Day 7 - Write 31 - Out of the Kitchen - Tips for Eating Out

Getting Out of the Kitchen

If you're trying to improve your health by changing your diet then cooking at home is the best option. In your own kitchen you control what goes in to a dish and how it is prepared. However there are those times when you just want someone else to do the cooking and the clean-up! 

So off to a restaurant we go.

Remember just because a dish doesn't contain meat or dairy doesn't necessarily make it healthy. Take french fries for example. No matter what type of oil they are fried in they are still deep fried. Not a 'health' food, 

Let's take a look a couple of common type restaurants found in most cities and see what's good to eat.

Chinese

Best bets:

Steamed rice

Steamed veggies such as broccoli and snowpeas 

Veggie stir fry (ask if they can use a small amount of oil)

Veggie Lo Mein (ask if the noodles are made with eggs)

Tofu dishes

Veggie Lo Mein

Beware: Typical Chinese restaurant food may be high in sodium and oil. Always ask that the dish be prepared using veggie broth and no fish or oyster sauce. 

Italian

Best bet:

Pasta and marinara sauce 

Pizza with veggies, sauce and no cheese

Our favorite Italian place will make eggplant Parmesan or cauliflower Parmesan without cheese but not the veggie lasagna. You can always ask.

Pizza is from Blaze Pizza - they have restaurants all around the country. Completely Vegan including the crust. They even have a Vegan cheese.

Simple pasta with a light marinara sauce.

Beware: Most Italian places love their cheese.

Might not be as healthy (of as cheap) as you can make it at home but with a little planning and thought you can find plant-based foods when you eat out.

Happy Eating!

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Restaurant Review - Fraunces Tavern in New York

Fraunces Tavern is located in the Financial District at 54 Pearl Street, New York . The tavern is where George Washington bid farewell to his officers at the end of the Revolution. As one of the oldest building in New York, Fraunces Tavern has been an operating Colonial American tavern since 1762.

We had brunch at the tavern before heading to the airport. We picked this place for two reasons. First I was intrigued by the historic aspect. I mean George Washington was here! How could we not stop by? The other reason was simply because it was half a block from our hotel. Since we'd already walked 34 miles the day before this was a no brainer.

It was Mother's Day and they had a special menu that we ordered from. Choice of a two Bloody Marys or two Momosas, appetizer and entree for $30. That wouldn't have been too bad but we added a beer, two coffees and two desserts. The total for brunch not including tip was $105.00. Yikes! Even on vacation that was a bit steep for us.

 Appetizers and Entrees

I started with an appetizer of Scotch Eggs and it was yummy. The eggs were hard boiled just right, wrapped in a concoction of three sausages and deep fried. Served on a wooden tray with sweet pickles,porter cheese and a tangy mustard and honey sauce. For an entree I chose the fish and chips. Big pieces of deep fried cod and french fries served with tartar sauce and mint pea sauce on the side.

For an appetizer John had Salmon Chowder which he said was so good and filling he could have had that as a meal. For an entree he had the chicken pot pie. A big puff of pastry made for an impressive show but he said overall it wasn't any better than the pot pie at KFC. He loves the pot pie from KFC so that's not necessarily a bad review.

Dessert and Coffee 

There were only four items on the dessert menu: Tavern Cheese Board,  Meyer Lemon Tart, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Classic Sundae for Two. 

Sorry but to me cheese does not constitute dessert so I went with the Sticky Toffee Pudding. Not sure where the toffee was. It was more like a gingerbread cake with chocolate topping. It was topped with some really good whisky flavored ice cream. Overall very tasty. 

My dining partner decided on the Meyer Lemon Tart. Made a very pretty presentation on a platter with the tart, whipped cream and berries. I had a taste and it was okay but then I'm not a fan of lemon desserts. 

I love a good cup of coffee and the coffee here was excellent!

Of course we were in a tavern so we had to try the Samuel Fraunces Ale a 16 ounce draft for $8. So many beers so little time...

Verdict

I will say that the atmosphere was beautiful. We ate in the cozy bar area and just checking out the beer menu was impressive. The food was good but I don't think it warranted the cost and the service was a little slow.  That didn't bother us too much because we were killing time before we had to head to the airport. It made for a nice relaxing meal but I expected a little more attention from an upscale restaurant.

Walk and Eat - Tupelo Honey Cafe, Chattanooga, Tennessee

There's nothing like being slightly lost and very hungry in a strange city. As we wandered around trying to get our bearings we found ourselves in Warehouse Row. It looked like an interesting place so when we spotted Tupelo Honey Cafe we thought we'd give it a try. 

We didn't know it when we went in but Tupelo Honey Cafe is a chain with  several restaurants in the Southeast. According to their website the food is described as "New South Flavors" and goes on to say they serve "traditional Southern fare that is creative, inventive and satisfying scrumptious". 

Even though it was the lunch hour and they were pretty busy we were seated quickly. The waitress was friendly and brought our drink out along with warm biscuits and blueberry jam. I'm not overly fond of biscuits but these were good. Brown and crunchy on the outside and not too doughy on the inside. The blueberry jam was perfection! Tasted just like the jam I make every year. 

The menu was full of Southern things like shrimp and grits, Southern buttermilk fried chicken breast, beef and bacon meatloaf, Carolina mountain trout and Charleston Chicken Sandwich. Everything sounded so good it took a while to look over the menu.

 I opted for the Tupelo Farm Fresh Burger. I'm a sucker for a good burger so I just had to try it out. Especially when the menu said the meat was pasture raised, fresh never frozen, Black Angus beef.

The burger was big and juicy and cooked just right. Lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and even with the Chef's special sauce I had to have my burger with mayo. This is the south y'all.

I opted for the Kale and Carrot Salad as my side which was surprising good. I was hesitant to order this at first because kale can be tough but I was trying to be good and add a little healthy green to my meal. It was actually pretty tender and tasty. 

Nancy ordered the Grateful Dead Black Bean Burger which she said was very good. I didn't get a taste of her burger but I did
sneak a few fries and they were mighty tasty. 

We had a nice experience at the Tupelo Honey Cafe. The food was good, the wait staff friendly and the restaurant was bright and welcoming. Lunch for one with water to drink was right at $13 not including the tip. A little pricey for a burger but I felt it was well worth it.

BTW...

Tupelo Honey

Did you know that Tupelo honey comes from bees that feast on the White Ogeechee Tupelo trees that grow in the swampy areas of Southern Georgia and NW Florida? To be labeled Tupelo the honey only has to have a floral content of 51% but the real stuff can be as high as 95%.

To try the real stuff you have to head to the swamps along the Apalachicola River valley in NW Florida. This area produces the purest Tupelo honey. You can even  attend The Tupelo Honey Festival which is held in Wewahitchka, Florida, (Just call the town Wewa like the locals) The festival is held annually on the 3rd Saturday in May. 

Walk and Eat - Cupcake Kitchen, Chattanooga, Tennessee

This should be titled I eat so I must walk!

Whether you sit and enjoy just one or get a dozen to go cupcakes are a sweet treat. We found a nice little cupcake shop on a recent girl's weekend that we just couldn't resist. 

My sister-in-law, Nancy, and I took a weekend trip to Chattanooga while the guys were off at a vintage motorcycle race. Friday she and I took an extended walk around downtown  just trying to get acclimated to the area. And what do we happen to run across?

The Cupcake Kitchen

We weren't even looking for it!

Since we're always interested in supporting the local economy we had to stop in to get a treat!

I had the Italian Cream cupcake and it was molto saporito! (very tasty)

The cupcake was good but what I really enjoyed was the icing. It was light and fluffy and not too sweet. The cupcake was also filled with icing. Toasted coconut and a pecan finished the tiny cake off just right. 

Nancy had the cookies and cream cupcake and she said it was very good. She didn't offer a taste so I can't verify that. Of course I didn't share mine either.

The glass cases were full of all kinds of tasty treats. More cupcakes than I can name as well as chocolate bark, cake truffles and chocolate covered strawberries, pretzels and even chocolate covered marshmallows. They also make special order cakes. Everything in the shop looked so good it was hard to make a choice.

The shop was tiny with only about 5 tables for those who wanted to sit and enjoy a treat. Most people coming in left with boxes full of goodies. 

We ended up walking about 6 miles so I guess a tiny cupcake didn't do too much damage.

I always try to think positive.

If you're even in Chattanooga stop in at the Cupcake Kitchen and 
then take a walk around the city.

Don Patron Mexican Grille, Yulee, Florida

Saturday we combined walking, errands and eating. It seems like we're always eating so I guess it a good thing we like to walk!

Anyway we stopped at an auto place to buy oil and filters so John could change the oil in our vehicles. After going into the store we hit the parking lot and tried to find a few geocaches. (If you don't know what I'm taking about check out Fun Things to do on a Walk - Geocaching) After circling the lot in our unsuccessful search we decided to walk over to Don Patron Mexican Grille for a little lunch.

A little walking adds up. We'd covered a little over a mile just in the parking lot! Although I'm not sure we walked enough to warrant the lunch we ate...

This was our third time eating at Don Patron and each time was just as good as the first. 

I like the place because it's quiet and even though there's lots of tables they are pretty secluded from one another. I like being able to sit, talk and eat without feeling like we're in the middle of a big crowd. 

The other thing I like about this restaurant is that if you get up you can actually see the kitchen and watch the chefs at work.  Nothing to hide here.

But on to the food. While we looked over the menu the waiter brought out the standard chips and salsa. This time however we also were served a bowl of white sauce. At first it looked like cheese sauce but when my husband tasted it he said it was a little like Ranch dressing but it was good. (He hates doesn't care for Ranch) It was actually creamy  like Ranch but it sweet and had a kick to it. We both pronounced it delicious.

Creamy, Ranch like, sweet and spicy dipping sauce for the chips. A nice addition to the standard salsa. 

We ordered off the lunch menu. John ordered the beef Chimichanga and I decided to try the Popeye. As you might guess the Popeye contained a good bit of spinach,

My photography skills don't do this dish justice! The chicken was tender and the spinach was cooked just right. Not stringy or tough. The whole thing was smothered in white cheese. Oh so good!

The cost wasn't too bad. $17 for two lunch entrees with water to drink plus tip and lunch was right at  $20.  Considering last time we went to Krystal it cost us almost $13. This experience was much nicer!

After lunch we headed down to A-1 to check out a few trails we'd been meaning to walk. Believe me after this lunch we had a lot of walking to do!

Eating in a Castle - Auf Schonburg. Oberwesel, Germany

As a special treat on our trip to Germany we spent the night in a castle. Not a Disney make believe but a real life thousand year old castle on the Rhine. If you want to see more about the history of the castle and a peek into our room in the tower check out this post "A Night in a Castle - Auf Schonburg, Oberwesel, Germany".

But now on to one of my favorite activities.

Eating!

I don't think we had any bad food on this trip but I'll have to say the food at the castle was pretty darn good! Maybe it was the atmosphere or the company but this was the most elegant meal and truly delicious.

Before dinner drinks with Nancy and Charlie.

Our lovely travel companions. Yes,Charlie that includes you!

!

John and Patti

The menu 

The table was elegantly set. The bread was fresh and warm from the oven. Real butter, yum!

First course 

Venison stew with a square of potato cake

Soup course

Beef consomme with mushroom egg custard

Main course

Fillet of veal with Bearnaise sauce

Asparagus and Sea salt potatoes

I have never eaten veal before and I'll probably not eat it again but it was melt in your mouth tender and delicious!

Dessert

Baked apple cake with Riesling Sabayon and homemade chocolate chip ice cream. 

An interesting combination I'm not sure I'd have put together but it worked. 

An of course to finish the evening a good cup of coffee. Anytime we ordered coffee it always come with a little something. Even a McDonald's we got a chocolate candy. This little treat was so much much better. Chocolate mousse with whipped cream and chocolate curls. 

Breakfast

We hated to see our stay in the castle come to an end but they sent us off with a hearty breakfast. 

Driftwood Bistro - Jekyll Island Georgia

This marked my fourth visit to Driftwood Bistro located in the Villas by the Sea on Jekyll Island. My first three times eating here was during a girls getaway back in February. I've raved on and on about how good it was and I've been wanting to come back again. Since John and I  spent Memorial Day weekend at the beach with his sister and brother-in-law we decided to end our stay with dinner and see if it was as good as I remembered. (hint: It was)

We arrived promptly when they opened at 5pm and we were seated right away. As soon as we sat down our waitress brought water without being asked and she explained the wine list. You can order a bottle of house for $10.00 and if you don't drink it all they'll pack it up to go. We ordered a bottle of Riesling. I'm no wine expert but it was pretty tasty.

We started off with a basket of Smashed Okra that was smashed (of course) dredged in corn meal and deep fried. It was good mainly because it didn't taste like okra:-) Crispy but not greasy. 

We also ordered wings. I didn't have any and by the time I thought to take a picture the guys had finished them off. They must have been good.

The menu is pretty diverse to suit most any taste including shrimp, crab cakes, flounder, catfish, pork loin, pot roast,chicken fillet and even meatloaf.  The shrimp, fish and chicken can be ordered grilled, deep fried or blackened and you can choose a regular or a petite portion. They also serve hamburgers and sandwiches.

I ordered the pork tenderloin with sweet potato casserole and collard greens.

The sweet potatoes were a tad bit sweet for me but it was still good and the collards were perfectly cooked with bits of garlic. This is a petite portion.

John had the fried catfish with sweet potato casserole and squash casserole. I had the squash on a previous visit and it was one of my favorite dishes. 

This is a petite portion.

Our dining companions ordered the crab cakes, Yankee pot roast and the meat loaf. All got rave reviews.

And of course we indulged in dessert...

Peach cobbler a la mode topped with real whipped cream. The ice cream was to die for. Smooth and creamy - just like homemade.

Bread pudding topped with real whipped cream, I'm not a bread pudding fan but John said it was good. There was a layer of custard on the bottom then the bread all baked together. 

And a really big cup of coffee to finish off the night.

The Driftwood Bistro is a family friendly place with a comfortable atmosphere. The waitstaff was friendly and attentive and the prices were very reasonable. One bottle of wine, two appetizers, five dinners, three desserts and coffee for $101.00 not including tip. That's pretty good for feeding five people. 

Verdict? I'll still be raving about this place and looking forward to my next visit. 

The Driftwood Bistro is only open for dinner Monday through Saturday. 

You can check out the menu here.

Go and enjoy a wonderful meal and finish it off with a walk by following the signs in the parking lot to the Driftwood Beach 

Lunch at the Florida Creamery and a Four Mile Walk

Well summer is officially here. Temperature wise at least. 

Because of the heat we walked at the mall yesterday but wanted to get outside today. My only stipulation was SHADE! So we went to Riverside hoping to have some shade and a breeze off the river. 

We walked a couple miles to Avondale and picked up a Geocache behind the Old School Barbershop.

Due to it's location this cache was appropriately called the Mustache Cache Stash and the hidden box contained fake mustaches. The owner requested finders to post a picture of themselves with a mustache so we accommodated...

John brought his own mustache!

Since we were in the shopping area of Avondale we decided to eat lunch at the Fox diner but we got sidetracked along the way. The Florida Creamery caught our eye and we stopped in for a quick bite to eat and a nostalgic trip to Florida in the fifties.

Florida Creamery on St. John's Avenue in Avondale

Old fashion candy and drinks

Just a sample on the Florida wall art

The menu is mostly ice cream. Yum!

Obviously this place focuses on ice-cream but they also serve a Nathan's hot dogs. The only non ice cream food on the menu. That makes ordering easy! We both had a hot dog with slaw and onions and shared a bottle of ginger beer and a bag of chips for ten bucks.

The hot dog was good and the slaw was tasty. Finely chopped like hot dog slaw should be with a hint of celery seeds and pepper. 

 I loved the Reed's Extra Ginger Brew it was not too sweet with a little kick of heat and made of real ingredients!

From the Reed's website:

Extra Ginger Brew

Ingredients: Sparkling Filtered Water (Sweetened by a blend of raw cane sugar, pineapple juice from concentrate and honey), Fresh Ginger Root, Lemon and Lime Juices from concentrate and spices. Non Alcoholic. Free of Preservatives, Caffeine, Gluten & GMO’s.

Just right to quench the thirst on a hot day!

I'd love to sample the ice cream but not today. We have more walking to do!

A few of the sights on our walk through Riverside and Avondale

There's the shade!

Standing guard

Loved this!
LittleFreeLibrary.org
Take a book, leave a book. Too bad I didn't have a book with me...

That was our day. Where did your feet take you this weekend?