Rocco's (Academy & Maizeland)

After seeing the afternoon performance of the Mannheim Steamrollers at the Pikes Peak Center, we felt like grabbing some Italian chow on our way home.  We went by the Roman Villa - which we hadn't been to in years - but they were closed, so we backtracked just a bit and went to Rocco's.

Rocco's is a little family place stuck back in the corner of a strip mall at the corner of Academy and Maizeland.  It's been around for years (I think 25+) and is decorated with Italy's red, white, and green flag colors, red checked tablecloths and curtains, and some kitschy Italian art.  It's cozy and comfy - and is really just a little neighborhood joint.

The daily specials are on a chalkboard by the door and as the hostess took us to our seats, we noticed that the place was not overly full that particular night.  We were shown a booth (but from past experience, we could have asked for a table) and Stephanie, our waitress who’s been there over 5 years), hustled over to take our drink orders.  The wine list at Rocco's is limited - but really - in an Italian place like Rocco's, all you need is a good Chianti!  Which we ordered - ½ litre, please!

We perused the menu, which hasn't changed in years, either - but on this occasion, I skipped over my usual tortellini and read the other pasta dishes in detail.  I finally settled on the manicotti (with one sausage and one meatball) and Mike decided to try the scallops and linguini.  We also got an order of garlic bread to go with dinner.

Our dinners came with soup or salad and I opted for the dinner salad with blue cheese and Mike got the minestrone soup. The salad was very fresh - always a plus point - and Mike said the minestrone was really good and not too salty, as minestrone can be sometimes.

It didn't take long for the dishes to come out - piping hot and smelling wonderful! I had to let my manicotti sit for a few minutes and even then, when I dug in, I could see the heat from cheese rise.  The dish was cheesy (no, not that kind of cheesy), tomato saucy, and with a sprinkling of shredded parmesan cheese offer by Stephanie, delectable!  I enjoyed the manicotti - but if I were to get this again at Rocco's, I'd pass on the sausage and meatball. Don't get me wrong here - they were both good, but just not my taste. I ate a couple of bites of each - just to see what they tasted like - and passed the rest to Mike, who thoroughly relished them.

Mike said his scallop dish was really good - lots of scallops and the linguini was perfectly cooked.  The sauce was not too heavy and had a very nice lemon component. 

Needless to say, we didn't save any room for desert and I actually took one of the manicotti home to have for lunch the next day.

Rocco's is truly just a little neighborhood joint - with lots of return customers - and if they keep serving up meals like the one we had - they'll be around a lot longer.

So, Rocco's - Do Again?  Si! It was .. Chow bella!

Bang! (Denver)

Mike and I ventured up to Denver to the Denver Art Museum so I could see the Xu Beihong exhibit (it was sooo good – I’m a huge fan of Xu Beihong’s horses!) – and we decided to visit Bang! for lunch.  Yes, Bang! is the name of the place – it’s on a little side street just west of I-25.  Bang! was recently  featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network channel and one of my co-workers also had eaten there after he saw the TV show.  

We navigated the streets of Denver to get to Bang! and snagged a parking spot in the strip mall across the street (cagily walking by a couple of shops in the strip mall so I could feel okay about taking up one of their parking slots which were clearly marked for strip mall customers only).  From across the street, Bang!’s vivid colors grab your attention first, then you notice that the front of Bang! is big windows, looking directly into the kitchen – and to get to the dining area, you have to go through a narrow alley (very narrow) around to the back. 

Since it was about 1pm when we got there – and on Tuesday – we asked for and got a table in the enclosed patio section.  The place wasn’t too busy – just one other table (out of 6 on the patio) taken.  There was music playing, very eclectic choices – contemporary to 50’s classics to soft rock – and not too loud.  Just right.  Our server came right out with menus and we each ordered beers.  I chose the calamari for an appetizer and Mike ordered the deviled eggs.  Deviled eggs are a bit unusual – but so is Bang!

While we waited, I ducked inside to see what it was like and it’s full of small tables, very soothing and calming art on the walls and just a bit dark.  My friend had mentioned that inside was somewhat dim and when I told Mike, yes, it was dim inside, the server came over and said they’d had some water damage and a couple of windows were covered.  When they get those fixed, it’ll be a bit brighter inside!  Off the main dining room, there was one small room with four tables – perfect for a small group to commandeer for a lunch or dinner.  About that time … out came our appetizers.

My calamari was fried rounds, but they were obviously hand-battered (a huge plus).  And they came pre-sauced (what? pre-sauced?) – just enough to get a taste on each one, but not enough to make anything soggy.  The sauce was a sweet red chili sauce with red peppers flakes in it.  The calamari and sauce was excellent, just excellent.

Mike’s deviled eggs were very smooth – and a just ever so slightly pickle-y- tasting – I think you could actually taste the smoked paprika more.  I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen deviled eggs as an appetizer in a restaurant.  Again – Bang! is unique.

For our lunches, Mike ordered the gumbo, which had been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and I asked for the penne pasta with shrimp. Mike was actually torn between getting the meatloaf and the gumbo, as the meatloaf was also featured on the TV show and he doesn’t get meatloaf at home unless I’m TDY. (There are a couple of foods I don’t do and meatloaf is one of them.  Others are stuffed bell peppers and whitebait, which I did try and will never eat again.)

We didn’t have too wait long and out came our lunches – and the gumbo smelled so good.  Dark, dark roux base – lots of meat and flavor, accompanied by a fried jalapeño cornbread slice.  How clever to fry the cornbread so it’s not so crumbly?  

My penne was perfectly al dente and – plus point – the tails were off the shrimp.  The sauce was tomato-y and home-made with chunks of well-cooked tomato and globs of home-made ricotta cheese completing the dish.  The portion was generous enough that I probably took home 2/3’s of it.

When the server, Christine, asked how everything was, Mike said “Two yums up!” She got a kick out of that and shared it with the owner. 

We couldn’t bring ourselves to stop there  … since this place was so special, we ordered dessert.  Mike had the peach cobbler with bourbon cream and I had the chocolate mousse with hazelnuts. The peach cobbler had a crumbled topping that was more like crumbled pie crust than biscuit-y or regular crumble-type toppings.  The bourbon cream was yummy.   My chocolate mousse was really good mousse – soft, light, smooth.  My only complaint was it could have used more hazelnuts – but then I love hazelnuts!

We gathered up our doggie bags, thanked Christine for a wonderful lunch and headed out to go home. 

So … Bang!  Do Again?  You bet … you definitely get a good Bang! for the bucks! 

Texas T-Bone (North Academy & Union)

Once again, we were in the mood for a steak and didn’t feel like cooking, so we buzzed down to the Texas T-Bone on Academy and Union. The place was not too busy and we’ve seen business fall off over the past few months.  Was it the restaurant or the economy?  Anyway, after the normal “Welcome to Texas T-Bone,”  there was some discussion between the hostess and a couple of servers over where to seat us.  The hostess asked if we’d mind sitting at the bar.  Now, the place wasn’t very busy, tables galore open and it appeared that none of the many servers milling about were working up a sweat.  So, we politely declined but said we would sit at a table in the bar area.  That seemed okay.

We started off with iced teas and a couple of appetizers – the bacon wrapped shrimp for me and boneless wings for Mike.  The bacon wrapped shrimp can be a bit of a gamble – but this time the bacon was well done (but not too much). Mike’s appetizer size serving on chicken pieces was more like a dinner sized portion and we ended up taking some of our appetizers home with us.

I do like the way Texas T-Bone does the dinner salads – check off what you want (choose between three types of lettuce, five out of about 25 toppings and a salad dressing out of about 12 choices, all served in a big silver dog bowl) and turn it over to the server.  We’d already filled out our salad choices when the waiter returned to take our order. 

I ordered the bacon wrapped filet for dinner and Mike asked for the Jack Daniels top sirloin.  The wait for our salads was a bit longer than usual, but we kept occupied watching football and current country music videos on the big screen TVs.  My salad was fine – as was Mike’s.  Perhaps the lettuce could have been a bit fresher …

After another rather longish wait, our steaks came.  Mike’s was done perfectly, but mine was cooked unevenly and a bit too much.  One slim part of it was actually well done, but once I cut into the rest of the steak, it was medium to medium well.  Okay – but I ordered medium rare.  I’m usually not that fussy about how my steak is done, and given the wait we’d already had, I didn’t send it back.  (I always kick myself; I should send it back when it’s not done right.  Kick, kick!)  But, it was tender, however, and a very generous portion.  The baked potatoes we ordered were big and dressed just as we had asked. 

So, after getting comfortably full, we asked for doggie bags (yea, like the dogs are getting any of this other than the toast) – and packed up our leftovers – which were plenty for lunch the next day.  I made sure points were added to my loyalty card and off we went for the short trip home.

So – Texas T-Bone?  Do again … well … I think the place may be going downhill – just a bit – but enough to notice.  Maybe that’s why we’ve seen an apparent decline in patronage … or is it the economy?  I don’t know.  But, for a quick steak that’s not too bad – yea, I’d Do Again, at least until I find another place we like better for that quick steak dinner.

Nosh

We were on the way to see the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and we usually go to MacKenzie’s Chop House before seeing a show at the Pikes Peak Center.  But on this night – daring to be a bit different – we crossed the street (literally) and went to Nosh for drinks and appetizers. 

Nosh is one of the more upscale places in downtown Colorado Springs and when the weather is nice, they have a lovely patio area facing the old City Hall building, which now houses the Pioneers Museum (which is excellent, by the way).  However, this night – just a bit cool, so inside we’d stay.  To get to Nosh, you have to walk through the lobby of the South Plaza of the Rockies building, past the security desk and down a hallway.  Through the double doors – and you’re at Nosh.

The interior is well appointed, seductively lit, with large (really large) koi drawn swimming around a pebble-lined stream on all four walls.  Nosh has an elegant bar area in the center with larger tables and some cozy, two-seat tables circling the bar and along the walls.  We opted to sit at the bar.

Our bartender was quick to welcome us and hand out martini and food menus.  Nosh offers some interesting martinis so I took the time to read the martini menu.  As good as they all sounded, I ordered the pomegranate lemonade.  Mike opted for the house Manhattan.  Our drinks were excellent – the pomegranate lemonade was really refreshing and Mike said the bartender mixed a mean Manhattan. 

On to the food … Nosh specializes in small-plates and the menu is limited – but certainly unique.  I started off with the calamari and Mike ordered the cheese tray.  The orders didn’t take too long and we enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks while we waited.

Here’s something we did notice – there seemed to be a lot of women in the place – executive/business types.  Is Nosh to executive women as MacKenzie’s is to downtown lawyers?  The place to see and be seen?  The Power Happy Hour for business women?  We wondered.

Anyway, our food came and my calamari was not the usual rings – but strips of meat, lightly breaded and perfectly cooked.  Tender, flavorful, excellent.  Mike’s cheese tray had labna (yogurt cheese made in-house), beer soaked cheddar, and smoked provolone with fruit preserves and thin cracker bread.  The labna was really different tasting – I really can’t say what might have been mixed in with it, but it was really good.  The other cheeses were excellent, but the labna took the cake, so to speak.

We each opted for a second drink and I decided to try the tuna tataki. When it arrived, the first thing we noticed was the excellent presentation of this dish.  The tuna, barely seared, with the oils and radishes – delightful to look at - wow!  But – looks aside, it was meant to be eaten, so we did and we both really enjoyed the tuna tataki.  If you like sushi/tuna, this is a dish you won’t want to miss.

So, with that, we got our bill from the bartender who (more points in his favor) asked to see Mike’s photo ID for the charge card – and we took our leave. 

So, will it be one time MacKenzie’s, the next time Nosh?  I don’t know – it’ll probably depend on my mood!  But ….

Nosh … do again?  You betcha.

Schnitzel Fritz

We were looking forward to Schnitzel Fritz, as it had gotten such good reviews in the papers – and we like German food. Schnitzel Fritz is tucked into a strip mall just south of Sky Sox stadium and it’s a small deli with about 10 tables and booths, selling pastries, some German specialty foods, meats and cheeses – and of course – schnitzels.

We looked over the menu at the order counter and I chose the jaegerschnitzel (one of my favorites) with spaetzle. Mike had the same but added red cabbage.  We selected a couple of non-alcoholic beers (the only kind they serve) and sat down at a booth.

The place seems to do a pretty good business – there were several other couples, one family of four eating dinner. The décor is all German flag colors and is very pleasant. There are some stuffed animals around a high ledge (and on top of the Pepsi case) and steins above the counter.

The server, obviously German, brought some bread to our table – but it was just plain, sliced French bread – not brochen. The butter was hard, nearly frozen pats.  A few minutes later – here came the jaegerschnitzels. At first glance, we could tell they were not freshly prepared, but the frozen type that had been deep fried. (From my seat, I saw them put the schnitzels into the deep fryer.) The breading was thin and not the usual, flakey crust-type breading we’d come to expect on breaded schnitzels. The gravy was dark and had mushrooms, but was thin and skimpy – and kind of bland. And, there simply wasn’t enough to cover the schnitzel on the plate, let alone extra to dip the spaetzle in. While the schnitzels were fair sized and the servings of spaetzle were big, the amount of gravy was unusually small.

Mike’s had the same comments about the gravy and schnitzel – except he really enjoyed the red cabbage. I had a bite and yes, it was really good. Warm, flavorful, just a bit sour/sweet – definitely the best dish of our meal.

We finished up, bussed our table, and as we drove away, we talked about our next German restaurant visit … to either the Edelweiss or Uwe’s.

Schnitzel Fritz … Es wieder tun?  Nein. Ich denke nicht so.

Additional Review: Below is another review from friends of ours, who visited Schnitzel Fritz that same evening … in fact, they must have been driving up as we were leaving! I asked them to give opinions, too  ...

Sorry we got there too late to enjoy Schnitzel Fritz with you two. I ordered the special: Frikadellen, Kartoffelpüree, und Rotkohl. It was much better than I expected after I heard the name translated to meatballs, mashed potatoes, and cabbage. The red wine marinade on the cabbage really brought out the flavor and added a hint of sweetness. The gravy on the mashed potatoes did a great job of tying into the flavors of the oven baked meatballs. Vera described her Wienerschnitzel with Lemon Sauce as really good. The capers were a great addition to the lemon sauce that was not very saucy. Vera's spaetzle (egg noodles) side dish was quite delicious and reminded me of every meal I ever ordered in Germany. Her other side, bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) had nice bacon flavor and was probably the best part of the meal.

MacKenzie's Chop House

Once again, we visited a favorite restaurant of ours before going to an event at the Pikes Peak Center.  This time – it was the Blue Man Group – and of course, we had to stop at MacKenzie’s Chop House for drinks and appetizers before the show. 

And – bonus – Ramsey was bartending!  She was voted Gold (first place) in the Gazette’s 2011 “Best of” bartender listing – and MacKenzie’s would be wise to pay her what she’s worth and keep her as the primary bartender! She’s friendly, remembers customers, fast behind the bar, mixes good drinks, attentive … exemplifies really good service.  Ramsey (and one of her MacKenzie’s predecessors – Sean) set the standards by which we “measure” our bartenders.  Ramsey sets that bar (forgive the pun) high!

We snagged a couple of chairs at the bar and Ramsey was right there – ready to take our drink orders.  She knows we know the menu and we have our favorite drinks, so she was not surprised by my request for Killer Kool-Aid and Mike’s Chop House Manhattan.  The drinks were there in a jiffy – icy cold and perfectly mixed.

After checking out the fresh sheet to make sure oyster were available, we asked for a dozen on the half-shell.  Then, after some discussion, we also ordered the beef and brie – which is hearty enough for a meal.  Our oysters were out in no time and we asked Ramsey to put in the beef and brie order. 

The oysters arrived and they were good – a bit small – but good.  (I think all oysters are good – but the ones we got at Hemmingway’s in Denver years ago were some of the best we’d ever had – before or since. Is Hemmingway’s still around? Alas, no.  It’s now Max Gill & Grill; but they still serve sea food.  Anybody been there?)

Just about the time we’d finished off the oysters and Ramsey gracefully swept away the dishes, here came the beef and brie.  Warmed brie (almost melted) with beef tips and dark gravy – over crusty garlic crostini.  Excellent!

As a finisher – I ordered the dates – simply to die for.  Plump dates stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped with bacon and served with a balsamic reduction. Absolutely the perfect last bites with the last few sips of my second Killer Kool-Aid. 

So, with that – pay the check, visit with Ramsey again for just a minute (she knows how to keep us coming back!) – and off to the show. 

MacKenzie’s Chop House – Do Again? You bet.  And again, and again, and again. 

Spice Island Grill (10 N Sierra Madre)

Al set up a dinner evening at the Spice Island Grill, a new Jamaican place downtown Colorado Springs. Spice Island Grill is in a building that used to be a Mexican restaurant and you can still feel the southwestern influence – you really don’t get a “Jamaica-mon” feeling – but hey – ambiance isn’t everything.  Let’s see how the food is!

Mike and I were just a few minutes early so we went into the bar area to wait.  Well, not really a bar area – yes, it was in fact a bar – but was evidently being used as a bussed dishes drop-off, napkin-rolling table, oversized stereo location, and a “I’m not here to work; I’m just watching TV and taking up customer space” space. After we milled about for a few minutes and were only greeted by the napkin-rolling lady, (who was very friendly), we retreated back out the front desk area and asked for our table. Good decision.

Once at the table, Mike and I both got that evening’s drink special – rum punch – which was actually quite good.  And, since we were a little hungry, we got a sampler appetizer plate – pick any three, so we got fried plantains, fish balls (insert your own joke here), and the spicy shrimp.  The fried plantains were excellent – just like the ones my old Army WAC barracks neighbor cooked up in our shared kitchen. The fish balls were kinda like hush puppies but better – different dough and lots of fish flakes – I liked them.  The spicy shrimp was spiced on the shell – so when you peeled off the shell – there went the spices.  Then, they became ordinary shrimp – and didn’t taste very spicy. 

Once our dinner companions joined us, we ordered dinner.  I requested the Jamaican tilapia with mashed potatoes and Mike asked for the goat curry with one of the house side-dish specialties – mac & cheese.  The wait for our dinners was quite lengthy – especially when we saw our server outside on his cell phone, apparently unconcerned that we needed water and another round of drinks, not to mention our food. 

But, our food finally came – and we all dug in.  My tilapia was very spicy – bordering on too hot.  In fact, for most folks, I’m sure it would have been too hot.  The mashed potatoes were actually a combo mashed and chunks and were good.  Mike said while his goat was okay, there were too many bones – big bones – (and that complaint mirrored another review about their goat dish) and just not enough meat.  The mac & cheese was okay, too – but nothing all that special. 

During the meal, I ordered the mango rum drink and while it was mango-y, it was also water-y. And I do wish it had been more rum-y. 

We found service to be very lackadaisical – yet there seemed to be about one employee per table milling about the small dining room.  I’m really not sure what all those people did, ‘cause we only saw the hostess (who refused to take drink orders and said she’d find our waiter) and our waiter (who either dashed by and we couldn’t catch his attention or was outside on his phone) actually do any “work.”  Hmmmm.

 After we finished up our meals and asked for our checks, we realized we had not indicated separate checks. When we asked our waiter to split up the bill (just between Mike and I and another couple) – the answer was basically no – but he did give us a very confusing and hard to read receipt which was impossible to decipher and indicated we could figure it out ourselves – so we ended up doing some quick calculations. Not great customer service on that point.

So – Spice Island Grill – Do Again?  Naa.  Mi no go deh.  (Unless I get a really bad hankering for fried plantains and fish balls!)

Old Chicago's North (I-25 and Woodman/Commerce)

It was our monthly Mensa Buzztime Trivia night at Old C’s, and even though our play console batteries were about as weak as newborn kittens and this review is supposed to be about the food – I gotta say – we Mensans kicked some ass at Trivia!

Back to food – and beer (can’t review Old C’s without mention of the beer selection). After we got our weak consoles and traded several of them in for new ones in not much better condition, we ordered beers and iced teas and perused the menu’s starters, calzones, pizzas and salads. As for beer, I opted for Stella Artois – and vowed next time we’re there, the Stella glass is coming home with me – love that glass. There’s over 100 beers at Old C’s and I almost always get the Stella Artois but I have several friends who’ve been “around the world” on the Old C’s Beer Tour – not once, not twice, but multiple times. Betsy, Phil – how many times?

After thinking about what I was in the mood for, I decided to try a new Old C’s specialty – the Artisan-Style pizza topped with pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives and anchovies. (Love those anchovies!) Mike opted for the Roasted Chicken Salad with Bacon & Apple. 

According to Old Chicago’s, the Artisan-style pizza is based on “hand-stretched” dough that is drizzled with olive oil in an attempt to create a thin, crispy and light crust. And – Old C’s got this one right. It was excellent. The crust was perfect – absolutely perfect. And the topping were generous enough to be tasty but not so much that the crust was overwhelmed.

Mike said his salad was okay – the greens were fresh, but there was way too much broccoli, and that took away from the rest of the special ingredients (chicken, bacon, carrots, apples, etc). He did like the parmesan garlic dressing – but said if he ordered that salad again, he’d ask for it without broccoli. (Damn it - if he had wanted broccoli, chicken with bacon & apple, he would have asked for it!)

So – if you’re into Buzztime Trivia – you might want to find a place where the controllers all work. But if you don’t mind that or if you’re simply at Old Chicago’s with some buds – do try the Artisan pizza. And a beer. Or two. Or enough to complete at least a continent on the world tour!! Have some fun!

Old C's - Do Again? Yes! (But avoid the broccoli salad!!)

Panda Express ... Again!

Fast food.  Fast review.  Done again.  Do again.

Here's the rest of the story:  New dog (Otis).  No time to cook.  Mike heads to Panda Express.  Truck clutch goes out.  I pick him up (with Otis in the back).  We continue to Panda Express.  Go home.  Call AAA.  Eat.  Meet the tow truck (with Otis in the back).  Go home again. 

Poor Otis - it was such a long day for him - long car ride first thing in the morning, new home to explore, new pack of dogs to meet, two more car ride ... new everything!  He was so tired - I could see his little (little?) head nod and eyes start to close - then something would happen and he'd have to wake up again!  He sure slept good that first night at our house!

Smashburger (on North Nevada Avenue)

Mike and I were out doing something around lunch time and Mike suggested that we try Smashburger (on North Nevada).  We'd heard about it, but hadn't been to one before.

Smashburger is really just a burger joint with its "claim to fame" its unique "smashed" burgers.  They offer a variety of burger dishes and a make-your-own selection of toppings (cheeses, sauces, etc).  Plus, they have fries (even sweet potato fries) and real shakes.

Both Mike and I ordered the BBQ, Bacon & Cheddar (BBQ sauce, applewood smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and haystack onions on an egg bun), Smashfries (tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic) for Mike and Sweet Potato Smashfries for me (also tossed with rosemary, olive oil and garlic).  To drink - strawberry shake for Mike and chocolate (what else?) for me.

At Smashburger, you order at the counter and they give you a number to post at your table.  We no sooner sat down and here came our burgers and fries.  A couple of minutes later - the shakes in real glasses with the overage in a metal shake-mixer container.  Icy cold and thick!

Mike enjoyed his burger and really liked the fries. While my burger was good, next time I'm there (if there is a next time), I'll do the "Create Your Own Burger" option so I can get the topping I know I like.  I really didn't care much for the BBQ sauce on my burger - and I could have done without the haystack onions - but those are just my preferences.  Now, my sweet potato fries were just a bit overdone - but you could taste the rosemary, olive oil and garlic - they didn't skimp on those seasonings. 

The shakes were great - I'd stop at Smashburger just for that if I was on North Nevada and got the urge for one.  Otherwise, I wouldn't count Smashburger as my favorite place for burgers ... but I'm willing to give them another chance.

Do Again?  Yes - but I would try the "Create Your Own Burger" - probably skip the fries (even though they were good).  And, get a chocolate shake.  Oh, hell - skip the burger and just go for the shake!