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.

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 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