Chipotle Mexican Grill

I have a new love in life... Chipotle's Burrito Bowl. The famous order at Chipotle is the Burrito, which is good, but HUGE-O-MUNGO and quite messy. Looking for something of a better fit, I wondered down to the burrito bowl... FIT-O-PERFECTO!!! Chipotle piles all the condiments from the Burrito, in an awesome environmentally friendly bowl and Voila! Dinner is served! I save time, space and napkins by eating my burrito with a fork- and there is no tortilla to diminish the awesome flavorings of their organic material! All of Chipotle's ingredients are organic and everything is environmentally friendly... they even recycle all their waste! I always order my bowl with rice, black beans, meat, a little pico and a little of their corn salsa, top all off with sour cream and cheese... wholesome goodness! I also love the quality of all their meat. I really enjoy the chicken and shredded pork. The grilled steak is of excellent quality, though a little too spicy for my little t. buds. I then order my bowl with a side of chips and guac to help scoop it up and eventually down! I have to add that Chipotle's guac is the BEST out of all that I have tried in the Hispanic line of eateries. The added benefit of the bowl, is if you can't enjoy it all in one sitting, it is just as good the next day! Take a try at the Chipotle Burrito Bowl, I promise it lives up to (and longer) than it's burrito brother!

As promised, here is their website:
www.chipotle.com

Pepercini Roast

Upon a recent visit to my Aunt's for dinner, she served pepercini roast sandwiches- so we had to try it for ourselves! This roast is sooo incredibly easy, and delicious! You simply take about a 4lb roast with 1 16oz jar of chopped pepercinis, toss in your crock pot, cook for 8-10 hours and voila! We shredded the roast at about the 7th hour, then let it soak up more juice for an hour. You then serve the shredded spicey meat on a white roll, with a little mayo, pickle slice, and Munster cheese. This sandwich is moist, warm, spicy with a little tang! It is delicious! The best part of is you can reuse the meat! The next day we tossed the meat with some sauted onions and peppers and made fajitas. They were proabably better than the sandwiches. You must try this roast! If you don't want all the heat, you can cook the roast with a jar of whole peppercinis, then remove the peppers just before you shred. The peppercinis flavor the beef so wonderfully... and who could ask for an easier meal!!! Try It! :)

MOOCH-A-LICIOUS!

Moochies is truly my favorite place! I took my sister-in-law this weekend and they have revamped!! They now have made more room, a new soda counter with condiment treys, booths and new tables! Their menu also now sports french fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks and even fried pickles! The french fries are really quite good- though not so sure about the fried pickles. ;) I did finally try the chocolate cake which is really, REALLY good- moist with perfect distribution of frosting to cake... chocolaty goodness! Yummers! I have to admit... this visit was a total calorie OVERHALL... but worth every bite! All that time of saying, well Moochies would be my favorite if they had Fries... WELL NOW THEY DO!!!! :)

If you haven't read my previous entry about Moochies... they have the absolute Phillies in Salt Lake... don't miss out!

Here is their website:
www.moochiesmeatballs.com

Enjoy! I do! :)

Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate Ice Cream

You might be able to tell... I am in a HUGE ice cream kick right now. Tonight, I really wanted some Chubby Hubby, so I made a run to the store with instruction to get Matt some ice cream as well. He is not quite the fan of the CH as I am. Upon careful consideration I chose Starbucks Signature Hot Chocolate Ice Cream. I have alwasy been curious about the Starbucks Ice Cream line, but always thought their flavors would contain coffee. There is no coffee in this ice cream and MAN-O-MAN... this is a delicious chocolate ice cream! This ice cream has vanilla and chocolate ice creams with ribbons of fudge. This is the perfect combination of subtle chocolate, creamy vanilla, and rich fudge... which make a lovely harmony of chocolately goodness in your mouth! Delicious! I felt a little guilty in that I opened the ice cream and ate a good three or four bites before taking it to it's rightful owner! He was busy feeding our littlest, so I gave him bites, after giving a few to myself... I know, I know! This is truly now one of our favorite chocolate ice creams! WHOLESOME GOODNESS!!! I am now eating my Chubby Hubby, so no worries, it has been devoured as well... ;)

Starbucks also has a coffee free Strawberry... this is next on the list! :)

Carlucci's Bakery and Cafe, SLC UT

So this afternoon, my mom and I ventured to see the Farmer's Market, but due to inclement weather- decided we would venture and try something new for lunch! After driving around the park, I noticed Carlucci's Bakery and Cafe just across the street from the Market. What a wonderful little cafe! This cute little nook, has wonderful pastries and a great little lunch menu! From the case in the front showcases their desirable pastries and cakes.. that is when my mouth started watering! I ordered the Roast beef with horseradish aioli, greens, red onion on a white baguette. It was delicious! The flavor distribution of the horseradish to meet and greens was perfect. The onion was mild, just enough to add a little flavor. The bun was soft and held everything together until the last bite! Yummy! My mom ordered the Blackforest Ham and Brie with honey Dijon mustard on a white baguette. The ham and brie were of great quality, however, there was a little too much mustard as it over powered the flavors in the sandwich. The sandwich was good, though again, needed less Dijon, so you could appreciate the brie. Each sandwich came with their house pasta salad- a rotini pasta with their house balsamic dressing, mozzarella, zucchini, red onion and olives. At first I was hesitant, but it too was delicious! Then came dessert! We ordered four petites- their Decadence (flourless chocolate cake), Almond Tart, Gingersnap, and an éclair. All were amazing! The decadence was rich and had incredible texture (though I was glad we ordered the petit! The gingersnap was made with real ginger and was soft, yet crunchy. The Almond Tart and Éclair were good, though not much past the competition. I also paid close attention to the plates passing our table and everything looked just as delicious. In fact, I think the next time I visit Carlucci's I will be ordering the Turkey Bacon Avo! Carlucci's also serves Coffee items, of which most all their customers were ordering- along with either a dessert or a sandwich. This little cafe/bakery was really simple and delicious! If you want a simple sandwich and pastry, stop by Carlucci's! It is also quit easy to access from the freeway... and so much better than the common fast food! WHOLESOME GOODNESS!!!

Carlucci's Cafe and Bakery Website:
www.carluccisbakery.com

I have decided to add the link to the restaurant if available, so you too can check it out! :)

Les Madeleines

Not to long ago, I heard about the Kouing Aman pastry, and had to go and try it out! I grabbed my mom and away we went for lunch! We ordered the Sesame Chicken Salad Wrap, Turkey Avocado Sandwich, Pommes Frites, and topped it off with their famous Kouing Aman. The Sesame Chicken Salad had great flavor! The sesame dressing they use along with the chicken and peanut sauce were great flavor companions! The Turkey Avocado was really good, simple and fresh, but nothing over the top. It was good, just not "special" in anyway. I absolutely loved the Pommes Frites- they were crisp and delicious! Not to mention the amazing Garlic aioli that comes with! (The aioli is served with half ketchup, which I was not a fan of... I think it would be better if there had been more of the aioli and ketchup... if any, but I don't really care for Ketchup, and LOVE garlic.) Then came the Kouing Aman- this was delicious! This dessert item is what they are famous for and justifiably so! The puff pastry is buttery, and sugary on the outside and soft and delicious on the outside! They are a little expensive at about $5 a piece, but if you like pastries, well worth the price! I just don't know that if I foot the bill... I don't think I could make myself share! Ha! Lunch was really rather light and fairly "healthy" which rounded out the pastry... in fact I should have tried more! I will definitely be going back to Les Madeleine's to try more of their menu and definitely more desserts! WHOLESOME GOODNESS! :)

ACME Burger Company

Ready for wholesome goodness gourmet burgers? Go to ACME BURGER CO. in downtown Salt Lake! The owner of ACME, has his burger flavor distribution down to a science! Every burger on the menu is to die for and they rotate. They are incredible! I also love the shoestring fries and they make the BEST bread pudding in town! Made with Buttermilk Brown Sugar Ice Cream and Goat Milk Carmel... believe me it is to DIE FOR! I literally lick the platter clean with each dish, every time I go. This is the "class" of the burger industry! They feature the regular beef burger along with bison, Kobe Beef, Veggie, Turkey, Lamb, Elk and even duck or sea bass. There is a burger for everyone! :) Again, their menu does change every now and then, but you can never go wrong! If you have a gourmet pallet and LOVE burgers- GO TO ACME! WHOLESOME GOODNESS!

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

If you know me, you know I am a burger addict! I crave them almost every day, and could probably eat them three times a day! :) My favorite of all is the infamous bacon cheese burger! My favorite "fast-food" burger in Salt Lake (at this time) is Five Guys Burgers and Fries. I know, I know... they are not loco, but they use Idaho Potatoes, which are dear to my heart and make a MEAN burger, not to mention you get a TON of fries and the have the infamous Utah Fry Sauce! I order the Little Bacon Cheese, with Mayo, Ketchup, Lettuce, Tomato and Pickles. The two things you HAVE to have with burgers is Freshness and Flavor Distribution. Five Guys carries both of these. They come off hot off the grill and their ingredients are fresh and evenly distributed. Bun to meat to pickle and other condiment ratio is next to perfect! WHOLESOME GOODNESS!!! I also love their fry's and fry sauce... you even get to munch on peanuts while you wait, which is never too long. My only quam with Five Guys is the locations in Salt Lake have limited seating and no ambiance. You have to push to get a table (especially in Sandy) and it is really rather loud... but I take it all for the moments to inhale that high quality beef and potatoes! I also might mention, that I only like the burger as I order it... if you order the regular burger (with two patties) and ALL THE WAY- I think you are overhauling the burger concept and killing its potential! Minimize for better flavor! ;) Their menu is limited to burgers and a few hot dogs... but if you like a mean burger... this one hits the jackpot! Go! Try it! And call me when you do... I will never pass a Five Guys Burger! :)

Haagen Dazs Pistachio Ice Cream

I admit my favorite ice cream is Chubby Hubby, this is for sweet and peanut buttery bliss. However, I have recently stumbled across another ice cream, deserving of my blog. Haagen Dazs Pistachio Ice Cream. This slice of heaven has the nutty flavor of small roasted pistachios embedded in sweet, yet slightly buttery vanilla ice cream. It is creamy and incredibly delicious! If you want something sweet, and nutty go for this pint! B&J also make a pistachio ice cream, though I have to give credit to Haagen Dazs!! They broke the mold with this flavor! :)

The Best of Ice Cream

I scream, you scream, we should ALL scream for ice cream! But as I believe most would attest not all ice cream is created equal. As soon as I moved away from home, I discovered the wonderful world of really good ice cream! My mother most always purchased generic vanilla... which is actually a disgrace to the ice cream products. It was my older brother that first introduced me to Ben and Jerry, and their wonderful ice cream! My first flavor was Cherry Garcia, one of their most popular flavors, and the second was Phish Food. I fell in love when I found Chubby Hubby in college! I have never looked back... it is nothing but the best of ice cream for me now!
CHUBBY HUBBY ICE CREAM, by Ben and Jerry, is by far my love of life. It is a vanilla ice cream, with ripples of fudge and peanut butter this is accompanied by fudge covered, peanut butter filled pretzels. This ice cream has it all! Sweet, from the fudge and vanilla ice cream, the salty with the pretzels and the peanut butter ripple. I LOVE IT! I usually can save a little and make it last up to three sittings, but if I find a good peanut butter ripple... there is no saving, I will follow that ripple of heaven all the way through the pint! Were are talking about organic, peanut butter that is perfectly smooth and creamy with the best peanut flavor. I am not even a huge peanut butter fan... but if B&J sold the peanut butter... I think I would eat it out of the jar with my fingers... I wouldn't be able to wait for a spoon! Then those crunchy pieces of pretzel! Though you have to be careful NOT to break the fudge seal, or the pretzel nugget inside is a little soft, and not crunchy. (Those are the pretzels I give to my kids, IF I am sharing!) :) If you like sweet and salty, go for Chubby Hubby, it truly is in a league of its own! WHOLESOME GOODNESS!!!! :) OK... I need some right now! :)

GROVES MARKET

So I am filling in for a lot of lost eateries... but one recently discovered are the poorboy sandwiches at Grove's Market, also located close to down town Salt Lake City. This tiny loco market delivers a deli in the back that is fantastic! The bread is soft and delicious and all the meats, cheeses and veggies are fresh! There is nothing facy or "secret" about this eatery, just good quaulity and fresh- which makes the sandwich a must have! The price is also great! You can only get one size of sandwich, which is 7.99, but it can feed THREE! I also like that there deli offers a pretty good hot dog for my kids. The market is really cute and specializes in hot sauces. They are really fun to read through and look at while you are waiting for you maga sandwich! They also have a few picnic tables out front, which are wonderful for lunching on when the weather is nice. I have vowed that Groves is our lunch when going on a picnic, they do a great job and I think it would be cheaper than getting all the stuff on your own! Wholesome Goodness! :)

Moochies- THE BEST PHILLY!

Moochies, located in downtown Salt Lake City, is by far the best Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich! Everything about this wonderful sandwich is perfection. The bun is the perfect combination of soft and crunchy to keep it all together. The meat is fresh and has incredible flavor. There is also a perfect harmony of cheese, meat and the optional veggies. The sandwich comes with onions and american cheese, though you can omit the onion or cheese and/or exchange for provolone. You might also add bell peppers, mushrooms, or lettuce, tomato and mayo. My concauction is for a 6inch with provolone, add mushrooms and bell peppers. They also provide this Jalapenio sauce that brings a bit of heat... so dang good! WHOLESOME GOODNESS! :) Word on the street is the chocolate cake is also to die for, though I have not gone since accepting that challenge. I am sure there will be another post for that! It also needs to be said, that I am a HUGE burger finantic, which you will soon see... MOOCHIES tops most of the burgers. Yes, I would take a Moochies Philly over most of the burgers in the Salt Lake Valley... Moohcies is the bomb! Moochies has other menu items including their infamous meatball sub and other items, but I can't do anything but the philly. I now can also not eat any philly in the valley... it would just be sacriligious! :)
SO if you are downtown Salt Lake, stop in to Moochies, I promise, if you love phillys and meat... you will think you have died and gone to heaven. I have... quite a few times! :) Man... I really need a Moochies Philly RIGHT NOW!!! My mouth is drooling! They need to start an open til midnight drive through! :)

My Wholesome Goodness Begins

Many of you might know me and know that I am what you would call an explorer for perfect flavor distrabution in food. When the flavors of a dish come together in a harmony of flavor in your mouth. Perfect combinations of flavor and texture!!! If you have seen Rattatouie, the way Remy explains this with the fun swirls and classic jazz... that is wholesome goodness! I don't deny that a majority of this exploration comes from finding the perfect burger, as that is my "core", but I love finding good food anywhere, especially from local establishments! THUS- this is my blog- to find and share all the "wholesome goodness" I incounter in this short time on the round ball! Most of these will be located near me in the Salt Lake Valley, but if it is good, I will share anywhere I go! I might from time to time share really good recipes as well... this is for everything... all those great dishes... MY WHOLESOME GOODNESS! :)

Feel free to recommend a resturant or recipe... I am always up for a challenge!