A Mixed Bag.......

Our first full day in Savannah was spent touring the city. We brought an all day pass on one of the trolley tours, where we could get on and off at various stops in the historic district.

We started our day at breakfast at the hotel, and the less said about that, the better. The tour had passed by a place called the Pirates House, a restaurant highly praised by the driver of our trolley at that time. It's claim to fame was the historic building, one of the oldest in Savannah. Also at one point in time actual pirates used the place in the 18th Century. Greeting us as we went inside is a bar, and we were led though a maze of rooms to our table. The first sign of trouble was the kids wearing paper pirate hats. We should have bolted right then and there. Our order was a lunch soup, salad, sandwich combo. The She Crab soup was ok, maybe a little salty. The lettuce salad and chicken salad sandwich was strictly cafeteria quality. Unfortunately Tammy's salad contained an inch long black hair. Nausea does not really add much to the dining experience, if you ask me. At that point our lunch was over. They took her plate back and the manager came and apologized, and took her meal off the bill, and we made a quick exit. This was definitely a tourist place, and it showed. We were done with Pirates.

Tammy and I continued our exploration of Savannah. We soon came across Leopold's Ice Cream, on Broughton St. Leopold's had a line outside the door, but we lined up and were treated to a very nice grade of quality ice cream. Quite enjoyable, and a welcome change from hairy pirates.

At the end of our day, We decided we wanted something simple. We decided on Vinnie Van Go-Go's, a pizza place on Bryan street, which is in the City Market area. It was simple, and really close to the hotel. The place had atmosphere, but I'm not sure when it was last inspected by the health department or the fire department. The Pizza, however, was quite good, with a nice thin crust, and not greasy.

Our day done, we retreated to the hotel. Tomorrow were will drive outside downtown Savannah to Tybee Island. I just hope there are no pirates there....

Last Night in Charleston: Circa 1886

Monday was our last night in Charleston, and our 30th wedding anniversary. We really wanted to find someplace special. After a bit of online research, we decided on Circa 1886. We were able to find the menu online

We made our reservations via opentable.com, which is a quick and free way to make reservations online.

We made our way there a little early, which was a good idea, as we had a bit of a problem finding the off site parking area. If you go there, and not familiar with the area, I recommend calling ahead to make sure you can find the parking area.

We told our concierge at our Inn that it was out 30th anniversary, and they apparently let the restaurant know this, and congratulated us when we got there, which was a pleasant surprise!

This restaurant, is what you would expect for fine dining establishment. The service was attentive, the wait staff cheerful and helpful.

We started with Foie Gras as an appetizer, and it was cooked perfectly. Tammy had the Antelope with White Cheddar Grits. While the Antelope was a little tough, it was cooked and seasoned well, and they elevated grits to a new level.

I had the Bison Short ribs, which were tender, with a very deep, rich, meaty flavor. It paired well with the Pinot Noir I choose for my wine.

My dessert was the Butter Pecan Creme Brûlée with Firefly Bourbon Cake. Tammy had Crispy Pear Bread Pudding with Aged Cheddar Ice Cream. The ice cream was a little gritty texture, but delicious and unique flavor

Overall it was a experience worthy of an anniversary dinner, and a good way to finish up our Charleston stay. We would definitely stop there again. The next stop on our journey, Savannah Georgia.

Hyman's Seafood

The rain had stopped in Charleston, but it was still cloudy and cold. We decided to try Hyman's Seafood a try again, and this time we got in after a 10-15 minute wait. The restaurant is actually much bigger than it looks from the outside. We were led upstairs past photos of different celebrities who ate there. Apparently Dr. Ruth and Sinbad ate at our particular table. We ate a little lighter after our brunch at Magnolia's. I had the crab cake sandwich. What I liked about it was the generous amount of crab, and not overdone with sauce. Even the bun was toasted, and not soggy. The hushpuppies were cooked well, and not too greasy. Serve was good, and you definitely know it's a family business. After dinner, we took a winding path down to the Hyman's General Store, where you can get some ice cream, or do a little shopping. It's a big tourist destination, but that's ok. If you want fish in Charleston, try Hyman's!

Magnolia's of Charleston, South Carolina

Magnolia's is a staple of the Charleston Culinary scene, and it did not disappoint. The appetizer was a Pimento Cheese spread. It made me rethink the concept of Pimento Cheese, and had no relation to the stuff you buy in a jar. I then had the Seafood and grits. It was cooked perfectly, and the grits were warm, creamy, and complemented the seafood. Tammy had Blue Crab Eggs Benedict, Fantastic. We showed up for Brunch, but you will want to make reservations if you come for dinner. We highly recommend Magnolia's if you want to eat in Charleston.

Charleston, South Carolina: Beginning an eating adventure

Tammy and I just arrived in Charleston, South Carolina this afternoon. This is our first trip here, and it was great to leave snowy Ohio for a while.The John Rutledge House is a very old historic house converted to an Inn. Our room is quite comfortable, and so far the bed is great! (Free WiFi doesn't hurt either) We did what we normally do in a new location, which is go walking around. Plans were to start our eating journey at Hyman's Seafood. Unfortunately, on a Saturday evening, it was an hour wait. Not good, since we were both tired and hungry. We looked around and just down the street a short distance was a place called Sticky Fingers. This is actually a chain, and we ate at a Sticky Fingers in Chattanooga. However, there was no wait when we walked in, the service was quick, and the food and drinks were quite nice. Sticky fingers is all about the Ribs and Brisket, and for couples, I recommend the sampler for two. No quite yet the Low country cuisine we're looking for, but we will get to that. We're already planning where to eat next, and I'll keep you updated!

Resturant reviews. Fair or not?

On a recent episode of ABC,s "The Chew", Co-Hosts Mario Batali, and Guest Chief Josh Capon discussed Restaurant secrets. http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/episodes/March-19-2013

Part of this discussion centered on online restaurant reviews. It was apparent that Mario and Josh were not fans of online review sites, even mocking some of their negative reviews, reading them to music.

So, do they have a point?  Should we ignore online restaurant reviews?  Granted there are trolls out there who love to criticize just to criticize.  But I'm thinking they do have a place.  There have always Restaurant critics, but in today's world we all can be food critics (myself included).

Whenever we go to a new city or location, we scout out common sites such as Urban Spoon  urbanspoon.com  tripadvisor.com, among others. If your checking a place out, try to read as may different reviews on and many different sites as possible.  Everyplace will have a negative review, but as you go through them, you may be able to see common threads, such as service, wait times, and food quality.  If the reviews are consistently bad, then it's time to move on to another restaurant.

We're hoping to leave on a little early spring break, going to Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia, and not doubt, we are going to try, what we think, and going to be some great places to eat.  And yes, We _will_ be reviewing them online for your reading pleasure.

Sorry Mario!

The First Morning Cup

You Coffee drinkers out there will understand this.  First thing in the morning, the smell, and first taste of that first cup of Coffee.  With the rich temperature and richness, it can be a transcendent experience.  It can very well set the tone of the rest of the day.  The second cup of coffee, while it can be very good, can't quite match that first Java experience of the day.

My advice:  take the extra time and effort for a good first cup of coffee, savor and enjoy it. I think it will make the whole day better!

In the beginning......

Many great things have a humble begining.  Hopefully this will be one of them. I've thought of starting a blog for sometime, partially as a creative outlet, and to voice my opinions in a little wider forum. I would like to credit Tammy, my wonderful wife, for urging me on.

With that out of the way, this blog will be multipurpose.  First and foremost, to document our eating adventures.  Some of these I'm sure will be great, some not so much.  I will, in this context, try to be fair.  I am by no means a food snob, but I like what I like.

We won't, however, be just limited to eating.  Travel, politics, guns, and anything elses that grabs my fancy may be fodder for this blog.  Remember, you have been warned!

We'll start with this nice Woodpress platform, and see how it goes. I'm open to any feedback.

Meanwhile, sit back, and relax.  Let the fun begin!