The Herb Box - Scottsdale, AZ

C and I ventured to Scottsdale one night to try The Herb Box, which I have heard great things about and didn't disappoint.  The restaurant is casual, but trendy and very relaxed.  I started out with the blackberry mojito, and I picked the right drink.  It was the perfect mix of sweet and tartness. 

C makes fun of me a lot for ordering a bunch of food, taking two bites of everything and then being done.  This time I thought I'd give in and order a bunch of small plates so that there wouldn't be so much leftover food!  We picked a few appetizers, split them and it was just the right amount of food.  Plus, I was able to try a good assortment of the menu!  The brisket sliders were probably my favorite.  Served with thin sweet potato fries, the meat was tender and delicious. 

Also ordered one of their flat breads - the ham and herb tomato flat bread.  It was pretty tasty, and large for an appetizer.  The wild arugula on top was the best part!

Oh hello lover.... I changed my mind it was a tie between the mac and cheese and the sliders as my favorite.   Smoked Gouda mac and cheese - even the name is perfect.  

I really enjoyed this restaurant, the menu was really interesting and they have plenty of healthy and gluten free options to boot.  Hope to be back again every soon!

Have a great weekend everyone :)  

Giovanni's Roadhouse - Traverse City, MI

It took my parents and I a little bit to find this place, but we were lucky we did.  My Mom had driven by Giovanni's and thought it looked good so we were on a mission!  It's a quaint restaurant, but in my experience those usually end up being the best.  I started with the caesar salad, it was creamy with homemade croutons.  Yum! 

My Dad tried the soup of the day.  Add a little crackers and what a perfect way to start out dinner.

My Mom and I shared their pasta special.  Pumpkin, mushroom tortellini with goat cheese and almonds.  It came in a light creamy sauce.  It was really tasty, and I was a little sad I split it because I could have eaten it all up by myself.  Then again.. it made sure I had room for dessert.

All three of us split two desserts, the carrot cake.  The cake had coconut shavings on top of the frosting which was interesting and very delicious.

And at the request of my Dad, we had to try the ice cream brownie sundae.  

Our whole meal was really great.  It's a low key place with really good food, can't go wrong with that.  See you back here tomorrow. 

Matt's Big Breakfast - Phoenix, AZ

Matt's Big Breakfast  has been my favorite find since I've moved to the Phoenix area thus far.  It's downtown Phoenix and C and I decided to venture there since we hadn't really been outside of the Tempe area.  I was surprised with how well taken care of the area was, and how clean.  For a downtown, it was really nice!  We had to wait outside for a while before we got a table, so if you can't stand the heat I would recommend waiting a few months.  As soon as I tried the juice the wait was worth it though.  Freshly squeezed orange juice for C, and it was honestly freshly squeezed.  Tastes so different from what you can buy at the store! 

I tried the honey lemonade and it was delicious.  I wish they had free refills because I would have drank about three of these huge glasses. 

I ordered the daily special.  It was eggs with bacon, spinach and feta cheese.  Served with home fries and a slice of toast.  The whole meal was delicious.  My favorite part was the bread, and I unfortunately don't have a picture of it!  It was homemade wheat bread, and unbelievably tasty.  

C ordered "The Five Spot" breakfast which was two eggs, bacon, cheese and onions on a bagel.  I was too full to try it but he ate every bite! 

Lastly they had sausage stuffed with maple syrup gooey stuff.  We ordered it just because it sounded so unique.  We were right, and it was delicious.

I am for sure going to be back.  Everything we had was fresh and delicious.  The menu and specials were creative and all must be tried.  If you're in the area please make sure you check MBB out!  See you back here tomorrow. 

Bison Witches - Tempe, AZ

C have been venturing out about once a week to try some new restaurants around the Tempe area.  We tried Cornish Pasty Co which I wrote this post about last week.  This weekend we headed to Mill Ave and tried Bison Witches.  It's a low key place right off of Mill Ave, they have a good drink menu and the booths are comfy!  We stared with chips and queso.  The queso was pretty good, but the chips were a little stale.  Unfortunately I have no will power and ate them anyway!

C ordered the Green Turkey sandwich on rye bread.  My plate was more than full, so I didn't get to try his, but he was it was really good.  Turkey, bacon, cream cheese, sprouts, mayo and avocado = yum!

I ordered the Tuscan sandwich. Let me just mention how HUGE this sandwich was.  I could barely finish one half, for some reason mine seemed a lot larger than C's, but I was still shocked at the portions.  My bread was awesome and what was stuffed inside was even better:  turkey, lettuce, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and Parmesan peppercorn dressing.  Delicious!

I was a little disappointed about the appetizer and the prices were a little high, but overall I enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere is relaxed and fun. 

See you back here tomorrow! 

Cornish Pasty Co. - Tempe, AZ

C and I already seem to have a list of restaurants we want to try in the Phoenix area.  When he first mentioned a pasty restaurant, I could hardly believe my ears.  Pasties are a delicacy where I'm from in the Upper Peninsula, and to this day have never even heard of a place that serves them outside of the Michigan.  We headed to Cornish Pasty Co, and I was super excited, although I admit a little hesitant they could live up to the high standards.  The atmosphere was pretty cool, we sat at the bar and watched as they stuffed the pasties. 

Also had some unique beers on tap.

These pictures are a little dark and I apologize for that, but you'll have to stay with me!  They had very unique pasties on the menu, very different from the meat and potatoes kind I am used to.  Some examples, lamb and mint, chicken Alfredo, Cajun chicken.  I decided to ordered the cheese steak, which had steak, onions, green peppers, mushrooms, with Swiss cheese. Served with a red wine gravy and mustard cream sauce.  It was delicious and although very different I really liked it! 

C ordered "The Royale with Cheese" because it sounded delicious and also because we loved the name! *cough*Pulp Fiction is awesome *cough* It had hamburger, french fries, onions, bacon, cheddar and Swiss cheese.  I took a taste bite and I really enjoyed.  It was pretty similar to a hamburger, but the pasty made it better. 

We ended our meal with the apple caramel pasty. It was apples, cinnamon, and caramel baked into a pasty served with ice cream.  Delicious!  I really liked this place, it had really unique options and will definitely be bringing and visitors from home to this place to try it out.  

Posh Nosh Market - Plano, TX

Posh Nosh Market recently opened in downtown Plano, and I was so happy I had the chance to try it before I left for Arizona. They're so new their website isn't really functional yet, but the restaurant is definitely ready for business! The inside is really cute, and has a great atmosphere.  I went for dinner by myself one night and sat and read my Bon Appetit magazine and people watched.

They have a huge variety of gelato...as if I could ever turn that down.

They have a cold and hot sandwich and salad menu with daily specials such as fish, chicken, steak.  I ordered the BLT with avocado.  It came with amazing fries that had the perfect seasoning.  It was delish, the bread really made this sandwich great.

Tried the lemon bar for dessert, it was sweet and tasty!  

Be sure you try the gelato when you go, it's a must!  I really hope this place takes off, it's a great addition to the Plano area and the food is awesome  Let me know if you try it out, I only had the opportunity to try one thing so let me know if you have anything else that you loved! 

Happy Monday :) 

Company Cafe - Dallas, TX

I have been meaning to try Company Cafe for a while, and finally got around to it last week.  It's a newer restaurant to the Dallas scene, and one of the first farm-to-table places.  I love that they are using local Texas foods, all organic and in most cases gluten free.  Best part is you don't feel as guilty as you indulge in your amazing meal!  We started with wine, a local beer and some girl talk :)

I ordered the chicken pesto risotto.  The chicken was stuffed with mozzarella and sun dried tomatoes, over a delicious pesto risotto.  It was so amazing!!  Tasted fresh and the ingredients mixed together so nicely.  I would order this again, but their menu has many other amazing sounding dishes.  They also have specials every night so make sure you take those into consideration as well.

My friend ordered the chicken fried steak, gluten free.  It came with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans and a jalapeno gravy.  It was very tasty, I snuck a bite off her plate and was not disappointed.  

If I'm ever in Dallas again I will be back.  They have a great looking breakfast menu with many other options, and I'm looking forward to trying more of their creations.

Russo's NY Pizzeria - Richardson, TX

Sometimes C and I dog sit for a friend's dog, Jack.  Jack's Mom pays us in gift certificates to different restaurants around the area.  It's been a great way for C and I to try some new places!  Russo's happens to be right next to where C lives, so it was the perfect place to walk to for a mid-week outing!  Started out with a bottle of red wine.  Olive oil on the table is always a good sign!

We decided to share a few appetizers and an entree, so we could try a few more things without wasting food.  Calamari takes some getting used to, but if it's done right it's so delicious.  It had great batter and cooked to perfection.  They served it with a marinara sauce, but to be honest the sauce wasn't needed!

Also ordered garlic knots.  What else do I need to say here?  These speak for themselves, bread, butter, garlic... heavenly. 

Finally we shared Gemelli Carbanara, which is pasta with a cream sauce, with red onions and garlic topped with prosciutto.  So delicious.  The cream sauce was awesome, and the prosciutto added the perfect flavor.

I really enjoyed this place, they also have nightly specials that really can save you money, and gives you an opportunity to enjoy your meal even more.  I hope to be back very soon!

Have a great weekend everyone, see you on Monday.

Coffee House Cafe - Dallas, TX

I love trying new restaurants, it's one of my favorite weekend activities.  I live a few miles away from downtown Dallas, so a lot of the great places to eat are a bit of a drive for me.  When I heard about Coffee House Cafe, which is in my neck of the woods, I had to try it out.  My friend Jill came along, and I think it's safe to say both of us were blown away.  We've been back a few times now, and continue to enjoy the menu!

We first tried brunch, although they do offer a delicious lunch and dinner, this is the perfect spot for a great brunch.  I ordered a french toast stuffed with egg and bacon special.  It even looks amazing! 

Jill ordered chicken apple sausage hash.  I think this tops one of my favorite dishes here.  The combination is unexpected and great!

Don't forget the coffee!!  They have special flavors daily and put some an artistic mark in each one.  I LOVE this place, it's a must try for anyone in the Dallas area.  I will venture to say it's even worth the drive from downtown.  

Have a great weekend! 

Ichiban - Sterling Heights, MI

My Mom's birthday is right after Christmas, and the family tries to gather up one more time to celebrate before we all get back to our routines. This year we decided to go to a Japanese hibachi grill called Ichiban in Sterling Heights MI.

My aunt and my Mom looking beautiful :)

Parents, brother and me.

We ordered a couple sushi rolls to start.  They were very tasty, but there was so much food coming we really didn't need it!

Our chef, Ghama, giving us some of their famous "yum,yum sauce."  Tastes just like it sounds, and it was yum yum on everything!

Sit back!

Fried rice, amazing. 

Volcano!

Cooking up the meats and fish.

I ordered the shrimp and steak meal.  The shrimp was served first and tasted great!

The steak was tender and cooked to perfection.  The veggies it came with were perfectly seasoned and great to eat with the steak and shrimp.

The night ended with a dessert including sparkler brought out for my Mom.  She also had to do a little dance, but I was so preoccupied watching her dance in front of the whole restaurant to take pictures.  You're welcome, Mom!

Nothing says Happy Birthday like fried ice cream.

Happy Birthday Mom, so happy we were all able to celebrate one more year with you! 

For more information on Ichiban click here.