Vizzy's Buffalo Review

Vizzy's is famous for their beef on weck.  That's saying something in a city that's famous for beef on weck.  That puppy up there is as big as it looks.  It literally had enough beef for two sandwiches.

Just as important as the beef is the roll.  This roll was delicious with lots of caraway seeds and salt. Also, it was tough enough to stand up to all that beef without getting too soggy.  This sandwich is $9.95 with loads of chips and a pickle spear.  

They're also known for their MONSTER burger.  It's a half-pounder, and it comes with fries for $7.95.  The price is awesome, and it is good.  Oh, and those fries are delightful.  They're the ever so popular skin-on variety that are wonderful with vinegar.

The servings are awesome and so are the prices.  The atmosphere is typical dive bar, which is one of the best.  You can tell how good a place is by how busy it is, and damn, they were busy.  If you're ever in Buffalo looking for great beef, go to Vizzy's.  5 stars.

New Fong Kitchen

As many who read the blog know, I believe there are three levels of Chinese food: 1) authentic, 2) take out/sit down, and 3) buffet.  This is my favorite "Level 2" Chinese food.  Level 2 is American style Chinese food, which is at a substantially higher quality than buffet food.  

The lunch special General Tso's is pictured above.  We get it extra spicy/extra crispy, and they do not disappoint.  It has the perfect balance of tangy/sweet to be delicious.  We chose the white rice accompaniment.  Next up is the crab rangoon/cheese wonton.  These are AWESOME.  If you enjoy sweet cream cheese to be at a higher ratio than crab, these are some of the best rangoons around.

This is lunch special sweet and sour chicken (sauce not pictured) with fried rice.  The chicken was crispy on the outside and soft in the middle without being too bready.  Actually, the chicken in general is delicious here.  I've had some American style Chinese food where the chicken tastes less than fresh, but this tastes like fresh, white meat chicken.  

The lunch specials come with the option of egg roll or wonton soup.  We picked the wonton soup, and it was very good.  there was plenty of flavorful broth and a good noodle to broth ratio.  Also, the serving size was quite generous.

The soup came with those little fried wonton cracker things, but you're probably wondering why they're pictured here.  It's because they were really good.  This is rare.  I seem to run into a lot of stale ones, so when I get a good batch I like to brag.

We ordered an egg roll separately, because why not?  It was hot fresh, and delicious.  A big benefit of this place is consistency.  I've never had a bad meal at New Fong.  They get everything cooked perfectly, and it's always actually ready in 10 minutes.  Also, we got all of this food for under $18.  Awesome.  4.5 stars.  So, if you're ever in Greece thinking about Chinese, check out New Fong!

Do Something You've Always Wanted To Do

As you may have read on the main page, I wrote a novel some time ago.  Recently I've decided to run some final edits on it and put it on Amazon as an e-book.  It should be live there within a month or two.  Also, I have begun work on a sequel to that novel.

You may wonder why I'm writing here about writing there.  The answer is that I write because I enjoy it, and I hope you are all doing something for the very same reason.  I was speaking to a friend today and she told me about someone who is around my age and wants to pursue a degree that would take six years to complete.

He was advised to try something that takes less time.  He was told that he is in his thirties, and he should get his life together - quickly.  I'm not sure I agree.  If he knows what he wants to do with his life and it would only take him six years to get there, that's nothing.  Even if he fails it will have been worth it, because he tried.

What does this have to do with writing you may ask.  Well, it's because by most accounts I've failed as a blogger.  I have blogged for two solid years, yet I have no following.  Most blogs only last a few months, but here I am still chugging along.  Sometimes you have to do something just because you want to do it.  I'm quite confident that I shall fail as a novelist too, but I will still write.  

If the worst that can happen is you will not be successful in something you want to do, that is not actually the worst that can happen.  You could never try.  

LDR Char Pit

This past week Mac D and I decided to head down to Charlotte for lunch.  We settled on one of the few places open year round, the LDR Char Pit.  We each ordered a cheeseburger, fries, and a drink.  The burger was juicy and delicious.  Also, they weren't skimpy on the toppings.  I had mine on a hard roll, and Mac D went for the soft roll.  

The fries were fantastic.  They were fried a nice golden brown, and they were the perfect thickness.  The outside was crispy with a hot, flavorful, potatoey center.  Get the fries.

They also have a self serve toppings bar with relish, onions, two kinds of pickles, and their own take on hot sauce.  Curiously, it's like some sort of Buffalo/Rochester hybrid sauce with meat, but in a red, more relishy sauce.

The ambiance is nice with a vintage, lake front feel.  The staff was very friendly, and the meal was quite good.  The total bill came to around $17, which seems about right for what we had.  Everything was good, but nothing was spectacular.  I give LDR Char Pit a 4, so if you're in the area, give it a try instead of hitting one of the more pricey newer establishments.

Also, check out Charlotte in the winter.  The lake looks pretty cool.  Also, there are a handful of neat flea markets in Charlotte proper, so after lunch, drive the mile back to the center of town and give those places a look-see.