Porter’s Fried Chicken (Maplewood)

I threw out a question to a couple of co-workers a few days ago.  I wanted to know if there were any good places to get fried chicken livers around the Brentwood area.  Instantly, their eyes lit up (they knew I was a bit of a foodie), and simultaneously exclaimed that Porter’s carried them and they have the best fried chicken around.  I definitely had to check this out, although, I was a bit skeptical.  I’ve had bad experiences before with what STL calls ‘the best.’  This is a city that thinks the stink pit of El Maguey is some of the best Mexican you can get in the city, and that claim couldn’t be farther from the truth.  Following the restaurant reviewer’s code, I decided to make multiple trips at different times, trying dishes across the board.  Here’s what was cooking:

On my first visit, I decided to go for what I was craving and found myself staring at a pound of chicken livers and a small side of potato salad.  A thin layer of breading coated each chunk of liver.  They were really nice with the crispy, peppery breading complementing the creamy livers quite well.  I grabbed a couple of tubs of hot sauce and proceeded to dunk away, finishing off the whole box.  Then, I dived into the potato salad, which was a sweet mustard blend with perfectly cooked potatoes and crisp touches of onion.  It wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t too keen on the sweetness of it.  I prefer a little more savory in my tuber salad.

The second visit was a trip down the river with catfish.  I spotted the catfish nuggets on the menu last time I was in.  I’m a huge fan of fried fish and the taste of catfish reminds me of Friday night’s during lent back in Central Illinois.  Just like the livers, it was a huge portion.  This was served with a roll(pre-packaged and not worth discussing), cole slaw (which a yelper had raved about) and mashed potatoes with gravy.  The catfish chunks were some of the best I had ever had.  Unfortunately, about midway through my meal, I bit into a scale from improper cleaning and later a bone.  It turned me off a little, and I cautiously finished off the rest of the fish.  The slaw was up next for tasting as I was curious to see why this was considered someone’s favorite.  It was a finely chopped blend of carrots, onions, and cabbage that suffers from the same sweetness the potato salad did.  The mashed potatoes were, also, quite unremarkable, and appeared to be an instant mix covered in a pre-packaged gravy.  These sides were a little disappointing.

Finally, I was on my third trip and this famous fried chicken was the obvious choice.  I got the 2 piece, taking it easy as this was my third trip that week with deep fried fare and my body was starting to feel it.  It came with the same sides as above, and since these were pretty unimpressive, I asked about getting another side.  I questioned my cashier on a few of the other sides and was told that they were all frozen goods and not made in house.  I wasn’t about to review something that I could do just as well at home, and stuck with the chicken getting a side of fries to fill me up.  I was served a wing and a thigh for my 2 pieces and each were blissfully greasy, moist, and crispy.  This was probably what I should have been eating the whole time and I can understand why people rave about it.  I’ll definitely be back to take a stab at some more, and possibly go for the spicy breading on my next visit.

That fried chicken was Porter’s saving grace.  It’s probably the only thing that I would go back for, getting just the chicken and letting them keep those shitty sides.  On the positive side, I never spent more than $7 on a meal there and was served a filling portion.  But, that’s probably because they save a whole bunch on frozen foods, pre-packaged sides, and sauces that come in packets.  There’s a bunch of flaws that Porter’s needs to deal with, however, the staff was nice, the prices  right, and the fried chicken delicious.  Porter’s will get my nod when it comes to chicken.  Just don’t expect too much out of the rest of the menu.

Links:

• http://www.yelp.com/biz/porters-fried-chicken-saint-louis
• http://www.porterschicken.com/
• http://www.riverfronttimes.com/bestof/2008/award/best-fried-chicken-582446/

Maple Walnut Blonde Brownies w/Pecan Pie Ice Cream (Trader Joe’s)

I don’t normally eat dessert, but when I do it contains the elements of hot and cold working in perfect culinary bliss.  This combination is usually created using warm pastry and cold ice cream.  Pies, cakes, brownies, and cookies are the usual suspects that get the ice cream treatment.  And, after I made a trip to the fresh baked goods and spotted these delicious Maple Walnut Blondies, I had to find it’s complement.  Making my way to the frozen section, I had my mind made up on vanilla ice cream.  However, I spied a new product that I couldn’t possibly pass up as it sounded like the perfect thing for those blonde brownies.

 

So, this kinda thing is super simple.  First, take one of these delicious maple walnut brownies and place it in a microwave safe bowl and nuke for 15 seconds.  Then, get two heaping scoops of the creamy pecan pie flavored ice cream and dig in.

 

It’s disgustingly good.  The brownies are moist and contain large chunks of walnuts.  They are swirled with plenty of rich, sweet maple flavor.  As the warm brownie mixes with the creamy, melted ice cream, it’s complete bliss.  The ice cream is reminiscent of pecan praline with the difference being pieces of pie crust scattered in the mix.  There may not be a better pairing when it comes to ice cream and pastry.  It’s almost as if these two products were made for each other, although, quite good on their own.  FORK!  I think I may have just made myself another bowl.

Thanksgiving Special (Sauce on the Side)

Calzones, are a little nostalgic for me.  It brings me back to my dorm room college days as we drunkenly stumbled home, and on the way, would stop at a dirty little pizza place that specialized in calzones.  You could smell them from blocks away, guiding you to their tiny store which was carryout only.  And carry out we did.  Stumbling back to our dorm, we could smell the cheese and dough through the box and couldn’t wait to rip into these delicious pizza pockets.  So, when I heard that there was a spot downtown that just opened their doors, specializing in calzones, that little bit of nostalgia filled my stomach and I had to test it out.  Sauce on the Side has been doing business for about 3 months and I finally made my way in.  There was tons of buzz about this new adventure, and I couldn’t wait to give it a go.  Here’s what happened:

When I arrived, there was a large group of elite Yelpers crowded in the corner sampling wine, salad, and calzones.  This was a good sign if this group of elite foodies was plowing through downtown’s newest business adventure.  I made my way past the group and up to the counter to place my order.  I surveyed the small menu with inspired options and build-your-own-basics.  There was an off the menu special, called the Thanksgiving Dinner that I couldn’t pass up due to the proximity to the season.  I gave them my order, following it up with a control group of the most basic of calzones, the Fold.  They handed me a table marker, and I proceeded to find a spot to devour this meal.

the cornucopia of calzones..,

My calzones were delivered to my table and steam poured out, filling the air with the aroma of sweet and savory dough.  These folded over pizza pocket were absolutely huge.  I plunged into the Fold first, testing out their basic blend of mozzarella and ricotta stuffed into a mass of dough covered in a garlic honey glaze.  A side of sweet marinara sat at the side of this giant Hot Pocket, ready to be dipped in.  I cut my first chunk of this calzone off, gathering plenty of cheese and dough.  After sinking this forkful into the marinara, I guided it into my mouth which was salivating in anticipation.  Best calzone ever!  This was a college drunken food, crafted to complete perfection.  The sweet marinara was phenomenal, and the mix of sweet and salty in the cheese blend was so basic and perfect.  The dough was soft and chewy, highlighted by the glaze that gave it a delicious finish.  It’s funny how the simplest things can be so FORKing delicious.

The Thanksgiving Dinner was next up for sampling, and had the misfortune of following a great first act.  I cut the calzone in half and a cornucopia of just about everything found on the my favorite holiday’s dinner table spilled out.  A medley of roasted turkey, cornbread stuffing, sweet potato, and cranberries were awaiting my judgement.  This specialty was served with a side of gravy, and I gathered my first bite, gravy and all.  I chewed the initial sample, discovering the soft textures of sweet potato and cornbread with chewy bits of tart dried cranberries.  All of the elements married well, but this specialty didn’t hold a candle to the Fold.  There was something missing from this Thanksgiving spread, and it would have been well served with some crunch added by pecans or walnuts.  It was good, but that elementary blend of mozzarella and ricotta dipped in sweet marinara trumped this inspired pizza pocket.

 

Thanksgiving Duck (Bailey’s Range)

It’s November and one of my favorite holidays is on the horizon.  Thanksgiving is a holiday that was built for foodies as we get together with family, load our plates, and veg out together.  My family doesn’t get too creative with the spread and it’s usually just your run of the mill turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.  So, to get my foodie fix, I have to venture out a little and see what type of fare some of the local eateries are offering up around this time of the season.  I was pleased to see, when doing a little burger research, that Bailey’s Range had a TG inspired burger named the Thanksgiving Duck.  Here’s what I thought:

Since the research had already been done, I walked into Range confident on what I was going to order without needing a menu.  However, being a curious guy, I picked up the two sided menu and flipped it over to give it glance.  Realizing that I was quite hungry and a burger alone might not do the trick, I decided on some fried pickles to start with.  This turned out to be one of the best and worst decisions I have ever made in my life.  They make the pickles in house and as the molten hot fried pickles were placed in front of me, you could smell how fresh these were and a waft of dill tickled my nostrils.  They were covered in a thick layer of golden beer batter and made a nice crunch when bitten it to.  They were quite possibly the best fried pickle that I have ever consumed.  The bad part of this decision was now in play.  With my proximity to Range, I knew I was going to find myself back again for the gluttonous dish.

the onions cooked in pumpkin ale were the highlight of this burger

I finished off my pickles just in time for the main event.  My burger choice, Thanksgiving Duck, was presented to me.  A perfectly grilled fresh ground duck patty lay on a golden bun.  It was topped with onions cooked in pumpkin ale and a plum bbq sauce.  LTO lay at the side with another pickle which I was glad to see.  I readied my Thanksgiving inspired burger, leaving the LTO on the side with the idea that this is how Dave Bailey intended me to enjoy his creation, and sampled my first bite.  The first thing that hit my tongue was the pumpkin spice that had been infused into the onions.  It was complemented by the sweet plum bbq sauce and finished with the rich flavor of duck.    I gobbled it up (see what I did there) realizing that this was probably one of my favorite burgers ever.  The flavor lingered in my mouth, making me crave another one.  Ridding myself of this feeling, I sank my teeth into the remaining pickle to cleanse my palate of the delicious duck burger.

Getting that craving yet for Thanksgiving dinner?  Well, you have options, and at Range you can quench that thirst with their aptly named duck burger.  While you’re there, don’t forget about those fried pickles and tell me they aren’t the best.  Don’t want to take my advice?  Well then FORK U and wait until the 22nd to get your TG fix.

Benton’s Pumpkin Spice Cookies (ALDI)

$2.49

Most of my pumpkin provisions tend to come from Trader Joe’s, however just about any grocer will come up with any seasonal item that keeps shoppers on the edge of their carts.  It’s only fitting that TJ’s sister shop is, also, one of the leaders in this category as well.  ALDI has been cranking out inspired seasonal fare at a rate that can compete with their sibling, sometimes offering the same products at a cheaper rate.  There are times when you’ll even see the same products of with a different box lining each of their shelves.  There will be some subtle differences in the two products, ranging from ingredient tweaking to sizes of packaging.  ALDI tends to have the better prices and Trader Joe’s the better ingredients.  On a recent visit to ALDI, I was staking out some pumpkin products when I noticed a soft pumpkin spice cookie from Benton’s (ALDI’s cookie supplier).  It looked strangely familiar and not at the same time.  Turns out that Trader Joe’s offers a similar eggnog cookie around Christmas time that can only be made by the same company, Benton’s, which TJ’s private labels.  Remembering how delicious that one was, I had to pick up this Pumpkin Spice Cookie from ALDI just to see how it stacked up.  Here’s what I thought:

perfect for parties

Benton’s doesn’t really get too creative with their packaging, and justly so, as their products are quite a bit cheaper than just about anything you can find on the market.  These soft, chewy cookies only ran $2.49 which is quite a deal as I would only expect to spend almost twice that at a major grocery store.  I tore into the package and was greeted by four lines of six soft cookies.  I snagged the first one out of its row and promptly bit into the cookie.  It was exactly what I said it was, and was full of pumpkin spice flavor.  Before I began sampling this product, I had told myself that I would only eat the one.  This wasn’t going to happen and I began gorging myself into the whole row finishing off every last one in line like a firing squad.  I couldn’t help it.  They were damn good and looked so tasty with their slight drizzle of white icing decorating each one.  With a row depleted, I regained my strength and shoved the rest of the delightful cookies back into their box, carefully sealing it so they wouldn’t dry out.  This was a relapse in willpower that will surely return the next time I open this box. I highly suggest going out to your local ALDI and snagging a few boxes of these as they are bound to sell out at some point in the season.  If you wait too long and get there and they’re sold out, FORK U.  I gave you a heads up

Fried Chicken Sunday (Square One Brewery)

Whether it’s brunch or some off the menu special, every good restaurant keeps their doors open for the groups of family and friends that flock to get their weekly grub on.  You’ll find tables of hungry eaters dressed in their sunday best dotted with hungover slobs in t-shirts and sports fans dressed in the colors of their favorite teams.  There’s no doubt these folks are down to feast and If you want them to return you had better offer up something that they’ll be pining for next week.  This is exactly what I found at Square One Brewery in Lafayette Square.

$13.95

Before I even sat down, the hostess wound us through the room of diners with just about every table having a dish of golden brown fried chicken in front of them.  We were seated and a server promptly collected our drink order.  We went with a board of four sampler beers sticking to some old favorites, with 2 seasonal brews that are all made in house.  She, then, delivered her pitch, although, there was no need as I had already spotted what I was going to eat.  I ordered the fried chicken served with au gratin potatoes, a vegetable medley, and a dinner roll for only $14.  After a short wait, we were served and and my chicken rested before me in a good sized portion of 3 pieces, beautifully fried with the aroma of rosemary rising out of the breading.  I grabbed my fork and sank into the chicken as steam rolled out from the break I made in the skin.  Gently blowing on the chunk of meat I separated from the breast, I dug my teeth into the moist piece, chewing slowly to allow for maximum absorption from my palate.  I’m a bit of an eclectic eater and made my way through the potatoes and steamed veggies which complemented the chicken very well.  The highlight of this dish was the dinner roll that was covered in a sweet, buttery crust.  It’s exactly the balance that you need in the sweet and savory combo that keeps your palate guessing.  

$6.75

I washed down the rest of the dish with the 4 samplers that sat before me.  Thoroughly satisfied, I payed my bill and made my way home as I was sure to slip into a food coma.

Louie’s Chicago Style Pizza (Louie’s on Hampton)

Good pizza is a really tough find in the land of cracker thin crust and provel cheese.  The locals in Saint Louis love their style of pizza, and that’s all fine and dandy, but when it comes to a good pie, I want my pizza to be just that.  A pie with a thick tasty crust, melted mozzarella, and sweet Sicilian sauce blanketing the top in true Chicago style is my ideal pizza.  I can even taste it in my mouth as I write.  Unfortunately, this style is a lost art in a city that is only a five hour drive from the town that makes my quintessential quality pie.  I asked around and started to search out this dish around the area and a few pointed me towards a joint that was making their attempt at Chicago Deep Dish, Louie’s in South Hampton (5406 Hampton).

I googled this joint and discovered that they only did carryout.  So, I dialed them up (314-832-8200) and ordered up a large spinach with sauce on top (wierd that you have to choose that), and was told that my pie would be ready in 30 minutes.  This, initially, made me skeptical as true deep dish requires at least a 45 minute bake time.  30 minutes elapsed and I arrived at Louie’s to find my order was ready.  As I was waiting for them to corral my pie and ring me up, I checked in via Yelp to discover my offer for a free 32 oz. drink.  Winning!

I made the drive back home with the aroma of a beautifully crafted sauce filling the cabin of my car.  Anxious, I rushed into my kitchen an opened the box containing this seductive smell.  At first appearance my pie looked amazing.  I lifted the first slice out as cheese gripped to outlying pieces stretching in true deep dish fashion.  There was one disappointing quality to this Chicago style pie.  As I set my slice down on the plate, I could instantly tell that the crust was less than deep and a little dry.  Brushing that off, I sank my fork into my slice and devoured my first bite as the sauce that seduced me earlier pleased my palate erasing my disappointment over the lack of a thick crust.  Before I knew it, three more slices were consumed and I was quite satisfied with my selection.

So, if you’ve ever had this great pizza debate in your circle of friends, give Louie’s a ring.  Although not true Chicago Deep Dish, it’s still pretty close and really FORKing good.

Pumpkin Soup (Trader Joe’s)

Every year Trader Joe’s goes pretty heavy on featuring pumpkin treats for us all to try.  This year is no different as they roll out the new fall line up with a fabulous Pumpkin Soup.  At $1.79, this pumpkin pleasantry is just as pleasant on the pocketbook.  It comes packaged in a tetra recyclable cardboard container that’s easy to seal and store for another use.

So, my mind was racing as I held this new item in my hands.  There’s an almost endless canvas of culinary adventures you can go on with a soup as a base.  First, it had to be tested on its own.  I heated a small amount that ended up filling my apartment with pumpkin aroma.  My stomach let out an assuring grumble and my mouth salivated in agreement.  Just from the smell alone, I knew this was going to be a bit hit.  It was like slurping on pumpkin pie.  Slightly sweet, plenty of pumpkin flavor, and hints of ginger were prominent in this smoothly crafted soup.  If you’re a fan of the butternut squash variety, this is the one-upper.

Obviously this one gets high remarks from me.  Fans of pumpkin should be flocking to their local TJ’s to pick this one up before the season is over.  As I stated above, pumpkin soup offers up a large database of creative dishes waiting to be created from it’s nearly perfect base.  I dressed it up with some Indian flavors adding, curry spice, red bell peppers, potatoes, and sweet onions.  And, that was just one thing I could craft using what I had laying around the kitchen.  Let your imagination run wild.  Pick up Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Soup, and go nuts.  What the FORK are U waiting for?

Northwest Coffee Roasting (Clayton)

Give it to me straight.  Give it to me black.  This is how I like my coffee, with no added fluff.  If you’re the type that drown your coffee in cream and sugar, you might as well get it at the gas station and save yourself a few bucks.  But, for those of us who actually enjoy the taste of our coffee, and appreciate a locally roasted bean, there’s places like Northwest Coffee Roasting in Clayton.

Just to keep the control group consistant, I take a test drive on coffee by ordering up an Americano.  For those of you who don’t know, an Americano is espresso and hot water.  This ratio is typically 1 shot for small, 2 for a medium, and 4 for a large.  However, Northwest uses a 2, 2, and 4 ratio for their blend.  Their beans are roasted using a full city roast that gives the espresso a mild, smooth, and not too bitter flavor.  I thoroughly enjoyed my Americano, although, a little expensive.  It ran about $.50 more than Americanos at other shops.  Thinking about it, if what their website states is correct and they use 2 shots for a small, this really isn’t too bad.  It just means that for their medium, you pay an extra $.20 for a larger cup and 2oz. more hot water.  This could be to offset the amount of extra fluff their customers might use destroying their coffee in a larger cup.

Now, coffee shops aren’t just about the product they put in your cup.  They are about ambiance.  This is where Northwest is lacking.  Disappointingly, the decor is less than inspired and might as well be a hospital waiting room.  The plain-Jane, monotonous spread of wooden tables, white and surgical ward blue walls aren’t the easiest to sit and stare at, or even the most comfortable place to sit.  They’re not getting a spread in Better Homes and Gardens anytime soon.  Also, the menu is a cookie cutter, plastic spread of even less inspired white plastic pieces that display what they offer.  The saving grace here is the abstract art they were featuring at the moment as I did end up examining every piece in the collection.

So, what if you’re craving a bite to eat as you enjoy your locally crafted coffee brew?  Northwest does offer up some nosh to curb your appetite.  The pastries are a limited stock of muffins and a really nice selection of doughnuts rarely seen at a java joint.  A pretty loaded menu of breakfast sandwiches line their morning selection with my eye resting on one with pretzel bread.  I’ll be coming back for that one.  Lunch has a run-of-a-mill selection of four sandwiches served with chips all at $6.50 which isn’t bad at all.

Great coffee, a drab interior, and a decent selection of edible items pretty much describe the Clayton location of Northwest Coffee Roasters.  It’s not going to be a place you chill for a couple of hours, but come in to enjoy great locally roasted coffee.  It has my vote as one of the best roasters in STL.  Stop by and support your community, and if that’s not your bag, it should FORKIN’ better be.

Corned Bison Reuben (The Posh Nosh)

Something Saint Louis isn’t short on is New York Style delis.  Picking your favorite is half the battle.  The Posh Nosh in Clayton is somewhat of a diamond in the rough when it comes to these delicatessens.  They have charm and a neighborhood niche about them that gives them an edge when targeting the cream of the crop.  Let’s face it, when we talk about these establishments, we’re looking for quality food and that certain unique something.  The Posh Nosh does not disappoint.  They offer up bison in a pastrami and corned form, and as you can probably guess, this is what dragged me in.  I had to put the corned bison to the test as I finalize my journey to find some of Saint Louis’s best Reubens.

Corned Bison?  Yeah, Bison.  This is a foodie’s dream to find something a little off of the beaten path.  The Posh Nosh deli offers up all of their pastrami and corned beef options with the alternative of the leaner cow cousin.  I was quite excited to take my very first bite of corned bison as it was presented in Reuben form.  The sandwich came with its typical companions of light rye, swiss, homemade Russian dressing, and sauerkraut.  Just about everything was right concerning this Reuben, and all of the flavors hit their notes.  I did, however, run into a bit of a road block.  This is standard for most corned beef to be a little chewy and tough, but since the bison lacks some of the fat that makes beef perfect for corning, it was a little too tough.  The flavor wasn’t all that different from beef either.  I was pretty much consuming a more menacing version of the Reuben.  Anyone who has ever eaten one can testify that Reubens are almost impossible to down with out a bit of a mess.  This corned bison doesn’t make things any easier.  When it comes down to it…I can’t blame the deli for the experience, but the bison itself.  If you’re fine with the little bit extra work, this is a fine sandwich and really is a great Reuben.  However, if I were to order again, I’d probably stick to the corned beef and leave the bison at bay.  I will be back.  There’s still another bison treat on that menu that’s calling my name.  Bison pastrami will be in my sights for my return.

So, here’s the deal.  That Reuben may not have been the best I’ve ever had, but how many of you out there can ever say they took a tango with corned bison.  It’s a must on the check list of a foodie.  A plethora of items are still waiting for us to consume on their menu.  I urge you to give them a try.  And, if you don’t…well then FORK U!