Gut Food, Gut Service, Gut Prices ... UWE's IS THE BOMB!

Uwe's German Restaurant

31 Iowa Ave

Colorado Springs, CO 80909

(719) 475-1611

Price Range: $$$$

I have spent quite a bit of time in Germany over the years, so I know good, authentic German food when I see and eat it. THIS IS THE REAL DEAL! I been eating at Uwe's for many years and very little has changed over the decades ... authentic German food, friendly and efficient service, large portions, and very reasonable prices. What more could you ask for?

The restaurant is not impressive to look at, being in a small 1950s era strip mall off of Pikes Peak Avenue with an interior that looks like it has not been updated since the 1960s. But looks are deceiving because their fresh bread, delicious salads, frothy beer, zesty goulash, rich sauces, tender schnitzel, succulent bratwürst, and homemade späetzel are everything you would expect at a restaurant in Germany. In-fact, the owner, Sabina and her husband (the chef), and most of the employees have a German accent, always a good sign.

My favorite is meal the wiener (veal) schnitzel cordon bleu, two breaded veal cutlets stuffed with ham and cheese then baked to gooey perfection, served with a side of Hunter's (mushroom) sauce, crispy home fries, and veggie of the day. Meals are preceded by fresh pumpernickel bread and either a salad, an assortment of German potato salad, pickled green beans, crisp greens, tomatoes and cucumbers topped with a light vinaigrette dressing, or you can have soup, either goulash or their soup of the day (if available).

Jägerschnitzel (Jaegerscnitzel)

The roulade is a traditional German stuffed beef roll with thinly sliced beef wrapped around pickle, bacon, onion and mustard, topped with a light sauce, and accompanied by German potato dumplings (spätzel) and red cabbage. For those with a zest for the spicy, the Hungarian paprika schnitzel is a good choice and the Jäegerschnitzel, breaded pork cutlets (2) covered with a thick mushroom (Hunter) sauce, is always a hearty, filling, rib-sticking meal.

Uwe's has a nice selection of wine and beer, domestic and import, with the Wärsteiner Dünkel, a dark, frothy, delight being my go-to beer for German meals. You can even get a pitcher of Wärsteiner in a traditional ceramic German decanter for around $15. Desserts are traditional and inexpensive with warm apple strüdel and ice cream taking center stage for those with massive appetites and room left over for their sweet finish.

Lunch is an even better value with slightly smaller portions and greatly reduced prices, but do not plan on getting much done that afternoon. As I mentioned earlier, the service is always excellent and, as you would expect in an authentic German restaurant, very efficient with little small talk while remaining friendly and helpful.

I have many excellent meals in Germany and Uwe's ranks right up there with some of the best, so if you like German food, do not miss a trip to Uwe's while in Colorado Springs. Because of their great food, excellent service, and outstanding value, I have no choice other than to give Uwe's my highest rating ...

CombatCritic Gives Uwe's German Restaurant 10 Bombs Out of 10 ... BOMBS ARE GUT ... And A Spot On CombatCritic's WALL OF FAME!

Ten Bombs Equates To:

"Phonetic spelling of the acronym HUA, which stands for 'Heard Understood Acknowledged.' Originally used by the British in the late 1800's in Afghanistan. More recently adopted by the United States Army to indicate an affirmative or a pleased response." - Urban Dictionary

"The Department of Military Science and Leadership, University of Tennessee claim HOOAH 'refers to or means anything except no' ... Regardless of its meaning ... the term is an expression of high morale, confidence, motivation and spirit." - WarChronicle.com

"The U.S. Air Force stole 'HOOAH' from the Army because we were part of the Army until 1947 and rather than waste a bunch of time coming up with something new and unique, we said 'screw it, let's go with HOOAH' ... thanks Army ... HOOAH! - CombatCritic

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Title: Colorado Springs: Gut Food, Gut Service, Gut Prices ... UWE's IS THE BOMB!

Key Words: Uwe's, Uwe, German, restaurant, 80909, Colorado Springs, Colorado, springs, schnitzel, weiner, Jäeger, Jäegermeister, Wärsteiner, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: HOOAH - "Sehr Gut!"

Went Twice, Closed Both Times - Stop Wasting My Time!

Duca’s Neapolitan Pizza

12229 Voyager Pkwy

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Phone: (719) 487-3200

Website: ducaspizza.com

Prices: $$$$

My son and I tried to eat here twice during my recent visit to Colorado, but on the night I got into town (Wednesday), they were closed when we arrived shortly after 8pm. We returned the following Sunday at around 5pm hungry for a Neapolitan pizza, but they were again closed so we gave up on Duca's.

How is the pizza? No idea and I guess I will never know because they will not be open long if paying customers arrive to find the doors locked. 

I checked their prices online and they are not unfair, but I cannot tell you if this is a good value because I COULD NOT TASTE THE PIZZA. For example, a Margherita pizza in Naples (hence their name, Neapolitan: "someone or something from Naples, Italy") runs around €5 to €6 which equates to around $5.50 to $6.50 (today), so $6.95 is not unreasonable. 

American "Neapolitan" pizzas tend to average 12" in diameter, but if you order a pizza in Naples, you will never get a 12" pizza unless it was a mistake. True Neapolitan pizzas are at least 13" to 14" in diameter and you would never find chicken on a pizza in Naples, particularly the "BBQ" or "Buffalo" or variety as is the case at Duca's.

A pizza place that closes at 8pm? Give me a break and stop wasting my time!

CombatCritic Gives Duca's Neapolitan Pizza 1 Bomb Out Of 10 ... You Know The Rest

One Bomb Equates To:

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Title: Colorado Springs: Went Twice, Closed Both Times - Stop Wasting My Time!

Key Words: Duca's Neapolitan Pizza, Duca's, Duca, Neapolitan, pizza, Naples, Colorado Springs, Colorado, springs, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR = "Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Monument: Oh Brothers, $19 For A $10 Pizza Special?

Borriello Brothers

15910 Jackson Creek Pkwy

Monument, CO 80132

Phone: (719) 884-2020

Website: borriellobrothers.com

Prices: $$$$

Beware when ordering "specials" and adding extra ingredients. Our $10 18" one-topping pizza specials skyrocketed to $19 because the $1 extra toppings we were quoted turned out to be $3 each on an 18" pizza.

The pizza is average and the Genoa salami I paid extra for as a "specialty topping" was used very sparingly. I may as well have ordered a cheese pizza because there was hardly any of the up-charged salami anywhere to be found.

My son is vegan and ordered his pizza without cheese, but having added red pepper, roasted tomato and fresh basil, the "$10 special" ballooned to $19. I can buy an entire basil plant for a little more than $3, so charging that much for a few measly leaves is unconscionable. His pizza was also burnt on the bottom, so we had to wait an additional 20 minutes to get an edible pizza while mine grew cold to the touch.

It is difficult to find good pizza anywhere but on the right and left coasts and I was left unimpressed after this experience. My son also told me that the last time he went there he asked if he could substitute an additional topping seeing that he cannot eat cheese and asked that the mozzarella be excluded, but he was told, "no you cannot" ... UNSAT. 

CombatCritic Gives Borriello Brothers 4 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Four Bombs Equates To:

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Title: Oh Brothers, $19 For A $10 Pizza Special?

Key Words: Borriello Brothers, Borriello, brothers, brother, pizza, pasta, Colorado Springs, Colorado, springs, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: BOHICA = "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again"

Monument: Sushi Or Not Sushi, That Is The Question

I-Fish

562 West Hwy 105

Monument, CO 80132

Phone: (719) 488-9898

Website: ifishmonument.com

Prices: $$$$

I am not a big sushi or sashimi fan. I have eaten both on several occasions and I personally just don't get it or see what all the fuss is about. A bunch of rice with seaweed wrapped around it and some vegetables or fish inside. Paying top dollar for something with so little taste just ain't my style. I ate freshly caught Mahi Mahi sashimi while on a 50 foot sailing yacht during a SCUBA diving trip to Yap and it was "OK", nothing to write home to Guam about.

Anywho, my sons and a friend of theirs wanted to come here for the $14.95 all-you-can-eat lunch deal, so I was cajoled into joining in. Two of them had the all-you-can-eat deal and what they received looked quite appealing and filling for the price. 

My youngest son, who is not a sushi/sashimi fan like myself, and I decided to go with something more flavorful, so we both went with the Beef Yakisoba ($8.95). It was tasty enough, but not overly abundant. There was a medium size pile of the flavorful, fried noodles and a shredded carrot garnish, but it seemed as though my son got most of the beef when they split it into two dishes. As Wendy would say, "where's the beef?"

I will not let my opinion of sushi and the like sway me, so I base my rating on the quality of the food, the flavor of what I ate, the service, the atmosphere, and most of all the value. The food was good, the service excellent, the atmosphere nice, and the value average.

CombatCritic Gives I-Fish 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better

Six Bombs Equates To:

"Good To Go"

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I-Fish

Title: Sushi Or Not Sushi, That Is The Question

Key Words: I-Fish, I, Fish, IFish, sushi, sashimi, Monument, Colorado, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Tabelog, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: G2G = Good To Go

Monument: Muy Bueno ... Very Good, Authentic Food And An Excellent Value!

Rodolfo’s Mexican Grill
15932 Jackson Creek Pkwy
Monument, CO 80921
Phone: (719) 487-9410

Prices: $$$$

Bare bones atmosphere, a few tables and chairs, a walk-up service window, and no servers, but very good food at reasonable prices in the corner location of a strip mall.

My son is a vegan and loved his bean and rice burrito with guacamole ($4.45). It was huge!

I am not vegan, or even a virgin for that matter, so I ordered chips and guacamole ($2.80), carne asada tacos ($2.35 each), and cheese and onion enchiladas ($3.95) ala carte. The chips were a tad too greasy, as if they had just been reheated in the deep frier, but pretty good with a little shredded cheese and a bit more guacamole on top. I needed some more guacamole, so I went back to the counter to get an additional side order for the chips and my tacos., but when I asked to pay I was told "no charge". Wow ... gracias!

The carne asada tacos came on large corn tortillas and were heaped with sliced beef, diced onions, pico de gallo, guacamole, and a little shredded cheese ... just the way I like them ... buenísimo! They also have a small salsa bar with three different salsas (two red and one green), some pico de gallo, fresh cut lime, and pickled jalapeño and sliced carrots. They were all great, but I had to taste each to find out how hot they were, so some signage would be my only suggestion.

The enchiladas were also very good. The red chili sauce was spicy and tasty and there was just the right amount of cheese to sauce ratio. The only drawback being way too many sliced onions on top instead of a few diced onions inside the enchiladas. The taste was pretty much the same, but it was hard to see the enchiladas through the onions and they were a bit overpowering.

In all, the food was fresh, excellent, and very reasonable. Coming from Lawrence, Kansas where they do not seem to know what good, authentic Mexican food is, Rodolfo's was a breath of fresh air in more ways than one. Being a cold Colorado night, the place was a bit chillier than expected, so dress warm and enjoy some good food.

CombatCritic Gives Rodolfo's Mexican Grill 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... Más Bombas Son Mejores!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Rodolfo’s Mexican Grill

Menus

Title: Muy Bueno ... Very Good, Authentic Food And An Excellent Value! 

Key Words: Rodolfo's Mexican Grill, Rodolfo's, Rodolfo, Rudolfo, Mexican, grill, Monument, Colorado, springs, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Tabelog, Zomato

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Colorado Springs: As We Say On Yelp ... "Meh, I've Experienced Better"

Hacienda Colorado

5246 N Nevada Ave

Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Phone: (719) 418-7999

Website: haciendacolorado.com

Prices: $$$$$

Three steak tacos and a few black beans - $13

You would never know you were in a Mexican restaurant by the looks of the place. It looks more like a seafood restaurant or a steak house. Anyway, unlike most of my reviews, this will be short ...

Food ... average

Service ... adequate

Prices ... very high ... $10 for guacamole?

Value ... terrible

CombatCritic Gives Hacienda Colorado 3 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Portobello Burrito - $11.59 ... For A Burrito With No Meat?

Cheese and Onion Enchilada Ala Carte - $3.99 

Read This Review And Many More On Yelp ... CombatCritic Is An Elite '14/'15 Yelp Member

Title: As We Say On Yelp ... "Meh, I've Experienced Better"

Key Words: Hacienda Colorado, hacienda, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Nevada, Mexican, menu, food, restaurant, taco, enchilada, guacamole, chips, salsa, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, Yelp, TripAdvisor

Colorado Springs: Best Italian Restaurant In Town!

 Paravicini's Italian Bistro

Authentic Foods - Great Service - Quality Atmosphere

2802 W Colorado Ave, 
Colorado Springs, CO 80904-2444

(719) 471-8200 

Hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am - 9:00pm
Fri-Sat 11:30am - 10:00pm

Paravicinis.com

I have been eating at Paravicini's since they opened in 2003 and have not been disappointed once. Ted Sexton and Franco  Pisani, the owners, opened their doors, just minutes from our Old Colorado City home, to rave reviews and Franco, the head chef, deserves every one of them. The food is and always has been consistent, reasonably priced, and made with quality ingredients and the wine list robust and reasonable as well.

Appetizers include many of the Italian specialties you would expect, including calamari, fried mozzarella, mussels, bruschetta (pronounced bru-ske-ta, not bru-she-ta as many Americans mistakenly do), and assorted meats, cheeses, and marinated vegetables among others. I stopped ordering appetizers a long time ago because you can expect an abundance of food from ordering the main course including pasta (full meals or as sides), meats (veal, chicken and steak prepared in an abundance of sauces), salad (served family style - Ceasar is $2 extra per person) and fresh baked bread (keep bringing it!).

Pastas include many regulars including spaghetti and meatballs (a dish you will never see in Italy), manicotti, lasagna, ravioli, rigatoni, and gnocchi (small potato dumplings) in portions even the biggest eaters will not be disappointed by, but the meat dishes are not to be missed!

The veal dishes are the best value on the menu, just a buck or two more than the pastas and chicken dishes, served in a variety of sauces second to none. My favorites, not on the menu but available nonetheless, are the Veal (vitello in Italian) Saltimbocca (veal scallopini - medallions - covered with prosciutto and mozzarella, then baked and served in a lemon butter and sage sauce over angelhair pasta) and the Veal Capricosa (veal medallions covered with mozzarella then baked and served with sauteed prosciutto, mushrooms, and onion over angelhair). Other favorites are the Veal Toscano (veal scaloppini sautéed with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts, finished in a roasted garlic cream sauce), Veal Porcini (sautéed veal scaloppini in a porcini mushroom brandy cream sauce), and for those who enjoy hot and spicy, the Veal Giuseppe (veal scaloppini sautéed with spicy Italian sausage, onions, hot and sweet peppers, capers, olive, garlic & olive oil). All veal dishes are between $16.95 and $18.95 and served with salad, fresh, hot bread, and pasta, very reasonable for the quality of the milk-fed veal and portion sizes.  

The wine selection is moderate and varied, with glasses or bottles available at a fair price. A full bar is available for those who wish to partake.

Desserts, which I have been able to order only on a few occasions because of the robustness of the meals, are excellent and include classic tiramisu and delicious cannoli (tubular stuffed with a sweet ricotta cream), a specialty of the island of Sicily, my wife's original home.

Paravicini's, a name that is actually a bit redundant due to the fact that words ending in "i" are always plural in the Italian language, is a Colorado Springs treasure. Located in historic Old Colorado City, offers a wonderful American-style (Italians would never think of eating meat and pasta together) Italian meal with the opportunity to stroll through the historic district after dinner to digest before going on your way...buon appetite!







CombatCritic gives Paravicini's a Whopping 9 out of 10 Bombs for quality, value, and consistency ... BOMBS ARE GREAT!

Key Words: Italian, Italy, pasta, 80907, Colorado, Colorado Springs, CombatCritic, critic, food, Paravicini, Paravicini's, restaurant, TravelValue, veal, wine, review, menu, Yelp, TripAdvisor, Zomato