Travel – rachel leff

Three Stones: Exceptional Mayan Food in Brattleboro, Vermont

December 13, 2019December 13, 2019Leave a comment

Three Stones restaurant occupies a tiny, unassuming space, barely noticeable as you wend your way into downtown Brattleboro, Vermont from I-91. But do not just drive by. Turn around, go in, and eat. Their food is exceptional. Better yet, make a reservation–there aren’t a lot of tables and it’s only open Wednesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 pm.

It’s a small space, with a bar up front, a small dining room, and a cozy, warm, festive outdoor space (which is likely not much in use during these winter months). The menu is small, offering only a handful of options, mostly traditional Mayan food. Everything we had was phenomenal. It felt like food prepared by a loving grandmother. So authentic, so homey, so delicious. I haven’t been that satisfied by a restaurant meal in a very long time.

The menu itself touches on the food culture of the Mayan people. Educational, and also very pretty! Here it is:

We tried the tortillas and the onzicil (pumpkin seed specialty) tortilla. We got three tortillas, choosing an uah (griddled tortilla) with ground beef, a salbute (deep-fried) with cochinita adobado, and a panucho (stuffed with refried beans and pan-fried) with pollo adobado. As the menu describes it, the adobados are “chicken or pork cooked in achiote, garlic and banana leaf.” We got all the toppings on each: cheese, beans, mild tomato salsa, tomatillo salsa, hot chile salsa, cucumber, red radish salpicon, and cebolla curtida (pickled red onions). The tortillas differed from one another in texture, taste, and thickness, but each one was earthy, comforting, filling, and satisfying. I was rather fond of the panucho, with it’s thin filling of refried beans adding savory depth to the flavor as well as a certain heftiness to the tortilla. I also enjoyed the salbute, the deep-fried tortilla, because, well, deep-fried things are generally delicious.

From bottom left to top right, an uah (griddled tortilla) with ground beef, a salbute (deep-fried) with cochinita adobado, and a panucho (stuffed with refried beans and pan-fried) with pollo adobado; each includes all the toppings.

I was most excited to try the onzicil tortilla, which is a thick tortilla topped with sauteed zucchini and onions and then covered with a very thick sauce made from ground pumpkin seeds and tomato. It was delicious. The sauce, almost more like a paste, was nutty, earthy, and rich. The dish was rounded out with the fresh notes of the zucchini and the sweet notes of the sauteed onion. We also tried a chicken and cheese empanada, which was nice, if a bit prosaic.

Though I rarely get dessert, we decided to get one of each of their two desserts. First was a boca negra, somewhere between a flourless chocolate cake and a chocolate pot de creme with a touch of chili pepper. It was warm, topped with whipped cream, and absolutely delicious, not too sweet and yet not overly bitter, with a lingering heat from the chili. We also got a dulce de leche, which was tasty and sweet. If you are going with just one dessert, I say make it the boca negra.

I so thoroughly enjoyed the food, and found it so comforting and (excuse the corniness) so filled with love. I recommend this place very highly. “Coox hanal,” which is Yucatec Mayan for “let’s eat.”

A Great New York Hot Dog Crawl, Part 1

June 4, 2019January 22, 2020Leave a comment

New York City is known for many things, and many of those things are culinary. Somewhere on the long list of iconic New York foods is the humble hot dog. It won’t be the first thing on anyone’s list of great NYC foods, I imagine, but I doubt anyone would dismiss the idea that it rightfully belongs somewhere on that list.

I lived in New York City ages ago. And in my early and mid 20s, I had my share of late-night Katz’s hot dogs. Yes, the pastrami sandwich is amazing, but sometimes you want a hot dog, and they make a hell of a hot dog. I also partook in the occasional recession special at Grays’ Papaya: two delectable hot dogs and a papaya drink (now $4.95; I honestly can’t say what it was when I last lived there). I left NYC and took a somewhat circuitous path that ultimately led to Los Angeles, also a great hot dog city. Having spent well over a decade there, I hit all the hot dog highlights at some point (or many points): Pink’s, Dodger dogs, Carney’s, street dogs wrapped in bacon. I’ve been back on the east coast for a while now, reasonably close to the city, and it felt like it was about time to check out some of NYC’s most beloved hot dogs.

I hatched a plan with a cousin who lives on the Upper West Side to make our way through a list of the best hot dogs in the city from Gothamist. My husband, our (then) four-year-old girl, and I headed into the city to meet him and start eating our way through the top dogs of NYC. On the first trip, which was last Fall (I really need to post things faster), we tried Katz’s, Crif Dogs, and Feltman’s on St. Marks. [Sadly, that Feltman’s closed down in October because they outgrew the space. They are supposedly looking for a larger space around the East Village. In the meantime, you can get them in Coney Island at their main location by Luna Park; they are also served at Mikey’s Burgers on Ludlow Street and at McSorley’s on E. 7th. And you can buy them at supermarkets nationwide.]

Katz’s Delicatessen

205 E Houston at Ludlow

This was my favorite going into this crawl, and rightfully so. They know how to grill a dog at Katz’s. You can add some simple and straightforward toppings—mustard, sauerkraut, and onions, which are cooked down to practically melting in a slightly sweet tomato base. But it’s the hot dog itself that sings…a crisp, snappy skin encasing an incredibly juicy all-beef dog, just the right amount of salty and savory. The bun is simple, and it does its job. Yes, it’s a pain in the ass to be in Katz’s when the crowds are there. We were there on a Sunday afternoon around 1:30—of course it was going to be crowded. And yes, when the scent of that delicious pastrami infuses the air, it’s hard not to lured away from the grill line and into the vastly more crowded pastrami line. But trust me, the Katz’s hot dog is great. And anyhow, who said you can’t get a hot dog and pastrami?

Crif Dogs

113 St. Marks Place between First and Ave A

The Crif dog is a house-made smoked beef and pork dog that’s deep-fried and served with the toppings of your choice. It’s also available grilled (the New Yorker) and there are a number of specialty dogs with toppings ranging from the expected to the unusual. The Crif dog is amazing—the deep-fried skin takes on a bacon-like texture and taste. And then there’s the bacon-wrapped Crif dog—extra crispy bacon on top of that already bacon-like hot dog skin. The hot dog itself takes on an almost sweet taste against that salty crispy exterior. And that, my friend, is sublime. Ultimately, I’m quite grateful this place didn’t exist when I lived in NYC and drank regularly in the East Village. I would have been here a lot. Oh, and the speak-easy Please Don’t Tell is accessed through the phone booth. So, go there, of course…or grab a Crif dog if you’re already at PDT.

Feltman’s of Coney Island

Previously of 80 St. Mark’s Place between First and Second; you can find them at 1000 Surf Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11224

Feltman’s is regularly chosen as the best hot dog in the city. They use all-natural, uncured beef hot dogs with no nitrates or artificial ingredients. The two brothers behind Feltman’s were inspired by Charles Feltman, inventor of the Coney Island hot dog (Frankfurter sausages on a bun) in 1867. The original Feltman’s grew from just a cart to a Coney Island institution, which stayed open until 1954. That original recipe for Frankfurters is used by today’s Feltman’s of Coney Island.

At Feltman’s on St. Marks, you order through a window outside the William Barnacle Tavern, a prohibition-era speakeasy with a gangster past, now an absinthe specialist. The spot is also home to Theater 80, a storied East Village theater. And also the Museum of the American Gangster. You can order your hot dog outside, then grab a seat at the bar and a drink. They’ll bring it in to you. Who knows, maybe there will be a performance going on in the theater (which is open to the bar). When we were there, a neighborhood ballet school was giving performances by their young students, who traipsed through the bar in pink tutus (true story, not absinthe-fueled reverie). Now that is one eclectic little slice of NYC.

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 3, Camden

December 22, 2018November 17, 20192 Comments

Our trip to Maine included a few days in Camden, a picturesque town on Penobscot Bay. Long a summer playground for wealthy vacationers, the town’s notable cultural attractions include the Camden Opera House and the Camden International Film Festival. You can stroll along the couple of blocks of Main Street, tucking in and out of shops that range from run-of-the-mill souvenirs to high-end home furnishings and clothing. There are many options for sailing out onto the bay. If you want to do some hiking, there’s Mt. Battie and the higher Mt. Megunticook, both of which offer gorgeous views. And then there’s the food…

Long Grain

20 Washington Street

Long Grain is a much lauded, practically cult-status Thai restaurant in this tony coastal town. They’ve had coverage by The New York Times, Boston Globe, Bon Appetit, Saveur … you get the gist. The Times article, from 2012, starts by referencing Lotus of Siam in Las Vegas, a truly cult-status Thai restaurant, and that Gourmet article by the late, great Jonathan Gold in which he called Lotus of Siam the very best Thai restaurant in America. Needless to say, Long Grain was on the top of my list of places to eat in Maine, and my expectations were very high.

We ordered too much, as we usually do when we finally get somewhere we’ve been wanting to go. For appetizers: pan fried garlic chive rice cakes with sautéed bean sprouts and northeastern style Thai beef (nua nam tok). For mains: wide rice noodles with sweet soy sauce stir-fried with greens and pork belly (pad seaw) and beef panang curry with roasted red peppers, bamboo shoots, and Thai basil. For dessert: coconut flan.

Nua nam tok matches spicy beef with refreshing herbs for a dish of diverse yet balanced flavors. The rice cakes were tasty, if a bit glutinous…and a bit oily.

The specialty curry was beef panang, a thick red curry with braised beef, topped with kefir lime leaves and Thai basil. The sauce is a profound marriage of flavors, including, among other things, chiles, lemongrass, and galangal, and is thicker and less sweet than iterations you might get elsewhere. It’s a lovely dish: rich, spicy, and nuanced.

The pad seaw with pork belly uses their signature house-made wide rice noodles. I couldn’t believe how thick the noodles were—unlike any others I’ve ever had. I actually found them too thick (though, admittedly, I lack the necessary experience to know if this is how they should be). I was also struck by the fact that the greens (kale) were practically whole they were so large. And the pork belly was sliced very thin, which detracted from the best qualities of the cut—tender meat, soft fat that crisps up when rendered. All in all, the taste was very pleasant, with notes of sweetness and acid as well as heat from sliced red chiles, but the texture of the noodles, the tougher-than-expected pork belly, and the size and relative unwieldiness of the greens detracted from the dish.

We finished the meal with the one dessert they make—coconut flan.

The restaurant itself is a wide-open space, airy and modern, just off Camden’s main drag. My husband and I marveled at how much empty space there was! There’s probably room in there to double the seating capacity. And given the number of people who want to eat here, I can hardly believe they don’t. And did you notice the dishes? An eclectic mix of dainty, floral, modern, and Asian. And there’s a small market to the side of the dining room where you can pick up some Thai/southeast Asian ingredients.

If I sound down on Long Grain, let me be clear that it is the best Thai food I have had on the east coast. I think they’re doing great things. They don’t seem to be changing their recipes for an audience they think will not be prepared for Thai food; rather, they are presenting the food in its full-flavored glory and trusting that the good people of (or, more likely, passing through) Camden will love it. The resounding verdict is that they do.

Boynton-McKay

30 Main Street

Boynton-McKay is right in the middle of the short stretch of Camden’s touristy downtown. Opened in 1893 as a pharmacist shop, the space was transformed in 1999 into a restaurant serving breakfast and lunch. Boynton-McKay has impossibly high ceilings, loads and loads and loads of vintage charm, and a kitchen that offers lots of comfort classics. I loved this place the moment I walked in. You order at the counter in the back—the menu on a board above, some bakery items laid out before you, and a bustling prep area in full view—then grab a seat and wait. They make slow-roasted beef and pork that they use in things like tacos, sandwiches, Asian-flavored lettuce wraps, and burritos. They also have classic breakfast options, like eggs, hash, and French toast, and healthier plates, like steel-cut oatmeal and quinoa salad. Something for everyone. Oh, and they make bialys. That makes me happy. Go here.

We ordered a slow-roasted beef burrito, French toast, and a simple bacon and egg sandwich on an English muffin.

Drouthy Bear

50 Elm Street

Just south of Camden’s main drag sits the Scottish pub Drouthy Bear, which is as cozy as can be. It’s only been open since 2015, but the combination of classic pub ambience and a charming antique home make it feel like it’s been there for much, much longer. The menu offers Scottish/English classics (Scotch egg, haggis, pasties, bangers and mash) and American standards (burgers, nachos, Caesar salad). The standout for us was the chicken tikka pie—mild yet flavorful chicken tikka masala beneath a blanket of flaky puff pastry. And since it’s a Scottish pub, there were lots of great beers on tap and a long menu of whisky. This is the kind of place you want to be when a cold wind blows in off Penobscot Bay, warming up, tucking into a shepard’s pie, and sipping something delicious.

Zoot Coffee

31 Elm Street

Zoot Coffee is a very nice coffee shop just down from the center of town (where Main Street turns to Elm). I sure enjoyed their iced espresso, and the baristas were absolute dolls to my daughter. Looking for coffee in Camden? This place does not disappoint.

Globavore Interview

November 20, 2018November 20, 20184 Comments

Fresh Chickpeas — *That time I bought a ton of (labor-intensive) fresh chickpeas at the Santa Monica Downtown Farmers Market, one of my very favorite markets*

I recently had the pleasure of answering 20 questions about food and travel for the Globavore Interviews, a project by the amazing travel writer Johanna Read (www.traveleater.net). Her goal with the project is “to get people talking and thinking about food and inspire them to travel and eat.” Here are a few of the questions she asks:

You’re at your favourite eatery with three companions (fictional, living or dead). Where (and when!) are you and who are you with?
Strangest meal you’ve ever eaten?
What are your favourite markets for a) eating b) finding unusual things and c) photography?
If money were no object, where (and what) would you eat?
Country / city where you’ve found the best food? The worst?

You can see my interview here: https://traveleater.net/2018/11/19/globavore-interview-rachel-leff-from-ten-kitchens/. Twenty-two travel/food writers have participated so far. You can see the whole list and more about the project here: https://traveleater.net/the-globavore-interviews/. She’s gathered a great group of writers who have given some fascinating answers. Check it out!

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 2, Bar Harbor

October 27, 2018November 6, 2018Leave a comment

A few days visiting Acadia National Park was a primary purpose of our trip to Maine, so we found ourselves in Bar Harbor, which is nestled at the northeast corner of the seaside park. It’s an exceedingly picturesque town that swells with tourists, especially in the summer. There are gift shops and bed and breakfasts, and gift shops and a few more gift shops. There are also many restaurants. And while some are very popular, we were underwhelmed several times. But I’ll just talk about the things we liked.

Side Street Café

49 Rodick St

The lobster roll at this very popular Bar Harbor restaurant and bar was on the Eater list of the best lobster rolls in Maine, so we went to check it out. It includes the meat of two whole lobsters! My god! Along with that borderline obscene quantity of sweet, delectable lobster is mayo and old bay seasoning. While I’m usually in the plain-lobster-with-drawn-butter camp when it comes to lobster rolls, this was pretty amazing. The heat of the seasoning accentuates the sweetness of the lobster, and again, with so much lobster, how could I complain?

Coffee Hound Coffee Bar

27 Main St B

In a part of town overrun by mediocre restaurants and souvenir shops, but also graced with exceptional harbor views, one might be skeptical about Coffee Hound Coffee Bar, and rightfully so. But I was very pleasantly surprised by their very satisfying cappuccinos. The owners are coffee enthusiasts, the baristas take their craft seriously, and the beans are from a local small-batch roaster in Maine. Check, check, and check.

My husband kindly picked me up a cappuccino from here and brought it back to the hotel. (He hates coffee, so yes, he’s very nice to do it.) We went back later in the day and I got another. The owner, Chris, was working both times. He recognized my husband and daughter, and I told him how pleased I had been with the coffee they brought back to me. We talked about the importance of a good coffee to start the day. And he shared a story with me…

A woman and her husband were staying at the West Street Hotel, a high-end hotel right on the waterfront, just a short walk from Coffee Hound. In the morning she sent her husband out to get her a cup of coffee, and explained to him that there was a place around the corner. He missed it and kept walking, until he came to a gas station. He got her a cup from there and walked it back to her. She was livid. Wrapped in her bathrobe, she escorted her husband to Coffee Hound and angrily explained that this was the place. When he came back to the coffee shop again the next morning, he mentioned to Chris that he had been banished to the couch of their $600-a-night room for his transgression. We had a good laugh. Now that’s a woman who understands the importance of a good cup of coffee, and now her husband does, too.

If you love coffee and you’re in town, check them out. They operate out of this location May through October.

West Street Café

76 West Street

After a walk across the Bar Island Land Bridge, up to the top of Bar Island, and back into town, we stopped at the West Street Café for lunch. I got a special that included a cup of clam chowder, a lobster roll, and a slice of blueberry pie; my husband, a salad; and my daughter, a hotdog and fries. The food was fine, though not great. I mention the restaurant here because the place itself was absolutely lovely, filled with light from full-length windows, with views of the picturesque waterside buildings along West Street and peeks of the harbor. A partial second floor at the front of the restaurant affords even better water views. We were there on a glorious day, and the restaurant opened their windows to let a gentle sea breeze sail into the airy dining room. Sitting there, I had one of those moments when I looked at my husband and daughter and felt so lucky, so grateful to the universe that I have them, that we have each other. So, while the chowder was a little bland and the lobster roll was a little lackluster, I still had a truly lovely lunch.

And also, importantly, West Street Café has what must be the very best lighting on the planet. The lighting in the bathroom—something I would not ordinarily mention—was borderline magical. Like, seriously, I doubt I have ever looked as good as I looked in there. Why can’t the entire world be lit like the ladies’ bathroom at West Street Café?!

Havana Parrilla

318 Main Street

Closed for the Winter season

(Sorry about the photos! The restaurant is very dark.) Havana Parilla is the more casual sister of Havana, located just to the side of the more formal restaurant’s entrance. Despite the name, Havana Parrilla is not a Cuban restaurant, but rather a pan-Latin tapas bar with a large outdoor grill area. The menu ranges from elotes and spicy tuna salad, on the lighter side, to mixed grill and steak. We tried the “sausage party,” which is a trio of grilled sausages, and the carnitas tacos, which were nice, if a tad bland. The staff is warm and knowledgeable, and the drink menu is full of local beers and ciders, great cocktails, and an approachable wine list. If we find ourselves back in Bar Harbor, we’ll make reservations at Havana. Their menu looks pretty compelling.

Maine: Some Notes on What We Ate, Part 1, Portland

September 29, 2018December 16, 2018Leave a comment

We traveled along the coast of Maine earlier this month, a trip we had toyed with taking for some time. My husband wanted to go to Acadia National Park. I wanted to eat some lobster rolls and check out some restaurants in Portland and Camden. I hadn’t been to Maine in probably 15 years; my husband had never been. Seemed like it was about time to go. We drove up to Bar Harbor, with an initial stop in Portland, then worked our way back down, through Camden, back to Portland, and to some of the beaches south of Portland on our way back home.

Pre-trip research into where to eat in Portland resulted in a long list of contenders. I could hardly believe how many amazing-sounding places had blossomed in this port town in the 15 or so years since I had been there last. And in addition to this robust food scene, it’s a major beer town, too. I couldn’t help but think of that other Portland, thousands of miles west.

Becky’s Diner

390 Commercial Street

We first stopped in Portland just for an early dinner, intent on making it up to Acadia National Park for the following morning, and knowing we’d be back for a longer stay at the end of our trip. The plan had been to try Eventide Oyster Co. or The Honey Paw, which stand side by side on Middle Street (and are owned by the same team), but the lines for each were prohibitively long. We’d also considered Portland Lobster Co., but it was packed, with a line snaking outside on Commercial Street, amidst throngs of tourists on a busy holiday weekend. Pass.

Driving along Commercial Street, away from the tourist shops and through a part of town that reminds you Portland is still an active commercial port city, we passed the very charming-looking Becky’s Diner. Seemed like our kind of place. I had come across the name on a list of best lobster rolls in the city, so we pulled into the lot, put in our name at the counter, and waited a little bit for a booth. (I have since realized that the diner has been featured in a lot of places: Road Food, Eater, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives…and more.)

Becky’s Diner is bright and friendly, without frills or pretension. It’s been open since 1991, serving dinner since 1993. As we walked to our booth, we passed tables where diners of all ages tucked into dishes ranging from burgers to pancakes to a very tempting twin lobster special.

I got the lobster roll, a portrait of simplicity and tradition: plain cold lobster meat on a toasted bun with a side of drawn butter. We also got some clam cakes and a very satisfying seafood chowder, which was served in a chipped Becky’s Diner mug, thick and creamy and filled with haddock and whole scallops. Heaven.

As we paid, we (or rather, my daughter) couldn’t resist the cookies in the case by the register. Off we went, a bag with a huge cookie shaped like a lobster topped with red frosting in hand.

Central Provisions

414 Fore Street

Upon our return to Portland, we had a lot of places we wanted to try. But a limited amount of time—much more limited than we had initially intended—meant we could really only get one great meal, and a lunch at that. We decided on Central Provisions. They don’t take reservations, but we arrived early in the lunch service. We got seated right away at a table for three in the front window, and a line started to form right after us. Phew.

Central Provisions is a warm space with wood tones and brick walls, and a bar that overlooks part of the kitchen. Downstairs is a full bar and more seating. The menu is eclectic: seasonal (heirloom tomatoes and crab), playful (foie gras parfait, which is a dessert that pairs foie with custard and fruit gelée), classic (bone marrow toast, seared foie gras), wide-ranging (spicy raw beef salad), and homey (cole slaw, cheeseburger). We ordered chop salad (bacon, pickle, iceberg lettuce, and ranch dressing), fried cauliflower (with ras el hanout, chickpeas, feta, and herbs), baja fish sandwich (with avocado aioli, red onion, and lettuce), and a bacon cheeseburger. (Not the most adventurous choices on the menu, but we have to accommodate the tastes of a four year old, after all.)

The cauliflower was the standout. Its flavors—ras el hanout, mint, apple, feta—balanced each other playfully, creating a dish at once earthy and fresh, crisp and creamy. It was a lovely meal from a menu that springs from a team clearly committed to dynamic flavors.

The Holy Donut

7 Exchange Street & 194 Park Avenue

At this Portland donut shop, a veritable culinary tourist attraction, the special ingredient is mashed Maine potatoes. We stopped in at the Exchange Street location on a Saturday morning and took our place in the long line. Holy Donuts has a charming story, growing from one woman making a dozen handmade donuts a day to be sold at Coffee by Design (a community-minded coffee roaster with a quartet of coffee shops as well as a certified B corporation—look it up, it’s very cool) in 2011 to three stores, almost 80 employees, and 2 million donuts a year—still all handmade—in March 2017, and still run by that same woman!

We went a little crazy and got six donuts: pomegranate, Maine apple, dark chocolate sea salt, maple bacon, toasted coconut, and sweet potato ginger glazed. Madness. We dug into the apple and pomegranate. They were moist and denser than most donuts, yet not heavy. They were less sweet than the garden variety as well. They were very good, but we would have struggled to finish two between the three of us, let alone six! So that box of donuts stayed with us for a few days….

To be honest, I’ve always admired donuts for their looks more than the way they taste. They can be so pretty and festive. The donuts here were simply gorgeous.

HiFi Donuts

30 City Center

Not terribly far from the Exchange Street location of Holy Donut is HiFi Donuts, a relative newcomer (they opened in May of 2017) to the Portland donut scene. As a differentiating factor, they feature biere donuts, which are made with beer and sourdough starter, which imparts a floral sourdough taste that tempers the sweetness. In addition to a biere specimen (not pictured), we also tried a HiFi French cruller, a honey dip, and a Simpsons—essentially a honey dip with glorious pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles…I’d classify that one as vibrant and beautiful for sure. That one was for the kid, and she enjoyed it. The cruller was light and custardy and the honey dip was a lovely specimen, though admittedly a pedestrian choice.

Unlike their juggernaut neighbor, they also offer sandwiches. The breakfast menu consists of variations of breakfast sandwiches, like bacon or masala sausage with egg and cheese, and the lunch menu, sandwiches like peri peri fried chicken (an item I saw on quite a few Maine menus…) and eggplant panini.

Bard Coffee

185 Middle Street

Exceptional coffee in an airy, open, bustling coffee shop. There are probably dozens of wonderful coffee shops in Portland. I went to Bard, loved it, and went back for more.

Philadelphia: Some Notes on What We Ate

February 9, 2018November 29, 2018Leave a comment

Philadelphia is such a great food city. It’s the fifth most populous city in the U.S., which for some reason I find surprising even after hearing it…and confirming it…several times. Perhaps because it has sometimes been overshadowed by near-ish neighbors NYC and DC. Despite its relative proximity to these culinary juggernauts, the food scene in Philly just keeps getting hotter and hotter.

We recently took our second trip to Philly as a family. It was only for two nights, but we still got to try a lot of great places. Here’s a brief rundown of what we ate, along with a brief synopsis of some of the very lovely food we had last year.

CHeU Fishtown

1416 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia

When we got to CHeU Fishtown, our waiter summed up their menu as Asian-Jewish fusion. The CHeU website spells out their approach to food:

“What do we, two dudes from Philly, know about ‘authentic’ Asian cuisine? Nothing. Lucky for us, that’s not what CHeU Noodle Bar & Bing Bing Dim Sum are all about. We cook what we like to eat — it’s personal, no matter what we put in front of you. Our food is often informed by tradition, but it’s never defined by it. All that we require of you is a willing mind and a willing stomach. We might not be ‘authentic.’ But we do keep it real. – Ben & Shawn”

I love these types of “fusion” foods—foods that liberally and lovingly share different influences and cultures. To me, it’s a unique expression of American food. That said, such combinations don’t always work. Sometimes it can be hard to get your head around certain flavor combinations. I had some moments like that at CHeU Fishtown.

We got the brisket ramen with kim chi and a big old matzo ball. Asian-Jewish fusion. This one was a little hard to process taste-wise. I’m not sure if it totally worked for me, but I love the idea, and the components were good, especially the matzo ball.

Duck in red curry with kasha and gribenes (usually crispy chicken skin, though likely duck skin in this case—I didn’t think to ask at the time). Again, great components of the dish, but not sure I fully understand the kasha and red curry combo.

Beef and kim chi dumplings. These were pretty straightforward and good, but they were neither traditional nor particularly genre-bending.

The menu. Not a great shot, but hopefully you can make out some of the dishes, and the way they playfully mix and match flavors and cultures. My thoughts above on the dishes we ate may seem like I was underwhelmed, but I did really like what this place was all about. And all three of their locations are wildly popular, so what do I know?

Federal Donuts

1632 Sansom St.

Federal Donuts is one of Michael Solomonov’s many Philly eateries (he’s also behind Zahav, Abe Fisher, Dizengoff [see below], Goldie, and Rooster Soup Co). Oh, heavenly donuts! I do not have a sweet tooth, but these donuts—blissful…and gorgeous, don’t you think? Clockwise from top left: cinnamon brown sugar, chocolate caramel banana, strawberry lavender, and snow cap (coconut). Some come hot out of the oven—be sure to get at least one hot one.

Federal Donuts also serves fried chicken with a choice of dry seasonings or glazes. Here with za’atar. The skin is almost preposterously crispy, and the meat is as tender and juicy as can be. A half order (breast, leg, and thigh) comes with one honey donut.

Dizengoff

1625 Sansom Street

Another Solomonov restaurant, just across the street from Federal Donuts (in fact, Abe Fisher, Rooster Soup Co., and Goldie are also all on Sansom, just a stone’s throw from each other). This is a hummus place, with a location in Miami and a spot in Manhattan’s Chelsea Market. The hummus here is creamy and amazing, and the toppings really sing. We got fennel and almonds, as well as a side order of the meat of the day, which was chicken with apricots. Check out their social media for the daily offering. The pepper walnut hummus was really good too, though in smaller doses.

Far left: fennel almond hummus; middle, top to bottom: chicken with apricots, beets with a pickle, and pepper walnut hummus; and right, amazing pita.

Stargazy

1838 E. Passyunk Ave

An East End-style “pie and mash shop” on Passyunk. Primarily a lunch place, we got there in the late afternoon and there were no more pies left (sad face), just a sausage roll. The mash comes with parsley liquor, a fresh and slightly tangy note in an otherwise very savory plate. What we had tasted really good, and we imagine the meat pies are amazing. Next time, we’ll go for lunch. They also serve jellied and stewed eels as well as sweet pies.

Saté Kampar

1837 E. Passyunk Ave

This Malaysian place on East Passyunk is popular, hip, and, most importantly, delicious. Well known for their saté, they offer a handful of choices of meat marinated in one of two ways (essentially sweet or salty), then skewered on a stick and cooked over coconut shell charcoal, served with peanut sauce. The flavor is so unique, nothing like the garden-variety Thai restaurant saté we all know well.

We also had the rendang daging, or beef rendang. Of course we ordered it, since it’s basically one of the greatest dishes ever. This iteration was deeply satisfying, rich and packed with flavor, with subtle heat, spice, and sweetness, although chewier than ideal. We also got the achat, essentially pickled carrots and cucumbers with peanut sauce. While the dish was fine, there was way too much of it and I would only recommend it if a large party was going to share it, with each person just having a small portion. Unfortunately, they did not have the nasi lemak bungkus (coconut rice stuffed with crispy anchovies and more, wrapped up in a banana leaf) that night. I heard they’re amazing. Next time. Oh, and I’d also try the ayam kurma, a coconut-based chicken and potato curry.

Sate Kampar is BYOB, but they have a tea and coffee bar with a wide range of drinks—in fact, it takes up half the menu, with images of the many permutations of coffee, tea, condensed milk, evaporated milk, and sugar. The drinks are made in full view and many involve some showmanship.

El Compadre

1149 S. 9th Street

El Compadre is simply lovely. A small space on a busy street in the Italian Market neighborhood. They are known for their barbacoa, a slow-cooked lamb dish. This place is a new iteration of the former South Philly Barbacoa, which won national attention for its succulent rendition of its namesake dish.

The current place is cheerful and cozy, with warmly colored walls, vibrant art work, and bright table cloths. It gets very, very crowded and the set up can make for close quarters, but it remains festive, and the staff is attentive and very warm. I believe the barbacoa is only available on the weekend. Definitely check before going.

When you walk in, you’ll line up by the stand where the meat is chopped up for your order. You order by weight, half kilo (just over a pound), kilo, etc. We got a kilo of mostly lamb, some pork. We sat down with our meat and were brought lamb consommé with chickpeas, rice, and flecks of chile pepper. The order of meat also includes tortillas, onions, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and nopales, as well as a few salsas. The lamb is mild and meltingly tender, and the toppings let you dress up the meat as desired. You can also order tacos and tortas, but I wholeheartedly suggest getting the meat with the sides and making your own. This place is not to be missed.

Our Last Trip, February 2017

Our last trip to Philly included meals at Zahav, the award-winning Israeli restaurant that put Michael Solomonov on the map, so to speak; John’s Roast Pork, a classic place for a classic Philly sandwich of roast pork, greens, and aged provolone, and a winner of a James Beard America’s Classics Award; and V Street, which serves vegan takes on international street foods, a sister restaurant of Vedge. All three are still going strong and definitely worth a stop. If you want to go to Zahav, you’ll need to make a reservation well beforehand…or line up before they open. They have seats at the bar as well as at a long bar that looks right into the kitchen. We got there about 20 minutes before opening on a Sunday and scored seats.

Southwest Excursion: Some Notes on What We Ate

November 27, 2017January 8, 2019Leave a comment

My husband and I, along with our three-year-old daughter, just returned from an almost-two-week trip through the Southwest. We wound our way through Arizona’s Navajo country, northern New Mexico, and a corner of Utah, seeking out petroglyphs and ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) ruins, soaking in the exceptional landscape and boundless sky, eating fry bread and chiles. Our soundtrack much of the time was 660 AM, the voice of the Navajo Nation, punctuated by our daughter’s occasional chants of her desire to go home. Here are some notes on some of the more notable things we ate.

NOTE: What I won’t be writing about in much detail is the amazing things we saw on this trip that had no ties to food, like the really truly blow-your-mind phenomenal Chaco Culture National Historical Park; the varied other-worldly landscapes of Petrified Forest National Park; the artistic expression of human culture, history, and experience etched into rock in Petroglyph National Monument in the hills above Albuquerque, the sprawling metropolis set out before you; the stunning 13th-century architectural feats of Hovenweep; Acoma Pueblo with its rich artistic traditions and crushing history under the Spanish; the Abiquiu studio of Georgia O’Keefe and her museum in Santa Fe; and on and on. What an amazing area to explore. Every time I’m in the area, I can’t help but fantasize about living there, New Mexico especially. I highly recommend visiting.

Indian Gardens Cafe and Market, Sedona, AZ:

We didn’t intend to go to Sedona. As we arrived in Petrified Forest National Park, I realized I left my camera battery and charger in our hotel room in Gallup, NM, and driving back to Gallup was not an option. Many calls to many stores between there and Flagstaff, our next stop, showed that a Nikon dSLR battery was simply not available. Rollie’s Camera Shop in Sedona, however, had the battery and a charger. We really didn’t want to rely on just smartphone cameras for this trip, which was only on day 2 at this point, so we changed course and headed south.

Route 89A from Flagstaff to Sedona curves through the Coconino National Forest, revealing exceptional views, especially as you hit the series of extreme switchbacks and ultimately make your way down through Oak Creek Canyon, where the road meanders alongside the river, through apple orchards, past campgrounds and cabins, vacation homes and fishing holes.

We stopped at the Indian Gardens Cafe and Market, which is a few miles north of the town of Sedona. It’s a charming place, and as the name suggests, it’s also a market with treats like apples grown in the local orchards. The cafe has options ranging from light and healthy to decadent comfort food. We ordered from the breakfast menu: avocado toast with heirloom watermelon radishes, cucumber, fresh dill, and a chili-infused oil on rustic sourdough bread; a hearty breakfast burrito with eggs, cheddar cheese, thick chunks of potato, roasted green chiles, avocado, and ground chorizo; and whole grain pancakes with a gang of healthy things atop them, like chia and berry compote and lemon crema. Pancakes like this aren’t usually up my alley, mostly because they tend to be so heavy, but these were amazing.

Avocado toast, breakfast burrito, and amazing pancakes:

Palatki Heritage Site in Sedona:

Hopi Cultural Center Restaurant, Second Mesa, AZ:

The Hopi Reservation consists of three mesas: First Mesa, Second Mesa, and Third Mesa. Second Mesa is home to the Hopi Cultural Center, which includes a museum and a restaurant. It was the place where we met our tour guide, Donald, who led us far off the paved roads to a treasure trove of petroglyphs spanning well over a thousand years. A Hopi elder, he has shared his knowledge of Hopi culture and religion and the meaning of the local petroglyphs to many interested outsiders. We are very grateful that we had him as our tour guide.

After several hours with Donald, we landed back at the Cultural Center and jumped at the opportunity to have some Hopi food. The fry bread was made with blue corn instead of the more usual white flour. White corn hominy and mutton were also well represented. The piki bread pictured below was sold in the museum, not at the restaurant. Piki bread was/is a Hopi staple. Here’s what we had…

Tsili’ongava (slow-cooked red chili beans with ground beef) with blue corn fry bread; noqkwivi (white corn hominy and lamb stew) and Hopi taco on blue corn fry bread; and piki bread, a traditional blue corn bread that’s crispy and light as air:

Hopi Reservation petroglyphs:

Amigo Cafe, Kayenta, AZ:

As we made our way over to Monument Valley, we passed through the town of Kayenta, AZ. According to the usual sources on the road (Yelp, TripAdvisor, RoadFood…), Amigo Cafe is the best place around. It was a cozy, warm space serving Navajo, Mexican, and American dishes.

Navajo taco and chicken chimichanga:

The View Restaurant, The View Hotel, Monument Valley, UT:

Monument Valley is spectacular. Truly. A sacred place for the Navajo, it was also a popular setting for old Westerns, and you’ll likely have the sense that you’ve seen this place, even if you’re not a John Ford enthusiast. The loop through the park is extremely rough road, making for a very slow drive, even with 4-wheel drive. We did see RVs and even a Prius making the trip, but it did not look fun.

The restaurant is part of the hotel and it is within the park limits. The restaurant has a breathtaking view of the rock formations that make up Monument Valley. The staff were kind and the menu spans Navajo specialties and American standards. There’s also a sizeable gift store with Native American items representing many area nations and a wide range of price points. Definitely take a closer look if you’re there.

Green chile stew with fry bread, Navajo tacos, and Navajo tea:

Monument Valley:

Chinle Flea Market, Chinle, AZ:

Canyon de Chelly, called Tseyi by the Navajo, is a spectacular canyon that bears evidence of the native people who have lived here for millenia, from petroglyphs and cliff dwellings to working Navajo farms. It is also the home of Spider Rock, a sandstone spire sacred to the Navajo that rises about 750 feet up from the canyon floor. The park has a welcoming visitor center with cultural programs that are definitely worth attending. The options for traveling inside the canyon are limited unless you are with a Navajo tour guide. Note that driving along the canyon rims is open to all and really spectacular, with decent views of some cliff dwellings. We had a Navajo guide named Lee who drove us along the canyon floor, where his family has farmed and lived for many generations (except for the four-year period from 1864 to 1868 when the Navajo were removed from the land after surrendering to Kit Carson, and forced to walk to Bosque Redondo Reservation in Fort Sumner, now New Mexico).

Lee taught us a lot about the canyon and shared his thoughts on contemporary Navajo culture. We got to talking with him about food and our shared love of Korean food, among other things. He told us a bit about Navajo food, and suggested we try a roast mutton sandwich. As luck would have it, we were in Chinle on a Friday and the local flea market took place from 12-2 pm. Lee told us about his favorite vendor. As he described it, go to the specified parking lot, pass some guys selling and repairing tires, go about 100 yards, turn left, go another hundred yards and look for the white trailer selling mutton sandwiches. And, he told us, be sure to use salt because Navajo food can be, well, a little bland.

It was a very windy day, which caused what I can best describe as a sand storm. We had to shield our faces when the wind picked up, but we spotted a white trailer with a roast mutton sandwich on the menu. It was called C&H. The trailer had a couple of long tables set up out front, covered by a tarp that also blocked the wind and sand. We also got an extra fry bread for our daughter and a cup of Navajo tea. The smell of grilled meat coming from the trailer was enticing, and the fry bread was made to order. A grilled hot green chile and the thinly sliced, grilled mutton were placed in the bread and a couple of salt packets were tucked on the tray. It was a straightforward sandwich, with the strong flavors of mutton and green chile, the earthy, chewy meat working in concert with the crispy fry bread. The addition of salt brought the sandwich to life.

When we were finished, we walked a bit farther and realized that there was another white trailer selling mutton sandwiches just beyond C&H! Since Lee hadn’t specified the name of his favorite place (and we hadn’t thought to ask!), we just went to the first one we saw that matched his description. So, we ordered one at the other stand as well. It’s menu board revealed it’s name: That One Stand. We ordered this one to go, so we could eat it in the car. This stand also made the fry bread to order, topped it with mutton and a green chile straight off the small grill in the trailer, again with a couple of salt packets. Similar to the sandwich from C&H, with the strong flavors of mutton, chile, and salt wrapped up in crispy fry bread, this iteration had somewhat thicker pieces of mutton.

We were so glad that Lee told about the food stalls at the flea market. In fact, walking through the flea market, even though there was a sand storm, and getting to try two versions of a favorite Navajo food was one of my very favorite moments from the trip.

Roast Mutton sandwich with a roasted green chile on fry bread, one from C&H (along with an extra fry bread and a Navajo tea) and the other from That One Stand:

Shiprock Flea Market, Shiprock, NM:

Our next major stop was Hovenweep National Monument in Utah, where 13th-century multistory stone towers are perched on the rim of a canyon. On our way to Farmington, NM—our stop before venturing down to Chaco Culture National Historical Park—we passed through Shiprock, NM. We spied a flea market in a parking lot on Route 64, then caught sight of smoke rising from a drum grill, and after opening the window, caught the scent of roasting meat. We swiftly pulled in. An older Navajo couple were selling mutton sandwiches. Rather than fry bread, it used oven bread. It was delicious.

Roast Mutton sandwich with a roasted green chile on oven bread:

La Cueva Cafe and Orlando’s, Taos, NM:

La Cueva is a tiny and very popular place at the edge of downtown Taos that serves Mexican and New Mexican food.

Cheese enchiladas and chicken tacos, La Cueva Cafe:

For dinner, we tried another wildly popular Taos spot for New Mexican and Mexican specialties. Quite a bit farther out from downtown, it’s an ultra cool place with vibrant Chicano art on the walls. A great pick for a fun night out. Sorry about the poor picture quality—it was a pretty dark place.

Los Colores (three enchiladas with green, red, and el caribe chile) and stuffed sopaipillas, both with beans and hominy:

Taos Pueblo, Taos, NM:

Taos Pueblo has been the continuous home of the Taos Pueblo people for over 1,000 years. A World Heritage Site by UNESCO and a National Historic Landmark, it is a truly beautiful place. Tribal volunteers give tours of the site (recommended), and there are many artisans selling their work along the areas of the pueblo that are open to the public. There are also many people selling Taos oven bread cooked in traditional ovens (both shown below)—and other oven-baked treats like cookies. There are a number of options for hot food. We had a fry bread sandwich.

I was in Taos many years ago and, unfortunately, it happened to be on a day when the Taos Pueblo was closed to the public. This time, I checked in advance to make sure we were there when it was open. I’m so glad I did. I will long remember wooden ladders perched against adobe walls reaching up to the vast blue sky (homes used to be accessed through entrances on the roof)…doors painted vibrant turquoise against the soft brown adobe walls…the pueblo buildings huddled close to each other, rising from the brown earth, with the river in front and the mountain behind…. It’s such a special place.

Outdoor oven, oven bread, and chicken fry bread sandwich from Ai-Thloo’s (Grandma’s) Kitchen:

Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant, Chimayo, NM:

We stopped in Chimayo on our way down to Santa Fe on the famed High Road to Taos (or, in our case, from Taos), winding through the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Chimayo, which isn’t far from Santa Fe, has a 300-plus-year history of weaving, notably by many generations of the Ortega and Trujillo families. Chimayo is home to El Santuario de Chimayo, a Catholic pilgrimage spot believed to have curative powers. I’ve read the church gets about 300,000 visitors per year. And Chimayo is also home to the Rancho de Chimayo Restaurant, winner of a 2016 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award. I hadn’t heard of the restaurant—it was recommended by a seventh-generation weaver from the Trujillo family at their shop.

In 1965, Florence Jaramillo and her husband Arturo restored his family’s ranch and opened it as Rancho de Chimayo restaurant, serving New Mexico cuisine. Florence went on to become a New Mexico food legend. She still owns Rancho de Chimayo and can be seen working there even now. The restaurant is known for a few dishes, notably the sopaipillas, spicy guacamole, and carne adovada, and they are known as the first restaurant to serve stuffed sopaipillas. The place itself is beautiful, and the service is warm and attentive.

Prickly pear frozen lemonade, sopaipillas, carne adovada, and rolled flautas:

The Pantry, Santa Fe, NM:

We went to the Pantry a number of years ago and I honestly nearly wept with joy eating the carne adovada, bringing the richly flavored meat to my mouth wrapped in a flaky sopaipilla. With all of the things we went to the Southwest to do on this trip—including seeing Chaco Canyon, Canyon de Chelly, Hovenweep, and so on—I was not going to miss the opportunity to tuck into another plate of this divine adovada! And you know what? It was as good as I remembered. With any luck, I’ll be able to go back again soon.

Carne adovada and Frito pie:

Santa Fe Bite and Luminaria, Santa Fe, NM:

Green chile cheeseburger from Santa Fe Bite and the Thanksgiving turkey special from Luminaria:

The Cuban Sandwich: A Tampa Tradition

November 4, 2017September 29, 2018Leave a comment

Sure, you know what a Cuban sandwich is. Ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread, usually pressed to crisp the bread, warm it through, and start to melt the cheese. But did you know that the Cuban sandwich was invented in Tampa, FL, and in the city, Genoa salami is also an integral ingredient? In 2012, the “Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich” was declared the “signature sandwich” of the city by a resolution of the Tampa City Council. There’s a strong rivalry with Miami about which city is really the home of the Cuban sandwich. But history is on Tampa’s side, with the first evidence of the sandwich dating back to before 1900, well before they were on the scene in Miami.

According to local lore, the sandwich developed over time by adopting ingredients from the various immigrant communities that settled in Tampa. Cubans brought the ham and roast pork; Italians, the salami; and Jews and Germans, the Swiss cheese, mustard, and pickles. Of course, there was no concerted effort to create a sandwich to reflect all of these groups. But the story is emblematic of the way foods sometimes develop, taking a little from this group, a little from that, resulting in something new…and the story is certainly emblematic of American food.

Back to that public resolution: it is very specific about how a Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich is made. It includes an eight-point list that lays out precisely how to make one—but remains oddly silent on the question of whether it should be hot or cold. A peek at the minutes of the City Council meeting reveals that they thought weighing in on this point would be micromanaging–hilarious! The level of specificity in the resolution is so delightful, I’ll share it in its entirety:

Be it resolved by the City Council of the City of Tampa, Florida:

Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Tampa hereby defines, designates and authenticates the “Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich” as a sandwich which was prepared utilizing only the following ingredients and process:

1) Use Cuban bread which is an all-natural, white wheat flour loaf and is made by scoring the loaf with palmetto palm fronds, and which bread has been stored in a paper bag;

2) Cut loaf of Cuban bread into 8-10” pieces and cut bread lengthwise, with scored portion on top;

3) On bottom piece of bread place a slice of ham;

4) On top of ham, place a slice of Cuban style roast pork made by marinating the pork in garlic and mojo sauce;

5) On top of pork, place a slice of natural dried, cured Genoa salami;

6) On top of salami, place a slice of dry Swiss cheese;

7) On top of cheese, add 3 sliced dill sandwich pickles;

8) On top piece of Cuban bread (scored portion), spread yellow mustard and place on top of sandwich.

Now that’s taking the details very seriously.

After some research, we chose five places to try the sandwiches. We were able to get to just three of them: Columbia Restaurant, West Tampa Sandwich Shop, and Brocato’s Sandwiches. Due to two (!!) rental cars with problems (two separate useless cars!!), we did not get to try La Segunda Central Bakery or Michelle Faedo’s On the Go food truck. Sadly, we were most looking forward to those two. If we make it back to Tampa, we’ll make those two our first stops.

Columbia Restaurant

Columbia Restaurant is a sprawling building with multiple dining rooms and a gift shop. It’s been an anchor in the Ybor City neighborhood since 1905, making it Florida’s oldest restaurant (a title for which they have secured a service mark: Florida’s oldest restaurant^SM). The original café, founded by Cuban immigrant Casimiro Hernandez, Sr., was known for Cuban coffee and Cuban sandwiches. It’s now owned by the fifth generation of the same family. The family has opened five more locations by the same name, stretching from Tampa to as far away as St. Augustine, as well as a seventh place called Ulele. Several tables around us were celebrating birthdays, and there were a number of large parties, and that was on a Wednesday. It’s that kind of a festive spot, if touristy.

Columbia Restaurant gives a little history of the Cuban sandwich on their menu. Created in the 1890s as the mixto, the sandwiches were developed for the workmen at the local Ybor City cigar factories. The restaurant uses the same recipe that they introduced in 1915. The menu includes that lore about the contributions of the various Tampa ethnic groups to create a sandwich that reflected the community: “The city of Tampa was like the sandwich, a mixture of cultures and food.”

The Cuban bread at Columbia is from La Segunda Central Bakery. It’s as light as air inside with a faint sweetness, perfectly crisp and crumbly outside—just lovely. And that’s what they use for their Cuban sandwich. The bread is brushed with butter and pressed, so the airy quality is diminished, but the result is crispy, flaky, and toasty. The ham contributed a subtle sweetness, the roast pork gave a shot of unctuous, garlicky goodness, and the salami—a necessity in a Tampa Cuban—adds a gentle note of heat and spice. The Swiss had good bite, and the mustard and pickles didn’t overpower, but rather offered a foil to the richness of the trio of pork. The sandwich was in a way reminiscent of a ham and cheese croissant, flaky and buttery. It was well balanced, with all the ingredients standing out, but none hogging the spotlight. It comes with an ample side of plantain chips and a somewhat superfluous pickle. This was the best Cuban sandwich I had in Tampa.

West Tampa Sandwich Shop

A humble spot with an exterior that looks bleached by the hot Florida sun, West Tampa Sandwich Shop is another local institution. So much so, President Obama stopped by. He ordered a honey Cuban—honey is pressed into the bread to provide a sweet note—with lettuce and tomato, which is now the Obama sandwich on the menu. We got a classic Cuban and an Obama.

West Tampa Sandwich Shop is a no-frills place, and their Cuban was a no-frills sandwich. I had a few issues with it, like too much mustard, a skimpy slice of salami, and barely any roast pork at all. And the ham was pretty basic. But it was a good and satisfying sandwich nonetheless, and at $3.60 for the regular size, it’s easy to like. Note that they include mayo as a default, but the waitress did ask specifically whether we wanted each topping offered—mustard, pickles, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. As for the Obama, the honey pressed into the top of the bread provides a foil to the saltiness of the meats and the pickle, and the sharpness of the Swiss and mustard. The lettuce, tomato, and mayo add moisture to a sandwich that can tend to the dry.

Brocato’s Sandwich Shop

Brocato’s is clearly a Tampa tradition. The place has been around since 1948. While it wasn’t insanely busy when we were there, they are set up for massive lines. The décor belies the place of Brocato’s in the food history of Tampa—awards, mail order options, famous guests, etc.

So, I ordered a Cuban sandwich here…in Tampa, as in “Historic Tampa Cuban Sandwich,” as in expecting the steps outlined in that city resolution…and what I got was a cold Italian sub with lettuce, tomato, and mayo, in addition to the requisite ingredients. It was on Italian bread—not pressed, not warm, not toasty. Not at all what I was expecting, or what I was on a mission to eat. The place is not cheap, and it takes a while to get your food. Sandwiches come with a small bag of chips (grab your own in the large garbage cans by the pick up window) and a soda.

To be fair, Brocato’s seems to be known for their devil crabs, another Tampa tradition. They have plenty of signage about how you can get them mail ordered. Devil crabs are essentially crab croquettes. The ones at Brocato’s are huge, and they’re known for that (note that they also serve minis). The filling included ample lump crab, but also a generous dose of green bell peppers and I believe tomato and onion. The crab filling was tasty, if a bit too wet and a bit too loaded up with peppers, but I thought the size ultimately worked against the dish, throwing off the balance between the coating and the moist filling.

Zuppardi’s Apizza: A West Haven, CT Landmark

September 18, 2017December 3, 2018Leave a comment

Just a short ride from New Haven pizza legends Pepe’s, Sally’s, and Modern, West Haven, CT has its own iconic spot: Zuppardi’s Apizza. For about eight decades, they’ve been serving up New Haven-style pizzas in an unassuming space in a residential neighborhood by the beach.

Master bread-baker Dominic Zuppardi originally opened a place called Salerno’s Bakery in New Haven in 1932, moving it to Union Avenue in West Haven in ’34. By the 1940s, Dominic’s son Anthony took over and started making pizzas. He changed the name to Zuppardi’s Apizza in ’47, and the rest is West Haven history. Anthony’s kids and grandkids run the place today, still at the same Union Avenue location.

The first Zuppardi pizzas were plain pies, just tomato sauce and pecorino—like the Original Tomato Pie over at Frank Pepe’s on Wooster St. with its crushed tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, and grated cheese. Zuppardi soon started to add his homemade Italian fennel sausage to the pizzas. It was a real success then, and remains so today.

Unlike some of its New Haven counterparts, Zuppardi’s doesn’t use a coal-fired oven, but rather a gas one. The dough is a little thicker than at the other places, and chewier, too, but it still delivers a crisped crust and the characteristic slight char of New Haven pizza. In fact, the dough has a lot of the characteristics of a great artisan Italian bread. And the toppings are all high quality.

Today’s menu remains true to its history. The Traditional Plain Pie is just that—tomato sauce and pecorino, with garlic upon request. (Note that in New Haven, and in West Haven, you specifically ask for mozzarella when you want it.) The Special Pizza is another Anthony original: red sauce, mozzarella, mushroom, and that homemade fennel sausage.

They also do a clam pie, a New Haven classic. As you can see above, it’s a thing of beauty. They use shucked-to-order littleneck clams along with garlic and spices, flecked with crushed red pepper, and served with lemon wedges. Many regard Zuppardi’s clam pizza as the best one in the area—myself included. Although it can be pricey (depends on the market price for the fresh clams), it’s delicious, and it’s best eaten right away. This is not the right choice if you’re looking for leftovers: the clams get hard and rubbery and the crust gets soggy. But straight out of the oven, it’s briny, garlicky bliss.

Another stand-out specialty is the beans and escarole pizza: a white pizza with cannellini beans, sautéed escarole, mozzarella, fresh garlic, and olive oil. Consider throwing in some of the fennel sausage, too. Zuppardi’s has all the usual toppings, too, of course, and a few questionable specialties, like Buffalo style chicken. They also have some other menu items, like salads and appetizers, which isn’t the case with all the big name places in New Haven. They serve beer and wine as well as the great Foxon Park sodas, another local treat. If you’ve never had their white birch, try it.

If you’re exploring New Haven pizza, which you absolutely should do, take the short trip out to West Haven and sample the Zuppardi’s take on this regional specialty.

Zuppardi’s Apizza

179 Union Avenue, West Haven, CT