UNCLE BUCK'S BREWERY & STEAKHOUSE - DALLAS, TEXAS

So Big Daddy and I are in Texas! And in Texas they say things come BIG. So we were anticipating meals either big in portion or big in flavor.

We found a new favorite in Uncle Buck's Brewery & Steakhouse owned by Bass Pro Shop. This place is definitely a man's place. It’s a full working brewery and steak production facility. And it's huge! From the soaring vaulted ceilings to the massive beer vats, it's got the lock on that BIG factor. They can seat 180 in their upstairs bar which features a huge-screen TV, four 50” flat screen TV’s, and full menu service. Downstairs in the main dining room they have enough room for you and 399 of your closest friends for lunch or dinner.

Uncle Buck’s menu features things like hand-cut buffalo steaks, Cajun rib-eyes, Uncle Buck burgers, smokehouse ribs, alligator, scrumptious salads, and succulent soups made in-house.

Since arriving in Texas we've eaten here twice. That in and of itself should tell you what Big Daddy thinks about the place! I mean really, he ate, then rolled next door to the Bass Pro Shop to shop. It was man cave heaven. 

The first time we dined there Big Daddy ordered the Country Fried Steak. As the menu said it was tenderized steak, battered and fried, topped with white country gravy and served with whipped red skinned potatoes and a fresh vegetable. The portion was substantial and the meat so tender that he could actually cut it with a fork like it was butter. The potatoes were creamy and nicely flavored and the string beans had just the right amount of bite. Once again I was left wishing I'd ordered what he'd ordered because his plate looked better than my plate. And my plate didn't look bad.

I ordered the Catfish Platter which included two cornmeal breaded catfish fillets served with fries and coleslaw. The catfish was good and the cornmeal batter was perfection but I had more fries than fish. But the coleslaw was exceptional and since I'm not a fan of coleslaw that was saying a lot. 

The second time we ate here we were supposed to switch it up. Big Daddy ordered the Chopped Steak but the same potatoes and string beans. They were still as good the second time around and the ten ounce chopped sirloin steak with a peppercorn sauce was really good. There was a hint of Worcestershire  sauce in the meat that gave it a little punch that he really liked. 

I went big this time and ordered the Trophy Burger. It was two fresh burgers piled high with American cheese, smoked bacon and crisp fried onions. This time I substituted their onion rings for the fries. This was a BIG sandwich but one of the best burgers I've eaten in a very long time. The meat was flavorful and tender and the onion rings were absolute perfection. Thick cut they were served with this chipotle ranch sauce that I really want to find a bottle of to take home. 

Now the staff was exceptional; attentive and polite, but they were slow as molasses. I don't get the impression that this is a place you want to eat at if you're in a hurry! And I heard from another diner that they don't serve bottled water which was an issue for her since the tap water tasted of chlorine if you didn't add lemon.

Overall, the food at Uncle Buck's was good and both meals left us immensely satisfied. We will eat here again before we leave Texas because Big Daddy is insisting on trying one of their infamous steaks. Supposedly, their USDA® Choice cuts are perfectly aged for a minimum of 21 days to enhance their flavor. I can honestly say that it's good we don't have an Uncle Buck's back home because they would definitely be one of our favorite go to spots when neither of us felt like cooking. No fried chicken but they easily get a few stars from us.

GG FISH & CHICKEN - RALEIGH, NC

With an advertising budget that suddenly has them running television ads on a regular basis, we had to give GG Fish & Chicken a try. With three locations between Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina we tried the Raleigh Capital Boulevard location.

GG Fish & Chicken is a neighborhood favorite specializing in Southern cooking and the Durham location has been labeled one of the best eateries in Durham. Translated, it's a popular fried fish and chicken joint!

First impression, we weren't giving them any awards.

The Raleigh location was outdated and on the surface: nasty. We walked in and I was ready to walk out before we even thought about ordering. But there was a sizable crowd waiting and a lengthy line of customers that peeked our curiosity to know more.

Big Daddy ordered the chicken wings for us to share since they were advertising a special; 10 whole wings for $6.99. We also ordered two lunch plates. We both chose fried catfish with fries and coleslaw. And this is where GG Fish and Chicken won us over.

The wings were just so-so, nothing overly spectacular. Crisp, on the small side, not overly seasoned. In fact, barely seasoned at all. I would not order them again. Big Daddy says he would think about it.

But the fish...the fish was sheer perfection! Nicely seasoned, fried to perfection and abundantly portioned. We LOVED the catfish. So much so that we went back the next day for take out. This time Big Daddy switched up and got the fried whiting. I know not to mess with a good thing and I'm glad I stuck with the catfish. We both think it's much better than the whiting.

Where GG Fish and Chicken lost us was the atmosphere. It takes the term dive to a whole other level of down in the dumps ugly. I kept looking for something to crawl across the table that had not been wiped in a good long while. That first day I suffered through dining in. The next I opted for take out.

Will we order the fish again? Most definitely Would I try anything else on the menu? Yes! Without hesitation. Will I dine in? Hell, no! Not even if you paid me.

FLYING FISH - N. Myrtle Beach, SC

I hate when I'm really looking forward to a meal and it turns out to be a major disappointment. Our last day at the beach I really wanted seafood and I was looking forward to really good seafood. Our hosts selected Flying Fish Public Market & Grill. I was happy to learn that this was not one of their favorite go-to seafood spots.

We will probably never eat here again. Although their claim to fame is that the seafood goes from the boat to the kitchen within two hours of being caught, the fish being fresh is all they can claim. Once it was cooked it was all downhill.

Let me start with the staff and service. We asked for a particular table. There's no point in dining on the water if you can't have a window with a view. We were there shortly before noon and there was no crowd so being seated at the table we wanted should not have been a problem. The hostess was visibly annoyed when she had to actually wipe off that table to accommodate us and she didn't bother to hide her irritation. It set the mood for the entire meal. The server was much more pleasant and I actually give her props for her efforts. Without her pleasant personality the entire meal would have been a total bust.

We started with a round of appetizers for the table to share.  The men selected the coconut shrimp with spicy orange marmalade and crispy calamari with sweet and spicy chili sauce. Eating the calamari felt like chewing on rubber bands and the sauce was horrific. The orange marmalade was the best thing on the table at that point. That is until you dipped a shrimp into it.

Big Daddy ordered Fish and Chips and I ordered the Southern Fried Platter with Oysters and Flounder. The oysters were probably the best things on both of our plates. They were lightly breaded, nicely seasoned and very tasty. The fish was over fried and tasted like the oil had not been changed in ages. The slaw was just okay and the fries were oddly seasoned. Two of us thought they'd been dusted with parmesan cheese and the others weren't sure. Either way they were not good and it's not often I can't at least eat the fries.

I wish there was something about this place that I can say I liked but there really isn't. With all the great seafood restaurants in Myrtle Beach I can't say that I would recommend them to anyone if asked. It was truly a disappointment.

TRAVINIA ITALIAN KITCHEN - N. Myrtle Beach, SC

Big Daddy and I stole a few days down at the beach, the first getaway for the New Year and one of our last binges before we resumed our green smoothie cleanse and diet. We reconnected with family and had a delightful time just hanging out and playing board games as we sipped on our favorite adult beverages.

Our first day there the group of us decided to try Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar. There was some reluctance for a few after reading the reviews. Seems like they might have had some issues a year or two ago. Others of us were more optimistic and I was just wanting to check out the new Market Commons area where they were located.

Our party of six was quickly seated and within minutes a round of drinks was had by all and appetizers were on the way. The table shared the Gnocchi and Italian Sausage, Pan Fried Calamari, and the Italian Nachos. The gnocchi was exceptional and everyone loved the calamari with its spicy marinara sauce. I noticed the men were particularly fond of the nachos which were a nice presentation of lightly fried chips, Italian sausage, provolone, black olives, tomatoes, scallions, banana peppers, and asiago cream sauce.

Big Daddy ordered their Pasta Mia Nona. His bowtie pasta was served with grilled chicken, mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and that scrumptious asiago garlic cream sauce. I chose the Chicken Marsala and was delighted that they had no problems replacing the cappellini with rigatoni. The sauce was rich and abundant.  My sister/BFF ordered the Scampi Travinia. Although the jumbo shrimp weren't overly jumbo, they were a nice size. The sauce was a delicate blend of garlic butter, herbs, basil and beurre blanc served over cappellini. 

My brother ordered Uncle Tony’s Favorite Pepperoni Pizza. Unfortunately, neither I, nor Big Daddy got a chance to taste it but by the way he inhaled it, I think it was good! The other couple dining with us selected the Flounder Parmesan. The fish was lightly crusted with Italian bread crumbs and was served with lemon butter, capers, spinach-roasted tomato pine nut orzo pasta. The presentation was extremely pretty and it tasted good.

Big Daddy said he would definitely eat here again and I whole-heartedly agree with him.  Our server was delightful and went above and beyond to insure that our meal was topnotch. I can't wait to get to the beach again and will make this a definite must stop. Two thumbs up!

And please, forgive the stock photos but with all the excitement and chatter going on we both forgot to take pictures of our meals!

BIG ED'S CITY MARKET RESTAURANT

We really like Big Ed's City Market Restaurant! I credit Big Daddy for the discovery, the downtown Raleigh venue serving up down home goodness with true Southern flair. We've been twice now. The first time we were there for breakfast. I wanted grits and Big Daddy was craving country ham. Both plates were served with red-eye gravy and both plates were loaded with fresh baked biscuits and fatback. They have easily stolen the award for our favorite breakfast spot.

The second time we went for fried chicken only to discover that they don't serve fried chicken every day. But we weren't discouraged, choosing the daily Blue Plate Special instead. On this particular day the special was fried catfish with a whole host of sides including cornbread and a biscuit. The meal also came with sweet tea and dessert. It was a wealth of food for $8.50 per plate.

Big Daddy ate his fried catfish with butter beans and mashed potatoes and gravy. I chose the collard greens and butter beans.  From start to finish the meal was exceptional with only a few bumps. The butter beans were on point and we were both thoroughly pleased. 

Big Daddy enjoyed the mashed potatoes and they were real potatoes not powder. The collards were the only real disappointment for me. Cooked with real pork meat the flavor was on point but they were horribly over-cooked and were more paste and stem than anything else. They had absolutely no bite or chew to them at all. But I loved the coleslaw that came with the fish and that's saying a lot because I'm not a big fan of coleslaw.

They have some of the best cornbread I've ever eaten and the biscuits are good, too, but I prefer them with breakfast. We both selected the banana pudding for dessert. We've had better but theirs was not bad at all.

Overall, both meals earned an easy A+ from us. The staff is friendly and pleasant, the atmosphere engaging and service was exceptional. They have an extensive MENU that's sure to please everyone. We will definitely frequent Big Ed's City Market Restaurant again. We just have to try the fried chicken!

CROSSWINDS CAFE - A Catering Review - Raleigh, NC

Big Daddy recently celebrated a milestone birthday. I could not let that happen without throwing him an over-the-top birthday party for his over-the-hill age. I’m a party master and I knew what I wanted and how I wanted it.

Big Daddy has a thing for airplanes and he is quite the aviation expert. One of our favorite places is the General Aviation Terminal at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It’s a great spot to watch airplanes and people and they have a neat little restaurant called the Crosswinds Café where you can grab a quick meal. The menu isn’t extensive but the atmosphere is picture perfect.

The space is available to rent for anything, from a small gathering to a wedding of 500. The prices for space rental were extremely reasonable and I booked the date for a party of fifty people without hesitation.

And here is where things got really interesting for me. I am very particular about my food and even more obsessed about food that I’m serving to guests. When renting the General Aviation Terminal you have to use their caterer. Crosswinds Café is the exclusive caterer and they do have a beer and wine permit. And this made me nervous as hell. I wasn’t wanting French fries and burgers or a breakfast biscuit. I wanted a down home Southern meal for my down home Southern guy. A menu with all his favorites. And having only had fries and a burger at Crosswinds Café I honestly didn’t have the confidence that they were up to the task. I scoured the internet for reviews and comments that would alleviate my concerns and came up empty. Then I really got nervous. How could no one, anywhere, not have something to say about them, good or bad? What had I gotten myself into?

I scheduled an appointment with Alice, their catering manager. Our meeting was short and sweet because I knew exactly what I wanted. I’d studied their catering menu with a fine tooth comb and could have easily quoted it to her with no problems. After going through my list Alice promised a price quote and contract and assured me I had nothing to worry about. But I worried anyway and my worry level skyrocketed off the charts when two weeks later I hadn’t heard anything back from Alice or the event space. I was only a few very short weeks away from my event and I didn’t know if I was going to have food or what that food was going to ultimately cost.

Reaching out to anyone who would answer a phone call or email, I’m sure they thought I was a mad woman! But Alice and I reconnected and she was genuinely apologetic. Apparently I’d gotten lost in the shuffle of paperwork and then somehow missed the email message she had sent to me. Within minutes of reconnecting I had that proposal in hand and Alice and I were cooking with some major grease. It was clear by everyone’s reaction that this happenstance was a fluke and was in no way a reflection of their customer service. I debated whether or not to mention it at all but then decided that to fully expound on how good they are I had to mention how they handled this minor bump in the flow. Because it was handled so exquisitely that every concern I had was instantly alleviated. Alice was such a sheer delight, a consummate professional and she felt like a trusted family friend!

A few short days before the party my guest list blew up and my final count to Alice and her staff included an extra twenty people. Alice was delightful in helping me best handle the extras that I suddenly found myself needing. So good at what she does I barely blinked when I had to write that second check!

The day of the event I was a nervous wreck. I was still on edge about the food being good. Arriving early to decorate the space and insure the set up was exactly what I wanted, I was introduced to the chef, another woman named Alice! And Alice Number Two is a master in the food services game! I’d selected a menu of Fried Chicken (of course!), Fried Catfish Fillets, macaroni and cheese, turnip greens, a side salad, dinner rolls and sweet tea. To say that this woman can cook, is putting it mildly. THIS WOMAN CAN COOK!

The chicken and the fish were fried to perfection. The batter was tasty with just the right amount of crunch and flake. The chicken was melt in your mouth moist and the fish was absolute perfection. The macaroni and cheese tasted like down home country. The cheddar cheese oozed around the perfect al dente macaroni. It was creamy goodness with just the right hint of cheddar cheese flavor. And the greens, cooked with ham hocks (optional) could not have been better. Family and friends are still talking about how darn good the food was!

I’ve hired a number of catering companies over the years from as far north as Connecticut, as far south as Florida and even a few in London and Bermuda. By far, Crosswinds Café has risen to the top of my best and most favorite list. Everyone associated with them exceeded my expectations. The two Alices were both sheer delights to work with and I would hands down use them again and again and I still don’t even know if they cater outside that venue; a question I keep forgetting to call and ask!

I would whole-heartedly recommend Crosswinds Café and will most assuredly use them again myself for my next catered event. Big Daddy’s party could not have been better. From concept to execution, Crosswinds Café and the GAT were instrumental in helping my vision come to light. I absolutely adore them for going above and beyond to make that happen. They all have my sincerest gratitude.

FIRST WATCH - Raleigh, NC

There’s a new breakfast joint in town. Big Daddy is a breakfast aficionado and he has a favorite haunt that we frequent on a regular basis. First Watch opened its doors just over a month ago and we waited a week or two for them to get the kinks out. They’re still working on those kinks.

I tried it first, with Number One Son. We visited on a Sunday morning during the height of their brunch hour. The place was a madhouse! Despite the crowd we were seated quickly, in a booth by the window. For starters I liked the atmosphere. It had a very cool, organic vibe to it. I also like the little details; the raw sugar and it’s too cute single-portion dispenser, the water served in milk bottles, and the neat little coffee carafe. But I’m a sucker for the fine touches.

On this day the waitress was pleasant. I don’t know if I can co-sign on their statement that they are known for delivering an excellent dining experience and fast and friendly service because she was clearly overwhelmed and all the wait staff looked like they wished they were anywhere but here. But that’s just how crowded it was. To everyone’s credit they were giving it a rousing try and clearly earned an A for effort. Our waitress was polite but she didn't make any lasting impressions with her customer service skills.

All the food is made to order and they proclaim not to use heat lamps or deep fryers and to only use the finest ingredients possible for the freshest taste around.

I ordered their Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Hash. Its two eggs - any style - atop a hash of fresh, seasoned potatoes, avocado, bacon and tomatoes with melted Cheddar and Monterey Jack. It was served with English muffins and a side of fresh fruit cocktail. And it was good. Not great but I would eat it again. The hash was tasty and filling. The fruit was fresh and it was sweet, which was a big plus because the English muffin was ice cold. It had not been toasted and left much to be desired. I didn't think it worth sending back especially since the kitchen looked like a train wreck waiting to happen. It just felt like someone had missed a step somewhere along the line. One of those kinks I mentioned earlier.

Number-One-Son ordered the Beefeater. It’s a sandwich with roast beef, tomato, Cheddar and Monterey Jack on grilled Parmesan-crusted sourdough served with horseradish sauce on the side and a dressed spring mix salad. Now, here’s where the good took a decidedly quick turn to the right. This was a winner for me. The cheese crusted bread is a definite favorite with great flavor and just the perfect crunch and texture. The entire sandwich was heated through nicely and the horseradish sauce gave it a little extra uumph even though it was surprisingly very mild. The salad was dressed with a very light vinaigrette and was a nice addition to the meal.

We both had their coffee, the Sunrise Select Premium Blend and it was very good coffee, comparable to my favored coffee brand. 

Now, they were clearly still having some issues handling the crowd and this was most evident at checkout. It was a twenty minute wait to pay the bill. The gentleman at the cash register had problems with it, the credit card machine and a dozen other things. The line out the door was even longer than the line in, so much so that one young man in line behind us actually skipped out on his bill, clearly frustrated that trying to pay was making him late for something important. He walked out and no one but those of us directly in front of him and the man behind him noticed. By the time anyone of any authority came back to the front he was long gone.

The second time I visited Big Daddy joined me. We went midweek, just before noon and there was no line to get in. We were seated immediately as they had many seats to spare. This time I ordered the Beefeater sandwich and Big Daddy had the Trifecta. It was two eggs any style with a Belgian waffle and a sausage link. Neither he nor I was impressed. The waffle was not the best we've ever had, lacking the advertised light and airy. It just really fell short and they completely forgot the warm, mixed berry compote. What he got was a cool, berry-flavored liquid with no hint of fruit. I could have made scrambled eggs at home and that single sausage link should just have been left off the plate, not enough to satisfy. And sadly, this visit, I was disappointed with the sandwich. The bread was still good but the roast beef was actually cold and that really took away from my meal.

I won’t write First Watch off just yet. They had an interesting menu and there were a few items I’m still interested in tasting. Big Daddy, on the other hand, didn't get the excellent dining experience that was promised so he’s heading back to his favorite place where the waffles are always spot on and a side of sausage is actually a decent sized portion.