Midtown Sundries (Denver, NC)

At least once a week I take the short-ish drive to Denver. It's not too far away, and it's the home of my favorite locally-owned Coffeehouse. And every time I get a coffee there I drive past Midtown Sundries.

This Midtown Sundries is very new and the interior looks it. Don't get me wrong, it still the dark wood, dark ceiling, with green accents that you've come to know from the other Midtown Sundries restaurants. But the wood, tables, chairs, and carpet are all new looking, and minus the wear and tear that I normally associate with the Lake Norman Location.

The menu has many (if not all) of the same items that I've seen at the LKN location. Because of this, once I was seated and I looked over the menu, I was ready to place an order. My waitress -- who was awesome -- had already delivered my diet coke, and was ready to take my order of the Chicken Melt Sandwich with fries.

She was gone in a flash, and I settled in to read the paper. I had barely made it half way through the Editorial section of the Observer (Yes, I keep up with world events -- don't be THAT shocked!), and my sandwich arrived. The sandwich consists of tuna salad and Swiss cheese, on grilled sourdough bread. The chicken salad consists of chunks of white-meat chicken and is mayonnaise based. It was a little saucier than I typically like my chicken salad, and made for a messy sandwich, but it was good -- it had been a long time since I last had chicken salad.

Next came the crinkle-fries -- the bane of my existence. Every time I've had a crinkle cut fry it has always been soft and somewhat soggy. And since I like my fries crunchy, I was worried about this portion of the meal. But these fries were GREAT! REALLY! Cooked to a nice golden-brown, these fries were deep fried to perfection. Crunchy and still hot, I couldn't stop eating these things!

The only complaint I had about the meal was that the sandwich was still cold in the middle. The chicken salad was good, but a toasted sandwich should be warm throughout, and this took the experience down a notch.

Score:
Atmosphere: 3.5
Food: 3
Service: 4.5
Total:11/15

Price: $$ (With tip, under $15)
Kid Friendly: Yes, high chairs and children's menus available.

Conclusion:
Midtown Sundries is sorta your typical restaurant/bar combo. It has decent food for a good price, and if you want to watch the game, they've got HDTVs strategically placed.

Restaurant Info:
Midtown Sundries
7296 Highway 73
Denver, NC 28037-9187
http://www.midtownsundries.com

Dragon Buffet (Denver, NC)

Next to the Coffeehouse in Denver, NC, are a variety of new restaurants. I've already reviewed Nevole's. So, now I get the chance to review Dragon Buffet.

As you can probably tell by the name, Dragon Buffet is an Asian inspired all-you-can-eat buffet. The food ranges from Chinese to Japanese to a couple other assorted Asian styles.

I walked in for my lunch and was quickly seated. My waitress took the drink order (Pepsi -- they don't offer Coke), and I walked up to the buffet area. It's pretty huge with four food-bar areas, and a separate sushi area, they've got quite the selection from which to choose.

For my first plate I decided on an egg roll, Crab Rangoon, spicy tempura roll, fluorescent red beef, and some Lo Mien. Ahh, the beauty of a buffet -- five completely different types of food on one plate!

I started with the egg roll. Pretty standard. It has the usual fillings of vegetables and shrimp, and was deep-fried to a crisp. The duck sauce (from the sauce section of the bar) was a necessary addition, and gave it a nice sweet flavor. But really, this seemed like the exact same egg roll that I get at most Asian restaurants -- where do they buy them???

The Crab Rangoon was pretty standard as well and consisted of cream cheese and very little (if any) crab. Don't get me wrong, I liked it. A crispy shell fried to a crisp and filled with cheese = YUM! But, I tend to like it even more when I can taste some crab.

Next was the fluorescent red beef. It was different from what I was expecting. Looking at the thickness of the sauce, and the color, I figured it was a type of teriyaki sauce. Instead this beef tasted much more Korean than Japanese, with the emphasis on vinegar and not the teriyaki sweetness. All-in-all, this was probably my favorite food while there.

Then it was time to try the spicy tempura roll. It was good, but thin. so thin that I had to use a fork to scoop it up, instead of chopsticks. It just bent under the pressure of the chopsticks, and was too thin to hold together when held vertically.

The last food left on my plate was the Lo Mien. Unfortunately, I found it lacking. The flavor was really mild, and aside from the very light sesame sauce, there was little flavor. I suppose I could have used a sauce from the sauce selection (which was plentiful), but I wasn't in the mood to get up and try to figure out what sauce was needed.

The restaurant has a nice open feel -- it is one large room. The windows at the front allow light to reach the back, and the color template is warm. The staff were friendly, and my drink was instantly refilled whenever it ran low.

The buffet food is just that -- standard buffet food. Quantity is the focus. And buffets really aren't my favorite. However, it you're a buffet person, you should give this place a try, the price is down right reasonable.

Score:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 2.5/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 10.5/5

Price: $
Kid Friendly: Yes

Conclusion: If you're REALLY hungry and want Asian food, this is your place. In general, I found the food's flavor to be on the lighter side, but that's something I've noticed with many of the Asian restaurants in the area. However, the staff and atmosphere are above the standard buffet.

Restaurant Info:
Dragon Buffet
7260 Hwy 73
Suite 112
Denver, NC 28037

Max's Alley (Concord, NC)

The other day I had the pleasure of meeting a new friend over lunch at Max's Ally in Concord. I'd been there before, but that was long before (a couple of months), this blog got started.

As I entered the restaurant, I walked past their outdoor seating area -- it looks pretty sweet! Faux natural stone fireplace, TV, heaters, and fans are all available to keep you comfortable. Seriously, it's one of the nicer outdoor seating arrangements I've seen.

I made my way inside and met my friend. After some small talk, I got down to business and read the menu. The lunch menu there is on the lighter side, and has mostly sandwiches and salads. After a LOT of going back-and-forth, I decided to order the Honey Mustard Chicken Wrap with regular fries (I've had their sweet potato fries before -- they were amazing)

Max's Ally is actually a large dining facility. But because of the way it's broken-up into rooms, it feels very cozy. The interior is decorated with warm colors, stone, and dark woods. It seems like a great place to hang out after work with a bottle of wine! Too bad don't work in Concord, I'd be there all the time!

Our meals arrived (we ordered the same thing), and I was very pleased. The large wrap was served in a spinach tortilla, and was filled with "marinated chicken, field greens, smoked bacon, tomatoes, swiss (cheese)." It was really good!

The freshly cooked chicken was still warm, the honey mustard sauce was present but not over-powering. The veggies were ripe and fresh. And really, how can you go wrong with bacon? All these flavors mixed together, to create a light but filling meal.

In addition, the fries were crispy, but tender. Truly delicious. But, here's the sad part -- I didn't clear my plate because I was soooo full. A few fries and a little bit of wrap survived the meal.

After my meal, I had the opportunity to meet the owner of Max's Alley (who also owns Dresslers' in Birkdale). And to my astonishment, he actually knew of this blog!! SQUEEE!! I've gotta admit, I was a little floored.

But, all-in-all, my meal was very good, the service ridiculously attentive, and I liked the atmosphere -- I've gotta bring my wife here for dinner sometime.

Score:
Atmosphere: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4.5/5
Total: 12.5/15

Price: $$ (Sweet tea, food, tax, and tip approx $16)
Kid Friendly: Yes, they have a kids menu. And the atmosphere, while nice, is informal.

Conclusion: I had a great meal. I'll definitely recommend this place to friends, and I'll be sure to visit again. Just a quick note, their dinner entrees range from $12 to $19.

Restaurant Info:
Max's Ally
Afton Village
355 John Galt Way, Suite 101
Concord, NC
p) 704-721-MAXS (6297)
f) 704-721-6291
http://www.maxsally.com/

Little Caesars (Denver, NC)

My wife and I have a tradition of sharing a pizza with a bottle of wine every Friday. It's a great way to wind-down from a busy week and relax for a bit.

So, when the Little Caesars opened up in Denver, I knew that I'd be stopping by in short order. In fact, since the store has arrived, I've visited MANY times for three reasons: It's good, it's cheap, it's convenient.

Personally, I like the drive-thru option. When I get to the window, I am greeted by a friendly face who asks me for my order. I always get the same thing; a large pepperoni pizza, Crazy Bread, and Crazy Sauce.

And here's the great thing about Little Caesars -- when you arrive and order this, IT'S ALREADY MADE! So you go, you order, and in about 10-20 seconds it's in your car.

EXCELLENT!

(FYI, the only pre-made pizzas are cheese and pepperoni. For anything else you'll need to wait, or pre-order.)

Now, I will say, that when I've picked-up an order during an off-time, I've found the pre-made pizza to be a little stale. But when I've gone during a busy time (Friday 5-7), the place is hoppin', and the food moves fast enough to ensure freshness.

The pizza has a standard crust, not too thin to be considered New York Style, but not too thick to be Chicago style. In addition, it has corn meal on the bottom (used to keep it from sticking), which I always like. The cheese is actually cheese and the pepperoni is good as well. We usually gorge ourselves, and eat waaay too much.

But my favorite thing to order has got to be the Crazy Bread. For the most part, its the same dough as the crust, just rolled into sticks about 1 inch in diameter, and about 8 inches long. They're REALLY buttery and topped with grated parmesean. They're delicious all by themselves. But I really enjoy dipping them in the Crazy Sauce -- which is really just tomato sauce.

All-in-all, there are few deals as good or convenient as this. I get a large pepperoni with Crazy Bread and Sauce for about $8. I drive up, pick up, and start eating when I get home. For me it's about 1/2 the time and 1/2 the price as ordering delivery. A definite plus in my book.

Score:
Atmosphere: N/A (no dining facilities)
Food: 3.5 (Pizza is average, but the Crazy Bread is amazing)
Service: 4/5
Total: 7/10

Price: $
Kid Friendly: N/A. No dining facilites.

Conclusion: One of the best values out there. The pizza is average, but the Crazy Bread is amazing. Definitely worth the trip, and the drive-thru makes pick-up very easy.

Restaurant Info:
Little Casears
117 N Pilot Knob Rd.
Denver, NC 28037
p) 704-827-8585
http://www.littlecaesars.com/

Nevole's Pizza (Denver, NC)

A few days ago I left the Coffeehouse in search for food. Where would I go? There's a Chinese buffet, a Showmars, and a Mid-Town Sundries nearby. It's not often that I find so many new restaurants within a 5 minute walk!

However, I chose to go with Nevole's Pizzeria instead.

When I walked into Nevole's I was reminded of some of the pizzerias of my youth -- the interior is very basic, with few frills. The walls have shelves lined with beer cans serves. There is only one TV, and the furniture has nicks and scrapes. Not really the atmosphere for a date, but the atmosphere is good if you're just looking for a few slices.

The pizza here is done in the New York style. And pizza is really all they do. The menu has subs, wings, calzone, and of course pizza. I decided to go with their lunch special. Two large slices of pizza (I chose pepperoni) and a drink for $4.99. I thought the deal was good. But then I tasted the pizza.

This deal is GREAT!

Because of the plain interior, I was expecting plain pizza. But it's good pizza! Really good! The crust was tasty and I actually ate my crust (which is unusual for me). The pepperoni wasn't too greasy, and the mozzarella cheese, actually tasted like mozzarella cheese. The sauce was a little thin for my linking -- but that's sorta standard for New York pizza so I can't blame them for that.

All in all, a great find. I'll be back.

Score:
Atmosphere: 2/5
Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Total: 10/15

Price: $
Kid Friendly: Yes, as long as they like pizza!

Conclusion: The basic interior hides some really good pizza and fast, yet friendly, service. If you like New York style pizza, you should try this place.

Restaurant Info:
Nevole's Pizzeria
7260 Hwy 73
Suite 118
Denver, NC 28037
p) 704-822-1964

Geppeto's Pizza (Denver)

Yesterday I went in search of a Lake Norman pizzeria. After one failed attempt (is Lake Norman Pizza closed for good?), I decided to drive down the road to Denver, where there is a new restaurant called Geppeto's.

This Geppeto's is the fourth of a local chain. With restaurants in Newton, Hickory, and Morganton, it's safe to say that I've never been to any of them. In all honesty, Hickory is the only town in that listing that I've actually been to.

This location in Denver, used to be a BBQ place (I think). But, you can't tell. They've done a decent job decorating and the BBQ origins of the place are no longer apparent.

When you enter the restaurant you are greeted by a cash register and a kitchen. (I'm guessing for the take out orders.) But once I took an immediate left, I was greeted by a hostess to took my friend and I to our seat.

Geppeto's is big. Though there are some booths, most of the seating in the main dining area is with tables. And from the large groups that came through the door, they're used to pushing together the tables to seat a bunch of people. Gepettos doesn't have the best restaurant feel, but it does feel more like a restaurant than a pizzeria. So, that gets a plus in my book.

During lunch they offer a pizza buffet, complete with dessert pizza. I saw one that looked like apple pie pizza. (It looked delicious!) But I decided to go with a medium pepperoni pizza. After all, I'm here to try the pizza, so I wanted to have one made fresh. Rather than go with a buffet pizza that may have been sitting out for a while.

Our waitress took our drink orders immediately. And kept out cups filled the entire time. The pizza arrived about 10 minutes after ordering. So the wait was minimal for a fresh pizza.

The pizza was good. The crust was on the thinner side, so it was a little crispy. (But don't get this confused with a thin-crust pizza.) It's kinda hard to describe the texture, the crust was crispy on the bottom, but the top bubbled a bit. It was the closest I've found out here to the Round Table pizza crust that I grew up with. So, I definitely enjoyed it.

The cheese and pepperoni topping was good, and I was very pleased with the lack of grease. I'm used to mopping up pizza grease with napkins, so it was nice not to worry about it. In addition, the sauce was pretty good. I noticed at least one chunk of tomato, and it was tangy as well.

Score:
Atmosphere: 3.5
Food: 3.5
Service: 4/5
Total: 11/15

Price: $$ (1 medium pizza, two drinks, and tip were about $15)
Kid Friendly: Yes, they have a kids menu (nothing over $5), and high chairs too.

Conclusion:
Good pizza, decent prices, and very good service. It's one of the few restaurants in the Denver area. So, if you're in or near Denver give it a try... and let me know what you think about their pasta!

Restaurant Info:
Geppeto's
7558 Highway 73
Denver, NC
p) 704-822-0080
http://www.geppetospizza.com/

What-A-Burger (Mooresville)

If you've driven into, or out of, Mooresville along 115, you've seen the What-A-Burger drive-in. After I returned, I started Googling What-A-Burger to see what I could learn.

From about 30 minutes of Googling, I have learned that this What-A-Burger is one of the few remaining restaurants from the original What-A-Burger drive-in chain that began in Virginia during the 1940's.

There is another Whataburger chain of restaurants that began in Texas in 1950. It had become very successful, and stretches from Arizona to Georgia. But don't confuse the two... apparently some people are VERY adamant about which one is better.

This Mooresville What-A-Burger is designated as #11 by it's sign. So, at one point there were at least 11 of them. It's a drive-in that is stuck in time, they still have speakers to order your food, and the food is still delivered to your car.

But the years haven't been kind. I'm sure at one point it was a sparkling beacon in Mooresville, with it's huge and bright sign. Now it's more of a dive, desperately in need of a coat of paint.

My buddy and I pulled in for some lunch last week, and I think it's best to say that it was a mixed experience.

We enjoyed the novelty of visiting a real and original drive-in. And apparently others enjoyed it too -- the standard parking lot was as packed as the drive-in slots. After I looked over the menu, I made my decision -- a what-a-cheeseburger, with fries and a large coke.

After a few minutes, the speaker next to the menu crackled to life, and asked me what I wanted to order. I pushed the black button as I spoke, hoping that this would allow the speaker to hear me better. It did. The speaker spoke back to me and confirmed my order. For a beat-up speaker from the 1940s, it's pretty smart! :)

We waited about seven minutes for our orders to be brought to us. Surprisingly, the food was handed to us. There was no tray to be left on our window. This lead us to place the food on the dash, drinks in the cup holders, and the four small paper ketchup cups next to the gear shift. This will be important for later in this post.

I opened the paper wrapper that was toothpicked to the burger. As it turns out, the toothpick also keeps a pickle to the top of the burger. The What-A-Burger is advertised as being bigger than the standard burger at this restaurant. It has a 5 inch (diameter) bun, and has a 1/4lb patty. My burger had lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese, and mayo.

As you can see from the photo, it was really squished and the bun was pressed so that it was really thin. As I was in to my second or third bite, I hear my friend yell "OW!" As it turns out, he kinda forgot about the toothpick.... and while taking a bite, got the toothpick STUCK UP HIS NOSE!!!

Yea, I found it hilarious too! I was trying not to laugh. But really, a toothpick up the nose? Isn't that supposed to be a nose-pick?? (I'm hilarious!)

As I was laughing, I took a bite and proceeded to chomp down on -- the toothpick in my burger. Though it was nowhere near my nose, it wasn't in straight, and apparently was pointing forward. Yup, that's what I get for laughing at the misfortune of others! Karma = 1; Foodie = 0.

I yanked the toothpick, and got back to eating. Unfortunately, the burger was only OK. I was really hoping for a delicious, juicy, and mouthwatering burger. Something equivalent to Five Guys or In-N-Out. This hope left me disappointed. The patty was just a standard fried burger patty. The produce was actually good. But the OK burger combined with a soggy and thin bun, just didn't do anything for me.

As I was thinking this, the paper wrapper gave way, unleashing a flood of mayonnaise, grease, and tomato-juice onto my lap. The paper wrapper is just that -- paper. So the entire time I was eating, it was getting soggy. Eventually it couldn't hold the liquid back, and my shorts (which I had just pulled from the dryer), were now soggy. UGH. Karma = 2; Foodie = 0. (ok, ok, I'm SORRY for laughing about the toothpick!)

I now made my way to the crinkle-cut fries. Really, these fries sucked. They were lacking flavor, weren't crispy, and overall a disappointment. To give you an idea of how much I disliked these fries -- I stopped eating them after only having three. They simply weren't worth the calories. That said, my friend's onion rings were really good and had a decent coating of batter. They seemed mass-produced and not home-made. But they were good nonetheless.

After we finished our meal, we threw away the trash, headed home. The drive was fine until I turned into my friend's neighborhood. As I made the turn I saw something out of the lower right corner of my eye fly though the air from the gear shift. Remember those ketchup cups I mentioned earlier?? Well, they were back! On the carpet of my car... UGH. Karma = 3; Foodie = 0.

I learned three things on this trip:
1) Not to expect great things from What-A-Burger's food.
2) Despite the grease stains on the dash, it's still fun to eat at a drive-in.
3) Never laugh when a friend gets a toothpick up the nose -- it could make your life messy!

Score:
Atmosphere: 3/5 (It's a dive, but it's still a drive-in)
Food: 2/5
Service: 3/5
Total: 8/15

Price: $ (Well under $10)
Kid Friendly: Yes, because they'll be in your car. No, because your children will be making a HUGE mess in your car!

Conclusion: The food is lackluster. But I recommend eating here if you haven't. Why?? Because, it's a freakin' original drive-in!! It's a piece of history, and these places don't really exist any more (with a few exceptions). So pack your car with friends, good music, and go check this place out. It'll be worth it -- at least the first time

Restaurant Info:
What-A-Burger
210 S Main St
Mooresville, NC, 28115
(704) 664-5455