Update!

Hi everyone,

We know it’s been way too long since we last updated, but it’s been a busy month! Lauren graduated from Winthrop University on May 9 and has started a job at a new restaurant in Rock Hill called Citizen Corners. Mike has been busy working and trying to find a full-time job for next school year. We’re sorry we haven’t been able to write any reviews, but we hope to do one soon! In the meantime, come visit Citizen Corners on the corner of Main St. and Caldwell St. in Rock Hill! Hope you’re all well.

Lauren & Mike

Luigi’s Pizzeria

 

760 Cherry Rd
Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 328-3420

Visited: April 23, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Italian
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for:  Take out, Quiet dinner

Price: $-$$

Dishes Ordered:
We shared a personal pizza with mushrooms, sausage, green peppers, and tomatoes. We also split a shrimp and scallop parmigiana. Lauren started with a bowl of their pasta fagioli soup.

Lauren’s Review:

Living in Italy for five months can make eating Italian food in America quite undesirable. I now know the difference between authentic Italian food and an American attempt at the real thing and tend to stay away from the latter. Tonight that line was blurred a little bit by Luigi’s Pizzeria, a hidden gem in between a check cashing place and a rental car center in a rather dingy stripmall. I’ve avoided this place during my four years in Rock Hill, but since starting this blog I’ve heard many great things about it. I’m a little upset I waited this long to discover it.

The restaurant itself is fairly small and has many tables/booths crammed in, which reminds me a bit of the real Italian dining style where you’re basically seated at the same table as another party. There was some kind of Italian folk music playing very quietly over the speakers and a relatively small amount of people dining in. The atmosphere isn’t amazing, but it’s what you’d expect out of such a place. The fake flowers on the tables still have the purchase tags on them and are ever so nicely placed in vases (that also have the price tag on them). However, none of this seemed to really bother us. Although I didn’t appreciate when our waitress had to run back to the kitchen to ask what a specific pasta dish was. She might have been new, but I think the staff should be familiar enough with the menu  to answer basic questions about the dishes.

The menu was quite extensive offering at least 10 appetizers, 3 soups, 4 salads, 9 pastas, 11 seafood entrees, many pizza options, and an array of other entrees. It took us way too long to decide what to order, but we finally did, and I think we made a good choice. About 10 minutes after I placed my soup order, I was beginning to think they’d forgotten about it.  I asked the waitress, and she explained that it was coming out shortly and that sometimes dishes take a while because everything is homemade. My pasta fagioli soup, at a mere $3.50, came to the table steaming hot, served with freshly baked garlic bread. It took about 5 minutes before I could take a bite of the soup that reminded me a bit of chicken noodle soup with a little Italian style thrown in. The beans in the soup really set it off. Definitely a good choice.

When our entrees made it to the table (also steaming hot) we dug in and never looked back. Our shrimp and scallop parmigiana was served on a bed of fettucine and had a surprisingly large amount of seafood.  Usually when you order shrimp dishes you get about 5 small shrimp that definitely taste as if they’ve been frozen for 3 months. This almost had too much protein for my carb-loving  self, but Mike would never agree to that. But I did like that the shrimp/scallops didn’t leave the pasta with a “fishy” taste, which I was originally afraid of. 

The personal pizza, which I thought would be too small for our large appetites, was really the perfect size. The crust was soft and delicious while the toppings were quite plentiful. I do wish the green peppers weren’t cooked as much (I like them crunchy), but that’s a personal preference. The pizza wasn’t too oily and didn’t have an overload of cheese (I guess the two go hand-in-hand). The pasta was also delicious. I really liked the sauce after I shook some spicy pepper flakes over it. Mike would like me to insert his pasta poem here: “They didn’t skimp on the shrimp, They put more than a dallop of scallops, Enough cheese to please, And the sauce was boss.” So I guess that sums it up. One strange thing I noticed was that the drinks were served in Coca-cola glasses, while the restaurant itself serves Pepsi products. Just thought that was something worth noting.

All in all, the food made the experience. People obviously don’t go there for the atmosphere, and there’s nothing wrong with that… when the food makes up for it. Luigi’s just opened a 2nd location further up Cherry Rd. near I-77. The new location is much larger and is more family friendly but serves the same quality food at the same low prices. A must-try for anyone in the area.

I must say I am very impressed with their ability to come close to real Italian cuisine… well, at least closer than the competition. Next time I’ve got that Italian craving I’ll know where to go. The only thing that would make it better would be a carafe of wine on the table, but we can’t always get everything we want!

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 8
  Lots of options. Took us way too long to decide.
• Food Presentation: 6
  Looked delicious… and hot!
• Taste of food: 8
  Real Italian. I just wish they had more spicy options.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  Nothing too crazy. Typical Italian options.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  Dining area was very clean.
• Quality of staff: 4
  Only below average because the waitress had to ask about a dish.
• Speediness of service: 5
  I’ll wait for fresh food.
• Atmosphere: 3
  Not miserable, but not stimulating.
• Drink Selection: 3
  I need wine with my pasta!
• Value: 9
  I paid for the pizza, soup, and a drink. It was $12. Amazingly worth it! WU student discount too!

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 7
  Seems quite extensive, but I don’t know what half of it is…neither does the server apparently
• Food Presentation: 5
  Ok.
• Taste of food: 7
  I really liked the pizza. I thought it tasted fresh and light with just the right amount of cheese and toppings. It wasn’t too oily like Ouzo’s.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  Old world choices..
• Restaurant cleanliness: 5
  Didn’t sparkle but wasn’t dingy.
• Quality of staff: 4
  We only had contact with the server. She was a bit slack on refills and wasn’t too knowledgeable. She might’ve been new.
• Speediness of service: 4
  Slow. As the waitress explained, most everything is homemade, so it’s to be expected. I’m ok with it.
• Atmosphere: 4
  Nothing to speak of really. Quiet, quaint, plain. Bring friends to make it a party. I don’t recommend it for a date.
• Drink Selection: 3
  Italian without wine? Mamma Mia!
• Value: 10
  23 bucks for a drink, a soup, a small pizza, and a large entrée with the student discount. Great value. That’s the price of one meal at some other Italian places. Luigi’s food is just as good, even though the ambiance is lacking in all departments.

 

OVERALL RATING: 3.5/5 loaves
With most points being lost in atmosphere. 

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Burk’s BBQ

2012 Cherry Rd
Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 980-4444

Visited: March 26, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: BBQ, Southern
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for:  Take out

Price: $-$$

Dishes Ordered:
Mike ordered the large pork plate that came with slaw, fries, and hushpuppies. Lauren ordered the pork/chicken plate with corn on the cob, slaw, and hushpuppies.

Mike’s Review:

We weren’t exactly sure what to expect from Burk’s BBQ.  We’ve heard mixed reviews and finally decided to try it.  Overall, the place is alright if you’re looking for an indoor picnic experience or want to take it to go.

The décor is somewhat odd.  Upon entry, there’s an autographed picture and jersey of some motocross guy paired with a few random bits of Winthrop sports memorabilia –they do help sponsor Winthrop athletics.  The ceilings are high and are bare from the roof to the middle, where you find a straight line of classic American television screenshots.  It was like the house of wonders meets Nick at Nite. (Does anyone miss “Block Party Summers” as much as I do?)

The tablecloths are black and white picnic table covers, and this is reflective of their type of service.  While the girl working the register was young, cute, friendly, and helpful, she does not serve the diner in any way other than taking your order.  They call your name for you to grab your order from the counter; you fill your own tea or water toward the back near the ice machine; you eat with plastic utensils; and you bus your own table.  The only sodas they carry are bottled.  It is truly like an indoor picnic.  I will note that we didn’t notice many people filling the dining room at 6:00, but there were several who came in for pick-up orders.  This might explain the service and drink situations.

On to the food. As soon as I stepped out into the parking lot, a strong, savory aroma struck my nostrils.  This caused me to salivate and sent me into Burk’s with high expectations of their three-time Buzzy-winning BBQ.  I wasn’t disappointed.  Without any sauce, the BBQ was moist and tender, although a bit flavorless.  The flavor, however, came hard in sauce form. (Alright, so I used “came,” “hard,” and “sauce” in the same sentence. This blog is for families, so save your comments and get your mind out of the gutter.)

The mustard sauce was thick and tangy with a bit of heat and sweet undertones. Loved it.  In contrast, the ketchup sauce was thinner, very vinegary and had smokey undertones.  Kinda liked it.  Lauren also had a baked chicken breast that she claimed “smelled like Cooper.”  He’s our dog. Woof.  I tried it too.  The white meat was surprisingly moist, but the skin was a bit too plain for me on the good bites and tasted utterly burnt on the bad ones.

The sides weren’t very impressive.  The slaw was a bit too finely diced, almost pureed, and was a bit flavorless.  Not vinegary, not mayonnaisey, not sweet, not anything…just kinda cabbagey.  Maybe this is for improved blending with the BBQ, which wasn’t a bad combo.  The potato wedges were decent; they seemed like frozen Ore-Ida fries, which is alright but not impressive.  The hush puppies were really nice: sweet, crunchy on the outside, and moist on the inside.

Overall, the place is alright.  In truth, I prefer Sonny’s.  I know it’s a chain, but it offers more sides and a decent dining experience.  I’m not really inspired to go back to Burk’s, but if I do, it’ll be for takeout.

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 3
  Not a green to be found, no other country-style sides either, with the exception of fries, corn, beans, and hush puppies. This is ok if your BBQ is good enough to stand alone. It’s not.
• Food Presentation: 5
  They did the best with what they had.
• Taste of food: 6
  The BBQ was pretty good, and I really like the sauces. However, the sides were pretty lame, save for the hush puppies.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  Same old, same old.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  Seemed pretty clean to me.
• Quality of staff: 5
  There’s no server, just a girl at the counter. She did a pretty good job, I guess.
• Speediness of service: 6
  Didn’t have to wait too long.
• Atmosphere: 4
  Quiet, save for the ESPN on the TV. Not too much in the way of décor.
• Drink Selection: 3
  Tea, water, soda bottles.
• Value: 4
  Slightly below average. I paid about $9 for a plate of food that didn’t leave me with leftovers. It was ok. In truth, I’d rather go to Sonny’s.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 3
  Their only entree options were BBQ, chicken, wings, or chicken fingers. Only side options were slaw, hushpuppies, fries, baked beans, corn.
  
• Food Presentation: 5
  I wasn’t amazed.
  
• Taste of food: 6
  Pulled pork was great. Both sauces were good. Chicken smelled funny. Corn is corn. Great hushpuppies.
  
• Originality in food choices: 5
  What you’d expect for a BBQ place, except fewer sides.
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 5
  Since most people take their food to-go, there’s not much mess to be made.
  
• Quality of staff: 5
  Not much interaction with the staff, except the girl who took our order and called our name when our food was ready.
  
• Speediness of service: 6
  Fast enough.
  
• Atmosphere: 2
  Pretty empty in there. I feel like if I yelled something it would echo on for days.
  
• Drink Selection: 3
  Only tea and water to drink, unless you want to buy a bottled soda… But who wants to do that?
  
• Value: 5
  My BBQ/Chicken plate was $10. Had the chicken not smelled like a dirty dog, I would say it’s a good value, but since I really only ate a small plate of pork, a little cob o’corn, some flavorless slaw, and 3 small hushpuppies, I’d say I could get more for less at Sonny’s BBQ.

OVERALL RATING: 2.5/5 loaves

Thi’s Place on Main

210 East Main St.
Rock Hill, SC 29730
(803) 328-8447

Visited: March 12, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for: Dinner with friends, business lunch

Price: $$

Dishes ordered:
We started with a summer roll appetizer (fresh rolls stuffed with vermicelli, lettuce, mint, shrimp, and pork). Lauren had the curry shrimp and chicken dish and Mike had Vy’s Favorite (dish with pork, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables in a brown garlic sauce served over wide rice noodles).

Lauren’s Review:

Tonight’s meal has left me a bit uninspired. Although I’m never as witty and interesting as Mike, I feel as if tonight’s post will be extra dull. I’ve wanted to try Thi’s Place on Main ever since coming to Rock Hill four years ago and I’ve been looking forward to going all week. Being on a low-carb diet has kept us eating mostly meat and cheese for the past week, so we were looking forward to an actual meal. Although the food was good, the experience was not.

I’ll start with my initial observation. The second you walk in, you’re hit with some sort of odor that I can only assume comes from the spices used in the kitchen. Although it’s not unbearable, it certainly wasn’t pleasant. But I do understand that they can’t help it to an extent. The second observation was the décor and design of the small dining room. The walls were bare except for one large painting and a few family pictures, and there were many chunks of wall missing where chairs or tables have chipped it off. When we sat down Mike quickly noticed that the music (playing rather loudly) was from 102.9-FM and was quite inconsistent with the Vietnamese-themed design of the restaurant. It seems like the lazy way out as far as musical choices go. And although we did see Thi (or who we assumed to be Thi), it was nothing like the warm, welcoming family charm of Carlos Cafe or SweeTreats.

Our server didn’t seem too interested in taking our order or explaining the menu, although she did perk up a little bit when we said we’d never been there before. We asked for suggestions and she didn’t have much to say, which made ordering a bit more difficult. As far as the menu goes, they have a few “different” options like a quail appetizer and many tofu choices, along with the distinctive Vietnamese (or what we assumed to be Viatnamese) options like satay, basic stir fry, vermicelli noodle bowls, and curry. Many of the meal descriptions included cute comments about the family and their favorite dishes, which was endearing.

Our summer roll appetizer cost us $3.50, which was much more than we would like to pay for something that took Mike two bites to eat. However, the roll was very fresh and had a very strong mint flavor. The heavy peanut sauce provided a nice balance with the light taste of the summer roll. Mike even ate a spoonful of the sauce after he finished the roll to get his money’s worth.

My curry dish came out about five minutes before Mike’s dish, which was a bit annoying as my manners told me to wait until his meal arrived to begin eating. Even though the service and ambiance weren’t too impressive, the food itself was quite flavorful. The curry had a nice spice and the shrimp were large and tasted very fresh. I did bite down on two pieces of crunchy garlic peel, which was a bit of a turn off, but I didn’t let it stop me. My one suggestion for the dish would be to use a little less sauce as my rice and shrimp seemed to disappear in it (and to leave out the garlic peel).

Mike’s dish had a wonderful aroma once it finally made it to the table. It was a very smoky scent that carried over into the taste of the huge portion of meat and vegetables. He asked them to make it spicy and they listened. Both dishes were presented well and had great flavor, but Mike’s definitely wasn’t worth $16.

All in all, we weren’t impressed. After hearing many wonderful things about Thi’s over the past few years, I almost question if we went on an “off” night or if we’re just a lot more cynical when we try a new place. To me, the non-enthusiastic service, the chunks missing out of the wall, the high prices, and the big bite of garlic peel made for a not-so-enjoyable evening on Main Street. I’d love to get your opinions of Thi’s to decide if we need to give it another try or if our first impressions were accurate.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 5
  They didn’t have many entree selections and many of the descriptions of the dishes sounded the same to me.
• Food Presentation: 6
  The dishes were very colorful.
• Taste of food: 7
  I eat curry about once a year, and this satisfied my once-a-year craving!
• Originality in food choices: 7
  It’s something different in a city full of O’Charleys’, Ruby Tuesdays’, and Applebees’.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 4
  The carpet in the dining room could have used a vaccuum.
• Quality of staff: 4
  For a family owned place, the server seemed a bit uninterested in pleasing the customer. Our empty water glasses sat for about 10 minutes and we only saw our waitress twice.
• Speediness of service: 6
  I just wish both of our entrees would have come out at the same time.
• Atmosphere: 4
  Nothing to look at. Bring chatty friends.
• Drink Selection: 3
  Soda. Water. Some wines.
• Value: 3
  Definitely not worth the $20 I paid for my entree and appetizer. Maybe lunch would be better.

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 6
  I thought they had quite a variety of dishes, mixing several sauces, veggies, noodles, and proteins.
• Food Presentation: 7
  The color of the food gave it a healthy, vibrant appeal. I wish the restaurant itself was consistant with its dishes.
• Taste of food: 7
  I really liked mine. It featured a ton of shrimp, chicken, and roast pork in a really nice garlic sauce. I enjoyed the spice, which made the large amount of veggies more enjoyable.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  It didn’t seem much different than Red Bowl. It would have been nice if someone bothered to explain a little more about the menu.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 4
  Some of the chunks missing from the drywall managed to get onto the floor.
• Quality of staff: 5
  The server wasn’t much to speak of at all. The lady who could be Thi, on the other hand, seemed to be a lot more social and interested in her patrons. I still didn’t like that we were generally unattended.
• Speediness of service: 6
  Quick! Lauren’s a little quicker than mine though.
• Atmosphere: 4
  I was largely unimpressed. Coming from an Asian-American family, I expect the gawdy, overdone Oriental decorations. If not that, then modernized, sleek Asian fusion-inspired decor. This place didn’t really have either. Whack.
• Drink Selection: 5
  Same as everywhere. It’s clear they didn’t go out of their way to bring in Asian drinks.
• Value: 4
  The meal I had should have been priced around $13. $16 was too steep. Their lunch menu looked like a decent value though.

OVERALL RATING: 2/5
(The great food is all that kept this place from receiving a 1 or below…)

…We’re still thirsty.

SweeTreats

940 Market St. #118
Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 548-8686

Visited: February 27, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner, Dessert, Coffee
Cuisine: American, Cuban
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for: Family, Quick Meal, Dessert, Coffee

Price: $

Dishes Ordered:
Lauren ordered their homemade chicken salad croissant with pasta salad and potato chips and a raspberry cheesecake yogurt mix for dessert. Mike ordered their infamous Cuban sandwich with pasta salad and potato chips and a coconut mocha frappe for dessert.

Mike’s Review:
The subject of our latest review slightly reminds me of Emmanuel Lewis – you know, the Gary Coleman-esque guy who starred in Webster during the 80’s. Of course, Sweet Treats is not a tiny black child being raised by a mustachioed white father. Nor is it an obvious rip-off of a competitor’s concept. (I’m referring to Diff’rent Strokes here.) Sweet Treats is like Lewis because both are rather child-like upon first glance, but once you’re truly acquainted with them, you discover a warm, ageless sophistication, further evidencing the old adage “looks can be deceiving.”

Along with its cutesy-wootsey name, the coffee/sandwich/ice cream shop displays toys and candy in the windows, appealing to children. It also offers its patrons a Nintendo Wii, an air purifier, a DVD player (which happened to be playing Kung Fu Panda), and a comfy couch in the middle of it all, adding to its family-friendly atmosphere. This ambiance is perfect for serving their frozen desserts which have recently become one of Lauren’s and my favorite indulgences. You choose between ice cream, active-culture yogurt, or a sugar-free option and blend in your choice of toppings from a huge assortment of candies, nuts, fruits, and chocolates. The regular cup for $3.50 is about the same size as a Cold Stone’s “Love It,” tastes fresher and more natural, and is machine- rather than hand-blended. This offers a uniform consistency and a smoother texture. It truly transforms the base flavor, either chocolate or vanilla, into your own creation, limited only by their topping selection, your imagination, and your budget. They charge for each topping after the first. They don’t charge for the extra-cute piece of house-made waffle cone they put in each cup.

So there’s the child-like part. Where’s the sophistication? It’s in every other aspect of the business, especially their savory foods and the warm personalities of the owner/operators themselves. Lauren and I split a Cuban sandwich and a chicken salad croissant. The Cuban’s pressed baguette was filled with perfect layers of house-stewed, fresh-cut pork, gooey Swiss cheese, yellow mustard, and just the right amount of dill pickle chips. Incredible. I’m glad there’s no trade embargo on this item. The chicken salad was also a hit. It included chunks of juicy pineapple for flavor bursts throughout the sandwich and cashews to offer an earthiness and a crunch. A few more cashews and the sandwich would have been perfect. It’s also interesting to note that the base of the chicken salad isn’t a ton of mayo; it’s cream cheese and sour cream, making it smoother and a bit more decadent. Lauren concluded her meal with a raspberry cheesecake yogurt blend, and I had a blended frappe. The coconut mocha frappe was rich and flavorful, but there were a few too many ice chunks to be considered perfect. However, the house-made whipped cream on top helped it come pretty close. Obviously, this was no kiddy’s lunch.

Then there’s Jose and Anita. They’re warm, welcoming and their personalities really contribute to the overall atmosphere of the restaurant. To them Sweet Treats is a lovely piece of Spanish-Americana. Jose is a Spanish immigrant and Anita is second-generation. At this point, their heritage isn’t really reflected in the menu, but as far as we can tell, that’s about to change. Sweet Treats is apparently about to undergo a major transition into a different type of place altogether, shedding them of their kiddy appeal and hopefully bringing out their sophistication and individuality. This might be the step that moves them from Emmanuel Lewis, cute, to Lennox Lewis, a knockout.

Despite its location in the heart of – if such a pre-packaged place has a heart – the all too clean Baxter Village, Sweet Treats represents the beautiful grit and marrow of American society: good people striving for independent success in the face of big corporate competition. We encourage everyone to visit Juan and Anita for lunch, dinner, dessert, or coffee. It all has a touch of humanity that simply can’t be matched by singing silly songs when a buck is dropped into the tip cup.

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 6
  Between the savory foods, desserts, and coffees, they’re bound to have something you’ll enjoy!
  
• Food Presentation: 5
  Presentation was average, but Jose brought it to us with a smile on his face and presented it with excitement.
  
• Taste of food: 8
  Cuban = amazing. Chicken salad = awesome. Dessert = outrageous. Sweet Treats = Tasty!
  
• Originality in food choices: 5
  Nothing too different. I can’t wait for their authentic chorizo when they do their changes.
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  Pretty clean.
  
• Quality of staff: 9
  If you sit in there, you’ll see the kind of care the owners have for their patrons. They do everything they can to please the customer with smiles on their faces.
  
• Speediness of service: 5
  It was just the two of them working, so nothing came out with blazing speed. However, Jose kept us posted every step of the way, including when he cut the pork straight off the roast. I’m willing to wait for that kind of quality.
  
• Atmosphere: 5
  It’s alright. Once they ditch the kiddie stuff, it’ll be perfect.
  
• Drink Selection: 7
  Italian sodas, coffee, and traditional stuff like soft drinks. No booze, but the place is for families.
  
• Value: 6
  You pay the same here as you do at “upper scale” fast food places like McAlisters, Chick-Fil-A, or Arby’s. Of course, the food here is homemade and bears a lot more soul. Overall, a great value.
  

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 6
  Food wise, they only have a few options; however, they have a great dessert and coffee menu. I think with the changes they are working on, their food menu will be widely expanded.
  
• Food Presentation: 5
  The food itself wasn’t presented in any special way, but Jose made sure to present it to us in a pleasant way.
  
• Taste of food: 8
  The chicken salad was unlike any other chicken salad I’ve ever had. I loved the pineapples! And their desserts are D-to the E- to the L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
  
• Originality in food choices: 5
  They have typical food choices (except the Cuban).
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  Fairly clean.
  
• Quality of staff: 9
  Anita and Jose always make us feel welcome and try their best to please all of their customers.
  
• Speediness of service: 7
  Considering it’s only the two of them working, everything comes out pretty quickly!
  
• Atmosphere: 4
  As Mike mentioned in his review, a lot of the decorations are targeted toward children, but it’s still a pleasant place to visit.
  
• Drink Selection: 6
  They don’t have good drinks to go along with their food menu (only a few sodas and water), but they do have a vast coffee/tea menu. No alcohol though.
  
• Value: 6
  My chicken salad lunch was about $6.50, which was great considering almost everything was homemade!

OVERALL RATING: 4/5 loaves

Sonny’s Dutch Mill

550 Anderson Rd.
Rock Hill, SC
(803) 324-3663
www.sonnysdutchmill.com

Visited: February 24, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: American
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for: Family, Quick Dinner

Price: $

Dishes ordered:
Mike ordered a double cheeseburger and slaw dog a la carte. I ordered the Big Ben platter (6oz burger served with home fries and slaw).

Lauren’s Review:

Thanks to an email suggestion, Mike and I decided to give this Rock Hill legend a try. Little did we know, Sonny’s Dutch Mill began as a car-hop restaurant and drive-in movie theater in the 1950s owned by Sonny Kennington and Jim McCraven. Sonny’s son, Wesley, took over in the 1990s and has since opened a second location in Fort Mill. The local hotspot is famed for their chili cheeseburgers and slaw dogs, as well as their freshly cut home fries and beer battered onion rings. We tried 3 out of the 4 and certainly would have gotten the onion rings had our stomachs (and wallets) allowed. The menu also included BBQ sandwiches, a few varieties of chicken sandwiches, a HLT (ham, lettuce, tomato), a few fried fish options, and LuLu’s Rancho Bacon Cheeseburger.

As far as first impressions go, this is the kind of place you go to for the food, not the atmosphere. I enjoyed their choice of music (a variety of 50s oldies), but there wasn’t much to look at as far as decorations and furnishings go. I immediately noticed the vast age gap between Mike and me and the rest of their patrons who all seemed to know each other. One man walked in alone and was greeted by the table of pot-bellied, bearded men in the back corner and asked if he’d like to join them for dinner. Another couple walked in as we were leaving who also knew the group in the back. I’d bet most of the people in there have been coming since they were young, which is always a good sign. You know you’re doing something right when people come back 50 years later.

Now, getting to the meat of the review…Get it? I’m so funny… The Big Ben burger was one of the juiciest, most delicious burgers I’ve ever had. Mike took a little longer to “warm up” to the amazingness, but soon realized just how good his double cheeseburger was. Our burgers were topped the “Sonny’s Way” with their homemade chili, onions, and mustard. We both added some ketchup to the mix as well. One of my favorite things about the burger was the fact that the chili stayed ON the burger and didn’t ooze out onto my hands. There’s nothing more that I hate than a chili cheeseburger where all the chili ends up falling onto my hands, basket, plate, or lap (whichever happens to be below it at the time). It was a very neat and clean experience, which is my kind of meal! As far as the slaw dog goes, you’ll have to get Mike’s opinion because he ate the whole thing before I could ask for a bite!

The freshly cut (we actually saw them cutting them) home fries were just as good as I’d hoped. I was given the option of switching to crinkle fries, which I’m assuming would have just been the bagged, frozen Ore-Ida fries you can buy anywhere. Who would choose that over hand-cut fries? Actually, the man sitting behind us did… But he obviously doesn’t know good fries! The slaw that came with my burger was interesting. It was very finely chopped (a little too fine for our liking) and was quite dry almost like plain cabbage. It had a decent flavor, but definitely needed some more “juice.” Mike and I almost ordered a milkshake (it seems like these kinds of places always have good shakes) until we found out that their ice cream machine had been broken for a few months. They’re still waiting on the replacement part from the manufacturer. But our waitress did tell us that the Fort Mill location has awesome shakes! We’ll have to give them a try one day.

All in all, I’d Sonny’s Dutch Mill can keep their title of having the best chili cheeseburger in town. Although their prices were a little high for the amount of food provided, I’m willing to pay the few extra dollars to keep places like this around. After all, with 50 years of success under their belt I’d say they know what they’re doing.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 5
  For a burger joint, it’s what you could expect.
• Food Presentation: 5
  Nothing special.
• Taste of food: 8
  The burger melted in my mouth. The fries were great too.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  They like to keep it simple.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 5
  Average. Didn’t get a chance to check the bathrooms.
• Quality of staff: 7
  Only a few people working. Our waitress was nice and helpful.
• Speediness of service: 7
  Everything is made to order, so it came out as fast as it could. Drink refills were very timely!
• Atmosphere: 4
  Quite empty in there. I did like the music though.
• Drink Selection: 3
  A few fountain sodas available as well as (glass) bottled Coke, Cheerwine, and SunDrop. Old school!
• Value: 4
  My burger platter was $8.50. But again, I’m willing to pay that much for a burger that great!
  

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 5
  For a burgers-n-fries place, it had everything I expected, nothing I didn’t.
• Food Presentation: 6
  They layered everything perfectly, and nothing was sloppy.
• Taste of food: 5-7
  The hot dog was a 5. I thought the slaw was going to contribute a great deal to it, but it didn’t.  The fries earn a 6. I appreciate that they’re house-cut, but several of mine were rubbery. The burger was certainly the crown jewel of the experience. I wasn’t impressed at first, but the more I ate, the more I appreciated the simple goodness of the way the American cheese and the light amount of chili moistened and flavored the already-juicy burger patties.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  Same old, same old.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 5
  The place was decently clean, but the carpet sure could have used a vacuuming.
• Quality of staff: 6
  The one waitress who was working was nice, personable, and attentive.
• Speediness of service: 6
  Pretty quick.
• Atmosphere: 6
  Although the decor left something to be desired, we could hear patron after patron greeting one another as more people walked in. This is clearly one of those places that has a loyal clientele, many of whom know one another. This quality added a certain charm to the atmosphere overall.
• Drink Selection: 6
  They had your basic soft drinks and actually had Cheerwine in the bottle available. Score!
• Value: 4
  Ordering a la carte, is a bit overpriced. Had I ordered a platter, I may have been more pleased.
  

OVERALL RATING: 3/5 loaves

———————————————————————————————–

UPDATE:

The original Sonny’s Dutch Mill in Rock Hill was built over 50 years ago, and it shows.  On the other hand, the Fort Mill location, which has been open since August ’07, captures the spirit of the 50’s without looking like it was hasn’t been renovated since the 50’s.  The new location is more brightly lit and colorfully decorated and seems to be buzzing with life and youth.  In contrast to our visit to the Rock Hill location, the patrons were young families with children, not exclusively blue hairs.

Our server was a young guy, maybe college age.  He recommended a hot buffalo chicken sandwich called the Kick’n Kat.  It was on point.  The breast wasn’t as full as I like them – save your comments; when it comes to women, I’m more of an ass man – but the flavor was good.  We had the onion rings this time, and they were great.  They weren’t too heavily battered and maintained a subtle, not overpowering taste of onions.

The real treat that the Fort Mill location offers is the milk shakes.  They’re proud to serve Tony’s ice cream, which is family-made in Gastonia, NC.  We ordered a simple chocolate shake, and it was thick, flavorful, and plentiful enough for Lauren and me to share it.  It was a perfectly sweet way to conclude a great, old school dinner.

Don’t get me wrong; the Rock Hill location is good. That’s why it earned 3/5 loaves.  However, for more lively way to enjoy great classic American food, take the drive to Fort Mill. You’ll be glad you did; we were.

Hooper’s Bar and Grill

4124 Celanese Rd.
Rock Hill, SC
(803) 980-3990

Visited: February 6, 2009

Meals served: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: American, Bar Food
Dress Code: Casual
Best Atmosphere for: Happy Hour, Family, Friends, Sports

Price: $-$$

Dishes ordered:
We started with an order of 10 wings, 5 cajun garlic, 5 hooper’s sauce (mix of teriyaki, bbq, and mild). Mike ordered the Buffalo Chicken Wrap with fries and a side of slaw (the true test). I ordered the Philly Cheesesteak with onion rings.

Lauren’s Review:

If you’ve been reading our blog from the beginning, you’ll remember my reference to a “neon-light-obsessed bar” in my review of Ouzo’s Pizza. Well, that bar would be Hooper’s and we found it to be much more than your typical Rock Hill bar. After losing a best three-out-of-five battle of Rock, Paper, Scissors to determine tonight’s review location, Mike was pretty skeptical about venturing into this place far off the Rock Hill beaten path. Now I will say, the opaque tinted windows with neon beer advertisements and numerous team pennants adorning said windows does make the place seem less than desirable, but we ventured on anyway.

The second we walked in, I knew we were wrong. Kids were running around freely, John Mayer was playing over the loud speakers, and Magic Hat #9 posters were plastered all over the walls. We had made a good decision. After seating ourselves at a table in what appeared to be the non-smoking section (even though I think the whole place is non-smoking now) our waitress promptly greeted us with two menus and took our drink orders (unfortunately they ran out of #9 so we each settled for a Blue Moon). We were both shocked by the menu selection. We thought we’d be choosing between wings or a burger, but found ourselves facing a much tougher decision. Although they did run the normal wing/burger gamut, many other unique options were available including the “Hot Brown Sub,” Tex-Mex Burrito, Kansas City Hog Wild Pig Wings, an array of pasta dishes, Cajun Chicken Rolls, a Hawaiian burger, and something called “crab bread.”

We placed our appetizer order of wings quite quickly (although a few minutes too short of the 1/2 price special) thanks to a recommendation from Skye Maloney (a RHR reader!). Due to the fact that we missed the happy hour 1/2 priced appetizers special, I did make note that their appetizers are quite pricey (most around $8). Our order of 10 wings ran us $7.59. Ouch! However, the taste of the wings justified the price (somewhat). The cajun garlic were like nothing I’ve ever tasted. Very spicy, but still quite flavorful. I know most spicy wings simply taste like “spicy,” and not at all like the actual flavor they’re meant to be. These wings actually had flavor AND a pretty good kick. Their house special wings (Hooper’s sauce) were also quite tasty. The mix of teriyaki, barbeque, and mild sauces is definitely a good mix worth trying.

After taking way too much time to decide what we wanted as our entree and getting recommendations from our waitress Allison, we finally placed our orders. Our waitress also informed us that their fries and onion rings are made fresh, which is always a plus! I’ll go ahead and say that I was very impressed with the onion rings. There’s nothing worse than ordering onion rings that taste like batter and a little onion powder. These onion rings definitely placed emphasis on the onion and not so much the batter. On the contrary, I’ll admit that my philly cheesesteak was a little dry  and the meat/vegetables a little overcooked so I asked for a side of ranch to use as a “moisturizer.” I also added some of Mike’s cole slaw which ended up being a great decision. Mike says his wrap was pretty good, but a little too small for his large mouth. When I took a bite of the wrap, the tortilla was a little too soggy for me, but apparently that’s “the way he likes it.” The fries also had great flavor, but were also somewhat soggy. Again, Mike didn’t mind this. Hmm.

All in all, Hooper’s was a much more pleasant experience than expected. It’s definitely on the same level as its competitors in the area (Sammy’s, Luke’s, etc.) but a little pricier than I’d like. They do have a good selection of draft beers including Magic Hat #9, Blue Moon, Dirty Bastard, Guinness, Killian’s, Stella Artois, Hook & Ladder, and the regulars (Bud, Miller, Michelob). The atmosphere was much more family friendly than Sammy’s or Luke’s which was a pleasant change. No sketchy old men checking you out, no curse words flying around, and no drunk ladies spilling their beers on themselves. Just people having a good time and eating good food. There’s an old adage: Don’t judge a book by its cover. Well, don’t judge a bar by its neon signs.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 8
  For a bar and grill, I’d say they have one of the best menus in town.
• Food Presentation: 6
  They at least made an effort to stack the two halves of my philly cheesesteak.
• Taste of food: 6-7
  I’ll give the philly a 6 simply because of it’s dryness. The wings are a 7, getting closer to an 8.
  
• Originality in food choices: 8
  Again, for a place of this caliber, very good options.
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  Restaurant was decent. Bathrooms could use some work. It looked like a woman had kicked a hole in the wall with her stilettos.
• Quality of staff: 8
  Helpful staff. Young. Fast.
  
• Speediness of service: 5
  Normal. Nothing spectacular. But we weren’t in a rush.
  
• Atmosphere: 6
  Although it got a little loud after a family of 12 sat down next to us, I didn’t mind. It’s a bar. What do you expect? I’d rather it be a family than a bachelorette party!
• Drink Selection: 7
  Good draft beer selection. Didn’t see bottled beer, wine, or drink options.
• Value: 4
  This is my only concern.

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 7.
  They feature quite a selection of sandwiches.
• Food Presentation: 5.
  Nothing special.
• Taste of food: 7.
  I thought the wings were great, as well as Lauren’s onion rings.
• Originality in food choices: 6.
  I’m digging the Pork Shank.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 4.
  For a family restaurant, the bathrooms were gross. For a bar, they were average.
• Quality of staff: 5.
  The service was decent and the recommendations were good. However, our dirty wing plate sat for at least ten minutes.
• Speediness of service: 6.
  We got everything quickly, which was great considering some of the huge parties there.
• Atmosphere: 6.
  It’s a sports bar that’s geared toward families. I liked it.
• Drink Selection: 6.
  They feature a few specialty beers, which is nice.
• Value: 4.
  I paid 20 bucks for 2 beers, a small wrap, a handful of fries (although I liked that they’re homemade), and a small side of slaw. Sammy’s is a much better value, but a much more bar-like atmosphere.

OVERALL RATING: 3/5 loaves

Carlos Cafe

1998 Cherry Rd
Rock Hill, SC 29732
(803) 329-7171

http://www.carloscafe.com

Visited January 22, 2009

Meals served: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Cuban
Dress Code: Casual
Best atmosphere for: Family, Night with friends, Quick Lunch
Price: $-$$

Dishes ordered:
We started with an order of Cuban chicken wings (and a pitcher of sangria). They also brought grilled bread to our table as soon as we sat down. Mike ordered the skirt steak that came with a basil chimichurri sauce and tostones (salty, fried plantains). Lauren ordered the Milan Chicken, which was a breaded chicken breast topped with tomato sauce, sliced ham, and swiss cheese (your basic chicken parmesan) served with maduros (sweet plantains). Both entrees were served with black beans and a mound of white rice.

Mike’s Review:

Some restaurants are devoid of patrons because they lack quality service, their food isn’t tasty, or the place smells like the inside of a lacrosse player’s gym bag.  Carlos Café exhibits none of these qualities, leaving me absolutely clueless as to why the place is empty as a politician’s promise. (Sorry, Barack. Good job on those lobbyists though.) Perhaps in our particular case, Carlos’s emptiness was not a detriment.  Without the allure of bored couples, nervous couples, loud families, the desperately lonely, and the desperately misanthropic, the people-watching was nil.  This gave us the opportunity to truly appreciate the bright tropical colors, the Cuban-esque knick knacks, the lovely mural of Veradero Beach painted by a Rock Hill local, and the rhythmic chant-like vocals of authentic Cuban music.  The atmosphere was bright (but not too bright), welcoming, and friendly, a reflection of the owner/hostess who greeted us at the door with a large white smile and what seemed to be a genuine interest in pleasing her patrons.

The service was outstanding.  The owner could tell we hadn’t been in before and asked us how we heard about them, if we had ever eaten Cuban food, and if we needed any recommendations.  The sign; just the sandwiches; and yes, please.  She told us about most of the menu, but we had to stop her at sangria. Bring it on.  The owner’s twenty-something-year-old daughter brought us grilled garlic bread and a small pitcher (about 4 glasses worth) of sangria.  The sangria itself was delicious, and the canned fruit cocktail at the bottom of the pitcher wasn’t bad either, but fresh fruit would have been a better (though more expensive) touch.

We started with Cuban chicken wings for an appetizer as recommended by our server.  Great choice.  These came out quickly, were large and evenly cooked, and had a subtle reminiscence of Chinese sweet and sour sauce but with a nice chili spice at the forefront of the flavor.  I liked that they bothered to alternate the wings with celery sticks on the plate, giving the appetizer the appearance of poultry/vegetable sun, bursting with rays meaty goodness. What can I say? I love wings.

The entrees come with white rice and beans, your choice of sweet or savory plantains, and a protein.  I chose the skirt steak medium-rare.  It was good, but for the star of the show, it was a bit of a let-down.  The meat was cooked to my specifications, but there seemed to be a bit too much liquid on the plate for me to begin with, and I was to put more basil/oil sauce on as I saw fit.  I had to extract the basil without getting more oil, and the overall flavor was not potent enough.  Simplistic food is good, but simplistically flavorful is culinary excellence.  The steak didn’t quite cross the threshold.  The fried plantains were a bit flavorless as well.  However, they did come with a minced garlic/oil sauce that moistened the dry plantain and did well to add a flavor to a neutral palate.  Oddly, the protein was not my favorite element of the dish; the rice and beans were.  The rice was not too hard and not too soft, and the same can be said about the beans.  They were perfectly prepared and made for an excellent side dish.

Lauren ordered the Milan Chicken aka chicken parmesan.  Lauren says it tasted fine, and the quantity was enormous.  She says the breakout element of the dish was the sweet plantains.  I have to agree.  They were moist on the inside, crispy on the outside, and just the right amount of sweetness.  They were warm and would have been KILLER atop French vanilla ice cream.

We left Carlos Café with smiles on our faces, bellies full of food, and boxes in our hands.  The latter is quite uncommon as the two of us are voracious eaters, which indicates exactly how much food was served to us.  The quantities, in combination with warm, friendly service and atmosphere and certain excellent dishes, made Carlos a hit.  I don’t have much experience with Cuba itself or its culture, but life has taught me these things: it makes a great place for launching a nuclear strike on the U.S., features great cigars (and healthcare to counteract the damage done by them), and emigrates excellent restaurateurs. Keep it up, Carlos.

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 8
  The menu felt authentic and featured a large array of proteins prepared in a variety of ways.
• Food Presentation: 6
  The “wings of the sun” were a nice touch. I don’t know if Icarus or Daedalus would go for it though.
• Taste of food: 6-8
  My protein and fried plantains were good but not great, each earning a 6.  However, the rice and beans were spot-on; the wings were perfect; and Lauren’s sweet plantains were phenomenal. 8’s all around.
• Originality in food choices: 9
  In Miami, they might earn anywhere from 4-6, but in Rock Hill, they nearly earn a perfect score.
• Restaurant cleanliness: 7
  Quite clean.
• Quality of staff: 9
  I think we were visited by every person working there from hostess to chef, and they were all friendly and wanted us to enjoy our meal.
• Speediness of service: 8
  Great timing.
• Atmosphere: 7
  Bright, colorful, welcoming. A nice place to dine.
• Drink Selection: 7
  They feature a lot of imported soft drinks, are rumored to have excellent coffee, and their sangria was awesome.
• Value: 8
  Big food, big value.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 6
  They have about 5 dishes each for pork, chicken, beef, and seafood… But a lot of them were the same, just with the different meat.
• Food Presentation: 6
  Our wings were organized in a circle on a nice plate with a slice of celery in between each wing… Such detail!
  
• Taste of food: 7
  For my first Cuban food experience (other than Cuban sandwiches), I’d say it was pretty good.
  
• Originality in food choices: 8
  Where else in Rock Hill are you asked how you’d like your plantains cooked?
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 8
  
• Quality of staff: 10
  We were immediately greeted and treated like friends the whole evening.
  
• Speediness of service: 7
• Atmosphere: 7
  I love their choice of colors and their beautiful mural on the wall. It was pretty quiet, but not awkwardly so.
  
• Drink Selection: 5
  Their sangria was awesome… But I wish they had more beer options! However, to counteract, they do have a lot of imported Cuban drinks (non-alcoholic).
  
• Value: 8
  I only ate half of my entree and was stuffed!

OVERALL RATING: 4/5 loaves

Ouzo’s Pizza

4124 Celanese Rd # 156
Rock Hill, SC
(803) 366-7800

Visited January 11, 2008

Meals served: Lunch & Dinner
Cuisine: Italian, Greek, American
Dress Code: Casual
Best atmosphere for: Take-out pizza, quick meal, family
Price: $

Dishes ordered:
Mike and I shared the Ouzo’s Special Pizza (pepperoni, sausage, ham, onions, green peppers, mushrooms) and their traditional gyro (served with fries). Sorry, no pictures today!

Lauren’s Review:

A few weeks ago when my mom came up to visit, Mike suggested we try somewhere new for lunch. After shouting out a few places I knew I’d been wanting to visit, Mike suddenly remembered a few friends telling him about this “pizza place” that we had to try. Mike couldn’t remember the name of the place or where it was located. After driving around for what seemed like a very frustrating hour, I’d completely lost interest in finding this place, but Mike insisted that we press on. We finally found it near the Rock Hill airport, located in a somewhat abandoned strip mall, next to a liquor store disguised as a children’s toy store (named Caboodle’s) and a neon-light obsessed bar, Hooper’s.

By the time we actually went inside, I was in a grouchy mood and figured I was going to hate whatever I chose to eat. I also noted that the place was basically empty except for the few employees working behind the counter (which is usually a red flag in my book). But I was wrong.

After our pleasant experience a few weeks ago, Mike and I decided to break our “diets” one more time this weekend and go out for pizza. We drove out to Ouzo’s (a much shorter and pleasant trip this time around) and found the place empty once again (although there were many to-go orders waiting to be picked up). We ordered a pizza and gyro to share. On our first visit, we ordered a pizza that ended up having too much feta cheese and olives (two things I don’t particularly enjoy in large quantities), so we switched it up and ordered the Ouzo’s special. Our food arrived in under 10 minutes and we tore into the gyro like we hadn’t eaten in days… or, uhm, hours.

Although the atmosphere of Ouzo’s is somewhat boring and quiet, the food is worth the price and it feels good to support a local place. All of the ingredients are fresh – they even make their own salad dressings – and if I do say so myself, they have the best gyro’s in town… They also give you this special “dip” for your pizza, and although I’m not the biggest fan of dipping my pizza in what looks to be a mayonnaise-type dip, I know a lot of people that would be down with it.

So to get to the point, I’d say that Ouzo’s is a great local spot to get pizzas, gyros, salads, burgers, and sandwiches (stress on the pizza and gyros). I don’t know of many places in Rock Hill that you can get a decent gyro, and the fact that it’s only $5.99 for a huge gyro and a large portion of fries makes it even better. I’d suggest going with a group of people, since you’ll most likely be the only people inside, but I’d really like to see them get more business because their products and service are exceptional for the prices paid. It’s much better than giving another $10 to Domino’s or Pizza Hut for a frozen, pre-made doughball.

Lauren’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 4
  They don’t have a vast, expansive menu, but I don’t think there’s a need for it…
• Food Presentation: 5
  You can’t do much regarding presentation for a gyro basket with fries.
  
• Taste of food: 7
  All of the pizza toppings are fresh, which is a whole lot better than the other pizza mega-chains in the area.
  
• Originality in food choices: 5
  No crazy pizza topping or menu options, but who needs that anyway?
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
  I guess when you don’t have a lot of customers you have a lot of time to clean…
  
• Quality of staff: 8
  The same woman has waited on us both times and she’s always been helpful.
  
• Speediness of service: 7
• Atmosphere: 3
  Definitely their downfall.
  
• Drink Selection: 1
  Okay, maybe THIS is their true downfall. They’ve got about 5 types of beer in a big fridge. I guess all the real drinkers go to Hooper’s next door.
  
• Value: 7
  We were both stuffed and still had lots of pizza to take home!
  

Mike’s Ratings:

• Menu Selection: 5
• Food Presentation: 5
• Taste of food: 5 – 7
  The pizza is a 5. It was very oily, but I appreciate the fresh ingredients, especially the cut-to-order sausage. The gyro gets a 7. It tops Old Town Bistro’s and Nishi G’s.
• Originality in food choices: 5
  
• Restaurant cleanliness: 6
• Quality of staff: 6
  
• Speediness of service: 7
  
• Atmosphere: 3
  They have a few superstore variety pictures of what could be Greece and a few nostalgia-style Coke paintings. No cohesion.
• Drink Selection: 1
• Value: 7
  

OVERALL RATING: 3/5 loaves