Yianni's

In Greenwood, Mississippi, a town described as "it's all about the food," I found an interesting dish at Yianni's. I can't say I'd tried a fried hot tamale before then. Hot tamales? Yes, but battered and fried? That was a new one. Leave a group of good southern cooks alone in the kitchen too late on a Friday night and we'll take something already tasty and contemplate a bit on how to best deep fry it. The chefs at Yanni's must have had such a Friday night and the results were this culinary wonder. Lightly breaded and fried, they're served with Ranch dressing as a dip but it's not needed. What is normally the exterior of the tamale becomes extremely soft, almost to the point of melting. The flavors all blend together to make one oozy, gooey good mess.

My husband would have taken home an entire chocolate toffee cake, as he said it's one of the best he's ever had anywhere. The bit of remaining summer heat in the car might not have been to kind to the cake and he likes being able to fit into the car; eating that entire cake might not be so conducive to that.

Overall rating : 3.5 stars
Pros: Those fried hot tamales are worth the trip. Save room for desert as the chocolate toffee cake is great. The menu has plenty of choices, good for a group or family. Another good local restaurant.
Cons: While the filet mignon was a good cut of beef, it lacked a bit in flavor. The overall food was quite good but not spectacular, with a few previously noted exceptions. I was unable to locate a website for the restaurant, but you can see them on a Google map here.

The Best Fried Chicken

I probably should be concerned about my complete willingness to go drive over 700 miles on a weekend to get Fried Chicken, but I'm not. The consumption of some tasty bird may have been the official destination, but the other purpose of the trip was a change of scenery. Sometimes I just need to go and take in something different. Different walls, different roads, different air.

So with the trusty GPS as a guide, my husband and I headed south with the ultimate destination of Lorman, Mississippi. (See Lorman on a map here.) It's a tiny town and about the only standing building is The Old Country Store. It's questionable how it's still standing; it could be a testament to the old adage "they don't make 'em like the used to." Quickly assessing the building's ramshackle exterior, I know it was not a place I'd ordinarily stop but based on good word (Alton Brown's Feasting on Asphalt) it's contents would prove well worth the risk. Tempting me with a promise of the best fried chicken ever was enough enticement to make the drive and go for it.

As soon as we walked in the door, owner Arthur Davis, or "Mr. D" as he's known there, greeted us with a friendly reminder to leave our diets on the nail by the door. After driving over 300 miles to get fried chicken, any thoughts I might have had of a so-called diet were fading, and the heavenly smells from the kitchen were happily stomping those remaining thoughts to tiny bits. Walking through the restaurant, which is proudly announces its heritage as an old country store by the wooden floors, the shelves to the ceiling and the ladders on casters and guide rails.
A simple buffet of mac & cheese, greens, peas, dirty rice, cornbread muffins and of course, the chicken awaits the large open room of tables and hungry diners. One bite confirmed that every single mile of the drive was worth it because this really was the best fried chicken anywhere. The secret? Mr. D cooks the chicken and doesn't use chicken that has been frozen. I wouldn't be surprised if some of what was served at lunch was happily clucking and pecking just a few hours prior to meeting my plate. There wasn't a bad item on the buffet, but the chicken was outstanding. The dirty rice reassured me that the stuff Popeye's scoops into a styrofoam cup and call by the same name doesn't begin to compare to the real deal. At this point, I'm not so sure about that stuff Popeye's sells, but I've promised myself I will from here forward only consume it under the most dire of circumstances.

The drive to Lorman was a bit further than we wanted to make as a day trip, so we chose to make a weekend of it and stay in Greenwood, with a visit to Vicksburg as well. The weather was flawless and the change of surroundings was a welcome breath of fresh air. The people in the area exude southern hospitality. Any town that wants to attract visitors could learn from the relaxed and generous nature of the people in the small towns along the Great River Road in Mississippi.

More to come about this trip to Mississippi...

I know it's a chain, but...

I think this is the only hotel I have seen with labeled pillows. Accurately labeled too.

I have to give credit where it's due, and the Holiday Inn Express at Greenwood, Mississippi really deserves some credit. While it is the generic highway hotel for the most part, it seems to step a bit beyond that. It was the quietest hotel I've stayed at, ever. Usually I don't expect a 40-plus inch LCD TV in the room and solid surface counter tops in a Holiday Inn.

I've read recently that Holiday Inn is pushing to update and upgrade their hotels and overall image, going as far as to drop some of the older hotels from the chain that refuse to bring their hotels up to par. This was a new location that opened this summer and should be an example for the whole chain.

Return Trips

Several years ago, I used to go with a group of friends to Sheffield's for lunch. It had a certain charm that only comes from a restaurant housed in a old downtown building, complete huge glass windows in the front, brick interior walls, original hardwood floors, and a ornate ceiling that hopes to hide the sprinkler system. We'd catch up on the latest gossip and socialize while feasting on homemade quiche, soups and most often their notoriously good salads. It was these gab sessions that actually encouraged me to start eating salads; prior to that I generally avoided lettuce like it was a nasty and highly contagious disease.

Skipping forward to now, the friends have moved away and the restaurant has a new owner, but it is still there. Today I went for lunch after having not been in a number of years. The salads were still as good as I recall. I think if I had a blob of mud and could cover it in their Wine & Cheese dressing, I would probably eat it. It's not unique to their restaurant, but with what has to be an astronomical calorie count, I prefer to leave it for special occasions. The quiche wasn't quite as good as I recall, but the soup was quite tasty. I suspect I might have gotten the leftovers from yesterday's lunch, so I'll certainly give it another chance.

There was an unexpectedly great dish I sampled; my husband ordered a bacon cheeseburger and fries. At this haven of upscale, gourmet, light lunch foods he ordered one of their specials, the American Burger. It was great! It's probably one of the best tasting burgers I've had in quite some time, served with hot french fries that didn't taste like they'd had a long soak in trans-fat filled lard. The bun was likely a house-made bread, thus fulfilling its gourmet setting, but still good.

While I can't go back to my "girls day out" lunches of years past, it's nice to know I can go back to the restaurant and get the same great salads and a surprisingly delicious burger.

My rating: 4 stars
Pros: The burger is really phenominal. One of the best I've had in a long time even. The salad selections are plentiful and the "mixed greens" isn't a load of iceberg lettuce with some other things lightly sprinkled in. Toppings are varied and plentiful. Service is friendly and the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing.
Cons: Parking. It's downtown thus parking is limited. This is one of those "club" restaurants that are popping up in the area. Membership is required just to dine for lunch, regardless if alcohol is served. (The restaurant is in a Dry County.)

Dinner to Wear

I must have a target printed on me somewhere that I can't see as lately I've worn part of dinner. One night, it was a glass of Sprite, which proceeded to pour out all over the place when the table got wiggled. In less than a week, I also had a plate full of french fries dumped into my lap. Both were of no fault of my own. Whoever is in charge of the accident distribution can aim another direction now, I'm completely caught up for now, thanks.

The interesting thing was how each restaurant handled the situation. The cleanup of the Sprite was just another thing that got between the employee and her paycheck. The french fries were another story. The employee who did it apologized repeatedly. Then came the assistant manager, who also offered his apology and sent over the manager next. They all simply wanted to make it right, whatever was needed. Their gestures made me reconsider my new vow to never return. I might actually go back, they did make such great efforts to correct an otherwise unpleasant situation.

I've been to a few restaurants that I've sworn off for life, such as the one where a fellow diner found a roach in her salad. Or the one where I waited too patiently for an hour for my meal. Then there's the one where the waitress dumped a glass of ice water down my back in a full room. That last one wasn't me, but I was at the same table. I can't describe the whole Ruby Tuesday incident; it just puts me in a foul mood thinking about their lousy attitudes. But I digress. With accidents, it's how they handle it. There are some inexcusable acts like the "extra fiber" in the salad. Those put a restaurant on my permanently banished list.

Speaking of Smoke

While traveling I've noticed more states where I don't have to request the "non-smoking" section in restaurants. For me, that's great. Inevitably as a non-smoker, I was the one stuck at the table that is right beside the smoking section. If I walked into a restaurant and saw great billowing clouds crawling across the room, I would leave. I've actually walked in and turned around and left before event talking to a soul because the smoke was so thick.

So in my little search for the effective date for Tennessee's new smoking ban, I found a nice list on Wikipedia of what states have bans and to what extent they cover. I thought it might be handy for anyone else traveling, so enjoy!

Interstate Bar-B-Que in Memphis

I've heard for a number of years that Interstate has some of the best BBQ around, and it's a prime example of the Memphis style. Self proclaimed connoisseurs of the meaty stuff know that there's a significant difference between what is labeled BBQ in various parts of the country, and around the globe too. Memphis style is a either pork shoulder or pork ribs, with a thick sauce that's a sweet and tangy blend. Most BBQ joints in the area offer a mild and a hot version of their sauces, giving the diner options in how much heat they want to endure. Head east into the Carolinas and the sauces become thinner and more vinegar based; the meat is expected to carry more of the flavor. Move southwest into Texas and it's all about Beef. Brisket is the pinnacle choice with a bold and usually thick sauce. Memphis style falls somewhere in the middle in flavor and sauce thickness. When it comes to BBQ in the south, one thing is certain. Never, ever argue about who cooks it best. I imagine it would be like arguing with a Samurai that there's a better sword than their own; they are not likely to believe it even after trying the supposed better option.

Since this is really supposed to be about Interstate BBQ, I will move on. Their location is one I wouldn't visit after dark. It also lives up to what I've heard about many good BBQ institutions, which is the food will be great and the service will not. The BBQ is quite good, not what I would consider spectacular but very good. It beats many I've sampled in that the fat is rendered out well so it's moist but not full of gristle. The sauce has a great sweet and spicy balance that works well with the pork. The spaghetti is really where things happen. I would endure the service again just for the spaghetti. It's a generous serving of spaghetti noodles topped with pulled pork and their in-house sauce. After tasting it, it's one of those dishes that makes me think "Why didn't I think of that?" Skip everything else on the menu and go for the spaghetti. It's really that good.

I'm looking forward to the indoor smoking ban taking effect in Tennessee, because this is one of those few restaurants left where the few remaining smokers are intermingled with the non-smoking majority. The law went into effect on July 1, but will be actually enforced starting October 1, 2007. My visit was in August, so clearly they will be one of those businesses that will make the leap at the very last moment to stay in compliance.

Overall Rating : 3.5 stars
Pros: The spaghetti is amazing. Portions are generously sized and in some instances enough to share. The pork has a great texture and isn't at all dry.
Cons: Location is a bit unsettling and the whole smoking issue does really put me off from going there. Any business that won't comply with the law until absolutely forced into it sets off warning bells to me immediately.

Sambuca Restaurant - Nashville, Tennessee

Last weekend I had the pleasure of a relaxing dinner with friends at Sambuca. Located in the trendy Gulch area, whatever a "gulch" is, it definitely lives up to the reputation. It surpasses what some of the new hot restaurants tend to be, which is overpriced and overbearing. When I walk into a restaurant and get that instant feeling I am the most dull, uninteresting person there and am merely and impediment to the staff getting to someone who is actually worth serving, the food has to be something pretty spectacular for me to forgive the attitude.

Fortunately this wasn't that type of place. While the atmosphere was trendy and cool, the staff was friendly and the menu quite inventive. I can't say I've had or even heard of Lobster Enchiladas until last weekend. They're tasty and I haven't a clue what I ate exactly. For those who've known me since childhood, this is a huge statement coming from me. I was the pickiest of eaters as a kid and I'm not sure what caused the transformation to make me the culinary guinea pig I am today but I prefer my newfound willingness to my past days of limited range. The variety of tastes available to sample at a place like this is downright fun. From the appetizer list, the Shrimp with Thai sauce was quite good. The Zebra Pasta (at right) is a visually interesting dish with it's zebra patterned pasta sheets, plus the person at my table eating it seemed to have no trouble making the dish disappear. The Chevre Macaroni and Cheese with Prosciutto was probably my favorite dish of the evening. The sauces on just about every pasta I tasted were generous with the heavy cream, so this is not exactly a dieter's domain. It does make for some really great gourmet mac and cheese though.

Then there was the Wedding Cake Martini. The name alone was tempting, then after reading the ingredients list of vanilla vodka, tuaca, pineapple juice and cranberry juice I couldn't resist. Any drink that can smell perfectly like a beautiful white cake can't be all bad. It tasted just as good as it smelled, but the flavor struck me as Dump Cake. It's that cake where a bunch of fruit is dumped in the bottom of a pan, then a mixture of cake mix and a few other ingredients is dumped onto that. It's baked and it all blends together to make a moist, fruity white cake. Despite the name, it's pretty tasty stuff. This reminded me of that flavor instantly. In short, it's really, really good.

Something noteworthy about the atmosphere is the live music. The night we were there it was good, and surprisingly not so loud you couldn't hear the conversation. No shouting was necessary and we were seated nearby the stage. So many restaurants cover up their food with loud music and very low lighting. At Sambuca the balance was perfect.

Overall rating: 4 stars
Pros: Atmosphere is relaxing yet fun, the variety of selections is good and the wine list is extensive. The Wedding Cake Martini is definitely something to write home about, or at least make it to my blog. It didn't last long enough for a picture.
Cons: The food quality was good, but I'm not sure I liked the almost overuse of heavy cream in so many dishes. Portions were adequate to me, but some who are used to the indulgent sizes of most restaurants may find themselves wanting a bit more. The heavy sauces did fill me up so I wasn't able to finish my dinner.

Cheap Seafood Ain't Good

My rule of thumb about seafood is this: if it's more than 100 miles inland, realize that most shrimp/fish/scallops/other seafood is not going to be really fresh. If you take that into consideration, your expectations will be adequately adjusted for the food you're about to consume.

The title of this post comes from the marquee at Who Dat's Cajun Restaurant in Bald Knob, Arkansas. I am inclined to agree with their assessment of seafood quality and have to give them credit for doing justice to good seafood. To say the portions are generous is an understatement and considering that, the $15 to $20 for most entrees on the menu doesn't seem overpriced. Most also include their food bar, which when added to the meals makes for more food than I can eat in one sitting. Everything I tasted was in single a word, flavorful. Many restaurants like to substitute heat for flavor and treat Cajun as label meaning "hot." That's not a real definition of all things Cajun. These guys get it. They understand that while heat has it's place, it's not a stand-in for good flavor and a disguise for poor quality. The gumbo was the best I've had anywhere and I can't honestly say I could identify everything in it. Sometimes I know it's better that I don't know the complete contents. Other things on the menu and food bar that were good included the fried catfish, hush puppies and blackened catfish. I'd expected the blackened fish to have more heat, as I've become accustomed to the whole "hot" in place of flavor versions most places serve. This was quite the contrary as it had a warm flavor but was not intensely hot. The seasoned rice (or any of their rice for that matter) was also a nice complement to about any dish. The one real surprise was the roast beef on the food bar. I'd rank it in the top 5 of roast beef dishes I've had, which I would have never thought to look for in a Cajun restaurant. The selection of deserts was plentiful and delicious as well, so despite having really no room left after all the feasting, I had to sample the Peanut Butter Pie and the Carmel Pecan Chocolate Cake. I certainly wouldn't send either of those back to the kitchen, they were a fine finish to a large but tasty meal.

With eager patrons lining up out the door before 6pm in this small town, I was glad I arrived early. As I was leaving I saw a framed copy of a magazine article titled "Ten Places Worth Driving For" based out of Little Rock. After seeing, smelling and tasting why it's on their list, I'm anxious to ask, what are the other nine?

My Rating: 4 Stars
Pros: Leaving here hungry won't be the fault of the restaurant, there's so much food available at every turn. Most everything on the menu is good, and there's plenty to choose from. Even the seafood adverse folks will find something here. Family friendly atmosphere. I could put the seasoning they use on several dishes in a bowl and eat it, it's that good.
Cons: Gargantuan portions, so big I couldn't make a real dent in my meal and that was after I chose to forgo 99% of the food bar. A little pricey for those with a light appetite, but if you're really hungry and have hollow legs, it's not a bad value. The shrimp are on the larger size and tend to have more of a prawn than shrimp taste; unless you're a fan of prawns, I'd steer clear of them.

Small Town Blues

It's the middle of a hot summer and that always leads to a need to see some new scenery. Or at least new walls and new roads, even if it is still hot and hopelessly humid. In my case the craving for newness usually involves a new-to-me food related destination.

I've found there's a serious lack of sources online to help find good local restaurants. I like finding those kinds of places I see featured on Food Network shows that make your mouth water and your arteries wish they had a spare body where they could run and hide. There's sites like Expedia and Trip Advisor, but that covers hotels, airfare, and all the other necessities of bigger city destinations. I have a more small town question of sorts. Where in Toad Suck, Arkansas do the locals go when they want a good meal? While I am all in favor of the improved quality and portion control available by dining in, sometimes it's necessary to let someone else do the cooking, even for those that aren't leading the 24/7 Manhattan lifestyle. What about Amagon, Arkansas? (In the case of Amagon, it's a little roadside stand that I've heard pretty good things about.) Maybe towns that aren't quite that small, but are a good enough size the draw from the surrounding one-stoplight communities; where's the repository of good restaurants to be found? Given the wide reaching nature of the internet, it seems there should be a good space out there for this, but alas I've found none so far.

Then again, finding a destination in advance can take away from the fun. Where's the sense of adventure in having an exact stopping point planned in advance? What about those fun "let's go drive and see what we find" type trips? Sometimes I suppose I should unplug a bit and simply go. That's how I've come upon some of the best food and fun along the way.

Mixing Things Up

This week I had the unpleasant experience of poor culinary judgment. Placing hot soup in a Blendtec Blender, then covering the steam vent on top with a towel and hitting the pulse button will cause you to have nasty burns on your arms, not to mention a kitchen covered in soup. Suffice it to say now that the burns are healing and the kitchen will be right once more with a bit of paint, I am still impressed with just how great a piece of machinery the blender is.

I was out in the Provo, Utah area recently (as is clear by previous posts) and one afternoon of "lets go exploring," which in my book equals out to driving around until something looks interesting and makes me want to stop, led to an interesting discovery. While trying to get to some unknown body of water in the distance, my husband and I passed through a light industrial district.
We both spotted the building and the sign and the same time. There it was... headquarters to one of the coolest kitchen devices on the planet and we'd accidentally found it. Feeling either slightly brave or crazy from the higher altitude, we went inside. The friendliest woman at the front desk was more than gracious, taking us into the small factory store as it was while chatting with us the whole time. She asked if we'd seen the "Will it Blend?" series of videos. Of course we had, it's what sparked my original interest in the device, and anything that can turn over 50 matchbox cars into dust in mere seconds can surely be an asset in my kitchen. Who doesn't need to decimate something at some point, right? Anyway, she offered to show us the set where they film the videos. I think walking onto that set was the high point of my entire trip to Utah, making the time spent in delayed flights and uncomfortable airline seats worth it. It's actually in a corner of what appears to be a factory employee break room. The table to the side holds a variety of soon-to-be-dust items such as plastic toys and cans of Spam, while several rakes sit waiting their impending doom nearby too. Yes, I think that this really was the highlight of my entire trip.

Provo, Orem and Salt Lake City, Utah

I spent a week in the Provo, Utah area and I have to share about this interesting area. I found one commonality among the vast majority of the businesses there. The staff seems friendly, if not eager, to do their jobs and do them quite well. A strong work ethic and positive attitude dominates the general public and those working to serve it. Waiters and waitresses were friendly, store clerks were pleasant and helpful. Stopping in at a local bakery, Kneaders, one night 10 minutes to close I found the typical teenage staff working, except they didn't treat me like I was in the way, but rather a welcome customer. Kneaders, by the way, makes some fantastic cookies, pastries, croissants and muffin tops. I will be spending a bit of extra time at the gym making up for my excessive enjoyment of their delectable goodies. The area itself is beautiful and the drier climate a pleasant change from the normal 70% humidity of my home in Arkansas.

While I was in Utah for the week, I visited a few other noteworthy restaurants. A few were something worth writing home about, as bakery I already mentioned. One afternoon for lunch I made the trip up to Park City, about an hour drive, and stopped in at Zoom. Despite it's attempt to appear gourmet and swanky, the macaroni and cheese was the best dish on the menu; using a blend of Havarti and White Cheddar, I'd rank it in my top 5 of mac & cheese dishes around. The bacon used in their dishes was also exceptional, but overall it was overpriced for a just so-so meal.

After nearly a year long hiatus, I finally had the opportunity to return to one of my favorites of all time, Ruth's Chris. Their location in Salt Lake City did not leave any room for disappointment. The restaurant itself is fascinating in its design. The feel is though it is a place to be seen, with a long, slightly stair-stepped room, accented with archways and a look of that classic elegance that you don't see in restaurants anymore. Oh yes, and the food was excellent as always. I did sample a different desert, their bread pudding. I think I have decided to stick with what I know is always fabulous, the creme brulee. The bread pudding wasn't bad, but the whiskey in the sauce was a bit overpowering. Besides, as the waiter told a table of Ruth's Chris newbies at the next table, "We have other dishes, but really it's all about the steak." Well said indeed.

An interesting find was a chain that it turns out isn't all that far off from my own hometown, Mimi's Cafe. The variety on the menu alone makes it an excellent choice for families or groups. My husband tried the chicken fried steak, and we both agreed it was some of the best we've had, and ordinarily I do not like chicken fried steak. I will definitely put this on my list of places as I travel as a safe bet when I'm not feeling particularly adventurous.

Wingers is another good local chain, featuring their own in-house wing sauce. I'm not a huge wing fan, but their diner car type restaurants have a level of kitsch that makes them fun. The large menu can satisfy the wing fans and those who aren't into wings as well.

Probably one of the more pleasant surprises was the Megaplex Theater at Sandy, Utah. If the theaters in my area were this great, I'd go at least once a week, even to see the movies I'd normally catch on a movie channel later. Set up similar to what I've seen in Las Vegas, the inside is like that of a city walk. It has multiple restaurants like a small food court, including a deli, ice cream shop, pretzel shop, soda fountain style diner and of course the requisite popcorn and sodas. The food at the diner was good, and not as overpriced as I would have expected. Also their option to purchase tickets online is wonderful; buy the tickets from the comfort of home, or in my case the hotel room, at the theater walk up to a kiosk, feed it my credit card and there's the tickets. No lines. For some screens they also offer reserved seating, making a crowded or likely to sell out movie more pleasant. I know I'll get a good seat without having to get their an hour in advance, or more. Catching a movie on the Imax doesn't hurt things either; the insanely huge screen and clarity is something to see. Throw in some 3D action and the extra cost is money really well spent.

The Courtyard by Marriott in Provo, Utah is a clean, nice hotel with a very friendly staff, of course. My room included hi-speed internet access that was reliable and most notably, it was very very quiet. Very quiet. I've come to appreciate that in hotels, many find it not a worthwhile investment to add a bit of sound deadening to the walls and doorway areas. I rarely heard a peep in the hallway.

Overall the area is beautiful, the people are friendly and it's simply put a nice place to visit.

Utah meets Italy

Ottavio's, located in downtown Provo, Utah, has some utterly fantastic garlic cheese bread. That's just the starting point for a very delicious meal. Their house meat sauce served on the dish I had, Rigatoni Ottavio, was wonderful. Pizza also is a good choice, as the pepperoni had a fresh-sliced taste. If I have one complaint, it's that the portions are huge. I can't imagine one person eating a whole dish from there; which at the pricing makes it quite the good value too. The atmosphere is quiet and relaxing.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Cons: Portions are beyond generous, they're simply gigantic. Sharing with a friend is a must for any dish. Parking is a bit limited in the downtown area. It's also located in Utah, and who knows when I'll get back out that way!
Pros: The taste is fantastic and the garlic cheese bread some of the best I've ever tasted. Everything seems fresh, or had at least a fresh enough flavor it fooled me.

Rising From the Dirt

Panchos is one of those quirky places that has changed and evolved over time using the same base structure. I grew up eating at a location in my town, but several years ago the building caught fire. The owners apparently didn't think it was worthwhile to repair or rebuild, so they closed permanently. Its a shame too as the restaurant has a different flavor than most other local Mexican or tex-mex blends. Their cheese dip, hot dip and house dressing are popular enough local grocery stores sell it packaged. My own favorite dish is called Shrimp Veracruz and is a mixture of seasoned rice and cheese topped with grilled seasoned shrimp and more cheese. While the locations across the river in Memphis are strikingly more upscale, the Arkansas location has an interesting character. Its a bit of a dive but not unclean. Its not a place I'd stop without knowing its safe and good; its not in a swanky retail district. I've been told that the dirt floor was finally tiled over in recent times (I'm not making this up, really.)

My rating: 4 stars
Pros: unique tasting Mexican cuisine, oh and that fantastic dip.
Cons: the location in west Memphis is in an armpit of an area. The location in downtown Memphis requires parking and walking, usually a block or so. I'm not accustomed to having to do that so its a strike against it in my book.

Also to note: this is not the same restaurant chain found in southern Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana. That one is a buffet. Its ok, somewhat bland and nowhere nearly as flavorful as the group based in Memphis.

Headed for Utah

A bit later this month I'll be traveling to the Provo, Utah area for business. I've been doing a little brief research of things to do and restaurants to try while I'm there. I have discovered that while some towns that are tourist-oriented tend to do a reasonably good job with self-promotion, others that aren't quite the usual tourist destinations lag behind. Even many large cities do a better job of providing a "must see" list of places to check out while visiting the area. Tiny tourist towns like Eureka Springs have more readily available info about local dining and accommodations than areas with a population that many times over exceeds that of tiny Eureka Springs. Even my old standby research tool of TripAdvisor.com has little to say about the area, short of what hotels to visit.

So I beg, plead of anyone who is familiar with the area to shed some light on what I can do while there to entertain myself after hours. Good food, things to see, you name it. Enlighten me!

Bonefish Grill

For Father's Day, my dad wanted seafood for dinner. Of course I'd offered to cook, but we'd decided to attend a Italian & Exotic car show in Memphis so we opted for something in the area. After a quick stop at Red Lobster to find a 45 minute wait, my husband and I thought of Bonefish Grill. While it's a chain restaurant, it's one of the better thought-out concepts. The food was surprisingly good and fresh, and the atmosphere very inviting.

Their special of the day, Imperial Tilapia, was a tilapia fillet stuffed with a mix of crab, scallops, and shrimp, topped with a cream sauce. The creme brulee was in the top five I've sampled anywhere. A word of caution about the crab cakes appetizer is plated with two sauces, a green almost pesto type sauce and a red sauce. The red sauce is not for the fainthearted, it is most definitely hot. Not spicy, hot; while it was good, the heat I suspect would be a turn-off to many diners.

For those who aren't seafood fans, the beef filet is better than in many steak restaurants. Try the au gratin potatoes on the side too, they are simply fantastic.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Pros: Being a chain, there's several locations in the eastern US. The variety of fresh seafood is a seafood fanatic's dream.
Cons: I don't have a location nearby. The location I went to is a bit dimly lit, so take a small pen light to see the menu!

Cool Cupcakes

These have to be some of the coolest looking cupcakes I've ever seen. Found on the blog Vegan Yum Yum, the baker provides an explanation and photos demonstrating how she created these little charming delights. Pretty nice!

They're almost too cute. It steps just past that boundary, where food has become so attractive I almost feel bad for consuming. Note I said almost. Cute will not save you from being consumed, oh dainty little cupcakes.

Then there's these delicious delights. While the knitting theme cupcakes are truly adorable, the chocolate cupcakes with chocolate icing at left are perfect in their own right. They look delicious. They are delicious. They do look great, better than the photo can do them justice as I didn't have the nice little white rectangle plate for display. They are what I consider "honest" food. It's made in a real kitchen with simple ingredients that don't require trips to the specialty stores of New York or some other major metro. It simply doesn't get much better than that. These I can eat.

Thanks to the wonderful neighbors who made these and have promised me more cupcakes and a recipe. Yea!

Brave New Restaurant

Creating a lunch special featuring baked tilapia topped with a blueberry sauce is definitely brave. It's fitting to find such a dish at a place called Brave New Restaurant. Thanks to the friendly folks at the BMW Motorcycle dealership, I've put this quirky little hot spot on my "must repeat" list of restaurants. I've heard from several individuals ravings about the grilled cheese sandwich on the lunch menu, but until recently I've only been for dinner. Finally I had the opportunity to try the sandwich, and fortunately for me I had my husband with me so when I was tempted by the unique lunch special, I could order it and still sample the ever-so-famous sandwich. They were right about the grilled cheese, it is pretty spectacular. He ordered it sans brave new shrimp, which I think would have made it even more sensational. I didn't regret my decision to order the fish special, despite the odd sounding combination. The blueberry touch was nice without being overpowering.

It's a bit out of the way to get there, but well worth finding this gem. A varied menu and simply perfect atmosphere make it even more outstanding.

My rating: 5 Stars

Cons: A little bit challenging to find the first time, as it's on the 2nd floor of a nondescript office building of sorts. Parking may be a bit limited during busy times. If this is all I can find to complain about, it's a really good sign.
Pros: If everything on the menu tastes the way the few dishes I've had so far taste, it's nothing less than spectacular. The food is clearly very fresh. The atmosphere makes this place great for a quiet dinner for two, a business lunch or a nice change from the standard fare with a few friends.

Never Again.

Never, never again. I know, "never say never," but in this case, never again. I will make a promise to myself that the next hotel room I walk into, I will promptly walk over to the window, look below, and if I see a swimming pool, club or other such noisemaker I will go back to the front desk and request a different room.
Last night I stayed at the Wingate Inn in Little Rock. Nice enough hotel, good location, reasonable price. In theory it's catered to the business traveler, thus the good sized desk and working space, refrigerator and microwave, etc. It's just a well laid out room for those on a business trip or maybe one night passing through town. The continental breakfast, included with the room, is adequate in selection but a better quality than several others I've sampled in the past.
However the location of my room is awful. It's directly above the pool. Well past the 10pm closing time last night, the raucous band of kids with parents watching on were running, screaming even to each other. Finally the noise settled down around 10:30pm. I wasn't thrilled but was willing to forgive. My generous nature is tested however, when I awake just after 7am to the sound of more kids filling up the pool below. For a "business" oriented hotel, there's a lot of little noisemakers in the pool going strong into the night and starting well before I intended to emerge.
I am still strongly debating if I'll give the hotel another chance. When I called the front desk this morning to ask about the unplanned early wakeup call (almost 2 hours prior to my real wake-up call) the lady who answered offered no apologies or even the slightest bit of concern. We'll see what is said when we check out. This is one instance I'll be stopping by the front desk to voice my complaint.

There's a lot I'm willing to forgive in a hotel, but excess noise is not one of them.

Hotel Rants and Raves

I've posted about a few things in hotels that are pleasant surprises and some not so pleasant. Since I've been traveling again a bit lately, I think it's about time to add to that list.

I like glasses made of real glass, not just plastic. While I might be a bit of a klutz, I don't need a hotel reminding me they trust I'll break whatever I can in the room.
When traveling with two of us, I like having two chairs for the desk, and room for both to view said desk.
When the hangers can be removed from the hanger bar, that's the good hangers.

No rooms should be above the pool or bar / restaurant areas. Use that space for offices, maintenace, laundry facilites, vending... Anything is better than listening to the thump of club music until 1 am when you just want to sleep. Or waiting for the heathens let loose at the pool to be reeled in by a relunctant parent or chaperone.

Here's a bonus question to ponder... When traveling with your spouse, who gets the bucket of ice? It seems like it's always the same person with every couple. I almost always grab some ice shortly after checking into the hotel.