The Brown & White

Parents' Weekend is the best time to try new eateries. The combination of family time and food, that's not on your dime, is an unstoppable force. This Parent's Weekend, I tried a new hotspot at the Promenade, Pacifico, and the prominent Apollo Grill. So here we have a battle royale, two fine restaurants battling it out until the bitter end: Pacifico vs. Apollo.

Pacifico has a laid back Spanish vibe, with dim lights and comforting orange walls. A reservation is recommended, but if you're willing to spend time waiting to be seated, an endless bar is conveniently located right on the main floor.

We were brought several baskets of possibly the most phenomenal "pre-dinner bread" that I've ever eaten. Restaurants usually provide an appetizer of bread, but it rarely captures your mind, body and soul. When an establishment is home to surreal, warm, doughy, cheese bread, you just know the whole meal is going to affect you the right way.

Our table ordered chips and guacamole and fried calamari as appetizers. The guacamole alone is worthy of its own column. If you've only experienced pre-made guacamole, then you probably couldn't handle the goodness of Pacifico's.

For my main course, I chose a salmon filet atop shrimp tacos. Each bite took me straight to the ocean, and the meal left me at the perfect level of fullness. The prices are relatively expensive, but the place is high-end; you're not eating at the Hawk's Nest. After the wine, appetizers and salmon, I was sold on Pacifico.

That brings us to Apollo Grill. My significant other and I went the night before Parents' Weekend to see what the buzz was all about. Apollo has a relaxed, yet upscale mid-thirties feel. When my date and I were seated, we spent a while gracing over the limitless menu. Apollo has everything you could desire for dinner.

If you're feeling extravagant, you can order a filet mignon. If you're feeling more casual, you can have a burger and fries or chicken fingers. Therefore, the demographic covers almost everyone. The crowd included businessmen, older couples, younger couples and even little kids with their families.

I tried an appetizer of lobster ravioli, which was just as amazing as it sounds. For my main course, I had a braised veal shank in a Venetian sauce. My date chose a chicken breast with acorn stuffed ravioli. Both dishes were pure ambrosia. Our dessert was a slice of warm pumpkin pie, with cinnamon ice cream on the side. It was out of this world. The quality of food was tremendous, the prices reasonable. It's a great high-end restaurant to bring a date.

It's tough to call, but I think Pacifico has the edge simply because of the memorable cheesy bread and epic guacamole. But you really can't go wrong with either choice.

PACIFICO: 4.5 OUT OF 5 CHAZZES

APOLLO GRILL: 4 CHAZZES