The Mission: San Diego.

I discovered The Mission a few summers back when the owners of the Mission Bay beach house rental my family and I stayed in recommended it as their preferred place for breakfast at the beach.

Although it's nestled unassumingly on Mission Bay Boulevard, the Saturday morning line out the door is hard to miss. We had to wait half an hour or so, but it was well worth it.

As you can see, it's a hip little place. It makes you feel hip, too--like a local who lives at the beach and saunters down the boardwalk in flip flops every Saturday morning for some grub.

Eating at The Mission still makes me feel hipper than I am, actually, even though I'm now a San Diegan. I guess a San Diegan who lives at the beach and eats at The Mission is hipper in my mind than just a plain ol' San Diegan.

Mission Chilaquiles, corn chips layered with eggs, (black beans were put on the side), cheese, and roasted tomato ginger sauce.

Crispy Apple Sausage & Eggs (with a side of crispy rosemary potatoes)

Thus, I will go back to The Mission, and often. I think (and talk) about their crispy rosemary potatoes all the time. In fact, I think Jim got a little tired of my going on and on and on, over and over and over about their crispy rosemary potatoes, so he finally let me drag him there a while back.

We'll go again, too, when my near-whining for those potatoes gets especially annoying. :D

If savory isn't your thing when it comes to breakfast, don't you worry. The Mission also serves delectable, (and enormous), banana blackberry, strawberry granola, strawberry banana, and blueberry cornmeal pancakes. Not to mention their french toast made from their fresh-baked cinnamon bread. To die for.

They also serve lighter meals for those of you concerned about donning a bathing suit later in the day, and they serve a whole slew of yummy latino plates for people like my brother-in-law who love hot sauce and cheese. Think sweet corn tamales and roasted tomatillo sauce, chilaquiles with black beans and chipotle cream, tortillas filled with eggs, tomato, and cheese and smothered with roasted chile verde sauce.

You really need to go to The Mission. You'll love the laid back vibe, the simply delicious food, and the way you feel ten times cooler just walking in.

Trust me.

It's a must-do.

P.S. The Mission serves lunch, too. I'm dying to try it.

P.P.S. The Mission has two other locations, (here and here), if the beach isn't your thang. Same amazing menu. Just not as many people in wetsuits and sundresses.

P.P.P.S. Christa and I know we've been slacking when it comes to this blog. Forgive us. It isn't that we've stopped eating. In fact, we have a ton of restaurants we want to tell you about. We just got busy being busy. You know how that goes. We'll get caught up, though, and we hope you'll stop in from time to time.

Happy Eating!

Tapas for Me, and Tapas for You.

It's taken us forever, but we're finally posting about some of our most recent dining ventures, including Martine, a delightful European tapas-style restaurant in downtown Salt Lake City. 

If you've never been or never tried tapas, you really must go. This was Jaimey's first time eating (or even hearing of) tapas. In case you've never heard of them, too, tapas are appetizers in Spanish cuisine. Bonnie taught us that tapas were originally created because of a law in Spain that didn't allow people to drink alcohol without eating food, too. So restaurants began serving small appetizer-sized portions of food, so their guests could eat and drink. 

Now, tapas have become an entire style of cuisine. Wikipedia says tapas are served to encourage conversation, as eating them allows diners to focus less on the meal and more on their company. We're not sure if that is largely the intention, but we will say, our tapas-style meal was chock full of lovely conversation. Holly, Bonnie, and Shiloh accompanied us, and we had a grand time.

We loved each bite, too. And we did what many tapas restaurants intend: ordered a few tapas each to create an entire meal.  Plus, we went to Martine the last week of the Spring Dine o' Round, so we were able to take advantage of their less expensive, dine o' round menu. A plus plus. 

What we loved most about Martine:

• Sitting down to a charming table with a view, and nibbling on Greek olives while we perused the menu. 
• Dipping our warm, fresh rustic bread into that chipper balsamic vinegar and rich olive oil. Best olive oil we've ever tasted. Hands down. Lots and lots of hands down.
• Can you say, "I want the Fried Shepherds Goat Cheese with Caramelized Onions tapa?" We can. And we did. Twice. 
  
• Debating (and giggling at ourselves for being a little unclear about) whether the Provencal Salmon Creek Pork Tenderloin entree was salmon or pork.
• The robust flavor of that Salmon Creek Pork Tenderloin. Tasty, tasty!
• The Pomegranate Barbeque Morgan Valley Lamb Ribs tapa. Tender, juicy, and falling off the bone with flavor.
• The surprises on our plates: the beet that was yellow, for example, and the mushrooms that were bursting with an oyster-marsala reduction, like an explosion of yumminess in your mouth. 
• The Grilled Gingerbread dessert. It came with caramel and the house gelato. The perfect ending to a meal we hope to repeat over and over and over. 

So quaint and inviting. And the roses were real. Jaimey touched them.

We sat and ate with a view out this window. 

The Fried Shepherds Goat Cheese with Caramelized Sweet Onions and Lillet-Orange Blossom Honey Glaze tapa. It looks like a lot of cheese, and it was. But trust us, you'll eat it all up without a problem. You just will.

The Pomegranate Barbeque Morgan Valley Lamb Ribs tapa.

The Provencal Salmon Creek Pork Tenderloin entree. (Pork, not salmon.)

This entree isn't on the menu anymore, so it's sorta mean for us to put up the picture and tempt you with it. Sorry 'bout that.

The Flourless Chocolate Decadence with Blackberry Coulis and House Gelato dessert.

The Grilled Gingerbread with Caramel and House Gelato dessert.

The European Cheese Plate with Drunken Goat, Cambazola, Bleu d'Auvergne and Port Salut tapa.

Go Dine O' Round.

If you haven't yet indulged in the Spring Dine O' Round in downtown Salt Lake City, trust us on this: make some reservations now! You won't want to miss out. There are only two weeks left (the dining goes round til May 31), and it's the perfect opportunity to try out some new places that may have otherwise seemed a little too pricey.

Here's how it works: 30 restaurants in downtown Salt Lake City are offering a $15 or $30 three-course menu for 30 days in May. And anyone can order off the Dine O' Round menu. No coupons needed. Just reservations.

We ate our first official Dine O' Round meal on Saturday at The Melting Pot with Gregg and Amber, and it was delightful: a three-course, fondue meal for just over half the regular price.

We're hoping to make it to a few other places, too. Maybe Cedars of Lebanon (for their unique and savory chicken pastilla), Martine (Bonnie says the tapas are to die for), and Metropolitan, too.

Actually, we'd love to go to Bambara (for their scallops and roasted corn bisque with jonah crab and cilantro oil--the most amazing soup we've ever tasted), and Faustina, as well. Do you think we can squish all of those restaurants into two weeks?? Probably not. But girls can dream, right?

Guess that means y'all need to dine o' round, too, so we can compare notes and chat food. Will you do it for us?

Just nod your head, (rub your belly), and say yes.

Lunaberry, We Miss Your Groove.

Ok, we know. We've really, really neglected our blog. We haven't, however, neglected our stomachs. No sir. In fact, we haven't even stopped taking pictures of our food (ask our friends). Nor have we stopped going to interesting, new restaurants. We've simply been lazy about telling you all about them. It doesn't mean we don't care about you, we hope you know. It does mean, though, that we have A LOT to talk about.

Starting with Lunaberry.

Why start there? Well, because we're both craving it. Right this very moment. But they're closed, and it's late, and so we'll resign to writing about it.

In case you haven't heard of it, Lunaberry is a hip, little joint where you can eat groovy yogurt & crepes. (Their sign even says so.)

We love Lunaberry's funky paintings, mod decor and lighting. And we love that Lunaberry is so straightforward. Their menu is simple. Simply healthy and simply scrumptious. They serve all natural, non-fat yogurt, smoothies, and the part that makes them unique (and us giddy): Crepes. With nutella!

Sidenote: Jaimey was talking to someone the other day who had never heard of nutella. She was appalled. And in awe. Apparently that hazelnutty goodness isn't as well-known as it should be. So, rather than assume, we should probably emphasize the following: If you've never eaten nutella, trust us. You need nutella in your life. Read more about it here.

Back to Lunaberry.

Christa's favorites (so far):

1. Original frozen yogurt with pineapple, kiwi, and strawberries
2. Mango pineapple smoothie
3. Nutty nutella crepe with strawberries

Jaimey's choices (so far):

1. Nutty nutella crepe with bananas
2. Nutty nutella crepe with bananas (Yes, she ordered the same thing both times she's been there. She really likes it.)

We're excited to sample more options on their menu--especially the savory crepes, like the Mango Chicken and Cranbery Turkey. We'll likely go there this week, so we'll let you know how it goes. Until then, you should probably go, too. You deserve a little groove in your food, you know it.

See how happy we look?

The Paris Bistro

Our Ratings
Food: 4 ½
Atmosphere: 4
Creativity: 4

We began indulging in obscure restaurants and taking photographs of our food long before we began this blog. So you’ll have to forgive us when we write reviews (like this one) about restaurants we visited several months ago.

We ate at The Paris Bistro back in February. And we adored it. Yes, we haven’t gone there since, but it isn’t because it is lacking. We simply try to eat at new places each time we go out. We do plan to go to this restaurant again, though, and we’re sure it’ll be soon. There are many dishes on this menu we need to try, (and a few we’ve been craving since February).

The Paris Bistro is a quaint place on the East side of Salt Lake City. We first spotted it when we went to Mazza (another noteworthy restaurant just across the street). The bistro isn’t very large, but its exterior, with its awnings, lamp posts, and white Christmas lights, exude a warm, European charm. The interior is equally cozy and charming. (Make sure you go to the restroom while you’re there, by the way. We can’t speak for the men’s room, but the ladies’ room was adorable.)

The food definitely matched the bistro’s ambience in sophistication. We said, “Wow,” several times throughout the meal. Here’s what we ordered and how we liked it:

Cheese Course
Choice of Three Cheeses, Garnished

Unfortunately, we can’t remember the exact cheeses we tried for our cheese course, but the menu includes a number of options, including Jarlsberg, Parmigiano Reggiano, Aged Gouda, Shaft's Bleu, and Shepperd’s Farm Fresh Chêvre.

Appetizers
Wild Mushroom Tartine (Garlic, Thyme & Wild Mushroom Fricassée, Black Truffle, Croutons)

Simply put, we devoured this appetizer. The flavor was deep, bold and delicious. If you enjoy mushrooms at all, you will love this appetizer. (Plus, any dish with black truffle is one you should never say no to.)

Entrees
Gnocchi Alla Norma (Eggplant Fritti, Fresh Mozzarella, Vine-Ripe Tomato, Basil & Garlic)

Butternut Squash Ravioli (Sage Beurre Blanc, Pan Roasted Hazelnuts, Parmigiano Reggiano)

Risotto ai Funghi Porcini (Creamed Cèpes, Garlic, Fine Herbs & Parmigiano Reggiano)

Jaimey ordered the gnocchi, and we both enjoyed it. We probably wouldn’t order this dish next time, not because it wasn’t good, but because the others we tried were really delicious. We were expecting more eggplant in the dish—and perhaps for it to be crispy—but it was cut up in small pieces and had a texture more like it was sautéed than fried. The basil and garlic, though, added a really nice flavor to the sauce.

Christa ordered the ravioli, and wow, we ate that dish with some enthusiasm. Nutty and rich, the hazelnuts and cheese really added depth to the dish. We seem to recall wanting to lick the plate, but we maintained our manners as best we could.

Our friend Brad ordered the risotto, and we were flat-out shocked by its amazing flavor. It didn’t seem there would be much to the dish, but something in it—the cream sauce and mushroom combination—was to die for. Jaimey will definitely be ordering that dish for herself next time. And we’ll both enjoy.

Desserts
Warm Molten Chocolate Cake (served with Hazelnut Gelato & Candied Orange)
Caramelized Apple Stuffed Crepes (Drizzled with Calvados and topped with Crème Fraîche and Grey Sea Salt)

You’ll love these desserts. We really did. We appreciated both for the way their flavors mingled together: the orange and hazelnut with the chocolate, and the caramelized apple and crème fraîche with the crepes.

All in all, The Paris Bistro was a delight. Expect to spend about $25-$35 per person (including tax), and expect to be happily surprised. We definitely were.

Bambara

Our Ratings
Food: 4 ½
Atmosphere: 4
Creativity: 4

It’s been a little while since we went to Bambara—three months, to be exact—but we have not forgotten it, no sir. Bambara is this hip restaurant in the lobby of the Hotel Monaco in downtown Salt Lake City, and let us assure you, it should not be missed.

Everything about the place impressed us, from the funky décor, to the professional wait staff and the intricate menu full of flavors from all over the world. We definitely found each aspect of this restaurant to our liking.

Let’s get specific about the food, shall we? Here’s what we ordered and what our taste buds thought:

Appetizers
Blue Cheese House Cut Potato Chips

Roasted Corn Bisque with Jonah Crab and Cilantro Oil We loved both of these. The potato chips were delightfully flavorful—much more so than we’d expected. And they were so fresh—they were sliced, fried and served hot. And the cheese on top was gooey and delicious.

We can’t exaggerate about the corn bisque soup, it’s just that good. In all sincerity, it is the tastiest soup either of us has ever had. It has a rich, full flavor, and an amazing aftertaste. Take a spoonful and then just savor it for a moment, and you’ll see what we mean. Not only that, but the sweet, moist crab meat and cilantro oil complimented the taste of the roasted corn perfectly. We could eat that soup every day and not get tired of it.

Entrees
Seared Scallops with Cauliflower Puree, Chinese Long Beans, Carrot Chips, Chervil, and a Meyer Lemon Sauce

Citrus Brined Salmon Creek Pork Chop with Wilted Greens, Grits, Grilled Stonefruit, Candied Walnuts, and a Cherry Balsamic Syrup Jaime ordered the seared scallops and fell in love. Literally. We both did, really, because of course, Christa tried some. The scallops were perfectly prepared: seared and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The cauliflower puree was pure genius—it was the consistency of creamy mashed potatoes, but we thought it tasted even better than potatoes! And that says a lot!

Christa’s pork chop was divine: moist and flavorful and huge! The cherry balsamic syrup complimented it perfectly, and the candied walnuts added just the right amount of crunch. And grits? You’ve never had grits like this, friends! They were packed with a lot of yummy, (yes, “yummy” can be a noun), and seasoned to perfection.

Desserts
A Chocolate Tart (We can’t find the dessert menu online, and we can’t remember what kind of tart it was . . . but we believe it was the only tart on the menu.)

A Raspberry Tira Misu kind of thing (Sorry! Hopefully the pictures will help fill in the blanks.)

About now you may be thinking, “Wow. These girls can put down some food!” Well, that’s true. We won’t lie. But if y’all had been with us that night, you wouldn’t have been able to deny yourselves the dessert menu either. We had enjoyed so many unique and lovely flavors in the first two courses of our meal that we dared not resist a dessert or two. Our taste buds and tummies would’ve scolded us otherwise.

So we ordered the chocolate tart and raspberry layered dessert. Their presentation was pretty, and both desserts were original. The tart was very decadent, and although we kept saying, “I don’t think I can eat much more of this,” we did. We enjoyed our desserts. And then they were all gone.

Oh. One more little touch we appreciated about this restaurant: when our bread arrived, it came with hummus. Yet another detail that set Bambara apart. We noticed. And we likey. Likey’d? We don’t know how to make “likey” past tense. So forgive our meandering into the present for a smidge. :)

So now we should probably mention, this restaurant doesn’t come without a bit of a high price attached. Appetizers run between $7.50 and $13.50, and entrees between $19.50 and $34.50. But skip going to your regular, old dining spots two or three times, and that would easily foot the bill for an evening at Bambara. It’s well worth it. We will certainly visit again soon.

Emerald City Dining

Bottega Italiano

Our Rankings
Food: 4
Presentation: 2 1/2
Atmosphere: 3

Last week we went on a road trip to Seattle, and we made sure to try out several restaurants while we were there. It wasn't surprising that our first stop was for something sweet. Just around the corner from Pike Place Market, a hip little gelato place called Bottega Italiano caught our eyes. And of course, we needed no convincing to check it out. The presentation and assortment of flavors made it difficult to choose. I ended up with Pistachio and Chocolate Chip while Jaimey tried the Amaretto and Banana. They were delicious, but the Pistachio and Amaretto were especially tasty! We’d recommend trying those two flavors together. When at Pike Place, definitely stop in at Bottega Italiano.



The atmosphere was great too. Small and cozy, and that is all you need for the short amount of time it takes to scarf down these deliciously creamy treats.


The Crab Pot

Our Rankings
Food: 4
Presentation: 2
Atmosphere: 3

There are quite a few choices for fresh seafood along the waterfront in Seattle, but we had heard The Crab Pot was the best so that is where we went. We ordered Halibut and Chips and half of a Steamed Crab. The halibut was enormous, flaky and mouthwatering, their tarter sauce was to die for and the chips were nowhere near what you would expect. They were huge chunks of potato fried just enough to keep it soft. The crab was moist and came out in big plump chunks perfect for dipping in the melted butter. Probably the best crab we have had, but give us time, we have a lot more coastal traveling to do and many a crab to try.
Wasabi Bistro

Our Rankings
Food: 4
Presentation: 3
Atmosphere: 3

We don't mess around when it comes to sushi. We definitely did our homework on this one. Wasabi Bistro is listed as #2 on the Best of Citysearch List. After checking out their website and some reviews we knew we had to go. It's a short walk downtown from Pike Place Market and in a more local than touristy neighborhood.

We started out with the Vegetable Tempura and the Crab-Stuffed Wontons with Plum Wine Sauce. There were chunks of pineapple in the plum wine sauce which added a unique sweetness, and made this choice a great one.

We then delved into the following rolls:
Seattle Tempura roll - salmon, cream cheese & avocado, tempura style
Mango Tango roll - shrimp tempura, cilantro, red bell pepper & mango
Baked Scallop roll - bay scallops, crab, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, mayo & tobiko
Volcano roll - spicy tuna and asparagus topped with ahi & avocado spicy mayo, unagi sauce, tobiko, & sprinkled with toasted macadamia nuts


They were all amazing, but the Volcano roll was like heaven in our mouths! We can definitely see why Wasabi Bistro is ranked so high.