Q-Tips Reviews

North Carolina NATIONAL FORESTS & Waterfalls

JORDAN ST CAFE – 30 W Jordan St., Brevard, NC (828) 883-2558, www.thejordanstreetcafe.com

The Q’s, at once time, really liked Jordan St. Cafe. It was casual, nice ambiance, great food, drinks and service – but SOMETHING HAPPENED! The ambiance is the same but the food is NOT!

JORDAN ST. CAFE is now more like a lunch place than fine dining. They offer a complete hard copy menu of Burgers and Wraps. The waitress comes over and tells you the “Specials of the Day.” We were told they change daily so there is no hard copy, she would be happy to repeat them, if needed. We ordered the Wedge Salad to share – it was OK but we have had better. The Q’s decided to share the Steak with Oysters Rockefeller on top with mashed potatoes and spinach because we did not want Burgers or Wraps for dinner. Asked about having 2 baked potatoes instead of mashed, we don’t do baked potatoes, she said. The Steak was large enough to share but it was thin and had a lot of fat. Our drinks were ok and our waitress was uber friendly but they had no cocktail onions or stuffed olives, so Mr. Q said OK to regular Olives.

Mrs. Q says: The prices for the Burgers and Wraps run between $10 to $12 each. Daily Specials are higher. At one time, we would always recommend Jordan Street Cafe to Friends/Family but NOT ANYMORE, unless they are in the mood for Burgers or Wraps. So many other really good fine dining restaurants in Brevard like “Marco’s”. It will be interesting to see if Jordan St. Cafe continues to do well with this change of menu. Perhaps they are out to please the younger college crowd, then they have succeeded. But will they be successful long term? The Q’s will NOT return.

MARCOS’S Trattoria Italian – 204 W Main St., Brevard, NC 28712, (828) 883-4841, marcotrattoria.com

Q Tips say: GO and enjoy! Outstanding Service by Gregory, our waiter. The food, drinks, ambiance and wine were Excellent. The antipasto was a pleasant surprise. The bread come with a special mustard and olive tapenade – both outstanding. Ordered the Duck but were told it was sold out. Mrs. Q had the wrapped salmon and Mr. Q had the Pork Chop. Both were on the Chef’s Special of the day and scrumptious. Then a delicious dessert with a small tasting of sherry followed by cappuccinos. Many thanks to our friend, Annette Stewart from Mountain Vista Realty, for such an outstanding evening. Mrs. Q says: We will have to go back and try the Duck.

SQUARE ROOT REST., 33 Times Arcade Alley, Brevard, NC 28712, (828) 884-6171,s
squareroot restaurant.com

The Q’s decided on Square Root Rest. Great food, drinks, service. Shared the Mussels Provencal Mussels Sautéed with White Wine, Herbs, Tomato, Garlic, and Onion. Served with Olive Oil Crostini.

Our entree was Braised Pork Shank– Pork Shank served with a rich Bell Pepper
Au Poivre Sauce with Rosemary Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Rustic Braised Vegetables. Mrs. Q says: “This is the most tender piece of meat and also the largest portion she has ever received in a restaurant.” The Q’s could have shared one. We decided to eat half and save the other half for another meal. Everything was delicious.

ANNETTE STEWART – Realtor– (828) 883-2938, uniq@comporium.net Annette sells/list/and also does rentals.

The Q’s have known Annette over 7 years. Annette did an excellent job at finding us a lovely condo to rent in Sherwood Forest for our week in NC.

Mrs. Q says: Should you be looking for property to rent, buy or sell in NC, give Annette Stewart a call.

HOB NOB Sun 10/12/2014 226 W Main St., Brevard, NC 28712 (828) 966-4662, hobnobrestaurant.com

Q-Tips say: EXCELLENT FOOD, DRINKS(full bar and Wine and Beer), SERVICE and Ambiance. Our Waitress/and a Male Waiter had no name tags but Mrs. Q thought, the name might be on the bill but it was not – therefore, I specified the date on this review – to praise them in their service.

Ordered our drinks but Mrs. Q was told they ran out of cherries. The male waiter ran next door and got cherries for her drink. That was way beyond the call of duty. Mrs. Q laughed and expressed her gratitude.

Both Q’s ordered the Mushroom Soup and the “Special Fish of the Day”. Trout sauteed with a light Lobster Cream Sauce with grits or rice and sauteed spinach. Unlike other restaurants, there was real crab meat in the sauce. The soup and entree were outstanding. They also serve complimentary warm bread with an olive oil dipping sauce.

The service is great and kudos to the waitress and waiter who waited on the Q’s on that Sunday evening.

MAYBERRY’S SOUP & SANDWICHES – 30 W Main St., Brevard, NC 28712 (828) 862-8646

Q’s decided to stop for some soup since it was a rainy day. They don’t take reservations Mr. Q had the vegetarian Chile and Mrs Q ordered Chicken Rice Soup. Did the the table dance, because people would come and sit at your table even tho you place something on it. When our soup finally came, Mrs. Q was then told they ran out of the soup she ordered- could they not have said that when it was ordered? I was asked, would you like something else? The waitress got another menu and threw it on the table and walked away. The reason Mrs. Q did not order the Tomato Soup was because it was spicy. The waitress returned and Mrs. Q ordered the Tomato Soup – she took it because she was hungry. When the soup did arrive, No Spoon, or napkins. She had to get up and ask for these items. Mr. Q liked his Chile and Mrs. Q eventually got what she did not want, Tomato Soup that was spicy.

Stuff happens, but that is why I give this restaurant thumbs down for poor service. Yes, I understand this is a small college town but the service should be a tad better.

Sherwood Forest/Brevard/Pisgah Forest NC – decided to stop in NC for a week before going back to Fl for the Winter.

Mrs. Q says: No, we have not seen Robin Hood yet – BUT we did see some of his Merry Men one night at the bar.

MESA VERDA & DURANGO CO –

FAR VIEW LODGE – in Mancos – Mile Marker 15, (888) 493-8950, mesaverde.com Very rustic. NO TV and NO View from our room. Yes you have a view, only if your room is in front by the Restaurant but many of the rooms are in a row behind one another and there is no view except for the other row of rooms ahead of you. However, it did have a balcony. Caution: You must walk to the restaurant from the back row rooms – so if you have a disability or health problem or elderly, be sure to request a room up front, especially since the outdoor lighting is not that bright.

METATE REST at Far View Lodge 6262 Far View, (970) 529-4422,
GO EARLY TO ENJOY THE VIEW AND THE SUNSET. Caution: They do NOT take reservations. Decent food, drinks (a full bar) and good service. Prices are on the high side but can’t complain about the food. Mrs. Q says: Yes, it was raining but we did get to see a double rainbow when the skies cleared.

David Night Eagle was our tour guide for Mesa Verde Natl Park. He did an excellent job of explaining the history, customs, and ruinsof the native American people. Should you get Mr. Night Eagle for your tour guide you are in for a treat when he plays his hand made flute.

GRACELAND CEMETERY FREE Walking TOUR – Graceland Cemetery is one of Chicago’s best-known and most historic cemeteries. It was established in 1860, originally outside city limits, but engulfed as the city grew northward. The original City Cemetery was on the lake front, and was considered a health hazard due to overcrowding and water-borne diseases. The bodies were moved to nearby Graceland in the town of Lake View, with the old city cemetery becoming what is now Lincoln Park.

Graceland is on the north side of Chicago, with its main entrance at the corner of Clark and Irving Park roads, extending north and east from that point. Graceland’s office is just inside the main gate at the southwest corner. Within, free maps and pamphlets are available, as well as a $10.00 book published by the Chicago Architecture Foundation, A Walk Through Graceland Cemetery.

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