A new review is on the way

A new review is coming, its just been a busy few weeks for me. Starting a new Job and a few other things.

Greek Isle Deli- A taste of the Mediterranean

            It was pointed out that so far, I've only reviewed Fast food joints, and cheap Pizzerias. To combat this, I decided to finally go to a Greek deli off of Airway Road, at the Manor Plaza in Dayton, Ohio. I had been putting off eating here because like most Americans if it isn’t heavily processed or deep fried I won't try it. However, it was lunch time and I felt I needed to grab a bite to eat, and it was close by so I figured why not.

            The place itself is rather spacious with plenty of seating and has Greek architecture scattered around, but it is also busy. My wait was only about 2 minutes long and the lady at the register was very helpful and patient with me in decided what to order. After I placed my order and got my drink it was about an 8 minute wait for my food so it must have been prepared fresh. I grabbed my dish and sat down to eat.

            I ordered a dish I knew I wasn't going to be familiar with and for that I am grateful as it led me to the dish known as Pastichio or Greek Lasagna. The dish contains ground beef, noodles, cheese, tomatoes, and as a treat, egg and cinnamon. This tasty dish also came with a side of pita bread which was delicious and salad, but that is aside from the point. I was hooked from the first bite, as Ken Griffey Jr. said “It's a party in my mouth and everyone is invited.”  The bulk of the meal is the beef and noodles that tasted great and were set off by the cinnamon giving it a nice kick. My only complaint about the dish is that the noodles were a tad overcooked and at parts made it hard to eat.

            I can see why this place is busy for lunch all the time, good food, good portions, good people, good prices, it makes you want to come back to try something else. If I have to give a rating, I’ll give it 4 out of 5 stars, but why 4 and not 5? I hate overcooked noodles.

Hardee’s- more than just a piece of meat?

                Stepping in to this deceptively spacious restaurant off of Col. Glen Highway in Dayton, you might have to fight off the feelings of nostalgia. Why? Well to put it simply there aren’t that many Hardee’s around in the Mid-West, especially in the Miami Valley area. The atmosphere of the restaurant was warm, with a friendly crew and a nice radio overplay on the speaker system. Greeted by a young energetic crew, placing my order of the ¼ lb Texas Toast Bacon Burger went smoothly and quickly. The food was also made just as fast by a gentleman who knew what he was doing.

                Aesthetically, the burger looks and tastes good. You tell that it was nicely broiled with the right temperature and time. The Burger its self tastes just right, with a nice mixed blend of spices and zest you can, like Hank Hill always says, “Taste the meat, not the heat.” The barbecue sauce on the burger is a nice blend that tastes more than like brown sugar mixed in with ketchup. The toppings on the burger actually work with the burger that leads to an interesting taste.  However, the bacon and cheese can hardly be tasted and the bun itself clashes against the burger with an overpowering taste that brings the burger down.

                The fries have a nice taste on the outside of them that invite you in, but sadly the inside is disappointing with a little too much potato that leads to a weird aftertaste. The good news is, is that they have good portion control and they are very filling.

                Overall, the burger tastes good but it has clashing tastes, add a nice portion of decent fries, a cold drink. For $6.00 you get a nice full meal that pleases. To give a rating 3 out of 5 stars, better than most fast food restaurants but lacking in that special something to put it over the top. So if you are on Col. Glen Highway in Dayton, stop on in and grab a good lunch or dinner. For a full menu of “Hardee’s”/“Carl’s Junior” stop over at www.Hardees.com, you won't regret it.

I've decided...

My next review will be Hardee's right down the street from me. I expect good things from the place, as I have not had them in a while. Also, a friend told me to Grow your own gnome 

I have no idea what he meant by it.

Trying to decide

I can't think of where to review next, Hardees, Jacks, Jells, Red Robins, Logan's Roadhouse, 5 guys, all good but not sure where. Also feel free to look for me on the examiner.com

Wing Zone

Stepping in to place the order, it feels like a wing joint like none other, greeted with a smile and a crew member who was very patent with me. I placed my order and was told that it would take about 8-10 minutes for the order to be made ready. With that you know it’s made to order and you have some time to kill. I recommend browsing the game store the next door over. It was a small wait but ultimately worth it.

A burger that is, ½ a pound of beef, add cheese (50 cents), and add bacon ($1.00), what do you get? A burger and a side wedge fries that costs $8.50 and is worth every penny. All Wing Zone burgers are roughly the size of a C.D. and come cooked well done, with a side of wedge fries, and another box containing all of your condiments (lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup, mustard, and mayo).  After some small assembly the burger is complete and you are hooked for the first bite, the burger tastes amazing, with a near perfect meat to bun ratio and you can actually taste the meat compared to other fast food restaurants. The fries that come with the burger are wedge form and complement the burger very well and taste excellent with a small kick from the spices. 

            Fault wise, the burger has a fresh taste but doesn’t look the part; the patty has more of a pre-made look and doesn’t look like it was made with fresh ground beef. If you add the condiments expect a different taste as the lettuce and onion overpower the burger and leads to a different experience that can lead to disappointment, as it just seems the condiments would make for a better salad then burger topping.

            Overall the combination of the burger and fries leads to a tasty lunch or dinner that will leave you full, but at $7.00 a burger and extra for the toppings the burger is expensive and would serve better as a once every two weeks or so type of meal. If I have to give a rating, I’d give it 4 out of 5. Good but lacking in that missing piece to make it great.