Thursday, August 27, 2009

KFC's Double Down Sandwich


OK, before you read any further, take a quick peek at the image of me at the top of the page. Yep, I'm a "Fathead." There aren't many things I will not eat and haven't met a meal I didn't like. With that said, it should be noted I am afraid of the newest sandwich being tested by Kentucky Fried Chicken.

KFC is now testing a sandwich called the Double Down in Rhode Island and Nebraska. The Double Down consists of two fried chicken patties, bacon, Swiss and pepper jack cheese and a shot of the Colonel's sauce. (I'm not even going to touch that one.) The kicker here is that the chicken patties are being used in place of the bun in this sandwich. The bacon, cheese and sauce are in between the two chicken patties. This thing is wrong on so many levels that I hardly know where to start.

The first thing that should be discussed is the lack of a bun. The bun serves a purpose of providing the diner with protection from the meat or other items in the sandwich. It also serves the purpose of allowing one to add condiments such as mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard. To substitute the bun with two fried chicken patties is just sacrilege. I cannot even begin to guess where this thing comes in on the caloric scale. One would think that it is off the charts. How is a person supposed to hold onto this thing when it is served to you hot?

The next thing that needs to be addressed is KFC's motivation for creating such a sandwich. I can't begin to tell you what I wouldn't give to have been in the brainstorming session that came up with this concoction. I am also surprised that a company of this size would condone the vast amounts of cannabis that must have been smoked to first come up with the idea and secondly to have management approve it. At a time when America continues to fight obesity, the irresponsibility of KFC to introduce such a sandwich is amazing. Sure the person that orders this thing bears the responsibility for anything that happens to them for eating it, but KFC has to be held accountable as well. My guess is you won't see the Double Down being advertised during "The Biggest Loser."

I have never really wished failure on any company, but my reasons for hoping this thing fails are purely selfish. If this sandwich reaches the level of national roll-out, I will have no choice but to try one and report back to you. After all, I've chosen this path of reporting on food to you and would lose my "Fathead" status if I didn't try one.

I'll keep you posted.

Harry

Fudgsicle


In an effort to be a good dad, I bought my daughter some fudgsicles the other day as a treat for her to have before bedtime. I really didn't pay a lot of attention to the pops being purchased until last night when I went to go get her one. The box I purchased had milk chocolate, dark chocolate and white chocolate. Personally, I only remember milk chocolate from my days as a kid, but when the hell did fudgsicles go to one pop on one stick? What is the world coming to?

When I was a kid we got two sticks supporting what today would be considered two pops I guess, but it made for a great treat. There even was a time where the double pop was being supported by only one stick in the middle of the pop versus two side-by-side. One less stick, but still the same amount of fudgsicle. We have got to stop depriving kids of their youth. They already grow-up so much faster than we did anyway, the least we can do is still give them an American treat as it was meant to be.

After looking at the box more clearly I noticed that it also says, "Fat Free with Calcium." Now I know the calcium is a good addition for the kids, but was quite surprised the fudgsicle tasted as good as it did being a fat free product. Usually, you can tell the difference between a regular version versus a fat free version. Maybe it was because I haven't had a fudgsicle in so long that I cannot remember what they taste like, but this was pretty darn close to what I remember.

My guess is the fat free claim and the three various flavors are to also make these treats appeal to adults as well. I am not so sure a kid cares about white chocolate or dark chocolate. I know my daugher ate about half of the white chocolate before handing it back to me and saying it was too sweet. Since I couldn't let the second half go to waste, I ate it and agree that it is too sweet. I'll have to try the dark chocolate next, but would assume it will appeal to my adult palate. The true test will again be to see if she likes it too. Typically, kids are down for milk chocolate and could care less about a bunch of different varieties.

For this quick trip back to my childhood, I have to give these fudgsicles three Stiffy's, taking off a point for the one less stick.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Bad Communication


I got jammed-up out of a great lunch today due to some bad communication. I was supposed to meet my boys Begs, Julio, Hulk, and Fourth Meal, but I went to Smokey Bones and they called an audible and went to this Italian place we like next to Tijuana Flats. I think it is called Gio's. The funny thing is I went by Gio's today on my way to Smokey Bones and was thinking I need to get back there someday. They do these great steak fries that are done in butter and lemon juice and are incredible. I may need to stop by there sometime soon by myself.

I have nobody to blame but myself since I told Begs I may have to bail. I met my father prior to lunch and thought my stay with him was going to be longer. Once I was finished with him, I should have reached out to Begs, but instead went straight to Smokey Bones.

Now I am hungry and need to make a decision. Is it Krystal's or a Pierce's Pitt BBQ pulled pork sandwich here at home? I had Pierce's last night, so I am thinking Krystal's may win.

Oh well, such is life.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Gene's Steak House


Gene's Steak House
3674 W. Int'l Speedway Blvd.
Daytona Beach, FL 32124
(386)255-2059

I knew my wife and I were going to dinner with friends on Friday evening, but I didn't know where we were going. Had I known we were going to Gene's Steak House, I probably wouldn't have had a cheese steak for lunch. Oh well, what are you going to do, but step-up?

Gene's Steak House is located about four miles from our house, but I have never been there before. Gene's has been in operation since 1948 and my guess would be every driver that has ever driven in the Daytona 500 has probably eaten here at least once. I bet back in the day you could go to Gene's on the Thursday or Friday before the Daytona 500 and get autographs from every driver in the field. Their decor is loaded with pictures of all the famous NASCAR drivers.

This is what I call a true steak house. The place has no windows, a piano player in the bar area and lots of dark wood. We met our friends Jeff and Ronda for dinner at 8:30. At first I thought this was a bit late, but given that I had that steak sandwich for lunch, it worked out perfectly for me. Julynn and I beat them there, so we had a drink at the bar and watched a little of the Cowboys game. I was anxious to see their new stadium.

Jeff and Ronda showed-up shortly after we arrived and we were seated in the dining room. Given the late hour, we were one of only two tables in the dining room. They seat us next to their wine rack and it is clear they have an extensive wine list. None of us were drinking wine that night, but I made a mental note. Our server showed-up promptly to take our orders and everyone decided on steak. Jeff and Ronda ordered the stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer and they said they tasted great. Julynn and I did not go for an appetizer this evening. I ordered a New York strip along with Jeff and the ladies both had the filet. Ronda and I also ordered the twice baked potato, which was outstanding, with Jeff getting a plain baked potato and Julynn getting on board with him. Julynn and I also ordered the creamed spinach. All meals also come with a salad, which I did not accept. However, when they came to the table, I was sorry I didn't get one. They looked really good.

After the appetizers and salads, the steaks arrived in due time. Everyone agreed that the steaks were cooked perfectly along with our potato choices. I have to recommend to anybody that goes to Gene's, you must order the creamed spinach. It was some of the best creamed spinach I have ever had. I was not able to finish my steak after eating the creamed spinach and my twice baked potato, which was loaded with all kinds of goodies. I would also urge people to try this dish over the regular baked potato.

The prices for our meal is what you would expect in a steak house of this caliber. Julynn and I ate for a little over $100 for the two of us. I thought that was really good in Daytona Beach and was pleased I had finally tried Gene's Steak House.

For my steak filled Friday and my visit to Gene's, I have to give Gene's Steak House four Stiffy's. I will definitely be going back.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

My Cousin Vinnie's - King of Steaks

My Cousin Vinnie's - King of Steaks
855 South Nova Road
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
(386)677-3800 - Phone
(386)677-3521 - Cell

I had a stellar day last Friday for a foodie. I did two restaurants for the very first time and both were pretty good. I'll start with lunch, so things progress chronologically.

My friend Kelly was out of town on Thursday when I called her for lunch, but she told me she would join me at My Cousin Vinnie's when she came back in town the next day. This was a perfect suggestion since I have been wanting to go there for some time. It should be noted here that the picture above is not of one of their sandwiches. I pulled that from Google images, since I forgot to take one myself. However, this one looks pretty darn close to what they have to offer.

It should be noted that this is a small location. They do have seating outside, but in this hot Florida weather, it really isn't an option right now. When we visited last week, the air conditioners inside were challenged and it was almost unbearable there, but we stuck it out. The seating inside accommodates roughly 16-20 people, but it wasn't a full-house on the day of our visit. Get there prior to noon and you should be all right.

You order your food at the counter and there is a great menu to choose from. All of the classic cheese steak varieties are available. I actually learned something on Friday and that is an Original Philly Cheese steak means a steak sandwich without cheese and onions. It is just the meat on the bun. I guess it makes sense since you have to order your sandwich "wit" or "wit out." That is with cheese and onions or without cheese and onions for folks not from Philly. You can also get your sandwich is three sizes. If memory serves me correctly they come in 6", 8" and12" versions. Kelly and I both ordered a steak sandwich wit, but she went 6" while I went 8". I was tempted to go the distance and probably would have done so if the air conditioning was working. I know that sounds weird, but if I am hot, I cannot eat that much. We also both ordered fries and a drink. My Cousin Vinnie's advertises fresh-cut fries, but the one order is big enough for two people.

Once we placed our order it took just a few minutes for our food to arrive. It has been a while since I have had a good cheese steak so I was really looking forward to this. The sandwich and fries came out hot and looking great. The cheese steaks were loaded with cheese sauce and perfectly grilled onions. The sandwiches and the fries were both very good. I think I could definitely go 12" if I leave out the fries.

My Cousin Vinnie's - King of Steaks is owned by Vinnie Tarlini who also does all of the cooking. He seems to be a great guy, coming out to the dining area to talk to people and ask if everything is good. I really wish him the best. As we were leaving, he thanked us for our business and asked us to please come back. He gave me his card and told me to call ahead for take-out if we didn't have time to eat-in. I thought that was a nice touch.

My Cousin Vinnie's is also open for breakfast. I may have to go there someday to check this out as well. I'll surely be going back for a cheese steak. Please support Vinnie if you are looking for a good cheese steak. I want to see this place survive.

For my visit to My Cousin Vinnie's - King of Steaks with Kelly, I will have to give them three Stiffy's. They would definitely have gotten a four if the A/C had been working properly.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

TooJay's


Went to TooJay's today on Sand Lake to meet my buddy Peter to discuss a job opportunity. He suggested the location as I don't get to that area very much. Once there, it killed me to find out we were having lunch at TooJay's with a Five Guys right around the corner. I like TooJay's, but I love Five Guys.

Anyway, I get there early and go ahead and get a booth. They had a pretty good crowd as they always do no matter which location you are visiting. This is one good deli. Their sandwiches are plentiful, but I do find them to be a bit pricey.

Peter shows up and we place our orders. He orders a turkey salad plate and I get the open-faced turkey melt. It comes on a slice of rye bread with Russian dressing, turkey meat, bacon and melted Muenster cheese. You also get fries, coleslaw and a pickle. Naturally, I told them to hold the pickle, but also held off on the coleslaw and asked for extra fries. I was shocked at how quickly the lunch came back out after we ordered. They were really moving today, which was good given that Peter only had an hour.

The open-faced turkey melt looked great when it arrived at the table as the cheese was hot and bubbly. However, once I started eating the sandwich, I found the turkey to be rather dry and the cheese hardened quickly. The fries were very hot and tasty. Peter said his salad was great.

Two guys having a salad, a sandwich and two drinks came to $22.47. That's a bit much for lunch if you ask me when you consider what we got at that price. We did have a great waitress that was very attentive to our needs and kept our glasses full.

For my visit to TooJay's today, I have to give them three Stiffy's.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Five Guys Burgers and Fries


I just read in the Daytona Beach News-Journal that a Five Guys Burgers and Fries is going to open soon in Port Orange. I think this will have a definite impact on the top burger locations in Daytona Beach as well as Port Orange. Specifically, The Brickyard in Daytona Beach and The Daily Grind Burgers in Port Orange.

In regards to The Brickyard, I think they will be affected less given their location in Daytona Beach and their long-standing position as the leading burger joint in the community. They have a strong following that have been visiting this location for some time and a reputation for serving great burgers. They also have an owner that is well known and approachable to all that visit the location. I am more concerned about the ability of The Daily Grind Burgers location to survive. While I have only been to their location once, I think they serve an okay burger, but have not established themselves enough in the community to stand up to the challenge of Five Guys.

With the addition of Five Guys Burgers and Fries to the area, the burger wars are sure to heat-up. I have been to a number of Five Guys locations in Orlando, Altamonte Springs and even Richmond, VA. They serve great tasting burgers and the best fries you can find anywhere. Their fries are made from a variety of potatoes from Idaho, which they present to you on a board in the restaurant. The one thing that sealed it for me that Five Guys is a strong burger joint is the number of women you see eating there on a daily basis. Generally, women do not eat a lot of burgers, so when they do, they look for the best burger they can find. If you go into any Five Guys location, you will notice that close to 50% of the diners are women. This is where they separate themselves from all others. They also have sizeable locations with seating for about 50 or more.

If you like burgers and fries, you should be excited about the addition of Five Guys Burgers and Fries to the area. This chain definitelyt knows what it is doing and offers great food. All of their burgers are double burgers and their fries are hand-cut with the skins on. An order of fries is enough to serve two people, so be hungry if you just order one for yourself.

I think it is great to have another top burger joint in our area. Hopefully, all of the competitors will continue to do well once they come into the market. I just think it is going to be a challenge for the two best places currently in the area to continue to hold market share. I strongly urge you to check-out Five Guys once they open up. I wish I could provide you with a date, but the article did not include that information.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

The Kitchen is Now Closed!


"The Kitchen is Now Closed!" If you had Sunday dinner at our house when I was growing up, you would invariably hear my mother make this proclamation around 6:00. It meant, if you wanted anything else that night, you would have to get it or make it yourself. She was done.

Sunday dinner at our house was a big deal. My mother would start cooking around 1:00 after we returned from church and it would be an all afternoon affair. During football season, she'd cook and come into the den to watch football while things were simmering on the stove. After she made the announcement that the kitchen was closed, she would come into the den with either a bowl of ice cream or a rum and Coke, depending on how long her day had been. She'd say, "I'm going to sit here and enjoy my ice cream (or drink), then take my shower before 60 Minutes comes on." It was the same thing every Sunday.
My mother passed away on September 27, 2008. The kitchen was sort of closed then, but I continued to cook in that kitchen for my father whenever I was at their house. Everything I know about cooking I learned from my mother. She was the greatest cook I have ever known. My mother learned everything she knew about cooking from my grandmother, who was also a great cook. My mother never wrote anything down, but always knew what was needed to make a dish just perfect. In all her years of cooking, I only saw my mother burn one thing. One Sunday when we were just about to eat, there was a commotion across the street and my mother ran into my room to look out the window. While watching the scene unfold, the string beans she had been cooking all day stuck to the bottom of the pan and burned. I thought it was funny since she had burned part of the dinner being nosy, but she was thoroughly upset as the string beans were an integral part of the dinner she had planned for that day. We ended up having spinach instead. I used to tease her about that often in the following years.

Last week, I spent the better part of the week watching movers take my parents possessions out of the house I have called home for the last 35 some odd years. My father is moving to Florida and he is taking some of the household goods to his new location and my brother and I are getting some of their other possessions. One of the main things I wanted are the two cast iron skillets my mother used to cook with all the time. My guess is those skillets are older than I am at 47 years old. They are well seasoned and have been a part of some of the best meals I have ever eaten. Now I get to use them and hopefully can continue the tradition of creating great food.

My mother was one of my best friends. I used to speak to her on the phone at least once a day and many times two or three times a day. I would call her and ask her the most mundane of questions about cooking just to get a rise out of her. My questions would be like, "How long should I keep the potatoes in the oven to make baked potatoes?" To which she would reply, "It depends on the size of the potatoes, but somewhere between 45 minutes to an hour. You just have to keep an eye on them." She taught me to be flexible and try different things in the kitchen. She used to tell me, "You have to learn from your mistakes to be a good cook."
My wife loved my mother's potato salad, something I have been able to duplicate almost to perfection. However, the one thing I thought my mother did best was make fried chicken. I have yet to be able to perfect this item and have placed it on my list of things to practice. The two things my mother always raved about me cooking was bacon and fried oysters. My mother raved about my ability to cook what she thought was the perfect bacon. She would wake me up early and ask me to come into the kitchen to cook the bacon. She used to ask me how I cooked it so well and I told her the secret was to cook it low and slow. She never cooked bacon when I was in her house, instead she left that chore to me. It made me feel proud that there was something she thought I cooked better than she did. In regards to oysters, we used to have fried oysters for breakfast on Christmas morning. I still remember when my wife came into the kitchen for the first time after we got married and asked me, "What's the deal with oysters for breakfast?" I told her, "I don't know. It is just something we have always had with our eggs on Christmas morning." My mother used to cook her oysters in white corn meal, but I did mine in yellow corn meal and she thought that they cooked so much better that way. From that day on, the oysters were my responsibility on Christmas morning.

Watching my parents possessions being packed last week was one of the saddest days of my life. It is the beginning of a new chapter in the life of my father and I guess for myself as well. I now have a responsibility of teaching my daughter what I know about cooking. I'll miss all of the good times we used to have in that house and in that kitchen. My only hope if that whoever moves into that house later will experience food and good times as great as we did.

I really miss my mother. I would encourage everybody who reads this that still has their mother alive, to reach out to her and tell her how much she means to you. I promise you that one day she will be gone and you will feel an emptiness which you could have never imagined. It pains me to tell you this, but it is a fact of life. I wish I had one more meal to cook alongside my mother.

In the immortal words of my mother, "The kitchen is now closed!"

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Friday, August 7, 2009

Quaker Steak & Lube

Quaker Steak & Lube
12832 Jefferson Avenue
Newport News, VA 23608
(757)874-5823
www.quakersteakandlube.com

Quaker Steak & Lube is a restaurant I have been wanting to visit for the longest time, but have never been in a city with locations nearby. Imagine my surprise to discovering a location in Newport News, VA while visiting here this week. I could not believe my eyes, but was excited about the possibilities.

If you have not heard of them before, Quaker Steak & Lube is famous for their chicken wings. They also have a vast amount of sauces with an atomic sauce that is supposed to rock your world. It says on the menu you have to sign a waiver when ordering these wings. One thing that they have on the menu is the ranking of each of their sauces based upon the Scoville Unit of measurement. I notice the supercharged wings have a Scoville Unit of 30,000, but the atomic measures in at 150,000. What that means is when you place this sauce in your mouth, you will need to dilute the sauce's extract 150,000 times before the capsaicin is undetectable. With such a huge difference between the two levels, it gave me reason to worry. An order of wings is 10 pieces, but if you want to step-up to the atomic they offer a six-piece sampler.

I decide to go with the supercharged, but I ask the waitress if she has ever eaten the atomic. She told me she had and that it was absolutely awful. In a very sick kind of way, her comment excited me. Now I want to give these wings a try. She tells me the best thing to do is get the supercharged and she'll bring me a side of the atomic. I agree with her as this seems to be a great alternative my first time out. My father orders a Philly cheeseburger and my brother gets some kind of chicken sandwich. The waitress tells me she'll have them mix my atomic sauce and bring me the waiver to sign. It impresses me that they have to mix the atomic sauce per each order placed. If that is really a bunch of crap, I applaud them as I think it adds to the mystique of this amazingly hot sauce.

After the waitress leaves the table, I tell my brother there is something askew with the place, but I couldn't put my finger on it. All of a sudden it hits me, the chairs suck! They are those one-piece, hard, plastic chairs you usually see on outdoor patios. They are just not very comfortable for a restaurant of this caliber. The decor is really incredible. We seemed to be in the racing room with posters of all the great drivers, a Rusty Wallace show-car hanging from the ceiling and huge gas cans up on the wall. At one point I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed the next room had a hockey theme and saw another room near the front of the store with a football theme. While I like the treatment of the decor, I do not believe I would go to one of these locations to watch a big sporting event as all I saw were a number of flat screens only about 27-30 inches. If you aren't in one of the seats directly in front of the screen, I think you would be out of luck. However, I am there to eat wings, so lets get after it.

The waitress comes back with our order and gives me the wings as well as my side of atomic sauce. I immediately notice something that is going to be an issue. Say what you want about Hooter's and their wings, but the one thing they do that I like is they provide you with a size able cup of bleu cheese for dipping. The little cup that came with my wings was not going to work if this atomic sauce is all they are making it to be. I ask for another one immediately and the waitress gets it right back to me. As I am moving the atomic sauce into position on the table, I get a little on my finger and decide to lick it off as a test. I do so and surprisingly, it is not that hot. I have had hotter before, but not in the overall amount I am about to eat. This is going to be interesting.

My first wing I just go supercharged dipped in bleu cheese. The wing is tasty, perfectly cooked and a little less spicy than I was expecting. With my next wing, I go all in and dunk it deep into the atomic sauce. Right as I put the wing into my mouth, my brother asks me a question. I chew what is in my mouth, swallow and turn to answer my brother, but no words come out of my mouth. The sauce is so hot and concentrated I cannot talk. That effect only lasts a couple of minutes before the throbbing in my temples begins and the sweat starts to drip down the back of my neck. That's when I realize my next issue. Actually, there are two issues to deal with. One is I am out of beer and do not see our waitress anywhere and secondly, if I don't get a few more napkins, I'm going to be sweating all over my plate. As I wait for the waitress to reappear, I try to think happy thoughts and then think it might get better if I power through it and continue to eat the wings. I go back in for more sauce and do so for about three more wings straight with no bleu cheese. Now, the rest of the world doesn't even exist to me. My father and brother could have left the table and I never would have known it. My focus is to get more beer and more napkins. I am getting ready to make my move to the napkins I see on the server's table across the room when our waitress shows up. She asks me how the wings are and can she get me anything. I tell her the wings are great, as hot as she promised, but I need another beer and napkins stat! She then proceeds to tell me the sauce seems to pour on the power the more that you eat and just continues to get hotter. I can't help but think if she just took a moment to look me in the eyes, she could see I am aware of that fact. Finally, she turns and says, "Oh, I bet you want me to go get that beer right away. I'll be right back." My guess is all of the waiters and waitresses play this little game with people that order the atomic sauce. I know that I would.

The beer and napkins she brings me are lifesavers and now I am at a place that makes all of this worth it. When you eat really hot food and enjoy it, you finally hit a level of euphoria that is hard to explain. People see me eating hot food and sweating and always ask, "Why do you do that to yourself?" It is very similar to the euphoria a runner gets when they believe they have hit the wall, but are able to continue on. It is great! My father and brother are finished with their food and are now waiting for me, but I cannot leave a wing on the plate. My brother is laughing at me as I am wearing a light colored t-shirt and it is clear to see where I am sweating. Somebody walking through the door would think I had just finished playing a basketball game.

Once I eat my last wing and sit there for a while, it is amazing how quickly the pain goes away. While it was hot during the event, it was over almost as quickly. The pain in my mouth was gone, but I was still sweating about an hour later. That part of the experience sticks with you a while. And what an experience it was! I bought a bottle of the atomic sauce for my friend Gary and cannot wait to get back to Florida for him to try it. He loves this stuff as much as I do and will flip for this sauce.

I'll definitely return to Quaker Steak & Lube at some point. The wings were what I expected and the atmosphere was pretty cool. Go online to find a location nearest you and give these guys a try. If you don't like really hot sauces, you need to know they have a number of sauces on their list that are not of the hottest variety. There is something for everyone in this place. For my first visit to Quaker Steak & Lube, I'll give them three and a half Stiffy's. My first half-point grade on this blog. I think the plastic chairs kept them from getting a four.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Park's Seafood Riverside


Park's Seafood Restaurant
1112 Riverside Drive
Holly Hill, FL 32117
(386)258-7272
www.parkseafood.com

My dad is old school, and to old school, Friday's means fish for dinner. I figured this would be the perfect time to try out Park's Seafood Restaurant. My wife and daughter had gone to the movies leaving us men to fend for ourselves, so I thought this would be the perfect time to try something new. I am glad I did.

I knew Park's was located somewhere on Riverside Drive, so I decided just to head straight down LPGA Blvd. to the end and go from there since I live in the LPGA. I knew I should take a left at Riverside Drive, but had no idea, the restaurant is right there as soon as I make the turn. It was really easy to find. What isn't so easy to find is parking. They have a small lot on their property, but plenty of spaces located across the street. We were lucky and found a couple leaving right as I was dropping my father off and preparing to park across the street.

As would be expected, the restaurant was busy on a Friday night. We got there about 6:15 and was told there would be a wait. When I asked if we could sit at the bar, the young lady replied sure and took us to a table in the bar area. I guess I didn't make myself clear as I was only inquiring about having a drink at the bar first before getting a table in the main dining room. However, it worked out perfectly that she gave us a table in the bar area and all was good.

We perused the menu, but my father was set on having catfish for dinner on this evening. I really couldn't figure out what I wanted so I decided to join him with the catfish. They did have a number of different fish available as specials. Our waitress was very busy and took a little while to get to the table, but she did acknowledge us and told us she would be with us as soon as possible. That scores big points with me as I just want servers to at least let us know we are there and they are aware of it. Big props to her on this move.

Our waitress comes to the table to take our drink orders and returns pretty quickly. This is when we find out that all entrees come with fish dip and crackers, a cup of Manhattan style fish soup, a choice of french fries, baked potato, sweet potato or cheese grits, Cole slaw and hush puppies. I am totally into this place at this point. She delivers our fish dip and crackers and I find it to be very good. The dip has a great taste and the Captain's Wafers are crisp. My dad did tell me the saltines were a little bit stale. I find most saltines in restaurants stale and always go Captain's Wafer. We both decide to get the catfish with french fries, but I substitute my fish soup with clam chowder. You will have to pay for your chowder if you decide to go this route as it is served as an appetizer, but I found it worth it. I had recently had a can of clam chowder at home and told the waitress my guess was there were more clams in the chowder they served than would be in five cans of what I had eaten earlier in the week. This is great clam chowder! It was hot, creamy and full of clams and potatoes.

Our catfish showed up at a good interval after our soups and it was really hot as well as the steak fries they serve. Additionally, we both enjoyed the Cole slaw, which had great flavor and was not made with too much mayonnaise. The portions were substantial enough that we had to take our fish home after everything that was served to us.

We had a great meal in a great restaurant with great atmosphere. I would strongly encourage you to visit Park's Seafood Riverside if you are looking for fresh fish in a relaxing atmosphere with great service. I thought the prices were reasonable given the amount of food we received.

For my visit to Park's Seafood Riverside, I have to give them four Stiffy's. Check this place out if you enjoy good seafood.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry

Man vs. Food


Check-out the Man v. Food marathon tonight on the Travel Channel as Adam Richman visits Boston, Minneapolis, San Jose, Denver, Los Angeles, Seattle, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. You'll be sure to get some great restuarants to visit if you watch. I like to watch this show with a pen and a pad to take notes, so I don't forget which locations to visit during my travels. I've seen some of these shows and there are some great places featured, so take notes.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Harry