Episode LV: Pat's Wedding (PSM)

This is it; it’s time. The Reuben Ranger in its current form will ride off into the proverbial blog sunset. “Thus far you shall come, but no farther”

This blog started for a very specific reason - things in life were horrible (medulloblastoma). Sauerkraut, corned beef, and Celexa helped me dig out of the rut. Slowly things got less horrible. Moving back to Texas was a new beginning for the family. Things have been better now, much better, and it is time to shake things up.

This is not a decision I took lightly. Things are different now. I spend my weekends coaching Danny’s soccer team or taking him to swim lessons. It has been five months since I last posted an entry and that might be a good thing. Life has gotten in the way and gently nudged the blog onto the back-burner.

This is not to say the blog is dead; it is just changing form. The last entry was LIV (Live!) and the Reuben kicks off the new era with LV (Love!) The Reuben Ranger will evolve to post submissions from you, the fans. My friends and family have been sending me pictures of Reubens for the last five years.  Keep it up! (I will start posting in this form as well). With the picture of the Reuben send in a simple review of 1 to 5 stars and up to 140 characters. (I know Twitter just upped the character count but the challenge is to be concise. I would have written a shorter blog post if I had more time.) So this is just adios and not goodbye.

Here is an example from the last Reuben I had

Sandwich Corner Reuben (PSM) ****

Beautiful presentation, ratio off (too much kraut not enough corned beef). Perfectly grilled, great flavor

Episode LIV: Treasure Island Supper Club (DAY)

Have you ever been to a supper club? Do you know anyone who still even uses the word supper? The Reuben seems to be a generational thing but you may have to go back another generation to find the supper club crew. Well the supper club scene is alive and well in Dayton, OH. The Treasure Island Supper Club is in the shadows of the shuttered manufacturing plants of Dayton. The old car factory next door and a refrigerator plant down the street remind you of another time.

The Treasure Island Supper Club is an unassuming building on the outside but as soon as you walk in there is a vibe about this place. It is dimly lit, low ceiling, Vegas style lounge. (For my Atlanta fans, this place is just like Johnny's Hideaway without the dance floor). We were there with my wife’s family and sure enough one of her aunts saw an old friend at the bar. This is a place where regulars have their own table. The servers know your order. It would be strange if you didn’t see someone you know. The only thing the people here love more than coming is bringing an out of town guest to experience the magic.

Oh, and they have a Reuben.

Reuben Sandwich

“corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut on Rye”

Appearance – (3.6/5.0)

Evenly toasted bread, big pickle, there is nothing crazy going on here. The chips are really what struck me. Part of the conversation at the table was that they feature local chips. These look like Lay’s to me, they tasted like Lay’s too. There is plenty of cheese but you can tell it was melted but then cooled and solidified. That is not a great sign. 

Quality of Ingredients – (3.9/5.0)

The solidified cheese was not bad and the sauerkraut was surprisingly mild. Usually when I have an old world Reuben or a Reuben served by/for the old world crowd, the sauerkraut is intense.  The first ingredient that is substituted out when a Reuben is re-imagined is the kraut. You can throw in coleslaw or even just a milder, less acidic sauerkraut. The Corned Beef was tender and not too salty, checks the box.

Price – (4.7/5.0)                                                      

$7.95! There we go!  This is a good deal. The portion itself was not huge but you get unlimited crackers and you are paying for the atmosphere. Rents in this part of town have to be pretty low so I am glad they are passing it on to the customers.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.7/5.0)

The JNSQ is really the value proposition of this place. The food is simple and honest. You come for the crackers, stay for the corn fritters, come back for the people.  This place has survived generations and economic cycles. It is not going anywhere.

Taste – (8.5/10.0)

The solidified cheese was hard to get past. I think what happened is that they wanted to bring everyone’s food out at the same time. It was a big group and most groups at this place are. Have you ever ordered an appetizer as your entrée and they ask if you want them to bring that out first? Maybe they should do that with the Reuben. The rest of the sandwich was also not quite up to temperature. The bread was toasted just right and the Reuben as a whole was ok.

Overall – (25.4/30.0)

Would I order it again? No. There was lots of other really good food on the table. Did I mention the corn fritter? I am really happy I had the chance to go. I could tell this place was special to all of my in-laws and it makes me happy that they go out of their way to share it with me. I will be back in Ohio soon.

“If I were giving a young man advice as to how he might succeed in life, I would say to him, pick out a good father and mother, and begin life in Ohio.” - WILBUR WRIGHT

Episdoe LIII: The Pioneer Woman Mercantile (TUL)

Oh what a beautiful morning! Well, not really. It was shaping up to be a rainy weekend in North Texas so we wanted to get out of town. The flights to Tulsa looked good so we decided to have a go.

I never thought I would spend this much time in Oklahoma. I grew up out in West Texas but, up until this year, I had never made it across the Red River to the Sooner State.  Danny and I took an overnight trip to OKC earlier in the year and this time Mom was coming along. The flights to Tulsa looked open and we thought it would be nice to drive the open range and check out Pawhuska. 

It is a small town in northeast Oklahoma that has been put back on the map by my TV wife Ree Drummond, aka the Pioneer Woman. Her family bought and renovated a building in downtown and created a real destination. There is a full restaurant and general store and they call the whole thing The Mercantile, or “The Merc”. I love Ree and redheads in general.  When Mary Alice was pregnant we decided not to find out the sex of the baby. I really thought it was going to be a girl. Who knows why but I had it in my heart it was going to be a girl. I kept asking Mary Alice if she thought we could get a redhead. She said no. No one in her family has red hair, but I kept asking every once and again anyway. I wanted a little redhead daughter. It was not in the cards but life turned out just as it was supposed to.

Beef Brisket Reuben

“This brisket has to sit on rye bread or it will fall apart before it gets to your mouth. Topped with creamy sauerkraut slaw, Thousand Island dressing and melty Swiss Cheese.”

Appearance – (4.6/5.0)

Golden brown, just like me.  The sauerkraut slaw has a pretty rustic cut to it. The homemade chips look great too but I think they could have fit a few more on the plate. Those little pickles (I’m being told they are called sweet midgets) really give some color. There is a good portion of brisket in there but it is not sliced the way you usually see in a brisket sandwich, in Texas anyways. By the way, Danny did the most Texan thing ever and chose to wear his "Texas is Calling" shirt on our trip north of the Red River. So proud!

Quality of Ingredients – (4.8/5.0)

Ree has spared no expense. The brisket, chips, slaw… it was all top notch. The kitchen is visible from the dining area and you can tell they are doing things right.

Price – (4.2/5.0)                                                      

$11. Anywhere else in NE-middle-of-nowhere Oklahoma I would say this was expensive but here I think it is a good value. We even got a picture with Lad, Ree’s husband, so that is worth something! 

The folks at The Merc are also really nice to you while you wait in line. It was more than two hours for us. They bring you bottles of water and freezer pops. They also have umbrellas for you when it’s raining like it was when we were there.  All of these things add value to the experience.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.8/5.0)

This really is a destination. I got to spend some time in the general store and had fun looking at all of the little trinkets and widgets they had. It is a cross between a William Sonoma and Cracker Barrel. The restoration of the building itself is amazing. There is the original exposed brick juxtaposed by state of the art kitchen with stainless steel hoods and all the works. There is an original advertisement from the National Biscuit Company that is two stories tall! The whole place is just fun.

Taste – (9.1/10.0)

This is an awesome brisket sandwich but no doubt a Reuben In Name Only (RINO). When people ask me what’s the best Reuben I have ever had, I won’t say this one because it is not really a Reuben. I loved it but I think it has strayed too far.  The brisket was excellent but the flavor is very different from Corned Beef or pastrami. Also, the sauerkraut slaw was more coleslaw than anything else. It did not have the acidic taste of sauerkraut. To me, those to me are cornerstones of the Reuben.

Overall – (27.5/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes. Would I fly to Tulsa, drive an hour, stand in line for two hours, just to order it again? Probably. If the flights are open! Did mention we rented a Jeep for $28 bucks a day. All taxes and fees included. Plus we did not get to see Ree this time so I really hope to see her when we go back.  

Episode LI: The Hoppy Monk (SAT)

I celebrated my 33^rd birthday last week and the crew from work wanted to take me out to lunch to get a Reuben. I said thanks, but no thanks. I had a trip to the Hoppy Monk in San Antonio coming up that weekend and I couldn’t be distracted by another Reuben.  We had some great Mexican that day instead.

The Hoppy Monk in El Paso was featured on Episode XL and I often cite it as one of the best Reubens I’ve had. The location in San Antonio has a Reuben de Lengua, which had been on my radar. It was time to check it out and let the world know what happens when you put beef tongue and sauerkraut together.

REUBEN DE LENGUA

“ten-day cured wagyu beef tongue + muenster + sauerkraut + russian sauce + marbled rye”

Appearance – (4.6/5.0)

Lovely stacking.  The marbled rye looks like a cut out cross section of a bullseye. The sauerkraut gives a great visual contrast and the bottom piece has the Russian dressing seeping out.  They may have forgotten the dressing on the top piece. You can also see the salt crystals on the lengua meat and the tiny bits of moisture it pulls out. The fries are generously seasoned with fresh herbs that put some green on the plate.  A flimsy sword/toothpick keeps it all together but overall, a great looking dish. 

Quality of Ingredients – (4.7/5.0)

This one was encroaching on RINO territory (Reuben in name only), by swapping out the corned beef and Swiss cheese, but still had the sauerkraut, marbled rye, and Russian dressing to restore credibility.

Great ingredients and an even better job of marketing them to the customer. The menu and website direct lots of attention to all of the local suppliers and I think that makes the food taste better.  They have the placebo effect working for them here.  When you take a bite, you say to yourself, “Oh yeah, this tastes like it came from that farm I drove by last week in the Hill Country.”  They also have an amazing house made ketchup. Remember, we are in Whataburger country here, so anything that can compete with Whataburger Ketchup and Whataburger Spicy Ketchup has got to be pretty amazing.

This place talks the talk and walks the walk. 

Price – (4.0/5.0)

$11. So this is not cheap, especially for South Texas, but I think the dish as a whole is a good value. For one thing, you know you are paying for the local ingredients.  Another is that they are not shy about bringing you more of the ketchup when you ask. You also know you are paying for the ambiance. There is an awesome beer tap fountain outside and the inside is a long room with community tables so it has the feel of a European beer hall.   

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.4/5.0)

Anything that has lengua is going to have a high JNSQ score. I just like this place. I came here a few months back for drinks with friends and that is when I discovered their special Reuben. That was a late night stop with the guys drinking beers and this time I was with my son and two nephews right when they opened early in the day. This place is versatile. The owners are from El Paso, so they have that going for them too. 

Taste – (8.0/10.0)

What happened?! It was too salty for my taste. This might be by design, a marketing trick as old as time.  What do you need with a salty snack? Something to wash it down. The drink menu here is 20 pages long.

I was a fat kid growing up and will be a fat kid for life. I have to watch what I eat (and drink).  I know I can only consume so many calories at a time and I prefer to eat my calories. I realize that this is a microbrew and their whole thing is the beer, I get it. I also grew up in a house where my mother was scared of only three things: scorpions, garlic, and salt. It’s weird. My mom uses very little salt when she cooks and no garlic. So my tolerance for salt is lower than others. What I wanted to do was order a nice local beer, rinse the lengua in the beer to remove the excess salt, then reconstruct the Reuben. I think that would have been awesome. The lengua itself was great and prepared really well. It is a tough cut of meat and usually requires a slow cooker or a pressure cooker to really break it down.  

Overall – (25.7/30.0)

Would I order it again? No.  I had some of my wife’s burger and it was amazing (Burger blogs are a dime a dozen, you can find a write up there); I am getting that next time.  Or maybe the next time I go I’ll drink my calories and get a flight of Texas beer. Either way, I can’t wait to go back.  

Episode XLVIII: Subway (DFW)

The Reuben is having a moment right now courtesy of Subway. They tried launching it a few months ago and I tried two different locations and was unsuccessful each time. The first one was “out” and the next week when I tried another location the promotion had ended.  Arby’s tried to push the Reuben a few years ago and I reviewed it in Episode X, but the Subway commercials are ubiquitous. 

My phone started blowing up with messages from friends, family, and fans (ok, so maybe it was just my dad) asking when I was going to try it. I couldn’t let my fan(s) down and decided to give it a go.

Corned Beef Reuben

“Corned Beef, Bavarian Sauerkraut, Swiss Cheese, Thousand Island on Rye bread”

Appearance – (3.2/5.0)

Safe to say it doesn’t look like the commercial. I should have asked for double meat and told the lady to make it look like the commercial. This is the “new” Rye bread but you can’t really tell. It is not marbled and the caraway seeds are too small.  Once Danny took the bag of Doritos off my plate it just looked strange sitting next to the side order of banana peppers.

Quality of Ingredients – (3.9/5.0)

I was suspicious going into this review. I know Subway has spent lots of money trying to rebrand with local produce and the new logo, but I still wasn’t sure, especially about the sauerkraut. You may remember the last Reuben had some issues with the sauerkraut. Well, turns out it was not bad. I don’t know what Bavarian style sauerkraut is, but I like it. That seems like something that would be hard to replicate in so many Subway shops around the world. It is such a volatile ingredient.

The Rye was actually pretty good once you got past the lack of visual cues.

The corned beef was also not bad either. What I appreciated is that it was not too salty and seemed to have some good body to it. I thought it would be as flimsy as the thin cut turkey but it wasn’t.

Price – (3.9/5.0)

The sandwich itself was $5.75 but you throw in chips and you are closer to $7.25. Most of the other places I try include fries or a side dish so to keep the comparison fair, we will go with $7.25. Given the small portion size I don’t think it is a great value.  Not to mention, I was in a Subway in Coppell. You are not exactly paying for ambiance.  There are two minimum-wage teenagers providing labor under high efficiency light bulbs.

Also, most of the time after a Reuben, I don’t have to eat the rest of the day.  That was not the case here. This Reuben was just like a normal meat so the cost per calorie was high.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (3.6/5.0)

The JNSQ is low here but it didn’t have to be. There is a great little donut shop just down the road that I go to almost every Saturday to get donuts with Danny. It is not much to talk about. It is literally a mom-and-pop operation with one table. What I love about it, beside the donuts, it that their windows are filled with the posters of all the local high school teams. It gives the place a real small-town feel. Subway didn’t have that. It was more of a planned corporate environment.

Taste – (9.3/10.0)

Despite low scores up to this point, this was one of the better tasting Reubens out there. It really was not bad at all and there are a few reasons why. 

First off, the bread was toasted and was not covered in butter. The butter problem was really starting to feel like an epidemic. This is probably why I wasn’t so weighed down after the meal. The absence of butter really let the Rye flavor come out and I really liked that. Second, the balance of ingredients was right on. This is a benefit of a corporate environment.  You can have anyone behind that counter and it should come out the same every time so kudos to Subway for good operational execution. Third, the temperature was just right. They toasted the bread and melted the cheese perfectly. Look at this shot.

There were no unforced errors and no toothpicks!

Overall – (23.9/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes.  Really? Yes, I would. I thought I would need to pack in the banana peppers to save it but it wasn’t necessary.  I had those for dessert.

This is another good introduction Reuben. I have so many people tell me they have never had a Reuben. This is a good place to start. If your deli/pub can’t beat this then they should probably rethink having the Reuben on the menu.

Thank you to Subway to helping push the Reuben to the forefront of pop culture.

Episode XLVII: Cindi's New York Delicatessen (DAL)

After a long summer, the weather finally broke in North Texas. Mary Alice and Danny were out of town and I had a beautiful fall morning to myself, so I went for a run. There is a great network of trails in town and I just felt like running. Before I knew it, I had been out for an hour and worked up quite an appetite.  Next on the docket for the day was to try a Reuben. There were a couple of places in town that popped up when I searched for delis in Dallas, and Cindi’s was at the top of the list. They have a few locations around Dallas and the menu seemed very legit. 

I walk into the deli and I take a seat at the bar…

New York Reuben

“Choice of Corned Beef, Pastrami, or Turkey Grilled on Rye with Sauerkraut, melted Swiss Cheese and Russian Dressing on the side”

Appearance – (4.4/5.0)

Wow. I don’t even know where to start. There is a lot of food here. I really appreciate that they cut the Reuben and put the cross section on display. You can clearly see the melted Swiss, lots of corned beef, and even more sauerkraut (more on this later). This, like other Old World Reubens, has the dressing on the side. They also threw in some slaw and more sweet potato fries than I could eat. I don’t fancy pickles but it rounds out the deli presentation.

Quality of Ingredients – (4.0/5.0)

Take another look at the sauerkraut. There is lots-o-sauerkraut on the Reuben and…. it was not the best. (even more to come later). The corned beef was very good. I don’t think you would have multiple Cindi’s around DFW if they didn’t, so something right on the meat.   I found myself picking it out of the sandwich and eating it solo. I like the rye bread, no-nonsense rye here. It tasted like rye and there were no unnecessary swirls or marbling.  The Russian dressing did not really knock my socks off. It is almost an afterthought on the plate.

Price – (4.2/5.0)

This whole plate was $10.95. I think that is pretty good. I ended up taking home almost all of the fries. We are in North Texas here, home to the $30k millionaire, so things can get expensive for no reason.   But we’re still in Texas. Things are big and cheap.  

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.5/5.0)

This was not quite like some of the Old World delis I have been to in Chicago and Cincinnati for this blog, but it has its own character. When I walked in, there was a counter with all kinds of bagels and treats around. You can order some bagels from the counter or you can sit down for traditional table service OR you can sit at the fully stocked bar! I went for the bar. 

They have pretty much anything you can imagine at the bar as far as liquor or beer. I kept it simple with a club soda. There was an old lady to my right and she did not seem too interested in small talk; she was pretty occupied with her game of Candy Crush. The guy to my left was a regular and asked for his usual breakfast. It was corned beef and hash with a side of pancakes, and he ate everything! The rest of the place was filled with old people and young families alike. Truth is, I took a seat at the bar because there was a long wait for any table.  It is a great little place and it is worth reading the story of Cindi’s.

Taste – (8.7/10.0)

Great looking plate, fun place, good meat, but the sauerkraut really killed this one. Have you ever bought a big jar of sauerkraut? There is lots of (acidic) liquid in there.  I can tell Cindi is putting lots of time and effort into the corned beef, and I appreciate that. If she wants to go store bought with the sauerkraut, that’s ok but she should probably go easy on it. They really piled it on. Maybe they could just put it in a dishtowel and squeeze some of the water out like you do with frozen spinach. Anyone knows that if you don’t squeeze all of the water out of the frozen spinach you are in trouble. 

I took matters into my own hands and flipped the sandwich upside-down.  The sauerkraut dripped through the bottom bread, so that was gone. The open faced Reuben with the Swiss cheese, corned beef, and generously applied Russian dressing was awesome. There is potential here for sure.

Overall – (25.8/30.0)

Would I order it again? No. I want to come back here but I want to get the corned beef hash the guy next to me had. I already know they have the whole corned beef thing down, so that makes it a relatively low risk choice. Cindi’s story is real-deal American dream and I’ll be back for sure.

Episode XLIV: Coppell Deli (DFW)

Moving to a new city is stressful. Moving in general stinks. Whether it’s moving from a dorm room into storage, or moving a three bedroom house halfway across the country, nobody likes to move. You have to take the good with the bad though. One good thing about moving is that you have a new city to explore. I really look forward to scouring all of North Texas looking for the best Reuben. Coming off a great farewell Reuben in Highland Park, I was excited to try my new hometown deli here in Coppell.

The Coppell Deli has been around since 1944, but was really put on the map by the Dallas Cowboys during their Super Bowl-winning years. The seller’s agent of our soon-to-be home in Coppell even mentioned it as one of the selling points of moving to the neighborhood. I had high hopes going in, and Father’s Day weekend seemed like a great time to try it out.

Reuben Sandwich

“Corned beef w/Sauerkraut and Swiss cheese on Rye”

Appearance – (3.7/5.0)

This one did not make the best first impression. Once I realized those were actually Caraway seeds and not ants marching around the edge of the Rye bread, my attention was grabbed by the renegade 1000 Island dressing that escaped. I was wondering if this sandwich would have dressing when I ordered it because the 1000 Island was not listed on the menu. Maybe they were just trying to surprise me.

This whole sandwich has short-order cook written all over it. This makes sense once you see the menu and realize this places serves breakfast. My theory is that the 1000 Island is usually dispensed out of a plastic squeeze bottle with a single tip. For whatever reason, the 1000 Island got put into the squeeze bottle with a tri-tip. The tri-tip bottle should really be used with caution. They are relatively new and are really designed more for food trucks. I cannot be certain that this is how it happened, but I can only assume.

Quality of Ingredients – (3.6/5.0)

The quality was really not that great. They don’t advertise anything homemade or made-from-scratch. It seems to be a store bought Sysco operation. I wouldn’t say anything was poor quality but nothing really top-shelf either.

Price – (3.8/5.0)

The sandwich plus tots was $11.49. This is not super cheap, even when you consider the other items on the menu. For that same price you can get a bacon cheeseburger.  For less than that you can get a Patty Melt or even a Gyro! I realize Coppell has some high property taxes and they have to pay the bills, but this seemed steep for the product and compared to what else was on the menu.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.2/5.0)

This place was saved by the JNSQ and it starts when you walk in the door.  The walk from the front door to the register passes through what looks like a walk-in fridge stocked with beer. It had a pretty good selection, too, anchored by Shiner, of course. It also had lots of TVs which made watching Euro2016 easier.  I was afraid a Texas Deli made famous by American football would not have soccer on TV. I was happy to be proven wrong. Texas has changed quite a bit in the 13 years since I left.  The Reuben itself did not spark much curiosity other than trying to spot the tri-tip dressing dispenser.  

Taste – (8.1/10.0)

The Reuben is all about how the ingredients come together and balance. This Reuben was almost impossible to score because I could literally not get my hands around it. I reached down into the basket and for the life of me could not find the bottom bread. The top bread was toasty and firm and I was momentarily relieved that I would not have another soggy Reuben to deal with. Unfortunately, I then realized that I had reached the bottom of the sandwich but the bread was so soggy I couldn’t differentiate it from the moist corned beef. I had to eat this Reuben with a fork! That is a first for this blog. I think the short-order cook had the Reuben on the flat top, squeezed some water around it and covered it with a hood to melt the cheese. It looks like he used the tri-tip too...

The taste was largely consistent with the ingredients. It was ok, nothing spectacular. I ate the whole thing so that must say something.

Overall – (23.4/30.0)

Would I order it again? No. I have to say I was disappointed that what is probably the closest restaurant to my new place does not have a decent Reuben. I do want to come back and try the breakfast and the Gyro for sure. 

This place also has a liquor license and TVs, so I can see myself escaping here to grab a drink and/or watch a game in the future. The menu has standard bar apps and the tots were great but I think it’s impossible to mess up tots. They have to be the most standard food out there. There seems to be only one maker of tots that supplies every restaurant and cafeteria in the world. From Napoleon Dynamite’s cafeteria to the Coppell Deli, they are all the same. 

The Ranger is coming for you North Texas.

Episode XLIII: Kuby's Sausage House and European Market (DAL)

“Go west, young man”

The time had finally come for me to move back to Texas and truthfully,
I was not sure it would ever happen.  The family is starting a new
adventure together in Dallas of all places.

A new job became available with a company I have always wanted to work
for. My old company was great but I can tell already that they are
different. Remember that Taylor Swift video where there are two
Taylors? One is the cheerleader driving the red sports car with jet
black hair and the other is the glasses- wearing marching band Taylor?
That is the situation here. My old company was cheerleader Taylor.  I
am not complaining about cheerleader Taylor. I know I had a good thing
going, but marching band Taylor is more my style.  She is a good girl
with a warm heart, sense of humor, and does not take herself too
seriously.  The only part of this metaphor that bothers me is that
this makes me the guy with boy bangs…

I have to give a quick shout out to the Reuben at Folk Art in Atlanta.
This is a fun little place in the Inman Park neighborhood. We went
there to celebrate the big news. I ordered the Reuben but had to step
out to talk to our Realtor when the sandwich came. I took a bite then
my phone rang again, this time from the relocation specialist. It was
a hectic first few days putting everything in motion. Anyways, I was
not able to give the Reuben the attention it deserves, so I promise to
go back and try that one again. The one thing I can tell you is that
it was just a bit too salty. Unfortunately, this is a common flaw.

Back to Dallas! On my first day after I finished the paperwork I saw
my desk. It was decorated with pictures of Reubens! My reputation as
the Ranger now precedes me. Who would have thought? It wasn’t long
before it was time to go to lunch. They told me we were going to a
German restaurant that had a Reuben. Works for me!

Reuben

“Kuby’s haus [sic] made corned beef topped with a mound of German
sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, then grilled to perfection”

Appearance – (4.1/5.0)
Clean presentation of the Reuben here with no obvious flaws. Take a
look at the Swiss cheese. It looks like it has been softened but not
completely melted. It is resting on the sauerkraut, a layer away from
the warm corned beef. This caught my eye and I will come back to this
in the taste section.

The pickles provide some color and balance for the plate.  The German
potato salad looks pretty good too. It is not exactly a Texas-sized
portion but I do appreciate that you can see the mustard seeds.

Quality of Ingredients – (4.2/5.0)
The haus made corned beef was well worth the time they put into it.
The seasoning balance was just right too. We are in Texas here, so
sourcing quality brisket is probably not an issue, it's what you do
with it. The menu does not mention it, but there was 1000 Island or
some kind of dressing on the sandwich. You can even see a little blop
on the picture. I don’t remember it making a big impression on me and
I don’t have anything in my notes about it. Usually when a dressing
has a kick or I can tell it is homemade it sticks with me.  I did not
detect anything special about the bread either. The marble is nice but
suggests it was mass produced. I think this was off-the-shelf bread.

I will give them a break on the bread because of the potato salad.  It
was obvious it was made-from-scratch with top notch ingredients.

Price – (4.7/5.0) 

$7.95 God Bless Texas and the German immigrants that
decided to make it their home. This is a great deal for $7.95! There
was plenty of corned beef in there and I can’t really complain too
much about the small portion size of the potato salad. The potato
salad was good and it left me wanting more.  Cost of living here is
great and I may have to recalibrate my thinking on price. For the time
being, I will keep this high score on record and have to keep this in
mind going forward here in the DFW Metroplex.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.6/5.0)
This place had loads of JNSQ. The meat-market in the front was nice
and the decorations in the main dining room were authentic. Our server
even had a German accent that I’m pretty sure was real. The potato
salad also really perked my interest. I got great vibes all around.

Taste – (8.7/10.0)
When I picked up the Reuben a clump of corned beef fell out. This was
the perfect opportunity to really see what the haus made corned beef
was made of. It had great flavor without being too salty!  I looked
around to see where I should attack the sandwich first. I didn’t want
to take a bite where the corned beef had just fallen out because it
wouldn't have the right weight and balance. (See what I did there all
you AvGeeks?)

I spotted a good one on the corner and went in. This was a respectable
Reuben. The corned beef was great and the Swiss and sauerkraut really
held their own. The Swiss was a thicker cut and it worked because it
was not completely melted. This makes it less messy to eat but also
gives it more body.  The menu does not say it, but I think the
sauerkraut was homemade. The reason that I think this is because some
bits were more acidic than others. The bread was just a bit soggy but
had decent flavor once you got past the texture.

Overall – (26.3/30.0)
Would I order it again? Yes. There were some other great things on the
table and lots of things that would be fun to try to pronounce on the
menu. I’m excited for the new gig and glad to finally be back home in
Texas! Texas Forever.

Epiosde XL: The Hoppy Monk (ELP)

Welcome to Episode XL of the Reuben Ranger. Not only do we now get to use the Roman numeral L, but we can also - well… I guess that is the only thing that is changing. 40!

I was back in El Paso for a quick weekend trip and I knew I wanted to try out The Hoppy Monk. I had been to the location in San Antonio for drinks but the original is in El Paso. There is not much going on in El Paso, and the fact that we have a hip microbrew pub is a big deal. El Paso is not the place I left 14 years ago, it’s way better.

Reuben
“boar’s head corned beef + fried pickles + house made caraway beer mustard & russian dressing + jewish rye + swiss cheese + sauerkraut”

Appearance – (4.5/5.0)

Wow.  This is a towering sandwich with those two little toothpicks so close together. It reminded me of the John Hancock Center in Chicago.

As much as I complain about toothpicks, sometimes you can argue that they are functional. This Reuben was not cut in half which means the toothpicks really are useless and a public health hazard.  Maybe the Reuben is so tall the toothpicks are just keeping the bread centered and secured on top. If that were the case then one would do. 

The rest of the presentation is smooth. I like the chic newspaper fries, very bistro. The visible green seasoning on the fries give the whole plate a fresh feel. The thick cut corned beef almost looks like bacon! You also get a flash of melted cheese just below the lip of the top bread. 

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.6/5.0)

I was really pleased with the ingredients that went into this Reuben. I read lots of reviews online before going, and one theme was how pleasantly surprised people were with the quality of the food. Everyone knows the beer selection is ridiculous but the quality of the food brings the whole place to another level.

When you talk about a Reuben it starts with the corned beef. I have to look into how you can source Boar’s Head corned beef because that can sometimes be a major letdown.  Remember Episode VI? Some places that advertise Boar’s Head serve it as uniform cold cuts. This was not the case here.  This was thick cut, non-uniform pieces of meat. Can you buy the whole brisket from Boar’s Head? I would think they would have some kind of brand control over when and how places use their name in the product.

Whatever they used, it was great!

Price – (4.0/5.0)

$11.  I remember going out to dinner at Bella Napoli in El Paso as a little kid and the entrees were $5.95. In my mind, anything over that, especially in El Paso, is expensive. I should probably snap out of that thinking.  Double digits in El Paso is not cheap, so it needs to have something to justify that price.  In this case, I think $11 is a good value. The place was hoppying (See what I did there) the whole time we were there.  It can’t be cheap to keep so many beers in stock.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.5/5.0)

This Reuben was something special. I think it was the snow white sauerkraut. It really put me in a daze. Also, without getting too much into taste, it was not as heavy as you would think by looking at it. I felt like I could just keep eating even as I was almost done with it.

The atmosphere of the place also helped. I was there with my Dad watching the NFL playoffs. I emailed ahead that day to make sure they had TVs. There are snobby micro-brew places out there that make a point of not having TVs because the beer should be enough to entertain you. Yeah, I am not that kind of beer drinker and I am glad the Hoppy Monk is not that type of place.

Taste – (9.6/10.0)

When you tell people that you write a Reuben blog, and they realize that you aren’t joking, they always ask, “So where is the best one?”  Up until now I usually mention The ATL Chop House or Candler Park Market.

This one is right up there in the conversation. Wow. It wasn’t too salty; it had great body and bite. It was the whole package. This is where I know I’m an amateur because I can’t really articulate how good it was. Trust me, it is one of the best out there.

Overall – (27.2/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes!  I will forgive them for the toothpicks. I even hear there is a Lengua Reuben at the San Antonio location! I can’t wait to check that one out.

Thank you to everyone was has supported the Reuben Ranger thus far. Here’s to another 40!

Episode XXXII: Front Page News (ATL)

Before we get into the blog I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the events that have occurred in Paris recently.  I have to admit that I take the Freedom of Expression I have for granted. I can’t imagine what it feels like having to worry about the serious consequences of your expressions.  This blog is an outlet for me, an escape.  It is an excuse to go to new places and meet new people. I value the privilege it is to bring all of you this blog freely.

I think my high school hero Astérix captured this best. I went through a Francophile phase back then. Maybe that explains why I ended up at UVA with fellow Francophile TJ. Anywhere here is the link.

Moi aussi je suis un Charlie

Back to the blog:

This blog was originally going to take place at the Brewhouse Café. We walked in at 11:55 AM on a Sunday morning and asked if they were serving the lunch menu yet. I told the hostess I wanted to order the Reuben. She said no and said I would have to wait 35 minutes in a matter-of-fact tone of voice. My Tommy Boy chicken wings attempt fell flat so we left.

Just down the street was Front Page News I knew they had a Reuben and verified it was on the brunch and lunch menu. We had a winner.

Turkey or Pastrami Reuben
“Grilled marble rye, oven roasted sliced turkey, or deli style pastrami, sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing, Swiss cheese ”

Appearance – (3.8/5.0)

More toothpicks, blah, blah, blah.

You have heard that before but let’s talk about pickles for a moment.  I am not a fan of dill pickles. Kroger has this really good hot-and-spicy variety, but that’s about it for me as far as pickles go.  I don’t think people who like pickles are bad people; I am just not one of them. I have gone to great lengths on this blog to talk about the complexity that is the Reuben and pickles are just not part of the equation. 

Pickles can serve a purpose as an aesthetic garnish on the plate but they should never, ever, touch anything else. The first thing I thought of when I saw this was, “oh no, that bite is going to taste like pickle juice”.  Maybe it is not that big a deal, it’s just the tip.

.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.7/5.0)

How ‘bout that pastrami?  It had enough body to mix with the other components but it had a great pepper kick. It looked pepper crusted to me. I know pepper is part of the spice mix that goes into the preparation but this one seemed to be dominated by it. 

Here is quick recap on the differences between corned beef and pastrami. 

Corned beef vs pastrami

This sounds strange but the ingredients kept their temperature well. Stick with me here. Sometimes when you’re eating out with kids, you get distracted and can’t eat your food right away. This often leads to not being able to enjoy your food when it’s hot. It is part of being a parent. This time out was no different but this sandwich never got cold. It was so strange. I couldn’t tell if it was where I was sitting, how it was constructed or what, but the ingredients aged well.

Price – (4.7/5.0)

Wow, $8.99.  There are some $12, $13 Reubens out there, so it is nice to see such good value. I also got a killer Bloody Mary for $6, which I think is reasonable for a weekend brunch. An unbelievable Bloody Mary bar is at your disposal if you want to build your own. I am still a beginner when it comes to brunch cocktails so the 100+ item Bloody Mary bar was a bit intimidating. I deferred to the bartender who came through for me.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.6/5.0)

Front Page News is a great little place and I am happy to have discovered it.  The previously mentioned larger-than-life Bloody Mary bar is only the start. There is a huge patio, tons of TVs, and, perhaps the best part, is the model train sitting on top of the bar calling your attention to the loft-high ceiling. We asked our server, Angie, if she could turn it on.  She said the manager that knew  how quit two months ago and no one has been able to figure it out since. I bet if you offer an EE from Tech a free beer he/she could figure it out in 5 minutes tops.

Taste – (9.4/10.0)

No ketchup test necessary here, this was great. The only thing I can think of was a bit too much butter on the rye bread. It took away from the classic rye taste. Other than that the marriage of 1000 island and sauerkraut was on point. The Swiss was just enough to cool some of the spice from all of that pepper on the pastrami and the fries were solid.  Bravo!

Overall – (27.2/30.0)

Would I order it again, Yes! Great Reuben all the way around. The pepper on the pastrami was so good I don’t know if I would be willing to try the Turkey variety.  I will be back for sure to try my hand at the Bloody Mary bar and get me another Reuben.

Episode XXIX: Bennett’s Market & Deli (ATL)

It has been a while since my last post but it was not for lack of effort. I tried to order a Reuben at the Brewhouse Café during a US World Cup game. The place was too crowded and I ended crossing the street to buy a taquito at 7-11. A few weeks after that I had been bumped to first class on my flight from ATL to ELP and they were serving Reubens! By the time the flight attendant got to me they were out and I had to order the Asian chicken salad. So the month of June came and went without a Reuben Ranger blog post.

Back to today. My wife and I had been meaning to try Bennett’s Market & Deli. They dropped a flyer on our front porch and I had driven by it a few times. They claim to be “Your Neighborhood Market”. Grant Park is already a great neighborhood but imagine if I could add a go-to deli within walking distance.  

Classic Reuben"Corned beef on marble rye with melted swiss cheese, sauerkraut & russian dressing”

Appearance – (3.8/5.0)

There is nothing crazy going on here; low risk, low reward. The construction seems to be neat and contained. When you get up close you can see the caraway seeds in the rye.

If the marbling in the rye were an ink blot, I don’t know what my answer would be. Maybe this is the control slide they put out before they show you the butterfly.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.3/5.0)

The traditional deli counter display lets you see all the different meats. It looks like an old-world deli and the quality of meat lived up to the expectations. The corned beef had enough body and flavor to stand up to the rest of the sandwich. One ingredient I don’t talk about much in this section is the Swiss cheese.  This one had thick cut cheese and it was very good. Too often the Swiss cheese is just a box to check but it can really add something. The sauerkraut was lacking kick.

Price – (4.1/5.0) 

It was $7.99 for the “Atlanta” ¼ lb Reuben and $0.99 for the chips. It is not cheap but considering it is a mom-and-pop I think it is reasonable. They also do a good job of making the meal an experience. There is a bevy of imported specialty foods all around the store. I even had a Mexican Coke with my Reuben. It was fun to walk around and see everything they had while I waited for my food. I factor all of this into the score.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.5/5.0)  

I really liked this little place. It makes me happy to know it is in the neighborhood and is doing well.  The lady behind the counter was very nice and even came out to play with Danny when we were done eating. It has only been open since 2013 but has the old country charm. There is exposed brick and ductwork.   

The sandwich itself was interesting as well. It had been put on the press just long enough to toast the bread and melt the cheese but not long enough to warm up the meat. I thought it was genius. Foodies talk about contrasting colors and textures all the time but not so much temperatures.

Taste – (8.8/10.0)

This Reuben had lots of things going for it but not enough to break into the 9s. Most notably lacking was the sauerkraut. New-age Reubens like to substitute out the potent sauerkraut for more universally accepted coleslaw. This sauerkraut was lacking the strong vinegar taste Reuben fans have come to love. The Russian dressing was also muted. The corned beef and Swiss was enough to make this a very good Reuben but it could have been even better.

Overall – (25.5/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes. My wife had the BLT and it was good but the Reuben was good enough where I would forgo my other options. Maybe next time I'll try the Greek salad, but the next time I order a sandwich, it will be the Reuben. 

Episode XXVIII: Slideways (ATL)

Every once and again a Reuben will catch me by surprise. I heard Slideways had a Reuben on the menu but I had never seen it myself, so I was pleasantly surprised to walk in and see that they were featuring one that day.  Slideways is a sliders place but I went ahead and got the full size to really see what this Reuben was made of.

 Reuben
“Smoked beef Brisket topped w/melted Swiss, Sauerkraut, & Russian Dressing.  Full size on Multi grain Bread.”

We have possible RINO here (Reuben In Name Only)!!!

Appearance – (4.3/5.0)
I think the natural outdoor lighting helped this one out. They went with a simple but effective stacked presentation and the tots look great. I know that in the last review I dogged the straight-from-the-freezer- fries, but I really like tots. The Russian dressing and sauerkraut are playing a prominent visual role here which is ok, but I think overflowing melted cheese is more appealing.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.7/5.0)

No surprise here for anyone who has been to Slideways.  The straight up smoked brisket is an interesting choice for a Reuben. It is the same underlying cut of meat as traditional corned beef but the end flavors are very different. The brisket had good fat content and it was not overdone with smoke.  Unfortunately there was not enough Swiss cheese for me to get a good sense of its quality. The Russian dressing was tangy and homemade. You could see the finely diced pickles in it. The sauerkraut also had a homemade kick to it. The multigrain bread had lots going on but I could not tell if any of it was caraway.

Price – (4.8/5.0)

$5.69! Even when you add the tots and a drink it is only $7.69. Throw in a nice al fresco dining experience and this is a wonderful value. It is very easy to drop more than $10 when you go out to lunch with co-workers. Even $15 after is not out of the question.

The portion size was also just right.  Occasionally I go out to lunch with friends and come home to tell my wife that I am not hungry. This can be very upsetting to someone who had to cook dinner with a terrible-two-year-old clinging to their leg asking to watch another episode of Daniel Tiger.  A reasonable lunch avoids this issue and keeps everyone happy.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (3.7/5.0)

This sandwich lost its mystery when I reached for the top bread to look under the hood. The bread itself was way too flimsy.  Eating a Reuben is not an easy thing to do. It should be right up there with French Onion Soup as far as things not to order at a business dinner. The only thing harder than eating a Reuben is eating one with flimsy bread supporting it. Sure enough it was a messy experience. The allure of the homemade Russian dressing faded when I realized how much of it there was.

Taste – (8.3/10.0)

Wow, this review went south fast.  Such a promising start, too. Please let me explain.  This sandwich is kind of a RINO and you take a risk when you stray from the formula. The smoked brisket was fine but it just did not mix well with the other components. The Swiss cheese was mostly MIA and as good as the Russian dressing was, there was just too much of it. The sauerkraut was also a bit too strong.  Throw all of that on a thin piece of bread and the thing just never had a chance. It was like a team of all-stars that could just not play well together.

Overall – (25.8/30.0)

Would I order it again, no. There are just too many great things on the menu here to pass up. They have red-eye gravy on their breakfast sandwiches! I love Slideways and I will be back for sure.

A couple of tweaks here and there and they could have a great Reuben. First things first, they need to get bread that can stand up to a Reuben. Go easy on the Russian and sauerkraut; throw on some more Swiss cheese and a champion Reuben will appear. This is why the Reuben is so unique. It is all about the balance of the flavors.

Chin up boys! I am still a fan I look forward to coming back.