Bubby's in Tribeca

I walked to Bubby's from my hotel just a few blocks away based on a recommendation. The restaurant has a home town kind of feel inside with wood bench seating and solid oak tables that instill a farmhouse look. The bus boys appear to be the only staff in uniform with the wait staff dressed in a casual affair. The menu plays to old American classics like meatloaf, burgers, and a variety of specials with everything from pork chops to a southern boiled food plate (shrimp, sausages, etc).

I opted for the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and asked the waitress for her recommendation on a second side, which ended up being mac n cheese. The food came out very quickly, maybe because I was dining alone and they thought I was depressing the other diners? Whatever the reason it was fine by me as I dug right in. The meatloaf was a good size but lacked any creativity; they claim home-style cooking and they are spot on, because it tasted like home. The mac n cheese wasn't the best I've had but it was still good and the mash potatoes had a good consistency. Like I wrote though nothing really included creative elements, and maybe that's more of a revolution in New York with every restaurant trying to differentiate themselves from the pack.

The restaurant was certainly popular having both parties of young business folk schmoozing at the bar conversing about their weekend conquest plans as well as families with grandma and grandpa. I took a moment to just relax and take it all in. It was a good three or more years since I last visited New York and I needed to readjust to the extremely fast, gritty pace of the city. As such I ordered up a Vermont sour cherry slice of pie.

Bubby's started life as a pie shop so I really expected something incredible. Unfortunately that was not the case. The pie basically tasted like cherry pie filling from a can, albeit a good brand, but something I could certainly make at home. And the ice cream felt a bit icey, like when you leave it in the freezer too long. At $7 for the pie and $3 for the ice cream it just wasn't worth it.

All in all the restaurant lived up to its home-style claims and had that been what I was after it would certainly have hit the spot, but I was left wanting. If you miss your mother's cooking go to Bubby's but for all other cravings it's best to seek elsewhere.

Kansas City BBQ

I recently discovered I'd be going to Kansas City to visit a customer corporate headquarters to help out with an install. Somewhere in the back of my mind I remembered hearing KC, as the city is affectionately referred to by locals, is home to great BBQ. For whatever reason I was under the impression white BBQ sauce was a popular option, but alas that was untrue. What is true is the BBQ is pretty darn good. My coworker and I visited Jack Stack, a restaurant said by some to be the place and others a complete tourist trap. Their menu is full of options ranging from salads to steak and of course includes KC staples such as "burnt ends" and dry rubbed ribs. We started with grilled chicken wings and followed with a full rack of spare ribs and fixins. One of the more bizarre elements was the white toast slices coming with both meat dishes; not garlic toast, just dry white toast. The sauce on the ribs was a tangy sauce leaning more towards sour than the traditional sweet sauce I'm used to, and the meat was tender and juicy. All in all it was definitely good BBQ so if you're in the area make the trip.

Easy burger recipe

As one of the most common food items in the American diet, the burger is definitely something you want on your menu. One of the things that people complain about when making burgers at home is that they don't come close to turning out like those you find at the restaurants. You know why I think that is? I think people try way to hard with the ingredients! Forget cutting up stale bread, chopping up red onion, or marinating the meat in salad dressing! Salad dressing, really? I have a feeling most restaurants don't marinate their meat at all. Instead they start with good ol' fatty ground beef. So with that said, here's how to make a great tasting burger at home without all that extra fuss.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb. 80/20 ground beef per burger. That's 80% meat, 20% fat. The fat is what makes the burger both juicy and good tasting, so why would we want something like 95/5 meat?
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground sea salt
• 1 tsp. garlic salt

Instructions:

1. Start up your grill.
   
2. Form 1/4 lb. meat into a ball with your hands.
3. With your thumbs make an indentation in the ball.
4. Pour the ingredients in the indentation.
5. Kneed the meat thoroughly until the ingredients are mixed throughout.
6. Using a patty press or your hand compress the meat into a patty about 1/4" to 1/2" thick. The thinner you make it the faster it will cook.
7. Check your grill for the right temperature. You want to be able to hold your hand about 6 inches over the grilling surface for at least 30 seconds before deciding it is way too hot!
8. Place the patties on the grilling surface and press down slightly with a spatula. You're going for some grill marks with that move!
9. Let the patties sit on that side for about 10 minutes.
10. While the patties are cooking, prepare your toppings. I suggest tomatoes, bacon, and lettuce. Cooking the bacon before hand can save a lot of time.
11. After 10 minutes have passed flip the patties and let cook another 10 minutes.
12. If anyone wants cheese you'll add the cheese to the patties about 1 minute before taking them off the grill.
13. Place the cooked patties on buns and adorn with condiments and toppings.
14. Eat and enjoy!

Cost breakdown:
1/4 lb. 80/20 ground chuck $1.00
1/4 tomato $0.40
Lettuce $0.20
Bacon $0.45
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Total cost per burger: $2.05

Easy but good! Enjoy!

Simple honey mustard chicken sandwich

This recipe almost needs no instructions: chicken sandwich with grilled onions and honey mustard. Where it sounds ultra simple, it is! However, it tastes really good and is pretty cheap to make.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 lb skinless chicken breast per sandwich
• Wheat hamburger bun
• 1 Tbsp Beaver brand honey mustard
• 1/8 large, sweet, yellow onion
• 1 Tsp margarine or butter

Instructions:

1. In a skillet start cooking the chicken and cover with a lid. No need to use oil as the chicken will cook in its own natural juices.
2. While the chicken starts cooking, cut the onion into thin slices.
3. Let the chicken cook until it is nearly white throughout with just a bit of pink.
4. Drop the margarine or butter into the skillet and let melt.
5. Place the slices of onion into the margarine or butter and mix until the onion is thoroughly covered.
6. Saute the onion for until it is golden brown.
7. Take the bun and lay it down in the skillet where the margarine or butter has coated the skillet.
8. Let sit for about 2 minutes.
9. Place the onion on the bottom bun, followed by the chicken, and then add as much mustard as you like.
10. Top with the other bun and eat.

My wife, who doesn't even usually like mustard, loves the taste of Beaver brand honey mustard as do I. I find that no matter how much I put on the sandwich, it still tastes really good.

Cost breakdown:
1/4 skinless chicken breast - $0.80
1 wheat bun - $0.25
1 Tbsp mustard - $0.10
1 Tsp butter or margarine - $0.01
1 small, sweet, yellow onion - $0.40 (good for more than 4 sandwiches)
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Total estimated cost per sandwich: $1.26.

So eat up and enjoy!