Frontera Grill by Rick Bayless

For Part 1 of my birthday, Nick took me to Frontera Grill for lunch because I’ve been DYING to try the mole that won Rick Bayless the title of Top Chef Masters. Good reason? Hehe

Click here for the Menu’s for all 3 of Rick Bayless’s restaurants!

*Frontera tip* The restaurant DOES take very limited reservations (contrary to what many people tell you), so plan ahead to guarantee yourself a seat!

We were seated right away at a cozy table that was jammed pretty closely to its neighboring tables. A little awkward, especially since the people next to our table kept pointing and talking about the food we ordered because…it was literally 3 feet away from them. But ANYWAYS…

An amuse bouche snack of deep fried nuts were placed on our table. A little on the greasy side, but well-spiced, salty, and perfect for hungry diners or those enjoying Frontera’s famously delicious margarita’s. Which…I didn’t order. (Sorry! I’m just not much of a drinker. The only thing I love is strawberry daquiri’s. hahahah) Now I regret it…a little.

Nick and I couldn’t decide what appetizer to order, so we got the big sampler platter!

Entremes Surtido: appetizer platter of cheesy quesadillas, crispy chicken taquitos with sour cream, tangy ceviche tostadas, crunchy jcama salad and guacamole and tortilla chips served with 2 salsa’s

Overall Tastiness: Will have to depend on what component of the platter we’re talking about. Overall – SO VERY AVERAGE even though they have fancy names. Here’s what was on the platter in detail. You can order all of them separately…which I will next time.

• Quesadillas Capitalinas: Mexico City-style quesadillas (corn masa turnovers) stuffed with Samuels locally handcrafted Jack cheese and fresh epazote; guacamole to daub.

Tastiness: C. Nick didn’t enjoy this at all, which is strange because he loves cheese and fried food. These were literally fried dough stuffed with cheese and almost non-existent guacamole.

• Taquitos de Pollo: crispy taquitos filled with chicken, black beans and poblanos, with homemade sour cream, and aejo cheese.

Tastinss: B. Quite good on the inside, not too greasy on the lips, but easily forgettable.

• Tostaditas de Ceviche: crisp little tortillas piled with lime-marinated Hawaiian blue marlin, manzanilla olives, tomato, serrano, jcama and cilantro.

Tastiness: A. I’m a die-hard ceviche fan and these were fresh, the fish were perfectly seasoned, a little tart, had good chewy texture, and went perfectly with the salsa.

• Jicama Callejera: crunchy jcama, cucumber and pineapple with fresh lime and crushed guajillo chile

Tastiness: A-. I really enjoyed the cold refreshing tart jicama salad and especially the pineapple slices. They offered a good flavor contrast to the other fried goods on the platter.

Guacamole – Honestly, I think chipotle has the winning recipe here. Overly salted that day! Better off buying it at Xoco, Frontera’s cheaper neighbor sister store.

Our Entrees

Enchiladas de Mole Poblano: homemade tortillas rolled around Gunthorp free-range chicken, doused with Mexicos most famous mole; black beans. 14.75

Tastiness: A-. Nick ordered the mole so I could satisfy my craving with the salmon and graciously allowed me to clean 1/3 of his plate. Hahaha. I literally couldn’t stop eating the enchiladas in mole. The shredded chicken in the tortillas were so well spiced and moist it didn’t need mole. However, the mole was certainly delicious!!! It was bold, smoky, a little sweet, a little spicy, and complex. Like a very special BBQ sauce almost! Nick ate the rest excluding half the black beans. He was not a fan of it hence the A minus!

Pescado del Dia: fresh day-boat catch of the day. Market price.

My description: Mexican marinated and wood grilled wild atlantic salmon served in spicy creamy peanut reduction sauce. Served with a side of refried black beans.

Tastiness: B+. Nick and I agreed the peanut sauce was rather Asian flavor-wise. It tasted just like sweet curry, except much thicker and super peanut-y. The best part of the dish was the PERFECTLY seasoned and grilled salmon, which had a little crunch from the charred edges while the core was still slightly raw. I would have been happy with just the fish.

There were also grilled zucchini pieces in the sauce, which was phenomenal. Everything came with ~6 warm homemade tortillas and a disappointing batch of refried black beans. It was so dry on the outside and tasted bland on the inside with a strange sticky consistency. I didn’t even finish half of it, which is SAD considering black beans are my favorite beans in the world!!

Dessert(s)

Pan de Muerto: Warm brioche Day of the Dead Bread sandwiched with chocolate-Negra Modelo ice cream, calabaza en tacha (Spence Farm pumpkin braised in unrefined cone sugar). Tequila-infused cherries. 8.25

Tastiness: B. Quite a conflicting dish I must say. The highlight was most definitely the negra modelo ice-cream!! Creamy, sweet, a teeny bit alcoholic and mysterious, this beer-based frozen treat now has me curious. How do you make it Rick?? Sadly, the brioche was stale and the cute colorful beads topping the dessert were a DISASTER to eat. They’re so hard on your teeth, overly crunchy, and adds nothing to enhance the flavor of the dish. What a nuisance. Lucky there was yummy sweetened pumpkin and those tequila infused cherries…*drool*

Chocolate Cappuccino: Intelligentsia Black Cat espresso and Oaxacan chocolate steamed with hot milk 5.00

Tastiness: A-. If you love bittersweet chocolate (like the 70% dark cocoa kind) you will love this! It was steamy, slightly sweet, not too creamy, and definitely the perfect blend between chocolate and coffee. Oh YUM for me, but too bitter for Nick. Guess who got to finish it all?

RATINGS

Taste: 4/5 (Hit or Miss. Watch what you order!)

Originality: 4/5 (You have pretty standard appetizers, but there are some really creative entrees!!)

Plating: 4/5

Value: 3/5 (It may be a 2.5 if we went for dinner…pricey!)

Service: 3/5. (Twice, 2 different servers forgot Nick’s “birthday request” after he secretly hunted them down to tell them. Frontera is either understaffed or they really don’t’ give a darn about us…but at least our waiter was knowledgeable and they got our orders right!)

And that was my 2 hour birthday brunch at Frontera Grill. Thanks for joining!! I might be back…for the chocolate cappuccino and my margarita!

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AND for the Giveaway winners….

DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!

Krema Peanut Butter Winners

Here are your random numbers:

50  26

Timestamp: 2009-12-01 15:54:16 UTC

#73: Nicole – “1. I am from Chicago, Illinois but currently live in Tulsa, Oklahoma for a bit!
2. I apparently can’t find Krema PB in Oklahoma…but I can buy some when I’m in Chicago next week or for Christmas!!”

#26: Melinda – “Doesn’t look like it is sold in Maryland  My fave PButtery thing is adding it to ice cream.”

SodaStream Winner

Here are your random numbers:

89

Timestamp: 2009-12-01 16:27:25 UTC

#89: Lillian H. – “I would choose Ginger-ale (diet), Lemon-Lime, and Peach Mango if I win. If I could create one, it’d be Lychee-Mango! I’ve also added you to my Google Reader. Love your blog and great giveaway!!!”

Congrats Ladies!!! You’ll be getting an e-mail from me!!!

Ann Sather’s Luscious Cinnamon Rolls

Ann Sather is a famous “Swedish” restaurant chain in Chicago that serves up a huge selection of brunch foods (my favorite!)…and according to its patrons, world-class unforgettable cinnamon rolls.

Nick and I decided to go one morning despite the 3-star average reviews on Yelp (Strangely few stars considering they have supposedly nailed the great American cinnamon roll.) My verdict? I’m so glad we went and satisfied my eggs benedict craving! It may not get all 5 stars, but for the price, the value, and the selection of the food served, this is totally at least a 4 star restaurant! For now, here’s the menu link.

It was noon on a Saturday and we walked into the Belmont restaurant. NO WAIT, No line!!! Woohoo! I get cranky when I have to wait 45 minutes for my brunch (*ahem* Bongo Room)

I didn’t realize that all breakfasts come with two sides of your choice, included in the price of your entrée. The list includes:

• 2 cinnamon rolls (yes, 2 giant rolls = 1 side dish!)
• 1 Sweet muffin
• 2 Biscuits & Honey
• Toast and Jelly
• Sliced Tomatoes or Applesauce
• Fruit Cup
• Hash Browns

I picked the cinnamon rolls and the fruit cup. Nick picked the cinnamon rolls and the hash browns. Our rolls came out LITERALLY 1 minute after we placed our order. Nice, warm, fluffy, and dripping with goopy frosting.

Tastiness: B+.Warning- I’m a tough critic. The outer edges were a little tougher than I liked and the frosting was RIDICULOUSLY sweet. Too sweet for my liking. However, the inside of the roll was soft, fluffy, and moist. Once some frosting was scraped off the top, I fully enjoyed the cinnamon roll. There are others (like Nick) who think the frosting is the best stuff ever. He didn’t leave a sliver of frosting anywhere on his plate.

The best things about our benedict entrées were that they come with 2 sides of your choice, AND the hollaindaise is served on the side without needing requesting! The sauce was actually pretty nasty looking and clumped up as soon as it started to cool. Ick. Lucky it wasn’t on top of my eggs.

Crab Cake Benedict – $9.95
Poached Eggs, Cajun Crab Cakes and Hollandaise Sauce

Tastiness: I can’t judge since this wasn’t my order, but from what I tasted, although the egg was perfectly cooked with a hot runny yolk and soft egg whites, I absolutely did not enjoy the crab cakes!!! They were dry on the outside and the crab might as well be non-existent. I definitely recommend going to Tavern on Rush and paying $3 more for a REAL crab-stuffed crab cake. This got a B- because Nick didn’t mind it…the flavors were “good.”

Smoked Salmon Benedict – $9.95

Poached Eggs, Norwegian Salmon, Fresh Dill and Hollandaise Sauce

Tastiness: A-. My benedict was perfect. The salmon was warm and the poached eggs were hot with a perfectly cooked runny yolk. The muffin didn’t get soggy because whoever was in the kitchen took the time to drain the eggs and wick extra moisture off the smoked salmon slices before serving. Delicious! There was so much flavor no hollandaise was needed! All it needed was some ketchup. Of course.

RATINGS

Taste: 3.5/5 (my entrée was fabulous and so were the cinnamon rolls)

Originality: 4/5 (the menu is SO huge they have all the classics and much more!)

Plating: 3/5

Value: 4/5 (For a $20, you get a LOT of food)

Service: 4/5 (No complaints at all. They took care of us so well and so promptly I was amazed)

Amy’s Cake & Miguel’s Dippers Uncensored

Just a few recent reviews I’d like to share with you!

Make sure you’ve entered my Giveaway!!! It ends this Monday!!

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Amy’s Lemon Poppyseed Cake

I never imagined how SPOT ON delicious (and nutritious) Amy’s desserts could be until I tried this cake, which by the way is 99% organic. You can find it in the freezer section since Amy’s does not add any preservatives (nor MSG or trans fats) into the product.

Stats per slice (assuming 6 slices per loaf): 200 Cals, 7g fat, 0.5g saturated fat, 170mg sodium, 31g carbs, 1g fiber, 17g sugar, 2g protein

Main Ingredients: Organic wheat flour, organic evaporated cane juice, organic buttermilk, filtered water, organic high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, organic lemon juice, organic poppy seeds, organic lemon essential oil, sea salt, baking soda, baking powder

Tastiness: 9/10. I couldn’t resist eating this cake straight out of the freezer (though you’re meant to thaw in the fridge for 2 hours prior to serving) and it was GOOD, really good. The top of the cake is lightly glazed with cane juice that gives is a slightly sticky, indulgent, finger-licking quality. This is not a sour cake by any means, but has all the refreshing, sunny flavors of lemon paired with the exciting littlecrunch of the poppy seeds in every bite. It is definitely sweet and dessert-like in every way, except it contains only ingredients you can feel good about!

As you can see, this pound cake appears very dense in texture but unlike regular pound cake, it’s not greasy AT ALL. To serve, I just sliced up the cake and microwaved for 30 seconds, thus producing soft, warm cake. Thank you Amy’s Kitchen for a dessert I can go to when I’m not feeling like baking (or if I’m having trouble buying poppy seeds! Haha)

Amy’s Kitchen says, “We’re not saying that Amy’s cakes are “health food”, but if you are going to indulge, read the labels and enjoy knowing that our cakes are as close as you can get to home made.”

I say, “I couldn’t agree more!”

Retail Cost: ~$4.50

My Cost: Complimentary from Amy’s Kitchen

Where to Find: Freezer section of health food stores and grocery stores such as Whole Foods.

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Miguel’s Chips

Miguel’s Products is committed to the support of sustainable farming methods that ensure great tasting foods without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides in soil that is naturally nourished.

Exotic Plantain Strips - Often referred to as “Potatoes Of The Air”, plantains are a member of the banana family. In contrast to the soft, sweet banana (which is sometimes called the dessert banana), plantains tend to be firmer and lower in sugar content.When delicately cooked, plantain take on the taste of a fine potato chip while retaining the subtle flavor of banana.

Honey Plantain Strips

Tastiness: 9/10. Yummy!! I’ve never been a fan of plantains, but these were like crunchy, yummy, dessert chips. They are extra crunchy thanks to the thin and even coating of honey surrounding the entire chip, non-greasy on your lips, and very addicting. They are also rather sweet, but not to the point that you want to gag. I highly recommend these because they taste so good AND I consider them healthy. These are just like the ones from Trader Joe’s!

Salted Plantain Strips

Tastiness: 6/10.These strips are very much like SUPER crunchy chips, almost too tough on my jaw. I like that they aren’t overly salty, and pair very well with a dip like hummus and salsa. Because it is so non-porous, the chips hold up extremely well to more watery condiments. On the flip-side, one may view it as a little more bland, but it’s nothing salsa can’t fix.

Organic Dippers – All Miguel’s Organic Tortilla Dippers are hand-crafted using secret combinations of certified organic ingredients in concert with our signature, fine ground organic corn masa to deliver a totally unique flavor experience. Our “Dippers” are gluten-free and, no artificial colors or preservatives have been used. Nothing gets in the way of their great taste and satisfying crunch.

Vegetable & Seed Tortilla Dippers

Tastiness: 8/10. The red chips are my favorite while the green ones are less so. The difference is that the red ones actually taste slightly sweeter while the green ones taste a little bit bitter to me (I’m guessing because of the green pepper flavoring.) Nick didn’t notice any bitterness, so it may just be that I’m super sensitive. I love the shapes of these dippers because they can get into hard to reach salsa jars, but they’re so crisp that you can’t pile on too much baggage or it snaps!

Everything Dippers

Tastiness: 7/10. I like that these dippers are also perfectly salted and nobody went overboard with the salt shaker – a big problem with a lot of chips these days. There are only a handful of other seasonings so you truly get the natural flavors of corn and seeds in each bite! Not an especially special flavor, but decent at the very least.

Three Pepper Dippers

Tastiness: 8/10. If you like black pepper, you’ll like these. These dippers have 3 kinds of peppers infused into the chip – red bell pepper, green, and of course black pepper. You definitely taste a little bit of sweetness from the red peppers, but for the most part, the spicy black pepper packs a nice big, bold punch. I can take a lot of spiciness, but this one gets overwhelming if you’re not a fan of heat.

Retail Cost: TBA.

My Cost: Complimentary from Miguel’s Products

 

Flackers Winners!

Creamy soup without Flackers is no fun!!

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

70  22

Timestamp: 2009-11-23 17:14:27 UTC

 

The Winners of the Doctor In The Kitchen Giveaway are…

#66) fruitsveggieslife

#22) Averie (LoveVeggiesAndYoga)

Congratulations Ladies!! I’ll be e-mailing you guys for your mailing address!

Didn’t win this time? That’s ok! Have you entered the SodaStream and Krema All-natural Peanut Butter giveaway yet??

The Ultimate Birthday Giveaway

It’s a BIG bad giveaway, and here’s what it’s all about!

I really do love giving away things and sharing with others the stuff that I love. I can’t thank you all enough for reading and supporting Lucky Taste Buds through the months, and your thoughtful comments sometimes become the highlight of my day.

This giveaway is dedicated to a few goals I’ve set for myself on my birthday. I hope you’ll join me by entering the giveaway!

1. Living as green in as many ways possible. Walk more, print double-sided, eat sustainable food, eliminate buying bottles and extra packing.
2. Be more adventurous! Experimenting outside of my foodie comfort zone – I admit, I always order the smoked salmon eggs benedict or squash-anything off a menu. I have also never set foot in an Ethiopian or Irish restaurant in my life but I would love to.
3. To read and be able to understand the “ingredients” in the ingredient section of nutrition labels, not only look at numbers.
4. Not to take myself too seriously sometimes. “Perfectionism” does not exist.
5. To be more giving in every way possible!

Prizes:

There will be 3 winners total…

1 winner will win an entire Sodastream soda-lovers machine and starter pack (valued at ~$100)

2 winners will win 2 jars each of Krema’s delicious all-natural (aka Crazy Richard’s) smooth and chunky peanut butter

How the giveaway works:

1) Read the reviews for whichever prizes you’d like to win and follow the directions on the post…

• For SodaStream, click HERE.
• For Krema/Crazy Richard’s Natural Nut Butters, click HERE.

2) If you’d like to be entered for 3 extra entries, comment on THIS post why you think the goals above pertain to both of the prizes.

3) For another 3 extra entries, link back to THIS post too!

BOTH contests open to US resident only and end at midnight on November 30th! The best Month of the year!

SodaStream Penguin and Giveaway!

Once upon a time, there was a lonely girl who loved animals.

Unfortunately, her apartment building forbids pet-owning.

One day, Michelle received a heavy box in the mail! A Pet PENGUIN from the folks at SodaStream.

So…What does Michelle and Pengu do to get to know each other? (Yes I named him)

Pengu is a magical creature who whistles and farts to turn still water into FIZZY water! In other words, Pengu makes Perrier/La Croix at home!

This Pet penguin has a rear end that opens up (like the Bat-mobile’s fancy doors) so you can place a beautiful glass carafe filled with still water into.

His belly is made to encase a tall, skinny carbon dioxide “carbonator” that is hidden once you snap his tummy shut. This metal cartridge belongs to SodaStream and needs to be exchanged/refilled once it runs out. It can make over 50L of fizzy beverage!

When everything is in place, all you have to do pump Pengu’s beak so he whistles (and silently farts).

One whistle = a big fart = slightly bubbly drink

Two whistles = 2 big farts…you get the idea

Once you reach the appropriate fizziness, release the CO2 by pressing a button. Open up his rear end and remove the glass carafe to enjoy your homemade La Croix! Do you see the fizziness?

It gets even better! You can make your own flavored (sweet) drinks from mixers!

For example, SodaStream also sent a diet ginger ale mix that tastes AWESOME….yes, even though it is sweetened with Splenda. (Pictured here with a home-cooked meal.)

The regular (sugar sweetened) beverages from SodaStream actually only have 1/3 the calories of leading store brands because they are mixed with Splenda. For example, the SodaStream Cola has 34 Calories for every 100 calories in a classic Coca Cola.

Click here for a catalogue of drink flavors (including unsweetened)!

• Classics Ginger ale/Root Beer/Cream Soda/Cola/Tonic
• Fruit flavors: Cranberry Raspberry/Orange/Lemon Lime/Peach Mango (Nick’s favorite)
• Lemonade/Lemon Iced Tea/Peach Iced Tea
• Interesting flavors such as: Pete’s choice and Energy Drink

The diet version is also available for most, if not all flavors. They are all sweetened with Splenda.

If you don’t like sugary beverages, there are other unsweetened alternatives called “flavor essences”. Think La Croix! These include flavors such as:

• Orange
• Lemon
• Berry

The Final Low Down:

Pro’s:

• Once you buy a penguin, you’ll never spend a dime on Perrier’s and La Croix’s again (Nor will you ever have to lug it back home from the grocery store)
• Taste – Whether you buy the syrups/flavor essences sold online or not, you have total control over the taste of your beverage. I definitely recommend the syrups because the 2 flavors I’ve tried (diet ginger ale & regular peach mango) are awesome.
• Eco friendly – You eliminate the packaging waste from cans and bottles, and the pollution produced in transportation of the bottled beverages! I can’t stress this one enough because I’m guilty of those LaCroix cans.
• Waist-line friendly. No calories in water, no calories in carbonated water with flavor essence. 1/3 the calories in “original” SodaStream syrup itself compared to leading store brands.
• The sleek look of the device itself (who doesn’t want a pet penguin?)
• Freedom!!! Make whatever carbonated beverage your heart desires. Literally, anything. You can make pumpkin cider and apple pop using ingredients at home!
• It makes for a fantastic gift!! You know what to ask for for X’mas! or Enter the giveaway to win it!!

Con’s:

• Start up cost – Penguin’s starter kit is $199. However, if you would like to buy a pet that looks less like a penguin but performs the same function, SodaStream has sets that start at $89.95.
• At first, the CO2 carbonator freaked me out a little simply because they look like fire extinguishers. But I’ve gotten over that now. hehe
• You have to exchange the CO2 canisters once they run out. One whole carbonator carbonates 50L+ of water. It’ll last me a while, but may not for die-hard soda lovers.

Where you can find Pengu and his cousins: Online. Sears. Williams & Sonoma, Sam’s Club…Check out the website for more information.

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SodaStream Giveaway Time!!

Win this for yourself or make this THE perfect X’mas gift for a loved one!

THE PRIZE: The Ultimate Fountain Jet Soda Lover’s Start-Up Kit (~$100 retail value)

Including,

• Your choice of Black/Silver, White, or Red/Silver Fountain jet soda maker
• CO2 carbonator to make over 200 liters of soda
• 2 Reusable carbonating bottles
• A sample pack of beverage flavors to mix into your soda
• Your choice of 3 full-sized beverage flavors

To do (each counts as1 entry and let me know if you’ve completed each or ALL of them):

1. Visit the Sodastream website and comment below with 2 things: 1) pick your 3 full sized beverage flavors if you win!!! 2) Design your own soda beverage and be as creative as you want!
2. Follow me on Twitter @ LuckyTasteBuds
3. Twitter My giveaway with a link back to this post!!
4. Link back to this giveaway on your next post!
5. Add me to your Blogroll or Google reader if you haven’t already

Deadline: Midnight Central time on Monday November 30th! (The best month of the year!)

Contest open to continental US residents only, but you don’t need a blog to enter!

Not a soda drinker? Check out my simultaneous all-natural Krema/Crazy Richards’s Peanut butter giveaway here!!!

Krema Nut Butter and Giveaway!

I always thought I knew what real peanut butter tasted like…until I had Krema’s Peanut Butter (brand also known as Crazy Richards.)

The only PB’s I have ever had growing up included JIF (and Peter Pan) when I moved to the US. Yes, those trans-fat infused, hydrogenated oil laden, and lots of sugar-added peanutbutters.

I admit, it was a little hard at first to accustom myself to peanut butter that didn’t taste sweet!! It also took some time to get over the oils floating on the top, but I’m past that stage now…and all I have to say is…YUM!!!

The “Did you knows”…

• Founded in 1898, the Krema Peanut Butter Company is one of the oldest peanut butter companies in the US today. (Over100 years old!)
• Krema was featured on Food Network shows such as “Unwrapped” and Food Finds”
• Ingredient list: peanuts.
• There is absolutely no salt, sugar or hydrogenated vegetable oils added! Hence, zero trans- fats in the all-natural Krema nut butters!
• Krema “double grinds” their smooth peanut butters so that it is silky smooth.
• Krema uses only high quality peanuts (most manufacturers use the worst quality peanuts to make into PB! Read “The China Study” to find out more about that)
• Gluten-free & Kosher
• “Crazy Richards” (the Krema name in the East and West Coast) have been a “top pick” of best foods on Men’s Health for the last 3 years.

Check out the Krema website right here!

The Hot and Spicy

I made hot and spicy eggplant boats using steamed eggplant strips. They are an EXCELLENT snack as the peanut butter becomes the star of the “dish”, offering a little bit of crunch and heat to the mild pillowy flavors of the eggplant.

Tastiness: 8/10. This flavor is not for the faint of heart. It is definitely spicy, but in the best way possible. If you’re afraid of the spiciness, use the peanut butter in recipes with other sauces to tone down the heat. The peanuts are ground so that there are a lot of tiny peanut specks infused throughout the thick, creamy peanut butter “foundation.” The spices used to flavor the peanut butter are perfectly balanced – powerful but does not overwhelm the natural aromas of the peanut butter. I’m not sure I would buy this again although it tastes great because I simply don’t have a repertoire of recipes that require spicy peanut butter.

Uses: Krema has provided a recipe for a Thai cold noodle salad (I can only imagine yumminess from this recipe), dip for pretzels, veggies, and more!

The Chunky

Feel free to eat directly out of jar.

Tastiness: 8.5/10. I have always loved chunky peanut butter more than creamy PB because of the crunch, but for some reason, the creamy flavor sang to me more than the chunky. Below the top layer of oil (yes I know you are meant to mix it in), there are a TON of small chunks of peanuts (see picture). This should be renamed the “super super chunky PB” – almost too chunky for me and not enough of the smooth stuff to gel the chunks together. Flavor-wise, the nuttiness hit me as soon as I chomped into the peanuts, once I was in…it was sweet, nutty, a little smoky all at once! Finally…a last complaint….a little too much oil on top make stirring it in evenly a little difficult!

Uses: Since it’s unsweetened AND unsalted, you have the option to really use it in any recipe you want! A peanut sauce, peanut soup, banana peanut butter sandwich would be perfect with all that crunch!!

The Creamy

Drizzled on greek yogurt for some extra stick-t0-the-roof of your mouth indulgency. (Yup, I made that word up)

Tastiness: 10/10. I have found my favorite creamy peanut butter in the world!!! I finally know how you guys drizzle peanut butter over your oats! The creamy peanut butter is the smoothest, stickiest PB I have ever tasted. The peanut butter is not packed rock solid like many other brands I’ve tried, so mixing the oil in is much easier than I expected. There is a ton of peanut flavor released from their grinding process and you taste the richness of the nuts even when I ate it with super-thick greek yogurt! This is for the real peanut butter lover.

Uses: You all know this better than me! Topped on oats, pretzels, wedged into bananas, baked into muffins, drizzled on greek yogurt!!

Cost per jar: $4.66 for creamy and chunky, $5.83 for hot and spicy (online)

My Cost: Complimentary from manufacturer

Where to find them : Click here to find out!

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Peanut Butter Giveaway!!!

2 Winners will win…

2 JARS each of smooth & Creamy Peanut Butter!

To do (each counts as 1 entry and let me know if you’ve completed each of them! #1 is a must please!):

• Visit the Krema website and comment below with 2 things: 1) Which state you’re from and where you could buy your Krema (*hint* It’s in the FAQ section)!!! 2) What is the BEST tasting peanut buttery food you’ve had?
• Follow me on Twitter @ LuckyTasteBuds
• Twitter My giveaway with a link back to this post!
• Link back to this giveaway on your next post! (+2 entries)
• Add me to your Blogroll or Google reader if you haven’t already

Deadline: Midnight Central time on the Last day of November (The best month of the year!)

Contest open to continental US residents only, but you don’t need a blog to enter!

Not a nut butter eater? Check out my SodaStream at-home soda-maker   giveaway here!!!

Kozy Shack Uncensored

Since 1967, Kozy Shack has offered the finest-quality, ready-to-eat refrigerated desserts. “For us, fresh taste and wholesome ingredients go hand in hand. Try all of our delicious treats and find your favorite!”

Kozy Shack Limited edition Pumpkin Pudding & Pie Filling!

I figured that it’s time to try something pumpkin now that the rest of the blog world has erupted in pumpkin mania! Thanks to Michelle and Kozy Shack for making these tastings possible!

This product is both a pudding and a pie filling that can be baked into a crust for pumpkin pie. Imagine how much time it’ll save ya!! I of course, ate it as if it were yogurt and topped it with cereal, milk, and dried fruit.

Ingredients: milk, pumpkin, brown sugar, cream, modified food starch, eggs, salt, allspice, carrageenan

Tastiness: 7/10 The first few bites were bliss – sweet cinnamon, pumpkin, and a rich velvety texture. The second phase…beginning to be overwhelmed by yolky creaminess. Phase 3, I know I have to stop eating this before something bad happens. Too thick, too eggy, creamy and dense in one go puts a stop to my tasting. I wanted to love this pudding, but it was not meant to be eaten in less than 1 serving at a time, and definitely benefits from some acidity. Which is why when I eat my pumpkin pudding, I eat it with dried apples (and it is a match made in heaven)!

***

Kozy Shack Simply Well Puddings

 

What makes them good for ya you say? At only 100 calories a cup, a simple ingredient list you can pronounce, fortified with vitamin E, D, AND fiber, the Kozy Shack Simply Well product line is a snack you should definitely check out if you’re a pudding fan! Their creative flavors distinguish the products from the pack and include: Dark chocolate, French vanilla, Green Tea Chai, Lemon Ginger, and Pear Mangosteen.

Simply Well Dark Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients: Lowfat Milk (vitamin A and D), Sugar, Modified Tapioca Starch, Cocoa Powder, Inulin (Natural Dietary Fiber), Natural Colors and Flavors, Salt, Cocoa Extract, Carrageenan, Vitamin E Acetate

Tastiness: 9/10. I was thoroughly impressed with this pudding. If you like dark chocolate and cold, creamy textures, you will like this product! This pudding is nothing like the artificial, grainy, overly sweet chocolate puddings I have had in the past. It was NOT overpowered by a milky or eggy flavor (something that I tasted in the lemon ginger flavor) and definitely an indulgent-tasting, decadent treat that I would consider “good” for me. Yup, I ate it atop a bit of vegan pumpkin bread. YUM. I’d definitely buy this again.

Simply Well Lemon Ginger Pudding

Ingredients: Lowfat Milk (vitamin A and D), Sugar, Modified Tapioca Starch, Inulin (Natural Dietary Fiber), Eggs, Natural Flavors, Salt, Ginger Extract, Carrageenan, Vitamin E Acetate, Beta Carotene (color)

Tastiness: 6/10. This pudding tastes almost like a sweeter, eggier lemon meringue pie…except lacking in tartness and heavy on the milk. The creamy consistency of the pudding was rich and comforting, while the light ginger flavor reminded that this was in fact supposed to be health food. While the pudding was pleasant at best, I wish it had a little more acidity to offset the cream and egg flavor.

Overall: Not jumpin’ up and down about this flavor. When I think lemon-ginger, I think light, but the dairy and eggs in pudding make it a little heavy and dense for me personally. The added fiber and health benefits of ginger redeem it a little bit.

***Kozy Shack Soy Puddings***

Lactose free, gluten free, low fat, all natural! Kozy Shack soy puddings are certified organic according to NOP rule by Certisys.

Both vanilla and chocolate flavors are available, ranging between 110 and 120 calories per cup. Check out the website for nutritional stats and more information!

Kozy Shack vanilla soy pudding

Tastiness: 8/10. Sweet, creamy, and ever so slightly gelatinous. This vanilla pudding only fell short of my expectations because it simply doesn’t compare to the smoothness of the regular, non-soy Kozy Shack puddings. I felt the vanilla could have been a little stronger, but overall I really enjoyed the lightness of the pudding. Consistency-wise, there is definitely an element of gritty after-taste, as well as a gelatinous (slightly off-putting and jello-like) consistency to it.

Chocolate soy pudding

Tastiness:  7/10. I cannot say I’m a fan because the flavor and texture doesn’t quite measure up to the Kozy shack Simply Well dark chocolate pudding, which is incredibly yummy. Yes, it’s sweet and there is a milkier chocolate flavor, but the flavor is a tad off, and the gritty texture is more distracting in the chocolate flavor than the vanilla.

Verdit: For lactose intolerant folks, I would recommend the vanilla over the chocolate. However if you’re a diehard cocoa fan, I would say go for the chocolate! You may not care so much about the gelatinous or gritty texture as I do, and I am only super-sensitive because I’ve had a LOT of regular pudding in my lifetime so there’s a lot to live up to. Personally, I can’t imagine my life without dairy products, but Kozy Shack gives a great alternative to satisfy that pudding craving.

 

Doctor in the Kitchen Giveaway!

Before the new giveaway, here are the 2 winners to the Kathy’s Krackers Giveaway!!

# 15: Lo from Honey Nut Lo

#78: The Balance Broad

Congratulations ladies! I’ll be e-mailing you to get your addresses!

And Now..

It’s your chance to win some Doctor in the Kitchen Flax Crackers. Pay close attention!

First things First – a cruuucial review so you know what you’re getting yourself into!

I’ve been on a flax cracker trip lately and am just loving the flavor of the flaxseed AND the wonderful nutritional profile of flax crackers! Recently, I was sent 3 different flavors of Doctor in the Kitchen “Flackers” to sample and have to say…these crackers are DEFINITELY right up my alley!

The stats:

• These satisfying crackers come in 3 flavors: Savory, Dill, and Rosemary
• Ingredients are simple, natural, and recognizable
• Each bag contains around 16 crackers in 5oz boxes
• Each serving = 3 crackers = ~100 calories
• Texture = awesome!! All the crackers embody the very idea of a satisfying cracker that lies between hearty and light in terms of texture. They are crunchy, not crumbly and can hold up extremely well to any heavy condiments. Unlike Kathy’s Krackers, these are thinner, composed of 4-5 layers of tightly-compressed flax seeds with herbs and spices intermingled throughout.

Flavor #1: Savory

Check out the website for nutritionals stats and full list of ingredients here.

Tastiness: 8.5/10. Excellent savory onion and garlic flavor that also packs a bit of a spicy punch. This flavor has a complexity to it that I enjoy. You get the nuttiness from the flax, but the seasonings added to the cracker come through extremely well – particularly the onions and garlic. They are not overly salty and taste wonderful by itself or with a mild soup like the black bean soup I had! Needless to say, the whole package disappeared within 2 meals. Uh Oh.

Flavor #2: Rosemary

Check out the website for nutritionals stats and full list of ingredients here.

Tastiness: 6/10. I can only take 2 slices before I’m overwhelmed with the rosemary flavor. Looking closely, you see a ton of dried rosemary herbs studded evenly throughout the entire cracker. Though I do enjoy rosemary in small doses, these crackers were made for the rosemary LOVER. However, the cracker has great crunch and a hearty, nutty savory undertone that I really enjoy as long as I don’t have more than 2.

Flavor #3: Dill

Check out the website for nutritionals stats and full list of ingredients here.

Tastiness: 7.5/10. Call me biased, but I can enjoy dill in larger doses than rosemary. Thus, this dill cracker was really tasty to me. It is very much like the savory cracker, except it has a much higher concentration of dill. If you look closely, you can see all the green specks of dill baked into the crackers. There is definitely a spicy kick to the cracker and I enjoyed the presence of the herbs in conjunction with the regular flavors of the savory cracker.

Price: ~$6.60 per box at Whole Foods

My Cost: Complimentary from Dr. in the Kitchen

Your Cost: Possibly FREE if you enter the giveaway!!!!

***

Doctor in the Kitchen will give…

2 readers (double the chance of winning)

ALL 3 varieties of crackers!

Yes, that means 3 boxes of flax seed crackers!!!

To Do:

Each will count as 1 entry!

• Leave a comment stating 1 interesting thing you learned from the Doctor in the Kitchen website!
• Leave a second comment stating HOW my product reviews can be improved for your benefit!
• Follow me on Twitter @ LuckyTasteBuds! (Let me know when you do)
• Tweet this giveaway and include the link back to this post!
• Add Lucky Taste Buds to your blogroll!

Contest Ends Saturday November 21st (a special day) at 12:01am!

You don’t need a blog to enter.

Shirataki Pumpkin Bisque Waffles

I ran out of brain juices for a thoughtful title, so I decided to just call out everything I’m going to rave about in this post. Good strategy?

First of all…Welcome New Readers!! Thank you for commenting and Thanks for all the feedback on EEyucky food products you’ve tried. Here, I’ve compiled a little list of Products bloggers have deemed “Not Worth Your Money!”:

-          Ellie says, “Great packaging + taste FAIL = Stonyfield’s pumpkin pie yogurt” (*lol*)

-          Lynn says, the Trader Joe’s sweet potato soup is “no good”

-          Biz says the Amy’s frozen pizza’s were a “let down”

-          Abby says she’s not a fan of the Cherry Pie and Ginger Snap Larabars

-          Evan also thinks the Cherry Pie Larabar is a no go! (I’m not a fan of the cherry pie either!)

-          And then there’s Miss Averie who makes EVERYTHING from scratch, so she’s never had packaged food fail.

***On to the Eats!***

Part I: Pumpkin Love (how original huh?)

Like many of you have suggested, I took the initiative to make my own pumpkin soup after the failed packaged butternut squash soup attempt. Pumpkin by itself has a much milder flavor (if you don’t use pie pumpkins), so I would just keep in mind what kind of pumpkin you’re using.

Creamy (yet cream-less) Curry Pumpkin Bisque

Ingredients:

• Chicken Soup (Mine is homemade using skinned chicken thigh, cabbage, and shitake mushrooms)
• Pumpkin, steamed
• Curry Powder (I used Indian curry powder from an ethnic grocery store. The whole tub cost me a little over $1)
• Seasonings to taste (onion powder, garlic salt, and ground white pepper)

Instructions:

1) Put half of your soup and steamed pumpkin chunks into the blender. Cold ingredients are great. Too hot and the blender could erupt from the vapor pressure! Add your seasonings.

2) Blend.

3) Add the rest of the soup and pumpkin chunks.

4) Bend.

5) Taste. Season. Blend.

Notice that the chicken soup/broth I have is chunky! This is from the stewed cabbage that has pretty much broken down from the many hours of cooking. Extra fiber my loves!!

Seriously, I just eyeballed everything and threw it into the blender. Season everything to your liking, and if you like more pumpkin, add more!

Tastiness: IT IS SO GOOD. 9/10, and not because I’m biased! So much more fresh and healthy than store bought soups! I put a lot of curry powder so it’s spicy and extra flavorful. In this experiment, the pumpkin flavor isn’t very pronounced and almost made me wish I had more pumpkin! However, curry compliments the pumpkin well, and I am NOT complaining about how creamy the soup is.

Remember the Trick for creaminess: Homemade soup. You don’t even need to put chicken, make veggie broth! If you cook cabbage and mushroom with H2O for a long time (overnight), the veggies break down into a stew-like texture. This makes your soup so creamy you don’t even need milk or a thickening agent.

Next up,

Shirataki  Noodle Pumpkin Stir-fry with Enoki  Mushroom Turkey Patty

Ingredients:

• De-skinned Pumpkin, steamed and cubed
• 1 bag shirataki noodles (I used Korean black yam shirataki noodles, which are cheaper than the House Brand)
• ½ head nappa cabbage/whatever vegetable you have around
• 1 tbsp MSG-free chicken-broth powder (My secret weapon for saving money and the environment. I can lasts at least 50 bowls of soup!)

Instructions: Throw it all in a pot and stir fry with H2O. Tada!

THE easiest thing to bring to work! And so tasty too!!

Tastiness: 10/10. I was hungry, and it was hot, steamy, flavorful, has all the texture and colors you could possibly want (and more)…and most of all, it was full of fiber!! muahha

***

PART II: Product LOVE

I recently stumbled upon this Multi-grain Pancake and Waffle mix from Trader Joe’s and KNEW I had to buy this.

At $1.99 a box, this mix is cheaper than the pumpkin pancake and waffle mix from Trader Joe’s AND it’s bigger in size! By buying this box, you would be:

• Getting a better bang for your buck even though you’re buying the same brand/type of food!
• Getting extra fiber and grains from the “multi-grain” in the mix
• Have the ability to make your pumpkins AS pumpkin-y as YOU like it to be! With no artificial stuff
• When you’re tired of pumpkin (as if this’ll happen to our crowd), you can add your own flavors! I’m thinking green tea or espresso waffles and earl grey tea pancakes!
• Bonus: You can make biscuits with this mix!

Mix Tastiness: 9/10. This is THE best pancake and waffle mix I have personally ever tried although you don’t taste the grainy texture (which I love) because the wheat flour in this is ground up so finely. (I’ve tried MANY mixes. Including: Aunt Jemima, Hungry Jack, and (the most disappointing) Whole Foods buckwheat pancake and waffle mix.)

Even without putting any oil into the mix, the waffles came out crispy and browned on the outside, fluffy but yet still spongy on the inside. It’s none of that airy stuff, nor is it doughy or dense. The best part is that the waffles rise so well that a little batter goes a longer way to produce some volume! Another cool fact is that you can change ALL the wet ingredients suggested on the box and still produce a great result. Go buy some!

I decided to make my plate of 1 savory and 1 sweet waffle! (Nick has a waffle iron, and I’m jealous)

The Ultimate Multi-grain savory waffle mix:

• 1 cup mix
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 egg

Serving Suggestion: Deli turkey and a poached egg will do the waffle wonders!

Tastiness: Fresh waffles don’t get enough credit! This waffle has a very lightly sweet flavor that goes incredibly well with the gooey egg and turkey. The crunchy shell lends itself well as a textural contrast to the soft toppings, whereas the inside is still soft and moist. YUM!

*Waffle iron tip* Wait until the iron is super hot before you pour your batter on it to prevent sticking. I totally forgot to grease the iron, but NOTHING stuck! Not even the chocolate chips! This goes for frying fish without oil or water. The skin will not stick to your pan if it’s extremely hot.

The sweet Waffle Mix:

Use the savory mix and sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips over the batter when it’s in the waffle iron.

Serving Suggestion: Eating the chocolate chip waffle plain is recommended by the boyfriend, though I suggest having yogurt or syrup with the waffle will help quench thirst.

Tastiness: Nick fought me for this waffle. Enough said.

Nutritional Stats (To make 2 5-inch pancakes, dry mix): 150 Calories, 2g fat, 500mg sodium, 28g carbs, 2g fiber, 2g sugar, 4g protein

So I ask you this my food lovers,

What is your FAVORITE “unloved”/under-hyped product find???

P.s. Check out Lainie’s giveaway!

Butternut Squash Gone Wrong

I LOVE roasted butternut squash fries. I could eat them every day, at every meal, for every day of my life and not ever get bored of them.

For the record, I got Nick Hooked on ‘em! So hooked he’ll endure the arduous task of hacking them into little pieces so they resemble fries. Thanks Nick!

So I KNEW I had to try THIS soup (I know, it’s been around for forever)!! For some reason, while I’ve seen it around the blogosphere, very few reviews have been posted on ‘em. So I figured…why not?

Yes, I realize that is a pumpkin and not squash, but I like my pictures festive! You’ll also see what I do to parts of that pumpkin in this post!

I wanted to review the soup pure and without add-ins. So here it was (see how creamy?) served with a Kathy’s Kracker (apple cinnamon).

Are you ready for this?

Tastiness: 5/10. I had such high hopes for this soup but fell from the clouds and flat on my face as soon as I had the first sip. Am I crazy or is there no butternut squash flavor in the soup. It’s edible at best.

The pros: slightly sweet and has a great creamy texture; The Cons: but I cannot get over the off-putting musty aftertaste and lack of BNS flavor. If I was blindfolded, I would have no idea what this soup was supposed to be.

Verdict: Yes it’s convenient and so easy to just heat up. It’s smooth, filling and not bad tasting, but I would personally advise NOT to get this (ever!)  if you are a diehard butternut squash fan.

Moving on…to recover from the BNS disasters, I knew that

PUMPKIN never disappoints!!!

Remember how I was warned not to buy pumpkin butter at Trader Joe’s by Ms. Bender herself that night we went to dinner?

Well, I was CRAVING me some pumpkin butter, so I decided to make my own!!!

Homemade Pumpkin Butter on Toast!

Michelle’s Microwave Pumpkin Butter

I ain’t buying a jar of Pumpkin butter if I can make it on my own in literally 5 minutes.

You’ll need:

• ½ cup pumpkin
• ½ cup apple sauce or apple juice (If you want your pumpkin butter a little chunky, apple sauce is good)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• A few drops liquid stevia to taste or 1/2 Tbs Pure White Stevia Extract

To do:

Mix everything together in a microwave safe dish.

Zap in microwave for 2 minutes/ Remove and stir.

Zap again for another 2 minutes.

Serve!

Obviously, this is pre-microwave. Just wanted to show you how everything looks before stirring. So simple there’s no excuse not to make it fresh at home!!

***

If you have a fresh pumpkin, you gotta ROAST the SEEDS!

If you don’t, I will have to ask you to kindly mail them to me so I can make them for you. No kidding.

I wish they sold roasted pumpkin seeds on the streets…like Hong Kong street vendors and their roasted chestnuts or roasted purple yams. *nom*

Kickin’ Honey Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

You need 3 ingredients:

• Seasoning of some sort (I used Weber’s Grill Kickin’ chicken, which is SPICY!)
• Honey, just to evenly coat seeds
• Pumpkin Seeds, cleaned well and relatively dry

Simply toss the seeds with seasoning. Roast at 230 degrees in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and drizzle honey over the top. Toss. Enjoy!

I heart pumpkin seeds.

Random fact: Did you know Asian people eat soy sauce roasted pumpkin seeds, but we always shell them and eat the flesh INSIDE?? I had NO idea you could eat the “shell” until I moved to America!!

So…

Moral of this post:

1. Packaged goods are not necessarily delicious to you just because it has great packaging and a natural, healthy ingredient list. Personal taste differs.

2. Therefore, it is much more cost effective and taste bud satisfying to make your own goodies at home. Using ingredients, spices, and herbs that YOU like!

3. You should visit Asia with me sometime so we can eat roasted chestnuts, yams, and pumpkin seeds.

Have you ever been disappointed by a sly, beautifully packaged product??

Rick Bayless Cusine? Xoco Fo Sho!

Finally, Nick and I got to experience Rick Bayless’ popular new, (more affordable) Mexican eatery XOCO for brunch (Pronounced Sho-Co)!

I have been dying to experience Rick’s take on (non-burrito)  Mexican cuisine, and to try to figure out THE top chef masters’ culinary magic.

On a Saturday at 12:30 (brunch time), the wait was around 45 minutes. Nick and I stood in line the whole time watching the chefs cook in open kitchen beside us and pretending to ignore our growling tummies. Near the windows, Rick Bayless had thoughtfully put up some cook books of his as if he anticipated our wait would happen. There were also 3 blackboards with the exact same message in case you miss the first 2. Bravo.

Not so thoughtful: There was only 1 cash register open (there were 2 total) and it literally took the whole 45 minutes to work through about 15 parties. I assume it was a combo of a small kitchen (1 little wood burning oven only!) that prevented too many chefs to be in the kitchen at once AND that people took their sweet time ordering.

They have an extensive menu or tortas (Mexican sandwiches) either oven-grilled or from the griddle. They also have soups served after 3pm and a mini selection of sides – a salad, chips and salsa or chips and guac. My favorite part is their list of desserts and hot chocolates! Their “bean-to-cup chocolates” are made from Mexican cacao beans ground on premises. I caught a picture of the churning chocolate machine…smells so good when you’re hungry.

Thoughtful: A fountain of complimentary water AND another tap of sparkling water!
We were seated after ordering – something I appreciate is not having to fight over seats with other diners. Xoco has worked out a system where you order only after you get a place card from the server (they make sure you get one before you order!).
We started off with Guacamole and Chips at $4. If you want salsa, you gotta order it separately. Yes, you’re charged for it separately too!

Tastiness: A! for how crunchy the chips were and the lovely guac didn’t disappoint though it wasn’t a rock star. They were not greasy at all and not overly salted (a pitfall for many Mexican places). The guacamole was fresh, creamy, smooth, delicious, but not so much better than chipotle’s or Adobo Grill. I actually think it tasted better when I added the Rick Bayless brand of hot sauce sitting on the table. I would highly recommend you do so too!
For my main, I went for the Gunthrop Chicken $8.50 – Wood-roasted red chile chicken pickled white onions, black beans, avocado, tomatillo salsa.

Tastiness: B+. I thought after reading the ingredients this would be a smoky, bold flavorful sandwich…which is wasn’t quite. It looks great however and I did love the toasted crunchy crusty bread (except one might say that it is REALLY dry without sauce.) In general, the seasonings seemed to be lacking in many of the torta ingredients! I wasn’t a fan of the pickled onions because they didn’t add much flavor (surprisingly! I love onions and I like pickled vegetables!). I was really disappointed that the chicken was a little greasy didn’t have more flavor. The avocado was ripe and creamy and there were less black beans than I had liked.. I ended up dipping my sandwich into Nick’s tomato broth to soften the bread and give it more flavor. The salsa went better with the chips! (I feel like I’m going to get beaten up for writing this.)
Nick went for the Ahogada $9.50 – Golden pork carnitas, black beans, tomato broth, spicy arbol chile sauce, pickled onions

Tastiness: B. Nick’s biggest complaint was that the bread got WAY too soggy soaking in the soup. It would be smart to serve this torta with a plate on the side so diners can remove the sandwich from soaking while they eat the other half. The flavors were good, but I felt the pork was a little gamey. I was a sucker for the presentation though.
For dessert, Xoco is actually so thoughtful as to bring the chocolate and churros hot to the table if you ordered it! You have to remember to ask for it when they take your plates away though.

To end our meal, Nick and I picked the Aztec Hot Chocolate $2.50 – Fresh-ground chocolate + water + chile + all spice. I was so excited about it I knocked the cup and some precious cocoa spilled onto the table

Tastiness: A. This isn’t your traditional creamy rich hot chocolate. Instead, it is literally semi-sweet cocoa powder with hot water kicked up with some spice. I loved the bitterness of the drink and thought it went perfectly with the churros. I didn’t miss milk or creaminess in this at all! It’s a perfect drink to end a meal. Slightly sweet without overdoing it, comforting on the stomach and the taste buds.
And of course, the famous CHURROS!!! They deserve cap locks because these were the best churros I’ve ever eaten in my entire life. Never mind how authentic they are. For $3, you get 3 piping hot churros!

Tastiness: A. I wouldn’t consider myself a huge churro lover, but I enjoy them from time to time when I’m reliving my childhood at an amusement part. Rick’s churros are churros to be remembered. These had a cakey, moist, soft interior that melts in your mouth, which is contrasted by the perfect crunch that makes up the crust of the churro. I have to admit there was a little bit of a sugar overdose, and there was a tad too much grease on the inside, but this is a treat worth indulging in! Without the hot chocolate, this dish would have been too sweet and rich, but with the drink’s semi-sweet and bitterness, they complimented one another PERFECTLY.

Needless to say, we were fans of dessert (somewhere we rarely order when eating out!)

RATINGS:
Taste: 4/5 (Entrees not a wowser, but desserts definitely worth checking out)
Originality: 4/5 (You have your usual Mexican fare, but the combinations of sandwiches and the selection of desserts and drinks makes Xoco a unique restaurant)
Plating: 3/5 (Nothing fancy but clean and new. No complaints here)
Value: 4/5 (A filling multi-course meal that was hearty but didn’t cause too much damage to the wallet. Definitely nowhere near as pricey as Rick’s Topalobampo or Frontera Grill)
Service: 3/5. (Not amazing, but there was order in an otherwise could-have-been chaotic qeueing system. Definitely did NOT like the single cash register system though. That could take some re-engineering!)

Overall: It was a really fun, casual restaurant with some unique foods and great dessert! I wouldn’t be up for another 45 minute wait for the sandwiches, but the churros and hot chocolate are something to be remembered! Totally worth coming to if you can come on a day with a smaller crowd or you don’t mind the wait!