UNO Chicago Grill’s New Gluten-Free Pizza

Category : Featured Reviews, foodie favorites, travel & eats

My family loves going to Uno Chicago Grill – it’s family friendly with a great Kid’s Menu (let your kids make their own pizza!), well-priced and delicious and we always have a good time. A recent trip to Uno’s to try their new Gluten-Free flatbread pizzas was no exception. My sister-in-law recently went on a Gluten-Free diet and although she has since been able to return to eating foods with gluten, I well remember the struggle to find good food sans that key ingredient, wheat. How would a wheat-free pizza compare to their normal dishes?

We met up with my in-laws for an impromptu get together. As always, the place was busy but we were seated quickly. Of course we had to get our favorite appetizer – their Pizza Skins are out of this world – for anyone who hasn’t had this amazing app, it’s like a cross-breed between pizza and potato skins, this Uno’s Signature dish is a deep dish crust filled with red bliss mashed potatoes, topped with bacon, cheddar and sour cream. It’s fairly big so you could (at least I would) order it as an entrée or share it with the whole table. Honestly, this dish alone has me drooling in anticipation of a future trip to Uno’s.

For dinner we got an assortment of pasta and pizza (choose from deep dish or flatbread) dishes and a few of their awesome salads (I highly recommend the Gorgonzola Walnut Side Salad with mixed lettuces, tomato, red onion, cucumber, honey glazed walnuts, gorgonzola, croutons and low fat blueberry pomegranate vinaigrette). We typically go for the deep dish pizzas, as I am a big fan of a nice, thick crust, but we got the Gluten-Free flatbread to try also. I have to say, for a flatbread pizza, it was delicious. If you didn’t tell me there was no flour in these pizzas, I’d never have known. Of course I preferred my deep dish Chicago Classic (and those delicious Pizza Skins) but seriously, it was just as good as their other Flatbread variety pizzas, so if you are a fan of the thin crust, this would be a super easy transition. My three year old actually liked the Gluten-Free pepperoni pizza better than any of the other foods we got him – he ate it up!

More good news for anyone going Gluten-Free? Uno’s has an entire Gluten-Free menu that you can ask for at your next visit. I definitely recommend their pizzas and I’d venture to say the rest is probably delicious as well. I was very impressed with the pizza and per usual I adored our most recent trip to Uno Chicago Grill. Of course no trip to Uno’s is complete without dessert and I just have to give a shout out to their Mini Sweets – my husband, son and I got the original sized Brownie Bowl to share and it was of course delicious. Their dessert menu is truly out of this world. But – my in-laws each got a dessert from the Mini Sweets menu, which I assumed would be one of the generic shot-glass dessert trifles I’ve seen at all the other restaurants lately – but they were actually just smaller versions of the same good things on the rest of the menu, served on real plates with the same artistic plating flair. So if you can’t agree on a dessert to split, but don’t want a big dessert for yourself, those Mini Sweets looked delicious and according to my in-laws they tasted pretty delicious, too. I will definitely be trying one of them on my next trip to Uno’s – I’ve got my eye on their Mini All American Hot Apple Crumble.

Are you an Uno’s fan? What’s your favorite menu item? Have you tried their new Gluten-Free menu?

NYLO Hotel – Warwick, RI

Category : Featured Reviews, travel & eats

Nylo UneditedNYLO in Warwick, RI is a comfortable swanky urban loft style  hotel close to Providence, the airport, and the train station (coming soon). Every amenity is available, including a gym, restaurant, conference room, library, computer station, and a lot more.  Guaranteed to be a pleasurable stay, the rooms have the most heavenly beds, flat screen televisions, and allergy friendly options.

Upon entering the room, you see custom swanky wooden furniture, Lucite tables, Flor rugs, and rice lantern style lights on a backdrop of concrete. There is fabric all around to soften the hard stone walls and the plush furnishings further the feeling of comfort. This loft style suite is bigger than the other rooms, but the furnishings are similar with an addition of a conference table and roof deck.

On the desk is a Keurig coffee maker with tea and locally roasted coffee next to free bottled water. There is artwork for sale, by local artists, in every room and hallway in the hotel. A faux bar area is cute, but not practical without a stocked mini-fridge. The couch is a pull out, but is big enough to sleep on without even pulling it out. And that’s just the first room into which you walk.

Nylo UneditedThis room leads to both the bedroom and roof deck. The bed is to die for – 5 pillows of ranging softness, layers upon layers of sheets and blankets, a throw pillow and miniature teddy bear on top with an air purifier underneath. The down comforter is sandwiched between a bedspread and sheets. The color scheme is chocolate brown, concrete grey, and tan with pops of white and red – soothing and relaxing at the same time, without being boring.

A curved frosted glass wall separates the bedroom from the bathroom. See the picture as words can not describe how visually stunning that wall is. The bathroom is standard with a toilet, sink, and shower. It’s the finishes that make it special. The sink is a white porecline vessel – the popular style right now. The shower has two heads – one, like taking a shower in the rain, and the other a handheld wall mounted type that adjusts heights.  This bathroom is spa worthy.

The closet space is typical, with the added benefit of a shoe rack. A unique feature is the laundry service, slippers, and bathrobe that make staying at this hotel feel more like being a guest at an inn. The service  by Elizabeth O. was speedy and enjoyed by the whole family with her quick quips during crib delivery.

Overall, a very family friendly hotel that provides a spa like retreat comfort within a city. Only a shuttle ride away from the airport, this hotel comes highly recommended by Mommas Review. Comparably priced, but  better service than other hotels in the area, it’s worth being 15 minutes away from Providence.

Nylo UneditedAnd let’s not forget the roof deck…

About the Momma:

Amanda @ funkEpunkEmonkE.com

Amanda is a homemaker, roller derby vixen, freelance web architect, indie crafter, writer, wife, and mother of two girls. She is a supermom and loves it.

Chili’s Grill & Bar – Review of a Night Out

Category : foodie favorites, travel & eats

It is not very often, as parents, that my husband and I get to go out and enjoy ourselves, child free. I know it’s important to schedule a night a week or a month that is a “date night” with each other. We just never seem to follow through with that. One thing I have learned is if we add another couple into the mix we are less likely to make excuses and back down. 

Chili’s offered us dinner at our local Chili’s Bar and Grille (Shrewsbury, MA) and who were we to say no? We invited Momma Jen and her husband to come with us. It was decided to go in the mid-afternoon so we could enjoy either a movie or some Wii playing afterwards. When we pulled in to our parking spot I immediately laughed at the sign for the spot next to us.

chilis-sign

Chili’s is one of the restaurant that even though it is a “Chain” it makes sure to make the little details count. For example: The door handles at Chili’s are little peppers!

chilis

The server arrived quickly to take our orders and laughed with us over silly jokes. She was quirky and unforgettable which I surely liked.  We began the meal with appetizers, because who can go to Chili’s and not order their Texas Cheese FriesStarter? So far Chili’s has my favorite french fries, the seasoning is spicy, they are crunchy, and it’s the perfect combination of flavor.

When dinner arrived in decent time we were very much pleased. Our of us four the favorite dish was the Bacon Burger that my husband ordered. He oohed and ahhed over it while eating and ate every last bite even after he was full. I had the Fish Sandwich, which was okay. Nothing wow worthy, I wish I had ordered their Create Your Own Combo meal. I would have chosen the Spicy Garlic & Lime Grilled Shrimp and the Chili’s Classic Sirloin.

Our favorite part of the whole meal is dessert. One thing I will suggest, at Chili’s.. save room for dessert! We ordered the Molten Chocolate Cake, which is:

Warm chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling. Topped with vanilla ice cream under a crunchy chocolate shell.

And the Sweet Shots, which are small sampler desserts:

Finish off the festivities with a sweet little ending! Pick your favorite or choose any three to create your own sampler. •Key Lime Pie•Red Velvet Cake•Warm Cinnamon Roll•Warm Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie

We chose the Warm Cinnamon Roll, Warm Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie and the Red Velvet Cake. Out of the three the Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie was by far our favorite. I wanted to lick the shot glass so every drop of the chocolate sauce would be mine. Of course we were in a restaurant so it was not exactly good table manners. So I did refrain.


 

For four people we ordered:

1 Appetizer – 4 Drinks – 4 Entrees – 2 Desserts

The total was just about $60.  That’s about $15/per person! Not too bad for a night out

We would recommend Chili’s for your next night out when you are child free! But save room for appetizers and desserts they truly are the best part.

NYLO Hotel’s “The Loft” restaurant – Warwick, RI

Category : travel & eats

The restaurant inside NYLO (Warwick Location) is similar to a European electronica club at night and isn’t very kid friendly inside. Luckily, there’s a library in the hotel lobby with comfortable benches and pod swings that children love. The restaurant is happy to sit patrons uncomfortable with the atmosphere in the library or bring the food up to the hotel rooms.

The food has a local flair (they call it “regional comfort cuisine”) with dinner items like the fish and chips special with a sweet kick of cinnamon in the batter. The cilantro lime chicken sandwich with avocado cream and sprouts is simple yet delicious. It’s the fries that will keep patrons begging for more.

During the morning and afternoon hours, the restaurant turns into a very kid friendly brunch area. No continental breakfast, but plenty of menu items that are inexpensive and filling. The Belgium waffles with strawberries are just the right size for a full grown man, while the fruit cup is more than enough for a child. There’s a Maine lobster and goat cheese scramble that’s just as delicious as it sounds. The chef’s specialty (not on the menu) is French toast stuffed with hot capicola, balsamic vinegar marinated portabella mushrooms and spinach. Isn’t that to die for?

The best part of the restaurant is the décor designed by Stephane Dupoux of Budha Bar NYC fame. Marina inspired stools that look like pilings, acrylic tables filled with shells, blue vinyl floor, light fixtures that look like conch sells, and a bar curved like a wave all attribute to the New England feel. The décor is artsy and classy – posh and comfortable. There’s even a 3,000- square-foot mahogany terrace overhanging the Pawtuxet River. The decor translates well to show out of town guests the maritime history of Rhode Island and the surrounding region.

NYLO Warwick “The Loft” Restaurant offers an extensive to-go menu available 24 hours a day – ideal for in-room dining, breakfast on the run, or an outdoor picnic. The to-go option is desirable for familys with loud, active, or rambunctios children. Even if you have a perfect angel, dinner is better to-go.

Definately a place to bring the in-laws for Sunday brunch, but leave the kids at home if you’re local. If you have the kids on a trip, order room service!

400 Knight Street
Warwick, RI 02886
866.391.NYLO
401.734.4460


A Rave Review of the hotel will be posted soon, but I want to give you a heads up on this awesome deal:
BOOK YOUR EVENT NOW!
Reserve ten rooms or more and receive a discounted $79.00 room rate. Includes complimentary continental breakfast!
Rooms must be booked and consumed by April 30, 2009. Exclusions may apply. Not applicable to existing reservations & group blocks.

About the Momma:

Amanda @ funkEpunkEmonkE.com

Amanda is a homemaker, roller derby vixen, freelance web architect, boutique owner, wife, and mother of two girls. She is a supermom and loves it.

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