Restaurant Seating - Booth versus Table

I am not sure that this is something that others give much thought to, but there have been many friendly arguments amongst my dining compadres about the choice between a booth versus a table. If you have been reading the blog, you know that there are a few of us guys that go out to lunch on a daily basis and I try to write about our experiences. My buddies are all from my office, so we end up going to restaurants somewhat near our office. We haven't really hit any new places recently, so I don't have anything new to report in the area of actual restaurant dining experiences. So I thought it would be good to give you my thoughts on the challenge of making a seating choice once you are asked the question, "Would you like a booth or a table?"

My buddy Nick likes the booth. I am not really sure what John likes as he will do whatever we choose, but I suspect he is with me and likes the table option better. Now I am not totally against sitting in a booth, but it totally depends on the size of the group and the sex of the diners at that particular time. In my book, females as part of the group make a booth choice as fine, but all males should sit at a table if there are more than four guys. It is just a matter of spacing.

One of the main things I hate to see is a guy and a girl in a booth both sitting on the same side. C'mon dude, we know you love your woman, but sit on the other side of the booth and face her. This provides for the perfect opportunity to speak to her and look her in the eyes. I don't even mind if you hold her hands across the table, but sitting beside her in a booth with nobody on the othee side makes you look needy and controlling. I doubt she likes the option of you sitting right beside her versus sitting across from her. You see this move most often at Denny's late at night after a night of drinking and can be sure that there is action going on underneath the table. It's a cheap move at best.

When there are a number of us going for lunch, we are often taken to a booth and I am the first one to say, "Can we get a table?" Six big guys in a booth is not a good thing. There is no room for the guys to manuver and get their elbows going to eat their food. Additionally, if you ever see six guys in a booth, take a good look at the guys located in the middle of the seating pattern. The guys in the middle all look like little bitches. Whats more, take a look at the poor guys on the far inside. You know what they look like? They look like the bitch's bitch. It is embarassing. Nobody should be put in that situation. If six guys come in for a meal, the server should automatically know that they are going to want to sit at a table. Everyone has enough room to manuver and eat their food without being crowded.

These seating options are particularly important depending upon the type of restaurant you are visiting. If you go to Pizzeria Uno and have the pizza and soup combo, it is a pain in the ass to have to ask people to move to let you out to go get more soup. I feel it is incumbent upon the person seating their guests to be cognizant of these seating dynamics. A group of three should also be given the opportunity to sit at a table over a booth as well. Taking them to a booth makes one guy have to choose who he is going to sit beside and who gets that inside "bitch" seat. It's just not fair.

I know this is trivial stuff to many, but this is the kind of stuff that gets me all jammed-up and can ruin my meal even before I even know what I am going to have that day. I told you earlier in this blog that I am very particular and have some real strange ideas about dining, so don't act like you haven't been warned.

Keep this in mind the next time you go out to eat with our boys and take a look around the restaurant. You can see the people that are probably enjoying their meals more than others.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

McDonald's McRib Sandwich

Just a quick note for all of you fast food eaters, the McRib is back! I was traveling home tonight and heard the spot on the radio about the return of this sandwich. I don't eat at McDonald's much, but will have to make a trip to try a McRib Sandwich.

The McRib is a classic that comes back just about every year in the fall. It is a processed piece of pork smothered in a tangy barbeque sauce with pickles and oninions. Those who know me are aware that I will be ordering mine without the pickles. (My pickle aversion is something I'll have to share with you at another time.) For me the McRib is a tasty sandwich because of the tender meat, good sauce and the soft bun.

I didn't pay attention enough to the radio spot today to tell you when the McRib offer is over, so get there soon if you are interested.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

The Brickyard Lounge

The Brickyard Lounge

747 W. International Speedway Blvd.

Daytona Beach, FL 32114

(386)253-2270

www.daytonabrickyard.com

I finally had the opportunity to visit The Brickyard Lounge in Daytona Beach after not having been there in almost a year. I didn't realize how much I missed this place until I received my food. This place is incredible!

The Brickyard Lounge is known for it's burgers. They do a great job with their soups and wings, but mostly everybody goes there for a good, juicy burger. This place is also known for it's friendly owners Renny and Penny who are always ready with a quick welcome and a smile. Renny wasn't there on Saturday, as it is his day off, but Penny was and it was great to catch-up with her. The wait staff is equally friendly, making this one of my most favorite locations in Daytona Beach.

Yesterday, I ordered a bacon cheeseburger with french fries. It also comes with cole slaw and a pickle spear, but I passed on both and just went with the french fries. After sipping on my beer for about 10 minutes and watching the football game, my food arrived promptly and very hot. The burgers at The Brickyard are made of the highest grade of beef and come to you extremely juicy and moist. They have such great flavor and you can see the cook sprinkling your burger and fries with some kind of secret spice while he cooks it. I have never asked what they use as I am sure they would not tell me and I couldn't say that I blame them. My burger was great and the fries were amazing. This place is always consistent, delivering wonderful hot food that is hard to find anywhere else.

I have to tell you that The Brickyard is a joint. It has limited seating and is dark and narrow, but it has some of the best food and friendliest people that you will ever encounter. Parking is a little tight and hard to find on your first time there. You have to go down a small driveway between the restaurant and the Tobacco Exotica shop located next door. Just look for the high, pointed, red roof on the right-hand side as you head towards the beach on International Speedway Boulevard.

If you love a good hamburger and find yourself in Daytona Beach, I strongly urge you to visit The Brickyard Lounge. They have a full bar as well as all of the great food. They are open Monday through Friday 11am - 10pm and on Sundays Noon to 8pm.

Stop by The Brickyard Lounge soon for a burger that will rock your world and tell Renny that I sent you. I have to give The Brickyard Lounge five Stiffey's for my last visit.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Famous Philly's

Nova Road and Ridgewood Avenue

Port Orange, FL

Finally, I had the opportunity today to get back to Famous Philly's in Port Orange to write about them in this blog. I have been going to this location for a few years now since I was turned onto it by a co-worker from International Speedway Corporation. To get to Famous Philly's, take Nova Road from Daytona Beach all the way to the end in Port Orange, where it intersects with Ridgewood Avenue. You'll come to the end and find the restaurant directly ahead of you on the other side of the intersection. Please do not judge this place by the looks on the outside. If you do, you will miss one of the best cheesesteak sandwiches I have ever found outside of the great city of Philadelphia itself. I have been to both Pat's and Geno's and have yet to declare one my favorite over the other. With life being so short, why not enjoy the best of everything?

I have been telling my brother, who lives in Orlando, about Famous Philly's since my first visit. I thought I was going to be able to take him last week when he came over, but it just didn't work out. The stars finally aligned today and we were able to go for lunch.

We arrived around 12:30 and there was already a pretty good crowd for a Saturday. I teased my brother about sitting outside when we passed this little table that is clearly used for smokers going outside for a smoke. He wasn't having any of it. We took a seat in the back near all of the wide screen televisions. It should be noted here that Famous Philly's is also a key location in Florida for Philadelphia Eagles fans and after talking to the waitress, she told us it was crazy there during all of the Phillies' World Series games. This place is the real deal.

The cheesesteaks at Famous Philly's are available in 7", 9" and 18" sizes. We both ordered the 9" version and a basket of fries to share. Famous Philly's offers chopped steak and cheese selections of White American, Provolone, Cheez Wiz and Swiss. We both went with White American and mushrooms. As anybody knows, the key to a perfect cheesesteak is the roll. Famous Philly's uses rolls from Amoroso's from Philadelphia. I think Amoroso's also supplies rolls to Pat's and Geno's. These are the best rolls for a cheesesteak.

Our sandwiches showed-up after a very short wait and were hot and tasty. At Famous Philly's, they blend the cheese in with the meat making sure you get a taste of both in every bite. Our waitress was friendly and attentive, coming back to the table a couple of times to see if we needed anything. The french fries were hot and delicious as well. I am going to have to try a steak with Cheez Whiz the next time I am there, but it is always so hard to deviate from what you know is good when you get there as infrequently as I do. With any luck, I'll try to get back within a couple of weeks.

If you find yourself in the Daytona Beach area, I strongly urge you to make a stop by Famous Philly's in Port Orange. My guess is you don't want to go on a Sunday when the Eagles are playing unless you get there good and early. It is surely to be quite crowded as Philly fans are the most loyal of all fans.

I give my visit today to Famous Philly's five Stiffey's!

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Pizza Hut - Wing Street

Route 17-92 in Sanford

I know I haven't been writing recently, but there has been a lot going on in my personal life since I lost my mother at the end of September. My father is not doing that well and I had to go to Virginia to bring him back to Florida. Hopefully, we can help him get beyond his depression and I can get him to start eating again. It is hard to believe as much as I like food, I am having problems getting my father to eat.

I felt compelled to write this evening about my visit today to a Pizza Hut - Wing Street visit we did today. I was joined by John and Nick from the office. We thought we would go to Pizza Hut today and get after the buffet. This is always a good bargainas you get a lot of good food for a pretty good price.

I should tell you that this restaurant was a regular on our lunch rotation last year, but it suddenly closed and we hadn't visited in a while. Given that many locations are now changing to delivery locations, we thought that was the fate of this location. We were wrong. They are now a Wing Street location and we couldn't be happier.

The new restaurant has been totally remodeled and has taken on a sports bar feel. There are a number of flat screen televisions around the restaurant with most tuned to sporting events. I think it would be interesting to visit these locations on the weekend when there are games actually being played. I wonder how many people choose these locations to watch the games?

We got there today and immediately chose the buffet as our lunch option. This location is notorius for not keeping up with the crowd in the restaurant and not having enough pizza on the buffet. Today was not that bad as there were a number of pizzas to choose frome when we got there. I think Pizza Hut makes some of the best pizza, but I am partial to their pan pizza. The only problem is that the pan pizza crust must be more expensive than their other pizzas as it is often difficult to get them to put pan pizzas on the buffet. In that same vein, I cannot figure out for the life of me why they do not put out their new pastas for people to sample. During a previous visit they did have the chicken alfredo pasta out and it was extremely delicious. Given that their pasta offerings are new for them, you would think they would want people to sample them as much as possible to increase sales.

We had some great pizza today and had an overall good experience. There was a short moment when we were waiting for drink refills, but overall our visit was great. Given that Philadelphia won the World Series last night, John actually picked-up the check and bought Nick and I lunch. That is unprecedented and needs to be noted. Let's hope the Eagles continue to have a good season.

I give our visit today to Pizza Hut - Wing Street three Stiffey's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Nando's

I have never been to Nando's as it appears from this clip that it might be a chain in Australia, but if I ever get there, I'll have to check out their double breasted chicken sandwich.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

The Power of Soup!

I am not sure that I have ever shared with you my penchant for soup, but I am a true soup lover. Nick and the crew love it when I order soup as they know I feel that soup should be served lava hot and most of the times that is not how you get it. They love it when I have to send it back to get it warmed up and know I am already dropping points off the restaurant for serving me tepid soup. Another pet peeve of mine is when the soup does not show up right away and comes to close to the meal. You should be able to enjoy your soup and then have five to ten minutes before the entree hits the table. I am a big fan of chowder, lobster bisque and french onion. I'll have to order some soup sometime soon and let you know who is serving the best.

Anyway, here's a commercial for soup that I hope does not represent any of my readers in any form or fashion. I hope you like it.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Smokehouse

State Road 46

Sanford, FL

Next to the BJ's Location



Let me start by saying sorry for not being able to post more often recently. I have been doing quite a bit of traveling helping my father after losing my mother three weeks ago. Hopefully, things will begin to return to normal and I will have the opportunity to post more often and in a perfect world, daily.

Recently, I received a recommendation to eat at a restaurant not far from the office in Sanford called quite simply, Smokehouse. Not The Smokehouse, not Ellie Mae's Smokehouse, not even Jimmy Mack's Smokehouse, just Smokehouse. I should have known this was going to be a stretch, but it did come recommended by members of my design team at work. They know my fickleness when it comes to restaurants, so it was quite a stretch for them to make a recommendation. Although, one of the team members that will remain nameless (Elizabeth), recently slammed me on my choice of Macaroni Grill as the spot for our annual team lunch.

On this particular day, I am accompanied by Nick and Trey. Mind you, Trey doesn't go out with us often as he is steadfast on his commitment to fitness and many of our lunches do not fit into this category. It becomes even more impotrant that the meal is good since we don't want Trey to find another reason not to join us at lunch.

My first clue that we might be in trouble is when we get out of the car and I do not smell smoke. How can a place called Smokehouse, not be tickling my nose with the sweet smell of hickory or mesquite upon exiting the car? The second clue is uncovered when we get out of the car near the back of the restaurant. I notice that there is no wood stacked-up to feed what I think must be their smoker. This is going to be interesting.

We go in and I notice that they have a nice theme inside. It is a lot of wood floors, with vintage type signage all over the walls. They have a full bar if you want to have a drink, which is a good thing. You order your food, get your own drink and then take a table. A server then brings you your food. On this day, we all decided to try the pulled pork sandwich. I went with the sweet tea for my drink, which I have to admit was excellent.

In a rather timely manner, our food was delivered and the waitress asked if we knew about their sauces. We asked if they had a hot sauce and she said she would get us some. We meant a hot barbeque sauce, but what we got was a ramakin of pure hot sauce. That just doesn't cut it. The fries were hot and good and the bun on the sandwich was nice and soft. However, the meat did not have a smokey flavor at all and was devoid of any flavor that one would call barbeque.

At one point the manager was walking around the restaurant and I told Nick I wanted to ask him to take me in the back and let me see his smoker. Nick thought that question sexual connotations and would get me thrown out, so I never did find out if they have a smoker for their meat.

I may give this place another chance, but I seriously doubt it. I was warned by Kraig that it wasn't good and should have listened, but his warning came just a few days after they opened and I thought maybe they had gotten their stuff together.

I have to give Smokehouse one Stiffey and urge you to find another spot for barbeque in Sanford.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Sonny's Real Pit Barbeque

I just finished reading the Daytona Beach New-Journal and read an article about a number of area Sonny's restaurants closing their doors. Seems that the locations in Daytona Beach, Ormond Beach and Port Orange will be changing over to Gator's Dockside locations. We have a Gator's Dockside in Lake Mary near the office which we visit often. They specialize in wings and fashion themselves as a sports bar. However, with a Hooter's and a Wing House right down the street on International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach, I don't know how much I will be visiting Gator's.

There's a lot to be said for the eye candy at both Hooter's and Wing House as all of these locations deliver pretty good wings. There is not a lot to separate these locations from each other besides the fact that the girls at the Wing House tend to be younger than the Hooter's girls. I'll have to keep you posted and let you know how Gator's does once they open. My guess is they will change over these restaurants well before the 2009 Daytona 500. In this town, if you miss that date, you are probably going to miss your revenue number for the year.

Stay tuned and eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que

Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que

447 East Rochambeau

Williamsburg, VA 23185

(757)565-2955

http://www.pierces.com/

I recently spent a couple of weeks in Tidewater Virginia and had the opportunity to visit Pierce's Pitt Bar-B-Que in Williamsburg. During my visit, the Today Show was filming from Colonial Williamsburg doing a segment on the election and how important Virginia is to the outcome. At one point in the show, Willard Scott told Al Roker that he had to get to Pierce's while he was in town. The next day, Willard called him on it again and asked if he had a chance to get to Pierce's. That's how good this place is if you like great barbeque.

Pierce's specializes in their pulled pork sandwiches. Their barbeque is a vinegar based sauce with meat that is slow smoked and full of flavor. The sandwiches come in a regular and large size and you can get your sandwich with cole slaw on the bun or without. I suggest you get it without if you are not a fan of cole slaw, but the sandwich is really money with the cole slaw on the bun. The sweetness of the cole slaw balances nicely with the vinegar in the sauce.

If you order a basket you also a side dish, which I strongly suggest you get the fries. The fries come in a bag and are always hot and fresh. They are a great compliment to the sandwich. Pierce's also makes great sweet tea, which you will find at the drink station while you wait on your order to be prepared. Pierce's is one of those restaurants where you place your order and then get your drinks and try to find a table. Seating here is ample, but because this place is always busy it can be tough to get a seat inside. If you know me, you know that I am not a big fan of eating outside when I can be inside with the comfort of air conditioning on a hot, sunny day. I do have to say that people rotate in and out at a pretty steady pace, so you need to stay on your toes watching for a table to come open while waiting for your order to be prepared and announced over the loud speaker. Because Pierce's is located right off the interstate in such a popular vacation destination, many folks have found this place and crowd it everyday. If you do have to sit outside, you should find plenty of seating at the many picnic tables scattered around the property.

Because I tend to be a creature of habit at some restaurants, I have never tried anything else at Pierce's besides the pulled pork. The next time I visit, I promise to give the ribs a try and report on that after my visit. It should be noted that you can enjoy Pierce's even if you do not make it to Williamsburg as they do offer their pulled pork in four pound tubs via the mail. Pierce's claims that one pound of pulled pork will make four sandwiches, so a four pound tub will keep you in Q Heaven for a few days.

Being a long time favorite I have to give Pierce's the ultimate in my grading system of five Stiffy's. Try to check them out soon. I promise you will not be disappointed.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Blue Smoke

116 E. 27th Street, between Park and Lexington

One of the best BBQ restaurants in New York City is called Blue Smoke. I have heard about this place for some time and finally got to go during this visit to the city. It is everything I was hoping it would be.

We went there for lunch and found the place to be really hopping. The place was jumping with a few tables still open. We were seated promptly and I noticed that as we waited for our drinks the restaurant really started to fill up. Speaking of the drinks, the young lady we were with ordered ice tea and I immediately thought, "Lets see what kind of barbeque place this really is." I asked the waitress, "Do you have sweet tea." I am sure you know that answers I got. She told me that they didn't have sweet tea, but I could put sugar in it. I took that as a red flag, but didn't have to worry.

While they didn't have sweet tea, the rest of the meal was truly a real barbeque experience. Nick and our dining companion ordered pulled pork sandwiches and I ordered the rib samper with macaroni and cheese. We also ordered some barbeque potato chips with blue cheese dip as an appetizer. The meals showed up before the appetizer, but we shook it off and got after it.

The rib sampler consisted of two Mempis ribs, two Kansas City ribs and two Texas Ribs. All were extremely good with plenty of meat, but the true winner this day was the side of macaroni and cheese I ordered. If you go, you have to order the macaroni and cheese. Our waitress also suggested the collard greens, but I was getting on a flight later that day and didn't want to be all jammed-up. The macaronit and cheese was creamy, hot and full of great cheese. I will definitely be having that again.

Nick said the pulled pork was great, but a little fatty. I don't know of any pulled pork sandwich that isn't a little fatty, but that is just me. They did have great sauces on the table and even brought out some large wet naps after the meal for everybody to clean up. This was a great experience.

The Blue Smoke also has a jazz club up on the second floor that I bet would be a great experience after an evening meal. Too bad I decided to hit this place for lunch. My guess is this would be a great date spot.

For the first time ever, I am going to give Blue Smoke five Stiffy's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Original Ray's Pizza

You cannot go to New York and not visit Original Ray's Pizza. This is the real deal. Now when you are in NYC you will see Ray's Pizza, Original Ray's Pizza, Famous Ray's Pizza and even Original Famous Ray's Pizza. I don't know the difference, but know it is all good. This is some of the best pizza I have ever had.

Nick and I went by for a couple of slices and were not disappointed. I had a slice of pepperoni and a slice of cheese. Nick had a chicken roll and a slice of pepperoni. He said the chicken roll was good and I can vouch for the slices of pizza. They were hot, the sauce was great and the cheese was real mozzarella. This is one of the cheapest and best food options for anybody visiting the city. I especially like hitting Ray's late at night after I have gotten after a few Budweisers, but this day we hit them for lunch.

One of the funniest things that happened while we were there is that we took a table right at the front door. There was a small step into the restaurant and just about everybody that came in stubbed their foot and almost tripped into the restaurant. Now I know at 46 years old, I should be over laughing at this kind of stuff, but I am telling you, it was funny as shiggidy! Add this little bit of comedy to the greatness of the pizza and it turned out to be a great meal. Luckily, nobody actually fell and nobody was hurt.

Trust me, go to Ray's the next time you are in the city and you will not be disappointed.

I give Ray's four Stiffy's for my most recent visit.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Eating Utensils

I feel I have to share with you my thoughts on eating utensils and when they should and should not be used. My thoughts are that you will agree with me on this to a certain extent and maybe you won't, but that is OK. We all have our preferences.

For instance, I believe there are some things that just have to be eaten with your hands and then there are others that you do need to eat with a knife and fork. I consider myself somewhat dignified when it comes to my eating habits, but I am also not afraid to roll up my sleeves and get after it if the meal calls for me to do so.

Some of the things that you should always eat with your hands are burgers and fries, hot dogs, pizza (though I've been known to use a knife and fork on a deep dish), ribs, any kind of sandwich with a pass to open faced sandwiches, bacon, and any type of melon. I am sure you may be able to come up with others, but I list these as I have seen all of the above eaten by others with a knife and fork. I actually witnessed something the other night that was unbearable for me to watch and contain my composure. The following is my story.

Last week I saw a report on the news about Boston being the next city to ban trans fats in all of their restaurants. If you know me, I think you know where I stand on this kind of govermental inteference. Lets get one thing straight. None of us are going to get out of this thing we call life, alive. I would much rather die of a heart attack after eating cheeseburgers all my life than eating salads and get hit by a truck, but that's just me. I don't have anything against people that decide to eat a healthy diet, but I don't need my government or Mayor Bloomberg telling me I can't eat trans fats in his fine city.

Anyway, they are showing this story about no more trans fats in Boston and while they are reporting they show some folks eating breakfast in a diner. As God as my witness, they show a guy actually eating a slice of bacon with a knife and fork. Are you f&*king kidding me? Pick that bacon up and eat it the way it is supposed to be eaten. I told Nick about this and we both had a laugh. I am sure he thinks I am crazy about some of my dining proclivities, but I just want to educate people about enjoying their lives a little bit more.

So Nick being a big Mets fans tells me we should go to ESPN Zone to watch the game and that sounds like a great idea. I figure there will be plenty of sports and beer involved, so it can't be all that bad. I wasn't feeling all that hungry myself, but was still looking forward to it. We sit down and start with a couple of drinks and the game. A couple of guys are seated next to us and I notice they place their orders. I don't hear what they order, but when the waitress arrives some minutes later with their plates, see they are having cheeseburgers. I am not paying much attention as I am getting into the game as well. In between innings I happen to look to my left and I am sure you can guess what I see.

Yes, both of these guys are eating their cheeseburgers with a knife and fork. I am so enthralled by this display that I am squirming in my seat. Nick is laughing as he knows what this is doing to me. I figure maybe they are just eating the patty, but after turning completely around to view this train wreck, I see that they are going at it bun and all. I liken eating a cheeseburger with a knife and fork to sucking on some big old fat titties with your hands tied behind your back. Sure it is probably good, but it is not as good as it can be. Why deprive yourself? There has to be some connection between your hands and your tastebuds, so pick up those foods that are made to be eaten with your hands and enjoy yourself a little.

By the way, Nick had a buffalo chicken sandwich and he did eat it with his hands. More importantly, Nick said the sandwich was so hot he was on fire. I love a place that doesn't warn you about how hot and spicy their food is. You order hot, you have to suck it up and get after it without any complaints. He put it all down and only had to ask for one glass of water. A true champion in my book.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

A Change is Gonna Come!

Well my friends, it didn't take long. The Danish firm InBev has only had possession of my fine beer company for four to six weeks and already there are changes to my favorite brew. No, not to the recipe itself, but still a change I feel I must share with you. First though, I have to let you know how I have gotten to this point in my drinking life.

My father was in the military and I grew up for much of my life in Germany. Thankfully, one of those tours was when I was the age of 15-17 years old. Well guess what? I have never had legal drinking age problems since they just don't exist in Germany. Yes, I was not able to drink at that age on the base, nor would my parents have been that happy with me drinking at the age of 15 or 16, but it did happen and quite a bit to be sure. You see, I view beer as an elixir sent to us from the Gods. It should be enjoyed in a responsible manner and in the company of hot, attractive women whenever possible. I love it when a woman enjoys an ice cold beer. My wife does not like beer, but she gets a pass as she willingly serves as my designated driver whenever needed. Can you beat that?

Back to my story. When my family returned from Germany for the last time, I took my first real job working at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, VA. The great part about working for an Anheuser-Busch company is that you get free beer as a monthly benefit. I remember when I was told this and I thought, "Who needs a 401K?" Back in the day, every full-time employee got four free cases per monthl, which was eventually cut back to two free cases. However, given my ability to chat-up the ladies in my earlier days, I could get many of them to give me their beer if I needed extra for parties and such. It was a glorius time to say the least. My beer of choice then and now is Budweiser. The conversation as far as I am concerned ends there. If I am out somewhere and they don't have Budweiser then I drink Scotch. There is no barley substitute.

To make a long story even longer, the other dayI purchased an 18-piece of my favorite golden brew and started to load it into the refrigerator. Lo and behold, I notice that three of the bottle caps are silver instead of the usual gold worthy of the King of Beers. Part of me is excited as I think it is a mistake and the caps are actually Bud Light caps placed inadvertently on Budweiser bottles. But no, they have the Budweiser logo on the top of the cap which leads me to believe I really have a souvenir. Then I purchase another 18-piece a few days later, (I told you I like beer) and find that all of the caps are silver. Now I am pissed!

How in the hell can a company place a silver cap on the King of Beers? Ladies and gentleman, surely you agree with me that the King of Beers deserves a gold cap. Are you kidding me? What is this? Some kind of cost saving measure? No king worthy of his title wears a silver crown.

I voice my displeasure to my wife who asks me, "Are you going to stop drinkng Budweiser now in protest?" C'mon now, we're talking Budweiser not Wendy's. I can give up Wendy's, but not the nectar of the Gods I have come to love and worship. However, I am pissed that this has taken place in such a short time after the InBev purchase of Anheuser-Busch, especially when they said there would be no changes. I know you are thinking, "What a little thing for him to be worried about." But remember, the devil is in the details. That's how this shit starts. They think they slip something small like this by you and then they try some other shit later when you are not looking. Next thing you know, they start trying to sell you beer with fruit flavors. I can see this shit coming. Don't let them fool you. They know what they are doing and I hope you don't fall for it.

Well, tomorrow is another day. The sun will still rise in the east, the Minnesota Vikings will continue to break my heart and Budweisers now come with silver caps. I guess some things do change. In the immortal words of Sam Cooke, "A Change is Gonna Come."

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

When Grillmasters Go Bad!

I just had to share with everyone this story I found yesterday in The Daytona Beach News-Journal. Because it has a food element in it, I thought readers would get a kick out of this article. The following is the story as it was published yesterday.

SPICE RUB ROBBERY

2nd victim hit with sausage

Fresne, Calif. - Authorities say they arrested a man who broke into the home of two California farmworkers, stole money, rubbed one with spices and whacked the other with a sausage before fleeing.

Fresno County sheriff's Lt. Ian Burrinmond said 22-year-old Antonio Vasquez was found hiding in a field wearing only a T-shirt, boxers and socks after the Saturday morning attack.

Burrimond said deputies arrested Vasquez after finding a wallet containing his ID in the ransacked house. The money allegedly stolen was recovered.

The farmworkers told deputies the suspect woke them Saturday morning by rubbing spices on one of them and smacking the other with an 8-inch sausage. - Associated Press

The fact that this guy felt compelled to rub the guy down with a nice spice rub during the commission of a crime just cracks me up. There are some crazy people out there. I just hope you are not one of them.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Taco Bell's - Volcano Taco

After seeing so many of the commercials for the new Volcano Taco at Taco Bell, I felt like I just had to try one. Now I am not a big fan of the hard shell taco, but I am a huge fan of hot and spicy food, so this was a no-brainer. My buddy Gary was coming over to watch last night's Vikings/Packers debacle with me and said he was going to pick-up some of the tacos for our taste test.

I don't eat at Taco Bell very much, in fact I probably haven't been there in 5-10 years. There just isn't anything on their menu that excites me and there is not a restaurant close enough for me to hit when I get the late night munchies. Gary shows up and we get right after the tacos figuring if these things are going to be any good, you have to eat them at their warmest temperature. The shell on these tacos are red and look a little strange at first, but they are filled with meat, sauce, lettuce and cheese. I take my first couple of bites and can feel a little bit of the heat. After a couple of more bites the heat starts to build a bit, but really isn't anything that I would call volcanic. It is clear that the heat from these tacos is in the cheese sauce, which I imagine is supposed to be the lava in this taco. If this cheese sauce was lava there would still be a city called Pompeii. Yes, it is spicy, but you would never throw a Pepsi in your face the way the guy does on the commercial.

This is another example of marketign overselling a product with a snappy name and good creative. For those that don't eat a lot of hot and spicy foods this taco will probably suffice, but true heat aficionados will think this falls way short. It is spicy for a fast food restaurant that has to cater to the taste buds of the majority. I know that I will not be eating another one.

I give the volcano taco two Stiffys and would urge people to try it only if they have had a few beers and there is nothing else open at the time.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Guinness Stout Commercial

I am a huge fan of beer and felt I had to share with you what I think is one of the most creative beer commercials I have ever seen. Of course, you would never see this on the airways in the United States.

I feel this fits the blog well as a good beer should always be part of a good meal.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Coming Soon

I wanted to share with you a couple of things that are upcoming on the blog.

* My various food nuances.
* The McDonld's chicken sandwich versus Chic-Fil-A, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Popeye's.
* Barbeque Challenge

Eat,drink and be merry!

Harry

Hampton's Restaurant - Daytona Beach, FL

I recently took the family to Hampton's Restaurant in Daytona Beach for breakfast and it was great! This place is the best kept secret in Daytona Beach. It is off the tourist path of International Speedway Boulevard and located in the "hood." However, it is a bit strange. While it is in the "hood" it has a very redneck feel to it. As a matter of fact, one time when I was there picking-up some chicken, I actually had a guy drop the N-word on me. This happens often to me as I am light-skinned with wavy/curly hair and of large stature. Most people think I am Hawaiian. That's when I drop my line, "Do you mind if I use that in my book?" They ask me if I am writing a book and what it is called? I tell them, "Things White People Say When They Think There Are No Black People Around." You should see their faces. LOL

Anyway, we go to breakfast and I order eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and a short stack. My wife gets her poached eggs, bacon and toast and my daughter on this day just wants some eggs, bacon and cinammon toast. Everything comes out in a timely manner and is prepared perfectly. The food is great. We were able to get in and sit immediately, something you can't do over on ISB at those restaurants and had great service. This has become my favorite Daytona Beach breakfast location.

I have to tell you that Hampton's is really known for it's fried chicken. Their fried chicken is so good that I haven't been to see the Colonel in years. I go there often to pick-up a 12-piece and head home. They have great sides as well with some of my friends raving about their macaroni and cheese. I decided to try it one day and was disappointed. My feelings about their macaroni and cheese stem from the fact that I make a macaroni and cheese that is so good it will make you want to kick your mama in the neck.

I strongly urge you to forget about the fact that Hampton's is in the "hood" located at the corner of Mason and Derbyshire and get there as soon as you can. Don't expect much in regards to decor, but if you are looking for a home cooked meal like mama used to make, this is pretty darned close.

I have to give my last visit to the Hampton's three Stiffy's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Wendy's - LPGA Blvd. in Daytona Beach, FL

Last week was a very sad week for me. Sure the rain and high water from tropical storm Fay played a part, but that is minimal to the heartbreak I suffered. Let me break it down for you.

Last week I had to say good-bye to a long-time friend. Actually, "friend" trivializes the relationship I am going to reveal to you. You see, this girl was much more to me than a friend. She was my mistress. She has been there for me for years when I have needed her. Always open late at night after a night on the town, even there early in the morning when breakfast was her thing for a while. My mistresses' name was Wendy. Yes, she of the bright red hair and cute ponytails. I have vowed that I have put her in my past and will never see her again. Here's what has driven me to the point of no return.

Early in our relationship Wendy was able to seduce me with the utter decadance of her double cheeseburgers, hot crispy fries and smooth Frosty treats. Being a man of simple pleasures, this was enough for me and we used to meet at least once a week for me to sample her offerings, but as with all relationships, things began to get a bit routine. But Wendy was special, she started to change things up on me and introduced the chicken sandwich. Imagine my surprise when I realized that it was pretty good. Next she throws out the spicy chicken sandwich and it is phenomenal. I am a big fan of the spice. But could it be that she is cheating on me? Where is she learning all of these things. She had never showed me this side of her before. I began to worry.

My weakness as it pertains to Wendy is the spicy chicken sandwich with a slice of cheese. There my friends was my wrongdoing. Like Icarus, I flew too close to the flame and tried to make what was already incredile even better. You see, I only get the cheese added to my sandwich about 30% of the time when I order it, but pay for that slice of cheese 100% of the time. Have you ever tried to put a slice of cold cheese on your sandwich once you get home after discovering you've been cheated in the drive-thru? It's like asking your wife for a lap dance after coming home from the gentleman's ballet. You have to know that I am tired of being treated like a nobody in this relationship. Where the hell do they get these people in these restaurants? Do they know what is at stake here when they screw-up these orders? I don't think that they do and more importantly, they don't give a damn. Well, I am done and they won't have me to kick around anymore. I will never eat at a Wendy's again! I know what you are thinking, "You mean just that particular Wendy's." No, I am never going to eat at any Wendy's location as long as I live. If you like to eat the way that I do, you know that is a strong statement. In fact, I am giving my wife a certificate for two free combo meals that was sent to me when I last wrote them and complained about my unhappiness. This relationship is truly over.

This is truly a sad day as Wendy's is the best there is in my opinion when it comes to quick service restaurants. Adding to my suffering is a commercial I saw tonight about their Baconator. Yes, I can tell you that I have never enjoyed the decadence of this overloaded sandwich with it's two beef patties and six strips of bacon, but when the spokesman in the commercial declared himself a "meatatarian", I was close to going back. You'll be happy to know I had another beer and put all thoughts of my former lover out of my mind and have moved on.

So there it is. The end of a long-term relationship that has ended badly. You folks do what you want, but I am done. All I can say is that I hope you don't get treated by this redheaded vixen as I hvae been treated.

Her father is probably rolling in his grave.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Papa Joe's - Lake Mary Centre, Lake Mary, FL

Again, I have to apologize for my delay in posting, but things got a little crazy down here in Florida with tropical storm Fay. Not crazy enough for me to quit eating, but enough for me to have issues with my internet connectivity.

I helped my wife set-up her home office here at the house and that caused me some problems with being able to connect to the internet. However, it appears things are back on track now, so here we go.

First, a big shout-out to Brandi and her friends that are now reading the blog. Brandi is going to be leaving our team at work this week and I hope we have the opportunity to take her out to lunch before she goes. I did get to break bread with her recently when I took my team out to lunch and included Brandi as she works closely with us. I am going to attend her last night at Scruffy Duffer's, a local water hole on Friday, to celebrate her new position on Friday. I promise to eat at Scruffy's sometime soon to provide a review of their food.

Anyway, we went to Papa Joe's in Lake Mary Centre recently and had a great meal. I point out their Lake Mary Centre location as they also have another location in Lake Mary. The assumption is that that location is probably as good as this one. I went with Kraig, Fourth Meal and Begs for some good Italian food. They do a great stromboli there. We all ordered stromboli except Kraig who ordered a couple of slices.

These guys have to do the best stromboli in the area. The bread is tasty, fresh and wonderfully baked. It appears they do bake a number of the strombolis early to save on time, but if you have the time, I suggest you ask to add a meat or vegetable to yours and they will bake if fresh. As I stated, it takes a little longer, but definitely worth it. Kraig said his pizza slices were great. I've had their pizze here before and my experience is that they do a good pie.

Overall, a great lunch was had by all and I highly recommend you stopping by for a lunch or dinner some day. They have great pastas as well and everything is affordable. It is a very casual place with great service. With the theater located right next door, this place makes a perfect date night.

I have to give the Papa Joe's in Lake Mary Centre four Stiffy's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Amurra - Lake Mary, FL

Last week we went to Amurra for a going away dinner for one of our ad sales guys from our Toronto office. Drew we are going to miss you. This guy was great and has a great sense of humor. I am hoping I will have the opportunity to break bread with him again in the future.

Attending the dinner with me was Begs, Drew as the guest of honor and Marlaine. I don't get a chance to eat with Marlaine much as she is in excellent physical shape and would not eat at most of the places we go to for lunch, but does work with us. I have to take a moment to tell a funny story about Marlaine.

Occaisionally, we do cook-outs at our office for the employees. It is the typical burger and hot dog fare, so nothing really special, but a good free lunch for employees none the less. For this particular cook-out, Marlaine says she will help me go shopping for all of the food we need, for which I am grateful. We go into the local BJ's Club and start making our purchases. At one point we realize we are not going to be able to get all we need at this location. Marlaine volunteers again to help out and go to Wal-Mart to get the remaining provisions that are needed while I head to the liquor store to pick-up the keg. Yes, we do have beer sometime for our cook-outs. That's how we roll!

One of the things I need Marlaine to get are hot dogs. When she returns I am already setting up the grill and beginning to cook. Burgers go on first of course as hot dogs won't need to take as long on the grill. Marlaine gives me the hot dogs and I start putting them on the grill. I don't recall exactly how it happens, but at some point I notice the packaging and she has bought chicken hot dogs. Are you freakin' kidding me? You shouldn't be able to even call chicken or turken meat in a tube a hot dog. Hot dogs are made of beef or pork. If you can't suck it up for one day and enjoy yourself a little bit, have a salad. This type of trickery cannot should not be tolerated. I didn't give her too much of a hard time as she was a big help to me and I know she means well. However, I now know I can't send her to get meat in the future.

Sorry for the diversion, but I felt you needed to know a little about Marlaine and hear that story. Anyway, we are at Amurra for some sushi and drinks and this restaurant has never disappointed me. Marlaine and Drew order sushi, but Begs and I go a different route. I get the Chilean Seabass and I think Begs gets some steak. Everything comes out great and we are thoroughly pleased. The sushi is fresh according to Marlaine and Drew, the steak great according to Begs and my fish is wonderful. Begs and I also get after some fried calamari with a spicy dipping sauce and it is incredible. I also started with some lobster bisque. I find the soup to be extremely flavorful with good size chunks of lobster and a nice creamy texture. As a huge soup afficianado, I strongly recommend you try it.

Amurra also houses a room with a Japanese steakhouse, so there are many options for you if you like Japanese food. I have eaten there before where they cook right at the table and it is great. I'll get more in depth about that if I have the opportunity to each in such a fashion in the near future.

I strongly encourage you to visit Amurra if you find yourself in Lake Mary and are interested in some great Asian fare.

I have to give my visit to Amurra last week four Stiffys!

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Bubbalou's Bodacious Barbecue - Altamonte Springs, FL

I have been having some issues recently with my internet connectivity at the house causing me to fall a little behind in my posting. This post is in regards to a visit I had last week to Bubbalou's Bodacious Barbecue.

A bunch of our guys in the office were going to a lunch to celebrate a coworker's birthday, so Nick and I decided to take it on the road a bit and have some barbecue. Along the way, we had to stop to pick-up Nick's credit card that he left the day before at the Peach Valley Cafe. Now you may be wondering why there is no report here about the Peach Valley Cafe. That would be due to the fact that Kraig and I were foillowing Fourth Meal with Nick and Sebastian on board when he pulls a Mario Andretti on us and leaves in the wrong lane. We had no idea where they were going so we went to lunch somewhere else and they went to Peach Valley Cafe. More on this location when I finally get to visit in the very near future.

After retrieving Nick's credit card we headed down to Altamonte Springs for some barbecue. Our trip was a little jammed-up because of a strong rain storm that came in as we were headed there, so that hampered us a bit, but we finally made it. Once there we were greeted by the sweet smell of smoke coming from the smoker. These guys have some of the best barbecue in the Orlando area as well as at least four locations that I am aware of.

I ordered the large pork basket which consists of a good portion of sliced pork on a large, soft hamburger bun, french fries and baked beans. They also have an efficient way of ordering and delivering your food to you. Once you have placed your order, they give you a large wooden spoon with a number on it and you take it to your table. They then bring out your food while walking around the restaurant looking for your particular number. Service is very fast with you usually getting your meal about five to ten minutes after you have gotten your drink. Fountain drinks are self-serve here with bottles of soda and beer available at the register.

Back to our meal. As stated, I had the sliced pork and Nick had a pulled pork sandwich. Bubbalou's is one of those places that I go to infrequently enough that I am never interested in trying something new, since I am usually craving the sliced pork. The pork has a wonderful smoky flavor and is tender and juicy. Fries and beans are both served hot in just the right portions.

The one thing that makes this trip extra special is Bubbalou's signature sauces. Given that I enjoy hot, spicy food. I always try to go as hot as possible. On the table is a round cake pan with ketchup, salt and pepper, sweet sauce, mild sauce, hot sauce and the infamous Killer sauce. I completely slather my sandwich in the Killer sauce and then have a good sweat with my meal. This sauce is really hot and not for the faint of heart. Legend has it that they also make a Psycho sauce that they keep in the kitchen. A friend told me that he asked for it and workers from the kitchen actually came to the table to watch him eat it. I am going to have to step-up soon and will share that experience with you when I do.

Nick says his pulled pork is as good as the sliced pork I am enjoying, so overall this has been well worth the trip. Satisfied, I wipe the sweat off my face with about a packet of napkins and we start making our way back to the office. I don't know how the birthday lunch went, but if they stayed in Sanford, it couldn't have been as great as our trip.

I have to give Bubbalou's Bodacious Barbecue four Stiffy's.

Please try this place or one of their other locations on Lee Road in Winter Park, Kirkman Drive in the Metro West area and near UCF. I apologize, but I do not know where that location is specifically located.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Smokey Bones - Sanford, FL

Sorry for the delay, I have been terribly remiss this week in reporting on my meals. It has been an up and down week with a couple of good lunches, but nothing truly spectacular. Unfortunately, I have to report that I hit another chain on Monday as we headed to Smokey Bones for some barbeque. Oddly enough, I didn't get any barbeque on this particular trip.

I don't know if you have noticed it, but the economy is surely having an effect on your favorite restaurant locations. Smokey Bones is usually packed whenever you go during the week, but this is about the second time we have gone there and the parking lot was practically empty. I am also noticing that I cannot get out of a restaurant nowadays without my lunch tab being around $12-$15. This is starting to sting, particularly given that I am not having the gastronical experience one would expect for that kind of spend. I haven't paid close attention, but I think they are starting to jack up the prices by a few pennies on the entrees and also hitting you hard on your drink. My suggestion is to start going water with lemon. As lunch is the only time I drink a soda, this is causing me quite a dilemma. I like to have at least one Coke or Pepsi per day. However, I have a favorite drink at Smokey Bones that wasn't available on our visit this day.

I always order the peach tea with a slice of orange. If you have never tried it before, get after it one time. It is tea with some peach syrup and the orange gives it a great citrus flavor to offset the sweetness from the peach syrup. I order my tea this day only to be told, they are out of peach syrup. What the hell happened over the weekend that there was a run on peach syrup? This totally jams me up when a restaurant runs out of something as mundane as this. If you had a great rib special at a great price, I can understand how they might run out of the ribs, but who the hell is doing the inventory that the peach tea is down for the day? Totally unacceptable in my book. This little set back totally rocked my world and now I don't even know what entree I am going to order. My taste buds were set for a certain offering and now I have to call an audible. No wonder their crowds are thinning.

Anyway, I order a Swiss bacon cheeseburger along with their soup of the day, which was a "Kickin' Corn and Crab Chowder." Their words, not mine. I don't know where they get the "Kickin'" from. The soup is good, but it ain't "Kickin'". If you are in the restaurant business, you have to be careful about the casual throwing around of adjectives to describe your menu items. It's all about managing expectations. You put "Kickin'" on your menu, I expect to be kicked in the nuts with flavor. By now you surely get that the soup was just all right and nothing to write home abuot.

The rest of my crew got a variety of dishes. Let me lay this out for you so you can see how we roll. Sebastian, aka "Seabass" always gets the chicken tenders and didn't deviate from his plan on this day. Nick, aka "Begs" usually gets the chicken tenders, but audibalizes this day and goes pulled pork with the crab and corn chowder. Rounding our group was John, aka "Fourth Meal". John goes for the grilled chicken sandwich most of the times and doesn't disappoint on this day. In case you are wondering, given my last name, I am also known as "Stiffy", but not so much from this group as others that know me.

Lunch was pretty good. My burger actually showed up medium rare as ordered, which is amazing during these times of salmonella poisining and e coli, that many restaurants will not serve you a burger cooked less than medium. I say make sure your employees wash their hands after going to the bathroom and you should be fine. Our service was good this day and overall it was a fine experience. Nothing to get too excited about, but nothing bad to report either once I got over the fact that I wasn't getting my peach tea.

I give this visit to Smokey Bones three Stiffy's and would have to suggest a visit to the restaurant if this is on your list to visit.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Chili's Bar and Grill - Lake Mary, FL

On Friday, we went to lunch at Chili's in Lake Mary. Nothing much really to report as Chili's does a pretty good job with their food and service. I had a burger that was good and cooked the way I wanted it and my boys all were pleased with their orders, except John ordered chicken strips that were delivered with a different sauce than what he ordered. However, like a true champion, he powered through and ate what was brought to him. He never met a meal he didn't like and we affectionately refer to him as, "Fourth Meal." He loves the angle that Taco Bell is taking with their advertising.

I have to give Chili's three Stiffy's for this visit.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

High Tide at Snack Jack's - Flager Beach, FL

So after my great omlette on Thursday at Toojay's, I make plans to meet my buddy Gary at what we call Snack Jack's. Gary lives in Flagler Beach and is living the life. I work for his wife who is the president of our company and he stays at home and takes care of his one year old son. We have the opportunity to get together from time-to-time for a beer and a meal.

On this night, Gary asked me to meet him at the beach at Snack Jack's. Snack Jack's is a famously local place that is nothing more than a small, shack like restaurant on the beach in Flagler. We love to go there on the weekend and sit out on the deck, drink beer and eat wings or steamed shrimp. On this night, I have a couple of cold Budweisers and a fried oyster sandwich. The sandwich was great. Plentry of oysters that were hot and fried golden brown with a wonderful tangy tartar sauce on the side. Fresh lettuce and tomato rounded out the sandwich nicely. I got mine with fries and cole slaw and was pleased with both. Also, the price is right at this place.

The crowd at Snack Jack's is both locals and many tourists this time of year, but you can tell these tourists have been here and found the joy of Snack Jack's in the past. They are definitely returning customers. The restaurant has valet parking out front and the guys do a great job in getting you your car in a quick fashion. This place is one of my favorite locations. Had it not been during the week, I would have stayed much longer and had a couple of more beers, but I didn't have my wife with me to be my designated driver.

For this experience at Snack Jack's, I have to give them four Stiffey's. It turns out to be a great day for meals on this day. If you are in Florida, Snack Jack's is worth the drive to Flagler Beach on A1-A.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Toojay's - Lake Mary, FL

For those of you following my gastronomic adventures, I apologize for the delay in this post. I have been very busy at work and a bit tired upon getting home at night when I try to do this blog. However, you know I have been eating on each of these days and have something to report on.

On Thursday of last week, we went to lunch at a deli called Toojay's. Great place with good sandwiches. I have an issue with the way they roll their meat onto your bread, but overall everything is fresh and very good. The previous time I was there I ordered a grilled ham and cheese or either a hot ham and cheese (can't remember which for sure), and the meat and cheese were rolled-up preventing the meat from getting hot and the cheese from melting. However, the bread was fresh and wonderfully toasted. They also have great steak fries, which are great as long as they are good and hot.

I have always had a challenge when I go to Toojay's as I have never been able to really find something that is outstanding and I really like. Don't get me wrong, their food is good, but I have been searching. On this particular day, I decided to take a chance and try something new. I ordered the Western Omelette and was completely pleased. The omlette comes with steak fries and your choice of an English muffin or toast. I went wheat toast. I enjoy eating breakfast during the day and this omlette really hit the spot.

My lunchmates had a number of different sandwiches and all seemed to enjoy what they had. This was a great lunch for all of us. If you don't get there early you are probably going to be faced with a pretty good wait. On the day we went, they were holding a table for 20 people while we stood in line. Big ups to the manager when he saw us all in line and I heard him tell the waitress to break up all of those tables that were being held for the party of 20 that must have been late and to seat all of us in line. We moved right in at that point. It is great to see staff take a solid stance to take care of those currently in the restaurant and already represent money in the register. He had no idea whether or not those 20 people were going to show.

I have to give this visit to Toojay's four Stiffey's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Quick Note

I want to send a quick note to say that this blog is a work in progress and my desire is to get to the point that I will include pictures of entrees on a daily basis. I want you to see the great food around central Florida and help you better make decisions about where you want to visit. Please watch for changes and upgrades as I move forward and get better in this process. Make suggestions and I will definitely consider them.

Thanks! Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Hop's - Sanford, FL

Today we went to Hop's Restaurant in Sanford. I know you are probably thinking this blog is too chain centric and I have to agree with you. We'll go ahead and get these chains out of the way that we have close to our office and then get down to the nitty gritty of some real local restaurants. I am trying not to be the jerk that always has to choose my suggestion for lunch, so please bear with me as I give my lunch companiions some say in our lunch decisions.

I need to provide you a little bit of information about Hop's. Hop's is a restaurant that also brews their own beers. I have had their beers and ales and have to admit they are quite good. The only problem we have usually had there is that it can take a long time for us to get through a lunch. Today was entirely different. We believe that the economy is truly taking an effect on the lunch crowds and many restaurants must be suffering from the smaller crowds. $4.00 a gallon gasoline is truly starting to pinch people's wallets.

My lunch companions today were Kraig and John again. Kraig is looking to lose a littel weight, so he wanted to come to Hop's for their salmon and vegetables. He ordered the brocoli as his side. You'll notice that John shows up frequently in this blog, as he is like me and recognizes lunch as an important staple in the daily life of a man. Kraig will be in and out as he brings his lunch from time-to-time and eats in the office. I need to be joining Kraig during his endeavor to lose some weight, but I could give less than a shit about my weight. It is what it is and I am enjoying myself. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, so I don's have to worry about a 32" waist and weighing 175 lbs. I've got mine, you get yours!

We get seated pretty quickly in the bar area and put in our drink orders. I order a root beer and find that because they are brewers of beer, their root beer is the real old fashioned type. This is not a sweet glass of Barq's or A&W, but it is really good. Again, I order some soup, which is baked potato today. The soup is creamy and chock full of bacon and cheese. This stuff is heavenly. For my lunch, I order the Rueben as it has been good in the past. Today is no exception. The sandwich is full of great tasting, lean pastrami with swiss cheese, saurkraut and thousand island dressing. Kraig gets a great piece of salmon with steamed brocoli and John gets a chicken sandwich. We are all quite pleased with our meals today and the time needed for us to get our meals. Our waiter did a great job refilling our drinks and checking on us throughout our meal. It was really a good experience today.

I hate to see good restaurants hurting due to the crunch on the economy, but have to admit it has helped us get in and out of places that usually are known to be a bit slow. This worked well today for Kraig as he had a meeting at 1:00 to introduce JY to his team. More on JY later in the blog as he plays an interesting role in all of our lunches, without ever attending. My guess is I will have more to report on JY as early as tomorrow.

If you are looking for a good lunch with a nice atmosphere, I have to recommend Hop's in Sanford. They have other locations locally in Florida, so I can only assume the others are just as consistent. If you have the kind of job that allows you to have a drink of God's gift, try any of their ales or stouts. They are all quite good.

I have to give today's visit to Hop's three Stiffy's!

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Giovanni's - Lake Mary, FL

Today was a great meal experience as we went to lunch at a place called Giovanni's in Lake Mary. My companions for today's lunch were John, Sebastian and Nick. Now I have had some indifferent thoughts about Giovanni's in the past, but I have to admit today was much better.

Upon arriving, the sign outside the restaurant shows that Lobster Bisque is the soup of the day. I haven't shared with you my thoughts on soup, but in a nutshell, I love it. I'll get more in detail about my thoughts on soup at another date. I am now pumped that I am going to get what should be a good soup and need to choose some sort of entree.

We were promptly seated and assigned what has to be the best waitress in the restaurant. She was very quick, attentive and even had to deal with some pain in the ass guy at another table talking loud about how they wouldn't make him a special stromboli, which isn't on the menu, and making sure everybody in the place knew it. I am sure she wanted to slap the shit out of him. I know I did.

My crew overwhelmingly chooses the stuffed pizza with most going with two slices. Nick makes what I think is the best choice going with one stuffed slice and one regular slice of pepperoni. In my mind, the regular slice prevents you from getting too filled up trying to eat two slices of the heartier stuffed slices. Definitely the move I would have made if going pizza today. However, I wasn't feeling the pie, so I decided on the Lobster Bisque and the All American Sub. The menu shows my sub as being a cold sub, but the waitress asks me if I want it hot or cold. Now I am excited. If given the choice, I will always order hot food.

With drinks delivered to the table, my soup shows up very shortly thereafter and is everything I hoped it woudl be. The bisque is smooth and creamy with a decorative design on the top that includes a little bit of sauce layed on top in a great design and small strips of fresh basil. The soup was good and hot with lots of lobster chunks. If you have the opportunity to go to Giovanni's and the Lobster Bisque is available, I strongly urge you to order it.

After completing my soup, the pizza slices show-up with my sub coming shortly after. The bread on my sub is toasted just right and is delicisious. The meats are great and plentiful on my sub. I actually cannot believe I have been to this place many times and never found this sub.

Giovanni's will definitely be part of our regular rotation from now on. Once I find a meal I like as I did today, I am all about it.

I have to give Giovanni's four Stiffy's for todays meal!

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Tijuana Flats - Sanford, FL

I went with some of the guys from the office today to Tijiuana Flats in Sanford. We happened to be with Sebastian that loves going to what we call, The Flats. He could probably go there everyday. I always try to veto this place, for what reason I don't know, as I always have a great meal when I get there. I have got to stop being so picky in my choices.

Tijiuana Flats is a local chain started in Orlando that specializes in Mexican food. Their other specialty is the many hot sauces that they offer. Today it was about 95 degrees in Florida, but I told Nick, "My problem is that I can never turn down the opportunity to utilize their hottest sauce, Endorphin Rush." I know this stuff is going to take me to another level, but I cannot deny it no matter what. I am like an addict.

My meal of choice here is the beef and bean burrito with everything, but the jalapeno peppers. I like to combo my meal to include rice and refried beans and I get my burrito wet. My sauce of choice here is the chipotle red sauce that they have with a side of sour cream. The sour cream is a veiled attempt on my part to keep the heat down to it's lowest level, but it never works. You should see me when I eat this Endorphin Rush sauce. It is not for the faint of heart. I start sweating profusely. Sweat running down the back of my neck, beads running down my forehead and face as well as my scalp getting soaking wet. It is so good!

Everyone orders their meal at the counter and then takes a seat. They bring your order out in a short period of time and always seem to get it right. They have great service with their waiters and waitresses coming to your table asking if you need more refills on your drinks to keep you hydrated. I strongly suggest you try out this local favorite and experience their great sauces if you dare. They have a variety, which provides you the opportunity to slowly work your way up to the hottest of sauces. Trust me, this is merely a training exercise and you can eat hotter sauces once you have trained your mouth to accept a sauce on the next level.

Everytime go to Tijuana Flats, I think of my colleague Jeff from Nebraska that also says he can eat Mexican everyday. Whenever he is in town for meetings, we know we are going to have to take him to the Flats or Chipotle. More on Chipotle in a different message.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry