New York NY Pizza

September 21, 2012

Date #50

I know I have talked about the slices of pizza we had during a visit to Annapolis Maryland, but we are still looking for that wonderful New York Pizza in Portland. One of our friends posted on Facebook about some great New York pizza they had for dinner so I decided New York NY Pizza would be my choice for date night tonight. Chuck drove tonight, I told him the restaurant was on Barbur blvd., he had an idea where we were going, then when I told him I chose this restaurant because of a post on Facebook, he knew exactly where we were going. I guess he really knows me.

It was pretty late by the time we got to the restaurant so I was pretty hungry, as soon as Chuck asked if I would like an appetizer I said yes, fried mozzarella it was. I was so happy we tried this because it’s the best fried mozzarella we have ever had. The mozzarella was fresh, the breading flavorful, and it was covered in the best marinara sauce we have ever had. We had ordered dinner by the time the appetizer came, and Chuck said he was so happy he had ordered the meatball sub because it was drenched in the same marinara sauce.

I wanted to try the pizza so I ordered a small one with onions, green peppers, and pineapple. The crust was thin , flavorful, and not at all soggy like many pizzas. The only difference between this one and the one we had in Maryland was the toppings, so next time we come here I will have a plain cheese pizza. Just a wonderful tasting pizza, best I have had in Portland.

Chuck’s meatball sub did not disappoint, the marinara sauce was tasty, the meatballs so flavorful, encompassed by the bread and cheese made this a fantastic sandwich.
We felt so relaxed in this restaurant, with the high back comfy chairs, to the checker table clothes, we stayed chatting till we were the last people in the place. Just a tasty relaxing date night, so good!

La Fogata

September 14, 2012

Date #49

Back to our usual date nights going to dinner around Portland. With our love of Mexican food, Chuck had us return to a great place we have been once before, La Fogata in Beaverton. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather; it was the perfect temperature, felt like we were inside.

We started with yummy chips and salsa, and beer. I ordered one of my favorites, fish tacos with rice and mixed vegetables. The tacos were very good, packed full of fish, veggies, and sauce. There was so much on the plate that it made 3 meals, I really enjoyed my lunch at work on Monday.

Chuck had a combination plate of an enchilada, taco, and a tamale, he really enjoyed the dark sauce. The beans were really good especially dipping with a chip, I enjoyed this a few times. We sat at our table for a while just talking because it was just so beautiful. Nice night!

Kitchen Remodel

September 7, 2012

Date #48

Last week after we got home from our wonderful few days in Seattle we started to remodel our kitchen.  Me with my limited experience in home remodeling I thought we could get it done during Labor Day weekend, needless to say if the next weeks date night has to do with the remodel we didn’t get it done last weekend. We worked hard all last weekend, and each night after work, and tonight (date night) we had to finish the back splash. We were cutting and mortaring up until 11:30pm, at this point I didn’t care if we woke up the neighbors, we wanted to get it done. We didn’t have anything to eat tonight, but I did want to get Chuck’s favorite dessert, blueberries and ice cream. I don’t have any pictures of dessert, but I do have a before and after of our beautiful kitchen.

Thank you Chuck!!

     
  

Ivar's - Seattle

August 31, 2012

Date #47

Yesterday was one of Chuck’s favorite days, we got to go see a Raider football game in Seattle. We had so much fun, we found a Raider bar and hung out with other like minded people before the game, fun like no other! Since we were in Seattle Chuck decided that our date night for Friday was one of our favorite places, Ivar’s. We never sit inside when we come here, even if it’s cold outside, we must sit on the pier with the seagulls, thankfully today it was beautiful.

We both ordered the same thing, and the same things we order each time, cod and fries, with clam chowder. Best fish and chips, and clam chowder we have ever had, wish we had an Ivar’s in Portland.

I don’t use the tartar sauce, or ketchup, or crackers they provide, I dip the fries and fish in the soup, so yummy, and the crackers go to the seagulls after the meal. Just a great place for a meal.
We walked around the piers and went up to Pikes Place market and looked around for the afternoon. Just a beautiful day. Now…tomorrow we start what will end up as part of our next date night….

Crazy Sushi

August 24, 2012

Date #46

I was in Canada visiting my family and was lucky enough to be there for one of my brothers birthdays, haven’t joined him in a birthday celebration for years. We went to an authentic sushi restaurant for dinner, where we all sat on the floor, it was so good.
For date night tonight I wanted to take Chuck to a sushi restaurant because we had never been to one before, kind of intimidating if you don’t know what to order. We have had sushi from grocery stores, but never a restaurant, so tonight is Crazy Sushi in our hometown. I am so happy that one of the rules of date night is you can’t say no to the other persons choice. Chuck really wasn’t happy to be here, and he did have a reason, it took a long time for someone to serve us, and finally when someone did it was the food runner not the waitress, she just ignored us. I have to say that I am happy the food runner served us because she was wonderful.




We started with seafood soup and monkey balls. Both were tastes I have never had before but oh they were so good. I wish I didn’t have to share the monkey balls with Chuck because they were so good.

I ordered a California roll and a veggie roll, I don’t think that is what I got, but what I got was really good. I think one of the rolls had fried eel, and the other crab, good thing they are both fish or I would have been really upset.

Chuck had sashimi, I told him he would love this raw fish with no rice dish, and he did.  I am so happy I had some experience with ordering.

Our wonderful server, who saved our meal, suggested we try the black sesame ice cream, she said it tasted like coffee. Wow it was good, nice suggestion.
All in all this was a great meal, I am thankful for the rules, our server that wasn't the waitress, and my experience with ordering for this date night!

Caffe Mingo

August 17, 2012

Date #45

Chuck uses Yelp and Urbanspoon to find the happening places in Portland. We go to a popular area of NW Portland to an Italian restaurant called Café Mingo. Again we have a nice summer evening in Portland so we decided to sit outside.

We love caprese salad so when we saw it on the menu we had to try it at an Italian restaurant. We also had crusty bread and olive oil along with the salad. So flavorful and fresh, a wonderful fresh (had to say it again) start to our meal.

Next I had a mushroom thin crust pizza. The cheese was so cheesy and mushrooms so mushroomy this was the perfect pizza for me. Best thing was I had leftovers for lunch on Monday.

Chuck decided to have ravioli with shrimp and grape tomatoes. I have to say again that this was so fresh tasting, you can tell they work with only fresh ingredients, makes such a difference.

Their sign says simple Italian cooking, it’s true, simple fresh ingredients make the best food!

La Costita

August 10, 2012

Date #44

As you may have figured out by now, we love Mexican food, and are always searching for great restaurants like our favorite one in Glendale Arizona, Pedros. So tonight I was in search again and chose La Costita, this place is in a small strip mall just off Barbur blvd in Portland. 

I have my favorites, so tonight I decided to taste their version of cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. The enchilada sauce was amazing and I love how they put the beans in a small tortilla shell, very nice presentation. I also loved the beans because the shredded cotija cheese on top, one of my new favorite cheeses, makes any Mexican dish taste better.

Chuck had an amazing dish of 5 beef street tacos, and that white ingredient on top is not tofu, its cotija cheese!!! He didn’t talk much during dinner, I think he was really enjoying his food. I think he is always in search of a great street taco like he had during one of our adventures. We were on a road trip from Arizona to Canada and stopped in Burbank California for some gas. Included in the gas station was a taco stand, he had lengua tacos that he still takes about. At that time, I was still eating meat, but I did not want to partake in tongue tacos, and especially when they come from a dirty gas station. Chuck enjoyed them and he also enjoyed the tacos tonight, they were authentic street tacos.

Go-Cart's & Nacho Mama's

August 3, 2012

Date #43

For whatever reason I was really excited about date night tonight, I was smiling all the way home from work wondering what Chuck had planned tonight. So when Chuck got home and told me I needed to wear socks and runners I was a little worried because I didn’t want to do something really physical. Chuck knows my rules of no socks in the summer time, so we compromised and I wore my Keen sandals. I got a little worried when we started driving the direction of the batting cages, and then when we turned onto the same street I thought to myself we have never said no to a date night so I need to be positive about this. We then turned the other direction in the parking lot and instead of the batting cages we are going to drive some go-carts!
 
It was so fun, we both started out with times just above one minute. I shaved off 20 seconds from my time, each round going down by 5 or so seconds, and Chuck shaved off almost the same, but always doing 5 to 8 seconds better than me. Guess he was not afraid to tip the cart, but I was…although I’m sure it never would, I was cautious! We were smiling the entire time, may have been a total of 45 minutes, boy it was a fun time.

After driving, I was a bit dizzy, I’m glad Chuck was driving…but he did screech the tires when we left the parking lot, guess he still felt like he was in the go cart. Because it was such a nice summer evening, we went to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, Nacho Mama’s on 99W going south towards Sherwood, to sit on the patio. The restaurant is small but always packed, the best time to go is summer because they add a patio that’s twice as big as the restaurant. They also have a few resident cats that come by for a visit on a warm summer evening, very homey. They have the best chips and salsa, the salsa is chunky and not too spicy, they go great with a Corona.

I had fish tacos, I like to try them at different restaurants to taste how they interpret the taco. This experience was good, but not the best I have had, it was too moist with sauce. I like an authentic street taco, yummy!

Most of the time Chuck likes to have fajitas or chorizo con huevos, but tonight he decided to mix it up and have a combo plate. He chose ground beef enchiladas and pork tamale with rice and beans. Nacho Mama’s has some of the best rice and beans, and the tamale was wonderful.

This was a nice relaxing end to a great date night, guess we should go home, it’s dark and pretty late. Nice job Chuck, you really mixed it up tonight, I love being surprised!!