Dayna’s Middle Georgia Restaurant Reviews

Suraya Restaurant

I am in Philadelphia visiting one of my daughters and her husband and last night they brought me to a Lebanese restaurant for dinner. This place had beautiful decor, a friendly staff and was packed without feeling overcrowded.

We had a reservation but still had a short wait when we arrived. Our server came over immediately and introduced himself and took our drink orders. When it came time to order there were so many delicious appetizers to choose from, we made those our dinner and shared everything.

I like to try new things so we stayed away from the popular dishes like Baba Ganoush and hummous. We had Labneh, Fattoush, Arnabeet Mekle, Warak Enab and a dish of pickles, peppers and olives. For dessert we had a sesame and hazelnut gateau which was full of flavor and just melted in your mouth.

The photos are not of our actual dinner. I hadn’t planned on writing because it’s not middle Georgia (so I didn’t take pics), but I figured that maybe someone will read this and then recommend a similar restaurant in our area.

All of these dishes included a mix of delicious veggies, yogurt and spices and of course plenty of fresh, warm pitas.

Our server was great and threw me off with some ‘y’all’s’, I asked where he was from and he said Brazil, I was like, hhmmmm? Then he told me he lived in the south for a while and the y’alls comes naturally. So even far away from home I still get to hear the familiar y’all I’ve become used to.

Next time anyone goes to a Lebanese restaurant-stray from the popular and try something new, you won’t regret it. And of course, if you ever find yourself in Philly, treat yourself to a great dinner at Suraya and ask for the southern waiter from Brazil-he was great!

Surayaphilly.com

Steve's Steak and Seafood
Jonesing For The Goods
Dayna’s Middle Georgia Restaurant Reviews

We started our culinary journey last night by heading out to Steve's Steak and Seafood in Macon. I called in the afternoon to ask if we needed a reservation for a party of eight and found they do not take reservations, however we had no problem getting seated after a short wait.

To begin we had a selection of appetizers. They were a little disappointing with most choices being fried. First up was fried mozzarella which proved to be a letdown it had an unappetizing gummy texture and lackluster flavor. Nonetheless, the tasty onion rings salvaged the situation, (a dipping sauce would further enhance them). Surprisingly, the fried mushrooms were very pleasing with their unexpectedly delightful taste and everyone enjoyed the fried pickles.

The dinner menu had an array of choices from, fish, chicken, steak, cheeseburgers and even oysters. Each entrée came with two sides and two hushpuppies (baked potato, French fries, house salad, grilled vegies, coleslaw, grits or six hushpuppies), however for a more economical option or a smaller appetite there are single side options available. The portions were generous and most of us could not finish our meals.

For my sides I picked a house salad as did three others and it was a bit lackluster. Too much time chilling in the refrigerator caused a loss flavor. There were huge rings of red onions and bacon bits that were chewy, the dressings were bland.

Next up was fried catfish and shrimp with a side of grits. The portion of catfish was generous with a healthy serving of grits. The diner enjoyed it and said the grits were not bad.

Two of us decided on the salmon and it was cooked nicely and seasoned well. We paired it with some good French fries, baked potato, and mixed veggies. Next was a grilled chicken platter paired with a house salad and baked potato.

But the star of the night was the ribeye. I almost ordered it but instead went for the healthier salmon option. Instant regret as soon as I heard the sizzle and smelled the deliciousness. (We all quickly decided we wanted to try some and begged for pieces). This steak was a huge 16 ounces, well-seasoned and cooked to a perfect medium rare. It melted in your mouth, the seasoning complimented it and really brought out its flavor. I cannot stress how well it was cooked and how much flavor was involved. They should add other steak choices to their menu and just call themselves Steve’s Steaks. The steak overshadowed the entire rest of the menu.

After dinner the only item on offer for dessert was a cheesecake, we were all quite full and declined. For drinks there were the usual soda choices, beer, and wine but no mixed drinks.

The server was pleasant and helpful, she kept our glasses full and checked in enough but without overdoing it.

All in all we enjoyed our dining experience at Steve’s. The cost for four adult entrees with two appetizers, four glasses of wine and a soda came to about $164. All of the portions from appetizers through entrees were plentiful and were easily shared between the eight of us.

If you are looking for a good steak in Macon, consider Steve’s. It’s located in a decent area, has a friendly staff and pretty good food.

Sol Tacos & Tequilain in Forsyth.

I was really looking forward to eating at Sol Tacos & Tequila. I expected some delicious Mexican food with lots of flavor.

A group of four of us arrived and were greeted and shown to a table very quickly. Immediately without having to ask we were brought a large basket of tortilla chips with two dishes of salsa. The chips were hardy (didn't break easily) and seemed to be corn based and the salsa was very good. It was more of a picante sauce than a salsa and I liked that, it had a very good flavor. Drink orders were taken and brought quickly. Two of our party had margaritas and were pleased with their drinks.

We didn't order appetizers as the chips and salsa were more than enough and we didn't want to spoil our dinner.

The dinners. Two of us ordered tamales with pork, rice and refried beans, third dinner was street tacos and the last a dish called Pollo Fundido (chicken breast with marinade, topped with onions, peppers, mushrooms and cheese, rice and beans on the side).

I was disappointed with the tamales , I thought they were bland and they had very little pork in them. The few bites of pork I did have were not bad, but honestly not enough to really give the them any flavor. The refried beans were kind of bland but they usually are, I think you just have to have a taste for refried beans, I should have made a different choice. My second side was the Spanish rice, it had a nice consistency and good flavor. The other member of our party who had the tamale dish felt the same way-kind of bland and not enough meat.

My husband ordered a dish of street tacos and said they were really good with lots of flavor. He chose birria (Beef chuck braised in guajillo and ancho dried peppers & side of birria broth) and one with chorizo. He was especially happy that his taco shells did not break apart, (they were in the middle between a hard and soft shell ) his dish came with two sides and he ordered refried beans and Spanish rice and enjoyed them. The Pollo Fundido was given a thumbs up by our fourth diner. He enjoyed everything he was served.

For dessert we chose fried churros with cinnamon and sugar with a scoop of ice cream and chocolate sauce drizzled over everything. That was very good. Even though the churros were fried the dish did feel heavy. The presentation was pretty and definitely enough to share.

The restaurant was fairly busy and their ratings and reviews from other sites are pretty good. The service was great, nice ambience. I wouldn't write them off, I just ordered the wrong item. I think I would go back to try the tacos.

Overall I would say they were very good. We had three dinner selections between the four of us and two of them were considered really tasty.

If you are in the area and feel like having some Mexican food, I would take a chance and head to SSol Tacos & Tequila

Fox City Brewing in Forsyth.

Tonight six of us decided to try Fox City. We have all our potential restaurants' names in a jar and pick one each week. We headed out to Forsyth with high hopes.

When we arrived we found the restaurant mildly busy and by the time we left almost empty. We also discovered that if you walked down this long hall you can walk through the actual brewery and then into another bar/restaurant area that had live music. The Fox City restaurant appeared to have been short staffed and the servers had to run back and forth between the two restaurants and that could not have been fun. It did cause long waits to get additional drinks throughout the meal. The server was very nice and I'm sure she was doing her best under the circumstances.

For starters we had fried green tomatoes and a Gouda pimento cheese dip. The tomatoes were really good, not overly fried or greasy. They had a sriracha dressing that was good but I wish it was spicier. The Gouda pimento cheese was also really good. A light smoky taste, very smooth.

Our dinners: Three of us ordered Shrimp and grits. The grits were grainy but I like them that way, I don't like mushy foods so I was happy that they had some solidity to them. Topping the grits was shrimp, chorizo, peppers, and onions with a tomato bacon sauce over top. It was good but tasted more like a brown gravy and the shrimp/veggies-to-grits ratio was a little off with there being too many grits. The second person who had grits did not have one drop left and no complaints were given. The third grits dish was for someone who is very familiar with cooking and eating grits and he was disappointed. He felt the grits were too gritty and lumpy and not freshly made.

Now on to the burgers of our group. My husband had the Fox City Frenzy Burger with gouda pimento, pepper jelly, and applewood smoked bacon with a side of onion rings (there are several side dish choices). He said It was very good, cooked well, and tasty, but the onion rings were so-so. The second burger was the Fox Den Burger which had sauteed wild mushrooms, onions swiss cheese, and a side of sweet potato fries. The verdict: okay, not great.

The last order was fried shrimp with french fries. They were good, neither great nor bad.

I also felt they were a little pricey for the type/quantity of food. About $75-85 per couple.

I thought I'd start an easy rating system:
Fair Good Very Good Excellent.

Fox City Brewing fell into the GOOD rating for our group last night.

Sometimes you just want to run out and grab a bite to eat, and we know Gray has limited choices. I have family visiting and we went over to Pickle Barrel and had an enjoyable lunch. We were greeted quickly and immediately shown to a table.

I ordered the Greek salad with shrimp and balsamic dressing (instead of the Greek). The dressing had a good taste and consistency and the salad was a decent size. My sister had ‘Bob’s’ cheeseburger (but with only one patty) and fries. She said it was pretty good but did not know who Bob was. The fries were crunchy and flavorful.

For a quick in town lunch that wasn’t expensive the Pickle Barrel does the trick.

Pickle Barrel Cafe & Sports Pub - Gray

Glory Days Grill in Macon

I wish I had asked for restaurant recommendations sooner. I am three for three with great restaurants. Tonight, we went to the Glory Days Grill in Macon. I honestly had never even noticed it before. Driving up the building looks brand new as does the inside. Spacious and sparkling clean. There is a huge bar area with high tabletops and a large dining area with booths. What I loved about the menu was that the food wasn’t the same as every other restaurant, sure there were burgers and chicken sandwiches, but there was also Maine Lobster Rolls, Sirloin Steak, Salmon, Redfish, Grouper, Haddock, Shrimp, Chicken, Ribs, Meatloaf and Pasta. For sandwiches, they had Cheesesteak, Pork, Turkey, and even a Monte Cristo!

Before arriving, I signed up on their website and received a coupon for a free boneless chicken wings appetizer (eight large pieces-and we had the tangy garlic sauce). There are 10 different sauces to choose from. They were good and more than enough for our party of four to share. You also earn points for each visit and we earned a $10 coupon for next time. Other appetizers offered were buffalo cauliflower bites, mac n’cheese bites, crispy shrimp w/a spicy sauce, pretzels w/mustard and beer cheese, cheesy nachos with a choice of chicken or pork, buffalo chicken dip (or nachos), chips & guacamole and salsa or sweet potato fries. We only tried the one appetizer because it was a large order but I definitely want to go back and try some of the others.

Besides the chicken wings, I ordered the Lobster Roll with corn on the cob. Sadly, they were out of corn, so I ordered broccoli. The broccoli was fresh and crisp and had a delicious dollop of butter. The Lobster was mixed with mayo and celery and served cold and piled high. A salad was included with my meal they have a yummy balsamic vinegar dressing. What a treat it was being able to have a Maine Lobster roll in the middle of Georgia-SCORE! My husband chose Grouper with a side of broccoli. The Grouper was pan-seared, tender, and juicy, with a caper-style sauce and he also raved about the broccoli, he enjoyed it. My Mother and Sister are visiting from Connecticut and they both ordered the 1988 Sirloin steak, loaded baked potato, and salads and thoroughly enjoyed all of it. My sister also had a cup of the Boston Style Clam Chowder-it was a little different from what we are used to in a New England Clam Chowder but not terrible, just not what we expected.

After we finished dinner, we had to have dessert, how could I give the restaurant a proper review without dessert? We had the Bourbon Butter Cake and the Chocolate Slide Cake. The Butter cake was AMAZING. I mean it was sooo good, it had a scoop of ice cream, bourbon-caramel sauce, and candied pecans. It would be worth it to go here just for dessert. The Chocolate Slide cake was huge and moist with a fudgy/mousse type filling, chocolate fudge drizzled over it, and a scoop of ice cream. I personally liked the bourbon cake better because of course, I tried both.

Now, the best part of our dinner, I know you thought it was the food, and as good as it was, our server, Sabrina was truly the best part of the night. She was truly sad for me when she found out they were out of corn! She knew I would have loved it and was disappointed she had to tell me they were out. Sabrina was attentive and saw to it we had everything we needed, she was fun and happy, and personable. Good food is nice but good service is awesome. They have a real gem with Sabrina and if you go here try to be seated in her section. The hostess was also very pleasant and greeted us with a big smile upon entering. Glory Days must be a nice place to work because both employees seemed genuinely happy in their jobs.

We enjoyed our dining experience tonight. The menu had many choices, and the food was delicious. The portions were plentiful as well, no one left hungry. My sister was treating us, but I think for four adults we paid around $175, we had three soft drinks, two glasses of wine, two appetizers, three salads, four entrees, and four desserts. You could easily get out of there for a lot less and still be very satisfied.

Glory Days Grill Macon, GA
Jonesing For The Goods
Macon, Georgia
Glory Days Grill

Today's meal was at Old Clinton BBQ in Gray and If you're looking for a tasty BBQ joint that has been around forever (1958 to be exact) and is loved by the whole community, look no further than Old Clinton. This local treasure serves delicious barbecue with a vinegar-based sauce that is unlike any other and sets them apart from most other BBQ joints. It’s not sticky, sugary, or gooey, it’s pungent and smokey and is absolutely delicious.

Just like most places in Georgia, when you step inside, you're greeted with warm smiles and a cozy atmosphere. The walls are adorned with photos and mementos that tell the story of its long history. It's a place where people just must go when visiting Gray (they also have a second location in Milledgeville).

Today I ordered a small BBQ rib plate. That meant two meaty tender ribs that fall off the bone and an order of potato salad with a great mayo/egg mix. The potatoes have the right amount of firmness and make for a good bite, (Other sides include Brunswick stew, French fries, coleslaw, green beans, poppers, mac n cheese, fried okra, fried squash, fried pickles, corn nuggets, and cheese sticks). And bread or rolls and a side of pickles are always included. My sister and mother visiting from Connecticut wanted to make Old Clinton their first stop and had the BBQ ribs with coleslaw and chicken with fried pickles and potato salad. You can have your BBQ on a sandwich or as a platter, chicken, turkey, or pork, they even sell it in bulk so you can bring a whole lot home to share.

But I digress, let’s get back to the ribs. I did not eat ribs before moving to Gray. I don’t like the typical sticky-sweet BBQ sauce. The ribs here are just so tender, and that incredible vinegar-based sauce is so good! The sides are also excellent and I always have a hard time choosing which to order. Whenever someone comes to visit we bring them to Old Clinton, it's the one place that really stands out as being good traditional southern BBQ.

There is a reason that they have been around so long, they know what they are doing. They have kept their place simple and concentrate on the taste of the food. If you are headed towards Middle Georgia and would like to try a BBQ joint with something a little special, give Old Clinton’s a try, you won’t regret it. Oh, and don’t forget to grab a bottle of the Bar-B-Q Sauce to go! Old Clinton BBQ - Gray

I am trying to do at least one restaurant a week. I love eating out but my wallet doesn’t like it so much! Thanks for looking.

Located in Milledgeville in the downtown area is a great little restaurant called The Local Yolkal Cafe - Milly. It is a true breakfast haven that is worth the drive. Upon entering the Local Yolkal, the cozy atmosphere immediately draws you in. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee creates a comforting ambiance, setting the stage for a delightful breakfast experience.

As a LOVER of Eggs Benedict, I had to go there when I saw the multiple variations of this classic dish. Local Yolkal's Eggs Benedict are nothing short of culinary perfection. They are, they really, really are! There’s a classic benedict, a corned beef benedict, one that adds spinach, one with creamed spinach and artichokes, and even one made with biscuits and another with bacon. The eggs were poached flawlessly and the hollandaise was amazingly silky and rich and gently draped over the eggs, ham and english muffins. A perfect bite was to get a little piece of the English muffin, ham, egg and hollandaise all into your mouth at once, mmm, mmm, mmm.

Beyond the eggs benedict, Local
Yolkal offers omelets, pancakes, waffles, bagels and lox as well as an array of sides; hash browns, grits, a choice of bread (white, wheat, or even a biscuit), to complete your breakfast experience.
The service at Local Yokal is warm, friendly, and attentive. The staff offers a smile from the moment you enter.

And if breakfast at this great eatery is not enough to bring you to Milledgeville, the history of the area goes from patriotic to spooky. The old Governor’s mansion is available to tour (very beautiful), there are a few other historic properties to visit (Andulsia), and you can even take your tour via trolley. AND do NOT miss a drive through the remains of the Central State Hospital, once known as the asylum and the largest mental hospital in the world! It is beautiful and creepy all at the same time.

In conclusion, if you can get yourself to Milledgeville in the morning (or anytime) visit the Local Yolkal Café (they also serve lunch) it is an absolute must. If their other dishes are as good as the benedict you can’t go wrong when ordering your own favorites.

Jonesing For The Goods

I thought I would write about a restaurant we frequent and was also recommended from my ‘restaurant recommendation request’ on the Jonesing For The Goods page.

If you are looking for a nice restaurant and maybe you like sushi but your friends don’t….Kai Thai Sushi in Milledgeville is the place to go. They have every type of sushi you could want, a whole bunch of specialty rolls, hibachi dinners, ramen, noodles, stir fry, vegetarian options, curry, soups, salads and array of tasty appetizers. They also serve cocktails, wine and beer.

The restaurant is very nice, they moved to their current location a little more than a year ago. They used to have a tiny, crowded space but now it's huge!! Open, comfortable -they can accommodate large groups and private parties.

I cannot say enough about their food. I get a sushi dinner which is a mix of different pieces of sushi (tuna, salmon, yellowtail+ others). Sometimes I get a specialty roll which can be sushi or tempura, rice, asparagus, cucumber, cream cheese, or avocado there are many combinations to choose from). My husband always gets the garlic duck. The portion is huge, the skin is crispy and the meat is heavenly. It comes with a side of rice and vegetables. I have tried it and it is delish!

There are plenty of appetizer as well. I always get edamame (soybean pods) and sometimes miso soup. Once in a while I have shrimp and vegetable tempura. which is always fried perfectly.

Everyone will find something they like here. The prices are reasonable and they gave a great staff. You may want to to make a reservations for a weekend dinner. Kai Thai Restaurant

Enjoy!

Our first pick was ‘Cuban Island Cafe’ in Bonaire, GA.

All I can say is WOW. The food was so good. Driving up the restaurant looked like any other strip mall place and the decor was the same. The food, however, was out of this world.

Four of us went and we shared a starter dish of shrimp ceviche. The flavors were delicious. The shrimp was mixed with peppers, onions, cilantro and avocados, lime juice, the perfect amount of each ingredient, and plantain chips for scooping.

We each chose a different entree. Each entree came with your choice of rice, beans, plantains, and yuca. A lot of food.

I had the Roja Viejo. Slowly simmered shredded beef in a creole sauce. Tender, tons of flavor. Went very well with all the included sides. A scoop with beans, a scoop with rice, mix the rice into the beans, dip the yuca into the beans-so many different ways to mix it up for delicious mouthfuls of perfectly seasoned food.

My husband chose the Bistec Palomilla. Grilled marinated steak with fresh grilled onions. The steak was tender and flavorful and there was not a bite left on his dish.

Our friends chose the Cuban Tour-a mix of different meats (roast pork, shredded beef, and a ground beef mix) and also the steak entree. Every morsel was eaten.

We all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. The fried plantains were just the right texture with a delicious sweetness. The red and black beans were very tasty. We tried the crispy fried plantains but I definitely recommend the sweet preparation. We all had the yuca fries which were not bad, very potato-like.

Then dessert. Midnight Havana cake. A moist, chocolate frosted cake with chocolate chips and chocolate mousse, drizzled with chocolate sauce. My choice was more of a Cuban variety-guava fruit filled pastry with vanilla ice cream. The fruit had such a unique flavor, I’ve never tasted anything like it. It was so good!! The empanada pastry was toasted just enough to be flaky but not dry and a bite with the pastry, ice cream and fruit filling was amazing.

Lastly, the service was excellent. The staff was attentive and friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner experience.

Two people from Jonesing for the Goods (Macy Vaughn & Autumn Blount) recommended this restaurant and we are so thankful!! If you are looking for something different this is the place to go, you will not be disappointed. The prices for the amount of food were also very reasonable.

I do not know why I did not take pics of the food, but I will for my next review. Cuban Island Café 100% recommended.

Last week I asked local residents to recommend restaurants they like and I wrote each name down and put them in a jar.

I decided that I would pick a new restaurant each week and then write a review.

Thank you to everyone in Jonesing For The Goods for your recommendations.