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There's an article in which I ask Bryce from the Bulldog how to make bacon HERE.
Showing posts with label sausage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sausage. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Phat in Philadelphia (and NYC)
I didn't do Steven Starr, or Bobby Flay, or Le Bec Fin, or hardly anything traditionally defined as "good food." I did, however, visit my teenage haunts and other old faves, and nearly OD'd on pizza. And the beer. My God, the beer. I danced, I explored, I ate, and I drank. I didn't snap a photo of every single thing 'cause there just wasn't time to stop.
Golden Castle Diner, North Wilmington, DE
Can't deny that late-night cravin' for something so greasy it slips out of your hands. And some chocolate pie from the pie case, cuz, why not? I mean, food always winds up yellow and brown anyway, right?
Pinocchio's Pizza and Beer Garden To Go, Media, PA
I started eating here when I was about eight years old, with my family. Then, my high school cafeteria had their pizza, and I distinctly remember eating it on a daily basis the entire tenth grade year. All You Can Eat pizza and soda nights kept us suburban punk ass kids out of trouble. But, it seems Pinocchio's got a taste for beer a little later than I did, opening the "beer garden" addition just a couple of years ago. Skyrocketing to success, they just clinched the sought-after title for Best Beer Shop in all of Phillyland, according to Philadelphia Magazine's most recent issue, which is kind of a huge deal. An absolute must visit if you're anywhere near it. P.S. For all you "Philly" sandwich eaters out there in Omaha, this is what it's supposed to look like. (I'm partial to chicken, as opposed to the classic beef cheesesteak, a leftover from my years as a strict non-cow eater.)
And, speaking of 'zza, here's a shot of one of my daily slices from any NYC pizzeria. Note the triangle shape:
Coffee Shop, Union Square, NYC
In the ranks of overpriced Manhattan diners and other eateries, this place is kinda low on the list. It did, however, solve the problem of where to suck down a Mimosa. (Of the mango variety, which was actually more like a Bellini, not pictured here cause there was a hole in my glass. Hehe.)
Dos Toros, Union Square, NYC
After a long day wandering up and down Fifth Ave for no particular reason, a pit stop was in order, this time to a Qdoba-like hole-in-the-wall bursting with NYU kids, who were clearly majoring in Personal Space Invasion. The girl behind me in line totally just took a course on Breathing Down a Stranger's Neck. Ah, anyway. My taco was huge and the extra hot salsa was obscenely spicy, but it did the trick.
Whole Foods Beer Room, Bowery, NYC
No trip to this area would be complete without a stop at the Whole Foods Bowery location. They've got a beer room where you can get growlers of beers you've never heard of. And everything you need for home brewing, if you're into that sort of thing, which it seems every dude and his mom is these days. Yes folks, this supermarket location truly has everything your average white person likes.
Loreley, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
There was a time when I felt if I never had a German beer again it would be too soon. I am now partially recovered from my couple of years stuck in the world of piss pilsners, and so it seemed appropriate to go to the newer Brooklyn version of one of my old LES hangouts. Currywurst, THEE Berlin street food, was never my personal favorite, but I felt obliged to try it. This version was a tad smushy, and the fries were soooo McDonald's, but they nailed the curry ketchup part. On a long wooden table under a wide umbrella, I nibbled and sipped leisurely and didn't even notice the sun had gone down.
John's Village Market, Brookhaven, PA
The place to go for a quality sandwich, especially if you're a sweaty construction worker dude with one of them Philly accents.
Eulogy Belgian Tavern, Old City, Philadelphia
The bar stools are always full at this Old City classic, and I like to think of it as a good place to duck into to avoid the throngs of bros and hoes doing the mating call in this part of town every weekend night.
Beneluxx Tasting Room, Old City, Philadelphia
A block away from Eulogy, this basement bar with the same owners wasn't as bustling, but there were more interesting menu options. Next time I'm gonna do the fondue.
There was also the dry white wine and olive tapenade and goat cheese crostini at Gemma in the Bowery Hotel, where I didn't see anyone too famous but was entertained by the surly waitstaff. And then the late-late-night falafel that I somehow got all over my shirt. Across the great divide known as the East River, I sipped on an absinthe cocktail, which didn't make me hallucinate, but did get me tipsy enough to happily slurp down my very first oyster, at Maison Premiere. Oh, and let's not forget the bowl of Cheerios on the first class flight home.
And now, to sleep. For a week. And maybe think about eating a vegetable of some sort.
Golden Castle Diner, North Wilmington, DE
Can't deny that late-night cravin' for something so greasy it slips out of your hands. And some chocolate pie from the pie case, cuz, why not? I mean, food always winds up yellow and brown anyway, right?
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| Monochromatic Meal #1: Classic Grilled Cheese |
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| Yes, we got a side of fries, too. |
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| Chocolate Cream Pie |
Pinocchio's Pizza and Beer Garden To Go, Media, PA
I started eating here when I was about eight years old, with my family. Then, my high school cafeteria had their pizza, and I distinctly remember eating it on a daily basis the entire tenth grade year. All You Can Eat pizza and soda nights kept us suburban punk ass kids out of trouble. But, it seems Pinocchio's got a taste for beer a little later than I did, opening the "beer garden" addition just a couple of years ago. Skyrocketing to success, they just clinched the sought-after title for Best Beer Shop in all of Phillyland, according to Philadelphia Magazine's most recent issue, which is kind of a huge deal. An absolute must visit if you're anywhere near it. P.S. For all you "Philly" sandwich eaters out there in Omaha, this is what it's supposed to look like. (I'm partial to chicken, as opposed to the classic beef cheesesteak, a leftover from my years as a strict non-cow eater.)
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| Chicken Cheesesteak: A hot mess of thinly chopped chicken, fried onions and hot peppers, with provolone, on a top-of-the-line toasted hoagie roll. Sa-weet! |
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| Monochromatic Meal #2: Fried Sampler Platter-- There's rings, bites, nugs, sticks, blah blah blah. |
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| De Proef/ Sly Fox Broederlijke Liefde ON TAP! I also had a Brotherly Suds, which is the collaborative effort of five different Philly microbreweries. |
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| He told me he'd knock it down to $300, but I still couldn't swing it. |
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| Beers, and beer reflections. And some chick. |
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| The lucky ones to come home with us. |
And, speaking of 'zza, here's a shot of one of my daily slices from any NYC pizzeria. Note the triangle shape:
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| Square pizza is just plain wronG. |
Coffee Shop, Union Square, NYC
In the ranks of overpriced Manhattan diners and other eateries, this place is kinda low on the list. It did, however, solve the problem of where to suck down a Mimosa. (Of the mango variety, which was actually more like a Bellini, not pictured here cause there was a hole in my glass. Hehe.)
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| Grilled Shrimp Chopped Salad with Romaine, Roasted Corn and Black Beans |
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| Wild Mushroom Omelette |
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| Guess. |
Dos Toros, Union Square, NYC
After a long day wandering up and down Fifth Ave for no particular reason, a pit stop was in order, this time to a Qdoba-like hole-in-the-wall bursting with NYU kids, who were clearly majoring in Personal Space Invasion. The girl behind me in line totally just took a course on Breathing Down a Stranger's Neck. Ah, anyway. My taco was huge and the extra hot salsa was obscenely spicy, but it did the trick.
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| Carnitas Taco-- With a downright rude hot salsa |
Whole Foods Beer Room, Bowery, NYC
No trip to this area would be complete without a stop at the Whole Foods Bowery location. They've got a beer room where you can get growlers of beers you've never heard of. And everything you need for home brewing, if you're into that sort of thing, which it seems every dude and his mom is these days. Yes folks, this supermarket location truly has everything your average white person likes.
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| Beer Stuff |
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| More Beer Stuff |
Loreley, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
There was a time when I felt if I never had a German beer again it would be too soon. I am now partially recovered from my couple of years stuck in the world of piss pilsners, and so it seemed appropriate to go to the newer Brooklyn version of one of my old LES hangouts. Currywurst, THEE Berlin street food, was never my personal favorite, but I felt obliged to try it. This version was a tad smushy, and the fries were soooo McDonald's, but they nailed the curry ketchup part. On a long wooden table under a wide umbrella, I nibbled and sipped leisurely and didn't even notice the sun had gone down.
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| Ein Kölsch und ein Grüner Veltliner-- Und die schöne Fingernägel meiner Cousine! |
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| Currywurst: There's actually a museum for this in Berlin. |
John's Village Market, Brookhaven, PA
The place to go for a quality sandwich, especially if you're a sweaty construction worker dude with one of them Philly accents.
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| Classic Italian Hoagie: Pepper ham, capicola, Genoa salami, provolone |
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| Chicken Pesto Panini, one half-- REALLY, REALLY GOOD |
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| Wash it all down with some meat flavored chips. |
Eulogy Belgian Tavern, Old City, Philadelphia
The bar stools are always full at this Old City classic, and I like to think of it as a good place to duck into to avoid the throngs of bros and hoes doing the mating call in this part of town every weekend night.
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| Twice Fried Belgian Frietjes-- With "Beneluxx" sauce, bourbon remoulade, and malt vinegar aioli. A glob of mayo would have been fine too. |
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| Just a LaChouffe and a Kasteel Rouge on tap, no big deal here. Two of my faves. |
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| Piet-Agoras Belgian ale-- A nice, rare brew. A little fruity, caramel-y, sour-ish, with a hoppy finish. |
Beneluxx Tasting Room, Old City, Philadelphia
A block away from Eulogy, this basement bar with the same owners wasn't as bustling, but there were more interesting menu options. Next time I'm gonna do the fondue.
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| Chimay, meet Beemster. Tried and true delicious cheeses, with a nice bare-bones presentation. Hey, at least the plate is rectangular. |
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| This here's a panini. That's all I really remember. |
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| Sierra Nevada's Ovila Abbey Dubbel |
There was also the dry white wine and olive tapenade and goat cheese crostini at Gemma in the Bowery Hotel, where I didn't see anyone too famous but was entertained by the surly waitstaff. And then the late-late-night falafel that I somehow got all over my shirt. Across the great divide known as the East River, I sipped on an absinthe cocktail, which didn't make me hallucinate, but did get me tipsy enough to happily slurp down my very first oyster, at Maison Premiere. Oh, and let's not forget the bowl of Cheerios on the first class flight home.
And now, to sleep. For a week. And maybe think about eating a vegetable of some sort.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Lithuanian Bakery & Kafe
7427 Pacific Street
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 391-3503
Open Monday thru Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, closed Sundays
Lunch time comes, and many Omahans flock to their burger and barbecue joints. The Lithuanian Bakery & Kafe, nestled in a parking lot eclipsed by McKenna's BBQ and with the bustling BrewBurgers nearby, holds its own during this hour. Nearly every table was full with an assortment of families, business dudes and hausfraus by the time the clock struck one. And then there was us. Service was slow and dishes were served in a curiously staggered manner, but it allowed us a chance to sample each other's grub. Unlike the plates served by L B & K's neighbors, expect portions you can actually finish. The pastrami and Swiss sandwich was not of the towering NYC deli variety, and the cup of soup may have actually been a proper eight ounces of liquid. $7.50 will get you a Kielbasa, a Bratwurst or a Knackwurst, a scoop of potato salad and a serving of sauerkraut, which may seem like a hefty price, but guess what guys: This is the real deal. My complaints are trivial; I wished I didn't have to settle for Gulden's mustard when there was perfectly good Löwensenf on the supermarket shelf across the room. The famous Napoleonas Torte was just a tad dry, and the sauce (an extra 50 cents) was extremely sweet, but what the heck, it's chocolate raspberry sauce after all. Overall this is a Must Try for anyone wanting an authentic taste of Eastern Europe, which is obviously everyone, right?
P.S. I did some research and found that about 1% of Lithuanians are vegetarian. This is represented on the menu with the veggie sandwich. Just FYI.
Omaha, NE 68114
(402) 391-3503
Open Monday thru Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 4pm, closed Sundays
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| Get your spätzle, your Black Forest cake mix, your mustard. And no old European ladies butting in front of you in line, it's fantastic. |
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| Giant loaves of fresh and day-old rye available for purchase. |
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| Bread N Butter |
Lunch time comes, and many Omahans flock to their burger and barbecue joints. The Lithuanian Bakery & Kafe, nestled in a parking lot eclipsed by McKenna's BBQ and with the bustling BrewBurgers nearby, holds its own during this hour. Nearly every table was full with an assortment of families, business dudes and hausfraus by the time the clock struck one. And then there was us. Service was slow and dishes were served in a curiously staggered manner, but it allowed us a chance to sample each other's grub. Unlike the plates served by L B & K's neighbors, expect portions you can actually finish. The pastrami and Swiss sandwich was not of the towering NYC deli variety, and the cup of soup may have actually been a proper eight ounces of liquid. $7.50 will get you a Kielbasa, a Bratwurst or a Knackwurst, a scoop of potato salad and a serving of sauerkraut, which may seem like a hefty price, but guess what guys: This is the real deal. My complaints are trivial; I wished I didn't have to settle for Gulden's mustard when there was perfectly good Löwensenf on the supermarket shelf across the room. The famous Napoleonas Torte was just a tad dry, and the sauce (an extra 50 cents) was extremely sweet, but what the heck, it's chocolate raspberry sauce after all. Overall this is a Must Try for anyone wanting an authentic taste of Eastern Europe, which is obviously everyone, right?
P.S. I did some research and found that about 1% of Lithuanians are vegetarian. This is represented on the menu with the veggie sandwich. Just FYI.
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| Meet Borscht. It's better than it looks. You might expect it to taste like chalk and be good for upset stomachs and diarrhea. But in fact, this chilled beet soup is perfect for Omaha summer, in all its dill-y creamy glory. |
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| Big fan of Split Pea, y'all. This one is pretty good. |
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| Kielbasa, Kraut, and Potato Salad. |
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| Boiled Bratwurst with Chips, cuz, why not? Best Brat around. |
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| Pastrami and Swiss on Rye with that creamy potato salad with hints of vinegar and slivers of boiled egg. Legit as sh*t. |
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| Chocolate Raspberry Napoleonas Torte with Chocolate Raspberry Sauce-- Just woke up from the sugar coma. |
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| Napoleonas Torte with Apricot Amaretto Sauce-- "I'm not a cake person," says one of us as he shovels this in his mouth. |
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| The Pastry Case with a rare view of... Me. |
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| Ritter Sport chocolates. Take me back to D-land. |
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Stoysich House of Sausage
2532 South 24th Street
As demonstrated recently by my trip to Baker's, it can be difficult to find high quality interesting foods at the local supermarket chain. Unless your preferred bread is Wonder and you like your food in thick packaging, you might want to branch out here and there and shop for food at other vendors. Stoysich House of Sausage--not to be confused with Frank Stoysich Meats at 51st and Q--has been churning out a variety of sausages and other products for a very long time. Family owned, using locally raised meats, with imported spices, from recipes handed down through generations, by a very large man in a white blood smeared smock. Sounds swell, dudnit? Unfortunately, the three sausages we sampled were consistently quite gross. Thick and packed so full you could barely sink your teeth into them. These were Brats on steroids, the bigger badder American version. Not good.
So don't expect delectable sausage, but do expect a new grocery shopping experience. There was a fantastic selection of house-made salads, smoked jerkies, fresh cuts of meat, a whole shelf of pickled things, an admirable selection of microbrews and imported beers, and products like potato pancakes and spätzle. Just like in the Old Country.
On that meaty note, let it be known I'll be exploring more vegetarian options in the coming weeks. I'm not really the carnivorous meat freak you might make me out to be. Blame it on the big ole pile of animal bones for sale at Stoysich.
Omaha, NE 68108
(402) 341-7260
Open Monday thru Saturday, 9am to 5:30pm
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| We got a Bratwurst and a Danish Apple sausage. |
As demonstrated recently by my trip to Baker's, it can be difficult to find high quality interesting foods at the local supermarket chain. Unless your preferred bread is Wonder and you like your food in thick packaging, you might want to branch out here and there and shop for food at other vendors. Stoysich House of Sausage--not to be confused with Frank Stoysich Meats at 51st and Q--has been churning out a variety of sausages and other products for a very long time. Family owned, using locally raised meats, with imported spices, from recipes handed down through generations, by a very large man in a white blood smeared smock. Sounds swell, dudnit? Unfortunately, the three sausages we sampled were consistently quite gross. Thick and packed so full you could barely sink your teeth into them. These were Brats on steroids, the bigger badder American version. Not good.
So don't expect delectable sausage, but do expect a new grocery shopping experience. There was a fantastic selection of house-made salads, smoked jerkies, fresh cuts of meat, a whole shelf of pickled things, an admirable selection of microbrews and imported beers, and products like potato pancakes and spätzle. Just like in the Old Country.
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| Don't do it! I know you want to though... |
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| "Cuban Reuben" Sausage with Onions, Peppers, Sauerkraut, and Mustard-- You may bite off more than you can chew. |
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| Variety of legit-looking salads |
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| Jerky-- Try a free sample. Or three. |
On that meaty note, let it be known I'll be exploring more vegetarian options in the coming weeks. I'm not really the carnivorous meat freak you might make me out to be. Blame it on the big ole pile of animal bones for sale at Stoysich.
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