2nd Annual Holiday Hop

We did another actual Restaurant Hop. It has become a Christmas tradition with Megan and I, this year we included our boys too, Dave and Chris joined us. We chose to hop along Baldwin Park's main street this year, so on December 23rd we wandered along New Broad St.

Things were a bit interesting with 4 people, we all got a little less, but we could afford to try more places this time, so that was cool. You should know that Megan and I prefer to eat Vegetarian type of cuisine, no Poultry, Pork or Beef where as Chris and Dave are meat lovers.

Just read the posts below to hear about our experience at each place.

Colibri Mexican Cuisine

Name: Colibri Mexican Cuisine
Location: Baldwin Park, FL
Meal: Main Course

Server: Rose
History: The third stop on our restaurant hop
Menu: Typical, unoriginal, priced as expected.
Food: The complimentary chips and salsa were yummy, the salsa was spicy which we liked. We ordered Chicken Fajitas and a Fiesta Combination with an Enchilada, Burrito and Quesadilla. They were all good and it was a lot of food, but there wasn't anything original or exciting about them. The Combo Platter was plenty for two to split and wind up comfortably full.
Atmosphere: Again, nothing original. A typical type of place with a nice view of the lake, they had outdoor seating which it was too cold to use, but seemed like it would be great when nice out.
Cost: $35
Conclusion: In line wih the rest of our evening we found this place to be typical for a Mexican joint, maybe a bit on the more affordable side. 3 out of 5 Stars.

Grouper & More

Name: Grouper & More
Location: Baldwin Park, FL
Meal: Salad & Appetizers

Server: Lauren
History: This was the second stop on our restaurant hop.
Menu: The menu was typical seafood fair, however we decided that it was typical of a beachside menu, without the fresh quality but with higher prices.
Food: We ordered a Chicken Ceasar Salad as well as Fried Conch Fritters and Fried Zuccini. They were out of Zuccini so they gave us Hushpuppies for free. The food was all decent for fried seafood dishes, they both came with a Chipotle Ranch Dipping Sauce which was nice. The salad was a typical ceasar salad with a large portion of chicken on top.
Atmosphere: The atmosphere was very disappointing, it was that of a typical strip mall restaurant, high ceilings, nondescript furnishings, everything was very generic. Considering the prices of the food, we would have expected more.
Cost: $20 (the $6 hushpuppies were free so no included in this cost)
Conclusion: We weren't impressed. The overall agreement is that it was not original and overpriced. 2.5 out of 5 Stars.

Jack's Steak House

Name: Jack's Steak House
Location: Baldwin Park, FL
Meal: Appetizers

Server: Blake
History: This was the first stop on our 2nd Annual Hop
Menu: You can actually check out their menu online as well as order online by going to their website. The selection was diverse and yummy sounding, on the higher end of the price scale, but not unfair for the quality of food.
Food: We settled on the Lobster Macaroni and Macadamia encrusted Brie. Both were excellent.

The lobster pasta could have been an entre for Megan or I, so the serving size was great, though it was served room temperature, almost cold, which we though odd. The sauce was almost like a lobster bisque, there were large peices of lobster in it as well which was nice.

The Brie was just delightful, light, sweet and salty. It was served with crackers and fruit which we made good use of.
Atmosphere: The interior is small and there is a large bar, yet it still manages be have a classy and warm vibe. It was chilly outside but we imagined the outdoor seating would have been quite nice as well. It definitely has date night potential.
Cost: $25
Conclusion: Overall, very nice. We would all like to return soon. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Notes: Jack's is only open for dinner and Sunday Brunch, they are located on the square with the gazeebo next to Publix.

Mediterrano

Name: Mediterrano
Location: Ann Arbor, MI

Meal: Dinner

Server: Tracy

History: I am in town for business and my hotel had a coupon for a free appetizer. With my upcoming trip to Greece I was eager to try the cuisine.

Menu: Since I haven't been to Greece yet I can't really comment on the menu's authenticity, though I can say that it seemed right. There was a lot of lamb and Turkish things. I had a hard time deciding on one thing. I'd also like to comment that the servers all spoke with confidence about the menu and seemed to have personally had all of the dishes which is alway encouraging.

Food: They offer a complimentary appetizer of bread and Taramosalata which is 'whipped potatoes, lemon juice, olive oil and fish roe' it was really good! For my free appetizer I chose Gourgeres du Soleil which was little bagel like things with tomatoes and olives baked in. They then had smoked salmon in the middle and were served with a heaping pile of creamy gourgeres cheese. Yum! My entree was Penne al Pomodoro Fresco Basilico which isn't too exciting but it is on my diet :). It was penne with really fresh tomatoes and a olive oil. It was delicious! The Olive Oil was thick and dark and delectable as seen to the right. I learned that the owner's family actually makes it in Greece and ships it over. I bought some. :)

Atmosphere: The ambiance was great. It is set up to feel like a street cafe but there is art and statues all around that absorb the noise so it isn't overwhelming. I thought they did a great job. My server was very friendly and nice as was the rest of the staff.

Cost: $27 with tip (that doesn't include the $8 that was subtracted for my free appetizer or my $12 botle of EEVO)

Conclusion: 4 out of 5 stars (this may go up after I return)

Sergio's Cucina Italiano

Name: Sergio's Cucina Italiano
Location: Chicago, IL (Itasca area)
Meal: Dinner
Server: Hector (awesome!)
History: I was in the Chicago area for business and Chris came in to visit me. We wanted to try a local place while in town so Chris researched it on the internet while I was at work. He found Sergio's on CitySearch and made a reservation. Little did he know that I had spent most of the day less than 500 yards away at a warehouse! :)
Menu: The menu took us back to Italy. Most of the dishes were listed with their names in Italian, ingredients in English. Everything seemed very authentic and we really struggled to decide on what to order. We were both very impressed.
Food: We decided to start with an appetizer of Ensalata de Asparagi which was a light salad of fresh spring greens, crispy yet tender asparagus, fresh tomoatoes and creamy mozerella all in a thick pesto sauce. It was amazing. We opted to share a glass of the House Chianti which was full yet smooth and fruity. I ordered Rigatoni alla Siciliana which consisted of eggplant, and fresh tomatoes in a light marinara sauce. Chris went for his favorite from our trip to Rome, Spaghetti Carbonara which is a light creamy butter sauce (best compared to a less cheesy, lighter alfredo) made of olive oil, eggs, cheese, butter and bacon (usually canadian style) . We both chose a House Salad over soup. The house salad was good, but disappointing after our appetizer; we realized too late that we should have opted for soup. My dish was tasty with perfectly cooked eggplant and deliciously aldente pasta. I did decide that it could have had more garlic and spice. Chris's dish gave him a flash back to Rome, so much so that he polished the dish off in record time. His only negative comment was that this version was much spicier than those he had in Rome. Half way through the meal Hector gave us a second glass of Chianti (a different brand) that he had poored on accident. Then, after our meal when we were both stuffed to the gills, Hector brought us each a glass of Bruchetto made by Spamonte which is a fruity, port like champagne. What a finish to the meal! It was sweet and light and fizzy (and free!). I should say that we really lucked out with Hector - he was friendly and nice and we're pretty sure the Spamonte isn't typically complimentary.
Atmosphere: You couldn't get much more authentic without leaving the States. We were greeted by an Italian hostess and immediately surrounded by live Itlian music. There were several parties going on, all typically Italian and loud but not annoying. At several points, we felt like we were on the set of Sopranos. Our server, Hector, was amazing. During a lul he stopped to talk to us about wine and recommended several we plan to try soon. We went to Palio's in Ann Arbor a few weeks ago and while the food is comparable we have to say the atmosphere at Sergio's was more authentic.
Cost: $57.00 (after a BIG tip) Keep in mind we had wine and an appetizer.
Conclusion: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Zou Zou's Cafe

Name: Zou Zou's Cafe
Location: Downtown Chelsea, MI
Meal: Coffee
History: When we parked to explore Chelsea on foot we found ourselves next to Zou Zou's and decided to stop in for a caffeine infusion before we got back on the road for some more exploring. Once inside we discovered that we could have enjoyed a lunch there as well.
Menu: They offered a great selection of coffee and tea beverages as well as pastries and lunch items.
Food: Chris ordered a coffee with a double-shot of esperesso that had a surprisingly smooth finish. After learning that they brew their own chai blend from Indian Spices, I ordered a soy chai tea latte and was not disappointed. It had a nice, subtle flavor that was a nice switch from the typical syrupy sweet chai of most major chains.
Atmosphere: The cafe had a funky mix of old small town relics, hand made art and industrial throughout the small room. The overall effect was inviting and cozy. The staff was incredibly welcoming and friendly which always adds to the overall experience.
Total Cost: $6 (after tax and tip)
Conclusion: 5 stars