Restaurant Review: Picante – California

picanteI love Mexican restaurants that have friendly staff, clean facilities, lots of tortilla chips and salsas. And the big 5 gallon bucket of pickled jalapenos and carrots just make my heart sing! But I really love Mexican restaurants that have vegan dishes on the menu. Picante’s Veggie Butternut Squash #burrito is flavorful with right amount of spice and plentiful! Totally ordering this dish again. Butternutsquash, rice, pinto beans, pico de gallo salsa, grilled bellpeppers and onions wrapped up in a tomato tortilla… Delish! I’ll see you at the table!

Restaurant Review: Rye SLC

rye slcFirst time, so I tried a variety of dishes. Appetizers of Garlic Fries and Truffle Mac & Cheese. I love garlic, but after starting with the Garlic Fries, everything else tasted like garlic. So if there was any truffle oil on the Mac & Cheese, I couldn’t taste it, but it was creamy-lovelyness. I liked the option to add bacon or spinach – the fresh spinach was stirred in just before bringing to the table and added a nice layer of texture. Main course was pho-like Noodle Soup. Aromatic enough to combat the garlic attack on my taste buds, but I think their garnish was wimpy with very little cilantro and Thai basil. Some people love fatty ppork and I’m sure it added flavor, but no thank you! Industrial, simple decor made for an easy environment that was comfortable for a casual business lunch. The service was slow, but nice and easy going. Overall, it was a good experience, but I’d still recommend Oasis Cafe (located just one block north) over RyeSLC – any day of the week.

Restaurant Review: Subway – Utah

subwayI was running between appointments starving but needed something fast for  lunch. So, thought I’d give Subway another try. Pleasantly surprised to find they have a Veggie Patty option now. It was surprisingly tasty, moist and filling. Trying to avoid too many bread carbs, I went with the 6″ size. Loaded with as many veggies as you like, it’s a pretty good option. Mine had spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, black olives, banana peppers, and green bell peppers. I opted for sriracha for sauce instead of mayo or mustard. All-in-all, I thought the service at The District Subway was great – friendly, reasonably fast, and helpful.

 

Restaurant review: el Patio del Cordobes – Spain

faf7614073db11e3862312b5c0403726_8After walking around Granada, we stopped for lunch to rest out tired feet! Kathy enjoyed her meat lasagna. I had a tiny bite – very moist meat with loads of cheese melted on top. I thought the dish was quite salty. I really liked the eggplant fries with honey sauce drizzled on top. Makes me want to play around in the kitchen to see how I can create a healthier version! The green salad was pretty good, but iceburg lettuce has virtually no nutritional value. But it was fresh and refreshing! Interestingly though, I was hard pressed to find very many veggie options on their menu. Just about everything had cheese or meat.

A funny thing we’ve noticed about Spanish waiters, is that they rarely smile. And when they do, it seems forced. So much for an enjoyable experience with the wait staff… maybe they need a customer service training on the merits of playing nice so that guests want to tip you – just sayin’! But the venue was nice and simple.

 

Restaurant Review: Baja Cactus – California

 

bajacactus

Restaurant review: One of my favorite Mexican dishes is tortilla soup. This might have been the best I’ve ever enjoyed! This one had right amount of veggies and fresh tortilla strips and the best broth ever. Other guests devoured their mole chicken enchiladas, verde enchiladas, Sonoran grilled steak. Awesome chips and salsa and virgin margaritas! Next time I’m back in Temecula, I’m totally going back!

Restaurant Review: Temecula Valley Cheese – California

temeculavalleycheese

Cheese sampler platter from the Temecula Valley Cheese Co

Cave aged Gruyere from Alpine, Swiss and Brebis aged sheep milk cheese from Spain. Dried apricot, olives, apple, berries and sourdough bread Wow! Heavenly creamy goodness.

Restaurant Review: Tin Fish – California

tinfish

Restaurant review: After a few hours playing at the beach, a calamari sandwich and green salad hits the spot for lunch. Kids #menu offers some great options like popcorn shrimp or burger with crisscut fries, juice box and applesauce. The other adults enjoyed oyster poorboy and grilled swordfish sandwich. Really tasty entrees in sunny outdoor #venue. I’m missing the beach and ready to go back again!

Restaurant Review: SLC Winter Farmers Market – Utah

watermelon-radishReason to love Utah No. 5: Winter Farmer’s Market. Every other Saturday at the Rio Grande by Gateway Mall 10am-2pm. Amazing selection of veggies, fruit, baked goods, cheese, pasta, chocolate, flowers and more!

Restaurant Review: Pawit’s Royal Thai Cuisine – Utah

pawits-thai

Restaurant review: Finally made it to Pawit’s Royal Thai Cuisine in Holladay, Utah. Fantastic fresh Thai dishes! We enjoyed curry puffs and sticky rice with peanut sauce for appetizers. Their house green salad was huge and a whole sliced mango (I saved some for dessert). The Tom Kha soup is on the sweet side, but lots of veggies. The Spicy Tofu dish is fantastic… Plenty of veggies and the sauce has some kick! If you want the “real” Sriracha, ask for it on the side… Use sparingly, unless you like your taste buds fried. Great restaurant for date night, family meals out or business lunch. Kind and helpful wait staff. Make sure to check out the bathroom…