restaurant

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 3 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Havana Café, serving authentic Cuban cuisine in West Jefferson, NC.

Havana Cafe, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers, restaurant review

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. 🙂

Havana Cafe, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers, restaurant review

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.

Havana Cafe, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers, restaurant review

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!

Havana Cafe, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers, restaurant review

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.  

Havana Cafe, Fiction Faith & Foodies, Ernie & Dora Hiers, restaurant review

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.

Havana Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 11 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Huntersville, NC, to a restaurant recommended by a close friend, House of Taipei.

House of Taipei, Excited about Eating, Ernie & Dora Hiers

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. 🙂

House of Taipei, Excited about Eating, Ernie & Dora Hiers

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.

House of Taipei, Excited about Eating, Ernie & Dora Hiers

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!

House of Taipei, Excited about Eating, Ernie & Dora Hiers

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.

House of Taipei Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 6 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Cornelius, NC and to Harp & Crown Pub Kitchen. This warm and comfortable pub features Irish favorites such as Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, and Bangers & Mash.

excited about eating, ernie & dora hiers, fiction faith & foodies, Harp & Crown

Rather unassuming from the front, but just wait!

Dora here. This front entrance does not give you a clue as to what to expect. Wait until you see the patio. Soooooo wish it hadn’t been raining. I would’ve loved to sit outside here. I counted three fireplaces!!

excited about eating, ernie & dora hiers, fiction faith & foodies, harp & crown

So wish it hadn’t been raining. I would’ve loved to sit outside. I counted 3 fireplaces!

The interior was nice and cozy. And packed for 11 AM on a Sunday!

excited about eating, fiction faith & foodies, ernie & dora hiers, harp & crown

The inside was nice and cozy. And packed for 11 AM on a Sunday.

For my brunch, I chose the Shrimps & Grits, a combo of Charleston style grits, shrimp, bacon, and chorizo sausage.

excited about eating, fiction faith & foodies, ernie & dora hiers, harp & crown

Shrimp and Grits, outstanding!

This dish was outstanding! Creamy grits, tender shrimp that melted in your mouth, ample sauce, and the sausage packed just the right amount of heat.

fiction faith & foodies, excited about eating, ernie & dora hiers, harp & crown

Are you drooling yet? Shrimp & grits, outstanding!

Dora here. Ya’ll know by now that I’m a huge fan of Shepherd’s Pie. If it’s on the menu, that’s what I’m picking. And since I’d seen an intriguing picture on Yelp, I already knew what I was ordering. Shepherd’s Pie. 🙂

excited about eating, ernie & dora hiers, fiction faith & foodies, harp & crown
For those of you who haven’t tried Shepherd’s Pie, it’s basically a layer of mashed potatoes smothering a blend of meat and veggies. In this case, hamburger and peas.

excited about eating, ernie & dora hiers, fiction faith & foodies blog, harp & crown
Shepherd’s Pie, what’s underneath that top layer of mashed potatoes

This particular version was not as thick as other variations, and, for me, it lacked a bit in the flavor department, nothing deep or complex in those layers. But that’s all good. Sometimes, like on this rainy day, you just want a dish to warm you up, comfort food, and Shepherd’s Pie is always a good choice. 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! What’s your favorite Irish dish?

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

The Harp and Crown Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato