
Relaxing in the Colorado sunshine with friends at Cheesman Park. The grass is already in loungeable condition. Do apply that sunscreen and watch out for ghosts as it was formerly a cemetary.

Albuquerque here I come!

2009-04-24T11:31:00.002-06:00

Booked flight/hotel for my trip to beautiful Albuquerque NM this morning.

Front desk clerk: "Would you like a mountain view or a city view from your room?"

There are mountains in Albuquerque? Wtf?

This led me to wonder what else there is about this city I don't know. I'm gonna be there for three whole days - plenty of explorations time.

So, dear readers, I am soliciting your advice. If you comment here and tell me what to do in the desert, I promise I will, to the best of my abilities, attempt to try it. And take photos. Because right at this moment the only thing anyone has suggested is that there is a really awesome lesbian bar. Hm.

Orlando - The Happiest Place on Earth

2009-04-24T11:07:00.006-06:00

Before I go any further, I should tell you that I travel a lot for work. So when I'm going to exotic locales such as Detroit, it's because my boss told me I have to put on my producer hat.

The good news: work picks up the check for almost everything. Travel. Hotel. And food.

The bad news: I don't get to enjoy myself nearly as much as I should.

So for every three times I have to go to places like Detroit, Des Moines or Parsippany, NJ, I get one chance to go to a good place.

THE HAPPIEST FRIGGIN' PLACE ON EARTH.

Orlando is what I imagine heaven is like if you die as a young child. Minus the evilness that is Donald Duck. (side note: Watching a Donald Duck cartoon is like watching a train wreck in slow-motion. You can see the crash coming, and you know you can't stop it, but you can't stop looking at it because you know there's going to be dead bodies all over the track.)

I won't bore you with work details except these: 3 days, 2 tapes, The Kennedy Space Center, Epcot, The Magic Kingdom and Downtown Disney.

Food in Orlando, IMO, is hit or miss. There are some really good places to eat, but lots of places that suffer from the Chuck E. Cheese Syndrome - you know, just because it's pizza doesn't mean it's edible.

We ate at four places I will, however, admit to.

1) Nine Dragons, a Chinese restaurant in the World showcase at Epcot, was delightful. The atmosphere is so-so, pretty much like any restaurant inside a theme park, but the Sweet and Sour Pork was to die for. "Just like we got in NYC," my cameraman Keith said. I agreed. They don't make S&S like this in Denver.

2) Grill's, a seafood joint on Cape Canaveral, was decent. Keith had the Mahi-Mahi, and I had a bowl of Clam Chowder which was a bit too sweet for my liking. We had mild heat stroke from shooting 6 hours in 90 degree weather with 85 percent humidity. I might have been delirious, but I think I saw a dolphin go into the kitchen.

3) Wolfgang Puck's Cafe in Downtown Disney, good value and good food. When I was a child, I had the good fortune of visiting Disney World a lot and we ate at the upstairs Wolfgang Puck a lot. (We were poor kids. But my mom knew what was important. Traveling and food.) The upstairs food is to die for. The downstairs food is simpler, but good. I had a Chicken Aioli sandwich and the Butternut Squash Soup, both of which satisfied. Keith had a Cobb Salad, and didn't look too impressed. Oh well.

4) Bongo's in Downtown Disney shockingly didn't taste at all like a chain. I had the Vaca Frita. Delicious fried shredded beef with onions and a side of adobo rice. It was seriously busy with mostly adults, which was great. Kids and Disney are synonymous, but not here - sometimes you just have to get away from it.

That's me on the far left. Keith is on the far right. That's our camera.

Favorites in Seattle

2009-04-22T22:20:00.002-06:00

Because I was asked today,

My 3 Favorite Seattle Tourist Activities:

1. Experience Music Project
~ Crowded fun; don't be afraid to fight a child for an interactive exhibit.

2. Underground (Walking) Tour
~Creepy fun; bring a jacket it gets chilly.

3. The Duck Tour
~Cheesy fun; roll with it and see Sleepless in Seattle beforehand so you don't end up pretending to know what they are pointing out, like I did.

Add-On for fun:
Summer Solstice Parade in Fremont, get there early for the "unofficial" and naked start. For added awkward fun, bring your father.

For Uptight Oxymorons

2009-04-22T19:50:00.002-06:00

As I laid face down in a High School on the outskirts of Boulder, I thought to myself, "more people should know about this, had I known about this while I was at CU I would have been here all the time."

The oxymoron quality of the idea of a back-facial has already been pointed out to me. I'm promoting it anyway. It appears that only old people know the benefits of going to a Tech school for cheap salon type services. While I'm not offering up my hair anytime soon (even though I'm sure it would be fine). How much can a girl (or in the case of this semester, one guy) screw up a massage with river stones and exfoliate cremes? Not enough to stop me and my crew of 50+ year-old buddies.

Advice today, spend the $8, plus tip, go to the Boulder Valley Tech School and de-stress for an hour.

P.S. Only during most weekday mornings in the Spring semester.

The saddest place in America

2009-04-16T22:19:00.003-06:00

You want to know what the saddest place in America is? No, it's not a puppy-killing factory. It's Detroit, Michigan.

I'm sure Detroit was a nice place at some point. (Okay, that's a stretch.) But now, it's a cesspool, filled with potholed streets, sub-par graffiti (yes, there is a such thing as good graffiti) and ghosts.

How scary is Detroit? Me and my cameraman, Jeff, got lost at one point. In the middle of the day. And we were petrified.

Don't go. Don't ever go.

We were fortunately there only 24 hours. We ate dinner at Big City Bar and Grill, found it to be alright, if standard. We split a ham and pineapple pizza - it was edible. But we had been traveling for 4 hours. A brick would have tasted good at that point. But the beer was cold and the Nuggets game was on TV.

We skipped breakfast, and for lunch before we caught our flight, decided to get out of the bleak and visit Ann Arbor.

Ann Arbor is a broke-ass Boulder. That's the best way I can put it. It has its charm, and is probably the best town for 300 miles in every direction, but that's not saying much. Pueblo would be the best town for 300 miles in every direction if plopped in Eastern Michigan.

What the city lacked in flair (or yuppies) it made up for in our dining experience. We ate at the Red Hawk Bar and Grill in Ann Arbor. I had the Cuban Hero and found lots of pork, great ham and swiss cheese and just the right amount of pickle. The chorizo was a little burnt, but tasty. The place is classy, but I think it tries a little too much. Exposed brick gave way to enameled floors, and too much local "art" on the walls.

Feeling adventurous? Give Downtown Detroit a try on a weekend night? Sure, you might get shot, but that's part of the fun of trying new things.

Am I in Kansas or Missouri? Hmm.

2009-03-20T14:10:00.000-06:00

I recently shuttled myself off to Kansas City, Missouri for a work conference (in March), but chose to arrive a couple days early. Yep. On purpose. Just hanging out, in KC.

The conference brochure promised loads of excitement, including the birthplace of Hallmark Cards (Crown Plaza, where my hotel was located), Harley Davidson production plant, etc. I decided there must be more to it than that. And I was right. For the most part.

Biggest sad:
Somewhere along the line I had read that Kansas City was the “Chicago of the Midwest.” I thought this was odd because, er, isn’t Chicago in the Midwest anyway? But I took this to mean that KC is full of hip young things and good music. And it might have been. The week before and after I was there. Unfortunately SXSW was the week of my visit, so all the bands were in Austin and I languished; Ryan Adams and the Kings of Leon played dates on either side of my trip. Go figure. Otherwise, though, it woul appear that KC has a good music scene. Especially if you’re into jazz/blues. (Hit up the Jazz Museum if you are…I didn’t have time, but it looks fabulous!)

Biggest cliché:
I ate a lot of barbecue. And discovered that “burnt ends” may well be my favorite food. And KC makes some pretty great beer. And that seating yourself at the bar at Jack Stack BBQ (in the Freight District) is the best way to get a table without a two-hour-plus wait. Yum.

Biggest ouch:
Take tennis shoes. You can walk everywhere in downtown KC, and it’s pretty flat. But little flats won’t cut it if you want to explore the arts district (galleries), downtown Power & Ligh t District, etc., and walk the whole time.

Biggest bummer:
The economy is rough. Lots of empty storefronts in the metro area.

Biggest AWESOME!
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art are open and FREE. Both buildings are architecturally fantastic, and are worth a trip on the bus to get there (very easy if you take the MAX – comes every 10-30 minutes depending on the day, $1.50 was the going rate while I was there – ticket lasted 3 hours). Make sure you visit the sculpture garden, and the audio tour was the best way to make sure you hit all the best parts. A pleasant exceeding of my expectations. Especially the giant badminton birdies on the lawn, and the Art Institute hipsters flying kites among them.

Biggest temptation to exceed my travel budget:
Country Club Plaza (also a short bus jaunt on the MAX). The day I was there, the weather was gorgeous, the fountains were on, and I was in the mood to shop. Which was perfect, because I love open air shopping centers more than just about anything, and this one had a nice mix of locally owned and national shops. Example: Bought great vintage jewelry and a scarf at Standard Style, got a dress at Anthropologie. Perfection. The best fountain in KC is here (Kansas City is called the “city of fountains,” by the way) so you can shop while pretending to do actual sightseeing.

Biggest (tallest) friends:
This year, the first couple rounds of the NCAA basketball tournament were in KC. I ran into OU in my hotel elevator. Swoon. They also ate dinner among us at the Peach Tree, where I ate the most amazing collard greens I have ever had in my life. Serious.

Biggest (haired) friends:
There was an anime convention the weekend I arrived. Kids love hairspray, cat ears.

Biggest nerding:
Union Station, a short walk from my hotel. A few years ago, the city restored this ginormous rail station to its former glory, and being the dork that I am (and also obsessed with train travel) I enjoyed wandering around here and looking at Pullman cars. Shut up. Also made me curious as to why KC would need such a big rail station…I mean, it’s not like KC had immigration or pig slaughtering or steel to create a metropolis upon. I didn’t know my history so I looked it up. Turns out it was cattle slaughtering. Go figure. Moo.

Smaller and the City

2009-01-14T20:28:00.002-07:00

First trip of the year to NYC.

I took in two new (not gigantuan) museums. I highly recommend both.

Arrived just in time at The Cloisters (in my case Sunday at 3 pm) to join the free Collection Highlights tour. I took an MTA bus, along with my lovely tour guide, Marla, all the way from the Upper West Side to the museum. It was a long trek but I was able to see Colombia University and the Restaurant storefront of Seinfeld fame from my bus window.

I also went to the Frick Collection. It's pretty inexpensive if you can still pass on your student ID (not that I ever would). The best part was that the Audio tour comes free with admission. I'm always a fan of audio tours, they lend you the alone time and freedom to wander and imagine how you will finance your own amazing art collection and manshion to hold it all.

Free Flying

2009-01-01T20:08:00.001-07:00

Spontaneous Trip to Seattle yields exciting freebie. The Museum of Flight is free the first Thursday of the month from 5-9 PM. I love me some museum and I love me some free museum even more.