Restaurant Review: Tiburon

For my mom's birthday all she wanted was to take the whole fam on a trip to Utah skiing. Best birthday gift to be a part of because we all had a fab time and laughed the entire time. I read something once that said that laughing does all kinds of wonderful things for your health. If that is true, we all came back a LOT healthier!

Another benefit to skiing is that by using one of the largest muscle groups in your body, your legs, you burn a ton of calories. The week before we left I was feeling like a blob and hadn't been feeling 100% so I wasn't able to workout like I normally do, but I was so happy to get moving again and get those endorphins going!

The second night we were there, after a long day on the mountain, we went to Tiburon and had a great meal. The restaurant is so cozy and feels like you are at someone's home in the middle of the woods. It is small and we sat in a small room that felt really private. It was a very relaxing end to the day and the food was excellent!

Do you have a favorite restaurant in Salt Lake? We are planning on making this an annual trip!

Must Read

It has been a while since I have posted, but to be fair, I have been travelling and am just exhausted! I have to share this new book I have been reading. It is so atypical of what I normally am drawn to, but it is hilarious. I read one review where the book was described as "so funny I almost wet my pants several times..." Sold! Had to see what was so funny!

Normally, I read all of the author's books from the first published to the last and will not deviate. It doesn't matter whether it is a series or not, that is just my thing. When researching about the book I read that all Jen Lancaster's books are mostly about her life and this book, although just published, is about her childhood. With hesitation I started this one first because it is the most logical starting point.

I am only half way through, but it is hysterical. I laugh out loud constantly and her dry humor, even as an 8 year-old, is so perfect! I can't wait to read the next one already!

The Best Thing I Ever Ate

Have you ever watched that show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate..."? Well, this, is the best thing I have ever eaten. There doesn't need to be a category or descriptor. This is the best thing I have ever eaten.

This dish is from Brian and my favorite restaurant in Long Beach called L'Opera.They have lots of things that are delicious there, but this takes the cake. It is called Capellacci de Zucca which is a homemade pasta wrapped into little bundles with Butternut Squash and Ricotta, a Brown-Butter Sage Sauce, Shaved Parmesan Cheese, Fresh Sage and the most heavenly Spicy Tomato Sauce.

Melts in your mouth. It is the best. End of Story.

Heaven in small bundles

Groundbreaking

I am a tea lover and this is the coolest gadget for tea I have ever seen! I recently saw this baby in action at Brian's Aunt Barbara's house and it is amazing. Let me give you the tour...

First of all, it has a basket for loose leaf tea which is the only way to go. Secondly, it heats the water for the tea to the perfect temperature and for those of you who are like me and don't have an instant hot water tap in your sink this is a huge convenience. Third, when the water reaches the exact right temperature the basket lowers like a submarine into the water and sits there for the proper amount of time for brewing. The machine asks you when you start it up what kind of tea you are making so that it knows how long to brew.

No one likes over or under steeped tea.

It is wonderful. I need to have it. Sur La Table is out of it in all three South County locations so obviously others think this thing is fab also. It is my birthday present, to me...from me. Along with some other things =) That is, if I can ever locate one of these babies.

One-Touch Tea Maker

Aunt Barbara giving me the tour. Who would have thought there was someone as crazy as me about tea? This this is "revolutionary" as the website states.

How cute are these cups to have the tea in? Do you see the heart? Adorable. I dislike heart-related things, but these are just too cute! Leave it to Aunt Barbara...

Cooking for One

This week Brian has been on a business trip in Texas and I took the opportunity to indulge myself in things I enjoy SO much: Homemade Tomato Soup and my DVR!!

To me there is nothing better than a comforting, warm bowl of tomato soup. Nothing I have ever tasted comes close to the Tomato Basil Bisque at Nordstroms. I have been trying out recipes for years that claim to come close, but none of them ever succeed. Today you are in luck, I have found a recipe that is very close. It is delicious and EASY. We can all thank Theresa for this Double-Tomato Soup that satisfies what I like to call "The Nordstom Cafe" craving.

Another thing I am constantly missing, but can never do anything about is the Buttermilk dressing from Malibu Chicken. Malibu Chicken was the best place ever. Best salads, best chicken, best salad dressing, best everything. They closed while I was in college and it was very upsetting to everyone who had ever eaten there. Such a sad day. Their buttermilk dressing died with the restaurant and I have been craving it ever since.

Today was the day I attempted to recreate it...

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 packet Ranch Dressing Mix

1 cup Low Fat Buttermilk

4 tablespoons Non Fat Plain Greek Yogurt

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Oregano

1 tablespoon Dill

Mix well and serve over cold salad.

Finished meal! Everything was great. You have to try out these new recipes!

Restaurant Review: Sibilla

Shopping is a big part of any vacation for me; naturally we went to Miami's famous walking street Lincoln Road. It was just like a Floridian 3rd Street Promenade. There were tons of out-door restaurants, boutiques and strange people. We set out at 10am for a day filled with walking, sight seeing, shopping and eating. The sun was out and it was a perfect day for what we had planned. As we were walking along the promenade we spotted Sibilla and decided to make it back around the same way around lunch time to try it.

Greek Salad

Tagliatelle Bolognese

Margarita Pizza (my favorite!!) The crust was thin and perfect!

This place was really good and I was happy the pizza was up to my standards. I never want to waste the calories if it isn't great. I ate the whole thing, so that speaks volumes!

Restaurant Review: Sushi Samba

This weekend we travelled to Florida to attend Brian's cousin's wedding in Plantation. We decided to make it into a mini-vacation and go to Miami Beach for a day or two before-hand. It was my very first time in Florida, and after hearing so much about it, I was excited to see everything with my own eyes! The timing also couldn't have been better because just as we were leaving Orange County the temperature dropped 15 degrees and the news was projecting rain all weekend. Whereas in Florida it was 80 degrees and sunny the whole time we were there! It was perfect!!

On Thursday night we took the concierge's recommendation from the Mondrian and set off for SUSHI SAMBA. When we walked in we instantly fell in love with the upbeat atmosphere of the restaurant and the menu's interesting blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine.

Brian ordered so much food, way more than we could eat, but it was a ton of fun because we got a taste of everything pretty much.

Blackberry Mojito=AMAZING

Yellowtail Crispy Taquitos

Sea bass and Miso Anticuchos served with Caribbean Corn

Yellowtail Seviches with Ginger, Garlic and Soy

Samba Dromo Roll (lobster), Bobo Brazil (Kobe Beef, Chimicurri), Ezo (24 hour marinaded Salmon), Vegetable (Sweet Potato)

Warm Chocolate Banana Cake

I would go back to this place any time. I left feeling sad we don't have one near us. The good news is you can visit this place at any one of their 7 locations in Miami, New York, Las Vegas and Chicago! You better believe we will be going back to this place when we are in New York in May for Andrew and Karen's wedding!