Crazy Pita

Last week I had the opportunity to check out the new Crazy Pita in Town Square. There are few things that I love more than good Mediterranean food, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. Tucked directly behind Guitar Center, what Crazy Pita lacks in ambiance it more than makes up for with their menu. Boasting a variety of rotisserie favorites, offerings from the grill, and signature pitas it is a must visit for a quick bite.

Lamb being one of my favorite dishes, I couldn't pass up their lamb pita. Pitas come dressed with marinated tomatoes, cucumbers, and romaine lettuce. What I appreciated was the fine chop on the slaw. Instead of overwhelming the lamb it was instead the perfect compliment. Cool and refreshing to lighten up the grilled lamb. And that lamb? Delicious! The generous portion was grilled to perfection. Tender and lightly seasoned, all wrapped up in a warm, soft pita. While the fries didn't pop in the same way that the pita did they weren't a poor choice either. If you opt for a $.99 charge the range of side options does open up to include a small portion from their sides and snacks menu.

Overall, Crazy Pita is a worthy new addition to the Town Square restaurant scene. If you're a fan of Greek cuisine take advantage of this amazing weather we've been having and check it out.

Palm Springs: Foodie Favorites

I don't think it's possible for me to visit a new city and not check out the local restaurant scene. Palm Springs certainly did not disappoint. On the way to the hotel we had some time to kill before hotel check-in and after seeing some positive reviews of Billy Reed's online we decided to stop in for a late lunch. Instead, the shining star of the meal was their pumpkin pie. A huge slice of house-made pie with perfectly tender pumpkin filling and a generous scoop of fresh whipped cream? Amazing. Definitely the right way to start a vacation.

Next up is the product of a late afternoon food run on the second day. My mom came with me to Palm Springs to hang out and make it a girl's weekend and while I was in the conference she was exploring the city. On one of her runs she stopped by Upper Crust Pizza and decided to share her spoils with me. The pizza was fine, but the real gem was the garlic cheese bread. So ridiculously delicious with just the right amount of cheese. Also a must? The ranch dressing.

Easily my favorite stop of the weekend was Miro's Restaurant. Tucked in a shopping and business complex it's easy to miss as you're driving by. We saw the ivy from the road and decided to check it out. An upscale restaurant with a European flair Miro's is worth the stop for the atmosphere alone. The staff were friendly and knowledgeable, which lead to trying the beef stroganoff with spaetzle. I am rarely left speechless by a meal, but this did the trick. Warm and filling there was something addictive about that cream sauce. You can get the dish over noodles instead, but you don't want to miss out on their spaetzle. Sautéed after cooking it gave the meal some added texture in addition to being the perfect vessel for that sauce. A stop at Miro's is a must.

On the way back to the highway, downtown warranted one last stop before hitting the road. Ruby's Diner beckoned with both its convenience and cute, vintage-themed interior. The food didn't disappoint. Mom had their french toast which tasted as yummy as it looks. I was drawn to their specials. A corned beef hash stack layered with potatoes, fried eggs, and cheese? What could be better? This was comfort food at it's finest. I wouldn't have thought to mix corned beef for guacamole and fresh salsa, but it was a surprisingly refreshing combination that lightened up the meal. This is something I'm going to figure out how to make at home.

Visiting Palm Springs is worth it for the food alone. I'm looking forward to my next trip, both to revisit these new favorites and to check out a few more places that I just ran out of time for.

Springtime in Las Vegas

Spring in Las Vegas is one of my favorite things about living in this city. Our winter may lack the harsh weather that plagues much of the country, but there is a certain somberness the hangs in the air that begins to lift in March. It's that brief, brief window before summer hits full force to explore. Hotels reveal their seasonal installations of flowers and butterflies. New, lighter menus make their way into restaurants across the valley. It's a fresh start.

Now that I work unconventional hours I have the opportunity to explore while much of downtown is still quiet. Tuesday mornings are particularly perfect for this. The location of interest this time around? The Venetian. In my quest to try 50 new restaurants I had set my sights on breakfast at Bouchon, and making the trek down there necessitated a stroll around one of my favorite spots in Las Vegas.

Breakfast being the first order of the day I made my way through the hotel lobby to Bouchon. Tucked away by the pool stepping into the restaurant is like stepping back in time into old Hollywood. Patterned tile, brass accents, beautiful palms. Truly a wonderful experience. Menu fare ranges from French favorites to breakfast staples with a twist. Being a french toast fanatic the choice was easy. Thinly sliced, cinnamon soaked apple layered with a bread pudding style base topped with a lightly sprinkling of powdered sugar and just the right amount of whipped cream. Delicious and definitely somewhere I would like to explore further.

Making my way back to the shops I was struck by how beautiful it was without the usual chaos of crowds. Though none of the shops were open, it was the perfect chance to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Long corridors give way to gas lamps, an unexpected surprise, and soon-to-be on duty gondoliers practicing their opera. The sort of moment I'm hoping to have more of as I become more intentional about exploring this city.

The cherry on top of the morning? The spring installation at the Palazzo. Hanging flowers and pink blossoms against the shiny fountain backdrop. One of those sights that just made me smile.

Here's to exploring. Here's to searching out new experiences in this city that's been my backdrop for so many years now. In a meeting this week we were told that one of the keys to success is to be successful with where you're at. I think that applies to happiness too. It's so easy to grasp at happiness "if only". A different house, a different city, a different set of circumstances. We daydream about the lives we want to lead and the people we want to be. At the end of the day that's the fast track to discontent. We are where we are for a purpose and that's something I want to start embracing more.

Half and Half Tea Express

Last weekend I had the chance to take a short vacation to California. While much of that is a story for another day I did want to kick off the week with some of the best boba tea I've ever had. When I knew that I was going to be in the Rowland Heights area of Los Angeles I knew I had to give Half and Half Tea Express a shot, especially after reading Joy's review. The tea didn't disappoint.

Upon walking in the shop you are greeted with some seriously cute decor. They have a garden and natural wood theme going and it works. The menu itself is simple, note the ten options on the board, but those options are well worth the lack of variety. After spending a few minutes agonizing over my choice I decided to go with the caramel pudding (that I knew I would enjoy) and the taro pudding (which I wasn't too sure about).

Not surprisingly the caramel was delicious. The honey boba was the perfect compliment to the sweet caramel pudding and I can think of few things that go together better than milk tea and caramel. Unexpectedly, the taro pudding was the stand-out favorite of the morning. The taro had an almost nutty quality, reminiscent of toasted sesame. With the swwet milk tea and honey boba it was the perfect pair. This is definitely somewhere I would return to the next time I'm in California.

Have you found any unexpected gems while traveling lately?

Bottles and Burgers

Originally posted on February 10, 2012.

Sometimes you just need a good burger. The keyword here is good. I’d been trying to satisfy the craving with mediocre (and worse) fast food fare, it wouldn’t quit. So off to Bottles and Burgers it was. I had been there once before without my camera, but I wasn’t going to make that mistake twice.

Stepping into the restaurant you may notice that the atmosphere is having something of an identity crisis. Trust me when I say to overlook this; the dining room is bright and open and the chairs are comfortable. Also important, at least in my book? The staff is friendly and clearly in love with the food they are working with. Very few things make me more excited at a restaurant than an engaging waitress that is willing to offer up sincere opinions on the menu options.

I started off the afternoon with a Vignette Wine Country Soda in Rosé. I couldn’t resist the idea of what is essentially a designer grape soda made with the grapes they would use in making that varietal in wine. I wasn’t disappointed either. This had all of the bright, fresh tang of a rosé without the burn (and price tag) of its wine counterpart. The perfect thing on a warm afternoon.

Moving on, the Block Sixteen caught my eye immediately. Caramelized onions and aged cheddar? Sign me up for that. This was complete burger perfection. Well-seasoned beef balanced by the casual sweetness of the brioche and onions. Sharp notes of aged cheddar playing off of the heat of the chipotle aioli. Perfection. This may be a personal thing, but I loved the balance of textures too. The heavier patty (please go with their recommendation of medium!) against the airy brioche left me feeling satisfied, but not sluggish. The crisps were a pleasant surprise, particularly as fries are a la carte on their menu. Thin, crisp, and mildly spicy; the potato flavor shines through.

Since I opted out of the fries in this case, I decided to treat myself to a little something sweet. Worth it! I had the mini-cherry cupcake with almond cream cheese frosting. Despite being small in stature, this dessert packs a flavor punch. Again, it was the perfect balance between dense frosting and a wonderfully tender cake. The fresh, juicy cherries studding the cake were a welcome addition; I was expecting a more typical addition of dried cherries. Though, at this point I should have known better than to expect the expected. The bittersweet cherries were balanced bliss against the sugary sweet almond frosting. The perfect sweet bite to finish off a wonderful meal.

For me, a perfect meal is something that engages all the areas of flavor and Bottles and Burgers had that in spades. At the entrance of Tivoli Village, this is a new reason to become a regular at what is already one of my favorite places in the city.