Jus Cookin's

Opened in 1988, this mom-and-pop restaurant batters its chicken, dips it in seasoned bread crumbs and deep-fries four pieces to order. Located in Lakewood, CO just outside of downtown Denver, Jus Cookin's in based on three premises - good food, good service, and good prices.  Look for this yellow farmhouse and stop in for real down home cookin'!

Steuben's

Steuben's is a restaurant that respects the history of its name and the core ingredients of the American Regional classics they have attempted to recreate. These dishes are America’s cuisine and American’s interpretations of the dishes of our diverse cultural heritage. The staff at Steuben's have enjoyed the endless debates, opinions, stories, research, consultations and food memories that have led to the opening version of the Steuben’s menu classic spots for the comfort, the subtly unique flavor, the consistency, the familiarity, and the memories of both the food and the experience. Check out this place for a satisfying breakfast before exploring the Mile-High City!

Illegal Pete's

Pete Turner looks back on the early days of opening his first Illegal Pete’s with fondness. "Our “Mission-style” Mexican food comes from the Mission District of San Francisco and has been a part of Bay Area cuisine for many, many years," he says. "The style of food was a revelation to me - with the fresh grilled meats and freshly prepared sauces as well as just the hand-held, portable style of the food. I thought to myself "if I had this food in Boulder on The Hill when I went to school I would have eaten there all the time so I pursued it." Pete, armed with an English degree, opened his first restaurant on The Hill in Boulder on August 15th, 1995. The restaurant now has five Colorado locations with hopes to expand even further in the future.

Red Rocks Grille

Located in the Sheraton Denver West hotel, the Red Rocks Grille is a convenient place to relax and enjoy a beverage, snack, or gourmet meal. Large screen TVs are also available in the lounge part next door.

Adventures in Veganism: Day 3

With a disenchanting Day 2 behind me, I had positive thoughts going into Day 3.  I wanted to be a good sport about this vegan adventure I committed to.  No giving up just yet!

Mimi's Cafe

"In 1944, an American airman named Arthur J. Simms fell in love with the beauty, foods and flavors of France. It was to become a passion that would change his life. Stationed there during the final days of World War II, young Arthur J. was taken by the friendly neighborhood bistros and warm, inviting cafés. Equally captivating was a mademoiselle he met by chance, who went by the name of Mimi. Arthur J. Simms never forgot his days in France. In 1978, he opened the first Mimi's Cafe® – a neighborhood bistro inspired by his memories of Mimi and passion for good food, wine and camaraderie that he remembered so fondly."

240 Union

240 Union is an upscale casual "creative grill" that offers delicious American contemporary cuisine. Located in the Denver-West Metro area, 240 Union specializes in fresh seafood, wood fired pizzas, specialty pastas, beef, pork, lamb, and chicken dishes.

Adventures in Veganism: Day 2

Day 1 started off pretty well.  The food tasted decent so far, not like cardboard as Keith presumed. Each dish had intense flavors that distracted me from thinking "oh-no-this-is-totally-vegan-will-it-taste-good-yikes".  I was not starving (yet) and so I felt better about heading into Day 2 of my vegan adventure. 

Johnny's NY Pizza

In 2004, John and his then pregnant wife opened Johnny's NY Pizza in Lakewood, Colorado to bring a little bit of Queens, NY (where they are originally from) to the Denver area.  Offering classic pies, as well as hot heros, calzones, and pasta specials, Johnny's is a super casual shop where you can order at the counter and dine in or call ahead to pick up your order to go.

Jose O'Shea's

Jose O'Shea's is known to deliver the best Mexican Food in Lakewood, Colorado since 1978.  I was recently in Denver for a work conference, and this vibrant restaurant was directly across from our hotel.  The parking lot seemed to be full each night, so a couple coworkers and I walked across the street one night to scope it out.

Crepes on the Corner

Influenced by traditional French flavors, Crepes on the Corner offers contemporary adaptations of traditional tastes with an ever-changing menu.  Using seasonal ingredients from their on-site farm as well as regional farms, Crepes on the Corner is sure to give you the most fresh items.  Open since February 2012, this little cafe is already quite popular with lines of customers waiting to try a fresh French treat. Closest Metro is Potomac Ave.

Safeway Barbecue Battle

2012 marks the 20th year of Safeway bringing great food, music and fun to the streets of the Nation’s Capital. Signaling the beginning of summer, the Safeway Barbecue Battle is one of Washington’s largest and most unique food and music festivals offering the greater DC-area community and visitors a chance to enjoy some of America’s favorite pastimes in the shadow of the Capitol Building.

Adventures in Veganism: Day 1

As I wrote in my introduction post, I am giving veganism a try for a week.  I received my vegan starter kit from Gobble Green fully packed in dry ice, with each meal packaged individually.  Each day comes with breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert and it's own set of instructions for reheating and preparation.  I sorted through and organized each day's meals using the menu provided.

Adventures in Veganism

For a solid 12 years of my young teen through adult life, I was a vegetarian. I did not eat meat of any kind. There was no political or religious motivation for me not eating meat, although I did join the “Save the Animals” club in high school and we watched lots of PETA videos; I simply did not like meat. I did not like the taste, the texture, and so I basically excluded it from my diet. Soon, I lost any kind of interest for meat. I never even had a craving or curiosity. I admit - it was not fun for my family who always had to make a separate meatless dish for me during holiday gatherings, or have to make sure a restaurant menu had a vegetarian dish available for me. But my body got so used to it, that if I even ate something that had beef broth or “seasoning” in it, my stomach would get very upset.

Byblos Deli

Byblos Deli has been a local favorite in Washington DC's Cleveland Park district for over 10 years. Located next to the famous Uptown Theater, Byblos offers a diverse menu of Mediterranean dishes at affordable prices. You'll find chef Marc Adas behind the counter at all hours of the day, making the home made dishes he grew up with in Lebanon. For a real treat, try one of Marc's daily specials - a hearty dish like stuffed peppers or Lebanese meatballs served with rice, a small Greek salad, and pita for only $8.95. Next time you're at the Uptown or the Zoo, or anytime you feel like great Mediterranean food, stop by Byblos! Closest Metro is Cleveland Park.

Ben's Chili Bowl

The first expansion of Ben’s Chili Bowl was in the Washington National’s Park, in 2008. The lines tend to get super long, so plan your attack strategically.  Enjoy a chili half smoke and all of your favorites at the Ben’s stands while watching a game this season. 

Zest Bistro

This neighborhood American bistro "with a twist" is the creation of Capitol Hill resident Amanda Briggs. Amanda and her husband had long dreamed of creating a hip, warm and welcoming space in the neighborhood that caters to the diversity of Hill professionals while remaining friendly and accessible to families. Add great food and exceptional service to the equation and Zest Bistro fills a niche for creative American food on the Hill. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

Blue Smoke

A pioneer in New Yorks' vibrant and growing barbecue scene, Blue Smoke has opened up shop at the Nationals Ballpark right here in Washington, DC. Located next to the Box Frites stand, Blue Smoke's menu offers a selection of regional barbecue styles from across the country including St. Louis, Kansas City, Memphis, Texas, and North Carolina.

Shilla Bakery

Shilla Bakery provides fresh and gourmet pastries, bread, cakes, cookies, bubble tea drinks and other goodies. There are several locations of this casual Korean bakery and cafe in the DMV area. I first visited the one in Annandale (aka Koreatown) with my mother.

Honey Pig

With locations in Annandale and Centreville, VA and Ellicott City, MD, Honey Pig is open 24 hours a day and offers affordable, quality food for people from all different walks of life. Known for its fun, vibrant mixing bowl of all ages and cultures, people can come together to enjoy the finest Korean BBQ in a friendly, techno-beat atmosphere.

Burger Tap & Shake

Sharing the kitchen and keg space with District Commons, the Passion Food Hospitality restaurant known as Burger Tap & Shake is now anchoring the Circle, but takes the casual vibe to whole new realm. Burgers, shakes, fries, drafts, shaketails - they're all here! Using a premium blend of beef chuck and brisket, ground in-house throughout the day, BTS guarantees the best burger in town.  Breakfast is also now available. Closest Metro is Foggy Bottom.

The Sweet Lobby

The Sweet Lobby is the newest bakery to open along Barracks Row in Capitol Hill and features macarons, cupcakes, madeleines, as well as European-style hot chocolate and loose leaf tea. Founded by a brother and sister team with chemical engineering degrees from MIT, the Sweet Lobby takes a more scientific approach to the sweets that have become trendy over the past couple of years. Competing with the big names (Hello Cupcake, Georgetown Cupcake, Crumbs, etc) the Sweet Lobby experiments with a mix of flavors ranging from orange-ginger to green tea-chocolate, in addition to favorites such as red velvet and carrot cake. The Sweet Lobby provides an excitement of treats to satisfy most palettes. Closest Metro is Eastern Market.

At Home: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

Keith loves Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.  So I was not surprised when he sent me a link to one of the blogs he reads regularly with a post referring to easy homemade cups.  No baking required! I did some further research to track down the original recipe and have modified it a bit to make it work with the ingredients I had on hand at the time.  Check out my version of Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups in this next installment of What Micky Eats...At Home. 

Italian Store

The Italian Store caters both pizza and non-pizza needs with fresh whole New York style pies or pizza by the slice as well as sandwiches, a deli case of pasta salads and olives, and a small market area. The market sells fresh mozzarella, select wines, premium olive oils, Italian delicacies, refrigerated pastas and sauce and other treats such as chocolate cookies and cannolis. The authentic hoagie-style sandwiches and slices of pizza make it a prime and popular takeout destination, so be prepared for long lines during lunch hours, especially on the weekends.

Favorite Food Pictures of Spring 2012

My main goal for 2012 was to take more pictures of the food I eat at the many different restaurants I try throughout the year.  Even though I write about my food experiences and specifically list everything I eat, it is helpful to see a visual representation of the food first-hand.  See the first post from back in March.  For the second installment in this series, here is a collection of my favorite food pictures from Spring 2012 (March - April - May).