Full Belly Deli

There is NO False Advertising here ... The Full Belly Deli (FBD) gives you just that by the time you leave.  This place opened just about the time Alonnie & I moved to RI but now that we are back it has become one of our Favorite spots to go when we want a deli sandwich & some soup.

Johnathan (owner/operator) only uses Boar's Head products for his sandwiches and his soups, salads and cookies are made from scratch by him daily. FBD has the standard deli sandwiches but they also have a few unique signature creations that are always worth a try.

Click to Enlarge

 This particular day Alonnie and I were just in for a quick bit so we shared a C.E.O. (see the description above) a bag of chips and a Boylan Cream Soda.

 



Johnathan was there and we chatted while our sandwich was made fresh, right in front of us.  His friendly staff works quickly to prepare each sandwich to order.  There is a personal touch, a feeling that your more than just a sale, more than just a dollar sign. The day we were there it was getting close to 3pm (closing time on a Saturday) but no one was turned away at closing time, and no one  was rushed out after 3pm, that's not the way FBD conducts business.

When asked if Johnathan had thought about FBD franchising out and the response was simple ... not interested; this level of homemade quality is a hands on process, with a lot of "by memory" recipes that couldn't be easily mass produced, then shipped and still ensure the same consistent high standards. I would have to agree, FBD is a Unique place to eat because it is just that one-of-a-kind.

As the old joke goes : How do you get to a Franchised Deli?  Subway.
Not sure how old that joke is ... or if it is even a joke, but you get my point.

Full Belly Deli

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

 

RUBY TUESDAY

Generic Photo ... not the actual Location

Oakdale Mall •• Johnson City, NY

Monday-Saturday 10:00AM - 9:00PM , Sunday 11:00AM - 7:00PM

(607) 729-7550 •• •• www.rubytuesday.com

There are 3 guarantees in life ... Death, Taxes and Never saying Never.  When this blog was conceptualized Alonnie and I had said that we would never review chain restaurants, well here we go with our first chain restaurant.

It had been a long day and Alonnie convinced me to stop in to Ruby Tuesday for a drink,  we have been to Ruby Tuesday before and it was your typical chain food establishment, our expectation were not set to high, after all it was only drinks, and since they would be alcoholic drinks how bad could they be. As we walked in the door something seemed different, undoubtedly they had gone through a remodel since our last visit, it was warm and inviting.

The plan was drinks so we looked over the drink menu and selected an Ultimate Bacardi Mojito for me and a Raspberry Moon for Alonnie. The Raspberry Moon was a combination of Blue Moon Belgian White Ale & Chambord Black Raspberry, this was one of several unique beer combo's that were on the menu.

We had eaten a little earlier but decided to see the food menu as well, maybe get some appetizers.  Upon review of the menu we could tell that more that just the interior had received a remodel.  I opted for the Classic Tuesday Burger with a side of salad bar and Cheddar mashed potatoes. Alonnie ordered the Veggie trio (spaghetti squash & grilled zucchini) and substituted a baked Mac and Cheese for the third of the veggie. You can tell a lot about a restaurant by their Mac & Cheese.

 We helped ourselves to the salad bar which had a good selection of fresh veggies and greens along with a few salads and topping. The salad bar kept to the basics and was just the right amount of choices to make a nice salad without spoiling the main meal.

      

Our food arrived right on cue, just as we were finishing our salads, and it looked and smelled great. The veggies were cooked just right and the baked Mac & Cheese was just as well done.  The Burger was cooked to order and the mashed potatoes had a cheddar taste that wasn't overpowering or under appreciated, again just right.  The portions were a good size and the service was quick and friendly. 

Overall this experience Exceeded our expectations and we were very happy about that, what started out as just drinks ended up a full meal and a new place to go to when we are in the mood to explore more of a fun and tasty menu, both drinks and food.

Ruby Tuesday 

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 3 out of 5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

Running Brook Vineyard & Winery

335 Old Fall River Road

No. Dartmouth, Massachusetts 02747

Phone: (508) 985-1998 Fax: (508) 985-1998

Website: runningbrookwine.com

E-mail: info@runningbrookwine.com

While in Rhode Island we tried to stay as busy as possible.  Being 30 miles or less from 2 other states and within an hour of 2 more gives you plenty of options.  One of our favorite places to visit was Running Brook Vineyard & Winery.  This small out of the way winery was a vino gem just over the boarder in Dartmouth, Ma.

Alonnie and I found RBV while trying the wine trails in the area. This is a book and cover story, the outside of the Winery is very basic and nothing fancy. The inside is 2 levels, but the second floor isn't finished yet, and the main floor is tasting room, storefront, checkout and vat room all in one. The tasting is the FUN part, as rhetorical as that sound, it is ... the guys at RBV make it about you being able to enjoy and sample all that they have to offer.
Pedro Teixeira (Owner) & Manuel Morais (Owner and Vineyard Manager) along with the entire staff take GREAT pride in their product. Most times one or both are there working and doing the tasting with you.  They also have some unique selections that are not on the list but pride gets the better of them and they give you a taste of an upcoming selection or a rare bottle of something select.

Being use to the Finger Lake trails you have certain expectations of a winery and if you didn't know you were in Massachusetts, you might expect to see Cayuga or Seneca Lake in the background. Running Brook is a known name in the area, but you get the feeling that this is your winery and your little secret when you are there.

RBV runs events thru the year, usually a picnic type venue with a band for music. They also have an Adopt a Vine program where you can sponsor a grape vine and have wine made from that vine with your name on it. It's a cute program and makes for a unique gift.

They ship to several states including NY ... so give'em a try. We have found that their wines live up to the descriptions and then some.

Running Brook Vineyard & Winery

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 5 out of 5

 

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

The Red Robin Diner

258 Main Street •• Johnson City, NY

Mon-Fri 7am to 7pm

Sat & Sun 7am to 3pm



If you are looking for a Classic place to grab a bite, we have a spot for you.  The Red Robin is an expanded trailer diner that has the charm and good food strait out of the 1950's. From breakfast all day long to a quick lunch to an early evening meal these folks have a simple menu of the food you know so well.

I ordered the 2 Chili Burger Special and Alonnie got the Shaved Steak sandwich w/onions & peppers.

Service was quick and friendly and the food was out to us in a very reasonable time.  We have eaten here in the past and everything was just as expected. Coming here is always a nice treat when we want a quick comfort food lunch at a comfortable price.

Just an FYI ... Bring CASH, they do not take Credit or Debit cards. We didn't know this the 1st time we went and Alonnie had to leave me as collateral while she went to the bank.

Red Robin Diner Report

ANVIL - Circle

ALONNIE - Circle

GET in MY BELLY SCALE - 3 out of  5

Till Next time ... Eat well my friends

Phat Bastard

  

Get in my Belly ....

Food, glorious food ... Since my days in Rhode Island I have enjoyed other peoples cooking. My wife and I would dine out a lot, because the area had so much to offer. We would take pictures of the food and post it on FB or text the picture to family and friends.

I want to go to the next level ... start blogging about the places we eat and the places we have eaten in the past. We will cover the Good, Bad and the Ugly to provide and everyday point-of-view to the places to eat and not eat.

Both my Wife and I will give our opinions on the place with a circle(we like it), check (we'll give it another chance) or a slash (we will not be returning). Then we will give a final rating of 0-5 Get in my Belly, with 0 being not good and 5 being highly recommended.

I hope you will enjoy this as it starts to take shape.

The Phat Bastard