When it comes to eating out it can really be a gamble. Sometimes you roll 7 and other times it a crap shoot. That’s the way it seems to me. It’s not all about the classiness of an establishment because some places can seem on the up and up. Then the food isn’t up to par or even worse their kitchen doesn’t meet your standards let alone the industry’s standards.

I recently had brunch, well attempted to have brunch with my girlfriends at Cafe Circa. What a disappointment. I should have known that it wasn’t going to be good because when we stepped in the restaurant I got a whiff of dirty mop water..eww. I still decided to give it a chance. Since this is supposed to be a quickie I’ll keep the run down short and sweet. I didn’t care for the apples in the parfait, the chicken and waffles I ordered managed to come with a side of feathers, the french toast was mushy, slightly burnt with a bitter flavor having been soaked in rum…oh and the biscuits were hard due to them re-heating them in the microwave. Need I really say more? I would have to give Cafe Circa 2 thumbs down in a zero formation…a definite loss.

Later in the week I was invited to a celebratory dinner for my friend’s birthday. It was at a little place called, Papi’s. Apparently it was so little I kept driving past it, even though my GPS kept telling me I had arrived. From the outside it was not screaming extravagance, not even when you step inside did it change. Where the change became apparent was in the food and the service. So the drinks are strong, the tostones are like most but the accompanying sauce amazing, the ropa vieja was seasoned well and tender and the black beans were on point. Papi’s would get my money time and time again. I give them 2 thumbs up in a rub my belly formation.

Until my next meal out. I hope you find your way to somewhere new to try. And while your there make tons of memories. Now get off the blog and go make memories already.

~The Chef In Pearls