Lily's Chicken

My parents took Jeff and I out to dinner to celebrate a job for him and a promotion for me. Hooray!  We went to Bonefish Grill. I was expecting it to be pretty chain-restaurant like with not that great of food but I was very wrong. So bummed with myself that I didn't take food photos! I started with a lemon drop martini that was the perfect ratio of booze to lemon. It wasn't overly sweet like lemon drops are sometimes and it tasted like they used real lemon juice. I then ordered a scallop and shrimp plate sans the scallops (I am not a big fan) with green beans. When they brought out my plate I was outraged to find they gave me shrimp and scallops! Just kidding, I was not outraged. I thought it would be nice to give scallops another try and I knew Jeff could pick up the slack. The waitress apologized immediately and had more shrimp brought out to me. Score! So I tried the scallop....it was good!The texture was a bit different but it wasn't rubbery or fishy. I ate about half of them while Jeff took out the other half. The shrimp was fresh, grilled, seasoned and just what I wanted. The green beans were fresh and steamed. Jeff got a tuna plate that was cooked to perfection (which freaks me out, it is bright red/pink but rare is the way to go I am told). My dad got the fish and chips and I have never seen better looking fish and chips (granted I have not been to England). I kept stealing malt vinegar covered french fries from him. By stealing I do actually mean he gave them to me willingly. My mom ordered a grilled Mahi Mahi and was having memories of their recent trip to Hawaii. Dinner was followed by a vanilla cream brulee and complementary chocolate creme brulee for the celebrations. I couldn't actually eat the creme brulee but my mom, dad and Jeff were happy to help out. I will come back and remember to take pictures!

A special bonus. Lily's Chicken! I have been blessed with a 2 month old niece named Lily. I texted this picture to her mommy. When she is old enough maybe she can come order this.

Aji

First off: THIS RESTAURANT IS GREAT! Whew, glad to get that out of the way. I went with Jeff's family to celebrate his new job! He doesn't start until late January, but we wanted to celebrate anyway. Jeff's brother lives in Boulder, so we all trekked up to eat there. Aji is a traditional South America restaurant that reminded Jeff of his trip to Chile. The service is impeccable, the restaurant is a mix between fancy and fun, and the food is wonderful and authentic.

Jeff and I started our with some cocktails. Jeff got the tradition South American drink, a Pisco Sour. Pisco is a liquor made from grapes. So like wine only stronger, I guess would be the way to put it. The Pisco Sour contains Capel Pisco, fresh lemon, egg white, sugar and nutmeg. It is a real dangerous concoction...tastes really great but packs quite the punch. My drink was pretty much pure lime juice (the real squeezed stuff) and some alcohol. The taste was so fresh!

Hmm, cheese, sausage and bread...how can it get any better?

Fresh baked bread is brought out (including banana bread).

If you like ceviche, it may be the best decision you ever make to try it here. Ceviche is fish that is cooked using the acids of citrus rather than heat. Jeff's dad enjoyed our first order of ceviche and was quick to order a second one even though he hadn't planned on it. Some of the best ceviche he has ever had!

The cocktails were so fresh and used real ingredients. Their variety is great and the choices are authentic, so it is a good way to try something new.

Take a moment to process Jeff's dish here...Bistec de la T- grilled T-bone steak, roasted fried sweet potatoes, peppers rajas, sunny egg, chipotle, ancho broth. Jeff was happy as can be. The meat was cooked great, the egg was poached perfectly and the flavors all stewed together to create this masterpiece.

Jeff's dad, now on a seafood kick, ordered this dish....Moqueca do Frutas Del Mar - Brazilian seafood stew, clams, shrimp, mussels, bell peppers, onion, tomatoes, fried kale, jasmine rice, spiced coconut broth. He said it was some of the best seafood he has ever had, and we are in the middle of a landlocked state! He was having a lot of 'best' moments.

This is what Jeff's mom ordered. I can't remember what the heck it was, but it sure looks great.

My dish: Humitas Peruanas - roasted zucchini, bell pepper stuffed Peruvian tamale, red quinoa, pickled red onion, butternut squash puree. Vegetarian Kori! Aren't you proud? I have never seen red quinoa before, it was very good.

So this is the point in this post where I kick myself, I didn't get a picture of the dessert!! We ordered three desserts that were amazing:
-Panque Argentino - mascarpone dulce de leche crepe
-Bunuelos de Naranja - crispy Mexican doughnuts with agave orange butter, cinnamon chipotle ice cream
-Crema Quemada de Pera de Nopal - prickly pear creme brulee

Although the rest of the food can be a little pricey, the dessert was $15 for all three! I dare say, and I don't say this often, that was some of the best creme brulee I have ever had. (Uhg Jenna, enough with the 'bests' already!)

And just in case I haven't talked you into this place yet...their coffee comes out in your own personal French press.

Kate's Wine Bar and Rent

Jeff and I went to see a live performance of Rent in downtown Littleton. IS WAS AMAZING! The singing was absolutely fabulous and the dancing was great too. One of the male performers (who was wearing 5 inch heels) has a scene where he does a dance number. He jumped up and down off of a table...in 5 inch heels! I was amazed! The story was really good and there was not a dry eye in the house.

Although, I could go on and on about the performance, that is not what you came here for. On to the food! Before the play, Jeff and I stopped at Kate's Wine Bar in downtown Littleton.

The atmosphere was great, a small place with wooden accents and cute accessories. The candles on the table were places in old wine bottles.

Here is a look at the inviting and warm atmosphere.

Jeff pouring himself over the wine menu. They had a pretty good selection.

Although this place does not serve dinner food, they have a variety of small plates. We just ordered a few and it was plenty for dinner. Below is a cheese and meat plate; the meats were cured and tasted great and the cheese was good as cheese always is.

Hmm, nothing better than warm spinach cheese dip with flat bread and crisps for dipping.

Whisky Apple Cider you say? I had never heard of it. This is a drink that has two goals: comfort and to warm your insides. Perfect for a cold night.

Virgilio's Pizzeria & Wine Bar

There is a new restaurant in Littleton, CO and it is good, always packed and well worth your visit. Virgilio's opened in the empty building that used to be Johnny Carinos on Kipling and C-470. Jeff and his family are convinced that Virgilio's has the best pizza.

Garlic Knots, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside with a strong taste of fresh garlic

Spinach Mozzarella pin wheels, YUM!

B&B, bacon and basil. The bacon was crispy and the basil was fresh. The crust consistency was perfect.

Jeff's Margarita Pizza, beautiful and delicious

They also serve gluten free crust!

Corso

After wining/whining the day away, we settled in Richmond and went to Berkeley to grab some dinner. Corso was recommended by our host, Marcia. I was pretty tired and a little sick but very excited to try a new restaurant. When we walked in the host said that they were full, unless we wanted to sit at the chef bar. He made it sound like it was a bad thing! The chef bar is really a fun place to sit; you get to see all of the food being made and it gives you a first hand idea of what to order. Plus they can't spit in your food (not that they would).

Best part of sitting at the chef bar? Special treatment. Jeff and I were both staring (maybe with our mouths open) at a risotto the chef was making. He had dumped a whole spoonful of truffle butter in a sizzling pan. HEAVEN! I guess our staring was not so secretive, because the chef made us a tiny plate of extra for us to try. MMM, so glad we got to.

Caprese  house-pulled mozzarella- heirloom tomatoes- pesto- bread crumbs: Wow! I have never had a caprese like this before. I have a new rule: bread crumbs make everything better. I have never thought of using a pesto as the "basil' component of a caprese. Kodus for creativity.

Watching the cooks work. They also feature a chicken that is fried in a pan of butter. Amazing? I think yes.

I got a gnocchi with braised pork. This dish was very savory and the gnocchi was soft and delicious.

Jeff got some kind of sausage with some kind of orange vegetable....descriptive, I know. He loved it though (he rarely hates anyting).

Panna cotta vanilla bean custard- fresh berry sauce: Imagine the center of a creme brule, with a melt in your mouth perfectly smooth consistancy and a light vanilla bean flavor. Then top it off with a little sweetness from grapes. One of the best desserts I have EVER had.I would highly recommend this restaurant if you ever find yourself in the Berkeley area.

City, O' City - Vegitarian

Take a look at that picture.... Burger and fries, standard bar fare. Would you believe me if I said that this was all vegetarian? For those of you that think vegetarian food is boring, look no further...City, O' City in Denver is where it's at! That is the 'Maximus burger' ($10 with the fries) quinoa and pinto bean burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, special sauce, cheddar jack, sweet potato kaiser. The texture is so spot on that it is scary. The taste is not quite like beef, but I prefer the taste of this quinoa and pinto bean burger more anyway. Bonus: packed with protein. The 'Ranch' on the side was even vegan...which gets me thinking, what the heck is it made out of?!

Jeff ordered the Gaza Grinder ($9.50) hummus, greek salad, french fries, feta, sriracha aioli, flat bread and the soup of the day which was coconut curry.

What a beautiful little soup!

Here is a look at the inside of my burger. You also get a great view of the toasted sweet potato bun (YUM!)

The food here is awesome! They have a large variety of vegetarian, vegan and gluten free food including 'chicken' wings, 'meat' lovers pizza, wraps, sandwiches. One of the best things on the menu (not pictured) the fried PB&J on banana bread (quite possibly the best sandwich I have ever tasted).

The great thing about this place is everything is at a minimum vegetarian. It is really nice for my vegetarian friend, Kori, to be able to go into a restaurant and order ANYTHING off of the menu.

And the drinks....great selection of beers and a variety of 'not your average' cocktails. My favorite is a Ginger-Lime cocktail.

Restaurant Review: Tamayo

Tamayo (4.6/5)

Tamayo is on the Larimer Square block in downtown Denver. Jeff has been dying to try this place so we decided a nice dinner out would be enjoyable. As we are early dinner eaters, we arrived 5 minutes before 5:00 and had to wait for them to open the doors. Jeez we are lame! Maybe we could hit up the early bird dinner at Denny's next time. We asked to sit on the patio even though it was hotter than heck.

The Patio

Seating in the patio lounge

Jeff's Tequila Flight, complete with a tomato palate cleanser, salt and lime (not that you need salt and lime with good tequilas)

Look at the color difference between the Anejo (left) and Blanco (right). The middle is a Reposado.

TAMAYOPOLITAN~ Pineapple infused tequila / cranberry / guava $10.

This drink was awesome! Very light, but still a great tequila flavor. It was blended together and had a VERY smooth texture. It was like a fruit-boozy-silk bomb....amazing!

 

Crispy fresh baked chips with a Yin Yang Salsa

 Queso. Not very smooth or easy to dip but very yummy

QUESO FUNDIDO melted queso gouda & oaxaca / flour tortillas / chile morita salsa 9

My dinner (which is in the appetizer section). The drizzled cream and bean pure (under the flautas) went great with the crispy shells.

FLAUTAS crispy corn tortilla / shredded chicken / three chile sauce / tomatillo salsa / crema fresca 11

Jeff ordered the special of the evening. Seared tuna on a squash puree. The puree was so smooth and the tuna was cooked great. This dish is pretty healthy....seafood and VEGGIES!

Food: 4.5/5

Gourmet Mexican food. Very fresh and unique. Priced well for quality. Queso was a little hard to dip into.

Service: 5/5

As we were the only ones there....it was great. Our server was very knowledgeable about tequila. Everything was brought out quick. He was friendly.

Atmosphere: 4.5/5

Outside balcony has a beautiful view of the city and both Coors Field and Invesco Field. Modern and colorful decor. Has a lounge on the balcony that looked like a great place to get drinks.

What is your favorite Mexican restaurant?

Restaurant Review: Mona's

Mona’s (4.3/5)

If you find yourself around Spear and 1-25 (near the huge REI) and you see some sexy legs sticking out of the side of a building….don’t be alarmed, rather stop for breakfast or lunch!

Jeff and I were trying to find a good place for breakfast after the trials and tribulations of giving kitty a bath and didn’t want to wait for an hour to eat at Snooze. So we drove around a bit and Jeff had remembered that there was a breakfast place by the Platte with some smoking legs. Go figure that Jeff would be distracted by legs.

We walked in with hopes that there would not be a long wait (as it was 11:30 on a Sunday). The rather direct (and a little rough) hostess said 5-10 minutes…excellent. We took our seats and Jeff ordered coffee and I had a large glass of milk. The menu was so appealing to Jeff that he wanted to order one of everything!

He decided on Chorizo Cakes ($9.98). It was play on Egg’s Benedict with an English muffin on the bottom, the chorizo cakes, topped with green chili, eggs and beans on the side (to be added on top if you like). Jeff really liked the dish but said it wasn’t as spicy as he would have liked.

I had the Egg’s Benedict; my usually breakfast order. I love to order this dish the first time I visit a breakfast place because it usually helps me determine how good the restaurant is. Anyone can make pancakes, but the Benedict requires a little finesse.

Mona's Eggs Benedict $9.98
Two poached eggs and Canadian bacon on an English muffin, smothered with orange-chipotle hollandaise and served with house potatoes

I made my usually substitution of regular bacon instead of Canadian bacon.

The hollandaise sauce was delicious! It had hint or orange-chipotle flavor but it wasn’t overwhelming and the true hollandaise flavor still came through. The eggs were poached perfectly, a little runny in the middle as they should be. The bacon was really crispy with a hint of pepper on it. The potatoes on the side had huge pieces of onion and pepper that added flavor to the potatoes. Jeff was really impressed with the texture of the potatoes; they were very fluffy on the inside with a crispy outside.

Food: 5/5
The menu is very unique with many dishes that are sure to make your mouth water. The food was fresh and cooked great.

Service: 4/5
Our server was wonderful, attentive and very nice. The hostess was rather rude, but we didn’t have to talk to her much.

Atmosphere: 4/5
Very fun with chalkboards all over and lots of color.
They also had a varity of interesting alcoholic drinks, some breakfast in nature and some lunch.
Jeff and I are always looking for a good breakfast place that is in the area and we are thinking that this may be our normal weekend hotspot.  We are excited to go back and try other menu items.

Where is your favorite place to get breakfast? What is your favorite breakfast food?