Date
5/6/09
Location
On the Pavilion end of the Downtown Mall
415 East Main Street
What I ate
Chicken noodle soup, BBQ-basted meatloaf sandwich with fries
Who went
Kasia, Erik, Matt, Xander
Thoughts
The Nook is the Downtown Mall's "classic diner" offering. It has the hallmarks - breakfast, a variety of options, an emphasis on sandwiches - and adds in some flair with some nicer entrée options and a decently-sized dessert menu. Unless there's more seating, the place is really small; I know they do have seating outside, weather permitting. They probably have decent capacity, but the tables feel relatively cramped together. That said, with quick, friendly service and a few other employees (cooks?) milling about and talking to other customers, the place had a nice, homey feel.
My soup was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary. Pay attention, this will be a theme. It had nice, big pieces of white meat - I'd imagine a soup and salad would make a pretty filling lunch - but was like so many other chicken soups I've had before. That isn't to say this is a bad thing, especially since one of the comforts of a diner is the familiarity, but just an observation. My piece of meatloaf dwarfed the roll on which it was served to the point where I couldn't see the bottom piece of the roll without lifting the meatloaf. It was a really big piece of meatloaf, but the bun was small and boring; it felt like they bought an 8-pack of rolls at the grocery store and tossed it on the grill for a minute to give it a little bit of texture. I guess it's a step above picking up the meatloaf with my hands, though. The meatloaf itself was good, but a little bland. Since it was a sandwich, I like the drier piece and the hint of smokiness was delicious, but the whole thing was just too dry. There was barely any BBQ sauce and what was there was all along one side. You don't have to drown it in sauce, but maybe a cup on the side or a stronger baste would have made the sandwich significantly better. The fries were crisp, light, and really tasty.
No one had any dessert, though the milkshakes tempted more than one of us. Also, I'm intrigued by breakfast, but don't think I'll ever find myself in that area when it's time to eat breakfast. Look for comments from everyone else. The sense I got from listening to them is that they make a good macaroni and cheese and need to learn how to make sweet tea.
Recap
Pros - Varied menu, filling portions
Cons - Dry sandwich with a small and wimpy bun, apparently bad sweet tea
Overall - A solid but not spectacular option. With all of the specialty places on the Mall, it's nice to have an "American and Varied Menu" option with good variety. It's definitely worth a visit if you're a regular on the Mall, but I don't think there's a reason to become one of the regulars.
Also - thanks to Matt and Kasia for coming with me to the Downstream Project reception and screening, even before they knew there would be food.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Mona Lisa Pasta
Date
4/16/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
931 Preston Avenue
What we ate
Chicken and pepperoni pizza, saffron pasta, squid ink pasta, artichoke pesto sauce, Amatricciana sauce, stuffed grape leaves
Who came
Nora, Matt, Tiff
Website
http://www.monalisapasta.com/pasta.htm
Thoughts
First, a brief explanation of how this WEDS was different from most other WEDS. Passover ended at sundown today. Being Jewish, I have not eaten bread (pizza, pasta, crackers, etc.) since last Wednesday and a gathering for pizza or pasta is the traditional fast-breaking meal. Also, Mona Lisa is a take-out place and specialty grocery combined, not a sit-down place. I took orders, picked up our food, and brought it back to my apartment for relaxed enjoyment.
If you like to cook, especially Italian food, you have to pay a visit. The specialty grocery section is full of great, varied items and will give you a bunch of ideas. In case you want to let someone else do the work, you can take home frozen dishes. Take a look at the menu on the website; I kept reading back and forth across across the ravioli options because there were some great options. A few of the restaurants in Charlottesville who focus on local ingredients use Mona Lisa pasta for their dishes. You can also peruse the sauces and spreads since they're kept in a fridge near the front. The deli section is a little limited in variety, but looks excellent in quality. I was very close to walking out with a ball of smoked mozzarella.
We made it just under the wire for putting in our pizza order and had a little time to deliberate between the pasta options. It's just really cool to have fresh cut pasta and be able to pick both the flavor and the size; it gives you a kind of control over the process you don't get from normal take-out places. Between the different pastas, sauces, pizzas, and sandwiches, Mona Lisa has a nicely varied menu, provided you want Italian food. Hopefully, you wouldn't be there if you weren't in that kind of mood.
Enough of that, time to talk about how the food tasted. The pizza was apparently really good (I didn't have any) and the grape leaves were alright. I don't recall having grape leaves before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The pasta only takes 90 seconds in boiling water to cook and comes out with a nice al dente texture. The saffron pasta had an awesome smell and, while the flavor was there, it wasn't particularly strong. The squid ink had a slightly stronger taste but would've probably shined a bit more if we paired it with one of the seafood-based sauces. The pesto was garlicky and the artichoke flavor was a bit mild, but it worked well with either pasta. Look for comments from the other three about the pizza and Amatricciana sauce.
Overall
Pros - Great selection, tons of options, easy preparation, tasty food
Cons - Some flavors were a little too weak for my liking
Overall - Really good food. If you need a specialty item from the grocery section for your own dish or just want some good Italian food at home without much work, this is definitely your place.
4/16/09
Location
In the Preston Square shopping center
931 Preston Avenue
What we ate
Chicken and pepperoni pizza, saffron pasta, squid ink pasta, artichoke pesto sauce, Amatricciana sauce, stuffed grape leaves
Who came
Nora, Matt, Tiff
Website
http://www.monalisapasta.com/pasta.htm
Thoughts
First, a brief explanation of how this WEDS was different from most other WEDS. Passover ended at sundown today. Being Jewish, I have not eaten bread (pizza, pasta, crackers, etc.) since last Wednesday and a gathering for pizza or pasta is the traditional fast-breaking meal. Also, Mona Lisa is a take-out place and specialty grocery combined, not a sit-down place. I took orders, picked up our food, and brought it back to my apartment for relaxed enjoyment.
If you like to cook, especially Italian food, you have to pay a visit. The specialty grocery section is full of great, varied items and will give you a bunch of ideas. In case you want to let someone else do the work, you can take home frozen dishes. Take a look at the menu on the website; I kept reading back and forth across across the ravioli options because there were some great options. A few of the restaurants in Charlottesville who focus on local ingredients use Mona Lisa pasta for their dishes. You can also peruse the sauces and spreads since they're kept in a fridge near the front. The deli section is a little limited in variety, but looks excellent in quality. I was very close to walking out with a ball of smoked mozzarella.
We made it just under the wire for putting in our pizza order and had a little time to deliberate between the pasta options. It's just really cool to have fresh cut pasta and be able to pick both the flavor and the size; it gives you a kind of control over the process you don't get from normal take-out places. Between the different pastas, sauces, pizzas, and sandwiches, Mona Lisa has a nicely varied menu, provided you want Italian food. Hopefully, you wouldn't be there if you weren't in that kind of mood.
Enough of that, time to talk about how the food tasted. The pizza was apparently really good (I didn't have any) and the grape leaves were alright. I don't recall having grape leaves before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. The pasta only takes 90 seconds in boiling water to cook and comes out with a nice al dente texture. The saffron pasta had an awesome smell and, while the flavor was there, it wasn't particularly strong. The squid ink had a slightly stronger taste but would've probably shined a bit more if we paired it with one of the seafood-based sauces. The pesto was garlicky and the artichoke flavor was a bit mild, but it worked well with either pasta. Look for comments from the other three about the pizza and Amatricciana sauce.
Overall
Pros - Great selection, tons of options, easy preparation, tasty food
Cons - Some flavors were a little too weak for my liking
Overall - Really good food. If you need a specialty item from the grocery section for your own dish or just want some good Italian food at home without much work, this is definitely your place.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Horse and Hound Gastropub
Date
3/18/09
Location
On Main Street just on the downtown side of the Amtrak station
625 West Main Street
What I ate
Zucchini, corn, herb fritters; Wahoo Beer Burger (onions braised in Guinness with mushroom ketchup)
Who went
Kelly, Matt
Website
http://horseandhoundgastropub.com/
Thoughts
My burger was awesome. It was well-prepared, a true medium-rare, and flavorful. The onions didn't add that much taste and the mushroom part of the mushroom ketchup was almost non-existent, but the burger was so good I almost didn't notice. I like my fries to be a bit crispier than what I had, but they were also tasty. Between a big burger and the fries, I was sated and got my money's worth. The fritters were light and had great texture, but lacked a bit on taste. My plan wasn't to use them as simply a vehicle for the mustard or pepper jelly, but that's what I ended up doing. It's an idea I think I'd like to try, but it was definitely overpriced and I would've been fine with just my burger.
The beer list looked great, but the three of us had just donated blood, so we weren't going to be drinking any beer. I recommend looking at the list on their website and it seems like it could be nice to share a pitcher of really good beer with a few friends. You aren't going to just get a pitcher because beer goes with your burger; you're going to get a beer that is going to require a bit of attention and that's a good thing.
The walls are covered with pictures of horses, people on horses, and general horse-riding scenes. Kelly was even able to pick out some local riders. On a nice day, I'd imagine the fenced-in patio is a great place to sit and the seats inside weren't bad, either. Our waitress was very good, quickly refilling water glasses and paying us a good bit of attention. Our food wasn't out instantaneously, but we definitely weren't waiting long to start eating.
Recap
Pros - Awesome burger at a good price, great beer list, good service
Cons - Appetizers are overpriced, Matt and Kelly didn't seem as enthusiastic their food, especially Matt's portion
Overall - If you're going for a burger, it's awesome. The reactions of the others make me think it's overall a notch below great, but I'll definitely be back, especially when the weather gets nicer.
3/18/09
Location
On Main Street just on the downtown side of the Amtrak station
625 West Main Street
What I ate
Zucchini, corn, herb fritters; Wahoo Beer Burger (onions braised in Guinness with mushroom ketchup)
Who went
Kelly, Matt
Website
http://horseandhoundgastropub.com/
Thoughts
My burger was awesome. It was well-prepared, a true medium-rare, and flavorful. The onions didn't add that much taste and the mushroom part of the mushroom ketchup was almost non-existent, but the burger was so good I almost didn't notice. I like my fries to be a bit crispier than what I had, but they were also tasty. Between a big burger and the fries, I was sated and got my money's worth. The fritters were light and had great texture, but lacked a bit on taste. My plan wasn't to use them as simply a vehicle for the mustard or pepper jelly, but that's what I ended up doing. It's an idea I think I'd like to try, but it was definitely overpriced and I would've been fine with just my burger.
The beer list looked great, but the three of us had just donated blood, so we weren't going to be drinking any beer. I recommend looking at the list on their website and it seems like it could be nice to share a pitcher of really good beer with a few friends. You aren't going to just get a pitcher because beer goes with your burger; you're going to get a beer that is going to require a bit of attention and that's a good thing.
The walls are covered with pictures of horses, people on horses, and general horse-riding scenes. Kelly was even able to pick out some local riders. On a nice day, I'd imagine the fenced-in patio is a great place to sit and the seats inside weren't bad, either. Our waitress was very good, quickly refilling water glasses and paying us a good bit of attention. Our food wasn't out instantaneously, but we definitely weren't waiting long to start eating.
Recap
Pros - Awesome burger at a good price, great beer list, good service
Cons - Appetizers are overpriced, Matt and Kelly didn't seem as enthusiastic their food, especially Matt's portion
Overall - If you're going for a burger, it's awesome. The reactions of the others make me think it's overall a notch below great, but I'll definitely be back, especially when the weather gets nicer.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
12th Street Taphouse
Date
3/11/09
Location
On Main St. just east of the Corner
1202 W. Main Street
What I ate
Baked brie with apples, strawberries, and blueberries, and bourbon-glazed meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a brown sugar gravy
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Suzie, Lindsay, Xander
Thoughts
This place is great. The space has a small profile but extends back pretty far giving it a big, roomy feeling. The ceilings feel a little low, but that could be because of how deep the space is. It is well-lit and very open. There are a bunch of little steps and somewhat odd incomplete walls, but the space is divided up nicely, striking a nice balance between a feeling of compartmentalization and privacy with openess and warmth. Hopefully, they'll open the roof up to seating as the weather gets nicer just as their predecessor, Northern Exposure, did. Also, much as I enjoy the Beatles, I wish whoever was controlling the music went for a little more variety. That's enough about the space, let's talk about the food.
My food was delicious and based on what people were saying around the table (and how often they were not talking) I think everyone else was quite happy with their fare, too. I was initially worried because of the rumors I've been hearing around town about it being a clone of Michael's Bistro because the ownership used to be part-owners there, too. Not that the food at the Bistro is bad (it's good), but I'd rather go to Michael's for drinks than for food. It's almost impossible to make baked brie drizzled with honey and served with fruit not taste delcious. Their's was great, though I could've used a little more bread. Maybe they could've pre-sliced the piece we had into smaller pieces to make it go a bit futher, but I'm nit-picking now, so I'll stop.
My meatloaf was awesome. It was well-cooked and flavorful with great texture. One of my biggest complaints about meatloaf is that it can fall apart making it feel like I'm just eating a bowl of ground beef. The edges of mine were almost crispy and it maintained its shape, despite being easy to cut. The potatoes were just a little on the creamy side of ideal, but were really tasty and mixed with the also-tasty gravy. A bite of all three (meatloaf, potatoes, gravy) was just delicious - the empty plates in front of me and Matt (who also had the meatloaf) were proof of this. I also had a bite of Kelly's pasta and keilbasa, which was really good; it had a good little kick to it.
Our waitress had a lot of personality and made good conversation. I don't always like a talkative server, but when a place is this new and the staff is willing to answer questions about the place, it goes a long way to helping give the place character. It's really difficult to read the boards with the list of beers on tap (a dozen!) and food specials, but she told us what each said. The beer list is very extensive which, as someone who much prefers draught, isn't particularly interesting. That said, they have plenty of beers on tap. I happily admit I was trying to decide between the beers on tap and thought about food/beer combinations when making my choice. Also, our waitress told us this is their third dinner menu in the six weeks they've been open, so they seem sensitive to diner feedback and will hopefully keep an eye on seasonal ingredients.
Recap
Pros - Delicious, varied food, great beer selection, friendly staff
Cons - Appetizers were a little overpriced (beers and other food was well-priced, bordering on cheap)
Overall - Awesome. I'm really excited about the prospect of walking down the street after leaving work for a nice dinner a lot in the future, especially as the weather gets nicer.
3/11/09
Location
On Main St. just east of the Corner
1202 W. Main Street
What I ate
Baked brie with apples, strawberries, and blueberries, and bourbon-glazed meatloaf with mashed potatoes and a brown sugar gravy
Who went
Kelly, Matt, Suzie, Lindsay, Xander
Thoughts
This place is great. The space has a small profile but extends back pretty far giving it a big, roomy feeling. The ceilings feel a little low, but that could be because of how deep the space is. It is well-lit and very open. There are a bunch of little steps and somewhat odd incomplete walls, but the space is divided up nicely, striking a nice balance between a feeling of compartmentalization and privacy with openess and warmth. Hopefully, they'll open the roof up to seating as the weather gets nicer just as their predecessor, Northern Exposure, did. Also, much as I enjoy the Beatles, I wish whoever was controlling the music went for a little more variety. That's enough about the space, let's talk about the food.
My food was delicious and based on what people were saying around the table (and how often they were not talking) I think everyone else was quite happy with their fare, too. I was initially worried because of the rumors I've been hearing around town about it being a clone of Michael's Bistro because the ownership used to be part-owners there, too. Not that the food at the Bistro is bad (it's good), but I'd rather go to Michael's for drinks than for food. It's almost impossible to make baked brie drizzled with honey and served with fruit not taste delcious. Their's was great, though I could've used a little more bread. Maybe they could've pre-sliced the piece we had into smaller pieces to make it go a bit futher, but I'm nit-picking now, so I'll stop.
My meatloaf was awesome. It was well-cooked and flavorful with great texture. One of my biggest complaints about meatloaf is that it can fall apart making it feel like I'm just eating a bowl of ground beef. The edges of mine were almost crispy and it maintained its shape, despite being easy to cut. The potatoes were just a little on the creamy side of ideal, but were really tasty and mixed with the also-tasty gravy. A bite of all three (meatloaf, potatoes, gravy) was just delicious - the empty plates in front of me and Matt (who also had the meatloaf) were proof of this. I also had a bite of Kelly's pasta and keilbasa, which was really good; it had a good little kick to it.
Our waitress had a lot of personality and made good conversation. I don't always like a talkative server, but when a place is this new and the staff is willing to answer questions about the place, it goes a long way to helping give the place character. It's really difficult to read the boards with the list of beers on tap (a dozen!) and food specials, but she told us what each said. The beer list is very extensive which, as someone who much prefers draught, isn't particularly interesting. That said, they have plenty of beers on tap. I happily admit I was trying to decide between the beers on tap and thought about food/beer combinations when making my choice. Also, our waitress told us this is their third dinner menu in the six weeks they've been open, so they seem sensitive to diner feedback and will hopefully keep an eye on seasonal ingredients.
Recap
Pros - Delicious, varied food, great beer selection, friendly staff
Cons - Appetizers were a little overpriced (beers and other food was well-priced, bordering on cheap)
Overall - Awesome. I'm really excited about the prospect of walking down the street after leaving work for a nice dinner a lot in the future, especially as the weather gets nicer.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Cavalier Diner
Date
3/5/09
Location
On 29 southbound right by the bypass
1403 North Emmet Street
What I ate
Corned beef sandwich
Who went
Kelly, Sam, Ryan, Xander, Mike
Website
http://www.thecavalierdiner.com/
Thoughts
Eh, I'll give 'em some time to get on their feet. Right now, it's just a very unremarkable diner-type food place. The place has potential - a good, varied menu with a lot of the staples, breakfast all day, open layout, old vaguely Greek or Italian guy doling out orders - but it just needs some time. Not that the bar was that high, but it's already at or above the quality of Sam's Kitchen, the place it replaced. My sandwich was pretty good though a little bit poorly constructed and I really could've used some spicy mustard, but it was still alright. Things around the table seemed to draw similar "Eh, it's fine" responses. I'll definitely go back, but I might give it some time first.
I want to be fair and point out that they really seem to be planning things well along the diner model. The menu has a bit of everything and the breakfast menu is varied, too. I fear they are not in the best spot because you have to drive to get there whereas a place like the Italian Villa is easily within walking distance for students and other townspeople. There were very obvious growing pains, made a bit more obvious by our trial-by-fire waiter (who was very nice and helpful, but a bit scatterbrained), but I like the potential. Check back in a few weeks.
Recap
Pros - Good, varied menu, good prices, well-lit (especially relative to what it replaced)
Cons - The place exudes disorganization.
Overall - There's solid potential once they get more established, but it's just not there yet.
3/5/09
Location
On 29 southbound right by the bypass
1403 North Emmet Street
What I ate
Corned beef sandwich
Who went
Kelly, Sam, Ryan, Xander, Mike
Website
http://www.thecavalierdiner.com/
Thoughts
Eh, I'll give 'em some time to get on their feet. Right now, it's just a very unremarkable diner-type food place. The place has potential - a good, varied menu with a lot of the staples, breakfast all day, open layout, old vaguely Greek or Italian guy doling out orders - but it just needs some time. Not that the bar was that high, but it's already at or above the quality of Sam's Kitchen, the place it replaced. My sandwich was pretty good though a little bit poorly constructed and I really could've used some spicy mustard, but it was still alright. Things around the table seemed to draw similar "Eh, it's fine" responses. I'll definitely go back, but I might give it some time first.
I want to be fair and point out that they really seem to be planning things well along the diner model. The menu has a bit of everything and the breakfast menu is varied, too. I fear they are not in the best spot because you have to drive to get there whereas a place like the Italian Villa is easily within walking distance for students and other townspeople. There were very obvious growing pains, made a bit more obvious by our trial-by-fire waiter (who was very nice and helpful, but a bit scatterbrained), but I like the potential. Check back in a few weeks.
Recap
Pros - Good, varied menu, good prices, well-lit (especially relative to what it replaced)
Cons - The place exudes disorganization.
Overall - There's solid potential once they get more established, but it's just not there yet.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Continental Divide
Date
2/12/09
Location
On your way to Downtown, across from the Amtrak station
811 W. Main Street
What I ate
Texas hummus, Bison and beef meatloaf with bourbon BBQ sauce
Who went
Kelly and Matt
Thoughts
First things first, finding this place is not a sure thing. We looked for a while and found one thing that says "Continental Divide" apart from the menus - it's a small lit sign behind the bar. Look for the "Get In Here" green fluorescent sign to find this place. Now that you've found it, the review can actually start.
The hummus was pretty good. It had a better consistency than most store-bought varieties and the "Texas" part came through as a nice little spicy kick. It wasn't strong, but it persisted. The chips were a bit on the salty side, but this place is known for their margaritas, so that's probably by design. The meatloaf was tasty, but I didn't taste much difference between it (bison and really good beef) and the stuff I've made before (regular ground beef). That said, I'm sure those meats are healthier and putting anything through the grinder is probably going to dampen the quality, so I won't complain about that. I will, however, complain about the sauce. I'm sure some people like the meatloaf to stand on its own, but I could've used a fair bit more sauce and more flavor in the sauce. The cheesy potato whatnot on the side was a nice complement and the vegetables helped, too. Now that I think about it, the meatloaf alone was a little disappointing, but the plate was really good with the parts eaten together.
The place has a nice, warm feeling to it with interesting paintings and pictures on the wall. Part of that, though, might be because it gets crowded quickly. They don't care, they actually embrace that as part of the atmosphere by posting "Too loud, too crowded, too bad" near the bar. The no-nonsense attitude theme continues on the menu which warns that "[u]nruly children will be fed to the cooks". This atmosphere might scare away someone in search of a quiet, calm dinner, but you're in the wrong place if that's what you seek.
The service was pretty good. The food came out quickly and no one reached the bottom of their glass during the meal. We were handed the wrong credit card recipt initially and didn't see our server again for a while, but I know how tempermental those machines can be and the place was packed, so that's at least partially forgiven. The prices on food are very reasonable and they could add another tap or two, but they have a decent selection of bottled beers. I'm not a big tequila fan, so I'm probably not doing this place full justice. If any of you have gone here for drinks, please post your comments!
Recap
Pros - Pretty good food, good service, and fair prices
Cons - Somewhat limited menu (especially entrees for vegetarians), tough to find if you've never gone before
Overall - Nothing spectacular, but it's a solid choice. If you're in the mood for a nice, loud night out and some good tex-mex food, go here.
2/12/09
Location
On your way to Downtown, across from the Amtrak station
811 W. Main Street
What I ate
Texas hummus, Bison and beef meatloaf with bourbon BBQ sauce
Who went
Kelly and Matt
Thoughts
First things first, finding this place is not a sure thing. We looked for a while and found one thing that says "Continental Divide" apart from the menus - it's a small lit sign behind the bar. Look for the "Get In Here" green fluorescent sign to find this place. Now that you've found it, the review can actually start.
The hummus was pretty good. It had a better consistency than most store-bought varieties and the "Texas" part came through as a nice little spicy kick. It wasn't strong, but it persisted. The chips were a bit on the salty side, but this place is known for their margaritas, so that's probably by design. The meatloaf was tasty, but I didn't taste much difference between it (bison and really good beef) and the stuff I've made before (regular ground beef). That said, I'm sure those meats are healthier and putting anything through the grinder is probably going to dampen the quality, so I won't complain about that. I will, however, complain about the sauce. I'm sure some people like the meatloaf to stand on its own, but I could've used a fair bit more sauce and more flavor in the sauce. The cheesy potato whatnot on the side was a nice complement and the vegetables helped, too. Now that I think about it, the meatloaf alone was a little disappointing, but the plate was really good with the parts eaten together.
The place has a nice, warm feeling to it with interesting paintings and pictures on the wall. Part of that, though, might be because it gets crowded quickly. They don't care, they actually embrace that as part of the atmosphere by posting "Too loud, too crowded, too bad" near the bar. The no-nonsense attitude theme continues on the menu which warns that "[u]nruly children will be fed to the cooks". This atmosphere might scare away someone in search of a quiet, calm dinner, but you're in the wrong place if that's what you seek.
The service was pretty good. The food came out quickly and no one reached the bottom of their glass during the meal. We were handed the wrong credit card recipt initially and didn't see our server again for a while, but I know how tempermental those machines can be and the place was packed, so that's at least partially forgiven. The prices on food are very reasonable and they could add another tap or two, but they have a decent selection of bottled beers. I'm not a big tequila fan, so I'm probably not doing this place full justice. If any of you have gone here for drinks, please post your comments!
Recap
Pros - Pretty good food, good service, and fair prices
Cons - Somewhat limited menu (especially entrees for vegetarians), tough to find if you've never gone before
Overall - Nothing spectacular, but it's a solid choice. If you're in the mood for a nice, loud night out and some good tex-mex food, go here.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The Home Place
Date
2/5/09 (about an hour after the end of my interview)
Location
Out in the mountains
4968 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba, VA
What I ate
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, pinto beans, cherry cobbler
Who went
Rebecca, Nicole, Ivy, and Nate
Website
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/kdesrosi/thehomeplace/
Thoughts
I can't remember being so full after a meal that wasn't Thanksgiving. For $13, you get two meats and all of the sides - all you can eat. That also includes drinks; they have a great lemonade that is a bit strong for most. The service is great and the food is good. They sacrifice a little bit of quality for the quantity and speed, but when good food arrives at my table less than two minutes after ordering, it's really tough to complain. Our waitress was very nice and we had refills offered within a minute of running out of anything.
You'll have to ask the others about the pork BBQ, but since it's a Thursday specialty, I'm sure it was delicious. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits (with awesome apple butter) were all really good. The beans (green, pinto) were alright, but a little on the bland side. They complemented the rest of the meal pretty well, but were just boring by themselves. The cobbler was really tasty and well balanced - cold, sweet vanilla ice cream with warm, tart cherries. This definitely felt like a reward for getting through my interview. I was worried about being so tired from digesting that I would have trouble driving back home, but there was still just enough room in my stomach for some good coffee.
A quick anecdote about the interview: They provided cookies for us while we waited for our turn. Since I had a while between the tour and my interview, I saw a bunch of students; a lot of them asked me if I wanted to partake in the great cookie offering. When I told them I was saving my appetite for the Home Place, almost every one of them suddenly found a face of understanding and commented on what a good decision this was. It's a little bit of a hike from anything, but it's well worth the trip.
Recap
Pros - Good food and drinks, all you can eat, great service
Cons - Hours and location may be troubling
Overall - Don't let the timing and drive get in your way. Go here. You will enjoy it.
2/5/09 (about an hour after the end of my interview)
Location
Out in the mountains
4968 Catawba Valley Drive, Catawba, VA
What I ate
Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, pinto beans, cherry cobbler
Who went
Rebecca, Nicole, Ivy, and Nate
Website
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/kdesrosi/thehomeplace/
Thoughts
I can't remember being so full after a meal that wasn't Thanksgiving. For $13, you get two meats and all of the sides - all you can eat. That also includes drinks; they have a great lemonade that is a bit strong for most. The service is great and the food is good. They sacrifice a little bit of quality for the quantity and speed, but when good food arrives at my table less than two minutes after ordering, it's really tough to complain. Our waitress was very nice and we had refills offered within a minute of running out of anything.
You'll have to ask the others about the pork BBQ, but since it's a Thursday specialty, I'm sure it was delicious. The fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits (with awesome apple butter) were all really good. The beans (green, pinto) were alright, but a little on the bland side. They complemented the rest of the meal pretty well, but were just boring by themselves. The cobbler was really tasty and well balanced - cold, sweet vanilla ice cream with warm, tart cherries. This definitely felt like a reward for getting through my interview. I was worried about being so tired from digesting that I would have trouble driving back home, but there was still just enough room in my stomach for some good coffee.
A quick anecdote about the interview: They provided cookies for us while we waited for our turn. Since I had a while between the tour and my interview, I saw a bunch of students; a lot of them asked me if I wanted to partake in the great cookie offering. When I told them I was saving my appetite for the Home Place, almost every one of them suddenly found a face of understanding and commented on what a good decision this was. It's a little bit of a hike from anything, but it's well worth the trip.
Recap
Pros - Good food and drinks, all you can eat, great service
Cons - Hours and location may be troubling
Overall - Don't let the timing and drive get in your way. Go here. You will enjoy it.
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