Sylva, NC Bar Grill Restaurant

Come join us on January 24th at O'Malley's Pub & Grill in Sylva, NC. See you at 6:30. 

O'Malley's Pub & Grill

O'Malley's Pub & Grill is a full service bar and grill restaurant serving up delicious food and ice cold micro brews to Sylva, NC. We offer an extensive menu featuring buffalo wings, homemade soups, chili, grilled sandwiches, fresh salads, nightly specials and more.

Whether you are hungry for our famous chicken wings, or thirsty for a coldmicro brew, we invite you to stop in today.

Get to Know O'Malley's Pub & Grill:

• Restaurant Menu - steak, chicken, ribs, soup, veggie burgers and more
• Buffalo Wing Bar - jumbo chicken wings tossed in one of our 
  homemade sauces
• Calendar Of Events - check out our upcoming events

Contact O'Malley's Pub & Grill today at 828-631-0554, or browse our website for more information.

January 9, 2012 - Peking Gourmet II, Sylva, NC 

Peking Gourmet II is located in the Jackson Plaza, near Roses (probably the only Roses left in the country). It has been there several years, but has changed hands a couple of times. We debated whether this restaurant should be on our list since it is number 2, and one of our rules is that we don't do chains. But we decided that this technically was not a chain in the true sense of the meaning. (Little did we know, we would come to regret that decision). 

This restaurant appeared clean on first impression. It was set up like most Chinese restaurants; with several buffet stations, with an added bonus of the Mongolian Grill.This seems to be a highlighted aspect, meant to lure in unsuspecting patrons. However, this seemingly new addition to the same ole', same ole' buffet does not make the trip worth it. There was also the standard fish tank full of large sized carp or gold fish.

Tonite, we were all in attendance, except Lisa and Rosemary. I think Lisa was just playing possum so she would not have to eat the food. I am well aware of her aversion to most Chinese food, but she still   voluntarily wanders into the Asiana restaurant in Asheville. Nonetheless, we found ourselves venturing into the Chinese food hell with this restaurant. 

Myself, I hate these restaurants and will not ever eat at them unless I am forced to. They always make  me sick and nauseous. I am always hopeful that my experience will be different, but alas.. it never is. 

On this buffet were the usual standard Chinese buffet fare. General Tso's chicken, sushi, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Beef Pepper Steak, Green Beans, Mushrooms and Beef, Egg Foo Young, Egg Rolls, Chicken on a Stick, Mussels, Lemon Chicken, the soups, etc. Nothing different or new. 

They also had the Steamed Rice, Fried Rice, and Noodles. And of course the ever present, ice cream machine that dispenses the half melted, bland, questionable swirled concoction that, while looking like ice cream has none of the flavor, taste, or consistency of the real thing. But, you can have it in Vanilla or Chocolate. Your guess is as good as mine as to what the stuff is made of. 

Most of us tonite partook of the Mongolian Grill, which is at least freshly cooked. I only ate a little as most looked as if it has been sitting there since lunch...... the day before. You couldn't pay me enough to eat the sushi or the seafood. I'm not that brave. 

Well.. let me just say in spite of the food, we had a good time. Pam and I must be experiencing a momentarily bout of ESP as we both realized before dinner that we had not had a question in several months. So, I had prepared one for tonite and so had Pam. 

She graciously let me ask mine, since I typically don't do the questions.. that is Pam's baby. 

I asked "If you could do a movie, what kind of movie would it be, and why and who would star in it..living or dead?" 

Beth went first and she stated she would make a movie (in general) about stories like the ones her daddy tells and she would star Robert Redford. Robert would make a movie about overthrowing the government and he would star Brad Pitt as he looked in Troy. Greg would make an animated movie, but he wasn't sure the theme nor who he would star in it.  He  wanted it to be just good old timey fun..like Speedy Gonzales style. He said the movies now are too violent. I would make a 40's or 50's style movie about just a good true to life story, with a love story intertwined. I would star Gregory Peck or Cary Grant and Judy Holliday or Grace Kelly. Pam said she would make musical and would star with Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Rosalind Russell, Joel McCrea, or Jean Arthur .  Pretty interesting variety of movies and stars

Well, in spite of the good company and lively conversation, we all paid a gastronomic price for our evening out. As we were walking out the restaurant, it started. What started, you ask? IT.... the always, ever present building momentum in our guts that consistently follows a night at a Chinese buffet. 

It started with me and Greg as soon as we got in the car. Those silent growing gas pains in our guts. Then the rock in your gut feeling started. Followed by the quickly building pressure that was impossible to ignore...or hold in. 

These feelings did not let up until late that night. It's a wonder we didn't have to sleep with our windows open....and the doors. 

I checked with Pam, Beth and Robert the next day.. Same results. Only Beth's lasted until the next day.. poor thing. We all agreed we would never darken the PG II doorstep again, and started wondering how many other Chinese restaurants we had left on our Jackson County list. 

So, our advice to our reading audience is to avoid any and all Chinese buffets unless you first equip your intestinal tract with a healthy dose of Tums, Immodium, Pepto Bismol, Kaopectate or any and all other indigestion aids, gas preventors, nausea calmers and stomach coaters. 

Just let this be a warning to you..... 

Join us January 24th at O'Malleys. See you there!!

Come Join us this Thursday, January 10th in Sylva at the Jackson Plaza next to Roses. We will be at the Happy Garden Chinese restaurant. See you at 6:30.

January 3, 2013 - Harrah's Noodle Bar, Cherokee, NC


 Well,  here we are in our next visit to Harrah's. The first was really a good event. Lets see if this visit will be just as good. The casino is really confusing to around since the renovation. Two large parking decks, valet parking, parking lots..and you really don't know which one you are supposed to head for. Greg (for some reason) knows his way around this place, so I just rely on him to get us where we are going. We always park in the parking deck and seem to be close to the elevators that will take us to the right floor we need to be on.

CASINO PARKING LOT GOING INTO CASINO

BANK OF ELEVATORS LEADING TO CASINO FLOORS

Some of the restaurants are on the first floor and some on the second. I dont' think any are in the Hotel like they used to be. But I could be wrong. The only thing about going to the Noodle Bar is you have to cross over the Casino floor at some point. Which means, you get to breathe in all that lovely cigarette smoke, and end up smelling all stinky... like someones ashtray.

NOODLE BAR MENU

This will be mine and Greg's second visit to the Noodle Bar and the others' first visit. We are missing Beth and Robert tonite. They felt they needed a beach break and so are heading down there. Siiiggggh.... I think I need a beach break too. But not sure one in January would do the trick. Maybe I can hold off til Spring at least. As you can see from the menu, it is not an extensive one. But after this second visit, I can honestly say... you don't need a lot if the food is good. And believe me... it is!

They have appetizers, Congee (which I didn't know what that was), dishes with Sticky Rice (which is steamed rice, not fried), dishes with Fried Rice, and Noodle Soups. The Congee is apparently a Rice Soup, which has been cooked for several hours and the rice is really sticky. Our waitress advised us against it and very adamantly stated we would not like it. She even admitted she didn't like it. She felt it was a dish more for "Japanese" folks.. not regular folks like us. Apparently the Japanese have developed a liking for this traditional dish and have a great fondness for it. We took her advise and steered away from the Congee dishes.

NOODLE BAR MENU AND PICTURES 

We did take our time ordering as we really did not know what to get. The last time Greg and I were here, we just got some steamed dumplings and noodle soups. We felt we needed to stick to something we kinda knew. But this time, we were feeling adventuress. Greg ordered Kim Chee, which is fermented cabbage that has peppers in it and is typically very hot. He loves it. He also ordered the Pepper Steak. It came with steamed rice. It is really good with large pieces of steak, red and green peppers in a brown, savory juice.

STUDYING THAT MENU....HARD

THE NICE LADIES THAT WORK THE RESTAURANT

FRIED LOBSTER MEAT FRIED RICE

FRIED DUMPLINGS WITH SAUCE


I ordered the Fried Dumplings this time, which cam with a plum sauce for dipping. They were filled, fat and flavorful. Very yummy. I also ordered the Fried Lobster Meat Fried Rice. I think I read the menu wrong, cause I thought it was something different. However, I was not disappointed. There were large, tender pieces of lobster in my dish, with egg, peas and carrots. The typical Fried rice. It was really good with some of Greg's Pepper Steak juice on it. I also tried the Hoysin sauce, Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce. They were all good mixed in. The portions were large, and while the presentation was not fancy, it was pretty and just a good hearty dish. 

PEPPER STEAK WITH STICKY RICE

GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN WITH STICKY RICE

Lisa ordered the General Tso's Chicken  and it came with Steamed rice. It was also presented nice, with very generous portions. She could not eat it all, so Pam and I helped her finish it off. There were Thai peppers in hers and they added just a little bite. Really nice flavor.

FRIED DUCK WITH GREENS

Rosemary was the really adventuress one tonite. She ordered the Fried Duck. It came with steamed rice and greens. I have no idea what kind of greens those were. I forgot to ask her. Hers' must have  been absolutely delish cause there wasn't nothing left of that Duck but the web between it's feet. I didn't try it but she did say it was really good. She and Lisa also ordered the Fried Dumplings and shared them. They were popular tonite cause Pam ordered them too.

SPRING ROLL EGG ROLL

Pam also ordered the Spring Roll Egg Rolls. Pam was eating light tonite. They do look pretty don't they? They  also must have been really good, cause Pam tried to fanangle another order from the waitress. She is always working an angle. But, its like she said..... You never know until you ask.

KIM CHEE 

We all tried Greg's Kim Chee and it was toasty. Greg of course loved it and we all felt our heads blowing up. That is one thing four menopausal women do not need is more heat.

SOME SATISFIED AND FULL CUSTOMERS....

Tonite was good, with only one drawback. There are no tables at the Noodle Bar. Only one counter. So we all had to eat sitting in a line. This really stifled our conversation and was very awkward. We were not able to talk to each other at all unless you were sitting next to someone. We tried, but felt we were hollering due to the casino noise. The Casino is right at your back. I don't know if you can see it very well in the pictures, but maybe  you can see the poker room no more than 10 feet  from us. The waitresses (Asian) are really funny and informative if you aren't familiar with the food. They were a bit shy about having their pictures taken, but overall were good sports.

Rosemary drew out of the hat and our next stop is Sylva. We will be at the Chinese restaurant next to Roses on Thursday, January 10th at 6:30. Come join us if you can. Greg will be the only one who enjoys that trip, as I can't stand those Chinese restaurants. But.. they do have a Mongolian Bar where they will cook your food to order. That will be what I will be getting, as I am very wary of buffets in Chinese restaurants  ( or any restaurant, really) as the food tends to sit out for quite a while.

On our way out, we checked out the Craps table. I know nothing about Craps and don't understand the table areas. Oh well... I guess I'll keep my money this time.

January 3, 2012 - Harrah's Noodle Bar, Cherokee, NC



Come join us in the new year. We will make our first stop at Harrah's Casino. We will be at the Noodle Bar on the 2nd floor. Their full menu is on line. See you at 6:30.

JOY LUCK NOODLE BAR

VIEW THE MENU HERE Cuisine: Chinese (Quick Bites) Hours: Monday thru Thursday 12pm to 9pm Friday and Saturday 11am to Midnight Sunday 11am to 9pm Cost: $ Located just off the Asian gaming area, Harrah's new Joy Luck Noodle Bar offers the finest in authentic Asian Cuisine served in an intimate setting.  Indulge in your favorite dishes such as Shrimp and Chicken Pad Thai, Teriyaki Beef over steamed rice, and Beef Chow Fun with Black Bean Sauce.  The Joy Luck Noodle Bar also features a daily Dim Sum special and all menu items are available for under $10.  There's no better place to stop in for lunch or dinner and enjoy so many Asian specialties at such great prices.

December 27, 2012 - City Lights Cafe, Sylva, NC

It was a cold, dark night, the kind when strange, unexplainable things happen, even to good people. The wind was blowing wild, the tree tops swaying wildly,  like they had come alive, sap running strong from the electricity in the air.  Who would be out in this damp dark, when everyone should be home, warm, reading a book, comforted in the knowledge their families were inside, out of harm's way.  Who would venture out in that weather? No one but the Supper Club!  You thought I was really gonna do that up, huh? Well, I would if I was a creative writer like Pam or one of her many, famous friends.But, just being me, that is all I could muster.

We did get together tonite at City Lights for a do over. The last time we were here, we liked to froze to death,with the only heat coming off our meal. That is, if  you were smart enough to order something hot. We also had to leave early cause the power went out all over Sylva. So, our dinner got cut short. Good thing, cause I was close to feeling like a side of beef ready to be hung up. And let me tell you, being a woman in middle age.. I welcome all the cold I can get. All you women out there will know exactly what I am talking about..... you men... don't worry about it.

Anywho, it was just me, Greg,Lisa and Pam tonite. The original Supper Club. Rosemary was out of town on personal business and Beth and Robert had family obligations. We all arrived pretty much on time, with Pam and Lisa already there and ordered. The City Lights Cafe has been around for a few years. It used to be called Spring Street Cafe. I don't know when or why it changed its name. I don't think much changed other than the name. I have not eaten here much. Lisa seems to like to pretty good.
It is a small place, underneath the City Light Bookstore. Nice, cozy, with the feel of a small coffee shop where friends gather, someone plays live music, or has a reading, or just hangs out. They do have a small patio on the side for when it's good weather.

I don't think their menu has changed much, but I do know that now, they specialize in crepes. I don't know what that trend is about, but now we have two restaurants (Cork and Bean) that specialize in crepes. Are crepes a eatery trend? Are they just easy to make? Are they cheap to make? Is there a surge in crepe requests from customers? What is up with that? Maybe someone out there knows.

Anyway, Lisa ordered her usual, three salads, with Spinach Artichoke Dip, Red Pepper Hummus, and Chicken Salad ,  Vegan Chili and a Fat Greek Crepe. Pam ordered a pasta dish with chicken with came with a side salad. . I also ordered the three salad dish, but I got the Asian Ginger Salad instead of the Spinach Artichoke. Greg ordered the Pumpkin Thai soup, with a Fiery Ham and Cheese Panini.

WAIT!! IS THIS WHERE LOCAL FAMOUS AUTHORS HANG OUT? 

WHY YES... I BELIEVE SO!!! IS IT RUDE TO ASK FOR AN AUTOGRAPH? 

THREE SALAD PLATE -CHICKEN, RED PEPPER HUMMUS, ARTICHOKE WITH CRACKERS & TORTILLA CHIPS

VEGAN CHILI & FAT GREEK CREPE

VEGAN CHILI CLOSE UP

CHICKEN WITH SPINACH PASTA

SALAD WITH PASTA DISH

One cool thing about City Lights is that they offer gluten free items. So, if you have that issue, you now have a place to eat out. They also offer organic and natural items. They have an extensive wine and beer selection as you can see from the pictures.
There is usually not many folks in City Lights at one time. Folks kinda stroll in and out and many just hang out in the front to work on their computers. They used to have live music on a regular basis, but I an not sure what that schedule is.

It was definitely warmer in there than the last time. And until toward the end of our meal, we were the only table in there. Even so, the wait to get your food is typically a while. There are usually only two folks working the cash register, cooking, serving, cleaning up, etc. So, you have to wait to get your order in, which you do as you come in the door. Then there is another wait to get your food, and you can forget getting any service after that. Those folks are just too busy. So, if you need refills, etc, you have to get up and go get it your self. So, if you are a Type A personality, impatient, in a hurry, annoyed easily, or just a plain downright irritating person who has a hard time relaxing and chilling out... don't go in here. You will be climbing the walls and cussing before its' all over with.

This is a place to chillax (as Sonja on Operation Repo says), hang out, eat some good, healthy, plain food and visit with friends or make some new ones. I will tell you.. the last time we were here, we missed the opportunity to meet Gandalf. He was in there eating dinner. AND.... he had on his Elven cloak. It was pretty cool.. but we didn't have the nerve to talk to him or ask about Frodo or any of the other Hobbits.

Back to the food.... tonite, the Red Pepper Hummus was bland. I think someone forgot to put the peppers in it. The chicken salad was good as usual. This is a favorite of mine. I will warn you.. it doesn't look like typical  Chicken Salad, but it is very tasty. The Artichoke and Spinach is good too. The Asian Salad  with Ginger dressing I had tonite was good too. Nothing special, but just basic goodness.

Lisa said the Vegan chili was very good. It was chunky, spicy without being hot, flavorful. She always order the Fat Greek Crepe. It must be good as it is a constant on her plate. Pam stated her pasta was very bland and needed some more spice and was also dry. We thought the pasta had sucked up all the  spices and oil.

Greg really loved the Pumpkin Thai soup. It was thick, creamy with loads of flavor. His Panini was filled with Ham and  Spicy Cheese in a crusty grilled bread. It was flavorful without being spicy or hot. It looked good.

We had a more serious discussion tonite. We typically don't discuss serious issues at the ASC meals. But for some reason tonite the issue of gun control came up as well as the incident at Sandy Hook. We all agreed that assault weapons had no place in the home, as they were not made or used for anything like hunting, or protection. They were made strictly for killing. However, we did not all agree that banning assault weapons would put an end to the mass killings. Some of us were of the thought that if a body is of the mind to kill folks, they are going to do it regardless if they have an assault weapon or not. Take Timothy McVeigh for instance.. and others just like him. Pipe bombs are easy to make, the ingredients and "how to" are easily found on the Internet.
However, others at the table were of the thinking that banning assault weapons would put an end to the mass killings as the killer wanted to make a name for themselves with the act, and they wanted to do it quickly, all at once.
Regardless of which side of the fence you are on in this ongoing national debate, the outcome of an individuals psychosis is a deeply saddening, useless, unnecessary result of their just plain, crazy thinking. It does seem that these type of incidents keep occurring with more frequency.
Is it just me or does it seem like folks are getting more crazy? It seems that the younger generations do not have any fortitude to deal with life, or what they deem as hardship or trouble. They seem fragile, unstable and ready to fight or kill all to readily at the first hint of insult or injury.

Anyway, enough of all that seriousness. You didn't come here for a debate or to hear us ramble on about political issues. You came to read about food, friends and fun.

We ended up meeting one of Pam's author friends,  David Joy, who is a new author. Check out his book, "Growing Gills."  I have to say.. he is quite cute, and personable with a beaming smile. It seems he is allergic to gluten, so comes to City Lights where he can get gluten free items. See! I told you.
Anyway, it seems this young writer has a reputation as a fish romancer...and from what I hear.. a good kisser. But as for details, no one's talking and.... and only the fish will tell if you can get them to talk.

It seems he has recently moved to the Sylva area from Cashiers. he has moved close to the river so he can continue to romance the local fishes right from his front yard, so to speak. He moved close to us after some coaxing, and we had a pleasant conversation with him about his book, new projects, and some other authors he and Pam knew.
It was overall a pleasant evening... we did miss our other members, but met a new friend. We invited him to the Noodle House next Thursday.

And..... you all are invited to come join the Supper Club also... next Thursday, January 3 at the Noodle House in Harrah's Casino. See you at 6:30.

December 13, 2012 - Brio, Cherokee, NC 

This is our first stop in Harrahs' Casino, but not our last. There are numerous restaurants in the casino, but I am not sure all their names, locations or selections. But... together, we will discover them all. Since we were going to the casino, I did not dress up. I thought... .casino - casual. But all the rest of our party dressed up like we were going to the Grove Park Inn. I felt like a urchin. But those folks looked great. 

This restaurant is located on the 2nd floor of the casino. There are now two parking decks- one for the casino and one for the hotel. Since the renovation, getting around is very confusing. You have to pay attention to the tiny signs scattered around the outside. It is best to park in the casino parking deck and take the elevator to the restaurants. This way you avoid the outside parking lot, the bus ride to the casino, and the walk through the casino floor. Or you avoid the valet parking too. Either way, you end up at your restaurant not smelling like an ashtray. 

Tonite, we were all in attendance, except for Lisa who was somewhere else. I don't remember where, but she  had something else to do. Or maybe she was sick. 

We all met at the casino and unbelievably, all made it with little trouble. 

Brio is a very pretty restaurants. It does look like a Tuscan villa style restaurant, with inside and outside (sort of) seating. There are booths, bistro style tables, white table cloths and lots of plants. 

We were seated at a large round table, which soon proved to be too little. We had to wade through the jungle of plants to get to our seats. We were seated om the outside of the restaurant, which means that we were able to watch everyone that passed and in turn, they were able to watch us. 

This place is like Lulu's..... if you don't want to be seen, don't go here. Even though Brio seems to be in a hidden corner, there is a lot of foot traffic going past. 

The lighting inside this area of the casino really played havoc with my attempt to take pictures. The shutter speed was so slow due to the lighting, that most of the pictures came out blurry. I apologize for that up front. 

What is Beth thinking of? 

The hallway beside Brio and Pam trying to figure out the difference between the sign language "I love you", and the Rock and Roll sign. 

Three different appetizers -Bruschetta variety, hummus, and artichoke dip 

Well the jury is still out on those signs... and the discussion continues.  I think Pam just didn't believe we knew what we were talking about


We had a local girl for our waitress. I think she was fairly new or just unsure of what she was doing. She was pleasant enough, but was very slow....at every phase of the meal. Maybe she just had lots of tables. We spent a great deal of time perusing the menu, trying to decide what to order. There was a nice selection of appetizers, salads and main courses. In fact, there was too much that looked good. We all ordered an appetizer, which in hindsight, was a mistake. The appetizers were large enough for the entire table. So, there we were, with three large appetizers. All were good and nicely presented. I could not say which was better.... maybe one of the other folks had a favorite. 

 CRAB AND SHRIMP FONDUTA - Bubbling hot and creamy, with Parmesan crisps for dipping 

BRUSCHETTA QUATTRO 

ARTICHOKE, ROASTED GARLIC AND SHRIMP DIP

BISTECCA INSALATA -A wedge of lettuce, Gorgonzola, bacon, Roma tomatoes and creamy Parmesan dressing 

Rosemary, Beth and Robert ordered a salad. I didn't as I figured that would be way too much food. However, the salad was a bit on the disappointing side. Although the salad looks nice, I think of these types of salads as lazy salads. It consists of a quarter of iceberg lettuce (which in nutritional value is like eating air), with some bacon bits, tomatoes, and dressing on top. Not much of an effort in the salad department. 

LOBSTER AND SHRIMP FETTUCINE - Shrimp and lobster tossed with mushrooms, green onions and a spicy lobster butter sauce

GRILLED SALMON - With Romano crusted tomatoes, citrus pesto, asparagus and crispy shoestring potatoes

CAMPANELLE CARBONARA - Grilled chicken, crisp bacon, Parmesan cheese and sauteed spinach

PASTA BRIO - Rigatoni, grilled chicken, seared mushrooms and roasted red pepper sauce

LASAGNA  BOLOGNESE AL FORNO -Oven baked and layered with authentic Bolognese meat sauce, Alfredo, Ricotta and Mozzarella

All the dishes were very nice presented, with very generous portions. Too generous really. Enough to share if you are on a budget. The food was hot, bubbly, and loads of flavor. Every dish was incredible. We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and some of us had to get to go boxes. 

We laughed and laughed and laughed some more. We heard how Beth and Robert met, got together and ended up together. Very sweet story. We also laughed at ourselves during some of our drinking escapades, and crazy younger days. We saw tons of folks we knew from Bryson and Cherokee. We also noticed there seemed to be a great number of folks who were wearing lit necklaces. Of course, Pam and Rosemary wanted one. So we had to stop some folks and ask where they got theirs. Seems there was an employee appreciation event going on downstairs. And it seems like except for a meal, Harrah's didn't spring for much in terms of appreciation, if all the folks got was a little lit necklace. But I guess with over 3,000, you can't expect much. 

We lingered at Brio as long as we could. Actually, we were just sitting trying to digest. But, alas, time passed and we had to go. We did walk around a bit trying to move some of that food we just ate. We watched the gamblers at work, checked out some boutiques through the windows and meandered our way to the parking deck. 

This meal and experience were completely enjoyable. The company, meal, atmosphere were a definite do again.... SOON.