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Category: News (Page 24 of 25)

Johnson's Corner's famous cinnamon rolls

Johnson’s Corner Sold to TravelCenters of America

October 5, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The iconic, independently operated Colorado truck stop known as Johnson’s Corner has been sold to the largest truck stop chain in the country, TravelCenters of America. The sale went through at the end of September. Original owner Joe Johnson started the truck stop in the 1950s. The stop became famous for its cinnamon roll, which was baked at home by an employee. In the ’60s, the Corner began baking the cinnamon rolls in a formal bakery. Today, 15,000 cinnamon are sold each month across the Front Range. Continue reading

Puffy tacos as served at San Antonio's Taco Taco Cafe

14 Great Tacos in San Antonio

October 5, 2014 / / 3 Comments

San Antonio, TX loves tacos. A lot. And the taco competition is fierce. The San Antonio Current asked their readers for suggestions on where to find the best tacos in town, and the Current culled 14 of the finest from the long list of favorites. Taco Taco, whose puffy tacos are pictured above, is one of the 14. Check out the full list. It’ll come in handy during your next visit to the Alamo. Continue reading

Chocolate ice cream from Gifford's was named nation's best for the fifth straight year.

Gifford’s Wins Best Ice Cream at World Dairy Expo

October 4, 2014 / / 2 Comments

For the fifth consecutive year, Gifford’s, a Maine-based ice cream company, has won the World Dairy Expo award for best chocolate ice cream. The Expo, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, also gave Gifford’s top honors for their regular vanilla, French vanilla, and Philly vanilla. Gifford’s is based in Skowhegan and is found principally in the state of Maine, although it can be found less frequently as far south as Maryland and as far west as Illinois. We’re especially fond of the five Maine Gifford’s stands, where they offer flavors not found in containers. Congrats to Gifford’s! Continue reading

Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger is back!

The Return of Ann Arbor’s Blimpy Burger!

October 4, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The residents of Ann Arbor, MI were shocked to learn of the impending demise of their beloved, 60-year-old Krazy Jim’s Blimpy Burger last year. The land beneath the burger joint was sold to the local university for the construction of a dormitory.  The restaurant’s owners vowed to find a new spot to reopen the Ann Arbor institution, and they were as good as their word, as a new Blimpy Burger had its grand opening yesterday. Lines are long. Prices are up. Seating is more expansive. Fans are overjoyed! Continue reading

What is Buffalo's beef on weck? Thinly slice rare roast beef, pile it in a roll spangled with coarse salt and caraway seeds, and add horseradish to taste. Don't forget to dip that roll in some of the beef juices!

Celebrate 100 Years of Buffalo’s Charlie the Butcher

October 3, 2014 / / 0 Comments

In 1914, the Charles E. Roesch and Company butcher shop was founded. (Mr. Roesch later found time to become the mayor of Buffalo.) The shop continued under the helm of his son Charles, and today his grandson Charles runs the business now known as Charlie the Butcher. All next week, Charlie the Butcher will be celebrating 100 years in business with all sorts of planned events. At the various locations around town there’ll be free birthday cake and certificates for a free beef on weck. We especially like Wednesday’s offer of a free beef on weck to anyone who shows up with something from 1914! Details of the festivities are on their Facebook page.

From the Biscuit Love Truck: hot chicken, local honey, house-made pickles, mustard. On a Biscuit Love biscuit. !!!

Biscuit Love Plus

October 3, 2014 / / 0 Comments

If all Ellen Margulies had touted in her Nashville Ledger story about where to take Nashville visitors was the Biscuit Love Truck, we’d have been grateful. How about fresh biscuits filled with Nashville hot chicken, local honey, and house-made pickles?! Or the Wash Park: Bear Creek Farm beef burger topped with pimento cheese and Benton’s bacon jam? Or the seasonal Nathaniel: a griddled biscuit topped with buttermilk cheese and local peaches and honey? Yes, get us to the Biscuit Love Truck! One other recommendation that stood out was Hattie B’s, a hot chicken purveyor that opened two years ago and has become hotter’n a whorehouse on nickel night. Continue reading

Free Tamales!

October 3, 2014 / / 2 Comments

When we posted the news on Monday about the opening of a new Tucson Tamale Company shop we hadn’t yet learned of the connected promotion: folks who dine at the grand opening of the new restaurant on October 18th will receive a free warm pumpkin dessert tamale. They’ll also offer 50% off the first six packages of frozen tamales to take home (tamales freeze and heat beautifully). If we lived locally we’d be there! Continue reading

The Red Robin of Johnson City, since 1958

A Stroll Through Binghamton, NY’s Diner History

October 2, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Anyone who has spent significant time in the Binghamton, NY area knows what we mean when we assert that diners capture the essence of life in these parts. Some have closed over the years but many remain, some have been spiffed up and tricked out, others seem to be melting into the ground upon which they’ve stood for decades. All dish up the same predictable and reliable eats to anyone, from any background, who has the ability to pay the modest tabs. Gerald Smith, the Broome Country historian, has written a story that surveys the diners, both thriving and long gone, that have fed the Binghamton-area residents over the years. Check it out.

Coneys topped with mustard, onions, chili, and cheese

Coney I-Lander of Tulsa Named “Best in the World”

October 1, 2014 / / 0 Comments

It’s not what you think. Readers of the Tulsa World get to vote on their local favorites each year, and this year’s winner in the hot dog category is Coney I-Lander. Get it? Tulsa World? “Best in the World”? Still, it’s good info to know if you find yourself in Tulsa with a hankering for a top-notch coney, here topped with chili, onions, and mustard and, if you ask for it loaded, shredded yellow cheese. The Coney I-Lander began in 1926. Today you’ll find seven locations in and around Tulsa. Tulsa World also recommends sampling the three-way chili. We can’t finish this post without mentioning one of the two non-winner finalists: The Dog House, a truck and carts, featuring the Chong Dog topped with peanut butter, cream cheese, dill pickle, and Sriracha hot sauce! Continue reading

Drago's is the recipient of a lot of NOLA love for their charbroiled oysters.

Off the Beaten Path in New Orleans

October 1, 2014 / / 0 Comments

When you ask folks about where to eat in New Orleans, you hear a lot of the same names over and over. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. There are few places in America that have as many “must eat” restaurants as the Crescent City does. But we love to hear about the places that few people mention. Roll Call’s Jason Dick has written a brief story about how the local political operatives can be a good source for off-the-beaten-path food recommendations. He mentions three places in New Orleans and, while the Drago’s oysters pictured above are certainly no secret, the other two places intrigue us: fried chicken wings at Manchu in Treme, and the sausage sandwich at Castnet Seafood (yes, sausage at a seafood place). We can’t wait to try them! Continue reading

Pork pies baking in the oven at Hartley's

Pork Pies in Fall River, MA

October 1, 2014 / / 4 Comments

“The pies are exceptional, and Hartley’s basically thrives on the rather foolproof logic that you should do one thing and do it right, so this place is all about meat pies, all the time.” Those are the words of Larry Olmsted, writing for USA TODAY, in his rave review of Hartley’s Original Pork Pies in Fall River, MA. We’ve been there and we totally agree. During one visit we were given a behind-the-scenes tour of Hartley’s, where we snapped that shot, above, of pork pies in the oven. We have our friends, Amy and Chris Ayers, to thank for introducing us to Hartley’s, a true taste of Fall River history open since 1900. Check out Mr. Olmsted’s review and then hasten to Fall River, where you will find, in addition to pork pies, all manner of good things to eat. Continue reading

Crisp skin, hot and, believe it or not, chickeny, not drowning in sauce, with fresh, crisp celery to boot

Buffalo’s Anchor Bar Opens Wing Shop Near Duff’s

October 1, 2014 / / 1 Comment

The fourth franchised location of Buffalo wing inventor Anchor Bar opens today on Transit Road, down the street from their main competitor, Duff’s. While the original Anchor offers their wings in mild, medium, hot, suicidal, and spicy barbecue, the new location adds four more flavors: garlic parmesan, chipotle BBQ, honey garlic, and sweet-and-sour. Call us Luddites but, as far as we’re concerned, the only legitimate Buffalo wing flavors are mild, medium, and hot (and we have our doubts about mild). The Transit Road Anchor will also have local beer on tap. Continue reading

Pepperoni pie at Coalfire in Chicago

Take a Pizza Tour!

October 1, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Pizza tourism is popping up all over! Check out this story by Caryn Rousseau of AP, in which she details pizza tours you can take in Chicago, New York, Boston, and Milwaukee (Milwaukee?!). Some are walking tours, most are by bus, and prices range from $39 in Boston up to $80 in Brooklyn, NY. We know people who’ve taken some of these tours and we’ve heard nothing but raves. It’s a good way to get an understanding of the local pizza styles.

Walter's dogs, split and sizzling on the grill

95 Years of Walter’s Hot Dogs in Mamaroneck

September 30, 2014 / / 0 Comments

Walter’s Hot Dogs will be celebrating their 95th anniversary from October 26th through the 28th. There’ll be anniversary specials, family fun, and games planned at the hot dog pagoda, along with a hot dog eating contest scheduled for Sunday the 26th at 3PM. Sign-up for the contest at Walter’s; space is limited. While you are there you can check out the renovations that took place during the first four months of the year. The external changes are subtle but the inside renovations are extensive, including a computer system. A computer system at Walter’s?!

937 Palmer Avenue
Mamaroneck NY 10543
No phone
Walter’s Website
Walter’s on Facebook
The Brat Burger: burger, bacon cheddar-stuffed brat, crispy shallots, sauce

Shacktoberfest

September 30, 2014 / / 0 Comments

For their annual Shacktoberfest promotion, Shake Shack improves upon Cliff Huxtable’s notorious bacon burger dog. The Brat Burger tops the beef with a cheddar and bacon bratwurst, crispy shallots, and ShackSauce. Does American culinary excessiveness know no bounds? Not that we’re complaining, mind you. We’ll have ours with an Apfelstrudel Shake (vanilla custard, apples, caramel, spices). Check out the entire Shacktoberfest menu here. The promotion runs from October 3rd through the 12th at most American Shake Shacks.

Shake Shack Website
Shake Shack on Facebook
Graeter's Black Cherry Chocolate Chip

One Less Graeter’s Ice Cream Shop

September 30, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The Graeter’s ice cream shop in the Dayton, OH suburb of Springboro will be closing on October 5th. The store at 752 Gardner Road had been open since 2006. The closing will result in three remaining Dayton area Graeter’s: in Beavercreek, Centerville, and the Oakwood section of Dayton. It’s always sad news when a Graeter’s closes.

752 Garner Road
Springboro OH 45066
937-748-0300
Graeter’s Website
Graeter’s on Facebook
The Derek Jeter Triple Club Sandwich

The Derek Jeter Triple Club Sandwich

September 30, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The sandwich has five ingredients because he played for five world champions. There are two meats in honor of his uniform number. It’s a club to signify his clubhouse leadership. It’s $27.99 because it’s the Carnegie Deli. Derek Jeter may well be honored with a Hall of Fame plaque in five years, but this week he receives one of the highest honors that can be accorded a man of his stature and accomplishments: a sandwich at New York City’s Carnegie Deli. Here’s what’s in the Derek Jeter Triple Club Sandwich: turkey, bacon, American cheese, tomato, and lettuce. It comes on toasted white. If that’s what you want to eat at the Carnegie, get there soon, because it’s available for a limited time only. Continue reading

The great chile relleno tamale: fresh roasted green chiles stuffed with cheese, wrapped in a roasted red pepper and fresh corn masa.

3rd Tucson Tamale Company Store Opening Soon

September 29, 2014 / / 1 Comment

A third Tucson Tamale Company store is opening on October 18th at 7286 North Oracle Road (in Tucson). Their second location opened earlier this year at 7159 East Tanque Verde Road. Tucson Tamale Company has garnered a loyal following, due not only to the deliciousness of the product, but also because of the care that’s taken in obtaining and preparing fresh ingredients. None of their tamales use lard. Continue reading

A hot lobster roll is nothing but warm lobster meat and too much melted butter on a butter-toasted bun. It's a specialty of Connecticut.

A Little Bit of Coastal Maine in Connecticut

September 27, 2014 / / 0 Comments

We had our first taste of hot lobster roll many years ago at a place called Abbott’s Lobster In the Rough in Noank, CT. Over the years Abbott’s hot roll seemed to lose something, but we enthusiastically return year after year for sweet steamers with butter, fresh steamed lobster, and superlative steel-gray chowder. It never occurred to us to sample any of the other restaurants in Noank. In fact, were there any other restaurants in Noank? Continue reading

The Mecca closed earlier this year.

Will The Mecca of Dallas Ever Reopen?

September 26, 2014 / / 0 Comments

The Mecca was a Dallas institution, a much-beloved diner that opened in 1938 and became famous for its cinnamon roll. It spent 44 years on Harry Hines Boulevard when, two years ago, they moved to newer and larger digs in East Dallas. With the move they also expanded their serving hours and menu. Then on April 27th of this year they shuttered the place, announcing plans to find a new location that wasn’t quite so big. On the other hand, owner Michael Sealy, who purchased The Mecca in 2007, auctioned off the restaurant’s furniture and kitchen equipment and declared bankruptcy. So, while The Mecca’s website is still live, and the home page continues to declare an intent to reopen, we wonder if we’ll ever see that cinnamon roll again. Continue reading

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