Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe Too

3815 Jefferson Park Drive

Hopewell, VA 23860

                Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe on 460 must be doing pretty well because it has recently opened a new location Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe Too on the other side of Prince George. Located in the “cursed” location that formerly housed Mamasita’s Taco Shop, the Big Catch and Fish Fry to name a few many are hoping that Big Mike’s Too can break the “curse” and last for more than just a couple of months. It looks promising so far with the place being packed most weekdays at lunch. Last weekend Amanda and I decided to try it out last weekend.

                Inside the Original Big Mike’s and Big Mike’s Too could not be more different. While the original is dark, dank and had a very down home feel, Big Mike’s Too is bright, open and airy. If it didn’t have the same name and the exact same menu one would never guess that the two places are connected. Inside there are about a dozen or so tables with comfortable cushioned chairs and soft orange and teal walls. The place was exceptionally clean and well kept. 

Our waitress immediately met us at our table to fetch are drink orders. Since they only served bottled drinks and Amanda I and were both extremely thirsty we both ordered waters. Like I mentioned earlier the menu is the exact same as the Original Big Mike’s; burgers, Big burgers, Huge burgers and Monstrous Burgers along with the usual appetizers, a couple of chicken and fish dishes and assorted sandwiches. Everything sounded very appealing and I am sure is very good. Just like at the Original Big Mike’s I wish that they had creative burgers with different topping to go along with their huge burgers. If they offered a “Western” burger, a “South West” burger, ect. I don’t think that I could stay away. That is what will make Big Mike’s a game changer in the area because even though it is extremely cool I seriously doubt  very many if any people are interested in a $45.00 4Lb burger.

Since I was not very hungry and I had a burger when I visited Big Mike’s on 460 I opted for a hot dog with chili, cheese and slaw for $3.50. I know what kind of idiot get a hot dog at a place called Big Mike’s? Well this guy is that idiot but I’m the one laughing because that hot dog was out of this world.  It was thick and juicy and was covered in delicious chili and cheese and some of the best slaw that I have ever eaten.  Everything tasted homemade and was outstanding.  Sure I could’ve gotten a chili cheese dog for half the price at Valero or 7-11 but who knows what is in those hot dogs chili and if that orange stuff they serve is even really cheese. At Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe Too I knew that what I was eating was the real deal and tasted 10 times better then the junk they sell at a gas station (Timmy’s in Victoria, Virginia excluded).  To get a review of the burgers check out my review of the original Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe, http://thegastrologicalgentleman.blogspot.com/2011/12/big-mikes-burger-shoppe.html.

I was very impressed with Big Mike’s Burger Shoppe Too. Aesthetically it is much more appealing than its big brother and it serves the same great food. I do hope that they expand the topping choices in the future but even as it is Big Mike’s has the best locally owned burger place in the area and their hot dogs are damn good too.

Jalapenos

13130 Kingston Avenue

Chester, Virginia

www.jalapenosmexican.com

Editor’s Note: To be fair, I had a hard time judging Jalapenos based on its own qualities and faults and not comparing it to El Nopal. You will see my comparisons throughout this review.

                Yesterday I was lucky enough to have my little brother meet me for lunch. We decided to meet somewhere in between my office and his home, he chose Jalapenos near Rivers Bend off of Rt. 10.  Jalapenos is an upscale Mexican restaurant, and no that is not an oxymoron. The place has much of the same cliché Mexican restaurant decor as other Mexican restaurants but somehow it does it rather tastefully and does not come off as garirish as most.  It is also rather dark inside which may have made it look more tasteful.

                Even though at noon the place was packed we were quickly seated and had chips and salsa in front of us. This showcased Jalapenos’ biggest flaw… NO WHITE SAUCE!!!  I practically go to Mexican restaurants for their white sauce and chips, without it I feel that a Mexican restaurant is severely lacking a necessary dish.  After a couple of minutes, I brought myself together enough to begin sampling their chips and salsa. The chips were fine, fresh and warm but nothing special. I was disappointed by the salsa, it was pureed and very mushy and too spicy for my taste.

As I drank my water to cool my burning tongue I looked over the menu. I guess that I have been spoiled by El Nopal and Plaza Aztec because the menu seemed rather small and plain and very expensive. There were only 5 seafood dishes on the menu and the one that sounded the most appealing, the Seafood Burrito was an astounding $17.95. There was a page of lunch specials but nothing stood out as too exciting; just the typical tacos, fajitas and combination plates which for $5 I thought was a good until I discovered that you had to pay an extra $3 for rice and beans. Rip off!

I settled for a chorizo quesadilla for just under $4.00 which was brought out to me in less than 10 minutes. For about $4 it was a decent sized quesadilla, a large tortilla folded in half stuffed with sausage and cheese. It was served with a side of sour cream which I thought was a nice addition.  While the tortilla was nice and crispy and the cheese was perfectly melted inside I was disappointed by the taste and consistency of the chorizo. Much like the salsa, the sausage was extremely mush and had a consistency more like baby food than crumbled sausage. It didn’t taste bad; it just was not as good as the chorizo I get at El Nopal. It may have had a little too much spice in it, not hotness just flavor wise.

All in all, Jalapenos might be better to bring a date to than El Nopal because it is extremely clean and looks a good deal fancier but in terms of food it falls very short of the reigning Tri-City Mexican Restaurant juggernaut, El Nopal.  It was a little pricey for my taste and lacked the variety of menu selections I have grown accustom to finding at Mexican restaurants and it DOES NOT SERVE WHITE SAUCE!!!  Jalapenos is not bad by any means I just like El Nopal better.

Sebra's Custard Kitchen

6335 Courthouse Road
Prince George, VA 23875
- overall


 - Bacon, Egg and Cheese Biscuit

 

          Growing up Prince George only had on place to eat and that place was Sebra's Custard Kitchen. After sporting event, after school, or even just as lunch on the weekend the Custard Kitchen was the place to go. Not exactly a restaurant but more than a deli counter, it served up simple eats for us county folks. From hamburgers and hot dogs to sundaes and milk shakes Custard Kitchen would fill you up without emptying your wallet.

           Over the past couple of years more and more restaurants have started popping up around the county and surrounding areas opening up more and different flavor avanues than simple diner food, so I have not really eaten there for quite sometime. But this morning I was working the Courthouse Faire with Amanda right across for the Custard Kitchen and since I hadn't eaten breakfast I decided to stop in and grab a quick sandwich.

        Inside it looks almost exactly the same as it has since I was 5. Simple, economic and a little bland. It has expanded, lost some seating but added a sundae shoppe much like Sweet Frog, well the exact same as sweet frog but with ice cream instead of frozen yogurt. The menu is the same as it has always been, hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ, BLTs, sundaes, ice cream cones, fries ect. I walked up to the counter and ordered a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit for $2.70.  Sitting down to wait for my order flooded my mind with memories of the place; Ice cream after winning a soccer game, Hamburgers and milk shakes with friends after school and sharing hot dogs with Amanda while on her lunch break from BSV. Suddenly I was startled back into reality as they said that my order was ready. 

       I must admit that I'm not teh biggest breakfast fan but this biscuit was absolutly amazing. Everything was fresh and made from scratch. The buscuit was moist and flakey with a slight buttery taste. The egg was a real egg not that powered junk and had just come off the grill for my sandwich, the bacon was thick, crispy and salty and the melted cheese brought the whole thing together in a harmonious symphany of deliciousness.  I that that it was the best biscuit sandwich that I have ever eaten, simple but executed extremely well.

        While Sebra's Custard Kitchen has a limited menu and doesn't have anything to exciting or adventurous it is family owned and does serve some pretty tasty food. The hot dogs and hamburgers are not a great as the bacon, egg and cheese biscuit I had this morning but they aren't half bad. plus, you can't get much more locally owned than the Custard Kitchen because Mr. Sebra lives in a house right behind the place.

Koreana

168 Southgate Square  

Colonial Heights, VA 23834
(804) 520-8989

            Last Sunday Amanda and I were out and about and decided to grab a bite to eat. On a Sunday, many family run restaurants are closed leaving only large chain restaurants to choose from. Since I try to never eat at those places this often poses a problem.   Luckily, after thinking hard and driving around we ended up at Koreana, a Korean Restaurant near K-Mart. 

            Let me give you a little bit of background. Amanda’s Dad was stationed in Korea when she was little so she grew up eating Korean food and introduced this often overlooked cuisine to me.  Since then I have taken  a liking to Korean food especially bulgogi, mandu and  jap chae. We will even go check out the Oriental market in Hopewell from time to time. Unlike Chinese and Japanese foods Korean food has not become quite as Americanized.

            Koreana’s offers a lunch buffet, apparently seven days a week, for $7.95.  Amanda an I both got that so we could get a little bit of everything.  The buffet has many of the typical Korean foods.  It had great bulgogi; it was thin and tender yet still juicy and flavorful.  The Mandu was crispy on the outside and filled with delicious meat and vegetables.  Dipped in soy sauce I dare you to find anyone who would not love mandu. The jap chae did not have any meat or a lot of vegetables but the glass noodles were cooked perfectly and it had a great taste.  The kim chi, which I typically don’t eat because it is too spicy, had just the right amount of heat for me.  There were tempura fried sweet potatoes that mix salty and sweet perfectly, spicy cucumbers that were cold making for a nice spicy and cold combination.  There was also a chicken dish which I have never had before. It was ok but not my favorite thing on the buffet.  Overall all of the food on the buffet was great.  It may not be as good of quality as individual dishes but it is better than a lot of buffet food.

            While the food was delicious the best part of Koreana is the owner/waitress. She is one of the nicest people and best hostess you will find anywhere.  She is quick to fill your glass, answer any question that you may have and she will make sure that you try a little bit of everything so that you will get a true taste of Korean food.  For a great as the food and atmosphere is, she really makes the experience.

            If you are looking for good Korean food or just want to try it out to see if you like it, Koreana is the place to go. 

Traditionz Wings & Grill

3140 S Crater Rd
Ste B
Petersburg, VA 23805

http://traditionzwingsandgrill.com/

                Traditionz Wings and Grill is attached to a gas station right on the corner of Wagner Road and Crater Road in Petersburg. I’ve wanted to check this place out for a while because I am kind of obsessed with chicken wings especially ones that come in flavors other than hot and mild.  I finally got my chance last Friday.

                Like I mentioned earlier Traditionz is tiny and is connected to a gas station on Crater Road. Inside there are maybe 5 tables max with little standing room. While it was small it was very clean and from the looks of it and by talking to the owner It is a strong supporter of the local community and gives back whenever and however it can. The day I went in they were having a school supply drive to the students in Petersburg and one corner of the already cramped place was packed with school supplies. I really love seeing places giving back and helping the community.

                The day I went in was hectic, the phone was ringing off the hook, some Pepsi guys were taking out a huge cooler, they were filling a huge to go order and I saw a guy that I knew. With all of this going on I feel like I may have rushed to pick something that turned out to not be very good, chicken and waffles.  I know you are laughing to yourself but I’ve had chicken and waffles before and it was amazing. Sadly, it was not very good this time. 

                Because of the large to go order I had to wait for close to 20 minutes before my meal was ready and when it was it consisted of three boney and overly seasoned chicken wings and the saddest, most chewy waffle ever.  The wings had no sauce on them but were coated with a dry seasoning that would have been good if there was not so dang much of it.  They were also dry and practically void of any meat whatsoever.  I’ve cooked better chicken wings in the microwave.  As bad as the chicken wings were the waffle was five times worse. It was spongy, chewy and lacked any flavor except for the clumps of powdered sugar that sat on top of it looking like crack rocks. 

                I love chicken wings but I was extremely unimpressed by Traditionz. I was really hoping that they would have some awesome chicken wings and maybe they do and maybe their flavors are out of this world but the meal I had was one of the worst I've had since I began this blog.  Go to Traditionz if you want but DO NOT get the chicken and waffles!

Firehouse Subs

King’s Hawaiian Pork and Slaw Sandwich

            If the United States was sane, Ron Paul would be President, Old Crow Medicine Show would be the most popular band in the world and there would be more Firehouse Sub and Jersey Mike’s restaurants than Subways. But unfortunately, the people of the U.S. are not as smart as would hope but luckily we are no all fools and one of these intelligent people used their brainpower to create Firehouse Sub’s new King’s Hawaiian Pork and slaw sandwich.

            The pork and slaw sandwich is a limited time sandwich that that has “Steaming hot 12-hour smoked pulled pork, pepper jack cheese, and Hawaiian cole slaw, piled high on toasted King's Hawaiian® bread for an eruption of island flavors”.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this sandwich is amazing. The pork is moist and tender, the slaw is thick and crunchy while at the same time is very creamy, topped with melted pepper jack cheese and piled on a soft and fluffy King’s Hawaiian roll. Everything about this sandwich is delicious.

            Obviously the smoky pork pairs perfectly with the sweet and creamy cole slaw and King’s Hawaiian sweet bread goes well with everything on earth.  The cheese was hidden in the layers of other flavors so I don’t think that it added very much but it defiantly did not hurt anything.  The only weird thing was the slaw to pork ratio. There seemed to be more slaw than pork which is a little weird but since it tasted so good I couldn’t care less.

            This is a great sandwich and it needs to be tried by everyone before it’s gone. I swear if you eat at Firehouse House subs or Jersey Mike’s you will never want to step foot in Subway again unless of course you’re Michael Phelps and they’re paying you to do so.

Carr Brothers Gathering Place

3100 Jackson Farm Road 

Hopewell, VA 23860

https://www.facebook.com/CarrBrothers

            I have never felt more unwelcome and like a stranger than when I walked into Carr Brothers with my little brother on a cold a rainy night a couple of weeks ago.  As soon as we stepped through the door, every head in the placed turned to give a disapproving stare as if saying “who the hell are you and why the hell are you in my restaurant?” We quickly walked past the bar full of evil glares and made our way across the dark restaurant and took a seat in the far corner.

            Not too long after we sat down, our waiter, the owner, came over to give us menus and take our drink orders.  The menu is not very large but everything sounded good with reasonable prices and there is always a special of the day. Alex ordered the large steak with two sides for $17. I just ordered the special of the day which was a roast beef sandwich with cheese, onions and au jus for $6.  While we waited for our food was talked about life and had a chance to look around the place. It was extremely dark but the walls were covered from floor to ceiling with old sports pictures and posters. There were about 5 football teams that dominated the décor one of which was the Hopewell Blue Devils.  In one corner of the restaurant was an off track betting area with 3 TVs showing horse races.  Everything is Carr Brothers is old and dingy to the extreme. It looks like a TGI Friday’s built in 1960 and never renovated or redecorated.

            After about 20 minutes we had our food, unfortunately for Alex they had run out of T-bones but they have him a huge porterhouse instead.  Even though everything else about the place screamed stay away the food was warm and inviting and very good.  My sandwich was huge and chock full of meat. I was very impressed with it especially considering where it came from. Alex said that his steak was good but a little undercooked.  The sketchiest part of the whole place was that they do not take cards but conveniently have an ATM machine next to the bar.  This pissed me off a bit but I’m not going to lie, it is genius.

            There really is not too much in Hopewell so one cannot be too picky about where to eat. If Car Brothers did not have a “get the hell out of here” atmosphere it might be the most popular restaurant in Hopewell but it does so it scares everyone off. If you are willing to brave the evil glances of regulars and the owner you will get a good meal for a decent price at Carr Brothers, you’ll just feel uncomfortable while eating it.