EatDrinkSmile

Wildflower Cafe
Clearwater, Florida

Hidden in Clearwater, away from the beaches and downtown, there’s a cute little cafe tucked under some oak trees.  When you first enter Wildflower Cafe, it’s impossible not to say “Holy crap, this place is adorable!”  I had to promise my boyfriend he wouldn’t lose any Man Points for eating there (and bribed him with steak and beer for lunch).

And then the smells hit you—fresh baked pastries, quiche, soups, bacon.  It’s a smorgasbord for your sinuses!

Wildflower Cafe does breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch, dinner catering, and teatime.  Yes, teatime.  Again, adorable.  But don’t let the cuteness get in your way.  Wildflower Cafe has some of the best breakfasts in the south, and lunch is amazing!

I don’t have any photos of breakfast, but trust me, they’d make you salivate.  I normally get a Wildflower Triple, which satisfies my sweet/salty inner dilemma.  It comes with creamy scrambled eggs, bacon (or fruit if you’d prefer/are kosher), and two small homemade Belgian waffles.  Also delicious are the breakfast burritos (with a tropical fruit salsa) and the quiche of the day.

For lunch, you can’t beat the Island Breeze Turkey Sandwich.  The mango chutney is sweet and chunky, with the golden raisins playing off the chutney to emphasize the sweetness.  But it’s not overpoweringly sweet—the turkey and provolone balance it out wonderfully, and the pecans and carrots give it an extra crunch.  The quiches are also available at lunch, as well as the soups (which change daily).  The food at Wildflower is light, yet filling.  You won’t leave hungry, yet you won’t feel like you need to be rolled out of there either.

Perhaps the best part of Wildflower Cafe is their sweet tea.  Being a lady from the south, I’m thoroughly addicted to the stuff.  Their raspberry sweet tea is amazing.  The tea itself is strong, which is important because otherwise it’ll taste like sugar water.  The raspberry syrup doesn’t taste or have the consistency of  cough syrup, and is made by another Clearwater company.  And they serve it with a sprig of fresh mint, which gives the drink a brightness often missed in sweet tea.  Like I said, I’m thoroughly addicted.  I even get one to go when I’m there.

Good food, great drinks.  Can’t beat that.

Frenchy’s Restaurants (revisited)
Clearwater Beach, Florida

I just got back from a trip to Florida, and had to visit Frenchy’s again.  It’s my favorite restaurant on Clearwater Beach, and a trip there is not complete without some good ole seafood.

We took my cousins there and the waitstaff was super accommodating, providing 2 high chairs and crayons/paper to keep them occupied while they waited for their food.  Which, in hindsight, wasn’t really necessary considering they love the smoked fish spread and cracked conch appetizers (so did I!).  Family dining is always important, and Frenchy’s has amazing service and love kids…maybe they’ll even be nice to that uncle you have, but I’m assuming and not making any guarantees.

The weather was a bit crisp (and I say this in the mildest sense of the term—Floridians were cold but I know you Midwesterners and Mountain Dwellers would’ve scoffed) so I ordered a cup of the conch chowder.  It’s a Manhattan chowder filled with veggies, a bit of heat to round out the palate, and lots of conch!  Gracie had the clam chowder—she says it’s her favorite soup which is pretty impressive for a 7 year old!  

And, of course, no trip to Frenchy’s is complete without some grouper (this time in the form of a grouper sandwich ordered by my aunt)!

As I’ve said before, Frenchy’s can make a believer even out of the staunchest landlubber!  I mean, I’ve written about it twice (which is a first on EDS) which has gotta mean something.  If you live in the Tampa Bay area and haven’t been there yet I say “shame on you!!!”

I almost forgot!  They’ve started giving pieces of saltwater taffy with the bill in lieu of mints.  This taffy is delicious—not too chewy, not too sweet, all natural, and manufactured across the bridge just outside downtown Clearwater.  But my review on them will come later…

Until next time, Frenchy’s!

dish! restaurant
Edwards, Colorado

My sister and I discovered dish! not too long ago, even though we’d been wanting to try it for years.  It was on our Food To Do List.  dish! isn’t your ordinary small plate restaurant—they embody the “Localvore” movement currently sweeping across America.  

Jenna is the head chef at dish! and also a partner in ownership.  She gets her ingredients literally from her backyard…there’s a planter out front which houses herbs and some veggies.  In the summer, the Edwards Farmers Market is held in her parking lot, giving her access to fresh Colorado meat, eggs, the ripest Palisade Peaches, and vegetables grown here in the Rocky Mountains.  Her menu reflects what’s in season and the yummy ingredients she found that day.  I can’t even suggest a plate for you to try because her menu changes daily.  It’s hard not to become attached to a favorite plate, but it’s reassuring to know whatever Jenna replaces it with will be equally as delicious.

This last trip, my sister and I went for dish!’s fourth birthday.  We started off the evening with The Original and Bread.  The Original is an amazing piece of serrano ham wrapped around a piece of manchego cheese.  The ingredients are simple, the flavors delicious, and they truly come together when dipped in the dry sherry served with it.  As for the bread, it’s served with olive oil, Hawaiian sea salt, and this awesome house churned butter which I (not quite jokingly) always want to take home with me.  

For our second course we ordered the Tomato Basil Soup and a spanish stew (that isn’t on the menu anymore and I can’t really quite describe it besides magical).  The tomato basil soup was rich and creamy, equally complemented with both the tomato and basil.  The stew was a mix of peppers, spanish chiles, some other yum-o ingredients I can’t remember, and topped with a hen’s egg and served with bread.  Luckily for me, I saved the butter from the first course.  

I know you’re probably thinking my sister and I are piggies, but dish! has perfectly portioned small plates and even though we ordered a lot, we shared and were only slightly piggies.  So there.

Next, we had the dolmaldes.  The rice was perfectly cooked and seasoned, while the grape leaves still had a crisp to them and were prepared with their own wonderful seasoning.  There were other ingredients in there as well, but I can’t remember what they were.  Keeping with our Mediterranean theme of veggie plates, we ordered Gnocci with tomatoes, basil, and house made mozzarella.  Good, hand made gnocci is hard to find—the texture was creamy but still firm, and the flavor stood up well with the caprese like ingredients of the dish.  Jenna is damn good at her Mediterranean food, having spent time in Tuscany working at local restaurants.  There’s an authenticity to her food which cannot be replicated.  

To finish off our savory plates, we ordered Buffalo Carpaccio.  It was served with a lemon vinaigrette which brightened up the meat, and rocket, sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan.  The ingredients balanced each other out perfectly, and it was a nice contrast to the mainly vegetarian meal we had, which is funny considering my sister and I are big meat eaters.

For our sweet plates, we were torn between the Caramel Pudding and the Apple Cobbler.  So of course, being the good women we are, we ordered both.  Couldn’t let a good dessert go to waste.  And, as per usual, Jenna didn’t disappoint!  The texture of the pudding was fantastic—not to firm and not too runny.  The caramel sauce generously drizzled on top was warm and gooey and provided a great contrast to the texture, flavors, and temperature of the pudding.  The apple cobbler was also amazing—apples are in season right now in Palisade.  The apples were cooked well, not too mushy, and the rhubarb (locally grown) added another depth to this dessert.  I normally associate rhubarb with strawberry, but I think I might like it paired with apple instead!  The oatmeal crumb topping was a great crunch factor, juxtaposing the creamy-ness of the apple and rhubarb filling.  And, of course, Jessica’s favorite part of the entire dessert was the honeyed vanilla ice cream on top of the warm cobbler.  

The drinks are equally as delicious!  Many of their mixers are house made (including the lemongrass and other seasonal sodas).  They take pride in their mixology, and their custom drinks vary with the seasons.  There’s something on the menu for everyone, including beer snobs.  Their beers are micro brews, many of which are Colorado beers.  Cheers!

dish! has amazing food and drinks, yes, but what also makes them special in a country full of delicious restaurants is Jenna.  Jenna really takes time and effort to make sure she prepares food from the heart.  But what really blew me away was her attention to her clients.  When we went in August, my sister was on a strict diet.  Instead having her eat nothing but bread the whole night, Jenna came over to our table, wrote down the guidelines to her diet (and trust me, there were about 12), and prepared her a special 4 course menu to comply with all the dietary rules Jessica had to follow.  When we go now, we sit up at the kitchen bar and watch—how methodological and precise every little detail is for every single plate.  When she gets a break, Jenna will come over and chat about life, love, you name it.  She truly has an interest in her patrons, many of whom she considers friends.  She’s blessed with an amazing spirit and it more than translates to her food.  

Golden City Brewery
Golden, Colorado

Once upon a time in Golden, Colorado a man named Adolph Coors started a brewery bearing his name.  You may have heard of it.

But around the corner from the huge Coors facility is another brewery, a microbrewery called Golden City Brewery priding itself as “The Second Largest Brewery in Golden!”  Their website even mentions to “Be sure to visit the other brewery in Golden, located just 4 blocks east of us!”

I was lucky to try some of Golden City Brewery’s beers at the Beaver Creek Brews, Blues, and BarBQ Festival last summer and was excited to visit the brewery this past Tuesday.  The beer was just as amazing as I remembered, and all six I got to sample were delicious!  It’s not often I like every beer in a sampler, but GCB really knows how to brew a great beer.  Maybe it’s something in the (fantastic) Rocky Mountain water…

The first beer I tried was the one I was most skeptical about—it is their summer seasonal chili beer.  In the past, the chili beers I have tried were spicy and burned my palate, but this beer was flavorful, capturing the taste of chili peppers without the overwhelming spiciness.  It was crisp and delicious, even for a spice wuss like me!

The second beer I tried in the sampler was the Evolution IPA.  I’m not a huge fan of IPAs, but I was blown away by Evolution.  The hops gave it the bitterness and fruitiness expected of an IPA, but the malts used balanced it out and gave it a smoothness I don’t normally associate with IPAs.  It’s one of the top two IPAs I’ve ever tasted, that’s for sure!

The third beer I had is one of the beers first brewed at GCB called Clear Creek Gold Pale Ale.  The malts were subdued only enough to let the citrus notes of the hops shine through without compromising the taste or the smoothness of the beer.  It’s a great outdoor beer with a fresh taste.

The other beer GCB started brewing in its infancy is the Legendary Red Ale and it definitely lives up to its name.  It has a gorgeous reddish colouring and a smooth taste, which seems to be a recurring theme here at Golden City Brewery.  The hops and malts balance each other out perfectly, and the beer has hints of spice giving it a greater complexity.

Their autumn seasonal brew is an Oktoberfest ale.  Although it has less spice than what is normally associated with Oktoberfest brews, the spice and nuttiness can definitely be tasted on the back end.  It’s also lighter than most Oktoberfest styles are normally.  But this doesn’t take away from the beer whatsoever.  If anything, these differences add to its drinkability.  

Mad Molly’s Brown Ale is fantastic—a gorgeous brown in color, with caramel and chocolate hints balanced with a crisp, malty sweetness.  It’s not as filling as most of the brown ales on the market and is one of the best brown ales I’ve tasted.  As it warmed up a bit, the ale released more flavors, becoming even more delicious than when it was poured.  

Finally, the Oatmeal Stout.  Probably my favorite beer of the sampler.  The beer was extremely smooth and not too bitter, despite the addition of the oats to the process.  It has hints of chocolate and a nuttiness in flavor.  Unlike Guinness (a nitrogen beer), GCB’s Oatmeal Stout is carbonated, giving it a crispness not normally associated with stouts.  I’m definitely a stout girl, and this beer complemented the gorgeous autumn afternoon perfectly!

Not only does Golden City Brewery have amazing beers, it possesses a quirkiness that is utterly endearing.  The brewery was started in the Brewmaster’s machine shop behind his house.  The house itself is a quaint, brick, historical building.  The old carriage house is now the tasting room.  And their backyard is the Biergarten.  It’s warm, welcoming, and low key with picnic tables underneath the shady trees and dog friendly.  And as the sun set over the Rockies, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “this is the life!”

Pazzo’s Pizza
Avon, Colorado

New York and Chicago boast the best pizza in America—they’ve been fighting over it for years.  But travel a bit west, over yonder mountains, and you’ll find some of the best pizza (and grub) in the country.  It’s a best kept secret, and Pazzo’s wouldn’t have it any other way.  

Their pizza is incredible—fresh ingredients, homemade pizza dough and sauce, and house specialties that’ll make your mouth water.  Their hand tossed pizza is made right behind the bar, so you can watch your pie go in and come out of the oven while you grab your beer and watch whatever game is in season.  It doesn’t get any better than this—and when you get your food it’s piping hot.  No heat lamps for these guys!  Their calzones (“Pazzones”) are also fantastic—enough food to share or for leftovers. 

But say you’re not in the mood for pizza.  You want an entree or a sub or a salad.  You won’t be left out.  Try the Greek Salad.  Olives, feta, pepperocinis, onions, tomatos, the works!  The dressing is killer!  Never really thought I’d review a salad, but this one can’t be left out!  Their jalapeño poppers have a nice heat to them, great flavor, and won’t destroy your palate.   The meatball sub has hand made meatballs, house made marinara, and fresh bread.  And they’re accommodating to dietary concerns.  

In the winter season, sometimes they get so busy there will not only be a wait at the door for a table, but the phones will be ringing off the hook for take out and delivery.  If it gets too backed up, they won’t even pick up the phone for fear of angry customers who won’t understand why their pizza will take 2 hours to make!  They’re just that popular!  Don’t let these photos fool you! In the off season, the locals go to Pazzo’s for awesome food and to watch football/baseball/hockey/etc.  It’s our pizza joint.  And Pazzo’s knows how to take care of it’s locals, which is a wonderful thing in a valley where the locals get cast to the side in favor of the (normally more well off) tourists.   

I’ve been eating at Pazzo’s for the better part of my life.  Pazzo’s gets a bad rep sometimes from tourists who are used to the “Experience of a Lifetime” Vail Resorts prides itself on.  But Pazzo’s isn’t Vail.  Pazzo’s isn’t Beaver Creek.  Pazzo’s is Avon—the local pizza joint.  They’re not fancy.  They don’t have over the top specials.  All those things are great, but it’s just not Pazzo’s style.   It’s a pizza place run by a bunch of skiers and snowboarders serving awesome grub to a bunch of skiers and snowboarders.

Mango’s Mountain Grill
Red Cliff, Colorado

About 2 and change hours west of Denver, there’s a small town called Red Cliff.  Now, Red Cliff used to be the center of the Eagle County…that is until a ski resort called Vail moved into town.  But even though Vail redefined the valley, Red Cliff still prospers, and boasts some of the best fish tacos in the ironically landlocked state of Colorado.

There’s lots of trout here.  I’m not sure if they use trout in their fish tacos, however.  I’m not much of a fish girl—but when I went to Mango’s I definitely got one of their fish tacos (only $2 on Thursdays!).  And they were good, even in my landlubbin’ opinion!  See, the thing is, Mango’s is known for their fish tacos so famously, people pack the house on Thursdays no matter what the weather, be it torrential downpour or blizzard.  And if you don’t want to drive over Battle Mountain Pass to get there (and maybe imbibe on a couple of brewskis) they’ll pick you up and get you there themselves!  Now that’s customer service!

Their other food is great, too.  I also had an incredible steak taco, and fantastic jalapeño poppers as a table app.  Very flavorful, and not too picante! 

And the prices are right on—definitely much less than the normal Vail Valley prices!  Affordable for all, even raft guides!

Crepes a la Carte
Breckenridge, Colorado

If you’re lucky enough to be walking through the streets of Minturn, Vail, or Breckenrige, Colorado you’re lucky enough.  That’s for sure.  

So how lucky are you considered if you just so happen to be eating a crepe at the same time?  I’d say effing lucky.  Really effing lucky.  

Crepes a la Carte was started by a mother and son team in the late 90’s and is a staple at the Minturn Market on Saturdays and Vail Farmers Market on Sundays during the summer.  They have 3 full time eateries in Breckenridge, Boulder, and New Orleans.  

Rounding the corner at these markets, you’ll normally stumble upon organized chaos—the line of people waiting for a crepe.  I may or may not have stood in this line upwards of half hour for a crepe once…just saying.   Yes, they’re that good.

The batter is thin—not fragile, but not pancake-y.  The ingredients are fresh.  The people are fun.  You really can’t beat this combo.  And they have crepes to suit all tastebuds:  breakfast, savory, and sweet.  

My favorites include the BEST (bacon, egg, spinach, tomato), Parisian (brie, mustard, and ham), and Nutella & Bananas.  My tastes are always changing, but a crepe is a staple at the Minturn Market!  They’re not greasy, they can be healthy…if you choose, and make your tastebuds sing!

Juniper Restaurant
Edwards, Colorado

Everyone in the Vail Valley, from locals to long time tourists, have their favorite fine dining restaurant in the valley.  Out of all these gems, Juniper is the diamond in the rough.  It’s off the beaten path—in Edwards, not the Beaver Creek or Vail Villages.  But it’s worth the trek, using only fresh, local, seasonal ingredients and a fantastic ambiance.  Plus, it’s kid friendly!  One of the owners has a 3 year old son, and his action figures can sometimes be seen by the kitchen.

Juniper does have a seasonal menu, but every season has delicious items to choose from.  In the summer, try the mixed berry and arugula salad or Oregon Dungeness crab cakes to start.  In the winter, few things hit the spot more than the butternut squash soup.  My favorite dish, one I’d consider being paid in, is the Veal Scallopini.  It’s absolutely incredible—the veal is seasoned and cooked perfectly (not rubbery), and the asparagus and tomatoes compliment the dish perfectly.  Can’t forget the little nuggets of mozzarella!  I’m very hesitant to get chicken at a restaurant—it’s something I can do at home.  But not at Juniper—their Herb Crusted Chicken is far better than anything I could ever dream of making!  And there’s something for everyone—chicken, steak, veal, fish, seafood, lamb and (seasonally) duck.  Can’t beat that!  

They’re also very accomodating—food allergies and dietary restrictions can be worked around, and they love their vegetarians!  If there isn’t a purely vegetarian dish on the menu during the season, they’ll whip something up by combining different elements from other dishes.

And then there’s the desserts.  I definitely would go with the dessert sampler or Charles’s Hot Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake.  Charles is the pastry chef.  He has a dessert named after him.  Yes, it’s that good.  

And make sure you don’t skip the drinks.  Their watermelon mojito is phenomenal, a perfect compliment to summer fare.  Their dessert drinks are the best way to wash down dessert.  The wine list is fantastic, and they always have wonderful beers both on draught or in the bottle.  

If you’re visiting Vail or Beaver Creek, venture away from the resorts and dine at the restaurant that not only rivals some of the best eateries in New York or Los Angeles, but is a locals favorite as well!

Hap’s on the Harbourfront
Kenora, Ontario, Canada

Hap’s looks like it should be another hole in the wall joint, with awesome Canadian pub grub, and a deck overlooking the Lake of the Woods.  But Hap’s is surprisingly big inside and very family friendly—it’s the perfect place to boat to and enjoy lunch or dinner.  You can drive there by car or take a boat—they’re located right by the docks in the main section of Kenora.

The food is incredible.  And incredibly comforting.  I went there for the first time four years ago, and couldn’t wait to get back to eat my favorite dish!  Poutine is something we don’t really have in America, but we should.  It’s right up our alley:  french fries, covered in gravy, and topped with cheese (or cheese curds, depending where you get it).  Hap’s makes the best poutine—normally it’s an appetizer meant to be shared, but I didn’t go all the way across the border to share!  Of course, I got a salad to calm my guilt.  Also worth mentioning:  their chicken fingers are out of this world.  They’re perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and come with a house-made honey dill sauce.  Their French Dip au jus is killer as well—the meat is sliced thinly, not over cooked or dry, and the bread is the perfect jus-absorber.  

We also got cheesy garlic bread which, in my opinion, is never a bad idea.

If you find yourself in Ontario, and looking for a great getaway, Kenora is the place to go.  And if you make it to this sleepy lakeside town, Hap’s is a must eat.