To Grandmother's House we go!

Quick report on a trip north to Massachusetts for Thanksgiving that was an excuse to hit some of my favorite eating spots...
 

 
Ted's Steamed burgers in Meriden, CT on the way north. I love these burgers...
 

 
The Donut Dip in East Longmeadow for some Buttermilk and Cider donuts...
 

 
Okay...I didn't eat this gingerbread house which was part of a display at the Springfield museums, but I was tempted...
 

 
White Hut in West Springfield. Love the fried onions and atmosphere at this place. A real classic.
 

 
Red Rose pizza in Springfield is great, they just need to learn how to cut it the right way...
 

 
Glenwood Drive in on the way home...
 

 
Great charbroiled burger, but disappointing bland O-rings.
 
...and that's it...oh...and don't do drugs.
 
 

stay in school?

TJ Jackson

 stay in school?

 
also good advice.

Tony
 
How did Red Rose Pizza compare to the typical by the slice place on Long Island?

wanderingjew


Tony

How did Red Rose Pizza compare to the typical by the slice place on Long Island?

 
I'd say it is at least equal to the better by the slice places out my way.
 
I think an unadorned, cheese only pie is a rarity as the standard issue comes with a several toppings. Cheese only is a special request. The crust is a bit thicker than most NY pies and never very crispy, which may be in order to support the multiple toppings that are usually applied. The sauce and cheese are quite good.
 
The place is amazingly crowded as well, like a pizza factory. It is a very good pizza, different in style to most NY or New Haven pies, but very good. I just don't get all the small pieces...particularly the center slices with no crust to grab on to. A bit messy to eat without fork and knife.
 
I also took your advice and went to White Hut. I love that place!

If you like steamed burgers, Tony- you may like Sollys here in Milwaukee. So please bring your picture frame family and see us!

annpeeples


If you like steamed burgers, Tony- you may like Sollys here in Milwaukee. So please bring your picture frame family and see us!

I have read of a few...very few...steamed burger outposts other than those in central CT. I have never been to Milwaukee. Sounds like I need to come, even if I can't rent a family for the trip. 

The burgers may not be steamed( although they always put alot of water on the grill when they cook them) but thats as close as we can get. It just occured to me, after having seen, and thought about steamed burgers, that you would like them. I know I would love  Ted's. Just food for thought when you travel this way!!

Tony Bad

wanderingjew


Tony

How did Red Rose Pizza compare to the typical by the slice place on Long Island?

I'd say it is at least equal to the better by the slice places out my way.

I think an unadorned, cheese only pie is a rarity as the standard issue comes with a several toppings. Cheese only is a special request. The crust is a bit thicker than most NY pies and never very crispy, which may be in order to support the multiple toppings that are usually applied. The sauce and cheese are quite good.

The place is amazingly crowded as well, like a pizza factory. It is a very good pizza, different in style to most NY or New Haven pies, but very good. I just don't get all the small pieces...particularly the center slices with no crust to grab on to. A bit messy to eat without fork and knife.

I also took your advice and went to White Hut. I love that place!

Now you've got my curiousity going....

I'm wondering if the pizza is similar to this?
 

 
This is the pizza we enjoyed at Joe's Pizza in Northampton MA  on Wheregreggeats Western MA eat and greet about a year and a half ago
I enjoyed the belly bombers at the White Hut when I visited about 3 years ago, however I recall  I wasn't a fan of their Hot Dogs.

That matrix cut is pretty much all you find in the parts of the Midwest I've been in.  I kind of agree with you about the middle pieces--what the hell are you supposed to do with that?  I always want to know the story why though, and there's nobody to ask.  :)

thats the way all the Greek pizza places in New England cut their pies.
I love the middle pieces, just grab on to it & eat.

sk bob


thats the way all the Greek pizza places in New England cut their pies.
I love the middle pieces, just grab on to it & eat.

 
 I say that is what the Jets and Pats should play for next week. Jets win, it is wedges from here on out...Pats win, we go with the tiny checkerboard pieces. Think they'll go for that?

Are those cheeseburgers at the White Hut? A cider donut sounds good, I can't remember ever trying one.

DirtDude


Are those cheeseburgers at the White Hut? A cider donut sounds good, I can't remember ever trying one.

 
Yes sir...cheese and a lot of fried onions.

Yellow mustard? And no dogs at the Glenwood?

Michael Hoffman


Yellow mustard? And no dogs at the Glenwood?

 
I didn't touch the yellow stuff at Ted's...that was my daughter's choice...and...
 

 

 
fear not...dogs were also on our menu! Sorry for the omission. 

I'm surprised there was any room left for Grandma's Thanksgiving dinner.
Always arrive at Grandma's house ready to be filled up big time.

Nice! How would you describe the Red Rose pizza? More greek in crust style, or italian? We head up to Springfield frequently and would love to try a new place -

the ancient mariner


I'm surprised there was any room left for Grandma's Thanksgiving dinner.
Always arrive at Grandma's house ready to be filled up big time.

 Sage advice oh ancient one. All extra-curricular eating was done before and after the great Thanksgiving feast. Believe me, we did well on Thanksgiving!

TnTinCT


Nice! How would you describe the Red Rose pizza? More greek in crust style, or italian? We head up to Springfield frequently and would love to try a new place -

 
To be honest, I can't say it is either...perhaps somewhere in between. It is good and worth a try. It is very close to 91 so it is an easy stop if passing through on the highway. Also have very good pasta and other dishes.

Nice work as always, Mr. B.!!  Love that steamy, juicy Ted's cheeseburger.  Chris brought some Donut Dip on the Hot Dog Tour a couple of months ago and I got my fix on in a big way!  I grew up in Central NY with many pizzerias cutting that way.  I remember it being called a "French cut".  Not sure if there is some history behind it or if it was just someone's dig at the French: i.e.- "Looks like a Frenchman cut THAT pizza!" 
 
The great thing about that cut was that it made the outer crust pieces more exclusive.  If you thought getting into Studio 54 in the late 70s was difficult, try snagging a piece of outer crust in my family's house in the early 80s!  We had a velvet rope and a big dude with shades & a clipboard watching over that yeasty ring of goodness.  If you weren't on the list then no crust for you (even if you knew the owner)!!

I was travlin' back from Brattleboro, VT today, and I thought, let me see if Tony Bad knows what a good burger is  Tony.....Great pick, White Hut is the real deal.

 
The best way to describe White Hut is to quote BuffetBuster, after we had lunch at The Majestic in Pittston.  He said "every town should have a place like this.  Sadly not enough towns do.  In Blue point it's Flo's Luncheonette, in Utica it's Bill Voss' place and so on.
 
This is a case of people doing something extraordinary with something very ordinary.  First, the woman at the counter(Roberta).  When I was there the place was packed, no pad or pencil, just tell her your order.  One of the regulars was teasing her about remembering her customers names also.  I'll let you know if she remembers Ole Joe on my next visit.
 
The burger?  It's the whole package.  The seasoned grill, fresh beef, toasted bun and the onions.  Especially the onions!  Somehow they cook them as close to disintegration as possible, while maintaining a delicious and sweet flavor.
 
Next time I want to try a dog.  deep fried and finished on the grill.
 
This was my first time in Western MA.  What a beautiful low traffic area.  I had just come from the North Shore.....Traffic?.....What a Gloucester.......

Glad you liked it Joe! Your description of the place is dead on. It would be worth a stop just to look. The fact the food is good is a great bonus!
 
 

Tony Bad

sk bob


thats the way all the Greek pizza places in New England cut their pies.
I love the middle pieces, just grab on to it & eat.

I say that is what the Jets and Pats should play for next week. Jets win, it is wedges from here on out...Pats win, we go with the tiny checkerboard pieces. Think they'll go for that?

Tony, I have no idea what you're talking about.
if it doesn't run on racing gas or is not made of wood & has 6 strings that you can make music with, I don't know what you're talking about.
being from New England I do know that the Yankees & Red Sox play baseball, & the Patriots play football.
ask me about racecar drivers & musicians from New England & you'll get hours of discussions from me.
ball sports.....not a clue.

joerogo, go for the fried onions on the hot dogs & nothing else. at least 2 dogs. you could put mustard on the third