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Medina's Village Bistro: Chimney Rock, NC

2012-08-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

Chimeny Rock, NC is a place you must visit if you've never been. Combined with neighboring Lake Lure, it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been. That being said, they have some pretty good restaurants also. You won't find any chains here...all local mom & pop shops with owners and chefs who have a passion for making and feeding people good food.

Being a small, Southern town, the old ways of living still exist. Not much is open on Sunday mornings, despite it being a touristy area in the warmer months. We happened upon a little joint called Medina's and I'll tell you what...I could not have been happier that we checked it out.

It is a small little hole-in-the wall right across the street from the entrance to Chimney Rock State Park. The outdoor seating area was already filled at 9 a.m., as was every table in the place. We were fortunate enough to snag the last to seats at the bar. In front of us, we had the pleasure of viewing and smelling 3 full, hot pans of the most amazing looking cinnamon rolls we'd ever laid eyes on (above). We instantly knew those would be part of our breakfast that morning. They were huge, though, and we wanted to try some other breakfast fare as well, so we opted to split one. They take one from the pan, throw it on a baking sheet and warm it in the oven right on the spot. A dusting of powdered sugar, and there you have it. Not only are they amazing to look at, they are amazing to eat. The single best cinnamon roll I have ever consumed. No kidding. We ended up ordering some to go and they boxed them up for us and hand-wrote reheating instructions on the box lid. Awesome!!! (By the way...they are just as incredible reheated...get some to go!!!!).

My husband, of course, ordered biscuits and gravy. The biscuits were fresh and flaky, not too greasy and had a very good flavor. He loved the country gravy also...in fact I might have caught a glimpse of him licking his bowl.

I ordered one of my favorites...an egg & cheese breakfast sandwich. This item had the option of meats (I chose bacon) and you could also choose from a biscuit or a croissant. I had no complaints with the biscuit, but I did happen to see the croissant version come out of the kitchen and I know next time I will be giving that a try. The croissant looked fantastic and it was HUGE. Num!!! This one was served with a side of fresh fruit. Fantastic breakfast.

As if the home-cooked food wasn't enjoyable enough, the people in that place are what make it truly special. We got in on a conversation with some older locals who were originally from New York but had been living in Chimney Rock for nearly 30 years, and another couple visiting from Prosperity, SC. Our talking, bantering and laughter made it seem like the 6 of us had been friends for years! It is just that kind of fun, friendly place where everyone likes to be social, meet new people, welcome people and invite them to visit again soon.

The service was also some of the best we've had as the whole staff worked as a team. The owner/manager was quick on her feet running here, there and everywhere all the while communicating with her chefs and waitstaff. She had a smile on her face and didn't miss an opportunity to check up on her customers and converse with them also. The servers all worked together refilling coffee, clearing tables, etc. It's the first time in a long time I have seen such a team effort. Although they worked hard, they were all pleasant, happy and helpful. More restaurants and businesses need to take note from the staff at Medina's. They might learn a thing or two about how to treat their coworkers and their customers.

Without question this was one of the most enjoyable dining experiences I've had. Nothing fancy...just simple, down home, freshly made food with great friendly company. I would love to go back for breakfast but I would also like to try out lunch and dinner as their board out front had some pretty tasty looking specials posted. We will be back again...and probably again after that...and probably a lot more times after that.

The Mason Jar: Greer, SC

2012-08-21T07:30:00.000-04:00

One morning we were getting ready to head out and run a bunch of errands. It was creeping up on lunch time though and instead of being good, budget-minded folks who just make a sandwich at home, we decided to grab a bite out. Now, Greer is on the opposite end of town from us, but we had to go up towards Haywood Mall anyway so we were already halfway there. Plus The Hubby had been wanting to check this place out for a while...AND we had a coupon for a buy one, get one entree. So...to The Mason Jar we went.

Upon walking in, we were pleasantly surprised. It is the kind of dive bar we love and miss...plentiful where we come from (Minnesota aka Frozen Tundra). There are just honestly no good dive burger bars down here!! We only hoped the food and service would make it worth our drive to get there.

Sadly, the atmosphere is where the goodness ended. The service was some of the worst I have ever had. Our waitress did not at all seem interested in helping us at all and for someone that worked in food service, she had no idea what basic ingredients were or what each entree was to be served with.

Case in Point: I ordered the Dark Corners Burger (below) which is topped with "blue cheese, bacon, onion straws, lettuce and tomato." For anyone that knows me, it is unlawful for my refrigerator to house any amount of crumbled blue cheese because I will take it out and eat it with a spoon just like a bowl of cereal. I love me some blue cheese! Sadly it is not the most healthful snack of choice, so I take advantage of it when I see it on a menu while eating out. Upon telling the waitress what I would like, she asked me what type of cheese I wanted on my burger. I simply replied "blue cheese please, as it states on the menu." She gave me a strange look and continued on taking The Hubby's order. When I got my burger, it was topped with yellow cheddar...not a blue cheese crumble (nor any blue cheese dressing of any sort) in sight. They insisted on taking it back to correct and it came back as pictured below...this time the yellow cheddar topped with a slice of provolone. Again...no blue cheese anywhere. I gave up and just ate it...obviously the staff there (chefs included) need schooling on basic ingredients. Other than that, the burger was decent and the fries were good as well. Not a total loss, but then again, I'm still kinda peeved about the blue cheese situation.

The Hubby ordered The Mason Jar burger topped with bacon, cheddar cheese, chili, onion straws, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. He was pleased with the onion rings and the burger toppings, but was thoroughly disappointed with the burger itself as it lacked flavor.

Throughout our dining experience, we could hardly track down our server to get more soda or ask for mustard, etc. I would understand if they were busy, but there were all of about 3 tables in there and we were the only folks in her section. The other server, however, seemed to be much more friendly and actually cared to service her customers. So...I am guessing our personal experience is not how it is for everyone.

Bottom line...LOVED the atmosphere and loved the concept of The Mason Jar. Our service was awful but that's just one server and there's no guarantee we'd get stuck with her again if we went back. And, I think we would go back...we would just avoid the burger section of the menu and try something new. Something that did not say it was to be served with blue cheese.

Huckleberry's Bakery and Country Store: Lake Lure, NC

2012-08-19T07:00:00.000-04:00

What makes a good restaurant? That seems to be the million dollar question these days. Is it just good food at an affordable price? Does it have to have the total package, service, value and taste? In my opinion, I can sacrifice the food a little, but without service that is memorable, I usually don't give places a second chance. To be able to see the passion in something that someone has worked so hard for because they believe in themselves and the people around them, this is what truly separates the great restaurants from the "BEST" restaurants.

If you have never experienced a restaurant the depicts exactly what I stated above, you absolutely must take the short 90 minute drive up to Lake Lure and try out Huckleberry's Bakery. This place is so amazing in so many ways. Just after reading the owners page on her website, you will be hooked and make the drive that very weekend. That is exactly what I did when I found this wonderful restaurant on the interweb!

Here is a brief intro into the background of this (I am speechless as to how to describe to you how wonderful this place is) restaurant:

"Huckleberry's Bakery and Country Store was founded in January 2011, by 16 year old, Michaila Cowles Cosmus. Since grade school, Michaila has had her heart set on becoming a chef and baking "Pretty Things". As early as fourth grade, she desired to attend, Johnson & Wales University to study culinary arts and pastry. In early 2011, during her Sophmore year at Polk County High School, she began on working towards making her dream became a reality when in Spring 2011 she was accepted into the Johnson & Wales University early admission program at their Charlotte, N.C. Campus. Michaila started her freshman year of college, at the age of 16, in September 2011 to major in Culinary Arts."

We arrived right at 11:30 on a Saturday morning. Right when the menu changes from Breakfast to Lunch. We were handed Lunch menus which was perfect as that is what we were there for. After reading so many wonderful comments on the interweb already about the food, I knew exactly what I was going to have: the quiche of the day. And today I had two choices, chicken and tomato or Spinach. Although the spinach sounded wonderful, I opted for the chicken and tomato. It was also served with what I would call the single best peach muffin I have ever had the privilege of shoving into my face and a small slice of watermelon. Let me tell you about this quiche. Good Quiche is something that is very hard to come by. No two people like their quiche the same as this dish is something that we grew up on at old family gatherings and Sunday Morning brunch (well at least that's how it was in my family). I could never find a quiche that was prepared the same as how my father and Great Aunt would serve it. I finally have found one. This quiche was so delicate and fluffy piled full of meat and just the perfect hint of fresh tomatoes. The texture was something that I didn't even know existed. With that being said, this entire meal set me back only $5.99.

And of course, here was The Wife's first course to start her afternoon, a fresh homemade cupcake. Nothing fancy at all, but this thing had character. Custom made muffin cups (probably with a scissors in the kitchen at 4:30 in the AM) that gives the appearance of a little flower. This thing was so airy and moist, that I would actually drive the 90 minutes again just for one of these things.

After The Wife had finished (inhaled) her appetizer, her lunch sandwich was served. Again, nothing fancy at all, but served with special little twists and turns that you recognize. Take your simple and basic BLT sandwich and serve it with piles of fresh avocado all stacked on top of a fresh Kaiser roll. The bacon was wonderful and the tomatoes were garden fresh. The coleslaw was actually decent as well, just enough vinegar with a ton of liquid in the bottom for the cabbage to get nice and tender.

So if you’re still not convinced that this place is worth your time to take one of the most beautiful drives within 90 minutes of the Upstate, maybe this will help. Besides the restaurant being an old farm house with a little country store thrown in throughout the entire dining room, they also have a Farm Stand out in the parking lot. Mom and little sister run the front of the restaurant while the now 17 year old chef/owner runs the kitchen. But that's not it; Ms. Michaila will not allow you to leave until she has had the privilege of personally greeting you during your meal and asking how everything is. Now that is what makes this place so special. They are open Monday through Saturday, 6:00 AM - 4:00 PM with full breakfast and lunch menu. Nothing fancy here, paper plates, cups and plastic silverware, just simple and very inspiring.

Takosushi: Greenville, SC

2012-08-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

We've walked past TakoSushi countless times during our many visits to Downtown Greenville. After a not-so-good meal at a joint nearby, we were still somewhat hungry so we decided to give it a try and just order a couple of rolls to fill our bellies.

It is a small restaurant like many others on Main Street, but this one is not so crowded you can't navigate between tables. The menu is extensive with both Sushi offerings and some Tex-Mex flavors as well. Some of the sushi rolls even have a Tex-Mex flair. Although I'm not sure who decided Japanese and Mexican style foods are a good pairing, it was actually kind of interesting and oddly enough, it seemed to work just fine.

The service was excellent...all of the staff were friendly, attentive and helpful. The sushi itself wasn't too bad either. Not the greatest I have had, but somewhere in the top third (and I've eaten a lot of sushi!) The unique combinations were fun and I would like to go back again and try something new.

My bottom line: Give it a try. The service is great, the sushi is good and the combo of ethnic flavors and foods makes it a fun experience.

Devereaux's - Scene on 7 Dinner Club Event

2012-08-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

My Husband and I watch Scene on 7 nearly every night. I should say...we have it on nearly every night but it is more or less background noise to our 3 very loud kids. We catch what clips we can, rewinding the DVR when/if needed. We have always been intrigued by the Dinner Club but have never mustered up the effort to find a babysitter. When we saw the menu for the Dinner Club at Devereaux's, however, we knew we needed to make it happen. One of the hottest restaurants in Downtown Greenville, Devereaux's was offering a 3-course meal for only $30 per person. How could anyone resist?

The menu posted was the following:

First Course - Choose One:

Shrimp Risotto - Basil, marinated tomato, Parmesan

Garden Salad - Cucumber, shaved vegetables, lemon vinaigrette

Squash soup - Caramelized onion, white cheddar tater tot, chive

Second Course - Choose One:

Pekin Duck - Sweet potato puree, sweet corn, tarragon, haricot vert

Seared Grouper - Heriloom polenta, summer squash, chive, malt vinegar

Grilled Pork - White beans, apricot, baby carrots, arugula, sherry jus

Desert - Choose One:

Chocolate Creme Brulee - Candied Bacon

Flourless Chocolate Cake - Vanilla Angais

Cherry Clafoutis - Black Cherry Jam, Vanilla Ice Cream

Although there were minor changes to the above menu (no creme brulee, but another dessert was subbed), we could not have been more pleased. Our reservations were for 7pm, but our plans led us to arrive nearly an hour early. As luck would have it, they had a no-show for the 6pm time slot and were more than happy to accommodate us early. We were seated at a table for two, just outside of the open air kitchen. We were able to see the chefs in action, the expediter arranging orders and cleaning plates to a spotless perfection. Although many of the kitchen staff seemed really young (or maybe I am just getting really old????) they worked with a kind of seamless precision that would make even Gordon Ramsay proud.

We were able to add wine pairings to each of our selections (three total) for an additional $15. As if the 3-course meal for $30 wasn't value enough...add three full glasses of wine for $5 each? Anyone who would turn this down is a fool!

We were pleasantly surprised when we were brought bread (pictured above). Two samplings; one with a black truffle oil and sea salt and another cheddar garlic biscuit. Our bread server (for lack of a better term) had no problem letting us know his favorite was the black truffle oil roll, and although both were tasty, I cannot disagree with him. That piece of bread was simply amazing. We also were served a potato soup which was almost more of a seasoned potato puree in a cute and tiny little shot-sized mug. The flavor was outstanding. These little unexpected extras did not go unnoticed. We could have left after these previews and been completely impressed and satisfied!

For our first course, my Husband ordered the squash soup and I ordered the shrimp risotto. The soup (above) was creamy and decadent. The caramelized onions lined the bottom of the bowl and were almost too overpowering for my husbands taste, but the white cheddar tater tot that topped the whole dish was simply amazing. The shrimp risotto (below) was creamy and flavorful and the shrimp were plentiful. An excellent balance of textures and flavors. We were growing more and more impressed by the bite!

For our entrees, my Husband chose the Peking duck (below). Situated on a bed of sweet potato puree and sweet corn, he could not have been more impressed. The duck was cooked perfectly and was succulent when paired with the sweetness of the corn and sweet potato. I, myself, would not try the duck, but the green beans on top were honestly the most perfectly cooked and most fabulous green beans I have ever tasted.

I chose the Grouper (below) on a bed of polenta and summer squash. I love summer squash and zucchini so much that if it were burnt to a crisp, I would think it was amazing. This summer squash, paired with polenta (which was a new food to me so I wasn't sure what to expect) was phenomenal. And that's not even saying anything about this fish. Honestly...I can't even find the words to express the flavor and texture of this fish. By far, the BEST fish I have ever eaten. Hands down. Amazing.

For dessert, I chose the Cherry Clafoutis (below). I am a sucker for vanilla bean Ice Cream and when paired with the black cherry jam and the creaminess of the cake, this was to die for.

My Husband chose the flourless chocolate cake (below) as an alternate as his original plan for the creme brulee had been substituted. He was not disappointed at all! The cake was so rich and moist and the fig ice cream was a perfect compliment.

Overall, we could not have been more pleased. We had amazing service, amazing food and we got amazing value as well. We even had the opportunity to meet and talk with Miss Kimberly Kelly herself! She was so pleasant and down-to-earth. She made sure to stop at each table and have a quick word and she made everyone feel welcome. Truly a class act! We have just heard tonight that the next Dinner Club will be held at the new Palmetto Restaurant and Ale House. Plans for a babysitter are already in the works! We are the Scene on 7 Dinner Club's new biggest fans and we plan to make this a tradition for the foreseeable future.

Tavern 24 - Juicy Lucy: Greenville, SC

2012-08-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Newly opened Tavern 24 on Woodruff, part of the FATZ local chain recently opened a newly remodeled and concept of a restaurant. Now I have never been to FATZ and honestly had no intention of going to Tavern 24, but when the menu was finally published online, they had something, something that is oh so close to my heart. They have what they call a "Stuffed Beer Burger" or from where I come from, a “Juicy Lucy”. The only place in the entire upstate that, to this point I knew of that serves a Juicy Lucy (Dawgs on Pelham also has one, but that’s for another day and a review coming soon) just so happens to also be one of the finest restaurants in the Upstate, Cafe Rivera's.

The Stuffed Beer Burger is described as the following: Juicy, seared Certified Angus Beef © patty marinated with stout beer and stuffed with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses and topped with caramelized onions. Served on a butter toasted brioche bun with whole grain mustard. 5.29.

I would not call those caramelized onions...

Here is how I would describe the Stuffed Beer Burger: soggy, but dry, gristly and very large hard fat chunks of Taco Bell grade ground beef (no beer present or they soaked the already ground beef in a Bud Light) stuffed with I don't know, it all got cooked out on the grill if it ever started with anything and ~~topped~~ piled higher than the burger itself with some of the soggiest onions with absolutely no flavor or caramelization. Served in a butter topped bun and a disintegrated bottom before it arrived with some average grey poupon.

So now that we have the real description of this disaster on a plate out of the way, I'm glad that it was only $5 and some change. That tiny amount of fries however set me back another $2. They were average; I'm willing to bet money that they were not hand cut back in that kitchen (as advertised) as I'm going to guess they are the same soggy fries they serve over at FATZ out of the freezer. I don't want to just come out and be negative about the whole thing, but when you get so excited for something and then they drop a pile of crap on you, what else can be said. This was probably the #1 single worst Juicy Lucy I have ever experienced (I can honestly say that I have eaten over 500 Juicy Lucy’s in my life to date).

This is where the cheese should be running out...

So now onto the beer, average selection at best, but completely boring. Nothing that really makes you jump out of your seat besides maybe a Rogue Dead Guy or the Terrapin Rye, but honestly they are way overdone as the premier beer selection at a lot of restaurants. The only beer I really wanted, Duck Rabbit Milk Stout, they were out of and only after a week or so of being open. The other selections are the same thing you can get just about anywhere you turn your head in these parts of the world, Yuengling, Sweetwater, Thomas Creek and RJ Rockers. For a tavern who wants to promote the whole "Drink at a restaurant blah blah blah..." thing, and call themselves a tavern, I would really expect more from the tap menu and certainly more than 12 selections with two of those constantly being out and an equally horrible bottle selection (besides maybe the Half Moon). Just my opinion and for those who say they will give Ale House a run for their money, you are crazy unless they totally revamp the concept and restaurant. Currently, they are so far from even being compared to the Ale House or spoken about together in the same sentence.

Bottom line, the place is busy and it will be busy no matter how horrible the food they put out (I will never understand why people do this to themselves), but at least people can constantly count on the same poor quality food to come out consistently every time. The service was equally as bad as the food; we were given our bills (two other guys and myself, no wife or kids) as soon as our food was removed from our table. We ended up having a few more beers, and each time, we were given a new bill. It was just an awkward chain of events that went on. I wish my second visit would have been better (yes I went back, they have another Juicy Lucy on the menu and I have a weakness for them if you didn’t know by now), but I can fully report that the Black and Bleu (Cajun seasoned Certified Angus Beef © patty stuffed with crumbled Bleu Cheese, bacon and fresh jalapenos. Grilled to perfection and served on a butter-toasted brioche bun with lettuce and tomato, drizzled with roasted red pepper aioli. 5.79) was equally as bad along with the visit itself. Take away all of this fancy shit on your menu and try to serve a basic meal first, then see what you can do.

"Grilled to perfection", in whose opinion?

Photo taken from the Lodge Restaurant back in Minnesota.
This is what a Juicy Lucy should look like when properly made and prepared!

Mekong Restaurant: Greenville, SC

2012-08-07T10:00:00.000-04:00

No one needs to hear me say how wonderful this place is nor do they need me to tell them how fresh the food is. With that being said, this is a true experience that everyone needs to put their taste buds through at one point while in Greenville.

London Broil & Brisket – Phở Tái Nạm

Are you ready for about the largest bowl of Phở imaginable for under $7? I sure was and let me just say, the biggest thing that stands out and highlights this dish is the meat. You are being served a gallon size bowl of just about boiling hot broth that was just fired up under a flame the size of the Olympic cauldron and the meat was not over done. Most average bowls of Phở are ruined with the meat becoming dried out and over cooked when added to the boiling broth, but not at Mekong. The beef was like dining at a fine steak house without the price. The amount of meat as well, I have never seen so much meat in a bowl of Phỏ before. It was truly to die for. The Phỏ is served with the typical and new to me fresh from the garden (seriously, fresh from the garden sitting out back) Basil, Jalapenos, lime wedges and sprouts along with mint. It makes sense to serve with fresh mint; this was just new to me. I particularly didn't care for the fresh mint, but my mother, who had the Braised Chuck & Brisket – Phỏ Chín absolutely loved the addition of another fresh item to add to her bowl. We should have known better to get one bowl to share as they will split it for you in the kitchen, but seriously for $6.99 why not try a few different ones.

I will be brutally honest and as much as it sucks to say, the broth itself wasn't the greatest on its own, but that is the nice thing about Phỏ, it doesn't have to be. The broth hardly had any taste to it on its own, but with the addition of all the fresh herbs and vegetables along with a mass amount of sriracha and hoisin sauce, it was the best bowl of Phỏ I have encountered in the South.

Pork Sausage Sandwich – Bánh Mì Nem Nướng - Crusty French bread with cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrot, daikon, and jalapeno.

After reading other reviews from other local food bloggers, I had to try one of the sandwiches or Bánh Mì. For under $4, you get what is pictured above, one of the freshest Bánh Mì sandwiches you will find probably within a 500 mile radius. The spicy pork sausage was packed full of wonderful flavors (and not the typical hard gristle you typically find that chips one of your teeth) and the fresh veggies really helped to make this sandwich shine as a whole. The bread was lightly toasted to the perfect crunch on the outside and whatever kind of sauce they put on it was slightly sweet, but not over bearing and can only be describe in one word, AMAZING! This thing stole the show from the Phỏ and I cannot wait to have another one in the not so distant future.

Bottom line, the restaurant is a little weird when you walk in as you don't know if you should sit down or go to the counter to order, but after you get over that first impression in about 5 seconds and you will feel right at home. The service is by far some of the best you will find at this style of restaurant and the food is the real deal. I see a lot of service related issues in what others are talking about, but we had some great service (it was a Sunday afternoon before the 12:30 church rush arrived). You probably will not find better Vietnamese food anywhere in the Upstate, but if you do, I can guarantee you that the food will not be as fresh.

Your Pie: Greenville, SC

2012-08-02T10:38:00.000-04:00

HAPPY One Year to Your Pie in Greenville. What a better way to celebrate than offering your loyal customers and everyone for that matter $1 Pie for an entire day. The fine folks over at Your Pie Marketing fired off an email asking if I could help spread the word of this one day event. Little did I know about it prior, but man, I am sure glad I got the email.

Your Pie is like going to Subway, except instead of some mass produced sandwich that is chalked full of chemicals, you are creating your very own pizza. You walk through the line, first by choosing your dough. They have three to choose from along with 8 homemade sauces and 9 different kinds of cheese. After those three difficult decisions, all that you are left with deciding what else is going on it. They offer 19 fresh (FREE) ingredients along with 16 Premium ($.50 each) ingredients. So basically your options are kind of endless.

Southern Heat

Loads of grilled chicken smothered in our hot sauce with jalapenos, red onions, melted Mozzarella

I'll be honest; I'm not a huge fan of gourmet-made-to-order pizza while you wait etc. and this whole fancy new pie revolution that is trying to take over the pizza world all across the country. I had my doubts that if word did spread like it did, could this place really handle what they were about to encounter? The deal, $1 pizza, 2 pizzas per person and premium ingredients adds $.50. Started at 11:00 AM and went through 9:00 PM. So in total, 5 pizzas, 4 large sodas and I just feed my entire family for $11.65 on my daughter’s birthday.

The lines were long and people didn't seem to mind the wait. Everyone had smiles on their faces and people were snatching up as many pies as they could humanly carry out the door while having 15 kids in drag in order to get the two pies per person deal. The lines were out the door from 11:00 AM all throughout the lunch hour and well into the afternoon. We arrived for an early dinner around 4:30 and the line was all the way back to the end of the restaurant. It only took us about 10 minutes to make our way up and then the fun began.

Thai Pie

Spicy Thai sauce with melted Cheddar, Grilled Chicken, Carrots, Sweet Corn, Red Onions, and Cilantro

For $1 each I went with the Southern Heat and the Thai Pie. The Southern Heat is the real deal, tender chicken with loads of flavor, the sauce although not too much of it at all, but just the right amount to perfectly balance out the main ingredient, the Jalapeno! The dough was standard, nothing to brag about in my opinion, but still a very good pie and worth every cent. The Thai Pie unfortunately I cannot say the same thing about. I love Thai pizza, but have come to discover that no two Thai pizzas are the same or created equally. This was more of a personal preference rather than saying it was just bad. The corn threw the whole thing off for me and the sauce was not enjoyable. It did not have that nutty snap that I would have expected nor was the cilantro relevant. I'll chalk it up to just that, the Thai Pie isn't for me.

Some nasty pile of mess my wife put together!

The Wife created her own pie rather than ordering one of the favorites that they already have up on the wall for you. She went with the whole wheat crust and the pesto basil sauce. She then loaded it up with about every single veggie imaginable without the inclusion of any meat (that is just weird to me). She then topped if off with fresh slices of mozzarella and more black olives. She absolutely loved it and has been asking when we are going back. She thinks that she has already created the next perfect pie in her head and wants to check it out before she has another senior moment and forgets.

Cheese Pie for the birthday girl.

The kids had a blast and felt right at home while creating the most wonderful pizzas in their little tiny minds, Plain Old Cheese Pizza!

Bottom Line, Your Pie Greenville pulled off a wonderful event that was very successful for everyone that was involved. After 5 hours of making pizza after pizza for a bunch of cheap skates (myself included) not one single employee was grumpy. We were greeted and treated like we were the most important people at that very moment and then handed off to the next person in line. Everything during this entire visit was served with a smile, gleaming from ear to ear and even if the employees were tired or sick of serving $1 pies, you never knew it. They were willing to take a risk for one day by offering $1 pies, but I'm going to have to imagine that the risk paid off. They picked up some major business and new clientele for the countless time ahead of them. I would have never even thought about going to this restaurant before, but now that I know about it, and actually kind of like it and the food, my family and I will be back often. Check them out for yourself next time you want a hot quick meal for a very affordable price.

Mimi's Japanese Steakhouse: Simpsonville, SC

2012-07-18T07:30:00.000-04:00

I had been to MiMi's in Simpsonville once before, but it had been about a year. I had only good memories of it on that occasion, so when it was time for a girls night out and MiMi's came up as an option for dinner, I was all about it.

The girls and I went on a Friday night around 5:15 and we were able to walk right in a get seated at the next open station. Since I have been there last, they have expanded into the area next door, only with tables and not Hibachi stations. It can get busy, so this is a good option for those who want Hibachi style food (or sushi) without waiting for a personal chef. We waited only a few minutes and had another couple join our station and then our chef for the evening arrived.

If you have never done Hibachi, it is a fun experience. The chefs play to the crowd and make different creations with the food (onion volcano, flaming angel, etc) and even cook some shrimp up ahead of time and toss it to each person and see if they can catch it in their mouth. They get folks involved in the experience and that is what makes it so fun. I mean honestly, when a chef butterflies and cooks a shrimp and then bounces it around with a spatula while singing, "I like to move it, move it"...who can help but laugh???

With your meal you get a bowl of soup (basic broth), a salad with your choice of ginger, creamy or vinaigrette dressing, hibachi style vegetables, fried rice and then whatever meat you order (choices of chicken, steak, shrimp, scallops or a combination of 2 or 3).

I ordered a combo of steak and shrimp shown below). As you can see, my plate is completely stuffed full of delicious food. This was the first time I had ordered steak (a NY strip cut) and I can say that I won't do that again. It was decent, but quite fatty in my opinion. I will stick to shrimp or perhaps add scallops as I did previously. I have not tried the chicken but would like to do that on my next trip, just to see how it is.

The veggies are amazing...broccoli, onion, squash, zucchini, carrots, peas. The rice is nice as well. They toss, turn, spin and have fun with the eggs right in front of you during the creation of this delicious fried rice.

Although the food is good, most of Hibachi is about the experience. It is fun to interact with the chef and the others at your station. The more you are involved, the more fun it will be. If you like this sort of food and like to be social, I definitely recommend MiMi's. If you aren't so social, I still recommend it as they now have tables that aren't at Hibachi stations. And they have Sushi and other Asian fare to satisfy your tastes. The service is good, the food is good...it is a fun atmosphere. What more could you want???

Cantinflas Restaurant and Bar: Downtown Greenville, SC

2012-07-17T08:30:00.000-04:00

As one of the more noticeable restaurants on Main Street in Downtown Greenville, we have often been curious about Cantinflas. We typically love Mexican and Tex-Mex style foods, so when a Groupon offer for this place came along, we snatched it up. All I can say...is I am glad I had the Groupon and I am only sorry that I wasted the $15 on that to pay for this meal.

The staff was friendly, I will give them that. And at first impression, I thought this was going to be a good experience. They accommodated our family with whatever table we wanted (we had a stroller) and were eager to help and serve us. They brought us a basket of chips and 2 bowls of salsa almost immediately. The chips were cool...whole tortillas and therefore big giant circles which the kids thought were awesome. Too bad they were not fresh and therefore what I would consider to be stale. The salsa was very liquid...and had the frappe type bubbles you can only get from having just removed the contents from the blender. Some folks like this, but I prefer a chunkier, more pico-de-gallo type of fresh salsa.

We ordered a bowl of the fresh guacamole because for one, we love it. And for two, they are supposed to have some good guac. I was utterly disappointed with it. To me, guac should be nothing but fresh avocado, tomato, cilantro, onion and jalepeno with lime juice and a bit of salt. This had the one thing I loathe about most store-bought and pre-packaged guacamole mixes. It had the taste, texture and look of having mayonnaise in it. I can't be sure because I didn't ask, but there was something extra beyond the main fresh ingredients that just didn't sit right with me. I almost couldn't eat it.

The hubby ordered a bowl of the tortilla soup...which again was almost inedible due to the dry and stringy chicken. The broth was ok, but lacked spice and flavor. I got a simple chicken quesedilla which, as you can see, had no fixin's along with it. No lettuce, no sour cream, no pico...no nothing. Just chicken (the same dried out and stringy chicken as was in the tortilla soup) and cheese. Only this wasn't normal melted cheese. It was almost like a cheese paste...and with each bite it felt like the cheese was gooier and stuck to my mouth more and more. It was a texture and a feeling I could not stomach and therefore only ate about 5 bites. It was salty and gooey (in a bad way) and just not something I could eat. As for their sour cream (if my quesedilla had been served with some), I wouldn't have eaten it. We asked for some for our kids' quesedillas and we got small cups of what appeared to be thick milk. Gross!!!

Bottom line: I will not go back and as I said earlier...I am only sorry I paid $15 to Groupon for this horrendous meal. Even a very "American" Carolina Ale House can make better quesedillas.

Original Benjamin's Calabash: Myrtle Beach, SC

2012-07-13T07:30:00.000-04:00

So we have been to Myrtle beach several times and it is hard not to notice the plethora of "calabash" seafood buffet joints. I'm not typically a buffet-lover, but this time around we had my brother and his family in town and my preferences went out the window. They decided on the Original Benjamin's because is it supposedly the original calabash joint and the best in the area.

We had 4 small children with us (6 and under) so we decided to head out early thinking we'd beat the crowds. We got there sometime around 4:30 p.m. and already we had to park in the overflow parking lot. I was slightly nervous that this may be an all-evening event. They have an old pirate at the door greeting people and they give little mardi gras type bead necklaces to all of the kids. Kind of a fun touch for the little ones. Inside as you wait in line, there is a huge replica of the Queen Elizabeth II which is somewhat interesting to check out. Once you make your way through the initial hallway they take your info and hand you a buzzer. Yes...we were already on a wait at 4:30 in the afternoon mid-week. But, they do have a bar just for those waiting and they also have a huge children's area downstairs where they can play and dress up like sailors and swab the deck of a small boat and do puzzles and read books about the ocean and fish and sailors, etc. It's a nice way to keep them occupied.

Our wait was only about 15 minutes, and I was shocked it was so short considering the amount of people in that joint. Then again, we did get a coupon signed by our hotel's concierge that not only saved us $2 per person (regular price is $30 each), but also gave us VIP seating. I believe the party behind us waited nearly 45 minutes and was probably not seated as close to the buffet as we were. The place is huge and there are multi-levels and numerous rooms...all of which feed into one large central buffet area. One huge problem...for the hundreds of people they service...there is only ONE bathroom. And the women's bathroom that I, as a mom, typically frequent several times throughout the course of a dinner, only had 5 stalls. There were a couple trips that I waited in line (out the door into the buffet area) for nearly 15 minutes. Crazy!!!

Anyway...on to the food. There were several areas in the buffet room, one line being the calabash line with your lightly breaded and fried items. There was a main entree line with a pasta bar, beef roast, soups and more. There were lines with side dishes and a salad bar and a dessert line also. The lines got really quite long at some point and there were things I wanted to check out or try but simply didn't bother because I didn't want to wait 15 minutes to get it. In fact, the only reason I got any crab legs was because my awesome husband grabbed me 2 extra claws while I was waiting in line with daughter #2 at the bathroom for 15 minutes. I never did make it through the calabash line. I had looked all over the salad bar for fruit for my kids as that is the one thing I know they will eat. All they had was a canned tropical mix which didn't go over well. Ironically when things were winding down for us and we went through the dessert line...I happened to spot the cantaloupe, grapes and watermelon. Nice. Not sure why those things are considered dessert, but I was completely disappointed I hadn't known they were there sooner.

For those who like buffets, this place is a dream come true. They have so many foods to offer it is almost overwhelming. It is not the place for those who dislike crowds, those who have bladder control issues (see comments about bathrooms) and also not for those who are dining with small, impatient children. Don't get me wrong...they try to please the little ones. But, from start to finish, I believe our calabash adventure was nearly 3 hours long. By the end of it...everyone was in meltdown-mode. The food was OK...but it was buffet food. By that I mean mass produced quickly without care for quality or detail. That kind of thing just doesn't do it for me. I will say the nice thing about it being such a busy place is that things are always hot and always being replenished which is more than I can say for other buffet joints.

Let's face it...when in Myrtle Beach...calabash is something you need to try at least once. I wasn't necessarily unimpressed with Benjamin's (well, except for the fact that their handicapped parking spots outnumber the bathroom stalls) but I'm not much for buffets to begin with. They do a great job making people comfortable...even while they wait for a table. They have numerous options for food so everyone can find what they like. The staff are friendly and helpful. And they do their best to accommodate the mass amounts of people they feed as quickly as possible.

My recommendation: try it...at least once. Just be sure that when you go...you A) get a coupon from your hotel that specifies VIP seating and you B) are not in a hurry or an impatient mood! It will take some time and you will need to wait in lines. But hey...good things come to those who wait, right?

Bimini's Oyster Bar and Seafood Cafe: Greenville, SC

2012-07-12T08:30:00.000-04:00

Shortly after hearing about one of Myrtle Beaches most loved oyster bars opening a second location in the Upstate, I knew that I had to try it out first hand. The family and I headed over on a Saturday afternoon to the new restaurant that apparently is just off 385 and Haywood Road. Well, it isn't. It is tucked way back into some residential/office condos area and is very difficult to locate if you are not from around here. The parking lot was empty when we arrived shortly after the noon hour and we weren't even sure if they were open, but we proceeded to find out and sure enough, they were with a staff of two on hand. It was such a beautiful day out that we opted to sit out on the very nice deck they offer. This is about where all of the wonderful/nice things end.

Having never been to the original location in Myrtle because we are loyal to the Noisy Oyster and Duffy's, I was almost as excited as I ever have been to try this place out being only 15 minutes from home. I love fresh oysters almost more than any other food, but I am very picky about my oysters (as one should be). After a quick glance at the menu, I knew I wanted to start off the meal with an oyster shooter. Being plastered all over the place as "World Famous" oyster shooters for only $1.50 I figured I would start with one. Upon ordering my "World Famous" shooter, I asked our server what makes them so "World Famous". His response, "People like them". Obviously if you read this blog ever, you know my take on when someone calls something "World Famous" or "The Best in the World" they usually are not in my opinion. No one ever has anything to back up the false advertising statement and they usually fall flat on their feet. That all being said, this thing sucked ass. It was served in warm beer with an oyster and a jalapeno slice with some hot sauce. Apparently what also makes Bimini's shooters so famous (besides people like them), the server shakes it up for you upon delivering it. Well, I hope my server washed his hands before he did so as he just placed his bare hand on top of the shot glass and smashed it on the table. To top things off, I found myself chewing and chewing and chewing on the oyster that was in the warm beer for what seemed to be a very long time. It was one of the worst oyster shooters I have ever had and also the first one I have ever had served in beer and not some sort of clear hard liquor. Unfortunately by this time, I had already placed my food order.

The photo above was my first course, as recommended by our server, Tuna Chili. According to our server, they go through gallons upon gallons of this stuff and everyone loves it. Well let me be the first one to say, "I hated every bite of it". Just the pure presentation of this bowl made me think thoughts that one should not think about right before they are about to eat something. It had a horrible texture and the flavor was so fishy that I could only bear to eat about 5 bites and I had all I could take of this dish.

My main course, also again recommended by our server, half dozen Oysters Rockefeller. As you can see, they do not go light on the spinach. Not always a bad thing, but again, not always a good thing either. If spinach is not properly cooked and seasoned or fresh, it is no good. Urban legend says that reheated cooked spinach can in some cases cause death. Well, I'm still alive and I'm almost positive that this was reheated spinach. The oysters were fairly large, but again were chewy. Also tucked under that melted cheese and bread crumbs was more bad spinach. $10 wasted on something that I considered to be completely inedible.

The wife kept is simple as she really wasn't feeling this place from the moment we walked in and went with your basic Caesar Salad and an order of Southwest Shrimp Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch. Simple enough, but somehow they were nothing special. I think they forgot to order the frozen shrimp egg rolls and instead ordered the Southwest egg rolls from their food supplier. Not one single piece of shrimp was to be found. She was able to eat two pieces before she just gave up and I upon further inspection could not find any shrimp either.

I know that everything in a good or bad restaurant experience when it comes to the food is all in what you order, but with Bimini's, I only ordered what was recommended and it wasn't good. Maybe it is my fault for trying a new restaurant out that no one really knows about on a Saturday afternoon, but really, I expected much more. I may have gone into this experience with too high of expectations, but they were quickly shattered. To top it all off, the service was very lacking. After our meal and sitting for about 20 minutes waiting for our bill I finally had to walk into the restaurant to track down our server and then when it came time to actually pay, I waited another 10 minutes for my credit card to be picked up that I again had to proceed to the bar area inside to finally pay.

Bottom Line: I hope that my visit was just an isolated instance as I truly would like to see them turn it around on the quality of the food they are serving. Apparently they know what they are doing if they have been in business since 1985 in Myrtle Beach. I think they just need to spend a little more time and attention to the finer details on the new location and properly train the staff (mainly the cooks) that are working the slow shifts. Focus on the quality and please do not serve day old, reheated tuna chili anymore.

The Cazbah: Greenville, SC

2012-07-11T07:30:00.000-04:00

The hubby and I left the kids with Grandma for a night and headed to downtown Greenville. We had heard great things about the Cazbah and we love to try lots of new things and share and compare, so the tapas bar theme was right up our alley. Just around the corner from Main Street, this little joint is only slightly off the beaten path, but nevertheless just that half-a-block makes it that much more difficult to spot. It is a tiny building and not very boldly marked which doesn't help either. The entry is very narrow with a host stand right in front of you. It does open up a bit but there are still only about 6 tables and the bar in the main area with a small private room in the corner. There is an upstairs, but there was a private party going on the day we were there, so we didn't get to check it out.

For being touted as one of the classier joints in the Greenville area, I have to say the appearance of the staff was anything but. Grizzly Adams-like facial hair, untucked shirts with beer bellies hanging out, basic black t-shirts you'd find at the Gap...not what I would have expected to find and an upscale restaurant. Not to mention the staff that evening (cooks, servers, bartenders) were all young 20-something males who were more concerned with carrying on their own conversation about girls and parties and sports than taking care of their customers. There was only one server...the only female in the place...that acted, spoke and was dressed to the standard of what I expect at a place like that and she happened to be helping the party upstairs. My husband and I kept wondering why on earth she would work there and put up with the belching brotherhood. Some things I will never understand...

As for the food...I have mixed reviews. Above you see the Lobster Cigars (lobster, cream cheese, and spices) which are served with a teriyaki glaze. The price is $6.95 for TWO. Yes...only TWO. We added an additional two for $2.95 a piece. They were decent...but honestly there was hardly a recognizable size chunk of lobster to be tasted. For about $3 a piece...that thing better be filled with lobster! Instead we realized we'd spent nearly $13 on four "glorified" cream cheese wontons.Very disappointed.

Above is pictured the Maine Taters which are apparently "back by popular demand." Not sure who the "populars" are that "demanded" these back on the menu, but I wasn't impressed. Yukon Gold smashed potatoes topped with Maine Lobster and Asiago cheese. Sound like it should be good, right? What I tasted: dry potatoes with little to no flavor and only one Lobster claw to share with maybe 3-4 shreds of cheese on top. That one only runs you $4.95 so is one of the more economical choices, but again...the flavor just wasn't there.

Next up we tried the Lobster Ravioli. I was nervous as the Lobster so far in every dish we tried was nearly nonexistent. The menu describes this as Pasta stuffed with succulent lobster, cream cheese and pecans. Served with a parmesan cream sauce. The sauce was decent but there were only 3 raviolis in this dish, all of which were essentially empty, deflated sacks. No lobster present and hardly any cream cheese. For $7.50...I can go to Olive Garden and get more and better tasting ravioli!!

Finally we tried the Fusion Tuna Tartar described as Sashimi grade yellowfin tuna diced in a blend of avocado, coconut milk, toasted sesame seeds, fresh ginger, cilantro, chilies, lime juice and seasoned with soy sauce. Served on top crostini bread. Freakin’ delicious! All I can say is: Freakin' NOT!!! Again, only 3 on the plate, burnt crostini and a ceviche mix made with over-ripe avocado, maybe 1oz. of tuna total and the juice of about 50 limes for that added bit of pucker (sense the sarcasm). That disappointment set us back nearly $9.

To each their own...some people would really like this place. The ingredients were fresh so I give them that. But I still found the flavors to be really off-balance and the supposed key ingredients to be lacking on all of the dishes we tried. And I found everything to be extremely overpriced based on what we actually got. If the dish was served as the menu led me to believe it would be, I would have been happy. But when you tout succulent Lobster and Sashimi Grade tuna...you better deliver. And in my opinion...they just didn't. I won't be returning and I am grateful that on that particular visit, we had a Groupon. Makes the disappointment that much more bearable.

P. Simpson's Hometown Grille: Simpsonville, SC

2012-07-09T10:30:00.000-04:00

P. Simpson's Hometown Grille, where to begin. I have been putting off this write-up for over a month in order for me to drop in again and get a better feel and overall more complete understanding on what this place is. First impressions are a high-end dining establishment located in a strip-mall in downtown Simpsonville. Southern comfort food presented with fresh quality ingredients with a little bit of an identity issue with a small plate offering that really is just a way for them to refer to the appetizer/salad menu (it is no Tapas bar).

I went ahead and made reservations via Opentable.com since they were one of the 1,000 dining rewards restaurants, BIG mistake. I didn't even realize that my opentable account and strugglinghomebrewer.com are linked together thus making a reservation at 5:30 on a weeknight and being the only people in the restaurant. Needless to say, service was excellent, maybe too excellent to the point where we were uncomfortable. Our main server did a fine job all on his own making sure we were taken care of and all, but then they threw in a second server to check on us in-between of our regular server. Then we also had the owner trying to take care of us as well. It was almost to the point where we interacted more with the staff and owner of the restaurant more than I was able to enjoy my family and my meal. Needless to say, this is why I needed to go back and experience things at a different time and setting before I could write this.

All of that aside, let’s talk about the food. After several trips to P. Simpson's, I have learned one thing (and this is just my opinion) on this fine local restaurant who I believe is a huge contributor to the wonderful community of Simpsonville, stick with the small plates! What you see above is probably one of the single most desirable appetizers I have ever had. Stuffed Hot Banana Peppers, Italian Sausage, Roasted Tomato Sauce, Parmesan Cheese...8. You get two whole banana peppers each stuffed with an Italian sausage that the owner has shipped in fresh from his hometown in Ohio somewhere. The tomato sauce, not sure if it is homemade or not, but it has such wonderful sweet flavor and compliments the pepper and sausage well. This dish is absolutely to die for and one that I constantly rave about to others. Sit at the bar, have a cocktail, and order this dish.

On our first, uncomfortable visit with the entire family, we each ordered entrees. I went with Ava Jane’s Shrimp and Grits, Country Ham Crème Sauce, Blackened Shrimp, Fresh Tomato and Spinach Grits…17. The wife went with “3 Generations” Angus Sirloin, Hand Cut Aged “Certified Angus, Fresh Vegetables, Roasted Red Potatoes, and Sautéed Mushrooms…16. I see a ton of reviews about how overpriced this place is etc... But I'll be honest; it really isn't overpriced at all. I can see it both ways just from firsthand experience, but if they were putting out the quality of food they say they are, then this place is a bargain and you would pay, in some cases, twice as much downtown for the exact same meal. My shrimp and grits had plenty of room for improvement, mostly in the shrimp, but overall the dish was wonderful.

Here is where the value could possibly be critiqued a little, the shrimp used were maybe a 35-40 count in size and were way overcooked by the time it arrived to the table. Now instead of putting a dozen or so tiny shrimp where you lose all control over quality in the preparation, I would have preferred to see 4 or so much larger shrimp where you can control the cooking quality much easier and present a much higher quality dish, but again, this is just personal preference. The wife's steak wasn't anything special, but it wasn't bad either. The presentation was a little sloppy at best, but overall a quality cut sirloin that was seasoned properly and cooked perfect to the wife's Medium well.

As for a family friendly establishment, I was a little nervous going into this place as my perception of the Upstate and higher-end restaurants it offers are not as kid friendly as you would find in other parts of the country. P. Simpson's is not one of those. They are about as kid friendly as Chuck E. Cheese's and that is the honest truth. They bring the kids markers and let them color all over the walls, in every little nook and cranny and the kids just loved every part of it. Overall, it also gives the restaurant a nice feel and very comfortable setting and not the stuck-up environment I was expecting. Lesson learned, don't judge a book by its cover and try out local restaurants even if what you find online scares you away (for example this site, just one man and family's opinion).

Bottom-line, my family and I will be making P. Simpson's a regular stop on our family favorites list of local family owned places, but we will be sticking to the small plates (appetizer) menu. The bar area is as unique in character as the restaurant itself and offers two complete different dining experiences in one restaurant. Take the wife out for Tapas and cocktails and sit in the bar, or take the whole family and friends out for dinner and get a little bit of everything on the small plates menu to share. I know my kids are begging to go back and I will have to cave in again someday, but for now, this place is a favorite for just the wife and I to enjoy some quality time away from the kids.

On a separate note, in an effort in try to increase traffic to our little blog more (we currently average about 7,500-10,000 visitors a month and want to see that double in size next year so we stay motivated to continue doing what we are doing), we created a Facebook page for our readers. In the months ahead, we will be giving away a gift certificate to one of our lucky fans on our Facebook page to this very restaurant. More details to follow, but don't wait and like us on Facebook now!

Your Pie: Greenville, SC - $1 Pizza Birthday Event

2012-07-03T14:55:00.002-04:00

I have not been to this particular restaurant before, but I must say that I am extremely excited to try the pie out for myself at this event next week with my family as we celebrate my oldest daughters birthday. Extra bonus, they also serve craft beer (this is what really got my attention).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

YOUR PIE GREENVILLE CELEBRATES ITS FIRST BIRTHDAY ON 7/12

$1 Pizzas, Dough Throw Competition, & Chance to Win FREE Pizza for a Year

Greenville, South Carolina – July 2nd, 2012 – Your Pie Greenville is excited to celebrate its one-year anniversary on Thursday, July 12th, 2012. This family-friendly celebration will feature $1 Your Pie pizzas, a dough throw competition and the fresh, high quality ingredients and family atmosphere that the South Carolina Upstate has come to know and love. The $1 Pizza Anniversary celebration event will take place at 1461 Woodruff Road, Suite E, in Greenville and will begin at 11am and end at 9pm.

In addition to celebrating their one year anniversary by serving up the Greenville area $1 pies, Your Pie will be giving away a year’s worth of free pizza to one lucky Upstate resident. To register for the contest, simply visit facebook.com/YourPieGreenville. If the store reaches 1,000 fans by their one year anniversary, they will randomly select one of their fans to receive FREE Your Pie for a year.

Your Pie Greenville was founded in July 2011 and since that time has become a favorite among families, young professionals and foodies. Over the past year, the restaurant has embraced the Upstate community and has been active supporters of community organizations including the J.L. Mann baseball team and drama club. One way Your Pie Greenville contributes to the community is through hosting percentage nights. These events are evenings when the store partners with a non-profit and a percentage of sales of people who come in and mention the partner non-profit are donated to the organization. Your Pie Greenville’s General Manager, Chase Amason and his team have enjoyed helping Greenville Express Their Inner Pizza over the past year and look forward to working with the community and serving up delicious, personalized brick oven pies for years to come.

The Greenville location is open every day from 11am-9pm Sunday through Wednesday and 11am-10pm Thursday through Saturday. Prices generally range from $6.50-$8.50. Catering for special events and celebrations are also available. For more Your Pie Greenville news, updates, and specials visit https://www.facebook.com/yourpiegreenville.

Waterfront: Edisto Island, SC

2012-06-11T09:00:00.000-04:00

Like I have said in previous posts, we've hit just about every restaurant in Edisto. The Waterfront was one of the only places open during the lunch hour on a Sunday morning so we decided to check it out. They offer a buffet style breakfast and lunch on Sundays. The breakfast buffet has your standard pancakes, fruit, bacon, etc. The lunch buffet is more southern style favorites like corn, grits, green beans, gumbo, biscuits, slaw, fried chicken, etc. Supposedly it is all served until 3 p.m. but my daughters got quite upset when they wanted more pancakes and the kitchen staff began pulling the trays around 2:00p.m.

The service here was really quite slow and awful. They were not even that busy with maybe only 6 tables worth of people and only about 30% full. Our server had our table and one other yet didn't waste a minute telling us how she had hoped it would be a nice, relaxing Sunday morning. I told her I was sorry to have ruined her day.

My husband ordered the buffet and tried a little bit of everything (2 pictures above). The grits were obviously instant, the corn came from a can, the gumbo was mushy, the fried chicken was hardly fried as all of the batter had fallen off. Even the "peaches & cream poundcake" was simply frozen poundcake with canned peach bits & juice poured over the top. Nothing about any of it was made from scratch.

Our friend ordered a blue cheese burger (above). He said it was good, but he also noted that after waiting over an hour for our food (those of us who ordered off the menu and did not get the buffet had to wait over an hour...in a restaurant with 6 tables), he didn't know if it actually tasted so good or that he was so hungry he didn't care.

I ordered the crab cake sandwich and as you can see, the bun is twice the size of my crab cake. Heck...even the onion slice is bigger than the crab cake. The flavor was OK...but definitely not something I would rush back to order.

Our other friend ordered a grilled chicken sandwich topped with American cheese. Nothing special about this either. Like the other menu-items...it was not something that should have taken over an hour to make...especially not when it looked and tasted like it had been thrown together in a mere 5 minutes.

Bottom line: I would not recommend the Waterfront to anyone. The service stinks, the food stinks. Everything about this place just stinks. Go across the street to the Sea Cow. The service may not be much better but at least you will get fresh food and you'll get it fast.

Enterprise Pavilion: Edisto Island, SC

2012-06-08T08:30:00.000-04:00

On Edisto Island, there are public beach access areas every so often on the main drag. #1 happens to be conveniently located right next to the Edisto Pavilion restaurant and gift shop. When you're done at the beach, simply throw your stuff back in your car and head inside to get something to eat!

We decided to try some appetizers to start and chose the calamari (above) and the crab balls (below). I will say the calamari was some of the best and freshest I have ever had. The batter was nice and light and the calamari itself was cooked just right...not rubbery like it often can be. The dipping sauce that came with it was fantastic...a jalapeno honey jelly type mixture that had hints of both sweet and spicy. The crab balls were really disappointing as they were basically small crab cakes but battered very thickly to keep from falling apart in the fryer. You just couldn't taste the crab because of the greasy, thick batter. And if you can't taste the crab, then what is the point?

My husband ordered a bowl of the She-Crab soup and although it was clearly fresh (he found crab shell in it), it had not had the chance to thicken up and was quite runny for a cream-based soup. That didn't stop our 4-year-old who stole it and consumed the majority of the bowl. She has a tendency of doing that with soups. He also ordered the jalapeno poppers which he described as "horrible." In fact he only ate one and the rest sat on the plate. They were obviously not fresh and were plucked from the freezer somewhere just prior to being dropped in the fryer.

I chose one of the daily specials which was Mahi-Mahi with 2 sides. The fish itself was a nice-sized portion...too bad it was very over-cooked. I have never before gotten fish stuck in my teeth. Corn on the cob...yes. Steak sometimes...yes. Fish...NO! It should be light and flaky but this was thick and dense. The coleslaw was some of the worst I have ever had and I was quite glad that I had ordered a simple baked potato as my other side. They would have had to try really hard to screw that up. It was at least edible which is more than I can say for the hush puppies that also accompany your entree. They give you a generous serving of TWO (yes only 2)...but I'm guessing this is because they may have noticed no one ever eats both! After the first...no one would dare eat the second. Just like the crab balls they are over-battered and very greasy.

Our friend ordered the daily special of yellow fin tuna. Like my Mahi...the portion size was good. He ordered his steak medium-well...and as you may have guessed...it came out more like a hockey puck. The color of the filet was not the red and white one would expect with a fresh piece of tuna, but rather it was grey and almost black in the middle. Not sure what was up with that?

Our other friend chose the Flounder and crab cake combo. I'm sensing a theme here...OVERDONE. The crab cake was exactly the same thing as the crab balls and were just Eehh.

Bottom line: If you're craving some Calamari, by all means head to the Pavilion. If it's fish you're in the mood for, please save yourself the disappointment and head to Whaley's instead. You'll pay less and get a better quality meal. Don't get us wrong, The Pavilion is still defiantly worth a visit at least once as the views cannot be beat, but you will also pay for that view as this is the only dining option directly on the ocean on the entire island. Stop into the bar located on the other side of the building for a cold beer and an appetizer and all your worries will go away!

Sea Cow: Edisto Island, SC

2012-06-06T09:30:00.000-04:00

When on Edisto Island, one of the most recommended and talked about restaurants is The Sea Cow. Like most visitors, we had to go and check it out for ourselves. It is nestled amongst a few older buildings and built up on stilts like most in the area. There is a nice deck that runs between them and the adjacent surf shop and gift shop. As you can see in the photo above, the decking wraps around the restaurant providing outdoor eating space. There is also a small screen porch to enjoy, or you can choose to sit inside, as we did, on a very humid day. It is a small place and we had a party of seven, so we had to wait a bit for our table. At first impression, the staff seem like they would rather be doing anything else than helping their customers. Each person we encountered was so disgruntled they couldn't even fake it if they had been paid a million dollars. But, we still hung in there because we had to see if the food was as good as everyone says it is. We also wanted to find out what Minnesota coleslaw is (at the top of the lunch menu they advertise that every sandwich is served with "Minnesota Cole Slaw"). Being from Minnesota, we weren't really sure what this meant as MN is not famous for coleslaw and in every good coleslaw that is served in MN, the sauce comes from a jar. When my husband asked our server about "MN Cole Slaw" she had no idea what the heck he was talking about and simply walked away and looked at him like he was a crazy man.

Above you will see the soup of the day which was She Crab Soup. My husband began eating it and spared a bite for me...just in time for our 4 year old to snatch it and eat the rest. It was absolutely amazing. You could tell it was made from scratch, with big bites of fresh crab throughout.

A friend of ours ordered the Shrimp Po Boy and had nothing but excellent things to say about it. Lightly battered shrimp in a generous size and portion amount. Served with crispy fries, coleslaw and a side of tartar sauce.

I wanted something lighter so I chose the Shrimp Salad, served with a bagel, coleslaw and fresh fruit. I was a little afraid because I usually hesitate to order any mayonnaise-based menu items. I always wonder if they will be fresh and I get extremely turned off if there is TOO much dressing as I'd like to actually taste the food...not the mayo. But I was pleasantly surprised. The pile of chopped shrimp took up almost half of my plate and was lightly coated and seasoned so beautifully I couldn't stop talking about it. I loved having it paired with the fruit...it made for a refreshing and satisfying meal on a hot day.

Another friend ordered the Moo Cobb Salad which included greens, grilled chicken, bacon, onion, eggs and Feta cheese. A very simple salad but done very well with fresh ingredients.

My husband ordered the Shrimp & Grits which he will tell you repeatedly that they were the #1 Shrimp & Grits he has ever had. He was in love with the gravy and was thrilled that there was almost as much of that as there were grits. The amount of shrimp was plentiful also and the grits themselves were flavorful and creamy.

After all of that food, we couldn't resist trying some of their famous homemade pie. Above is the Apple Peach which our friends say was incredible. Below is the Bourbon Pecan Pie which my husband loved nearly as much as his Shrimp & Grits.

I chose the Coconut Cream pie and I can honestly say, this pie was the single best dessert I have ever eaten. Light, creamy, plenty of coconut flavor but not too sweet. Heaven. That pie was just Heaven. My husband even found out who was responsible for making these incredible homemade pies and he had to make sure she knew we enjoyed them. He proceeded to give her a high-five and then thought for a quick second about ducking, not knowing if she was going to smack him upside the head or not. She didn't and he actually got her to smile. A very nice finish to our perfect meals.

The bottom line: We have now tried just about every restaurant on Edisto Island. Service at all of them is lacking a bit, even at the Sea Cow. BUT...the Sea Cow...BY FAR...has the best food. Not a single bite of anything we had could have been complained about. It was all fresh and plentiful and cooked perfectly. Next time we are down in that neck of the woods...this is where I will be eating.

FATZ EATZ and DRINKZ: Private Menu Tasting

2012-06-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

I received a recent email/invitation from Ted Nichols, Operating Partner of FATZ in Greer for a food tasting event for a new summer menu. I have never been to a FATZ so I wasn't really sure what to expect. My perception of the chain is just another Applebee's or Chili's. Also after receiving this I heard a rumor and read an article that FATZ is re-branding the now closed Woodruff location into a sports-bar concept called Tavern 24 and will be changing another upstate location to a fast food themed establishment to mirror Panera. This means that for the Upstate, we only have one FATZ location way the heck up on Wade Hampton in Greer and three run down locations in Spartanburg. Still intrigued...

Dear Tim,

As a valued member of the Blogger community, I'd like to extend to you the opportunity to be among a select group to participate in an exclusive preview of a sampling of our new Summer Menu.

This Private Menu Tasting is hosted by yours truly, Ted Nichols

along with

FATZ leaders Chip Hoskins, SC Area Partner and

Stephen Loftis, VP of Marketing

Thursday, May 24

4:30PM – 6:00PM

at FATZ Greer

Register by May 4, 2012!

Ted Nichols, Operating Partner

FATZ Greer

1361 W. Wade Hampton Blvd. Ste. A

Greer, SC 29650

I must say that I was kind of excited to attend this event and was all registered and set to go. About a week prior to the event I was sent my final registration and confirmation along with a consent waiver form that I needed to sign. No biggie, right? I went ahead and finalized the registration and was all set to go. I'll be honest, I never read the waiver in the beginning, but as the day arrived, I decided I had better check out what I agreed too first. Well, now I was back on the invitation website to make them aware that I would not be attending, but the site was already shut down so I was a no-show.

Here is why I decided not to go:

2. Assumption of Risk. I fully comprehend and accept all of the risks associated with my participation in the Event including, without limitation, food sickness, injuries (e.g., without limitation, those arising out of self-inflicted accidents or mishaps, other participants and the like) and death.

This wasn't the only item on the waiver that was just wrong, but I won't bore you with the whole three page affidavit they sent. I find it strange and odd that you would need to sign away your life during a food tasting event. To me this just screams "we are so unsure of our food that we need to test it out on some Human Rats first"! Maybe I over-reacted, but it still made me feel uneasy about the whole thing. Honestly, is this what the world is coming too? Soon we will need to sign waivers releasing any and all accountability from any restaurant and/or business prior to receiving service.

What would have you done if you were invited to this event and had to sign your life away like this to sample some food?

Sushi Murasaki: Downtown Greenville

2012-05-31T14:45:00.000-04:00

Sushi Murasaki located in Downtown Greenville has been a regular stop for us for the past year. This was the very first sushi the wife and I ever had in this town and one that we find ourselves returning to often. The quality of the fish is always consistent and one that we can always count on. The sushi chefs are always fun to chat with and to encourage them on. If you challenge a sushi chef with some of the freshest ingredients, you are going to get something special. On this particular visit, it was just No. 1 and I out for a little daddy/daughter fun day full of ice cream from the Marble Slab Creamery and cupcakes from The Chocolate Moose. After spending all morning and afternoon downtown running from one end to the other doing whatever No. 1 wanted to do, I found myself hungry for a real solid meal before the 7 o'clock Greenville Drive game that we were going to. The sweet little girl that I call No. 1 looked up at me with the biggest eyes and said, "Dad, you like sushi so much, why don't we go get you that. I can just eat those hot green beans that I like." So that's exactly what we did.

No. 1 ordered some Edamame for $3.50 and would not even share one with me, but that's OK, I snuck one anyway and wasn't too thrilled with them. They were a little soggy and did not snap like they should have and not one single morsel of salt was present. That is the best part, sucking the salt off the shell before you eat the soy bean inside. However, No. 1 had no complaints and actually impresses quit a few folks around with her mad chop-stick talents.

I on the other hand went with Ume Bento Box for $25.It included 3 pieces of shrimp tempura, shumai, gyoza, spicy tuna tempura roll, 3 pieces of Nigiri, chefs choice sashimi and a bowl of miso soup. This is probably the single most delicious thing you could possible image for the price. I think I ended up with 14 - 16 pieces of assorted Sashimi and probably the largest 3 shrimp tempura I have ever had. The gyoza was tasty as always and the freshness of everything keeps one coming back.

I wish I could say the same thing for the service as I do about the food. This is the place where you need to stay away from the bar unless you are a single male looking to hit on some of the most stuck-up bartenders in the world. Sit at a table and if the place is packed, wait for a table, it is worth it. The male bartenders are the work horse behind the bar and the female bartenders just sit there and look pretty while they fix their hair and look down upon you. You can come to your own conclusions about the service, but make sure that when you walk past the sushi counter, say hello to the sushi chefs as they will keep an eye on you and where you are sitting and make your order a little extra special.

Bottom line: Sushi Murasaki has some of the freshest fish I have yet to encounter in Downtown Greenville. It is always consistent and you can trust that your meal will always be served with the utmost care and attention to all the details that you never knew was imaginable. Some of the prices on the specialty rolls are a little high, but don't let the price scare you away, they are worth every single penny and once they arrive, you will agree. I personally recommend the Texas Rainbow roll and the Aquarium roll. Those two rolls alone are enough to feed two people and probably not clear the plate. The creativity that goes on behind that counter is simply indescribable.

Downtown Greenville has a total of 5, maybe 6 sushi restaurants and this is the only one I have ever been to. I would love to hear what other sushi restaurants in the downtown area other people enjoy and what their favorite items are.

Sushi Murasaki
2 South Main Street
Greenville, SC 29601
http://www.sushimurasaki.net

Sugar 'n Spice Drive In Restaurant: Spartanburg, SC

2012-05-30T11:00:00.000-04:00

When you think of Drive-In restaurants and Spartanburg, SC most people think of the Beacon because all the hype is happening over on that side of town. Not for me however, the Beacon is just average (and I say average very loosely) greasy spoon food that you get thrown at you while being yelled at. When I think of Classic Drive-In food, Sugar -n- Spice is where the real greasy spoon food and passion is at.

As I walked through the door and figured out how the cafeteria style dining works, I was quickly reminded how wonderful "Southern Hospitality" really is again. I stepped up to the order window and was greeted by Mr. Pete Copses himself, the legend behind the counter for more than 50 years.. He quickly realized that I wasn't from around these parts and that he didn't recognize me and quickly started asking me questions. When I said that I had just relocated to South Carolina just a short 11 months ago, he along with everyone in the entire kitchen stopped what they were doing, turned around and welcomed me to South Carolina and Sugar -n- Spice. While my Jumbo Cheeseburger was cooking, he was very quick to tell me exactly what I needed to order and try on my next visit (apparently the chili here is the real deal).

I went with what many say is the most popular menu item, the Jumbo Cheeseburger, Double patty burger topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo served with fries and onion rings. A-Plenty - $6.95. After about 3 minutes I found myself sitting in a booth drooling over this plate full of food. Looking all around the restaurant and seeing people of all type enjoying the hospitality and tables piled high full of food, I quickly dug-in. This burger was no Juicy Lucy, but let me tell you, this burger is absolutely worth everyone's time to make the trip up to Spartanburg for. The soft classic seed bun with a very tasty pile of meat and some darn fresh ingredients piled high to perfection. I think I know what the secret is behind this burger tasting so good, but you will have to be your own judge on that. The staff taking frequent breaks (during a slowdown in the line) from behind the counter to pop-a-squat with the regulars and strike up conversations. They even stopped by after I had completed my meal to make sure everything was good and Mr. Pete Copses striking up another conversation as I was on my way out.

Bottom line: The secret behind the grilled burgers (and everything that comes off the grill for that matter) is the 51 years that they have been cooking on that thing. Good burgers come with time and decades of seasoning that piece of iron with quality and fresh ingredients. The fact that for 51 years a restaurant hasn't changed one single thing about its recipes and is still with the original family is what makes this place so amazing to visit. This place is by far the number one on my list for that small town, greasy spoon meal that everyone craves every now and then. Please don't listen to me though, make a stop and find out for yourself. Once you pull into the parking lot and find a parking space under the old drive in, the smells coming from the building will start to make your mouth water. My only problem is that you can smell it for a three block radius and I drive by this place every single day! It is hard to resist.

Sugar -n- Spice Drive-In:
http://www.thespicerocks.com
212 South Pine St
Spartanburg, SC 29302
864-585-3991

Olive Tree Pizza and Grill: Mauldin, SC

2012-05-21T14:30:00.000-04:00

Out of desperation and at the request of my 4 year old, I found myself sitting at a dirty table in the middle of yet another Greek/Italian restaurant. Olive Tree Pizza and Grill describes themselves as, "Healthy food, good prices, excellent service in one of the best dinning places in upstate South Carolina. A Greek-Italian restaurant where tradition is still present!! Homemade lasagna, delicious pasta dishes, fresh salads and traditional Greek plates." I would describe them as, "Store bought pizza dough, greasy and over priced".

The place was nearly a ghost town with a whopping two other people in the joint at 12:30 on a Saturday afternoon (I now know why). Service was severely lacking and the place was filthy. I had to clean my own table and wipe off the booth seats before I could allow my child to take her seat. Lets just say that it really didn't start off with a bang!

Pizza it was, half Pepperoni and half Sausage. Since I ordered half and half, one would imagine that they would only charge you for a total of one topping, but nope, I was charged an additional $4.50 for one topping on each half of the pizza. What seemed like an eternity our pizza finally arrived. I'll keep this as simple as possible for everyone, it wasn't even eatable pizza. The first bite was just OK, but after all the grease had penetrated its way through the very nasty and fake tasting cheese layer, the crust became cardboard. Actually, I think I would have rather eaten cardboard.

That is all I got to say about that!

As you can see, my little one still had a good time and is always ready for any and all photo opportunities that come her way! I asked her for her review of the place and her comment was, "Daddy lets go home and just leave the pizza here. I don't think mommy will really like this, Tony's is way better."

Monsoon Noodle House: Spartanburg, SC

2012-05-17T10:00:00.000-04:00

The Monsoon Noodle House in Spartanburg burnt down right before I moved to this wonderful state. It is finally OPEN for business again. When I asked about the re-opening, no one really seemed to know anything about it, "I think we have been open a week or three" was the most common answer. I cannot compare the new design to what the old restaurant used to look like or how the food is (although I am going to assume the food is very similar if not the same) to the old restaurant, but I can say that the decor and layout of this place is wonderful. It is very clean and open with a vibe that encourages conversation with the two strangers sitting across from you.

Ever since I left Minnesota last May and my old office right down the street from the best Pho restaurant I have ever stepped foot into, I have been a little scared to try it in the south. That doesn't mean I haven't been craving it almost every single week. Not only that, not a single noodle or Vietnamese restaurant is convenient to anything in Greenville. They are all north of the city in an area that I am rarely ever seen.

With that said, I ordered the #1 Noodle Bowl, Pho Vietnamese Noodle Soup with beef for $7.35. Typical Pho is served up in some super rich beef broth with not too much in it to start with. This is one of the great things about Pho if you have never experienced it for yourself (every bowl is made to your liking by YOU). Along with a massive portion of "soup" larger than your head, you get a side plate with all the fixings. You then get to doctor it up to your liking. I have to say, the only negative thing about Monsoon Noodle House was the side plate of garnishing. It was missing the Cilantro as the Pho itself already was served with two or three leaves in it (clearly not enough) already and no fresh jalapeno slices. The Basil was not the freshest and had started to wilt and go bad the day prior and only one tiny lime wedge. Other than this little issue I got nothing else bad to say about this place.

The Pho itself was freaking fantastic (after adding tons of hot chili sauce and a few dashes of hoisin), the huge portion of beef that was served with it was the most tender beef I have ever encountered in this type of dish. I actually felt bad watching the petite waitress trying to carry this massive sized bowl with the side plate and all the condiments that come along with it, but she managed to get it delivered in one piece. People actually turned their heads to see this thing get delivered and one man commented to the waitress if she needed help with that.

The "M" below I thought was supper cool. This is the engraving of all the new chairs in the place. Not one single thing was sacrificed or a single corner cut in the new opening of this place, including the portion sizes and quality of food. Prices are below what "normal" should be which just makes this place an even bigger draw for me and the hundred or so people that were piling through the door.

Bottom Line: This place is a true gem, but you don't need me to tell you that as I am just one among the thousands of people who love this place. The food is kept very simple, yet the quality and intense flavors are not left behind. You could tell that the staff was still in that "chaotic, new restaurant" stage, but it wasn't bad as things seemed to run fairly smooth (just one manager politely telling staff what to do when doing nothing) . I just wish that they had more marketing to get the word out that they are once again open for business after being closed for nearly a year. I honestly didn't even know they were open again and I cannot find anything on the interweb stating this. I just happened to be walking past by mistake after losing out on my parking spot to a cop on Main Street.

Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine: Greenville, SC

2012-05-15T11:45:00.000-04:00

Having cravings for Thai food at least once a week, Sweet Basil on Pelham and 14 was this week’s restaurant of choice. Not really knowing too much about it prior to walking into the strip mall restaurant, I had very high expectations instantly. As I walked in I was overwhelmed, it wasn't like anything I have ever experienced in Thai dining before. The restaurant was actually nice and the wait staff actually was "REAL" wait staff. They were friendly from the second I walked in the door to the second I steeped foot out the door.

After having issues with the spice level at so many Thai restaurants in the Upstate, I decided I would go back to my roots and just order my food "Thai HOT" rather than this silly 1-10 scale that actually can go up to 30 at select restaurants, but only if you are in the know.

The online menu shows a lunch menu option, but I was given what appears to be just the standard dinner menu without any lunch options. This was fine by me as this menu is simply amazing. It is like nothing I have ever seen in my life. It is a combination of all of my favorite Thai restaurants rolled-up into one menu. The fresh seafood items, duck, all the different curry options along with Chef Mana's Specials make this the most complete and interesting menu I have ever come across.

I knew that I needed some good Tom Yum and ordered myself a small bowl of Tom-Yum Goong, Thai spicy shrimp soup with lemon grass, lime juice, chili paste, cilantro, red onion and mushroom. $5.95. Unfortunately my picture never made it onto my phone, but let me tell you, this soup was amazing and I have been craving it ever since. The server even asked me how spicy I would like my soup as this place is the real deal. It was a very nice size portion and included three perfectly cooked jumbo shrimp. If you have never tried Tom Yum or never have had good Tom Yum, this is a must try if you never try anything new again.

For my main entree, I decided to try something from the Wok menu and ended up with the Pad Prik-King. A choice of meat (beef) stir-fried in Thai wild curry paste (no coconut milk) with red/green bell pepper, green bean, and kaffir lime leaf. $10.95. I was quickly brought this beautifully presentation of an egg roll and sauce on a miniature platter. Normally egg rolls don't do too much for me after being spoiled for so long with fresh made egg rolls back in Minnesota, but I can honestly say this thing was good. So good in fact I actually wanted more of them. What a wonderful way to start off the perfect meal. As soon as I finished with my little appetizer, my meal had arrived. At first glance and a few smells of the plate full of spices, I knew I was going to be in trouble. "Thai HOT" is how I like almost everything I eat regardless of what it is. And I could see that this plate had a hand full, if not two of fresh Thai peppers, both green and red chopped up and incorporated throughout the entire meal. What a wonderful addition, usually I am used to a restaurant just throwing in some additional cayenne or crushed peppers with some sriracha to spice it up for the crazies.

The dish itself was extremely spicy and I loved every single bite of it. My only complaint would be that the kaffir lime leaves were not present at all in the dish, but that is probably due to all the Thai chili peppers I had consumed. The beef was perfectly cooked and tender as could be. The portion size was decent, although for $11 I would have liked to see a little more beef on the plate, but I won't be too picky as this was seriously one of the best Thai meals I have ever had. Not only was the food perfect in every way, the service and environment in which you dine in was everything I have been looking for.

Bottom line: If you love Thai food or hate it, Sweet Basil has something on the menu that will satisfy anyone. The elaborate menu to the truly authentic Thai dishes makes this place a must visit for everyone and one place that I will be returning to as often as possible. It is worth a stop just for the Tom Yum and make sure you order it however spicy or not spicy you like it.

Fiddler's Crab House: River Street - Savannah, GA

2012-05-10T13:57:00.000-04:00

Steamed Seafood Platter: Steamed snow crab legs, shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams, and crawfish served with choice of 2 side items. $28.99

After doing as much research as one would possibly want to do on finding the best place in a new town to eat, the Hubby decided that Fiddler's Crab House was the lucky winner of our final meal in Savannah.With so many choices on the River Walk, this was almost the most difficult decision that we had to make while on our 9-day family vacation. Turns out that our decision was a good, although pricey, one.

Seafood Alfredo: Large shrimp and tender sea scallops sauteed with sliced mushrooms in a creamy Alfredo sauce. Served with garlic bread and your choice of Garden or Caesar Salad. $21.99

The Hubby ordered the Steamed Seafood Platter (top photo) which was a huge portion of perfectly seasoned steamed shellfish of all varieties. I was in a pasta mood so I ordered the Seafood Alfredo (above) which was delicious. I was a bit surprised at the portion size of pasta, however as my eldest ordered the children's Alfredo (below) and had nearly the same about of noodles on her plate. The seafood in mine was fantastic and plentiful, but I'm not sure it accounted for the difference of $15 in the two dishes.

Children's Alfredo. $6.99

Our middle and more adventurous child chose the fried shrimp (below). The children's entrees were good, they both enjoyed them, but if you've read any of my other posts, you'll know that I HATE overpaying for kids' meals. And again, that is exactly how I felt about Fiddlers. $6.99 for some noodles and sauce is just too expensive and 6 fried shrimp should run a person no more than $6.99. BUT, to their credit, the food is delicious and they happen to be one of the most popular restaurants in the most popular area of Savannah, so hey...if people will pay for it (we obviously did) kudos to them for profiting from it.

Children's Fried Shrimp. $8.99

Even after all the food pictured above, we still couldn't leave without dessert. We ordered 3 items to share and between our family of 5, I don't think there was a single morsel left on any of the plates. The seafood was good...the dessert was surprisingly fantastic. The price, again, was a bit steep in my opinion at $5.99 per small slice, but sometimes a person/family just has to splurge.

Key Lime Pie, Raspberry Cheese Cake & Chocolate Cake. $5.99 each

Bottom line with Fiddlers is that you'll get a pretty cool, relaxed, river-town atmosphere with excellent food. You'll get a good menu selection with both seafood and non-seafood items that appeals to everyone. You'll pay a steeper price on many of the items than you might at a similar joint that wasn't on River Street in Savannah, GA...but like I said before...sometimes you just gotta splurge.