Date
5/27/09
Location
On the Corner near JPA
1321 West Main Street
What I ate
Pretzels; pizza with chicken, onions, and green peppers
What I drank
Bell's Oberon
Who came
Nora, Tiff, Matt, Suzie, Cameron, Xander, Miles, Eliza, Kat, Dan, Kasia, Sarah
Website
Charlottesville's place
Yes, it's a chain
Thoughts
Just a disclaimer - we went for dinner but the plan all along was to stay for trivia. Trivia is a lot of fun and you should definitely go, even if you are just going to order a pitcher of beer and participate. That said, I'll try to stick to reviewing the food part since that's the purpose here.
I was just discussing with another friend tonight how good the food is here. It's nothing outlandish, just good, flavorful pizza. The pretzels are really just knots of dough, but they're quite tasty. The specialty pizzas can be needlessly complicated, but you can create your own, so it's not really a problem. You'll have to wait for someone to comment to get a word on the sandwiches and salads as I've only ever gotten pizza.
That brings us to the biggest gripe - and it's not just mine - with Mellow: the service. I understand that the place was full, especially because people were starting to file in for trivia later. I also understand trying to seat a group of 10 (plus some) isn't the easiest thing, either. One of our pizza orders was misheard (white and Hawaiian don't sound that similar) and our waitress wasn't clear on whether or not we were going to be charged for that pizza. The service isn't nearly so bad that you should avoid going there, but you might want to budget in a little more time if you have somewhere to be after eating.
Recap
Pros - Really good food, lots of options for pizza and beer
Cons - Bad service
Overall - It's still the place to go for pizza on the Corner if you want to sit down and eat. The food is good, but don't expect great service.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Maharaja
Date
5/20/09
Location
In the Seminole Square shopping center
139 Zan Road
What I ate
Green masala chicken, naan
Who went
Matt
Website
http://www.maharaja-indian-restaurant.com/
Thoughts
If you are looking for something spicy, you will definitely not be disappointed. I don't mean to open so quickly, but that's all I can think of when I remember this dinner. Matt and I had just given blood, so maybe that had something to do with it; I know it affected how full we both felt. This dish was the second-hottest thing I've ever eaten in Charlottesville, and I only asked for "hot" on the scale of mild, medium, hot, and Indian hot. The first was the flatliner wings at the Wing Factory, but that's been out of business for a few years now. I don't want to discourage spicy-averse eaters as I'm sure "mild" won't be a problem, but I'm just scared of Indian hot. Just remember that when you visit.
The spiciness did not completely obscure the flavor; mine was tasty even if I don't usually think of jalapeno peppers when I think Indian food. The chicken was pretty good and the traditional "put a bunch of rice on your plate and cover it with the sauce" method worked really well. I'm impressed with how full I felt after what looked like a small bowl of chicken and vegetables. The naan was also really good and helped quell the heat.
The service was really good - I barely had to put my water glass down and it was full again - though that could be because the place was empty. I don't know what their usual customer load is on a Wednesday at dinner time, but it felt a little weird to be one of three groups there with so many person-free tables. It was a tasty meal and I left quite full, but it just felt a little too expensive. The obvious comparison is Milan and, it has been a few months since I last visited there, I remember a tasty, filling meal but not being surprised at the price. Maybe someone can take a look at the menus and tell me I'm wrong, but I'm a bit too lazy to look that up right now.
Recap
Pros - Very filling, good service
Cons - Very hot, a little overpriced
Overall - Unfortunately for Maharaja, it just feels like a slightly-worse version of Milan, which is down 29 just a little ways. The food is good and it's worth a visit, but you're probably better off sticking with Milan for your Indian food in Charlottesville.
5/20/09
Location
In the Seminole Square shopping center
139 Zan Road
What I ate
Green masala chicken, naan
Who went
Matt
Website
http://www.maharaja-indian-restaurant.com/
Thoughts
If you are looking for something spicy, you will definitely not be disappointed. I don't mean to open so quickly, but that's all I can think of when I remember this dinner. Matt and I had just given blood, so maybe that had something to do with it; I know it affected how full we both felt. This dish was the second-hottest thing I've ever eaten in Charlottesville, and I only asked for "hot" on the scale of mild, medium, hot, and Indian hot. The first was the flatliner wings at the Wing Factory, but that's been out of business for a few years now. I don't want to discourage spicy-averse eaters as I'm sure "mild" won't be a problem, but I'm just scared of Indian hot. Just remember that when you visit.
The spiciness did not completely obscure the flavor; mine was tasty even if I don't usually think of jalapeno peppers when I think Indian food. The chicken was pretty good and the traditional "put a bunch of rice on your plate and cover it with the sauce" method worked really well. I'm impressed with how full I felt after what looked like a small bowl of chicken and vegetables. The naan was also really good and helped quell the heat.
The service was really good - I barely had to put my water glass down and it was full again - though that could be because the place was empty. I don't know what their usual customer load is on a Wednesday at dinner time, but it felt a little weird to be one of three groups there with so many person-free tables. It was a tasty meal and I left quite full, but it just felt a little too expensive. The obvious comparison is Milan and, it has been a few months since I last visited there, I remember a tasty, filling meal but not being surprised at the price. Maybe someone can take a look at the menus and tell me I'm wrong, but I'm a bit too lazy to look that up right now.
Recap
Pros - Very filling, good service
Cons - Very hot, a little overpriced
Overall - Unfortunately for Maharaja, it just feels like a slightly-worse version of Milan, which is down 29 just a little ways. The food is good and it's worth a visit, but you're probably better off sticking with Milan for your Indian food in Charlottesville.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
The Nook
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)