Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (big666dog)

Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:39:05 GMT

Definitely filed away for our next stop in NYC! THanks!!!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 14:45:18 GMT

Thanks Cosmos! Hope the move back to 'Cuse was a good one for you. I had been by Mother's many times in the past when my sister lived in Eastwood but I always assumed it was abandoned since I was usually driving by there after they had closed for the day. Only after seeing it on Man v. Food did I know it was still open and it looked pretty good too. My GF and I snagged seats at the counter and both loved the quality and the massive portions.

@Nancy - "Now George I'll give you back the money. I don't want the money Potter, I want a piece of YOU!!".

Cliff, somehow I just knew you'd love those whoopee pies!

@Foodosaurus, same here, man. So glad to break bread with you and looking forward to more tasty adventures this year.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Twinwillow)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 12:47:04 GMT

It's not fair. it's just, not fair!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (chewingthefat)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:51:23 GMT

billyboy, all of that looks incredibly good, especially the EVERYTHING!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Foodosaurus)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:18:09 GMT

Fantastic Year!

Glad that Slim and I could be there to share that Italian Dog from Jimmy Buff's with you and Chris. Hopefully there will be more where that came from in the 'OH ONEONE!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (buffetbuster)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:37:49 GMT

A creme de menthe whoopie pie? Somebody has been reading my diary again!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Nancypalooza)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 08:30:50 GMT

Awww! That wheelchair makes me wonder if you guys didn't get an SNL-style mob after Old Man Potter. ;)

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Wed, 05 Jan 2011 04:05:09 GMT

Crystallized ginger biscuits & gravy, grits and fried eggs and Lemon Pie at The Only Cafe in Vernon, NY. Quite possibly my most favorite Roadfood establishment that I have visited. The combination of amazing, inspired food, a terrific one-of-a-kind owner in Dave Furer and an atmosphere that is parts library-garage sale-museum of curiosities makes me eager with anticipation when I know I'll be stopping in. Dave doesn't have a menu, he just makes batches of foods that he likes to eat! Both of these won me over on this most recent visit as did the smoked pulled pork, green chile and salt potato stew, blueberry rhubarb crumble, homemade tequila & green chile pralines and the shaved steak sandwich on his homemade sesame bread on previous visits.

In recent emails Dave told me he had been experimenting with a short rib pizza as well as whipping up a batch of Hoppin' John and the green chile again! I can't to return just to find more books, photos and hear some great stories of his youthful adventures in NYC.

Chicken, bacon and ranch slice from Luigi's Pizza in Rome, NY. A small, unassuming place that on the inside didn't stand out at first but I was blown away by the tender grilled chicken, smoky and still crispy bacon, creamy ranch dressing and chewy/crispy crust. And this was reheated! Being that it was once a gas station and I ran into old friends from the neighborhood only added to the whole experience.

Chili-Slaw dog from Rahway Grill in Rahway, NJ, the "Syd's Dog" from The Garage in Millburn, NJ and an Italian Hot Dog from Jimmy Buff's in East Hanover, NJ. The spicy-cool dog from Rahway was a real winner for Chris Ayers and I as was the meaty, fairly HOT Syd's Fog at The Garage but for me that Italian Hot Dog is like that first kiss in high school, I'll always remember it. I'll never see her again, but I'll always have Jimmy Buff's! SAnd nothing says NJ quite like that t-shirt. John Fox, Benzee, Screenbear and Coney Island Lou sure do put on one seriously awesome hot dog tour and I look forward to my three-peat this fall!

Pulled pork, ribs, Syracuse style salt potatoes and beans at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in Harlem, NYC. Another old favorite of mine, on this trip in the fall, my friend and running coach Doug and I were craving some Dino so we made our way to the new location. I was excited but concerned since they had moved, Would the food be as good? Would they be working out the kinks or perhaps the focus had shifted? My fears were baseless as everything in these picture was top notch, Smoky tender pulled pork and meaty, soft ribs that released their meat with just a slight tug. The salt potatoes drowning in melted butter weren't as rich as a Rockefeller as the saying goes but more like one of their less stuffy ne-er do well cousins that you rather be hanging with anyway. And those beans! I seem to be the lucky as I get a batch that is studded with shreds of pulled pork and chunks of sausage every time. I know my bar-b-que travels are limited to say the least, but when a place does so many things, so well, so consistently, I'm sold. The unveiling of the plaque in my honor will be this Saturday for any of you who would like to attend!

Everything Bagel with Maple-Walnut-Raisin cream cheese from Murray's Bagel's in Chelsea, NYC and a Chocolate Egg Cream from Gem Spa in the East Village, NYC. Part of the NYC Nosh Tour in November, these two really stood out to me. My go-to bagel flavor most Sundays (nothing says NYC to me quite like a Sunday morning bagel and truth be told I can usually be found at their sister spot, Leo's in the Financial District). After all of the rich food we consumed earlier in the day, the egg cream was a very light and refreshing respite. The soda shop atmosphere may not be there, but watching the denizens of the East Village go by on the street more than makes up for it!

Pecan Pie and Apple-Cranberry Pie from an orchard whose name I forget at the moment (the player to be named later, so to speak) a few miles from Craryville, NY (on the MA/NY border). I first sampled a Peach Pie from this place in late July and was just in love with the flaky, buttery crust and juicy, ripe peaches. After helping friends move over Thanksgiving weekend in NH, I was treated to an amazing holiday dinner and these two beauties were the perfect end and as it happens the last apple pie of the season! Whew!

Steak For Three and German Potatoes at Wolfgang's Steakhouse in TriBeCa (Triangle Below Canal Street), NYC. I went here with my girlfriend's family recently and it was as delicious as always. When the waiter grabs the steak with the tongs and holds it against the hot plate and you hear it sizzle, something special is happening. My apologies for the photo of the potatoes but everyone was eager to dig in! Although it may looked burned, I assure you nothing was and this rich meal was well worth every penny (fortunately I didn't pay!).

Creme de Menthe Whoopee Pie and a Chocolate Chip & Fresh Mint Scone from Zuzu's Cafe in Seneca Falls, NY. Wanting to get into the holiday spirit and find something unique and interesting to do, I signed up for the "It's A Wonderful Run 5K" in the Village of Seneca Falls, NY on December 11, 2010. It's believed by many that Seneca Falls was the basis for Bedford Falls in the Frank Capra-Jimmy Stewart film, "It's A Wonderful Life". The townspeople really get into the spirit of things and from the pictures below it's easy to see how in character this area becomes every Christmas! The hotel on the main street is named the Hotel Clarence.

When I saw this Whoopee Pie I thought, WWbbD? Along with the just as excellent scone and a very good peppermint brownie I had lined up some post-run rewards to split with my family. There were people caroling along the route, giving us high-fives and even a pair of guys blasting Pink Floyd's "Run Like H*ll" from their porch as they cheered us on! Karolyn Grimes, the actress who played Zuzu in the film, is on hand every year for autographs and recounting stories of working on the Christmas classic. She even officiated the start of the race by saying her famous line, "Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets its WINGS!". My sister came with me and we ended up meeting a 93 year old man and his daughter. She had brought him there to see the Hotel Clarence as he had been a bellboy there when it had first opened and they had a lovely time. Even jolly old St. Nick had time for a photo op with one of his biggest fans. A truly fantastic day and definitely put me in the right spirit for Christmas!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and a very Happy New Year! To all of the Roadfood journeys yet to be, I look forward to sharing them with you.

"Eating is an adventure, enjoy the ride!" - billyboy, 2011

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (DirtDude)

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 23:03:51 GMT

Good job, I'm jealous.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Cosmos)

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:29:17 GMT

Billyboy...great shots! I moved back to Syracuse last year and tried Mother's Cupboard this summer and again this fall. I had known of it for years but couldn't bring myself to go inside until I met some regulars. What a great diner experience! I had the half order frittatta on my first trip and got three meals out of it. The place is jam packed on the weekend but everyone is having fun..

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:23:57 GMT

Bill, the beans are pretty intensely flavored and of the friends I have talked to they are split 50-50.
TnT, I'm hoping to put together another NYC Tour this spring!
Joe, actually that was grilled ear of corn. The mayo can be a bit much if you're not familiar with it. A few of my friends have balked at it on other occasions but I just love it! I agree on the CNY area, Joe. A treasure trove of great Roadfood in the Utica-Rome-Syracuse area.
Ken, glad I could give you another fix of that Chicken Parm. It really was like none I have ever had. I wish I could find one that good down here in the city. I'm sure there one exists, I just need to redouble my efforts. Happy New Year to you as well!
BB - There actually wasn't as much Roadfood as it appears with these photos. I tried to be diligent about getting in my training as I had quite a few races on the books in 2010. Most of my Roadfooding came on the weekends and trips I took to visit family in Central NY.
The first trip to Luger's was at the end of a 4-mile run (by design), the State Fair was after a 15K run earlier that morning, the jelly bun, tomato pie and Voss' BBQ came after a 13.1 mile bike ride to scope out my running course for a half marathon coming up two weeks later and I have a few end of year treats still to post (one in particular that had me thinking, WWbbD?) that were a post-run reward to myself!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Twinwillow)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:31:49 GMT

buffetbuster

Nobody covers their home city's Roadfood scene as well as you do billyboy! What an outstanding series of photos.

I wholly concur!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (buffetbuster)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 21:13:34 GMT

Nobody covers their home city's Roadfood scene as well as you do billyboy! What an outstanding series of photos. What I want to know is, with all that eating, when did you ever have time to run?

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (ken8038)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:14:29 GMT

Dam you, you had to show that Chicken Parm from New Berlin NY again??? I think that was the single most enticing roadfood pic I saw in 2010 and now I have to drool over it one more time!

Great report as usual, great year and great pix! Thanks and Happy New Year!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (joerogo)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:44:30 GMT

billyboy, Just from looking at the pictures, I feel I need to run around the block a few times.

Loved everything except that Mayo Dog Even the pigeon was walking away I am hoping to get back up to the Utica Area this spring. THAT is one outstanding and unique RF area.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Twinwillow)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:05:01 GMT

Damn food porn. It should be illegal!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (leethebard)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 17:27:24 GMT

Oh those last two pictures got to me...I want it now!!!!!!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:59:33 GMT

Hot Roast Beef sandwich from Defonte's of Brooklyn in the Gramercy area of Manhattan, NYC. Started in Brooklyn in 1922, this shop finally made it's way to Manhattan and already has scores of fans eagerly waiting in line for their pepper & egg, potato & egg, steak pizziola and meatball parm sandwiches. The standout here though is the hot roast beef with in house roasted beef, fresh mozzarella, fried eggplant and au jus on a sesame seeded roll. It all just comes together so nicely.

Stuffed cabbage and a pastrami sandwich at Sarge's Delicatesen in Murray Hill, NYC. One of my favorite delis for years now still serving up an amazingly rich pastrami sandwich that isn't shy with the meat and my first venture with their stuffed cabbage was sweet, sour, and tangy. I can't wait to return.

Home fries and a foot-wide blueberry pancake at Mother's Cupboard in Syracuse, NY. having wanted to try this place for breakfast for a few years now, it did not disappoint with some of the crustiest/creamiest home fries I've ever tasted. And it was a task of epic proportions, but I managed to knock out that every spongy soft bite of that pancake (no syrup necessary). Keep your elbows off the table!!

Whole and chocolate milk in the Dairy Building at the Great New York State Fair in Syracuse, NY. On a hot summer day this ice cold treat was a reminder of my childhood and of what good milk is supposed to taste like.

Jelly bun at Holland Farms Bakery & Deli in Yorkville, NY. After reading fellow Roadfooder Cecif's report on Utica I made it a point to come here for the jelly bun and it's freshness and great flavored jelly made it a hit with me. Just be sure to lean forward when taking a bite! Their signs are easy to spot and hilarious too. Any place that calls itself my jelly bun headquarters and ships half moons is alright by me!

Tomato Pie from Roma Sausage & Deli in Utica, NY. This pie has forced me to update my death row menu and add it on along with my bbq sandwiches from Voss' BBQ. I've heard many people say that sampling is the best way to go as most folks get tired of eating the same food after a certain number of bites. I NEVER tire of Roma's pie. The sweet sauce, focaccia like crust and nutty salty cheese is, in a word, addicting.

Mexi-Dog and Turkey BBQ sandwich (with extra sauce) at Voss' BBQ in Yorkville, NY. Like I said before, my death row meal! I have yet to find a BBQ sauce or a chili sauce that I love as much as Voss'. The look, feel and food and their "magnetic letter" ordering system truly embody to me what Roadfood is all about.

Greens Anthony and Chicken Riggies from Frankie's Taste of Italy in Old Forge, NY. Greens and riggies are two very popular Central NY specialties and there are as many ways to prepare them as restaurants that offer them. I had them both for the first time at Frankie's this past September and was just wowed. The greens were very bright and full of flavor and the riggies were lighter than most versions and spicy to boot.

The final installment coming to a thread near you...soon!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Howard Baratz)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 15:28:59 GMT

bill voss

how could anyone hate those baked beans?

Bill,
It seems like those baked beans are repeating on you.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (TnTinCT)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 14:42:10 GMT

Wow. wow. wow. The question - what can't you find in NYC?? Your food pics, as always, inspire drooling and an urge to grab my car keys and head south to the city!!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (txtwister)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 13:11:58 GMT

Alrighty then. Chicken parm for dinner it is!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Buffalo Tarheel)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:29:20 GMT

Great pictures and descriptions, as always. Even the food that I don't normally eat looks good enough to have (and I would definitley try it). Thanks so much for the work on the report.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (1bbqboy)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:10 GMT

how could anyone hate those baked beans?

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (1bbqboy)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 11:00:09 GMT

how could anyone hate those baked beans?

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (ann peeples)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 06:41:58 GMT

As usual Billyboy, awesome pics and choices.

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (leethebard)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 06:27:53 GMT

Great looking food...and the pie guy's work schedule is everyone's dream!!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:58:09 GMT

Hot and Cold lobster roll and Maine Root blueberry soda at Luke's Lobster in the East Village, NYC. Another newcomer this year and the first in the city to sell a lobster roll for under $20 ($15). They bind chilled lobster meat with mayo and then drizzle a generous amount of warm melted butter over it and served in a buttered and toasted split-top roll. Not the same as sitting by the water in Maine during the summer but it really brought me back to having endless lobster rolls at my aunt's place just down the road from Red's Eats. The soda had a great fresh blueberry flavor to it that I loved.

Pulled pork sandwich with red & white sauces from Big Bob Gibson's at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, NYC. My one "must have" each year at this festival of smoked meats in Manhattan. Yes, I feel that actually going to the source, on the road and trying these in their natural state is ideal, but this is the next best thing and this sandwich with it's combination of smoke, tender and crusty parts, sweet & spicy sauce and excellent mustard slaw has wowed me every time.

Hot Pork link with pimento cheese & crackers from Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q (Birmingham, AL - various locations) at the Big Apple BBQ Block Party, NYC. My second year trying this and the combination of the juicy, smoky hot link, hot bbq sauce, jalapenos, cool pimento cheese and crackers is something I could snack on all day and put away a LOT of it! I'm only sad I just discovered the joys of pimento cheese last year!

"Standing Order" concrete from the Shake Shack (Madison Square Park), NYC. I had heard about this from ayersian when they had first tried it this summer. When I spied it still on the menu, I HAD to try it. Rich, dense custard that seems to expand to fill one's mouth, super fresh-cut strawberries and an orange-poppyseed caramel all conspired to make me pause several times while eating and exclaim, "Wow! Am I really eating this?".

Elote (Mexican corn on the cob) at the SeriousEats.com meet-up at the Red Hook ball field vendors in Brooklyn, NY. In June, I went to meet some of my favorite food bloggers to chow down with them among the many Latin American street carts and trucks that have graced the ball fields in this neighborhood for many years. While the pupusas, cashew water and watermelon agua fresca were great, this ear of corn liberally slathered with mayo, grated cotija cheese and spices had me abandoning all manners and just chowing down like a dog with a bone!

The "Swingle" from Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pies in Red Hook, Brooklyn, NY. After leaving the ball fields, the SeriousEats.com group walked to Steve's for this unique treat. A frozen key lime tart (with a graham cracker crust) on a stick and coated in dark chocolate. I think it speaks for itself. I love the signs below, especially the schedule! A man who has his priorities straight!

Shrimp and roast pork fried rice and roast pork wonton soup at Big Wong Restaurant in Chinatown, NYC. My girlfriend's family has been coming here for years and anything with roast pork is GOOD! That soup is so comforting. When you walk in the sight of hanging ducks, spareribs and the thwack of a cleaver making sort work of the roasted meats is a most welcome sound.

Mushroom and Mozzarella pizza from Joe's Pizza in Whitesboro, NY. My friend Doug & I ran a race in Utica, NY this summer and Joe's was our "carbo loading" restaurant of choice the night before. He used to eat here when living in the area and a couple of RFers had suggested I try it. This pie with its crispy, chewy crust, sweet sauce, stringy mozzarella and mushrooms was a winner for all of us.

Chicken Parmesan sub and a Pepperoni Roll (aka "Roni" roll) from New York Pizzeria & Restaurant in New Berlin, NY. Doug introduced me to his hometown pizzeria and the roni roll is a buttery, spicy delight. The quality of the dough really elevates it. I have always been on the hunt for a great chicken parm in any form and this sub with crispy chicken tenders, ample mozzarella, sweet sauce and toasted bread might just be the one I have been looking for all these years!

Don't touch that dial...!!

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (billyboy)

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 22:37:19 GMT

@Mark, will do! Cajun King led a RF tour of Cincy a while back of some of the chili parlors and I'd love to take a crack at a few of them one day.
@Lee, which one?
@Kenny Joe, thanks for the kind words. As to Luger's, you can get the burger at the bar and at the tables, however they don't serve food at the bar on Sundays so table only on that day. The burgers are only served during lunch from 12:00pm to 3:00pm. On Sundays it's 12;45pm to 3:00pm as 12:45pm is their first service on that day. If you go Monday thru Saturday you could try to walk in and sit at the bar to eat your burger. I did that on a Friday and it worked out okay but coming from out of town I'd make a reservation and not leave it to chance. I live 3 subway stops away so I know I can get there fairly easily again if need be. Sunday, definitely make a reservation. Cal 3-4 weeks in advance as I did and got one of the last Sunday reservations available for the burger (2:45pm). CASH ONLY. Dress is business casual/casual. Here is the thread from two of my visits. Let me know if you need any more info.
http://www.roadfood.com/F...-2nd-trip-m552935.aspx

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (Kenny Joe)

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:34:10 GMT

Thanks, Billyboy, both for demonstrating that roadfood can be close to home and providing some new ideas for when I am in NYC. Questions for you or anyone else who might know: Is it correct that one can only get the Peter Luger cheeseburger at the bar and before 3PM? Also, is it available Sunday?

Re:Billyboy's Bodacious Bites of 2010 (leethebard)

Sun, 02 Jan 2011 19:05:09 GMT

Oooooh that pizza!!!!!!!!!