COMESTIBLOG

Memo re: Turkish Shish Kebab and Gyro in Midwood

On a recent bone-chilling day, a ravenous Comestaccomplice stopped by and suggested we eat something "warm and hearty."  Knowing how much she likes lamb, I asked, "How about Turkish?"  She knew immediately what I had in mind: Memo Shish Kebab in Midwood, Brooklyn.  My erstwhile super, a Turk, introduced me to this marvelous Mediterranean eatery several years ago.  It has remained my favorite place for doner (gyro) ever since.

Babaghanoush/Patlican Ezmesi

Our meal began with a generous, "small" portion ($5 small/$8 large) of patlican ezmesi (babaghanoush), a delicious purée of eggplant, prepared with tahini (sesame paste), olive oil, onion, and garlic.  Its delightful smokiness distinguishes it from similar preparations I've tried.  Memo's home bread—a soft, round, seeded flatbread—made a splendid companion.  We were off to a great start.

Lamb Gyro/Doner

Having tried a number of dishes, including the highly recommended Iskender kebab (a seasonal offering, featuring a lightly hot tomato sauce), I continue to prefer the lamb doner (pronounced doh·NAIR) to all the rest.  Memo's exquisitely seasoned ground lamb, cooked on a spit over charcoal, is among the most flavorful I've tasted.  The fresh spices, together with the accompanying cacik and spicy red sauce, yield an harmonious gustatory union.  On this visit, I ordered my favorite: a large portion of the #4 Lamb Gyro/Doner.  Whether served as a platter ($8/$13) or as a sandwich ($6/$7), this is one tasty viand.

Lamb Gyro sandwich on Home Bread

My Comestaccomplice raved about the succulence of her #2 Shish Kebab ($8.5/$13).  (She was quick to concede that her numerous kebab efforts have never produced the same degree of moistness.)  Rather than overwhelming the charcoal-grilled chunks of lamb, the marinade is subtle enough to reveal the rich flavors of the meat, yet savory enough to obviate the need for additional seasoning.  While shish kebab is normally served with rice, my dining partner opted for "pretty good" French-fried potatoes instead.

Shish Kebab

Although the menu lists baklava and puddings under the heading, "DESERT/TATLILAR," I had another place in mind for dessert: a little Turkish café not far away.  (Ah, but that's the subject of another post.)

Memo underwent an expansion a few years ago.  Though still somewhat spare, the larger space is comfortable and inviting.  Its true appeal, however, continues to be the appetizing redolence of grilled meat and fresh spices.

Memo Shish Kebab

1821 Kings Highway (NW corner E. 19^th St), Midwood, Brooklyn

(718) 339-8001
(718) 306-5227

Open daily, 11:00 A.M. till 11:00 P.M.

By train: B,Q to Kings Highway
By bus: B7 (daytime), B82, B100

West Orange Pancake House—a Gusta-Tory Corner Diner

During my early years in West Orange, New Jersey, our family often ate at some of the area's various beaneries.  They weren't all that good or bad, they were simply all I knew.  Most of the old places have long since closed or disappeared altogether.  It was most saddening, for instance, to discover the Claremont Diner and the White Castle in Verona had made way for an automotive dealership.  There is, however, an extant relic from my childhood at Tory Corner, just a few blocks up Main Street from Thomas Edison National Historical Park.  The West Orange Pancake House and Diner, mirabile dictu, continues to serve decent victuals, and now does so round-the-clock, seven days a week.

I knew this 1950s-era stainless steel edifice as the Tory Corner Diner, the initials of which remain inlaid on the floor of its vestibule.  Aside from the name and a few cosmetic updates, little else appears to have changed over the years.  Looking at this place evokes childhood memories of black-and-white television sets, named telephone exchanges (ours was REdwood), drugstores with soda fountains, and life before the Essex Freeway (I-280).  After a warm, enthusiastic welcome from owner Paul Mihalitsianos and his son, Gerry, what could be finer than eating in this diner again after so many years?

While it seems that diners typically offer extensive menus, this one's is so vast as to make it difficult to make a selection.  Its 15 pages offer everything from appetizers to "fantastic finishes."  Though several items entreated, I felt as though I'd discover something even more appealing the moment I placed my order.

West Orange Special

Listed under Sandwiches Paul's Way, my West Orange Special ($11.95)—sliced London broil on garlic bread with lettuce and tomato—was a standout.  The broiled meat was seasoned with a heavy hand, which, under most circumstances could have ruined it.  But the cook understood the fat content and age of the cut with masterly precision.  As a result, the spices were on target for maximizing this steak’s succulence and flavor.  I’ve been served beef in very fine restaurants that was analyzed and prepared with far less skill than it was here.  The accompanying thickly cut onion rings were quite all right, but the reconstituted french fried potatoes failed to measure up to the taste and quality of their plate partners.

Harold's New York-style Deli Sandwich

Harold's New York-style corned beef sandwich ($12.95), my Comestaccomplice's selection, was advertised as the best available.  (Namesake Harold Jaffe once operated the aforementioned Claremont Diner as well as New York's Carnegie Deli.)  Extremely lean and flavorful, the corned beef was piled high between two slices of rye bread and served on a platter that was as almost as big as the menu itself.  While it was very tasty indeed, the corned beef was also somewhat dry—perhaps owing to its leanness.  Fortunately, the accompanying coleslaw and half-sours, both excellent, added welcome moisture between meaty mouthfuls.  The garlic bread was yet another very tasty side.

Comfort food somehow seems even more comforting when consumed in a familiar environment.  Though I don't return to West Orange often, it's reassuring to know I can still revisit a "living" childhood memory here.

West Orange Pancake House and Diner

270 Main Street (between Prospect Pl & Kling St)
West Orange, N.J.   07052-5617  (map)

(973) 736-8333

By bus: 21 (Main Street) to Kling St

* * *

Special thanks to Michelle Colombaris Berger for sharing the following memories from the days her family owned the Tory Corner Diner:  (Please click on any image to enlarge it.)

"My dad used to tell a story about a family trip we made to Canada in the 60's.  When we got there and checked into the motel there was a book of matches from our diner sitting in the ashtray in the motel room!!!!"

"The two men are my dad, Nicholas Colombaris and an unknown.  The pic is dated May 1962, the year that West Orange celebrated its centennial.  There was a parade and many men grew beards and marched as the Brothers of the Bush (or Brush)."

"Nicholas Colombaris, my dad, sitting in his favorite booth.  This was right inside the front door on the Main Street side of the building."

Bánh Mì Comes to Amherst!

This Memorial Day weekend coincides with commencement activities at the University of Massachusetts, my alma mater.  Not much has changed since the time of my studies there last century.  Bars, pubs, and other banal food purveyors continue to dominate Amherst's restaurant scene.  How much beer, pizza, and ice cream does the average student require?  The recent opening of Miss Saigon, however, changed that somewhat by introducing the Vietnamese bánh mì sandwich to this college town.

Having been spoiled by the marvelous sandwiches of Sunset Park's Ba Xuyên (as well as those of several others in Brooklyn and Manhattan), I was quite disappointed with the mediocrity of Boston's putative best.  Thus, I was highly skeptical of what Amherst's Miss Saigon had to offer.  That skepticism was quickly dispelled with the first bite, however.

Miss Saigon's version of the bánh mì sandwich is quite tasty.  A crusty baguette, pâté schmear, meat, cilantro, julienned carrots and daikon, onions, jalapeños, and sliced cucumber are collated expertly to produce a successful flavor alliance.  Eliminating even one of the foregoing ingredients would result in a lesser sandwich.  Though the meat choices—classic pork, BBQ beef, and BBQ chicken—seem somewhat limited, they afford a satisfactory variety.  Better to have a few good selections than a lot of bad ones.  The $3.95 price represents a relative bargain when compared with Quiznos' $4 bomb it calls the Toasty Torpedo (a foot-long breadstick disguised as a sandwich).

While a bit pricey at $4.50, the milkshakes are delicious. Their lack of sweetness makes them particularly refreshing compared with the average shake.  The durian, with its clean taste, is rapidly becoming a favorite.  (In an earlier post, I had described the flavor as a combination of egg salad and papaya.)  Also available are the increasingly popular pearl boba drinks (bubble tea), priced at $3.

In addition to its bánh mì sandwiches, Miss Saigon offers an extensive selection of Vietnamese dishes.  Meals are available in the dining room or for takeout.

Miss Saigon

96 North Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA   01002

(413) 253-9988

http://www.amherstpho.com/

Lunch at Central Grocery

There's nothing like a stroll through the French Quarter to help burn a few breakfast calories.  As we wend our way through the charming streets, we pause at various landmarks, museums, and shops.  After a visit to the French Market, it's time for lunch.

Would having a sandwich be too banal in this epicurean city?  Yes, if it were an ordinary ham-and-cheese or something of that sort.  But I have an extraordinary kind in mind—a Muffuletta (pronounced "moo·fuh·LET·ah," often abbreviated, simply, to "muff").  It's made with a fresh, round loaf of Italian bread, onto which generous quantities of imported salami, ham, cheese, mortadella, and special olive salad are layered, and served at room temperature.  (Don't even think of asking to have it warmed!)  This is one big, tasty sandwich that easily feeds two people.  Half a sandwich at midday is ample—especially if one is still planning to have dinner.

As we cross Decatur Street and enter Central Grocery, we take a step backward through time.  The old-fashioned Italian-American emporium that proclaims itself to be the "home of the original Muffuletta" gives the impression of having forgone any sort of redecoration since its founding in 1906.  Apparently, there's no need to change—this place draws visitors from all corners of the globe.  No trip to New Orleans is complete without a stop here.  The Muffuletta's putative place of origin is also where the sandwich reaches its acme of perfection.  Purportedly, it was created here by Salvatore Lupo the same year he founded the grocery.  Though time seems to have stood still at Central Grocery, its most famous product remains a timeless classic.

Central Grocery Co.

923 Decatur Street (between N. Peters & St. Philip Sts)
New Orleans, LA   70116-3307

(504) 523-1620

Rocket Lunch

As we face an uncertain economic future, many of us are dining out less or, perhaps, not at all.  Most of us haven't the temerity to take part in a $440,000 California retreat during a financial crisis.  Instead, we might take refuge in comfort foods and surroundings that evoke memories of a simpler time.

When I seek a reliable collation seasoned with a dash of nostalgia—whether in New York or out of town—a Johnny Rockets is a welcome sight.  Although this retro-diner chain was launched in Los Angeles in 1986, my initiation came several years later during a business trip to Atlanta.  The first Manhattan branch opened in the West Village some ten years ago.  It affords a good, convenient luncheon spot near NYU.  Another Manhattan location was since added on the East Side.

Johnny Rockets' décor is nearly identical throughout the chain.  The tables, chairs, tabletop jukeboxes, signs, posters, and other trappings are reminiscent of a '50s malt shop.  The coeval habiliments of the staff round out the motif.  Some may consider this sort of theme to be clichéd, but to those of us who remember when, it represents a vestige of happy days long ago.

The food quality is fairly consistent as one might expect from a menu dominated by burgers, sandwiches, fries, shakes, and malts.  The Tuna Salad Sandwich is my favorite and seldom disappoints.  Unlike many others I've tried, this one doesn't drown the white albacore in a sea of mayonnaise.  Normally, a sandwich and a cup of tea satisfy my midday appetite.  At Johnny Rockets, however, I try to save room for a slice of their delicious apple pie.  Made fresh daily, it's not overly sweet and has a delightfully flaky crust.  Although it's available with cheddar cheese or à la mode, I prefer it plain.  Yum!

While the menus of the two Manhattan Johnny Rockets list the same items, the midtown version comes with uptown prices.  For instance, in the Village, my tuna sandwich and apple pie cost $5.60 and $1.50, respectively; each costs 40 cents more uptown.  In fact, everything (except the jukebox) is more expensive at the East Side location.  Nevertheless, the pricier Johnny Rockets is busier than its downtown cousin.

 

Johnny Rockets

West Village:

42 East 8^th Street (SW corner Greene St), Manhattan

(212) 253-8175

By train: R,W to 8^th Street
By bus: M2, M3, M5 to University Place

East Side:

930 Third Avenue (SW corner 56^th St), Manhattan

(212) 813-0003

By train: E,V to Lexington Av/53 St (exit at Third Av)
By bus: M31, M57, M98, M101, M102, M103

Other locations

http://www.johnnyrockets.com/

The Dumpling House That Vanessa Rebuilt

It had been a while since my last visit to the Dumpling House.  Frankly, the dingy, cramped quarters always made this a place for times I was in a hurry and needed food fast but didn't want fast food.  Imagine my surprise when I returned recently.  The small eatery had seemingly doubled its size, undergone complete redecoration, and prefixed Vanessa's to its name.  For a moment, I thought I was on the wrong block!

Often, expansions come at the expense of something else.  The quality of the food or service (or both) may decline or the price of a meal may increase substantially.  Is the food still good?  Is Dumpling House still one of New York's best bargains?  Happily, the answer to both questions is yes.  There has been a price increase, however.  Now, a dollar buys four dumplings instead of five and $2 no longer yields change when tendered for my favorite sesame pancake sandwich.  Nevertheless, $3 for a tasty, well-prepared meal is hard to beat.

Naturally, I complimented the affable owner, Vanessa Duan, on her newly expanded Dumpling House.  She promptly chided me, albeit ever so gently, by reminding me that it had been more than six months since my last visit.

Vanessa Duan

A Beijing native, Vanessa knows how to make a good dumpling, or guo tie (pronounced gwoah·tyeah; literally, "pot sticker").  (Many Chinese menus aimed at the non-cognoscenti refer to them, preposterously, as Peking Ravioli.)  The chive-and-pork (#1) is the best and the most popular variant.  Its wrapper, browned (as it sticks to the pot) to the perfect degree of  chewiness, avoids all the common pitfalls such as being overly thick, tough, and rubbery.  The consistency of the delectable filling maintains proper firmness without being rubberlike.  Watching the continuous preparation of these pot-stickers eliminates any doubt about their freshness.  And with a little dumpling sauce, they're oh, so tasty.

Ironically, I typically go to the Dumpling House for a tuna sandwich.  Vanessa's version is made by stuffing tuna salad (with julienned pickled carrots, cilantro, and peas, among its ingredients) into a fresh, warm sesame pancake.  It's simply delicious!   Other popular offerings include noodle soups that serve as meals by themselves.  An ample selection of beverages is also available.  Along with sodas, teas, and coffee, the list of drinks also includes bubble teas, smoothies, and fresh juices.

It's a relief to know that the rebuilt Dumpling House has maintained its superior quality.  Now that there's a comfortable place for me to sit and enjoy my food, there'll not be another six months before my next visit.

Vanessa's Dumpling House

118A Eldridge Street (between Grand & Broome Sts), Lower East Side, Manhattan

(212) 625-8008 or 625-8118

Open daily, 7:30 A.M. till 10:30 P.M.

By train: B,D to Grand St; F to Delancey St; J,M,Z to Essex St
By bus: M15

BX Hits the Spot

I found one of my favorite sandwiches at a little Vietnamese shop on the northern fringes of Brooklyn's Asian community in Sunset Park.  Ba Xuyên's bánh mì (pronounced bun·MEE) convinced me that east had conspired with west to produce a superb sandwich.

Arguments may persist over France's role in Indochina, but one distinct side-benefit remains: France's roll in Vietnam.  The legacy of French bread is evident in the crusty Vietnamese baguette that is the basis for a bánh mì sandwich, onto which a butter-mayonnaise spread is applied as well as a filling (traditionally pork), along with julienned pickled carrots and daikon (a sort of mild radish), onions, and cilantro.   (I never realized how much a sandwich could benefit from cilantro, and now add it to sandwiches at home.  An added benefit of the so-called Chinese parsley is its possible chelating effect—especially useful, if true, in counteracting the mercury found in such foods as tuna.)

BX offers nearly a dozen bánh mì sandwich selections, roughly half of which contain pork in some form (e.g., shredded, barbequed, even crushed into meatballs).  Additional choices include grilled chicken, turkey breast, cá tuna, and, possibly my favorite, cá mòi (sardine).  Regardless of the sandwich, I always order it spicy.  (Ba Xuyên's red sauce not only adds a moderate amount of heat, but also provides a rich, savory flavor.)  While most sandwiches cost $3.50, a few are higher, topping out at $4.25 for the tuna, another favorite.

For $2.50, you could try one of Ba Xuyên's unusual fruit shakes.  Condensed milk, light cream, fruit, and ice are blended together to produce a refreshing drink that isn’t particularly sweet.  Flavors include jackfruit (which the Chinese call sweet pineapple, a close description of the taste), litchi, taro, papaya, and strawberry.  Perhaps the most interesting, however is the durian.  Owing to its profoundly rank odor, the so-called king of fruit must be sold frozen in the United States and is not permitted aboard many airlines.  BX's shake produced therefrom, however, is not nearly so malodorous and is definitely worth a try.  I'd describe the flavor as a combination of egg salad and papaya.  Although the durian experiment might suggest that your courageous Comestiblogger possesses the temerity to drink almost anything, I've yet to muster the courage to try the avocado shake.

As an alternative to a shake, you could try one of the popular "pearl cold drinks," better known as bubble tea.  (Pearl, incidentally, refers to the large tapioca beads at the bottom of the drink.)  It's clear why the beverages come with such wide straws!  As with their shakes, BX's bubble teas are not sweet.  Their creaminess provides a nice counterbalance to the spice of the sandwiches, and the absence of sugar ensures that no cloying aftertaste comes between one’s palate and the enjoyment of the bánh mì. As for as the tapioca pearls, their charm lies in their chewy texture and the palate-cleansing effect they offer with every sip.  We found the honeydew melon bubble tea to be as pleasing to the palate as it is to the eye.

Other goodies are also available.  Among the dessert options, my Comestaccomplice sampled two: a sesame-encrusted ball filled with red bean paste, and an aspic torte which almost defies description, but which is a real winner.  The former's sesame coating does not overwhelm the dough and paste flavors.  To its enormous credit, the red bean paste filling lacks the waxy mouth-feel common among many other red-bean concoctions.  It is very smooth, and just barely sweetened.  Now, to describe the “torte,” the name, and, alas, contents of which we could only surmise.  (English is not a strong suit at BX.)  It consists of nine layers: three each of green aspic, purple aspic, and coconut cream.  Based on other forays into Vietnamese food, it's possible that the green layer is made from green bean juice, and the purple layer from red bean paste.  But at least the coconut is discernible.  Once again, the use of sugar is restrained.  In its place, a rich and earthy essence of coconut comes through, just sweet enough to enhance the savory flavors of the vegetable-based aspics.  Its refreshing, palate-cleansing properties make it a perfect finish to any meal, Vietnamese or otherwise.  As for price, two sesame rolls and one torte amounted to a whopping $2.80.

As we waited for our sandwiches to be prepared, we saw quite a few fresh-looking spring rolls sold—mostly containing some rather large shrimp, though a barbequed shredded pork also seemed to be enrolled.  I've never been disappointed with anything I've tried here, and clearly the spring rolls are a popular quick-stop pick.

Please bear in mind that BX closes at 6:30 P.M.  Although dining is limited to four tables, I've always found a seat.  On a pleasant day, however, you may opt to enhance your dining pleasure alfresco and enjoy spectacular views afforded by the park for which the neighborhood is named.  The entrance to Sunset Park is on Seventh Avenue, one block west.

 

Ba Xuyên

4222 Eighth Avenue (near 43^rd St), Sunset Park, Brooklyn

(718) 633-6601

By train: D,M to 9^th Avenue
By bus: B70, B35

The Beef in Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge

"It is what it is."  Nowhere is that sentiment more apropos, perhaps, than at John's Famous Deli in Brooklyn.  And no other place epitomizes Bensonhurst more than does the self-proclaimed "hero king," who rules within the shadow of the elevated BMT West End line.  Since 1967, John Cicero and his family have satisfied local appetites with their Italian-American eats.

Brooklyn is home to the roast beef hero.  Though there are many practitioners, few produce a hot beef hero as good as John's ($7.25; available daily except Mondays and Fridays).

Thinly sliced roast beef is piled onto a crusty hero roll, upon which mozzarella is layered.  (They used to offer a choice between mozzarella and American cheese, but the latter gave way to the superiority of the former.)  Order your sandwich with everything for the special dark-brown gravy (some have called it "black gold") and sautéed onions.  Find a table indoors or outdoors and be sure to have plenty of napkins handy.

John's also offers a number of other heros (including the Godfather), as well as hot plates, daily specials, and rice balls.  They even serve breakfast.  (Please click here to see the menu.)

This is a good stop before a Brooklyn Cyclones game (baseball the way it oughta be) at KeySpan Park, Coney Island.

And now there’s a branch in Bay Ridge.   Opened a month ago, the new John's transports the same menu westward to a more contemporary setting, replete with garden dining and table service.  Whereas the original offers parking, the newcomer, alas, does not.

Regardless of which location you visit, you'll hear the familiar refrain, "Thank you Subway!" to acknowledge a gratuity, or subway money, for the deli man.  (Speaking of subways, incidentally, a Subway sandwich shop happens to share the block with the original John's.  It’s almost analogous to having Domino's selling its "Brooklyn-style" pizza across the street from Di Fara’s.)

 

John's Famous Deli

Bensonhurst:

2033 Stillwell Avenue (between 86^th St & Av T), Brooklyn

(718) 372-7481

By train: D to 25^th Avenue
By bus: B1

Bay Ridge:

8905 Third Avenue (near 89^th St), Brooklyn

(718) 238-8004

By train: R to 86^th Street
By bus: B37

http://www.johnsfamousdeli.com/