Richo's Brewpub

http://www.newalbanian.com/

 

A heavenly delight was had not too long ago. The date was August and the temperatures had climbed into the the stratosphere of the 90's and beyond for the past week. When they redescended from the gods, we celebrated bacenalian-style and went to Rich-O's brewpub for some mid-70's socialization.

Happy patrons

I found myself waiting alongside friends, Michael and Beth of the Holladay Platter http://holladayplatter.blogspot.com/. And it should go without saying that, Wow!, we had a great time out. The conversation was quite lively; we mainly focused on the couples who were in our surrounds and whether they had intimate plans afterwords.

All yunking aside, when our food came we were very impressed. We all ordered some appetizers to start: a spinach queso alongside some stuffed mushrooms. Stuffed mushrooms happen to be an old friend of mine. I like them stuffed with creamy, bubbly cheese and spicy sausage so that they are juicy, oily, and oozing by the time they hit my mouth. These were no exception.. they were great! Also, the queso did not disappoint. There was a lot of it to go around, as we had seven in our party. 

A still happier patron

Then came the delight: pizza. Why go and drink beer at any old spot if you can drink beer at 1) a brewery 2) that's known for it's good pizza. That's the ultimate American combination, and tonight it was winning. 

We all went out on a limb and ordered what's called an upside-down pizza. These are chicago-style, deep dish pizzas that are served in an inverted, Western-New York kind of way. They had the charm of Frank Sinatra with the looks of Cosmo Kramer.

Mine was a meat pizza with italian sausage, jalapenos, and tomatoes. Michael and Beth ordered a spinach and banana pepper pizza. Usually I steer away from ordering a spinach pizza because I worry that my mouth will get confused into thinking that it's ordered a salad and will detest the experience; however, their Za came highly recommended. 

Oh yeah: have I forgotten about the beer? Yeah, I have. And actually I have in the literal sense. I had some good beers there, different beers. All lighter - one foreign hefeweizen, I now recall and one fruity, belgian-type brew. Everyone was impressed with their beers and I was unduly glad to imbibe!

Cheers to many more years, of celebrations and occasions at places like RichO's brewpup. They will be remembered for their reasonable-priced drinks, their pizza that was good, but whose crust could use some spice and fresh flavor, and for a limitless option of drinks as well.

Marimauto Market

Or something like that. 

I was thinking of going to the Japanese sushi and tempura place by my house, but decided against it. I can eat there any old night. Instead I drifted here. Lured in my the nearby Indian grocery store I knew I had to be in a foriegn land.

I actually didn't know what kind of Asian Grocery I was walking into. Apparently it was Japanese. I came to a halt outside the store because there was this Mexican guy with a food truck selling... wait for it... Octopus balls! "Octopus balls!!" you say. "Claire, why isn't this the title of your posting?" Ah-ha. Well therein lies the problem. They were all out of octopus balls for the day. "That's a good thing." I told the kind man. Yes, it is.

So instead I had sushi. I asked for canned Jack fruit but they didn't know what that was. So I went for my spicy tuna roll (4.50) and sticky rice.

The rice I saw a friend have a few weeks ago and since then I've been drooling. So I gave it a try. Not that adventuresome next to Octopus balls now is it.

And it was good. Sweet with some sesame seeds in it. But delicately sweet. At four dollars I'd keep them rolling into my mouth if my credit card didn't have a limit!

The Pastry Pub

http://www.cedarcitypastrypub.com/

So I have been deliquent in my posting! I am embarking on some high-class establishments here very soon so I decided to go ahead and try to ameliorate the backlog that was created in part due to a lack of internet. Here I began.

While traveling across the United States I encountered some very scrumptious and very poorly prepared cuisine. Salmon that was not cooked all the way through.. time and time again after sending it back to the kitchen. American fast food, in the absence of all else.

I am here to report that the dining adventure I enjoyed the most during my trip to the west coast was: the Pastry Pub, of Cedar City, Utah. Weird, you say, because it's a mostly mormon town and the likeness of the place's name itself mocks drinking. The Pastry Pub serves goodness in large, bizarre portions, in a very old school setting. The prices are right - everythings around 7 dollars, but what you get is off-the-charts.

I decided to order the weirdest thing on the menu, duh! that's what I always do. The dish featured a bottom layer of a yellow saffron rice. Rice that was to die for and featured in all of their dishes. What followed sounds weird, but was one of the best things I've ever eaten. Pastry puff, steak, cheese, artichokes, avacados. I can't even tell you what went on in my mouth. But that meal was heavenly. It was as if every piece of the meal was cooked with attention and excellent seasoning and then mixed in a way that elicited perfection.

In fact I was so impressed with my split meal and salad that only cost 7 dollars and so enamored with the dish that I almost ordered another one. I should have to say I did! Damn that was good! I would stop in cedar city just to eat there again in the quaint home to some of the oddest creations I've ever seen. Their menu isn't even online and my memory isn't that sound. They have quesadillas though. Salads. Shakes. Mmm. Tasting that food tasted like home.

Go on to their website and look at the photos they have of their food. Very unique, ehh?

Next on my food adventure list: Din Tai Fung's Sunday morning Dim Sum! Yum!

Eklecticafe

That's right. An eclectic cafe. But one word.

Wow. This place wasn't even first on trip advaoros recommendation list of must-visits, but it was darn good! We got a chicken quesadilla with unique homemade salsa, chunky and not too spicy, and a gyro. The gyro came with either a salad or chips and was loaded with meat, tomatoes, red peppers, sprouts, and cucumbers and leafy greens.

I didn't notice where our food went, but it disappeared quite quickly. I left completely enamored with the place and its vibe. There was jewelry for sale lining the shop walls and in every table under the glass. The bathroom looked like a house if worship with it's odd colors and mother Mary. Except there was a ketchup bottle holding the hand soap.

The menu ranged from egg and bagel breakfast concoctions to a curry wrap or southwest burger. They had many pastries and fun coffee drinks too. I was at ease with the free wheeling' place. I should also mention they have ample outdoor seating under the shade of vines and trees. Quite pleasing to the senses.

Drifter's

http://www.drifterscookhouse.com/

In the middle of nowhere Colorado (that seems to be a theme running through my reviews recently) we stumbled across Drifter's Cookhouse. It looked like just another roadside general store, but after checking online reviews I found that it merited a trip, especially after comparing its reviews to others in nearby Walden, Colorado.

Entering the place we were greeted by the lush leather bar. Pretzels and tvs were lined around the room that was filled with wood and black leather comfy seats. The bar was quite impressive! A young boy who was barely old enough to speak was sitting at the bar, welcoming people as they entered and instructing them to sit wherever they liked. 

Potato Quiche with goat cheese, artichokes, and peppers

We sat in the main restaurant part of the building both times we dined there by a window hosting a hummingbird feeder and a jewelry box showcasing items for sale. What blew us away about the place was that the menu featured creative, adventuresome menu items that were prepared expertly. It's as if this gourmet gem was misplaced in the tundra!

Our first sampling there was of a three-item mexican fiesta dish. For 11 dollars we got a meal for one and split it three ways. It included: a carne asada taco, a pulled pork taco, and a chile relleno. To this day I will not forget the taste of the chile relleno - it was an authentic poblano chile full of flavor and not overcooked one hair. It was downright incredible how good that pepper (whole pepper with tail) tasted in contrast to every other relleno I've gotten while out eating Mexican fare. 

The two tacos were quite amazing as well. The pork was extremely well seasoned and not at all fatty. The carne asada came with an avocado slaw that was unlike anything I had ever had before. The meat was amazing but the combination all wrapped up in this little corn shell was just unforgettable. The meal was complimented by rice and beans, both well seasoned and more-than-edible, unlike most Mexican restaurants.

We didn't hesitate going back to drifters to experience their deluxe cuisine a second time. We went back for meatloaf and quiche - both adventurous orders I'd say. The meatloaf was out-of-this world delectable and the quiche was quite good too, although I'd say that the blend of flavors in this egg form was a little too creative.

Hiking opportunists stumbled upon quite a find in Drifter's!

two-color-eyed dog in front of Drifter's

Hammerheads

 http://louisvillehammerheads.com/

Recently on a Monday night based on a recommendation from a friend I dined at Hammerheads in Germantown. It was, well, interesting. The rec said that it was better than holy grale in terms of atmosphere especially. I couldn’t concur less!

We entered the yellow-colored walls that is the basement joint and joined a full house of 80+ degree heated bodies. Yikes, it was hot! We decided to dine outside, where we couldn’t drink beer and had no menu access or service. The waitstaff did accommodate us with service only after waiting about 5 minutes.

The waitstaff were very friendly and the prices were reasonable (7-11) but the beer prices were nothing to write home about. We ordered one brisket sandwich and one crab sandwich. The crab sandwich featured a jalapeno aioli which I wouldn’t have known were present if I didn’t read about it on the menu beforehand. The sandwich had a whole crab in it (!) with very delectable legs and arms and big claws (I don’t know what those things are called). But the meat of the crabs body could have been more flavorfully stuffed.

The brisket was downright bleh. The owner of said brisket said it was better than doc crows, but I was not amused by its natural state. It was rather fatty and unseasoned.. but then again I’m not a big brisket person to begin with (I prefer pulled pork).

All in all I don’t know if I’d go back there – at least not in the summer head. For what you pay for, I’d rather go for the full ambience at half the price and dine at holy grale.

Giac Loc of My Tho

In a busy intersection near the catholic churches and buddhist temples of My Tho, Vietnam you can find  a lovely corner restaurant that surpasses all expectations. Workers in the restaurant wear uniforms. The selection is incredible and includes two multi-tiered carts of meat options. The only thing is - there's no actual meat in this place. I don't think I'd ever know the difference. I had - honestly quite close to - the finest beef and sausage I've ever had in my entire here. This is my taste bud mecca. Come one, come all, to the circus!

Tofu and Rice noodle rolls with peanuts and mixed greens

At the intersection of delight and harmony - I should say - is where you'll find this place. We got the opportunity to dine there with fellow buddhists (vegetarians) from the university on one occasion and just had to come back.  We had already eaten about an hour or two prior to coming and asked not to have anything. Instead, we imbibed some sting (big red-ish/energy drink tasting) and green tea and enjoyed several dishes.


I was amazed at the quality of the food. They can think of 1,000 different things to do with tofu to make it not taste, look, or think like tofu at all. Tofus were alive at one point, right? Anyway, my soy senses were satisfied but not overdosed at this amazing restaurant. We ate some pho and then had the real treat, pictured above. I could have eaten the whole, friggin thing! Take some lettace, some cilantro, peanuts, lemongrass and mint, and devour rice noodle rolls and sausage/baconesque tofu that tastes like really good beef/sausage and looks kind of like savory bacon in a kabob form (if that's possible). Wow! It was really exquisite! I cleaned the house on that one!

Selection of fus (tofus, that is)

When we came back just two days later we  ordered freely and the highly of our order were the fresh spring rolls served with a due serving of sauces. Wow! Fresh and excellent. They substitute every meaty item appropriately there. I thought I was eating good-tasting fruit de mer instead of fu fu fu my tofu. It wasn't quite as pinnacle as our premier experience, but still gave us shelter from the rain and an incredible view of kids playing in the puddles on the street.


This restaurant does have a bathroom, in case you're in the vicinity, as does the post office.