Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

February 25, 2017February 5, 2017 / Dora Hiers / 2 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to a place that appeared on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, to Pinky’s Westside Grill in Charlotte.

Pinky's Westside Grill Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Not much parking in front, but ample spaces in a private lot a few steps away.

Dora here. Don’t be alarmed not to find a spot directly in front of the diner. Just at the end of the strip, you’ll find ample parking, a plus for any business near downtown.

Ample parking a very short walk away

The inside was jammed for a Sunday lunch.

Jammed for a Sunday lunch

For my lunch, I ordered the White Trash Burger, which includes provolone, fried pickles, and onion rings with a spicy ranch sauce and a side of onion rings (straws). For some reason, the burger that arrived had raw pickles and onions with mayonnaise. The burger was OK, a little over cooked for my taste, but served on a soft bun. Maybe if it would have been served as advertised on the menu, I would have been more impressed. The onion rings were good, but a little greasy.

White Trash Burger didn’t come out like the menu described.

Dora here. Check out the popcorn chicken, little nuggets of breaded and fried white meat, served atop waffle fries with a side of slaw. I’m a huge fan of chicken, fried or grilled, so when I saw this on the menu, I couldn’t convince myself to go with something more adventuresome. Like Pimp’n Fries (waffle fries topped with chili and melted pimento) or the Asian-inspired Ding Dong Chicken Sandwich, marinated chicken slathered with peanut butter, hot sauce and slaw. I probably should’ve worked up the courage because the chicken could’ve used less time in the fryer; the outside was a bit dry and brittle. Awesome waffle fries, though, light on the seasoning and not too-potatoey as some tend to be.

Popcorn Chicken a bit dry and brittle, but the waffle fries were lightly seasoned and not too potatoey.

Dora here. Pinky’s tag-team friendly servers ensure that your cup never runs dry. And if the crowd hanging around outside on a Sunday afternoon and the awesome reviews are any indication, we might’ve caught them on an off day.

We rate this restaurant 3 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving good food.

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

February 18, 2017February 18, 2017 / Dora Hiers / 12 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to the mountains of Tennessee and to The Old Mill Pottery House Café & Grille located in Pigeon Forge. This charming local favorite eating spot features Southern cooking with fresh breads from their bakery and gorgeous homemade desserts.

Old Mill Pottery House Cafe Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille directly across from the Old Mill

Dora here. We get over to this area a few times a year, and The Old Mill has always been a favorite. But any more, even sharing, I just can’t shovel down ALL. THAT. FOOD. So when we stumbled on Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille, directly across the street, this became my new favorite restaurant in the whole Sevierville area. Hands. Down. Oh, and my dad would tell you that it’s just about the only restaurant that’ll make him a rare burger. 🙂

Old Mill Pottery House Cafe & Grille Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Always a crowd!

Front and center, love this rustic fireplace!

Don’t bother waiting for a parking spot out front. There’s ample parking in the back and then you can decide if it’s warm enough to enjoy the gorgeous patio. Unfortunately, during this visit, it was too cold and rainy.

Ample parking in the back. Then, you can decide if it’s warm enough to enjoy this stunning patio.

For my lunch, I chose the Grilled Rib-eye Steak Sandwich, served on a fresh baked hoagie roll with lettuce, tomato, red onion, melted provolone, peppers, and caramelized onions with a baked potato on the side. This sandwich was outstanding, tender so that you could easily bite through, covered by melted cheese and a combo of peppers and caramelized onions that just kept me going back for more. The baked potato was cooked just the way I like them, with a harder skin and soft inside.

Grilled Rib-eye Steak Sandwich, outstanding!

Dora here. It’s always a tough choice because I love their burgers and so many other items on the menu call out to me. But not as loudly as the Quiche / Salad combo. lol. They always offer a daily quiche that sounds intriguing, but inevitably I order the Chicken and Almond. The almonds add a nice texture along with a buttery firm crust, and, honey, is this thing loaded with chicken! Insert happy sigh. The Strawberry Spinach Salad with raspberry vinaigrette is fresh and light, and pairs nicely with the quiche and cinnamon raisin bread.

Old Mill Pottery House Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Chicken Almond Quiche with Strawberry Spinach Salad ALWAYS calls my name!

Still Dora. My only beef (pun intended, lol) with Pottery House is the back dining room. They have this beautiful rustic front room with stone floor and fireplace and a stunner of a garden to enjoy through ginormous windows on both sides, but then…the back room where they sit most of their larger parties. It’s almost as if you walked into a different restaurant. One day maybe they’ll add those little touches that make the front half of the restaurant so rustic and charming. In the meantime, we usually just ask for a table in the front. 🙂

We rate this restaurant 5 forks out of 5 for a family friendly restaurant serving outstanding food. (4.5 for Dora, 5 for Ernie)

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

February 11, 2017January 27, 2017 / Dora Hiers / 12 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to Carolina Ale House, a sports bar and grill that boasts over 50 TV’s located in the busy Concord Mills Mall area. This family friendly place has an extensive menu featuring wings, burgers, tacos, pizza and much more.

Dora here. When we first moved to this area, we were disappointed at the lack of sports pubs. That changed when Carolina Ale House came on scene, and we especially like that they offer tables and booths separate from the bar area, which makes it great for families.

Carolina Ale House Excited about Eating Ernie & Dora Hiers

We like that this restaurant has tables and booths separate from the bar area

For our appetizer, we chose the Beer-battered Cheese Curds served with a red pepper jalapeno jam dipping sauce. These curds were great with a soft smooth center and a light batter on the outside and when combined with the slightly sweet dipping sauce, just kept me coming back for more. Next time I would ask them to be a little crispier, the way I really like them. Dora here. The curds could’ve used an extra minute both in the fryer and the drying basket, since they were just a tad greasy. But that didn’t stop us from eating every last one of these little nuggets. Yum! And the sauce was a great dipper, tangy with a tinge of sweet.

Cheese Curds could’ve used an extra minute in the fryer and the drying basket, but that didn’t stop us from eating every last nugget!

For my meal, I chose the Crispy Ribs with onion strings. These ribs were slow-cooked, dropped into the fryer to crisp up the outside, and then tossed in a BBQ sauce. The ribs were great, fall off the bone tender and the crispiness added a completely different texture. Just a warning, that Thai chili dipping sauce was HOT, so try a little before dipping the entire rib into it.

Carolina Ale House Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Crispy Ribs, great! Fall-off-the-bone tender and the crispiness added a completely different texture. But the sauce is HOT!

Dora here. Hot? I think I heard Ernie’s taste buds sizzling. haha. The Chicken Dunkers are a promo that I hope end up on the regular menu. Coated in a beer batter, these plump little cluckers were crispy and golden and delicious! The pepper ranch dipping sauce soothed after the kick from the mango habanero, so I appreciated both. A bite of heat, a bite of cool. lol.

Chicken Dunkers. Crispy and golden and delicious!

Quite a generous sized portion for less than $8, don’t you think? So, maybe fried chicken and fried cheese wasn’t the healthiest of lunches, but I did gnaw on those carrots, too. I’d order this same combo again.

Chicken Dunkers filled this entire plate! I’d definitely order this again.

What about you? What unhealthy choices do you splurge on?

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

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Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers