On the Road Review: Giordano's Pizza

I was in Chicago a few weeks ago, and one of the biggest treats I have there is a true Chicago style deep dish pizza.

Many years ago, DaVinci's pizza on Baxter had delicious Chicago style pizza, but since they closed, the closest place you can get a some-what similar pizza is Nancy's in Atlanta, and those who have had real Chicago style know it's not quite the same.

If you ever find yourself in Chicago, treat yourself to a true Chicago style deep dish. $30 will feet a family of six - yes, one slice will fill you up!

We ordered our pizza on Friday and we were still munching on it Sunday morning. So delicious, its even great two days old.

Review: Casa Mia

We hadn't been to Casa Mia since it had its latest change in name/cuisine/management. Actually, we missed out on Rouge entirely, something I regret keenly. With our Fabulous Savings coupons due to expire soon, we opted to use up the last few of our downtown coupons and stopped by for BoGo tapas. The interior hasn't changed much since the last time I was there - still the same stained cement floors and well-rennovated charm. Parking is a problem (it's downtown) so if you've got bus access, use that instead. We were seated immediately and brought table water and chips and salsa. The chip plate was really tiny (seriously) and the chips were a bit stale. The salsa was also weak and bland. No kick. Since it's a free courtesy expected of Mexican restaurants in the south, I won't complain too much, but you can get better chips and salsa at most other restaurants in town. I ordered the Latin sushi roll and my husband ordered empanadas. We also got a side of fried yuccas. The Latin sushi roll turned out to be a fried plantain stuffed with seasoned chicken. I had a bite of my husband's beef empanada , and we split the fried yucca. Portion sizes were a bit on the small side, but these were tapas and not real entrees, so that was to be expected. Still, getting a whole three yucca fries for two dollars felt a bit stingy. The meat was well seasoned, however, and everything was delicious, a far cry from the stale chips of moments before. We left a little hungry, and opted for dessert at Suno to fill up. Location: B - Downtown means parking is going to be difficult to find and probably cost money. Take a bus if you can. Atmosphere: A - Clean bathrooms are always a winner with me, and I like the heavy atmosphere of the interior. It's survived several incarnations of the restaraunt, but it was well done the first time and it shows. Food: B - Chips and salsa were stale and bland. The rest of the dishes were much tastier, but came in pretty small portions. Service: A - Quick and attentive wait staff, but then again it was a rainy Tuesday afternoon before the dinner crowd really hit. Price: B - Not the cheapest Mexican in town. Not the largest portion sizes for the price. Overall, the experience wasn't bad, but I get the impression Casa Mia doesn't know what it wants to be. Latin fusion? Gourmet? Offering cheap prices but providing stingy serving sizes in exchange is something that just rubs me the wrong way. I love yucca fritas and only giving me three of them was a tragedy. Grade: B - Eat there, but bring a coupon.

Review: Your Pie, Watkinsville

We took advantage of a 50% coupon promoting this location of Your Pie for our weekly dinner last Friday. A friend warned us that he was not happy with the service there, but we are never one to take someone's word as the final authority when it comes to a restaurant, so we went anyway.

Our first problem was parking. Holy moly. Whoever designed that shopping center's parking lot should be fired. We had to parallel park in a driveway, far away from the actual buildings, with muddy undeveloped lots on either side. The facility really needs double the parking spaces they have.

Once we got inside, the line was very long, and there was no seating. We realized that it was Friday night in a sleepy small town with nothing better to do, but like our experience at Marty's at Midday earlier in the year, not having any available seating is a definite turn off. It was too cold outside to take advantage of any outdoor seating, and we were not offered the option anyway.

So we resigned ourselves to To Go. The long line slowly moved up. After about fifteen minutes of standing there hungry, we were finally able to place our orders. Things brightened up as we selected our pies - my husband went for a standard BBQ chicken, while I opted for a veggie-laden custom chicken pizza. Your Pie gets a big gold star for having the full nutritional information of their food right there where you can order. I was able to build my own diet pie and know the Weight Watcher's points for it within a few minutes.

Once our order was placed and paid for, there was another hungry, interminable wait while they baked the pizzas. Deli style pizza sure isn't instant. Since we had no table, we had to stand by the soda fountains in everyone's way. A few "to go waiting area" chairs would have made a world of difference.

We didn't actually get to eat our pizza until we arrived home, about an hour after we left. And the pizzeria is only 10 minutes away from our Bogart home. It took 40 minutes to be able to order and then wait for the pizza to be cooked, all while we were standing up. The pizza was delicious, but I wish I could have enjoyed it sooner.

Location: C - Inadequate parking. Right on highway 53 so convenient for folks in Watkinsville proper, but those in Athens itself should probably hit the Alps location.

Atmosphere: C - Inadequate seating. No exterior lighting for outdoor seating that I could see, nor any space heaters to even make the outdoor seating an option. No seating for to-go orders. The entire place was noisy and filled with kids, and the impression I got was of a very cramped building that was trying to do more than it was capable of handling. I guess since the location is still relatively new, the novelty hasn't worn off, but I would definitely suggest avoiding them on Friday nights.

Service: A+ - Better than we had been led to believe. Everyone was friendly and make sure our orders were done exactly right. Having the nutrition information available at the ordering bar made it a definite win.

Price: A - Even without the 50% coupon, it's pretty reasonable for mid-scale deli style fast food. Well, slow food.

Food: A - I scarfed down my pizza which was still nice and hot in its to-go box.

Overall grade: B - Add more parking and double the dining room size, and I think this place can still be salvaged. Otherwise, try to aim for happy hour at 5PM to avoid the crowds and actually get a table.

Beer Review: Lord Chesterfield Ale

Time for another new from the Yuengling family. I had the Lord Chesterfield ale with dinner on Sunday evening.

I'm a hops girl and this was not my normal variety of beer. That said, this was a decent showing for the pale ale category, but there wasn't anything special about it. That seems to be the case with a lot of Yuengling beers. They're good, but not outstanding. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

A good beer should roll accross the tongue like a fine wine. The flavors should evolve and change over time on the palette. The lack of this makes a beer taste flat and unimaginative.

My score: C

Drinkable, but not anything to write home about. If given the choice between a Lord Chesterfield and a non craft beer, take the Chesterfied, but if given the choice between this beer and a real craft beer, take the real craft beer instead.

Review: Shoki Steakhouse and Sushi

Valentine's Day means a fancy dinner out, outside of our usual restaurant budget. (Special occasions don't count.) Because my husband is stuck at classes on Monday evenings, we initially set our reservations for 9PM, but he dismissed his class early (lucky them) and came home a half hour ahead of schedule. So we headed there early.

Shoki is one of the "newer" steakhouses in town, compared with the venerable Inoko Steakhouse in Alps. I remember when it opened a few years ago. We had an unfortunate Valentine's Day experience at the hibachi a back in 2007, in which a couple mistakenly brought their toddler. That was not the restaurant's fault, although they should probably include a disclaimer that 2-year-olds and 3 foot high grill flames don't mix well.

We decided to try again, only to go with sushi this time. We're sushi lovers through and through and nothing makes us happier than tearing into a double boat while knocking back sake shots.

A note on the door was the first sign of trouble - they are on a "BYOB" policy. It turns out their liquor license expired. So no sake for us.

We explained that we had 9PM reservations but wanted sushi now. They seem to be severely understaffed, as the hostess lied and said they needed to "clean up" the sushi area. It looked pretty clean to us, but we agreed to wait until it was "ready." We sat at the bar, staring longingly at the bottles of alcohol they weren't allowed to serve. We were not offered water.

The wait wasn't long until the already clean sushi bar became "ready" - in this case, they had kidnapped one of the hibachi chefs and asked him to run the sushi bar. He mentioned he hadn't done that in a while. He was Japanese, and he complimented us on our pronunciation. We had a nice conversation about Japan while he slowly made our sushi.

The sushi fish was fresh and tasty, although the rice was a little dry and not well seasoned. A few of my pieces fell apart when I was trying to consume them - and I'm pretty skilled with chopsticks, so this wasn't user error.

Our boat came in two sections, probably because the poor sushi chef was suddenly inundated with orders from other customers as well.

We left full, but disatisfied. I don't think we're going to give them a third chance at impressing us on V-day.

Location: A - Right off Atlanta Highway. Parking lot is large and very adequate. No troubles getting in and out. Actually, the best thing they have going for them these days.
Atmosphere: B - Sitting two lushes at a bar that can't serve alcohol is a bad move. The decor is nothing special, although I do like the shoji screens that line the front wall. Partitioned rooms for the hibachi for private parties.
Service: F - Letting your liquor license expire in Athens is a recipe for disaster. My guess is they are facing serious budget troubles and couldn't afford to renew. They were also critically understaffed and while our sushi chef was polite and friendly, our hostess was rushed and the other waitresses couldn't keep up. My glass went empty twice, something I'm not accustomed to.
Price: A - A bit pricey but within the reasonable range for sushi and steak. I've paid upwards of $75 for a sushi boat, so getting one for $50 is a fair deal.
Food: B - Fresh fish, but improperly prepared sushi rice. It was dry and not seasoned correctly, and as a result, didn't have the proper level of stickiness. If I had to make a guess, they skimped on the sushi vinegar and sugar. Food was presented on two wooden platters instead of one big boat, but that's a very minor nitpick from a sushi boat lover.

Overall grade: C - Oh Shoki, I really hoped for more from you. You're the closest sushi restaurant to us and if you had knocked our socks off, you would have been seeing a lot more of us. As it is, we're desperate to go back to Inoko or to try the new Sakura that just opened up near Academy Sports. Heck, we've had better sushi and service from Inoko Sushi Express, and they're fast food!

Review: Mirko Pasta on Baxter

Friday night means dinner out, and due to our policy of not eating out without a coupon aside from special occasions, we flipped through Fantastic Savings and decided to use the Mirko coupon.

I've eaten at all three local Mirko locations, and enjoy them all. The East Side location used to be within walking distance of our apartment, so for us Mirko meant ordering a bottle of wine and stumbling home on foot.

When we moved to the west side, Baxter became our closest location, so it was to this one we returned.

For those unfamiliar, Mirko is a hybrid restaurant cafe where you order at the counter and are served at the table. You can order a dinner plate, or mix and match pasta and sauce as desired. I opted for the lighter fare of whole wheat penne with pomodoro sauce, and my husband chose carbanara with fusilli.

All patrons are served biscuits with a hummus and rosemary sauce-like substance. It's tasty, and loads healthier than the traditional olive oil and vinegar you receive at most places. The bread is freshly baked and sliced for dipping.

They forgot to remind me to pick up a glass for my tea, but the waiter corrected that quickly. It was busy, but our food was still served in a very reasonable amount of time.

Location: A - Three locations in Athens, one in Watkinsville, and more opening up. All three serve the same food. Parking for all three locations can be a bit awkward, because they tend to be in mixed use developments, but you figure it out after a few moments.
Atmosphere: A - A little traditional, a little trendy. I really like the Baxter street wine rack and want one of my very own.
Service: B+ - Counter person didn't give me a glass for my tea, or tell me to go serve myself. Redeemed by the waiter going and fetching one for me when I mentioned it. Food came pretty fast considering the place was packed.
Price: A+ - Dinner out for under ten bucks a person is quite doable, and frequent participation in deal mobs and other promotional coupon systems means you can easily eat out for under twenty for two including tip.
Food: A+ - Fresh pasta, freshly made sauces, and a seasonal menu mean you can be adventurous and try different things every time you come back.

Total score: A - Mirko is a great place for a casual dinner when you want food to be the focus. And since options range from lean to sumptious, you can still enjoy dinner on a diet. This falls under "don't need a coupon to eat at" for me because of the reasonable prices as well.

Beer Review: Yuengling Light

Superbowl Sunday has come and gone, and I was relatively good on my diet - as much as I could be at my in-law's house, where they stuffed me and my husband with game fare as we schmoozed in front of their 60" LCD television.

We had snagged a case of Yuengling from Sam's Club, the first time we've had a choice besides Sam Adams for a variety pack, for about the same price.

Yuengling recieved the formal designation of "oldest continuously operating brewery in the US" a few years back, and with an increase in distribution and some clever advertising, they have recently made a strong showing. (To be honest, the first time I saw the name, I thought it was a Chinese beer, and I understand I'm not the only one.)

I had had their classic branded beer before, but this was my first time trying the Light. I found it pleasantly drinkable, but nothing to write home about. I suppose it's because I'm a craft beer snob and I like experiments. On the other hand, I couldn't immediately tell much of a difference between their Light and the original which I had had previously, which is a big plus in the Light beer category. Many light beers taste flat compared to their more fattening big brothers, and in that respect, the Yuengling Light is a big winner.

My verdict? If you're on a diet and want a beer, this is a safe bet. If you want some actual punch with your beer, go for something else.

Grade: B - Not bad for a light beer, but not daring enough to become an everyday drink.

Review: El Patron, Under New Management

El Patron took over the old La Cazuela building on Atlanta Highway a year or two ago. We (my husband and I) ate there a few times, most notably during the World Cup when we watched a match on their widescreen television. At the time, their menu was "inauthentic Mexican" - Mexican fusion with some gourmet touches from other cuisines, such as sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

We noticed an "Under New Management" sign the other day, and decided to investigate for our Friday dinner. So we braved the pouring rain and drove down there.

We were seated immediately, and proferred the usual chips and salsa while we waited. Only one variety of mild salsa was offered, but I suspect you could get something with more heat on request. The chips were fresh and a little greasy, but such is the nature of freshly made tortilla chips, and they were plenty crunchy and still slightly warm. Fine by me!

The menu is new, and the "inauthentic" touches have been replaced with a much more traditional looking set of dishes. There is also much more variety. It looks quite a bit like the Dos Palmas/La Fiesta menu, perhaps because that is the food space they are really competing with here in Athens.

I ordered chicken chimichangas (new to the menu) with a diet coke, and my husband ordered burritos Californicos and water. We chowed down on two baskets of chips (they were replenished, no questions asked) while we waited. It took a bit of time for the food to arrive, but nothing unexpected for freshly prepared Mexican. (If you want it fast, order Taco Bell.)

The meal was, quite frankly, delicious. The shredded chicken inside my rolled tortillas was perfectly seasoned, and the sauce they used was flavorful and mild. The refried beans were a bit on the runny side, but they were hot and hadn't really had a chance to congeal properly.

The waitress was attentive, and refilled our drinks without us having to ask.

When we asked for the check, there was a very minor confusion when our waitress forgot to add in the coupon we brought, but she corrected the bill without argument, so it seems she did genuinely forget. No hard feelings; her service was exemplary otherwise.

We requested to go boxes and dutifully set aside half our dinner, but when we got home, we tore right back into it. So much for my diet.

Final tally:

Location: A - Tucked between Hojo on Atlanta Highway and a Precision Tune. Easy to turn into, and relatively easy to get out of. Take the back exit to access a traffic light for a left turn onto Atlanta Highway. The main parking lot is a bit small considering the size of the establishment, but even on a Friday night we found a spot near the door. There is more parking around the back.

Atmosphere: B -- Nothing has changed tremendously in the establishment since it was La Cazuela. The booth backs have recently been reupholstered, but the seats are still cracked vinyl. The walls are a friendly adobe and there are paintings. There is a private dining room off to one side for large parties, although I have never seen it in use.

Service: A - Wait staff super friendly and attentive.

Price: A+ - Very, very reasonable. You won't find cheaper Mexican outside of a fast food joint.

Food: A - Tasty! A little on the bland side, so if you like your food with more chiles and chipotle, be sure to request the extra kick on your dish so you won't be disappointed.

Overall grade: A. Skip On The Border or Chiles and eat local instead. Worth eating at without a coupon.

Benihana Family Circus

A year or two ago I ate at one of the Atlanta location Benihana restaurants. I wasn't particularly impressed with their buffet sushi, as it shared quality with most buffet sushi restaurants and was below the level of the sushi masters such as Sakana-Ya (oh how we miss you.) To put it in perspective, you get better sushi at Inoko Sushi Express. The crepes, on the other hand, were masterful and were the best part of the whole meal. Saldy, we didn't eat there again - the price was great, but if we want mediocre sushi there are plenty of places closer to Athens for that.

Well, a blogger in Kuwait posted a similar opinion about a newly opened Benihana chain there. And now the Benihana franchise is suing him for defamation. This was, quite possibly, the most bone-headed move to make. The standard etiquette upon recieving a bad review is to apologize, promise to fix the issues, and invite the diner to try again. (This practice was employed by the manager of our local Olive Garden, who is interestingly enough now our next door neighbor. It works.) The best practice is most certainly not to sue them.

But wait, there's more! There are actually two Benihana franchise groups - Benihana Inc, and Benihana of Tokyo. One handles franchises in the Americas, and the other one handles the rest of the world. Benihana, Inc put out a press statement complaining that none of this is their fault. In the meantime, rest of the World Benihana of Tokyo is suing Americas territory Benihana, Inc, for opening franchises outside of their designated area.

Benihana of Tokyo is the one responsible for the Kuwait branch of the chain. Rumor is that the managers of the Kuwait branch acted without permission from the franchise, but if they're suing their own sister company, then perhaps not. Sounds like they are most definitely being a little sue-happy these days.

Supporters of Mark of 248am are now printing t-shirts that say,"I Ate At Benihana And All I Got Was This Lousy Lawsuit."

Review: Terrapin Chocolatey Moo-Hoo

I'm a big Terrapin fan, and I was fortunate to have a glass of Moo-Hoo on release day down at Trapeze on my birthday. On tap it was fabulous, and the question was whether it'd carry over well to the bottle version.

We tried some last night, and we were most definitely not disappointed.

The Moo-Hoo is a good drinkable beer. It has a low-key personality, but a solid malty flavor. Compare this to Sam Adams Chocolate Rock - which also has a low profile, but doesn't have nearly as much enjoyability. I have to force myself not to think about the Chocolate Rock while I drank it. Not so with the Moo-Hoo.

Chocolatey Moo-hoo is made from real milk and cocoa (on Terrapin's Facebook page when they were brewing it, they described it as a giant glass of chocolate milk.) Those flavors are faintly detectable as notes in the beer. The hops are smothered in the malted milk, but the beer doesn't suffer for it.

Probably not best paired with pizza as we did, but instead put it with a good chicken finger plate or sweet pasta. It might also make a good foil to a hot and spicey dish.

My score: A

Yet another solid seasonal addition to the Terrapin family. Hopefully they will make this available year round. That's the only sad thing about their seasonable and side projects... some of them go away!

Pick up a six pack at most local places in Athens.

Review: Marty's at Midday

We obtained the $15 of food for $7 Deal Mobs for Marty's at Midday. (We love you, Deal Mobs!)

The hours for Marty's are daytime (hence the name) and I believe they exist to cater mostly to the medical professionals along prince.

We went at 3:00 PM on Friday, January 28th. We had little difficulty finding the location on Prince. (Amusingly it is next to my girly-doctor's office.) Parking up front was all taken, but due to my familiarity with the location I knew to go around back. We parked behind and climbed the steps.

We were greeted with a long, long line - 3PM is probably their busiest time of day, and it was a warm, beautiful sunny day out.

Unfortunately, it was so busy that we were unable to claim a table. Once we realized this issue, we had to change our order from "dine in" to "to go."

I ordered the curry chicken sandwich, and my husband ordered the turkey sandwich, which I believe was called Mike's Favorite. The prices were rather hefty for gourmet sandwiches, a few dollars more than similarly styled restaurants in the area such as Five Star Day, but that's what coupons are for.

It took a long time to recieve our orders, during which time we had to stand around blocking traffic in the central area by the desk. Most disappointing was paying $1.80 for a diet coke, only to be handed a warm 12 oz can of coke and a cup of ice. (Dear restaurants: I live for fountain soda. Don't do this to me.)

Once we got our food, there were still no tables, indoors or out. This is a shame, because the interior decor of the place is very charming. So we took our food out to the Botanical Gardens, four miles away, and ate behind the conservatory instead.

The portions were generous, and the food was fabulous. By then we were famished, but even so, I could only finish off half my sandwich and chips. Well worth the wait. My curry chicken salad had dried cranberries in it, and the sandwich was served with fresh fruit on the side. The pita chips were home made, and not too greasy.

Here's my grade for the whole experience:

Location: B - Inadequate parking, remodeled house that is too small for the crowds
Atmosphere: A - Very charming. I wish we could have eaten on location, inside or out. Don't go at 3PM!
Price: B - A bit on the pricier side for sandwich places, but still under $10 each. Overcharged for a can of diet coke.
Service: A - They were totally okay about changing our order mid-swing, and apologized for the long wait.
Food: A+ - Generous portions, enough that two people can probably split a sandwich plate and still be full. My lunch turned into my dinner later that evening, so I got to experience the deliciousness twice.

Overall grade: B - Would eat there again, but probably only with another coupon

The Purpose

I've always wanted to write a review blog of all the places I eat and food I drink.

I am not a professional chef, just a home cook with a love of delicious food and drink. I've rarely met a beverage I didn't like (the one exception is Beverly, the anise flavored soda from Italy), and I enjoy eating out at restaurants on a regular basis.

Specifically, I'm a native to Athens, GA, so most of my posts will be about local eateries. Reviews of beer and wine will come from all over, on the other hand.

No biases here: The only "restaurant" I ever worked for was Bolton Dining Hall on UGA campus.