Eating with George

Tepee Pete's Chow Wagon

2011-07-24T20:27:00.075-04:00

The summer of 2010 found me traveling up old Rt. 20 in central New York State. It’s a nice ride. It really is. I’m not sure if I would call it exciting or spectacular or some other superlative to show my extreme enthusiasm, but it’s certainly not stressful, and there’s lots to see and do. I recommend it for when you lack a destination.

Traveling to the west of Sharon Springs toward Cherry Valley it was getting near lunchtime, and I was traveling fairly blind. I knew there was some stuff to see out here but I didn’t really have any details, and I had no info about food whatsoever. What I did know was that there was supposedly some kind of big tepee along the road somewhere up ahead.

After a little while more of driving I spotted something a bit further down the road coming up over the horizon. It was definitely pointy at the top, so I figured I had found my tepee. I wasn’t wrong. It turned out to be a just what I was looking for after a long morning of sightseeing.

As I pulled off the road into the parking area, the first thing that I noticed was the very large tepee that dominates the property. Second is the incredible view of the vast Mohawk Valley visible across the road.

For those who are into Native American gift shops, The Tepee is your kind of place. Inside you can find just about anything imaginable related to the theme.

For those of us who collect roadside attraction souvenirs The Tepee definitely needs more stuff with its own name on it. Aside from a tiny snow globe emblazoned with “The Tepee” and a wooden nickel, there's not much in the way of self-promotion.

The shop is run by Donna, one of three siblings who own and operate The Tepee. She was full of all kinds of good information about The Tepee and its history.

When we were all done inside Donna suggested we go outside to visit Pete and Dale, her two siblings who were making lunch in the chow wagon. Chow wagon?

Nestled in alongside the Tepee was the most welcomed sight of all, an old weathered travel trailer that was converted into a fully functioning kitchen. The sounds and smells coming out of it all just screamed LUNCH. This was my introduction to Tepee Pete’s Chow Wagon.

Inside were Pete and his sister Dale preparing a batch of Tepee Pete’s world famous Ommegang Brewery Beer Chili. And like any enterprising chili pusher, Pete offers up the first shot for free. Not wanting to miss out on a potentially life-changing chili experience, I ordered up a shot for myself and was rewarded with a heaping and steaming soufflé cup of some of the best chili I’ve tasted. It was sweet with some creeping heat on the back end. Pete calls it a shot for a reason. The soufflé cup of chili is free, but if you want a fork it will cost you.

Once introductions were made, Pete was more than happy to tell the story of The Tepee, the Chow Wagon, and all about his food. It sounds best coming right from him so I recommend that you go and let him tell you himself. You won’t be disappointed.

The menu is simple, yet fun and hangs in the window of the Wagon right above the counter.

Finally it was time to eat. I ordered “The Kelly”, which is fried bread with sauce and cheese. I went with a variation that included freshly shredded mozzarella and tomato sauce.

And having been sufficiently tempted by my shot of chili, I decided to officially order a full cup of it to top off my meal.

My companion went with a quesadilla of fresh peppers and mozzarella cheese.

When lunch was served we were offered an additional plate of tortillas, lightly fried and tossed in cinnamon and sugar. It was just right to finish off the meal.

My “Kelly” was essentially a pizza fritté with the fried bread acting as the crust. The hot bread, cold sauce, and slightly melty cheese were a nice take on the theme.

The chili was, as earlier stated, some of the best I’ve had. The fresh pepper and mozzarella quesadilla was the kind you always want but never seem to get. It was super-fresh and not at all greasy. The same goes for the fried bread.

When lunch was over we all said our goodbyes. I don’t usually mention that I write about stuff, but this time I did. I promised that no matter how long it took, the next blog post I wrote would be about The Tepee & Tepee Pete’s Chow Wagon.

We piled into the car and pulled back onto Rt. 20 heading west. The next stop would be The Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History. It’s an old dinosaur park that’s been around for over 70 years.

There used to be quite a lot of these places around the country tempting travelers with a glimpse of an extinct and ferocious world. Sadly, today attractions like this are few and far between. They began to decline at the end of the great roadside era when the interstate began to bypass the old attractions. As science and technology grew over the last half-century people became less enamored of the simple presentations, preferring high-tech demonstrations of sound and motion. Today you can find mini-golf displays that surpass the excitement of some the old dinosaur parks.

Still, it’s the whimsical simplicity of these places that sparks the imagination of their many visitors.

The Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History comes replete with brightly painted, handmade dinosaurs and really silly audio stations for each one.

As you walk around the park, be sure to open the mailboxes by the dinosaurs. Each one tells the tale of its dinosaur companion.

You can also dig for your own fossils in the shale pit out back. Along the outer walls are sheltered stations where audio tells you the prehistoric tale of the area and explains each of the fossils displayed on the walls.

The gift shop is your first and last stop on the way in and out. In it you will find every dinosaur related gewgaw imaginable from the educational to the childish to the downright odd. Sadly, you won’t find too many items specifically branded for the museum itself. A chat with the nice lady who owns and runs the museum filled us in on quite a bit of its history. Her late husband did most of the sculpting of the dinosaurs, and upkeep of the grounds. These days she just comes up from Florida for the summertime to open the museum for the season.

If you are in the market to own a roadside attraction, this could be your opportunity. They are looking to sell the whole kit and caboodle; from the grounds to the sculptures and displays, to the buildings and the gift shop with its contents. The sale also includes the museum’s not-for-profit status.

For a more detailed story of The Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History, check out our friends over at Project Absurd. They visited not once, but twice and have lots of pictures and even a cool little video that shows what it’s like to hear the tales from the dinosaurs’ mailboxes.

The Tepee and The Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History are just two of the amazing things to do and see along the road. So the next time you find yourself traveling on Rt. 20 in Upstate New York, stop and check out the sights for yourself. You’ll be glad you did. For a full rundown of what the highway has to offer check out the Route 20 Association of New York State.

White House Sub Shop

2008-08-06T01:24:00.006-04:00

There are a lot of reasons to visit Atlantic City, NJ. There’s the boardwalk, saltwater taffy, gambling and Lucy the Elephant*, but best of all there’s the White House Sub Shop. Solidly rooted to the corner of Mississippi & Arctic Avenues, the White House has spent the last 60 plus years building what are arguably the best submarine sandwiches in the known world.

In September of 1946 Anthony Basile came home to Atlantic City from the Philippines where he served in the military after the end of WWII. A month later he opened the White House Sub Shop. Demanding the use of nothing but the best and freshest ingredients, this hands-on family operation has set the standard for meat on a roll.

When asked, many people will tell you that the secret of the White House sub is the bread. I think that I have to agree. Baked just up the block by Formica Brothers Italian Bakery, loads of fresh and warm 20” long rolls are delivered up to 12 times a day.
A good Italian roll (or Atlantic City roll as it is sometimes called) is something to be appreciated. Solid enough to stand up to a dose of oil or mayo without falling apart, but soft and chewy enough to eat without having to work too hard at it. A decent Italian roll can be difficult to find outside certain parts of the U.S., as can be attested to by many a Northeasterner.
When you first approach the White House Sub Shop several things immediately strike you. The first is the building itself. It is obvious that nothing about it has changed for a very long time. It may not be bright and shiny, but it has character. Next, sitting in stark contrast to the structure beneath it is the large neon sign on the roof which proudly proclaims to all who approach that this is the one and only “White House: Home of Submarines”. All that bright, shiny, blinking neon can distract from the final feature that is a testament to the White House’s ability to stick around so long. And, that would be the line of people, which stretches out the door and never seems to go away.
Once inside, the White House Sub Shop is a pretty small place. Made smaller by the fact that most of your time there is spent elbow to elbow with your fellow man. I needed to wait quite a while before I could get a clear shot down the isle, and it only lasted a few seconds, if that.
When a table finally opened up, we were shown to a small booth two-thirds of the way back.As we were escorted to our seats we passed the half dozen or so counter seats and the to-go counter, which is backed by the long galley style kitchen from which rose all manner of steam and good smells.Proudly displayed above for all to see is the sandwich menu listing many of the popular sub choices.

The interior of the White House Sub Shop is dominated by the color orange. It’s on the booths, the stools, the walls and is the color of most of the picture frames that line the walls above the seating area.Those framed photographs document the fact that the White House has been a dining destination for a vast array of famous faces. Over the years the White House has seen visits from Frank Sinatra to the Beatles and beyond.
The White House Sub Shop signature sandwich is hands down the best Italian sub that I have ever had. I’ve had a few over the years. This time though, I wanted something else. After some debate I decided to try the White House’s cheese steak, which has a solid reputation of its own. We ordered that and a provolone cheese sub. The service is speedy, and the food was delivered in no time.
The provolone sub came stuffed with cheese and a load of fresh tomatoes on a bed of shredded lettuce. Surrounding all of the ingredients is the signature White House roll doused in oil. A sprinkle of Italian seasoning tops the whole thing off. If you are looking for a superior meat free sandwich you just found it.
For a real cheese steak lover playing favorites can be a risky social maneuver. People who live within the cultural influence of Philadelphia take their cheese steaks seriously. They tend to stake out their favorite and can get pretty territorial about it. I don’t attest to a favorite, but I do know a good cheese steak when I eat one. The cheese steak at the White House Sub Shop is one of the best.They claim to use 91.1% fat free USDA choice lean top round steak cut fresh daily. Add fried onions, melted cheese. The addition of an outstanding fresh Italian roll really makes the sandwich.
Upon finishing, we got the bill and quickly vacated our booth for the next person waiting on line outside. Behind the register up front was a small variety of White House merchandise.The sign on the wall advertised the prices for t-shirts, hats, and sweatshirts.I paid the bill, squeezed through the crowded entryway and emerged back out on Arctic Avenue a happier and fuller person.* Lucy the Elephant isn’t actually in Atlantic City, but in neighboring Margate.

Surf Taco

2008-07-14T04:22:00.007-04:00

Just about anyone who has spent time on the West Coast eating Mexican style food bemoans the lack of anything that even comes close here in the Northeastern U.S. The prevailing trend out west is fresh, big and cheap. Actually it’s FRESH!, FRESH!, FRESH!, big and cheap. It’s the FRESH!, FRESH!, FRESH! that is what is usually lacking around here, although big and cheap isn’t exactly a common combination either.
Lately there has been a small but steady influx of small taquerías and burrito joints both corporate and privately owned. They tend to run the gamut from bright and shiny institutional looking places to little, dark, hole-in-the-wall cantinas to simple take-out windows. Sometimes though, you run into something that is entirely different. I had the good fortune of doing just that the first time I visited Surf Taco in Seaside Park, NJ.

Housed in an unassuming storefront along the main drag, Surf Taco is a local success story. The first one opened up the coast in Point Pleasant in 2001. They have since grown to at least eight locations. As soon as I opened the door to step inside it became apparent why they have grown so quickly. I was somewhat surprised by the fact that I could barely get inside. The line from the counter was backed up all the way to the door and every table was full. With some small trepidation I grabbed a takeout menu to get a head start on ordering and settled in for what I anticipated to be a long wait.

Inside, Surf Taco is decorated just the way you hope it would be. The surf theme is heavy but laid back and totally unforced.You almost expect to see Jeff Spicoli and crew tumble out of his van and pile into a back table. The menu is big, basic and has a tropical influence. The good people of Surf taco call it “Coastal Cuisine”, a combination of fresh food and surf culture. Tacos go for about $4, and burritos are about $7. They offer combinations of flavors that I haven’t encountered anywhere else like the Buffalo Chicken Taco and the Garlic Shrimp Burrito. For $15 they serve a burrito called the Tsunami. They say that if you can eat this oversized burrito in 15 minutes or less they will add your picture to the Tsunami Wall of Fame. Maybe next time.
The line was moving much quicker than anticipated, and within five minutes I was at the counter. Whoever was behind the register knew what they were doing. As it turns out, the person at the register looked like your typical vacant teenage, blonde beach bunny. Yet another lesson in not adhering to stereotypes. This girl was on the ball. And if this was any indication of what I could expect from every aspect of Surf Taco then I was sure not to be disappointed.
I ordered the Teriyaki Chicken Taco (Chicken marinated in teriyaki sauce, topped with jack & cheddar cheeses, lettuce, pineapple & Pico de Gallo salsa: $3.65) and the Chimichanga (Shredded chicken, jack & cheddar cheeses, peppers & onions wrapped in a 12” flour tortilla fried to a golden brown & served a side of sour cream, guacamole & Pico de Gallo: $8.00). Fountain drinks are self serve, so I got my cup along with my order number on a stick that I need for later food delivery. The soda fountain is located next to the fresh salsa bar. After loading up and standing around for a minute, a table opened up across the room.
This would be a good time to point out that the line for the counter had not gotten any smaller since I had been there. I already mentioned how fast it was moving. If this was typical business, Surf Taco is a goldmine. I settled in at my table and then got up again and made a trip for napkins and other stuff I couldn’t carry the first time. By time I got myself together sufficiently enough to start thinking about how hungry I was, a couple of guys came out of the kitchen bearing plates of food and looking for their matching number. There was no way that this was my order. Not yet, anyway. Not unless they have Edgar Cayce out back working the grill. Give Edgar my regards. These guys headed right for my table and unloaded their savory burden upon its surface.
The first thing I noticed were the huge chunks of pineapple stuffed into my taco. A bite brought the combined flavors of pineapple, teriyaki and fresh Pico de Gallo. I have to say that it’s probably the best taco that I’ve ever had. I could easily have eaten a few more, but I wanted to go for some variety.Next up was the Chimichanga.I spread the side order of sour cream, guacamole & Pico de Gallo across the light and crispy fried tortilla.I then surgically split it from end to end exposing the chicken and cheese concealed within its steamy interior.Again, this officially is the best chimi that I’ve ever had. I only wish it was bigger because I just didn’t want to stop eating it. Guess I’ll be going back. Oh, and when I left, the line was still almost out the door.Surf Taco
212 SE Central Avenue
Seaside Park, NJ
732.830.2111

Roney's Hamburgers

2008-06-23T02:11:00.006-04:00

If you’re driving along Rt. 130 north on the edge of Collingswood near the Cooper River be sure not to miss one of the few remaining vestiges of New Jersey hamburger history: Roney’s Hamburgers. A must stop for any true roadfoodie, the gleaming orange and blue structure has had a few updates since its former life as a White Tower restaurant. As a matter of fact, if you look real close at the sign mounted above the building you can still make out the words “White Tower” faded into the wood beneath the more freshly painted “Roney’s Restaurant”.
Inside the compact structure is a lunch counter with eight stools plus a few more up front. There’s a small able in the corner. Upon seeing the small grill and fryer tucked away at the end of the counter you are left to wonder how they can keep up during the rush.
The scant seating does not act as a deterrent. I’ve seen quite a few people packed into this place. Occasionally, one has to wonder whether the place might be bigger on the inside than out.
Technically always open, Roney’s is probably the safest place to eat in the whole area. Turns out that this old hamburger stand is a favorite meeting place for police officers from several municipalities. I don’t think that I’ve ever been there without an armed escort. I wouldn’t feel quite as safe at the big Dunkin Donuts across the street. The cops around here prefer hamburgers.
It was late and I hadn’t had any dinner, so I was pretty darn hungry. Roney’s menu is compact but well rounded and more than affordable. You can get breakfast all day and night along with just about anything else that can be grilled, fried or toasted. This time around I settled on the Double Big “R” Cheeseburger with Bacon. Roney’s serves two sizes of burger, a four-ounce and a six-ounce. So, this one was 2 six-ounce burgers with cheese, grilled onions and pickles.
On the overnight shift at Roney’s your server is also your chef. So having taken my order, the waitress headed over to the grill to put it all together. In no time at all I was faced with a hot and ever so wonderfully greasy Double Big “R” Cheeseburger with Bacon. With some care it can be lifted in both hands and eaten with a minimum of sloppiness. Rush into it all helter skelter and you could end up with a mess on your hands.
It was everything I hoped it would be. All of the ingredients blended together into an experience in burgery goodness. For about another buck and a half you can platter it with lettuce, tomato and fries. Next time around I’m planning to dive into the breakfast menu.
Although the menu will accommodate most people, please be aware that it is all cooked on the same grill. So if you don’t eat meat, your eggs, grilled cheese and whatnot will be cooked where the meat was. Sorry, but that’s the price you pay for such a compact set-up. So, be sure to stop by Roney’s for a for a bite to eat and while you’re at it check out the classic surroundings. They really don’t make them like this anymore.

(photo courtesy of RoadsideArchitecture.com )

The Famous King of Pizza

2008-05-25T00:07:00.005-04:00

There’s a place in Cherry Hill, New Jersey that’s been around pretty much forever where you can get a slice of pizza to rival some of the best you’ve ever had. It’s “The Famous King of Pizza”, and as far as I can tell it’s not associated with anyone named Ray. King of Pizza has been at 2300 Route 70 since 1965 and has outlasted many of the landmarks that surrounded it, the most famous of which are probably the Latin Casino, the Rickshaw Inn and Garden State Park.

The Original King of Pizza building was itself destroyed by fire in 2004. For anyone who loves the King of Pizza like I do, it was a sad day indeed. The sign out front, however, made it through unscathed and is still a beacon to hungry pizza lovers everywhere. The original building was a cool looking structure of mid-century design, the likes of which are fast disappearing from the American Landscape. I have no photographs of it, and I couldn’t find any while researching this piece. If anyone out there has one please forward it to me. I’ll add it to the article.
Having made a hard sacrifice to the gods of the coal fired oven, the owners of the King of Pizza were able to quickly rebuild. (The ovens are actually gas.) On the outside, the new structure has none of the charm of the original. The interior, however, is quite warm and inviting. It’s just the kind of place to enjoy a hot and drippy slice of pizza.
Did I say drippy? As a matter of fact I did. What? You don’t like a little grease on your pizza? Are you crazy? Listen up people! That’s where some of the best flavor hides. A nice bite right off the plate will send a small rivulet of hot oil streaming toward your wrists and beyond if you allow it. It’s just enough. Anymore would be a real mess, and I can’t eat a pizza that is just an oily lake on my dish. A little bit is all it takes, and that’s what the King of Pizza has. If you still want to dry it off a bit, it will only take you one napkin per slice. See, that’s not so bad. Besides, if you’re on some kind of restrictive diet, you probably shouldn’t be eating pizza in the first place.
The cheese, which is the source of said oil, is actually quite good. It is loose and chewy and stretchy and breaks just in time not to drag the whole mess right off the crust. The crust is thin, but not too thin, and it has a nice crispness that allows for easy folding. The sauce is on the money for my tastes, which is to say it is not too sweet and is nicely spiced. The fact that the Campbell’s Soup world headquarters is just up the road from here seems to give some pizza places in the area permission to use sauce that is not much more than glorified tomato soup. Not so at the King of Pizza. Here you get the best in South Jersey.
Nowadays, when Big Corporate McPizza is running rampant in America, it is the King of Pizza and other places like it that are out there preserving true pizza culture. Face it; if the crust is preformed and then goes through a conveyor belt oven, it’s just not pizza. True pizza almost always requires there to be a little Italian guy standing in the back, throwing an ever enlarging disc of dough into the air and catching it again just in time to avoid potential disaster. It then goes in and out of an oven on a wooden paddle. If that’s not how they’re doing it, then they’re doing t wrong. At “The Famous King of Pizza” they’re doing it right. Let’s all hope that they keep doing it for a long time to come.

The Pop Shop

2008-04-20T18:29:00.014-04:00

How often do you wish that there was a friendly little local place nearby with great sandwiches and a full service soda fountain? Someplace where the experience is real, without the forced atmosphere and taint of corporate influence. That wish came true for me when I first visited The Pop Shop in beautiful downtown Collingswood, NJ.

The Pop Shop generated quite a lot of local buzz when it first opened, and garnered positive reviews for most aspects of its menu. They have breakfast all day, a ridiculous variety of grilled cheese sandwiches, a huge general sandwich board both cold and hot, and an exhaustive ice cream and soda fountain. Their french fries are hand cut in-house and are served with the Pop Shop’s own home made spicy ketchup.I’ve been there more than a few times now and have had a positive experience every visit. I enjoy bringing friends to The Pop Shop just to show them that this kind of place is still alive and well, and that eating can still be a good time. I try to have a little something different each time I go, but it’s hard. Not because of a lack in variety (quite the opposite, in fact) but because it is so easy to get hooked on a favorite item. You just want to get that same thing over and over.A cornerstone of downtown revival, The Pop Shop takes square aim at mid-century Americana and hits the spirit of it all pretty much right on target without going overboard. This is no garishly decorated neon and silver nightmare. I imagine that The Pop Shop looks pretty much what any comparable local business would have looked like fifty or more years ago. The look is authentic and so is the food.The Pop Shop menu is designed as a newspaper and is so jam-packed with great stuff that making up your mind becomes a challenge. There is a whole page dedicated to breakfast, which I already mentioned is served all day. I personally suggest Your Own Private Idaho. There’s something like 2½-dozen varieties of some of the best and most original grilled cheese sandwiches on the planet. And just in case you were wondering; yes, they've got tomato soup, too. The Pop Shop has a large kids' menu that is hands-down the best around. They also offer an above average selection of vegetarian offerings that should more than satisfy anyone of the meat-free persuasion. The O-rings are beer-battered and the Buffalo Tofu Wings are HOT!Recently, The Pop Shop was paid a visit by Chef Bobby Flay, who arrived for a surprise grilled cheese throwdown for his Food Network show, Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I won’t ruin the surprise. You’ll either have to watch for yourself or find the results online.On my last two visits I had a Grant with tomato and a Hot and Cold Black Friday. The Grant is a fairly simple grilled cheese sandwich: american cheese and a double portion of applewood smoked bacon to which I added sliced tomato. There’s nothing simple about the taste, however. The quality ingredients come together to deliver a taste experience you will wish to repeat long after the last bite.The Hot and Cold Black Friday is what I like to call a Thanksgiving sandwich. It is primarily hot turkey, cold stuffing, cold cranberry, and hot gravy for dipping. This is the one I keep going back for. If you’re a Thanksgiving leftover junkie like me, it will have you going back for more, also.As incredible and varied as the rest of the menu is, the real treat is the soda and ice cream fountain. You can get all the standards, some cool house originals, or anything you can create from the long list of ingredients. Since I started going to The Pop Shop I have tried all sorts of soda and dessert offerings. This is one category where I won't give you my own personal recommendation. Go with an old favorite or try something new. Either way you win.Did I mention they sell merch? Get your Pop Shop t-shirts, hats and other goodies. You can wear them to trivia night or to any of the other regularly hosted events. Whether it is in the kitchen or the dining room, there is always something good happening at The Pop Shop. See you there.

Kiss Coffeehouse

2008-01-30T21:42:00.000-05:00

***Warning. Contents may be Hotter than Hell.***

When you want to rock and roll all night and party everyday, you'll probably need a little something to help keep you moving. If that's the case, the next time you're in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina you should cruise on over to Broadway at the Beach and check out the way cool Kiss Coffeehouse.
The Kiss Coffeehouse offers awesomely kiss-themed coffees such as Demon Dark Roast and Kiss Army Blend, as well as a variety of cold drinks and snacks. It should be on the "must-do" list for any self-respecting Kiss or coffee fan. If you're into Kiss, you've never experienced them like this. If you're just into coffee, then you've never experienced it like this either.
When you first see the facade of the Kiss Coffeehouse, you can't help but be somewhat impressed by the giant boots of Gene and Paul guarding the two entrances. If you think that the outside is impressive, just walk through the door. Inside, your senses are assailed by the smell of fresh coffee and all things Kiss.
It's not a big place. As a matter of fact it reminds me of what it would be like if they served refreshments in the Hard Rock Cafe gift shop. There is certainly no wasted space here. Every inch of wall is laid out with a variety of Kiss memorabilia - from stage costumes to guitars to tour posters and more. The restroom has a black light, a black toilet, and the most wicked red Lucite sink that I've yet to come across.
I'm generally not a coffee drinker. For me, a decent coffee beverage is a special occasion thing. This visit definitely qualified, so I settled on the Karamel Latte, and Lisa had the Frozen Hot Chocolate. The coffee was good. The Frozen Hot Chocolate, on the other hand, was enough to induce a chocolate lover to seizure. Yes, is was that good. I'd never tasted one before. In the past, I have made several aborted attempts to visit legendary eatery Serendipity 3 in Manhattan where the Frozen Hot Chocolate is a signature offering. Until I can make that trip, the FHC at the KCH is the standard by which all others shall be judged.
Overall, it was a worthwhile trip. On the way out I picked up a few souvenirs for family and friends. If you want to buy some official Kiss Coffeehouse memorabilia they have a great website with an online store, as well as lots of pictures and information. So, the next time you plan to be king of the night time world, leave your seat and move your feet right on down to the Kiss Coffeehouse.

Dino’s House of Pancakes

2008-01-26T01:31:00.001-05:00

The sign out in front of Dino’s House of Pancakes proudly proclaims that they serve the best breakfast in North Myrtle Beach. Anyone who dubs themselves the best in town had better be able to back it up. Well, if money talks and B.S. walks, Dino’s is yakking up a storm and not going anywhere.

After almost a week in Myrtle Beach I had yet to get out early enough to have breakfast during breakfast hours. The best breakfast restaurants are only open for that one meal. I had managed to get breakfast at the Cracker Barrel a couple times just because it was close enough to walk from where we stay at Ocean Creek.
If you were almost anywhere else in the U.S. and wanted a decent Southern breakfast, I would say go to Cracker Barrel. I, on the other hand, happen to be in South Carolina, which means I carry a burden of shame for not taking better advantage of the local breakfast scene. Today was the day we had to drive back north, so this was my last shot to get it right. Even still, it’s safe to say that we got there after the morning rush was over.
Residing in a low, angular building with its Googie-inspired sign out front, Dino’s is evocative of classic California coffee shops. The space inside also lends itself to that kind of feel. The décor is, alas, more traditional. This, however, does not deter me even a little a bit. I came for the food not the furniture.
Considering that I was about to embark on a 12-hour drive, eating wisely was a necessity. So, as much as I wanted to have a full stack of their signature pancakes, I simply could not afford to carb up for the ride. I needed to stay alert, so protein in the form of ham and eggs would be the order of the day. I settled on two eggs over hard with country ham, hash browns and toast.
Dino’s serves up the kind of breakfast you wish you could have everyday. It arrived quickly and was spilling from the edges of my plate. This was an impressive spread by anyone’s standards. Everything was done to my liking and left me quite satisfied.
Once we had finished and made our way up to the front counter in order to pay the bill, I noticed that the display case under the counter was stuffed with t-shirts. I find that most restaurant souvenir shirts I’ve come across aren’t really to my liking. These almost lost me. The design was great, featuring a print of the sign out front. The problem was, they were all bright colors and pastels with black ink. Then I saw it peeking out at the bottom of the pile; a little hint of black cloth. Upon questioning, the girl behind the counter confirmed that they did indeed have a shirt in black with white print. A quick trip to the back of the restaurant successfully turned one up in my size.
So, if you can only make it to breakfast just once while you’re visiting the Myrtle Beach area, make it to Dino’s House of Pancakes. I liked it so much I bought the t-shirt.

Little Pigs Hickory Smoked Bar-B-Q

2008-01-14T20:42:00.001-05:00

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is a virtual Mecca of dining, fine or otherwise. A person who claims that they can’t find something to eat here obviously doesn’t consume food from this planet. Even then, they still might find something. On this particular occasion I had my heart set on some good barbecue.
Having had my fill of the big flashy national chains, I was in the mood to eat like a local. If you want to know where the locals eat then that's who you have to ask. Fortunately I happen to know a few. When faced with the question of where to get the best barbecue in Myrtle Beach, pretty much everyone said the same thing: Little Pigs Bar-B-Q.
In my experience, the best barbecue places almost always look on the outside like no one would seriously want to eat there. Which is a good, because the best barbecue shacks are always so packed that they couldn’t accommodate another soul. Little Pigs is no exception. It’s located in what looks like the space of a 1970’s convenience store. Cumberland Farms comes to mind.
I was fortunate to visit on their first day open after having been closed for a family vacation. This change in their schedule threw off enough people so that getting a seat was no problem. The entire time I was at Little Pigs, they were doing a steady take-out business.
There are probably as many kinds of barbecue as there are barbecue lovers. Little Pigs specializes in chopped pork. It may not be the big star of the barbecue world, but chopped bar-b-q can be one of the most decadently satisfying eats around. This was that kind of chopped pork.
I got the Jumbo Sandwich Platter with baked beans and onion rings. And for all of you meat hounds out there that spend time with the non-meat eating folk, Little Pigs makes a grilled cheese. Make it a platter and it’s sure to satisfy as well as anything else on the menu.
I’ve had bad barbecue. All the sauce in the world can’t hide a dry, chewy, stringy, flavorless, desiccated…well, you get the idea. This was NOT bad barbecue. As a matter of fact this was some of the best I’ve had. It was tangy, a little smoky and moister than a patch of fresh moss on the north side of a Low Country barn. Yeah, it was that good. The baked beans were to my liking and the onion rings weren’t so bad either.
The only thing that I would really like to do differently the next time I eat at Little Pigs is to eat more. Hopefully by then I’ll have a new camera. The one I’m using now is so bad that I’ve had to get artsy to cover up the fact that it takes lousy pictures. Watch for a higher quality of photograph in future posts.

Dodge’s Fried Chicken and Gasoline

2008-01-12T23:53:00.003-05:00

Jo-Jo potato your life is calling.

Fried chicken and gasoline. For me, the very mention of this hickish, down-home combination invokes images of gun racks and chewing tobacco on a hot Saturday night. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Have you ever run low on gas while simultaneously suffering an unexpected craving for fried chicken and warm dinner rolls? Hey, who hasn’t? If so, get thee to a Dodge’s Chicken, pronto.

These days you find all sorts of food offerings at what are essentially filling stations. But not many specialize in fresh fried chicken. A regional chain, Dodge’s dots the landscape across the American Southeast. Brothers Henry and Bobby Dodge were looking to expand the service at their Tupelo Mississippi-based Savings Oil chain of gas stations. So, in 1976 the then 104 year-old company opened its first chicken store. Here you can find an assortment of light and dark meat, chicken strips, corn dogs, turkey drumsticks, burritos, taquitos, fried apple pies, and my personal favorite; Jo-Jo potatoes, which are pretty much just fried potato wedges. This particular Dodge's is in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Now, let me be clear about something. The place is a gas station. People pull in and out all day without ever going inside. Don’t make such a mistake. Inside is where the magic happens. The store itself isn’t particularly attractive, but it sure does smell good. Besides being a full service convenience store, Dodge’s serves up some of the best gas station fried chicken you’re liable to get just about anywhere. Captain Spaulding, eat your heart out.
On this particular occasion I went with the two-piece meal consisting of a breast, drumstick, two Jo-Jos and a dinner roll. While waiting for my chicken I inquired about the cool Dodge’s t-shirts the staff was wearing. I was disappointed to learn that they were not available for sale to the public here at the store. The staff gets them straight from corporate as uniforms. You can’t buy them online either. Dodge’s has no organized web presence that I can find, which is a shame because they’re missing out on a marketing goldmine.
The super-friendly woman at the counter wasn’t at all surprised by all of my questions, or by the fact that I was taking pictures all over the store. She said that happens a lot. Everybody seems to want to tell they’re non-believing friends and neighbors about the place where you can get fried chicken and gasoline.
I got my food and took it out to the car where I had to eat some right away while it was still hot. Prepared in pressure fryers just below the cigarette display, the chicken is crispy and juicy. I would have no problem feeding this to my family or recommending it to friends. The Jo-Jos are crunchy and soft the way a fried potato should be. The dinner roll is soft and warm.Dodge’s Fried Chicken is proof positive that good things are all around. Now all they need to do is figure out a way to reuse all of that old fryer oil. With a little work and commitment they could add an extra pump and be a leader in the bio-diesel revolution. Either way, the chicken can’t be beat. For the novelty factor alone, Dodge’s is an experience that should not be missed. So pull in for $20 on pump five and a four piece with Jo-Jos and an apple pie. You know you want to.