Restaurants and chocolate

For a while this summer Kyle and I were so great about getting babysitter to go out to dinner once a month.  Going out in Sac felt like we were finally getting back in on the food scene.

Back in July we went to Grange.  It’s attached to the Citizen Hotel, which isn’t in the best part of town but seems to be in the process of gentrification Starbucksification.  Anyway, I already blogged about that meal, but we had some leftover money on a gift card so we went a few weeks later for brunch.  With the kids.

V mulling over her menu while noshing on a crayon.

Even though P has outgrown several allergies, it’s still not safe for him to eat from a restaurant kitchen so we brought food for him.  V, however, can grub with the best of them.  It’s so fun ordering my little sweet pea her own entree because then I can order my second choice (I’m so indecisive!) under the guise of it being for her (when really I am getting two things for myself to “split” with her). 😉

V got a savory combo platter with scrambled eggs, bacon, toast and fruit.  <– all for $8!!

I got the French toast.

And Kyle got the benedict on hash brown waffles!  How awesome does that sound!!

V wasn’t the easiest to manage but she did flirt with every single person at the restaurant thereby getting us in their good graces with our slightly rowdy table.  Grange’s staff was great and we all enjoyed our food, so it was a successful family outing.  Plus we hit up McKinley park which is such a good park.  It sounds ridic to praise a children’s park when we have 100 awesome ones in Davis, but McKinley is pretty dang cool.

In August we went to The Press Bistro for our anniversary.

Here’s my handsome husband of six years.

I think I deleted the pic he took of me?  The meal was great, as was the dessert we made our way to afterwards…

Ginger Elizabeth was a few blocks away so obviously we walked over so I could get some truffles.  Most of the sweets never got photographed, but here’s the portion that I saved for the next night.  The bark had pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds but the truffles were definitely the highlight.

As I’m sure you all know by now, I’m a chocolate fiend.

It’s all I can do to keep my habit to a reasonable degree, but if I’m being honest with myself, it’s usually pretty prettyyyyy unreasonable.  

So Kyle got me this for our anniversary.  Because he is the best.  And it was basically better than Christmas.

The boxes lasted a week. Each. That’s not too too bad, right?  3-4 a night (with some other stuff too) seems appropriate.  I can’t even tell you which my faves are/were.  I adore all See’s nuts and chews and when you go to the store or order online (done both!) you can get all the rare ones that don’t come in the pre-made box sets.  They make some phenomenal things, I tell you what.

Oh chocolate.

😀

I don’t even speak that language.

Honestly, I like the TJs knockoff better.

And speaking of TJs chocolate.

I hesitate telling the world about this, but as long as you don’t infringe on my Davis store’s stash we are cool.

OF freakin’ COURSE it is seasonal.  I’ve been getting one a week (because that’s respectable) but on my last trip to the store I found out October was the last month they were carrying them.

So guess what I did?

I bought 6.  And then they asked me if I wanted to reserve a case.  To which I said “how many are in a case?” And they replied “48”.  HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!  I am not that insane…yet?  So I reserved part of the case.  And they are going to call me when it’s in.  I’m considering it my birthday present to myself.  Don’t judge me.

A bar a day for our trip to Boise.  Only we were there for 4 days so I guess I had a little more than that.

This heavenly number combines salty roasted macadamias and marshmallows and dark chocolate.  SO THERE’S THAT.

Ok, I’ll share more chocolate later.  This is getting my sweet tooth in a state.