So I had an adventure and a half this past weekend! My car's check engine light came on, so I had to venture up to Central Square to the dealer I went through to get it looked at. Everything turned out OK (I think. So far.), but as long as I was up there I thought "why not get some food?". I had been referred to a place called "Good Golly's" which was in the neighborhood(ish)...so why not?
I called up the Onstar and they soon had me motoring through some backroads towards the restaurant. It should be noted that the restaurant is next to the 81 off-ramp for Central Square. The parking lot was about a quarter full and the sign inside invited me to "Please Seat [Myself]". I sat at a booth near the door (I like booths and I like being able to get out in a fire) and my waitress came over to take my drink order. The restaurant itself was fairly large, and had ample seating. There was a room, which had there been anyone else in it, I would have sat in. There were windows (and nothing but) on two out of four walls. With a little rain and a book, it would have been the perfect place to sit and enjoy a meal.
As usual, I had a cup of black coffee and perused the menu. I wanted to try both the fretta and the sausage and gravy over biscuits, so I did. Additionally, my choice of toast was offered and on the list was sour dough. A rarity in most establishments, it's always nice to find it. The coffee was hot and strong without being particularly bitter. A tough combination, they manage to get it right.
Those who have read me before are aware of my predilection and the special place my heart holds for homemade sausage and gravy over biscuits...and not only was the sausage and gravy homemade, but so were the biscuits! This was not something I was told, but rather could tell by the flavor/texture of the biscuits. The gravy was, as normal, smooth and with a little bite, helped along by the hearty chunks of sausage and liberal use of black pepper. The biscuits had a tang and moistness that set them apart from their dry and dusty kinfolk at other establishments..
The fretta was another story. It was good, but not great. Maybe it suffered from having to wait until I finished my S&GB, but the flavor just wasn't there. The broccoli was fine, but the rest was just kind of bland. It seemed to be a little watery, almost as though the eggs were overcooked and started to seep water. The pepperoni was even kind of bland- the pepperoni!! Is that even possible? Doesn't it violate some law of physics or something to have bland pepperoni?
Other than that though, it was an OK meal...my waitress could have been a little more attentive. the restaurant was more-or-less empty and she spent more time chatting with the people at the table next to me- in all fairness, I think they may have been her family, but still...you're there to wait tables and serve all of the paying customers. It's kind of in the job description. This isn't to say that she was bad....just not as good as I was hoping.
Still have to decide on next week's adventure (or, more likely, the week after next)....where to go, what to try. Should I do dinner instead of breakfast? Or maybe lunch? Stay tuned?
Monday, February 25, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Post IV - The Olive Garden
I met a friend at Olive Garden for lunch today. There was supposed to be a little bit of a wait- about 20 to 25 minutes, but my superpowers kicked in and we were able to get seated in the bar...there's a sub-story about that. If you've ever been to the Olive Garden near Great Northern, you've probably seen the bar area...there are 5 or 6 "four tops" (tables that seat four) and a couple of booths. After about 5 minutes of waiting, the hostess came over and asked us if we minded sitting in the bar area. Neither of us seemed to care, so we started over and another couple said they wouldn't mind going in there too. The hostess said that there was only one server, so they would have to wait for an available table in the main dining room.
Kim and I were the only two in the bar area.
Not sure what the hostess was up to, but she and I ended up at a secluded table with absolutely no one around us.
Anyhow.
We both got the All-You-Can-Eat Soup, Salad and Breadsticks and split an appetizer trio. The appetizer trio consisted of calamari, stuffed mushrooms and fried ravioli. My soups were the Spicy Sausage, Minestrone, and the Creamy Chicken.
The calamari was exceptionally tender and had a slight crunch from the breading. I think any crunchiness related benefit which would have realized from added frying, would have been offset by the added chewiness in the squid department.
The stuffed mushrooms were good, as always, but were nothing extraordinary...there's not a lot that you can do with these, but someday, I will find the perfect stuffed mushroom.
The fried ravioli were good, but a little chewy. This is not entirely their fault- take a dough covered product, add breading and fry it and it will be chewy. It was still pretty good, though.
The soups? By and large, the soups were pretty good. From least best to best-
Creamy chicken gnocchi - smooth, creamy and slight cheese undertones. Not a sharp flavor, but a mild taste. It was tough to place, but somewhere near a mild cheddar and Parmesan maybe? the gnocchi didn't have much flavor and served more as a contrast to the texture of the broth than anything else.
Minestrone. This was actually fairy impressive. The veggies had a slight crispness to them and the broth was a rich tomato. Yes, this is normally how minestrone is supposed to be prepared/served, but there was something to it I couldn't quite place. I think they may make their own soups- this being the case, it would have been fresher. Which would account for the fresher taste than normal.
Spicy Sausage. AWESOMENESS!! This was a nice cream based soup with a slight kick to it. This was brought on by the use of hot sausage with a small amount of red pepper. Not so much as to be overpowering (and by no means enough for a person who likes super spicy food), but enough to take the edge off of a cold day. The sausage was fairly plentiful and the potatoes were a welcome addition to change things up- both texture-wise and to bring a little mildness to the party.
There were only three breadsticks, which was a disappointment, but we had enough other food to make up for it. Still, the breadsticks are usually good enough to want as many as you can possibly eat. I can see the reason for not having more in the basket and the food came fast enough that we didn't really need them....but c'mon Olive Garden! The breadsticks are half the reason people go to you!
I think the only downside was the salad. It was a standard Olive Garden salad, but the salad bowls were warm. Salad bowls should NOT be warm. They either get stored in the fridge, or are cycled through the freezer. You want the salad to stay cold, not get warmed up. That's basic dining 101. Get with it, yo!
Our waitress was attentive, but not irritatingly so- she didn't hover and waited till my mouth wasn't full of food to come over and ask how everything was going. While not somewhere I would go every week, it was a nice change from the "how are you still alive?!" food I normally eat. Overall? I most assuredly come back...but in all honesty, I would use it more as a "safe space" rather than a "something new" space.
Kim and I were the only two in the bar area.
Not sure what the hostess was up to, but she and I ended up at a secluded table with absolutely no one around us.
Anyhow.
We both got the All-You-Can-Eat Soup, Salad and Breadsticks and split an appetizer trio. The appetizer trio consisted of calamari, stuffed mushrooms and fried ravioli. My soups were the Spicy Sausage, Minestrone, and the Creamy Chicken.
The calamari was exceptionally tender and had a slight crunch from the breading. I think any crunchiness related benefit which would have realized from added frying, would have been offset by the added chewiness in the squid department.
The stuffed mushrooms were good, as always, but were nothing extraordinary...there's not a lot that you can do with these, but someday, I will find the perfect stuffed mushroom.
The fried ravioli were good, but a little chewy. This is not entirely their fault- take a dough covered product, add breading and fry it and it will be chewy. It was still pretty good, though.
The soups? By and large, the soups were pretty good. From least best to best-
Creamy chicken gnocchi - smooth, creamy and slight cheese undertones. Not a sharp flavor, but a mild taste. It was tough to place, but somewhere near a mild cheddar and Parmesan maybe? the gnocchi didn't have much flavor and served more as a contrast to the texture of the broth than anything else.
Minestrone. This was actually fairy impressive. The veggies had a slight crispness to them and the broth was a rich tomato. Yes, this is normally how minestrone is supposed to be prepared/served, but there was something to it I couldn't quite place. I think they may make their own soups- this being the case, it would have been fresher. Which would account for the fresher taste than normal.
Spicy Sausage. AWESOMENESS!! This was a nice cream based soup with a slight kick to it. This was brought on by the use of hot sausage with a small amount of red pepper. Not so much as to be overpowering (and by no means enough for a person who likes super spicy food), but enough to take the edge off of a cold day. The sausage was fairly plentiful and the potatoes were a welcome addition to change things up- both texture-wise and to bring a little mildness to the party.
There were only three breadsticks, which was a disappointment, but we had enough other food to make up for it. Still, the breadsticks are usually good enough to want as many as you can possibly eat. I can see the reason for not having more in the basket and the food came fast enough that we didn't really need them....but c'mon Olive Garden! The breadsticks are half the reason people go to you!
I think the only downside was the salad. It was a standard Olive Garden salad, but the salad bowls were warm. Salad bowls should NOT be warm. They either get stored in the fridge, or are cycled through the freezer. You want the salad to stay cold, not get warmed up. That's basic dining 101. Get with it, yo!
Our waitress was attentive, but not irritatingly so- she didn't hover and waited till my mouth wasn't full of food to come over and ask how everything was going. While not somewhere I would go every week, it was a nice change from the "how are you still alive?!" food I normally eat. Overall? I most assuredly come back...but in all honesty, I would use it more as a "safe space" rather than a "something new" space.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Post III - Conroy's Seneca Knolls Diner
This is actually the second time I've been to Conroy's. The first time was a couple years ago, and the place is looking better now than it did then.
The color scheme is a bit odd...bright blue with pepto pink trim and doors, but bright and cheery enough on a cold winter morning. Additionally, while the chairs and tables are in good shape, the booths are beat to Hell. Well, the seats are at least. A quick (5 second search) shows that for $200 or so, they could do all of the booths and have them looking fairly sharp.
I sat down and the only waiter in the joint was right there asking if I wanted anything to drink and back almost immediately with a cup of coffee. The coffee was piping hot and strong and the refills came (more or less) without asking. Generally speaking, this is a fight at other places. The waitress will wait until I am in the middle of eating and ask if I need anything. By the time I am able to answer, they have been spirited off to God knows to continue not giving me a refill.
But I digress.
I looked over the menu (standard diner breakfast fare- eggs, toast, etc) and selected sausage and gravy over biscuits. It is homemade here, which is always a positive, and is fairly tasty. It could benefit from a little more heat, but overall is pretty good. The gravy is a dark cream color, though not quite falling into the "beige" category of colors and the sausage provides a nice contrast to the smooth texture and mild flavor.
(A thought occurs, which is that the heat the gravy needs could be provided with a spicier breakfast sausage or adding red pepper flakes while cooking it.)
(Maybe a diced jalapeno?)
I also got bacon as a side, which came out still steaming and hot. It was crispy without being burnt and was a decent thickness. Bacon aficionados know that too thick and it becomes chewy, too thin and it is without flavor. This was a good compromise.
About halfway through the plate of sausage and gravy, I asked for some hot sauce (just a little bit to cut the mildness)....being 1/3 empty it was obviously used, but was didn't have the "crunchies" that hot sauce gets when it is left out. So they take the trouble to clean it at least.
There was a sign for another, larger, dining room, but I didn't investigate because I was lazy and had to get home to meet someone.
I highly recommend making a journey out here (just outside B'ville on Rt. 48 across from Thunderbird Lanes) if you are in the area and want to try something different for a breakfast experience.
The color scheme is a bit odd...bright blue with pepto pink trim and doors, but bright and cheery enough on a cold winter morning. Additionally, while the chairs and tables are in good shape, the booths are beat to Hell. Well, the seats are at least. A quick (5 second search) shows that for $200 or so, they could do all of the booths and have them looking fairly sharp.
I sat down and the only waiter in the joint was right there asking if I wanted anything to drink and back almost immediately with a cup of coffee. The coffee was piping hot and strong and the refills came (more or less) without asking. Generally speaking, this is a fight at other places. The waitress will wait until I am in the middle of eating and ask if I need anything. By the time I am able to answer, they have been spirited off to God knows to continue not giving me a refill.
But I digress.
I looked over the menu (standard diner breakfast fare- eggs, toast, etc) and selected sausage and gravy over biscuits. It is homemade here, which is always a positive, and is fairly tasty. It could benefit from a little more heat, but overall is pretty good. The gravy is a dark cream color, though not quite falling into the "beige" category of colors and the sausage provides a nice contrast to the smooth texture and mild flavor.
(A thought occurs, which is that the heat the gravy needs could be provided with a spicier breakfast sausage or adding red pepper flakes while cooking it.)
(Maybe a diced jalapeno?)
I also got bacon as a side, which came out still steaming and hot. It was crispy without being burnt and was a decent thickness. Bacon aficionados know that too thick and it becomes chewy, too thin and it is without flavor. This was a good compromise.
About halfway through the plate of sausage and gravy, I asked for some hot sauce (just a little bit to cut the mildness)....being 1/3 empty it was obviously used, but was didn't have the "crunchies" that hot sauce gets when it is left out. So they take the trouble to clean it at least.
There was a sign for another, larger, dining room, but I didn't investigate because I was lazy and had to get home to meet someone.
I highly recommend making a journey out here (just outside B'ville on Rt. 48 across from Thunderbird Lanes) if you are in the area and want to try something different for a breakfast experience.
Post II - China Cafe
OK....second attempt.
First attempt went away when I accidentally rebooted and lost everything. Fie on that.
Anyhow.
I didn't feel like eating ramen (and didn't have any seafood ramen with me anyhow- Lent, y'know), so I asked around the office and we ordered from China Cafe- a Venn diagram of awesome. Decent price, good food and they deliver.
Today I ordered my usual, the Malaysian fried rice. This is a fairly tasty, though uncommon concoction of rice, shrimp and pineapple. A little bit spicy, most of the heat is as an aftertaste...not hot at first, but a heat that stays with you. Almost cinnamon in nature. Maybe?
I ordered mine extra spicy, as is my wont, and it arrived earlier than expected (this is an issue with China Cafe- I was told 45 minutes, which was perfect- that would get it there at 1230, in time for lunch for everyone who ordered. Instead it arrived at about 1210...Way too early for most of the folks eating. Keep this in mind if you order from there) and without the extra mustard and soy sauce which was ordered.
Free advice for anyone with a restaurant of the Chinese Delivery Nature...if you have three orders including rice, 4 packets of soy sauce should be standard. If you have an order for "extra", double it to 8. If someone goes to the trouble of ordering mustard, send along more than one, huh? (A further note on mustard and Chinese food in a moment.)
Anyhow.
The rice was good, albeit a little dry (this would have been helped by the soy and mustard, had there been enough.) and made a good lunch.
I saved a half-portion and ate it for dinner....held up OK for being refrigerated for 6 hours. Normally rice does horrifying things after even 3 hours, so this was impressive.
All in all, it was a good meal. Please note that I have never been in the actual restaurant, so it might be some hellish place that would scare you away from ever eating there (one of the items on the menu? Griddle cooked intestines with pepper. If you eat there and there is a pile of intestines staring at you, waiting to be cooked....don't blame me), but on the other hand it might be a charming little eatery.
Sorry for the long time between posts, tomorrow SHOULD be a report about my breakfast adventure...Seneca Knolls Diner, probably. Maybe somewhere else. Solvay Diner? Who knows.
First attempt went away when I accidentally rebooted and lost everything. Fie on that.
Anyhow.
I didn't feel like eating ramen (and didn't have any seafood ramen with me anyhow- Lent, y'know), so I asked around the office and we ordered from China Cafe- a Venn diagram of awesome. Decent price, good food and they deliver.
Today I ordered my usual, the Malaysian fried rice. This is a fairly tasty, though uncommon concoction of rice, shrimp and pineapple. A little bit spicy, most of the heat is as an aftertaste...not hot at first, but a heat that stays with you. Almost cinnamon in nature. Maybe?
I ordered mine extra spicy, as is my wont, and it arrived earlier than expected (this is an issue with China Cafe- I was told 45 minutes, which was perfect- that would get it there at 1230, in time for lunch for everyone who ordered. Instead it arrived at about 1210...Way too early for most of the folks eating. Keep this in mind if you order from there) and without the extra mustard and soy sauce which was ordered.
Free advice for anyone with a restaurant of the Chinese Delivery Nature...if you have three orders including rice, 4 packets of soy sauce should be standard. If you have an order for "extra", double it to 8. If someone goes to the trouble of ordering mustard, send along more than one, huh? (A further note on mustard and Chinese food in a moment.)
Anyhow.
The rice was good, albeit a little dry (this would have been helped by the soy and mustard, had there been enough.) and made a good lunch.
I saved a half-portion and ate it for dinner....held up OK for being refrigerated for 6 hours. Normally rice does horrifying things after even 3 hours, so this was impressive.
All in all, it was a good meal. Please note that I have never been in the actual restaurant, so it might be some hellish place that would scare you away from ever eating there (one of the items on the menu? Griddle cooked intestines with pepper. If you eat there and there is a pile of intestines staring at you, waiting to be cooked....don't blame me), but on the other hand it might be a charming little eatery.
Sorry for the long time between posts, tomorrow SHOULD be a report about my breakfast adventure...Seneca Knolls Diner, probably. Maybe somewhere else. Solvay Diner? Who knows.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Greasy spoon or dive?
So what is the difference (or what are the differences) between these?
I've been trying to figure this out lately and am not having much luck...there is a smallish diner near me (the Seneca Knolls Diner) which I am almost certain counts as a greasy spoon...not spotlessly clean, but great food. Torn seating, but enough of it for people to relax/conversate without being crowded.
Also, they tell me that there is additional seating, though darned if I know where- it's not that big.
I know Doc's used to count as a dive....it was a Mess with a capital M.
Bah. I need to go eat more and get back on track...
In the pipeline?
I've been trying to figure this out lately and am not having much luck...there is a smallish diner near me (the Seneca Knolls Diner) which I am almost certain counts as a greasy spoon...not spotlessly clean, but great food. Torn seating, but enough of it for people to relax/conversate without being crowded.
Also, they tell me that there is additional seating, though darned if I know where- it's not that big.
I know Doc's used to count as a dive....it was a Mess with a capital M.
Bah. I need to go eat more and get back on track...
In the pipeline?
- Gem Diner
- Seneca Knolls Diner
- Thee Diner (in Cicero)
- That Little Diner (on Erie Blvd)
- Cottage Restaurant
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Corrected the name
Minor change to the name...there was an "s" that sneaked in and I had to adjust for it.
Boo.
Boo.
Post I - Meme's diner
Saturday, February 9 -
I went to Meme's Diner in Lakeland. The place was clean and looked inviting, the dry erase walls are a cool touch. Specials, the birthday tree, an "in memory of" sign for a regular...things like that. Sat at the counter, rather than a table- just being myself, it didn't seem necessary to use a table. Also, sometimes the counter is the way to go. The food, as usual was good, but the waitress was....angrified about something. Darned if I know what. Nothing I did, that's for sure. *I* was good.
Service was moderately slow, and the sausage and gravy was from a can, so I got the kielbasa home fry scrambler with Italian toast. Also, black coffee. (Always black coffee)
There was strawberry jam (and a lot of it) at the counter, which is rare (usually it's grape jam and "mixed fruit"...which fruits? No one knows. Bananas? Pineapples? Kiwi?), but I went with hot sauce. Shut up, it was good!
When the food came out, it was piping hot - one of the benefits of the counter is you're closer to the kitchen, so the food gets to you almost as soon as it's made. Could have used....something...melted cheese? Jalapenos?
No matter what, it was good stuff. I almost got dessert! Yes, they try to sell you dessert even with breakfast. I find it endearing.
I'd go again, as it's near the golf course I like to hit in the summer, and would most assuredly advise others to go.
I went to Meme's Diner in Lakeland. The place was clean and looked inviting, the dry erase walls are a cool touch. Specials, the birthday tree, an "in memory of" sign for a regular...things like that. Sat at the counter, rather than a table- just being myself, it didn't seem necessary to use a table. Also, sometimes the counter is the way to go. The food, as usual was good, but the waitress was....angrified about something. Darned if I know what. Nothing I did, that's for sure. *I* was good.
Service was moderately slow, and the sausage and gravy was from a can, so I got the kielbasa home fry scrambler with Italian toast. Also, black coffee. (Always black coffee)
There was strawberry jam (and a lot of it) at the counter, which is rare (usually it's grape jam and "mixed fruit"...which fruits? No one knows. Bananas? Pineapples? Kiwi?), but I went with hot sauce. Shut up, it was good!
When the food came out, it was piping hot - one of the benefits of the counter is you're closer to the kitchen, so the food gets to you almost as soon as it's made. Could have used....something...melted cheese? Jalapenos?
No matter what, it was good stuff. I almost got dessert! Yes, they try to sell you dessert even with breakfast. I find it endearing.
I'd go again, as it's near the golf course I like to hit in the summer, and would most assuredly advise others to go.
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