by Tim Van Schmidt

Welcome to a new column, "The Eatetarian," a personal log of restaurant experiences in Northern Colorado. It's inevitable- eating in restaurants, I mean- so why not document those events with a little bit of cyber ink? I consider myself a basic vegetarian, heavily leaning toward vegan. However, at times, I'm not strict about consuming some animal products. I try not to for several reasons- it's just healthier is the bottom line- but many of the world's great recipes include such ingredients. I'm interested in good food in general and do not exclude some dishes because of such concerns. Just call me an "eatetarian."

Guadalajara, 1281 Main St., Windsor. 970-686-2829.

Dining at Guadalajara in Windsor is a large experience. Yes, the dining rooms are large enough, but when I am talking about large, I am talking about the generous portions that were served to everybody at our table.

Sitting right off busy Main Street in Windsor, Guadalajara was also pleasantly busy with a lunch crowd on this visit. I had an excellent veggie burrito- beans, rice and savory veggies- including some really outstanding carrots (and I don't often say that about carrots,) topped with a red sauce. But across the table were two steaming plates of various mixtures of onions, mushrooms and even shrimp in a thick yummy cream sauce- so tasty. One order was full size- a mountain of food- and the other order was a half order- still a mountain of food. Apparently, no one goes away hungry from Guadalajara. Add a margarita and success- a great lunch experience.

This was just a first visit, but I'll be glad to try it again. If for no other reason than for the dessert- there was some yummy-looking flan, but I tried the apple chimichanga- served with a scoop of ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce- mmmmm.

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano, 5929 Sky Pond Dr., Loveland. 970-663-0100.

Located at the south end of the Centerra shopping center in Loveland, Biaggi's offers two very attractive reasons to visit. The first is the comfortable atmosphere. There was something elegant about Biaggi's with its high ceilings and warm decorations. The background music was suited for the experience- crooners and soft pop- and when we arrived for lunch, it was delightfully quiet. But that doesn't mean that the restaurant doesn't draw crowds. We must have been early for a Sunday lunch because as our meal progressed, the tables around us started to fill up.

The other reason Biaggi's is attractive, of course, is the tasty recipes, starting with bread and dipping oil with salts. For an entree, I had eggplant parmesan- with a savory red sauce. But what I really liked was the plate to my right- a butternut squash filled ravioli. Just as good was the "ravioli quattro formaggi," a bold blend of cheeses with a cheese sauce, naturally. Also great was the shrimp and crab cannelloni- just a fine blend of tastes, all wrapped together. I'm glad my companions like to taste and share! For dessert, it was no choice- the warm apple crostata- VERY similar to the apple chimichanga at Guadalajara- mmmmm, again. Biaggi's combined a dining elegance with hearty dishes for an impressive and satisfying weekend restaurant experience.

PS- Wow, January is full of birthdays in my life and Biaggi's worked so well the first time we went, it became the destination of a very important birthday indeed- my Mom's 83rd! I ordered the very light tilapia fish special, served with asparagus, but had already enjoyed plenty with the foccacia bread/oil, some great appetizers- like the crab and lobster dip, the crispy shrimp Amalfi, the bruschetta classico-and a sturdy glass of wine.

http://www.biaggis.com

Young's Cafe, 3307 S. College Ave #114, Fort Collins. 970-223-8000.

Back to Young's- again- to celebrate two January birthdays on the same night. It's no mystery why Young's has become our favorite place to party- the food is always reliably tasty, the drinks are plenty strong enough and the restaurant is busy enough to make for just the right atmosphere- upbeat yet consistent. Our table of six shared four entrees- peanut tofu (of course,) curried vegetables, peppery shrimp and sweet and sour shrimp. On this occasion the peppery shrimp was just right- the shrimp tender and the pepper savory. A couple of Zombies- rum, brandy and fruit juices, my favorite drink at Young's- plus the obligatory vegetable crystal roll with peanut sauce and good conversation make for an event that is hard to beat elsewhere. By no means will this be the last trip to Young's- maybe just the last trip this month!

http://www.youngscafe.com

The Egg and I, 1205 W. Main Street, Windsor. 970-686-6471.

The Egg and I is always a dependable destination for that breakfast-lunch time period. On this occasion I tried the "sunrise chili reno"- a cheesy, savory mix of eggs and tart chilies. But I have to admit, the plate to my left looked pretty great- French toast smothered with berries.

http://www.theeggandirestaurants.com

Odell Brewing Co., 800 East Lincoln Avenue, Fort Collins.

OK, so this is not about eating, but hey, eating and drinking go together don't they? In any case, my visit to Odell's Brewing was a happy one for sure thanks to the two taster trays I shared with my brother. From California, he's a beer fan and last time he came to town I took him to tour New Belgium. We didn't get to tour Odell's, but really enjoyed taking a "self-guided tour" through the wide diversity of beers represented in the Pilot and Co-pilot trays- 12 beers, 12 wildly different tastes. I'll admit it- I'm not a big fan of the super heavy, dark beer or the ones that experiment boldly with the mix of ingredients. I like the reds and lights, maybe some ambers, but the stuff you can't see through or the stuff that comes on like gangbusters through your nostrils before you can even taste it is less attractive to me. But that's what makes the beer culture so great- there's a taste for everyone and someone is out to try to satisfy them all. Namely places like Odell's, which was very busy indeed- those taster trays obviously the best value.

http://odellbrewing.com

Walrus Ice Cream, 125 W. Mountain Ave., Fort Collins. 1-866-834-2564 (Toll-Free)

With two special birthdays in January, there was little choice but to return to a good old Fort Collins friend for the right treats to celebrate. Namely, Walrus Ice Cream. Walrus has been a favorite for years and has maintained a unique hometown identity even through ownership changes. When I was a soccer coach, Walrus was the place for the team to go at the end of the season. During downtown summer events, you could always depend on a tasty treat from Walrus to complete the evening. For birthdays, however, we turned to Walrus for their ice cream cakes- both times this month ordering a delicious chocolate strawberry ice cream. Just one layer, with a thin "frosting" of vanilla or, even better, strawberry, plus an Oreo fudge crust- who needs more layers? It's a gourmet way to celebrate birthdays- you're glad you're alive when you've got some good Walrus ice cream in front of you!

http://www.walrusicecream.com

Inca Mexican Restaurant, 2413 S. College Ave., Fort Collins. 970-484-3400.

The final January birthday came- a friend celebrating 65- and we did that with a huge meal from Inca. I ordered the fish tacos- filled with tilapia and lots of stuffings. The margarita- ordered by the celebrant himself- came in a shaker and strainer, keeping the drink cold until ready to consume. When we signed on to go to the Inca, the birthday boy- who was hailed by restaurant staff with song- said he liked it for the portions. Indeed, there was absolutely no disappointment there- the plates were piled high- hot and tasty. I'll have to try more dishes in the future. Everyone was too busy enjoying their own meals to share this time around. A happy birthday indeed in the new year!