Fish Grill Deli 10908 Courthouse Rd Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Open from 11am-8pm Monday through Friday and from 11am-6pm Saturday and Sunday, Fish N Grill Deli serves seafood three ways either grilled, steamed or fried and several delectable side dishes ($1.79 each) such as cole slaw and gooey macaroni and cheese.    Wings, subs, and desserts complete their menu.  Easy to order right at the counter and sit inside.  I like the idea of not having to wait for a server to place your order at a table especially for families and people pressed for time on a lunch hour or with a long to do list.   Pick up side dishes here for any gathering (holidays, birthdays or even for dinner) to shorten the amount of time you spend in the kitchen and to simplify your life.  Bringing dinner home would be another time saver.  Their phone number is 540-898-8611 and their suite # is 105.   All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA.  Her e-mail is sherriebh@yahoo.com and her phone number is 540-903-0212.

 

 

 

 

 

Courthouse Cafe 8955 Courthouse Rd Spotsylvania, VA 22553

Bread pudding in lemon raisin sauce, homemade vegetable beef soup and an order of two biscuits completed a recent meal at the Courthouse Cafe. Country cooking with a southern accent combines to provide food with flavor and substance. Servers, cooks, and owner provide an atmosphere similar to nana’s kitchen with everything well-prepared and a plentiful supply of food and aromas sure to please. An extensive menu provides variety for pickier eaters. When driving anywhere nearby, stop here. Hours from Monday through Saturday are 7am-9pm while on Sundays their cafe is open from 7am-3pm. Courthouse Cafe’s phone number is 540-582-3302. All Rights reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell and copyrighted 2009; Sherrie Hartzell is a licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA. Her e-mail address is sherriebh@yahoo.com .

Raes 20 Main St Sperryville VA 22740

Their mushroom soup, when on their menu, melts on your tongue and exudes subtle flavors. Menu specials might include something like spaghetti fritata, chicken with elaborate accompaniments such as sweet potatoes or a roasted vegetables combination tasting as if they were picked straight from a local garden yesterday. No green, under ripe tomatoes or iceberg lettuce here. If all vegetables tasted this delictable, more people would eat vegetables. Wifi access and live music some nights, too, add to the ambiance as do sticks hanging on the ceiling, green paint and different, eclectic salt and pepper shakers at every table. Their chicken salad plate included grape halves and just the right amount of Rae’s special dressing (for sale) with spring lettuce mix, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Both vegetarians and meat lovers leave Raes full and happy. Dessert also available for people desiring a sweet ending to a special meal. Their phone number is 540-987-3335.  All Rights Reserved 2009 Sherrie Hartzell and copyrighted 2009; Sherrie is a licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA. Her e-mail is  sherriebh@yahoo.com .

Majors Sports Cafe 5651 La Centre Ave Albertville MN 55301

Albertville, Minnesota, outlet shopping allows the typical shopper enough store choices to satisfy most.   Restaurant choices vary widely from one mall to the next.  If you drive a short distance away from this mall, you’ll find Majors Sports Cafe.  This sports cafe emphasizes beer, sports, sandwiches, appetizers and burgers.  Bar seating, booths, tables and chairs provide variety for differing seating options especially in the early to mid -afternoon hours before the after work, sports fans, and shoppers arrive.  If there’s a popular game on television, arrive far enough ahead of time to secure a seat.  Sports fans arrive in droves for certain events depending upon the time of year and the sports in season.  Call ahead if you plan on celebrating a sport’s fans birthday to 763-497-7629 or visit http://www.majorssportscafe.com .  Their Arnold Palmer (half iced tea and half lemonade) won an award from me and their Prime Dip (think French Dip) sandwich ranked high on my list.  Copyrighted 2009 and All Rights Reserved 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA.

Bistro Bethem 309 William St Fredericksburg VA 22401

Chicken prepared with the right amount of seasonings served with braised greens atop penne pasta with three cheese sauce.  Every bite delicious and tender.  Homemade bread served with a pastel bread plate in one of these hues: light green, light yellow, or peach.  A balsamic vinegar, olive oil and light spice plate for dipping their homemade bread was served prior to the meal. Their iced tea delights and has no bitter undertones.  To keep  the freshest ingredients on the menu, each menu has a daily date printed on it.  Scallops or another seafood/fish, wild game, poultry, cheese plate, wines, bar drinks, bar seating, appetizers, coffee, and desserts (homemade ice cream and many other treats) worth indulging complete their menu of gourmet offerings for discerning diners.  They strive to buy local ingredients and some items are organic.  For weekends and even during the holidays, consider calling ahead to phone number 540-371-9999 to inquire about reserving a table.  This is a restaurant not to miss whether you’re a local or traveling through town en route to another destination. Bistro Bethem’s website is http://www.bistrobethem.com .

Attentive servers, glowing candlelight at every table,  local art showcased on the light, creamy yellow walls with delicate bronze stripes and sage green trim around the front windows layer beautifully with wood floors laid on the diagonal.  Even their powder room, extremely clean, draws attention to family photographs and magazines on an elegantly decorated table.  Details matter most at this place and great care by chefs, hosts and servers handle the meal preparation and delivery so diners eat and savor their food, drinks, and dessert from beginning to end.  Too bad this experience ends.  All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted 2009 by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred Realty-Stafford, VA. Reach Sherrie at 540-903-0212 or sherriebh@yahoo.com .

Gary’s Sandwiches Ice Cream 125 Olde Greenwich #250 Fredericksburg, 397 Garrisonville Rd Stafford VA

Eating at Gary’s reminds me of eating at the fairgrounds or at a 1950’s style eatery with funnel cakes, hot dogs, corn dogs, burgers and fries.  Add to this milkshakes, brownie sundae, malts,  smore’s sundae, floats and ice cream.   In Fredericksburg, their store is located at 125 Olde Greenwich Road, #250, with phone number 540-710-0013.

Once you exit from Interstate-95 at exit 143 at 610/Garrisonville Road (away from Aquia/Route 1/Jefferson Davis Highway), Gary’s Ice Cream will be on your left once you pass through the traffic light at Onville Road where there’s a CVS pharmacy on the corner.  Their Stafford address is 397 Garrisonville Road, Stafford, Virginia 22554 in the Garrisonville Shopping Center along with a car wash.  Bring the family along for dinner and dessert, to celebrate a victorious ballgame or to honor an exemplary report card.  All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson with Keller Williams Preferred Realty, 385 Garrisonville Road, #105, Stafford, VA.

Aroma d’Italia Gelateria Cafe 155 National Plaza National Harbor MD 20745

Their menu alone impressed me with its breadth and its depth.  Gelato, coffee and espresso drinks, frappe blends, hot chocolate, Mighty Teas (real tea), smoothies, kid’s menu, and other dining options homemade croissants, muffins, scones, biscotti, soup, and salads (tuna, caesar, Greek, Lombardi). Their paninis melt while you eat them provide options for different eaters (three cheese grilled cheese, turkey with provolone, lettuce, tomato, bacon, garlic spread and balsamic vinegar called Aromimax, tuna, and Toscano is a vegetarian option with red peppers, eggplant, artichoke hearts, red onions, mushrooms, greens, tomato, basil, pesto, provolone and balsamic vinegar; wraps also available.

Personal pizzas served on lavash flatbread provide another option for customized dining at reasonable prices. Cheese pizza costs $5.85 plus $.65 per topping (grilled chicken, pesto, red onions, pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, tomato, and green peppers) before tax.   Aromi d’Italia provides excellent food at fair prices with gracious staff, indoor and outdoor seating.  Their phone number is 301-839-3492, fax number is 301-839-3493 and website is located at http://www.aromicafe.com .

All rights reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA.

Cakelove 160 National Plaza Dr National Harbor MD 20745 DC VA

For those people who love cakes and prefer “cakes (baked) from scratch” and cupcakes in various flavors with smooth, creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness and tartness mixed in, then Cakelove is the place to order your next birthday, wedding, anniversary, Thanksgiving, bar mitzvah, bat mitzvah and baby shower cakes for special occasions.  Then whenever you need something sweet yourself, drive, metro, walk,bike or hail a taxi over to a Cakelove store or to the Love Cafe.

There are  locations in: Washington, DC at 1506 U Street, Love Cafe at 1501 U Street NW in DC, 935 South Ellsworth Drive in Silver Spring, MD, 4150 Campbell Avenue in Arlington, VA, Tysons I Lower Level in McLean, VA at Tysons Corner and this location in National Harbor, MD.  For the latest location information, including hours of operation and cake flavors available, please visit their website at: http://www.cakelove.com .  Last visit I paid $5 for one slice of moist, slightly spicy carrot cake with the most perfect frosting but keep in mind prices change.   In case you’re a red velvet cake fan, Cakelove bakes red velvet cakes.  Cakelove’s National Harbor store with a few tables with chairs inside is small but their cakes are unlike anything you’ve ever tasted unless you’re related to or friends with a pastry chef. When visiting their National Harbor location, remember parking on the street is not recommended since their security force diligently checks their parking meters and writes tickets.  There are two parking garages and then you won’t need to keep checking your watch to avoid a ticket.

Obviously if your only objective is to pick up a cake, then on-street parking might work, but be forewarned about the parking tickets.  Also, I’m unable to visit just one place at National Harbor.   Walking over to the water leads you to spectacular views of the Potomac River.  Then there are other shops including Godiva for chocolate lovers and even a beach with large sculptures for the kids to climb on (at their own risk of course). National Harbor truly embraced the idea of a place for all people to gather together in larger, public spaces but also in separate, smaller spaces to spend time with people they love both indoors and outdoors.

All Rights Reserved 2009 and copyrighted by Sherrie Hartzell, licensed real estate salesperson in Virginia with Keller Williams Preferred-Stafford, VA.