Monday, May 3, 2010

Four Rivers Smokehouse: Sugary Texan Barbecue


Sugarland is a country music band. For their namesake, if they performed at Four Rivers, it would be ironic.

Yes, sweet would be the word for Four Rivers. As Texas barbeque goes, this doesn’t sound far from precision. However, I keep wondering if Dixie Sugar is a business partner in this enterprise. In other words, can they use a little LESS sugar? The main course was a premonition of pre-dessert. Here, diabetics should be trespassed.

Moving forward, in my opinion, the proof of the barbeque is in the pork. For lunch, the Southern Pulled Pork Sandwich demanded my attention (and money). With the option of two sides, I wound up actually ordering three- fried pickles, collard greens, and the baked beans (another very telling item). The place is set like a traditional bbq shack where you come inside to order and eat out on the porch communally. I ordered and went outside with my tray to find a seat. Alas, lunchtime is not seating friendly as cunning office workers reserve 6 seats in advance for their water-cooler cronies that were still in line ordering.

When I finally found a spot, I sank my teeth into the baked beans first. It was sweet. Too sweet. I understand the concept of sweet baked beans but I conjured up my dentist having a field day with my cavities if I had them every day. Bits of pulled bits of pork with black peppercorn and onion; it also packs a latent spice-heat that builds one spoonful after another.

The fried pickles were dynamite. To date, they’re the best I’ve ever had! Sour and salty, the pickle had a crunch that was outmatched by an uber-crunchy batter. The collard greens were also good. Small chunks of pork (not pulled) appended great flavor to the partially-rendered collards. Deliciously hearty and well balanced, it was also slightly… sweet.

Finally, onto the sandwich- it was good but not the best. The pulled pork was judiciously moist, juicy, and flavorful. But again, it’s the sweetness that takes this sandwich over the edge. Sugar, I found was a trailing similarity in all the dishes except the pickles. Even the sauces were sweet (your choice of sweet, and sweet-spicy).

IN A NUT SHELL: Don’t go for the hype, but go if you expect sweet barbeque. A handy bulldog will help seat-hogging office workers become more obliging in offering up a place to sit during lunch hours (lol). First timers should try the cornbread salad. Above all, don’t leave without some fried pickles in your hand and/or stomach- they may even convert pickle haters. Tell the proprietors to invest in glass domes for the cakes (yes, more sugar) they display to prevent flies from nibbling right at the counter.
Four Rivers Smokehouse on Urbanspoon

Cress Restaurant: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Or should I sequentially say the bad (app.), the good (main), and the downright ugly (dessert)? Cress is a swank little place in downtown Deland. With deep blues and tasteful furniture, the décor of this place has a semi-formal feel that pleases the crowd with refined tastes.

Upon being seated, we were offered a watermelon Gazpacho amuse-bouche. With subtle tomato sweetness and a mild pepper finish, it was good. You would think that this would be a sweet version of a classic, but the watermelon wasn’t ripe- hence, I felt the watermelon crunch without the obvious watermelon flavor. It didn’t detract- rather, I thought it was smart.

For the appetizer, my companion and I simultaneously asked for the butternut squash “Ravioli” as it was clearly the most unusual. Supposedly stuffed with grilled fig (it was lost in the dish- more of it would have been a very good thing), the butternut slices were tough and very chewy. If it weren’t for the cheese sauce drizzled over it, the poorly executed dish of improper batter-and-fry would have failed completely. To scrounge for a silver lining, the fried sage and walnuts were sensible garnishes.

The tenderloin of Ostrich beckoned my tongue towards main course. With mushroom and thyme grits, blackberry demiglace, and parsnip crisps, the plate was replete with a kaleidoscope of flavors. The decadent grits were cooked perfectly and complemented the meatiness of the Ostrich by not only adding smoothness but also layering aromas. With seasonal pea tendrils as an added garnish, can we say this dish was DELICIOUSLY COHESIVE? The demi was not spicy and reminded me that this is one of those moments when you realize that one can be so creative with vegetables. The Ostrich was moist and juicy. For beginners, Ostrich tastes like a blend between chicken liver and beef. All the characters in the dish worked as a delightful symphony of color, texture, and taste.

For dessert, I ordered flan. What appeared before us certainly wasn’t. Seemingly cooked by an amateur, it was too-burnt and semi-sweet. Most awkwardly for a restaurant that takes pride in being chic, it was presented with a rounded edge (from the baking dish it was pried out of, presumably) still present. Cress, please specify that this is a savory version- else, you might get some very insulting looks from people that were expecting the sweeter Latin kind. Above all, exercise some continuity in your dinner and dessert presentations.

IN A NUTSHELL: The chef cooks Ostrich well. He also has a few standard Indian curry options (Tuesday night is ‘curry night’) when half the party wants Indian while the other doesn’t. The atmosphere is casual formal. The service is good but the food requires some double-checking before it leaves the kitchen. Bring your own fork- the fancy one they had isn’t very friendly to the fingers.
Cress Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café: Sneaking German food into a generic menu is our specialty


They sure know how to pack in a busy Sunday brunch crowd at Hollerbach’s! With 65% of the items being nontraditional German food, I could tell that German food is NOT their traffic-maker.

Being recommended by two different German acquaintances of mine, I traversed to sleepy little Sanford on a perfect spring day. I was expecting a small eatery, but this place was sizeable with several rooms, an outdoor patio with live music, a bar, and a separate dessert counter. My companion and I settled for the best bang for our buck- the Schlachthaus Platter Für Zwei ($26.59) with German potato salad, sauerkraut, sweet red cabbage, and Leberkäse.

Where to begin writing about this spread? Let’s see, three different sausages were presented- Bratwurst, Weisswurst, and Knackwurst. {It is worthy of mentioning that this is the proprietors’ grandfathers’ personal recipe that is specially made in Wisconsin and shipped directly to him.} The Bratwurst was thick, meaty, and (not surprisingly) salty. The casing was a little chewy but the innards were good. The fatty Knackwurst was bold with accents of pepper and onion. Of the trio, the Weisswurst was a personal favorite- soft, perfectly seasoned veal, with a mouth-watering creamy texture to the sausage. The Leberkäse (think of it as bologna or exalted spam) was a well-seasoned slice of pork. Mildly smoky, it was smooth and so soft to chew on. It would have been the clear front runner had the exterior been crispy- as that is traditionally how it’s made. Another accompaniment, the Kassler (a boneless smoked pork loin slice) was salty and lightly fried with a fabulous pork jus. To round off, the meal was served with horseradish and mustard dippings.

The red cabbage was tart and almost syrupy sweet. Which was fine, however, I even noted the sweetness in the potato salad (more like rough mashed potatoes) with parsley and ham bits in the mix. I found this to be a little unappealing. The sauerkraut was a miss as well- there was not a single note of granny smith apples as advertised (it would have greatly helped this dish).

On a whim I ordered Spätzle with Rahm sauce. It turned out to be a VERY addictive side item and was quickly devoured. The Spätzlebrett method produced uneven, random-sized bits of doughy goodness that were so fulfilling. They just slid down my throat while my tongue concurrently screamed for more. Don’t you just love whims?

To go the extra mile, we ordered their German chocolate cake. SPLENDID. Light layers of cake with equally light frosting layers danced in my mouth over chocolate shavings. I didn’t like the Chocolate Pistachio Cake- it was obviously an old prisoner of the fridge.

A special thanks goes out to our server- Cory. You really knew your restaurant, its history, and even your boss’ history. We felt grateful to be under your brief care.

IN A NUTSHELL: Not that you have many other choices, but this is a decent way to sneak some German food into your belly for cautious first-timers. A full bar establishment, try dinner hours if you want more German food selections. This place has been around for a while and it continues to grow and morph (hence the weird American options on one page, while entrée words you can barely pronounce on the other). Try and spot the owner- for a hint, he can pass for Santa Claus.
Hollerbach's Willow Tree Café on Urbanspoon

Sunday, May 2, 2010

BJ’s: Neutral… like the word “Pizookie”


BJ’s is in bustling Millenia. Attracting mostly mall shoppers who want ambiance, mediocre food, and a decent bill, BJ’s has that formula down pat. A wide range of items in their menu, it’s safe to say that BJ’s appeals to the mass audience. Their famous Pizookie being prime example of mediocrity and middle-of-the-road, BJ’s is a crowd pleaser because it is neither despised nor adored.

According to our server, I just happened to order the best thing on the menu- Parmesan Crusted Chicken. It also happens to be one of those entrées that has a very enticing picture of it.
The entrée arrived on a hot plate with the parmesan aroma infusing the surrounding air. In sequence, these were my thoughts about it:
1) The sweetness of the mild parmesan combined with the potatoes was delicious.
2) A temperature dependent dish, the thin slice of chicken quickly began to lose its allure as it began to cool. I didn’t taste the white cheddar in the mashed potatoes.
3) However, this dish was cohesive largely in part due to the lemon-Chardonnay butter sauce that tied everything together.
4) Sun-dried tomatoes gave the pallid plate a splash of color however roasted red bell peppers would have given a better panache to the flavor profile.
5) Fresh basil was supposedly the garnish for this dish according to the menu description however, it was absent. A lemon wedge (I guess its substitute?) did provide acid that worked wonders.
6) The blonde Ale ordered with this meal was an excellent pairing.
7) The broccoli was overcooked to bruised florets.

SEE WHAT I MEAN? PROS AND CONS that leave you feeling indecisive about this place.

Adding more indecision is the vastness of the menu. Lots of selections that have a very… for the lack of a better word, neutral feel to all of them. The flavor range in any of the dishes (from cheeseburgers to tacos, or deep dish pizzas to chicken tenderloin) seemed to be not too sweet, not too salty, not too spicy, and not too bitter. If BJ’s is headquartered in Switzerland this shindig would come full circle.

The Pizookie is nothing but an attempt at a giant soft cookie. Then again, who doesn’t like cookies? I rephrase that- cookies, too, can be average.

IN A NUTSHELL: This is a good place to go with people you DON'T know too well. High vaulted ceilings give a very roomy feel to the space and a full bar with specialty beers will help the conversation flow. With lots to choose from, your dinner companion will probably find something up their alley- and subsequently feel neither ecstatic nor horrible about their selection.
BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse on Urbanspoon

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