Happy Belated Turkey Day!

As I told those of you that read the last post, I spent part of my Thanksgiving Day with one side of my family, at the Golden Ox. Having been a lifelong Kansas Citian, I was pretty disappointed in myself that I had never been to the iconic Golden Ox. Although we didn't get the full Golden Ox experience, I formulated a pretty strong opinion about the place, and anyone that says that it is no longer relevant.

The smell of coals still smoldering on the charcoal grill fill the air. If it weren't for the thin gaps between the awards and pictures of Kansas City (and the West Bottoms) from yesteryear, you wouldn't be able to tell what the walls looked like. The dining room is dimly lit, but inviting. The whole place is just dripping with nostalgia, and not in some nouveau hipster-esque type of way, but in a great-grandmother's den room type of way.

The clientele were a rich melting pot of young and old, blue collar and white collar, racial diversity, and different socio-economic backgrounds, all coming together for a family meal and to give thanks on this day of Thanksgiving. The place was packed, it was all asses and elbows in there. The waiter told us that they were planning to feed something on the order of 2000 people that day, that sounded absurdly high to me. But sure enough, as we sat there eating, there did not seem to be a lull. There was always a line of people waiting to be seated.

The spread, on this day, was not the standard fare. The offerings were not dissimilar to what you could expect to have at a family Thanksgiving potluck. All of the usual suspects were there, but with a few surprises. Of course there was turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, "salads" (both of the lettuce and mayo based varieties), dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, and the like. But this being a steakhouse, there should be no surprise that there was a lot more to offer (meat wise) than just turkey. There was pork loin, ham, smoked salmon and they even shreaded the dark turkey meat so that it resembled something like a shredded/pulled pork, it was fantastic! The smoked salmon was delicious, it was garnished with capers (that I believe were also smoked) and red onions, it really doesn't get much better than that! The shreaded/pulled dark meat turkey was pretty awesome as well!

The sides were good, don't get me wrong, but I believe that most of them were probably brought in (or at least a little bit pre-made and reheated). First of all, they could all be made from scratch, and I could be completely wrong, it has happened before (see Colby Garrelts' Rye). But that being said, this is not the kind of place that I would tell you to go for some killer side. This is the kind of place that thrived during the days when the only side option you had to go with your steak was a potato.

The Golden Ox opened in the late 1940s. Do you know who ate out, in Kansas City, in the 1940s and 1950s? NO ONE! Why would anyone pay to eat something that they could cook at home? The Golden Ox came to prominence by setting up shop right by the stock yards and serving you, literally, the freshest steak that you had ever had in your life. The stock yards have long since closed down, but the Golden Ox remains. I still get the feeling that when I go back for my steak dinner, and a stiff drink, the only side I would contemplate ordering is a baked potato.

Some view the Golden Ox as a dinosaur: slow and unable to adapt to change. I look at this quite differently: while culinary trends have come and gone, the Golden Ox still stands, after those trends have been long since forgotten. While a trendy restaurant like Voltare, that stands right across the street from the Ox, may taunt the powerful creature, none can ever challenge it's resolve. The Ox has stood, unwavering, holding steadfast to its identity, since the day that it was founded. The Ox has weathered many a storm, economic downturns, and floods. None of this has been strong enough to bring down The Ox. In fact, in the front of the restaurant, they hang pictures of the flooded bottoms, wearing it almost like a service man or woman would wear stripes. 

In a way, the sign (at the top of this post) embodies the restaurant. It is not new, it is not shiny, it may not have the luster that it once did, but it is still standing, and dammit, it is still important! I don't know if the Golden Ox will be able to take the crown from Anton's as my favorite steakhouse, but I will certainly be back to let them try! In this day and age when steakhouses that people mention as their "favorite" are all chains (M&S, Capital Grille, Ruth's Chris, etc.), you have to go get yourself some local flavour!

Thanksgiving (the real one, not that Canadian knock off)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

First off, let me begin by saying that I am not one for cliches. I am not one of those people that gets sentimental about things. I do not do the X number of days of Thanksgiving "thankful" social media posts, and that is not what I am trying to achieve here. But, I am very blessed and do have a lot to be thankful for. An incomplete list goes something like this: my faith, my wife, my family, our friends, my job (not this hobby, but my job that pays me actual money), good local food, my 3 readers, and my food truck family.

My food truck family works hard to bring excellent food to the people, at reasonable prices. Most of them are hard working weekend warriors, like myself, working day jobs and then running a food truck in their limited free time. Only instead of pushing keys on a keyboard like I do, they work for hours: prepping food, taking orders, being a line cook, struggling to break even, driving home, and then spending hours more cleaning their trucks (to meet health department requirements). This is a tight-knit community that looks out for each other. They have also been very kind and really supported me since I first started blogging. They have been here since Day 1! And when you are from where I am from, you look out for those that look out for you. All of that being said: I raise a Thanksgiving toast to you, Mr. Food Truck Owner/Operator Guy (in my Bud Light "Real Men of Genius" commercial voice).

Although, the days that are nice enough for my food truck fam to go out are few and far between at this time of year, they rallied together for a rare November meet-up earlier this month; here are a few of my takeaways.

One new truck to the local scene (whom someone at KCFTA needs to tell to get a Twitter account) is Chickhoovenswine. Chickhoovenswine brings their brand of championship barbecue (along with all of the hardware that comes with it) to the streets. As the name may (not so subtly) hint at, Chickhoovenswine can rock out with just about any kind of meat in the smoker: Chicken, Beef, or Pork. 

I gave the "Hoggy Style" sandwich a shot, because, well, I mean, how can you not with a name like that? The Hoggy Style consists of delicious pulled pork, smoked sausage, and creamy slaw piled high. Chickhoovenswine also has 3 distinctly unique sauces available for saucing, if you so choose. I can't wait to try more from this truck!

Another newcomer, Organized Chaos (who has a Twitter account, that will tell you where to find them), prides themselves in what they consider to be a eccentric take on fusion sandwiches. If you are anything like me, you LOVE a good sandwich! My love for sandwiches runs so deep that I may even give the "Sandwich King" Jeff Mauro a run for his money! You can even ask my wife, if I had to eat one thing, every day, for the rest of my life, it would be a sandwich. Organized Chaos can feed your insatiable itch for a good sandwich.

Of sandwiches that Organized Chaos has on their menu, I have had two: the Tequila Chicken and the Bahn Mi. The Tequila Chicken is as tender as you could hope for a chicken sandwich to be. It is topped with melted cheddar cheese, cabbage, cilantro, and chipotle mayo. The Bahn Mi, which could probably be considered the signature sandwich for the truck, is Marissa's (co-owner/chef of OC) take on a Vietnamese classic. Tender, delicious, pork meatballs, pickled veggies, cilantro, and Sriracha mayo all on a toasted hoagie bun. The only thing that can bring the Bahn Mi down is the pending shutdown of the Sriracha plant.

Other big sellers that OC offers, that I have yet to try, but will be back soon to try are: the Chorizo Mac & Cheese and the Buffalo Chicken Balls. Give them a follow on Twitter, they have a couple engagements left this year, check them out!

Now that I have covered the new kids on the block, I want to give a shoutout to some of the usual suspects too. Indios Carbonsitos has yet another new creation that will change the way that you think about Mexican food AND BBQ. He calls it the "Triple C", but I call it the "Triple 'Si'", because I cannot say "yes" to this burger enough! The Triple C burger is a Chorizo, Chihuahua Cheese, and Chipotle sauce topped burger. This burger has kick, but will not melt your face, perfect for someone like me that cannot handle the hot sauce equivalent of sulfuric acid. This burger is up to snuff with all of the other amazing menu items on this truck, you are doing yourself a disservice if you have not had Adrian's creations yet!

Lastly, my wife (at her ripe young age) had never had a Twinkie (if you can believe that). I knew that for her first Twinkie experience I would have to do it right. Luckily for us Funnel Cake Truck was at this event with his namesake desserts, along with deep fried Snickers, Oreos, Twix, Reece's and... wait for it... Twinkies! We were in luck; instead of suffering through the cheap, dry, plain worn out Twinkie, we got the funnel cake batter coated, deep fried, melty, gooey Twinkie. Top that sucker with a little bit of powdered sugar, chocolate, or cinnamon and you have a damn good way to end a meal (in which you had already eaten way too much anyways). My wife left the truck claiming that she had a new favorite dessert, that it is safe to say that although this was her first Twinkie, it will most definitely not be her last!

I hope that this short list of truck food has somehow, some way, provided you all with something to be thankful for on this day of Thanksgiving! Whether it is for the amazing food, the means by which you have to provide for your family, or for those that have always been there for you. I hope that you and yours have a happy Thanksgiving and safe Turkey Trotting!

In case you were wondering, I will be spending my Thanksgiving at the KC legend, the Golden Ox. I will either see you there, or let you know how it was afterwards. For having lived in KC my entire life, it is a shame that tomorrow/today (depending on how you look at it) will be the first time that I have been to the Golden Ox.

Beignet & Coffee

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Beignet, the brain-child of the good people that brought you Nica's 320 (now Nica's Lagniappe). Beignet takes its namesake (the beloved dessert from Nica's) and makes it the main dish!

These stuffed, powder covered, doughnut-like fritters are the perfect morning-time (or any other time of the day, for that matter) treat! My wife and I split the Pumpkin Pie and Bananas Foster Beignets.

The Pumpkin Pie, because it is fall, and well, since when is Pumpkin Pie not delicious? Never! Stuffing a Pumpkin Pie into a fritter doesn't make it any worse either. This beignet literally tasted like a slice of homemade pumpkin pie had been stuffed inside a beignet.

The Bananas Foster was an obvious second choice, being the chosen flavour of New Orleans (the American headquarters of Cajun food). It was everything that you would hope for from a banana foster dessert: not overwhelmingly banana flavoured, sweet (but not too rich), and creamy.

I could honestly deal with about half as much stuffing in each beignet, but that is because I appreciate the the base pastry quite a bit.

These stuffed treats, being as delicious as they may be, are still based on the ever delicious (and ever simple) plain beignet. At risk of over simplifying the beignet, for someone whom has never experienced one (because it is an experience), it is a rich man's version of the powdered donut (not so much in price, but in quality).

Having two locations (one in the River Market, one on 39th Street) makes a beignet that much more accessible. My preferred location is the one in the River Market. You can enjoy a Beignet break while shopping for produce & local honey (if you aren't against bee enslavement, which is what vegans actually believe). The interior is as eclectic as that of Nica's on the Boulevard. New Orleans inspired paintings, finger painted tables, and a doll head sighting round out the usual suspects.

Beignet can also offer you some pretty spectacular drip coffee to enjoy with your beignet.

Just mentioning the word "coffee" beings to mind a situation that I read about in the news about the "quaint" Prairie Village Starbucks moving across the street to expand and add a drive though window. I could not believe this! 1) This is the epitome of what we call a Jo-Co problem. There are kids dying of cancer and this is what people are getting upset about. 2) This is the coffee bully Starbucks that we are talking about here, not some "Ma & Pop shop", the words "quaint" and "Starbucks" should NEVER be used in the same sentance! This being said, I write this hoping to help this gentleman (and others like him) realize that Starbucks is in fact the Walmart of coffee shops and in no way "quaint". This is like being mad at McDonald's for not using organic beef.

This city has plenty of great local coffee shops! I cannot even pretend to have been to half of them! On top of The Roasterie and Crossroads Coffee, that I have already written about, there are The Filling Station, City Market Coffee House, and Mildred's Coffeehosue (plus numerous others that I have yet to enjoy coffee in) that I also love. 

The Filling Station is a must-stop for any lover of good coffee or pastries. The Filling Station, like Beignet, also has 2 locations: one in Westport & one on Union Hill. The "Garage" location, on Union Hill, has a slightly larger menu that includes lunch items. This location is also done up with gears and license plates to resemble a garage (or a "Filling Station", if you will). The Westport location is in an old 1-hr Photo (or similar) hut and is decorated with nostalgic cameras and paraphernalia. Cameras that actually took pictures that looked like the filters that you use on Instagram today. The Westport location does have a drive-thru window, which despite what the a-hat Mr. Dehney (see above article link if you are skimming) would lead you to believe, does not ruin the quaintness of it at all!

The pastries are baked locally at SoHo Bakery and the beans are roasted by Broadway Roasting Company (who is said to have one of the best espressos around). This isn't pre-packaged stuff that is sent in from some factory in Seattle. Give Filling Station a try if you are looking for an awesome local coffee shop with uber talented baristas (every time you order a latte, it comes with a different design).

City Market Coffee House, located just steps from Beignet, in the River Market, is another great place to grab a cup of locally roasted coffee. The walls and customer side of the coffee bar are adorned with the burlap sacks that their coffee beans are shipped to them in. You will see bags from all four corners of the globe. I like to look around and see if I can find one from Puerto Rico.

They beans are roasted in house. If you are lucky, you might even walk in while the antique roaster is churning away in the corner, just to add to the appeal of the place. Every cup of single source or blended coffee that I have had in this place has been amazing!

Grab a cup, take a load off, and enjoy the atmosphere. Or grab a cup to-go, put some pep in your step, go pick out the freshest produce back beyond the doors to the Farmer's Market. You can even buy a bag of the artisan coffee beans  to take home with you. 

Finally, Mildred's Coffee House, which admittedly I have been to far fewer times (and know much less about) than the previous two coffee houses. However, that does not make it any less of a kickass place to get your caffeine fix before a night of art exhibits on First Fridays. Mildred's Crossroads location has the perfect location for First Fridays! The place always smells amazing and, although I have never been for anything other than a coffee, everyone always talks about how great the food is (especially for a coffee house). Needless to say, Mildred's too is a much better place to walk to get coffee than is a Starbucks, Chuck Dehner (again, see above).

My opinion on this whole Starbuck's "dilemma": get a local coffee shop to take the lease of the old Starbuck's location, or God forbid open one yourself, instead of using your energy to cry on the 6 o'clock news. Take all of Starbuck's clients and put them out of business. Then you will have something really quaint, instead of just the illusion of it. 

Be blessed, and until next time... Eat local!

Still Not Just Meat and Potatoes!

My love for Providence New American Kitchen has made me do something very rare, unprecedented in fact. Outside of my food truck family, I have never written twice about the same place. That is all about to change, and you have a revised menu (and new lead bartender) at PNAK to thank for it. If you want to know more about PNAK, click on the link above, this post is going to get straight into the food and drink.

The new food (at least what we tried of it):

For starters, the P&P Tots and Clam Chowder Dumplings are both great!

Porcini & Pecorino Tots

The P&P Tots are not your run of the mill tots that Napoleon Dynamite would stick in his pocket. They are porcini crusted and crunchy on the outside, soft and creamy (from the pecorino cheese) on the inside. The tots are garnished with pumpkin ketchup (which isn't as pumpkin-y or as ketchup-y as you might expect, but nicely compliments the delicate fried starch nuggets) and laid atop pumpernickel crumble (which I could honestly eat by itself, and did after the tots were gone).

Clam Chowder Dumplings

The CC Dumplings are exactly what they sound like: creamy chowder in a crunchy fried shell, topped with crispy bacon and served on a vinegar slaw (with chunks of clam in it). It is not often that I talk about garnishes, but both of these starters have garnishes that I would eat by themselves. How do they get liquid soup in that crunchy shell, you ask? I imagine that they freeze the chowder, bread it, then fry it (which melts the chowder and crisps the shell, all at once).

Kobe Burger

You can find the Kobe Burger on the lunch and dinner menus, probably because it is hard to think of a time of day when Kobe beef, Beemster cheese, pickled mustard seed, pickled onions, and shallot jam is not out of this world good!

Beer Braised Short Rib

A Boulevard beer braised short rib that is so tender that you can shred it with a spoon, served on top of house-made cavatelli pasta, smoked mushrooms, roasted cherry tomatoes, a jam made with more Boulevard beer, and topped with sprouts. You can really tell the difference that the house-made cavatelli pasta makes in this incredibly savory dish!

Spiced Doughnuts

These spiced doughnuts have replaced the ricotta doughnuts that I wrote about in my last post about PNAK and are just as amazing as they sound. These doughnuts taste like fall incarnated (or whatever the word would be for fall to take object form, but not necessarily human form). These doughnuts kick the highly coveted apple cider doughnuts (from Louisburg Cider Mill) in the crotch, hard. Add on to that the pumpkin glaze and pepita caramel brittle that come with the donuts and you have everything that you could hope for, from fall, on a plate.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I can honestly not say enough about this dessert! This is probably the best dessert (and best ice cream) that I have ever had in my life (even better than the S'More's Flavors dessert from PNAK that I got put into the Ink Summer Dining Guide)! The hot date cake, covered in campfire whiskey glaze, and paired with Boulevard 6th Glass ice cream is unlike anything that you have ever tasted in your life; sweet, but not overly rich. This dessert is beyond words, do not plan to eat anything else for a few hours after this for risk of it tasting like hot feet comparatively. 

The Cocktails: 

Not only is PNAK shaking things up on the food menu, but also the cocktail menu. Some of the new cocktails that have been added are The Quiet Man, Bootlegger's Punch, and TIPple de Jalisco. We gave The Quiet Man and Bootlegger's Punch a try. 

Bootlegger's Punch (left) & The Quiet Man (right)

The Quiet Man is a whiskey cocktail, featuring Jameson, that is named after the 1952 John Wayne film about an American Boxer who retires to Ireland (so awesome, on so many levels). This cocktail runnith over with fall flavours: spiced apple cider, cinnamon & cardamom syrup, topped with ginger ale, and garnished with a piece of house-made candied ginger. Bootlegger's Punch is an equally awesome citrus-y rum cocktail: Goslings' Rum, Cherry Heering Liquer, Falernum, Fresh Lemon, and Orange Bitters.

Finally, the TIPple de Jalisco, that I did not get a chance to try, but supports a cause that is close to my heart. We all know that I love Mexico! The "TIP" in "TIPple" stands for Tequila Interchange Project, a non-profit that supports the preservation of regional tequila (aka the anti-Cuervo). This cocktail contains: Tequila Ocho "Plata", Mexican Coca Cola syrup (real sugar, not HFCS), and Regan's Orange Bitters.

Some of the new cocktails were formulated by the famous Brock Schulte (Drum Room Bar Manager). Some were created by the new lead bartender, who was brought over when Hickok's closed (sad face, I loved that place), Travis. After you have a couple cocktails with dinner, at PNAK, walk up the stairs to the Drum Room for a nightcap. If the Drum Room is not that busy, do the following: ask Travis about the time he got kicked out of the Robert Mondavi Vineyard in Napa (it is such an amazing story!), show him the below photo, tell him that you heard that it was the best New York themed cocktail out there, and ask him very nicely to make it for you.

Happy 1st Anniversary to PNAK, the new Drum Room, Rick Brook, Chef Eric Carter, Brock Schulte, Travis (who I am a jerk and forgot his last name), and crew! Cheers!

7one5 in the 7eight5

We all know how much I love Lawrence, KS. The last time I had the pleasure of staying the night in town, the night before my last triathlon of the season, I had to check out 715. The place has been open a little over a year and has been receiving all kinds of praise, and as I found out, it is for good reason.

Since we didn't have reservations, we had the option of waiting or sitting in the kitchen window. Kitchen window? Yes, please! Whenever you have the option to sit in the kitchen window, or the chef's table, at a restaurant, you take it (unless I am on my way, then you save it for me)! After putting in our drink orders (for one house red wine & one house white wine) a Rosemary Flatbread came over the counter at us, compliments of the chef (BTW, they have no idea who I am. This was not because I was a blogger, just because they are nice people.). The buttered flatbread was delicious and the fresh rosemary was joyfully fragrant. Since I am a strong believer in taking care of those that take care of me, I bought the kitchen a 6-pack. Buying the kitchen a 6-pack is a $12 menu item (it is $12 because you are not buying them Bud Light, since they did not buy you a Pizza Hut personal pan pizza), this ensures that this tip amount goes to the hard workers in the kitchen.

The house wines are served in tumbler style glasses, which I loved the un-pretentiousness of this, and the house varieties are very good. However, if you are a big wine snob (you know who you are), and want a wine glass that allows you to swirl and sniff your wine, they non-house varieties come in stemmed wine glasses.

After we polished off the rosemary flatbreat, we had to try the smoked trout crustini because of the combination of smoked trout and arugula & lemon caper aioli. They did not disappoint! One thing about the smoked trout that did catch us a bit off guard, was that it was cold, I guess I had expected it to be freshly smoked and still warm. Nonetheless, the flavour was amazing and it actually reminded me of the smoked fish and crackers that I had while ocean kayaking off of the Prince William Sound in Alaska.

I badly wanted to try one of the nightly specials that all looked so good, but since I was in town for a triathlon, I decided to be safe and stick with a pasta dish. My smoking hot date concurred. We got the spaghetti with lamb meat balls and tuna spaghetti, respectively (and switched half way, as usual). The house-made fresh spaghetti was out of this world! The lamb meat balls were tender, juicy, and everything that I had hoped that they would be. Top that off with a very nice marinara sauce and you have a recipe for a good night!

The tuna spaghetti was just as good, if not even better! The absence of the marinara in the picture shows just how hearty those house-made spaghetti noodles are. The oil (presumably of the olive variety) is the perfect lubricant for the noodles, while the saltiness of the capers and creaminess of the fresh mozzarella chunks are the perfect compliments to the flaky Italian Tuna in the pasta. Also worth noting is that we both got the "half" size of pasta and we both had some left over for a midnight snack. Granted, we had a couple appetizers and split the dessert that you are about to see, but these were still very generous portions.

715 has daily, nightly, and seasonal specials. When we were in, one of the seasonal desserts was something that I believe they called a Peach Pie(or a Fried Peach Pie, or something to that effect), what it was was essentially a peach empanada that had been covered in blend of cinnamon, sugar, and other spices. It came with two delicious scoops of what was either house-made ice cream or ice cream that was made somewhere close. The peaches were fresh local peaches (as we visited right at the end of peach season), and they were caramelized and glazed then stuffed in that empanada dough and deep fried.

The motto at 715 is "Local Handmade Food, Reasonable Wine" and they delivered on that, hard! We sat around for a while after our meal, talking, sipping our wine out of tumbler glasses, and watching the kitchen work as if they were our own personal live version of a Food Network show. This place is very impressive, the kitchen runs like a well oiled machine, and I saw some of the most gigantic cuts off meat that I have ever seen (in my life) come across that counter. They have a 2+lb rib-eye and what looked to be the worlds largest lamb chop, these both match the super-sized swine that is pictured on the folded receipt discretion deal (for lack of a better term, someone please comment below if you know what this is called). The kitchen staff are also very friendly and happy to answer any questions that you have (provided that they are not in the heat of battle at the particular moment you decide to be inquisitive).

You have not seen the last of me 715! Cheers!

James Beard Award Winners in the Southland (Pt. 2)

On a recent trip, I saw this ad for Birmingham, AL in the in-flight magazine. It states that you can choose from BBQ joints OR James Beard Award winners. Luckily for Kansas Citians, we can enjoy James Beard Award winning chefs taking on BBQ and the like! Similar to Colby Garrelts' Rye, Debbie Gold parlayed her James Beard Award into bringing you midwestern favorites, cooked by burning wood. Where Colby cooks most of his menu with smoke, Debbie puts hers straight on the wood fire grill.

After adding her name to the list of James Beard Award winners at The American Restaurant, Debbie opened a burger joint (there are plenty of other awesome menu items there too, but I think this post will explain why I zeroed in on the burgers in the next paragraph) that brings blue collar fare (at a blue collar price too) to the white collar crowd in Leawood. 

It has been well documented that I am a huge How I Met Your Mother fan (more the early seasons, but I would be lying if I told you that I had not seen every single episode multiple times, or if I told you that I wasn't watching it as I type this). In HIMYM, "The Best Burger in NYC" was at a restaurant with a green door and "Burger" sign above that green door (pictured to the right). The crew spent an entire episode looking for this restaurant. That is exactly what I thought of when I heard about the Red Door Grill (now called Red Door Woodfire Kitchen & Bar, but who is counting?). Albeit, the door is red and not green, but you get where I am going with this.

Any-who, Red Door has a dining room (for those that prefer that environment) and a bar area (for those that want to watch sports and/or keep an eye on any injury updates that may have fantasy implications). I prefer the bar area for lunch, for obvious reasons (my fantasy football league isn't going to win itself), but both have the same great menu. The feel is modern, yet cozy.

As mentioned above: the burgers stuck out to me because they are made with McGonigle’s custom blend of beef brisket, short rib and chuck tenderloin, and I LOVE MCGONIGLE'S! I have personally had the Porkey's Revenge and The Remedy, both are amazing! If you are in the mood for something smokey, go with The Remedy. The aged cheddar, smoked bacon, and egg that top off that wood fire grilled burger will overcome your taste buds with smoky goodness. If you are thinking something more outside the box, go with Porkey's Revenge. The bacon jam, roasted tomato, and melted brie cheese do some kind of a tango between that fire grilled patty and brioche bun that leave you wanting more. Normally, I am not a big brie guy, but the melted brie on this burger will make you question everything you thought you knew about brie ("It's dank Brie!", sorry for yet another inside joke, but not sorry enough to not type it. You guys should really take a trip into my thoughts after visiting RDK&B, it's a pretty funny place). Your wait person will ask you if cooking your burger Medium is okay. The answer is YES! You may even tell them to err on the side of less medium (but not med-rare, we are not trying to get anyone shut down here) because that wood fire could severely dry out/char the wonderful McGonigle's meat blend if it is cooked any more than medium, and no one wants that.

The burgers are not the only amazing thing on the menu at RDK&B: The fries are outstanding, IMO they are probably right behind the BBQ Bohemoeth that is right across the parking lot, this is definitely a "fries first" place. The polenta is also pretty incredible; it is the creamy/soupy variety (like grits), not the fried/baked variety (like corn bread), but is full of smokey, creamy goodness. The one issue with the polenta is not about the taste at all, it is with the listing of it on the menu. It is listed as a table side, but since it is the creamy variety instead of the bite sized baked/fried pieces (that you may have seen elsewhere), it can be a bit awkward if ordered to split between a table of dudes (opposed to the "pound of fries"). 

Last, but not least, is my muse: The doughnut dessert dish (sadly, I did not catch her name). These yeasty doughnut morsels, rolled in sugar, and served with Chirstopher Elbow's Sweet Cream ice cream (from Glace) are perfect in every way. The outside is a tad crispy, the inside is a tad dough-y, and something about this combination is perfect for the fall!

Everything on this menu looks delicious, I am just sad that I cannot eat it all at once! I will definitely be back to try more, say "hi" if you see me there!

Yucatan Peninsula

When I sat out to research this post, I intended to write it only about the food of the Yucatan, but it turned into much more. I have been writing this post for a long time, in my head, and will try to transcribe it as eloquently as possible. This may be a post that is a little hard to read for some people, and quite frankly, that is sort of the point. If you don't want what you have always believed to be questioned, you should probably stop reading right now. Also, please forgive some of my elitist and negative undertones that are not typically part of my writing style, this topic just brings it out of me.

Mexico, what can I say about Mexico that has not already been said? What is Mexico? It is perceived to be something different to everyone: a home, a place to get drunk on spring break, a cultural & culinary paradise, or even a cartel battleground that some would never visit. That being said: I love Mexico! I love almost everything about Mexico! This post is a lot of good, and some of the sad, of the wonderland known as the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Food (Do yourself a solid and try something adventurous): 

Mexico is home to some of the freshest fruits that I have ever tasted. Much of America's fruit supply comes from Mexico, however, it is picked early in order to be able to make the trip before spoiling. If you have the mangoes, pineapples, papayas, bananas, passion fruit, and coconuts fresh from the source, it will almost ruin fruit that has been picked before it was ripe for you.

Speaking of freshness: The Yucatan Peninsula (aka Riviera Maya) is also home to countless little fishing towns, like Puerto Morelos, where fishermen bring in the daily catch and sell it directly to the restaurants adjacent to the docks. In most of these towns, you can charter a trip for the pros to take you sport fishing for something to mount or bottom fishing for something of your own to cook up. The locals fish in boats called Pangas, but larger boats with bathrooms on board are available for those that require such things. But whatever you do, do not take a banana on your boat, or you won't catch a fish big enough to fit on a Ritz cracker (If you don't believe me, as a fisherman. And no, I do not know if trail mix with dehydrated bananas in it counts, but do you really want to chance it?).

To this point, I have just scratched the surface of Yucatan cuisine. Each state in Mexico has The mainstay in the Yucatan is the marinated pork. This style of pork is probably most popular (in the US, at least) in Cochinita Pibil tacos. Cochinita Pibil, literally translated, is "suckling piglet" "enearthed". As far back as the Mayans, residents of this region have buried pigs in pits with hot coals to slow cook them.

You can get tender spicy pork for breakfast. lunch, and dinner. Yes, breakfast, I would almost venture to say that is when it is most delicious (having had even more time for all of the flavours to harmonize). A large helping of spicy marinated pork or spicy marinated beef, a side of fresh pina (pineapple), and a black coffee were my breakfast choices almost every day that I was in the Yucatan. Sure, you can still get your huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, Mexican pastries, and other favorite Mexican breakfast items too, but my favorite has to be the pork.

Other things that are good for breakfast (or any other time of the day, really): Soups! "Really?" you ask. Yes, soup in the tropics sounds a little counter intuitive (as you are already very hot and need nothing to warm you up, at all), but the soups were some of my favorite dishes that I had while in Mexico. Quite frankly, it surprised me too! But if you are not keen on any of my above breakfast recommendations... Menudo (a traditional beef tripe soup), or a variation of Menudo that contains chunks of beef rather than cow stomach (for those faint of heart) are delicious options! Grab a bowl of soup, sprinkle some cilantro and onions on that bad boy, and go to town!

Another great soup, and possibly the single best dish that I had on my most recent trip to Mexico, was a black bean cappuccino (pictured above). It was served at dinner time. It was an almost frothy black bean soup where the black beans had been blended into a homogeneous mixture with the froth, leaving only one delicious consistency. My only regret is that I only got one cup of this soup.

The Drinks:

So we all know about Corona (but incase you forgot, almost every billboard between the airport and your hotel will remind you). Don't get me wrong, I love a Corona with a lime if I am relaxing on the beach as much as the next guy, but Mexico has much more to offer than Corona!

You also know about Tequila. Some of you may think that Tequila is best suited for shots on Spring Break, and you would be wrong. Some of that same group (and some others) may think that you do not like Tequila, you are also wrong. It is very normal to not like cheap & crappy Tequilas, as that is probably what most of you drink. Tequilas should all be made of 100% blue agave. Anything that does not say 100% blue agave on the bottle, or does not dry to a non-sticky consistency, is trash and should be thrown away immediately. </Tequila rant> (%<--Nerd alert) (Yes, I realize that adding the "%" just made it worse. I am also aware that most of you will not get that joke.)

So I said all of that to say this: Blanco (Silver or Platinum) or Reposado (Rested) Tequilas are great for cocktails (if you need a good Tequila cocktail recommendation, that does not start with an "M" and end in an "argarita", then just hang out for a minute and I will hook you up). Anejo (Aged) Tequilas are great for just sitting and sipping on after dinner. Rested and Aged Tequila is mellowed in oak barrels, like many whiskeys, to get a more smooth flavour. There are countless familial Tequila companies in Mexico, there are also way too many big box outfits that push sub-standard Tequila at prices above their value, but the big brand that is probably the best Tequila (that is widely available in the USA) is Don Julio. I would advise anyone who is sipping Tequila straight to buy the good stuff, but if you are mixing, go mid-grade.

As promised: My Tequila cocktail recommendation from my most recent trip is called a Paloma. A Paloma is Tequila (I prefer Reposado) and Fresca soda, on the rocks, with a lime squeezed in it. This is one of the most refreshing, and tasteful, beverages I have ever had! Try this on a hot day and admit to yourself that everything that you thought you knew about Tequila was a fraud. Also do me a favour and do not salt your rim!

Mezcal is similar to Tequila, but is made with a different variety of the agave plant. This is the liquor that is famous for having the worm at the bottom. The "worm" that you see at the bottom is typically a cured larva of an agave eating weevil that is known to decimate entire agave harvests (sort of a cruel joke on the weevil I guess).

One fermented drink that had origins that predate both Tequila and Mezcal is Xtabentun. Xtabentun is specific to the Yucatan and is a Spanish twist on an old Mayan ceremonial liqueur. Xtabentun is a fermented drink made of anise seeds, honey, and xtabentun flowers. As with most liqueurs, it is very sweet, and you get a strong taste of honey. This makes it a popular coffee additive. There is also a cocktail built around this liqueur, called a Mayan Coffee, in which the liqueur is set of fire and added to coffee with coconut ice cream (much better than Bailey's, I might add). 

Mexico is also a hot bed for Rums that are not available in the USA. Most notable on this list is Havana Club, as this Rum is produced in Cuba, it is not allowed past customs in the USA. I had wanted to try Havana Club for a while, as I had heard nothing but good things about it, but as I sat there sipping on this amazing 7 year aged rum I could not help but think about the lives that it had affected. Havana Club is made in the factory that was seized by the Cuban government from the Bacardi family. The Cuban government did not allow free enterprise, so they took the distillery, but then brought in a private investor (that just so happened to be a friend of the Communist Party, shocker, I know) to help run this thing. Legend has it that they are serving up the original Bacardi recipe rum.This is what forced Bacardi to move to Puerto Rico. That  being said, I understand the US stance that we do not want to send money to Cuba to support that government; but when you cut off the head of the snake, the rest of it dies too (the rest of the snake is the Cuban people in this scenario). It just makes you think, but more on this in a minute.

After having had Havana Club, and it living up to the billing, I also had a little known Nicaraguan Rum (called Flor de Cana). This rum was heads and shoulders better than Havana Club (which is saying a lot), and was even cheaper too! Check it out if you can get it!

Also, not to be forgotten is Coke, made from real sugar (not that high fructose corn syrup crap).

The Culture (Yes, I swear I am not just an obese alcoholic): 

The Mayan Riviera is full of awesome things to see, most of them revolving around Mayan culture (as the name of the region suggests). From Mayan ruins, to cenotes, to mangroves, to shopping for Mexican goods, there is something for everyone.

For Mayan Ruins, one of the most popular sites for exploration is Tulum. Tulum literally translated means "stinky earth" because the Spanish could not stand the smell of the mangroves that surround the ancient city of Tulum. Tulum is one of the smaller Mayan cities, but is very popular (probably due to its proximity to the Cancun Hotel Zone), and will still show you a lot of the wonders of the Mayan calendar and architecture. Tulum is located on the cliffs, atop a breathtaking beach, and acted as a port city for the Mayan Empire. A much larger site, Chichen Itza, is located a little further inland.

Cenotes are caves that are filled with fresh ground water. These were the source of Mayan drinking water, as such you will see a cenote situated somewhere around every Mayan city. Although every Mayan city had at least one cenote, not every cenote is around a Mayan city. There are literally hundreds or thousands of these things across the Yucatan Peninsula. These are popular places for snorkelers and cave divers and are really quite cool! I would post a picture here showing you how cool they are, but my disposable underwater camera did not have a flash, so none of my pictures turned out. You will just have to trust me telling you that the light reflecting off of all of the submerged stalactites and stalagmites looks really freaking cool!

Mexican goods: Mexico is currently the source for almost 1/3 of the world's silver. Silvermaking has long been a Mexican artform, but during the War for Mexican Independence, the Spanish destroyed all of the silver mines (to keep the revolutionaries from getting them). This led to a nearly century long decline in the silvermaking trade. Today, the trade (and silver production) is booming. This gives those visiting Mexico access to some of the world's best silver, at a price that hasn't been marked up by a dozen middle men.

Another popular Mexican good is hand-painted ceramics. They are made by hand, painted by hand, and have a personal touch to them. You will see plates, bowls, platters, mugs, and other decorative pieces or all shapes and sizes. They are great to store your crappy green avocados that you get in the US in, trying to get them in the right mood while you wait for them to ripen.

Mexican culture (and almost all Latin cultures, for that matter) is a much more relaxed culture than what most Americans are used to, which makes it a great place to vacation. Things may not always be licketty split, like you want them to be, but good things come to those who wait. You will have travel snafus, get over it ahead of time, and enjoy the awesomeness that surrounds you! Do not let this laid back attitude make you think that these people do not work their butts off! Most of these people work 14+ hour days just to make enough to barely get by. Which brings me to my next point.

The Politics (If you don't want a lecture, turn away now):

First of all, lets start this off by getting something out there. If you are reading this, you are probably an ignorant American, unless you are like me (then you are probably still an ignorant American masquerading as an informed American). If it felt good to get that admission off of your chest, then feel free to keep reading. If that stung a little bit, you can click the "X" in the upper right hand corner of your browser.

To continue what I was saying previously, by American standards, most Mexican workers are severely overworked and severely underpaid! (<--This is partially the reason why vacationing here is much cheaper than doing so in Florida) These people work their hands to the bone just to feed their children and try to get them into schools where they can grow up to have a brighter future. Every Mexican worker you will talk to is extremely happy to have their job (a lot of people even move to the resort areas for better jobs), but they will also all tell you that they want their children to be more than what they are. That is pretty universal, right? We can all identify with that! I know I can, and I don't even have kids! This will not change until the government puts more money into the public school system, but that would require raising taxes and taking food off the table right now, so you can see where I am going with this. Next time you complain about your kids' school at the soccer mom carpool group, stop it! Be thankful and tip your service workers well (at home and in Mexico)!

Some people are so desperate that they end up doing terrible things, like trafficking narcotics, to enable their children to have better lives. Yes, there is a group involved in the narcotics because they believe that it is glamourous, but that is not everyone. Yes, this is a more dangerous life path for them. Yes, this wave of smuggling drugs has lead to increased violence in border towns. Which has only increased with every drug kingpin capture because it leads to fighting over turf, but that is another conspiracy all together that can be saved for another day.

All of that being said, anyone who thinks that Mexico is a dangerous place, you are dumb! Yes, there are dangerous places in Mexico, but there are dangerous places everywhere! There are dangerous places in everyone's home city, you just stay away from them. Does that keep you from inviting friends or family to visit you in your home city? No. Mexico as a country is not inherently dangerous! You have to be smart. Do not go roaming the desert looking for strippers and cocaine! Do not flash your money around and act like a loud, obnoxious, dumb American (that makes people in every other country mad)! Think about how you would feel if your neighbor built a fence that looked like the one pictured above and told you not to come over to his yard but took every opportunity he got to come over and act like a fool in your yard, you would not like that either.

Fphew! That feels good to get that off of my chest! Now back to the lighter side of things. And P.S. Mexico is not "dirty" either. P.P.S. Try to speak the language, they know English, but give Spanish the old college try. If nothing else it will make you feel more engulfed in the culture.

Where Do I Stay While In Mexico?:

When my wife and I travel to Mexico, we (like most Americans) stay at an All-Inclusive Resort. We like the nicer hotels because it gives us the option to venture out and explore the local culture when we want. Or we can relax by the water, feeling the ocean breeze, sipping on a Paloma (which is pretty awesome too). We like a good mix while we are on vacation. Plus I like a nice warm shower to wash the days' adventures off of me (which I realize is sort of in conflict with what I was just preaching above, and that is part of my internal struggle when it comes to this topic). You could probably save some money if you stayed at a local hotel, off of the beach, but it will be a lot more work on your part too. Keep this one thing in mind: As I always say "It is okay to do touristy things, but not to act like a tourist". If you do not understand the difference, you are who I am talking to.

The best thing that we have found about All-Inclusives is that even if it is raining, you can belly up to the beach bar (beneath the thatched roof), enjoy some beverages, and wait for the rain to pass. If you are going to be getting rained on, this is as good of place as any. The worst day in Mexico is still better than your best day in the office!

We have always had good luck with AM Resorts properties. We have stayed at Dreams Puerto Aventuras and Now Jade and loved both of them. Both have been beautiful with very good food. Both of these resorts do have international cuisines, something for everyone's taste, but I challenge you to focus on the authentic Mexican items. See a couple photos below.