Tuesday

Tuesday’s Treats #101

/ The WheatandTares

DePalma’s Italian Cafe

Location: Dacula, Ga

We have been to the location in Athens years ago, but this was our first visit to the new Dacula location. The atmosphere is really cool, and the staff is friendly.

We ordered breadsticks, Caesar salad, chicken Alfredo, lasagna and pizza for our part of five. We were sure we’d have to-go boxes to take home; yet, these were all items we wanted to try.

They, also, brought “house bread” tot he table before the meal; so, we had plenty of bread and carbs! Ha ha. The house bread was homemade Italian, served with a olive oil/balsamic dish to dip. The balsamic definitely has a tangy kick, but it was delicious. I could have eaten the whole plate as my meal.

The breadsticks can be made with meatballs and opinions or spinach and onions, but we just opted for cheese. These were fresh made and delicious as well. As I mentioned before, this was a lot of bread; so, I was trying to moderate myself. The Caesar salad came just in Time, and it was scrumptious. The dressing was just right, and the romaine was crispy and fresh and the Parmesan just right.

Next came out meal that we didn’t think we’d finish because of all we had already enjoyed. My husband and son split the pizza. It was half pepperoni and half sausage, pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers. As far as pizzas go, I do like a little thicker crust, but it was tasty and definitely worth ordering again. Our oldest and his girl had chicken fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli, and they said each of theirs was good. I had the lunch lasagna (with the salad), and although, it was definitely a different kind of lasagna than I’m used to, with its spinach, ricotta cheese and a small bit of meat all topped with bread crumbs, it was still delicious. Surprisingly, I ate the whole serving.

Yes, we did have a bit of leftovers, but not as much as I expected. I’d have to say, I have a few other favorite italian restaurants, but this one is pretty good. We’ll probably be back again.

To find out more, you can check them out online.

Tuesday’s Treats #100

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Roost

Location: Greenville, SC

This is a great lunch venue right in the heart of downtown Greenville. It has a great atmosphere and friendly staff. The menu is a bit limited, but what they have is delicious. Our crowd got burgers and fries, chicken fingers and the salad bar. The burgers were great. The chicken fingers were tasty; although, the breading was a little too thick and crunchy.

The salad bar is absolutely filling and amazing. Everything is fresh and delightful from the three choices of greens, two cheeses, a plethora of other veggies, bacon, cranberries, and croutons, etc. The dressings appear to be homemade, and that’s just the start. Included in the bar are two soups and three choices of flatbread pizza. The soup I chose was tomato basil bisque: scrumptious. They also had vegetable beef. The flatbreads were plain cheese, fresh pepperoni, and spinach and mozzarella. The cheese was more like cheese bread. The pepperoni was very tasty, and if you like spinach on your pizza, I’d say you’d probably like this one, too. I wasn’t much a fan, but it’s not really my preference.

If you’re ever planning to stay in downtown Greenville, check out the Hyatt, connected right next door, and adjacent to that is Kilwins. You can go there for dessert!😉 Roost does serve breakfast and dinner as well; so, it’s incredibly convenient to have this right next door to your hotel, and the NOMA square, in which it is housed, is really cool. Here is their website to find out more.

Tuesday’s Treats #99

/ The WheatandTares

Underground Coffeehouse

Location: Greenville, SC

This is one of the coolest coffee shops I’ve been to in a long time. You walk down below the sidewalk; so, it’s appropriately named, “Underground.” They have a plethora of coffee and desserts from which to choose. We went two days in a row, and everything was delicious. I had a coconut mocha, recommended by the barista, because I was indecisive. Excellent choice. It was absolutely delicious. The first day, we had just had a dessert; so, I just enjoyed my mocha. The second day, I ordered the apple cider pie a la mode. Yum. Now, it was a little heavy on the cinnamon; so, beware, but it was still very tasty. Our sons had a chocolate chip cookie, which was a little crunchy but still tasty, a s’mores iced and a caramel iced coffee. All were yummy.

The atmosphere is casual and cozy. WiFi is available, and everything is nice and clean; even though, you bus your own table. (Sometimes, that can leave a place a little less clean than desired.) They even have two separate movie rooms that can be rented for group venues. Oh, from glancing at their website, they also serve breakfast and lunch. Check it out; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. 😉

Tuesday’s Treats #98

/ The WheatandTares / 1 Comment

MochaMoe’s Coffeehouse

Location: Flowery Branch, Ga

This is a great place to grab a quick bite to go or to come and sit for a 2 hour long coffee chat. It’s comfortable. It’s cozy, and they’ve got a great cup of joe. They have live music on some weekends, and you can listen to many new and local artists as you sip your coffee and chat for a while. They even have a little play area for the kiddos. There are comfy couches, club chairs and cafe style tables and chairs. They have yummy soups and bagels, muffins and homemade cakes that vary from day to day. They may even serve lunch, but I’ve always been there in the evenings for coffee; so, I can’t speak to that. It’s a great place to meet a brand new friend or catch up on news with an lifetime companion who’s been absence for a while.

Check out their website for hours and upcoming guests.

Tuesday’s Treats #97

/ The WheatandTares

Ma’s Fish Camp

Islamorada, Fl

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!

If you’re from the South like I am, one of the first things you’ll notice while in the Keys, THEY DON’T HAVE SWEET TEA! 😳 I have to say, that took some adjustment, but we did it! 😂 However, Ma’s Fish Camp will treat you right, because they’re trying to serve you genuine sweet tea. It’s not totally sweet, Southern style, but it’s pretty close. It’s strong and almost sweet, sweet but stops just short of syrup. 😉 It’s definitely worth trying.

Mind you, the goodness doesn’t stop at the sweet tea! That’s just where it begins. 😉 The atmosphere is comfy cozy, like home, and the staff is friendly, even when they get crazy busy on Sunday afternoons. Every bit of the food is absolutely delicious!! We didn’t have one thing that wasn’t scrumptious; although, the Caesar salad was a little different, it was still yummy.

One thing Ma’s Fish Camp does very different than any other place we found in the Keys: key lime pie. They offer a regular type, with a “mile high meringue,” and a deep dish that is frozen served with hot strawberry compote. It’s a novel idea, really; however, our party was really wishing for a slice of the regular after we had it. If you’re not desiring traditional key lime pie, or you like your pie more of the “ice cream” consistency, you’ll love this, because it’s like a great key lime pie ice cream sundae, complete with graham cracker crust, strawberry compote and homemade whip cream. Yet, if you’re longing for the traditional key lime pie, you better opt for the regular style. It looked delicious on others’ plates, we were just too full and too spent to try it. … Next time! 😉 Get there early, too. She draws a crowd fast at lunchtime!

Check them out here.

Tuesday’s Treats #96

/ The WheatandTares

Jersey Boardwalk Pizza

Location: Key Largo, Fl

If you’re looking for good pizza in Key Largo, Jersey Boardwalk Pizza is the place to go! The pizza is delicious, and they have other options as well. Our son got wings one night, and we shared a calzone and chicken Caesar salad another. It was all good; however, our favorite was the pizza! YUM!

They have a few booths inside, and they have plenty of patio seating outside. Take your pick, and go get you a slice! 😉 They actually have 3 locations to choose. Check them them out here.

Tuesday’s Treats #95

/ The WheatandTares / 2 Comments

Palmer’s
Location: Peachtree City, Ga.


Location is really cool. Atmosphere and staff is great. Food is amazing. The brisket sandwich, coupled with the sweet potato fries and street corn is off the chain! The sweet tea is truly Southern, and the key lime pie with sour cherries is simply amazing.


Now look, after our recent trip to The Keys, I might have become a bit of a KLP (Key Lime Pie) snob and really have a narrow preference on the “best” key lime pie, but anyone who starts taste testing them, especially in The Keys, will inevitably develop this type of persnicketiness. Lol. 😂<
owever, if you drop by Palmer's, you've got to have this on your "must taste" list. I'm not even a great big fan of cherries, but this thing is delicious! If it was served alone, I'm pretty certain the key lime would really be sweeter than I'd like; however, it's a perfect pairing with the sour cherries, which are almost candied in texture but have a distinct soured cherry taste. All this with the traditional graham cracker crust is a perfect match, and the taste combination is absolutely amazing.<
eck out their website here to find location and menu items and make plans to visit soon for lunch or dinner.

Tuesday’s Treats #94

/ The WheatandTares

The Pilot House Restaurant

Location: Key Largo, Fl

We found this restaurant as we were leaving Key Largo on our last day of vacation, and we were so glad we did! It was amazing. The view was perfect. It was cool to watch the boats come in and out of the marina, and the atmosphere was very cool. The wait staff were very hospitable and kind, and the food was amazing. We decided it was one of the best meals we had all week, and we put it on our “return list” for the next time we came.

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 sautéed 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 #92

/ The WheatandTares

The Swan Coach House

Location: Buckhead, Ga


Ok, so I have to be completely honest. I’m not what many would call a “girly girl.” I’ve always leaned toward the more rugged, tomboy type, or maybe just down right practical. I am much more comfortable in jeans and a T-shirt, boots and a ball cap while packing a pistol than I am dressing in frills and thrills, painting my nails and accomplishing the latest trendy shopping list.

It’s not that I have anything against all that stuff or any angst against “girly girls,” and it’s not like I can’t hang with the best of them. I’m a pretty good “adapter” when the occasion calls for it, and I have a huge variety of personality types in those who are close to me. In fact, two of my very best friends in the whole world are exactly that, girly girls, and they won’t be ashamed to say it. So, you shouldn’t fault me, or even shame me, for not being a “girly girl,” ok? It just hasn’t been my thing. Ever. In my whole life. In. My. Whole. Entire. Life. I’ve simply accepted that fact about myself and, despite being looked at as being weird sometimes, I’ve just learned to become comfortable in my own skin.

I went on that little diatribe to describe to you just how much I might not have been necessarily giddy the day I was to meet some of the most amazing women I know at this well known restaurant in Buckhead. I had never heard of it before, but the website was definitely full of “sugar and spice and everything nice,” metaphorically speaking.

So, I dressed appropriately, in a cute little black and white, trendy apparel, planned to arrive a little early, and just enjoy the people I was joining for lunch. I can say, from the moment the valet took the keys to my truck, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed.

Everything gushes with Southern Belle charm, and it is absolutely beautiful. We were escorted up the elevators and directed to Sally’s Porch, which is completely “described to a T” on their website:

Sally’s Porch is a radiant glass-enclosed front porch where sunlight filters and flows in through full-height glass windows. Furnished with four antique round tables and green curtains, this is an excellent choice for daytime soirees.

…I’m not even sure I knew what a soirée was before that day. I’m just kidding, but it was quite stunning with the sweet roses on the tables, the charming decor and the beautiful floor to ceiling windows with the warm sunbeams shining through.

The meal was tasty with their famous timbales of chicken salad, a frozen fruit salad and Swan House cheese straws, complete with a beautiful flower center. It was finished with a yummy slice of key lime pie. Everything was done to perfection and great care was taken in every presentation. A nice little gift shop is located downstairs where there is a plethora of specialties from which to choose, including a cool gallery of local art, pottery and such. After our lunch meeting, we went to tour the old Swan House Mansion and learned of its beautiful history and character, too. It was very intriguing, to say the least. (Oh, and Hunger Games fans, there’s even a sweet surprise for you inside.😉)

Treat yourself to a day of purely feminine, Southern Belle charm, this is the place to go. If you’re looking for a fun girls day lunch or dinner, this is your place. If you’re looking for a great place to make your daughter feel like a true princess on your Daddy-Daughter date, this is a wonderful choice.

…You get the picture. 😉 I don’t think you’ll be disappointed, and I think you’ll find this to be true, as I was reminded that day, it’s a beautiful thing when you can elegantly move past your own place of comfort and familiarity and join someone else in theirs to form a beautiful bridge of friendships, both old and new.

Please, be sure to check out their website for all the beauty and details.