Yes, you read that right.
After 39 years in the fire service,
Ernie Hiers finally retired!
We’re taking off the summer to celebrate.
Have a fantastic summer, friends!
Ernie Hiers
Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers
This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Havana Café, serving authentic Cuban cuisine in West Jefferson, NC.
Located directly across from the Farmer’s Market
Located directly across from the Farmers Market, Havana Café serves most of the Cuban favors, including Picadillo, Arroz Con Pollo, and Ropa Vieja. Dora here. Perfect location, wouldn’t you say? After lunch, just walk on over and browse all the goodies. 🙂
Located directly across from the Farmer’s Market
Dora here. We’ve been meaning to get over to West Jefferson and try this place. (Seems to be a recurring theme, lol) This tiny restaurant was jammed for a Saturday lunch.
Tiny place was jammed for a Saturday lunch
For my lunch, I chose my favorite Cuban dish, Fried Pork chunks with Mojo sauce (a blend of oil and citrus, usually a bitter orange) and Moros (black beans and white rice cooked together). The pork chunks were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The Moros had just the right consistency, not too dry, not too moist. Brought me back to my days in Tampa. Definitely a repeat dish!
Pork Chunks with Moros and Plantains. Definitely a repeat!
Dora here. The Piccadillo (or Picadillo, I’ve seen it spelled both ways) was comfort food for this Florida transplant. Piccadillo is generally a tasty stew of ground beef, tomato sauce, a variety of spices and seasonings, olives and whatever else the chef wants to throw in the pot. Sometimes raisins are added for a touch of sweetness. This dish included potatoes and only a few olives, which I appreciated. Not over the top on the heat level by any means, just the right amount. The black beans were the only downfall for this dish. They definitely needed a boost of flavor.
This Piccadillo was comfort food for this Florida transplant.
What was your favorite meal this week?
We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.
Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers
This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Huntersville, NC, to a restaurant recommended by a close friend, House of Taipei.
Ample parking, no wait on a Sunday night
This restaurant serves authentic style Chinese dishes, some labeled Favorable, Traditional, Unforgettable and Vegetarian. Dora here. We saw several people toting take-out containers on the way in, so it appears they may be just as popular with take-out as eat-in. Although we’ve heard that sometimes there’s a wait, on this particular Sunday evening, we were seated immediately. 🙂
No wait for our Sunday evening dinner
For my dinner, I chose the Pepper Steak. It’s a challenge for me to order at Asian restaurants fearing I will order something that has more heat than I can take. (Dora here. No worries. They offer a ramp-it-up or dial-it-down option. 🙂 ) The sliced tenderloin is sautéed with green bell peppers and onions in a brown sauce. The steak was tender and the veggies had just the right amount of bite, and the sauce would have been great on any dish. Full of favor, I would definitely order this dish again.
Pepper Steak, definitely a repeat
Dora here. The Flower Chicken intrigued me. Slices of chicken, water chestnuts (I love that crunch, don’t you?), red peppers, broccoli and mushrooms sauteed in a light, not-sure-if-its-really-there sauce. I’m not into heavy sauces so that was perfect for me. Delicate and light, colorful and pretty, the name of the dish really fits. And the best part? For just over $10, I had enough leftover chicken for another meal. Score!
Flower Chicken was delicious and I took home enough chicken for another meal
Your turn: What’s your favorite Chinese dish?
We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food.
Fiction Faith & Foodies 