Author Archives: Steve

About Steve

Hello, I am Steve of Steve's Gastronomic Home Page, which was started as a hobby to let others know about some of my favorite restaurants. This blog is an update and expansion of the original web site, and a chance for readers to leave their comments and suggestions. The most up-to-date restaurant reviews are at OKGourmet.com. For now I am including links to the reviews rather than try to move everything to Steve's Food Blog all at once. I am not a professional food person and I do not have a connection to any restaurant. As a geography major in college (Texas Christian University and the University of Texas at Austin) I am interested in different countries and cultures. This has now expanded to food in not only focusing on ethnic, national, and regional foods, but also in trying to determine what constitutes authentic ethnic food. My academic training and profession also inspired me to try to make a "master list" of restaurants, which I have included in the Blog as "Steve's List". I have included a box for comments on the list so that others can help me compile the list and keep it updated. At the very least, though, I hope it will serve as a list of interesting restaurants to try when traveling to different geographic areas.

Katsura (Zaragoza Rd.)–El Paso, TX

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Katsura Sushi Bar
1920 N. Zaragoza Rd.
El Paso, TX
(915) 857-2222
Katsura

Katsura

I have never been a big fan of the El Paso sushi restaurants, and spending time in Seattle convinced me that most of it is not really sushi at all (there are some exceptions, though, at a limited number or restaurants). For the most part the “California roll” type of sushi served here, as well as at most other sushi restaurants in the city, simply does not interest me. I do not order it, I do not review it, and I may be missing out on something great (but I really do not think so).

Instead, most of these restaurants have other things on the menu that I think is closer to “real” Japanese food. I give this disclaimer to readers that my rating, at least for this restaurant, is based on this part of the menu. Katsura has a large number of choices by El Paso standards, and it has more breadth to the menu than merely cooking the food on the grill in front of customers (another plus for this restaurant).

Although Katsura is not quite to the level of what I would call authentic Japanese food, it can satisfy my craving for Asian food better than many of the city’s other sushi restaurants.

The Restaurant
Katsura has three locations in El Paso, and one in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. It is one of several local sushi restaurants that appear to have originated in Mexico and then opened locations in El Paso. I know that the major part of their business is the sushi, but all of them offer at least a few of what I would call “standard” Japanese items (Katsura offers more than most of the other restaurants).

I have not had a problem with MSG in any of the restaurants of this genre. This seems to be another plus for the Ciudad Juarez style sushi restaurants.

Unlike many of the Seattle restaurants, the hot tea here (and at most other El Paso restaurants) is not brewed and is not complimentary, but comes from bags and is a significant reason as to why I consider many meals here to be overpriced. I do like the fact, though, that Katsura (and other restaurants) offer jasmine tea in addition to the traditional green tea.

Chicken Yakisoba

Chicken yakisoba

Chicken yakisoba

On my initial visit I ordered the Chicken Yakisoba, a noodle dish with chicken and vegetables that was filling and had a good flavor. In my opinion it was better than similar dishes served at some of the competitors, but its main pitfall was the sweetness of the sauce. The flavor had many Asian components (I cannot name them but they probably included soy, ginger, garlic, etc.). Everything was fine except it was too sweet.

Chicken Yakiniku

Chicken yakiniku

Chicken yakiniku

The Chicken Yakiniku seems to be an item they have added to the menu recently, and it shows that the non-sushi part of the menu may be popular enough that they are expanding it. Not being a noodle dish, this one comes with rice (so it is equally as fillling as the yakisoba). It also had more chicken than the yakisoba as well as more vegetables, so in the amount of food you get I think it is comparable.

In the all important flavor component it was good. Probably the sauce was not as good as the yakisoba (it was described on the menu as sweet soy sauce), but it had a large amount of sesame seeds and it was not as sweet as the yakisoba. Probably the deciding factor for me was that I preferred the noodles and vegetables of the yakisoba to the large amount of broccoli and chicken in this dish.

Miso

Miso

This dish came with a complimentary Miso which I also liked. For any order that includes miso, I think this is a plus.

Other Observations
In El Paso the restaurants calling themselves “Sushi” seem to be less authentic than those calling themselves “Japanese.” This is a wildly generalized statement, but seems to be pretty reliable in my experience.

One disadvantage of the “sushi” restaurants is what they generally do not include on the menu, which is some of more traditional Japanese food. One example is tempura udon which Katsura does not serve, but which is one of my favorites at Riyoma.

Again speaking in generalities, the sauce at Katsura is too sweet (something it shares with most of the “sushi” restaurants). Other aspects of the food are good, though (and I think are better than at some of the other “sushi” restaurants).

Overall I do like the food here, but for the same money I think there are better choices at the city’s Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese restaurants.

If I ever get California rolls on my diet I might have a whole other reason to come here, but for now I think the non-sushi menu is not too bad.

RATING: 19

Cuisine: Japanese
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 11, 2019
Number of Visits: 2
Best Items: Chicken Yakiniku, Chicken Yakisoba

 

Asian Food Details

Tea: Jasmine (bags)
MSG: No
Buffet: No

 

Special Ratings
star 4 Chicken Yakiniku
star 4 Chicken Yakisoba

Thai House–Albuquerque, NM

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Thai House
2000 Carlisle Blvd. N.E.
Albuquerque, NM
(505) 247-9205
Thai House

Thai House

Thai House is a restaurant that has been around for a while, but it recently moved to a new location on Carlisle Blvd. just south of Interstate 40. Specifically, the strip shopping center in which it is located is at the southeast corner of Carlisle and Indian School, and a very visible neighbor is the I Scream Ice Cream Store.

Thai House's sign is in the window

Thai House sign in the window

At the moment there is no outside sign, and you pretty much have to know the restaurant is here in order to see it. There is a hand made sign in the window shown in this photo, but even with this you almost have to be looking for it in order to notice it. I would say go to the I Scream place and then go one or two spaces to the north for Thai House.

Dining room

Dining room

The interior is very comfortable and “homey.” You almost feel as if you are in a Thai home because it has an open kitchen where you can watch your food being cooked as you sit at the table. The owner makes you feel very comfortable here and takes care of your needs, but she also is busy cooking and performing all restaurant duties in a one-woman operation. She did have some help when I went on a Saturday evening, but the actual cooking is a one person operation.

I have looked at the Yelp reviews and I think they do a good job of describing the restaurant, providing photos, and making recommendations. I can only add my two cents and say that the food tastes exactly as it looks–like it comes from a home kitchen in Thailand.

It was not actually the Yelp review that guided me here, but an invitation by my friend and Albuquerque restaurant expert Gil Garduño who himself had just tried the new location for the first time and was anxious to make another visit (and also included a review on his web site). I had the same desire to make a return visit, and did so on my way back from Colorado to El Paso. One tip I will give travelers is that this restaurant is very convenient from both Interstate 25 and Interstate 40 (but for now just do not expect to see a sign in front of the restaurant).

Pad Khing

Pad khing

Pad khing

When I was in Seattle and went to Thai restaurants frequently, ginger tofu was usually my first choice from the menu. I soon learned that the Thai name was Pad Khing, which was also frequently listed on the menu as ginger stir fry. The flavors of this dish are such that I do not think ordering it with meat causes noticeable enhancement, but the somewhat neutral nature of tofu allows me to enjoy the other flavors even more. I also did not worry about being full after eating a meatless meal because the amount of tofu and vegetables is usually substantial (as it is at Thai House).

Chinese medicine stipulates that ginger should be eaten early in the day when you need the energy it provides. I was never really aware of the principles of Chinese medicine when I was getting into the habit of ordering ginger tofu, but somehow I knew instinctively that it was a very good dish to order at lunch. This carried over to my instinct to order it for my first visit to Thai House at lunch time, although I think the flavor of this dish is good any time you order it. I would say the ginger flavor is somewhat subtle and is blended with the other ingredients in the dish as it should be. The tofu is just my preference and others will want to have meat, but I think it will be good either way.

Pad khing is not a spicy dish because the ginger itself has a very strong taste. The menu states that you can order your own spice level with any dish, but with restaurants like this one where they prepare the food in a home cooking style I usually figure that the chef knows how to add the appropriate spice level for the best flavor. I think I would have liked a higher spice level on this dish, but regardless of this the ginger flavor was very good and I was able to enjoy one of my favorite Thai dishes.

Curry

Massamun curry

Massamun curry

When I sampled my friend Steve’s dish I initially thought it was red curry but I later found out it was Massamun Curry (which I think is derived from Indian style curry combined with Thai flavors). Wikipedia states that Massaman curry typically contains cardamon, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cumin, bay leaves, nutmeg, and mace (spices that are not typically used in Thai curries) combined with more local flavors such as chili peppers, cilantro seeds, lemongrass, galangal, white pepper, shrimp paste, etc. I do not know if this is Thai House’s recipe, and I am not sure why their name for the dish is a little different, but nevertheless the dish was very good. Wikipedia also points out that this is a mild curry, so perhaps this is why I did not think it had any lack of flavor even though it had a low spice level.

This dish also had a good amount of potatoes, another feature that I think separates it from the typical Thai dishes that are found in most restaurants.

Soup

Thom khar gai

Thom khar gai

The menu had a couple of soups listed under the “Chef’s Specials” on the menu, one of which was the Thom Khar Gai. This was my favorite dish that I have tried at Thai House so far, and it made me think that the chef’s specials designation has some real substance behind it and is not one made just for marketing purposes. This is a coconut soup flavored with galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, and lime juice (several decidedly Thai flavors). It was specifically the lime leaves that enticed me to order the soup, based on dishes I have had in other restaurants with the same ingredient. The others add an important flavor component as well. I think several dishes at Thai House have some combination of these ingredients, but they are more pronounced in ones where the ingredients are part of the name (the khar in this dish means galangal).

For substance in this dish was mainly provided by chicken (gai) and mushrooms. In terms of flavor I would not try to substitute anything in this dish, including the spice level (it was not spicy but I do not think it is supposed to be a spicy dish).

After having eaten coconut flavored rice in Colorado Springs, I thought this was a fitting finale to this trip where I could indulge to an even greater extent with the coconut theme that seemed to be developing. This was a delicious soup, and one of the best I have had anywhere. It is not something that I normally order, because I usually prefer the curries or the stir fried dishes (such as pad khing). At Thai House, though, I think this is definitely a “must try” (even if others are like me and do not normally order this dish).

Other Observations
The Thai tea and the hot jasmine tea were both especially good.

It takes some time for the food to be served because each order is individually prepared. This is pretty standard for Thai restaurants, though, and it was nothing out of the ordinary.

The default for all the dishes I tried seemed to be at a low spice level, but the menu states that you can order the spice level you want for any dish. If I am able to return I think I would try a higher spice level on the ginger dish, but the others were ones I would not change from the default.

Prices are very reasonable, especially for this type of quality. The menu is posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page. I thought the selection of items was very good, and one of the good things here is that you can talk directly with the chef if you have any questions.

RATING: 24

Cuisine: Thai
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun.
Accessible: Yes
Alcohol: No
Smoking: No smoking

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 10, 2019
Number of Visits: 2
Best Item: Thom Khar Gai

 

Asian Food Details

Tea: Jasmine (bags), Thai Tea
MSG: No
Buffet: No

 

Special Ratings
star 5 Thom Khar Gai
star 5 Massamun Curry
star 5 Pad Khing

Tomasita’s–Santa Fe, NM

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Tomasita’s
500 S. Guadalupe St.
Santa Fe, NM
(505) 983-5721
Tomasita's

Tomasita’s

Tomasita’s web site states that it has been a family run operation for over 40 years, which reveals at least two important facts. One is that it is family run, and this may be an explanation for the fact that (to my taste) it has such good food. I had recently visited El Bruno’s in Cuba, New Mexico (another popular family run restaurant), and I thought this and Tomasita’s had equally good food largely stemming from their nature of being local small scale restaurants. The only thing that really matters is that they have good recipes that are prepared well, but family owned restaurants tend to be particularly adept at this.

The fact that it has been operating for over 40 years is another important piece of information for me. This would mean that they opened sometime in the late 1970’s, and this would be the correct timeline for the memory I have of another restaurant which I believe was in the same building (an old railroad depot). It was actually the depot for the narrow gauge railroad which went north through northern New Mexico. The restaurant previous to Tomasita’s, though, had a name something along the order of Santa Fe Station, making me think that this was the old station for the Santa Fe Railroad (the real Santa Fe Railroad station was north of this location a couple of blocks, and is now the terminus for the commuter train from Albuquerque). The restaurant I remember was upscale and served steaks. I have tried to look it up on the Internet and I cannot find any information about the former restaurant. The real point to me, though, is that I think the conversion of the building from an upscale restaurant to a traditional New Mexican one is a sign of progress in a city where the real estate prices seem to dictate that it have more and more upscale restaurants, but fewer of the affordable ones.

My first visit to Tomasita’s was on a busy day, but it was the off-peak period of the afternoon. There was a wait for a table, and I imagine that the waiting time gets much worse during peak period. Otherwise things went smoothly, and I was pleased with the service as well as the food. The price was in a range that I once thought was high, but compared to similar restaurants (even in cities not as expensive as Santa Fe), the prices here seemed very reasonable.

The menu has a large number of choices (so many that I think some of them would not be considered traditional New Mexican cuisine). They also have daily specials but I did not check the prices on these, and they are not listed on their on-line menu. For me, though, my usual choice at restaurants serving northern New Mexican food for the first visit (as well as most subsequent visits) is blue corn enchiladas. Sometimes I try other things, with the stuffed sopapilla being at the top of the list. I do believe that if you have other dishes that are your favorite this will influence your list of favorite restaurants, but I do want to explain that my rating of this restaurant is based primarily on the enchiladas.

Chips and Salsa

Chips and salsa

Chips and salsa

The Chips and Salsa were very good, but I did not think they were notably better than at other restaurants. I was happy that they had different colored chips (some blue and some red). The problem with these was that the waiter did not bring them out until I asked for them. This usually means that you have to pay extra for the chips, but in this case it was just that the waiter forgot (not a problem for me as long as they do not spring me with any surprises on the bill).

Enchiladas

Red enchiladas

Red enchiladas with blue corn tortillas

The Blue Corn Red Enchiladas had all the required elements that I think make them good: flavorful and traditional tasting red chile, a spice level that goes just to the perfect point without being overly spicy, high quality cheese, and the blue corn tortillas that are almost totally missing in southern New Mexico restaurants but which are almost universally available in the northern part of the state (usually for an extra charge, though, as they are here).

There are quite a few choices involved when ordering enchiladas, such as red or green (the green is almost always the spicier of the two), blue corn or regular (I think the blue gives it a better flavor), stacked or rolled (usually the northern NM restaurants make stacked their default), choice of meat (I go with the plain cheese version at least until I find out which others are especially good), and onions or no onions (normally I omit the onions but in northern NM I find that they put in less onion than in other areas and it has less of a strong onion taste, so here I go with the onions).

One thing I really liked about the dinner is that they brought out the Sopaipillas with the meal without me even asking for them so that I could eat them with the red chile which was spicy enough that I really appreciated a sopaipilla to help tone down the heat.

Another thing that toned down the heat was the serving of Pinto Beans that, along with the cheese that topped it, had an excellent flavor and was another reason I love northern New Mexican cuisine.

The green chile is said to be good here as well, but I did not try it on this particular visit.

The Dining Room

Tomasita's main dining room

Tomasita’s main dining room

The dining room is in a converted railroad station where much of the original architecture is on display, and the high ceiling and large windows perhaps make it appear more spacious than it actually is.

There is also an outdoor patio, and the web site says there is a private room that can accommodate parties of up to 20 people.

Other Notes
This was definitely among my best experiences with northern New Mexican cuisine in recent years, and I cannot think of past experiences where the enchiladas were really any better than here.

Some reviews say The Shed has better New Mexican food than Tomasita’s, but it was a very popular day with visitors and the parking situation made it so that going to The Shed was not feasible (The Shed is located just off of the Plaza so the traffic was for many destinations other than The Shed itself).

I have to say, though, that the food at Tomasita’s was as good I expected that The Shed would be, so I was not the least bit disappointed with coming here instead. I do not know if the food (especially the enchiladas) are actually better at The Shed, but I would probably not recommend going there on a Saturday during the summer tourist season as I tried to do.

Tomasita’s has another location in Albuquerque which is said to be good as well. Personally I am glad I chose this location because of the higher elevation, crisper air, scenic landscape, and historic setting of Santa Fe. If you cannot make it to Santa Fe, though, I am sure the Albuquerque restaurant would be fine (not to say that Albuquerque does not have its share of crisp air, scenic landscape, etc.).

Tomasita’s Web Site

RATING: 26

Cuisine: Mexican New Mexican
Cost: $$
Hours: Closed Sun.
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: N/A

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 10, 2019
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Blue Corn Red Enchiladas, Pinto Beans, Salsa, Sopaipilla

Mexican Food Details

Chile Index: chile 4
Special Ratings
star 5 Red Enchiladas (Blue Corn)
star 5 Pinto Beans
star 5 Chips
star 5 Salsa
star 5 Sopaipilla

Gabys–Lakewood, CO

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Gabys German Eatery
245 S. Harlan St.
Lakewood, CO
(720) 329-8188
Gabys German Eatery

Gabys German Eatery

For years I have searched out German food on my travels, although I have yet to make it to Germany to see how it should really taste. I have it on good authority, though, that it would taste like the food at Gabys (from my friend who lived in Germany and accompanied me to the restaurant). I already figured this out from tasting the food, but it is good to know that my instincts are correct, and the best German food is also the most authentic.

This was indeed probably the best German food I have ever had, although I do want to leave it open for other experiences I have had in the past which might resurface in my memory of some special dishes. One thing about Gabys is that it is not trying to prepare over-the-top special occasion dishes, but I would call it everyday food that becomes very special because of the flavor and the way it is prepared.

I assume it was Gaby who served us, although she was a little busy and I did not get to chat with her very much. I did learn that the restaurant had been open for a couple of years, and that they have daily specials which make the menu a little more interesting if you are a frequent visitor. In the short time it has been open Gabys has become probably the highest rated German restaurant in Denver on Yelp, leading me to think that the on-line reviews of Denver restaurants are some of the more trustworthy ones. I honestly would not have found this place without the help of Yelp.

Restaurant and auto repair shop

Restaurant and auto repair shop

There is an auto repair shop in the same building which initially made me think the two were connected, but this was not the case. The restaurant itself is a little larger than it looks from the outside, but it is a small place with perhaps twelve tables and apparently with Gaby doing all of the cooking. Actually my favorite ethnic restaurants are usually ones where there is only one cook, or at least that you know the food will be the same every time you go. I cannot guarantee that Gabys is this way, but if the Yelp reviews are to be believed then I have every confidence that it is.

Schnitzel

Schnitzel

Schnitzel with potato salad and mushroom gravy on the side

Every German restaurant seems to have Schnitzel, but they are not all equal. I do think, though, that almost every restaurant I have tried does a good job with the schnitzel, and usually it is difficult to say that one is really better than the other. This is the reason I was surprised to find that at Gabys, I really can say that I think think this is a better schnitzel than others I have tried. The only way I can describe it is that in addition to having top quality meat, the flavor and freshness make it stand out so that this really becomes the standard by which to judge the others.

The difference in flavor seems to be mainly because of the breading. Gabys serves the schnitzel the traditional way with a lemon, but there is a serving of mushroom gravy on the side so that if you wish you can make Jagerschnitzel out of it. Normally I would jump at the chance to add the gravy, and I thought it was excellent, but I really enjoyed being able to eat this schnitzel both ways and enjoying both of them.

This was a very interesting Potato Salad because it was made with blue potatoes. It did not seem as if the blue potatoes had a flavor that was very different from regular potatoes, except that it had a flavor (I would describe most white potatoes as being without much flavor, making it almost a requirement to add butter and salt). I believe the potato salad had all the seasoning that any other good version would have, but it just seemed as if the potatoes were exceptionally good (and of course I have to say that the seasoning was very good as well).

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut

I ordered Sauerkraut on the side because it did not come on the plate, and I wanted to try it. The plate really had a sufficient amount of food, and I would have been satisfied with that alone. The sauerkraut had a very good flavor, but the potato salad was so exceptional that I think Gaby made a good choice by offering this as the side dish on the plate.

Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten

Sauerbraten

For the Sauerbraten I tried a sample but I got a very good idea of its flavor. This is a marinated pot roast with very moist and flavorful meat. I have had sauerbraten before in other restaurants but this one stood out because of the flavor. It is not often that I find food that I consider to be fine dining at prices that are as affordable as at Gabys, and this is definitely a dish that I would consider for it (although there were other dishes on the menu that seemed to be equally upscale).

Another consideration for trying the sauerbraten is that it is not served at many German restaurants in the United States, and therefore is a special treat at Gabys (although the way the schnitzel was prepared made it a special treat for me as well).

This Red Cabbage was a special treat as well because of the fact that I think Gaby is more skillful than most in the wine/vinegar component of it, so that it still has a good flavor but the vinegar flavor is not as strong.

Dessert

Black forest

Half of an order of black forest cake

There are several dessert choices including Black Forest, which had all the elements I expected in this pastry. The flavor was excellent, but in addition the freshness was at a higher level than I typically find at restaurants.

Other Comments
The restaurant is small but there were several empty tables when I went for lunch on a weekday. I imagine there are times when there is a waiting time for a table, but the way the food is prepared means that any meal is likely to involve a wait that is longer than at most restaurants. I believe they take reservations for large parties, though, which may speed things up for some people.

I did not see that they serve beer or alcohol but I did not inquire about this. Perhaps this will come in the future but right now I think the emphasis is on serving food that in itself is not only very good but is one of the more memorable experiences I have had in a restaurant.

My bill was very high because as far as I knew I was only going to make one visit and I wanted to try as many items as possible (sauerkraut, black forest, etc.). I do not regret ordering these, but I did think that if you just order one of the plates on the menu and skip some of the extras, you will have a very satisfying meal at a price that would be comparable with many “ordinary” restaurants. (To me Gabys is a place which I consider “extraordinary” with the accompanying temptation to keep ordering extra items, but I did want to make this one point about the size and the quality of the servings).

Gabys Web Site

RATING: 27

Cuisine: German
Cost: $$$
Hours: Wed.-Sun. 11:30 am to 2:00 pm; 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: N/A

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 9, 2019
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Schnitzel, Sauerbraten, Potato Salad, Red Cabbage, Black Forest

Special Ratings
star 5 Schnitzel
star 5 Sauerbraten
star 5 Potato Salad
star 5 Red Cabbage
star 5 Sauerkraut
star 5 Mushroom Gravy
star 5 Black Forest

Bread+Salt–Frisco, CO

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Bread+Salt
401 E. Main St.
Frisco, CO
(970) 668-0902
Bread+Salt

Bread+Salt

Frisco is one of the popular ski towns in the Vail area, but it also seems to have quite a substantial year round population that support some very good amenities such as Safeway and Whole Foods grocery stores, as well as a number of restaurants. Possibly the biggest disappointment of coming to Frisco is that you will not be able to try all the restaurants that look good, and even if you were able to do so there are always the neighboring towns of Dillon, Silverthorne, Breckenridge, etc. that would offer their own challenge. By the way, my friend who traveled with me on this trip went to the The Lost Cajun and recommends this restaurant very much as having a true (not touristy) flavor.

Bread+Salt is another restaurant that is not touristy in the sense of being dumbed down. I am speaking primarily of items they serve such as huevos rancheros that have a true south of the border flavor. I would go further and say they are like the food you find in alta cocina restaurants in Mexico, the type of restaurants from which chefs like Rick Bayless get their inspiration.

Every restaurant in Frisco seems to be crowded, particularly at breakfast and right at the lunch hour. I have heard that many times you need a reservation at Bread+Salt but when I went in the late morning it was busy but not full. The breakfast menu is served until they stop serving the regular menu at 2 PM (their web site says they serve burgers and beer from 2 to 8 PM). I think they are known for their breakfasts, and they have quite a range of choices. There is a large outdoor patio, and in nice weather the dining room has the feel of being outdoors because they leave the doors open to let in the outside air (when you are in Frisco I think you will want as much of the outside air as you can get).

Frisco Omelet with Fixings

Frisco omelet with fixings

Frisco omelet with fixings

As much as I liked the huevos rancheros that I sampled, the Frisco Omelet with Fixings was the highlight of the meal for me. It had three eggs, which was more than I thought I could eat, but in full disclosure I ate part of the omelet and part of the huevos rancheros, so I am not sure about how filling each one would be if you ordered it alone. You get “fixings” with it that are not cooked into the omelet, but rather stuffed inside so you can either eat them with the omelet or separately (this made more of an impression on me that I would have thought, having the items cooked into the omelet in all of my other experiences that I can remember). The quality of the food at Bread+Salt is top notch, but I think the recipes they use and the way they cook the food is the other vital ingredient that makes this a memorable experience.

My fixings were black forest ham, Sonoma goat cheese, and spinach. Either I miraculously stabbed in the dark and found a very good combination, or the restaurant has a way of taking anything you order and making it good. Afterward I was glad that they let you choose your own ingredients and do not just offer their own combinations that they think would be good.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos rancheros

Huevos rancheros

I was very afraid that if I got something like Huevos Rancheros in Frisco it would be the tourist version, but fortunately I got some good information from the desk clerk at the hotel (whose father is a chef at Bread+Salt) that I should try the ones here. As I mentioned in the introduction, these have a very Mexican flavor. Specifically they come with black beans, queso fresco, poblano green chile, and crema mexicana. My thought in tasting it was that it was really good, but another thought was how things have changed so that they can get a regular supply of poblano chile, queso fresco, and crema to allow an item like this to be on a restaurant’s menu. It is also available with red chile (red chipotle) which I believe is really hot, but in my mind the green poblano chile was plenty spicy enough and had an excellent flavor.

Recommendations
The huevos rancheros would make this restaurant worthy of visiting, but I enjoyed the omelet even more (I can get good huevos rancheros in El Paso but not so much with the omelets).

I think if you come here for breakfast, it might be your lunch as well. I say this not only because of the quantity they serve, but the price is a little bit high and you might not want to spend any more money for lunch if you are satisfied with the breakfast you had (this is the way I felt). There is also the fact that the omelet comes with bread, and they have a very good jelly on the table that makes this almost a meal in itself.

The restaurant’s web site says that they have a sister restaurant named Bagalis at 320 Main St. where you can get dinner. They also have a restaurant in Breckenridge named DOMA 1898 at 270 N. Main St. which is open 8AM to 2PM for breakfast & lunch, and until 8PM Wed-Sun.

Bread+Salt Web Site

RATING: 25

Cuisine: Breakfast, Sandwiches
Cost: $$
Hours: Open Daily 7AM-2PM (Open 2 to 8 PM for burgers & beer)
Accessible: Yes
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Beer, and I am not sure what else

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 8, 2019
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Frisco Omelet with Fixings, Huevos Rancheros

Special Ratings
star 5 Frisco Omelet with Fixings
star 5 Huevos Rancheros

Currents–Salida, CO

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Currents Steaks & Seafood
122 N. F St.
Salida, Co
(719) 539-9514
Currents

Currents

Salida was quite surprising to me when I visited this time. I had been here a number of years ago and the town did not seem to have grown physically at all in this time. However, in terms of people, life in the city, restaurants, shops, etc., it was a different story. This seemed to be one of the liveliest towns of its size I had ever seen, and I do not think this can be attributed merely to the summer tourist season. The restaurants in town all seem to be high quality, and I would use the term that there seems to be a refined crowd here hoping that this would not be interpreted as saying that it felt stuffy.

Currents is located in the downtown area in an older building where parking is on the street and the demand for the parking spaces there is very high. I am not sure if the restaurant is handicapped accessible because there were steps coming in, but if you need to know it would be best to contact the restaurant. There is a small outdoor patio next to the street, but even indoors it seemed that you could feel the outside air because the doors were kept open (similar to the way many New Orleans restaurants are open to the street during the cooler non-bug season).

Specials board next to the outdoor patio

Specials board next to the outdoor patio

I think the restaurant is known for its steaks, but just about every review I have read has been for the non-steak items on the menu, of which there is a large selection. I came specifically for the chicken pot pie and my friend wanted the beef stroganoff, both of which have had very good on-line reviews.

They do have daily specials, and the menu is available on the restaurant’s web site.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie

Chicken pot pie

The Chicken Pot Pie may be shaped like some sort of space rock, but it met all of my expectations when it came to the flavor. The chicken pot pie as it has now evolved is said to have been developed by early Americans, and I think one possible motive may have been to hide the vegetables inside the pie in order to trick the children into eating them. The pie at Currents is so full of vegetables, chicken, and other ingredients, though, that simply cutting it open will reveal all the good things that are packed inside. After most of my recent experiences with chicken pot pie being the “creative” variety, I was very glad to have one that was more traditional. They did add a spice that tasted like basil to me and I would call the flavor “elevated” (a term they like to use on Master Chef), but in its essential form I would say this pot pie is the traditional one that most people expect.

The bad news about this pot pie is that it now seems to have been taken off the menu. At the time of this writing (about two weeks after I visited the restaurant) the web site menu lists beef steak pot pie, but there is no chicken version. I am sure the flavors are still good, but personally I would not crave a beef pot pie the way I would if it were chicken.

Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff

Beef stroganoff

The Beef Stroganoff may have been my second choice for an order, but since I was able to sample it, I ended up being able to see how it stacked up against the pot pie. It is hard to tell from the photo, but this dish was full of mushrooms, and also had more beef than I think the photo indicates. I had a mushroom stroganoff in a now closed restaurant in Walsenburg, Colorado which was one of the best meals of my life, and I was wondering how this one would compare. I will have to say that if I had ordered a mushroom stroganoff here (which the restaurant will do on request) I would have been disappointed. When I ate the pasta, sauce, and mushrooms together on this dish it did not have the flavor that I really wanted, and I think the main reason was the sauce. When I added the beef, though, this dish became “elevated” and it met my expectations. The beef does seem to be quite flavorful and well cooked here.

Recommendations
I would choose whatever looks good at the moment when you come here. The menu has good choices, and the quality seems to be good in everything they prepare.

The restaurant is upscale but casual. Prices are not out of line compared to other restaurants, and I would have more confidence here than in many other restaurants that anything you order will be good.

One factor to consider is that Salida seems to have a number of good restaurants. If I went back and found out that the chicken pot pie is indeed no longer available, and nothing else looked like what I wanted to eat, I think there would be no problem finding another restaurant. I do think, though, that Currents has a number of dishes that will make people happy.

Currents Web Site

RATING: 25

Cuisine: Steaks, American Food
Cost: $$$
Hours: Open Daily except Mon. Lunch
Accessible: N/A
Smoking: No smoking
Alcohol: Yes (I’m not sure about the details)

Most Recent Visit: Aug. 7, 2019
Number of Visits: 1
Best Items: Chicken Pot Pie, Beef Stroganoff,

Special Ratings
star 5 Beef Stroganoff
star 5 Chicken Pot Pie