12/4/2009

5/5 stars

Eyedeology was the only serious choice within fully dilated stumbling distance of my apartment, and I'm glad.

Dr. Gupta was incredibly efficient and very, very nice. The staff was *great*. I'm notoriously bad at making up my mind about new glasses. My wife won't even deal with my running everywhere looking, but these fine people helped me pick out a new frame that I really like. My pupils were dilating rapidly, so I had to go on a little faith. Their advice was great.

My insurance covered much of the cost, so I'm not sure just how pricey the lower end (where I look) might be. They definitely have a fine selection ranging up into much higher tax brackets. But I also really like my moderately inexpensive (more than Costco) frames. They even arrived sooner than expected. Great place.

Yelp tags: Optometrists Eyewear & Opticians

12/8/2009

5/5 stars

Interesting sushi… Gentle satay… Tender calamari… Melt-in-your-mouth beef… New booze… Oh, and neat crazy odd cool strange great folks… Wonderful event, and Nathan and I definitely will be coming back to Steel at some point. The strawberry-wrapped sushi was shockingly good.

Yes, Kathleen's year here is being great. Hopefully she's getting as much from it as we are! Thanks, and thanks to the fine folks at Steel. Thanks to whomever for the cool twisty straws, too!

(Oh, and I forgot to mention the copious goodies on the tables. Yelpstick is highly appreciated!)

Yelp tags: Local Flavor

12/10/2009

3/5 stars

Hm. Difficult. If you need a "standard" restaurant that isn't a standard chain, look at this FPN. It won't disappoint so long as you have your expectations set correctly. Great service; I wouldn't hesitate to bring a varied business group here.

Red beans & rice: Pretty dang good. Surprisingly so for a restaurant. The pork flavor is throughout, and the beans have a nice texture. Great side, probably a good main dish, too.

My wife's burger was well executed. It's standard beef. Good for basic burger cravings.

My shrimp po'boy… The shrimp is about what you can expect given the price and the state of the bay and shrimping. The bread is what people will eat without objection. Quick rise but even crumb. Dry oven and thin crust. Slightly more flavor than your standard grocery store bread. I know they say it's imported from NO, but I don't see why. Slightly spicy mayo that didn't upset me, so it must be ok. Again, good to satisfy a basic craving.

Beer list is acceptable. There will be something not to disappoint.

In case you haven't noticed, I'm an arrogant bastard and was reminded of that earlier this evening. This place is good if you enter with mediocre expectations. A meal here won't disappoint when you compare to national chains. It won't impress overall. Definitely a safe choice for a meat-eating, general group meal, particularly if our attentive but not overbearing service is typical.

Yelp tags: American (New) Pubs Sports Bars

12/12/2009

4/5 stars

Ok, so I'm not at all qualified to write a review of an event center after attending one event, but I feel compelled to point out a rare, important feature: a coat check!

You know how many "up-scale" restaurants, etc. expect you to lug your coat around and dodge the wait staff while dressing and undressing among patrons who really don't want to be bothered? AUGH. Spring4th has a coat check. I'm not sure if every event uses it… Note well, event planners, that a coat check lets your attendees feel like respected people rather than merely customers.

The rest? The space is nice. The large room in back was packed with vendors this time, but I can see it being open for other uses. Trash was bussed quickly and effectively (yeah, trash, but how many attendees use correct recycling containers even when available?). Plenty of rest rooms. Perhaps the most important point is that I paid more attention to the event than the space. It's within walking distance for me, but there appears to be plenty of parking nearby.

I'll be back for other events. Maybe it's shallow, but the coat check bumps this place up.

Yelp tags: Venues & Event Spaces

12/21/2009

4/5 stars

This was a delightful find. Great good in a comfortable spot. Franklin's kinda funny-shaped (nothing specific, just kinda funny-shaped), but it's worth passing through downtown. And if you're here, this is a good restaurant to visit.

I had a sandwich and salad combo for a nice, light traveling lunch. The Genoa salami panini with mozzarella and an olive tapanade was fantastic. My main surprise were the greens in the salad… They were a great mix of fresh leaves, which is a nice change from the, um, salads you often find in the mountains. Inexpensive ($7), light, but satisfying. Great service, too. They definitely focus on local food; next time I'll try the local beef…

Yelp tags: American (New)

12/22/2009

4/5 stars

There are microbreweries, and then there are a couple of fermenters and some kegging equipment. This is the latter. Fresh, good, local, inexpensive beer. The initial purchase of a growler seems pricey, but it isn't. A similar quantity of a seasonal local beer will easily cost you $25 elsewhere (e.g. three Terrapin side projects for $8 each), and here you get refills for, well, check their web site.

I've only tried three brews so far, but I'll be back for more. Their double IPA is an effervescent grapefruit of happiness. The rich oatmeal stout combines a chocolate taste with a wonderful scent. Their amber is, well, a darned good amber. I tend towards fancier brews, but the amber is a good, solid basic beer.

If you're coming through Abingdon or live nearby, check their hours or just check if anyone's there. Pick up good beer. Support local brewers.

Yelp tags: Beer, Wine & Spirits

12/24/2009

5/5 stars

We've been meaning to try Troutdale for quite some time and finally visited for lunch two days before Christmas… It's nice to walk into a place that emphasizes local foods and recognize the people in the photos from local markets and farms. The atmosphere is nice and relaxed without being too casual.

The goat cheese ravioli with butternut squash and chicken was wonderful on a chilly day. The sauce was rich but not overpowering. The calamari was surprisingly good, and the peppers lent it a nice spiciness. Obviously, not *everything* is local; squid are not indigenous to the Appalachians.

What pushed Troutdale above four stars was the service. Our server knew the dishes and provided excellent recommendations. She read us well and pointed us to dishes that "we wouldn't make at home." She also knew the wines and suggested an excellent (hence obviously not local, sorry) red.

Above and beyond, though, were two seemingly little points. One is bringing out a taste of the lamb sausage when we were trying to decide. The other is the offer to split our dishes in the kitchen when we told her we would be sharing. I've never before heard that offer. Perhaps it was the holiday spirit, but these little things kept the lone kitchen staffer (lunch, two days before Christmas) quite busy… And these points are well-appreciated.

Yelp tags: American (New) Italian

12/26/2009

3/5 stars

Good, basic pizza. The art makes me believe that someone has good taste in movies. They appear to carry craft beers and fill growlers, but I didn't have an opportunity to try them… Good reason to return sometime.

Yelp tags: Pizza

12/27/2009

3/5 stars

Seafood in SW Virginia / NE Tennessee is a crapshoot. River fish like trout are great, but anything from an actual ocean… That said, Osaka is a delightful surprise when they're not busy. Given the, ahem, unadventurous tastes of most people here, you have a very good chance of having surprisingly good rolled sushi for inland mountains. The salad is a bland iceberg lettuce with a touch of ok dressing, and the soup is simple broth but good and hearty. The hot tea is sufficient.

That said, I have been here when they're slammed, as well. And that isn't so good… They must have been running short of ingredients. That visit was the first time I've had stale nori in a restaurant since I was 10. It was only one of three rolls, so it could be just a fluke. The loose rolling, however, wasn't a fluke. Eating loosely rolled makizushi can be a bit tricky. They had a crowd much larger than they could handle…

The other, less crowded times keep this place at A-OK considering where it is, but dodgy if there's a crowd.

Yelp tags: Japanese Steakhouses