Showing posts with label Restaurant Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Restaurant Review. Show all posts

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Thankful Thursday - Kudos to BJ's Brewery


I am so lucky and thankful to live in California where BJ's Breweries are abundant. 

I LOVE BJ's and was so thrilled when they added the GF pizza last year and even more thrilled when they recently added the GF pazooki.  I love them both - the pizza is more like a thin crust pizza rather than their usual deep dish style.  I prefer deep dish style, but this is still delicious and the best GF pizza I have tried to date (much better than the new California Pizza Kitchen gluten free pizza in my humble opinion).  The pazooki is also fabulous.  However, my 2 non-GF friends did not care for it - perhaps its because they have the regular one to compare it to, which I do not.  Whatever, more for me and I scraped my pan clean :)

I also love that they have made the gluten free pizza and pazooki available for their Party for Two promotion (which my friend Jenny and I took advantage of on Tuesday night), however I was bummed at my birthday celebration (back in June) that they do not offer the GF pazooki in the free birthday size so we had to pay for it in order for me to have my birthday treat.  It was still worth it.

Kudos to BJ's for keeping up with the need for gluten free alternatives! They are definitely on my short list of restaurants which have REAL gluten free menus - PF Changs and Melting Pot round up that list.  Outback and Lonestar I enjoy too, however when you order its more like you are ordering from their regular meal without all the good stuff like seasonings and marinades - I like the PF Changs, Melting Pot, and now BJ's have SPECIAL items just for Gluten Free folks like me where you don't feel like you're missing out on anything. Although the Outback flourless brownie is bomb-diggity (ya I said that). 

Happy Thursday everyone, and thanks for reading.  If you're gluten free - where is your favorite place to dine out and your favorite menu item to order there?

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Restaurant Review - Scott's Restaurant & Bar (and Valentine's Day)

Add caption
(please note the photo is one I found online as I totally forgot to take any photos of the restaurant or food - oops!)

Scott's Restaurant & Bar
3300 Bristol Street, Costa Mesa, CA 92626 (714) 979-2400 ‎ scottsrestaurantandbar.com

Tim and I enjoyed a very gourmet and luxurious Valentine's Day dinner at Scott's Restaurant & Bar located in Costa Mesa, CA (it's on Bristol directly across the street from South Coast Plaza mall).  It was absolutely perfect. 

From the moment you arrive, the tone is luxury.  Valet only parking, a gorgeous fountain out front (which we did manage to take a pic in front of and I will add hopefully tonight when I upload to the computer).  When you walk in it's a very modern elegant feel.  The layout reminds me of the Mission Restaurant at the Mission Inn in Riverside, but this is much more modern.  We sat at a cozy 2 top table in the back and were presented with the Valentine's Day special menu in which we were able to select one appetizer, one main dish and one dessert each for $65.00 pp (not including alcohol, tax or tip).  Yes, this is a little pricey, but well worth it.

We ordered a nice bottle of champagne.  Wow.  I had never had such a quality bottle of champagne.  It was the Piper-Heidsieck Brut.  I don't know that I can ever go back to my good friend Korbel now (haha, seriously). 

The service was superb.  I was torn between several of the menu items so I asked for the waitress's thoughts and she was spot on. 

For our appetizers I had the caramelized black pepper scallops, sumonomo salad and Tim had the stuffed king crab leg cocktail, romesco.  We shared a little with each other.  Both were divine.  The crab was so tender it nearly melted in your mouth.

For our main course I had the 6 oz. Australian lobster tail with fresh steamed vegetables (I couldn't have the sun dried tomato cous cous which was originally paired with it but contained gluten).  Tim had the grilled mahi, dungeness crab, olive oil-dill emulsion.  Both were beyond amazing.  I even ate the vegetable which included squash - I hate squash, but this squash was no ordinary squash!

For dessert I was unable to have the options on the menu so the chef whipped up some pomegranate sorbet with fresh berries especially for me and Tim opted for the chocolate terrine, almond brittle, with pistachio gelato.  My pomegranate sorbet was marvelous and the berries were perfectly sweet. 

Following dinner we went and sat at their chic bar and I enjoyed a pear martini (with a slice of fresh pear) and Tim had a rum and coke and a coffee. 

This was truly the best food I have ever eaten. Ever.  Perfectly cooked, perfectly flavored, perfectly paired.  Amazing.  The portions were on the smaller side, but we were both adequately full at the conclusion of the meal and completely satisfied.  I told Tim I want to go back immediately, or as soon as our bank account would allow (haha). 

This particular restaurant was selected by mere chance.  It was not something that was referred by a friend or that I had heard about through the grapevine.  I was on a website called urbanspoon.com (similar to Yelp but for food only) and was searching "gluten friendly restaurants".  I happened upon Scott's and after checking out their website and being impressed with their delicious sounding food and the fact that they attempt to use natural organic ingredients, buy from local farmers and sustainable fisheries, I shot them an email asking if they had a gluten free menu.  I was promptly responded to by email that the chef would be able to accommodate my dietary need with no problem and to just advise them ahead of time as to when we would be coming.  I sent on the link to Tim that I would love to go their sometime and he suggested Valentine's Day. 

Luxury was a requirement for this year's Valentine's Day as last year I agreed to go primitive camping with Tim for the 3-day Valentine's Day weekend at Anza-Borrego.  Primitive camping means there are no camp sites, which also means.... no toilets! Eek! We had a nice time though, but I was promised nothing short of luxury this year.  I definitely got what I was promised.

Tim and I also exchanged gifts.  Tim got a Leatherman Mut EOD.  Don't ask me what it is, it's just something Tim had mentioned he wanted after he went shooting with a friend of ours a month or so ago.  It's some kind of hand tool that has various shooting tools in it.  Here is a link.

I received a gorgeous Coach wristlet.  It's called the Madison Clover Print large wristlet and is style number 44368 if you want to check it out on Coach's website.  It's adorable and I love the colors combining brown, tan and a gorgeous magenta.  It's adorable and I can't wait to use it out on the town. 

Tim and I will hopefully be going back to Scott's again, maybe for our next big occasion.  We highly recommend it to all, but caution you that it is pricey.  Well worth the price. 

I will hopefully be adding our Valentine's Day photo to this post this evening.  Thanks for reading and please leave a comment if you have tried Scott's or if you do in the future with what you thought of it!

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The best fast food restaurant in the world.

In-N-Out.  If you disagree, you're crazy.  Period.  They offer 2 things, burgers and fries.  Unless of course you know about their not-so-secret menu.  I order mine protein style (no bun so that it is gluten free).  I also require animal fries.  My coworker went out to pick us up In-N-Out a few weeks ago and I told him to not bother coming back if he forgot to make my fries animal style.  I just love love love In-N-Out and enjoy splurging on it as often as I can convince Timmy. 

But did you know that other big chain restaurants have secret menus? I did not until I read this awesome article. 

I don't know about you, but those Jamba Juice shakes sound heavenly! Push pop!? YUM!!

So what's your favorite fast food restaurant? Oh, and do you know of any secret menus!? Do share :)

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Manic for Macarons!!!!!!!!!!!!


Macarons.... NOT macaroons. Totally different. 

A coworker of mine just got back from France where she fell in love with a little cake like pastry called a macaron.  She has raved about them constantly since getting back in early January. 

Well about a week ago she found a little store in Beverly Hills and picked up a few for herself (ya thanks for thinking of me).  During that visit she saw a sign that stated they were "naturally gluten free".  She told me this and I immediately commenced research for a macaron store in Riverside county.  Of course, I did not find one.  I did, however, find a store by the name of Napoleon's Macarons (http://www.napoleonsmacarons.com/) that overnights a package of 24,36 or 48.  My other coworker (my secretary) and I were licking our chops looking at all the tasty flavor options and planning when we would purchase our first box. 

Today a box came by delivery addressed to me.  My secretary had purchased a box for me!!!! Yes I realize I have the best secretary in the whole wide world. 

I am glad I remembered to take a photo before I gobbled them all up.  Its a box of 24 with 4 each of 6 different flavors.  I have eaten 5 so far.  It's hard to hold back.  They are little tasty bites of heaven!

I highly recommend this product (and Napoleon's in particular) to anyone interested.  I shall immediately be forwarding a link to Tim and inform him he may surprise me with a box any time his little heart desires (hehe). 

Excuse me, I have 19 more to go. Okay, fine, I'll share with my coworkers.