Bourbon, Burgers, and Barbecue

3626 Mundy Mill Road Gainesville, GA 30504 https://cookout.com/ For over a year, I kept hearing about this place and how good the food and shakes were. Every time I tried to go, something or someone always prevented me from going. I finally decided to give them a try to see if they lived up to the hype. Food: A Big Double Burger with Cheese (Ketchup, pickles and onions) Tray (included fries, a quesadilla, and an oreo shake). Burger Score: 7.5 out of 10 Comments: The burger was juicy but there was barely any cheese on it. It was nice I could pick out what I wanted on the burger, but they don't provide a list of options so I had no idea what to select other than the basic ketchup, pickles and onions. Fries Score: 6.5 out of 10 Comments : I was very disappointed with the fries. There was no taste to them. They tasted like they were dipped in oil and dried and put in the container. There was no seasoning on them. You have to ask for cajun seasoning. What happened t...

Last night I was in the mood for pizza and wanted to try another place since my wife is a pizza snob (love you), and we both wanted to see how the pizza places measure up to our love of NY pizza. I decided to check out a few in the area and chose Johnny's New York Style Pizza to put them to the test. I also decided to try them as they deliver in my area, especially with the storms that hit us. Johnny's New York Style Pizza 355 Quill Drive Dawsonville, GA 30534 706-216-1224 https://www.johnnyspizzaofcumming.com/ Bruce Jackson was 16 years old when he worked for the original Johnny's Pizza in Manlius, NY. He saw an opportunity to build his own and decided to run with it. In three years, he opened a Johnny's Pizza just outside the Syracuse University campus with his younger brother, Rosario. He ran and operated the business for 6 years before deciding to move with his new business partner to the Atlanta, GA area. They opened their doors in 1977, and one...

Last night I decided to try something new. While the heat dropped enough for me to use the grill, the rain prevented me from making this dish the way I would have liked. So, it was another stove cooked meal for our house, which worked out just as well. Let's see what's for dinner. Cilantro Lime Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes To start, take a cast-iron skillet and pour in some olive oil, just enough to coat the pan. Turn your oven to 400 and let it pre-heat. Start getting the skillet nice and hot. While you're waiting, pat, the pork chops dry and apply your seasoning. I did basic salt and pepper on both sides this time, or you can apply your own dry rub to it. Place the pork chops into the cast-iron and sear the meat on both sides so they are golden brown. (This should only take a couple of minutes on each side). Take the pork chops in the cast-iron and place it on the middle rack in the oven. Let it bake for 6-10 minutes depending on the thickne...

El Campesino 6630 Highway 53 East Dawsonville, GA  (706) 216-3036 Okay, this was my second time going for Mexican food since moving to Dawsonville. I found this restaurant by random when I decided to take Highway 53 home instead of 400.  My wife and I were in the mood to get out of the house on a Friday night and wanted to try a new place (new to us). About El Campesino: Owned by the Guzman brothers, Salvador and Carlos, El Campesino opened its doors in 1997 in Dawsonville. The brothers learned the art of Mexican cuisine from their mother in Guanajuato, Mexico. They had always dreamt of providing food and a warm atmosphere to patrons of their restaurant. They currently own and operate two locations (Dawsonville and Cleveland, GA) Drink: Margarita Score: 9 out of 10 Comments : The margaritas at El Campesino give you a lot for your money. The one in the picture is the large and took the whole meal to finish it. The taste of the liquor was not overp...

Friends 837 Hwy 400, Suite 175 Dawsonville, GA 30534 706-216-2800 https://www.friendsamericangrill.com/ I apologize for the delay in my posts this week. It's been a busy few days and I have been juggling a few things including a release of my upcoming book, The Kritana Contract.  This review was one I had been interested in doing since moving to Dawsonville, GA. My wife and I have driven passed Friends Dawson Grill numerous times. I pass it twice a day during the week to pickup or drop off my kid at school. Every afternoon or night we drive by it, we always see the parking lot full. About Friends: Opened in 2010, Friends is a neighborhood grill & bar which is locally owned. They have locations in Dacula, Dawsonville, Suwanee, Winder, and Buford. The establishment is filled with HDTVs to show NFL, MLB, and UFC. Their menu is fresh-ground steakburgers, hand-cut steaks, and homemade dressings and sauces. They also contribute to the community by holding an ann...

Pizza, it is the big debate in our house. My wife is what I call a pizza snob. She only likes a certain style of pizza from specific places (mostly Ozone Pizza in Ozone Park). Me on the other hand, like pizza from all over, but even I was skeptical about eating pizza in the south. We decided to take our debate and our curiosity, and put it to the test against a pizzeria a few blocks from our new home. So let's take a bite out of Brooklyn Joe's and see if they measure up. 219 Crossroads Blvd,  Dawsonville, GA 30534 Dawsonville (706) 265-8000 Milton (770) 754-0202 Canton (770) 720-7700 http://www.brooklynjoespizza.com/#home-section Brooklyn Joe's says they are authentic NY style pizza. They opened the doors in 2007 and have been voted the best Pizza and Italian restaurant 5 years in a row. Now, I have not actually dined in at the restaurant, so it will not be a typical review. I have ordered and picked up my food twice from them in the month I mo...

Cauliflower Chicken Casserole Okay, this is one of my favorite dishes and it is Keto friendly for those following the Keto Diet, Carb Cycling, or just wanting to watch your carbs in general.  We start off by frying up some bacon. I mean, hell, who doesn't love bacon. I tend to use the whole package for bacon because I don't like to let it sit in the fridge and wait to be used. Next, I cut up a package of chicken into small pieces. You can also use a can of chicken to save time, but I prefer to use the real thing. I also like to leave the chicken a little larger than what comes in the can. After cutting up the chicken, you want to brown each piece in a frying pan. Next, I take about 3 or 4 scallions and chop them up into small pieces. While you are frying up the chicken and bacon, you should begin preparing your cauliflower. I prefer to use a fresh head of cauliflower rather than using frozen...