Stella’s Southern Bistro

Simpsonville, South Carolina is a great little town with a restaurant I’ve come to appreciate recently. Stella’s Southern Bistro is exactly what the name implies, a bistro with southern flair. For example, during a recent meal there, I began with a pulled pork spring roll. Check this monster out:

In true southern style, it came with a piece of crispy pork belly, slaw, and corn chowder. Wow! Then there were some inventive entrees, including this rolletini style concoction which featured spicy sausage wrapped in duck leg with a fried quail in the center. The photo doesn’t do the taste justice, but here it is:

That’s going all out and it really was tasty and something different, which is very difficult to do in the age of celebrity chefs and exotic fare at your fingertips. Of course, there are some regular items on the menu for those with a less adventurous palette, but why hold back? Go for it! And don’t forget dessert, such as this sorbet with fresh fruit:

Or, if you want to ramp up the calories, try this custard atop chocolate goodness toting marshmallows to boot!

There you have it, a wonderful meal with fantastic service, honest prices, and delicious food. Did I mention there’s also a bar? More than that, you can’t find, so don’t waste your time. Give Stella’s a try when you’re in the area. I did, and I’ll be back.

Published in: on May 29, 2012 at 11:54 am  Leave a Comment  
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Hamilton’s, Charlottesville, VA

Hamilton’s on Main Street in Charlottesville, VA, USA serves up a fine meal. Stopped in here prior to arriving at The Whiskey Jar (which explains the delays in posting here at The Bent Page). So, here’s a look at the meal we enjoyed. Started with two appetizers. The first was clams with spicy risotto. Take a look at this inventive dish:

Then came a short rib in spicy Korean BBQ sauce that was quite tangy as you can see here.

Off to a good start, we doubled down on the entrees, ordering a pair of crab cakes which are shown in the next photo (and those things were LOADED with lump crab meat).

And finally a penne pasta with spicy Italian sausage. This was good, but there was quite a bit of heat in that spice which gave me pause and reason to drink a lot of water. Here’s a look.

Sorry, no room for dessert. A very good meal and I can recommend this place to you if you’re in this town. Just take it easy if you stroll down the street to The Whiskey Jar, which is another fine institution of alcohol education.

Published in: on May 26, 2012 at 2:50 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Tortilla Española

Also known as the Spanish Tortilla, this dish is a favorite of mine, especially when enjoyed in Madrid. Since I happen to elsewhere at the moment, I decided to make myself this simple treat. All you need is olive oil, potatoes, onion, a couple eggs, and a hot stove. Dice up the potatoes and fry them with chopped onions (you can add bits of ham or other stuff to your taste) in the olive oil about 10 minutes. Drain off the oil. Whisk the eggs in a pot then dump in the potatoes and onions. Mix it all together gently then pour back into the frying pan on med-low heat. Keep the edges nice and neat with the spatula; you’re going for a pie-like look here. When the one side is cooked, carefully flip the cooking tortilla over onto a plate then slip it back into the pan to cook that other side. (This can be tricky.) When cooked firm all the way through, onto a plate it goes and you’re ready to eat. Here’s a photo of my tortilla with accessories for my Spanish snack last night.

That was a great little meal. As soon as I come up with a reliable source for jamón iberico, I’ll be loving life that much more. Naturally, the albariño wine kicks things up a notch. Even if you can’t get there, you can still enjoy the tastes of your favorite travel spots. Enjoy the journey wherever it takes you.

Published in: on May 6, 2012 at 5:14 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Lulu’s Pizza Bar

If you’re on the east side of center city Philadelphia and you need a snack, try Lulu’s Pizza Bar. It’s located between 2nd and 3rd Streets on the south side of Market Street. They have affordable specials, like a couple slices and a Coke for around $7 at the time of this writing. Here’s a look at the pizza:

It was great pizza with friendly service and no waiting. I like popping into these joints, listening to the conversations, which is a great way to pick up dialog for the books I write. Incredible what people say to each other. At any rate, a slice of pizza hits the rights spot, so give it a try.

Published in: on April 25, 2012 at 5:57 pm  Leave a Comment  
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