When It Rains, It Pours...

And when it snows, you eat ice cream.

At least, that seemed to be the modus operandi of many people on Lee Road tonight. Tonight we had dinner at Mekong River, but I'm going to leave that for another post. After dinner, we headed over to Sweetie Fry - which isn't very far from the Cedar-Lee Theater. We'd driven past the storefront a few times, and had seen a Sweetie Fry cart in Coventry during the summer, so it was time to stop in.

Sweetie Fry was busier than I thought an ice cream shop would be on a frigid night in Cleveland. There were two families seated in the dining area, and another couple who had just left before we ordered. Sweetie Fry serves up ice cream made on site (you can actually watch them making it) and if you're not quite in the mood for something cold, they've also got fries of the potato, sweet potato, and funnel cake variety.

There were samples of the funnel cake fries on the counter, which we gladly sampled. These too, were made on site and so soft and yummy that I took a second sample. They also had a cup full of their salted caramel sauce for tasting, complete with sample spoons (no fingers, naturally). I should have dipped the funnel cake fry in the caramel, but didn't.

Sweetie Fry had several flavors on hand (Mango Sorbet, Goat Cheese with Honey and Pecans and a Strawberry Sour Cream, to name a few) so it was very hard to decide what to get. My husband got the Peanut Butter and Fudge (not surprised, personally) and I had initially asked for the Butter Pecan. The man at the counter thought they were out, when another employee said "We made some just last night!" which was nice to hear. Even though they had fresh Butter Pecan, I went with the Vanilla Bean and some of the salted caramel sauce. I was offered a "Sweetie Scoop" - which is a small, two-bite sized scoop they will put on top of your regular sized ($3.35) scoop. The Sweetie Scoop is free, and ended up being a fantastic way to try something else - and to see what I was missing!

My husband's ice cream was very rich, and very good. The slightly gritty texture reminded me that yes, I was definitely eating ice cream made with actual peanut butter and not something pretending to be such. The peanut butter was also a bit salty, but complimentary to the other flavors in the scoop. The fudge was dark and slightly bitter. If you're expecting the equivalent of a Reese's Cup, prepare to be disappointed. The flavor is more of a jazzed up, exciting version.

The vanilla was smooth and genuinely flavored as well. Flecks of vanilla bean dotted the scoop, which swam in a little pool of thin, salted caramel sauce. The little scoop of Butter Pecan was amazing as well. The abundant pecans went very well with the classically flavored ice cream.

Since we had just eaten dinner, we did not get to sample the non-dessert fries. The Parmesan-Truffle fries caught my eye... Maybe I'll have those next time, when it's too cold for ice cream.

Going on a Date with Felice

The first day of Autumn may have been last week, but I watched the seasons change firsthand last night, at Felice Urban Cafe.

A server at the beloved Michangelo's was the one to suggest the restaurant a couple months back. We looked at the menu online and immediately knew we had to pay them a visit. It was one of the top choices for my birthday dinner, but we ended up doing Siam Cafe with friends, family-style. On that note, Li-Wah may have Cleveland's best dim sum, but nobody holds a candle to Siam Cafe's authentic Chinese offerings for dinner.

My husband and I both worked all day yesterday, and thought that the cold, blustery evening that followed was a perfect time to go on a date (read: not cook). We had selected Felice a few days prior, and had made a reservation for 7:30. I'm glad we did, because they were packed! When we drove up to the restaurant, which is situated in a large, brightly painted house on Larchmere - I was already impressed. There's an art installation on the corner made of vinyl siding, and the house itself was brightly lit with red lights in the patio windows. It felt like we were going to someone's house, in a way! The structure is impressive, and Felice makes wonderful use of the space. We were promptly greeted in the foyer and told that they had a very special table for us. "That's great!" I thought to myself, wondering if they said that to everyone who came in. It didn't seem possible for there to be a bad seat in the house. The host took us past every table and ventured into the kitchen area. My pulse started to quicken a bit. I wondered, were we going to be seated at the Chef's table? As we were guided into a booth nestled in the wall, decorated with a small chandelier I knew it was true - we were sitting at the Chef's table.

"Did you plan this?" I asked my husband, thinking he'd asked for the special table. He insisted that he didn't. I became slightly giddy, and still didn't fully believe him. If I weren't already married, I would have been expecting a ring box to appear from his pocket at some point in the evening!

The host returned with water and menus. Another surprise of the evening was an additional menu that you don't actually see on the website. It contained several other starters and entrees. Their wine, beer and cocktail list was extensive. I settled on a Summer Sangria, even though the wind outside almost seemed to intently proclaim that Winter was around the corner. It was a white sangria, with house-made cherry vodka, brandy, fresh grapefruit and a Sauvignon Blanc. It was amazing, and was enjoyed right down to the vodka-soaked cherry at the end. I ate nearly all of the ice cubes after the drink was gone, you could still taste the boozy goodness. A pitcher of this sangria would be great company for a table full of friends.

We ordered a mixed greens salad and some chorizo and potato empanadas to start, but were surprised with a treat from the kitchen before they arrived. Since we were at the Chef's Table, we each received a small plate with a potato pancake, grape jam, smoked salmon, chevre, preserved lemon and crispy sage. Getting everything on one forkful was a slight challenged, but the amuse was splendid. At first glance, I wondered where the jam was. I had thought that little cherry tomatoes had found their way to our plates until I tasted one. They were whole grapes! This isn't something you'll find in a store, believe me. You could genuinely taste every component in its purest form. Together, they were magical.

Our salad (shared) and empanadas arrived a little later. The salad was made of various greens, and decorated with button-like smoked almonds, granny smith apples, and Manchego cheese. I'm not sure what the dressing ingredients were, but there was a perfect amount coating the lettuces. Once again, the individual ingredients were allowed to shine through, but went well together. There were four empanadas on the plate, small enough for two or three bites each. If you had a lot of other things going on, it would be fine for a party of four. We each took two of the flaky, buttery pastries filled with chorizo and potato for ourselves, and dipped them in the (once again) house-made tomato jam. The jam was slightly spicy and had great flavor.

For dinner, I ordered the Steak Frites from their regular menu. My husband ordered a Duck entree from the special menu, with orange sauce, greens, and potato pancakes.

The steak was cooked medium-rare and was placed on a wonderfully peppery jus with melted onions and black pepper. There was a light and lemony aioli on top of the frites - and a small side of 4 or 5 asparagus spears. The meat was perfectly seared and crisp on the outside, but wonderfully (and truly, might I add) cooked medium-rare. I briefly thought about requesting the tomato jam for the frites, but that would have been a textbook example of 'gilding the lily' which I ended up doing later in the evening anyway. More on that later!

Jeff's duck came out a little overdone, but he was not the one to point it out. Our server was very up front, and said that she'd be glad to take it back if it was not cooked as he requested. She promised to come back in a moment to see how he felt. After a taste he did decide it was a little overdone, and requested it to be re-done. We were both immediately impressed that the issue (which quickly became a non-issue) was handled so professionally and honestly. The new dish with medium-rare duck came out quickly and perfectly. It was obvious that the cooks and staff at Felice really cared about their food, and that it meant a lot for the diners to enjoy as they intended. Our love for this restaurant was quickly growing. The duck breast was tender and seared beautifully, and the orange sauce was lovely. It had wondeful flavor but did not steal away any dynamic of the duck's natural flavor. We'd already had the potato pancakes at the start, but did not mind a re-visit of the crisp cakes, which did not have the salmon this time. (Gilding. Lily.)

Already completely enamored with the food, drinks, and the surroundings (seriously, sitting at the Chef's table was so great), we decided to get dessert. I had eyed the pumpkin bread pudding earlier in the evening, so I decided on that. We'd normally split a dessert, but my husband isn't normally a fan of pumpkin - so he opted for an apple cobbler with ice cream. His came with ice cream, and I became jealous. A new rule is that I will not have ice cream in the house, but can enjoy it while out to dinner, or traveling (Jeni's time!). They had no problem adding it to my bread pudding. This is where I gilded the lily. The bread pudding comes with whipped cream, which they put on the side (it would normally be on top) - the whipped cream was spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, at the very least. We noticed the cardamom immediately, as it was very prominent. A large scoop of vanilla bean ice cream sat awkwardly atop a generous square of bread pudding. With the whipped cream being as awesome as it was, there was absolutely no need for the ice cream. Though my husband isn't normally a pumpkin fan, he conceded that my dessert was really good. He remarked that it "tasted like Fall" and he was right - it tasted exactly like Fall. I'm considering a reasonable facsimile for our Thanksgiving dinner.

Our server suggested that we exit from the back, so that we could see their outdoor patio and bar. While it was too cold to sit out there last night, I can definitely see us going there in the summer. Before we left, we also looked at their happy hour menu. Several menu items are $6 or less. Felice also has a special on Wednesdays where you can get any appetizer, entree, and dessert for $22. We're very glad we went to Felice last night, but Wednesday might be a good time to experiment if you've never been!

Our date was a night we'll truly remember for years to come. If you're looking for a romantic spot for dinner, I would definitely suggest you give Felice a try. If you're down with the hustle and bustle of the kitchen (which was a living machine, let me tell you), you should ask to reserve the Chef's table. We were seated there at random, and felt extremely lucky. It made quite an impression on us both! Our only regret was not bringing a camera. If you want to see pictures of some great food and read another review of Felice, check out fellow Cleveland blogger Cleveland Food and Brews review!

Happy Autumn and happy eating!

Carbs, Luxurious Carbs

Living in Little Italy, I am no stranger to Italian food. My favorite on Mayfield is Etna, but La Dolce Vita's Pasta Fellini is a Fall/Winter favorite of mine. The bartenders at Maxi's are wonderful, and I really like the staff at Presti's - many of the people there have been working there (at least) as long as I've lived here, and it's kind of nice to get my pepperoni bread and iced coffee from the same folks, three years in a row.

When I first moved here, I really didn't know too much about the area. I picked my apartment online, and actually had my (then) boyfriend check it out for me. I didn't see it for the first time until I drove a U-Haul to Cleveland with everything I owned in tow. It should come as no surprise then, that I didn't really know that there were some amazing things on Murray Hill, which intersects with Mayfield. When Jeff and I were dating, the Cornell Rd. bridge was closed and he lived closer to The Triangle, so we rarely went in that direction. The street has evolved quite a bit since I moved here, with the more recent additions of the Murray Hill Market, La Pizzeria, and Washington Place Bistro.

My first stop as I was getting my sea legs on Cleveland's culinary waters, was Cleveland Foodie - a blog that I consider quintessential to navigating the diverse food culture of Cleveland. I remembered seeing her talk about Michaelangelo's in Little Italy, but I didn't really know where that was. It's been a while, but I may have discovered it while on a walk down Murray Hill. You can't see the restaurant too well from the street or sidewalk unless you're really trying, so Michaelangelo's remained shrouded in mystery for me until about a year ago.

As of last week, I have now been there a total of three times. On the first and most recent visits, my husband and I ordered multiple pasta dishes to share. It's not advertised on the menu for dinner, but you can get half orders of any of the pasta dishes (or the risotto), so we got three half orders of pasta and shared them. Last week we tried the Sacchetti (A ricotta and black truffle stuffed pasta in a black truffle cream sauce), the Raviolini (Lobster ravioli, rock shrimp and a vodka-tomato cream sauce), and the Gnocchi (Potato gnocchi with hazelnut pesto). I should also add that this was our pre-time trial "carb-up" - we participated in a (bicycle) time trial the following morning!

The half order of Sacchetti comes with 7 "purses" of pasta/stuffing, and this was the one I would have wanted all for myself. I tried it on my first visit, and the only reason I didn't get it on my second visit was because they were out. This pasta is the whole reason I love truffles. The flavors are balanced well, and the sauce is velvety and luxurious without being too heavy, something that seems nearly impossible for a cream sauce.

Lobster ravioli is something I've had elsewhere, and it's never really been a favorite of mine. That's not to say that Michangelo's version isn't amazing - it's just not really my sort of thing. The experience of eating this pasta is without a doubt, oceanic. The taste of the lobster and rock shrimp are left untouched, and speak for themselves. There is a brininess to the meat that brings back fond memories of sandy beaches and salty air.

I really loved the Gnocchi. I'd thought about it on my previous two visits, but it never made the cut. The basil is not overpowering, and the parmigiano really makes it tart and creamy. The hazelnuts were not obvious to me, aside from a textural thing. It was fun to eat, and really enjoyable.

The staff at Michaelangelo's has always been wonderful, from the moment we walk in the door. I've never been disappointed with a single thing on any of our visits, and I look forward to going again in the future. I'm almost considering it for my birthday dinner (I have it narrowed down to four restaurants - honest!)!! I hope that you consider them for your next special dinner (or lunch) if you haven't already.

Dining As A Tourist: Do First Impressions Count More In Tourist Towns?

My husband's family has visited Lake Placid, NY for the past twenty years or so, according to my Father-in-Law - though not consecutively. This is my fourth year in Lake Placid. We stay in a condo on Mirror Lake for about a week, while we hike and bike our ways through the Adirondack region. It is no surprise of course, that we also happen to eat while we're here.

If you read Yelp or Tripadvisor, it would seem that eating in Lake Placid is hit-or-miss. We went to a restaurant here last year that is fairly well known, and we happened to have the blandest steaks known to man. Our server told us that the natural light (we were seated outdoors) made the steaks look more done than they were - when the reality was that the strip steak didn't look pink because it WASN'T pink... They had cooked it to death and didn't salt it, at all.

Did we catch the kitchen on a bad night? Maybe. The danger of inconsistency in a restaurant in a tourist area is that a large part of your business, and even repeat business is based on the impression you give your diners on what may be their first (and only) visit to your establishment. Frankly, I'd like to go back - I want another pint glass (you get to keep it when you order a beverage) - but I'm hesitant because of the experience I had last year. I only got to try them on once, and it wasn't a good fit. Alternately we had an amazing time with a restaurant in Costa Rica - it was so good that we ate there three times in our two day stay in Tamarindo. Good food made us go back a second time, and when we were asked to go back for a third we didn't hesitate, considering the food was amazing on both previous visits.

I am not saying that a bad night at a restaurant will permanently ruin its reputation, but if someone's on vacay and they may have only one night, potentially of their entire lives to try your food? It should be a priority to give your customers a memory they'll treasure almost as much as the photos they take. If there's a problem, fix it. Apologize, and don't lie to them (bad lighting made your steak taste like nothing? Come on.).

Tonight we went to a place we'd been before - Liquids and Solids at the Handlebar. They were quite new last year, and had a few kinks. The servers didn't really have a groove, and we pined for our beers as they sat languidly on the bar in plain view. The food and beer selection was so impressive, it was enough to give them another shot. We figured that any kinks would be worked out, and that the experience would be much better this time. Before we left for the restaurant my FIL read reviews that did not speak too fondly of the service. One person wrote, "Is this a joke?" and another complained that their server was overly emotional.

One does get the feeling that you're having dinner served to you by a staff that seems to be more colloquial than customer service oriented. In a way, I really like that sort of feel. To be frank, I don't really want someone to brown-nose me when I'm sitting down to dinner. I don't like it when I am thirsty or hungry however, and I can understand how the service could be off-putting to some. I did not regret my visit tonight, and as long as they are around I will be back!

We sat down around 7:00 and ordered our drinks. I started out with a Dogfish Head Festina Peche, a seasonal BerlinerWeisse-esque beer. The style lends the Festina Peche its sourness/tartness. I liked it, but probably wouldn't get it again unless it was totally ice-cold (it was barely cold when I received it). The five of us each got something different, so I got to try most everything - except for my Brother-in-Law's and that was mainly because I hate blue cheese. Plates at L&S are categorized into "large" and "small" plates, or bigs and smalls.

My Father-in-Law ordered a "large" plate of BBQ beef brisket, cheddar grits, spicy chard, cucumbers, shallots, ranch ($18). The brisket was amazingly tender and well spiced/sauced. The grits were exactly as grits should be, and had a touch of cheese and cracked pepper. The spicy chard was meant to mimic collard greens, and they did this very well. The chard was slightly sour, and had a nice kick to it. The cucumber/shallot/ranch was absent from my tasting, so I can't really comment on it.

My Mother-in-Law ordered a very generous "small" plate of Tuna, tomatoes, coriander and fennel slaw, lemon basil aioli. ($12) The tuna was well seared and well seasoned. I'm pretty crazy about fennel, so the slaw and aioli was nice to have.

Jeff got the night's special, which was a soft-shell crab with wilted spinach and a lime gherkin remoulade. What I tasted was actually quite good, but I don't feel comfortable reviewing it because I don't think I tried enough to properly assess it.

I ordered a Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, which was/is the first "hoppy" beer I've ever liked. It went very well with what I ordered, smoked sausage, foie gras, mashed potato, and mustard braised cabbage, with a maple gastrique. ($22) The sausage by itself was actually fairly bland. I had wished for some garlic or a little more seasoning, but it was still good. The foie was seared, buttery and flavorful. The cabbage was tart and had a subtle mustard flavor. The potatoes also had little to no seasoning but this was fine, because it tasted like a potato and that's exactly what was needed. All of the components of my dish worked together wonderfully.

Jeff and I also split two sides, a decently-sized bowl of fried brussels sprouts ($2!!!) and fries ($2). The fries come in a small pot, and this presentation tends to make the fries on the bottom go cold and greasy, at least this time. Their housemade ketchup is well spiced and has a great flavor. The sprouts almost rivaled Michael Symon's - they were seasoned in a similar fashion. They were a total steal, and a treasure.

While eating dinner, I mentioned to our server that we'd had similar brussels sprouts in Michael Symon's restaurant, she told us that the bartender's brother is actually opening up a restaurant in Cleveland, none other than SoHo in Ohio City!

I love traveling, but still get homesick from time to time. At dinner tonight, I felt a little closer to home thanks to good food and a Cleveland connection!

Liquids and Solids is an amazing restaurant. They've really fallen into a better pattern (drinks could come out a little faster) and the food is spectacular. If you want a unique dining experience and just happen to be in the Adirondacks/Lake Placid, please give these guys your business.

Quick Bite: Lunch at the Hodge Podge Truck!

After I slept in a bit too much this morning, Jeff asked if I'd want to head out to the North Union Farmer's Market at Shaker to look around and grab something to eat. I noticed that Dim and Den Sum posted:

Curry duck frites tomorrow and oh so much more at shaker square farmers market 8am-12pm

Later on in the afternoon, I got a message from Jeff mentioning the very same frites. When I woke up this morning, I was more than happy to seek them out, and I was glad that I did. Once we ordered (Duck Frites and the Surf and Turf Tacos) I headed out to look for a beverage. The trucks aren't allowed to sell drinks (Can someone please explain why?) and Dewey's normal post, selling lemonade was nowhere to be found. I ended up walking to Dave's to get a soda.

As I walked behind the Hodge Podge truck, all I could smell was scallops. Seared, briny, ocean-y smelling scallops. Yum. I couldn't wait.

When I returned from Dave's, I found Jeff already sitting on the grass beneath a shady tree nearby. I could smell the curry on the fries from 10 feet away, and it was amazing. We put a little bit of Sriracha on the fries but didn't augment the tacos in any way. Starting with the fries - they were perfectly cooked, wonderfully crisp and salty with the aroma of curry. The curry flavor wasn't too strong, but I liked it. The curry was definitely there, but I noticed and adored the aroma as we ate them. These were some of the best fries I've ever had, and that's saying something... Considering my undying love for the fries at Bar Cento and Sasa Matsu!

The tacos were very messy - so I opted to eat mine with a fork. It was great watching Jeff eat the other one as I'm sure it was meant to be eaten! The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the meat was incredibly tender. I am also a lover of anything and everything that has to do with Kimchi - so that was an added bonus!

Can't wait to visit the Hodge Podge truck again soon, and you should definitely check them out!

A Girl About Central America

Ardent spirits sent from heaven,
Whoa! You batter me and thrill me
Knock me to my knees and kill me
I don't care! It's you I'm drinking.

The above are translated lyrics from a song they sing in Costa Rica called "De la Caña se Hace El guaro" which loosely translates to "From the cane, they make the moonshine". The name "Guaro" came from Costa Rica, and was adopted by the rest of Central America and the South. Colombia calls it Aguardiente. Sometimes guaro is referred to as a "soft vodka" because it has a lower alcohol content than vodka. In Costa Rica, the government nationalized its manufacture in an effort to quell the clandestine production of liquor. The "Fabrica Nacional de Licores" (National Liquor Factory) was founded for this reason, and currently produces the only legal brand, Cacique Guaro. (via Wikipedia)

Jeff and I booked a 10-day tour of Costa Rica for our honeymoon. We ended up booking it through AAA, but the agency that ran the tour was Trafalgar. I will start this entry out by saying that I am NOT posting this with any endorsement/compensation coming from any of the companies I happen to mention.

There were far too many great things that we did/saw for me to chronicle here, but my main point of this particular entry is to share with all of you how absolutely awesome it was to take a tour like this. We jokingly wondered if we'd get stuck on a bus with 50 people too old or infirmed to want to do much more than while away the days in a rocking chair overlooking the ocean. What actually happened, is that we saw many aspects of Costa Rica, experienced local food, culture and activities, AND made about 50 new friends of all ages.


We went rafting with all sorts of people in Sarapiqui!


We slept close to an active volcano, in Arenal.


We ate rice and beans (gallo pinto) a LOT.


We got to play in the ocean.

If you're curious about the rest of our photos, check out my Flickr page as well as Jeff's.
We experienced Costa Rica the way I think everyone should - we saw the city, the countryside, the hot and humid rainforests, and the cool and misty mountains. Taking a tour like we did was ideal - we did not have to plan anything and were only responsible for a few meals on our own. Tamarindo (pictured above) was the only time we were on our own, with no guides at all, and we did just fine.

And we also drank guaro. Interestingly enough the label on the Cacique Guaro tells you to destroy the label immediately after drinking - presumably so someone doesn't fill up the bottle with the illegal kind of guaro and sell it under the guise of the legit stuff. It essentially is moonshine. Cheap in Costa Rica, you can order this stuff online for 7 times the price if you're missing it that much. It's like driving to KY for Everclear, but less interesting/intoxicating.

The food in Costa Rica was simple. Strangely enough, I had the best pineapple and ham pizza while I was there. I also had a nice roasted sweet potato and plantain soup that I am itching to re-create. Gallo pinto was everywhere of course, and I admittedly was a little tired of it by week's end. I would informally like to issue a challenge to any of the Cleveland food trucks to do their own take on gallo pinto - it'd be cool to see what some of them could do with this everyday Costa Rican dish... It turns out you can even buy gallo pinto at Wendy's in Costa Rica.

If you're curious, check out Trafalgar's site for 2012's itinerary - the main difference between this one and the one we did, was that ours had a two day extension in Tamarindo sans tour guides. And if you're seriously considering this tour (which I highly suggest you do) then please ask for Daniel as a tour guide - and try to plan your trip when he's working it. It was his humor and personality that helped make the trip so memorable.

And with that, things are returning to normal in our household. Cleveland is actually hotter and more humid than Costa Rica was, but we were getting a little homesick anyway. I start a new job (in a new career field, thank god) pretty soon - I've been bored out of my mind lately staying at home so much. We did get to see The Decemberists a couple of days ago, head over to my husband's blog to read about that!

Pura Vida!

Pearl Diving in NE Ohio: A Trip to Barroco Grill in Lakewood

Johann Sebastian Bach was one of the most influential composers in the Baroque period. He played an integral part in the use of counterpoint in music of the era, which means that he made two or more different melodies/themes/rhythms work together. I mention this because the Baroque period took its name from the Portuguese word "barroco" which means "misshapen pearl". We set out on Saturday to find out if Lakewood's new Barroco Grill is a precious pearl that will accompany many of Cleveland's other precious culinary gems!

Barroco Grill specializes in arepas. An arepa is a bread made of corn originating from the northeast of Venezuela. Arepas are a staple of Colombian street food, the pillowy pockets of bread often being stuffed with veggies, cheese and/or meat. Barroco stuffs theirs with steak, chicken, pork, chorizo or ham, with veggies such as mushrooms, onions and peppers and cheese. They also offer fries (both potato and those made of arepas) as well as hamburgers and sandwiches not made with an arepa for the bread.

My husband got a chorizo arepa ($6), stuffed with mozzarella cheese, onions and the compulsory chorizo. I loved the texture of the arepa, and the chorizo had a bit of spice to it. I got a Hawaiian sandwich ($8), with ham, pineapple, lettuce, tomato and mozzarella cheese. Our server did not know the type of bread with the sandwich, or even where it came from but it was amazing. The sandwich was nearly twice the size of the arepa - so it could easily be shared between two people. The sandwich was sweet tasting, and had both fresh pineapple and a pineapple sauce. I would have loved a little heat to this sandwich, and will ask for chorizo instead of ham if I have that particular sandwich again. Both sandwiches had good flavor, and make me excited to try some of the other ones they offer (They have a Cubano that sounded like it would be very good).

The arepa fries looked just like regular fries, to the point that I wondered at first if we'd been given the wrong item. They were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, but didn't have much flavor to them by themselves. The five sauces Barroco offers came in handy, for this reason! The sauces were explained as being chimichurri, garlic, pineapple, ranchero, and spicy peanut. The pineapple, chimichurri and garlic were the stars, to me. The ranchero almost tasted like plain ketchup, and the spicy peanut had absolutely nothing to do with peanuts. We both tasted the "spicy peanut" and remarked that it simply tasted like buffalo (hot wing) sauce.

My wish would be to see a Colombian-style beverage on the menu (salpicón de frutas, perhaps?) someday, but their standard offerings of soda (non and diet) are just fine.

The restaurant was packed, which means that word is getting out! The small space really does feel like you've been whisked away to another place. There are 8-9 tables as well as three stools for counter service. There is local art all over the walls that is for sale, its styles seemed appropriate for the space.

Overall, I'd say that Barroco Grill is pretty good, amazing if you take into account that they opened fairly recently and may be going through some occasional mis-steps. I'll definitely be back - I want to try the cheesy corn, which Metromix says is amazing!

Have you been to Barroco yet? Tell me about your experience. If you haven't been there yet, you should definitely go. There's something for everyone!