The Daily, Richmond, Virginia

The Daily opened this past July and is located in vibrant Carytown in Richmond, Virginia. One word comes to mind when I think of The Daily...hip. This restaurant is chic and is packed with a well-groomed crowd to match. Based on a friend's glowing recommendation, we decided to swing in The Daily on a Sunday and hoped to get a seat. Reservations are strongly encouraged. Fortunately we had our choice of inside or outside. The Daily's patio is comfortable even in the chilly weather as they have turbo heaters between the tables. The patio flows into the interior through two large glass garage-like doors with a feng shui orientation. There is a large bar where you can also grab a meal if seating is full or if you just prefer eating at the bar. Our server was very helpful and included 'groovy' in his description of a meal...he was professional but still had a personality.

On to the most important topic, the food. We started with the edamame which had a sweet soy reduction. This gave the appetizer a little twist...something easy to add at home as we eat edamame a few times each week. I tried a blueberry lemonade cocktail which was good but the bourbon threw me (I should have read closer, I assumed the liquor was vodka). I am just engineered for lighter-tasting spirits. All in all, The Daily has an interesting cocktail list as well as a nice beer and wine list. They even carry O'Connor's, one of our Norfolk brews.


I pondered and pondered over what to order. I was in the mood for a sandwich, and was playing mental ping pong between the vegetable Panini and the veggie burger and then the twist in that mix was the vegetable plate option you can build. I was sure The Daily would have a great veggie burger but those sides were screaming at me - so many choices. Upon asking the server, he also added the curried lentil bowl as one of his favorite vegetarian dishes. I was really in a quandary. After another few minutes of decision agony, I opted for the Panini, as the server said he would choose that over the veggie burger and that was my first inclination. Sweet potato fries were a must and I had to throw in a side of the Brussels sprouts - another suggestion from our server. My carnivorous half went with the beef stir fry and a side of whipped potatoes. Who says you cannot order potatoes when you have a rice dish...no one in this camp.


My only disappointment, we did not have time for dessert - unbelievable but true on this Sunday. The Daily's pumpkin bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream has haunted my dreams since our meal. I would really like to visit again before pumpkin season ends (and I do love this time of year for all of the pumpkin offerings!) I wonder if The Daily would ship this creation on dry ice to me...

The Daily is a must if you are in the Richmond area. If you are out, make a day of grabbing a meal there and enjoying the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (A Hollywood Costume exhibit starts soon!) and other fun activities the city has to offer.

The Daily
2934 W. Cary St, Richmond, VA 23221
(408) 714-1489
Hours: Mon - Sat 11:00am - 2:00pm, Sun 10:30am - 2:00am

Tortilla West, Norfolk, Virginia (oldie but goodie)

Tortilla West is well known as one of Ghent's treasures. Located in the back of West Ghent, T-West, as many fondly call it, is a southwestern spot with great food and a plethora of tequila. We are huge fans of T-West and dine there once every other week, at least. The cheese dip is our go-to appetizer and T-West's seasoned chips are my favorite chips around town. Tortilla West does not have a cocktail menu per se but they do have a ton of liquor choices. For the second time, the nice bartender made me a fruity concoction of mango vodka and pomegranate liquor combined with pineapple, orange and lime juices. This is a pretty delicious drink on a hot day. This particular night, along with the mandatory chips, I started with the gazpacho soup special. A smoky flavor and topped with avocado, T-West's version of this Spanish cold soup was well done. I would eagerly order this again.

Gazpacho

For my entree, I typically choose the Spinach and Goat Cheese Quesadilla or the Vegetable Quesadilla but I wanted something out of the norm. Let's be honest, how many vegetarian quesadillas can one eat? In my quest, I spied the Grilled 3 Cheese under the sandwich heading and decided to give it a whirl. Feta, mixed cheese (cheddar and Monterey Jack) and Manchego with bacon and tomato on ciabatta. The sandwich had me at Manchego (I love this cheese) and I substituted avocado for the bacon. Sandwiches come with a side and I opted for the zucchini and squash. The result? This sandwich is my new staple at T-West and the Manchego hoisted it into the exceptional category. The zucchini and squash side is always dependable and gave me a vegetable to balance out the cheese dip and my cheese sandwich. Cheese anyone?

Grilled 3 Cheese with zucchini and squash

My boyfriend loves T-West's soft tacos and this day, tuna was the fish of choice. Cooked to his liking, the tacos combined with the mac n' cheese hit the spot. Typically, the mac n' cheese comes with jalapenos but we nix those.

Tuna Soft Tacos with beans and rice

Mac n' Cheese sans jalapenos

Last but certainly not least, dessert made it's way into my mind. T-West makes their desserts from scratch and I have always liked what I have ordered. Peanut butter pie and carrot cake were our picks for the night. The pie filling was perfectly gooey and almost had a custard consistency, making me want more. We wanted to take a second slice to go, but I nabbed the last one. Lucky me! The carrot cake was of the standard variety but good nonetheless.

Tortilla West is open Monday-Saturday 4pm-1:30am and Sundays 11am-1:30am when they also serve brunch. Laine and I still hope for the day T-West will reopen during lunch. We understand lunch everyday might not make sense for this restaurant, but how about one day per week, Fridays? We truly miss lunch there.

~Alex

Tortilla West
508 Orapax St, Norfolk, VA 23507
(757)440-3777

Som Bao Cafe, Virginia Beach, Virginia

I was delighted to try Som Bao Cafe with a good friend.  It is definitely not somewhere on my usual travel route, but I see myself journeying there again for good Thai. She discovered Som Bao by way of Groupon and wanted to visit again so we headed out a couple weekends ago. We were greeted by a very friendly host and seated immediately.  The decor is sparse but fits with the crisp and clean theme of the restaurant. Everything is very, very tidy which made me feel at ease. Clean and clutter free is never bad. Our waitress was very helpful and knew the menu inside and out.

  

We started with the Cucumber Salad ($7.95) which had Japanese style thin noodles with cucumbers, pineapple, tomatoes, lime juice and chili peppers. It was great, but it does have a kick to it so prepare yourself.  Thai food is always 'clean' and healthy to me since a lot of the heavier ingredients, like cheese, are vacant from the dishes.  With the salad, we ordered the Som Bao Spring Rolls ($3.75), as they were out of the vegetarian version of their Egg Rolls. Those were also fresh and came with the familiar spicy peanut sauce, but Som Bao's was a tad spicier than the usual. I like spicy food and this had a kick to me.

For my entree, I typically order Pad Thai with tofu when I eat Thai but I saw the Lazy Loa Noodles ($9.95) which included pineapple, so I had to ask how that was. She said it was one of their signature dishes and the pineapple gave the dish a sweetness along with the spice from the sauce. When I asked if they would add tofu and peanuts, she said no problem and that I could mix and match anything on the menu. I can customize, music to my ears! My friend ordered the Chicken Ka-Boun ($9.95), Japanese style noodles in a broth infused with lemon grass, galanga, kaffir, coconut milk, and red curry. [I deleted the picture by accident, but it is a beautiful dish!] She and I both love coconut milk and this might be the largest bowl of soup I have seen. Most Thai restaurants certainly give you your money's worth and Som Boa did not disappoint. Finally, I ordered a White Chocolate Boba Tea. I have had Boba once before in Portland, Oregon and it reminds me of a milkshake, just lighter. The white chocolate intrigued me and it was as good as it sounds. The 'beads' take a bit of getting used to, but overall I like Boba. After all that, we were finally ready to leave, stuffed. I ordered the Chicken Paid Thai ($9.95) to go for my other half and he was very pleased with the dish. I like to think of him as a good judge because he is a Chicken Pad Thai connoisseur. In addition to the take-out, we departed with leftovers which meant no food debacle the next day, a plus. Prices were extremely reasonable and service was lighting fast. I look forward to venturing to Sam Boa again soon.

~Alex


Food-5
Service-5
Beverage-5
Restrooms-5
Value-5
Ambiance-3

http://www.sombaocafe.com

2476 Nimmo Parkway, Suite 101
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23456
(757) 430-1066

Hokkaido Sushi Bar - Granby Street, Downtown Norfolk

Last time I dined at Sakura in Old Dominion University's Monarch Village, I noticed their chopstick wrappers advertised another restaurant's name, Hokkaido in downtown Norfolk. There is a current sushi battle in downtown right now with at least four open. Laine noticed Hokkaido's hard work on the nice, large outdoor patio. Today's nice weather drew us there to enjoy lunch. We ended up having it to ourselves, even better! The menu mimics Sakura's, so I was pretty certain I would be happy. The lunch special made me even more enthusiastic. The two rolls I typically order at Sakura turned into my lunch special for $7.75. Of course, Laine and I have to upgrade in some way, and like my best friend, I substituted the salad for the Miso soup for $1, not a bad up-charge. We started with the edamame, a healthy appetizer that will not ruin your meal. The salad was standard and I do love the accompanying ginger dressing. The Sweet Potato Roll is one of my favorite rolls. The potato is fried and slightly warm, which is unique for a vegetarian roll. My other mainstay is the Peanut Avocado Roll and I always add cream cheese to this for good measure. Hokkaido charged fifty cents to add cream cheese which is reasonable. Related, the iced tea was $1.75 and that is a great price compared to some restaurants who want to charge $3 or more for tea and soda. That always amazes us. My bill came to just over $12...for two rolls, a salad and tea. Quality food, fast service, nice atmosphere (inside and out) and good prices...Hokkaido will be seeing us again very soon.
~Alex

I watched Hokkaido on Granby evolve over the winter months. I witnessed a lot of work being done inside and out of the building. Instead of tearing down the dilapidated woodwork on the exterior, they invested in the historic character of the building and worked to repair and update it. The building is nicely renovated inside as well, updated from the former Brazilian meat on a stick restaurant. (I was never a fan.)

A warm day prompted us to venture down Granby for a patio seat to check out the food as well. I have heard great reviews from co-workers. As Alex mentions, Sushi restaurants are popping up on every corner. They are NOT all created equal. I consider myself a bit of a sushi snob and wanted to see for myself if Hokkaido measured up to the hype. It did. Here's why:
1. Very reasonable pricing
2. Good quality fish (I had tuna, salmon, yellowtail sashimi)
3. Interesting and creative Rolls
4. Great service. Friendly, timely, accurate.
5. Nice decor
6. No issues, no drama, no errors

_Laine

Food-4
Service-5
Beverage-4
Restrooms-5
Value-4
Ambiance-5

Lunch Special

Lunch Menu

Patio View

Nothing exceptional, just a regular sushi salad

Edamame

Sweet Potato Roll

Peanut Avocado Roll

Yellow Tail Sashimi...nicely sized portion

Wooden sculpture on Patio. Who will win? The Tiger or the Eagle?

Good Value. $7.75 for 3 pieces of sushi or sashimi and one roll (from list provided)

Another Lunch Special - Any 2 Rolls, $7.75

Hokkaido Sushi Bar
233 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA 23510
757.622.2318
http://www.lovehokkaido.com/

Pelon's Baja Grill - (Ghent), Norfolk, Virginia

Pelon's in Ghent is a relaxed, no frills spot for fresh Baja style Mexican food . I have been once before and last night had the pleasure of going again. I prefer it for outside dining or take-out. There are quite a few inside tables, but the patio is much more enjoyable.

Pelon's has counter service, whereby you order and pay at the register and you are handed your beverages. The Pelon's staff will bring the food to your table or pack up your take-out while you wait.  There are domestic and imported beers, wine and Margaritas. We have only had beers, but a Margarita is on the docket for our next visit. We will report back with a rating. Pacifico beer has been the choice thus far.

The Trio Dip and Chips is a must to start. A single serving and a size that serve 2-4 people are available. Trust me, get the 2-4 unless it really is only you. All homemade, the guacamole is available in chunky or smooth, the queso is mild and the salsa has a sweet side to it to balance out the spices. Anyone who likes Mexican will like the trio, even those who live in great fear of anything spicy. I am not one of these people, but I know a few of them quite well and try to remember a little heat can go a long way with their palettes.

Thus far, we have tried the soft tacos and a couple of the burritos and have been extremely pleased. The Grass Hut burrito ($7.75) is my favorite thus far and with so many ingredients, you experience a slightly different taste with every bite. This vegan entree has sauteed red, green and yellow bell peppers, green onions, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, cheddar and jack cheese, shredded green cabbage, Baja rice, black beans, salsa fresca and guacamole. I have never had a burrito with so many elements. For someone who loves cheese, I did not even miss it in the Grass Hut. If you order the Trio, you always have some queso to add to your Grass Hut. The Hawaiian Pipeline, another vegan item, looks appealing and while it will be hard to forgo the Grass Hut, I will do so for the sake of diners everywhere. The Dude burrito, with marinated grilled steak, Baja rice, refried beans, cilantro, onions, guacamole and salsa fresca, was a hit for the carnivore. The burritos are a good size and with the Trio, I have had leftovers both times. Last but not least, let's talk about the soft tacos. The Carne Asada and Chicken were on our menu last night and were well received. Our only mishap was not seeing the special, two tacos with rice and beans for $7.25, but the other Wednesday deal is $2 tacos, so we still made out well. Apparently, our hunger was blinding and next time we will pay attention to the sign that was right in front of us. Pelon's has a different daily special and all are listed on their website if you, like us, often experience eyes wide shut.

For your next casual meal, try Pelon's. We could not have been happier with both of our visits. There is also a Virginia Beach location near the oceanfront. The Ghent location is open Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm and the oceanfront location is open Monday-Sunday 9am-9pm.

[As mentioned, we were famished last night and therefore, I forgot to take photos. Those will be added after the next visit.]

~Alex

Pelon's
http://www.pelonsbajagrill.com

738 W. 22nd St. Suite 15
Norfolk, VA 23517

Ocean Boulevard Bistro & Martini Bar - Kitty Hawk, NC

Flounder Special

Previously, I have mentioned how much bad food there is on the Outer Banks. This is still the case. Stick with restaurants that have limited seating and do not serve the masses, have a dress code of sorts (people are not wearing baseball hats at the bar or tables!) and where waiters are professionals, meaning they do this for a living and take pride in it.

Ocean Boulevard is one of the chosen places I will dine. Prior to last fall, I had not been since I became a vegetarian as I was unsure of my options. My mistake! Ocean Boulevard has a completely separate (and full) vegetarian menu. It is not a restaurant where they piecemeal together random vegetables to make a wannabe dish (this drives me insane). They have appetizers, salads and entrees that are completely vegetarian, i.e. they do not contain seafood, and care has been put into the ingredients.

Pinot Nior Risotto

Last fall, Nikki* and I decided to give Ocean Boulevard another shot once I discovered they had a vegetarian menu. That evening, I enjoyed a rustic vegetable gnocchi with a light white wine sauce. I needed something with carbs but not too heavy as I was running a half marathon the following day. The gnocchi was homemade with spinach, Brussels sprouts, garlic and white wine. Homemade pasta is one of my absolute favorite entrees and Ocean Boulevard did not disappoint in their creation. The vegetables were cooked to perfection and the sauce was just what I needed that evening. Nikki and I split the White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Tart. This is an absolutely fantastic dessert. The pastry is made from scratch, which makes me never want pastry that is not, and topped with caramel ice cream. Could it get any better? It was just the right size to split the night before my race. I wanted something sweet but not a dessert to myself. Nikki is not quite the dessert addict that I am, but she took one bite of this dessert and decided she would surely get her half this time (I usually take care of three-fourths of desserts when we ‘share’). The presentation is worthy of the Food Network and the flavors are as well. There are always five or six desserts and a few varieties of homemade ice cream for the choosing at Ocean Boulevard.

White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Tart

This past weekend included another half marathon and therefore, the increased rigidness of my schedule and diet. Our waiter, who also served us in the fall, was very professional and knew the wine and food well and from the wine selection, Nikki chose a half bottle of the Sauvignon Blanc ($24). The fresh bread and soft butter also win praise. Out of the four vegetarian entrees, I chose the Pinot Noir Risotto ($17), which came with sautéed asparagus, roasted tomatoes and red onions and honey. The honey meshed so well with the other flavors in this dish. I was thrilled and would love to have this again. Nikki ordered the special, lightly fried flounder with asparagus in a white wine bacon sauce ($30). She said the sauce was watery and would not order this again, so Ocean Boulevard missed a five on the food rating.

_Alex

Food-4
Service-5
Beverage-5
Restrooms-5
Value-5
Ambiance-5

Ocean Boulevard
4700 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949
http://obbistro.com/index.php
Open for dinner 7 days a week, all year long
Open Table Reservations Click HERE

The Public House - Norfolk, VA

The talented owners of Bardo and Still opened the much anticipated Public House earlier this year.  After months of serious renovation, Public House opened to welcomed arms of the Ghent community. My initial visit was a few weeks into their opening and I had a shot of cherry vodka and the Apple Cranberry Crumb Strudel which comes with goat cheese ice cream. The ice cream made this dessert unique. If you like goat cheese, go for it. Service was good this night, but I had heard a few people mention it was a little spotty during the first week or so. I had wanted the Moon Pie dessert as that had gotten good reviews, but PH was out of that a few other things that late in the evening so close to their grand opening

My next outing involved dinner. The meal began with the Antipasti which was good and I chose the Butternut Squash & Quinoa for my meal. I thought this was a great lighter option at PH and very different, definitely one of my favorite entrees there. My dining companion enjoyed the opposite, the Waffle-Battered Chicken Breast, which comes with a blueberry maple syrup. He said it was good, but was not as enthralled as the server expected. At the beginning of our meal, I asked the server to save a Moon Pie for us. I was on a mission to have this dessert. Presented on a rectangular plate, two chilled moon pies are drizzled with white and dark chocolate sauce as well as a cut strawberry. I was pretty amazed by this, but it is does not come out soft and gooey. Because it is chilled, the marshamellow center is more firm than some would expect. Similar to the entrees, I was overly pleased and my companion was not wowed. He did enjoy a few O’Connor’s brews, which are always offered at PH. Service was fine this time, but it seemed to take too much time for things like water refills. We sat in the dining room in the back on this occasion and I wonder if that had something to do with it (see my patio dining experience below).

My third experience at PH was on a Friday night. My friend, Chrisselle*, and I sat at the bar because there were two seats available and the wait for a table was 30 minutes. She ordered the Butternut Squash & Quinoa after I raved about it, while I opted for the Fried Green Tomato Sandwich. We split the Blue Collar Mac & Cheese and an order of the regular fries. The mac & cheese is very rich, superb and has a sharp, delicious bite to it. After relaxing for a while, I caved and ordered the Cheesecake of the Moment, this moment being an orange one. I loved this - orange is my new chocolate. The bar is full and there are quite a few people standing around drinking and socializing. I like it - feels like a bigger city restaurant/bar, which is typically my preferred atmosphere if I am out to see friends and hobnob.





Charlotte* and I ventured into PH on a Thursday a few weeks ago. She had not yet dined there and of course, I was ready to go back since this was my new favorite place. I had eyed the Chick Pea Burger on the menu and decided that was the calling of the night. Served with Granny Smith Apples, as all of the sandwiches are, this ‘burger’ is a great vegetarian dish and preferred by quite a few PH employees from what I gathered. The Charmoula, a traditional Moroccan sauce, that topped it was nothing less than spectacular. I added a slice of provolone for good measure and was ecstatic about my meal. Charlotte ordered the Roasted Pork Tenderloin which was wrapped in Applewood bacon and served with mashed potatoes and Parmesan encrusted corn on the cob. I tried the corn, it was top notch and something to definitely try on the grill at home. Charlotte was overly pleased and even had leftovers for lunch the next day. We decided to share the Cheesecake of the Moment, which was a Strawberry Nut variety, topped with a bacon caramel sauce. Since I do not eat bacon, they gave Charlotte the full sauce and gave me caramel sauce. That worked really well and I appreciated the accommodation.  The cheesecake was decadent as it had been the previous time I ordered it. I like this ‘of the moment’ business - something new all the time.







Chrisselle and I decided to head back up to PH on a Wednesday evening, this time we chose to sit outside. We were seated immediately, but apparently, there was a communication breakdown between the hostess and the wait staff, so we did not see our waiter for about 10 minutes. We were not in a hurry, but it was a tad irksome. When our waiter did come over, he apologized profusely and our service was stellar after that, so we did not hold a grudge. We started with the Asparagus Fries which are of the tempura style - deep fried goodness. I really liked the lemon aioli but like cowbell, the dish needed more sauce. PH has a few salads and I decided to give the Shrimp & Spinach salad a try, substituting the Gardein Chicken for the shrimp. I like that they have Gardein on the menu to use on a lot of dishes if you are not a carnivore. The avocado cucumber dressing makes this salad. If you are starving, do not order a salad, but if you are looking for something lighter, this one is a good choice. Chrisselle ordered the Slow Braised Short Ribs, which came with asparagus and mashers.  Like Charlotte’s pork tenderloin, this dish is large, in charge and not for the faint-hearted. We were full and skipped dessert for once, but still left happy and satisfied.







Next up was lunch with Laine.  It was Friday and we were ready to get out even in the rain. Sticking with my goal to try everything vegetarian on the menu, I sought out the Gardein Chicken Sandwich. Clint, the manager we chatted with, said the curry carrot relish made this sandwich worth trying. He was right and PH does not disappoint with the variety of sauces in their dishes. It had a little heat but the sweetness of the carrot balanced it perfectly. I decided to have the Gardein fried (you can also choose regular chicken and then grill or fry either). Gardein fried pretty well, I must say. I had raved about the Moon Pie to Laine, so that was on order with Clint. It was even better than the first time I had it. Laine and I talked about it non-stop for about a week to everyone that would listen. Much Moon Pie Love here and we will have another very, very soon. The plate was beyond clean when we finished. Service was good and we enjoyed our talk with Clint, a super nice guy.



I have lost count of my visits and I made it to brunch finally a few Sundays ago. Nikki* and another good friend were my company. I had been out late the night prior, but my crankiness subsided slightly when we entered PH. I was excited about brunch and knew I had to have the Pancakes of the Moment (remember, I love the ‘of the moment’ theme). Blueberry was the flavor and the honey butter and jam made the deal sweet. I tried the Fried Grit Cakes as well and those are good, but not greasy, as some traditional grit cakes can be. These come with crab meat for an additional $5, which is how our friend had them. She enjoyed that version as well. Nikki ordered the Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich and said she was not that thrilled. I know Laine thought the BBQ Salad was great the week before, so maybe it was an off day for BBQ.
~Alex

The Public House
1112 Colley Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517
(757) 227-9064
Open every day 11AM - 2AM
To view their website click HERE

Path - Norfolk VA

One of my favorite sayings is ‘[insert action here] seemed like a good idea at the time’. This applies to life so frequently, as it did for our experience at Path. Laine and I were pretty excited to try this newer place, a 100% vegan restaurant in Norfolk. Initially, they only offered delivery, which I thought was a tad odd, but by the time we ventured to the Ghent location, they had dine-in service. Having no worries in the world about this adventure, we convinced our friend, Emma*, to tag along, though she was timid about the faux meat business and I do not fault her here, as some of the faux stuff out there can be pretty bad.

It was a nice Friday, as we hopped in the car to head to Path. At the time, it was situated in a tiny structure on Boissevain Avenue. I know this building was a hair salon at one time, as my mom has visited pretty much every salon in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, and I believe it may have also been an art gallery at some point. Street parking was a limited but we found one spot, thankfully. We did not need that hurdle with what we were about to endure. We walked in and were greeted by the lone employee, who was pleasant but not overly friendly. I immediately spied the empty dessert case and was perturbed as Path is always posting photos to their Facebook page to showcase their temping desserts. Where were they? Nervousness could not explain my state of mind at this time.

We had perused the menu beforehand, but took another look and went for it. I was torn between the ‘Chicken’ Salad and the Raspberry ‘Chicken’ and finally settled on the former. We had a choice of Cole slaw or potato salad, of which I chose the slaw. Apparently, the vegetable chips and fries were only offered at the Path location situated inside The Edge, near ODU. They have the fryer there, along with desserts and other things that were well out of our reach this day. Then the menu advertised bread, but all they had was wraps. The gal said the bread was white and did not have much nutritional value, and these vegan wraps were better - please update your menu. I prefer bread over a wrap, but what was I going to do, the choices were dwindling by the minute. I was bugged and Laine was right there with me. Emma went with the Club which has tempeh bacon along with the faux chicken and the potato salad - two faux meats for the timid one!

While I appreciate the effort to eat all natural, I need my diet soda, the all chemical drink alternative. No go at Path - the choices were Dr. Pepper (no diet!), bottled water, a drink with the word grass in the title and the now infamous Kombucha tea. Because I have an aversion to regular soda or drinks made from carrots, grass and such and I’m not a fan of paying for water when we have decent tap H20, I gave in to the Kombucha, but only after Laine and Emma chose the same. It came in cute dark glass recycled bottles, which had hand-drawn designs. Emma and I opted for the last two bottles of the hibiscus haze flavor, which was okay, but I like regular iced tea better...especially after we were hit, or rather smacked, with the price - it’ll put you in a haze. To round off the meal, we ordered a lemon pound cake topped with coconut shavings.

We encounter the coupon debacle pretty often. You think you are getting a deal, but what you get is hosed. Not every time, but Laine and I have definitely had this experience more frequently that we would like, and Path is another example. I had a coupon worth $20. I figured we might pay another $10 for the three meals. As she rang up our food...and tea (this is important), I almost choked. $45 for three sandwiches (each about $8), one lemon cake ($5) and then the darn tea. That means that the three bottles of Kombucha ran us somewhere between $13-$14. For that price, a drink needs alcohol in the ingredients and as I stated, we did not think this was a revolutionary drink. We all stared at each other, forked out too much money and went outside to sit and wait for our food. For a place that does not cook anything, only heats up, the prep time for our food was lengthy. Our food arrived and while my sandwich was quite good, as was Emma’s, we both were disappointed in how little ingredients were in our sandwiches. The contents were about half of what you would expect inside a wrap. The sides of vegan slaw and vegan potato salad were tasty, especially the slaw, which was very fresh, but unfortunately, our overall experience was less than stellar at Path.

We cut the lemon cake back at the office and that was actually wonderful and for $5, it is a deal and easily feeds 2-3 people. I just wish we had been able to try some of their other desserts as well, such as the many different flavors of donuts they promote on Facebook. The vegan donuts were what really caught my eye.

I have another coupon, so Laine and I will try Path again, but we will have to travel to either their location at The Edge or a newer location on 35th Street, which seems to have replaced the Boissevain address. The gal who took our orders this day told us to to to The Edge before 10pm, the time it becomes shady. Interesting marketing to warn your patrons about the times to NOT visit your other location. We were surprised that Path would put itself in a college bar, but maybe they get enough business from Edge supporters that want a vegan alternative. We will not be lured into buying any Kombucha ever again, though, and if prices had been posted (they were not anywhere in the restaurant or online), we would never have purchased it - we should have asked but who knew it would cost that much for tea! For almost $5 a pop, I can think of a lot of other things I would rather drink, preferably something with alcohol. Hopefully, the veggie chips, fries and donuts can help Path make a comeback for us. To be continued...

~Alex

If I were to construct a top five list of worst restaurant experiences, this would be on it. In their defense, they did close this location about a week later, which is probably why they were out of so many things. However, food supply was only the tip of the iceberg.

I am not going to rehash what Alex so perfectly describes, but the whole “no bread, no dessert, no soda, no fries” thing was a pretty big let down. Right then I should have redirected the group to a nearby favorite, but we chose to persevere. Stupid. Seating inside was two, 2 top tables and it was rather warm, so we chose to dine outside. They had one table out front, again with only two seats. Shortly after being seated we realized it was located in a driveway, which doubled as access for the rather busy business next door. Excellent. I can eat my healthy, vegan food whilst I inhale exhaust fumes. I'm not sure this is "a kinder way" to dine.

 We were the only group dining in that day, but the food did not arrive quickly. We were pondering our teas and getting a bit antsy when the food started to arrive. I had ordered a cheese melt with fresh fruit as a side, and the watermelon looked perfect. The wrap looked like a brown paper bag that was burnt on the corner. I have long ago learned that you cannot necessarily judge food by the appearance, so I dug in with gusto. If I were to construct a list of top five worst sandwiches, this just might make #1. There was almost no cheese on my cheese melt, and what was there was not melted. The generous portion of mustard on the other hand, was strong, spicy and overpowering. All this was rounded out by a lonely little slice of apple and a chunk of tempeh. It was inedible. The lone cook/server/cashier did not say a word when she removed my full basket of picked apart wrap. Thank goodness for the lemon poppy seed cake. My one third of that cake, which was excellent, got me through until cocktail hour when I tried to drink away the memory of lunch. (It didn’t work.)

Alex may have to knock me unconscious and drag me by the hair in order to get me to try Path again.

P.S. I was not a fan of the tea either.

_Laine

Path

617 W. 35th Street

Norfolk, Virginia 23508

Path @ODU

4814 Hampton Blvd

Norfolk, Virginia 23508

http://www.pathnorfolk.com