Rotisserie Chicken from Snarf’s

Posted on April 16, 2013 by fooducated

I’ve been neglecting my fooducation. I know. My Y.P.A. (yum point average duh…) has dropped dramatically. It’s a shame and I’m sorry. I’ve been running on eight hours minus five hours of sleep for three nights in a row because Farmplicity.com launched this morning!!!

Farmers are actually listing products and restaurants are actually placing orders through our website. That calls for a celebration. And a gigantic sandwich. A gigantic sandwich can only come from one place: Snarf’s.

Snarf’s is fantastic (and should really think about sourcing their ingredients from local farmers on Farmplicity.com…. see how good I’m getting at the not-subtle-at-all sales pitch). Their sandwiches arrive warm. Perfectly crunchy baguettes cradle the flavorful sandwich fillings.

The rotisserie chicken was moist (might’ve been even moister if it was locally sourced…) and the provolone was rich but it’s the host of toppings that Snarf’s adds (don’t you dare skip any of them) that make sandwiches from Snarf’s so delicious.

The mayo adds creaminess while the mustard brings the sharpness to the table. Onions add a small kick but they’re cooked first so they aren’t overwhelming. The tomatoes add a hint of sweetness while the hot peppers (which I think have been sitting in vinegar) add a slightly acidity and slightly spiciness. Finally, the pickles. I’m not the world’s biggest fan of pickles but Snarf’s make them work. The pickles add crunch and some serious acidity, which elevates all of the other flavors.

I have yet to enjoy a sandwich from any other restaurant St. Louis as much as any sandwich I’ve had at Snarf’s. Please, please, please tell me if you have!

Egg Salad Sandwich from Companion

Posted on April 13, 2013 by fooducated

Something about the name “egg salad” seems to gross people out. It belongs on the list of sandwich toppings that kids get bullied for eating (…like tuna and bologna). But I’m an egg salad lover and sticks and stones can break my bones but your taunting words about my love for egg salad sandwiches (and really good bolonga) can never ever ever ever hurt me so HA.

I especially love my mom’s egg salad. And Companion’s menu promised me “egg salad made just like mom’s.”

I have to say, although it wasn’t as deliciously sharp as my mom’s egg salad (p.s. mama… it’s been a while since you made me an egg salad sandwich…), Companion did serve me an awesome egg salad sandwich. The egg salad was fresh and smooth. Large chunks of egg white were held together by creamy yolk and mayonnaise.

While my rule is that I stick to the menu, I made an exception and replaced the rye bread with ciabatta because I hate rye bread. Companion’s ciabatta was perfect. The crust was crunchy and inside was fluffy and holey. That being said, I think a baguette would’ve been a better call because the ciabatta was huge.

In my opinion, the egg salad could’ve used a little more mustard (and that’s why my mom still wins) but it was unequivocally the best dish I’ve eaten at Companion thus far.

Spicy Pork Burrito from Seoul Taco

Posted on April 11, 2013 by fooducated

I have a thing for finishing lists. Food lists are, for obvious reasons, my absolute favorite. So when JP sent me RFT’s 100 St. Louis Dishes You Must Eat Now, I gasped audibly. I’m going to eat it all. EAT IT ALL. This list will be conquered.*

JP and I began our list adventure with the burrito from Seoul Taco on the Loop. After enjoying Seoul Taco’s badass Steak Gogi Bowl, I had multiple mediocre Gogi Bowls and then took a Seoul Taco break. But the list convinced me to give Seoul Taco a second try.

I opted for the spicy pork. It was awesome. The burrito was packed with spicy, sticky kimchi rice, bitter greens, and flavorful pork. Sour cream added a bit of tanginess. Seoul Taco won my heart back. And it proved that this list might know what it’s talking about. I look forward to eating the rest of it.

*I’m also currently working on eating through a STL Cheap Eats list, a NYC Spicy Foods list, and the America’s Test Kitchen cookbook so clearly I’m quite busy.

Egg, Spinach, and Tomato Sandwich from the Village

Posted on April 10, 2013 by fooducated

I’m pretty particular about egg sandwiches. I want runny eggs, sharp cheese, and good bread. Add a little spicy Chipotle mayo (like on the egg sandwich at Ibby’s) and I’m in Heaven.

Despite fully-cooked eggs and the lack of sauce, the egg sandwich from the Village was quite delicious. The cheddar was only mildly sharp but well melted. The whole wheat bread was perfectly toasted. Bright slices of tomato added enough sweetness and flavor to replace any sauce.

Runny yolk would’ve made the good sandwich a great sandwich. Eating an egg sandwich should be a messy ordeal that requires the deft use of bread as a yolk mopper-upper (I did ask for my eggs over-easy but that detail was lost in translation).

That being said, the sandwich really was good and it was way better than the egg sandwiches served on weekday mornings at Bear’s Den.

Grass Fed Beef Churrasco Tacos from the DUC

Posted on April 9, 2013 by fooducated

Meat makes the taco. You can have creamy guacamole, spicy habaneros, and fresh tomatoes but if it all sits on top of mediocre meat, the taco is destined to be nothing more than average.

The small Mexican women in the taco carts on the streets in NYC top their steak with nothing more than a sprinkle of onions and cilantro because their beef is just that good. When I saw the sign that read “Lunch Special: Grass Fed Beef Churrasco Tacos,” my heart skipped a beat. “Yes!” I thought: “I’m going to top my tacos with cilantro and onions and dig in.” But then, as I stared at the topping options, I started to chicken out. Afraid of ending up with mediocre steak topped with onions and cilantro, I asked for a little bit of gaucamole, lettuce, tomatoes, and a touch of habanero sauce.

That was a mistake. First of all, holy crap that habanero sauce is spicy. Second of all, the beef could’ve stood on its own. It was smoky, charred, and delicious. Had I not smothered the tacos with toppings, the meat would’ve come through even more. It was a little chewy and dry but the flavor made up for it.

Go get this special today (or hope that it’s still on tomorrow!) and keep the toppings minimal (although I’d still go with tomatoes, onions, and lettuce).

Pulled Pork from the DUC BBQ

Posted on April 5, 2013 by fooducated

DUC BBQ IS BACK. Sing it from the hilltops. Let the world know that spring has truly arrived. Nothing says “summer is coming” like sitting outside in the sun and eating DUC BBQ on a Friday.

The pulled pork was, like always, delicious. Today’s pulled pork was coated in a North Carolina style sauce. While I like the usual Pappy’s BBQ, I loved today’s BBQ sauce even more. The sauce was more tangy than it was sweet (and Pappy’s can be a bit too sweet for my taste) which made the meal feel a lot lighter than usual. Lighter is better when it’s warm outside.

Warm outside. Can you read those words?? Do you understand that fantasticalness of them?? I’ve been waiting months and now I can finally post that it is warm outside and there is BBQ and I ate it and it was delicious and the world is a good, good place.

P.S. I’ve heard the Bill Clinton is a big North Carolina BBQ fan.

Arroz Con Pollo from the DUC

Posted on April 4, 2013 by fooducated

I took Spanish for six years. I can’t even sing the alphabet. Whenever people speak to me in Spanish (which is surprisingly often for some weird reason), I just smile and agree to whatever it is they’re saying.* I don’t know the alphabet. I don’t know animals. I don’t know how to ask you how your day was. But I do know food.

Mole poblano. Chilles rellano. Empanadas (which will be a special at Ibby’s tonight). Birria. Carnitas. You name it, I want it. Especially arroz con pollo. Arroz con pollo is so simple yet so satisfying. And strangely, it is less delicious sounding when translated into English: “rice and chicken.”

The DUC is serving arroz con pollo as a special for today and tomorrow. The chicken was muy juicy and coated with flavorful herbs. It was paired with fluffy yellow rice and a refreshing cucumber and mango salad. A mango and cucumber salad is not exactly included in the traditional “arroz con pollo dish” but it was a nice addition because it lightened up the meal.

*Not even kidding. When I was 16, I was in a Spanish immersion class in Barcelona and, like always, I answered “si” to a question I did not understand. The entire class gasped with surprise. After class, I rushed out of the room to Google translate the question. Turns out, the question was: “are you having an affair with a Spanish man?”