BEANSPROUT CHINESE RESTAURANT

For years, we have frequented the same Chinese restaurant. It had taken us a minute to find them, others either missing miserably over one dish as they might have hit big on another. Lately, our favorite joint has been a disappointment more times than not. Recently, we tried a new restaurant that we've driven past numerous times. The exterior is slightly off-putting. The building is old and not much to brag on. But it was take-out so we figured, why not. We know those hole-in-the-wall joints can be unpolished gems. And this diamond in the rough was spectacular!

BEANSPROUT CHINESE RESTAURANT is now our new favorite Chinese joint! The menu is your typical take-out fare, but the food quality was exceptional. The lunch prices were reasonable and the portions were overly generous. 

We ordered the General Tso's chicken with Rice. It also came with an egg roll. The chicken was freshly fried and tossed in your standard sauce. But the sauce was good, just the perfect blend of sweet and spicy. The rice wasn't anything to get excited over, just perfectly cooked and seasoned with soy sauce.  We asked and were told that they would gladly substitute perfectly steamed broccoli if you requested it.

I loved the egg roll. I ate mine and his. It was crispy on the outside with just the perfect blend of shredded cabbage, carrots, and pork. It was so good! The restaurant is family-owned and the customer service was great. The husband and wife team working were kind about tailoring the dish to meet our needs. We actually ate our meal there instead of doing takeout. They have limited seating and it's not overly comfortable, but the food was well worth the experience.

Will we go back? Headed there as soon as I post the review. Can't wait to try the Wonton Soup and the Tofu, which I'm told is absolutely divine!

FREDDY'S FROZEN CUSTARD & STEAKBURGERS - USA

We had just attended an art event in Chapel Hill, NC when my guy announced he wanted a burger. Now let me preface this by saying when he is craving a burger, he's craving an all beef burger with no filler, seasoned with salt and pepper, slapped on a great bun with lettuce, tomato, mayo and cheese. Should be easy, right? Wrong!

On our way to the event he spied Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers. He got excited. Me, not so much. But for reasons unbeknownst to me he could not get Freddy's out of his head and so that is where we stopped before heading home.

The ambiance was an old-school, 1950's vibe, It was bright and inviting and the staff was almost too cheery for the late night hour. The customer service was exceptional and when they discovered we were newbies, they seemed to rev it up a notch. But the minute we saw the menu I knew Big Daddy wasn't going to get the burger he'd been dreaming of. Freddy's steakburgers are those paper-thin pressed burgers reminiscent of Steak and Shake burgers which I am not a fan of.

He ordered Freddy's Original Double. I went rogue and ordered the Original Double Patty Melt. We made them combos and both came with shoestring fries and a drink. The Patty Melt was okay. Nothing spectacular and nothing I'll crave again. He was disappointed with his Original Double. The meat was slightly tough and it wasn't the true burger he'd been hoping for. We capped off the meal with two cups of their vanilla custard.

Will we eat here again? Maybe. It was fast and quick and would satisfy in a pinch. We would definitely come back for the custard. That was some good stuff. Rich, creamy and immensely satisfying. I'd go out of my way to get the custard again. Big Daddy wasn't feeling any of it, good custard or not. He's still wanting that burger!

DOHERTY'S IRISH PUB RESTAURANT - CARY, NC

I love an Irish pub! I have very fond memories of Irish pubs, Guinness and good friends. Finding DOHERTY'S IRISH PUB in Cary, North Carolina was icing on some very sweet cake. The big guy scoped this place out as we caught the last day of Restaurant Week here in the Triangle. He knew my passion for all things Irish and thought he would surprise me. Best darn surprise in a good little while!

Doherty's feels like that perfect neighborhood bar. When you walk in the staff is pleasant and welcoming. I was even more excited at the hello! Our waiter was attentive and delightful and at the moment I'm feeling bad because for the life of me I can't remember his name. It was Jeremy or Jacob, definitely a J-name! I extend an apology to him because he was a sheer delight.


Irish pubs are nothing without the Guinness and because I'm on meds I wasn't allowed to have one. Big Daddy isn't a fan of Guinness so he ordered a Budweiser and I did the proverbial sweet tea. Y'all know that's my go-to, non-alcoholic beverage! And it was good tea.

Now they have a very nice MENU! It was actually hard to decide what we wanted because we wanted to try everything. We started with an appetizer both selecting the Irish Boxty. Now a Boxty is a traditional Irish potato pancake with your choice of fillings. We ordered the The Mullingar which was Guinness braised brisket laced with fresh mushrooms, caramelized onions, and topped with a creamy horseradish sauce. It was superb! The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The next time we go I plan to try the Brisket Nachos. I can just imagine this Irish twist to nachos and I'm salivating just thinking about it!

For the entrée it was all about the Fish and Chips!!! Light, flaky, batter-fried whitefish served with hand-cut fries. This was so good I don't know if I'll eat anything else on our next visit. You notice I keep saying 'our next visit'. We are definitely going back!

We even ordered dessert. I ordered the chocolate mousse and he ordered the bread pudding. After our first bites we traded plates. The mousse was good, great chocolate flavor and sweet. Too sweet for me. The bread pudding was perfection. Great texture and wonderful blend off raisins and spices but not at all sweet enough for him. Neither of us was disappointed.

My only complaint is that the restaurant is so far from us. If it were closer we would be regulars. It was just that good! Two thumbs up and five stars good!

Revised: I just had to add more food pictures. I've been back twice now. Of course, I had the fish and chips again, and just like the first time it was sheer perfection. I have also tried the Grilled Ruben which was a healthy portion of corned beef between grilled rye with melted Swiss, sauerkraut and Thousand Island dressing. It was GOOD! But the most outstanding dish for me was the Brisket Poutine, crispy hand-cut French fries topped with Guiness braised brisket, melted white cheddar, brown gravy and green onions. This was so divine I could eat it every darn day and not get tired of it. It was spectacular!