Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Forklift

Overview: Nestled in a canyon in the Wasatch Front, Snowbird is a mountain village that includes 15 resort owned restuarants. Although Snowbird's remote location has the advantage of eliminating all dining competition for overnight guests, they do a decent job providing good food for okay prices. You can make what you want of your dining experience- chow down on $1.50 tacos during happy hour, or feast on a meal of (surprisingly fresh) sushi on the top floor of the Cliff lodge. The best option for all meals however, is breakfast at the Forklift. With menu items such as Country Biscuits and Gravy and Thick Cut Oatmeal Brulee, the Forklift stands out as the only Snowbird restaurant worth discussing.




Medium Well: While all of the menus at Snowbird were mundane and forgettable, the Forklift is the exception that proves the rule. Serving only breakfast and lunch, the Forklift is adjacent to the aerial tram in Snowbird Center - a central location to all Snowbird lodges. While everything we ate at Forklift was cooked perfectly and ultimately satisfying, we both agree that our favorite was the Dave's Power Spuds. Dave's Power Spuds is a bowl of shoestring hash browns, seasoned with fresh dill - which imparts a more delicate flavor than dried dill - topped with melted cheddar cheese, two slices of bacon and your choice of eggs. Not only was it decidedly delicious, but with enough macronutrients and calories to keep you at peak performance the entire day, Dave's Spuds is the ideal breakfast for any skier or boarder. Even the more traditional items at the Forklift were compelling. The pancakes were made with a whole grain batter and served with blueberries or walnuts, and the Eggs Benedict became original when made with layers of pesto, prosciutto, basil and tomato. The only disappointment about the Forklift was that it is closes after lunch. Had it been open, we would have gladly made the trek in the snow to try their dinner options. I bet they'd have a good burger.



Medium Dead: I was seriously disappointed with most of the food at Snowbird. The sushi at Aerie was good but expensive and everything else on the menu was mediocre. The happy hour tacos at El Chanate were fine at $1.50 but I am not a huge fan of Mexican food. The Forklift is the exception. We ate here everyday at Snowbird but only at breakfast because they close at 4. I ate something different every day but Dave's Power Spuds and the breakfast burrito were my favorites. The burrito was enormous packed with eggs, refried beans, sour cream, jack and cheddar cheese, wrapped in a chipotle tortilla then covered in more cheese and red salsa. Just in case you are really hungry it comes with the house specialty onion-dill hash browns on the side. I hate scrambled eggs but the eggs in the burrito were the most fluffy eggs I have ever eaten. Dave's Power Spuds were epic - a huge bowl of the onion-dill hash browns mixed with sauteed mushrooms and topped with tons of cheddar cheese. Just for fun I had mine with two sunnyside-up eggs and a bagel with cream cheese on the side. This is exactly what I want for breakfast when I go skiing; a great mix of protein, fat and carbs and so much food that I didn't need to stop for lunch.





The Verdict: Go to Snowbird for the skiing, not the food, but while you are there, the Forklift is an absolute must for a pre-skiing breakfast chow down.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Hot Dougs

Overview: Specializing in hot dogs and sausages, Hot Doug's is one of the rare, all-around superb restaurants that takes a simple concept, such as hot dogs, and turns it into something fun and gastronomically euphoric. Not only is it an eatery you must look up if you are in Chicago, it is one of the reasons you should go to Chicago. From the city center, it will take a train ride, a bus transfer, and a 10 minute walk to get to Hot Doug's, but it is worth the trip. Don't go hungry, because regardless of what time you arrive, you will be forced to wait in a slow moving line for at least two hours. The menu is original and eclectic, and always includes at least one game sausage. Regulars include "The Kiera Knightly" (mighty hot!) and "The Paul Kelly" (bratwurst soaked in beer), while daily specials range from the corned beef sausage with sauerkraut to the duck sausage topped with foie gras. Despite it's popularity, Hot Doug's is not to Chicago what The Varsity is to Atlanta. It is neither tourist trap nor over rated local hangout. It is a hidden gem that manages to be a favorite to both foodies across the nation and locals who know good encased meat. Regardless of who you are, Hot Doug's should be number one on your bucket list.



Medium Well: I am one of the most impatient people you will ever meet, particularly when I am hungry. I hate lines. I hate standing. And I especially hate groups of 19 year old boys who scream in my ear, as I stand in line for 2 1/2 hours waiting for food to fill my hollow, growling stomach. Hot Doug's was so good, so unbelievably good, that I will willingly put myself in this situation time and time again just to experience the hot dog nirvana that is only found in Doug Sohn's retro-style sausage kitchen. Despite it's popularity and success, Hot Doug's is surprisingly affordable to even the most frugalist of Fannies. "The Dog", (Chicago style - mustard, kryptonite-colored relish, tomatoes, pickle spear.) was my favorite, and only $1.75. The "Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris " was the most succulent sausage I have ever had and was priced at $9.00. Together our meal cost less than $20, and included 5 sausages (one that was $9.00), duck fat fries, cheese fries and a fountain soda. (Yes, we really ordered that much). Despite loving everything I ate, my favorite part of the meal had to be seeing Mike's eyes roll into the back of his head as his first bite of the foie gras dog brought him into meat heaven. Seriously... check out the pictures.






Medium Dead: I never thought I would I would wait in line for two and a half hours just for a hot dog. I am glad I did because this was not just a hot dog, it was 3 hot dogs and fries. The line outside of Hot Doug's on Friday and Saturday is 2 blocks long, and much of the wait is spent next to a row of dumpsters. When we finally made it inside we were greeted by Doug himself taking orders. Not wanting to stand in line again I had to order everything I was considering on the menu: 1 Chicago dog, 1 bratwurst, 1 duck sausage with foie gras, and 1 order of duck fat fries. The hardest part was waiting for the food to arrive after we ordered. I waited with the anticipation of child on Christmas. I have eaten a lot of hot dogs but this was my first Chicago style dog covered in mustard, nuclear green relish, onion, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, sport peppers, and celery salt. The bratwurst is one of the best I have ever had, soft, juicy, and soaked in beer. The duck sausage was the highlight. Doug's describes it as a Foie Gras and Sauternes Duck Sausage with Truffle Aioli, Foie Gras Mousse and Sel Gris. Not many people can say the first time he or she tried foie gras was on top of a hot dog, but I can and I am hooked. The silky rich foie gras is a perfect compliment to the smokey crispy skinned sausage and the truffle aiole ties all the flavors together. This alone is worth the wait. The duck fat fries were a fitting accompaniment to such a decadent and unhealthy meal. Chicago is an amazing city but Hot Doug's is the number 1 reason to go.


Friday, January 1, 2010

Obligatory Year End Top 10

As we welcome the birth of a new year, it is time to celebrate the passing of the old, with a year in review of the top restaurants we visited, top dishes we ate, and top libations we drank. Without much ado, here are our tops of 2009:


Top 10 Restaurants:
1. Spotted Pig - NYC
2. Hot Doug's - Chicago
3. Aureole - NYC
4. Mr. B's - New Orleans
5. Butcher Shop - Boston, South End
6. Hamersley's Bistro - Boston, South End
7. Trina's Starlite Lounge - Sommerville
8. Duck Fat - Portland, ME
9. Craigie on Main - Cambridge
10. Eastern Standard - Boston, Kenmore Square




Top 10 Dishes:
1. Cheese Burger @ Spotted Pig, NYC
2. Diver's Sea Scallop "Sandwich" w Seared Foie Gras @ Aureole, NYC
3. Duck sausage with Foie Gras @ Hot Doug's, Chicago
4. Cheese Burger @ Aquitaine, Boston
5. Cheese Burger @ Butcher Shop, Boston
6. Sheep’s Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter & Sage @ The Spotted Pig, NYC
7. Chicken Liver Mousse @ Coda, Boston
8. Truffle Tater Tots @ Grill 23, Boston
9. Butternut Squash Soup with Pork Belly @ Craigie on Main, Cambridge
10. Aligator Cheese Cake @ Jaques-Imo's, New Orleans


Top 10 Wine/Beer/Cocktails:
1. Cuvee de la Reine Jeanne Chateauneuf du Pape @ Cyranos Bistro, Chicago
2. Bloody Mary@ Pirates Alley, New Orleans
3. Aviator @ Eastern Standard, Boston
4. Jerez Flip @ Craigie on Main, Cambridge
5. Original Schlitz @ US Cellular Field parking lot, Chicago
6. Spotted Pig Bitter Cask Conditioned Ale @ The Spotted Pig, NYC
7. Chateau Courac Cotes du Rhone 2006 @ Hamersley's Bistro, Boston
8. Grey Goose Honey Deuce @ US Open NYC
9. Harpoon Glacier Harvest @ Craigie on Main, Cambridge
10. Pimm's Cup @ Coda, Boston