Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Awful Arthur's
Although Blacksburg, Virginia offers many dining options to its college student consumers, not many are as fun or delicious as Awful Arthur’s located on 213 Draper Road. Awful Arthur’s is a seafood chain which has other locations outside of Blacksburg, but the Blacksburg locale is especially convenient for Virginia Tech students. It’s a very nice place, but don’t come here if your style is lace and fingerbowls. Awful Arthur’s promises a good time.
Not only does Awful Arthur’s offer fresh, delicious seafood, but also includes comfortable seating, pool tables, live entertainment, and karaoke. The ambiance is a carefree and fun one. Huge fish tanks throughout the restaurant make you feel like you’re on vacation. The menu is also clever and fun. You may want to sample an “Awful Burger” or even the “Awful Platter” if you’re feeling extra awful.
I enjoyed the Bayou Salmon with Cajun spices and included fresh steamed vegetables and hush puppies. The food was fresh and the spices were not too strong or weak. Others with whom I was dining also said they enjoyed their meals and when asked about it later, one person commented that she liked the atmosphere.
Although Awful Arthur’s can be a place to eat and party, don’t be afraid to bring your family. It’s really a place for everyone. Although not cheap, the entire menu is reasonably priced and the seafood is very fresh. All in all, it’s a good deal.
Service at Awful Arthur’s was good. I, personally, like a waiter or waitress who will talk and joke with you. I like someone to make you feel relaxed and be your buddy. I can’t say that the service at Awful Arthur’s was like this, but it was certainly satisfactory. I wasn’t wowed by the service of our waitress, but was not at all disappointed.
So, you may be thinking, why can’t I just eat at Red Lobster or some other seafood chain. You may think that it’s essentially the same thing. Wrong! Awful Arthur’s offers an experience that you just have to see for yourself. The Blacksburg location only adds to the spirit and fun of Awful Arthurs; something that other places lack. Awful Arthur’s is unique because it has it all. It can be a hangout to chill with your friends and share a few drinks, or it can be a nice place to have a family meal.
Awful Arthur’s is a great place for any number of celebrations. The atmosphere is perfect for a birthday dinner or even a graduation dinner. The best part is really the versatility of the place. It can be whatever you want it to be. Personally, I went there with my parents and roommate for parent’s weekend, so it was a nice sit-down type of meal for us where we could be comfortably seated and relaxed. At the same time, though, there were many students there having dinner together and having a great time. I definitely recommend Awful Arthur’s for any type of event or celebration. If you’re looking for fun, relaxation, and delicious food, then Awful Arthur’s is the place to be.
Sushi Factory
By Peter Nguyen
Virginia Tech is ranked #1 in food service, but it lacks in one crucial area of cuisine: Asian food. At the beginning of the semester, I found myself constantly craving for decent rice. On my first trip to the Math Emporium, I passed by Sushi Factory for the first and I promised myself to eat at that place when I had money.
Walking into the small restaurant, I was greeted by the nice cashier lady and the sushi chef standing behind the counter. The restaurant only had four small tables with only two seats each. The menu, which could be found either outside the entrance or next to the cash register, was a sheet of paper folded in half and listed it’s thirty some options. The interior was very nicely decorated and gave an Asian feel to it. The walls were painted red and black, which matched with the lanterns that hung above the sushi bar. There were a few posters of famous Asian paintings. The bathroom was extremely clean and also well decorated. There was a stand in the corner with bathroom tissues and also a cute poster of instructions on how to wash your hand correctly. The music was complemented with the Asian theme as the songs that were played were in Japanese.
Looking at the menu, I was very surprised at the prices for it was relatively cheap. Normally sushi can go as high as a few dollars a piece of sushi, but at Sushi Factory the prices ranged from $3.00 to $6.00 for 6 pieces.
I ordered six pieces of the eel roll and 6 pieces of the V.I.P roll. I waited sitting on the table while sipping the delicious free tea. The wait for the sushi was only about five minutes long which afterwards I picked up the bag with the food inside a Styrofoam rectangular box, napkins, a pair of wooden chopsticks, a plastic saucer and three bags of soy sauce. The box was neatly decorated as well. There was a decorative piece of plastic colored green and shaped to represent grass. There were pieces of ginger and a chunk of wasabi in the corner.
As a fan of eel, I would have to say that the eel roll at the Sushi Factory was relatively good. The eel was traditionally wrapped on the inside with bits of cucumber and the rice was doused with eel sauce. The combination of the sweetness of the sauce and the saltiness of the eel was perfectly blended and required minimal soy sauce to complement the rice.
The V.I.P roll was a Sushi Factory specialty that contained rice, seaweed, spicy tuna, eel, cream cheese and avocado. The spiciness of the piece was immediately registered onto my tongue, but was followed by the smoothness of the cream cheese and the saltiness of the eel. Overall it was a bit too much at once, but had an interesting combination of flavors.
The Sushi Factory is perfect for the typical college student. He or she can stop by before going to the Math Emporium to treat himself or herself to a small, healthy, and relatively cheap meal. However, as the restaurant interior is limited in size, I would suggest this place as a pick up and eat at home kind of meal.
College Town Restaurant
Have you ever gone to a college town to find the perfect restaurant? Look no further, Macado’s is the place to be. This restaurant is located across from the University Mall and the Math Emporium, so if you’re having a bad day because you had to face the Math Emporium; go to Macado’s for lunch. With its unsystematic décor, to welcoming waiters, and good food, Macado’s is never a disappointment.
Macado’s menu is unlike any other restaurant because it is a long list of any kind of sandwich and other snack type foods. On their menu, there are so many sandwiches to choose from; any sandwich you can think of is on the menu. I tried the Coney Island, which was ham, bacon, and melted cheese with mayonnaise on rye, fries, and a pickle. My meal was very good and it was the perfect temperature. The Coney Island with the fries and pickle was a lot of food for me, but it was good because I had leftover food for the next day.
The service at Macado’s was very good. The waiter was very informed about the different foods when questions were asked. He was very patient when my friends and I needed more time to look at the long menu when we were deciding what to eat. He was very quick with bringing out the food and drinks. The waiter was quick with a response to bringing out more drinks and the check. He was very helpful and made Macado’s a friendly place to eat.
Macado’s is a college town restaurant. The decorations range from life-size dolls of Superman, Batman, to pictures of themed nights that took place, and framed tee-shirts with different things on them. Customers eating at Macado’s would never get bored because there were many different things to look at while you were eating or talking. They even had a big screen TV where they had a basketball game playing on it. Macado’s was decorated in random items people could think of, but it was enjoyable to look at. In the restaurant, other customers were also fascinated by the décor of Macado’s because it was very unique. Macado’s was very welcoming and clean which is appealing because it makes customers enjoy their dining experience and make them want to go back there to eat.
After dining at Macado’s, I would rate it very high compared to other restaurants because of the uncharacteristic décor, welcoming service, and great food. If someone is looking for a good sandwich place, Macado’s is the place to go because they served any kind of sandwich you can think of. It might not be the best place for birthday’s because it is not a fancy restaurant. It is a casual dining place where people can go out to eat with friends. A reservation might be necessary for Macado’s because it is a very busy restaurant filled with families and college students going out to eat. Macado’s is a wonderful place to eat because it is filled with good workers, excellent food, and a comforting place to dine.
-Sara DeHart
Macado’s menu is unlike any other restaurant because it is a long list of any kind of sandwich and other snack type foods. On their menu, there are so many sandwiches to choose from; any sandwich you can think of is on the menu. I tried the Coney Island, which was ham, bacon, and melted cheese with mayonnaise on rye, fries, and a pickle. My meal was very good and it was the perfect temperature. The Coney Island with the fries and pickle was a lot of food for me, but it was good because I had leftover food for the next day.
The service at Macado’s was very good. The waiter was very informed about the different foods when questions were asked. He was very patient when my friends and I needed more time to look at the long menu when we were deciding what to eat. He was very quick with bringing out the food and drinks. The waiter was quick with a response to bringing out more drinks and the check. He was very helpful and made Macado’s a friendly place to eat.
Macado’s is a college town restaurant. The decorations range from life-size dolls of Superman, Batman, to pictures of themed nights that took place, and framed tee-shirts with different things on them. Customers eating at Macado’s would never get bored because there were many different things to look at while you were eating or talking. They even had a big screen TV where they had a basketball game playing on it. Macado’s was decorated in random items people could think of, but it was enjoyable to look at. In the restaurant, other customers were also fascinated by the décor of Macado’s because it was very unique. Macado’s was very welcoming and clean which is appealing because it makes customers enjoy their dining experience and make them want to go back there to eat.
After dining at Macado’s, I would rate it very high compared to other restaurants because of the uncharacteristic décor, welcoming service, and great food. If someone is looking for a good sandwich place, Macado’s is the place to go because they served any kind of sandwich you can think of. It might not be the best place for birthday’s because it is not a fancy restaurant. It is a casual dining place where people can go out to eat with friends. A reservation might be necessary for Macado’s because it is a very busy restaurant filled with families and college students going out to eat. Macado’s is a wonderful place to eat because it is filled with good workers, excellent food, and a comforting place to dine.
-Sara DeHart
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
The Southern Oven
The Southern Oven
The restaurant I visited is called the Southern Oven. It opened just two months ago, the same week as parents weekend, and it welcomes any guest seeking to experience great food and a homey atmosphere. It is located on 221 Progress St. behind the Wachovia Bank here in Blacksburg. Any student who wants to eat hearty and eat right, should definitely make the walk to Southern Oven.
The moment we entered the restaurant, we could tell there was a home-style theme. The tables were all wooden and placed in just the right spaces so that everyone could see the huge sixty inch TVs that were set up in almost every room. The walls were covered in beautiful sketches and paintings of old farm houses. The Southern Oven draws a group together and makes you feel like family. We were guided to our table and our waiter was already there waiting for us. He was extremely friendly and explained that the goal of the restaurant was to make you feel at home while eating great food. After the brief introduction, we ordered our meal. The meal is designed differently at Southern Oven because the restaurant is all you can eat but is served family-style, meaning that as a group, you choose an assortment of main and side dishes and they are brought out on platters and in large serving bowls. This style could be potentially problematic because, as a group, there must be some consensus about what to order. Our group of six, however, had little trouble and agreed upon the fried chicken and roast beef for our meats and mashed potatoes, sweet corn, green beans, and macaroni and cheese as our sides. Additionally, the meal was set up in was set up in a four course fashion.
The first course was an appetizer of chicken noodle soup. This was not any ordinary chicken noodle soup. It came out to us steaming and filled the air with its aroma. This soup was home-style; thick, tender, delicious chunks of chicken, carrots, celery, and noodles that were all cooked just right, causing flavor to burst from every bite. The soup was complimented nicely by the first of many baskets of fresh cornbread muffins.
The next part of the meal was salad and, as salads go, I would rate it an eight out of ten. It consisted of the normal vegetables, ice-burg lettuce, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and olives. All the vegetables were fresh and it was brought out only after everyone had finished their soup. The waiter was extremely adamant in making sure we had everything we needed.
After our salads, we moved on to the main part of the meal. They were brought out one by one in generous portions. The mashed potatoes and corn were still steaming when they reached the table. The macaroni and cheese was a creamy yellow with a crusted parmesan top. The beans and corn were average and didn’t come with any butter on top. Although somewhat unimpressive in presentation, it was nice to see good vegetables at the table just like mom would want.
The meats came shortly after and looked delicious. The roast beef and fried chicken consumed the room with their mouthwatering aroma. We wasted no time dividing out servings, passing the dishes, and digging in. The mashed potatoes were some of the best I have ever had. They had a dense consistency with a buttery taste. The macaroni was creamy but also had the crunch of the crusted parmesan. The beans and corn were surprisingly flavorful in contrast to the bland presentation. Then came the meats. The first batch of fried chicken was amazing. The batter was not too greasy and the chicken inside was tender and juicy. The all-you-can-eat style, inevitably led to us ordering a second batch. While the first batch was great, the second was a little bit too greasy, which displayed potential inconsistency in the cooking. The roast beef was the pinnacle of perfection. Both batches had all the right flavors and were juicy and tender.
When we had finished our fill of the main dishes we moved on to dessert. This consisted of a peach cobbler that was no less than a ten out of ten. The warm cobbler was topped with chilled whipped cream.
The waiter had done his job flawlessly and made sure we had everything we needed. Drinks and the check arrived promptly when asked for. We left Southern Oven with a new appreciation for home-style cooking and the content feeling of a full belly.
The restaurant I visited is called the Southern Oven. It opened just two months ago, the same week as parents weekend, and it welcomes any guest seeking to experience great food and a homey atmosphere. It is located on 221 Progress St. behind the Wachovia Bank here in Blacksburg. Any student who wants to eat hearty and eat right, should definitely make the walk to Southern Oven.
The moment we entered the restaurant, we could tell there was a home-style theme. The tables were all wooden and placed in just the right spaces so that everyone could see the huge sixty inch TVs that were set up in almost every room. The walls were covered in beautiful sketches and paintings of old farm houses. The Southern Oven draws a group together and makes you feel like family. We were guided to our table and our waiter was already there waiting for us. He was extremely friendly and explained that the goal of the restaurant was to make you feel at home while eating great food. After the brief introduction, we ordered our meal. The meal is designed differently at Southern Oven because the restaurant is all you can eat but is served family-style, meaning that as a group, you choose an assortment of main and side dishes and they are brought out on platters and in large serving bowls. This style could be potentially problematic because, as a group, there must be some consensus about what to order. Our group of six, however, had little trouble and agreed upon the fried chicken and roast beef for our meats and mashed potatoes, sweet corn, green beans, and macaroni and cheese as our sides. Additionally, the meal was set up in was set up in a four course fashion.
The first course was an appetizer of chicken noodle soup. This was not any ordinary chicken noodle soup. It came out to us steaming and filled the air with its aroma. This soup was home-style; thick, tender, delicious chunks of chicken, carrots, celery, and noodles that were all cooked just right, causing flavor to burst from every bite. The soup was complimented nicely by the first of many baskets of fresh cornbread muffins.
The next part of the meal was salad and, as salads go, I would rate it an eight out of ten. It consisted of the normal vegetables, ice-burg lettuce, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and olives. All the vegetables were fresh and it was brought out only after everyone had finished their soup. The waiter was extremely adamant in making sure we had everything we needed.
After our salads, we moved on to the main part of the meal. They were brought out one by one in generous portions. The mashed potatoes and corn were still steaming when they reached the table. The macaroni and cheese was a creamy yellow with a crusted parmesan top. The beans and corn were average and didn’t come with any butter on top. Although somewhat unimpressive in presentation, it was nice to see good vegetables at the table just like mom would want.
The meats came shortly after and looked delicious. The roast beef and fried chicken consumed the room with their mouthwatering aroma. We wasted no time dividing out servings, passing the dishes, and digging in. The mashed potatoes were some of the best I have ever had. They had a dense consistency with a buttery taste. The macaroni was creamy but also had the crunch of the crusted parmesan. The beans and corn were surprisingly flavorful in contrast to the bland presentation. Then came the meats. The first batch of fried chicken was amazing. The batter was not too greasy and the chicken inside was tender and juicy. The all-you-can-eat style, inevitably led to us ordering a second batch. While the first batch was great, the second was a little bit too greasy, which displayed potential inconsistency in the cooking. The roast beef was the pinnacle of perfection. Both batches had all the right flavors and were juicy and tender.
When we had finished our fill of the main dishes we moved on to dessert. This consisted of a peach cobbler that was no less than a ten out of ten. The warm cobbler was topped with chilled whipped cream.
The waiter had done his job flawlessly and made sure we had everything we needed. Drinks and the check arrived promptly when asked for. We left Southern Oven with a new appreciation for home-style cooking and the content feeling of a full belly.
Saturday, December 8, 2007
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