Breakfast in Denver

  A couple of weeks ago I had a week off and went back to Denver to visit my kids.  One of my kids favorite places to eat out is Snooze.  It's an awesome breakfast joint.  Snooze has become probably the most popular place in Denver to eat breakfast.  That being the case there is always a wait.  I understand this but my kids were hungry and they have a very active schedule.
  While standing out front with the two of them we started wandering around and I thought this can't be the only place to get a great breakfast.  As we walked down Larimer  I remembered my buddy Dave's place just down a couple of blocks.  It's called Mexico City.   While they are better known for their unbelievable fried tacos, they are also opened for breakfast and have wonderful green chili.
  We walked down to the location and they were open and better yet there was no wait.  As soon as we walked through the door we were seated and within minutes we had our drinks and chips and salsa.   My kids were clearly happy that we were about to have a breakfast together with no lines.  This was going to be great to show my kids traditional Denver breakfast.
  See there is a lot of great Mexican food in Denver.  As matter of fact Denver is known for it's green chili.  Now my son likes his food kind of plain and that's O.K., but my daughter is like me when it comes to eating anything.  Mason ordered a two egg breakfast, Emily went for a breakfast burrito with chorizo and a side of green chili and I had the jeuvos rancheros.  Mase loved his breakfast it was just the way he liked it.  Em devoured her burrito and dumped the last of her chili on her brothers potatoes. all three plates were clean.  When the bill came it was about half of what our original plan would've cost and we shared a large stack of pancakes as well.
  Dave came out from the back and visited for few and talked about our kids and what some of our mutual friends were up to.  When we left I explained to kids that it's cool to support local businesses and that its even cooler when it's a friends business.  We also found out that Em loves green chili and mase likes what he likes.  Snooze is great and a local business, but sometimes the buzz of a place can keep from actually getting to sit down.  Mexico City provided us with a Bad Ass family breakfast experience.  Thanks
  Oh and if you are ever in Denver and want a Bad Ass lunch their Fried steak tacos are no joke!

Eating good for a good cause

 So while I was in Charlotte, N.C.  I was turned on to a place called the King's Kitchen off of Church and Trade.  I was told that they had country home cooking and donated their proceeds.  So i got a night off and went there to check it out.  It was late but they seated me and I met my eager server Lucius, who was very helpful with suggestions from the menu.

  I started with 12 wings in a subtle, but spicy sauce followed by their beet salad minus the beets.  What can I say i friggin hate beets but the very fresh spinach and the breaded and fried goat cheese with a vinaigrette was awesome.  I ordered the special which was blackened catfish served over succotash with a warm onion cream sauce.  Yeah it was totally Bad Ass!  The also start you out with a couple of pieces of cornbread that come out warm with butter already on it.  Total warm buttery goodness.
I asked about what i had heard about them donating money to feed the homeless and found out that they are actually non-profit.  There are a list of sponsors on the wall.  It was cool to know that while enjoying a Bad Ass meal in a wonderful restaurant with great service that the money was going to a good cause.
  I ended the meal with banana pudding served in a chilled glass with a toasted marshmallow topping it was Awesome!  I enjoyed the experience so much that I returned there 4 more times.  Twice to sit down and enjoy and two more times to get a something to go.  The y served quickly and professionally and I will be sure to go there again whenever I'm in Charlotte.  Check them out at http://www.kingskitchen.org/.

Charlotte's Best Chicken

  When i first came to Charlotte a couple of years ago I told the locals that i hadn't had southern fried chicken in a long time.   They told me that I had to try Price's chicken.   The guy that told me about it said that if I gave him the money he would pick some up on the way into work.  The next day he presented me with a box filled with a whole fried chicken and gave me like ten dollars back on a twenty. (at least I think so)  I sat down and ate every piece and since then it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Charlotte North Carolina.
  Now when I hear that we're going to Charlotte that's all I talk about  prior to arriving.  The last time I was here the guys remembered how much I loved the chicken so we had a big feast up on the rail.  This time the house flyman, Paul, made sure that I got Price's again.  I got some side to go with it from another home cooking restaurant that I'll write about later and the other flyman went and got desert from Mert's.  Prices is take out only.
  I'm guaranteeing that this is seriously some Bad Ass Fried Chicken.  One of the locals referred to their cooks as Fry Masters.  He also informed me that they make a hell of a fish sandwich that is to die for.  I was also warned that if you order a chicken sandwich watch out Its two pieces of chicken with the bone still in.  I have no idea why but i can definitely vouch for the Chicken.
  Check out Price's chicken coop if you ever come to Charlotte, N.C. http://www.priceschickencoop.com/

A Whole Fried Chicken

Bad Ass Food: Second chances don't always work out.

Bad Ass Food: Second chances don't always work out.: " I know the other day I said I don't like to give a bad review. Well today I went to Mac's Speed Shop in Charlotte, NC to give them a seco..."

Second chances don't always work out.

  I know the other day I said I don't like to give a bad review.  Well today I went to Mac's Speed Shop in Charlotte, NC to give them a second chance.  I passed by this place my first week here while delivering trunks. It looked cool and I asked around to see what the locals had to say.  A few guys said it was definitely a hip joint to eat.
  Last weekend there was a BBQ competition here in the middle of downtown and Mac's had a booth, I had to try it.  I got a half rack of ribs and brisket plate with a side of beans.  The pork ribs didn't have a lot of meat, I only got two pieces of brisket and the beans.....well let's just say they tasted like they came out of a can.  I was pretty happy about only getting 2 pieces of the brisket because it was like beef jerky.  I was let down.  I've been to North Carolina a bunch in the last 3 years  and expected a lot more.  I figured that maybe it was because i ate at their booth at basically a street fair, but then again it costs plenty and it was a BBQ competition for crying out loud.

Mac's smoked buffalo wing's

  Anyway  a co worker told me he went there and they have a Kansas City style beef rib and it was supposed to be huge.  Now I'm a firm believer that when it comes to beef Texas has the market cornered especially beef ribs so don't give me this Kansas City crap.  Of course I was willing to give it another shot and try their beef rib.  I rode my bike out to the south end for lunch.  It was packed and yes very hip except for way to many stools.  I hate stools.  I was greeted quickly and seated immediately.  I asked the waitress for her recommendations on appetisers and was given a lot of options, but decided on the wings. They are smoked and I got the buffalo flavored.   These wings were Bad Ass for sure.  The flavor was unbelievable and the buffalo was just right.  I was stoked about ordering the beef rib with a side of chili and collard greens, especially since the wings were so awesome and the service was great.

Mac's beef rib

  As I was finishing my last tasty wing my plate showed up and the rib was HUGE as expected.  I put all the fixin's on my chili so the cheese would have time to melt and tried the greens.  They were sweet but very good.  I went back and tasted the chili.  It could have stood to be a little hotter,  temperature and taste, but was good.  then I cut my rib from the bone and found a lot of gristle.  I went around the bone nibbling off everything that I couldn't cut and enjoying the flavor it was good, but fatty.  Then as I started my way through the large portion of meat (which is typically totally friggin awesome) it just got fattier and fattier.  So the flvor was great but the consistency of the meat was not to my liking.  I told the waitress and she said, "AWWWE, I'm sorry you didn't like that sucks,"  and that was it.  It was a $16 rib.  Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me.  So from now on I'll wait until I'm in Ft. Worth to have beef ribs.  

Outlaw

  I do believe however that Mac's probably has some great food that I didn't try but I probably won't find out.  You can check them out at http://www.macspeedshop.com/.  While I was at the BBQ competition/festival I tried two other competitors ribs.  The first one was Gibson's,which came highly recommended and the other was Outlaw BBQ.  Gibson's had great sauce and fell right off the bone, but Outlaw had totally Bad Ass flavor and was moist and meaty.  Outlaw's ribs were the best out of the three 1/2 racks I tried.  They didn't need any sauce although I'm pretty sure they used at least a rub.

Gibson's

  Please let me know where the best ribs you've had were or which ones you like better, pork or beef.

Why only good food and good service?

  A couple of weeks ago and maybe even longer than that was my last post.  Someone asked "Do you only go to places that are good?"  It's like they were asking if I can't be critical aout the places I try.  To be honest I Don't have a lot of interest in going to a place to eat just to rate them.  Critic sounds kind of mean, plus I just like to eat great food.  I like to find out where the locals go that is good.  Good food and good service is key for me to say that a place is Bad Ass.  Sometimes I'll just say the food was Bad Ass but the service wasn't over the top so I'll let you know not to expect to get your food quickly.  

  I love food and need to focus on making time to get more posts up.  For the neglect I apologize.  As for beig more critical well that's not really my style.  Wait a minute what am I saying?  I totally critisize I would just rather put a little research where I'm going to spend my money to eat.  Anyway please comment on any part of this blog you like, don't like or maybe even a place you think I might like to try.

North Carolina Soul

  So the show I'm touring with is in Charlotte, N.C. right now.  I've been here a couple of times before with another show and I really enjoyed the city.   Both times before i went to a soul food restaurant called Mert's. Anyone who has worked at the Belk theatre in downtown Charlotte has heard of Mert's.  Usually during load ins you are stuck with eating fast food but Mert's is just a half a block from the theatre's stage door on 214 North College Street.  They have all of the soul food favorites like fried chicken, corn bread and sweet tea.
  If you are in a hurry call ahead (704-342-4222) and just get it to go, but if you have a whole hour you can sit down and engoy eating all sorts of Bad Ass soul food.  I went there yesterday between the matinee and evening performance  and as I walked in a three layer homemade coconut cake caught my eye.  As I was seated I remembered what I had enjoyed the last time I was there.  After ordering my tea my a fresh loaf of warm corn bread showed up with  soft butter.  Yes soft butter!  It may not mean a lot to you, but anyone that  knows me knows that I hate going to a 5 star restaurant and getting hard frozen butter.  It really pisses me off.   Anyway  the soft butter lightened my mood and the corn bread was wonderful.  Another favorite is there fried green tomatoes.  They came out quick and hot.  There are just enough in one serving to tide you over while you wait for your main course to come out.
  They have regular soul food dinners, samplers and large orders for the more hearty appetites.  I went with the two catfish dinner, a side of collard greens and black eyed peas.  These bad boys came out super hot and the greens were still steaming.  there black eyed peas have almost a refried consistency.  They definitely don't come out of a can.   The catfish were two huge whole catfish.  It took some work but I pulled it off and when the plate was clean there was still a little room.  Yep just enough for a piece of coconut cake.  Every once and in while you need a little home cooking and Mert's delivers......with some Bad Ass food! Check them out http://www.mertsuptown.com/