Winston-Salem Eats: Mooney's Mediterranean Cafe

A random road trip brought me to the city of Winston-Salem this past week, presenting a fairly large host of options to choose from in the downtown area. While there were some great choices in town I would have surely loved to take on, being the falafel lover I am Mooney's Mediterranean Cafe was the easy choice for my travel companion and I after some urbanspoon debating the night before.

Getting straight to the food, we ordered Mooney's falafel sandwich with a side of steak fries and a shawarma with a side of fettoush, Mooney's house salad. The falafel sandwich takes a bit of a spin from the traditional version you're likely to see, opting for a heavy herb accent from the parsley and cilantro. The texture was crispy and slightly crumbly, a little different the norm as far as falafels go. While it doesn't pack the punch of some falafel's I've had, the herb-y falafel still managed to satisfy. The pita was just the way I like it, a little warm, soft, and slightly chewy - a great companion for any sandwich avail. The hummus was lighter then some I've had - which I like - and tangy, a good fit in the falafel sandwich, giving the dish brightness with the hint of lemon and providing a nice base for the falafels. A cilantro/parsley sauce also gave the dish a extra pop that I rather enjoyed. The fries were fantastic with the falafel, likely twice-fried and lightly seasoned to perfection. There are few things more comforting then a well-cooked fry. Alongside the falafel sandwich the steak fries made for a lovely and filling pairing for well under $10.

The shawarma came in a bright, lemony sauce which complemented well with the nicely marinated shawrma (beef). Again, the pita shines, providing a nice vessel for the star of the sandwich. The only complaint one may have is that it gets a little messy with all the juices in this pita. Definitely devour this efficiently before your sandwich falls apart. The fettoush was a bit of a disappointment. It is another dish hit with a lemony, herb dressing, but for the most part it reads as a pretty average side as far as it goes. I would just call it a house salad if anything. If that is all you're looking for though, then you'll likely enjoy it with their zingy dressing. The fries, however, are definitely the way to go with any pita sandwich here in my opinion if you don't mind the calories.

No Reservations, the word on Mooney's
Atmosphere: Casual cafe, very friendly
and helpful service.
Costs: Great lunch options from as low as $5 to $10.
Recommendation: Anything in their pita looks satisfying. Stir away
from the giant cookies on the side though. Unpleasant.

Easily findable off the freeway and filled with plenty of parking in the vicinity, Mooney's is definitely an attractive option for anyone passing by town for lunch. Locals were flooding into the restaurant well after the usual lunch hour, which is always a good sign for any dining establishment. Those a bit hesitant about trying something new will even find some interesting burger choices, so there's really no excuse not to give the place a look if you are in the area. If that's not enough to convince you, the baklava ice cream might do the trick. ;)

Columbia Eats: Brunch at 116 Espresso and Wine Bar

State St. is quickly becoming my favorite spot to be in Columbia, South Carolina. With Cafe Strudel, Terra, and Tea on the side for a little ethnic flare, it's become an area that I'm happy to indulge in as long as my wallet allows. For some odd reason, however, I've some how passed up the 116 each and every time I've ventured into the area. What a mistake. This low key Wine and Espresso restaurant may be one of Cola's best bites, and one of the most affordable at that.

I visited the 116 for brunch this past Sunday. Unfortunately work kept me from trying out their mimosas and other morning pick-me ups. A tragedy. Fortunately, the surprisingly well-priced menu of brunch items was there to give me the much needed adrenaline boost. Usual fair like steak and eggs, shrimp and grits, stuffed french toast, and omelets were on the menu - all equally fantastic in their own right - but it didn't take me long to pick out the odd, but exciting man out on this menu, a stack of sweet potato pancakes - a steal for $6.

"Light, but heavy" may be the worse possible way to describe these cakes, but they absolutely were in the best way possible. Soft to touch, creamy, melt in your mouth to bite, and surprisingly filling considering its size, it's an order that won't make you regret not having a little meat on the side. It had just the right amount of crispness on the exterior and the fluffiness in the interior that you love about a great pancake. A generous slab of butter and maple syrup only made things better while a side of fruit kept the palate clean for the next bite. Easily one of the best brunch items I've had in awhile.

My partner-in-crime for the day decided to stick to the Southern classic and grabbed an order of shrimp and grits. The shrimp were grilled and well seasoned, but peeled, leaving me wishing there was a little more to gnaw on. The grits were cheesy with a hint of tabasco. Not creamy like you'd expect from low country grits, but rather baked, providing a bit of a cakey cheese grit, almost like a biscuit. This may sound like a bad thing, but I promise it is not. Though satisfying in its own right, if you are a fan of ultra creamy low country grits, this may not be the thing for you.

No Reservations, the lowdown on 116
Atmosphere: Relaxed, casual. Less charming then it's neighbor Cafe Strudel,
but still pleasant for meeting friends.
Cost: Great brunch prices, between $5-10.
Try: Sweet potato pancakes for sure. Stuffed french toast
also looks great, and really how often does this go wrong? (Don't answer that!)

Don't be weary about the "Wine Bar" aspect of the restaurant's namesake. This is first and foremost definitely a restaurant pushing out great food. Definitely recommended for brunch, especially to students looking for a quality, light-on-the-wallet weekend outing. It's a nice, busy place that brings in locals of all ages, and is surely a fair, atmospheric place for a romantic dinner. I'll definitely be interested in coming back for dinner one day and checking out their tapas menu.

Oh yeah, they have a tapas menu. Oh yes, they have a tapas menu.

Greenville (SC) Eats: Dawgs on Pelham

If there's one thing about my childhood that I look back fondly on, it's the atrocious (though delicious) amount of hotdogs I had growing up. Many food enthusiasts may look down on the tube of mystery meat, but for me there's something heartwarming about a good hotdog. There's a difference between a good hotdog and trash though, without question. Unlike a good hamburger, few hotdogs have what it takes to stand on its own. That's where the zany combination of condiments come in and take over and make a normal dog something special.

Craving a good dog on a hot summer South Carolina day, I decided to try out Dawgs on Pelham, a small, but homely establishment featuring some American staples along with some not-so-ordinary twists on the classics, including a variety of interesting burger twists such as the stuffed burger. As intriguing as some of the burger options sounded though, I came for the name, grabbing a slaw dog plate with an extra Mexican dog thrown in. The Mexican was, well, kind of disappointing. Topped with jalapenos, onions, and tomatoes, it didn't really do much for me except provide a little kick. The slaw dog though - a relatively dry, but meaty chili topped by a cool purple slaw also served as a side for the plate - was a huge improvement. The purple slaw was somewhat baffling. On its own, it was a little bland and didn't provide much crunch or flavor. Topped on the dog, however, it made for a great companion to the chili creating a nice creamy, meaty, textural bite on top of the dog. That may sound kind of horrendous on paper, but you'll have to just trust me on that one! The dog itself wasn't anything special in my book, just an average dog with no real pop like I've had other places in my day. The whole thing in general was just a really attractive, bit-better-then-average slaw dog. Along with the plate came homemade fries. Kudos for being homemade, but they unfortunately came rather bland and just not crisp at all. If I return, I think I'd just stick to the dogs and order an extra one instead of a plate - or grab a burger.

No Reservations, the lowdown on Dawgs
Atmosphere: Mom and pop kind of place,
real local. It's a burger joint y'know?
Costs: $5 range for most. Good prices for lunch.
Try: Slaw dog, or the burgers. Looked good.

Greenville (SC) Eats: The Woodruff Rd. Buffet Run

I've somehow eaten at a handful of buffets up and down Woodruff Rd. in my short time in Greenville, South Carolina, something that just happens when there's a large family hungry for food I guess. Woodruff Rd. for the most part was littered high profile grocery stores including Whole Foods and Trader Joes and chain after chain after chain. That being said, there's some interesting bites to be had along this popular part of town, such as Tasty Korean BBQ, reviewed below or Lieu's Chinese Bistro, a much more exciting variation of Chinese American compared to P.F. Chang's horrid, oily mess just down the street. That's a whole other story though; we've got other business to discuss here, starting with:

Ni Hao
Type of Food: Chinese/Japanese Buffet
Price: One of the Cheapest in Town for Dinner, $8.99
Atmosphere: Surprisingly upscale for the price range

I had my doubts about the place considering how less busy it was compared to the nonstop action going on at Hibachi Buffet down the street, but Ni Hao actually had kind of a sexy atmosphere and some interesting bites here and there. The best bite went to the steam dumpling; a crisp on the outside, soft and creamy in the center dumpling with fresh bits of shrimp and sauteed spinach on the inside. Devouring five of these bad boys might have been a bad idea considering how filling it was, but weighing the options I think it was worth it. Outside of these, most items were hit or miss. Seafood-wise, the clams bathed in black bean sauce and crawfish hit the spot, but the sushi were mostly misfires. Everything else was standardish, nothing too different from the norm, but not horrendous either. For a quieter experience at the sacrifice of a few items, Ni Hao isn't a bad choice in the face of it's heavy hitting opposition down the street.

Saffron Indian Cuisine
Type of Food: Oh, you know.
Price: $10ish for lunch buffet
Atmosphere: Upscale, but locals keep it local

Saffron may be a bit hard on the wallets for guests during dinner time, but like most Indian restaurants, lunch provides an affordable trip to overseas. Vegetarians will feel at home here with the flavorful vegetable dishes at Saffron, which are constantly rotating. Cauliflower was the feature of the day during my visit with it being served three-to-four ways whether it was battered and fried, cooked in curry, or well... cooked in curry. I'm not the biggest cauliflower enthusiast in the world, but these dishes certainly made me forget that fact for awhile. Saffron's curries pack a satisfying punch, from the standard chicken curry to the more robustly spiced vegetarian curries. Spice lovers may be slightly disappointed by the heat levels of these dishes, but some side dishes help up the ante for those looking for their kicks.

The naan, Indian flatbread, had been hit or miss for me in the past, but today it was exactly how I liked it, soft, slightly chewy with a bit of savoriness. There was one disappointment though, the tandoori chicken, a sad, dry piece of chicken found stuffed in what looked like a 90s infomercial roaster. Stick with the chicken curries for your protein meat lovers.

Bon Thai
Type of Food: American Thai. I guess.
Price: $8-9 lunch
Atmosphere: A little too quiet for the lunch hour methinks.

I love Thai curries, I really do, but even I know you can only have so much. While the idea of a thai buffet sounds exciting, when the only options are seemingly leftover curries left and right, it gets a bit on the repetitive side you know? It's kind of ironic that the restaurant labels itself as a healthy food on the outside, but serves up a buffet (portion control anyone?) on the inside. Regardless, the curries offered only register "meh" on the Thai goodness scale. Most of the curries failed to really give the full Thai flavor that you'd expect out of their potent curries, which was disappointing considering the almost nonexistent choices outside of them. Endless Tom Yum soup was a nice touch, but the best part of the meal was the least Thai thing on the menu - a creme brulee. In a town with better Thai options, Bon Thai just doesn't hit the spot for me.

Greenville (SC) Eats: Tasty Korean BBQ

There's about a million reasons why people may want to avoid Tasty Korean BBQ. For starters, it's named Tasty Korean BBQ. I suppose the fact that it's attached to a gas station in a cramped parking lot next to what I think is a tax store also makes it less attractive. Despite the visual faults, anyone who steps into hole-in-the-wall will find themselves pleasantly surprised by the clean and charming interior of this family restaurant - and some good eats as well.

Every time I go to a Korean restaurant, I have high hopes of trying something different, or well, some bulgogi or garbi (korean barbecue) at least. But the sight, smell, and best of all crackling sound of a dolsot bibimbap (mixed rice in a hot stone bowl) was too hard for this traveler to turn down. I've had many dolsot bibimbap's in the past year, all of which have come in as many variations. Tasty Korean BBQ's version is one of the simpler with carrots, spinach, bean sprouts and a few greens with the usual bulgogi -(marinated beef) and fried egg on top. Honestly, I've had better bibimbap's before: some more complicated in vegetables, some with more flavorful bulgogi, and some with hotter stone bowls and crispier, sweeter rice, but you know what? Tasty Korean BBQ's version is still as every bit as soulful as any other bibimbap before. There's something about the textures, the taste, and the magical fried egg on top that makes this a dish that's almost impossible to beat. Not the perfect bibimbap, but still one well worth the price of admission.

Side dishes (known as banchan) are a trademark of Korean restaurants, traditionally served complimentary with every meal. Tasty Korean BBQ sports five; a much needed, much loved clear noodle stir-fry, a traditional plate of crisp and spicy kim chi, a slightly sweet and chewy-in-a-great way plate of squid, some sauteed zucchini (shrugs), and a cold, cool plate of potatoes mashed in some sweet cream. Delicious. Though other Korean restaurants I've been to have had more side dishes (up to 14 at the most I've seen!), Tasty's five banchan's were satisfying, well made, and all I really needed on a stormy night. Any more and it would have probably felt like a challenge rather than a meal. To finish things off, a cup of ginseng tea on the side brought everything together, capping off a great, filling dinner.

No Reservations, a Look at Tasty Korean BBQ
Atmosphere: Clean, cool, and casual. Don't be fooled
by the funny setting outside.
Costs: Korean food tends to be $9+, Tasty being no exception. You can find some fairly good lunch prices though if you don't mind opting for some simpler dishes.
Try: Anything barbecue, or the bibimbap.

The restaurant had a fair amount of busy the evening I visited. You know an ethnic restaurant is satisfying when locals of the same ethnicity visit, and Tasty Korean BBQ is no exception. Two tables were filled with local Korean business clients while other local Koreans came in and out to enjoy the food and visit with the owners. Non-Koreans also came in and out, apparently friendly and familiar with the owners at the restaurant. For an ethnic restaurant, there's a wonderfully local feel about it that made it all the more warming to visit on a dreary wet day. No, it is far from the best of its kind, but for simple, true to its name food, Tasty Korean BBQ is well worth a visit for anyone in the Greenville area.

Greenville (SC) Eats: The Northgate Soda Shop

Vanilla pepsi and cherry bombs!? Holy soda pop Batman! Just outside of Greenville's swanky downtown lays Northgate Soda Shop, Greenville's ultimate 50s transport. Dozens of historic pepsi bottles, rare sodas, and whimsical images litter the restaurant's walls and cabinets of this local favorite. True to its name, several soda flavor mixes sit in the back waiting for customer's calls. While a vanilla pepsi and cherry bomb (cherry flavored soda water) may be enough reason to come visit, the Soda Shop is also known for its list of burgers, particularly three: SC's official burger, the pimento cheese, the Chris Evans burger aka a bacon cheeseburger with a fried egg on top, and the kahuna burger, which... well, I assume is connected with pineapple in some way, shape, or form.

On my quick visit to the shop, I decided to go with their signature, the pimento cheeseburger. At first bite, it certainly felt like it met expectations. The cheese was ooey, gooey, and just a bit buttery. A toasted bun and large (see how it engulfs almost half of the plate!?) burger seemed like a winner. In the end though, the burger was just a bit too well done in the end for my taste, coming off as a bit dry halfway through. I would have loved extra pimento cheese as well (I mean, who doesn't?). I don't want to stir people in the wrong direction though; it was still a satisfying burger, and the wealth of locals that streamed in from the surrounding neighborhood absolutely agreed. A look around suggested that the Chris Evans burger may be more on par with people's taste; it was a popular pick among locals and looked sinfully delicious with the bacon and slab of egg on top. The pimento came with a side of standard crinkle fries and a healthy slab of coleslaw which was nicely balanced in texture and taste - one of the better slaws I've had in recent memory for sure.

No Reservations, The Shakedown on the Soda Shop
Costs: Between $6-8 for most plates.
Less for standard fare like a plain burger, but why do that?
Atmosphere: Incredibly local.
Owners knew most of the crowd by name.
Try: The Chris Evans Burger,
and of course a few soda mixes!

Greenville's downtown may be packed with a variety of local joints, but few pack the charm that Northgate Soda Shop carries. There's no fancy gadgets roaming around here; just a simple meal with a couple surprising bells and whistles for those who aren't afraid to stray off the beaten path and roam into this classic neighborhood establishment.

Greenville (SC) Eats: Pita House

Thesis work brought me to Greenville, South Carolina for the month, so I decided to check out some of the local favorites. At first glance, it seemed like a bit of a challenge to find some good eats outside of downtown with the seemingly endless array of chains littered through the city in all kinds of shapes and sizes, but some research and word of mouth led me to my first location, the Middle Eastern restaurant "Pita House", just across from Greenville Tech.

For such a low key place, Pita House seemed to attract a pretty sizable crowd for an off-hour time of day. On the outside, it looked like any other place in town, - perhaps even less attractive - but two steps in revealed a pleasantly bright and inviting interior.

Despite a relatively large menu featuring a variety of Middle Eastern treats, it didn't take me long to make my pick - the falafel plate, which came with a side of hummus, tomato cucumber raita, and a couple of pitas. The falafel was, in a word, sensational. Crispy on the outside, savory and just a little creamy in the middle, they'll make you forget that this is a vegetarian dish in a heartbeat. I've had a lot in my day, but none were as crisp and flavorful as Pita House's. A gem. Assembling the sandwich was another delight altogether. The gorgeous hummus and cool tomato-cucumber side made for perfect companions with the sandwich, and were even better packed into my second pita, creating explosions of amazing Middle Eastern flavors in my mouth.

No Reservations, The Shakedown on Pita House
Atmosphere: Local casual fare.
Costs: Great prices, $7 for the falafel plate,
most dishes costed even less. Cash only though!
Try: Do I really need to say?

I'm sure Pita House serves many other great dishes including kabobs and spinach pie, but after this experience, I think I'll take my chances and continue coming back for more amazing falafel. I was completely blown away by the quality of Pita House, especially in a place like Greenville, South Carolina. Anyone in town looking for a delicious and affordable meal should look no further then this diamond in the rough. Pita House also serves a host of baked goods for those aiming for more of a snack then a meal, so don't be afraid to stop by and check things out if you've never had Middle Eastern fare before.