Try It! Bourbon BBQ Ribs to Beef Brisket Nachos!

I literally ate my way through August and September (and it shows!!). Let's just say the indulgence(s) were worth it! And this post doesn't include Chicago!

Rusty's At Blue - Blue Mountain (Collingwood), ON

At the table: Mom, Dad, Steven, Maya, Shara (me)

The Village at Blue Mountain is a fun place to be in the summer, but choosing a restaurant isn't easy. Be prepared to spend premium in the Village. Rusty's seemed like they would have something to satisfy our varying tastes. True to form, we all ordered completely different dishes! Being seated right next to the smoker, the air was good enough to eat! So of course, I went for the smoked ribs - a full rack! The full rack was cut in half and stacked. The top half was perfect....fall off the bone, hot, smoky, sticky. The bottom rack was none of those things....chewy, dry, lukewarm. So I don't think the 2 halves came from the same rack. Bummer that I couldn't enjoy them start to finish. I'd go back to Rusty's, but probably opt for a big nasty burger instead. Oh! I almost forgot to mention the pickles!!! Rusty's pickles are awesome!

The Admiral's Post - Collingwood, ON

At the table: Steven, Maya, Shara (me)

While on holiday in Collingwood, I was ready to satisfy my craving for fish & chips. But I wanted the real deal...or at least as authentic as you can get "on this side of the pond". After an extensive web search for English pubs in Collingwood and an endless review of the reviews, we headed out for The Admiral's Post. The decor was typical of what you'd expect of an English pub (when not in England I suppose). The service was friendly from start to end....even when my 6 year old daughter pulled down the curtain with rod not 2 minutes after being seated! I ordered the Halibut & Chips, my daughter had the children's meal of Cod & Chips (not much smaller than my meal!) and Steven went for the Steak Pie. Craving satisfied, mission accomplished!! The fish was lightly coated, the way I like it. The halibut was meaty, flavourful and filling! I devoured everything on my plate, except the coleslaw. The "chips" absorbed the salt and malt vinegar perfectly. I crave it now as I write it! All went down easy with a pint of Stella Artois (I know, a dark stout would have been more appropriate, but I haven't acquired that taste). We ended the night at the Post with Maya dancing on the asphault to live music on the outdoor patio. A great dinner, a wonderful evening.

Lone Star Cafe - Ottawa, ON

At the table: Nad B, Nad R, Tanya, Chris, Shara (me)

Margaritas!!! I don't usually like them as I developed an aversion to tequila in university. But I took a generous sip from Nad B's..... Suffice to say, Lone Star Cafe will be the only place I'll be drinking margaritas at from now on. The tequila is in there, but the flavour is subtle and actually enjoyable. While you're there, get the fajitas. We went for the trio - chicken, shrimp and beef. The fresh tortillas make this my favourite place for fajitas! Find a location near you on their website.

On The Curve - Mississauga, ON

At the table: Nad B, Nad R, Vijai, Chrissy, Shara (me)

This was a night for celebrating our beautiful Nad B who chose On The Curve to bring us together for her birthday. I've been here many times before for many different occassions over the years and each experience has been different. It's earned a reputation as a "cougar bar". The clientele is majority age 30+. But many celebrations happen here - birthdays, anniversaries, bachelorettes, corporate events, etc. Then the night opens up to dancing, with live music on the weekends and it literally becomes standing room only. It's a classy, mature place and I think it suits its clientele, or maybe it's the other way around. In any case, the food here is terrific! The 5 of us decided to go for the "appie share" - order an appetizer each and share everything! We got more than we bargained for....the portions are generous, even for appetizers. The food here is worth listing out since we had a broad sampling (and I just want to make your mouth water):

Latin Spiced Chicken Salad

grilled cocoa mole rubbed chicken, balsamic basil banana chutney, pickled jicama vegetable slaw & romaine lettuce

Crispy Calamari

with cocktail sauce & banana pepper relish

Warm Cheese Fondue

baked Gouda & goat's cheese served with chipotle cranberry compote baked pita bread & tortilla chips to dip

Beef Brisket Nacho Plate

smoked beef brisket topped with cheese, jalapeños, green salsa, Gouda cheese sauce tomato salsa & sour cream

BBQ Chicken Flatbread

goat's cheese, scallions

All of this alongside my mojito and 2 glasses of Santa Carolina Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot - the wine I buy for home on a regular basis, a good reminder of how much we're gouged for booze at restaurants! And the shots - I think 3 or 4 came our way while I was there.....and I left early!

The latter half of September included:

Applebee's - one of my Dad's favourites for their beef tips and ice cold Heineken draft. And you can actually order a full steak dinner here for no more than 600 calories!

Boston Pizza - the "light" stromboli dinner is my favourite. Ok, that's not true...I love their chicken parmigiana. But I do also love the light stromboli dinner.

Kelsey's - I only like the one in Milton, ON. The restaurant itself is just nicer at this location and my half rack rib dinner was better than Rusty's.

See, I wasn't exaggerating when I said I ate my way through August & September. I still haven't shared with you yet the 3 great meals I had mid-September in Chicago or our September pick for the girls who like food! Even I can't believe there's more!