Yay, it's after Lent, so I can finally enjoy a steak on a Friday if I so desire.
My husband and I chose to drive out to Clymer to eat at Stoneybank Restaurant. You will find it on the left hand side as enter Clymer -- almost right across from Sheetz. The building itself is made of, um, stone.
When we entered the restaurant we ended up being greeted by who we believe to be the owner/executive chef. From what I understand, he cooked for many years at the Indiana Country Club (don't quote me on that exact statement, though). We were seated right away in the main dining area, which is designated as non-smoking. A very separate bar room exists for those who want to smoke or simply enjoy a few adult beverages.
The decor is very simple and down to earth. It's enough to make you feel comfortable but still has a nice feel to it.
Our waiter was really friendly, but you could tell he wasn't very experienced. I cut him some slack in that department. It's a tough job. Heck, I barely lasted 3 weeks doing it myself years ago. He wasn't a bad waiter -- he just forgot to bring us our bread/butter and forgot to bring a pen with the bill for the table next to us.
The menu has a nice assortment of classic American food plus weekly specials. These specials are typically based on seasonality and availability. They had a decent wine list of which I selected the more expensive of the two cabernet which had a nice hint of oak. Very tasty.
We both ended up ordering steak -- filet mignon, in fact. What's cool is you can upgrade your steak with different added seasonings/toppings. My husband had his plain while I had mine peppercorn crusted. Our dinners came with a tossed salad, choice of potato and veggies (and bread/butter, but ours was missing...no big deal because I would have overate it anyway). I chose onion rings with my steak while my husband went for the classic baked potato.
The base for the salads was iceberg and topped with red onion, green pepper, green olive, tomato, cucumber and carrot coins. Everything was fresh and their balsamic vinegarette was very tasty.
Both of our steaks were well-done (we ordered them medium-well), but they were still very, very tender and moist. The peppercorn crusting on mine was outstanding. I'm a total pepper monkey and this certainly gave me my fix. We had a nice California-style veggie blend of broccoli, cauliflower, orange carrots and yellow carrots. Very well seasoned and cooked perfectly.
Now, my onion rings were OUTSTANDING. I haven't had them in years, so this was a real treat for me. They were very thick cut onions which were perfectly sweet and caramel-ly on the inside. The outside crust was very, very crunchy. My guess is they used Panko breadcrumbs. I could have eaten a whole plateful of these babies. Excellent!
We passed on dessert this time (the onion rings were my treat), but the coconut cream pie is phenomenal!
Obviously, we'll go back. The prices are reasonable and the food is pretty darn good. Enjoy!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Another Lenten Meal -- Donatello's
As you can see, the date of this post and end of Lent, I'm still a little behind in my blogs.
It was a Friday night, and we were looking for a place to dine where we knew we could get substantial meatless meals. We had a gift certificate for Donatello's (on Ben Franklin Rd near Lowe's) we needed to use, so we thought no better time like the present.
It's a small establishment in a strip mall. We did have to wait for 10 minutes, but for a Friday night during prime time, I thought that was very reasonable.
The menu consisted of various Italian appetizers, entrees, pastas, desserts and specials. It's also BYOB if you should desire. Of course, I left our bottle of wine at home! We were attended to almost right away and in general, the service was good.
My husband opted for the baked cheese ravioli while I went for the pasta primavera with a pink sauce. You have your option of soup or salad. We ended up choosing the salad, but that's only because there was meat in the wedding soup (which is to die for). Breadsticks were readily brought to our table. They're almost like Pizza Hut breadsticks but not as greasy. I had to be careful not to eat too many so I didn't spoil my appetite for dinner. The salads were your typical dinner salads. Fresh and adequate.
My husband's cheese ravioli looked pretty good. The dish was very hot as they had pulled it out of the oven to melt the cheese. He readily finished the dish -- no leftovers to take home.
I ordered my primavera with penne pasta. The pink sauce was very tasty and rich and there were plenty of veggies to provide some filling fiber. My only complaint (and this has happened before at the restaurant) is that the penne was cooking for 1 minute too long. I like more of a tooth feel to my pasta in general. I don't know if they precook and nuke their pasta or what -- I certainly hope they don't. But next time I dine there, I'll be requesting my pasta be cooked al dente.
We were too full for dessert, so we passed.
Overall a good dining experience. I think what draws us to Donatello's is their red sauce. It's not to sweet, not too spicy and just really well-balanced overall. We will certainly go back for me.
It was a Friday night, and we were looking for a place to dine where we knew we could get substantial meatless meals. We had a gift certificate for Donatello's (on Ben Franklin Rd near Lowe's) we needed to use, so we thought no better time like the present.
It's a small establishment in a strip mall. We did have to wait for 10 minutes, but for a Friday night during prime time, I thought that was very reasonable.
The menu consisted of various Italian appetizers, entrees, pastas, desserts and specials. It's also BYOB if you should desire. Of course, I left our bottle of wine at home! We were attended to almost right away and in general, the service was good.
My husband opted for the baked cheese ravioli while I went for the pasta primavera with a pink sauce. You have your option of soup or salad. We ended up choosing the salad, but that's only because there was meat in the wedding soup (which is to die for). Breadsticks were readily brought to our table. They're almost like Pizza Hut breadsticks but not as greasy. I had to be careful not to eat too many so I didn't spoil my appetite for dinner. The salads were your typical dinner salads. Fresh and adequate.
My husband's cheese ravioli looked pretty good. The dish was very hot as they had pulled it out of the oven to melt the cheese. He readily finished the dish -- no leftovers to take home.
I ordered my primavera with penne pasta. The pink sauce was very tasty and rich and there were plenty of veggies to provide some filling fiber. My only complaint (and this has happened before at the restaurant) is that the penne was cooking for 1 minute too long. I like more of a tooth feel to my pasta in general. I don't know if they precook and nuke their pasta or what -- I certainly hope they don't. But next time I dine there, I'll be requesting my pasta be cooked al dente.
We were too full for dessert, so we passed.
Overall a good dining experience. I think what draws us to Donatello's is their red sauce. It's not to sweet, not too spicy and just really well-balanced overall. We will certainly go back for me.
Sunday Evening Watering Hole Food -- Canyon Pizza
So it's a Sunday evening and my husband and I really needed some food as we were enjoying a few libations at one of our favorite local watering holes. The only problem is this place didn't have food. Fortunately, they keep a folder of menus of local places that deliver. We saw the vast menu for Canyon Pizza and thought we would give it a try.
My husband said that ordering and delivery were on par. He ordered a pepperoni pizza wedge which is said we pretty darn good. I wasn't in the mood for pizza, so I went with their garden salad and extra hot boneless wings. The salad was fresh and very sizable. I was very pleased to see packets of Newman's Own salad dressing in there. Now for the wings. I ordered the smallest size and there were a ton in my container. They were nice and crispy on the outside, but slightly overcooked on the inside. I can deal with overcooked as opposed to undercooked! The thing that would make me order these again would be the extra hot sauce. It totally delivered on heat and flavor! My lips were burning and my sinuses were clearing...exactly what I was anticipating!
Would we order from here again? Sure. I'd actually like to order a large batch their boneless wings in assorted flavors for parties. And besides, I'm always looking for pizza places where I have some good non-pizza selections on their menu!
My husband said that ordering and delivery were on par. He ordered a pepperoni pizza wedge which is said we pretty darn good. I wasn't in the mood for pizza, so I went with their garden salad and extra hot boneless wings. The salad was fresh and very sizable. I was very pleased to see packets of Newman's Own salad dressing in there. Now for the wings. I ordered the smallest size and there were a ton in my container. They were nice and crispy on the outside, but slightly overcooked on the inside. I can deal with overcooked as opposed to undercooked! The thing that would make me order these again would be the extra hot sauce. It totally delivered on heat and flavor! My lips were burning and my sinuses were clearing...exactly what I was anticipating!
Would we order from here again? Sure. I'd actually like to order a large batch their boneless wings in assorted flavors for parties. And besides, I'm always looking for pizza places where I have some good non-pizza selections on their menu!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Bob's Pizza -- A truly Indiana thing
Ah, Bob's Pizza. My sister was in town and she said we absolutely had to go to Bob's Pizza. Naturally, I just had to take her there.
Bob's is located on North 4th Street across from Bilo. It's a little tricky getting in and out of the parking lot but that's only a small price to pay for what's inside. The building itself is, um, ugly for lack of a better word. Painted brown cinder blocks. Flake board interior. I would have to say this would qualify as a dive. And yes, I've already emailed Guy Fieri begging him to come visit this fine establishment on his Food Network show.
The menu? Well, pizza by the square slice, some subs including the famous "Wopaho" sub (come on Guy, you MUST come out to see what that's all about) and cinnamon rolls. You can get your Bob's 2 ways with (pepperoni) or without (pepperoni). You can get your Bob's to eat in-house at one of their tables or take it out.
Now, if you get it for takeout, it is packaged with the bottom half of a box and a paper bag. By the time you get the pizza to your car the grease would have already made the paper bag transparent. Now you know you're getting good food!
We chose to eat right at Bob's. I enjoyed looking at the Pens pics on the wall. All three of us (me, my husband and my sister) got 3 slices with pepperoni. You can either take a seat after you order or stand and watch them pull these large rectangular pans out of the pizza ovens, cut the pizza and slap the pepperoni on. I personally enjoy the show.
The pizza itself is unique. The crust is a little thicker than most, but it's also soft. The sauce is awesome...rumor has it only a few know the recipe. Parts of the cheese on top brown up which adds some nice texture. Then the pepperoni. OMG the pepperoni. You get 3 slices per square and let me tell you it's the best pepperoni I've ever had. My guess is it's a little fattier than most (hence the transparent take-out bags).
Now my husband is a Philly transplant and never really cared for Bob's...until this eating occasion. YAY! I've converted him! And my sister was absolutely tickled to have a true Indiana treat.
Will we go back? Oh yes. At 80-cents per square you can stuff yourself silly for little money!
And remember...only cool people eat square pizza.
Bob's is located on North 4th Street across from Bilo. It's a little tricky getting in and out of the parking lot but that's only a small price to pay for what's inside. The building itself is, um, ugly for lack of a better word. Painted brown cinder blocks. Flake board interior. I would have to say this would qualify as a dive. And yes, I've already emailed Guy Fieri begging him to come visit this fine establishment on his Food Network show.
The menu? Well, pizza by the square slice, some subs including the famous "Wopaho" sub (come on Guy, you MUST come out to see what that's all about) and cinnamon rolls. You can get your Bob's 2 ways with (pepperoni) or without (pepperoni). You can get your Bob's to eat in-house at one of their tables or take it out.
Now, if you get it for takeout, it is packaged with the bottom half of a box and a paper bag. By the time you get the pizza to your car the grease would have already made the paper bag transparent. Now you know you're getting good food!
We chose to eat right at Bob's. I enjoyed looking at the Pens pics on the wall. All three of us (me, my husband and my sister) got 3 slices with pepperoni. You can either take a seat after you order or stand and watch them pull these large rectangular pans out of the pizza ovens, cut the pizza and slap the pepperoni on. I personally enjoy the show.
The pizza itself is unique. The crust is a little thicker than most, but it's also soft. The sauce is awesome...rumor has it only a few know the recipe. Parts of the cheese on top brown up which adds some nice texture. Then the pepperoni. OMG the pepperoni. You get 3 slices per square and let me tell you it's the best pepperoni I've ever had. My guess is it's a little fattier than most (hence the transparent take-out bags).
Now my husband is a Philly transplant and never really cared for Bob's...until this eating occasion. YAY! I've converted him! And my sister was absolutely tickled to have a true Indiana treat.
Will we go back? Oh yes. At 80-cents per square you can stuff yourself silly for little money!
And remember...only cool people eat square pizza.
9th St Deli Perfection
I've had 2 recent visits to 9th Street Deli (corner of 9th and Philadelphia), so I thought I'd combine the reviews. 9th St = Indiana. Hands down. My family knows the original owners and they would be proud to know that the new ownership has maintained the same excellent quality and service they established years ago.
This is not a place for fancy ambiance. The original bistro tables line the side wall whose shelves house assorted snacks and penny candies. If you look above you will see lots of college pennants. At this point they're all probably vintage.
Their menu is full of various subs and sandwiches both warm and cold. You will find assorted sides in the deli case. If you look at the white board in the back you will find the daily specials and soup selections for the day.
In both of my recent visits I ordered the turkey and cheese sub. You can load it up with "everything" (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, pepper rings and choice of dressing) which is what I did. This was the "half" sub which is actually a foot long. That was plenty for my husband and I to eat for a meal. The advantage to getting everything is that I get the pickles my husband doesn't like and he gets the pepper rings I don't like -- works out perfectly!
The real key to this sub is the roll. I don't know where they get their rolls from but if we were ever to open a cheesesteak shop I'd quickly find out. It has a nice crispy exterior, a soft but sturdy interior and a corn meal dusted bottom. The turkey meat was plentiful and tasty. All of the toppings were very fresh. I love having shredded lettuce on my subs!
On one occasion I picked up a small container of their macaroni salad. Beautifully creamy and delicious.
If you're looking for other items on the menu to try, let me suggest their regular sub, steak and cheese, 1/2 pound hamburger and chili.
We'll go back to 9th Street again and again. A foot-long, high quality sub costs roughly $5 and is definitely enough for 2. How can you beat that?
This is not a place for fancy ambiance. The original bistro tables line the side wall whose shelves house assorted snacks and penny candies. If you look above you will see lots of college pennants. At this point they're all probably vintage.
Their menu is full of various subs and sandwiches both warm and cold. You will find assorted sides in the deli case. If you look at the white board in the back you will find the daily specials and soup selections for the day.
In both of my recent visits I ordered the turkey and cheese sub. You can load it up with "everything" (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, pepper rings and choice of dressing) which is what I did. This was the "half" sub which is actually a foot long. That was plenty for my husband and I to eat for a meal. The advantage to getting everything is that I get the pickles my husband doesn't like and he gets the pepper rings I don't like -- works out perfectly!
The real key to this sub is the roll. I don't know where they get their rolls from but if we were ever to open a cheesesteak shop I'd quickly find out. It has a nice crispy exterior, a soft but sturdy interior and a corn meal dusted bottom. The turkey meat was plentiful and tasty. All of the toppings were very fresh. I love having shredded lettuce on my subs!
On one occasion I picked up a small container of their macaroni salad. Beautifully creamy and delicious.
If you're looking for other items on the menu to try, let me suggest their regular sub, steak and cheese, 1/2 pound hamburger and chili.
We'll go back to 9th Street again and again. A foot-long, high quality sub costs roughly $5 and is definitely enough for 2. How can you beat that?
Monday, March 10, 2008
More blogs on their way
I definitely have some catching up to do! Stay tuned for the following reviews:
9th St. Deli
Bob's Pizza
Canyon Pizza
Donatello's
9th St. Deli
Bob's Pizza
Canyon Pizza
Donatello's
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Lenten Cheese Pizza from Sanso's
Well, it's that time of year where I actually do something Catholic and abstain from meat on Friday's during the Lenten season. Usually this means fish, but I like to mix it up a bit. My husband works in Greensburg, so on his way up Rte 119 from Blairsville I asked him to pick up a good ole plain pizza from Sanso's in Homer City. Sanso's is right on 119 and has an AWESOME deli store and a six pack/pizza shop.
My husband had no problems with the ordering process or the timing of the pizza.
The crust is in between a thick and thin...just enough dough, but not too much. Now what makes their pizza unique is the marriage between the sauce and the cheese. There's a tang to the cheese which is counterbalanced nicely with the sweetness and spice of the sauce. We apparently enjoyed it considered with polished off a large pizza between the two of us!
We typically stick to Tom's for our usual pizza needs, but sometimes you have to switch it up. And Sanso's certainly fit the bill!
My husband had no problems with the ordering process or the timing of the pizza.
The crust is in between a thick and thin...just enough dough, but not too much. Now what makes their pizza unique is the marriage between the sauce and the cheese. There's a tang to the cheese which is counterbalanced nicely with the sweetness and spice of the sauce. We apparently enjoyed it considered with polished off a large pizza between the two of us!
We typically stick to Tom's for our usual pizza needs, but sometimes you have to switch it up. And Sanso's certainly fit the bill!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Too lazy too cook -- King Buffet it is!
Yes, after going out to eat for lunch at Sixers I was still too lazy to cook dinner. So the husband and I decided we were in the mood for Chinese and decided upon King Buffet on Oakland Ave across from the Indiana Mall.
It's your standard Chinese buffet with the added bonus of seafood for the dinner buffet. I'm not a huge seafood fan, so I passed on it. I took samplings of several items, all of which were adequate sustenance. The highlights for me were the wonton soup, mini egg roll, dumplings, veggie lo mein and chicken and broccoli. Oh yeah and the coconut macaroons from the dessert bar. My husband gravitated towards the fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.
Everything was clean and I especially loved the Chinese-themed tables.
Will we go back? Of course. I do want to compare this to the other Chinese buffet in town someday so stay tuned!
It's your standard Chinese buffet with the added bonus of seafood for the dinner buffet. I'm not a huge seafood fan, so I passed on it. I took samplings of several items, all of which were adequate sustenance. The highlights for me were the wonton soup, mini egg roll, dumplings, veggie lo mein and chicken and broccoli. Oh yeah and the coconut macaroons from the dessert bar. My husband gravitated towards the fried rice and sweet and sour chicken.
Everything was clean and I especially loved the Chinese-themed tables.
Will we go back? Of course. I do want to compare this to the other Chinese buffet in town someday so stay tuned!
A Secret in the Outskirts -- Sixers
My Mom and I had the day off and treated ourselves to a day of shopping and lunch. She had never been to Sixers before, so I thought I'd introduce her to one of Indiana's best kept secrets. Sixers is located a few miles out of town on Rte 286 (past Walmart).
It's a six-pack shop with a restaurant. My guess is they do the majority of their business with the beer sales but they really should be promoting their food. Their menu consists of pizzas (including a 26-inch pizza), wings, burgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta. I have yet to have their pasta, but rumor has it that it's pretty darn good.
We were seated right away -- well, we were the only ones there so we got to choose where to sit. They seem to be doing some cosmetic work to the interior which should look nice when it's done. My only complaint is they had it a little too cold in there.
I ordered a garden salad and buffalo wings while my Mom ordered a plain hamburger and small fries. My salad arrived first and it was HUGE! I barely had room for my wings. All of the ingredients were nice and fresh. You could tell the croutons were homemade...very tasty! My wings were solid...nice heat, perfectly sauced and crispy.
My Mom loved her hamburger...she's a burger junkie and knows what she likes. And the fries. Oh yeah, these are the real deal. Hand cut and totally homemade. A small was more than plenty for her. They weren't greasy either (yes, I snagged a few from her plate). BTW, you HAVE to try their sloppy fries...the same homemade goodness topped with mozzarella and gravy served with a fork.
So next time you need some place different to go take a ride a few miles past Walmart and enjoy the secret I just shared with you!
It's a six-pack shop with a restaurant. My guess is they do the majority of their business with the beer sales but they really should be promoting their food. Their menu consists of pizzas (including a 26-inch pizza), wings, burgers, sandwiches, salads and pasta. I have yet to have their pasta, but rumor has it that it's pretty darn good.
We were seated right away -- well, we were the only ones there so we got to choose where to sit. They seem to be doing some cosmetic work to the interior which should look nice when it's done. My only complaint is they had it a little too cold in there.
I ordered a garden salad and buffalo wings while my Mom ordered a plain hamburger and small fries. My salad arrived first and it was HUGE! I barely had room for my wings. All of the ingredients were nice and fresh. You could tell the croutons were homemade...very tasty! My wings were solid...nice heat, perfectly sauced and crispy.
My Mom loved her hamburger...she's a burger junkie and knows what she likes. And the fries. Oh yeah, these are the real deal. Hand cut and totally homemade. A small was more than plenty for her. They weren't greasy either (yes, I snagged a few from her plate). BTW, you HAVE to try their sloppy fries...the same homemade goodness topped with mozzarella and gravy served with a fork.
So next time you need some place different to go take a ride a few miles past Walmart and enjoy the secret I just shared with you!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Anti-Valentine's Day at Valley Dairy
So it's Saturday night on Valentine's Day weekend and we knew we couldn't possibly get a table at one of the finer establishments around town. We also needed something inexpensive as we had our Valentine's Day dinner the weekend before at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Pittsburgh (a WONDERFUL once-a-year splurge). We typically save Valley Dairy on Oakland Avenue in front of Martin's for breakfast, but inexpensive homestyle cooking seemed to fit the bill.
We were pleased to walk in and have the hostess tell us the entire place was non-smoking except for the 6 booths way far in the back near the restrooms. We seated ourselves in a booth which was nice and clean. I'm so glad the updated the decor in the place. It's a little contemporary, but also homey.
Our waiter promptly took our drink orders. Their menu choices range from classic homestyle meals to sandwiches, salads and breakfast anytime. Not to mention their famous ice cream and sundaes (flashback to 20 years ago when my friends and I would hang out and socialize over turtle sundaes).
I went with a cup of minestrone and a turkey ciabatta sandwich. My husband went classic with a hot turkey sandwich w/mashed potatoes and gravy on everything.
My minestrone was decent. It was a little on the salty side and could have used more "stuff" in it for my personal taste. I ended up putting in a packet of saltines to bulk it up. My turkey sandwich was not what I had expected it to be. I anticipated the ciabatta to have that famous crunchy exterior and chewy but soft interior. Instead it was all soft with a floury exterior. It was still good, but not what I was craving. The turkey was a little salty (see a theme here?) and the roasted red peppers on the sandwich didn't add all that much flavor. It wasn't a bad sandwich, but it wasn't a good one either.
My husband's hot turkey sandwich looked much better than my sandwich! He had his platter inhaled before I had half of my sandwich down. I asked him how this hot turkey sandwich compared to others he has had in other places. He said it was solid.
We passed on dessert (they had a Valentine's Day special on their sundaes...soooooo tempting) but vowed to add Valley Dairy to our summertime ice cream outing rotation list.
Service overall was wonderful. We didn't have to wait long for our food or our check.
All-in-all, not a bad meal and certainly wallet-friendly. I just know next time to stick with the classics in a place like this.
We were pleased to walk in and have the hostess tell us the entire place was non-smoking except for the 6 booths way far in the back near the restrooms. We seated ourselves in a booth which was nice and clean. I'm so glad the updated the decor in the place. It's a little contemporary, but also homey.
Our waiter promptly took our drink orders. Their menu choices range from classic homestyle meals to sandwiches, salads and breakfast anytime. Not to mention their famous ice cream and sundaes (flashback to 20 years ago when my friends and I would hang out and socialize over turtle sundaes).
I went with a cup of minestrone and a turkey ciabatta sandwich. My husband went classic with a hot turkey sandwich w/mashed potatoes and gravy on everything.
My minestrone was decent. It was a little on the salty side and could have used more "stuff" in it for my personal taste. I ended up putting in a packet of saltines to bulk it up. My turkey sandwich was not what I had expected it to be. I anticipated the ciabatta to have that famous crunchy exterior and chewy but soft interior. Instead it was all soft with a floury exterior. It was still good, but not what I was craving. The turkey was a little salty (see a theme here?) and the roasted red peppers on the sandwich didn't add all that much flavor. It wasn't a bad sandwich, but it wasn't a good one either.
My husband's hot turkey sandwich looked much better than my sandwich! He had his platter inhaled before I had half of my sandwich down. I asked him how this hot turkey sandwich compared to others he has had in other places. He said it was solid.
We passed on dessert (they had a Valentine's Day special on their sundaes...soooooo tempting) but vowed to add Valley Dairy to our summertime ice cream outing rotation list.
Service overall was wonderful. We didn't have to wait long for our food or our check.
All-in-all, not a bad meal and certainly wallet-friendly. I just know next time to stick with the classics in a place like this.
Late Review -- Tom's Pizza
I could have easily saved this review for another time because I know we'll be ordering this same exact pizza again. In my previous Tom's Pizza review I promised to review just the pizza, and I didn't want to disappoint.
We went out for a few adult beverages on a Thursday evening at the local Legion. This particular Legion does not have food, and we definitely needed to eat dinner to absorb the alcohol! We immediately agreed to have a pizza from Tom's delivered to us.
They had a large 2-topping special which was very reasonable. Toppings of choice for this pizza were sausage and green peppers.
The pizza arrived in a timely manner and was piping hot. Needless to say, we were the envy of the other patrons.
The crust is neither thick nor thin and has this awesome crunchiness to the outer crust. I believe they bake a little cheese on top of it. In fact, I just saw a commercial for Pizza Hut's crunchy crust and I have news for them...Tom's has been doing this for YEARS! The sauce has a nice balance of sweet and spice and tomato flavor and there was just enough on the pizza. I'm certain there's more of a cheese blend on the pie and not just mozzarella. The sausage on this pizza is perfect. I don't know what it is about it, but any time we get a pizza from Tom's and want a meat topping, it's always their sausage. We got a bonus with the green peppers -- they included both red and green peppers which added depth of flavor. They were nicely cooked but not overcooked. The entire pie itself had a nice balance of crust, sauce, cheese and toppings. Divine!
Several of our friends asked if we got bacon on our pizza. Apparently, when they put bacon on the pizza they put it on raw and let it cook as the pizza cooks. I'm personally not a fan of bacon on pizza, but if you are this is something to try.
If we get another sausage-green pepper pizza from Tom's I probably won't bore you with a second review if the quality remains the same.
We went out for a few adult beverages on a Thursday evening at the local Legion. This particular Legion does not have food, and we definitely needed to eat dinner to absorb the alcohol! We immediately agreed to have a pizza from Tom's delivered to us.
They had a large 2-topping special which was very reasonable. Toppings of choice for this pizza were sausage and green peppers.
The pizza arrived in a timely manner and was piping hot. Needless to say, we were the envy of the other patrons.
The crust is neither thick nor thin and has this awesome crunchiness to the outer crust. I believe they bake a little cheese on top of it. In fact, I just saw a commercial for Pizza Hut's crunchy crust and I have news for them...Tom's has been doing this for YEARS! The sauce has a nice balance of sweet and spice and tomato flavor and there was just enough on the pizza. I'm certain there's more of a cheese blend on the pie and not just mozzarella. The sausage on this pizza is perfect. I don't know what it is about it, but any time we get a pizza from Tom's and want a meat topping, it's always their sausage. We got a bonus with the green peppers -- they included both red and green peppers which added depth of flavor. They were nicely cooked but not overcooked. The entire pie itself had a nice balance of crust, sauce, cheese and toppings. Divine!
Several of our friends asked if we got bacon on our pizza. Apparently, when they put bacon on the pizza they put it on raw and let it cook as the pizza cooks. I'm personally not a fan of bacon on pizza, but if you are this is something to try.
If we get another sausage-green pepper pizza from Tom's I probably won't bore you with a second review if the quality remains the same.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Ironwood Grill -- Redemption?
Well, we took a chance tonight by deciding to dine at the Ironwood Grill on Oakland Ave. We hadn't been there in over a year to eat, although we have stopped in periodically to buy 6-packs (great selection!). The last time we were there to eat was a holiday weekend and apparently all of the real management were out, leaving the "service" and "quality of food" to a skeleton crew. Needless to say, we said we were never going back.
Never say never. We needed someplace different to go, so we took the plunge.
We were seated right away, but it was before we could read the special board. The waitress brought our menus and took our drink orders right away. Unfortunately, the specials were not listed. A separate sheet of paper with the specials listed would have been most helpful. The menu offered lots of variety...everything from bar food to full dinners. The wood-fired specialties provide something unique to the Indiana area (side note: the pepperoni and pierogie rolls are fantastic)
We sat in the dining room which had a more contemporary southwest flair -- much better than the bar area.
We ordered in accordance to the decor with each of us getting the Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Sandwich. They arrived in a timely manner and were freshly prepared. The kaiser rolls were soft but sturdy. The chicken was sizable, cooked properly and had a fantastic char-grilled flavor to them. I personally like that type of flavor. The cheddar and Monterey jack cheese were melted to the chicken beautifully. The guacamole provided a great flavor boost and texture to the sandwich. The lettuce, tomato and red onion were left on the side for us to place on the sandwich ourselves, which is fine with me.
Instead of fries, the sandwiches were served with tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were extremely tasty and could have stood on their own. The salsa, which tasted rather fresh with cilantro and a hint of garlic, complimented the chips very nicely.
All-in-all it was a nice dining experience. No complaints...this time. We will still exercise caution moving forward.
Never say never. We needed someplace different to go, so we took the plunge.
We were seated right away, but it was before we could read the special board. The waitress brought our menus and took our drink orders right away. Unfortunately, the specials were not listed. A separate sheet of paper with the specials listed would have been most helpful. The menu offered lots of variety...everything from bar food to full dinners. The wood-fired specialties provide something unique to the Indiana area (side note: the pepperoni and pierogie rolls are fantastic)
We sat in the dining room which had a more contemporary southwest flair -- much better than the bar area.
We ordered in accordance to the decor with each of us getting the Santa Fe Grilled Chicken Sandwich. They arrived in a timely manner and were freshly prepared. The kaiser rolls were soft but sturdy. The chicken was sizable, cooked properly and had a fantastic char-grilled flavor to them. I personally like that type of flavor. The cheddar and Monterey jack cheese were melted to the chicken beautifully. The guacamole provided a great flavor boost and texture to the sandwich. The lettuce, tomato and red onion were left on the side for us to place on the sandwich ourselves, which is fine with me.
Instead of fries, the sandwiches were served with tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were extremely tasty and could have stood on their own. The salsa, which tasted rather fresh with cilantro and a hint of garlic, complimented the chips very nicely.
All-in-all it was a nice dining experience. No complaints...this time. We will still exercise caution moving forward.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Under the Weather Delivery -- Tom's Pizza
Since both my husband and I were fighting some sort of upper respiratory virus, but had an appetite, we thought delivery would be best for dinner. Besides, I *think* it's miserable out there. I'm not sure because I haven't seen the outside world at all today.
Tom's Pizza has been a stand-by for us. Sometimes we (meaning my husband) picks it up, sometimes we get it for delivery and sometimes we even go in to sit and eat. The last option is fun because they cut their pizza in squares -- expect a review in the future on that!
My husband attempted to order pasta, but they do not prepare it for delivery. So, he went with a simple 10-inch cheese pizza. I went with their gyro salad w/Greek dressing.
The worker on the other side of the phone seemed a little out of sorts, as she almost forgot to ask where to deliver our food order. The delivery person seemed nice, and we received our food in a timely manner.
My husband's pizza was good, but not quite up to the usual level of quality. We had a feeling the owners were not present (they're renowned for their animated conversation in Greek). Again, we will order Tom's pizza plenty of times in the future, so I'll have more detailed reviews at those times.
My gyro salad was fantastic, to say the least. The extra charge for the Greek dressing is 100% worth it. A little bit of it went a long way. I removed the salad from its container, and it filled a large dinner plate. It definitely survived the delivery, which is amazing because some just don't hold up well to the ride. The salad portion consisted of iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and green pepper -- plenty of each and everything was fresh. There was plenty of well-seasoned gyro meat piled on top. This was definitely a knife and fork salad. I was able to get a piece of gyro meat in every bite -- great balance.
Now it's time to relax and maybe go back to our day jobs tomorrow now that we've had some sustenance.
Tom's Pizza has been a stand-by for us. Sometimes we (meaning my husband) picks it up, sometimes we get it for delivery and sometimes we even go in to sit and eat. The last option is fun because they cut their pizza in squares -- expect a review in the future on that!
My husband attempted to order pasta, but they do not prepare it for delivery. So, he went with a simple 10-inch cheese pizza. I went with their gyro salad w/Greek dressing.
The worker on the other side of the phone seemed a little out of sorts, as she almost forgot to ask where to deliver our food order. The delivery person seemed nice, and we received our food in a timely manner.
My husband's pizza was good, but not quite up to the usual level of quality. We had a feeling the owners were not present (they're renowned for their animated conversation in Greek). Again, we will order Tom's pizza plenty of times in the future, so I'll have more detailed reviews at those times.
My gyro salad was fantastic, to say the least. The extra charge for the Greek dressing is 100% worth it. A little bit of it went a long way. I removed the salad from its container, and it filled a large dinner plate. It definitely survived the delivery, which is amazing because some just don't hold up well to the ride. The salad portion consisted of iceberg lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion and green pepper -- plenty of each and everything was fresh. There was plenty of well-seasoned gyro meat piled on top. This was definitely a knife and fork salad. I was able to get a piece of gyro meat in every bite -- great balance.
Now it's time to relax and maybe go back to our day jobs tomorrow now that we've had some sustenance.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Bar Bingo Night at the Elks
We were really looking forward to an evening of bingo and drinking at the local Elks lodge all for a good cause. Proceeds went to their Home Services program, a very nice cause.
Before bingo started, we ordered some dinner to go with our drinks. Our waitress Michelle introduced herself and asked us our names, which was a nice touch. She also apologized for not getting to us sooner as the place was rather busy with other members eating their dinner, too. I can always let that slide a bit. I waitressed for 3 weeks in college and that gave me a healthy respect for the profession.
They have their standard menu which ranges from bar appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, salads and wings. Then they have their special dinner menu where they showcase more substantial fare such as steak, seafood, etc.
I was in more of a traditional mood, so I went with the wings with habanero sauce. I loved that the fact the menu suggested you could order your wings extra crispy, so that's what I did. I also ordered a side salad for my starter.
The salad was nice. It definitely was hand-torn iceberg and not the typical salad-in-a-sack you get at other places. They threw in some tomato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper and red pepper. Everything was fresh. They also served a tasty, almost croissant-like dinner roll with butter with the salad.
My wings arrived shortly after I finished my salad. It looked as though the sauce was baked in, so I kindly asked Michelle for some extra sauce on the side for dipping. The wings themselves were HUGE--just as you would expect in any bar in the Indiana area. However, that's where the compliments end. They were far from extra crispy. There's nothing more icky (for lack of a better word) than soft chicken skin. What I think they did was pre-cooked them, sauced them then blasted them in the oven. Not exactly the formula for successful wings. What's worse is I was expecting some sinus-clearing, lip-burning heat from the habanero sauce. That didn't happen either.
My husband ordered a country fried chicken meal off of the special dinner menu. Now, his dinner was a 360-degree turn from mine. The only minor shortcoming was the use of frozen vegetables. The fried chicken breasts were crispy and moist as promised with a nice side of gravy. These were served with homemade loaded potato bites which smelled divine (I was very jealous at this point) and apparently tasted as good as they smelled.
There are two other items from the menu I can provide a small review on from this visit to the Elks. Later in the evening we ordered a simple pepperoni pizza to split between my family who had trickled in throughout the night. The crust was crunchy, but a little too heavy. The sauce, cheese and pepperoni were good -- just a little crispness on the edges of the pepperoni, which I can always appreciate.
Earlier that night, my dad had ordered a fish sandwich. This thing was HUGE! Definitely not frozen fish they fried on demand. These were hand-breaded and the tartar sauce looked homemade. Two thumbs up from my dad on this one.
Will we go back? Most definitely as my husband is a member. I just know now to avoid the wings. I can't wait to go back and try some of their special dinners! Membership has its privileges...
Before bingo started, we ordered some dinner to go with our drinks. Our waitress Michelle introduced herself and asked us our names, which was a nice touch. She also apologized for not getting to us sooner as the place was rather busy with other members eating their dinner, too. I can always let that slide a bit. I waitressed for 3 weeks in college and that gave me a healthy respect for the profession.
They have their standard menu which ranges from bar appetizers, pizza, sandwiches, salads and wings. Then they have their special dinner menu where they showcase more substantial fare such as steak, seafood, etc.
I was in more of a traditional mood, so I went with the wings with habanero sauce. I loved that the fact the menu suggested you could order your wings extra crispy, so that's what I did. I also ordered a side salad for my starter.
The salad was nice. It definitely was hand-torn iceberg and not the typical salad-in-a-sack you get at other places. They threw in some tomato, cucumber, red onion, green pepper and red pepper. Everything was fresh. They also served a tasty, almost croissant-like dinner roll with butter with the salad.
My wings arrived shortly after I finished my salad. It looked as though the sauce was baked in, so I kindly asked Michelle for some extra sauce on the side for dipping. The wings themselves were HUGE--just as you would expect in any bar in the Indiana area. However, that's where the compliments end. They were far from extra crispy. There's nothing more icky (for lack of a better word) than soft chicken skin. What I think they did was pre-cooked them, sauced them then blasted them in the oven. Not exactly the formula for successful wings. What's worse is I was expecting some sinus-clearing, lip-burning heat from the habanero sauce. That didn't happen either.
My husband ordered a country fried chicken meal off of the special dinner menu. Now, his dinner was a 360-degree turn from mine. The only minor shortcoming was the use of frozen vegetables. The fried chicken breasts were crispy and moist as promised with a nice side of gravy. These were served with homemade loaded potato bites which smelled divine (I was very jealous at this point) and apparently tasted as good as they smelled.
There are two other items from the menu I can provide a small review on from this visit to the Elks. Later in the evening we ordered a simple pepperoni pizza to split between my family who had trickled in throughout the night. The crust was crunchy, but a little too heavy. The sauce, cheese and pepperoni were good -- just a little crispness on the edges of the pepperoni, which I can always appreciate.
Earlier that night, my dad had ordered a fish sandwich. This thing was HUGE! Definitely not frozen fish they fried on demand. These were hand-breaded and the tartar sauce looked homemade. Two thumbs up from my dad on this one.
Will we go back? Most definitely as my husband is a member. I just know now to avoid the wings. I can't wait to go back and try some of their special dinners! Membership has its privileges...
Monday, January 21, 2008
One Chilly Day Off -- Roseann's 4 Lunch
Since I had the day off for Martin King Jr Day, I decided to brave the cold and see if there were any good deals at the good ol' Indiana Mall. Turns out I made out like a bandit at Old Navy, but that's not what this blog is about.
I needed some lunch before I hit up Ollie's and Martin's, and I certainly didn't want to go grocery shopping hungry. I also needed a place where I didn't look like a complete idiot dining alone. I thought Roseann's on Oakland Ave (beside Rustic Lodge) was the perfect choice.
When you walk in, you are greeted by cases and displays of incredible baked goods (that is coming from previous personal experience). I could have easily had some sweet treats and called it lunch, but I resisted the temptation.
They had a nice selection of food which you can eat there or take out -- lasagna, halupki, beef braciole (side note -- I wasn't thrilled with their braciole last time I got it -- go to Luigi's in Clymer for that), baked cod, peach pork, some side dishes, soups, salads, etc. They had a meatloaf dinner special for $8. It was miserably cold out, so I thought maybe comfort food would be best and went for it.
I got a huge piece of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green and yellow beans with beef gravy over the meatloaf and potatoes. When you eat in the restaurant, they nuke the food for you so it's hot. I still have mixed feelings about this. I think I'd personally rather have the food that's in the display case already be hot. They also use plastic silverware and paper plates. For their prices, it'd be nice to eat with real dinnerware. Regardless, the service was very good.
Anyway, I sat down at a clean table and started digging in. The mashed potatoes and gravy were good, but not as good as the ones my sister-in-law made for Christmas dinner. The beans were slightly overcooked and swimming in too much butter/oil. I prefer to taste more of the vegetables than what's covering them. The meatloaf was fantastic -- at first. There was a nice tang to it, and it was moist. I felt that way until I ate over half it it. Then it hit my stomach like a lead balloon. I'm surprised I actually spent any money at Martin's afterwards because my stomach was overfull with green bean and meat grease. I even went to the gym after Martin's just so I can whip myself out of the fat coma I was in. It didn't work. I ended up tasting and feeling the meatloaf dinner the remainder of the day.
Will I go back there? Yes. Probably and only occasionally. It's a good place to go if you want some homecooking and don't feel like making it yourself. I will have to be more selective in what I choose to eat from there in the future.
Hmmm....maybe I just should have had dessert for lunch!
I needed some lunch before I hit up Ollie's and Martin's, and I certainly didn't want to go grocery shopping hungry. I also needed a place where I didn't look like a complete idiot dining alone. I thought Roseann's on Oakland Ave (beside Rustic Lodge) was the perfect choice.
When you walk in, you are greeted by cases and displays of incredible baked goods (that is coming from previous personal experience). I could have easily had some sweet treats and called it lunch, but I resisted the temptation.
They had a nice selection of food which you can eat there or take out -- lasagna, halupki, beef braciole (side note -- I wasn't thrilled with their braciole last time I got it -- go to Luigi's in Clymer for that), baked cod, peach pork, some side dishes, soups, salads, etc. They had a meatloaf dinner special for $8. It was miserably cold out, so I thought maybe comfort food would be best and went for it.
I got a huge piece of meatloaf with mashed potatoes and green and yellow beans with beef gravy over the meatloaf and potatoes. When you eat in the restaurant, they nuke the food for you so it's hot. I still have mixed feelings about this. I think I'd personally rather have the food that's in the display case already be hot. They also use plastic silverware and paper plates. For their prices, it'd be nice to eat with real dinnerware. Regardless, the service was very good.
Anyway, I sat down at a clean table and started digging in. The mashed potatoes and gravy were good, but not as good as the ones my sister-in-law made for Christmas dinner. The beans were slightly overcooked and swimming in too much butter/oil. I prefer to taste more of the vegetables than what's covering them. The meatloaf was fantastic -- at first. There was a nice tang to it, and it was moist. I felt that way until I ate over half it it. Then it hit my stomach like a lead balloon. I'm surprised I actually spent any money at Martin's afterwards because my stomach was overfull with green bean and meat grease. I even went to the gym after Martin's just so I can whip myself out of the fat coma I was in. It didn't work. I ended up tasting and feeling the meatloaf dinner the remainder of the day.
Will I go back there? Yes. Probably and only occasionally. It's a good place to go if you want some homecooking and don't feel like making it yourself. I will have to be more selective in what I choose to eat from there in the future.
Hmmm....maybe I just should have had dessert for lunch!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
True Cuisine -- Coventry Inn
After our mediocre Quiznos lunch, we decided to up the quality factor and dine at the Coventry Inn on North 6th Street. We've been there several times before, and we were very much looking forward to this.
We didn't have reservations. Well, we never make reservations because we prefer to eat at the bar. There were plenty of seats when we arrived, but they soon filled up. The lighting at the bar was a little dim, but then again, it is a BAR. The restaurant itself is simply gorgeous. The years of renovations really show.
We were kindly greeted by Jeff the bartender. Now this is a bartender people -- a big departure from College Bimbo Barbie who's only interest is scoring with the frat guys in the bar rather than serve you drinks. He's always welcoming, shakes your hands and lets you know that his priority is you. I had a fantastic glass of Chilean Cabrenet and my husband had a Newcastle draft. I love the fact there are simple sourdough pretzels on the bar.
We had a very difficult time deciding what to order for dinner. Their menu choices were outstanding. For the adventurous ones, you could select a rabbit soup or rack of venison. For those less adventurous, classics such as ribeye steak and roast chicken were available as well. There are a few things I really love about their menu selections -- the classics remain, but the specialty dishes are changed out periodically to reflect the season and what's available and fresh. THIS IS WHAT A REAL RESTAURANT DOES.
I decided to keep it simple and go with their French Onion Soup and Grilled Steak Salad with Ranch. My husband ordered the Pork Tenderloin with Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens.
As we waited for my soup and his dinner salad, we were brought a basket of warm bread with a small dish of three small hand-rolled balls of butter. This bread was outstanding -- crisp, crusty exterior with a soft and slightly chewy texture. I could have easily had more than 2 slices.
The soup -- what can I say other than this was the best French Onion Soup I've personally ever had. The broth was very rich and highly seasoned. The onions were perfectly caramelized. The cheese layer was scrumptious. It was the perfect comfort food for a cold Indiana winter evening. My salad arrived after I was completely done with the soup. The presentation was lovely -- slices of properly cooked medium-well steak on top of a stacked bed of romaine with tomato and onion slices drizzled with just enough ranch dressing. I was brought a steak knife, but I didn't need it. The steak absolutely melted in my mouth and was nicely seasoned. The dressing was most definitely made from scratch -- no bottled dressing here! My only minor complaint is that I would have preferred to have a romaine heart instead of the more outer leaves as I did one other time I ate at the Coventry. I could have used a little more steak, but that's only because it was so darn tasty.
My husband's Pork Tenderloin dish looked beautiful--three nice pieces of tenderloin on top of a bed of black-eyed peas and collard greens. He said it melted in his mouth and the seasoning had a slight sweetness to it. He did use his steak knife, but he said he probably didn't need to use it. The peas complimented the dish nicely, but he couldn't stop raving about the collard greens. Now, he's had greens made by a dear friend of his who learned to make them from his mama...the real deal. He said they were a step above his friend's, and that's a huge deal. I got a little taste of them from his plate, and it looks like I've got to learn to crack the code and try to make them at home myself. I have a feeling I'll have a lot of misses before I hit it right!
We had no leftovers. They give you just enough food to satisfy not stuff you full. We did peruse the dessert menu. There were lots of great selections, but nothing I personally wanted to blow calories on. I'm a coconut cream girl, so if they would have had something along those lines, I definitely would have ordered it.
Dinner for 2 plus our drinks, tip, etc came to around $60. It's not the cheapest eats in town, but worth every single penny. We vowed to dine there once a month, so keep a look out for more reviews of the Coventry!
We didn't have reservations. Well, we never make reservations because we prefer to eat at the bar. There were plenty of seats when we arrived, but they soon filled up. The lighting at the bar was a little dim, but then again, it is a BAR. The restaurant itself is simply gorgeous. The years of renovations really show.
We were kindly greeted by Jeff the bartender. Now this is a bartender people -- a big departure from College Bimbo Barbie who's only interest is scoring with the frat guys in the bar rather than serve you drinks. He's always welcoming, shakes your hands and lets you know that his priority is you. I had a fantastic glass of Chilean Cabrenet and my husband had a Newcastle draft. I love the fact there are simple sourdough pretzels on the bar.
We had a very difficult time deciding what to order for dinner. Their menu choices were outstanding. For the adventurous ones, you could select a rabbit soup or rack of venison. For those less adventurous, classics such as ribeye steak and roast chicken were available as well. There are a few things I really love about their menu selections -- the classics remain, but the specialty dishes are changed out periodically to reflect the season and what's available and fresh. THIS IS WHAT A REAL RESTAURANT DOES.
I decided to keep it simple and go with their French Onion Soup and Grilled Steak Salad with Ranch. My husband ordered the Pork Tenderloin with Black-eyed Peas and Collard Greens.
As we waited for my soup and his dinner salad, we were brought a basket of warm bread with a small dish of three small hand-rolled balls of butter. This bread was outstanding -- crisp, crusty exterior with a soft and slightly chewy texture. I could have easily had more than 2 slices.
The soup -- what can I say other than this was the best French Onion Soup I've personally ever had. The broth was very rich and highly seasoned. The onions were perfectly caramelized. The cheese layer was scrumptious. It was the perfect comfort food for a cold Indiana winter evening. My salad arrived after I was completely done with the soup. The presentation was lovely -- slices of properly cooked medium-well steak on top of a stacked bed of romaine with tomato and onion slices drizzled with just enough ranch dressing. I was brought a steak knife, but I didn't need it. The steak absolutely melted in my mouth and was nicely seasoned. The dressing was most definitely made from scratch -- no bottled dressing here! My only minor complaint is that I would have preferred to have a romaine heart instead of the more outer leaves as I did one other time I ate at the Coventry. I could have used a little more steak, but that's only because it was so darn tasty.
My husband's Pork Tenderloin dish looked beautiful--three nice pieces of tenderloin on top of a bed of black-eyed peas and collard greens. He said it melted in his mouth and the seasoning had a slight sweetness to it. He did use his steak knife, but he said he probably didn't need to use it. The peas complimented the dish nicely, but he couldn't stop raving about the collard greens. Now, he's had greens made by a dear friend of his who learned to make them from his mama...the real deal. He said they were a step above his friend's, and that's a huge deal. I got a little taste of them from his plate, and it looks like I've got to learn to crack the code and try to make them at home myself. I have a feeling I'll have a lot of misses before I hit it right!
We had no leftovers. They give you just enough food to satisfy not stuff you full. We did peruse the dessert menu. There were lots of great selections, but nothing I personally wanted to blow calories on. I'm a coconut cream girl, so if they would have had something along those lines, I definitely would have ordered it.
Dinner for 2 plus our drinks, tip, etc came to around $60. It's not the cheapest eats in town, but worth every single penny. We vowed to dine there once a month, so keep a look out for more reviews of the Coventry!
Saturday, January 19, 2008
The Quick Quiznos Lunch
So we were leaving the gym today, and we were STARVING. We knew we needed to go someplace where we look up at the menu instead of down. We settled on Quiznos on Oakland Ave (beside Ironwood Grill) for a quick replenishment lunch.
The kids behind the counter were nice. No problems on service.
I did notice the floor where we were sitting (at the front of the place at the bar) could have used a mopping. I can understand that sometimes you get busy and just can't get to things right away. Our eating surface appeared clean and they removed the trays from the trash area promptly, so I can let the floor thing slide.
My husband had a chicken and bacon sub on toasted wheat with cheese, lettuce, tomato and jalapenos. He said it wasn't bad at all, but he did say Subway gives you more meat on their chicken subs.
I decided to try their new flatbread sandwiches. No wonder they're 200 calories. They're VERY small. I got two angus beef sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, pickle and balsamic dressing. The flatbread was soft, although I would have preferred it be a little toasty since it went through their contraption. The meat tasted decent, and the toppings seemed fresh. The dressing made it a little messy, but that's what napkins are for.
Overall, it was adequate sustenance for a chain place.
The kids behind the counter were nice. No problems on service.
I did notice the floor where we were sitting (at the front of the place at the bar) could have used a mopping. I can understand that sometimes you get busy and just can't get to things right away. Our eating surface appeared clean and they removed the trays from the trash area promptly, so I can let the floor thing slide.
My husband had a chicken and bacon sub on toasted wheat with cheese, lettuce, tomato and jalapenos. He said it wasn't bad at all, but he did say Subway gives you more meat on their chicken subs.
I decided to try their new flatbread sandwiches. No wonder they're 200 calories. They're VERY small. I got two angus beef sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, pickle and balsamic dressing. The flatbread was soft, although I would have preferred it be a little toasty since it went through their contraption. The meat tasted decent, and the toppings seemed fresh. The dressing made it a little messy, but that's what napkins are for.
Overall, it was adequate sustenance for a chain place.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Friday Night China King
Ok folks, here it goes! Hubby and I had a rough work week (heck, I'm still doing work right now), so we decided chinese takeout and the Pens/Lightning game would be just fine. Our takeout place of choice tonight was none other than China King on Philly St.
Hubby called it in on his way home from work, and they must have been busy because the one taking the order told him it would take 15 minutes instead of the typical 10.
We both got the wonton soup -- lots of wontons, excellent broth. Very tasty overall! Didn't even need to add the crispy noodles. I'll snack on those later.
Hubby ordered the Chicken Fried Rice which he said wasn't very good. It lacked flavor even with the soy sauce. It was mostly rice and onion with very little chicken. This isn't typical of China King to mess up fried rice. He'll probably stick to his General Tso's chicken for next time.
I decided to deviate from my Hot and Spicy Chicken (always good there) and get some Vegetable Lo Mein. Lots of veggies, the noodles were cooked perfectly and the flavor was there. I did add soy sauce for a wetter meal. Thumbs up.
Unfortunately, they must have been so busy they forgot our Fortune Cookies!
So we almost had a perfect take-out night. Let's hope the Pens can win and make up for the fried rice!
Hubby called it in on his way home from work, and they must have been busy because the one taking the order told him it would take 15 minutes instead of the typical 10.
We both got the wonton soup -- lots of wontons, excellent broth. Very tasty overall! Didn't even need to add the crispy noodles. I'll snack on those later.
Hubby ordered the Chicken Fried Rice which he said wasn't very good. It lacked flavor even with the soy sauce. It was mostly rice and onion with very little chicken. This isn't typical of China King to mess up fried rice. He'll probably stick to his General Tso's chicken for next time.
I decided to deviate from my Hot and Spicy Chicken (always good there) and get some Vegetable Lo Mein. Lots of veggies, the noodles were cooked perfectly and the flavor was there. I did add soy sauce for a wetter meal. Thumbs up.
Unfortunately, they must have been so busy they forgot our Fortune Cookies!
So we almost had a perfect take-out night. Let's hope the Pens can win and make up for the fried rice!
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