review

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 9 Comments

This edition of Exciting about Eating takes us to the High Country and to BBQ-Burgers & Brews Restaurant & Tavern in Boone, NC. This restaurant offers all of the BBQ regulars, cooked “low and slow” plus many unique burgers and a salad bar.

Spacious, rustic interior

For my meal, I chose the B3 Sampler Plate which included baby back ribs and brisket with rosemary fries, creamed corn and a yeast roll. Whenever I visit a BBQ restaurant for the first time, I always like to try a sampler so that I can get an overall taste of all of their food. The star of this plate was the baby back ribs, tender, sweet, and smoked to perfection. The only issue I had with them was I wished there were more. The next highlight? Those fries, fried crispy and infused with rosemary. I should have doubled my order since my wife liked them too. The brisket was moist and tasty, and the cream corn sweet and delicious. Dora here. Those rosemary fries were addictive!

BBQ Burgers & Brews Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Sampler Platter

Dora here. So many great sounding burgers and BBQ dishes, but the pork nachos were calling my name. When they came out, I was a bit surprised at the small-ish dish. In other restaurants, they’re usually piled high on a platter. But, really, this appetizer was the perfect size for one person to consume for lunch. And I did. lol. The chips were light and fresh, the pork tender, and the queso drizzled with a light hand. And the best part? Every bite had something on it. 🙂

BBQ Burgers & Brews Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Pork Nachos, just the right amount of goodies for every chip!

What about you? What new place did you try this week?

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 / 12 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to downtown Salisbury, North Carolina, and to Mambo Grill & Tapas, a restaurant serving Cuban cuisine. Living in Tampa, FL for most of my life, I have had the opportunity to taste and enjoy both Spanish and Cuban food since I was a little guy, and this place ranks right up there with the best.

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They don’t open until noon on the weekends, but they fill up fast!

Dora here. We discovered this place shortly after we moved to North Carolina. It started in a tiny spot in a strip store, moved to a larger space on Fulton Street, and now they’ve expanded into this beautiful two-story historic building in downtown Salisbury. With so many businesses downsizing or disappearing entirely over the last few years, it’s heartening to see a restaurant flourish.

For an appetizer, we ordered Yuca Frita served with a garlic and cilantro dipping sauce. The Yuca, a starchy tubular root, was cubed and fried to perfection. Outstanding! Crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside, kind of like a fried potato.

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Fried Yuca

I chose my favorite Cuban dish, Masitas. Large pork chunks flash fried, topped with garlic and onions, and served with yellow rice, black beans, and plantains. This dish was great! The pork so flavorful and tender that you could cut it with a fork and the rice and beans cooked flawlessly, just like I remembered them from Tampa.

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Masitas

Dora here. Y’all, this was such a hard choice! We love, love, LOVE, Cuban cuisine and rarely get a chance to head thirty minutes up the road to Salisbury, so I couldn’t make up my mind between the Piccadillo, Ropa Vieja, and Palomilla Steak. I finally decided on the Piccadillo. Piccadillo is ground beef with tiny chunks of potatoes and bits of olives in a light tomato base. So subtle, if you’re not an olive fan, you might not even know they’re in there. But, oh my, so warm and comforting and exactly as I remembered! YUM! And the veggies? Al dente and screaming with flavor! Where were these when I was growing up? lol. Note to self: MUST make it a priority to come here more often!

Mambo Grill and Tapas Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Piccadillo, so warm and comforting and exactly as I remembered! YUM!

What about you? How do you like your veggies? What’s your favorite veggie?

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

Mambo Grill & Tapas Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Excited about Eating by Ernie & Dora Hiers

/ Dora Hiers / 10 Comments

This edition of Excited about Eating takes us to an old-time diner packed with old-fashioned memorabilia, Troy’s 105 Diner in Boone, NC. This diner has all of the favorites like homemade soup, salads, 1/2 lb burgers, and their famous milkshakes.

Troy's 105 Diner Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Old time diner with all the diner favorites

Dora here. Milkshakes? How come we haven’t ordered a milkshake? Note to self: Must remedy that! Actually, we’ve eaten here a few times now. Right off Hwy 105, they’re convenient and close to our mountain home and have saved us from driving all the way back into Boone or Blowing Rock when other restaurants high on our list are packed. This time we were aiming for Sunrise Grill but did not want to risk a 45-minute wait with two starving grandkiddos. lol. And, when you can’t decide between breakfast and lunch, sometimes you just need a good old-fashioned diner fix!

Troy's Diner Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Sometimes you just need a good old-fashioned diner fix!

I chose the Carolina Cheddar Burger, a 1/2 lb burger topped with cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato, and blanketed with chili and coleslaw. For non-Carolinian’s, anything served Carolina style is covered with chili and slaw. The burger was huge, juicy, and messy so that you have to eat it with a fork, but it was great, and as usual, the slaw added the perfect crunch. The onion rings were plentiful and crispy and were the perfect match for the burger.

Troy's Diner Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Carolina Cheddar Burger, huge, juicy and messy, but great!

Dora here. After enjoying their French Toast the last time, I opted for lunch today, the Grilled Asian Marinated Chicken. The chicken was tender and well-grilled, and the pineapple added another dimension. Maybe they should rename it, though, because the Asian marinade was not even noticeable. At first glance, the macaroni and cheese does not look appealing, but it was tasty and cheesy. I would order this again.

Troy's Diner Fiction Faith & Foodies Ernie & Dora Hiers

Grilled Asian Marinated Chicken…maybe should be renamed because the Asian marinade was so subtle, it was unnoticeable. Overall, though, the chicken was tender and well-grilled.

What’s your favorite diner and diner food?

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

Troy's 105 Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato