Date
November 20, 2008
Location
Downtown, right by where they have the Farmer's Market
106 W South Street
What I ate
Chicken breast with BBQ sauce and cheddar cheese on a kaiser roll with fries; Satan's Pony Amber Ale
Who went
Matt and Suzie
Thoughts
The food was really good. It is, overall, just a solid place. The selection seems a little limited, but there is enough variety that you can find something to eat, as long as you aren't a vegetarian. I think there was one entree on the menu that didn't include meat. They also have a good variety of beers, letting you mix and match your beer with your dinner. My chicken was well-cooked and, while the roll lacked a little heartiness, the sandwich held together. The fries are tasty and crispy, though a few pieces were burnt.
My beer was a nice compliment to the chicken; it was nice and light but still tasty. Matt got the porter, which was delicious. I'm sure it would work beautifully alongside a burger. Ask him about that and his satay bowl. Suzie had nice things to say about the cider, though her stuffed trout was apparently a little boring.
The only real gripe was about the service, and it wasn't all that bad. Our beers were out very quickly but it just took a little while for the food to arrive. I have definitely waited much longer elsewhere and it wasn't so long that we ran out of conversation topics, but it just felt like the food could've found us a minute or two earlier. I think our waitress, who was nice and helpful when talking to us, was a little overextended as we were preparing to leave; it took a few tries to flag her down to get the bill and then pay. Again, this is not exclusive to South Street and wasn't that big of a problem, but there was a little room for improvement.
They do a good job with the pub feel - lots of wood (tables, chairs, walls) and good lighting makes the place feel warm and comfortable while the high ceilings give lots of space, making sure you don't feel cramped. It seems like a great place to go, especially with the weather getting colder, to hang out and have a few beers after wandering the Mall. I'll have to go back again soon.
Recap
Pros - Tasty food, cozy atmosphere, good beers
Cons - Service was a little slow, not vegetarian-friendly
Overall - High marks. There wasn't much to complain about unless you don't eat meat. They have good food and beers, and nothing seems particularly overpriced, especially for that area of town. This was my first time dining there, but it definitely won't be my last.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Meal Club!
Hey everybody! Take a look at this!
http://mealclub-weds.blogspot.com/
They apparently have restaurants out in Oregon, too. While you might not be visiting these establishments, I'm sure Squid will give you some good reading material and important information if you ever visit the Pacific Northwest. He travels a lot more than I, so you can expect to see a pretty wide range of eateries reviewed.
http://mealclub-weds.blogspot.com/
They apparently have restaurants out in Oregon, too. While you might not be visiting these establishments, I'm sure Squid will give you some good reading material and important information if you ever visit the Pacific Northwest. He travels a lot more than I, so you can expect to see a pretty wide range of eateries reviewed.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Mas
Date
November 7, 2008
Location
Belmont, right by the Local and Belmont BBQ
501 Monticello Road
What I ate
Tortilla espanola, warm goat cheese and artichoke hearts spread, roasted pumpkin with sugar and lavender honey, Babaganoush, yellowfin tuna - grilled rare - with tomato aioli, cannelloni with chicken and roasted peppers
Who went
Matt, my mom and sister
Website
http://www.mastapas.com/
Thoughts
I've been here before, and the food is tasty, but I'm not sure I was really in the mood for tapas; I think that really shaped my perception of how good this meal was. The food was still tasty (with a few notable exceptions, see below) and I felt full, but I was mentally prepared for dinner and focusing on one large dish. I just wasn't thinking about working to take a bite of this, a sampling of that. If you're looking for tapas, this is a great place. If you're not actively seeking small portions of a variety of dishes and lots of conversation for dinner, you might want to steer clear.
First, the good. The tuna was delicious. I would've been very happy to get a big plate of this, concentrate on the tuna and just sample a few other things to supplement. It was well cooked with a great texture in the middle and somewhat crispy edges. The tomato aioli didn't have much flavor, but was a good complement. The goat cheese was very tasty and the Babaganoush was awesome. I don't generally like eggplant, but the seasoning was just right and it even had a little bit of a kick. I would be very content to just have these three dishes.
Now, the not-so-good. The tortilla espanola and cannelloni were just a little boring. They tasted alright, but they were a little bland. The cannelloni just needed a more spices but I'm not convinced the tortilla espanola can stand on its own like that. It'd be great under something or maybe with vegetables (peppers? onions? broccoli?) mixed into it. I don't want to mess with the dish, but to make it a bit more quiche like could be a good thing (tm). That leaves us with the pumpkin. It was just overdone. The skin stayed moist and helped the texture a little bit, but the meat was just mush that stayed in the oven a little too long. The sweet butter came through, but I don't think it is supposed to carry the dish; it didn't, but there was still something missing. The lavender honey could have saved this, but was barely noticeable. The squash part of this dish rotates with the seasons, so I'm not giving up on the idea, but I think the pumpkin, especially roasted for so long, is one to avoid.
Everything was good as far as non-food issues go. Our waiter was very nice and patient, answering any questions we had about specific dishes or about the tapas experience in general. We made it down to ice a few times in our glasses, but he returned with the pitcher of water shortly thereafter. The food arrived in spurts which a) was not told to us, b) probably depended on when certain dishes were finished cooking, and c) may have helped because I'm not sure we would've known what to do with 7 dishes in front of us. Yes, I only list 6, but there was a dish Matt had - I'll let him post his thoughts in the comments section if he so chooses. Given the quality of the ingredients and the thoughtfulness of the menu (it's fun to just read the menu and think about certain dishes) it's not that expensive. It's not cheap, but you can definitely get a good sampling of things and feel sated for around $20 after tax and tip.
Again, I really like the menu and enjoyed rereading it a few minutes ago when I double-checked what I ate. It's a little ham-heavy (in Spanish cooking? No me digas!) but there is plenty on there for vegetarians and even celiacs. I especially like the emphasis on integrating local ingredients when possible.
Recap
Pros - tasty food, good portions, excellent tapas experience overall, patient wait staff
Cons - some flavors were surprisingly bland
Overall - If you're in the mood for tapas, it's awesome. The food is tasty and the portions are appropriate. It's not cheap, but not overpriced, and the experience is just great. If you're not in the mood for tapas, you're probably going to leave a little disappointed, while still enjoying the food. I'm sure I'll be back, but I just have to make sure I'm in the right mindset for tapas. This place won Best of Cville for a reason.
November 7, 2008
Location
Belmont, right by the Local and Belmont BBQ
501 Monticello Road
What I ate
Tortilla espanola, warm goat cheese and artichoke hearts spread, roasted pumpkin with sugar and lavender honey, Babaganoush, yellowfin tuna - grilled rare - with tomato aioli, cannelloni with chicken and roasted peppers
Who went
Matt, my mom and sister
Website
http://www.mastapas.com/
Thoughts
I've been here before, and the food is tasty, but I'm not sure I was really in the mood for tapas; I think that really shaped my perception of how good this meal was. The food was still tasty (with a few notable exceptions, see below) and I felt full, but I was mentally prepared for dinner and focusing on one large dish. I just wasn't thinking about working to take a bite of this, a sampling of that. If you're looking for tapas, this is a great place. If you're not actively seeking small portions of a variety of dishes and lots of conversation for dinner, you might want to steer clear.
First, the good. The tuna was delicious. I would've been very happy to get a big plate of this, concentrate on the tuna and just sample a few other things to supplement. It was well cooked with a great texture in the middle and somewhat crispy edges. The tomato aioli didn't have much flavor, but was a good complement. The goat cheese was very tasty and the Babaganoush was awesome. I don't generally like eggplant, but the seasoning was just right and it even had a little bit of a kick. I would be very content to just have these three dishes.
Now, the not-so-good. The tortilla espanola and cannelloni were just a little boring. They tasted alright, but they were a little bland. The cannelloni just needed a more spices but I'm not convinced the tortilla espanola can stand on its own like that. It'd be great under something or maybe with vegetables (peppers? onions? broccoli?) mixed into it. I don't want to mess with the dish, but to make it a bit more quiche like could be a good thing (tm). That leaves us with the pumpkin. It was just overdone. The skin stayed moist and helped the texture a little bit, but the meat was just mush that stayed in the oven a little too long. The sweet butter came through, but I don't think it is supposed to carry the dish; it didn't, but there was still something missing. The lavender honey could have saved this, but was barely noticeable. The squash part of this dish rotates with the seasons, so I'm not giving up on the idea, but I think the pumpkin, especially roasted for so long, is one to avoid.
Everything was good as far as non-food issues go. Our waiter was very nice and patient, answering any questions we had about specific dishes or about the tapas experience in general. We made it down to ice a few times in our glasses, but he returned with the pitcher of water shortly thereafter. The food arrived in spurts which a) was not told to us, b) probably depended on when certain dishes were finished cooking, and c) may have helped because I'm not sure we would've known what to do with 7 dishes in front of us. Yes, I only list 6, but there was a dish Matt had - I'll let him post his thoughts in the comments section if he so chooses. Given the quality of the ingredients and the thoughtfulness of the menu (it's fun to just read the menu and think about certain dishes) it's not that expensive. It's not cheap, but you can definitely get a good sampling of things and feel sated for around $20 after tax and tip.
Again, I really like the menu and enjoyed rereading it a few minutes ago when I double-checked what I ate. It's a little ham-heavy (in Spanish cooking? No me digas!) but there is plenty on there for vegetarians and even celiacs. I especially like the emphasis on integrating local ingredients when possible.
Recap
Pros - tasty food, good portions, excellent tapas experience overall, patient wait staff
Cons - some flavors were surprisingly bland
Overall - If you're in the mood for tapas, it's awesome. The food is tasty and the portions are appropriate. It's not cheap, but not overpriced, and the experience is just great. If you're not in the mood for tapas, you're probably going to leave a little disappointed, while still enjoying the food. I'm sure I'll be back, but I just have to make sure I'm in the right mindset for tapas. This place won Best of Cville for a reason.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Rapture
Date
November 6, 2008
Location
Downtown Mall, right by 3rd street
What I ate
Thai bowl (sauteed vegetables and mushrooms with noodles in a spicy Thai sauce)
Who went
My mom and sister
Website
http://www.clubr2.com/
Thoughts
The food was pretty tasty although it lacked a certain something without a protein. Yes, they offer chicken, shrimp, or tofu, but the bowl is $14 without and $19 with a protein. They did a good job with the flavors, especially in the sauce and some of the vegetables - the crunch of the carrots was quite welcome - but I fear for the other levels of spiciness. I asked for mine hot (as opposed to mild or medium) and there was a bit of a kick, but not nearly what I expected from the highest level, especially on a Thai dish. That said, the slaw in my sister's Thai beef tacos was apparently very spicy and the accompanying mango sauce had a good kick to it. My mom had pasta with smoked salmon, which was apparently delicious. My bowl was quite filling and, like I said before, very tasty but something just felt missing; maybe I'll have to go back and splurge for a protein.
Our waitress was very nice and made good conversation. She also had no problem taking back my mom's initial dish - it had parmesan cheese on top, something not mentioned on the menu - and we didn't run out of water. She automatically added gratuity without telling us, but that could be because I used a coupon; I'm not sure. After a little initial confusion, it wasn't really a problem.
Recap
Pros - Good food, varied menu (I have to try the fish and chips), friendly service
Cons - Some things are overpriced, website is out of date (a few offerings listed there sound delicious but weren't on my menu tonight)
Overall - The food is good, the people are nice, but it's nothing amazing. It's worth a visit every so often, but I don't think there's anything on the menu that I'd get repeatedly.
November 6, 2008
Location
Downtown Mall, right by 3rd street
What I ate
Thai bowl (sauteed vegetables and mushrooms with noodles in a spicy Thai sauce)
Who went
My mom and sister
Website
http://www.clubr2.com/
Thoughts
The food was pretty tasty although it lacked a certain something without a protein. Yes, they offer chicken, shrimp, or tofu, but the bowl is $14 without and $19 with a protein. They did a good job with the flavors, especially in the sauce and some of the vegetables - the crunch of the carrots was quite welcome - but I fear for the other levels of spiciness. I asked for mine hot (as opposed to mild or medium) and there was a bit of a kick, but not nearly what I expected from the highest level, especially on a Thai dish. That said, the slaw in my sister's Thai beef tacos was apparently very spicy and the accompanying mango sauce had a good kick to it. My mom had pasta with smoked salmon, which was apparently delicious. My bowl was quite filling and, like I said before, very tasty but something just felt missing; maybe I'll have to go back and splurge for a protein.
Our waitress was very nice and made good conversation. She also had no problem taking back my mom's initial dish - it had parmesan cheese on top, something not mentioned on the menu - and we didn't run out of water. She automatically added gratuity without telling us, but that could be because I used a coupon; I'm not sure. After a little initial confusion, it wasn't really a problem.
Recap
Pros - Good food, varied menu (I have to try the fish and chips), friendly service
Cons - Some things are overpriced, website is out of date (a few offerings listed there sound delicious but weren't on my menu tonight)
Overall - The food is good, the people are nice, but it's nothing amazing. It's worth a visit every so often, but I don't think there's anything on the menu that I'd get repeatedly.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Milan
Date
November 5, 2008
Location
1817 Emmet Street
Just south of Hydraulic Road
What I ate
Chicken Saag - chicken with spinach and herbs
Who went
Miles, Lauren, Ryan, Matt, and Ellen
Website
http://www.milan-indian-cuisine.com/
ThoughtsDelicious! The food was quite tasty. They give the table a tray of jasmine rice and everyone takes some, adds some of what they ordered, and enjoys. It made sharing and sampling very easy. Everything I tried was good and most of the descriptions in the menu were accurate while a few were quite vague. A few of the dishes had a hint of sweetness in the sauces, but nothing was overpowering. I asked for my dish medium (options are mild, medium, medium-hot, hot, Indian hot) and there was essentially no kick. Matt had a dish at medium-hot and said the same thing. It would've been nice if they delivered on the spicy, but I guess they just went the safe route; a dish that is too spicy is much less enjoyable than one that isn't spicy enough.
It took a while for someone to come take our order and the waiter was tough to hear, both speaking somewhat quickly and not loudly. That said, no one ever had an empty water glass and, once ordered, the food arrived promptly. They also had no issues taking my coupon.
There doesn't seem to be a big range of tastes on the menu as most of the dishes sounded similar with just a different spice here or a change in the preparation there, but subtle variations on delicious dishes can still be delicious. I definitely missed a few of the items from the lunch buffet, which probably come a la carte, but that's one of the natural advantages to a buffet. I think I prefer the buffet to dinner, but the dinner options are definitely worth sampling.
Recap
Pros - Delicious food, tough to go wrong with the menu
Cons - The colors on the walls are horrible; the waiter was tough to understand and the menu doesn't feel too varied, but that's nit-picking.
Overall - Highly recommended. Just pick something that sounds good because it probably is. Definitely get the naan.
November 5, 2008
Location
1817 Emmet Street
Just south of Hydraulic Road
What I ate
Chicken Saag - chicken with spinach and herbs
Who went
Miles, Lauren, Ryan, Matt, and Ellen
Website
http://www.milan-indian-cuisine.com/
ThoughtsDelicious! The food was quite tasty. They give the table a tray of jasmine rice and everyone takes some, adds some of what they ordered, and enjoys. It made sharing and sampling very easy. Everything I tried was good and most of the descriptions in the menu were accurate while a few were quite vague. A few of the dishes had a hint of sweetness in the sauces, but nothing was overpowering. I asked for my dish medium (options are mild, medium, medium-hot, hot, Indian hot) and there was essentially no kick. Matt had a dish at medium-hot and said the same thing. It would've been nice if they delivered on the spicy, but I guess they just went the safe route; a dish that is too spicy is much less enjoyable than one that isn't spicy enough.
It took a while for someone to come take our order and the waiter was tough to hear, both speaking somewhat quickly and not loudly. That said, no one ever had an empty water glass and, once ordered, the food arrived promptly. They also had no issues taking my coupon.
There doesn't seem to be a big range of tastes on the menu as most of the dishes sounded similar with just a different spice here or a change in the preparation there, but subtle variations on delicious dishes can still be delicious. I definitely missed a few of the items from the lunch buffet, which probably come a la carte, but that's one of the natural advantages to a buffet. I think I prefer the buffet to dinner, but the dinner options are definitely worth sampling.
Recap
Pros - Delicious food, tough to go wrong with the menu
Cons - The colors on the walls are horrible; the waiter was tough to understand and the menu doesn't feel too varied, but that's nit-picking.
Overall - Highly recommended. Just pick something that sounds good because it probably is. Definitely get the naan.
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