Weegie and Johnny, so sorry I suggested you go to The Pop Shop (known for grilled cheese excellence) for you to have a lackluster meal and be entirely disappointed. New Jersey is a foreign country to many of us.
Commissioner, Slice has given a review that compares five different types of pepperoni FP (frozen pizza, for the uninitiated), discuss the results in the comments. They also compare various pizza chains’ pepperoni pizzas just in time for the Super Bowl.
Candy Blog reviews Kimmie Sweet & Salty Corn Bits which are candy shelled chocolate coated Corn Nuts. Wow, what a combination.
The New York Times has an interesting article about the changing world of nut roasters in New York City.
Drawing for Food visits Paesano’s in Philadelphia for a real life Tuscan Tony. It was last week’s Hot Dog of the Week on Serious Eats. This week’s Hot Dog of the Week is a recipe for making your own Tijuana styled dog.
On A Hamburger Today, Hodad’s in San Diego pushes the bacon envelope by creating a bacon patty for one of its burgers.
Hoosier Burger Boy heads to Jack’s Prime Burgers & Shakes in San Mateo, CA.
Burger Conquest visits the Grill ‘Em All Truck in LA, a food truck serving up metal-themed burgers, a sort of mobile Kuma’s.
Roadfood Digest takes spicy chili from Orangeside Luncheonette in New Haven,, CT and adds it to the cheeseburger from Shady Glen in Manchester, CT to create an extra special combination.
Serious Eats previews The Slayer, a new $18,000 espresso machine.
For Japanese Kit Kats, there is a bounty: Maple Kit Kat Minis and Big Bar Setsubun Azuki Kit Kat from Japanese Snack Reviews and the Big Bar Azuki Kit Kat, Raspberry Passion Fruit Kit Kat, and Hokkaido Corn Kit Kat from Jen Ken’s Kit Kat Blog.
I hope you enjoyed our various Indiana locations this week on The ‘Calc, all in honor of a certain Super Bowl bound team. Who needs beignets, crawdads, and po’ boys when you have breaded pork tenderloins and Coney dogs. Go Colts!
Tags: california, chili, connecticut, corn nuts, espresso, frozen pizza, grilled cheese, hamburgers, japanese snacks, kit kat, new jersey, new york city, nuts, pepperoni, philadelphia
Tenderloin
Neon Sign
To be fair, I’ve already reviewed Mug ‘N Bun when I stopped in a few months ago, but that review focused on the burger, dog, and root beer. Also, it was warmer then and we had drive-in service. During this winter visit, we stepped inside to the brand new dining area that had just recently opened.
I kept with the theme of the trip and ordered a breaded pork tenderloin with a side of onion rings. Jessica and I also got an order of sweet potato fries to share and taste. While we were waiting, they were still celebrating the grand opening of the dining area and we each got a free freshly baked cookie. Nothing wrong with that at all.
Frosted Mug Root Beer
The root beer arrived in a frosted mug and this definitely brought out the refreshing characteristics. On the previous trip, I had gotten a large root beer to go, so it came with ice in a giant plastic cup. While good, it just wasn’t the same. Again, Mug ‘N Bun’s root beer is a bit on the sweet side with a bit of a maple and vanilla flavor profile.
The hand-breaded tenderloin stretched beyond the bun. The batter was crisp and crunchy. The high quality pork was moist, though not extremely juicy. Not quite in the realm of my favorites, this is a good tenderloin.
Tenderloin Detail
Amazing Onion Rings
The best part of this meal was an unexpected one. Mug ‘N Bun serves incredible onion rings. The onions are sliced to just the right thickness, not too thick, not to slim. The breading is crisp and holds on to the onion, no sucking the onions out of the breading shell here. The batter is slightly salty balanced by the mildly sweet onions. And the order size is massive. The regular size is one that needs to be shared and they have even larger sizes if you need to feed a family or four or a Little League team or something. My parents bestowed the honor of the onion rings being the very best they’d ever had. I’m not entirely sure of that honor, but these really are among the best I’ve ever had, for sure. On the earlier visit, we made the mistake of not ordering these. Please do not miss out if you find yourself in Indianapolis.
Sweet Potato Fries
The sweet potato fries were an odd crinkle cut variety and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. They were crisp, not soggy like so many sweet potato fries tend to be. The sweetness was a bit overwhelming, I think we both would have preferred these without the sugar.
This second visit cemented my love for Mug ‘N Bun. The inside seating option is a nice one for the winter time when eating in the car could be a bit chilly. A solid showing with the breaded pork tenderloin was overshadowed by incredible onion rings. The root beer is pretty great, too. This may just become an essential visit when I fly in or out of Indianapolis and, conveniently, Mug ‘N Bun is just mere minutes away from the airport.
The Fifth Dimension
Verdict: This is truly a Hoosier classic. Mug ‘N Bun has great house made root beer, a solid tenderloin, and some of the best onion rings around. It’s on the edge of being Hall of Fame worthy.
Tags: breaded pork tenderloin, indiana, onion rings, Root Beer, tenderloin
Tenderloin
My dad is a regular at the Ninth Street Cafe. He and some of his friends meet up at a farmerly 6am on Wednesday morning. I’ve gone a few times over the past few years when I’ve been home visiting. I’ve been extremely impressed with their breakfast. There’s a breakfast platter called the Bucktown Special or something that is a pile of hashbrowns with eggs, vegetables, and cheese on top, the whole mess covered in a housemade sausage gravy. I wished that I had a photo of this exquisite beauty. I’ve had it twice and I’m sure my life expectancy has been shortened as a result.
In Progress View
Anyhow, we went there for lunch on a tip that their breaded pork tenderloin was worthy. I ordered mine with a side of tater tots. What arrived was fine and a little more typical of what would be found in various diners, cafes, and family restaurants across the state. I believe that these are hand-breaded in the cafe and look fine. The breading is a bit more like one you might find on a chicken patty sandwich, a little on the chewy side. Inside, the grade of pork is more in line with their affordable pricing, a slight greyish color to it, but fairly juicy. It as slightly bigger than the bun, but not as massively stretching as many other high end examples. I did enjoy eating tater tots with my tenderloin, always a nice option.
Overall, the Ninth Street Cafe is a spot where the locals go, where the workers, farmers, and regular town folks have a hearty meal. There’s just something about it that makes it a worthwhile visit. The food is seasoned by salt, pepper, and fats. It’s not the very best you’ll ever had, but the food will stick to your ribs. I’m much more mesmerized by breakfast than the breaded pork tenderloin, but the tenderloin is fine and at least an average example.
The Third Dimension
Verdict: Decent, hearty diner/family restaurant fare.
Tags: breaded pork tenderloin, indiana, tenderloin
Tenderloin
The Mill is a a somewhat new restaurant in Marion, located on the banks of the Mississinewa River inside an old mill. The menu features fairly standard pub selections, sandwiches, burgers, salads, a few steaks, and the Hoosier-famous breaded pork tenderloin. I was on a mission to try as many tenderloins as possible in my short trip to Indiana, so held back on my urge to order the burger.
Details, Details
The breaded pork tenderloin arrived looking beautiful on a toasted bun with impressive grill marks. The patty itself extended way beyond the bun. It had a crisp and crunchy coating with high quality, juicy pork inside. It was an expert example in every way. Again, it still didn’t rise to the occassion of the greatness of Nick’s Kitchen or even Nick’s Junction, but was quite good. The hand-cut sweet potato fries that it came with were a little on the mushy and limp side, probably not as nice as the other side options.
Cheeseburger with Hand-Cut Fries
Half Burger View
My good old friends Tim and Mark ordered the burger and this looked to be an impressive 8 ounce fresh beef burger. I didn’t steal a taste, but future experimentation seems warranted. It did arrive on a toasted bun and the beef is seasoned, according to the menu. I should have pressed my friends for more information, but they seemed pretty happy with their selection. I did try one of the hand-cut fries which were skin on and crispy, a little nicer than my sweet potato fries.
It’s been my experience that beer offerings in the Hoosier state are somewhat lacking compared to regions most Easterly. However, The Mill did have Fat Tire Amber, so I went with that as my choice. Not the very best beer, but fine and better than any macro brewery selections.
If you find yourself in Marion, IN for any reason, the Mill offers one of the best breaded pork tenderloins in the area and the burger didn’t seem to shabby, either.
The Fourth Dimension
Verdict: Pleasantly impressed. Good breaded pork tenderloin and what appears to be a good looking burger.
Tags: breaded pork tenderloin, hamburgers, indiana, sweet potato fries, tenderloin
Onion Burger
Classic Powers Hamburgers
On the way to Powers, my dad told us that he remembered going to Powers Hamburger when he was a kid, over 50 years ago. It’s located in what is now a rougher urban area in Ft. Wayne, near downtown. It was 24 hours in recent past, but now is just opened . The building itself has the classic look of an old time hamburger stand that looks like it must have for the past 50 years. I had high hopes when I walked in the door. The interior is quite small with a lunch counter that has maybe 6 or 8 red vinyl, round swivel stools permanently attached to the floor. Our group saddled up to the lunch counter for the experience.
Dad and I each ordered a cheeseburger and I upped the ante by getting a Coney dog. We’d eaten quite a lot previously in the day (tenderloins and two different Coney dog stops), but it was too early to call it quits. The burgers are thin patty, fresh beef burgers that are griddled flat on a very small griddle off to the side of the lunch counter. Everything is in full view. As the burgers are cooked, heaping piles of thinly cut onion strings are placed on top. The burger with melted cheese and onions is then placed on a small slider-sized white hamburger bun that has been toasted on the grill. The end result seems quite similar to White Manna in Hackensack.
You're Probably Not Ready for This
The Ugly Details
Again, I had high hopes. This was clearly a classic styled onion burger made fresh before my eyes. It tasted a little weird when I made the first bite, but the hot cheese covered up whatever sins I thought I’d been imaging. As I continued, though, there was definitely some bad griddle char/burn on the burger that was unavoidable and un-ignorable. There was also a huge onion presence that gave an overwhelming onion flavor to the constructed burger. Overall, I really didn’t think it was that great, but I’ve definitely had worse. My dad had a look on his face that seemed to suggest that he’d been poisoned by terrible burger. After we left Powers, my dad made a few comments from the mild “Gosh, that was bad!” to “I’ll have nightmares about that.” Dad was quite unimpressed by the burny taste and pile of onions. Definitely not how he remembered the burgers from his childhood. Clearly Powers has seen better days. Both my mom and Jessica made similar comments about the burger, they were both equally unimpressed. I felt like I was making excuses trying to defend the burger, given the classic locale, but this onion burger really wasn’t good.
A Truly Delicious Coney Dog
The Coney dog was cooked in the kitchen behind the lunch counter, so I’m not sure if it was cooked on a griddle or boiled, exactly. However, the Coney sauce was really meaty, a thick ground beef based sauce with a good tangy flavor. The sauce was definitely the best we’d tried that day, better than both Coney Island and Mister Coney. The bun was served straight up, not steamed like the other Ft. Wayne locations. The Coney dog also came with raw onions on top. With a little work on the details, this Coney dog would easily rule the city. Though Powers doesn’t really seem like a place obsessed with fine details.
I will say that this burger wasn’t the worst I’d ever had. That honor will still remain firmly in White Castle’s court. But, as dad also said “that [the burger] was nasty,” eloquently summing up the burger experience. The Coney dog was surprisingly delicious, but I’m not sure that’s enough to bring us back around.
A Hamburger Today had much kinder things to say, bordering on a rave review. Holly Eats also had an enjoyable experience.
The Empty Set
Verdict: It’s a classic destination that’s seen better days. Do not eat the burger! The Coney dog is pretty decent though…
Tags: coney dog, hamburgers, hot dogs, indiana, who put that on my plate
Pair of Coney Dog
Ft. Wayne's Famous
When I said that we made an impulse stop at Mister Coney, it’s because our Coney dog destination was really going to be just Coney Island in Ft. Wayne. I’d visited a few times before, but it had been a while, so it was definitely on the agenda. Coney Island has been in business since 1914, according to the neon sign in the back of the restaurant. It’s a classic institution that has been in the downtown area for years. I’m not sure if this location is the original location or not, but it has definitely been in the same spot for as long as my dad can remember. The spot itself is quite a bit warmer and more humid than the outside, so different that my glasses fog up in the wintertime when I walk inside. It must be from steaming the buns.
Our Buns Are Steamed
A long lunch counter runs most of the length of the spot. When we visited on a Saturday afternoon, nearly every table and every chair at the counter was full. It’s definitely a happening place. From the looks of the interior, it looks unchanged for the last few decades.
The Juicy Details
My dad and I each got a Coney dog and opted to add on cheese. With cheese, the Coneys were $1.50 each and cheese is just an extra 25 cents, making these just $1.25 without. A griddled hot dog is placed on a steamed bun with mustard, Coney sauce, raw onions, and two slices of American cheese. The Coney sauce here is a little more sauce-y than that served up over at Mister Coney, but it’s still a little sweet and a little tangy, heavy on the ground beef. The cheese slices add an odd texture because they aren’t fully melted. They also add a little extra saltiness that overwhelms the more delicate Coney sauce. The dog itself is quite juicy with a good snap improved by the griddling and can stand on its own, though much better with the Coney sauce. The steamed bun is definitely an important asset to this dog.
Coney Island serves small glass bottles of Coca-Cola, the kind made with real sugar (the much tastier variety), and these are pretty popular with the crowd. We didn’t get anything to drink, but I think this should be a requirement on a future visit.
On my way out, I did notice that Coney Island was making fresh beef thin patty burgers on a griddle in the front window. The ratio of dogs to burgers is skewed something like 100 to 1 or so, but the in progress burger did look like it had the potential to taste good. I was way too full from tenderloin and a pair of Coney dogs to be adding much more into my belly.
Overall, while Coney Island is a Fort Wayne classic and serves a great Coney dog, I would recommend against adding cheese slices. Also, Mister Coney’s Coney dog is just a little bit better, which really surprised me. Coney Island is a landmark and should not be missed if you find yourself in the area.
Here’s a short review from Holly Eats and another more in depth review from The Hot Dog I Ate.
The Fourth Dimension
Verdict: Classic location serving a great Coney dog in a steamed bun.
Coney Dog
Put a Fork In It
After visiting Nick’s Junction in Roanoke, we headed up the road a bit further to the much larger city of Ft. Wayne to do some shopping and explore some food options. We headed in from the highway down Coldwater Rd. to the Glenbrook Mall and make an impulse stop at Mister Coney. I’d seen the signs for years when visiting Ft. Wayne, but this was the first time I’d ever stopped. My dad and I went inside and decided to be a little sensible and share a Coney dog.
The coney dog is popular throughout the Midwest. Wikipedia says that the Coney Island name initiated in Michigan at American Coney Island and Todoroff’s, but was clearly influenced by the famous Coney Island in Brooklyn.
For a mere $1.35, you can get a Coney dog. The dog starts with a steamed bun that receives mustard spread on by a wooden stick. A hot dog grilled on a roller grill is placed on the bun. Coney sauce is carefully spooned over the top with most of the liquid, but not all, left behind. Then, the Coney dog is topped with fresh onions. Not a bad deal for the price. Cheese can be added for an additional 25 cents.
The main features of the coney dog would be the steamed bun (always a nice touch) and the slightly sweet, mildly spiced coney sauce that is predominantly loosely packed ground beef. The sauce seems to be lightly tomato-based, similar to chili, but a bit meatier. Quite a lot of the liquid soaks into the bun, leaving behind spiced, moist bits of beef. The dog itself was juicy, had a good snap, and complimented the sauce well, adding a little saltiness.
Mister Coney has been in the same spot for 45 years, the second oldest hot dog stand in Fort Wayne and probably the second most famous.
The Fourth Dimension
Verdict: Classic coney dog for a cheap price.
Tenderloin and Onion Rings
The Sign
Nick's Junction
To be sure, the gold standard for the Indiana specialty–breaded pork tenderloin–is Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington, IN, the presumed inventor of the sandwich. This very thin pounded piece of pork tenderloin that is breaded and deep-fried can be found on menus throughout the Hoosier state. Passable frozen versions can also be found in supermarkets so they can be cooked up at home or even made available in school cafeterias. The best examples stretch out way beyond the bun.
On my recent trip back home to Indiana, we decided to try a few new spots for tenderloins. Our first destination was Nick’s Junction in Roanoke, IN, prompted by a short recommendation from Ryan DuVall in the Ft. Wayne Journal Gazette (by way of Roadfood Digest). Nick’s Junction does have a connection to Nick’s Kitchen in Huntington, being run by the son of Nick Freinstein, who owned Nick’s Kitchen.
Breaded Pork Tenderloin
Tenderloin Detail
The first main difference hit us in the face as we walked through the door. Nick’s Junction has a smoking section, whereas Nick’s does not.
My dad and I ordered the tenderloin with an order of onion rings. Jessica got a tenderloin with coleslaw. Size-wise, this pork tenderloin is on par with Nick’s Kitchen, expertly pounded thin. However, the batter isn’t quite as crisp and crunchy at Nick’s Junction, making for a slightly lesser experience. The pork is high quality, quite tender and juicy, though, and an excellent example of the tenderloin sandwich.
Breaded Cheeseburger
We had unanimous agreement at the table that Nick’s Junction was making some quite excellent onion rings. These were thick cut and in a crunchy batter, perfectly cooked so that the onions were easily bitten through, no onions pulling away from the breading here.
Molten Cheese
Mom got her favorite breaded cheeseburger. A breaded and deep-fried burger can be found in a few other locations. But, the breaded cheeseburger is a bit different, it’s a burger patty with a slice of cheese on top that is breaded and deep-fried. The result is a crisp breading with molten cheese (if fried correctly) that oozes out with each bite. These are not made in house and both Nick’s Kitchen and Nick’s Junction likely have the same source. Nick’s Junction serves on a lightly toasted seeded hamburger bun with pickles.
Another of the main differences at Nick’s Junction is that they are open on Sundays. It’s definitely the place to go if you find yourself craving a breaded pork tenderloin then. Their tenderloin is a good one, a great one even, not quite as good as Nick’s Kitchen, but Nick’s Junction does deliver with some incredible onion rings. Definitely worth stopping by if you find yourself in Roanoke, IN.
The Fifth Dimension
Verdict: Great tenderloins, amazing onion rings, and breaded cheeseburgers.
Tags: breaded cheeseburger, breaded pork tenderloin, hamburgers, indiana, onion rings, tenderloin
Guacamole Burger
The Sign
Soon after our plane landed in Indianapolis on Christmas Eve, my parents, Jessica, and I headed to the nearby Steak ‘N Shake in one of my favorite traditions. Luckily, they were open until early evening on Christmas Eve and we slid into a booth in plenty of time to order and eat before closing.
Double Steakburger with Fries
I had been missing the delicious fresh thin patty Steakburger for quite some time and was glad to be able to get my fix. On my last visit, I had experimented with the new Steak ‘n Shake Sliders which were less than optimum. I wasn’t taking any chances, so I went with the classic Double Steakburger with Cheese and a side of fries.
The Griddle
A Little Edgy
I’m a fan of the fresh beef Steakburgers that are smashed thin and flat on the grill with a metal press. The edges start to get a delicious crispness. The tops and bottoms of the buns are lightly toasted on the griddle along with the thin burger patties.
The very thin cut fries are among my favorite. They’re frozen, not fresh, but the thinness allows them to cook up very crisp.
Jessica made a brave choice and tried the new Guacamole Burger that was added to the menu. I think this was either a limited time burger option or an unsuccessful one because it’s no longer on the Steak ‘N Shake website. In any case, this was a single thin patty burger topped with guacamole and pepper jack cheese. The combination of creamy, cool guacamole and spicy cheese was interesting, but I’m not sure how successful it was. Jessica’s complaint is that the Steakburgers are too greasy for her delicate insides which has a lot less to do with the actual guacamole on top than the actual burger.
Frisco Melt
My dad got a patty melt and my mom got the Frisco melt. Both versions are classics, served up on buttered toast with melted cheese. The patty melt comes as a double with American cheese and caramelized onions on Rye toast. The Frisco melt comes as a double with both Swiss and American cheese and Frisco Sauce, a bright orange thousand island dressing, on sourdough toast. Both of these tend to be my go to choices at Steak ‘N Shake. There’s something about the crispness of the toast (and the butter) that improves the overall texture and works well with the very thin patties. I also like the sweet and tangy dressing countering the mellow creamy Swiss cheese on the Frisco melt. Definitely a classic.
Somehow we overlooked getting the very excellent baked beans with our burgers. On one of my trips home, my dad ordered both fries and baked beans with his burger. And the baked beans never arrived. And we’ve been hearing about it almost every visit since. The baked beans come in a little ceramic crock and are a little sweet, a little tangy, really quite an excellent side with a Steak ‘N Shake burger and the thin fries.
I love going to Steak ‘N Shake when I get the chance, truly a Midwestern classic chain serving up delicious fresh beef thin patty burgers. The fries are as good as the burgers. Thanks for being open late on Christmas Eve.
I found two other reviews of the Guacamole burger from cheeseburger.net and Would I Buy It Again. Steak ‘N Shake is also a favorite of George Motz of Hamburger America fame.
The Fifth Dimension
Verdict: Classic greatness.
Tags: baked beans, french fries, hamburger america, hamburgers, indiana
Not sure what to make of this site, but it features Tom Selleck photoshopped into waterfall scenes with a variety of sandwiches. [via our pal AB]
The Hot Dog of the Week on Serious Eats is the Tuscan Tony from Paesano’s in Philadelphia: a sopressata wrapped, split, and grilled beef dog with roasted long hots and Bolognese sauce on seeded Italian bread from Sarcone’s.
Sky Full of Bacon posts about the Raccoon Feed in Delafield, WI, complete with video.
Fidel Gastro goes on a field trip to Morocco and gives a thorough rundown on many things he ate there.
The Impulsive Buy reviews Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpet Cupo’ccino from Pennsylvania-based Sheetz convenience stores. That’s gonna keep you awake on road trips.
Weegie heads out to the Green Rock Tavern for Pierogie Week, pierogies matched with the dreaded PBC beer, unfortunately.
Everyview reviews new All Nighter Cheeseburger flavored Doritos, the latest in their Late Night series. Could this be the final unveiling of the experimental X-13D flavor from a few summers back? [via A Hamburger Today]
The Burger Lab on A Hamburger Today investigates the taste differences between Grass-Fed and Grain-Fed beef burgers.
Burger Conquest heads to Del Taco to try out their burger. You can also get fries with your tacos…
The Burger Beast goes to Whataburger in Corpus Christi for a Double Whataburger with Cheese.
NJ.com’s Munchmobile Pizza Patrol has spent six months seeking out the best pizza in the state and just unveiled the winning spots. [via Slice]
Always Hungry NY finds an excellent butter burger at the Lexington Candy Shop. Also a great spot for a chocolate malted, apparently.
DMANBURGER reviews Petey’s Burger in Astoria Queens, a fast-food style smashed burger.
Jen Ken’s Kit Kat blog takes on both Yubari Melon Kit Kats and Calpis Kit Kat Minis.
Japanese Snack Reviews has Sakurambo (Cherry) Kit Kats from the Yamagata region. We reviewed the mini version during Kit Kat week a while ago.
You guys catch Philadelphia’s Hot Potato Cafe on Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares Friday night? [heads up via Phoodie]
In honor of the Indianapolis Colts going to the Super Bowl, we’ll be covering Indiana-centric spots on the ‘Calc this week.
Tags: beer, beer failure, california, del taco, doritos, hamburgers, hot dogs, kit kat, new jersey, new york city, pennsylvania, philadelphia, pierogie, pizza, raccoon, sandwich, tastykake, texas, tom selleck, whataburger, wisconsin