Review Bunker is a review blog where the goal is simply to review everything. Below are the latest reviews. In the About section you can read more about this blog and it's author. Comments are always appreciated, so if you've got something to say, please feel free!
Welcome to Review Bunker!
Archive for the 'Restaurants' Category
Crystal and I started our vacation today, with a flight to Miami. We are staying at the Whitelaw Hotel in South Beach (review coming later) for one night, before we depart on a Panama Canal cruise. For dinner this evening, we did a quick search for a local pizza place, and quickly found Pizza Rustica, a block and a half away from our hotel. I normally might skip over reviewing a quick meal while on vacation, but this pizza was so delicious that I decided to jump online for a minute, put the vacation on hold, and tell you how good our pizza was (sorry, no pictures - maybe I’ll add one later?).
The service was good, I placed our order over the phone, and it was delivered very shortly to our hotel without any problems. The delivery man did his job, the phone was answered quickly, and our order was fullfilled accurately. We ordered a large Hawaiian pizza, and it was quite a bit larger than expected (18 inches?), much more than the two of us can eat, for $20 delivered. The price was reasonable, when factoring in that we are in South Beach (a bit pricey), and this was a large quantity of very delicious pizza.
The pizza itself came topped with smoked ham, pinapple, and diced tomatoes. There were a lot of toppings, and plenty of cheese. The toppings were all very fresh, and tasted great. In particular, the crust was very satisfying, with a good balance of salty sweetness. The pizza tasted so good, that I probably over-ate - but I don’t regret my actions.
Anyway, I need to get back to vacationing - so just know that if you are ever in South Beach, you should check out Pizza Rustica, you won’t be disappointed.
Pizza Rustica (Miami Beach, FL): 
5/5
5/5
If you enjoyed this post, Please consider subscribing to my full-post feed, or subscribing to receive my posts by email. Also, please check out my contribute and get reviewed pages. Have anything to say? Please comment!
Last weekend I spent two days exploring Las Vegas with Crystal, her mother, and her brother. It was my first visit to the unholy city that never sleeps, and I was quickly immersed in the unique culture and feeling of anticipation that ever-present gambling and general sloven behavior creates. We had fun, but the entire experience felt a bit rushed, as we only had two days to visit all of the sites.
For lunch on our first day we decided to make a reservation at the “Top of the World Restaurant and Lounge” that is located on one of the top levels of the Stratosphere Hotel and Casino tower. This restaurant’s claim to fame is mainly it’s height from the ground, although it’s cuisine has also been well received by the food critic community. Since I don’t consider myself a refined food critic, I will try my best to review the entire experience, as well as the food.
Making the reservation was relatively easy - the woman who I spoke to on the phone was courteous and friendly, but I did have a hard time understanding her at times, due to her strong accent. I am not sure if this is a common trait among operators at the reservation call center, but it was definitely a negative factor during my phone call.
The support staff, everyone from our server to the elevator operators were all courteous and nice to us. Our server may have been a bit overloaded with tables, as she forgot a few minor things, and didn’t visit our table as often as I am used to. I can imagine that working in a circular restaurant which sits 1,000 feet off of the ground, and which rotates slowly over time can add a bit of stress to an already stressful job, so I won’t hold it against her. 
The revolving restaurant thing is actually pretty cool, and our meal lasted nearly two hours, so from our vantage point we were able to see nearly a 360 degree view of the Las Vegas landscape. The one downside to rotating for so long is, I felt a bit off-center for the rest of the day on Sunday.
We were served complimentary champagne at the start of the meal. We decided to maximize our variety of food by ordering the special four course lunch that was being offered. Thankfully our server allowed us to split our meals - this allowed us to share the large amount of food, and keep our total meal price reasonable (at $39 each, splitting the meals helped a lot). Each course offered us a few different choices, and for the first course we chose the smoked salmon appetizer. This was an interesting course - a large piece of smoked salmon was topped with diced asparagus, a white sauce that I couldn’t identify, and some artfully placed potato chips. The salmon was delicious, and the topping added the perfect amount of texture and variety.
For our second course we chose soup instead of salad, and each of us got a very tasty lobster bisque. Being a salt-fiend I added a bit of salt to mine, but it was a very tasty bisque either way (sorry, we forgot to take a picture of the soup!).
We chose the steak and shrimp for our main course, and we each received a very tender piece of juicy steak served over a bed of shredded lettuce and topped with a large shrimp and a delectable cream sauce. My steak was cooked perfectly, and I was left craving seconds. The cream sauce added a lot to the flavor variety, for both the shrimp and the steak.
For dessert we were served a chocolate “stratosphere” tower which was filled with raspberry chocolate mousse, and topped with vanilla sauce table-side. While somewhat gimmicky and hard to dismantle, this was a tasty dessert and a good end to the meal.
Included in our meal was complimentary access to the stratosphere tower observation floor above the restaurant, where we were able to see a slightly taller view of Vegas, and visit the gift shop (Crystal got me a t-shirt - thanks Crystal!). Overall, I enjoyed our visit to the Top of the World Restaurant - it gave us a unique vantage point from which to view Las Vegas, and it was a very nice (though slightly dizzying) atmosphere in which to enjoy a great meal - even for someone who is afraid of heights (me). All of our food was gratifying and presented in a somewhat unique style. I would definitely recommend this restaurant (given that you can fit it in your budget) to anyone visiting Las Vegas in the future. Also, it might be interesting to check out their, “Private Dining with a View” option, for a romantic dinner date.
Top of the World Restaurant (Stratosphere, Las Vegas, NV): 
4.5/5
Have you ever been to the Top of The World Restaurant in Vegas? Have you ever been to the top of the stratosphere tower? What did you think of either?
If you enjoyed this post, Please consider subscribing to my full-post feed, or subscribing to receive my posts by email. Also, please check out my contribute and get reviewed pages. Have anything to say? Please comment!
We recently had dinner and took in the show at the Adams Mystery Playhouse in Denver, CO (2406 Federal Blvd). The tickets to the show were a birthday present for Crystal, and we ended up going with a group of 6 people. Tickets were $39 per person (including our add-on group members). The show we attended was “Murder at an Irish Wake,” and the entire experience was fun. The ‘theater’ is actually a converted house, which according to the staff at the show, used to be a mortuary. The way they have the place setup is actually pretty cool; before the show starts the audience is brought into a parlor/waiting area with a cash bar, and anyone interested is given a scavenger hunt to complete while they wait. The scavenger hunt is simple, but it kept us entertained before we were seated.
During the pre-show mingling time, the cast of the show is also interacting and talking with the audience. I personally talked to ‘the priest’ - gave a confession, and had fun chatting with him for a few minutes. Crystal was given an audience role, as were a handful of other audience members, to encourage audience interaction. A pretty large area of the house was converted into a dining room with a small stage. Once we were allowed into the dining room to take a seat, the staff started bringing one table at a time over to go through the buffet of catered food, while they sang a few Irish and Scottish songs, and kept everyone entertained.
The catered dinner choices were actually more limited than I imagined they would be, but were decent quality. We had salad, fruit trays, rice pilaf, baked chicken, and bread to choose from. I took some of everything, and although basic, it was satisfying. I had been expecting at least two choices of dinner entrees, and I was somewhat disappointed to only find chicken. The rice was very tasty. On the tables were pitchers of lemonade and water, and alcoholic drinks and sodas were available for purchase at the cash bar in the parlor. For desert we were offered coffee along with brownies and pirouline type cookies on trays.
The show lasted from about 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, and was very funny and entertaining. The entire cast was good, and had excellent comedic timing as well as commitment to their roles. The plot of the “murder mystery” was actually surprisingly complex, and all of the audience involvement helped get people in the mood for solving the crime. The Irish theme of the show was fun, and fit well with the recency of St. Patrick’s Day. At the end of the show we were all asked to form our tables into teams and decide which of the characters was the culprit. The entire experience was fun, and there was a mood of relaxed humor throughout the night.
I enjoyed the entire production, and I was satisfied, if not impressed with dinner. I enjoyed the effort and commitment that many of the cast put into their roles, and I would definitely be interested in seeing what other shows they come up with in the future. I am not sure if I would be willing to pay $39 per person on a regular basis to enjoy these shows, but I can see it being a fun outing every few months. If you are looking for a unique way to spend a fun evening in Denver, I would recommend checking out what’s playing at the Adams Mystery Playhouse.
Adams Mystery Playhouse (Denver, CO):
4/5
4/5
Have you ever been to a dinner theater?
If you enjoyed this post, Please consider subscribing to my full-post feed, or subscribing to receive my posts by email. Also, please check out my contribute and get reviewed pages. Have anything to say? Please comment!
Tonight we decided to check out a newer restaurant near our house here in Fort Collins called Maya Cove. The Maya Cove website (which could definitely use a facelift) describes the restaurant as contemporary Caribbean/American cuisine in a relaxing Island atmosphere - I would say that this is a quite accurate description of the place, except that it also features a bar. The menu is diverse, with a range of sandwiches to steaks and pastas, most with a slight tropical spin. The atmosphere is very laid back, with a selection of wooden barstool-height tables and relaxed patio furniture to sit in, as well as tropical decorations and signs on the walls. The atmosphere was almost too relaxed, seeming more like a bar and grill than a sit-down restaurant. The food on the other hand was delicious and diverse, and definitely gave Maya Cove back some of it’s true restaurant credit. The Island atmosphere is successfully implemented, but some of the decor seemed a bit cheap.
To start out, we shared an artichoke dip appetizer ($8), which was pretty tasty. The dip came with freshly-fried tortilla chips that were very crunchy, as well as fresh vegetables. The dip didn’t stand out as anything unique, but tasted good. We ran out of chips well before the dip was gone, unfortunately. Crystal ordered a french dip sandwich ($8) for her entree, which was served with french fries and a pickle wedge. She enjoyed the french dip, citing it’s quality meat, and she particularly liked the french fries. I ordered a Buffalo Shrimp Po’Boy sandwich ($10), which contained 4 buffalo-sauce-dipped tiger shrimp of pretty decent size on a sandwich with lettuce, ranch, and tomatoes. The tomatoes were fresh and juicy, as were the shrimp. The sandwich as a whole was delicious, but very messy to eat (shrimp kept flying out of my sandwich, and my hands were nearly constantly covered in either buffalo sauce or ranch dressing). I had never had shrimp on a sandwich before this Maya Cove offering, and I was pleasantly surprised at the result. They also serve fish tacos, something I haven’t been brave enough to try in the past, but might have to return to Maya Cove for in the future. My sandwich was also served with french fries and a pickle wedge. We unfortunately didn’t sample any of the tropical drinks being offered on the drink menu this time around. We also didn’t have any desert, as they didn’t seem to offer any.
Our service was great, which wasn’t a surprise, as there were very few customers around. The bar area had a few patrons, hanging out to watch hockey and basketball, but our server, Chris, had enough time to check on us multiple times, as well as tend the bar, and keep everyone happy. He seemed to really enjoy hanging out at the restaurant, and knew many of the coming and going customers by name. I definitely enjoyed the friendly and relaxed atmosphere created by the staff and other customers - maybe a true extension of Caribbean ambiance?
Overall, we were a bit surprised by the atmosphere of Maya Cove, but we enjoyed the relaxed feel, as well as the food. The pricing wasn’t cheap, but couldn’t be considered expensive either, and I was happy with the variety of choices on the menu. The great service and friendly staff definitely made us feel welcome. I recommend Maya Cove Restaurant to anyone looking for a unique dining experience in Fort Collins.
Maya Cove Restaurant (Fort Collins, CO): 4/5
4/5
Have you eaten at Maya Cove? What do you think about their menu choices on their website?
If you enjoyed this post, Please consider subscribing to my full-post feed, or subscribing to receive my posts by email. Also, please check out my contribute and get reviewed pages. Have anything to say? Please comment!
For Valentine’s Day, Crystal and I celebrated by dining together at East Moon Asian Bistro here in Fort Collins. We had reservations at 8:30 pm, and therefore had almost no wait time once we arrived at 8:15, despite the crowded waiting area. Never having been to East Moon before, I was a bit surprised at the small size of their dining area, but our table was large, not squashed in with other tables, and seemed private enough, despite the abundance of people seated around us. This restaurant would likely benefit from a larger establishment - but as it is, it does feel quaint. I like the modern artsy decorations found in East Moon, a nice break from the cheap (and dare I say corny?) decorations often found adorning other Asian restaurants. The lighting is nicely done, a bit moody but not too dark, and I found the atmosphere to be very pleasing.
Our service was moderately good. There were a few minor communication difficulties with the staff. Our waitress seemed very high strung, yet somewhat cheerful and energized at the same time. This combination caused her to speed through everything, including taking our orders. It was entertaining to watch her go, but her hurry did cause her to make a few minor mistakes. For example, Crystal ordered a virgin Piña Colada but instead ended up with a normal rum-included drink. Luckily, the alcohol was not very strong, and the drink tasted just fine, but I think we would have rather paid the cheaper alcohol-less price. Despite this, we decided to not bother our waitress with the problem - she was likely too hurried and singularly focused for us to catch her attention anyway.
The food turned out quite well. We ended up ordering some sushi as a starter, we were also served a house salad with our entrees, and we each ordered something somewhat unique that we had never tried before off of the menu, just to try out a few new things. Unfortunately, neither of us happened to have our cell phones or cameras with us, so I was unable to take any pictures of our food or the restaurant for this review. If I return in the future, I will make sure to get a few pics to share.
We ordered two six piece sushi rolls, an Unagi Maki (eel and cucumber) and an East Moon Maki (shrimp, avacado, and cucumber), very reasonably priced at $4.50 each. Both types were tasty, but as I am not a sushi buff in any respect, I can’t say much about the quality compared to other restaurants.
As an entree, Crystal ordered Shitake Mushroom Duck, and I ordered Saigon Soft Shell Crab. Both entrees were pricier than most of the menu at about $12-$13 (most other entrees didn’t exceed $10 for dinner). The Duck dish was very tasty, with a lot of duck meat, and good mushrooms. The Soft Shell Crab was a bit odd, as it was fried crab meat which had been mostly shelled, but not entirely, so I had to be careful not to eat pieces of shell but still find all of the delicious crab meat. The crab was laid on a bed of very thin cold noodles (not sure what they are called), salad, and vegetables, which all seemed somewhat decorative, but rounded out the meal at the same time. The chile-lime sauce that came on the side of my crab meal was really tasty, but only in tiny proportions, as it was very spicy. We had both entrees substitute fried rice for steamed rice, and the fried rice was basic but delicious as well. Both meals were presented very nicely, with their own style, including unique serving dishes and food arrangements. We didn’t end up eating any dessert.
Overall, our dining experience at East Moon Asian Bistro turned out well, despite my ‘interesting’ entree. I definitely didn’t leave hungry, and as an added bonus, Crystal was presented with two pink roses along with the traditional fortune cookies and check once we were done eating. The atmosphere was inviting, and unique, and the staff was cheerful and definitely tried hard to serve us well. I hope to return to East Moon at a later date, to try their rendition of more familiar (and less expensive) dishes.
East Moon Asian Bistro (Fort Collins, CO): 4/5
4/5
Have you ever eaten at East Moon? What did you think? What’s your favorite Asian restaurant? How about your favorite Asian dish?
If you enjoyed this post, Please consider subscribing to my full-post feed, or subscribing to receive my posts by email. Also, please check out my contribute and get reviewed pages. Have anything to say? Please comment!
Latest Comments