I am eager to find street stands selling Nicaraguan “weekend food” such as nacatamales: shredded pork, potatoes, garlic, peppers, and fresh tomato covered with masa and cooked in a banana leaf. I plan to do my Bourdain-best and hit every vendor in sight. I’ve consulted with Andrew Zimmern who recommends the roasted wild iguana and bull testicle ceviche, but if you’ve been to Nicaragua I’d love to hear your thoughts. (Extra points:  what is the perfect name for a hockey team in Nicaragua? Prize from Nicaragua to the winner. I’m looking at you , Kirk.)

Noodles are an important part of Japanese cuisine. So important in fact that the Japanese have academies to teach the correct hand making and preparation of them. Yesterday, Akila Inouye, Master Chef of Tsukiji Soba Academy in Tokyo, visited Tei-An restaurant at One Arts Plaza to give a demonstration of the technique of making soba noodles. His visit to the US encompasses only New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas. The reason for Dallas’ place on the exclusive list is that Tei-An owner Teiichi Sakurai is a student of the master. When he sold his previous restaurants, Tei-Tei Robata Bar and Teppo Yakitori and Sushi Bar, he took time off before opening Tei-An to take a five week noodle course at the academy in Tokyo.

Soba noodles are made mainly or entirely from buckwheat flour. Inouye used a mixture 80% buckwheat and 20% wheat shown below

The flour for this demonstration came from Hokkaido, Japan. The wheat ripens at various times in Japan but first in Hokkaido so this, being in part a celebration of the beginning of the soba noodle season, had Hokkaido flour. The chef Inouye mixed the flour with water in a bowl and proceeded to knead the dough. I wonder if soba makers have the strongest arms in the world as the traditional process is entirely physical. By the time chef Inouye had created the dough ball below, he’d worked up quite a sweat.

The dough is rolled flat until it reaches the desired thickness (between 1.5 and 0.8 mm) which is check with special gauges.

The result is cut into slices with a knife and a form, and then the end trimmed to make noodles. The dough is plunged into boiling water and the cooking time is only 90 seconds. Soba can be served cold or added to soups. We had a plate of Shin Soba with two dipping sauces (Black Sesame and Soba Tsuyu-Soy base)  shown below.

The small plate on the right contains sliced scallions, finely chopped daikon radish, and authentic wasabi. The noodles have a nutty taste that originates from the flour. Their nutritional properties are interesting and  include the ability to prevent beri-beri (we didn’t catch beri beri all night). We drank only water at the demonstration but soba noodles are probably best paired with sake or a dry white wine (e.g. a Sauvignon Blanc).

One interesting aspect of eating this dish is that after you finish the noodles any remaining dipping sauce is diluted with the broth in which the noodles were cooked and you drink the resulting mixture. It tastes like all the memories of great sashimi encapsulated in a glass.

Master Chef Inouye has left for Los Angeles, but the product of his teaching is available six days a week at Tei-An.

Tei-An
1722 Routh St., Ste. 110
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 220-2828

Declaration of Interest: Someone, I suspect Tei-An and Tsukiji Soba Academy, paid for this and I was not there anonymously. I was responsible for the outrageously priced parking at One Arts Plaza.

Last night, Detective Andrew Chalk busted into a preview dinner at Samar by Stephan Pyles. He files this report:

Samar by Stephan Pyles opens tonight. This is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated new restaurants of the year. Yesterday, the restaurant held a preview to finalize the kitchen and service procedures and we were there. It is quite an experience.

Jumping now…

First, those Dishers who expressed concern after last week’s opening that the concept behind the restaurant was confused, can rest more easily. The menu is organized into three clear sections: Spain, The Eastern Mediterranean, and India. If you stick to the Spanish section, you will agree with me–this may be the best Spanish restaurant in town. Order from the Indian section only and you’ll find that Samar may be the best Indian restaurant in town. The Eastern Mediterranean section is impressive too.

Dishes come in tapas portions. That is, about the size of an appetizer on a conventional menu (see the pictures below). We found them ideal for sharing between two and adequately filling if you ordered six dishes (plus dessert) per couple. All three sections of Samar’s menu are crucibles of innovation. For example, don’t look for potato croquettes or fried smelt on the Spanish section. The closest to the former is Croquetas del Cangrejo (Peekytoe Crab Fritters with Celery-Citrus Salpicon).

Peekytoe Crab Fritters with Celery-Citrus Salpicon

The most ambitious dish we tried was Tres Vasos. This prosaic name conceals three glasses containing an exotic but highly successful combination of ingredients inspired, apparently, by the food of The New Spain.

Tres Vasos.

Left to right: Ruby red grapefruit with feta foam and lemongrass-ginger gelée; Spiced shrimp with pumpkin flan and orange; Foie gras brulée with Pedro Ximenez figs and crispy jamon Serrano.

Let’s deconstruct the the foie gras brulée with Pedro Ximenez figs and crispy jamon Serrano: you pick through the bacon taste of the crisp jamon on top and proceed to a layer of foam before reaching the figs below. At the bottom, there is a meaty floor in the glass comprised of a half inch of foie gras. Absolute heaven.

In the Indian section we enjoyed the Mumbai Ka Badi Jhinga (Tiger Prawn ‘Bombay Style’ with Crispy Okra Salad and Spiced Pear Chutney).

Tiger Prawn ‘Bombay Style’ with Crispy Okra Salad and Spiced Pear Chutney

The risk with prawns is that the mild flavor will be emaciated, either by time or more dominant ingredients. This one serves as an example of how to season and spice a prawn to enhance its flavors. The choice of  okra as the side vegetable imparts a crisp element in the mouth to compliment the meatiness of the seafood. The pear chutney, like many chutneys, acts as a sweet condiment for the dish.

Appropriately for Texas, Samar has Quail too. This one–Tandoori Bater Ke Saath Navarthon Palau (Stuffed Tandoori Quail with ‘Nine Jewels’ Rice)– is prepared in a Tandoor and stuffed with  rice.

Stuffed Tandoori Quail with ‘Nine Jewels’ Rice.

The meat was so tender that I quartered the one in the picture with two cuts of my knife. Those things on top are figs and they ooze their sweet juice that, let’s be honest, is really a sort of sauce, into the meat.

Vegetarians will find that several dishes in the Indian section that are satisfactory too. Those examples are typical of the Indian section of the menu in that they take western ingredients and subject them to Indian spices, herbs and culinary technique. The result might be described as a ‘fusion’, were that word not confined to a home for the chronically overused. Better to think of the Indian influence adding an extra dimension to traditional ingredients. You can’t do to a quail what Samar does to a quail without a tandoor, cumin, coriander, and a lot of technique.

The Eastern Mediterranean section of the menu continues the innovative theme at Samar. We experienced the Kofte Addas Ahmar (Crunchy Red Lentil Kofke with Mint and Rose Vinegar Pickled Pearl Onions at the opening celebration two weeks ago, but Rose Vinegar?

Crunchy Red Lentil Kofke with Mint and Rose Vinegar Pickled Pearl Onions

I have never had this before but I now will never forget the distinctive taste. Using it to pickle onions is “new synergy.”

We also had Ajill Tagine Maa Couscous (Veal Tagine with Medjool Dates and Tri-Color Almond Couscous).

Veal Tagine with Medjool Dates and Tri-Color Almond Couscous

This may be Middle Eastern comfort food. The veal pulled apart with a fork and the couscous almost dissolved in the mouth. This dish is ideal for the coming winter and one of the more mainstream items on the menu.

Preview dinners put a new restaurant on display, warts and all. The verdict? Our server, Alex, wasn’t warty at all. He was always available and had the ingredients in the dishes down cold. The pace of the meal was also just right. Preparation had some warts. We had a few dishes where some items were distinctly hotter than others (implying some synchronization issues in the kitchen) and the foie gras in the Patatas Y Chorizo Con Huevo Orgánico (Potatoes and Chorizo with Fried Motley Farm Organic Egg and Hudson Valley Foie Gras) was cool in the middle.

The red wine was way too warm. Apparently it is stored at room temperature but under a halogen light (duh!). You can see this to the left of the bar. That will have to change by tonight. We also got a corked bottle of Chardonnay, but this was corrected promptly (memo to sommelier: always taste wines by the glass at the start of service each night).

These are all fixable and Samar is a welcome addition to the Dallas dining scene.

Samar’s creators paid huge attention to design. The following video is a tour of the restaurant with Stephan Pyles. (Pardon the sound; the place was packed.)

We sent Andrew Chalk to cover the semi-soft opening of Samar by Stephan Pyles. Here is his report. You want chandeliers? Stephan Pyles bought some chandeliers for Samar. Go Andrew:

Samar by Stephan Pyles held its invite-only preview party on Saturday and, judging by the turnout, reservations to this new eatery are going to be hard to get. (The official opening day is still TBD but planned for “early October.”)

Saturday, close to 1,000 of Stephan’s closest friends piled into the restaurant, the patio, and a specially rented spillover area. Despite the crowd, the staff coped with the rush like a well-oiled machine. Even the periodic guest-dropping-a-glass-in-a-crowded-bar problem was immediately met with a staffer who cordoned off the area while another cleaned it clean up. The kitchen and wait staff dispatched appetizers with that frictionless regularity which makes you wonder if the servers aren’t on roller skates.

The centerpiece of any restaurant is the food. Pyles installed Vijay Sadhu, formerly of Bukhara Grille and Clay Pit, as head chef because he wanted Indian cuisine to be one of the inspirations at Samar.The other influences on the menu come from Spain and the area loosely defined as the Eastern Mediterranean (mainly Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey). Here is chef Sadhu describing some of the appetizers.

Chef Sadhu showed the crowd his ambitious stuff—all of the food was prepared perfectly. As he showed at his earlier positions, Vijay Sadhu is an expert and combining flavors and bringing them out in his dishes. Here is a short list of what was served: Red Lentiles Kofte (Turkish), Kebbeh with Golden beets tzatziki sauce, Chicken kebab stuffed with spiced gound lamb served with Spice tomato jam and crispy okra, Saffron Paneer tikka with spiced vermicelli and cumin scented asparagus, Chocolate Samosa with rose jam, and Papadam cones stuffed with Mung sprouts

Guests were offered either a specially created martini that apparently involved pomegranate juice (and had a fruity approachability that made it deceptively easy to imbibe) or one of a number of respectable wines.This food, by the way, is wine-friendly.

Outside, the patio was put to good use. Belly dancers entertained the crowd that, coincidentally, became progressively less and less reserved.

Hookah pipes were available to complete one’s sense transportation from the corner of Ross and Olive to some exotic country.

Please don’t sue me for using your cover art.

I’m stuck at home in my little glass house. I see a few pebbles on the floor and I think I will toss them.

I just scanned through the Dallas Observer’s 2009 Best of Dallas® Food list. It reminds me of that Who song. What is it, Kirk? Something about the new boss and the old boss? YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! Bomp, bomp, bomp. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Dave Fairies, I have a quick question: Does the Observer repeat “Bests” if, when the next year rolls around, no one else  fills the category as “Better®?” (That’s mine, dude.)  This is a serious question and I ask it because I have to deal with the beast of ‘Bests” and understand the difficulty at uncovering them. So, Mr. Fairies, do you roll over “Bests” from year to year by moving them into different categories or because they are the “Best” of their original category? Let’s go through the list together and see. Jump with me. It’s not far.

Cindi’s New York Deli: 2008 Best Breakfast; 2009 Best Chicken and Dumplings

Fogo de Chao: 2008 Best Churrascaria; 2009 Best Meaty Experience

Yumi to Go: 2008 Best Home Delivery; 2009 Best Bird’s Eye View (seriously?)

Jimmy’s Food Store: 2008 Best Spicy Sausage Sandwich; 2009 Best Italian Grocery (me=guilty)

Royal Thai: 2008 Best Thai Restaurant; 2009 Best Thai Restaurant (Ding! Could answer my question)

Best Seafood: 2008 Fish City Grill; 2009 Dallas Seafood Market (seriously?)

Alligator Café: 2008 Best Cajun Restaurant; 2009 Best Cajun Restaurant (Ding! Ding! Could answer my question.)

Afghan Grill: 2008 Best Middle Eastern Restaurant; 2009 Best Middle Eastern Restaurant (Ding! Ding! Ding! That’s three which officially makes anything a Trend. One more match makes it Truth.)

Garden Café: 2008  Best Local Food Movement Restaurant; 2009 Best Homegrown Experience

Roti Grill: 2008 Best Fast-Casual Indian Restaurant; 2009 Best Indian Food (Yow. Zah.)

Mai’s Vietnamese Restaurant: 2008 Best Vietnamese Restaurant; 2009 Best Vietnamese Restaurant  DING, DING, DING! Ding! TRUTH!

Fair enough, Fairies!  I commend your consistency. I will now pick up my guitar and play.

(But Sprinkles? Really? That is sooo D Magazine.)

P.S. Yes, I’ve been known to attend Holy Trinity from time to time. But I’m not coming to the defense of my people for personal reasons. I’m defending the hundreds of volunteers who are just trying to serve their community and do a good thing for the church. How can you find fault with that?

About a year ago, I started to read the book, the United States of Arugula, the first sentence of which included a reference to author David Kamp having a “rapturous food memory” of some “Cantonese lobster dish unveiled from beneath a dome in some dimly lit place with a name like Jade Pagoda.”

I never made it all the way through the book, but the sentence stays with me to this day. It has conjured a craving that I can’t seem to quence in Dallas. Mainly it is this: I want to revisit the ’70s and relive a “rapturous food memory,” by having a waiter in some dimly lit place with a name like Won Ton, Lotus Garden or Lai Lai (actual names of Chinese restaurants from my youth in Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale) unveil a plate of Wor Su Gai.

Or, as you may know it: Almond Fried Chicken.

That’s how I knew my fried fowl friend when it was the staple of every Chinese dinner we had. It usually followed some Won Ton soup the color of chicken bullion cube, an order of spare ribs and some giant egg rolls with bits of roast pork and bay shrimp inside, not just cabbage. Those were the days, man. Column A, Column B, Family Dinners.

I’ve been in Dallas nearly 13 years now and have lived in four different neighborhoods. Every time I move, I set up my utilities and then set out in search of two things in the new ‘hood: The girl of my dreams and the gai of my desires. No luck on either. Actually, I’ve come closer to finding the girl than the chicken.

It’s not like I’m looking for something exotic; Wor Su Gai only sounds that way. IFirst of all, it’s about as Chinese as me. It is basically this: Fried chicken – similar to that you’d find in Lemon Chicken or Sweet and Sour Chicken. Add a little brown gravy, similar to what you’d receive with Egg Fu Yong. And some almonds. That’s it. When I see Almond Chicken on a menu, I get a hint of excitement, only to have it dashed when I’m told the chicken is cubed, not breaded and served with lots of celery. I’ve even gone so far as to ask folks to make it, describing it exactly as I just did. I’ve received Sweet and Sour Chicken with Egg Fu Yong gravy, which, by the way, is not appetizing in the least. It’s also not the dish. I can’t seem to get them to leave the sweet and sour sauce off. Or the Lemon sauce. No. No. No. No.

I’ve been on Chinese food crawls with New York-reared Chinese-food freaks, who like me, want the stuff of their childhood. We got the same stares in Richardson that I’ve gotten in Las Colinas and on McKinney Avenue.

I’ve searched the web and there are numerous recipes for the dish. There also appear to be lots of other folks like me: Too lazy to cook and desperate for a fix of the Chinese food with which they grew up.  It’s apparently still popular in the Midwest. And when I go visit my folks in Atlanta, there are still a couple of places serving it.

Does anybody out there know this dish? Does anybody out there know a place that serves this dish? Does anybody out there know a Chinese restaurant owner who ows them a favor and would add it to the menu? Will somebody cook it for me?

Help!

Is there some comfort food from your past that you crave and can’t find here anywhere. Anything you’ve been dying for, but can’t find. Consider this your clearing house for old-school comfort food tips. Dishers, I plead with you. Help me and one another.

If though, you are a working Jewish mom or just a Jewish Princess who is worried about what to do for the upcoming High Holidays, listen, take a load off. We’ve just been handed the T.J.’s Market catering menu for the High Holidays and all we’ve got to say is “Oy Vey, that Caren Alexis is going to be one tired Yiddisha Momma.”

Just listen to what they will do if you want them to make home-made Gefilte Fish (which, for some reason, I never caught on any of my many fishing expeditions): They will grind fresh fish (Pike, Lake Trout, Snapper, Buffalo, Carp, Tillapia, Haddock, Cod or Salmon). They will chop you some liver. They will give you the horseradish (red for you wimps, the pure white stuff for the strong-sinused among you). They’ve got glazed chicken breasts and brisket (and I’m assuming we’re not talking about any of that lean stuff with the barbecue sauce all over it; we’re talking tender, soft, with a bissel of fat and some oniony-soup broth gravy). They’ve got Nova Lox. The menu also has some baked brie stuffed with fruit and nuts. I’m not sure how that got on there, but it’s there nonetheless.

So, if you are planning for the High Holidays or just want to ring in the Jewish New Year (Happy 5770 everybody!) the right way, check out the menu here. Call the Alexis clan. And wish them a L’Shanna Tovah (which, in the language of my people, is the wish for a happy, healthy New Year).

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September 8th – Capezzana Wines
Our first tasting is with Leone Contini Bonacossi. Her family owns Capezzana Wines from Tuscany. We will be tasting 4 wines, Conti Contini, Barco Reale, Villa Capezzana and the famous Super Tuscan Ghiaie Della Furba. Since this will be a short tasting we will have a caprese salad and we will call the Bryan Street Tavern for some of their delicious pizza.

Tuesday, September 8th
$25.00 Per Person + tax
6:30 p.m. (Check begins at 6:15)
Please RSVP to paul@jimmysfoodstore.com and put Sept 8 in the subject line.
An email notification is your confirmation.

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September 15th – Banfi Tasting
Our next tasting will be with one of our favorite speakers, Filippo Di Belardino, Vice President of Banfi Vintners. His wine education began at the family dinner table, often in the company of winemakers, where the best of Europe’s offerings complemented his mother’s gourmet dishes. He says, “Fine wines, and the lifestyle that reflect them, are an important part of my heritage.” Filippo has a wealth of knowledge of wines and he is a very funny guy, quite the entertainer, you will have a great time.
The wines will be: Banfi Brut, San Angelo Pinot Grigio, Belnero, ExcelsuS, SummuS, Brunello ‘04, Alla Mura and Rosa Regale. The menu will be antipasti, mushroom ravioli, braised boneless short-ribs, polenta, summer vegetables, cheese plate and “My Sister’s” Chocolate dessert.

Tuesday, September 15th
$69.00 Per Person + tax
6:30 p.m. (Check begins at 6:15)
Please RSVP to paul@jimmysfoodstore.com and put Sept 15 in the subject line.
An email notification is your confirmation.

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September 17th – Guido Folonari
Our third guest has a very big name in Italian Wine – Guido Folonari. His family owned the famed Ruffino Estates and later sold it. Guido is a force of nature and he has assembled an impressive stable of wine estates that he calls the killer B’s – Barolo – Brunello and Bolgheri. Guido represents the best and brightest that Italy is sending out to Rediscover America.
We will be tasting 7 wines: San Giorgio Rosso di Mantalcino, San Giorgio Rosso Brunello di Montalcino, L’ Illuminata Barolo, L’ Illuminata Brunello, Donna Olimpia Tageto, Donna Olimpia Bolgheri and Vin Santo. Our menu will start with a choice of caprese salad or foie gras, braised lamb shanks, scalloped potatoes, Italian green beans and assorted Italian cookies.

Thursday, September 17th
$55.00 Per Person + tax
6:30 p.m. (Check begins at 6:15)
Please RSVP to paul@jimmysfoodstore.com and put Sept 17 in the subject line.
Please add your choice of salad or foie gras.
An email notification is your confirmation.

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September 21st – Tenuta Sette Ponti
Our 4th tasting will be with Elena Capobianco, Export Manager for Tenuta Sette Ponti.
Elena is a professional sommelier and master taster, as well as an expert taster of extra virgin olive oil and of grappa. After being wine journalist in print and television she ventured in the business world and is now the export manager for Tenuta Sette Ponti.
This will also be a joint tasting with 2 brokers because Sette Ponti has wines with both.  So we will have Dan Rosenberg with Empson and Beat Kotoun with Kobrand.
We will be tasting 5 wines, Tuscolo Vernacia, Saia from Sicily, Poggio Al Lupo, and Crognolo. And the main reason for this tasting is the Super Tuscan Orma. Our menu will be a large antipasti with assorted Jimmy’s sausages.

Monday, September 21st
$33.00 Per Person + tax
6:30 p.m. (Check begins at 6:15)
Please RSVP to paul@jimmysfoodstore.com and put Sept 21 in the subject line.
An email notification is your confirmation.

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September 23rd – Cocci Grifone
Our last tasting will be a first. We will be tasting wines from the Marche Regions of Italy. Marilena Cocci Grifone whose family owns Cucci Grifone is coming to Jimmy’s. I am very excited about this tasting because I am a big fan of the Wine Rosso Piceno. We will be trying 3 different Rosso Piceno’s, plus a Rosso and a Pecorino (the wine not the cheese). We will have a antipasti, pasta with meat sauce and finish with a cheese plate.

Wednesday, September 23rd
$38.00 Per Person + tax
6:30 p.m. (Check begins at 6:15)
Please RSVP to paul@jimmysfoodstore.com and put Sept 23 in the subject line.

For the first installment of SideDish TableTalk, I knew just where to go to round up a couple of fellow Chosen People to talk about Zinsky’s Delicatessen. What follows is the transcript of that conversation (or, if you prefer, complaint fest). We all seem to like Zinsky’s very much, but that doesn’t stop myself, “The Pastrami Kid,” and “Harry” from finding something to kvetch about. Below we discuss important Deli issues such as the one-handed sandwich, kasha knishes, and bagels. You don’t have to be Jewish to appreciate this, but it helps.

Evan: Hello, gentlemen. Hello?

Pastrami Kid: I am here. Where is Harry? And Sally?

Evan: Just so everybody knows, I guess I should make this disclaimer on why we are talking about Zinsky’s deli: We are all middle-aged, all of Jewish background and all enjoy food. Oh, and we’ve all been to Zinsky’s.

Evan: So, what are your impressions?

Pastrami Kid: I like the place a lot. It’s a really comfortable place to hang out, to start with.

Pastrami Kid: Which, in itself, sets it apart from your typical NY deli.

Pastrami Kid: The waitresses are too friendly. They would never make it at the Carnegie. They actually ask you how you would like certain things made…like matzoh brie for example…”would you like that made with onions or without?”

Evan: Don’t know that they would have made it at Gilbert’s for that matter. When Harry and I went, we sat for a good 30 minutes after eating our last bite of food and not one kvetch from the staff.

Harry: Sorry I’m late, I was eating.

Pastrami Kid: Don’t talk with food in your mouth, Harry.

Evan: Very surprising, Harry. So, what were your impressions of Zinsky’s?

Harry: It is a good Dallas deli but…

Harry: Too clean. Too polite. Too goyish. I want attitude and a corned beef sandwich I need two hands to hold.

Pastrami Kid: Yeah, there is an awful lot of smiling going on.

Harry: At least the waitress, who was far too nice, didn’t ask if we wanted mayo on the corned beef.

Pastrami Kid: So you are objecting to the one-handed sandwich?

Harry: What else?

Harry: To be completely authentic here all questions should be answered with a question.

Evan: That is a good point, Harry. Like talking to my dad. I say “Hello, how are you?” He says “How am I? How should I be?”

Pastrami Kid: How about the corned beef itself?

Evan: The sandwich is rather small, I gotta say that. I want to be able to complain that “you could feed an army” with that thing, because how much fun is it if you just eat the food and enjoy it? I need to kvetch.

Pastrami Kid: OK, but you two guys are the corned beef eaters. How is the meat?

Harry: So what’s to say about the corned beef? It was OK.

Evan: I thought the Corned Beef was very good, very lean, no?

Pastrami Kid: OK? As in Stage Deli ok? As in Brooklyn ok? Or as in St Patrick’s Day with cabbage ok?

Harry: And since you didn’t ask, I thought it was a mistake to put the counter in the back. I like to peruse the goods before I buy.

Pastrami Kid: you can’t walk 10 yards to the counter??

Evan: Oy vey.

Harry: And by the way, that parking lot is crowded.

Evan: Not enough signage. Harry was walking all the way to Royal China before I stopped him.

Harry: Is there anything more Jewish than Chinese food?

Harry: I’ll say this, though, the matzoh balls were delicious. The soup not so bad, too.

Pastrami Kid: I agree on the matzoh ball soup

Evan: What do you know? Me, too. Momma, I’m sorry for saying this, but these matzoh balls might have been better than yours. Oh, I cause her such tzuris.

Evan: Two golf ball sized matzoh balls that allow for enough soup. Other places, they just try and wow with the size of their balls (that’s not a euphemism), you know what I mean? These were light and tasty.

Pastrami Kid: You could go to Royal China and throw in a few kreplach because Zinsky’s doesn’t have any. I hear they are thinking about adding them, though.

Harry: No Kreplach, no knishes, either.

Pastrami Kid: As for knishes. NO KNISHES??? Are you kidding me? They could buy the NY frozen knishes which are delicious and have them shipped down, couldn’t they? The square ones, I mean.

Harry: And there absolutely has to be kasha knishes.

Evan: I can’t get over the knish thing. What are they trying to do to me? Every other attempt at a Jewish deli in town had square knishes and they were fine. They go better with the corned beef sandwiches.

Pastrami Kid: I think kasha knishes might scare off all the gentiles.

Harry: Deli News has round knishes. Good too. But last time they slipped in a meat knish on me. Not good.

Evan: But enough about corned beef, Kid, how was the pastrami? Another one of the few “Jewish” delicacies on the menu.

Pastrami Kid: speaking of which, we need some help on the potato salad and cole slaw, no?

Pastrami Kid: OK, you asked about the pastrami? You want good pastrami? They’ve got GREAT pastrami.

Harry: Back to the soup. I asked for some, you know, crackers and they served up Tam Tams.

Evan: Tam Tams. Nice touch. My bubby used to have those.

Pastrami Kid: Serves you right for asking for crackers. The matzoh balls aren’t enough for you? You’re eating too much starch, Harry. My cardiologist says to cut out some of that white starch.

Harry: Hey, it’s not a health food restaurant.

Pastrami Kid: I know, I know. I’m just looking out for you, bubbelah.

Harry: I’ll also say this, for a fancy shmancy deli, the prices weren’t bad.

Evan: A half-sandwich and soup for $7.25 is pretty good. Even if the sandwich is small. Now, back to the sandwiches. What else have you tried besides corned beef?

Pastrami Kid: Sorry I gotta have pastrami…..it’s as good as the pastrami I recently had in New York. They slice it a little thick, but who’s complaining?

Harry: I consider myself a turkey maven. Roasted off the bone. It was not bad, right?

Evan: Here’s another concern: No chopped liver. Or gefilte fish. Not that I would ever willingly touch either one, but how can you not have that stuff there, I mean to at least scare the kids?

Evan: They have a BLT, but no tongue?

Evan: Oh wait, I just found the chopped liver. Never mind.

Harry: If you are ever in the Bronx, by Yankee Stadium, there used to be the Roxy Deli. And there was one across the street. They were crowded and delicious.

Pastrami Kid: Yeah, now across from Yankee Stadium there is a place called Yankee Stadium.

Evan: I heard nobody goes there anymore, though.

Pastrami Kid: They got two of them, side by side

Harry: Oy. Like a his and hers?

Pastrami Kid: We could have use two Ebbets Fields, I tell you that

Pastrami Kid: OK, lets talk about hot dogs.

Harry: Soriano?

Evan: I was thinking T.O.

Pastrami Kid:  Zinsky shocked me with his hot dog….delicious.

Evan: You liked his weiner (again not a euphemism)?

Harry: I’ll tell you this…Shouldn’t they be called frankfurters or franks?

Pastrami Kid: Great buns, too….and I don’t mean the ones on that cute little waitress.

Harry: We may need to stop I am getting very hungry.

Pastrami Kid: You just ate.

Evan: Yeah, but he’s skin and bones. Skin and bones.

Evan: They are called hot dogs on the menu, but there is a mention of “franks” and “knackwurst” below. But we all know that knocks better as specials.

Harry: Exactly. Why not call a “frank” a “frank?” Who are they afraid of? The goyim?

Evan: The hot dogs are Boar’s Head. I think they were excellent. Just enough spice to the dog and, I know this is going to sound weird, but I like a good casing on my hot dog. Something that makes it go snap or crunch. Boar’s Head can make a casing, I’ll tell you that. I would have liked the dog to be grilled just a little bit more. I like my franks/dogs/weiners Cajun style – a little blackened.

Pastrami Kid: Nathans always had that crunch, a little juice flying. … Just don’t boil them like those idiots at Fenway Park.

Harry: There is no finer hot dog in the world than Nathans. And this is not a Cajun restaurant. It is a DELI!

Pastrami Kid: I think Evan was just trying to be, you know, hip.

Evan: Nathan makes a good dog. And there is no better place to play skee-ball.

Harry: Oh yes, I had the noodle kugel. It was a little too, sweet, no? Did anyone else have the sweet kugel?

Harry: And by the way now that I think of it, where was the kishka?

Pastrami Kid: No, I tried to come on to that sweet girl Kugel, but she shot me down. … But, you know, you are right. WE WANT KISHKA!

Evan: I had some of Harry’s kugel and I’m going to give my mother more worries – like if I told her I was seeing a shiksa – but I thought the kugel was good. There was some cheesy filling – farmers cheese, maybe? Almost like eating a blintze.

Harry: I’m guessing you give your mom tsuris in your every waking hour.

Pastrami Kid: Kishka and knishes; kishka and knishes. We could get some picket signs and stand outside the restaurant.

Pastrami Kid: If it ever gets below 90 degrees. You can get a serious shvitz out there.

Harry: Pastrami you are a mensh. That’s not the Jewish thing to do. Stand outside and picket? Please.

Pastrami Kid: That’s revolutionary in my neighborhood, but I’ve already filled the suggestion box to overflowing.

Evan: And how can they not have an early bird special? What about all of us who want to eat dinner at 4 or 4:30.

Pastrami Kid: yeah, they are open late, though, on Friday and Saturday.

Pastrami Kid: OK, how about the elephant in the room???? B-A-G-E-L-S

Harry: Didn’t taste the bagels. How were they?

Evan: Uh-oh, Harry, you asked the wrong question. Here he goes …

Pastrami Kid: THEY MIGHT MAKE IT IN OMAHA … NOT IN NY OR DALLAS. They are too tough and have very little taste. Look, New Yorkers are the worst snobs in the world. But they are dead on about their bagels. There are no New York bagels in Dallas.

Evan: But let’s be fair: Is there a good bagel in Dallas?

Harry: There are lots of good bagels in Dallas. They are all at the airport passing through in sack lunches.

Pastrami Kid: Cindy’s has tasty bagels but they are not New York bagels. Actually, Einstein’s has the closest thing to a NY bagel. … But the lox was good at Zinsky’s and the vegetable cream cheese shmear was fine.

Harry: Einstein’s, oy vey! Maybe you got hit in the head with a foul ball?

Pastrami Kid: Relatively speaking, Einstein’s are ok.

Evan: Since I’m in New York at the moment, I am planning to go actually pay for a bagel later on. Just as research, you know.

Pastrami Kid: Hell just froze over.

Harry: Early bird special? Do they have an “Early Bird” at Zinsky’s.

Evan: No. No early bird. You want to eat at 4:30? No problem. You are still going to pay full price.

Harry: Just a thought.

Pastrami Kid: Good idea. Early birds, knishes, kishka, fly in some New York bagels.

Harry: Don’t forget Kasha.

Evan: But they do cater Bar Mitzvahs. Says so right on the menu. I, also, am available for Bar Mitvahs. Weddings. And Bris, too.

Evan: So, you two mensches, I take it that for all the lack of the foods that disgusted us in our childhood, you would go back to Zinsky’s?

Harry: Would I go back? Why not? … Actually, I’d go back in a heart beat.

Pastrami Kid: I will go back there regularly if they don’t change the pastrami, the matzoh ball soup, and the hot dog.

Evan: But we gotta have the Ks, right? Knishes, Kreplach, Kasha and Kishka, right?

Harry: And kugel.

Evan: They have kugel, dumkopf, you just didn’t like it.

Harry: Oh, yeah. I didn’t like it. … I’d still go back in a heartbeat.

Memory:  I still have DiPalma’s recipe for chicken lasagna and remember their lemon sauced pasta — it was a great place…

Question: We used to live within spitting distance of Il Sorrento (Hillcrest and Northwest Highway) and went there for all celebrations and we miss it terribly. Do you know of another old world Italian restaurant that perhaps reminds you of Il Sorrento that we can claim as ours so we can relive our youth of smoky piano bars, palm readers, and eating way too much Gorgonzola gnocchi?

Money question: What is the name of that great hamburger place that was also on Greeneville at the same time as DiPalmas? They served breakfast too.

Answers: 1) Share the recipe for chicken lasagna. 2) The last palm reader I witnessed was at Patry’s on W. Lovers Lane. 3) There are no more smoky rooms in Dallas and almost every “marinara sauce” Italian restaurant in Dallas tastes like Il Sorrento. (With the exception of table side Caesar salad and the roaming bread guys with the silver hot boxes.)

However, I do know the burger place—Little Gus’, the original Greek “cheeseburger cheeseburger” spot frequented by an eclectic mix of artists, trial lawyers, judges, politicians, journalists, musicians, and carpenters. It was a great spot run by cousins Pete Lucas and Tony Mantzuranis.  I dug into my nostalgic t-shirt drawer and present this picture for your approval.

If you want to be the first to know, add your e-mail address to the list under the SideDish Supper Club icon to the right. (No need to repeat if you’ve already done so.) The details will go to that list first. The restaurant is small and it will sell out fast. The evening, September 17th, will be peachy.

I have two discount coupons for day passes if you want to give it a try and report back. Lemme know.