chicken

Tuesday’s Treats #93

/ The WheatandTares / 4 Comments

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille

Location: Gainesville, Fl.

This was the first restaurant we went to after two weeks in The Keys, and let me tell you, their sweet tea is AMAZING! 😉 The atmosphere is great. The staff is friendly, and the food is delicious. If you’re in Gainesville, Fl., you’ll definitely want to check it out.

Before the meal, they bring fresh bread with this herb butter that is so delicious, you’ll be tempted just to fill up on that and forfeit the meal. However, let me assure you, the meal will be worth your restraint! The burgers are yummy, and the shrimp and grits were my favorite. The grits are made just “Southern style good,” and the shrimp is sautĂ©ed just right with just a touch of blackening. Oh yeah. I did get the sauce on the side, because I couldn’t tell by the description how it might be. Sometimes, the sauce can be overpowering and dominate the dish. It ended up being incredible, and I gladly poured it over the shrimp once this picture was taken.

For dessert, you have a plethora from which to choose, and we chose three: the Oreo doughnuts, key lime pie and pecan pie. Prepare yourself for those doughnuts. Oh. My. Word. Your arteries will be screaming before you even take a bite, but your tastebuds will thank you forever. 😂

They were amazing; yet, so rich, I only had two bites (plus, my pick was the pecan pie). My husband liked the key lime pie; however, compared to the other two desserts and the key lime pies we had while in the Keys, I wasn’t much impressed. Now, the pecan pie: WOW! The waiter had said he liked a different pie, but I opted for this one when he said, “It is a little too much pecan for me.” Look, I’m a southern girl, I’m not sure you can have too much pecans. Haha. It was absolutely amazing! I still have cravings for that yummy deliciousness.

Like I said, if you’re in the Gainesville area, and you’re looking for a great meal, Harry’s is the place to go. Check out their Website here.

Tuesday’s Treats #87

/ The WheatandTares

Capital Grill

Location: Washington, D.C.


This place has a lot of class and prestige, even if it did seem a bit pretentious that day. The waiter we had was really nice, and the food was delicious. However, I do wish there was a bit more of it, especially for the prices paid.

We went here, because we follow TripAdvisor pretty close while in a new city, and this stays in the top 5 of 2,000+ restaurants. (Yes, that’s not a typo; it’s 2,000!😳😜) Because of such high ratings, maybe I was expecting a bit more than we received, but honestly, I enjoyed a few other restaurants in the area a little better than this one. However, we didn’t get a bad meal. It just seemed a bit more pretentious than it needed to be, and the total bill seemed a bit high for the amount of food on the plate.

The sea bass and kids’ steak were delicious, and the steak sandwich was tasty. The lobster roll was better than fair, but I have had better. The fries were absolutely amazing. We had dessert back at the room; so, I can’t speak to that.

If you’re in D.C., it’s worth a try, as so many love it. Here’s their website to check out the menu and location.

Tuesday’s Treats #78

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Doolittle’s

Location: Anderson, SC

Doolittle’s is a great little place in downtown Anderson that everyone needs to try at least once. To be honest, the inside could stand a little upgrade, as it definitely gives the throwback to a few decades, but we opted to sit out on the open, brick laid patio during the beautiful Spring day on which we arrived. We did not leave disappointed.

The pictures can pretty much speak for themselves, but I will describe it for you… The country fried chicken, mac and cheese and broccoli was “hit” with our oldest son who absolutely loves chicken. The mac and cheese wasn’t quite homemade, but it was still cheesy and yummy. The cheese steak was a bit heavy with the hoagie bread, but it was still scrumptious covered in all the cheese, mushrooms and bell peppers. The burger was juicy and delicious, as well, complete with cheddar, lettuce and tomato with fries on the side. Oh, and they also have a soup of the day, and on that day, it was corn chowder… Oh, Wow!

Like I suggested, if you’re headed to downtown Anderson, it’s worth a stop, and you’ll probably want to sit outside on a beautiful sunny afternoon. For more information, here is their website.

One last thing, while you’re there, save a little room for dessert and head down the street to Figs Beanery and Creamery! … I’ll tell you more about it in next week’s Tuesday’s Treats! 😉

Tuesday’s Treats #73

/ The WheatandTares

Country Cupboard

Location: Dillard, GA

If you’re looking for great country cooking, this is one of the few places in North Georgia that you can enjoy it! They have an incredible selection of veggies, chicken and the like. There is a great salad bar, Ana the desserts are to die for!!

They also have a great gift shop for shopping after meal, too. If you’ve got time during the day, you can drive down to several of the antique shops as well. They don’t seem to have a website, but you can find out more information here. 

Tuesday’s Treats #63

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Jenkins Deli

Location: Cleveland, Tn



Tuesday’s Treats #62

/ The WheatandTares

ML’s Italian Life Cafe and The Cellar

Location: Blairsville, Ga


I have actually done a review on this restaurant before; however, because we had only had desserts at this new location, I thought it only fitting to review again. This new location has brought a few changes and adjustments to both the atmosphere and menu choices, but after today, I do believe I like this one even better than the old. 


The desserts are still some of the best you can find, and because they are made fresh daily, the choices will vary from time to time. However, each one is decadent and served with the utmost class and quality. The coffee is delicious, perfectly balanced in strength and sweetness, and the atmosphere, in which you dine, is incredible. 

This new location actually has two parts. If you park in the downtown square, you can easily walk into the upstairs cafe. However, we are a little biased to the downstairs, “Cellar,” as it’s named for its basement locale. A simple walk around the building and down the steps will take you there. Complete with brick walls, low-lying ceilings with exposed beams, and the smell of a fresh ground brew, this place makes you want to grab a good book or good company, hold a cup of joe in hand and stay a long while. 

The quaint seating arrangements, black tablecloths and rich place settings in the “cellar” type surrounds make you feel you’ve just stepped into another time and place. Everything we ordered was absolutely incredible. Our party of four chose the Five Cheese Tortelloni, Italian Wedge, Chicken Wrap and Pasta Sorrento. All the portions were huge, and Oh. My. Goodness. I cannot describe to you the palette delight! The tortelloni was stuffed with mozzarella, fontina, Parmesan, grana padano and Romano cheese, topped with a house made marinara, and served with your choice of meatballs or sausage. My husband chose both. I didn’t taste the sausage, but the meatballs were to die for, so rich and flavorful. 


The Italian Wedge was beyond what I could have imagined with the ginormous serving. The savory baked balsamic chicken was a perfect blend of deliciousness with the Gorgonzola cheese and applewood bacon. It is normally served with blue cheese dressing and tomatoes, but as I attest both, I opted for a side of the Italian with feta cheese and a side of the garlic Parmesan. I don’t which I liked better. I could not believe how much I enjoyed this, because as much as I like salad, it’s not a “top of the list” choice when it comes to entrees, especially when indulging in an Italian cuisine. Yet, this day, I am so glad I “preferred just a salad.” 

The chicken wrap was just as large and tasty, as was the Pasta Sorrento. There was so much food, we almost opted out of dessert. However, the chocolate peanut butter brownie pie with a side latte called our name out a little too loudly to be ignored. My husband and brother-in-law devoured that yumminess while my sister-in-law and I sipped a cup of delicious Vanilla Nut Latte topped with caramel. It was a perfect ending to a perfect meal. 

We so enjoyed this new, inviting location that, had it not been we had other things on our agenda that day, I believe we could have sat around enjoying the atmosphere and good conversation until dinner time rolled in. We will definitely be back again and again. 

Oh, one more note to mention…they also have fresh pressed olive oils and balsamic vinegars. There are samples to taste, and you can even “sample” these with your entrees. I did try the White Coconut Balamic Vinegar with my chicken, and it tasted just like the best coconut chicken I’ve ever had. These are available for sale as well, and there were several Italian and French imports from which to choose. 


Check out more here on their website. 

Tuesday’s Treats #43

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Loretta’s

Location: Oakwood, Ga

If you’re looking for a home cooked meal and can’t find the time to cook it yourself, this is you’re best choice! Loretta’s is the place to go for comfort food.

They have a variety of daily choices; so, if you’re a little more selective like me, you’ll want to check out their daily menus. However, I’ve yet to be disappointed in a meal. They have some of the best pot roast, green beans, creamed potatoes and biscuits around. They have everything from livers and onions to fried shrimp. The fried chicken, chicken and dumplings,  and fried okra is to die for. The sweet tea is purely Southern sweet, and they even give you a choice of biscuits or cornbread with your meal. All the desserts are homemade, and just to make your mouth water, I’ll share a few: banana pudding, chocolate silk pie, and strawberry cobbler.

They also serve breakfast with some of the best chicken biscuits you’ve ever put in your mouth! So, you can get good comfort food for one or three square meals. Your choice.

Now, just like any good Southern Country Cookin’ restaurant, especially those that serve breakfast, you better prepared to smell like it for the rest of the day, or you better bring you an extra set of clothes to change after! 😉 For either breakfast or lunch, if you want to beat the rush, you better get there sooner than later. It fills up pretty fast around there!

Oh, and one more thing, if you’ll stick to the menu “combos” of meat item(s), combined with a few sides and a choice of beverage, your cost will be as stated on the menu board. However, if your family is prone to be more like mine, with growing boys who want more than those “preset” combos, yourvnill mightvrack up fast, as all other items are charged a la cart. 😬 I would have to say it’s worth every penny! It is that good!

If you need catering, they do an excellent job for both b’fast and lunch/dinner items. That’s saying a lot for breakfast items such as eggs and gravy, because those things aren’t real great cold, or even cooled down, and with Loretta’s catering, you don’t have to worry! They take care of it all!

Check out the daily menus and location here.

Tuesday’s Treats #37

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Osaka Hibachi & Sushi

Location: Cumming, Ga



  

Tuesday’s Treats #30

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

Marlow’s Tavern

Location: several in the Atlanta area


Marlow’s is the BEST! This is one of my favorite restaurants. The ingredients are picked up fresh daily, and the choices are unique and diverse. They have some of the best shrimp and grits I’ve put in my mouth. Now, I switch up mine from their menu description. I order mine with the jalapeño corn grits rather than the grit cakes, but that’s just according to your particular taste. I like them both.

The Tavern burgers, chicken panini and chicken stack are all delicious, and the salads are different than any you’ll get at another restaurant. Beware, the salads are of large proportion, too! You’ll definitely want to start out with the kettle chips or the firecracker shrimp, and the warm chocolate cake is a delicious finish.

If your appetite isn’t all that today, you can even order a few small plates to custom make your meal. There’s jalapeño corn grits, fried okra, fresh fruit and white cheddar grit cakes, just to name a few. If you enjoy a little spirits with your meal, I suppose they have plenty of that, too, because it is called a tavern. That’s just not my game; so, I apologize I won’t be too helpful in that area. 😉
The atmosphere is great, and the seating is very comfortable with booths, regular tables, high tops and even a great patio area. We had a group of 35 meet here recently, and the patio area was so comfortable and accommodating. The fans oscillate and rotate, and the tables are a cool wood/metal decor, and they even have a couch a table area for the more relaxed conversations.

I believe you’ll enjoy your visit; so, I hope you’ll check them out soon. Oh, I hear they just opened a location in Florida as well! 😊 Here’s their website for all your information needs.

Tuesday’s Treats #24

/ The WheatandTares / 3 Comments

The Rookery

Location: Macon, Ga.


This place has a great atmosphere, and good food. It’s noted as #1 on tripadvisor.com; however, I think I might not rate it that high. Don’t get me wrong, please. We did enjoy it; it just wasn’t a “hit it out of the park” kind of meal. We ordered the spicy pimento cheese appetizer, the bacon cheeseburger and the a chicken sandwich with goat cheese, bacon and a fried green tomato (I’m sorry, I’ve forgotten the name!). The appetizer was amazing. The burger was good, and the chicken sandwich was pretty good, but very messy. My husband didn’t really care for the goat cheese taste on the sandwich. I’ve been told they are known for their milkshakes, and we should’ve gotten one. However, the waiter seemed to be a little slow, or distracted, and the wait time went over the time we had; so, we opted out. I guess, we’ll have to go back and try that and maybe try a different sandwich to see if maybe it was just an off day. The crowd was full during lunch time on a Monday, and the ratings on TA were pretty high; so, yeah, maybe we just didn’t get a good first impression…?

They have several specials each day, as well as, two or three daily soups. The shakes are supposed to be awesome, and the desserts did sound yummy from the descriptions. If you’re in Macon, stop by and give it a try.

Here’s their menu to check it out. By the way, the whole menu doesn’t seem to be listed on line. It’s pretty extensive. 😉