Saturday, August 20, 2011

Norwood's Restaurant & Wine Shop

I recently went back to Norwoods to check out their International Food Festival. We went during the Greek portion. Beginning with the house salad, it was very fresh and the vinaigrette was delicious.  I tried one of the featured Greek entrees, the grilled Hog Snapper with a small rustic Greek salad and mashed potatoes. The fish was white and delicate and perfectly cooked. My husband tried Admiral's platter, which consisted of broiled fish, a lobster tail and a scampi of shrimp and scallops. My daughter had the seafood pot pie, which was full of seafood and would probably knock you out for the night, after eating that entire thing.

If you are in New Smyrna and want to have a delicious seafood meal, make sure to try Norwoods. Even if you don't like seafood, you should be able to find something you like from their extensive menu and wine list.
400 E 2nd Ave
New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
(386) 428-4621

Hattie's

We stopped here on a weeknight and arrived when it opened, so there was no waiting. There were a few people outside and a little drama. One woman, a local I presume, walked up and started to open the door, another lady in line shouted, " Get to the back of the line, bitch!". She ended up leaving and laughing about the situation by saying, "You don't know me."

Once in we were seated in the dining area, not in the back on the Patio. We were served a basket of cornbread and small biscuits, to start things off. I ordered  the gazpacho, which was fresh, and very flavorful. A perfect summer soup. I had to try the Throwdown winning fried chicken, as my entree. I chose cucumber salad and smashed potatoes, as my sides. For an extra 2.00 I requested all white meat. It came with 2 breasts and two wings served on top of the sides. I took a doggie bag, for some of the chicken. The chicken was crispy, flavorful and moist. Some of the best I have ever had. I dabbed a little of their signature hot sauce on some of the meat, but I have to say it tasted a lot like Tabasco, so it was not worth a purchase as a  souvenir.

Overall it was delicious and well worth trying.

Capriccio Saratoga

We stopped here for a light lunch and a couple of glasses of wine. We tried the wood-roasted mushroom salad, caprese and mixed summer salads. All were delicious, fresh and a perfect light lunch. The atmosphere was elegant, but not stuffy. The service was attentive. The Chef/owner came by to welcome us and make sure everything was fine. If you are in the area, definitely stop by. The pizza smelled great, but we already had planned where we were eating dinner, so we didn't try any.

26 Henry St
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
(518) 587-9463

Espresso Station

We stopped in here to get a caffeine fix, before hitting the road. I like the fact that the area is getting a few hipster-looking places to offset the GMO-laden farmland. I got the iced mocha, my daughter got the hazelnut coffee and my husband got a coffee. We all enjoyed ours. The prices were in line with other coffee shops, so I don't understand the complaints.

215 Washington Ave
Colonial Beach, VA 22443
(804) 224-0045

SeaSide Thai & French

Who would have thought that Colonial Beach would have such a delicious, French-Thai place? The owner greeted us and was very friendly and helpful. We started off with and order of spring rolls and an order of fresh garden rolls, which have shrimp in them. Both were delicious appetizers which were accompanied by generous portions of each sauce.
I had the drunken noodles with veggies. They were awesome. Some of the best Thai I have had. My husband had the beef  bourguignon , off of the French menu, which he said was delicious and flavorful. It looked good, if you are into beef, which I am not. My daughters had Pad Thai. One with veggies and one with seafood. This is a hidden treasure in the area, that definitely matches up with any other Thai place.
201 Wilder Ave
Colonial Beach, VA 22443
(804) 224-2410

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que


We stopped in Syracuse for the evening, and decided to try a couple of the famous spots from Man v Food. I ordered the Rajin' Cajun chicken sandwich, which was marinated in mojo seasoning, according to the waitress and menu. I really didn't taste the flavor of the mojo, and it was actually the most disappointing part of my meal. The sides, on the other hand, are the standouts. I chose the mac 'n cheese, which was a creamy, cheesy, cajun tasting delight and the french fries, which were crispy and decent. Nothing spectacular. The cole slaw was good and vinegary. The collards were smokey tasting, thanks to cooking in turkey necks. This is definitely a place for carnivores, although they do have the old standby-portobello mushroom sandwich. It came with a delicious orange sauce, according to my daughter. Their hot sauce is actually hot and has a great flavor.

246 W Willow St
Syracuse, NY 13202
(315) 476-4937

Mother's Cupboard Fish Fry & Diner

We tried Mothers because we saw it on Man V Food. None of us could even think of trying the fritatta challenge, although it looked like a teen boy behind us tried half of it and took the rest home. I had the veggie omelette and tried some homefries off of my husband's plate. The portions are huge, cheap and delicious. I couldn't finish it all. We went during the week, so there was no wait. The owner came over and asked if we saw the show. He said he hung up on them at first, when they originally called. Don't forget to use the bathroom, to get the full tour of the place. You have to be pretty limber to use it. If you are close and in need of breakfast, check it out.

3709 James St
Syracuse, NY 13206
(315) 432-0942

Ingleside Vineyards

As a former resident of the area, we always stop by when we are passing through. We got there late and decided to unwind with the premium wine tasting. We tried the Blue Crab wines previously, and this time decided on the Franc, Pinot Grigio, and Chardonnay. The Franc is my favorite. The spiciness is a good accompaniment to Italian food or just for sipping. We have never taken a tour or been to Jazz in the Courtyard, but the grounds are beautiful, so it would probably be a good time.

5872 Leedstown Road
Colonial Beach, VA 22443
(804) 224-8687

Bob's Grill- Eat and get the hell out

This was our second choice for breakfast. There are apparently not a lot of options for breakfast, so most of the places were packed. After about a 20 minute wait we got in. Our waitress was very nice and attentive. I started with an iced mocha, which was more like a milkshake. It was creamy and filled with probably 3,000 calories. I had the veggie omelet which came with homefries and toast. It was big and too much to finish. One of my daughters ordered the crab and feta omelet. I tried some. It had a good crab flavor. Although, she did find some shells in it. We ate and as the sign says, "got the hell out."

1219 S Croatan Hwy
Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948
(252) 441-0707

Tale of the Whale

The main thing this place has going for it is the location. It is right on the water, which we enjoyed during our dinner. I began with the she-crab soup. It was thick and flavorful and had lots of crab in it. Definitely the highlight of the meal. For my entree I ordered the Chef's Duo, which was two pieces of broiled fish topped with lump crab and a lobster cream sherry sauce. The fish was perfectly cooked, but the sauce added no flavor. It did have a decent amount of crab on top, though. The mashed potatoes were whipped too much for me. I like them thicker, not the consistency of grits. After the bread, salad, and side veggies, along with dinner, we didn't try any of the desserts. The meal was pricey, but a nice treat. The service was fine, even though they were very busy that night. We arrived for the early bird, and received 20% off, so it was a great deal.

7575 S Virginia Dare Trl
Nags Head, NC 27959
(252) 441-7332

PR's Taco Palace

After all of these years I am finally trying this place. First off, the parking is challenging. I was able to find a spot on the one-way street by the railroad tracks. We went for a late lunch. You get one free chips and salsa. My daughter is crazy about queso, so we ordered some dip too. That came with more chips. The chips are my downfall at Mexican restaurants. These were particularly good and I was hungry. The salsa was meh. Tasted like generic store bought. The cheese dip was tasty, though. By the time my fish tacos arrived I was stuffed. Plus we had each ordered a small guac with each meal. The tacos were some of the best I have had. They were battered mahi-mahi served with a cole slaw mixture on top. The beans and rice were adequate. I wouldn't go out of my way for this place, but I would give it another try. Take a sharpie to mark your place on the wall.

499 W Fairbanks Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
Neighborhood: Winter Park
(407) 645-2225

Palermo Pizza

We went here because basically they are the only game in town, for a late night snack. The service was efficient and helpful. We ordered salads and one of us ordered the philly cheese steak. Everything was fresh and tasty. I liked their Caesar dressing. It was a hybrid dressing with more of a vinegary taste.

351 W Main St
New Holland, PA 17557
(717) 354-2680

Korean BBQ Taco Box

I tried them at the Food Truck Pod at Lake Lilly. It took forever to take my order and then another 30 minutes to get my food. Almost an hour total for a chicken taco. The taco was large, well seasoned and came with a small ginger salad, a sweet bbq chicken wing, and egg and seaweed bite and fried tofu. The meal was very good, but because of the wait, I can't really be overly enthusiastic. Not many meals are worth that wait. None of the other trucks had that problem and other people in line said they were always this slow.

2705 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 453-2250

C&S Brisket Bus

I didn't try the brisket, since I don't eat red meat, but my husband did. He loved it. In fact, he is a bit jealous because he has been trying to perfect his own brisket and marveled at how juicy and delicious his sandwich was. He wasn't even excited about the whole food- truck- eating- thing, but is now a fan.

Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 913-2333

First Watch Restaurant

We have eaten breakfast/brunch here several times. First Watch appeals to a healthier clientele. Not to say that their offerings are boring or tasteless. Or for that matter, low cal. You must try their Greek Fetish omelet-roasted red peppers, Feta cheese and spinach, topped with black olives and red onions. It comes with a perfectly seasoned potatoes and an English muffin. They also offer ginormous pancakes. I have tried the carrot cake and banana crunch. Both were delicious and I had to share.

This place is constantly hopping, so you may have to wait if you get there at a busy time.

249 W State Rd 436
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
(407) 682-2315

Gastro-Truck

We tried them at the Maitland food truck pod, at Lake Lily. My daughter ordered the Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil and Marinated Portabello Mushroom with Balasmic Glaze on Foccacia. She was disappointed in the amount of mushroom in the sandwich, but otherwise thought it was tasty. This may have been because the emphasis of the truck is on cheese. I didn't try it. I did try the full order of mac and cheese,which we shared. The mac and cheese was a delectable, creamy, cheesy, caloric, concoction. Definitely worth trying.

Sanford, FL 32771
(407) 900-6358
 
 

Rhokkoh's Frozen Yogurt

This is definitely the best frozen yogurt place we have tried so far. The flavors are all true to taste, and don't have any diet or fake taste to them. We tried chocolate, white chocolate, blueberry tart, orange sherbet and peanut butter. You can't go wrong with any of them. They also have a nice variety of toppings. My favorite was the chocolate. My daughter raved about the peanut butter.

200 N Beach St
Daytona Beach, FL 32118
(386) 256-4864