Abbey Road Pub Good Food. Good Times.

The name says it all, this is indeed a Beatles themed restaurant located right in the heart of Virginia Beach's ocean front district.  The choice of sidewalk or indoor eating is offered to you as you are greeted by a host (we always choose inside right next to the fish tank) and the staff is delightfully but not overbearingly pleasant.  Memorial Day weekend marked the third time we've visited Abbey Road in the year that we've lived in Virginia and as always it came through.

My favorite part of the menu, hands down, has to be the 101 International Beers from Around the World!  I've tried an assortment at this point, and since it was a very American holiday I went with a domestic brew called, Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar, a 22 Ounce bottle and after having drank a Flat Tire at the beach earlier in the day it was the perfect lunch beer.  Not too heavy but definitely dark, slightly roasted taste from the hazelnuts I would guess, and just the right amount to last the entire meal!

Of course our meal is the main reason for this review... right?  I went for the french dip with au jus sauce and sweet potato fries, while Laura went for the veggie burger and regular fries and we split a mozzarella stick appetizer.  The moment our food came out Laura remarked how it was "old fashioned" which she proclaimed to be a "good" thing.  She also had to say of the burger that it was everything you could want in a veggie burger and that the fries were perfect beach fries.  

My sandwich was just as perfect, the roast beef was warm all the way through, the dipping sauce was delicious and the sweet potato fries were a treat.  The "old fashion" that Laura has perceived is simply the choice not to add something to an already perfect equation.  Abbey Road Pub makes food the way it's supposed to be made, in the fashion that it has been made for decades without trying to 'spice it up" which many times causes the food to go down hill.

They choose the best ingredients, served with the freshest sides and the most diverse selection of beer I've seen in along time, what else could someone ask for after a tiring afternoon underneath the sun listening to the waves crash in Virginia Beach.

Abbey Road Pub

Panera Bread Make Today Better

This past Sunday marked three weeks in a row that the Avengers dominated the big screen, but due to my hectic work schedule finally became the first time I was privileged to see such an incredible film.  Joss Whedon really proved that he is more than Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Astonishing X-Men with this one.  This being a food blog though, after the movie my girlfriend and I craved something other than popcorn and raisinets .

While finding our way back to the highway, (this was our first time at a new movie theater in a relatively new state, so GPS is necessary still) but I digress.  While finding our way back on to the highway we ran across one of our favorites and the place which I think inspired the creation of Bakers Crust (which was my first review), Panera Bread!

Of course it's hard to review a place that you've been to so many times without thinking of past meals and experiences, but I will try to stick to this most recent visit.  I'll start by saying we picked the best time ever to go, 3:30 on a Sunday there is NOONE there, no line, no wait, and plenty of seats, who would'a thunk it?

Our order, two You Pick Twos, mine consisted of the:
Sierra Turkey
Smoked turkey breast with chipotle mayonnaise, field greens & red onions on our Asiago Cheese Focaccia.

Broccoli Cheddar

Chopped broccoli, shredded carrot and select seasonings simmered in a velvety smooth cheese sauce

Laura went with the Broccoli Cheddar along with:
Caesar
Romaine lettuce, Asiago-Parmesan cheese, homemade Asiago cheese croutons & our special Caesar dressing.

I'll start with saying since it was such a slow day our food was prepared in what seemed like seconds.  We also both got Ices Green Teas which we're done very promptly.  My only problem with Panera Bread is that every time I walk up to the counter to get my food, and end up carrying both meals, I feel like a server.  Which I purposely am NOT at my job, I cook, I don't serve, but I guess it's worth it to save $5 on a tip.  

With the meal at the table we realized they had forgotten our Baguettes so Laura went up to get them, a not so graceful beginning to our meal.  But I can never stay upset with Panera, once I dipped the baguette in my soup and tasted the two together all cares in the world dissolved.  Then for a second time in less than a minute I got to experience pure joy again when I started in on my sandwich.  

The fresh greens and chipolte mayo were delicious, the bread fluffy and unique and the two slices of turkey folded atop each other were juicy.  Every time I get a You Pick Two I always feel as if it is a small amount of food, but by the end am always pleased with the portions.  Panera's portion control is very close to on par with my actual appetite, not the one my eye's try to convince me is real. 

Panera Bread is an all time classic in eating Another Way.  It is a cross between fast food and a sit down eatery that pulls off both styles very well.  Their breads and bakery items are off the chart and their service is generally above par.  I can let the baguettes slide, everyone makes a mistake every now and again, the real value of an eatery is in the taste of the food once you get it and Panera Bread knows how to deliver on their promise of making today better.

Panera Bread

Applebees There's No Place Like the Neighborhood

There is one part of me that *knows* all the food I make at Applebees is processed junk food.  Then there is the other part of me that can’t resist giving in to the toxins and enjoying the taste.  I work “midd” at my local ABs, a simple name for the middle section of the “line” which consists of “fry” and “broil” as well.  My responsibilities include but are not limited to burgers, pastas, sandwiches, soups, and shrimp.  To boil down my co-line cooks, fry would be fingers, mozz sticks, wings, salads and desserts, and broil is steaks, chicken, ribs, fish and certain pastas. 

Get it, good.  Because this isn’t AB’s BOH 101 this is an honest review of the food *I* cook and serve every day. 

Let me start with saying this is the first time I have ever worked in a corporate kitchen and the standards are high indeed.  Labels on all containers and dates checked daily, internal company criteria outranks state specifications to a certain degree and product move fast enough that ingredients don’t have time to rot!  

Let me put it this way, in a small place where standards are lack, if one person chooses not to wear gloves for instance, and another follows suit, after a while if no one steps in gloves become an afterthought, only to be used if a health inspection is imminent. 

In an environment where corporate standards are expected to be upheld at all times each member of the team becomes responsible for making sure those regulations are followed  and in doing so encourages others to follow not with words but just in action. 

So that was my first impression of Applebees, I went through more gloves in a day then I had in a life time at other places where rules were a bit less strict.  Which grosses me out in hindsight and after having ate at a place called Ed’s recently where I watched a woman touch raw meat and immediately after a piece of bread with her bare hands I am more than happy not be doing such things when I cook. 

On to the food!

Just to list a few of the menu items off the top of my head…

Roast Beaf & Mushroom Sandwich - Fried Green Tomato  Turkey Sandwich - Chicken Fettuccini Carbonara – Philly Cheese Steak - Quesadilla Burger - Black and Blue Burger - Steak Towers - Spinach and Artichoke Dip – Classis Grilled Sandwich – Chicken Quesadilla – Tomato Basil Soup – French Onion 

The RB Mushroom tops the list as it comes with Red Wine Mushrooms and Grilled Onions, Swiss cheese, with a slice of bacon on butter battered Hawaiian bread.   I’m on the verge of drooling just thinking about it.  Each time I make it for a pick and pair every afternoon it tempts me to make an extra half for myself.  My will is strong though and I try not to eat the “junk” I cook too often. 

Next of course is the Fried Green Tomato and Turkey, the tomato comes frozen and we deep fry it, the turkey is warmed on the flat top, it has the same grilled onions as the RB sandwhich and also comes with a green pesto sauce, cheddar cheese and of course a slice of a bacon!  What kind of sandwich would it be without it?!  This sandwich isn’t necessarily second when it comes to tastes, just second in order of review…

I like the sandwich I just can’t say it is as close to perfect as its RB cousin, something about the green tomatoes is wrong and while complicated it seems like it’s missing something.  It also seems like a childish concept for a sandwich to me, like an afterthought or a use for extra product.  Who knows?

The newest sandwich which we just added last week is the Philly Cheese Steak made with Shaved Sirloin diced onions and mac sauce on a hoagie roll toasted with butter.  It’s tasty, and the meat is first class, but I’m from NY and I have travelled to Philly a few times, I’ve had some authentic Philly Cheese Steaks over the years and this one just feels like a cheap replica.  Where are the peppers and the melted cheese (mac sauce is cheesy… but it’s not exactly melted cheddar)

It’s good but you can tell it was approved by a board of directors and preexisting ingredients were rearranged for this sandwich.  It is by far the most delicious sandwich we make right now, yet somehow it doesn’t reach its potential. 

Now here comes the worst of it, the Chicken Fett. Pasta dish, ugh.  The noodle are cooked earlier in the day or the night before and refrigerated.  We, as cooks, then take them and put them in a plastic container called a “cambro” with an Alfredo sauce and microwave it for 2 minutes.  Some places have a pasta cooker, which we also have and use occasionally, but when it gets busy no one takes the time to use the warmer, your $14 pasta was just nuked sucker.  I haven’t even tried any yet, no urge, if you like it keep with it, but just know it’s not like you’re mom used to make spaghetti back at home. 

As far as our burgers go though, the range and diversity are great and the meat is top notch.  Our garden tops are fresh daily and the selection of sauces from Chipolte Mayo to Southern BBQ greatly satisfies.  The Quesadilla Burger comes on two toasted wraps with melted cheddar/jack mix bacon and pico de gallo.  The burger also gets a slice of Monterey Jack and shredded lettuce.  It is cut in half and served with French fries.  Which BTW, are really good.  They come with a burger fry shake on them that is really unique setting them apart from fast food fries. 

The B&B Burger comes with Whiskey Onions and Mushrooms, Bleu Cheese and Mont Jack on a bun with Chipolte Mayo and BACON!   Everything comes with bacon; the cheese quesadilla even has bacon in it already.  Applebees is not a place for vegetarian’s that’s for sure.  As for the rest of the food on my list I’ll let you explore the option for yourself.

My final verdict is that while the food isn’t exactly high class or traditional it is a unique take on modern American dinning.  Every few months new creations come in and old favorites cycle back.  I haven’t tried something I didn’t like yet, just things that weren’t exactly as awesome as I thought they could be, but isn’t that how most of life ends up, just a little less than perfect?  

Applebees

Super Market's

Many people don’t think it is a big deal where they procure their nourishment from.  There are those who will buy frozen dinner's from a dollar store and discarded animal byproduct processed in to “happy” meals for their children amongst us.  They’ll complain about the cost of eating “healthy” while at the same time spending $75 a week on cigarettes and countless amounts each month on take out.  Or maybe you’ll get the age old mantra that healthy food doesn’t taste as good as fatty foods, which is debatable. 

The real problem with junk food junkies is lack of motivation to create a diverse and unique meal for one’s self and their loved ones on the regular.  How often do you eat green beans and stuffing, or Turkey and cranberry sauce?  Once a year on Thanksgiving, that’s a shame!  Everyone should treat every meal as a mini t-day.  Take the opportunity to add apps, sides, and desserts as necessary, to keep the palate in suspense and the taste buds tingling. 

In order to always eat healthy and with great variety though we shouldn’t consistently rely on eateries and delicatessens to assemble our meals for us.  We should take it upon ourselves to make routine trips to the market to keep up with our daily needs.  Fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy, beans and nuts, sweets and meats.  Don’t feel shy to have a little stash of chocolates or Swedish Fish in the cabinet and always have an assortment of diffident types of bread items to choose from throughout the day.

I feel like people think they are spending too much money if they go to the market and buy $200 worth of goods in one lump sum, but in reality if those items supplement the $10 lunches and multiple stops at gas stations, Burgers Kings and bars for snacks and drinks throughout the day it becomes worthwhile. 

Most people are hedonists; they want immediate pleasure as opposed to being able to wait for a greater reward later.  They’d rather spend $10 now and keep $190 in their pocket, to feel like they are saving money.  In reality that money is going to all go to other nonsense and quickly vanish in to the abyss. 

Then in order to feed yourself again you have to tap in to some other funds from some work venture or savings of some sort.   If the original $200 had all gone to food in bulk and $190 worth of vices and nights out were forsaken for the week, money might start to accumulate due to access funds remaining in your hands. 

Alas most people would rather focus on making more money to pay for their future needs than think of ways to save money every day in order to stack it for the future.

With this in mind, shopping for your foods, cooking them at home and packing your own lunches is a great way to save yourself a fortune over the years.

Farm Fresh to Stop and Shop.

Whole Foods to Walmart. 

Harris Teeter to Trader Joes.

We all get our food somewhere, what does your market say about you and your eating habits?  

Baker's Crust Eat Well. Be Happy

Yesterday I found myself in a brand new shopping center (new to me, not the world). My girlfriend and I were looking for a Baby's R Us and when we arrived, boy did we arrive. Best Buy, PetSmart, Barnes and Nobles, Old Navy, and a Harris Teeter all in one shopping center, everything we could possibly need in our entire lives in one place! We were about to go on a shopping excursion for the ages and neither of us had eaten yet. The first thing we saw was a Buffalo Wild Wings, BLUGH, next was some random Italian chain I had never heard of, Google tells me that there was a Boston Market right next to us as well, but even their mighty search power can't find the name of the odd ball Italian place we passed on.

As we found ourselves pulling up to Barres and Noble my eagle like eyes detected a sign in the distance, a bakery? Baker's Crust, "Hmmm" I thought, "Sounds like a Panera Bread (PB) of sorts" So instead of going in to battle on an empty tummy, because we'd rather not stomach the alternatives, we found our option for lunch. The first surprise as we walked in was that it wasn't anything like Panera, there was no walk up bakery counter and it was actually a sit down and dine establishment. However the second we opened the menu we were pleasantly surprised with the types of quality and choice we would have come to of expect from a PB competitor. You can take a look at the menu yourself over at their website, the link will be at the end of this post.

It was and is incredible. The salads are unique, the vegetarian choices are diverse, the entrees were taunting me and the selection of panini's and sandwiches was delightful. I ordered a combo of the Poached Pear salad and Chicken with Guacamole Sandwich, Laura had the Apple, Walnut and Bleu Cheese Salad with the Tomato and Cheese Soup. We had a home made fresh mozzarella starter and a diablotin crepe for dessert.

Let me start where we ended, with the crepe. The two of us have gone through a long and daunting journey in finding the perfect crepes. There have been a few contenders and many pretenders to the throne. Normally we search out crepes, so this was a pleasant surprise in and of itself, having definitely not expected to have one that morning. The hopes were running high though, when it finally got to us the chocolate, and strawberries looked perfect, the question was, were we about to eat real crepes, or just thin pancakes? No doubt, the Baker's Crust knows how to make a real crepe, the finishing touch to our already exquisite meal was a near perfect contender to the title. The strawberries were fresh as can be, the chocolate was drizzled everywhere and the dough was thin and abundant.

We found out from the very first dish that this place was not about quantity over quality though. Our fresh mozzarella starter was not exactly the "mozz sticks" you get at Friendlys. We were served two slices of home made fresh mozzarella, battered and breaded, on a plate of sauce sprinkled with herb. It looked straight out of a fine dinning, Iron Chef, 'bougie' experience. I thought it would never be enough, that we had been ripped off, but let me tell you. After taking just the very first tiny bite, it was worth the whole price of admission. The sauce was indescribable and the cheese was perfect. We ate it slowly and enjoyed every bite, even leaving a little to enjoy with our meals which came next.

I'll keep this quick and simple. The soup which I tasted was among the best I have ever had, it even looked pretty. Both salads were fighting to win my taste buds affection over the other. I of course only had a bite of Laura's, but it was enough to see why she was enjoying it so much. My salad was fresh as can be, each ingredient was there in abundant portions and the dressing was something I had never even heard of. Which is a plus! I love experimenting and hate that most places don't have anything but ranch, Italian, 1000 Island and the such.

Lastly but certainly not least. My sandwich, served on Jalapeno and Cheddar bread was a masterpiece. All of the different parts melted into a perfect whole seamlessly. There wasn't a single bite that left me unfulfilled and none of the tastes over or underwhelmed. This meal literally inspired me to want to be a food critique. 

I've eaten all over the country, from NYC to New Orleans and this little out of the way bakery really got to me. After looking it up on the internet I found out there are 6 locations throughout Virginia. Two in Richmond and one in VA Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, and Williamsburg this fledgling chain is steadily growing in to something to keep an eye on.

Baker's Crust

Intro

Finding a good place to have a quick yet delicious lunch isn’t an easy thing to do in America these days. Burger King, McDonalds, Toca Bells, Checkers, Hardees, White Castle and Wendy’s litter strip malls and highways across the country. Then of course there are the middle of the line chain’s popping up like weeds in a town near you. The list includes but is not limited to Applebees, Ruby Tuesdays, TGIFridays, Olive Garden, and Red Lobster. Fancy restaurants claim their name to fame as well. Each city and town has their select few restaurants worth writing home about. Chances are they will cost you a fortune in money as well as time. The question I ask is where in the world does my money and time get respected enough to feed me an acceptable meal with a delightful range of tastes in a reasonable amount of time? That is my quest now as a food critique, to reveal to the world a different way to eat, a unique set of out of the way eateries that don’t normally make it in to the public perception or the New York Times Review. You may never personally get to eat at any of these places, since many of them are singular entities. Then again you may be lucky enough to find yourself in a region becoming part of an expanding chain of a newly discovered and highly recommended food experience. If you find yourself sickened by the idea of eating one more dollar menu item, if you can’t afford to spend 2 hours and $20 per plate on dinner, or if you are just plain looking to experiment with your taste buds and find a new range of nourishment then this blog is definitely for you.