The dictionary definition of the word indulge is “to allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of; like when you indulge your craving for something or take part in something just because you want to.” 4 ½ years ago, Peter & Delinda Fatianow opened the doors to their dream of a restaurant serving a variety of upscale food at very reasonable prices. The name they chose for this dream is Indulge. This Bistro & Wine Bar is a place to enjoy.

We visited the Highlands Ranch location at the intersection of Lucent Boulevard and Highlands Ranch Parkway. One year ago, the Fatianow dream expanded to a second location in Golden.

Indulge has the ambience of a European café, a fabulous wine selection and the best patio view of the western sunset. Back east we would call the menu “Continental” while other compass points may use “International.” The menu has a short and impressive selection for every taste – small plates, full-sized entrees, salads, and desserts. The choices will change with the seasons. Indulge opens at 11 am Monday thru Saturday, 4pm on Sunday. Closing is 10 pm except for Friday and Saturday, closing at midnight.

Peter hosted us with the fine hand of a very proud Father (He and Delinda have 7 children). When you walk through the doors, there is a soft elegance with wood paneling and no table cloths. On the dining room ceiling is a wonderful oversized painting based on a French Wine Label. It was first painted and then transferred to the ceiling like wallpaper.

I was very happy to indulge on the food of indulge.  We started with a trio of appetizers:

• The Tony Soprano – a flat bread artisan pizza with Italian sausage, roasted mushrooms, and whole milk mozzarella
• Indulge Hummus – made with feta cheese, olives and served warm
• Ahi Tuna Guacamole –tasty avocados, spices and topped with sashimi grade tuna

We were introduced to a wine that never before crossed my radar screen. The name on the label is a very plain, very large E. From Spain, the wine blends three grape varieties: Garnache (Grenache), Tempranillo, and Carignan. First available in 2011, E is full-bodied, well balanced and an excellent pairing for the dishes to come.

 The main course was a wonderful trio:

• Gnocchi Piedmontese – Sautéed potato gnocchi dumplings with chicken breast, forest mushrooms and a garlic and truffle cream
• Valencia Scallops – Seared diver scallops drizzled with an orange and ginger beurre blanc, on a bed of couscous – Eric is rethinking his fear of scallops
• Wisconsin Filet Mignon – Grilled Black Angus filet mignon topped with a Blue Cheese cream sauce, cooked to a perfect medium rare red center

 The finishing touch was two very different desserts:

• Crème Brulée – Baked vanilla bean custard, served with a flight of Sauternes to enhance the flavor even more
• Tri-layered cake – Swiss chocolate cheesecake, white chocolate mousse and dark chocolate cake, served with a flight of Prosecco

A second indulge location opened in Golden, May 2012 at 13^th & Washington. They just celebrated their first anniversary. And when you desire to learn more about wine, check out indulge classes at www.indulgewineschool.com.

As with any good business, the staff mirrors the personalities of the owners. Manager John knows the food, wines and is always at the ready to talk about food and wine. Ashley and other servers at Highlands Ranch make sure you have a terrific experience.

Yes, indulge is a wonderful place to dine, talk and enjoy small or full-sized portions.  As for me, I will be selecting a warm, not hot, evening and invite my wife to sit on the indulge patio to eat, sip and watch the color filled sky as the sun sets slowly behind the Rocky Mountains.

Richard Oppenheim
The Food Professor

The post Review: Indulge Bistro & Wine Bar appeared first on ExperiencePros.

Many people have limited their Mexican Food consumption to the wide Burrito stuffed with lots of rice, a scoop of over-cooked chicken or pork and some salsa. I am here to tell you that when you are ready to savor the fragrance, taste and combination of Mexican Flavors, find your way to Salsa Brava in Highlands Ranch.

Opened in 2011, Salsa Brava has been a go to restaurant from day 1. On the weekend, customers are frequently willing to wait 1-2 hours for a table. The fact that people are willing to wait shows just how much people like the food and the experience. The restaurant is open Monday to Saturday, so there are 4 other days to show up.

Randy Price is founder, owner and chief energizer for his restaurants. He and Scott, the manager of Highlands Ranch, filled us with information about Mexican flavors and the joy of operating their restaurant. We listened to Randy talk about his non-stop passion for three things: 1-the food that he serves, 2-the staff who manage, prepare and serve and 3-engaging with customers and the community. He grew up with a strong foundation of being a giver and learned how to deliver renegade service – the art of making the customer more than just satisfied.

Yes, the menu includes tacos, fajitas and even burritos. But these dishes are not like any you have tasted from the chains who assemble their food from plastic bags provided by headquarters. Randy insists on fresh ingredients and fresh from Colorado where possible. The restaurants use Wisconsin aged cheese, canola oil and over 2,500 pounds of tomatoes every week!

Freshness also includes preparation in the Salsa Brava Kitchens whenever possible. They know that fresh food tastes better. One example is the Guacamole prepared table side while you watch.

For planning, we requested just a few dishes to taste. Randy decided on a few more. As you hear or read about what we were served, place an image of our very own honey-seeking Eric saying WOW as his eyes roll back, his head starts to sweat and his vest buttons get pulled apart just a little. Angel knows that the oversupply of delicious food that was more than a match for her smaller appetite. My problem will be trying to talk through the saliva creating a small pool in my mouth. Here are the dishes:

•    Coconut Shrimp with Homemade Marmalade Chutney
•    Fiesta Chicken Salad with Tequila Lime Vinaigrette and Chipotle Peanut Sauce
•    Chicken & Chorizo Enchiladas with Cilantro Cream Sauce and Chipotle Drizzle
•    Chicken & Spinach Tacos with Bacon & Roasted Cream Corn
•    Shrimp Telluride – Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Toasted Tomatillo Sauce
•    Pineapple Glazed Sea Bass From Their Gluten Free offerings
•    Colorado Honey Fried Ice Cream

The staff’s top shelf customer service continually draws raves. One unusual clue to success is that the staff includes many long-time employees. Randy says – “Great service can overcome a bad meal, but bad service can kill a great meal.”

The Salsa Brava team is involved with the community:

•    May 3 – They will have a table at the Taste of Highlands Ranch
•    May 5 – For Cinco de Mayo, Salsa Brava will be open on Sunday from 11-9, join the celebration with specials and more
•    The Nacho Ordinary Run Club is a weekly event, Tuesday in Highlands Ranch & Briargate, Wednesday in the Springs. You show up in running gear at 6pm, run 5K, and return for community and conversation.

The Highlands Ranch location is at 52 W. Springer Dr. near the AMC Theater. Eat inside, on the patio, in warmer weather, or take a meal home. Full catering services will elevate your small or large event from OK to festive and fabulous.

Randy promises to stay ahead of taste trends as long as everything supports his mantra – “Eat Fresh, Live Well.” To that I add “Eat Great”. Today’s final word from your Food Professor is “Ole!”

Richard Oppenheim
Food Professor
The Experience Pros Radio Show
Richard@experiencepros.com

The post Review: Salsa Brava appeared first on ExperiencePros.

Perhaps some of you already drink tea. My early introduction to drinking tea was delivered by my parents usually because I was sick. It took the place of chicken soup. As best as I recall, it was a cup filled with hot water, a bag with a string made by Lipton’s and less flavor than the water itself. Fast forward to Pots Tea and it amazes just how much aroma, flavor and satisfaction can be released when tea leaves and herbals are steeped with hot water. This is not anything like my mother’s tea bag. Pots tea comes from the fields of India, Nepal, China, Africa and places around the planet. Some tea is all one variety. Other teas are blends of different leaves and occasionally combined with flowers, buds and other plants. The results smell WOW.

The owner, Karen Doebelin, is a Denver Native who decided a few years ago that her passion for tea and baking was a lot stronger than her job as a project manager.  Karen’s enthusiasm is growing as more Americans are discovering tea as a drink of choice.   Karen says “Tea is the new coffee!”

Walk into Pots Tea and you instantly recognize this is not a coffee franchise. The décor is simple, friendly and an easy place to sit and have a conversation with one or a few people. There is no frenetic pace as there are no baristas adding caramel, chocolate, extra shots, whip or no whip.

We were served “High Tea”. This very British Tradition has a lot more than just a hot beverage. Typically, British High Tea is served between 5 and 7pm. Tea served earlier is called afternoon or low tea. For our High Tea, Karen set a wonderful table for what was to come. She paraded more than 20 small containers for us to determine what tea aroma was most inviting for us. The choices of black, green, white and herbals all had differing aromas that made choosing very difficult.

These aromas carried us to pine forests, campfires, fruit orchards and more. Karen lovingly forced us to narrow our selection to three. We chose: Vanilla Cream, Monet and Apricot Bouquet. Each tea was placed into its own tea pot, part of Karen’s large collection of pots. My favorite tea pot was the Lilly.

Now, High Tea does not mean drinking tea at altitude. A 3 tier serving tray was placed in the center of our table. The lowest tray had tea sandwiches of egg salad, chicken salad and the open face cucumber. The middle tray had scones – chocolate chip, blueberry, and raspberry. Of course, we had sides of clotted cream, raspberry preserves and lemon curd to enjoy with the scones. The top tray had light cookies, some chocolate confection. A cornucopia of color and design highlighted by kiwi slices, various berries and grapes made it appear as a wonderful decoration. In fact, it gave us pause to remove an item and disrupt this artistic presentation. Pause did not last long.

Pots Tea is open weekdays, 7-6ish and weekends from 8 – 5. Remember there is a light food menu to enjoy with your tea. All the food is prepared by Karen, using her own tested recipes. There is also a cabinet of tea accessories from timers to pots to cups and more. You can always take a few ounces of your favorite blend home.

Discover how Pots Café can be a destination when you need a place to chat and relax. Tea choices from single varietal to blends to herbals to flavored teas can be enjoyed at any hot or cold temperature and by the young, old and everyone in between.

8100 S Quebec, Centennial, the NE Corner of Quebec and County Line, 303-771-4832, enter from Quebec and the café is straight ahead from that first stop sign.

Richard Oppenheim
Food Professor
Experience Pros Radio Show

The post Review: Pots Tea Cafe and Market appeared first on ExperiencePros.

St Bon’s Café opened on Feb 26, 2013, making it one of the newest restaurants in town. They are located at the intersection of University and Highlands Ranch Pkwy. Compass wise the NW corner, and a few doors to the right of Staples.

I love that my learning is never ending. For example, a scripture phrase resounded all through today’s Chew on This restaurant review. From Deuteronomy and later in Matthew the verse is “Man shall not live by bread alone.”

Gluten is a protein complex found in wheat. Being gluten intolerant can often mean a person may also be wheat intolerant as well as suffer from related inflammatory skin conditions. My personal knowledge files took in new data yesterday. I had always believed that Gluten-Free was necessary for those with allergens. I also believed gluten free meant the tastes of seasoned cardboard.

St. Bon’s Café is named for St. Bonaventure, the patron saint of gastrointestinal disorders. St. Bonaventure was a 13th-century Franciscan cardinal who died a sudden death having experienced intense pains in the stomach during a church council meeting.

The creator and owner of St Bon’s is Kurt Fulwider. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with celiac disease and suffered the pains of finding places to eat with his family. He discovered that his personal cooking passion was reborn with the idea of a gluten free restaurant.

All items in St. Bon’s Café are prepared and served in a 100% gluten-free and peanut-free environment. You can do your own research about the penalties from gluten based products. Suffice to say that if you are even a little bit intolerant, eating gluten products will be painful.

If you need Gluten Free – this is your place. If you have a friend or family member requiring gluten free, you can all go together and everyone will have a choice from a range of flavors.

To begin, I start with my conclusion – I want to go back because the food is really good.

Of course, you can go to a restaurant and order the one or two items that are labeled “gluten-free”. However what you do not know is whether any of the ingredients are contaminated just because ingredients overlap in every kitchen – mine, yours and the restaurants

The café has a bright and inviting space to dine in or take out. The menu is grouped into five categories:

1. Introductory Rites
2. Pulpit Puddings
3. The Liturgy
4. Confessional Confections
5. Sacramental Sides

The menu delivers inspiration as it deliciously describes each item. On the back of the menu all ingredients are shown, just in case there is some specific allergen issue.

As I describe what we sampled, please do not be surprised if your mouth starts to say – “Can we go now, please”:

1. St Quentin’s Quinoa – (KEEN-Wah) mixed with fresh herbs, toasted pine nuts, dried cranberries and oh so refreshing to eat
2. The Temptation – Pepper roasted turkey, sweet cranberries and creamy Havarti on grilled focaccia – a sandwich filled with flavors
3. Holy Macaroni – Not the blue boxed Mac & Cheese I have been eating since age 7. Quinoa and corn shells with creamy Havarti, sharp white cheddar and smooth Muenster. Yummm.

Not yet done, we had to experience confession over some of St Bon’s confections.

1. Blasphemous Bread Pudding – I could blaspheme every other day, every day would be too sinful
2. Mercy Me – a Pecan–streusel Sweet Potato Muffin – great for morning coffee or afternoon iced tea. Two are even better
3. The Angel Gabriel – A large delicious Chocolate Chip Cookie – we suggested renaming this confection – “The Angel Tuccy”

Discover for yourself that healthy can actually taste delicious. The restaurant hours start at 7 and end at 6 on weekdays, 2pm on Saturday and closed Sunday, Monday. Go to the website, sign up for the newsletter, like their Facebook page. The cafe is also a great place for group meetings of 2 -24.

My recommendation is to visit St Bon’s Café, 9425 S. University, just 1 mile south of County Line Rd across the parking lot from the Conoco gas station. Eat well, eat healthy, and take some home.

Richard Oppenheim
Food Professor
Experience Pros

The post Review: St. Bon’s Gluten Free Cafe appeared first on ExperiencePros.

March 30, 2013 – Blue Zenith

Today, I am Fan Braggin’™ about Donna Galassi and her company, Blue Zenith.  I have rarely been as excited about a partner in business as I am today about Donna, and her work.  She has accomplished what, up until this time, has never been done: she climbed into my head and pulled out everything I ever wanted in a web design!

We contracted with Donna to completely redesign the Experience Pros website in an attempt to feature the Extreme Customer Service Directory as its own stand-alone element.  In order to accomplish this, she met with me several times – in person, over the phone and via countless emails back and forth, searching for that which I’ve never been able to articulate.  A more patient, willing listener I could never ask for.  And somehow, she interpreted my tangents and bunny-trails into the work of art that is now our website.

“What we really need to do is just get a handle on the flow of your content…”, said Donna right after I apologized for the 5th time for the chaos that is my mental creativity.  And just like that, a sense of peace and comfort blankets my concerns, and I know that my project is in good hands.  No… not good – GREAT hands!

The end result is (to us) much more than just a fresh look to the website!  It is a work of art!  From the moment someone visits the home page, everything just makes sense.  You are not overwhelmed with too many things to look at – but three simple options.  If you want to know more about the Experience Pros Radio Show, you click the graphic that says, “Listen Here”.  If you want to discover how we help you promote your small business, there’s a graphic for that.  And if you are searching for the BEST in small business, the Extreme Customer Service Directory graphic makes it super-easy to find who you’re looking for!

For us, everything revolves around the customer experience.  And Donna Galassi understands that better than anyone I’ve ever even considered to handle our web design.  If I had 25 minutes to sing the praises of Blue Zenith web design, I would happily take an hour!  Within 6 hours of the launch of the new design, we received our first contact from someone seeking to become a member of the Extreme Customer Service Directory!  SIX HOURS!

If you are even remotely interested in creating a web design that actually works FOR you (and your visitors), I would run – don’t walk – to Blue Zenith!  Sure, there are other web designers out there – and many of them are fabulous.  But from this point forward, OUR web designer is Donna Galassi!  Period.

If you’d like a personal introduction to Donna, or Blue Zenith Web Design, E-Mail me here, and I’ll happily make the connection for you.   Know a company who does a GREAT job? Refer them to our Extreme Customer Service Directory.

Take 2 Minutes to Make Someone’s Day!

Now – why don’t YOU Fan Brag™ about someone today? It’s simple – and it helps build small business in your city.  Click here to Fan Brag™ about someone else in business, and then encourage your customers to Fan Brag™ about YOU!

The post Fan Brag™ Blue Zenith appeared first on ExperiencePros.

Walking into Luigi’s you observe the diner friendly simplicity a cozy room. Red & white checkered tablecloths are draped over each dining table, a small collection of celebrity pictures have been adorned with mustaches drawn graffiti style, kids have donated their art work to enhance the half wall surrounding the full service bar.

We were warmly greeted by owner Karmen Coxe and resident foodie and server Erin Hess. When Luigi’s says family, La Famiglia, they mean it. Look around the entire restaurant and there are little brass plaques with customer names. Regulars, who visit Luigi’s for more than one year, get their own plaque tacked to a wall location of their choice. The restaurant and their customers share a lot together.

Of course, you want to know about the food. Angel, Eric and I had an agreement to share and taste each of the dishes served. However, each dish was so good I struggled to suppress my personal desire to grab it all. I have recovered and am OK now.

Luigi’s food is prepared when it is ordered. I know that many restaurants bake, broil and sauté at time of order. Luigi’s goes further – all of their sauces – marinara, Marsala, mushroom basil, Picatta, Bolognese et al – are made fresh for each individual serving. There is no big sauce pot sitting on a stove overheating.

The meal started with a basket of freshly baked bread that was made even better when dipped into the combination of EVOO and Balsamic vinegar.

Out came a plate of Calamari Fritti Agliati. This is squid with a light breading, each piece of body & tentacles deliciously prepared with no stick together. Accompanying the calamari was both a warm marinara sauce and a small cup of caper mayonnaise. The hard choice of which sauce to dip was resolved by using both.

I am one of the folks that like soup – and we sampled two. The first was a house made Creamy Tomato Basil. This was not my mother’s Campbell Tomato Soup. The taste was wonderful when eating with a spoon and when dunking bread without a spoon

The second soup – Zuppa Di Minestrone – was filled with house made Italian sausage, diced vegetables and noodles. The broth had all the right seasonings blend and topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

The Main Course was next.
Chicken Marsala – Tender chicken that I cut with my fork was covered with an incredibly light Marsala cream sauce with forest mushrooms and placed on top of fettuccine noodles.

The second dish was Lasagna – not your grocery store frozen box variety. This Lasagna was prepared with broad noodles, lots of homemade sausage, Luigi’s marinara sauce AND just a touch of red pepper flakes to kick it over the goal posts. Nothing heavy, but oh so satisfying.

We were satisfied but we were not done yet. Erin proudly introduced us to Luigi’s Pane Budino Torto – Italian Style Chocolate chip bread pudding in a rich bourbon sauce. This is worth repeating – Italian Style Chocolate chip bread pudding in a rich bourbon sauce. Oh yummmm!

Luigi’s is a neighborhood Italian restaurant with really good food at very reasonable prices. Lunch is under $10 and most dinners range from $10-$15. There is plenty of parking. You can sit inside or on their patio when warmer weather arrives. Options besides dining at the restaurant include:
•    Take home individual portions
•    Host a party at the restaurant
•    Have trays of food delivered to your home or office for serving buffet style
•    Have a party fully catered and served at your location

Luigi’s is open every day for lunch & dinner. They have a full bar and a lots of Italian wines.

As a New Yorker, I have a bit of a bias for ethnic cooking, especially Italian. The wonderful people of Luigi’s prepare and serve food that invites you to return no matter where you first tasted Italian recipes.  I recommend that you accept their kind invitation.

Reviewed and submitted by:
Richard Oppenheim
The Food Professor
Experience Pros Radio Show

The post Review: Luigi’s Italian Restaurant appeared first on ExperiencePros.

This story isn’t just about great food (though there will be plenty of that!) – it’s about the American Dream.  It’s the story of three proud immigrants bringing the taste of the old world to the land of opportunity.  Tom, Nick and Chris opened their first Greek Restaurant in Billings, Montana… Wait… wha??  Billings MONTANA??

Buckle up all you movie classic lovers – somebody get CNN on the line – cuz that’s how these three Greek cowboys roll!

You might recognize the name of Renzios from their multiple outlets in food courts at the mall.  If you’re up north in the Montana-like climate of Fort Collins or Cheyenne, Wyoming, you may know them by another name: Cafe Athens.

But one thing is certain: if you’ve tasted their food, you know you’re way back to the restaurant, and you know how to bring your friends, your family, and your friend’s families!  The food is that good!

Our Chew On This sample tasting started the way all great Greek meals start: with fantastic fellowship around the table.  You see, it’s all about family – and you – now – are a part of the family!  So pull up a chair, let’s get you something to drink, while we talk about your day, and don’t forget to give me the complete details on Mrs. Popanopoulis’ latest hip surgery!

Let’s get one thing straight America: The proper way to pronounce the most popular Greek sandwich is “YEE-ros”.  Say it with me: “YEE-ros”.  It’s not a GEE-ro.  It’s not a JEYE-ro.  It’s a “YEE-ros”, and you know… your effort to speak the language… matters.  At least to me.  But no matter how you ask for it – they folks at Renzios know what you mean – and I guess that’s good enough.

Our meal was simply amazing and Oh MY was there more than enough to go around!  We had traditionally seasoned gyros meat served with pita bread and the most flavorful Zaziki sauce.  The meat is so tender that it melts in your mouth!

And then there was the Falafel, and the Greek salad – staples to the mediterranean palate – and packed with such flavor that my mouth is watering AGAIN – even as I write this review! The veggie sampler platter offers up a mix of those two items plus Spanikopita, Tyropita and Dolmades.  Don’t worry – you get Zaziki sauce with that, too!

Don’t care for traditional Gyros? That’s okay – they thought of that!  How about perfectly baked chicken breast, marinated in olive oil and their special blend of spices, served with a kickin’ hot and spicy BBQ sauce?

Where’s the lamb, you say??  Don’t MAKE me get Mama… At Renzios, they’ve got your lamb!  It’s grilled to order, and worth the wait!  Just like everything at Renzios, it will fill you up and make you ask for more!  But make time and save room…  there’s no rushing a great thing!

One of my all-time favorite sweet delights is authentic baklava… and the Rentzios brothers know how to bring that, too!  It’s about a million layers of tender, flaky filo dough, hand rolled by three 98 year old Greek Grandmothers… (okay – maybe not) – filled with walnuts almonds and honey… and HONEY… Your husband called, and asked you to bring home a dozen pieces of this sticky pastry of yumminess.

Mmmm… Are you as hungry as I am??  What are you waiting for?  There are several locations of Renzios all around our listening area!  We went to the Greenwood Village location right next to Cherry Creek High School (that’s Yosemite and Union for you GPS types).  Find them in Cherry Creek, Park Meadows… pretty much everywhere.

Oh… ok – we’ll post the addresses on our Facebook page while you gather up the family and get them pointed in the right direction!  Renzios Greek Food Restaurants!  The best thing to ever come out of Montana!

Visit Their Locations:

The post Review: Renzios Greek Food Restaurants appeared first on ExperiencePros.

March 11, 2013 – Sabrina Risley

Today I had the honor of interviewing Sabrina Risley, founder of the CERTUS Professional Network on the Experience Pros Radio Show.  I am Fan Braggin’™ about Sabrina today both because of something she said, and because of who she is.  In this case – what she said IS who she is.

You see, Sabrina shared her thoughts about the process of giving, giving, giving… sometimes to the exclusion of our ability (or willingness) to RECEIVE.  Anything.

What started out as an interview quickly became an exercise in personal introspection as I too have been guilty of stepping on a blessing from time to time when I fail to accept, acknowledge and receive simple positive gestures that come my way.  All too often I sidestep a compliment, or turn down the offer for help… and Sabrina really reminded me that in order to be a great giver – we must also be great receivers.  So thank you, Sabrina, for sewing into MY life today!  You may never know what a blessing you are… but I will absolutely always tell you!

If you’d like a personal introduction to Sabrina, or the CERTUS Professional Network, E-Mail me here, and I’ll happily make the connection for you.   Know a company who does a GREAT job? Refer them to our Extreme Customer Service Directory.

Take 2 Minutes to Make Someone’s Day!

Now – why don’t YOU Fan Brag™ about someone today? It’s simple – and it helps build small business in your city.  Click here to Fan Brag™ about someone else in business, and then encourage your customers to Fan Brag™ about YOU!

The post Fan Brag™ 031113 Sabrina Risley appeared first on ExperiencePros.

I love Pizza.  As in… I really love Pizza.  Not like I love my dog, or I love my cat… I don’t even have any pets.  I love pizza like I love all the things in life that make me most happy!  I am quite certain that I was born with a pizza shaped hole in my heart – and my lifelong journey has been to find the perfect slice of pizza pie that fits that hole.  Hmmm… I guess that’s what they mean when people say “pie hole”.

Big Bill’s NY Pizzeria in Centennial, Colorado has the slice of pizza that absolutely does it for me!  It’s thin crust and perfectly seasoned sauce, covered with just the right amount of fresh mozzarella cheese is just exactly what the Dr. ordered!  I’ve been going to Big Bill’s for a very long time, and as anyone who knows me will tell you – the pizza – amazing though it is – isn’t where this guy’s journey begins!

Show me your garlic knots, and I’ll show you your business!  This is my mantra when it comes to pizzerias, and it has stood the test of time.  If you have wonderfully seasoned, perfectly buttery, tender garlic knots – you have the receipt for success – and Big Bill’s has them!  The marinara dipping sauce is the other secret to my “knotty success formula” – and Bill’s got that, too.

For our most recent trip to Big Bills, we were joined by Richard Oppenheim, Experience Pros’ own Food Professor – and native New Yorker.  Our meal started with a little kibitzing (which, I’m told, is the original, “How You coin’?” with a couple of Bill’s customers.  Rosario Nici another New Yorker has been a die-hard fan of Big Bill’s since the beginning – .  On this day, he brought his good friend Ted all the way from Monument to experience this one of a kind restaurant.  When was the last time YOU drove more than 50 miles for lunch?  Fuhgeddabout it.

Our meal was… amazing!  Angel and Richard and I all shared the chicken parmesan, the meatball marinara hero sandwich, some spaghetti and of course – the most popular pizza in the joint: the combo!  And don’t forget the garlic knots… oh…. those garlic knots!

To say that the food is full of flavor would be like saying the Manhattan is just another city.  Just come on down, pull up a seat, and dig in!  La Famiglia!

One of the other things that we love so very much about Big Bill’s is the level to which Bill, and his entire staff are committed to their community and several charitable organizations.  Every September 11th there is simply no excuse to eat anywhere else in the city – as every staff member donates the entire day’s pay – and Bill doesn’t charge a penny for anything on the menu.  Instead, they offer it all up for a donation – whatever you feel appropriate – and people start lining up at morning’s earliest light… and in the course of one day – they raise over $120,000 for the Joanne B. Ficke cancer foundation!!

Running the restaurant and making sure that everything is perfect every day is Peter Tutrone.  He’s been there since November of ’95, and absolutely has the food AND the service down to an art! Many of the employees have been there for more than 8 years – and our personal favorite: Mindy – has been serving with a smile since 95 as well!  (Which means, I think, that she was underage when she started, cuz she doesn’t look a day over 29!)

You need to come on down to Big Bill’s NY Pizza.  And when you do – leave room for friendship – because that’s how every guest leaves the place!  Be sure to tell them Angel and Eric (OH!  And Richard the Food Professor!) Sent you!  Do it now… don’t fuhgeddabout it!!

The post Review: Big Bill’s NY Pizzeria appeared first on ExperiencePros.

February 26, 2013 – Beth Brown

Today I am Fan Braggin’™ about my dear, dear friend Beth Brown!  Sometimes the good Lord just puts people in our lives to help us see the goodness in the world.  Sometimes it’s to show us that we’re not the only ones experiencing whatever life has to offer.  And sometimes… in fact, perhaps most times, it’s just for His good pleasure.  In the case of Beth Brown – it’s all three!

Beth took me out for dinner this evening.  And it just never seems to matter whether it’s a week, a month or several months – we simply pick up right where we left off.  Conversation is comfortable, and the food… impeccable.  It was my birthday dinner, and Hodson’s at the Streets of Southglenn did a fantastic job on all aspects of the meal and service.

I would hope that someday you get to meet Beth Brown.  Or, at the very least, you have a Beth Brown in your life.  Better yet – I pray that you would become a Beth Brown for someone else!  Because all I can say is that my life is so much better with her in it!  And I would be remiss to write such a glowing review without giving honor and respect to Beth’s wonderful husband, and my very good friend, Rick, whose wonderful relationship with his wife – and life in general – inspire me to dream big dreams of my own!  Thank you both!!

If you’d like a personal introduction to Beth, E-Mail me here, and I’ll happily make the connection for you.   Know a company who does a GREAT job? Refer them to our Extreme Customer Service Directory.

Take 2 Minutes to Make Someone’s Day!

Now – why don’t YOU Fan Brag™ about someone today? It’s simple – and it helps build small business in your city.  Click here to Fan Brag™ about someone else in business, and then encourage your customers to Fan Brag™ about YOU!

The post Fan Brag™ 022613 Beth Brown appeared first on ExperiencePros.