Love Handles

I checked out the "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" website from the Food Network to see if any Milwaukee joints were featured. There are 3 - and we illegally hit two this weekend (so not part of the 2009 budget, but an understandable indulgence due to some bad news last week).

Last night we ate at Cempazuchi (Mexican - yes!), located at the end of our block (double yes!). This is pretty much amazing and here is why: when future blizzards occur and we are on the receiving end of 47 inches of snow and driving is not an option, margaritas will still be in walking distance!

Jon had a spicy pork burrito and I had chicken enchiladas with mole sauce, which were so delicious. First time I've had mole - there were so many flavors in it. This one had chocolate, coffee, and 17 other ingredients I forgot. Apparently, the chef makes a different kind of mole everyday. It was awesome, and Jon admitted my dinner was better. Yes, I cherish those small victories.

This morning we headed to Comet Cafe. All I can say is co-rrect. So freaking good. 1. Bloody Mary, which comes with a brussel sprout (even Jon loved), mushroom and green olive on a pirate sword toothpick, two slices of bacon in the glass, a splash of beer mixed in and . . . a "chaser" of beer to follow. The chaser turned out to be a mini bottle of the champagne of beers, Miller High Life.

Um, not really a "chaser" as it was more than half of a regular beer. (Have I mentioned people like beer here?) The bacon was delicious! Yeah, you can't see it in the picture since it was the first thing Jon and I ate.

2. Breakfast burrito for Jon. 3. Egg, cheese, corned beef and sriracha (spicy Asian sauce) burrito for me. 3. Plus one massive pancake on the side just because it was so ridiculously large, we had to order it. Oh man, was the corned beef burrito amazing. I may have had a bowl of cereal this morning before we left (what? I get hangry), and then proceeded to eat more of my burrito than Jon because it was so tasty I could not stop shoving it in my mouth. Jon stated that if there was any actually left over, he would be eating it for his lunch.

Have I written about the fact that all I do in Milwaukee is eat? Elastic waistbands are my newest frenemy.

This pancake was the size of a charger plate. The regular order has three. Love handles expanding as I write this.

At the end of the meal we asked our waitress what dishes had been featured on the Food Network. One was their homemade meatloaf (secret recipe). Another was a selection of their bacon dishes (bacon Bloody Mary, bacon pancakes, free bacon basket served with a pitcher of beer on Sundays, etc.). Another was the "Sweet Cobra" (sweet name) - mac and cheese pancakes stuffed with barbecued pork and topped with sausage. What? And the last one was the AKIMBO. This would be "the largest hamburger in the world" and no, it is not listed on the menu. It is as follows:

1/2 pound ground beef burger. Cheddar cheese. Stack of onion rings. Bacon. A fried egg. Jalapeno relish. And the buns? Grilled cheese sandwiches. Plural. My love handles just exploded over my jeans. Sick.

Obviously, we'll be trying this with our next visitor. Holy heart attack.