Eating Out in Minnesota

Perham: Jin Hu Restaurant, 910 Palubicki Avenue, Phone (218) 346-7941 When we pulled into the parking lot there was only one car visible at first so Denny and I were a bit hesitant about this place. It turns out we were just a bit early for the lunch crowd here. We had a very good lunch which included soup, egg roll, fried rice and entree. Denny had the shrimp in garlic sauce which had a lot of large tender shrimp while I had the kun pao chicken which had a lot of vegetables and good tender chicken. We each had the hot and sour soup which had a lot of kick. Our bill for lunch was less than we paid for breakfast in town, plus we had enough leftovers for us each to make a meal of it again. Wonderful. (07/2012)

Lakes Cafe, 136 W. Main St., Phone (218) 346-5920 Overall we'd rate this pretty good, although I really dislike it when the cook slaps a piece of processed cheese food on top of my omelet (or in this case scrambled eggs) instead of incorporating it into the meal. Denny enjoyed the flavor of his sausage, the hashbrowns were crispy and the rye toast very good. There was a ton of ham in my diced ham and scrambled egg breakfast although I had asked for the eggs to be scrambled soft and they ended up looking like an omelet. I really, really dislike dry, brown eggs. Reasonably priced, nice selection on the menu. (07/2012)

Station House, corner 1^st and Main, Phone (218) 346-7181 We had intended to eat here for breakfast on Sunday but they weren't open when we drove by so we stopped by for lunch after playing golf and working up an appetite for “linner”. Denny ordered the walleye fish sandwich which included fries, I had the gyro with fries. The filet on Denny's normal sized hamburger bun was only 2/3 the size of the bun—there was a lot of empty space there. The serving of fries was a handful. My gyro simply had no flavor at all, although the flatbread was hot and crispy—it was the meat and sauce that had no “oomph”. Expensive for what was offered and disappointing to boot. (07/2012)

Eating Out in Massachusetts

Plymouth: China Pilgrim, 204 South Meadow Dr. Phone (508) 830-1888 Good spicy meals, extra hot sauce upon request, nice combination platters for lunch includes soup, egg roll or crab rangoon (a bit bland on the crab rangoon) and your entree. Friendly staff, reasonable prices. Pleasant surroundings. (8/2011)

Wareham: Bailey's Surf N Turf, 3056 Cranberry Hwy, Phone (508) 295-1700 Pleasant surroundings, friendly service although we weren't advised of the night's specials like the locals were when they walked in. Denny and I both had the fish and chips and Denny also had clam chowder which he enjoyed. Our fish, while fresh and hot, had a very bland breading, the cole slaw was neither tangy nor sweet just “there”, and even the malt vinegar had no kick. I was very disappointed because everything really looked good. Another restaurant popular with the older local citizens. Reasonable. (8/2011)

Cranberry Cottage, 246 Marion Rd. Phone (508) 291-1515 Be advised that the noise level is so high here that they may not hear the phone if you call for hours. Very popular with the locals, this restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch only, breakfast only on Sunday. Denny had eggs, potatoes and sausage, I had eggs, potatoes, ham and french toast. Both were served hot, the meats were delicious, the meal well cooked. We'd go back. Reasonable. (8/2011)

Mill Pond Diner, 2571 Cranberry Hwy, Phone (508) 295-9688 A large but authentic diner, we hoped for a good breakfast here. Denny and I both had the Spanish (Geraldo) omelet which was overpowered with salsa. It was well cooked but hard to enjoy with all the tomato-y topping. Hash browns seem to be unknown up here but the home fries (always chunks of potatoes rather than the sliced potatoes of the Midwest) were good. A bit pricey. (8/2011)

Eating Out in Maine

Boothbay Harbor: Dockside Grill,65 Atlantic Ave., Phone (207) 633-6611 Denny and I had both breakfast and lunch here. For lunch with friends, two of us had the cheeseburger which was quite good. Two had the cheesesteak sandwich, and one had the fish sandwich. The fries are hand cut, the onion rings are packaged. This is one of the most reasonably priced restaurants in Boothbay Harbor. Four of us also ate breakfast here. The country fried potatoes were a bit unevenly cooked, as some were quite firm, but all of our eggs were cooked well and their maple iced cinnamon rolls are quite good. We had the same server both days and service was very erratic to non-existant. I think he was related to the owners and didn't want to be there. We'll still go back for breakfast later this week. (7/2011)

The Lobster Dock, 49 Atlantic Ave Phone (207) 633-7120 Recommended by our campground host, we convinced our group to try it. You order at a window, take your number and the waitress brings your meal to you. Tim and Linda had the 2 ½ pound lobsters, Brian had the crab cake appetizer (as did I), Denny had the fried haddock and Penny, who is deathly allergic to seafood had a pannini cheese pizza. The lobsters were very good, our crab cakes were tasty, the pizza not so much. Denny had the clam chowder and I had the lobster stew and both were creamy but runny/watery creamy. Lots of tender lobster and clams, but the broth seemed to be simply cream poured into a bowl. And for the lobster stew, there was only lobster in it, nothing else at all. Weird. So the meal was a bit uneven. They pre-crack the lobsters for you but nutcrackers were still needed so we had to pay a deposit for the nutcrackers. Then the waitress disappeared and never asked us if we needed more drinks, etc. We also had to hunt her down to get the deposit back on the nutcrackers. I don't thinks we'd go back since there are so many other restaurants in town where the food and service has got to be better. (7/2011)

East Boothbay: Lobsterman's Wharf, 224 Ocean Point Rd. Phone (207) 633-3443 This was the last place we ate in Boothbay Harbor and I wish we had made it our first. We had a great steamed 1 ½ pound lobster, fries, vegetable medly and wonderful crusty hot rolls, eaten while looking out over the harbor towards an island instead of streets full of buildings. Service was efficient, friendly, but not obtrusive. Prices are normal for this area. Alcoholic beverages available as is inside seating. Locals eat here. Recommended. (7/2011)

Kittery: Warren's Lobster House, 11 Water St., Phone (207) 439-1630 This restaurant was recommended to us by one of the employees at our campground and for once we were not disappointed. Denny and I met friends there and everyone agreed Warren's was a great place to have dinner. Denny had the fish and chips, substituting onion rings for the fries. Donna and I had the fish and chips combination with fried shrimp. Totally yum. John had the scallops, requesting that they be sauteed rather than baked and the kitchen accomodated that request. The salad bar had three different types of greens and everything from soup to nuts, including artichoke hearts, German potato salad and pumpkin bread. Adult beverages were fairly reasonable and our waitress was attentive but not obtrusive as we were busy catching up with friends we hadn't seen in seven months. There is a small deck area for seating and a large screened patio with a view of the river as well as comfortable tables and booths inside. Highly recommended. (7/2011)

New Harbor: The Cupboard Cafe, 137 Huddle Rd. Phone (207) 677-3911 This tiny cafe is open only for breakfast and lunch though the week and breakfast only on Sunday. Denny ordered the Western Omelet which was more brown on the outside than I would have liked, but it was filled with meat and vegetables and Denny said it was good. I had the Eggs Benedict and my poached eggs were cooked until the yolks were almost solid which is not a good thing. It also took an hour to get our breakfast because this is a VERY popular place. Their big sellers are the cinnamon buns and the sticky (pecan) rolls. Running $3 and $3.50 respectively, they are as big as your hand. Your food comes up from the basement kitchen on a dumb waiter and the servers have to try to remember where you sat because you order at the counter and then find a place inside or on the deck to sit. It's fairly inefficient but no one seems to mind too much. Pricey, but then so far everything in Maine has been. (7/2011)

Wells: Congdon's Donuts, 1090 Post Rd., Phone (207) 646-4219 This donut shop also cooks up breakfast. Their eggs were cooked well, their bread and donuts are made in house, the service was good. The pancakes were rubbery, however. So skip the pancakes, have the breakfast with a donut. (7/2011)

Maine Diner, 2265 Post Road, Phone (207) 646-4441 Denny and I were a bit hesitant about going to this restaurant since it has been featured on “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives” on TV and the parking lot is usually packed. However, we stopped by at 4:30PM on a Sunday and walked right to a table for two. We both had the lobster pie with cole slaw, I had fries, Denny had a baked potato and a cup of clam chowder. The meal was served hot, the lobster pie was good—granted, there were some chewy pieces of lobster in there but there was also melt in your mouth tender pieces in the casserole also. Served with a corn muffin, you'll walk away stuffed and we thought the price was reasonable for the food and the touristy area. Recommended. (7/2011)

Mainiax Restaurant, 526 Post Rd, Phone (207) 646-0808 Denny and I stopped by for a late lunch after playing a round of golf so we bumped into their early bird specials. I had the early bird lobster roll and a cup of french onion soup, Denny had fried haddock and a bowl of clam chowder. My French onion soup was pale as if made with chicken stock instead of beef stock, but the onions were sweet and it was good, just not real rich. Denny liked his fish and his chowder. My lobster roll had just the tiniest bit of mayonnaise in it and it had a lot of tender lobster meat. Very good. (7/2011)

Me and D's Cafe (formerly Mich D's Family Restaurant), 1517 Post Road, Phone (207) 646-5775 We tried this place for breakfast. It's located in a strip mall, has some antiques and kitsch on the walls and window sills and serves a basic breakfast. Nothing fancy, nothing extra, nothing special. Reasonable. (7/2011)

Mike's Clam Shack, 1150 Post Road, Phone (207) 646-5999 The parking lot is always full, the recommendations online are good, but Denny and I were sadly disappointed in our 1 ¼ pound lobster meals. The “stack” potato was lukewarm leaning towards cool, the lobster was rubbery. Perhaps the restaurant has gotten too popular or the cooking staff was simply overwhelmed but I'm shocked that lobster would be overcooked in Maine. When we brought that fact up to the waitress, she just kind of shrugged. Allllrighty, then. The price was reasonable, which helped. Not much, but some. (7/2011)

Seacoast Pizza, 907 Post Rd, Phone (207) 646-1696 You can buy your pizza by the slice or by the pie. The 6 slice is very big, the 8 slice is even bigger. The “hot and spicy” wings had a rub on them and they weren't spicy by our standards. The pizza was a bit lacking in sauce, they used canned mushrooms and it was simply okay. And expensive. But so is everything in Maine. (7/2011)

Wiscasset: Red's Eats, 41 Water St., Phone (207) 882-6128 Known for their lobster rolls, so this is what we had. And they were great. Served with your choice of mayonnaise or melted butter on the side, piled high with a lot of lobster meat including an entire tail, the lobster roll was worth the long, long, long wait in line on a brutally hot day. You order at the window, find a seat at a plastic picnic table at the rear and wait for your number to be called. The diner is located right next to US 1, the road noise is incredible, there is absolutely no dining ambiance here, you come for the lobster roll. Yum. (7/2011)

Eating Out in Louisiana

Abita Springs:  Abita Springs Brew Pub, 72011 Holly St. Phone (985) 892-5837 Pricey, but good food and a variety of their own beers. I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation of the meals, which was rather upscale for this small town. Dine inside or on the patio.(1/2009)

Abita Springs Cafe, 22132 Level St. Phone (985) 867-9950 We had great hopes for breakfast at this picturesque little cafe, but our first clue was when the waitress advised us that they were out of fresh fruit. This was immediately after she told us that we were fortunate to arrive before the Catholic church got out because the cafe always had a big breakfast rush then. So if you know you will have a full house, why are you not well stocked with items that are on your menu? Our omelets were simply okay and there was no discount for having them leave off the potatoes and breads. Overpriced. (1/2007)

The Camellia Cafe, 69455 Hwy 59, Phone (985) 809-6313 Unusual French onion soup (but good), great muffaletta sandwich, great pot roast poboy, sweet potato fries and unsweetened iced tea. The bread pudding was okay. Took half of everything home, there was so much. Recommend. (1/2011) 

 

Denham Springs: Don's Seafood Hut, 136 Rushing Rd., Phone (225) 664-1192 We joined friends here and had a wonderful meal. I had the fried catfish/shrimp dinner and Denny had the filet mignon. Both were excellent and the service was terrific. (4/2006)

New Orleans:  Cafe du Monde, 800 Decatur Street, Phone (504) 525-4544  The beignets and coffee, of course.  Excellent and great people watching from the patio also. (01/2009)

French Market, 1001 Decatur Street, Phone (504) 525-7879   Denny and I tried the muffulettas on the recommendation of our friends who had eaten here before.  Very little meat, disappointing flavor; our friends were embarrassed that they had raved about them.  Find one of the little hole in the wall places serving mufulettas instead--watch for where the locals are eating. (01/2009)

Eating Out in Indiana

Batesville: Hobo Hut, 1356 SR 46 E, Phone (812) 934-5010 Breakfast is simple and filling. The Western Omelet had sausage, bacon AND ham in it and Denny's plate of eggs with three types of meat was cooked well. This is where the locals have breakfast. Cash only.

Elkhart: Between the Buns, 2041 Cassopolis St. Phone (574) 206-9900 Tuesdays are the $3.99 burger and fries deal and the burgers are pretty darned good.  As are the Smurfettes, the Tuesday Happy Hour drink special. We went back for lunch and had fish sandwiches and those were good also. (9/2010)

Callahan's Restaurant, 2917 Cassopolis St., Phone (574) 262-3151 Touted by the locals as the place for breakfast and lunch. We had Italian steak sandwiches for lunch along with their homemade soups; chicken noodle for me, French onion soup for Denny. Really, really good. (8/2009) Edited 9/2010;  we returned and it's still good food, pleasant staff, comfortable surroundings and still favored by the locals.

Golden Egg Restaurant, 3124 Plaza Ct., Phone (574) 266-6400 Bring a big appetite when you stop at the Golden Egg Pancake House. Here, if you order 2 eggs you'll end up with three eggs, so if you truly only want 2 eggs, order 1 egg. Make sense? Reasonable prices, great breakfast. (8/2009) Edited 9/2010; still good, still more than you can eat in one sitting, still recommended.

King Wha Chinese Restaurant, 2819 Cassopolis St Phone (574) 266-0285 Typical decor, very bland Chinese. They have really turned down the heat on their spicy dishes and we were disappointed with our food. Not recommended if you like good, spicy Chinese food. (9/2010)

Samuel Mancino's Italian, 2930 S. Nappanee St (Hwy 19) Phone (574) 522-7400  We were hungry for pizza and we were disappointed. Our first clue should have been the empty restaurant. Simply okay, nothing more. (9/2010)

Middlebury: Das Dutchman Essenhaus, 240 US 20 Phone (800) 455-9471 Good home cooked family style meals. You won't leave hungry, especially if you try a slice of one of their many homemade pies. The rhubarb custard is fabulous. (8/2009)

Monticello: Harvest Time Restaurant, 722 W. Broadway St., Phone (574) 583-8666 Denny and I both had the Western Omelettes which were excellent. We skipped the American fries and toast. It was the cheapest breakfast we've had in ages. Welcome back to the Mid-west. They serve lunch and dinner also with a decent variety of choices. (5/2007)

Oldenburg: Wagner's Village Restaurant, 22171 Main St. Phone (812) 934-3854 Pan-fried chicken is their claim to fame, served family style. Green beans and mashed potatoes with gravy are okay, the blackberry cobbler and chocolate cake are from scratch. A little pricey for a small town, but an enjoyable meal made more pleasant by a couple of blocks walk around town to see nicely restored homes and buildings. Worth the trip. (5/2009)

Eating Out in Idaho

Glenns Ferry: Carmela Vineyards, 1289 W. Madison, Phone (208) 366-2313 Stopped by for a wine tasting, bought some, stayed for lunch. Excellent prime rib sandwiches, cheesy broccoli soup and salad. Dine on the patio overlooking the golf course. Well worth the price. (9/2005)

Hagerman: Larry and Mary's Restaurant, 141 N. State St., Phone (208) 837-6475 According to Mary, our waitress and the Mary of Larry and Mary's Restaurant, we broke a waitress rule by not closing our menus after perusing them to show that we were ready to order. Wow, I have to admit we were ignorant of that particular rule of restaurant behavior! We knew, of course, to turn our coffee cup up if we wanted it filled or to leave it down if we didn't, but she also told us a good waitress watches to see how far one tilts their mug to judge whether or not she needs to come by with the coffee pot to refill said mug. Need I say that we were the only customers in the restaurant at 8:15 in the morning? Restaurant etiquette course 101 on a Sunday morning in a small town.

All kidding aside, the meal was quite good and Larry prides himself on his hand-grated and carefully friend hash browns which he insisted on serving us in spite of our protests of following an Atkin's diet. I caved in and took a couple of bites and they were, indeed, deliciously crisp. It's a nice restaurant, the owners are friendly and the food is good. And townspeople arrive in shiny, highly polished, mint-condition Edsels so ya gotta love it!
Oldtown:  Riverbank Family Restaurant, 402 N. Idaho Ave. Phone (208) 437-0892  We stopped at this restaurant that sits on the Priest River due to the large number of cars in the parking lot.  Little did we know that all of the patrons were in the bar and for good reason.  Denny and I both ordered the Friday night special of all you can eat fish which was cod.   The meal came with a salad bar which included old lettuce, a few toppings and about eight types of salad dressings.  The fish looked wonderful when it arrived at our table, but it turns out what we were served was fish fritters.  The cod itself was pieces of fish about 3/8 of an inch thick, one inch wide and about four inches long.  With the breading, the fish appears to be two inches wide and seven inches long.  When I finished my three pieces of fish, after removing all the breading, I had a pile of breading that was about four inches deep on my plate.  We brought that to the attention of the waitress who said she'd tell the cook (and we did hear her telling him) but that was it.  There was only us and one other couple in the restaurant at 6PM on a Friday night.  I guess that says it all.  Not recommended. (7/2010)

Weiser: Homestead Cafe, 813 State St. Phone (208) 414-3962 Popular with locals, relatively inexpensive and lots of food. We ate breakfast there. (9/2005)

Eating Out in Georgia

Darien:  B & J's Steaks and Seafood, 901 North Way, Phone (912) 437-2122   Highly recommended by a local campground owner, my fried shrimp was fresh, moist and flavorful.  Denny's tilapia fish sandwich was dry, chewy and fishy.  Reasonably priced.  We went back for breakfast since it was about the only place in town open for breakfast.  They had a limited buffet and a small breakfast menu.  Breakfast was simply okay.  (11/2010)

Skipper's Fish Camp and Oyster Bar, 85 Screven St. Phone (912)  437-3474  The oyster bar has the outside dining but the food comes from the restaurant side so take your pick of seating based on the weather.  We ate outside and watched the water and the fishermen as we ate.  Good food, a bit pricey but worth it.  Recommended by a local. (11/2010)

Folkston: Okefenokee Restaurant, 103 S. Second St. Phone (912) 496-3263 Located at the corner of Second and Main, this pleasant little restaurant is well patronized by the locals. The food was excellent, the waitresses friendly and cheerful and the price was surprisingly low. When asked about the fried gator tail, our waitress said it was horrible and they only put it on the menu for the tourists. You gotta love honesty like that. We recommend this one. (12/2006)

Greensboro: Huddle House , 6141 Lake Oconee Pkwy, Phone (706)453-9833 The choices for breakfast on Sunday are few in this small town, so we hit a chain. We had such a good breakfast (me, the Western Omelette with jalepenos and Denny the country fried steak and eggs) that we came back again the next week. The staff will remember you after recognizing you as strangers the first time you go in. (12/2007) There is a newly opened restaurant in town called the Broad St. Grill that has breakfast Monday through Friday that looked like a good place to try also. Maybe our next trip here.

Luigi's Pizza Restaurant, 6163 Lake Oconee Pkwy, Phone (706) 454-1555 New York style pizza that's just wonderful and you can watch the pizza guy spin the dough in the kitchen while you wait. Their tiramisu is heavenly and some of the baked entrees we saw carried to other tables looked awfully tasty, too. A sign on the side of the room says to clean up after yourself because they aren't your mother, and most every one in the restaurant did, dumping their trash in the trashcan and their cups and silverware in the bin provided (except the female yuppie who ate while her husband who ordered nothing watched). A friendly place with excellent food--what more can you ask in a restaurant? (12/2007)

Lavonia: Dad's Restaurant, 5061 Whitworth Rd. Phone (706) 356-4442 Located inside the BP station, you're immediately greeting by the cashier with a friendly "Good Morning!" We thought our breakfast was going to be a little pricey but this is one of the places that will reduce your bill when you ask to skip the bread and potatoes (and grits). Our breakfast was very good and the pancakes were huge.  Lots of locals there on a Sunday morning. (10/2006)

Jekyll Island: The Rah Bar (Latitude 31 restaurant) on the pier in the historic district, Phone (912) 635-3800 Recommended by our tour guide as the best place for fresh shrimp as the shrimp boats deliver there daily. We packed a picnic lunch and dined al fresco at the picnic grounds farther north on the island. We'll try this place our next trip. (11/2006)

St. Simons Island: El Potro Mexican Restaurant, 2205 Demere Rd. Phone (912) 634-0703. The interior is tired and tattered, but the portions are large, reasonably priced and very tasty. We had the burro Aztec and the burro Grande and both of us took half home. (11/2006)

Eating Out in Florida

Apopka: Argos Diner, 3346 E. Semoran Blvd. Phone (407) 788-1888 A small restaurant with a friendly staff. We ate breakfast there and although our eggs were more brown than we liked them, the food was hot and good. And the biscuits were fresh. Reasonable (2/2008)

Clermont:  China Star, 668 E. Hwy 50, Phone (352) 242-0878  Right off the bat this eat-in/carry out Chinese restaurant lost points with me because the hot and sour soup and the entrees were served in carry out containers.  I HATE eating off styrofoam if I'm eating in at a restaurant.  2) the food was not terribly spicy. 3) there was very little sauce on our dishes, only enough to coat the shrimp and chicken and vegetables but not enough to soak or moisten the rice.  We wouldn't go back. (12/2010)

China Town, 781 E Hwy 50, Phone (352) 394-5000  The hot and sour soup was excellent, the food nicely spiced but our chicken was cooked bone dry which ruined the entire meal.  Too bad. (12/2010)

D'amato's Italian Restaurant, 151 W. Hwy 50, Phone (352) 242-2422  Denny and I stopped here because we wanted pizza which we ordered.  However, there were many wonderful looking dishes that passed our table that makes us want to come back and try some of the pasta dishes here.  Our pizza was a bit light on the tomato sauce, but the thin crust was crispy, the toppings were good, the side salads were fresh and the tiramisu that we took home to eat later was very good.  Recommended. (12/2010)

Oakwood Smokehouse , 1529 Sunrise Plaza (fronts Hwy 27) Phone (352) 394-0036 One of four restaurants in the Lake County area, Oakwood Smokehouse features a special of a full rack of ribs for $10.99 on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. And oh, are those ribs wonderful! I had the pork sandwich and the meat was a bit dry. Go for the rack of ribs and you won't regret it. The cheddar broccoli soup is pretty good, too. (3/2008)  Edited 12/2010; we returned this year and the ribs are still good and the prices are reasonable so we still recommend this restaurant.

Randy's Grill, 1213 US Hwy 27, (352) 243-6005 Breakfast was hot and delicious. The Western omelette was perfect and Denny said the chicken fried steak was tasty. Reasonably priced. (3/2008)

Santino's Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant, 1529 Sunrise Plaza Dr. (fronts US 27 next to Advance Auto Parts) Hands down, the best meals we've had in weeks. We ate there three times; first, we had the pizza, which is served with free garlic knots (I could make a meal of these) and an order of fried mushrooms. Absolutely delicious. Second trip, veal parmesan for me, penne with Italian sausage and meatballs for Denny. The veal was pounded meat, not ground up and formed into patties and then delicately breaded and fried and doused with marinara sauce and mozarella. Denny moaned over his penne. Our third trip at lunch time we went for the soup and 1/2 sub special which included a salad, a large bowl (not a cup) of soup, and then our subs appeared with a large serving of french fries on the side. So much food and it was so good we had to try to eat it all. I could have eaten here every night of the week. Highly recomended and try to sit at one of Brenda's tables--she's a sweetie. (3/2008)  Edited 12/2010:  Santino's is gone--run out by high rents.  

 

Flagler Beach:  By the Sea Cafe, 1536 S Oceanshore Blvd, Phone (386) 439-6428.  A funky little beach house turned cafe decorated with a mish-mash of china, tables and chairs and operated by the owner/chef.  Tasty sandwiches at lunch time and free bite sized blueberry muffins on the tables.  The front door was left open to the ocean breeze so I had a wonderful view of the Atlantic from where I sat.  There is also seating in the back on a trellis covered patio.  However, the macaroni salad was little more than boiled macaroni (no taste of mayo or pickle relish).  The sandwiches were yummy, making the experience a little uneven.  Pricey.  (11/2010)

China Cafe,  426 Beach Village Dr. Phone (386) 439-3388  Good hot and sour soup, large glasses of iced tea, food where the spice sneaks up on you a bit.  Good sized portions, good flavor, tender shrimp, freshly cooked.  While it wasn't the best Chinese we've had, we would go back. (11/2010)

Martin's Restaurant, 2000 S Oceanshore Blvd. Phone (386) 439-5830  We had eaten here with friends a long time ago, driving all the way down from St. Augustine.  We had a wonderful meal at that time, so when we realized how close we were to the restaurant this visit, we had to go back.  What a mistake.  Our meals were so hot it was pretty obvious they were microzapped and our prime rib was so seared on the outside that it looked and tasted like pot roast, although the inner section was tasty.  The bleu cheese dressing looked and tasted like straight Miracle Whip out of the jar.  The baked potatoes were tender and hot, the dinner rolls were fresh and tasty but they couldn't make up for the ruined prime rib and nasty salad dressing.  The shrimp and lobster on other diners' plates looked very good however.  Great view of the ocean from the window seating. (11/2010)

Homasassa: New China Restaurant, 3770 Suncoast Blvd. Phone (352) 628-1122 Three strikes for serving your eat-in meal in styrofoam take-out containers and plastic utensils. The fourth strike is hot and sour soup that has only bamboo shoots in it. Chicken in garlic sauce and shrimp in garlic sauce lunch entrees were hot, plentiful and good. I just hate eating on styrofoam. Reasonable. (1/2008)

Yanni's Restaurant, 7431 S. Suncoast Blvd. Phone (352) 621-4551 Family-style, family owned and operated. Moderate prices, early bird specials, good food, excellent tiramisu (2/1999) Edited 1/13/2008: Yanni's is no more. The restaurant is now called Patrick's and according to a newly transplanted Floridian the food is quite good. The address and the telephone number are the same.

Hudson: China King, 12035 Little Rd. Phone (727) 868-0888 Great hot and sour soup, mediocre kung pao and chicken in garlic sauce. Served on styrofoam take out boxes with plastic forks. I HATE that. Not recommended. (1/2008)

Sam's Hudson Beach Restaurant, 6325 Clark St. Phone (727) 868-1971 Good burgers and fries, good fish, great view of the water. Very, very, very expensive. 2 burger platters and 2 fish sandwich platters and four iced teas cost over $60 with tip. Are you blanching yet? We did, because we picked up the check. We won't be back (2/2008)

Kissimmee: Houlihan's, 8520 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy (Hwy 192) Phone (407) 809-0900  Lured by the roadside billboards near our campground in Clermont we drove and drove ("just ahead on the right" we were promised by a series of about five billboards) to eat breakast at what turned out to be a breakfast buffet.  The food was decent, there was an omelet grill to get freshly prepared omelets or eggs how you wanted them.  The buffet was $6.99 per person, ice tea was $2.50 and a cup of coffee was $2.50.  The waitress never refilled my coffee or Denny's iced tea although she did bring more plates when ours were empty after our first trip to the buffet.  A good place to pig out if you are into that sort of thing and you are given a receipt for 10% off your next visit. (12/2010)

Live Oak: Dixie Grill, 101 Dowling St. Phone (386) 364-2810 Where the locals go to eat. We ate Sunday breakfast there early and beat the crowd. I had a Western Omelette that was stuffed with good ham and large chunks of onion and green peppers. Denny raved about his link sausage. The biscuits were large and fresh from the oven, not the microwave. Yum. Under $15.00 including the tip. (1/2008)  Edited 1/2011; we were back this year and it's still good.

Big Daddy's BBQ and Steakhouse, 314 NW 72nd Trace, Phone (386) 362-7427.  Sits off of US 129 and worth looking for.  Great BBQ sandwiches, fresh hot fries and onion rings and strong iced tea.  Dead animals looking down at you but the pleasant wood interior makes up for it. Reasonable and good. (1/2011)

Moore Haven area: Seminole Casino Brighton--Joshua Lounge, Hwy 721 between SR 78 & SR 70 Inside the casino, allows smoking in the restaurant. More of a cafe, very expensive. The food was decent, but it's inside of the casino so it is smoky and noisy. It's a place to eat in an area where there's not many choices. (2/2008)

Okeechobee: Clock Restaurant, 1111 S. Parrott Ave. Phone (863) 467-2224 Friends took us here for the breakfast buffet. It was not exciting. A lot of the locals seem to eat here, especially the seniors. A buffet, go figure. (5/2006)

All-Star Steak & Ale, 3415 St. Rd. 441, Phone (863) 467-8191 Our friends said they had some of the best food in town. I'd hate to have the worst. The BBQ ribs were pressure cooked with a ladle of bland sauce that was little more than ketchup. One of the worst meals we've had in a long time. Plus the "smoking" section was the pool hall side and our table was 3 feet from the juke box which the pool players decided to play after we'd been sitting and talking for about 15 minutes-and the very considerate guy even turned the volume up to full blast for our dining pleasure. Don't bother with this place. (5/2006)

Port Richey: Breakfast Station, 10039 US Hwy 19 Phone (727) 861-3814 Breakfast and lunch served only. Excellent western omelette, great country fried steak and eggs, good service, cheap price. Our kind of place. (1/2008)

Jeannie's Diner and Restaurant III, US Hwy 19 and Jasmine Blvd (NE corner) Phone (727) 862-9916 We had breakfast here twice and it was the least expensive breakfast we've had in months and it was good. For Sunday breakfast, arrive between 8 and 8:15 to get a table--it gets busy after that. Breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a bar. (2/2008)

Mickey's Diner, 7015 Division Ave Phone (727) 862-6425 They were out of grouper, so we ordered a pollock sandwich and the special Mickey burger. Both were tasteless. The french fries were hard. Not recommended. (1/2008)

Sam Seltzer's Steakhouse , 9409 US Hwy 19 Phone (727)844-7267 We normally don't hit the chain restaurants for dinner, but this place was recommended by friends. We had the happy hour prime rib, which while thin cut, was tender and flavorful. I enjoyed the creamed spinach and Denny went for the baked sweet potato. Our friends raved about the ribs. Alcoholic beverages are expensive--next time we'll have our cocktails at home, then come here to eat. (1/2008)

Sarasota:  Barnacle Bill's, 5050 N. Tamiami Trail, Phone (941) 355-7700  Recommended by a staff member at the Ringling Museum, we were very disappointed in their fish sandwiches.  The two tiny pieces of fish only covered about 2/3 of our buns.  The French fries were fresh and good, the bread was excellent but a seafood restaurant shouldn't serve a pathetic sandwich like that.  Overpriced to boot. No recommendation from us.  (12/2010)

St. Augustine: The Oasis, 4000 A1A South, Phone (904) 471-3424. An obvious favorite with the locals. The portions are small and the prices are high, although the food is good. The wait staff is very friendly. We had breakfast here. (11/2006)

A1A Ale Works,1 King St., Phone (904) 829-2977 There are a lot of restaurants in old St. Augustine and they will all be expensive. However, dining on the balcony of this former mercantile building while people and boat-watching was very pleasant and our meal was very good. The chefs here are allowed free hand with the menu and they change the specials daily. The wait staff taste-tests them all so they are able to recommend their favorites of the group. Do not leave without trying the white chocolate dried cherry bread pudding. Yum! We rolled out of this restaurant, wonderfully stuffed. (11/2006)

Borrillo's Pizza and Subs, 88 San Marco, Phone (904) 829-1133 Cash Only!  New York-style slices of pizza or whole pies, Buffalo wings, spaghetti and more. We went for the whole pie and an order of wings and took most of the pizza home. The locals know to buy a slice and leave it at that. Good pizza and great wings. (11/2006)

Cafe Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd., Phone (904) 460-931 Sunday is buffet-style breakfast only, which was only mediocre and expensive. There are a couple of small tables outside but no real view of the beach due to the condos across the street. (12/2006)

Raintree Restaurant, 102 San Marco Ave. Phone (904) 824-7211. This 2-story yellow frame former home with enclosed front porch decorated for Christmas is the personal favorite of one of our trolley tour drivers. He recommends the dessert bar even if you dine elsewhere. It looks like a wonderful place for an intimate dinner for two, especially on the front porch. We'll try it the next time we're in town. (11/2006)

Barnacle Bill's, 14 W. Castillo Dr. Phone (904) 824-3663. This seafood restaurant is supposed to be quite popular with locals and tourists both, per another tour guide. A short walk from the trolley stop.(11/2006)

St. Pete Beach: Sea Porch Cafe at the Don CeSar Hotel, 3400 Gulf Blvd. Phone (727) 360-1881 Elegant dining, excellent presentation, great food. Expensive. Due to the wind, we ate inside by the choice of the servers. Our preference would have been the outdoor tables with a bit of a view of the beach and the hotel. Recommended as a special treat. (2/2008)

Wauchula:  Nicholas' Family Restaurant, 615 N. 6th Ave. Phone (843) 773-2333  While their fresh bread was chewy as if heated in the microwave, that was our ony complaint with our meal.  My fried shrimp was tender with a very light, crispy breading and Denny's chicken fried steak was fork tender.  Both meals were served steaming hot, there were plenty of desserts and the split pea soup suffered only from a lack of ham chunks.  But then, I prefer my own homemade split pea soup over anyone else's.  Recommended.  (12/2010)

Paul's Kitchen, 116 N. 4th Ave. Phone (863) 773-0292  Housed in a small former Cape Cod style residence, Paul's serves its coffee in mismatched mugs and its breakfasts on mismatched Corelle and ironstone plates but the food they serve is really, really good.  And where else can you get two slices of French toast, two slices of bacon and two eggs for $3.50?  Each time we went (and we had breakfast there four times over a two week period) our bill was less expensive.  Recommended. (12/2010)

Pioneer Restaurant, 2902 US Hwy 17S Phone (863)735-0726 Four of us agreed our dinners here were good; liver and onions, BBQ sandwich and chili and country fried steak. Denny and I went back for breakfast and the eggs were way overcooked both as scrambled eggs and as an omelet, which also came back as nothing like what I had ordered. Eat dinner there, not breakfast. Cash only.(1/2008)

The Bread Board, 902 S. 6th Ave., Phone (863) 733-2337  Try the smothered chicken; recommended by the staff who work there and they were right.  Denny filled up on their salad bar which was basic but plentiful.  Their chicken noodle, their gumbo and their cream of broccoli soups were all good.  The Sunday night special of prime rib was thin but surprisingly tender, their mushroom swiss burger was huge and their prices are reasonable. (12/2010)

Wildwood: Ole Coffee House, 610 N. Main St. Phone (352) 748-4300 A little beat-up, a bullet hole in one of the picture windows, but the locals like to gather here for some tall tales (we heard the one about the two-legged dog in Alabama keeping up with a truck driving 25-30 mph down a country road.) A two-egg omelette was filled with so much tender ham, green peppers and onions that I had to take half of it home. Their biscuits had been reheated in a microwave, unfortunately. The sausage gravy was good, per Denny. Reasonable.(1/2008)

Eating Out in Delaware

Long Neck: La Dolce Vita, 34814 Long Neck Rd #5, Phone (302) 947-4008 We arrived at this restaurant just after 4 PM because we had missed lunch and were tired from a day of traveling. It turns out the restaurant has a early bird special of dinner/salad and bread/aoli for $10. And they are good meals, too; Denny had the sweet sausage with pasta and I had the chicken parmesan.  Beer and wine was reasonably priced, the house cabernet was very good.  I took home leftovers to boot. They have a small bar, a nice wine list and a friendly staff. We recommend this place. (9/2011)

Texas Grill, 26089 Long Neck Road, Phone (302) 945-7171 This restaurant was recommended to us as a good place to eat. We stopped by and tried their prime rib special. I don't know what cut of meat that was, but it wasn't prime rib and it was tough, chewy and had the texture of a pot roast. I will say that it was cooked medium rare, but that's the only good thing I could say about it. The rest of the sides were mediocre. Not recommended, although it seems to be popular with the locals. (9/2011)

Eating Out in Connecticut

Madison: Bradley & Wall Gourmet Foods, 96 Wall St. Phone (203) 318-0300 Rarely do Denny and I find a pizza we enjoy outside of our hometown of Dayton, Ohio but I have to say, we enjoyed our deluxe thin crust pizza here. And while we waited for our pizza we drooled over the many hot foods and cold salads available for carry out or dine in eating. There was a steady flow of carry out customers the entire time we were waiting for our food and then later while eating it—this place is obviously a favorite of the locals. If we had stayed in town longer I'm sure we would have been back to try some of their entrees and fresh and/or pasta salads. The free garlic bread/garlic rolls were a nice touch too. Reasonable. (8/2011)

Mystic: Equinox Diner, 253 Greenmanville Ave. Phone (860) 415-4625 Located close to the Mystic Seaport Museum, Denny and I stopped here after a day at the museum. We tried their sandwiches: Denny had the Reuben and I had the Irish Pub fish sandwich. Both were excellent, served hot. Denny also tried the clam chowder which he enjoyed. The waitress was attentive and kept our iced tea glasses refilled which was wonderful on this hot day. Reasonable for a tourist area. (8/2011)

Eating Out in Colorado

Boulder:  Native Foods Cafe, 1675 29th St Suite 1272, Phone (303) 442-0213  My girlfriend wanted me to try one of her new favorite vegan restaurants so we gave it a try and I was pleasantly surprised by the tastiness of the food here. She had the reuben sandwich and sweet potato fries while I had the blackened Native Chicken wrap. Both sandwiches were excellent, the fries nicely crisp and the lavender lemonade is really tasty. I took home a carrot cake and chocolate cupcake for my husband and me to eat later and my husband had no idea it was a vegan product. Yummy, although they could have cut the icing in half, good as it was. I would definitely eat here again despite not following a vegan lifestyle.

Fort Collins:  Bann Thai, 626 S. College Ave., Phone (970) 797-2707  Because my friend is a vegan, she chose a restaurant that not only has vegan friendly meals but one that has an outdoor patio where they allow dogs. We shared dishes of Panang (red curry with tofu), spring rolls, a tofu satay and coconut ice cream. All were tasty, spicy hot and well prepared. Our wait person was friendly, efficient and helpful. A nice place to people watch and enjoy a great meal.  

The Rainbow Restaurant, 212 W. Laurel St, Phone (970) 221-2664   We came for breakfast with a friend who is a vegan.  Denny and I had the more standard breakfasts of eggs scrambled with veggies, a serving of pumpkin break french toast and huevos rancheros along with the vegan coffee cake recommended by our friend. All were excellent and we enjoyed dining on the patio because we had our friend's golden retriever along with us.

The only downside was the waitress's lack of attention to our iced tea and water glasses; we had to catch her attention again and again for refills. 

Loveland:  McGraff's American Grill, 1602 East Eisenhower Boulevard, Phone (970) 669-8847   Denny and I stopped for dinner on an evening when we weren't sure what we wanted to eat and we had just arrived in town to visit a friend. He ended up with the French dip and I ended up with the Southwest dip. While the meat in the sandwiches was tender, there was no "heat" in the southwest dip sandwich and the meal was simply so-so. Nothing to rave about, nothing really to complain about, just "ehhh". Decent service, basic chain restaurant decor well maintained, just not a memorable meal. 

Next Door Food and Drink, 222 E 4th St # 100, Phone (970) 541-3020  Three of us shared appetizers and a salad. We had our waiter running back and forth to the kitchen to inquire about the menu items and how they were prepared because one of the group is allergic to garlic and the other is a vegan. We ended up with the fried artichokes, the dipping trio and the Baby greens/ dried figs & apricots/ manchego/ balsamic vinaigrette (minus any garlic in the vinaigrette). All were very good and our waiter was very patient with us and the dietary restrictions. Accompanying our meal was a nice pinot noir and the pleasant atmosphere made for a very enjoyable evening.

Pho Lan, 1360 E. Eisenhower Blvd, Phone (970) 685-4411   My girlfriend treated my husband and me to lunch here. She is vegan so went with the veggie spring roll while my husband had a broccoli/chicken dish and I had the medium tofu pho bowl. Huge servings, excellent meal although my husband was a bit disappointed that the sriracha sauce seemed to be watered down as it had no "bite". I thoroughly enjoyed my first pho bowl and ended up taking a lot of it home due to the size of the serving. Great place for vegans as the staff is willing to work with you on your menu choices.

Trinidad: Trinidad Diner, 734 Main St. Phone (719) 846-7798.  Good breakfast, friendly staff, building a little worse for the wear. Cash only. (4/2010)  Edited 6/2012:  Breakfast wasn't as good this time around--I think we'll pass on this place in the future.

Wonderful House Chinese Restaurant, 415 University St, Phone (719) 845-1888  The first thing we noticed upon entering the restaurant was the friendliness of the staff and the number of "regulars" dining at lunch time. Very muted color scheme inside, cloth napkins a plus. My husband had the Szechuan chicken while I had the Garlic Chicken. Both came with a lot of vegetables, was hot and plentiful and my garlic chicken had a flavorful sauce. My husband was disappointed in his Szechuan chicken as it was rather bland. We asked for and received a bowl of chili sauce and when we finished with our included egg rolls my husband poured the mixture of hot mustand and sweet and sour sauce from the egg rolls on his meal which added a lot of heat and flavor. The hot and sour soup was excellent. We would certainly try this restaurant again if we were in the area, although we would ask for our meals to be made spicier while being made.

Eating Out in Alabama

Now that I look at my list I see that my former hosting web service managed to do it again, only saving an old copy of my website so I'm missing a lot of the Alabama restaurants.  But here are a few to peruse.  The dates in parentheses are the dates we ate at the restaurant.


Albertville:  Catfish Cabin, 8524 US Highway 431, Phone (256) 878-8170  Good fish dinners, great shrimp, wonderful hush puppies and some of the best cole slaw we've had in months.  Reasonably priced. (11/2011)

Auburn: Cheeburger Cheeburger, 160 N. College, Phone (334) 826-0845 Typical college-town burger joint, great burgers (and yes, that's how they spell the name of the place!) (4/1998)

Boaz: China Buffet, 2044 US Hwy 431 # H, Phone (2560 840-8098.  Bland, cold food.  Absolutely nothing in the warming trays was hot unless a fresh pan of food was being brought out. No spice, no zing.  Don't go here. (11/2011)

Foley: Lambert's Cafe, 2981 S. McKenzie. Phone:251-943-765 Home style cooking, reasonably priced (01/2011) Edited 4/2008: we tried breakfast at Lambert's and found the menu quite limited. But the throwed rolls are still hot and delicious.

Guntersville: Pinecrest Dining Room, Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge,1155 Lodge Dr., Phone (256) 571-5440 This lovely restaurant overlooks Lake Guntersville and primeval forests. The breakfast buffet is limited on Sundays (no omelets available at the grill for some reason) but the food is good and the staff extremely attentive and friendly. There are tables on the deck and if you ask nicely you may be able to take your meal out there. Reasonably priced, takes credit cards. (4/2008)

Gulf Shores: Nolan's Restaurant and Lounge, 508 E Beach Boulevard Phone (251) 948-2111 Fresh Gulf seafood and steaks, moderately expensive (2/2000)

Robertsdale: El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant, 21900 State Rte. 59, Phone (251) 947-7070 A tired building, minimal upkeep and decor, and the food came out much too quickly to be freshly prepared. The combo plates were judged no better than "okay". Moderately priced.

Mirage Cafe (Stuckeys), 27801 County Road 64 Ext (exit 53 off I-10), Phone (251) 960-1152 We stopped for breakfast here. Denny said their chicken fried steak was the best he ever ate but the veggies in my Denver omelet had been thrown on at the last possible moment and weren't cooked at all. (4/2006) Fairly expensive considering the area.

In The Beginning...

...there once was a website called "The RV Vagabonds".  Not to be confused with the blog, RV Vagabonds, which I also write.  The website worked for a while, but then the hosting company started tweaking pieces-parts of the system and sometimes it would work with the Firefox browser and sometimes it wouldn't and sometimes its text editor would work and sometimes it wouldn't.  So I ended up with a mishmash of html pages and rich text editor pages and it all got to be a big mess keeping it straight.  So I created the blog "Full Timing in a Tin Can on Wheels" to be able to repost some of the articles and information I had maintained on the website.  But I also had a huge list of mini-reviews of many of the restaurants we have tried in our travels and I wasn't sure if Bl*gger would be able to handle the lists the way I had them broken up in sections.  So I'm going to try to start listing them by state alphabetically.  And then I'll have to turn around and update many of the states because I dropped the website a year ago and have been posting reviews on TripAdvisor in the meantime so I'll have to add those to my personal lists.


Like art, we're not food experts; we simply know what we like.  When it comes to Oriental food we like it spicy.  Mexican food, the same way.  We like our meat medium rare, our toast toasted.  Those are the ground rules so here we go.