Athenian Restaurant

Holy cow, a review! Actually a review is coming soon on Athenian Restaurant and there will be more soon as I travel to San Diego! I have a small list for San Diego, any recommendations?

So on June 19th, Simon and I got together with people from work for Family Dinner Night. Once a month people that we work with get together with family and raid invade a restaurant for a night. This month Simon got to pick where we went. He's been wanting to try some Greek food and he picked the perfect place, Athenian Restaurant.

We've seen reviews of Athenian and believe me, the reviews they have received are well worth a visit! When you walk in, you're surrounded by friendly warmth. They have plenty of space for large groups and space for a intimate dinner. They serve Mediterranean, Greek, Mexican and American. From what I hear, the Mexican and American menu is served at lunch.

There were about 18 of us and I can't say what everyone ordered but it appeared that they all enjoyed their dishes. Simon and I ordered the Spanakipita for an appetizer. I have to say, I enjoy my Aunt's Spanakipita but it has nothing on Athenian's Spanakipita. It's nice and flaky and melts in your mouth. Dipped in their Tzatziki sauce and it's taken to a new level of wow.

Simon ordered the Athenian Combo Plate.  I wish we had taken note of what was on the dish as it was a wonderful sampling of different dishes. I know one had eggplant in it and it was good. You know me, I don't like veggies and to sample something that has eggplant in it was something of a feat. Simon was proud of me. Who knows, he may get me eating veggies some day... Naaaa...

I had the Gyro Sandwich. The meat is a beef/lamb combo. I have to say, it was to die for. I love Gyros and they pile on the meat. It's seasoned well and cut in nice juicy thick slices wrapped in nice soft pita bread. I ate it to the last bite much to Simon's disappointment. The evening ended with a complementary shot of Ouzo and a cheer of Opa!

Athenian Restaurant
15350 E Iliff Ave
Aurora, CO 80013
(720) 449-0224

Hours of Business:
Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

 

Jus' Grill

So for the past month I've been trying to come up with something to write about a place that we took a friend to, Jus' Grill. I have to admit, there isn't much to say about Jus' Grill.

The food is good but not fall out of your chair good/great. The service is for those that like a hands off kind, they give you crafts of water or your drink so they don't have to keep refilling your glass. The decor is almost non-exist, and small tables.

My Dish

The food as I said is good but nothing that I can't make at home. The flavoring is there but nothing pops. I had the stake and cheese enchiladas. The stake was flavored well and it came through with all the cheese and green chili sauce. The rice was just another version of Spanish Rice, some seasoning but not a lot.

Simon had the Jambalaya with a house salad. The dish had good flavoring and the pasta was cooked well. He did find a shrimp shell mixed in.  Our friend had the Tilapia fish with rice and broccoli. He said that the fish was cooked well, not dry and the rice and broccoli was good.

Simon's Dish

Our Friend's Dish

 After asking the waiter for a desert menu, I ordered a Sunday, Simon ordered a Apple Pie and our friend ordered a Blueberry Pie. The pies were reheated. Simon's was nice a warm but our friend's pie had sections that were still frozen.

Over all, I can't help but think of Jus' Grill, as just another grill/restaurant with a large menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Good food but not great. Ok service and small tables. If you don't feel like cooking and want to spend little money, Jus' Grill is the place to go. Maybe we'll go back for breakfast, as I hear that it what they are known best for.


Jus' Grill
17200 E Iliff Ave
Aurora, CO 80013
(303) 751-0166

Piccolo’s

For the past few years my family has met for my Grandfather’s birthday at Piccolo’s in Denver. It’s my Grandfather’s favorite place to go and we look forward to each birthday that we have with him going there. Now my family is large and growing. In total when everyone is home, there are 30 of us pulse a couple of close friends.  Piccolo’s has a side room for large parties that can be closed off from the rest of the restaurant  if needed.  The normal sitting area is dark woods and cloth cover tables with low lighting, very relaxing.

Piccolo’s is a Italian/Mexican that has wide range of options that will meet everyone’s tastes. They have seasoned chips with salsa and bread  for each table.
Simon and I ordered something different each time that we go and  have never been disappointed.  The servicing size is large for the dishes so don’t be surprised if you have to take some home. They have a wonderful children’s menu and my nephews and nieces always find something that they like.

I know this isn’t a very long review but you just can’t go wrong with Piccolo’s. 30 of us keep looking forward to my Grandfather’s birthday each year so, this isn’t a review of just one person, it’s a review of 30 with a fair share of picky eaters.




Piccolo’s is located at:
3563 S Monaco Pkwy
Denver, CO 80237
(303) 757-5166

Hours:
Monday-Sunday 11:00AM to 10:00PM

Sam's No.3

 

 Simon and I went to Sam’s No3 for the first time this past week. We had heard about it from Triple D and realized that one of the restaurant was here in Aurora. It was a nice treat to go to after a long day at work. When we got there we could smell the grill from the parking lot. We had been warned that the wait maybe long as they are very popular. With just the two of us we only had wait about 2 minutes.

It was extremely busy and we thought it would be a bit of a wait for our waitress. We were wrong! She immediately came over and got our drink order.  They offer a full bar and I have to admit I was very temped but since I was driving I passed it up.   When she came back with the drinks we ordered our appetizer. We decided the try the Mac-N-Cheese Dip. It’s one of their new dishes. It’s a cup of mac topped with diced chorizo and green chill, served with tortilla chips. I have to say, wow. I’m not a green chili fan as I find it to spicy for me but it was really good. The pork that they put in it is very tender and holds the spices well. Once we mixed it all up, the Mac Cheese countered the spiciness very well and it didn’t leave me reaching for my drink after every bite. Simon loved every bit of it.

For my meal I ordered the One of Each. It’s a Curtis Burger and Coney Dog that was covered with their Sam’s No. 3 Red Chili, mustard and onion. I got it with fries.  Simon got the Pork Souvlaki Sandwich with Mac n Cheese. Our meal came out just as we were finishing the dip. My burger and hot dog was good and I was happy to find it not drowning in onions or mustard. It was just enough to add to the flavor.  The fries were good. Simon’s sandwich, holy cow, at first I didn’t know it was pork, I thought that it was gyro meat.  The bites that I had were very tasty and the pork wasn’t dried out or stringy.  The pita bread was nice and fluffy.

For dessert I ordered the Death  by Chocolate Cake and Simon ordered a Hazelnut and Coffee Shake. The cake was really good. I wish I could have finished it and the slice was huge. Simon loved his shake. I was surprised that he got a shake as they have Homemade Rice Pudding. He said that he’ll get it next time.

We’ll be back that is for sure as we need to try their breakfast food too. They are very family friendly and the pricing is really good for the quality and quantity that they provide. The service was excellent and very friendly. They have an extensive menu that everyone will find something that they will like. Do try to go off peak hours if you don’t want to wait long.

Sam’s No.3 is located at:
2580 S Havana St
Aurora, CO 80014
Phone: 303-751-0347
Website: http://samsno3.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SamsNo3

Hours:
M-Th 6 AM- 9PM
F 6 AM- 10 PM
Sat. & Sun 7 AM- 9PM

Not So Royal Hilltop

Royal Hilltop

There aren’t many English Pubs here in Aurora and we were excited to try Royal Hilltop located off of Tower Rd and Hampden a couple of months ago.

When we walked in, we weren’t sure if we had stepped into a Pub or simply a dive.  There wasn’t much décor, just plasma TV’s with basketball games on and the standard neon bar signs. We were told that they had just switched from British Ales to Local Brews, so any English charm that we were looking for was no longer there.  The staff seemed relatively friendly but were more concerned with socializing with patrons that are regulars.

Our waitress, we found really needs to find a new line of work. They weren’t in any kind of uniform or T-shirt promoting the place. They had on a plain t-shirt that was a few sizes to small and frumpy pants. She shuffled across the floor, not seeming to care about anything except the friends that were there.  Because she was more concerned with socializing, it took awhile to get our order placed, any refills and our final bill.

The food was ok but nothing really that is worth gushing about. I ordered the Monk and Cheese. It’s Penne pasta served with a three cheese sauce and I asked for chicken. I found the cheese sauce to be bland and the chicken was just grilled with a small amount of spices. I have to admit, a box of Mac and Cheese would be better than what I had and a lot cheaper.  I wish I could say something more on the dish but there isn’t really anything else to say.  Simon had ordered the Fish and Chips. It’s Alaskan cod that is fried in a beer batter and served with slaw, tartar sauce and fries. The Fries were cooked well but over salted and the fish was ok.

We feel that the dishes are over priced for the quantity and quality of food. They do have a children’s menu and they offer a number of beers. Will we be back? I don’t know. Maybe we went on a bad night.  Have you been there and had a different experience?

The Royal Hilltop is located at:
18581 E Hampden Ave #134
Aurora, CO 80013
Phone# 303-690-7738
Website:  http://www.royalhilltop.com/

Hours:
Mon. & Tues. - 3:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Wed.& Sun. - 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Thurs. - Sat. - 11:00 am - 12:00 am

The Bagel Deli and Restaurant

The Bagel Deli

Oy! What have we been missing? Ok, so we saw this little Bagel Deli on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives on the Food Network a couple of weeks ago. Simon has been begging to go so we finally went after I found that I’ve been driving by it for years! Tucked into a corner of a little strip mall is The Bagel Deli and Restaurant located at northwest corner of Hampden and Monaco. I’ll have to ask my grandparents if they knew of this little gem as they live not to far from it.

When we walked in we were greeted with wonderful aromas and the chatter of customers enjoying their meals. We were told to go ahead and have a seat. As I looked around, you can’t help but smile at the love that is found in this place, family pictures on the walls and little sayings from Bubbie, the grandmother. Oh and you have to have a picture of Guy Fieri from Triple D on the wall to! It was nice and warm, the lighting good and the staff extremely friendly.

On the tables, they had a little thing that said, Try what Guy Ate! They made a little sampler appetizer with the three dishes Guy had tried on the show. It had a small serving of Matzah ball Chicken Soup, a meat Knish and Kishke. Wow! I’m not a soup person. If soup comes with the meal I will try it, drink some of it but soup doesn’t appeal to me. I have to say, the Matzah Ball Soup, is the best soup that I’ve ever had. Chucks of chicken, carrots, spices and the Matzah ball. The Matzah ball just soaked up the flavor of the soup.  I can’t even describe the taste of the soup, I just don’t have the words for it. Now, I’ve been sick for the past week and I’ve always heard that Chicken Soup is good for you. Here’s hoping the small flavorful portion that I had will knock what’s left of this cold out. I also could have eaten a whole plate of Meat Knish. The pastry was nice and flaky, the meat in it very flavorful. The Kishke was very good too. Simon insists that it tastes like stuffing but I can’t put it into words the flavor of it. 

Simon ordered the number P2, Pastrami, Tongue and Swiss cheese on marble rye bread. It came with potato salad. He describes the meal a flavor blitz. Jared came out and asked Simon how the sandwich was and if Simon wanted to try the Russian Dressing and Horseradish. He said sure and we had little samples of  each for us to try. We each tried and loved the Russian Dressing, it was very good with my fries and on my sandwich. Simon put a small spoonful on his sandwich, took a bit and did the same with the Horseradish. His eyes rolled to the back of his head. Jared then asked him if he liked spicy mustard and suggested to Simon that he may like that too. Simon told him to bring it on. Same result, eyes rolling and head nodding in agreement. Jared smiled with a chuckle and then went back to the kitchen. Simon said that his only problem was trying to decide what he was going to put on his sandwich for the next bite. He said that the Sandwich was wonderful on it’s own, the flavor of the meats blending well. Then adding each sauce to it as he took bites just took it to whole new level.

I ordered the number the number 3, Hot pastrami, brisket of beef and Swiss cheese on a plain bagel with fries. The blending of the meats was wonderful. The bagel was nice a crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. With the amount of meat that they put onto their sandwiches, I’ll get my next sandwich on bread as I ended up having to eat it with a fork and knife. As I had already stated, I added the Russian Dressing to my sandwich and also dipped my fries into it. The dressing was heaven.

For dessert we both had a cheese Strudel. Our waiter asked us if we would like it warmed up and we said whatever they suggested would be good. They warmed them up and gave us whipped cream to add to it as we pleased. It was very good, not sweet like I was expecting.  On our way out we also bought 4 bagels and home made whipped cream cheese for later.

The Bagel Deli and Restaurant is very family friendly, good prices for the amount of food. Simon and I will be back and I look forward to trying something else. They serve Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with breakfast served until  7:30 PM daily. They offer dine in, take out, and catering. They offer special order items for the Jewish Holidays.

The Bagel Deli and Restaurant is located at:
6439 E Hampden Ave.
Denver, CO 80222
Phone# 303-756-6667
Fax# 303-756-58002
Website: www.bageldeli.com
Facebook: The Bagel Deli

Hours:
Mon - Sat: 7:00 am- 8:00 pm
Sun: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Don Emilio's Mexican Restaurant

Don Emilio’s Mexican Restaurant

This weekend was my husband’s birthday. We were invited to go to dinner with my parents to Don Emilio’s Mexican Restaurant. They had opened in January but they didn’t receive their liquor license until the start of March. They had their grand opening back on March 11th. 

We met up with my parents about 4:30 pm. When we walked in we were met with bright colors and whimsical décor. There were plasma televisions every where you looked and a giant screen at the end of the dinning area. Under the screen was a stage for the bands that come in and play. We were seated right away as they weren’t busy at that time of day.  When we first started looking over the menu, we were surprised that they also serve breakfast until 2 PM. They have an extensive menu to where even the pickiest eater would find something to their liking.

For Appetizers, my parents ordered the Fresh Guacamole Salad and my husband ordered Chicharrones. The guacamole was fresh and home made. You can see chunks of avocado mixed in with the lettuce that made up the salad. It was served in a taco bowl.  My parents and Simon loved this dish. The Chicharrones were all Simon’s. For those that don’t know what it is, it’s pieces of pork deep fried, like pork rinds.  The small one that I had didn’t have any flavoring but then, I don’t know what they are suppose to be like as it’s something that I usually avoid. Simon gobbled them up like chips. They also had the standard chips and salsa. The salsa packed a punch if you ate the thick parts of it, if you dipped the chip just into the juice of it, it had the spiciness without the burning.

For dinner I ordered a Shredded Beef Burrito smothered in red sauce. It was very good. The meat was flavored perfectly and there wasn’t a lot of fat, if any mixed in. The red sauce wasn’t very spicy and added to the meat. The flour tortilla was nice a soft and tasted like it was home made.  My dish came with beans and rice. I don’t eat beans so I can’t say how they were. The rice wasn’t anything special and was either under cooked or it crisped up under the heating lamp.

Simon ordered Buffalo Fajitas with flour tortillas. Shortly after taking the order, one of our waitress came back advising that they were out of buffalo and asked if beef  would be fine. He said it was but was a little disappointed that they didn’t have buffalo.  When he received his plate, everything was still sizzling on the iron plate and it smelled wonderful. I had a bite of the meat and I have to say the spices they used were perfect.  The pepper and onions were cooked perfectly.

My Dad ordered the Carne Asada Burrito. He didn’t say much other than that it was good but had the same issue with the rice. He said that the beans were just beans, not really standing out. My Mom ordered a Chimichanga with ground beef. She said that it was very good and not to spicy. 

Over all, we all agreed that the food was good and the pricing good for the amount of food on the plates. The one thing that Don Emilio’s need to work on is their service. The waitresses that we had were pleasant but they seem inexperienced. My mom had asked which chili sauce was hotter, the green or red as it varies from one place to another. She couldn’t answer the question as to which one was hotter. My mom ended up asking for the  green chili sauce but ended up with red chili sauce.  The second waitress that helped us had to ask Simon three times what kind of tortillas he wanted with his fajitas and we still had to ask for them after everything was served. The man who we assume is either the manager or the owner seemed horrified that he hadn’t received the tortillas and apologized. It also seemed that once the food was delivered, the waitresses disappeared and we would have to wait for refills on drinks and when they were refilled, it was by the man who was the manager or the owner.

We feel that with time, their service will improve and we hope that their waitresses/waiters will at least sample the items on the menu so that they are familiar with everything and can answer customer questions. We are planning on going back to give them another try and when we do, I’ll have a follow up review.

 Don Emilio’s has a Children’s and Vegetarian dishes. They even have hamburgers for those that don’t like or not in the mood for Mexican. They also offer a 10% discount for the men and women in uniform and Veterans. This includes Police and Firefighters as a thank you for what they do.  You can dine in or have dinner delivered.


Don Emilio’s is located at:
14050 E Evans Ave
Aurora, CO 80014
Phone# 303-597-5151
Fax# 303-597-5150
Website: http://emiliosaurora.com/

Hours:
Monday-Friday 10:00AM- 9:00PM
Saturday- Sunday 8:00AM- 9:00PM