It's very rare that I can say I was eating somewhere before it was popular.......

Remember when I reviewed the BBQ Truck in town?  It turns out I'm not the only one who loved it.  Bone-In Artisan BBQ has quickly become the place to grab lunch in town.  They were even declared the "Bite of the Week" is this week's Free Times.

Unfortunately, I haven't had a chance to get back to the truck since the first time I went.  I'm kind of hoping they'll set up outside Carolina Stadium before the baseball game on Friday, so I can grab dinner before I enjoy some baseball.  *Hint, Hint*

So congratulations on the Free Times write-up, and for all of the great things everyone in town has said about you guys!  Hopefully y'all can figure out a way to keep up with the demand!  I'm looking forward to seeing you again soon.

I love that my friends can cook!

I would really like to apologize for not being around much lately.  I was sick for the majority of last week, and I wasn't about to waste my time trying to eat a fabulous meal when I couldn't taste anything!

The going out to eat will resume this week, hopefully with a trip to Cellar on Greene on Thursday.  In the meantime, remember how I told you that I have friends who are really good cooks?  Well.  In an effort to make you as hungry as I am, right before lunch, I would like to share a picture that my dear friend A sent to me last night.

Yep.  That would be fresh swordfish, garlic broccoli, and roasted potatoes.  See, A had gone to the Columbia All Local Farmer's Market on Saturday, and purchased the swordfish.  He was pretty excited to cook it.  I know that I was certainly jealous when I got this picture.  In fact, my exact response was, "I love when you cook.  I love it more when I'm there to reap the benefits.  Looks delicious though!"   By all accounts it was.  And hopefully A will call me next time before he cooks things like this.  I'll even help pay for some of the ingredients.

Plenty of Fish in the Sea

Last week, in order to kill some time before a baseball game, and really, just because we could, L & I went to Pearlz Oyster Bar for happy hour and dinner.  I had been craving fish tacos for days, and L is always up for some seafood, so Pearlz seemed like the obvious choice.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in, was the bar.  The main seating area of Pearlz is fabulous.  It has a long regular bar, and then a handful of long high-top tables in the center of the room, and then a row of booths against the wall.  We opted to sit on the patio because it was absolutely beautiful outside and we wanted the sunlight and fresh air.  The patio is enclosed, but the windows are almost floor-to-ceiling, so it still almost felt like we were outside.   Really loved the atmosphere here.

Let's continue our journey through food in Columbus, Ohio, shall we?

In my travels last week, I got to spend sometime with family I hadn't seen in quite sometime, and we went out to brunch.  B found this place that is actually in Dublin, Ohio called Digger & Finch. We didn't actually get there until about noon, so I was feeling more lunch food than breakfast food.

J & B both opted for the Sunday brunch buffet.  The buffet featured an omelet bar, waffle bar, and several lunch options as well.  There were plenty of fruit and dessert choices, as well as soup and salad.  They were pretty satisfied with everything, except for the Guinness and cheddar soup.  I tried that one as well, and it did absolutely nothing for me.  It was really lacking in seasoning and was a little too thick. But really, if the soup is the only thing I can complain about, it's still been a pretty good outing.


I was really in the mood for some lunch food, and a sandwich on the menu caught my eye. Sometimes I like to pretend that I have a developed palate, but secretly, I have the tastes of a five-year-old. So when I saw a Triple Decker Grilled Cheese on the menu, I had to order it.   So many layers of grilled bread, assorted cheeses, ham, and bacon made my entire day.  I barely managed to finish the sandwich, and was still so full later that night that I skipped dinner.  That's a pretty intense grilled cheese sandwich right there.  All it really needed was some soup to go with it.  Not that I would have had the room to eat it.  But still. There's just something comforting about grilled cheese and soup.

I was pretty lucky in my Ohio food experiences.  I think I especially like Digger & Finch because it reminded me so much of Delaney's here in Columbia.  It had that dark wood and intimate type of atmosphere.  There is a huge copper topped bar with a giant fireplace in the front room.  Someone whom I assume is a local musician was playing acoustic covers during brunch.  And we were seated next to a giant window that overlooked the attached golf course.  Great atmosphere, pretty good food, and just a great setting.  I would go there again in a heartbeat.  You should check it out if you find yourself in the area.

Final Rating

You can find Digger & Finch on Facebook or on the web.

If you ever find yourself in Columbus, Ohio........

I know it's been awhile since I've updated, but in my defense, I was out of town for a wedding, and things were a little crazy.  So crazy in fact, that the two times I did go out to eat, I forgot that I had my camera, and acted just like a regular diner instead of a food blogger.  That means that you're about to get some food write-ups, but no accompanying pictures.  You'll just have to trust me when I tell you the food was good.

Tailgating. Restaurant Style.

You may have gathered this by now, but my friends and I are huge baseball fans.  Friday night games are usually at 7 p.m., which doesn't really allow much time for going home before the first pitch.  Which, of course, gives us the excuse to go out and grab something to eat before the game.

Last Friday, we elected to go to Carolina Ale House. They have good food, a pretty good beer selection (with pretty great specials too), and the service is usually pretty quick. Perfect when you have limited time.

Friday's beer special was $3 beers from the Sweetwater Brewing Company, which suited me and L just fine. A opted for a selection from Rogue. Yes, we do love our beer.

Proof that creating the perfect burger is, in fact, an art form.

Last weekend, a couple of my friends went to Atlanta and ended up having dinner at Flip Burger Boutique.  As an avid Top Chef and Richard Blais fan, I asked my friends if they wouldn't mind writing about their trip so I could post it here.  Both big food fans, they eagerly complied.  Thanks to A & S for documenting your trip!


I never miss an opportunity to eat great food. So when my girlfriend wanted to go on a weekend trip to the ATL, obviously my first thought was “Where will we eat?!” 

This is where we decided to go.

In Atlanta, the culinary options are endless. A quick google of “Atlanta restaurant” yields about 25.5 MILLION pages. To say I was quickly overwhelmed is an understatement. In order to narrow down the field I started with one of my favorite chefs from Top Chef, Richard Blais. I soon found that his restaurant, Flip Burger Boutique, is “first come, first serve.” I knew I was in luck. I hadn’t planned ahead enough to score a reservation, and I am stubborn enough to stand in line for half the day to get a table. And the menu at Flip Burger is solidly in my wheel house. Hamburgers and milkshakes? Deal.

Introducing Columbia's very first lunch truck!

I am so excited about what I just had for lunch that I can't contain myself and must write about it now.  In fact, I am so pumped to share it with you, that I'm actually finishing my meal as I type.

At about 11 o'clock this morning, I got a text from A that just said: "Three words for the hungry lady: bbq lunch truck."  Intrigued, I googled it, and discovered that he was referring to Bone-In Artisan Barbecue on Wheels. I immediately texted him back to let him know that I was definitely in for lunch.

I'm pretty sure that brunch was created for people who are as indecisve as I am.

If I had to pick a favorite meal of the day, it would be brunch.  The option to eat either breakfast or lunch food (or a combination thereof) makes me exceptionally happy.  And sharing a lazy meal with friends on a Sunday morning/afternoon makes it even better.  So this weekend, I met a couple girlfriends at Liberty Tap Room for brunch.  I've been to Liberty a couple of times before, but never for brunch.  I had heard many things about how awesome Liberty's brunch was, but I just never managed to get there.  Until Sunday.