Mountain View Diner - Revitalizing Cuisine

I had just finished up practice and I was famished!  I needed a breakfast...emphasis on the FAST!  I opened up my Yelp! app on my iPhone and up came the Mt View Diner.  What the heck, it looks like it is worth a try.  I am really glad I went.

Now Mt. View is a neighborhood that has a bit of a bad reputation.  That said, the local businesses and community council are working hard to turn that reputation around.  I think the Mountain View Diner is helping out...in a big way.

The diner fresh, clean, and bright with tons of natural light.   There is a lot of seating and a very friendly staff.  I went for breakfast and went with an order of grits, biscuits and gravy, and an omelete (hey, I said I was famished).  Everything needed just a bit more salt, but I would rather have it a little under salted than over salted.

The grits were prepared just like my dad does them.  Add a pad of butter and


Mountain View Diner:

Address - 4133 Mountain View Dr, Anchorage

Phone - 907.277.0553

Website - www.mountainviewdineralaska.com


Overall Recommendation:  This diner is a bright spot in a neighborhood that is working hard to change it's reputation.  Clean, comfortable, bright, and inviting.  Worth a visit.

China Lights - Oriental Cuisine

My review of China Lights Restaurant is my 3rd of three reviews for Mongolian BBQ/Chinese buffets.  While China Lights does not offer a Mongolian BBQ, I am including it in the series because of it's vast buffet.

There is a menu at China Lights, but I have never looked at it.  There is no need to look at a menu when there is such a large buffet with such a huge selection.  There is sushi, kimchi, soup, seafood, and all of the Chinese dishes you would expect in this buffet.  It is vast, and all encompassing.  If you don't see something that appeals to you, just wait!  The staff is constantly bringing out new dishes and refreshing the selection.  They even have a decent selection of desserts...including soft serve ice cream!

I am not suggesting that China Lights offers the best versions of the dishes offered in their buffet, but I have not been disappointed by any of their offerings.  Sometimes quantity and selection is important.  When you are in this situation, go to China Lights!

China Lights:

Address - 9220 Old Seward Hwy, Anchorage and 12110 Business Blvd, Eagle River

Phone - 907.522.5888 (Anchorage) and 907.694.8060 (Eagle River)

Website - www.chinalightsak.com

Overall Recommendation:  I have only ever been to the Anchorage location, but I have to say that it is the best buffet featuring Chinese, Japanese, and Korean dishes.  You can't find a larger selection and variety than China Lights.

Ding How Mongolian BBQ

The Ding How Mongolian BBQ review is the 2nd of my three part series of Mongolian BBQ and Chinese buffets.  The Ding How is a very clean, bright restaurant with a kind of upscale feel.  There is a buffet and a Mongolian BBQ.

I think that restaurants that feature a Mongolian BBQ offer Chinese buffets for people that don't like vegetables (LOL).  There are some good things in the buffet, like broccoli beef, but your best bet is the Mongolian BBQ.  

The Mongolian BBQ offers all of the fresh vegetables, pork, beef, chicken that you come to expect from a good Mongolian BBQ.  The service is friendly, but I have sometimes run into a language barrier.  That said, when you are on the east side of Anchorage, and feeling like some asian cuisine, there isn't too much better.  I say give it a try.

Ding How Mongolian BBQ:

Address - 1241 Muldoon Road, Anchorage 99504

Phone - 907.345.0033

Overall Recommendation:  Very good Mongolian BBQ.  Fairly typical, so-so Chinese buffet.

Twin Dragon Mongolian BBQ

This is my first entry in a series of Chinese food reviews.  The chinese buffet is a ubiquitous thing in Anchorage, and there are a few Mongolian BBQ's in town as well.  I thought I would go ahead and review them in a quick series for comparison.

One of my favorite places to go for a quick, healthy, and tasty meal is Twin Dragon.  They are located near downtown, but they don't seem to be too long of  drive from most of Anchorage.  The inside is a bit drab and aged, but it is clean and casual, and with a friendly staff.

Twin Dragon features not only a Mongolian BBQ, but a Chinese buffet with a limited number of offerings.  In my opinion, it is not worth filling up on the average buffet.  On the other hand, the Mongolian BBQ is quite good.

The BBQ offers the usual beef, pork, and chicken, as well as all of the fresh veggies that you normally  associate with a Mongolian BBQ.  There is no secret formula that I am aware of, just fresh food that is cooked fast and healthy.

Twin Dragon Mongolian BBQ:

Address - 615 E 15th Ave, Anchorage 99501

Phone - 907.276.7535

Overall Recommendation:  Go for the BBQ, leave the buffet.

VIP Restaurant - Korean

As a swim coach I have families with kinds of different ethnic backgrounds.  I have had a Korean family on my team who eats at the VIP once a week, and they rave about it.  Recently I took my wife and we gave it a try.

banchan

The ambience is pretty generic, but the service was fast and friendly.  We had not really had Korean before, so my wife tried the bibimbap while I tried a spicy squid and vegetable dish.  We were both very pleased with the meal.  To be honest, I was sweating through mine, but it was a pleasant heat that I got from the food.

The dinner came with an array of banchan, which is a variety of small dishes with vegetables, pickles, etc.  I would pick from the banchan and augment a bite of my squid dish.  With so many choices, it was like getting a different palate sensation with each bite.

Bibimbap

The bibimbap (mixed meal) came in a bowl with vegetables, an egg, and beef.  You literally mix it together yourself and go to town!  My wife loved it!  There are a variety of bibimbap to choose from, and I can't imagine any of them are bad.

Both of use were both stuffed afterward, but without much guilt.  Most of the meal is vegetables, and pretty healthy.  Not to bad for someone who is watching what they eat.



VIP Restaurant:

Address - 555 W Northern Lights Blvd, #105, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.279.7549

Overall Recommendation:  When Korean families I know rave about the authenticity of the food, I know it must be good.  I think it is a stand out for ethnic food in Anchorage.  Be adventurous and give it a try.

Granny B's Cafe - Hole in the wall that fills hole in stomach

I drove past this hole in the wall, old time strip mall, full parking lot, and made a mental note..."Gotta give Granny B's a try".  Today I did, and I am really glad I finally did.  Granny B's is a little gem on the south edge of Spenard, on Tudor.

Granny B's offers up a small menu with breakfast and lunch.  They serve it up fresh, fast, and friendly...with generous portions.  I am a breakfast lover, and I was famished, so I ordered up Nat's Omelet: grilled turkey, crispy bacon, and swiss cheese.  For an extra $1 I traded up my toast for a biscuit, and then ordered a side of gravy.

The omelet was above average, but filled with a hearty blend of turkey, bacon, and swiss, and then topped with more swiss and more bacon.  With the side of crispy hash browns (just the way I like them) it would have been more than enough.  But wait!  Don't forget that biscuit and gravy!

In my opinion there is only one place in Anchorage with a better biscuit and gravy (my beloved Spenard Roadhouse).  These are fresh and piping hot, and the gravy has a nice sausage/gravy ratio.

Granny's is not going to blow you away with fancy culinary offerings like the Spenard Roadhouse, but it is perfect for what it has to offer.  This is a cozy little place with great historical photos and blue collar dishes.  I doubt you will be disappointed, and hey, any place that actually has a condiment table with a variety of hot sauces from which to choose is pretty great in my book.

Granny B's Cafe:

Address - 1201 W Tudor Road, Suite 2, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.563.0476

Overall Recommendation:  This cozy little place is worth a try.  Cash Only!  They don't accept credit or debit cards!

Turkey Red - Sophistication with a Mission...in the Mat-Su

I was in the Mat-Su with my in laws and used my Yelp iPhone app to discover my current Mat-Su favorite...Turkey Red.  Until Turkey Red, I had no idea that Palmer had an upscale restaurant, let alone one with such a great mission:

Turkey Red is dedicated to serving fresh, high quality, local and organic ingredients prepared in traditional ways with care and creativity. We purchase and employ locally to: 

• Retain money in the community

• Promote Local Agriculture

• Increase flavor and nutrition of food

• Lower energy use

 The well-trained staff will provide the most thorough and caring service. Our top priority is happy customers. Turkey Red is the inspiration of local cook, caterer and gardener, Alex Papasavas.

Let me say up front...Mission Accomplished!

That said, let me write about my dinner at Turkey Red.  We started with the Hummus and Crostini ai Funghi appetizers.  The Hummus could have used a bit more salt, but it was unrivaled in rich creaminess.  The Crostini ai funghi was simple and delicious, with sautéed Portobello served over the bread.  We combined the appetizers with a biodynamic Maryhill, Sangiovese from Washington state...perfect!

For an entree, I went with the light and fresh Chicken brushetta.  The thin slices of grilled chicken breast were incredibly tender, and topped with fresh tomato and basil.  I could tasted the garden freshness of the topping, as well as the fresh sautéed side of vegetables.  This dish was a wonderful light option to what could be an overfilling meal.

The four of us shared a couple of desserts.  We tried the yogurt cheesecake with raspberries, and the chocolate flourless cake...also with raspberries.  Besides going perfectly with our choice of wine, these two desserts each satisfied palate in different ways.  The cheesecake was both light and fruity on the palate, while the chocolate cake satisfied the need for richness and sweetness.  Alternating bites of each, along with sips of the Sangiovese, was an amazing way to finish the meal.  Our group was all smiles!

The food was great, but the best part of the meal may have been the friendly waitstaff!  So friendly and pleasant, it was an absolute pleasure to be waited on by our server and the support staff.  It has been a while since I was so happy with a restaurant's service.  A huge thumbs up from the diners in my group.

Turkey Red:

Address - 550 S Alaska St, Suite 100, Palmer, AK 99645

Phone - 907.746.5544

Website - www.turkeyredak.com

Overall Recommendation:  Turkey Red is a wonderful little restaurant with the freshest variety of locally inspired dishes.  I would recommend this restaurant on it's commitment to keep money local alone.  The tasty food is just a bonus.

El Tango - Hearty Latin American Fare

Several years ago I had some friends, who had lived in South America, take me to the El Tango Restaurant, and I thought it was high time I took my wife so she could experience some authentic Latin American fare.  Like I really need an excuse to have good food!

It is important to remember that Latin American does not necessarily mean Mexican.  In fact, if you go to El Tango expecting to get a taco, you will be disappointed.  El Tango serves up authentic Argentinian, Columbian, and Puerto Rican dishes, and they are generous...and delicious.

We started off with Argentinean empanadas and calamari.  The calamari was good, but the empanadas may have been the stars of the meal.  These handmade flour shells were filled with tasty ground beef, eggs, and olives.  My wife and I loved them.  These little pastries definitely got the old juices flowing for dinner, but I was half tempted to just keep ordering more of these little delights.  Given the size of my entree', I am glad I controlled myself.

For my entree' I chose the Victoria's Grill.  This Argentinian dish features short rib, skirt steak, chicken breast, Argentinean Sausage, Morcilla, Veal Kidneys, and Sweetbreads.  The entire meal comes served in a large grill pan (with candles underneath) sizzling with the variety of meats, sausages, and organs.  I think the short rib, skirt steak and chicken was all fine, but I was especially pleased with the other, more exotic offerings.  The Argentinean Sausage was savory and had plenty of snap.  The kidney was firm and seasoned just right.  The sweetbreads (thymus) were tender and savory, with an almost creamy texture.  The Morcilla (blood sausage) was my favorite.  I have not had a blood sausage before, and I am not sure what I expected, but it was great!  It was meatier than I would expect from a "blood" sausage, and seasoned so as to be mildly savory....excellent texture.

The Victoria's Grill is easily enough to serve two people (maybe 3 or 4).  Come with an apetite.  I am looking forward to going back and trying some Columbian or Puerto Rican dishes.

El Tango:

Address - 4300 Old Seward Hwy

Phone - 907.770.2888

Website - www.eltangoak.com

Overall Recommendation:  I like El Tango for the variety it offers when considering date night options.  The portions are very generous and the meals tasty.  I have been told by friends who have lived in South America, that El Tango's food is very authentic.  Give it a try....and be prepared to bring home a doggy bag.