Book Review: An Echo in the Bone (Outlander Series) by Diane Gabaldon

Still Trudging Along but we are Picking up Speed

The Pace is Getting Faster

I have been reviewing these books in what seems like forever but I'm determined to see this through the end. While some of the books (3-5 for sure) really draaaaag at some parts, I have been much happier with the more recent ones. I do have to say that the author's pace is often sporadic, going from really detailed and long passages about certain portions of the plot to breakneck speed to speak to a part in the story that seems to really need a lot more. I feel like we race and then brake. . . and it doesn't always seem to make sense or seem justified when it seems like a pivotal point in the story and we only get a few pages on it.

For instance, in this book, Jamie and Claire return to Scotland and that would be an important point. However, we aren't there long. I was happy to avoid pages and pages about the travel but actually returning to Lollybroch should have been more detailed?

I'm already into book 8 - Written in My Own Heart's Blood - and this one has a completely different style. I do know that this is the last one I will have for a while. I'm not sure I even know how to pick out a book to read anymore as I've been on this train since September 2015! While I don't think this is even writing when you look at these books as a whole I highly recommend sticking with it through those books (3-5) to get to this point. I think it's worth it. One last review when I get #8 done and then waiting for Book 9!

Restaurant Review: Camelia's Mexican - Royal Oak

Authentic Mexican Fare, Locally

See update below, 7/7/16

There's a running joke in our house that if a restaurant is close to us, we just won't go there. We seem to be martyrs for a long drive for good food. Case in point? We have Vinsetta Garage about five minutes from the house but we prefer another restaurant in that same group called Union Woodshop that not only involves about an hour's drive, but typically a three hour wait for a table.

When it comes to Mexican food we typically drive to neighboring Madison Heights for Azteca although occasionally we will make it an adventure and head to Mexicantown in Southwest Detroit. However, Camelia's is less than a mile from the house and we pass it at least a few times per week without ever stopping in.

I was very hesitant to try this place. I have had mixed reviews from friends. This included some pretty negative reports but also some really positive remarks. It really was a matter of just trying it after years of passing it on the way to somewhere else.

I have to say that for a repurposed Pizza Hut (1970's version of the building) this is really cute. They have made the most of it with brightly colored Mexican decorations including some beautiful kitschy ceramic suns with faces (I'm a sucker for those) and some cow skulls with flowers. The bar surface is covered with brilliant blue Mexican tile.

The chips were a little different than what we are used to but were fresh and not very greasy. The salsa was good but I prefer a cheese dip and would order that next time. I really do love cheese dip while waiting for food. Speaking of entertaining myself while waiting for the food, I did also enjoy a glass of Sangria and this was good stuff. There were real pieces of crushed oranges or grapefruit in the concoction and I would definitely get that again.

I ordered a "New" Mexican Gordita with carnitas. This included two masa cakes sandwiching chunks of pork, along with refried beans and a healthy topping of cheese. The masa cakes were lightly fried ("griddled" according to the menu to be technically accurate) and were a new taste for me. I would have liked something a little more in the sandwich - I"m thinking avocado - but it was good.

One of my favorite Mexican dishes is Chili Rellenos. his came with a side of Spanish rice and more refried beans as this was considered an entree. At Camelia's you can choose between cheese, chicken, or beef for your stuffed poblano peppers. I'm a purist and always go for cheese. These were not whole peppers but a plate of slice peppers layered with batter and cheese and it was delicious! You could tell that this was fresh, and fresh oil, as often when I order them elsewhere the batter takes on other flavors from the fryer that are not appealing. The presentation doesn't look beautiful but see past that!

We also ordered a combination plate with a soft taco, hard taco, and a quesadilla. The quesadillas were big hits with the kids, especially with the grilled version. Lots of cheese in between those tortillas.  Both the ground beef and the chicken were seasoned lightly and also very fresh. The Spanish rice was very good, and that's often "hit or miss" at some restaurants. This was a good consistency and not too soggy. The beans were especially good and very authentic.

To round out our sampling we also ordered shrimp fajitas. Look at that layer of cheese! Enough said! Nice selection of vegetables that of course you can't really see in that photo, along with a generous portion of shrimp. These were not shrimpy shrimp but nice size.

Summary? We will definitely go back to this local restaurant to sample more Mexican fare. Flautas and Tamales are on the list to try next time along with a Margarita!

Update 7/7/16
 Unfortunately, tonight's visit was not as delicious and was underwhelming. In speaking with other locals, perhaps it's "hit or miss"? Tonight we ordered a chicken fajita with cheese. It came without cheese and featured huge strips of chicken that did not absorb the flavors of the peppers and onions, leaving it bland. We also ordered a three item combo with a shredded beef soft taco, pork tamale and a enchilada suiza with stuffed with cheese. I have to say, if you want tacos or tamales, just go to Super Taco. It may be that I'm spoiled by my lunch there earlier this week and I do like to sit down but this just wasn't the same quality. The enchilada was okay but not great. . .

I did have that Margarita I had planned. I would stick to the Sangria. It was a lot more refreshing and had real fruit while the frozen margarita was a lot of mix.

Restaurant Review: Super Taco at Tienda Mexicana

Nothing Fancy but SUPER Tacos

See update below 7/7/16:

Years ago, a friend took me to a Mexican grocery store in Pontiac where you navigated through the aisles until you got to the back of the store where there was a makeshift restaurant serving tacos. I have found something similar, and just a delicious, closer to home in Madison Heights.

This discovery was somewhat of an accident. Vietnamese food lead us down this path? Confused? I would be too!

1. I love a Vietnamese restaurant in Madison Heights called Pho Que Huong (sound that out phonetically, it's fun!) and we order take out from there quite often. Pho at home can be slightly less fun without a large Pho bowl to eat out of rather than a plain old bowl from the kitchen stock. Henry, who is a constant there as the owner's son in law and chief operator of this fine establishment, recommended the Chinese Supplier down the street in another strip mall for a bowl as that is where they get their stock.

2. Well Tienda Mexicana is next door to the Chinese Restaurant Supply.

3. Related to all of this my teenage son recently discovered Jarritos, Mexican Soda, and we figured that Tienda Mexicana would probably have some. We explored Tienda Mexicana another day and then saw the left side of the store was really a taco restaurant called Super Taco.

Phew, I'm already tired explaining all of this. Vietnam, to China, to Mexico. That's the summary and it's all food related! Much like my life.

I kind of scoped out the taco side the first time but waited until another trip for Jarritos to try them. My daughter is much more adventurous than the male members of our family. We actually tried more than just the tacos but I am going to say that if you are going to go here that would be why. These are reminiscent of the ones I had in Pontiac and nothing like we traditionally visualize as tacos. . . Two small corn tortillas are "stacked" with the cheese in between, and then topped with the meats and cheese. Now of course Super Taco also provides other toppings such  as onions and cilantro but we are not huge fans of said items. It's also important to note that they have beyond the traditional mains we think of as "meats" and also offer chorizo and tongue tacos. I will be trying more varieties beyond chicken and beef soon.

Speaking of chicken, for those who regularly read these posts, you may recall I'm not a huge fan of this as a protein. Super Taco did a good job despite me being predisposed to hating chicken. They shredded it and added some super yummy spices. Beef was still my favorite and I highly recommend you try it. Tender wonderful beef, perfectly seasoned. The lime wedges and radish are a nice touch.

This isn't fancy, the tables are just plain old tables jammed in there, but you won't be sorry you stopped here. I'm jonesing for one right now. You can also order some Jarittos, right in a glass bottle, for your drink.

Try it. You won't be disappointed. End note, the Jarrito's website says that their soda is "super good" too. Lol.

Updated 7/7/16:

During this week of a "staycation", a trip to Super Taco was in order. We added a couple more items to our list, including a tamale (pork with red salsa) and a chicken quesadilla. Both were excellent!

I am not exaggerating when I say this was the best tamale I have ever had. Hands down. Many of these are really dry but this one was super moist. And while I don't like salsa all that much it was the perfect mix, right into the filling, along with delicate moist shredded pork. Seriously, after eating at a sit down Mexican restaurant tonight I can really appreciate just how good this enchilada was. . .  Did I mention it was $1.50?!!!!

The quesadilla is not something I would typically order but my daughter did and I stole about half of it from her. As I have mentioned in the past I am not a chicken fan but this was also very moist and shredded with spices that gave it just enough kick without overpowering it. The tortilla was fried without being overdone, and there was a generous portion of cheese in there. We ordered a small and I woudl be afraid to see how big the large is based on the size of this one. 

Summary: If you haven't tried Super Taco yet you should. I should have eaten there tonight instead of going to a sit down. Ugh!!!!

  

Restaurant Review: Chef's Bistro Burger - Chicago

Another Special Chicago Edition

Brought to you by work really. . .

I was asked to participate in a conference for work last week. While I often am hesitant to travel, going to Chicago for work is a "plus" compared to some other places. . . It's really not that far in terms of travel and the up side is that I can try new restaurants for my own personal gain.

There are always other sights to see in Chicago. I knew I was off to a good start when I hailed a cab from the train station to the hotel located on the Magnificent Mile and got picked up by the "Cowboy Cabbie". He proudly showed me the article he had laminated from the Chicago Tribune. I also found him on youtube but his cab has since been updated.

I guess when you get such a memorable ride to get to Chicago it's a good omen for a pleasant trip?

On the second night I was more of a tourist in Chicago when it came to dinner rather than the direct route to a wonderful restaurant the first night. The first night there was a plan and a guided tour to the Purple Pig. On the second night, I was with a group of conference goers which resulted in a wandering up and down the Magnificent Mile and a the surrounding side streets.

Our journey started with a stop at The Goat Tavern. Apparently it's a skit from Saturday Night Live. Now that I have watched this I can see the humor in the signage at the place. Unfortunately the majority of the group vetoed this place upon site although I got these photos. We were off again but not before one of our travelers was rewarded with a FREE cheeseburger for her walk because she looked very disappointed.

We then looked into the Michael Jordan's steakhouse but that was vetoed for a business dinner. I'm not sure how you would expense a 58 dollar steak? We were then off and found a cute Italian restaurant but when we mentioned that we had 9 folks in our party we were laughed away without a reservation. I know they thought, "tourists".

This is how we ended up at Chef's Bistro Burger kiddy korner from the Italian place. This was almost an immediate seating despite our big party but while this could have been a bad sign it really wasn't. this is a new place, apparently off the beaten path, which allowed us to sit outside.

There were plenty of beer options (not to be expensed to anyone's work, mind you) but the showcase items here really is burgers. Now I use the term "burger" loosely as they have a crab patty and gravlax (cured salmon) along with the obligatory veggie and turkey varieties. I chose a PBPJ burger which was beef with Pork Belly and Peanut Butter/Jelly and brie toppings. Now before you go pooh poohing the peanut butter, that's a staple at Green Dot in Detroit and it's heaven!

This burger was good but not Green Dot good. It was hearty but I didn't taste the jelly or brie which was a little disappointing. The fries were wonderful. I ordered them thinking that they were a side order but this was a whole dish. Think poutine. Visualize a generous portion of truffle fries that are good all by themselves but have a fried egg on top.

Now this is Chicago so maybe if I was there all the time this would be on my circuit of restaurants to revisit but the town is large and the time is short. I do have some restaurants I want to eat at again but while this was good I don't think it's going to be on my short list as a tourist.

Restaurant Review: The Purple Pig - Chicago

If I lived closer. . . 

this would probably be a "go to" place

There are restaurants that I think about returning to when I am a tourist in a different city that isn't local. The issue is that when you are only somewhere once in a while you don't want to repeat restaurants especially in a city like Chicago with everything it has to offer. However, Purple Pig, well that's one I would return to because it was fun and the variety of small plates would make this a different experience every time.

Small plates. I'm a sucker for small plates. Call them tapas or appetizers. I really don't care. Small plates give you an opportunity to graze and to try different things without the commitment of a large plate. Chicago restaurants are pricey and this was no exception but with small plates you still can try a few more things than you usually do.

I'm not sure why this place is called the Purple Pig but it was funky, just like its name. They are big on charcuterie here (cold cooked meats) and cheese. I love cheese and I love me a cheese plate so that was enough to hook me in. My good friend, who is now a local Chicagoan (I don't know at what point you can call yourself a "native" if you are a transplant, can you ever?), suggested this place for us to meet up when I was in town last week for a conference. It was close to the hotel, and located on the Magnificent Mile.

You can tell that while this is in the heart of downtown, it has an eclectic group of visitors, comprised of both locals and tourists. It's jam packed and there are smaller tables inside but on the covered patio there is communal eating with a long high top table where you mingle with others. While that can be intimidating it gave me an opportunity to note what those around me were eating.

We started with the cheese. Mmmm cheese. You can pick one, or three (we picked three), to make a custom cheese plate from their variety of choices. They also have accompaniments, and you can pick two of those. For cheese we picked, a smoked Gorgonzola, Drunk Monk (cow's milk cheese rubbed with a dark brown ale), and Grand Truffiere (Camembert with little pieces of truffle). Like fine wines, these menu provided not only a description but where these cheeses originated from. Wisconsin, Connecticut, Wisconsin respectively) along with the texture of the cheese. For the add ons, we asked for a marsala jam and a fig spread. I don't know that a review on cheese would be relevant but they were all delicious. I routinely get fig spread at Trader Joe's for home use and this was definitely a step above. The marsala jam was outstanding.


We moved on to some of the small plates that they had to offer. This included a fried deviled egg. It tasted much like a scotch egg and didn't seem all that "deviled" to me but I think that is because the fried coating was the main attraction. It came with a kale salad studded with pistachios and sliced cornichons which was an interesting combination but really good. I liked the tang of the little bit of pickle with the sweetness of those nuts and it all went really well with the egg.

The salt roasted beets with whipped goat cheese was the showstopper for me. These were so fresh and the cheese with it was divine. I am not sure how to go about salt roasting the beets rather than the conventional roast but I also know how difficult and messy it is to work with beets so I figure leaving it to the experts might just be the way to go. However, Trader Joe's has roasted beets and I'm wondering if I could try my hand at whipping some chevre, perhaps the honey variety. The sign of a good dish for me is when I try to figure out how to recreated it at home. I am still thinking about these beets and it's been over a week! I just looked it up. Salt roasting is indeed a "thing" where you roast the vegetables while they are buried in salt. Don't tell my doctor, he would be upset, that I'm thinking about trying this.

We did order just one of the larger plates. This was ink squid, stuffed with sausage and some other yummy things. I think the presentation was just beautiful with these two swirls of sauces that I can't really describe but were so very good. This plate was a close second to the salt roasted beets. The squids were just a lovely texture and the stuffing was not overpowering but a good compliment in the dish. This dish did not scream "sausage" but was really a mild nice filling. I really wish I knew what the sauce was but let's just leave it as "delicous". Since I recently was watching the first season of Hell's Kitchen, I'm really impressed at the squid preparation. I know from Gordon Ramsey yelling at the two teams, getting these ready for stuffing would not be easy!

Now I would be remiss to not mention that this place boasts "cheese, swine and wine" and I didn't mention anything about drinks. I didn't partake in any wine but if you wanted to, there would be no shortage to choose from, even by the glass. Wines came from all over the world and were not limited to the usual geographic regions. They also have some very interesting cocktails but I stuck with a hard cider and called it a day. For me the food was really the main atrraction on this evening along with good company.

Restaurant Review: Bad Brad's BBQ

Pretty Darn Good BBQ

Pig Candy in Itself is Worth the Trip

I really do love BBQ but it has to be good BBQ. I'm particularly fond of beef brisket and a nice smoked sausage with a middle of the road sauce that is both spicy and sweet. For me, the side dishes are often more important than they meat as I really enjoy a good slab of cornbread with sweet butter and love sweet potato mash and cream mac and cheese.

We go to Woodshop a lot and I really love that joint. Why am I speaking about Woodshop while I write about Brad's? Well, first Woodshop is my barometer because that's my favorite BBQ joint. It's also a way to provide a comparison as I can easily analyze everything we ate for the most part with something comparable there. I also think that a lot of what's going on at Bad Brad's may be a homage, whether conscious or unconscious, to Woodshop anyways. There are a lot of similarities. . .

We visited the Bad Brad's in Shelby Township. They have a few locations scattered across town, including a brand new one in Orion Township, actually very close by to Woodshop. I know comparison #1 right at the beginning of this review. While I will grudgingly wait 2+ hours for Woodshop I was pleasantly surprised that I only had to wait 20 minutes at Brad's. I have to admit I was nervous about that but my fear was unbased in reality. Score 1 point for Brad's for allowing me to eat almost right away.

Our trip to Brad's was actually triggered by talk of local BBQ and my insistence on traveling much further for Woodshop. During this conversation with friends today, they specifically mentioned Brad's and went on about Pig Candy. Pig Candy was an objective today for an appetizer. Pig Candy is delicious. Smoked and candied thick bacon hanging from a little clothesline. Yes, this stuff was good. No, there is nothing like this at Woodshop. If there was anything I would do differently with this Pig Candy would be to kick up the heat slightly by adding just a touch of Cayenne. They didn't ask me by the way, but that's what I would do. We also got an order of Chicken and Waffles. My family is not always as adventurous when it comes to spice as me so there were plans to request that this dish be minus the hot sauce. They forgot. I'm glad they did and quite honestly no one thought it was too spicy. Waffles covered in more pig candy, maple syrup, hot sauce, country gravy, and scallions. Ultra crispy pieces of chicken alternating with the waffles. I don't like chicken but those waffles were good. It's an appetizer but I can see this being a meal. In fact, after these two appetizers I really was ready to be done. I was full.

I wish we had had a little more time to work on appetizers but the main dishes were here before we had time to get through them. We ordered a half slab of St. Louis Ribs with a 1/4 Chicken, and a plate with Chopped Brisket. The Ribs were very tender and had a really nice smoke ring. I would say - and I hate to say this - they were a little bit better than the ones at Woodshop. I did miss my combination of Texas and NYC sauces to dip in from Woodshop but the 321 Sauce was pretty darn good.

The chopped brisket was double smoked and I think next time I would try the sliced instead. The reason I went with the chopped was I really do like those little shavings and I was forced to pick. At Woodshop you automatically get both. Here you have to choose. . . I don't want to choose. They were a little bit dry and more like burnt ends when you got to the bigger chunks. I'm not sure I would get these again here.

Now sides. . . Sweet potato mash was really delicious. I wish they didn't serve it in a bowl that reminds me of the plastic ones my kids used as toddlers. I'm pretty sure that is what they are truly. Cornbread was a little different, with almost a crispy muffin top consistency but they were delicious. Lots of nice jalepeno inside and there was a sweet component that was really complimented by the butter.

Mac and cheese at Brad's was creamy even if it was baked. I like my mac to be creamy. Woodshop's mac is not creamy and while it's rated as some of the best in Michigan, it's not my favorite side. However, Woodshop has Green Bean Casserole and Brad's does NOT have that so I this it's a toss up.

All in all this was a very nice meal. Brad's also serves wood fire pizzas. We ordered one to go - I really couldn't eat anything else - I had a little taste later on this evening. We ordered the Burnt Ends which had brisket, pig candy, blue cheese, grilled onions and garlic. While I'm still full, even now, it was damn good pizza. I just can't look at any more meat for a while.

I should mention the decor because the atmosphere there was fun. Reclaimed mismatched bricks and lots of wood made this really a very cool place. I can't help but think this was Woodshop reminiscent too but it worked and it was an enjoyable meal.

We will be going back. I now will be more strategic in what I order. I think Pig Candy and then a couple of sides would be plenty for me. I definitely think with the shorter wait we will be visiting again. 

Book Review: A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Outlander) by Diane Gabaldon

Installment 6 is back on track

I have not been as positive about the last few books in this series and have maintained consistently that they just can't live up to the beginning of the story of Jamie and Claire. Many of the more recent books focus on other characters and give them voice, including Jamie and Claire's daughter Brianna and her husband Roger.

While this book also provided different perspectives I have to say that this one was enjoyable and I found myself sneaking off when I had a few minutes to return to this story. While the other characters are still giving their voices it seems that they have fully developed now or maybe I have come to care about them as well? In any event this story is better and really provides us with an opportunity to see the rebellion being ignited along with Jamie and Claire that will lead to the American Revolution.

One criticism I do have is how many times can rape, or potential rape, be a central theme in these books? It seems like each installment has at least one woman falling victim or having to fight off someone . . . It seems like some twists and story elements keep returning to these books and I wish the author would come up with something new.

All in all I really loved this book and have already started Book 7. I'm curious to see what Jamie and Claire are up to next as this book will take place during the American Revolution.