Beth "Mrs. Baconpants" K.'s Profile

I had heard that Local was not the kind of place I'd want to be on the weekends or late at night (rumors of frat boys, dbags everywhere), so I was sure to go on a week day for dinner.  At this time, the dining area was not busy and we had no wait to sit, although there were several other diners there.  Unfortunately the weather was crappy that day so no patio experience for us.

The interior of Local is pretty nice looking.  I loved their menus (nerd) and seating arrangements.  Our service was quick and very friendly.  

I was inspired to order the Amazing Yoga Asparagus Salad with Salmon since it was named for my fave studio right across the street!  It was a filling salad with delicious grilled asparagus, other veggies and a bunch of goat cheese.  The salmon was cooked very nicely and I was impressed with the quality of the fish.  The best part of the salad, though, was the horsey vinaigrette.  Yum!  My husband got the cheeseburger with bacon (of course) and said it was "good".  So probably an average burger here.

Our waitress did make a mistake on our bill (charged for an extra beer that we ordered but they actually didn't have on tap), but when we brought it to her attention she was really apologetic and fixed it quickly and gave us both coupons for our next visit.  A little thing like that can really make a difference in your experience!

I was pleased with my meal at Local.  The service was good, the food was creative and tasty, and the atmosphere was nice (early on a weekday at least).

Me and two friends took the Beginner's Knitting Class at Knit One after it was featured on Living Social.  The staff was very accomodating in scheduling the classes, especially because they filled up quickly (only 4 students per class).  They extended the expiration date for the Living Social so that everyone could schedule a class that worked for them.  

I went a few days before my class to pick out my supplies, and felt very welcomed immediately in the store (referring to a previous review:  believe me, I was just coming from work in my scrubs and did NOT look "well to do").  The staff was extremely helpful in picking out my supplies, which I appreciated because I was starting with absolutely zero knitting knowledge.

The class was two hours long, and our teacher, Wendy, got us started on our first project (a cowl).  She made sure each student got one on one attention and answered any questions in a very friendly and patient manner.  She fixed all the stuff we messed up (which I think everyone screwed up several times!).  We left the class with the knowledge on how to continue to work on our project and how to fix a few simple problems we run into.  

When I finish the cowl (hopefully sometime within the next two years... I'm pretty slow) I hope to enroll in another knitting class or attend Open Knit night on Tuesdays or Thursdays to learn how to start something new.  

I recommend Knit One if you are interested in learning something new.  The staff is extremely knowledgable and PATIENT... which is important when you are just starting out.

Stopped into Industry to watch one of the Pens playoff games.  Boy, it was PACKED!  We stood at the bar and waited for a table, which thankfully opened up sooner than expected.  The draft list here is really extensive and they also have interesting cocktails and a ton of whiskey and bourbon.  I was happy to see Arsenal Cider on the menu as well as a few of Industry's own brews.  I tried an Industry I.P.H and an East End Big Hop (can never pass it up when it's on tap!).  Even though the large bar was busy the service was not bad and we weren't waiting long for beers.  

This is a great place to watch sports, which makes it stick out like a sore thumb in L-ville.  I'm not hatin', though, I loved being able to watch hockey on what seemed to be a zillion tvs everywhere.  The vibe is sort of classier than the average sports bar, and I hope they keep that up.  

When we were seated we ordered wings and fries.  The Filament Fries have Rosemary Truffle Oil and Gorgonzola cheese all over them, so it was predetermined that I would be in love.  They were very, very tasty.  The wings were OK, not the best quality I've had, but the spice rub we got on them was balanced and flavorful.  

A few things of note that made me giddy:  
1.  They have Bison bacon you can order as a side.  
2.  Their silverware is pretty (I'm a dork).
3.  They have mac n cheese (I need to go back soon and get it)

Service was great, especially impressive for such a new place.  I'll be sure to be back soon.

First off, I need to break my rating down a bit...

The bar and the mac n' cheese get 5 stars.  Nothing better than the mac n' cheese here, I probably could eat a bucket full.  It is peppery, though, so if that ain't your thang then you've been warned.  Also, the quality of other food I've gotten here was better than your average bar food.  The bar has fantastic choices of drafts and the service is very good.  

The patio in the back was a very nice surprise... I was at Kelly's several times before I even knew it existed.  Wonderful option...but this is where things go wrong.  The service at the tables and the patio is atrocious.  Actually it's laughable how rude the waitress was to our party (unprovoked!).  I was prepared for it after reading some reviews on here, but was startled by how much the warnings rang true.  I don't believe this is a matter of "we didn't know somebody" or "we don't look hip enough", I honestly just think they understaff their floor.  There was one waitress in charge of all inside and patio and she was obviously overwhelmed.  

Next time I will stick to the bar (and the mac!).

I've had great experiences at the Avalon Veterinary Hospital.  We've taken our dog there for routine things (shots, ear care), and also for a mystery sickness which the vet was very involved with diagnosing and treating (she actually called to check up on him personally).  The staff remembered him and loved seeing him visit.  

I've recently taken my cat here, who has a growth on his arm.  He has to have it removed, which Dr. Bigger explained can be done there and quoted me an EXTREMELY reasonable price.  

I am so pleased with the services my pets have gotten at the Avalon Vet I wouldn't think of going elsewhere.  The staff and the vets are all extremely friendly and knowledgable.  

The only thing keeping it from 5 stars is that it location is pretty small, and the exam rooms are only divided by curtains (no doors).  Sometimes my cat gets pretty stressed if a dog is in the room next to him.

I went to the 1866 Restaurant and Taproom for a friends birthday.  We had reservations for 10.  I'm not sure where to begin...  

1.  A Taproom should have more than a few beers on tap.  The only interesting beer they had (Hofbrau) they were out of.  Very disappointing beer selection.  I think the selection consisted of the usual lite beers, Yuengling, Straub's, and Sam Adams.

2.  The service is very, very , very slow.  We waited about 20 minutes for our salads.  We waited at least an hour and a half for our entrees.  They came out in spurts... first 4 sandwiches, then about 15 minutes later a few more, until only one girl did not have her dinner.  We waited another 15 minutes for that (and only received it after someone walked to the kitchen to complain).  Our reservations were at 7:30pm, we didn't leave until after 10pm.  

3.  The soup was cold, the salad was uninteresting.  The steak ($25.00) was big but cooked to death.  The Loaded Chicken ($17 I think) was very tiny... one uninspired chicken breast with some veggies on top.  The sandwiches were good and my pasta (Chicken and Artichoke) was good, but not worth the wait.

The menu at 1866 is huge.  Honestly I don't think they should be offering half of the stuff on it (Sashimi Tuna?  Really?).  By the time we were served all the other tables in the restaurant were cleared out and they still weren't able to keep up.  The decor at 1866 was VERY outdated and old fashioned.  They also had Christmas decorations up in February (which I'd think was funny if I didn't have to stare at it while I waited for my food for 1.5 hours).

I won't be coming back to 1866 and I wouldn't recommend it to others.  I hope they downsize their menu and give themselves a much needed makeover.

I went to Pino's to celebrate a friends birthday on a Thursday night.  I hadn't been in Pino's since they renovated, but I have to say that they made the interior beautiful.  We made reservations, but I don't think we would have needed them since there was just a few other parties seated when we came in.  

My two girlfriends and I always have a tough time deciding what to order...so naturally we order one of everything that looks good.  We started with the Charcuterie platter, which was a mix of absolutely delicious prosciutto, capicola, and soppressata with a bit of veggies and mozzarella.  This was an impressive way to start out the meal.  We all wanted to try the seasonal ravioli, which was pumpkin (too tempting for three certified pumpkin fanatics), so we got an order to share as an appetizer.  This was unlike other pumpkin ravioli I've had...very pumpkiny.  The ravioli was good, although we all agreed that we wouldn't have been able to eat a whole order.  It was very sweetly spiced and I was missing a little bit of savory with the dish.  

I ordered the grilled sausage pizza for my entree, and was pleased with it.  I admittedly never get too excited about pizza, and this was good, but nothing that I was dreaming about later that night.  Overall, the food was a 3-4 for me.  

The service was outstanding.  Our waiter was very welcoming and knowledgable.  My friends got dessert, and when the chef (I assume Chef Pino?) came over to ask how it was, my friend jokingly said that it was delicious, but would be perfect with a bit of sauce.  Before she could take another bite, he whisked both of the desserts away and added fresh strawberries and sauce, saying that he would be serving the dish that way for now on.  Talk about service!  The whole experience was fantastic, service gets a 5.  

Added bonus:  Awesome beer selection, some brews I haven't seen.  Only place I've been that had East End Homewood Reserve on tap for me to try (exciting for a beer dork like me, and it is tasty, by the way).

There was a lot of anticipation among travelers of Rt. 65 to see what would move into the old Mocha Mountain space.  I was introduced to Bean Thru by their bright big sign and Groupon, which was a fantastic deal (5 drink punch card for $10).  

I have gotten 4 of my free drinks so far and have always had very friendly service.  Their menu offers a wide variety of hot and cold drinks, smoothies, and snacks.  They get 5 stars for service, signage, and convenience.  You get your order, how you like it, with a smile and within the same amount of time as it would take in a walk in joint.  Prices are comparable to other nice coffee places.

The quality of the Spiced Chai Tea Latte and the Mocha were very good.  They were more flavorful than overwhelmingly sweet, which I appreciate.  The coffee and espresso, in my opinion, is just OK.  I'm no coffee expert, but the coffee has a cardboardy taste.  It's still head and shoulders above other quick coffee stops, though, so I wouldn't let this sway you.  I haven't tried any of the food other than the granola bars (they offer NuGo bars, which I like in the vanilla).  For quality of coffee/food, I give them 3 stars.

I love that Bean Thru is really making sure they are in the public eye.  Their website and facebook are both active and informative.  They are also taking advantage of sites like Groupon, which is great for those who want to try them out.  This is an area where I think Mocha Mountain could have done better, and I hope that Bean Thru benefits because of it!

I have been to Bite Bistro several times... living in Bellevue, then moving to neighboring Avalon, it's rare that I have a chance to brag about culinary attractions in the area.

For those unsure about where Bellevue is, Bite Bistro is worth the extra work to figure it out and make the trip (it's really only a few minutes outside of the city!).  

Bite Bistro is a welcoming restaurant, stylish and modern but comfortable and casual.  There is usually a nice mix of older fine dining patrons and younger couples and groups.  It's BYOB and they offer a lot of tasty mixers for liquor.  Many of the ones I've tried are a bit too sweet for me, so I usually settle with a bottle of wine or beer.  

This particular trip to Bite I was concerned because nothing on the menu immediately jumped out as an easy choice.  They recently removed my go-to Prosciutto Sandwich (with St. Andres cheese, amazing sandwich), so I was desperate to find my next fave dish.  My husband ordered the Hanger Steak, which is a delicious mix of juicy flavorful steak and Bite's unbeatable fries.  Can't go wrong with that, but I was looking for something a little less heavy.  

I settled on the Duck Breast and squash.  I don't remember ever having duck, so this was a leap.  It came out medium rare, sliced over top of tenderly sauteed squash, brussel sprouts, and fresh cranberries.  The duck was so juicy it was unbelievable.  I'm not usually a fan of fat on meat, but the thin edge of fat on one of the pieces was like butter mixed with the delicious duck.  The bitter crunchy cranberries and rich flavors of the squash and brussels was perfectly balanced.  My husband even liked the duck more than the steak (and the steak was good, people).  

One thing I love about Bite is that I always have room for dessert, and they always have something that is interesting.  Tonight we treated ourselves to the goat cheese and warm cider dessert.  The goat cheese was so creamy and rich that I could have eaten a bucket of it.  Served with little pieces of bread and apples this was a great fall/winter dessert idea.  The warm cider was a nice finishing touch.  

I have had dishes I like more than others at Bite, but I've never had any dish there that was not thoughtfully cooked, carefully presented, and creative.  I couldn't ask for more than that from a restaurant.  The service is always fantastic.  I would come here every night if I could!  Next time I'm there I'd love to experience a chef's tasting.  Keep up the great work, Bite Bistro!

We usually use Joe Mamas for large work gatherings because its one of the only places that is able to accommodate big groups in South Oakland. The service at Joe Mamas is always very good, but its a huge pet peeve of mine that they will not separate checks for bigger groups. They tell you this up front, though, so at least you can go prepared.

Joe Mamas bar is probably my favorite part of the restaurant. They always have a few good beers on tap (I had Stone IPAs during our dinner).  Also, they have crazy cheap drafts during happy hour and a fun martini list if beer aint your thing (French Toast is my fave!)

So, four stars for the bar. Unfortunately, the food at Joe Mamas is always pretty underwhelming. I have resorted to sticking to pizza, but nothing is mind blowing. Two stars for food. My husband got the Bacon Linguini, which was ok, but very salty and nothing special.

I recommend Joe Mamas for a great happy hour joint, but stick to apps then catch dinner somewhere else.