Craig's World Famous Top Secret Super Awesome Ultimate Chili Recipe

 By popular demand, I'm finally going to publish my chili recipe. This is a Craig original, a recipe that has been slowly crafted and refined over the last several years. It has come to be a favorite of many of my closest friends, and I've decided it is time to share it with all of you.

Chili is one of those things that people can never seem to settle on. Some want it super spicy, others want it rich and meaty. And of course, there is the timeless debate: beans or no beans. I set out to create something unique. I had a vision (or whatever the taste-bud oriented equivalence of a vision is.) I've had enough chili in my life to know what I did and didn't want, so I turned to recipes of chefs I knew and trusted, and then started building from there. This recipe owes a great deal to Alton Brown, Emeril Lagasse, and Ellie Krieger. Emeril and Ellie both have some great recipes out there for chili, and their thoughts on ingredients definitely affected my choices. Alton dedicated an entire Good Eats to his chili recipe. It's a great watch, and it's the origination of many of the steps involved here.

As I said earlier, this recipe has been a labor of love for the past several years. I started out following Alton Brown's own recipe more closely, then made some major changes. His follows a more traditional Texas approach: cubed beef and no beans. However, those of you who know me know I'll light my own head on fire before I do something the Texas way. (For those of you who don't know me, IMHO, Texas should be sold back to Mexico, and all the inbred Anglo residents who claim to be "native" Texans should be forced into indentured servitude by their new Mexican overlords.)

OK, that's a little harsh. In all fairness, I was very willing to try the cubed-beef version prescribed by Texas tradition and Brown's recipe. But my chili has to have beans. And why not? Beans added wonderful texture, flavor, fiber, and protein. So the first iteration was made with cubed stew meat. It came out... well... just OK. One friend really loved it, but I knew it could be better. And step one was going back to ground beef. Otherwise, the flavor and texture just aren't right.

All that out of the way, here was my vision for my ultimate chili recipe: Flavor, not heat.

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's those morons who think the best food is the food that is so hot it could kill you. Call me unadventurous, call me a coward (just don't call me late for dinner.) But think about it: what's the point in all that heat? You can't taste it. It causes intense pain. And it's not actually a flavor. It brings very little to the table.

My chili is nice and spicy, definitely plenty of heat to keep you warm on a cold winter's day. But there is much more to it. This is all about building a flavor palate, layering one exquisite (and sometimes delicate) flavor on another. Every ingredient matters. Remember that. I encourage everyone to experiment with this and make it their own, too. At various times, this has contained cubed beef, carrots, and various amounts of salt.

What you'll need:

• 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
• 1 pound 90/10 ground beef
• 1 pound 90/10 ground turkey
• 2 teaspoons peanut oil
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle of ale (a nice pale ale works best)
• 1 (16 ounce) jar of chunky medium salsa
• 30 tortilla chips, crushed (yes, you do have to count them)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from the cipotle peppers)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 ounces tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 cups (1 can) crushed tomatoes
• 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (15.5 oz.) kidney beans, drained and rinsed

You'll also need a large pot, at least 6 quarts.  I use my stainless steel 6-quart Dutch oven.

Heat the oil in the dutch oven over moderate heat. Add the onion, red and green bell peppers and one of the jalapenos with a pinch of kosher salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the cumin, stirring, and cook 1 minute more. Remove the veggies from the heat and transfer to a large bowl.

Put the pot back over high heat, and begin browning the meat, 1 pound at a time. I always start with the 80/20 beef, then the 90/10 beef, then finally the turkey. After browning each pound, remove it to a large bowl and brown the next batch.






Once all of the meat is browned, add the beer to deglaze the pot. Remember to really scrap everything up off the bottom and sides, this is where some of the best flavor comes from.









Add the meat and veggies back to the pot, along with the salsa, chipotle peppers, the remaining jalapeno, adobo sauce, tomato sauce, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chili powder and crushed tortilla chips.(Alternatively, you can now add all ingredients, including the scrapings and liquid from the pot, to a slow cooker.) Stir thoroughly to combine, then simmer over low heat for at least 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent it from burning.  (Alternatively, you can now add all ingredients, including the scrapings and liquid from the pot, to a slow cooker.)

 While the chili is simmering away, you can go get a ton of stuff done. You know, all those chores you've been putting off. The dishes. The laundry. Your taxes . . .






Oh, who am I kidding. Grab a cold one, relax in your favorite chair, and enjoy how awesome your home now smells...













When there are about 20 minutes left on the cook time, add the beans.











Serve in a large bowl with a bottle of your favorite beer (I recommend a bottle of whatever went in to deglaze the pot.) I like mine with just a little cheddar cheese on top, Mari and her family prefer it with cheese and a nice dollop of sour cream.

Summer Hot Dog Tour: Yocco's Hot Dogs, Fogelsville, PA

The last summertime stop on the tour, we visited Yocco's on Rt. 100 in Fogelsville, PA, just outside of Allentown this September while driving home from a friend's 1st/30th birthday celebration in York.

Like Hot Grill, apparently Yocco's is something of a local legend.  They're a local chain, family owned, with 6 locations in the Allentown area.  I've known about this particular Yocco's for years since it's located just off I-78.  I'd drive past it on my way to and from college, always seeing it, but never stopping in.  Well, this September, we decided to give it a try.

Interestingly, the interior decor was also similar to Hot Grill.  Yocco's also serves hot dogs with chili sauce, mustard and onions.  But that's pretty much where the similarity ends.

The hot dogs themselves were quite tasty; probably some of the best we've ever had.  However, everything else was a bit of a disappointment.  I ordered two with everything, and Mari ordered two chili cheese dogs.

If you look really close, you might find some chili and onions.

Now, I say the dogs were tasty, and that's a very good thing, because I had to look really hard to find any chili sauce.  It was like they just rub a little against the bun!  The little that was there had a decent enough flavor, but it just wasn't enough to get a real taste.

Apparently, in the Lehigh Valley, "ketchup" is pronounced like "chili"

The big issue we had, though, was with Mari's order.  As I said, she had ordered two chili cheese dogs.  What she got was two hot dogs with a slice of American cheese and ketchup.  How that even comes close to being a chili cheese dog is anyone's guess.

Less than impressed...

We started this blog to bring good food to the attention of our friends, and we made the decision right away that if we didn't have anything nice to say, we wouldn't say anything at all.  So we're trying to be nice with this one.  The hot dogs themselves really were very good, and I can't stress that enough.  But the advertising in the shop extolls the wonders of their chili sauce, and frankly, we didn't get much of it.  You'd think a place that specifically mentions the awesomeness of their sauce would be much more generous with it.

Now, this is a chain.  And as with all chains, local or not, some locations are better than others, and even at the same location, the people serving you can be of differing calibers.  So, we would definitely be interested in giving them another shot.  Mari's even said that had she just ordered a dog with mustard, she'd have been perfectly happy.  For me, I was just a little excited that they actually had fountain birch beer.

So, the verdict: For now, we were disappointed.  But there is hope!  And we will be stopping in to a Yocco's again someday, to try to see why the people of the Lehigh Valley love them so much.

Summer Hot Dog Tour: Hot Grill, Clifton, NJ

So, after much prodding and debating and putting it off and rescheduling, we finally went to Hot Grill on August 6th.  And, after much prodding and debating and putting it off, I'm finally getting around to writing about it. 


For those of you not in the know, Hot Grill is a legendary hot dog stand on Lexington Ave. in Clifton, NJ, right across from Nash Park.  Now, when I say legendary, I'm referring to stories I've heard for years from my parents (mom especially) and friends about these truly tasty chili dogs.  And yet, despite all the love my friends and family seem to have for these wonderful Texas Wieners*, none of them ever saw fit to take me there.  So, it took until just this summer for me to finally find out what they've been raving about all these years.


Even though this was my first trip to Hot Grill, there was something wonderfully familiar about the atmosphere of the place; a strange feeling of "home" combined with elementary school cafeterias and summer camp dining halls.  I know that seems like an odd combination, but believe me when I tell you, somehow that's what it is, and it feels "right." 

When I started telling people we were going to Hot Grill, everyone immediately replied the same way: "Gimme two, all the way!"  Like so many storied eateries, Hot Grill has their own procedures for ordering, a little verbal "short hand," if you will, that separates the seasoned veteran from the uninitiated newbie.  There is no line at the counter.  Simply walk up to the counter, and let them know what you'll have.  Their menu is definitely more than just hot dogs, and we were actually surprised that several customers that day were ordering burgers.  (Not to unfairly criticize someone else's dining choices, but ordering a burger at a hot dog place is like visiting China and not seeing the Great Wall.)

I knew exactly what I wanted to order, what I needed to order, before I even walked through the door.  Mari, on the other hand, did need a few minutes to decide.  She finally settled on two with just sauce, while I, of course, went for two all the way.  "All the way" refers to a hot dog on a bun, served with onions, spicy mustard, and their own home-made chili sauce. We also got a side of fries with cheese and sauce.

Hardly any mess at all!

Once we got our food, Mari was concerned about the "flimsy" look of the buns.  They're quite generous with the sauce, and she was worried about them falling apart.  She was quite pleasantly surprised to see they held up quite well under the copious amounts of chili sauce.  So they pass the first test of any great chili dog: even smothered, they can still be eaten by hand.  (A hot dog, like all great American originals, is a handheld food.  If you're using a fork and a knife, you're doing it all wrong.)





Now for the taste test:

Mari giving it a try....

  Did they live up to the hype???

The only way to be sure is to take as big a bite as possible...

Were they the chili-smothered dream-dogs described to me by so many???

 

 

In one word: Vkusnyatina!

 

Two "All the Way"

I can't say they were quite what I was expecting, but they were delicious.  The sauce is more "sweet" than "spicy," but is very flavorful, and is in no way disappointing.  The spicy mustard and onions really round out the flavor, and the wonderfully soft bun somehow manages to support the weight of all this delicious flavor without ever becoming soggy.  And because the buns were so relatively small, you really do get to enjoy the flavor of the dog and sauce without them becoming "lost" in all the bread.  Mari thought the sauce was a little too "sweet," and would've preferred it a little less so.  We both detected hints of cinnamon, and while it's not my usual preference for spice in chili, I think it worked.

The fries were also quite tasty, generously smothered in cheese and chili sauce.  The only way to eat them was either with a fork, and here, using a fork is a good thing.  Without one, I might still be sucking my fingers trying to get one more taste.
 


Final verdict is harder to settle on.  We will definitely be going back.  While we enjoyed them, we can't say we loved them right away.  But a few hours later, I did find myself desperately craving two more.  Whatever they put in that sauce, it has me hooked, and I can't wait for our next trip.




*The Texas Wiener is a Jersey original (Texas has nothing to do with it.)  Invented in Paterson sometime early last century, the "Texas" appellation refers to the chili sauce, although the sauce itself is more Greek influence than it is Southwestern, owing to the culinary heritage and ethnic background of the men who invented it.

2011 Summer Hot Dog Tour Kick-Off: Nathan’s Famous, Coney Island, NY

This post is a long-time coming.  We actually visited Nathan’s during Memorial Day weekend, but I’m just now finding the time to sit down and write about it. 

Nathan’s Famous.  The name really sums it up.  Nathan’s truly is famous, and it’s famous for a reason: they make some fine hot dogs.  The story of Nathan’s is an American success story.  What started as a small business by a Polish immigrant has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, encompassing an empire of chain restaurants, packaged franks in supermarkets, and of course the annual 4^th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.  All built on the foundation of the humble hot dog.

Now, we could’ve reviewed the dogs found at any one of the thousands of food-court Nathan’s, or even bought some from the market and made our own.  But in many ways, that would’ve just been having a hot dog.  Having “Nathan’s” is something more.  It’s a journey, not only through space, but through time.  Taking the N Train to Coney Island on a hot summer day, as so many millions have done before, walking down Surf Ave. to the same building where it all started almost 100 years ago, standing on line amongst all the humanity…  This is what getting a Nathan’s hot dog is all about.

The day we went was pleasantly warm and sunny, just the type of weather that originally drove the denizens of Gotham out of their crowded neighborhoods to the cool ocean breezes of Coney Island.  As always, the lines around the outdoor counters at Surf and Stillwell were long, but that’s always expected: these hot dogs are famous for a reason.

While Nathan’s has a rather extensive menu, including burgers, cheese steaks, chicken, and an impressive clam and seafood selection, we always go for the hot dogs.  Some day we’ll have to try the other menu items, but this summer is all about wieners, franks, dogs, and rippers.  We did decide to change things up slightly from our usual orders, or rather, Craig did.

Mari got two dogs with mustard and sauerkraut, and Craig got one with mustard and relish, and then decided to branch out and try a chili dog, too.  We split an order of bacon and cheese fries.  To wash it all down, Craig had a Coke (what better way to wash down one American icon than with another?) and Mari had lemonade.

The traditional-style dogs live up to expectations.  Nathan’s uses a natural casing on their all-beef franks, which makes them almost “crisp” and provides a nice “crunch” when biting into them.  The dogs are grilled on a large griddle, which only enhances the “crispness.”  I’ve known many people who don’t care for this, but to me, it’s one of the major selling points.  Biting into any dog with a natural casing is a great experience that most of the modern hot dog eating public has been robbed of due to the more cost effective use of synthetic casings used in the production of most hot dogs sold in supermarkets, such as Oscar Mayer Wieners, Hebrew National, Ballparks Franks.  Now don’t get me wrong, each of these is a fine example of the hot dog, and each probably deserves it’s own review.  But they are very different from a natural casing dog.  Nathan’s franks are flavorful, owing to the famous blend of spices developed by Mrs. Handwerker nearly a century ago.  Topped with some mustard and either sauerkraut or relish and you’ve got an American classic that simply can’t be beat.

To be perfectly frank (sorry), the chili dog was a little disappointing.  While delightfully messy and flavorful, it lacked a certain something.  The chili was just too timid.  While I’m not one for a chili dog hot enough to eat through steel, this one just didn’t have enough heat to even qualify as “chili” in my mind.  It was more like a brown, meaty gravy covering my otherwise delicious hot dog.

For both of us, the highlight of any trip to Nathan’s is the bacon and cheese fries.  Nathan’s uses large, crinkle-cut steak fries, which really stand up well to the slathering of fluorescent-yellow goo they call cheese.  Then it’s given a generous sprinkling of crumbled bacon.  And if your mouth isn’t watering, you must lead a very sad life.  While this side is probably the least healthy thing a person can eat, it is easily one of the most delicious.  

Two Dinners and a Cake (by Mari)

I have been meaning to write about some of the meals I recently cooked and post them in separate entrees, but with time passing by and the projected entries accumulating, I decided to bunch them together into one post.

Chicken in White Wine Sauce

I don’t have a specific recipe that I follow for this one, I wing it to taste, but here are some of the ingredients that I use:

 

1 whole chicken breast

5-7 button mushrooms

small package of grape tomatoes

a few leaves of fresh basil

white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

salt

olive oil

I cut up the chicken into bite size pieces and sautéed them in a pan with a bit of olive oil.  I sliced the mushrooms and some of the tomatoes and put them in the pan once the chicken was mostly cooked.  I decided to cut some of the grape tomatoes in half so that they would give some of their juice off into the sauce, but left some of the tomatoes whole so that we could have that satisfying little burst when biting into them.  The veggies gave off some juices and I topped it off with the wine, eyeballing the amount.  I put the salt in twice, once when I was first cooking the chicken by itself and then again to the sauce, to taste. Then, when everything was cooked and nearly ready for plating, I topped it off with some chopped fresh basil (we grow our own basil in a flower pot in the kitchen and it definitely comes in handy.)  I had also made some thin spaghetti to go with this, although I would have preferred angel hair pasta because with something as thin and delicate as a wine sauce, I feel like thicker pasta just doesn’t absorb as well.  So we had the chicken with veggies and sauce over the thin spaghetti with a glass of Pinot.  It was good, if I do say so myself. 

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia

This is something I came up with during Passover when I couldn’t use breading on the tilapia.  Usually, I did a mix of breadcrumbs and parmesan, but when I omitted the bread crumbs and doubled the parmesan during Passover, Craig really liked it and thought I should just make it that way from now on, hehe.

 

Tilapia filets (other fish filets would work too)

Enough grated parmesan cheese to cover the amount of tilapia filets

The following spices, to taste:

dry dill, oregano, and basil

salt

pepper

garlic powder

olive oil for frying

I mixed the parmesan with all the spices on a large plate.  I coated the filets in the mixture on both sides, pressing it in to the parmesan to have it stick a bit better, and then put it right into the pan with a bit of olive oil.  I let it go, not moving it, until I could tell that the parmesan got to a golden brown color and then flipped it.  Same thing on the other side, until golden brown.  This actually turned out to be the perfect timing for the fish too, it was flaky but moist, not overcooked at all. I really liked how the parmesan made a slightly crunchy crust on the fish, it was a very nice texture contrast to the fish.  When I did just half parmesan and half bread crumbs, it didn’t crisp up like this.

 

I served this with some white rice.  A little while after that though, I made a salad that could go well with this fish too, I think.  It’s pretty easy, tasty, and actually gets better the longer it stands in the fridge.

Beet, Carrot, and Apple Salad

1 can of beets

2 medium size carrots

1 large Granny Smith apple

a couple of spoonfuls of mayo

salt

I cut the canned beats into long thin strips.  I used the mandolin slicer with a julienne setting to slice up both the apple and the carrots.  I mixed the apples, beets and carrots together in a bowl and added the mayo and salt while mixing.  It was a very crisp and fresh salad, a bit of a sweet and sour flavor.  It only gets better the second and the third day.  Craig wasn’t a huge fan of the salad; he ate a bit on the first day, but then didn’t really go for the leftovers later.  So there was enough salad for me to have as a side dish for dinner for 3 days.  By the third day, the veggies were slightly softer, but the carrot and apple still had some definite crispness to them and the flavors have melded very well together.  There was also no separating of the mayo and juices that sometimes happens to veggie salads when they stand, all the juices were totally reabsorbed.  I got the idea for this salad from a Russian restaurant near us “Da I Net” where they serve it with some Potato Chip Sticks on top for an added crunch. 

Almond Cake

This is a recipe that my mom has used for many years at Passover and it comes from one her Passover cookbooks.  But it’s so good, I’d eat it any day.  My mom usually makes this in a bundt pan, but I made it in a loaf pan, so it came out more like a light and fluffy bread, rather than a cake.  But it’s still soooo good.

8 eggs

2 cups of finely ground almonds

1 cup of sugar

Separate the eggs.  Beat the yolks with half the sugar. Beat the egg whites until foamy.  Add the other half of the sugar to the egg whites gradually while continuing to beat them with a mixer until stiff peaks form.  Gently fold the egg whites into the yolks, don’t stir.  Then gently fold the almonds in.  Again don’t stir, but fold thoroughly and carefully so that the almonds are throughout the mixture.  Then pour into a greased pan (bundt or loaf pan, both work) and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  You can test for doneness with a tooth pick.

I forgot to grease the pan, so it didn't turn out too attractive after inverting.

It comes out very light, fluffy and delicious.  You can have it for dessert or for breakfast, both work well. 

Sammy’s Noodle Shop and Grill (04/09/11)

Yes, we do eat at home and we do cook, frequently.  We don’t eat all of our meals out nor do we constantly order take out.  But with Craig’s new job, which keeps him away from home and the cooking of dinner several days a week, and our newly increased spending budget, we have let loose just a little bit.  We promise, there will also be recipes and home cooked meals described in this blog.

We were out enjoying the great weather in the village on this particular Saturday and this place looked interesting enough to check out.  It was very busy, which is usually a sign that the food is at least decent, if not great, but they were able to seat us right away.  Mari felt a bit of disappointment after inspecting the menu as she expected something different, more choices in noodles, less choices in traditional Chinese fair.  There were a few additional noodle items on the menu that aren’t found in most Chinese restaurants, but the majority of the food choices were very common.  Our choices wound up being rather unadventurous also – Craig ordered roast pork lo mein and Mari ordered a chicken pad thai.  Craig also decided to try a new beer with his dinner.

The food was delicious; we both enjoyed our meals very much.  Mari’s pad thai came with a lemon wedge, which was something new, neither of us have ever been served lemon with this dish, but it complemented the noodles very well.  The sweat and sour sauce mixed into the noodles was very light and not at all spicy (even though the dish had a little red pepper next to it on the menu.)  It was well spiced, flavorful, just didn’t actually have spicy heat to it.  The peanuts were served on the side, rather than over the top of the noodles and Mari enjoyed that (although peanuts contribute an important flavor to pad thai, they also get stuck in her teeth.)  Chicken was plentiful and there were also thinly cut slices of tofu mixed in as well, which was something different too.  The amount of food was very generous and Mari got a whole another meal out of the leftovers.

Craig’s roast pork lo mein was good too.  The name basically says it all.  The pork was roasted.  There were noodles, vegetables, a brown sauce…  Quite tasty.  The roasted pork brought something special to the dish: a kind of smoky subtleness missing from your average pork lo mein.  It took what would have been a satisfying yet standard dish to the next level.   The Tsingtao beer wasn’t bad either.  Light, crisp and refreshing, it was just what was needed after walking around Greenwich Village on a cool spring day.

We both enjoyed our meals and neither of us regretted stopping at this place to eat.

Italia Pizza (4/03/2011)

 We’ve been trying to find a decent pizza place in our neighborhood to order from for the past 8 months that we’ve lived in this area.  And there are A LOT of pizza places around here (borderline between the Bensonhurst and Gravesend neighborhoods.)  So far, we haven’t found one that we really loved. 

We stopped at Italia Pizza on a whim, get a quick lunch while out running errands.  And it was promising.  Craig had a Hawaiian slice and a mushroom slice and Mari had a chicken roll.  The food was good, the sauce was flavorful, the pizza crust was very thin and the roll crust nice and fluffy, the cheese wasn’t too stringy and didn’t pull off the slice/out of the roll.  This place definitely deserves another try, a whole pizza next time.

Frank’s Pizzeria and Restaurant (04/08/11)

In our previous review of a pizza place we realize we should have mentioned that besides looking for delicious pizza, we are also looking for a reasonable price.  We do know of a great pizza place not far from our house (within delivery distance) but a large plain pizza goes for about $18 there.  We think that’s expensive.  But so far, with the cheaper pizza we’ve tried, we haven’t had much success.  So we are now looking for an affordable and delicious pizza.

We decided to try Frank’s because we got a coupon in the newspaper.  A large, one topping pie was offered for $9.99, which is a much more reasonable price.  We ordered a pepperoni pizza.  Craig reported that the person answering the phone was very polite and courteous and also the delivery was timely, within the half an hour that they promised.

The pizza was very good and really, all the components of the pizza were excellent.  The crust was thin, but not as thin as at Italia Pizza, the crust on the edges was fluffy, the sauce was delicious and the amount of pepperoni was generous.  The only thing that we thought was slightly off on this pizza was the sauce to cheese ratio – there wasn’t a lot of cheese on this pizza, but there was quite a bit of sauce.  It was juicy.  We are both cheese lovers and so we would have liked to see more, but the sauce was very flavorful and we definitely enjoyed it.   We would probably order from there again, but we are not settling just yet.

The Summer 2011 Great Hot Dog Tour

One of the great things about living where we do is our proximity to Coney Island.  And of course, the greatest thing about Coney Island these days is that icon of America: Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs.  Sure, you can get them in the supermarket, or from a chain franchise, but there’s nothing quite like getting one at the original location.

We love our hot dogs.  Maybe a bit more than we should.  When buying a package in the market, there’s almost always a small discussion or debate over brand and style.  And it got us thinking: what is the best hot dog out there?  Living near Coney Island, we have a natural predilection for the historic Nathan’s.  And having grown up in the NYC area, there’s always something special about a Sabrett’s.  Craig, growing up in New Jersey, can’t help but feel the greatest dog must come somewhere from the greatest state (incidentally, both Sabrett’s and Nathan’s, paragons of NYC both, are actually made across the Hudson in the much-maligned Garden State.)

So, we’re announcing the 2011 Great Hot Dog Tour.  This spring and summer, we’ll be making trips around the NY/NJ area to sample hot dogs, wieners, frankfurters, rippers, and whatever else we can find.  We’ll be announcing tour stops and dates as we figure them out, but things will kick-off at Coney Island’s own Nathan’s Original.  Along the way, we hope to visit Papaya King, Gray’s Papaya, Rutt’s Hut, Hot Grill, and maybe even a dirty water dog cart or ball park.  If you feel there’s somewhere we should go in order to find the hot dog that best embodies vkusnyatina, let us know and we’ll meet you there!

The ChipShop (3/26/2011)

So, for our first vkusnyatina find, we thought we’d describe our most recent trip to one of our favorite eateries: the Atlantic Ave. ChipShop right here in Brooklyn.  We’ve been there a few times before, and have never been disappointed.  This time was no exception.

Now, we don’t go here too often, because it’s basically Brooklyn Heights, which means no parking so we’ve got to take 2 trains to get there.  But, Craig just started a new job, and we decided a celebration was in order.  Plus, it was Restaurant Week, so we got two 3-course meals for $25.

Of course, since it was Restaurant Week, the place was packed.  I mean PACKED.  ChipShop is as close to an authentic British Pub as you’ll ever find in NYC.  This means that when there’s a football match on (read: soccer) the bar will be filled to capacity.  And when there’s a great deal like this going on, people come from all over.  So we waited for a table.  And waited.  And waited.  For over an hour.  Outside.  In the cold.  At night.

You may be asking: was it really worth it?

Yes, it was.  It always is.

ChipShop’s main claim to fame is that they will deep-fry anything you bring in.  And they do mean anything, as long as it will: a) fit in the fryer and b) not dissolve and foul the oil.  Typical items on their menu: 3 types of fish and chips, chicken fingers and chips, battered shrimp and scallops and chips, fried macaroni, deep-fried burger, deep fried pizza, deep fried Mars bar, Twix, Snickers, Twinkies…  When we were there, there was a special on deep-fried Cadbury eggs.  There are also various Shepherd’s Pies and macaroni dishes.  Craig especially loves their impressive selection of imported and craft beers and a very respectable whisky list.  There are normally 16 beers on tap, plus 2 cask ales.

Because we went specifically for the Restaurant Week special, our choices were somewhat limited.  Craig went with deep-fried macaroni and cheese for starters, moved on to battered cod and chips, and washed it all down with a nice Tetley’s Ale from Yorkshire, England.  The deep fried mac ‘n cheese was as awesome as it sounds: a delightful ball of breaded and fried down-home comfort food.  While eating more than one a month will probably result in an infarction, it’s well worth the risk.  As the name implies, fish and chips are ChipShop’s signature dish, and the cod and chips do not disappoint.  While some claim to prefer the available haddock, Craig can’t tell the difference between the two.  The fish is battered and fried to perfection, crispy and golden on the outside, warm and flaky on the inside.  The chips (french fries, for those who don’t speak Brit) are a nice balance between the thicker cut preferred by Brits and the thinner style favored on this side of the pond.  Served with malt vinegar and a very tasty English ale, it’s enough to make you think you’re in a centuries-old pub in Worcestershire instead of decades old building in Brooklyn.  The Tetley’s Ale was not quite as hoppy as he would have preferred, but Craig still found it a nice compliment to the meal.

Mari started with fish fingers and tartar sauce and then tried a Shepherd’s pie, along with a very strong Dry Blackthorn Cider.  The fish fingers were crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside and definitely felt like pieces of fish rather than a ground up mixture.  The tartar sauce they came with was tart and tangy, thin rather than chunky, and very delicious.  Mari actually briefly considered what else she could dip into the sauce so as not to let it go to waste.  The Shepherd’s pie was served with lots of melted cheese on top and a side of green peas.  It was incredibly hot and remained incredibly hot for a very long time.  Once each forkful was allowed to cool to consumable temperature though, it was very flavorful yet totally simple.  Meat, mashed potatoes and cheese – simple.  Totally recommendable and repeatable.  The cider is very different from what some of the American Ciders are like.  True to its name, it’s very dry but not sour, not sweet either, and is reminiscent of Granny Smith apples. 

We both had a rhubarb crumble with custard for dessert.  We agreed that it would be a dish perfect for breakfast.  It was served in a large soup plate and can be described as similar to a cobbler covered generously in a sweet and creamy custard cream.  It was a wonderful blend of sweet and tart, smooth and crumbly. 

Everything was delicious.  After our meal, neither of us felt like we could get up from the table.  Portion sizes were as generous as ever and even though they were so packed it was a fire-hazard, service was still friendly and fast.