Grub Crawl - Downtown: Neon Beach (Closed), Corner Pizza Bar, Robinson Coffee Room, Deeply Coffee Company and Neighborhood Eatery *SC/NC Travel Notes

I tried the places last Friday at lunch. The first is near Motorworks Brewing on Orange. The second is on Magnolia and Church. The third is on Pine and Magnolia next to Shots. The fourth is in that high rise at Magnolia and Palmetto nearer to the lake. The fifth is down the street from that (nearer to the Courthouse) on Magnolia. I want to thank Bluddy Diarrhea (or is it the fat lady?) for putting in all those pay meters that make downtown so unwelcoming. It really helps with the "congestion". Hope it pays for his Pro-Active. And I want to thank you all for proving to me, once and for all, that "word of mouth" truly is not an effective marketing strategy. Even if the content/product/service is free. I saw that Magnolia on Magnolia had shut down and Cucina looked like they didn't get scared off and is almost open.

Neon Beach - The brain child of the Tin & Taco people. A Miami themed place. It looks more like a bar. But, they have some food. Not sure what Miami based cuisine means to most people. I'm guessing Carib fusion. They do have a Cuban quesadilla. I was unimpressed by the selection or pricing. I settled on a Cobb salad after a week of questionable choices. Not that that is a healthy option anyway. It was ok. It cost $10. Mostly fresh stuff. Alot of blue cheese crumbles. BTW did you know that when you buy shredded cheese in a package it is teeming with cellulose? That's saw dust. Block cheese has a greater chance of being "real". The menu had snooze inducers like burgers and such. They said they were changing it soon. The place is kind of Miami. High ceilings. Bar in the middle. White orbs made of twigs. Pine branches. Kind of palmy murals. Open for a year.

The Corner Pizza Bar - It is the latest in this space that I think had been called the Magnolia Marketplace. I've been here when they tried to have different stalls. A place called 801 Coal Oven Pizza or something. Frankenfurters too? Now it is just non-Italian Italian and a bar. Basically the same thing it has always been. Same pizza oven even. I just had a slice to go when I realized this and that it wasn't craft pizza. Was just going for a pie anyway. Over priced. It (alone) cost $3. A big NY style slice. Ok. I say it is non-Italian because they offer things like pickle fries, Mexican pizza and jalapeno poppers. In addition to such Italian favorites as wings, strips and fries. The Italian items they do have run range from subs to pasta. Open for six months. I think they said they had 80 beers. Probably not a single Italian one. I think Italian. I think beer anyway! Every price ends in a seven?

Robinson Coffee Room - I just bumped into them. It's in a location that was Knife something and Red Mug something and Breakfast Club. Open for two years! It's cool. Very modern. Youngster hang. Insipid breast milk (I mean coffee and tea) pacifiers. Plus a small pastry counter and a breakfast menu of around ten items at around $10. Think avocado toast. Open seven days for breakfast through dinner. Big space. Patio. Oh, I tried a chocolate twist that I doubt they make. It cost $5. Bland. It may actually be closer to Livingston than Magnolia. Hence the name.

Deeply Coffee Company - Another breast milk sippy cup place for adult children. Open since 2015. I had a coffee cola for $5. Fine. Place is spartan. Seems like a work space for the unemployed or adult children whom can't let go of the college experience/atmosphere. They sell wine too. By the bottle. Like a store. 

The Neighborhood Eatery - Turns out I tried the same exact thing here on December 30th 2015 (if you want to read that post). Good to see they had staying power. I had the Koagie for $9. I think it cost $8 last time. Korean cheese steak/hoagie. Good. Sweet. Glossy bun. Small. Like half a hoagie. I'll take this opportunity to reprimand the every growing number of sandwich places that are pulling this (half sandwich) stunt. 

*Travel Notes - SC/NC: I ate a Cribb burger with smoky potato salad at Cribb's Kitchen in Spartanburg SC. Slept at Hampton Inn for $86. Grabbed terrible smoked chicken salad at Daddy Joe's Beach House Grill in Gaffney SC. Ok espresso and chocolate frosted and chocolate frosted with coconut at Local Lion in Boone NC. Had sloppy ground beef pot pie at Wild Craft Eatery. Slept two nights at really good Comfort Inn for $85 a night. Skied at Beech Mountain for $46 and $34 for ski package (there). Skied the next day at Sugar Mountain for $49 and $28 for skis package (there). There were cheaper rental places around both resorts. There was a little walk from the lots, so, I just ponied up to save walking in ski boots (with skis). Both resorts are around fifteen miles from Boone. While there (Boone area) I went to a place (highest peak) called Grandfather Mountain. There was a cool bridge on it. Because they were gay about Covid rules and it cost over $20, I didn't go in. Even though they wanted me bad. Boone is home to Appalachian State University. I drove around there. I also bought a bottle (untasted) of wine at Grandfather Vineyard. I also went to Appalachian Ski Resort. It wasn't worth it. Just for novices. Internet said lift tix were $44 (w) and rentals were $26 (w). Plus you had to pay for parking and they wanted a reservation in advance. I should mention that the prices at the other places were for during the week. Full day. On the way home, I passed by a place called Blowing Rock. You could see it from the gift shop, so, I passed on the $7 fee. I grabbed a half pound of bad sliced pork at Hannah's BBQ in Lenoir NC. Like they took that sliced tenderloin you get at the market and cooked that. I expected a hunk of cooked pork that they then slice. You know. Like human beings do. I seem to be channeling John Mulaney. I topped that off with a terrible STP Dipper (rb and t) at a place called Groucho's Deli (that turned out to be a chain) in Irmo SC. Slept there at a Hyatt Place for $113. Since I came back the way you might drive there (Boone), I will tell you it in reverse. 95N - 26N (to Columbia) - 77N (to Charlotte) - 85W (to Gastonia) - 321N. Pretty easy. Roads weren't tricky. Only possible issues could be very near Boone and then on the roads to the resorts. Those are still well used and modern and not very hilly. It's a good vacation. Skiing isn't that shabby either. Especially at these prices and being able to avoid the friendly skies. 

Grub Crawl - International Drive: Gordon Ramsey Fish & Chips and Thunder Burger *FL/AL/MS/LA Travel Notes

I tried these spots on Thursday night. The first is in the Icon Park (south of Sand Lake) towards the Ferris wheel. The other is in a strip mall north of Kirkman. Peter Glenn ski shop is the most observable marker.

Gordon Ramsey Fish & Chips - Open for six months. I described the one in LV in a Travel Post. No loss of quality here. Not bad. I'm not keen on them (fried fish hunks) to begin with. These are about as good as they are going to get. Pricey at $15 for three large hunks and fries. Salty. Mostly well timed. A bit of raw batter inside one. Fries were good too. They give you two sauces. Nice decor. Simple. Nice packaging. You order inside a little hut. I believe you can't eat in it. Outside area. Remember parking is free here. Some new attractions nearby too.

Thunder Burger - Burgers and chicken sandwich. Named for Greek gods. I guess they don't know Thor is not from those parts. He's the outlier. I had the one with two 4oz patties and American cheese and veg. Forgot the name because they forgot the receipt. Good. A thicker burger. They claim Angus. Good bun. Came with good fries. Prepared to order. It cost just under $10. 7 burger options around the same price. A mini one was $8. They have a veggy one. The one with cherry tomatoes looked exceptionally nice. Fries, think cut onion rings and pork belly (rinds). They tossed in the pork rinds because I was so charming, I guess. Light. Open for one month. Brazilian. Gray. High ceilings. Brick walls. Tile. Order at the counter. Plenty of seating. You wouldn't know it was Brazilian run. Don't be scared off if that would have been an issue. Pretty grass roots "American" grub. Open L & D.

*Travel Notes - FL/AL/MS/LA: I spent the first night at the Comfort Inn outside of Tallahassee in Midway for $104. Nothing there. Avoid. I had a pulled pork sandwich in Milton (near Pensacola) at Grover T's BBQ. Had donuts (blueberry, chocolate frosted and glazed) for 80 cents a piece at Milton Quality Bakery. It was listed as best donut in Florida in AAA magazine. I drove to Fairhope AL. Stayed at Key West Inn for $88. Ate a muffaletta at Panini Pete's (on 3D). Checked out their pier. Had lunch on the Causeway to Mobile at Ralph and Kacoo's. Catfish Cocoorie (one grilled and one fried with crawfish on top) with roasted potatoes and green beans. Drove to New Orleans. Had a snack of three pieces of fried chicken and mashed potatoes at Willie Mae's Scotch House (on many shows). Lived up to the hype. Stayed in Alder Uptown (area west of Garden District) for $125. Got seafood gumbo to go at Saffron. I wasn't aware they require vax cards now in NO to do indoor type things. Ate breakfast at Camellia Grill (they and Saffron were in some article I cut out a while ago). Just a stupid diner. Had a lame Manhattan (corned beef and mushrooms and Swiss) omelet with hb. They and Willie Mae's didn't ask for your papers. Not gonna touch it. I checked out the Audubon Park Golf Course. Public. $49 a round. Looked good. Saw the Audubon Zoo. It was raining, so, I couldn't do much. Drove around. Stayed at the St Charles Inn for $156. I chose both hotels because they were one of the few with free parking. Grabbed a cheese steak with Whiz and a home made pretzel with Whiz nearby at Zinzer's because of the rain. It was good. Just stumbled upon it. Became dinner because of fatigue and rain. Zinzer is a greeting or something in Pittsburgh. Was going to stop at an icon called Dooky Chase on the way out. Vax facism uncertainty led me to defer that adventure. I drove on 90 to Bay St Louis MS. Didn't see that much evidence of the hurricane there or in NO. Ate lunch at Trapani's Eatery. Had veal covered with shrimp and mushrooms and some Creole like sauce with a side of spaghetti Bordelaise (pesto plus). Drove to Pascagoula MS for a crawfish joint a waitress told my about called Bozo's. Turned out to be famous. 2 lbs of real small and shitty crawfish. Only cost $4 a lb though. Maybe next time. Drove back to 10 and stayed at BW Flagship in Moss Point for $99. Drove to Mobile and had a rib tip sandwich with M&C at Dreamland BBQ. Went to Senior Bowl at South Alabama University. $20 end zone , walk up seats. $15 parking. Drove thru Montgomery to Auburn. Stayed at Sleep Inn for $100. Tried a Reese's PB Cup with potato chips, Snicker's with cinnamon and Fruity Peebles Kit Kat. Also had my first Bojangles chicken sandwich (came out this summer). SC and NC in next post.

Grub Crawl - Milk District and East Colonial: Cicchetti and bb-q Chicken

I tried the first place at lunch on a Sunday about two weeks ago. I tried the other today at 3pm. The first is on N Bumby across from a brewery and aside Mx Tacos in The Milkhouse. The other is aside a Publix on E Colonial near Mamak. It was a Chinese place before this.

Cicchetti Kitchen - I thought Cicchetti was a last name. Nope. They said Italian (Venetian) for small plates or side dishes. I think I knew that once. Not many cicchetti. Menu is small too. Dinner menu only added a steak ($18) and ribs ($16), I think. Didn't see it. Overheard a conversation with another table. Very Venetian? They offered: six spreads on toast ($6), a tartare/cruda ($12), frito misto ($12), mozzarella en carozza (carriage) ($10), and seven other things like sardines ($10). I grabbed a semi-decent (but small) Bacaro (where they sell cicchetti) Burger for $14. Kind of like an In & Out Double Double with taleggio, zucchini pickles, mustard and a potato roll. Came stag. Said each patty was 4oz (1/4 lb). Service (1) was good. Place is in a big white building. Patio in front. Looks lodgy. Wood, slate, brick. Full length bar to the rear. Two rows of tables in front. All window front. There is also a Kelly's Ice Cream. and a Foxtail Coffee. Not much of a marketplace. I believe they said they opened in September. I was hoping for a little more. Seems like they are focusing on the bar.

bb-q Chicken - They lower case the b. Not me. I tried them after CK two weeks ago. Wait was 40 minutes at 2pm. I declined. Is everyone eating like a Spaniard all of a sudden? Went back today to fit it in this review. Waited twenty (or less) minutes at around the same time. Not really worth the effort. I just had my first Bojangles chicken sandwich ($4) a few days ago. That's a better value. I ordered the half Golden Original Chicken (fried) for $14. This chicken had a mastectomy (no breast). Just thighs, drums and wings. I think they said eight pieces. It's ok. The crust is light. Too light. Tempura-ish. No bite. Little crunch. Neutral to oily tasting. Probably because no spicing. You get some (flavorless) heat at the back end. A hint of sweetness. Like a pancake batter. The chicken was moist. They are clever in the to go packaging. It is cardboard and has vents. The chicken can't steam and ruin the crust. It appears they are a global chain. In 57 countries. I may have eaten in one before. They also sell wings and boneless chicken. You can choose from a range of sauces. Smallest sizes of those cost more than my box. They have beer. The place has one lengthwise, communal table on the left and some fours on the right. It was full both times. Must have a following. You order at a counter. They have a big mural showing how they fry the chicken. Don't get why it's called"bbq". No bbq. I guess I'm not in love with KFC because I think I was non-plussed by Chi-Kin too. And I'm getting sick of paying sit down prices for take out effort experiences. Think off them as Wing Stop and they may exceed your expectations. They were open for a week the first time I tried. Now three? They cemented their hours (a sign said) at like 11am or 12pm to 3pm and then a two hour break and open for dinner at 5pm to like 8pm? 7 days. 

*I'll have an I Drive and then a DT review in the next week. Including a travel note per.