Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Hardee's 1/4 lb Jim Beam Bourbon ThickBurger

$3.99 with free fries and drink by showing student ID!
 


The 1/4lb Jim Beam® Bourbon Little Thickburger has a 100% Black Angus Beef burger, Jim Beam® Bourbon Sauce, Two Strips of Bacon, Garlic Onion Straws, Pepper-Jack Cheese, Tomato and Lettuce all served on a Seeded Bun.
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Unlike other fast food restaurants all of Hardee's burgers are cooked to order; so mine came out hot and fresh. The Jim Beam burger taste alot like TGI Friday's Jack Daniels burger but for half the price. The burger itself was hot and juicy, the bacon and teh onion straws was crisp and not soggy or limp which can sometimes be the case at fastfood places. The Jim Beam Burbon sauce is delicious and really makes the burger. It is sweet with a slight bourbon aftertaste. My only complaint at all was that the cheese was not totally melted. All meals at Hardee's are made even better by the fact that if you show your student ID you get a free small drink and fries.

Overall, this burger is great and Hardee's makes it so that people do not have to go to a sit down restaurant to get an awesome burger!
 
 

Hillbilly Red’s

353 E Williamsburg Rd 
Sandston, VA 23150




           
            Hillbilly Red’s is in Sandston, a couple of miles from the Richmond International Airport. Located right in the middle of town, Hillbilly Red’s is in a large, impressive building that looks just like a person would picture a BBQ restaurant looking like, wood, bricks and rustic. As I walked inside last Monday I was warmly greeted by the owner. Inside is just like the outside, exactly what one would come expect from a BBQ place; lots of wood, pigs and country decor. While not the most original it definitely sets the mood and is far from over the top or gaudy. It looks a lot like a Famous Dave’s Restaurant but by the warm greeting I received and the great conversation that accompanied it I knew I was not in some big chain restaurant but a well executed family run local spot. 

            For being a local operation, Hillbilly Red’s is quite large with lots of seating.  You order at the cash register when you walk in and then take your seat or at least that’s what the owner told me to do, but I was the only person in the place so it may be different if there are a lot of people.  The menu was not huge but it contained everything that one looks for at a BBQ restaurant; Ribs, brisket, pulled pork, chicken and all of the usual sides. While not cheap the prices were comparable to just about any other BBQ restaurant in the area.  I ordered the Deluxe BBQ combo for $8.95. It came with a deluxe pork bbq sandwich, cole slaw on the side, fries and a drink.  She asked me what type of bbq sauce I wanted because they have three types; sweet tomato based, hot tomato based and a vinegary NC style. I picked the sweet one. 

            While her husband prepared my order I had a nice conversation with the owner. Her and her husband were both very nice and welcoming and are true BBQ lovers, knowing just about every BBQ restaurant in Central Virginia.  In no time my order was ready.  I had it to go and the bag seemed to weigh 2 pounds. As I pulled the sandwich out in my car I found out why; the sandwich was huge! There was also a large helping of fries and three containers BBQ sauces, ketchup and cole slaw. I quickly topped the sandwich with a heaping amount of cole slaw and bbq and was soon in heaven.  The pork was extremely tender and juicy and you could definitely taste the smokiness, which often is not the case. This pork was perfectly smoked, noticeable but not overpowering. The sandwich was amazing. The sauce was sweet and tangy and the cole slaw was sweet and creamy.  It really was one of the best pull pork sandwiches I’ve had in a while and it was big enough for two meals.  The fries were fine but the sandwich was so big and so delicious I barely touched them.

            Hillbilly Red’s is one of the better BBQ places in Richmond; so please do yourself a favor the next time you’re up near the Richmond Airport and stop in a grab a bite at Hillbilly Red’s . But remember they close at 7:30pm and don’t open on Sunday!

Monday, March 4, 2013

Padow’s Hams and Deli

648 Southpark Blvd  
Colonial Heights, VA 23834

               
                Even though it has been in Colonial Heights my whole life, until a week ago I had never eaten at Padow’s. I’ve always heard good things and have wanted to check it out but it always seemed to be closed when I want to eat there and am in the area.  But after a dentist appointment last week I finally found my chance. 
                Padow’s is in a building that is attached to Adolph’s clothing (another establishment that I do not frequent enough) in front of K-Mart and Michaels in Colonial Heights.   Inside it is very simple, pretty much just a deli with a couple of tables and chairs and various things for sale.  Behind the deli counter is a huge chalk board with every sort or meat, cheese and bread combo imaginable, along with a make your own menu.  After much deliberation I decided on Pastrami on marble rye with gruyere cheese, cole slaw and Russian dressing, toasted and warmed, served with a pickle.  Around $9.00 it was a little high for a sandwich but it looked and smelled so delicious I didn’t care.
                For as good as it smelled and looked it tasted even better. The pastrami was tender and delicious, the cheese perfectly melted and the cole slaw and Russian dressing added a creamy sweetness that complemented the salty meatiness.  The crisp toasted bread held it all together to make one of the best sandwiches I have had in a long time and probably the best sandwich I’ve ever gotten anywhere in Colonial Heights.  This thing was not huge like many of the monstereous deli sandwiches that are featured on TV these days but it packed more deliciousness into one sandwich than I ever thought possible.  (For those who don’t know what Russian dressing is; it is a lot like sweet Catalina French dressing, at the lest the one at Padow’s is)
                All I can say is that you really need to treat yourself to a sandwich at Padow’s. They have something for every taste, except maybe vegetarians but why would a vegetarian go to a deli anyway, and you can make any sort of delicious combination that you can think of.  Much like any great food, you get what you pay for and the little bit extra you pay at Padow’s you get back tenfold in freshness and flavor.