Famous Pizza & Subs

We were surprised by how busy Famous Pizza in Chincoteague was on a dreary Saturday evening. However, the wait for our meal was worth it - the food was delicious.

We ordered an Italian cold cuts hoagie (sub sandwich) which was a good size and full of meat and veggies on a nice, soft roll.

We also ordered the baked ziti marinara with meatballs, which conveniently came in a carry out container, even when dining in (easier to take left overs back home!). The marinara sauce is house made and fantastic - better than my mom's sauce! Zesty, and salty with just enough acidity from the tomatoes allowed to shine through. And the pasta wasn't swimming in sauce, either, there was a perfect meat-to pasta-to cheese ratio.

For the kid's meal, we ordered the spaghetti with meatballs, without sauce. The waitress was very friendly and remembered to not bring sauce on this meal.

While the dining room was busy, there was a very long wait for carry out pizzas and meals. The pizzas looked amazing, as well. We would definitely recommend Famous Pizza if vacationing in Chincoteague.

The Laughing Man Tavern

We stumbled across The Laughing Man Tavern while walking through Washington, DC. At lunch time on the weekend, the bar was busy and the TVs were showing the soccer game. The dining room, however, was relatively empty.

We ordered the fish fry sandwich and the BBQ Bacon Burger for lunch; both were served with a side of fries.

The burger was average, but large and on a very small bun. The fish (shown above) was more than twice the size of the bun it was served on, and I wound up eating it with a fork and knife instead of as a sandwich. That said, the fish was good. The breading had a distinct funnel cake flavor to it, which gave it a wonderful sweet and salty quality. It was also fried well, super crispy on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside.

This place, overall, was decent, but definitely more "bar" than "restaurant," but with decent meal options.

Pusser's Landing (Annapolis, MD)

We found Pusser's Landing after doing a little bit of research on the restaurants in Annapolis, and we were glad we spent the time doing our research! The restaurant, located a fair walk from the main shopping district in Annapolis, is located adjacent to the Annapolis Marriott Waterfront hotel.

The restaurant was packed and we were glad we had made reservations in advance. We were seated at a large table for 2 in the restaurant. The restaurant is large and has a dining room, a bar area, and a patio on the marina.

To start our meals, we ordered the Pusser's Painkiller, level 2, and an Annapolis Sunset. The Painkiller, while we expected it to be heavy on the alcohol and sweet, was delicious. The Annapolis Sunset was good, but mediocre in comparison to the restaurant's signature drink.

For dinner, we ordered the Mahi Mahi and one of the night's specials, a grilled cobia fillet with mango salsa. Both fishes were cooked perfectly - a nice crust on all sides and a moist, flaky interior.

Even though the restaurant was busy, at no point did we feel rushed through our meal or unattended by the waitstaff.

We would recommend stopping by Pusser's in Annapolis for a bite to eat or grab a drink at their bar before hitting the shops for the day.

Sofi's Crepes

After our tour of the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, we stopped at Sofi's Crepes for lunch. The small shop, which only boasts a few tables outdoors, is located just outside the walls of the Naval Academy.

We ordered the Reuben and the Godfather crepes, which are served street food style, and perfect to nosh on as you walk through town.

The Reuben was delicious; messy, but delicious. The meat was tender and moist and the sauerkraut and dressing a perfect complement. The Godfather tasted like a perfect French Stromboli. The mozzarella was melty and the meats heated together had a wonderful flavor.

Sofi's definitely feels like one of those great hidden gems in Annapolis.

The American Sector Restaurant

It's rare to find a good restaurant inside a museum, much less a restaurant by a celebrity chef with good food at good prices, where you need to make a reservation, unless you don't mind sitting at the bar.

But that's exactly what you'll find at The American Sector, a restaurant within New Orleans' National World War II Museum.

The American Sector is a John Besh restaurant, a local who has opened a number of restaurants in New Orleans, and has been featured a number of times on the Food Network.

The American Sector takes American classics, from today and from the 1940's and gives them a southern, John Besh spin.

We tried the Perfect Pig Po'Boy, ham, shoulder and belly, with pickled veggies. Its a huge sandwich, so come hungry! However, our first bite into the sammie was right into a super fatty piece of the belly, not a super appetizing way to start a meal, and that chewy sensation stuck with us through the rest of the meal.

We also tried the local corned beef sandwich on rye bread, which was perfect. The corned beef was tender and cooked perfectly, with a cheese that complemented the beef without taking anything away from it. There was also a sauce on the sandwich that had us begging for more. (Seriously, I kept biting where there looked to be more sauce because I wanted as much of it as possible it was so good!)

Each entree was served with house made chips, which were delectable, and served in tin cans lined with newsprint. Very fitting!

During our meal, one of the waiters announced to the diners gathered that we had a WWII veteran joining them for lunch, which was a nice touch, both that they announced his presence and that he was there.

Cafe Beignet vs. Cafe du Monde

When in New Orleans, there are a number of items you must order and must eat. A beignet is on the must do list, but where to get one is as important as eating one before you leave you N'awlins.

There are two famous beignet cafes in New Orleans' French Quarter, and each has its own followers and own benefits.

The most famous, and oldest, is Cafe du Monde on Decatur St., with a large awning, small tables and powdered sugar everywhere. Stop in for coffee, cafe au lait and beignets. Order your coffee in a take home mug for just a little more than the price of coffee.

Cafe du Monde's beignets are light and airy and crispy on the outside and covered in powdered sugar.

On Royal Street and on Bourbon Street is Cafe Beignet. The Bourbon Street location has an excellent live jazz band during the day. They also serve lunch items at both locations including sandwiches and salads. At the Bourbon Street location there is a bar adjacent that serves beer and liquor.

Cafe Beignet's beignets are larger than Cafe du Monde's, but we found them heavier, denser beignets, and had a lot more powdered sugar on them. However, they also served other sweets, including pralines and chocolate turtles. (The pralines were delicious!)

Campo's - The Worst Cheesesteak of Philly

I've lived in the Philly area now for about 10 years.  In that time, I've eaten a LOT of cheesesteaks from various places in the city and the suburbs.  Some have been amazing, some have been eh.  However, eating at Campo's this past weekend set a new standard for bad.  In my entire life, I never ate such a disgusting cheesesteak.

We ate at the location in Old City at 214 Market Street.  As soon as I bit into the first bite, I could just tell this was not going to be a good meal.  The meat was very tough and chewy.  When you think of a dog trying to rip apart a piece of raw meat, that is what chewing this cheesesteak was like.  After a few bites, I just couldn't eat anymore.

There are places to get cheesesteaks practically everywhere in Philly and the surrounding area.  For any locals or visitors to the area, do yourself a favor and go elsewhere.  In the city, I'd recommend Jim's or Jon's on South Street.  In the suburbs, I find Pudge's to be the best.   Anywhere though is better than Campo's.

Taste of Phoenixville fulfills Phoenixville foodies dreams

Good Samaritan Shelter Director Nate Hoffer; Dan Lamson Committee member for Taste of Phoenixville; Chair of the Committee, Reverend Frank Lamson; Director of Public Relations at Franklin Commons, Teri Eide; and Bob Ryan of Robert Ryan Catering. 

Philly ‘burb foodies, rejoice! One of the premier non-profit events, held on Jan. 20, will feature signature from approximately 30 Phoenixville area restaurants. At Franklin Commons, at 400 Franklin St. in Phoenixville, Taste of Phoenixville will benefit Good Samaritan Shelter. It’s their biggest fundraiser of the year.

Tickets to the event include sampling from the restaurants, as well as an open bar, dancing and live bands. There will also be a silent and a live auction.

Silent auction items include: gift certificates to local restaurants, local salons and spas, a membership to the Phoenixville YMCA, gift certificate for a personal chef, handmade scarves and blankets and more. The live auction will begin around 8 p.m. with items including: a week at a vacation home in the Poconos and a week at a vacation home in the Outer Banks.

Taste of Phoenixville will be held on Jan. 20 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Franklin Commons in Phoenixville. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased from www.TasteofPhoenixville.com or by calling the shelter office at 610-933-9305.

Participating restaurants include (as of Dec. 7):
Robert Ryan Catering
Columbia Bar and Grille
Iron Hill Brewery
Montesano Bros.
Molly Maguire’s
The Sly Fox
Full Circle Flavors
Cornucopia Catering
Tony’s Family Restaurant
Becca’s
Hills Quality Seafood
Sugartown Smoked Specialties
Chester Springs Bakery
Food Muse
Daddy Mim’s
Marley’s
Andrew Deery’s Majolica
Artisan’s Gallery and Café
Drexelbrook
Cream Valley Catering
Titus Inn

Berkey Creamery

The Berkey Creamery has been featured on the Food Network several times.  It is located on Penn State's campus and all the students there should consider themselves very lucky to have such a delicious ice cream parlour within walking distance of their residences.

This ice cream shop boasts a large number of delicious flavors and has a very courteous staff to go along with that.  If you're on campus, and have a sweet tooth, this is a MUST-STOP location!