Saturday, June 4, 2011

Food Crawl

I'm not sure if a food crawl is exactly what we are doing but something like it! We're making up our own rules! Joe and I have been into watching Diners Drive-ins and Dives on Food Network lately, where Guy Fieri features little hidden gems where fabulous food is made! There are a few in the nearby states that he has shot episodes in. So we decided to test them out for ourselves!

What we have discovered so far? The food has been amazing!

Last night we went to Hills Restaurant and Lounge where all their pasta is homemade! They take fresh to a new level by by growing their own vegetables and herbs up on the rooftop! They have a different special pasta dish every week and this week is was the shrimp pasta. That is what Joe ordered and I got a ribeye steak. All of that was amazing but besides the homemade bread, the kids mac n cheese made with homemade pasta was actually the best mac and cheese I have ever eaten!!! It was so good!! We finished the meal with a creamy lemon cheesecake.
My 20 month old son left his mark by coloring on their wall...so embarrassing! One of those moments where you think the waitress is secretly thinking, "these people don't watch their children!"

Tonight we went to Picabu Neighborhood Bistro (pronounced Peek-a-Boo) which is kind in a little strip mall adjoining a grocery store. It's not somewhere I would've searched out or thought would be spectacular but it was! We want to order things outside our comfort zone and try things we wouldn't normally think of trying. We started with an appetizer of Chicken Potstickers which are filled with chicken, corn, cilantro, ginger, scallions, garlic, and lime juice and then dipped in a delicious soy vinaigrette. Then Joe got the Spicy Cactus burger that is topped with their signature "goo" and a cup of the tuna chowder. He said it was good but he had to keep eating it to keep it from burning his mouth! I got a wonderful Chicken chop salad which had mixed greens, corn, black beans, onions, red peppers, chicken and homemade crispy tortilla strips topped with a blackened ranch dressing. It was really delicious and everything seemed so fresh and healthy. They have alot of vegan options as well. We shared the "fruit crisp" of the day which was mango and strawberry crisp topped with chocolate covered raisin ice-cream. It was different and I wasn't sure about it but it was the perfect mix of flavors. For our midnight snack we got a chocolate peanut butter pie to-go!

As soon as I can, I will try to post the pics that we took.

Can't wait to try the next place!!