Joe's Gizzard City - Stomach Grinding Pride

Joe's Gizzard City
http://www.gizzardcity.com
120 East Main Street
Potterville, MI 48876

THE STORY
Every year at the holidays I return home to my native land of Michigan to visit family and friends. This year I reached out my best bud The Logg and asked him to pick out a burger for us to eat. After MUCH research (watching an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,) Logg suggested we head to Joe's Gizzard City. Located in Pottervile, MI, a town so proud of their fried chicken stomachs, they have an annual Gizzard Fest.

For those of you not from the Midwest, South, Eastern Europe or Asia, you're probably wondering "what the hell is a freakin' gizzard?" To answer your queries, it's a 2nd stomach, used for grinding that can be found in birds, reptiles, earthworms and some fish. The more veterinarian types refer to this organ as a ventriculus, gastric mill, or a gigerium. Too medical? Let me get all layman's on you...it's the chicken's guts.

Open since 1960, Joe's has been passed down through the generations of the Bristol family. Like many mid-Michigan eateries, Joe's is a bar menu type of restaurant but with a twist. Nearly everything on the bar menu is offered as a fried option. Hot dogs, hamburgers, meatballs, chicken, fish, shrimp, cheese, corn, potatoes, tacos, olives and even Twinkies, Oreo s and cookie dough are all server battered and fried. Joe's is not for the weak of heart or stomach!! I wouldn't be surprised if they accidentally deep fried the dart board, tables and an accidental local every now and then. Guy Fieri from the aforementioned show even created his own burger here, "The Triple D." It's a 1/3rd pound cheeseburger with pickles, onions and a slice of tomato deep fried in the house batter mix.

We of course started off with the gizzard sampler (regular, herb/garlic and cajun style). Why the sampler? If you're gonna get wet, don't just dip your tootsies. Joe's pressure cooks their gizzards in wine to tenderize them. Then they are beer battered, deep fried, spiced and served with a marinara / cocktail type size. Hesitant to eat a chicken's 2nd stomach, used for grinding and storage, regardless of the deep frying, there was too much pressure on me. I grabbed one, dunked it in the sauce and took a small bite. It was like a REALLY chewy chicken nugget. Although I would like to tell you that I didn't really like them but I did eat 4 more! We had been drinking at that point for 7 hours, so you probably deep fried a sneaker and I would've eaten it. Special thanks to the mason jar of Coors Lite that helped me wash it down.

Following our gizzards were the mozzarella sticks. They were good but oddly enough, I thought they could've been fried a little longer. Up next we dug into the deep fried corn nuggets. To make these things they take what is essentially creamed corn, batter them and then deep fry. I've had them in the past served covered in powdered sugar but Joe's serves them with a side of ranch dressing. I'm assuming Joe's buys them pre-made but regardless fresh or frozen, these are sweet and savory, bite sized treats.

Along with the burger, I also ordered the deep fried meatballs. I have never seen these on a menu before and the curiosity was up. You will never believe this but they tasted exactly like deep fried meatballs! Thankfully Joe's makes a rich and flavor filled batter which really makes their fried items stand out. The meat balls were good but the overwhelming taste was most certainly the fried outer covering.

THE BURGER
While Tim and the Logg went for the Guy Fieri inspired "Triple D" burger, I decided to take it down a notch with the "Joe's Batter Burger." Whereas with the "Triple D" the entire sandwich is battered and fried, the Batter burger only has a fried patty. Everything is else is dressed as a normal burger sandwich. Something about deep fried lettuce just didn't sit right with me. The "Triple D" is served with a steak knife jutting out of it as if it had been hunted and killed. The intent is for you to cut the massive behemoth into 2 pieces. After slicing it in half, I snapped a picture of Tim's burger. In all of my burger pursuits, this was certainly one of the most unique.

I wrapped my claws around my own battered burger and chomped down. The toasted bun added an additional crunch to the sandwich and held up well throughout the devouring. The mixes of cheese and the crunchy bacon added provided a nice salty accent. As for the patty, it took a couple of bites for me to fully process. The taste of the rich beer batter with salt and pepper undertones wrapped around the fresh beef was unlike anything I have eaten in recent memory. The deep frying process cooks the burger to a medium well, which is way more cooked than I prefer but I have to imagine its pretty hard to cook it any other way.

I wouldn't suggest eating a deep fried burger every time your burger jones kick in but if you want an off the beaten path, unique burger experience, Joe's fits the gizzard.


7 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

Donovan's Pub - 10,000 Votes for #1

Donovan's Pub
http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/7419793/flushing_ny/donovan_s_pub.html
5724 Roosevelt Ave
Woodside, NY 11377

THE STORY
Magazines, newspapers, the Bathroom Reader, Facebook mobile...we all have our source for entertainment while on the potty. Me? I read, re-read and read again Hamburger America by George Motz. It is one man's guide to the "best" burgers in America. George definitely has a style and type but in general, I have yet to find his opinion to be wrong. While recently rereading the New York section of the book, I revisited George's review of Donovan's Pub in Woodside Queens. This old school, family-friendly pub has been serving up tasty burgers for decades and has won many of NY "Best Burger" accolade. They take a lot of pride in their burger and you'll know by the massive banner hung outside the door.

I recently needed to meet up with one of my clients, stand up comedian and Comedy Central Records recording artist Big Jay Oakerson for a little holiday get together. Knowing Jay lived in Queens, sounded like a perfect opportunity for a trip to Donovan's. Jay is currently in the running for the Comedy Central Stand Up Showdown. You can check out some of his stand up and help me by voting for him here.

THE BURGER
After a quick ride on the 7 train into Woodside, I arrived and walked the few short blocks over to Donovan's. You can choose to sit in the bar or back in the cozy dining room. I chose a nice romantic (ha ha ha) seat next to the fire place and waited for Jay to arrive. With no delay we both ordered cheese burgers and a side of brown gravy for dipping our fries.

Donovan's burger is a hulking mass of fresh ground beef served on a grilled sesame seed bun. If you order cheese they melt it before serving you the sandwich. This burger is the kind of no frills, old-school, pub-style burger made from quality meat that makes the style famous. It's juicy comfort in a sandwich that won't leave you hungry. It's the kind of burger your Grandfather took your Dad to get who in turn took you and you will follow by taking your children. You'll notice as you look around the place is filled by families, working men, groups of friends and really all slices of life. The fries are literally sliced and fried potatoes not my favorite kind but made super tasty by the dipping them in some of the hearty spiced brown gravy.

"I killed it by going medium well!!! It was like a hockey puck! It tasted like a dog ate it, shit it out and then it sat in the sun dehydrating for days. Then they threw on some onions! LOL...Well, not that extreme, but it's funnier!"
-Big Jay Oakerson

I vote you should try this burger but you should vote for Jay, several times. Then go to Donovan's. Then vote for Jay again!


8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev

Louis Lunch - Beef Touchdown, Wiener Win and BBQ Backup

Louis Lunch
http://louislunch.com/
263 Crown St
New Haven, CT 06511

THE STORY
How does that old saying go? "If at first you don't succeed, fry, fry again." Or am I thinking of "5th time is a charm"? Either or, in this instance, they are both true! After 4 failed attempts to visit Louis Lunch , the birthplace of the hamburger, I finally scored a beef touchdown!! But I digress...

On a street in downtown New Haven, CT you will find a tiny little building that lays claim to serving the world's first hamburger. In the year 1900, legend has it, a man ran into a small luncheonette and requested a quick meal that could be eaten on the go. The owner of the establishment, Louis Lassen broiled up some ground beef, placed it between 2 pieces of toast and sent the customer on his way. More than a century later, Ken, Louis' grandson is still serving burgers the exact same way; freshly ground beef, cooked in the same cast iron vertical broilers and served on white toast. You have your choice of onion, tomato or cheese spread as toppings. If you are even considering asking for, or even worse, sneaking in ketchup, shame on you. Not only is it not allowed, you will be removed from the restaurant. Louis also serves home made potato salad, tuna sandwich, homemade pie, bagged potato chips and your choice of Snapple or delicious Foxon Park Natural Sodas and that's it! Believe me, you don't need anything else!

I've been wanting to go here ever since I first heard of the place and when Wing-Off member Dan emailed out to a bunch of us suggesting a holiday season road trip to try Wilson's BBQ in Fairfield, CT, I finally saw my opportunity. Wilson's is only about 30 minutes from Louis so I suggested a double gut busting lunch adventure into the lands of Connecticut. Chuck and Kyle jumped at the chance to join us. Shortly into the ride, Chuck, in tribute to the popular film "The Hangover," dubbed this adventure "The Lunchover."

THE BURGER
After a quick 2 hour ride up route 95, we arrived excited and hungry for burgers. My heart was pounding with excitement and a slight amount of fear. With so many failed attempts, was I going to be denied Louis' legendary beefy goodness yet again? Did I check the website correctly? Oh Meat Gods, please don't deny me. I reached for the handle on the large wooden door and with a slight tug...it came open!!!! I almost started chanting "HERCULES HERCULES HERCULES!" out of sheer excitement.

The tiny little wooden restaurant that was almost 3 times as old as me was packed to the gills. Not a single one of the large wooden seats was open. But no matter, we lined up and placed our orders. I had the urge to order 10 burgers in fear that I may never get the chance again but with the impending gut busting BBQ to follow, I kept it simple: 1 burger, medium-rare with cheese and onion and a diet birch beer. A few moments later a group of people, finishing up their burgers, got up from the large wooden table in the corner leaving 4 open spots. PERFECT! We took our seats and waited. While sipping Foxon's and making inside jokes, I heard someone say "are you the Reverend?" It pays to blog about your burgers my friends. After a brief chat with the staff, Chuck and I bought some Louis apparel and ran back out to the dining room moments later when our names were called.

Here it was, the magic moment. 165 blog posts later, I was about to eat Rosetta stone of hamburgers. Was I ready? Was it going to be a good as I imagined? What if I had hyped it up too much to myself? What if I spent one too many hours salivating over the idea? After a deep breath, I took my first bite...wow. Wow! WOW!! This was a serious burger for serious burger lovers.

The big juicy patty melted in my mouth. It was cooked perfectly and filled with delicious fresh beef flavor. The upright cooking method allows what little fat is in the meat to cook off, leaving just the natural cooked beef taste to swirl around and dance on your taste buds. Condiments be damned, the subtly of the onion and light amount of cheese spread really brought out the true tastes of this beef legend. I'm normally a proponent of specialty buns for burgers but who am I to argue with tradition? Especially when it's more than obvious, this isn't about the bread! It's about the fresh ground beef and a tradition that is almost 110 years old!

Get yourself to Connecticut and eat this burger. Then count your lucky stars to be a part of one of the most important food items in the history of our great country. But be sure to check their website first and make sure they will be open when you arrive!!!


9 out of 10 ounces
-Rev





With happy burger bellies we set the GPS for Fairfield, CT. The visions of pulled pork, ribs and delicious brisket danced in our thoughts as we anxiously made our way to Wilson's BBQ. Granted it was a Tuesday, but we were a little surprised to find the parking lot so empty but not as surprised to find out Wilson's is only open Thursday through Sunday...BBQ FAIL!! What is it with Connecticut and odd days and hours with restaurants!?!? I just can't win here. Shame on us however for not following my own advice above.

Refusing to be beaten, Chuck demanded we re-route to the Mohegan Sun Casino for some drinking and gambling. The genius of Chuck's suggestion is not however based in those 2 activities for located at Mohegan Sun is Big Bubba's BBQ. We would not be denied our smoked meats and The Lunchover conitnues!! I re-routed the GPS and as we made our way back to the highway, we passed a sign that called out our name; Super Duper Weenie. Dan pulled a U-bender into the parking lot and we made our way in.

THE DOG
Super Duper Weenie
http://www.superduperweenie.com/
306 Black Rock Turnpike
Fairfield, CT 06825

As a native Detroiter, I grew up eating coney dogs at Lafayette Coney Island and although I will defend them as the BEST coney, I don't love hot dogs. Hot dogs for me are only eaten in 2 instances; baseball games and to soak up booze. For this occasion, I was more than willing to make an exception. Super Duper Weenie originally started only as a food truck but in 1999, the owners opened up this roadside location to serve up a local favorite. Their locally made wieners and bread are offered up with a wide array of toppings including onions, bacon, sauerkraut, chili, cheese, relish and more. Although they do server burgers, I thought it better menu item of name.

I ordered a "Cincinnatian." A hot dog topped with "Cincinnati Style Chili, Cheddar Cheese & Chopped Onions," which is about as close to a Detroit style coney dog as you can get. While I waited for my weenie I sipped on some delicious Boylan's vintage soda pop. I won't lie to you, this is one of the best tasting hot dogs I have ever had. The bun was soft and fresh with just a hint of sweetness. The beef and pork dog had had a slightly crunch casing and was just a little on the smoky side. Both the cheese and onions were fresh and good but the real delight was the chili. In Detroit we absolutely smother our dogs with chili but such is not the case at Super Duper Weenie. They carefully spoon out just enough to add a distinct flavor to their offering but not over power the taste of the delicious pork and beef hot dog itself. This is a real winner and in fact so good, that even though Chuck offered me a bite of his onion and bacon covered dog, I refused not wanting any other taste in mouth.








THE BBQ
We hopped back in the car and headed off to Uncasville, CT. After an hour drive and quick change of shirts, we were at the Black Jack table cheering on the Ace of Spades. Once our gambling fix had been satiated we moved on to satiating our stomachs at Big Bubba's BBQ. A sister restaurant to NYC's Virgil's BBQ, Big Bubba's serves up all things 'que but is best know for their "Fall Off The Porch Ice Tea," (a Long Island with Peach Schnapps added) and their famous ribs. We started with a sharing plate of trash ribs which lasted about 30 seconds before being completely devoured by 4 carnivorous meat fiends. I went with the 2 meat combo of baby back ribs and sliced brisket with a side of dirty rice and mac and cheese. All of it was really good due to Bubba's delicious and tangy BBQ sauces.

A few more rounds of cards and we piled back into Dan's car for the long ride home. Chuck and Kyle passed out in the back seat but were abruptly awoken when I spotted a pit BBQ restaurant off exit 42 on route 95 south. Dan, a wise man, kept on driving. It was high time for The Lunchover to be over.

The Palm - An Appetizing Tiger

The Palm
http://www.thepalm.com/
206 West Street
New York, NY 10013

THE STORY
What better way to celebrate the holidays with your buddies then eating beef? Sounds like a great idea but with the state of the economy and the need to buy your spoiled baby cousin that D-Rex 2.0 for Hanukkah and the "designer" leopard print snuggie for your girlfriend your just short on cash. Well respected celebrity hang out and steakhouse chain, The Palm, has the solution to your holiday meat needs; The Prime Time Bites Happy Hour! All appetizers platters, including Kobe Sliders, Prime Cheese Steak, Filet Mignon Capri Sandwiches and more all for only $3.50!!! (Be sure to read the fine print on locations, times and sections of the restaurant!)


When JoeC from Steak Club 7 emailed the above flier with the simple question "who's in?" I immediately replied with my confirmation.

The Palm first opened at 837 2nd Avenue, New York, NY in 1926 serving up northern Italian cuisine to artists and writers. Legend has it that when clientele would order a steak, one of the owners would run over to butcher shop and pick one up to serve the customer. Eventually steaks were added to the menu and now The Palm, expanded to locations all over the planet, run their own meat wholesale company. Although anyone can eat at The Palm, even today, they still paint caricatures of famous and popular customers on their walls. And although Accenture won't work with this dude anymore, I guess he is still welcome to come eat steak at The Palm.



THE BURGER
While the 9 of us were still getting settled into our tables in the back of the bar, our extremely attentive server already began to take our drink orders. Realizing we only had 45 minutes left before the "Prime Time" special was going to end, JoeC and I quickly placed the following order;

2 orders of Kobe Sliders
2 orders of Prime Cheese Steak
2 orders of Filet Mignon Capri Sandwiches
2 orders of "Ultimate" Chicken Strips
2 orders of Veal Parmigiana Sliders
1 order of "Point Judith" Calamari Fritti
10 Jumbo Shrimp

The sliders and chicken strips were the first to arrive and after disappearing faster than Tiger Woods' savings, the food was gone. JoeC and I immediately asked our server to double the ENTIRE order. I mean really, what's another $48.50 between friends?

The Kobe Sliders were cooked medium well and had great flavor. Unfortunately the bread was a little dry and the meat itself was room temperature. The cheese and bacon topping were both an added bonus since the menu didn't mention either. For $3.50, complaining is really for the spoiled and since I know I am not getting the D-Rex 2.0, I know I which side my bun is buttered and grilled on.

After a few Google searches, I still can't figure out if "Capri" means "serve cold" but if that is the case, the Filet Mignon Sandwiches were fantastic. Cut from a Filet Steak, cooked medium rare and topped with tomato, basil and fresh buffalo mozzarella, these little buddies were full of great well matched flavors. My thanks to Josh's parents for making him allergic to dairy because I got to eat all his mozz. MMM!!!

The "Ultimate" Chicken Strips were piping-hot, crispy, golden and juicy and when dipped in the sweet chili sauce (at least that is what I think it was!) they were quite delectable.

The big taste winner however were the Prime Cheese Steaks. The extremely pungent and salty cheese made combined with the fried onions and chopped steak to create a mini 4 of July explosion in your mouth. If this is what Santa fuels his reindeer with, I know understand how they achieve lift-off!

Overall, a great selection of meat appetizers, insane prices and wonderful time with friends. What more can you ask for around the holidays...other than a "designer snuggie?"


5 out of 10 ounces
-Rev