Tommy Condon's- Charleston, SC

Fish and Chips

Tommy Condon's in Charleston, SC is what I'd call a southern Irish bar. It has traditional Irish fare, and some traditional Southern fare. Having gone through traditional Southern fare for a couple of days I decided to go with the fish and chips. As the Irish would say, it was a proper fish and chips, nothing amazing, nothing disappointing. The fish was crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The chips were crispy and hot. It was even better than a few fish and chip meals I had in Ireland. Of course, I had to have a pint or two of Guinness to wash it down.

Guinness, as if I have to tell you that

Now here's where a restaurant shines or fails. Teresa got the Shrimp Po Boy and it was disappointing. The roll was stale and the remoulade mediocre. She pointed this out to our waiter and he comped her meal, even though she ate most of it. That was a nice touch.

I'd say to stop by and try them, and I'd recommend the fish and chips. Just don't go expecting a five-star meal. It's an Irish bar in a tourist town, so expect decent Irish pub food.

Magnolias- Charleston, SC

Seafood and Grits

Another place I put on the short list for the Charleston trip was Magnolias on East Bay Street. Magnolias is a bit pricey for dinner, but the lunch prices were reasonable. In retrospect, it was probably the best dining experience I had in Charleston.

I had the seafood and grits at $16.00. It consisted of grits, really good buttery tasting grits, some fresh tasting shrimp, a scallop and a small piece of lobster. The portion was just right for the middle of a hot summer day. My best seafood and grits so far.

Teresa had a vegetable wrap which she said was a bit bland for her taste, but not bad. She did comment that the collard greens she ordered as a side were amazing.

Wonderful ambiance and excellent service. Our server, Eric, did a great job. I will definitely go back again. 

Poogan's Porch- Charleston, SC

When were planning to take a trip down to Charleston, I did some culinary research. I was looking mostly for Southern Style and Low Country food in a variety of price ranges and settings. One place that interested me was Poogan's Porch, and that was mainly because they offer an alligator salad as well as shrimp and grits. 

Alligator Salad

We were seated in the front dining room, it's an old house, and given menus. There was the alligator as an appetizer so I ordered it. Well, the alligator was delicious. It was fried to a golden crispness with a moist inside and served on a bed of salad greens with an amazing dressing. It was my first time eating alligator and if you haven't tried it, you should. The taste is difficult to describe, but the consistency is similar to chicken. Something that needs to be experienced to appreciate.

Scallops

Teresa ordered the scallops which were delightful. There were four large ones with a mound of greens and a risotto cake in a nice sauce. I tasted one, and some of the risotto, and I would have been quite happy with that as my meal. 

Shrimp and Grits

Instead, I had the shrimp and grits and I was quite happy with that. The shrimp tasted fresh and were cooked perfectly. There were three colors of peppers to give some color and sweetness, taso ham and a nice sauce covering perfectly cooked grits. 

Nice ambiance, reasonable prices and excellent service. A lovely dining experience.

The Greeks Authentic Mediterranean Deli and Market- Wilmington, NC

Gyros

When we were downtown today we were walking on Princess and there were two places that I'd put it on my short list to try, Hell's Kitchen and The Greeks Deli. Wanting something different from a sandwich or burger, The Greeks won and we went in. 

The girl at the counter was very friendly and we both went for our standbys. I got the Gyro Platter and Teresa ordered the Spanikopita Platter. I got a beer (Hellas) and Teresa an iced tea. The whole thing came to twenty-one bucks. We took our drinks and headed out back for the patio and soon our food was brought out.

The gyro was really good, as good as, or better than the best I've had anywhere. The fries were hot, crispy and seasoned with fresh Greek herbs (oregano mostly). I tasted the Spanikopita and it was quite good as well and came with a small salad and pita bread.  

Spanikopita Platter

So overall, the people are friendly, the food is amazing and the prices are right. I'll be headed back soon. 

Las Olas, Wlimington, NC

Las Olas Mexi-Q sits next to Boombalatti's Ice Cream in the space formerly occupied by Foster's. It is owned by the same folks as K38 Baja and a few other Mexican places, but the emphasis here is on bar-b-q with ribs, pulled pork and more. My main reason for going is that on Tuesday nights they have a fish taco special for $3 each and I have it on good word that they are good. There's two in the photo above and they were so good that I ordered another. I was full, but my son was once there and ordered, and ate, six of them.

Service was excellent, Hannah was friendly and helpful and at $3 each the prices were good. I looked over the menu and the rest of the prices looked okay, and there were some interesting selections. 

Epic Burger at Epic Foods in Wilmington, NC

Epic Foods in Wilmington is fast becoming a favorite and this burger is a good example of why. Caramelized onions, cheese and a nice chunk of meat on a healthy roll with chips and greens on the side.

China Moon, Guthriesville, PA

Shrimp Roll

I've had food from here twice. The first time was take-out and the second dine-in. Both times I had sushi and the food was good, not great, but good. I'd go back again, but I would recommend doing the take-out as the service inside is a bit slow. 

Phoenix Roll

The Shannon Rose, Ramsey, NJ

Murder Burger

The Shannon Rose sounds like the name of either a beautiful Irish Lassie, or a rusty tramp steamer out of Belfast bound for some exotic port of call. In this case it is a rather nice Irish restaurant on route 17 in Ramsey, NJ, part of a small chain of three restaurants with the same name. Looking at it you realize that someone spent a whole lot of cash to build it and that money was well spent. It is large and well appointed with dark wood and glass etched with Irish expressions. 

Murder Burger on the menu

We looked over the menus and Teresa decided on the open faced Rueben with fries. The meat was lean and it had Irish cheese on it instead of the traditional Swiss cheese. She said it was quite good. I debated between three burgers. One was the Dublin with Irish rashers and cheddar, the second was the stuffed bacon and blue cheese burger. 

The winner was the Murder Burger, shown at top. This burger consisted of quality meat cooked exactly to the medium which I ordered. It sat in a brioche roll with American and pepper jack cheese, sautéed onion, jalapeños, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and thousand island dressing. They took the whole thing and battered it in a Harp beer batter, then deep fried it. 

Okay, this sounds like a heavy burger, but it had a nice light taste to it. The cheeses and the dressing gave a creamy taste with a slight crunch from the bun. The bun actually took on a donut taste. Overall, it was amazing and I would order another. The next time I'd ask for a few more jalapeños to kick it up a bit.

The food was very good, the ambiance nice and the prices reasonable. The two sandwiches set us back $25 with tax. We'll definitely stop by again. By the way, they have traditional Irish fare such as; shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, meatloaf and a traditional Irish breakfast with both black and white sausages. 

Babba Louie's, Modena, NY

Babba Louie's on Rt 32 in Modena is an ice cream and food place with a walk-up window and a small dining room. I've driven past here a few times and I'd heard it was good, so we decided to pop in today when we needed a light bite to eat. I decided on the bacon, swiss and blue cheese burger at nine bucks (perhaps a bit high for the location). I ordered it medium and it was cooked to a perfect medium, it did need some seasoning though. The fries were plentiful and good, after I added a bit of salt. Teresa had a Sabrett's hot dog with chili and onions.

Good food and nice people.

Captain Jake's Riverhouse, Newburgh, NY

Oysters Rockefeller

My wife went to Captain Jake's on the waterfront in Newburgh the other day for a bachelorette party and when she got home she said, "I'd like to go there again sometime." Well, today was an overcast day in the middle of the week so we figured the waterfront wouldn't be crowded and it would be a good day to pop over.

I started with the oysters Rockefeller, shown above. They were okay, nothing phenomenal. They tasted, and looked, like it was more of a pesto sauce on them than a traditional Rockefeller presentation. In addition, the oysters were not placed in a sea salt bed or anything to keep them level so the oil spread all over the plate. The salad was undressed and needed some acid to help balance the buttery taste of the pesto. We did request some bread to sop up the oils and they were good, but I'd take a pass on this dish.

Fish and Chips

I decided on the fish and chips. I had the lunch portion which was quite large. The fish was excellent with a crispy batter outside and properly cooked cod on the inside. Moist and flakey. The fries were okay. Teresa had the shrimp and crab wrap shown below which was quite good. The grilled shrimp were large and there were plenty of them. 

Shrimp and carb wrap

So overall, a nice place to grab a bite on the waterfront with good food at reasonable prices. 

Panchos & Gringos, Brookfield, CT

Enchiladas Mole

I may have a new favorite Mexican restaurant, or at least one that is at least equal to my favorite which is the Cafe Maya in Fishkill. We first came in contact with Panchos and Gringos about a month ago when I heard on the radio that there was a restaurant tasting in Brookfield at the Raymour and Flanagan store. We stopped by and our favorite was Panchos and Gringos. They were sampling a pulled pork that was as good as ours and they gave us a gift certificate for a free appetizer. We put them on the short list of places to visit.

We were headed to Costco and decided to stop by and pay a visit. I only hoped it lived up to the hype we'd built up. Outside it looks kitschy and Mexican, with a life-sized fake horse in the doorway. Inside it is tastefully decorated, not over the top like some Mexican places, and there is Mexican music playing. There is also a Mexican wait staff and I'd certainly hope a Mexican cooking team. We were given water, menus and chips and salsa. The chips were warm and the salsa had just the right hint of heat to them. Oh, the water was cold.

Appetizer Sampler

Since we had the gift certificate, we decided on the appetizer sampler. Everything on it tasted fresh and good, the chicken wings being the best part. It was a nice start to the meal. 

The problem was in choosing the entrees as there were too many things that caught our eyes. I was going to go with a fish taco, but the enchiladas mole with beef won out. I'm glad it did as it was simply amazing. The Mole sauce was rich, but not overpowering, with multiple flavor notes coming through. Quite possibly my favorite Mexican dish, that is until I tasted the dish Teresa ordered.

Enchiladas Tomatillo

Teresa ordered the enchiladas Tomatillo with chicken and I tasted it. Actually I ate one of hers and she had one of mine. The tomatillos gave a delightful sour taste that made me want to lick the plate to get the last precious drops of that amazing sauce. This is why Panchos & Gringos may just be my new favorite Mexican place. Oh yeah, the refried beans were quite tasty and I even ate some of the rice.

Overall, nice ambiance, good service and amazing food at reasonable prices. We will certainly be headed back to try some of the other dishes that interested us and you should stop by too.  

Inn of the Hawke, Lambertville, NJ

I can describe the Inn of the Hawke in one word, Brilliant. In two words, Bloody Marvelous. I use the British expressions because the restaurant has the warm, welcoming feel of an old English publick house blended with Colonial American charm. Wood floors, wood tables, wallpaper, paintings, romantic soft lighting and a cool outdoor garden area make for an interesting place. 

I had done some research to find a lunch stop on our way to Downingtown, a trip we make frequently. I wanted to try something different and this was the choice. I only hoped the food would live up to the ambiance.

After looking over the menu I ordered the Special Burger shown above. It came on a brioche bun with roasted poblano peppers, onions, avocado and queso fresco with a side of pub fries for $11.25. I ordered it medium and it was cooked to a perfect medium! As regular readers know, this is a bone of contention for me. Too often my burger comes out over cooked and dry, not so here. This quality burger meat was cooked to perfection giving a juicy, but not greasy, flavor. The combination of the ingredients worked very well. This was one of the best. The pub chips were tasty and they even brought malt vinegar for them. Quite civilized. 

Teresa ordered the Hawke burger with cheese at $9.75. Hers was ordered medium-well and that's exactly how it came out. She said it was good, and that I'd made a good choice in selecting the restaurant.

To sum it all up, ambiance very nice, service excellent, food quite good and prices reasonable. Looks like we'll be headed back in the near future.

Mountain Brauhaus, Gardiner, NY

Grass fed, local beef burger on a pretzel

The Mountain Brauhaus in Gardiner has been around for 58 years, they opened the year I was born, and has been run by the same family for all of that time. I say this because when you enter the restaurant you might just feel like you've stepped back in time, in a good way. It is full of dark wood, the waitresses all wear German dresses, German music is playing on the sound system and people are friendly. Old World charm is how I'd describe it best. I haven't been there since I was little and I don't think it has changed a bit since then. Now that can be a bad thing when a restaurant doesn't change and gets stale, and the third generation runs it into the ground. Not the case here as they have taken what works well and kept it up. They didn't try to fix what wasn't broken.

Rueben strudel

We were seated and our excellent waitress, Alisha, brought us water and gave us time to look over the menus. There were too many good choices and we decided to start with the Rueben Strudel appetizer. It was quite good with some quality corned beef wrapped in a strudel and covered with Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. Around the edges were circles on dressing and horseradish. 

I ordered the local grass fed burger on a pretzel at $13.00. It had gouda, balsamic roasted red onion, spinach and a side of fries. There were other options. I ordered it medium and it was darn near medium, just a tad over. The beef was good and the flavors blended well. The pretzel was a bit much though and I left a bit of that behind. The fries were good too. Overall it was a good burger and I will certainly be back for another one (or another variation) soon.

Veggie burger

Theresa got the veggie burger after Alisha told her it was house made. She said that it was good, as good as one she'd make herself (Teresa said this). She had the salad and it was quite large. She originally had the onion dressing but she didn't like the dill in it (I did) and asked Alisha for a different one. The citrus dressing she brought was excellent.

Of course I had to have a beer and I chose a dark beer, a small Köstritzer Schwarzbier. It was good and I liked the way the bubble broke the head just as I took the picture. 

Two good burgers, a beer and an appetizer for under $36, tax included. Not bad at all. Overall, a very nice dining experience and we will certainly be going back again. There were quite a few things on that menu that interested us and we want to try them. I'd highly recommend you pay them a visit and experience Old World dining at its best. 

Mr. Sushi, Middletown, NY

Uni

I had a friend raving about Mr. Sushi for some time now and I finally decided to check it out and see for myself what Steve was talking about. I trust his taste in food, Scotch whiskey and cigars. 

I looked at the place from the outside and thought they had two things going against them, the name and the fact that they were located in a strip mall. Going inside you lose that strip mall feel and realize they did a nice job of decorating the place. They created a warm and inviting sushi bar without going over the top. As for the name, well it's not as hokey as something like New #1Sushi, or something like that. 

We looked over the menus and Teresa decided on chicken teriyaki instead of the chicken tempura. I'll get back to her dish at the end. I decided we should share an appetizer and that I'd get two loose pieces of sushi and a roll. 

Gyoza

We started with the chicken gyoza for an appetizer. There were six on the plate and they were quite tasty with a delicate flavor. 

Naruto Roll

I went with the Naruto roll for my main course. This is salmon, tuna and crab meat rolled in cucumber with an acidic sauce on it. It was good, but not something I want a whole plate of. This is something better shared when out with a group and ordering a whole bunch of different things. My own fault as what I know about sushi could fill a matchbook cover.

I decided to try two single sushi, the uni (sea urchin) and the red snapper. The red snapper was good, the uni was amazing. I know, Uni is an odd and acquired taste, but it was really good. I may go this route the next time and try some different items. 

The sushi and the gyoza were excellent. The chicken however was not. The first few pieces were very good, but the last were tough and rubbery, to the point of being inedible. We pointed this out to our waiter and he brought the manager, who in turn went to the kitchen and examined the chicken with the cooks. They agreed and the manager apologized profusely and comped the dish. In retrospect it could be that the one piece of chicken was over-marinated in an acidic liquid. This happens to shrimp in a lemon marinade and gives a similar consistency. 

The bottom line is how they handled it, and they did a good job of it. That impressed me. We will be going back as Steve was right. It is good.

Gunk Haus Revisited

Croquette with goat cheese

We were here before and we liked it, you can click here for the review. Tonight we started with the croquettes with goat cheese on a bed of greens with cole slaw. They were good, but I felt there was something missing. On the way home I realized what I wanted with them, a side of applesauce instead of the greens. 

Vegetarian Streusel

Teresa had the vegetarian streusel and she said it was very good. She said it tasted like an Italian dish her mother makes with spinach and beans but kicked up a bit and wrapped in a struesel. 

Three Cheese Chicken Sausage

I went with the three cheese chicken sausage with broccoli rabe, pretzel dumplings and an onion gravy. Good. Even better after I put some mustard on the sausage. 

Sacher Torte

We wrapped it up with the Sacher Torte, not that we had room, and it was excellent. Overall, excellent food, great service, nice relaxed, casual atmosphere and reasonable prices. The total bill was just under fifty bucks. Stop by sometime and see what I mean.