Cowboy Ciao

Michael — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:00:02 +0000

Four words can sum up Cowboy Ciao, wine, wine and great food. Notice I used the word wine twice that’s because the restaurant boasts an impressive 10,000 bottle wine list!!! It’s simply massive, but can be overwhelming to the average wine drinker. Don’t hesitate to ask the staff for recommendations as they are full of them. They also offer a variety of red and white wine flights that include three different glasses of wine for an extremely reasonable price. For this avid wine drinker though, the list is sublime. Everything from eastern and western shore Bordeaux’s to blends from Columbia Valley boutique vineyards to Malbecs from Chile. There’s a glass, bottle or magnum for anybody. Enough with the wine onto the food.

Like the wine, the food can also be overwhelming to the average foodie. Don’t get me wrong, this place serves modern American classics like short ribs, filet mignon, salmon, lamb etc etc, but Chef Bernie Kantak and his team have put a Southwestern or Global twist on just about every dish. The filet mignon is espresso rubbed, the salmon is pistachio crusted and the shorts ribs are doused in a cherry BBQ sauce that is simply divine. Okay enough with the over flowery sentences here I am getting carried away. Onto the honest review.

We’ve visited Cowboy Ciao twice and enjoyed (for the most part) the following:

Stetson Chopped Salad…Odd, but tasty take on the classic salad
Testosterone Salad…A meal unto itself loaded with beef tenderloin and Maytag blue cheese
Exotic Mushroom Pan Fry…A mushroom lover’s (i.e. My Mum) dream
Slow-Roasted Short Ribs…Tasty, but a little too much fat on the ribs
“We’re Number One” Ahi Tuna…Not worth it. Tuna was overcooked.
Pistachio Crusted Salmon…Best cooked salmon I have ever tasted.

Now for some things we didn’t enjoy. While the desserts have wordy titles and the wait staff sing their praises, neither myself or my dining partners were impressed. Walk over to Sprinkles or Gellato Spot if you want to enjoy some post dinner indulgence. Reservations are a must and if you don’t have one, don’t expect to get seated before 9 or 10pm on the weekends.

Check Please:

Appetizers: $6-$20
Main Dish: $20-$36
Desserts: $4-$10

Last Thoughts:

It’s all about the wine
Reservations are a must! Utilize OpenTable.com
Friendly, attentive service
Desserts are wordy, but not impressive

www.cowboyciao.com
Click here to for directions to Cowboy Ciao

Oreganos Pizza Bistro

brittney — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:11:20 +0000

Anyone who is familiar with the area knows that Oregano’s is a valley-wide treasure. If you can handle the wait which greatly varies given the day, time and specific location, you’ll definitely love the food.

The atmosphere is one of a small, casual, intimate diner set in the 40s and 50s. Unfortunately the music is from that time period as well and they play it over and over and over. However if you’re not one of the wait staff it probably won’t bother you over the course of your meal.

The menu is extensive with pizza/salad/pasta as their specialties. Every dish is huge and easily split between two or more people. They are also known for their cookie/ice cream dessert Pizza Cookie as well as their Bellinis. Best of all, the price is extremely cheap!

The local chain recently merged with a national resturant company. There is a good possibility you will see Oregano’s Pizza Bistros across the U.S. Hopefully their great price and casual atmosphere stay the same.

Overall Cost Estimate:

Appetizer’s: $4-$7
Entrees: $8-12
Beer: $4 – $5
Wine: $5-7

Overall Thoughts:

Great inexpensive food
Wonderful place to take someone visiting from out of town
Be prepared to search for a parking spot and possibly wait in line

Talking Dish » visitors

Cowboy Ciao

Oreganos Pizza Bistro