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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Yemanja, Aruba

It had been about four years since my last visit to Yemanja’s wood-fired grill, which was far too long. So, I enjoyed an excellent supper there last night with friends. We were a table of four beginning with drinks at the bar then taking a seat. Our appetizers arrived in short order and ranged across the food spectrum. There was a scallop salad seen here:

It was bursting with color and flavor as was the prosciutto salad seen next.

To go with two salads there were also two soups, including this tomato one:

As well as the potato soup pictured below:

These were really a great start to the meal. Although different there was a consistent, high quality about every plate. The entrees were equally delicious, starting with a cheese wrapped grouper in the photo below:

That was a very exotic dish with an interesting consistency. Then came a rib eye you see here:

Two other diners enjoyed the filet which is pictured next.

The sauce in the upper portion of the photo was a combination of clarified butter and beef juices. Wow! That really took it to the next level. Of course, we had to have dessert after such a great meal. Hence, the brownie with ice-cream:

And finally a banana tarte which is here:

There you have it, another awesome meal in Aruba. It did cost a serious price, one that will have me eating beans and rice at home for a couple of weeks while the wallet gets a recharge, but it was worth every penny.

Published in: on March 30, 2012 at 12:07 am  Leave a Comment  
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Mirpas, Aruba

Mirpas is a restaurant located on the main boulevard leading into Oranjestaad. The theme is mostly tapas and small plates, which is right up my alley because I like to taste many different things in one sitting. So, here goes my visit.

The building is a former home with funky decor and a spiral staircase leading to upstairs seating. You can also sit outside under cover, or inside on the first level. We took a table upstairs in order to have a view over the marina, which is worth the short climb. After perusing the menu, we decided on a list of tapas and a couple glasses of wine. The first plates to arrive were duck wrapped prunes and blackened shrimp skewers. Here’s the photo:

It was a great start, the right combination of tangy and hot. Next came plates of cured meats and cheeses, which gave me a flashback to Spain. Here’s the meats first.

And then the cheese, and what it plate it was, the right selection of mild, pungent, and exotic.

The best thing here were the Tournedos Rossini and the flavor really hit the spot. This dish is also available as an entree, and I’d like to get back soon to try it that way. See the photo below for the tapas portion.

I almost forgot the chicken soup. Homemade, with a bit of cilantro that I normally wouldn’t like, but it was so fresh and nearly salt-free that you could really taste the vegetables, which made it a delightful switch from the other items. So here’s the bowl of soup.

Sorry, no room for dessert. The selection of wines are not to be missed. There is a great variety of by-the-glass choices at reasonable prices all the way to some fairly expensive ones, giving the diner an opportunity to splurge or stay on budget. Either way, they’re all good. Service at Mirpas did a fine job keeping our table supplied with our tapas and drinks. I plan to return in a week or so just to sample some of the many wines available and perhaps a few small dishes, then do an all out dinner. Enjoy your visit.

Published in: on March 28, 2012 at 12:04 am  Leave a Comment  
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