Sarah "5,001 character limit???!!?" T.'s Profile
Date
On two days notice, they made me a huge chocolate cake with mousse filling with a perfect Star Trek design on top. They went above and beyond by adding flourishes of frosting in matching colors. The cake was totally perfect, and my boyfriend loved it.
In terms of price, its what you would expect for a high-quality HUGE cake. I paid $41 and my cake had approximately 20-25 servings.
I highly recommend the cake gurus at Nadines, don't hesitate to have them make your next custom cake!
Raul cut my boyfriend's hair exactly to his liking, and even included a free shave! The experience was amazing. I have no complaints - they even gave us 25% off coupons for next time. I'll post Raul's card, which you can use to get that discount.
Don't hesitate - give Fringe a try. It's a great salon and you'll walk out feeling amazing.
Tucson, AZ 85701
(520) 623-4477
Sparkroot
Categories:
Coffee & Tea,
Beer, Wine & Spirits,
Sandwiches
It is a beautiful place, and I enjoy going there, but I wish it was a little more affordable.
1 Previous Review:
-
8/8/2011 ROTD 10/12/2011 First to Review
I just ate a vegan lunch.
Yes, me. I'm a definite meat eater, but I ordered and ate vegan food.
How was it? Awesome. Allow me to elaborate. I don't normally review restaurants after my first visit, but my excitement over Sparkroot is forcing me to break the rules. Sparkroot just opened today (August 8) at the corner of Congress and 5th, next door to Xoom Juice. Both Xoom and Sparkroot are owned by the same guy, Ari, and they share a healthy mission and modern vibe.
Sparkroot is one part cafe, one part healthy restaurant, and one part bar. Their three part menu is split between coffee, tea, and soda; food; and beer and wine. Everything on the menu has a healthy spin.
When you enter Sparkroot, the unmistakable Repp aesthetic surrounds you. Metal, concrete, exotic wood, red, and recycled materials are used throughout the restaurant's two levels. The staircase leading up to a loft area is polished steel and it has a killer view of Congress Street outside. A long bar also faces Congress Street, offering a perfect vantage point for peoplewatching. Tables range in size from 2 people to 6 or 7, giving an eclectic feel that should encourage socializing with friends.
For computer users and laptop warriers, there are plenty of power outlets available and fast internet that is password protected.
But, back to the food. I ordered the Vegan Cheddar, Spinach, Tomato, and Sprouts pressed sandwich. It was prepared right in front of me in the exhibition kitchen/prep area. The sandwich was perfectly gooey and the ciabatta bread was delicious and soft. I could taste the freshness of the ingredients, and could barely taste the difference between real cheddar and the vegan alternative. The sandwich was accompanied by a juicy pickle spear. To finish off the meal, I ordered a pair of vegan truffles for $1.50. They were super yummy and arrived chilled and rolled in coconut.
So, congrats Sparkroot on getting this meat-eater to enjoy a fully meatless meal :)
I had to give the coffee a try while visiting Sparkroot, it would be a shame not to! They serve the San Francisco favorite, Blue Bottle Coffee. The coffee menu is stripped down and basic, as it should be. I tried an iced latte for here. It was served in an adorable mason jar and tasted good. I don't want to pass final judgment on the coffee quite yet, but the latte I had was nicely done. I'll be coming back to try more. I'm not sure how it stacks up against the other coffee purveyors in town yet.
Well, that about wraps up my first visit to Sparkroot. I'm excited to see how it fits into the rapidly growing downtown scene.
PV is how I reward myself after work. I could go every day and never tire of my favorite entree, the casual atmosphere, and that delicious prosecco cheesecake. It's so easy to unwind with their delicious food and wine. It's also a perfect place for business lunches.
Every time I eat at PV (which is at least 1-2x per week) I order the chicken and mozzarella salad. It's a gargantuan salad served on a pizza plate. Butter lettuce and shaved parmesan are surrounded by delectable chunks of grilled chicken, ripe tomatoes, and scrumptious spheres of fresh mozzarella. With a bit of fresh pepper and a generous drizzle of balsamic vinegar, its about as close to heaven as you can get without dying. Pair it with some crispy garlic toast and you'll already be planning your next PV visit.
My favorite time to go to PV is two hours before closing, which is when reverse happy hour begins. Half off drinks? Sign me up. I love getting a glass of wine, and the boys get $1.50 Morettis.
The perfect way to end the meal is with an indulgent slice of cheesecake served with prosecco sauce. I usually share with a friend, because the salad is very filling. You definitely get your money's worth.
I could probably stop the review right there. That peanut butter ice cream was SO good, and paired with ultra-rich chocolate cake, it was about as close to heaven as you can get. Thanks to Corey for hooking us up with dessert!
This event gave my boyfriend and I a great introduction to DK+C. We had never stopped by before, and had no idea that there was a late-night scene. Now I know that DK+C offers very affordable, tasty, inventive food options; from chorizo to calamari, all under 6 dollars!
I suspect that we'll be coming back soon to enjoy the ambiance and the affordable, delicious late-night snacks. It's a perfect spot to hang out with friends after dark.
Wow! Not only is the restaurant very modern and aesthetically interesting, with lots of comfy seating, the frozen yogurt is phenomenal.
There are two sizes of cups to choose from, big and huge. Then you have to make the most important decision of all - what flavor(s) of froyo to choose! They don't make it easy, with 12 different flavors ranging from raspberry to Reese's peanut butter.
The topping bar seemed extensive and well-organized.
I decided to try three flavors - Reese's peanut butter, cookies and cream, and chocolate. They were all great. I loved the texture of the froyo, which didnt suffer from the iciness/ grittiness you find at other yogurt shops. U-Swirl froyo is really thick and creamy. I probably got too much, not anticipating how thick and filling it would be! The standout flavor was definitely the Reese's peanut butter, which had so much flavor. I didn't even need toppings to enjoy it!
Another cool thing about U-Swirl is their Frequent Swirler Card, which entitles you to a free cup after you buy 9. I can see this place becoming popular with the after-lunch crowd and people frequenting the El Con movie theater nearby.
I will definitely be ditching the "other" fro yo place in favor of U-Swirl, which has the same hours, better fro yo, and a cooler atmosphere. Highly recommended for all fro yo lovers one and all!
That is Habana.
I found Habana on Yelp while visiting Newport Beach / Costa Mesa. We were only in town a week but ate two Habana dinners because we loved it so much. Both times, we had a 45 minute wait but there were plenty of things to do at the Lab - shopping, browsing, relaxing in the gorgeous modern lounge area built with oil drums and concrete. It's one of the only times in my very impatient life I've enjoyed waiting to eat. ;)
We sat on the patio, which was perfect. The flickering candlelight, the rough-hewn table, and the din of conversation just added to the ambiance of intimacy and made cell phones and modern technology seem anachronistic.
For drinks, we tried several based upon our excellent waitress' suggestions. Unfortunately, I can't remember the exact names, but I highly recommend that drink menu. Yum. My friends ordered sangria and were very, very impressed.
For the appetizer, I had to try the croquetas! I've been craving them since I was overseas. Habana's croquetas didn't disappoint. They arrived hot and sizzling in a cast iron skillet. Oozy cheese, perfect jamon, crispy crust mmm. I totally loved the sauce that they sat on top of. Not ashamed to admit I scraped that skillet clean.
My favorite entree that I tried was the plantain-crusted chicken. It was just the right balance of sweet and savory. Served alongside some amazing mashed potatoes, that chicken was heaven.
We finished off both meals with dessert. First, the flan, which didn't skimp on the caramel. Second, the Caffe Cubano (?) which was totally indulgent with deep chocolate and espresso.
I absolutely loved my meals at Habana, and would highly recommend it. The ambiance is incredible, the service was great, and the food is unique. One last piece of advice: sit on the patio. Just trust me there.
Walk into BK and you'll see two things everywhere: TVs showing Selena Gomez videos, and random tin signs of every origin. Seat yourself in a wooden booth and a friendly and efficient waitress will come to introduce the menu and take drink orders. I always get horchata, because, why not? Horchata is so delicious and refreshing, and while BK's is fairly standard, its cold and you get free refills!
The menu is stocked with mexican favorites from steak to burros to tortas. I absolutely love the caramelos with carne asada. The carne asada is the star of BK's - tender, juicy, perfectly spiced, and 110% addictive.
Whenever I go to BK's, my bill is always under $10 no matter how much I eat. Oftentimes, its only $5-6! How do they make money with these prices? I don't know, and I don't want to know. Cheap food this good is hard to come by.
After going to BK's, my perception of Mexican fast food changed forever. Sorry Taco Bell, its not me, its you.
The menu looked great - tons of beers, an assortment of gourmet burgers, and all sorts of appetizer options. My boyfriend ordered the Bearnaise burger with a Shock Top, and I ordered the BBQ Bacon and Cheddar burger with a soda.
Here's where the experience started to go downhill. The beer arrived quickly, but my soda never showed. The server went off and stood in a corner watching one of the TVs and paid no attention to us for quite a while. I was so thirsty! We didn't even have water. Finally, I flagged down a bus boy and asked him to get me a soda. It eventually got there, right when I was starting to doubt that it would EVER show up.
When the burgers arrived, I dug in eagerly. The burger was just OK. The bacon was in small supply, and overdone to boot. The burger also tasted overcooked, definitely not medium rare like I'd ordered. It was unexceptional and kind of disappointing. My boyfriend ate his burger but also mentioned that it was overdone and didn't really have the bearnaise flavor he was expecting.
Service continued to be pretty terrible for the remainder of the meal. We left, disappointed, having spent a hefty chunk of change for just an OK burger.
1 List
"I expect the best."
- 21 Friends
- 41 Reviews
- 2 Review Updates
- 5 Firsts
- 31 Quick Tips
- 2 Fans
- 221 Local Photos
- 1 List
-
Rating Distribution
Loading...
- View more graphs »
Review votes:
137 Useful, 53 Funny, and 77 Cool
Tucson, AZ
Yelping SinceJuly 2009
Things I Lovephotography, tucson, filet mignon, apple products, world travel, macaroni and cheese, champagne, leather, skeleton keys, concerts, chanel, graffiti art, goulash, iced tea, of montreal, coffee shops, creme brulee, stars, natalie portman, fresh mozzarella
Find Me Ina coffee shop.
My HometownTucson, AZ
My Blog Or Website When I'm Not Yelping...I'm probably taking pictures.
Why You Should Read My ReviewsI love eating more than I love my waistline.
My Second Favorite Website The Last Great Book I Read"The City & The City" by China Miéville
My First ConcertDeath Cab for Cutie
My Favorite MovieGarden State
My Last Meal On EarthBeef Wellington with Polenta & Asparagus.
Most Recent DiscoveryGoat Cheese. On Everything.
Current Crush
My tattoo is very, very simple, and when you want something that simple, there's no room for error or embellishment. Accuracy and precision are paramount. That's what drew me to Josh and Sanctity.
I dropped by on Saturday with my design (a few lines of text typeset in Garamond) and, after speaking with Josh about what I wanted, scheduled an appointment. When you set up an appointment, expect to put down a $50 deposit to hold your spot - it comes off the total cost of your tattoo later.
The shop itself is super clean, with plenty of seating and inspirational tattoo magazines to peruse while you wait. The walls showcase the fantastic work of the tattoo artists.
Josh thoroughly discussed the design with me and gave me benefit of his experience by recommending a slightly different orientation. I'm so glad he did! The tattooing process itself was a breeze - Josh had a deft hand and rendered my design perfectly. We chatted the whole time.
I should also mention that, as Marie said in an earlier review, Sanctity will refuse bad designs and bad ideas. I totally respect that, and think its awesome. While I was in the shop, they turned away a bro who wanted a huge, complicated design on the inside of his lip and suggested he go for something simpler or consider another placement for the tattoo. That deserves mad props, and I'm sure his mother will be grateful. :P
As for the final product, I love it. It's *exactly* what I wanted and I have no doubt I will be back at Sanctity very soon to get a few more of my ideas inked :)