Just a short 10 minute drive past Lake Wylie, in the town of Clover, sits Courtney’s BBQ. When I hear the word “BBQ” around here, I always think of pork barbecue. Courtney’s has great pork BBQ, but it does not stop there. They have a host of other items on the menu as well, including award winning ribs and some of the best barbecue chicken you will find at any restaurant. They even have excellent fried seafood. For a long while, I was in the habit of ordering the all I could eat fried perch which are lightly breaded and fried to perfection. The fried shrimp are also great. Unlike many other restaurants who serve shrimp flavor breading, Courtney’s lightly breads their shrimp and fries them just right providing some of the best fried shrimp in the area.

Back to my review of this visit. As usual, the service was very good- although, I always seem to drink my tea faster than the glass gets full. This isn’t as bad as many restaurants though because all of the staff seem to help out in making sure all of the glasses are full -not just the tables in their section.

This time, I ordered a half-BBQ chicken and pork BBQ combo. As usual, my eyes were bigger than my stomach as I could not finish it. I think my mind was thinking 1/4 BBQ chicken instead of a half. The chicken was amazing. It was tender and juicy throughout and provided a great smoked flavor that could be supplemented with several of Courtney’s signature sauces. The BBQ was some of the best I have had in the area - moist throughout with a perfect blend of spices to flavor the meat.

The only bad part of my visit was that when I was placing my leftover chicken breast and wing in the to go container, I dropped it on the floor. I was so bummed out.

If anyone is in the area or if they are just tired of the same old chain barbeque joints in Charlotte, they should drive out and give Courtney’s a try. Just be sure to check their website for hours. They are only open full days on Thursday through Saturday, and a half day on Sundays (until 2:30).

Since Cafe 49 opened several months ago just acrossed the street from my office in Lake Wylie, I have become a regular. The food is almost always excellent and today was no exception. If you are looking a family restaurant with a home-cooking type theme - I would highly recommend it.

I ordered a grilled pork chop and had 3 vegetables - okra and tomatoes, green beans, and fried okra with sweet tea. The pork chop was extra tender and juicy and was grilled to perfection. All of the vegetables were great today. The fried okra almost always comes out hot and crispy. The green beans are some of the best I have ever had at a restaurant and the okra and tomatoes were bursting with flavor. The sweet tea is some of the best around as well.

In the short time they have been open, I have probably eaten there 20-25 times. I usually go for lunch as it is so close to the office, but have also been to breakfast and dinner as well.

The wait staff is always friendly and doesn’t seem to have turned over very much since their initial crew which gives is a consistent “hometown” kind of feel. You will most likely be reading many review on Cafe 49, as you can see that I go there a lot.

I visited Fuel Pizza in Rivergate (Highway 160 and S. Tryon St.) for lunch yesterday for a meeting. My expereience was typical with what I have grown to be accustomed to from Fuel Pizza. The service was great and the food was ready really fast. The downside is that when you order by the slice (as is the norm at Fuel Pizza), the slices are not always hot and fresh. They reheat the slice quickly (not sure how) and then deliver it to your table. The overall quality of the ingredients and the selection of toppings is excellent but in my opinion it loses something in the process that it goes through to get to me (the end customer). I can not really comment on getting a whole pizza cooked fresh because I have never done it - although I would imagine that it would be much better.

I will continue to go to Fuel for the simple matter of its excellent location and fast service coupled with its lower than average price (as compared with other restaurants in the immediate area). Also, the food is better than some of the fast food options around. Another good thing is that since it is by the slice, I can get mine loaded up with toppings and my wife and child can get their plain cheese version.

For those that do know know much about Fuel Pizza, it is a chain that originated in Charlotte and has expanded to nine locations (per their website).

Let me know of your experiences at Fuel Pizza by leaving a comment! I would be especially interested in hearing comments from someone who has ordered a whole pizza there.

Sonny’s Dutch Mill opened a few months back in the new Lowe’s Grocery Store Plaza in Tega Cay, at the corner of Gold Hill Road and Highway 160. Since they opened, I have become a regular in a sense. I go there about once every two to three weeks.

The last time I went was on Saturday. My sister was in town along with her three children and we took both our families there. Everyone loved the restaurant choice - especially the kids who loved the music on the radio.

The original Sonny’s Dutch Mill opened in Rock Hill more than 50 years ago. The new Sonny’s serves the same classic menu of classic “all-the-way” hot dogs and hamburgers that are done right. Unlike many of the places that call themselve hamburger joints, Sonny’s does not frown or look puzzled when you ask for chilli and slaw on your burger or dog. They know that this is the way they were meant to be eaten!

Sonny’s also has a host of other items on their menu from chicken sandwiches to BLT’s, although I have never tried them. For me, it is hard to resist the 2 hot dog plate with fries. Oh yes, don’t forget the fresh cut french fries - they are great. Just in case you prefer the krinkle cut, they are available too.

As you may have guessed based on the rest of the menu, they are very kid friendly. I would also recommend the fresh made milk shakes - they are excellent.

Overall , the service is good, although a couple of times that I have been it took longer than I felt it should have to get my food or to pay. The staff is always very friendly.

As far as price, it is not as cheap as it was 50 years ago, but is priced appropriately for the market. I think a 2 hot dog plate with fries is around $6.25 (don’t quote me on that) and a big hamburger with fries is about the same. It isn’t as cheap as some places but it is much higher quality than most places. I have been to a lot more expensive places and gotten much less and worse food - for instance, a $9 hot dog at a place in Southpark that didn’t stay open very long.

If you are in the Fort Mill/Tega Cay/Lake Wylie area and need a quick bite - Sonny’s Dutch Mill is an excellent option.