For weeks, the Reese's team and I had been reminding each other of the highly anticipated event of the summer - Jucy Lucys. Mike had been watching Man vs. Food on the Travel Channel, where they highlighted these Minneapolis un-gourmet delicacies. One mention, and we were all in.
The thing is, though, there are TWO places in Minneapolis that claim to be the originator of the Jucy/Juicy Lucys. Matt's, where they spell it Jucy Lucy, and the 5-8 Club, where they call it the Juicy Lucy. There are two mottos. "If it's spelled correctly, you're at the wrong place," and "If it's spelled right, it's done right." And thus, the Jucy/Juicy Lucy Burger Battle.
We spent a sum total of a couple hours before the trip, strategizing on how we would get out of our candy focus groups and get over to do a burger battle. There was a moment when we thought about working the groups around our culinary needs, but thought the better of it, but not by much.
Late on a Thursday night, we skedaddled right out of the facility at precisely 9:15Pm, after listening to several hours of consumers talking about the perfect ratio of peanut butter and chocolate in the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and headed right out to Matt's. Then we would slide down the street to the 5-8 club for Round 2.
Matt's turned out to be a bit of a biker bar and cop hangout all at the same time. It was narrow, dark, rustic, and entirely charming. We bussed a couple of tables to accommodate our group of 5 and reviewed one of two menus - a single dry erase board hanging on the wall, and the paper menu sandwiched between pieces of plexiglas on our table. The choices were few - but who cares? You're not going there for anything but a Jucy Lucy for $4.95. And do you know why it's so inexpensive? Because they don't give you plates, and they have no issue telling you so!
We each ordered a Jucy Lucy with onions and a basket of fries. In the meantime, I took a visit to watch Matt grill these bad boys. One guy, with a head full of dreadlocks gathered into a ponytail, manning a full grill. Sweet and simple.
When the burgers came, the sassy and fun server told us we should eat a few fries and let the burger cool down, and then to eat along the edges so that you didn't get a hot-cheese-burn in the mouth. I'm nodding my head and looking down at my burger, served on wax paper. I look up to grab a few fries - I follow directions to a fault - and watch Mike take a HUGE bite out of the burger. I mean, the burger looked like a horseshoe afterwards. I was like, hey, I might be able to watch a spit-out here! Alas, the cheese was apparently not that hot, because he looked up and started MMM-ing some accolades. I looked at the hubby, and he stared and Mike with a look of - great, I'm never gonna catch up.
I started nibbling on the edge, and finally got to the inner core of cheese-lava mixed with the fatty juices of the burger, which couldn't have been more than 80% lean. It was such a fascinating eat - if you squeezed the burger too hard, the stuff would ooze all over the place - down your hand, all over your wedding rings, down into the palm. Yes, it was messy. But it was, perhaps, the best burger I've ever had. And it didn't even have the works, like lettuce and tomatoes, that I like to put on my burger. There's not even a girly, pamby option for it. It comes two ways - with or without onions.
The funny thing about all of us wolfing down our burgers, was that earlier that evening, we had discussed that we should pace ourselves. We were going to be going to two burger joints that evening, for goodness sakes, and how gross would that be? Half here, half there? That sounds about right. Well, that went right out the door once we took the first bite, acknowledging that if the 5-8 club had a burger just as good, that we would just have to face the fact that we were gluttons. We all decided that we could sacrifice the average fries. Yeah, that's what we would do...
As we walked out of Matt's, we stopped to watch the man make his magic. He picked up one very thin patty, folded an American cheddar cheese slice in half, and sandwiched it with another patty, and worked to seal it all the way around, several times. So simple, and yet, so good.
Into the 5-8 club, and it's just a different vibe. Where it seems like Matt's had been around for centuries, and that the place was formed so that they could distribute the Jucy Lucy, the 5-8 club seems more like a Friendly's. There's a huge menu that goes with it, and it just wasn't as raw and real. We ordered the same, but added a basket of onion rings.
They came, and we could already tell they were different. The burger was so much thicker than Matt's. As we got working, I found that I couldn't even get to the cheese until the fourth bite. And then, it had the consistency of Velveeta. At any moment, it seemed that it would start congealing. The silence of evaluation was broken by Jeff, who said, "I hate to be the one to say this, but the ratio is wrong." I mean, really, we are the ones who would know something about perfect ratios.
5-8 club was so disappointing. Its only redeeming quality was that the onion rings were pretty darned good.
Matt's Jucy Lucy is hands down the winner. The question seems to be around who is the original, but if Matt's were ever validated to have been the second place to have served the Jucy Lucy, I won't care. I'd still go there - because when one is far superior to the other, why would I care?
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Top Places of Atlanta
Holy Moly, this latest trip to Atlanta has been filled with gastronomic awesomeness.
Kyma Another trip late at night to have some of the best of their appetizers. From before, I knew I'd be disappointed by the whole fish entrees, the only entree I would get being the lamb chops (amazing, I know!) so we stuck to the appetizers. The wood-grilled octopus continues to delight, the watermelon & feta salad is still a surprising happiness to me, no matter how many times I've eaten it at this point, and the Spanakopita is so special here - crispy phyllo and a steamin' hot spinach and cheese inside. Yum! I would skip the warm scallop carpaccio - there's a citrus in there that just doesn't work, and the meatballs. They're weird.
Bones This is the gem of the group. It's been a long time since I've had a steak THAT good. I got the Bone-In Filet, and the tenderness and rich flavor was so good, I would have gnawed on the bone if it weren't so gauche. The sides of sauteed mushrooms and spinach were good, but the winner of the night were the Grit Fritters. I'm not all that familiar with grits, so we thought, hey, let's get something we wouldn't be able to get otherwise. Oh my, those things are little balls of crispy-outside-creamy-yet-textured-inside heaven. Truly! They stir Boursin cream cheese into the grits which give them this crazy richness. I never thought grits could be this good. I was tottering on the edge of thrill with the steak, and this just about took me over it.
On the wine side, we had a Sbragio Cab Sauv, and it was delicious. Went perfectly with the meal.
According to Zagat, Bones gets the same score as the venerable Peter Luger's in New York. Peter Luger's is on the list for a meal in the near future. Then we can really see who the Steak King is...
Flying Biscuit For breakfast/brunch, there's nothing better than some creamy grits, spicy collard greens, and biscuits. Yeah, yeah, they have eggs and sausage, etc, but forget it. Just get the grits, greens, and biscuits, and I assure you, you'll be one happy camper. In fact, just get the Southern Scramble, which has the collard greens, bacon, and eggs. Those grits are just the stuff from the inside of the fritters the night before. They're not fried, so better, right? Not really, it's just as rich.
Atlanta Fish Market For seafood, this place rocks it pretty well. The space is huge and airy in the center, but the offshoot rooms give a more intimate feel. They display all their fish in a cold case so if you're not familiar with the fish, you can get a feel for what the texture would be like.
They have a sushi section, so I asked about Sea Urchin as an appetizer. "No," the server said, "we used to have it, but no one would order it, and we would end up throwing it away." I almost had a heart attack. Throwing away Sea Urchin? Appalling! So I ordered raw clams, instead. I love raw clams. I find them to have a firmer texture and a less briny taste than oysters. The server came back and said they didn't have anymore. Appalling! So I had some sashimi pieces instead. Still, very fresh, very satisfying.
For the entree, I got the Hong Kong Style Chilean Sea Bass. I know, I know, it's endangered! I can't help it, it's perhaps the most delicious aquatic animal to ever roam the seas. Why? It's buttery, flaky, light, and delicate. Yeah! It was set atop sauteed greens in a soy-ginger-scallion sauce. I'm well-versed with this. It's how I make my fish at home, but I almost never buy Chilean Sea Bass, so bringing together two favorites, it's the best. They had an order of "sticky rice" on the side, but this is just good quality short-grain, not the glutinous rice that is truly known as "sticky."
The wine was a 2004 Dr. Thanisch Riesling from Germany. A nice sweetness to it, but not so sweet that it overwhelmed the dishes. Yummy.
Tonight, off to a dinner at the airport. I'll report back if it's stellar, but don't hold your breath...
Kyma Another trip late at night to have some of the best of their appetizers. From before, I knew I'd be disappointed by the whole fish entrees, the only entree I would get being the lamb chops (amazing, I know!) so we stuck to the appetizers. The wood-grilled octopus continues to delight, the watermelon & feta salad is still a surprising happiness to me, no matter how many times I've eaten it at this point, and the Spanakopita is so special here - crispy phyllo and a steamin' hot spinach and cheese inside. Yum! I would skip the warm scallop carpaccio - there's a citrus in there that just doesn't work, and the meatballs. They're weird.
Bones This is the gem of the group. It's been a long time since I've had a steak THAT good. I got the Bone-In Filet, and the tenderness and rich flavor was so good, I would have gnawed on the bone if it weren't so gauche. The sides of sauteed mushrooms and spinach were good, but the winner of the night were the Grit Fritters. I'm not all that familiar with grits, so we thought, hey, let's get something we wouldn't be able to get otherwise. Oh my, those things are little balls of crispy-outside-creamy-yet-textured-inside heaven. Truly! They stir Boursin cream cheese into the grits which give them this crazy richness. I never thought grits could be this good. I was tottering on the edge of thrill with the steak, and this just about took me over it.
On the wine side, we had a Sbragio Cab Sauv, and it was delicious. Went perfectly with the meal.
According to Zagat, Bones gets the same score as the venerable Peter Luger's in New York. Peter Luger's is on the list for a meal in the near future. Then we can really see who the Steak King is...
Flying Biscuit For breakfast/brunch, there's nothing better than some creamy grits, spicy collard greens, and biscuits. Yeah, yeah, they have eggs and sausage, etc, but forget it. Just get the grits, greens, and biscuits, and I assure you, you'll be one happy camper. In fact, just get the Southern Scramble, which has the collard greens, bacon, and eggs. Those grits are just the stuff from the inside of the fritters the night before. They're not fried, so better, right? Not really, it's just as rich.
Atlanta Fish Market For seafood, this place rocks it pretty well. The space is huge and airy in the center, but the offshoot rooms give a more intimate feel. They display all their fish in a cold case so if you're not familiar with the fish, you can get a feel for what the texture would be like.
They have a sushi section, so I asked about Sea Urchin as an appetizer. "No," the server said, "we used to have it, but no one would order it, and we would end up throwing it away." I almost had a heart attack. Throwing away Sea Urchin? Appalling! So I ordered raw clams, instead. I love raw clams. I find them to have a firmer texture and a less briny taste than oysters. The server came back and said they didn't have anymore. Appalling! So I had some sashimi pieces instead. Still, very fresh, very satisfying.
For the entree, I got the Hong Kong Style Chilean Sea Bass. I know, I know, it's endangered! I can't help it, it's perhaps the most delicious aquatic animal to ever roam the seas. Why? It's buttery, flaky, light, and delicate. Yeah! It was set atop sauteed greens in a soy-ginger-scallion sauce. I'm well-versed with this. It's how I make my fish at home, but I almost never buy Chilean Sea Bass, so bringing together two favorites, it's the best. They had an order of "sticky rice" on the side, but this is just good quality short-grain, not the glutinous rice that is truly known as "sticky."
The wine was a 2004 Dr. Thanisch Riesling from Germany. A nice sweetness to it, but not so sweet that it overwhelmed the dishes. Yummy.
Tonight, off to a dinner at the airport. I'll report back if it's stellar, but don't hold your breath...
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Cowboy Ciao - Phoenix
Last week I was in Phoenix, AZ for work. It's hot in the desert. I stepped off the plane and into the jetway, and I was immediately in danger of breaking sweat. Yuck.
That day, the temp reached 100 degrees F, and I thought I might die. So first I have to give props to the Arizona Grand Resort and the Oasis Water Park. Because of the awesomely thrilling 3-story-high water slides, I was able to cool off, get the adrenaline pumping, feel like a little kid again, and sustain some massive bruising on my legs and glutes. It's all good!
That night, we went to Cowboy Ciao, characterized as "American food with global influences." It's a trip you should not miss.
Truth be told, we were all ready to head to Digestif, the sister restaurant, but a quick chat with the concierge told us that we should really change course and go to Cowboy Ciao; it's just across the street!
I was reluctant because I was thinking the main fare would be slabs of steak and some beans off the chuckwagon, served to us on red and white checkered table cloths. As extra incentive, perhaps they would throw in some bandannas and dollar cowboy hats so we could really feel it.
Instead, I found a remarkably charming place that vaguely made me feel like I was outside, with the huge windows, earthy tones and ethereal atmosphere.
The evening was off to a great start when David looked up from the wine list with eyes as big as saucers. "They have Paradigm here," he whispered in reverence. How could we not imbibe on that resoundingly silent endorsement? It was a Cabernet Sauvignon from 2005 - a great year in California - and it was quite delicious. I might have been able to have my dinner off of that wonderful glass of wine alone. Yeah, who am I kidding?
As we perused the menu, we decided we'd go family style. I love traveling with folks who like that method. It's so much better, allowing for the most extensive tasting while lessening the risk of order envy, which happens to me almost everytime I'm at a restaurant...
We ordered three appetizers - Pork Belly (I know, I never tire of it), Dungeness Crab Stack, and Mediterranean Calamari. And two entrees - the Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry and "We're Number One" Ahi Tuna. Yes, it's actually named that. Any place that has that kind of moxie is all right with me!
The Calamari is good, but there's nothing so superbly special about it, so let's move on to the more unique and out-of-this-world good stuff.
The Pork Belly came out in these triangles, and I even have to admit that I was a bit thrown off by its looks. But when you knife into that crispy shell to reveal a much tenderer and moist interior, you're anticipating the texture. Then you pile some of the Thai cucumber slaw and the Asian-inspired sauce and you're now overcome with pure joy. I'm much more familiar with the Pork Belly/Hoisin sauce kind of combination, so this nouveau (to me) idea of taking it to Southeast Asia? Brilliant.
Dungeness Crab Stack was a cylindrical disc of crab and avocado, garnished with shaved fennel and a lemon-tarragon vinaigrette. Superb. It had a freshness to it that was just perfect on a searlingly hot day.
The entrees? That Mushroom Pan Fry is one helluva dish. It's got all kinds of wild mushrooms simmered in this wonderfully viscously savory cream sauce that I will request everyday when I get to heaven. This sauce was so awesome that we asked for bread just so we could sop every last drop of it up. A server made the unfortunate gesture of moving in on the plate to take it away, and the crowd went wild. He didn't do that again all night.
The Ahi Tuna - well, hmm. I remember liking it, but I think we all agreed that it would have been better a little more rare, and really we didn't talk about it much. We were too busy licking the mushroom sauce off our faces.
The mistake of the evening was ordering dessert when we were far too full and gratified. But we thought, hey, the food was so fantastic, I bet the desserts are, too! We got the Boda-licious Bread Pudding and the Fossil Creek Creamery Cheesecake.
Perhaps it's because I'm not much of a sweets fan. However, I do appreciate a good dessert. I couldn't appreciate these, though. In comparison to the stellar-osity of the appetizers and entrees, I just felt the desserts fell short. Then again, the standard was set pretty gosh darn high.
That day, the temp reached 100 degrees F, and I thought I might die. So first I have to give props to the Arizona Grand Resort and the Oasis Water Park. Because of the awesomely thrilling 3-story-high water slides, I was able to cool off, get the adrenaline pumping, feel like a little kid again, and sustain some massive bruising on my legs and glutes. It's all good!
That night, we went to Cowboy Ciao, characterized as "American food with global influences." It's a trip you should not miss.
Truth be told, we were all ready to head to Digestif, the sister restaurant, but a quick chat with the concierge told us that we should really change course and go to Cowboy Ciao; it's just across the street!
I was reluctant because I was thinking the main fare would be slabs of steak and some beans off the chuckwagon, served to us on red and white checkered table cloths. As extra incentive, perhaps they would throw in some bandannas and dollar cowboy hats so we could really feel it.
Instead, I found a remarkably charming place that vaguely made me feel like I was outside, with the huge windows, earthy tones and ethereal atmosphere.
The evening was off to a great start when David looked up from the wine list with eyes as big as saucers. "They have Paradigm here," he whispered in reverence. How could we not imbibe on that resoundingly silent endorsement? It was a Cabernet Sauvignon from 2005 - a great year in California - and it was quite delicious. I might have been able to have my dinner off of that wonderful glass of wine alone. Yeah, who am I kidding?
As we perused the menu, we decided we'd go family style. I love traveling with folks who like that method. It's so much better, allowing for the most extensive tasting while lessening the risk of order envy, which happens to me almost everytime I'm at a restaurant...
We ordered three appetizers - Pork Belly (I know, I never tire of it), Dungeness Crab Stack, and Mediterranean Calamari. And two entrees - the Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry and "We're Number One" Ahi Tuna. Yes, it's actually named that. Any place that has that kind of moxie is all right with me!
The Calamari is good, but there's nothing so superbly special about it, so let's move on to the more unique and out-of-this-world good stuff.
The Pork Belly came out in these triangles, and I even have to admit that I was a bit thrown off by its looks. But when you knife into that crispy shell to reveal a much tenderer and moist interior, you're anticipating the texture. Then you pile some of the Thai cucumber slaw and the Asian-inspired sauce and you're now overcome with pure joy. I'm much more familiar with the Pork Belly/Hoisin sauce kind of combination, so this nouveau (to me) idea of taking it to Southeast Asia? Brilliant.
Dungeness Crab Stack was a cylindrical disc of crab and avocado, garnished with shaved fennel and a lemon-tarragon vinaigrette. Superb. It had a freshness to it that was just perfect on a searlingly hot day.
The entrees? That Mushroom Pan Fry is one helluva dish. It's got all kinds of wild mushrooms simmered in this wonderfully viscously savory cream sauce that I will request everyday when I get to heaven. This sauce was so awesome that we asked for bread just so we could sop every last drop of it up. A server made the unfortunate gesture of moving in on the plate to take it away, and the crowd went wild. He didn't do that again all night.
The Ahi Tuna - well, hmm. I remember liking it, but I think we all agreed that it would have been better a little more rare, and really we didn't talk about it much. We were too busy licking the mushroom sauce off our faces.
The mistake of the evening was ordering dessert when we were far too full and gratified. But we thought, hey, the food was so fantastic, I bet the desserts are, too! We got the Boda-licious Bread Pudding and the Fossil Creek Creamery Cheesecake.
Perhaps it's because I'm not much of a sweets fan. However, I do appreciate a good dessert. I couldn't appreciate these, though. In comparison to the stellar-osity of the appetizers and entrees, I just felt the desserts fell short. Then again, the standard was set pretty gosh darn high.
Statusism
I was flying back home to Harrisburg from Orange County this morning. I entered the terminal with a big box set precariously on top of my wheeled luggage, wearing my Michigan long-sleeved shirt and a pair of jeans. Glamorous, I was not, but nor was I grungy. At least I didn't think so...
I walked through the "Premium" line to check-in, then saw and heard a woman behind the United counter saying I should use the Easy-CheckIn terminals "over there."
"Why, is this one not working?" I asked, gesturing to the one right in front of me.
"Oh, it's working, and I guess it's okay for you to use it - there's no one really here, but it's for Elite Status members, like if you were Premium," she answered.
"I AM Premium," I countered, at which point she stammered something about how she just got in from LA and was ... didn't catch any of it, but I don't think I heard the word "frazzled" or "crazy," which I would have accepted as an apology. I'm not that picky.
Before I could stop myself, I mused aloud to myself, "Is it because I'm not wearing a suit?" She looked sheepish.
I suppose if I were to look at the situation as an outsider, I would have seen a casual-looking woman coming in with a butt-load of luggage, and I might have also assumed that I was a traveling neophyte - I mean, really, who comes in with a cardboard moving box teetering on a suitcase on wheels? Just the woman with Premium status who happens to be transporting some cherished items of her parents' after a visit home...
I walked through the "Premium" line to check-in, then saw and heard a woman behind the United counter saying I should use the Easy-CheckIn terminals "over there."
"Why, is this one not working?" I asked, gesturing to the one right in front of me.
"Oh, it's working, and I guess it's okay for you to use it - there's no one really here, but it's for Elite Status members, like if you were Premium," she answered.
"I AM Premium," I countered, at which point she stammered something about how she just got in from LA and was ... didn't catch any of it, but I don't think I heard the word "frazzled" or "crazy," which I would have accepted as an apology. I'm not that picky.
Before I could stop myself, I mused aloud to myself, "Is it because I'm not wearing a suit?" She looked sheepish.
I suppose if I were to look at the situation as an outsider, I would have seen a casual-looking woman coming in with a butt-load of luggage, and I might have also assumed that I was a traveling neophyte - I mean, really, who comes in with a cardboard moving box teetering on a suitcase on wheels? Just the woman with Premium status who happens to be transporting some cherished items of her parents' after a visit home...
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Flying Travails...
So I'm now at the point where I travel 55% of the time. How do I know this? My coworker came up to me sometime two weeks ago and said, "Hey, I think you travel more than all of us do. I wanna see...(sound of clicking on the computer looking up calendars)... 55%!! Sheesh."
I'm not sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, it really shows just how much idle time I'm spending on airplanes. On the other hand, it feels like 75%.
This most recent time, I had an experience I had never had before. My coworker and I boarded a plane going from Denver to Chicago. We were each connecting to a different city from that point on. I had gotten all settled into my seat, with pen and crossword puzzle in hand. Then I saw him coming back my way.
"Hey, I just got a message from United saying that they booked me on another plane that is going to Dulles, and then to Greensboro. Do you think I need to get off this plane?"
"I don't know. I've never gotten off one plane and then gotten on another."
"I know... hm. I think I'll go back there and ask the flight attendant."
He came back and said he was getting his stuff and going. Apparently, the weather in Chicago was disintegrating quickly, and his flight to Greensboro was canceled. Great.
"Uh. See ya. Have a great flight!"
And then I sat there, looking at my crossword puzzle clues, but not registering, because I was thinking about my own flight. I started checking flight stati (plural for status?) on my Blackberry. And then I saw it. Another route displayed beneath my original flight plan.
I also got up. "Excuse me," I interrupted two flight attendants bantering with each other, "I think I may have to also get off this plane." I showed her my blackberry display and she said,
"Take all your stuff and get off this plane. Chicago has bad weather and things are getting canceled. I would take that flight, if I were you." Enough said. As I gathered all my belongings, I could see the concern on the other passengers' faces. One guy had already up and left, and now someone else was actually getting off the plane.
"What's going on?!?!" They cried.
"I don't know, but I know I won't be getting out of Chicago tonight!" Perhaps a poor choice of words. I left behind me a sea of panic.
I walked out with an agent who offered to escort me and see me through. As the gate agent was checking my flight and status, he said, "Boy, it's a good thing you didn't stay on that plane. You would have been stuck in Chicago! Your connection got canceled!!" He almost said it a little too gleefully...
I walked over down to the other gate. There, my coworker was listening to his iPod and waiting for the plane to board. He turned his head. "Hey, what are you doing here?!?"
"I decided I needed to check after you deplaned. I'm in the same situation with you. If you hadn't said anything, I would have just kept on my merry way."
The first thing I did upon my return, after kissing my husband hello, was to log on my computer and sign up for email alerts on my flights. It seems that flying 55% of the time is not enough to protect you from impending bad travel experiences. I wonder what does...
I'm not sure how to feel about it. On the one hand, it really shows just how much idle time I'm spending on airplanes. On the other hand, it feels like 75%.
This most recent time, I had an experience I had never had before. My coworker and I boarded a plane going from Denver to Chicago. We were each connecting to a different city from that point on. I had gotten all settled into my seat, with pen and crossword puzzle in hand. Then I saw him coming back my way.
"Hey, I just got a message from United saying that they booked me on another plane that is going to Dulles, and then to Greensboro. Do you think I need to get off this plane?"
"I don't know. I've never gotten off one plane and then gotten on another."
"I know... hm. I think I'll go back there and ask the flight attendant."
He came back and said he was getting his stuff and going. Apparently, the weather in Chicago was disintegrating quickly, and his flight to Greensboro was canceled. Great.
"Uh. See ya. Have a great flight!"
And then I sat there, looking at my crossword puzzle clues, but not registering, because I was thinking about my own flight. I started checking flight stati (plural for status?) on my Blackberry. And then I saw it. Another route displayed beneath my original flight plan.
I also got up. "Excuse me," I interrupted two flight attendants bantering with each other, "I think I may have to also get off this plane." I showed her my blackberry display and she said,
"Take all your stuff and get off this plane. Chicago has bad weather and things are getting canceled. I would take that flight, if I were you." Enough said. As I gathered all my belongings, I could see the concern on the other passengers' faces. One guy had already up and left, and now someone else was actually getting off the plane.
"What's going on?!?!" They cried.
"I don't know, but I know I won't be getting out of Chicago tonight!" Perhaps a poor choice of words. I left behind me a sea of panic.
I walked out with an agent who offered to escort me and see me through. As the gate agent was checking my flight and status, he said, "Boy, it's a good thing you didn't stay on that plane. You would have been stuck in Chicago! Your connection got canceled!!" He almost said it a little too gleefully...
I walked over down to the other gate. There, my coworker was listening to his iPod and waiting for the plane to board. He turned his head. "Hey, what are you doing here?!?"
"I decided I needed to check after you deplaned. I'm in the same situation with you. If you hadn't said anything, I would have just kept on my merry way."
The first thing I did upon my return, after kissing my husband hello, was to log on my computer and sign up for email alerts on my flights. It seems that flying 55% of the time is not enough to protect you from impending bad travel experiences. I wonder what does...
Boston - Taiwan Cafe
The last time I was in Boston, I gathered with the cousins again. We congregated at our favorite Chinese place - Taiwan Cafe in Chinatown. It's never failed me, and I was lucky the first time I went to Boston to have been directed to the Taiwan Cafe by a shop owner when I happened to be wandering in her store.
Now, I'm always so excited when I encounter a Taiwanese place. There is a slight nuance in difference vs. Chinese, which is most clearly demostrated in what are called the "Little Eats." These are the little eats that were traditionally sold at the night markets. Served in little portions, folks could eat quickly at makeshift tables or they could continue making their way through the market. Okay, granted, there might be a little Hepatitis running around all the little, not-so-sterile stalls, but never have I had a bad meal in the bowels of the night market. Things like "Tsou Dofu," which translates to "Stinky Tofu" is something I just love. It takes me right back, but it's something that one of my cousins can't stand the smell of, and thus, I can't order it when we're together. Sigh.
But everything else has been pretty stellar. Eggplant and Basil is especially good. The braised beef in noodle soup is great. The cod and tofu hot pot is one of my go-to dishes. We also ordered the shredded beef and sliced hot peppers. Now, this has got a lot of heat going on, but man, is it good!!
Regardless, I'm looking forward to getting back to Taiwan Cafe the next time I'm back - I'd arrange a trip just to go there...
Now, I'm always so excited when I encounter a Taiwanese place. There is a slight nuance in difference vs. Chinese, which is most clearly demostrated in what are called the "Little Eats." These are the little eats that were traditionally sold at the night markets. Served in little portions, folks could eat quickly at makeshift tables or they could continue making their way through the market. Okay, granted, there might be a little Hepatitis running around all the little, not-so-sterile stalls, but never have I had a bad meal in the bowels of the night market. Things like "Tsou Dofu," which translates to "Stinky Tofu" is something I just love. It takes me right back, but it's something that one of my cousins can't stand the smell of, and thus, I can't order it when we're together. Sigh.
But everything else has been pretty stellar. Eggplant and Basil is especially good. The braised beef in noodle soup is great. The cod and tofu hot pot is one of my go-to dishes. We also ordered the shredded beef and sliced hot peppers. Now, this has got a lot of heat going on, but man, is it good!!
Regardless, I'm looking forward to getting back to Taiwan Cafe the next time I'm back - I'd arrange a trip just to go there...
Mile High Standards in Denver!
Wow, am I behind on my blog entries. There have been a good handful of places that I've visited, with some great restaurants to visit. Let's start.
Denver - what a beautiful city. The weather was just stellar the entire time we were there. Sunny and warm during the day, cool and comfortable at night.
We started out with brunch at Snooze. What a fantastic breakfast/lunch place. It has a great modernized retro feel, and their circular booths are fun and quirky. No reservations are taken, so you have to wait. But for those who are, there's coffee and water to sip on in the foyer area.
I had an omelet stuffed with portabella mushrooms, spinach, onions, provolone, and chicken sausage. Awesome. It was moist and bursting with the ingredients. They don't skimp here! Also on the plate was a circular edifice of hashbrowns. They had a brown crusting on the top and throughout. Delicious. I really wish potatoes didn't make me fat, because I would have eaten every single shred.
I substituted the toast for the Namaste Pancake - whole wheat flour with bananas. Now, the pancake was pretty dense, what with the use of whole wheat flour, and the bananas could have been left to ripen just a little longer. It was a great size, but I didn't get past just a few bites. Not worth the calories.
My companions had the corned beef hash. It was homemade and Jeff was in total heaven. If he could have licked the plate, he might have.
Mike had the Eggs Benedict, and he was as happy as a clam. The next time we're in Denver again, we will hopefully go back.
Dinner that night took us out to the Buckhorn Exchange. It's a bit of a touristy kind of kitschy place, but it's definitely an experience, nevertheless. Five presidents have been through the place, and the walls are adorned with pictures of celebrities. But that's not all that's on the walls. There are a lot of dead animals, displayed in all their taxidermal glory. Now, most of you know I am a great lover of meat. I must say, after sitting there for a while, I was losing my appetite. It's not because of the animals themselves, it's the fact that they've been stuffed and have been hanging on the walls for at least 2-3 decades. I kept imagining microscopic bits of stuffing and animal hair getting all over my food. Mmm. That aside, of all the items sampled, stick with the red meats. The New York Strip, Buffalo Tenderloin, and Elk were very, very good. I also had the Game Hen. Don't bother. The Game Hen down the street at Symposium was 100% better than at Buckhorn's. Everything else isn't memorable at all. This is one place I'm glad I visited, but I will never return...
Next day, and we visited a place called Bones. It's Asian, but with some contemporary and French influences. The wine list is decent, indeed, with their house Riesling made by Dr. L. That's a good sign. We appetized on Crispy Rabbit Eggrolls (I swear, it could have been pork, the other white meat!). The Steamed Bun with Pork Belly was really pretty good. It approaches that of Momofuku, and I was entirely pleased. The Baked Scallop was very good, but I wouldn't pass up either of the other two appetizers for it. Their entrees are mostly noodle soups, which is really why I went. I got the ramen. It's been several years since I've had a really good, authentic ramen. Having spent so much time in Japan, I really yearn for a good bowl of ramen every so often. The ramen is served with lobster and a slightly creamy broth that I am sure is full of butter. So while the arteries were getting clogged, boy, was that a good dish! I'd go back in a second.
Denver - what a beautiful city. The weather was just stellar the entire time we were there. Sunny and warm during the day, cool and comfortable at night.
We started out with brunch at Snooze. What a fantastic breakfast/lunch place. It has a great modernized retro feel, and their circular booths are fun and quirky. No reservations are taken, so you have to wait. But for those who are, there's coffee and water to sip on in the foyer area.
I had an omelet stuffed with portabella mushrooms, spinach, onions, provolone, and chicken sausage. Awesome. It was moist and bursting with the ingredients. They don't skimp here! Also on the plate was a circular edifice of hashbrowns. They had a brown crusting on the top and throughout. Delicious. I really wish potatoes didn't make me fat, because I would have eaten every single shred.
I substituted the toast for the Namaste Pancake - whole wheat flour with bananas. Now, the pancake was pretty dense, what with the use of whole wheat flour, and the bananas could have been left to ripen just a little longer. It was a great size, but I didn't get past just a few bites. Not worth the calories.
My companions had the corned beef hash. It was homemade and Jeff was in total heaven. If he could have licked the plate, he might have.
Mike had the Eggs Benedict, and he was as happy as a clam. The next time we're in Denver again, we will hopefully go back.
Dinner that night took us out to the Buckhorn Exchange. It's a bit of a touristy kind of kitschy place, but it's definitely an experience, nevertheless. Five presidents have been through the place, and the walls are adorned with pictures of celebrities. But that's not all that's on the walls. There are a lot of dead animals, displayed in all their taxidermal glory. Now, most of you know I am a great lover of meat. I must say, after sitting there for a while, I was losing my appetite. It's not because of the animals themselves, it's the fact that they've been stuffed and have been hanging on the walls for at least 2-3 decades. I kept imagining microscopic bits of stuffing and animal hair getting all over my food. Mmm. That aside, of all the items sampled, stick with the red meats. The New York Strip, Buffalo Tenderloin, and Elk were very, very good. I also had the Game Hen. Don't bother. The Game Hen down the street at Symposium was 100% better than at Buckhorn's. Everything else isn't memorable at all. This is one place I'm glad I visited, but I will never return...
Next day, and we visited a place called Bones. It's Asian, but with some contemporary and French influences. The wine list is decent, indeed, with their house Riesling made by Dr. L. That's a good sign. We appetized on Crispy Rabbit Eggrolls (I swear, it could have been pork, the other white meat!). The Steamed Bun with Pork Belly was really pretty good. It approaches that of Momofuku, and I was entirely pleased. The Baked Scallop was very good, but I wouldn't pass up either of the other two appetizers for it. Their entrees are mostly noodle soups, which is really why I went. I got the ramen. It's been several years since I've had a really good, authentic ramen. Having spent so much time in Japan, I really yearn for a good bowl of ramen every so often. The ramen is served with lobster and a slightly creamy broth that I am sure is full of butter. So while the arteries were getting clogged, boy, was that a good dish! I'd go back in a second.
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