La Posadita - San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

While we were in San Miguel, one of my favorite places to eat was La Posadita. We sat up on the roof top deck, where you get some of the most incredible views of the city. Dan and I went there in the late afternoon with Dan and Larry for drinks and appetizers. We ordered cheladas and some of the best guacamole I have ever eaten. As you can tell by the pictures they do a great job with their presentation. The second plate had cactus, cheese, grilled onions, avocados and tomatoes and was actually quite good. We also ordered a dish of jicama and cucumber sticks that were tossed in lemon juice and coated with salt and crushed red pepper. We also had queso and these little spinach filled burritos that were very good.

The great food and the spectacular views made this place a favorite. They are located at Cuna de Allende No 13, Centro San Miguel de Allende Tel. (415) 154-8862.

Tower Tavern- Kansas City, MO

Last night we met up with Andrew and Charlie at Tower Tavern located at 401 E. 31st, part of what is called Martini Corner. It was described to us as a sports bar with an emphasis on Italian food and that is pretty much what it is. Nothing fancy here, just good bar food that stands out from the crowd. The place has a "everybody knows your name" kind of vibe, which is always nice and the exposed brick walls and high ceilings add to the charm.
They have a nice selection of tap beer, including my favorite Guinness. They don't have Stella on tap, but they do have it in bottles, so that is what Dan ordered. We started out with Spinach Dip which was very good and served with nice warm pita bread.
Dan and I both ordered the Italian Meat Stromboli with fries and they were awesome. The dough was very good and they were filled with pepperoni, Italian sausage and cheese, with a side of marinara for dipping. Both Andrew and Charlie ordered the Tower Sliders, which are supposed to be incredible. They both love them and they did look good. Three mini burgers with all the frills and fries, what's not to love there.
I would definitely go back, the food and the service were both great and the atmosphere is nice.

Cream of Brie and Leek Soup

The guy who did all the remodel work on our master bath noticed all the cookbooks and cooking magazines laying around the house and asked me who the cook was. When I said it was me, he asked if I would like some old Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines of his. I said that I would like them and he brought over quite a few. I have just started going through them and there are some really good recipes in them. This recipe came from the March 1988 Bon Appetit. I made some alterations to the original , but this is based on their recipe. This is a wonderful, creamy cheese soup and just a bit decadent with all that Brie.

Cream of Brie and Leek Soup

1/4 unsalted butter, divided
4 large leeks (white parts only), coarsely chopped
1 (14 oz) can fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
3/4 lb. Brie cheese, well chilled, cut into small cubes (with rind)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Melt 2 tablesppons butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks and cook until translucent, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes. Add broth and wine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until leeks are tender, about 20 minutes. Puree with an immersion blender.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Add half and half 1/2 cup at a time; whisk until smooth. Add 1/2 of cheese and blend until smooth and melted. Repeat with remaining cheese. Strain soup through fine sieve, pressing with back of spoon. Add to leek mixture. Stir until warm, add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

JP Wine Bar and Coffee House

Dan and I did a little shopping on Saturday, starting in the Northland and then heading to Westport, before ending up in the Crossroads. We decided to check out JP Wine Bar, our friends, Dan and Larry, had told us that they enjoyed going there. I sometimes feel intimidated when I walk into a wine bar, but this place is far from intimidating.

It's actually a pretty big place, with a large bar, lots of booths and numerous other seating places to sit and enjoy a glass of wine with friends. If you aren't into wine, they have full bar and also serve coffee drinks. We sat at a table close to the bar and were promptly greeted by a server who brought us ice water and menus. She explained the wine menu, which features many different wine flights as well as wines by the glass and bottles.

We both decided on the World Cup Whites ($12), which consisted of four white wines. The two that we really enjoyed were the 2006 Balbo Crios Torrontes from Argentina and the Chauteau de Valmer Vouvray from Loire Valley France. You get about a 2-ounce pour of each, which seemed to be the perfect amount.

We decided that we wanted to try one of the cheese flights, but did not really know what to order. The waitress suggested the French Cheese Flight ($16) so we ordered it. They tray featured Boucheron goat milk cheese, Ossau Iraty Brebis Pyrenees sheep milk cheese and Moriber cow milk cheese. They were all very good and I typically do not like goat milk cheese! The tray was dizzled with honey and had grapes, dried cranberries, candied pecans, capers, crackers, sliced pears and apples and those little french pickles.

This was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon! The service was very good and all of the servers seemed to be very willing to help their customers, there did not seem to be a hint of pretentiousness in the place. JP Wine Bar is located at 1526 Walnut KCMO 64108 816-842-2660. They have Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm Monday through Friday, featuring special bar food, $1 off wine flights, $2 off domestic bottles and $3 Boulevard beers.

PizzaBella, Again!!

On Tuesday night, Dan and I went to PizzaBella . He was a little jealous of the fact that I went with the girls while he was out of town and had heard nothing but rave reviews from everyone at work, so he wanted to try them out. Tuesday night was a lot different than Friday night, there was no wait and we were told to sit where ever we wanted, nice.



The waitress brought water and we ordered a couple of beers while we pondered the menu. I was bound and determined to try those Brussels sprouts and did not care about anything else on the menu. When our server returned with the beers I asked if they had the sprouts and she said they did!! I ordered the crispy Brussels Sprouts and they were incredible. I could order a couple of those for my meal and be totally satisfied. As it was, the dish was loaded with perfectly cooked sprouts covered in a very nice pancetta vinaigrette with cranberries, hazelnuts and shredded cheese. If you like sprouts, you will go crazy for these. Dan started with the mixed green salad and loved it.



This time, I tried the Potato pizza ($10) which was covered with sliced potatoes, Gorgonzola cheese and shredded radicchio dressed in balsamic vinegar, very nice. Dan had the Prosciutto pizza ($10) which was a nice red sauce topped with a generous amount of thinly sliced prosciutto, cheese and fresh arugula. He liked it his pizza, even though he wasn't sure if he like the arugula on it.



I like this place a lot and hope they succeed. The wood fire ovens intrigue me and I love watching those guys cook. They are located at 1810 Baltimore KCMO 816-421-7492.

Cranberry Tomato Salsa

This salsa is the perfect accompaniment with the Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste . I'm not a huge fan of cranberry sauce, I usually only put it on turkey sandwiches the next day, but this condiment is really good. It's a nice switch up on the Thanksgiving table and it looks beautiful in a nice glass bowl. This recipe comes from that same Bon Apitit from 1994 and makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Cranberry Tomato Salsa

2 cups cranberries
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
2 green onions, chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, minced

Cook berries in pot of boiling water until skins just begin to burst, about 1 1/2 minutes. Drain well. transfer to bowl. Add the rest of ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
(Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover, chill. Serve at room temperature.)

One Year and Still Going

Yesterday marked one year of blogging for me and it's been quite a year. Thanks for reading and I will see if I can make it another year!

Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

Since Thanksgiving is almost upon us, I thought I would post one of my favorite turkey recipes. I have been using this recipe for over ten years now, I adapted it from Bon Apitit. I'll be using a different recipe this year which I will post after preparing it, which I will not be doing until after Thanksgiving when my Mom is in town. I typically stuff this turkey with a quartered onion and some celery stalks, leaves and all, sometimes I will add a halved lemon and pour a can of chicken broth in the roasting pan.

Roast Turkey w/ Garlic-Ancho Chili Paste

3 large heads garlic
3 large ancho chilies, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, torn into pieces
1/2 olive oil
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. honey
1 17 to 18 lb. turkey, neck and giblets removed

For paste: Preheat oven to 350. Wrap garlic in foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Peel garlic and remove hard tips, place into 1/2 cup measuring cup to fill. Reserve any remaining garlic. Blend 1/2 cup in processor to form coarse puree.
Meanwhile, place chilies in small saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Simmer over medium low heat until soft and most of water evaporates, about 15 minutes. Add chili mixture, oil, cumin and honey to garlic in processor. Puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. (This can be made 1 week ahead.)
For turkey: Rinse turkey and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper. Slide hand under skin of the breast to loosen. Spread 1/2 cup of paste over breast under skin. Run 2 tablespoons of paste over turkey. Reserve any remaining paste for the gravy. Tie legs to hold shape. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan.
Position rack in lowest third of preheated 325 degree oven. Roast turkey for 30 minutes, remove from oven and loosely tent with foil. Continue roasting until thermometer inserted in thickest past of thigh registers 180( about 2 hours and 20 minutes). Place turkey on platter. tent with foil and let rest for 30 minutes.

PizzaBella - Kansas City, MO

Last night, Stacy called and wanted to know if Dan and I would like to join her and Tracy for dinner. Dan was out of town and I had already ordered a pizza from Papa John's , so I declined. She said they were going to go to PizzaBella, a place she had tried earlier in the week and knew that I would love. That was all the coaxing I needed. I grabbed the dog, got in my car, picked up the pizza, came home, made myself presentable and waited for Stacy to come and get me.

PizzaBella is located in the Crossroads at 18th and Baltimore. The restaurant is small, so we had a little wait, but it was well worth it. The inside is very nice and has 2 wood fired ovens and all of the cooking is done out in the open. The menu is simple and straightforward and also serves as your place mat. They have a nice beer and wine selection, but it's the food that shines. I wanted to order one of everything on the menu and that does not happen often with me.

All of the antipasta dishes are $6 and there were some unique items to choose from. Stacy and I decided to share one of the Brussels sprout dishes , but they were out! I can't wait to try them, the waitress said they were incredible. We decided on the cauliflower gratin and it was very good. Tracy had a mixed green salad that was dressed in a mustard vinaigrette. The salad was great with cranberries, hazelnuts and cheese.

For my pizza, I ordered the Biancoverde ($10) which consisted of fresh mozzarella, ricotta, perorino Romano and arugula. Stacy had the Margherita($9) which was topped with a nice red sauce, basil, fresh mozzarella and roasted garlic. Tracy ordered the Mushroom($10) which was mushrooms, onions, thyme and tellegio. They were all fantastic! This is my now my favorite pizza in Kansas City. The crust is light and crispy and the toppings all work so well together.

I highly recommend PizzaBella, you won't be disappointed! They are located in the Crossroads district at 1810 Baltimore KCMO 816-421-7492.

Orzo w/ Chicken and Asiago Cheese

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes, I have been cooking this forever it seems. Orzo is that little pasta that looks like rice, I have actually accidentally used it before in a risotto recipe. This is a simple recipe that will have your friends and family thinking you worked really hard prepare.

Orzo w/Chicken and Asiago Cheese

1 cup water
1 can fat-free chicken broth
12 oz. skinless-boneless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dry thyme
1/8 tsp. black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper

Combine water and broth in Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Add chicken and pasta; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 12 minutes. Stir, remove from heat. Stir in peas, 1/4 cup of cheese and the rest of the ingredients. Serve topped with remaining cheese.

The Mango Room, Garth Brooks & The Sprint Center

Last night, Dan and I were fortunate enough to see Garth Brooks at the Sprint Center. The morning the tickets went on sale, Dan sat down at the computer and within 4 minutes he had purchased two tickets for the original concert. The fact that Garth was able to sale out 9 concerts after being away for 10 years still amazes me, but seeing him live makes me understand. The concert was incredible, one of the best I have ever seen. Dan and I are not country music fans, but thought that it would be a great way to experience the new arena and spending only $30 for the tickets.



Garth Brooks is truly one of the greatest entertainers around. He really puts himself out there and does not rely on special effects prop himself up. The audience was great , also. They knew the words to every song and sang them all. Garth seemed to be truly touched by that fact and by his fans reactions. The only bad thing was not seeing Trisha Yearwood perform. They had travel problems and got the show started a little late.



The Sprint Center is pretty spectacular, too. The lighting and the sound in the arena were great, making for a good concert experience.



We had dinner before the show at The Mango Room . It was great seeing the place packed! I hope that people enjoyed it as much as we do and will continue to support Thelma's restaurant. I had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and some pretty tasty Brussels sprouts. They were sauteed in olive oil with garlic and seasoned with nutmeg. I would never have thought of that combo, but enjoyed them immensely.



It was a perfect way to spend an evening in Kansas City! Thanks Garth!

Leek Potato Soup

This is a great soup recipe that I adapted from Alton Brown. I was cruising the Food Network's sight, www.foodtv.com, looking for a simple recipe when I found this one. I added a few things and changed the vegetable cooking times (he seemed to cook the veggies much longer than actually needed). The soup turned out very flavorful and silky and is one I would make again.

Leek Potato Soup

1 lb. leeks, cleaned and dark green sections removed, chopped into small pieces
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Heavy pinch of kosher salt
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and small diced
1 qt. vegetable broth
1 cup half and half
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp. white pepper
1 Tbsp. flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a 6-qt. saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the leeks and a heavy pinch of salt and sweat for 5 minutes. Decrease heat to medium-low and cook until leeks are tender, 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add garlic, potatoes and broth, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and gently simmer until potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes.
Turn off heat and puree mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Stir in half and half, buttermilk and white pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread & Muffin Mix

Our best girlfriend, Alicia, sent us another Trader Joe's care package. This box contained baking their Matcha Green Tea and Chocolate Truffle as well as 2 new flavors, Cranberry Orange and Pumpkin. Dan made the Pumpkin Bread the other night and it awesome. As far as boxed mixes go, the people at Trader Joe's really know what they are doing. I can't wait to try the Cranberry Orange, maybe we'll hold off until Thanksgiving.Or maybe we can wait until Alicia comes at the end of the month. Anyway thanks Alicia, you're the best.

Cafe de la Parroquia - San Miguel de Allende

We walked past this wonderful restaurant, Cafe de la Parroquia, many times on our way to the center of town in San Miguel de Allende. It was just up the street from Dan and Larry's and we were told it very good. We decided to eat breakfast there one morning and were very glad we did. You walk in through the large doors and enter a beautiful courtyard filled with tables. There were also covered areas for dining, but it was all very open. The owners were very present, which in my book is usually a good sign.

After we were seated, our waitress brought the bread, butter and an amazing tomatillo sauce pictured above. The sauce was a mixture of tomatillos and avocados with just enough heat and a hint of cilantro. Dan ordered incredible whole-wheat pancakes that had just a hint of cinnamon in them. They brought him a side plate with banana and papaya. I mistakenly ordered Mexican style heuvos rancheros which were scrambled eggs with diced tomatoes, onion and peppers and a bowl of black beans. The food was so good that we decided we would come back the next morning and then I would order the correct thing...hopefully.

The next morning Dan ordered the same thing and I correctly ordered the heuvos rancheros, 2 fried eggs over corn tortillas that was all covered in a nice spicy red sauce. It was very good and definitely worth the trip back.

It's a nice place to eat and the prices are very good. They are located at Jesus 11, Centro Historico, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

Tequila Pork Chile Verde

Here is another quick and easy recipe from Cooking Light. The flavor is quite intense and tasted as though it had cooked all day. I served it with refried beans and heated flour tortillas on the side as suggested by the magazine.

Tequila Pork Chile Verde

2 tsp. canola oil

3 Tbsp. yellow cornmeal

1 Tbsp. ancho chile powder

1 lb. pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut in 3/4" pieces

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh tomatillos (about 12 oz)

1 (14 oz) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 (4.5 oz) can chopped mild green chiles, drained

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp. tequila

1/4 tsp. salt

Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.

Combine cornmeal and chile powder in a medium bowl. Add pork, tossing to coat. Remove pork from bowl, reserving any remaining cornmeal mixture. Add pork to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned. Stir in remaining cornmeal mixture; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatillos, broth, chiles, and jalapeno; bring to simmer over medium low heat. Cook 8 minutes or until tomatillos are tender. Stir in onions and remaining ingredients; simmer 1 minute.

Raglan Road Irish Pub - Kansas City, MO

Raglan Road Irish Pub is coming to the Power and Light district in Kansas City. The only other location in the States is at Disney World in Orlando. The pub is the creation of Chef Brendan Behan and is built in Ireland, then shipped over here. It will be interesting to see what the food is like. I still think that it is disappointing that a chain BBQ will be going in, instead of one of KC's outstanding places. You can go to http://www.raglanroadirishpub.com/ and check out their website.

***** I incorrectly listed the chef as Brendan Behan, the chef is actually Irish Master Chef Kevin Dundon.*************

Casa Katalina - San Miguel de Allende

While we were in San Miguel, our friends Dan and Larry were staying at Casa Katalina. They were in a very fun and funky 2 bedroom casita that sits above Kathy Leutzinger's shop. The casita consists of a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a sitting room and a nice large balcony with views of the beautiful church in the town center. The space is decorated in a very fun and functional style, with great splashes of color in places that you would not expect. I believe that Kathy said the place rented for $500 a week or $1500 for the month, but you would have to check with her on those prices.

Her shop is full of one of a kind vintage Mexican art pieces, jewelry, home decor and custom made furniture. Kathy scours the Mexican countryside to find items for the shop. The shop is as eclectic as the space for rent above and worth checking out.

She is located close to the town center and within walking distance of many restaurants, galleries and other shops. The address is Jesus #26 Zona Centro 37700 San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico Tel (415) 150-0061. You can e-mail Kathy at katherineleutzinger@yahoo.com.

Red Beans and Rice w/ Smoked Turkey Sausage

This was a recipe that I adapted from Cooking Light and prepared for dinner last night. The liquid never got as thick as I wanted, but the flavor is actually quite good. It's a pretty simple recipe so it's perfect for a weeknight and actually pretty cheap to make.

Red Beans and Rice w/ Smoked Turkey Sausage

2 cups dried small red beans
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves , minced
10 cups water
2 Tbsp. salt-free Cajun seasoning
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, thinly sliced
3 cups hot cooked long-grain rice
Chopped green onions

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let soak for 8 hours. Drain and rinse beans.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute for 4 minutes. Stir in beans, water and next 4 ingredients (through sausage); bring to boil. reduce heat , simmer 1 1/2 hours or until mixture thickens. Serve over rice; garnish with green onion.

Poco's On The Boulevard - Kansas City, MO

Saturday, Dan and I were out south and trying to think of where to eat dinner on our way back to the Northland. We knocked around a couple of ideas and then I remembered hearing the food critics on Walt Bodine's NPR program talking about this great little place on the Boulevard. I could not remember the name, but I did remember that it was located in the old Waid's location at 3063 Southwest Blvd. When I saw the sign calling the place Poco's , I remembered that was the name. Since we like to expand our eating horizons this seemed like the perfect place to check out. All I can say is Wow! We loved the restaurant so much we ended up there again Sunday morning for breakfast. It's amazing how one place can give you such totally different experiences, albeit , both positve.
When we walked in Saturday night, the place was softly lit and quiet. There were only 5 or six other tables in use. We were told to sit wherever we wanted and then were promptly greet by our server Dana. Dan and Dana, it was soon discovered, knew each other somewhat and we later found out that she is the owner's daughter. So she knew what she was doing and was able to recommend some great items. The dinner menu states that the restaurant serves Latin American Cuisine, so don't expect the typical Mexican fare that you usually find on the Boulevard.
When you are seated, they bring a basket of fresh, fried flour tortilla chips and an amazing tomatillo salsa. In my opinion, this was the best chips and salsa I have ever eaten. The salsa has the perfect amount of heat and the flavor is very intense. I had to keep telling myself to hold back or I would not eat my meal. On Dana's recommendation, we ordered the Brochetas Avocado ($5.95) as a starter. We were served four slices of toasted baguette that were heaped with a fresh tomato- cilantro salsa and chopped avocado concoction. That was one of those dishes I will crave from now on. It was a perfect dish and I would have been happy just eating that all night, but there were other great dishes to come.
The entrees are served with either your choice of soup or a salad. We both opted for the chicken tortilla soup. The soup was served in a small bowl that was packed with big flavor. It was full of chicken and crispy tortilla strips, cilantro and a lime wedge. The chicken stock tasted homemade to me and had just a hint of lime juice added in. This soup was pure perfection! I ordered the Cordero Borracho ($20.95), which was grilled rack of lamb in a fig-port sauce with grilled asparagus and wonderful poblano mashed potatoes. The lamb was cooked as ordered and for the price, there was a lot of food on my plate. Dan ordered the Yucatan Tacos de Puerco ($15.95), which consisted of orange-chipotle pork chunks served in lettuce leaves with rice and beans. There were three of those, so one came home with the extra lamb.
After our meal, the owner came out and talked with us. She explained her passion for food and her passion for the restaurant and told us we should come in for breakfast, which we did the following morning.
The place was packed when we arrived at around 11:30 the next morning and we got the last table. Dana was there again, but this time she was manning the register and Lorenza was once again at the helm in the kitchen. The place was really hopping and so differnst from the previous evening.
For my breakfast I ordered Huevos Rancheros ($6.25), 2 corn tortillas topped with ham, eggs and Poco's spicy salsa. This dish would be perfect on a cold morning, because it would heat you up from the inside out. The dish was served with a nice helping of hash browns. Dan ordered Poco's Omelette ($7.00) which was filled with chorizo and cheese and topped with pico de gallo. His was also served with hash browns and they brought toast to the table.
I realized that I have gushed on about this place, but it is very deserving of the praise. This will definitely be added to our list of places to frequent. There are some other things that I must try out on the dinner menu. They are located at 3063 Southwest Blvd, KCMO 64108 816-931-2526.

Happy 23rd Birthday, Ryan!!

Today is my son Ryan's 23rd birthday!! Wow, it's hard to believe that he's that old or maybe it's harder to believe that I'm that old. Happy Birthday Ryan, I love you dearly and am very proud of you.

This picture is of the two of us in Rome at the Forum right after he graduated from high school.

La Grotta Resaurante - San Miguel de Allende

While in San Miguel de Allende, we ate pizza at 2 different Italian places, one was very good the other was just okay. The very good one was La Grotta Restaurante located at Cuadrante No. 5 Centro, San Miguel de Allende.

We ate there the last night of out trip and loved the place. The restaurant is small and cozy with a good and pleasant staff. The doorway opens up to stairs going down or an old wooden spiral staircase going up. Both the upstairs and downstairs dining rooms are small, so the place fills up pretty quickly.

We only ordered pizzas, but they do have other Italian items on the menu. The pizzas are on a nice thin crust, topped with the perfect amount of sauce and cheese. We ordered 2 mediums for the four of us, one pepperoni and mushroom and one salami and green olive. Both were good , but I was partial to the salami with the salty, whole green olives. Dinner and drinks for the four of us cost only 345 pesos.

When we asked the chef at our cooking class what restaurants she preferred in San Miguel, one of her recommendations was La Grotta. Dan and Larry tried to take us there on our first night but it was too crowded. We decided to head over to Romanos located at Hernandez Macias #93.

The restaurant is spacious and the decor is beautiful. We went upstairs and sat out on the roof where we had a nice view of the cities lights. Kathy, a friend of Dan and Larry, took charge of the ordering since her Spanish was better than the rest of us. After a few communication breakdowns, we finally got the food ordered. One issue was when Dan and I ordered prosciutto on our pizza, the waitress thought we said bruschetta.

They brought out plates with bread and chopped liver that was covered in carmelized onions and that was the best part of the meal. We did have salads, which were good. The pizzas arrived and ours looked good, it seemed that they used fresh mozzarella on them. The crust , however, was not so great, they tasted like they were pre-made and frozen. The menu said the pizzas were cooked in a wood fired oven, but they did not have the look or taste of pizzas that came from such an oven. Dan B. and Kathy ordered their pizza with anchovies and it had to be taken away. It seems that the chef got a little creative and made a paste of the anchovies and then rolled it into balls, very gross and inedible. The owner's wife was very apologetic and took it off of the bill.I've heard that Romano's other Italian dishes are good, it seems that they failed in the pizza class .