#midtown eats

2021 - Let the miles begin!

8,774.  That’s how many miles I need to roll between now and July to meet my goal of 100,000 miles on my Voyager when she turns 10.  As I said in my last post; I have a plan.  And that plan is rather simple - Just Ride.  Any chance I get, I am going to ride, and ride as far as I can.  That is how on January 2, 2021, I have more miles racked up on my bike this year than I did until sometime in April of 2020. 

The weather was forecast to get up in the mid 50′s.  I called Mark and we planned a ride north to visit one of my favorite Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives places, Chaps Pit Beef; not the original, but the Franchise in Frederick, MD.  It rained all day here on the New Year’s Day, and in Maryland that rain fell as sleet, snow, freezing rain, so Mark suggested we ride south.  Mark was thinking we would ride to the Mongolian Barbecue place we like in Williamsburg, but I had other cravings, and set our sights a little further away.

I first experienced MidTown Eats in Newport News, VA several years ago when I was down there for a Task Force Meeting.  At the time it was a small hole in the wall in a strip mall.  I remembered I ordered the Chorizo Chop, which I thought was a burger made with chorizo sausage mixed in.  When it came out it was a full burger with a full sized sausage pattie on top.  Every plate that went past me bound for other tables looked heavenly, and I realized that no matter what you ordered, you were getting a great home made meal.  When I paid at the counter, I grabbed one of the business cards that were next to the register so I didn’t forget the place. Before putting it in the console of my car, I read it.  It had the name of the place on it with the owner’s name and the the titles beneath, “Owner, CEO, Head Chef, Cashier, Janitor”. My kind of place, serving my kind of food, and run by my kind of guy.

A couple of years ago I went to stop in at the strip mall and was saddened that it was closed.  At the time I didn’t realize that they were moving, but happily found that out a few months later.  Thanks to Covid, I haven’t been going down that way, so when Mark suggested we ride south, this place full of deliciousness immediately came to mind.  It’s nearly a 400 mile round trip for me to get there and back . . . While I don;t think this place has been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, the next time Guy Fieri is in the area, he should check it out!  Definitely “off the Hook” and well worth it!

I called Bob and, never being one to turn down a good ride and good food, he decided to join us.  I mapped out the ride down to Mark’s and from there the ride to Mid-Town Eats.  It was 39 degrees when I got the bike out of the shed and headed towards Wawa to meet Bob.  The roads were still wet, and slick, and it was really foggy.  As I waited for Bob to get there I just happened to look up at the right time, as I saw the shadows approaching from above through the fog. As they approached they materialized; one was a seagull, but the one behind it was much bigger and much more majestic. As it passed directly over my head about 50 feet up I could see the full majesty of it’s white head and tail as it’s dark body cut through the fog.  We truly have a beautiful national symbol in the American Bald Eagle. We are lucky to have a nest nearby at the Manassas Airport and this one was out doing the morning rounds.

Once Bob showed up we realized that our proposed route to Mark’s over the back roads was a bit to risky with the fog, and the temperatures.  We knew that the twists and curves of the hills would be ripe with hidden surprises in the way of ice and other slick spots, so we went the most direct route from there (while avoiding I-95) and took Route 28S to Route 17S.  As we came to the light at 28 & 17 I knew we made the right decision as I put my left foot down and it nearly slid out from under me.  As we got closer to Mark’s, the fog burned off, and we dipped onto some back roads before getting to his place. 

Heading out, Mark led the way to get us back on 17S which we would take the whole way down.  17 Is a great road to ride this time of year.  Nice scenery, a few towns, and an easy road to ride in early January.  We pulled in just before 1:00PM, and I saw the familiar yellow Jeep of my nephew Erik.  You all may know him as “Disco” from some of my rides.  Erik had recently returned from a deployment with the Navy. Knowing he was in the general area, and knowing he was a foodie like me, I had invited him to meet us there.  It really was good seeing him again - I’m glad he is safely home.

There only was one table filled out of the 6-8 tables inside.  Our waitress brought out the menus, which were a little different than the last time I was there, paired down a bit, possibly because of Covid.  But there were more than enough choices.  I opted for the N’awlins Burger: Two blacked beef patties topped with gouda, caramelized onions and gulf shrimp, adding hush puppies as my side.  In short, I was blown away.  Mark also had the N’awlins Burger, Erik had the Smoked London Broil Rueben, and Bob went with the Philly.  We all agreed MidTown Eats was  - WELL WORTH THE TRIP!

After finishing it all off, we chatted a bit and caught up before departing.  Mark led us out and we continued down 17 to Route 60 where we headed west into Williamsburg and on up through West Point.  As we headed back towards Fredericksburg, the sun started setting.  It was a brilliant red sky to the west.  We stopped for our last gas and to put on another layer as the temperatures were dropping as darkness took over.  After Mark turned off, Bob and I pointed our bikes home, briefly jumping on I-95 to make up some time and avoid the deer on the back roads.  I pulled off to fuel up at the Wawa as Bob continued towards his home.  I didn’t see the Eagle again, but I did look up and smile as I checked. 

When I tucked the bike away I had rolled 379 miles off of that 8,774 that I need.  With a low of 39 the temps hit a high of 61 along the way,not bad for the 2nd day of January.  Only 8,395 to go!

What to do in Reno when you have four hours to spare! #TravelTuesday #travel #lbloggers #travelbloggers

When some of our bags didn’t make the flight from Denver to Reno, Nevada, the six of us hit the road in a mega-vehicle to entertain ourselves for four hours.

First on the agenda? Lunch! We found Midtown Eats and enjoyed a filling meal complete with industrial surroundings and a lively atmosphere.

In a town known for its quickie divorces, we found a unique advertisement for another way to deal…

Bill’s Food & Drink

I grabbed a Groupon for this place: $55 for a three course meal for two. Not bad. At first I was almost going to include this in my steakhouse reviews page, but after speaking with the waiter I got the sense that their aim was to go for American restaurant as opposed to just steak. They’ve trimmed the steak selection from five cuts to three, so don’t be fooled by the paintings of steaks on the…

Rosie O’Grady’s Saloon

I popped in here for a quick lunch with a buddy of mine who was in town for a convention. I’d never been here before despite walking by a million times and always being aware of its existence. Perhaps I just assumed it was a standard overpriced midtown tourist trap or something.

So I took down their burger. I had a feeling it was going to be thick, so I didn’t go crazy with toppings: just…

Bocado has been calling to me since I glanced at the restaurant facade from across the street at Octane Coffee. It's edgy, modern-art-looking exterior screams "Slightly pricey and super tasty inner city food!" Naturally, I couldn't resist. 

So when some old coworkers wanted to meet there for lunch yesterday, I was elated. Like, little kid + ice cream truck elated. Like, mouse in a cheese factory elated. You get the idea.

On the whole, the experience did not disappoint. Bocado's interior is nothing to write home about, but the weather was gorgeous and the servers understood, so they propped open the large glass doors leading to the balcony. Perhaps not "fresh" fall air — after all, we're talking Midtown here — but still a nice touch. 

I arrived earlier than the rest of my party, and was kindly informed by the host that Bocado does not take reservations at lunchtime, so no, my party had not called ahead. Until the others came, though, the wait staff was very nice and attentive without swarming the table. 

Let's talk food, though. Usually the phrase "gourmet sandwich" sounds pretentious, or frankly, oxymoronic. Not the case here. I think there were at least five different options I could not decide between when first looking through the menu. Roasted poblano and spicy pimento cheese, you say? Short rib, gruyere and beef jus, you say? Let me tell you, it was a sad, sad thing to choose only one. 

I went with the fried chicken sandwich with spicy Asian glaze, cabbage slaw and marinated eggplant. That too was a perfect choice. WARNING: Very messy. Do not order this dish on a job interview, first date or outing with your stuffy in-laws. But oh man, what a sandwich! By the final bite, I'd forgotten all my manners and licked my fingers clean. To waste any of the sauce would have been a travesty. Really. Also, the herbed garlic fries complimented exquisitely.