Places At Which I Eat Regularly
Originally written as a Facebook note, but I might as well include it here.
While I normally don't participate in these memes, Justin Speers got me thinking about delicious, delicious food. Eating well, and by that I mean eating that which brings you great pleasure, is one of the truly great things of life. Some may say my palette is somewhat plebian, but I say, "Know what you love and don't make excuses for it".
Of the places I have eaten, here are the ones I love and the dishes that I usually get. They are listed in descending order, based on my current desire for each particular dish.
1) Crown Palace III, Staten Island, NY - Orange beef with mushu pancakes and a spring roll (or two)
http://tinyurl.com/na2urx
I don't know why, but I love this particular meal at this particular restaurant. Whenever I go back to Staten, I say it is to see family and friends, but it is actually to get more of this orange beef.
2) Mi Casita (now closed), Bradenton, FL - Cuban chicken sandwich
The best sandwich that I have ever had, and I have had a lot of sandwiches. The owner was also the cook and you could tell that he legitimately loved what he did. You could taste the love.
3) Revolutionary Pasta, Portland, OR - Shrimp Alfredo
One of the carts in the caravan at Hawthorne & 12th. Admittedly, we were somewhat chemically altered that night, but as Marco and I remember it, the pasta was so good that a mythos sprang up around its very existence. I am actually afraid to go back for fear that it may not be as good as I remember.
4) Reel 'm Inn, Portland, OR - Four chicken strips with Jo-jo's or tots (and usually a Gin & Tonic)
http://www.barflymag.com/bar/reel-m-inn.html
I am, in fact, one of the "steadfast gang of older area regulars [who] still plug endless sets of 80's rawk to the online jukebox and spin a starch'n'booze-fueled cheer". Everyone's your friend at the Reel 'm Inn.
5) Le Bistro Montage, Portland, OR - Rock shrimp in a basil pesto cream sauce with garlic, tomatoes, and parmesan.
http://www.montageportland.com/
The first dining experience I had in Portland and the place I take almost all visitors from out-of-town. How can you not love a place where the lounge is named "La Merde".
6) Kettleman's Bagels, Portland, OR - A baker's dozen of assorted bagels and a 1/2 lbs of "smoked salmon flavored cream cheese".
http://www.kettlemanbagels.com/
Until I found this place, I was not certain I could live in Portland for an extended period of time. I need good bagels to survive.
7) "Marinepolis" Sushi Land, Portland, OR - As much sushi as I can eat or stick in my pockets.
http://sushilandusa.com/
Sure it's a chain and sure it's got a conveyor belt, but none of that matters if you make a b-line straight from the door to the upstairs bar. There are better sushi places, (in fact there is a better sushi place within 3 blocks of my house) but when I really want sushi, nothing beats the Friday evening happy hour at this place. I have never left disappointed.
8) Oasis Cafe, Portland, OR - One or two slices of pepperoni pizza and a Henry Weinhard Root Beer.
http://www.oasispizza.com/
http://www.rootbeerreviews.com/brews/henryweinhard.php
While no pizza place can live up to my memories of $8 large NY style pies from my youth on Staten, when not in NYC, this is where I go for pizza.
9) Triple Nickel Pub, Portland, OR - Club sandwich and an order of curly fries.
http://tinyurl.com/okybnd
I am a sucker for dive bars, club sandwiches and curly fries and this place does all three well. Also, I do tend to enjoy places that neighbors say are "A blight on our neighborhood".
10) Belmont Pearl, Portland, OR - Anything on the lunch menu
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Location?oid=38520
While I generally steer clear of "pan-Asian" restaurants, this one does a hell of a job with their Chinese food. And if that weren't enough, they deliver.
11) Cricket Cafe, Portland, OR - Royal Sourdough Club with Tillamook pepper-bacon.
http://www.mrbreakfast.com/r_display.asp?restid=3943
I usually get the club, but I have never been less than delighted with anything I have ordered. The service is generally slower than evolution, but friendlier than most places. "Why can't two single bros go out and rock brunch Sunday-morning-style? We're here, we're hungry, get used to it, Brunch!"
12) The Acropolis (aka The A-crop), Portland, OR - $5 "House special" steak
http://www.barflymag.com/bar/acropolis.html
Men, women, even Marilyn Manson agrees that a $5 steak just tastes better when there are naked people around.
13) Fu Jin, Portland, OR - Orange chicken
http://tinyurl.com/pwhy6b
There was I time that I would eat here every Friday. I can't afford to do that anymore, but if you were to ask me where you could get good Chinese food, I would point you to Fu Jin.
14) Fire On The Mountain, Portland, OR - Wings
http://www.portlandwings.com/
Wings.
15) Foti's, Portland, OR - Gyro and "Greek fries"
http://tinyurl.com/pf3n8z
Every now and then, we all need a gyro. If you are in Portland when this occurs, this is the place to go.
16) Action Jackson's, Portland, OR - Bacon cheeseburger
http://tinyurl.com/oqj27e
If you are hung-over and you need a breakfast burger, then you are heading to Action Jackson's. They call it a "sports bar" but it's really a mini-casino with a few tables. While you are dead to the world, you can watch people pour dollar after dollar into a video poker machine and wait for one of the greasiest and most delicious burgers in town.
17) Kenny & Zuke's, Portland, OR - Pastrami cheese fries or pickled tongue sandwich
http://www.kennyandzukes.com/
Just tried this place for the first time with the Speers' last week, but the food was delicious enough to be on the list. [Insert misappropriated Yiddish here]
While I normally don't participate in these memes, Justin Speers got me thinking about delicious, delicious food. Eating well, and by that I mean eating that which brings you great pleasure, is one of the truly great things of life. Some may say my palette is somewhat plebian, but I say, "Know what you love and don't make excuses for it".
Of the places I have eaten, here are the ones I love and the dishes that I usually get. They are listed in descending order, based on my current desire for each particular dish.
1) Crown Palace III, Staten Island, NY - Orange beef with mushu pancakes and a spring roll (or two)
http://tinyurl.com/na2urx
I don't know why, but I love this particular meal at this particular restaurant. Whenever I go back to Staten, I say it is to see family and friends, but it is actually to get more of this orange beef.
2) Mi Casita (now closed), Bradenton, FL - Cuban chicken sandwich
The best sandwich that I have ever had, and I have had a lot of sandwiches. The owner was also the cook and you could tell that he legitimately loved what he did. You could taste the love.
3) Revolutionary Pasta, Portland, OR - Shrimp Alfredo
One of the carts in the caravan at Hawthorne & 12th. Admittedly, we were somewhat chemically altered that night, but as Marco and I remember it, the pasta was so good that a mythos sprang up around its very existence. I am actually afraid to go back for fear that it may not be as good as I remember.
4) Reel 'm Inn, Portland, OR - Four chicken strips with Jo-jo's or tots (and usually a Gin & Tonic)
http://www.barflymag.com/b
I am, in fact, one of the "steadfast gang of older area regulars [who] still plug endless sets of 80's rawk to the online jukebox and spin a starch'n'booze-fueled cheer". Everyone's your friend at the Reel 'm Inn.
5) Le Bistro Montage, Portland, OR - Rock shrimp in a basil pesto cream sauce with garlic, tomatoes, and parmesan.
http://www.montageportland
The first dining experience I had in Portland and the place I take almost all visitors from out-of-town. How can you not love a place where the lounge is named "La Merde".
6) Kettleman's Bagels, Portland, OR - A baker's dozen of assorted bagels and a 1/2 lbs of "smoked salmon flavored cream cheese".
http://www.kettlemanbagels
Until I found this place, I was not certain I could live in Portland for an extended period of time. I need good bagels to survive.
7) "Marinepolis" Sushi Land, Portland, OR - As much sushi as I can eat or stick in my pockets.
http://sushilandusa.com/
Sure it's a chain and sure it's got a conveyor belt, but none of that matters if you make a b-line straight from the door to the upstairs bar. There are better sushi places, (in fact there is a better sushi place within 3 blocks of my house) but when I really want sushi, nothing beats the Friday evening happy hour at this place. I have never left disappointed.
8) Oasis Cafe, Portland, OR - One or two slices of pepperoni pizza and a Henry Weinhard Root Beer.
http://www.oasispizza.com/
http://www.rootbeerreviews
While no pizza place can live up to my memories of $8 large NY style pies from my youth on Staten, when not in NYC, this is where I go for pizza.
9) Triple Nickel Pub, Portland, OR - Club sandwich and an order of curly fries.
http://tinyurl.com/okybnd
I am a sucker for dive bars, club sandwiches and curly fries and this place does all three well. Also, I do tend to enjoy places that neighbors say are "A blight on our neighborhood".
10) Belmont Pearl, Portland, OR - Anything on the lunch menu
http://www.portlandmercury
While I generally steer clear of "pan-Asian" restaurants, this one does a hell of a job with their Chinese food. And if that weren't enough, they deliver.
11) Cricket Cafe, Portland, OR - Royal Sourdough Club with Tillamook pepper-bacon.
http://www.mrbreakfast.com
I usually get the club, but I have never been less than delighted with anything I have ordered. The service is generally slower than evolution, but friendlier than most places. "Why can't two single bros go out and rock brunch Sunday-morning-style? We're here, we're hungry, get used to it, Brunch!"
12) The Acropolis (aka The A-crop), Portland, OR - $5 "House special" steak
http://www.barflymag.com/b
Men, women, even Marilyn Manson agrees that a $5 steak just tastes better when there are naked people around.
13) Fu Jin, Portland, OR - Orange chicken
http://tinyurl.com/pwhy6b
There was I time that I would eat here every Friday. I can't afford to do that anymore, but if you were to ask me where you could get good Chinese food, I would point you to Fu Jin.
14) Fire On The Mountain, Portland, OR - Wings
http://www.portlandwings.c
Wings.
15) Foti's, Portland, OR - Gyro and "Greek fries"
http://tinyurl.com/pf3n8z
Every now and then, we all need a gyro. If you are in Portland when this occurs, this is the place to go.
16) Action Jackson's, Portland, OR - Bacon cheeseburger
http://tinyurl.com/oqj27e
If you are hung-over and you need a breakfast burger, then you are heading to Action Jackson's. They call it a "sports bar" but it's really a mini-casino with a few tables. While you are dead to the world, you can watch people pour dollar after dollar into a video poker machine and wait for one of the greasiest and most delicious burgers in town.
17) Kenny & Zuke's, Portland, OR - Pastrami cheese fries or pickled tongue sandwich
http://www.kennyandzukes.c
Just tried this place for the first time with the Speers' last week, but the food was delicious enough to be on the list. [Insert misappropriated Yiddish here]
posted by Mr. Devon B. | 2:31 PM
2 Comments:
I don't know how I ended up back here, but if scares me that out of this list, there's only one place in the SRQ area - and it's closed.
You didn't eat here often enough, did you?
I did not leave campus much, and in those days I had not yet learned to avoid corporate clone restaurants in favor of good food.
Where do you like to eat in Sarasota?
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