Review of Yamato, Dunn

       In Dunn, if you are looking for a fine dining atmosphere or a place for date-night, your options are limited.  However, the one place that never disappoints and makes a big impact is Yamato.  Nestled at the end of the shopping strip that includes Roses and is across the parking lot from Jernigan's, is the Japanese cuisine of Yamato.  In Dunn, you can't find a better dinner.  Keep in mind, since this might affect your decision to venture there: while this is Japanese food, they do not cook it table-side.  Instead of the large tables where you are seated with strangers, they have one main grill that you can see from anywhere in the restaurant that makes all of the food.  Then it gets delivered to you at your private table.  Sure, there is no cooking show, but the lack of strangers squeezed next to you, might make up for it.  I prefer the show, the freshness is unbeatable.  
       Yes, we have been to Yamato many times, but mainly because of the good food, not necessarily the close location.  While the have decent sushi (though it is the best sushi option in the entire Dunn area), we always start our meal with the Assorted Tempura appetizer.  With that, you get four large shrimp, two huge onion rings, and a piece of broccoli, sweet potato, mushroom, and pepper all fried to perfection in their light tempura batter.  The crunchiness is great and it is a very welcome way to start a meal.
        Typically for dinner, Megan and I order one of the steak dishes.  I am a fan of the teriyaki steak because I am in love with teriyaki sauce and I prefer the broccoli that comes with it, to the mushrooms that Megan gets with the Hibachi steak.  Our dinner always includes either a soup or salad.  I always get the salad with the house-made ginger dressing.  The dressing of is sweet with a little bit of tanginess.  I've had lots of ginger dressings, but this is easily in the top 3-5 that I have ever had.  The dressing is thick, which I love, and easily covers the fresh iceberg salad with carrot shavings and 2 cucumbers.  Megan always gets the onion soup.  She always likes the light, hot broth to give her something "warm in her belly" to start the meal.  She likes the soup and almost always orders it, but I think it is just average, nothing bad, but nothing special about it.  

        Like I said, I get the Teriyaki steak, which includes two scoops of precooked rice, broccoli, and either sweet carrots or zucchini and onions.  I always get the zucchini and onions as they are one of the best parts of the meal.  I get the steak cooked medium-rare and then it is perfectly tender.  Their teriyaki is a thick teriyaki that completely coats the steak.  In fact, I even mix the rice into the teriyaki for added flavor.  Their shrimp sauce (white sauce for some of you) is great.  It is slightly sweet and a perfect accompaniment to steak, chicken, shrimp, rice, or vegetables.  I am a sauce person, and that is a great addition to the meal.  Megan likes the Hibachi steak since it comes with mushrooms.  Basically, it is the same dish that I get, just cooked on a Hibachi without my teriyaki sauce.  
      Yamato can be very good, but their record is spotty.  Most of the time, everything is amazing.  Other times, you can tell that the chicken or steak is overcooked and the rice was made hours ago.  It is not the authentic table-side Hibachi cooking that you would expect from other Japanese places, but then again, the prices at Yamato are far better than most places.  Chicken or steak are both under $10, while shrimp is under $13.  Also their sushi is typically about $5-6 per roll, which is far cheaper than other places.  Sometimes the waitresses are great, other times, they are merely average in their attentiveness and knowledge of the food.  No matter your experience, Yamato is guaranteed to stuff you with food until you can't eat another bite.  Oh, and keep their Bento boxes in mind as they are lots of different foods at a very reasonable price.  I can easily tell you that in Dunn, you will never find a better dinner than at Yamato.  I'm sure that Megan and I will be back there soon, as I suddenly have a craving for teriyaki.  

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Nonna's Restaurant, Lillington

     In Lillington, there are not many restaurants to choose from.  So, when a good one comes along, you had better believe that people notice.  Nonna's Restaurant may have its flaws, but their pizza is definitely the best in Harnett County.  While we have been to Nonna's many times, we tend to order the same things.  Once you make a find, rarely do you need to change it.

     We start off every meal with the Cheesy Garlic Bread.  The picture is of a large order.  Calling a spade, a spade, the bread is a just a fresh sub roll that is split open.  Then it is topped with minced fresh garlic and butter.  It is then topped with the most amazing mozzarella cheese.  Now, I know it is not fresh mozzarella, but this cheese is magical.  Really, the cheese makes this dish.  The bread is then lightly toasted and served with marinara sauce.  The sauce is a thicker tomato sauce, which definitely fits my preference.


     Our main dish is pizza.  The dough is made fresh on site.  The marinara sauce is used on the pizza and then it is covered with the mozzarella cheese.  We tend to order extra cheese on our pizza since it really is a great cheese that they use at Nonna's.  Our other toppings are always pepperoni and black olives.  The pepperoni is great.  Large, thin slices of pepperoni dot the pizza and are then topped with cheese.  The pizza is perfectly browned.  It really is the best pizza in the county.

     While we have tried the pasta dishes and been largely unimpressed, the pizza is spectacular.  I would continue to eat the cheesy garlic bread and pizza every day of the week.    The service can be a little slow occasionally, but the pizza is worth the wait.  Nonna's will be our pizza staple for as long as we still live in Harnett County.

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Luigi's, Fayetteville

            When it comes to Italian food in Fayetteville, your choices should begin and end with Luigi’s.  It is by far, the best Italian in the area.  Luigi’s has this rustic feel to it, that immediately conjures up images of Italy.  After entering, the bar and lounge area is to the left, while the multiple dining rooms in the restaurant are to the right.  The bar always catches my eye, due to the light blue under-lighting of the alcohol bottles.  The scent of garlic and fresh bread awakens your senses as soon as you hit the foyer.  The restaurant gives you a feeling of belonging, just like an Italian grandmother’s dining room.  In fact, the feeling inside of the restaurant almost always reminds me of my Italian grandmother, and how I wish I learned more of her recipes.  Thankfully, Luigi’s is willing to make great Italian food for you. 

            Megan and I both love the fresh bread that is made on site.  It is warm on the inside and just crusty enough on the outside to make it authentic.  Instead of butter, you get a great combination of Parmesan and Italian herbs covered in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  The combination is amazing and dipping pieces of bread in the concoction will cause your taste buds to burst in your mouth.  While I did choose to add more vinegar to our dish, it is a great, unique, and thoroughly Italian way to start off a meal. 

            Instead of a salad, both Megan and I chose to get Luigi’s She Crab Soup.  The soup is exquisite.  Unlike many She-crab soups, this one has a very thick, almost bisque-like consistency.  You can also see a few shreds of crab and spices throughout the soup. Megan absolutely loves it and calls it one of her favorite soups.  I, also believe the soup is very good, but I am more of a chowder man instead of bisque.  I like more texture in my soups with chunks of seafood, potato, vegetables, etc., which is why I add the crackers.  For what Luigi’s She Crab Soup is, it is a great, rather filling, warm, and delicious soup.  And even though my preference is different, I still can guarantee that I will be ordering it instead of a salad every time. 

            For Megan’s meal, she ordered the Pasta Purses.  Our waiter gave her the suggestion that it pairs very well with their Italian sausage.  Wow, was he right; I’m very jealous that I did not order it.  Their pasta is actually shaped like purses, with six different cheeses mixed inside.  A piece of dough is rolled flat, and then the cheese is added.  Then, the edges are cinched together to give the visual effect of a purse.  Also, unlike some other Italian places where you get 4-5 stuffed pasta pieces on a plate (ravioli, etc), Luigi’s must have given Megan over twenty purses filled with cheese.  While the pasta is great, what really impresses me is the sauce; sorry, it is just the Italian side coming out.  For this dish, they make a pesto cream sauce.  It has the richness of an Alfredo sauce with the heavy cream and Parmesan, but then, a healthy amount of finely chopped pesto sauce blended in.  The combination is very addicting.  The rich sauce is teeming with the spices of the pesto, perfectly complementing the cheeses in the pasta purses.  The hot Italian sausage was grilled until just charred.  It was quite spicy, but you could taste the smoky flavor of the sausage.  It was a perfect complement to the richness of the sauce and add a salty, smoky component. 

            In order to try as many flavors as possible, I ordered Il Festa (the Feast).  I got a ricotta-stuffed Manicotti, Chicken Parmigiana, a large meatball, and instead of spaghetti, I substituted a Chicken Pomodoro Risotto.  The meatball was very large, well cooked, and created of predominantly meat and spices, just the way it should be.  It was moist, delicious, and almost melted in my mouth.  The Chicken was pounded very thin and then coated in Italian breadcrumbs and fried.  It was topped with a Marinara sauce and some Provolone cheese.  The Marinara, thankfully, was a proper, thick sauce with just a bit of sweetness.  Lately, I have been a huge fan of Provolone.  So when I tasted the combination of cheese, sauce, and chicken, I loved it.  I thought the chicken was little bit thin, but it was a sampler platter, so I shouldn’t complain. The Manicotti was good, but not spectacular.  In fact, the ricotta and parsley were a little bit dry inside.  I doubt I would order it as a full dish.  It was the same Marinara sauce, but this time over the Manicotti.  It was the least impressive part of this otherwise great dish.  The Risotto of the Day, the Chicken Pomodoro, was spectacular.  The creaminess of a perfectly cooked risotto is always a win in my book.  Add to it, large chicken pieces, spices, and tomato chunks and this risotto is a hit.  This was so good, I could have eaten a large bowl of this as my entire meal.  In fact, Megan kept stealing forkfuls of my risotto every time I looked away. 

            Luigi’s, without question, is the best Italian in all of Fayetteville.  The place can be a bit lively or just loud at times, but that is just a staple of all good Italian restaurants.  The food is great, the waiters are very helpful and attentive, and the atmosphere allows it to be a place you can take a date or well-behaved kids on family night.  If you are ever in Fayetteville, I know exactly where you should be eating dinner, Luigi’s. 

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Sherry's Bakery, Dunn

            It saddens me that I lived in this area for three years, before I discovered Sherry’s Bakery.  It is owned by Freddie and Mary Williford and has been a constant source of sweetness for over 40 years.  If you arrive early enough, you can actually smell the doughnuts being made from blocks away; and they smell amazing. 

            Upon entering, the large dining area is straight ahead, while the doughnut and lunch counters are to the left.  The long tables and wood paneling are indicative of the 1970s.  While, normally I would think that an upgrade might be needed, the endless parade of customers mean this place is perfect just the way it is. 

            We mainly go to Sherry’s for the doughnuts.  While their fresh-baked glazed are great, our two favorites are the peach fritter and the chocolate honey bun.  The fritter is slightly crunchy on the outside, while moist and soft on the inside.  With chunks of peach and the sweet glaze, these are amazing.  If you get to Sherry’s at about 8:30 in the morning, these should be fresh out of the kitchen.  The fritter also comes in apple. 

            The chocolate honey bun comes with or without nuts on it.  Megan prefers the nuts, I do not.  These are fabulously rich and decadent honey buns.  The blend of chocolate and honey is amazing and the dough is slightly on the thicker side, giving the honey bun a heartiness that allows it to be an entire meal.  These have quickly become my favorite pastry at Sherry’s.  Don’t get me wrong though, I still enjoy the peach jacks, apple jacks, lemon filled, Bavarian crème, and all of their other doughnuts. 

            They also bake cakes.  Our two favorite cakes are the 10-layer chocolate cake and the red velvet cake.  The 10-layer chocolate is sliced so thin to get the chocolate between each layer that it is almost magic.  This cake is super-moist and delicious.  I really could survive for a week, just on their cake.  Red Velvet however, is my favorite cake of all time.  This cake is exceptional.  Red cake with an icing that is not quite cream cheese because it is lighter, but it is great. They top the icing with a few crushed walnuts and then, feel free to dive in to the deliciousness.  It is rich, it is fluffy, it is the best cake I have ever eaten.  

            The lunch counter makes standards like hamburgers, red hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc., but we normally go for the breakfast.  They make great biscuits.  Now, they only make a certain number each day, so make sure to get there early.  After 9am, you might miss out.  Megan gets hers with country ham on it, while I prefer the fresh sausage patty.  They have homemade vegetable soup that I hear is great, but I have not tried it, yet.  Most of their lunch counter food is probably not house-made, but they will prepare it right in front of you and it is a good, cheap breakfast or lunch. 

            Freddie and Mary Williford have a gold mine.  They are two very sweet, very hardworking people.  Their doughnuts and cakes are great.  Yes, I must admit, I think their chocolate toppings are a little too sweet, but that will in no way stop me from coming back again and again.  Their doughnuts are addicting.  And while, they bill themselves as the best kept secret in Dunn, it is time for people to notice the sweetest smelling corner in town and get to Sherry’s Bakery today.  Trust me, you’ll be back. 

           

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Omar's II, Dunn

            Omar’s II is a lesson in dichotomy and proper ordering.  Some of their dishes are great, while others are very sub par.  If you stick to what you know is good, you will have an enjoyable dining experience, otherwise I’d consider looking elsewhere for my Italian.  I know that before the restaurant became Omar’s, it was a Mexican restaurant.  Before that, based on the shape of the building, it looks like an old Pizza Hut with the glass-enclosed front room. 

            For our appetizer, we ordered the garlic bites.  Megan describes these as little bites of heaven.  They are small, one-bite twists of bread.  They are then coated in butter, garlic, and grated Parmesan.  They are served with a small cup of marinara sauce.  They are very good, and since you get a basket of them for $1.99, they are completely worth it.  Every meal here should begin with these.  The marinara sauce is fresh and good, but not my preference.  I like thicker, smoother sauces, while Omar’s is fairly thin with chunks of tomatoes.

            We ordered an individual 10” pizza with black olives, extra cheese, and bacon on it.  The pizza was a big disappointment that almost insults the Italian cuisine as a whole.  The crust was passable, but also soggy in the center.  Some spices on the crust would be a big improvement.  Also, I’m almost certain that the marinara sauce is the pizza sauce too.  I’m assuming that we did not get our extra cheese; otherwise a regular cheese pizza would have almost nothing.  The black olives were clearly out of a can and left a slightly metallic aftertaste in my mouth.  The bacon was the biggest disappointment though.  It clearly was not fresh cooked bacon; instead it was crumbled bacon, most likely from a bag.  It was flavorless and definitely detracted from the pizza.  We will not be ordering pizza from Omar’s again.  

            I ordered a Meatball Parmesan sub, which comes with a side of fries.  To start, the fries were not hot and were slightly rubbery and undercooked.  The meatballs were good, but not an authentic greatness that I had hoped for.  They were oven baked and very moist.  However, they had more fillers in the meatball than I would ever recommend.  The same chunky marinara sauce was over the meatballs and then it was topped with two huge slices of mozzarella, which was melted under a broiler.  I might order the sandwich again, as it probably is the best meatball sub in Dunn, but chances are I would drive elsewhere. 

            We then shared a plate of cheese ravioli that we ordered with Alfredo sauce instead of the marinara.  Now, we have a winner.  I can’t tell you that the ravioli was house-made, but it sure tasted like it was.  The star of this dish is the Alfredo sauce.  It was rich, it was creamy, it was delicious.  Over the dish, they broiled huge slices of mozzarella, which added even more decadence.  The Alfredo sauce is the way to go.  Whether you order it with fettuccine, ravioli, or any other pasta, their Alfredo sauce is their best dish. 

            Omar’s II is a restaurant that has its issues.  Rarely have we seen a large crowd there.  And the waitress was very impersonal with limited knowledge of the menu.  When she was twice prompted about if a dish was recommended, she responded that she had not tasted it.  I think Omar’s has promise, but it may need a few changes, like more focus on Alfredo and other specialties.  Otherwise, I am worried about its long-term viability in producing quality Italian cuisine.   

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price

Review of Broad Street Deli & Market, Dunn

            One of our favorite lunch places is the Broad Street Deli & Market in Dunn. 

From the moment you walk in, you get this overwhelming sense of warmth.  There are small tables around the restaurant, trees in the middle, and shelves with various snacks around the outside.  All of the wait staff is very friendly, especially the owners Jamie and Jeff.  They are probably two of the nicest people that we have ever met.  They consistently talk to all of their customers and remember us as if we were family.  They make the place great and their sandwiches are fabulous!  

Typically, we rotate between three of our favorite sandwiches.  The Life of Riley is roast beef, brie cheese, and a house-made plum sauce on a croissant.  It is fabulous.  The creaminess of the cheese and sweetness of the plum sauce accentuate the already great roast beef.  Strangely though, Jeff & Jamie’s son Riley, is not a fan of his namesake.    Jeff’s Polynesian is another favorite.  This one is Black Forest ham, melted Swiss, and homemade mango salsa.  Megan loves this one and describes it as “deliciousness.”  The third sandwich we love is the Pimento cheese with bacon.  Jamie makes homemade pimento cheese, which is absolutely amazing.  In fact, it is the only pimento cheese that we eat.  Melting the cheese on a croissant with crisp bacon, makes this the ultimate in decadent flavors. 

Typically, all sandwiches can come on marble rye or croissant with chips, a pickle, and homemade cole slaw.  The slaw is a vinegar-based slaw of cabbage, pickles, and peppers.  It is fantastic; crunchy and yet, slightly sour.    Other side dish options include pasta salad and potato salad.  The potato salad is Megan’s favorite.   It is a sour cream and mayonnaise based potato salad that includes bacon and chives.  It really is spectacular and not just because Megan’s favorite food is a potato. 

Every day, they have at least one soup.  All of the soups that we have ever had their have been amazing.  Our favorite is the broccoli soup, but we also love the chili, Italian wedding, chicken noodle, and corn chowder.  Each soup is homemade and available for takeout, as is the chicken salad and pimento cheese.  Oh and don't sleep on their salads or desserts either.  While we normally don't get them, they look and taste delicious.  

The Broad Street Deli is a place that we will be frequenting for as long as we live in the area.  Between the deli and the market, they have something for everyone.  While some may scoff at the idea of soups, salads, and sandwiches, you won’t find a better deli in the state, I promise.  Jeff and Jamie have established one of the best kept secrets in the Harnett/Johnston county area, but now the secret is out, check out the Broad Street Deli & Market and get ready for one of the best lunch experiences in your life.

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price