How many preteens get to experience a four course gourmet meal at a new restaurant? Not nearly enough! But the Girl Scout Creative Cooking Interest Project gave the Cadettes of Troop 4242 a reason to visit and review the new and elegant restaurant, Wildfire, which recently opened at Tysons Corner, off of I-495 in Northern Virginia.

What did this group of young critics think of this restaurant? All gave it an enthusiastic “thumbs up” on the Hollywood glam decor and family style service but the ultra modern ladies room with its space age hands dryer drew the highest and noisiest praise. As for the food, Wildfire’s party menu was perfect for these budding foodies, allowing the troop to choose two items in each course at the reasonable price of about $30 per person.

The pizza starter was a huge hit with all, although the soft and gooey mozzarella cheese proved a little challenging on the braces! Those who dared to try the crab cakes were pleasantly surprised by its fresh taste. The cheesy baked penne with roasted vegetables was the clear entree favorite; while it sounded tasty on the menu, none of the tasters enjoyed the overly seasoned lemon pepper chicken breast. The salad and veggies accompanying the meal were all acceptable, but these young diners give the Best Vegetable Award to the hot, slim, crispy French fries.

Copious amounts of starters, entrees and salad were consumed, but this intrepid young crowd somehow found room in their stomachs to sample both the triple layer chocolate cake and the homemade key lime pie. The reviews were split, with some favoring the super-rich cake, while others aligned with the sweet and tart pie. The cool ambiance, quick service and large servings all combined to create a terrific experience for this group of Girl Scouts. The troop definitely recommends a visit to Wildfire for the teen who is too cool for Chuckie Cheese, laser tag or bowling, but deserves a treat for being all around awesome!

Traveling south along I-95 on our way through Georgia at exit 49 we stumbled upon Smokey Joe’s BBQ tucked in between two hotels. It’s a little log cabin looking bbq joint with excellent bbq pork sandwich chopped with a choice of 2 bbq sauces you put on your self and priced at $5.50. It comes with 1 side. We chose the sweet potato fries that were really good. It comes with sweet cinnamon butter. The sweet tea was great and the kids meals were around $3.50. The turkey was good also and came with 1 side.

This place was very clean! We will definately be stopping here again and are planning on making it a regular stop on our way through.  We live in south Florida and our pork sandwiches don’t even come close to tasting this good!

City Limits Diner is a gourmet restaurant masquerading as a diner. It offers the same great atmosphere and gourmet-to-family fare as the two White Plains locations. This City Limits Diner (which is attached to Marriott’s Fairfield Inn) has an upscale retail area for pastries, breads and dessert sales. The Stamford location also features a spirited decor, state-of-the-art bakery, an extensive bar featuring fifty varieties of beer, as well as an array of wines and spirits, and a spacious seventy-seat private dining room. One can sample a variety of foods, from haute cuisine such as Maryland lump crab cakes and prime New York strip steak, to homespun recipes such as veal meat loaf and balsamic apple glazed grilled pork chops.

I love City Limits Diners because it is great for families, kids, couples and people of all ages looking for a gourmet meal at a great price.

We were tired of all those fast food places with greasy food and cardboard taste, so we stopped off at the Outback Steakhouse at exit 138 east bound in Rocky Mount, NC. We’ve eaten at other Outback’s in other parts of the country and found this one to have a particularly nice atmosphere, great employees and the usual good food associated with other Outback’s. It was great to get a decent meal for a change.

We spoke to the manager of the restaurant and told him we were very happy to find a decent place to eat for a change. This Outback is located at 210 Gateway Boulevard in Rocky Mount, NC. Take the eastbound exit 138 off I-95 to the first exit. Turn right and go to the traffic light and you’ll find it on the left side right behind the Comfort Inn in the Convention Center Park.

If you were ever in love with “Southern” cookin or “Soul Food,” do not pass by Fullers Family BBQ. For a moderate price, $12.95 last time I was there I think, you get a well stocked buffet that contains all of the traditional southern favorites and some you have never heard of. Do you like veggies, try the collards, mustard greens, fried cabbage, boiled cabbage, black eyed peas, limas, creamed corn, fried ocra, etc. The Carolina style pulled pork BBQ is excellent, as are the variety of sausages, including liver pudding and blood sausage.

Do you prefer something else, try the fried oysters, fried catfish, fried chicken, Johnny Cakes, and home made pork cracklin’s. If you can still fit another spoonfull of food after all that, you’ll get what you deserve, a not very good desert. This place has such good southern food you can almost feel your arteries starting to clog. This is a DO NOT MISS!

We got off on this I-95 exit to go to a Subway for a change and when we saw Angela’s we said why not. That was 4 years ago and we stop every time we head South on I-95 now. They have great seafood, spaghetti and grinders especially there BLT. You won’t be sorry.

Giuseppe’s is a great family restaurant with melt-in-your-mouth pasta made by Giuseppe himself. You can take-out or eat in. They have delicious lasagne and other basics with specials on the gourmet end of the spectrum. The atmosphere is very informal and cozy… it’s just a hole-in-the-wall in a strip plaza (go east on Rte 113 about 1/4 mile, then right on Low St to first strip plaza on right.) but you will return. Beer & wine are also available.

What a wonderful surprise! Fiddleheads Restaurant is located less than a mile from I-95, exit 8 (New Jersey Turnpike) in Jamesburg. They have delicious food, great prices and the best service. We make it a habit to stop here every time we are passing thru the area. The service is always great. Each time we stop we try something different. The owners cook and run the restaurant and take the time to really make a customer feel welcome. Everyone that I have mentioned this place to has loved their experience as well. We highly recommend it to I-95 travelers.

Ralph’s BBQ is located 2 blocks east of I-95, exit 173 in Weldon. They offer buffet-style meals… and superb barbecue (pulled pork), chicken, and fried catfish. They also have all manner of salads and fresh vegetables. This place is not to be missed. No credit cards… cash only here. You’ll get quality food served quickly in a buffet, all-you-can-eat style.

The buffet isn’t just BBQ, it also had fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, potato salad, pickles, light pasta squiggles, regular salad, no baked beans, banana pudding and strawberry shortcake. This is a must stop! Give them a try, you may just end up being a regular customer.

Shorty’s BBQ is a tiny red stand tucked between a BP and a Wendy’s just off I-95, 2 miles after (or before) you cross the Florida border. Lots of BBQ joints in Georgia get more notoriety, but this one is the best. Just get a simple pork sandwich, pure chopped pork on a bun with just the right amount (not too much) sauce. The sandwich must weigh about half a pound and the price is extremely reasonable. And while you’re enjoying it, laugh at the majority of folks who are pulling into Wendy’s next door for the same bland burgers they eat at home. You can get NOTHING like Shorty’s at home. And don’t forget a tall cold cup of GREAT sweet tea to wash this beauty down!