restaurant

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

Excited about Eating by Ernie Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to the Plaza-Midwood area of Charlotte and to The Workman’s Friend, an Irish pub offering a variety of pub fare with a Southern influence. 

Dora here. Plaza Midwood came through for us again! Originally, we’d picked out a restaurant in downtown Charlotte, but Panther fans snagged all the on-street parking. Plaza Midwood is a fabulous alternative to eating in downtown proper, and I appreciated the ample parking in the back of The Workman’s Friend. 🙂

For an appetizer, we chose the Bag of Chips, hand cut fries with salt and malt vinegar aioli. Not chips in the American sense, nor the typical thick and potato-y pub chips. They were almost a blend of the two, crispy on the outside and firm on the inside. I ate mine with extra malt vinegar. Perfect!

Bag of Chips

Dora here. You should have seen Ernie’s face when the server set the chips down on the table. I knew he expected homemade American chips. lol.

The Irish Breakfast was the brunch special of the day. Eggs, a Banger (sausage), Black and White Pudding (also sausage), Irish Bacon, Baked Beans, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, and sourdough toast. Black pudding is sausage made from blood, meat, fat, oatmeal, and bread or potato fillers. White pudding (the same minus the blood), and Irish bacon is from the back of the pig instead of the belly and is like ham. The highlights of this great dish were the three different types of sausage and the sourdough bread. 

Irish Breakfast – a Brunch Special

Dora here. I’m a big fan of Irish pubs. Well, pubs of all kinds, actually. I’d heard about Black and White pudding but never tried it until now. (See those two round patties next to the baked beans. And how did they ever come up with that name??). Considering the ingredients and the name, I was surprised at how tasty they were.

The Sausage Roll, a blend of ground sausage and mustard and sour cream inside a puff pastry, fit my mood. Something light, not too heavy, and I enjoyed the mild sausage flavor. 

Sausage Roll ~ An appetizer

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

What about you? Do you enjoy pubs? What’s your favorite pub food?

The Workman's Friend 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 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