"H" is for Hymie's Merion Station

Got a little sidetracked by vacation, NCAA basketball and work, but the journey resumed this weekend with something a little bit different -- the traditional Jewish delicatessan in Philadelphia's traditional Main Line.

Jewish delis have a weird history -- Italians came over and started serving pasta, the German served sausages, and the Greeks their gyros. All traditional foods from the "home country." But since the wandering nomads of the world (that's us) didn't really have a "home country" they brought with them gigantic smoked meat sandwiches, matzo ball soup, and chopped liver. Why? Who knows. But we did, and good for us. I love a good corned beef on rye with russian dressing and cole slaw. I mean, that's three yummy things together -- how can you miss (that's a rhetorical question, people -- obviously, if any one of those three elements are subpar, you can miss big time)?

Which brings us to the latest stop on our restaurant odyssey -- Hymie's Merion Station. It's as traditional as it gets in the Jewish deli circles. Jewish delis are weird creatures -- it's as much the menu as it is the clientele. I know that the wife sometimes gets a little annoyed when I perpetuate Jewish stereotypes, but the Jewish customer is just classic in their rapid fire demands ("I want a turkey sandwich on rye, but I want the turkey sliced thin and the spicy mustard from New York, with half a side of cole slaw and half a side of potato salad, you can do that right?, and then I want an extra pickle, but don't charge me for it, you can do that right? and extra lemons for my water and two Sweet and Lows, and then a small slice of cheesecake for dessert (wink wink), and oh, are you single, wait let me show you a picture of my granddaughter") Maybe I'm exaggerating (but not much) -- I always snicker inside when I hear one of these orders. And then of course the sweet waitress nods her heads and says, "OK, sure, whatever bubbala."

That's exactly what happened at Hymie's at the table next to us. Just a very long, I-know-what-I-want-and-how-I-want-it kind of order. But I digress...

If you want to take the measure of a Jewish deli, you need to see how their matzo ball soup and corned beef/pastrami/chopped liver tastes. If they can't do that well, they can't survive. And, well, since Hymie's had thrived in the heart of moneyed Main Line for 70 years (there was a 10-minute wait for a table at noon on a Saturday and this isn't a small restaurant), I figured they were going to do these things well. And I was right. Very light, airy Matzo balls, but they didn't fall apart when you cut into them, which is key. And the corned beef/pastrami sandwich with russian dressing and cole slaw I got was very good. The cole slaw initially looked a little drippy, but it tasted the way it should. I will admit I was a little thrown off by the snootiness of the place -- perhaps because there have been so many weird articles in the Inky recently about these ridiculous in-fights going on on the Main Line -- but otherwise, there was a lot to like about Hymie's.

On the full review...

THE FOOD: Much like Murray's in Jenkintown (or thereabouts), there was a combinaton of traditional Jewish favorites for the old timers -- sable and whitefish anyone? -- with more common breakfast items, sandwiches, and more full dinners. The wife was very pleased with her eggs, home fries, bagel, and homemade danish. The home fries were particularly good -- a combination of the crisp, slightly burnt ones along with larger pieces and some fried onions. On any other visit, I probably would have stuck with breakfast as well (it was a bit early on a weekend for a full lunch), but I wanted to give my loyal readers (back down to 3 of you) a comprehensive review. The key to my sandwich was that it wasn't overly stuffed with meat but neither was it scrawny. Very yummy. The matzo ball soup, as mentioned earlier, was also just right. No complaints about the food.

THE DRINKS: I guess it's a good thing when my biggest complaint is about the water, but something was really off there. Especially for a Main Line restaurant, I was expecting drinkable water. It was awful swill. The coffee was good, though. Tables next to us got milkshakes, which looked yummy, but we had already ordered by the time we saw them.

THE STAFF: According to one of the articles on the wall -- Hymie's proudly displayed all the awards its won over the years -- our waitress had been there for 50+ years. I forget her name, but she was nice enough. I loved her hair -- one of those '60s hairdos. I asked the wife if she was going to be asking her hairdresser for that 'do. She kicked me.

MAD PROPS FOR: The clientele. Old, young, middle aged, single, married -- fun for the entire family. Needless to say, it was probably 90% Jewish, and there were some snooty Main Liners (more on that later), but it was entertaining to see the combinations of people walking in and eating together.

OVERALL: A nice change up. It's a very different vibe than, say, Honey's, but I can see why it's so popular. The food is priced right, they move through things quickly, and they pay attention to what their customers want. A well-stocked bakery and deli is attached to the restaurant for take out orders. I did get a little turned off by the snootiness of some customers -- I lined up in the wrong line to pay and the woman behind me sort of turned up her nose and said, "Uh, the register to pay is over there." I keyed her BMW on the way out. Just kidding (or am I?)

THE CHECK: $27, with tip. It was priced right for what we got.

Three months in and we've hit 8 restaurants. We hit a lull for a while, but there have been some recent winners. We're still a bit ahead of schedule and heading into the warmer weather, which means more outdoor seating and checking out the honeys walking by on the sidewalk. I'll bring my camera along to show you the sites.

On to the Is...

Ineligible restaurants for round 9:

• International House of Pancakes: When I was little, I loved the idea of IHOP. Lots of yummy pancakes with lots of yummy syrups. Now? Not so much. I'm a snob.
• Il Cantuccio: My first meal at this Italian stalwart in Northern Liberties was one of the best Italian dinners I've ever had. The second time around was not as stellar, but this is still a reliable (but busy) spot.
• Illuminare: When I first moved into Fairmount, I really used to like Illuminare. The layout is great, with an open kitchen up front, a beautiful courtyard, and really comfortable seating. But the food just isn't where it needs to be for as much as they are charging. It's been a while since I've been back.
• Inn Flight: I think I was here once, but what sticks out for me about Inn Flight is the really low budget commercials they used to constantly have on TV when I was little. For some reason, they stuck.
• Irish Pub: The beer is OK, the atmosphere not so great, and the food is awful. Yet it packs in the college kids.

Candidates for Round 9:

• Ida Mae's Bruncherie: Much as I try to avoid Fishtown, I've read good things about this interesting locale. http://www.idamaesbruncherie.com/.
• Imperial Inn: Dim sum in Chinatown. Somehow, I have never had dim sum in my life. Is it time to try it? http://philadelphia.menupages.com/restaurantdetails?restaurantid=39480.
• Indonesia Restaurant: Weird that there is an Indonesian restaurant near the South Philly stadiums, but why not/ http://www.indonesiarestaurant.com/.
• Inn at St. Peter's Village: Cozy B&B wayyyy out in the boonies. http://www.innatsaintpeters.com/.

"G" is for Geechee Girl Rice Cafe

Back during the Dark Ages (otherwise known as the 3.5 years I lived in Decatur, IL), it always used to annoy me when I asked people from Chicago if they had ever been to Central Illinois. They often looked at me as if I had a third eye before saying, "Now why would I ever leave Chicago for anything! There is no way anything outside of the city is worth a damn!" It was a weird, closed-minded mentality that didn't seem to make sense.

But now that I'm on the other side of the fence -- living in downtown Philadelphia where restaurants are as plentiful as acne on a 16-year-old -- I can sort of see where that elitist, urban, "we've got the best of everything" attitude comes from. So it was nice to break out of the downtown rut this weekend and drive over to Geechee Girl Rice Cafe, tucked away on a pretty little piece of Mt. Airy. Now, granted, it isn't as if it was much of a trek -- maybe 20 minutes each way. But it is still a very different sort of feel than Center City.

And Geechee Girl is a different sort of restaurant. It bills itself as West African, though admittedly, the menu is a little bit all over the place. It is family owned by 2 or 3 sisters -- they told us, but I forget. The owner's family actually showed up to sit down for dinner while we were there -- talk about a good strategy to get a free meal! It was larger than I was expected and really done up nicely. There were a group of family pictures on the wall near the entrance, local artwork around the restaurants, and some attractive track lighting throughout. I liked it.

I had carefully scouted the menu prior to our arrival and I had a sense of what I wanted. But then I heard "fried chicken" among the specials and I jumped. I really like fried chicken, and yes, I know how awful it is for me. Now I'm not talking KFC fried chicken -- gross -- but fried chicken in a good restaurant that is not greasy but crispy and crunchy and moist and just yum yum yum. Anyway, about 5 minutes after I ordered it, I thought to myself how stupid I was. It wasn't that I was worried if it would be good or not, but I was there to try something different and ethnic and unique, and I settled for Thai fried chicken. Now, it was very good -- all of the food I had was very good (the wife's dinner was so-so, but otherwise, thumbs up across the board) -- but I should have gotten something more unique to the restaurant. Oh well.

On to the full rundown of Geechee Girl Rice Cafe...

THE FOOD: The fried okra and corn fritters had more okra than corn, which was fine. They were pretty much fancy latkes -- not too heavy or greasy. Very yummy. Our waiter was nice enough to give me a little taste of their black eyed peas with ham as well -- also good. Every entree comes with a choice of various kind of rice, which I thought was a cool touch. My fried chicken was good, but it was cut up into pieces instead of "pick it up, lick your fingers, and towel off" fried chicken, which I actually prefer. There was a sweet glaze on the chicken (that was the thai part) and the sauce was excellent. The Asian slaw was pretty mediocre. Still, I liked the flavors and the presentation overall.

THE DRINKS: Honestly, their South African Ginger Beer was one of the best nonalcoholic drinks I have ever had. It tasted unlike anything I had had before. It was sort of like a ginger iced tea, but way better. I only drank one, but it was excellent.

THE STAFF: I initially ordered the black eyed peas and ham instead of rice to go with my entree. A minute or so later, our waiter came over and said, "You know, that probably won't go so well with the sauce." I appreciated his input and changed my order. He was even nice enough to give me a taste of the black eyed peas. We also spoke to the owner and one of the other waitresses, both of whom were very nice.

MAD PROPS FOR: The neighborhood. I had never been in the pseudo-downtown Mt. Airy. There wasn't much to it, but it was a neat vibe. Geechee Girl is very much a neighborhood place -- we could tell most everyone else there were regulars or near-regulars.

OVERALL: You're probably to this point and thinking, "Wow, this is a great place. I should go." And I'm not saying you shouldn't. But the one thing to keep in mind is that the restaurant is overpriced by at least 25%. I don't mind paying for good food, but this was a little on the high side, especially in this economy. That was my only negative mark on Geechee Girl. Otherwise, I'd be back. If I ever leave the city to eat again.

THE CHECK: $60, with tip. Not awful, I know, but for 3 fritters, 2 middle-of-the-road entrees as far as ingredients go, and 1 nonalcoholic drink, it was a bit too much.

On to the "Hs"...

Ineligible restaurants for round 8:

• Hamifgash -- Talk about a mismanaged restaurant. I was sort of excited when this Glatt kosher place opened up near my office, but then they put up pictures of the food. It looks like various shades of throw up. Too bad too, because the chicken shwarma in a pita is quite good. I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has, to be honest.
• Hard Rock Cafe -- I know this will sound weird, but one of the best meals I had was as a 16-year-old at a Hard Rock Cafe. Watermelon ribs -- I can still taste them on my lips. One of my first great meals.
• Honey's Sit and Eat -- Ahhh, Honey's. As close to a perfect restaurant as you can get. The best brunch in the city for the price, and dinner is pretty f'in good as well. Plus, the waitstaff is incredibly cool and they laugh at my jokes. I even had a waitress who knew my birthday. That's love. I love Honey's. You know how people on death row get to choose their last meal? I would seriously consider choosing Honey's. Yes, you have to wait for a table for brunch, BUT THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT PEOPLE? You want the best, you wait. Period.
• Hooters -- Wait, they serve food here? Huh, I never noticed.

Candidates for round 8:

• Honey -- No, it's not Honey's, and no, it's not in the city. But it's gotten some good ink... for a suburban joint. http://www.honeyrestaurant.com/
• Horizons -- Philadelphia's No. 1 vegan restaurant. I'll sneak in a Slim Jim and munch on it in front of all the other customers with a dumb, "What's wrong?" look on my face. http://www.horizonsphiladelphia.com/
• Hostaria Da Elio -- Small, intimate BYOB off of South Street. http://philadelphia.menupages.com/restaurantdetails?restaurantid=39971
• Hymie's Merion Station -- There is some weird fight going on between Jewish delis on the Main Line. This is one of the pugilists. http://www.hymies.com/deli.html

Blue Plate Special -- Dinosaur Barbecue

After spending four years in dark, grey, and dreary Syracuse, NY, there is very little that I miss about the Salt City. There was a coffee shop (long since closed) just off campus where I learned that there is more to a cup of joe than Folgers or Maxwell House. I spent many, many hours at 744 Ostrom Ave. at the offices of the Daily Orange at my first sort-of real job as the sports editor of the campus newspaper (lot of good that did me).

But in reality, there is only one place that I truly miss about Syracuse -- Dinosaur Barbecue. The Dino (no one calls it that but I'm going to anyway, dammit) was one of those places that stand out in part because it is so much better than everything around it, but really just because it is frigging awesome. Picture Angelina Jolie living in, I don't know, let's say Decatur, IL. People would be drooling at the sight of her. That's what happens in Syracuse when you walk up to The Dino. It's really not much to look at -- a blues and biker bar that just happens to have the best barbecue I have ever eaten. They pile it on thick, they pile it on meaty, and they pile it on yummy. I must have eaten there or gotten take out 50 times in my four years at SU -- it was right around the corner from the "real" newspaper in Syracuse, so when I interned there as a senior, I used to call and the food would be ready to be picked up 2 minutes later. It never failed.

A few years ago, the mom bought me the cookbook from The Dino and to this day, it is one of my favorites. So many awesome recipes to choose from. I ALWAYS have a large tupperware full of homemade barbecue sauce, which has so many uses. I could eat it by the spoonful (and sometimes do).

The Dino has been in Syracuse since probably the 80s (just a guess) and a few years ago they branched out to Harlem and Rochester. I had sort of talked about going once or twice, but had never really seriously planned anything. I did try to go to the original Dino when I was back in Syracuse two years ago, but I kept getting turned around and never did find it (cue the sad music).

But I digress...

On Monday, the wife had an idea that we should drive to Harlem the next Saturday to go to the Dino for dinner. I thought it was a great idea. She emailed the brother-in-law and the girlfriend, who live in Manhattan, to see if they wanted to come along. They were in.

One problem -- no available reservations, at all, for Saturday night. $#@!%

I tried on Tuesday. Nothing. $#@!%. Wednesday. Nothing. $#@!%. Thursday. Friday. Nothing and nothing. $#@!%. We had pretty much given up hope by then, but nonetheless, when I woke up Friday, I tried one more time online (OpenTable.com I love you!)

Table for 2, 7:30 p.m. Book it. Unfortunately, the brother-in-law and girlfriend were already tied up for the night, but that was pretty much expected at that point.

Needless to say, I was incredibly excited. We left with plenty of lead time to account for traffic and potentially getting lost, but the drive wasn't too bad -- a little under 2 hours each way. The Dino is actually right over the GW Bridge, so it was very easy to find. And oh was it worth it.

The full rundown on one of the best restaurants in the whole wide world...

THE FOOD: What can I say. The fried green tomatoes with blue cheese sauce were OK, but during our appetizer portion of the meal, I tried all five of the different barbecue sauces on the table. The primary sauce (or the Mutha Sauce) tasted similar to the one I have. in the fridge -- yum. The others ratcheted up on the spicy scale. Interesting experiment. The wife and I got the "Sweetheart Sampler" -- a full rack of ribs with our choice of four sides. Oh mama. This was no stringy, cheap ass rack of ribs. The ribs were perfect in size and in flavor. I slathered each bite in the Mutha Sauce and it was heavenly. I mean, really really good. The sides I chose, the baked beans and potato salad, were also excellent. I don't like mac and cheese but the wife liked it. The cornbread was also yummy. Despite being stuffed, we took a shot at the key lime pie for dessert -- I like the one I make better. It was just OK. But only a minor damper on the evening.

THE DRINKS: We "pre-partied" at a bar down the street to kill time until our reservations. We were just about ready to ,leave when the bartender said, "Did you guys know this was happy hour? All drinks were half off." I did not know, but thank you, thank you, thank you. The wife was already wobbly by the time we sat down for dinner, so we stuck with water at the Dino.

THE STAFF: The place was packed. It made Honey's look empty. I imagine it was a very long wait for walk-ins to be seated, but they sat us in less than 5 minutes thanks to our reservations. Despite how big and busy the place in, the food came at us quickly and our waiter was pretty attentive. Good stuff.

MAD PROPS FOR: Now I know that a dirty bathroom is usually a turnoff. But one of the coolest things about The Dino in Syracuse was all the poetic graffiti on the wall. No poems in Harlem, but lots of graffiti. And since I didn't need to sit down in a stall, it was all good. We had a very cool table as well, really a neat location.

OVERALL: It takes an awful lot for me to be convinced to drive 2 hours each way to eat dinner. The Dino is a special place and it was nice to see that while the vibe was a little more upscale in Harlem, the food was still the reason to be there.

THE CHECK: $50 for the two of us, with tip. I mean, c'mon, how can you beat that?

Back to the real reviews later this week... weather permitting.