Marvin's (Greencastle, IN)

202 S College Ave, Greencastle, IN 46135, T: 765-653-9200

Marvin's is an institution in Greencastle, Indiana, popular among students and locals ('townies') alike. It is situated just off the campus of DePauw University, in an unmarked brick building. It offers general American snacks. I have eaten there a couple of times. Most of the time the service is slow and unfriendly.

For this review, I ordered the Garlic Hamburger ($4.50) and french fries ($1.50). The first are two small and dry grilled patties on two garlic breaded buns; no lettuce, tomato, or onion! The french fries are thick and come in large portions, but they are also often undercooked and soggy. At other times I had the chicken tenders (straight from Wal-Mart, I guess) and the BLT (few strips of bacon on a dry bun).

VERDICT: 51/100

I only go to Marvin's when I am (1) really hungry and (2) have forgotten how bad it is. Marvin's makes McDonald's taste good!

The Comfy Cow (Louisville, KY)

1301 Herr Lane #118, Louisville, KY 40222, T: 502-425-4979

The Comfy Cow is kind of tucked away in a middle class outdoor mall in an eastern suburb of Louisville, Kentucky. When we visit it on a hot summer evening, it is really busy. Guess we are not the only ones who like handcrafted ice cream and desserts.

M. had a small cup with one scoop of watermelon and mint ($2.45), which was odd and fresh. I went for the real deal: a waffle cone with Banana Nana Fofana and Lemon Cream with Pistachio ($5.40). The banana is fresh and not too creamy, while the Lemon Cream with Pistachio was just insane... sooooo good!

VERDICT: 95/100

Louisville has the reputation as a foodie city and this might explain how this modest Midwestern city can have such an excellent ice cream place. Can't wait to go back!

Uncle Bud's Catfish Shack (Nashville, TN)

2719 Old Lebanon Road, Nashville, TN 37214, T: 615-678-8080

Uncle Bud's Catfish Shack has three locations in the larger Nashville area. It serves fried food, Louisiana style: catfish, chicken, oysters, po-boy sandwiches, frog legs, etc. You walk up to the counter, try to go through the extensive menu as quick as possible, and order. They will then deliver it to your table, where there are a couple of sauces available.

M. got the Catfish and Calabash Shrimp Combo ($12), their best seller, which is a huge basket with various pieces of fried catfish and fried shrimp, a portion of coleslaw and a portion of beans, fries, and two sauces. I got a Hurricane Tender Snack ($5): 3 tenders, fries and garlic bread; and added one catfish filler ($2.50). The tenders were chunky, but the "hurricane" sauce (i.e. buffalo sauce) wasn't particularly spicy. The beans and shrimp were ok, the slaw and bread nice, the fries tasty, but the best thing, by far, was the catfish: lightly breaded and very tender and fresh.

VERDICT: 82/100
Stay primarily with the catfish and you won't go wrong!

Good Stuff Eatery (Washington, DC)

303 Pennsylvania Avenue Southeast, Washington, DC 20003, T: 202-543-8222

When Mrs. Grondhopper and I arrived in the nation's capital, we were blocked from our walk over to the Congress because the president was out for lunch at... Good Stuff Eatery! Allegedly this is Obama's favorite restaurant. As Mrs. G. said, what is good enough for the president, is good enough for me. So, we met with a group of our students at night and went to town on the burgers.

Good Stuff Eatery is all about handmade burgers, hand-cut fries, and handspun ice cream. They have about ten different burgers, which can be made with a broad variety of patties (beef, chicken, turkey, veggie, mushroom). I had the Prez Obama Burger ($6.89): applewood bacon, onion marmalade, and horseradish mayo (I opted out from the Roquefort cheese). I also had Uncle D's Famous Chili ($5.89) and shared a portion of the Sunny's Handcut Fries ($3.69). The chili was good and had a nice spice. Although the burger didn't look remarkable, although it did look very greasy and juicy, it tasted fantastic. The beef had great taste and was almost soaked into the fresh bun, the bacon was crispy and tasty, and the onion and sauce perfected everything. The fries, however, were the best: fried, making them crispy from the outside but soft from the inside, and salty. Moreover, you have a choice from six different mayo's, which were the perfect condiment.

VERDICT: 97/100

There is only one place to go when you are in the Capitol area of Washington, DC: Good Stuff Eatery. The rest of us can only hope that they will be successful in starting their franchise business and that a branch will come to a place near you!

Libby's Lunch (Paterson, NJ)

98 McBride Avenue, Paterson, NJ 07501-2660, T: 973-278-8718

Libby's Lunch claims to be the inventor of the Texas Weiner, New Jersey's deep-fried hot dog. Whether or not this is true. this small diner/snackbar has been serving them since 1936.

I ordered the Extra Large Texas Weiner Platter ($4.35), which includes an extra large hot dog "all the way" (mustard, chopped onion, chili) and fries. I also get a Texas Weiner Classic (mustard and sauerkraut) for $2.20. The weiners are deep fried and snappy, but not very special. They come on an Italian bun (not steamed) and with fairly tasteless chili. The fries are generic, but well fried.

VERDICT: 82/100

Libby's Lunch is more nostalgia than special food. I am sure you can get better Texas Weiners in New Jersey.

Shawarma King (Brantford, ON)

210 King George Rd, Brantford, ON N3R 5L4, Canada, T: 519-512-0065

Shawarma King is a tiny shop in a small strip mall outside of Brantford, some 110 km (70 miles) southwest of Toronto. It is run by a very nice guy from Lebanon. It might look crappy from both the inside and outside, but don't be fooled. This is the real thing!

I order a Fattoush Salad ($5.99) and a Beef Shawarma Wrap ($5.99). Neither dish is made the traditional way, but both are delicious. The shawarma warp is full of tender, spiced meat, cured veggies, and garlic sauce. The fattoush is absolutely amazing!


VERDICT: 95/100

This is a hidden gem! If you are anywhere around Brantford, and this includes Toronto (!), go there and have at the very least the fattoush. I wish my town had a place like this!

Bellwood Bar & Grill (Toronto, ON)

756 Queen St W, Toronto, ON M6J, Canada, T: 416-504-8855

Bellwood Bar & Grill is an old-school, almost British, greasy eatery situated in the hip Arts & Fashion district of Toronto. It is run by a East or South European couple and seem to cater primarily to the few old inhabitants of the area.

As the Bellwood is the "Home of the 16oz Hamburger", which it serves for just $6.95 and comes with fries. The thick pattie is grilled on the plate and served with pickles, onion, and tomato on a nice bun. The burger tastes good, but not special, while the fries are generic and too soft.

VERDICT: 77/100

Not the best burger ever, but if you wanna experience an old-school greasy eatery in a hipster area, the Bellwood is your thing.