Reviews with TLC

My reading list for 2020 was heavy on nonfiction. In fact, I didn't read any fiction at all, a rare year for me. I plan to incorporate at least some fiction into 2021, but we'll see. Right now I have so much nonfiction I want to read and research I need to do that fiction feels like a luxury. I'm sure I'll get back to it soon though. This list is my longest list year, by far. Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance - One of my two least favorite books I read in 2020, and perhaps in my life. I found this book to be reductive and stereotypical. He offered no new insights, and as a hillbilly found it quite insulting. Read more about my Hillbilly Roots  (also available on my blog, Write with TLC . (I disliked this book so much, I'm not providing a link to it.) Brave by Rose McGowan - This book is an intense look at the damage human beings can inflict on one other. McGowan's writing is blunt, bold, and raw. She shares her pain, her triumph, her anger, and her determination ...

Prasad Cuisine , located in the front area of a yoga studio, is a great place to grab a quick bite. There are a few tables to sit and enjoy one's meal after ordering at the counter. We had two bowls, the chili bowl and the brahma bowl, and cups of hot chocolate. Both bowls were tasty and filling. The hot chocolate tasted good but was a little too sweet for our taste; however, it would probably work well for those who enjoy sweet hot chocolate. After the hot chocolate, neither of us wanted dessert. Prasad offers a quick, nutritious vegan meal in an inviting and comfortable setting but isn't the place to linger over a meal.

Ramsi's Cafe on the World , located at 1293 Bardstown Road, Louisville, Kentucky, has an extensive vegan menu as well as non-vegan dishes. The food is well-prepared using organic and local food. The service is friendly and accommodating. The atmosphere is inviting and comfortable. We ordered the Sahara Soup and Raw Hope Salad to start our meal. Both were quite tasty. The soup qualified as comfort food and the salad was light and crisp. For entrees, I ordered the Quinoa Kiki and my dining partner ordered The Spice Market. Both were delightful and filling even though we would've have preferred no oil. I'm sure the oil content would've been fine for people who eat oil. The mint green tea complemented the meal perfectly. Overall, we enjoyed a delightful dining experience. I would definitely eat at Ramsi's Cafe on the World given the opportunity.

Native Foods is a vegan restaurant with plant based "meats" like tofu and seitan on the menu as protein sources. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is casual, almost fast food casual. The food is tasty though, for my personal preference, could be fixed with less, or no, oil; however, that probably won't hold true for other people. I ordered the Portobello and Sausage Burger, the sausage burger being made of seitan. I should've read the menu closer because it also includes a vegan mayo, and I hate mayo. The mayo was only on one side though, so I could easily just leave that piece of bread and lettuce on the plate. I also ordered the watermelon fresca, which was okay but a little sweet for my taste; however the mint added a refreshing lift. My husband ordered a creamy corn soup which was nice and the Bangkok Bowl with tofu, which also tasted good. For dessert we ordered the chocolate cupcake and the peanut butter parfait, both of which tasted very sweet and fatty...

North End Cafe located at 2116 Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky is an inviting little cafe where one can sit over a leisurely meal and chat with friends. The wild mushroom lasagna was very tasty but a little heavy on the spinach for my taste; however someone who really likes spinach would probably enjoy it. The chocolate torte was tasty enough that I wished I hadn't gotten so full eating the lasagna. Our waiter was friendly but not intrusive. I would definitely eat at North End Cafe again if for no other reason than I'd love to try the Chickpea & Quinoa Cake.

Alfalfa Restaurant located at 141 E. Main Street, Lexington, Kentucky is a restaurant that focuses on serving local foods in its recipes. They have an interesting menu with a nice range of vegetarian options as well as  options for meat eaters. The restaurant is welcoming and relaxing. The cold cucumber soup was good. The red beans were delicious and filling. The cheesecake was also tasty. All four of us enjoyed our food. The waitress was helpful, friendly, and energetic. I would definitely eat at Alfalfa again!

Roots is a vegan/vegetarian restaurant with the motto "mindful, compassionate cooking" located at 1216 Bardstown Road in Louisville, Kentucky. Located in a semi-residential area, Roots decor has a modern but relaxing feel. It was the perfect place for  lunch after spending the night flying. My Vietnamese Crepe was quite tasty, and my dining companion enjoyed the Green Curry Soup. The extensive selection of teas would be enough to tempt me to return even if the food wasn't as tasty as it was. The meal was light but filling. I enjoyed the Organic Fine Lung Ching "Dragon's Well" Green Tea very much. The only downer was the cappuccino which had an artificial taste. The waiter offered to refund our money for those. We were unable to finish them. I would definitely eat at Roots again if I lived in Louisville.

The Celestial Steakhouse , 1071 Celestial Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, is an elegant yet comfortable restaurant with excellent views of the Cincinnati skyline. The atmosphere is relaxing and indulgent. The wait staff is extremely accommodating and helpful. They worked with me to accommodate View from The Celestial Steakhouse my vegetarian requests without hesitation. I ordered the beefsteak tomato tower without the avocado. It was pretty and delicious. I requested the Jumbo Shrimp Penne without the shrimp. Again, it was beautifully prepared and delicious. I thoroughly enjoyed it and took the leftovers with me for later. My dinner companions enjoyed their filet mignon and Mediterranean Lamb dishes. Desserts included a chocolate torte, creme brulee, and cheesecake. We shared the three desserts, so I can attest that all three were delicious. My torte was my favorite though. The Celestial Steakhouse provided a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere with delicious food!

I've eaten at Vault 244, located at  244 W 1st Ave , several times, and I've always been pleased with the experience. Their vegetarian selection is a bit limited but always tastes delicious. The drink menu by itself is interesting enough to draw me back over and over. My last trip to Vault 244, I ordered the handmade vegetarian ravioli, which was simple but delicious. My dinner companion ordered the chicken quesdilla which he liked. I ordered a drink called Fire & Ice which combined a thai chile infused vodka with cucumber juice. It was incredible. I enjoyed the juxtaposition of heat and cool. For dessert we split the flourless chocolate torte which was quite good. I also ordered a hot buttered rum which tasted excellent. It was sweet enough to serve as dessert all by itself. We sat at the bar this time, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching bartenders work; however, I loved being seated by the fireplace on other visits. Vault 244 provides great energy, fabulous drin...

Les Caves Bier & Kitchen is located at 308 SW 3rd Street in downtown Corvallis, Oregon. I've eaten there three times now. The decor has a homey bar feeling. It made me smileand feel relaxed all three times as I entered. It has a certain elegance while maintaining an inviting, laid back feel. The wait staff is attentive without being intrusive. They are helpful and willing to accommodate guests dietary needs. My first meal at Les Caves Bier & Kitchen was breakfast. I ordered French Toast served with I. P. A. (India Pale Ale) syrup. It was delicious and perfectly cooked. My husband had the Chicken & Waffles. He enjoyed his breakfast as well. I tasted his waffle and found it very tasty. Even the coffee, River Mudd by Pacifica Organic Coffee, was quite good. My second meal at Les Caves was brunch. I ordered the Orchard Waffle, scrambled eggs, and a drink called the French Toasted. The delicious and perfectly cooked waffle was served with cooked apples. The scram...

A friend and I had lunch at Spice & Ice Asian Grill~Gelato located at 215 SW 3rd Street in Corvallis, the recently opened second location for this restaurant on Saturday. This casual, Asian fusion restaurant shows a lot of promise! The murals on the wall were fun and created a feeling of relaxed cheerfulness. The staff is still finding their way but handled things well. The appetizers and entrees were served a little closer together than I would've liked. The staff was attentive to the needs of the customers. My friend and I split an order of salad rolls and an order of spring rolls. Both were delicious. I would return just for these two menu items. The salad rolls were cold and soothing. I think they'd be great on a hot afternoon when one is just looking for a light snack. The peanut sauce served with them complements them very nicely. The spring rolls were fried delightfully crisp and the vegetables inside the perfect texture to offset the crispiness. They were tasty with...

Big River, located at 101 NW Jackson Street, provides an atmosphere that is at once casual and elegant lending itself to a nice dinner out or a quick bite just as easily. I've eaten there several times and the food has never disappointed. For my latest dining experience at Big River, I ate the cavatelli along with a salad while my husband ate the River Salad. My salad was, well, a salad. It was fresh enough, but nothing particulary exciting. The cavatelli was so delicious, I ate every last morsel! The corn included in the dish gave it a nice surprise and really completed the dish, and this from someone who doesn't particularly like corn. My husband enjoyed his salad as well. For dessert, I ordered the Chocolate Tier and a cappuccino and my husband ordered the Tiramisu. The Chocolate Tier was fabulous and the cappuccino a nice accompaniment to its sweetness. My husband liked the Tiramisu. Both desserts were so big, we got boxes and brought them home to have after dinner the next...

Some of you may remember that I've reviewed Tidal Raves , located at 279 NW Highway 101, before, but sometimes a restaurant earns a second review... Last Friday after a long walk on the beach - a walk that felt more like a hike, on the Oregon coast, we decided to eat dinner at Tidal Raves, one of our favorite restaurants, before driving home. We called and got put on the walk-in list as we neared the end of our walk, but we missed the estimated time by about ten or fifteen minutes. The hostess was very nice and put us back in the queue but not at the very end. The place was crowded as usual. The views of the cliffs and the ocean were as spectacular as always.  The food was delicious and beautifully served. My Vegetable Stir Fry was so filling I couldn't finish it, so my husband did. My husband really enjoyed his Green Curry Halibut. My Spicy Margarita was a nice change of pace of a regular margarita but I don't know if I would order it again. My husband ordered a Rouge D...

The Greek Corner Restaurant , located at 1600 N. Orange Avenue, has casual outdoor seating as well as indoor seating. We chose to eat outside even though it started to rain as we arrived. Luckily, there were seats under the canopy. I ordered the pita pizza with mushroom and onion as the other vegetarian options looked like they'd been too much food. I wasn't very hungry. The pizza had some hits and misses. It was a little heavy on the onions, and the mushrooms tasted like canned mushrooms. The sauce was delicious, the feta chees was abundant, and the crust was nicely crisped . My husband had a Grilled Designer Chicken sandwish which he described at good but not great. We split a dessert, Galaktoboureko. We found it a little plain, but the pastry added a nice texture to the custard. Our waiter was efficient but not exactly friendly but not really unfriendly either. Apparently, we arrived as they were preparing to close, which surprised us as it was quite early; however, we heard...

Harry's Seafood Bar & Grille , located at 101 North Kentucky Avenue (they scored a half point with this Kentucky girl just based on their choice of address), gives off a combination homey and hometown bar vibe. The decor has a musical influence that definitely speaks to jazz. From the moment we arrived, the staff strove to make sure we were comfortable and taken care of. They inquired as to what we needed and when. When I told the waitress we were waiting on friends, she actually smiled and asked if we needed anything while we waited. Her smiling attitude lasted through our very long lunch. By the time we left, it was practically time to order dinner!! When I asked if I could have the Pasta Chicken Louisianne sans the chicken, she smiled and said "of course" without missing a beat!  My pasta tasted excellent and was very filling. I couldn't finish it, especially since I'd already picked out the dessert I wanted. I also ordered a Harry's Hurricane which was...

Ethos Vegan Kitchen , 1235 N. Orange Avenue, Suite 101, concentrates on serving healthy and filling vegan cuisine. Patrons order at the counter before finding seating in a relaxing, welcoming atmosphere. There's a bit of a cafe vibe.While waiting on the food to be served, we enjoyed looking at the nice selection of artwork on the walls.  The staff answered questions and showed patience as we perused the menu taking our time to decide what to order.   My "What's the Dilly, Philly?" sandwich tasted really good and filled me up quickly. They readily accommodated my request for no veganaise. I accompanied my meal with a glass of organic white wine, Xarello, that was also delicious. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the Coconut Curry Wrap and a beer, Peak. We left the restaurant full and happy even though neither of us is vegan. I'm a vegetarian, and my husband is a meat eater. Our only complaint with this restaurant was when we returned on Sunday night fo...

Coconuts on the Beach, located at 2 Minutemen Causeway, has one thing going for it. It is on the beach and view of the water is spectacular. Service was among the worst I've ever seen. Our waitress seemed angry and defensive. When I inquired about getting a pasta dish without chicken because the menu was sadly lacking in anything for the vegetarian, she couldn't hide her irritation as she told me they didn't serve that for lunch. Okay, perhaps, I should've looked at the menu more closely, but she could've at least been polite about it. When my husband couldn't find our waitress and called over another waitress to send back his undercooked tuna, she came to the table and started arguing that he got what he ordered. I couldn't believe it. My husband later joked that if she thought her cleavage display was going to make up for bad service and earn her a good tip, she was sadly mistaken. We felt like our presence was an inconvenience to the waitress and therefor...

Le Rouge , located at 7730 West Sand Lake Road, is a wine and tapas bar. We took seats outdoors to enjoy the Florida night air. Our table ordered espresso, cappachino, and hot tea. The coffee was fine but not outstanding. Hot tea is well hot tea. The outdoor seating provides a nice, comfortable atmosphere conducive to chatting and relaxing together even though it overlooks the parking lot. We were entertained by the occasional sounds of singing coming from indoors. I'm guessing karoake. Service was efficient and our server made it known she was available if we needed anything but didn't interfere with our conversation.

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant , located at 7760 West Sand Lake Road, provides an inviting, vibrant atmosphere that brings a little extra energy to diners. The servers are very friendly and helpful. The menu doesn't provide much information in regards to vegetarian dishes, so diners must ask the server. The server, however, was more than happy to provide vegetarian options when asked. Our table split the vegetable spring rolls, and everyone enjoyed them. I ordered the mango mojito. While it tasted okay, it would've benefited from a little more mango puree. My entree was the portobello mushrrooms with vegetables. The chef opted without prompting to add greens to my entree as I'd requested it without the cheese that normally accompanied it. The dish including the greens was excellent.  My husband had a fish dish that he said was tasty though he wished he'd realized it came with bacon, so he could've requested the bacon be omitted.  The table split the chocolate ...

  Cedars Restaurant , located at 7732 W. Sand Lake Road, serves Lebanese cuisine. Our waitress was attentive and helpful. She spoke Arabic with my husband but was always careful to then include me by saying something in English. Little did she know that it didn't bother me, but the effort was appreciated. When I inquired about vegetarian fare, she recommended the vegetarian sampler of appetizers. My husband ordered the Kibbeh Bi Laban. My vegetarian sampler came with hummus, falafel, tabouleh, and fatayer (spinach pies). It usually comes with baba ghanouj, but I'm not a fan so she substituted extra falafel. My sampler was good even thought I don't really like cooked spinach. The fatayer was well cooked though ,and my husband enjoyed it. He liked his Kibbeh Bi Laban. We split an order of knafe for dessert. It tasted good. The temperature in the restaurant was quite cold, but the patio is their smoking section. We didn't move. Cold versus cigarette smoke is an easy decisi...