For Father’s Day the kids got me Bobby Deen’s newest cookbook, From Mama’s Table to Mine.  Little man was very excited when I opened it, and immediately asked what were were going to cook. Flipping though the pages a recipe for “healthy” mac and cheese caught my eye, and we decided it to make it as a side dish for dinner.

Ingredients:
4 cups whole grain elbow macaroni
2 tbs unsalted butter
2 tbs all purpose flour
2 cups skim milk
1 cup heated low fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 oz low-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Freshly ground pepper to taste

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni al dente. Drain well.

2. Put the empty pasta pot back on the stove over medium-high heat. Melt the butter then add the flour and whisk. Slowly add the milk and simmer until bubbling and slightly thick. Whisk in the remaining ingredients.

3. Measure out 4 cups of cooked pasta, add to the mixture.Cook until heated through and serve.

I made a few changes to Bobby Deen’s recipe. First, upped the amount of Worcestershire sauce to 1 tsp and the dried mustard to 3/4 tsp. I also placed the finished mac and cheese in a casserole dish and baked it in 350 a degree oven for 25 minutes until it was lightly browned on top. Once it cooled slightly at the request of Mason I added “the green things” (chopped parsley). If you follow the directions exactly the mac and cheese recipe yields a creamy version of the classic Southern side dish.  If you bake it, it becomes the a tasty casserole that our family prefers.  Whichever way you serve it, the mac and cheese had a lot of good cheese flavor with less of the guilt!

For those that care, Bobby’s mama’s version of mac and cheese had 584 calories and 30 grams of fat per serving. Bobby’s came in at 293 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving.

***One quick last note, this is the first cooking post on Sweet Tea & Bourbon.  If this is something y’all would like to see more of, let me know! Alternatively, if you think I should just stick to writing about restaurants, tell me that too! Thank you!***

I tend to be a streaky eater.  One week it will be sandwiches, the next week sushi, and the next hamburgers.  I am currently in a Chinese food phase and as lunchtime approached, scouted restaurants I had not visited.  I settled on Wok N Roll and headed towards the east side of town.

Wok N Roll is located at 2819 Mahan Drive, #106 in a small plaza just west of the Capital Circle NE intersection.    A wok on wheels flanked by the name of the restaurant on the front façade marked its location.  A simple neon open sign and a list of specials on a piece of yellow poster board were attached to the plate glass window.  Ample parking was provided in front of the small brick faced restaurant.

It was a few minutes after noon when I walked through the front door.  The restaurant was empty except for two employees who chatted behind the counter.  Light gold and deep garnet walls trimmed with black trim were paired with polished concrete, and a black painted drop-ceiling.   A lone flat screen television mounted kitty-cornered towards the rear of the restaurant droned on about the latest bad news from somewhere in the country.  The walls were devoid of any artwork and the large exposed areas made it feel like a cafeteria.

The girl behind the counter greeted me and asked me for my order.  I took a moment to look over the menu.  Wok N Roll offers lunch specials, combination plates, various noodles dishes, soups and appetizers.  The dishes were drawn from various Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, and Thai.  I decided to order Harumaki (Japanese vegetable spring rolls) and Chow Mein Fun (thin rice noodles tossed with chicken and mixed vegetables.)

I took a seat at one of the numerous empty tables.  Within five minutes of placing my order my names was called and I grabbed my meal.  I was handed a plastic bag with two foam containers.  I opened the smaller one first and was greeted by three small fried spring rolls.  They were crispy on outside, but the filling consisted of little more than greasy, mushy cabbage.  They were served with an overly sweet dipping sauce.

The Chow Mein Fun was served in a large white plastic container.  Thin rice noodles were flecked with pieces of chicken, egg, green onions and cabbage.  The noodles were over cooked and coated in oil.  The vegetables and chicken were almost non-existent.  The cabbage was soggy and brown in some area.  I picked out the chicken and threw the rest of it away.

Wok N Roll is open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m, on Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., and closed on Sunday. The restaurant can be found on Facebook and can be contacted by telephone at (850) 597-8852.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C
Taste: F
Presentation: D
Service: B
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

Being an adult has its perks, and among them is the ability to eat ice cream for lunch.  I had not packed anything for my mid-day meal, and the thought of a sandwich or sushi did not excite me.  Instead, I decided to pay northeast Tallahassee’s newest frozen yogurt shop a visit.

Sweet Frog is located at 6753 Thomasville Road in the Publix Shopping Center The first thing I noticed walking towards the red brick clad storefront was a bright pink and green sign above the door complete with a playful smiling frog proclaiming the shop sold premium frozen yogurt.  Two additional smiling frogs and bright neon green and pink circles dotted the windows. For more on Sweet Frog check out the full review on Tallahassee.com.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: A
Taste: A
Presentation: A
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

Sitting at my desk a co-worker walked by with a plate of Chinese food.  Up until that point I had been undecided about what to have for lunch and decided to check out one of the few Chinese restaurants in the northeast part of town I had not visited, King House.

King House is located at 1415 Timberlane Road in Market Square between a natural foods store and an antique market.  A steady rain was falling as I pulled into the parking lot.  I found a spot next to the covered area where two vendors were peddling vegetables.  Hopping over a large puddle I walked towards a faded yellow awning.  Overhead a red and yellow sign announced the located of the Chinese restaurant.

The gloominess of outside carried into the restaurant.  It was dimly lit and stuffy inside.  A sparsely filled buffet table sat against one wall while a baby basinet was pressed against the other.  King House is a long narrow space with tables lining the left hand wall and the kitchen located to the right.  A sallow looking man nibbling on fried chicken sat at one of the tables that appeared to be a relic from the 1980s. Peeling grey streaked wallpaper and sage green upholstered chairs completed the depressing interior.

I approached the tiled line counter to look over a menu. Boxes were stacked on one side and the soda machine needed to be cleaned.  Stock pictures of food found in many Chinese restaurants lined the case and the wall behind the register.  The menu had a large grease stain on the front along with a piece of what appeared to be pork.  King House offers standard Americanized Chinese food including chow mein, chop suey and mei fun dishes.  Chef’s Specials are offered, but rather than offering something unique, consisted of General Tso’s chicken and orange flavored beef.

Hedging my bets I ordered a lunch special of beef and broccoli. The meal came with an egg roll and fried rice.  I sat and watched the cook prepare my meal as the other worked attempted to take an order over the phone for delivery.  She struggled and eventually shrugged her shoulders.   Moments later my lunch was served.  I grabbed the plastic bag and headed for the door eager to leave.

On the drive back to my office the smell of old oil permeated my car.  I rolled down the window and ran the a/c in an attempt to rid my car of the odor.  At my destination I glumly opened the foam container.  Two-thirds of the box was full of fried rice flecked with eggs, carrots, and peas.  The other third was occupied by a small portion of beef and broccoli.  I picked up a piece of beef with my chopsticks.  It was tender and the brown sauce complimented the beef.  The broccoli was still a bit crisp.  As beef and broccoli dishes go, it was a bit above average.  The rice had an off flavor, and one bite was enough to determine it would end up in the garbage.   My hopes of a mediocre lunch were dashed as I opened the wax paper sleeve containing the egg roll.  It was one of the smallest egg rolls I have ever received from a Chinese restaurant, and was full of little more than mushy cabbage.

King House is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.  Monday through Saturday they are open from 11:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m.  Sunday hours are from 11:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m.  They offer delivery and can be contacted at (850) 893-6969.  King House accepts cash, Visa, and Mastercard.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: D
Taste: F
Presentation: C
Service: C
Cleanliness: D
Price: $

Sometimes mornings don’t go as planned.  A lengthy car service, followed by a trip to the body shop, resulted in a less than thrilling morning.  Thankfully I was on vacation, and in an effort to sweeten up my day I decided to check out Artistic Confections.

Artistic Confections is located at 1712 Thomasville Road in a cluster of small tan buildings called Duval Plaza.  The bakery is at the south end of the complex on the far right end of a row of small shops.  Pulling in front of the building I was greeted by a large pale blue and white striped sign hanging over the large plate glass window.  Two small café tables hugged the sidewalk.  A small black lantern hung above the tables.  It was an inviting place and I was interested to see what stood behind the front door. For more on Artistic Confections check out the full review on Tallahassee.com.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: B
Taste: A
Presentation: A
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

In an effort to eat my way through the Tallahassee Food Truck Court I returned with my friends John and Claire to check out the Fired Up Pizza Truck.  On the particular Friday afternoon when we visited foot traffic was light, and they were the only truck parked in the open lot that sits on the corner of S. Bronough and  W. Madison Streets.

Fired Up Pizza travels around the Capital City in a white pull behind trailer.  The oven is visible towards the front of the truck and consists of a small opening where a wood fire could be seen burning.  The oven is covered in polished diamond plate.   One employee appeared to be tasked with applying the toppings and cooking the pizzas while the other took orders and stretched dough.

We approached and read the menu hanging between the two windows where orders were placed and pizza delivered to customers.  Personal pizzas were priced at $5.00 with various toppings available for an additional buck.  Drinks were also $1.00 and included various Coke products and bottled water.  I ordered a cheese pizza and water for $6.00.  Fired Up uses of Square, and accepts major credit cards, debit cards and cash.

A few minutes after placing the order my name was called and I picked up the pizza on a simple white paper plate.  The crust was braided and slighted singed on one side from the brick over.  Red sauce was covered by mozzarella cheese.  The side closer to the fire was browned and flecked with small pools of orange colored grease.  A sprinkle or oregano leaves dotted a few slices of the pie.

I picked up piece and gave it a bite.  The crust tasted bland. It was also soft and did not have the anticipated crispness usually provided by a brick oven.  The cheese was well melted.  The sauce was pedestrian.  There was a distinct lack of spices.  Pizza made in a wood oven should be full of amazing taste, but this pie was very disappointing and lacked any flavor.

Fired Up Pizza can be found Wednesdays and Fridays in the Food Truck Court, and the best way to locate them is by checking out their Facebook page.  Fire Up Pizza can also be contacted at (850) 210-8587.

*A quick note, my son deleted my original pictures of the Fired Up Pizza Truck and I tracked them down the following Saturday for a few shots.  The price of their individual pizza was a dollar more at Lake Ella.  I bought a pepperoni pizza for the kids and sampled one slice.  It was as underwhelming as the cheaper cheese pizza I sampled the day before.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: A
Taste: D
Presentation: C
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

On a tip from fellow Tallahassee foodies, Mark and Sarah who pen CitronZest, I recently visited China Delight with my friend Joe.  The restaurant is located at 220 W. Tennessee Street next to the shiny and recently refurbished Four Points by Sheraton hotel.  We arrived a little before lunch and parked at the rear of the restaurant. For more on China Delight read the full review on Tallahassee.com.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C
Taste: A
Presentation: A
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $$

Travelling to Augusta for depositions meant a five hour car ride, and due to scheduling issues no time to stop for a bite to eat.  By the time I arrived in the suburb of Evans, I was famished.  With thirty minutes to spare before the start of four hours of questioning my options were limited to grabbing a fast food or searching out something more adventurous near the court reporter’s office.

I opted for the later, and a short drive later pulled into the parking lot of a Publix. At the far left end sat Viet Royal.  The exterior of the restaurant was clad in red brick.  Plat glass windows spanned the front with a rectangular neon open side adjacent to the door.  One the facade sat a simple block letter sign proclaiming the name of the restaurant.   In case there were any lingering doubts about the kind of cuisine it specialized the sign also proclaimed it served Vietnamese cuisine.

Opening the front door I walked into a very well kept space.  It was after noon but the restaurant was bereft of patrons.  A slight woman greeted me from behind the cashiers stand located to the right of the entrance.  I asked is they served bahn mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) and she informed me that they did not.  She added with a smile that they were her favorite. Looking over the menu Viet Royal offered a wide variety of dishes including my personal favorite pho.  In a dress shirt and tie, however, I thought it best to avoid the soupy goodness and instead opted for bun thit nuong (grilled pork over vermicelli).  I also ordered a pair of spring rolls and took a seat at the bar while I waited for my meal to be prepared.

Despite being in a faceless strip mall the interior of Viet Royal was bright and airy.  Pendant lights hung from the ceiling over the maroon upholstered booths that provided seating.  Plants dotted the railing between the booths and a flat screen television was anchored to the wall broadcasting the cable news network originally skippered by Ted Turner.

Moments after sitting down my ordered appeared on the bar in a plastic bag.  When I arrived at the location of the deposition I opened it to reveal two foam containers.  The smaller one on top opened to reveal two delicately rolled spring rolls.  The translucent rice paper revealed whole shrimp and shredded vegetables.  A peanut based dipping sauce was provided, but the freshness of the ingredients in the rolls stood by themselves and did not require any enhancement.

The bun thit nuong was amazing.  Tender pork was perfectly grilled and seasoned sat on tip of thin noodles under a light dusting of crushed peanuts and green onions.  Bean sprouts, shredded carrots and basil provided a crunch and peppery bite.  A sweet and spicy sauce provided another layer of flavor and made for a very interesting dish.  It was among the tastiest take out I had eaten in recent memory and I eagerly inhaled my meal as another person in the lunch room ate a sad meal of reheated ribs and cold sides.  I won lunch.

Viet Royal is worth a look if you find yourself on the outskirts of Augusta looking for authentic Vietnamese cuisine.  It was well prepared, priced right, and served with a smile.  The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.  Viet Royal accents cash and most major credit cards.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: B
Taste: A
Presentation: B
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

The skies were gray but the rain held off as I drove down Thomasville Road with my friend Joe.  We were in search of one of the city’s many food trucks, and upon arriving at the location they were supposed to be set up, were saddened to find a vacant lot. Undeterred, I recommended we stop by Curbside Bar B.Q & Seafood. I had driven past the small BBQ joint numerous time but had never had an opportunity to stop in for a meal.  He agreed and we parked in front of a barber shop before making the short walk to the restaurant. For more on Curbside check out the full review on Tallahassee.com.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: C
Taste: A
Presentation: B
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $

Driving back from Augusta I was wrestled with two competing issues.  On the one hand I wanted to limit highway stops so I could get back home as soon as possible.  On the other hand I needed to eat something before every decent placed closed, and I was forced to eat fast food. A balance was struck as I pulled off Exit 149 on I-75. Byron, Georgia is located just south of Macon, and is home to one of four Georgia Bob’s BBQ Company restaurants.  The other three are located in Warner Robins, Macon, and Milledgeville.

This particular Georgia Bob’s location is housed in a large barn looking building a short hop from the interstate.  The exterior is painted a medium brown color and “BBQ” is written in large letters on the tin roof.  A large Georgia Bob’s logo faced the parking lot that on this particular evening had ample spaces available.  I parked near the front door and made my way towards what I hoped would be some memorable BBQ.

Walking through the front door I made my way towards the counter at the rear of the restaurant.  Behind the cash register a menu board listed the various meats and sides offered.  Chicken, brisket, ribs, and pulled pork were all available along with chicken tenders and corn dogs for the kids.

The cashier said their barbeque sandwich was the most popular item on their menu and happened to be really good.  I took her word for it and ordered one with a side of fries and some sweet tea.  I asked if for the BBQ sauce on the side, and was told they mix all of their pork with sauce. This was disconcerting as slathering ‘que in sauce is usually done to hide less than stellar meat.

I smiled and while I waited for my meal to appear grabbed a cup and filled it with sweet tea.  Unlike most places offering this brown elixir, Georgia Bob’s was on the weak side and could have used more sugar.  Sipping on the sub-par sweet tea I surveyed the restaurant’s interior.  It was very clean and brightly lit by wall lamps and overhead lighting.   Two dining rooms full of booths and tables provided seating.  The walls were decorated with a variety of memorabilia including framed flags, posters, and even a saxophone.  Instead of having an authentic BBQ joint feel it felt contrived.

Before long my sandwich was ready.  The cashier gave me a small container of their spicy BBQ sauce and I was on my way.  I tackled the pork sandwich first and was by a large scoop of pulled pork plopped between two halves of a toasted hamburger bun.  The pork had been thoroughly mixed in the mild BBQ sauce.  The flavor of the meat was masked by the vinegar tomato taste of the sauce and there were no pieces of bark mixed within the stringy pork.  It was a sub-par pork sandwich.

The fries were of the crinkle cut variety and were at least hot.  The best part of the meal was the spicy BBQ sauce which I dipped the fries into.  It was a very nice mix of vinegar, tomato, and just the right amount of heat.  I literally drank the remaining sauce and gave the empty container a swipe with my finger to make sure I got it all.

While their BBQ sauce was good, there are much better pork sandwiches to be had on I-75. Georgia Bob’s is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. They can be found online at georgiabobs.com, and the Byron location can be contacted directly by telephone at (478) 654-6682.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:

Atmosphere: C-
Taste: D
Presentation: C
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $