Eating Out in Oregon

La Pine: Ponderosa Pizza, 52574 Hwy 97, Phone (541) 536-1964 Pizza is okay, 10 wings are served as the whole wings so they are the equivalent of 20 wings and they are served on a huge bed of deep-fried potato wedges. Since we don't eat potatoes, we gave them to the family beside us who told us that they (the grandparents in the group) drive down from Portland (a distance of 160 miles) to eat here. Expensive. (8/2005)

Cindy's Kitchen, 51375 Hwy 97, Phone (541) 536-3785 A small little place serving a good breakfast. Pricey. (8/2005)

LaPine Inn, 51490 Hwy 97, Phone (541) 536-2029 There is a restaurant side and a bar/grill side and we didn't realize that and so sat in the bar for Sunday breakfast. Lots of locals choose to eat here and they all smoke in the bar side so make sure you go into the restaurant side. A good meal, cheaper than Cindy's. (8/2005)

Princeton: The Narrows Restaurant and Campground, 33468 Sodhouse Lane, Phone (541) 495-2006 The only place to eat for twenty-five miles and it's very good. Reasonable prices for the northwest and nice staff. (8/2005)

Eating Out in Ohio

Note: As of December, 2006 the state of Ohio no longer allows smoking in businesses and enclosed public areas.

Bellbrook: Blue Berry Cafe, 72 Bellbrook Place, Phone (937) 848-5900 This is where the locals go. A sunny yellow interior, nicely decorated with a mini boutique to browse while you are waiting for a table. We ate here for breakfast and it was terrific. Generous portions, more expensive than most mom and pop places in the area but worth it. (6/2007)

Tuscany Grille , 129 W. Franklin St., Phone (937) 848-2226. We tried this nice little restaurant for Sunday breakfast. At this time they are only serving a limited buffet as an experiment and hope to expand the buffet if the idea is successful. The food was hot and good, the waitress friendly, the decor attractive. We'll be back. (6/2007) Edited 5/15/2009  This restaurant is out of business.

Brunswick:  Cozumel Mexican Restaurante, 625 Pearl Rd., Phone (330) 220-3335  Quesadillas and the chimichangas were good, margaritas were generous if a bit weak during Happy Hour. (8/2009)

Centerville: China Cottage, 6290 Far Hills Avenue, Phone (937) 434-2622 We ate here at the grand opening when the chefs prepared a special set of meals. Absolutely fantastic. The best value is the lunch menu. No buffets here, but the servings are generous. The restaurant has been remodeled and re-opened in the spring of 2007.

Doubleday's Bar and Grill, 199 E. Alex-Bell Rd., Phone (937) 436-4666 More restaurant than bar most nights, good food, great appetizers and soups, moderately priced (1/2006)

Cincinnati: Abby's Pub & Grill, 5753 Harrison Ave. # 1, (513) 574-6622 Great soup and sandwiches, a little pricey. A nice covered patio for eating outside when the weather is nice. The owner is a big fan of local sports which you'll discover upon reading the menu. A place to return to. (7/2008)

Angilo's Pizza , 6953 Harrison Ave. (513) 574-0777 A decent pizza, a small dining area. Supposedly their hoagies are quite good. Reasonable, friendly staff. (8/2008)

Barnesburg Tavern , 5761 Springdale Ave. (513) 741-1200 Great sandwiches in a newly opened storefront. The Barnesburg Tavern has moved and updated itself and the locals love it. A bit pricey for the area, but good specials every day. (8/2008)

Dena's Diner, 8375 Colerain Ave. (513) 245-2960 A small storefront restaurant serving breakfast and lunch only. Breakfast was fine, not exceptional. Reasonable. (8/2008)

Guido's Restaurant, 8007 Harrison Ave., Miamitown (513) 353-9900 Popular with the locals, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. A little worn inside and you can't be in a hurry to get your food, but the wait is worth it for good, old fashioned home cooking. Try the fish hoagie. Or the specials. Breakfast is good too and the New York style cheesecake is tasty. Reasonable. (7/2008)

Home Like Restaurant, 6856 St. Rt. 128, Miamitown (513) 353-9828 We were disappointed in this local restaurant. We ate breakfast here and the eggs were badly overcooked. Pleasant outdoor seating. Popular with the locals. Reasonable. (8/2008)

LaRosa's Pizzeria , 5806 Cheviot Rd., Phone (513) 347-1111 Ohio-style pizza means lots of thick tomato paste based pizza-yum! They make great salads and their house salad with creamy garlic dressing will have you reaching for breath mints afterwards. (7/2008)

Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse , 925 Riverside Dr. (513) 721-7427 One of the most popular restaurants in Cincinnati, known for their ribs. Great service, great food, nice view of the river, expensive. A nice evening out when you are celebrating. (8/2008) 

 

NYPD Pizza , 5761 Springdale Ave. (513) 521-NYPD Carryout and delivery only, good pizzas, great hoagies. Reasonable. (9/2008) 

 

Red Squirrel Restaurant , 8227 Colerain Ave. (513) 741-4800 They serve a nice breakfast here and the place is always busy. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Reasonable. (8/2008)

Ron's Roost Restaurant ,3853 Race Rd. (513) 574-0222 Great mock turtle soup, good food. I was restricted to soft foods when we ate here, but the seven other people I was with said all their meals were great. Reasonable, popular with the locals. (7/2008) Edited 5/2011; the fish sandwiches are good as are the pork tenderloin sandwiches. Denny's aunt always gets the chicken salad on a croissant. Love the mock turtle soup. Attentive wait staff.

Columbus: Graffiti Burger (Grandview), 1505 West Fifth Ave, Phone (614)488-3665. Think Five Guys decorated by a graffiti artists and you'll have Graffiti Burger. Build one yourself or order one of their creations. Here you have a choice of sizes of french fries, also, which is nice. A fun place with good burgers, popular with the local white collar crowd. (5/2011)

Local chains we hit when in Ohio: Frisch's, Skyline Chili, Steak & Shake, Logan's Steakhouse, Longhorn Steakhouse, IHop, Subway, Perkins, Captain D's Seafood

Dayton: Marion's Piazza, 711 Shroyer Rd. Phone (937) 293-6991 Marion's Piazza gained its fame in the 60s when the owner invited the cast members of Dayton's Kenley Players to stop by after the show for pizzas. The walls of the Shroyer Road location are lined with autographed photos of notable actors from the 60s which is great fun for us older folks. Marion's serves a unique thin crust pizza with the toppings chopped up small and the cheese underneath the toppings so that all the "stuff" has a tendency to drop off. You just scoop those up with your fingers and stuff 'em in your mouth. Plus they cut their pizza in the standard Dayton way; in squares. They have a good selection of hot sandwiches, too. The deluxe steak sandwich with cheese is one of our favorites. It's a great place to meet with friends and it's kid-friendly and group-friendly, too. (6/2007)

The Pine Club, 1926 Brown St. Phone (937) 228-7463 (12/2004) Great steaks, cash only.

Delaware:  23 Delaware Diner, 755 US Hwy 23, Phone (740) 417-9201  Denny enjoyed his country fried steak and fried eggs, served with hash browns and rye toast.  I had the Western omelet which was cooked to brown-ness which I hate.  Good flavor otherwise.  So the meal was uneven for us.  Reasonably priced, diner setting. (09/2012)

 Corner Cafe, 535 Sunbury Rd. Phone (740) 369-0377 We had an average breakfast at average prices. The owner didn't turn the heat on until we were leaving and it was very cold inside the restaurant. Accepts credit cards(9/2007)  Edited 9/2010: we tried this place again for breakfast and the food was worse than before.  Not recommended.

Famous Jack's Diner, 755 US 23N, Phone (740) 369-6677 Lunch here was a tasty fish sandwich that was moist and substantial, although served with just a bun and tarter sauce. Denny's cheeseburger was good, his chili average. The onion rings were a bit greasy. The setting is an old fashioned diner with a couple of pictures of winners of the Little Brown Jug. Accepts credit cards. (9/2007) Edited 5/2011: Denny and I ate Sunday breakfast here. The menu is limited and the food is just average. Edited 10/2012: Sold.  Now the 23 Delaware Diner.

Shorty's Pizza, 554 W. Central, Phone (740) 362-5555 Good deluxe pizza (everything except anchovies) and good Italian subs (hoagies) and good breadsticks. Order at the counter, clean up after yourselves. It's worth it.(8/2009)  Edited 5/2011:  Still good. 

 

Jefferson: Hau Po, 14 S. Chestnut St., Phone (440)576-3138 The only Chinese restaurant in town, they appear to be used to carry-out orders over folks who dine in. You order at the counter and then seat yourselves in the separate dining area. The food was decent, not highly spiced (I assume for local tastes but we prefer a good spicy meal!) and surprisingly not large portions for a lunch special. It took the edge off my desire for Chinese and was in the “better than many” category but certainly not the best. (5/2011) Cash only, no credit or debit cards taken here. Several banks in town, one credit union and Thorne's grocery store will give you cash when you buy groceries (plus with their grocery card you get ten cents off per gallon at their fuel pumps)

Jefferson Diner, 20 N. Chestnut St. Phone (440) 576-1977 Popular with the locals, always busy. We had Sunday morning breakfast here. The menu is not as extensive as some but the food is well prepared (other than using American cheese on my Denver omelette). Homemade bread for a little extra charge. Reasonable and pleasant. (5/2011) Cash only, no credit or debit cards taken here.

Kettering: Apple Station Restaurant, 3002 Woodman Dr. Phone (937) 253-6303 Serving homestyle breakfast, lunch and dinner at very inexpensive prices. I hope this one sticks around. (8/2006) Edited 7/2009: Out of business, see Jimmy's Italian kitchen

China Cottage, 3718 Wilmington Pike, Phone (937) 294-4724 Great staff, great food, moderate prices. No buffet. Our personal favorite (12/2005)

Frisch's Big Boy, 2860 Wilmington Pike, Phone (937) 297-0833 A brand new Frisch's to replace the one that closed-yay! Bright and airy with 50s kitsch, they have all the old standards and some new wraps.

Golden Nugget Pancake House, 2932 S. Dixie Phone (937) 298-0138 Open for breakfast and lunch only, terrific food, great staff, very reasonable. Our favorite restaurant for breakfast. Currently closed after an attic fire but will be rebuilt, sadly missed (12/2004) Edited 5/2007: The Nugget is now open for business in a spanking new building, same owners, same staff, same great food.

Hibachi Grill, 1760 E. Stroop Rd., Phone (937) 643-3333  Nice selection of Chinese and American foods in a buffet style setting.  Good selection of sushi, freshly made.  Blue crab served in place of King Crab but nicely seasoned.  The fried shrimp is excellent.  Recommended. (09/2012)

Jimmy's Italian Kitchen, 3002 Woodman Dr. Phone (937) 293-9133 I had my first stromboli here and I certainly liked their version. Denny's sandwich (I forget what it was called) of sausage and goodies went down easily, too. Philly Cheesesteak and Gyro served open face on flatbread and are excellent. We'll be back to try their pizza, which has gotten some good reviews. (5/2009)

LaRosa's Pizzeria , 2801 Wilmington Pike, Phone (877) 347-1111 This new branch of LaRosa's was a disappointment; the hoagies (Philly Steak and Baked Royal) were simply okay and the thin crust pizza's crust was limp and soggy. We'll save our pizza jones for the Cincinnati branches.

Young Chow, 20 W. Stroop Rd., Phone (937) 298-5672 Take out only, no buffet. Good, filling, typical American/Chinese menu. I like the chicken, shrimp and broccoli in garlic sauce. Take advantage of the lunch menu deals for the best value. (8/2006)

Lumberton: 68 Family Restaurant, 8295 US 68 Phone (937)486-2111 Popular with local residents, we had breakfast here two or three times. It's good, filling, cheap. (5/2008 and 2009)

Middleport: Millie's Restaurant, 39239 Bradbury Rd. Phone (740) 992-4466. The only place to eat breakfast on Sunday for miles. The breakfast menu was very limited. Average fare, a little higher priced than to be expected for the area. (9/2006)

Moraine: Treasure Island, 4250 Chief Woods Dr. Phone (937) 299-6161 Steaks, seafood, sandwiches. Good food, moderately priced (12/2005)

Oakwood: The Oakwood Club, 2414 Far Hills Ave., Phone (937) 293-6972 Seafood and steaks, pricey but worth it. Go for the surf and turf (filet and lobster tail) and be sure to try the warm dark rye bread in the basket. (5/2006)

Pomeroy: Fox's Den Pizza, 518 E. Main St. Phone (740) 992-9040 A decent pizza,a little pricey. The breaded mushrooms are pan-fried instead of deep-fried. Pass on those.(9/2006)

Port Clinton: Bell Mell Pizza, 307 Fulton St. Phone (419) 732-7337 This is a neighborhood bar, not a pizza joint. However, the deluxe pizza was cheesy and good, as were the deep fried mushrooms. The iced tea was bottled, but the owner has replaced all the ceiling tiles and some of the paneling on the walls since Ohio became a non-smoking state, so the bar didn't reek of smoke. There is a very nice covered wooden patio outside where you can smoke. Cash or Checks only. (9/2007)

Fish Tales, 3266 NE Catawba Rd. Phone (419) 797-3474. The best breakfast we've had for a while. This small restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch only, catering to the locals and fishermen by providing bag lunches for carryout. We had the chorizo omelets and the waitress substituted french toast for regular toast at no charge. The special of pancakes with "spirited" cherries sounded good and a lady at the next table had a yogurt parfait with granola that was tempting also. We'll be back the next time we're in the area. Credit cards accepted. (9/2007)

McCarthy's Sports Pub and Restaurant, 101 Madison St., Phone (419) 732-8800. Some Irish specialities and your standard fish and chips. We saw lots of folks noshing on Buffalo-style wings. Denny chose a hot dog stuffed with cheese, wrapped in an Angus hamburger which was wrapped with bacon then covered with bbq sauce. He said it was good. Shudder. The fish of the fish-and-chips was good, but I didn't care for the deep fried thick chips. Reasonable, with good service. (8/2006)

Port-and-Starboard Restaurant, 128 W. Perry St., Phone (419) 732-7161 Want a good breakfast? This is the place for you. Great omelets, good pancakes, and if you ask that the toast/pancakes be skipped, they reduce the bill. Our kind of place. (9/2006)

Springboro: Young Chow, 232 West Central Ave., Phone (937) 748-8400 Take out Chinese. My favorite is chicken, shrimp and broccoli in garlic sauce. Spicy hot and sour soup. Best value is the lunch menu. No buffet. (6/2007)

Spring Valley: Mammaw's Restaurant, 3291 U.S. 42, Phone (937)862-4144 Friendly folks, a tiny little place right on the highway--we thought we found a winner. Until Denny bit into his beautifully cooked chicken fried steak and discovered it was cooked in old, off-tasting oil. Avoid this one. (6/2007)

Waynesville: Der Dutchman Restaurant, 230 North St.Rt. 42 Phone (513) 897-4716 Amish meals served family-style at your table, plus a nice breakfast buffet on weekends. Reasonable, filling and good. (9/2006 and 7/2007)  Edited 11/2010:  Der Dutchman has burned down and will not be rebuilt.

Village Family Restaurant, 144 South Main St., Phone (513) 897-8835 Surprisingly affordable for this "antiques capitol of the US" tourist locale. Homestyle meals at reasonable prices. The fried perch and fried shrimp are great dinner meals (the house salad was a bit wimpy and limp, though) and a late lunch of a steak sub and an Italian Stallion baked sub was oh, so good after a long day on the golf course. (7/2007)

Westerville:  Giammarco's Pizza and Pasta, 7097 Ohio Rt. 3, Phone (614) 895-8890  Tucked into a strip mall, this small restaurant has food with big flavors in large portions and it's all very good.  There were four of us and we sampled lasagna, pasta with Italian sausage, lobster ravioli, spaghetti aglio e olio.  Yum.  Highly recommended.  (9/2010)

Wilmington: Buffalo Wild Wings, 143 Fairway Dr. Phone (937) 283-9464 Although this is a chain, we were in the mood for an alcoholic beverage on this night so we stopped by. It was prom night and in Wilmington, OH BWW is "upscale" dining. The Buffalo Chicken sandwich was crispy outside and tender inside and I liked their skinny fries. Denny had some delicious ribs and wings. My first taste of a mojito was probably not a genuine mojito, but it was very tasty on a warm night.

Country Corner Restaurant, 3669 SR 380, Phone (937) 655-9064 Formerly a drive through beer place that has expanded to include a small dining area, you'll get a decent breakfast here at a reasonable price. The menu is limited, but the food is well cooked and tasty. (5/2008)

Country Kitchen Restaurant, 3150 SR 350, Phone (513) 932-7680 Breakfast here was good, although both the toast and the bacon could have been a lot crispier. Reasonably priced and very popular with the locals, especially around lunch time. We'll have to try that. (5/2008)

General Denver Hotel , 81 W. Main St., Phone (937) 383-4141 We had high expectations of this one, since it's a newly remodeled hotel in downtown Wilmington. We met friends for breakfast and we were only the third table seated on a Sunday morning. The four of us each tried something different and no one raved about their food. It was simply okay and not too expensive. The dining room needs pictures on the walls, although the bar area is quite nice with its antique bar from Victoria Station in Cincinnati. I wanted this place to be better than it was. (6/2008)

Generations Pizzeria and Pub, 1342 Rombach Ave. Phone (937) 382-3845 There is no pub at the pizzeria. This is a neighborhood pizza joint where young soccer/baseball/football/sports teams come after the big game. The pizza was simply okay, the buffalo chicken wings were pan-fried instead of deep fried and not all the way done (yuck!) and the salad that the waitress said was big enough for two really wasn't. It's fine for families with kids, but I'm sure there's a better pizza somewhere out there in Wilmington. (5/2008)

Max and Erma's ,123 Gano Rd., Phone(937)283-3201 Max and Erma's does dinners well, not so good on Sunday breakfast. Four of us enjoyed various meals for dinner which weren't outrageously expensive, although their drinks are overpriced. Their Sunday breakfast buffet is pathetically small and apparently is simply to get the business of the folks staying at the hotel. Pass on breakfast. (6/2008)

Eating Out in North Dakota

Medora:  Boots Bar and Grill, 300 Pacific Avenue, Phone (701) 623-2668  We arrived at Boots around 5 PM, fairly early for eating out. There were about four other couples in the restaurant. We overheard our waiter say that it was his first job as a waiter and he had only been working 3 days. He had no supervision and although he was trying very hard the young man simply couldn't keep up. For our meals, I had the chicken quesidilla appetizer which had nice tender chicken but could have used a bit more cheese. My husband had the Rue-Bourbon burger which was huge, well cooked and tasty. His onion rings were a bit greasy and the meal took a long time to get out of the kitchen. Business picked up and we had to wait another long period before we were able to get our bill. I think all this comes from what appears to be a highly inexperienced staff. Very pricey.  We wouldn't go back. (07/2012)

Cowboy Cafe, 215 4th Street, Phone (701) 623-4343  First off, the restaurant doesn't accept credit cards so after giving our order to the waitress my husband had to go find a bank to get cash. I ordered the BBQ sandwich and fries; what I got was a sloppy joe made with ground beef and fries. My husband ordered the chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, cup of soup and veggie. The steak was so tough he only ate one third of it (the waitress never came back to check on him) the mashed potatoes were a tiny little serving, the soup (tomato macaroni) tasted like Beefaroni and was barely lukewarm. This was one of the most overpriced, badly cooked and misrepresented pair of meals we've ever eaten. Not recommended.

Note: when my husband said the meat was horrible when presented with the check at the end of our meal, the waitress said the cook would make another chicken fried steak. Not wanting two of the same type of pieces of meat (plus the fact that I was already finished with my meal) he turned down the offer. No offer of a discounted price was made.(07/2012)

Pitchfork Fondue,  3422 Chateau Road, Phone (800) 633-6721  Ribeye steaks seasoned with Lowry's seasoning salt, threaded on large pitchforks and then plunged into vats of boiling oil.  Sounds horrible, but it puts a crisp char on the outside and the steaks were cooked medium rare.  There is a buffet line for the sides; baked potatoes, veggies, rolls, beans, etc.  Coffee, water and lemonade are free, alcoholic beverages and sodas are available for purchase.  Brownies for dessert.  Some days there is BBQ chicken and ribs available.  You dine overlooking the badlands in a partially covered pavilion.  It's something different to experience before walking over to see the Medora Musical.  The meal is overpriced but we've done it twice and had fun and enjoyed our steaks immensely.  (07/2012)

Theodore's Dining Room, 301 5th Street, Phone (800) 633-6721  Nice staff, nice surroundings but an average breakfast. My husband had sausage, eggs, hashbrowns and pancakes and left hungry. I had the Western Omelet which was overcooked, the toast was simply warm bread instead of toasted, but the hashbrowns were fine. Tourist prices in a tourist town.(07/2012)

                                       

Eating Out in North Carolina

Lexington: King House Buffet, 200 Lowe's Blvd. Phone (336)238-8288 Excellent food, excellent service, inexpensive but quality food. All the buffet food was hot and fresh. Great sushi. Tucked into a strip by the Wal*mart Supercenter. (10/2009)

La Fuentes Restaurant, 217 W US Highway 64 #4, Phone(336)236-1601 The most excellent steak/chicken/shrimp fajitas we've had ever! Very reasonable, takes credit cards. (4/2008) Edited 10/2009; this restaurant has a different name now, so I don't know if the quality of the food is the same.

Pizza Place, 215 W US Highway 64 #14, Phone (336) 249-6197 Most folks on a Friday night were having the buffet which was a few varieties of pizza and spaghetti, along with a small salad bar. We opted for ordering our own pizza, along with some fried mushrooms. The mushrooms were good, the pizza had obviously bee planned for the buffet as it was lukewarm when it reached the table and it wasn't what we ordered. And the pizza itself was nothing special. If you are absolutely desperate for pizza, this will suffice. Takes credit cards. (4/2008)

Mocksville: Buffalo Rusty's Bar-B-Que, 2076 US Hwy 601 S, Phone (336) 751-3131 Breakfast here took 40 minutes to get to our table, even though we were only the fourth couple in the entire restaurant. The food was decent, but the oven wasn't working that morning so there were no biscuits. We were given a discount for that, but we still probabl

y wouldn't go back as the food wasn't that exciting. Rustic decor, takes credit cards. (4/2008)

Sagebrush Steakhouse, 1562 Yadkinville Rd.Phone(336)936-0021. Normally we don't dine at chain restaurants, but since we had friends with us who had a taste for steak we stopped here. Good choice. Denny and I had the barbecued ribs/chicken/shrimp combo which was excellent. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and you had a choice of 6 different styles of barbecue sauce on the table. Yum. Takes credit cards. (4/2008)

Salisbury: Fire Mountain Hot off the Grill, 730 Jake Alexander Blvd (Hwy 601), Phone (704) 639-1811 We stopped here for breakfast when our first choice was closed due to a fire. We were a bit taken aback to discover it was a buffet, because I don't care for buffets. This place was terrific though, with lunch/dinner choices as well as breakfast choices at 8 o'clock in the morning, like fried catfish and chicken. The food was hot, well cooked and delicious. Watch out for the bakery bar there--it's dangerous to us calorie counters. Very cheap at $7.50 each considering the spread.

The Farmhouse Restaurant, 1602 Jake Alexander Blvd. South, Phone (704) 633-3276. A nice place for Sunday breakfast and a popular one. They serve lunch and dinner seven days a week also. Breakfast was very good, moderately priced and the service was terrific. The interior was that of a toned-down Cracker Barrel. (10/2006)

Ting Hao Chinese Restaurant, 510 Jake Alexander Blvd. Phone (704) 633-3942 Moderately priced and a very good meal at lunch. I must admit I was taken aback by their use of styrofoam plates and bowls and plastic forks but the food was excellent and the locals like it too. (10/2006)

Wilson: Italian Pizza and Subs, 700 US 301 North #C, Phone (252) 243-5004 In business for 15 years, the owner is from New Jersey. They make great hot subs; we had the Italian and the Supreme Steak and Cheese. Yum. (10/2006)

Eating Out in New York State

Amherst, NY: The Grapevine Restaurant and Catering, 2545 Niagara Falls Blvd. Phone (716) 91-7799 Denny and I have been saying for years that we're going to stop here and today we did stop for lunch. If the quality of their lunch is any indication of their dinner, we'd recommend it. The restaurant itself is located in an older house on the corner with a lot of parking. Which is good, because it appears to be quite popular with the locals. The interior of the restaurant is tastefully decorated, with linen tablecloths and napkins as a nice touch. There are several large salt water aquariums built into the walls and a large free standing display near the entrance. It also appears that the owners are working on building a nice outdoor patio for dining in good weather. As to their food, Denny had the clam and chowder soup and the Reuben sandwich with fruit (instead of fries) and I had the chicken tortilla soup and ham on a baguette sandwich as part of their soup and sandwich special. Both of us enjoyed our soups and sandwiches. Reasonable for the area. (6/2011)

Ashford Hollow: Carson's Ashford House, 9219 Route 219, Phone (716) 942-3840. A homey restaurant in the middle of nowhere. Decorated with lighthouses and model trains that circle the main dining area, Carson's serves American-style food at a reasonable price. We've eaten breakfast and lunch there but have yet to try their dinners. They do advertise a prime rib special that sounds good. (8/2006)

Grand Island: Brick Oven Pizzeria, 2131 Grand Island Blvd., Phone (716) 773-4445 Good pizza, good subs, nice wine and beer selection. New York prices. (12/2005) Edited 1/2007: Still good when we returned 12/2006.

Currents Lounge, Holiday Inn Grand Island, 100 Whitehaven Rd., Phone (716) 773-1111 Nicely decorated, floor to ceiling windows with a view of the Niagara River. Very expensive, food is average. (12/2005) 

 

John's Pizza & Subs, 2131 Grand Island Blvd., Phone (716) 774-0020 Good hot Italian subs. (12/2005)

Jalapeño Loco, 2800 Grand Island Blvd. Phone (716 ) 773-8748 Brand new, standard choices nicely prepared. Pricey. (12/2005)Edited 12/2008 Out of business.

Town Cafe , 2352 Grand Island Blvd., Phone (716) 773-7373 Wonderful wedding soup and the locals go for the all-you-can-eat fish. The owner will greet you like a long-lost friend while the guys sitting at the bar tell goofy jokes. Good food and a fun, homey atmosphere. Reasonably priced for NY. (12/2006)

Lake George: Olde Log Inn, 2814 Rt. 9, Phone (518) 668-3334 Built like a log home, rustic and warm inside, outside patio with a view of the surrounding mountains. We had the Friday special fish fry for a late lunch/early dinner. It was a piece of scrod on a long bun with creamy cole slaw and hand cut french fries. Denny also had the most wonderful cup of clam chowder that was rich and filled with bacon and tender clams. Iced tea and lemonade rounded out the meal although there is a full bar there which is popular with the locals. The meal was reasonable, the tea/lemonade prices a bit high even for a tourist area. Everything was good and the waitress/owner was friendly and efficient. We would come back here. (6/2011)

Tamarack Inn, 440 Canada St. Phone (518) 668-5400 Also built with a log cabin appearance, rustic and comfortable inside, but at breakfast the food here was simply decent. Cheese on the omelets was extra, there was an extra charge for the homemade wheat bread which looked suspiciously like storebought bread, texture-wise. We were disappointed. (6/2011)

Lewiston: Hillview Cafe, 1439 Ridge Rd., Phone (716) 754-4007 Denny and I ate lunch here; Denny had the sausage sandwiche with onions and peppers and a cup of split pea soup, I had the ½ sandwich and soup special which was a ham sandwich on a baguette with a cup of the beans and greens soup (think bean soup with spinach greens cooked in with ham and bits of bacon—yum!) Reasonable and good, the place is unpretentious and liked by the locals. (6/2011)

Lockport: Breakfast at Tiffany's, 4074 Ridge Road, Phone (716) 438-7950 A small restaurant located on the corner of Ridge Rd. (Rt. 104) and Cambria/Wilson Rd., the interior is rustic with wood tables and chairs made from logs and horse pictures on the walls. Denny and I ate breakfast and dinner here and the quality was erratic. At breakfast my Western omelet was wonderful (if you overlook the slice of American cheese just laid on top of the omelet) but Denny' chicken fried steak was a bit gristly and rubbery. At dinner his chopped steak was good, covered with a pile of green and red peppers, onions, mushrooms and gravy. My beef brisket sandwich had tender meat, but there was a bit more fat and connective tissue on it than I would have liked. They just need to watch their meat butchering a bit. I did really like the cream of spinach and broccoli soup created by the cook. Reasonable, friendly staff. (6/2011)  Edited October 2012: Breakfast at Tiffany's is now closed.

One Eyed Jack's Smokehouse, 5983 S. Transit Rd., Phone (716) 438-5414  Excellent BBQ.  I had the Pigken sandwich which was a combination of pulled pork and chicken with a honey garlic sauce while Denny had the Memphis pulled pork sandwich topped with coleslaw and a mustard BBQ sauce.  The hand cut fries were good, the macaroni salad was bland and lacking in pickles/pickle relish (okay, maybe that's an Ohio thing).  Nice staff, pleasant surroundings, reasonable prices for New York.  (10/2012)

Newfane: The Rib House, 2990 Lockport Olcott Rd. (north of Lockport) Phone (716) 778-7910. A prime example of why you should try the local small town restaurants. Terrific meals, great service, reasonable prices in the small dining room of a converted house. (7/2004) 

 

Ransomville: Country Roadhouse Inn, 2989 Ridge Rd. (Rt. 104) Phone (716) 791-4316 Okay, this meal was heavy on the deep-fried stuff; an appetizer platter of fried cheese, fried cauliflower and mushrooms, fried onion rings and chicken tenders, followed by a swiss-mushroom burger for me and a BBQ bacon cheeseburger for Denny which we each split and shared (and I took home half of each of that). Delicious. If you're up for it, you can play sand lot volleyball with the locals afterward at the side of the restaurant. (8/2006) Edited 9/2007: We stopped by for Sunday breakfast and it was okay but nothing to write home about. They do have the biggest mugs of coffee I've ever seen. Edited 8/2009: Service lousy for dinner and they were "out of mashed potatoes" for a hotshot at 5:30PM. Don't bother eating here.

Springville: Apple Dumplin Restaurant, 521 S. Cascade Dr. Phone (716) 592-0171 Pleasant surroundings, expensive for a lunch but tasty. (7/2004)

Warrensburg: Gino's Pizzeria, 3742 Main St, Phone (518) 623-3000 The pizza was huge, but heavy on the grease. The sign says Pizzeria and Restaurant, but there's only a few tiny tables jammed into what appears to be a standard pizza carry-out place. Light on the sauce, light on the toppings. Eh. (6/2011)

Williamsville: Le Nova Pizza, 5151 Main St. Phone (716) 634-5151 Pretty good for New York style pizza (we still prefer a very thin crust) and good wings. (9/2010)