4/1/2012 The vacation was almost over, and we wanted one more stop. We started the trip with a barbecue review, so we decided it was only fitting to end the trip with another barbecue review. We studied up, and found that Alamo BBQ, in Richmond VA seemed to have generated some buzz, so we decided to check it out. We found a great place to make a stop, and enjoy traditional barbecue, with some interesting side dishes, that are not dishes found at more "old school" barbecue establishments.

We arrived to find that there was a big tent in front of the building that serves the food. Something you might want to keep in mind is that you need to either get your food to go, or you will be eating outside and you need to plan accordingly. We ate outside, where they have about 8 or so tables. We noticed a large take out business going on as well as many folks stopping by for a meal.

Alamo BBQ (click to enlarge)

Below is my BBQ platter. The meal consisted of brisket, barbecue chicken, potato salad, Texas caviar and cowboy beans. Today, we will run through each item on its own.

Brisket - nice and smoky, with a great char on the outside, either a spice rub, or light sauce which allowed the meat to come right through

Chicken - just enough sauce to impart some flavor and add some spicy heat, but still let the cooking shine through

Potato salad - so many times, potato salad is not very imaginative at bbq restaurants, but not so here because it was full of fresh ingredients and did not at all taste like it came out of a big five gallon tub

Texas caviar - salad of black beans, corn and cilantro that has a great fresh taste. This was a personal favorite.

Cowboy beans - beans with chunks of meat, in a thick, but not sweet sauce

This platter is certainly one of the best plates of barbecue and sides that I have had in a long time.

We did not grab a picture of Mrs. alphageek's smoked pork burrito, but the pork had the same great smokey taste, and all of the ingredients were similarly fresh as well.

Barbecue Platter (click to enlarge)

We had a great spring day while we were there, so sitting down to a great lunch made for the perfect stop on the way home. Barbecue reviews are always a touchy subject, because folks are very opinionated about their barbecue, and there are strong debates about barbecue and preparation and serving styles. All we know is, we liked what we had a lot, and would go back again.

Why not share some of your research with us? How about leaving a comment in the comment section below. Even better, why not use one of the links here on the page to follow us and all things food? The twitter feed gets everything at Follow @ageekfood , or you can try our facebook page.

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April 1, 2012 Research, research and more research. This is how one can find the hidden gems of restaurants in vacation cities. We decided to try and find a place that served simple breakfast food. You know, eggs, some sort of meat, some sort of bread, and some decent coffee. The reviews we found said this was a throwback to another era type of restaurant. These reviews were just what we wanted, so we went off in search of the Belvedere Coffee Shop.

When we arrived, we found a full restaurant, with only two seats at the counter, where we promptly took our seats. These seats provided a great view of the beach. Yes, this simple diner is right on the beach front, making Belvedere Coffee Shop worth the trip and wait for the view alone. There was one small downside, you won't get any food pictures today. While we had a great view of the beach, we also felt exposed, and kept the camera put away. The only picture you get today, is the picture below, which shows the view of the restaurant from the boardwalk. If you stay until the end of the article, I promise to make up the lack of pictures to you.

Belvedere Coffee Shop (click to enlarge)

I went simple and ordered two eggs, two pancakes and ham. What arrived was a great simple breakfast, just the way I like it. Generally, the alphageek saves the innovative meals for lunch and dinner. Mrs. alphageek ordered the Eye Opener. It had a fried egg, ham, and fried tomato on it. The egg was fried along with some parmessean cheese, giving the sandwich a taste unique to Belvedere Coffee Shop. It was fast, simple and delicious. I was a little jealous, and am going to get my own Eye Opener, if we ever go back.

So, the review is out of the way. If you stayed this long, I promised more. Mrs. alphageek kept hearing me say "Belvedere, come here boy" while we were driving to this restaurant. She did not know where the line came from. I told her it was a classic cartoon, that everyone should know. I went and found that cartoon. I present Dog Gone South for your viewing pleasure.

So there you go, a great write up and a great cartoon. I hope you find this review entertaining and informative, all at the same time. Hopefully, you now know where the "Belvedere, come here boy" come from, if nothing else.

Why not share some of your research with us? How about leaving a comment in the comment section below. Even better, why not use one of the links here on the page to follow us and all things food? The twitter feed gets everything at Follow @ageekfood , or you can try our facebook page.

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