Episode L: Zenzero Kitchen (DFW)

Welcome to the Golden episode of the Reuben Ranger.  L! We made it. Unlike the NFL, we will continue with roman numerals until the end of time. I don’t know why I like roman numerals but I do. Maybe it was traveling through Europe as a kid and seeing the landmarks dated with them or maybe it was in high school when the Y2K was going on and MMs were the candy to have. Any kind of esoteric academic thing that annoys other people, I’m usually all about it.

A lunch date with my sweetie at Zenzero Kitchen was the perfect opportunity to try a Reuben at a cozy little lunch spot in town. I was trying to fight off a cold but I had enough in me to give this one a try.

Here’s to another L to get us to C.

Reuben Panini

“Corned beef cooked in-house with swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing. Served on jewish rye bread with house-made potato chips”

Appearance – (3.9/5.0)

The Reuben looks great but it doesn’t look like a Panini. I appreciate the toasty bread but it doesn’t look like this sandwich actually met a press. It also does not have the buttery glow of a Panini. When I ordered, I asked for the Reuben and I assumed they were going to bring me the Reuben Panini, but looks like I got the off-menu Reuben. I am ok with that but just seems misleading.

This Reuben is a good example of what happens when good toothpicks go bad. It seems to have split one half of the sandwich in two. Clean cut. Looks like a Samurai went through it. 

The house-made potato chips look great but they block the center cut cross section view.

Quality of Ingredients – (4.6/5.0)

I have to start with the brisket, corned beef. I have mentioned before on this blog that it is gutsy to serve corned beef in Texas.  You could use the same cut of meat, slather it with mustard, sprinkle on a simple salt and pepper rub and smoke it! The corned beef on this sandwich was not thinly sliced but cut more like you would serve a brisket sandwich. The meat had some body to it but was tender enough to pull apart.

The menu stressed in-house corned beef and house-made potato chips but the Russian dressing, for me, is what really had the home cooked flavor to it. So, they either have a really good supplier or they forgot to mention that.  They did capitalize Russian on the menu and did not capitalize Swiss or Jewish. This place could be the Communist Bastian of Texas.  They had me questioning whether or not they actually smoke brisket. Scary stuff…

Price – (3.9/5.0)

$12. You know it is expensive when the menu uses whole numbers. If you worry about numbers to the right of the decimal, you probably can’t afford this place. It is better than the $18 Reuben at City Café but still seems high.  

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.4/5.0)

There was definitely a “Ladies Who Lunch” vibe going on here. It is a narrow space with Euro style tables that run the length of the room. You can find yourself very close to your neighbor and you have to pretend you are not listening to their conversation. There is a fancy coffee machine in the front and you can pick up the subtle scent of coffee from your table. This atmosphere is hard to pull off in North Texas because if there is one thing the metroplex has, it’s space.

Taste – (9.2/10.0)

The non-Panini caught me off guard and it is expensive, but it was good! I might even say it was worth it but only if you order water. If you have to pay for a drink too, now you are up to ~$14. Plus, they make it so easy for you to tip 15% or 18% with the iPad square app, now you are getting close to $20.

The toasted non-pressed jewish rye really set the tone and corned beef was tasty and not over seasoned. The sauerkraut did its job by bringing balance to the dish but not overpowering the other flavors. If the first thing you talk about is the sauerkraut, you have done something wrong.  The belle of the ball is the meat and this Reuben had that down!

Overall – (26.0/30.0)

Would I order it again? Yes (with water).  There are usually more qualifiers when I say I would order it again, but this one I really would. Of all 50 (Arabic numerals!) Reubens, I have yet to have the same one twice. This is the closest to my house and could be the first one I go back for. 

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.

Episode XXIV: Ormsby's (ATL)

Welcome to a very special episode of the Reuben Ranger. We are celebrating our one year anniversary! I started this blog under very difficult personal circumstances last year.

In July 2012 my wife as diagnosed with brain cancer (Medulloblasta tumor).  She had surgery to remove it in August 2012 and spent six weeks in the hospital. Then came six weeks of radiation treatment. In December 2012 she and my then 1 year old son moved to Ohio to be with her family and complete her physical therapy. I stayed back in Atlanta to work and would visit when I could. I was struggling with depression and found the best way to cope was to keep busy. Some of the folks in the hospital suggested I keep a journal. Writing was an outlet and a way to stay sane. I could not picture myself keeping a journal and I thought about starting a blog instead. It came down to an Eggs Benedict or Reuben blog. Then the Reuben Ranger was born.

Our situation has greatly improved. My wife’s recovery is nothing short of a miracle. She moved back to Atlanta and the family is together, happy and healthy. She now serves as Chief Editor of this blog. Mindful of what this blog has meant to me, we move forward. Or as my mom has always told me, “a seguir adelante”.  

One of my co-workers suggested I try Ormsby's in Atlanta. I had no reason to doubt Katherine. She seemingly makes any hairstyle look fabulous so how could she be wrong?

the art of the reuben (uncle art that is)
“piled with corned beef, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, & thousand island, grilled pumpernickel”

Appearance – (3.8/5.0)
More and more places are doing these pizza pans today. I think it is cool and I guess it must make doing dishes easier. They took the time to cut the Reuben and for good reason. The color of the meat packs a punch and you can see the melted cheese.

I think they may have forgotten about the pumpernickel on the grill; it was black. I am trying to stop mentioning toothpicks but come on. Look at this one. Only one half has it and it is on the corner.  Imagine the sandwich as a two tier green and the fries as a sand trap; the pickle can be an algae infested water hazard. I would aim for the middle front of the top tier and try to putt up the hill. It would be better to miss short and land in the bunker than fly the green. It looks like a doable up-and-down if you do land in the bunker.

Quality Of Ingredients – (4.5/5.0)

The texture of the brisket corned beef was unlike any other Reuben on this blog. It really did look and feel like a smoked brisket. The pumpernickel was a bit burned but did hold the contents of the sandwich well. The melted cheese was creamy but the sauerkraut was difficult to distinguish.

Price – (4.4/5.0)

Ten bucks, that’s not bad at all. I think the portion size was just right.

Ormsby's is a great place, if you can find the door. The ring game downstairs is addicting and you can always play shuffleboard.

Je Ne Sais Quoi – (4.7/5.0)

Who is uncle art? I have to meet this guy.

I was in a really good mood when I was here. We had just seen UVA beat up on GT, it was a beautiful day, and I knew this was going to be the anniversary episode for the Reuben Ranger. All of this came together and really made me enjoy the experience.

Taste – (9.1/10.0)

This seems to have been crafted as a Reuben for the masses. The strong, sometimes pungent, flavors of rye and sauerkraut have been removed and muted respectively. It did do a great job of showcasing the corned beef. No mention of the thousand island because I could not really taste it. All and all it was a great tasting Reuben.

Overall – (26.5/30.0)

Would I order it again, yes!  There is some serious love that went into the preparation and it comes out in the taste. The scene is great. How cool would it be to live right by there and spend your Atlanta snow days drinking beer and playing that ring game?

Thank you to everyone who has given love and support over the past year. This episode is dedicated to you.

Keep the recommendations coming and I look forward to trying them out!