Grand Lakes is a beautiful town in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Many of the places close down during the winter. When spring rolls around, the town starts opening up to cabin rentals, tours, and of course ice cream shops. When I visited Ceaira’s Sweet Shop was open once again for business.
The shop originally opened in 1953. Over the years it has had many different owners but it has endured time and continues to offer guests homemade ice creams.
They offer a ton of unique flavors.
It is a small place, that has walk up windows for ordering. The staff is nice and friendly.
I ordered the Butter Pecan ice cream. My grandfather loved butter pecan and I remember eating it with him in the summer. So, I thought this flavor would bring back some wonderful memories. And it certainly did. The ice cream was extremely creamy. There were nice large pecans in each spoonful of ice cream. It was very satisfying.
The sweet shop had a constant line. Visitors ordered all kinds of treats. They even offered homemade ice cream sandwiches. If you are looking for some great ice cream, check out Ceaira’s Sweet Shop at www.sweetgrandlake.com
While visiting Denver, we rented a car and decided to start exploring the other areas of Colorado. We drove the Rocky Mountain National Park and saw some of the most beautiful scenery. Everything was so green with only the peaks of the mountains having a little snow on top.
One of the small towns we drove through was Grand Lakes. Several years ago, when Colorado had those massive wildfires, Grand Lakes came really close to being destroyed. As you drive through the outskirts of town, the devastation of the forest can still be seen all these years later.
It was lunch time while we were in Grand Lakes, so we decided to stop at Sagebrush BBQ & Grill. It was a local place filled with Western décor.
What made me excited about this restaurant was their menu of wild game meat. There were several I have never had before and was looking forward to trying. The first thing I tried was the Buffalo Red Chili. It was ground buffalo, and it was tender. It really tasted like beef when it was combined with the red beans and the chili seasoning that was extremely savory.
For my main lunch meal, I ordered the Rocky Mountain Elk Burger. The large patty was topped with Swiss cheese, smoked bacon, and a raspberry chipotle sauce. Of course, there was lettuce, tomato, and onion included. The elk meat was juicy, and it seemed to fall apart easier than a beef patty. There was a slight gamey taste to the elk, but it disappeared from the saltiness of the Swiss cheese and the sweetness from the raspberry sauce. I was really surprised how great the burger tasted with the sauce.
I got French fries with my burger and instead of using ketchup, I decided to use their homemade BBQ sauce. The sauce was sweet with a slight peppery flavor.
To wash down the burger I tried a unique bottled soda. The brand was called OldCentennial and the flavor was Orange Cream Soda. The soda was not overly sweet. The flavor of the orange was subtle but there really was a creamy taste to the soda even though it was not actually creamy.
I also got to try the Buffalo Meatloaf Sandwich. They baked their meatloaf in a red tomato sauce. The buffalo was seasoned nicely, and it stayed moist through the baking process. They served it on a baguette. This bread was able to hold up well even with all the sauce that was on the meatloaf. There was also a generous portion of mashed potatoes and gravy on the side.
If you are interested in trying different game meats, then Sagebrush is for you. There are several other types of game dishes to try; However, if you are not feeling adventurous they do have some traditional meats as well.
I found the coolest place in downtown Denver. It offered food, drinks, and mini-golf – it is called Urban Putt. I never expected to find a place like this.
The building is deceptively large inside. There is a bar and table on the left-hand side. You really need to have reservations for this because they seem to fill up quickly.
We started off getting some food and drinks. I started off with a seasonal mule, which was a raspberry vodka and ginger beer. It was served in a copper mug, so it stayed cold. It had a great sweet taste.
From their snack menu we ordered chips and queso. This was chili con queso made from white and Monterey jack cheese and sautéed chilies. They served rainbow tortilla chips alongside. The queso was creamy and not too spicy.
The other snack was my favorite, it was chicken and waffles. These were little chicken nuggets put on top of mini pieces of waffles. They naturally served maple syrup on the side. The chicken was crispy on the outside and juicy inside. The waffle was sweet. It was easy to dip because they were held together by toothpicks. These were a nice bite size treat.
Once we were done eating, we headed over to the ticket counter for mini-golf. The course was broken up into two different 9-hole games. We bought all 18 holes.
We each received two tokens, these were for us to get our favorite color golf ball to play with. The balls were in the old school candy machines. It was really a novel idea.
The mini-golf was under black lights so it was really cool how the different displays glowed, as well as our golf balls.
There were some obstacle courses set up to putt. Some were very challenging, some were easy. There were even a few holes that they set up like places in Colorado (like the Denver airport). It was a lot of fun.
I could see why this place was so busy. This is perfect place for groups of friends to hang out. If you are in Denver you should check them out www.urbanputt.com
We had just landed in Denver, Colorado. The flight was a few hours and with the time difference it was the start of breakfast time out West. We wanted to find a good place to go for breakfast outside of the city. When I checked out the area I came across Urban Egg. In glancing over the menu I knew this place would hit the spot.
The restaurant already had a small line when we walked through the door. Good news is we did not have to wait too long for a table. The restaurant had some great wall décor that caught my attention. Even the artwork in the bathroom was funny.
Our waiter was wonderful; so cheerful and friendly, he made excellent suggestions about the menu. I would call the menu classic diner breakfast with a modern twist.
Two of us ordered the Corned Beef Hash. We just had our eggs prepared differently. But in reality the eggs were secondary to the dish. The corned beef was the star. They slow roasted the corned beef themselves. Then they shredded it and sautéed it with peppers and hash brown potatoes. The beef was exceedingly tender and the peppers added a sweetness that balanced out the saltiness of the beef.
The shining co-star to this dish was the jalapeno bacon chutney. It was almost like a jam on top. It was sweet, salty, and spicy. The spice hit you at the end. When this combined with the corned beef it created a medley in my mouth that was crave worthy. It is almost hard to describe how all the flavors worked together.
Instead of getting the toast that the menu called for, our waiter insisted we get a biscuit, since they make them from scratch everyday. The biscuit was light and fluffy. The top was golden brown and slightly salty from the butter they brushed on top.
The other dish that was ordered was their award winning Biscuits and Gravy. They took one of their buttermilk biscuits and cut it open. Then they smothered it with a creamy, homemade sage sausage gravy. The gravy was tremendously savory. The sage flavor made the gravy amazing. They gave a generous amount so some of it was able to be put on the scrambled eggs.
This dish also came with hash browns. These were not just ordinary hash browns, they were loaded. The crispy shredded potatoes were loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream, and scallions. It was just like a loaded baked potato, just in breakfast form. These were filing enough to be a meal.
We wanted a satisfying breakfast and that is exactly what we got at Urban Egg. The way the lines were growing out the door, this was definitely the spot to be for breakfast. Next time you are in Denver check them out. They have two locations, so visit their website at www.urbaneggeatery.com
The St. Augustine historic district has a plethora of restaurants. While walking around I came across a unique looking restaurant that offered fresh Florida seafood and cocktails. Boat Drinks Bar seemed like the perfect stop for a quick bite to eat and something to quench our thirst from the hot Florida sun.
The inside was colorful and fun. Even their menu was fun. It had a beach bar vibe.
I ordered a Bushwacker. This is not a common drink that I find in Florida, it is more of a Tennessee or Alabama drink. This frozen cocktail contained St Lucian rum, cacao, coffee, and amaretto mixed in their coco-pina slush. They even sprinkled some cinnamon on top.
This was definitely a different take on a bushwacker. It tasted more like coffee than the chocolate flavor I am use to. It wasn’t bad, just different. It was perfect to cool off from how hot it was outside.
While there I wanted to get something to munch on. I looked over the menu and my eyes went directly to the charbroiled oysters. It was a half dozen oysters with garlic butter, michelada sauce, and pecorino cheese. Michelada is a blend of Mexican beer, tomato juice, hot sauce, lime juice, and Worcestershire sauce.
This sauce had a wonderful savory flavor. I have never had this sauce before but it went really well with the briny taste of the oysters and the saltiness of the cheese. The pressed Cuban bread they served on the side was an excellent way to soak up the sauce on the plate. The scallions they sprinkled on top were also a nice addition, adding a little crunch. This was an interesting take on charbroiled oysters that helped them stand out.
Boat Drinks Bar was a fun place to pop in. The bar staff was friendly and the kitchen staff was hopping.
This is a great place for a snack and drink. Check them out at www.boatdrinksbar.com
St. Augustine is a wonderful city in Northern Florida. It is rich with history that you can take tours to learn about. They have several ghost tours that are fun as well. There are several distilleries and a winery that you can visit for free tours and sample tastings. I have been to a few of them already and even wrote about them. During this weekend getaway I learned about a distillery that I never knew about.
City Gate Distillery was tucked away towards the end of the cobblestone streets of old historic St. Augustine.
You walk in and they check your ID right away to make sure everyone is legal. They had some tanks and work stations set up, but no one was working at them the day I visited, probably because they were so busy doing tastings.
The first station that was set up was their whiskeys. They offered three flavors.
Smoked Maple Whiskey – This was a blend of maple and brown sugar; it is charred in an oak barrel that adds a touch of spice. When you first sip it, you can definitely taste the maple. As you finish it, there is a sweetness of butterscotch but for me if the host did not say this I would not have picked up on the butterscotch.
Peanut Butter Whiskey – This was my favorite whiskey. The smell of roasted peanuts, butter, and coffee come together to offer a sweet and salty whiskey. I felt that there was a hint of chocolate that helped pull out the peanut butter flavor even more.
Salted Carmel Whiskey – The aroma of vanilla, caramel, and sea salt was enhanced by the oak barrel. This had a quality about it that would make this a great dessert whiskey.
The second station introduced three different spirits.
Sweet Tea Vodka – This was an amazing vodka that tasted just like true Southern sweet tea, just with a kick. I could see this being added to some lemonade and making a fantastic Arnold Palmer.
Limoncello – I would never have expected to find this here. But considering we are in Florida and there is an abundance of citrus fruits, this drink is perfect. The zesty lemon shines through with both a sweet and sour taste. This would be great for sipping however, putting a splash of tonic or club soda to this for a little bubbles would take them limoncello to the next level.
Coconut Rum – What an amazing tropical flavor with the combination of fresh coconut and vanilla. Just pouring it over ice will give the impression that you are drinking a pina colada.
The third station was all about moonshines.
White Lightning – This is the classic clear moonshine that you will find all over Tennessee. It’s corn based and carries a kick.
After tasting it straight, they combined it with their homemade passion fruit sour mix. This helped breakdown the moonshine to something that was a little easier to drink. The passion fruit had a nice sweetness to it.
Orange N’ Cream – This tastes just like the classic ice cream treat. The only difference is this was not creamy. They used authentic Florida oranges along with vanilla that helped create that creamy taste. This was my overall favorite spirit I tasted all day.
Apple Pie – This is also a very traditional moonshine flavor. Combining fresh apples, cinnamon, and brown sugar to create that classic apple pie filling taste. By them adding a hint of graham cracker, they made this moonshine unique in the market place.
Also after tasting this straight, they added it to their Ancient City spice mix. This created a unique cocktail that made me feel like I was sitting by the fire at Thanksgiving.
The tasting experience was wonderful at City Gate. The staff is all very knowledgeable and able to answer all kinds of questions. They also have everything for sale there so you can enjoy every option at home. Make sure to check them out if you are visiting St. Augustine.
It has been a few years since I have written about Taco Bus. Since that time they have opened a few more locations across Florida. I went back to the Lakeland location in the downtown area. For readers who might not be familiar, Taco Bus started as a food truck out of an old yellow school bus. Diners, Drive-ins, & Dives visited them for an episode and they exploded from there.
When you walk in you are greeted by a yellow school bus to keep with the tradition. I ordered a few things off the menu since I was pretty hungry.
I started off with the Mexican Street Corn. This is a messy dish, so make sure you grab lots of napkins. They roast the corn on the cob and then coat it with a smoky chipotle sauce. Then it is topped with crumbled cotija cheese and fresh cilantro. The corn itself is sweet. I feel that there is something in the roasting process that brings out the sweetness. The chipotle sauce adds just a little spice, but nothing too hot. There is also a slight tanginess from the sauce and the cotija cheese. The cilantro did not seem to add anything to me except for a little color.
I also ordered a Taco. I went for the hard corn shell with ground beef. I love the freshness of their shells and how well they hold up when you bite into them. They topped the flavorful meat with cheese, purple cabbage, and fresh pico de galo. The cabbage is a unique addition to their tacos. It adds crunch without adding an overly cabbage taste. Their homemade pico goes wonderfully with the seasoning on the beef. It is so juicy it will drip down your hand when you eat. So make sure you grab more napkins.
The last thing I ordered was an Empanada. The dough shell was fried up until it was puffy and crispy. I got ground beef and cheese. They used the same beef as was in the tacos but by putting the cheese inside to melt, it made the meat immensely creamy. The empanada was a little pocket of heaven. Each bite stayed warm because of the shell.
While all of these dishes sounded like a lot of food, the size proportions are perfect. They are not oversized so you can order a few things which allows for more experimentation with menu combinations.
The experience I had at Taco Bus was exceptional. I enjoyed everything. I would recommend checking out their Lakeland location, or any other one in the area. You can find them at www.taco-bus.com
There is an Italian restaurant that I found in St. Augustine that has a wood-fire oven that they do their cooking in. The thought of some wood-fire pizza really made me hungry, so I made a reservation for Simone’s.
When I looked over the menu, I was pleasantly surprised about how many things they offered.
I did get the wood-fire pizza that I was craving. I got it with fresh Italian sausage and anchovies. The pizza was cooked exceptionally well. There was the right amount of char on the crust. The dough was sweet and paired great with the salty cheese and pizza sauce. The sausage got crispy in the oven which I enjoyed. There was a nice fennel taste in the sausage. The anchovies, which are not everyone’s thing, added additional saltiness to the pizza.
Another dish I ordered was the homemade meatballs. The meatballs were a blend of veal, pork, and beef. They were covered in a Pomodoro sauce. They were placed in the wood-fire oven to get a little crispy on the outside. The parmesan cheese that was shredded on top melted and melted right away from the heat. The meatballs were very moist, light, and fluffy with a great savory flavor.
They had arancini on the menu too. This was a pleasant surprise because not all Italian restaurants have these. These were smaller in size and there was no meat and peas on the inside. But they were really cheesy and were the perfect size for dipping in the Pomodoro sauce.
Finally, the other item I tried was their soup on the day. It was a corn chowder. It sounded good and to my surprise the waitress offered to give us a sample to make sure it was something that we wanted to order. I have never seen this at a restaurant before and I really appreciated it.
The sample did the trick, I loved it. I ordered a bowl of the chowder. It was a simple chowder but still full of complex flavors. The corn was sweet and was a perfect match for the savory nature of the broth.
Simone’s is not a large restaurant, so they fill up fast. Even if you have to wait for a table, it is well worth it. There were several pasta dishes on the menu that looked delicious. The next time I visit St. Augustine, I would go back to try something new.
