Hi Everyone!

I finally have my own domain name so I'll be spending the next week or so making the new site nice and pretty!  This means I won't be updating here for a little bit, but when we come back it'll be new and exciting!  I'm really, really pumped...if you couldn't tell.

I'm also going to be merging EatDrinkSmile with my other blog CookBakeSmile to make one place for all my posts to live.  Stay tuned!

Sincerely,

Steph

Lulu's Bait Shack

Lulu's Bait Shack
Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Florida

There are few things better than sipping a tropical drink while overlooking the ocean.  This is why Lulu's Bait Shack is awesome--but they don't just rest on their laurels.  The view can't be beat, but the food comes in a close second!  And the drinks!  Umbrella drinks, drinks in funky glasses, fishbowls, oh my!

Boy and I had already eaten a good lunch, but we needed to try their oysters because they were so cheap!  Plus, the ocean was right there, super fresh was basically guaranteed.  We split a dozen and they were incredible.  We also had some mixed drinks to wash them down--a margarita for him and a Rum Runner/Pina Colada mix for me.  They packed a punch, but didn't taste like fruity lighter fluid.  Between the oysters and the drinks, we were in tropical beach heaven.

We were there during the day, but Lulu's Bait Shack constantly has live music and plenty of tv's for viewing all your favorite sports.  We were very relaxed, but I can only imagine how much fun Lulu's becomes once the sun sets!

Tennessee Pass Cafe

Coconuts

Coconuts
Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Florida

As a native Floridian beach bum turned Coloradan Mountain Bunny, it was amazing to be back at my old stomping grounds for Mother's Day.  I lived in Ft. Lauderdale for 24 years and don't know HOW Coconuts was never on my radar!  Maybe it's because my love of seafood is relatively new, but I spent pretty much my entire 4 years of high school at Ft. Lauderdale Beach!  Regardless, it was a must-try Boy and I had to accomplish during our quick vacation!  

We went for lunch on a Monday afternoon which meant half-off bottles of wine!  Woo hoo!  Day drinking is fun on vacations!  We split a bottle of bubbly white, one of my favorite complements to seafood, especially in the tropics.  Outside.  At noon.  

For an appetizer we split the raw oysters.  The variety is ongoing, and I can't remember the type we had.  It doesn't matter.  They were amazing.  It's hard to get fresher oysters than from a restaurant next door to a fish monger and with a deck that's right on the water!  If it's available I enjoy my oysters with Tabasco Green sauce on a saltine, but they had this amazing champagne vinaigrette to go with them.  Delish!  

They were very reasonably priced, and I loved them.  I love oysters--this is a newfound love for me.  

For entrees we kept with the seafood theme of the trip.  I mean, why not?  Colorado is landlocked.  Florida isn't.  I got the Crabcake BLT (I know, who is the genius who came up with this?!) and Boy got the Lobster Roll.  The crabcake was perfectly cooked, with an abundance of crabmeat and just enough filler to keep it from falling apart.  The bacon was crispy, just the way I like it, and the veggies were extremely fresh.  Boy's lobster roll was all lobster.  It was incredible!  Just a little dressing to bind it.  The bread was perfectly baked!  

I'm not much of a fries girl, but those were fantastic!  I stole a couple from Boy's plate while he was staring at one of the boats docking on the Intercoastal.  Score!

Back in Colorado, I find myself dreaming about the seafood we ate while in Florida--the best coming from Coconuts.  It took me 26 years to find it, but you best believe I'll be back next time I go visit the parents!  

Cheers and good eating, my friends!

The Northside Coffee and Kitchen

In Avon, Colorado, there has been many changes to the local restaurant scene, but the one I'm happy about is the former Pizza Hut (Gross! Processed pizza parts!) becoming The Northside Cafe. It's right off the highway, close to Beaver Creek, and...cheap! Finally! Affordable and near the resort!

Today we went there for lunch. It's cute, with barstool seating and one long table in the middle. We ordered the roasted tomato and red pepper soup and pastrami Reuben. I wish I took photos, but we ate too quickly! The soup was nice and velvety, with the sweetness and richness of the peppers balancing out the roasted tomatoes. The pastrami was lean, yet extremely flavorful. Absolutely scrumptious.

After 2 o'clock, all the pastries are BOGO, which made the Boy quite happy. He's super stoked for the doughnuts in the take home bag I have for him--all made fresh every day! They also have banana breads, beat claws, and a lovely contraption known as the Fried Croissant. Unfortunately, that'll have to wait until next time.

If you rise early, you're in luck! The Northside Cafe opens at 6 am and their breakfast burrito plus a juice/coffee is only 5 bucks! Not bad at all.

The Northside Cafe has only been open for a couple of months, but I look forward to eating there for many years to come!