Little Bites: Sushi Sasa

Thursday, June 18

To celebrate International Sushi Day, we decided to finally get downtown for a visit to Sushi Sasa. Recommended by Dave as his favorite sushi in Denver, he also warned that it is pricey and to definitely make a reservation. Easy enough...

Sushi Sasa is hidden away, across the street from another Dinnergirls favorite, My Brothers Bar. If you didn't know it was there, you would totally miss it. The restaurant is very white and very clean. In most sushi restaurants that I've been to, the sushi bar is closer to the front and you walk by as you're seated. Sushi Sasa is not this way. The sushi bar is at the back and I definitely missed walking by to greet the chef and see what looks good.

Naturally, we started our meal with sake. The sparkling sake to be exact. It was unfiltered and really interesting. It was also priced high enough that we split the two we ordered between us. I really liked it - it was a fun treat.

Next we ordered the Shrimp Dynamite to get us started with eats. I have to say... it was hands down the best dynamite I have ever had. The shrimp was tempura battered and fried and then topped with the dynamite sauce over asparagus. We all loved it and I'm sure each of us would have leveled that plate alone if there weren't other people to share with. It was excellent and I will dream of that dynamite it was so good.

I can't remember the names of all of the sushi rolls we ordered but I do remember the Diablo Roll, which also came highly recommended by Dave. Spicy tuna on the inside with seared (I think? I can't remember if it was seared but I think it was) tuna on the outside. The taste was simple and fresh - not fancy and really good. We also got the roll that had everything inside and tempura-ed. I am not sure that the other girls were as fond, but I really liked it too. You can never go wrong with a caterpillar roll and I think we got one of those (different name perhaps?) and a few other rolls as well. All of them were fresh, tasty, non-pretentious and beautifully presented.

Oh -- I almost forgot about the sashimi. We ordered the salmon that was sitting on a green tea sauce. Roland and I devoured the sashimi and the sauce was great! But I'm pretty sure the other girls prefer having their sushi with rice and that is ok too. I thought the salmon was perfect and melted on my tongue. The pieces were perhaps a little large which a couple of girls struggled with, but I'm not complaining! I thought they were tasty and I would order it again.

By the end of our dinner, we were all entirely too stuffed to order any kind of dessert, although the wasabi tiramisu sounded rather intriguing. I'm not much of a dessert eater but next time, and there will be a next time, I might try and save a little room for it -- and if not, perhaps I'll take some home.

All in all, I thought it was a great meal. Good sushi is never cheap but after the warnings of high prices at Sushi Sasa, I was surprised to find the total not too far off from what I likely would have spent anywhere else. If you like sushi and haven't tried this place, make a reservation and see what you think. We'd love to read your comments!

Patios of Spring!

Pearl Street Grill
1477 S Pearl Street

May 14th, 2009
Attendees: Caroline, Rhonda, Jen, Lara, Marie, Ang. and Special Guest Stacy

My first real apartment in Denver was located at 1430 S. Pearl...just a few doors down from the Pearl Street Grill, the Sushi Den and Stella's Coffee House, I didn't drive at the time, but my roommate hated not having a driveway...because if you weren't home before 6pm there was never anywhere to park. That was over ten years ago, all those places are still there and I can only guess that the neighborhood residents still feel the same. At 6:45 on Thursday, the block was packed.

The Pearl Street Grill is a Denver institution, older than the Wynkoop and legend has it that back in the day, when he was just known as "John", Mayor Hickenlooper would stop in, sit at the bar and pester the owners for business advice. But before this evening, I had only ever been there once before, when I lived down the street. It was one of those steel gray, it's-too-damn-cold-to-snow days and we walked down the block in the afternoon and had one of the best bowls of Potato & Leek soup that I have ever had that didn't come out of my kitchen. But I digress.

We arrived at the restaurant a little early and the nice little hostess gal lead us out to our table on the back patio. Let me start by saying, this patio is amazing.
All outdoor seating arrangements should aspire to be the patio at the Pearl Street Grill. There was not one table there where sun-in-the-eyes seemed to be a factor as the whole thing was shaded by an beautiful, enormous tree (it was shedding but so what!) and the water feature was a true delight, soothing but not overbearing.



As per usual we started off with a round of drinks and that's when it all began.
We had two drink menus and they were not the same. Our waiter, Ted, after asking us about our group and what we do and the like, explained that the drink specials were different on "daily specials" sheet than in the menu and that the wine selections might be a bit outdated. A little odd, but we went with it. I cannot remember the name of the drink I had but it's vodka and ginger beer served in a copper mug...cool, refreshing and delicious.
Jen ordered a mojito, or I should say, the saddest attempt at a mojito that I have ever seen and as soon as I was able to flag down a staff member that just happened by our table, we sent that glass of wilted mint and not-freshly-cut limes back in favor of a glass of sangria, which seemed to be the preferred drink of the evening.

After that we decided on a couple of appetizers. The Artichoke Dip was really good, it was creamy with a great texture and the perfect amount of cheesy, but the toasted beer bread points were the highlight on the dish. We also ordered a plate of Mussels Bouillabaisse...O.M.G.! I am not much of a seafood fan, I like fish, mostly raw...but unless it is shrimp, I am always willing to try something. Outside of the Great Backyard 4th-of-July Mussel Fest last year...these were the single greatest mussels I have ever had in my life. They were perfectly cooked, not one of the five I ate were in the least bit chewy and the sauce was out-of-this-world, fantastic! I'd have to say, they were the highlight of the evening.

As we were preparing to order our entrees our waiter, Ted, came by the table to impart some menu wisdom on us. In short he pointed out all the things on the menu that we should not even think about ordering. The Mediterranean Pasta should, apparently, be avoided completely...it is never any good. He also suggested we steer clear of the Grilled Pork Medallions and the Enchilada Plate. He mentioned that the Meatloaf is excellent but the Pot Roast can be iffy. We asked why the Grilled Salmon appears on the menu twice, both with the same description but two different prices, he wasn't sure nor did he make any gesture to find out. I asked about the Macho Burrito and was told it wasn't anything I couldn't get better someplace else.
In the end, I decided to give the Pot Roast a try...Ted was right. It wasn't awesome but it wasn't so dry that I needed to send it back.
All in all, I feel really weird about Ted. On one hand it's really nice, I suppose, to have a waiter be that blunt and honest about the menu, on the other, I just feel that that entire exchange could have been handled in a more positive way. Instead of telling us what we should avoid, he might have been more open to recommending something else had we tried to order those items on the menu that he just didn't favor. I don't know, the whole thing just threw me off and I can't get over it. Everyone else, however, seemed to really enjoy their dinners, the mushroom gravy for the meatloaf was no lie, loaded with mushrooms, Rhonda and Lara had two of the biggest, most delicious looking Greek Salads I have ever seen, Jen seemed very pleased with the Trout and the Buffalo Burger at Stacy's end of the table looked downright sensational.

Needless to say, my overall impression of the Pearl Street Grill is somewhat bittersweet. I loved the ambiance of the patio and the appetizers were really great but the whole of the dining experience was somewhat tainted. In the end I was just left with the feeling that our waiter just really didn't care all that much and it kinda just threw the whole dining-out experience off completely. I don't know if I'll ever return...well, maybe...if it's really, really cold and gray day, and somebody tells me Potato & Leek is the soup of the day.

Magic at the Monaco Inn!

962 S Monaco Pkwy
Denver, CO 80224
(303) 320-1104
www.monacoinn.com

When: April 9th
In Attendance: Jen, Ang, Katie, Caroline, Rhonda, Lara, Marie

I had been reading about the Monaco Inn for years in the Cherry Creek Chronicle which I receive at home. Over the years, there have been some good reviews of this family owned little hot spot. The article described fantastic food including Greek potatoes, killer dolmades, and excellent Mexican food including their special Monacoritos. I had also passed the somewhat unassuming and hidden restaurant for years but never stopped in.

After going to the Monaco Inn with my favorite group of women, I am kicking myself for not going sooner! When I first walked in, I was a little nervous because it seemed like an early bird special kind of crowd and I was ready to eat and laugh a ton! I saw Katie sitting at the bar and quickly walked over and sat down and ordered a drink. I recognized the owner, Mike Tsikoudakis immediately from the articles I had read and he graciously poured my drink with a friendly smile. I felt at home already. A short time after Lara arrived and ordered a yummy Greek wine at the recommendation of Mike. I knew I wanted some once we were seated at our table.

Alas, the other girls arrived after driving right past the Monaco Inn. It is very easy not to notice this place and pass on by. You must turn at the Hobby Lobby sign! I had made a reservation and our table was ready and waiting for our Greek feast to begin! Mike led us to our table where we were greeted by our cute server and the owner’s daughter, Antigone! Along with Antigone, there was a flock of other servers including Peter and Asimakis attending to our table! I could tell this place was special and the staff considered it home! I felt at home too!

After everyone sampled Lara’s Greek wine, we all decided to order a few bottles. The wine and two orders of on the house saganaki were presented by Mike! OPA my good man! Fire and cheese equals fun! The saganaki was very creamy, lemony, and delicious. One order needed a little more time under the fire but I didn’t care because cheese and lemon two of my favorite things! The saganaki was served with fresh, pillow soft, and delicious pita bread. Thank you Mike!

We also ordered some calamari. It arrived at our table piping hot and with lots of lemon, cocktail sauce, and tzatziki sauce! Cooking calamari seems to be difficult for some restaurants and is often times chewy and over cooked. I thought the Monaco Inn did a great job. I liked the golden brown batter and it had a peppery tang to it. I thought (as the girls called it), the tentacles were the best part rather than the “circle” part! OPA! Whatever it’s called, it must have been good because we ate the whole huge plate! There was a shot of ouzo somewhere during the calamari scarfing. The Monaco Inn serves very LARGE shots of the smoothest ouzo I have ever thrown back! OPA, once again!

We had all ordered big platters, which came with Greek avgolemono soup or Greek salad. I had the soup and it was thick, creamy, and hot! It had lots of rice and a rich lemon flavor. I ate it in about 4 big spoonfuls. A few other girls got the Greek salad. It looked like very good Greek salad, but some of them learned to get the dressing on the side next time! I was full at this point but did not quit eating, naturally.

Our huge platters came to the table from the friendly gentlemen being so attentive to our table. I immediately spotted the Greek potatoes I had read about in so many reviews. I was down right giddy to dig in! I ordered a combo plate with spanakopita, tyropita, and grilled shrimp. I decided to sub the grilled shrimp for dolmades and they were happy to oblige! So many restaurants have combos with one thing I don’t want, but the Monaco Inn was very accommodating about switching things up! Honestly, I was so in to my food I don’t remember what other girls ordered. I will rely on their blog comments to discuss their meals!

I tried the Greek potatoes first. I loved them simply put. The potatoes were rich, buttery, and full of lemon and herb flavors. They were some of the tastiest potatoes I have eaten and would like to make them myself! There was something light and airy about them when other potatoes can be heavy. Next, I tried my spinach pie called spanakopita. It was filled with delicious spinach that was flavored with dill, parsley, leeks, and feta cheese. It was layered with fluffy golden fillo and was scrumptious. It was time to try the dolmades! These dolmades were stuffed with herbs, rice, and ground beef all rapped up in a tender grape leaf. I enjoyed Monaco Inn’s beefy dolmades and thought they were delightfully different from dolmades from other area Greek restaurants, which usually don’t include beef.

I am saving my favorite part of my combo platter for last! The tyropita cheese pies are to die for! I wished I wasn’t so full by the time I sunk my teeth into these heavenly morsels of cheese and flaky fillo dough. They were warm, smooth, and had a wonderful tangy blend of cheeses. The Inn's tyropitas are divine! I could have just had a plate of those.

This is a long review but I don’t remember the last time I had such a fantastic time eating out. I must say I thought the great food was just an added bonus to the fun atmosphere and entertainment we received at our table from the staff at the Monaco Inn. This is what going out to eat is all about! So often you can go to a restaurant and feel like a bother to the servers. They kind of make you feel as if they want you to order in a hurry, eat, and get out so they can turn the tables over. I felt like we could have stayed at the Monaco Inn for days, and they would have kept us full and happy! In fact, we were treated to a wonderful magic show by Peter the great! He did three mesmerizing tricks for us as we laughed and had the best time! We also had our own mini comedy club going at our table as Peter told some funny jokes and stories! I think we may have been the youngest and most enthusiastic table the Inn had seen in a while! I think we gave the staff a thrill, with our dazzling beauty and smiling faces. We were all happy to take part in the fun!

After all the jokes, magic, food, and OPA’s, it was time for a group photo to commemorate my favorite dinner to date! You must try the Monaco Inn because it is a true Denver treasure. There is nothing better than a restaurant that takes pride in their service from start to finish. This little gem is my new neighborhood favorite!

Dreaming In Lentils

Arada Ethiopian Restaurant
750 Sante Fe Drive
www.aradarestaurant.com

Attendees: Ang., Caroline, Jen, Katie, Lara and Marie

Ethiopian food is now the most frequently enjoyed ethnic food group by the Denver Dinnergirls. We have dined at The Ethiopian Restaurant on Colfax (one of our very first dinners, there were 4 of us and our bar tab was twice the total of our food, surely the plan of the establishment) and Queen of Sheba, also on Colfax (again, only 4 of us but since there was no liquor, a very inexpensive dinner). Ethiopian food is one of the most fascinating and enjoyable of all ethnic dining because you are immediately submerged into the culture...there are no plates or silver, everyone just sits around the big platter and shares...it's a wonderful communal experience. Both the previously mentioned Ethiopian Restaurant and Queen of Sheba are entertaining and delicious but Arada is without a doubt the best in town.
(You don't have to take this from me...ask around, Westword, City Search, Denver Restaurant Guide...eating critics and readers all agree...it is the best.)
From the service to the presentation of the bill, this place is what dining out should be...practically perfect in every way.

We all met at the bar, a very well stocked affair and ordered a round of wines by the glass. We were served by Haime, a lovely gal but she was soon replaced by Siaka (see-ah-kah) who would not only take over behind the bar, he served as our waiter and guide...and very graciously, with a fantastic smile, steered us through the million questions we are always bound to ask and did.
Arada is small but very beautifully decorated with a few really amazing, framed pieces of art on the walls and for being such a small dining room it was pretty quiet.
He seated us at our table and was very helpful steering us through the menu...it's not tricky but we wanted to try as much of everything as we could. We settled on one vegetarian combo platter and one festival of meat platter. We also ordered a couple Sambusa's (think Ethiopian empanadas--every culture has their own version), one filled with lentils and other a ground beef mixture....both of them were very good and spicy but not overpowering.

The main event though was served in a very timely manner and this is where Arada really stands above the aforementioned and other Ethiopian restaurants.

Siaka brought two trays to the table containing the Ethiopian bread. It is unlike any other bread I have ever had in my life. It is spongy, kind of like a giant crepe, only thicker, but has a zip and tang to it that I find hard to put my finger on...we asked him and he told us how they make it but I just don't understand how every single serving is perfect. (For those uninitiated the bread is how you eat all the dishes...using little pieces of the bread to "scoop" up bite-size portions and pop them into your mouth...super fun...kids would love it!)
Then he brought all the individual items that went with our combos in small bowls and dished them onto the platters explaining what each item was as he did so.

The vegetarian tray was full of yellow split peas, lentils in a red pepper sauce, green beans, potatoes, carrots and cabbage and the most perfectly cooked collard greens...each dish a delicious mixture of spices and textures...so freakin' good, you could almost cry.

The meat platter contained a plethora of beef dishes, ground beef, strips of beef, beef chunks and number 9, which Siaka said was his favorite and I think all of the girls at the table agreed, was absolutely the most tasty selection on the tray. There was also a lamb selection in the middle of the platter that was tender and supple...and again, each dish was a perfect blend of spices and herbs and garlic...mmm, mmm, mmm!

Each platter also contained 2 salads...one a combination of tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and peppers and then the other seemed to contain all those ingredients and small pieces of the Ethiopian bread all soaked in a sublime vinegar mixture and Siaka kept the bread well stocked on the trays so that we were never without.

Toward the end of our dinner a very beautiful woman (I forgot to write down her name...grrr!) came out to our table and asked how we liked everything, even mentioning some certain dishes that we had. I am sure she was the chef/owner of the establishment...I know I could not tell her how much I had thoroughly enjoyed our dinner...I don't know that there are the proper words in the English language and unfortunately I do not speak Ethiopian. I can't even seem to find the words in my own native tongue to recommend Arada more highly that to just say, don't wait...go there, seriously, your taste buds will thank you after your stomach begs you to stop eating.

xoxoang.

Jonsey's Eat Bar

20th & Logan
www.jeatbar.com
Attendees: Lara, Ang, Jenny, Marie and special guest: Holly

Let me start off by saying I love French Fries! Jonesy's knows how to do french fries with a kick! I had been dreaming about their fries for weeks!

Happy Hour ends at 7pm, so I was determined to get there in time for HH! I did! I started with a Spanish red wine, Tempranillo or something like that. It was yummy! Then I noticed Ang outside. She came in and joined me for a glass. Then Jenny and Holly arrived. We then ordered a Malbec which was yummy! Then Marie joined us just in time for our last HH glass.

I loved how we ordered, we just ordered a whole bunch of apps! Of course FFs, a half and half plate of truffle oil with cheese and buffalo sauce with cheese. Yummy! Yummy! Yummy! We also ordered mussels; the Dinnergirls love their mussels. I can't remember the sauce but it was yummy! We also ordered the cauliflower which had a great curry sauce! Then something with a fancy name that Ang knows, it was water chestnuts wrapped in bacon. Can you ever go wrong with bacon? Nope!

Holly and Jenny split a pretty looking beet salad. Ang ordered a great shot of Colorado cherry spiced brandy, or something like that. It was very tastey! Was it warm? I think so.

That was about it. The service was fine, but not spectacular. They were not very attentive, but it wasn't terrible. They did give Jenny a whole bunch of corks and even came and found her when she forgot them.

I would totally go to Jonsey's again, just for the FF!

Fun with Video - Taki Sushi