Author: gatorgirl.outoftheswamp@gmail.com

Maru Sushi – Smyrna, GA

Several years ago I lived in Smyrna, Georgia which is a suburb of Atlanta. There was a local Japanese restaurant I loved going to called Maru Sushi. They were fantastic for take-out or eating in. I had recently gone back to Smyrna and was so happy to see that they were still there.

When I have visited before I have ordered an array of their sushi, which was always fresh and flavorful. Their fried rice has always been my absolute favorite. When I have gotten it with pork the flavor is the best.

  

When I recently went back I was there on a cold, rainy night. I was more in the mood for soup. The Sanuki Undo soup sounded like it would be perfect.

This large bowl of chicken broth was loaded with shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, and scallions. There were tons of tender Udon noodles too.

The noodles were extremely long and I needed chopsticks in order to eat them. The broth had great flavor that was slightly salty. I enjoyed the soup the way it was prepared however, if you enjoy just a little heat simply add some chili oil to it.

The two different mushrooms were tender and added nice texture to the soup. They did not add that typical earthy taste, which was good to me. It allowed for the broth to stand out.

This soup really hit the spot and warmed me up. I was so happy to get to visit one of my favorite local restaurants in Smyrna. I would recommend anyone checking them out. Eat in or take home, you will not be disappointed.

http://www.themarusushi.com/

Enjoy!

T

Tin Lizzy’s Cantina – Buford, GA

I normally do not like to write about chain restaurants. When I was headed to Tin Lizzy’s Cantina I thought I was going to a big chain, Tex-Mex place. I did a quick internet search and found out that they really are not that big. They are a small local chain that is based in Atlanta.

They have several locations around the metro area. And they just recently expanded to have two restaurants in South Carolina and one in Florida. In my mind this is just a really successful small business that is growing.

As soon as I walked in I was greeted by really nice hostesses. They were very welcoming and I knew I was off to a great dining experience.

  

Their menu is filled with starters and a huge list of tacos. You can order each taco individually or you can order one of their meals that allows you to pick and choose which tacos to try.

I start with I ordered the Triffecta. This was seasoned tortilla chips that came with their fresh made salsa, creamy queso, and fresh made guacamole. It was perfect to start with as I settled in and enjoyed catching up with a good friend.

The salsa was refreshing. It was a thin salsa where all the components had been placed in a blender and make smooth. The guacamole had huge chunks of fresh, creamy avocado. The queso was my favorite. It was extremely creamy and had a great salty taste. And I cannot forget about the tortilla chips. I mentioned that they were seasoned; from what I could tell it was like a chili powder and it added an extra flavor to each dip.

For my main meal I ordered the taco plate. I got to choose three tacos of my choice plus it came with a side of black beans and rice. Narrowing down the tacos was hard. I figured I should at least try three different proteins. I finally decided on:

(1) Bacon Cheeseburger Taco

(2) Baja Fish Taco

(3) Grilled Chicken Taco

When the tacos came out the first thing I noticed was how large they were. I had expected them to be a little smaller. Had I know this I would probably have only ordered two.

I started with the bacon cheeseburger taco. This was exactly what it sounded like. It was all the ingredients of a bacon cheeseburger in a taco shell. It was even garnished with a few dill pickle slices.

This was my favorite of the three because of the flavor. I thought it was the most robust. The bacon and lettuce added crunch. The beef was seasoned perfectly and the pickle added a slight sourness. Instead of using mustard and ketchup they used a wonderful tasting chipotle aioli.

The Baja fish taco was loaded with grilled cod and shredded red cabbage. It was topped with cotija cheese, avocado salsa, and that chipotle aioli that was also on the other taco.

The fish was cooked perfectly. It was flakey with great seasoning. The cabbage to me was there just for crunch and color. It did not add much to the overall flavor. The cotija cheese added a little sour taste. All the added flavor came from the combination of the avocado salsa and that great tasting chipotle aioli.

After eating these first two tacos, the grilled chicken taco was kind of uneventful. Don’t get me wrong, it was still tasty but in retrospect I should have eaten this one first.

The chicken was very tender and was topped with a homemade pico de gallo. The pico was extremely fresh and had wonderful flavor. The lettuce was there for filler; it really did not add much. And once again that chipotle aioli was drizzled on top. The aioli is what added the flavor to this taco.

I can see why Tin Lizzy’s Cantina is growing. They have a nice, unique take on tacos. This was a fun environment to hang with friends. Check out their menu at http://www.tinlizzyscantina.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

Sakura – Gastonia, NC

The city of Charlotte, North Carolina has been growing rapidly for years. Because of this growth, the suburbs have been growing too. Gastonia is one of those suburbs. It was time for lunch when I was in town and rather than eat at a chain restaurant, I decided to check out Sakura. It is the original Japanese Steakhouse in Gastonia and has been serving up sushi and Japanese dishes for over a decade.

  

I started off with a house salad that came with a choice of dressing – either ginger or a shrimp sauce. Naturally I chose the ginger dressing because it always has amazing flavor and is perfect with fresh, crispy lettuce. This was a pretty big salad compared with the small bowl that I usually have with a Japanese lunch.

Since it was cold outside, I went for the Japanese ramen soup. This homemade chicken broth was loaded with tender ramen noodles, fresh mushrooms, carrots, and spinach. Sliced up on top was a chicken breast. The chicken was thinly sliced and breaded with panko breadcrumbs and fried till crunchy. The flavor of the chicken complemented the salty taste from the broth. This soup was very filling and extremely hearty.

I am glad I stopped by this local Japanese restaurant. He staff was extremely friendly and waited on my every need. You should check out what they have to offer at http://www.sakuragastonia.com/

Enjoy!

T

Happy Easter 2018

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter.

Enjoy!

T

R&R Bar-B-Que – Concord, NC

I went to the cutest BBQ restaurant when I visited Concord, North Carolina. R&R Bar-B-Que has been serving fresh Carolina style BBQ for 20 years.

  

As soon as I walked in I noticed a theme to the restaurant, it was all about trains. They had several trains running on tracks that were mounted to the ceiling.

  

The also decorated all the walls with railroad signs. These signs were from all over the country.

  

I was looking forward to having some good Carolina BBQ. What makes Carolina BBQ different from what you get in Texas, Memphis, or Kansas City? The sauce used on the BBQ is vinegar based and Carolina BBQ focus of pork. This is why Carolina style is my favorite, I love pork BBQ.

I ordered the Engineer’s BBQ Plate. This apparently is their most popular dish. I for the slow cooked pork shoulder that was hand chopped rather than pulled. I like it this way because it chops up the bark from the edges into every bite of meat. Their pork was extremely moist and had a wonderful smoky taste. I made sure to eat some plain before I tried their BBQ sauces.

There were three sauces that I tried:

  1. Bar-B-Que: A classic sauce
  2. Sweet Sauce: This was my favorite because of the sweetness. It paired well with the smokiness from the meat.
  3. Sweet & Spicy: This did have a slight sweetness but that was overshadowed by the kick of heat that filled my mouth as I continued to eat the pork.

To accompany the pork BBQ I got three homemade hush puppies. These were fried to a crispy brown on the outside. As I took a bite, the cornmeal flavor came through the soft center. I enjoyed these plain, however, they did taste great dipped in some BBQ sauce.

My BBQ plate also came with two sides. Naturally I got the baked beans. They are a must have when I am enjoying BBQ. The beans were sweet and cooked till they were nice and tender.

The other side I ordered was the fried corn on the cob. The main reason I ordered this was because I needed to know what this really was. As soon as I saw the corn it reminded me of something I could get at a state fair (just minus the stick).

The ear of corn was dipped on a batter that had a little pepper mixed in. Then they deep fried the ear of corn until the batter was crispy. When I took a bite there was a little crunch with a salty taste. That went well with the sweetness of the corn itself. This was a really interesting take for a corn on the cob.

I love trying local restaurants when I am visiting a town or city. R&R Bar-B-Que fit the bill. They had amazing food and a cute theme. The staff was also very friendly. You should check them out if you are in the Concord area. Visit their website at http://rrbbq.net/

Enjoy!

T

J’s Oyster – Portland, ME

I was given another great suggestion of where to eat when I was visiting Portland, Maine. I was told if you like oysters and seafood then a visit to J’s Oyster is a must.

The restaurant is located on the water and does not look like much on the outside. However, when I walked in I was welcomed by all of the locals. This was clearly a great place to hang out. I met lots of really nice people.

I started off with the baked stuffed oysters. These were three fresh oysters that were baked till sizzling and topped with lobster stuffing. These were super-hot when they came out. I had to let them cool a little so I could pick them up.

The stuffing had the consistency of breadcrumbs. There were pieces of lobster meat mixed throughout. These breadcrumbs were then sprinkled on top of the oysters. The topping got slightly crunchy when they were put in the oven. The oysters were tender and did not have a briny taste. The only thing I wish about this dish is that they use just a little less of the breadcrumbs and add a little parmesan cheese.

For dinner I ordered the lobster scampi. The lobster was sautéed with red and green peppers in a butter, wine, and loads of garlic. This was then tossed in angel hair pasta.

There had to be two whole lobster tails in this dish. There was so much meat and each bite was extremely tender. I could not taste the sweetness of the lobster because of all the rich garlic flavor, which I loved. I also really liked having the angel hair pasta because it collected all the extra butter and garlic.

If the pasta was not enough food, a side salad also came with this dish. It was nice to add a little something extra to my dinner.

If you like lobster then J’s Oyster is a great place. They had a full lobster dinner at an amazing price when I was there. The price was less than a filet mignon. And do not worry if you do not know how to eat a fresh lobster that is still in the shell. They provide a placemat with instructions.

The food and company were great at J’s Oyster. The people of Portland have amazing hospitality. I would recommend everyone to check them out. You can see their menu at http://jsoysterportland.com/

 

Enjoy!

T

 

Becky’s Diner – Portland, ME

 

When I learned I was going to visit Portland, Maine I knew that I had to put a fresh lobster roll on my food bucket list. Now I have had lobster rolls before but never in Maine where lobsters are so abundant. Now the problem I had was deciding exactly where to go. So I asked a few locals where they like to go. They all agreed that the best lobster rolls can be found at Becky’s Diner.

    

This place was packed. The parking lot was full and there was a waiting list for a table. Lucky for me, the seats at the counter were first come, first serve. I was able to get a seat there.

While I was waiting for my lobster roll to come out I looked around the restaurant and I noticed that Guy Fieri’s stamp was on their wall. I had no idea that Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives had visited Becky’s. That made my visit even more exciting.

My lobster roll arrived and my mouth started watering as soon as I saw it. There was ¼ pound of fresh picked lobster piled high on a bun. Plus it came with coleslaw and French fries.

You can order the lobster roll two ways – either with mayo or plain with a side of melted butter. I got the mayo version. The creamy mayo paired really well with the sweet lobster meat.

The bun was grilled and had a great buttery taste. They lined the bottom of the bun with lettuce. The lettuce added great crunch to each bite.

This was an amazing lobster roll. I am so glad I stopped by. If you are not into lobster that is ok because Becky’s still has a full menu of other dishes. I noticed that several people were ordering breakfast plates for lunch.

Check them out at http://www.beckysdiner.com/

Enjoy!

T

 

 

Sebago Brewing – Portland, ME

I was visiting Portland, Maine for work. I had been to a few places around town and I really did not feel like venturing too far away from my hotel. Sometimes traveling can take a toll. Across the parking lot of my hotel stood Sebago.

To my surprise Sebago is actually a restaurant and brewery. What better way to end the day than with a beer and some comfort food. I ordered one of Sebago’s IPAs. It was a huge pilsner of beer for only $3.50.

With it being so cold in Maine, I thought the perfect thing to start with would be a hot bowl of clam chowder. The chowder was extremely creamy. It was loaded with fresh clams that were extremely tender.

For my main dish I ordered the crab cakes. They included two huge crab cakes and a small side salad.

The crab cakes were loaded with fresh lump crab meat. They used very little bread crumbs, which is perfect because that allowed the crab to shine through. The meat was extremely sweet and the sauce they drizzled on top added a tanginess.

This was a great place to get a drink and a bite to eat. They have a very extensive menu so there are lots of other options to try. You should check them out at http://www.sebagobrewing.com/

Enjoy!

T

Happy St. Patrick’s Day 2018

Enjoy!

T

Okinawa – Homewood, AL

I have already written about this little Japanese place in Homewood, Alabama called Okinawa. I had gone there previously for lunch and this visit I was there for dinner. I knew that I would not be disappointed and thought my parents would enjoy it too.

The staff is so friendly. They were so welcoming as soon as I walked through the door. The place was packed for dinner but fortunately they had a table for us.

We started off with the spring roll appetizer. They call them Harumaki on the menu. These are perfect for sharing. They are three spring rolls that are cut in half. They are extremely flavorful with a thin, crispy wrapper. They come with a perfect sweet and sour sauce on the side.

I ordered the Hibachi chicken for dinner. It comes with a lot of food. Needless to say I ended up having a take-out box at the end of the meal.

As with all Hibachi meals it all starts with a bowl of soup and a salad with ginger dressing.

The salad came with a creamy ginger dressing. It still had that little kick with from the ginger that tasted wonderful with the fresh, crispy lettuce.

The soup was fantastic. It had a lot of savory flavor. There were slices of mushrooms and crunchy dried onion pieces. The onions added additional flavor and saltiness. I could have eaten an even larger bowl of this soup. It would have been amazing with Udon noodles in it.

My Hibachi dinner plate came out and the plate was packed with food. There was teriyaki chicken that had a great sweet and salty taste. All the meat was moist chicken breast. The dinner came with two of their grilled shrimp. I love Hibachi style grilled shrimp; the taste and texture is perfect when it is paired with the teriyaki sauce.

Then there are the sautéed mixed vegetables. They offered an assortment of mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, and carrots. These taste amazing with the ginger sauce and the creamy Yum-Yum sauce that they serve on the side.

And of course, no dinner would be complete without fried rice. It is a simple mix of fried egg, rice, onion, and soy sauce. It’s great flavor for just a few ingredients. I could eat fried rice as a meal any day of the week.

I always enjoy my meals at Okinawa, whether it’s a Hibachi dinner or a sushi lunch. They never disappoint me. It is a must visit if you are in Homewood, Alabama. Check them out at http://www.okinawasushiusa.com/

Enjoy!

T