500 Page-Views and Counting!

I want to take a moment here to give a great big thank you to all of the people who have been following in the background, the recipe' seekers, and the daily curious for coming to my little spot of food heaven here on the Internet. I have been keeping a fairly regular schedule with my posts, and hopefully offering some great stuff for all of you to read. It hasn't even been 2 months yet, and The Lupine Epicurean has already racked up 500 page-views. For me this is a huge validation of my writing skills and my food knowledge. I really appreciate it. And hopefully I can bring you lots more great reviews and food info in the future. Thanks again!

Restaurant Review: Mexico Tipico (Louisville, KY)

I finally managed to get back to one of my favorite restaurants (10th on my list), an authentic Mexican place here in Louisville, KY called Mexico Tipico. One of the things that always annoys me about so many ethnic restaurants, no matter where you go, is the lack of authenticity. A lot of these ethnic places think they have to dumb down, water down, and flavor down their unique cuisine to appeal and appease the American taste-bud. And quite frankly, it's just not necessary. When I visit a Mexican restaurant, I want 100% authentic Mexican food with all of its nuance and flavor. That is exactly what you get when you go to Mexico Tipico: 100% authentic south-of-the-border food in a 100% authentic Mexican environment. The other great thing about Mexico Tipico is the sheer volume of choices. Their menu is packed with Rellenos, Enchiladas, Tacos, Carnitas, you name it, it's on their menu. I don't think I have ever once gone there and been able to make my selection in less than 15 minutes. So many choices, so many flavors, and all of them very tasty.

My buddy Ken accompanied me once again. He has become something of my default culinary chauffeur, since I hate to drive. Once again, we strategically arrived between the lunch and dinner rush. Be warned, the place fills up fast during the dinner hour. We started off with an appetizer of cheese dip filled with spicy, flavorful chorizu sausage, and your standard tortilla chips and salsa.

After much deliberation, I chose one of my favorite entree's on the menu: the Las Enchiladas Supremas. This dish consists of 5 huge enchiladas: ground beef; chicken; cheese; shredded beef; and bean. Served on a large, hot plate, covered in lettuce, sour cream, tomato, ranchera sauce, and asiago cheese. Be also warned, the portions are large. You may very well be taking some of your dinner home in a box. My enchiladas were perfect. The shredded beef was succulent. The chicken was tender. I savored every bit of this dish. I did have to order a helping of guacamole a la carte. But their are plenty of dishes that come with the classic avocado side.

Ken had delivered to him the Steak Tipico Special. The 12-oz sirloin, still sizzling, lay on a bed of black beans and rice with lettuce, topped with asiago cheese. Not expecting such a huge portion of steak, Ken soon realized his eyes were bigger than his stomach. My dining partner enjoyed his meal as well, but did say that the steak was a little tough in spots from what to be a little over-cooking. But we were both very happy with the fact that our drinks were never empty. Our server was completely on top of things, very attentive and helpful. All in all, it was yet another great experience.

The average price of an entree at Mexio Tipico  is around $10. Although, you can also eat a la carte from a large selection of burritos, tacos, fajitas and more. Appetizers range from $3 to $6. We did not go for dessert this time around. But, I can tell you from experience that they have a wonderfully smooth and creamy flan, a delightful fried ice cream, and tasty sopapillas. Mexico Tipico is a great place for lunch or dinner, friends and family. Great food at great prices. You will be glad you went.

Mexico Tipico is located at 6517 Dixie Highway in Louisville, KY. For more information, check out all the details at iDine.com here: Mexico Tipico

My Rating: * * * *

She-Devil Shrimp & Pasta

What may have been the absolute best dish I have created in the kitchen yet, this spicy shrimp and pasta meal is perfect for a romantic night in, or just a way to impress a special friend. The ingredients are divided into three sections, as this is a stacked meal rather than a combined meal. I hope you enjoy it; I know I did.






Ingredients:

The Sauce:
2 oz Chili Pepper Paste
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 Cup Pinot Grigio Wine
1/4 Cup EVOO
1 Tsp Garlic Powder

The Pasta:
3 Cups Spaghetti or Linguine
1 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp Butter

The Shrimp:
8+ oz Shrimp, Raw, Shelled and Deveined
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp EVOO
1/4 Cup of Chopped Green Peppers & Onions
1 Tsp Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp Pinot Grigio wine
1 Clove of chopped fresh garlic

Also: Parmesan Cheese and Crushed Red Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Combine the ingredients for the sauce in a glass measuring cup and whisk until slightly thickened. Set aside sauce. For the shrimp, heat a wok or skillet with butter, EVOO and lemon juice. Once butter is melted, add onions and peppers. This is also the time to start boiling your pasta. Throw garlic into the mix and saute for about 4 or 5 minutes. Add shrimp to the wok, as well as wine. Cook mixture on medium heat until the shrimp becomes pink. Pour sauce over shrimp and mix. Once sauce begins to bubble, lower heat to simmer. By this time the pasta should be about 2 minutes shy of just past al dente. Drain pasta. Put oil and butter into pasta's pot to flash heat. Quickly drain pasta. Turn off heat and put pasta back into pot to stir swiftly with oil and butter, spreading throughout.  Serve helping of pasta onto a plate. Pour a serving of shrimp mixture over the pasta. Top off dish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper. Serve with a glass of  Pinot Grigio, garlic bread, and small side salad. If you want to cut the heat of the dish, I suggest serving with a fruit-flavor tea such as Mango or Raspberry.

Time to Cook: 30-40 Minutes
Servings: 2-3

Restaurant Review: Old Chicago

My best friend Ken, and I went to Old Chicago on a Saturday around 4:00 in the afternoon, knowing full well the place would be packed by 6:00. With it's brick oven baked pizzas, calzones, sandwiches and large variety of libations, Old Chicago is a very popular hang-out spot for a lot of people. I even know a rather large group of co-workers who visit there every Friday night after work to relax, kick-back, enjoy the food, atmosphere and conversation. With its 'bar and grill" feel it lends itself to that kind of ambiance. 

We started with a signature appetizer; the trio sampler. It consists of my favorite of all their appetizers; sumptuous, cheesy, tangy pepperoni rolls. It also includes their cheesy garlic bread and Italian Nachos- thin, crisp tortilla chips with spicy ground sausage, cheese and sauce. All three of these tasty appetizers were quickly devoured.

Having been to Old Chicago's a couple of times before I can tell you that they make great sandwiches, and calzones. I have even tried their shrimp basket, which wasn't bad. This time around I decided to have a go at something I had not tried before: The Chicago 7 Calzone. This dough pocket delight was stuffed full of Italian sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, red onions, and cheese. This calzone is so huge, you have to eat it with a knife. It more than did its job of filling me up and appeasing my taste-buds. Ken opted for an individual sized pizza (about 8"). Overall, Ken liked the two-topping pizza, and enjoyed the unique flavor a brick oven gives an Italian pie. His one concern, however was that the sauce on his pizza was rather sparse and not quite tangy enough to his liking. The only real concern I had was that our server seemed a bit distracted and misinterpreted our communication a couple of times. As noted in a previous article, Ken and I appreciate a server who keeps our glasses full. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

Overall, though, it was a good dining experience, tasty and satisfying food, and worth our trip. We did have the manager stop by our table while we were eating, which made up for the server. And it was evident that she enjoyed visiting tables as she kept herself moving and managing about the restaurant. The prices are VERY reasonable, with the average for an entree around $10. So, we would definitely recommend giving Old Chicago a visit if you are hankering for some Chicago-style Italian comfort food.

To find more info about Old Chicago or find a location near you, visit their official website:

http://www.oldchicago.com/home

Wolf's Rating: * * * *

Ken's Rating: * * *

Restaurant Review: bd's Mongolian Grill

As you can see, I decided to just go ahead and post my whole Top 10 List all at once. But, having done so, I have also visited a few of them in the past couple of weeks so that I can bring you new reviews. Of course, as stated before, there are obvious bias's here. Bu these preliminary reviews are more about practice anyway. For this post I chose to review #7 on my list: bd's Mongolian Grill.

 

I have to say, right up front, it is kind of difficult to review a place like bd's, for the very nature of what it is. In many ways you are the chef at a Mongolian Grill. But, I will start with our server. I am sorry to say, I have forgotten the name of the lovely server we had at the bd's in Louisville, KY on Hurstbourne Ave. But she was great. As is often the case, I went to dinner with my best friend, Ken. We both have one basic dining need that we are always appreciative of: keeping our drinks full. And our server did that. She was pleasant and thorough with offering us all the possibilities that existed for our dinner. 

We did in fact start with appetizers, as we often do. I chose the crisp pork egg rolls that melted in my mouth while eating. Ken went with the pot-sticker dumplings. Each were stuffed full of goodness and enjoyed with traditional sauces. We also partook of the salad bar stocked with lots of fresh veggies. When it comes to the main dinner, you have your choice: one bowl or more bowls.

The wonderful thing about a Mongolian Grill is that you get to take an empty bowl, then choose from a large selection of meats, veggies, spices and sauces to create your own dish. The grillers then take your selections and throw them on to a large (4' or so in diameter) flat grill and cook them with dual wielding "swords". The technique hearkens back to the days of the Mongol warriors of the 12th and 13th centuries, who would cook their meals on the go inside of their shields and use their swords to mix the food. Often during peak hours, there are 2 chefs who work the grill, on either side of the circle, together cooking up to 8 meals at a time. One of the things I like about bd's is that if you are like me with a lot a food allergies, they also have a separate area where you food can be isolated and cooked in a wok with the same results. And the chef's are very accommodating as well. They will usually give you a chance to add more sauce before they finish up. And on this trip, I asked the chef for the plate he was going to put my meal on, so I could get a bed of lettuce on it first. No problem.

The variety and diversity of meats and veggies is impressive: beef, chicken, shrimp, scallops, pork, fish, carrots, broccoli, green peppers, onions and more. And bd's is also known for its variety of edamame treats and selections. My personal favorite selection is shrimp, pork, peppers, onions, bamboo shoots, szechuan sauce, and curry and garlic spice. The combinations are many.

We opted out of dessert for this visit. But, bd's does offer a handful of daily delights to tempt your sweet-tooth. All in all, bd's Mongolian Grill is a great experience to enjoy with friends and family, at a reasonable price for great food. 

For more info about bd's Mongolian Grill or to find a location near you, visit their website:

http://www.gomongo.com/

Wolf's Rating: * * * *

Ken's Rating: * * * 1/2