Hickory Square

Fried Green Tomatoes with Pimento Cheese

Steak and Eggs with Hashbrown Casserole

Josh's on the Square is a neighborhood gem! My sister and I had brunch here Sunday. They offer a 3 course meal for $13 and bottomless mimosas for $8. I chose the fried green tomatoes, steak and eggs, and wild berry cheesecake, while my sister had a Cesar salad, shrimp and grits, and banana pudding. 

The fried green tomatoes were topped with pimento cheese which I usually don't care for (forgive me southern people lol) but it was good. The tomatoes were very fresh. Unfortunately, the steak wasn't cooked the way I requested but it was so tender and well seasoned I didn't mind. The eggs were fresh, not egg substitute or cracked into a large bucket and ladled out. The entree came with hash brown casserole that was ok but I've had better. The cheesecake was phenomenal. I wanted to take home the whole thing! It was house-made not the frozen, boxed kind that most restaurants serve.

My sister was nice enough to let me try her grits. I'm pretty sure they were yellow stone ground grits (the best kind). I was pleasantly surprised with the tomato based sauce; it was a different take on a southern classic! If ever in HIckory, NC . . . 

Wild Berry Cheesecake

Hash House A Go Go

Hash House A Go Go is hands down my favorite place to go in Vegas. It has the remedy for hangovers and gambling busts. The food is great and the price is right. The portions are large but more importantly the food is fresh. Homemade bread for sandwiches, homemade biscuits for sopping up gravy or golden egg yolks from farm fresh eggs. 

This last time I tried the chorizo hash. Housemade chorizo piled on top of crispy fried potatoes with onions and peppers, all nestled under two eggs over easy (or any way you want them), and a biscuit snuggled into a skillet (instead of a plate). It was absolutely delicious! I've also had the biggest BLT ever (I'm pretty sure there was a pound of bacon on the bread) and the chicken and waffles. Don't go to Vegas without stopping here! Oh and now its 24 hours!!!!

P.S. I've only gone to The Quad (formerly Imperial Palace) location. 

Sweet Potato Hash

What you need:

Sweet potatoes, cubbed
Red potatoes, cubbed
Red onions, diced
Smoked paprika
Cayenne pepper
Black pepper
Salt
Egg (optional)
Kale or spinach (optional)

What to do with it:

Drizzle oil in a pan.
Toss in the potatoes and onions.
Liberally season the potatoes.
Cook until tender with a golden crust.
Serve with eggs (over easy is great) and wheat toast or an English muffin.

Quiche

As a kid my mom made quiche but I never ate it. I can't remember where I tried it but when I did I loved it. I also decided that I preferred vegetable quiche. The other day I went to the store and a large bag of spinach was on sale so I found a general recipe on Allrecipes and adapted it for what I wanted. Instead of butter I cooked two strips of bacon to saute the onions and garlic in, but I didn't actually use the bacon in the quiche.

Original recipe makes 6 servings

 2 tablespoons butter
 1 onion, minced
 1 teaspoon minced garlic
 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
 4 eggs, well beaten
 3/4 cup milk
 1 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
 1 tablespoon butter, melted


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large saucepan or crisp two strips of bacon and remove.

Add onions and garlic and saute until translucent not brown. Let cool.

Stir saute mixture into spinach and sprinkle with cheese. Spoon filling into crust

Combine eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in melted butter. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until center has set.

In Worcester

Woosta Pizzeria

I ordered a chicken bacon ranch white pizza from a take out place down the street from my sister's apartment. When I ordered the girl mentioned it was a good choice, so my expectations were high; it did not disappoint either. The thin crust was spread with a creamy ranch sauce and topped with tomato, onion, bacon, and chicken. Good stuff!

Club Maxine's - Sunday Brunch

Ended up here for brunch this past Sunday. I think I found them on Yelp or Urbanspoon. It was a great spread with the usual omelette station with all the fixin's and carving station with turkey, ham and roast beef. There was pasta and Caesar salads, salmon, tilapia and chilled shrimp, bacon, sausage, eggs Benedict, bbq chicken, potatoes, and beef with gravy. Not to mention muffins, french toast sticks, pancakes filled with spiced apples, and Belgian waffles. I was really looking forward to a Belgian waffle because they had fresh berries and whipped cream, but the batter was way too thick (too much flour I'm sure) making the waffle dry and dense; disappointing to both of us (my sister and I). At first glance the pancakes looked like pigs in a blanket, so I decided to pass. Then I realized it was apple inside. They were cooked perfectly fluffy and delicious; definitely a highlight of the meal. Overall good food and good value because the $21 buffet also includes a mimosa or bloody mary. The buffet runs from 10-2pm so I would recommend making a reservation and going early.

Wings Over Worcester

For a "wing" joint, this place had amazing ribs. I chose the golden bbq sauce (mustard base) which was perfectly painted on each bone of the St. Louis style dry rub ribs; they weren't slathered or over sauced. The platter also included boneless wings which were, lets face it, chicken tenders. They were huge and served by the pound. Most places boneless wings are a third of the size of one from Wings Over. With plenty of dry rubs and sauces to chose from, I got garlic parm. Hands down best I've had and I actually plan on replicating the dry rub/batter at home. Check the website they may have one in your city! Unfortunately there isn't one in Baltimore but the next time in Worcester I will be ordering. By the way, delivery is free!

A Gem on Greenspring

Joey Chiu

I'm a huge fan of brunch buffets, but really who isn't? I found a quaint little spot on Greenspring Ave. They had a spread of breakfast pastries, donuts and breads, fruits and veggies, salads, shrimp and smoked fish. Omelette and crepe stations with all the fixings Breakfast options of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes and French toast. A plethora of Chinese food lunch options including beef and broccoli, fried rice, and chow mein. Endless mimosas and bloody Marys to quench the thirst and tasty dessert selections topped off the afternoon. For $28 (including tax but excluding tip) this a steal for sure!