Left at the Fork

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Author: Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle (Page 61 of 61)

A lunch-size portion of mofongo with chicken

ME Casa, Jersey City NJ

September 24, 2014 / / 2 Comments

REVIEW

We won’t pretend to be experts on Puerto Rican cuisine, but we are experts on what we like. And we like what’s served at the small and unobtrusive, below-street-level ME Casa very much. The owners call the cuisine Puerto Rican-inspired, not Puerto Rican. The mofongo sure seemed like the real thing. Mofongo begins with green plantains, which are fried and then pounded with garlic and chicharrones in a mortar-and-pestle-like device called a pilon. At least, the best ones, like that served at ME Casa, use a pilon. The result, a garlicky mound filled with crusty bits, reminds us texturally of Thanksgiving stuffing. Choose your topping: beef, shrimp, or chicken. This is very easy-to-enjoy eating, Puerto Rican soul food. Continue reading

The GCCB at Santa Fe's Plaza Cafe features a whole section of roasted green chile.

Green Chile Cheeseburger Time in Santa Fe

September 23, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Fall is prime time for green chile lovers in New Mexico, as that’s when the pods are harvested and roasted. One of the most popular uses for the vegetable is as a garnish on a green chile cheeseburger. There are as many thoughts on what constitutes a proper GCCB as there are GCCB fanatics. Should the chile be whole, chopped, or a sauce? Which should speak loudest, the beef or the chile? Hot or mild? A garnish or a flood? With or without lettuce, tomato, onion, or bacon? We love the GCCB as much as anyone, and our preferences are for hot chile and no other garnishes to dilute the chile flavor. And we think the chile is more important than the meat. Continue reading

Pepe's Boston arrival will be delayed, at best.

Pepe’s Interruptus

September 23, 2014 / / 1 Comment

Pepe’s Pizzeria Napoletana of New Haven, CT and the city of Boston have been conducting a courtship dance since March. It looked like a done deal. The Fireplace, of Brookline, was to close its doors in December, and Pepe’s was to move into that vacated spot. The people of Boston rejoiced! Alas, Pepe’s penetration into the Boston market was not to be, as the owner of The Fireplace, Jim Solomon, withdrew his offer to make way for the Connecticut pizzeria. Like a wallflower who is suddenly dazzled by the attention, Mr. Solomon decided to stay and enjoy the party. Not that we blame him. But the birth of a Boston Pepe’s will just have to wait.

They were out of the extra-wide zep rolls, so they built our large zep using regular long rolls. Since they also came from the Conshohocken Bakery, they had that distinctive soft/chewy texture.

Lou’s Steak Shop, Norristown PA

September 22, 2014 / / 1 Comment

REVIEW

We’re sitting at the counter enjoying our sandwiches when the cook addresses the old man eating soup and crackers to our left: “You doin’ OK? Are these people bothering you?” He motions toward us. The man smiles and continues spooning into his bowl of soup. “What kind of shake you got?” Now he’s talking to us. Our waitress fixed us a superlative chocolate shake. He scrunched up his face. “I only like banella shakes. You know banella? The little kids down the street, they come in here asking for banella, now they got me saying it.” Continue reading

B & W calls this "heavy crumb cake." You'll understand as you carry a bag out the door. For visual reference, this cake is, we would guess, about a 10-inch square, cut from a large tray. Trays of this extremely popular pastry are baked and brought out throughout the day.
B & W calls this "heavy crumb cake." You'll understand as you carry a bag out the door. For visual reference, this cake is, we would guess, about a 10-inch square, cut from a large tray. Trays of this extremely popular pastry are baked and brought out throughout the day.

B & W Bakery, Hackensack NJ

September 18, 2014 / / 0 Comments

REVIEW

Have you had New Jersey-style crumb cake? If you’re not from the Northeast it’s likely you haven’t. Once you do you may find that standard issue crumb cake just doesn’t do it for you anymore. What makes the Jersey edition unique is how the crumb cake concept is turned on its head. It’s all about the crumbs. Oh, there’s cake, but the half-inch of pastry supports four times its height in sweet crumbs!

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Slingers are associated more with St. Louis than Chicago, but don't let that stop you from enjoying one at Chicago's Diner Grill, particularly if it's after midnight.

Diner Grill, Chicago IL

September 17, 2014 / / 2 Comments

REVIEW

Molecular cuisine, it’s not. Chicago does offer three Michelin stars at Grant Achatz’s cutting edge Alinea, but does Alinea offer a slinger in a repurposed trolley car? No, for that you’ll have to travel ten minutes north, to the neighborhood of Lakeview, and the notorious Diner Grill.

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