Holly Moore

Egads the US dollar is being devalued even here, in the US

They do indeed appear to be American. Not our proudest export. And if that is the case why are Brits allowing them to muck up such a grand tradition as the Full English Breakfast?

I'm a fan of the Full English Breakfast and dive in at least once a trip to the UK. But there is just one think I don't get. The beans. Even at a place reputed for its breakfast, like Simpsons-in-the-Strand, the beans appear to be straight out of a No. 10 sized institutional can with no effort taken to make them interesting.

Every "Rocky" runs up the Art Museum Steps. Only the hardcore Rocky's jog 9th Street, stopping by Espositio's Meat Market meat locker to spar with a side of beef.

I can't help wondering how well CheezeWiz goes with truffles and pate fois. Rather than champagne, and Mr. Starr owes me a cheesesteak if he picks up on this, he should bring back Levis' ChampCherry made with real champagne. There's hype, a $100 cheesesteak washed down with champagne based ChampCherry. For those sufficiently unfortunate as to not live in Philadelphia, Levis' was a hot dog joint dating back to the late 1800s or early 1900s. They had the longest working soda fountain. Known for two things. Hot dogs. ChampCherry soda. One more. Levis' invented Surf and Turf, Philly style - a hot dog with a fish cake smashed on top - though Levis' simply called it a combo. A bit of Levis' history.

The tragedy is that all the Center City steak houses are chains - none home grown. I'm a fan of the Palm, but would be happy with any of the above. The Prime Rib is a close second. They'd be first, but they won't put my characature on the wall. That has to count for something. And if all the Philadelphia steak houses have to be outsiders, then I'm ready to welcome Peter Luger's to Broad Street.

Snappy Lunch in Mount Airy NC has them on the menu as "breaded burgers."

More than I usually get in New Orleans That's where the chicory coffee and bengnets help

First of all, I had to look up sui generis. "Sui" I recognized as a common hollar used to summon hogs for dinner. It's the "generis" I couldn't figure out. Any guide to decent eating along the Interstate System is a godsend. And perhaps wayfarers after driving a few miles from the exit to find some good cookin' will become lost on the way back to I-85 and be forced to spend some time driving the true rural South.

A honors graduate of McDonald's Hamburger University, I also had "clean as you go" pounded into me. Also, "time to lean, time to clean." Vance Christian, a professor at the Cornell Hotel School used to preach, when seeing someone leaning against or sitting on a prep area, "Don't put anything on a table you wouldn't eat," but that's a different subject. Anyway, though my desk is a disaster area, and the rest of my house isn't much better, I still religiously follow clean as you go when bumbling about the kitchen. Not only do I then always have a clean implement when needed, but at the end of the day I am not facing a mountain of dirty pots, utensils and counter tops. Translated: There won't be a mountain of dirty pots, utensils and counter tops awaiting me the next time I attempt to cook something.

Has always worked for me. And more fun. Rest assured, serendipity is just around the next bend in the road.

Welcome William. This is going to be my kind of forum. As Justin Wilson used to say, "Guaranteeeeed." Just one? A big meal makes me sleepy. So a few hours later I pull into an interesting restaurant's parking lot; grab a quick nap. When I wake up I head inside to see what's cooking. Highways meaning interstates with the same restaurants at each and every exit, a real downer. Highways meaning state and county roads with a small town every few miles and the rural south in between, perfection and at one with southern cooking. Pretty much every breakfast and dinner. Usually try to hit a couple of joints come lunch time, so, though "slow" in content less time taken to pause and savor. Any possibility of a link to the source for DG Martin's pamphlet?

Karen, Sounds like a plan to me. One suggested revision. After cheesesteaks at both Pats and Gino's, hop a cab to Campo's and pack along hoagies instead of cheesesteaks. (The two hoagie places in the Italian Market, Chickies and Sarcone's Deli are both closed on Monday.) I always seem to pack a hoagie or two. I end up not eating them on the plane and typically have a few bites when, thanks to jet lag, I wake up in the niddle of my first night there. The rest I've ended up eating on a train, most recently one between Prague and Budapest and one between London and Sheffield. Get with it Karen Philadelphia has been a top dining destination since the Restaurant Renaisance of the late 70's, and has become even more so with the opening of a bunch of extraordinay BYO's over the past couple of years. Even W.C. Fields' ghost dines here regularly.

Alas, I had to reluctantly remove the lyrics to the Scrample Song by Robbie Fulks. We can't violate copyrights. I did a search, hoping to find the lyrics posted elsewhere to link to, but couldn't. I did find another Scrapple Song though.

Karen, Give me a feel for you mobility and the geography you want to cover. Alas, Sunday means no Reading Terminal Market, no Tony Lukes, No Dellessandro's. Cheesesteak wise - My favorite, Steve's, is in the Northeast, miles from the airport. Geno's and Pat's are much closer, and diagonally across the street from each ohter. Of the two, Geno's probably builds a better steak, Pat's adds more South Philly attitude. Either is good. Both and a comparison is better. If you end up in the historic district, Campo's on lower Market is great too. But there is one thing you must do. Start with breakfast of brunch at Carman's Country Kitchen. There is no place like it anywhere. You can call for reservations the day you will be there, not earlier. And be on time, or you'll lose your reservation and have to wait. But it is the place to hit for breakfast. She's open on Monday too, so if you get in too late for Sunday, stop by on Monday. No reservation worries then. The Italian Market - 9th Street pretty much between Washington and Christian - is an easy walk from Carman's. You'll go right be Pat's and Gino's, so it'll be easy to find later. There's also George's in the Market, famous for its pork and its tripe sandwiches among others. I might pick George's over Pat's and Gino's unless I had my heart set on Cheesesteaks. Lot's of neat shops in the Italian Market to check out and maybe load up some goodies for the trip home. Keeping in the area, there's some three great Mexican choices for dinner. Sunday Taqueria La Veracruzana does barbecued lamb. La Veracruzana, Plaza Garabaldi and La Lupe have all been my favorite at one time or another. Or, for fun and historic Italian, Ralph's, just north of the Italian Market on 9th. I think Ralph's is the oldest or second oldest continually owned Italian Restaurant in the country. If you're still hungry or looking for other choices, let us know. Plenty of good eating hereabouts. Edit: Oh yeah, for a great Philadelphia hoagie and open on Sunday, Sarcone's Deli at 9th and Fitzwater (don't confuse with Sarcone's Bakery in the middle of the block).

After reading Mimi Sheraton's feelings about what criteria determine a four star restaurant, I thought I'd revive this.

Depends on which way you're traveling on I-26 If westbound take the exit for Route 27 and go north to Rt 176. Routh 176 west (left) through Holly Hill to Rt. 453. Route 453 North - don't remember how long until you see Sweatman's sign on the right: If eastbound, take the exit for US Rt. 15. North to US Rt 176. Right to Rt. 453 and then proceed north, as above. Note, when I was last there Sweatman's was only open Friday and Saturday. Wish I was riding co-pilot. Some of the best pulled pork bbq around.

Thanks all. I'm adding all of these to my list. I'm packing and will be leaving Sunday AM. Any further suggestions come to mind?

Just the opposite here. Nothing wrong with a half pound burger if the restaurant can cook it properly. Most can't. Usually overcooked, the juices squashed out by a spatula. Or raw in the center and then returned to the kitchen and received back overcooked, the juices squashed out by a spatula. And, while I am at one with my food to the point of usually wearing some of it by the time I'm finished, I hate burgers that are so big and served on a flimsy form of bread or bun that they crumble and fall apart during the eating process. Too much margin for error with a half pound burger. Even the places noted for their half pound or larger burgers are, in my experience, all too inconsistent. There is also the meat to bun ratio. It is perfect with a four or five ounce burger. Often too much bun with a larger burger.

A half pound burger isn't really a classic burger. They just aren't supposed to be that big. Quarter pound, maybe 5 oz tops. The size, the cut of meat, the cooking method - variations on a theme. But not a classic burger. I agree about White Manna's burger. Definitely not a "good burger." It is a "great burger."

White Manna, of course.

Rocco did not comport himself very admirably on The Restaurant - or at least he was edited to appear as such. I have had a hard time accepting that someone with so little regard for his employees could have been so successful at Union Pacific. I am wondering if someone who knows both Rocco's Rocco and Union Pacific Rocco could compare and contrast. Was it the celebrity that changed the man, or is that who he has been all along?

My experience with Bomb Bomb goes back a few years. Back then it was fine. The ribs were good for what they were - though not intended as bbq shack ribs. As I remember the muscles were the thing to order. And I always liked the dichotomy between the relative civility of the dining room in the back and the relative rowdiness of the bar crowd cheering on the Sixers or the Flyers. At the time it was a nice couple running the place, the husband cooking and the wife hostessing.

Yes, see the rules below: From the Famous Coney Island in Johnstown PA. Have seen it at other Coney Islands too.

Pumpkin is on the north side of South, between 17th and 18th, much close to 17th. Yes it is BYO