Murphy's Grand Irish Pub, Alexandria, VA

Murphy's Grand Irish Pub in Alexandria is a classic Irish pub. You know, the kind you can find almost anywhere in the world and when you find it you'll feel at home. It reminded me of a pub in Dublin where I knocked back a few pints. We stopped there because we found a coupon in a travel guide when we went to Alexandria offering 'buy one entree, get a second free'. That seemed like a nice idea, accompanied by the fact that two of the restaurants I wanted to eat at were closed between lunch and dinner.

The visit to Murphy's turned out to be a good idea. First of all it was very hot outside and the air conditioning cooled us off right away. Second there were several large screen TVs all turned to the Olympic women's soccer finals with the USA in, a rematch against Japan for the loss in the World Cup. Can there be a better place to watch a football match (soccer game) than an Irish pub? I can't think of any and the cheering during the game added that much more atmosphere. 

I ordered the Murphy Burger at $7.75. It was quite good with Canadian bacon (the proper Irish method is to use rashers, but they are hard to find here in the US and the concept is similar), provolone cheese melted and slightly charred on a fresh sesame bun. It came with fried potato disks. Teresa ordered the Reuben at $9.50. It had lean corned beef that was still moist and flavorful with the right amount of sauerkraut and cheese. Good food at reasonable prices. 

The service was good, Kim was very attentive and helpful, and they have a fairly good beer selection. I stuck with a Guinness for the first round (it is an Irish place) and found it to be served more like one might find in Ireland being slightly warmer than American tastes. My second was a Smithwich's.

Red Line Diner, Fishkill, NY

We watched the Red Line Diner being built each time we went to Sam's Club in Fishkill and we were wondering if they were ever going to finish it. It took what seemed to be a long time. Well, after it was built we passed by quite a few times before we stopped. The main reason was that it looked crowded with people waiting outside and a lesser reason was that we'd either already eaten, or weren't hungry. Today we changed that and stopped in. 

It is a large diner with a modern look to it and I saw the similarities to their sister diner, the Table Talk in Poughkeepsie. We were seated in the main dining area (right near a window  which makes for good food photography) and given menus. 

The menus featured typical diner fare and a bit more. While I wanted to get a gyro or a rueben to do a real comparison to other diners, I decided to try something different. Teresa ordered the chicken avocado focaccia panini at $9.95 and I ordered the steak and brie panini at $12.50. Both came with fries and a bowl of cole slaw with a pickle (shown at top). I tasted hers and it was good. Mine was good as well. I ordered it medium rare and it came what I consider to be a perfect medium rare. Notice that the meat is a bit purple in the middle in the photo. The onions and the brie blended nicely with the horseradish sauce, but I did have to add some salt and pepper to bring out the flavors. I think this was the case when we went to Table Talk too.

Overall it was quite good, the portions were very large as we each got two medium sandwiches and an ample amount of fries. The service was good as well. We will go back to try the Rueben and the gyro. 

PF Chang's China Bistro, Warrington, PA

I've seen the PF Chang's in Warrington many times and being reasonably bright I figured out that it was Chinese. I'd avoided it for the simple reason that it is a chain and that has proven to be a mistake. We stopped by today for lunch and we were quite satisfied to say the least.  

Inside it is large and full of stone. Stone walls, stone floors bright lighting in some areas, mood lighting in others. Overall a nice ambiance. Being that time between lunch and dinner the place was relatively empty. We were seated, presented menus and told that our server would be right with us. 

One of the main reasons for our favorable experience was our waiter, a nice young man named Phillip who was very helpful, informative, friendly and had a wonderful attitude. It is amazing how a good server can make a meal. 

I ordered the lunch portion of the lemongrass salmon with asparagus on fried rice. $11.95 plus a buck for the fried rice. Teresa ordered the ginger chicken broccoli at $9.75 and we shared a small order of egg rolls (2) for $4.95. Both came with soup, Teresa opted for the egg drop and I decided on the hot and sour. Mine was excellent, Teresa's was okay. The egg rolls were fresh tasting, light in flavor and had a dipping sauce that was a mixture of duck sauce and hot mustard. Quite nice.

My salmon was quite good. For my taste it was a bit overcooked, but I think most patrons wouldn't like it as rare as I do. I pointed this out to Phillip and he said the next time I should order it medium, or medium rare and they would accommodate. I will.

I would rate the food as Americanized (not in a bad way) and upscaled Chinese food. The flavors are clean and light tasting with a nice presentation. Can you find better Chinese at a local restaurant? Probably so, but when traveling I've found Chinese restaurants to be a crap shoot. Sometimes you find good food, sometimes you get crap. And that leads me back to that chain comment from earlier. Chains have their advantages, the biggest of which is consistency. I will go back to a PF Chang's (probably the one in Warrington since we pass it) simply because it is good food. I would rate PF Chang's as a good chain from my experience.

Cascada Mexican Restaurant, Beacon, NY

Cascadas Mexican Restaurant is located at 424 Main Street in Beacon and we've been meaning to try them for some time now. Twice we went by and they were crowded and once we stopped on a night they were closed. Well, we finally got there and it was worth the effort.

Inside it is small, seating thirty or so including the bar, but there are tables outside. It is clean, uncluttered and has mexican music playing. After looking over the menu (not a huge menu) I got the shrimp tacos at $12.95 and Teresa had the enchiladas at $9.95. We stuck with water (there was no ice in it) and we were brought a bowl of nachos and salsa. The salsa was good with just the right amount of heat. You only get one round though, more costs extra.

My three shrimp tacos were quite good. The shrimp tasted fresh and there was ample fresh avocado on them. They were a bit dry until I added the delightful spicy avocado on the side (it might have been meant for the enchiladas) and that added just the right kick. 

The food was really good, the service so-so (our waitress seemed to be infected with a touch of ennui), the ambiance was okay and the prices were good. Overall quite nice and we will go back. They have a website for more information.

Yard House, West Nyack, NY

Before I start this I have to make a few things clear. First, this is not really a review since the restaurant won't open until the day after I post this. We were at a preview. Second, I was invited to this preview so it isn't like I went in for dinner and wrote about it. Last, they served mini versions of the food, samples. Everything served was on the menu, but the portions were smaller. Notice the photos which are not quite up to my standards, but they give you an idea. That said, the Yard House was quite good and we will be back again to eat in a few months. I've already chosen a few items to try. 

Yard House is in the Palisades Mall, on the fourth floor, and is very large. It is part of a chain that is opening a few more places in the future, one of which will be in North Carolina. Inside it is quite large and roomy with many televisions tuned to sports and the news, a very large bar with plenty of drat handles, clean bathrooms and a high ceiling. Wood, metal and ceramics working together to create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

As  food blogger I was treated as a media representative and we were given a reserved table. The first item I sampled was a burger. Well, it was a quarter of a slider but there was more than enough to convince me that they make a darn good burger. The meat was of good quality and cooked perfectly for my liking. I had another sample before we left and that was even better than the first.

 We looked through the massive menu, a large part of it given over to the beer and drink menus, and I decided on a Founder's Centennial, a bitters. Teresa ordered a mixed drink called a Limeade. While we waited I walked around the bar and looked at all of the draft handles. Hundreds of them fed by tubes from a cooler room containing the kegs. I'd hate to be the guy who has to clean them, but it makes for a huge selection of cold draft beers. 

There were many samples offered to us and we partook of most of them. The pizza was okay, the salad good, the Korean meat good, the tuna (shown above) amazing, the crab cakes delightful and the salmon (shown below) excellent. We liked the egg roll and there was some sort of cervice as well that was quite good. It must have been, I ate a few pieces. 

For my second beer I went for an Arrogant Bastard form Stone's in California (see below) partly because I like it, but mostly because I like to say that. Very good, but my next beverage was coffee because I had an hour drive home. Teresa ordered a different mixed drink that she didn't like as much as the first. 

Our server was a nice young man named Chris, but there were several people who waited on us as well. I must say that the staff seemed enthusiastic, pleasant and knowledgable. They must have hired well, and more importantly trained them well. 

Our overall impression was that Yard House is very good. Service excellent, food very good, beer selection amazing and nice ambiance. 

Here's the website for more information.

Rye House, Union Square, NYC

We were down in the City for the day and met our son at Union Square where he works for one of the local farms, local to us that is. I left it up to Mark as to where to eat since he knows the area. I said I wanted a nice place, American Cuisine with a good beer selection. He led us a block down the street to The Rye House.

Inside the restaurant is full of wood and has a certain warmth to it. The front is dedicated to the bar and has some high-tops to sit at, that's where we sat. In the back is an ample dining room. The bar is well stocked and they have some quite nice Scotch whisky listed, as well as a fine selection of beers. Mark and I both got a pint of Ruination IPA.

We all got burgers. I added blue cheese and bacon to mine, Teresa got hers without cheese and Mark had bacon and cheddar. The base price is $12.00 and the additions drove the price of mine up to   $15.50. Bear in mind, this is Manhattan so the price is not at all unreasonable.

It was quite nice and it was the medium that I ordered. The meat was of good quality, the bacon crisp, the cheese melted just so, the bun fresh and the fries hot and crispy. The burger wasn't huge, I'd guess it to be about six ounces.

Overall, a nice place in the city for something to eat, or a drink. 

Burgers for a Buck- Hardee's

Hardee's started in Greenville, North Carolina in the 60's and now has a little less than 2,000 restaurants. The one I went to was the one on College in Wilmington, NC, near UNCW. The burger shown above was $1.29 but I included it because they often have a 2 for $2.00 special on them. 

Bun- 4

Condiments- 5-Good pickles.

Meat- 4

Presentation- 3

Aftertaste- 5, no repeats

Overall taste- 23 It tasted like it was steamed before serving, not a bad thing in this case.

Total Score- 44 out of 50

Bojangle's, Ogden

Bojangle's chicken is my favorite. It's kind of like crack poultry. Every Sunday when I'm in Wilmington I get a family pack after church and I just can't get enough. 

Osteria Cicchetti, Wilmington, NC

We were debating where to go for dinner Friday evening, we wanted to try someplace new, and we narrowed it down to two choices. One was the Kitchen, the renaissance of The Grand Union, and the other was Osteria Cicchetti in the same plaza, and both owned by the same people as Circa 1922, the Ash Aziz group.

Bread

We took a look at the menu of the Market and we walked down to Osteria. After looking over their menu we decided that it was the better choice for us that evening. We were more in the mood for Italian. There wasa twenty-five minute wait for a table inside, however we could be seated outside right away. The weather had cooled a bit so we took a table in front. 

Calamari

We were brought menus and Clay stopped by and introduced himself as our waiter while he poured ice water and left a bottle of it. He answered a few questions and gave us time to pontificate on what we wanted. He also brought us the magnificent bread shown above. We decided to start off with the calamari appetizer at $9.00. It was large and not greasy at all, but it was a bit salty in taste. It came with a marinara sauce that was a bit watery and a mayo sauce with a hint of horseradish. Not bad, but the calamari at Circa was better.

Veal Saltimboca

Teresa decided on the eggplant Entree at $14.00 after we saw a waitress deliver one to a table near us. The portion was large and it was served on a bed of spaggetti. I asked Teresa how it was and she replied, "okay." I sampled and I agreed. It was okay, but nothing really special. I thought it could have used some more seasoning. 

Eggplant

I chose the Veal Satimboca at $17.50, one of my favorites. I've had this dish at over twenty restaurants and I have seen twenty different interpretations of it. What most of the variations are is in the sauce used. Here they used a red wine/balsamic vinegar reduction that would be better served with Osco Busco or another hearty meat. In a delicate veal dish (yes, I am aware that Osco usually uses veal shank) it tends to add to much acidity and overpowers the meat. I found it good, and I finished it, but a bit too much acidity and the flavor notes were overpowering. So much so that I wanted to brush my teeth after eating. Saltimboca means 'leaps to your mouth' and the dish should do just that. I have had many interpretations of this dish that I wanted to savor the flavor of that last bite as long as possible, but not so here.

The service was excellent. The food was good, not stellar. The atmosphere was okay outside, but it looked nice when I went in to use the very clean men's room. Prices were moderate. Would we go back? Yes. Would we rush back? No. I think Terrazzo Trattoria is better. 

Burgers for a Buck- Cookout

Cookout is a privately owned chain of about a hundred restaurants mostly in NC, SC, Tennessee and Virginia. It is usually found as a double drive through. 

This one almost didn't make it as I saw the price of a hamburger on the menu listed at $1.19, which would disqualify them from the competition. I ordered two anyway, along with a small soda and when I read the receipt the burgers were billed at $.99 each. 

Bun- 5

Condiments- 5- you choose what you want and I ordered mine with ketchup, mustard and pickles. Good pickles.

Meat- 5- Fresh, not frozen. Char grilled like your own backyard.

Presentation- 4 I ordered two and photographed the less photogenic of the two

Aftertaste- 3 It repeated later.

Overall taste- 25

Total Score- 47 out of 50

Flaming Amy's

I just liked this picture and wanted to share it. Best burrito place anywhere!

Burgers for a Buck- Wendy's

Wendy's started in Ohio and has close to 7,000 locations. It usually sits at number three in the fast food burger realm. The one I went to for this burger was in Poughkeepsie, NY on Rt 9.

Bun- 3- a bit stale

Condiments- 3

Meat- 2- overcooked hockey puck

Presentation- 4

Aftertaste- 3- it repeated 

Overall taste- 15

Score- 30 out of 50

Burgers for a Buck- Checkers

There are 815 Checkers and Rally Restaurants in the United States. It is primarily a Drive-through place, but there is a walk-up window and most of them have some tables outside to eat at. The one I went to is on Oleander in Wilmington, NC. For a buck you can get the basic cheeseburger and I had two of them. 

Bun- 5 points- Fresh with sesame seeds

Condiments- 4 points- Plenty of pickles, a tad too much ketchup

Meat- 5 Points

Presentation- 4 points

Aftertaste- 5 points- There was no greasy after taste 

Overall taste- 20 points

Total points- 43 out of fifty

Best Burger for a Buck- The Ground Round Rules

This summer I will be doing two burger competitions so cheap burger posts will be interspaced with my regular restaurant reviews. 

The first is “Best Burger for a Buck” and will feature one-dollar burgers at fast food chains. The only rule is that it has to be a buck before tax.

The ratings are as follows:

Bun- five points

Condiments- five points

Burger- five points

Presentation- five points

Overall taste- twenty-five points

Aftertaste- five points (The higher the number means less aftertaste)

This adds up to fifty points and the winner will be the burger with the highest rating. The burgers will come from fast food chains such as the Clown, The King, The Redhead and regional chains. It will be a truly random sampling and they have one shot to be perfect. No pressure. 

The second competition will be burgers under five bucks. Oh the sacrifices I make for my readers.

Circa 1922, Wilmington. NC

I'd heard some mixed reviews of Circa 1922 and we tried it last summer . . . well we tried to eat there, but it was very crowded, very loud and the menu was a bit confusing without help so we left. This time we went on a slow Wednesday evening (they were setting up to film in an alley across the street) and we brought our daughter Rachel who has eaten there a few times and said it was good. Well, with her help and help from our waitress, the menu wasn't all that intimidating. You see, they bill themselves as a tapas place serving small plates and I just wasn't sure how small this plates were going to be. On top of that, everything is ala carte, except for the prix fix meal at $21.50 which gives salad, entree and desert. 

Circa is on Market Street in a building which once housed a bank, as evidenced by the remains of a large safe in the back. It is a two story affair (bathrooms are on the second floor so if stairs are a problem I'd hope they have an elevator somewhere, or you'll learn to hold it). The kitchen is on the second floor as is a smaller dining area, presumably for private parties. There is plenty of dark wood, high ceilings, some exposed brick walls, and some tin ceilings. Just the atmosphere I like.

We started with the Fried Calamari for $8.75 with a wasabi and citrus sauce. It was quite large (a normal appetizer size that two or three people could share, and we did) and quite tasty. The calamari was cooked perfectly with just the right amount of breading and the sauce on the bottom of the plate was a balanced mix of a citrus taste and the tang of the wasabi. My only complaint is that I would have liked a bit more sauce, perhaps on the side for dipping.

Teresa ordered the orechetti with chicken (not shown here) and I tasted a piece. It was very nicely done. Rachel got the Paella shown above at $15.50 with seafood. I had a taste of hers as well, and it was good. Both of the portions were adequate, much like a half-plate we've had other places. 

I ordered the Duck shown above at $14.00 which was probably the best of the three dishes, and one of the best duck dishes this writer has had the pleasure of consuming in the line of duty. My only complaint on this is the dull butter knife I was trying to hack at the duck with. I switched with another knife at the table and it worked better, but a steak knife would have been better. As for the portion, it was perfect, especially after sharing the appetizer and the delicious bread they serve. 

Overall, it was a lovely meal for three at $54.00 plus tip. The atmosphere is excellent, the food excellent and the service . . . well our waitress did a great job but it did seem to take an abnormally long time to get our food. There were a few other items on the menu I'm going back to try.