That Food Guy
Saturday, June 21, 2014
Harold Seltzer's Steak House
(727) 954-7777 http://seltzerssteakhouse.com/
The One-Pound cut of prime rib ($19.99 “The best prime rib in town. Our superb roast prime rib of
beef, perfectly aged for 35 days or more, perfectly prepared, rubbed on the
outside with Harold’s Secret Steak Spices & simply delicious!” Served with
choice of “Au Jus,” creamy horseradish sauce or regular horseradish. The Star
of the Show! All dinners served with our homemade garlic croutons, bakery fresh
rolls, choice of traditional or Caesar salad, and your choice of baked potato,
Harold's homemade French fries, homemade garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato
puffs, seasoned black beans and yellow rice, creamed spinach, broccoli, or
vegetable medley. Choose from one of Harold’s six signature homemade salad
dressings: blue cheese, classic vinaigrette, French, garlic ranch, honey
mustard or thousand island.)
Janis ordered the Caesar salad, the one-pound cut of prime
rib, medium rare, with garlic mashed potatoes, Au Jus. I ordered the
traditional salad with thousand island dressing, a one-pound cut of prime rib,
medium rare, Au Jus, and a baked potato with all the fixings. Our salads and
rolls arrived soon after. Janis Caesar salad was Romaine lettuce with a creamy
Caesar dressing and a generous portion of shredded Parmesan cheese. She said
the salad was good, average but perhaps a bit too much garlic and Parmesan
isn’t one of her favorite cheese. That being said, she did finish her salad.
The prime rib is served on an oval platter. Even though the
baked potato on mine was of medium size, there was little extra room on the
platter for the portion cup of Jus and a sprig of parsley. Janis’ serving was
very lean, only a small piece of fat on one edge. It was beautiful medium rare,
a pinkish red, enough to get any carnivore very interested. Accompanying was a
substantial serving of garlic mashed potatoes. She said the beef was very
tender and delicious. The garlic mashed potatoes were also very good she said.
They were of a rustic variety, bits of potato in a creamy potato and garlic
mixture garnished with a bit of parsley. Except for the half piece of prime rib
that went into the take-home container she managed to clean her plate quite
handily.
My prime rib was also a perfect rosy red medium rare piece
of meat. Being a steak house, the standard table setting is a steak knife. This
cut of meat was tender enough that a standard place setting butter knife was
all that was needed to cut through the thick slice of prime rib. The 35 day
aging does a good job of breaking down the fibers and the result is a piece of
meat that is almost butter smooth. Even if I had planned to eat only half and
take the rest home, it would never have happened that afternoon. I ate it
all. Harold seasons the outside of the
roast with their seasoning blend. Much of that seasoning is still on the edge
of the prime rib slices. To my personal taste, that seasoning doesn’t need to
be there. All that cut of meat needs, even though my cardiologist says no, is a
slight sprinkle of salt. It was an excellent cut of meat, flavorful and tender
to the max. The baked potato, of medium size, was one that is cooked in batches
and kept warm for the upcoming service. That makes for an okay potato but not
the best. The butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese and chives added to the top
surely made it seem better than it was. Normally I eat the skin of the baked
potato but that was not the case this time.
Harold
Seltzer’s
3500 Tyrone Blvd N, St
Petersburg, FL 33710(727) 954-7777 http://seltzerssteakhouse.com/
About this day: Some days
are easy to keep track of; The Fourth of July, New Years, Christmas and
Thanksgiving are a few. Some other dates have a way of falling through the
cracks; birthdays and anniversaries are prime examples of two of those dates.
My wife remembered and, luckily, so did I. So, we made plans to go out to
dinner to celebrate. But where? That was the question. After deliberation, we
decided to return to Harold Seltzer’s where we celebrated our anniversary the
year before – sort of like making a family tradition.
About the
restaurant: Harold Seltzer opened his first restaurants in 1995; he
named them Sam Seltzer’s in honor of his grandfather, Sam. Sam was a butcher in
Montreal. As a young apprentice in his grandfather’s shop, Harold learned about
beef. The restaurant was successful and expansion followed. The company opened
seven stores and employed upwards of 300 people. A downturn 6 or 7 years later
led to infighting. Harold sold his interest in the company in 2004 and his
cousin Michael Seltzer was in charge. The company acquired heavy debt and went
through a period of reorganization. There was no turnaround and about 2009
Michael ceded control of the company to the creditors. Although the restaurants
were doing business as normal, including selling gift cards, the creditors,
without forewarning, closed all of the existing restaurants, locking out the
employees and leaving gift card holders with a worthless piece of plastic.
In 2010 Harold opened a couple of restaurants under his name
as the Sam Seltzer name was entangled in bankruptcy court. It is reported that
he wanted to clear up the Seltzer family name and one of the steps was to make
it right for the holders of the Sam Seltzer gift cards. Although the name has
slightly changed, you would be hard pressed to point out difference between the
Sam Seltzer of the past and the Harold Seltzer of today. The restaurant we
visited today, located on Tyrone Blvd., in St Petersburg, is the same facility,
the same look, the same feel, and the same delicious prime rib that we visited
many years ago when it was Sam Seltzer’s.
We have actually been to Seltzer’s several times since the
reopening. We went there on our last anniversary and signed up for the wife
birthday special. An e-mail reminder some months later brought us back to
Seltzer’s for the wife’s birthday and the complimentary bottle of wine with
dinner. There have also been a couple of well remembered lunches with her Aunt
Effie and Uncle Gil. I have included a few photos of those happy times at the
end of the blog.
For out day out together, we went in the midafternoon, after
the lunch crowd and before the dinner rush. It was quiet in the restaurant and
it had a nice laid-back easy feel. We were shown directly to a table. Our
server, David, was almost immediately there. He was a soft spoken man but with
a good-humored demeanor. He has acquired that essential server trait, attentive
without hovering. He kept watch over his tables and seemingly anticipate our
needs before we were aware of them. He did add to the enjoyment of the meal.
We perused the extensive menu, snacking on the croutons much
as you would some peanuts or crackers. There is a full dinner menu and the late
night-lunch men as well as selections for children. There are sections for
soups and salads, appetizers, entrees including lamb, chicken and beef
selections, seafood, add-on to your meal and side dishes. Also listed are
specialty mixed drinks, beer, wines and cordials. There is also a dessert
section with lots of sweet and luscious things to make you really go off your
diet. The reading of the menu was mostly for curiosity sake as we both already
knew it was going to be a prime rib night. The only question was what size? We
both chose the one-pound cut. I would eat all of mine there, in the restaurant,
while Janis would take half of hers home for dinner the next day. Tomorrow I
would be on my own for dinner.
The One-Pound cut of prime rib ($19.99 “The best prime rib in town. Our superb roast prime rib of
beef, perfectly aged for 35 days or more, perfectly prepared, rubbed on the
outside with Harold’s Secret Steak Spices & simply delicious!” Served with
choice of “Au Jus,” creamy horseradish sauce or regular horseradish. The Star
of the Show! All dinners served with our homemade garlic croutons, bakery fresh
rolls, choice of traditional or Caesar salad, and your choice of baked potato,
Harold's homemade French fries, homemade garlic mashed potatoes, sweet potato
puffs, seasoned black beans and yellow rice, creamed spinach, broccoli, or
vegetable medley. Choose from one of Harold’s six signature homemade salad
dressings: blue cheese, classic vinaigrette, French, garlic ranch, honey
mustard or thousand island.)Janis ordered the Caesar salad, the one-pound cut of prime
rib, medium rare, with garlic mashed potatoes, Au Jus. I ordered the
traditional salad with thousand island dressing, a one-pound cut of prime rib,
medium rare, Au Jus, and a baked potato with all the fixings. Our salads and
rolls arrived soon after. Janis Caesar salad was Romaine lettuce with a creamy
Caesar dressing and a generous portion of shredded Parmesan cheese. She said
the salad was good, average but perhaps a bit too much garlic and Parmesan
isn’t one of her favorite cheese. That being said, she did finish her salad.
My salad was of mixed greens and a bit of red cabbage and
some cherry tomatoes for color and texture. The house thousand island was
creamy and smooth, adequate for the amount of salad and very tasty. With the
freshly baked roll, it was a good start for the meal. A few of the crouton
snacks also went well in the salad. About the time we finished our salads the
entrée arrived.
The prime rib is served on an oval platter. Even though the
baked potato on mine was of medium size, there was little extra room on the
platter for the portion cup of Jus and a sprig of parsley. Janis’ serving was
very lean, only a small piece of fat on one edge. It was beautiful medium rare,
a pinkish red, enough to get any carnivore very interested. Accompanying was a
substantial serving of garlic mashed potatoes. She said the beef was very
tender and delicious. The garlic mashed potatoes were also very good she said.
They were of a rustic variety, bits of potato in a creamy potato and garlic
mixture garnished with a bit of parsley. Except for the half piece of prime rib
that went into the take-home container she managed to clean her plate quite
handily.My prime rib was also a perfect rosy red medium rare piece
of meat. Being a steak house, the standard table setting is a steak knife. This
cut of meat was tender enough that a standard place setting butter knife was
all that was needed to cut through the thick slice of prime rib. The 35 day
aging does a good job of breaking down the fibers and the result is a piece of
meat that is almost butter smooth. Even if I had planned to eat only half and
take the rest home, it would never have happened that afternoon. I ate it
all. Harold seasons the outside of the
roast with their seasoning blend. Much of that seasoning is still on the edge
of the prime rib slices. To my personal taste, that seasoning doesn’t need to
be there. All that cut of meat needs, even though my cardiologist says no, is a
slight sprinkle of salt. It was an excellent cut of meat, flavorful and tender
to the max. The baked potato, of medium size, was one that is cooked in batches
and kept warm for the upcoming service. That makes for an okay potato but not
the best. The butter, sour cream, bacon, cheese and chives added to the top
surely made it seem better than it was. Normally I eat the skin of the baked
potato but that was not the case this time.
Other than a couple of little things that I think could be
done better, it was still a delicious and enjoyable meal, more than ample to
sate even the heartiest of appetites. The service was quick and courteous. It
all made for a memorable interlude and a nice way to low-key celebrate our
wedding anniversary. If anyone asks me, I’ll simply say, ”Sam Seltzers is a
good place to go.”
Labels: baked potato, birthday, cake, garlic, Harold, house, mashed potatoes, prime rib, Selt6zer, Seltzer's, St Petersburg, steak
¶ 2:07 PM 0 Comments
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Teppanyaki Grill and Supreme Buffet - St Petersburg, Florida
Teppanyaki
Grill and Supreme Buffet
St Petersburg, FL 33713
727 327-8886
It is a buffet-style restaurant. The lunch buffet Monday
through Saturday (11:00 am to 4:00 pm) is $7.29 for adults and tiered lower
prices for children depending on age. The dinner buffet (4:00 pm through 9:30
pm) is $9.99 for adults and lower priced for children. Sundays and holidays are
all day dinner buffets (11:00 am through 9:30 pm) adults are $9.99 and children
at reduced prices. We arrived in the late afternoon but in time for the lunch
buffet. With the coupon a filling buffet meal for three, soft drinks and tip
was just about thirty dollars; pretty reasonable for a dinner out.
My first round was a sampler, a little of this and a little
of that until I filled the plate. It included, among other items, a teriyaki chicken
skewer, honey chicken, beef and broccoli, salt and pepper you peel shrimp, some
fried zucchini and some California rolls. First lesson: soy sauce, wasabi and
the like are not table items. They are there at the serving stations but not
always obvious. Also, small dishes or containers are also available; you just
have to look around to see where they are.
Teppanyaki
Grill and Supreme BuffetSt Petersburg, FL 33713
727 327-8886
The Sunday paper had a single sheet, full-color
advertisement for the Teppanyaki Grill and Supreme Buffet.
That was a new one to me and I looked at the ad a bit more closely. It is
indeed a new establishment. It has set up shop in the old Social Security
building and boasts 18,000 square feet and seating for 500. I remember the
Social Security building from a few years ago. There was a tiny, cramped little
waiting room with no amenities and a pass-through window that was mostly
closed. Once inside there was a maze of walkways, a seemingly endless warren of
partitions and office cubicles. I was curious to see what the new occupants had
done in remodeling. Among the other boasts in the advertisement was the phrase,
“…something for everyone” and “The Largest and Most Elegant Chinese, Japanese
and American Cuisine Restaurant.” That covers a lot of ground.
With something for everyone, the wife was amenable to trying
it out if only to humor me. We called Martha. She has a liking for the oriental
style foods. What with the recent closing of one of her favorites, Good Fortunes, she was at a loss for a
new place to occasionally visit and take visitors. It looked like a good bet
for everyone. The fact that the advertisement had several $1.00-off coupons was
an added inducement.
It is a buffet-style restaurant. The lunch buffet Monday
through Saturday (11:00 am to 4:00 pm) is $7.29 for adults and tiered lower
prices for children depending on age. The dinner buffet (4:00 pm through 9:30
pm) is $9.99 for adults and lower priced for children. Sundays and holidays are
all day dinner buffets (11:00 am through 9:30 pm) adults are $9.99 and children
at reduced prices. We arrived in the late afternoon but in time for the lunch
buffet. With the coupon a filling buffet meal for three, soft drinks and tip
was just about thirty dollars; pretty reasonable for a dinner out.
The anteroom, the left over from the Social Security days,
is still there. It is bare, devoid of furnishings or decor. Perhaps it now serves
as an air-lock entry keeping the hot and humid air outside. In the future, if
there is a need, some comfortable seats would transform the area into a congenial
waiting room for overflow guests.
Just inside is a wishing well pool to help set the mood. Opening
the central area and colorful lighting of what was an office complex helps to
transform it to a large, festive arena filled with more than a dozen self-serve
buffet counters. At the far end of the area there is a sushi station and a
teppanyaki grill. Seating for up to 500 customers is along both sides of the
complex. Being new, everything appears very clean and pristine.
The usual in a buffet is to pay at the door; so much per
head and your drinks. Then you are free to roam the floor. Since The Teppanyaki
Grill offers extra cost items, such as beer and wine, the customer is presented
with the bill at the end of the menu.
With so many choices, the best strategy is to walk the
aisles between the serving stations to see what is offered. Even a little dab
of this and a little dab of that can be overwhelming when there are so many options
to choose from. As much as I would have liked to, I knew I could never sample
everything. Most of the stations are of an oriental flair. Others offer
American comfort food items, fruits, salads and a large selection of desserts
and ice cream. Perhaps they do have something for everyone.
My first round was a sampler, a little of this and a little
of that until I filled the plate. It included, among other items, a teriyaki chicken
skewer, honey chicken, beef and broccoli, salt and pepper you peel shrimp, some
fried zucchini and some California rolls. First lesson: soy sauce, wasabi and
the like are not table items. They are there at the serving stations but not
always obvious. Also, small dishes or containers are also available; you just
have to look around to see where they are.
The sushi, layered on top was the first to be sampled. It is
decent sushi, machine made I believe, but the rice is well cooked and the
grains are not compressed into an amorphous mass like some although it may be a
bit stickier than you are used to. The
selection of sushi is makizushi; I didn’t see any nigirizushi. About a dozen
varieties were offered; a small selection If sushi was to be the main course. A
little dip in the soy sauce and the rice holds together (the hashi are also located
at the serving station). Tasty morsels and considering you can make many trips
to the sushi bar, an economical entrée.
The teriyaki chicken skewer tasted fine but it was a bit on
the tough side and a bit overcooked. The fried zucchini was more crunchy than
crispy, as well a bit over cooked although it did taste pretty good; it just needed
to come out of the fryer a minute or two earlier. The salt and pepper you peel
shrimp, one of their signature dishes, had a good flavor, not too heavy on the
spices so you could still taste the flavor of shrimp. It’s just that it is
messy, more suited to a New England Shrimp and crab seafood boil; good but
messy. My favorite of that plate was the honey chicken; small strips of chicken
in a slightly sweet sauce. These were cooked just right, tender and moist and
the sauce slightly sweet and a wonderful adjunct to the chicken.
My second sampler plate consisted of some fried rice (I
know, it’s a filler but fried rice is definitely one of my favorite foods),
sweet and sour chicken (more about that to come) some shrimp, egg foo young and
skewered meatballs. The fried rice was, as you might have guessed, a filler
dish. Not bad just pedestrian, uninspired and needs some work to be a good
dish. The shrimp were shelled and deveined 40 - 50 shrimp cooked in a slightly
spicy sauce although I can’t remember the name. They tasted like shrimp in a
slightly spicy sauce. Not bad but nothing exceptional. The egg foo young, hard
to find in most buffets, was a bit over cooked but with a bit of the gravy top
moisten the patty it had a pleasant flavor. The skewered meatballs were a bit
of a disappointment. They looked very good. If they had been cooked on the
skewer someone would have had to tend them very carefully to get them to cook
so evenly although a bit overdone. The flavor was okay but a bit dry. A sauce
or dip would be of great value. That brings us to the sweet and sour chicken. New
York, or whatever style it is, is merely breaded and fried chicken nuggets with
a red sweet and sour sauce on the side. So it is with every other local take
out or buffet I have tried. For me,
sweet and sour chicken (or pork) is a much more involved dish that combines
stir fried onion, Bell peppers and pineapple with the sweet and sour sauce and
breaded meat morsels. A trip to the salad bar provided some raw peppers and
some pineapple tidbit from the fruit bar. Although the chicken tid-bits here
tasted okay (I suspect they are purchased pre-breaded and fried, just heat and
serve) and the sweet and sour sauce was also tasty, I can’t rate the overall
dish very high because it isn’t complete; a short coming shared by many restaurants.
Many restaurants that claim to be Mongolian have a raw bar
where you select the items you want the chef to cook on the grill. This
restaurant also has a raw bar where you select the items you want and then the
chef will cook them on the grill while you watch. In this case the grill is
rectangular instead of round and perhaps that is why it is called the Teppanyaki
Grill. There is a nice selection of vegetables, onions, peppers, sprouts,
mushrooms and such. The meat selection is limited to chicken and beef. The buffet
counter is well iced and the selections seemed to be fresh (the meat is put out
in small batches to preserve freshness).
To try out the Teppanyaki grill, I make a small selection of
chicken and vegetables. The chef was very amenable even smiling so I could take
his picture as he prepared my food. You are offered a variety of flavoring
sauces for you food. It was small plate and I neglected to get a picture. However,
fresh vegetable and fresh chicken cooked in front of you, to your order, is
certainly better than previously prepared foods, kept warm while waiting to be
served. In my case, the meat was cooked through, the vegetables had mouth feel
but were cooked through and the sauce was quite tasty.
My dining companions, my wife Janis and our friend Martha,
we all look favorably on the Teppanyaki Grill and Supreme Buffet. It does have
its deficits but overall it is as good as or possibly better than other buffets
in the local area, at least meeting that standard. My next visit I will probably spend more time at the sushi
bar and teppanyaki grill although I will seek out some of that honey chicken
and, well, I have to admit it, some fried rice too.
The local Teppanyaki Grill and Supreme Buffet seems to be
part of a larger chain with many stores in the North and Midwest. I can’t seem
to find a web presence for the parent company although many local TG&SB’s
have web presence. Check your local facility’s inspection record.
Labels: Chinese, Florida, fried rice, grill, Japanese, St Petersburg, sushi, sweet and sour, teppanyaki
¶ 3:54 PM 0 Comments
Friday, February 14, 2014
Red Robin, St Petersburg, Florida
This particular Red Robin is almost hidden. The large
parking lot of the mall makes for a large set back and there is no attention
getting sign; you sort of have to know where it is because it is not readily
apparent from the street. That didn’t seem to affect the customer base. Even
though we went a bit early for dinner it was quite busy. However, we had almost
immediate seating. We were shown to a lounge area table for two. That area has
elevated tables with stools and bench seats to match. I suppose they were
saving the regular dining area booths for larger parties. The seats are okay
once you climb up and in but I would prefer a regular booth the next time if at
all possible.
Our server, Sarah J was quickly there to take our beverage
order. A very personable young lady, Sarah took good care of us during our
visit and her kind words added immeasurably to the dining experience. Red Robin
features Coca Cola products (soft drinks
$2.79) which I prefer and my wife, Janis, ordered her favorite, a banana
milkshake (Classic Milkshakes and Malts.
Choose from chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana, raspberry or peach. Classic
$3.99, Monster, milkshake with a refill tin $4.99). The beverages arrive in short order and we
sipped as we read the menu. It is similar to previous Red Robin menus we have
seen but there are a lot of new additions as well as old favorites. There is a
section for substitutions and sides as well as a variety of sauces to “Customize
Your Order.”
In spite of the new and tantalizing dishes offered, we
ordered much as we have always when dining Red Robin. We are, after all,
creatures of habit. Janis ordered her usual, the Crispy Chicken Burger ($9.99 Anything between two buns is a burger
to us, even if it’s made with a premium whole chicken breast. The only things
that could top this burger are pickles, tomatoes, onion and mayo.) She
chose the bottomless fries as her side dish. It is a large serving of chicken,
the flattened breast overhanging the large bun on all sides. It was cooked a
nice golden brown and with a crispy crust, moist and tender inside. Janis said
it was very tasty and she had no difficulty in finishing her meal; well, a
small scrap of sandwich to take home for a couple of real dogs (who gave the
crispy chicken burger their seal of approval). The fries were, as expected,
very good. Red Robin is noted for their steak fries always served cooked to a
tee and served piping hot.
I have a couple of burgers that I switch between but this
time I chose the Bacon Cheese Burger ($9.99
Bacon. It makes everything better; even our cheeseburger which is tough to
beat. Topped with mayo, tomatoes and your choice of cheese.) The meat is
cooked to order. I chose Swiss cheese for my burger, and of course, I chose the
fries. Read the menu thoroughly. There are no-charge substitutions for the
fries, such as side salad, broccoli and coleslaw, which are bottomless like the
fries. The burger was made from a large, nicely toasted sesame seed bun. The
patty was grilled with a bit of crispy char, cooked to order, not pink, but
not well done, and was very flavorful beef. The Swiss cheese was nicely
melted and there were fresh tomatoes and crispy lettuce. The bacon was two full
strips cooked almost crispy. As I mentioned, the meat had a very good flavor by
itself and the rest of the ingredients made for a delicious hamburger, one that
I really enjoyed. I also love my French fries. I especially like the steak
fries served by Red Robin. I asked Sarah one of her frequent appearances for an
additional order of fries. It seemed that it was taking a long time but she
arrived right on time with the fresh, piping hot order of fries just as I was
down to the two or three from the original serving. I thoroughly enjoyed my
reintroduction to Red Robin. Sorry Dogs, there wasn’t anything left to bring
home.
Red Robin,
St Petersburg, Florida
Tyrone Mall
2468 Tyrone Blvd Suite 435B
St
Petersburg, FL 33710 (727) 345-3581
Our last meal at a Red Robin was during our last trip
together to Alaska some three or four years ago. During our Alaska residence it
was a favorite place to go for that special hamburger and a milkshake (not to
mention the “bottomless fries”). During our tenure in Florida, at first there
were no Red Robins. Not too long ago we learned that there was a Red Robin a
bit to the north of Orlando. As good as the Red Robin sandwiches are, a six to
eight hour driving round trip was just a bit too much. About the middle of last
year we read in the paper that Red Robin was going to build a restaurant in the
Tyrone Mall, just a few blocks from where we live. That was good news indeed.
That Red Robin was completed a bit before the Christmas season but we never
managed to make our way there for a meal until today. That’s not to say that
the spouse didn’t visit and get me a gift card from Red Robin to help fill my
Christmas stocking. With gift card in hand, we went to Red Robin for a
Valentine’s Day Red Robin Hamburger.
This particular Red Robin is almost hidden. The large
parking lot of the mall makes for a large set back and there is no attention
getting sign; you sort of have to know where it is because it is not readily
apparent from the street. That didn’t seem to affect the customer base. Even
though we went a bit early for dinner it was quite busy. However, we had almost
immediate seating. We were shown to a lounge area table for two. That area has
elevated tables with stools and bench seats to match. I suppose they were
saving the regular dining area booths for larger parties. The seats are okay
once you climb up and in but I would prefer a regular booth the next time if at
all possible.Our server, Sarah J was quickly there to take our beverage
order. A very personable young lady, Sarah took good care of us during our
visit and her kind words added immeasurably to the dining experience. Red Robin
features Coca Cola products (soft drinks
$2.79) which I prefer and my wife, Janis, ordered her favorite, a banana
milkshake (Classic Milkshakes and Malts.
Choose from chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, banana, raspberry or peach. Classic
$3.99, Monster, milkshake with a refill tin $4.99). The beverages arrive in short order and we
sipped as we read the menu. It is similar to previous Red Robin menus we have
seen but there are a lot of new additions as well as old favorites. There is a
section for substitutions and sides as well as a variety of sauces to “Customize
Your Order.”In spite of the new and tantalizing dishes offered, we
ordered much as we have always when dining Red Robin. We are, after all,
creatures of habit. Janis ordered her usual, the Crispy Chicken Burger ($9.99 Anything between two buns is a burger
to us, even if it’s made with a premium whole chicken breast. The only things
that could top this burger are pickles, tomatoes, onion and mayo.) She
chose the bottomless fries as her side dish. It is a large serving of chicken,
the flattened breast overhanging the large bun on all sides. It was cooked a
nice golden brown and with a crispy crust, moist and tender inside. Janis said
it was very tasty and she had no difficulty in finishing her meal; well, a
small scrap of sandwich to take home for a couple of real dogs (who gave the
crispy chicken burger their seal of approval). The fries were, as expected,
very good. Red Robin is noted for their steak fries always served cooked to a
tee and served piping hot. |
| Bacon cheeseburger on a serving plate |
 |
| Bacon Swiss cheeseburger in a basket (New Mexico) |
There was nothing wrong with our sandwiches and we will be
going back to Red Robin, that is for sure. I do have some observations about
perceptions and presentation that really didn’t affect the quality of the food.
In all previous visits to Red Robins, the service was in a more traditional
burger basket with a sheet of wax paper liner. The burger was also wrapped with
the top half exposed ala the roadside diner hamburger tradition. The back side
of the burger was compressed a bit and that forced some of the filling towards
the unwrapped top. The bun gaped a bit and the effect was a humongous hamburger. As well, the basket
was a bit smaller than the serving plate in use at this Red Robin and that made
the combination of burger and fries look very large indeed.
This meal was served on a flat, rectangular plate with the
burger sitting flat, unwrapped and secured with a wooden skewer. The fries are in a serving ring, much like a
fries to go carton but without a bottom and made of stainless steel. With the
contents of my meal displayed on the larger plate the effect was of a much smaller
meal than I remembered; the perceptions from the presentation. I had to look
closely to be sure it was the same sized burger that I remembered. The burger was delicious, the fries excellent
but even though I am sure the burger is the same size, I am also sure that the
supplier is cutting the fries from a slightly smaller potato that before; they
are good fries just a bit smaller. I don’t believe that is of any real
importance because you can have as many as you can eat.
If you haven’t been to a Red Robin in some time or the
restaurant chain is new to you, try them. I’m sure you will be glad you did and
it will become one of your favorite places to go for that special burger.
Labels: banana, bottomless, chicken, Coke, Florida, French fries, gourmet, hamburger, milkshake, Red Robin, Sandwich, St Petersburg
¶ 4:30 PM 0 Comments
Monday, January 27, 2014
SPARC After Holiday Party - Kristina's Cafe
.jpg "Panorama of SPARC. I hope I got everyone in the picture. Sorry if I left you out.")
Kristina’s Café
3590 34th St N, St Petersburg, FL 33713 (727) 526-6673
The St Petersburg Amateur Radio Club holds an annual after the holidays party. Traditionally it is held at Kristina’s Café. From the perspective of the club members it is a time to meet, come face to face with voices on the radio, remake and rekindle or make new friendships and, well I “gotta” say it, catch up on all the gossip all while having a lot of fun.
From the perspective of the harried servers and cooks at Kristina’s it is the sudden arrival of fifty plus ravenous appetites, loud and laughing and having a good time (but otherwise well behaved) customers all ordering at the same time and from the full menu. How can you possibly plan for that?
A special note at this year’s party was the attendance of Woody, K4SCL. The club honored Woody with a plaque citing his over forty years of Amateur Radio Service both to the club and to the community. Active in the club, serving in many roles, of late he has been a net control operator and liaison to the National Traffic Net spending many hours every day handling traffic for the net. I have talked with Woody many times on the radio but had never met him in person. In later years, as Bob, KC4SXO said, “Woody sightings have become few and far between.” Over ninety years of age, Woody has decided it is time to slow down a bit. We were all honored to have him and his wife join us for the After Holiday Party.
Usually a restaurant will offer a limited menu for large group gatherings. The constraints of so many people, such short time and so many possible selections can be wholly intimidating. Each year the staff of Kristina’s is up to the daunting challenge.
Although I saw dishes from all parts of the menu being served, I will only report on my wife Janis’ and my selection. Memory can be persistent even if only subliminally. Janis and I both duplicated our order from last year’s party almost exactly. It was good then so it will most likely be good again.
.jpg "A bowl of tasty potato soup - soup of the day for Sunday.")
Janis started off with a bowl of the soup of the day. Kristina features a
different soup each day of the week. Since this was Sunday, the selection was
Cream of Potato Soup ($2.25 bowl).
It was a nice thick and creamy soup with lots of potatoes and vegetables served with several packets of saltine crackers. She said it was very good, very tasty and she certainly had no trouble finishing her bowl of soup.
.jpg "Roast beef and turkey club with coleslaw.")
The main part of her meal was to be the Roast Beef and Turkey Club ($6.25);
the same as last year. Since she was having the soup, she didn’t want the side
order that would come with her sandwich. Since my plate is a convenient
depository for unwanted food, she asked me what I wanted her to order. I chose
the coleslaw since I was already having French fries with my order. The sandwich
was made with the thinner, sandwich sliced bread and toasted nicely. The thin
slices of bread mean that the filling has to be more than adequate to make the
sandwich stand out. There is plenty of beef and turkey as well as the lettuce
and tomato to fill the sandwich.
Janis enjoyed her sandwich saying that it was very good but could only eat half and asked for a take home container for the other half to enjoy at a later time.
.jpg "Steak Hoagie with beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms and Mozzarella cheese. What is not to like?")
My Déjà vu order was the Steak Hoagie ($6.25); similar to a Philly
cheesesteak sandwich but with sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms and melted
Mozzarella cheese all on a hot, toasted hoagie bun. My side of choice was French
fries but don’t forget, I was also having coleslaw. On arrival it was a full
plate and included a spear of dill pickle.
The sandwich was full of all kinds of good things, meat, peppers onions, mushrooms and cheese. So much in fact that picking up the sandwich dumped lots of the filling on the plate. No matter, it tasted just as good off a fork. It was nice tender beef with lots of flavor from the vegetables and cheese; a thoroughly and filling sandwich. The coleslaw, a small serving actually, was good. It is a finely chopped cabbage with a mild dressing, not too tart and not too sweet; enough to moisten the cabbage but not compete with the flavor and not too much to drip into the serving plate.A good accompaniment but not an all-star to stand by itself. The French fries, still hot from the fryer, were not oily, were crisp and tasty. They were good French fries. I enjoyed my meal very much. It was good food to start with but being surrounded by so many, as Donn, N4KII, would say, “hamsters” made it even more enjoyable. I am already looking forward to next year.
.jpg "Woody. K4SCL, receiving plaque of appreciation from Club President, Bob, N2ESP")
Kristina’s Café
3590 34th St N, St Petersburg, FL 33713 (727) 526-6673
The St Petersburg Amateur Radio Club holds an annual after the holidays party. Traditionally it is held at Kristina’s Café. From the perspective of the club members it is a time to meet, come face to face with voices on the radio, remake and rekindle or make new friendships and, well I “gotta” say it, catch up on all the gossip all while having a lot of fun.
From the perspective of the harried servers and cooks at Kristina’s it is the sudden arrival of fifty plus ravenous appetites, loud and laughing and having a good time (but otherwise well behaved) customers all ordering at the same time and from the full menu. How can you possibly plan for that?
A special note at this year’s party was the attendance of Woody, K4SCL. The club honored Woody with a plaque citing his over forty years of Amateur Radio Service both to the club and to the community. Active in the club, serving in many roles, of late he has been a net control operator and liaison to the National Traffic Net spending many hours every day handling traffic for the net. I have talked with Woody many times on the radio but had never met him in person. In later years, as Bob, KC4SXO said, “Woody sightings have become few and far between.” Over ninety years of age, Woody has decided it is time to slow down a bit. We were all honored to have him and his wife join us for the After Holiday Party.
Usually a restaurant will offer a limited menu for large group gatherings. The constraints of so many people, such short time and so many possible selections can be wholly intimidating. Each year the staff of Kristina’s is up to the daunting challenge.
Although I saw dishes from all parts of the menu being served, I will only report on my wife Janis’ and my selection. Memory can be persistent even if only subliminally. Janis and I both duplicated our order from last year’s party almost exactly. It was good then so it will most likely be good again.
Janis started off with a bowl of the soup of the day. Kristina features a
different soup each day of the week. Since this was Sunday, the selection was
Cream of Potato Soup ($2.25 bowl).It was a nice thick and creamy soup with lots of potatoes and vegetables served with several packets of saltine crackers. She said it was very good, very tasty and she certainly had no trouble finishing her bowl of soup.
The main part of her meal was to be the Roast Beef and Turkey Club ($6.25);
the same as last year. Since she was having the soup, she didn’t want the side
order that would come with her sandwich. Since my plate is a convenient
depository for unwanted food, she asked me what I wanted her to order. I chose
the coleslaw since I was already having French fries with my order. The sandwich
was made with the thinner, sandwich sliced bread and toasted nicely. The thin
slices of bread mean that the filling has to be more than adequate to make the
sandwich stand out. There is plenty of beef and turkey as well as the lettuce
and tomato to fill the sandwich.Janis enjoyed her sandwich saying that it was very good but could only eat half and asked for a take home container for the other half to enjoy at a later time.
My Déjà vu order was the Steak Hoagie ($6.25); similar to a Philly
cheesesteak sandwich but with sautéed onions, peppers, mushrooms and melted
Mozzarella cheese all on a hot, toasted hoagie bun. My side of choice was French
fries but don’t forget, I was also having coleslaw. On arrival it was a full
plate and included a spear of dill pickle. The sandwich was full of all kinds of good things, meat, peppers onions, mushrooms and cheese. So much in fact that picking up the sandwich dumped lots of the filling on the plate. No matter, it tasted just as good off a fork. It was nice tender beef with lots of flavor from the vegetables and cheese; a thoroughly and filling sandwich. The coleslaw, a small serving actually, was good. It is a finely chopped cabbage with a mild dressing, not too tart and not too sweet; enough to moisten the cabbage but not compete with the flavor and not too much to drip into the serving plate.A good accompaniment but not an all-star to stand by itself. The French fries, still hot from the fryer, were not oily, were crisp and tasty. They were good French fries. I enjoyed my meal very much. It was good food to start with but being surrounded by so many, as Donn, N4KII, would say, “hamsters” made it even more enjoyable. I am already looking forward to next year.
Labels: After Holidays Party, Amateur Radio, cheese, cheesesteak, club sandwich, coleslaw, French fries, hoagie, Kristina's, mozzarella, mushrooms, pepper. onions, potato soup, roast beef, SPARC, St Petersburg, steak, turkey
¶ 10:05 AM 0 Comments
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
SPARCFest
SPARC Dogs And SPARC Burgers
SPARCFest 2013 on YouTube: http://youtu.be/uwQPQmyfw68
I suppose the first question is, “What is a SPARCFest?” That’s an easy answer. It is a Ham Fest put on by SPARC. Yes, I can clear that up too. SPARC is my
radio club, the St Petersburg
Amateur Radio Club.
A Ham Fest is a gathering of hams, amateur radio operators who come from far
and wide to meet, engage in good ham fellowship, meet old friends and meet new
ones and perhaps to put a face with the voice they have talked to on the radio.
A Ham Fest is also a tailgate gathering where surplus amateur equipment is
bought, sold and traded; a good place to look for bargains. They can be local,
informal events or large, ambitious undertakings with manufacturers and retail outlets in
attendance. The Ham Fests are natural magnets for the area’s ham radio
aficionados.
My club, the St Petersburg Amateur Radio Club, was this
event’s sponsor and it was staged at Freedom Lake Park, located in Pinellas
Park, Florida. It was an excellent venue for the event. The weather was mild; a
cool morning becoming a balmy afternoon. There was lots of cushiony green grass.
The rippling blue waters of the lake could be seen between the tall pines trees
that provided a moving curtain of shade all during the Ham Fest.
The club also provided the food offering donuts, coffee,
sodas, water and SPARC Burgers and SPARC Dogs for sale. Ron, KP2N (that’s how
hams do it, first name and call sign) has been the chief cook and bottle washer
at these events for many years, or as Donn, N4KII, would say, purveyor of burnt
offerings. All kidding aside, Don, KP2N, does an excellent job. My first taste
of a SPARCDog was back in June during the
ARRL Field Day. After a long day on the air, talking to other
amateur operators all over the United States, Canada and the world, I was
hungry and a SPARCDog was just the thing. Since then I have waited, although
not always patiently, for another and the opportunity came early this November
at the SPARCFest. 
I sat across from Linda, KI4RV. She was just finishing up
her SPARCDog and SPARCBurger. She told me she was thinking very seriously about
having another of each. I decided to start with the SPARCDog. It was a fresh
bun, toasted over the charcoal grill. The hot dog was grilled and not burnt
thankfully. The onions were fresh, only recent y diced. The relish was the typical sweet pickle
relish, from a large jar recently opened. The mustard was from a name-brand
family sized bottle just opened. It is my understanding that hot dogs are
removed from their casing after being cooked at the factory. Perhaps it was
just in the grilling but the dog seemed to have a snap like a sausage still in
the casing. The taste was just what you would expect and want from a dog that
had been dressed the way you like it.
Next I tried the SPARCBurger. Again, a fresh bun, toasted
over the charcoal grill. Whereas the SPARCDog is served on a hot dog boat, the
SPARCBurger is served open-faced on a saucer-sized plate. Served from the
grill, it is a basic burger; meat, cheese and a bun. With the available
condiments, catsup, mustard, relish and onions, I could have made a McDonalds
cheeseburger clone minus the dill chips. In used a swirl of catsup to moisten
the burger but a small enough amount as to not change the flavor of the burger.
It really wasn’t needed. The burger was cooked through but not overcooked, not
dried out. The patty was still moist, the juices running clear. Ron, KP2N,
seasons the patties with salt and pepper so no additional seasoning is needed.
The burger was tasty. He also uses only Nathan's Hot Dogs.Labels: amateur, burger, dog, Florida, freedom lake, ham, hamfest, park, Pinellas park, radio, SPARCBurger, SPARCDog, SPARCFest, St Petersburg
¶ 5:58 PM 0 Comments
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Sonny's Barbecue - A Changed Perspective
(727) 341-2990 http://www.sonnysbbq.com/
The ribs, two portions of what I would guess you call a half-rack
of ribs, were meaty, cooked to fall off the bone tender. They were very
flavorful. The order came with a selection of sauces; mild and sweet were our
favorites. The barbecue beans were tender and flavorful, an excellent side. The
macaroni and cheese was very good but not as creamy as I remembered from the
SPARC Field Day meal. Nonetheless, it too was an excellent side dish and the
blandness of the mac and cheese made a nice contrast to the spiciness of the
ribs in barbecue sauce. The broccoli was steamed tender, not overcooked, and
with the slightest sprinkle of salt or salt substitute, very tasty. The toast
was mildly garlic but toasted just right. We set the table with a roll of paper
towels instead of the usual soft paper napkins. That was a good idea; the
barbecue sauce is sticky and seems to migrate everywhere on your face and chin.
A damp washcloth would have been even better.
Sonny’s
Real Pit Bar-B-Q (my local store)
3650
Tyrone Blvd N, St Petersburg, FL 33710
A few weeks
ago if you asked me about Sonny’s Barbecue I would have said, “Yes. I have
eaten there a couple of times quite a long time ago.” My first visit was in
January of 2007. I would have added that I thought the meat was fine but that I
really didn’t care for the barbecue sauce, the vinegary Carolina style (and I did
try all of the sauces provided in a table rack of cruets). I would have
concluded my comments with I wasn’t at all interested in going back for a third
visit to Sonny’s; not that it was bad, it just wasn’t to my tastes.
To anyone
who grew up in California in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, Loves Barbecue and the
jingle, “When you’re in Love’s the whole world’s delicious” are well known. I
think most of us have eaten at Loves at least once. That of course would set
the bench mark for which all future barbecue encounters would be judged. Their
sauce was thick and clingy, tomato based and slightly sweet. When paired with
their excellently prepared beef, pork and chicken it was a defiant statement;
this is barbecue! Alas, Loves is no more. The once thriving chain has fallen
victim to corporate infighting and franchise disputes. They have a web site
that offers their barbecue sauce and I am thinking that I will order some just
to see.
Unfortunately
for Sonny’s, my memories of Love’s were strong and Sonny’s fare did not measure
up to what I expected or remembered; the benchmark set by Love’s. In all likely
hoods the meat fresh from the smoker at both places would have been comparable;
the conflict was simply in the sauce. That is the way it would have remained
had it not been for a chance encounter with a Sonny’s product I had never
sampled before. It was sort of a blind taste test. My amateur radio club,
SPARC, was participating in the National ARRL Field Day, a marathon of radio
communications for twenty-four hours. The club provided the evening meal:
barbecued ribs in a thick sweet sauce, macaroni and cheese in a succulent thick
cheese sauce, barbecued beans that were scrumptious, a wonderful coleslaw and a
magnificent cornbread (descriptions may reflect that I was very hungry at the
time). Kidding aside, it was a delicious meal. I asked around, curious about
this new barbecue place with the excellent food. I was, to say the least,
flabbergasted when I learned it was Sonny’s.
The wife and
I agreed that one day, when we had been busy and time was short for dinner, we
would order out from Sonny’s, an outing of rediscovery. That night was tonight.
We telephoned in our order; Ribs for Two ($21.97 Enjoy an overflowing
plate of our Sweet & Smokey or Classic Dry Rub Ribs served with your choice
of three Sidekicks and Garlic Bread or Homemade Cornbread. Not available at all locations.)
Ribs For Two was available at the Tyrone store. We selected our sidekicks; (Sidekicks: Crinkle Cut French Fries, Baked Potato - Not available at
all locations, Baked Sweet Potato, Homemade Macaroni &
Cheese, Corn on the Cob, Original Recipe Bar-B-Q Beans, Fresh Made Coleslaw, Vegetables
- Varies by locations, Backyard Garden Salad - Varies by locations, Loaded Mashed Potatoes - Not available at all locations, and Cinnamon Apples - Not available at all locations). Our first
choices were macaroni and cheese, barbecued beans and cinnamon apples. The
cinnamon apples were not available at the Tyrone store so we then chose
vegetables. There was an additional choice of either steamed green beans or
broccoli. We chose the broccoli. We also selected the garlic bread.
The on-line menu is not all that easy to read. The to-go
section lists a family of four selection and under ribs and specialties it list
the ribs for two but they are available to go – you basically have to read all
the menu to find your choices.
Ordering over the phone went smoothly. In spite of the
receptionist being in a high noise area, we didn’t have to repeat ourselves and
the read back of the order was correct. She was polite and helpful and on
request totaled the order for us. Our name given, she said the order would be
ready on-call, just ask for Andersen, at the take-out window in about ten
minutes.
On arrival we opened the packages and surveyed our
purchase. At first I thought the side orders were a bit on the small side. But
considering the size of the barbecued ribs portion it was indeed a meal for
two. Enough a meal for two that we split one portion of the ribs and saved the
other for the next night. All we would need would be a side made at home to
make the meal complete.
The ribs, two portions of what I would guess you call a half-rack
of ribs, were meaty, cooked to fall off the bone tender. They were very
flavorful. The order came with a selection of sauces; mild and sweet were our
favorites. The barbecue beans were tender and flavorful, an excellent side. The
macaroni and cheese was very good but not as creamy as I remembered from the
SPARC Field Day meal. Nonetheless, it too was an excellent side dish and the
blandness of the mac and cheese made a nice contrast to the spiciness of the
ribs in barbecue sauce. The broccoli was steamed tender, not overcooked, and
with the slightest sprinkle of salt or salt substitute, very tasty. The toast
was mildly garlic but toasted just right. We set the table with a roll of paper
towels instead of the usual soft paper napkins. That was a good idea; the
barbecue sauce is sticky and seems to migrate everywhere on your face and chin.
A damp washcloth would have been even better.
Out of curiosity, I looked at the catering menu. The cost
per person of the food serve at the Field Day was about $10.99. That pits the
catered meal on a par with our meal, a dinner for two at $21.97 (you know, with
tax and all that stuff). Considering the entrée, the ribs, will last us through
two meals, even with adding a home cooked side, the cost per meal for our at
home meal will be just a bit over six dollars, pretty reasonable for an
excellent, satisfying meal.
I don’t know if the ribs were on the Sonny’s menu before.
They may very well have been there but as I mentioned, the menu isn’t all that
easy to read; an unusual grouping at least on the online version. From this I
have learned to read the entire menu even if I have already decided what I want
to order. Otherwise I might just miss something better. In this case
happenstance reintroduced me to a restaurant I would have otherwise ignored.
Now, if someone asks me about Sonny’s, I will say, “Yes! I have eaten there and
they have some wonderful things that call for another visit one day soon.”
Labels: Amateur Radio, bar-b-q, barbecue, barbecue sauce, barbecued beans, club, garlic toast, love's, mac and cheese, macaroni and cheese, ribs, Sonny's, SPARC, St Petersburg
¶ 8:29 AM 0 Comments
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Kissin Cuzzins - St. Petersburg, Florida a 2013 Revisit
KissinCuzzins
2013
Jeri’s sandwich had an attractive plating, the light rye bread toasted to a “pretty as a picture’ golden brown. It was a large sandwich with the corned beef spilling out over the sides of the bread. It came with a dill pickle spear and a small bowl of coleslaw. She said the sandwich was excellent, very tasty. The preparation was well practiced, not too much dressing to make it wet nor too little and make it dry; just right. The bread was crispy toasted on the outside, soft, tender and hot bread spreading a wonderful rye smell. The meat was tender and tasty. In spite of being a large sandwich, she managed to finish her meal. The slaw was of green cabbage, fresh and crisp with a mild, favorable dressing. A thoroughly filling and enjoyable meal.
My Philly
sub was a plateful. With that kind of sandwich I suppose it is hard to be
artistic in plating. However, all the good filling in the sandwiches and the
pile of French fries with a dill spear garnish looked very food to me. “The
proof…” they say, “is in the eating.” The crinkle cut fries were done to a nice
golden brown, fresh out of the fryer, hot and crispy. With a sprinkle of salt,
they were excellent. I ate the pickle, it was crisp, but I don’t remember much
about it as I was very much preoccupied with the sandwich. First off, when you make a sandwich like this,
cutting through and leaving a bit of crust for a hinge, the bread has to be
fresh. If the bread is not fresh it will fall apart on the first bite spilling
the contents onto the plate or your lap. In this instance the bread was very
fresh, the crust a nice elastic; slightly chewy. The bread folded over the
ample filling making a nice easy to eat bundle. There was lots of beef, grilled
onions, mushrooms and peppers all slathered with stringy melted Mozzarella
cheese. What’s not to like? It was indeed an excellent sandwich and made for a
filling meal. I will, in all probability, order the Philly sub if ever I make it back to Kissin Cuzzins
again.
KissinCuzzins
2013
951 34th St N
St Petersburg, FL 33733
Neighborhood: Tyrone
St Petersburg, FL 33733
Neighborhood: Tyrone
(727) 323-3915
Mon-Fri 7a – 2p Sat-Sun 7a – 3p
On the very first journey to Florida to
meet the soon to be in-laws, they just had to take me to one of their favorite
places to go for a breakfast out. As they grew older, mother and father in-law
cooked and ate in less and ate out more often; often enough that they were
known by the serving staff on a first name basis. Back then there were three
Kissin Cuzzins, long established casual family eateries. Over the years the
neighborhood demographics changed and more and more fast food servers moved
into the neighborhood. One family restaurant,
all brand new with shiny chrome, set up shop only two blocks down the street. Such
intense competition had severe consequences for Kissin Cuzzins. The two other
stores closed some years ago and only the 34th St store, the
flagship store, remained open. In a well thought out move, Cuzzins went lean
and mean paring down hours, closing in the midafternoon, concentrating on their
forte, breakfast and lunch. Cuzzins has survived and is still here as well as
the fast food emporiums that abound all along 34th Street. However,
the upstart that opened just two blocks down the street closed a year or so ago,
fenced off and looking forlorn, weeds poking up through the parking lot, it has
long been up for sale.
The in-laws have passed on. But in their
tradition, that visitors to the Jones house must partake of a breakfast at the
Kissin Cuzzins, lives on. After a morning of busy sightseeing activity, I took our
California house guest, Jeri, to lunch. The Cuzzins was moderately busy and we
had to park in the overflow lot. However, we got immediate seating in a booth
on the north side. As is usual for the Cuzzins, the hostess and the servers we
quick and courteous.
Sipping on our already arrived beverages,
we studied the menu. Jeri chose The Rueben ($7.49 Corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss on
grilled rye). I was about to go with my usual standby, the cheeseburger, when
the Philly-Style Hoagie ($7.99 Thinly sliced beef, onions, peppers, mushrooms and
Mozzarella cheese on a toasted sun roll) caught my eye. I had recently had a
Philly sub from another restaurant and on impulse I decided to compare the two.
Jeri’s sandwich had an attractive plating, the light rye bread toasted to a “pretty as a picture’ golden brown. It was a large sandwich with the corned beef spilling out over the sides of the bread. It came with a dill pickle spear and a small bowl of coleslaw. She said the sandwich was excellent, very tasty. The preparation was well practiced, not too much dressing to make it wet nor too little and make it dry; just right. The bread was crispy toasted on the outside, soft, tender and hot bread spreading a wonderful rye smell. The meat was tender and tasty. In spite of being a large sandwich, she managed to finish her meal. The slaw was of green cabbage, fresh and crisp with a mild, favorable dressing. A thoroughly filling and enjoyable meal.
My Philly
sub was a plateful. With that kind of sandwich I suppose it is hard to be
artistic in plating. However, all the good filling in the sandwiches and the
pile of French fries with a dill spear garnish looked very food to me. “The
proof…” they say, “is in the eating.” The crinkle cut fries were done to a nice
golden brown, fresh out of the fryer, hot and crispy. With a sprinkle of salt,
they were excellent. I ate the pickle, it was crisp, but I don’t remember much
about it as I was very much preoccupied with the sandwich. First off, when you make a sandwich like this,
cutting through and leaving a bit of crust for a hinge, the bread has to be
fresh. If the bread is not fresh it will fall apart on the first bite spilling
the contents onto the plate or your lap. In this instance the bread was very
fresh, the crust a nice elastic; slightly chewy. The bread folded over the
ample filling making a nice easy to eat bundle. There was lots of beef, grilled
onions, mushrooms and peppers all slathered with stringy melted Mozzarella
cheese. What’s not to like? It was indeed an excellent sandwich and made for a
filling meal. I will, in all probability, order the Philly sub if ever I make it back to Kissin Cuzzins
again.Labels: beef, coleslaw, corned beef, Cuzzins, dill pickle, Florida, French fries, Kissin, mushrooms, onions, peppers, Philly cheesesteak, Reuben, St Petersburg
¶ 11:21 AM 0 Comments
