Vernon Diner appears on the outside like most other diners, easily accessible of the highway at 453 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon CT, open twenty four hours a day. I have gone here many times over the years at 3 am when the only things open were it or Denny's. In my life time the diner has changed ownership and been remodeled a number of times. I stopped in one day with my parents as my father wanted breakfast and not many places do breakfast all day. I was expecting the normal diner food I'd usually got there in the past. A decent cheap meal where you get what you pay for.
Right as you walk in there's a display case with all their deserts rotating around temptingly and their bar is on the other side behind the cash register. The booths have been replaced recently with a plusher style, the color is a dark brown making the whole place seem a bit darker. It feels a little crowded walking to your seat however once you sit down its a different story. The booths are very roomy and pleasant. The space of the diner is large enough to probably seat over a hundred people comfortably. Unlike other diners they have forgone most decorations except for a fish tank in one corner and a couple murals. I give the over all layout and design of the dining room a 12/16.
The menu is quite large, with various pictures through out its pages. Even with all the photos there are still plenty of choices for the choosy customer. The breakfast part is on the back and contains an extensive amount of items from eggs to pancakes to waffles and omelets served all day. The typical appetizers and items like sandwiches, burgers and salads fill the first few pages. There are some greek items as well such as souvlaki and moussaka. Then printed on normal computer paper is a large selections of daily specials. My eyes instantly caught roast leg of lamb on this page and I was going to be brave. Given the girth and sustenance of their menu it offers several choices for any one hungry. I give the overall menu content and structure a 14/16.
One of the main problems or benefits of this diner in the past was the wait staff. Some of them were very good and did their job perfectly. others because there are always so few on the floor could take a long time to get an order or refill a drink. Our waitress immediately brought over three glasses of water and a third set of silverware before even taking our order. My father ordered eggs, bacon, home fries and toast. My mother ordered a chef salad and french onion soup. I ordered the roast leg of lamb that came with roasted carrots and soup or salad, I choose corn chowder. The soups arrived quickly with a plate of garlic bread and corn bread. As we were finishing the soups our meals came out. I must say that I started to drool seeing my plate and even my mother's salad. Her salad was arranging quite nicely, it had a lot of height and color variations instead of everything just plopped on top. I give the execution and performance of the crew a 13/16.
Down to the nitty gritty, the corn and garlic bread were excellent though I have my suspicions both were pre-made. The french onion soup was bubbly and melty just like it should be, my chowder however needed salt and more corn in it. The breakfast was made just as my dad had ordered it and the salad was more than my mother could finish in two helpings. My lamb was the piece de resistance. The lamb was very thinnly cut on the bias and topped with a succulent au jus, and the carrots were cooked just right. They were tender but not overly mush as often is the case. I must say that I was not expecting food like this when I first walked into the diner. I give the quality and taste a 13/16.
I believe I covered most of this places unique features already except that the desert cabinet is always chock full of freshly made baked products. I did not have any on this visit but in prior visits I have enjoyed many of their offerings. I would reccomend any one who had a bad experience in the past to try it out again. I stand firmly every time some one mentions we go to Denny that we go to the Vernon Diner instead and I am not more resolute in this belief then ever.
My over all rating for the Vernon Diner is 52/64
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Mama Miro's 30/64 Pizza Place
The building Mama Miro's is located in used to be a drive-in dinner called Guido's. My father used to take us to dinner there at least once during the summer. I rather enjoyed the waitress' skating around like they did in the 50's and 60's. Even before I learned girls didn't have cooties. I was excited when I moved to Enfield to be close to it only to find Guido's had moved to Manchester and a new place had opened up, Mama Miro's. It's address is 117 Hazard Avenue Enfield, CT. The hours of operation are 11am to 11pm Fridays and Saturdays and 11am to 10pm the rest of the week.
Even from the outside you can tell the food is going to be very heavily influenced. I had avoided eating here for several months mostly because I was upset Guido's had moved. I finally decided to give it a try. With my food blog I want to get out and try new places instead of just reviewing all the places I know are good already.
The inside of the building is rather small with less than ten tables spaced about the dining area. The counter space and kitchen seem to dominate most of the floor plan. I am not sure if they enlarged this kitchen or I had just not been inside before when it was Guido's. Mama Miro's does a lot of business with take out, or catering so the lack of space is not a big issue to them. The area was very clean, and had a very simplistic set up over all. I give the Dining Room a 8/16 for a basic and standard layout with nothing special to make it stand out.
When I first walked in and ordered, I was not aware they had a larger menu then the menu board hanging over the counter. The typical pizzeria offerings are all there, hot and cold grinders, pizza as well as salads, seafood dishes and appetizers. They do offer the standard fare for children's menus as well. The design of the menu was very basic and looked as if it had been typed and printed on a home computer. If they plan on changing the menu often this is acceptable, however if they did this just to save a few bucks I can't say I agree. Spending a little extra for a professionally printed menu can help to sell your selections. Other than the pizza section there is little to no description of the items. Most of the items such as fish and chips or chicken parmesan don't need a description. However if they prepare their items in a non-classic way it's good to point it out. Looking at the prices some things seemed to be a decent deal like a large slice of pizza for 2.25 or the real veal grinder for 8.50. I was however disappointed when I received my grinder as it was very scarce on the meat, sauce and cheese and the roll was the majority of the grinder. I give the Menu Layout a 6/16 for a home made and slightly under developed and over priced menu.
When I walked in and ordered a "Real Veal Grinder" the woman behind the counter scribbled it on a paper, asked if i wanted it "parm style" and then yelled it into the back. I took a seat at a table and waited about ten minutes before another woman came over and asked if I'd like it to go or here. I was a little shocked at the disorganization of the place but decided to eat in. She brought me silver ware and a glass of water promptly. The sandwich was served in a typical diner style basket with some pickles and pasta salad to my surprise. The sandwich looked crisp with the cheese oozing across it and it was definitely larger than a foot to my surprise. The execution and appearance of the meal I give a 11/16 for a slightly disorganized but very appetizing service of the meal.
The grinder definitely had my mouth watering, they'd done well on making it look and smell good. I ate the small side of pasta salad first and it was well made. The mayo dressing wasn't to heavy and the peas were crisp with a bit of salt and pepper seasoning. As I bit into the grinder I began to get disappointed. The veal while sliced thin and tasting wonderful was nearly non-existent and the first bite took half of my cheese from the grinder. I figured it would get better towards the middle. As I continued to eat I found that the grinder was as I'd first experienced and spoke of earlier, mostly roll with little cheese, sauce or veal. I was very disappointed as it had looked huge and tasty but they had just bulked it up with a large roll. I give the taste and quality of the meal a 5/16 for a scant amount of veal in a veal grinder. But what was there still tasted pretty good.
I went into this meal with a fairly open mind and was expecting a decent italian meal, well priced, large portions with great flavor. While the flavor was there and the pricing seemed to be in line, I think the portion size was not nearly what it should have been. I may try Mama Miro's again however I can't say I will be rushing over there after this post to give them another shot. I would say unless there's not many other options to look else where for a good meal.
My overall rating for Mama Miro's is a 30/64.
Even from the outside you can tell the food is going to be very heavily influenced. I had avoided eating here for several months mostly because I was upset Guido's had moved. I finally decided to give it a try. With my food blog I want to get out and try new places instead of just reviewing all the places I know are good already.
The inside of the building is rather small with less than ten tables spaced about the dining area. The counter space and kitchen seem to dominate most of the floor plan. I am not sure if they enlarged this kitchen or I had just not been inside before when it was Guido's. Mama Miro's does a lot of business with take out, or catering so the lack of space is not a big issue to them. The area was very clean, and had a very simplistic set up over all. I give the Dining Room a 8/16 for a basic and standard layout with nothing special to make it stand out.
When I first walked in and ordered, I was not aware they had a larger menu then the menu board hanging over the counter. The typical pizzeria offerings are all there, hot and cold grinders, pizza as well as salads, seafood dishes and appetizers. They do offer the standard fare for children's menus as well. The design of the menu was very basic and looked as if it had been typed and printed on a home computer. If they plan on changing the menu often this is acceptable, however if they did this just to save a few bucks I can't say I agree. Spending a little extra for a professionally printed menu can help to sell your selections. Other than the pizza section there is little to no description of the items. Most of the items such as fish and chips or chicken parmesan don't need a description. However if they prepare their items in a non-classic way it's good to point it out. Looking at the prices some things seemed to be a decent deal like a large slice of pizza for 2.25 or the real veal grinder for 8.50. I was however disappointed when I received my grinder as it was very scarce on the meat, sauce and cheese and the roll was the majority of the grinder. I give the Menu Layout a 6/16 for a home made and slightly under developed and over priced menu.
When I walked in and ordered a "Real Veal Grinder" the woman behind the counter scribbled it on a paper, asked if i wanted it "parm style" and then yelled it into the back. I took a seat at a table and waited about ten minutes before another woman came over and asked if I'd like it to go or here. I was a little shocked at the disorganization of the place but decided to eat in. She brought me silver ware and a glass of water promptly. The sandwich was served in a typical diner style basket with some pickles and pasta salad to my surprise. The sandwich looked crisp with the cheese oozing across it and it was definitely larger than a foot to my surprise. The execution and appearance of the meal I give a 11/16 for a slightly disorganized but very appetizing service of the meal.
The grinder definitely had my mouth watering, they'd done well on making it look and smell good. I ate the small side of pasta salad first and it was well made. The mayo dressing wasn't to heavy and the peas were crisp with a bit of salt and pepper seasoning. As I bit into the grinder I began to get disappointed. The veal while sliced thin and tasting wonderful was nearly non-existent and the first bite took half of my cheese from the grinder. I figured it would get better towards the middle. As I continued to eat I found that the grinder was as I'd first experienced and spoke of earlier, mostly roll with little cheese, sauce or veal. I was very disappointed as it had looked huge and tasty but they had just bulked it up with a large roll. I give the taste and quality of the meal a 5/16 for a scant amount of veal in a veal grinder. But what was there still tasted pretty good.
I went into this meal with a fairly open mind and was expecting a decent italian meal, well priced, large portions with great flavor. While the flavor was there and the pricing seemed to be in line, I think the portion size was not nearly what it should have been. I may try Mama Miro's again however I can't say I will be rushing over there after this post to give them another shot. I would say unless there's not many other options to look else where for a good meal.
My overall rating for Mama Miro's is a 30/64.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Willington Pizza House, 58/64 Pizza Place
I decided I'd start my blog out with one of my favorite restaurants of all time: Willington Pizza House. Having went to school with the owner's oldest daughter Megan I knew about Willington Pizza from a young age. There would often be pizza parties for the class who won a canned food drive, or read the most books catered by Willington Pizza. They are open at 11am 7 days a week and close between 9pm and 11pm depending on the day and time of year. They are located at 25 River Road Willington, CT and the phone number is 860-429-7433. The building might appear to be that of just another pizza shop. But I promise that you will be pleased with what they serve up.
The building is over two hundred years old and has been converted from an old farm house into a spacious dining room. Whether you sit in a booth or a table you don't feel crowded or secluded from the rest of the room. The tables can be moved together to accommodate larger parties while the booths hold four to six people depending on their size. The walls are adorned with various oddities from past decades as well as local papers or fliers. The areas where the servers make coffee and put in the orders are walled off so this can lead to some problems if your trying to get their attention. But the wait staff is generally very friendly and attentive. I rate the layout and design of the dining are a 13 /16.
The menu is a very simple design and it works well with the style of the restaurant and the food. They don't need fancy pictures and designs to lure you to a particular dish. Meals are priced fairly reasonably and are described well enough to let you know what the item is. They avoid a lot of the buzz words many chains over-use. They offer a wide variety of items, though their main staple is their pizzas and sandwiches. They offer more than just the usual selections as well as a wide variety of toppings to customize your own. Personally I prefer their Red Potato, Cheeseburger and Taco pizzas. But all of them are made exceptionally well. For vegetarians they do offer plenty of non-meat items as well. I give the menu design and content a 15/16.
I stopped one day after getting out of work early and had not eaten. I ordered a crock of Onion Soup and a Large Red Potato Pizza with no broccoli. (I hate the stuff, seriously can we just make it extinct?) Despite the odd look from the waitress over ordering a large pizza for myself she quickly put in the order and within five minutes I was enjoying a flavor and onionful bowl of soup. I had just about finished my soup when she brought out my pizza. While the waitress wasn't hovering constantly around my table she did seem to materialize every time I needed a refill or a plate taken away. I give the execution and performance of the meal a 14/16.
The cheese was more than plentiful and the bread had nearly melted into the soup itself. It looked just like a crock of onion soup should always look. I was drooling just from the smell and the look of it. The potatoes were sliced just right and cooked to be tender but not mushy. Along with my all time favorite crust. I consumed nearly three-quarters of the pizza before throwing in the towel. I give the taste and quality my first 16/16. (Don't expect many of these to be given out, this was truly one of the better meals I'd had in a long time. You may argue also that they put more time into this particular pizza because they are known for it. But If you don't believe me go give another pizza a try for yourself. I have NEVER in over twenty years of patronage had a bad pizza here.)
As some of you may or may not know in 1994 they took home two first place awards in Las Vegas at the National Pizza Championships for their Red Potato Pizza in the Best Exotic category and Best Seafood Pizza for their Seafood Casino Pizza. I feel that the thing that stands out, and draws people in time and again is the care and hard work they put into their food. It almost feels like having a loved one cooking for you and I would recommend Willington Pizza to any one who asked me where they should go for pizza or for any meal.
My overall Ranking for Willington Pizza House is 58 points out of a possible 64 points.
The building is over two hundred years old and has been converted from an old farm house into a spacious dining room. Whether you sit in a booth or a table you don't feel crowded or secluded from the rest of the room. The tables can be moved together to accommodate larger parties while the booths hold four to six people depending on their size. The walls are adorned with various oddities from past decades as well as local papers or fliers. The areas where the servers make coffee and put in the orders are walled off so this can lead to some problems if your trying to get their attention. But the wait staff is generally very friendly and attentive. I rate the layout and design of the dining are a 13 /16.
The menu is a very simple design and it works well with the style of the restaurant and the food. They don't need fancy pictures and designs to lure you to a particular dish. Meals are priced fairly reasonably and are described well enough to let you know what the item is. They avoid a lot of the buzz words many chains over-use. They offer a wide variety of items, though their main staple is their pizzas and sandwiches. They offer more than just the usual selections as well as a wide variety of toppings to customize your own. Personally I prefer their Red Potato, Cheeseburger and Taco pizzas. But all of them are made exceptionally well. For vegetarians they do offer plenty of non-meat items as well. I give the menu design and content a 15/16.
I stopped one day after getting out of work early and had not eaten. I ordered a crock of Onion Soup and a Large Red Potato Pizza with no broccoli. (I hate the stuff, seriously can we just make it extinct?) Despite the odd look from the waitress over ordering a large pizza for myself she quickly put in the order and within five minutes I was enjoying a flavor and onionful bowl of soup. I had just about finished my soup when she brought out my pizza. While the waitress wasn't hovering constantly around my table she did seem to materialize every time I needed a refill or a plate taken away. I give the execution and performance of the meal a 14/16.
The cheese was more than plentiful and the bread had nearly melted into the soup itself. It looked just like a crock of onion soup should always look. I was drooling just from the smell and the look of it. The potatoes were sliced just right and cooked to be tender but not mushy. Along with my all time favorite crust. I consumed nearly three-quarters of the pizza before throwing in the towel. I give the taste and quality my first 16/16. (Don't expect many of these to be given out, this was truly one of the better meals I'd had in a long time. You may argue also that they put more time into this particular pizza because they are known for it. But If you don't believe me go give another pizza a try for yourself. I have NEVER in over twenty years of patronage had a bad pizza here.)
As some of you may or may not know in 1994 they took home two first place awards in Las Vegas at the National Pizza Championships for their Red Potato Pizza in the Best Exotic category and Best Seafood Pizza for their Seafood Casino Pizza. I feel that the thing that stands out, and draws people in time and again is the care and hard work they put into their food. It almost feels like having a loved one cooking for you and I would recommend Willington Pizza to any one who asked me where they should go for pizza or for any meal.
My overall Ranking for Willington Pizza House is 58 points out of a possible 64 points.
Monday, May 4, 2009
My format... subject to change cuz I can.
Before I get into reviewing the places that make the grub I think it's best I lay out what makes a place or breaks a place. I may not follow this to a tee but I will do my best to work within these parameters. I will have four different categories that I talk about and award between 1 and 16 points. I know that seems like random numbers but 64 is my lucky number and 4 times 16 is 64. So a perfect restaurant in my mind will score 64 points. I will state this will be a rarity. In the title I will list the name of the place, my final rating and the type of restaurant. I will break them down into Pizza Place, Fine Dining, Diner, Fast Food, Ethnic, Chain and Family Restaurant. It may fit into more than one but for the title I will list the major one.
I will describe the place, my past experience or where I learned of the place. I will detail where it's located, it's rough hours of operation and it's style or type as well as my initial expectations.
First I will describe and analyze the layout of the dining room as well as the building. Things I will be looking for are the set up of the tables, how many can they seat, the set up of the tables, cleanliness of the room, decorations as well as any other unique problems or qualities I find.
The second thing I will run through is the design and contents of the menu. This will be a look at the heart and soul of the establishment. From here they draw you in and lay out their wares. I will be especially picky on this section. I am very picky with what I like but I will take into account others may have different dietary needs then myself.
The third part will cover the execution and performance of the staff both servers in the chefs. How quickly the food came out, did the order come out properly, was it in a timely manner, how the food looks. I will be covering a lot in this part.
Fourth in my review will cover the foods taste and it's quality. This may seem redundant to the last to some, and if it does I'm sorry but my blog may not be for you. How good the food is can make a restaurant or break it. You may go to a place dreading it for every reason other than the food, or you may go to a place but never touch the food.
Fifth I will cover the miscellaneous tidbits that make places unique. Does it have a really impressive collection of liquors? Does the waitstaff sing an utterly embarrassing song for your birthday? Or anything else I deem necessary to point out. This section I will not rate as some places may have nothing to say and it wouldn't be fair to penalize them.
I will describe the place, my past experience or where I learned of the place. I will detail where it's located, it's rough hours of operation and it's style or type as well as my initial expectations.
First I will describe and analyze the layout of the dining room as well as the building. Things I will be looking for are the set up of the tables, how many can they seat, the set up of the tables, cleanliness of the room, decorations as well as any other unique problems or qualities I find.
The second thing I will run through is the design and contents of the menu. This will be a look at the heart and soul of the establishment. From here they draw you in and lay out their wares. I will be especially picky on this section. I am very picky with what I like but I will take into account others may have different dietary needs then myself.
The third part will cover the execution and performance of the staff both servers in the chefs. How quickly the food came out, did the order come out properly, was it in a timely manner, how the food looks. I will be covering a lot in this part.
Fourth in my review will cover the foods taste and it's quality. This may seem redundant to the last to some, and if it does I'm sorry but my blog may not be for you. How good the food is can make a restaurant or break it. You may go to a place dreading it for every reason other than the food, or you may go to a place but never touch the food.
Fifth I will cover the miscellaneous tidbits that make places unique. Does it have a really impressive collection of liquors? Does the waitstaff sing an utterly embarrassing song for your birthday? Or anything else I deem necessary to point out. This section I will not rate as some places may have nothing to say and it wouldn't be fair to penalize them.
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