Rachel Ray is just too energetic for me. Try as I might, I cannot make one of her "30 Minute Meals" in less than 60 minutes and I when I am finished, I am too tired to eat the meal. However, I picked up a good tip from her on one of her travel shows, "Ask a local for a restaurant recommendation."
Saturday, Robert and I decided to take advantage of one of our few free days this fall to wander through Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. We planned to finish off our excursion with a stop at Patsy's candies in Manitou Springs. We hadn't been to Manitou Springs in quite a few years and, sadly, we were reminded why. We could not for the life of us find a parking place. I could digress and talk about people who take two places when one would do, but...
So we went off to the Patsy's factory on 21st in Colorado Springs. Robert is a fan of the rosecup mints and I'm rather fond of the butterscotch popcorn. There might have been some Christmas shopping going on as well, but I'm not telling.
Our shopping done and the sweet teeth sated,, it was time for real food. We so rarely go to the Colorado Springs area lately that we had no idea where to eat. I asked the clerk for her recommendations, adding "I'm a vegetarian." She said, "So am I" and suggested that Jake & Telly's between 26th and 27th on West. Colorado Avenue in Old Colorado City had some of the best falafel she'd ever had. I was sold.
Actually, I saw no mention of falafel anytwhere on the menu, but the food was great, the service was attentive, but nor obtrusive and we'll find many more reasons to visit Old Colorado City, all of them including Jake and Telly's.
Along with the menus comes a plate of what must be housemade pita (delish -- as long as we have a little Rachel Ray theme going) with Balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
We ordered Saganaki, that wonderful sheep's milk Kasseri cheese served flaming and extinguished with lemon juice. I didn't take a picture. In fact, I didn't take my phone with me -- talk about a real vacation day!
By the time our main courses arrived, Robert remembered he had his phone with him, so I refreshed myself on taking pictures with his cell phone and we got pictures of his Salmon Mediterraneo -- an attractive dish if Alaskan sockeye salmon on Greek rice and seasonal vegetables , finished with a lemon caper butter sauce.Robert had already done a bit of nibbling before I mastered the cellphone camera. Apologies, dear reader.
I was absolutely overloaded with the Vegetarian Mixed Mezze with grilled zucchini, eggplant and red pepper; gigantes beans, Spanakopita, Dolmadakia, Feta, olives, hummus, tzatziki, Tiropita and pita.The leftovers were more than I could finish for lunch the next day and made a nice afternoon snack. As you can see from the picture, it is hard to arrange so much food artfully. Try as I am sure they did, it just looks like an incredible amount of food on a plate!
There was absolutely no way we were going to eat dessert, but the menu was seriously tempting with baklava, stuffed figs, Greek yogurt and much more.
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