The Hop Ice Cream Café (Asheville, NC)

640 Merrimon Ave, Asheville, NC, T: 828-254-2224

The Hop Ice Cream Café is an Asheville institution. Founded in 1978 it has now two locations – The Hope West opened in 2010 at 721 Haywood Rd in Asheville (T: 828-252-5155) – where it serves “Dairy, Vegan, Sugar Free, Gluten Free, Local Goat Milk Ice Cream & Sorbet Flavors”. All ice creams are home made and several have original bit hippy-esque names. That said, most seems to be fairly similar, i.e. creamy and sweet and with some kind of chocolate flavor.

We share a Brownie Sunday ($6.50): a warm brownie (from City Bakery downtown), two scoops of salty caramel ice cream, homemade hot fudge, whip cream, peanuts, cherry on top. The browny is a bit chewy and crunchy, the ice cream sweet but tasty. Overall mainly a binge. I also get a milkshake of the Vegan Chocolate Banana Cream, though made with real milk ($5): 20 oz., bit odd taste, though fresh and not too heavy.

VERDICT: 80/100

Nice independent ice cream shop, but not very remarkable creamy ice cream.

Wicked Weed Brewing (Asheville, NC)

91 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801, T: 828-575-9599
 

Asheville, NC, is full of small local breweries and Wicked Weed Brewing is one of the more popular ones. They have a big brewery pub that is known for its original beers and great pub food – I overheard one of the guys say that they are about to open a second location. The inside looks like many other new kind of upscale brewery pubs, but the outside is quite special because of its community table and big fire pit. They have an extensive menu with mostly the usual suspects, but with a special twist – and all food is local and natural.

We start with the House Chips & French Onion ($5). The chips are not warm anymore, but still quite fresh and crispy. They are salted well and the dip is creamy and tasty, while not heavy. We also have a side of Roasted Cauliflower with Curry ($4). The cauliflower is covered in curry and roasted perfectly, so that the florettes are soft and the stem still a bit hard inside. They are a bit oily, but overall delicious with a nice kick.

As the entrée I order the Fried Chicken Sandwich ($10). The sandwich is a panini, i.e. pressed ciabatta bread with one quite thick but not very large piece of deep fried chicken (tasty, bit dry), which is perfectly complemented by zesty thick homemade kimchi and a spicy miso mayonnaise. The side of fries looked better than they tasted. M. had a trout sandwich with a “Marble Potato Salad” as a side. The sandwich was ok, but M. said that the potato salad was "out of this world."

VERDICT: 86/100

Wicked Weed is a great place to hang out and sample decent original beers and, if you pick wisely, some outstanding (side) dishes. Don’t miss out on the roasted cauliflower!

Chocolate Gems (Asheville, NC)

25 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801, T: 828-505-8596

Whenever there is even a remote chance at a taste of half-decent gelato, I will take it. Chocolate Gems is a fairly large store in downtown Asheville that specializes in handmade chocolates and gelato, which are made onsite. When we are there, they have only a few flavors left – mostly sweet and chocolate-based, unsurprisingly.

We get a Medio ($5.03) with two flavors: Toasted Almond (which the people tip as an alternative to the hazelnut, of which they are out) and Peach. The peach is thick, fresh, and fruity, the toasted almond is simply divine! In fact, the toasted almond is some of the best non-fruit gelato I have ever eaten.

VERDICT: 89/100

I'm reluctant to go higher on the basis of just two flavors, but this is great gelato! Do not miss out on the toasted almond, if available.

Early Girl Eatery (Asheville, NC)

8 Wall St, Asheville, NC 28801, T: 828-259-9292

 

 

The Early Girl Eatery is a cute little restaurant that serves “a farm to table Southern comfort food experience” in downtown Asheville, NC. They serve breakfast all day, but also have lunch and dinner menus. All menus include a broad range of items, all fresh and natural. Most dishes are not too complicated, but do have a slightly original twist. The atmosphere is that of a family restaurant with a bit of a hipster touch.

M. and I arrive around 2 PM for a late lunch. To keep space for dinner, I decide not to eat too much, so I order the Catfish Sandwich ($8) and choose the Cucumber Onion Salad as my side. The catfish is slightly battered and pan-fried. It tastes fresh, but the batter is not that flavorful. The catfish comes on an organic wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and homemade tartar. Altogether it is good and quite light (on both calories and flavor). The cucumber onion salad, on the other hand, was very tasty, sweet and tangy.

VERDICT: 87/100

Very good place for healthy food, not so much for pig out food.

Shake Shack (New York City, NY)

109 E 42nd St, inside Grand Central, New York, NY

Shake Shack started out as a food cart in Madison Square Park in New York City, 2001-2003. They then started a franchise restaurant model with various locations throughout the city – including in City Field (Mets stadium) and in the excellent food court of Grand Central (train station). Today they have 34 locations in the US (e.g. Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania) and abroad (Middle East, Russia, UK). Shake Shack works with organic ingredients, preferably local, and serve only burgers, hot dogs, fries, and shakes.

I start with the Fresh French Fries ($2.85), a decent portion of freshly cut shoestring fries. They are quite soft but have a good potato flavor. I also get the Burger ($3.75) with Shack Sauce ($0.50), Cherry Peppers ($0.50) and Bacon ($1.25) - I actually ordered the Smokeshack ($6.50) without cheese, but they ring it up separately to save me $0.50. The burger doesn't look special, but is excellent. The bun is soft and soggy, the patty tasty and perfectly prepared (though thin it is medium) and the sauce and cherry peppers give it a fresh spicy flavor. I later go back for a Strawberry Shake ($5), which is rather small for the price. It tastes quite sweet and very creamy. Not really my kind of shake, but many will like it.

VERDICT: 94/100

One of best upscale fast food burgers I’ve had so far. The fries are good too, but the shakes are a bit overpriced and too creamy and sweet.

Lock Yard (Brooklyn, NY)

9221 Fifth Street, Brooklyn, NY 11209, T: 718-333-5282

Lock Yard is a new hipster bar in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, set in a former locksmith shop. It serves “craft beers and artisanal sausages”. It has a great beer garden in the back, which has heaters so that it can be kept open year-round. We are taken here by our friend Mike, a true pig out specialist, so I have high hopes.

We start out with some dishes for the table. I choose the Waffle Fries Salt & Pepper ($3.50) and some dipping sauces: Siracha Aioli, Chipotle Ketchup, Horseradish Mustard ($0.35 each). They all taste good, but not remarkable. The Fried Pickles ($5) include four thick coated and crusty pickles: very tasty. The New York Pretzel ($4) is pretty basic, a bit dry.

After a while it is time for the real meal. I start out with The Bridgeview ($3.95): a bacon-wrapped and deep fried, red onion sauce. It is a very crispy sausage and bacon with a thick sweet-spicy onion sauce on a special bun. Tasty! The Cucumber Salad ($4) is a bit odd: thick cut slices of cucumber with onion, which have not that much taste.  

 

I continue with The Seattle Sound ($4.50): fairly thick grilled sausage, RC Cola caramelized onion, banana pepper, everything bagel seeds, siracha aioli (I ask for no cream cheese). Awesome! As we stay several hours, I decide to have one more, The Brooklyn Brat ($7.75): delicious fresh, big grilled bun with tasty sausage with spicy brown mustard and sauerkraut.

VERDICT: 89/100

Lock Yard is a great place to hang out with some friends, share some food, and have delicious sausages. However, you have to choose wisely, as some dishes are awesome, but others are fairly mediocre.

Smitty’s Hot Dogs (Ozone Park, NY)

Crossbay Blvd at Pitkin Ave, Ozone Park, NY

Smitty’s sells hot dogs, hogies (sandwiches), and kabobs out of a small truck in Ozone Park, just off busy Cross Bay Blvd. It is a typical New York food cart: no thrills and catering to a mixed bunch of mostly blue collar workers.

I get a Hot Dog ($1.50) with mustard and onions. The bun is soft and sticky, the (Sabrett) wiener a bit thin but snappy and very tasty, and the onions are grilled and deliciously flavored ("Best Onions in Town" according to the side of the truck).

VERDICT: 92/100

Excellent and affordable old-school hot dogs from a truck! Need I say more?