The Amazing Adventures of a Zoobroker and a Sentiographer
We just stopped at the Sub Shop in Columbia, MO on our way to St. Louis, and it got me thinking about the various combinations of bread and meat you can get around the US. So I put together a handy visual guide that might help you on your travels. For the record, we had pizza in Wichita.
The trip starts for me tomorrow ... and the way it's scheduled, I'm on the road for 30 days straight. The official road trip doesn't start until the 11th ... look for updates starting around then ...
In the meantime, enjoy this tip of the day:
Eggs Mushrooms Strawberries Pieces of Banana Boiled Potatoes
Apples Zucchini* Raw Potatoes*
*Not actually tested, because it broke on the apple.
Beer: Yes
Slow: Yes
Good: Yes
This was the Winter Burger: 1/2lb. Strawberry Mountain natural beef, Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese, Pancetta, grape tomato relish and butter lettuce
Yes, medium rare it was the most delicious burger I've had in many months.
Check out their menu for the other burger. Find Slow Bar on a map.
I know we're not supposed to get sappy on a road trip, but Banff just brings out the girl in me. Ten years ago, when I left Banff (and the girl), my housemates took me out on my last night for fondue at the Grizzly House. It's a Banff institution, once it was a rocky mountain themed disco. Anyway, coming back here (I avoided it on all my previous returns to Banff with various girls) got me a little misty eyed. Eh. Anyway, this is one of those Banff "must-do's". The food is just good, not great, but you can't beat the atmostphere. And table-to-table calling.
[singlepic id=27 w=500 h=332 float=]
The cheese fondue ... [singlepic id=28 w=500 h=332 float=]
The sauces and the meats ... [singlepic id=29 w=500 h=332 float=]
The bison head, available for purchase for $4000. Really. [singlepic id=30 w=500 h=332 float=]
Some years ago, I went to Toronto with possibly the sweetest of all the girls I've ever dated, Joan (pronouced "Jo-anne") Lee While we were there, we made a point of calling our northern neighbour "Canadia" and Ontario's fair capital "Tortonto" (by the way, I realize that Ottawa is the capital of Canadia, I said Ontario). That was awesome fun. So while were were there, we stopped at a Toronto legend, Rodney's Oyster House. It was way out of the way, it felt like it was almost in North York. Who knows. I just remembered the fried clams, delicious oysters, and the hot dog. Yes, I had a hot dog at an oyster house. Don't ask. Since then, I'd been back to Tortonto many times -- most spectaculary during the SARS quarantine, blaster virus, and northeast blackout, but I never made it back to Rodney's.
Today, walking around the corner from our Yaletown hotel, I spotted the classic Rodney's sign. Of course, that's where we're eating. Yum.
Photos below, but in short:
Oysters: Yes. Chowder: Yes. Bread Yes: Oysters Rockefeller: Maybe. Garlic Shrimp: No. Cougars: Yes. The place is a bonafide cougar den. Enjoy.
No joke folks. This is as close to a perfect evening as you can get. Click on for luscious photos and succulent descriptions. First stop: Spuyten Duyvil
Self-described as "serving Cheese, Meat and a wide selection of Beer." It shouldn't take much more to get me in the door, but when I sat at the bar and asked for "something dark and beery" I got the most delicious Imperial Stout I've had since Portland, Oregon - and served in a wine glass to boot. These people got it down. It was my first stop, so I only had drinks, but the food I saw being served look d-lish.
And I must add that Spuyten Duyvil is my FAVORITE town name from the train ride down from Westchester into NYC. Always makes me feel naughty.
After the wonderful, swirly, dark beer, I walked across the street to Fette Sau to meet up with friends:
This is almost what it looked like, the beer was so good. It's off the street, so walk under the sign and back to the most amazing barbecue this side of Nashville. And you buy your meat by the pound. Bring your appetite, or don't come.
And the bar is something to be seen and... tasted. Boasting an amazing whiskey selection, they also have premier beers. I sampled the High and Mighty Fette Sau and the Chocolate Lager, served so delicately in mason jars.
And while you're at it, be sure to do this on a Monday night so you can go see some Burlesque later on!
This might not even be the best steak around Fort Smith, Arkansas, but this place is the perfect place to grab a bite and a beer after a long drive. Years ago, I left a piece of my heart here ... nuff said. Also check out the Electric Cowboy. It might be the best bar in Arkansas. Just be wardrobe conscious: or you get comments like: "That's an awful fancy shirt yer wearing."
Oh, and if some guy tells you that he'd like to take 'nekkid pictures' of 'yer lady' -- but that he 'does it all classy style-like, ya know, like on a motorcycle or something', I say go for it.
On my way to see TV on the Radio last night, I dropped by Bonita at 338 Bedford Ave in Brooklyn, NY for a little pre-show eats. Ho-lee yum.
I went for the gusto and the Michelada to drink. I won't reveal EVERYthing that's in it, but here is the gist: Ice, tabasco, lime and beer - with a salted rim. It is heaven, after you get over the shock of having ice and tabasco in your beer. As the waitress who indoctrinated me said, "it's an obsession that's hard to escape."
For dinner, carnitas: pork shank confit, chile de arbol salsa. I was on the phone with DJ when I basted it with the topping my buddy behind the bar pointed at... what I didn't hear him say was, "watch out, gringo, this is fucking hot." So I barely tasted the first carnita and had to get off the phone and go tap the fire hydrant outside to put out the flames.
Wiping my brow, I tried some milder toppings and sank into caloric heaven Delicious - and illustrated (two missing)
