This has been a very busy week off. That being said, I haven't been able to eat out as much as I would have liked. Don't get me wrong, I have had a fabulous week but not so much for my Bites. Last night I went to Brazi's with DJ. We wanted to go out for a nice dinner just the two of us. Before we left we visited with my aunt and uncle for a little while. I wanted to go to dinner early because we didn't make reservations (I believe I overheard someone last night say that Brazi's doesn't take reservations) but because I wanted to see my uncle, we didn't leave as early as I would have liked. When we got to Brazi's it was mobbed. There was a private event in the front room, the lounge as filled, and the dining room was filled. People were waiting all along the front hallway. It was after 6 when we arrived. We were told the wait would be 45 minutes. We didn't mind, so we waited. It was more like an hour wait, but the service was great when we were seated, so it was fine.
We sat at a table for 2 right outside that gazebo type thing in the middle of the dining room. It wasn't the best place to sit but at that point I really didn't care. I would rather be in the middle of the room than pushed in some corner where you can be forgotten. The waitress we had was very nice. For an appetizer we had shrimp casino. This was a special of the night. I had never heard of shrimp casino before. Clams casino, yes. Shrimp casino, no. I didn't know what to expect. In my mind I envisioned like a casserole almost. Small shrimp with pepper and onions sprinkled with bacon and cheese. That was not at all what it was like. When it came, there were three large shrimp served tails up with all of the casino stuff on the shrimp. Shells were still on. If you're having trouble trying to imagine this appetizer, just think of the scene from Beetlejuice when they're singing Day-O. The shells were on but split so it was easy to pull the shrimp out. It was okay. I didn't really like it too much. The peppers were too raw tasting. I ate it but I wouldn't choose it again.
Then we were given a choice of soup or salad with our meal. Actually, we were served this before our appetizer. The waitress said the kitchen was backed up so she brought that out first, which I thought was great. I chose the soup, DJ chose the salad. The soup that night was chicken escarole. Oh was it delicious. It was mostly escarole and carrots with a few tiny pieces of chicken. I thought it was perfect. It's just a little soup before you eat dinner. I'm happy that it wasn't to filling and boy was it flavorful. I just sprinkled a little grated cheese on top. Perfection! Do other people do that? In my household grated cheese is put on the table when soup is served. Do other people do that? I think I've only seen my family members do that. Please comment and let me know. DJ had the salad and well, salad is salad.
For dinner I had the salmon San Marino. Now that I have a wedding in the foreseeable future I need to watch what I eat. It was delicious. There were three pieces of salmon served on top of spinach with hot cherry peppers scattered around. It was cooked in a white wine sauce. The salmon was cooked perfectly and the spinach was delicious. The peppers started to bother me a little bit, but good thing I keep Tums in pocketbook. It also came with a side of pasta and vegetables. I did not eat the pasta, only the vegetables. They were a little plain but good for people watching their weight. It was zucchini with carrots and onions. DJ had the Pasta Bella which is fettucine with chicken and I think artichoke hearts and tomatoes and some other vegetables. No cream sauce. That's my one complaint about Brazi's. Every single pasta dish that is not baked has a cream sauce. I hate a cream sauce. I don't like vodka sauce (way too over played). I also hate pesto. Just give me a nice tomato sauce. He said it was very good. Overall, a very nice meal. We had to wait but I was pleased with service and the food.
I also just want to quickly mention Village Bistro. I went there the other day with my mother and her cousin. We wanted to go somewhere where you can just sit and have coffee and some nice little eats that's not Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks. Places like that all close early. It was only about 2 when we left but I believe Breugger's closes at 3. So then where is there to go? No where. A restaurant or Cafe Atlantique are the only places that come to mind. I thought about Village Bagels which has now moved up the street and has turned into Village Bistro. I was impressed, at first. It looks nice in there, very dark. I thought it reminded me of a place from Spain but my mother and Honey insisted it was a middle eastern theme. I wanted to get a pumpernickel bagel but they were out of them. Honey got coffee and an apple muffin. My mother got a tuna sandwich and then I ended up getting a Greek salad. Now I'm not crazy for salad but normally I love a Greek salad. This was not a good Greek salad. Mostly lettuce, a few tomato chunks, a few feta chunks, a few kalamata olives, a few hot peppers and that was it. The dressing was just oil and vinegar. By my fourth bite, I wanted to numb my tongue. Everything was OKAY but then when we went to pay we decided never again. My Greek salad and snapple cost $11. The salad didn't have any meat or anything. It was pure crap. Not to mention their menu said it was $6.50, so what was the Snapple? $5? I know I could've asked but I'm not confrontational. They said that pretty soon they'll be open at night to serve wine, beer, and tapas. Now that sounds pretty cool to me. I wanted a place just like that but the only thing I had from there so far was crap. I'm not sure if I'll get back there or not. You've been warned but of course, the decision is yours.
That's all I've got for right now. Until my next bite....
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Shanghai Gourmet- China Bistro
The other day I went for lunch with my cousins Nicole, her son Jimmy, her husband Jim, and Alicia for lunch at Shanghai Gourmet in Orange. It is located on the Post Road in the Peck and Post Plaza. (Across from Starbucks) We went for lunch and were able to order from the special lunch menu. It was perfect. The amount of food, the quality of the food, and the price all fit. The lunch special is served Monday-Saturday from 11 am to 3 pm. It starts with a choice of soup (wonton, egg drop, veggie hot and sour) or egg roll. You choose your meal and type of rice- white, brown, or veggie fried rice. I love the way the menu is set up. It lists a type of sauce and then you get to choose the type of protein you would like. There is also a section of choices from South East Asia. These meal choices range from $6.25 to $7.45. How can you go wrong with that!?
This is what we chose- Jim had the wonton soup, General Tso's chicken, and white rice. Nicole had mixed vegetables in brown sauce with chicken, veggie hot and sour soup, and brown rice. Alicia had the egg drop soup, sesame chicken, and brown rice. I had wonton soup, string bean garlic sauce with chicken, and veggie fried rice. Fab, fab, fab, and fab. I wanted to like the plate the sauce was so good. Everyone was happy with their choice of soup and meal. Nicole said her soup was good but very spicy, so if you don't like spice, don't order it. I tried a piece of Alicia's sesame chicken. It was a nice piece of white meat chicken. Delish. I also want to comment on the wonton soup. I love wonton soup. Just love it. This wonton soup was different but very very good. The wontons were not as noodley. It was more white in color and very light. The meat inside the wonton was delicious. There was your normal broth and scallions but it also had like little bits of frizzled onions. I was depressed when I got to the bottom of the bowl. Absolutely fabulous. The other soups were good as well. The veggie fried rice was a wonderful treat. I wanted to just pour the garlic sauce in a big vat of rice and go to town. It came with fresh string beans and strips of chicken. Everything was good.
I also forgot to mention that we ate inside the restaurant. I always think that's a plus when you can eat in a Chinese restaurant. I feel like the ones that are exclusively for takeout can be a bit sketchy. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was that they did not serve tea. I feel like that makes the Chinese dining experience. A little oolong tea with your meal. Other than that, everything was great. It was a small little place but they had quite a few tables. Ones that seat 2, 4, and 6. Their regular menu ranges from $7.95 - $14.95. I can't wait to go back again. They have a website you can check out- shanghaigourmetkg.com Until my next bite.... (It's Branford restaurant week so I hope to get there soon!)
This is what we chose- Jim had the wonton soup, General Tso's chicken, and white rice. Nicole had mixed vegetables in brown sauce with chicken, veggie hot and sour soup, and brown rice. Alicia had the egg drop soup, sesame chicken, and brown rice. I had wonton soup, string bean garlic sauce with chicken, and veggie fried rice. Fab, fab, fab, and fab. I wanted to like the plate the sauce was so good. Everyone was happy with their choice of soup and meal. Nicole said her soup was good but very spicy, so if you don't like spice, don't order it. I tried a piece of Alicia's sesame chicken. It was a nice piece of white meat chicken. Delish. I also want to comment on the wonton soup. I love wonton soup. Just love it. This wonton soup was different but very very good. The wontons were not as noodley. It was more white in color and very light. The meat inside the wonton was delicious. There was your normal broth and scallions but it also had like little bits of frizzled onions. I was depressed when I got to the bottom of the bowl. Absolutely fabulous. The other soups were good as well. The veggie fried rice was a wonderful treat. I wanted to just pour the garlic sauce in a big vat of rice and go to town. It came with fresh string beans and strips of chicken. Everything was good.
I also forgot to mention that we ate inside the restaurant. I always think that's a plus when you can eat in a Chinese restaurant. I feel like the ones that are exclusively for takeout can be a bit sketchy. The only thing I was a little disappointed with was that they did not serve tea. I feel like that makes the Chinese dining experience. A little oolong tea with your meal. Other than that, everything was great. It was a small little place but they had quite a few tables. Ones that seat 2, 4, and 6. Their regular menu ranges from $7.95 - $14.95. I can't wait to go back again. They have a website you can check out- shanghaigourmetkg.com Until my next bite.... (It's Branford restaurant week so I hope to get there soon!)
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
My Maine Bites
This past weekend I went with DJ to Maine. If you use the link I put on facebook, then you know the good news. I got engaged in Portland, Maine so Maine will always have a special place in my heart. As it turns out, it will always have a special place in my stomach as well. We drove up to Maine (without stopping) on Saturday morning. When we arrived in South Portland, we were starving. The Seadog Brewing Company was only minutes away from our hotel. DJ enjoys their blueberry beer so we decided to eat there. It was a nice restaurant. It was big, there were TVs around, and nice sized tables and booths. I ordered the pan blackened chicken wrap. It was very very good. It came in a sun dried tomato wrap. I loved colored food. It was seasoned, grilled chicken with fresh salsa, shredded cheese, lettuce and chipotle aioli. Delish. It came with fries and a pickle. A very satisfying lunch. To drink, I had the windjammer blonde ale. That was equally delish. DJ had the BBQ burger. It had pepper jack cheese and onion rings and BBQ sauce. He polished the burger off so it must have been good. I'm a little embarrassed to say, but he ordered the apricot beer. He said it was good and very apricotie. I was extremely happy with this place. Our first meal in Maine had been a good one.
Since we had a later lunch there was no notable dinner choice for the first night. On Sunday morning (after I was engaged) we went to a place that was on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It's a little place called Becky's Diner. It is kind of alone on this long road before you get into downtown Portland. I wasn't really a fan of Portland. It reminded me of Providence- a big eye sore. Back to the food though, Becky's Diner was a tiny diner. There were a few booths along the windows and a counter in the center of the diner. You could see the kitchen in the back and there were only a few waitresses. They had a large menu. I was tempted to order the lobster omelet (which reminded me of the episode of Seinfeld when George puts the lobster in the eggs) but then I thought maybe it was too early for lobster. I ended up getting scrambled eggs with cheese, homefries, and raisin bread. The eggs were cooked perfectly. It looked like popcorn. That's how scrambled eggs should look. I hate restaurants that serve you like a notepad-sized piece of yellow and call it scrambled eggs. The bread was also very good. I asked the waitress if the bread was homemade. She said they buy the raisin bread and that the wheat and white bread are made by a local bakery. I love local businesses helping out other local businesses. DJ ordered a western omelet with homefries and wheat toast. We both enjoyed our breakfasts. I really would have liked to go back there for dinner but it was kind of a pain to get to from our hotel. We stayed in South Portland and this was in regular Portland, so we had to go on the highway for an exit to get to regular Portland. As I mentioned earlier, Portland was not my cup of tea. I expected it to be a cute, quaint New England town, but it really wasn't. It was more industrial than I pictured. It was the strangest thing in the world; you could drive for hours through woods and then land in an ugly little city. One minute you're looking at moose crossing signs and then the next you're in between a Korean market, a Thai restaurant, and a Chinese buffet. I was surprised by all of the Asian specialty places there.
That afternoon we went to Freeport, Maine to check out the LL Bean Store. I love LL Bean and have always wanted to go to the flagship store. Now Freeport was definitely my cup of tea. This was the place I was looking for. The cute, quaint New England town. There were shops and restaurants and coffee shops everywhere. It was absolutely beautiful. Freeport even has their own app! How convenient! There are several separate LL Bean stores there, which were beautiful inside. After all of the shopping we needed to get some lunch. There were plenty of places to choose from. I was afraid I was going to pick the one dud among all of the great places. I did not. As we were walking, we saw this restaurant that had little fire pits outside on the patio. People were eating around the pits and it looked wonderful. We ate there and luckily, inside. About 10 minutes after we went in, there was a hail storm. We ate at Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen and Topside Tavern. This had been my second day in Maine and still no lobster. This is where it was going to happen. I didn't know if I should order a lobster roll, lobster mac and cheese, a lobster, or a lobster grilled cheese. I really just wanted to eat a lobster. Sometimes lobster rolls can be too buttery, or in Maine's case, too mayoee. I wanted to just get a steamed lobster but I also did not want to be sticking my newly engaged hand up a lobster. They had a perfect choice for me. On their appetizer list, they had a lobster tail pushed out of the shell. I ordered that and mussels in a white wine broth. Both were divine! The lobster was sweet and just melted in your mouth. The mussels were soft and flavorful. No chewiness at all. The mussels were served with flat bread triangles to dip in the broth. Oh man. My mouth is watering now just thinking of it. DJ had fried shrimp. He said they were good. That night we just went to Friendly's so nothing really to report. Although I may have to soon because Friendly's are disappearing in CT.
The next morning I was dying to get back home! DJ quickly ran to Mister Bagel. That's another thing disappearing- bagel places. I love bagels. My whole life, my dad would go get bagels from Lender's on Sunday. They left and now there's no where. I know about Breugger's, which I love, but who can get there all the time? It's always mobbed and I hate that Jamba Juice. I ordered my favorite bagel- a toasted pumpernickel with butter. Oh just the best. Dunkin does not have a pumpernickel bagel. What's going on here? DJ had something plain with chive cream cheese? I don't know.
To sum up: go to Freeport instead of Portland the next time you venture up to Maine. All of the places I went to were great. Lobster is a must! Until my next bite....
Since we had a later lunch there was no notable dinner choice for the first night. On Sunday morning (after I was engaged) we went to a place that was on Diner, Drive-Ins, and Dives. It's a little place called Becky's Diner. It is kind of alone on this long road before you get into downtown Portland. I wasn't really a fan of Portland. It reminded me of Providence- a big eye sore. Back to the food though, Becky's Diner was a tiny diner. There were a few booths along the windows and a counter in the center of the diner. You could see the kitchen in the back and there were only a few waitresses. They had a large menu. I was tempted to order the lobster omelet (which reminded me of the episode of Seinfeld when George puts the lobster in the eggs) but then I thought maybe it was too early for lobster. I ended up getting scrambled eggs with cheese, homefries, and raisin bread. The eggs were cooked perfectly. It looked like popcorn. That's how scrambled eggs should look. I hate restaurants that serve you like a notepad-sized piece of yellow and call it scrambled eggs. The bread was also very good. I asked the waitress if the bread was homemade. She said they buy the raisin bread and that the wheat and white bread are made by a local bakery. I love local businesses helping out other local businesses. DJ ordered a western omelet with homefries and wheat toast. We both enjoyed our breakfasts. I really would have liked to go back there for dinner but it was kind of a pain to get to from our hotel. We stayed in South Portland and this was in regular Portland, so we had to go on the highway for an exit to get to regular Portland. As I mentioned earlier, Portland was not my cup of tea. I expected it to be a cute, quaint New England town, but it really wasn't. It was more industrial than I pictured. It was the strangest thing in the world; you could drive for hours through woods and then land in an ugly little city. One minute you're looking at moose crossing signs and then the next you're in between a Korean market, a Thai restaurant, and a Chinese buffet. I was surprised by all of the Asian specialty places there.
That afternoon we went to Freeport, Maine to check out the LL Bean Store. I love LL Bean and have always wanted to go to the flagship store. Now Freeport was definitely my cup of tea. This was the place I was looking for. The cute, quaint New England town. There were shops and restaurants and coffee shops everywhere. It was absolutely beautiful. Freeport even has their own app! How convenient! There are several separate LL Bean stores there, which were beautiful inside. After all of the shopping we needed to get some lunch. There were plenty of places to choose from. I was afraid I was going to pick the one dud among all of the great places. I did not. As we were walking, we saw this restaurant that had little fire pits outside on the patio. People were eating around the pits and it looked wonderful. We ate there and luckily, inside. About 10 minutes after we went in, there was a hail storm. We ate at Linda Bean's Maine Kitchen and Topside Tavern. This had been my second day in Maine and still no lobster. This is where it was going to happen. I didn't know if I should order a lobster roll, lobster mac and cheese, a lobster, or a lobster grilled cheese. I really just wanted to eat a lobster. Sometimes lobster rolls can be too buttery, or in Maine's case, too mayoee. I wanted to just get a steamed lobster but I also did not want to be sticking my newly engaged hand up a lobster. They had a perfect choice for me. On their appetizer list, they had a lobster tail pushed out of the shell. I ordered that and mussels in a white wine broth. Both were divine! The lobster was sweet and just melted in your mouth. The mussels were soft and flavorful. No chewiness at all. The mussels were served with flat bread triangles to dip in the broth. Oh man. My mouth is watering now just thinking of it. DJ had fried shrimp. He said they were good. That night we just went to Friendly's so nothing really to report. Although I may have to soon because Friendly's are disappearing in CT.
The next morning I was dying to get back home! DJ quickly ran to Mister Bagel. That's another thing disappearing- bagel places. I love bagels. My whole life, my dad would go get bagels from Lender's on Sunday. They left and now there's no where. I know about Breugger's, which I love, but who can get there all the time? It's always mobbed and I hate that Jamba Juice. I ordered my favorite bagel- a toasted pumpernickel with butter. Oh just the best. Dunkin does not have a pumpernickel bagel. What's going on here? DJ had something plain with chive cream cheese? I don't know.
To sum up: go to Freeport instead of Portland the next time you venture up to Maine. All of the places I went to were great. Lobster is a must! Until my next bite....
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Saray- Turkish Restaurant
6-8 weeks is here again. For our meeting this time around we decided to spice it up with a different type of cuisine. Maria had mentioned going to Saray (she's been there many times before) for some Turkish food. I seconded the Turkish food, but I had recommended the Turkish Kebab House. I was game to try a new place.
So we went around 5 o'clock. When we arrived the place was dead. We had a large table in the middle of the room reserved for us. It was bigger and nicer than I thought it would be. Waters were poured and the menu was already on the table. One of the reasons why we chose Saray was because we had a coupon for 15% off our entire bill. When we inquired about this coupon, the waitress told us that they would only accept the coupon if we all ordered off of the regular menu, instead of ordering one of the dinner specials. Well that was ridiculous, so we didn't use the coupon. (Strike number 1)
We were hoping to partake in an adult beverage but after coming to realize that they don't serve alcohol in Turkish restaurants (due to religious beliefs) we thought that the party would be a little dull. (Strike number 2) This actually ended up turning out okay because we were able to go purchase our own beverages. BYOB, if you will. The restaurant did not have a corking charge, nor did they raise any issues when we needed glasses. After we ordered our food, they served us delicious bread. I must be a huge fan of Turkish bread because I loved it here and at the Kebab House. They just served the bread. When I went to the Kebab House, they served it with a delicious seasoned oil. I loved it. Unfortunately, Saray did not have any oil. I used some of Baylis' hummus as a back up.That was pretty tasty, but it was second to the oil. I ate about 5 pieces.
The dinner special included an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. The majority of the table ordered the chicken adana, which was ground chicken and some other spices and stuff on a kebab and grilled. Baylis ordered chicken adana over a yogurt puree. I ordered lentil soup and the adana kebab, which was ground lamb, peppers, and spices. Everyone ordered this eggplant thing with tomato sauce for their app, and Baylis ordered hummus. Everyone enjoyed their kebab, but no one loved it. I was disappointed with my lentil soup. It was pureed. I was not expecting that. It was served with a lemon wedge. I have to admit, after I added the lemon it was a bit more tasty. It tasted good, but not what I expected. My kebab was good. As I ate it I liked it, but as I'm sitting here reminiscing the night, I have no desire to ever eat it again. The kebab was served with a scoop of bulgar and a scoop of rice. There was also half of a raw tomato. Not really to my liking. The meal was a bust.
For dessert I rodered the sekepeare or something like that. I kept referring to it as "the Shakespeare." It was like two little sweet rolls with syrup on top. Not my cup of tea either. I think everyone liked their meal but I don't believe anyone is dying to go back. Strike three. I think I'm done with Turkish food for the next ten years. When the decade is up, I'll go to the Kebab House instead of Saray. It was surprisingly busy in there. I do not recommend. Until my next bite....
So we went around 5 o'clock. When we arrived the place was dead. We had a large table in the middle of the room reserved for us. It was bigger and nicer than I thought it would be. Waters were poured and the menu was already on the table. One of the reasons why we chose Saray was because we had a coupon for 15% off our entire bill. When we inquired about this coupon, the waitress told us that they would only accept the coupon if we all ordered off of the regular menu, instead of ordering one of the dinner specials. Well that was ridiculous, so we didn't use the coupon. (Strike number 1)
We were hoping to partake in an adult beverage but after coming to realize that they don't serve alcohol in Turkish restaurants (due to religious beliefs) we thought that the party would be a little dull. (Strike number 2) This actually ended up turning out okay because we were able to go purchase our own beverages. BYOB, if you will. The restaurant did not have a corking charge, nor did they raise any issues when we needed glasses. After we ordered our food, they served us delicious bread. I must be a huge fan of Turkish bread because I loved it here and at the Kebab House. They just served the bread. When I went to the Kebab House, they served it with a delicious seasoned oil. I loved it. Unfortunately, Saray did not have any oil. I used some of Baylis' hummus as a back up.That was pretty tasty, but it was second to the oil. I ate about 5 pieces.
The dinner special included an appetizer, an entree, and a dessert. The majority of the table ordered the chicken adana, which was ground chicken and some other spices and stuff on a kebab and grilled. Baylis ordered chicken adana over a yogurt puree. I ordered lentil soup and the adana kebab, which was ground lamb, peppers, and spices. Everyone ordered this eggplant thing with tomato sauce for their app, and Baylis ordered hummus. Everyone enjoyed their kebab, but no one loved it. I was disappointed with my lentil soup. It was pureed. I was not expecting that. It was served with a lemon wedge. I have to admit, after I added the lemon it was a bit more tasty. It tasted good, but not what I expected. My kebab was good. As I ate it I liked it, but as I'm sitting here reminiscing the night, I have no desire to ever eat it again. The kebab was served with a scoop of bulgar and a scoop of rice. There was also half of a raw tomato. Not really to my liking. The meal was a bust.
For dessert I rodered the sekepeare or something like that. I kept referring to it as "the Shakespeare." It was like two little sweet rolls with syrup on top. Not my cup of tea either. I think everyone liked their meal but I don't believe anyone is dying to go back. Strike three. I think I'm done with Turkish food for the next ten years. When the decade is up, I'll go to the Kebab House instead of Saray. It was surprisingly busy in there. I do not recommend. Until my next bite....
Monday, April 8, 2013
Bridgeport Flyer/Archie Moore's
I don't have too much to say about either of the two restaurants so I decided to combine them. Saturday I went out to breakfast with DJ. We were thinking about going to Cracker Barrel but then we wanted to go somewhere different. I had been to the Bridgeport Flyer once a long time ago. DJ said he was willing to try, so we went. The Bridgeport Flyer is a diner in the Devon section of Milford. (After the McDonald's a little before the bridge into Stratford.)
I thought for sure that it wouldn't be too busy, but I was wrong. There were a few parties ahead of us when we arrived. It didn't take long at all to get seated and once we did, people were still pouring in the diner. The breakfast menu was decent. They had all of your usuals- pancakes, waffles, french toast, eggs, omelets, and they had blintzes. I was in the mood for pancakes. I went very simple. I had a short stack of buttermilk pancakes with sausage. The pancakes were phenomenal. They were so tasty. I am very particular about my pancakes and I don't use syrup so they can't be too dry. No issues with these pancakes. I did order extra butter but that's just because they were so darn good. I didn't like the sausage. I wanted some type of meat but I wasn't feeling bacon and ham is hit or miss. They were big fat links. So unappetizing. Not only were they big links, but they were still stuck together. Just not for me. Great pancakes, stinky sausage. DJ had a western omelet with toast and homefries He liked it. I had some coffee and OJ. It was all very good. I recommend the BPF. I want to go back for dinner/lunch.
This is really not a "review" of Archie Moore's, more like a complaint. Every time I go to Archie Moore's, I ALWAYS get that gross piece of chicken. I am afraid to order the chicken from Archie's, its best-selling product. Archie's is a staple so I will be returning there, especially because of the nice weather, but I am not ordering any chicken sandwich or tenders. I was thinking about getting the ft. long Hummel hot dog and that's what I should've gotten.
Tonight for dinner I made tilapia. I was very simple and very good. I put tilapia pieces on a cookie tray that was greased. I put salt and pepper on both sides. On the top of the fish I sprinkled a little garlic powder, put an onion slice, a lemon slice, capers, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. I baked it in the oven at 420 degrees for about 20 minutes. Very light, very good. That's all I have for now. Until my next eat...
I thought for sure that it wouldn't be too busy, but I was wrong. There were a few parties ahead of us when we arrived. It didn't take long at all to get seated and once we did, people were still pouring in the diner. The breakfast menu was decent. They had all of your usuals- pancakes, waffles, french toast, eggs, omelets, and they had blintzes. I was in the mood for pancakes. I went very simple. I had a short stack of buttermilk pancakes with sausage. The pancakes were phenomenal. They were so tasty. I am very particular about my pancakes and I don't use syrup so they can't be too dry. No issues with these pancakes. I did order extra butter but that's just because they were so darn good. I didn't like the sausage. I wanted some type of meat but I wasn't feeling bacon and ham is hit or miss. They were big fat links. So unappetizing. Not only were they big links, but they were still stuck together. Just not for me. Great pancakes, stinky sausage. DJ had a western omelet with toast and homefries He liked it. I had some coffee and OJ. It was all very good. I recommend the BPF. I want to go back for dinner/lunch.
This is really not a "review" of Archie Moore's, more like a complaint. Every time I go to Archie Moore's, I ALWAYS get that gross piece of chicken. I am afraid to order the chicken from Archie's, its best-selling product. Archie's is a staple so I will be returning there, especially because of the nice weather, but I am not ordering any chicken sandwich or tenders. I was thinking about getting the ft. long Hummel hot dog and that's what I should've gotten.
Tonight for dinner I made tilapia. I was very simple and very good. I put tilapia pieces on a cookie tray that was greased. I put salt and pepper on both sides. On the top of the fish I sprinkled a little garlic powder, put an onion slice, a lemon slice, capers, parsley and a drizzle of olive oil. I baked it in the oven at 420 degrees for about 20 minutes. Very light, very good. That's all I have for now. Until my next eat...
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Knuckleheads
Friday night DJ and I went out with one of my favorite couples- Chrissy and Anthony. We wanted to try out this place in Wallingford called Knuckleheads. Chrissy had heard some good things so I wanted to give it the BB test. We went around 7 o'clock (they close at 9) and just in time. When we first walked in, it was packed. Luckily, another party of 4 was just paying their bill when we walked in. It's a very tiny restaurant that is attached to "The Tap Room." It is not in its own stand-alone building. It looks like it's in a plaza but I can't really remember the surrounding businesses. Parking is on the street, which may be an issue.
It was nice inside. When we were waiting for our table to be cleared, the waitress came over with a spray bottle and a paper towel. They already won me over. I hate when you go to a restaurant and the bus person comes over with a brown, wet rag and brushes the crumbs off your table. This place is clean and I like clean places. The different beers on tap were written on a chalk board by the back of the restaurant. There's also a window where you can see the people cooking- another clean plus. The service was a bit slow. There were three waitresses, but when I tell you the restaurant was the size of a Dunkin' Donuts, I'm not kidding. The menu consists of hot dogs, burgers, apps, some sandwiches, wraps, and I think that may have been it. They are known for their specialty dogs and burgers.
Here's what we ordered: Fried pickles for an appetizer. Very, very good. They were pickle chips lightly breaded served with a ranch dipping sauce. It was quite delish. DJ had the Big Kahuna- a burger with a pineapple slice and some other Hawaiian-ey type things and onion rings on the side. It must have been good because he ate the whole thing. Anthony had the steakhouse burger with onion rings. I believe it had Swiss cheese and mushrooms and maybe a sauce. He, too, ate the whole thing and enjoyed it. Chrissy had a classic burger. She said that it was seasoned perfectly and tasted very good. I, on the other hand, really prefer a dog. The hot dogs range from $4-$5! I couldn't get over how cheap that was! I know hot dogs are cheap, but they have tons of stuff on them. The hamburgers are $8 and change. Big difference. Although, the hot dogs do not come with french fries. I chose to order two hot dogs and no fries.
I got the "Brook-lyn" which is a bacon-wrapped hot dog with caramelized red onions, brown mustard, and sauerkraut. The hot dog was very good. The only thing that I did not like were the onions. They were way too sweet for my taste. I didn't think it paired with savory nice, it was just over powering. I still ate it, but next time I don't think I'll order that one. I also ordered the "Junkyard" which is another bacon-wrapped dog with chilli, coleslaw, and jalapeno peppers. This was my favorite of the two. The chilli was pretty spicy and so were the jalapeno slices, so if you don't like spicy, I don't recommend it. The coleslaw did balance it out a bit but as you could imagine, it was quite messy to eat. The rolls tasted freshly made and were bulky so they could contain all of the toppings. We all ordered beer from the Tap Room. Chrissy and Anthony both had the arrogant bastard, DJ had Brooklyn monster, and I had the dirty bastard. I loved it. It was a very dark beer but not like Guinness. It was smooth but a little lighter than you would expect. It was like a black and tan in one.
As I said, the service was a little slow, so plan to be there for the evening. Don't go there if you have theater tickets or something. Overall, it was a great experience. The food was good, the portions were generous, the restaurant was clean and comfortable, and the bill was reasonable. I definitely think you should check out this place the next time you're in Wallingford. They have no website so you have to go by what I told you. I think it's a good place. I have a few days to catch up on. Until my next post...
It was nice inside. When we were waiting for our table to be cleared, the waitress came over with a spray bottle and a paper towel. They already won me over. I hate when you go to a restaurant and the bus person comes over with a brown, wet rag and brushes the crumbs off your table. This place is clean and I like clean places. The different beers on tap were written on a chalk board by the back of the restaurant. There's also a window where you can see the people cooking- another clean plus. The service was a bit slow. There were three waitresses, but when I tell you the restaurant was the size of a Dunkin' Donuts, I'm not kidding. The menu consists of hot dogs, burgers, apps, some sandwiches, wraps, and I think that may have been it. They are known for their specialty dogs and burgers.
Here's what we ordered: Fried pickles for an appetizer. Very, very good. They were pickle chips lightly breaded served with a ranch dipping sauce. It was quite delish. DJ had the Big Kahuna- a burger with a pineapple slice and some other Hawaiian-ey type things and onion rings on the side. It must have been good because he ate the whole thing. Anthony had the steakhouse burger with onion rings. I believe it had Swiss cheese and mushrooms and maybe a sauce. He, too, ate the whole thing and enjoyed it. Chrissy had a classic burger. She said that it was seasoned perfectly and tasted very good. I, on the other hand, really prefer a dog. The hot dogs range from $4-$5! I couldn't get over how cheap that was! I know hot dogs are cheap, but they have tons of stuff on them. The hamburgers are $8 and change. Big difference. Although, the hot dogs do not come with french fries. I chose to order two hot dogs and no fries.
I got the "Brook-lyn" which is a bacon-wrapped hot dog with caramelized red onions, brown mustard, and sauerkraut. The hot dog was very good. The only thing that I did not like were the onions. They were way too sweet for my taste. I didn't think it paired with savory nice, it was just over powering. I still ate it, but next time I don't think I'll order that one. I also ordered the "Junkyard" which is another bacon-wrapped dog with chilli, coleslaw, and jalapeno peppers. This was my favorite of the two. The chilli was pretty spicy and so were the jalapeno slices, so if you don't like spicy, I don't recommend it. The coleslaw did balance it out a bit but as you could imagine, it was quite messy to eat. The rolls tasted freshly made and were bulky so they could contain all of the toppings. We all ordered beer from the Tap Room. Chrissy and Anthony both had the arrogant bastard, DJ had Brooklyn monster, and I had the dirty bastard. I loved it. It was a very dark beer but not like Guinness. It was smooth but a little lighter than you would expect. It was like a black and tan in one.
As I said, the service was a little slow, so plan to be there for the evening. Don't go there if you have theater tickets or something. Overall, it was a great experience. The food was good, the portions were generous, the restaurant was clean and comfortable, and the bill was reasonable. I definitely think you should check out this place the next time you're in Wallingford. They have no website so you have to go by what I told you. I think it's a good place. I have a few days to catch up on. Until my next post...
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