Pasco Taco Crawl 2017

Pasco's TACO CRAWL 2017 is a great fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club and a promotion for the local taco joints. You purchase a booklet of tickets for 20 different taco joints and you have two weeks to try as many as you can (1 taco per restaurant) and vote on your favorite. Each taco place gets a small reimbursement for each taco and the rest of the money goes to Boys and Girls club. Since it is my first year and I haven't been to many places yet I decided to compare them all on carne asada tacos. Maybe next year I will branch out and try adobada, shrimp, carnitas and some of the other delicious options. Until then, here are my thoughts on 20 taco places near downtown Pasco. 

A: Willy's Mexican Restaurant

      1315 E Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 32/40

Employees were very friendly and my taco was ready very quickly.There is a little condiment bar with salsas , lime, radish and a cilantro/onion mixture available near the register.

Taco filling could use a little more seasoning, the tortillas were fine but nothing special. All in all I need a little more flavor but it wasn't a bad taco. it came with cilantro, onion, and a little cabbage/lettuce on top.

B: Taqueria Mexico

      404 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 30/40

I am not impressed with this place. It was empty with extremely loud music playing and it took a while to get my food. The meat was greasy and chewy, and the seasonings were odd, not bad, just odd. All in all I wouldn't go back. 

C: Fiesta Foods

   115 S 10th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 22/40

While the tortilla was fine and they gave you some fried onion on the side, everything else about this taco is unpleasant. The meat is not very well seasoned and it has a slightly odd flavor too it. Plus it was extremely greasy but the meat was very dry. The meat sits in the grease in a warming pan and they cook the tortillas fresh for you and scoop some on. So that's probably how it gets dry and greasy at the same time. 

D: Carniceria La Barrata

     214 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 26/40

Go in the store and head to the back. It took a little longer than I expected for my taco even though I was the only one there but it still wasn't long. I asked for no salsa but they still put some on top. There toppings included some red cabbage, cilantro, and onion. The meat itself was fine but not the best seasoning but with the salsa I couldn't taste the meat. Mostly, the toppings were what disappointed me. 

E: La Fama

     1501 W Sylvester St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

My favorite part about this place is the condiment bar. They had onions, peppers, cilantro, lime, crema, and cheese. The meat was a little under seasoned and they put a lot of lettuce on top and a slice of tomato which I don't like on my street tacos. 

F: Taqueria El Sazon

     2226 W Court Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 36/40

The whole process from order to eat was fairly quick. I liked their condiment bar. The meat was not the best I've had but it did have good seasoning. The only criticism are that the tortilla could have cooked a little longer and I would have preferred a little more cilantro and less onion on top. All in all a great taco. 

G: Tacos Palomino Corp

     1515 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 29/40

They were extremely fast to serve the taco but the taco was a little under seasoned, the tortilla was a little underdone, and they had too much lettuce on it for my taste. Overall, acceptable but not fantastic. 

H: El Charrito

     130 N 10th Ave

Beef Cheek Taco

Score: 30/40

I decided to change things up for this taco and get a beef cheek taco instead of carne asada. The meat was falling part tender and very juicy. However there was a  little too much moisture and the taco got soggy. Also, there was something on there that was just a little bitter and a little too much fat in the meat. But the flavor was great. 

I: Junior's Tacos

     530 W Court Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 34/40

Here too I was in and out really quickly. They have a great condiment/salsa bar available with lots of options. They asked me if I wanted lettuce or cabbage (no thank you) and everything else was available at the bar. The tortilla was a single fluffy tortilla which I enjoyed. The meat was just barely under seasoned and a little greasy but still moist. 

J: Lara's tacos

     620 N 28th Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

Long story short, this taco is bland. Sure, I don't want it spicy with salsa on top but the meat should still have some flavor. it was just a boring bland taco that needed salsa and toppings to make it okay. 

K: El Paraiso

     913 W lewis Street

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 37/40

This was a great taco. There was little  too much lettuce on it but it was easy to pick off. Underneath, the tortilla was cooked well, the meat was moist, plentiful and very flavorful, and the cilantro and onion were the right proportions. I could taste seasoning and the flavor of the beef itself. Overall it was a great taco and if I asked for no lettuce it would probably be one of the best ones I've had ever. As a bonus, when they saw me checking out the menu for all the drinks/snow cone they have, they gave me a free sample of the strawberry coconut snow cone which was amazing. 

L: Nuevo Amanecer

     1411 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

I had high hopes for this one because they have a 24 hour drive through window. but then it took way longer than I expected to get my taco. When I opened up my wrapped up plate I was excited to see some sauteed onion and jalapeno on the side. The taco also had plenty of onion and cilantro. While the first bite was good (meat was a little dry), the heat just kept building and it ended up too much more me. I know I am a wimp when it comes to spicy but I think without additional salsas it shouldn't be that hot. 

M: Los Pinos

     1504 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

Even after taking off most of the lettuce on this taco, the main flavor I tasted was lettuce. The little I could taste of other flavors was nice though. 

N: Supermex

     720 N 20th

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 36/40

There was a line at this restaurant inside the store so it took a little while to get my taco. The meat was well seasoned, great toppings (cilantro, onion, radish and lime with salsas available) and the tortillas were just crisped but not crunchy. the only downfall is that the meat was greasy and dripped oil a little. Otherwise-delicious. 

O: Tacos la Esperanza

     1315 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 37/40

This was last year's Taco Crawl Winner and it is easy to see why. The meat is seasoned well and moist (just a tiny bit greasier than I like. It comes with cilantro, onion and some cabbage slaw on top. Usually having the slaw on top would be a mark against it but they put just enough on for texture and complexity of flavor but not enough to overpower the meat like happens most of the time I eat a taco with lettuce/cabbage. They also put a few slices of avocado on top which was a great surprise. I love avocado. The tortilla has some crisp on it as well-almost too much but they pulled it off just in time to be delicious and crisp but not crunchy and overdone. Finally, they include some of the delicious fried onion and jalapeno on the side that I am really enjoying. The taco itself is really no better or worse than any of the other top contenders but the additional side and topping and the restraint on the amount of cabbage push it just ahead of the others. 

P: Taqueria El Tacoyote

     1623 W Lewis St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 35/40

This taco is definitely a top contender. the meat is moist and flavorful and they top with onion and cilantro which I like. Pork rinds are offered as a tasty snack while you wait as well. The only issues are that the seasoning on the meat is a little different than I am used to- not bad but I prefer what I have had other places, and I think the tortilla could use a little more crisp. 

Q: Tacos Tiscareno

     1214 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 32/40

This was a decent taco, the meat had a nice seasoning, there was a little to omuch slaw on top but not bad. The tortilla could use a little mroe time on the heat. But it was a solid taco I wouldn't mid eating aggain. Nothing special but not bad either. 

R: Mi Lindo Nayarit

     1315 N 4th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 31/40

I didn't expect to be seated and given water, chips, and salsa for a single free taco but that was nice if a little awkward. The meat was not dry but not very moist either and a little under seasoned. There didn't seem to be as much either as the single regular tortilla seemed too much for the amount of filling. It was nicely topped with red onion and cilantro though. 

S: El Antojito

     1915 W Court St

Carne Asada Taco

Score: 33/40

Unlike many of the other places, this restaurant didn't have a menu board-but actual menus. It is a sit down place- through they do to go as well. The taco came with lettuce, onion and cilantro and a lime (which was too dry to squeeze). Mostly I tasted lettuce on my first bite. But after I took the lettuce off, the meat was a little under seasoned. The best part about this taco was the tortilla. They didn't do the classic two tortillas with the street taco but one slightly fluffier tortilla. That was great. 

T: Donita's Tacos

     316 N 20th Ave

Carne Asada Taco

Score: /40

Once again, too much lettuce ruins a taco. Okay, not ruins, but it does overpower the flavor of the meat a bit. I don't want to taste mainly lettuce when I eat a taco. The seasoning on the meat was fine, and the meat wasn't dry. Without the lettuce this is a fine taco. 

Bruges

Bruges is a gourmet waffle and fries place at 42 W Center street in Provo.

Prices are a bit high even for gourmet but the food is delicious. I got the Liege waffle with creme fraiche and the fried with the pineapple curry sauce and the green sauce.

The waffle is super sweet and they put a ton of cream on top so it is definitely good but eating the whole thing can be a bit much. They have another type of waffle that isn't as sweet as well as numerous toppings and even waffle sandwiches.

The fries were very good. Crispy, not too greasy and great dips. I can't decide which dip I liked more. The greens dip was fresh and light but the curry based dip was reminiscent of a fry sauce but so  much more. It was a little sweet with the curry undertone that worked really well with the fries.

All in all, good food, but definitely a treat and not a regular thing.

Rice Wok

Rice Wok is located at 1468 N State Street Orem, UT

Staff was busy cooking, taking phone orders, and orders at the counter so it seems a bit slow and they didn't really acknowledge you till you were ordering but service wasn't bad by any means. I would reccomend phoning your order in ahead of time if you are in a rush.


I ordered the appetizer sampler and Pork Lo mein combination plate.


The sample comes with 2 of each appetizer (except the bbq pork so 5 types) for 6.99. It also includes four dipping sauces; a great option for someone who wants to try it all. 4/5 were fried but it didn't feel greasy. It wasn't a tempura on the shrimp, more of a bread type batter but it was well seasoned. The egg roll, potstickers, and cheese wonton were all good but nothing extraordinary. The paper wrapped chicken however was interesting. It seems like chopped chicken seasoned with a soy based sauce then wrapped in tinfoil and pressed into a little triangle then cooked. It was moist and flavorful but an odd (though not unpleasant) texture.

As for the pork lo mein. It was good but not super flavorful and the pork was a bit tough. A good amount of vegetables though.

Spicy Thai

Spicy Thai is located at 3230 N University Ave, Provo, Ut


I ordered Beef Pad Thai and Thom Ka soup.

Staff was friendly and my to go order came fairly quickly.

A cup of soup is 2.99 and the pad thai was 8.79. You can customize your spice level and since i am a wimp I asked for no spicy. None. Unfortunely that apparently menat no flavor to them. I have had pad thai other places where even without the heat the flavor was strong. Not so here. I hope their spicy dishes have more flavor.

Luckily the Thom Ka was delicious. Good chunks of vegetable and slices of tender chicken and a coconut based broth that is well flavored and immensely satisfying. I wish I had skipped the pad thai and gone for a bowl of that instead.

universal studios orlando

We had lunch in the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley at Universal. My mom is a British food in America snob because, well, she's eaten it in Britain many times. It was probably the best bangers and mash she's had in a long time because as she says, they have have proper bangers. Shepherd pie, fish and chips, stew, all delicious.

We had dinner outside the park at a great pizza place. Red oven pizza bakery. Their pizza was some of the best I've had. The arugula and pricuitto combined salty, bitter, cheesy and wound up overall delicious. If you've never tried arugula salad on your pizza you should. We tried a few other pizzas but after trying mine I don't even remember the others. Mine was too good.

Disney world

Disney World has some amazing food and after about a week days in Orlando I need to share some of the deliciousness. Day one was spent at Universal and that post is coming up next.

Our hotel was the Pop Century and because of the time we booked we had a free dining plan with hotel which gave us refillable drink mugs, 2 quick service meals and two snacks per day per person. Often we had breakfast at the hotel. After a day or two of getting the full breakfast we decided that for most of us, getting the pastry, drink and fruit combo instead made more sense. A light breakfast using our refillable mug for a drink left us with a snack of fruit and drink for at the park. We would get some quick service lunch wherever when we got hungry, a snack if we really wanted, then saved our bucks for a nice dinner. After the week we still had tons of food credits saved up so we got sandwiches and pastries from France in Epcot and caramels from Germany.

Our first day at Disney World we had dinner at The Sci-Fi dine in cafe in Hollywood Studios. We went there for the ambiance but the food was actually really good. The buffalo popcorn chicken was spicier than anticipated but the flavor was good. The chicken pasta was a great creamy sauce and well cooked.

Day 2: Marrakesh-Epcot
Delicious Moroccan food with great ambiance and a fun belly dance show. We tried both the chicken and seafood B'stilla and they were great, not the best I'd had but good. The lamb dishes were also great. Well spiced and tender.

Day 3: Sanaa outside Animal Kingdom
This became my new favorite. The view is amazing. The restaurant looks out over the middle of the hotel where they have a small nature preserve area where you can see zebras, giraffes and other animals from your dinner table.  The food is Indian and African fusion with a definite lean towards Indian. The bread starter is a much but there is nowhere near enough bread. Everything else we tried was great. Curry sauces, well seasoned rice and overall a little too much food. We probably could have shared more than each having their own dish after big lunches but the food was so good we didn't care about over eating.

Day 4: Tony's Town Square-Magic Kingdom
This was unexpectedly delicious. Starting with the zucchini fries which were good but a bit dry. I had the seasonal ravioli with mushrooms which were absolutely delicious. Everyone else quite enjoyed their food too.

Lunch: Be our Guest -Magic Kingdom
We got an email invite for a special fast pass seating at Be our Guest which was awesome because there was no room for anyone without advanced reservations and those fill up fast. You order ahead of time too so as you show up your food comes out just minutes later. We did indeed try the grey stuff cupcake and it was good but not great. However the rest of the food was very good. We all tried the Tuna nicoise, croque monsieur, roast beef sandwich, quiche, and braised pork and an assortment of desserts. Every dish was great.

Day 5: Teppan Edo- Epcot
This place is all about the show with dinner. Volcano onion towers and flying pepper grinders keep you entertained while you see your steak, scallops, chicken or whatever else prepared before your eyes. While the quality of the food what not quite as impressive as some of the other restaurants, the food was still delicious and the show was great.

Overall, there wasn't a meal I didn't enjoy from breakfast to dinner to snacks.

Oh, and the ever famous dole whips were also awesome.

fire pizza

Fire Pizza is an Artisan wood fire pizza restaurant located at 1022 N Columbia Center Boulevard in Kennwick Washington. 

While their menu has some of the typical pizza fare (pepperoni or all meat) what is really delicious is their more unusual fare. 

The costs for the pizzas range from about $13 to $16 dollars and you get a little more food than a personal size size but not quite as big as a medium from chain pizza places. They serve delicious cucumber water right off and have a selection of cocktails too. 

So far I have tried four of their pizzas. 

First there was the Parma. It has prosciutto, Gorgonzola, pecorino, Romano, and provolone finished with truffle oil. Take a top notch cheese pizza and amp it up with some slightly salty prosciutto. Delicious

Next came the Murphy. This pizza has slices of yellow potatoes. Sounds odd, totally works. Its like a combination of pizza and the best loaded baked potato ever. It even has chive and sour cream. 

After that there was the Gordy which has dates, Gorgonzola, mozzarella, olive oil and a balsamic drizzle. The epitome of a salty sweet pizza. 

The final pizza I tried was the Mahalo, This one had pork, mango, with a spicy sweet Hawaiian barbecue sauce. Just the right spice (a little but not much). The sweetness of the sauce was nice. However the menu described a mango chutney but it was really just dived mango. 


Comparing this to my favorite pizza place from Montana (http://gourmetgood.blogspot.com/2013/07/bitterroot-pizza.html), Fire has more interesting and unique offerings but I think Bullmans is one step up in quality. 

Zero Proof Mocktails

Zero Proof Mocktails is a new, up and coming, Utah County area drink service. They make traditional and unique cocktails without the alcohol.

It is owned and operated by Kent and Marina Pimentel who do a fabulous job keeping people entertained and getting those drinks out.

I haven't tried a drink that wasn't good from them yet but some of my favorites are:

Lemon Drop: A sour lemon drink served in a martini glass rimmed with sugar.

Irish lavender: Lender and irish cream in a creamy soda served in a champagne flute.

Minerva McGonagall: Blackberry and lime with thyme syrup in a martini glass.

Dark and Stormy: Spicy ginger beer with rum syrup and a hint of lime

Double Rainbow: This shot is served with the three colors distinct from each other in the shot glass. It includes cranberry juice, blue curacao (orange flavor), and NOS energy drink topped with a rainbow sour candy.


Their website has more info on all their drink types and they are more than willing to work with you to create a signature drink for your event.

ZPM is available for weddings, parties, dances and you can find them most weekends at Dave and Cranky's in Provo. They serve everything from champagne to shots.

Dave and Cranky's

In Provo there is a fabulous restaurant called Dave and Cranky's. The prices are about mid-range but the food is amazing. Dave and Cranky's is located just south of BYU campus on the second floor above Thai Ruby at 746 E 820 N. They have a seasonal menu so make sure to check their website to see if any of the following dishes are available.

Best of all, on most fridays and saturdays they are joined by Zero Proof Mocktails to bring you amazing non-alcoholic drinks.

Appetizers:

• Nachos $9
• These are not your typical Nachos. They have pineapple and corn on them and they are a great combination of sweet and savory. You can add on chicken or make them hangover style with sriracha. 
• Goat Cheese Fritters $7
• Okay, these blew my mind. It comes with breaded creamy goat cheese that just oozes out when you cut into the fried balls. On top there is a sweet fruit compote with a little cinnamon. This dish borders on dessert but the tang from the goat cheese keeps it on the savory side of things.
• Balsamic Stuffed Mushrooms $5
• You get a small plate of button mushrooms stuffed with a great filling and drizzled liberally with balsamic vinegar. They really know how to balance sweet, savory, and sour in their meals.

Fall menu Main Dishes:

The first three of these others at my table tried and loved. I ordered the last dish.

• Steak with parmesan rosemary fries and garlic green beans
• Spiced glazed pork with pumpkin rice and thyme baked apples and onions
• The pilgrim sandwich: seasonal fowl, stuffing cranberry chutney, and yam fries
• Pan roasted chicken with savory waffles, onion jam, and market vegetables: this is not your traditional southern chicken and waffles. The waffles are not sweet and the chicken is not fried. However, the waffles make a great backdrop for eating the chicken with the onion jam and some veggie. It is definitely a savory dish but the chicken is well cooked and moist and the onion jam hives a hint of sweet.  

Desserts:

• Lava Cake
• This was a great, rich chocolate cake with the traditional oozy center topped with a nice vanilla ice cream. 
• Pizookie
• hot chocolate chip cookie with delicious vanilla ice cream on top. Enough said. 

Sweet Pork Barbacoa

If you have ever eaten at Cafe Rio or Costa Vida, you have probably tried their sweet pork dishes. This delicious filling makes a great burrito, salad, quesadilla, taco or whatever else your heart desires. It is sweet and flavorful but not really spicy. My mom love when I make this for her because it makes a ton of pork so you can freeze a few batches and take it out for those busy days where you don't have time to cook.

• Pork butt roast 3-4 lbs
• 1 liter Dr. Pepper or coke
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 can adobo sauce and chiles (blended, spicy version) or enchilada sauce (less spicy)

Put all the ingredients in a crock pot and simmer for 6-8 hours minimum. 

Remove the pork, shred it, and simmer for another 2 hours. 

Serve in enchiladas, burritos, tacos, salad etc. 

Pre-cooked tortillas just don't cut it for me any more. My freshman year I was introduced to raw tortillas that you cook yourself. You can generally find these in your grocery store refrigerated section with the pre-grated cheeses and deli meats, bacon etc. Costco often has multi-packs. With these all you have to do is heat a large pan on medium-low heat and place the tortilla in it (no oil, just put it in a dry pan). After a minute or so, it will start to bubble a little and the bottom with begin to brown. Flip it over and cook the other side. The texture and flavor of these tortillas is way better than any pre-made version I have ever tried.

For a burrito, fill a tortilla with cheese, black beans, and cilantro-lime rice. You can even smother it with your favorite enchilada sauce for a little different flavor.

To make a salad, line your plate or wide deep bowl with a tortilla, put the pork on top, then cover it with chopped romaine lettuce, crushed tortilla chips or strips, fresh pico de gallo salsa, and a tomatillo ranch dressing.

Quesadillas are easy, just cook one side of your tortilla then flip and quickly sprinkle with grated cheese and top half of it with the pork and fold the tortilla in half. Cook the bottom for about a minute and then flip and cook the other side of the outside.

Moroccan chicken pastry AKA B'Stilla

• 2 cans chicken broth
• 1 bag (about 2 lbs) boneless skinless chicken meat
• 1 onion diced

Summer these ingredients together on medium-low for about 1 hour. Then remove the chicken and shred it and put it back in the pan with the broth. 

• 1 bunch cilantro
• 4-6 oz slivered almond

Use a food processor to blend these to a fine dice almost to a paste. Add in to the chicken mixture. 

• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 2 tsp ginger

Add in these seasonings and simmer until the liquid is almost gone

• 4 eggs-beaten lightly

Mix in the egg and cook for about 3 minutes to make sure the egg cooks through. Stir constantly for these few minutes. Then place the mixture in the fridge to cool slightly. 

• 1/2 package phyllo dough
• 4 tbsp. melted butter

Take individual sheets of the phyllo dough and place around a springform pan with butter in between layers and the tops hanging over the edge of the pan. Once you have a layer about 5-8 thick at the most in all places, fill it with your chicken mixture and then slowly fold a few layers over the top at a time, still buttering in between layers. Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes or until the top is browned. 

• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamin

Mix these together and sprinkle over the top. I know it sound weird, a spiced chicken dish topped with sugar, but it works. Don't skip this step.

Pork Won Tons

·         1 lbs. ground pork (turkey, chicken or beef will also work)

·         1 bunch green onion finely chopped

·         1 medium carrot grated finely

·         ½  Tbs chopped garlic

·         1 Tbs, grated ginger

·         2 Tbs soy sauce

·         1 tsp rice wine vinegar

·         1 tsp. sesame oil

·         1 package round won ton skins

·         Oil for frying

Mix the first set of ingredients together in a bowl. Fill the won ton skills by placing about a teaspoon of filling in the center. Wet the edges with just a little bit of water to help them stick together. Then fold the skin in half over the filling and pinch the middle together then fold in each side. See the pictures for an example.

In a pan, head about ½ inch of oil on medium heat. Then place the filled won tons in leaving room in between. When one side has browned, flip to the other. When they are browned all over, place on a paper towel to drain and then serve. 

Dipping sauce:

2 parts soy sauce

1 part rice wine vinegar

1 part sesame oil

Alternative filling: Avocado Butterflies.

This recipe is based off one from Frost Me Sweet which I reviewed in this post.

·         3 avocados

·         1 package cream cheese

·         1 tbs. soy sauce

·         1 green onion, chopped finely.

Fill and cook just like the other won tons. 

Cheesy Cauliflower Soup

This is the other half of my favorite meal from Zupas.

• ·         1 medium Cauliflower- chopped into small pieces
• ·         1 can chicken broth
• ·         1 cup water
• ·         1 cup cream
• ·         8 oz grated sharp white cheddar cheese
• ·         Salt and pepper, 1 tsp. each
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• 1/4 tsp .paprika

Place the cauliflower, broth and water in a pot. Add salt and pepper. Simmer with the lid off until the cauliflower is soft. Then blend with the liquid until smooth. Return the cauliflower mixture to the pot and slowly add in the grated cheese and cream, stirring often. Add cayenne and paprika.

Alternatives: Cheesy Cauliflower Mash

Boil cauliflower in salted water till soft. Drain, Blend with ½ cup cream and ½ stick of butter till smooth. Place in a baking dish and top with cheese and bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Picky kids option: You can also add some peeled golden potatoes in with the cauliflower. This helps hide the flavor of the cauliflower so kids think it is just mashed potatoes.

Nuts About Berries Salad

Out here in Utah (as well as Arizona and Nevada) there is a great restaurant called Café Zupas. If you have heard of Panera it is similar to that only better.  Zupas sells soups, salads, paninis, and a variety of desserts. Each meal comes with a chunk of French bread and a chocolate dipped strawberry. I always get the try 2 combo where you can choose 2 of the three (soup, salad, & panini) and get the half size of each. My favorite salad is the Nuts About Berries. It has romaine lettuce, berries, cinnamon almonds and a poppy seed dressing. I usually pair it with the Wisconsin Cauliflower soup.

Here is my version of the Nuts about berries salad. Look for my recipe for the cauliflower soup next week.

·         1 bag of your favorite salad (romaine or spinach are my favorite)

·         1 cup of your favorite fruits- cut into bite-size pieces if necessary (grapes, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries…)

·         ½ cup diced cinnamon sugar almonds (recipe will follow in next post)

·         Poppyseed Dressing

o   1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

o   ¼ cup olive oil

o   2 Tbs. sugar

o   1 Tbs brown mustard

o   1 tsp poppy seeds

§  Blend all ingredients together in a blender for 30 seconds

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl and enjoy.

For this version I used grapes and dried cranberries as my fruit.

Alternative: This dressing goes really well on a salad of spinach, mandarin orange slices, avocado, bacon and sliced red onion too. 

Pad Thai

I love Pad Thai. It is one of my favorite dishes to get at almost any restaurant. I recently got it at this little restaurant Rice and Noodles at 3315 Court Street in Pasco. The owner treats you like family and the food is delicious. This is my attempt to recreate restaurant quality Pad Thai at home. You can use any kind of thin sliced meat or even shrimp or more veggies to make this. I found all the ingredients for a pretty reasonable price at my local Asian Market. Beware though, as you simmer the sauce, it smells really powerful and not necessarily pleasant. But, by the end, everything comes together to taste fabulous.

Sauce:

• ·         1 cup tamarind paste
• ·         1 cup palm sugar
• ·         3 tbs fish sauce
• ·         3 tbs shrimp paste

Simmer ingredients together on medium-low in a pot for 1 hour, stirring often.

• ·         ½ carton mushrooms- sliced thinly into matchstick sized pieces
• ·         ½ onion diced into small pieces
• ·         White parts of 1 bunch of green onions dices into small pieces

Sauté these ingredients in a large pan or wok over medium heat with 1 Tbs oil till starting to brown. Remove from the pan and reserve. Add 1 more TBS oil to the pan.

• ·         2 large chicken breasts sliced thinly across the grain
• ·         2 TBS corn starch
• ·         2 TBS soy sauce

Mix these ingredients together in a bowl then put in the pan over medium heat until the meat starts to brown. Add back in the cooked veggies.   

• ·         1 package of thick rice noodles prepared according to directions on the box and drained

Then add in the cooked noodles and sauce and stir quickly to mix everything together.  

• ·         3 eggs

Push all the mixture in the pan to the side and crack in the three eggs. Let them start to cook then place the pasta mixture over the top. After about a minute, start stirring. Until the egg is just cooked.

·         Green parts of the bunch of green onions diced into small pieces

·         1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
·         1 cup of chopped bean sprouts

Add in these final ingredients and stir until everything is warm through. 

Serve and top with the following.

• ·         ½ cup of crushed salted peanuts
• ·         1 lime cut into wedges

Frost Me Sweet

Frost Me Sweet

This is a lovely Bakery/restaurant in downtown Richland, Washington. It mainly feels like a cupcake place but they serve delicious food as well. I have never been disappointed by any of their cupcakes and the Molten Chocolate ($5) dessert is rich and melty with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Caprese Salad ($6): Wonderful tomato, mozzarella and basil. Always fresh and delicious. Ask for some balsamic vinegar with it and it is even better.

Avocado Butterflies ($7): These are crispy fried wontons with an avocado cream cheese filling and a lovely dipping sauce. There is almost enough here to make a meal out of just these. They are creamy and delicious without being too heavy and the chef’s sauce really enhances the flavor.

Sourdough Bread Loaf ($9): They take a sourdough loaf and slice it almost all the way through then fill the holes with butter and cheese and melt it all and serve it with a pesto balsamic dipping sauce and green onion. This is definitely something to share with the table. It is a little much for one but has great flavors.

Little Mama ($8): This is a sandwich of chicken in a fennel and tomato sauce on a toasted bun topped with melty-gooey mozzarella cheese served with their garlic parmesan fries. The fennel really enhances the sauce and there is just enough mozzarella on the sandwich they you taste it in every bite. This is not a sandwich you eat with your hands. You need a knife and fork.

Lavender Lemonade: This is what we come for. The lemonade is sweet and tangy at the same time. Very refreshing and you get the overtone of lavender flavor throughout it. It tastes like lavender smells. Yumm.

They serve burgers, pizza, salads, soups and sandwiches and lots of other delicious sounding foods that I haven’t had time to try yet.

Look for recipes for my versions of the lavender lemonade and avocado butterflies coming soon. 

Mongolian Grills

Mongolian Grills

I love eating at Mongolian grills. I have been going to one since I was about 4 years old. These awesome places allow you to go to a salad bar filled with pasta, fruits and veggies and protein and choose what you want, then top it off with your own sauce creation. Then you’ll take it over to the grill where the chef will cook it all together right in front of you. It is great for families with picky eaters. When I was a kid, I only ever got noodles with pineapple and soy sauce. Now I get a combination of whatever meats are available, pineapple, onions, veggies and a lovely complex sauce with soy, ginger and garlic. Each time I go my creations are slightly different but still have that flavor I love. I have been to a few different Mongolian grills in my time, but here I will share my top three restaurants.

Number 3

 Mongo’s

150 W Bulldog

Provo, UT 84604

One thing I appreciate about Mongos is that they offer the all you can eat option (for the same price as their large) or a by the bowl price where you can take leftovers home. Either way, each meal comes with a free choice of white or brown rice. They have a nice selection of veggies and meats but it isn’t quite as extensive as the other two places. They do have a rice noodle option as well as the traditional soba style noodle. Their sauces include a few premade kinds like a soy teriyaki, curry, and peanut, but they also offer some basics to add in like ginger, garlic and hot sauce. The cook on your dish is good but often ends up never quite caramelizing any of the meats with is a part I really enjoy at other restaurants. They also often offer deals on Facebook for a free bowl or $5 off if you share a picture or like a status. I’ve gotten a few free meals from this so far. They also often have a Yelp deal for pay $5 for $10 of food.

Number 2

 Hu Hot

130 Hutton Ranch Road

Kalispell, MT

This is a chain restaurant but the one I have visited is located in Kalispell, Montana. They make some great appetizers and desserts. Their ginger soda is delicious as well. Think ginger ale with real pieces of ginger floating in it. I have tried the crab rangoon appetizer and the cheesecake rangoon dessert and both were great. With dinner there is the option of getting a soup or salad with your meal and both were also good. They have a very extensive selection of proteins, veggies, pastas and sauces. Generally they have a great selection of seafood as well. In the restaurant there is only the all you can eat option. The sauce section once again has mainly premade sauces that you can combine in different ways for your meal. They give a pretty good cook on the food and I was always happy when I ate there.

And my Number 1

 Chang’s Mongolian Grill

1935 NW 167^th Place

Beaverton, Oregon

Chang’s will always be my favorite Mongolian Grill. As a family we have been visiting their Beaverton location  since they opened many years ago. The other locations in Oregon and Washington are great as well, but there is something about how this location cooks the food that makes it perfect for me. Each dinner comes with an option of egg drop or hot and sour soup. You can also get rice and these awesome rice paper wrappers. They generally have beef, pork, lamb, chicken and a few seafood options but if you go at lunch, one or two of these might be missing. Their veggie selection is not quite as extensive as Hu Hot’s but they always have the basic stuff I like. One thing I really like about here is that their sauces are more simple so you can be a little more creative. The sauces include soy sauce, ginger, garlic, hot sauce, sesame oil, sugar and salt water, lemon juices and others. I’m fairly certain that the same men have been cooking at this grill since I started going there as a child. The meat gets just a little bit of caramelization without the noodles getting crispy. I love eating some of it right off the plate and making little wraps with the rice paper wrappers with some too. You can finish off your meal with a complimentary small bowl of soft serve ice cream and a fortune cookie. 

Kalispell Trip

I recently went back to where I attended high school for an awesome week of fun and food. Hello again to the beautiful Kalispell Montana. Here are a few of the food highlights from my trip.

Montana Coffee Traders

328 W Center Street

Kalispell, MT 59901

$5 Bowl Lobster Bisque: This item is a special that is not always available, but it is well worth checking in for. It has a lovely flavor with large chunks of lobster throughout. I would definitely order this again. Look forward to a coming post with my version of lobster bisque.

$8 Trader’s Traditional Breakfast with Bacon: The traditional breakfast comes with two eggs cooked any style, hash browns, two triangles of buttered toast, a small section of fruit and the optional meat. In my case I chose bacon but ham and sausage were other options. The eggs were cooked exactly the way I ordered (over easy) and the hash browns were nice if a little underwhelming. The bacon was cooked perfectly though. It was a good thick sliced bacon that was crispy and delicious. Overall, a filling breakfast that was a better choice than many national chains for both flavor and price, but nothing incredibly special.

Midori

2835 Hwy 93 N

Kalispell, MT 59901

$10 Teriyaki Beef lunch special: It was a nice dish that included a cup of miso soup, a small salad, and the main dish with teriyaki beef, white sticky rice, and tempura veggies. The veggies were good and I liked the batter but they tasted a little oily. They didn’t feel oily but there was an oil flavor to them. The miso was a touch bland but still good. The salad had a great strong flavor but was slightly overdressed so it ended up a little overpowering. The rice and meat were cooked well and the sauce was just right, not too sweet.

Alley Connection

22 1st St W,

Kalispell, Mt 59901

$3 Wonton Soup: This soup comes with pork, and fried and boiled wontons in a nice broth. The broth was just a touch bland but with a tiny bit of soy sauce added it was really good. The bowl is actually quite filling for the size.

I have eaten other dishes at Alley Connection in the past and enjoyed them as well.

Bullman’s

175 Hutton Ranch Road # 107

Kalispell, MT 59901

$19 Large Bitterroot Pizza with Prosciutto: This is a thin crust pizza cooked in a wood fire oven. It has an olive oil and sea salt base with mozzarella cheese, pistachios, red onions and rosemary. On its own it is delicious, but adding prosciutto takes it to another level. This is a pizza that I crave and I have yet to find a similar one elsewhere. Look forward to my version of this pizza coming up in a future post.

$7 Cheese Sticks: The cheese sticks are a simple pizza crust with tons of seasoned cheese cooked in the wood-fire oven. Delicious, I order it every time.