guess "You can tell what someone is committed to.... by the results!"

When researching for our recent trip to the Williamsburg area… I went looking for BBQ. Was referred to a popular one in Williamsburg… and when we went there… realized we had been there years before… and it was forgettable :-) That was not Allman’s. I found Allman’s online and got a couple of referrals from other web sites… but did not find anyone on Menuism that could give me a real personal referral. But… since we were going up to Fredericksburg for a day… Civil War Battlefield visiting… this had to the spot for Lunch.

Follow the GPS right to it… and it looked just like it has for ~50 years… and just like the photos. Outside it already smelled to die for… but my Buddy was a little dubious about the looks of the neighborhood. He obviously has not been with me on BBQ searches before.

Inside… the smile just broke out all over my face. This is the real McCoy! Everything about the place… decor… smell… sound… says welcome… sit down and have some great Southern Food.

Now I was wearing an Indian Wars Calvary Slouch Hat… looks suspiciously like a “Yankee Civil War Slouch Hat”… so I had to explain before I could feel very comfortable… this is the CSA Capital…

The cute young kid that waited hand and foot on us could not believe that I had planned coming to just their restaurant… all the way from Southern California… just for Lunch. Well I wish I would have planned it around Dinner… because Ribs were not available… and I bet they were to die for.

The starter… something I’ve never heard of before was Pork Stew… so I had to try that… and see the dish review and photo… it was delicious.

Then we all had the Deluxe BBQ sandwich… and it was spectacular. We had a variety of sides. Do not miss the green beans.

There is a counter… and there was a steady string of people getting food to go. There are some outside tables… and a few inside tables… and we sat inside and took in all the ~50 years of photos and memorabilia.

Service was excellent… friendly… smiling… and attentive. He really was amazed that we had made a target of coming there. That’s because he doesn’t know how hard to find truly great BBQ is.

The restaurant was clean… but really shows the years. It felt like I was a kid again in Rural Indiana. Neon signs… old photos… old posters… and I should have taken a photo of the overhead clothesline type of system they use to send the ticket to the Kitchen.

Mary “Mom” Brown was cooking in the Kitchen… but the place started getting really busy for Lunch… so we did not bother her. This review is her thank you.

If you are within 100 miles of Fredericksburg… and you want BBQ… this is worth the trip. I just wish we could have tried the ribs.

Well before we left on Vacation last month… we went looking for restaurant recommendations… from several sites online… including our favorite… Menuism… of course. We got a couple of people that mentioned Dudley’s… if we wanted to drive that far out of Williamsburg… and… it wasn’t far… and it certainly was worth the drive.

So I sat up a waypoint on the GPS and on the day that we decided to visit Williamsburg Pottery… we ended up just a mile or so from Dudley’s. I had visited their web site… so had an idea what to watch for… but it is still easy to miss. Nothing compelling to cause you to swing in off of Richmond Road… no huge sign… just looks like a turn of the century farmhouse in Virginia… and there are a bunch of those. White siding… cute lines… gravel parking lot… huge herb garden in the front… and an ugly ADA conforming ramp that obviously has been added recently. We arrived at lunch… and hungry.

Inside… the main dining area would have been the original main living area… beautiful wood staircase to an upper level that we suspected they used for busier times… and larger parties. The gracious Chinese waitress was smiling… attentive… and charming.

We visited for a while… discussing what she recommended… and thought was special. She had excellent taste… and knew what she was talking about.

Nothing was rushed… the service was truly outstanding… and the decor was quaint… the experience warm and inviting. We picked up a menu for their Sunday comfort food event… and planned to return before we had even tasted anything. We already knew we were in for a treat.

Dark wood surfaces… lace curtains… antique paned windows… farm furniture… it was really cool.

My buddy Chuck had the “Lobster Bisque” and raved about it… he followed that with a half pound “Kobe Beef Burger”… loaded… and served with Fries. He really raved about that.

Terri and Sue both had “Maryland Lump Crabcakes”… broiled to a light toasted surface… followed by licking their plates.

Being the old fart cowboy… I couldn’t pass up the “Half Pound Bison Burger”. Glad I didn’t. Topped with Cheese… Lettuce… Tomato… (hold the onion) and homemade mayo… I could hardly get my mouth around it. The fries were crispy and seasoned beautifully.

As we finished the meal… we asked our waitress some more questions about the establishment… and she introduced us to Jim Kennedy the Chef/Proprietor. What a perfectionist… and what a tribute to commitment to excellence. He searches world wide for ingredients… the Bison had come from Montana. The menu changes with the Seasons so that local specialties can be fresh. The herb garden in the front yard is indeed the source of many of his fresh herbs. He was jovial… entertaining… and we felt like he had just prepared this feast for us… and had nothing else important to do for the day. It was like we were eating in a new friends home…. his own dining room… and were invited back for some dishes that he was really excited about preparing for his weekend guests.

The Sunday Comfort Food menu featured Prime Rib… Fresh baked Turkey… Virginia Ham… Filet Mignon Meatloaf… Fried Chicken… Center cut pork chops… and Macaroni and cheese… only in Virginia is Macaroni and cheese considered a vegetable :-)

Fresh cornbread… and Fried Shrimp… Sunday sounded like a plan… and sadly we did not make it back. We ran into a scheduling conflict and could not be in Toano for a Lunch window… and now we have to plan another trip to this area.

The biggest surprise… the prices. This incredible excellent menu is loaded with entrees ranging in price from $7.95 to an outrageous sum of $11.00. Not only was this one of the best dining values we have ever seen… the meal… at any price… was the best we had on our Vacation.

Lucky are those that live close to Dudley’s Farmhouse Grille… wish we did.

This is a great surprise to many… hidden back in the off Main Avenue courtyard… you can easily miss it. Don’t! Always good. Always Reasonable… and they even have coupons in the newspaper to make it more attractive. Robert… chef… owner… dry sense of humor… has created a fun experience… without the need for a Re-fi…

There is absolutely nothing compelling about this restaurant that would cause you to slow down as you drove by on State Highway 18. We went there because of recommendations from several friends that live in the Apple Valley area… and boy are we glad we did.

It is just over a two hour drive from our home… and we are already planning a trip back … for pan fried chicken. Cut Fresh… flowered and seasoned… and cast iron skillet fried… just like Mom used to make :-)

When we arrived at the modest building on the side of Highway 18… there was not a single car in the parking lot… and it was close to noon. Partially paved parking lot… dusty… windy… must be the high desert.

There is a very pretty mural on the West wall… but the remainder of the building leaves no hint of excellence. A couple of neon beer signs in the dining room window suggest a cold beer is available… and it was… Ice Cold :-)

Inside there was a counter… empty…. scattered tables… and I immediately thought of “Broderic Crawford” in the 1950’s TV show “Highway Patrol”… this could have been a set… but no… they filmed that in “Lone Pine”.

The owner “Letty” was sitting in the back of the dining room… under a crayoned note and photo of her latest grandchild… stapled to the wall… doing her morning crossword puzzle… and no doubt catching up on what was happening in Lucerne Valley.

The restaurant was very clean… and she immediately brought us a menu… offer of a drink… and big smile. I knew I was going to like this place… and I was really hungry. We had been told that the Chile Verde Burrito and Taco combo was great… so already had that in mind. They had some great sounding specials… and the menu is extensive. Their breakfast menu will enduce drooling.

I read through the menu… all sounded great… but I found the recommended combo… and casually ignored that all dinner’s include Rice and Beans. I asked about how hot the Chile Verde was and Leddy told me it vaired depending on the Jalapeno’s … but that she prepared it herslef… it was seldom really hot… and then went to the Kitchen and brought me a little cup of it… with a spoon… and it was incredible. Just the right spice for me… and delicious. I ordered the dinner combo. My wiser half “Terri” spotted the same burrito on the Senior Menu as “1/2 Chile Verde Burrito $5.95”… our order was placed and the ice Cold Coors Light was enjoyed… with Home made Chips and Salsa… delicious.

Another “Senior” couple came in… sat behind us in the other “View Booth” and looked over the menu. Letty approached them and the guy ordered the special on the board over the counter. The daily special was “Two Enchilada of your choice with Garnish $5.95” But Leddy tells the guy… sir… I can see that you are a senior… and that exact same entre is available on the Senior Menu for only $5.25… so you can save $.70. Yeh… I’ve had that happen a lot :-)

Next thing that happened was Letty brought our food. Terri saw her 1/2 Burrito… said Oh My God…. then Letty flopped down my Dinner Plate… and I… and the other couple behind us… all said Oh My God. It was huge. I mean big. It was so big… I took a picture of the doggy box to show how much I could not eat… even though I came in starved.

It smelled spectacular… it looked spectacular. I forgot part of the mission and ate 1/2 of the taco before I remembered to get a photo. It tasted spectacular… five stars for sure.

I ordered a second beer… also Ice Cold… and waded in. Started fast… finished slow… I swear I hurt myself trying to get more of this down. You know… the clean plate thing. Well I gave up… she brought a doggy box before I even asked… and told me everyone commented on her servings… but nobody ever left hungry. That is when she told us about her fried chicken… and even though stuffed… we made plans for the next trip.

Oh yeh… I forgot that the guy behind me retracted his offer to help me out when he got his two Enchilada’s off of the Senior Menu for $5.25.

Tipped over 20%… and the meal was still a fantastic value.

I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this place before…. I can’t wait to go back.

Double store front on a corner Strip Mall… one Block West of Production on Miramar Road. It looks like the real thing. It smells like the real thing… it is the real thing.

Step in the front door and a smile lights up your face. Great country music… oil skin table clothes.. wide screen TV… smiling employees… but the treat… the smell. They could charge me just to sit in here and sniff :-) 20 years in the same location… 20 years… same family ownership… and it shows. We got there about 11:00am on a friday morning… quiet and spotless… one hour later as we were leaving… people lined up to the door.

Cast Iron smokers… Green Oak and Mesquite wood… 18-24 hours of slow cooking… and a vinegar based BBQ sauce that is the best I’ve tried in years. Please visit their web site www.abbeysbbq.com to read their story… it will put a smile on your face and a lump in your throat.

I was with a friend that has been coming here for years… and told me about the place as we left Marshall’s Hardware a block away. He warned me to order just a sandwich… as it was huge and sides were not necessary. He was right… it was huge… I even took some home… and it got raves there too.

Cafeteria style … of course. Bottomless soft drinks… all the pickles and onions you want on the side… free… and at each table a zippy hot sauce… and absolutley wonderful BBQ sauce. You don’t have to order extra sauce on the side… you can have all you want. So pig out… but I went with Beef :-)

Because of my Cowboy hat they asked me if I was from Texas… that’s not unusual… but the smiling courteous service was a joy. This place is fun… and the food is great.

I can’t wait to go back to try some sides… and try their pork. Buy 9 Sandwich Platter Specials… and get one free Sandwich. I know I’ll be collecting on that one.

Most small airports around the Nation have a cafe. They are usually fun places just due to being able to watch planes come and go… and have a nice meal… for a fair price.

French Valley Cafe is really a great destination… for a great meal. The food is excellent… the service is excellent. The menu is surprisingly complete and everything I’ve seen served there looks excellent.

The atmosphere is friendly… inviting… and what I would call “Middle America Diner”. The view of the planes … through walls of windows… is as good as it gets… and there is always a steady coming and going of small private aircraft. You can watch the pilots and friends land… tie down in front of the Cafe… come in for a nice meal… and then they load up… check off… and away they go. But… the difference with French Valley Cafe is the quality of the food. I was surprised to see they have a full bar… and happy to see not a single pilot drinking :-) I enjoyed a good draft :-)

When you drive up to the airport… except for the Marquee you would not know there is a restaurant there. Go through the main door off of the traffice circle…and straight ahead… you can’t miss it.

It’s Light… Bright… Cheerful and Spotless. The only difficulty is making a choice from the complete menu… that makes everything sound wonderful. I noticed several people had substituted Onion Rings… which were not to me very evident on the menu…. do the substituion… the onion rings are sinfull.

I’m not sure of their hours… have only been there for lunch… but if they are open… and I lived closer… it would be a favorite for a light evening meal too.

When the weather is right… they have a few tables on the patio that look like fun too. My last two trips to Murrieta have been highlighted by two consequitive great lunches here. When I think of the French Valley Cafe…. it puts a smile on my face. I look forward to the next time.

A Drive in Diner that has been an Oceaside favorite since 1928.

You can’t even look at this place without a smile coming on your face. Fun is had here… in addition to great food!

Concrete floor in the new section… new as in added in the 1930’s… stainless steel tables… no window coverings… noisy corner… sounds terrible doesn’t it… but it feels wonderful. Waitresses will always be smiling. Cooks are smiling… customers are smiling… and all for a good reason. The homemade food is great!

It’s been the stopping station for theGreyhound Bus line until the 1940’s… of course was a drive in with Car Service during the 50’s and 60’s… Coffee shop… but today is back to the original name… and flavor… the 101 Cafe.

It has a complete menu… everything we’ve tried over the years has been great… and they serve breakfast all day long. All day means 7:00am to Midnight… 7 days a week… now that really is all day…

There is always a stack of newspapers… some magazines… dozens and dozens of great old historic photos of Oceanside… as well as the cafe… and you can purchase memorabilia if you get nostalgic. The Oceanside Historical society has photos of the cafe… when it was a favorite of Bing Crosby… and Bob Hope among others. Supposedly Bing Crosby got a speeding ticket in this area of old 101… must have been North of the Cafe… as he was headed to Del Mar… after the Cafe of course…

There is a friendly counter if you’re dining solo… and weekends… it will be packed. Their web site http://www.101cafe.net tells it all and has links to their events… YouTube site… and lots of photos.

So this is truly worthy of a road trip if you are not just in the area.

You should not miss their hand scooped Milkshakes or Malts…

And last but not least… look around the parking lot. This place is a magnet for cool cars… cool car owners…

We’ve been going to this restaurant for 15 years or so… and have always considered it a favorite. You still can’t beat the beach atmosphere… and downtown Oceanside Main Street flavor.

But something has changed… not sure if it has changed ownership… but… it has lost it’s passion…

The last time I was in here… I felt the same way… and treated it as a bad day for them… as they were really busy. Well they are always busy… and maybe they are just tired. This trip was right at noon on Labor Day… Monday Sept. 7th, 2009… and there was a standing line. We were told 15 minutes. As we worked our way up to the front of the line… a local regular came in and was seated prior to us… then a couple that came in after us was seated prior to us… and I guess the crowning blow was a couple that was seated after us… got water… coffee… and placed their order prior to us. We were in no hurry… and having fun… but were dissapointed in the lack of attention to detail.

Terri ordered the “BYO Scramble with Ham” and a side of hash browns. I ordered a house specialty “Pot Roast Sandwich”… and pictured chucks of Pot Roast… on toast… smoothered in home made gravy. I didn’t think anything unusual about the side choices of potato salad or fries. Chose the fries.

The service was from that point on… pleasant and responsive and we had a good meal… at a fair price.

But when my dish was delivered… I was amazed… Pot Roast was sliced beef. An open faced sliced roast beef sandwich without mashed potatos… how uncivilzed :-) And… the gravy was canned… or bottled… but did not suggest home made… but it was tasty enough that I wished there had been more. Garnished with two pickle slices…. and two tiny pepperocini’s … well just look at the photo… does that look bland?

It was a holiday… it was the third day of a long weekend… it was noon… and they were swamped. Am I being too critical. No… I think not… I was the first to review them… added them to my favorites years ago… gave them the I love this restaurant tag… and been loyal to them… but going back to my original review… Always good… they actually used to be Always great.. or at least very good.

Having nothing to do with the food :-)…. but more to do with the observed and felt change… both rest rooms were out of paper products… and filthy.

Now you can tell by my photo that I’m no Spring Chicken… maybe I’ve become a grumpy old man… in fact I have. But I have loved this place for years… and sure would like to see them bring back the passion.

Now this place has been good for years. Used to be smaller … in the South end of town… now right downtown… close to the Pier etc. Fun Atmosphere… and always good food.

The Lake Murray Cafe is part of the group of restaurants under San Diego Home Cooking. Well named… and it delivers!

The Lakeside Cafe… and The Centre City Cafe … sister restaurants have been our favorites for years…. but last Friday… after showing a home… I was hungry for a real breakfast.. and had not tried the Lake Murray Cafe before… but anticipated correctly that it would be just as good as the other family members.

Huge Parking lot… full… no surprise. Huge restaurant… but cozy feeling… no surprise. Lots of service people… all smiling… no surprise. The parent advertises… Comfort food at it’s best since 1997. It not only delivers… but make an old guy like me… feel like he’s back in Rural Indiana in the 1950’s.

I sat on the Patio… San Diego… no flies… no mosquitos… about 77 degrees at 11:00am in the morning… and could have dozed off. But… the mission is breakfast…

Smiling face showed up… with coffee pot in hand… told me about the Bone in Ham Steak breakfast special for the day… so I didn’t even open the menu… just started enjoying a great cup of coffee…

I was surrounded by smiling customers. The economy sucks… but the traffic was steady… and everyone was smiling. They must have missed the network news last night :-)

Shortly… the smiling face came back with the Bone in Ham Steak Special that I photo’d. I actually said Oh My God… when I saw it.

I’ve only had the one meal in this restaurant… but know the parent company from the others we like. This is good … no… great food… and an outstanding value in todays world. The total experience… being sort of an anti thesis for what ills me lately… was simply wonderful. I had a great break in a busy noisy day. I had a great meal. I took half of the Ham Steak home … and my wife who had not been available to go with me earlier… raved about her lunch.

This is not French… it is not Italian… it is not Mexican… it is Middle America… Comfort food… and it is simply outstanding.

Comfort food is not really know for being healty… but I know the experience lowered my blood pressure… I had fun.

Now here is one you can count on. Has been a favorite of ours for years. But this review is a little different… I’m giving them five stars not just for the food (which deserves it)… but also for entertainment value :-)

Sit at the breakfast bar… just next to the grill. Take your time ordering… and just watch what is going on. There are three guys on duy… and there is artistry in the air.

Every single item that comes out of this kitchen… looks tasty. They are efficient… even fast… yet calm… cool… and collected. I’ve eaten my way through the menu over the years… but this last visit… I wanted a grilled ham and cheese… and went out of my way to get it here.

Flavor was to die for… preparation and quality… the best… and it came right off the grill in front of me… piping hot. But all the time I was waiting… I saw Breakfast after Breakfast cooked up… see some photos I took… and I should have gotten a photo of the French Toast being done on the griddle. Anything done at a level of excellence looks easy… so these guys don’t even look like they are working… but they are… and it shows.

The place is spotless. It is charming…. and the service is excellent. Food is outstanding… and prices are fair. What more could you ask for. In today’s world of what is going on… here it is business as usual… taking care of the client with excellent food.