Taverna - Short & Sweet

I'll keep this one short and sweet. Taverna is a recommended pick on our favorites list, but I can't help but mention it, since we took my mother-in-law to eat there over this past weekend.

Not only do they get the dinner right every time, if you are looking for a great place to have brunch - you should definitely give them a try.

I don't know that I have ever had anything less than excellent from the menu. I do my best to try something new every time we go. This time I tried the Eggplant Parmesan and what a feast for my eyes and stomach. It was nothing like a standard parmesan dish - stacked with eggplant, cheese and sauce - it was almost like a baked lasagna. Wonderful.

Foodie's husband gets the Balsamic Risotto with Chicken just about every time we go. Yeah a guy eats Risotto and likes it!

There are so many great things on the menu - it's hard to keep it short. There are items for all taste buds and prices to please all.

Recommended to make reservations on the weekend (or expect to wait!).

Ranking: 5 Carrots

Cafe Modern - It sparked The Start

Overall this was a great experience. If you have never been inside the Modern Museum, it is definitely something you should do. If you are not a fan of modern art, then grabbing brunch over the weekend is a great way to enjoy the wonderful architecture and landscaping - a view only available inside the museum.

They provide several options for both vegetarian and vegan alike. This made my heart jump for joy, since I have an exceptionally hard time trying to find a restaurant that provides at a minimum a decent vegetarian option, much less anything without dairy or eggs.

As a starter each table is provided fresh baked scones. These were some of the best scones I have ever tasted. I chose to try the Modern Omelet, and wow what a surprise. The Omelet was fluffy and stuffed so full it was overflowing on the plate. I was very skeptical about the stewed tomato, but it gave the egg, feta and mushroom a nice acidic balance. The potato's were seasoned nicely and were cooked well.

Foodie's Husband started with the Winter House Salad - which was presented beautifully, but for my taste that is where it ended. I found the salad dressing to be completely bland for the robust spinach. After tasting his, I wouldn't order it again. But he found it "okay". For his main entree he ordered the Chicken Fried Benedict. What an original twist on a great classic. It was "chicken fried" pork tenderloin on an English Muffin, topped with the poached egg and hollandaise sauce. I don't think it was too bad - he cleared his plate, and if it wouldn't have looked bad - he might have licked the plate. I have to say, it looked and smelled wonderful.

I do have to give you the entire picture. Don't expect them to be super snappy. It took a little longer than it should have to receive our coffee and water. We also received his starter salad before we received the complementary scones. I also overheard from the table behind us that his Ian's Shepherd's Pie was, "all potatoes and no meat." So, they of course took his plate back and tried again. It looked like he kind of dug around in the new one and wasn't overly impressed with the second attempt, but didn't say anything. We were finished before they were, so I wasn't able to see the final outcome.

Ranking: 4 Carrots

The Start

So, my husband and I are having brunch last Sunday at Cafe Modern (located in the Modern Art Museum), and it dawns on me - we enjoy trying new restaurants, love to eat and really really like passing on our experiences.  We have both tossed around starting a blog, but have never really had anything that just was life changing.  We have friends that blog about re-doing their historic home (we don't have this), friends who blog about their pregnancy/baby (we don't have this either).  

What better way to share our passion of good dining and great experiences.  

Of course, we also have a unique dining requirement. Approximately 7 to 8 months ago I made a lifestyle change, and I will no longer eat meat - and I mean no meat (fish included).  I also try to steer clear of all dairy and egg products (Yes, that would be Vegan).  So, when I review I will definitely be taking this in to consideration.  My husband would take a great piece of meat any day of the week - so don't worry - we won't leave you carnivores out.

We hope you all enjoy, and most of all hope that our experiences are helpful as you plan a special occasion or just want to know a great place to get a bite to eat.