This is my second visit here, but this is my first review (I forgot to review my last visit!). But…read morethis time there were more of us!
This place is very nice all around. Good location, plenty of parking across the street in a public garage, nice décor and ambiance, wonderful staff, and a good menu, although it is light on vegetarian options; but if you are not a picky vegetarian, you can still leave happy and fed.
There is plenty of indoor seating, and even a nice side patio protected from sun and wind; however, being alongside 3rd Street, a rather busy street, it can be a bit noisy. As nice as the day was, we opted to dine inside so we could chat.
They have some good appetizers, and we chose the onion rings and the must-try Ooey Cheesy Balls (5 fried potato balls, mozzarella, parmesan, parsley, house-made smoked jalapeno aioli).
The onion rings are plentiful and not at all greasy, a great start to the meal, but the anchor of the apps (for me at least!) are the Cheesy balls. They are different: basically mashed potato balls with cheese inside, deep-fried, and delicious! The house-made smoked jalapeño aioli is awesome too, and it's my preferred dip for the onion rings.
For the entrees, I tried a pizza for once, after seeing many good reviews. I tried the Blue pizza (Garlic & herb olive oil, mozzarella, blue cheese, spinach, artichoke, mushroom, red onion).
We also had the Buttermilk Fried Chicken sandwich (Butter lettuce, tomato, fresh slaw, pickle slices, house- made smoked jalapeno aioli (mild), brioche bun), the Chicken Salad Sandwich (Poached chicken, celery, parsley, dill, lettuce, tomato, pickled red onion, mayonnaise, focaccia bread) with an added mashed potatoes for a side, and a Chicken Pesto Panini (Pesto, roasted bell pepper, spinach, provolone, mayonnaise, focaccia bread).
All the meals were very fresh, and the food was great! The Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich was a tower to look at, with two breasts as the main feature. The other sandwiches were well liked as well, but I know I was the lucky one with the pizza for lunch.
If you like blue cheese, this is a great pizza you don't often find elsewhere. The toppings were just right, though I wouldn't have minded a bit more blue cheese, and the olive oil base instead of a red sauce was perfect for letting the flavors really come through, with the cheese, meaty chunks of mushrooms, and onions all balancing each other. The crust was a separate delight, a very thin sourdough type with a crust worthy of eating on its own - and it was!
Sadly, between the appetizers and the entrees, there was no room for a dessert, and we all took home some of our lunches, and two of us brought home food for others! Always share the goodness . . .
Can't wait for the next visit!