Good eats: Good prices

Breakfast

My favorite part of breakfast is the pastries. Pancakes, waffles, French toast, cr/me puffs, Danishes and my favorite, cinnamon rolls. Now even though those pop-and-fresh cinnamon rolls you can get from the Pillsbury Doughboy will bring a smile to my face. I’ll tell you where to get really tasty, homemade cinnamon rolls (or pecan rolls if you’re like me and like the two equally).

About 15 minutes from CSU’s campus, in Laporte, is Vern’s. The caf/ sits off the side of a quiet road with an almost picture-perfect scene of the prairie and the mountains. Although it’s only slightly outside of city limits, you feel like you’ve escaped to a cozy, “Mom and Pop” lodge where there’s good cookin’ – and lots of it.

Vern’s is a caf/, a souvenir shop and a damn good bakery. Grab a giant cinnamon roll for only $2.45 or a giant sticky pecan roll for $2.55. The caf/ also serves eggs and other breakfast items for those in need of a heartier beginning to their day.

Pecan roll and orange juice

Vern’s Place

4120 W County Road 54G

Laporte

$4.14

Lunch

On a recommendation from a big buff construction management friend, I ventured to the Choice City Butcher and Deli on Olive Street in Old Town. The deli is similar to one you would find in New York, with all the hygiene of Fort Collins. With help from the staff and beer-drinking locals, I found one of my favorite sandwiches: the Reuben.

This was no ordinary sandwich, however; the Colorado Reuben offers a unique type of pastrami made from buffalo (my new favorite). I ordered the half sandwich, which is essentially the same sandwich with less meat (but still a generous helping). The flavor was amazing, salty, tangy and sweet.

The sandwich also includes a choice of a side. I chose the homemade garlic mashed potatoes – and had no regrets. Choice City is great for those looking for something tasty or, for you big eaters, something to fill you up.

Colorado Reuben and water

Choice City Butcher and Deli

104 W Olive St.

$6.94

Dinner

I am a huge fan of sushi. I love the fresh fish, the rolls; everything about it except that gross pickled ginger they lump on the side of the sushi plate. I decided to venture to a new restaurant beyond everyone’s favorites in Old Town: Jeju and Suehiro.

Let me tell you: big mistake.

After waiting for 10 minutes at Mount Fuji just to get a table when more than half the restaurant was open (none of the tables were bussed), I discovered that the prices, similar to other sushi restaurants in the area, did not include salad and miso soup.

Once I ordered, I waited for some time before the food arrived, and it was nothing worth waiting for. Although not awful, it did nothing for me.

Another thing I hate is when spicy foods are on the table (in this case wasabi) and the server never refills your drink. After drinking my beverage, I had to wait 10 minutes before I had to get up, find my server and ask her to bring me more water. I’m not a cheap tipper, but this time, I wasn’t feeling so generous. The California rolls: marginal. The spicy tuna: tasted like spicy porridge.

Moral of the story: If you want sushi, stick to Jeju or Suehiro.

Two orders of rolls (tuna and salmon), miso soup, water, 15 percent tip

Mount Fuji Japanese Restaurant

4020 S. College Ave.

$11.39

Total: $22.47

Verve editor Hallie Woods can be reached at verve@collegian.com.