mod market markets itself as a hip, locally-sourced eatery with a casual atmosphere, but with a serious take on food. Their menu isn't extremely diverse, but salads, sandwiches, and pizza will satisfy most. They have a Boylan soda fountain, Izze soda, local beer, and wine.
My first impression wasn't too great, but that was before I had any food. They just keep it very casual at mod market, almost too casual and the employees are very nice, but almost too casual like they forget temporarily that they aren't in the customer service industry firstly, and then the restaurant industry.
At mod market you get a buzzer that shakes and lights up when your food is ready, not when your table has opened up. We went at a busy hour and there weren't that many seats left. We found one in the back under a flood of neon green light, but I did have to brush off left over crumbs and whatnot onto the floor before we felt it was sanitized enough to sit down. I sort of felt bad about that, but there were no napkins that I saw nearby to make that a little more pleasant.
We both had pizzas. I had the Gaucho and she had the Prosciutto. They were very different, but if I had to pick, I would go with the Gaucho every time over the Prosciutto. The pizzas reminded me of Pizzeria Locale in Boulder. Very fresh, 12" diameter, you could end up with some leftovers, but not if the pizza is exceptional. I thought mine was. I polished it off fairly fast and pounded down six half-full to all the way full sodas, having a try of almost every Boylan soda coming out of that fountain. Their cola was very unique and, at least to me, it had a hint of anise flavor. My favorites were the cream soda and the orange soda.
This mod market location hasn't been open long. It was a packed house. Business seems great. The food, having only been there once, was definitely up to par and reasonably priced ($8-10 for a pizza), but I would say the place just needs a little touch of cleanliness. There should be someone sweeping through the lobby with a broom and a wet cloth to wipe down the tables after people leave because this isn't fast food, but it is good food quickly, and that means there is a high turnover rate.
Dined January 19, 2012.
B.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Chipotle - 1644 East Evans
Chipotle does a few things very well and that's pretty good considering there are only a few things on their menu. I first heard of the joint when I still lived in Fort Collins and the holiest of holies was Big City Burrito and nothing, not even a burrito sent by God, was going to dethrone Big City. But in 1999, when I had my first Chipotle burrito, I bit into something that was so good it came dangerously close to knocking Big City off its perch. I must clarify that when I say Big City, I am referring to its first location at College and Mulberry. I am not referring to its other locations. Perhaps it's nostalgia, but Big City still holds a special place in my heart. That said, Chipotle's expansion plans have just gone a lot better than Big City's plans. Chipotle is nearly everywhere I go, so I frequent it much more than Big City.
The first Chipotle at 1644 East Evans is within walking distance of DU, where I am a graduate student. It is the perfect place to go for a late lunch after the crowd dies down because there is no room for a crowd in this Chipotle. It's packed into a room smaller than many apartments. There are three to four small tables and bar seating available. Instead of working down the line of burrito ingredients, one stands in the same spot and shouts their order to the burrito lady, or man, because the burrito ingredients are perpendicular to the ordering line. This, its size, and its basement storage room are unique to this location. Perhaps there are other Chipotles with basement storage rooms, but I am unaware of any. Take a look at the pictures on the wall next time you are inside a Chipotle. There is a picture of the first store at every location.
I haven't had something bad at Chipotle. I have my preferences (Chicken or Steak) but most of the menu is spot on and very customizable. They even serve a decent margarita. Their chips are delicious and their guacamole is better than most pricy Mexican restaurants. I've done my best to duplicate it at home.
Perhaps I shall touch on the Chipotle v. Qdoba debate at some point on this blog, but it has astounded me that there is even a debate. Qdoba has never threatened Chipotle. Qdoba loyalists always bring up the queso sauce as a sticking point. I just don't see how Velveeta can be a sticking point. But I digress...
Chipotle at East Evans is a great place to eat at if you are interested in visiting the very first Chipotle. The food's just as good, maybe even a little better just because you know you are where it all started. I recommend avoiding the rush of DU undergrads and eating at a non-traditional dining hour at this location due to its limited seating.
Dined 18 January 2012.
B.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Austin's American Grill - Fort Collins, CO
I'm not sure when Austin's opened, but it's been a Fort Collins establishment for a while now. There are two locations in the city. The original, at the corner of Mountain and College, is by far the better location just based on setting. There's plenty of foot traffic, a lot to do nearby, and the atmosphere gives the diner the feeling that they take food seriously at Austin's.
At least when there was only the downtown location, Austin's had a much more exclusive and fancy feel to it without being pretentious. I don't recall disliking a meal there or dining with anyone else who wasn't pleased. But I feel Austin's has departed from that, at least in respect to the Harmony location.
The Harmony restaurant feels huge to the original Austin's. It doesn't have the architectural advantage of the downtown location so it immediately feels a little chain-like located as it is in a nondescript business park with a couple other restaurants nearby and close to some eyesore office buildings. Right away, this location has its setbacks.
The last three times I've been to Austin's (all at the Harmony location) the service has been poor, not horrible, just poor because it hasn't lived up to the service I grew to expect, particularly from my experiences at the downtown location. The servers tend to be short with you or very robotic. They set down the menus and they scurry off without waiting just a moment to see if we would like to put in a drink order right away.
Last Friday I ordered the Buffalo Meatloaf. I had never tried it and I was pleasantly surprised. We didn't order any appetizers. Someone ordered a margarita, which isn't on the menu, but it seemed good enough. But I don't think one goes to Austin's and orders a margarita. You're better off sticking to a classic cocktail or one of the beers off there good, but quite limited for a microbrew mecca, i.e. Fort Collins restaurant, list.
And keeping in mind the last time I had dessert at Austin's, I passed and so did everybody else. I would steer clear of some of those pies, which can shortly turn into a gloppy mess in a bowl because of the way it's served with ice cream. It is as if one were making a pie shake and put all the ingredients in a bowl and never transferred it to a blender, just served it up as is.
The bottom line on Austin's is this: first, go to the Mountain and College location, second, if you want to eat well you are better off sticking with a meat dish, third, if your server isn't as good as their dress (usually a white dress shirt, white apron, and jeans or slacks), then let them know. And lastly, Austin's just isn't what it used to be. It is very hard to keep the quality and the ambience of a restaurant when you expand. Getting it right the first time is difficult enough. Austin's did that, but getting it right on the second time out? I would say the place needs a little work.
Dined January 13, 2012.
B.
At least when there was only the downtown location, Austin's had a much more exclusive and fancy feel to it without being pretentious. I don't recall disliking a meal there or dining with anyone else who wasn't pleased. But I feel Austin's has departed from that, at least in respect to the Harmony location.
The Harmony restaurant feels huge to the original Austin's. It doesn't have the architectural advantage of the downtown location so it immediately feels a little chain-like located as it is in a nondescript business park with a couple other restaurants nearby and close to some eyesore office buildings. Right away, this location has its setbacks.
The last three times I've been to Austin's (all at the Harmony location) the service has been poor, not horrible, just poor because it hasn't lived up to the service I grew to expect, particularly from my experiences at the downtown location. The servers tend to be short with you or very robotic. They set down the menus and they scurry off without waiting just a moment to see if we would like to put in a drink order right away.
Last Friday I ordered the Buffalo Meatloaf. I had never tried it and I was pleasantly surprised. We didn't order any appetizers. Someone ordered a margarita, which isn't on the menu, but it seemed good enough. But I don't think one goes to Austin's and orders a margarita. You're better off sticking to a classic cocktail or one of the beers off there good, but quite limited for a microbrew mecca, i.e. Fort Collins restaurant, list.
And keeping in mind the last time I had dessert at Austin's, I passed and so did everybody else. I would steer clear of some of those pies, which can shortly turn into a gloppy mess in a bowl because of the way it's served with ice cream. It is as if one were making a pie shake and put all the ingredients in a bowl and never transferred it to a blender, just served it up as is.
The bottom line on Austin's is this: first, go to the Mountain and College location, second, if you want to eat well you are better off sticking with a meat dish, third, if your server isn't as good as their dress (usually a white dress shirt, white apron, and jeans or slacks), then let them know. And lastly, Austin's just isn't what it used to be. It is very hard to keep the quality and the ambience of a restaurant when you expand. Getting it right the first time is difficult enough. Austin's did that, but getting it right on the second time out? I would say the place needs a little work.
Dined January 13, 2012.
B.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
PF Chang's - Park Meadows and Downtown Denver
PF Chang's isn't really a restaurant that is written about with great frequency. The last time I read about Chang's was in Time or Newsweek and the article was about how the Americanized-Chinese restaurant chain is weathering the recession. Chang's, for the first time in it's history, implemented a happy hour a couple years ago. It's 3-6pm Monday thru Friday with deals on drinks and food.
When I started going to Chang's there was no such happy hour. It was quite a fancy place to go to on a college student's budget, but it was worth it. Chang's has weathered the storm and has even raised its prices significantly in the last four years, demanding even more loyalty from its customers than in years passed. And, as far as I can tell, people keep coming back.
Chang's is a place where I feel people get one to three regular dishes and don't stray far from those picks, if they do at all. For years now, my picks have been the Salt and Pepper Calamari for an appetizer and Mongolian Beef and Orange Peeled Shrimp for entrees. I rarely indulge in dessert there, but when there's a group big enough to consume the Great Wall of Chocolate we take the plunge.
The first meal out in 2012 was at PF Chang's at Park Meadows in Lone Tree, CO. There aren't really any drastic differences from one of these joints to the next, but at least at Park Meadows you have one of the better views a Chang's could have. The large patio and northwestern-facing windows give the diner a great panorama of the Rockies. I was there for a very early dinner, happy hour really, and I ordered a Mai Tai, a bowl of Hot and Sour Soup, some calamari, and the pan-fried dumplings, which are less healthy than the steamed dumplings, but there's a trade-off. The pan-fried are crispier and just all around more fattening and better tasting. On this occasion, we didn't do dessert.
My aim is to do these reviews or snippets about all the restaurants we eat at in a year in order, but since I have gotten off to a late start, I will say something about another visit to Chang's, just a few days ago. This time we went to the Chang's in Downtown Denver. This location doesn't have the view of Park Meadows, but it's closer to the nightlife, that is, if nightlife for you isn't going to shop at Park Meadows. We tried the prix fixe menu for two at $40. This is also a new addition to the menu as of the recession. Each person gets to pick a soup (between the Hot and Sour or the Egg Drop), then the two of you pick an appetizer, then each an entree (some of them more expensive), and then two mini desserts or you can upgrade to one big dessert for an extra charge. I would recommend upgrading, since Chang's mini desserts are quite the rip-off and just nothing like their big, highly caloric siblings.
You may wonder, why Chang's in the midst of a big city? There are so many other places to eat at and many more Chinese restaurants that are more authentic or even more Americanized. It's true, but like every diner out there, we have our favorite places or guilty pleasures or we just want to eat where we know exactly what we are going to get. That's what Chang's is for this diner. It's not authentic, I know. It's not necessarily healthy and it's definitely not low sodium, but damn, if you know what to get, it's good.
Dined January 6, 2012.
B.
When I started going to Chang's there was no such happy hour. It was quite a fancy place to go to on a college student's budget, but it was worth it. Chang's has weathered the storm and has even raised its prices significantly in the last four years, demanding even more loyalty from its customers than in years passed. And, as far as I can tell, people keep coming back.
Chang's is a place where I feel people get one to three regular dishes and don't stray far from those picks, if they do at all. For years now, my picks have been the Salt and Pepper Calamari for an appetizer and Mongolian Beef and Orange Peeled Shrimp for entrees. I rarely indulge in dessert there, but when there's a group big enough to consume the Great Wall of Chocolate we take the plunge.
The first meal out in 2012 was at PF Chang's at Park Meadows in Lone Tree, CO. There aren't really any drastic differences from one of these joints to the next, but at least at Park Meadows you have one of the better views a Chang's could have. The large patio and northwestern-facing windows give the diner a great panorama of the Rockies. I was there for a very early dinner, happy hour really, and I ordered a Mai Tai, a bowl of Hot and Sour Soup, some calamari, and the pan-fried dumplings, which are less healthy than the steamed dumplings, but there's a trade-off. The pan-fried are crispier and just all around more fattening and better tasting. On this occasion, we didn't do dessert.
My aim is to do these reviews or snippets about all the restaurants we eat at in a year in order, but since I have gotten off to a late start, I will say something about another visit to Chang's, just a few days ago. This time we went to the Chang's in Downtown Denver. This location doesn't have the view of Park Meadows, but it's closer to the nightlife, that is, if nightlife for you isn't going to shop at Park Meadows. We tried the prix fixe menu for two at $40. This is also a new addition to the menu as of the recession. Each person gets to pick a soup (between the Hot and Sour or the Egg Drop), then the two of you pick an appetizer, then each an entree (some of them more expensive), and then two mini desserts or you can upgrade to one big dessert for an extra charge. I would recommend upgrading, since Chang's mini desserts are quite the rip-off and just nothing like their big, highly caloric siblings.
You may wonder, why Chang's in the midst of a big city? There are so many other places to eat at and many more Chinese restaurants that are more authentic or even more Americanized. It's true, but like every diner out there, we have our favorite places or guilty pleasures or we just want to eat where we know exactly what we are going to get. That's what Chang's is for this diner. It's not authentic, I know. It's not necessarily healthy and it's definitely not low sodium, but damn, if you know what to get, it's good.
Dined January 6, 2012.
B.
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