El Azteca Mexican Restaurant

335 Newport Ave.
Rumford, RI 02916
(401) 228-7552

I apologize for the late post. I started a great new job on Monday and I've been a bit busy. Thanks to all who wished me well in my job search. :)

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2/23/08

After seeing Sweeney Todd at the Patriot Cinema in East Providence, Mom and I decided to take my friend Janine's suggestion and visit El Azteca in neighboring Rumford. I've been dying to try it for months since I adore Mexican food, and Mom was looking forward to it as well. We pulled into the unusually icy parking lot at around 6 p.m. The reason I say unusually icy is because, although it snowed on Friday, all nearby parking lots had been cleared. El Azteca's was covered in slush. Also, their parking lot is rather small, and because this seems to be a popular restaurant located on a very busy street, it fills up fast. We had to wait for one of the diners to exit so we could steal their spot and make our way very carefully toward the front door.

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When we got inside, we were greeted by a friendly waiter. Mom asked for a table, not knowing that all they have is tables. Duh! He brought us to the very back table in the corner of the main dining area. It was darker than normal there, but I like that because it always makes for a cozy dining experience. Our host left two pleather covered menus on the table for us to browse through. Before we knew it, a waiter had come over to bring us a basket of tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa. He even left the bottle on the table in case we ran out. Both Mom and I thought the chips and salsa were good, but nothing special.

I spotted a waitress making her way over to our table. When she got to us, she just stood there. She didn't say a word, but she had her pen ready to write down our drink order. I looked over at Mom, and she said, "Diet Pepsi or Coke." I said, "Same." The waitress smiled and walked away. I had a funny feeling that she may not speak English very well, and decided to nix any unnecessary talking. She didn't even give us her name! Either way, the silent waitress returned quickly with two diet sodas in plastic cups. Ready to take our order, I asked her for another minute so Mom and I could review the menu.

Ah, the menu. What a story. Half way through the browsing, Mom exclaimed, "I can't read this." At first I didn't know what she was talking about. She was spending a lot of time staring at that menu. She explained that she was having a problem seeing the red type against the orange background. Plus, we were in a shaded area. Needless to say, there was a problem. She had even suggested that I pick something for her that I knew she would like. When we had first walked in, I grabbed a take-out menu from the front desk. Reaching for my purse, I pulled out the take-out menu and handed it to Mom. "Is that better," I asked. She said, "A little." Because the take-out menu uses a red font on a red background, reading that was very difficult as well! Even I found myself straining to read the original menu. I had to place it on the table in order for the overhead light to fall upon it.

After we spotted what we wanted to order, the waitress returned. Mom chose the Quesadilla Rellena Roja ($6.50), which is a stuffed cheese quesadilla with a choice of ground beef, beef tips, shredded beef, chicken, or refried beans topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, and supreme sauce. Mom asked for ground beef with no tomatoes. I chose the Burritos De Luxe ($7), which is an order of two burritos - one chicken and beans, one beef and beans - topped with lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. The waitress took away our menus and left Mom and I to check out the interior.

Mexican restaurants are always decorated with a lot of style and pizzazz. This one, although more plain than some, had all the right embellishments. Beautiful tapestries with sombreros topped each large window overlooking the street, while upbeat Mexican music played in the background. Lighted sconces sat in between framed photos against white walls, while lighted beer signs advertised the various drinks offered at El Azteca. A tile floor helps to keep this restaurant clean, while the ceiling fans help to cool customers who may have had too much hot sauce. There are no booths here, but there is a large bench seat with tables against the largest wall in the dining area. The wait staff was dressed in either a purple or white El Azteca t-shirt, which I think makes the crew look professional. A margarita list sat upon each table to tempt diners into purchasing one of these delicious drinks - and boy did they look fantastic going by. Also going by were sizzling plates of meat. The smell was very intoxicating, and I couldn't wait to dig into my meal.

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I don't even think I finished taking my notes before Mom and I were presented with our meals. It had to be one of the fastest services we've ever seen. The waitress actually spoke to us this time around when she warned us about the hot plates. Both dishes looked and smelled great. Accompanied by a side of yellow rice, Mom said her quesadilla was very tasty. However, after eating it, she realized that it lacked the distinctive Mexican flavors that were usually in this type of dish. She did not find her meal spicy at all. It was almost like having a piece of meat pie, which is fine, but didn't taste Mexican. She liked the little pile of shredded lettuce and cool scoop of sour cream that came on the side along with the rice. Mom really enjoyed it, and she said that she would order it again ... but the spice was just not there.

I felt the same way about my burritos. In fact, my dish wasn't exciting at all. The taste was good, and I enjoyed the fresh tomato, lettuce, and sour cream that sat on top of the two burritos. However, I think I was expecting something different. For some reason, I was picturing two burritos that you could pick up and eat with your hands. What I received was something that resembled an enchilada, which is a softer food that is not meant to be held. Like Mom's, my dish also lacked spice. Although the taste wasn't bad, I've had better.


After Mom and I cleared our plates, Mom brought up dessert. One of the few things she was able to spot on the menu was a sopapilla with ice cream. A sopapilla is a piece of fried dough topped with cinnamon and sugar. When the waitress returned to take away the dishes, Mom ordered this dessert. The dessert took longer to arrive than the actual meal did. My guess is that they were frying the sopapilla to order. When it was ready, the waitress brought it over. Topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a cherry, this sopapilla was fried flat instead of puffy. It was crisp and formed a nice shell to hold the ice cream. It was very tasty, crunched apart when you broke it with your spoon, and both Mom and I enjoyed it - and the ice cream - very much. It was a nice ending to our meal.


There are a lot of delicious looking things on the menu at El Azteca. Appetizers, or entremeses, include the guacamole dip ($3), nachos with beef and beans ($5.75), and the special nachos ($6.95), which come with beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream. Salads, or ensaladas, include the taco salad ($5.75), the guacamole salad ($3.75), and the fiesta salad ($5.50), which includes grilled shrimp, fresh lettuce, mushrooms, onions, green peppers, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and your choice of dressing. Quesadillas include the cheese ($2.95), spinach and cheese ($3.50), and shrimp ($4.50). Vegetarian combos include the vegetarian fajitas ($8.95), and the bean burrito, cheese enchilada, and rice ($6.75). Specialties, or especialties, include the El Azteca ($9.95), which is a t-bone steak cooked with bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and spices served with rice, beans and tortillas; Las Divas ($7.95), which is four chicken enchiladas with a special topping of salsa, lettuce, tomatoes, and sour cream; and Texas fajitas ($11.75), which is tender beef, chicken, and shrimp cooked with onions, tomatoes, and bell peppers served with rice and beans with cheese, guacamole salad, sour cream, and your choice of flour or corn tortillas. El Azteca also has something that is quite fun. You can order a combination dinner including your choice of three foods such as a taco, enchilada, chalupa, tostada, burrito, chile relleno, tamale, and a tostaguac. The margarita prices aren't bad, either. The regular is $4.95, but for $9.50 you can order a small pitcher. You can even splurge and order a large pitcher for $18. El Azteca also has a large list of side orders and luncheon specials which you can order until 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They even feature a few breakfast burritos for those of you looking to start your morning with something spicy. There is also a children's menu, and a menu for "gringos" which includes hamburgers ($3.50), cheeseburgers ($3.95), and chicken fingers ($3.95) served with fries if, for some reason, you have to be difficult and order something non-Mexican.

Since the restaurant started to fill up, our waitress became quite busy. When she finally saw that we had finished our dessert, she returned to the table to bring the check. The bill came to:

2 Diet Coke - $3
1 Sopapilla w/ice cream - 2.95
1 Burritos de luxe - 7
1 Quesadilla rellena roja - 6.50
Subtotal - $19.45
Tax - 1.55
TOTAL = $21

I left $25 on the table in the check holder for the waitress, including 20% tip. Although very quiet, she was a good waitress. Like I said, there may have been a language barrier that she tried to avoid. Mom and I said goodbye to the waiters that were standing near the door as we made our way through the icy parking lot to my car. We did not use the restroom on this visit.

Mom and I enjoyed our dinner at El Azteca. Although it wasn't the most exciting Mexican food we've ever had, the ingredients were very fresh and the atmosphere was quite fun. Next time we're definitely getting one of those margaritas. ¡Arriba!

El Azteca is open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 12-9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Bite of the Week - The Pet Edition: Feline Greenies

UPDATE: A few hours after I posted this Bite of the Week, my friend Amy wrote to me and warned me about the dangers of Canine Greenies. Apparently, this version of this treat had been causing some major digestive problems with dogs - some even resulting in death! Mom looked up this information and found a lot of topics on the subject. It even made it to Snopes - the urban legend Web site - and the story's status is "undetermined." Well, I know that Amy is an avid animal lover, and would only tell me this information to help protect my cat. Even if the information is not true, or cannot be determined, we have stopped giving Chips Greenies. It's just not worth the risk. Thank you Amy for protecting our beloved Chips. We are very grateful (although she might not be, lol).

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Date: 2/24/08

My cat, Chips, loves to eat. Since we don't really give her "people" food, she is really into her Fancy Feast cans and the tidbits of sprinkled dry food that go into her bowl. However, this Christmas, Mom read about something called Feline Greenies. They are a cat treat that - for some reason - is not sold at our supermarket. At a trip to Shaw's one day, we spotted them. Since Mom had a coupon, we purchased them and put them inside Chippie's Christmas sock so that she should have a treat, too. Little did we know that these Greenies would become an obsession for her!

We started off by putting the Greenies into a ball that had a small hole at the bottom. When a treat would fall out, she would frantically gobble it up. She soon tired of "exercising," and she seemed to enjoy the Greenies so much, that now we just give them to her for "just being her." Hey, she's almost 16 - let her live it up! The only problem with her getting these treats now is that she BEGS for them. We can't crinkle a bag in this house without her stumbling over to us and screaming at the top of her kitty lungs. She bangs our legs, pushes us, and even nips our feet if we aren't fast enough opening the bag. Since Greenies are advertised as a natural dental treat, we figured that they would be good for her. However, I don't know what good they are doing for her teeth since she seems to swallow them whole.

THE VERDICT: Purrfect! Feline Greenies are made with chicken meal, ground brewers rice, ground wheat, corn meal, poultry fat, oat fiber, and other nutritious ingredients. They come in chicken, salmon, and tuna - all of which Chips has had ... and LOVED. For some reason, they seem to make her lower body almost paralyzed. It's like she can't even stand up to eat them. It must be like the soup that Jerry Seinfeld's crew ordered at the Soup Nazi's place - knee-weakening. All in all, Greenies are a big hit with my cat, and a natural treat that can help reduce your cat's tartar and plaque buildup.

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Bite of the Week - Dole Taco Toss

I just love a good taco salad, and one of the best I've ever had surprisingly comes in a bag at the supermarket. Dole's Taco Toss is a ready to eat complete salad with crisp iceberg and romaine lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, radishes, crispy tortilla strips, shredded cheddar cheese, and a cool salsa ranch dressing. Sure the bag serves 3.5, but I always just dump everything into a large bowl, grab a few forks, and proceed to mix the fresh ingredients together.

THE VERDICT: Yum! The dressing that they use for this salad is extremely tasty and very fragrant. All the greens are always very fresh, and the radishes are a nice touch (you don't see them used much in bagged salads). There isn't much cheese, but that's OK - there is plenty of flavor with just the veggies and dressing. If I'm lucky enough to spot a Dole Taco Toss at the market (they're usually gone by the time I get there), I always try and grab one. It seems they are very popular!

Ugly American

240 New Boston Road

Fall River, MA 02720

(508) 672-4427

www.uglyamericanburger.com

At around 2:30 p.m., Mom and I started getting hungry. We didn't know what we wanted to eat for lunch, so I decided to grab the phone book and see what was available. Before I could open it, Mom suggested this restaurant - Ugly American- which came highly recommended by my aunt. After looking up their ad in the Yellow Pages, I found their Web address and headed for the computer to look at their menu.

The menu at Ugly American is small, but interesting. They only use Angus beef to make their handmade burgers, and their hot dogs come with a natural casing. Since burgers were something that Mom had in mind for lunch anyway, she decided to go with that. At 2:50 p.m., I placed the call to Ugly American. A polite gentleman who seemed to be in a rush took my order. I ordered a burger for Mom ($4.37), two ears of grilled sweet corn ($2.35 each), a small box of half fries/half onion straws ($1.99), a jalapeno dog ($1.69), and a bacon cheddar dog ($1.99). The gentleman did not give me a price over the phone, but he did tell me that my order would be ready in about 15 minutes. Impatiently, I started putting on my shoes and tracking down my camera so I could take my undercover pictures of the restaurant.

The picture taking didn't really go so well. Since Ugly American is on a busy street, I was only able to get a few drive-by snapshots of the outside. This was my best shot:


Once inside, there were two customers seated on opposite sides of the dining room. I tried taking pictures, but I didn't want them to spot me with the camera, so I was only able to get a shot of the counter area. There are better pictures available on their Web site.


The dining room is very cute and modern. There is a large chalkboard area around the counter that lists various specials and details about the restaurant. There is also a small section with several books on shelves, as well as a few Ugly American T-shirts. When I looked up at the large ceiling fan in the center of the room, I spotted two lighted menus that were being used as light fixtures! What a terrific idea! There were also two large coolers with drinks inside, as well as a small alcove area where diners could go if they wanted some privacy. There are no booths here - only tables - and hanging on one of the walls was a large poster of the movie The Ugly American, starring the late Marlon Brando. Some are walls painted white, while the other walls had something on them which was indistinguishable to me in my short time there. Was it paint? Fabric? Paneling? Who knows, but it was certainly attractive. I was very surprised at how trendy this small restaurant was.

I was greeted by a young girl at the counter that asked for my name to track down my pickup order. Although I had to wait about two minutes for the ears of corn to be ready, I didn't mind. She rang up my order, and the total came to:

Burger - $4.37

2 grilled sweet corn - 4.70

Small half/half - 1.99

Jalapeno dog - 1.69

Bacon cheddar dog - 1.99

Subtotal - $14.74

Tax - .74

TOTAL = $15.48

I paid the cashier, grabbed a bright orange take-out menu for Mom, and headed for the door. As I drove home, the smell of the food started to fill up the car. Everything smelled so wonderful. I couldn't wait to get home and chow down.

Along with their daily list of specials that are written on the chalkboard or advertised on their sidewalk signs, Ugly American has some delicious choices at very low prices. Burgers include the mini burger ($1.47), chicken breast ($4.19), veggie ($3.97) and the Portobello ($3.97). You can add an extra regular topping (red onion, cole slaw, mixed greens, pepperoncini, bread & butter pickles, iceberg lettuce, and tomato) for $.50, and all burgers come with one cheese choice, two regular toppings, and a sauce (buttermilk ranch, honey mustard, vinaigrette, spicy wing sauce, roasted garlic aioli, remoulade, BBQ, Caesar, and blue cheese dressing). Hot dogs include the plain ($1.35), chili ($2.19), cheese (add $.25), and you can also add an extra regular topping for $.25. Premium toppings are $1 extra for burgers, and $.50 extra for hot dogs. They include avocado, fried egg, hardboiled egg, bacon, grilled asparagus, caramelized onions, sauteed mushrooms, chili, fried onion straws, grilled red onion, roasted jalapenos, roasted peppers, and guacamole. For an appetizer, you can order fries, sweet potato fries, onion straws, and zucchini fries. You can order a box of fries/straws (small $1.99, large $2.99) or you can order a 1/2 and 1/2 (small $1.99, large $2.99), where you can choose whatever you want. You can also add chili for $1, or cheese for $.75. Ugly favorites include dishes like The Cheese ($5.29), which is a 7 oz. burger smothered in "a motherload of cheese" with a crispy cheese skirt; the chicken asparagus ($5.29), which is a chicken breast with mozzarella and grilled asparagus; and the mini burger trio ($4.39), which is a plate of three mini burgers with one cheese on each mini - American, Swiss, and Cheddar. Ugly American also features several salads, sandwiches, and side dishes.

When I got home, Mom and I opened the plastic bag containing our lunches. The two hot dogs were in one container, while the burger was in another. The containers were actually custom Ugly American boxes. Nice touch! The ears of corn arrived in a covered aluminum cake tin, while the fries and straws came in a small cardboard box.

Both Mom and I ate the ears of corn first. Flavored with butter, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese, these grilled ears were very tasty. Both ears were cooked well, and we both thought the added cheese was a nice touch.


Throughout the meal, both Mom and I snacked on our order of half hand-cut fries, half onion straws. The fries and the onion straws came mixed together which was unusual, but tasty. They were a bit on the wet side, but this may not have anything to do with grease. It may have been because the fries/straws were hot when they went into the bag, and then driven back to my house. They may have just been a little sweaty. Plus, they were sitting on top of the hot ears of corn.


Mom's burger was hand-formed, quite thick, and perfectly done. She ordered it medium well and it was cooked exactly right, which is hard to do with a burger that thick. The flavor was great. Mom said it was really tasty. It had a nice charred crunch on the outside, and the inside was moist and delicious. Even the bun was soft and fresh.


My hot dogs were very good. They were in the natural casing, which gave them a nice snap, but were not hard to chew (like some casings are). I ate the bacon cheddar dog first, which had a great bacon flavor. The cheese was light and not goopy like some toppings can be. The jalapeno dog had a delicious - and spicy - caramelized jalapeno relish, which I had never had before. It was cool going in, and but once you started to chew, you could really feel the heat. Both buns, like Mom's, were soft and fresh.


There are several other dishes that we would like to try from Ugly American. With an interactive Web site, trendy interior, and delicious food, we think that this restaurant is a nice addition to Fall River's dining spots. Both Mom and I hope it stays around for a long time.

Ugly American is open from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday. They are closed on Sunday.

Bite of the Week - Edy's Creamy Coconut Fruit Bars

Since I accompany Mom on our weekly grocery shopping trip to Stop & Shop, I have a pretty good idea as to what is being sold in the particular store we always visit. I've seen the Edy's Creamy Coconut Fruit Bars for a while now, but have never made any move to purchase them. Today, that all changed. The bars just happened to be on sale! Normally $3.79, they were being sold at $3.50. Although not much of a sale, I decided to announce to Mom that I would like to try them. The next thing I knew, they were in our shopping cart.

THE VERDICT: Delicious! Cool and creamy with little bits of coconut inside, this bar is fairly large and really refreshing. If you've ever had the Haagen Dazs Coconut Sorbet, the taste is very similar. I am definitely glad that I finally got to try these yummy bars.

Bravo's Restaurant - CLOSED

1309 Phillips Road
New Bedford, MA 02745
(508) 995-4480

JUNE 2009: Oh no! Bravo's Restaurant has been replaced by:

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SECOND SIGHTING: Mom and I saw it again, but we still couldn't believe our eyes. Was it Bigfoot? Loch Ness? That creepy redheaded hitchhiker that hangs out on Route 44? NOPE - it was our very own congratulatory certificate hanging proudly at the entrance of Bravo's Restaurant. We gave them four hearts (very good) and this most recent experience has not changed our minds. We had excellent service, excellent food, and an overall fantastic experience. What a great way to celebrate my college graduation. Thanks for taking me here, Mom! Also, thanks to Bravo's Restaurant for displaying our sign. I can't wait to go back.

PS - We were shocked to find out that our friend Pam over at Southcoast Dining - the site that recommended this restaurant - had a bad experience just one day earlier! There is nothing worse than having bad service at a restaurant, but Mom and I definitely had a different experience on Saturday. We were handed lunch menus that were labeled as such (Pam wasn't able to get one), we had a very attentive waitress (Pam didn't), an adequate wait (Pam was left hanging), fantastic food (Pam had some issues with hers), and great portion sizes (Pam felt screwed). The only thing I noticed was that the "Drunk N' Dirty" steak tips were now called "Mouth Watering," and perhaps my sub could have had one extra tip inside each half. That's about it. I really hope that Pam goes back to Bravo's. I'm tempted to do the same because of our completely opposite experiences. I would hate to see a great restaurant like Bravo's go downhill, and it's not just because they have our sign hanging on the wall. No one should have a lousy time when spending their hard-earned money at a restaurant.

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UPDATE: Mom and I paid a second visit to Bravo's just a week after our first. We started with the double crusted pork choplets ($7.95), which came to our table coated with walnuts and dipped in a chipotle sauce. YUM! The meat was tender with NO gristle. For her entree, Mom ordered the chicken parmigiana calzone ($6.95), and I chose the Old Granddad pulled pork sandwich ($6.95). Both arrived accompanied by delicious waffle fries. The pork sandwich was sweet and tangy, while the calzone was served surrounded by fresh bread and filled with moist chicken and fresh sauce. It was HUGE!!!!!!! The whole bill came to under $27, and for all the food that we received, the price was certainly a steal. If you haven't checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and pay Bravo's a visit. You won't be disappointed.

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Date: February 9, 2008

Taking a page from our fellow food critics over at South Coast Dining, Mom and I decided to check out Bravo's Restaurant in New Bedford. With a glowing review from Pam, especially regarding the fish and steak tips, it seemed only natural that we at New England Bites would have to taste it for ourselves. With very easy-to-follow directions, Bravo's Restaurant is literally a stone's throw away from the exit off-ramp. At 2:30 p.m., we found ourselves in the restaurant's parking lot.

After stepping inside through a very heavy barn-like door, we were greeted by a friendly, uniformed waitress who seated us in a small side room. She offered us a table closest to the doorway, but she also told us that we could sit near a large window that faced into the back parking lot/wooded area. We chose to sit near the window. The waitress left us with two thick lunch menus and a second waitress - who we later found out was named Courtney - came over and asked us what we would like to drink. We ordered two Diet Pepsis and they quickly arrived in tall, slim glasses. Because South Coast Dining made the fish and steak tips sound so mouth-watering, Mom and I decided to see what all the fuss was about. When Courtney returned, we placed our orders. Mom chose the broiled haddock ($7.95) which came with potato and vegetable. She chose mashed potatoes with corn. I decided on the Drunk 'N' Dirty steak tip sub ($7.95). I ordered my tips medium well, and my sandwich was to be accompanied by fries and a pickle. Courtney took away the menus and left Mom and I to examine the rest of the dining area.

One of the first things I remembered from Pam's review was her dislike of the booths. Apparently, they were very snug. Although Mom and I were not offered a booth on this visit, we were going to ask for a table either way. I hate being uncomfortable while dining, and so does Mom. The booths did look a little snug, but the side room we were in had a good mix of both booths and tables, which were oddly very long - especially when there are only two people at either side of the table. The restaurant itself was very cute. I almost felt like I was in a renovated barn. The side room was decorated with orange paint and brick colored curtains, a large chandelier in the center of the room, and a green plaid rug. With the large window overlooking the woods, and wooden rafters framing the space, the restaurant had a very rustic feel. Small lamps and country decorations were scattered around the room, and country music played softly in the background. We didn't see much of the other room, but on a trip to the restroom on my way out, I was able to see a beautiful bar and the rest of the restaurant space. Everything looked great.

Now, I can't complete this review without mentioning the couple that was seated on the side of us. Normally, we don't pay too much attention to the other patrons when we're dining. However, both Mom and I could not avoid this one particular couple. It was almost like we were getting an added show with our lunch. The highlights of their conversation included:

WOMAN: (after ordering a piece of carrot cake) "I think my eyes are bigger than my stomach.
MAN: "They're not as big as your a**."

***I couldn't even look at Mom on that one.***
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MAN: "Do you want to add this?" (meaning the bill)
WOMAN: "Five plus two is seven."
MAN: "You forgot to carry the one!"
WOMAN: "I guess I'm not smarter than a fourth grader."
***I'm guessing that she wanted to say fifth grader, which would reference the Fox TV show Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, but what do I know? A former co-worker of mine, Dan Medeiros, has a blog called Black Fonzie. On this blog, he has a section called "Overheard A**holes. This experience would definitely fit into that category.***

We were only able to see the lunch menu, but I did see many other things that Mom and I would love to try. Appetizers include fried vegetable tempura ($7.95), shrimp bruscetta ($10.95), and stuffed bleu buffalo tenders ($6.95), which are chicken tenders stuffed with bleu cheese and drenched in a hot Guinness sauce. Salads include Caesar ($5.95), Greek ($5.95), and Bravo's Insalata Variopinti ($6.95), which is a medley of fresh vegetables grilled to greatness, topped with Parmesan and served with garlic infused oil. The "Off the Char-Broiler" menu includes blackened porterhouse chops ($7.95), which is topped with apple crisp chutney. Burgers include the all beef/no bull naked burger ($6.95) Bravo's black and bleu burger ($7.95), and the Santa Fe burger ($7.95), which is topped with spicy chili, peppers, onions, and Jack cheese. Bravo's also has a list of comfort foods such as the roast beef dinner ($6.95) and the turkey dinner ($6.95). Seafood includes the salmon Athena ($8.95), which is broiled or poached salmon topped with spinach, sun dried tomatoes, and feta cheese. Sautés include the beef or chicken stir fry ($7.95), and wraps include the grilled chicken Caesar ($7.95). Bravo's feature seems to be sandwiches, especially during lunch. From the menu, I learned that all sandwiches are served with fries and a half-sour pickle. You can also upgrade any sandwich to a calzone for $1. Sandwich varieties include the turkey Reuben ($5.95), the chicken parmigiana ($7.95), the French dip ($7.95), and the Old Granddad ($6.95), which is pulled pork that "melts like butta" and splashed with an old granddad bourbon sauce. Once Mom and I returned home from our lunch at Bravo's, we were able to take a look at their dinner menu (via a takeout copy). We saw that Bravo's adds more meat dishes and heavier foods for the nighttime course.

We hadn't been waiting long when we spotted Courtney walking over to us with our plates of food. Everything looked and smelled amazing. Mom said, "If this is the lunch portion of the broiled haddock, I'd love to see the dinner size." She certainly did have a lot on her plate. Mom said that the filet was pure white, flaky, buttery, and absolutely delicious. The crumb topping was very tasty, and the side dishes of mashed potatoes and corn were perfect. Pam was right - this is certainly a dish Mom would get again.

I absolutely adored my steak tip sub. Actually, I have been thinking about it ever since I finished it! The steak had NO fat on it - at all. This is something that scares me to death. If a piece of fatty meat gets into my mouth, the meal is over. Thankfully, that did not happen. The mushrooms, peppers, and onions that topped the sub were fresh, and the bread that surrounded the tips was not overpowering (the meat was the main attraction - not the bread). On the menu, it seems that the delicious drunk 'n' dirty marinade used on the tips is called "Phantom Gourmet Greatness." Now I'm not sure if the Phantom has ever reviewed Bravo's, but if he hasn't yet, I would definitely recommend this dish. Even the fries were fabulous.


As full as we were, Mom asked me if I wanted dessert. At first I said no, but after all the ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the table next to us over the carrot cake, Mom and I decided to share a slice. When Courtney came over to clear away our plates, she asked us if we wanted any dessert. When Mom ordered the carrot cake, Courtney's eyes lit up. Apparently this dessert is one of her favorites. When it arrived, we found that it was a huge piece! Seated atop a caramel swirl, and topped with a dollop of whipped cream, the carrot cake was fantastic. With a thick layer of cream cheese frosting surrounded by pieces of walnuts and slivers of carrots, we both found it very moist, not overly sweet, and one of the best pieces of carrot cake we ever had.


After we'd made every piece of the carrot cake disappear, Courtney brought over the check. The bill came to:

Drunk 'N' Dirty sub - $7.95
Broiled haddock - 7.95
Diet Pepsi - 1.75
Diet Pepsi - 1.75
Carrot cake - 6.95
Subtotal - $26.35
Tax - 1.32
TOTAL = $27.67

Mom left $33 on the table, which included a 20% tip for Courtney. Before leaving, I decided to use the restroom. Easily marked with the word "GALS" over the door, I found the restroom to be clean and organized. I noticed that the country theme carried over to the restroom, which had a rooster light switch cover inside. Before heading back to my car, I grabbed both a lunch and a dinner takeout menu for Mom's collection.

The best part about having a restaurant review Web site is that we get to network with others who have the same type of site. Without Pam's review of this restaurant, Mom and I would never have known how good Bravo's is, and I wouldn't be drooling over my memory of the steak tips. We can't wait to go back for more.

Bravo's Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday; and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. They are closed on Monday.