Livingston – Franklin NC

Livingston Bar & Grill
Franklin, NC

I went with my Nana to Franklin NC to visit a bed and breakfast. After a day of sightseeing, we wanted a nice dinner. Franklin does not have a lot of chain style restaurants, which was fine with me. Livingston Bar & Grill had a lot of delicious looking Caribbean items on the menu, including many vegetarian entrees. Nana and I decided on Conch Fritters with Key lime mustard sauce ($9) and Cuban Style Pork plate – mojo (pronounced mo-ho) marinated pork served over coconut rice, black beans and fried plantain ($18).

The key lime mustard sauce flavors could have been more developed. The mix sounds good on paper, but did not come through when I tasted it. Fortunately for us, the conch fritters were delicious and did not need any dipping sauce. The batter for the fritters was lightly fried with conch chucks throughout. I was pleased since the last time I had fritters this good, I was in the Bahamas. Who knew I would be able to get conch fritters in the mountains of North Carolina?

The Cuban style pork plate was enough for two people (this is why we shared a plate). I ordered this to-go and received heaping portions of rice with pork piled on top. There were several slices of sweet caramelized fried ripe plantain which balanced the salty, vinegary flavor of the pork. The coconut rice has bits of coconut in it, but it was not sweet to me. The black beans probably absorbed any possible sweetness in the rice.

Overall, everything was very tasty. I would eat here again. I like their interpretation of Caribbean flavors and ingredient combinations. If you are in Franklin NC or just passing through, Livingston Bar & Grill is worth a visit.

Old Main Catering

Nov20

Old Main Catering (hereafter referred to as OMC) is the best catering I have tasted in Greenwood SC so far because they offer so many different dishes and their presentation is always perfect.

In the last few months I have been to several events that have been catered by OMC, and I have left wishing I had more. Alas, all I have are pictures and memories.
In the picture clockwise: chicken cordon bleu, roasted potatoes, shortbread with sweet cream blueberries strawberries, sundried tomato dip with veggie spears, chocolate mousse, and key lime cheesecake in a dark chocolate shell

Chicken cordon bleu – the sauce did not need additional salt or pepper, creamy but not too gummy or pasty tasting
Roasted potatoes – seasoned with herbs (don’t know what kind but it was tasty)
Shortbread with sweet cream blueberries strawberries – the shortbread cookie was not too crumbly or dry. The cream was not too sweet. It was not as heavy as a pudding or custard, but not as light as whipped cream. The fresh fruit set off the dessert as the perfect touch. Sigh! I wish I had more now…

Sundried tomato dip with veggie spears – The concept was simple with an elegant presentation.
Chocolate mousse – I liked the presentation of this also. The mousse was creamy and full of chocolate flavor. It was rich but not overwhelming.
Key lime cheesecake in a dark chocolate shell – The key lime cheesecake filling was tart and sweet at the same time. The chocolate shell melted in my mouth. The portion size was just enough to fit into my mouth in one bite.

Any event that has OMC providing the food is going to be AMAZING and the presentation will be picture perfect.

Cositas Ricas

Nov20

I don’t have a lot to say about Colombia restaurant Cositas Ricas (located in Greenville SC) but that is one of my favorite places to buy empanadas de pollo (chicken empanadas). It seems that every Latin American country has their version of an empanada. An empanada is a dough or pastry with a yummy filling. Some are sweet and some are savory. The sweet empanadas have fruit or jam in them. The savory empanadas have meat fillings. I like them all.

When it comes to meat fillings, Cositas Ricas does a good job by heavily seasoning the chicken and adding bits of potato to the filling. I don’t know if this is the authentic Colombian way to make empanadas or a Latin fusion because Greenville is home to Hispanics from many different Latin countries.

It does not really matter because the result is delectable goodness. I usually call ahead and order at least 5. Last time I went, I think these cost $1 each but I did not really pay attention to the price. I am usually ordering a lot of other things off of their menu so it is hard to keep up with how much each item costs.

This post is all about a moment I was having where I wished I was eating an empanada de pollo for lunch today. Next time I am in Greenville, I will have to make a stop and place my order.

Buffalo Grill

Nov20

Buffalo Grill – Main Street, Greenwood SC

Last summer Buffalo Grill opened. They serve wings, burgers, chicken sandwiches and fries. It took me a while to go because I heard they were pricey. Plus, I have another spot that I go and was not interested in trying the competition.

That being said, my friend suggested Buffalo Grill and I decided I did not have a better suggestion and we went. With regards to the cost of the sandwiches, it was not as expensive as I thought. You can expect to pay $7-10 for the sandwiches without fries. Fries are about $3 but the serving sizes are big enough to feed 2 people (maybe even 3 depending on how hungry everyone is). I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich and it was a big fried piece of meat generously doused in buffalo sauce. The flavor was good and "hot" was not too spicy. And the "buffalo fries" were covered in the same buffalo sauce. A simple concept but I was wondering why no one else has thought of it!

The atmosphere and feel of the restaurant was what I expected. It has an open layout with televisions tuned to the sport’s networks. Servers greeted us with a smile as soon as we walked it. It did take considerable time for us to get our food. That is because they make everything to order. I only mention that because if you are going there for lunch, be prepared to get back to work a little late. Other than that, it was a good meal and I will be back.

Sonic NY Style Hot Dog

Sep24

I was so hard up for a NY hot dog that I tried the Sonic premium NY style hot dog. I ordered it with mustard, sauerkraut, peppers and onions. Truthfully, it was not too bad. I would not say "GREAT!" but it was okay.

All the flavors were muted. For example, the sauerkraut tasted washed out. Some of the vinegary flavor was there but it was weak. I think that might have been deliberate since this is a fast food chain restaurant.

Overall: this was better than a hot dog from a gas station, but not better or equal to a true NY HOT DOG. I give them an "E" for effort though 😉