Most of the time when I go to Panera, I’m alone with my laptop editing photos or writing with a Pick 2 on the table. I usually need a few minutes to select the perfect combo for the day, and I tend to go with whatever the weather dictates; soup and salad for chilly days, or sandwich and salad for warm days. My favorite cold weather salad is the Fuji apple, which I’ll usually pair with broccoli cheddar, French onion, or black bean soup. When I went last week it was so cold and windy outside all I wanted was a big bowl of hot broccoli cheddar soup with potato chips crunched on top; nothing chilled for me, thank you.

Today Michael and I had a lunch date, the first in a very long time for us. We arrived early to make sure we got a table before the lunch rush began, and in keeping with our tradition we decided to order different things and then share them. We stood off to the side for a while, debating the merits of various combinations before finally settling on a small bowl of steak chili with cornbread chunks on top and a bbq chicken salad. As we enjoyed our lunch, our conversation bounced around from work to the kids, to our basement reorganization project, and finally to spring gardening plans. We actually had time to talk about the mundane, day to day stuff and complete our conversation and our meal.

I think this lunch date thing needs to be on the calendar more often.

[Disclosure: I am a brand ambassador for Panera Bread and received compensation for writing this post.]

Twitter: http://twitter.com/panerabread

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/panerabread

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This is a guest post from my husband, Michael, who travels the world and brings home stories of his many culinary adventures.

Have you passed by curious places that nearly draw you in but for some reason you just don’t stop by; maybe you’re in a hurry, or the time is not right. Randy’s Donuts has been one of those places for me. I fly into LAX several times a year and can’t seem to make it to the 405 without passing by Randy’s, a small drive-in donut shop overwhelmed by a overwhelming sculpture in the shape of a donut on top. Built back in the 1950s, it’s at a corner location that gives you the feeling the neighborhood grew around it. But you don’t stay in business for over 50 years merely because of hype; there has to be something there underneath the giant ring.

Even though I had a meeting some 65 miles away in Oxnard and it was already 1100 in the morning—more of a time for a taco than a donut–I couldn’t let this place slip by again. I pulled up into the parking lot. Maybe it was seeing the landmark in the Iron Man II movie that sealed the deal. The store front to the walk up counter is pretty basic and reminded me of what you might see at an ice cream stand. There is even an ATM and lottery tickets available. Most people seem to prefer the drive through. Some movie scenes allude to a sit down area, but there is nothing available either inside or out.

I ordered a Long John and a chocolate glazed, both only 75 cents, and my donuts appeared less than a minute after ordering and paying. The donuts themselves were over sized and heavy, no cutting corners here. As the donut approached my mouth I didn’t notice any typical scent of fry oil or a greasy exterior. The first bite was marvelous and the first thing that comes to mind is buttery, and the chocolate frosting perfectly balanced and complimentary. I realize it might seem over the top to describe a donut that way, but it was that good.

I quickly devoured one and then the other, then headed off. Randy’s Donuts carried me through the evening but with no heavy feeling. Randy’s claims to be the best donuts in L.A., even the world, and they just might be right.

Getting There

Randy’s Donuts
805 West Manchester Avenue
Inglewood, CA 90301
310-645-4707
http://randys-donuts.com/

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We can’t remember the details of our first trip to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que almost eleven years ago when we were dating, or why we chose to go there. Perhaps it was the quirky name, the recommendation of a friend, or even the person working the front desk at the hotel where we were staying. All of that doesn’t seem to matter now since we long ago claimed it as one of our favorite haunts. What we do remember is the food, and every time we go back it seems to get better. Our annual summer pilgrimage to Upstate New York always includes an overnight stay at Mike’s parent’s house in Syracuse, where they give us a break and watch the boys as we jump into the car and visit this homage to grilled meats. Who would have thought one of the best rated barbecue joints in the country would be located just a short distance away from the Carrier dome where the Orangemen play.

If it weren’t for the sign overhead you’d swear you were in front of a biker bar. Everyone is polite as you make your way past the row of Harleys out front, walk through the carry out area, and wait to be seated in the back. The interior is dark and eclectic with photos of jazz greats and memorabilia encircling the walls. Graffiti frames the wooden booths and windows as light streams through the glass block weaving past the neon beer signs. If you’re lucky there will be someone inside playing the blues. If you didn’t know better you’d swear you were in some off-the-beaten-path small Southern town.

The restaurant is a gem, and they serve up some real down home stick-to-your-ribs goodness. Nothing here disappoints and the service is casual and terrific. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que makes their own sauces and rubs with a range of flavor and heat to tickle the palate. I like the Sensuous Slathering Sauce, a slightly sweet sauce that I douse on the beef brisket, and Michael goes for the Wango Tango Habanero Sauce. If you have a serious need for some Dinosaur Bar-B-Que sauce but can’t find it in your local grocery store, they’ll ship it to you. They even have a cookbook with many of their popular recipes, which I will feature in my next post.

Each time I sit down to look at the menu, I find myself lingering over the combination platters, dreaming of pulled pork, beef brisket, and ribs, then taking an eternity to decide on the sides. It’s very important to choose exactly what I want because I know we won’t be back for another year.

During our last visit I had the Tres Niño’s, a daintier version of the Tres Hombres, which is loaded with pulled pork, ribs, beef brisket, honey hush cornbread, and served with fries and tomato cucumber salad on the side. See the charring on the ribs? That’s some good stuff.

Michael chose the Ragin’ Cajun chicken sandwich platter, loaded with hot Diablo sauce and served with fries and chili on the side.

We nibbled off each other’s plate, reminisced about our first visit all those years ago, and planned out the rest of the day. And of course we made plans to come back next year.

Getting There

246 W. Willow Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
315-476-4937

9 Court Street
Rochester, NY 14604
585-325-7090

646 W 131st St.
New York, NY 10027
212-694-1777

http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com

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When I think of diner food, the first thought that comes to my mind is greasy spoon, traditional diner food that’s great for comfort but not healthy, and that’s what I said to Robert Giaimo, Founder and President and CEO of Silver Diner, Inc. I have eaten at Silver Diner, but it’s been a while and it’s not a restaurant that comes to mind when thinking about a place to get a healthy meal. Happily, Giaimo and his partner Ype (Ee-pah) Von Hengst have set out to change that.

Silver Diner has not only changed their menu by adding healthy dishes, but they’ve switched to grass fed angus beef and hormone free all natural meats. They’ve added gluten-free dishes and 600 calorie entrees. They’re also buying local and getting farm fresh produce, milk, chicken, and eggs to the table within 48 hours. Their eggs now come from Martin Farms in Pennsylvania; milk comes from Kreider Farms in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; natural multigrain breads all come from local regional providers, and even the beer and wine come from local regional wineries and beer companies. Their coffee is Greenberry Coffee, which is roasted in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Bloggers from the DC Metro area had a chance to sample some of the new healthy dishes at a blogger event on May 13 at the Clarendon restaurant in Arlington. [Disclosure: The blogger event was hosted and paid for by Silver Diner and organized by Zcomm. The bloggers received a free buffet meal and gift baskets with coffee mugs, fresh local asparagus and strawberries, and Greenberry coffee. They also gave away a few prizes, though I didn’t win anything. The opinions expressed here are my own.] We had a chance to listen to Giaimo and Executive Chef Hengst talk about the changes coming to all the Silver Diner locations and the reasons why, all while tasting a menu that included:

• Healthier Shake Shots,
• Silver Diner Mimosas,
• black bean quesadillas,
• crab dip,
• sliders (Salmon, Pesto Turkey, and All American),
• Tomato Mozzarella Finger Sandwiches,
• Summer Citrus Salad,
• Chopped Asian Salad,
• 600 Calorie Smothered BBQ Meatloaf,
• 600 Calorie Vegetarian Stir-Fry,
• Shrimp Scampi with Gluten-Free Penne,
• Guacamole Pepper Jack Burger,
• Gluten Free Brownie Sundae,
• Apple Pie,
• Double Chocolate Triple-Layer Cake, and
• Coffee, wine, beer.

I tasted quite a few things, keeping my samples to just a bite or two because there was a lot of food and the wait staff kept bringing out more. Of everything I sampled, my favorites were the Salmon Sliders (though I would have liked a little more teriyaki glaze and wasabi), the Summer Citrus Salad (photo below), and Chopped Asian Salad (photo below). I even liked the 600 Calorie Smothered BBQ Meatloaf (photo above), and I really don’t care for meatloaf. The only thing I didn’t sample were the burgers because I was trying to save some room for a few bites of dessert, but they looked very good. The apple pie is beautiful—it looks more like a galette than a pie—and it was my favorite dessert, though the chocoholics would probably vote for the cake.

I made a point, well actually a couple points, to ask Giaimo and Hengst about the children’s menu and any changes they had planned for it, and they assured me that the children’s menu is also undergoing the same changes. The new ingredients are already in place in the menu and there are new healthy entrees, sides, and dessert for children to choose from. The new children’s menu will be revealed in June and I look forward to seeing and tasting what Silver Diner has come up with.

Our family is very concerned about the food we eat, which is why we try to grow our own herbs, vegetables, and fruits as much as possible. It’s heartening to see local restaurants change their business practices by adopting a healthy philosophy and supporting local farms and businesses, and I hope that other restaurants will follow suit. Safe, healthy food should be served everywhere, not just in expensive establishments.

To promote the new healthy menu, Silver Diner is sponsoring a Social Kitchen contest where fans can win a $50 gift card to Silver Diner and one lucky grand prize winner will get their choice of $500 to spend in their local community or a trip for two to a local vineyard, including lodging and wine tasting. The contest ends on May 28 at 5pm ET. Visit the Silver Diner Facebook page for more information on the contest (link below).

Company Information

Silver Diner, Inc.

www.silverdiner.com

www.twitter.com/Silver_Diner

www.facebook.com/pages/The-Silver-Diner/168532409200

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This is a guest post from my husband, Michael, who travels the world and brings home stories of his many culinary adventures.

During a December business trip to Philadelphia with friend and fellow carnivore Garth Jenson, I realized the shipyards where I was giving a briefing was a mere three miles from what many would consider the Mecca of cheesesteaks, the quaint part of the city where two world renowned competitors stake their turf across a busy intersection. Garth and I couldn’t let this opportunity pass by. We had to settle the matter for ourselves: which was better, Pat’s King of Steaks or Geno’s Steaks. Both are open 24 hours a day seven days a week, which makes you wonder how many cheesesteaks they sell at 4 a.m. on a Sunday.

We were lucky enough to find a spot along the park across the street from Pat’s. The air was crisp but that didn’t sway the faithful from making the pilgrimage to the land of beef and cheesesteak. A bit of reconnaissance was in order since we didn’t want to look like the newbies we were. We quickly scanned the menus and listened to a series of regulars walk up to the window and order. To slow down the process in front of a line of hungry people is definitely frowned upon.

We decided to make the bout as fair as possible. Garth would order one cheesesteak and I would order the other, then we would split them so both could savor what Pat’s and Geno’s had to offer and make our own decision.

We went to Geno’s first. Like its website, Geno’s is flashy: the sign is bigger than Pat’s, they have a police memorial walk, and the inside of the overhang is lined with pictures of the famous and slightly famous smiling with the owners or workers. Garth ordered a “Wiz wit,” which for those in the know is a cheesesteak with Cheese Whiz and onions. Before going on this trip I had surveyed the office and gotten opinions about whether to go with cheese slices or the Wiz, and based on the responses I determined the Wiz was more authentic, and Garth agreed. The Geno’s cheesesteak order came out about as fast as Garth paid.

We then crossed the street to Pat’s, which is less glitzy than Geno’s. I ordered a Wiz wit and then asked about a drink and was motioned to the window to the left. Seems they have the process down to a science and use the same procedure whether you are the only person in line or there with a hundred new friends. The Pat’s cheesesteak came out open faced and appeared to have twice the meat of the Geno’s version. Both were the same price, $8.25. We later learned that Geno’s hollows out their buns which would account for the apparent difference in size.

We sat down at one of the red metal picnic tables and laid the competition side by side. Since neither offered knives, we had to make do splitting the sandwiches with two plastic forks, not so easy when you are starving, so bring a knife if you plan to do your own throwdown.

The Verdict

First the Pat’s cheesesteak: they say it’s the bun that makes the difference in getting a cheesesteak in Philly and a replica anywhere else. Pat’s bun seemed Italian and had a thin crunchy layer to it. The Wiz was light and not overbearing, the steak was thin-sliced and juicy but not dripping like an Italian beef sandwich you get in Chicago. One thing Pat’s offers that we didn’t see at Geno’s was a pepper bar, with both the round Italian and what looked like thin Thai peppers, as well as mustard and catsup squirt bottles. I slid in a couple of the Italian peppers which was a nice addition of texture and flavor.

Now the Geno’s cheesesteak: the bun is also Italian in style with three slits in the top. The bread was soft but didn’t give when you bit into the sandwich like the Pat’s version did. The amount of Wiz was slightly less than Pat’s, and the meat was more prominent. Garth and I both agreed the meat had more flavor to it, as if beef stock was added during cooking.

In the end it was close, but Garth and I agreed Geno’s edged out Pat’s slightly due to the flavor of the meat. We’ve heard there are better cheese steaks in Philly, and that may very well be the case, but that will have to be a future throwdown which both Garth and I are eager to take on.

Getting There

Geno’s Steaks
1219 S. 9th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Pat’s King of Steaks
1237 E. Passyunk Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Both open 24/7, cash only.

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

Martha Stewart is doing another show on blogging tomorrow and I’ll be in the audience along with many other bloggers. I am thrilled for the opportunity to see Martha in person and to meet more bloggers that I follow. Pim will be on the show making her famous pad Thai (I hope there will be enough for the audience) and other bloggers will make appearances as well.

Though I’ve been to New York City twice before on business, those trips did not allow time for sightseeing. Each time I left the city with a longing to return and explore, to see some of the places that capture my imagination. Today, ten years later, I finally got to do a little of that.

I spent the afternoon wandering around Chelsea and a bit of the Flatiron District and taking photos of the Flatiron Building, one of my favorite New York landmarks.

I had hoped to have time to visit the Guggenheim Museum and indulge in more architecture and art, but that will have to wait for another trip.

Of course getting some lunch was an important goal, and I set off to find Co.,  Jim Lahey’s pizza restaurant. New York Magazine ranked Lahey’s pizza at #4 in the city, and knowing of Lahey’s legendary breads I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to try his pizza. He makes thin crust Napolitano-style pizzas with beautiful ingredients such as chestnuts, lardons, quail eggs, and honshimeji mushrooms. The pizzas are all about 11 inches in diameter, just enough for two people if you order a salad and appetizer to go along with the meal.

The restaurant seats about 50 people and has several long tables for bigger groups. I seated myself at the bar and took my time perusing the menu, trying to decide if I wanted to just order a pizza or order a starter and take some of the pizza home tomorrow so Michael can have a sample. I chose the appetizer of the day, a bowl of sliced beef that had been slow-cooked in a wine sauce until fork tender with slices of Lahey’s famous bread on the side for dipping. The flavor was hearty and slightly sweet from the wine, and the marbled meat melted in my mouth. The bread soaked up the flavors in the broth and I found myself swirling the bread around the bowl to get the last drops.

The roasted cauliflower pizza caught my eye, as well as the meatball, but in the end I decided on the flambé pizza with béchamel, parmesan, buffalo mozzarella, caramelized onions, and lardons.

I’m not typically a béchamel fan but the lure of a white pizza and the lardons drew me in. The pizza was quite rich, and the saltiness of the lardons actually saved it from being overwhelmingly rich. The crust had that wonderful crispiness and slightly smoky flavor you would expect from a good Napolitano pizza, and if I lived in NYC I would probably become a regular at Co.

And yes, I saved some to take home to Michael.

[I purchased the meal and received no compensation of any kind for writing this post.]

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

This is a guest post from my husband, Michael, who travels the world and brings home stories of his many culinary adventures.

When traveling to even familiar places it’s nice to know a local. My friend Donn has lived in Hawaii all his life and when I asked him about the Rainbow Drive-In his face broke out in a grin as he chuckled, “It’s not very touristy.” In Honolulu with all the visitors, crowds, and overhype something like this simple drive-in has a certain appeal.

The Rainbow Drive-In is not easy to find, set back from the road and concealed by a mob of cars out front, and you really have to keep an eye out for it. It’s just past the zoo, in an older part of town. We parked on the street and carefully made our way across the busy road. The building is basically square with the kitchen in the back. Diners place and pick-up orders in the the front and there are about six stainless steel tables under an overhang on the side. A short cinder block wall separates the seating from the parking lot just high enough to block the cars. There are no windows but you don’t need them in Hawaii.

Even though it was just after 11 am the place was mobbed. The line moves quickly, so much so that if you are unfamiliar with the options it’s better to stand off to the side and glance over at the board of selections. Everyone I saw paid in cash, and the menu is about as cheap as you can get for quality fair, particularly for Hawaii. Although there is a continual flow of patrons through the drive-in the entire area is amazingly clean, including the rest room.

I heard they made a great Loco Moco so I ordered that along with a cherry slush float. The menu offers a choice between a plate or a bowl with the bowl being a regular single serving and the plate a double serving. I ordered the plate but later regretted it as I could have been easily satisfied by the single Loco Moco. We took our orders and sat down at one of the steel topped tables firmly attached to the ground. When a rookie pops the lid of what appears to be medium sized pizza box they’ll wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into—a bit of breakfast and a bit of lunch fused together. The steam and aroma will set you at ease as it tickles your nose. This is definitely plastic fork and knife eating at its best.

So what is a Loco Moco? At the base is a large scoop of white rice topped by a quarter pound hamburger, then they pour on a ladle of brown gravy over both and top it off with an egg cooked to order, I recommend over easy. A Loco Moco plate is two of these dressed on the side with a large scoop of macaroni salad. The macaroni salad is done classical-style with elbows and a hint of chopped vegetables, all liberally coated in mayo.

What comes to mind with the first bite is that this combination of tastes somehow works, even with the macaroni salad. On a hot day the cherry slush with a couple of scoops of vanilla ice cream is a great chaser. The drink takes me back to my childhood growing up in the Midwest, and once again the flavors work, particularly if they sit for a while and the slush melts into the ice cream. It was sweet heaven for me.

I left this experience very full and not wanting food for the rest of the day. At a little more than ten bucks this lunch is one of the best deals in town, but for most people, save the extremely hungry, the single Loco Moco in a cup should satisfy.

Getting There

Rainbow Drive-In
3308 Kanaina Ave. Honolulu, HI 96815-4214
(808) 737-0177.

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Billed as the “kleinste bräuerei Stuttgarts” (the smallest brewery in Stuttgart), Calwer Eck is a brewery restaurant worth a look. In a central downtime location on the Calwer Strasse, a pedestrian street near the Stadtmitte S-Bahn stop, it’s easily accessible and close to a number of tourist attractions in the Altstadt (old part of town). When walking down the Calwer Strasse, look for this menu station and the sign above that says “Hausbrauerei,” then go up the marble stairs to the left, or you can dine outdoors in front of the entrance. The interior is warm and inviting, with walls covered in stained wood and beautiful windows overlooking the Calwer Strasse. They have large raised booths with wooden benches or tables with chairs.

The restaurant features traditional hearty Swabian favorites and they have both German and English menus available, though I had fun trying to dust off my high school German from years ago translating the menu for Michael. They serve breakfast daily lunch specials (Mittags) including drink from 11:00 am to 5 pm, dinner after 5 pm, and a Sunday all you can eat brunch from 10 am to 4 pm. The daily lunch specials are very reasonable at just €6,50 with soup and salad extra at just €1,80. The Sunday brunch sounds like a good value at €8,80 per person, with children under 6 eating free and children 6 to 12 eating at half price. I spotted a Frühstück (breakfast) list tucked into the main menu, though a note on the website mentions that they do not currently serve breakfast.

We went for dinner and had beers, salads, and entrees. Michael ordered the braumeisterbier, the house beer, which he enjoyed; I had the Helles hefeweizen, also good. Both were €2,80 per glass or €12,90 per pitcher. The side salad (€2,50), which tasted very good, consisted of a bed of German style potato salad with a vinaigrette and some slaw, then greens, shredded carrots, and tomato wedges on top.

For his meal, Michael ordered the Braumeister-Schmaus (€11,80), a combination plate with Fleischkäse (a baked sausage meatloaf), Maultasche (meat wrapped in a wide flat noodle), Käsespätzle (cheese noodles), and Bratensauce (a dark gravy). His favorites were the Maultasche and the Käsespätzle.

I had the Stuttgarter Pfännle (€14,80), a meal served in one of their traditional pfannen (pans) with pork medallions, mushroom cream sauce, and homemade spätzle (noodles) on the side. The pork and noodles tasted great with the mushroom sauce.

Both meals were large and though we liked them were didn’t have enough room to finish, let alone any room for dessert, though it would be worth a trip back to try some of their appetizers and desserts.

[We purchased the meal and received no compensation of any kind for writing this article.]

Location: Calwer Strasse 31, 70173 Stuttgart

Getting there: Via S-Bahn, all lines (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6). Get off at Stadtmitte one stop away from the Hauptbahnhoff (main train station). Walk to Rotebühlplatz, then Calwer Strasse.

Website: www.calwereck.de (in German), www.calwereck.de (in English)

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.

This is a guest post from my husband, Michael, who travels the world and promised me a story about one of his many culinary experiences. Future posts will have photos from his trips.

We ventured across the world’s busiest intersection, the rush hour crowd absorbing us as if we weren’t there.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

A mustached smile gleamed back at me, “A Mongolian barbecue where we can eat and drink all we want for 4000 yen (about $28).”

I shook my head in disbelief.

My friend chuckled after reading my expression. “Oh yeah, and we’ve got to finish in ninety minutes.”

Eight of us weaved through the packs of businessmen, young professionals, and school girls down one of the dozen or so side streets. We turned a corner and stepped down to a pair of wooden doors with metal handles shaped like a snowman. We entered and sat on stools arranged on either side of a short wooden table with metal holes in which concrete urns containing white hot blocks of charcoal were placed. The server laid curved grills on top, and provided bowls of mixed vegetables which included bean spouts, sliced pumpkin, green pepper, thin shavings of carrots, and broccoli. Next to this were nuggets of thinly sliced lamb and cubes of fat which we placed on top of the grill to coat it.

They provided our first drinks, our choices were iced liter mugs of beer, sake, or wine. The table split into factions of each. The server showed us the clock and we were off. The beers went down quickly, the sake less so—the heavy, sweet liquid almost daring you to consume it.

The vegetables and lamb sizzled and popped for a couple of minutes over the heat before we picked it off. The meat was delicate not like the lamb we have back in the states. The beers and drinks were replenished swiftly along with the food as we worked through our feast. After ninety minutes we had had our fill. We each passed in our 4000 yen, collected our group and returned to the busy streets, stopping down the road at a shop for purple sweet potato ice cream to top off our evening before making our way back to the hotel.

Tokyo is a wonderful city, and if you ever get a chance to visit make a point of stopping in for a 90 minute feast of your own. According to the expats I was with these are popular throughout the city. I recommend the place we ate, www.kita-yukidaruma.com. The service was excellent and the beer ice cold, but beware of the sake, otherwise you might not remember the experience unless your friends can fill in the gaps.

Resources

www.kita-yukidaruma.com

Bento.com – Tokyo Food Page Restaurant List, Shibuya

Thanks for subscribing to this blog! Copyright © 2005-2012 Andrea Meyers: making life delicious.