The Palms Cafe - @@@

As I am writing this its a 3 but definitely could be adjusted to a 4. Overall good, solid breakfast spot with all of the classics. Does breakfast warrant a 4??

Long story short I stayed overnight in Palm Desert last night. While exploring the city, the next morning I wanted to oddly enough get some breakfast. Fired up some apps and saw this place was close and had good reviews. Local place too which is cool. Guessing this area is a lot of retirees just by looking around

In addition to wanting chicken fried steak, the reviews also highlighted it. Did not disappoint. Deceptively large, the meat was very tender and gravy super hot. Much appreciated. Tasted homemade, crust was good, gravy purportedly made daily. Could eat a few slabs of these. Eggs were eggs and no complaints. Home fries were ok, not amazing. Think they had some fried onions in it which seemed sort of dry. Also oddly got a pancake instead of the usual toast but allegedly the pancake mix is a well-regarded secret recipe. Good but I literally haven't had a pancake in years so have no basis to compare it to. For what it's worth I did think it was very good - fluffy, light, and hot.

So again, think it is quite good. Tables are somewhat close and one set of neighbors ordered the chicken fried steak (sauce on side?!?) as well. "Best chicken fried steak" I heard her say. Other orders around me included turkey sandwiches, huevos rancheros, and pumpkin pancakes...everyone was happy. So would recommend if around and want solid breakfast portions. Think they are only open until 2pm

44150 Town Center Way, B5-B6
Palm Desert, CA. 92260

Las Delicias Colombianans 2 - @@@

I wanted to check out more Latin American food last night and remembered this place looked interesting when going to the Dominican restaurant. Evidently this is a new place and I thought was quite clean so that was a positive right off the bat.

Ordered the bandeja paisa per usual which to refresh is beans, rice, steak, chicharron, egg, maduros, arepa and I added an avocado. The avocado was really good, hadn't had one in a while and mixed well with the rice, egg, and beans. Arepa was again dry and the only item not eaten but that's not just this place. Chicharron was good and was quite tender compared to other places. Fried pork...how can it be bad?? Either I was extra hungry or the beans were better than usual but finished those too. Maduros were good, interesting that they were not sliced in advance. I could take it or leave it - they are always good. The most disappointing was the steak - it was thin and not tender at all. It was marinated I think but I was not thrilled with the cut. I did get another piece of chicharron cause I thought that was quite good and to my surprise it was even meatier and larger than the picture. So back in the good graces

I would definitely go back to this neighborhood restaurant. Can't get any colombian in Michigan let alone with it being freshly cooked/fried. Service was helpful too and spoke fluent English and Spanish. Decor was sparse but was new as well but just coming for the food was good. Would try the thicker cut steak or pot roast next time mixed with some fried pork.

1231 River St
Boston, MA 02136

Rincon Caribeño Restaurant - @@@

I was talking to a friend about mofongo this weekend and I heard "Despacito" when I left work so that pretty much solidified my decision to get some Latin food. Looked this place up on Yelp and noticed it was open to 1am. No problem there

This is a Dominican restaurant as confirmed by the bartender as the waitress literally spoke no English. I wasn't mad at that though and figured it adds authenticity. My remedial spanish was no match for a loud restaurant that seemed to double as a cocktail bar and rapidly speaking Spanish waitress. I did get the order in alright cause I know food and it was translated. Knew I wanted the mofongo and also ordered this "appetizer" plate that basically was a fried item sampler. In short, compared to my mainstay of Carolina in Providence, it wasn't as good. The mofongo was kind of dry and didn't taste the pernil (roast pork) very much. I did have to request a side of mojo (oil, garlic, citrus mixture which is just flavorful and tasty) which added good flavor but not quite as good as Carolina. The fried sampler included chicharron, fried chicken, sausage, fried yuca, fries, and tostones. By the way anyone that thinks tostones are better then maduros is crazy. The chicharron was good - freshly fried and meaty but not that meaty if you count the skin and fat. Fried chicken was alright - typical in that no batter Latin style rather than a Popeyes type skin. Sausage was ok - could go without it. Fries, yuca, tostones were what I would expect.

Overall not bad especially for an actual sit down restaurant with pulsing spanish music going. Definitely not the cafeteria style of other Caribbean places I have been to out east. To me this is in a somewhat wasteland between Dedham and Boston so if you are traveling around south of Boston it is worth a try if you want what seems to be authentic Dominican food. I will probably be back to get some more pork and rice next time.

18 Fairmont Ave
Hyde Park, MA 02136

Gyro & Kabob House - @@@

A big sign right by my hotel had me intrigued every day going home so I made it a point to stop in tonight. This is a family run, authentic place that is just a casual place to get some good (though I have nothing to compare it to) Turkish food.

Now while I can't compare this to other Turkish food, I can roughly equate it to the middle eastern food back in Michigan. Not knowing what to get, I went with the mixed grill which had lots of recognizable items. It had lamb adana, lamb gyro, chicken kabob, lamb kabob, and kafte (Turkish meatballs). The only really new thing to me was the adana which is ground lamb (but not as ground as kafte aka kafta) that is mixed with red peppers and some light glaze. That was my second favorite. The best to me was the gyro meat which was well seasoned. The chicken kabob was good (also glazed-ish) and better than the lamb kabob which I thought was overcooked. Per usual the ground meat kafte was my least favorite but was still very edible. What really surprised me was the bed of bulgur wheat that it was served on. It was slightly red so maybe a hint of tomato but it picked up a bunch of flavor from the meat. Great alternative to rice for me just to throw something different on there. I thought it was really good. The side "shepherds salad" was finely chopped cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and parsley dressed with oil which was ok. The bread was hot and good, more like a naan then pita obviously. Went well with the meat and what I liken a taziki sauce (yogurt, cucumber, garlic). There was also a hot sauce which reminded me of a thinner sambal with the red pepper flakes.

All in all I thought a good meal and introduction to Turkish cuisine. Funny enough I hear Spanish coming from the kitchen; the front end speaks what I believe to be Turkish so authentic nonetheless. Perhaps of my bias, I still prefer the middle eastern in Michigan with the more juicy chicken shwarma, rice with pine nuts, and pure garlic spread. However I would not hesitate to stop by and pick up a gyro dinner over the next few weeks.

1275 Boston Providence Hwy Rt 1
Norwood, MA 02062

Hutch Bar & Eatery - @@@@

Picked this place on a whim tonight because I was in the area. Actually I missed out on a Peruvian place since they were closed for cleaning. Disappointed I searched for another place to eat and am glad I found this.

I ordered the fried chicken dinner which came with either a spicy or sweet option. I opted for the spicy and it had a chili oil, mashed potatoes, and brussels. In short all of it was really good - potatoes creamy, brussels fried and not bitter, and the oil giving it a bit of spice. The chicken was really good - traditionalists may scoff at the boneless chicken breast but I liked it.

In fact I liked it so much I ordered the fried chicken sliders app after the main! What was good about the sliders were that they were a twist on the sweet version of the fried chicken dinner in that they had the maple butter spread atop the biscuit sliders. Again a non-traditional take on the food which I really liked. The little biscuits also had a spicy mayo on the bottom giving it a nice contrast. Chicken was super hot and tasty as well.

This seemed like a hidden gem to me as it was in a part of town that I am not too familiar with. I would not have found it without Yelp so props to them for that. Good service too with a full carafe of water which was great. If you can find it, I suggest you try it out (the sandwich selection looked strong too - I wish I was closer for lunch!)

1308 Gaskins Rd
Henrico, VA 23238

Can Can Brasserie - @@@

Great day outside today so I went walking down Cary St in the somewhat famous Carytown area of Richmond. It is an eclectic street with plenty of vintage stuff, glass shops and restaurants.

I was happily surprised when I saw a French bistro restaurant on the street and knew I would walk back for dinner there. It was average for my tastes - not great or horrible. First off, the bread and butter which is a French staple was not as good as at other restaurants. I do think the butter was rich however the bread was flavored somewhat like the which masked the flavor of the butter. For the meal, I started with the French onion soup of course and it was pretty sweet. In fact almost too sweet. I have had it similar to that before, it's like they put some apple cider in it as well. Cheese was good, somewhat light compared to the Yelp pictures. For my main, I again had the steak frites and they give you a choice of 4 sauces to select. Maitre d' butter, red wine shallot, red wine blue cheese, and brandy peppercorn were the choices. I probably should've just got it plain but went with the butter. I promptly moved most of the butter off of the steak. The steak itself was cooked good, medium rare was actually red in the middle. The NY strip was tender and the butter did make it more flavorful. The fries were good, on par with other French places I have gone to.

Overall cool decor, service, and atmosphere for this restaurant in Carytown. I don't think I have had French in Richmond and would say it is worth trying. I do like the place in Providence better in terms of steak and soup but this is good for the city. Definitely a locals place; not too many corporate types here. Worthwhile to check out.

3120 W Cary St
Richmond, VA 23221

Millie's Diner - @@@

By all accounts this was a good meal. I tried some new items such as pork cheeks and chess pie. The main I had was a grilled sirloin which was cooked great. The cheesy potatoes were also really good. The pork cheeks tasted like very tender pork chops - just a chunk of meat that was super tender. The pie was pretty sweet, probably too sweet for my taste.

However this was a textbook case of why I don't love restaurant weeks as much as others. They said they only had half of the regular menu and then the 3 course fixed price menu which I guess was ok since it is a small spot, but still somewhat leaving you wondering what else they had. Then I thought the portion was smaller than normal, although I have no comparison. But they have to make money somehow right? Then I got the desert but I would clearly prefer more main. Let alone it's amazing sweetness which I could've done without. Clearly i like savory food more but may just be an outlier.

Anyways the place was pretty good. Small local vibe was cool. Exposed kitchen area and everybody seemed pretty cool. Someplace to check out - perhaps next time with the whole menu.

2603 E Main St
Richmond, VA 23223

La Estancia - @@@

Very close to a 4. Very good, just a touch below Tango in Boston that I really liked. This is a local Argentine restaurant that I really enjoyed. Quite a bit of food too for under $30 so the value is good for the metro DC region.

I ordered the short ribs or asado tira medium rare. They are not melt in your mouth, but rather a bit of chew to them. If you are expecting filet like tenderness, I would not get these. Instead I like them because they taste like beef, are flavorful, and juicy. Served on a scalding hot iron plate, I actually removed one because they were still cooking quickly on the plate. Ate all of them and love the contrast with the large boneless pieces and then the bones individually. Much better than the boneless short ribs I head earlier this week where they were braised. I just like the bone-in grilled flavor better. Sadly forgot to ask for chimichurri but they were good enough that I didn't think of needing it. Would've been interesting to compare though. Also comes with 2 sides which I upgraded to 3 cause I have a problem. "Salad bar" had iceberg lettuce, tomato slices, cucumbers, and onions but also had brocolli (helpful) and a great potato salad which no one could explain what it was called (ensalada Russa aka Russian salad is the best I got from the employees). Cubed potatoes, cubed carrots, and peas in a sweet creamy sauce. Really good. Better than my mashed potatoes which were ordinary. Also fried plantains but not super fried and much more similar to the caramelized plantains that I like. Soft and sweet rather than thin and crispy. I think they call them maduros. Really good and still eating them as my dessert.

All in all really good. Very helpful staff with constant water with lime refills. Soccer reruns playing on tv with El Clasico in 3 days. Try it out if you are in the NoVa area. It's in a strip mall, you will not be sorry.

7810 Lee Hwy, Suite F
Falls Church, VA 22042

Hattie Mae's - @@@@

I tried out another southern restaurant tonight to good results. As luck had it, it was all you can eat fried chicken night. I had to show restraint on ordering

First I did order the cornbread if for nothing else it was $5. That seemed high and was good but not that good. The dark gravy was potlicker gravy which was a thin, runny salty sauce that was slightly flavored and not favored. The real honey in butter was the complete opposite - really good, thick, and flavorful. But then again butter is usually good.

Next got the fried chicken because of course. It was really juicy and the skin was flavored with pepper, pretty crispy and really good to eat. Freshly fried and hot, it was some of the best fried chicken I can remember. The fries were coated so some might now prefer. They were fresh and hot but I thought just ok. The cole slaw was creamy and more minced than usual but still not bad. A little sweet like I like it. The hush puppies were really good but I haven't had hush puppies in years so lack of overall comparison.

I thought the chicken was really good and would get it again. The location is in a cool planned mixed use shopping venue with retail/commercial stuff and is really inviting. Large tvs at the bar and comfortable seating in the dining room. Service was friendly as well. I really enjoyed it and would recommend. Plenty of seating on a Wednesday at 7 pm made it easy to get in and linger in the booths (and eat more chicken)!

1601 Willow Lawn Dr, suite 840
Richmond, VA 23230

Family Secrets - @@@

Super hard to give Family Secrets (FS) a 3 rating cause I thought it was quite good. Just with being at Croakers Spot (CS) yesterday it was pretty easy to compare head to head.

I will type this out quick as I am waiting for a few fried chicken wings. Cornbread - FS. I liked how it was more dense and a bit sweeter taste. Then with the butter I thought it was better rather than the sweet syrup at CS. Cabbage - CS. Better flavor, consistency, and texture. I enjoyed the peppery-ness at CS and was seasoned better. Rice - CS. The rice was slightly watery at FS which detracted from the tasty gravy. The rice/gravy combo at CS was great. Main - toss up. Really liked the smothered pork chops tonight at FS, slightly sautéed then covered with tasty brown onion gravy. Similar to the chicken at CS. I usually prefer pork over chicken but CS was really good too.

I would happily return to both. There is more meat choices at FS which is a plus. Much less busy and also much more hole-in-the-wall. It is in a strip mall but it had a constant stream of diners and take out even past 9 pm. Good helpful service. All good signs. Happy to dine at either.

5310 Chamberlayne Rd
Richmond, VA 23227

Croakers Spot - @@@@

Asked for recommendations for southern food from the coworkers and they did not let me down. The place is pretty small it seems - I had to sit at the bar which had 1 seat left. There also was a band coming in to play so I started out with my two favorite things!

I had a recommendation on the meal as well but took a while to look through the menu anyways. I guess their thing is seafood - their slogan may be "the soul of seafood"?? Also making the choice even more interesting. But I did get the recommended southern smothered chicken which was extremely good. Huge portions and could've had another piece of chicken. It was a semi fried chicken breast smothered in brown, onion gravy all over white rice with a side of cabbage and cornbread. I'll start with the cornbread and side sauce which actually was my least favorite. The sauce was described as very addicting which ended up being pretty good. It was sweet and syrupy and definitely had a unique flavor. I still prefer butter with cornbread which was good here but still not my favorite. Then the cabbage which was really good. Tender, sautéed, and super peppery - I definitely enjoyed it. Then the chicken over rice with gravy was just solid. The chicken tasted almost fried prior to being smothered but I am guessing it was pan seared briefly. The skin seemed on as well but was able to cut everything with just my fork. The gravy mixed with the rice made the dish. I could eat multiple servings of it.

Couple of other odd things included me ordering a side of fish just to try. Note - I ordered one piece and three came out. The filets were not boneless so it was kind of a pain to eat...needless to say I didn't eat it all. The flavor itself was pretty mild but I wouldn't get it again. I also don't like seafood much but then again had a cup of the chowder. It was an interesting take in that it had some parmesan cheese on it, croutons and old bay. It still was creamy and had a bunch of seafood and potatoes and to me was a very mid-atlantic take on the soup. Another was the band. They played at reasonable levels to me but I was on the other and not really needing to talk to anyone. They also played Michael Jackson, CeeLo, and Chris Brown rather than rock music so more enjoyable than normal. Another was the guy sitting next to me who was selling cell phones and was trying to connect service to someone who didn't have a SSN or TIN. Boost Mobile and Metro PCS. All sorts of things going on. Great vibe to the place - was like a barbershop that sold good food. Really good service by the bartender too - kept the water full.

Would definitely recommend coming to try especially if you like seafood. Or southern. Or just good food. I'm not sure if it is always this busy or not, but you may want to prepare to have some wait as I got there at 7:30 and there were no tables to be found. There is a dedicated carry-out entrance so that also may be an option. I feel my dish would be good after transit still so can see why people take advantage of that. Come check it out.

1020 Hull St
Richmond, VA 23224

Los Gauchos - @@@@

I actually accidentally went to this place tonight. I was looking to get southern food but they were sold out?? I guess it is Black Restaurant Week which makes the southern food places busier than normal. Good luck for me though tonight!

I did a quick search for other unique eats and found this Argentine place nearby. I thought they would have the steak grill with other various meats such as Tango Sur in Chicago. Instead they only had sandwiches and empanadas...sad! I wasn't leaving so instead I ordered at least half of the menu - they had 3 sandwiches (steak with ham and egg, thin steak, and sausage) and 4 empanadas (spinach, beef, chicken, and ham/cheese). They said the sausage sandwich is the best - it's called choripan and it definitely delivered. I also got the spinach, beef, and chicken empanadas. First the empanadas were good, not great. Baked rather than fried, the bread was flaky and tasted more like pasties rather than the fried that I am more accustomed to. The filling was pretty good - I liked them all and can't think of one that stood out right now. I used the chimichurri sauce as well which was not overpowering. $2 each. But I thought the winner was the choripan sin cebollas. I actually was hesitant to order another sausage item since I had bbq sausage last night. But this was different. First it was a bun size patty - appealing to my logical reasoning. No need to slice links to fit half the sandwich...just make the party the size of the bread - brilliant! Then it was really well spiced, but not spicy. I don't know the flavors actually but it is supposedly made in house and I wouldn't doubt it. Super juicy as well and the texture was more like juicy meatloaf rather than what I initially think of with sausage. The French bread held up really well to the filling and only the very last bite did it finally crumble apart - very good! Lettuce, tomato, and mayo were the other ingredients. Simple, fresh, and really good

This is a very local place - definitely family run and very nice. Originally from Argentina as confirmed during a chat with them. I may actually try and get here for lunch as it's not that far from the office. Will call ahead as it took about 10-15 minutes to prepare it which again I like in terms of freshness. Definitely recommend to check out!

6935 Lakeside Ave
Henrico, VA 23228

Deep Run Roadhouse - @@@

I tried another bbq place in Richmond tonight looking for that solid southern bbq. Place was pretty good but I still like Mission bbq better. The sides I liked better here, notice how green the green beans are, not soggy and overcooked like at many other southern restaurants. The cornbread was pretty good with the honey butter but not as good as my standard of Beale Street Smokehouse in Hartland, MI of all places.

However on to the meats. I got the three meat combo with brisket, sausage, and spare ribs. I thought the meat was pretty light, but more to come on that in a bit. If you notice there is sauce on everything already...not great from my opinion. I could taste the smoke in the ribs but much less so for the brisket and sausage. Actually I liked the brisket least, it was somewhat tough and not moist. The sauce didn't add much, I preferred the bourbon sweet one they offered but it didn't go well on the brisket (it is the darker sauce on the top left). In the middle was the ribs, smoky but somewhat dry as well. Did have some good resistance which was good and the sauce was decent on them. The best I thought was the sausage which was well spiced and crunchy skin. There sadly were only 4 or 5 pieces which I promptly devoured. The sausage I thought went the best of the three with the bourbon sweet sauce. So I seemed hungry still after eating so I ordered another 1/4 lb of sausage. They proceeded to load up a carry out container with thick cuts of sausage. Clearly a hook up I think as it literally contained more meat than all of my original meal. So shoutout to them for that. Couldn't finish it all, will eat it over the week in the hotel.

As I compare all bbq with the brisket, I would say Mission BBQ is still better. Q BBQ is also quite good and I liked it better too. I honestly can't remember Buz and Ned's bbq; not memorable. I would say it's standard for around here, definitely can't compare to Texas but not ok overall. It is a bit out of the way in a strip mall in basically a neighborhood but the people were friendly and good service.

12379 Gayton Rd
Richmond, VA 23238

Mission BBQ - @@@

This is actually my second visit to Mission BBQ which is a good sign. I would put it definitely at the high end of the 3 scale as I thought it was better than Buz and Teds. They also get lots of love on the reviews for a heavily patriotic theme inside.

On to the food. This time I got the ribs, original sausage, and brisket. I really wanted the brisket and the ribs and sausage were bonus. The 2 ribs I had were good, not needing sauce and pretty tender for spare ribs. I actually prefer a bit more resistance for spare ribs but it shows they must cook them for a while. Surprisingly moist so I wouldn't doubt if they covered them or roasted them as well. Still had smoke flavor though. I did get my snap from the sausage which I thought was really good. Well spiced, meaty, crunchy skin was all good. The best was the brisket though. Moist cut was flavorful, tender, and not needing sauce. I did try the sauce though and my 2 favorites were Memphis Belle and Tupelo Honey Heat. Notice both are somewhat sweet and savory so I think I have picked up a theme. Didn't care too much for the sides today - I had baked cheesy potatoes and green beans. Similar to last time they "messed up" and gave me an extra side...not sure if that's a move but was not turned down. They sadly did not stand out for me though, the potatoes had some celery in it which I didn't love and the beans were cooked for a while and almost mushy. They were alright overall. The cornbread was pretty good although I didn't finish both pieces if that says anything.

I would, and did, come back. I thought the brisket is the way to go and while not the best ever it is still pretty good - and would be a winner back home. Prices are pretty good, essentially I got 3 meats and sides for ~$25, which could be 2 meals. Service is also really good here - helpful and prompt both times I was here and you get your food quickly.

5432 Glenside Dr
Richmond, VA 23228

Paschals - @@@

Wholly satisfying airport layover dinner at Paschals tonight. The classic after-golf hunger was upon me and I remembered this place in concourse B always looked decent as I flew to work. Since I limit eating fried chicken while at work due to messiness factors, I happily ordered it on the way home from a golf weekend in Tampa.

It's in the center food court so it is a cafeteria style line. They have options like fried steak, wings, tenders, and some baked fish. Clearly the choice was going to go with the fried chicken but the fried steak looked good as well. It looked similar to smothered steak in gravy and not that fried...I could be wrong though. Got the fried chicken and mashed potatoes and collard greens as sides. The bread was not ready so sadly no cornbread. The other side options included fried okra, beans, rice/gravy, mac and cheese, and a few others.

The fried chicken was good - hot and crispy which is somewhat surprising for being in the airport but I did go during a main dinner time. Great fried color to the chicken and the skin did not come off all at once when you took a bite. One thing that I prefer is when the skin is seasoned with pepper and spices. This you could tell was a good flour crisp but wish it had more flavoring. I think this is somewhat against traditional fried chicken and for that my bad. I did use hot sauce but would still prefer more spice. The chicken I did think overall was quite tasty even as is. The sides were prepared well, I really liked the gravy and wish that there was more. The greens tasted very similar to other southern places but I have to remember that I just don't love the taste of collards. Each time I have them reminds me that they are not the greatest and that I should order a different side. Oh well.

I would come back here for a non-work transit meal and get the chicken again. Allegedly saw an award for best fried chicken in Atlanta for 2015 but don't know the other contestants. It was quite good. Seating is pretty good even though they are so busy in ATL since they have helpers to clean and take care of tables...good touch!

Concourse B, ATL airport

Fado - @@@@

This was a really good meal, and was actually torn between a 4 and 5 it was so solid. The service was top notch, never had an empty water glass. Very friendly and accommodating as they were always around but not intrusive.

This Portuguese restaurant was about a 15 minute drive away in a city (village) called Huntington. It is in a cool downtown area where there are many different restaurants and shops. I can imagine it is pretty nice to walk around on a summer day, night or just about anytime. It was a classical Main St Americana.

To start with we got the traditional flaming sausage, as the Portuguese call it chouriço. I call it sausage, chorizo, etc and what I noticed was there is more solid meat with the fat mixed in. They were sort of like discreet pieces in there rather than just ground up. Served on fire per normal which is always pretty cool. Other patrons seemed curious. But what I thought was really good was the pork chop dish I ordered. A double cut, butterflied bone-in chop that was stuffed with spinach and cheese. Topped on mashed potatoes, grilled peppers, and cherry tomatoes. The pan jus it was all in was just super flavorful and tasty. The chop was still moist and juicy as it was not cooked to a well done temp which was good. It was thick so it felt substantial while eating. Spinach and cheese was great mixed with the pork and the mashed potatoes were served hot. Then mixing in the jus just made this dish really well done. One of my favorite dishes that I have had in a while.

I would for sure come back just for the entree but also would want to try the traditional steak with egg on top. Also would try the caldo verde soup and if it was good I could easily be convinced to be a 5. It is a pretty small place and I can imagine it gets hard to get a table when in peak meal time. I would suggest it and even go a little later in the night...the service should still be top notch.

10 New St
Huntington, NY 11743

Buz and Ted's Real Barbecue - @@@

Did a search for barbecue tonight and this place was highly rated on yelp. I found it only ok. The brisket was not super flavorful and perhaps could have used a bit more on the sandwich. I felt Mission BBQ brisket was better in terms of flavor and tenderness. The beef ribs were obviously massive but had sauce on them. I didn't love the sauce so perhaps that's why I thought they could've been better.

What was kinda cool was the amount of smoke going on in the restaurant. I walked out smelling like a smoker and you could see the smoke everywhere. Not the best but you could also do worse. Allegedly they were on tv too, I will check out what was recommended if I go back next time.

1119 N Blvd
Richmond, VA 23230

Pollos El Paisa - @@@

Went to a Colombian place that is well rated on Yelp. I actually stopped by the previous night but for some reason they closed early for maintenance.

Got the staple - bandeja paisa, the typical Colombian platter. As a refresher, it has steak, chicharron, sweet plantains, eggs, rice, beans, avocado, and a corn cake with a salad on the side. I am always a fan of this but I did realize that I prefer the Peruvian bistec a lo pobre (double starch, more beef) a bit more.

The food here again was good but not great. When comparing it to the Rhode Island spots I like, I feel the steak is better in RI. Chicharron was quite good here and the house hot sauce was good too. The beans here were actually a bit better as they had chunks of pork in them but at the end of the day they were still beans. The avocado was included which was nice but chorizo wasn't (I still ordered it separately). The white rice soaked up the good liquid of the steak, pork, and egg. Corn cake was dry and avoided per usual. The side of chorizo was actually quite good. Was served super hot, crispy skin, tons of flavor...I would recommend starting, adding, or finishing (that's what I did) the meal with this.

Overall still good, and would love it if I could find this in Michigan especially the chicharron. Also if you can't tell, there are not many vegetables at Colombian restaurants. I even tried to order a side but they really didn't have any. Would be happy to come back

PS the couple sitting next to me just got the sizzling steak - it does smell good!

989 Old Country Rd
Westbury, NY 11590

Fortune Wheel - @@@

Long Island Chinese sit down restaurant was not bad for the location in the middle of Long Island. Should I have made the drive to Flushing? Probably. But I didn't and here we are.

There seems to be 2 consensus places for authentic Chinese in LI - this place and the Orient. This place is in an odd location as its basically in the middle of a BJs store - I think it is actually surrounded on 3 of the sides by the store. Easy to find though and it is a legit sit down spot. I'm sure they do carry out too if you want.

Got my usual order of hot plate beef and sautéed chinese broccoli. First off the food came out definitely less than 5 minutes. It wasn't too busy but that was still awesome. It made the beef still medium rare which worked well. It was filet marinated with the traditional tenderizer. Sadly it wasn't sizzling which would've seared it off a bit. Also a severe lack of pepper which is one of my favorite parts. Less onions and more peppers would be good too. The broccoli was still crunchy (good) but not enough garlic punch (bad). Still obviously finished it all - basically a good not great spot that I would still visit again. Also the table next to me got the half garlic chicken and salt/pepper pork chops which looked fried to perfection. I will probably try those next time if I make it back.

3601 Hempstead Tpke
Levittown, NY 11756

Pio Pio - @@@

I went to dinner here the other day meeting my friend in the city. It is a Peruvian restaurant that seems pretty popular and got good reviews on Yelp. I surprisingly didn't find it all that impressive. I would rate it a 3 just cause I like Peruvian food and the rotisserie chicken was moist and flavorful but the chaufa wasn't that good and lomo saltado have had better.

Obviously we ordered quite a bit of food. Since we were eating family style, they brought out the dishes when ready. Not surprisingly, the Chinese-ish stir fry dishes were done quickly. I thought the chaufa (let's be serious, it's fried rice) was a bit too moist for me. More fry needed. The beef and shrimp were good size bites which I enjoyed and the bean sprouts added texture. Good, not great. Lomo saltado I feel suffered from the "trying to be great" syndrome. I have usually had tougher cuts than the filet they used, consequently it was almost too tender for me. Other times the meat picks up some of the onion and tomato flavor but it was lacking here. The best dish I thought as the rotisserie chicken. Moist, flavorful, and hot are all good ways to describe it. Had both cuts of white meat and probably could've kept going! Everything topped with the aji sauce was good as well - not too spicy and very flavorful. I think it is made with cilantro which is weird since I don't like cilantro, but the blending just works for me. The other sides were not memorable - dry tostones (per usual, not necessarily cooked poorly but rather just how it is I think), yellow rice and beans, and hot dog slices on fries.

Overall, not exactly sure it is a 3 but I still enjoyed the meal. I guess I would go low 3. I do prefer the places in Providence (Machu Picchu, Julianas) and even the random spot in Cincinnati had better chaufa. I am guessing there are better Peruvian places in NYC, and if you are looking for South American then check out El Malecon just down the street...that place is good!

702 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10025

Melville Deli - @@

Classic case of a lot of ok food does not make it great. This sandwich was heavy! I ordered the Classic Cuban for lunch at this deli by work. I have discovered that the NY delis are actually a combination of quick service items. This had ready made entrees like teriyaki chicken, fried chicken cutlets, brisket, pulled pork, various assorted sandwiches and more. There was a premade station, entree area, and cooked to order spot. The Cuban was at the cooked to order zone. There was a sheet tray of pork ready to go and the griddled the sandwich to order.

So far so good but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. Asked for no pickles, you can see them in the picture. Tomato was included. Pork not super tender. Sandwich fell apart. Cheese not fully melted. Typing this out I can see why I didn't enjoy it much. Again lots of a bad thing is still a bad thing.

Maybe I will try something else from this place but with the limited time in the area will probably look to check out other lunch options.

90 Broadhollow Rd
Melville, NY 11747

Coliseum Kitchen - @@@

Random lunch spot in Long Island close to the office. Solid sandwich - the Alton Brown. Chicken cutlet, mozzarella, broccoli rabe, roasted peppers pressed in a panini style. Filling, melted and large. Wasn't seasoned much it seemed but still was good - perhaps the cold, rainy day just made me extra hungry.

This place also has pizza, soups, salad, some hot entrees and sushi. Will come back due to proximity and selection.

1660 Old Country Rd
Plainview, NY 11803