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.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
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.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Martha's Cafe
Date
1/29/09
Location
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Artichoke cheese bake, house salad with Thai peanut dressing, and pesto chicken sandwich
Who went
Suzie, Miles, and Matt
Website
http://marthascafe.com/homepage.html
Thoughts
Miles and Suzie lamented more than once that they had never visited this place before. Martha's is in an old house and there isn't much space, but what is there is quite cozy. Sadly, the place is for sale so it might not be around for much longer. Go while you still can! It's a great little place.
Our food was out quickly and finished in even less time. The appetizer wasn't much different from a lot of artichoke dips around the Corner, but it was quite tasty. They like to put cheese on a lot of things (get a quesadilla, trust me) which almost always helps. My sandwich could've used a little more between the bread, but what was there was delicious. The pesto was present but not overpowering and the goat cheese (see?) was a great addition. I'm usually partial to Asian salad dressings and the Thai peanut didn't disappoint.
Martha's is great for small groups. In addition to tasty food, the service is almost always quick, efficient, and unobtrusive. Sometimes, it's nice to have a waiter who wants to make conversation, but you're usually out to dinner with friends so you can talk to them. The place is also quirky enough (fish in the tub of the bathroom, art on the walls, etc.) to provide some conversation starters. If you're looking for a low-key place to go with a friend or three, you could do a whole lot worse.
Recap
Pros - The food is really good and the prices aren't high at all.
Cons - The beer list is in it's infancy, so we can't count that against them. Just don't take a big group because there's little room.
Overall - Tasty food, good prices, cozy atmosphere - all's well here if your part is less than 6.
1/29/09
Location
Elliewood Avenue, across from the Biltmore
11 Elliewood Avenue
What I ate
Artichoke cheese bake, house salad with Thai peanut dressing, and pesto chicken sandwich
Who went
Suzie, Miles, and Matt
Website
http://marthascafe.com/homepage.html
Thoughts
Miles and Suzie lamented more than once that they had never visited this place before. Martha's is in an old house and there isn't much space, but what is there is quite cozy. Sadly, the place is for sale so it might not be around for much longer. Go while you still can! It's a great little place.
Our food was out quickly and finished in even less time. The appetizer wasn't much different from a lot of artichoke dips around the Corner, but it was quite tasty. They like to put cheese on a lot of things (get a quesadilla, trust me) which almost always helps. My sandwich could've used a little more between the bread, but what was there was delicious. The pesto was present but not overpowering and the goat cheese (see?) was a great addition. I'm usually partial to Asian salad dressings and the Thai peanut didn't disappoint.
Martha's is great for small groups. In addition to tasty food, the service is almost always quick, efficient, and unobtrusive. Sometimes, it's nice to have a waiter who wants to make conversation, but you're usually out to dinner with friends so you can talk to them. The place is also quirky enough (fish in the tub of the bathroom, art on the walls, etc.) to provide some conversation starters. If you're looking for a low-key place to go with a friend or three, you could do a whole lot worse.
Recap
Pros - The food is really good and the prices aren't high at all.
Cons - The beer list is in it's infancy, so we can't count that against them. Just don't take a big group because there's little room.
Overall - Tasty food, good prices, cozy atmosphere - all's well here if your part is less than 6.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Dr. Ho's Humble Pie
Date
1/21/09
Location
About 10 miles south of Charlottesville along 29
3586 Monacan Trail, North Garden
What I ate
16" pizza, whole wheat crust, with green peppers, caramelized onions, and artichokes
Who went
Anjie, Suzie, Matt, Nora, Miles, and Patrick
Website
http://www.doctorhoshumblepie.com/
Thoughts
It's about as hole-in-the-wall as a pizza place can get and it wasn't my discovery, but I've been a big fan for a while now. This review is partly based on tonight's trip and partly on the other times I've gone; I think it gives a more useful picture.
Dr. Ho's is foremost a pizza place. They have some standard pizza-place specials but a few interesting ones you won't find most places. You have a lot of flexibility if you want to design your own pizza (we did this time) and they use great ingredients. I can't speak to the quality of the meats other than the chicken (great, especially the BBQ), but I typically hear sounds that indicate happiness from the people eating pizzas with bacon or pepperoni on them. The veggies usually stand up against the sauce and cheese.
The service isn't the friendliest, but it's usually efficient. The tables are a little on the small side; this is made more evident when your pizza arrives. That said, drinks are refilled quickly and the pizza arrives piping hot. In fact, you probably want to wait a little bit before eating your first bite.
The place is quite small and made even smaller once or twice a week when they bring in live music. As cool as the music can be, there's no separation between it and the diners, and it takes away some seats often leading to a wait to sit down. They only have two "large" tables, so don't bring a party there. The tables seat 4 easily and can be combined with some flexibility. The place is run by a bunch of hippies, but I mean that in a nice way. The mood is very laid-back.
Recap
Pros - The pizza is delicious. The menu is surprisingly varied (look past just pizza sometime) and I really like the atmosphere.
Cons - I didn't feel quite full afterwards. Also, cramming a band into the already-small space makes things quite cramped and conversation difficult.
Overall - It's still my favorite pizza place around here. I'll probably try to avoid nights when there's music, but it's always fun.
1/21/09
Location
About 10 miles south of Charlottesville along 29
3586 Monacan Trail, North Garden
What I ate
16" pizza, whole wheat crust, with green peppers, caramelized onions, and artichokes
Who went
Anjie, Suzie, Matt, Nora, Miles, and Patrick
Website
http://www.doctorhoshumblepie.com/
Thoughts
It's about as hole-in-the-wall as a pizza place can get and it wasn't my discovery, but I've been a big fan for a while now. This review is partly based on tonight's trip and partly on the other times I've gone; I think it gives a more useful picture.
Dr. Ho's is foremost a pizza place. They have some standard pizza-place specials but a few interesting ones you won't find most places. You have a lot of flexibility if you want to design your own pizza (we did this time) and they use great ingredients. I can't speak to the quality of the meats other than the chicken (great, especially the BBQ), but I typically hear sounds that indicate happiness from the people eating pizzas with bacon or pepperoni on them. The veggies usually stand up against the sauce and cheese.
The service isn't the friendliest, but it's usually efficient. The tables are a little on the small side; this is made more evident when your pizza arrives. That said, drinks are refilled quickly and the pizza arrives piping hot. In fact, you probably want to wait a little bit before eating your first bite.
The place is quite small and made even smaller once or twice a week when they bring in live music. As cool as the music can be, there's no separation between it and the diners, and it takes away some seats often leading to a wait to sit down. They only have two "large" tables, so don't bring a party there. The tables seat 4 easily and can be combined with some flexibility. The place is run by a bunch of hippies, but I mean that in a nice way. The mood is very laid-back.
Recap
Pros - The pizza is delicious. The menu is surprisingly varied (look past just pizza sometime) and I really like the atmosphere.
Cons - I didn't feel quite full afterwards. Also, cramming a band into the already-small space makes things quite cramped and conversation difficult.
Overall - It's still my favorite pizza place around here. I'll probably try to avoid nights when there's music, but it's always fun.
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