Smashburger, Hamilton, Ohio

Oh, we love a good burger, and boy did we find one. I was reading somewhere the other day that Smashburger was one of fastest growing hamburger chains, and that they have a very dedicated, almost cult, following. So, I went to their website, and lucky happy me, there's one not too far from Jungle Jim's International Market where we just happened to be going yesterday.

So off to Smashburger we went. The one in Bridgewater Falls is in a little strip mall in front of an outdoor, open mall. You order at the counter, and they bring the food out to you. Service was fast and very pleasant.

Anita ordered classic burger (American cheese, lettuce tomato, ketchup, onion, pickles, and smash sauce on an egg bun) with a fried egg on top and a side salad.

I also ordered the classic, but got it 'big' and a side of flash-fried veggie frites.

Smashburgers are made from 100% fresh Angus, smashed onto a hot griddle and cooked perfect. The toppings were all very, very fresh, as was Anita's salad. I absolutely loved my veggies. They are fried really quickly, hit with some sea salt, and served with a dipping sauce. They were really outstandingly good.

The burgers were messy, drippy, yummy, great. If I close my eyes while I'm eating, you know I'm enjoying it. Anita really liked hers too. She commented several times as to how fresh everything was.

I wish there was a Smashburger closer to Indianapolis. I think there will be soon since they are adding stores all over. I'd like to try the rest of their menu as everything on it sounds great! (Oh, and they also have beer... )

Bellacino's Grinders

I picked Anita up from work the other day and we went to lunch at Bellacino's Grinders, in Carmel, Indiana.

 

I am a big fan of Bellacino's sandwiches. The bread and meats are really quite good, and the toppings are very fresh. And you get a big pickle spear too.

I got a half Italian Grinder (ham, sausage, salami, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise). Oh, just thinking about that bread is making me hungry! Look at those tomatoes! No cardboard tomatoes on these grinders!

Anita ordered the stromboli grinder (Italian sausage, cheese, pasta sauce, onions, green peppers and banana pepper rings).

 Swing on by Bellacino's (they have several locations in the Indy area), and grab you a really good grinder.

Tijuana Flats

Amazon now has a service much like Groupon or Living Social, called Amazon Local. A recent offer was for Tijuana Flats, a Tex-Mex restaurant chain in Florida, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina and Indiana.

Most people use restaurant coupons to save on the meal, never to return. I use them to experience new restaurants we didn't know about. One was His Place Eatery, one of our favorite places to eat.

Tijuana Flats is now another favorite place for us to eat. They serve the freshest ingredients and they have an great little hot sauce bar that has sauces ranging from the very mild to the very hot. Sadly my picture come out blurry, but you get the idea. You grab some little cups and fill them with whatever sauces you want.

I ordered the Tres Tacos, beef, loaded, with refried beans and rice. The tacos were huge, the toppings fresh, and the meat was seasoned well. The sides were also great. I made a few trips to the hot sauce bar to try out some different sauces, which I liked being able to do.

Anita had the enchiladas, which she also enjoyed. Everything was tasty.

Service was prompt and courteous. We'll be returning to Tijuana Flats soon, and often. Another Amazon Local success for us!

Johnny Rockets All-American Burgers

We hardly ever eat at chain restaurants. I think it has been at least 5 years since we ate fast food, and that was only because it is so hard to find good food along the interstate.

There's a Johnny Rockets in the mall near our house. We're probably the last people around us that hadn't eaten there until now. I figured, well, let's try it and see.

Johnny Rockets is decorated like the soda fountains of old. I rather liked it actually. There are even mini jukeboxes at the table, just like the old days.

I ordered the #12, a cheeseburger (cheddar cheese, iceberg lettuce, white onion, pickles, mayonnaise & their signature sauce) and onion rings. The burger was cooked-to-order (a major plus), and the toppings were fresh (another plus). The onions rings? I could've eaten them all day, all night and into next week. Maybe I was just hankerin' deep fried onion rings, but these seemed particularly good.

Service was decent and prompt and attentive. The food was about what I expected, which is to say it wasn't bad it just didn't make me drool. But still, good.

Oh, and Johnny Rockets uses those great little ice cubes in their sodas. I don't know why, but they really make your soda taste better. And Johnny Rockets has all sorts of sodas and hand-dipped milkshakes (on my list for the next time we are there)!

Bub's Big Ugly Burgers, Carmel, Indiana

Oh, how we love Bub's burgers. They are seasoned just right and cooked to perfection. And the buns... to die for!


If you're daring enough, you can try the Big Ugly, which is one pound of meat... after cooking!

Bub's is located right on the Monon Trail in downtown Carmel. Swing on by if you're in the neighborhood and enjoy a really great burger.

smoQ BBQ Restaurant, Cincinnati, Ohio

We were so happy that we stopped by smoQ the other day after a big shopping trip to Jungle Jim's International Market.

smoQ is a block or two off the Dixie Highway. It's a nicely appointed place.... there are great old black and white photos of BBQ joints on the wall. And the music is great... Muddy Waters, Louis... you name it. And the food? Absolutely great.

Anita ordered the pulled pork sandwich, which comes with house-made chips (delicious!), and a side of collard greens. The pork was smoked perfectly, was tender, and came topped with a mustard slaw that didn't overpower the meat. The collards were really good. It's a big meal for sure!

I had the half rack of St. Louis ribs, which comes with two sides, so I had bacon/cheese grits and southern-style green beans.

First, the ribs were beyond good. They come 'dry', meaning they aren't sauced, which is what I prefer. I get suspicious when a place drowns their food in sauce before they serve it (Anita's pork was also served without sauce). These ribs had a fantastic rub crust and smoke ring. The rub was to die for. It had a touch of sweetness, which I think was turbinado sugar. My goal in life now is to try and duplicate it this year when I fire up my smoker and throw on some ribs.

The sides were fantastic. I only wish I could've eaten more. I mean, really? Bacon/cheese grits? You know those were great! The southern style green beans were also good.

I like that smoQ also puts their sauces on the table. They had three flavors available: Memphis, KC, and Carolina. We sampled them while we were waiting for our food (in fact, I found that the Memphis sauce makes a really good dip for the free corn muffins you get!). They were all very good. I ended up only putting about 3 drops of Memphis sauce on one of my ribs. The ribs didn't need sauce at all, they were so moist and tasty, with just the right amount of smoke.

Service was prompt too. All in all, it was a great lunch and we'll definitely return to smoQ again!

Nick's English Hut, Bloomington, Indiana

Anita has been talking about the strombolis at Nick's English Hut for years. And even though we are often near Bloomington, we'd never stopped until now.


We both ordered the traditional stromboli. We were split on the results. Anita absolutely loved hers and is still talking about it today. I thought it was good, but needed a kick. I lean towards spicier foods and I just felt that that strom could've used some heat. Now, that being said, I could hang out at Nick's for a game and drink a few beers and easily throw down a few strombolis. It's the kind of place I would been at a lot back in my college days.

So, I think we'll be going back to Nick's next time we're in the area.

Rhinehart's Oyster Bar, Evans, GA

Any time we're in Evans GA (just outside of Augusta), we have to go to Rhinehart's Oyster Bar. It's in an unassuming building, with an unassuming atmosphere. Concrete floors, wood picnic tables, and best of all... you can write on everything everywhere!

I always get the spicy boiled shrimp when we go to Rhinehart's. You get a mess of them, and you make a mess eating them. I'm a big fan of that. The shrimp have a little kick to them, which is offset perfectly by the homemade cocktail sauce. They go really well with an ice cold beer. Or three.

Last time we were at Rhinehart's, Anita switched things up and ordered the catfish poor boy sandwich. It was huge! She said it was the best po'boy she'd ever had. That's a pretty bold statement considering we've had some really outrageously good po'boys!

Did I mention the fries? Hand cut. Fresh. Really, really good.

Rhinehart's is a fun place to go, with great food and service. And while you're there, check the walls and table around you... you might find our names written there!

Shane's Rib Shack, Evans, GA

While we were staying at my parent's for Thanksgiving, we decided to slip out one evening and have dinner at Shane's Rib Shack. The reviews of Shane's were quite positive so I was looking forward to eating there.

You order at the counter at Shane's. The place was definitely busy, and I found the staff both behind and in front of the counter to be quite friendly.

I figured that since they are famous for their ribs, I'd best get a half rack along with some okra and coleslaw. Mom got the sampler (ribs, tenders and pork). Dad got the half rack, same as me, and Anita ordered the chicken, with mac and cheese (which she said was outrageously good) and slaw (also good).

The food came out pretty quickly. Everything looked and smelled great, so I dove right in on the ribs. Man, they were good! Finger-lickin', tongue-smackin' darned good! They were tender, meaty, tasty, with just the right amount of char on the outside to give them some bite. I'm drooling just thinking about them again. I looked at their website and found that there's a Shane's in Louisville, KY. It's worth a trip there just for some ribs!

Everyone else enjoyed their food and bragged on it. I can't remember what all everyone said as I was in rib heaven, a world of my own, just enjoying the ribs and sides.

Smoky Mountain Brewery, Gatlinburg, TN

Anita and I pulled into Gatlinburg, TN, after about a 7 hour drive from Indianapolis. I'm a big fan of having a little liquid refreshment to shake off the road, if you know what I mean.

So, we left our hotel and walked into town and into the Smoky Mountain Brewery, just off Parkway, the main drive through Gatlinburg. The place was crowded since it was a Sunday afternoon during football season. There were TVs everywhere. Oh, and the pizza. You could smell the pizza and it smelled so good!

We didn't eat at the Smoky Mountain Brewery, though I have to say all the food looked and smelled terrific. Next time we're in Gatlinburg we'll go there for a bite to eat! Instead we headed upstairs to the bar for a few drinks. Since the place is a brewery, I ordered a large Mountain Light beer. Oh, let me tell you, what a welcomed beer it was! It was very, very good. Good enough to have more than one (and I did!).

Bar service was friendly and fairly prompt considering how busy the place was. If you're in Gatlinburg, swing on by for a few drinks!

Sonny's Real Pit BBQ, Corbin, KY

Anita and I were driving from Indy to Gatlinburg, on our way to my parent's for Thanksgiving. Somehow, we always end up in Corbin, KY, for lunch. I suspect that most people go to the Kentucky Fried Chicken near there since Corbin is where it was started.

We stopped in at Sonny's real pit BBQ, right off of the interstate. Sonny's is a chain, but not a huge chain. They turn out big, good servings at a reasonable price. Service is very fast, and very friendly. You'll fill up on some good BBQ at Sonny's, and it sure beats the heck out of a fast food burger or taco.

I ordered the chopped brisket, with fries and slaw, and a slice of garlicy Texas Toast. Nothing fancy. The brisket was seasoned well, smoked tender, and quite tasty. There were 4 sauces on the table (where they should be): sweet, sizzlin' sweet, mild, and smokin'. I tried them all, and sizzlin' sweet was my favorite. I would've liked a 5th sauce that was a little hotter. The coleslaw was quite good. It's your standard slaw, but for some reason it really hit the spot that day.

Anita had the pulled pork sandwich and fries and stole some of my coleslaw. The pork was smoked well. It was tender and tasty.

So if you're driving down I-75 and you're getting hungry, swing by Sonny's in Corbin or in their other locations nearby.

Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, Gatlingburg, TN

Anita and I stopped in Gatlinburg on our way to my parent's for Thanksgiving. We did a little shopping and went to dinner at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. We've eaten there before, and really enjoyed it.

We started out with some calamari. It was fried in a nice tempura batter, and also included fried red bell pepper strips and pepperoncinis. I would've never thought of tempura pepperoncinis or bell peppers, but they were both excellent. I'll be making them at home soon. The calamari itself was also good, and included a nice dipping sauce.

Anita ordered the same thing she did the last time were there, Mama Blue's Southern Charmed Fried Shrimp. They really are one of the best things on the menu.

I changed up my order this time from the New Orleans Shrimp and went with the Shrimper's Heaven. If you're going to go, go big, I always say. The Shrimper's Heaven comes with coconut shrimp, chilly you-peel shrimp, fried shrimp, and tempura shrimp. You're not going to leave hungry, I guarantee! The three dipping sauces complement the shrimp perfectly.

As always, service at Bubba Gump's is very good. The staff is pleasant, attentive, and fun. If you change the sign on your table from 'Run. Forrest. Run.' to 'Stop. Forrest. Stop.' any wait staff that passes by will stop and get you whatever you need.

Quaker Steak and Lube

We almost never eat at chain restaurants. We prefer mom-and-pop or at least locally-owned places. That being said, we've wanted to eat at a Quaker Steak and Lube for some time because we love wings, and they have such a long list of wing sauces.


We were on our way back from a day at the Ohio Renaissance Festival. We worked up quiet an appetite at the festival despite having quite a bit of food while we were there. So, we stopped at a Quaker Steak and Lube on the northwest side of Cincinnati.

QS & L is decorated in an racing theme. They have cars, motorcycles, garage items hanging everywhere. There's plenty to look at it. The menu follows the same theme.

Anita ordered the boneless wings with BBQ sauce, which she liked. I got the Wings & O-Rings, which is 10 wings (in Louisiana Lickers sauce) and some onion rings. I really liked the sauce on my wings, and the rings were very good. We both enjoyed our meals and service was decent.

Would we go back? Probably, just to try more of their wing sauce flavors, which are listed below. QS & L isn't cheap, but I thought the wings were much better than the ones from Buffalo Wild Wings.

• Triple Atomic
• Atomic
• Super-Charged
• Buckeye BBQ®
• Cajun Spicy
• Hot Classic
• Arizona Ranch®
• Golden Garlic®
• Thai ‘R’ Cracker
• Medium Classic
• Thaisian
• Thai ‘R’ Cracker
• Louisiana Lickers®
• Tequila Lime BBQ
• Asian Sesame
• Dusted Chipotle
• Parmesan Pepper
• Mild
• Honey Mustard
• BBQ
• Ranch

Jethro's BBQ N' Grill, Lafayette, Indiana

I met up with some co-workers for lunch the other day in Lafayette, Indiana. We always try to go somewhere new, and of course, I lean towards BBQ joints.


I think Jethro's BBQ N' Grill is fairly new. We walked on in and ordered at the counter. I ordered a 1/2 pound of the brisket along with some slaw. Now, I gotta say, I was a little irked that while we were waiting to order the cashier stopped three times to take phone orders. I really think that someone in the back should take those calls while people are waiting, or at least put the people on hold. It's sort of a pet peeve with me. Maybe it was a fluke.

Anyway, the brisket is sliced, not chopped. It had a great smoke flavor to it. I was a little pessimistic going in, but the brisket sold me. I could've eaten another half pound, to be honest. The slaw was also quite good. Your normal slaw, executed well and nice and cold.

Oh, did I mention the sauces? Quite good, actually. They are on the table, which is something I really like. I hate having to go up and ask for more sauce, or worse, having my BBQ pre-sauced for me.

I'd return to Jethro's. I'd like to try some of their other items, specially the pulled pork.

Visit your local BBQ joints!

Andre's BBQ, Indianapolis

Anita and I were driving down Pendleton Pike here in Indy the other day when we came across this trailer off the side of the road, with Andre's BBQ and Seafood written on the side. There were several smokers going out front, and you could smell that lovely smell of hickory burning. We were on our way to somewhere else and we didn't have time to stop, but I vowed to return.


So earlier this week I drove on down to Andre's BBQ trailer and ordered the pulled pork sandwich and the red beans and rice. I brought it on home and chowed down on some of the best food around. The pulled pork was tender and smoked just like I like it. Instead of your traditional ketchup- or mustard-based sauce, I think the sauce is more brothy, with some good Creole heat (and not too much of it). The red beans and rice were to die for. There's a bit of smoked sausage in the rice that really puts it over the top.

I chatted for a bit with Andre. He's a great guy (from Haiti via Miami) who is really passionate about his food, and it shows. I really like the creole flavors he brings to his food. It's a nice change from what I would call traditional southern BBQ and sides. He let me sample some Cajun corn while I was waiting, and I tell you, that corn is insanely good. I can't wait to return and try the chicken, or turkey... or ribs.


Today, I took Anita with me to meet Andre and pick up some more pulled pork sandwiches. This time I got red beans and rice and Cajun corn as my sides. Anita got the Caribbean rice and the mac-and-cheese. Again, the sandwiches were great, and the sides were just to die for. This time we got a sample of greens while we were waiting. No question about it, I'm getting greens as my side next time!


Andre's is on Pendleton Pike, just northeast of Post Road. It's on the south side of the road, just passed the Value Place hotel, beneath a large billboard. You'll see the smokers, catering truck and the trailer, where you place your order. And tell Andre Hi!

N'awlins Creole Cafe, Avon, Indiana

We were over in the Avon area yesterday, so I decided to swing by the Nawlins Creole Cafe and pick up some dinner for takeout.


I ordered two sample platters, which was more than enough food for two people. We ended up with shrimp etouffee, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice, jambalaya, corn, green beans, and potato salad. Everything was really, really good.


When you order your food you pick a spice level from 1 to 10. We like spicy food, but decided to go with a 5. I have to say that a 5 is about right. A little kick, but not overpowering. I might go a 6 next time!

If you're in Avon, swing by Nawlins Creole Cafe. You'll be very happy you did.

Backyard BAR-B-Q of Kokomo, Indiana

Sadly, Backyard BBQ has closed after 7 1/2 years.
~~~
While Anita and I were in Kokomo last weekend to see the Grissom Air Museum and do a little antiquing, we stopped by the Backyard BBQ joint for lunch. Located just off the main road in a little strip mall, Backyard BBQ is a nice little joint.


The owner was super friendly. Anita got the pulled pork sandwich, which she liked, and coleslaw and potato wedges on the side. The potatoes have a great seasoning on them. They were quite good. The slaw, we both agreed, was insanely good.

I ordered the sampler platter and the slaw. The sampler platter comes with a huge amount of chicken, pork, and beef. All were good, and there was definitely enough food! They have tons of different sauces, all of them very good. That's why I usually order platters instead of sandwiches as it makes it easier to sample all of the sauces.


The interior of Backyard BBQ is decorated like a backyard. I thought it was rather well done and a change from the usual. Stop on by when you're in the Kokomo area. Support your local BBQ joint!

His Place Eatery, Indianapolis, Indiana

Mike and I recently went to His Place Eatery. When we arrived, we were greeted enthusiastically by our waiter. The waiter knew the menu and was excited about the food.

Mike got the fried chicken (fresh dropped), mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans and cornbread. He said the chicken was insanely good and he loved the green beans. I got the smoked meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing and cornbread. The meatloaf was really well seasoned and you could taste the smoke flavor. It was cooked over hickory wood and topped with pepper bacon. The homemade sweet and spicy sauce was delicious. The mashed potatoes were real mashed potatoes just like Mom would make.

Chef James Jones stopped by our table and chatted with us for a moment. The chef and his wife are very pleasant. Their passion really comes through in their food. We will definitely go back. Everything was delicious! This was home cooking at its finest.

Shapiro's Deli, Carmel Indiana

Anita and I met up for lunch the other day. We decided to go to Shapiro's, one of my long-time favorites. Shapiro's has been in the area for a long time. They have your usual buffet-like fair, like meatloaf, liver and onions, etc, and really, really good sandwiches and bread. The sandwiches are so good that I have never tried their other food. I should since everything smells so good.

I ordered my usual, a pastrami sandwich on rye with Swiss and yellow mustard. Sandwiches come with a big deli pickle.


The pastrami and corned beef at Shapiro's is insanely good. It reminds me of the sandwiches I had in New York city.


Anita had a fresh Chef salad that looked (and was) very good. I'd like to try their salads too, but I just can't get past how good the pastrami is!

Izzy's, Forest Park Ohio

We took a Saturday drive over to northern Cincinnati for a day of shopping at Jungle Jim's (aka Foodie Heaven). We decided to swing by Izzy's for lunch. Izzy's claims to have the world's best Reuben sandwiches. As a Reuben addict I couldn't pass it up.


This particular Izzy's is in a pretty unassuming small strip mall.


I ordered their signature grilled Reuben, which comes with a massive and really, really good potato pancake. The corned beef was perfect. It was a really tasty good sandwich. For me, the more napkins you need to eat a Reuben, the better it is, and I used plenty.


Anita had the turkey Reuben on a rye roll, which she said was very good also. We both agreed that the potato pancake was very addicting.

I can't wait to return to Izzy's to try some of their other Reubens!