11/8/2009

3/5 stars

I've been trying to stop here since I caught a glimpse of the mural. The Ramones and KISS? Hell yeah.

So I stop in for NY style street slices… The deal is quite good: $5 for two slices and a drink! I didn't eat it properly; I sat down and used silverware. That said, the slices were just fine. Not great, but good. Overall, the sauce seemed a little flat. As I've said elsewhere, I'm a picky bastard.

This three stars might be too low even though A-OK is a *good* rating. The motif of the place is good. Punk enough, and plenty of advertisement for live and local music. And Joey is looking down from the men's room door. I should have had something yellow to drink in tribute, but I didn't even know they served beer.

This place would rate much, much higher for high-school and early college students. And if it felt a little less suburb. But they're bringing the spirit out to the 'burbs, so perhaps I'm being harsh.

Yelp tags: Pizza

11/22/2009

2/5 stars

California spoiled me for more than just food. Good Vibes, Stormy Leather, and crew set the bar for these stores much higher. You feel perfectly comfortable wandering in and browsing. The stores select their wares with customers' health, safety, and fun in mind.

This store, Inserection, is more of what is all too typical. The walls are lined with plastic blister packs wrapped around semi-generic toys. No special care is taken about phthalates, little for people with latex allergies, etc. They don't seem to have general equipment like soft cotton ropes, and they also don't have the pretty, higher-end toys that make browsing fun. They do have row after row of practically the same thing with different labels catering to the standard stereotypes. And a big video section, which confuses me in an area covered by broadband.

So yes, I've experienced better. Sorry. Atlanta definitely could use a more relaxed store with a better selection, but that always ends up becoming a zoning fight. sigh.

Yelp tags:

11/22/2009

4/5 stars

Good scallops are a quick way to my heart, and Dogwood's are delicious. Fresh, seared on the outside, and just cooked. Their bar-menu burgers are good, reasonably priced, and come with great fries. And the desserts are *rich* and almost a little too much for a gentle ending. But then I'm the one choosing the rich desserts, so…

Dogwood's atmosphere teeters right on the edge of stuffy to me. A few smiles and some chatting warms everything up. If you need a formal setting, the staff is on top of it. They were great when we brought a departmental visitor here.

Yelp tags: Southern

11/23/2009

4/5 stars

When the waitress brought my escargot, she called it heaven on a plate. She was not exaggerating. Wow. The sauce was thick, heavy, but just right for the perfectly cooked little crawlers. It's listed as a white wine reduction with roasted garlic, but it reminded me of a well-blended curry. The critters themselves were soft and succulent. The bread was *just* enough to sop up the remaining sauce. So, so good.

And the crab cakes… They held their own in flavor against the escargot's sauce. The texture was just right, a good mix of soft binding and firm crab meat.

My wife wasn't thrilled with her spinach salad. It wasn't bad, but it didn't compare to the crab cakes or her sweet lemon drop cocktail.

The atmosphere topped off the nice evening. We stopped in late on a Sunday night, so our waitress was actually the fantastic bartender. The relaxed feeling was great after a long drive with rain and crazy drivers. The artwork is surprising considering Greenville is known for one "university." Not that it's anything unusual for art; the paintings are an unexpected delight in what appears to be a conservative town. (We don't live here and only pass through, so we could be completely wrong.)

These are tapas, so don't expect to fill up on one plate. The flavors and dishes are satisfying, however. We each had one plate and split a third for a light dinner.

Yelp tags: Nightlife Restaurants

11/23/2009

3/5 stars

The food was quite good. The crowd and wait were not.

The Challah French Toast is good. Not too eggy but enough to form a nice crust. The fruit compote made extra syrup only an accent.

The 40-50 minute wait, however… The company made it worth-while.

So 3 stars for now with an option for more at a later date.

Yelp tags: Breakfast & Brunch Bakeries

5/2/2010

5/5 stars

Ok, definitely long overdue for an update. The brewing component keeps growing and growing and reaches that fifth star. Hopefully by the end of summer I'll start seriously shopping the brewing supplies. They definitely have ramped up with interest, and they help interest people in brewing with their tastings and discussion.

Beer? Wheeeee! Many kinds, many styles, many opinions, and *no* snooty reactions. They know that different people enjoy different tastes, and they're willing to help anyone find their favorites. They're genuinely interested in helping you enjoy and, if you want, expand your tastes.

I haven't sampled the wine side yet. I'm kinda lame that way. I go for expensive beer and cheap wine. Once my wife is here, though, that scale may tip a bit.

11/23/2009

0/5 stars

Yeah! I remember first visiting Octane, looking across the street, and seeing what looked like a homebrew shop opening… Very happy idea. Then they opened. Very happy reality.

They have a great selection, good prices, good wines, and good advice. The folks there have tried everything about which I've asked on the beer side (though not while working, as far as I can tell).

The only reason this is 4 rather than 5 is the selection of yeast. The yeast seems to be in back and not out for inspection… I had wanted a cider yeast for making ginger ale, but I couldn't remember the type and couldn't browse to shake out the memories. I used to live near Beer, Beer and More Beer, so I find that unfortunate. Seeing the little yeasties is inspiring. But the focus of Hop City is far more on consumption that home brewing, which makes sense for a retail store.

Yelp tags: Beer, Wine & Spirits

11/23/2009

4/5 stars

Very, very comfortable beds. Very stable beds. Quiet.

The location is pretty good. The interstate is nearby, and Greenville's pretty downtown is only a short drive. We had a mid-range room with plenty of amenities we didn't strictly need, but the price was the same that particular night, so why not. There's a nifty breakfast delivery service, although again we didn't take advantage of it.

Overall, comfortable and convenient. And a very nice bed.

Yelp tags: Hotels & Travel

11/29/2009

5/5 stars

WHHHEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

I went ricocheting around the store looking at all the fun things. Things to make, things to play, things to cuddle, things to explore… Super friendly, honestly happy folks working there, and they clearly care about the store and their customers.

Ok selection of yo-yos, along with strings. They're against the back wall. And some nifty wind-up walking, sparking, jittering things on the counter. So hard not grabbing all those for myself. And robots (toy robots). A good display of robots. Some *cool* science kits. Fun-looking games. So many neat things I can't remember them all.

Don't expect to find war toys, etc. This is a toy store full of happiness. You feel happiness throughout. If you've "grown up," you'll regress instantly. It's great.

Yelp tags: Toy Stores

6/13/2010

5/5 stars

I don't visit as often as I would like. I don't eat Chef Calavino's food as often as I would like, either. Tequila gravy on fresh buttermilk biscuits? Oh, man…

Urban Cannibals definitely is a neighborhood place. It's not just that it's so handy for people on foot but also the events. They have "sundae Sunday" with fresh-baked brownies that draws in families. Fridays are pizza fixins nights, where they supply all the ingredients and you supply the heat for an easy, family *together* meal. They organize a CSA pickup, keeping people informed on-line about what's available and what to do with it. They carry local dairy products (cheese, yogurt, etc.) and local honey (so, so good). And they're always ready with a good word or advice.

They're not just about sending excellently prepared food your way; they're also about making and creating and enjoying food in general. The food will be different day to day, serving to serving, but that's *right*. It's real food, and, in my experience, really good food.

12/1/2009

0/5 stars

As a caveat: This is a preliminary review based on their opening day, their willingness to try nifty plans, and memories of Calavino's wonderful jam. This will no doubt be revised with more experiences, and I'm planning on returning as often as I can.

So this will be a nice little corner store with good, fresh, yummy stuff. They don't have all their orders in yet, but they had two things I needed right now: brown sugar and AA batteries. That combination shaved a stop off my route tonight, so they already make me happy.

Their plans include carrying fresh baked bread, some combination of freshly made food, and organic produce, but not so much that they waste anything. Get there early once they ramp up. They're also managing CSA deliveries with a twist… Calavino will be adding a sauce, dip, or (maybe, I hope hope hope) jam to the mix along with fresh bread.

My only problem is they're too far from me, alas… Hopefully local folks will grab some fresh bread, a coffee from down the street, and have a good breakfast in EAV.

So right now, I'm a fan. I'm a fan of their plans and of their having what I needed tonight. Hopefully I can return soon and become a fan of the food and bread.

Yelp tags: Delis