Pensacola Food Critic

Starbucks - Strawberries & Cream

noreply@blogger.com (Jen-o-saurus) — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:02:00 +0000

Allow me to preface this review by stating that I hate and despise coffee with every fiber of my being. And, no, this review is not of a meal, but since my drink cost as much as a chicken sandwich, I’m reviewing it anyway.

I recently ended a late night with a visit to the Starbucks on Bayou Blvd. I can probably count on one hand the number of times I’ve been in a Starbucks and don’t really care to up that to a two handed count any time soon. Alas, the other members of my party on that particular night love the place.

I ordered a Strawberries & Cream Frap Blended Crème with Toffee Nut on the recommendation of my sister. She assured me that there was absolutely no coffee taste to it what-so-ever and promised that I could punch her in the ear if I detected any. After paying $4 and some change and waiting long enough for little Starbucks gnomes to run to the Strawberry farm in Allentown, my blessed little pink drink was served. Sip…dramatic pause…hey, that’s actually good. Sarah’s ear is safe. It tasted exactly like Captain Crunch with Crunch Berries. Amazingly like CC w/ CB. So much like it that I thought maybe they just threw a bowl of cereal in the blender. And maybe they did, which I am cool with as long as it doesn’t taste like coffee.

The Low Down:

Coffee, Tea, Snacks

Local Favs: um, coffee

Location: every freaking corner

Open morning, noon and night

$$$ considering what you get

Times Grill - Cajun Sunset

noreply@blogger.com (Jen-o-saurus) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 15:21:00 +0000

According to Times Grill, “Times Grill is a family-friendly, casual dining restaurant best recognized for its 20 specialty burgers offered in conventional versions and wild variations. Our most distinctive burger is the Cajun Sunset®, seasoned with Creole spices and topped with a pan fried egg. At the heart of every Times Grill hamburger is the patty. All patties are chargrilled and hand made to order. “

I ordered the Cajun Sunset not knowing that it boasts the title of “Most Distincitive Burger”. I just have a penchant for burgers and runny eggs and thought I might like them together. And boy, do I! I ordered my Cajun Sunset medium-rare with cheddar cheese, mayo and a side of sweet potato fries (regular fries are so last year). The huge burger comes out open face, with a perfectly cooked egg staring up at you just waiting for the yolk to be popped. And the smell is outstanding, just like you would expect a burger to smell (not like fast food).

Note: if you are an attention addict, this burger is for you - I’ve ordered the Cajun Sunset on three different occasions with three different parties – each time my party exclaims “OOOO – look at Jen’s burger!”. Everyone looks. Everyone wishes they ordered my burger. I eat with an aire of superiority and enjoy every minute of it. I will not apologize.

So, does the taste live up to the look and smell? Yes! It is delish, albeit super messy. The bun is fluffy and fresh. The Creole spices aren’t too spicy or overbearing. The beef is cooked to perfection. The yolk runs down your fingers. I couldn’t ask for anything more from a burger.

Now, about those sweet potato fries. I’ve had better. Times Grill does a nice sweet potato fry. I will order them every time I dine there (my almost inappropriate adoration of the Cajun Sunset assures I will dine there again). They just aren’t as tasty as Jerry’s Cajun Café’s sweet potato fries. Give me a blind taste test…I’ll know the difference.

By the way, Times Grill isn’t the fastest game in town, so make sure you have a few minutes. The minutes will be well worth it.

Sincerely,

Your Most Distincitive Jen-o-saurus

The Low Down:
Burgers/Sandwiches/Wraps, Entrees, Bar, Dessert
Local Favs: um, the burgers
204 E. Nine Mile Road
Open for Lunch and Dinner
Around $10
Take out available (no delivery)

Seafood di Venezia at Carrabba's Italian Grill

byte@byte-monkey.com (ByteMonkey) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 06:30:00 +0000

As you’ve read from colleagues’ posts, the crew of the PFC set out for some food and fun at our local Carrabba’s Italian Grill. We decided to hit the place on a Wednesday to take advantage of “Wine Wednesdays” which meant that there was $10 off any bottle of wine.

At our table, our waitress Robin recommended several specials to us. One of them caught my ear and I decided to try it out. Enter... the Seafood di Venezia.

This Ventian seafood platter featured “Trout Nocciola” and “Venetian Gamberoni” served with some pan-seared vegetable ravioli and sautéed asparagus.

The “Trout Nocciola was a hazelnut-encrusted filet of trout cooked on a wood-burning grill and then lightly covered with some basil-lemon-butter sauce. I thought that the mild trout flavor was well complimented by the sauce. This was actually my favorite piece of the plate. It was fresh, crunchy, and simply delicious.

The “Venetial Gamberoni” was shrimp stuffed with fresh crabmeat covered with a little lemon butter. This was my second favorite part of the dish. The crab meat and the shrimp came together pretty well. I think I can attribute the great flavor of this combination from the freshness of the seafood. I’ve had something similar to this at some other place in town, and it was a tragedy. This one was right on target. The spices were just right and it wasn’t over cooked.
The vegetable ravioli was par with ones that I have had at Carraba’s before. They were good, but not awesome. It tasted like it was missing something, but I couldn’t put my finger on it and I still can’t.

The asparagus was awesome, but I’m partial to asparagus in any form. It wasn’t overcooked so it actually still had a little crunch when you bit into them. In my humble opinion, that’s the way asparagus should be cooked. Carrabba’s hit the nail on this one.

Overall, I would definitely recommend the “Seafood di Venezia” to anyone. I really enjoyed it and I think I would definitely order it again when I come back. Do check with your server and see if it’s available. According to Robin, the dish was available for a limited time. It if is available, go ahead and try it. Let me know how what you think.

Calling All Pensacola Food Critic Fans - You Decide Where...

noreply@blogger.com (Schwab) — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 01:22:00 +0000

"The Schwab" would like the readers of this blog to help pick upcoming restaurants to review.

But that's not enough, "The Schwab" always likes to take things to the next level. So... not only say where you want me to go...tell me what you want me to order/review.

Oh, I have one more request when you post a comment. Inside the comment create a catchy little handle for yourself so I can give you some credit if your restaurant and food idea is selected. Comments without handles or names will probably be deleted.

So go ahead... click on the word "Comments" at the bottom of this post. When the next page appears click on "Post a Comment" and let all the "Pensacola Food Critics" know where you want "The Schwab" to go and visit.

Carrabba's - Lobster Ravioli and Cannoli

noreply@blogger.com (Jen-o-saurus) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:14:00 +0000

Your favorite Pensacola food critics descended upon Carrabba’s in full force last night. Your’s truly went with the Lobster Ravioli ($17) and ice water for the main event and Cannoli ($6) for dessert.

The Lobster Ravioli is described as Ravioli stuffed with tender Maine lobster in a white wine cream sauce with diced tomatoes. My plate arrived with a heap of beautiful ravioli and bright red tomatoes – no over-dressing. I like that. The food should be the star. I took a whiff before digging in and didn’t really smell anything, which is far better than that straight from the ocean smell you sometimes get with lobster dishes. After whiffing came biting - my first ravioli left something to be desired. But there’s one bad apple in every bunch, right? I thoroughly enjoyed the other nine apples, er, ravioli. Most of them contained nice big chunks of lobster which was indeed tender. I like a big chunk of meat – no unidentifiable mush for this critic, please. Oh – and the ice water was splendid. It did not taste chalky as many a glass of restaurant water I’ve sampled does. My only complaint – I was sucking air through my straw for most of the meal. I know water is the despised free drink, but it allows me to taste your food without some crazy cola infusion – so if you keep my glass full I’ll add that extra 30 cents to the tip that a $2 soda would have entitled.

Onward to dessert. The Cannoli is described as two crisp pastry shells stuffed with sweet ricotta and chocolate chip filling, topped with pistachios and powdered sugar. I chose this dessert because I have a hard time resisting anything with pistachios, not because my meal left me feeling hungry. The cannoli looked better than it tasted. Not that it was bad - it tasted good, the ricotta was creamy, the shell was crisp and the pistachios were great – it just so happened to be slightly more appealing to my eye (yes, just the one) than my tongue. By the way, the dessert portions seemed much more generous than the entrée portions. And if you can’t decide what to get, try the dessert sampler, which our waitress assured us is very “cute”.

I’m not sure where to rate my meal on the cuteness scale. Maybe somewhere between just cute and absolutely adorable…super cute??? Overall my meal was tasty and the atmosphere was nice. We were seated and served quickly despite the parking lot looking ominously full. Will I dine at Carrabba’s again? Sure. Will I order the same thing? Probably not – it was good but the plates of my partners in crime looked better (obviously I haven’t learned my lesson from the handsome cannoli).

The Low Down:
Italian entrees, desserts, wine
311 North 9th Avenue
Sun 11:30 – 9 p.m.; Mon-Thurs 4-10 p.m.; Fri & Sat 4-11 p.m.
$-$$$
http://www.carrabbas.com/

Lasagna and Dessert Rosa at Carrabba’s

noreply@blogger.com (Rodney) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:50:00 +0000

Last night, as part of a special event, the reviewers here went to Carrabba’s, a chain restaurant that serves Italian food. The restaurant had a casual feel while trying to be formal at the same time. On one side of the restaurant, cooks worked over stoves and grills visible from the main room. Occasionally, a flame or two would catch our attention.

I ordered the lasagna, something of a classic choice for me. I’ve had lasagna from many places, from chains to local places, and this lasagna was average compared to what I’ve had before. The taste wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either. It did have pieces of sausage that caught me by surprise, but even that was somewhat bland. My biggest complaint with it was that it was small compared to some lasagna I’ve ordered.

After the lasagna, I ordered the Dessert Rosa. It’s a butter cake with several types of fruit layered above the cake and topped with whipped cream. The cake was soft and moist, and the fruit tasted fresh. It was fantastic, and I think that I’ll probably order it if I get the chance to go back to Carrabba’s.

The Location:

Carrabba’s Italian Grill
311 North 9th Avenue
Pensacola, Florida 32501

Evening at Carrabba's

noreply@blogger.com (Schwab) — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:55:00 +0000

Someone in a land 'Far Away' has noticed this blog and sent us all gift certificates to Carrabba's Italian Grill. Thank you for your thoughtfulness. It was a nice treat.

So we decided to plan an evening where we'd all go together to review Carrabba's. I had a lot of fun going with the other reviewers and an enjoyable meal.

Upon entering and presenting the gift certificates, we were seated in a booth not far from where we walked into the restaurant. The booth had plenty of room for the four of us.

When it came time to order drinks, I decided my beverage of choice for the evening was going to be Coke.

By the time dinner had come around, I was definitely in the mood for steak. After carefully reviewing the menu in the restaurant (I had also taken a glimpse at the online menu earlier in the day), the decision was between the Sirloin Marsala and the Filet Fiorentina. I ordered the Sirloin Marslala ($18) because I decided I wanted a little more than just an 8 oz steak. I chose the Caesar salad and mashed potatoes to go with it.

I typically would have substituted a different side for the mashed potatoes since most of the places in town only serve garlic mashed potatoes, but the menu made no mention of garlic in these mashed potatoes, so I decided I'd give it a try.

All the food came out in a timely fashion to my satisfaction.

The Caesar salad was quite tasty. It was a healthy portion with fresh tasting green lettuce with just the right amount of dressing.

The steak was very thick and covered in a dark sauce and mushrooms. I ordered the steak medium-rare and it was delivered just as I ordered it.

The description listed on the menu is a "10 oz. USDA Choice center-cut sirloin topped with mushrooms, prosciutto and our Lombardo Marsala wine sauce."

There was a small side of mashed potatoes on the plate. Not a minute after the food was served the manager came by with a plate of mashed potatoes. He said the side of mashed potatoes I received on the plate was a little small, and he also went on to tell us they make their mashed potatoes fresh everyday. The great part was that the potatoes were mashed potatoes and not lumpy potatoes like I've received at other places.

I have to say, the steak was the most tender and juicy sirloin I've had in my life. I really enjoyed it. I liked the mashed potatoes. The plate of mashed potatoes that was brought out to me happened to taste slightly better than the mashed potatoes with the steak because the sauce from the steak was blending in with the mashed potatoes. On a side note, the picture of the steak doesn't exactly due it justice, it looked better in person.

The server checked on us frequently throughout our stay, which I appreciated. She said she happened to notice us taking pictures and offered to take a picture of all of us which turned out rather well. Personally, I don't know how anyone on that side of restaurant Could Have Missed that we were taking pictures with the amount of photos I took. Yes, that photo flash was very bright in that dark restaurant atmosphere.

By the time it came for ordering deserts, I opted out. I had already had more than enough to eat. All the deserts that were shown to us and the ones that were ordered all looked rather tempting.

If you're looking for a great dinner in the evening, I recommend ordering the Steak Marsala when you go to Carrabba's Italian Grill at 311 N 9th Ave in Pensacola, FL.

Buffalo & Lemon Pepper Wings at Wing Stop

byte@byte-monkey.com (ByteMonkey) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:25:00 +0000

Nobody likes hot wings like the ByteMonkey, so when I had the chance to visit the local the Wing Stop on Bayou Boulevard, I was excited.

When I arrived at the place, I was somewhat apprehensive. I didn't see anyone dining and I usually take this as a bad omen. Well, my worries were proved wrong when I decided that my desire for wings were greater than my concern for the lack of customers.

I was greeted at the counter by happy workers and they took my order pretty quickly. They were able to explain the different wings and sauces that they offered, but I knew what I wanted so I wasn't really paying attention that much to their sales pitch.

I decided I wanted the "10 Wing Meal" and I ordered with half "Original Hot" wings and the other half as "Lemon Pepper" wings. I ordered the lemon pepper wings because it was something I wasn't familiar with and I felt like living dangerously that day. The meal was served with a choice of dipping sauce and fresh cut seasoned fries. I got ranch for my sauce because I've lived in the South for too long and have been brainwashed into loving it.

Now, Wing Stop doesn't bake their wings like some places in town. These were deep fried and then dipped and/or seasoned to become the flavors they represent. All, I can say is that this process yields awesome results.

My hot wings came about 14 minutes after I ordered them. I know that seems like a long time, but they do cook them per order. I rather not have raw chicken wings or ones that have been sitting under a heat lamp for a while. Fresh and hot is good fro me.

The "Original Hot" wings were awesome. It was delightfully hot and crunchy. The buffalo sauce made my fingers red but I didn't care. The "Lemon Pepper" wings were also great. I wouldn't really call them hot wings because they weren't spicy. They had a unique lemony flavor with a hint of black pepper. It was really good and I think I'll be getting them again when I come back. The fries were also good. They remind me of the Belgian fries that Hop Jacks (a local pizza and beer place) serves for half the price.

All in all the, my experience there was great and I would recommend everyone to try the place. I realize now that the reason for the lack of customers was probably due to the time I went in. It was probably twenty minutes after they opened and I guess not everyone craves hot wings as early as I do. Very recently, I talked to one of my colleagues who told me that the place usually gets packed at night with the movie-going crowd since it's located near the new Bayou Rave theater. She also tells me that there is another Wing Stop in town somewhere on Mobile Highway. (If you live anywhere there, let us know what you think about that location!).

So, if you're hungry for wings or if you've just watched a movie and then become hungry for wings, then I'd highly recommend trying Wing Stop.

Here's the Stats of the Place I visited:

Wing Stop

5147 Bayou Boulevard
Pensacola, Florida32503

Phone: (850) 912-4408
URL: http://www.wingstop.com/

Ichiban Sushi Plate

byte@byte-monkey.com (ByteMonkey) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:24:00 +0000

Last week, I decided I wanted sushi for lunch. So, a coworker and I went to the Ichiban Japanese restaurant on Davis Highway.

Upon being sat, we were greeted by our server with hot towels to wipe our hands. They took our drink orders and we proceeded to peruse the menu.

The restaurant's ambiance is typical to those following the Japanese/Asian theme as evident with their decorations. They have several booths that allow for some privacy. I wasn't keen on having to remove my shoes, but I managed to survive the ordeal.

Having had my heart set on sushi, I spent most of my time looking at the sushi list. Everything on the list were moderately priced. There were a few things that seemed a bit expensive, but we were dealing with freshly rolled sushi and not the kind you find at the buffet line at some places in town. This was the real deal, folks

Having considered all of my options, I decided to go with the "Ichiban Plate." It was a bit pricey at around $23, but I was doing it for the experience. The plate consists of: Chef's choice 10 piece nigiri and choice of dragon roll with soup or salad.

As you can see from the picture below, it was a very pretty and tasty pretty meal.

Overall, the experience was great. Aside from my wallet being a bit sore, the food tasted as good as it looked. I would definitely recommend this place. Ichiban is located at 5555 N. Davis Hwy, Pensacola, Florida 32503. For more information, you can visit their web site at http://www.ichibanpensacola.com/.

Review by ByteMonkey

Grilled Crab Cakes at Crabs!

noreply@blogger.com (Rodney) — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:34:00 +0000

The past weekend, Chris and I went to Crabs! on Pensacola Beach. To say that the name of the restaurant causes a few jokes to be made is an understatement. In fact, at the end of the night, I said, “at least we had Crabs,” to which Chris said, “yeah, but not the right kind.” I didn’t ask exactly what he meant.

Anyway, the restaurant itself is on the beach overlooking the Gulf. It’s like many beachfront restaurants: sandy, smells of saltwater, and looks a little dirty. The prices are not like many beachfront restaurants, at least none that I’ve seen. My crab cakes were nearly $20, and they were one of the cheaper items on the menu.

The meal came with three grilled crab cakes (the choice was grilled or flash fried), potatoes, and corn on the cob. I wasn’t too impressed with the cakes, especially when compared with the price. They were good, but not good enough to be nearly $20. They were lacking in the flavor and seasoning areas which made them a little bland. I probably would be more accepting if they were cheaper.

The Twelfth Avenue at Hub Stacey’s

noreply@blogger.com (Rodney) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 22:52:00 +0000

Hub Stacey’s, located on Seville Square in downtown Pensacola, is known for its sandwiches, and it’s a well deserved reputation. The Twelfth Avenue is one of their best.

The sandwich is made of the restaurant’s tuna salad. Melted over the salad is cheddar cheese. The melt is on large slices of toasted rye bread. When I first picked up the sandwich, I thought the cheese might have melted out of the bread and was stuck to the wax paper (I had a to-go order). In fact, and I don’t know how they’re able to do it, the melted cheese remained completely within the bread. The resistance I felt when I picked up the one half of the sandwich was the weight of the thing. It’s that heavy.

Whatever they do to their tuna salad makes it delicious. The Twelfth Avenue is definitely worth trying.

Hub Stacey’s is at the corner of Government and Alcaniz Streets and on Perdido Key at Galvez Landing. Website: http://www.hubstaceys.com/

My oh my, Siam Thai

noreply@blogger.com (Jen-o-saurus) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:39:00 +0000

Robust, rich, rotunda…Siam Thai. Okay, so maybe ½ rotunda minus the dome.

Several years ago my favorite Thai restaurant disappeared. Literally. It was there one day and not the next. Convinced that the joy of dining was lost forever and contemplating a feeding tube, I began a search for authentic Thai cuisine. I was about to give up hope when the heavens opened over Siam Thai. Angels sang, fairies dusted and Chevy Chase brought me a Christmas tree.

Siam Thai uses fresh (many home grown) ingredients. You’ll discover herbs and spices including lemon grass, sweet basil, lime leaves, and galangal root. And curry, glorious curry! Reds, yellows and greens; hot, sour, sweet, salty, bitter...you want it, you got it. My personal favorite is Panang Curry. It is a spicy red curry coconut chicken soupy kind of thing that tastes great over jasmine rice. I like to nearly set my mouth a'fire, so I also suggest visiting the condiment cart of peppers and such.

I can’t review Siam Thai without a hats off to the staff, an exceptionally nice crew. My glass is never half empty and my used buffet plates are quietly removed so I never know exactly how gluttonous I’ve been. And they are so thin! Thin enough that I believe I’ll eventually be thin if I nosh on Thai cuisine.

You might also enjoy the eclectic décor. Slow moving fans, glitzy golds and colorful cloths make for a nice atmosphere. You may opt to take some atmosphere home with you as it is available for purchase. Oh – and if Buddha is your bag, baby, make a stop at the shrine.

The Low Down:
Entrées, Buffet, Dessert
Local Favs: Pineapple Fried Rice, Panang Curry, Cashew Chicken, Sushi Rolls
6403 N. 9th Ave
11 a.m. -10 p.m. Tues-Sat; 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Sun (I believe they are closed on Mondays)
Lunch Buffet $7.95, dinner buffet $8.95, entrees $8.95-$13.95
Take out available (no delivery)

Review by Jen-O-Saurus

Yakiniku Dinner at Nobusei Japanese Restaurant

byte@byte-monkey.com (ByteMonkey) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:10:00 +0000

I had dinner at Nobusei Japanese Restaurant last night and I was so delighted with my meal that I forgot to take some pictures of my food. I guess that's okay because the place was dim enough that I don't think the flash on my camera phone would've serve the food any justice.

Last night, I ordered the Yakiniku Japanese Dinner, which is grilled sliced beef that has been marinated in their signature teriyaki sauce and seasoning. The meal was served with a side salad with ginger dressing, a bowl of Japanese-style egg drop soup, tempura vegetables, and steamed rice. The Yakiniku beef was served on a bed of lettuce set upon a sizzling plate. The presentation was humble yet not careless. It was quintessentially traditional.

The beef was superb. The marinate did its job well as it permeated in every piece of the meat. The spices were not overpowering. It was the perfect balance of taste and texture. I would recommend this to everyone and I will definitely be having it again in the near future.

If you're looking for a real traditional Japanese restaurant in Pensacola, then I strongly recommend trying Nobusei. It's one of the last truly Japanese-run restaurant in the area and it is one of the area's best kept secret.

If you're satisfied with Japanese-like meals served at Japanese-themed restaurants, I say give Nobusei a try and see the difference for yourself.

Don't be surprised by the humble surroundings at Nobusei. Let the food speak for itself.

Nobusei is located on 7137 North 9th Avenue near the Winn Dixie at 9th Avenue and Creighton Road.

Review by ByteMonkey

Pub Pie at O'Zone Pizza

noreply@blogger.com (Rodney) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:06:00 +0000

O’Zone quickly became one of my favorite places upon my first visit back in 2004. While I’m a fan of most of their menu, the Pub Pie has become a common order.

The Pub Pie has Italian sausage, green peppers, onions, black olives, mushrooms, and feta cheese. The toppings go on O’Zone’s three cheese blend and sauce. O’Zone uses thin crust for its pizzas which tends to be somewhat crispy. The combination of all of the ingredients work together to make one delicious pizza.

As for nearly everything at O’Zone, the price of the Pub Pie is reasonable. For a sixteen inch pizza, equivalent to a large at other places, the price is less than twenty dollars. Considering that three grown men can get full from a sixteen inch pizza, that is an excellent deal.

O’Zone is located on 12th Avenue in the old Sacred Heart Hospital building in the East Hill area.

Review by Rodney

Sushi at Fuji Sushi

noreply@blogger.com (Rodney) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:53:00 +0000

Monday night, I was at Fuji Sushi with Chris. I ordered two things from the sushi menu: the spicy shrimp roll and the sunshine roll.

The shrimp roll has become almost a standby if I can’t decide on a choice. Fuji does it as well as other Japanese restaurants in Pensacola. It’s hard to say why it’s good, but I think it has to do with the shrimp breading. The sunshine roll was a new choice for me, and I’ll order it again the next time I’m at Fuji. The combination of cream cheese and sauce was absolutely delicious. I was less impressed with the tuna roll that Chris ordered and let me try. It lacked flavor, but I believe that has more to do with tuna than with the restaurant.

Overall, it was a great experience. For more about Fuji, go to http://www.tonyfujisushi.com/.

Review by Rodney

Teriyaki Chicken at Fuji Sushi

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:08:00 +0000

Last night, I went to Fuji Sushi Bar & Grill on Davis Highway near Circuit City. I ordered the Chicken Teriyaki which consisted of chicken broiled and basted in a spicy teriyaki sauce. This was served along with some Japanese vegetables and dumplings, miso soup, a garden salad with ginger dressing and some steam rice.

The meal was served in a bento box which made the presentation very appealing. The flavor of the chicken was a bit spicier than other chicken teriyaki meals that I have had elsewhere, but I did enjoyed it. The chicken had a hint of smokiness and a savory teriyaki taste which was probably derived from using a thicker quality of teriyaki sauce.

Overall it was awesome. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for something tasty in a Japanese/Chinese environment.

Visit Fuji Sushi’s web site at http://www.tonyfujisushi.com/ for more information and directions.

Review by Christopher

Chili's Smokehouse Bacon Triple-the-Cheese Big Mouth Burger

byte@byte-monkey.com (ByteMonkey) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 20:34:00 +0000

Today was one of my co-worker's birthday and for lunch our office decided to head out to Chili's. Looking through the menu, the large pictures of burgers caught my eye. One in particular was the Chili's Smokehouse Bacon Triple-the-Cheese Big Mouth Burger.

The description of the burger from Chili's web site, which echoes their printed menu, is as follows:

"Extra thick-cut jalapeño apple wood smoked bacon triple-layered with smoked cheddar, Swiss and provolone cheeses, sautéed onions and jalapeño-ranch dressing. Served with jalapeño-ranch dressing on the side."

It sounded very good to me, so I ordered this seemingly mammoth burger.

When I got my burger, I was somewhat let down. The actual plate did not live up to the hyped/photoshoped pictures on the menu. My burger actually looked it was swimming underneath the French fries. When I picked up the burger, the bottom was soggy. By the way, I hate soggy-bottom sandwiches. but I didn’t want to start a commotion so I decided to just eat my burger.

I ordered the burger medium-rare but was told by the waitress that I would get it medium. I said that was okay. The burger came medium.

The taste of the burger wasn’t any different from any $10 cheese burger I’ve eaten around town. The only thing unique was the huge bacon strips that was embedded in the burger. The bacon wasn’t something I was thrilled about. Sure it wasn’t typical bacon, but to me it tasted more like spicy ham. It didn’t have that bacony flavor that I am very familiar with. Overall, the burger just fell short of being great. It was good, but not great.

As far as Chili’s service, they have always been fast and courteous whenever I eat there. So I have no complaints about that. You're experience may vary, though.

Review by ByteMonkey

PFC Relaunch

noreply@blogger.com (Christopher) — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:26:00 +0000

After much eating, drinking and tweaking, we've decided to relaunch PensacolaFoodCritic.com and change a few things around.

Initially, we were planning on grading different restaurants in and around town, but this plan had a fatal flaw. We would eventually run out of places to eat at, and therefore run out stuff to write about. So, we decided to refocus a bit.

Don't worry, we'll still be talking about the restaurants that we decide to go through, but now we'll be more focused on the food that is served to us. We realized that restaurants are always coming up with new dishes as certain ingredients come into season. Suddenly, this gave us a wider scope of food related things to talk about.

So tune in as we eat our way around Pensacola, Florida and tell you what's good to eat!