Ace Eat Serve

I was taking a class on 17th and Penn and was released for lunch. I have been to a few places in the area, but had never tried Ace Eat Serve.  When I walked in, I expected an American restaurant with burgers and such.  Boy was I wrong. After seeing the chopsticks on the tables, I knew I was in for something completely different than a burger. I couldn’t decide between the ramen, Mongolian Beef or a bento box.  I asked the server and he suggested that I try the bento box so that I could get a variety of things.  Great suggestion!! I got salmon, with jasmine rice, cucumber salad and for dessert chopped strawberries and mango. What a great arrangement for lunch.  You have savory and sweet all in one dish. The salmon was flavored very well and was a helping portion. I couldn’t have been happier with my choice. At the end, I had a giant fortune cookie. A great end to a delish dish.

Los Chingones DTC

Okay, I have now found my new favorite Mexican fusion type restaurant. This place is awesome! A friend told me it was a good place for a drink and good food. They hit the nail on the head. Fantastic atmosphere, super friendly staff, tasty margaritas, and eclectic Mexican food. I absolutely love this restaurant. The first time I went, I couldn’t figure out what to get.  I ended up starting with a salsa flight so I could try all of them. My favorite was the tomatillo salsa, but all were really good. For my entree I picked the tamal and a red chile pork shoulder taco. The taco was a bit bland, especially for having chipotle pineapple salsa on it. It was good, but I expected more out of it. The tamal was phenomenal! This is by far my favorite dish that I have had there. Oozing with chipotle cream, this dish is full of different flavors that all come together very well. I am in love with the tamal and can’t seem to get enough.  Each time I go, I try something different, but add the tamal. I still haven’t been to the location downtown, but if it is half as good as the DTC location, then I will be happy.

 

Avery Brewing

Brian and I were checking out the Celestial Seasonings tour and heard that Avery was a few blocks away, so of course we HAD to go. Found ourselves a few seats at the bar and were greeted immediately by an awesome bartender.  I feel horrible because I cannot remember his name for the life of me. He had red hair and a beard.  Look for him! He is amazing! Great suggestions on which beers to try, which to get a full drink of and recommending food to pair with it.  We settled with beer and gumbo. What a pair and not disappointed! The gumbo was pretty close to what you would get in New Orleans. My only complaint about the beer choices are that there are too many to pick from. That was my struggle. After trying what seemed like 20 beers, we were approached to see if we would enjoy a free tour.  Would I?? We jumped at that opportunity and off we go to tour the facility, beer in hand. After the tour, they give you more samples to taste. I felt like I was in beer heaven. What a great staff and beautiful building. A few days later, I even got a thank you card for coming in.  Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, like their beer.

 

Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar

A co-worker insisted I try Bad Daddy’s for an excellent burger. I cannot turn down such a request, so we stopped in to check this place out. The atmosphere is awesome. I like the look and feel of the place.  The staff were attentive and eager to assist at anytime during your visit. At one point I saw about 8 staff members in just the small area we were in checking on people, monitoring other staff members to make sure everything was up to par and running food/drinks. Great wait staff! We perused the menu and I settled with building my own burger.  On each table they have a pad of paper with all of the options and you can just check your life away on what toppings you want to make your burger yours. I went with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, american cheese, ketchup and garlic mayo. I ❤ garlic and when I saw that as an option, I had to check the box. Brian got the Oktoberfest Bratwurst burger. Holy cow! That thing was massive! And messy! Mine was messy as well, which of course is a good thing when it comes to a burger.  I liked my burger quite a bit, but felt that for the cost, it was just not the best.  They are a bit pricy for what you get.  I did love my experience there and the burgers were great, but not sure if this will become a frequent place for us.

 

Hamburger Mary’s

I had been to Hamburger Mary’s for drinks before, but had never eaten there.  I was taking a one day class in the area and really wanted to try their food.  I glanced over the menu the night before and knew exactly what I wanted. The LGBT. Yes, very politically correct, and an amazing sandwich. Amazing isn’t even the best word to describe it. It was pretty phenomenal. Lettuce, guacamole, bacon and tomato on toasted bread. It sounds so plain. It was nothing near plain. The guacamole was whipped together so well, it made the sandwich. Ozzing with this tasty guacamole, I was in heaven. It came served with well seasoned french fries on the side. The service was not the best I had ever had.  Especially for a not so busy weekday lunch. I saw a few people come in after me, get seated, order and get their drinks before I was even greeted at my table. The sandwich made up for it though. I now have dreams of this sandwich and will be back to enjoy it again.

 

Old Blinking Light

We had some friends in from Chicago and we were showing them around town.  After leaving Red Rocks, we were trying to think of a place to have lunch, and Old Blinking Light came to mind.  We were seated on the patio on a beautiful day. I glanced over the menu and settled on the stacked enchiladas and added grilled chicken. I honestly just expected the usual chicken enchiladas.  Boy was I surprised when this beautiful dish arrived in front of me and looked almost too delicious to eat.  I jumped in and my mouth was even watering as I was consuming it.  I couldn’t eat it all because it was a very large portion, but I was very happy to get a to go box for the rest.  It was amazing!! Even the leftovers were amazing! I would suggest anyone who goes to OBL, get the stacked enchiladas!! You won’t be disappointed.