August Restaurant of the Month in San Diego: Baci Ristorante!

I know I'm a little late on my restaurant of the month for August, but the past two months have been a very busy time for me. I've spent multiple weeks in different parts of California, I moved back to Pennsylvania, and I had a chance to spend an entire week with my family and my oh-so-adorable, so cute-you-can-squeeze-them nephews, Graem and Emmett.  I feel like I'm truly learning the life of a jetsetter/globetrotter! :)  Always on the go and being in a new area almost every week keeps me on my toes! It drives my mom crazy... but it makes life very adventurous.

The restaurant I chose to write about for the month of August is a quaint, off-the-beaten path, little Italian restaurant in San Diego.  I flew in on a Wednesday night from San Francisco and was fortunate enough to have my two great friends, Casee and Joe, able to meet up for dinner! Normally, I don't get to see Joe as he lives in New York, but I just so happened to catch the lovely couple while they were both in the same area.  Joe is your typical awesome Italian from New Jersey... loves his food, speaks his mind, and knows how to treat his friends right! They decided to take me to this Italian place and I was looking forward to it! 

Me with Joe and Casee - we interned together back in 2006 AND I set this cute couple up!!!

Baci Ristorante (http://sandiegobaci.com/) was a small and cozy little nook. It was a tiny place you could see off the highway. When you walk into the waiting area, there are a few pictures of the celebrities that have been there and we were greeted by the matre'd in his full on tux! They put us in a cozy little table, where Joe sat in the middle and looked like he was the luckiest guy in the world next to Casee and I. This was your true, authentic Italian place. Dim lighting, soft music, posh white cushions, and dressed-to-the-nines wait staff.  The menu was simple, yet detailed in their Italian options.

We started off with a Bottle of Riesling, and I was torn between the Lemongrass Chicken and the Sausage and Peppers meal. I just love sausage and peppers - I don't think I could truly ever give up meat because I love that meal too much.  We all started off with an appetizer; I chose the Baci Garden Salad - a rich blend of lettuce, raddichio, fennel, cucumber, tomato, and extra virgin olive oil. For a starter salad, it was a large salad but the ingredients were so crisp that it was the perfect way to begin a true, Italian meal.

Appetizer Salad

I chose the Pollo al Limone as my main course because the simplicity of the ingredients were calling my name. It was soaked in a sauce made from lemon, fresh thyme, and rosemary. Placed next to a pile of fresh asparagus and roasted potatoes, and I'm quite happy with my choice. The chicken was so juicy and tender, cooked to perfection. The asparagus had to be organic, because they had the perfect crunch and they weren't stringy at all. (For those who eat asparagus, you know what I'm talking about.)  The price was fair, considering the size of the meal and the class of the restaurant. Baci Ristorante was very upscale, but charming at the same time.

Pollo al Limone

Spending time with Joe and Casee always means a lot to me. Back in the fall of 2006, we met at our internship program in Washington D.C. I met Joe first and I knew this would be a guy that I would be friends with for a very long time. Shortly after that, I met Casee on a historic walk in Georgetown and we instantly became friends. A couple weeks later, Joe invites me to a house party and I asked him if I could invite a few of my friends. I knew Joe and Case would hit it off, so I extended the invitation to Casee and when she walked into Joe's apartment, he was instantly smitten by this 5'2 sweetheart of a gal!  Ok, back to the food!

Every portion of my meal was amazing, so I had to partake in the dessert options at this little gem of a place.  They had a few options that sounded so delicious, but per my usual, I went with the Creme Brulee. Unlike most restaurants, the dessert portions were more than enough for 2 people. Normally, you get a small sized dessert, but not at Baci Ristorante. As with any true Italian, they make their meals plentiful and their drinks strong. Casee and I split the creme brulee and Joe went with the classic Tiramisu.  Oddly enough, I'm not a fan of Tiramisu. Most Italians think I'm crazy that I don't, but it just doesn't hit my taste buds the right way. Now, Creme Brulee....yum - I could eat that everyday.

My delicious Creme Brulee!

Joe's Tiramisu

All in all, this was a great way to welcome me into San Diego while there for my business travels. San Diego is a gorgeous city, there is nothing about that area I don't like. It's laid back, clean, proper, beautiful, and the food on the West Coast is far above the type of food back east. I appreciate that my friends make time for me, despite my globetrotting ways. And, I love always finding a secret little restaurant with great food and a great ambiance where I can eat and socialize with my great friends.

My First Time at the Howard County Fair!

I grew up going to fairs in Williamsport, the kind where you go and play some games, ride the rides, and have all the unhealthy food your body can handle - funnel cakes, ice cream, gyros, hamburgers, fries, etc! Normal attire at fairs is less than par; you don't necessarily need to match your clothes, do anything with your hair, wear any makeup, and it brings out anyone from the woodwork. Call me harsh, but you all know it's true. You go to a fair and you see it all. 

One thing I haven't seen at a fair is something my friend, Callie, grew up with. I've never seen livestock at a fair, nor have I ever been around the whole 4-H / Cattle Raising / Sheep Grooming / Piglet Cleaning thing.  I'm not what you call a girl that can get down and dirty with the pigs or clean up the animal poop.  I've been friends with Callie since freshman year at Dickinson - ah, 7 years!  She always told me about how she grew up raising pigs and how she was in 4-H. I never could relate to that. I grew up going to basketball camp, playing outside in the pool, and hanging with my family at the beach. To be honest, I don't really remember what I grew up doing in school - probably checking off my chore list every week. OK, but back to the fair. Callie would always tell me about the fair and about all the livestock, but it was really hard for me to comprehend this side of her. The Callie that I know has her ducks in a row, can't stand when there's a mess, wears her pearls and j.crew sweaters, and loves a nice-smelling room. I couldn't see her getting down and dirty with the pigs, but boy was I wrong!

We went to the Howard County fair last Saturday. It was hot and muggy, with a touch of rain here and there. We all know I love food, so I had a mission for the food I wanted to eat while hanging out there. I wanted to try the Glendale's Fries, Lenny's Famous Sausage and Peppers Sandwich, and a Deep-Fried Oreo. Our first fair stop was to go see the pigs! These pigs weren't like the ones in Charlotte's Web. These pigs were huge, smelly, and not the prettiest looking creatures I've ever seen. I think the 2-year old kids around me were at greater ease with the pigs than I was!

The little piglets

We then went over to see the sheep and llamas. The sheep were all different colors, both black and white, but I have to share a picture of the sheep that was getting groomed. I have never seen balls that big on anything...hahaha...

Am I right or am I right? Biggest Balls ever!

Me with the Llama!

The next stop on our fair adventures was to have my appetizer of the day, Glenelg Fries.  Val Littleton highly advised that I get these fries.  I'm not a huge fan of french fries. I often replace fries with a side of veggies, but what they heck, I'm at the fair and I'm going to enjoy them.  The fries came in Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior Size! Since I knew I'd be eating deep fried oreos later on, I opted for the Freshman size. Just the right amount. I ate my fries plain with a little ketchup on them, while Don (Cal's Dad) taught me how to eat fries a new way - he loaded them with Old Bay Seasoning and Vinegar. I don't think I ever heard of Old Bay until I was at Dickinson and met all these people from Maryland. I'm a fan of Don's way of eating fries; they were so good and gave it an extra tangy kick.

Our next stop was to the rides and games area! Callie may disagree with me, but I actually love roller coasters and adventure rides. I grew up going to Knoebel's Grove in PA, and I would always go on all of the crazy rides. For some reason, though, when I got on the swings, I freaked out like a little baby.  The swings were going over a major highway and all my brain pictured was that swing breaking and me landing in the highway. I was like a 4-year-old. No wait, scratch that. The 4-year-old next to me was more calm than I was. Nonetheless, I think I gave Callie and Don a good laugh.

Our next stop was over to the games... Callie was determined to win a goldfish. These fairs know exactly how to con little kids out of money. Maybe that, or maybe I'm just unskilled at winning fish at the fair. You throw the ball and it always goes into the corners ALL the time... it rarely goes into the fish bowl. Callie took the reigns again as she nailed one in and won a goldfish we named Howard (in honor of the Howard County Fair). Who knows if Howard is still alive, but he had a great home for at least a couple of days!

After screaming my guts out like a baby on the swings, I decided it was time for round 2 of my food adventures - bring on the sausage and peppers!  Anyone who knows me (even in the slightest) knows I love my sausage and peppers, and although no one can beat my mom's, I'd have to say that Lenny's Hot Italian Sausage Sandwich with Peppers and Onions was pretty darn amazing. There's no way to describe my love of this meal - it's my favorite - and I enjoy every bite of it! My final food stop of the day was the highly anticipated Deep Fried Oreos! I've never had one before, and knowing that I love oreos, I knew this would be something I would enjoy. Now, I want to preface by saying that I ate healthy all week long in preparation for the fair. I ate tons of veggies, salads, and lean protein just so I could chow down on my fries and oreos and not feel one bit guilty. I don't normally eat food like this at all, but every once in a while, you have to indulge! I ordered two oreos and they were covered in powered sugar. It made me wonder what genius was like "Hey, I'm going to take an unhealthy food and fry it so that it can be even more unhealthy!"...probably some high college kid that hit a goldmine (if you know the origin, please enlighten me). In case you didn't know, the Oreo cookie was developed by Nabisco in 1912, and was commercialized in order to target the British market, whose biscuits were labeled as "too ordinary." I'll always love a good double-stuffed or mint oreo, but I'll definitely take a deep fried one at any chance I can get!

I think that about sums up my time at the Howard County Fair with the Littleton family! I'm no longer a stranger to pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle, but let me tell you, you won't be seeing me getting down and dirty with the livestock ever... just not my scene.  I will say this, though - all of the kids I met that day in the 4-H clubs learn the value of patience, hard work, and dedication at a very early age. Most children these days don't know how to lift a finger, except if it's for the remote to their video games. Some of these kids work within 4-H each year to put themselves through college someday. That's the value of hard work. I was grateful to have seen this side of Callie, since I've known her 7 years now! It goes to show that no matter how long you know a person, we all have a ton of different layers just waiting to be peeled back; and each moment of our past and element of our upbringing leads us to be the people we become!

Reasons Why I Love California

 As many of you know, I'm loving life right now. I still live on the East Coast, but get to enjoy the wonders and pleasures of the Golden State, California, for at least the next year (but hopefully longer!). And all of my closest friends know that whenever I travel, I always have the craziest things happen and the best stories to share. I don't think I've ever come home from a corporate travel empty handed without a good story.  So, in my efforts to remember all the good stories, crazy moments, and the "did that really just happen?" occurrences, I'm going to be starting an on-going blog and writing my stories each weeks.  They'll be simple and to the point, but a good way for me to keep track of all that goes on...  Enjoy the reads!

•  5/27/2011 - What do you get when you have a loud, snoring man on your left, a man with no deodorant on your right, and two screaming babies directly in front of you on a Red Eye flight back to DC?  One miserable Marissa. Nyquil couldn't even knock me out.
• 6/9/2011 -  I decided to switch my flight and leave LA a day earlier than I expected. I was pumped to get home and was glad they got me on an afternoon flight at 1:00 pm. You can imagine my dismay when I got to the gate and we were delayed 90 minutes. Ah, oh well, these things happen. They get us on the plane and we're sitting there for at least an hour before they announced that there was an hydrolauic leak. Great, I would have been halfway home by now.  The captain came on and said we were ready for takeoff - yes!  We leave the gate and head down the tarmac.  Again, we proceed to sit for another hour. We were 2nd in line to takeoff, but had more mechanical difficulties. They took us back to the gate, where I got off the plane and just figured I'd go back to the Hilton. (Well, I couldn't get my luggage, so I was stranded). An hour later, my new friend Omar came back with a tea for me to calm me down because I was so stressed out. They loaded us back on the plane, only to sit for 2 more hours. We finally take off and land at Dulles around 4:30 AM, nearly 5 hours after our original arrival time. To make matters worse, I waited an hour for a cab.  Nothing like getting home at 6 am and starting your work day!
• 6/9/2011 - Saw Kanye West in LAX airport; he was with two big security guards, but I managed to get a head nod and smile out of him.
• 6/25/2011 - Driving with Casee down Pacific Beach, I see a homeless man outside of the man road asking for change in his jar. Without skipping a beat, a green toyota pulls up, and hands this man a Stella beer. Made me say, Did that really just happen?!  Yes it did... Welcome to California.
• 6/26/2011 - I just landed in San Francisco, got in a cab and asked to be taken to my Hilton Hotel. The cab driver takes me to about 2nd Street and proceeds to tell me he can't take me any farther due to the "Naked Gay Pride Parade" and all of the roads being closed down. After much arguing, he pulled over, dropped me off 10 blocks away from my hotel....with two big pieces of luggage....and in the middle of the Ghetto. Talk about a cross breeds of halfway houses, drug dealers, and homelessness. Me and my bright pink bag stuck out like a sore thumb.  To make matters worse, I had to walk through the Gay Pride Parade to get to my hotel. I was looked at like I was an alien because I ACTUALLY had clothes on. Penises were everywhere. Never a dull moment. 
• 6/30/2011 - I was walking around San Francisco, trying to find a place for lunch when I saw this: a young teenager completely showing off skateboarding down a hill in the middle of traffic. In his attempt to seem cool, he does a flip trick and completely falls on his ass, rolling down the hill. I know I shouldn't... but if you're skateboarding down a main street in San Francisco, which happens to be on a hill in the middle of traffic, and you fall down the hill.... I just might laugh. Just a little.
• 7/1/2011 - Flying back to DC, at the San Francisco airport, something a little ridiculous happened. Obviously, we all know I walk a little differently, and there's normally a line for folks who have a disability/injury/etc. I was told to go to that line. I go to the front and the lady looks at me and says, "I'm sorry, but you're not handicapped enough!" .... Um, I'm sorry, is there a VIP checklist with levels of handicap-ness?!
• 7/1/2011 - Going through security line at SFO, I go through the scanners and go to grab my belongings.  A college kid from UC Berkeley is in front of me and he looks at me and tells me his license is missing. He starts to freak out and TSA does NOTHING to help him. I quickly grab my stuff and take him to the bench and start asking people around us if they found a license. 30 seconds later a woman was walking off with his license....on purpose.  TSA was sitting there, so I had to go up to the one guy and tell him to get up and go after that woman. Finally, they caught her and she didn't even deny her actions. Note to self: always watch your belongings.
• 7/11/2011 - After getting a massage at Hotel Monaco, I walk out towards Union Square to hear all this music and singing. I had to check out the scene. To my surprise, in the middle of Union Square, a huge church choir from Dallas, Texas made up of 100 kids were singing gospel music. They knew how to draw a crowd and they broke it down for Jesus. Pretty cool sight to see.  

June Restaurant of the Month #2 - In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out Burger I've had so many opportunities to travel to the west (ahem, best) coast for the past couple of years.  But each time I go, and each time I return home, my friends (especially Mike Roberts) asks in astonishment why I never dined at an In-N-Out Burger.  Most of you who know me, know that I'm not a fast food type of girl. Chipotle is as fast as I'll go. I honestly don't think I've had taco bell in over 10 years and the only time I go to McDonald's is after a late night out with my roommate Caitlin. Something about 2 am McFlurries and $1 Caramel sundaes just makes you so happy!  But, again, when it comes to fast food, it's not my first choice. However, I just had to give In-N-Out Burger a try. After the previous night at Phil's BBQ, Casee and I planned to grab lunch and spend the day at Pacific Beach.  She took me to the In-N-Out Burger in Pacific Beach and I was actually very excited for some of their fast food - my friends have told me amazing things about this burger joint, so I was ready. 

A few things about In-N-Out that surprised me and made me like it 10 times more. 1) As you walk up to the restaurant, they open the door for you and greet like you're a special celebrity or something. Try watching McDonald's do that.  2) In-N-Out Burger is a christian-based company. They had bible scriptures written on the bottom of their cups and fry dishes.  As a fellow Christian myself, I was in awe to see that.  A company that sticks to their "roots" and isn't afraid to be vocal about their belief in God is cool in my book.  Also, you never know when someone might see that scripture and get a little boost.  When I ordered a milkshake and took a look at the bottom of the cup, I had to smile.  The bible verse was Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This is one of my favorites and was just a friendly reminder to always trust in him. 3) Their milkshakes are made with real ice cream and nothing more - so original and so delicious.

My friend, Mike, adequately prepared me with what I should order as a first-timer with In-N-Out. He said, "Keep it simple, Marissa. Order a Double-Double with Fries and a Shake." Guess I had to go with that! I can always count on Mike - he's a solid friend in my life - and whether it's a ride to the metro, learning a new app on the Droid, or helping me choose the best fast food, he's always there. The In-N-Out menu consists of three burger types: hamburger, cheeseburger, and a "Double Double" (double meat and double cheese). The hamburgers come with lettuce, tomato, with or without onions (you can get them fresh or grilled), and a Thousand Island dressing called " the spread".  For those of you who live in CA, you know that it's a federal mandate to put the amount of calories for each meal or side dish on a menu. This is both a good and bad thing.... do I really want to know that my lunch at In-N-Out is over 1000 calories? Yeah, I'd rather not, but at least it prepares me to know how much exercising I need to do. When I placed my order the staff was great and very accommodating to the fact that I was a first time customer. $9 later and I was about to bite into what apparently is the best fast food burger along the West Coast.

Ladies and Gentlemen, that burger was delicious. It was oozing with this amazing sauce and the hamburger patties were cooked to perfection; they did not taste like "Fast-food" burgers, but more like one you could cook on the grill at home. It definitely was quality you can taste; they were quite delicious and fresh. Just like my experience at Phil's BBQ, eating an In-N-Out Burger is a total experience -- you enjoy every bite as the sauce drips on your fingers, leaving you wanting just one more.  The fries were great too, they were the smaller size fries and had just the right amount of salt (at least for me!).  And, finally, the milkshake.... Again, I'm a big fan of ice cream and milk shakes, although I don't eat them often. This milkshake was awesome because it was pure ice cream, no other fake ingredients or added sugar. I went with a solid chocolate, but you are able to mix flavors if you so choose. It was just pure, great ice cream melted to a perfect blend for drinking a shake. It was a great finale to my fast food dining experience.

I had to wear the welcome hat!! 

All in all, I was really glad that I caved in and gave up counting calories for day and tried the infamous In-N-Out Burger. I think it's important to eat this type of food in small doses, but every once in a while, it's nice to throw the diet out the window and enjoy a burger and fries. Also, who knew that while eating lunch, I'd get my daily dose of Jesus at the same time?! It's a win-win! I will definitely be back to this place while I venture out West, and I'll look forward to being greeted with a smile as I proudly order a double-double!

June Restaurants of the Month in San Diego!

Phil's BBQ and In-N-Out Burger!

Phil's BBQ
My adventures in California have taken me to areas I've always wanted to see and some that I hope to never have to visit again.  The past two weeks I traveled to 7 different areas of California in a 9 day period -- San Francisco, Orange County, Irvine, San Diego, La Jolla, Davis, and Woodland.  Boy, I was exhausted. In and out of hotel rooms, constantly hauling luggage around, and of course, trying to find the best places to eat while I traveled to each new spot.  This past corporate travel I had the opportunity to see a dear friend of mine, Casee Kulp; we interned together in Washington DC back in 2006! My, how time flies.  It's funny to see where life takes those that you hold near and dear to your heart.  5 years later and I'm still in Washington DC, whereas Casee blazed a new trail and moved out West to one of the most beautiful areas, San Diego.  Needless to say when I found out that 50% of my corporate travel would be in San Diego, I was elated. I get to work in a beach town? Heck yes! 

I was able to stay in La Jolla - a beautiful town just outside of San Diego. Casee and I made plans to hang out and see each other, since the last time we really had a chance to get together was more than a year ago!  Knowing that I am a lover of all foods, she had the idea of taking me to the famous Phil's BBQ, a restaurant where the line is so long, that it spans outside the restaurant and around the corner.  Phil's BBQ appeared on the ever-so-popular, Man VS Food, so I knew this was going to be a place I would like.  We got there on a Friday night around 7:30ish and the line was definitely around corner.  Casee reassured me the food is worth the wait.  Honestly, the line didn't seem that long - I think it took us about 50 minutes, but when I asked what I should order, I got a solid response of "Baby Back Ribs and a side of Onion Rings" - no excuses.   Everything on the menu looked so good...what if I wanted a pulled pork sandwich? What if I wanted boneless ribs? Nope, all or nothing. Full on Baby Back Ribs. 

The interesting part about this restaurant is you stand in line and then place your order.  I decided to go with the Half Baby Back Ribs with a side of steamed vegetables.  Don't worry, as my "welcome to San Diego gift," Casee ordered us a side of onion rings.  While I travel, since I eat out all the time, I try to do what I can to eat healthy and incorporate as many vegetables as I can.  Once we placed our order, we looked for a table hoping to find one! Casee and I landed one right next to the fireplace and waited for our meals.  About 6 quick minutes later, my buzzer goes off and there are my baby back ribs, looking so delicious I almost felt like heaven's lights were shining down on them.  Drenched in sauce, perfect temperature, I couldn't wait to dig in.   

My Meal!

The first bite of these baby back ribs were beyond anything I could have imagined. The meat literally melted right off of the bone - I licked those bones dry, haha, and I didn't leave one ounce of meat. (My grandmother would have been proud!) Eating baby back ribs always makes me laugh - there is nothing classy or sophisticated about them. Thankfully, I was with Casee who didn't care if I ate like a 4-year-old and had sauce all over my mouth. I could fully dive in without holding back. Along with ribs, there are a few other foods I would never eat on a first date - corn on the cob and watermelon are two of them. Apparently, I'm a sloppy watermelon eater; and my mom always warned me against not eating watermelon while trying to impress a guy.  Although, on my mom and stepdad's first date, Roger ordered baby back ribs and didn't care one bit. That screams confidence and maybe that's why my mom fell for him in the first place. Sorry, I digress. Back to the food.   

Me eating my ribs

I don't know how one describes ribs, per say.  They were perfectly tender, soft, and drenched in amazing BBQ sauce. No wonder this was on Man VS Food!  There's not much to report on the steamed vegetables - they were very colorful and were sort of my way to justify me gorging out on ribs and onion rings. :) Now, onto the onion rings. I'm normally not a big fan of them in general; they always fall apart, are way too fried, or the onion is undercooked.  But Phil's BBQ onion rings.... oh boy... there is and will never be any competition.  They tasted like they were fried almost in a donut-like dough, as they had an element of sweetness to them.  The best part was after one bite, they didn't fall apart; they stayed in tact and were so delicious. Also, for a girl who dislikes small portions, Phil's BBQ didn't let me down - the onion rings were bigger than the size of a donut.  Every bite of my meal was worth the near-hour wait, and every second I got to spend with Casee was appreciated and valued.  We enjoyed a good old fashioned, excellent, comforting meal while strengthening our friendship and catching up on life. 

The best part about my time in San Diego is that it won't end.  For the next year at least, I'll be traveling down there around once or twice a month.  Each time I go, I plan on visiting a new restaurant, seeing more of the beautiful sites, and spending quality time with my friends.

Next Stop: In-N-Out Burger...

May Restaurant of the Month in San Francisco -- Prospect!

PROSPECT: a simple 2-syllable word with depths of meaning. As part of our common-day vernacular, one might use this term in regards to a "probability or chance for future success," or perhaps as "a vision of the future; positive expectation".  All things considered, whether as a verb or noun, this word beams of positivity, which is why this makes an impeccable name for a restaurant in the heart of San Francisco.  With so many phenomenal restaurants in the Bay area gathering 5-star ratings, no wonder it's of utmost value to name your restaurant with a word that embodies the idea of success. 

As you may or may not know, I have started on a new contract with IBM out in California and I couldn't be more excited. Knowing that I love all things relating to the state of California, I think it's pretty safe to say I have continuous positive expectations of what's to come with my time traveling to the West Coast.  Nonetheless, it was my second day on the project and my program executive ordered a Team Dinner at one of the Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area!  After a day in the office, all 12 of us took a leisurely walk to Prospect, located just a few blocks away from the financial district.  This restaurant is a true statement of chic, savvy, and posh.  With its loft-like features such as wrought iron light fixtures, tall open windows, and earthy, serene tones, this place is sure to be a segway into relaxation mode after a hard day's work.

The ambiance of this restaurant is very welcoming.  We were instantly seated in a long table in the middle of the restaurant; it was great to feel like we were a part of the restaurant.  So often with upscale restaurants, when a large party comes in, you're put to the "side" or in a special "nook" of the restaurant. Not with Prospect - us 12 amazing IBMers where seated in the midst of the yuppies and business men and women who were out for a casual cocktail or dinner. We were greeted by two great waitresses who took our drink orders. It was hard to choose one, but I ended up being sold on the Pompelmo Frizzante - a refreshing drink made with vodka, sparkling wine, grapefruit, vanilla and lemon. Others around me enjoyed a glass of wine or a martini on the rocks, while some enjoyed virgin cocktails, too! It was safe to say there was an option for every one's beverage preference.

I normally do not have many opportunities to go to restaurants like Prospect, whether in DC or on my corporate travels, but my interest was instantly peaked once I read the options on the menu.  Crispy Pig Trotters? Beef Tongue Carpaccio? Roasted Quail? What did I get myself into?!  I think it's a fair statement to say I have an adventurous palette like my mom. I'll try anything...well, almost anything, at least one time. For the appetizer, I decided to order the Crispy Crabcake – 2 small crabcakes adorned with tomatillo, bacon, spring onion aioli, and tempura scapes. At just around $14, these were probably the most delicious crabcakes I've had to date. I know the Marylanders out there might argue with me, but these were pretty fabulous and baked to perfection.  That was the simple part of my appetizer. Due to the overabundance of generosity my coworkers display, I had the opportunity to try octopus and shaved pigs head for the first time. Yes, you read that right - shaved pig's head! Now, I love a good piece of bacon or pork chops just like the rest of us, but never in a million years did I think I would try shaved pigs head.  The octopus was surprisingly tasty - it was a mildly flavored seafood that was soft and fresh.  But when my boss offered up a try of the Crispy Pig Trotters, I just had to say yes. This starter was shaved pig’s head with roasted peanuts, crunchy shallot, chili vinaigrette, and lime aioli.  I was a little hesitant, but it tasted just like prosciutto. I found out they take a pigs head and de-bone it, mold it, cure it and then shave a piece off. The trotter is the pigs forearm, which was great, too, but I was more a fan of the pig's head. I definitely made my mom proud by venturing out on a limb with my food habits.  But that's what life is about, trying things that are out of your comfort zone and blazing new trails.   

Shaved Pig's Head

Crispy Crabcakes

The wait time in between the starters and the main course was minimal, or at least it seemed that way with all of the conversations between my coworkers.  We are a talkative bunch!   When it came time to decide what I was going to eat for my dinner, I was toying between the Roasted Duck and the Salmon only because I've never had duck before.  The ONLY thing keeping me from the duck was the fact that it was adorned with olives. Call me crazy because I know I'm Italian, but I dislike olives. They are the one food I cannot eat.  So, I settled on the Wild King Salmon, made with fava beans, farro verde, braised artichokes, and drizzled with fava  leaf vinaigrette. Salmon is probably my most favorite seafood, so I knew this was going to hit the spot. To be completely honest, the salmon was a smaller portion than what I'm normally used to, but the meal was satisfying. The salmon was cooked to perfection and melted right in your mouth like hot butter. The braised artichokes were tangy and refreshing, too! I love artichokes so this was the perfect addition to my main course.  All of the meals had beautiful presentation and were cooked just right. All in all, the menu options matched the diversity that inhabits this beautiful city.

Wild King Salmon

Of course, it doesn't stop there.... we all I know I HAVE to get a dessert especially when I dine at such a modern, unique restaurant in a new area!  There were so many different options to choose from; with desserts such as Petit Smores, Sweet Ricotta Doughnuts, and Ice Cream Sandwiches, I felt like Prospect was calling out the kid inside of me, while keeping it upscale and posh at the same time. I'm not afraid to admit that I got very excited about the ice cream sandwiches.  Those were the best as a kid...nothing like eating one of those on a hot summer day after a long day at the playground.  Now, 20-some odd years later, and ice cream sandwiches still have the same appeal, just with a little more sophistication.  These were not your typical ice cream sandwiches, though - they were filled with raspberry ice cream and the chocolate exterior was more of a hardened shell. Mmmmm. Delicious! My other coworker, John, was kind enough to get the Sweet Ricotta donuts so I could at least try one or two....or three.  Not only were the donuts warm and savory, but they had a raspberry and chocolate sauce for the donuts, too!  Doughnuts like these put Dunkin' Doughnuts and Krispy Kreme to shame. 

Sweet Ricotta Filled Donuts!

Raspberry-filled Ice Cream Sandwiches!

This was a great way to start my week off in San Francisco, as well as break me into the various tastes and foods that are in the city. I've been told that San Francisco is THE place for the "foodie" in me and I can't wait to try more. Prospect definitely has an A+ rating in my book.  Between the exotic foods, delicious cocktails, enthusiastic wait staff and sophisticated décor, you can't go wrong. Whether you're looking for a hip place to have a few drinks or an upscale dinner, this place is sure to satisfy your palette.

April Restaurant of the Month - Pizzeria Orso!

I think trying a new restaurant has definitely been my favorite on-going goal that I've had to accomplish each month. It gets me out of the rut of not only going to the same restaurants, but also trying new types of food, too.  Also, it gives me a chance to strengthen my friendships and have quality time with some of the wonderful people in my life.  The restaurant for the month of April is a review of a food that we all love - Pizza!  It's nothing over the top, but Pizza can be a comfort food to many. Or, a food when you're on the go, but want something filling and yummy (not just greasy fries from a fast food restaurant). My friend, Callie, mentioned to me a great little pizzeria in the heart of Falls Church, so we decided to go there and try it out!  Now, most of you know that I actually don't eat dairy or gluten (I'm not highly allergic, I just think it's healthier to keep these to a minimum) - so pizza isn't exactly the best food for me to eat, BUT I had to make an exception for this highly-rated wood-fired pizzeria!

Pizzeria Orso is known as a casual dining restaurant with traditional neopolitan pizza. It is quite a charming place, filled with hues of yellow, red, and oranges. Very bright decor - which I love, because we all know I LOVE bright colors. We were greeted and seated immediately. I'd have to say my first observation was that this restaurant definitely caters to families. There were kids everywhere. My first thought was "please don't sit us next to these kids". (Hmmm...I see a little of my mom in me more and more!) The last time I was in a restaurant that was inundated with families probably would date back to the best Italian place in all of Williamsport, called The Villa.  I mean, let's be real, Washingtonians in my age range don't exactly go to family-friendly restaurants all the time. No, we're all about the newest lounges were you can get overpriced cocktails, appetizers, and sit in comfy white lounge chairs while you discuss things like how much you miss college, how life is so "expensive", and how the jerk on the metro wouldn't stop breathing heavy on you or something ridiculous like that. Or, on the contrary, we like the bars - ones with lots of TVs, where our minds can be so over-stimulated with sports, or ones that have the best happy hour deals ($2 drinks - heck yes!). I mean, you don't exactly see 4-yr-olds running around these DC hot-spots.

They sat us at a cute table and our waitress came over to give us menus. I rarely eat pizza, maybe once a year, so this was going to be a treat for me. The menu had a wide variety of food, such as neapolitan pizza, antipasti, house made charcuterie, fried appetizers, desserts and, of course, a plethora of wine and beer to choose from.  I'm a big fan of restaurants that use food and ingredients from local markets - it's fresher and saves everyone money, while helping local Ma & Pa businesses. Pizzeria Orso's pizzas are served unsliced, and finished with olive oil, and the mozzarella is locally produced by Blue Ridge Farms in Leesburg, VA. At just around $15, I ordered the Verdure Pizza, made with tomato, mozzarella, onion, crimini mushroom, peppers, basil, eggplant, capers (hold the capers, please!).

Me with my Pizza

The Verdure Pizza!

I loved this Pizza - it had all my favorite ingredients piled high with an excellent crust and perfect amount of cheese. What's even better for us nutrition freaks (like Me!) is that it's not this overly enormous pizza. It's just the right size to get your fix but not feel like you have to go hike the Appalachian mountains to make up for it. Plus, I've got my veggies and calcium, right? Let's just not talk about all the bread involved :).  This pizza was delicious and I don't really know how to word this, but it was very easy to eat.  Do you ever have a pizza where the cheese falls off in one big sheet? Or, the sauce is so overpowering that it ruins the crust? Well, this was not. Every bite had the perfect blend of cheese, sauce, savory crust, and veggies. Of course, like every other American out there, I thought I'd for sure eat half and box the rest up. Yeah, that didn't happen. 7 slices in and my grandmother would have been beyond proud that I left my plate looking like it came right out of the dishwasher.  Growing up, my mom never let us leave the table unless we were done. My poor brother would shove food in his cheeks for HOURS just so he could leave the table (oh the good ol' days of being a kid!).  But, the pizza was SOOOO good that I just had to savor every bite and finish the entire thing.  The great thing was the portion was a medium size - it wasn't like a pizza you order from Papa John's or anything.  It was small enough to eat in one sitting (Yes, this is me justifying the fact that I finished a whole pizza).

Callie's Pizza - The Crudo

Additionally, Callie ordered a very yummy pizza, The Crudo, a pizza made with tomato, mozzarella, basil, arugula, Grana Padano, and prosciutto di Parma.  The combination of cheeses was superb and the added flavor of the prosciutto gave this pizza an extra kick.  Depending on your pizza style, there's definitely an option for you at Pizzeria Orso.  I love my pizza with tons of veggies and cheese, but if you choose to have a classic, more traditional pizza, you can have that, too! Overall, for the pizza alone, Callie and I both gave it a two thumbs up and we want to go back there again.

...Now, of course it doesn't stop there. I had to indulge a little in the desserts, too.  When I choose to write about a restaurant, I have to give my readers the full review from entree to dessert.  Not to mention, who doesn't love a little excuse to eat something sweet after a meal? There were about four different desserts on the menu, but the one that was most intriguing to me was the Lemon Doughnuts filled with Nutella.  1) I secretly love donuts. I don't always have them, but when I do it's a nice treat. 2) Lemon flavor is one of my favorites - so refreshing, tangy, and sweet! Furthermore, the waitress raved about these lemon doughnuts, so I had to try it out!  A cute little canoe-shaped plate came out with three warm mini-donuts, stuffed and topped with Nutella icing and sprinkled with powder sugar. THEY WERE DELICIOUS! They were so mouth-watering good, completed melted in your mouth. I've never really had a dessert like this before. Normally, I'll have a piece of cake or creme brulee, but never Lemon Doughnuts!

Overall, I was a big fan of this little pizzeria.  It's great if you're looking for something quick, inexpensive, yummy, and moderately healthy. I recommend Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church, VA. Next time you want a piece of pizza, grab a friend and head on down to this little secret hideaway!

Goal #4: See my Father -- Check!!

Wow... honestly, I thought this was the goal that wouldn't get accomplished this year. Not to be rude to my father, but he isn't the greatest on follow-through. (You know it's true, Dad!). I can't tell you how many times we had "planned" a visit to see each other only to be canceled at the last minute for some obscure reason.  So when I first chose this as a goal of mine, not only did everyone think I was crazy, but I told my father about it over the holidays.  Had to give that man enough prep time. He had 12 whole months to get his act together and make it happen! :) It wasn't one I was going to stress over, though.  If it happened, then great. If not, life still goes on.

For those of you who know me well, you know that I don't exactly have the picture perfect relationship with my father. My mom raised us on her own, and I've really only met him once during my adult life.  We first met when I was 19 years old in sunny Florida. That was an interesting experience to say the least. A lot of emotions run through you when you realize someone so critical to your life missed out on so much.  Seven years had past since our first visit, and I had figured it was a good time to see each other again, but little did I know it would happen on a whim. My dad is like an energizer bunny and a ghost combined (His favorite line - Often imitated, but never duplicated - that's a good thing! ha!).  He flies from city to city and you can't keep track of where he's going next.  I think it's safe to say that I have certain aspects of his personality - the love of travel, the adventuresome spirit, the on-the-go mentality, and the ability to charm the heck out of anyone. Two weekends ago, I was in Pittsburgh visiting my sister, brother-in-law, and the two CUTEST little nephews ever. I know, I'm biased....but, I'm there Aunt and I'm allowed to be :).  See pictures below....

Me and Graem, my 2-yr-old nephew!

Me and Emmett, my 4 month old nephew!

While in Pittsburgh, I received a call from my Dad saying he was doing business in Ohio and he wanted to do dinner with me and my sister. I was a little skeptical at first that it would actually happen, but figured that these opportunities don't come around that often (since he lives in Florida), so I thought it was best to go see the old man! I'm a happy-go-lucky person and I've forgiven my Dad for not being there for me.  At the end of the day, I am the woman I am because of my upbringing and my stricter-than-life mom (love you, Mom!). I don't hold any grudges or bitterness. To me, there's no point. God hands you circumstances for a reason and I ended up just a-okay in life.

My sister and I took a mini-road trip and met my father in the hoppin' city of Youngstown, Ohio (insert sarcasm here), about an hour from Pittsburgh. [Side Note: I rented the 2011 Hyundai Sonata to get there - SWEET car!]  I realized I'm SUCH a city girl now.... Youngstown has all of a few stop lights and restaurants, with men named Billy-Bob whose goatees are longer than my hair.  Not really my style.   We went to the highest-rated seafood restaurant in all of Youngstown. It was a cute place and we met my dad and had drinks by the bar in the first part of our visit. My dad looked great. He looked healthy and still had memories of all his old stories...even some crazy ones about times when my mom and him were together back in the day! We caught up on life, and all that we were doing over the past few years. I think I shocked my dad at first.... 10 minutes into our aperitifs, I was like, "Can we get dinner now? I'm hungry..."  I wasn't trying to rush, but my stomach was a-growlin'! He told me I was a bossy kid... guess that hasn't changed too much now that I'm older :). The man was smart enough to order an appetizer, so I could fill my stomach without getting cranky.  What can I say, my less-than-perfect patience and my demanding personality must come from my Mom....

While at dinner, I felt like my sister saw heaven's gates open up.  She hadn't had an alcoholic beverage in three years due to having two kids.  She was quite content to have a few cocktails on Dad's dime. ;)  Dinner was great, though, and all in all, the visit couldn't have gone better.  We reminisced, talked about life, love, and the pursuit of happiness, and Dad was sure to throw in a few of his jokes here and there.  I know it meant a lot to him that Marci and I took the time to go see him. Who knows when that next time will be, but I was glad I went to see him and was able to get a few nice pictures of us together.  I mean, he is partially responsible for my good looks, so I have to kind of thank him for that right?! .....haha, just joking!

At the end of the day, we all have to make choices and decisions that allow us to be at peace with ourselves when we lay our head down at night. I knew making the effort to go see him was the right thing to do and I'm happy with my choice. I'm glad my sister and I could give my Dad a reason to smile for that short time having dinner with him.

 

For those of you wondering: here are the goals that I have left.  I'm doing pretty darn well, if I must say so myself. It's at the end of the first quarter, and I'm more than halfway there!

1. Volunteer at least 40 hours to a Children's Organization
2. Go Skydiving 
3. Learn how to shoot a gun at a shooting range - (This is in the works; tickets are bought, I just need to schedule it!)
4. Ask one guy out that I would totally be scared to approach.
5. Write one Children's story
6. Participate in the Warrior Dash - coming up in three short weeks!

Goal #6: Eat Atomic Wings at Quaker, Steak, and Lube -- Check!

 

I know it may be hard to believe, but I think this was the goal I was most afraid that I wouldn't be able to accomplish. Jump out of a plane someday - piece of cake. Run in a 3 mile mud-infused Warrior Dash - got that in the bag. But eat a half of dozen atomic wings at just around 200,000 Scoville Units - no way! I was petrified; I saw man vs. food where Adam tried the challenge and he was sweating bullets. I thought if he barely scraped by, how am I going to accomplish this?  I love food and I was raised on hot peppers canned by my mom, but wings made with the ghost pepper was a scary thought!

The atomic wings are the signature wing at Quaker, Steak, and Lube, a restaurant located in the heart of Pittsburgh, PA. It was nice to have that location because my two adorable nephews are in Pittsburgh, so it was so good to be able to see them and accomplish my goal at the same time. For those of you who are unfamiliar with QS&L, the restaurant is known for its chicken wing hot sauce flavors; the Atomic flavor is sold individually in a dropper bottle sealed in a childproof container.  Even the chefs have to wear gloves when preparing the wings, because the burn on your fingers can be extensive. I know, I'm crazy. Why would I put myself through this torture?! Customers must sign a liability waiver before ordering the Atomic wings, freeing Quaker Steak from any liability. I repeat, I'm crazy! :)

My sister, brother-in-law, and two nephews all sat down for wings this past Friday night.  We started off with a bucket of the Arizona Ranch wings.  On the level of "hotness" they're at the middle tier. I wanted to at least enjoy my wings before signing my life over to the world of the ghost peppers.  I had about 10 Arizona Ranch, and then it was time for the doom and gloom.  One order of Atomic wings please!  

Our waiter brought out a half of dozen wings, all coated in 200,000 Scoville Units of way too hot peppers. I was a bit nervous, but knew I had to dig right in. Accomplishing this challenge required a strategy. We all know, as consultants, we excel in strategy. I had to have my hair pulled book. I had to eat the wings without stopping; I barely wanted to take time to sip water in between, because that would just make it worse.

I started with the first wing, pretty much ate that wing in one bite - piece of cake! I went onto the second one and kept my momentum in the fast-paced eating. By the third one, the sweat beads started to form and the heat started hitting my throat.  I took about 4 sips of water throughout the entire challenge.  My sister broke out her paparazzi camera and was all about this. She was snapping pictures left and right....of course, how sexy can one be while consuming wings made with ghost peppers?!?

Needless to say, I could have easily gone on the Travel Channel's, Man VS. Food, and challenged the head honcho.  I ate all 6 Atomic wings within 7 minutes, and received my name on the "Wall of Fame" and a super cool bumper sticker!

...It turns out that Quaker, Steak, and Lube has now obtained a Triple Atomic wing, made at close to 500,000 Scoville Units. That will be on my list for 2012! Have to go one step at a time! :)

Celebrating My Quarter-Life Triumph!

Many of you know I recently celebrated my 25th birthday on this past April Fool's Day. It was a blast turning 25 and unlike most, I'm actually excited about my year of being 25!  Everyone calls your 25th year the "Quarter-Life Crisis."  I don't see the point in that, honestly.  I'm a big proponent of positive thinking and that your thoughts and words dictate your life. Why would I want to label a year of my life as a crisis? Instead, I'm calling it the quarter-life triumph. I don't know if there's something I necessarily want to "triumph" over, but I do know it's going to be an excellent year and I have little goals to accomplish along the way. One thing I wish everyone could experience everyday is the amount of love and happiness they experience on their actual day of birth.  People come out of the wood-work to wish you a happy birthday. I think I heard from people that I haven't talked to since the second grade, folks that I didn't even knew remembered my name.  But, nonetheless, between the phone calls/emails/tweets/facebook messages and posts/emails, I received a lot of birthday lovin'.

My birthday celebrations were simple, yet crazy...just how I like it!  My most favorite part was having dinner with 8 of my closest girlfriends at a charming restaurant called Tonic in downtown DC. Being surrounded by my friends meant a lot to me, and it made me realize how grateful I am to have such amazing, encouraging friends in my life. I think it's safe to say that it is hard meeting women that you want to be friends with - us girls can get so caddy and competitive. But being at dinner with all of my friends, both from Dickinson and people I've met here in DC just meant a lot to me.  After dinner, we went to my most favorite place in Dupont - Lucky Bar!  I love Lucky Bar, it's my favorite place. It's just so much fun there and everyone has a good time dancing there.  Not to mention the eye candy can be plentiful :). All in all, I felt like my birthday was a ton of fun. We danced till 2 am and had a crazy good time!

So thanks to all of my friends and family that made my birthday so special! Cheers to an amazing year ahead of us!

March Restaurants of the Month - Kramerbooks and Tara Temple!

Okay, so I'm on a roll with trying new restaurants.  In the month of March alone, I think I've tried 4 new places in the DC/VA area along with new hot spots on my corporate travels through Seattle and LA.  I love food and I love finding the little hole-in-the-wall spots that have an element of charm and flair to them.  For the month of March, I've decided to do a review of two completely different restaurants.  It's just another example of how I'm an overachiever at times - so, ladies and gentlemen, you're not getting ONE restaurant for the month of March, you're getting TWO! :)

First Restaurant of the Month: Kramerbooks & Afterwords
Washington, D.C - Dupont Circle

I had never heard of Kramerbooks until a recent friend of mine suggested it as a good dinner place in Dupont Circle. As a fellow Washingtonian, we are aware that any place worth knowing about is through word-of-mouth.  It was last Friday and I wanted to go out in Dupont, but also wanted to have dinner with two of my close friends, Mike and Stacy.  We all have drastically different schedules, so it's nice to sit down and catch up once and a while over good food and delicious cocktails. Kramerbooks is a cultural hot spot located in the heart of Dupont Circle; a go-to place for the yuppies of Washington D.C.  It is literally located within a book store, and not a situation where you have a Seattle's Best coffee to the side.  People hover around some of the most eclectic book topics I've ever seen as they wait for their name to be called at this local gem.  We waited about 30 minutes for our table, but it wasn't so bad knowing we had a plethora of books to keep us entertained.

We sat down at this little table; it was sort of a neighborly place.  Everyone was seated close together that it felt like a small-knit community. This place had a sense of warmth and coziness to it - the dim lighting, intellectual conversations, and over abundance of cloth hats and scarves made it known that it's a place for stimulating conversation with young intellectuals.  We were greeted by our waitress, April, who gave us a drink menu and ran down the list of specials.  I started off with the Real Espresso Martini, a delicious combination of vanilla vodka, brewed espresso, Kahlua, and Frangelico.  It was late and I knew I needed a drink that would give me a little extra boost to get me through the night.  (Hey, this isn't college anymore; working all week exhausts me!).  The drink was a very rich, smooth cocktail and is a must-have for coffee lovers. Stacy ordered an amazing glass of white wine; I think it was a Sauvignon Blanc.  It was so good that she went to Total Wines that same weekend to find it in the store.  Mike was the adult of the group and just stuck with water. :)

Now in regards to our meals, there was a wide variety of different dishes to choose from, all within the $20-$30 range, which is pretty reasonable for the heart of Dupont.  Much to my surprise, the waitress recommended getting any dish with seafood since it's brought in fresh everyday.  I was torn between two salads, and the waitress recommended the Crab, Tomato & Avocado Salad, which was jumbo lump crab cake, sliced California avocados and tomatoes, over market greens and red onions drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil and balsamic dressing. I love seafood, so I was very excited when my salad came with a nice portion of crab meat.  It was a simple, clean, healthy salad - the avocados and tomatoes were perfectly seasoned and the dressing added just enough sweet and tangy to the crab meat.  It's appearance was exquisite.  It was a good-size meal, but I wouldn't say I was exactly full after my meal, but that's okay since the meal had a lot of other great qualities.  My friend, Mike, I think made the best choice by his Smoked Pork Cuban Sandwich.  At just around $15, he had a great portion of slow-smoked porked, pulled from the bone and piled onto a grilled baguette.  It was layered with aged gouda (that's enough to say yum already), aioli, prosciutto and pickled jalapenos. With that, he got a nice side of market greens and "dirty" rice and beans, made with black beans, sausage, bacon, garlic, onion, and red peppers. He labeled the meal as "delicious" and I'd have to add that I tried a little of the pulled pork and it was delectable and extremely tasty. And, last but not least, my friend Stacy got the Lobster dish with a side of mac & cheese and succotash.  Unfortunately, her lobster was sub-par, and seemed to be very bland.  It was a huge amount of lobster, but was not appropriately adorned with the right fixings.  When you order lobster, you expect great things, so I'm not surprised by the disappointment.

My jumbo crab meat salad!

Mike's Cuban Pork Sandwich

Stacy's Lobster dish

I think, overall, Mike and I give Kramerbooks a 4 out of 5 stars, while Stacy might come out at more of a 3 stars out of 5.  The location was perfect for fellow Dupont Circle-ers and was a nice mix up from the upscale lounges.  This is that perfect place if you still want to go "out" on a Friday night, but want something a bit more low-key with a little bit of flair!

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Second Restaurant of the Month: Tara Temple
Arlington, VA - Ballston

I found out about Tara Temple through Bloomspot, a company which delivers unique offers for spas, restaurants, and bars in the Washington D.C. area.  It's like a groupon, but better because their offers for restaurants are for 3 or 4-course meals.  Their motto at Bloomspot is "Live Life Better," and I can say without a doubt that I've done that every time I purchase a voucher from them.  I received a voucher for $60 towards a three-course meal at Tara Temple, a trendy Thai restaurant located in the heart of Arlington, VA. I love Thai food and ever since I've lived in Virginia, I've grown to appreciate authentic Thai. It's a pretty common category of food here in the area, so it's important to stake out a good spot!

I went to Tara Temple on Sunday evening after attending an amazing ballet with my friend, Stacy.  She treated me to the ballet, so I treated her to dinner, haha!  I'm so blessed to have the friends I do.  Tara Temple is adorned with true, authentic decor - it's red lounge benches and spunky chandeliers make this a great place for happy hours or a fun date night.  We started off our three-course meal with a glass of wine for Stacy and a vodka club soda for me.  Long gone are the days of wine for me....finding out I was allergic to it was a sad day! For our appetizers, I ordered the Crying Tiger steak and Stacy ordered the Pork Gyoza, which are dumplings steamed in a spicy ra-yu ponzu.  The crying tiger steak was delicious - phew, did it have a kick to it!! It was spicy, but so good and cooked to perfection!  The steak was moist and savory.  Stacy's pork dumplings were steamed to perfection and quite tasty as well.  Our appetizers arrived within a timely fashion, which earns big brownie points from me.  I hate waiting for food; being Italian, patience is not my strong suit... it's something I'm working on, but it is a hard task.  My mom might have passed down a variety of traits to me like intelligence, beauty, tenacity, and hootspa, but patience was not one of them!

Pork Dumplings!

Crying Tiger Appetizer

For our second course, the main entree, I ordered the classic Thai dish, the "Drunken Noodle."  A delectable dish of  wide flat noodles stir-fried with tomatoes, onions, red and green bell peppers, and chicken drenched in a spicy Thai basil sauce.  For fellow Thai-food lovers, the Drunken Noodle dish is a staple; it's a great way to test if the Thai food is authentic and savory.  This dish was a hit in my book and boy, did it clear out your sinuses.  It was a SPICY dish, one of those where you feel like your nose will run, but it was oh-so-good!  Besides the quality of ingredients in this dish, this was a perfectly-sized meal for the girl who's not afraid to eat.  As you know from my previous reviews, big portions earn big brownie points for me!  Now, you can order the Drunken Noodle with either chicken, shrimp, beef or vegetarian (which is tofu).  I ordered it with the chicken and it was cooked to perfection!  Stacy ordered the stir fry with spicy fresh Thai basil, chili and garlic sauce.  Both dishes had enough "kick" to them... I felt like if a spirit lived inside of me, it would have come out due to the intensity of the heat, haha!  Also, both dishes gave us a perfect amount of food while staying true to Thai authenticity. From the spices, to the ingredients, to the mixture of it all, these dishes were sure to please those who find Thai food to be a signature staple in their palette.

Drunken Noodles...yeah!!

Stacy's Thai Basil Dish

Finally, for the dessert we split the Caramel Apple Cake, which came with side of chocolate ganache.  It was a very simple and yummy dessert but I could have done without the frozen apples in the cake.  They should have either been warmed or taken out of the cake completely.  Biting into a mouth-watering piece of cake can be instantly dissatisfying when you bite into a frozen, unbearably cold piece of apple.  Although delicious, they should warmed the apples next time!

The Caramel Apple Cake

Overall, I think Stacy and I would give Tara Temple a 4 stars out of 5.  The service was timely, the dishes were plentiful, and the food was authentic and appetizing. The location was incredibly easy to get to as well, and the decor of this place made it easy to see how the transition can go from a casual dinner to an upscale lounge.