Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill

Restaurant: Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill

Cuisine: Mexican
Last visited: December 15, 09
Area: Vancouver, BC (Yaletown/Downtown)
1223 Pacific Blvd
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4 (based on the burrito I had)
Service: 3.5
Ambiance: 2
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Located in Yaletown
• Seats 20
• Made fresh upon order
• Family owned and operated
• Very homestyle Mexican on top of big stove pot and electric stove
• Very popular
• Homemade salsa/guacamole/avocado sauce
• Nothing really spicy, and a bit bland
• Not homemade tortillas
• Busy at lunch
• Eat in/Take-out
• Accepts MC/Debit/Visa
• Tuesday- Sunday 11am-9:30pm
• Closed Monday

**Recommendation: Burritos

I’ve only tried one thing on the menu: The Ahogado Burrito. Apparently it’s one of the best things they serve. The owner highly recommended me to order a burrito and claims that they’re different than any burrito I’ve ever tried. For the most part, he was right. However the best burrito for me is still Chipotle's in the States. I know it's a chain, but I think it's pretty awesome.

I have heard nothing about this restaurant before so I had no expectations for it…which is I think better because I might have been disappointed. This place is apparently a favourite. I liked it enough to give it a 4/6, but I think most people would rate it higher.

Salsa& Agave Mexican Grill has just introduced their new burritos. They’re basically the burritos on the original menu but a bit reinvented. They’re actually customer-inspired burritos. The owner found that a lot of people were customizing their burritos with extras so he decided to just make their creations permanent members of the family. It’s $8, the same price as the burritos on the original menu, so it’s not a bad deal considering you get all the extras…they’re really big too.

As you read my review you're going to notice that I’m complaining a lot about it. It was very good, but just overrated. I think it's popular and people like it because of the portion size and price. Not many places like this in Yaletown. Also becuase it tastes like 'bad for you but sooo good' hangover food

On the table:

Ahogado Burrito 4/6

• Soft pork, rice, beans, cheese, simmered in mild red tomato sauce & drizzle of sour cream on top $8
• The owner warned me that I was ordering a saucy knife and fork burrito, so I was prepared to be pretty sleepy after lunch. It was a pretty big and hearty burrito, it filled up an entire take-out container. It was pretty heavy and loaded with ingredients - but all a little bland.
• I didn’t really like how my burrito was swimming in a pool of sauce though. The sauce is usualyl the best part, but this one was bland. Rather than “simmering in mild tomato sauce” like the menu says it was more like sauce poured into a container and my burrito placed in it. It was a pre-cooked tomato sauce that wasn’t good itself, but good with the burrito. It was very watery and tasted like very watered down canned pureed stewed tomatoes.
• The burrito is very saucey which is great. However it was a bit too mushy, watery and soupy for me. Everything was just really soft and cooked to the point where you could possibly eat it without teeth. I mean it was really good, but about 3/4 of the way through I got tired of eating it because it got so repetitive.
• The best part of the burrito was hands down the pork. They were generous with it and it was very juicy and tender, just like pulled pork. It didn't have many spices; it was just really soft and cooked well so that it had that slow-cooked flavour.

  

• The beans and rice were layered on top of each other and that made it mushy too. The rice was definitely cooked to the point of baby food or Mexican style congee.
• The beans were refried beans with very few seasonings if any.
• I wish there was some fresh lettuce or black beans in it. Refried beans are just such an easy way out to me because it comes from a can and maybe add some seasonings in so it's "homemade".
  
• There was some frozen peas and corn kernels in there as well, but there was so little of them I thought maybe it was an accident.
• The tortilla shells aren’t homemade, which is super disappointing. I think they can afford to do that. A lot of authentic Mexican places will make their own. The tortilla shell also got a bit soggy because it was soaked in the sauce. Then on the ends the tortilla shells got a bit thick because it was so huge and had to hold so many ingredients.

  

• It could have used a little more sour cream as well because they only drizzled a bit over the top.
• It had some fresh salsa made with onions tomatoes and cilantro – it was quite bland again though. They made the burrito and sauces extra mild (not spicy at all, I really don't think they used any spices) for the general population. It was literally figuratively watered down Mexican food.
• It came with a side of hot sauce which was good. It was very smoky and hickory flavoured and really really spicy..

Romano's Macaroni Grill

Restaurant: Romano's Macaroni Grill
Cuisine: American/Italian
Last visited: October 12, 09

Area: Multiple locations - Denver, Colorado
4627 S Timberline Road, Fort Collins, CO
Price Range: $10-20USD

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Overall: 2.5
Additional comments:

• American Chain restaurant
• American-Italian food
• Huge portions
• Freshly baked pizza crusts and breads
• Some housemade pastas
• Attracts families
• Kid-friendly - can draw on paper tablecloth
• Large selections of wines
• Casual and lively atmosphere
• Line-up/crowded at peak hours
• Complimentary freshly baked bread to start

**Recommendation: Roasted Veggies, Pesto Chicken Pizza

Alright - so most of us have been there. If you're looking for authentic Italian, you're at the wrong place...and I'm sure you know. This is a chain restaurant that serves American-Italian food. Everything is loaded with thick, rich and hearty sauces and the only thing authentic is the big portions they serve. Oh and the thin pizza crusts is pretty authentic too. With that being said, as an American chain serving American food it's not bad, but as REAL Italian it's negative.

I found a lot of the sauces taste similar or are just repeated throughout the menu with a different pasta. A good tip is to stick to the things with simple ingredients because they do those well. Since the recipe is so simple everything is really fresh. The sauces are really just mediocre standard recipes that they teach you in cooking 101 so nothing to rave about there.

On the table:

• Complimentary Tuscan Bread 3.5/6
• This bread or Focaccia bread is good and baked daily in the kitchen. Some dried herbs and some sea salt on the crust. Simple enough for all your sauces.
  
• They serve it with just the olive oil on the table though. No balsamic.
  
• The olive oil is imported from Italy, but the grade is just ok. The colour and flavour isn't deep enough and the bread needs something more bold.
• 
• **Roasted Veggies 6/6
• Fresh zucchini, yellow and red peppers, eggplant and red onions slowly roasted with extra virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary.

• I know it sounds simple. That's why it's good.
• Fresh veggies and you get a ton! They cut them in big chunks and they're roasted until they're nice and juicy, tender and firm, and naturally sweet. They're a little charred too so there's a nutty flavour.
• They use dried oregano and rosemary so the flavour is really intense and sharp.
• 
• **Pesto Chicken Pizza 4/6
• Grilled chicken, pine nut pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, mozzarella, ricotta and Parmesan cheeses baked with garlic-olive oil.

• The is quite a salty and rich pizza because of the ingredients used, but it's really good. A little oily because of the pesto and sun dried tomatoes.
• They skimped on the chicken but give you a lot of everything else. I really likes the spoonfuls of ricotta they put on each slice. I spread mine on the slice before i ate it
• The pesto sauce is not bad, but they flavoured it with salt more than they do with pine-nuts. I don't even know if they make it in house (I doubt it), and it's not just basil but they mix it with spinach too. It's a pretty thick pesto that they kind of dollop around the pizza. There's also a lack of Parmesan in it.
• Sun-dried tomatoes aren't really sundried tomatoes, taste like preserved tomatoes in olive oil.
• The crust is one of the highlights. It's made in house and it's nice and thin. It's very crispy and yet flavourful and sturdy enough to hold the heavy toppings.
• Penne Rustica 2.5/6
  
• Shrimp, chicken and smoked prosciutto tossed with Parmesan cream sauce and imported penne pasta, then baked.

• It's good, but really rich, creamy, heavy and greasy.
  
• It's comfort food. They skimp on the shrimp and prosciutto though, which is kind of what would make this a bit special...without it it's just chicken penne with cream sauce. The sauce is just your standard cream sauce with some melted Parm cheese.
  
• This is something you could easily whip up at home. Nothing special, just a chicken alfredo.
• Lobster Ravioli 2/6
  
• Lobster-filled tarragon pasta topped with sauteed shrimp, asparagus, tomatoes and lemon butter sauce.

• I was pretty disappointed. The description sounds amazing but it was poorly executed and they jeopardized so many ingredients in order to meet the cost...and the cost of wasn't cheap at $15.99US. I could still eat it but it was not nearly as good as it should have and could have been. Even for a family style chain they could have done better and I expected more.
• The ravioli stuffing was a rough chop of ingredients and was really inconsistent. Some had lobster, some had crab, some had little stuffing. I don't even know what I was eating - it tastes like crab meat mixed with some other mushy filler ingredients. Once in a while you would hit a random ravioli with a random piece of lobster in it.
• The tarragon pasta tasted like regular pasta.
• Sauteed shrimps were frozen baby shrimps.
  
• The sauce tastes like melted butter thickened with cream. The recipe is probably that basic too.

Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery

Lighting made it difficult to take pictures.


Restaurant: Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery
Cuisine: American
Last visited: October 9, 09

Area: Multiple locations - Denver, Colorado
6025 Sky Pond Drive, Loveland
Price Range: $10-20USD

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 3.5
Service: 4
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 3.5
Additional comments:

• Chain restaurant (I was unaware)
• Casual and lively atmosphere
• Line-up/crowded at peak hours
• Friday-Sunday $12.99 Prime Rib dinner available
• 3 course menu deals: $12-18USD
• 90% of menu made from scratch
• Known for beers and steaks
• Menu has a Tex-Mex flair
• From the creators of Chicago Pasta & Pizza chain
  
• Happy hour
• Offers mini desserts for under $3
• Lighting made it difficult to take pictures

**Recommendation: Classic Mac n' Chicken, Overnight Braised Short Rib, Steaks, Stout BBQ Ribs (didn't get to try), handmade beer bread (served with Asiago dip, didn't get to try)

This wasn't the original choice for dinner, but it started snowing and out of convenience it was the first thing we saw that looked good. Being from Vancouver, I didn't know Rock Bottom was a chain restaurant although it could have been easily assumed from the exterior and interior design/set-up. It had that big chain restaurant feel: large space located in a strip mall with other chain restaurants, crowded bar, energetic atmosphere, large advertisements and promotional materials. Nonetheless I was still excited to try it, after all 90% of their food is made in house and that is something to salivate about.

The menu consisted of standard chain restaurant items: BBQ meats, steaks, pasta all they typical stuff, so naturally my eyes kept coming to items with the words "homemade", "famous for", and "signature". I was actually quite impressed with the standard of food for what we were paying - it was moderately priced, homemade and made upon order. The food wasn't outstanding or really creative, but I do appreciate a chain with a focus on homemade food without being overpriced...I'd say it's a pretty solid choice.

On the table:

Lighting made it difficult to take pictures.

• **Classic Mac n' Chicken 6/6
• This is their famous Mac n' Cheese. It's your classic homestyle mac n' cheese except loaded with chicken!

• I made a special request to order it as a side because I didn't want it as an entree - they happily honoured the request.
• The cheese sauce was homecooked and really good! It's creamy instead of stringy so you could tell the cheese was cooked into the sauce rather than thrown in last minute. I think they used a combo of sharp White and Orange Cheddar cheese. It was rich and decadent and there were chunks of juicy baked chicken throughout, not one piece was dry. They used a good amount of freshly cracked black pepper in the sauce so it really enhanced the cheesiness.
• It also had this baked Parmesan breadcrumb crust that was almost nutty and very very cripsy! It was saucy from top to bottom and not dry at all.
  
• One of the best traditional mac n' cheeses I've had.

Lighting made it difficult to take pictures.

• **Overnight Braised Short Rib 4/6
• Slow-roasted boneless short rib on a bed of White Cheddar mashed potatoes (can't tell in the picture because it's too bright), fire-roasted tomatoes, peal onions with roasted mushroom sauce.

• The rib was really tender and it was obvious that it was well marinated and slow roasted because it was falling apart.
• The roasted mushroom sauce was really hearty and rich. It was a little heavy on the balsamic vinegar and with the added fire-roasted tomatoes it was a bit too tangy for my liking. However, together with the White Cheddar mashed potatoes and ribs it all came together quite well...especially since the potatoes were dry. They definitely needed the mushroom gravy.
• They used fresh parsley to garnish it, but I think they should have used something else because it didn't go with the sauce or flavours of the dish very well.
• 
• Mahi Mahi Tacos 1.5/6
• Mahi Mahi, pineapple slaw and cilantro wrapped in white flour corn tortillas served with pico de gallo, black beans, and rice.

• This was really disappointing. It sounds really good on the menu and it was recommended, but it wasn't good. They were going in all sorts of wrong directions with the flavours.
• Mahi is a sturdy fish, almost like halibut so it tastes like chicken. It's also a tropical fish so it's good with tropical flavours. Therefore the pineapple was a good idea, but making it a slaw was not. They should have kept it nice and light and served it with pineapple salsa if they wanted to keep it fusion.

Lighting made it difficult to take pictures.

• The "pineapple slaw" was plain old cole slaw. I didn't see or taste one piece of pineapple. It was too rich and creamy because they went overboard with the mayo.

• Then they decided to serve it with Mexican condiments and sides.
• So you had the creamy cole slaw and then pico de gallo - which tasted like relish instead of fresh tomatoes, onions, limes & chillies. They also added pickled jalapenos so it wasn't as spicy, but it made it taste very preserved or a couple days old...maybe it was. It tasted even more preserved because they put capers in it too...for I guess a Mediterranean twist? It was weird. The whole thing was wrong and didn't go well with the tacos at all. It was creamy cole slaw with pickled salsa...ick.
• Was it Hawaiian? Mexican? Mediterranean? They were fusing a bunch of flavours together and all in the wrong way. The only good thing was each taco came with 2 big pieces of Mahi Mahi.
  
• 
  
• 
• **Filet Mignon 4/6 (If they don't overcook it!)
• Centre hand-cut aged 8oz filet rubbed in in house seasonings and topped with creamy roasted garlic butter.
  

• I ordered mine medium rare with the White Cheddar mashed potatoes, veggies and a side of roasted mushrooms. The veggies were the frozen kind....not impressed.
• The roasted mushrooms were more like sauteed mushrooms. They were heavy on the black pepper and tasted like they were reduced with balsamic vinegar...just like the sauce that was served with the braised short rib. It worked with the steak more than the ribs.
• My steak was cooked medium and not medium rare like I requested..that was a real bummer! However my friend's was cooked to medium rare and his was really good. The dry rub was not bad, but also not memorable. The filet was served on a giant onion ring which was a nice surprise. It was only for presentation though and it got really soggy so I didn't even eat it.
• The steak itself isn't a stand out, but I also couldn't complain.
  
• It was quite good for a brewery, but also not nearly as good as a steakhouse steak.
  
• White Cheddar Mashed Potatoes 2/6
  
• Mashed potatoes were really dry and sturdy. They really emphasize it as a restaurant favourite, but I don't know why. I could stick my fork it in and it would hold straight up. They weren't creamy, fluffy, or cheesy. They make it with cream, White Cheddar cheese and sour cream, but I didn't taste the richness of any of those.
• Genovese Pasta 3/6 (soon to be off the menu)
  
• Grilled chicken, sundried tomatoes, walnut pesto, fresh basil, Parmesan cheese on penne.

• I couldn't get a picture because it was too far down the table.
  
• I was very intrigued by the walnut pesto...but I think this was "too weird" for most, that's why they're taking it off the menu.
• Unfortunately it didn't taste like walnuts at all. It looked and tasted like plain old pesto. As pesto, it was good. But as a "walnut pesto" it was not.
• The pasta was very pesto-y. I really like pesto so it didn't bother me. It was kind of oily so the tartness of the sundried tomatoes and freshness of the basil was good.
  
• 
• Asian Ahi Tuna Salad 4/6
• Seared sashimi grade ahi tuna with cabbage, red bell pepper, bean sprouts, carrots, spinach, baby corn, edamame and crunchy noodles. Served with light ginger citrus dressing.

• I have to say I was quite impressed with this! The ingredients were nice and crunchy and fresh. The tuna was really top quality. It was a bright red colour and they seared it perfectly! The garnish was green sesame seeds (I've never seen before) and I think it was a sea salt/lemon pepper crust...? It was really good!
• 
• Blackened Salmon Caesar 4/6
• A Caesar salad topped with a Cajun-spiced salmon and Parmesan Caesar dressing.

• It had real Parmesan curls instead of the shredded kind so that was nice.
• The star was really the salmon though. It had this really flavourful dry rub that was spicy but not overly spicy...it was just right.
• It wasn't overly charred and it was seared perfectly with a juicy and moist centre. It's so easy to overcook salmon and they didn't do it with this one - it was such a thick piece I was almost sure it was going to be too.
• Side Garden Salad