Dining with David: Eva's Kitchen

Eva’s Kitchen – Clayton, AL – June 28, 2011
Well, when you are in a small town, where else do you go eat for lunch but a double-wide trailer way off in a small residential community?  My customer took me to a nice little, true soul food place called Eva’s.  Yes, she has her restaurant actually located in a converted double-wide trailer sitting right off a narrow street blocks off the main road.  You just know that something good is about to be tasted.
We walked in, the converted back door/porch, to an open area with tables/chairs and walked over to the counter.  They have your normal spread of meat & 3 and a small menu to order sandwiches.  I got mine from the daily food bar: chicken fried pork chop, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy along with a yeast roll.  Now, just ask my wife, I am not big on any of these; except the roll.  The pork chop had a thin fried crust that was wonderful but not to be topped by the juicy white meat of the seasoned pork chop.  This was one good little chop.  The macaroni was your higher end elbow noodles with three kinds of cheese; very good but rich.  The potatoes were very creamy and the brown gravy just topped it all off.  Of course, the homemade yeast roll was excellent with a little chop stuck in there.
What even made this better was they had homemade lemonade sitting behind the counter; not too tart or sweet and very good.  I can say I have now eaten at Eva’s.  If you are ever in Clayton, be sure to swing by Oak Ave and have a little taste for yourself.
Rating: 9

Dining with David: River City BBQ

River City BBQ – Eufaula, AL – June 27, 2011
http://rivercitybarbeque.com/      http://www.facebook.com/rivercitybbq
I had the pleasure to drive back down to Eufaula late today.  I had some extra work to do and decided to grab something quick for dinner.  I had heard about this great BBQ joint called River City but did not know where it was located.  Well, I found it; very easy to find, just north of town before air-strip.  This appeared to be my kind of place, rough outside and even using chalk boards for the menu.
I decided to try their smoked brisket sandwich basket with their famous hush puppies and sweet potato fries.  The brisket was placed on a soft buttered bun with sauce on the side.  The brisket had great smoke lines and a rich, hearty taste.  Mixed with one (they have 4 kinds of BBQ sauces) of their sauces, this was a very good sandwich.  The sweet potato fries were also very good.  Had that nice soft inside with fried outside with that nice crunch.  The hush puppies were lined with jalapeños and had that great cornmeal with a little sweet and a kick of hot.
This is my kind of hole in the wall restaurant.  If you ever get a chance to go to Lake Eufaula, make sure to stop by River City BBQ.
Rating: 9

Thought of the Week: June 25, 2011

"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock."     ~ Thomas Jefferson

Dining with David: Humble Pie

Humble Pie – Phoenix, AZ – June 22, 2011
http://humblepieusa.com/
After a long three days of tradeshow, the team was ready to get away from the resort for a little discussion and down time. I picked a local, upscale pizza place only minutes away. It is located in a strip mall but has a full fire pizza oven and a nice patio for us to sit and eat; yes, the temp dropped down to 99 degrees but they had a fan and it was not bad.
We started off with some roasted assorted olives (not my choice) and then some bruschetta (one with goat cheese and roasted peppers and the other with fresh mozzarella and balsamic). These were very good. We then ordered two pizzas for the four of us. The first was my selection of Prosciutto & Pear with Prosciutto di parma, gorgonzola, fresh grilled pears and topped with arugula. This was one different little pizza and the arugula offset the roasted pears and gorgonzola. It had large slices of prosciutto with that nice salty taste. A nice, different, unique pizza. They ordered the S.O.P with sausage, caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, fresh mozzarella, ricotta cheese and sauce. I did not try this one but they said it was wonderful.
A very different place with very good unique pizzas. A nice place with good food for the right time.
Rating: 8

Dining with David: Superstition Saloon

Superstition Saloon - Tortilla Flat, Arizona – June 21, 2011
http://www.tortillaflataz.com/
As part of my travels through the Apache Trail in the Superstition Wilderness, I stopped off in Tortilla Flat. Now this place is not very large, just several buildings and a total population of 6. After visiting the general store, I decided to catch a late lunch/early dinner at the saloon. They appear to be famous (by someone) for their burgers and killer chili. I decided to skip the chili based on the 116 degree heat but did decide to try their famous burger.
The burger had a thick patty that was marinated in a rich sauce and was very juicy. I topped it with BBQ sauce, ketchup and mustard along with a slice of tomato. It was a very good burger; was it the best I have had, no way. But for this little community, I am sure best in town. Now, they did shine when I substituted the standard fries for homemade chips. These were very large, crunchy chips that tasted great. With the BBQ sauce for dipping, it was just right.
Now this place is decorated quite different with western themed items and signed dollar bills lining the walls. They even have saddles as bar stools, was not comfortable; stuck with a basic table/chair. The strangest part of the experience may have been the drink. This is the only place I know that they don’t ask what you want to drink. You are served a large water with a slice of lime; great choice. I loved it but weird that drinks are not that important; guess with the heat, water is all you need, don’t need the caffeine.
Rating: 7.5

Travels with David: Apache Trail

Apache Trail (AZ Historic Route 88) – Arizona – June 21, 2011
http://www.apachetrail.net/
After working the trade show in the morning and then visiting some customers in Phoenix, I had a few hours free. I decided to head out to the desert and see for myself this famous Apache Trail. Everything I had read talked about the curvy, twisted roads; well, this is very true, not for the weak stomach.
I drove to Apache Junction and then to Goldfield and Lost Dutchman state park. I then entered the Superstition Mountain range and all of its glory. Pulling off and seeing the Weaver’s Needle was something. But topping the hill and seeing Canyon Lake was fantastic. I drove on into Tortilla Flat (where I had a lunch/dinner); small town with population of 6, yes that is six. I then drove down to the Tortilla Trailhead and stopped; this is an unpaved road (for over 20 miles) and the bat-mobile I was driving did not do well on the bumpy roads. I ended up driving about 23 total miles of the trail and then headed back; the trail goes for over 47 miles. This is one impressive place; referred to as the second Grand Canyon.
Now, if I was smart, I would have picked a little cooler day; only got up to 116 today. The air conditioner never stopped running full blast and I keep drinking water the entire time. As they say, just a dry heat; 116 is still a 116 degrees.

Travels with David: JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge

JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa – Phoenix, AZ – June 20, 2011
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/phxdr-jw-marriott-phoenix-desert-ridge-resort-and-spa/
As part of the tradeshow I am attending, I was forced to stay at the Marriott resort. Not just your normal Marriott but the elite, the JW Marriott. This place has two golf courses, Palmer & Faldo, (didn’t get to play though; having to work), spa, four acres of pools including lazy river, waterslides and many shaped pools and hot tubs, 9 restaurants and over 900 rooms/suites sitting on over 300 acres; not bad. My room was a normal mini-suite (should have been huge for the price they were charging) and a great little patio overlooking their Isle of Capri; a little wedding type venue with water all around. In fact, as I type this, I am sitting on the patio overlooking the water and palm trees with rabbits and ducks at my feet. Not a bad little spot.  It is a shame my beautiful bride could not come and enjoy too.

Thought of the Week: June 19, 2011

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.”
~ Henry Ward Beecher

Dining with David: Custred Cooking at the Beach

Home Cooking – Orange Beach, AL – June 17, 2011
As part of our vacations, we normally cook most of our meals. Now, this Turquoise Place condo has made that so much easier with the commercial grade appliances; much easier cooking for 13. Tonight was our seafood night: hushpuppies, grilled potato wedges, grilled chicken, macaroni & cheese, chips with cheese, red snapper, large shrimp melody and jumbo boiled shrimp. My bride and I made a run to a local seafood market this morning and purchased the shrimp and snapper to set the tone.  Of course, we only went to 3 places before we found what we wanted; we are a little picky about our seafood.
The hushpuppies were two kinds, regular and Cajun style. The potatoes were sliced and coated with salt and Italian dressing and then grilled to taste. The chicken was marinated with Italian dressing and seasoning and grilled. The red snapper was sliced and coated with a little seasoning and baked; yummy. The large shrimps were cooked with a mixture of butter, garlic, seasoning and lemon providing a good little taste. My favorite was the jumbo shrimp with your typical boil mixture. Mix that with some homemade cocktail sauce and they were good.
Another nice little meal and a great way to wrap-up another yearly vacation at the beach.
Rating: 9

Dining with David: Doc's Seafood Shack

Doc’s Seafood Shack – Orange Beach, AL – June 16, 2011
http://www.docsseafoodshack.com/
Well, cardinal rule of eating eat always wins; listen to the locals. We found another great place tonight for the 13 of us; yes, that is a crowd. We wanted a nice place to go and debated between two spots; I voted for the local favorite. Doc’s Seafood is like your typical ‘hole-in-the-wall’ restaurant; fancy is not important, just deliver the good food.
We got there after 1700 and had to wait a little bit; should have seen the crowd by the time we left though. We were seated at two tables and the waitress was right there for drinks; love the way they just bring a small pitcher of your drink to the table; why don’t other places do this! To set the tone, there is no cocktail sauce. They provide the horseradish in little cups in a sand bucket on your table. You mix your own with the ketchup; no premix here. Love it.
We started off with some fried crab claws and gumbo. The claws were light and good. Mixed with the fresh (and strong on my part) cocktail sauce, very good. We then headed straight for the main course. I have heard so much about the famous fried shrimp, I just had to go with that. My brother ordered some massive platter of about 4 items; no clue there.
You know when you go to eat large shrimp and the tails have already been pulled, you are good to go. These shrimp (~ 12 of them) were large and lightly coated with a nice batter and fried to perfection. The shrimp were excellent and the crust helped make it. Very light and juicy on inside and crispy on the outside. It was almost like huge popcorn shrimp; but with a real taste. Mixed with the cocktail sauce, yum yum.  Maybe the best fried shrimp I have had.
The hushpuppies were just ok; nothing special here. The fries were your normal crinkle style and very good too; flash fried. I also got the new potatoes and with a little butter and salt, came to life.
If you want someplace to just go eat (no flash, no dance, no style) and food is your goal, then Doc’s is your place.
Rating: 9.5

Dining with David: Panini Pete's

Panini Pete’s Café & Bake Shoppe – Fairhope, AL – June 14, 2011
http://www.paninipetes.com/
My love and I got to spend the day together and drove on up to a quaint little town, Fairhope. It has been many a year since I have been there; it has grown but still small town flair. We parked and started walking around downtown and Molly (yes, even she looks for special places) started looking for a restaurant she had heard about that was so good. Well, she found it; not me, her. We walked down an alley into a little French Quarter style surroundings. I noticed that some people (locals) were sitting in a solarium type room eating; seemed different. We found the restaurant, a hole in the wall, and, of course, their main sitting area was the solarium room.
So this place is known for their chief, Pete. He has a flair and has been featured in Southern Living, and Food Network with Guy Fieri. We sat down and decided to split a little sandwich. We go with the Panini Burger (I let her pick by the way). This was a nice cut of meat grilled just right; very tasty. It was presented with ciabatta bread with fresh mozzarella and lettuce/tomato. This was a very good little sandwich. But wait, the homemade chips were the best. These were thinly sliced and flash fried with a lite seasoning; wow, they were good.
When she asked if we wanted desert, I said, what do you have. We ended up with their special of Blueberry Bread Pudding. Not your ordinary bread pudding. This was bread from their beignets, mixed with walnuts and tons of blueberries and a lite sauce; not sweet and very, very good. Overall, this was a nice little place to sit and spend some time and get a great meal. Would love to go back there for breakfast sometime too.
Rating: 9.5

Dining with David: Louisina Langniappe

Louisiana Langniappe – Orange Beach, AL – June 12, 2011
http://www.thelouisianalagniappe.com/
Well, as part of your vacation, you always want a nice dinner out. We struggled with where to go in Orange Beach and decided on a highly mentioned place less than a mile from our condo. Louisiana Langniappe is located in the San Roc Cay Shopping center and Marina. It seems Langniappe (lan yap) means ‘a little something extra’ and they mean it. The views are great overlooking the Marina and bay with nice white tablecloths and most importantly, excellent service. Even though there were 12 of us, they handled us with ease and had everything just right.
They start you off with some little hushpuppies and butter. Now these are good little bits and set the tone just right. I then had their Cajun Seafood Gumbo. Nice, chunky gumbo with shrimp, crab and oysters. Next was my main course of Lobster Tail & Shrimp Etoufee. I love etouffee and this was good; but nothing like you can get down in Lafayette, LA. The crawfish had a good taste but they put some extra cheese on top with the efouffee and rice; a little over the top, even for me. The lobster tail was good and just right with the melted butter. A very good dinner.
Best service I have had in a while; well done folks.
Rating: 9

Thought of the Week: June 10, 2011

“A religion that gives nothing, costs nothing, and suffers nothing, is worth nothing.”
                 ~ Martin Luther

Thought of the Week: June 5, 2011

“Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”     ~ Voltaire