Interlaken, NY: Cayuga Lake Creamery

On the advice of friends at Cornell University I changed my driving route to go up Highway 89, which was a beautiful drive along the lake ... but beauty aside, the point of the drive was the much anticipated stop at the Cayuga Lake Creamery [http://cayugalakecreamery.com/]. The quintessential roadside stand on a road full of summer tourist excitement, it almost demands the driver stop the car. It was worth the detour and more ... and you know I love me some ice cream.

They have a full menu of casual food ... burgers, sandwiches and the like, but the draw here is the ice cream, so I really didn't pay attention to anything else. There are sundaes, shakes, and other treats but for me it was pure ice cream that I was after. And there are flavors galore, including wine sorbets that are made with local vintages and other interesting combinations. But before I get to the ice cream, there were cones to consider. In addition to the usual cake or sugar varieties, plain or dipped in chocolate, maybe some nuts or sprinkles there was one that I've never heard of ... a pretzel cone. Yes, you read right, a cone made from pretzel dough with salt on the outside. And with the Salted Caramel ice cream it was perfect ... crisp, salty, smooth, cold, creamy and everything that a person could want on a hot summer afternoon. There were so many tempting flavors that it was hard to decide, but I've been kind of addicted to salted caramel anything lately, so that was calling my name and the decision was sealed when I found out about the pretzel cone. I wish I was closer because there were so many other flavors that I wanted to taste, next trip to upstate New York for the Cayuga Lake Creamery will be on the list for sure.

Oh, and one more thing ... the have 'Breakfast a la Mode' on the weekends with some amazing sounding ice cream flavors including Maple Bacon [YES!!!] and Brown Sugar Oatmeal. Almost worth the trip back to give it a try, what could be a better way to start a summer vacation weekend!

The Cayuga Lake Creamery is a perfect spot, a slice of Americana that offers everything you could want for a summer day. Follow you reflexes, pull that car over and enjoy. This place is special.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Bedford, MA: Flatbread Company

So here I am in Bedford on a Monday night, craving pizza after checking in to the hotel in an area where there is nothing visible around in terms of food [or anything, for that matter]. The front desk person vaguely pointed in a direction that there were restaurants and off I drove into the night. Random, really, that I found Flatbread, its in an office park kind of place with two other restaurants and barely visible from the road, but find it I did and went inside. They had actually closed for the evening, the ovens weren't hot enough to bake a pie, but the manager set me up with a great salad and I went back to the hotel happy. The next evening I went back for pizza [you can see that I was focused] and it was a great decision.

The restaurant is large, sleek in a funky kind of way, with an open kitchen and wood fired ovens. The ingredients are organic and locally sourced when possible, and the beers on tap from the area as well. Casual, but not without thought to both food and service, this was a very cool local place and popular with the community. The pizza was great, thin and crispy crusts on the pizzas [my favorite] and well balanced, housemade topping. I had a sausage pie with caramelized onions and it was close to perfect. The sausage was excellent and the portion not stingy. There is a nice selection of salads as well, organic greens with with goat cheese and vegetables, and a very nice berry vinaigrette to top things off. And some not-to-bad brownies as well, a great casual dinner on a midweek evening.

The focus here is on not only the food, but the community, and its very cool. The night I was there they were doing a benefit for a local high school, and the place was packed with happy pizza munchers. Good energy for a Tuesday night. Of course, regardless of how good the food may be, it is the staff who can make or break an establishment and on this count it is definitely a 'make'. The manager, Sean, was personable and welcoming, even in the heat of a very busy evening, making sure that everyone was taken care of an included. He has an infectious energy that kept the staff smiling and the pizzas flying out of the kitchen. The only negative thing that I can say is that the place isn't well marked, if you don't know what you're looking for you could easily drive right by .. . a sign please? Great place for a casual evening, go in and tell Sean that I sent you.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Painter [Eastern Shore]: VA: Big's Place

What a great find! Way out on the Eastern Shore ... you'd drive right by if you weren't paying attention ... and by all means, PAY ATTENTION. Open for lunch and dinner, the very casual menu features wonderfully fresh seafood, just pulled from the bay, and a great selection of sides to round out the meal. The room is not large, so you may have to wait, and some of the larger tables are used for communal dining, a good way to meet the locals people and make new friends. Just enjoy!

I had the best fried scallops that I have ever eaten, crisp and brown on the outside and wonderfully sweet and tender on the inside. I could have eaten a pound of them, but the side dishes called my name and I couldn't decide ... so I had several. Deviled eggs, Cole slaw [not flavored enough for my taste], macaroni salad, and excellent fried potatoes and onions. With sweet tea, of course. It was a perfect lunch and had me smiling all the way back to the Norfolk airport for my flight. This is a classic country/shore place that deserves a trip out of the way for a visit. And don't forget the orange blossom cake!

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Greenville, SC: Sticky Fingers BBQ

Greenville is a nice town with a very cool restored downtown area that is charming and has a number of nice restaurants [and a surprising number of people asking for handouts . . . what's up with that?]. So today was a Sunday and I was disappointed in the number of what looked like great spots that were closed, but you know I like me some BBQ so I settled on Sticky Fingers. What a disappointment!!! The only thing that was good was the beer, everything else was average at best. The ribs looked promising, but the sauce was bland and boring. The mac'n'cheese tasted as if it came from a box and used that nacho cheese stuff rather than real cheese, and the baked beans were tepid. How can this happen in the heartland of BBQ? Then there was the service [or lack there of] . . . I sat at the bar, which is usually a good thing. Not here. The bartender was distracted by everything, including the TV. I had to ask for water, and after the food arrived had to ask for silverware. When I asked for the check and put out my card I actually had to ask him to process the card as he was leaving the area on some other distraction. This place has a prime location in the main street in downtown Greenville and is a prime disappointment. Don't waste your time or the calories, you'd be better off with room service at the hotel.

EatHereOrNot: NOT

Atlanta [Decatur]: Watershed

I have heard about Watershed, and particularly their fried chicken, for some time and finally got the chance to check it out. My first piece of advice is to watch carefully as you are driving in the neighborhood . . . we drove right by even when we were looking at the addresses and paying attention. The second piece of advice is that this is not a place to take clients or expect to have quiet conversation . . . the room is very loud. Not that that's a bad thing, but just be aware in advance. The third piece of advice is go! The food was wonderful, southern traditional cooking well executed and plentiful.

So . . . for starters there was a saute of wild mushrooms over toast spread with goat cheese. What's southern about that I don't know, but it was really good, the mushrooms well seasoned and tasting of just a splash of sherry. Then a real southern starter, pimento cheese spread . . . that neon-orange salve so good on crackers, but served here with celery so that it counts as a vegetable. Way to go! [as an aside, I will say that my pimento cheese is better . . . especially now that I'll serve it with celery] Then on to the vaunted fried chicken. And it lived up to the reputation. . . crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and well flavored. Its no surprise that on the days it is available they tend to run out. Also on the plate were perfect mashed potatoes and field peas. And finally biscuits that were some of the best I've ever had. My only complaint was that there was no gravy involved . . . what are mashed potatoes without gravy? And I'm sure, with everything else being so good, the folks in the kitchen would make some amazing gravy. Bring it on! Double chocolate cake for dessert, good but not great. Just get more chicken if you're still hungry.

Overall, this was a great place for a casual meal with friends. Good food, fun atmosphere and, oh yes, cute waitstaff. Its all good. So head to Watershed and have a fun evening . . . and let me know what you think.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Columbia, SC: Mr. Friendly's

This place is GREAT! Its a fairly small, casual restaurant with food that belies its simple surroundings. The space is an old bakery: brick walls, high ceiling, wood floors and filled with light. The food is 'new southern', which for me translated to delicious. I had lunch here and would have returned for dinner had I still been in town.

So, on to the food: buttermilk fried cube steak . . . the best 'chicken fried steak' I've ever had. Couple that with garlic mashed potatoes with black pepper cream gravy that was perfect and I'm in heaven. The plate also had a wonderful roasted corn salsa [this must be the new part of new southern] and a beautiful succotash. I was stuffed and still could have eaten the whole thing over again. For desert we ordered the key lime pie, and it was the only disappointment. The texture was rubbery and was more like something from a jello mix. I should have just had more mashed potatoes and gravy!

This was a wonderful discovery [thanks Bob!] and I will happily return. My only reservation is the name . . . does anyone else think that Mr. Friendly is a euphemism for a certain part of the male anatomy?

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

Sarasota [Siesta Key]: The Lobster Pot

This place was fun, a beachy restaurant full of "lobster stuff" that is family owned and run and had a cool, laid back vibe. Its a world away from downtown Sarasota out on Siesta Key, which is really just a short drive. There is a kitchy dining room and patio for dining, and a small bar where you can eat as well. So take your pick and enjoy.

The menu is just what you would expect from a New England seafood shack: clams, lobster [of course], fish of all sorts and great sides [the cole slaw was exceptional]. I had the lobster newburg, becuase I'm lazy and didn't want to work at getting my lobster out of the shell. The sauce was flavorful and filled with lobster, all filling a crips puff pastry shell. Good stuff. And as I said, the cole slaw was great, as were the baked beans.

If you're looking for a fine dining experience, don't go here. If you are looking for good seafood in a casual, fun environment this is your spot. Check it out. And note that there is a city parking lot behind the restaurant, its hard to see at night, but with street parking tight you'll celebrate when you find it.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

http://www.sarasota-lobsterpot.com/

Orlando: Disneyworld: Disney's Boardwalk: Flying Fish

Back to Florida for another conference and the Disney craziness that I love, and more chances to eat well and find the unexpected in this over the top world. This time its off to the Boardwalk area, a complex on a lake designed to simulate a classic beach-front boardwalk of an earlier time. The star restaurant at this locale is Flying Fish, a bustling seafood house with a whimsical interior design and thoughtfully prepared food. As with any Disney place, look around you for the details that will make you smile, particularly the golden fish parasailing from the rafters. Then look at your plate, it will make you smile too.

The menu has a nice selection of seafood entrees and includes some beef for the non-fish-friendly. This evening I had a dish of seared sea scallops presented over a risotto with parmesan, fresh peas and pea tendrils. It was an excellent combination, not too heavy but filling and the combination of flavors and textures worked well. The scallops were a tad overcooked to my taste, not ruined, but just beyond that point of perfection. The risotto was on the mark and the real star of the presentation. Others at my table had the “signature” dish which is a snapper crusted in potatoes and sautéed. It’s a nice preparation, looks good on the fish-shaped plate and was very popular. I was less convinced as I found the whole thing kind of bland, but that’s probably just me. There are a number of desserts on the menu, but none of them were enticing enough to call us away from finishing the meal with the cheese plate. The five cheeses arrived beautifully plated and with interesting condiments, including a kumquat marmalade that was a perfect foil to the blue cheese on the plate.

This is not my favorite restaurant in the area, but it can provide a fun evening of nice food in interesting surroundings. Drawbacks include the usual troops of children with Mcdonald’s level restaurant skills [even later in the evening, this being spring break], their associated and equally challenged parental units, and a generally high decibel level. This is not a place to expect quiet conversation or seclusion, but without those expectations give it a go.

EatHereOrNot: MAYBE

New Orleans: Camellia Grill

A lovely streetcar ride uptown [or a cab if you’re in a hurry] takes you to this local favorite, and nationally known, diner. Camellia Grill reopened after a too-long closure due to Katrina, its back in full swing offering the best of real diner food with all of the trimmings. There are no tables here, just a serpentine counter that is usually full of folks happily munching omelets, burgers, chili and fountain concoctions prepared right behind the counter. The staff is friendly and calls the regulars by name, but everyone is made to feel welcome when they get a stool. When the stools are full, those waiting for a spot sit on a long bench along the wall [in strict order of arrival] and sometimes that bench is full up too, so a line forms out the door. All of that means that everyone knows this is the place to be, and it is worth the wait.

This is authentic diner food, the kind that you crave after too much fancy stuff, and nothing like the food at those upscale faux diners like Buckhead Diner in Atlanta or its twin Fog City Diner in San Francisco. The burgers are great, and I love the buns . . . which are soft and squishy in just the right way and absorb the juices and condiments. The fries too, hot out of the grease, are just what the doctor ordered. But to take them to a higher level, have them doused with chili and cheese and you’ll be in diner heaven. Get a chocolate shake to wash things down and you’re all set. Until its time for dessert, where the apple pie shines, warmed up on the grill and paired with vanilla ice cream. Who could ask for anything more? Breakfast is available all the time, so if you’re in the mood for an omelet at after a night of partying in the Quarter this is the place to be.

So when in the Big Easy, head uptown to the Camellia and support this local institution, and have some fun as well. If you take a cab, be sure to have the address with you . . . and make sure that the cabbie knows to turn left off of Canal . . . I have discovered that there is a whole new cadre of cabbies that arrived after Katrina and they are not from New Orleans and don’t really know where things are outside of the major hotels and the French Quarter. It’s another shame that the post-Katrina migration took with it the collective knowledge of the city and its colorful history that was a topic of conversation and point of pride for cabbies as they drove you to your destination. I took several cab rides while I was in town and none of the drivers had been in town very long, had any real feel for the city or its history and for the most part did not speak English well enough to carry on a conversation. It was sad.

EatHereOrNot: EAT HERE

http://www.camelliagrill.net/

Portland: The Rhinelander

The Rhinelander is one of those kitchy places that fascinates and repels at the same time . . . like a train wreck or a public fight between spouses, the question is to look or not and if you choose to look should you enjoy it. It’s the only place in Portland that I know of with a strolling accordionist and a band of singing waiters belting out German drinking songs in between serving pots of fondue and steins of beer. I have wondered what a German tourist would think if some well meaning Portlander brought him to the Rhinelander for a “taste of home”. Probably a combination of amusement, at the realization that much of Oregon [and the US] thinks that this cartoonish piece of Bavaria is what Germany is really like, and horror for the same reason. My reaction would be similar if I thought that the world viewed Hee Haw as an accurate depiction of the “real” America.

But, we’re here to talk about the food and there is plenty of it, starting with the fondue that arrives on the table to kick off the meal. Bluehour does not need to worry here, the fondue is overly salty and tastes of processed cheese, but it is the perfect way to start things off here with chunks of bread and a beer. I wonder if the salty fondue is a way to stimulate the thirst and thus the beer sales, like the peanuts and popcorn that are paraded through the stands at the circus before the soft drinks vendor makes an appearance. After the fondue comes soup or salad and I recommend the lentil soup, a simple and hearty bowl that’s perfect on a winter night. It is savory and tastes of the earth in a peasant kind of way. The plentiful selection of “classic” German entrees is pleasant in a kind of stereotypical way and includes sauerbraten, schnitzel, a variety of sausages and other treats. The portions are large and many include my favorites spatzle [remember, I like the carbohydrates] and sauerkraut. The desserts were for me a disappointment, nothing looked worth the calories and the chocolate mousse that I sampled could have come from a boxed mix . . . the best part about it was its serving dish, a cookie shaped like a cup.

Don’t go head to the Rhinelander for fine dining or a quiet evening, but do go and enjoy this Portland institution for a casual evening with a group of friends who would get the joke and enjoy the experience. The Rhinelander is a guilty pleasure, one of those things that more people really enjoy than actually admit to, and that’s just fine. So go, order a beer and a sausage, and polka if you get the chance, its all in good fun and you’ll smile at the memory.

EatHereOrNot: MAYBE