Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Episode XXXIX: Rainforest Café (SAT)

I was back in Texas for the Christmas holiday and my nephew Matthew was very excited for us to arrive. He had been telling us for days about volcanoes, jungles, snakes, and dinosaurs.  You parents out there probably know that he was talking about the Rainforest Café and he wanted to go back. We packed up the family in the car and headed down to the San Antonio Riverwalk to see what all the fuss was about.  It was our lucky day. We got a table right by the Pandas!



Rio Reuben
“classic reuben with corned beef, melted swiss cheese, steamy sauerkraut and thousand island dressing on grilled marble rye”

Appearance – (4.6/5.0)
This Reuben experience started well when the Reuben arrived at the table.  I like the sleek black slate and the double stack presentation, even if it did require a vampire stake.
This presentation does not surprise me at a corporate location like this. The whole restaurant is carefully planned like an amusement park or a casino.




Quality Of Ingredients – (3.7/5.0)
You know, I wasn’t thrilled with the individual ingredients here. I could go down the list and all of them would fall under the off-the-sysco-truck category.  If this was Vodka, it would be one step above Mr. Boston but not quite to Smirnoff.

Price – (4.0/5.0)
$13.95. On the surface this does seem like an expensive Reuben. You have to remember that you are paying for more than the sandwich, you are paying to listen to the volcano go off every 15 minutes. It freaked both of the boys out, by the way. Danny got up from the table and said it was time to go home the first time it went off.  It is also right on the Riverwalk in downtown San Antonio. So all-in, it is an ok price.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (3.8/5.0)
The Reuben itself had little mystique but what the Reuben was lacking was made up for by the Pandas.



Taste – (7.1/10.0)
This Reuben was just not very good and it upsets me. This blog is trying to introduce the Reuben to a new generation and bad Reubens like this one puts people off.  When you have acidic sauerkraut, Caraway/Rye, corned beef… These are strong flavors and need to be handled with caution. It’s like cooking Meth, things can go very wrong. Labs can explode and people die if you don’t know what you are doing.    

Overall – (23.2/30.0)
Would I order it again? No.  Am I going back to the Rainforest Café? Yes. The kids love it and now I know not to order it again. The Sushi tower my sister got was pretty good. Danny loved his hotdog and Matthew ate all of his dinosaur chicken nuggets.

I have a feeling will be right back there next time we are in town. 
Rainforest Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Friday, December 18, 2015

Episode XXXVIII: Candler Park Market (ATL)

And I’m back in the game! 

Budget season is behind us, finally. Right…  Jeff, Charith, could you please confirm that?

That means I can get back to the Reuben Ranger.  First though I have to give a shout out to a fan of the blog we lost this week. Don Giovanni, the family Golden Retriever, died this week back in El Paso.  That dog never met a stranger.  His father, Don Juan, also lived with us before he died 4 years ago. So the bloodline had been with the family for 15 years! We loved them so much and we know they loved us too, and anyone else that happened to be holding a tennis ball.

Back to the blog! A slow Friday at the office meant I was home at 4:00! The early arrival threw off Danny’s routine. He is usually so excited when I come home but he knows he gets to watch Sesame Street at 4:30 and sensed that my early arrival would somehow jeopardize that. He politely suggested I go back to work. So we let Danny watch the show, then we headed out to the Candler Park Market. I was looking online for a Reuben close to work and came across great reviews of this place instead. 

Here we go.

Reuben (Hot ‘n melty!)
“pastrami, swiss, kraut, 1000 island, spicy mustard”

Appearance – (4.4/5.0)
Clean cut, simple appearance here.



The small deli basket does not lend itself well to the middle cut shot.

 Here it is:




Wow!
Look at the kraut (I’m using their term from the menu). You may have noticed this Reuben had spicy mustard and it gives the kraut a jaundice tint.  It kind of looks like a Moons Over My Hammy, and I’m OK with that.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.8/5.0)
I was very impressed with the quality all around, and not just in my Reuben. My wife had the Firehouse Italian and everything in there was top flight as well. What struck me first was the kraut. I asked the server behind the counter and she said it was sourced locally. She said, “If we don’t make it here, then we source it locally”.  

The kraut tasted like it came from an episode of My Grandmother’s Ravioli, old world. You need those slightly bitter and vinegary elements in a good Reuben. Some people don’t like this and that is why you usually see this part of the Reuben most commonly substituted for Cole Slaw or some other less offensive green. 

The 1000 Island was not quite as noticeable given the spicy mustard laced kraut but it was still a plus. They did a good job of constructing the Reuben by keeping the 1000 Island below the pastrami and the kraut above it. As a result of the 1000 island being on the bottom of the sandwich, you get some drops of it in the basket which made it easy for me to try it by itself. It was smooth and tangy, and our friend behind the counter confirmed that they make it in-house.  

Price – (4.7/5.0)
$7.25! That rounds down to 7! No complaints here. I think the portion size was just right for the price. The Firehouse Italian was $7.75 and also a great deal. The biggest value proposition might be that this place is in the back of a mini-mart. So you get your ticket from the deli and pay up front at the register. On the way to the front I picked up some BBQ chips for Danny (“Orange Chips”) and the three of us shared a huge fountain drink. Take that Bloomberg! So instead of restaurant margin pricing on the drinks you get 7-11 big gulp value pricing.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.6/5.0)
This place is a Deli counter in the back of a neighborhood mini-mart, and by counter I mean counter. There are no tables. There are some stools at the counter and that is it. Like most of the ITP neighborhoods in Atlanta, Candler Park has some nice parts and some not so nice parts. This mini-mart was a microcosm of the neighborhood. The aisle with the chips and cereal is a nice up-and-coming part of the store but if you go over two blocks to the cheap wine aisle, yikes… You may not want to walk home down that way. You have to take the good with the bad and that is part of charm of living ITP.

Taste – (9.6/10.0)
Classic Reuben taste and it really was Hot ‘n melty! The cheese was flowing over the side and I got to have a few bites that were just melty cheese. The pastrami was thick cut and I think it worked well here. You got some substance in the meaty bites. It was warm but not falling apart tender. Sometime you get meat that is so thin and so tender you don’t even have to chew. I think this goes back to my Texas brisket roots, you need some thick warm cuts of meat to really enjoy the flavor. 

Overall – (28.1/30.0)
Would I order it again? Yes! It was a great way to get back into the blog. This is really the essence of what this blog is all about. It is an adventure to find gems in the back of a neighborhood mini-mart.  The Mean Green sounds awesome too for my next meat-less Monday.

Well done Candler Park Market! 
Candler Park Market Deli and Kitchen Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Episode XXXVII: The Pig & Pint (ATL)

Sometimes a Reuben can sneak up on you. That was the case when I went out for lunch with my co-workers at The Pig & Pint

One of the folks on the team was moving to another position within the company for those I like to call the “Creative Types.” Anything in the Marketing, Loyalty, Sales, wannabe Mad Men, I refer to as “Creative Types.” These are the people that come up with brilliant ideas then act shocked when you tell them how much it will cost. They also justify everything with “brand” and “experience”.  This was a work sanctioned lunch outing so there was no way I was going to miss out. I have not been the best about going out to lunch.

At the end of last year I had to take a training course at work called “Take Back Your Life,” and it was dedicated entirely to Outlook management.  Anyone constantly battling a full inbox knows that it can take over your life, but still, it seems a bit ambitious for the name of a day-long training course. As part of the class, the instructor suggested that you block off time for yourself on your calendar, because everyone knows that there is no way the boss will book a meeting over a time blocked off on your calendar. I blocked off an hour-and-a-half every other Friday to go out to lunch. It has not gone as planned because I have pretty much been stuck at my desk all day every day. I even stopped wearing my FitBit because it just got to be depressing how little I was moving during the day.

Things are getting better and I was happy to be out with the crew. I didn’t even know this place had a Reuben!
Reubenesque
“Shaved corned beef, pickled red cabbage, 1000 island, Swiss cheese, grilled sourdough”

Appearance – (3.9/5.0)
The plain, somewhat-grilled sourdough really takes over here. That is not something I am used to seeing with the Reubens.  There is so much color inside, with the red cabbage and corned beef, trying to get out but it just doesn’t seem to be making it all the way through. Rye has more color to it, especially when it has the marbling going on. This was probably done in an attempt to lure non-Reuben eaters to order this dish. This whole sandwich is a RINO (Reuben In Name Only) and the white sourdough is advertising it.



Once you get past the sourdough the presentation is nice.  I would have liked the stacked approach to show off the inside of both halves but at least they took the time to slice it and separate the halves.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.3/5.0)
Well done here. The pickled cabbage and 1000 island dressing tasted homemade. The shredded cabbage was not cut uniformly, which usually lets me know that it was done by someone in the back and not by a machine. The color on it really popped too. The other dishes around the table looked like they were homemade as well. I did not get the sense that anyone in the kitchen was cutting corners. The place just smelled good when you walked in so you knew something good was going on back there.

Price – (3.7/5.0)

$10 may have been a bit much given the small portion size. The server did not charge me for my Club Soda, so I will give them credit for that, but I think this one could have been in the $9 range.  $10 is really a psychological break point and you need something special to charge that.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.4/5.0)

It was nice to rediscover this place. I had been here years back, before it was the Pint & Pig. There were not too many good Happy Hour places around the office before this came along. There is a smoky Irish Pub, a smoky beach bar, and a smoky seafood dive bar. You see the trend. I don’t mind a smoky bar when I’m in Vegas, but sometimes you want a chill place to have a margarita after work where you won’t have to change your shirt when you get home. They have some good drink specials and I hope to come back for lunch or Happy Hour soon.

Taste – (8.8/10.0)
This was a good RINO and I am glad they did not try to hide it by giving it an appropriate name. They took away the rye and sauerkraut. I don’t think Swiss cheese is as polarizing as these two.
The pickled cabbage had enough vinegar to give it a kick similar to that found in sauerkraut. The sourdough was a mild variety and very well could have been white bread.
What really brought this whole sandwich together was the homemade 1000 Island. It was creamy and it was used in just the right amount.

Overall – (25.1/30.0)
Would I order it again, yes, but maybe not on my next visit. There are a few things on the menu I would want to try first, like the pulled pork. This place smelled just enough like bbq smoke to get your mouth watering. Then you see the pulled pork come out and it looks as good as it smells. Once I’ve tried the pulled pork then I’ll be able to make an informed decision on where to go from there.



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Friday, July 3, 2015

Episode XXXVI: Bagel Palace (ATL)

My friends, it has been too long.

First I have to apologize to Flat Branch Pub & Brewing in Columbia, MO. I had a great Reuben there back in March but did not get around to writing the formal review.  Things at work have been hectic lately but we are finally adding some staff so I should have my life back soon.

A Friday off from work seemed like the perfect time to get back in the game and try another Reuben around town. The Bagel Palace is pretty well known in the Reuben community of Atlanta.  I was not sure what to expect as the reviews for this place on line are hit or miss.

45. Corned Beef Reuben
This is all the menu says.  Apparently, no introduction is necessary for this Reuben. I think this is this first Reuben on this blog that did not have any kind of description.

Appearance – (3.5/5.0)
No frills here.  This place seems to go out of its way to avoid any flare. Even when I ordered Danny a hotdog off the kid menu our server said she just needed the number. Ok. Could I please have a #5?
The one bit of flare was the florescent lime green shirt our server had on. Other than that, this plate sums up the appearance of the whole restaurant.



Look how good it could look with just a tiny bit of effort.



This is the same sandwich!

Quality Of Ingredients – (3.7/5.0)
I don’t have a good place to start. There was no description! If a restaurant tells me there is homemade 1000 island dressing I will get excited about it. Is there something special about the cured Corned Beef? Couldn’t tell you. Maybe this is an indictment on the sophistication of my palate. I’m at a loss here.

Let this be a lesson to all of those restaurateurs out there, you can plant seeds! If you get your clients excited based on what is in the menu, maybe the food will taste better.
There were no obvious weak links but nothing really stood out either.

Price – (3.2/5.0)
$10.69? That is real money. I can look around and tell there is not a whole lot of money going into maintenance and overhead. It looks like the decoration budget didn’t get approved this year. I am not sure why $10.69 is the right number. 

Sometimes you go to a bar for trivia or to watch a game and you pay $8 for a beer but you are ok with that because you are essentially paying rent for the bar stool. You are paying for the satellite bill that is letting you watch the game.  When I saw $10.69 I kept looking around to see what else I was paying for.


Je Ne Sais Quoi – (2.7/5.0)
I was thoroughly disappointed when it came to the JNSQ of this place. The space was tired and dated. There was nothing welcoming about the environment; there were no decorations on the walls.

Oddly enough I think they might like it this way. There were lots of elderly couples eating there that seemed to know the server by name. One of them even told our server he wouldn’t see her tomorrow because he was going to spend the 4th of July with his grand-kids. If the target demographic likes good food with  no frills, then more power to them.

Taste – (8.6/10.0)
The taste itself was not bad. No crazy reinterpretations of the dish, it was just a straight up Reuben. I think the sauerkraut could have had a bit more kick but overall it was good execution.

Overall – (21.7/30.0)
Would I order it again? No.  If I happen to be in the neighborhood and I need a place to pick up some bagels I would come back. We did get a few bagels to go and they were pretty good. Are they better than the Einstein Bros Bagels across the street? I don’t know.

A restaurant does not have to be all things to all people. This place seems to be doing just fine serving old school food to a very loyal client base. I am glad I took the time to see and experience it for myself.

Onwards!



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Saturday, March 7, 2015

Episode XXXV: Manny's Cafeteria and Delicatessen (MDW)

So there I was, in the Second City the day after my birthday.  The night before I was able to meet up for drinks with friends from high-school, business school, and my past life in Boston.  It had been a great night until I came home and my wife told me she sprained her ankle and could not walk. She couldn’t even make it to the bathroom and I had to carry her. She couldn’t put any weight on it and I wasn’t sure what we were going to do. Our three-year was not going to be happy about his Mama being sidelined.

That morning we hastily arranged a trip to spend the week in San Antonio with my family. The extra help would give my wife time to do physical therapy and give Danny a chance to hang out with his Abeula. The injury itself was not serious but brought back lots of bad memories. It was a bad weekend to forget my Celexa in Atlanta but sometimes a Reuben is just what you need to cheer you up. 

All along this blog has been an outlet for me, an escape. It is something to keep me busy and remind me not to take myself too seriously.  A trip to Manny’s Cafeteria & Delicatessen in the shadows of the Chicago skyline is exactly what I needed.

Corned Beef Reuben
Stuffed with corned beef, grilled with swiss and sauerkraut, with 1000 island on the side.




Appearance – (4.2/5.0)
I have been critical of “your grandpa’s” style Reubens before. They are the type that piles high the beef just for spectacle. Manny’s piles it high but it looks great, once you move the huge potato pancake out of the way.



One thing that caught my attention was the marbling of the fat in the meat. We are usually referring to rye on this blog when we mention marbling but not in this case. It looks almost like prosciutto. You can see each thin slice of corned beef has just a sliver of white fat running through it.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.6/5.0)
 Spared no expense. (For the first, I don’t know, 15 years of my life, when I watched Jurassic Park and the old guy kept saying “spared no expense” I thought he somehow found a way to get it for free. As if he found a way to spare the expense and did not have to pay for it. I kept thinking to myself, how did this guy build an entire dinosaur theme park for free? How many favors did he call in?)

Well Manny spared no expense in making this Reuben, particularly the Corned Beef. They have slicers going non-stop and it produces this mountain of meat. I was amazed to see all of the guys behind the counter still had all of their digits. I was concerned at first at what kind of 1000 island dressing would come on the side in that little plastic sample cup but it was great. All of the pieces were in place for a great Reuben.

Price – (3.9/5.0)
$14.95! That is not cheap but I think it was a good value. For one we were in Chicago $$$, they do provide free parking $$$, the potato pancake along was enough to fill me up $$$, and the portion was huge $$$.  So all things considered, it wasn’t crazy expensive. This also may be the only Reuben I did not finish. I took one half home to my temporarily-immobile wife.  My father-in-law picked up the bill so I was able to spare that expense.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.7/5.0)
The guys behind the counter at Manny’s seem like they have been doing this for a very, very long time. These guys are flipping plates, throwing meat around, directing traffic, all while automatic meat blades are flying all around them. It was a great little place. A true old-world experience that you can tell the folks of Chicago are proud to call their own. 

They also seem to be very proud of the fact that a cow burned their city to the ground. We drove by UIC on the way to Manny’s and their mascot is the Flames. The MLS team is the Fire, and they embrace the Second City. I think it is one of those things where they can put it out in front to get it out of the way. Kind of like when you tell your co-workers about a stain on your shirt before they see it themselves. 

Taste – (9.6/10.0)
Not bad at all! I found myself opening up the Reuben at one point and just eating one strip of Corned Beef at a time. It was so good. The dressing on the side worked well because it allowed me to control how much of it I wanted. Turns out, it is also great for dipping with the potato pancake.

The Swiss cheese was good but it was not freshly melted by the time I got it. They pre-grill the rye bread with Swiss and sauerkraut and when you order the Reuben, they fork it open and pile in the Corned Beef. It keeps the line moving but you do lose just a bit of flavor by having the Swiss, sauerkraut and bread just sitting around.

Overall – (27.0/30.0)

Would I order it again, yes! Although I would want to go with a big group so we can all order different stuff. The menu is huge and there were lots of things I wanted to try. The Matzo Ball soup looked great, the pastas, even the liver and onions! It is the type of place you just don’t see that much anymore and I am glad I got to go.   
Manny's Cafeteria & Delicatessen on Urbanspoon

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Episode XXXIV: Hudson Grille (ATL)

I have been in the ATL for almost three years now and I am officially an ITP (inside-the perimeter) snob. These days I am more likely to cross I-285 in a plane rather than a car. I am not totally opposed to going OTP but at least it is a conscious decision these days.  So when I got an invitation from the Holy Cross Club of Atlanta to go to the Hudson Grille in Sandy Springs I was willing to make an exception.

 New York Deli Reuben
Half-pound Certified Angus Beef® corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss, 1000 island dressing, toasted rye

Appearance – (3.8/5.0)
It is toothpicks like these that show how much work this blog still has to do. One day the Reuben Ranger’s aversion to toothpicks in food will be so well known that they will just disappear. It is now painfully obvious that no one at the Hudson Grille has read this blog before. You could kill a vampire with one of those things.
Good job on grilling the bread and getting a nice color on the crust but not enough to salvage a high score from this food blogger.




Quality Of Ingredients – (3.9/5.0)
 The quality was fine. I got the vibe that everything in the kitchen is very controlled and regulated. This is a chain so I am sure there are corporate standards for everything that comes out. More on this cookie cutter approach in the JNSQ section.

Price – (3.9/5.0)
$10.95 is an ok price but maybe a bit expensive for an OTP venue. This place is huge and there are lots of TVs everywhere so I can see they need to cover costs. At least the fries were included with the Reuben.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (3.6/5.0)
The Hudson Grille is a great place and sells itself as a gathering place for large groups and I can see why.  The Holy Cross event was actually hosted by the Bucknell Club of Atlanta, which invited the Holy Cross Club out.  The two schools were facing off in basketball that day in probably the only nationally broadcast game of the year for either team. I think we outnumbered the Bucknell folks 3:1. We took over the event. Holy Cross lost but no one was really watching. You don’t go to Holy Cross for the sports.  We manage to pull off a big upset in a few sports every once in a while and that is good enough for us.

The Reuben suffered from a lack of imagination. It seemed like it was built by a robot. I am sure the beef was prepared to exact internal temperate and put in the oven for an exact amount of time. The sauerkraut was probably prepackaged at corporate and the dressing was probably dispensed by one of those caulk guns that ensures the exact amount was used.

A lack of imagination can kill a Reuben. If you have read Guns, Germs, and Steel, you are familiar with the Anna Karenina principle.  Here is the description from Wikipedia:

The Anna Karenina principle describes an endeavor in which a deficiency in any one of a number of factors dooms it to failure. Consequently, a successful endeavor (subject to this principle) is one where every possible deficiency has been avoided.

In Guns, Germs, and Steel the author references this principle to explain why there are so few breeds of domesticated animals.  All domesticated animals needs certain traits. Animal demeanor is one of them and Zebras are mean buggers that otherwise would have been great to domesticate. Gazelles are too jittery and would rather ram themselves to death against a wall than stay fenced in. All domesticated animals are alike but each wild animal is different.

I had just finished reading this book when I had this Reuben and I think the same principle applies to Reubens. All good Reubens share many traits but the absence of one of them can mean doom.
-         Imagination
o   Each Reuben needs to have some moxie, needs to be created with love and imagination

-          Strong individual components
o   Corned beef has to be a quality product and seasoned just right
o   Sauerkraut needs to have just the right Ph
o   The rye needs just the right caraway flavor, too much is lethal
o   Thousand Island is a cool binding agent that does not dominate the show
o   Swiss cheese half the time just has to show up. A flimsy slice won’t do it.

-          Balance
o   It is hard enough getting the five individual ingredients just right but balancing the portions is even harder

-          Texture
o   Tender beef
o   Toasted bread
o   Melted cheese

-          Correct temperature
o   Have you ever had a leftover Reuben? Probably not. If I don’t finish it then it is not worth bringing it home and trying to reheat.

When I left the Hudson Grille I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about because there was nothing overtly wrong with the Reuben. I still can’t quite put my finger on it but it just lacked heart. Each piece of beef was a uniform dimension, the sauerkraut was made for the masses, even the fries were just kind of there. The whole Reuben was just a bump on a log.

Taste – (8.2/10.0)
The Reuben tasted fine. It did not exactly knock my socks off but it was fine.

Overall – (23.4/30.0)
Would I order it again? No.  I would definitely go back to the Hudson Grille especially to watch a game but I would order a burger or wings.

It was great seeing my HC buddies and I am glad I ventured OTP.


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Saturday, January 24, 2015

Episode XXXIII: Midway Pub (ATL)

On January 24, 2009 my wife and I got married. Last year, for our five year anniversary, we went to go see the Spurs and Hawks play here in the ATL. The Spurs only come to town one night a year so we had to go. This year, for our six year anniversary, I suggested we celebrate by getting a Reuben. She went along with the idea. What a gal!
So off we went to the Midway Pub to do some hipster people watching and enjoy an anniversary dinner.

 Reuben
“house roasted brisket roast, swiss, sauerkraut, thousand island, rye -also available with turkey or soysage”

Appearance – (4.8/5.0)
This has to be one of the better presentations I have seen in some time. The stacking is nice and it is a subtle way for the kitchen to communicate that they put some time into the dish. The fry cup is cool too. The paper overflows from the cup creating the illusion of overflowing fries.  It is tough to tell from the picture, but when you look really closely you can see the tiny bits of diced onions and pickles in the Thousand Island dressing. That to me says it is homemade and got me excited to take my first bite.




Quality Of Ingredients – (4.6/5.0)
The ingredients were first-rate (thanks Shift + F7) but it was the execution that brought out their quality. For instance, the rye bread did not have artificial marbling but it was grilled with just the right amount of butter to give it some flavor without overpowering the caraway. They also got just the right amount of toast on it. It was the same story with the Swiss cheese. The melting point execution was perfect, which means it was melted but not to the point of it getting messy or too thin.

The corned beef was high quality meat but it was the seasoning that let it shine. There will be more on the seasoning in the taste section. That is what we in the business like to call a teaser.

Price – (3.9/5.0)
I have to hand it to my editor on this one, she pointed something out that really affected the price score.  The fries were not included with the Reuben. One look at the receipt confirmed that this was in fact the case. The Reuben was $9.00 and that beautiful overflowing fry cup was $1.50. This just seems bizarre, almost un-American.

I am hoping to be able to hire a summer intern for the blog this year. I could give him/her  assignments like putting together an analysis for the owner of the Midway Pub showing that they would be better off including the fries with the entrees if they charged an additional x.  The take rate would be y but given the margin of z it would be worth it. If you know anyone that would be interested in this unpaid position, let me know.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (3.8/5.0)
Welcome to East Atlanta. Hipsters own this part of town and we definitely got a few looks when we walked into the pub with a cute 3 year old. We may have made it too obvious that hipster people watching was on the agenda. Here is the thing with hipsters, and they would never admit it, they like the rest of us making fun of them. That is why they do what they do. When we make fun of them, they make fun of us making fun of them. We don’t get it but they do and that is what they think is funny. So really it is a win-win.

Taste – (9.3/10.0)
This Reuben was perfectly seasoned. Normally the rest of the day after eating a Reuben I am pounding glasses of water to counteract the huge amounts of salt that are in a typical Reuben. This one was proof that you don’t need an excess of salt, in fact, some places just assume if they put enough salt on it they don’t have to pay attention to the other details.

I spent my summers as a middle-schooler canoeing and backpacking in the Boundary Waters of Minnesota. Any backpacker will tell you how important spices are to a campfire meal. You have to carry all of the food you are going to eat for the days you are out. The spices are light weight but powerful.  We used to fight to see who would get to carry the spice kit in their backpack because you could smell it throughout the day on the trail. It kept you going just thinking of the jambalaya you were going to eat that night.

Anyway, that is my way of saying that the Reuben was delicious. The Thousand Island had to be homemade and the sauerkraut understood its place in the world as a loyal, but tasty, sidekick.

Overall – (26.4/30.0)
Would I order it again? Yes. I don’t think I would go again with Danny just because you can still smoke out on the patio but the smoke seems to make its way into the main dining room. There are lots of TVs and the beer list is impressive. I would really like to come back here to watch soccer. You can tell from the décor that they have some serious soccer fans as regulars. First time in my life I’ve see an Atlanta Silverbacks scarf.


East Atlanta, thank you for the hospitality.
Midway Pub on Urbanspoon