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!

Red Lobster

For a late birthday dinner, Young Mike and Lauren took Mike and me to Red Lobster.  Red Lobster was running their "Endless Shrimp" special and it's a convenient location - so off we went.  Now, understand that Young Mike and I are the reason Red Lobster doesn't do the "All You Can Eat Crab Legs" anymore - we can eat some seafood.

We met them in the bar, where Lauren had snagged a table.  We all ordered drinks and got menus.  The waitress, an older lady, was efficient, but frustrated by the slow bar service.  She apologized to us several times during the meal - but from our vantage point, we could tell it was not her - but poor service at the bar.  Anyway, I ordered some raw oysters and Lauren got some coconut shrimp.  When those came - we ordered our dinners.  Young Mike and I had shrimp: scampi and sweet/saucy shrimp for me, Mike had shrimp with pasta and (I think) grilled shrimp.  Lauren got the crab legs ... and - sad to say - I don't remember what Mike ordered - serves me right for waiting to write this up!

Anyway - as for appetizers - the oysters were good but a bit small - not the best I'd ever had, but they were acceptable. The coconut shrimp was good - crunchy, not overdone, and the sauce was tasty.  The salads were fresh and crispy - just as they should be.

When we got our dinners - Young Mike and I made short work of our shrimp dishes - and I got another serving of the scampi. Hey - I like scampi and it's fun to say .... scccammmpi.  Young Mike got another shrimp dish, too and we continued to chow down.  Lauren shared some of her crab with me - she doesn't like the knuckles - and it was good.  Crab is just about always good. 

After absolutely stuffing ourselves with shrimp and crab and all the rest of the stuff (or stuffing?), we waddled out - definitely sated and satisfied.  I could barely carry myself out, let alone my two volume "Good Eats" books Young Mike and Lauren got me.  Thanks, guys!!

Now, I know some folks avoid the chains like the plague - and I like to support the independent restaurants - but a trip to Red Lobster once and a while is okay ...

So - Red Lobster - Do Again?  Sure - especially if they re-instate "All You Can Eat Crab Legs."

The Bon Ton (for lunch!!)

The Bon Ton is one of our favorite breakfast spots on the West Side - and we were going to the 1pm Fairview Cemetery tour.  Bon Ton for lunch before the tour?  Let's try it! 

It was warm enough to dine al fresco - which you know I love.  We got a table in the corner of the patio - perfect!  I ordered hot tea and a French Dip and Mike had iced tea and their Turkey, Bacon & Cheddar Melt.  We didn't have to wait too long for the food to come and in the meantime enjoyed the sunny day, doing some people watching.

BTW - the Bon Ton patio is dog friendly - and there was a Great Dane at one of the tables.  What fun!  On the down side, a lady at the table next to us  - her chair leg broke and she toppled over. No harm - it could have been a lot worse.

Back to food.  My French dip was good. There was just a bit of fat on the meat, but the au jus was super.  Dark, flavorful, spicy and just a bit peppery.  Fresh bun and really good fries.  Yum. 

Mike enjoyed his melt - but he said next time he'd ask for a different cheese.  He felt that the cheddar really didn't compliment the turkey and bacon. Maybe mozzarella?  He had the potato salad (and I had a bite) - very good, homemade, not too mayonnaise-y or mustard-y. 

So - Bon Ton for lunch ... Do Again?  You betcha!

The Famous

After seeing the play Assassins at the Fine Arts Center with some friends last Sunday, we decided to have an early dinner and all headed downtown to The Famous.

Mike and I snagged a pretty close parking spot and met up with the rest of the gang at the bar. We all ordered cocktails - Mike wanted a Bombay martini and I requested a martini (from their martini menu) that was seemed close to a Killer Kool-aid martini from MacKenzie's Chop House.  I got my drink, but how could The Famous have no Bombay gin?  Strike one!

The Famous serves, without a doubt, the best steaks in Colorado Springs.  And, they are very proud of their steaks.  The cheapest is $37 and they go up to $45 and if you want Oscar or Scampi, add another $16 or $13.  All the sides are a la carte and served family style, which can limit the options if there are just two of you.  Yes - it's pricey.  Really pricey.  Strike two?  Yes, but the food is really, really good.

To start off, I tried the tuna tartar - which was excellent.  Tender, coarsely ground tuna in small round stacks, very nicely presented.  BTW - Service throughout our evening was excellent and when we ran out of the delectable bread, more was brought out immediately.

Most of the group ordered steaks, no toppings, with salads and baked potatoes, plus we had a couple sides of asparagus.  One person ordered the salmon ($30) - which she said was excellent.  Everyone raved about the quality of the meat and how it was prepared. 

But - as good as the food is at The Famous - we don't go there often.  Besides the cost - it is very expensive - the acoustics of the place suck!  We were there early that night - before the place filled up.  During the normal dinner hours, when there are folks at the bar, diners at all the tables, and possibly the piano playing - you literally cannot carry on a conversation with those sitting next or across from you.  Strike three.

So, let's tally this up ... No Bombay gin. Expensive. Noisy.  Do Again - probably not (stress on probably).  We can actually get a steak that is just about as good at MacKenzie's Chop House (and significantly cheaper) where we can carry on conversations during dinner.  And, MacKenzie's wouldn't dare run out of Bombay gin!!

IHOP (North Academy Blvd & I-25)

Mike and I were running some early errands a couple of weeks ago and Mike said he wanted some pancakes. So, since we were on the north end of town and IHOP was close, we popped in for a quick breakfast.

The place was busy - just about all the tables were full, but we got a booth quickly and then checked out the extensive menu.  Mike ordered his pancakes with a slice of ham and a couple of eggs and I opted for the steak tips (sautéed with mushrooms and onions) and eggs.  After getting our coffee pot filled and my tea set-up, we ordered.

It wasn't too long and breakfast came out of the kitchen.  Everything looked good - but I was reserving judgment until I cut into my eggs and ate some steak. Well, while Mike said his breakfast was okay - no complaints from him - I did have problems with my breakfast.  The eggs, ordered over medium - were actually just a bit past medium, bordering on hard. This wasn't such a big deal - but the steak "problem" kinda was.  The sirloin steak tips had a funny (to me) taste.  I even asked Mike to take a bite.  I think either someone neglected to clean off the teriyaki sauce from the grill or the onions sweated a whole bunch of sweet juice.  The meat had a definitive sweet, almost like a hoisin glaze taste that was not really what I wanted to go with eggs and hash browns.  In fact, it was kinda yechy. Funny, though - the mushrooms were wonderful - perfect slices, golden brown, tasty.  I wonder now if they cooked everything separately and combined it on the plate?

I probably should have asked for a new dish - but damn it - I rarely do that.  I need to grow a set and complain if my food is not what I think it should be!

Another sour note:  there were flies buzzing around - not just one or two - I spotted about five or six.  Annoying and yecky!

So - overall - Do Again?  You know, the last time we were at this IHOP, I had their eggs Benedict and they really sucked. So ...  I'll go with ... No, I don't think so. 

Now, since Perkins is closed and IHOP is not working out, we need to find a new fast breakfast spot up in our area of town.  Suggestions, anyone??

Gertrude’s (2625 West Colorado Avenue)

After driving over to Old Colorado City in the light snow storm Saturday morning, through the fat, fluffy flakes, we were looking forward to a cozy breakfast at Gertrude’s, one of this area’s premier restaurants.

And, since it was before most businesses on Old Colorado Avenue open and there was plenty of parking, we snagged a spot practically in front of the place and dashed through the wet snow, not stopping to peruse the menu posted outside, European style.

We hadn’t been to Gertrude’s in years and then only for dinner. It’s a small place, probably about 15 tables and booths. Lots of local artwork on the walls, all for sale. When we were there before, part of the décor was also some holiday greenery and without it, the place is a bit stark. Not bad – just a bit stark, even with the artwork on the walls.

But – I’ll eat in a barn if the food is good – so we got a couple of tables for our group and ordered coffee and tea. Just about then, Mike noticed the breakfast menu featured mimosas and Bloody Marys. So, when we got our hot drinks, we ordered Bloody Marys. Our Bloody Marys were really good Bloody Marys.  Spicy and peppery, not too weak or watery – yes – you guessed it –I sucked mine down and ordered a second one!

About this time, our breakfast companions showed up and between the lively and varied discussions going around the table, we managed to order breakfast.

For breakfast, Mike got the breakfast platter with Italian capicola ham. He said it was excellent – and everything was fixed exceptionally well – except the potato pancakes were kind of blah.  Not much going on there.

I had the Eggs Gertrude (their version of vegetarian eggs Benedict) with a side of bacon.  (I know, vegetarian dish with a side of bacon – hey – I’m a carnivore!)  Anyway, Eggs Gertrude has the normal eggs, muffin, and hollandaise sauce, but they add avocado and grilled tomatoes. I probably should have asked for no tomatoes – although they were good – just not my thing. The hollandaise sauce was excellent – creamy, smooth, tasty.  (I’m one who thinks that there are a couple definitive restaurant gauges and the sauces - hollandaise and Béarnaise – are definitely a couple of those gauges.)  And the eggs were poached perfectly – beautiful yellows, solid but soft whites – yum.  If you like eggs Benedict - try the Eggs Gertrude – you won’t be disappointed.

One of our group did have the steak and eggs and proclaimed it excellent – although he had the same comment about the potato pancakes – good, but not remarkable.

Service at Gertrude’s was first-rate – it appeared they just had one waiter working and he was hustling and bustling – but we had no complaints.  And, Gertrude’s must have a following - they had a lot of business in for breakfast that Saturday – regardless of the weather.  When Mike and I first got there, there were only two tables occupied, but when we left – the place was just about full up.

And – for you ladies – check out the ladies room at Gertrude’s.  Vera and I didn’t know quite what to think of it – a “buddy bathroom” perhaps? 

So – in conclusion – Gertrude’s is on the Do Again list …and as good as breakfast was – I would expect lunch and dinner to be just as good.  I'll have to find an excuse for another meal there - other than breakfast ... wait - do I really need an excuse?  Nah - I haven't needed excuses to eat out so far!

Noodles & Company (N. Academy Blvd)

After running a few errands, Mike and I decided to drop by Noodles & Company for a quick lunch. Besides our curiosity about the place (as we've driven by it on North Academy Blvd for aeons) - we had a coupon for buy one, get one free (Thanks, Jennifer B!).

Noodles & Company is a chain that originally started in Denver.  It was founded by a New Yorker who wanted to bring fresh, fast food with variety to the masses. He based his restaurants around noodles - since noodles (or pasta) are the shared ingredient of many Asian, Italian and American dishes.  One restaurant can please multiple tastes. I think he hit on something there!  (By the way - besides noodle dishes, they serve soups, salads and sandwiches - but for this visit, let's just stick to the noodles.)

There are essentially three sections to the menu (I said this before, didn't I?):  Asian (pad Thai, Japanese udon, curry, Indonesian, etc); Italian (penne, linguini, curly pasta, etc); and American (mac & cheese, spaghetti, butter noodles, etc).  After looking over the menu, we walked up to the counter to place our order and submit our two-fer coupon.  For this, our first visit, both Mike and I decided to order off the Asian side of the menu.  Mike got the Japanese dish: udon with veggies and beef. I opted for the Indonesian with rice noodles, veggies and a chicken breast.  It was rated at two peppers and they nailed the spiciness.  If you don't like spicy (in this case, spicy and hot) - don't get any food rated at two peppers. Stick to one or none.

We got our drink, grabbed a table at the front of the place and stuck our number "18" on the stand so the waitperson would know which table to bring the food to. It wasn't but 3 or 4 minutes and here it came - delivered by a seemingly happy employee!  The portions were plenty - we had both ordered the standard size - and the aromas were spectacular.  As we dug in, we agreed that the food was tasty, fresh and well cooked. 

I tried a bite of Mike's lunch - and he a bite of mine - and we agreed that we both liked the Japanese dish just a bit better - luscious, smooth brown sauce, tender mushrooms, tasty beef.  Although my lunch was fine - don't get me wrong - I just enjoyed the Japanese one a bit more.  Individual tastes, you know. You might go and like the Indonesian dish better!

I didn't finish my meal, so I got a carry-away box for the leftovers.  Which I ate for breakfast on Mids last night - spices and all.  Maybe I should eat spicy food more often on Mids - didn't even get sleepy the whole shift!  Anyway - the noodles re-heated well - and I had another chance to enjoy the hot, spicy Indonesian noodles. 

Noodles & Company - yes, Do Again - and next time, we'll try a couple of the Italian dishes!

Lombard’s (in the Double Eagle Casino, Cripple Creek) - Breakfast

We spent this past weekend up at Cripple Creek with the Mensa group at what we Mensans call a Mini-RG (Regional  Gathering).  There were probably 20+ of us – and we did all the tourist things at “The Creek” – ride the train, went to the Butte Opera House for the Melodrama, visit the Homestead House museum, etc.  And – luckily, we hit the peak weekend for aspens.  It was beautiful!

We stayed at the Double Eagle Hotel & Casino and on Sunday morning, some of us got together for breakfast at Lombard’s.  They offer menu breakfasts as well as the breakfast buffet.

While everybody else ordered coffee, I got my usual morning tea.  When Vera poured her coffee, it came out about the color of my tea … very weak – and when Vera asked for a new pot – the waitress told us that weak coffee was just the way it was there – and they’d had numerous complaints from staff and customers about the weak coffee, but the kitchen couldn’t do anything about it.  She said she’d bring some instant coffee packets folks could add to their coffee to bring it a little more up to speed (which she did and Vera said it helped a little).

Three of us ordered steak and eggs off the menu and the others opted for the buffet.  Unfortunately, the breakfast buffet didn’t measure up to the dinner buffet the night before, according to the buffet folks.  The eggs were a bit rubbery and the sausages were cold.  Not good.  I noticed one fellow only ate a small bit before pushing his plate away. 

The menu-ordered steak and eggs were quite good – and although the steaks were certainly not the best quality – they weren’t bad, either.  They were all cooked correctly – as were the eggs.  About my only complaint about the breakfast was there weren’t many potatoes on the plate and we each only got one piece of toast.  Probably the two cheapest things – you’d think they’d be a bit more generous with those portions!

So – Lombard’s for breakfast – yeah, Do Again – but be sure to order off the menu … and skip the breakfast buffet.  And consider switching to tea!

Lombard’s (in the Double Eagle Hotel & Casino, Cripple Creek) - Dinner

We spent this past weekend up at Cripple Creek with the Mensa group at what we Mensans call a Mini-RG (Regional  Gathering).  There were probably 20+ of us – and we did all the tourist things at “The Creek” – ride the train, went to the Butte Opera House for the Melodrama, visit the Homestead House museum, etc.  And – luckily, we hit the peak weekend for aspens.  It was beautiful!

We stayed at the Double Eagle Hotel and on Saturday night all gathered for dinner at Lombard’s, the casual restaurant in the hotel.  (Winfield’s is the upscale restaurant at the Double Eagle.)  Some folks ordered off the menu and some of us did the buffet.

Surprisingly – everybody (and I mean everybody) said their meals were actually very good. Mike and I opted for the buffet – comes with the salad bar – and were impressed with the quality of the food.

Start with the salads – the lettuce was fresh and crisp, all the bins of accompaniments were full – and they even had whole hard boiled eggs and blue cheese!  The dressings weren’t labeled, but it was easy to tell which was which – as the blue cheese dressing was chock full of blue cheese chunks.  (Can you tell I like blue cheese?  Always have.) The pasta salad was made with penne (I think, I’m no pasta expert) and was dressed really nicely – not soupy or too much mayo.  I didn’t have the navy bean soup, but one of our group did and she said it was excellent.

For those who ordered off the menu, all agreed that portions were bigger than expected – and the lady sitting across from me had the linguini dish – which she said was very, very good.  Overall, there were no complaints about any of the menu-ordered meals.

The buffet’s main dishes were stuffed pork loin, chicken breasts stuffed with gorgonzola and ham, and frog legs.  Frog legs?  Yes!  I had to have those!  So, I loaded my plate with the chicken and about 4 frog legs, as well as the mac and cheese.  Wow, frog legs do taste like chicken!  One of our group was an experienced frog leg eater and he proclaimed those were some well prepared legs – and I’ll have to take his word on that, as that was my first time eating them!  They were delicious!  The chicken breasts were excellent – not dried out or anything.  When you cut into them, the cheese oozed out and the chicken was tender and moist. 

I don’t think anyone opted for dessert – we were all just too full! But, if the salad, menu items, and buffet were indicative of the quality – I have no doubt that dessert would be excellent, too. 

Overall – Lombard’s for dinner was a pleasant surprise – and I’d definitely Do Again … if Mike can pry me off the slots machines!!

Jack Quinn's Irish Ale House

After seeing a flick at Kimball’s with some Mensa buds, some of them, Mike and I popped around the corner to Jack Quinn’s after the show. Jack Quinn’s is a cozy Irish pub right downtown. We’ve never had a bad meal there (and this was no exception); they feature Irish music several days a week and sponsor a running club that has grown to huge proportions!

We happened to hit the last day of their annual OysterFest.  Jack Quinn’s holds their OysterFest so it coincides with the Galway, Ireland International Oyster Fest, which started in 1953 when a hotel owner in Galway was trying to figure out how to fill the rooms. His chef suggested including oysters on the menu, as they were just coming into season.  Voila – Oyster Fest is born!

If I remember correctly, this is Jack Quinn’s 13^th OysterFest. They supplement their normal menus with a variety of oyster dishes – from cooked, to fried, to raw!

So anyway, after ordering drinks (mostly beers), we shared the OysterFest menu.  Al, who doesn’t indulge in the treasures from the sea, ordered a sandwich while the rest of us each ordered a different oyster appetizer.

While all the appetizers were all good – oysters Rockefeller, oysters with spinach and cheese, and raw oysters, the angels on horseback took the prize.  Bacon and oysters just seem to go together. Now, these weren’t just oysters wrapped in bacon – they were oysters on a piece of crostini covered with a slice of bacon.  Our only complaint was that the bacon was not done quite enough – but even so, they were very good.  Good enough that we ordered some more!

Al enjoyed his sandwich – and Art had a squash soup that he said was excellent (nicely spiced).  Between the good company, excellent beer and fine food – we once again had an enjoyable meal at Jack Quinn’s.

So – Jack Quinn’s stays on the Do Again list … especially since I just added an Outlook calendar reminder to visit them next year during OysterFest!