A Place I've Never Visited - The Front Porch - Ellsworth, Micigan

My sister threw a picture and a pamphlet next to my computer. "You have to write about this place." I looked at the information. "What is it?", I asked. " A place that could use a little help", she replied. The Front Porch is located at 9235 Main St in Ellsworth, Michigan. Close to the left top, or ring finger ,of the mitten in Antrim County. It is not a restaurant, but a 501(c)3 organization. It was set up to help the community of Ellsworth after the previous cafe and a grocery store went out of business. A void was left in the community. There was a need for a place to fellowship. A place where local people could get together, share in fun activities, and reach out to other people in the community needing help. After a slew of volunteers got together, the former Ellsworth Diner was transformed into the Front Porch.
The Front Porch's menu doesn't have fixed prices on the menu. A suggested donation is tallied for the meal based on their ongoing costs. Any excess is used to provide food to the most needy. They also minister in other ways.
A prayer post in the entance is provided for requests and praises, as well as clergy and lay people who can pray with you. They serve senior lunches every Thursday, and facilitate special events for other non - profit organizations. Several small group bible studies meet there.
Volunteers are used as wait staff. They even serve fair - trade coffee. The workers growing and harvesting the coffee are paid a fair living wage.
They are open from 7:00 AM - 2:00 PM Monday through Saturday. They serve breakfast and lunch.You can click the title to go to their website. That's where I got most of the information on this non restaurant that I never ate at, but hope to next time I am in Ellsworth.

Best Food In The World - Glenn's Diner - Chicago, Illinois

"Best food in the world." That is what the sign read as we visited Glenn's Diner in Chicago. Located in the Ravenswood neighborhood,at 1820 W. Montrose, we decided to go there after seeing them on DDD (Diners, Drive Inns and Dives)on the Food Network. First thing that we saw as we walked in the door was multiple cereal boxes artfully lining the front wall. They offer 25 different types of cereal. You get the idea that this isn't an ordinary place.
On each side are walls of chalk boards. These boards are filled with specials that will make your mouth water. After receiving the menu, we made our choices. I had the french toast that like all the other breakfasts, is available anytime and Rebbel got the meatloaf sandwich. It was then that we really started reading the chalk board. There was plenty of Seafood choices there along with a lot of other foods with unusual twists.
The french toast was excellent. Probably some of the best french toast I have tasted. Didn't even need syrup. Rebbel also enjoyed her meatloaf sandwich, but if I ever go back there again, I will start with the chalk boards! Click the title and you will magically be transported to their home page.

Worth Walking Ten Blocks - Hackney's Printer's Row, Chicago, Il

Cruising through the streets of downtown Chicago on a sunny Saturday, Rebbel and I looked for a good place to park the truck. We wanted to try a burger from Hackney's located on Dearborn Street. We had heard about them on the Food Network's Diner's, Drive Inns, and Dives. We found Dearborn street, and quickly found a parking garage that advertised a weekend "special" on their sign. After driving around the building for what seemed like hours but turned out to be minutes and trying to find a spot without a beam, we finally managed to pull into a great spot. Let me mention we are from a small city and the thought of driving in a building with low ceilings and going up and up is a little bit unsettling. We exited the parking garage and managed
to find Dearborn Street without any trouble. We turned North and started looking for the address. We walked about three or four blocks. There wasn't any Hackney's!!!! I asked Rebbel if she had noticed if the address was North or South. She pulled the paper with the address out and lo and behold, it had an address of South Dearborn, of course we were in the 700 block of North Dearborn.
We turned around and walked back to South Dearborn. Along the way, we passed many closer parking places, taxis, buses, and even a parade that was taking shape. We walked at least ten blocks after walking the original three or four blocks. At last we found Hackney's!!
Hackney's is located in an older building. There is a lot of tables and probably can seem cramped if busy. There is some outdoor seating by the street.
We ordered the Hackney burger and the inside out burger. The Hackney burger came on a rye bun made in their own bakery and fresh ground beef. It was good, but I ordered the inside - out burger and that was delicious. The inside - out burger started with the same Hackney burger, but was stuffed with sharp cheddar cheese and bacon. It was juicy, and very tasty. It took the Hackney burger to a new juicier, tastier, burger bodaciousness. Their housmade chips and slaw rounded out the meal.
They also are known for an onion ring loaf that we will have to try next time.
Our waiter was very friendly and helpful giving us good instructions for taking the trolley and buses. Of course we ignored all the advice and ended walking even farther. Arriving back to our car, we found out the special parking price was for the first two hours. We ended up paying more, but in the end it was all worth it! Hackney's Printer's Row is located at 733
South Dearborn in Chicago. The South part is very important. They also have other locations that you can find by clicking the title and going to their page.

Chicago Lines Up For This Burger - Paradise Pup, Des Plaines, Ill

This wasn't our first choice. We were going to try a place in Alsip Ill. called the Frosted Mug, but, they were closed. Looking over our list that we got from the Food Network site, We decided to drive to a place called Paradise Pup in Des Plaines. As we came up to the little burger joint, we noticed a fairly good sized line snaking from the door to the back of the building. We got in line where Rebbel asked the people in front of us what was the best thing on the menu.
I thought that the place was called Paradise Pup, so the dogs would be the main attraction. I was wrong. They do serve hot dogs, sausages, and Italian beef, but we were told that they were known for their cheddar char burger and now I can see why that is!
Paradise Pup is owned by two brothers, and they have been doing those burgers for over 25 years. . The 1/3 pound char burger was juicy, and tasted like it just came off a backyard charcoal grill. The Merkt's cheddar cheese was oozing out of the sides of the burger from under the grilled sesame seed bun. To go along with the burger, we tried the three way fries. The fries were crinkle cut topped with the Merkt's with sour cream and bacon. It was a real challenge to pick which to eat first.
We were glad that we ended up going to our second choice!! If you want to try this delicious burger that many have said is the tastiest burger in Chicago, drive to 1724 S River Rd. in Des Plaines, Ill. Make sure you have cash, the don't take cedit, and be prepared to stand in line. It will be well worth it!!

A Chain I Have To Mention - Five Guys Burgers and Fries

I usually don't write about chain restaurants, but I have to tell you about this one or I will be doing a great disservice to my readers. I don't know what happened over the years, but most of the chain hamburgers have become tasteless and pretty dried out. They hardly resemble a burger at all. You can get them fast and cheap but that's about it.
Five Guys is a whole differen type of chain. . I first heard of Five Guys on a news site. Someone in the comments asked for people's favorite burger chain. Five Guys kept coming up in the replies. I had never heard of them, so I tried to find the closest. It was over 50 miles away from me, so I waited for an opportunity. It finally came and I was sorry...... Sorry that I didn't go earlier!
There is nothing fancy about Five Guys. The colors are usually red and white. You get your order in a brown paper sack, you can munch on free peanuts in the shell while you wait. (I love peanuts in the shell.)
Five Guys has only a few food items on their menu. Burgers, fries, and hot dogs. They do all of the items stupendously. The burgers are cooked right in front of you using only fresh ground beef. They don't even have freezers! They use only peanut oil. No trans fats here. Their tasty fries are cut from only Idaho potatoes. They have numerous toppings you can choose to have on your burgers and according to their website, there is over 250,000 ways to enjoy your burger. I usually get mine all the way, which means you get everything except the asterisked items. They are free too, but you have to ask for them. The burgers and fries are hot, juicy and delicious!
If you don't believe me, check out their walls. You will find many testimonies from other eaters both pros and amateurs. Hurry and check out a Five Guys near you. It is simply the best chain burger I have ever ate! Hopefully they never go the way of the other guys and sacrifice quality for speed and cost. You can go to their site by clicking on the title.

A Better Butter Burger - Solly's Grille, Glendale,Wi.

On our recent trip to Chicago, we decided to jog up to the beautiful land of cheese and butter for dinner.Wisconsin was just a little bit up the road and there was a burger that we had been meaning to try for quite some time. We would go on holidays and they were always closed. We discovered Culver's because we wanted a butter burger and Solly's was closed. Culver's was good, but now I know what a real butter burger is. Sorry Culvers, you'll always be my first. Solly's Grille, located near Milwaukee in Glendale Wisconsin at 4629 N. Port Washington Rd, is known for their butter burger. In fact, they claim to be the originators of the butter burger in the 1930's.
The place is as neat as a pin. It looks like a house as you drive up to it. You walk in and you see two counters snaking through the restaurant. They have sandwiches,fries, malts and onion rings on their menu, along with other food, but unless you are close by and have time to try everything, I would order the butter burger. It has made numerous lists for one of the best burgers in America. Warning....this burger is not for butter wimps!
The burger comes topped with stewed onions and cheese. Rebbel was wondering what the yellow stuff in it was. I told her it probably was cheese, but on closer inspection, she found out that it was a glob of real, fresh, tasty, soft butter! The longer you let the burger sit, the more of the butter melted in a puddle on the plate and back in to the bun. I was glad we made the trip, and I must say, it was one of the tastiest burgers I have ever had!

True Grits (and Shrimp) - Wishbone Restaurant, Chicago,Il.

Shrimp and Grits. The first time I heard of this combination was on the Food Network. I believe it was Paula Deen. I must admit, I never was a big fan of grits. I have tried this southern staple before when I was at a breakfast buffet somewhere south of Michigan. I found them kind of tasteless and well,... gritty. So when our friend Joyce said she had tried shrimp and grits at Bubba Deen's restaurant in Savannah, and it was delicious, I was kind of curious and skeptical.
On our recent trip to Chicago, we decided to eat at Wishbone. They are known for southern comfort cooking. They had a Sunday brunch and their shrimp and grits came highly recommended by another food blogger. We had to try it!
Wishbone has several locations in Chicago, and we decided to eat at the Wishbone at 1001 Washington that is locted a block from Oprah Winfrey's studios.
Rebbel ordered an omlette that looked pretty good and I decided to go for the shrimp and grits. The grits came with a choice of a corn bread muffin which I went for to keep with the southern theme.
The waiter brought it out in a big bowl. The dish contains cheese grits,shrimp,bacon,scallions,mushrooms surrounded by a pool of wine and cream sauce. It was one big bowl of warm, comforting, hearty, delicousness that I find hard to get out of my hungry mind. I can't wait for another chance to order this meal. Next time, I think we will both order it so we won't have to share! Click on the title to go to Wishbone's page.

Bacon! Bacon! Bacon! - Tony's I-75 Restaurant, Birch Run,Mi

Coming back from the upper peninsula of Michigan, we wanted to find some place special for our last meal before returning home. We were coming back via I-75 and would be going close to Frankenmuth, the town known as Michigan's little Bavaria. They are known for Christmas every day of the year, and chicken dinners. The dinners are fine, but we were looking for more. We decided to travel down the road an exit to Tony's I-75 at Birch Run. Tony's is known for HUGE PORTIONS.
I decided to try their famous B.L.T. It contained a pound of bacon. With the Grand kids with us, I had to go for it. The sandwich was as big as I had heard. Loaded with mostly bacon and some lettuce and tomato on delicous Italian breas. I decided to pick up the whole thing rather than cut it. Of course, it took two hands, but I could have used a thirs just to shove the fallen bacon back in. It was very good, and yes, I finished it. I wasn't able to look at another piece of bacon for weeks, but it was all worth it. Another pleasant memory for the Grand kids to cherish.
As for the rest of the menu??? Most of the items come in the same huge portions. The have sundaes that have a half gallon of ice cream! Rebbel ordered a corn beef rueben and it was also on the huge side. On the way out, they told the kids to fill their pockets with candy. Our oldest Grand son was worried about which pocket he was going to fill. The man at the counter told him to turn around and he proceded to fill the hood of his shirt. You will definately not leave Tony's hungry.

Hot Day, Hot Dog! - The Hot Dog House - Monroe, Michigan (CLOSED!!)

Today has been the hottest day of the year in Michigan. 92 and humid. Of course the air conditioner in our 1 year old truck decides to quit working. My wife drives to Monroe, Michigan to take our truck to the dealer. Along the way, she passes a new place called The Hot Dog House. She wants us to to try it out on the return trip.
Hot Dogs....It seems you can get them everywhere these days. Gas stations, cafe's, festivals, fairs and even rummage sales sell them. Everybody thinks they can do a hot dog. It is rare though, to find a place that can do a hot dog the right way. The Hot Dog House located at 2020 S Custer (M50) in Monroe Michigan is not only a place that does everything right, they make it fun and interesting. From the toasted bun, to the Koegel dog itself, everything is right and tasty.
When you walk in, the big selection of dogs are located on the wall to the side of the counter.There is plenty of time to read the selections away from the counter. You can choose from dogs such as the Big Mack dog; which has 3 cheese grown up macaroni and cheese; the Duke that is covered with baked beans sauteed onions and bacon bits; a Guard Dog with sauerkraut, shredded Swiss cheese and thousand island dressing, a Bulldog which is modeled after a Chicago style hot dog with mustard, sweet relish, chopped onion , pickle spear and they even added the celery salt! There are many more dogs to choose from and they even have a kids dog selection. We ordered 4 different dogs, and loved them all. We especially liked the Duke and Guard Dog. They also offer fresh hand-cut fries, onion rings and deep fried mushrooms. Dunking dips are also available. These also come in many varieties such as Ranch, Parmesan Peppercorn, Honey Mustard, Spicy Mayo, and Honey Mustard.
We ordered the dogs to go, and were happily surprised that each container was labeled very clearly with a printed label. Try getting that kind of service and hot dog from the gas station!
The Hot Dog House is open from 10:30 A.M. - 7:30P.M. Monday - Saturday. They take phone orders for Business Lunch Delivery from 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Monday - Friday. Phone them at 734-457-BARK (2275).

Charmed By the Charm City - Broadway Diner,Baltimore, Md.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anybody that follows this blog, that we are big Food Network fans.
After hanging around Pittsburgh for an afternoon, we went to our motel room and decided what to do next. Being a little crazy, we decided to
travel to Baltimore Md. to visit some other restaurants. Once again we decided to check out places we viewed on Diners, Drive Inns, and Dives. I don't know what it is, but Guy seems to pick out the places that we seem to like. While we were there , we thought we would check out the place Ace of Cakes is filmed at Charm City Cakes. We first made a stop at the Broadway Diner. Located at 6501 Eastern Ave,in Baltimore, the place looks like a huge diner car. As we entered, staring us in the face, was a huge desert case featuring cakes, pies, and many other sweet, delicious things too numerous to mention. I was glaring into the case when our hostess came to seat us. In my opinion, this happened way too fast. I could have looked at the case another 10 minutes or so, but I guess they get tired of wiping the drool off the thing.
Rebbel asked the waiter what was the best thing on the menu. His answer was everything is good. Then he told us that Guy had the goulash when he was there. I had to try it, and Rebbel decided to have the classic diner fare and went with meatloaf. The goulash was fantastic. I have never had goulash with roast beef. I am used to hamburger. The roast beef was extremely tender. The sauce had just a hint of tomato flavor. Rebbel's meatloaf was good too. I really think the waiter was right about the menu. We took desert to go, and enjoyed it back at the motel room. I had chocolate cake and Rebbel had a key lime cheesecake. Not the whole thing, just a slice. Both were good, although Rebbel liked the cheesecake better. More chocolate cke for me! We found Charm City Cakes. For some reason, they had
the windows shaded, the doors locked, and the security cameras focused. Must have heard we were coming! I was really impressed by Baltimore. It looked like an interesting city. You might say, we were charmed by the Charm City. You can read check out the Broadway Diner online by clicking on the title. Charm City Cakes is located at 2936 Remington Ave, Baltimore, Md. They are open by appointment only. You can find them at http://www.charmcitycakes.com/

The Best Eggs Benedict Evar! - The Dor-Stop Restaurant, Dormont, Pa.

The Dor - Stop Restaurant is located in Dormont right outside of Pittsburgh, Pa. To get to the restaurant, we had to go up what looked like Mount Everest to my wife. We don't know if there was another way up, that was the way our trusty Tom Tom took us. Once there, my wife had the best breakfast evar! She ordered the Eggs Benedict which I am convinced are the best anywhere! Two eggs served on top of Italian bread and covered with Hollandaise sauce. Even the home fries were delicious. I had the Pumpkin Hot Cakes. The hot cakes were, in my opinion, made just right. They had a little bit of crisp on the outside, but the inside was very soft and delicious.
We also had the ham that was cut from the bone in the restaurant. It had a mild not too salty taste that accented the breakfasts we ordered. The breakfast we had made the trip up the big hill worthwhile. Of course we had to get back down, and Rebbel hates downhill more than she does uphill. It was still worth the trip. If you would like to visit them, they are located at 1430 Potomac Ave, Dormont, Pa. Click the title to go to their web site.

A Toledo Area Secret - Mr Freeze - Toledo and Perrysburg, Ohio

I have been traveling to the Toledo area since I was a young boy. I have never heard of Mr Freeze until about a month ago. Somebody from work let me in on this secret. Mr Freeze is an ice cream place located at 2031 N McCord Rd in Toledo and 627 W South Boundary in Perrysburg, Ohio. They are known for their Turtle Sundae and Buckeye Sundae. They come in a styrofoam cup. The Turtle was loaded with ice cream caramel sauce, pecans, chocolate and whipped cream. The Buckye Sundae had ice cream, peanut butter filled buckye candy, peanut butter sauce, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I ordered a small and it was all I could do to finish it. They have a lot of choices not mentioned here. The prices are very reasonable. There is one thing, be prepared to stand in line for a while. Evidently some people are already in on the secret!

I Can't Believe I Ate The Whole Thing - Update... Hillbilly Hot Dog, Lesage, West Va.

Well, I did it! I ate the Home Wrecker. The Home Wrecker is a 1lb, 15 in. deep fried pure beef hot dog that is sold at Hillbilly Hot Dog in Lesage, West Virginia. It also has coleslaw, sauteed peppers and onions, nacho cheese, ketchup, nacho cheese, jalapenos, shredded cheese, mustard, homemade
chili sauce, tomatoes and lettuce. If you eat this mammoth in 12 minutes you get a shirt. I opted out and chose to take my time, and buy a shirt. I already was making a spectacle of myself.
I don't know what my time was, but I did manage to eat it. It tasted pretty spicy, but it was good.
I imagine I could have done it. Maybe next time. If you would like to visit one of the Hillbilly Hot Dogs, visit their site by clicking the title. You can read about our other visit on the archive. You will definitely have a good time visiting them.

The Taste of Pittsburgh - Primanti Brothers - Pittsburgh, Pa

When I first heard about the sandwiches at Primanti Bros., I was kind of hesitant. The sandwiches were topped with coleslaw, tomatoes, and french fries. The french fries were the thing that I really thought were going to be the grossest. I kept hearing how the sandwiches were a local favorite, so I thought that since I was going to be in Pittsburgh, I would give it a try. I must say, it was a very good sandwich. The french fries seemed to blend in very well. I had the Colossal Fish and Cheese Sandwich. It was served on white bread and the fish protruded about 3 inches on each side. It was colossal. Rebbel had the Pastrami and Cheese Sandwich. It was also very tasty.
We visited the original restaurant in the strip district neighborhood. It is open 24 hours. They have a total of 15 restaurants located throughout Pittsburgh and even 2 in Florida. The atmosphere there is a bar feel, that serves sandwiches. The sandwiches are not gourmet, or anything fancy, just a sandwich on good white bread stuffed with meat. If you want a genuine taste of Pittsburgh, you should try one of these sandwiches. Click on the title for their web site.

Do I Smell Cake? - Cupcake Delights - Mount Dora Florida

Let me start off by saying that I am not a big cupcake fan. Cupcakes are usually crusty, small, and you have to peel the paper peel off . No just give me a big slice of moist 4 layer cake and I will be happy. The Cupcake Delights Shop located at 112 E Fifth Ave, in Mount Dora Florida might have changed some of that.
They rotate between flavors and display at least 14 flavors of cupcakes a day.
The cupcakes are flavorful and delicious. You will definitely have trouble making up your mind just which tasty sensation you will pick. My wife chose three for us. We had a Key Lime Delight, which is yellow cake, stuffed with butter cream, key lime butter cream, and graham cracker, and
sprinkled with green sugar, a Peanut Butter Crunch and a Coconut Dream.
You can drive yourself crazy and go to their link by clicking the title, or better yet, just go there and try them all.

A Place A Guy Can Feel Comfortable - The Frosty Mug-Mount Dora Fla.

The town of Mount Dora Florida is filled with little shops, and interesting restaurants.
I was there this winter with my Mother In Law and wife. The town is located in Lake County in central Florida and is a whopping 184 above sea level, which is pretty high for Florida. After going from shop to shop, a guy can build up quite an appetite. Lets face it, it's not exactly what guys like to do. We like to eat. Now the Mother In Law was looking at a Tea Room she had frequented a few times. I was hesitant. The waiter standing outside tried to make me feel more comfortable. "Sure, it's fine. Guys eat here all the time. What little finger sandwich would you like, and which frilly hat do you want to put on???" We were out of there. As we walked down the street, we found a place called The Frosty Mug.The Frosty Mug bills themselves as an Icelandic restaurant and grill.
They had an interesting menu, and the surroundings looked interesting. Very Viking looking. You could eat open air, or in the restaurant. The food was outstanding. My Mother In Law got a pulled pork panini and sweet potato fries. I got the fish and chips and my wife got a Good French Man sandwich. All were happy. We would definitely go back. If you get a chance, try out the Frosty Mug. You can find them on the web at: http://www.thefrostymug.com/ or click on the title.

Early May In Western Michigan - Clementine's, South Haven,Mi

I have to say early May in Michigan is a beautiful time of year. The weather is usually mild and the trees and flowers are in bloom. Over in Holland Mi its tulip time.
This year the Holland Tulip Festival is May 2 - May 9. It is important to keep these dates because as a couple of our friends found out a few years back, if you get there late you will have to settle for the stem festival. I am betting that wasn't anywhere close to as beautiful. A little south of Holland on U.S. 31 is South Haven.
South Haven sits on the shores of Lake Michigan. In the town of South Haven is a restaurant called Clementine's.
Clementine's is located in what used to be the Citizen's bank building. The inside is very interesting. You are greeted by antiques, pictures of the town from way back,and it looks like you stepped back in the 1890's.
The food might not be the greatest that you have ever tasted, but it is pretty good.
They have everything from sandwiches on varied bread to entrees like steaks, fish, and even a wet burrito. Perhaps the thing you hear most about is their peg of golden brown onion rings. The rings come in on a 6 inch or 12 inch peg. According to their web site,they sold 6 miles last year, and we were responsible for 6 inches of that!
Clementine's is definately worth a visit. It's up to you if you decide to visit the Tulip Festival or the Stem Festival. I hear that the stem Festival is way less crowded. Clementine's is located at 500 Phoenix St in South Haven. They do not accept reservations, and I hear there can be lines at times. You can find out more about them at http://www.ohmydarling.com

Good Chowduh! - Shucker's Seafood and Pasta, Swanton,Ohio

I have heard of Shucker's Restaurant for quite some time. A reviewer in a Toledo newspaper had said that they had great clam chowder. I had somebody at work tell me that their all you can eat Alaskan Whitefish on Tuesday nights was very good. We went there on a Saturday hoping to check them out. We got there about 2:30 in the afternoon and found that there wasn't anybody there. They didn't open until 4:30 on Saturdays. We ended up eating at Friday's, and had to wait on the clam chowder.
We had other places to go for the next few weeks, so we tried to put it out of our minds (This is probably easier for Rebbel than it is for me). This Saturday we finally put our hunger pangs off until later and we finally made it through their door. We were glad we went.
We each had a cup of the chowder. I ranked it as number one on my list. It is chock full of clam, potato goodness and had a great taste Rebbel ranked it number three. She thought that it was very good, but she ranked the Outback's (which no longer has clam chowder and shouldn't count), and Red Lobster's as her #1 and #2.
There may be better on the east coast, but around these parts, thats how we rank them.
Besides the good chowder, they had a great grouper sandwich platter. A huge generous
slab of Florida Grouper, on a grilled bun with tomato,onion,and tarter sauce on the side. The fries were even good! Rebbel ordered the fried cod which was good, but when we tasted them side by side, the grouper was much better.
We really liked almost everything about the meal, and would definitely go back. If you go, leave plenty of room, they give you a lot of food. Most of the sandwich platters are around $10.00 and the fish dishes around $15.00. They have great specials during the week for $9.99. They are located at 142600 Airport Rd in Swanton,Ohio. Look for the boat on the roof.

Was It Just Us?? - Price's Chicken Coop Charlotte, North Carolina

Maybe it's just me. Maybe it was just the wrong time of day, or the something else I just can't grasp. We had heard of Price's Chicken Coop on the Food Channel.They are located in the south end of Charlotte at 1614 Camden Rd. and have been serving their chicken since 1952. The place was crowded four lines deep. This is a no - nonsense chicken restaurant. They don't take credit cards, they don't take checks. You get your meal take out only, in a box. They also have fish and shrimp. Have your order ready by the time you get to the counter.
The chicken we ordered came with a roll,hush puppies, tater rounds and slaw.
By the long lines, we thought we were in for the best chicken ever! We were wrong.
Now this is just our opinion and I don't mean to disparage the good folks of Charlotte,
but I just don't get the fascination. It wasn't the worst chicken I ever had, but I guess I was just expecting better. Maybe it was the long walk back to the car. Chicken is best when it is hot and juicy. There was a huge lunch time crowd and we had to park around the corner. I really did want to love this place like everybody else in Charlotte seemed to, but I just didn't feel it. If you go, be sure to park close, have your cash ready, and try to keep your expectations low. I'm sure it was just us. You can find them on the web at: http://www.priceschickencoop.com/

A Frosty Morning in Mayberry - Snappy Lunch, Mount Airy North Carolina

On our way back from our annual Christmas trip to Florida, we decide to pay a visit to
the home of Andy Griffith. Visions of Andy, Barney and even Aunt Bea ran through my head. This is the town that Andy grew and went to school. Some things in the television show coincided with the town. Was it just coincidence??? You be the judge. On our way to Mt. Airy, we went past Pilot Mountain. We were told that there was a very good pork chop sandwich at Snappy Lunch. Snappy Lunch is located next to Floyd's City Barber Shop. Snappy Lunch was mentioned in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show.
We decided to hit Snappy Lunch early. Floyd's was closed, we were hungry, and it was a tad bit chilly to walk the town. After all, we had just come from warm and toasty Florida. We were told that the famous pork chop sandwich was not available until 10:00. I decided to try a snappy breakfast. I ordered the eggs and sausage with toast.
This proved to be a mistake. While it was snappy, the sausage was over - cooked and the meal was served on a paper plate. I like dippy eggs, so the juice grabbing plate wasn't a good deal. It was closing in on 10:00 so we decided to try to order the famous pork chop sandwich. We were pretty leery after the snappy breakfast, but we decided that we would go for it. I am glad we did. The sandwich was delicious.
The pork chop, actually a pork cutlet, was very tender. It was breaded and battered,served with tasty coleslaw and mustard and onions and tomato with a sweet chilli sauce. The bun couldn't contain the tasty pork, and there was a slight overhang. As we left, we drove past Andy's old house, and through a twisty mountain road passing little flea markets and beautiful scenery. Well worth the trip.Snappy Lunch is located at 125 N. Main St. in Mt. Airy,N.C. and is open for breakfast and lunch. I would get there after 10 and get the lunch. You can find them on the web at:http://www.thesnappylunch.com
Andy probably used quite a few of the familiar things from his town for the show, but the town has used a lot of the familiar thing from the show for the tourists.

Rebbel's Birthday Trip - Biaggi's, Perrysburg, Ohio

"Where do you want to go for your birthday?", I asked Rebbel. After thinking of restaurants and nearby stores, she chose to go to Levis Commons. She loves the Christopher and Banks store and the restaurant called Biaggi's at Levis Commons in
Perysburg, Ohio. Plus she wanted to get a torch for creme brulee at her cooking store in nearby Toledo. She wanted the new torch because her old one didn't have enough power to melt the sugar on top of the creme.
The first time we tried creme brulee was at Biaggi's. It was so delicious that Rebbel had to go home and learn how to make it. The first time I walked into Biaggi's, I thought it was going to be expensive. The tables are all covered in white linen, and the wait staff were in white shirts and black pants, but I was really impressed by the moderate prices on the menu. Most dishes were in the $15.00 range.
After taking the order, they bring this bread basket that has several types of bread. They fix up a plate of dipping oil and add Parmesan cheese and you are off to a tasty start. Rebbel ordered the Chicken Piometese. It is hard to say, but it was very good to eat. Chicken Breast stuffed with imported Italian ham, provolone and Gouda cheese, with a lemon - basil butter sauce. They are so good at this place, they even made the side dish of asparagus taste delicious! This is definitely my favorite Italian restaurant. We took home a piece of their moist chocolate cake. It was the kind of cake you think about the next day, and wish you had another slice! We didn't have the room or time to eat it there because Rebbel had to do her birthday shopping.
She ended up getting a pair of pants and a top and her much wanted torch. After she got home, she tried on her outfit and decided she didn't like the way it looked on her, and took it back and bought shoes right here in town.
As she was preparing her new torch to use, she noticed it had a flame control. She looked on the old torch and discovered that it too had a flame control that was turned down. Imagine that! Once she turned it up, it melted the sugar beautifully. She didn't need the the torch after all. It too needed to go back. Oh well, the trip wasn't totally wasted. Eating at Biaggi's made it all worthwhile. You can find out if there is a Biaggi's near you at their website:http://www.biaggis.com/

South Carolina; Land of Trees, and Yellow Barbeque - Maurice's Gourmet Barbeque

On our way back from sunny Florida, we traveled through not as sunny South Carolina.
On the Interstate, we mostly observed pine trees. I don't know exactly what South Carolina is hiding, but obviously there is something they don't want you to see.
As we were coming into Columbia, there were less trees and more billboards. The one my wife noticed was for Maurice's Barbeque. We were going to eat at another place for lunch, but she really wanted to try this place. We thought that he had been showcased on the Food Network on regional barbeques, but we weren't sure. I could tell she really wanted to try it out by the way her tongue was hanging from her mouth. I told her that maybe we could share a sandwich and still try the lunch place.
Now I have to admit, the first time I heard the name, I thought to myself, "What would a guy named Maurice know about barbeque. Maybe French cooking, or something like that, but not barbecue." She went in and came out with the sandwich. It smelled very good, but something wasn't right. The sauce was yellow. That's right, yellow! It turns out that Maurice uses a mustard based sauce that is popular in South Carolina.
It turned out to be the best barbeque sandwich I ever tasted. My wife was so crazy over the sauce, she ordered a case of it when we got home. Maurice's turned out to be the highlight of the day. I can't even remember where we ended up eating lunch, but our 'snack" was definately memorable. The sign was correct. "Maurice's Barbeque makes you happy." Happy indeed. You can find out more about them and order sauce at:
http://www.mauricesbbq.com/

Follow Your Nose To Ted Peter's Famous Smoked Fish

When in Florida, we always try to go towards Tampa. That side of the state is just beautiful. The coast is dotted with seafood places. One of those places is Ted Peter's
Famous Smoked Fish.
This place is basically just a shack. Located at 1350 S. Pasadena Avenue in St. Petersburg, you have two choices of seating. Outside there are covered picnic tables and the outside bar. You go inside and its kind of grungy. It kind of gives you a cabin feel, a real old dingy cabin feel,complete with fireplace. I don't know if its a working fireplace,but they probably don't need it too much in Florida.
The fish is a completely different story. It first hits your nose the minute you pull in the parking lot. In fact, that is the way Ted Peter's would lure in customers when he first opened the restaurant back in 1951. According to his obituary; he died in 2003, he used to wave the lid on his smoker as customers went by. I can see how that worked. Today, the smokehouse sits next to the restaurant. You can watch the process and buy some fish to go.
The fish comes in a huge portion. It is juicy and has a great smokey flavor. I had the Mahi-Mahi and Rebbel got the Salmon. Both winners. Of course we had to try the potato salad and cole slaw. The potato salad, was a German potato salad. I usually don't care for that type, but theirs tasted totally different. It tasted more like the fried potatoes you might have with your eggs in the morning. Simply delicious.
We took some of their smoked fish dip and crackers for a snack. That too, was totally awesome. I also witnessed a lot of people ordering the hamburgers. I hear that those are really good too. I highly recommend trying this place. I have a feeling we'll be back!

Rebbel Finds Some Friends/ Sweet Tomatoes, Orlando, Fla.

"I wish you could find my friends." ,Rebbel said. Once again something had triggered her memory of two people she had known since she was a little girl living in Petersburg, Mi. Joyce and Jack Wittman were people that lived in the same subdivision across the road from Rebbel. Rebbel used to go over to their house and just hang out, play Monopoly with Joyce, and just visit. I picture a Dennis the Menace, Mr. Wilson type relationship.
It must have been pretty bad because the Wittman's moved to Lambertville, but Rebbel still managed to keep in touch. She would continue to stay in touch with them until about 1991. Joyce had told her that they were living in Florida. Soon after, we moved and Rebbel lost the post card with their new address and she lost touch.
For the past few years Rebbel has been trying to find Joyce. I would dutifully search for them on the internet every time she would bring them up. This year, I was able to find a Wittman in Florida and Rebbel called.
"Is this Jack??" , Rebbel asked. "Did you live in Petersburg? Are you married to Joyce and do you wear a size 10 shoe?" You really got to be sure you have the right person after 15 years. "This is Rebbel." Silence while Jack processed which Rebbel it could be. Then a light went off and he remembered. Joyce called back a little later and the two friends went over old times. "Remember how you always wanted to play Monopoly all the time?? I hated that game, but I knew you liked it.", Joyce said. "That's funny." Rebbel said, "I hate that game, but I thought you liked it."
When we visited Florida, they were so nice, I felt I knew them forever. They treated us to a place called Sweet Tomatoes in Orlando. We had heard about Sweet Tomatoes from other friends and all of them that gave it high marks.
Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantations are chain restaurants located in 15 states. The Sweet Tomatoes restaurant we went to was like a large salad bar buffet.
They had a great variety of fresh vegetables for their salads, different variety of soups, muffins, prepared salads, pastas and even desserts. They even had tea and pomegranate juice! The word here is healthy. Don't expect fried chicken, or ribs. It isn't that kind of buffet. If you like soup and salad you will love Sweet Tomatoes. On the other hand, if you love Monopoly, don't ask Rebbel and Joyce to play. They both hate it! You can find out more about Sweet Tomatoes and Souplantation at http://www.sweettomatoes.com/

What'll You Have, What'll You Have !?? The Varsity, Atlanta Georgia

We were just outside of Atlanta when my wife says, "Call your sister(AKA Directory Assistance), and find out where this place is. I don't feel like driving all over Atlanta to find it." For some reason I couldn't find the Varsity in the Points of Interest in the Tom Tom, even though the Varsity has been in Atlanta since 1928, and is the biggest drive inn restaurant in the world.
My sister got the exact address and we plugged that in, and continued our drive down I - 75. Atlanta isn't the easiest city to maneuver around. It seemed like the highway went from 6 lanes down to 2 at one point, creating a nice bottleneck. Highway exits jumped out just daring Rebbel to take them and be hopelessly lost. Then there is the construction. It seems there is always construction there. Don't they know you're supposed to put away your orange barrels in December???
In the past we have spent many hours in Atlanta on our way to Florida. Neither one of us can recall seeing the Varsity. Our trustless Tom Tom tells us to take the exit. We exit close to Georgia Tech. We start looking. Where could someone hide an 800 car drive inn that sits on 2 acres???
Rebbel looks around and sees a big red Varsity sign. "There it is!", she exclaims.
Some one had slapped it right next to the northbound lane of I-75. Can't imagine how we missed it all these years, but then again we are the people who couldn't find the cheese steak place in Philly, or a decent steak in Dallas.
We walk through the doors and step up to the counter. We get the famous phrase, "What'll you have?" We ordered some chili dogs and some rings. The rings were real good and the chili dog was o.k. But we didn't come here for just the food.
The Varsity is a unique experience that everyone that travels through Atlanta and calls themselves a foodie really needs to try. Just look for the big drive inn off of I-75 with the big red Varsity sign. You can't miss it. If you can't find that particular location, they have 5 others. You can find those and a menu at http://www.thevarsity.com/index.php That's where I got some of the particulars about them and you can find out more!

A Hot Dog Place You Wouldn't Believe - Hillbilly Hot Dog, Lesage,W.V.

Rebbel and I first heard of Hillbilly Hot Dogs on Diners, Drive Inns and Dives. We thought it looked pretty wild. After our visit, I have to say what you see on t.v. is very accurate.
If you have never heard about Hillbilly Hot Dogs, in LeSage, West Virginia, let me briefly try to explain it.
First they took a shack and connected a bus. Then they connected another bus to the back. The out side of the establishment is adorned by everything and anything that could be found at local yard sales. These items were mostly "donated" by customers. There is even a boat and an outhouse. Inside the decor is definitely hillbilly. Everything is covered with writing from past customers, even the eight track tape collection.
The co-proprietor of the place, Sonny Knight, greeted us and gave us a menu. His weenie wife, Sherrie, had left for the day. We ordered the Hillbilly Dog, the West Virginia and the Pizza Dog. They had a very wide variety, and it was really hard to make a choice. They even have a "HOMEWRECKER" hot dog that is 1 lb. In its loaded state it is 3 1/2pounds. It is deep fried has lots of stuff on it including peppers. If you eat it in 12 minutes you get a free t shirt.
They also have many different burgers including a 10 lb double wide!
Rebbel gave Sonny my name and we sat and looked over the place. Sonny would sing his theme song when someone would finish their whole meal. One lady didn't and he offered people her fries from her plate that were left over. It was never a dull moment!
When our order was ready, Sonny clanged his bell and called for David. When Rebbel went to pick up the tray he told her that she didn't look like David. While there, he also was giving her a hard time for coming back from Florida to this weather. He even knocked on her head to see if anything was in there for making that decision.
The food was great too. We have to get back and try more dogs,and maybe even a hamburger. This is a don't miss experience. As an added bonus, if you can sing the theme song from memory, you get a free hillbilly hot dog! You can go to their website at http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/.