foodies

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 6 Comments
This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Port City Club in Cornelius, North Carolina. 

This lakefront restaurant is located on Lake Norman, where you can drive, walk or boat to your meal. 

Inside

Dora here. How have we not discovered this gem sooner? What a glorious day for sitting outside! Everybody else agreed with us. Port City Club offers generous seating inside and three different levels outside, including one covered. What a gorgeous, relaxing setting for any meal.

Covered patio

For my meal, I chose the Lobster and Shrimp Roll. Maine lobster, poached shrimp, scallion, basil, and mayo served on a New England style split roll. Huge and meaty with just the right amount of mayo, this sandwich was outstanding and matched any meal that I enjoyed during our visit to Maine. 


Dora here. I opted for the Port City Club, grilled chicken, bacon and smoked Gouda on a brioche roll. Delish! Tender, moist, and jazzed with a garlic aioli, I’d definitely go back for a repeat. 

Can’t see the chicken? Here’s a better view:

The service was attentive, friendly and flawless. Not once did our tea or water glass drain, and every time a server walked by, used items were scooped from the table with a smile. It’s the perfect location for brokering business deals, families with active children, and couples looking for a romantic setting. 

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

Port City Club Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 6 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington DC and to Old Engine 12 Firehouse Restaurant. 

Constructed in 1895 as a firehouse, this beautiful structure housed firefighters for over a century until transformed in 2013 as a restaurant. “From the brass fireman’s pole to the Captain’s Loft we have preserved the legacy and character of the original firehouse that once served here.”
Dora here. Sorry for the blurry photo. A rescue unit was parked across the street, and the red lights reflected from both directions. Fitting for a converted firehouse, right? 🙂 Oh, and their website indicates this restaurant is located in the Bloomingdale neighborhood, but it’s also only a couple blocks from Shaw.

The Grilled Brussel Sprouts appetizer with balsamic molasses syrup and sea salt was outstanding. With just the right amount of char and sweetness, these sprouts were delicious.
Grilled Brussel Sprouts Appetizer
The Classic Lasagna, made with short rib Bolognese, ricotta and arugula, was huge, definitely large enough to share. The pasta was homemade and thin and mixed great with the sauce and massive amounts of ricotta. The star of this dish was the brisket short rib; tender, juicy, and something you would not expect in lasagna. The only negative was the layer of arugula. More than I expected and a bit overwhelming. 

Classic Lasagna

Dora here. Beautiful dish, though, right? It’s a stunner presentation, but I agree. One bite, and the pungent arugula took over for me. I’m glad I ordered the Firehouse Burger. lol. Meaty, thick and juicy, the special sauce jazzed up the flavor even more. Delish!

Firehouse Burger
We rate this restaurant 4 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving great food. Dora here. This restaurant deserves five forks for ambiance. As a converted fire station, how could it not? lol. We enjoyed the outside patio. Cool and breezy and quiet, easy for conversation. A perfect spot for dinner! 

Outdoor patio


They score 5 forks for presentation and the burger, but the excessive arugula brings it down to 4 overall.

What’s the most unusual ingredient you’ve tasted in lasagna? Did you enjoy the twist or do you prefer traditional?

Washington Firehouse Restaurant Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 6 Comments
This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, to Café Agora, a Turkish restaurant that serves Turkic, Arabic, Persian, and Greek food. Agora means “gathering place” or “assembly” and was the center of life in a city.

Since we’re headed to Istanbul this fall, we decided to give Turkish food a try. We discovered dishes that we enjoyed, and others, not so much.
The Agora Mixed Grill consisted of several kabobs: chicken, lamb, adana (minced lamb), Kofta (ground beef), and beef/lamb gyros. All the meats were tender and juicy, and very tasty. My favorite was the lamb kabob. My least favorites were the gyro meats.

Agora Mixed Grill

The salad was fresh and light. Every single forkful zinged with flavor.
Agora Mixed Grill ~ under the bread
Dora here. I’d read great things about their Maza Platter appetizer. Hummus, Ezme (tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, onion, and walnuts), Eggplant Salad, Babaganush (another eggplant concoction), Piyaz (red beans, tomatoes, onion), Potato Salad, Fried Eggplant, Haydari (yogurt, walnuts, dill), Tabuli (parsley, tomato, cucumber), and Carrot Salad (made with yogurt). Phew! Is that it? 🙂

Maza Platter appetizer – small
Can you believe that’s a small plate?? It’s a whole meal! My faves were Ezme, Hummus, Haydari, Potato Salad, and Carrot Salad. They could’ve left off the three eggplant dishes, but that’s just my personal preference. And they didn’t blink when we asked for a second basket of that awesome bread. Delish! If you’re looking for a sample of flavors, this is the dish to order.


It’s always nice when a complimentary treat comes out with the bill.

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

Click to add a blog post for Cafe Agora on Zomato