Out and About: Fair Oaks Farms

I visited Fair Oaks Farms a couple weeks ago with my parents and my son. They were on vacation and wanted to have all these adventures with the little guy before they went back to work - Fair Oaks was just one of them. We thought we'd have a great time doing all fun things a kid can do there: going through mazes, seeing the baby cows and eating at their cafe. Well, none of those even happened with the exception of the cafe. I'm not going to get into the lack of things for a kid (or an adult) to do though - because I think we just went on the wrong day - so I'll keep this food-related.

The cafe...oh, the cafe. The food wasn't up to par and didn't live up to the hype at all. My mom and my son got their 'Almost Famous Grilled Cheese' and I'll tell ya, there's a reason it isn't famous! My son took one bite of his kids meal sandwich and said he didn't like it. I did the mom thing and tried to get him to eat more until I tasted it myself. It was so dry and bland and tasted like melted Cheddar on toast. And it wasn't even good toast! My mom's grilled cheese wasn't as dry, but it wasn't anything to write home about. My dad and I got Cuban sandwiches that were also pretty bland. It was a tad dry and the best part was the mustard packet they put on the side.

Out and About: Lighthouse Restaurant

Every now and then, I take a break from the hustle and bustle of my home life and venture out to experience food that has been prepared by someone other than myself. In other words, I occasionally go out to eat to a restaurant.

I've decided to write about my experiences at these restaurants, in a series titled "Out and About", so I can share my opinions by either suggesting for you to check them out or steer clear of them all together. (Please keep in mind, that these are my honest opinions, and I am not biased or influenced in any way. All meals are either purchased by myself or by a person I am accompanied by.)

My latest outing was what inspired this idea. My sister wanted to take me out for my birthday and dinner at Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake was the natural choice. We had been there a couple times before so we knew it would be good. Plus, I adore their calamari. It is crunchy and tossed with a type of oil and mild pepper mix. It has just the right amount of sweetness and bite. They also know how to actually cook it the right way without making rubbery or bland. The first time I had the calamari, I was in love. I can honestly say that it isn't as good as that first time (is it ever?) but it's still, in my opinion, the best calamari around here.

My main course was a bleu cheese crusted top sirloin steak. Yum, yum, yum! I prefer my steaks between medium and medium-rare which is difficult for some restaurants to make. It's understandable, of course, so I don't blame them for me being picky. This steak, however, was cooked to perfection and the crust added a fantastically tangy flavor. I have absolutely no complaints about it.

I also ordered some garlic mashed potatoes as one of my side dishes. If you aren't a fan of lots of garlic, you should probably leave these potatoes for those that love it. They are infused with a roasted garlic flavor and just the right amount of left-in potato skin. The extra drizzle of butter over the giant mound of mashed goodness is the perfect finish.

Last but not least, I write about my beverage of choice: Lake Side Agave Colada. It's basically a Pina Colada with the Lighthouse Restaurant twist. I love Pina Coladas. They're my favorite drink and it's hard to find a place that makes the coconuty goodness just right way. The Lighthouse made a really good drink. Their take on the classic Pina Colada has Blue Curaco added for that extra, special touch and Agave for a little bit of sweetness. And unlike other restaurants, they didn't skimp on the Rum. Good for you, Lighthouse!

All in all, my experience at the Lighthouse Restaurant in Cedar Lake was quite good. The food was extremely tasty (just like every other time) and the service this past time was great.  No one says anything good about service anymore, so I made sure to tell the manager before we left that our server was excellent.  I place Lighthouse Restaurant high on my recommendation list and I know I'll definitely be going back!

Here is the Lighthouse Restaurant's website if you'd like to check it out:
http://www.cedarlakelighthouse.com/index.html