Hoppin' Johnz — Restaurant in Elizabeth City

Title: A Memorable Culinary Adventure: My Experience at Hoppin'Johnz Enjoying Pumpkin Spice Beer and Burger

In the realm of gastronomy, there exists a myriad of flavors and combinations that tantalize our taste buds and leave lasting impressions on our palates. Recently, I had the pleasure of embarking on a culinary adventure at Hoppin'Johnz, a renowned establishment known for its innovative fusion of flavors. This essay aims to recount my unforgettable experience savoring their delectable pumpkin spice beer and burger, highlighting the harmonious blend of autumnal flavors and the delightful ambiance that made this dining experience truly exceptional.

Upon entering Hoppin'Johnz, I was immediately captivated by the warm and inviting atmosphere. The rustic decor, adorned with autumnal hues and subtle hints of pumpkin, created an ambiance that perfectly complemented the seasonal theme. The friendly staff greeted me with genuine smiles, further enhancing the welcoming atmosphere and setting the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

As I perused the menu, my eyes were immediately drawn to the intriguing combination of pumpkin spice beer and burger. Curiosity piqued, I decided to embark on this culinary journey, eager to explore the harmonious marriage of flavors that awaited me. The anticipation grew as I awaited the arrival of my order, and the tantalizing aroma wafting from the kitchen only heightened my excitement.

The moment finally arrived as the server placed before me a beautifully presented plate. The burger, adorned with a generous slice of melted cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and a dollop of pumpkin-infused sauce, was a sight to behold. The pumpkin spice beer, served in a frosty glass, exuded a rich amber hue, enticing me to take my first sip.

With great anticipation, I took a bite of the burger, and instantly, a symphony of flavors danced upon my palate. The succulent patty, cooked to perfection, was infused with subtle hints of pumpkin and spices, creating a delightful balance of savory and sweet. The creamy cheddar cheese and crispy bacon added layers of texture and depth, elevating the burger to new heights of culinary excellence.

To complement the burger, I took a sip of the pumpkin spice beer. The first taste revealed a harmonious blend of malty richness and the distinct flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The beer's smooth and velvety texture...

My family and I spent a few nights in Elizabeth City, NC before heading for a week at the Outer Banks on a large family vacation. My favorite meal of the entire trip was courtesy of Hoppin' Johnz, our first night in Elizabeth City. This restaurant was just a few blocks from our rental home in downtown Elizabeth City. We arrived just before their dinner rush on a Friday evening and were immediately seated at a high top near the bar. Soon after the host was letting other parties know that it was going to be a 30-40 minute wait for a table.

To start we ordered the fried green tomatoes ($12). The server kindly let us know that the serving size was 3 and offered that we could add another to our order so each member of our family could have their own. There was no way my son was going to try these, so we just stuck with the standard order. Hoppin' Johnz is self-described as new south cuisine, and I think that description fits it well.  These tomatoes were fried in cornmeal and topped with country ham, pimento cheese, and pepper jelly. I have never seen fried green tomatoes presented this way, but they were extremely good!

For dinner, I had the heritage farms pork barbecue topped with new south slaw and eastern NC barbecue sauce ($11 with choice of side). The pork was full of a nice smokey flavor, while the new south slaw had a welcome addition of sweet peppers that really made it stand out. On the side, I enjoyed the Brussels sprout slaw which was mostly sweet in flavor thanks to the dried cranberry addition. It was a great meal and a ton of food for the price tag!

My wife enjoyed the classic Chesapeake crab cake sandwich, which is a blue crab cake, that was topped with lettuce, tomato, and remoulade ($14 with choice of side). She commented that the crab cake was one of the best she had. And she also enjoyed the side of sweet potato fries dusted with cinnamon sugar and served with apple butter.

The restaurant is totally kid-friendly. I can't remember exactly what our's had, but I think there was at least pasta and a burger on the menu. That's what I remember my kids enjoying anyway. Overall this is a wonderful place for lunch or dinner and has to be among the best in...

I've eaten here twice now just to give the place a fair shake. I remain unimpressed.

First, the place is wildly overpriced, particularly considering the small town it's situated in, college town or no college town. A state college at that.

With price gouging often comes pretention. There's certainly a bit of that here. They seem inordinately proud of their food. They take great pains to list all the ingredients on the menu.

The first time I ate here I had the chicken and ham primavero, which supposedly had sweet onions, spinach, portabello mushrooms, tomato jam, cream sauce, on pasta. Sounds good doesn't it? I'm not sure I could have found all those ingredients, and I feel that the serving was rather small for the price.

Today I had the gumbo. Pulled chicken, shrimp, andouille sausage, okra, rice and other ingredients. Now, I lived in New Orleans for eight years and I think I know what gumbo is supposed to be like. I was prepared to be disappointed, so maybe my opinion is clouded. That wasn't andouille sausage in there. Not even. The pulled chicken was tough and hard. The shrimp were likely frozen. The roux seemed straight out of a Campbell's can.

When my gumbo arrived the server apologized for my biscuits still being in the oven. She said biscuits. Plural. When the little basket came out, after I had already finished my gum... Sorry, Campbell's soup, it had one tiny little biscuit with enough apple butter to drown a Louisiana alligator. One itty-bitty biscuit folded intricately in a napkin like they were trying to hide their shame.

Twenty five bucks for a plate of soup and a micro-biscuit.

I don't know. Maybe I was just...