San Diego, Day 1 – Friday, July 2, 2010

Chris and I wandered around the Gaslamp District (the neighborhood in the city where we’re staying), and decided on this cute little Italian place called Asti Ristorante.  He had mimosas while I sipped on a Sauvignon Blanc, and enjoyed a cheesy Margherita pizza while I devoured a shrimp and artichoke fettuncini dish.

I’m playing with camera effects and photography apps on my iPhone.  All three photos were taken with my iPhone 3GS and edited with the effects in Camera Bag [iTunes link].  I used Helga for the food photos and Cinema for the restaurant sign.  I don’t think Helga’s the right effect for food, but I’m playing, so we’ll see what happens next time.

Today?  Fish Market!  Hopefully I’ll remember to grab a video of that.

I hadn’t been to Zeno Wine Cafe since a date a few years ago.

Or was it a date?  I never really knew with that guy until the fourth “date” or so and I finally attacked his face kissed him in his car at the end of the night.  We made out all high school style for a few minutes, I went home, and that was essentially it.

But this post isn’t about him, it’s about food and wine and my girlfriend Melissa.

Melissa and I met in college, through mutual friends, and bonded instantly and closely.  We were both lovers of psychology (different realms, but still), house parties, jam band music, and sharing dating stories because we always had the good amusing ones.

Anyway, she and I have the beautiful kind of friendship that continues to grow and flourish into adulthood after college despite different directions and lives and jobs and whatnot.  We catch up every couple of months, giggle like schoolgirls, polish off a decent amount of wine, and typically find some of the Twin Cities’ most interesting places to eat.

Our last two catch-ups?  Town Talk Diner, and then before that the French Meadow Bakery.

We have good, quirky, local hipster taste, I know.

Last night, we hopped into Zeno Cafe at Lake & Hennepin in Uptown.  They advertise all kinds of happy hour deals that GO UNTIL SEVEN PM (which sometimes is unheard of, or at least hard to find, and those of us that can’t leave work at 3PM on a MONDAY really appreciate that extra hour or two!).

What we chose?

wine: $10 bottomless glass of [house] wine (I chose the white (a Pinot Grigio/Chardonnay blend) and Melissa had the Cab Sauv).

food: Apps are BOGO, so we split the Cheese Plate and the Mediterranean Plate.

According to their menu, these are the food deets:

Mediterranean Plate

Goat cheese, black olive tapenade, hummus, and Italian sun-dried tomato relish with fresh baked rosemary focaccia.

Cheese Plate

A selection of artisan cheeses served with fresh fruit, turkish figs and almonds.

To be honest?

I wasn’t all that impressed with the cheese plate.  Then again, I’ve been spoiled this year in that my cheese plate devirginization happened at Mario Batali’s Enoteca San Marco in Las Vegas.  Then I found Cafe Maude’s cheese plate.  Twice.  Two weeks ago, I sampled the cheese stylings at Bar Baresco in NYC’s Chelsea neighborhood.

So, I’m not a cheese plate SNOB, by any means (let’s be honest, I can’t ID anything really besides bleu, gouda, brie, and parmesan), but I do know what’s impressive and what’s notsomuch.

So Zeno’s was decent, just not… amazing.  There was a gouda that was nice and creamy and smooth, but I bought a chunk of gouda at Lund’s last week that was as good if not better.  There were no turkish figs as advertised, but there were grapes and apples.  The almonds were nice.  I should’ve taken a picture.  Wow, foodie blogger FAIL.

The Med plate though was GREAT.  I love goat cheese and tapenade and hummus and sun-dried tomato ANYTHING.  And the focaccia was tasty.

But for $20 each that got us all kinds of wine and the right kind of noshing in between telling stories of going back to school, boys, travels, and just all-around catching up in general?  Total win.  I’d go back and do it again and probably sample more of their apps menu, but keep in mind you get what you pay for.  If I want a cheese plate to blow me away, I’ll go back to Cafe Maude and pay the extra $ (though really, it’s not that much extra).

What will bring me back?

This deal.  I’m intrigued by this.  $30 date night includes wine, apps, dessert and a movie at the Landmark theater next door:

Recap:

Wine: $10 bottomless glass of a decent house wine.  We like bottomless.  No.  WE LOVE bottomless.
Food: Cheese plate: mediocre; Med plate: Good
Price: Since wine was cheap and apps were BOGO, total bill was less than $40 (after taxes, before tip)
Do it again?  Sure, why not.

My first trip to NYC was a short, but dizzyingly wonderful one.  I spent about thirty-six hours there and managed to sightsee more than I’d expected.  And naturally, I ATE.  In fact, the only thing I think I had on my to-eat list that I didn’t get to was the pizza.

Don’t get me wrong.  We tried.  We walked all the way across the bridge to Brooklyn for Grimaldi’s pizza.  Except that it was 90somethingfucking degrees outside and the line THAT WENT OUTSIDE was a good 45 minutes.

Hell no.

So, we ventured to the South Street Seaport instead.

NYC has SO MANY food options, and with the exception of Times Square (ick. boo.), most seem to be authentic, local, amazing little eateries.  Here’s what I DID manage to nom:

• a bagel in Brooklyn.  To be honest?  It was TASTY, but the bagels at East Coast Bagels in California were better on the sheer principle that they had CHOCOLATE CHIP bagels and this little shop in Brooklyn did not
• popcorn shrimp at the Heartland Brewery at the South Street Seaport.  Popcorn shrimp is ALWAYS a win.  I also enjoyed their Summertime Apricot Ale with my Fish and Chips.  Seafood?  Always good.  FRIED seafood?  EVEN BETTER.

• Then there was a CHEESE PLATE and TIRAMISU at Bar Baresco.  I think that the best way to enjoy a cheese plate – at least for me, while I’m learning what I like and don’t – is to ask the server for a good variety of different levels of soft and hardness and intensity.  We got a beautifully diverse array of soft cheeses, red wine infused cheeses, and delicious nuts and honeys to accompany the cheese.
• And the tiramisu? OH MY GOD.

Now, I just need to get back to that fine city and have a piece of greasy pizza!

My first trip of 2009 was out to visit my oldest and dearest friend Steve.  He moved out to Colorado from Minnesota after college, and having recently decided that four years was enough, he moved back this summer.  I went out to visit two weeks prior to that move, back in the middle of May, to soak in the mountains and a vacation one more time before he returned.

We did all kinds of awesome things while I was there including climbing a mountain, walking around Boulder, and taking a mini road trip up to Wyoming.

But of course, I seek out interesting restaurants and remember the food, so here’s my little recap of where we ate and what we had:

In Denver (technically, Broomfield):

• Tres Margaritas (6896 W 120th Ave, Broomfield – (303) 410-8705)

We weren’t on any particular culinary adventure or mission at Tres Margaritas; I was mostly in need of food and drink upon my arrival and Steve picking me up from the airport.  We each had two margaritas – on the rocks, thanks – and I ordered a taco/enchilada combo that was HUGE and AWESOME and naturally came with the requisite Mexi-rice and beans.

I’m always a sucker for good Mexican food and for a quiet little hole-in-the-wall in the suburbs?  This one was muy bueno.

In Boulder -

Boulder was SO much fun to explore!  They have a walking mall area called Pearl Street where vehicles aren’t allowed and folks just roam freely up and down the shop- and bar-lined cobblestone road.  Street performers entertain visitors, and gorgeous flower gardens and cute decorations line the street from one end to the other.

• The Med (1002 Walnut Street, Boulder, CO 80302 – (303) 444-5335)

At the recommendation of a colleague, Steve and I popped into The Med for dinner.  We opted for splitting a number of different small plates to better taste more of their offerings.  The menu’s set up really well for that too, and I believe we ended up with five options.  And I know, I know… FOODIE BLOGGER FAIL, since it’s now August and I’m writing about a May trip, I don’t remember all the details.  I remember mussels, lamb meat (I think on skewers), and I believe salmon.  I know, FAIL, but really?  The food was INCREDIBLE, the staff extremely pleasant and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere is deliciously funky.

All in all?  Denver and Boulder are fine culinary spots and I’d love to go back to try more.