Fat Belly's (Wakefield, RI)

It was a lovely Sunday afternoon that quickly turned into a memorable Sunday Funday.  My parents and I and our friend Lynn decided to meet up at Fat Belly's after my mom's yoga class.  What's a better way to top off a nice relaxing yoga class than to polish off some beers and BBQ chicken nachos at a place called Fat Belly's.  Sounds about right to me.  So we met up at Fat Belly's around 4 and proceeded to stay until about 8.  It was nothing too crazy, but it was a great afternoon- couple of Magners, some nachos and a juicy cheeseburger just to get us all in the mood for the work week-although have to admit my work week isn't too bad..just have to wake up by 2pm to babysit. Anyways, we had a great server, who was very friendly and never left us thirsty- he was trying to make sure we stayed "happy" as Lynn would say.  It's the polite way to say buzzed on a Sunday afternoon with the over 50 crowd.  We ordered the BBQ chicken nachos and they arrived at our table minutes later.  The serving of nachos was a great size for the four of us.  The chips were topped with chicken, cheddar-jack cheese, diced jalepenos, onions, scallions, tomatoes, black olives, BBQ sauce, and a dallop of Daisy.  They looked delicious as they were placed in the middle of our table and I was excited to dig right in.  The nachos were layered very well as each chip had plenty of toppings.  The nachos may have been left a little too long in the oven, however, because the cheese was burnt in some places.  I also didn't love how thick and salty the chips were..thin crisp ones would have been perfect to hold the diced chicken.  The BBQ sauce was evenly distributed across the nachos and I enjoyed it this time because it did not overpower the dish like my last run-in with BBQ sauce did.  However, the BBQ had a strange tang that I wasn't completely in love with, but they were a good starter.  I wouldn't say amazing, but definitely satisfying.  The Irish pub-like atmosphere of Fat Belly's offers you the perfect setting to enjoy some nachos and beer and therefore they are a must when visiting this restaurant.  I'm giving them a 7.5/10.

Grill on Main (East Greenwich, RI)

Since I've been home I've been trying to be really good about saving money for Barbados.  Having a financial planner for a mother makes that task a joy.  So, when I decide to go out to dinner I have to know it's going to be good.  And if my friend who's allergic to wheat sacrifices her digestive tract for some nachos I know they're going to be delicious.  My friend Ariana has been talking about this restaurant and their nachos for a while now.  So, naturally I've been dying to try them.  We decided to go last night, pre-binge drinking escapades, to coat our stomachs.  The Grill on Main is a great locals pub with dark wood paneling, a large bar area and a friendly atmosphere.  All of the food on the menu looked good, some better than others. Guess which some I'm talking about.  Loaded nachos baby.  I was ready to eat, so we ordered them right away.  Our waitress was friendly, but one of those talkative types, you get the whole life story and can't tell if she's sincere or just talking about having a 10 month old at home expecting more pity tips.  Anyways the nachos arrive and they look scrumptious.  They are the perfect size for sharing amongst two or three people, depending on your level of glutton-ness.  The tri-colored chips are served on a long white plate which adds a little sophistication to their presentation.  The chips are covered with chili, cheese, salsa, diced tomatoes, jalapenos, olives, lettuce and sour cream.  Everything tasted really fresh, nothing was too greasy or too heavy and after devouring them I was left with a satisfied feeling rather than a bloated one.  The only change I would make would be to spread out the toppings more evenly as some chips were left bare.  Otherwise the yellow, blue, and red chips were crispy and crunchy just the way I like them and were the perfect base for the "loaded" toppings.  They were great! I would have them for breakfast tomorrow.  I'll have to call and see if they're open.  The nachos get a 8.6/10.  Our night out in Newport following the feast receives a 14/10.  Love me a shwasted Saturday!

Tucker's Bistro (Newport, RI)

On special recommendation of my friend Sarah's dad John, I made a reservation for Thursday night at Tucker's Bistro. "Katie, I didn't know you had a nacho blog! These were some excellent f*ing nachos. You have to try this place- Tucker's Bistro." I was in.  As we know I love trying new restaurants and have been leaning towards more "foodie" places lately.  Tucker's fits the bill perfectly.  It's a cute little French bistro right on Broadway in Newport.  The lightening is red and romantic, the art is eclectic, the service is superb and even the bread bowl was beautiful- nice beading work. Now, Tucker's Bistro has a way with foods and interesting combinations of tastes and ingredients. So, I knew these nachos would be one of a kind.  And they definitely were.  The were listed on the menu as Thai Shrimp Nachos and I thought- this is going to be great, very different, so I prepared my taste buds. They were amazing! The portion was perfect for three people I would say and there were five in our group, but we're excellent sharers and seemed to make it work. They came out in a wide set bowl instead of the usual plate which I thought was a nice touch for their presentation score.  Instead of tortilla chips, the nachos were based with crispy wontons topped with sauteed shrimp, red peppers, scallions and leeks all swimming in a coconut Thai red curry broth.  The taste was fantastic! Honestly, it's a little bit difficult for me to describe in words.  The coconut broth was sweet. but not overwhelmingly so.  The wontons had such great texture, taste and stability that they were the perfect base for the six or so jumbo shrimp.  The sweet bell peppers gave the nachos another unique taste as they were soft on the outside, but the right amount of crunch on the inside. Creating that perfect chip or shall I say wonton required shrimp, red pepper, leeks, scallions and then a spoonful of the curry broth in that order.  The flavors exploded in my mouth and each ingredient perfectly complemented the others.  These sure were some delicious nachos and they are definitely the most creative ones I have seen so far in terms of presentation and experimentation with different flavors. I'm giving them a 9.2/10.

The Ocean Mist (Matunuck, RI)

So this past Friday was actually International Nacho Day, unfortunately it's not listed on the calendar so some of you may have missed it.  I didn't.  But, I did go to the Willows which I've already written about to celebrate so I decided to write about my most anticipated nacho adventure at the Ocean Mist.  The Ocean Mist is by far my favorite bar in RI because it is right on the water- the views are incredible and the waves crashing on the shore is one of my favorite sounds.  Every Tuesday is reggae night and let's just say I frequent there so often to the point that sometimes I leave my tab open only to restart it the next week.  I do it on purpose I swear.  Anyways, I've been dying to try the nachos at the Mist for awhile now. But, every time I've gone in for the infamous brunch on Sundays there's been over an hour wait and when you're hungover that just doesn't cut it.  But, this past Sunday we were celebrating my good friend Sarah's birthday and I decided that I was going to be patient and enjoy a few mimosas while we waited for our food. The Mist is truly a locals spot, the vibe is so laid back that anyone who steps foot inside feels comfortable. The only thing that was not comfortable was seeing the bathrooms in the daylight. Anyways we all got started with some bloody Marys and mimosas as we perused the menu. Chili nachos was a unanimous vote at the table as an appetizer and I was overjoyed. As overjoyed as one can be on Sunday morning after binge drinking. So, we ordered the nachos and our entrees.The nachos arrived only about 40 minutes later which was a great surprise for my stomach as I had been preparing for an hour wait. Although, we ordered the loaded nachos we were surprised to see that all of the toppings came on the side. However, it was a bit coincidental that when the nacho was first created in Piedras Negras, Mexico in 1943 its only toppings were cheese and jalapenos which is exactly what these nachos were topped with.Black beans, salsa, chili and sour cream were served on the side. For atheistic appeal I decided to dump all of the toppings onto the nachos for the picture. The nachos were very good, although I wouldn't say great. The serving of chili was small and the serving size of the nachos themselves was also on the smaller side. I prefer when nachos have all of the toppings piled high on top of them smothered in cheese. I do not love making it an art project and preparing them myself. But,because it's the Mist, I'm raising the grade a wee bit, I'm giving them a 7.3/10. There she is!

Bat 17 (Evanston, IL) My first guest post by my good friend Eric Sveum!

I wish I could have captured the beauty of Evanston, IL’s Bat 17 nachos. Somehow though after maybe 2-3 minutes of being served they disappeared and what you see is all that was left.

Bat 17 is city-renowned for their massive sandwiches, but you would be making a grave mistake to not order these nachos (and then take your sandwich home in a box – seriously you will be full). Made with tortilla chips that are freshly baked in-restaurant each day they remained thin, crisp, warm and showed no sign of soggying in those glorious 2-3 minutes of eating.

I’ve been a home cheese shredder, microwave nacho maker my entire life, but there’s something about a plate of restaurant nachos with queso cheese (as seen above). The cheese sauce was perfectly dipped so that each chip somehow was covered in queso, one jalapeno, a little black beans, “free-range” chicken breast, and ground beef almost to a point that each one felt like an open-faced sandwich that you would pick off a server’s plate at a catered party.

If I could point out one flaw it would be the separation of guacamole, salsa and sour cream in separate mini-bowls for dipping. How can I also have the appropriate amount of those toppings on my dream nacho open-face sandwich? Without going through the meticulous trouble of fork and knifing one each one?

My take in those unforgettable minutes was to eat as fast as possible dipping and pouring the guac, sour cream and salsa so that I could get as much as possible before anyone else could eat more than I. Isn’t that the beauty of ordering nachos at a bar/restaurant to start your meal?

 http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/55065/restaurant/Evanston/BAT-17-Chicago

"Shrimp Nachos" Los Agaves (Santa Barbara, CA)

FINALLY something different!! At last I am able to add something new to my nacho topping belt-shrimp.   The family and I arrived in Cali on Tuesday to bring little Liz out to school and thus far the vacation has been nothing but a bundle of laughs. Just call us the Griswolds.  Well, first off the radio wasn't working in our rental car.  Now, you may say well then you should just talk to each other and to quit being so hooked on technology.  But, you try flying on a plane for eight hours and then sitting in a car for four and tell me you don't wish there was a little background noise.  There was a comment made about every single establishment we passed.  Hey look a Target, check out those pelicans, wow look at all these palm trees, look an Applebees, hey isn't that Beverly Hills?  Now, I get it we're in a new place and everything is exciting, but just because the back windows are tinted from the outside doesn't mean we can't see out of them.  Our next adventure was waiting in line at the Jay Leno show for 3 hours to realize that we were just ten minutes too late to actually get into the show and then make the four hour trek (there and back) the next day.  Well good news is we got in on Wednesday and actually were able to meet Jay at a red light on his way home after the show in his antique Bentley convertible.  So as my mother always says "it was meant to be."  On Thursday,  my Mom left her purse at a place we ate breakfast- meant to be huh?  You tell that to TSA when you're trying to get back to RI.   There was some stress later that day at UCSB's campus as Liz travelled from building to building attempting to tie up some loose ends so that she could actually begin school next week, she unfortunately discovered that all of the buildings on campus were closed.  Leave it to us Rosbottoms to wait until the absolute last minute for everything.  And finding a bed comforter, jesus, I have never seen someone take so long to decide on what should adorn their 5 inch dormitory mattress.  We visited 23 stores.  I wish I was kidding. But, finally the question was asked- "Kate what do you feel like doing?" I said, "I feel like eating." I had been doing some research on the local fare around here-imagine that me looking up restaurant menus and I found that Los Agaves was supposed to have the best Mexican food around.  So it was settled that's where we would go for dinner. It was a great little place where you ordered at the counter and then waited for the food to be brought to your table.  The menu had a variety of options including authentic Mexican favorites and a few new Mexican dishes that I'd never seen before. But, the dish that really caught my eye of course was nachos.  There were only two options: chicken or steak, but as we approached the counter the women behind the register mentioned that there was a shrimp option.  I looked at Liz with sparkles in my eyes and she knew- "We'll have the shrimp ones," she said.  The nachos arrived to our table only minutes later and they looked fantastic.  The chips tasted as if they had just been made- they were warm and crispy topped with refried beans, melted cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, amazingly fresh guacamole, beautifully marinated shrimp, and doused with sour cream. I'll admit as anxious as I have been to try different nacho varieties, I've always been wary of nachos covered in seafood, but the shrimp was delicious.  It had a light lemon marinade that combined very well with a chip piled high with toppings.  The guacamole was one of the best I'd ever had, not too salty and not too thick.  The cheese and refried beans could be found on every layer of the nachos and the sour cream did not overwhelm the dish as it sometimes does.  These nachos were absolutely fantastic!! They are very high on the list.  I'm giving them a 9.4/10.

Mohegan Cafe and Brewery (Block Island, RI)

Sail away on the Block Island ferry, eat some nachos at Mohegan Cafe, sail away Block Island awaits you, best snack on the island I say. Just got back from my annual trip out to Block Island.  I've been visiting this small piece of New England paradise for over 15 years and I usually make it a point to take the ferry over at least once every summer. This summer, however I went over with a mission.  I had never noticed before if any restaurants served nachos and this year I discovered that four of them did and of course I wanted to try all of them.  I researched the different restaurants, read their reviews and narrowed it down to the restaurant with the most raved about nachos which were said to be at the Mohegan Cafe and Brewery in Old Harbor.  Luckily my parents and my aunt and uncle are very supportive of my nacho obsession and agreed to go with me to try these notorious nachos.  When we arrived at the Mohegan Cafe we decided that we'd all try one of the locally brewed beers.  I opted for the beer infused with chili pepper- big mistake.  I thought that it would complement the nachos well, but it did not.  The beer was overwhelmingly sickly spicy.  It left a horrible taste my mouth and acidic feel to my stomach.  I should have gone with a shirley temple- never disappoints.  Only about 10 minutes after we ordered, the heaping plate of nachos arrived.  As you see above they had an abundance of toppings including cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, black olives, jalapenos, black beans, lettuce, salsa, sour cream and turkey chili with corn.  They were OUTstanding!  I have to admit I was very impressed. The portion was huge and nearly all chips were loaded with toppings.  The turkey chili was delicious and added a unique flavor and texture to the chips.  It was not too heavy, like some beef and bean chilis tend to be.  The salsa was great too, very fresh and sweet.  Hard to see in the picture, but the chips were tri-colored which added a little something extra and made the nachos really stand out. I was so glad that I had the chance to try these babies and may even have to take a second trip out before the summer's over for round two.  Definitely up there on the list! I'm giving them a 9.3/10.

The Willows (Narragansett, RI)

Every time I step into the Willows I am reminded of Saturday nights after Y swim meets playing Golf Pro or bowling while waiting for our food to arrive.  I've never been a patient person, especially when it comes to food, so entertaining distractions are a must and the "bathroom trick" works well too.  What is the bathroom trick you may ask? Well next time you're waiting for your food to arrive at a restaurant, excuse yourself to the bathroom and surely enough on your arrival back to your table, your food will be waiting for you.  It has a 93.4% success rate.  But, don't be that asshole that leaves the table seconds after ordering and questions my trick.  Back to the Willows and long, exhausting Y swim meets.  If you have read my previous post about Polly's nachos then you would know that there was never a shortage of my favorite snack in between races.  However, the nachos that I really craved after an exhausting 25 yd freestyle were the chili nachos at the Willows.  A Saturday night after a swim meet would go a little something like this- finish up swimming at 6pm, eight hours after you arrived for warm-up, take a 45 minute steaming hot shower-your muscles are killing you, butterfly's tough for an eight year old and wait impatiently in the Y lobby as your parents and their friends decide where we'll be eating.  This process usually takes about 20 minutes, even though 9 times of out 10 we ended up at the Willows.  We'd arrive at the Willows and demand that they find a way to accommodate all 43 of us immediately.  The next grueling task was deciding how many orders of nachos would be enough for the kids table.  Maura and Mollie were usually in charge of this- they'd recommend 6 or 7 orders and I was always grateful that I had found friends who had an appetite like mine.  We had decided that one order for every two kids was fair.  Our parents usually looked to us and shook their heads in disapproval.  Then, we'd counter with-"Well did you swim three races today? I didn't think so" and they soon realized they were never going to win this argument and quickly caved.  Then, we'd rush over to the game room, and distract ourselves, usually cheating the bowling game, until our food arrived.  Now, I haven't been to the Willows in a long time, but every time I step into the restaurant I am reminded of these Saturday nights.  I was feeling nostalgic after an exhausting day of drinking on the beach and decided we should stop in for some nachos.  Between the four of us we ordered the chili nachos and some mozzarella sticks-always a staple.  I was starving as rum and pineapples had served as lunch that day and couldn't wait a second longer for the nachos to arrive.  So I attempted the "bathroom trick" and sure enough, it worked!  When I arrived back to the table and saw those nachos my mind immediately reverted back to Saturday nights where all the kids would ferociously devour the nachos three minutes after they were set on the table.  I sat down looked at the plate and immediately was disappointed by the size.  I was always so impressed with how large the order was when I was younger and I thought to myself- did they just look bigger when I was eight? or has the Willows gotten cheap.  I knew it was the latter because I've never been intimidated by food.  I took my first bite, however, and was no longer worried about their size.  They tasted exactly as I had remembered.  The chili was sweet, the cheese was cheesy and the chips had an amazing crunch.  Now, the Willows do not serve a particularly fancy plate of nachos.  They arrive with Tostitos rounds, chili with beans, cheddar-jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, jalapenos, salsa and sour cream, but they sure are delicious.  They are evenly layered and loaded with toppings.  The soggy chips on the bottom are the delicious piled high with kidney beans and sour cream.  But, the best thing about them is the memories that they remind me of.  So, if you're ever visiting little Rhody I wholeheartedly recommend the nachos at the Willows.  They get a 9.1/10 because I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for them.

"BBQ Chicken Nachos" The Mews (Wakefield, RI)

Just got back to RI this week and have been spending a lot of time on the beach working on my glow...pretty much a bronze goddess at the moment.  And aside from the beach I've been dreaming of nachos and last night I went to the Mews, one of the best restaurants in RI, hands down-awesome vibe, great selection of food and 69 beers on tap!! Woooo can't beat that magic number.  Of course after ordering a little cocktail (Flirtini to be exact- it was delicious!!) I was starting to get the nacho munchies.  I decided I wanted to try the BBQ chicken nachos because I've tried all the other ones on the Mews' menu.  Now, I'm not the biggest BBQ fan, don't get me wrong I love a good breast of chicken marinated in BBQ sauce and grilled alongside a big ol' baked potato and corn on the cob in the summertime...I'm just not too fond of straight BBQ sauce all over my nachos.  I learned this last night.  In perfect Mews fashion the nachos were huge and they had all the toppings you could ever need-black beans, jack and cheddar cheeses, diced tomatoes, jalapenos, red onions (not my favorite), sour cream, salsa, shredded chicken and BBQ sauce.  I'll admit I was expecting the chicken to be doused in BBQ sauce, instead the BBQ sauce just seemed to be poured all over the top of the nachos.  This wasn't ideal, I would say the BBQ sauce overwhelmed the nachos.  It gave the nachos great flavor and it was surely something that I've never had on my nachos before, but it was just too much.  I would definitely recommend the nachos if you're a BBQ fan, but if not maybe asking for the sauce on the side could solve the problem.  I have three suggestions for the Mews-marinate the chicken in BBQ sauce, cut it in strips rather than shredding it and take the nachos out of the oven a little sooner because sometimes the nachos dry out.  All in all it was a great time at the Mews and the nachos really did hit the spot once you got below the first layer of BBQ madness.  Definitely something to try! I'm giving them a 7.9/10.

Cucina Twist (Wakefield, RI)

The greatest part about being at home and celebrating a sibling's graduation is the excuse to go out to dinner every night of the week.  The second greatest thing is having a grandfather around who likes eating just as much as I do.  "Don't be shy, Katie, you eat that last nacho." Music to my ears.  It usually sounds something like this. "Kate, save some for everybody else or aren't you getting a cheeseburger too?"  Well little Liz graduated high school on Tuesday and we went out after for drinks and appetizers at Cucina Twist after the ceremony.  Traditionally, an Italian restaurant I was pleasantly surprised to see "Loaded Nachos" listed under appetizers.  I was told that it was Liz's night and she was allowed to order whatever she wanted.  I started off with a Blue Moon and a shirley temple while we waited for Liz to decide.  She chose Brushetta, Calamari Giovanni, a few grilled pizzas, and..... then looked over at me and said, "Kate- nachos? I knew we were sisters for some reason.  The appetizers arrived and by some miracle the waitress knew just where to place them.  It was the most interesting presentation I have ever seen.  Now the menu claims to serve tri-colored chips, but all I saw was orange and I loved it.  Orange is one of my favorite colors and it just jumped ahead of yellow after doing such a great job at pleasing my taste buds.  The orange chips were layered with a cheddar-jack cheese, tomatoes, jalepenos, black beans, corn, fresh salsa and sour cream.  We ordered the chili on the side-Liz is still pretending to be a vegetarian.  The nachos were fresh, crunchy, and proportionally covered with toppings.  The serving size was great, everyone at our table of 12 was able to have a few bites and then some.  The chili was good, not excellent-could have been a bit spicier.  The only improvement I would make to the nachos is add some extra cheese to the bottom layer.  You could tell someone in the kitchen made an effort to layer the nachos well and they did, but a few chips were lacking cheese in the underbelly.  If you're ever at Cucina Twist I would definitely recommend trying these orange nachos and a side of the Calamari Giovanni-it's to die for. I'm giving these babies an 8.2/10.

Cafe Sol (St. Lawrence Gap, Barbados)

I recently visited Barbados for a second time in only two months. I just got back on Wednesday and I must admit I'm falling in love with the place. The people, the beaches, the food, the music- the whole lifestyle intrigues me. When I was in Barbados for the 1st time all I wanted to try was Cafe Sol's nachos. I read about the restaurant before my trip and had discovered that it was the only Mexican restaurant on the entire island of Barbados. I knew it was fate when I found out that it was only a two minute walk from my hotel. Unfortunately, Cafe Sol was closed down in the fall because of a fire, but it had relocated only a few doors down. The new restaurant was scheduled to open the week before I arrived in March, but just my luck, it was rescheduled to open the day after I left. I was so disappointed that I wasn't able to try Cafe Sol's nachos, that I decided a trip back was necessary as a graduation present to myself. We were back exactly two months later. I was thrilled to be back on the island and couldn't wait to have a delicious plate of nachos. We went to Cafe Sol on the first night of our trip, but the appetizers were expensive and we had decided we were going to come back a second time for them. We never made it back that week to try the nachos, but fortunately my friend Eleanor had trouble with her green card and my vacation was extended for a few days! It was a sign. We went immediately to Cafe Sol after booking a few more nights at our hotel and ordered the ultimate nachos which consisted of chicken, steak, beef, queso, guacamole, sour cream, beans, and salsa. The meat was exceptional. Every piece of steak was juicy and succulent, the chicken was delicious, and the beef was just spicy enough. The plate was huge. However, Eleanor and I were not intimidated, we polished them off in about 15 minutes-impressive/disgusting I know. The salsa was amazing! One of the best I've had-not too much salt, chunks of fresh tomato, nice amount of cilantro and lime juice. The only thing I would have changed about these nachos was the cheese. I don't prefer queso-I love melted cheddar cheese atop my chips. The queso had little flavor and it didn't add much to the dish. Overall the meats were juicy and delicious, the salsa was one of the best I've had and the view was amazing! Because I love Barbados so much and location of this restaurant, I'll cut some slack for Cafe Sol's choice of cheese. I'm giving them an 8.9.

Nationals Park (Southeast, DC)

Take me out to the ball game...take me out to the crowd...buy me some nachos and Heineken...I don't care if the Nationals win! It was a gorgeous Monday night in the city and we decided to head down to Nationals park to watch a baseball game. Going to a Nats game has been on my list since I came to college and I decided to make it happen during my last week here. I was so excited to just have a beer and a hot dog and watch the game. Nachos were ridiculously expensive, but I was starving so they were added to my meal. Now, they're baseball park nachos, so I wasn't expecting someone to be scooping out avocado in the back and whipping up some fresh guac or homemade salsa. The nachos had the basics-chips, cheese, chili, diced jalapeños, and sour cream plopped on top. The chili wasn't too thick or spicy and the jalapeños gave each bit that extra kick. The only thing I didn't love about the nachos was that the cheese wasn't melted. It was strewn on top of the chips and melted only because of the warm chili that was poured on top, so some of the cheese remained in the shredded form. But, the nachos were satisfying and they complemented my Heineken perfectly. I would give them a 5.5- did the job.

Busboys and Poets (Washington, DC)

Now, regretting that I had never made my way out to this place before. Really great vibe, excellent food, and eclectic artwork, Busboys and Poets truly captures DC's history in a unique light. The restaurant has a bookstore inside which also features fair trade products such as jewelry, pottery, and clothing. It's a great place to look around while you're waiting for a table. Went in on rainy Friday night. There were no performers that evening- but I've heard the live poetry readings and bands are entertaining and a bring a unique element to the dining experience. The hosts and servers were very friendly. The dimly lit dining room carries such energy from the artwork strewn along the walls. Of course, I had taken a gander at the menu before arriving. The fact that the appetizers section featured nachos was an added bonus, I had planned on going to this place anyways. My sister was in town and I wanted to take her somewhere different, somewhere truly "DC" and I thought this would be a great place to go and it was. We ordered the nachos-didn't see that one coming did you? They were wonderful. Served on blue corn chips (a personal favorite) with cheddar cheese, guacamole (delicious), pico de gallo, jalapeños, roasted corn, beans, and sour cream. I asked for some chili on the side (Liz gave up meat). The nachos were delicious the combination of the roasted corn, cheese, beans, and refreshingness of the guac filled my mouth with flavor. The chili had a sweet taste, but a great kick. Overall I think what I loved most about this plate of nachos was their presentation. The blue corn chips with the contrasting guacamole and corn brought such color to the dish. Blue corn chips had a better crunch and taste in my opinion. The pico de gallo was delicious and the chili had excellent flavor. Definitely a competitor in the DC region. I'm giving them an 8.8. Also a must-falafel mhmmm best in the city!

"Irish Nachos" District 2 (Van Ness, DC)

So, I thought it was about time that I added a little variety to this page. I realize that I have an awful lots of posts about chili nachos and when I set out on this nacho adventure I was hoping to embark on all kinds of interesting nacho dishes. However, I tend to only come across pretty standard nacho platters and I'm afraid my posts might be becoming a bit monotonous. So, I saw that District 2 had Irish nachos which used kettle potato chips as the base instead of the standard tortilla chip- I thought this would be a great chance to mix it up a bit, man what a disappointment.

A few friends and I hiked it up to District 2 last week, purely because I had been wanting to try these nachos for a while now. I really appreciate my friends and their patience. When we arrived we immediately ordered some drinks and the Irish nachos. The waitress said that they no longer served them on the kettle chips and that they've now converted to the tortilla. Man, was I bummed. I hesitated for a minute as she asked if that was okay...she seemed to think it was absolutely fine. I on the other hand was completely disappointed. I sat there pouting for a a few minutes and then agreed that I would still have them. I had been so excited to try the Irish nachos and add something a little different to my resume as nacho connoisseur. The nachos came out a few minutes later and they looked sad and I was sad. They were just blah-white corn chips with a cheese fondue sauce scattered on top of them. The sour cream was chunky. The guacamole had little flavor and the salsa was eh. I mean I ate them of course, but was not pleased with them. The chips had no flavor, no salt, no crunch and the cheese probably only covered 50% of them. I was not happy, so I was forced to order another drink. So I would say skip the nachos at District 2, but the fried pickles are a MUST! I promise I was skeptical too, just try them and you'll die.

I give the nachos a 2.2/10 and the pickles a 9.3/10 for my girl Snooki.

Clyde's "St. Patrick's Day Nachos" (Chinatown, DC)

Last Thursday happened to be one of my favorite holidays of the year, behind my birthday that is. It was St. Patrick's Day, I had just purchased some ridiculous 2 foot green and orange Dr. Seuss style hat off the street and been spray painted green by a homeless man so I decided it was time for dinner. My friend Maria gets to have the pleasure of celebrating this fine holiday along side her own birthday. She's one lucky girl. We had planned on going to an Irish pub for dinner, seeing as it only seemed right to have corn beef and green beer to celebrate March 17th, but of course there was a four hour wait and we were starved. We made our way over to Clyde's in Chinatown-it's a great restaurant, lots of options, nothing spectacular, but good ol' American food. There was a large group of us out that night and we decided appetizers would be too difficult/expensive to share amongst everyone. Well they decided. I had made up my mind-it was my second favorite holiday of the year and ninth down on the list of Starters was Chili Nachos and I was getting them. When it was my turn to order I think I turned some heads, as no one was expecting to have any appetizers that evening. But, when they arrived no one seemed hysterical that I had ordered them, after all how many pieces of bread can you have to trick yourself into thinking you're not starving. Mhmmm and they were great! Nice big pile of fresh, crunchy chips layered with a sweet, meaty chili, cheese, salsa, sliced jalapeños and sour cream. Now, the one thing I truly loved about these nachos was their size and the flavor of the chili. The nachos were big enough to allow everyone at our table of 10 quite a healthy sampling. The chili was wonderful, sweet and spicy at the same time. It's listed as ground beef on the menu, but it was definitely an authentic chili with beans. It's always a problem at the end when there are too many chips and not enough toppings, I never seem to mind it when the scenario is the opposite. This plate offered an overload of toppings, but they don't give you forks for nothing. So scoop it all up and enjoy. Definitely a great night out and that was only the appetizer. I give them a 8.3/10.

Lucky Horseshoe Steakhouse (Worthings, Barbados)

So, I just got back from my last spring break trip to Barbados last night. Man am I bummed to have to be back at school today. First of all I recommend Barbados to everyone-it is an amazing island with amazing people, awesome nightlife, beautiful beaches, delicious restaurants and NACHOS. I of course had been doing a little research before I left for Barbados to look for some restaurants that served nachos. Unfortunately, the only Mexican restaurant on the island was closed down because of a fire it had last fall. It was supposed to open last week, but the opening was postponed till today, so I missed it-now forcing me to book a return trip to the island.

But, luckily on our drive home from the beach one day in a van/bus I was hanging out the window and happened to catch a glance at a restaurant menu while at a red light. I swore I thought I saw nacho platter, but wasn't quite sure. So, later that night I decided to go on a nacho hunt. Couldn't quite remember where the restaurant was, but I was willing to do whatever it took to find some nachos. It was day four on my trip and I was desperate for the savory snack. Luckily the restaurant I had driven by earlier in the day wasn't too far from our hotel-only a 20 minute walk on a sketchy, unlit street (gotta do what ya gotta do). But, there it was The Lucky Horseshoe Steakhouse (it was exactly like it sounds) tacky. I immediately ran up to the menu out in front of the restaurant and nearly teared up when I realized I had been right. There it was under starters-Americano Nacho Platter. I was ready. Realizing by the decor of the restaurant these wouldn't be the best nachos I had ever tasted, but desperate times call for desperate measures. The nachos came out quite quickly considering we were dining in the Caribbean (very laid back, service is pretty slow). They were a colorful batch- red, black and yellow chips covered in cheddar cheese (Barbados cheddar is sharper, but it was good), chicken, jalapeños, sour cream and a delicious homemade salsa. The nachos weren't great, they were good. I would say their presentation and the fact they were probably the only ones I could find on the island made them seem a whole lot better. I enjoyed every bite. My favorite thing about them would definitely have to be the homemade salsa, it was delicious. The sour cream had a weird consistency I tried to steer clear of that and the chicken was distributed quite sparsely. But, I wasn't expecting much so I was satisfied. I was so happy that I had found them. So if you're ever desperately craving nachos while on a trip to Barbados I would recommend the Lucky Horseshoe-it served its purpose. I would give them a 6.4/10. I would give Barbados a 47/10.

Chadwicks (Friendship Heights, DC)

MMMMhhmmmmm....so the other night I was in the mood for something a little salty. My friends and I had been talking about going out to dinner after work. I obviously looked some restaurant options up online..drooled over different menus (something I do often) and threw the idea of Chadwicks out there, well, because they had nachos. I didn't really mention the reasoning for my choice to my friends, because I honestly think they're pretty unappreciative of a good plate of nachos. So, we ended up at Chadwicks after work and we were starving. I think we ordered four appetizers..and yes if you're wondering nachos was one of them. The nachos arrived and my mouth literally watered, pouring. There they were...the chips piled high with chili, diced tomatoes, sour cream, jalepenos, guacamole, and of course melted cheddar cheese. The nachos were delicious..wish they were a bit warmer though as lukewarm (never knew that was one word) cheese and chili can oversog any chip. The serving was large..my party of 5 polished them off quite quickly, but were left satisfied. I'd ask for the sour cream on the side as it slightly overtook the dish. Right now I'm considering Chadwick's as one of my top 3 nacho spots in DC so far. I'm giving them an 8.7/10.

Happy Australia Day! Colin's Nachos (105/104B Brook St. Coogee, Australia)

So, as previously mentioned last year I was studying abroad living in a little beach town right outside of Sydney known as Coogee. It was beautiful place where I met a whole bunch of amazing people. Today is Australia Day in the states and I decided to celebrate with a post about one of my greatest memories of Australia-Morganne's fake birthday party. Now, this was a party consisting of some Mexican favorites that we hadn't been able to find yet in Sydney- nachos, tacos, and.... .....margaritas!!!! (of course). So what is a fake birthday you may ask? Well, its when people don't know each other too well and communication is lacking and we think we're celebrating a birthday..and the half way through the night when everyone becomes extremely intoxicated you realize it's really no one's birthday at all..but continue celebrating anyways. My fake birthday was first and after the excellent time we had we decided to throw Morgs one too. Now, at my party only beverages were served, but we decided to class it up a bit for Morganne's. Colin decided he was going to make his famous nachos and I was excited that I had found someone thousands of miles away who shared my love for them. So Colin prepared the nachos..laid down the tin foil on a baking sheet, laid out the chips and placed cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, jalapeños, and diced peppers on every layer (Colin was great about layering the chips, making sure each layer had the perfect proportion of toppings). He baked the nachos in the oven for about 10 minutes and served with salsa and sour cream. They were delicious and I was so glad Colin had made them. Everyone enjoyed the nachos-they disappeared in 5 minutes. Dieting is something we all cared a lot about. Now, delicious homemade nachos aren't difficult to prepare, but Colin has them perfected. Thanks Col, miss you!

I give them an 8.3/10.

Rhody Joe's (Wakefield, RI)

Had been to Rhody Joe's a couple Wednesday nights while home for Christmas break. Nothing too special-cheap beer and the possibility of running into everybody you went to high school with. Then, I stopped in for lunch one day. Rhody Joe's used to be a Chelo's so unfortunately the stench of nursing home has remained its signature scent as Chelo's was often frequented by 70 somethings for "early bird specials" such as the Sunday night meatloaf. Must say however, I was quite impressed by the nachos. Great presentation. Thick, crispy chips stacked high with chili, cheese, jalapeños, and tomatoes served with sides of salsa, guacamole and sour cream. Now, one great thing about these nachos was how the chili and cheese was distributed equally over every chip. Nicely proportioned. Must be part of the no chip left behind act. The cheese was melted beautifully and laid properly on every layer of the nachos. Sometimes you run into trouble when the cheese doesn't seem to be thoroughly melted, but these nachos were great! They're certainly up there on my list so far. I say 8.4/10.