Archive for July, 2012

Szechuan Carry Out

Sunday, July 29th, 2012

Not too many restaurants put out their external signage months before they open, but Szechuan Carry Out did, which made it confusing when it actually was finally open for business (which was at the end of last year). There’s really nothing on the menu that distinguishes itself from any other Chinese carry-out place, so I decided to order some staples of these restaurants.

The lunch-sized General Tso’s Chicken ($5.35) was surprisingly good, in that there was the right amount of breading, a slight crunch as you bite in and a nice, thick sauce to accompany it. (The worst is when you get a barely breaded, chewy chicken in a watery sauce.)

The lunch-sized Kung Bo Pork ($5.35) was a disappointment. For one, it wasn’t the least bit spicy. I also didn’t like that it had an endless amount of vegetables and peanuts and so little pork.

I should also add that the fried rice that comes with the lunch specials was tasty–it’s sprinkled with pieces of egg instead of pork and didn’t have any scallions.

The eight-piece crab rangoon ($4.95) differed from every other Chinese restaurant’s version in that it was onion-y, and I’m not sure I have an opinion either way on that break from the norm. At least it was a good portion for its price. Other appetizers include egg rolls ($3.50) and steamed dumplings ($4.95).

The rest of the menu consists of standards items such as House Special Low Mein ($6.25 pint, $9.35 quart), Mongolian Beef ($9.95) and Sweet & Sour Chicken ($8.25).

Szechaun Carry Out is open every day for lunch and dinner. It has a few tables inside, so you can eat in if you don’t want to take your meal to go. Delivery also is available with a $50 order.

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Fine dining in Door County

Sunday, July 22nd, 2012

Most resort cities are full of casual restaurants, but you’ll usually find at least a few nice places when you want to take the dining experience up a notch. Here are some recommendations for Door County.

I was impressed by JJ’s Waterfront Restaurant in Sister Bay. Both hostesses were extremely friendly, and our waiter was attentive and easy going. I ordered the ribeye special that evening, which was supremely tender and packed with flavor. It was topped with ravioli filled with egg yolk–good, but odd as a companion with the steak, in my opinion.

My dining companion had the special Thursday pasta menu, in which you can pick three courses among nine choices. The braised short rib and potato gnocchi dish was our favorite. Worth noting was that a gentleman at the adjacent table who was from California raved about the halibut, saying it was the best he’s ever eaten.

JJ’s Waterfront also has a nice big bar with ample wine and cocktail selection.

***

On the other side of the peninsula is Harbor Fish Market & Grille in Bailey’s Harbor. The Friday-only perch was indeed lightly breaded as described and worth ordering if you’re there on the right day. It comes with fries and coleslaw.

I came for the famed New England Style Lobster Boil. Fifty-five dollars gets you a 1.5-2-lb lobster, baby red potatoes, corn on the cob, mussels and clams, in addition to lobster bisque and Door County cherry bread pudding. I happily devoured every part of the entree. The lobster was sweet enough that I hardly had to use any melted butter.

Meanwhile, the bisque was bland, unfortunately, so I had to add a lot of salt and pepper. I thought the cherry bread pudding would be more tart, but I was disappointed. The sweet and tasty Scooby Snack martini made up for it, though.

A somewhat annoying presence in the restaurant is the creaky floor, which also gently shakes your table every time people walk on it.

***

Back in Sister Bay on the corner of Hwys 42 and 57 is Mission Grille Restaurant. While the full menu  looked tempting–I had my eye of the Terra Aqua, an 8 oz. filet with chipotle prawns and blue cheese-scallion potato cake–we sat in the bar to order from the tapas menu.

The lobster bisque here had the wonderful flavor that was missing in Harbor Fish Market’s version. I also enjoyed the toasted mushroom ravioli, the cocoa spiced pork ribs and the chipotle prawns.

The chocolate brownie with raspberry ice cream was a decadent and indulgent way to end the meal (loved the melt-in-your-mouth brownie!). The bar has a pretty good martini and wine selection as well.

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Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

Madison’s east side continues to be a depository of chain restaurants. Will it ever be like its crosstown rival and have a Delaney’s? an Otto’s? an Eno Vino?

Joining the fray recently was Dickey’s Barbecue Pit. Since the Madison area hasn’t seen its likes, I thought I’d write a short review.

I’m a meat lover, and I appreciate being able to combine different types of meats, and that’s something you can do here. On one plate, I tried the brisket and polish sausage. I prefer brisket in slices, but this chopped version was good, albeit a little weak in flavor. It’s really dependent on the sauces, which I’ll get to in a bit. The sausage was actually my favorite item of the day–it was not at all bland like so many poorly constructed links.

On the other plate, I had the Fall-Off-The-Bone Pork Ribs and the southern pulled pork. The ribs were too smoky (re: dry) for my liking, and the pulled pork seemed to be missing the requisite fat. Just like in the case of the brisket, using either the regular, sweet or spicy BBQ sauces really helped the meats. I guess that’s okay when the sauces are good, and they were in this case.

You get two sides and a roll with every plate. I wouldn’t get the jalapeno beans again, as they weren’t at all sweet or spicy. Both the creamy coleslaw and the mac & cheese were fairly standard. The winner was the onion tanglers, which were deep-friend onion pieces (not in a ring) that reminded me of the parts of an onion blossom served at other restaurants.

A pleasant surprise was the free ice cream and pickles (pregnancy craving, anyone?). I added the soft serve vanilla (the only flavor) to my root beer to make a float.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit is open every day for lunch, dinner and carryout. Catering is available, too.

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Vasilis’ Take Five

Saturday, July 7th, 2012

In April, Vasilis’ Take Five took over the space once occupied by the Corner Store on Willy Street. I think it’s a nice addition to the neighborhood, and with friendly service and tasty Greek food, it has a chance to succeed.

Let’s start with the staple, the lamb gyro ($5 at lunch, $7 at dinner). I liked the slightly grilled pita, the tender meat and the fresh tomatoes. The cucumber sauce was milder than I would like, and the gyro was topped with red onions instead of white (not necessarily a bad thing). I would rate this gyro higher, but I have to say that I am biased: I know that owner Vasilis Kallias also ran the Mercury Cafe, and those gyros were better in my opinion.

To this plate I added the house side salad ($3, $4), which was surprisingly good. It had just the right amount of onion, feta, cucumbers and tomatoes. I love a lot of dressing on my salads, and this one was doused in vinaigrette, though I realize not everyone shares this affinity.

I also added the house-cut fries ($2, $3) to my plate. They seemed to need some kind of seasoning, but they were just fine otherwise. The rest of the menu–which is quite small–includes items such as Greek fisherman’s shrimp ($9, $15) and braised lamb shank ($10, $15).

Take Five also has a full bar. I ordered a flavored martini from the long list of martinis, and it was very sweet and refreshing on a hot day, but it wasn’t worth $8 for such a small serving.

My server, by the way, was super friendly and attentive. That was good, because I came in annoyed since the staff had forgotten to unlock the front door when they opened, and I had to frantically get someone’s attention.

Although the website says reservations recommended, you probably don’t need one unless you have a large group. In fact, while I was there, a person called to reserve a table for three, and the server said it’s just first come, first serve. Take Five is open Mon-Sat for lunch, dinner and carryout.

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PC Kitchen

Sunday, July 1st, 2012

Now open for three months, PC Kitchen doesn’t seem to have its identity set. First, it’s supposed to be an offshoot of Pancake Cafe, but it doesn’t draw nearly the same size of crowd. That may be because of its location in a strip mall by Woodman’s–it’s just weird to go to one to eat.

The name also is confusing, as it sounds like the place either fixes computers or is politically correct. Finally, the restaurant took over for the former New Town Pub, so there’s still a big bar in this family-friendly establishment. Overall, the food is good and the staff is welcoming, but will it be enough to overcome its inherent obstacles?

I tried the Homemade Biscuits & Gravy ($6.99), which comes with two eggs and hashbrowns. The biscuit was wonderfully soft; so many places give you a rock-hard biscuit. The gravy was rich and creamy and topped with slices of sausage instead of sausage crumbles, a nice touch. I would have preferred my hashbrowns crispier, as they didn’t have enough brown to them.

The Spinach Omelette ($6.99) is made from three eggs and comes with choice of cheese, hashbrowns and mushroom dipping sauce. It was really big and would have been tastier had the cheese been spread out a bit better. The mushroom dipping sauce was creative and helped boost the flavor of the omelette.

On a future visit, I’ll probably try the Bacon Pancake or Bacon Belgian Waffle ($5.99 each), both stuffed with bacon. The lunch menu is mainly comprised of sandwiches and burgers, such as the PC Kitchen Burger (Canadian bacon, American cheese and a sunny side up egg with red pepper aioli for $8.99).

PC Kitchen is open 365 days a year for breakfast and lunch. I hate when restaurants take cash only, and this is another such place, so be prepared.

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