Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Millstone Bake House & Provisions in downtown Davidson, NC. This bakery/restaurant uses organic, natural and local ingredients in all of their food. 

When you first walk in, it appears to be primarily a bakery. But, they also offer a variety of salads, sandwiches, and specials to satisfy your lunchtime appetite. 
Dora here. This place would be a perfect choice for a lazy Saturday morning, especially during the warmer weather when you could sit outside. Do NOT plan to go here if you're in a hurry. It was jammed, and service, while helpful, was a tad slow.

For lunch, I chose the Grilled Ham & Cheese, chili and fries. The sandwich was loaded with real cooked ham, not typical deli ham, and grilled to perfection. The half sandwich was larger than most full sandwiches, and I liked the little kick from the spicy mustard. The chili was full of favor, light on meat but loaded with multi-types of beans. The shoestring fries are my favorite, and I had to fight my wife off from eating all of them. 

Grilled Ham & Cheese, chili, and fries

What? I did not steal any of those pencil-thin fries!! You lucked out on the soup, too, because I prefer only pinto beans in my chili. And it's a good thing I ordered iced tea and not a latte. I would've laughed if they set that coffee cup in front of me! What do you think? How's this for perspective?

Good thing I ordered the iced tea! I would've laughed at the size of this coffee cup.

The Ham and Asparagus Quiche was a good choice. Although I'm not a huge fan of asparagus, it wasn't overpowering. Everything came together in a light and fresh combination. 

Meat Quiche: Ham & Asparagus

What's your favorite breakfast food? Do you enjoy quiche?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 4 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food. 

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us on a road trip to Vidalia Restaurant and Wine Bar in Boone, NC. 

We visit the Boone/Bowling Rock area of North Carolina regularly and thought we'd hit just about every local restaurant, but to our surprise, we missed this one. This family friendly eating establishment is located at the end of the historical downtown Boone, just blocks from our favorite pizza spot, Capone's. If you're not looking for it, you might miss it.

Dora here. I always panic a bit when hubby suggests trying a new restaurant in our beloved vacation spot. We have so many favorites, it's challenging to squeeze them all in during a long weekend. How can we possibly add another without dropping one off the list?  I came up with a solution. Just come back more often. What do you think? ;) 

Awesome upscale, casual interior

We ordered their namesake, Vidalia Onion Rings. Thick onions, ale-battered and cajun seasoned. These onion rings were great! With a robust batter that did not fall off like other onion rings and a creole dipping sauce with a little kick, they would have been worth the trip by themselves.

Vidalia Onion Rings. Worth the trip just for these!

Dora here. Thick doesn't begin to describe these monster onions! I don't particularly care to order onion rings because I almost always regret eating them later. Not so with these. Light and delicious! :)

For my meal, I chose the Fish Tacos. Crispy chunks of tender cod blanketed by remoulade slaw served on flour tortillas. Outstanding, and the tangy slaw was a prefect condiment for the dish.

Fish Tacos

I also ordered a cup of Bison Stew, that day's special. Thick, meaty, and full of corn, carrots, and potatoes. Perfect for a cold day. 

Daily special: Bison Stew, perfect choice for a winter day!

Dora here. Yep, he did. Ernie's going to make a believer out of all you Fish Taco haters. :)

I was a bit bummed that they didn't carry Sweet n Low for my iced tea, but it was all uphill after that. Oh my goodness, so many goodies on their menu that I wanted to try! Mac and cheese with pork cracklings, awesome-sounding salads, and a couple different hamburgers all called my name. As if that wasn't enough, then our server rattled off a list of 4-5 intriguing specials! 

I finally settled on the Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwich. Well, I didn't really settle because it was fabulous! People tend to be picky about chicken salad. Or is it just me? lol. No worries, though. The bread was fresh, and the chicken salad popped with cranberries and apples and texture. Thankfully, it wasn't heavy on the ever-present raisins and celery (why does everyone insist on adding these useless ingredients??), and the mayo was subtle. The only other element I would've added myself was grapes. YUM!

Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwich

Here's a better look...

A glimpse inside the Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwich

Even the housemade pickles were delicious, as pruny as they looked. Don't neglect them. :)

What about you? How do you take your chicken salad?

We would rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Euro Grill & Café in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte. 

With an eclectic menu, you will find various Mediterranean, German, and Bosnian dishes. This is a small restaurant, only five tables, so you may have to wait. Dora here. Actually, the entire time we were there, every table was occupied, and people lined up. Don't wait until you're starving to go. Speaking from experience. :)

Only two people worked both the back and the front, and they were slammed. I must've looked about ready to pass out from hunger because they very graciously offered us a complimentary Sopska (a Greek salad) due to the delay on our meal. 

Sopska: delicious and colorful!

Delicious, colorful, and some of the best Feta cheese I've ever tasted. Yum! I'd definitely order this again. We were both digging deep for the last few blocks of cheese. :)

When visiting a new restaurant with food from countries that I am not familiar with, I always like to try a variety of options. So I chose the Mjesano Meso. This Meat Lovers Medley included three pieces of skinless sausage (Cevapi), one thin burger (pljeskavica), one chicken kebab (raznjici), and one piece of spicy sausage, (sudzukice), all served on house-made Bosnian flatbread. 

Mjesano Meso

This was truly a sampling of the entire menu. The cevapi reminded me of breakfast sausage, and the pljeskavica would pass for an American hamburger. The chicken raznjici was tender and the sudzukice was great. But the star of this dish was the Bosnian flatbread. Soft and fluffy, I think I could have made a whole meal off just the bread. 

Dora here. That flatbread rocks! So light and fluffy! And the kebab chicken was so tender. But I'm glad I ordered the Beef Burek. Filo stuffed with minced beef, it was tasty, light, and so delicate I had to check to make sure I was eating beef. I ate almost the entire burek, but didn't have that heavy, bloated feeling.

Minced Beef Burek

If you're hoping for ambiance or privacy, this isn't the restaurant. But you might be surprised at this tiny spot. Unusual dishes, large portions, and great prices. How can you go wrong?

We would rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

What's your time limit on waiting for a table?

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Yama Izakaya, a Japanese tavern in the Midwood neighborhood of Charlotte on a rare dinner review. This small and trendy restaurant is tucked into a shopping center, so parking is not a problem. 

Ample parking

Cool vibe

They offer a variety of small plates, specialty dishes, and the main dish that called us, ramen. After our first experience with ramen in DC, we planned to share, so we started with a couple small plates. First up was the Gyoza, pan-fried pork dumplings. Soft on the outside, tender and full of favor on the inside, and served with a Japanese dipping sauce that would have been great on anything. Dora here. Light, delicate, delicious!

Gyoza, pork dumplings. Light, delicate, delicious!

We also tried the Fried Chicken Wings. They appeared to be like typical chicken wings until I took the first bite. The waiter told us they were seasoned with a Korean chili spice. Whatever it was, they definitely had a unique favor and were crispy and juicy.  Dora here. I wish I was a fan of chicken wings because they always smell delicious! I gave these a try, but they didn't tempt me with a second bite. 

Fried Chicken Wings

Now if you have never tasted ramen, you are missing out. Ramen is an Asian-style soup with noodles, and we chose the Miso Ramen. Marinated Braised Pork Belly (chashu), seaweed (nori), sesame seeds, scallions, bamboo shoots (menma), seasoned egg (sometimes called a Ramen egg), corn, and colorful fish cakes. The ramen was very good and the taste of the pork and seafood rose above everything else. 

Miso Ramen. Huge portions! Plan to share.

Dora here. Don't let all the names scare you. It's just a soup with some deliciously flavorful elements. Tasty, warm, and a wonderful go-to comfort food in winter. This photo really doesn't do the serving size justice. It's a HUGE bowl! We ordered extra toppings in DC, but forgot to do that this time. If you plan to share, adding extra toppings might make it a bit beefier, er...porkier. :) Oh, and the restaurant rates this "spicy." Maybe a little kick but definitely not a forehead slicker. Go for it!

Our server might've scored higher if he didn't keep pushing the Sake and spoke a little slower for us hearing-challenged folks. And the music? Hoping that same constant beat changes before our next visit. :)

What about you? Have you tried ramen or pork dumplings? Do the pics look yummy? Would you give it a go after reading this review?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating features...
Dora here. So, it's Superbowl Sunday and hubby decides he wants to go to Mert's. Mert's, right in the heart of downtown Charlotte! Granted, the Superbowl wasn't being played in Charlotte, but the downtown area was a hub of activity with local restaurants/bars offering special activities/prices for the event. Good thing I had a backup planned. After circling a few times and not finding a parking spot, we diverted to...

Bakersfield Tacos on East Blvd in the Dilworth neighborhood of Charlotte. 

Dora here. Where we still ran into a parking dilemma. No private lot, not a street parking space for blocks, and plenty of signage nearby stating "NO BAKERSFIELD." But, thankfully, only on Sundays, Berrybrook Farm allows Bakersfield patrons to park free in their lot. The server told us they have valet parking at night.

On Sundays, park in the Berrybrook Farm lot across the street

A local place serving up their own version of Mexican cuisine, Bakersfield offers both full size plates and petite tacos. 

For our appetizer, we chose the Chips and Queso and added Chorizo. This queso was great, thick, gooey and with a little smoky flavor, but the star of this dish was the fried chorizo. Combined with the queso, it was the perfect match for the salty but hardy chips.

Chips & Queso with Chorizo

Dora here. The first thing that hit me about this was the smell. Amaaaazing! Cheesy, deep flavor, delicious! I could've made this a whole meal. I couldn't scoop this up fast enough! :)

Chips & Queso with Chorizo. Soooo good!

For my lunch, I chose four different tacos: Fish, Pork Belly Pastor, Bistec, and Short Rib all served on in-house handmade tortillas. 

Bottom Left: Pork Belly Pastor, Upper Left: Bistec, Upper Right: Short Rib, Bottom Right: Fish

The fish taco featured Mahi, lime sauce, citrus slaw, and cilantro. A great tasting taco with crispy fish and a crunch from the citrus slaw. 

The pork belly pastor included chili marinated pork, pineapple, onion and cilantro. A sweet tasting taco that I just couldn’t get enough of. 

The short rib was my favorite. Tender braised short rib, queso fresco, crema (like sour cream), onion, radish, and cilantro combined for a perfect taco. 

The Bistec, marinated short rib with a spicy chipotle slaw, had me reaching for my drink after every bite.

Dora here. I sampled a bite of all the tacos. Yowza! What an explosion of flavors! Since I'm not typically a huge fan of fish or pork, I was surprised at my top two faves: Pork Belly Pastor and Fish. By the time I made it to my Milanesa Torta, my mouth was on fire! In a good way. :)

Milanesa Torta

Check out that tender white chicken breast! Mmmm. And I loved the fresh bread, a Telera Roll, "similar to a French roll with a scored and flour-dusted crust." 

Milanesa Torta. Check out that tender white chicken breast!

Intense flavors as well, with a bold blend of black beans, salsa verde, avocado and lemon mayo, but I would've preferred half the pesto.

Eventually, we'll make it to Mert's. :)

What about you? How do you like your tacos?

Dora rated this restaurant a 4, but I rate it a 5. Since that equates to 4 1/2, we'll give them 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Valhalla Pub & Eatery located on historical Brevard Court in Uptown Charlotte. Just a few blocks from Bank of America stadium and Time Warner Cable Arena, this cobblestone courtyard boasts pubs, restaurants, and retail stores in an open-air atmosphere.

Intimate rustic interior

Dora here. The eclectic menu, including a few Scandinavian dishes like meatballs, lured us to this intimate corner pub. That, and it was just a few blocks to walk from the Charlotte Convention Center, where we were around lunchtime. Once we got here, choosing a single menu item was tough. And check out this view from inside! :)

View looking out from the pub

The Odin’s Pretzel Bites were topped with melted cheese and garlic, and served with ranch dipping sauce. A variation from typical pretzels, these bites were great and reminded me of garlic knots that you would get at a pizza joint. 

Odin's Pretzel Bites

Dora here. Not me. I took the first bite, and...hmmm. But they grew on me. I would've preferred a jazzy mustard dipping sauce over the ranch. To me, the ranch really didn't add flavor, so I stopped dipping.

I chose the Freya’s Fish ‘n Chips, Guinness-battered haddock fillets served with my favorite, Tater Tots. The fish was crispy on the outside, light and tender on the inside, and full of flavor. The meal included two large fillets that I could not finish by myself. 

Freya's Fish & Tater Tots, huge portions!

Dora here. Some of the best fish I've ever tasted! And yes, I was more than happy to help Ernie finish. :)

I'm a sucker for sandwiches with fruit, any entree actually, especially Granny Smith apples. Add cheddar cheese, bacon, lingonberry aioli, and a heaping portion of turkey, and I was all over The Laghertha’s Turkey Sandwich. Huge, so Ernie had to help me with mine. Fair's fair, right? 

The Laghertha’s Turkey Sandwich

About the only downer for me was the lack of Sweet n Low. So, if you crave a particular brand of sweetener for your tea, bring your own. :)

We rate the restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

What about you? What draws you in to try new restaurants?

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Cowbell Burger & Whiskey Bar in Uptown Charlotte. 

Cowbell Burger & Whiskey Bar

This modern designed gourmet burger restaurant/bar offers a full array of starters, sandwiches, salads and tacos and a full brunch menu on the weekends. 

Dora here. The interior was well-lit, not gloomy like some restaurants where the bar takes center stage. Also, it was clean and lacked any musty odors from the night before, definitely a plus. And was it my imagination or did a hush come over the room when we walked in? So we might've had a good thirty years on most of the diners here, but service was friendly and efficient and they put us right at ease. :)

We started with Pretzels. These were no ordinary pretzels; they were small barrels packed with flavor, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. They complemented perfectly with the Guinness cheese sauce, which carried just the right amount of kick. These pretzels were great and something that we will be sure to try again on a return visit.

Pretzels

Dora here. I would've sworn the cheese dip was actually some type of Dijon mustard base. Light and mild to taste, but set my throat on fire. Yum!

For my meal, I chose the Dumpling, an Asian pork burger topped with hoisin glaze, slaw, and sriracha aioli on a Kaiser Roll and a side of Sweet Potato Tots. 

The Dumpling with Sweet Potato Tots

This burger definitely had a unique taste with all the various flavors melding together. Makes me want to return soon to try another. If the burger was not great enough, the sweet potato tots took this dish over the top. Outstanding! Now I have never tried sweet potato tots but I can tell you they will be added to my plate whenever they are offered on a menu again. 

Dora here. I really enjoyed the Boogan's Bacon Burger. The patty was huge and meaty, and looked handcrafted, and the bacon marmalade and garlic aioli gave it an added pop. And fresh fruit? How could I resist? Check out that heaping bowl of berries and pineapple. Delish!

Boogan's Bacon Burger

Meaty ~ Boogan's Bacon Burger

Looks yummy, right? It was! Even so, my fork kept wandering over to Ernie's plate, and I snatched more than half of those Sweet Potato Tots. Yowza! Those tots sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon rocked! Heaven in my mouth!

We rate this restaurant five forks out of five for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.