Beyond Longmont: Mumtaz, Lafayette

A quickie today, while it's fresh in my mind. I know, I know....I'm SO behind but I'm feeling motivated. What gets me behind is that I feel like I have to go in order of my visits. I'm working on that. Maybe it'll be a new year's resolution? But for now....Mumtaz!

This little gem is in Lafayette on 287, just across from the Walmart. I think the first time I went was with some friends on the way home with the Pacific Asian Market in Broomfield. (Another place I should write about. It's worth a field trip if you've never been there. It's just fun...even with the fishy scent.)
I always get the Kefta plate, and USUALLY baklava. They also have Namura now, which is a cakey sort of thing.
The owner will happily explain the menu to you if you're not very familiar with the food. He's super nice and has a great memory for faces. I walked in and he said "Welcome back!" though it's been at least a year and a half since I've been there. It's things like this that make me go back places. If the food's good then that's great but when you feel genuinely welcomed it makes it a lot more fun to go out of the way to go somewhere.

If you've been to the Petra here in Longmont, they have many similar things; everything is homemade and fresh. His mother makes a lot of the food every day, at least she did when I went there the first time. I've never met her but I thank her and welcome her to come live in my house any day.
They also have great music! I get excited when I recognize one of the songs by Amr Diab.
He's a superstar in much of the world but we don't see much of him here. If you like a little world flavor in your music, check him out. :)
(I warn you...he's pretty dreamy and you may suddenly think you can bellydance.)
http://youtu.be/-hOMAUH4fvc

Check out their menu here! http://mumtazfood.com/


 

Beyond Longmont: MMMMMMenchies, Lafayette

I don't have to go to Lafayette anymore for my Menchies cravings! We have one open now (or very soon) in Longmont on N. Main! (Across the parking lot from Vitamin Cottage)
However, it's an awesome treat if you're not too full after visiting Krishna's Chaat House. It's right across the street.
I love me some DQ in the summer...or spring...or dead of winter, but sometimes it's nice to have some sweet refreshing frozen yogurt!

Even better if you get to fill your own bowl, select your own toppings, use a darn cute spoon, and maybe just color a picture while you're at it.
So I haven't colored a picture yet, but I've done the rest. They rotate flavors, so you can go in every few weeks (or more) and have a whole new selection. They pair up the flavors so you can get one or the other, or a twist of flavors that compliment each other. The best part? They provide little sample cups for you to test flavors to your heart's content. You're half full by the time you actually get to your own spoon but it's still worth it.

I usually go for the Cake flavor on one side of my bowl and another flavor on the other side of the bowl, then pile in toppings accordingly. I'm remembering the Amaretto Cherry now....heavenly.
Fruity Pebbles are my #1 choice. Capt. Crunch, mini gummi bears, maraschino cherries, peanut butter sauce, these are all my favorites. They also have everything from Oreo crumblies, to raspberries, to bobo bubble things. Cheese cake bites, chocolate chips, sprinkles, kiwi, brownie chunks, graham cracker, whipped cream, hot fudge, caramel, nuts, M&Ms. Need I go on? Do you need more incentive? Well if you do then you're hopeless.
On this toasty day I skipped the creamy cake flavor and went for the sorbet...orange and watermelon. Oh frozen candy magnificence. I added gummi butterflies, mini gummi bears, and sour gummi worms. I stuck a cherry on top just on principle.

Not only are the treats YUMMY, it's fun to do, and it's something that everybody had fun doing. I saw an elderly woman dousing her bowl in whipped cream like any 5 year old would just die to do. It was cute. It's bright, it's colorful, it's happy...Menchie welcomes you. As do the staff, they say "Welcome to Menchies" to everyone that comes in. Always very friendly people working there.
They cater to the needs of many with non or low-sugar, low-carb, dairy-free, kosher, and gluten-free options.
They charge by weight so you can be as decadent or as simple as you'd like. I got a pretty full bowl for about $3, which is less than a small blizzard. Even with the gummi extravaganza I suspect it's a little better for me than the Oreo blizzard.
Check out all the flavors they have and maybe get a Smileage card! How can you not love a place with a Smileage card??  http://menchies.com/

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Beyond Longmont: Krishna's Groceries & Chaat House, Lafayette

I know it's called Blogmont, not Blogwhateveryoufancy but I am master of the blog and I have to branch out a bit. Longmont doesn't have EVERYTHING after all.
Just 20 minutes down the road you can find several things I just HAVE to leave town for.
One of my most favorite and frequented places is Krishna's Groceries in Lafayette.

~Closed Mondays~ Yep, forgot that once.

Krishna's is an excellent South Asian/Indian market with rice, spices, fresh and frozen vegetables, snacks, & more. I'd like to build myself a fort in the towers of rice and live there, but I don't think we know each other well enough for that quite yet. The fresh vegis sell out very quickly since they are very reasonably priced and there's a few things in there that you can't easily find other places. I hear that they get a new load on Thursdays, so that's the day to go in for your fresh stuff. If you want a good price for a fresh selection of ginger, eggplant, cilantro, and lots of other stuff, it's the place to go.
If you want an AMAZING price for spices, you need to put it on your list this very minute. If you are a big spice user I suggest trying any of the Asian markets in the area because they are usually much cheaper than Walmart.

I lost my reciept, but once I find it I will gladly tell you how much this was...

My personal shopping list for Krishna's usually consists of Amul Butter; ghee; ginger, cardamom, & Taj Mahal tea for chai; and snacks...lots of snacks. The snack stuff can sometimes be a little pricier than your everyday bag snacks since they are a specialty item.

The brothers than run the store are very nice and smiley. I never see them in the same place at the same time so I have yet to be able to tell them apart. I think one is taller...
There are several other Indian markets around Boulder but this one is by far the tidiest and has the best and freshest selection.

Right next door to the market is Krishna Kafe. Chaat is a kind of "street food" sold in India. It's not quite what you'll get at the lunch buffets or off the menu at the local Indian restaurants. (At least to my knowledge, most restaurants don't have this variety of food but if anyone knows of a place that does, let me know!) I can't quite figure out how to describe it but it's a bowl o' flavor that slaps you in the face with its tastyness. There are stands everywhere you look in India. I, however, was not brave/dumb enough to give it a try so I am very glad to get the chance here at home! I wasn't there long enough to not play it safe so maybe next time I'll stay longer and throw caution to the wind while I eat food from unknown sources!
If you're not quite sure what things are, don't worry...they have a picture book. They are very nice and happy to explain what things are. They have Bollywood music or movies playing or Indian TV.  Their menu will be expanding, if it hasn't already, to offer a few more items from South India. I can't wait!
You can check out their menu on the website: www.krishnakafe.com

(To read more about India: http://road2india.blogspot.com/)