Dodger's Stadium - Everything But the Kitchen Sink ... and a burger

Dodger's Stadium
http://losangeles.dodgers.mlb.com/la/ballpark/index.jsp
1000 Elysian Park Ave,
Los Angeles, CA 90012

THE STORY
I don't love baseball. There, I said it. But, I do love sitting outside while drinking beer and eating peanuts with my friends. So therefore, I love going to baseball games! In fact, my favorite bar in New York City? ANSWER: Yankee Stadium! And of all the sports, baseball has done a great job appealing to the foodies who are looking for more than some soggy fries and stale Cracker Jacks. What self respecting carnivore can avoid a hot dog at a baseball park? With competition increasing, parks are resorting to local foodie and chain faves to help bring in the dollars, Carl's Steaks at Yankee Stadium, Shake Shack at Citi Field, Carl's Jr at Dodger Stadium, Tony Luke's at Citizens Bank Park, etc, etc.

THE FOOD
I was on tour with the band Shadows Fall and with a night off in LA, vocalist Brian Fair and I grabbed a few friends and had ourselves a field day at Dodger Stadium. I love me some stadium food, especially at baseball games. We started easy with some roasted peanuts. Sharing some peanuts outside with a beer is a special way to say "I love you America." Once the we were on the highway on ramp to eats, there was no holding back.

Going full throttle, I ordered Gilroy Garlic Fries, a soft pretzel, nachos, a cheesesteak and a world famous Dodger Dog all at once. I figure why go easy when you can go for the gut-so! The nachos were pretty standard but Brian (a veggie) seemed pretty happy with them. John was loving on the pretzel and Zach was begging me for a bite of the cheesesteak. No one loves a cheesesteak like Zach. It was good but needed fried onions and a little more grease. I also prefer Whiz but honestly, worth it. The Dodger Dog was darn tootin although sized some where between standard and foot long. I love stadium dogs but when they get longer than standard, they start to skeeve me out.

The real winner here are the Gilroy Garlic Fries. Gilroy is a city in Northern California known as the "Garlic Capitol of the World." The fries are nice and crunchy and topped with a sweet garlic and oil sauce. Unlike the garlic fries at Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium does not skimp on the sauce. Ron and I housed them. Just thinking about them now makes me want some!

The best part of the game happened when they blasted Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" and put the words on the score board for people to sing along. What would Francis Scott Key say?

As we were walking out of the stadium at the of the game, we passed the Carl's Jr and that's when I realized, I forgot to get a burger!! I looked at it for about 60 seconds trying to convince myself I could eat one but the full belly just wouldn't allow. Next time I promise!

Metalsucks.net Guest Blog; Arctic Roadrunner Local Burgerman - Hot Food, Cold Ice

As originally featured on:


Arctic Roadrunner Local Burgerman
http://www.lastfrontier.org/morsel_apr_2008.htm
5300 Old Seward Hwy
Anchorage, AK 99518

THE STORY
Before I go anywhere, I Google "best hamburger (insert city name)" and results for Anchorage seemed unanimous, Arctic Roadrunner Local Burgerman is reported to have the #1 burger in town. Located just South of the city center next to Campbell Creek, the Arctic Roadrunner has been slingin' up burgers since 1964. It's short-order counter service and cash only but it's an award winning institution. Sparing no details in decorating the log cabin, you'll find a tusk of a woolly mammoth, antlers, a fire place, pictures of famous patrons and all sorts of local oddities.

I was up here on tour with Shadows Fall who played 2 shows while in town with Family Tree Presents. We played a 21+ gig at the world famous Chilkoot Charlie's and an all-ages show at Club Millenium. Both shows were fantastic and the fans were insane. Metal is alive and well in Alaska!

THE BURGER
The Arctic Roadrunner offers some interesting choices like halibut and salmon burgers as well as toppings like fried bologna and green peppers. Me, I keep classic, burger with American cheese, lettuce and onions, however I did opt for the whole wheat bun. I also ordered the onion pieces, the Roadrunner's hand made version of onion rings. Surprisingly for a short order style burger, it was not greasy at all and had a good flavor. The whole wheat bun was the call and although I ordered it without mayo, I didn't hate on the small dollop that was placed on it. The onion pieces were pretty good although I wish they had a little more breading. Sitting outside by the river on a beautiful afternoon, I enjoyed everything about the local burgerman.

"Kodiak burger... bologna, ham, and salami all stacked on some sweet beef.... How can you go wrong!?!"
-Matt Bachand, Shadows Fall

"All I had was an uneventful grilled cheese and some greasy fries. Not much to say. "
-Brian Fair, Shadows Fall

"Great bacon burger, great shakes!"
-Jason Bittner, Shadows Fall


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev







THE GLACIER
After our tasty burgers, our fantastic hosts, Sarah and Rick drove us an hour South-West to take a cruise to see the Portage Glacier. A part of the Churgach National Forest, the glacier sits just about one end of Portage Lake. After snapping a few photos from the visitors center, we hopped aboard the Ptarmigan cruise ship and headed out across the lake. It was a bright, sunny warm afternoon and as our tour guide Jesse proclaimed, "it doesn't get any nicer." We cruised around the fresh waters of Portage Lake, which actually supports no life, making it a dead lake, for about an hour. We got within 900 feet (approx 3 football fields) of Portage Glacier and snapped off tons of photos. Amazing to think that through playing heavy metal, we were seeing a such a special part of the Earth. Feeling blessed, we took it all in with smiles on our faces, excited to be doing something so cool.


10 out 10 experience!
-Rev







MAJOR thank you's to Sarah and Eric from Family Tree Presents for organizing, promoting and hauling our obnoxious asses all over Southern Alaska.

Big ups to Metal Sucks, Sal, Chris, Pat, Duran, Robinson, Brock, Clay, Mercy Should Hurt, Decepticide, all the local bands, bartenders, Jesse the tour guide and everyone else who made this trip so much fun!

Snow Goose Restaurant & Sleeping Lady Brewery - Try the Cariburger

Snow Goose Restaurant & Sleeping Lady Brewery
http://www.alaskabeers.com
717 West Third Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501

THE STORY
I was on tour with a band I manage, Shadows Fall and a local brewery, The Sleeping Lady, provided us with some back stage beer for our dressing room. The beer was so good (read the One Barrel Bar review here) and when it came time to grab some dinner, we opted to try out the brewery's restaurant, the Snow Goose. The restaurant and brew house opened in 1996 in a refurbished Elk's Lodge. As a tribute to them, the Snow Goose tables are fashioned from the bowling alley lanes that used to be in the building. If you stop in, be sure to take a walk up onto the roof patio and check out the breath taking views of Anchorage as well as Cook Inlet.

THE BURGER
I wasn't prepared for a Burger Conquest but while perusing the unique menu, I saw something I had to have, the "Tundra Caribou Cheese Burger." We got an order or the bourbon-peach-BBQ ribs as an appetizer. They were the most tender ribs I have ever had. One bite and literally all of the meat just fell off the bone. The ribs were OK but the sauce was definitely the best part.

The burger came covered with swiss, pesto lime aioli, shredded lettuce and caramelized onions. Caribou, or as they are more commonly known in North America, reindeer, are less fatty than beef and have a wild game taste that I quite enjoy. The burger was lean and not too greasy. It had a slight gamey taste that gave it a subtle and interesting flavor. I was a little surprised that the burger was served with swiss, but once I ate it I realized that the subtle flavor was meant to add and not over power the flavor of the meat.

I asked Matt Bachand from Shadows Fall for his thoughts and he told me, "I have a 2 word review...totally bitchin!"

With great beers and great food, this is a must for any trip to Anchorage. We enjoyed so much that we came back again the next night!


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev