PJs Pizzas

A mom and pop pizza joint right on the square -- yes! Who doesn't like pizza? Married couple Lori and Dave opened PJs Pizzas about three months ago at 113 N. Maple St. and they have a lot to offer at affordable prices.

As it says on the menu, PJ stands for Pararescue Jumper, which is a special unit with the U.S. Air Force. Lori and Dave's son, Aaron, has been serving as a PJ in Afghanistan and, apparently, there are only about 300 PJs currently serving. The family, including other son, Tyler, who cooks at the restaurant, very much supports the PJs and offers free service to any person in that unit.

At PJs Pizzas, you can build your own pizza for as little as $3.99 for a mini, four-slice pizza. Other sizes include small, medium, large, and XL. Additional toppings are $1.50 and the good news is that the original price already includes one topping in addition to cheese.

Nikki and I split a small breadsticks appetizer for $2.99, which are topped with garlic and parmesan cheese and come with a side of their house-made tomato sauce for dipping. These were delicious! And all of their dough is made in-house as well, and I can't speak highly enough about its quality. Other available appetizers include cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, and hot wings.

I ordered a small BBQ Chicken specialty pizza for $10.99, which comes with barbecue sauce, cheese, chicken and a choice of two additional toppings. I went for bacon and onions, my go-to for a nice flavor boost. The pizza was great and, I'm telling you, their crust is what seals the deal. It's crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, with a nice subtle sweetness about it.

Other specialty pizzas include The Flyin Hawaiian (cheese, ham, bacon and pineapple), The Patriot (cheese, pepperoni, green peppers and mushrooms), The Green Beret (cheese, feta cheese, spinach and choice of two additional toppings), Vegetarian Pizza, and The Carnivore Supreme.

Nikki ordered the lasagna off the pasta and salads portion of the menu. Again with the house-made sauce, it was nicely layered, covered with cheese and individually baked in a foil container, so you get the soft center and the crispy edges, all golden brown and beautiful. And it came with a large piece of house-made bread.

PJs also offers an adequate selection of subs, including the Old Fashioned Pizza Roll (choice of two pizza toppings), Steak and Cheese, Italian, Meatball, The PJs Club, and the Veggie Sub. Sub sizes include an 8-inch and a sixteen-inch at $6.99 and 8.99, respectively. Assorted drinks, sweet tea, and lemonade are offered as well as desserts including cheesecake, ice cream scoops at $1.50 per scoop, and handmade milkshakes. The joint also sells bottled beer and just started a five-beer (domestic) bucket special for $10.

And PJs offers FREE DELIVERY!

Current food specials include:

One small pizza and a drink for $5.99

Five wings and a side salad for $5.99

Two large, two topping pizzas for $18.99

One large specialty pizza and ten wings for $19.99

Buy any large specialty pizza and get one small cheese pizza or one small breadsticks FREE

PJs has a large projector screen, great for viewing Titans and Predators games and the restaurant stays open later on Mondays for Monday Night Football. Business hours are Sun. 11am-6pm, Mon. 11am-10pm, Tue.-Wed. 11am-7pm, Thu.-Sat. 11am-10pm.

This is definitely the place I'm going to hit up from now on for pizza cravings. And I look forward to trying their subs and other items, too.

3 Brothers Deli and Brewhouse

The Boro Bites gang was thirsty and hungry, so we decided to head over to 3 Brothers Deli and Brewhouse to quench our thirst and feed our appetites. Jesse and I arrived at 3 Brothers, located off the square at 223 W. Main St, before Ryan and our super-special guest Mike so we had some time to take in the atmosphere. In March of 2010, the original building that housed 3 Brothers was severely damaged by a fire. When they reopened, the building had been completely redesigned; the dining area is open, the bar has plenty of seats, and the stage for performers is where everyone can see it. There are a few tables outside as well for those wishing to enjoy the weather.

After sitting unacknowledged for a few minutes I pulled out my timepiece and started watching it. Nine minutes later we were greeted by a server, given menus, and our drink order was taken. I would like to say that this is the first time I have had to wait at 3 Brothers but unfortunately it seems that this is a pretty common occurrence when dining there. I don't want this information to dissuade people from going here and enjoying what this place has to offer, I simply want everyone to be aware that 3 Brothers might not be the place you want to go to if you have a tight time schedule. If you're not in a rush and are ready to kick back, relax, and enjoy a beer (or soft drink, if that's your thing) and some lunch or dinner, 3 Brothers might be the perfect place.

3 Brothers has a great selection of beers (approx. 20 on draft and 60+ bottles), but I was in the mood for an old favorite, a Black & Blue. Traditionally made with Guinness and Blue Moon, the Black & Blue at 3 Brothers uses Sweetwater Blue instead, so I was interested in seeing their take on a favorite beverage. I wish I could tell you how good it was, but a few sips in I realized that I had been served a Black Velveteen instead. Fortunately for me the Black Velveteen, half stout and half Woodchuck Cider, was pretty tasty; a little on the sweet side due to the Cider but still smooth and totally drinkable. In addition to the beers, 3 Brothers offers various mix drinks.

With our party complete with the arrival of Ryan and Mike, we decided to get to the eating with an order of the Fireball Fritters. A 3 Brothers family recipe, these delicious morsels contain Italian sausage, cream cheese, and some secret ingredients that all join together in a deep fryer to make a little magic. Combined with what could be best described as a buffalo-style sauce, the fritters are appropriately named and perfectly hot. We ate them too fast to get a picture, sorry!

Uncle Dave's French Dip with Chips

Next up for me was Uncle Dave's French Dip with a side of 3 Brothers' awesome homemade chips. The sandwich was delicious. The roast beef was cooked through but still tender and super flavorful, the Swiss cheese was melted to perfection, and the bread was toasted just the right amount. I especially appreciated that the sandwich itself was dry. I know that might sound strange since French Dip sandwiches are served with au jus for dipping, but having the sandwich dry from the start allows the bread to still retain a bit of its toasty texture after it's dipped in the au jus (which I think also helps it absorb all that delicious au jus flavor) instead of just ending up being soggy, soft bread that gets even soggier when you dip it. The chips at 3 Brothers are made in house and sprinkled with a bit of parmesan cheese. They are on the thicker side and taste great with the horseradish sour cream.

Big Brother sandwich with French Fries

The Big Brother comes loaded up with slaw, fries (yes, on the sandwich), and your choice of meat and cheese, grilled in-between sourdough bread. Jesse got his with corned beef and provolone cheese. The fries, like the chips, are sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Hot Buffalo Wings

Mike got the Buffalo Wings tossed in hot sauce. I was lucky enough to get to try one and it was very good. The outside was slightly crisp, the chicken was juicy, and the sauce had a great flavor. Mike said they're some of the best hot wings he's had in town, and Mike knows hot wings.

The Judge's Reuben

Ryan ordered The Judge's Reuben. I love a good Reuben. Conflicting stories exist on the origin of this amazing sandwich but whoever invented it was, in my opinion, a complete and total food genius. Corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Russian or Thousand Island dressing, rye bread. Eat and enjoy! 3 Brothers uses Thousand Island dressing and a marbled rye bread to make their Reuben and just looking at that picture up there makes me want to go down to 3 Brothers and get one.

The menu at 3 Brothers has a lot of choices to satisfy whatever craving you may be having when you arrive. They have many different appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and pastas. The kids menu has some kid-friendly choices the little-ish ones are sure to enjoy. There is a lunch special and various happy hour offerings (M-F, 3pm-7pm) through the week. The prices are reasonable so you are sure to find something good to eat that doesn't break the bank. You can expect to catch some form of entertainment if you go there at night, which can be anything from live music, to trivia, to Mario Kart tournaments, to watching the game on one of the flat screens or their projector screen, to many other different events. I'm sure I'll be back to 3 Brothers soon; if you havn't been yet, you should definitely give it a try.

Jeff's Family Friendly Restaurant

Yesterday, at the recommendation of our friend and celebrity guest Cory, Boro Bites got our soul food fix at Jeff's Family Friendly Restaurant. Tucked back in a residential neighborhood at 467 Hancock Street, this cafeteria-style meat & two (or three) restaurant provides a 26-item food bar with meats including smothered pork chops, hickory-smoked ribs, fried chicken, meat loaf, and sides-a-plenty with mac & cheese, white beans, green beans, mashed potatoes, and many more. Did I mention the restaurant offers different types of cornbread to satisfy one's texture preference? Well it does!

If you've never been to a cafeteria-style restaurant such as this, the first thing you do is walk directly up to the food bar and take in the sights and smells. At this point, the future is undecided and your meal contains all the possibilities that sit in front of you. My eyes fixated on the smothered pork chops, battered and fried golden brown and "smothered" in brown gravy. Being the obvious health nut that I am, I asked the friendly employee to slap one on my plate. For accompaniments, I went with white beans and turnip greens. Cornbread does not count as a side and you have hot water, flapjack, corn muffin, and cracklin bread to choose from. I'd never had hot water cornbread before, so I went for it. With a sweet tea to drink, my total came to eight dollars and change and it was a lot of food.

Once you pay for your food, you seat yourself. The dining area is an open room with tables and booths. The wall decor is simple and yet provides the diner a glimpse into the personalities and lifestyles of owner Jeff Sowell and his family, including their faith in Jesus Christ and support for the United States president. People of all types were sitting around us enjoying their hearty Saturday lunches. Cory, having been a patron of Jeff's restaurant for a few years, provided us with some background stories on the place.

While chowing down on BBQ chicken and smothered pork chop, Cory humors
Ryan with an historic tale of Jeff's Family Friendly Restaurant.

My pork chop was so tender and delicious. I can't help but love fried meats. If you like fried chicken, just picture that type of texture but with a pork chop! I could tell the white beans were originally dried and not from a can. Canned beans are always mushier and these had a slightly firm texture about them and were seasoned well. I enjoyed my greens, but typically prefer less vinegar. I can't fault the place as the greens were pretty traditional in their vinegar content, but it's just a preference of mine. Regarding the cornbread, I realize now that I prefer cake style or flapjacks. The hot water cornbread is much too dense for my liking, but I ate it all nonetheless.

Smothered pork chop with turnip greens, white beans,
hot water cornbread, and a sweet tea.

Cory ordered the BBQ half chicken which looked perfect on the plate and Jesse had the fried catfish sandwich which was a rather large fillet. Nikki let me sample her spare ribs and they were tender and juicy with a mild hickory smoke flavor. It seemed that everyone enjoyed their meal and we were quite full upon leaving the joint.

BBQ half chicken with mac & cheese, white beans and a corn cake.

Fried catfish sandwich.

BBQ spare ribs with turnip greens, yellow squash, mac & cheese, and a flapjack.

If you like southern-style, home-cooked, stick-to-your-ribs food for a fair price, hit up Jeff's Family Friendly Restaurant. I intend to return soon. Check 'em out online at jeffsowellsrestaurant.com.

Thai Pattaya

For dinner tonight, the Boro Bites crew and our special celebrity guest Mike went to what has quickly become one of my favorite restaurants in Murfreesboro, Thai Pattaya. Located at 833 Memorial Blvd, Thai Pattaya’s dining area is not large but is open and welcoming. A television set on the back wall provides the music for the room, accompanied by music videos which are always enjoyable to watch.


Tonight we were entertained by a video of a live concert, complete with innumerous dancers, a crazy stage set up, and audience participation like we’ve never seen before. But this isn’t a music blog, so I’ll get on to the good stuff.

This is Ryan saying "cilantro" and enjoying his soup.

I am a huge fan of soup, so to start my dining experience tonight I had a cup of the Tom Yum with tofu. This soup is absolutely amazing; the broth is tangy but slightly sweet with a hint of spice and there are mushrooms and cilantro in the soup. I really enjoy the Tom Yum with tofu, but it is available with vegetables, chicken, or shrimp instead; all of the options are delicious. I could be content to eat bowl after bowl of it, however this time I decided to save some room for some other food. Our chicken egg rolls were quite tasty, perfectly crisp, and the sauce they are served with is not too sweet or overpowering. For my entrée I chose to get something I had never had before, Pad Kra Prao, a stir fry dish consisting of bamboo shoots, onions, peppers, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, green beans, and Thai basil .

Pad Kra Prao

One of the great things about Thai Pattaya is that most of the entrees can be prepared with your choice of vegetables, tofu, or a meat (chicken, beef, pork, shrimp, scallop, or squid). I’m not a vegetarian, but I always seem to get the tofu at Thai Pattaya because, simply put, it’s awesome. Tofu can be a tricky thing to get right, and I have had my fair share of poorly prepared tofu in my time; this is not the case at Thai Pattaya. Their tofu is always perfectly cooked, and tonight was no exception. It was delicious with the Pad Kra Prao. The sauce was delightful, with flavors of basil and garlic and a hint of sweetness that I didn’t expect but thoroughly enjoyed. The vegetables were fresh as always and not overcooked, retaining a little bit of the crispness that I like in a stir-fried veggie. In addition to being able to choose your meats/not meats at Thai Pattaya, you are also able to choose what amount of spice/heat you would like in your dish: mild, medium, hot, very hot, or native Thai. I’m a fan of spicy food so I usually go with the very hot, occasionally dabbling in the native Thai. Tonight’s choice of very hot complimented the Pad Kra Prao perfectly.

Clockwise from top left: Pho ingredients, Drunken Noodles, Pad Phet, Pad Kra Prao.

Ryan chose to have my favorite dish (so far) at Thai Pattaya, the Drunken Noodles; stir-fried rice noodles, tomatoes, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, garlic, egg, and basil in a delicious sauce. Mike had the Pho with chicken, a lovely Vietnamese-style soup with noodles and vegetables served with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lettuce, and lime wedges on the side for you to add to the broth as well as a caddie containing hot peppers and hot sauces to mix in to your personal preference. Jesse’s Pad Phet looked great and judging by the speed at which he devoured it (before I could even steal a bite for myself) it seemed to be pretty delicious.

Drunken Noodles.

Thai Pattaya’s prices are reasonable, many of the dishes being priced according to your choice of meat/not meat. A very affordable lunch special is offered during weekdays that I take advantage of quite frequently, which includes some of the best soup I‘ve ever had (ever), an egg roll, and a choice of lunch entree. I have tried many of the dishes at Thai Pattaya and have never been disappointed. We didn't order them tonight, but I can't help but mention that the Spring Rolls are fantastic. The service is always great at Thai Pattaya and everyone there is always super friendly. I'm sure I'll be back there in a few days, maybe I'll see you there!

Blue Agave

Alright, my first post and a great restaurant to speak of. Yesterday was hot and beautiful and with my co-authors Nikki and Jesse and our friend Greg, I visited Blue Agave for the first time.

This restaurant is located in the former Parthenon (restaurant) building on S. Church St. The thing I immediately liked about the place is the feeling of openness. The sizable lobby area is centrally located between multiple dining areas, each with large openings so I didn't necessarily feel disconnected from other parts of the restaurant. I wasn't trying to have a private experience with my hot dates, so I liked that I could pretty much take in the whole place from my seat.

Having come off a heavy cultural experience at Borostock the night before, I gulped down a few sweet teas. We ordered a large bowl of cheese dip, which Greg referred to as cheese soup due to the rather large size of the bowl. This is now my favorite cheese dip in town! I could tell they use real cheese, perhaps queso fresco or chihuahua, not white American like most Mexican places. This added a nice sharp zing to the flavor and I loved it. One tip, save some money and order the smaller bowl for a table of four.

Everybody's lunch plates were presented nicely, some with separate bowls for components like pico de gallo and other condiments. I say separate bowls, but each component was all on top of one plate for a nice collective presentation. To me, this is a factor that enables a Mexican restaurant to stand out from the next. If you haven't noticed, Mexican restaurants are a dime a dozen in middle TN and many are content with just filling up the majority of your plate with sloppy rice and beans. Blue Agave apparently takes pride in its presentation.

I was feeling saucy and ordered the Chili Verde. This consisted of super tender pork bites simmered in a green chili broth. It was a tremendous blend of savory and spice, not too hot and not too salty, with a nice green color to the sauce. This came with rice, beans, and tortillas and was really satisfying. I definitely finished all of the pork and may have finished the leftover sauce with the help of my fork and some chips.

The service was great and the cost was on par with other Mexican restaurants. These factors considered along with the restaurant taking extra steps to make it nicer than other places, I recommend Blue Agave to you for a tasty experience!