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john b

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Posts posted by john b

  1. No photos, but I had my first Chink's experience on Saturday (what a good weekend--DeLorenzo's on Friday and Chink's on Saturday). I now have a new favorite cheesesteak. It pretty much perfect--warm roll, crisp on the outisde and soft on the inside, really good (sliced, not chopped) meat, the perfect meat/cheese ratio (most places use too much cheese for my liking, since you can barely taste the meat). I don't do onions (it's a texture thing), but they looked and smelled really good on my buddy's steak--a nice mixture of the really brown and crispy, carmelized onions with the lesser cooked white onions.

    They use syrups to make cherry, vanilla and chocolate sodas (no prefab cherry Coke). Yum.

    I'm guessing by the looks of the place that things haven't changed much since it opened in 1949, which is a very cool thing.

  2. Most places call anything on the same shape roll a "sub" or "zep" or whatever, but "hoagie" is more about the dressing than the roll.  Although the long Italian roll is required.  It's not a hoagie if it's on a kaiser roll.  But it's also not a hoagie if it's got cheesesteak stuff in the roll, unless it's a cheesesteak hoagie.  Crazy.

    Is it a hoagie if you use mayo, and not oil/vinegar? I say not--it's a sandwich on a hoagie roll.

  3. I wish I knew the secret to their tomatoes. They are incredibly full of flavor. I really like the room, too. The various pictures on the wall of the Hudson St location are a nice touch.

    It's no secret John. They use a combination of redpack whole tomatoes and "six in one" hand ground tomatoes out of California. I've been buying six in one by the case for about ten years now at a local distributor (Bova Foods in Chalfont PA)

    It has a nice thick consistancy and makes for a great red sauce when combined with a good quality San Marzano.. I've been using Bova's house tomato which is La Regina DOC. I'm not sure where you live but if you're up in North Jersey, I suspect you could check the website of Escalon Packers in California to find a local distributor of six in one.

    I've posted about these tomatoes previously on this board and the story of how Gary once showed me exactly what he does to create this perfect tomato pie. By the way he uses Maggio (commercial size) cheese and Pilsbury's bakers best flour.

    So there you have it now go find these tomatoes!

    Plain old Redpack??

    Chalfont is probably an hour away (I'm just over the Tacony bridge). It looks like you can buy the 6 in 1 right on Escalon's website for $3.33/can (28 oz. can).

    We've been using the Nina San Marzano's from Costco for our pasta sauce. I'm thinking that the Nina's plus the 6 in 1's (what ratio do you use??) would work.

  4. Finally!

    On a rainy Friday, just after their 4PM opening, we slogged into the new Delorenzo's Robbinsville, spacious, high ceilingedand ALREADY PACKED at 4PM!  The booths are big, capable of seating up to 8 people; there are more than 20 free standing tables and a crisply dressed staff of young men in white shirts and black neckties.  Big open pizza kitchen, with two stacks of new pizza ovens, and a back kitchen for preparation of salads and antipasto.

    But the important news: the tomato pies have not skipped a beat from Hudson St, and yes, may be even better.  The mixed filed greens salad, with apples and walnuts, dressed with a white balsamic vinaigrette, is large and colorful.  The antipasto, with bread sticks, sopresatta, roasted red peppers, aged provalone triangles and a half dozen fresh mozzarella balls is rustically impressive. 

    We had three pies: tomato pie, tomato pie with pepperoni and red peppers and white clam with garlic and parsley.  With my eyes closed I was back at Hudson St in tomato pie nirvana.  Nothing missing, crisp and light, a yeasty crust that crackles with every bite and is rich with good olive oil and pizza oven char.

    Sam, Chick's grandson, is doing his beloved grandfather proud.

    Pics to follow.

    I missed you by a day. We finally made it there yesterday, in the midst of the storm, and it was definitely worth the drive and getting wet. Table for 3 was a 20-30 minute wait at 5 PM. My boys and I shared a large tomato pie. My oldest proclaimed it to be the best thing he's ever eaten, so now we're headed back in a few weeks for his birthday.

    I wish I knew the secret to their tomatoes. They are incredibly full of flavor. I really like the room, too. The various pictures on the wall of the Hudson St location are a nice touch.

  5. Someone needs to invent a container or process which, once a take out pizza is boxed, would allow steam to escape yet still keep the pizza hot. I'm sure it's possible, but probably not economically practical.

  6. For me, the finest rib joint in the world is 17th Street Bar and Grill in Murphysboro, Illinois.  It's owned by Mike Mills, whose Apple City BBQ team won Grand Champion at Memphis in May three times.  He also has restaurants in Marion and O'Fallon, Illinois, and two joints called Memphis Championship BBQ in Las Vegas.  His cookbook "Peace, Love and Barbecue" is a good 'un as well.

    www.17thstreetbarbecue.com

    C

    Which SEPTA line will get me there?

  7. One of the better brew pub meals I remember was a wurst platter--three or four different types, with a side of homemade kraut, mustard and a pretzel. No rolls for the wurst, but knife/fork was an option. :biggrin:

    I'm good with the idea of no rolls, but from a "give the customer what they want" perspective, consider keeping a stash of rolls on hand to take care of requests.

    What can you tell us about the beer?

  8. i am going to disney next week for the food and wine festival and would like some dining options there. i am not renting a car and just need to eat somewhat well while i am down there. i am not going to be picky just want some solid food. please help

    Flying Fish

    California Grill

    Jiko

    Artist Point

  9. This is currently my favorite Thai place. Thanks for the photos.

    There are quite a number of Thai restaurants in SNJ. I think Somsak was one of the first. In the Acme strip maul near what was the Ritz 16 in voorhees is a very good restaurant too - but I can't remember the name exactly - Bangcock city?

    Siri's across from Wegman's is good but not straight ahead Thai.

    Thai Orchid in Marlton near Joe's Peking Duck was great but they changed hands and I've not tried the new place. Anyone?

    I've heard that Little Thai Kitchen in Marlton is good, too.

    I've been to the place near the Acme in Voorhees and can't recall its name, either, but the food was really good. Unless I'm confusing it with another Thai place in the area, the last time I ate there, the owner was telling us about her family's fish sauce business (and all of the gory details of the process :laugh: ) back in Thailand.

  10. Mr. Dolan - thanks, I read that thread and I'm having a quiet conversation with my credit card. We'll see the result of that.

    John - quite possibly that is the shop. Is it any good?

    I've always been pleased with the quality of their meats (though I'm not quite sure that they're actually selling prime beef), but there's really nothing to compare them with. There aren't many butcher shops in the area. Ralph's, in Moorestown, is another good one. They're primarily a deli, but with a little butcher shop in the back.

  11. my parents used to live in the mt. laurel/medford area.  a few of our favorites are:

    pacific grill in mt. laurel, which serves a creative selection of asian fusion and it's BYOB.

    http://www.pacificgrill.com/home/con_home.html

    Pacific Grill is gone.

    http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs...420/1004/living

    Ditto on the Dolce Crema suggestion.

    If the OP is into the steakhouse thing, The Chop House, in Voorhees, is pretty popular. I'm pretty sure that their wine list would meet the "not entirely populated by $10 supermarket wines" criteria.

  12. Here's one I found on a BBQ newsgroup a few years ago. I've never made it, but it got lots of good reviews from those who did.

    Chef Juke's Raspberry-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

    NOTE: This is a slight variation on the classic Kansas City Barbecue sauce

    from the KC Barbecue Association, for those who like their BBQ Hot & Smoky!

    6 Tbls. packed dark brown sugar

    1/2 cup cider vinegar

    1/4 cup molasses

    ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

    2 Tbls dark rum

    2 Tbls yellow mustard

    1 Tbls pure chili powder

    2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

    2 tsp. garlic powder

    1 tsp. ground allspice

    1/4 tsp. ground cloves

    1/4 cup Chipotles en Adobo

    2 cups ketchup

    2 cups Raspberry Preserves (I use Wall's Raspberry preserves from Costco)

    Kosher or sea salt

    Pepper

    In large saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, molasses, honey, Worcestershire,

    rum, mustard, chili powder, pepper, garlic powder, allspice and cloves.

    Bring to simmer over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until all ingredients are

    dissolved, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes. Stir in ketchup and bring

    to boil, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste.

    Reduce heat slightly, add raspberry jam and 1/4 cup chipotles** and gently

    simmer sauce, uncovered, until dark & thick, about 30 minutes, stirring

    often. Use right away or transfer to jars, cover, cool to room temperature

    and refrigerate. Sauce will keep several months. Makes 5 cups or 20

    servings.

    **Add the chipotle peppers to taste. Since simmering will bring out the heat

    in the peppers start by adding ¼ cup of chipotles and cook for the 30

    minutes THEN taste again and add additional peppers if you like it REALLY

    HOT.

  13. Just got back from an omakase meal at Fuji for a very special occasion dinner. I fear that the old Fuji is gone forever. I would go into details but, quite honestly, I'm too heartbroken.

    You can't leave us hanging like this...

  14. I didn't make it over to Fuji's new location today (couldn't pass up a free lunch at Siri's :biggrin: ), but I did hear that there was a fire in one of the stores in the mall where Fuji is supposed to be opening, which closed a few places down (I don't know for how long). I don't know if this will have any effect on the new Fuji spot.

  15. I'm going to try to do some "recon" on Friday, since the new location is dangerously close to work. Having it close to home (its original location) was better, but it'll be very convenient for lunch now.

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