Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Dog-n-Burger

Who doesn't love a good greasy burger sometimes? Or what about a delicious gyro, Italian sausage or hot dog? Personally I hate fast food restaurants because they are so cookie cutter and often lack flavor and originality. In fact I do my best not to eat at fast food or chain restaurants but prefer to support the local flavor. If that sounds like you and you're craving that fast-food feel, then go to Dog-n-Burger.

Dog-n-Burger is by  no means a fancy place. If you want a nicer atmosphere, go to the other restaurant these people own called No Frill Grill that I have previously blogged about. Dog-n-Burger is a true burger shack complete with bar stools, a patio and picnic tables at which to enjoy your food. Located off a side street in Ghent, it's not on the main drag but more in a residential area so it is never too crowded. The food only takes a flash to fix, so it's a great place to go if you want a quick bite to eat or if you need something after an evening of drinking that just happens to end before 9pm.

The food: the menu is pretty standard with options like the burger, the double burger, the double cheeseburger, the hot Italian Sausage, the hot dog, the gyro, and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. You can get a combo so it comes with a drink and fries.  I had the gyro and it was awesome. Topped with tzaziki sauce and served with lettuce and tomato, it was exactly what I was looking for. My husband had a double cheeseburger and it was everything you want when you order one - juicy, smothered in cheese, and extremely bad for you. We both got fries, the crinkle cut kind, that were hot and fresh out of the fryer. It was a nice day so we sat outside on the patio and ate at a picnic table. 

Dog-n-Burger isn't the normal place I reveiw, but it's not like we can all always eat fine dining. So, if you're looking for that greasy burger or sandwich but hate to contribute to fast food nation, then go to Dog-n-Burger. 

Price: $ 
Atmosphere: Exactly what you want out of a place
Menu: Good variety

Dog n Burger on Urbanspoon

Thursday, April 16, 2009

Restuarant week in Portsmouth, VA!

Okay so here's a quick post to remind everyone to go out this week in Portsmouth! Here's the website so make sure you check it out before Sunday! And you'll have a second chance to dine in Portsmouth from April 26 - May 2. 

I've personally eaten at Brutti's, Bier Garden, Cafe Europa, Fusion 440 and Krush (see my review in my blog archives!). I would personally recommend Cafe Europa, Fusion and Krush for sure!  I've heard great things about Still and Stove too, but have yet to visit yet. If you do, let me know!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

La Bella

So we keep going to the same places over and over again (namely Cogan's and Green Onion because they're so awesome) but we finally went somewhere new. La Bella is an Italian restaurant in Ghent on 22nd Street, set in an unsuspecting strip mall next to The Market. The inside is nicely decorated, with the entrance being a little Italian store. They had lots of desserts and pastas for sale, but it also appeared you could order a sandwich to go there and the sandwiches sounded wonderful.

Dinner: To start we had a calamari appetizer ($9). I'm always skeptical about ordering this, but there's was a good size plate (enough to share) and was quite tasty. For an entree I had the Penne All Ortolana ($15) which was penne with eggplant, tomato, basil, garlic and topped with ricotta. It was a really heart pasta dish but the ricotta on top gave a nice light touch to it. It was a big portion and I actually took half home. My husband had the Vitello Ai Tre Scallini ($20) which is veal topped with pancetta and provolone topped with mushrooms and sundried tomatoes in a brandy sauce. It was delicious. Seriously, I don't usually eat veal and this was awesome. It came with a side of penne with sauce (marinara or bolognese). I would definitely recommend this dish to anyone.

Drinks: I would say the one disappointment is that there wasn't a huge selection of wine. They did have a nice glad of red that I really enjoyed, but I can't recall the name and the don't have it listed online unfortunately. I remember it was a deep red with hints of blackberry and is one of the owner's favorites. I think it was about $8/glass. They also had a full bar and several different bottled beers.

They had sort of pre fixe menu that was $25 for 4 courses. It included a Caesar Salad and then a smaller portion each for an appetizer, entree and ddessert. 

Overall I would recommend La Bella. I feel like it's hard to find a decent Italian place sometimes, so I was happy to go here and have a decent Italian meal. 
Price: $$
Food: 1.5 forks up
Drinks: 3 drinks (out of 5)
Atmosphere: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

La Bella in Ghent on Urbanspoon