ORIENT GARDEN and STEAK-N-SHAKE!

Ugh! The past few months have just been mind-boggling. An unexpected death in the family, illness in the family, and family, have had our schedules all off kilter. With havoc reigning in our lives we've been seesawing between fast food and my ever trusty crockpot. The cooling weather has had my soup recipes in serious rotation!

The fast food has been the usual fare; McDonald's - grilled chicken ranch salad for me, double fish sandwiches for him; Taco Bell - soft tacos for us both; and Bojangles - all things fried chicken! We did, however, manage to throw in two new fast food joints into the mix.

The first was recommended to us. Orient Garden is located in Durham, North Carolina. They do quick Chinese and have a decent lunch menu. We've eaten here a few times and 60% of the time Big Daddy has always gotten the better meal. His usual order is the General Tso's Chicken. I tend to mix it up, Orange Beef, Chicken with Broccoli, Pepper Steak, etc. On average, his chicken is always good. When I order it, not so much. The first time the sauce was burnt and the second time it tasted like the chicken had been recycled. I think they just like him more than they like me. I've taken to letting him order the chicken for me if that's what I want to eat.

Is it our favorite Chinese joint? Not even close. Will we eat there again? Yeah, I'm fairly certain we will. Do we recommend it? Without a doubt. Fast, great portions, decent atmosphere and when necessary, it just works.

The second fast food place we tried for the first time was Steak N Shake. I'll be honest, after the first time I only went back for the milkshakes. They make a mean milkshake and I like the fries. I am not a fan of their burgers or their hotdogs. They are open 24-hours but they need to stress that it's only the drive-through that's actually open. They'll let you inside, but more times than not there is no staff. Usually there is just one manager playing server, cook, sous chef, and drive-through window guy by his lonesome. Sadly, he's not very good at either.

The meat tastes overly processed to me, the texture more filler than beef. I've now tried two different burgers and one hotdog and if I ever find need to go back again I'll just stick to the milkshake and fries. Big Daddy's tastes are not as discerning as mine. Ignore the side eye he's giving me! But he didn't mind the food. For him it works if you're in a pinch and hungry. I need to lose weight anyway so I'd sooner pass than eat here again.

BEASLEY'S CHICKEN AND HONEY - RALEIGH, NC

We recently visited BEASLEY'S CHICKEN AND HONEY here in Raleigh, NC. And I'm not going to lie. I totally expected to be disappointed. We've been hearing the hype about this restaurant since the day it opened. People have been raving about the food and the atmosphere and it all just sounded too good to be true. There were many times we stopped but continued on by, put off by the large crowds and lengthy lines to get inside. It was hard to believe that it was that good. We both believed that it being new and trendy was keeping the buzz about it going.

This particular afternoon, after finishing some business downtown, we figured we'd take the plunge and give it a try. It was well after the lunch hour and there were actual seats available. So let's start with the seats. The interior design is minimalistic and slightly industrial. The seats are metal stools. Nothing spectacular and slightly uncomfortable. They do not motivate leisurely dining, more like hit and run eating. I imagine they don't have a real problem with tables turning over when there is a crowd because once we were done we were ready to get up and go. Now granted, we both have much backside cushion so I can only imagine how those with no extra butt padding manage!

Menus on chalkboard walls would seem to be a thing. Theirs was posted on the back wall with nice, large print. But twisting around on those damn seats to read it proved to be my downfall. My ass and my neck have not been forgiving since!

We both ordered the same thing this time: fried chicken and waffles with sides of creamed collard greens and the pimento mac-n-cheese custard. From the first bite to the last, I was in food heaven. The fried chicken was just the right amount of crispy with a tender, moist interior. The outside crunch was just divine with a wonderful, savory flavor. It was a very nice complement to the waffle which was light and fluffy perfection. Both were drizzled with their honey sauce which I found to be just fine on the waffle but a little off-putting on the chicken. I just can't wrap my mind around sweet meat. They were a little more generous with the drizzle on my chicken and not so much on my favorite guy's. He didn't bother him as much as it bothered me.

The creamed collard greens were orgasmic! I could eat this every day and still want more. The greens had the perfect amount of bite and chew and the cream sauce was just too darn good! The mac-n-cheese was also a very nice surprise. I detest pimento cheese. Big Daddy loves it. I just knew he was going to have to eat both servings after I took that first bite but boy, was I wrong. I loved the mac-n-cheese! Big Daddy took issue with the texture but once he got past that we both enjoyed the flavor.

The least favorite part of the meal for both of us was the sweet tea. Which wasn't sweet and came in too small glasses. Getting a refill was challenging, the waiter not overly eager to swing by the table a time or two to even see if refills were needed. I hate when restaurants are stingy with the tea. It's a tea bag and some sugar for goodness sake! Next time I'll have to try one of their signature drinks instead. 

We passed on dessert and we ate and ran, neither of us overly comfortable with those seats. But we definitely fell for the hype! Or at least I did! I was not at all disappointed. I loved this place. Big Daddy says it was just okay for him. I'd kick and scream to go back again. He wouldn't exert that much effort. But Beasley's is definitely at the top of my good meal list. Big Daddy put them midway on his.

THE CRAB DUMP - CHESTER, VIRGINIA

Although it's been a while since I last posted, we have definitely been eating! With back to back deadlines I am just now able to catch up on our posts!

During our recent travels up the east coast we stopped at a little spot called THE CRAB DUMP, located at 4412 W. Hundred Road in Chester, Virginia. Finding The Crab Dump was purely accidental. We had gone searching for Mr. B's, a soul food restaurant just a few blocks from The Crab Dump, but Mr. B's was unexpectedly closed, a note of apology on the door. Hungry, and ready for a car break, our Google Map search led us to The Crab Dump.

First impression - it was a cute little spot. There was nothing overly fancy about the space but it was exceptionally clean with a little country flair. It was early evening and there wasn't a large crowd but it seemed that everyone there was thoroughly enjoying their meals.

The menu is located on an oversized chalk board on the wall behind the counter. It was a cute touch but you need to be sure to have your glasses if distance reading is an issue! Their specialties are crab boils which they affectionately call dumps.

I was disappointed a second time because they were out of the crabs I wanted and the assortment they advertised was very lengthy: blue crabs, Alaskan king crab, snow crab legs, dungeness crabs. Instead, I ordered bacon-wrapped oysters, sweet potato pudding, onion rings, and lobster mac & cheese. The sweet potato and mac & cheese were really, really good. The pudding was just the perfect blend of sweet potato with a hint of vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. The texture was exceptionally creamy and absolutely divine! The mac and cheese had nice chunks of lobster meat mixed in but I thought it would have been even better with a mild white cheddar and Gruyere cheese mix. The sharp yellow cheddar made it look a little like Kraft macaroni. With lobster tossed in I wanted it to be a bit more elegant, but that was me being me!

 The big guy ordered the fried fish plate with catfish, sweet potato pudding, French fries and hushpuppies. The catfish was fried to perfection but the seasoning wasn't anything special. The fries were fries, much like the onion rings were onion rings. Nothing at all special about either. He also enjoyed the hushpuppies. They were fine but I really like my cornbread and hushpuppies with a touch of sugar and these had none.

We had family with us this trip and she ordered the crab leg dump. Her crab legs came with corn on the cob and boiled potatos. The seasoning was good, the crab legs meaty and she had no complaints about her meal. Crazy enough, I love a good crab boil but this one was served on a pretty platter which just made it feel a little too formal to me, especially since they were calling it a dump. I thought brown or wax paper would have been far more suitable!

Overall, on a scale of 1 - 10, I would rate them a 7. Big Daddy gave them an 8. I'd give the sweet potato pudding a 10 all on its own! We would eat here again. We wouldn't go out of our way to go back but if we're ever driving through and Mr. B's is closed, we'd definitely find our way back.

CROAKER'S SPOT RESTAURANT - RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

During our recent trip to Richmond, Virginia a friend recommended we visit the Croaker's Spot Restaurant. What we heard as they described how wonderful this restaurant was "soul" food. What we found was the "soul of seafood".

We were told to go early and we did. Best advice ever! Croaker's lines were out the door and wrapped around the building and it wasn't one 'clock in the afternoon! Once again, the building was small. Too small for the clientele they serve. It was crazy at best! We waited some forty minutes before we were finally taken to a table. And then the wait times got down right ridiculous!

The atmosphere was extremely pleasant and the service was good. The staff was personable and friendly and everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves. Our server introduced herself fairly quickly and took our drink orders. Twelve minutes later we were still waiting for those two sweet teas to come to the table. But we didn't fret. It gave us time to study the menu.

Clearly, there was some misunderstanding in the translation that we were looking for "soul" food. This is not your fried chicken and collard greens kind of establishment. It's heavy seafood with a soulful spin.

When the waitress finally returned after that twelve minutes I ordered the Shrimp and Grits. It was shrimp sautéed western style with peppers, onions, and mushrooms served with cheddar ranch grits and a block of cornbread. Big Daddy ordered the Eggleston's Fried Fish Boat. It was two fillets of fried fish adorned with a "secret" sauce of bell peppers and onions with house potatoes and cornbread. Big Daddy requested that sauce be put on the side since he wasn't feeling secret sauce with his fried fish.

And this is where the experience nose dived for me. We sat for exactly 48 minutes to get our meal. 48 MINUTES! It was fish and seafood! They cook faster than anything else and it took 48 minutes to get ours to the table. Big Daddy joked that the cook drove to the coast, pulled the shrimp traps, dropped his fishing line, caught our dinner, drove back and then cooked the meal! He joked but I was hungry and it wasn't funny.

To say that we were disappointed is putting it mildly. My shrimp were tough and I am not a fan of their cheese grits. I didn't like them and I love cheese grits. The cornbread looked good. It was oversized and heavy. But it tasted of too much backing soda/powder and not cornmeal. I also like a sweet cornbread and this was neither sweet nor cornbreadish. It was not good to me. 

He was okay with his fried whiting. It wasn't bad but it wasn't spectacular. The potatoes were okay as well. I did like the "secret" sauce. It reminded me of chow chow or mango chutney. It had a very nice flavor and I would eat it again.

I won't count out this place. I wish I'd ordered the crab stuffed salmon. The man at the table beside us did and it looked spectacular. He seemd to be enjoying it as well. We both agree that our expectations were too high. As well, the lengthy wait time made us, or me, testy. Then when the meal was just mediocre it was a formula for disaster. But I would definitely give them another try and I would do it within minutes of them opening the front door!

MAMA J's - RICHMOND, VIRGINIA

I love when we travel! I get very excited when I start Googling restaurants for us to try. Admittedly, I'm food-obsessed, so it's like finding a new vein of drug to explore and try. I probably need an intervention or some form of rehab but as I often say to Big Daddy, if food is my only vice, it's an addiction I can live with. Recently we were in Richmond, Virginia for the season two premiere of author Iris Bolling's The Heart TV series.

Our first night a friend gave us two suggestions to try. My Google search put them at number one and number two on the best places to eat in Richmond. We both got very excited! Our first choice was Mama J's Kitchen which promised authentic soul food. When we arrived, there was a line waiting to get inside. We took that as a good sign. The building is exceptionally small. There is enough table seating for maybe twenty-five to thirty people with an additional eight seats at the bar. Business is brisk as they also do take out and that was a whole other line! The wait wasn't as lengthy as we initially predicted and we were seated in under thirty minutes. 

There were only two servers and a third person who seemed to do nothing but deliver food and plates to the tables. The two servers were hustling about taking orders. The young man who was delivering the food didn't move with any sense of urgency. I'm thinking that if he had hustled a little harder, the lines might not have been that long.  The young woman who took our initial order was very pleasant. Then the tide turned as she stood huddled with one group of young men and then another, someone or something souring her mood. Service went downhill from there.

One of the servers had recommended the pork chops, promising Big Daddy that he would not be disappointed. I chose the fried catfish. The portions were large so I traded the big guy one of mine for one of his.  Sides are a la carte. He opted for the mashed potatoes and gravy and I selected the macaroni and cheese. A single dinner roll came with our plates.

Now, I'm not a fan of a la carte menus. I believe they only serve to run up the bill in order for you to get a full meal. I tend not to order much when all of the sides are a la carte but that's just me and Big Daddy doesn't always agree with me.

The fish was my favorite part of the meal. It was nicely breaded, the cornmeal coating absolutely divine. It was seasoned nicely and fried to sheer perfection. We have had better pork chops. They were just okay. Half the flour coating had fallen off so part was crispy and part wasn't. It was also exceptionally greasy, indicating that the oil might not have been hot enough when it was put into the fryer. And don't even get me started on that one cold dinner roll! It was really bad. The sides were nothing to write home about. I enjoyed the macaroni and cheese but I was also hungry. It wasn't the best I've ever had but it also wasn't the worse. The same can be said about mashed potatoes. The sweet tea was just okay and since getting our server to handle refills seemed to be a challenge, it wasn't anything special either.

Since we'd heard much about their desserts we ordered a slice of their chocolate chocolate cake to share. Hands down that was the best part of the whole meal. We devoured it before I could get a picture! The cake was rich, decadent with the creamiest icing. If we hadn't been full we would have ordered another slice!

We weren't disappointed with our meal but we weren't as thrilled as we had hoped to be. On a scale of one through ten I'd give it a seven. He gave it a six. We'd both try them again and we'd order the fish.

JOYCE & FAMILY RESTAURANT and CATERING - FUQUAY VARINA, NC

We live for an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet! Especially a really good one!. I don't know how Big Daddy found this little hidden gem but when he suggested we go give it a try I beat him to the car. Now I love buffets not because I can eat until I'm sick but because I can taste everything without people giving me the side eye!

Located in cutest little town with one of the best art galleries I've visited in a good long while, Joyce and Family Restaurant and Catering is family owned and operated and Miss Joyce is there to greet you at the door!

Everything about this space screams comfort! From the food to the staff it all simply feels like HOME! There is an abundance of love within those walls and that love has spilled into the food. The buffet is a smorgasbord of comfort food. There's fried chicken, BBQ ribs, pork chops, vegetables galore and some of the best lemon meringue pie that I've ever add. And what was truly a delight was the cooked-to-order fried flounder!

I could detail each individual item but I won't. There's just not enough time. I'll just say that all the food was exceptionally good. Big Daddy has put them in his Top Five for fried chicken. It was that good! And the fish was simply divine!

We will definitely visit Ms. Joyce again and I, personally, can't wait!

HOMETOWN CAFE - FRANKLINTON, NC

We stumbled upon Hometown Café quite by accident. We were traveling back home after visiting with family and a Google search for restaurants landed us in their parking lot. Now I'll be honest, I was a bit skeptical at first. The café was empty and it was close to five o'clock in the afternoon. Late afternoon in the South is dinner time so I was thinking maybe we should eat some place else. But Big Daddy never backs down from a challenge so we picked out a table in the center of the room and ordered!

Hometown Café was basic and country. Everything about the place felt down home. The staff was pleasant and our waitress was friendly. Big Daddy asked a ton of questions about the menu. How were the pork chops? Did you get one or two? Were the potatoes real or out of a box? She was patient and pleasant and answered each one as if her tip was dependent on giving the right answer. It wasn't but her enthusiasm about the food was encouraging.

He went right for the fried chicken with string beans and mashed potatoes and gravy on the side. I ordered the catfish with collard greens and macaroni and cheese. We both asked for sweet tea. Right out the box the tea wasn't the best we've ever had. It wasn't fresh brewed and there wasn't nearly enough sugar sweetening it. It was just okay at best and didn't invite any refills.

The fried chicken was exceptionally generous. The exterior was nicely seasoned and crispy and the interior was tender and moist. It wasn't exceptional but it was very good and we both agreed that we would eat the chicken again. the string beans were nicely seasoned and not boiled to mush. They had just enough bite to be perfect. He enjoyed the mashed potatoes and gravy. I didn't taste them so I'll take his word that they were creamy and the gravy flavorful.

The fried catfish was very good. It was seasoned well, cooked just so and left me licking my fingers. But there wasn't enough. The single fillet left you wanting more. I liked the macaroni and cheese and although it looked like it was out of a box, it tasted homemade. There was a hint of something I didn't recognize that flavored it in a good way but no one could tell me what the secret ingredient was. The collard greens were on point. Seasoned nicely and cooked to perfection. I'd go back just for the vegetables because both were done exceptionally well.

Their hidden gem was the dessert case. Individually sliced cakes and pies sit behind the counter for you to select from. We took two slices of the chocolate cake with chocolate icing to go and once home I regretted not getting a whole cake! Moist, just sweet enough with the creamiest icing! The dessert was definitely a highlight for me.

Would we go back? I don't see us making any special trips but if we ever find ourselves in the area we would definitely eat there again. Two thumbs up!

MR. WONDERFULS CHICKEN AND WAFFLES - RALEIGH, NC

We were out and about, finishing a day of shopping, when the hunger pangs set in! A Google search led us to Mr. Wonderfuls Chicken and Waffles. They had a GREAT website and the menu looked interesting so we thought we'd give them a try. They claimed to offer down-home Southern food in a casual, family-friendly environment which was right up our alley.

Our first impression was exceptionally positive. The space was clean and the simple decor was impressive. The walls are covered in some impressive local artwork. I was disappointed when the waitress knew nothing about the artists! We arrived about seven o'clock on a Saturday evening and the place was empty. We had our pick of tables!

The waitress was extremely friendly. And attentive, but when you only have one table to cover that's probably not hard to do!

They were doing a brisk take-out business as we sat studying the menu and we took that as a positive sign. I ordered the Fried Chicken and Waffles. It seemed like a no-brainer considering the name of the restaurant. Big Daddy ordered the Fried Catfish. Once again Big Daddy got the better meal. 

The waffle was good. Light, fluffy, with a nice hint of vanilla flavoring. What it lacked was warm syrup but they don't do that there. The chicken was HORRIBLE! It was cold on the inside and tasted as if it had been refried more than once, maybe even two or three times before it had been served. I also ordered the collards which were not good either. They were bland, tasting like they'd been heated up right out of a can. Big Daddy's fried fish was very good and well, the fries were fries.

Now, in their defense, they are not unwilling to make good on a meal you are not pleased with. A couple who came in after us sent back their spare ribs. The wife ordered the fried chicken wings her husband had ordered. Apparently chicken wings are fried to order. Both said they enjoyed their meals after the ribs were taken away. 

I didn't bother to send my chicken back to the kitchen and our waitress seemed a little distressed that I didn't. But when tasting a new restaurant for the first time we review on first impressions and first tastes. This first taste just didn't cut it. 

We aren't sure we'll try them again. Maybe if we're on that side of town and hunger gets the best of us, we take a chance but we don't anticipate going out of our way to eat there.

LARRY'S SOUTHERN KITCHEN - GARNER, NC

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

We're so excited to welcome in another year of good eats and food finds. 2015 gave us new favorite places and a host of delicious foods to enjoy. Despite our best efforts though we are still searching for that elusive best friend chicken joint!

We kicked off the new year paying a visit to an old favorite that had closed its doors permanently. Imagine our surprise when Larry's Southern Kitchen announced their reopening in a new location. Taking over the old Mayflower Restaurant, they are now located at 4205 Fayetteville Road in Garner, NC.

Larry's Southern Kitchen was a Raleigh staple, renowned for their down home cooking. It was one of only a few places where you could get pig's feet and chitterlings on the buffet. And they had good, not great, but good fried chicken! Family owned and operated they welcomed diners from all walks of life and the line to get in the old building was usually lengthy.

The new building is bigger. It's a definite upgrade to the old establishment. Unfortunately the food hasn't caught up yet. We went at lunch time. There were only a handful of people inside, their regular clientele not finding them yet. It took a minute for the waitress to bring us our beverages. Their good sweet tea was only okay, not quite sweet enough for my liking but Big Daddy said he was okay with it.

There were some really good things on the buffet and some things that were sub par. I enjoyed the pig's feet and ordered a bowl of chitlin's. The chitlin's never came out, something amiss in the kitchen that never got resolved by the time we were ready to leave. The fried chicken tasted old to me, the crisp on the skin slightly soggy. It was edible but it wasn't their best. 

I have high hopes for Larry's. I know it's going to take some time for them to get their rhythm back. I'll try them again. I'm not yet willing to give up on one of my favorite places. It's a New Year and I see some good things coming us all.