News Taffy

First up - the best hamburgers in town. Those who know me, know I seldom eat red meat because I just don’t like it and I seldom cook red meat because I can turn an expensive piece of beef into shoe leather. I rarely eat hamburgers because my stomach can’t handle the fat, especially when you throw in fries and of course, you have to throw in fries or onion rings. It wouldn’t be American otherwise. All that aside, my family has discovered that the best hamburgers in town can be found at Vino’s Pizzeria 305. I had enjoyed several meals there like the spicy chicken gumbo they served back in the winter. But one day I had a rare craving for a hamburger and was very pleasantly surprised at how good their burgers are. Their burgers are large and filling but never heavy and greasy. The meat is perfectly cooked and tasty and the bun isn’t one of those pasty, white, crumbly affairs. No, this bun was made with love and more than stands up to the meat and other toppings. My favorite is the Big Kat with bacon, fried jalapeños, pepper jelly, cajun mustard and queso. And no, I didn’t have a major case of indigestion after eating it. And yes, you read correctly - the cardiologist’s wife ate a hamburger with all those bad-for-you-toppings and fries.

Next up - the best pizza in town. Just across Main street from Vinos is a hole in the wall that serves up the best pizza to be found in Jonesboro. New York Pizza Pasta Subs knows the secret to good pizza. No gourmet or exotic pizza here, just deep dish or thin crust with the usual toppings. We had the lasagna pizza last Friday, both the thin and the deep dish and it was very good. They make a mean lasagna sauce and I loved the ricotta cheese. I also enjoyed the white pizza on a previous trip and unfortunately discovered the garlic knots, small but addictive rolls. Cook Jon Alba makes the crust daily and the results show. The thin crust is crisp and never soggy while the thick crust is more tender. Pizza crust is the basis for the toppings that follow; without good crust, the pizza is no good. You can buy it by the slice or order a whole pizza and there are sandwiches and pastas which I have yet to try. Service is extra friendly and quick.

Last but not least on my trip of decadent foods around town - breakfast at Hoggin‘ It All Barbecue stand Saturday morning at the ASU Farmer’s market. I am ashamed to say that our weekly trip to the farmer’s market has been greatly enhanced not by the fresh vegetables but by the bacon, egg and jalapeño jelly biscuit I buy each time. My husband grabs a cup of coffee from the Once Upon a Farm folks while I get Ghirardelli hot chocolate. Wayne serves up a classic fried egg, bacon and biscuit breakfast the right way - he uses great ingredients. The service at both places is always extra friendly. But don’t forget to buy some vegetables so you can feel better about yourself after all the indulgences! My motto is that you can indulge sometimes if you eat right and exercise most of the time.