Below are the 7 most recent journal entries recorded in Roadfood.com Reviews' InsaneJournal:

Monday, April 18th, 2016
8:26 am	Four Aces Diner - West Lebanon, NH http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/6245-11394/four-aces-diner It is a problem deciding what to have for breakfast at the Four Aces Diner because there are so many inviting choices. How could one NOT have a hot popover with maple butter on the side? Or an immense maple-glazed sour cream donut cut in half, buttered, grilled, and topped with whipped cream? I went for both and had no regrets, but I am sorry I did not taste the creamy pimento cheese polenta sticks and the sweet corn fritters topped with powdered sugar and maple syrup. Also among the specials the day I visited were smoked peppered salmon and cream cheese on a bagel, maple baked beans, and a blue-plate special of pan-fried calves liver smothered with onions and bacon. I get happy when I see red flannel hash on a New England menu. It is an old-time dish that once was popular but now is hard to find. What it is: corned beef hash with beets added. Normally the beets are mixed in enough that the hash turns the color of red flannel. At the Four Aces, little cubes of beet are added, contributing their flavor in tiny pops, but not dramatically effecting the taste of the whole dish, or its color. West Lebanon is north enough that road signs give distances in kilometers as well as miles, so I felt obliged to try the poutine (a Quebecoise passion) that was also on the daily-special menu. It is half good, the French fries crisp and elegant, the cheese more flavorful than most (while not at all squeaky fresh like connoisseurs demand), but the whole thing is undone by gravy that tastes ersatz. I dont know if it actually comes from a can, but it tastes it. Four Aces, which is Worcester Dining Car #837, is one of the most handsome, most well-worn classic diners I know. Theres almost no pattern left on the Formica counter, and there are places where decades of elbows have worn right through. But overall it presents a fine picture with its curving pink ceiling, dark wood booths, chrome-banded counter stools, and tiny-tile floor. If you're a diner lover, it's a must. And if you are hungry in West Lebanon, it will fill the bill. (Comment on this)
Sunday, April 17th, 2016
6:51 am	Oxford Creamery - Mattapoisett, MA http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8680-11331/oxford-creamery The Oxford Creamery is a vintage blue-awning white cafe by the side of the road. Its sign features the image of a big ice cream cone. Pay attention to the words above that cone: "Lobster Rolls." At $12 (as of 2015), an Oxford Creamery lobster roll is one of the great bargains in the Roadfood universe. While you can easily pay twice as much for a lobster roll elsewhere in the region, you will seldom come across one half as good. The amount of meat and its quality are astonishing: large, resilient segments of claw, tail, and knuckle seem to be everything good in a pound-plus sea critter. The magnificent parts are just barely cool  not cold or icy  and veiled in a thin film of mayonnaise that provides a gauzy halo for a tidal wave of oceanic sweetness. Mounted on fresh leaves of lettuce in a split-top bun and sided by French fries and cole slaw, this sandwich is a Yankee shore archetype. Not to slight the clams  whole belly clams, of course (although strips are available). These, too, are jumbos, cased in crisp, brightly-seasoned crust and fairly oozing flavor. The bill of seafare also includes scallops, fish & chips, shrimp and a crab roll. Fish frowners (why are you here?) can have a hot dog, a hamburger, a linguica (sausage) roll, or any number of familiar sandwiches. As for ice cream, a couple dozen flavors are available, but what mesmerizes me is all the various ways to have ice cream made into something special: a reflection of the unique South Coast way of creating and naming such concoctions to the beat of a different drum. For example, a milk shake is simply milk and flavoring. Add ice cream and it becomes a frappe (what is known as a milk shake in the rest of the world, except in Rhode Island, where it is called a cabinet). A milk float is a frappe that is not blended. A freeze is like a frappe, but made with soda rather than milk. And a soda float is an unblended freeze. Got that? I had a coffee frappe, and it was thick and creamy and delicious. Long-time locals will tell you that hardly anything has changed since this little charmer opened as Gulf Hill Ice Cream in 1931. In the hands of Ken and Liz Ackerman since 2003, staffed by a team of happy high school and college kids, offering seats at picnic tables in a nearby shaded grove, Oxford Creamery is a sublime summer eat-shack experience. (Comment on this)
Saturday, April 16th, 2016
5:51 am	Meltz - Coeur d'Alene, ID http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8479-10891/meltz Sharing space in a modest strip mall with a Conoco gas station convenience store and a Take n Bake pizza place, Meltz does not look like the interesting restaurant it is. Extreme grilled cheese is its stated mission, and the specialty sandwiches really are far out: items like the Korean Krazy, which is provolone and pepperjack cheeses, barbecued beef, kimchi, crushed sesame sticks, scallions, hot pepper ketchup, and cilantro. I got mine on sourdough bread, well-buttered and grilled to a fare-thee-well. Whole wheat bread also is available. The Korean Krazy earned a first-place trophy in the 2014 National Grilled Cheese Invitational competition. A few other dazzlers from the menu are the Oinker (cheddar, pulled pork, bacon, creamy pasta, and buttermilk fried onions), the Briqueso (cheddar, brie, roasted artichokes, red peppers, caramelized onions, garlicky spinach, grilled zucchini, and sundried tomatoes), and the German Curd (cheddar, pretzel-crusted cheese curds, bratwurst, braised sweet onions, and bacon sauerkraut with stone-ground mustard sauce). Simpler sandwiches of merely cheeses also are available, and it is possible to create your own sandwich by specifying which of the several cheeses, veggies, and meats you like. Available cheeses include Cheddar, Fontina, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, Colby, Swiss, Provolone, Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Gruyere, Brie, Blue, Chevre, American, even Cheez Whiz. Beyond the assembly of fantastic ingredients, what gives these sandwiches an edge is that they are made on thick-cut bread that gets masterfully grilled to crusty succulence. It is not uncommon for cheese to ooze out and turn crunchy on the grill, creating yummy little wings that extend well beyond the slice. Because the sandwiches tend to be complicated and are, of course, made to order, the wait time is a good 10 minutes. When your order is ready, your name is called and its up to you to tote your tray to a table in the small, crowded dining area. To go with the sandwiches, Meltz makes thick-cut potato chips (from Idahos, of course) that are salted and brilliantly seasoned. (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 14th, 2016
2:42 am	Big Chick - Washington, GA http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8823-11571/big-chick I am told that hamburgers at Big Chick are good, juicy, hand-formed patties; but for me and for a majority of customers, this aromatic little roadside stand earns love for what emerges from its deep fryer, chicken in particular. White and dark parts, gizzards, livers, strips (regular or spicy), and wings all come crusted with a brightly salted skin that shatters at first bite and radiates flavor. It is supremely succulent southern fried chicken, and a bargain at under $5 for a two-piece dinner including hot-from-the fryer crinkle-cut fries and a roll. Fried is the watchword for almost all the side dishes, each of which is a vegetable with only enough personality to make its presence known within the star player, which is batter. Onion rings are only barely oniony; fried okra strikes a nice balance of green pod and golden crust; hush puppies are super crunchy; corn balls are spheres of creamed corn with a crisp coat. There is no seating on premises. All food is presented in white paper bags for taking elsewhere. (Comment on this)
Monday, April 11th, 2016
4:32 am	La Cantina - Clarks Hill, SC http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8822-11569/la-cantina At tables on the outdoor patio at La Cantina, diners watch steaks cook. Few culinary rituals are so dramatic. Slid into an 1800 degree wood-burning horno (oven) on iron skillets that rest directly upon red-hot logs, the sirloins are enveloped in flame for no more than three minutes, emerging in a swirl of smoke that sends red-meat perfume across the patio. They are beautiful pieces of food with crusty blackened edges that shore in tidal waves of succulence. It is hypnotic to watch chef Rusty Lindberg shuffle his iron skillets in and out of the fire, but his dexterity with meat is only one of a multitude of talents on display at La Cantina. He also is a ventriloquist puppeteer, and when dinner comes to an end, chances are he will put on a show with puppets he has personally hand-carved. Or he may pick up his guitar and play classical and flamenco tunes. Lindberg is a relentlessly creative soul, but in our book, his skills as a chef are what matter. Beyond well-marbled strip steaks (which are available topped with pico de gallo or with shrimp), highlights of the menu include almond-crusted herbed salmon; "Lamb Istambul" seasoned with rosemary, garlic, and tamarind; a lavish "Seafood Macarhena" that includes shrimp, chicken, and sausage; and an immense, almond-crusted chicken breast stuffed with house-made herbed cheese and presented atop a bed of pasta with potent marinara sauce. Various pies and cakes are available for dessert but, honestly, I ate so much wonderful dinner that I hadn't any appetite left to try them. Next time I will. And there definitely will be a next time. La Cantina is a one-of-a-kind gem. Note that La Cantina is open only for dinner, and only Friday and Saturday. Reservations are essential. (Comment on this)
Friday, April 8th, 2016
4:06 am	Rise Bakeshop - Columbia, SC http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8821-11568/rise-bakeshop Question: What should a person eat in a self-professed "Southern Boulangerie"? Answer: Anything and everything. I've yet to try an item from this enterprising little eat shop that isn't excellent. It is possible to order truly cross cultural sandwiches such as pimento cheese on a brioche bun or a baguette spread with boiled peanut hummus, but Rise's fusion of cuisines is less about specifics and more a matter of style. Here you will find some of the South's favorite dishes prepared with the brio of a Cordon Bleu chef. Likewise, some traditional French bakery items are given a beguiling Dixie accent. A country ham biscuit, for example, adds preserved lemon butter and basil to the classic southern pair. In a subtle textural role reversal, the biscuit itself is chewy, the ham light and tender, the lemon butter and basil adding a sunny Mediterranean flair. A roasted apple galette is a sophisticated, multi-sheaf pastry but with all the powerhouse fruit sweetness of Mississippi boarding house cobbler. In a category that is neither very French nor Southern, Rise Bakeshop offers a wide array of nutritionally virtuous dishes including a wonderful warm buckwheat breakfast bowl that includes candied pecans and golden raisins and is sweetened with sorghum syrup. Sorghum also adds wicked dark potency to a fine sticky bun. After 10:30, a roster of "Late Riser" sandwiches are available on brioche or baguette. Among these are fried chicken with house-made pickles and spicy mayo; a vegetarian beet burger topped with cheese; a "Garden of Good Eatin'" sandwich of roasted vegetables, local greens, and a schmear of sun-dried tomato spread; and a truly cross-cultural invention called "This Little Piggy." The Piggy is made with porchetta, kimchi aioli, jicama slaw, soy vinaigrette, and cilantro on a length of chewy, crusty whole-wheat baguette. Rise is foremost a bakery, where pastries and breadstuffs are made from scratch with expert hands. These include luxurious English muffins, brioche rolls, biscuits, and baguettes. It is possible to come here and have a simple serving of bread topped with a selection from a tremendous variety of house-made blended butters (fines herbs, roasted garlic, bacon, preserved lemon, etc.), schmears (sun-dried tomato, chow-chow, lox, etc.), and specialty spreads (truffle mushroom, pimento cheese, boiled peanut hummus&). There is no indoor seating at Rise Bakeshop, but a small patio offers chairs and a couple of tables for al fresco dining when weather permits. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 6th, 2016
4:35 am	Grits & Groceries - Belton, SC http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/8820-11567/grits-groceries Saylors Crossroads is as rural as a place can be, surrounded by acres of agriculture and a far piece from any town. At this bucolic spot in the heart of South Carolina's Piedmont stands a restaurant that is true to its country location but also is a beacon of sophisticated cooking. How did such a paradox come to be? Owners Heidi and Joe Trull had a baby. At the time, they were successful restaurateurs in the Creole culinary polestar, New Orleans  he was Emeril Lagasse's pastry chef at Nola, she ran the esteemed Elizabeth's  but they wanted to raise their child in the Carolinas where they grew up. So they found an old country store and made it into Grits & Groceries. Here you find local produce used to make traditional dishes, but with a twist, the twist frequently being a South Louisiana accent. Examples: pork steak with Creole gravy; shrimp po boy; praline-crusted bacon. Among other menu highlights are a juice-heavy pimento cheeseburger draped with bacon, okra fritters with corn relish (a Wednesday special), and an appetizer of crisp-fried spheres of country ham and pimento cheese rolled in corn flakes and presented on a puddle of sweet-hot pepper jelly. If I have a problem with this place, it's that there are too many intriguing things on the menu to taste them all, even in multiple visits. Dessert is as good as it gets. Banana pudding is loaded with cookies and topped with real whipped cream. Crisp-crusted fried apple pie is served warm, inducing ecstasy when sided by a scoop of house-made cinnamon ice cream. Chocolate Coca-Cola cake is moist and powerfully chocolaty. I've yet to taste such inviting items as coconut bread pudding, chocolate coconut cheesecake, peanut butter crunch bread pudding, Acadian fig cake, and whiskey egg nog ice cream. Breakfast is served Friday and Saturday until 10:30am. The menu features cornmeal buttermilk pancakes with cooked apples, omelets made with shrimp or meat of choice (including country ham and bologna), and breakfast sandwiches on biscuits or Texas toast. Dinner is served Thursday nights only. (Comment on this)