Excited about Eating

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Bodegas Kitchen and Wine Bar located in Banner Elk, NC. In the middle of the mountains, this newly-opened tapas style restaurant serves food with a Caribbean fare. Dora here. If you aren’t paying attention, you’ll pass this place. Like I did the first time. lol. It’s tucked back into a corner of Eagles Nest Marketplace.

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Tucked into the corner

Inside is fresh and clean with ample space between tables. But…

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Inside is fresh and clean with ample space between tables

I’m really looking forward to sitting outside on this amazing deck when the weather warms!

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

What an amazing deck! I’m looking forward to sitting outside when the weather warms.

For our appetizer, we chose the Brussels Sprouts, fresh and lightly fried, and served with a tangy aioli sauce. The sprouts were outstanding, served al dente with a smoky char and worked well with the aioli. Dora here. I’m not a huge fan of sprouts, but Ernie loves them. The sauce was great, but the sprouts a tad too stiff for me.

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Brussel Sprouts appetizer

For lunch, I chose the Cubano, a pressed sandwich packed with pork, ham, Swiss cheese, mustard and pickles, and served on authentic Cuban bread. The sandwich was great, loaded with meat and cheese, but the real winner here was the Fire Roasted Street Corn, slathered with mayo and queso fresco cheese and roasted to perfection.

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Cuban sandwich with Fire Roasted Street Corn

Dora here. Oh my goodness, y’all, check out this ginormous fish sandwich!! Ernie actually took a picture of me trying to eat this monster, but I wouldn’t let him post it. lol. Perfectly fried cod, incredibly soft and the freshest of breads, a delightful crunchy slaw, and amazing flavors…what more could a person want in a meal? I would definitely order this again.

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Ginormous Fish Sandwich, amazing flavors! I would definitely order this again.

Typically, I only like plantains fried like chips, but our server made these Maduros sound delicious. And, oh, were they! They were fried to give the outside a slight crunch, but inside was soft and sweet, buttery even, with a hint of…brown sugar? Guessing here, but this dish was almost like dessert. Definitely another winner!

Bodegas, Fiction Faith & Foodies Blog, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Maduros, sweet fried plantains. Amazing! Almost like dessert.

Our food came out fast, and our server was attentive and friendly. Their amazing food and impeccable service won us over. Bodegas is going on our “favorites” list. 

What new restaurant have you tried recently? What did you enjoy most about it?

We rate this restaurant 5 fork out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food.

 

 

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 8 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Dos Amigos, a neighborhood restaurant in Boone, NC, serving authentic Mexican cuisine. This place always seems to be really busy so we decided to give it a try.

Dos Amigos Restaurante Mexicano Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Exterior doesn’t scream, “Come in!” But inside was quiet and comfortable, and they’re always busy.

Dora here. We’ve passed by this place a gazillion times because it’s sandwiched between our favorite pizza place (Capone’s) and our favorite coffee shop (Higher Grounds). The exterior doesn’t really scream, “Come in!” But, inside, it’s quiet, the music soft rather than blaring, and I appreciated the ample room between tables. 

Dos Amigos Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Now I always like menus with pictures of the food, so when I saw the picture of the Street Corn, I knew I had to try it for our appetizer. The corn was tender, slathered with mayonnaise and dusted with cheese, and a perfect way to start a meal. Dora here. I could eat this corn every night of the week. Sweet. Buttery. Delicious.

Corn Dos Amigos Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

For my lunch, I chose the Taco Salad. Loaded with ground beef and fresh ingredients like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and sour cream, and served in a crispy flour tortilla shell. Very good, and I would definitely order it again.

Dos Amigos Fiction Faith & Foodies Blog Ernie & Dora Hiers

Taco Salad, very good

Dora here. I always love hearing the sizzle of chicken fajitas as they’re delivered to the table. Can you see the steam rising up? Yum! Loaded with chicken, light on the veggies (which is always a plus for me!), and subtle, not overpowering, flavors. We just found our new go-to for Mexican food in Boone. 🙂

Chicken Fajitas, lunch portion

What about you? What’s your favorite Mexican dish?

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

 

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 6 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This restaurant serves local favorites from all over the US, including grits from South Carolina, crab cakes from Maryland, and BBQ from Carolina.

Zingerman's Roadhouse Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Recognize these two handsome dudes? 🙂

Dora here. Don’t let that picture above fool you. Inside, the place was jammed on a Saturday night, and the picture below is only a small portion of the large restaurant. Even so, our server was friendly and didn’t appear rushed or harried, even offered some helpful recommendations. Kudos!

Zingerman's Roadhouse Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

No empty tables on a Saturday night!

For my dinner, I chose the Chicken Fried Steak, sirloin, breaded and fried, and smothered with chicken gravy. It came with grits, yellow mustard slaw, and bacon braised collard greens. This meal was outstanding. The steak was super tender, adequately breaded, and the gravy was just thick enough to stick to the steak. The sides were great with the greens having that great bacon flavor and the perfect amount of bite.

Zingerman's Roadhouse Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Chicken Fried Steak-outstanding!

Dora here. According to our server, their Fried Chicken Macaroni and Cheese started off as a seasonal dish and was only supposed to stay on the menu for a short time. Ten years later…I can see why it became a regular favorite! This is probably the best mac and cheese I have ever tasted! Thick chunks of tender chicken (mostly white meat–which I prefer), the pasta cooked to the right firmness, and the bechamel divine! If that wasn’t good enough, they go the extra mile and add a nice char to the top. Excellent choice! Go for the large, even if you have to take some home. You’ll thank me later. 🙂

Zingerman's Roadhouse, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers

Fried Chicken Macaroni and Cheese, some of the best I have ever tasted!

How do you like your macaroni and cheese? Any particular ingredients you like added?

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

Zingerman's Roadhouse Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato