Barragans-Echo Park-March 16 wed.

After our evening out in Silverlake (see last post) Mike and I realized how much we missed dining out near Los Angeles. There seems to be more variety when it comes to restaurants- less chains and more unique environments and ambiences.
So we met up with some friends in Echo Park at Barragans, a mexican restaurant on its Margarita night ($2.50 each!).

The food was delicious--filling, warm, and there was a lot of variety on the menu. Surprisingly, the margaritas were very tasty as well, small, but got the job done :) The ambiance was great too. Free fresh chips and salsa, large, comfortable booths, a bar, upstairs patio, and friendly service. There was even some dance music playing in the other room, so I think I will come back on an evening when I can have a few more drinks and partake in some dancing!
Mostly, it was great to catch up with some old friends in our old area. I am looking forward to having a place nearer to the city so that I may partake in that environment more often, and of course discover some more unique places to dine out!

Good Microbrew and Grill-Silverlake-St. Patty's Day

Mike and I visited one of our favorite restaurants in LA, Good Microbrew and Grill, on a temperate St. Patty's Day evening.
Mike loves the heated outdoor seating that is amidst the hip and trendy Sunset Junction in Silverlake. I love the menu variety, enormous beer list, and surprisingly delectable onion ring tower.
Good is always great. Servers are friendly, busboys are present to keep your drinks replenished, and the food is always more than you expect.

Tonight I had the meatloaf, cooked with mozzarella and spinach and some amazing mashed potatoes and seasoned veggies. Mike had his usual. He was pleased that he was able to have his burger cooked just as he likes it, medium rare. The presentation on both was mouthwatering.

Mike and I always enjoy our visit to this restaurant. We enjoy this area and so on a warm night, will sit outside and indulge in the sounds and sights of the area. We are looking for other great eats in the area, so if you have a recommendation, let us know!

Rainforest Cafe-Anaheim- March 11

Mike's mother, cousins and family drove down for a weekend at Disneyland and we took that opportunity to visit with them and enjoy a delicious dinner.
This was my second visit to the Rainforest Cafe and I would have to say I was much happier with it this second time.
Our waitress was a sweet, attractive girl who was always checking in on us and removing unnecessary items. Mikey's two young girl cousins were very ansy, but they were kept occupied with some crayons and coloring books and random "Thunderstorms"(The lights turn off and on, gorillas shake branches, and scary thunder sounds run through the restaurant). The girls were a little scared the first time around, but couldn't wait for it the second or third times.

Both Mikey's and my hamburgers were fantastic. His was plain and mine was a bacon BBQ burger. The presentation was very nice on each plate, and filling. I heard Mike's mom say that her salad was even a little too big to finish.
Everyone had a great time, the atmosphere was unique and the food tasty. Even the service was friendly and catered to the theme of the place.

March 7th-Applebees-West Covina

After a family filled day on this saturday in March, I couldn't wait to relax with Mikey with a drink at Applebees.

Drinks turned into a meal, and a very pleasant evening.

Our server was very present all evening, and even when Mike's meal came out incorrect, they handled it quickly and were polite.

March 6th-Applebees-West Covina

Thanks to Mikey's Discover points that he has been accumulating for about 10 years, we have about 200 dollars worth of gift cards to redeem at restaurants so we can continue our reviews.
We were stoked to redeem the first one, and decided to go to Applebees near our homes and indulge in some juicy boneless buffalo wings.
We also had a delicious meal, and drinks, I also ordered a mudslide for dessert!

Our server was good, could've been a bit more attentive, but I did notice he was also handling a large party of drinkers in the bar.

One other thing I noticed was that we didn't have to wait at 10pm on a friday for a table. A true sign of the times in the restaurant world.

Togos-West Covina

While we had originally decided that we would mostly blog about actual dine-in experiences, we had to break the rules this time around because of the economy.
Not having a lot of money equals not enjoying the luxury of eating out as often.

We stopped at Togo's for a late lunch today, and sat outside on their tables designated for guests and enjoyed the quite pleasant and relaxing "plaza music". Mikey called it "Weather Channel Music".

Togo's has yet to disappoint me when it comes to freshness, presentation, and variety. I can never decide what my taste buds are after because everything looks so appealing. They offer combos (chips and drink), and half-sandwich, half-soup or salad options, catering, and delicious cookies. The staff is usually pretty pleasant; young, but not totally incompetent.
One thing I do wish is that I could see them building my sandwich. The counter is up to my chest and I can't see what they're doing with their hands. So I'm not sure what to think about that.
Overall, a tasty, peaceful, enjoyable lunch on sunday.