Gary "McManstud" H.'s Profile

So I have to say it: This is my favorite Chinese place in San Diego county. Not that I've tried all of them or anything, but this place is just that good. Actually, I have to blame my dad for getting me hooked here when I was in high school. It's kind of embarrassing, but there was a point when they knew us by name, we were there so often.

The family deals are pretty good. They have four different specials and each special has 5 or 6 plates that you can choose two or more from (depending on how many are in your party) and come with soup, wontons and the like. Usually if the item you want isn't on the special, they'll let you substitute anyway. My personal favorite meal there is General Tao's Chicken. It's just a little spicy, but they'll crank up the heat if you ask. I can't say that I've had their lunch specials, but the dinners have gratuitous amounts of food per plate. Expect to take some home unless you're a human garbage disposal. Re-heated Chineese always makes a great breakfast anyway.

Overall, great service, great atmosphere, delicious food. Highly recommended.

Please note:

I am not from New York or the surrounding area.
I am not a self-proclaimed "pizza expert."
I do not understand the concept of "folding" a slice of pizza.
My accent doesn't sound like it should be out of a 20's gangster film.
I ordered this pizza for delivery, so this review is merely on the pizza and service.
If any of these things may discredit me as a reviewer, please stop reading now.

This was dinner last night. And holy crap. Awesome pizza. I had a small cheese with banana peppers, and it easily fed two for under ten dollars. There was just the right amount of cheese, the sauce wasn't too sweet or acidic (I hate to admit it but some pizza gives me heartburn). The crust and dough were delicious. As far as service goes? I felt like the order had just been placed when the doorbell rang. Next time I might attempt an actual visit so I can get more of a feel for the place. But trust me: there WILL be a next time.

This is the first Chinese place besides Panda Express that I have been brave enough to try since moving here from San Diego. Luckily for me, it wasn't such a horrible experience that I will never eat Chinese food again, however I will give it a just OK. And I'm gonna go ahead and use a probably overdone rating system to explain this one.

The Good: Schzhuan Chicken, decent decorations, helpful and friendly service. There was enough food for me to have breakfast with the leftovers this morning. Also, the orange slices that came with the fortune cookies at the end were a nice touch.

The Bad: Sweet and Sour Chicken. The sauce was good, but ultimately the chicken itself didn't have a whole lot of flavor.  Also the little crispy strip things that Chinese places always serve for whatever reason were a little thick, and would have been better if they were at least a LITTLE warm.

The Ugly: Trying to get a check was a hassle. Maybe we we're just unsightly or something, but they put us on the opposite side of the room as the other customers, so it took a little while for them to notice that we were done. It wasn't painfully long, just mildly annoying.

Overall, I wouldn't mind coming back and maybe taking advantage of their lunch buffet, but I'm still looking for a favorite place. Possibly more to come on this one!

Oh is that a rather tasty cup of yogurt? And a delicious salmon bisque? Yes, I will gladly give you a four star review.

First off, I have to admit that I did not order my own cup of yogurt, however I did try my girlfriend's Pomegranate and Original with fresh Kiwi on top. It was pretty good. I can't deny that, but honestly, I'm still getting used to the idea of frozen yogurt having the more yogurty taste of its refrigerated counterpart (I don't know if I've just been going to the wrong places around here, but the San Diego version of froyo tastes quite a bit like ice cream). With that said, I will be back here for my own cup of healthier tasting yogurt, and of course it will be complimented with a less healthy topping. Oh by the way, the topping choice was admirable, but nothing to rave about. Some cereals, fresh fruit, and candy choices. Not bad. Not great.

NOW onto the soup! I know. Who gets soup from a froyo place? Well, in my defense I A) wanted something warm (it's been chilly lately) and B) couldn't eat most of the toppings due to my wisdom teeth recently being pulled. So don't judge me. Anyway, I ordered the Salmon Bisque and was pretty well pleased with it. Now, I don't claim to be an expert on bisque, but for a few bucks, that cup of soup was a pretty good deal. Creamy and flavorful, and they threw in a piece of bread-type substance. I can't remember exactly what it's called, but it beats Wonderbread for sure.

I'll be back here again soon. And next time I'll be getting my own cup of yogurt.

One cold and rainy night, my date and I braved the weather to venture here after dinner despite the temperature outside. Let me tell you, the gelato was worth the loss of a few more degrees of body heat. Perhaps I was a little easier swayed by good gelato than usual because my last experience was so terrible (I should have known not to get self-proclaimed "gelato" from a train station in DC), but even my date who has had gelato in Italy approved, so I can't be that crazy, right? Anyway, long story short, great gelato, lots of flavors and drink options, but the seating and atmosphere could be a LITTLE better. When it's raining outside and there are more people than chairs it can get a bit uncomfortable.

Sunday, October 25. Approximately 4:53 PM EST. I found myself there on the last day they had it this year, so after more than an hour of traffic, running a little old lady out of my parking spot, and forking over an $18 per person admission fee, my girlfriend and I were in.

Between the random assortment of food (I had potato wedges since my wisdom teeth were recently yanked and introduced the girl to churros. Seriously, who hasn't heard of a churro?!?), the shows they had to watch such as a man juggling knives whilst standing upon a rickety table on top of a bowling ball on top of a wooden board, and the cool items available for purchase, I had a blast.

I would also like to add that the people in costume are all very entertaining. I'm honestly not even sure who was working there and who was just hanging out. There was a town drunk as we were leaving! Either way, it kept me thoroughly entertained.
Oh and wax hands pretty much rock.

So, I hate to say it but I have always been a fan of Mimi's, so when I moved out here and found one I was pretty excited. (gonna rabbit trail for a sec: this is on my cell so this will be a quick breakdown). The food, as I remember is still pretty good and large enough portions to kill a horse (unless you choose the cheaper "just right" entrees). What I find ridiculous however is that I had to ask TWICE to get a complimentary side of bread. Shouldn't that be automatic? Plus, the service in general is a little below par. Overall the food is worth eating, but the experience is definitely not spectacular.

Mr. Yogato. The name in itself brought interest to my ears when my friend said we should go, and we did just that. It was a little bit of a drive from the Laurel area, but well worth it. What I enjoyed most about this place (possibly more than the yogurt) were the challenges for a discount. My friend opted to wear a stamp on his forehead that for the rest of the night people mistook for a tattoo, while I went for the trivia question. If you care to know, I had to name 10 body parts that are 3 letters long. Hint: abs isn't one of them.

The yogurt was a little tangy/tart like regular yogurt yogurt tastes. Not conventional frozen yogurt, but enjoyable nonetheless. It would be nice if they had more than 4 flavors at a time, but  they make the ones they do have work for them.

However, the most noteworthy detail of this establishment is definitely their toppings. Aside from the wide variety of toppings you can opt to pay for, they have a table set aside with complimentary chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, and honey. However, Mr. Yogato doesn't stop there. They go so far as to have balsamic vinigar (which actually isn't too bad. I tried it on a sample), olive oil, and bacon bits to name a few more also on that table.

Overrall, I had a lot of fun here and will most likely go back again if I find myself in the area or feel like making the trip. Four stars well earned.

So the only reason why I am reviewing this particular Potbelly and not the one with all the reviews is because this is the one I go to most often. Plus, this one could use some lovin' too.

Wreck on wheat, everything except onions and easy on the peppers, please. Very addicting sandwiches and a good choice of soda and chips. Friendly staff. They are not your Jerrod's I'm-gonna-lose-tons-of-weight type subs, but they are so delicious. And for you healthy folks out there they DO offer healthier alternatives with less meat. The only complaint that I have is that it is a LITTLE expensive for the size of the sub, however they're still reasonable for the flavor that is delivered.

Personally, I love coffee shops. However, coffee alone is not enough. The atmosphere has to be just right, and the staff approachable. Forgive me if I'm preaching to the choir here, but I just had to outline what it is I'm looking for. Long story short, City Dock Coffee hit the mark on just about everything I look for.

The first thing I noticed here were 3 college students at a table out front. One with a guitar, another with a drum, and the third with a shaker egg thing. That's the laid back feel I was looking for when I moved to Md, and my approval doesn't stop there.

I enjoyed the coffee so much so that it has become the first place where I have a "usual" (I have to admit that I'm proud of this. It's always been a goal of mine). Plus, the pastries are equally as delicious, and if you buy one after 5 PM they're all half off. More than a dozen visits later, I am still a fan of City Dock Coffee.