Dickey's Barbecue Pit - Ferndale, MI: Review and Coupons

Last week, I had the privilege of attending a blogger dinner at Dickey's Barbecue Pit in Ferndale, MI. I'd like to thank the friendly staff for a nice evening with wonderful service.

Although it's been a few years since I've turned vegetarian, I must admit my mouth still waters at the scent of a barbecue. As soon as I walked in the door of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, located at 23123 Woodward Ave. in Ferndale, MI, I was inundated with the scrumptious smells of beef brisket and ribs. Mmmmmm! 

At Dickey's, customers order and pay at the counter, get whatever items are ready immediately, and the rest is delivered to the table. A popular place to stop after work, Dickey's strives for fast service, and as far as I could see they are successful in that area. They have a nice menu with good size portions and reasonable prices.

But...what does a vegetarian eat at a barbecue restaurant? Turns out there are plenty of meat-free side dishes available at Dickey's. I decided to try the Fried Onion Tanglers, Mac & Cheese, and (a first for me) Fried Okra. I also got a roll with my order.The Mac & Cheese and Onion Tanglers were really good, and the Fried Okra was okay, but I think it may be an acquired taste. I'd be willing to give it another chance. I hear the Jalapeno Beans are a good choice as well.

Beverages are self-serve, like a fast food restaurant, and include one of my favorite splurges: sweet tea. I LOVE sweet tea. I think the batch that night wasn't mixed properly or something because it was more like sugar water than tea (it even looked like water), but I'm hopeful that was just a fluke.

For dessert I tried the pecan pie, which was pretty good, with a big dollop of soft serve vanilla ice cream. Soft serve ice cream is complimentary for all dine-in customers, and it's dairy free, which is great for those with dairy allergies or sensitivities.

Families will be glad to know that kids eat free on Sundays! Nothing beats free, but if you can't make it in on a Sunday, the kids meals are well priced at $5.50 and include a beverage. Another option is a Family Pack, available to serve 3-4, 4-6, or 6-8.

Dickey's has a laid back atmosphere and super friendly staff. I only wish it was located closer to me because I am getting tired of rotating between pizza and Chinese! I love that Dickey's offers a quick barbecue option, way better than fast food and something a little different. You can even place your order ahead of time online. I hate talking on the phone so I love this option!

I have good news for you - COUPONS! I know we all love to save money!

1st choice: Text 25328 with the message DICKEYS934 to receive a text message coupon for a FREE fountain drink in a big yellow cup (which you can keep!) with purchase.
2nd choice: Print out coupons below
3rd choice: Bring up MichiGal on your phone and show this page to the cashier

**Coupons expire November 15. **

Are you already a fan of Dickey's Barbecue Pit? If so, leave a comment and share your favorite menu item!

Read what other local bloggers have to say about Dickey's!

Simplify Health Living
Yes/No Films
Blogging is a Trip
Mom Among Chaos 

Dearborn's Giulio and Sons Offers Tasty Vegetarian Options

Our dinner group, with Chefs Vera and Mills

At times, being a vegetarian has its challenges. For example, when eating out I am sometimes underwhelmed by the vegetarian options available at certain restaurants. On the other hand, one of the things I love about adhering to a vegetarian diet is that it has often pushed me outside of my typical food comfort zone. If  I had turned vegetarian in my 20s, I probably would have lived on grilled cheese sandwiches. Now I'm more willing to try new things, which often leads me to delicious culinary discoveries that, at one time, I would have never believed I could love.

A recent dinner at Giulio and Sons, located within the Adoba Hotel in Dearborn, Michigan, is a case in point. I met up with a few fellow local bloggers (Gwendolyn from Finding Sanity in Our Crazy Life, Amber from Metro Detroit Mommy, and Stephanie from Mom Among Chaos)  to sample some items from the new dinner menu. Having no idea what to expect, other than a vague idea that Giulio and Sons serves Italian fare, I kept an open mind and palate.

Giulio and Sons has recently welcomed a new head chef, Chef Gabriel Vera, and a new sous chef, Chef Byron Paine Mills. The two have collaborated to create a new menu of unique, contemporary Italian dishes.

First Impression The Adoba Hotel, at 600 Town Center Drive, was easy to find coming from I-94. Free parking is ample and the restaurant, on the second floor, was easily accessible from the front lobby via stairs or elevator. Giulio and Sons itself is lovely, if a little dimly lit (some might say romantic).

Staff  From the hostess to the waiter, to the manager and chef, everyone was friendly and accommodating. Our waiter was especially wonderful, which enhanced our dining experience all the more.

Food We sampled smaller portions of several menu items, as well as a full sized main course and the decadent dessert buffet. In short, we ate until we were ready to burst.

Giulio's Caprese Salad  Heirloom tomatoes, barrata cheese, micro basil, smoked sea salt, and house made balsamic reduction.

This was not something I would normally order because I am not much of a fan of anything balsamic. However, mixed with the delectable dainty tomatoes and the flavorful cheese, it was a very tasty combination.

Would I order it again? Yes, I would order it to share. Balsamic is still not my favorite, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Miniature Portobello Burger  Made with chimichurri sauce, roasted red peppers, and Swiss cheese on toasted brioche.

This is something else I would not typically order because I generally steer clear of mushrooms.  In fact, I'm going to have to admit that this was the first time I had ever tasted a portobello mushroom. Unbelievable, I know. But I went to dinner with an open mind and I'm glad I did because this little "burger" was so enjoyable. (My stomach is growling as I type this.)

Would I order it again? Yes, it was quite good. And now I can say I like portobello mushrooms. See what I mean about vegetarianism? If I weren't a vegetarian, I could have easily passed my entire life without ever trying this!

 Vegetable Lasagna  A 60 layer vegetable lasagna served with marinara sauce.

The spiciness of this dish really overpowered the flavors. I like a little spice, but not this much. I'm not sure if it was the marinara or the lasagna itself, but this was definitely my least favorite sampling.

Would I order it again? No, I don't think so.

Homemade Mushroom Ravioli  With brandy tarragon cream sauce and glazed sweet peas.

Again, because of the mushrooms, I would not have ordered this on my own. But I loved it. The sauce was perfectly creamy and scrumptious, and the mushrooms were just right - not overpowering at all.

Would I order it again? Absolutely, yes. This may have been my favorite dish of the night. 

Lemon Parsley Risotto  With chili oil, sweet peas, and parmigiano reggiano cheese.

This was a creamy, flavorful, mouthwatering dish. It is really too bad it came last because I was fairly bursting at the seams by this time. But no worries - I brought it home to finish.

Would I order it again? Yes, I would most definitely order this again. 

Clockwise from top: Risotto, Vegetable Lasagna, Caprese Salad, Ravioli, Portobello Burger

Despite the fact that we were stuffed to capacity by the time our last tasting was brought to the table, none of use would think of leaving without a visit to the dessert buffet. I would come back to Giulio and Sons just for dessert. It was amazing! There were platters upon platters full of various cakes and treats. The bread pudding was particularly heavenly, but there were so many options it was really difficult to choose. Save room, trust me!

We tried so much, but we didn't try everything. The menu is full of many enticing options. We also didn't try the salad bar, but I took a peak and was impressed with the expansive spread. In speaking with the chef, I was also impressed to learn that Giulio and Sons uses many local ingredients from the surrounding area, and that all pasta is made in house.

Giulio and Sons is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Guests staying in the hotel can also order up room service from the restaurant. This would be a perfect place to come for a special occasion meal. It's a bit of a splurge, but well worth it. (Note: I did not see the breakfast and lunch menus.)

I had a very enjoyable dining experience at Giulio and Sons, and would like to thank the staff and management for a fabulous evening of good food and good company.

Please click over to read Gwendolyn, Amber, and Stephanie's takes on our evening at Giulio and Sons! 

Finding Sanity in Our Crazy Life - Unveiling of Giulio and Sons New Menu
Metro Detroit Mommy - Check Out These 5 New Menu Items at Giulio and Sons
Mom Among Chaos -New Menu at Giulio and Sons Restaurant

Disclaimer: As part of a blogger dinner, I received a complimentary meal from Giulio and Sons. All opinions are my own. No other compensations was received.

Boston Back Bay Restaurants Offer a Break from Cooking

Sometimes I try, but cooking is just not really my thing. Day after day, I struggle to figure out what to feed my family because - I admit it - I am challenged in the kitchen. This is just one reason why few things make me happier than a meal out, somewhere like Boston Back Bay Restaurants. For a busy mom who doesn't enjoy preparing meals, needing to provide three meals a day feels like a chore. Wait, it is a chore. Please tell me I'm not the only one who occasionally resorts to cereal or scrambled eggs for dinner!

Every single day, I am on call 24/7. Beyond breakfast, lunch, dinner, and frequent snacks, there's wiping noses and tears, breaking up arguments, helping with homework, diminishing the stuff of nightmares, driving here, there, and everywhere,and the mentally challenging task of thinking about and remembering what everyone needs at any given moment. This one has a birthday coming up, that one has had a cough for a few days, this one is having trouble at school, that one seems to be growing out of his shoes. A mom's work is never done. Not only am I constantly at the beck and call of my family, but I often find it difficult to make myself a priority. I'm always thinking about what they need, while my own needs fall further and further down the list, until they often, ultimately, fall right off.

I try to things just for me. This blog is one of those things. I spend time with my friends whenever I can. I have been doing a pretty good job of exercising regularly. But being pampered is a rarity for me. I get my hair cut once or twice a year and I can't remember the last time I got a mani/pedi. That's another reason why I love eating out. It's not just a break from the mundane tasks of meal planning, preparation, and clean up. It's also about having someone look after me for a change. Someone else has already taken the trouble to plan out a menu with many delicious choices on it. Someone is going to ask me what I'd like. Then someone is going to cook it for me. And someone is going to bring it to me - I don't even have to get up! If my kids are with me, someone else fetches their drink refills and cleans up when there's a spill. When we're done, someone clears the table. I don't have to do it, and I don't have to nag anyone!  I especially like fine dining because I somehow feel like a more civilized human being if I have to dress up a little for a meal. I also enjoy exceptional service and really good food. Eating at restaurants is a way of being pampered that is somehow an allowable luxury, because a girl's got to eat.

Do you love eating out too? What are your favorite restaurants?

This is a sponsored post for Vlora. As always, all opinions and views are my own.