Moon Spin Pizza in Thomasville, Georgia
113 Crawfordville Street
Lunch 11 – 2
Dinner 5 – 9
To steal a line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, dear Moon Spin Pizza, “how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” What can I say? As a New York ex-pat, I am continually on the search for two things – good delis and good pizzas. When a friend said, “Moon Spin is the best pizza I have had this side of Brooklyn” I knew I had to make a trip. Luckily for me, work takes me through Thomasville once a week so I have a really good excuse to get into this restaurant often. Is Moon Spin Pizza worth a road trip just for the pizza? I think a little road trip road north would be worth your time if you like pizza as much as I do. Plus, there are a few more menu items that are fairly drool-worthy on their own.
Where to begin? Moon Spin Pizza occupies a bright store front on the edge of downtown Thomasville. Outdoor seating is not only available but rather inviting. Inside, choose a table or grab a spot at the counter and catch a glimpse of the kitchen action. The wall mounted television is usually set to ESPN. The staff members like their sports and tend to proudly broadcast their fan affiliation with their choice of attire. On one visit, I somehow found myself immersed in a conversation about college football. While you might expect this to be a haven for Georgia fans, the staffers actually root for a range of teams.
Multiple chalk menu boards grace the walls. For the complete menu, a paper version is available.
Pizza dough here is made daily from scratch. Patrons can choose a classic New York-style or wheat crust. Sauce is made from fresh Roma tomatoes. They grind their own fennel seed and grow their own basil. The freshly made basil green goddess dressing, when available, is absolutely delicious.
Moon Spin tries to buy organic and local as much as possible. Some of the produce used is grown at their own Moon Spin Farm. Other menu items may come from other local Thomasville farms such as Sweet Grass Dairy and Pasco Farm. Moon Spin features sausage from Bradley’s Country Store in Tallahassee and chicken from Springer Mountain Farms in Mt. Airy, Georgia.
Menu items include pizza, salads, calzones, breadsticks, gelato, and cookies. The homemade salad dressings are also available for purchase by the pint. Dressings include herb buttermilk, blue cheese, red wine Dijon, lemon vinaigrette, and the previously mentioned seasonal basil green goddess.
Recently, a scaled down version of the calzone was added to the menu. The regular calzones are football sized and, including one topping as a filling with the requisite cheese mixture, cost $9 even. The smaller calzones are advertised as “half the size and half the price”.
Pizza by the slice is only available during the lunch hours. In the evening, you have to order whole pies. I have been known to stop by at night, order a pie, eat one slice there while it is hot, and then box the rest to go home to Crawfordville. Toppings for your pizza are classified as classic, specialty, or gourmet. Fifteen toppings are listed as classic. I recently asked for a topping not listed at all – ricotta cheese. The kitchen was happy to add some generous dollops of ricotta to my slice for me. Eleven more item choices grace the specialty list. For the gourmet palate, you can opt for Sweet Grass specialty cheeses, pesto, organic arugula, or chicken grown without hormones or antibiotics.
You can build your own pie by choosing your own toppings or opt for one of ten listed specialty pizzas. These pizzas all have moon themed names. The Blue Moon offers blue cheese, Canadian bacon, and mushrooms. The Harvest Moon includes artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms. The Lucky Moon features arugula, sliced chicken, and sweet onion. I opted for a slice of the Howlin’ at the Moon for lunch one day and the spicy Bradley’s sausage with jalapenos had me downing multiple glasses of diet Coke.
Moon Spin offers a nice variety of beer and wine. They have Bud Light and Newcastle on draft. Bottled offerings include Yuengling, Sweetwater, and Fat Tire. The wine list features some organic and local wines.
I have not tried the “World’s Best Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies” or the gelato yet. One day, when I am really feeling indulgent, I am going to order the gelato coffee float and a cookie. Hm, just thinking about it makes me want to drive to Thomasville today.
Word has it that one of Moonspin’s owners was one of the founding MoMo’s partners. While I do enjoy both of MoMo’s Tallahassee locations, I really think Moon Spin is something different and special. Does it rival the pizza I grew up with in New York? I don’t think so...However, the calzones rival the best I have enjoyed anywhere.
Check out Moon Spin’s website or add them as a friend on Facebook: http://www.moonspinpizza.com/.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Hamaknockers
“The Original Hamaknockers BBQ”
Before I moved to Wakulla in 2005, I used to drive through Crawfordville on my way to Angelo’s or St. George Island and I always wondered about a restaurant called Hamaknockers but never took the time to check it out. After I moved to the county, I started trying all the local eateries and Hamaknockers soon became a personal favorite. In recent years, the original Hamaknockers restaurant has expanded the menu considerably. For a while, the Lowe family also ran the Hamaknockers Oasis location in Panacea but has since sold the operation to a new proprietor. Unlike the Oasis, the original Hamaknockers doesn’t have a full liquor bar or a fryer. These days, you can get a cold beer with a hand-cut rib eye steak at the Crawfordville Hamaknockers location but you won’t be able to order French fries.
The absence of French fries aside, there is no shortage of appealing menu items to satisfy your appetite at Hamaknockers. Dining at Hamaknockers is really a complete sensory experience for me. On arrival, you park in the back lot and hear the gravel crunch under your car tires. As you make your way to the restaurant entrance, your nostrils are assailed by the aroma of a full-scale wood-smoke barbecue operation in progress.
Once inside, visitors to Hamaknockers find themselves in a former house turned restaurant. There are several seating area options, including a porch. Attentive patrons will note a few details that imbue Hamaknockers with a quirky, but distinct, personality. Why does the buck’s head wear a long black wig?
This establishment is strictly an order at–the-counter operation. The staff will run food to the table but otherwise you will help yourself to drink refills, various sauces, and utensils. During the week, the menu included pork, chicken, ribs, burgers, wraps, quesadillas, loaded baked potatoes, pizza, and wraps. On Friday and Saturday nights, Hamaknockers also offers steaks.
On a recent visit, I treated a friend to lunch at Hamaknockers. We were there to sample the most recent menu addition – “hamapizza”. I had heard rave reviews about Hamaknockers’ barbecue pizza creations from several friends and, of course, had to check it out for myself.
Since my friend was a Hamaknockers neophyte, I told her we had to split an order of the macaroni and cheese, my favorite non-meat menu item, as a meal starter. The “mac ‘n cheese” at Hamaknockers is different, very tasty, but different. My friend, like me, also hails from a “foodie” family. Her father is a professional chef and, to this day, food is elevated to an art in her parents’ household. After tasting the cheesy pasta, she suggested that the distinctive flavor note came from some type of seasoning. At this point in the conversation, the friendly teenager working at the counter offered some insight regarding what makes the macaroni and cheese so delicious. Yes, Hamaknockers’ fans – the mysterious flavor note does come from a special, maybe even secret, seasoning blend. Whatever gives the mac ‘n cheese such flavor, I just know that I occasionally drive to Hamaknockers just for an order of that side dish.
What about the new pizza? The pizza, like the macaroni and cheese, is also different and offers a change from more traditional ways to serve pulled barbecue. The crust is very crisp and Hamaknockers slathers your choice of sauce all the way to the pie’s edge. This pizza requires lots of napkins if you try to eat it with your fingers! On this visit, we tried chicken with the sweet and tangy sauce. We choose mozzarella cheese (cheddar was also available) and added onions and black olives. On a future visit, I might opt for some jalapenos or mushrooms and try out a different sauce. The pizza was very flavorful. It also reheated well the second day for an encore lunch at home.
Now I have even more choices to dither over when I stand at the Hamaknockers counter. What to order? For a traditional take on your ‘cue, go for a smoked half chicken with two sides. Like Texas toast? Upgrade the accompanying roll for a minimal charge. If pulled pork is what you crave, go for a plate or add it to a baked potato. Following the Atkins’ diet? Pile chicken or pork on a garden salad.
Hosting game day at your house or headed to a tailgate party? Call ahead and order a family pack. Large carry out order options include whole chickens, slabs of ribs, and pork by the pound. Hamaknockers also has wings on the menu. Hamaknockers’ smoked “king’s wings” are huge and tasty!
One note: if there isn’t anyone standing at the counter when you walk in, you may have to holler back to the kitchen. On several occasions, I have had to interrupt animated kitchen conversations easily overheard through the saloon-style swinging doors to place an order. Once you get the attention of counter staff, however, your order will be filled quickly.
Before I moved to Wakulla in 2005, I used to drive through Crawfordville on my way to Angelo’s or St. George Island and I always wondered about a restaurant called Hamaknockers but never took the time to check it out. After I moved to the county, I started trying all the local eateries and Hamaknockers soon became a personal favorite. In recent years, the original Hamaknockers restaurant has expanded the menu considerably. For a while, the Lowe family also ran the Hamaknockers Oasis location in Panacea but has since sold the operation to a new proprietor. Unlike the Oasis, the original Hamaknockers doesn’t have a full liquor bar or a fryer. These days, you can get a cold beer with a hand-cut rib eye steak at the Crawfordville Hamaknockers location but you won’t be able to order French fries.
The absence of French fries aside, there is no shortage of appealing menu items to satisfy your appetite at Hamaknockers. Dining at Hamaknockers is really a complete sensory experience for me. On arrival, you park in the back lot and hear the gravel crunch under your car tires. As you make your way to the restaurant entrance, your nostrils are assailed by the aroma of a full-scale wood-smoke barbecue operation in progress.
Once inside, visitors to Hamaknockers find themselves in a former house turned restaurant. There are several seating area options, including a porch. Attentive patrons will note a few details that imbue Hamaknockers with a quirky, but distinct, personality. Why does the buck’s head wear a long black wig?
This establishment is strictly an order at–the-counter operation. The staff will run food to the table but otherwise you will help yourself to drink refills, various sauces, and utensils. During the week, the menu included pork, chicken, ribs, burgers, wraps, quesadillas, loaded baked potatoes, pizza, and wraps. On Friday and Saturday nights, Hamaknockers also offers steaks.
On a recent visit, I treated a friend to lunch at Hamaknockers. We were there to sample the most recent menu addition – “hamapizza”. I had heard rave reviews about Hamaknockers’ barbecue pizza creations from several friends and, of course, had to check it out for myself.
Since my friend was a Hamaknockers neophyte, I told her we had to split an order of the macaroni and cheese, my favorite non-meat menu item, as a meal starter. The “mac ‘n cheese” at Hamaknockers is different, very tasty, but different. My friend, like me, also hails from a “foodie” family. Her father is a professional chef and, to this day, food is elevated to an art in her parents’ household. After tasting the cheesy pasta, she suggested that the distinctive flavor note came from some type of seasoning. At this point in the conversation, the friendly teenager working at the counter offered some insight regarding what makes the macaroni and cheese so delicious. Yes, Hamaknockers’ fans – the mysterious flavor note does come from a special, maybe even secret, seasoning blend. Whatever gives the mac ‘n cheese such flavor, I just know that I occasionally drive to Hamaknockers just for an order of that side dish.
What about the new pizza? The pizza, like the macaroni and cheese, is also different and offers a change from more traditional ways to serve pulled barbecue. The crust is very crisp and Hamaknockers slathers your choice of sauce all the way to the pie’s edge. This pizza requires lots of napkins if you try to eat it with your fingers! On this visit, we tried chicken with the sweet and tangy sauce. We choose mozzarella cheese (cheddar was also available) and added onions and black olives. On a future visit, I might opt for some jalapenos or mushrooms and try out a different sauce. The pizza was very flavorful. It also reheated well the second day for an encore lunch at home.
Now I have even more choices to dither over when I stand at the Hamaknockers counter. What to order? For a traditional take on your ‘cue, go for a smoked half chicken with two sides. Like Texas toast? Upgrade the accompanying roll for a minimal charge. If pulled pork is what you crave, go for a plate or add it to a baked potato. Following the Atkins’ diet? Pile chicken or pork on a garden salad.
Hosting game day at your house or headed to a tailgate party? Call ahead and order a family pack. Large carry out order options include whole chickens, slabs of ribs, and pork by the pound. Hamaknockers also has wings on the menu. Hamaknockers’ smoked “king’s wings” are huge and tasty!
One note: if there isn’t anyone standing at the counter when you walk in, you may have to holler back to the kitchen. On several occasions, I have had to interrupt animated kitchen conversations easily overheard through the saloon-style swinging doors to place an order. Once you get the attention of counter staff, however, your order will be filled quickly.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Patty's Picadillo -- Rachel Style
Rachel’s Recipes
Picadillo in One Pot Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1 teaspoon paprika
1 ten oz bag chopped frozen white onions (or one medium onion, fresh, chopped)
1 ten oz bag chopped green pepper (or one green pepper, fresh, chopped)
10 to 15 oz of tomato sauce, depending on how “wet” you want the mixture
4 small red potatoes, finely diced
10 green olives with red pimentos, chopped
½ cup raisins
Spray large pot with non-stick spray. Begin to brown meat on medium heat. Season beef with cumin, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Chop all veggies. Add veggies after meat is brown. You CAN drain fat off the browned meat prior to this step. However, I use very low fat meat and I don’t worry about the residual meat fat, it adds flavor. Add all the veggies and mix ingredients well so it will all cook evenly. Add raisins and olives now, too. Let the veggies cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce and mix thoroughly. Add the paprika now. Bring the mixture to a simmer so it bubbles. Stir, then turn the heat to medium-low. You will want to let the mixture cook with a cover on it for about 20 minutes. In fact, this should give you time to make some yellow or white rice and set the table. You may want to add a green salad.
I like to get some Cuban bread at the local grocery store. I usually serve the picadillo over yellow rice. In my house, we really like the Vigo yellow rice dinner. I make it in a rice cooker with water and chicken broth for added flavor. Note: Some people buy canned sofrito to make this recipe...sort of like Cuban spaghetti sauce. I gave that up years ago.. Next time, I will take pictures, I promise! Special Note: I have used soy crumbles to make this recipe vegetarian friendly and turkey for a change from beef.
Picadillo in One Pot Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1-2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 teaspoons Italian seasoning blend
1 teaspoon paprika
1 ten oz bag chopped frozen white onions (or one medium onion, fresh, chopped)
1 ten oz bag chopped green pepper (or one green pepper, fresh, chopped)
10 to 15 oz of tomato sauce, depending on how “wet” you want the mixture
4 small red potatoes, finely diced
10 green olives with red pimentos, chopped
½ cup raisins
Spray large pot with non-stick spray. Begin to brown meat on medium heat. Season beef with cumin, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Chop all veggies. Add veggies after meat is brown. You CAN drain fat off the browned meat prior to this step. However, I use very low fat meat and I don’t worry about the residual meat fat, it adds flavor. Add all the veggies and mix ingredients well so it will all cook evenly. Add raisins and olives now, too. Let the veggies cook, stirring frequently for about 5 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce and mix thoroughly. Add the paprika now. Bring the mixture to a simmer so it bubbles. Stir, then turn the heat to medium-low. You will want to let the mixture cook with a cover on it for about 20 minutes. In fact, this should give you time to make some yellow or white rice and set the table. You may want to add a green salad.
I like to get some Cuban bread at the local grocery store. I usually serve the picadillo over yellow rice. In my house, we really like the Vigo yellow rice dinner. I make it in a rice cooker with water and chicken broth for added flavor. Note: Some people buy canned sofrito to make this recipe...sort of like Cuban spaghetti sauce. I gave that up years ago.. Next time, I will take pictures, I promise! Special Note: I have used soy crumbles to make this recipe vegetarian friendly and turkey for a change from beef.
Myra Jean's
Myra Jean’s Cakes and Restaurant
2669 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, Florida
http://www.myrajeanscakes.com/
I had a lunch date with a young friend in Crawfordville this week. We were trying to decide where to go and I ran down the list of local possibilities. I mentioned Myra Jean’s and my friend’s eyes lit up and she exclaimed, “Myra Jean’s! That sounds perfect!”
If you have never been to Myra Jean’s, imagine this, “diner meets Whistle Stop Café.” And yes, that is Whistle Stop Café, as in the Georgia restaurant featured in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”. Now, I have never had a fried green tomato at Myra Jean’s…although I imagine the kitchen could put out a decent version if they had a mind to do so.
At Myra Jean’s, the service is as sweet as the iced tea. When you enter this brightly lit establishment, you will be greeted with a smile and swiftly seated by a friendly server. Younger patrons will enjoy the train that winds it away around the wall mounted track. My six year old nephew Aidan loves to mash the restart button when the train stops. When he was a wee bit smaller, he would usually find a teenaged female server who was willing to pick him up to press that button, too.
I hadn’t visited Myra Jean’s in a few months and some changes had taken place in my absence. The former bakery area adjacent to the restaurant now includes a few tables with white linen tablecloths. It looks like local groups might be able to reserve that area for meetings or events?
The main restaurant still features baked goods and a freezer case with ice cream. Although the bakery and cake business seems to have taken a hit due to the economic downturn, you can still special order those yummy cupcakes and famous specialty cakes. Anyone need a birthday or wedding cake? Myra Jean’s offers delicious varieties. I recommend the carrot cake.
On my most recent visit, my lunch partner and I were in the mood for sandwiches. Myra Jean’s menu is fairly extensive and ranges from salads and sandwiches to various hot entrees. Specials are always featured on the white board by the kitchen. Myra Jean’s also offers breakfast daily, including a buffet on the weekends.
I chose a reuben on rye with a side of crispy crinkle cut fries. My standard reuben order involves substituting turkey for the more traditional corned beef. Reuben purists, please forgive me, I just prefer them that way. Myra Jean’s kitchen always happily makes that substitution for me. My friend ordered turkey on a sub roll. I am not sure where Myra Jean’s is getting their rolls, but that hoagie roll looked very fresh!
We also sampled an appetizer item that I hadn’t previously seen on the menu: buffalo parmesan pita chips with a side of dressing for dipping. This dish involved several pitas that had been baked and coated with tangy buffalo sauce, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. We asked for ranch and bleu cheese dressing to accompany the chips. These so-called chips really require a fork! In fact, we used a fork and a knife to cut the large “chips” into bite size pieces to dip into our salad dressings. I should mention that I don’t think Myra Jean’s has homemade salad dressing, expect the bottled stuff here.
People tell me that Myra Jean’s offers a mean meatloaf that will rival your grandma’s cooking. I haven’t tested out that bit of local lore for myself yet but what great testimony from faithful fans!
Other tasty dining options at Myra Jean’s include the club sandwich and the buffalo chicken wrap. Expect your meal with a smile and a generous side of Southern hospitality. Before you leave, treat yourself to an old-fashioned ice cream sundae or order a cake for that next special occasion.
2669 Crawfordville Hwy, Crawfordville, Florida
http://www.myrajeanscakes.com/
I had a lunch date with a young friend in Crawfordville this week. We were trying to decide where to go and I ran down the list of local possibilities. I mentioned Myra Jean’s and my friend’s eyes lit up and she exclaimed, “Myra Jean’s! That sounds perfect!”
If you have never been to Myra Jean’s, imagine this, “diner meets Whistle Stop Café.” And yes, that is Whistle Stop Café, as in the Georgia restaurant featured in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes”. Now, I have never had a fried green tomato at Myra Jean’s…although I imagine the kitchen could put out a decent version if they had a mind to do so.
At Myra Jean’s, the service is as sweet as the iced tea. When you enter this brightly lit establishment, you will be greeted with a smile and swiftly seated by a friendly server. Younger patrons will enjoy the train that winds it away around the wall mounted track. My six year old nephew Aidan loves to mash the restart button when the train stops. When he was a wee bit smaller, he would usually find a teenaged female server who was willing to pick him up to press that button, too.
I hadn’t visited Myra Jean’s in a few months and some changes had taken place in my absence. The former bakery area adjacent to the restaurant now includes a few tables with white linen tablecloths. It looks like local groups might be able to reserve that area for meetings or events?
The main restaurant still features baked goods and a freezer case with ice cream. Although the bakery and cake business seems to have taken a hit due to the economic downturn, you can still special order those yummy cupcakes and famous specialty cakes. Anyone need a birthday or wedding cake? Myra Jean’s offers delicious varieties. I recommend the carrot cake.
On my most recent visit, my lunch partner and I were in the mood for sandwiches. Myra Jean’s menu is fairly extensive and ranges from salads and sandwiches to various hot entrees. Specials are always featured on the white board by the kitchen. Myra Jean’s also offers breakfast daily, including a buffet on the weekends.
I chose a reuben on rye with a side of crispy crinkle cut fries. My standard reuben order involves substituting turkey for the more traditional corned beef. Reuben purists, please forgive me, I just prefer them that way. Myra Jean’s kitchen always happily makes that substitution for me. My friend ordered turkey on a sub roll. I am not sure where Myra Jean’s is getting their rolls, but that hoagie roll looked very fresh!
We also sampled an appetizer item that I hadn’t previously seen on the menu: buffalo parmesan pita chips with a side of dressing for dipping. This dish involved several pitas that had been baked and coated with tangy buffalo sauce, then sprinkled with parmesan cheese. We asked for ranch and bleu cheese dressing to accompany the chips. These so-called chips really require a fork! In fact, we used a fork and a knife to cut the large “chips” into bite size pieces to dip into our salad dressings. I should mention that I don’t think Myra Jean’s has homemade salad dressing, expect the bottled stuff here.
People tell me that Myra Jean’s offers a mean meatloaf that will rival your grandma’s cooking. I haven’t tested out that bit of local lore for myself yet but what great testimony from faithful fans!
Other tasty dining options at Myra Jean’s include the club sandwich and the buffalo chicken wrap. Expect your meal with a smile and a generous side of Southern hospitality. Before you leave, treat yourself to an old-fashioned ice cream sundae or order a cake for that next special occasion.
El Jalisco
El Jalisco
Crawfordville location
Most recent visit: August 13, 2009
My absolute all-time favorite Mexican food experience involved a beach barbecue in Cozumel. Our hosts grilled beef and chicken in the open air and we stuffed warm, grilled tortillas with salsa fresca and freshly prepared guacamole. Dining at El Jalisco actually reminds me a bit of vacationing in Cozumel. The painted wall murals and the Mexico meets Florida - “Floribbean” – décor takes me back to the Cozumel bar Carlos and Charlie’s. While the nightlife doesn’t get nearly as wild, the noise level on a good business night can also rival that busy tourist trap.
The staff at El Jalisco may want to take some care, however, that their establishment doesn’t develop the reputation of being as dirty as a Mexican port cantina. I have noticed that tortilla chips often litter the floor and that the bathroom trash tends to overflow. I do not want to speculate about what the appearance of the front of the house says about the back of the house which, in restaurant parlance, refers to kitchen conditions.
Until El Jalisco opened in Crawfordville, Mexican cuisine in Wakulla was a distant memory involving a departed Taco Bell. I actually had to mystery shop the Crawfordville Taco Bell once…. Enough about that, let’s talk about the reason Wakulla residents no longer have to cross county lines when they want Mexican flavors.
The El Jalisco food represents one of the better Mexican outposts in the Big Bend area. If you like Tallahassee’s San Miguel on Tharpe Street or La Fiesta on the Parkway, El Jalisco will satisfy your cravings for south of the border flavors. This is authentic Mexican food, not the sort of chain Tex-Mex you will find at On The Border. The Crawfordville location is actually one of five El Jalisco restaurants and they even have a website to promote the Tallahassee sister establishment on Monroe Street: http://eljalisco.com/.
My most recent visit to El Jalisco was on a Thursday night. The parking lot was almost full and there was a large party holding court in the expanded dining area. Yes, El Jalisco has been so successful that they took over an adjacent space and expanded their seating area within the last year.
The menu at El Jalisco is daunting. There are almost myriad choices and combinations to be enjoyed. Diners can opt for a Mexican-style salad or a taco. The queso is popular. Patrons in the mood for a more substantial meal can opt for Mexican combo platters, seafood, chicken, or steak with multiple variations.
My husband and I have developed a few favorites over the last year. I like the bistec mexicano – steak pieces cooked with onions and jalapenos. It is served with beans, rice, salad, and tortillas. You can eat it with a fork or make tasty little soft tacos with the warm, foil-wrapped tortillas. Half of this generously portioned entrée always goes home with me in a box. One down side – I wish the refried beans were a little less soupy and a lot more flavorful. My husband alternates between various burrito combinations on the menu and his absolute favorite dish, Mexican grilled chicken strips.
Two serving of crispy tortilla chips with cilantro-flurried salsa are gratis with meals. Additional refills will incur a change. The Crawfordville El Jalisco recently upgraded the drink menu. I haven’t had a chance to sample the new bar offerings yet, but the menu pictures are enticing. That said, I am not a fan of the neon green house margaritas the bar staff mixes. They taste like watered down limeade. I have a good margarita recipe and, for the good of the community, I am willing to share it with El Jalisco. Call me, we’ll talk.
Want to watch something other than football? Are you a soccer fan? El Jalisco is a great place to watch televised soccer games. The restaurant boasts multiple screens and they will show American football on request, gridiron fans. However, El Jalisco is definitely a haven for those follow international soccer. Many El Jalisco staffers are not only avid soccer fans but also skilled players; they have been known to challenge the local kids to after hours pick up games.
The next time you have a craving for some South of the Border flavor, want to hear some live mariachi music, or just want to watch soccer with people who appreciate the game, check out the Crawfordville El Jalisco. You will save money on gas, enjoy a good meal, and probably see a few of your neighbors while you are there.
Crawfordville location
Most recent visit: August 13, 2009
My absolute all-time favorite Mexican food experience involved a beach barbecue in Cozumel. Our hosts grilled beef and chicken in the open air and we stuffed warm, grilled tortillas with salsa fresca and freshly prepared guacamole. Dining at El Jalisco actually reminds me a bit of vacationing in Cozumel. The painted wall murals and the Mexico meets Florida - “Floribbean” – décor takes me back to the Cozumel bar Carlos and Charlie’s. While the nightlife doesn’t get nearly as wild, the noise level on a good business night can also rival that busy tourist trap.
The staff at El Jalisco may want to take some care, however, that their establishment doesn’t develop the reputation of being as dirty as a Mexican port cantina. I have noticed that tortilla chips often litter the floor and that the bathroom trash tends to overflow. I do not want to speculate about what the appearance of the front of the house says about the back of the house which, in restaurant parlance, refers to kitchen conditions.
Until El Jalisco opened in Crawfordville, Mexican cuisine in Wakulla was a distant memory involving a departed Taco Bell. I actually had to mystery shop the Crawfordville Taco Bell once…. Enough about that, let’s talk about the reason Wakulla residents no longer have to cross county lines when they want Mexican flavors.
The El Jalisco food represents one of the better Mexican outposts in the Big Bend area. If you like Tallahassee’s San Miguel on Tharpe Street or La Fiesta on the Parkway, El Jalisco will satisfy your cravings for south of the border flavors. This is authentic Mexican food, not the sort of chain Tex-Mex you will find at On The Border. The Crawfordville location is actually one of five El Jalisco restaurants and they even have a website to promote the Tallahassee sister establishment on Monroe Street: http://eljalisco.com/.
My most recent visit to El Jalisco was on a Thursday night. The parking lot was almost full and there was a large party holding court in the expanded dining area. Yes, El Jalisco has been so successful that they took over an adjacent space and expanded their seating area within the last year.
The menu at El Jalisco is daunting. There are almost myriad choices and combinations to be enjoyed. Diners can opt for a Mexican-style salad or a taco. The queso is popular. Patrons in the mood for a more substantial meal can opt for Mexican combo platters, seafood, chicken, or steak with multiple variations.
My husband and I have developed a few favorites over the last year. I like the bistec mexicano – steak pieces cooked with onions and jalapenos. It is served with beans, rice, salad, and tortillas. You can eat it with a fork or make tasty little soft tacos with the warm, foil-wrapped tortillas. Half of this generously portioned entrée always goes home with me in a box. One down side – I wish the refried beans were a little less soupy and a lot more flavorful. My husband alternates between various burrito combinations on the menu and his absolute favorite dish, Mexican grilled chicken strips.
Two serving of crispy tortilla chips with cilantro-flurried salsa are gratis with meals. Additional refills will incur a change. The Crawfordville El Jalisco recently upgraded the drink menu. I haven’t had a chance to sample the new bar offerings yet, but the menu pictures are enticing. That said, I am not a fan of the neon green house margaritas the bar staff mixes. They taste like watered down limeade. I have a good margarita recipe and, for the good of the community, I am willing to share it with El Jalisco. Call me, we’ll talk.
Want to watch something other than football? Are you a soccer fan? El Jalisco is a great place to watch televised soccer games. The restaurant boasts multiple screens and they will show American football on request, gridiron fans. However, El Jalisco is definitely a haven for those follow international soccer. Many El Jalisco staffers are not only avid soccer fans but also skilled players; they have been known to challenge the local kids to after hours pick up games.
The next time you have a craving for some South of the Border flavor, want to hear some live mariachi music, or just want to watch soccer with people who appreciate the game, check out the Crawfordville El Jalisco. You will save money on gas, enjoy a good meal, and probably see a few of your neighbors while you are there.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Rummy's....Pizza and Wings
Rummy’s Pizza
Crawfordville
Friends familiar with the Tallahassee Rummy’s Pizza restaurant in the Killearn area were pretty excited about the opening of the Crawfordville Rummy’s location. I was just happy to have another choice for pizza, especially an option that is not a national chain. I do occasionally order from the local chain representatives. To give them their due, places like Domino’s and Pizza Hut offer great prices and they deliver. If I want a large quantity of pizza to feed a crowd economically, I go to the chains. When I want a pizza with a little more personality, I am going to open my wallet a bit wider and choose a place like Rummy’s.
In any discussion about pizza, the question has to be addressed, “Is it NY-style pizza?” Many southern pizza joints lay claim to New York pizza bragging rights. Few non-New York pizza parlors, however, actually achieve that distinction. I’ll get this out of the way right now. Rummy’s Pizza is not going to make you feel like you are visiting Little Italy. That said, Rummy’s does plate a decent pie.
Rummy’s has been open in Crawfordville for well over a year now and has had ample opportunities to iron out the new restaurant wrinkles. It appears they have settled into a comfortable groove and consistently generate regular business. On a Friday or Saturday night, I often wish they had two cash registers – one for the eat-in crowd and one for handling take out orders. I also wish that one person would handle calls while another would handle the people paying at the register. Sometimes that line at the register gets long and hold times to place an order can take a while.
To date, I have generally really enjoyed Rummy’s pizzas. There are times when I would like the crust to be a bit crisper all the way to the center of the pie, though, and it makes me wonder if they sometimes rush the baking time.
Rummy’s offers a nice variety of meats, veggies, and cheeses to top your pie. They even offer local favorite Bradley’s Sausage, in hot or mild. I would love to see them add artichokes and maybe even eggplant to their veggie topping list but it is otherwise a comprehensive variety of the healthy stuff. Hm, they offer an eggplant “rolotini” entrée…surely they could toss some eggplant on a pizza, right? To be fair, I haven’t yet asked.
Patrons can request their own combination of toppings or order from a list of ten signature pizzas. I personally recommend the Veggie Lover’s, the White, and the Buffalo Chicken.
Rummy’s also offers football-sized calzones. You can enjoy a standard cheese calzone or add any one of the many pizza toppings as an additional stuffing at $.75 per ingredient. With a starting price of $8.95 for the basic cheese, those extra stuffings will take your calzone cost quickly over the $10 mark.
They also offer an array of appetizers, a six-pack of salads, and a nice variety of classic Italian pasta specialties. Burgers, sausage dogs, and hot dogs with or without chili are also available. They have a kids’ menu with offerings under $5. Three of the items include chips or fries. All the children’s entrees include a small drink.
In the mood for a hoagie or hero, sub-style sandwich? Rummy’s offers meatball and chicken parmesan, classic cheese steak and chicken “Philly” sandwiches, and a sausage and pepper combo. These sandwiches include your choice of chips, fries, or veggie sticks.
I have developed some favorite orders over the last year of dining at Rummy’s. If you like spicy sausage and ricotta, I recommend ordering a pie with sliced spicy Bradley’s sausage layered with ricotta and marinara sauce. For salad lovers, try the buffalo chicken salad with char-grilled chicken breast. I am not sure what vendor supplies their bleu cheese dressing but I think it is one of the best available in this area.
Rummy’s wings can be ordered tossed in your choice of any one of nine flavors. The Spicy Garlic and Mango Habanero sauces are worth a visit on their own. The last time I ordered takeout, my husband I ordered 10 of each flavor. When I walked in to pick up our order, the manager mentioned that the kitchen was using a new pepper in the Mango Habanero wings. He handed me a small green-stemmed red pepper to take home with my order. The bhut jolokia pepper, also known as the Red Savina habanero, is billed as the world’s hottest chili pepper.
I loved the new kicked up Mango Habanero sauce with the bhut jolokia. My husband said it made him sweat and he downed the better part of a beer with his portion. I found the sweet and peppery hot sauce partnered nicely with a bite of bleu cheese dipped celery.
If you still have an appetite for a sweet ending after finishing a Rummy’s meal, the menu does offer a few dessert choices. I can vouch for the sticky sweet fried honey dough. Share a basket of these sweet doughy little bites with a few friends.
Rummy’s bills itself as an Italian Grill and Sports Bar. The dining room boasts multiple large screen televisions. I have watched a few football games here and even caught a presidential debate over a late supper during the last election cycle.
The bar part of Rummy’s name translates into beer and wine. Beer is available by the glass, the pitcher, and the bottle. Wine is offered by the glass. They’ve recently added sangria to the menu. On a recent visit, I received my Shock Top draft with an orange slice, always a nice touch with a Belgian white, Witbier style brew.
There is an outside seating area with umbrella-topped rounds for those who wish to dine alfresco. Smokers are out of luck during football season, though, as there are no televisions outside. Perhaps they can get a glimpse of the gridiron action through the large glass windows?
Crawfordville
Friends familiar with the Tallahassee Rummy’s Pizza restaurant in the Killearn area were pretty excited about the opening of the Crawfordville Rummy’s location. I was just happy to have another choice for pizza, especially an option that is not a national chain. I do occasionally order from the local chain representatives. To give them their due, places like Domino’s and Pizza Hut offer great prices and they deliver. If I want a large quantity of pizza to feed a crowd economically, I go to the chains. When I want a pizza with a little more personality, I am going to open my wallet a bit wider and choose a place like Rummy’s.
In any discussion about pizza, the question has to be addressed, “Is it NY-style pizza?” Many southern pizza joints lay claim to New York pizza bragging rights. Few non-New York pizza parlors, however, actually achieve that distinction. I’ll get this out of the way right now. Rummy’s Pizza is not going to make you feel like you are visiting Little Italy. That said, Rummy’s does plate a decent pie.
Rummy’s has been open in Crawfordville for well over a year now and has had ample opportunities to iron out the new restaurant wrinkles. It appears they have settled into a comfortable groove and consistently generate regular business. On a Friday or Saturday night, I often wish they had two cash registers – one for the eat-in crowd and one for handling take out orders. I also wish that one person would handle calls while another would handle the people paying at the register. Sometimes that line at the register gets long and hold times to place an order can take a while.
To date, I have generally really enjoyed Rummy’s pizzas. There are times when I would like the crust to be a bit crisper all the way to the center of the pie, though, and it makes me wonder if they sometimes rush the baking time.
Rummy’s offers a nice variety of meats, veggies, and cheeses to top your pie. They even offer local favorite Bradley’s Sausage, in hot or mild. I would love to see them add artichokes and maybe even eggplant to their veggie topping list but it is otherwise a comprehensive variety of the healthy stuff. Hm, they offer an eggplant “rolotini” entrée…surely they could toss some eggplant on a pizza, right? To be fair, I haven’t yet asked.
Patrons can request their own combination of toppings or order from a list of ten signature pizzas. I personally recommend the Veggie Lover’s, the White, and the Buffalo Chicken.
Rummy’s also offers football-sized calzones. You can enjoy a standard cheese calzone or add any one of the many pizza toppings as an additional stuffing at $.75 per ingredient. With a starting price of $8.95 for the basic cheese, those extra stuffings will take your calzone cost quickly over the $10 mark.
They also offer an array of appetizers, a six-pack of salads, and a nice variety of classic Italian pasta specialties. Burgers, sausage dogs, and hot dogs with or without chili are also available. They have a kids’ menu with offerings under $5. Three of the items include chips or fries. All the children’s entrees include a small drink.
In the mood for a hoagie or hero, sub-style sandwich? Rummy’s offers meatball and chicken parmesan, classic cheese steak and chicken “Philly” sandwiches, and a sausage and pepper combo. These sandwiches include your choice of chips, fries, or veggie sticks.
I have developed some favorite orders over the last year of dining at Rummy’s. If you like spicy sausage and ricotta, I recommend ordering a pie with sliced spicy Bradley’s sausage layered with ricotta and marinara sauce. For salad lovers, try the buffalo chicken salad with char-grilled chicken breast. I am not sure what vendor supplies their bleu cheese dressing but I think it is one of the best available in this area.
Rummy’s wings can be ordered tossed in your choice of any one of nine flavors. The Spicy Garlic and Mango Habanero sauces are worth a visit on their own. The last time I ordered takeout, my husband I ordered 10 of each flavor. When I walked in to pick up our order, the manager mentioned that the kitchen was using a new pepper in the Mango Habanero wings. He handed me a small green-stemmed red pepper to take home with my order. The bhut jolokia pepper, also known as the Red Savina habanero, is billed as the world’s hottest chili pepper.
I loved the new kicked up Mango Habanero sauce with the bhut jolokia. My husband said it made him sweat and he downed the better part of a beer with his portion. I found the sweet and peppery hot sauce partnered nicely with a bite of bleu cheese dipped celery.
If you still have an appetite for a sweet ending after finishing a Rummy’s meal, the menu does offer a few dessert choices. I can vouch for the sticky sweet fried honey dough. Share a basket of these sweet doughy little bites with a few friends.
Rummy’s bills itself as an Italian Grill and Sports Bar. The dining room boasts multiple large screen televisions. I have watched a few football games here and even caught a presidential debate over a late supper during the last election cycle.
The bar part of Rummy’s name translates into beer and wine. Beer is available by the glass, the pitcher, and the bottle. Wine is offered by the glass. They’ve recently added sangria to the menu. On a recent visit, I received my Shock Top draft with an orange slice, always a nice touch with a Belgian white, Witbier style brew.
There is an outside seating area with umbrella-topped rounds for those who wish to dine alfresco. Smokers are out of luck during football season, though, as there are no televisions outside. Perhaps they can get a glimpse of the gridiron action through the large glass windows?
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Talk o' the Town
Talk o’ the Town Deli
Crawfordville
August 5, 2009-08-05
The Inaugural Review
This recipes and review gig is going to be a little hobby…sort of an online indulgence to allow me to share my love of all things cooking related with my friends and family. I grew up in a “foodie” family. My relatives and I have owned restaurants and worked in the food service industry throughout my life. Enjoying good meals was a big part of my family experience when I was growing up.
As an adult, in another life, I was a restaurant mystery shopper for several companies. Mystery shoppers review restaurants and rate the business on service, cleanliness, and quality of food, among other things. My friends, family, and I had loads of fun dining out at various places around Florida on someone else’s dime and I gained extensive knowledge about the restaurant business along the way.
I’ve been toying with the idea of writing about food for sometime and this review represents my first foray into the realm. Comments and suggestions are very welcome!
I was very excited when I saw the announcement in the local newspaper, The Wakulla News. A New York-style deli was opening in Crawfordville! After my initial excitement abated, my innate Yankee skepticism about attempts to recreate Northern food and culture south of the Mason-Dixon Line reared its ugly head. Were real New Yorkers running this venture? I hoped for the best and drove by the location occasionally to watch their progress.
Finally, I returned from vacation and saw that the lighted “Open” sign had been turned on. I bee-lined my way in to the parking lot to pick up a menu and do some reconnaissance. I walked up to the counter and ordered an iced tea while I perused the wall menu. A man opened the door and called out to the counter staff in a decisively New York accent, “Youse got Boar’s Head meat?” The staffer said no.
Dismayed, I asked, “So what kind of meat are you carrying?”
The befuddled staffer replied, “Hormel, our food distributor said it was better quality.”
New York accent guy snorted, “Real New York delis use Boar’s Head.” He departed.
I looked at the lady working the counter, “Well, in New York, we used to choose delis according to which ones stocked Boar’s Head. Boar’s Head really does have a better reputation, it can be a real selling point..”
The woman cocked her head toward the back of the house, “She is from New York.”
“Um, okay, well, I’ll be back for lunch tomorrow with a friend. Good luck!” I said.
I went home and related the story to a good friend who relocated from New York years ago to work in the Florida food service industry. He shook his head.,“Hormel, really?”
The hour for my lunch date approached. My friend and I stood before the wall menu and made our selections. She chose “The Miami”, a panini that came generously filled with turkey, tomato, onion, and spinach artichoke spread. The bread choices included white, wheat, multigrain, rye, and pumpernickel. All sliced bread, no sub or hoagie rolls to be had here. While I adore rye and pumpernickel breads, the lack of sub rolls disturbs me. No bagels, no bialys, no hoagie rolls, no baguettes, nada, zilch, zip. Sorry, folks!
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I would not order an Italian style sandwich as listed on the menu on anything but a sub roll – the classic New York way to prepare such a sandwich.
I had been watching other diners while I waited for my friend to arrive. I decided on a Cobb Salad that I had observed another patron eating with obvious enjoyment at a nearby table. Calorie counters beware, the only “light” dressing option is fat-free raspberry vinaigrette.
The final report? The food was good -- well-prepared and fresh-tasting. Service is fast and friendly. The staff seemed to be learning to use the register on the fly and ice is served from a cooler behind the counter, but none of this detracts from the flavor of the food. The front of the house has limited space and the tables are two tops. Business was brisk and seating was limited when we finished our meal at the height of the lunch hour.
Beverages include brewed Luzianne tea, sweet and unsweet, as well as bottled sodas. Soup, chips, chili, and cookies are available. The menu lists potato, macaroni, and cole slaw made on site. Do they make their own egg salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad? I plan to find out on another visit.
I would recommend this deli as a Subway or Myra Jean’s alternative for a change of pace. However, do not go to this place expecting a real New York style deli. And no, pastrami is not offered. They do, however, have liverwurst. It is a nice little sandwich shop and a welcome addition to the Crawfordville food scene, but hardly a haven for the New York ex-pat crowd.
Crawfordville
August 5, 2009-08-05
The Inaugural Review
This recipes and review gig is going to be a little hobby…sort of an online indulgence to allow me to share my love of all things cooking related with my friends and family. I grew up in a “foodie” family. My relatives and I have owned restaurants and worked in the food service industry throughout my life. Enjoying good meals was a big part of my family experience when I was growing up.
As an adult, in another life, I was a restaurant mystery shopper for several companies. Mystery shoppers review restaurants and rate the business on service, cleanliness, and quality of food, among other things. My friends, family, and I had loads of fun dining out at various places around Florida on someone else’s dime and I gained extensive knowledge about the restaurant business along the way.
I’ve been toying with the idea of writing about food for sometime and this review represents my first foray into the realm. Comments and suggestions are very welcome!
I was very excited when I saw the announcement in the local newspaper, The Wakulla News. A New York-style deli was opening in Crawfordville! After my initial excitement abated, my innate Yankee skepticism about attempts to recreate Northern food and culture south of the Mason-Dixon Line reared its ugly head. Were real New Yorkers running this venture? I hoped for the best and drove by the location occasionally to watch their progress.
Finally, I returned from vacation and saw that the lighted “Open” sign had been turned on. I bee-lined my way in to the parking lot to pick up a menu and do some reconnaissance. I walked up to the counter and ordered an iced tea while I perused the wall menu. A man opened the door and called out to the counter staff in a decisively New York accent, “Youse got Boar’s Head meat?” The staffer said no.
Dismayed, I asked, “So what kind of meat are you carrying?”
The befuddled staffer replied, “Hormel, our food distributor said it was better quality.”
New York accent guy snorted, “Real New York delis use Boar’s Head.” He departed.
I looked at the lady working the counter, “Well, in New York, we used to choose delis according to which ones stocked Boar’s Head. Boar’s Head really does have a better reputation, it can be a real selling point..”
The woman cocked her head toward the back of the house, “She is from New York.”
“Um, okay, well, I’ll be back for lunch tomorrow with a friend. Good luck!” I said.
I went home and related the story to a good friend who relocated from New York years ago to work in the Florida food service industry. He shook his head.,“Hormel, really?”
The hour for my lunch date approached. My friend and I stood before the wall menu and made our selections. She chose “The Miami”, a panini that came generously filled with turkey, tomato, onion, and spinach artichoke spread. The bread choices included white, wheat, multigrain, rye, and pumpernickel. All sliced bread, no sub or hoagie rolls to be had here. While I adore rye and pumpernickel breads, the lack of sub rolls disturbs me. No bagels, no bialys, no hoagie rolls, no baguettes, nada, zilch, zip. Sorry, folks!
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I would not order an Italian style sandwich as listed on the menu on anything but a sub roll – the classic New York way to prepare such a sandwich.
I had been watching other diners while I waited for my friend to arrive. I decided on a Cobb Salad that I had observed another patron eating with obvious enjoyment at a nearby table. Calorie counters beware, the only “light” dressing option is fat-free raspberry vinaigrette.
The final report? The food was good -- well-prepared and fresh-tasting. Service is fast and friendly. The staff seemed to be learning to use the register on the fly and ice is served from a cooler behind the counter, but none of this detracts from the flavor of the food. The front of the house has limited space and the tables are two tops. Business was brisk and seating was limited when we finished our meal at the height of the lunch hour.
Beverages include brewed Luzianne tea, sweet and unsweet, as well as bottled sodas. Soup, chips, chili, and cookies are available. The menu lists potato, macaroni, and cole slaw made on site. Do they make their own egg salad, chicken salad, and tuna salad? I plan to find out on another visit.
I would recommend this deli as a Subway or Myra Jean’s alternative for a change of pace. However, do not go to this place expecting a real New York style deli. And no, pastrami is not offered. They do, however, have liverwurst. It is a nice little sandwich shop and a welcome addition to the Crawfordville food scene, but hardly a haven for the New York ex-pat crowd.
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