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Category: News (Page 2 of 25)

Is Manny's corned beef Chicago's finest?

New Take-Out Deli Opens Today at Manny’s Cafeteria of Chicago

June 7, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Manny’s Cafeteria & Deli of Chicago, on Jefferson since 1964, today unveiled the completion of their new take-out deli counter as they expanded into space formerly occupied by two adjoining businesses. That counter area (which lacks seating), unlike the cafeteria,  will be open on Sundays. They’ll be offering La Colombe coffee, baked goods made by Patti Raskin, and a greatly expanded selection of smoked fish. In the cafeteria proper, they’ve refinished all the surfaces, added ice cream for shakes, expanded their beer offerings, and replaced the old ticketing system with standard, end-of-the-cafeteria-line credit card payments. This is the first significant renovation of Manny’s since 1965.

Shake Shack Coming to Founder’s Hometown, St. Louis, in 2017

June 6, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Danny Meyer is bringing concretes to the home of Ted Drewes! A native of St. Louis, Shake Shack founder Danny Meyer was no doubt inspired by his hometown legend Ted Drewes and his 1959 creation of the concrete when he conceived of his Shake Shack concretes. Come 2017, Mr. Meyer will be competing on Ted Drewes home turf, although Shake Shack offers much more than Drewes’ frozen custard-centric menu. The new Shake Shack will be located in a totally different neighborhood as well, in the Central West End just east of Forest Park at 32 North Euclid Avenue. This will be the first Missouri Shake Shack.

White and yellow cheddar curds from Renard's Cheese of Door County

Wisconsin Cheese Curds: White or Yellow?

June 6, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Cheese curds, those squeaky unaged nuggets of freshly made cheddar, are one of the three major food groups of Wisconsin (brats are another; the third is either frozen custard or beer, you choose). What’s the best way to eat curds? Your choices are fresh-from-the-bag, accentuating the clean, mild dairy flavor while enjoying the squeak, or breaded and fried, sacrificing squeak for crunch, best accompanied by a cold one. USA Today Network-Wisconsin has taken a look at the white versus yellow issue and discovered that there’s no difference, other than a little flavorless annatto coloring. Continue reading

Get into the donut business - buy a piece of Seattle's Rodeo Donut.

Seattle’s Rodeo Donut Attempts Regulation Crowdfunding

June 6, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Brioche is a pretty delicious thing in itself. Use that butter-and-egg-rich brioche dough as the basis for handmade donuts, as Rodeo Donut has done in Seattle, and you may find you’ve raised the deliciousness bar so high that folks not only want to buy your products, they want to invest in your business. At least, that what the owners of Rodeo Donut are hoping as they are among the first small businesses to attempt to raise capital through the new federal Regulation Crowdfunding regulations. Continue reading

HIV Positive Former Cook for ABQ’s Garcia’s Kitchen Sues for Discrimination

June 5, 2016 / / 0 Comments

One of our favorite breakfast spots in Albuquerque, Garcia’s Kitchen, is being sued for discrimination by a former employee. Pedro Maldonado worked as a cook at the Garcia’s near Old Town (there are seven Garcia’s Kitchens in Albuquerque) in 2014. Mr. Maldonado claims that he was fired after he told his boss he was HIV positive. Garcia’s Kitchen did not comment on this case but stated that they have a policy of not firing employees for serious medical issues. A crowd gathered outside Garcia’s Kitchen Friday night in support of Mr. Maldonado.

Zest in Spring, featuring a lemon garlic sauce and frosted walnuts, is one of four blogger-designed pizzas competing in Tuesday's Pie-Off.

Giordano’s Pie-Off

June 3, 2016 / / 0 Comments

The Andersonville (Chicago) location of Giordano’s is staging their first ever Pie-Off this coming Tuesday, June 7th, from 6 until 8 p.m. Here’s what’s happening: four big-time Chicago food bloggers have been invited to design a signature pizza. All four pizzas will be served at the Andersonville Giordano’s from 6 until 7:15 p.m. — the pizza tasting, open to the public, is complimentary (they’ll try to cash in on your bar bill). Then the public and some invited food media types will vote on their favorites, which will be announced between 7:30 and 7:45 p.m. Continue reading

A Ronald's apple fritter: we believe they serve up one of the best examples of this donut-shop staple.

Vegas Donut Roundup

June 3, 2016 / / 0 Comments

LAF says, right there on the front page, that June 3rd is National Chocolate Macaroon Day, but there’s often more than one food holiday per day. Like today, June 3rd, which is also National Donut Day. In honor of the fried ring pastry, the Las Vegas Review-Journal presents ten Sin City donut shops, none of which are in the Dunkin’-Horton mold. Note that Donut Bar, a new arrival from San Diego, is giving away a free birthday cake donut today to all who show up! We’re kinda liking the looks of that strawberry shortcake donut, with fresh berries and whipped cream, at Glaze Doughnuts as well.

DC’s Ben’s Chili Bowl (Very) Slowly Backs Away from Cosby

June 3, 2016 / / 0 Comments

The Ali family, longtime owners of Washington, D.C.’s famous Ben’s Chili Bowl, has maintained a steadfast public loyalty to entertainer Bill Cosby, who has been something of a mascot to the restaurant for decades. He famously eats free at Ben’s, his giant portrait adorns the mural on the outside of the original U Street location, he cut the ribbon at the opening of their Arlington restaurant in 2014 — the Alis say he is family and one does not turn their back on family when the going gets tough. There have been recent signs, however, that the Alis are having second thoughts. Continue reading

Free Food for Everyone Yesterday at Chicago’s Wiener’s Circle

June 2, 2016 / / 0 Comments

The story goes like this: there was a paperwork mix-up between the Chicago hot dog stand Wiener’s Circle and the Illinois Department of Revenue. The owners, who purchased the restaurant late last year, say it involves paperwork from the previous owners. The result? The Department of Revenue said The Wiener’s Circle Certificate of Registration was revoked and, therefore, they could not open for the day (yesterday) or, to be more precise, they could not open for business. Continue reading

Shake Shack comes to the Twin Cities next week.

Shake Shack Arrives in Minnesota June 9th

June 1, 2016 / / 0 Comments

As we alluded to in our post last week about their 2017 Detroit opening, Shake Shack will be making Minnesota the 15th state to host the burger and shake restaurant. That debut will take place next week, June 9th, in the Culinary on North expansion of the Mall of America in Bloomington. Beef will be supplied locally by the Revier Cattle Company of Olivia. They’ll be pouring local craft brews from Summit, Lift Bridge, Badger Hill, Grain Belt, and Brau Brothers. Continue reading

Snickers Cupcakes by day, cocktails and appetizers by night

Sioux City’s Daily Grind Reborn as Grind Cafe & Lounge

May 31, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Tiffany Parsons baked cupcakes for Sioux City, IA’s premier coffeehouse, The Daily Grind, before eventually purchasing it a few years ago. Coffee and pastries in the morning, soups, salads, and sandwiches for lunch, and, in the evening? Aye, there’s the rub — coffee houses are not ideally suited to serving evening customers and, like The Daily Grind, they usually close before dinner. Tiffany, having none of it, chose a different route starting this March, adding nighttime pizza and appetizers along with wine, beer, and cocktails. She rechristened her space The Grind Cafe & Lounge, hoping to attract a new clientele while continuing to serve her longtime customers. Read more here.

Yocco's hot dogs are well-browned and topped with a dark brew.

Original Yocco’s in Allentown Has Closed

May 30, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Time Marches On, Part 643: After 82 years in business at the same Liberty Street location in Allentown (94 years if you count the 12 years before they moved down the street), Yocco’s decided to close last night. For the last few years, business at the old doggery just couldn’t justify remaining open. Third generation owner Gary Iacocca noted that the overall health of Yocco’s is fine, and not only will the other five area branches of Yocco’s remain open, but a sixth location is soon to be announced. Nevertheless, we’ll miss the gritty urban edge that only this Yocco’s location possessed. See the LAF review of the original joint here.

Moomers Homemade Ice Cream has a repertoire of over 120 flavors.

Moomers of Michigan Named America’s Best Ice Cream Parlor

May 29, 2016 /

They were named the makers of the nation’s best ice cream in 2008 by Good Morning America; they were chosen as Michigan’s second best ice cream parlor by MLive in 2012; and now, in 2016, USAToday’s 10Best poll has crowned Moomers Homemade Ice Cream of Traverse City, MI as the king of America’s ice cream parlors. Are you starting to get the idea that Moomers makes some pretty good ice cream? Third place Doumar’s of Norfolk, VA is famous for the invention of the ice cream cone. Coming in tenth (out of 20 finalists chosen by a team of experts) is our personal favorite ice cream spot, Woodside Farm Creamery of Hockessin, DE, where you can gaze upon the herd of Jerseys that produced the ice cream you are at that moment licking.

The hottest pickles you've ever tasted.

Hot Chili, Hotter Pickles, and a Political Rite of Passage in Topeka

May 28, 2016 / / 0 Comments

In the Little Russia neighborhood of Topeka, KS (settled by Germans by way of Russia, not Russians) sits a modest town grocery with an adjoining deli that was founded in 1947 by a man named Charlie Porubsky. Today, anyone who is anyone in Kansas politics (except for one important guy) makes a point of stopping by to join the regulars for lunch. Charlie’s son and daughter run the place today, still making a daily pot of their famous chili in the cooler months (but no chili on Fridays and Saturdays!) and marinating pickles in so much horseradish that Senator Jerry Moran says “some of them are edible and some of them are impossible to eat.” Continue reading

A 92-year tradition is coming to an end this September in Omaha.

Omaha’s Bohemian Cafe Cuts Back Hours for Final Months

May 27, 2016 / / 0 Comments

If you heard the recent disappointing news that Omaha, NE’s much-loved (but insufficiently visited) Bohemian Cafe would be permanently closing later this year, perhaps you gave thought to stopping by for one last meal, or perhaps even a first meal, before the restaurant classic disappeared forever. Starting June 1st, you’re window of opportunity narrows a bit as Bohemian has announced new hours: 3 – 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. What this means, essentially, is that the Bohemian will no longer be open for lunch; it’s dinners only, folks, until September’s closing. We suggest calling in a reservation ASAP.

Here's a sheaf of hot, juicy Elgin sausage fresh from the pit, minutes before we devoured them.

1882 Sausage

May 26, 2016 / / 0 Comments

When it comes to barbecue beef sausage in Texas, we think there’s none better than the extravagantly juicy links to be found in Elgin, at Southside Market & Barbeque. In fact, we have a couple of packages of the stuff in our freezer at this very moment (having eaten our way through an entire smoked brisket!). We’re particularly fond of the one they call 1882 Recipe, which harkens back to the meat market and smokehouse’s founding. Over the decades, Southside has tamed the heat in their sausage but, if you want to enjoy it the way it was made and served about a century ago, at the original heat level (which is still not all that scorching), 1882 Recipe is for you. Continue reading

Pernil asado: marinated roast pork

Jersey City’s Best

May 25, 2016 / / 0 Comments

New York City food hipsters may not take kindly to the idea that the trip across (or under) the Hudson River for something to eat is worthwhile (judging by the comments) but we, and gothamist, know better. Here they present some of the best of Jersey City, including two of our favorites: Eddie Cotto, Jr.’s full-flavored Puerto Rican-inspired dishes at ME Casa (see the LAF review) and the tropical frozen treats that taste so perfect on a hot summer day in the city, dished out by Torico Ice Cream (see the LAF review). Gothamist touts much more in the city, including pizza, Portuguese, and artisan beer and coffee. Check out the story and the city – you might be surprised.

Shake Shack brings their addictive cheeseburgers and crinkle-cut fries to Detroit in 2017.

Shake Shack Makes Michigan Debut Next Year

May 24, 2016 / / 0 Comments

16 — that’s how many states will host a Shake Shack when the burger joint opens in Detroit in 2017. No date has been set but the location has been selected: 660 Woodward Avenue in the First National Building, adjacent to Campus Martius Park. As with all Shake Shacks, this one will feature local craft beer as well as concrete flavors specially designed to incorporate local products. Shake Shack can currently be found in 14 states and the District of Columbia (and many other countries). Minnesota will be their 15th state this summer.

Ham/bacon/kielbasa, all on one sandwich, to honor the Pittsburgh Penguins HBK line

Primanti’s Introduces the HBK

May 23, 2016 / / 0 Comments

Here’s the perfect solution for those of you who have been advised to step up your consumption of cured pork products, while at the same time sacrificing your body to show your support for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they compete in the Stanley Cup playoffs: the HBK. Primanti’s introduced their HBK sandwich this past Friday to honor the Penguins’ HBK line of Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino, and Phil Kessel. That’s ham, bacon, and kielbasa, as well as the usual Primanti’s additions of French fries and cole slaw. How does it taste? C’mon, do you really have to ask that question? Primanti’s says it will be available for a limited time only, which we surmise depends on how far the Penguins get in their Stanley Cup quest.

Peter Luger's prime porterhouse steaks are available by mail through their website.

Must Peter Luger’s Website Be Accessible to the Blind?

May 21, 2016 / / 0 Comments

We admit our immediate reaction to the story was to look for The Onion‘s byline. But, no, it’s legit: Peter Luger, the iconic Brooklyn, NY steakhouse, is being sued by a blind woman who wanted to place an order (they ship uncooked steaks and more by mail) and could not because the website is not blind accessible. While reading The Daily News’ story, we learned a little about websites and the blind and came away not quite as certain about the just outcome as we were minutes earlier. Continue reading

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