Month: April 2015 (Page 2 of 4)
The Rathskeller, Indianapolis IN
REVIEW
Visit just about any Midwestern city and you’ll find at least one 19th-century German restaurant still operating and thriving. German cuisine may have been the most out-of-fashion food in the country for ages (although, lately, it’s showing signs of life), but we find it hard to resist a visit to these great old dining halls. The Rathskeller is Indy’s oldest restaurant (open since 1894), and can be found in a building originally known as Das Deutsche Haus, a German social club. Continue reading
HAPPY NATIONAL GARLIC DAY!
Valois, Chicago IL
REVIEW
“See Your Food.” That’s Valois’ motto, and a curious one at that until you realize that it’s a cafeteria, where you have the opportunity to see your food before you order it. And as in all cafeterias, you have to fight back the urge to pile your tray with more food than you can eat. Continue reading
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANIMAL CRACKERS!
Green Dragon Farmers Market, Ephrata PA
REVIEW
One cannot help but be skeptical when confronting a “real” Amish anything in Pennsylvania Dutch country. This area has more than its share of cheap attempts to cash in on the Amish people who do in fact still live here, and the stream of visitors hungry for some contact with Amish culture. Most of these places seem about as authentic as an Arkansas merman. Continue reading
HAPPY NATIONAL CHEESEBALL DAY!
Luna Sea Fish House, Yachats OR
REVIEW
Robert Anthony is a Yachats-based fisherman. He owns the F/V Liberty II and uses it to fish for halibut, crab, salmon, and albacore. You can eat the creatures he catches at his tiny restaurant on Highway 101 in Yachats, across the street from the Green Salmon coffeehouse, or stop by to pick up the raw ingredients if you prefer to do the cooking yourself. Continue reading
HAPPY DAY OF THE MUSHROOM!
Feltman’s and Coney Island, Together Again
The story’s been told many times. In the early 1900s, a man by the name of Nathan Handwerker worked at a Coney Island restaurant called Feltman’s. Nathan left Feltman’s to open his own place in Coney Island, specializing in the new sausage invented by Mr. Feltman. He undercut his old employer, offering his “hot dogs” for half the price of Feltman’s. And the rest, as they say, is history, except that the story is always told from the point of view of Mr. Handwerker, to the point that most people with a passing knowledge of hot dog history believe the hot dog was actually invented by Nathan. Continue reading
World’s Biggest Fish Fry, Paris TN, April 18th through 26th 2015
Years ago, during a visit to Nashville, TN, we saw signs for the World’s Biggest Fish Fry, which was going on that same weekend, in Paris, TN. Paris is about two hours west of Nashville and we just couldn’t squeeze it in. Sure wish we could’ve, though, ‘cause it sounds like fun! The Fry began in 1938 as Mule Day, but as tractors replaced mules on local farms the Chamber of Commerce looked for something else to celebrate, and in 1953 catfish was the chosen symbol. 1961 was the year they started calling it the World’s Biggest. Is it? Who cares?! Continue reading
Duff’s, Amherst NY
REVIEW
In the Buffalo world of wings, there’s Anchor Bar, which everyone in America knows about, there’s Duff’s, which everyone in Buffalo knows about, and then there’s just about every other restaurant and bar in the city (where most Buffalo wings are actually consumed). Continue reading
HAPPY NATIONAL GLAZED SPIRAL HAM DAY!
An Interview with the Owner of Hut’s Hamburgers of Austin
Mike Hutchinson purchased Hut’s Hamburgers of Austin, Texas in 1981 when he was 27 years of age. He and his wife Kim still own the 76-year-old burger joint today. Austin Eater interviewed Mr. Hutchinson about the changes he brought to Hut’s (he introduced the 20 burger menu) and his thoughts for its future. He’s tried hard to adapt to evolving tastes by offering something for everyone — he now offers veggie burgers and gluten-free buns as options — but he draws the line at kale. Read the full interview here.
Pennsylvania Relief Sale, Harrisburg PA, April 17th and 18th 2015
Way back in 1957, Ford Berg, pastor of Zion Mennonite Church near Morgantown, Pennsylvania, organized a relief sale on Ralph Hertzler’s farm. Over $4000 was raised. That Tri-Country Relief Sale (Berks, Chester, and Lancaster) evolved into today’s Pennsylvania Relief Sale, which last year raised $478,000 for the Mennonite Central Committee, which does relief work around the world. The centerpiece of the two-day sale is the auction of over 350 gorgeous, handcrafted quilts. See all the quilts available in this year’s auction in this gallery. Continue reading
Dolce & Clemente’s, Robbinsville NJ
REVIEW
Hoagies and heroes: regional terms for the same food item, yet so very different. The Philadelphia hoagie is served on a long roll, just like a hero, but the distinguishing feature is the lettuce/tomato/onion garnish, along with some combination of oil and/or vinegar and/or Italian spices. Lettuce/tomato/onion is so integral to a hoagie that it’s practically the definition. If you order a cheesesteak hoagie, it means you want your cheesesteak topped with LTO. If you want a hoagie without one of the three vegetables you have to specify that explicitly, i.e., Italian hoagie no onion. Continue reading
HAPPY NATIONAL PECAN DAY!
Beer and Cocktails at the New Anchor Bar in Buffalo Suburbs
When Buffalo’s famed Anchor Bar opened their second location, in the village of Williamsville, last year, they aimed for a modern, classy, sleek environment, i.e., not much at all like the original Buffalo bar. Of course, the famous wings are available, but bar patrons will also be greeted by a fireplace, a dozen beers on tap, and plenty of fancy-ass cocktails on the menu. Read more about the new Anchor Bar as a bar in this story in The Buffalo News.
“When the chips are down, pick ’em up and throw ’em!” That’s the motto of the World Championship Cow Chip Throwing Contest or, as the locals refer to it, Cow Chip, held each year in Beaver, Oklahoma. This year marks the 46th annual contest. The actual cow chip throwing takes place on Saturday, April 18th, at 3 p.m., but of course there is much pomp and revelry during the week leading up to the main event. Continue reading
Taylor Grocery and Restaurant, Taylor MS
REVIEW
Taylor Gro. is a legend in these parts, and nationally, too. It closed down a while ago, but a new owner took over, and today it’s thriving. We never had the opportunity to visit the previous incarnation, but it couldn’t have been any more fun than today’s version. Continue reading
