Inspired by the recent controversy about Jaber-woke's dress code, I have decided to ponder various Corner establishments. I would like to point out before going any further that I have no qualifications as a restaurant reviewer other than that I like food and my parents met when they were working in a restaurant.
Because it started this whole line of thought, I'll start with Jaberwoke. I've only been to its late-night dance party once, so I'll reserve comment on that particular subject. I have no problem, however, pointing out that Jaberwoke has the worst service on the Corner. Once it took my server 20 minutes to deliver the drink order to the table. I think Jabs has great pub food, but 20 minutes for a beer is ridiculous.
It's hard to believe the same people own both Jaberwoke and The Virginian. Not only is The Virginian one of my favorite late-night haunts, it also has some of the best food and best service for dinner. Plus the atmosphere is very college-town bar, especially for Sunday brunch. I'm not really a fan of breakfast, but every once in a while it's fun to wake up a little early Sunday morning, drag the roommates out of their beds and head over there for some eggs florentine.
For a brief side journey down Elliewood Avenue, I may be writing unfairly because I have only eaten at one establishment: Coupe's. I know, most people barely notice Coupe's food, but it's actually pretty good. I have an unhealthy obsession with cheese, so I am a big fan of their cheese fries. Let's just say there's a good reason cheese comes before fries in the description.
Moving on down the line, I will now consider the College Inn. This cozy restaurant is great for exactly what you would expect -- pizza, subs and mozzarella sticks, which I order even if I'm not that hungry. If you're a little more adventurous or longing for the Greek deli near your childhood home, try the souvlaki or gyro, which are pitas filled with meat and other ingredients.
Next, adding a little green to the mix, is O'Neills. I've only been there Tuesday nights for dinner when they have a great burger special. I'm also as a rule in favor of a bar that has Guinness paraphernalia pretty much anywhere you look, considering my own living room is adorned with a vintage poster.
Turn a corner onto 14th Street and you've arrived at St. Maarten's, which I think has the best burgers on the Corner. It offers tons of options and offers its fries four different ways -- plain, cheese, Cajun or Cajun cheese. I bet you can guess which ones I get.
You're faced with a choice in terms of Amigo's or Baja Bean. For my money, go to Baja. Despite Wednesday nights at Amigo's, I think Baja's food is better, although maybe a little more Tex-Mex than actually Mexican.
Keeping those two apart is Orbit, which has awesome appetizers. Don't expect anything more than bar food from this pool hall. Not bad bar food, but not great either.
Finally, we arrive at Mellow Mushroom. I award it best pizza on the Corner and definitely the best that delivers to my house. I especially enjoy the pizzas that mix pesto into the sauce or substitute pesto for tomato altogether. My only qualm is its propensity for putting mushrooms on everything, but I guess given its name, it has to be understood.
You'll notice here I have only focused on sit-down-and-be-served joints. I have purposely neglected the more casual options simply because there are too many to be included in this column. Plus, the vast majority of them are cheaper than the restaurants I've mentioned, so you're not losing too much if you risk it and try Bodo's, Little John's, Qdoba, Tropical Smoothie Café, Pacino's Deli, Café Europa or the White Spot during daylight hours.
The main point I'd like to make here is for everyone to try something different. I, too, get stuck in a rut and go to the same Corner establishments more than I should, then complain how bored I am with the same old thing. Mix it up and go to the one you thought you hated, if only for the bad waitress story you can tell your friends later.
Laura's column runs weekly on Friday. She can be reached at lsisk@cavalierdaily.com.
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