Holly Moore

I like the NYC Papaya King alot. The Philly one is kinda dead and doesn't sell enought dogs to keep everything fresh. Trouble is there are way to many great hot dog places out there. Let's say Papaya King came in number 11.

The writer or critic is not there to serve the restaurant's interest nor to provide the restaurant with PR. He is, hopefully, paying his own way and owes nothing to the restaurant beyond a fair and honest recounting of his experience and his impressions. His master, so to speak, is his readership. Ironically perhaps, his duty to them is also a fair, honest recounting of his experience and impressions. The only further duty is to present that information in a knowledgable and, one hopes, entertaining fashion. As to reveiwing recently opened restaurants. Some reviewers do, announcing that fact early in the review, but believing that once a restaurant opens it is open. Others give it a month or two to get up to speed. Either approach is fair as long as the reviewer is open as to the timing. I opened my restaurant back in the late 70's. In a very unusual move for her, Elaine Tait (the Philadelphia Inquirer's restaurant reviewer for 20 some years up until the late 1990's) reviewed us our third or fourth week of operation. Fortunately it was a very favorable review. I had no problem with her writing it so soon after we had opened. If she had found fault, of course, I would have been the first to complain that we weren't given sufficient time to shake out the bugs. The "those who Do and those who Write" quip is as meaningless when applied to restaurant reviewers as it is when it was originally applied to teachers. Some of my best teachers were those who never worked in their chosen field just as some of the best restaurant writers of today and historically have never worked the line or the floor. I say this as a restaurant writer who wrote a weekly column on food and restaurants for 15 years and reviewed restaurants for over 10 of those years - but also as one who also has owned his own restaurant, graduated from the leading hotel restaurant program in the country and worked just about every position in a restaurant including my first, washing dishes in a diner at age 16. I used to argue that my background was invaluable as a restaurant reviewer because it gave me an understanding of a restaurant and, more importantly, empathy for a restaurant when things are going wrong. Now I've come to believe that my understanding and empathy sometimes got in the way. I excused lapses I should not have excused because I "understood." On occasion I'm sure that shaded my fair, honest reporting. I'm still proud of my background and experience. I still think it contributes to my writing on food and restaurants. However, it does not make me a better reviewer. A restaurant reviewer need only be knowledgable about the dining experience from the guest's point of view - the quality of the service, the presentation, the food and it's preparation.

Aha, I'm thinking. Reverse psychology. Wish I had thought of it back in my restaurateuring days. Would have had one line of writers wanting to write about my place and a second line wanting to write about why I didn't want my place to be written about. Any possibility Shopsin is really Trillin?

If a restaurant doesn't want to be listed, all the more reason to list em. They ordained that when they opened as a restaurant as opposed to a private club. Maybe an aside warning the reader that new faces aren't encouraged, in fact discouraged by the restaurant, but list em.

Holly is short for Hollister. As to a story, Johnny Cash told it best in "A Boy Named Sue."

Only other place in Springfield that I had a chance to check out was the Joe Rogers Chili Parlor. MadeRite was closed and I had to move on to Fort Wayne for the evening. BTW, it's tough enough being a guy named Holly. Helen I'm not.

In Philadelphia there was a place called Levis' Hot Dogs. About a hundred years old as I recall. Had the first soda fountain or at least the oldest working soda fountain in the U.S. The place also had a permant yellow greasy, grimey pall. But it was successful. Grandfathers brought grandchildren as their fathers had brought them. It was a Philadelphia institution. A part of Philadelphia history. Then some corporate types bought Levis'. First thing they did was give it a thorough scouring. The place shined, sparkled. After that, Levis was never the same, the hot dogs and combos (hot dog and fish cake) never tasted as good. Levis' passed on a year or three after the corporate cleaning. Along with the grease and grime the corporate types had scrubbed away Levis' history, heritage and character. That's how I look at places like Levis' and the other long established hot dog, hamburger, barbecue and cheesesteak joints (as opposed to fine dining where the rules and expectations are different). Yes I am serious. I could care less about dirt build-up in corners, or tables that are a bit tacky. Or walls that last saw paint 20 years ago. Or grease dripping from the fyer or grill. It just doesn't bother me. Of course onion rings are best served without cigarette butts. And shortening must be changed and grills must be scrubbed. These are food wholesomeness and food preparation issues. These areas must be priorities. I'm not promoting raw hamburger patties that have been sitting out at room temperature, ice cream dipped from scoops that haven't been stored in running water, cutting boards that aren't well washed. Where I net out is, "It's all about the food." If the food is great, I can accept and perhaps even respect the grime. At the same time, grime is not a prerequisite to greatness. A place can sparkle like Geno's Cheesesteaks in Philadelphia and still put out a top quality product.

Dirt, per se, has never be a "deal breaker" for listing on HollyEats. I'm often leery of spic and span places - too much focus on cleaning not enough on food. Or the place is so dead, they can spend all their time cleaning. I also believe, with all my heart, that often an overall layer of grease and grime somehow adds to the flavor of what is being prepared. This seems especially true with hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue and cheesesteaks. I guess one person's "limp grease bomb" can be another person's "greatest corn dog ever." That's what I love about America. Seriously, I started off ordering one cozy dog and liked it so much that I ordered two more even though I had a lot more eating ahead of me. I assume, as is often the case, we had different experiences.

Here's the Wasses dog I first had. Grilled dog, typical New England cut hot dog bun with a good hit of mustard and fried onions. I kinda liked it though I do wish they had toasted the bun.

Can't declare the best hot dog yet, as I still have a few more to eat. Nor do I think I could ever declare a "best." But my top 10 so far, in no particular order: Speed's Hot Dog in Boston Rutt Hut, North Jersey Cozy Drive-In (Corn Dog), Springfield IL Nathan's, Coney Island Syd's, North Jersey Wasses, Various Maine Coastal Locations Pinks Chili Dog, Los Angeles Dilly Dog, New Hope PA Hillbilly Hot Dogs, Lesage W.V. Jimmy Buff's Italian Hot Dog, North Jersey I know there are at least a couple of places in Chicago that have to be on this list. Plan on rectifying that in the near future. For now there is no question that North Jersey ranks as the Hot Dog Capital of the world.

Of course Flo's Hot Dogs is worth a stop. As they are the first to declare, The classic order is three or more hot dogs with hot sauce and mayonnaise. Hot sauce and mustard works well too. Eat only three and you'll still have room for a Red's Lobster Roll Flo's Hot Dogs @ Holly Eats.Com

Even if the diner is ignorant of what are the inherent qualities of the dish? Yes. As I said initially The server can recommend and encourage, but the diner has the final say.

Oh, I only used this example as that is what I saw. Yes, it doesn't really matter were the meat came from or what nationality the people were, the issue was that they were ignorant of the qualites of meat. I was more wondering why they found well done Italian beef objectionable as they prefer their U.S. beef to be cooked well done.

If this had happened in the United States the waiter would be at fault for not controlling his table. Well done steak eaters, like those who commandeer the passing lane and drive 10 mph under the speed limit, are all too common a scourge within the U.S. As it occurred in Italy, there is no blame to be assigned. It is merely a clashing of cultures. As the Florentine restaurant and server become more accustomed to Americans they will know to discuss degree of doneness with American diners. There is one thing I don't totally understand in this episode. Why would a well done Italian bisttecca be any more "tough, tasteless and dry" than the well done American T-Bone that this table of Americans knows and loves? I'm assuming it is because the European beef has not the marbling of USDA Prime or even Choice, but I would also expect a well done T-Bone to be tough, tasteless and dry in any language. As to the rights of the dish, they do not supercede the rights of the diner. The dish, through it's representative, the server, does have the right to make it's preference for preparation known to the diner, but must resign itself to having it's fate in the diner's hands.

One of my many issues with Zagat's is: do restaurants like Daniel, the French Laundry and The Inn at Little Washington receive top ratings because those responding are actual diners who have had wonderful experiences at those places or because the people filling out the surveys have merely heard such grand things about them and award top ratings even though they've never dined there. Though all three are certainly great restaurants and likely the finest in their respective areas, I suspect the latter - that Zagat's ratings more represent conventional wisdom than actual experiences.

I had a spat with Amex about 20 years ago and have been carrying a grudge since. As a result, for my service business (copy/business center) I refused to put in Amex. We'd get corporate travelers coming through town who wanted to use their Amex card to pay for jobs. We could usually switch them over to Visa or Master Charge. Then we lost a big job because we didn't accept a business traverler's Amex. Now we do accept Amex. I don't know for sure if it's gained or prevented us from losing any other business. But it probably has. And it's made it easier for those with corporate Amex cards. Think of it this way. Two restaurants next door to each other. Both doing a very good job. One accepts Amex. One doesn't. You're a business traveler who can either charge a meal to your corporate Amex credit card, or pay for it with a personal credit card or cash and wait to get the money back. Which restaurant do you choose?

I had a wonderful dinner and a unique dining experience last evening at Philadelphia’s StudioKitchen. StudioKitchen is a studio apartment in West Philadelphia that has been designed into a sleek food preparation and dining space. Three or four days a week Shola Olunloyo, who has cooked in many of the world’s more respected kitchen serves a four course dinner for eight guests. The cost is $50 plus gratuity and byo wine - a world class bargain. Our menu for the evening: Yukon Gold Potato and Gruyere Onion Souffle with White Truffle and Parmesan Broth Spring Pea Soup with Tuscan Ham, Warm Mushroom, Confit of Duck and Truffle Ragout, Parsnip Puree Fennel Salt Roasted Black Bass, Apple and Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon and Miso Sauce Sweet Cream of Peanut Soup, Extra Virgin Peanut Oil, Warm Chocolate Souffle with Mascarpone, Chocolate and White Pepper Sorbet My two favorite courses were the Gruyere Onion Soufle for it’s blend of flavors and the Warm Chocolate Souffle which was deliciously understated - I was concerned that the flavors would overpower each other, coming off as a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Rather, the sweet peanut soup perfectly complemented the richness of the souffle. As the group and Shola warmed up to each other, the conversation turned into an education, with Shola doing the teaching, a blend of his vast knowledge and great charm. We talked about the ingredients and preparation of each course, best cookware, best sources of supply (Shola air freights in more ingredients than he buys locally), and his plans for the future, starting and only starting with opening a small restaurant in the near future. Right now StudioKitchen both supports Shola’s catering business and provides a lab of willing gullets for testing menu items. I told Shola I was worried that he will loose what’s so special about StudioKitchen when he evolves into a restaurant. He promises me he won’t. I’m hoping it will take him a while to find a location. Studio Kitchen is usually booked at least a couple of weeks in advance. You can reach them either by email, studiokitchen424@aol.com or by phone (215) 662-5307. And yes, the meal and the experience is worth the cab fare from New York City. And then some. Let me know if you need an eighth.

Hop Sprouts. Only had them once, at Comme Chez Soi in Brussels. Supposedly they are in season for a couple of weeks or so.

My father's grilled cheese and ham sandwiches were a Saturday lunch ritual. Basic supermarket white bread Baked ham Very sharp aged cheddar Jersey Tomatoes if in season. Butter the outside of the bread slices and place on the waffle iron. Close and cook till the bread is a crisp golden brown and the cheese starts seeping out into the grid of the waffle iron. (Note- just an ordinary old fashioned waffle iron. A Belgian iron does not work) Being a virgo, I particularly liked the grid burned into the sandwich. Just like with an ear of corn, I can eat it in a perfectly straight line. The cheese that seeps out toasts crisp and is a bonus treat. Rachel metioned it was hard to clean out of the grooves on the grill. On our well seasoned grill it lifted right out. The sandwich is different from the panini in that the holes pressed into the sandwich are much deeper.

So the latest topic column for New York listed "favorite restaurant cheese..." Being from Philadelphia I wondered why would New Yorkers be discussing cheesesteaks? Maybe they were talking about that chef selling round cheesesteaks with the fancy sauce. Now I realize the thread is about cheese trays. Never mind.

Don't know about this particular instance, but given such an event seems to happen a few times every year, it is more than quite possible.

I happen to be willing to drive 180 miles round trip for a few White Manna burgers. I also believe people should like what I like. Don't know why. Just do. So I find it hard to understand why anyone would not like White Manna hamburgers. But even if there are such out there, do not reject all steamed hamburgers until you tried Ted's Steamed Cheeseburger in Meriden CT. Unlike the other places Ted's doesn't even pretend to grill the cheeseburgers. The ground beef goes into one tiny stainless steel pan, Vermont Cheddar in another. The pans then go into a steaming aparatus (a closed box with holes on the bottom atop boiling water and cooked til done. Ted's Steamed Cheeseburgers @ HollyEats.Com

In McTheory the fat is supposed to come from the chuck.

Christopher's was fine, especially by summertime Maine Standards. After two weeks I needed a break from seafood and Christophers came through nicely. One thing I remember is ramp on the menu. I asked if it was Maine ramp and it was, which surprised me as I think of the southern Appalachians for ramp.

The original McDonald's blend - don't scoff it's an excellent blend even when the patties are 3 - 4 to a pound as oppposed to 10 to a pound - is about 20 percent flank steak and 80 percent chuck.