mmm-yoso!!!

The Summer of 2016 Drive Across the USA - Part Three: What We Ate (the local places)

Thanks for dropping by to read mmm-yoso!!!, a blog about food.  Cathy is writing about her summer drive back East-not a vacation, not planned.  After all the hubbub, there was time to eat out at places which were not chains. 

This third part of the 2016 foray out of California will not contain places or foods one might typically associate with the Detroit area.  (Since this wasn't a vacation, there were time restrictions; I will get to three places in particular on the next trip).  All of the restaurants in this post have familiar foods and are places where special meals occurred when I was growing up.   

 The Midwest. Beef.  Sign of the Beefcarver, where we went for Sunday meals out. 

   

Cafeteria style with waitresses who take your tray, seat you and refill your beverages.  (The first small photo is where you can hang your heavy winter coat when you walk in; it is Michigan). There are only two locations left, but beginning in 1957, this was THE place to go, with many locations. 

Known for hand-carved, slow roasted beef, which is and has always been my choice (and a comfort food) The hot beef sandwich (top on white bread, bottom on pumpernickel) shown with various cafeteria chosen sides and the condiment bar selections of pickles, beets, horseradish and sour cream.Then there is the chopped round steak plate, which my brother chose.  Also very good, because...meat (along with mushroom gravy).

There are many Coney Island restaurants in Detroit, with people having a favorite one close to home and another favorite close to work (similar to taco shops in San Diego).  Leo's Coney Island is a nearby, local chain.  It's been around since 1972. Most coneys also have Greek selections on the menu, like this wonderful avgolemono (chicken/egg/rice/lemon) soup. 

But of course the actual 'coney' (on the right- a smokey, natural casing hot dog) topped with beanLESS chili, onions and mustard, along with a 'loose'-(loose hamburger in a hot dog bun, topped with the same) is a typical order.

Long ago, there were Polish restaurants in every neighborhood in Detroit city. Those are now in the suburbs.  I went to three differentPolish restaurants this trip and these photos are typical meals.

 

As soon as you are seated, a basket of breads, crackers and butter are brought to the table.  Two slices of each flavor (marble, white and rye) in plastic lunch bags.  

Soup is also served at every meal.  This one, dill pickle soup, is my favorite. Each restaurant has a 'Polish Plate"which includes everything seen here: kraut, kielbasa, pierogi and Gołąbki (gah WHUMP key)-stuffed cabbage.

 

Here's a cross section of some pierogi - with mashed potato, cottage cheese and sauerkraut fillings.

 

Chicken dumpling, chicken noodle and creamy mushroom soup were also consumed at various meals this trip.
 

Another common food on a 'Polish Plate' is City Chicken, which I wrote about in 2014.  I was slightly disappointed in this version, because it was made of chicken (!) instead of the traditional veal and pork...because real chicken is now cheaper, defeating the whole purpose of 'city chicken'.

 

There are also 'family style' places in the suburbs, similar to Jimmy's, Perry's  and other 'diner' type establishments we have out here. comfortable, with comfort food.

Yes, omelets and liver and onions type of comfort food, along with cabbage soup.

Of course, there are the 'Dairy XXX' type places on every street corner.  Soft serve, sundaes, flurries, treats.

Interesting factoid- these all open on Memorial Day weekend and close on Labor Day.  One of the reasons Michigan public schools don't start until after Labor Day- so that seasonal employees/students can finish up their summer jobs.  

Thanks for reading!  Hope your weekend is good.

The Summer of 2016 Drive Across the USA - Part Two: What We Ate (the chains)

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog and we (Kirk, Ed(from Yuma) and Cathy) try to keep things interesting.  This post is written by Cathy, who had a more or less interesting Summer of 2016 adventure which included food.  

Again, it was not a vacation and the drive *to* Michigan was interesting and rushed (the drive back to San Diego was, fortunately, far more vacation-like).  Upon arrival, I was looking for familiar foods.  However, I needed wi-fi so I wouldn't use up my monthly data on the phone.  There were three places (Starbucks, Panera and Culver's) close by which had free wifi.  In the three weeks of my stay, I did patronize (not just hang out to get the free wifi) those businesses at least five times each. By far, my favorite was Culver's, "Home of the Butter Burger"  Fresh, never frozen, Midwest-raised beef, seared on the grill after you order served on a lightly buttered, toasted bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and mayonnaise. This is a "Deluxe Double" ($4.79).
Following several Butter Burger meals, I opted for the Pork Tenderloin Sandwich ($4.89). You might notice the sides of cheese curds (this time, Wisconsin cheese).
A 'Wisconsin Swiss Melt" ($3.69, double $5.29)) -grilled onions on a wonderful (cheesy) grilled rye bread was also one meal choice. Culver's is also know for its fresh, frozen custard.  Made from real Wisconsin dairy sourced from local farms and prepared fresh throughout the day.  There's always chocolate and vanilla available, but also a unique Flavor of the Day. You can have a shake, malt or float made with the custard.  There was also something called a 'concrete mixer' on the menu.  Big Boy still has locations in Michigan. 

 For the most part, I enjoyed the traditional "Big Boy" Hamburger (two 1/8 lb patties, double cheese, lettuce, pickles, Thousand Island dressing on a toasted sesame seeded bun, with a toasted plain center bun) while having the occasional "Brawny Lad" (1/4 lb meat, a whole slice of raw onion, pat of butter on a toasted rye bun) with a salad topped with the (less famous) garlic oil salad dressing.
Another 'local' chain is White Castle Not much explanation needed; White Castle is where the 'slider' originated. Small, thin, steamed (there are five holes punched in that piece of meat) and topped with one pickle and a scoop of grilled onion, the taste is unique and so very familiar.  As a side note, these are now 79¢ each and I remember when they were 14¢ each (because I am old). 

In addition to burgers, there was pizza.  Jets Pizza  first opened in 1978 in a nearby Detroit suburb and is available in either square or round, cooked with a layer of oil on the bottom, for a nice 'crunch'.  
 Little Caesars began in 1959 in Detroit. It is a franchise concept and undoubtedly you have seen "Hot N Ready" advertising around here, indicating that you can just walk in and pick up a hot, fresh pizza topped with pepperoni for around $5. In the Detroit area, there are six types of 'Hot N Ready' pies as well as a few other "HnR" sides, which you can pick up via drive-thru (quite convenient on snowy days), or you can walk inside and order a personalized pie and even more.  Again, the pizza has that crunchy, oily bottom crust, which I've been told is 'Detroit Style'.  {As a side note,  Domino's was also founded in Detroit in 1960 as a competitor to Little Caesars and doesn't really have that oily, crunchy bottom crust to their pies}.  The downside to using the drive thru for a 'Hot n Ready' is that it is handed to you through the window and you have to place it on the seat next to you...and that surface is not flat.

 One other local/chain restaurant/snack stop where we spent some time was Tim Horton's, a Canadian based fast food restaurant (you might notice this location used to be a McDonald's-see the trash cans on the outside of the building?) "Timmy's" is primarily known for its coffee and donuts, although soups, sandwiches and ice cream is also on the menu. We did go to Starbucks for coffee and wifi, but were at Timmy's for a fresh donut quite a few times...

Other meals were made at home after shopping at the local Grocer, Meijer -fondly remembered as "Meijer Thrifty Acres".  Michigan based with regional stores, in 1934, it was one of very few supermarket chains that offered shopping carts and the concept of 'self service', then in 1962 it pioneered the concept of a 'Superstore'-everything under one roof.  Meijer sells not only groceries, but electronics, clothing, household goods, has a fuel station with an attached Convenience Store.  I was here for ham and hard salami and bread: Krakus Polish ham, Kowalski brand salami: many sandwiches were consumed.

Once things settled down, there was time to go out to a few non-chain restaurants and have those foods. That's another post. Thanks for reading!

Road Trip-Day Five: Detroit/Ann Arbor, MI to St Louis-ish, MO

mmm-yoso!!! is a food blog, written in some creative ways.  This time it is Cathy, writing about food across America and back.  We are now heading back ... towards San Diego. 

Hello again.  We are all back in the car and heading west...albeit slowly.  First, breakfast...

Cracker Barrel is along our entire driving route- except, not in California-the closest one to us is 3 hours away, in Yuma. It is good in the sense that all are laid out the same way and I know exactly where the restrooms are-just past the "General Store" lobby (filled with souvenirs and knick knacks and candies)...and they serve breakfast all day. There is a small game on every simply set table. Coffee is $1.39-but I am spoiled by the consistency of Starbucks- cross country(as a side note- we used 6 tanks of fuel and 7 stops at Starbucks on this drive East) I can get a fresh cup of coffee whenever we stop; I can tell you stories of the strangest tasting brown colored hot water I have consumed on prior road trips. This year the signage for Starbucks is better( "Exit 159, Turn Left" with a Starbucks symbol, nothing else) and there are more locations right off the freeway.

So, back to Cracker Barrel, The Mister got the "Holiday Sampler" breakfast plate ($7.19) A choice of country or sugar ham, a slice of wonderful country bacon (it is not crispy, but a cured smoked ham thin sliced and pan fried -different than what most of you grew up with), a wonderful sausage patty, two eggs, hash browns, spiced apples, grits, a regular biscuit, an apple biscuit and country gravy-not too spicy(needed to add pepper), not at all lumpy.Plenty of food. I got the two biscuits with ham and side of spiced apples- they are cooked with the skins on....still crispy in a thick, non-cinnamon, non-sweet sauce. 

One thing I like about Cracker Barrel is that you can get a book on tape (or CD) at one location and then drive while listening to it and return it at any other location whenever.  It ends up costing you less than $5 and is a good way to pass time if you don't have satellite radio.  Regular AM/FM stations end up fading so fast while driving (at best one station will last 2 hours) that having something to hold your concentration, besides conversation, helps tremendously.

Wonderful... said our goodbyes and and we were off in the car again. First stop, the University of Michigan. North Campus. Food.

Yes, you are reading correct- Bagel Fragel. A fragel is ...yep, a fried bagel.

Raisin packed bagel dough, fried to a golden brown (instead of boiled).  Coated in cinnamon sugar. More sugar than cinnamon-perfect.  (I don't crave cinnamon) (89¢) An Ann Arbor tradition for 30 years.  {The original Bagel Fragel place used to be located on South University, but now is North of North Campus, on Plymouth Road.}  I would get one every Saturday morning.  Had to get one now.  Had to. While I could. It is bread-y inside and the crust is lightly crispy...not hard...still chewy but a little crunch. Healthier than a donut...not as healthy as  bagel...like I care. 

A salt bagel, toasted, with butter.  (72¢) It is quite difficult to find salt bagels around San Diego.  These are good, fresh, inexpensive....and salty! The shop also sells muffins, danishes, sandwiches and breakfast bagels.

Then the traditional  Ann Arbor stop at The Cube, a beautiful installation art piece that spins on its axis, either with the help of a push, or just the wind.  Made in 1966-67, by Tony Rosenthal, it is located near the Michigan Union,  {just off of State Street, on Maynard} and has a "twin"of itself in New York City.  As a size reference, the corners parallel to the ground are worn out.  Those corners are arm level - where you push. 

Then, our primary traditional food indulgence.  Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger.  This small restaurant (Capacity of 50) seems to be patronized by a lot of people after graduation. The people working the grill were commenting about how many "old" people were in there when we were.  Eh, after Thanksgiving, the town seemed filled with alumnae.  The Mister and I both lived in South Quad, a dorm located only a block away from Blimpy's and frequented this simple restaurant regularly when undergrads. 

You walk in, between tables, and queue up. The menu is on the wall behind the tray line (click to enlarge and read).

You grab a tray and tell the cook your order. Then you watch it being made. The beef is ground daily, set up as a ball of meat in single, double, triple and quad packs, and slapped down on the grill to cook and seasoned with a salt/pepper mix. If you are getting fried items, you order from the fry cook...finished sandwich items are

topped to your wishes (ketchup, mustard, mayo,  lettuce, tomato, pickles, raw onions, relish, yellow peppers) and wrapped at the end of the line ... you pay and find a seat.

Mine. Double. Provolone. Fried egg. Mayo. Tomato. Onion. Pickle. ($2.85 plus 55 cents for the egg)

His. Triple. Blue cheese. Everything but onion. ($3.95)

Small mixed fried veggies. ($3.45) We sat at 2 of the 5 barstools looking out the front window,  onto South Division, as we had many years ago. Enjoyed every last bite. 

Oh, the burgers are juicy, flavorful and absolutely the best you will ever have.  It has been said you can feel your arteries hardening with each bite.  The mixed fries are plentiful, lightly crispy, not too greasy..a mix of onions, zucchini, cauliflower, mushrooms-no potatoes...perfect. We cleaned our tray and left...already awaiting the next visit. It is cheaper than food...and so good.

We ate more today, but I will just add it to tomorrow's post...

Cracker Barrel website.  Numerous locations.

MD Bagel Fragel  (734)332-1020  North Campus (Plymouth Road)

Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger 551 S. Division, Ann Arbor 48104 (734)663-4590

 

***Krazy Jim's closed on August 15, 2013 after 60 years.  It should be re-opening and the date and location will be announced on its Web Page

Road Trip-Day Three: Joplin, MO-Detroit, MI

mmm-yoso!!! is the food blog.  Cathy is blogging about food and some other stuff this Thanksgiving week.

Hi.  Yes the third day in the car with The Mister, one small dog and one cat.  We do this.  Annually.  You get to peek in and see what it is like, sort of.   I would like to take this time to let everyone know that XM stereo radio is the most wonderful invention, ever.

One small note. yesterday (or the day before-it is all a blur), we had passed under the World's Largest McDonald's, which crosses over the Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma. Usually we stop- as there is fuel sold on either side- but we did not need to this time. I'll post more on the way back. I know someone may have noticed... In the morning, we stopped at the Russell Stover/Whitman's Chocolates "Superstore"...the adversting has changed; it used to be an "outlet" and does sell some candies in a "scratch and dent/basic box style, as we,, as items in the fancy wrapped boxes for less than list price. My brother happens to crave the butter toffee almond sticks...and I had a few of the samples offered. They also sell Blue Bunny ice cream cream in the store- not that I wanted any; it was very windy and about 50 outside..ooohhh...cold (for us from California).... We ended up stopping at a Panera in Rolla, MO so I could post yesterday, and then driving on. Then, the outskirts of St. Louis and a Local Chain- Lion's Choice. A simple menu and simple decor. You can have the beef on your sandwich cooked to your liking if it is available (you know, they do run out of rare at some point in the day) although you would have to wait for 'well done', since most of the beef is rare to medium rare... and the meat on the sandwich is topped with a seasoning salt- but it is not too salty; in this case, we asked for it to be cooked as rare as possible...and the bread is toasted and buttered....in the photo, the top is the large, bottom is a small...there is au jus available (it is not at all salty) as well as horseradish sauce....it isthe most wonderful roast beef sandwich, ever. If you see a Lion's Choice, you should stop and partake.Oh, the small was $2.79 and large was $3.29 and that is a small fries. Then, seemingly soon, we were in Illinois...and this sign, which we always see off the side of the road...Foot High Pies. You can see the building used to be a Stuckey's. Most of the height is the merengue, of course. We got a slice of chocolate and one of banana- also available are coconut and lemon. $4 each slice and $14 for the whole pie... it is wonderful and so fresh. The restaurant makes great food...menu on wall in back...We will have to eat there next time.... Not much scenery for you, for now...It was a driving day... Gotta go shopping. Now. Bye!