“When are you gonna write a blog?” This from a number of friends who are either really interested, or tired of seeing all the FoodSpotting, Yelp and other food posts on my Facebook page, in my Twitter feeds, FourSquare check-ins, etc. So, here it is… at least the start of it.
The design and visual stuff may change over time. Just bare with me.
I welcome your interaction.
Keith – I’m Your Neighborhood Chow Hound
I won’t insult you and pretend that I haven’t posted in a while. I haven’t. Life changes and such have given me an excuse to be lazy. One thing hasn’t changed though; I still love good food and drink, and I love helping other people discover the same.
Since we last had a chance to chat, I left the comfortable, warm climes of the Peach State to the decidedly more frigid frozen tundra. Well, it’s actually only Michigan, but it’s damned cold enough most of the time.
With that move came a very different sensibility when it comes to food. I’m not tastebud bashing, however, if you start with meat and potatoes and go off the map to walleye and asparagus, you’ve pretty much run the gamut here. But that only speaks to variety. (I will not be a food snob. I will not be a food snob. I will not be a food snob.) There is a lot of good food to be found in these parts.
Going forward, and because I travel a lot, many of these entries will be from locales far and wide. A growing emphasis will focus on what you can find in airports. For those of us who spend a lot of time flying, finding decent food between long or short layovers is essential. I hope to be of assistance. I tend to schedule my flights to allow time to eat something, particularly in marquee cities. You never know what you may find.
So for my thirsty and hungry faithful, I have captured much in the last several months. I just need to set “pen to paper” and serve it to you in the delectable bites you’ve said you like. Until then, eat well my friends.
Here are a few pictures teases of things I want to share with you.
Now that I’ve got your attention, let me tell you what this post is really about – a perfect sushi experience. I traveled to Seattle recently and my culinary mind was fixed on seafood of all varieties. It had been a while since I’d had really good, fresh seafood. So, in my week-long trip I enjoyed seafood of all stripes and varieties in almost every meal, even breakfast.
A standout experience happened at Wann Japanese Izakaya. On the menu is a maki roll like no other I’ve ever had. The Black Belt Roll made my head spin. It was so good that I went to Wann three different times for it. The ingredients read fairly simple – tuna, salmon, yellowtail, pickled ginger, shiso leaf, daikon sprouts, cucumber. But, sushi is about simplicity. I watched a movie a few days ago, Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about a 9-seat, Michelin 3 star sushi restaurant in Japan. The owner and head chef, Jiro, does one thing – sushi. And he does it well. His theory is to focus on perfecting your skill, keeping it simple, and doing it the same way forever. I felt that kind of dedication in the execution of the Black Belt Roll. That’s how it hit me.
Black Belt Roll – Wann Japanese Izakaya (Seattle)
The taste of each ingredient burst onto my tongue in each bite. The balance of flavors was uncanny. The textures fit perfectly. To have that same experience in three separate visits was unique.
The izakaya itself is nothing particularly special. The service is good, the decor is fine and the atmosphere is comfortable. Beyond that, there isn’t much to crow about. It’s all about the food. The Black Belt Roll is on another level. You’ll do yourself a disservice if you go to Seattle and don’t try it.
BTW… you can get Jiro Dreams of Sushi on Netflix.
Eat well.
I tend to follow food trends. It could be a technique, seasonal ingredient, unique combinations of ingredients or whatever. I’ve been hooked on roasting, sushi, pork tacos, chiles, bacon, you name it. Often, those trends are of my own invention. Lately, I’ve been attracted to names. Yeah, names. Go figure.
I don’t know when it started, but funky names – for places and dishes – have caught my eye. You’d think that an intriguing name would lead to an intriguing experience; not always. But here are a few that I tried simply because of the name, for better or worse.
Duff Beer
I know there are probably a million brewers out there paying homage to our first family of cartoons. How many, though, are a home brew for a Hobbit themed pizzeria? Yep, this was a double bonus. Duff Beer (a nice IPA) brewed and served at Bilbo’s Pizza in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Gotta love it.
Duff Beer – Kalamazoo, MI
The Biscuit Bitch
I was on a business trip in Seattle and came across this place. I did a double take and loudly announced to my colleagues where I would have breakfast the next day. True to my word, I was there 5 minutes before the doors opened. It’s the type of place you’d expect to find in Seattle. It had a cool, I-don’t-give-a-damn kind of vibe. However, they give a very big damn about serving good biscuits. Now I’m not a big enough snob to think that you have to be from the south to make good biscuits. The Biscuit Bitch, though, definitely has some roots that stretch below the Mason/Dixon.
Ghettoblaster Beer
Of course, when you throw caution to the wind and get sucked into trying something because of the name, you sometimes come up with a dud. Thus, the Ghettoblaster beer from Motor City Brewing Works. Offensive? Kinda. I was more offended by the poor execution of this English style mild ale. And it didn’t help they were serving it at the Westin Book Cadillac, a pretty swanky Detroit hotel, which means it cost more than your average beer Boo Boo. If you see it anywhere outside of Detroit, and I’m sure you won’t – skip it. Try one of Motor City’s other offerings like the pale ale.
Ghettoblaster – Motor City Brewing Works
Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale
So you may think I’m on a beer kick with this trend. That’s only because craft brews can have some very inventive names. I’ve got some food stuff coming up. On this one, I wasn’t even looking for beer. How could I pass it up? And it’s a damned fine brew. I like it a lot. Not spammy at all. I just hope it’s widely distributed.
Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale
Grindhouse Killer Burgers
I just love saying the name. Grindhouse Killer Burgers. It just rolls off the tongue in the right way. The name is taken from a category of movie theaters of the 50s and 60s. Blood and guts, action and guns were the normal fare. Awesome burger combinations are the fare at this burger joint. At one time I worked within walking distance of one location and visited at least twice a week. Double cheese, fries and a coke. Or an Apache (jalapenos), o-rings and a coke. And you can watch a movie while sitting at the counter. What could be better than enjoying a freshly made double cheeseburger (that you didn’t have to make yourself) with a side of onion rings and watching the car chase in Bullitt? Plus, you don’t have to clean up your mess. Killer, indeed.
Grindhouse Killer Burgers – Atlanta, GA
The Ghettoburger
Enter the famous, some would say infamous, Miss Anne and her ghettoburger. She’s been serving it for more than 30 years. This place and it’s burgers were deserving of a separate post last summer. Offensive name? Not exactly. The place is definitely in the “hood. The burger is pretty much something that could only be imagined from the mind after a late night binge at the local watering hole or nightclub. Two beef patties, onions, bacon, chili, cheese… The name is forgiven because the burger is just so damn good! A pending hangover is not needed to fully enjoy.
The Ghettoburger, Ms. Anne’s Snack Bar – Atlanta, GA
Isotopes Slammin’ Amber Beer
No these are not named after Homer Simpson’s favorite local baseball team. But it’s actually a bit clever. From Sierra Blanca Brewing Company straight out of New Mexico. Get it? New Mexico… isotopes… radiation… Los Alamos… get it? Funny, huh? Well, it was at the time I discovered the beer. The brew itself is decent. They also have a line of alien brews. Roswell. Need I say more? Yeah, I know, it’s kind of cheesy. But hey, they’re trying to sell beer. Give ‘em a break.
Isotopes Slammin’ Amber – New Mexico
Doritos Locos Taco
Don’t judge me! I like Doritos. Who doesn’t? I like tacos. Of course. How could putting them together go wrong? Try one and you’ll find out. I don’t care what the commercial tells you.
Doritos Locos Tacos
Dead Guy Ale
I think this really is the best of the bunch, in both ways. Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Ales. It’s a cool name and accompanying logo. And it’s a very good beer; refreshing for an unfiltered brew, and has enough body to stand up to Thai food (that was my first introduction, oddly enough). No preservatives, no additives, no chemicals. Just good beer. The Grateful Dead similarities in the logo are just coincidence. I hear that Dead Heads love it.
Dead Guy Ale, Rogue Brewery – Everywhere
So that’s how clever names have led me to some good noshes and drinks. It’s not a perfect system. And that’s good because I’m not looking for perfection. The duds have helped me remember the joys of the discovery. I’m just a guy who likes to eat and drink. Luckily, there is a lot of good stuff out there.
Eat well.
I missed Taste of Atlanta this weekend. Yeah, I know, so sad. However, one of my in-town reviewer surrogates was happy to share some of her experience. Check it out at The Tasteless Gourmand.
Recently, I took a trip to New Mexico. I anticipated four days for business and, hopefully, as much fun and exploration (focused on the local cuisine) as I could manage. After getting settled into the hotel, it was time to meet my colleagues for a little business prior to heading to dinner.
As an ice breaker, we introduced ourselves and by answering the following question, “when it comes to chile, are you red, green or Christmas?”
My first thought was I had found some good folks who loved food as much as I. Woo hoo! My next thought led me to remember how important food is in all cultures. Of course, New Mexico, with its rich Mexican, Spanish and Native American cultures (among others), was no exception.
Here I was in the great southwest and I was about to really get a taste of southwest cuisine. True and unadulterated flavors from Mexico, Baja California, and the American Desert. And of course, much of that involved chiles.
I became fixated on the many different ways for me to experience chiles.In my mind, I had embarked upon the Chow Hound’s Great Southwestern U.S. Chile Tour (antacids not included).
My menu over the four days included:
1. fried and stuffed hatch chiles
2. roasted green chile beer ( I drank this too quickly to take a picture)
3. chicken green chile lasagna
4. seafood stuffed chile rellenos (shrimp, clams, white fish and lots ‘o cheese)
5. jalapeno margaritas (the winner!!!!)
6. duck breast with raspberry chile reduction (not a great shot but it was a good dish)
7. breakfast burrito with fresh red chile salsa
8. fried wontons w/pineapple and green chile salsa
Though short, it was a divine chile tour. I only wish I had time to break from the guided meal tour and do some exploring on my own. There had to be some tantalizing chile creations scattered around town. But as business will inevitable dictate, I’ll be back to New Mexico in due time.
Oh, and in case you haven’t guessed, in the chile world, “Christmas” is the combination of red and green chiles. It’s offered on restaurant menus that way. By the way, most of the group favored the relatively milder green chile. My answer was, if you put it in front of me, I’ll eat it.
Eat well.
I'm just a guy sharing my thoughts on food and drink experiences. Not pretending to be a food critic. I'm mostly self-taught when it comes to the kitchen, but I've learned from a lot of good chefs and home cooks.Take all my musings with a grain of salt, but I hope you'll find them useful in your search for good food experiences.
