A Fall Day and The Franklin Inn

Weekends.  I treasure them.

Especially when I actually HAVE a full weekend.  January to April have become my "slow" months, simply because Kennywood isn't open, and I don't have to work there.  It used to be November to April, but now with Holiday Lights, my slow months have decreased.

Oh well.  I've come to appreciate free time more.

This past weekend was one of those weekends.  I worked Friday night, but did not have to work any other nights, so I had all of Saturday and Sunday to myself.  Really?  REALLY?

Now what should I do?!

Sleep was first on the agenda.  Waking up at 4:30 AM, then working until 1:00 AM with about an hour or so break in between is not easy, so I didn't roll out of bed Saturday until about 11:30 AM.  But, not wanting to waste the day, James and I decided to stop at Smoke BBQ Taqueria for "brunch" (yes, AGAIN - we can't help ourselves), then drive to North Park to take a walk through the peak foliage.

And peak foliage it indeed was.  I couldn't stop taking pictures of trees.  TREES.  Even when it rained, I couldn't stop.

Treeeeeeeeees!!!

Playground by the pool

Panoramic pic from across the swimming pool parking lot

Am I weird?

Since we were already in the North Hills (or to those of use from the South Hills - Canada), we figured dinner at The Franklin Inn was only appropriate, as it WAS voted the #3 Mexican restaurant in Pittsburgh by readers of the Pittsburgh City Paper (tied with Verde Mexican Kitchen and Cantina).

We contacted Food Collage to find out her whereabouts, and she agreed to join us for the meal.

The Franklin Inn

While we waited for Food Collage to arrive, James and I devoured chips with the Black Bean Appetizer - a mix of black beans, hot chile pepper sauce, feta cheese, and a lemon sour cream sauce:

Black Bean Appetizer

The lemon sour cream sounded a bit strange, but it definitely made the appetizer!  It was gone in no time.

We also had chips with some salsa and gaucamole.  I love the guacamole at The Franklin Inn simply because it is A.) chunky, and B.) garlicky:

Chips, salsa, and guacamole

James and I, as usual, decided to get two different entrees to try as many different things as we could.  I chose the Chiles Rellenos with a side salad (with house dressing) and black bean and corn salad:

Chiles Rellenos, Side Salad, Black Bean and Corn Salad

They were awesome.  Fried, not spicy-hot, and delicious.  The black bean and corn salad was definitely a highlight as well.  I remember getting that on my last visit and loving it, and I'm so glad that I chose it again!

James chose the Chicken Enchiladas with Colorado Green Chile Sauce, with a side salad (house dressing) and refried beans:

Chicken Enchiladas with Colorado Green Chile Sauce, Side Salad, Refried Beans

I did like these enchiladas a lot, and I'm not normally a fan of green sauce, but this sauce had a nice flavor to it - not too spicy, and not boring like some of the green sauces I've had at other places.  However, the last time I was there I had the Chicken Enchiladas with Poblano Mole Sauce, and I thought that was better (I'm a sucker for mole).

You just can't go to The Franklin Inn without getting dessert, and Food Collage was all about the Fried Ice Cream.  James and I agreed that it sounded the best, so we all ordered Fried Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce (James and I split one, though - we were full from all of the chips):

Fried Ice Cream with Caramel Sauce

You can never, EVER go wrong with fried ice cream.

It's not hard to understand why people would vote for The Franklin Inn as one of the best - a fun, family atmosphere with excellent Mexican food.  The owners, John and Wendy Cibula (not Cibulka, like me, but Cibula - close!), sure do have a fabulous business, and it's fantastic that they have been recognized as such.  They also are supportive of the many Spanish Clubs in the area, including my own, for which I am so grateful!

If only it were closer...Canada is so far away...


The Franklin Inn
2313 Rochester Rd.
Pittsburgh, PA 15237

Website: http://www.franklininn.net
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FranklinInn?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FranklinInn

…Patrón Mexican Grill (Monroeville)

I love…and hate…being busy.

I am way, WAY more productive when I’m busy – probably because I waste less time when I have more things to do.  I like to get things done as efficiently and quickly as I can without risking quality, so the less time I have to waste, the more that gets done (and done well).

October definitely has to be the busiest month of the year for me – May is a close second, though.  October is a month of working at Kennywood for Fright Nights, high school football games (Go Titans!), pumpkin patch visits, and the penultimate holiday – Halloween.

This October is no exception.  Between teaching, Kennywood, and football alone, my weekends are booked, with the exception of Sundays – and last Sunday was my trip to Triple B; this Sunday, I’m going to the Steeler game…it seems like I never have a free day.  Even tomorrow, after working at Kennywood until 1 AM and having to work again at 6:30 PM, in between I am doing the South Side Step Trek – walking 2700 steps, along with touring other South Side venues.

Thank goodness for coffee.

I have been concerned about finding time to visit restaurants this month – which is why I was relieved that my brother called me on Wednesday, asking if I wanted to go to Monroeville with him so that he could complete some errands for his trip to Disney World the next day.  In addition, he said that he wanted to go to Patrón for dinner.

He knows me so well.

I had been hearing about Patrón for awhile now, as several of my friends have gone there.  Rumor has it that their Wexford location is better than their Monroeville location, but I’ll take what I can get – Wexford is a bit of a drive from the ‘Miff for an impromptu dinner.

 

Walking into Patrón feels like walking into a redecorated Chili’s – after all, it used to be a Chili’s.  Host stand and bar straight ahead, restrooms in the section to the right, booths and tables set up the same way…but…the chairs, tables, and booths were not plain at all.  They all had things painted or decorated on them – chili peppers, Aztec symbols, exotic birds – there was plenty to see (and all vibrantly colored).  The wait staff was all Hispanic, and our waiter had a very thick accent. 

I ordered a lime Jarritos (traditional Hispanic soft drink) and a water for my beverages, and we were immediately served chips and salsa.  The chips were obviously not made fresh, as they were very uniform and not at all warm, and the salsa was served in a small carafe with individual bowls for both my brother and I.  We each poured salsa into our bowls and tried it with the chips.

 

My brother immediately commented that the salsa was too onion-y.  I tried it again, and made this comparison: you know how McDonald’s hamburgers have those chopped up onions on them?  And then they mix with the ketchup on the burger?

Yeah.  That’s what this salsa tasted like.  Onions and ketchup.  I still ate a boatload of chips and salsa, because I was starving (and I like onions, unlike my brother).  

 
For my meal, I ordered the “Special Santa Fe”, which included a chalupa, taco, chile relleno, tamale, enchilada, rice, and beans.  I thought it was a good “sampler” to get an idea of what each of their entrees would contain.  I didn’t realize that I was ordering a double meal!  It was only $14.99, but SO MUCH FOOD that it had to be brought out on two separate plates.

Tamale, enchilada, rice, beans (bottom left of the rice is where it tasted nutmeg-y)

Taco, chalupa, chile relleno (and good guac!)

 

My brother ordered the “Enchilada Mexicanas” with beef, which was $5.00 less than my meal (and he ate most of it, by the way).

Enchiladas Mexicanas (beef with red and green sauce)

 

I sampled each food, because I knew that there was no way that I was going to be able to eat all of it, but I made sure to eat my taco and chalupa, since those would not reheat well.  I was glad that the cheese was queso fresco, since that is an authentic Mexican cheese, but my taco and chalupa were not exactly anything to rave over.  They were a bit bland, to say the least.  I was happy with my chile relleno, enchilada, and tamale, so I decided to save those as leftovers (which I just ate for dinner at Kennywood before typing this post, and they were just as good reheated!)

I was most intrigued by the rice – when I tried it, there was a distinct flavor – almost like nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice – that I could taste in the one section of rice.  Strange, yes.  However, whatever anomaly this was, I welcomed, as the rice itself was also bland.

My brother wasn’t thrilled about the red sauce on his enchiladas, but he liked the green sauce better.  I asked to try the green sauce, because it looked an awful lot like the green sauce on enchiladas that I had so often during my visit to Mexico 12 years ago.

And you know what?  I’m surprised that I remember this, but it tasted just like that green sauce, too.

I wasn’t totally disappointed with my visit to Patrón, since some things reminded me of foods that I ate in Mexico, but it could have been better.  I really want to see how the Wexford location compares, since I’ve heard such great things about it…

…perhaps when I have time.  And if I’m driving that far, sometime after I try The Franklin Inn…

Patrón Mexican Grill  
245 Mall Boulevard
Monroeville, PA 15146
 
Website: http://www.patronmexgrill.com (currently expired; pending renewal?)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Patron-Mexican-Grill/146845855334126