Livingston

Located in the Historical Georgian Terrace Hotel on Peachtree Rd, Livingston restaurant was elegant and suprisingly delicious. While we dined in the main room, we were seated facing the entrance to the Fox Theatre which highlighted the schedule of events for the next 4 months including Lady GaGa and Jason Derulo on December 28th and 29th. Too bad i will be in Hong Kong stuffing myself with more food.

My mom ordered the theatre menu, a 3 course meal for $29. She ordered the african squash soup, beef short ribs and praline chocolate mouse tart. Once again the soup, which i also ordered was the star, smooth in texture sprinkled with candied pumpkin seeds. A close second was my main course (actually an appetizer) of peekytoe crab salad, tossed with fresh mint, granny smith apples, lemon, watercress and crispy apple chips. Livingston was recently voted best new restaurant by Atlanta Magazine and i can understand why as it's refreshing flavors complements the historical hotel in which it is found.

Plate score: 9

Woodfire grill

Now that the semester has ended, i am back in atlanta for a couple more days and eating my way through the holidays! First stop after my flight landed last saturday was Woodfire grill in Midtown. The chef Kevin Gillespie was the runner up on Bravo's Top Chef Season 6. The food was solid with emphasis on grilled meat entrees. I must say the highlight was the actually the roasted root vegetable soup, perfectly diced celery root, potato, carrots swimming in a light and flavorful broth with braised kale and the bread basket with herb butter. Perfect starter. My mom had the roasted quail and pork belly entree while i had the roasted duck breast. Though i ordered it medium rare, it was closer to medium well :( Nevertheless the quality was still fantastic on both of our dishes. Dessert was 2 mini chocolate crepes filled with a mocha cream with a latte "broth" and streusel topping :)

Plate Score: 8

Organixx

I went to Organixx, a soup, salad and sandwich eatery in LODO for lunch last friday and left very happy for just under $9. This casual place focuses on fresh, local and organic ingredients which are reflected in the variety of dishes offered. I ordered a half grilled salmon burger with caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, spinach and a tangy remoulade. The burger itself was flaky and soft and was served with an avocado salad and a scoop of fresh fruit. Their complimentary cucumber infused water was refreshing and I can't wait to return to try some of their other dishes.

Tip: For the month of november, any sandwich and/or salad (normally $9) is $1 off!!!

Plate score: 9

The freshly baked cookies from the Sante Fe cookie company on 16th and court are amazing. The variety will satisfy all cravings and the payment is cash only and on the honor system.

3 for $1. A sweet deal and perfect ending to a pleasant lunch catching up with friends.

Jax Fish House

Hosea Rosenberg, winner of Top chef Season 5 treated us to his winning menu of sashimi trio, seared scallop with foie gras and roasted venison loin. The seared scallop with foie gras served with an apple gastrique and pecans on a pain perdu was a perfect second course. The venison was slightly overcooked but the chestnut puree and blackberry demi glaze were both delicious and complex. Though the scallop was great, the front of house service was fantastic. Even Hosea made the rounds to greet his fans!

Plate score: 8

Le central

Le central on 8th is wildly popular for their large buckets of mussels and fries. With over 15 types plus unlimited fries (that remind me of mcdonalds) for just $9.95, it is definitely a steal!

No plate score since i don't eat mussels, but the fries were addictive!

Vert Kitchen

I had lunch at Vert Kitchen after reading about it on 5280's editors picks. I had the tortilla espanola: a sort of warm potato onion frittata on a baguette with manchego cheese, aioli, roasted tomatoes, and tossed mixed greens. It was delicious, a change from the usually turkey deli sandwichs.

The small scoop of ice cold pasta salad was a pleasant side to the sandwich. The diced granny smith apples celery & grapes were great with the light poppy seed and lemony mayo.

I shall return!

Plate score: 9

sushi den

i'm a loyal fan of the kobe beef roll (which is still on the "specials" menu since i moved to denver over 2 years ago), yellowtail and scallion roll and the salmon sashimi flown in from the japanese fish markets!

Side dish: Den deli, a seafood and prepared food market is set to open on the corner between sushi den and izakaya den in mid november! i'm so excited!

Colt and Gray

As a celebration to the start of fall break, i went to Colt & Gray, a new american restaurant that opened in August on platte street between 15th and 16th st near the REI. The weather was quickly deteriorating with the impending snow storm in the area, nevertheless the atmosphere inside was energetic for a tuesday night. We were promptly greeted and seated at a table that was awkwardly placed in the dining room but luckily for them the french bread they brought us was wonderfully crusty, perfect while we waited for our meal to begin. I ordered a gnocchi appetizer with roasted pumpkin and brown butter sage sauce with shaved parmesan which was a perfect portion. My roommate ordered a pumpkin soup perfect for a cold fall night but it was served lukewarm so she sent it back.

We both ordered dinner salads, mine with a roasted salmon filet and hers was tossed with a sliced flank steak. Neither of us were that impressed, nothing to write home about. To end the meal, my roommate ordered the potted cheesecake with salted caramel, which was served in a glass jar with a metal latch top. This presentation strangely reminded me of my mom's face cream containers :) The consistency was softer than usual and had no graham cracker crust but still had a great flavor. The salted caramel on top definitely complemented the sweetness of the cheesecake.

I will probably be back to try a more robust entree- the colorado rack of lamb at the next table looked amazing

Plate score: 7

New from fiber one

Chocolate mocha fiber one bar :)

Pho 79

Traditional rice noodle soup with vietnamese meatballs, sliced rare steak and brisket. Served with bean sprouts, thai basil, jalepenos, and limes. Delicious and can't beat the price: $5.95

Common Grounds

I spent about 5 hours doing work at common grounds in the highlands yesterday. With over 20 varieties of loose tea leaves, I went with my usual early grey with a splash of skim milk. I also had a veggie burrito (egg, potato, cheese, and green chile) which was just ok, probably because they used egg substitute instead of the real stuff plus i was jealous of another patron who ordered a bacon egg and cheese croissant sandwich which looked amazing. Nevertheless i still ate it. Their pastry selection is insane, lined up on a large counter, everything from muffins, cookies, quick breads, granola, i opted for a pumpkin chocolate chip loaf. Though a little pricey ($2.95) it was perfect with my tea.

First Bite Boulder is an annual event highlighting Boulder’s dining scene. For one full week, over 40 of Boulder’s top restaurants will offer a special three course $26 prix fixe dinner menu to the community.

November 14-21, 2009

TAG

I am always skeptical about the restaurants in Larimer square because the popularity of restaurant does not necessarily mean the food is that great. However, i was impressed with Troy Guard's continentally inspired TAG. We were seated by the 20 foot glass wine rack towards the middle of the restaurant. The vibe was energetic on a late thursday evening with tables filled with young professionals getting ready for friday and the weekend. We ordered the crisped seafood potstickers with a korean pepper butter to share. I really liked the fact that all the food was served hot!

I ordered the braised 24 hour veal cheek appetizer with a light goat cheese risotto, excellent portion size and flavor. The waiter also suggested the caramelized butterfish which was broiled to perfection served with king crab, pea shoots and a soy reduction. My only qualm was the piece of fish was pretty small probably 1.5 maybe 2oz at most.

The dessert was a warm sticky toffee pudding cake with a banana pecan ice cream, candied pecans, and a passion fruit puree. The weird part of this dessert were the 2 random but naturally delicious chocolate truffles haphazardly placed on the dish.

I plan on returning some time soon to try some of the other asian/mexican inspired dishes!

Plate score: 9

Lakeside waffles

My experience at Lakeside waffles in the highlands was pretty terrible. Attached to the oriental theatre on the corner of 44th and Tennyson, we ordered two waffles to share: waffle with strawberries ($5) and strawberry syrup and a bacon egg and cheese waffle sandwich with vanilla syrup ($7).

The waffle had no flavor, and there were maybe 5 slices of frozen strawberries. The waffle sandwich was a tad better only because it was piping hot and the "dining room" (which by the way is the lobby to the oriental theatre) was FREEZING and unusually dark.

There were maybe 10 people in the entire place yet it took almost 40 minutes to get our food.

For a place that supposedly specializes in waffles, this place needs some serious work.

Plate score: 2

Watercourse

I love the homemade biscuits with raspberry jam!

That is all :)

Locanda Del Borgo

Locanda del Borgo is a small italian eatery located in a tiny shopping center at intersection of 3rd avenue and holly st about 10 blocks east of colorado blvd. The place needs a larger and more visible sign on the outside as we couldn't actually see the name until we were 3 feet from the door.

Nevertheless, i thoroughly enjoyed my meal, friend on the other hand had some minor issues. I ordered a classic cesar salad which by the way if prepared properly is NOT a cream/mayo based dressing. The ice cold romaine lettuce was tossed with just enough dressing served with a perfect portion of shaved parmesan. My entree was a perfect portion of al dente rigatoni alla bolognese, a slow braised chunky beef and veal sauce. It was simple yet wonderfully delicious.

My friend ordered a disappointing fettuccini with house made sausage, porcini mushrooms tossed in a garlic cream sauce. It was super salty most likely from the sausage and the sauce was overwhelming garlicky....

Obviously there are things on the menu that are better than others however it seems that this place does the simple things well....

Plate score: 8

sunday night dinner

Located in "SOBO" (south broadway on 1st), the hornet is perfect for some delicious american pub food with a twist. The menu has plenty of options from posole soup, quesadillas, salmon and spinach salad to seared ahi wraps and burgers. I decided on the colorado lamb patty with feta, grape tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms cumin yogurt served in a split pita. Though i asked for medium, it was more on the medium well/well side, nevertheless, the grill flavor was great and perfect with the heaping of sweet potato fries served with chipotle spiced ketchup. My friend jess enjoyed her grilled salmon wrap with feta, greens and a light roasted tomato vinaigrette with a side salad,

Plate score: 9

Sweet action ice cream half a block from the hornet has some interesting flavors, vegan options, popsicles, and ice cream sandwichs

ESB oreo- apparently stands for "Extra Special Bitter" i think she meant to say "beer" there was strange undertone of miller light.... it was weird

Coffee yeti stout- hints of guinness, just a more bitter coffee ice cream.

Not my first choice for ice cream in the city BUT an experience for those with adventurous palates

Plate score: 6

Tamayo

I was disappointed by my meal at tamayo, perhaps my expectations were too high considering my strong liking of Zengo (a sister restaurant by chef richard sandoval). The highlight was the refreshing roasted yellow and red beet salad with goat cheese, candied walnuts, orange and watercress tossed in an ancho-pilonchillo glaze. I ordered the the beef tenderloin taco appetizer as my entree.....needless to say it was not very good, the meat was overcooked and flavorless and the panela cheese according to my roommate tasted like dried cottage cheese.... it desperately needed a sauce or a salsa of some sort to bring the flavors together. My roommate's lobster crepe was equally disappointing....not sure if i will make another trip.

Plate score: 5

Marco's coal fired pizza

Upon my return to MCFP, the experience was pleasant but i do have one or two things. I ordered a specialty salad with fresh arugula and basil leaves, topped with roasted local colorado peaches and haystack goat cheese. What was supposed to be a balsamic glaze (also known as a reduction to many) ended up being mostly vinegar, which caught my friend brittany and I quite off guard, enough to clear up any stuffed sinuses.

I distinctly remember the crust being absolutely delicious, plenty of chewiness as well as crispiness, however the main part of the pie was a bit flimsy. I do not blame the pizza makers but the mushrooms we ordered as a topping. As i am sure you know, similar to spinach, mushrooms are mostly made of water, so as they cooked they released their liquids onto the dough. Despite the mushroom issue, the pizza and plenty of flavor and i will return for another soon enough sans mushrooms!

Plate score: 8

Smart tip: mon-fri $9 includes salad, margherita pizza and soda or ice tea! A steal!

Kashi madness

i am not a frozen meal type of person but target is having a kashi sample extravaganza with $1 off coupon when you buy 2 or more products from their collection (frozen meals, bars, cereals). I sampled 4 types of cereal and bars and 3 of their frozen meals for "lunch" today: the lemongrass chicken, southwest chicken and black bean mango. All three are served with some type of whole grain rice pilaf with under 350 calories and 8g of fat. Good for a frozen meal.

All of the kashi products are on sale for $2.88 (normally $3.99 i think) and when you buy 5 in any combination you get a $5 target gift card! that put a smile on my face. Sale ends sunday (9/20)

Forest room 5

After 3 hours of parent teacher conferences, kate and I needed something quick before heading home and collapsing from exhaustion. We decided on Forest room 5 on 15th street right past the REI in the lower highlands, commonly referred to as LOHI.... We had always discussed going out there on the weekends, but the location was always deemed awkward and inconvenient to our partying plans.

It was dark in there, too dark to properly see the menu or each other for that matter but perhaps perfect for drinking and socializing. That was not our goal at all. The menu was large with tapas, salads, sandwichs, pastas and main entrees. I settled on a pear and gorgonzola salad. The salad was pleasant except for what is usually candied pecans or walnuts ended up being roasted peanuts from a jar which perhaps you know is a legume and NOT a nut. I also ordered some the sliders which were 2 top sirloin patties on a mini brioche buns topped with mushrooms, onions and cheddar cheese which i enjoyed much more than the salad

While we were enjoying our food in the dark, there was a video of 2 people having sex being projected onto a the back wall behind the bar, 10 feet by 8 feet of it, it was a little bit much

for a thursday evening.

Plate score: 7

El Tacos de Mexico

When my former roommate jess craved for some "sketchy" mexican, i suggested el tacos de mexico for our wednesday night meal. I had been reading up on this place and was quite excited despite the reviews about the "rude" ladies who work behind the counter. Located on sante fe drive between 7th and 8th, el tacos is housed in a bright yellow bungalow with plenty of outdoor seating perfect for a spring/summer night. The restaurant inside is simple with several booths and a long counter where patrons can oversee their food being made to order. Contrary to the reviews online, the ladies of el taco were very pleasant, working hard to churn out mexican specialties. Jess ordered a chile relleno burrito with rice and beans smothered with green chile. It was literally the size of my forearm. I decided on the taco plate with minced beef tongue sprinkled with chopped onions and housemade salsa with just the right amount of heat. I think my sister would enjoy the beef tongue. Along side the 3 corn tacos was a flavorful side of rice and beans. Overall we were both very happy with our selections and would recommend this place to the those who wish to taste some of the real stuff.

small tip: it's chilly in there so bring a jacket :)

Plate score: 9

Let's get started

So i have been told by countless friends that i should start an online blog about my weird and unnatural obsession with anything food. After many nudges, i decided that this could be a fun way to share my new adventures exploring food websites, tv shows, recipes and of course my favorite: the local and global restaurant scene.

This week:

Harvest Week September 12-18 Local restaurants celebrating the use of local ingredients

New discovery:

Kashi just came out with a delicious new chewy bar: dark mocha almond.....4g of fiber and 6g of protein. YUM!