Denver Foodie Girl

Dim Sum Makes Me Happy

2009-09-10T14:19:00.000-06:00

I could eat Asian food any day of the week. It is, by far, my favorite type of food. Give me sushi, give me Chow Fun noodles, give me Wonton Soup- it simply doesn't matter. I love them all.

For a bit of comfort food the other night, I made my way back to Super Star Asian Cuisine with my parents in tow. If you drive too fast up Alameda, you could miss the small sign for it. Tucked in the back of the same strip mall that houses Pacific Ocean Market Place- somewhere I'm dying to go!- Super Star sits in a back corner. The place is larger than it appears from the outside and is so clean. We sat down, and I told my parents to get ready to feast. I did the ordering, and the food that kept coming was a bit overwhelming in amount. Apparently you are really supposed to get Dim Sum for brunch, but I was craving all the tiny morsels, and the others that were there that night were ordering off that menu, so I felt confident I could go against tradition and still get some really fresh, yummy stuff. I wasn't wrong.

It all started with Shrimp Crepes. I ordered the wrongs one. These were steamed, and the fried ones are so much better. I think they have shrimp paste in them instead of full pieces of shrimp. None the less, these were pretty good. Soon came the Baked Pork Buns, quickly followed by the Steamed Pork Bun which are definitely the better of the two. The yummy, sweet pork is wrapped in what has the taste and texture of Wonder Bread and they are delicious. Then came Beef Chow Fun and some War Wonton Soup. Both super tasty.

The table was filling up, and we were barely making a dent. Half of a Crispy Duck was put down, followed by Steamed Pork Dumplings, and my absolute two favorite dishes- Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and the Eggplant Stuffed with Shrimp. Pour the sauce over the Broccoli, you won't be sorry. And watch your tongue on the eggplant- that dish always comes out piping hot!

That was when we threw in the towel. And then proceeded to take home enough leftovers for both my mom and I to each have two meals. Did I mention the place was cheap?! All that food, plus two Bobas and some tea- $60!!

So, don't waste anymore time. Get yourself and a couple friends and drive on up. The more people you bring, the more things you can try. This place is not to be missed. And the guy that owns it is so incredibly nice.

Ciao!

Super Star Asian Cuisine
2200 W Alameda Ave # 5A
Denver, CO 80223-1947
(303) 727-9889
I couldn't begin to tell you if they take reservations...

Like An Old Shoe? TBD...

2009-09-09T13:31:00.004-06:00

Hmmmm, considering my last post, you could think of me as a bit of a liar, huh? Okay, I really feel like I've got my battery recharged this time, and that I am ready to go. This time around though, I'm thinking things are gonna be different. I still love to eat out, but I'm really starting to love cooking more and more. I want to be able to share with you not only dining high and low points, but also fabulous recipes and kitchen disasters. I'll also make sure to tell you about any other little food related thing that might come up. I look forward to your comments- PLEASE feel free to leave some. I really just want to know that someone is reading this! ;-)

To get back in the swing of things, let's talk about Potager- one of my favorite places to go in Denver. I love how laid back it is there; how you can show up looking nice or in ripped jeans, and no one seems to care. I also like, okay- love, the food. It's simple, it's good, and it's local. The last one just makes me feel good about myself, like I've helped decrease my carbon footprint. I know, ridiculous...

So, for my mom's birthday a few weeks ago, it seemed the perfect place to celebrate. I started with the warm, Twice Baked Goat Cheese Souffle and Red Wagon Farm fresh beet salad. I gotta tell you that the souffle was probably the best one I have ever had. It was so light and the flavors were amazing. Pairing it with beets gave it this beautiful, sweet bite that was perfect. My mom had the Chilled Cure Farm Cucumber-Yogurt Soup, and I think that if it had been acceptable to lick the bowl, she would have. It wasn't, though, so she spooned as much out as humanly possible.

You'd think for the main we'd choose different entrees and share, but no. We both went with the Grilled BBQ Pork Loin Chop with a corn pancake, peach salad and spicy tomato sauce and were not the least bit disappointed. The fresh peach salad was more of a salsa, right on top of the chop,making it the perfect ending to summer kinda dish. The spicy sauce had a bit more bite than I expected, so I can't tell you that I scooped it all up, but I definitely enjoyed it.

Dessert. We'll I can't sing the praises of Potager here- but only because we didn't order any from them. I surprised my mom with a most delicious cake from D Bar. If you haven't gone, GO! I got the house specialty cake. It was the best we've had yet. Others have been so chocolaty, that no one could keep eating them with abandon. They were overwhelming. Delicious, but just so rich. This cake, though, was incredible. Vanilla pound cake, with layers of icing that was both lemony and vanilla, and just the right amount of sweet to not be cloying. The cake was topped with a thicker version of this icing and decorated plain and pretty. I've left out the best part though. They threw fresh raspberries into the batter and with every bite, you'd find a delicious surprise. It was just so good!

If you go to D Bar, other things to not miss out on include the PB&J Cupcake and any flavor Macaroon. My parent's bring these bar for me every year from Paris, from Laduree, and I have to admit that the ones I bought from D Bar were just as excellent. That's saying a lot.

So, before we head into fall, I'd definitely say head over to Potager. I love the autumn and winter dishes but there is just something about their summer menus that's amazing.

Till next time... Ciao.

Potager Restaurant
1109 Ogden St
Denver, CO 80218-2809
(303) 832-5788
No Reservations Accepted. Wait it out at the bar and have some vino...

D Bar Desserts
1475 E 17th Ave
Denver, CO 80218-1656
(303) 861-4710

I am Starving

2008-09-29T16:43:00.002-06:00

Well, hello. It's been a long time since I've written. You are probably all- yes, all 10 of you- thinking, "Wow, she must be starving, she hasn't eaten since June!" That's not the complete truth. Let's just think of the break as... I was a teacher of eating out, a lot, and took a summer vacation from telling you about it! But, I've got some places in mind to eat at and many praises to give to others, so I'll be back to tell you all about them very soon!
Bon Appetit!

A Huge Disappointment

2008-06-06T15:13:00.003-06:00

You might have guessed by now that I eat out a lot. By a lot, I mean usually at least once a week. And in all the years I have been eating out, I have never received a bill amounting to $0.00. That is, until last night.

It was 7:30 when my mom and I pulled into the lot for Mel's in Greenwood Village. We walked into the dining room and were seated right away. I'd say the place was about 60% full in the front room. We would later find out there was a private party of 40 in the back.

Menus were dropped and the young girl in charge of water and bread came to the table, filled me up and got my mom's order for a coke. She was so quiet, I could barely hear her say she wasn't our waiter. Good thing, I thought, or we'd really be in trouble.

The waiter finally came over, and asked if we needed anything. Ummm, yes, we would like to order! My mom chose the Confit of Duck Leg, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Hearts of Palm, Grilled Arugula. I chose the Classic Roast Chicken with Mashed Potatoes,Spinach, Tarragon Butter. We both switched our potatoes out for veggies- asparagus for me, broccolini for my mom. Then we sat, shared some olive bread, and waited. And then we waited some more. And some more. After twenty minutes, we finally got the waiters attention and asked where the meal was. He went to the kitchen, checked, came back and informed us that the order had been put in twenty minutes earlier and that it was inexcusable to take that long. We agreed. Our order had apparently been fired right after the 40 person private parties entrees had been put through, but ours would be up very soon. Ten more minutes, and we were about to get up and leave when the manager finally came towards out table with two plates. He put them down, said how sorry he was, made some stupid joke that he had cooked them himself, and offered glasses of wine on the house. Dude, we've been here almost forty minutes and haven't been drinking. Too little, too late! He walked away, and we dug in- to cold food. How could it possibly be cold?! What the hell were they doing back there with it?

My chicken's skin was greasy and thick, nothing about it resembling crispy and roasted. My asparagus was ice cold with ridiculous grill marks decorating it. The spinach didn't have it's stem trimmed, some of the greens were hot and withered, while other leaves were crisp enough to be part of a salad. There was no seasoning at all. And that Tarragon butter. Disgusting. It was more of a heavy cream, glopped over the chicken, and flavorless. I avoided it as much as possible. As for my mom's dish- her duck was cold, no flavor. The broccolini was pathetic looking. Brown, withered, and resembling the stuff you find at the bottom of the pot that no one wants to eat. There were no hearts of palm or grilled arugula. We ate the meal for less than ten minutes. It was inedible.

The waiter knew we weren't happy, and dropped off the $0.00 check. We did tip, cause that would have been tacky on our part. The manager barely offered an apology, and I can promise you that even if he had, I wouldn't be going back to Mel's ever again. Even with the reduced check, the price was too high to waste our time and our taste buds.

Ramen Noodles Don't Always Cost $0.10

2008-06-05T14:20:00.003-06:00

In college, I would wait for the 10 packages of Top Ramen Noodles for $1.00 sale at King Soopers, and I would stock up on all the flavors. It's not that they tasted that good, cause they didn't. But they were cheap and easy, and could be made in my ghetto dorm room. That was all I needed.

Nowadays, I don't eat the ramen from a package all that often, but when I heard about a place in Denver that makes fresh ramen noodles every morning, I knew I needed to try it. So last week, my mom and I headed to Oshima Ramen on Hampden. It's in the same center as Whole Foods, but once you step through the door, you feel worlds away. If you're big on ambiance, you should just skip Oshima completely. There is nothing good looking about the inside of this place. We sat down at the linoleum counter, and the young woman working brought us a menu. I should probably also mention at this point that along with lacking good looking decor, there is also a serious shortage of customer service and personable people working at Oshima.

We both ordered the same bowl- ramen noodles with seafood. While we waited for the bowls, we kick started the meal with some Gyoza, which we both liked. The seafood ramen arrived, and consisted of two mussels, 4 shrimp, and some Krab. That's not a mis-spelling. This was not the real stuff. The bowls were $13.95- each!! That's a lot of money for some not real krab! There was also some shredded cabbage in the mix. . As for the bowls, they were very tasty. There are some fixings on the counter in front of you- white vinegar, chili oil, soy sauce and some dry spicy seasonings. We both added some of the red spiciness, and I also added some soy. Everything about the bowl was yummy. The noodles were perfect, with good flavor, and the seafood tasted good, even if it was sparse. Overall, we really liked it, but with one soda, two noodle bowls, and one order of Gyoza, dinner came in at almost $40! Next time, I'll just drive on up to Federal and hit up Lao Wang's Noodle Shop. I could feed all my family and friends for $40 there, and their Gyoza is about the best in town!

I won't be picking up any packages of Top Ramen in the near future, but I'm not sure when I will return toOshima's either. The taste may be good, but the price is a high one to pay for a place that could really use a makeover. It's not like they aren't bringing in the money to do so!

Bistro Vendome Comes Through!

2008-06-05T13:24:00.005-06:00

Don't you love it when you go back to a much loved restaurant and the service and food make you realize why you love it, and even if you've had a bad experience, you then forget all about it?!? Well, that's just what happened at Bistro Vendome on Mother's Day!

My parents arrived on time, I was five minutes late. The table would be about ten minutes till it was ready, but they were very nice about it, and really, it was not a big deal. We were seated at a great table in the middle of the dining room. It was light and bright gorgeous outside, and they had the windows open. It felt like the perfect warm Spring day.

We started off with some cocktails, cause really, is there a better way to kick off a brunch?? My mom and I both had the Poire Royale, while my dad imbibed in a Volga 5- basically, a Bloody Mary. We sipped away, noshed on some bread and decided on our mains.

My mom order the Pain Perdu, the french toast with citrus honey. I tried a bite of it, and it was delicious. Made from a brioche, it was heavier than a typical french toast, but the flavors were great, and the citrus honey syrup really made it special. My dad made the wise decision to have the entree sized portion of the Quiche, which was a composed of egg custard, black truffles, smoked ham, scallions, wild mushrooms and then a spinach salad on the side dressed in a warm bacon vinaigrette. I had a bite of his, and if he had left the table for even a minute, I probably would have stolen his plate and eaten the rest of his. It was heaven, and I will definitely order it the next time I go. I ordered the Omelette aux Champignons, a mushroom omelette that I had wanted with Gruyere cheese, but the kitchen messed up and put Mimolette on instead. The highlight of mine was, of course, those to die for pommes frites. I've talked about them before, and they never disappoint. The omelette, on the other hand, was a bit of a disappointment. It was a little dry, and the mushrooms were a little soggy, but it was still tasty. Just not what I was hoping for.

We finished the meal with a trio of sorbets- watermelon, coconut and raspberry, I believe- and they were all very good. One pot of french press coffee, and we were on our way. The service was far better than the last visit, and the food was generally very good as well. I look forward to returning and sitting on the beautiful patio a few more times this summer. There really is no place in Denver quite like Bistro Vendome.

Who Knew There Was Coolness In Old Town Littleton?

2008-05-09T12:50:00.004-06:00

When I think of areas in Denver with great places to eat, I have to admit that Old Town Littleton does not come to mind frequently, if at all. I mean, I think of Main Street, and immediately, La Fondue comes to mind. Not cool. I can now say that I've been wrong! This past Wednesday, I made my second trip to Opus Restaurant. I had been once before with my parents for a birthday dinner and the food was incredibly good. Its location was the only thing that kept me away, and that's just foolish. This time we drove on down for the special evening they had put together with other merchants from the street, most notably the best spice store EVER, Savory Spice Shop. I have yet to go into the shop on Main Street, but I absolutely love the one on Platte. If you haven't visited them yet, it's a must! So, what made this dinner interesting was that Chef Michael of Opus went on down to his friendly spicy neighbor and picked up some herbs of interest and created a menu around that. Great premise, and for the most part, and really good meal. Oh and the other merchants involved, since I'm sure you want to know, and I love to promote local businesses were Lido Wine, which provided some excellent grape juices, table decor from Ambiance de Provence, and artwork from Pinon Fine Art. What a great way to show off neighbors and build up the community, I just love the idea!

Anyway, onto the food. We were seated- I was with my parents again- and were brought champagne by an incredibly funny and personable waiter that absolutely loved my mom. He was wonderful throughout the meal. After about a half an hour, and my mom getting ready to eat the tablecloth, some bread was brought out to smear some of the Black Olive Tapenade on. Yum. Shortly after, the Savory Spice Cured Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallop over Potato Leek Cake and Smokey Cheddar Butter. For me, I like my bacon done. I mean done. I don't like seeing the white fatty part on my plate, much less putting it in my mouth. But the simple fact that it was wrapped around the scallop and would have made the seafood the consistency of an eraser, the bacon was fatty. So, I took it off and ate everything else on the plate. So tasty! We were also poured our first glass of wine, a 2005 Treana Marsanne Viognier from the Mer Soleil Vineyard. I'm not much of a white person, but I really enjoyed this wine, and it paired very well with this dish.

The dish it was really supposed to go with was a Pink Peppercorn Spiced Slow Roasted Colorado Pork with Plantain Galettes & Avocado Sauce. I was not as big of a fan of this. My pork was really spicy, so much so that I left quite a bit of it on my plate. I did enjoy the plantains and the Avocado Sauce, but in not liking the main feature, I'm sure I missed out.

I can't say that the dish that followed pleased me much either, but the wine was fantastic! We were poured a 2006 Martin Ray Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County. It was fabulous, and I'm so happy that my dad put in an order for 6 bottles. I can't wait to pop one open again soon. The food, though, was the most underwhelming of the night. It was a Terragon Poached Western Slope Chicken Breast Over Endive Salad, Vine-Ripe Tomato and Haystack Farms Goat Cheese. I honestly have no recollection of Endive being on the plate, and the chicken was cold. None of us anticipated it would be, and we actually asked one of the waiters if it was supposed to be warm and he rebounded quickly and said it was meant to be a salad course. There was little flavor to the chicken, though it was cooked well, but the whole thing was just boring. Except the cheese- I love goat cheese and could eat it all the time. But if you're at a wine dinner, it's not goat cheese you're looking for. So, a thumbs down from all of us went to this dish.

Thankfully, what followed was delicious! Placed before us was a County Clare Spiced Beef Ribeye Roast atop Savory Cabbage and Bistro Stout Jus. Wow. It was so good. Every part of it. We all cleared our plates. The wine was a 2005 Caravan Cabernet Sauvignon by Darioush from Napa Valley. I'm not a big Cab drinker, so I only had about half my glass, if that much. Nothing against the wine, it's just me. But the food... ooh, that was good.

We finished the meal with a dessert that I think my dad and I would have licked the plate of, given the chance. It was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Spring Roll with Zanzibar Curry Anglaise and Strawberries. They were nice enough to replace my Strawberries with Plums, making the whole thing to die for. A crispy Spring Roll with warm, gooey chocolate yummyness inside. A Dutschke Old Codger Tawny Port from Australia was poured, making the end of the meal a Diabetics nightmare. Unless you're my mom and pretend you don't like warm chocolatey goo, and you only eat the fruit. Then, you're safe.

Overall, the meal was very good, with the few exceptions, but the staff and atmosphere made it an incredibly enjoyable night. The wine guy, Jeremy, was great to talk to, and everyone else was friendly and welcoming. While I have forgotten about Opus in the past, it is a place I look forward to returning to in the near future now.

Good Thing The Food Is Delicious!

2008-05-07T16:19:00.003-06:00

Bistro Vendome has always been one of my favorite restaurants in Denver. I love the atmosphere, the beautiful patio and, of course, the food. So, I made a reservation for a birthday celebration for a friend there for last Tuesday night. After a glass of champagne at Corridor 44, we walked across the street, and checked in. After a very brief wait, we were taken to a table on the patio. It was gorgeous out, and we were both happy to be outdoors. I had chosen the restaurant for a Tuesday night because they do a great wine tasting- 3 different types of wine for $10!- every Tuesday. Except this one. When the waitress came over to get our drink order, she told us the Sommelier was on vacation. Such a disappointment. So, we ordered cocktails and waited. And waited some more. This waitress was so slow, it was painful. Ten minutes for drinks. She finally took our order, and we were eventually brought the smallest piece of warm bread. That was devoured quickly, as it was tasty, and then never refilled.

To start the meal, we ordered the Charcuterie to start, and were brought a plate of Spicy Salami, Pate, Olives and Pruschetta, plus two different condiments, an aoli and a mustard. I love cheese, so next time I'll get both, but this was really good.

For our mains, we both ordered the Steak Frites. I chose the Roquefort with Port Reduction while my friend did the Classique with Bearnaise sauce. The Frites are amazing at Bistro Vendome. Very thin and crispy, and drizzled with Lavender syrup and sprinkled with Herbes de Provence. I love them. Both the steaks came out perfectly.

So, clearly, the food was excellent at the restaurant. I just wish I could say the same about the service. We felt like the forgotten table by the waitress. She rarely came by, drinks refills were only taken care of because we asked for more. I had called ahead and told them it was a birthday. When it came time for dessert, the Creme Brulee came, and there was no reference to the celebration. But, when it came time to pay, it was at that point that we couldn't get rid of the waitress. She was all over us. The bill was handled and we left.

On Wednesday morning, I was still feeling disappointed, so I wrote the restaurant. I really love the place and I felt that they should know about the service. One of the owners, Beth, replied to me that afternoon, and was very nice and appreciative for the feedback. I'm planning to go back this Sunday for brunch, and am eager to see how the service will be since it's a guarantee that the food will be delicious!

The Dens: A Face Off

2008-05-07T15:31:00.004-06:00

So, two weeks ago, I visited the recently opened Izakaya Den on Pearl Street. I had been once before, and while I had been impressed, some of the dishes ordered that night would not have been my first choices so I was eager to return. My mom and I went on a Saturday night, arriving at the very uncool hour of 6:30 pm. We figured this was early enough to avoid a wait. We were wrong. Thankfully, we found two seats near the door immediately and waited patiently for an hour.

We were eventually seated at the sushi bar and given a delicious Amuse Bouche of Japanese Cucumber in Rice Vinegar. Great start to the meal. For dinner, we ordered a selection of different dishes. We started with the Japanese Miso Eggplant. I had tried this the first time and really liked it. Once again, I enjoyed it, though my mom was not quite a fan. From there, we moved onto the Japanese Mediterranean side of the menu. That's the thing with this restaurant that makes it different from it's famous sister, Sushi Den- it's a fusion between Japanese and Mediterranean food. Sounds weird? It can be! Our first venture onto this side of the menu proved to be the highlight. The Sweet Pea Soup with Lobster and Chili Aoli was heaven. It was perfect in taste, temperature and texture. Unreal. I didn't want it to end. Next, and I might add, rapidly, we were served the Kombucha and Sake Marinated Chicken salad with lettuce mélange, avocado, cucumber, and orange, with a honey-scallion vinaigrette. The chicken was warm over the greens, heating them slightly, and making the salad delicious in a very different way than expected. We both really enjoyed this, and were ever hopeful that the rest of the meal would continue to be just as good. We didn't have to wait long to find out. The service was so speedy, not spaced out as the waiter had promised, and we were getting quite the build up of dishes between us. Inconvenient in that the space was limited and we did want some time to pace ourselves. Oh well! We ordered a bit of sushi, just to switch up the temperatures and tastes of the foods we were eating, and were passed a piece each of Yellowtail and Salmon Roe. Both were incredible. The Yellowtail almost felt like it was melting in my mouth. We also ordered the Red Dragon Roll. I didn't ask what was on it, and that was completely my fault. It was so spicy I thought my mouth was on fire. I now know why it's called Red- FIRE!! We finished the meal with the most disappointing part of the night, the Den Tapas Trio with Hoisin Duck Crostini, Salmon Roulade and Tenderloin with Edamame and Watermelon salad. The Hoisin Duck was sticky sweet on a ridiculously sized piece of stale bread. The Salmon Roulade was almost inedible, drowning in so much cream and goo that you couldn't even taste the fish. As for the Tenderloin, it was a dry piece of grilled meat with absolutely no spice added to it. To say we were disappointed in this dish would be an understatement.

We left full, but definitely not overwhelmingly excited about the meal. Parts were good, namely the heavenly soup. I'd go back just for that- and the sushi.

Which brings me to the faceoff between the two Dens. This past Saturday, I went with a group of friends to Sushi Den. When we arrived on Pearl Street, I picked up buzzers from both Sushi and Izakaya Den, secretly praying that the Sushi one would go off first. Hallelujah, it did! We had just finished the most incredible Calamari available anywhere at Black Pearl (a write-up for another day!), and the black disk started going crazy. I ran over to the restaurant to secure our table. While waiting for the rest of the group, I did tell the host about the awful Tapas Trio I had sampled the week before. Someone needed to know! Anyway, he was wonderful about the feedback, thanked me, and then took us to our table upstairs.

I didn't do the ordering that night, so my kudos must go out to Kristen. She picked some incredible dishes. We started with the Miso marinated broiled Black Cod, and it was sweet and delicious and wonderful. Next, Dynamite followed, and unlike some that are so creamy you can't handle it, this was just the right balance. I ordered a Miso soup since I've always thought theirs was the best in town, what with all the wonderful mushrooms added. Then it was onto the sushi. We had Tuna, Salmon, and Yellowtail. The boring basics some might say. But each piece was so very fresh and delicious, they almost taste like a different fish from other places. Now, I have to admit- at this point in the meal, the massive amount of alcohol I had been consuming since 11 in the morning kicked in, and I can't for the life of me tell you what rolls we had. But they were good, really good, I do know that. It was the Kentucky Derby. Bourbon kills the memory.

After leaving the restaurant full and satisfied, I decided that while Izakaya is beautiful inside and different in concept from any other restaurant I've been to, I'll stick with what I know is heavenly and top of the town for a reason. Sushi Den wins! Now, I can only hope they will start serving the Sweet Pea soup and save me the walk across the street!

I'll Have Some Hibachi, With a Side Order of a WHOPPING Headache!

2008-04-16T15:03:00.004-06:00

We should have known better, we really should have. You just don't go to a Hibachi restaurant in Highlands Ranch on a weekday, and think you're going to have a quiet, relaxing and enjoyable meal. But, we didn't think it through and were enticed by thoughts of meat and seafood being deliciously grilled up right before us. So, my mom and I found ourselves in one of the many grille rooms at the newly opened Miyama of Colorado restaurant just last night, sitting amongst a group of strangers. And children, many children. I like kids, don't get me wrong. They're fine. I was once one myself, so who am I to be a hater. But what I'd really like to know is: when did they become so rude??

To our right, a family with 4 kids, ranging in age from I'd say 12 to 20. The oldest boy stuck around long enough to eat some sushi and take off. The youngest girl spent the majority of her time on her phone, texting away and showing off idiotic pictures, and wearing more makeup than I own. If you know me, you know that that is a lot of makeup. She was probably 14. There was no conversation amongst them. I always thought that's what a family dinner was for. You talk, catch up on the day, and if you were in high school, try not to say something that will come back to haunt you. That was definitely not the case with this family. I'm inclined to say that their mom simply didn't want to cook, doesn't cook very often, and eating out at restaurants is their escape from having a conversation in a quiet home setting. And that's fine. But really, some manners from your children. Recommend that they actually use their napkin, say please and thank you, and treat the other diners with some respect. We were not so lucky.

Ah yes, and then to my left. A chubby little 4 or so year old girl, dining with her grandmother- who used baby voice the whole time- and the rest of her extended family. They were there for a birthday dinner. Lucky us. This includes additional banging on drums, plus a chef who felt inclined to really wail on the metal shelf in front of the grill with his fork and spatula. He went to town on that sucker. That's when my mom's headache began. Anyway, the girl was next to me. Thank god for that, because who knows what my mom would have done to the little twit. She kicked my chair, had her crap all up near my food, and showered from her water glass. Yes, that's right. Her grandmother allowed her to put both hands into her water glass and splash her entire head down. Ugh! Why?? I'd like to say that I left the restaurant and did nothing, but I'm not that nice of a person. I gave dirty looks during the meal to indicate I wasn't a fan, but grandma wasn't catching on. So, when we got up to leave, just as the birthday drummers came storming in, I pushed my chair back in towards that table, and nailed the little girl's chair. She almost fell off, but hung on. I felt better. I never said I was fully mature.

Oh yeah, and the food! It was actually really good. The veggies were yummy, and my Prawns and Scallops were delicious. My mom had a steak and it was really good. Perfect amount of seasoning. The dressing on the salad had a bit too much acid in it, but otherwise, I'd say it was a really good meal. I'd definitely go back. Only next time, I'm bringing enough people with me to fill that table. I want to know who I'm dining with and avoid taking my anger out on some chubby blond kid who will probably grow up to be a demanding, texting-during-dinner, wearing-too-much-make-up brat. Some things in Highlands Ranch are just inevitable.

I have now finished complaining and will attempt to become a more mature, child-loving adult. Hmmm, maybe not.

Vail: A Tasty, But PRICEY, Town!

2008-04-15T14:11:00.006-06:00

Ahhhh, back in Denver. It was so nice to get out of here for a few days, and thanks so much to Jamie and Andy for letting me crash at their place! I had such a great time with you! It was a much needed vacation, and what's better to do on vacation than eat- a lot!!

We had some really good stuff, and, of course, some not so great. But no matter what the food tasted like, it seemed like it made Denver seem incredibly reasonable, price wise. I know, I know, they gotta truck the food up there and all, but geesh!

I got up there late on Wednesday night, and Thursday was treated to a morning of knee high powder. It was incredible, but so cold out! We called it a day after about two and a half hours, and went to get our nails done. I was on vacation!! We picked up a half bottle of Moet to sip on during our nail time and to start toasting Jamie being another year older.

After that, we were starved, so we headed for the newly opened MarketPlace Restaurant, a goofy space that is a mini restaurant and joins up to a creperie on it's East side. I think the bar took up more space than the 8 tables, or so, that is has. Anyway, we both ordered a glass of wine, same one, at $11 each. The waitress asked if we wanted a bottle, and thankfully, we thought it best to not over indulge. It was some of the worst wine I've ever had. It was so dry, it kinda burned going down, and the taste wasn't good. Stupidly, we didn't send the glasses back, but just waited for the food to help wash it down. And, I totally forgot to write down the name, and they've got no website. So, if you head there, don't buy the $11 glass of red wine. Ugh. The food somewhat redeemed the wine, though we only tried out two appetizers. The Truffle Fries has a light drizzle of a mayonnaise-y truffle sauce over fries that definitely came from a bag. Jamie said they used to be hand cut, and I wish they still were. The sauce was good, the fries mediocre. We had wanted the Portobello Mushroom appetizer, but they were out of it, as well as mussels, so the waitress had us to try the Ahi Tuna. It came diced super fine with avocado pieces the same tiny size, and big deep fried Gyoza chips. The flavor was good, by far the best choice there.

Thankfully, we had saved room for dinner that night, because it was delicious! We went to Avon for Vin 48. I was put in charge of wine, and after asking the very nice sommelier for a recommendation, we with the La Spinetta, a Langhe Nebbiolo from Piedmonte, Italy. It was delicious, and we went on to order a second bottle. For food, we started of with the Antipasti, which had a nice mix of olives, pistachios, a goat cheese wrapped in philo dough, and some pate. The pate, in everyone's mind, resembled Spam a bit too much, but the taste wasn't bad. Following that was the really tasty Vin Mix salad, with greens, Cremini Mushrooms, some onions, a few cherry tomatoes, and some unnecessary potatoes. They seemed so large and heavy in the light vinaigrette dressing. Still, it was really good. Jamie and I both had the Ribeye dinner, which came with Kale and Cauliflower. The piece of meat was so outrageously large, we wished that we had shared it!! This left no room for dessert, so we were off to enjoy the amazing BB King concert. If you ever get the chance to see him, DO IT!! Incredible.

Friday lunch was an overpriced meal at Galileo Restaurant in the newly opened Vail Plaza Hotel. An unattractive dining room with mediocre food and help. I had the Onion soup. It was Onion soup, and nothing like my incredibly yummy Guinness-based soup from Maxwell's a few weeks bac k. We also ordered a Truffle pizza. I had one slice. It had some wacky truffle concoction on top that was mixed with cheese. Jamie and Anne also ordered Chicken Wings. They loved them; I thought they were greasy.

But, that left plenty of room for our all out feast of fondue that night! 10 people, 3 pots- 2 beef broth and one cheese- 4 bottles of wine and 1 bottle of champagne! It was awesome. Shrimp, chicken, steak, veggies, baguettes, and then a great low cal chocolate fondue that Rachel made. It may not sound good, but it was gobbled up by all of us. Check out the recipe and give it a try. You won't be sorry! (It's chocolate, how can you be??)

The food on Saturday was 5 cheeses that I brought up from Whole Foods. I should have kept the labels, as they were all great, but I'll try and hunt them down again and let you know. I was already one Red Bull Vodka in on my night! So, crackers, cheese, a delicious Spiced Cherry fruit spread, and numerous drinks later, and we were off to see Ben Harper.

It was a great weekend, and again, I can't thank Jamie, Andy, and the rest of the Vail crew enough!

Oh yeah, and on another note, please feel free to start commenting about these posts. I'd love to hear from you, and what you think. And start passing my link around to others!

A Weekend of Comfort Food

2008-04-07T15:30:00.004-06:00

I think everyone goes through those times when all you crave is yummy comfort food. This was my weekend to indulge, and I totally enjoyed it! It's not that the weather was so cold or terrible. It was actually beautiful out, but all I was wanting was some super high calorie food, and that's what I got.

The feast began on Friday evening at Steuben's. I love this restaurant. I can always be convinced to go there. With one exception, and it was a really bad night!, I have never been disappointed. So, anyway, Friday night, Steuben's, at about 8 pm, I arrived with a good friend in tow. After walking up and down 17th Street to pass the 30 minute wait, we were seated at a dark and cozy table in the back. The comfort began with the drinks. I had a root beer float, and my friend had a vanilla shake. Predictable in taste, but still good. For the food portion, we started with Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp were just spicy enough to really crave the grits. And the grits- oh my gosh, delicious! They were thick and creamy, with plenty of flavor. It's not as if Denver is known for Southern food, and for good reason, so delicious grits are really quite a treat here. I'm sure that pat of butter resting on top really helped too!

After we finished that off, it was onto the mains. I had ordered the Lobster Roll with Fries, while my friend ordered a Cheeseburger and a side of Mac & Cheese. The Lobster Roll was delicious, and stuffed full with meat. There was no skimping, and that's always good when you order the most expensive thing on the menu! It wasn't drowning in mayo, and the lobster was cooked perfectly, the bun toasted just right. The fries were good, with a little crunch and the skins left on. My eating partner-in-crime seemed to like the Cheeseburger, but the Mac & Cheese was just okay. The past few times I've been, it seems like they can't get it hot enough. It's not cold to the point of inedible, but if they are gonna go to the effort of sprinkling the whole dish with bread crumbs, they might as well put it under a salamander and get it brown and gooey. We were stuffed at this point so we called it a meal prior to indulging in dessert, but if you ever go, I highly recommend a cupcake!

Saturday wasn't much of an indulgent day for comfort food, but I made another attempt at it Sunday morning when I went to brunch with some of my girlfriends. We chose Lucille's- it's close and great people watching while you wait for a table to finally open. When we arrived at 10 am, we were told we had a 45 minute wait. One hour and a mug of Cafe Du Monde Chicory Coffee later, we were seated in a closed up back room with little air circulating. Our waitress was incredibly nice and attentive. Orders were placed within 5 minutes of sitting, and our amazing biscuits followed shortly thereafter. Their homemade apple butter is absolutely delicious. The rest of the food was just okay. I had two eggs, which I had ordered over medium. They came over easy, but I was fine with that. I had also ordered bacon, done really well. The kitchen had definitely not followed through with that request! There was nothing crunchy about any of my three pieces! And the grits paled- literally- in comparison to Friday nights version. They were cold, bland and boring. So white in color, that they blended into the plate. No hint of yellow from some yummy butter. More like Cream of Wheat from a box. No flavor at all and I left the majority of the serving. I can sadly say I won't exactly go running back there for breakfast. No one was overwhelmed with what they ordered, and after that long of a wait, you really do want some good food to feast on.

The weekend ended with a homecooked meal, created with my dad. Sunday is always our family day. Sometimes we eat out, other times we cook. He knows I want to go to culinary school, so I think this was his little test to check out my interest. We did a salad with Argon Oil, picked up on our recent trip to Marrakesh. Delicious and nutty, it was a great change from the predictable Olive Oil we usually use. We sprinkled some Sumac on top, and some smokey Black Sea Salt. Next time, we'll definitely need to add a punch of flavor, it was a bit dull, but still good. I'm thinking a little Chili Powder would have added some much needed heat, but the smokiness would have complimented it all well. On the grill, we did a bunch of veggies. Brussel Sprouts drizzled with Truffle Oil and some 35 Spice Blend from Morocco, Mushrooms drizzled with Olive Oil and some 5 Spice Blend, also from Morocco, and Asparagus drizzled with Olive Oil and some Black Olive Sea Salt. For some protein, my mom and I had some steak, and my dad a pork chop, all which had been marinated in some crazy oriental sauce that my dad has a vat of. It's really good, and added a good sweetness to the meal. A glass of Hey Mambo red and we were set! Oh yeah, and we started the meal with 5 delicious cheeses. The Goat Cheese was awesome, with a thicker rind than I'm used to and a much deeper flavor. The Cheddar was also a standout, as was the Brie with Truffles smuggled inside the creaminess. All in all, a very successful meal!

And so, after probably gaining 5 pounds in my quest to indulge in comfort, I think I need to get myself back to the gym. Overall, pretty worth it, though I won't be standing in line for lucille's anytime soon. Next weekend, it's all about good food in Vail! Till then, Happy Eating!

Guinness in Onion Soup is DELICIOUS!

2008-04-03T15:10:00.004-06:00

Last night, my mom and I tried out the new restaurant Maxwell's, in Greenwood Village. The space had been sitting open for years and I was wondering if they would do a nice interior update or keep it as it was. It was beautiful inside- warm colors on the walls, nice features throughout. The room was a bit loud, but as the crowds started to go home, it became much more manageable. And crowds there were. We arrived at about 7:45, and there were only about 5 tables still open. It hasn't been open very long, but clearly, word has spread that this is a restaurant worth going to!

The menu was really nice, as well. Great use of a bunch of local ingredients, and I don't just mean veggies or meat. I can't wait to go back again and try the mussels that were steamed in Fat Tire. I started with the Colorado Onion Soup, that had a broth made from Guinness. It was, as I said in the title, delicious! It was dark, smoky and rich in flavor. The cheese on top was melted to a perfect consistency, and browned around the edges just right. Also, it had the right amount of bread residing under the cheese. It's the worst when the hunk of bread is so huge, that as it starts to fall apart and the soup becomes bread mush.

Then, it was on to the mains. My mom and I both ordered the New York Strip, done medium rare. It came out the perfect temperate, and had simply been flavored with olive oil, a heavy sea salt- that gave a little crunch in certain areas- and pepper. And not too much pepper either. You could really taste the meat. We shared our sides. The Red Skin Potatoes Mash was great. Not creamy, just good ole potatoes, roughly mashed. Nothing fancy. The other side that we chose was Creamy Spinach. It was perfect, as well. While creamy, it wasn't watery, nor was it a thick dairy ridden glop, like so many creamed spinaches can. It came in a mini Staub dutch oven pot, which kept it nice and warm for the whole meal. We both really enjoyed the Roasted Garlic that comes with all mains. We were simply pulling them from the skin and popping them. The kitchen drizzled them with just the right amount of olive oil, so they were neither an oily mess, nor dried out. Yum!

There was so much food on our plates, that dessert was never gonna happen. I had hot tea, a Cinnamon Apple blend, that was very good, and I loved the Staub teapot that it was served in. Kept the water incredibly hot the whole time, and it was great looking. My mom had the coffee, which said said had great flavor.

I think my only complaint would be the waiter. Very nice guy, don't get me wrong, but nothing irritates me more than when the waiter asks if you want a starter, you say no, that you are ready to just order the meal, and they keep pushing. And the recommendation he gave for the appetizer- some Shrimp Guacamole dish- did not sound the least bit appealing to either of us. He pushed us again on desserts. Seriously, dude, Carrot Cake ain't happening. We both just feasted on huge steaks. Back Off!! He did tell us it was his 4th day, and his 1st one truly serving. I hope he learns as time goes on.

Overall, I thought Maxwell's was great place for dinner, in an area that has really needed some new restaurants. I have all intentions of going back, as there were plenty of other dishes on the menu that I look forward to trying. Give it a shot if you're ever in the area. I don't think you'll be disappointed!

And So It Begins...

2008-04-01T11:47:00.002-06:00

Could there be a better day to start a blog than April 1st? I figure that if this all doesn't work out, I can just call it an April Fool's Day joke, and I've lost nothing in the experience!

But, something tells me this will all be a good thing. It's something I've been wanting to do for quite some time. Write about food, share my opinion- and hope that others want to read it!

So, what can you expect to get out of reading this blog? Well, you'll always get my true opinion- whether it's about the food, the restaurant itself, or the experience. I'll tell it to you just as I would want to be told. I'm not big on dumbing things down. So, with that said, I hope you read and enjoy, and come back frequently. I love to eat, whether it's at a restaurant, my home, or a friends, and I can't wait to tell you about my experiences.

Thanks!
Aimee