The Eager Eater

The Memorable Meal Map is Updated!

 
When I first started this blog, I had the idea that I wanted to create a map that showed all of the great places I have eaten. Truth is, the map technology was a little cumbersome and I didn't really complete the job. Well...Google has released a real easy mapping tool called "My Maps" that has simplified the process. I spent some time, and although this is probably not all my great meals (I keep remembering more), it is a good start. Just click on the map above to check it out. Or, you can always click on the link to the right.

When I gto everything on the map, there is a HUGE gap in the middle of the country. High density if you zoom in on New York or Chicago, but the heartland is a little vacant. I guess that is something I need to work on. Hopefully soon!

Pugs Dog House...One of the Best, but Please Double Fry

I have a t-shirt from a restaurant in Chicago (the hot dog capital fo the world), called Hot Doug's (the best hot dog restaurant I have ever been to), that reads, "There are no two finer words in the English language than "encased meats," my friend." 

I couldn't agree more.  I'm a sucker for dogs, brats, polish sausage, hot links, red hots, frankfurters, knockwurst (or any other kind of wurst), Italian sausage, andouille, linguisa, chicken sausage and any other ground meat you can shove in a natural casing. I do, however, draw the line and any sort of vegan, tofu, or wheat-meat dogs. In this case, imitation is not the sincerest form of flattery.

This weekend I stopped by Pug's Dog House here on Wilmington Ave. in Dayton. I have been frequenting here ever since they opened a few years ago. Pug's is a place that makes a great dog, using Vienna Beef dogs, a Chicago staple. They are nice people that run a small, relatively clean operation (how clean do you really want a hot dog joint?).

My buddy Drew and his kids joined my daughter and me. The kids all had plain dogs, but Drew and I got some house specialties. Chicago dog and a chili and cheese for me ( with a chaser of Pepcid later that afternoon). Both were excellent, although I miss the poppy seed bun for a proper Chicago dog. The Pug's Chicago dog has all the standards including neon green relish, tomato, pickle and sport peppers, but with the addition of french fries on top.  This is a real winner with one caveat:  the fries are the only downside here. Pug's has the best intentions, cutting their fries fresh. However, they only give them a single trip through the fryer, wasting the effort. Frankly, they would be better with frozen fries.  Luckily, I usually judge people on their intentions, and this is a good one, just please...double fry.

Drew got a slaw dog and mini burgers. I didn't try them this time, but the Pug's slaw dog is one of the great treats of Dayton. Creamy, tangy coleslaw is the perfect foil for snappy Vienna Beef dogs. Just thinking about it gives me a reason to go back.

Eric

Taco Search Continued...Taqueria Mixteca

Sorry I haven't posted in a few weeks. I have been busy with several projects at work. One of which is very cool, and I will post about soon.

The Dayton area has a few good places to get a real, authentic taco. So far I'm up to three. Taco Loco in Troy (which may be the best), Taco Mexico Lindo (which I frequent the most often),and today I dropped in on Taqueria Mixteca on 3rd Street downtown. I think I'll be back.

This restaurant has been around for several months, and has all the telltale signs of quality Mexican food: repurposed fast food restaurant, bilingual menus, and servers that have a grasp of the English language that allows no room for customization. What is there to customize about meat, cilantro and onions anyway? However, I will say that our server was warm and friendly (after some hand motions and botched Spanish, it was confirmed that we knew her because she used to serve us at Tacos Mexico Lindo...small world).

Meals are served with fresh chips, simple salsa and a trio of specialty salsas in squirt bottles. All are bright and terrific. I had heard about their great tacos, but the first thing I noticed when I got the menu were the weekend specials. Only on weekends three soups are served: Menudo (tripe), Goat, and Pozole (chicken and hominy). I went straight for the goat soup, partnered with a chorizo and a carnitas taco.

The soup was rich and the goat tender (although it needed quite a bit of salt) and served with corn tortillas. In traditional style, just about everything is served with cilantro, onion and lime. We went with some friends, and others at the table got a few other things like taco with al Pastor (pork, usually with pineapple), and another had taco with Lengua (tongue).

Bottom line...Taqueria Mixteca is a great little restaurant, clean with little ambiance, nice servers and terrific food. In a town like this, like most others, often the greatest culinary finds don't include fine china or designer-influenced interiors. No...some just have goat, moist pork, good company, friendly smiles and plenty of lime, cilantro and onions. Good enough for me.

Eric

The Murphin Ridge Inn...Relaxing

February in Southwest Ohio is not exactly a winter wonderland. November through March is typified by permanent gray skies, short days, and due to our world’s tendency toward warming temperatures (let’s not get into a political-eco discussion here…my muddy lawn says it is happening), an overabundance of rain instead of snow. These are not typically the ideal conditions for a weekend getaway to the country, but some time away was in order.

After two years since we were originally given a gift certificate to the Murphin Ridge Inn in south-central Ohio, we finally got around to scheduling the trip. This may tell you something about our life or our ability to practice advanced planning. Well, last weekend it was on, and two years were far too long to wait to visit this quiet getaway. Luckily for us, the last Saturday of the month they feature a special chef’s dinner where Chef Jackson gets to cut loose a little.

Set in the Amish region of Adams County, the Murphin Ridge is made up of a main house, ten cabins, and the dining house where dinner is served seven nights a week. We reserved a cabin, and were not disappointed. Beautifully crafted by Amish artisans, the light wood cabins feature no televisions, soaking tubs and lots of cause to relax.

Saturday morning we had the chance to explore the Amish markets of the region. The bounty of craft products, bulk foods, baked goods, pickled everything, and jams and preserves was truly impressive. These markets are completely “off the grid”, producing all of their own electricity. A chat with a proprietor resulted in a trip to the kitchen (a common result when you mention you work for Hobart). He wanted to show off his vintage dough mixers that had been retrofitted to operate off hydraulics and powered by a diesel generator, as opposed to the standard electric motor (you can see it in the pictures). Very ingenious and industrious.

Dinner on Saturday night was excellent. The food at the Inn is not trendy or gimmicky. However, it is based on top-quality seasonal ingredients perfectly and simply prepared. The first course of oxtail soup shined with a richness that was cut by the ideal amount of red wine reduced in the broth. The entrée of confit of duck was presented with crackling-crisp skin and tender meat. The accompanying cider-braised brussel sprouts had a balance of sweetness that had me thinking about how I could make them at home. The truffled potatoes that accompanied Stephanie’s lamb racks were luscious and tasted of fresh butter. Desserts of poached pear with pistachio sabayon and a textbook chocolate soufflé with a coffee sauce drizzle were ideal conclusions to a fine meal.

We are looking forward to returning. I want to see the fields green with corn and soybean. I want to sit outside by the fire pit. I want to take a drier hike in the woods. I want to have that oxtail soup again.

Eric

Tacos Loco

Tacos are one of those deceptively simple foods. It's really just a tortilla, some seasoned meat, and maybe some cilantro and onion. So what is the secret to a great taco?  First of all, for a traditional taco,  it must be built on the solid foundation of quickly-sauteed corn tortilla, or maybe two. The meat is paramount. At Tacos Loco in Troy, OH (stay with me here), they really serve one of the best versions around.

Today I treated my self to a trio of these beauties: Chorizo, carne asada, and  cabeza. When I take people here, the cabeza is usually where we part ways. Too bad for them! Cabeza is basically stewed beef head, cooked with onions, garlic and spices, until the meat falls off the bones. The meat, fortified with the gelatinous goodness of the head, makes for one awesome taco filling.

This place makes some great chile and avocado sauces to accompany the tacos. Check out my memorable meal map to find this taco cart. Overall a great place. Carmen works the griddle, and she was nice enough to let me take her picture. Why not...who wouldn't be proud of those tacos?

If you want to know more about great tacos, check out this article in Texas Monthly magazine about the 63 tacos you must eat before you die. That is a mission I may have to work on.