food

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 3 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Cornelius, NC and to Galway Hooker, an Irish Pub named for Galway Bay in Ireland.

20160417_120112Dora here. Actually, the entire pub was deconstructed and shipped from Ireland. Cool, huh? And it fits so well in this mixed use neighborhood. 

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We visited on a Sunday for brunch. By the time we left, most of the tables outside were full. A beautiful day for outdoor dining!

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For my lunch I chose the Bangers & Mash: grilled banger sausage, buttermilk mashed potatoes, brown gravy, crispy onion strings and a side of jalapeno mac and cheese. The bangers were firm and meaty. The mashed potatoes were fresh with skins mixed in, and the brown gravy was hearty and warm. The highlight of this dish was the jalapeno mac and cheese, creamy and delicious with a perfect heat level.

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Bangers & Mash with a side of Jalapeno Mac & Cheese

Dora here. Perfect heat level? Coughing…the mac and cheese was in-your-face, clean-out-your-head HOT! Honestly, I should’ve waited to try the mac because it skewed my taste buds for everything else. Wiping sweat from my face…

Shepherd’s Pie is comfort food to me. 20160417_114045

Some of you might be wondering what’s underneath that yummy looking fluff of mashed potatoes. 

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Quite a generous portion of hamburger, peas, carrots onion and brown gravy smothered in creamy mashed potatoes. I devoured all the potatoes but couldn’t finish the stuffing. Good and filling, but not jazzed with flavor like I expect from an Irish pub.

What’s your favorite Irish dish?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.

Galway Hooker Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Matthews, NC, and to Taste of Europe, a small casual restaurant specializing in Polish cuisine.

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Dora here. Squeezed in a strip mall, Taste of Europe is small, but not crowded. Intimate, but not like everybody is in your space. The two room restaurant was clean, bright and welcoming, and service was quick and friendly.

I’d already picked out an appetizer, the much-anticipated Potato Pancakes, but unfortunately, the tater pancakes were not available until after 3pm. So we opted for the Bread with Pate and Cucumbers in Brine. The bread was freshly sliced; the pate had a strong flavor and reminded me of potted meat, and the cucumbers were mild with the perfect crunch.

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Bread with Pate and Cucumbers in Brine

Dora here. Hmmm…not a fan. Should’ve opted for dessert instead. Why did we pass up crepes for pate?

For my lunch, I ordered the Polish Sampler Platter, which included stuffed cabbage, grilled polish sausage, and meat pierogis. The meat filling for the stuffed cabbage was firm and packed with flavor and doused with a tomato-based sauce. The sausage had some nice grill marks and just the right amount of char. I ordered the pierogi fried, and they were cooked perfectly. I enjoyed everything on my plate.

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Polish Sampler Platter: stuffed cabbage, grilled polish sausage, and meat pierogis

Dora here. I came for the pierogies, which are dumplings filled with either a sweet or savory component. Since I couldn’t make up my mind, I opted for the Pierogi Mix, a combo of three different kinds: Potato & Cheddar, Russian and Meat. I asked for mine broiled. 

Pierogi Mix

Wow! Like plump ravioli, but every bite a surprise, a different flavor, smooth and creamy. My favorite was the Russian, a little pillow of Farmer’s Cheese, which to me, tasted like Cream Cheese. YUM!

Have you tried Polish food? What’s your favorite?

Which of these dishes would you try?

We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.
Taste of Europe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to a neat little eatery serving fresh sandwiches, soups, and salads along with cookies, cakes, and coffees. Pickled Peach Handcrafted Foods is a simple neighborly establishment in the college town of Davidson, NC.

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Tucked into the back of a building

Dora here. I love this little community where colorful main street shop windows invite you to wander in and browse, where people stop to chat as if they’ve been friends forever, and where sitting outside and lingering over coffee or lunch seems the most natural thing to do on a Sunday afternoon. The Pickled Peach is tucked into the back of a building, one of those places that draws you in with their covered (and heated, if necessary) patio. Or, if you prefer, you can sit outside and soak in the sun and fresh air. Their small inside boasts a few bar stools as well, but we noticed that most everybody ordered at the counter and then meandered out to the deck. Such a relaxing, comfortable vibe!

For my lunch, I chose the Cornmeal Fried Shrimp sandwich with butter lettuce on a long roll. The large, perfectly-executed shrimp combined flawlessly with the spicy mayo, greens and the crispy roll.

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Cornmeal Fried Shrimp Sandwich

The Sweet Potato salad, roasted sweet potatoes, peashoots, walnuts, lemon zest, and a mustard vinaigrette, zinged with an interesting blend of flavors.

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Sweet Potato Salad

Dora here. I agree. First time ever eating that combo, but it worked. The citrus taste gave it a light, fresh flavor and the greens added texture to the soft sweet taters. Different, in a good way.  

The Slow Braised and Pulled Chicken sandwich. What can I say? This sandwich had my name written all over it! lol. Pulled chicken with just enough ginger and apple cider in the slaw to whisper that it was there. OH MY YUM! Delicious!!  

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Slow Braised and Pulled Chicken Sandwich had my name written all over it!

And we couldn’t resist sharing the Coconut Chewie Cookie. Check out the size of this monster cookie! Tell me you could pass by that huge chunk of sweetness? 🙂 BTW, this restaurant (actually, most restaurants in this community) isn’t into artificial annnnyyyyything, so if you prefer a particular brand of sweetener, bring your own.

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Try to pass by this huge chunk of sweetness, I dare you! (Coconut Chewie Cookie)

What features draw you in to a restaurant?

No debate here. Five forks out of five for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.
The Pickled Peach Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato