
Fifty-two meals. Three states. One grandmother.
I survived.
After an adventurous trek through the likes of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, I have finally returned home to the Golden State. My stomach though... he still yearns for the East Coast. Although muddled, I'm pretty sure the growls are saying, Can't we go back??? The answer is no, stomach, we cannot go back. You know why? I read on the internet you can actually die from eating too much. And if the internet says so, we must be careful...
That aside, the food of the Tri-State area really impressed this California kid. I gained some serious food knowledge back east, dude.
I shall now list the 12 things I learned from pigging out in NJ, NY and PA:
12. Searching for brunch in rural Pennsylvania? Do not grow discouraged if you cannot locate a single Yelp review in the area. Rural PA does not do Yelp. Just hop in the car and start driving. You may end up stumbling upon a hole-in-the-wall-converted-convenience-store-now-breakfast-stop-with-a-killer-Italian Scramble-that-got-rid-of-the-aisles-but-not-the-surrounding-refrigerated-glass-cases-and-spells-the-restaurant-name-differently-on-the-menu-and-the-sign-out-front.
11. My grandmother is the best cook. Now, I know what you are thinking. Oh, God, he's one of those guys? Well, I guess I am, but I'm not going to apologize for it. My grandmother really does make gold out of crap. It makes no sense -- outside of the moat of butter (how French of her, right?) she uses on everything, how does she do it? Her chocolate chip pancakes (you're never too old for chocolate chip pancakes)... amazing. She makes them from a Super Stop 'n Shop mix. Her brownies... amazing. Straight from a store-bought Ghiradelli box. Her chicken parmesan... amazing. She makes it with fucking panko crumbs! And Ragu! How could it be good with panko and Ragu? The best part? If you ask her, she says, "I'm a horrible cook."
10. The so-called "tomato pies" of New Jersey are way overrated. As the picture above demonstrates, the NJ tomato pies are very thin in crust, which results in a rather burnt taste. They also place the tomatoes atop the cheese. The overall combination, although enjoyable due to its variation from the norm, doesn't really hold up taste-wise compared to the the delicably floppy slices of New York City.
9. New Jersey and Pennsylvania do their turnpike service stations right. Almost every stop sold the two keys to every great road trip: Starbucks and these. Neither of which are easily accessible on any LA-SF trek, no matter which freeway you take.
8. The famed Primanti's of Pittsburgh is more than a gimmick. One of the best sandwiches I've had all year.
Horrible picture of a Pork Meatball Sandwich at NYC's The Meatball Shop.
7. Go to The Meatball Shop in New York City (East Village). It's hip. It's cool. It serves... wait for it... wait for it... meatballs! All different types of them. Chicken, pork, beef, vegetable. You can have them in sandwiches or atop spaghetti or risotto, or lots of other things. And with each ball order you get to pick amongst at least four sauces. I truly think the crappiness of my picture above exemplifies how much I enjoyed this meal -- I wanted to eat my chicken and pesto meatball sandwich and try my friend's pork meatball with spicy meat sauce sandwich so badly, I wouldn't take the proper time to snap a good picture. I said, fuck it, this looks awesome. And it was.
6. Also go to the Oakmont Bakery in Oakmont, PA (right outside of Pittsburgh). Have the pumpkin cake. Thank me now, thank me then, thank me never, but you're welcome.
5. The serving sizes at Harold's New York Deli in Edison, NJ are the largest I've ever seen. If nutritionists blame Cheesecake Factory for fatness in America, they most certainly should accuse Harold's for obesity. Gluttony 101, served between two fresh slices of rye, seven days a week from the former General Manager of Carnegie Deli. I ordered a "large" turkey sandwich (they're only available in large or extra large on the menu). At the restaurant -- even though I had skipped breakfast in anticipation -- I only mustered to eat half the sandwich. I took the remaining turkey home. I ended up using the leftover turkey in two sandwiches and one omelette. And even then, I ended up throwing a solid fifth of a pound away. Likewise, my grandmother ended up pleading relentlessly with friends to take her extra pastrami off her hands.
4. Attend a wedding in Pittsburgh, stop by the "Cookie Table." It is a Pittsburgh tradition and it is awesome. Dozens of families associated with the wedding party bake hundreds of their favorite/speciality cookie the night before, and then the day of the wedding all the cookies are proudly presented for your consuming pleasure on the "Cookie Table." Oddly enough -- outside of some solid chocolate chip cookies -- the most popular cookie was an Ohio favorite, the Buckeye, a delightful peanut butter ball dipped in chocolate. Oh, and they still do wedding cake as well!
3. Los Angeles has Bay Cities. New Jersey has Dolce and Clemente's. Like most fine Italian delicatessens, the D&C glass deli case serves as a frame to beautiful pieces of art.
2. I had 45 minutes to make my bus at Port Authority. I was at 3rd and B. What did I do? I first took a cab 110 blocks for a fucking Black and White cookie, then rushed 70 blocks back to barely make the bus. But you would too, if you could have a Nussbaum & Wu Black and White. Or Brown (mocha flavored) and White. They simply are the best Black and Whites in the country. And I've eaten a lot of Black and Whites. So has my Dad. And this is a man who almost never completely agrees on anything with me. Nussbam & Wu? We agree upon. They are so good they make you so jealous of the Columbia students filling the place you want to punch them in the face. And then steal their Black and White.
1. This is going to come as no surprise to anyone, but the pizza in New York City is better than the pizza in Los Angeles... by a shit ton. Obviously LA has some amazing pizza (hello, Mozza, how are you?) and Los Angelenos loathe to hear New York is better at anything. I understand. However, it is hard to ignore how good the pizza is in Manhattan (and Brooklyn and Queens...). To really prove my point: on my walk to Motorino the other day a saleswoman from a decrepit pizza joint stopped me and offered a free sample. That free sample, from that decrepit pizza joint on a worn-down block of Manhattan... better than any pizza I've had in LA all year. Not sure if it's the water or not, but we need to start drinking it.
The New-York-Deli-style sandwich is the most retarded food in America. Seriously, is there any food in the country with a worse size-to-taste ratio?
ReplyDelete"Plain meat... Plain bread... how are we gonna sell this? Let's just make it ridiculously huge and hope nobody notices Quiznos next door."
This is a wonderful article, Given so much info in it, These type of articles keeps the users interest in the website, and keep on sharing more … good luck Cara Menyembuhkan Bells Palsy Dengan Cepat, Obat Anyang Anyangan Yang Dijual Di Apotik
ReplyDeleteCongratulations reactivities ,, highly awaited new information from this site
ReplyDeleteGood luck !!
obat kulit gatal berair
obat gabagen tradisional
obat kista sebasea tradisional
activity, highly awaited new information from this site
ReplyDeleteGood luck !!
bahaya sinusitis
obat lambung ampuh manjur
manfaat jeruk nipis
Sites like these I'm looking for
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information, in tunggua keep the latest news
cara sembuhkan gagal ginjal
obat kurang darah tradisional manjur
obat haid tidak teratur manjur
Congratulations reactivities ,, highly awaited new information from this site
ReplyDeleteGood luck !!
obat tradisional jantung rematik manjur
obat aterosklerosis tradisional
given article is very helpful and very useful for my admin, and pardon me permission to share articles here hopefully helped Obat biang keringat
ReplyDeletegiven article is very helpful and very useful for my admin, and pardon me permission to share articles here hopefully helped Obat penyakit cacar air
ReplyDeleteThe latest information we are waiting for lho..semoga what is given can be useful
ReplyDeleteTerimakash..success always everything..salam know
obat kista coklat tradisional
obat darah rendah tradisional ampuh
Pengobatan Alami Untuk Kanker Hati
News presented on your site is very helpful .. hopefully you can provide other latest info yes
ReplyDeleteSuccess always ..
http://qncobatinfeksiparuparu.com/cara-mengobati-varikokel-ringan/
http://www.obatherbalbronkhitis.stockistherbal.com/pengobatan-tradisional-benjolan-belakang-telinga/
the information you share is very useful
ReplyDeleteHighly awaited other latest news
obat migrain tradisional
jantung rematik pada anak
obat tradisional ablasio retina
Thanks for the information presented on your website
ReplyDeleteVery in waiting for other information
obat kanker paru paru tanpa operasi
cara membersihkan rahim wanita
kitchen set minimalis untuk apartemen
ReplyDeletebiaya pembuatan kitchen set per meter
jasa pembuatan kitchen set murah
jual sofa unik bandung
pembuatan sofa bandung
tempat mebel murah di bandung
toko mebel murah bandung
jual gerobak kayu bandung
jual lempok durian di surabaya
tips cepat hamil untuk wanita gemuk
jual kitchen set minimalis murah
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information, very useful
I am very glad to have gotten very useful information
best regards and thanks
obat luka bernanah
obat pengering luka
Obat penghilang benjolan
Obat sakit saat Kencing
obat kencing nanah
obat tipes
Obat Aborsi Di Surabaya COD
ReplyDeleteJual Obat Penggugur Kandungan Di Surabaya COD
Obat Aborsi Di Jakarta COD
nice post friend , Thank you for sharing with us, and we sincerely hope you will continue to update or post other articles
ReplyDeletecara untuk menghentikan pendarahan saat haid yang berlebihan
highly awaited new information from this site
ReplyDeleteGood luck !!
obat tradisional kista ginjal
makanan untuk penderita liver
obat hepatitis b kronis
Congratulations reactivities ,, highly awaited new information from this site
ReplyDeleteGood luck !!
obat ginjal bengkak tradisional
penyebab penyakit liver
Sites like these I'm looking for
ReplyDeleteThanks for the information, in tunggua keep the latest news
obat tradisional anemia aplastik
penyebab mata bintitan
Hopefully, sustenance will be easy and simplified in all matters :-)Bismillah Hopefully given the health and sustenance abundant amen :)
ReplyDeleteDISTRIBUTOR QNC JELLY GAMAT
obat infeksi usus
cara mengobati penyakit gudik
obat infeksi pernafasan
obat penyakit jantung
Hopefully the information you provide can be useful
ReplyDeletewait again the latest information ... everything works
cara mengatasi kista bartholin
The latest information we are waiting for lho..semoga what is given can be useful
ReplyDeletesuccess always everything.
obat tradisional maag akut
obat tradisional buah zakar bengkak
obat tradisional lutut kaku
The news that you present is very useful .. hopefully other news as well
ReplyDeleteYou can share .. success
cara membuat obat wereng alami
pakan domba selain rumput
Good luck ,, in waiting for other information from your site
ReplyDeletesend regards for success
sot hcs untuk padi
cara mengatasi wc mampet tanpa sedot
Thanks for the information presented on your website
ReplyDeleteVery in waiting for other information
tips kesehatan
obat tradisional sindrom nefrotik
top packers and movers in noida delhi and gurgaon providing all over india transportation best services for more information call us on our number or mail us 9024332029, 9910303792
ReplyDeleteAgarwal Packers and movers Noida
Agarwal Packers and movers Noida
gati packers and movers charges
agarwal packers and movers charges
om packers and movers noida
gati packers and movers noida
agarwal packers and movers ghaziabad
packers and movers bahadurgarh
packers in noida
packers and movers greater noida
agarwal packers and movers in noida
packers and movers in bahadurgarh
movers and packers in noida
movers and packers noida charges
greater noida movers and packers
packers movers greater noida
agarwal movers and packers in noida
agarwal packers and movers rohini delhi
packers and movers in gurgaon dlf phase 5
packers and movers noida sector 12
crown packers and movers gurgaon
packers and movers gurgaon sector 56
agarwal movers and packers faridabad
agarwal packers and movers greater noida
packers and movers in noida sector 62
movers and packers in east delhi
movers and packers noida sector 62
packers and movers in delhi cantt
movers and packers in west delhi
movers and packers in delhi
movers and packers
packers and movers in delhi
packers and movers delhi
packers and movers
packers in delhi
packers and movers service in delhi
packers and movers in delhi ncr
packers and movers in new delhi
packers and movers in ncr
helpful information, thanks for writing and share this information. Packers And Movers Marathahalli , Packers And Movers Electronic City
ReplyDeletePackers And Movers Bellandur , Packers And Movers Btm Layout
Packers And Movers Hsr Layout , Packers And Movers Bommanahalli