Fat Kid Reviews: Leger's Deli

As I was growing up some dear friends of my family owned a deli. Their ownership of it is a thing of the past now, but it left in me a particular fondness for "deli" food. Because of this long history of sandwich consumption I really love a nice local (even if franchised) sandwich shop.

Now I came to Leger's on the raving suggestion of my dear friend and sometimes contributor "Drasago". He found the place wandering around on his lunch and after eating immediately texted me. So I decided to give it a go on one of my Fridays. This was another place that I'd drive by a hundred times, and was always looking for an excuse to try out.

First impressions upon entering? It was a sandwich shop. The kind where the guy behind the gives you a sample of his meat because he's just that proud of it. Very friendly without being pushy. The guy was mellow, sort of blue collar energy and obviously loved his job. As I was sitting there waiting he brought a piece of corned beef, He told me about the local butcher who makes all the corned beef and pastrami they use. And man... was it delicious.

I ordered two sandwiches. His weekly special (which that week was a Reuben) and the "Kitchen Sink". I'll start with the latter.

Every place like this has a sandwich like the kitchen sink. I've seen it called the "Garbage Sandwich", or the "Po'Boy" or some variation on the theme. Some places will even give you the history of the term "Po'Boy" when you order it. But basically it's a bunch of meats and cheeses on a sandwish. This one in particular had turkey, roast beef, and ham with provolone, cheddar, swiss, and american cheese. And they were fantastic. I could close my eyes and pick out each individual note of the symphony in my mouth. It was a fantastic sandwich. Which segues perfectly into the next sandwich.

I didn't know what a perfect Reuben was until I had that special. I didn't realize that the thing wrong with so many Reubans I had had was that they had too much meat until I had this sandwich. It has become the template by which I gauge other Reubens. It was magnificent.

I enjoyed it is what I'm saying there. If that wasn't clear.

Now, the one problem and it's not really a problem, is that he has a weekly special that they rotate in and out. The Reuben was one of those so there's no easy way to tell when the next time it will be available is. Aside from physically asking. And where's the fun in that?

See you in the Chow Line,
-The Fat Kid 

Fat Kid Reviews: Pizza Rev

There's a couple of places around the valley that are working with this same idea. The "high-end but affordable" pizza. Upon entering that was definitely the theme of the place, from the decor to the menu. Though not wood or coal fired they had a nice big pizza oven right there to be seen. We had come for an early lunch so Chef Fatty and I were basically the only ones there. The service was personable and they were willing to modify our pizza slightly (I have to be careful about my spinach intake for health reasons). 

We got their sausage pizza with white sauce and the Mediterranean (sans spinach). They were out to us at fast food speed and smelled quite delicious. It's a thin crust pizza with some nice toasted char from the big oven. The cheese was a nice rich buffalo mozzarella and the white sauce was well seasoned but combined with the cheese and other toppings was quite rich. Almost too much by about half way in. It was at this point that we realized that we'd picked up two of the same kind of sauce.

Now... we realized that for the sake of review this was a problem but the lady behind the counter was exceptionally kind and gave us a little sample of their red sauce. And that was the point were this went from a decent but overly rich pizza to something fantastic.

Their red sauce is dynamite.

It's bright and fresh and incredibly delicious. Dipping the over rich white sauced pizza into it? Hindu Holy Cow. It was SO good. Now I admit I have a soft spot for that mix of marinara and Alfredo sauces but this was a really good combination, just fantastic.

Now for the critiques, the pizzas were a little small for the price point but you're really paying for the time in the oven and not the size. The toppings were of a nice high quality but a little sparse on the actual pizzas.

But personally I think that's sort of a wash as getting that perfect bite of the two sauces and the cheese and sausage or olives? That was totally worth it.

Like, Comment, and Share if that's your thing.

See you in the Chow line,
The Fat Kid

Fat Kid Reviews: Carlos' Kitchen #2

There are places that you drive by over and over again. You look out the window of your car and ask yourself "I wonder what that place is like". Bare minimum I've been driving by this place two to three times a week for years (it's on the route to my brother's house and out local game store). And every time that's exactly what I thought.

So one day while out lunching with my father we decided to give this place a go.

When we first entered I wasn't quite sure what to think. The decor was... uninspiring (think subtle stereotypes on a budget) and though the place was clean it had the look of a place that wouldn't be. I don't quite know how else to describe it.

Upon entering the hostess immediately greeted us like old friends. She was bright and friendly and asked us if we spoke Spanish. Sadly I did not, so the hostess had to translate what we said to the woman behind the counter.

The wait was a little long but the freshness of the food showed that this was a from scratch operation. They brought our food to us and I dug in quickly.

Pupusas.

I'll wait while you google it.

...

Seriously, if you have never had a pupusa you should consider yourself having missed out on a culinary milestone.

I tried a bean and cheese one, a cheese and pork one, and one filled with edible flowers. And oh my merciful Iron Chefs were they delicious. This wonderful mix of salty and savory topped with a brightly acidic and herbed cabbage slaw that made a wonderfully complete flavor. And BIG too. I got three (with beans and chips) and walked away quite full.

But delightfully so.

They also proudly show Philly Cheese Steaks on their menu. Which I didn't try... but due to my profound morbid curiosity will likely be trying sometime soon.

I'll let you know.

Like, Comment, and Share if that's your thing.

See you in the Chow line,
-The Fat Kid

Fat Kid Reviews: Piper Down Irish Pub

I go here a lot. It's one of those places that always feels like it's somebody's favorite bar. The decor embraces this eclectic patchwork of Irish and the aged structure of the building itself into a strange but strangely fun atmosphere. The service is consistent and nice.

But honestly I really don't care as much about all that. Because I go here for the food.

It's an odd menu. American food modified to be more... Irish. A burger with Corned Beef on top, "Irish Corndogs" (fresh dipped bratwurst corndog with a Guiness and mustard sauce for dipping.),"Irish Nachos" (Fresh Potato chips with cheese, pico, guacomole, and small diced corned beef), and other dishes of a similar bent. There's also a good selection of classic British Isles food, the best of those being the Bangers and Mash, and the Scot Eggs.

Now, this is a place that I just keep coming back to. Their Irish Nachos may be one of my favorite things to cram into my facehole. It's high quality, just odd enough to make you want to try one more, and be sad when you eat the very last one.

They use a very delicious corned beef that is perfectly tender and has a nice flavor to it. On a burger? It's just delightful. On it's own? Just as good. Even as I write this I can feel my mouth watering. And their brown gravy is just a work of art. Mmm... just mmm. That's my review of the food. The kind of delicious stick to your ribs stuff that you want to eat after a rough week.

They also have a rather nice selection of vegetarian and gluten free options (little shaky on my memory of the gluten so that might be a lie) that I have not personally tried but given their work with the things I have consumed I'd be surprised if their veggie stuff was not as good as everything else.

Their selection of drinks is quite nice. It's a full bar and they have some really tasty cocktails. I've only tried a handful but they've all be quite good. I'm really quite partial to the Duckfart.

But regardless of what you drink I can't say enough good about this place and it's incredible food. Give it a try.

Like, Comment, and Share if that's your thing.

See you in the Chow line,
-The Fat Kid

Fat Kid Reviews: El Paisa

This is one of those places that I've been meaning to write about for ages. But I haven't mostly because it's one of my favorite places to go, and well, on my proper favorites I don't always fully trust my judgement.

However! For the benefit of my readers, I shall attempt to temper my deep love of this place to let you know if it's worth your time. (It totally is.)

Off of the 201 State highway next to a tiny bakery and up from "The Great Sandwich Chinese Food" is a well decorated and lively Mexican Restaurant. If you come during the evening you'll likely see the tiny parking lot full and either Latin Karaoke or a live band playing. The atmosphere is always lively and fun, and though the service can be inconsistent at times it's never enough to spoil the experience.

But what this is really about is the food.

The food is just glorious. Authentic and the kind of yummy that makes you want to keep coming back for more. I have tried much of the menu and can bare minimum say that everything is worth a try. Their rice and beans are consistently fantastic and their house made corn tortillas (when you can get them) are just glorious.

My favorites on their menu are the Queso dip with Chorizo (which is extra but totally worth it), the Taquitos (which are far and away my favorite thing to cram into my face hole), the Chili Verde, the Enchiladas, and the just fantastic Tortilla Soup. (My mouth waters and the thought of those... Just so good.)

They also do a Weekday Lunch Taco bar that is well worth the time. Generally between six and ten different meats with a nice little bar with creme, various salsas, and veggies to top off, it's about nine dollars but well worth the time. I've had a number of gluttonous episodes at the taco bar... Just delicious stuff.

I'm not overly a fan of the hot stuff but I can take my spice and all the various sauces they make have not only heat but a great depth of flavor.

The last thing I feel the need to mention is their bar. I haven't tried much there, but I have tried a drink that is a little bizarre but has become my go to "Happy Time Make the World a Better Place" beverage of choice... The Avocado Margarita! A luscious mouth feel from the creamy avocado the flavors of the Tequila, the lime, and the avocado melding and turning into something truly bizarre, but utterly glorious. You're first sip is almost always "this is weird" but by the time you leave you'll be talking about how good it all was.

Not unlike all good things in life.

Like, Comment, and Share if that's your thing.

See you in the Chow line
-The Fat Kid

Fat Kid Reviews: Tandoor Indian Grill

Hey! I'm back.

Now I make it no real secret that I'm a fan of the Indian food. I tend to it as often as I can which is generally not often enough. It's one of my absolute favorites. Now this means that I really try to seek out the best of this that I can while at the same time meaning I'm not as knowledgeable about it on the whole.

However, that being said, I know what I like, and this place was pretty fantastic.

There's a trait of Indian restaurants to have a lunch buffet. A collection of various items served in little trays. You know... a buffet. However I've found that it's one of the better ways to gauge some of these place. It's a tactic I know. Get people in with a cheap(er) lunch and they'll come back for a more expensive dinner. And on this first trip to the Tandoor, well, I'll say I wish I had a date to take there.

When we arrived for my bribery luncheon (I can always be bribed with food) the place was far busier than I would have anticipated for a Friday afternoon. At least thirty people. But it didn't slow down. Many were not going for the buffet.

The service was friendly and fast, I honestly don't think I saw the bottom of my glass for longer then a minute or so. (Fantastic Ice Tea by the way). But our server was warm, friendly, and kept things moving. The place was clean and orderly. It was a very pleasant time.

And now for the real event. The reason you read blogs like this on the internet.

The Food. Now as I've said I'm not overly familiar with Indian cuisine. I've been eating it for about five to seven years or so but that doesn't make me an expert. However I know a couple of good markers that many if not most of these places do. Due to the general ignorance about this kind of food in the general populace you see a lot of the same dishes being thrown about with minor variations. Sort of like you see with Mexican and Chinese food. But if you check the vegetable fritters (pakora), the tandoori chicken, and the Tikka Masala you can generally get a good idea of how good they are. Those are things that I've eaten a lot of.

And they met my standards. I wanted to drink their Tikka Masala sauce, and honestly I nearly did. Their tandoori chicken was beautifully charred on the outside and moist and tender inside. And their pakora I think I ate about forty of them. Which is an exaggeration but really not nearly enough of one.

So I think that what I'm saying is that if you're in that area, I'd suggest it. It's quite good. I'll be going back to try the lamb sometime quite soon.

See you in the chow line.
-The Fat Kid

Recipe Corner with Chef Fatty: Bangers and Mash

((Sorry for how late this is going up... Fat Kid Been Busy.))

British food is not all brown sauce with grey lumps. There's also grey sauce with brown lumps. However they got a few things right. Recently I got turned on to the dish bangers and mash. When the fat kid and our dad were coming over for St. Patty's day I wanted to make a new way of doing it.  Here is the brain child from the dark reaches of my mind.

Caramelized Onions and Shallot Mashed Potatoes
2 bulbs of roasted garlic
3 large shallots julienned
2 jonathen apples julienned
2 large onions
2 tbl of thyme
Half and half
2 cubes butter
1 1/2 cup dubliner cheese
10 lbs yukon gold potatoes

Cut the yukon gold into even chunks (about one inch) and put them in water let them simmer til fork tender. As potatoes cook sauté the onions, shallots, and apples until caramelized. Drain the water out then add the butter, thyme, and garlic. Add half and half til desired consistency. Add caramelized veggies, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Bangers
Buy some bangers (bratwursts will do) simmer in stout beer and throw on the grill till skin is nice and seared. Plate add potatoes and tasty is coming your way.

Down-Gnome Cooking: Stuffed Cornbread Loaves

This is another recipe that I conjured up looking for something that I could easily pack for work and would be able to enjoy at or near it's full potential after a quick nuking. This one is a quick adaptation of Emeril Lagasse's stuffed cornbread recipe utilizing a few ingredients I had available at the time, as well as a few optional tweaks that I found round out the flavor and make it a bit more of a meal-type dish.

Down-Gnome Cooking: Arnold Palmer Braised Brats

Hey boys and girls, here's a quick recipe from the Gnome:

I've been working on a number of easily transportable recipes that I can brown-bag to work for lunch the last few weeks. There are plenty of eating opportunities near my office but with how strapped I am for cash it has become much more effective to simply cook my own and pack it in. As such I'm working hard on building myself a menu of portable edibles that hold well and don't mind a little time in the fridge followed by a subsequent radiation bath.

The first in this series of brown-bag gourmet is an excellent recipe for braised bratwurst I stumbled across very recently. To be completely honest I was just dicking around in the kitchen, but the results were excellent, and so now I give it to the world.

Recipe Corner with Chef Fatty: Bourbon Herb Mustard Rubbed Pork with Buttermilk Garlic Mashed Potatos

This is a delicious dish I came up with after having my friends mustard rubbed lamb rack.

The Pastrami Burger

When I was little, on Fridays we would go to a little hut that made burgers and fries. My father would always  ALWAYS get a pastrami burger. I can remember (vaguely) the first time I ordered one on those special nights that we got to eat the Grub Box. It was so big and tasted so good. I felt like such a grown up. Years later when I started a food blog, the very one you're reading in fact, I wanted to start with a food that was near and dear to me. Give me the chance to share the passion I have for food and show what it is this whole thing is about. So I went back to those thoughts of the little boy and the big burger and this is where we begin.