Critiquing The Critic–The Foodies Corner Blog

This past week, I decided to overview some other food blogs on WordPress.

I was getting a little uninspired and hoped to recharge my creative side, by taking a look at another bloggers site. I wanted to take the opportunity to see what I could do better, by taking notes from other bloggers.

In my search, I stumbled upon The Foodies Corner.

A young blog like my own, The Foodie Hunter, the writer of Foodie Corner, has consistently posted over the month of October, since it’s inception.

I like the design choice of their website. It’s simple but sharp.

Their writing style is casual, which makes it easy to read and fun too. This in particular I will take note of, as my writing can be a bit stiff.

Foodie Hunter also adds on multiple pictures to their post, something that I consistently forget to do! More photos is typically a good thing. They’re fun to look at and add to the story. Being a fan of photography, you’d think I would be taking all kinds of good food pictures. Another note to take!

On Foodies Corner, they do multiple types of reviews. From fast food, restaurant, and even foods you purchase at stores. The diverse types of material Foodie Hunter critiques makes for a variety of entertaining post.

While exploring Foodies Corner I realized I hadn’t utilized an important tool in WordPress: the tags. Probably my final and most important note I’m reciting to better my own blog.

At the end, I realize this was more of a learning lesson than a critique of a fellow blogger. I have to say, Foodie Hunter makes really fun content. My favorite part is the reviews over store-bought foods, just because I hadn’t seen something like that before. It sets them apart from other food critics.

I hope they continue to share their perspective and I hope you check out their website!

McAlister’s Master Food

Mid-September, I visited McAlister’s Deli, in San Marcos Texas. Located in a college town, its warm environment can make anyone feel at home.

Any college student can appreciate a homie feeling. It’s interior is cozy and inviting. Dark earthy tones, McAlister’s design put me at ease.

On the other hand, going to the counter to order, my ease turned to tension.

I can appreciate a diverse menu, but it was a bit overwhelming. The print on both the large overhead and hand-out menus was small and not easy to navigate.

While waiting in line, I found my item: a grilled chicken sandwich, without a side.

My order came quickly, and the sandwich appears like a little meal, but it was very filling.

The grilled chicken was very fresh and hot. Topped with honey mustard, tomato and lettuce, the whole entree was balanced.

I was impressed by both the friendly service, the quick delivery of the food, and the meal itself.

I honestly couldn’t complain about my experience with McAlister’s. My only serious critique of the establishment is the menu, which is too crowded!

McAlister’s Deli gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a 1/2 stars from me!

Eatery At EVO

Early September, my family and I visited Hardihoods Eatery & Drinkery. Located at EVO Entertainment between Kyle and Buda Texas, it sits in a prime spot to acquire customers. Yet, when we were there, mid-day and on the weekend, it’s dining area felt strangely empty.

In the case of being a-joined to a movie theater/arcade/bowling alley, it should be full of people feasting after they had their play.

In retrospect, this should be a worrying sign for any restaurant. Of course, Hardihoods isn’t just a food place, it’s a bar as well. And on my observation, it had a healthy number of people enjoying drinks.

It isn’t in my knowledge or ability to say whether the bar sustains the business.

Still, the lack of dining customer service and the lack of enthusiasm from the servers soured my experience with Hardihoods.

My family had just finished watching a film and decided to finally try Hardihoods, since it was so close (the same building).

It was a “seat yourself” situation so we did so. Awkwardly, we waited for someone to assist us. Our waiter was mild but still respectful as they quickly served us.

We waited long stretches of time for check-ups by the server, and often it was different waiters assisting us. They weren’t really overwhelmed, again I have to say we were one of a few families in the dining area.

After ordering, we got our food with little accommodations. I decided to try their Philly Cheese Steak sandwich and fries.

The best part of my experience was the sandwich I ordered. It was fresh and hot, the steak was well seasoned. The peppers and onions were grilled perfectly and the cheese was melted on top, without overwhelming the other toppings.

The fries did underwhelm, they were salted, but not seasoned, and they were barely warm to the touch.

My family and I found ourselves waving down servers to get to-go boxes and our check to go home.

I realize that every customers experience can vary, and I definitely do not want to drag this establishment through mud. I understand people have good and bad days, and service can sometimes be reflected by that fact.

It’s my view, though, that service is half the experience, while food is the other half, when dining in.

I would give Hardihoods another shot, and I think you should try it out. Express to me how it goes for you. For my first time, it was an OK experience. It is difficult for me to say that I didn’t fully enjoy my time at Hardihoods, but in time, I do plan to go back.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars out of 5.

Centerfield of Central Kyle

At the end of August, I visited Centerfield Sports Bar and Grill with a friend.

At the heart of the historic square in Kyle Texas, Centerfield stands tall and clean, sporting a green and yellow color scheme on the exterior. The interior was dark but welcoming.

Quickly greeted by the bartender, he offered drinks and our service began. Humorous and friendly, Centerfield has great staff, who’s quick to entertain and ensure our visit is the best that can be provided.

Our speedy server suggested we order the home style cheeseburger, and so we both went with that. We waited roughly 15 minutes for the food to be served.

The photo I took is deceiving. Though there is a lot of bun, there is still plenty of actual beef within. If I could take an educated guess (because I can’t recall the actual size) it was a 1/3 lb burger. As a novice food critic, I’ll learn to take better photos to showcase all that the entrees have to offer.

Despite the quality of my photo, I can assure that Centerfield makes one of the best local burgers around. Cooked to perfection, the beef was lightly seasoned, not to overpower the meat. The bun, seemed to have a light glaze of honey, either made that way, or added in post. The vegetables were all fresh and the condiments were served on the side.

Though the bun was very good, it was slightly doughy, which it could have gone for a moderate toast, for a slight crunch texture. The French fries, which were served separate and shared with my friend, did little to impress. The fries were fresh and hot which is a plus.

All around, my first experience with Centerfield was excellent, with great service and fresh, flavorful food. This location is a great stop if you’re ever in Kyle in need of a drink or hearty cheese burger.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 stars out of 5!