CT Day 3, Rawleys, LOUIS LUNCH, Billyboy, etc

Grand Finale of my 3 day CT ROADFOOD TRIP.... Tues, July 22nd, 2008
Planned route : DANBURY to NEW HAVEN via GREENWICH, NORWALK..
...woke up at my Super 8 Motel in Danbury..
I wanted my 1st Roadfood meal of the day to be at BURGER,SHAKES, and FRIES in GREENWICH, after reading Roadfood write up by Michael Stern

FIRST I took an early morning stroll thru the Danbury Fair Mall 9 am
APPLE I-Pod Line at DANBURY FAIR MALL (a dose of reality)

The mall is at the former site of the "Great Danbury Fair", which was open from 1869-1981, according to some old pics in the mall.
(went there once growing up, when I was about 12)

Next, I went thru the town of BREWSTER, NY, which has seen better days
BREWSTER, NY (about 8 miles west of DANBURY,)


I arrive at the BURGER, SHAKES and FRIES in GREENWICH, CT ..

here's the young, handsome dedicated owner KORY behind the counter

He's a 34 year old Greenwich native, graduated Cornell, and was all set to go to Veternarian School. But he realized he enjoyed working in restaurants so much that he made it his career! (I know all this cause I read the articles on the wall!)
BURGER, SHAKES and FRIES burger (good fresh meat, just not my type)

I prefer a charbroiled burger, or a real good seared/griddled one..
Kory said these are griddled, but it was too subtle to notice..
just no "wow" factor for me...
This is STRICTLY just my personal opinion, as Michael Stern and others seemed to really enjoy this place. I love the taste of the texas style toast (something different)

I did not get any fries or onion rings, as being they were not homemade, I figure I would save myself for more food later on..
I LOVED the sign that says they cooked their burgers MEDIUM RARE unless told otherwise (BAAH BEN, YOU would definitely appreciate this)
Looks like the "burger police" have not invaded CT, as I learned later in the day that LOUIS LUNCH also cooks MED RARE as standard

one more view of B, S, and F, off the DELAVAN ROAD exit


next stop, SMOKEY'S JOE'S BBQ in STAMFORD where I heard I could get some beef ribs!!

BEEF RIB from SMOKEY JOE'S, STAMFORD ($11.95 inc. one side)


The rib was surprisingly VERY tender and flavorful. (I do prefer a little more of a crusty exterior, but this type was softer)
There were only about 3 other people in there (why?), although it was lunchtime. Cafeteria style...
The VIEW was nice from inside SMOKEY JOE'S

So there you go, Wandering Jew! I found my BEEF RIBS in Connecticut,
so now my trip is COMPLETE!!
(well, not really,as I still got some more hot dog joints to hit, plus LOUIS LUNCH)

RAWLEY'S DRIVE IN , Fairfield, CT

Note the "ROESSLER'S hot dog" on their sign... John Fox responded to my CT Part 2, and talked hot dogs.... he just so happened to mentioned that Roessler's is not being produced anymore. Coincedantly, I was planning to put it in this report, so it came in handy. I just assumed they used Roesslers, but apparently is was just an OLD SIGN. John thinks they use the MUCKE brand now...
(funny name, huh?!?)
RAWLEY'S DRIVE IN HOT DOG, Fairfield, CT (as eaten in my rental car)

It was a real decent dog, for those that like the pork/beef mix...
I kept giving each dog place a few bites or so, but I'm really an all beef hot dog gal...

SUPER DUPER WEENIE, Fairfield, CT (www.superduperweenie.com)

Their website gives the most honest directions I've probably ever seen.... they're not KIDDING when they talk about the "nutty traffic
circle"!! (that usually requires a few circles around to get it right

SUPER DUPER WEENIE DOG , Fairfield, CT.. (Hummels Brand)

The owners/workers in here were very friendly..place was rockin'
As an afterthought, I got some of their homemade FRIES;
(woman can't live by hot dogs alone!!)
FRIES from Super Duper Weenie


I also made another stop at STEW LEONARD'S in Norwalk...
(those of you who read my Part 1 will remember I stopped there with my DAY 1 Roadfood buddy, Mark)
Should've quit while I was ahead! Their burger says "ground fresh daily".... but they really killed the thing, huh???

Here's my DEAD BURGER from STEW LEONARDS snack bar

No wonder you said their snack bar was "just okay", Mark...

Wait! What about the first meal at burg,shake, fries?

I'm thinking she just posted the pics as a "teaser" and didn't have the time for the text, she's pretty good about getting her write ups in even after posting pics.

Looking forward to more. I can't wait for your take on Louis Lunch.

So far so good Ellen, I'm enjoying the trip. Absolutely one of the worst meals I've ever had (so bad it is still memorable some 25 years later) was the one time I went to the Danbury fair. I had Fried Chicken that gave new meaning to the word rubbery. Come to think of it, it was probably in 1981, so that would be the last year. The chicken may have been left over from the first year.

So, I thought I'd never say someting like this, but food-wise, the mall is an improvement over what was there before.

Looking forward to the rest of your stops.

quote:

Originally posted by ken8038

So far so good Ellen, I'm enjoying the trip. Absolutely one of the worst meals I've ever had (so bad it is still memorable some 25 years later) was the one time I went to the Danbury fair. I had Fried Chicken that gave new meaning to the word rubbery. Come to think of it, it was probably in 1981, so that would be the last year. The chicken may have been left over from the first year.

So, I thought I'd never say someting like this, but food-wise, the mall is an improvement over what was there before.

Looking forward to the rest of your stops.

My memories of the Danbury Fair are quite different. I absolutely loved the food at the fair -- the sausage, pepper and onions sandwiches; the elephant ears; the candied apples; the corn on the cob; and especially the just-pressed cider.

Ellen, I'm anxious to see your report on "Louis Lunch". Never been there and would like to hear about it first hand from an "educated consumer".

Ellen,

One of these:


... is also known as a griddle, and that is no doubt on what Kory cooked your hamburger. It can be kind of confusing, because that flat-top device is also called a grill, which is also what something with a grid over flames or gas heating elements is called.

If the restaurant is not actually using coals of some kind, I think what you want (after reading your great trip reports!) is a burger cooked at least on of of these:


... which is basicly a commercial version of a home outdoor grill. This one is called a "char grill" by the dealer.

BTW, I like them "char-grilled" too. Less grease, and one can more easily get a crust without making them overdone.

Ellen, that beef rib looks fantastic!!!

===BTW, I like them "char-grilled" too. Less grease, and one can more easily get a crust without making them overdone.===

Don,

You have done an important service as there are folks who don't know or understand the difference. One thing, I have never used a flat-top griddle as much as I have here in CT. A burger should never be cooked on a flat top...well okay, Shady Glen is one exception. There are no absolutes I guess.

Always search out the term 'flame broiled' as a basic term. You wouldn't want a steak cooked on a flat-top, so why should you want to do that to a burger?

mark

quote:

Originally posted by Twinwillow

Ellen, I'm anxious to see your report on "Louis Lunch". Never been there and would like to hear about it first hand from an "educated consumer".

I bet she'll put it neck and neck with Ted's She seems to be capitalizing LOUIS LUNCH, so maybe she liked it.

mark

quote:

Originally posted by Twinwillow

Ellen, that beef rib looks fantastic!!!

Most definitely! What were the 3 sauces?

Brad

quote:

Originally posted by ken8038
Absolutely one of the worst meals I've ever had (so bad it is still memorable some 25 years later) was the one time I went to the Danbury fair. I had Fried Chicken that gave new meaning to the word rubbery. Come to think of it, it was probably in 1981, so that would be the last year. The chicken may have been left over from the first year

TOO FUNNY, Ken!! Yup, it sounds like you got served some 1869 Chicken!
I hate rubbery chicken, as well as rubbery burgers.. there's usually plenty of that stuff in those big amusement parks/Disney parks..
(those infamous $8.00 rubbery burgers, and processed chicken fingers)
You know it's a REAL bad meal when you remember it 25 years later!

quote:

Originally posted by Brad_Olson

quote:

Originally posted by Twinwillow

Ellen, that beef rib looks fantastic!!!

Most definitely! What were the 3 sauces?

Brad

Glad to hear you admiring my RIB, guys!
The sauces were mild, hot, and carolina BBQ...

Hey, MIAMI DON, thanks for the education on grills...
Baah Ben has also sent me personal e-mails differentiating the between the various types of grills..
I definitely like that crust, or at least a real good sear..
I find it adds to the flavor SO much... in Michael Sterns pic of B,S,&F, it was hard to tell , cause that toast covered up so much..

STAY TUNED for Rawleys, Super Duper Wienie, and Louis Lunch...
enquiring minds' will soon find out just what I thought about Louis Lunch !!!

Great finale Ellen...to a great trip...Thanks so much...had a great time going along with you!

What happened to the Louis Lunch photos?

She's on the move again! Staying with the beef.....Go girl.

I'm really looking forward to that Louis Lunch report also. That should be very interesting with those old time broilers. Wondering how you'll like the burgers. To me their burgers look like you could do the same thing in your oven by just using the broiler function and flipping them over once.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Hoffman

What happened to the Louis Lunch photos?

Here it comes, guys! The climax of my CT Roadfood Trip...
LOUIS LUNCH, New Haven, CT

Here's the VERDICT : I HATED Ted's, But I LOVED Louis Lunch!!

BAAH BEN, I wish you could have been here with me, to experience all
these DRIPPING JUICES! Their standard way is to make them MED RARE,
so I went with that.
LOUIS LUNCH burger

WHAT'S wrong with this next pic, Roadfooder?? (I know you know the answer, Michael Hoffman!!) (and Jane and Michael)

The correct answer is "There is NO mayo available at Louis Lunch"
I had brought a few packets in, just in case, but believe me, the burger did'nt even need it!! (their only toppings are cheese wiz, onions, and tomato)

I was actually very lucky to make it in the place. They shut the doors right after I got in there! I got in there 3:50 pm on Tuesday;
little did I know they close 4 pm on Tuesdays!!!!!
(and they are NOT open on Sun. and Mon. , so I had to wait till Tuesday; so glad I just made it!!)
I did'nt think I would like the white toast thing, (I'm really a sesame seed bun gal), but it gave the burger a real good unique all around taste... and I felt like I was part of history eating there..
The first burger restaurant, since 1895!!
(so even back then, they could've lived it up... Louis Lunch in 1895, followed by the going to the Danbury Fair... )

One final stop before I catch my train back to NYC..(then bus to AC)
ASHLEY'S ICE CREAM, New Haven....(homemade)

Had some great choc. chip cookie dough....(pic came out blurry, so..)

I never like to have a moment wasted, so I created a little layover for myself in NYC. I had arranged to "MEAT UP" with the legendary
BILLYBOY !!! (author of so many great Trip Reports...)
Me and BILLYBOY inside HILL COUNTRY BBQ, NYC

He was nice enough to suggest meeting me at Grand Central, where he proceeded to help me wheel my bags along, and we took a subway, and then walked over to the Hill Country...(we've both been there before)
BRISKET (lean and moist) from HILL COUNTRY BBQ

It was decent, overall, but I've liked it even better on past visits.
I wanted a beef rib, too, but I was S.O.L, as they were out of them

Here's Billyboy looking so "Kevin James"...(I think he's a dead ringer for Kevin James,the guy from the now defunct King of Queens TV show. It was Billy's first time trying BIG RED, and he HATED it!
(too sweet) I tried it in Austin during the Roadfood BBQ Tour..
Michael Stern saw it on my tray, and remarked "That tastes just like Bazooka bubble gum!" (boy, was he right!)

And finally, here I am, looking colorful, as always..

We enjoyed watching the live Country Band play at the Hill Country BBQ. We must have stayed there a good hour and a half.
Then Billy escorted me to the Port Authority. We both needed that good walk after all that meat!

And now my 3 DAY Connecticut Roadfood Trip has come to an END!
Thanks so much for taking the journey with me!!!!

--THE END---

I LOVE this report!

quote:

Originally posted by Baah Ben

She's on the move again! Staying with the beef.....Go girl.
To me their burgers look like you could do the same thing in your oven by just using the broiler function and flipping them over once.

Oh yeah, beef all the way!!
So good to hear from you, Baah Ben...(I was missing our Roadfood schmoozing!)

I can't seem to get charbroiled lines like that in my home oven broiler. (or in my toaster oven, for that matter)
And I sure wish my condo let us have BBQ grills, cause I would be out there grilling! (I'm not too good at cooking, but I can grill it up real good outside!)

Ellen, I went about 40 miles out of my way to try Louis Lunch one time. Only to find that they were closed for the whole month.(July or August, can't remember) Your pics put it back on my to do list. Nice report!

Mayonnaise on a hamburger at Louis Lunch? Horrors.

How come you didn't get a steak sandwich. I never bothered with the hamburgers there. I never really cared for them. But the steak sandwiches are out of this world.

quote:

Originally posted by brickie

I LOVE this report!

Thanks Brickie!
All your feedback is so important to me, fellow Roadfooders!

I know what you mean, Joe Rogo........as some of these places make you feel grateful just to get in the door! Hey, they're open!!
(reminds me of one of the Travelin' Man's Trip Reports...
he had such bad luck that he ended up posting mostly pics of all the unexpected "CLOSED" signs he encountered.)

Ellen, this was Tuesday night you were at Hill Country??? I had plans to eat there that night with 3 of my Brooklyn Buds! We grew up together, lost touch over the years, and re-connected via the internet several years ago, and now get together for dinner in the city about twice a year. But one of them canceled at the last minute so we decided to postpone. That would have been so cool. I'm sure I would have recognized you, you'd be the gal with with most food on your plate....

Great report as usual. I had planned to skip Louis Lunch on my trip in the fall, but I think I'll add it now.

Ellen..No way I could make a burger like that in my oven's broiler. Thanks for educating me. That is a thing of beauty at Louis Lunch! And now we know why they don't serve catsup. Who needs anything with that beauty. The show on FoodTV did not do that burger justice..Your pictures certainly did. Now you can see what all the fuss is about that little place.

And that brisket looked great, too! Was this one of your better trips? It sure looks like it could be jsut by the fact you got to Sally's and Louis Lunch.

Hill Country BBQ? I'm going to go on line and check this place out. Looks terrific.

Thanks again for the pictures Ellen.

As always, good report, Ellen.

For grill lines with not too much effort, try a cast iron grill pan:

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=482&f=11239 .

I use it for practically everything, in the broiler and on the stove top. The latter method is more line-producing.

I use it for chops, burgers, steak and, of course, to finish off dogs that've first been simmered.

P.S.---Scroll down to the Grill Pan: $29.95.

The Bear

Ellen, such a wonderful report! If I could have eaten all you did, I would have schlepped your bags all through CT!! I think I like that crust at BSF, subtle, but yet present. Love that toast. Seems like a perfect vehicle!

The burger at Louis Lunch looks fantastic, but I'm really surprised (maybe even shocked) that they offer Cheez Whiz on their burgers, but not ketchup. I've seen a number of shows highlighting them and they have always espoused no ketchup so that you can really "taste the meat". I don't have a "beef" with Whiz on a burger, but it just seems so out of step with their philosophy. I'd think that it would obscure the flavor of the meat.

Thanks for including me in your report! I had a swell time with you at the "Hill" and I definitely needed that walk. They definitely do some righteous brisket and the sides are pretty solid too. I don't know if I exactly hated the Big Red, but it definitely wasn't my thing. Glad I tried it though, but I'm not a big fan of sweet drinks. Just give me some unsweetened ice tea or water and I'm good to go!

I look like a "Shemp" next to you, what with my messenger bag line and my red eye!

Here's my DEAD BURGER from STEW LEONARDS snack bar

No wonder you said their snack bar was "just okay", Mark...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Worst burger ever...!!! (Comic book guy) That is one sad burger, and for a place that bakes everything, that is one measly roll. I am surprised that you went for another chicken breast. How much liquid did you drink to wash them down? If I was ever going to get something at that snack bar, it would be the lobster dinner that is very reasonably priced, but not your culinary dining goal.

I think that I failed in pointing out another must try thing at Stew's. That is their soft serve ice cream area at the entrance of the store. It's very popular year round, and there was a large line that we walked past. For those who like it, they have cherry dipped cones; I like chocolate.

$11.95 for a beef rib..? If true, that may explain why business was slow. That's a high price, even for Greenwich or Stamford. Or New York..

While this was a great report, it seems that pizza is lacking in representation. Glad I was able to help the first day, but we know that there are plenty of other folks here that live within this great pizza radius that can help you for the other days.

What you did do is something that I've proposing for some time, a Connecticut roadfood circle tour which would take a weekend to just to get some of the places. There are plenty of restaurants and towns that that have yet to be checked out. It's a tough task and you did a geat job. There a few places that I drove past by a very short distance on Day 1., but you made it to Rawley's and Super Duper on your last day, so all's well. I'm not sure that you realize how close you were to other places, even if it was for a photo.
It's just that I think a group of Roadfooder's on Wooster St. could be a dangerous thing....

mark

Another fabulous report. Please know that there is at least one person living (and tasting) vicariously through your wonderful trip reports, and enjoying every word and picture!

quote:

Originally posted by will_work_4_bbq

Another fabulous report. Please know that there is at least one person living (and tasting) vicariously through your wonderful trip reports, and enjoying every word and picture!

That's what I'm HERE for!! I tend to spend a disportionate amount of $$ on my Roadfood (and the rest I just WASTE!) (LOL)
It's fun to schmooze with all of you, and see what insight you all add to my reports!The problem is I think I'm addicted to this website

HEY, SCREENBEAR, thanks for that tip on that Cast Iron Grill..
I'll definitely check it out, and most likely, end up ordering it..
(that $29.95 price is definitely right)
For instance, my sis and her family have one of those $800 outdoor gas grills, but I'm not even crazy about the charbroiled results..
(I've had food from $50.00 grills that taste even better, for some reason) (more crust, whatever)

HEY, KEN, yes it was on TUESDAY, (July 22nd) that I met up with Billyboy... yes, that would have been WILD if you and I ran into each other there...
I hope I will see you again in Sept...(as the song goes "see you in September") for that NJ Hot Dog Tour again. I love that pic I took of you in the "Father and Son" hot dog joint in Linden last year, with that big container of chili you ordered to take home!