A Recent Visit to Foley's

Over the years, I have been sort of up and down on Foley's. Without a doubt, it is one of the more lavish dining spots in Sioux Falls with little expense spared on furnishings and fixtures. The menu has always trended toward up-scale steak and chop house, less Tea and more Chicago or New York, with large cuts of beef or pork, fresh fish, and rich sides. The prices have generally matched. I'm not talking overly expensive by any means, but cheap it ain't.

Like most places do here in Sioux Falls, it opened with a big bang. It was a new, fancy place to go for special dinners or to splurge on a whim.

But, I generally started to lose interest. For the price, I could (and still can) make better steaks at home. The sides became sort of same-old, at least to me. And, I always thought the wine list prices were a bit more pumped up than necessary. So, I generally started ignoring the place, finding interest in new people doing new things in food (at least by Sioux Falls standards) like Bros. and Parker's.

Well, I very recently had an opportunity to visit Foley's again- wasn't my idea, but, hey, I wasn't buying and I wanted to see if the Vanguard ownership group was giving Foley's the same sort of general shot in the arm that I noticed on a previous trip to another one of their acquisitions, Grille 26.

So, how was it? In a word: Pretty Forking Good! I am very pleased to see a number of changes that will have me back as soon as I can get there. Here's the rundown:

• Menu: Definitely punched up since the last time I was there. Of course there is the usual listing of nice cuts of corn-fed beef, thick chops, fresh fish (including the staple Chilean Sea Bass), salads and sides. But there is also a very impressive listing of features that include other cuts, and preparations that go beyond flame-grilled to order. like Poblano Orange Marmalade Glazed Pork, and Pork Osso Bucco (which I will address in a moment).

• Wine list: No complaints. It's been re-worked and you can definitely spend some coin on some good juice, but there are also a lot of fine selections that will allow you to consider a second bottle without denting your bank account too badly. There is also a fine selection of beers, spirits, and non-alcoholic beverages.

• Service: The service we experienced was outstanding. I love having appropriately attentive servers who will share their honest opinions on food and wine selections when asked. Knowledge of the menu and the willingness to steer a customer to a different choice that isn't just an up-sell is awesome. Our server hit all the high marks.

• Environment: The decor has not changed from what I can tell. It's always been a fancy looking place with good lighting and excellent overall noise levels. 

If you haven't visited Foley's for a while, give it a shot. It's well worth the time and the money. And, if you can, try the Pork Osso Bucco. What the fork is that, you ask? Well, usually, it is a big thick, cross cut of beef shank that is braised into submission in a tomatoey sauce. The term translates into "bone with a hole." The Pork Osso Bucco at Foley's is a pork shank- the lower part of piggy's leg- from where the ham ends and the foot begins. It's a tough cut full of connective tissue. If you braise or slow roast a cut like that, all that tendon and tough stringy stuff (collagen) in there melts into gelatin. When that happens, a person has one tender, tasty, lip-smacking cut of meat. Foley's slow roasts the shank and glazes it with apple cider. It's served up with some extra glaze that has been reduced to a point where it is slightly molasses-y. It looks like something a servant would lay out before Henry VIII. It's awesome. 

Seek, and Ye Shall Find. Seeking Out Authentic Ethnic Cuisine in Sioux Falls

If you love to eat as much as I do, then exploring the foods and cuisines of different cultures is a big part of the quest for new tastes, knowledge, and a greater understanding of those who inhabit this big rock spinning around the sun. Besides getting a great meal, you can learn a lot about other people when you sit down with them to share food over a special occasion.

Sure, there are some very good, authentic restaurants around serving all sorts of ethnic specialties, but there are other great treasures out there, too. Namely- local churches. As our community grows and continues to become home for people from places much different than Northwest Iowa or West River, the area churches grow and adapt, as well. Next time you are driving around town, take note. You may notice a Buddhist meditation center, Ethiopian Orthodox churches, Hispanic churches, or services offered in African languages and tradition.

Every so often, these faith communities will throw a festival to have a meal together and open their doors to the community for some fun and fundraising. These, aren't invite-only affairs. They are pretty much open to the public and new faces are always warmly welcomed. These events might be a bit of a challenge to ferret out, but the effort will be handsomely rewarded. Read your own church bulletins, pay attention to flyers on bulletin boards or posted in local restaurants, look for ads in publications like The Shopping News, and keep an ear open for word of mouth. Then, go get some cash, and just go.

One such event was this past Sunday at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish here in Sioux Falls. This is the small brick Catholic church located on the corner of 8th and Cliff. It was once St. Therese Parish, which has since moved east to a larger location and the Diocese shifted the focus of the parish to the growing Latin American community.

Phenomenal music and phenomenal food. The festival ran from the morning until early afternoon and the kitchen was staffed by a very hard-working group of men and women who would look like your grandma, aunts, uncles and a few cousins, if you were from Gudalajara or El Salvador. They were manning huge steaming pots, portable roasters full of cooked meats, and making handmade tortillas on a flat top grill.

The offerings included breakfast, plates of birria (goat or mutton), pozole, mole, tamales, elotes (Mexican street corn), desserts, and drinks like aquas frescas and horchata. We decided on mole and pozole.

Mole is a sauce made up of an insanely long list of ingredients including things like nuts, cinnamon, herbs, chocolate, chiles, and then cooked until it all melds into a deep, dark, mysterious sauce. It came served over a portion of chicken that had been cooked into utter submission. The sauce did not disappoint. Every bite tasted a little different. It would take a mighty sophisticated palate to tease out all of the flavor components. The mole was served with rice and beans that had undoubtedly started out as a 50 pound bag of dried pinto beans on Thursday or Friday. They didn't look like the sort you plop out of a can of taco night. But they also tasted a whole lot better. A couple of those warm hand made tortillas came with this to mop up any bits you couldn't get with a fork.

Pozole is a big bowl of mildly spicy broth that contains pork and hominy- those big blown-up corn kernels. Add some shredded cabbage (unfortunately there wasn't any), radishes, and a couple of squirts of lime, and you've got yourself a feast. The pork was super tender and tasty, since it was a shoulder or another cheap cut. And the squares you see in the photo below? Yeah, that's pork skin. Silky texture and supercharged pork flavor. (Eeeeew! Skin! Yeah, yeah. Just eat it. It's good and has the added benefit of like a year's worth of collagen- your nails and hair will thank you.) I ate the whole bowl and went straight home to take a nap.

Only tactical error was not getting some of the corn. Next time!

It's out there people! Happy hunting and good eating!

Popeye's Chicken: What's the Fuss?

On one of these recent very nice late summer evenings, I happened to be driving down East 10th Street after enjoying a little time roaming around downtown. A late night nibble was in order and I was thinking a little Giliberto's east side might be just the ticket. Right about the same time, I noticed that the line for the Popeye's drive through window was not jamming up traffic back into 10th Street, so I made a quick left to sample some Louisiana fast and see for myself if I was missing out on some orgasmic chicken experience that causes people to block traffic.

Actually, it was one of those moments that I think I should have bought a lottery ticket because there was no line to get through the drive up. Instead, I used my cosmic karmic good fortune to get chicken.

There is quite a bit to choose from on the menu- chicken, shrimp, chicken strips, biscuits, and an array of side dishes that go beyond beans, coleslaw, and potato wedges. I didn't really take the time to ponder it and went straight for the 4 piece chicken "platter" so, 4 pieces of fried chicken, a biscuit, large drink, and a selection of two sides, in this case red beans and rice and macaroni & cheese. You can order the chicken "regular" or "spicy." To me, that's a rhetorical question. Spicy? Hell, yes, I'll take spicy.

So, what did I think? Overall, not bad, but I'm still not sure I get it. The good points:

• The chicken was juicy and well-seasoned. 
• The "spicy" which appeared to lurk immediately below the coating gave the chicken a pleasant kick. Not overwhelming by my standards, but probably mind-blowingly hot for midwestern Lake Wobegonesque palates that find black pepper too high on the Scoville Scale.
• The coating was crispy and tasty.
• As hinted above, a nice selection of sides, including some items like red beans and rice that are a little unique for this neck of the woods.
• For about 10 bucks, this was a pretty healthy pile of food.
• Pretty quick service.

And, of course, the "Meh" points:

• The four pieces of chicken I got consisted of one breast and three thighs. Don't get me wrong, I'm no thigh/dark meat hater and the pieces were nicely sized. I also appreciated not getting a wing to comprise the other piece of white meat in the order. It just seemed to lack a little variety.
• The sides were good, but didn't exactly jump off the plate. Red beans and rice lacked that bayou glow that I love about Cajun food. I'm talking about that long, lingering, full mouth warmth that comes from using a broad spectrum of peppers and spices. The mac and cheese seemed to be comprised of a liquid cheese food product. Good, but not a wow by any means.
• No orgasm. I ate two pieces of chicken and some of each side and still, no action.

So, overall, I remain puzzled about what is so fantastic about Popeye's that makes people willing to sit in a line extending into 10th Street to get it-- Other than my Cat $hit On A Stick Theory. Feel free to enlighten me, but if you do, please explain how the new franchise joint on the block is better than the Keg or Bob's.  Personally, I'm more than happy to drive west past Popeye's en route to West 12th Street to wave at Bob's as I head over to the Keg. I insist that the two home-grown, hometown pillars of fried chickendom simply cannot be beat.

Added bonus: On those occasions when you have yourself some crispy chicken leftovers, don't throw away the packaging that you brought it home in, especially if that packaging is a paper bucket (God forbid) or the waxy parchment paper and cardboard container. Wrap your leftover chicken in the paper and put it back in the cardboard container before you place it in the fridge. Those containers wick moisture and keep your chicken more crispy in the humid environment of the refrigerator than, say, a sealed plastic (Tupperware/Rubbermaid) sort of container or a styrofoam clamshell. Will it be as good as fresh? Duh. No. But it will be better for the effort. 

The Nicest Bar in Sioux Falls is Behind This Door

Yes, that's a door. 

In fact, that is the entry to Ass'ociates & Co., the new addition to The Attic. The construction is finally done and service started this past week.

I'm going to get right to the point. This is the nicest bar in Sioux Falls. Hands down. 

The entire experience brings to mind a speakeasy. Lots of deep colors and dark wood. Some crushed velvet upholstery and leather chairs make for very comfortable seating. The sound system is still being installed, so no on-demand tunes just yet, except for the player piano. Between the designer lighting and a huge fish tank atop the 14 taps, there is a lot going on. The bar itself is huge and serves the inside area (obviously) as well as an outdoor patio and four-season patio area. There are still plenty of tv's and watching football this fall when the weather is just perfect and the windows on the four-season room are wide open is going to be pretty great. You must check it out.

The menu is the same as The Attic. I know a lot of folks miss some old standbys, but the new ramped up menu definitely ups the ante. If you haven't tried a burger yet, you should get it on your list of priorities. You'll also find some rather sophisticated cocktails on the Ass'ociates drink menu, such as sweet heat gimlets (jalapeño infused vodka and spices) and old fashioneds made with infused bourbon. The glassware alone is worth ordering a variety of drinks.

The best part? 21 and over only! That's right. No kids running amok between baseball tournament games.

The other best part? Ass'ociates is right next door to The Attic! This is a two-fer you won't want to miss.

The "Cat $hit On A Stick" Theory Explained

Last week, the Sioux Falls Police Department had to provide traffic control on East 10th Street due to the throngs of people clamoring to get into Popeye's Chicken within a mere day or two of the place opening. As far as I know, it wasn't because the first 500 customers got free food for a year or even free fries or something, but just to get in and get themselves some fried chicken. Yup, fried chicken. 

Unreal.

This town is food obsessed. When out-of-towers ask me what we do for fun here in Sioux Falls, my usual answer is: We eat. It's entertainment here.  We eat for entertainment.

It's true. Popeye's proves it. It's fried goddamned chicken for fork's sake. Between The Keg and Bob's, with an honorable hat tip to Botski's/Jono's, we've got some of the best fried chicken a person is going to lay a greasy hand on anywhere, and it's made by local business people who have invested their lives into developing and serving it. But, God forbid, a new nationwide chain joint opens up and traffic literally comes to a stop.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I got nothing against Popeye, or chicken, or fried chicken. I know franchise owners employ people here and risk their money on the venture. Thank you. But it's not the same. Buying into franchises is more of an investment than it is opening a restaurant, even if your staple is pressure-fried chicken. Buying franchises means betting on a brand, usually one promoted through national advertising that has a formulated, consistent product. You maintain it and you should make some money. Starting a restaurant involves taking an idea and developing it to the point where a person thinks they can invest their own money, but moreso their lives, into a chance to see if others will like it and provide them with a living. Around here, it seems new franchise chain joints are mostly opened by people of sufficient financial means to buy in. Usually, they own multiple franchises. They are not chefs in my experience. Exhibit One: Todd Porter who owns Applebee's, Chevy's, Carino's, and Pizza Rev. Compare that to say, Bro's, opened by the chefs who got Parker's off the ground, or Ode where EC Bob was previously at Hy Vee. 

But, I digress. What does this have to do with cat shit on a stick? I'll tell you.

It doesn't matter whether any particular new place is selling great food, or not. If it's new, people here will try it. If it's a chain joint like Popeye's or Mackenzie River or Red Robin, that people have been to in Omaha, Bozeman, Minneapolis, or any other bigger city type of place, people here will overwhelm it. I swear, a new place could serve fried nuggets of cat shit on a stick and it would be jam packed for at least two weeks before it would occur to anyone that the food sucks, well, tastes like cat shit actually, and quit going there. But hey, it'd be a great two weeks.

Now I'm jonesing for fried chicken. I'm off to The Keg.

An Argument In Favor of PC

If you're anything like me, you are sitting at work on Thursday, June 30, at roughly 2:30 PM contemplating what sort of over-the-top, big-ass, red-meat, red-hot-BBQ, ice-cold-beer, 'Merican, eat-yourself-silly sort of feast you are going to whoop up to celebrate the Fourth of Juuuuuuuly. I know I am. Unfortunately, I haven't decided just yet. However, I know one thing that I am going to have on hand for certain: Pimento Cheese, a/k/a PC.

If you're a died-in-the-wool citizen of fly-over country, like me, your only exposure to Pimento Cheese was likely the kind made by Kraft that came in the little glass container that later became a juice glass. No one I know actually bought the stuff, opting instead for regular old Cheez Whiz, or maybe Old English on a very special occasion. (And of course, most of it was used to stuff celery.) Anything that had red pepper looking things in it was obviously considered entirely too 'picy by our Norwegian forefathers and foremothers. And as far as pimentos went, those were the things in the olives. So, PC remained a mystery.

Well, I'm here to tell you that this stuff can change your life. And, as a bonus, it's easier than hell to make. There is really no reason not to have some on hand.

Here's the basic formula:

• 10 ounces sharp cheddar cheese- fancy or the store brand, just get sharp or extra sharp
• 2 ounces softened cream cheese. Buy the brick of the stuff, not that spreadable crap in the container. Just cut it when it's cold and then let it soften. And for God's sake, don't buy the "lite" variety, it's just got more sugar in it
• 2 TB good mayonnaise. Life is way to short for cheap-ass mayo.
• 1 TB finely chopped onion
• 1 4 ounce jar of pimentos. They are by the pickles and olives and stuff, get the sliced or chopped variety.
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper. Just use it. It's not that 'picy. Again, life is short, so live a little.
• Some grinds of good black pepper. Maybe a 1/4 tsp. Like the mayo, life is too short for that pepper dust out of a can. Buy a mill and some good peppercorns.

1. Grate that cheddar cheese and toss it in a mixing bowl along with the cream cheese, mayo, and onion.
2. Give those pimentos a little bit of a drain and dump those in, too.
3.  Add the salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
4. Stir the hell out of it. It needs to look more or less like cheese spread, because, well, it is cheese spread.

You can also increase the heat level to a delightful warmish by cutting the cheddar back to roughly 8 ounces and then using about 2 ounces of pepper jack. Finely dice a fresh jalapeno and put that in there, too. Everything else stays the same.

What is this stuff good for? Everything. No kidding, everything. Here are a few ideas:

• Spread it on crackers and enjoy it with a crisp white wine.
• Make sandwiches with it on white bread. Cut the crusts off and wrap the sandwiches in green plastic. Eat them while wearing a green jacket and pretend you just won The Masters.
• Use it to make grilled cheese sandwiches.
• Or, my personal favorite, slather it all over burgers fresh off the grill. This is so much tastier than trying to get cheese to melt for a good cheeseburger. And what's more 'Merican than a good cheeseburger all slathered up with tasty, gooey cheese? Exactly!

Interesting News- New Chain Bar and Grille Coming as The District Gets a Rookies Infusion. How much Grill can we take?

I have to hand it to Jodi Schwan at the Argus Leader for rooting up interesting business news that includes new restaurants. Check out Jodi's story here.

The gist of the situation is that a new restaurant, Tanner's Bar & Grill, a chain from Kansas and not to be confused with Tinner's is coming to Sioux Falls and will land in the space currently occupied by Rookies Bar and Grill on Louise Avenue. Rookies is going to relocate to The District, apparently where the lounge is and the Woodfire Grill at The District is also apparently going to go through some sort of re-birth.

Admittedly, I am a little confused, which is probably par for the course. I'm not clear whether Rookies will be sort of separate from Woodfire Grill, or whether we are talking about some amalgam of the two. I guess we'll find out.

This whole situation is rather interesting to me, though, for the following reasons:

• The Rookies location has always intrigued me since it doesn't seem that any of the tenants there have been able to give it a go. Bennigan's started at the location. To be blunt, Bennigan's sucked.
• Rookies has/had some interesting burgers. They have a big selection with some unique options that are fun to try. However, I have to note that the place has somewhat recast itself over the years. Rookies has been a big stadium sort of sports bar, featured live bands (including the Drive By Truckers once, if memory serves), and now has a comedy club area attached. Maybe the new location will allow some focus.
• As to The District, it ought to be interesting to have what appears to be two distinct eateries under one roof. Thus far, the all-things-to-all-people Woodfire Grill has never seemed to catch, well, fire. (See what I did there?) It's an odd concept to have a lounge and allegedly fine dining in an area that does not seem particularly suited to either. Maybe Woodfire can recast its menu and re-define its space to become a little different option than the same old, same old.
• Speaking of same old, same old, how much "Grill" can this town possibly absorb? Grille 26, Cherry Creek Grill, Tinner's Bar & Grill, Backyard Grill BBQ, McKenzie River Pizza, Grill & Pub, Carnaval Brazilian Grill, etc. etc. etc. There are more. And now Tanner's Bar & Grill (not to be confused with Tinner's)? I wonder how many Grills it takes to trade for a good Thai joint? We've got to be close.
• And from Jodi's description of Tanner's, not to be confused with Tinner's, how different can another sports bar-ish, chicken wing-ish, burger-ish, wrap-ish, salad-ish joint be from every other place serving more or less the same stuff? For forking crying out loud, for every one of these places that closes another three sprout up. It's like the heads of the hydra, not to be confused with the brewery.

Good thing it's summer. Perhaps I can just stop by the bar for a beer and skip the grill in favor of going home where I can fire up my own grill and grill me a pork chop or a Thai-seasoned grilled chicken.

Great Place to Try: Fernson on 8th

If you like beer and know anything about the local beer scene, you should know about Fernson. They brew some great stuff. After getting operations underway, the Fernson guys opened a tap room. I hear it's really nice. Unfortunately, it's located waaaaaaay up north near Spader's Camper Sales just north of I-90. This is great if you live near say, Renner, or if you're a Sanford employee assigned to their north citadel. Not so great for me, because it's just far enough out of the way to make it into my general presence of mind when it's time for a weekend beer. Besides, 15 minutes of interstate driving isn't what I'm in for when I want to drink a couple of beers, especially IPA's and other varieties that tend to sneak up on a person fast and hard.

Well, problem solved. The fine fellas at Fernson have set up a branch office in the old Flatiron building at 8th and Weber. This is the former location of Latitude 44.

Blogging on this sort of thing conflicts me, because I want to hog up a nice place like this all to myself. It's neat, tidy, bright, open, and still features live music. Fresh, tasty Fernson beer on tap- several varieties are available. And, there are a couple added bonuses. First up, thanks to the familial connection with eye surgeon and Napa winery owner Dr. Vance Thompson, Fernson on 8th has what is probably a more complete catalog of Jessup Cellars bottles available at any given moment, outside of Vance's cellar, anyway. And, if you like to eat when you drink, Breadico is located right next door- where Queen City Bakery started out. Breadico has expanded its offerings to include sandwiches and pizza. And, I'm hear to tell you that I wholeheartedly agree with Cory Myers on this point: Breadico offers the BEST pizza in town, hands down.

Good beer (or good wine) and good pie in pleasant surroundings? What's not to love? Actually, the parking isn't much to love, but hey, sacrifices must be made.

Getting the Good Stuff: The State of Grocery Shopping in Sioux Falls

If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: We are living in Sioux Falls at a great time. The cultural diversity keeps getting, well, diverse. And we are all reaping the benefits in terms of music, art, and food.

If you really cook, like I do, sooner or later you are going to need some pretty crazy ingredients. I'm on a real Asian food kick lately, and fortunately, I have identified much better resources for things like fish sauce, Chinese wind sausage, and dried shrimp, than I ever imagined. I needed ingredients yesterday, so between downpours, I ventured out and picked up a few things and made a few mental notes I'd like to share.

Nikki's. I've mentioned Nikki's before. This gem is located at 8th and Indiana and has been serving awesome, authentic Mexican tacos, tortas, and burritos for years. The food is great, but step inside the grocery store and prepare to stock up on all those authentic little ingredients you need to cook some great food at home. For instance, need some epazote to simmer in a pot of black beans and pork? No problem- you just need to decide what variety you need. Need dried peppers? Ancho? Pasilla? Guajillo? Chipotle? All there. How about good tortillas? Queso fresco? Crema? Reliably ripe avocados? Si, si, si, and si. Need a beef head to make barbacoa for the neighborhood block party? What the what? Yeah, there just might be one in the meat case-- along with really good pork, pre-seasoned beef, chicken, or pork for fajitas, all sorts of short ribs and other cuts that will amaze you. The prices are great and the quality is outstanding.

New Asian Store on East 10th. I'm sure it has a name, but I didn't catch it. It's at East 10th and Omaha, right next to where the old Pizza Inn/new Popeye's Chicken is going. I stopped in there because I was on a quest for Thai Bird Peppers- the very small, insanely spicy red peppers to make a dipping sauce for some chicken. The sign said Asian Seafood and Produce, so I figured this was a good bet. Beautiful little store. Clean and well organized. No fresh peppers on this occasion, but I asked for help and was handed a package of frozen peppers. Boom! While I was at it, I picked up some curry paste and some rice noodles to add to my collection at home. Apparently, I feel compelled to pick those up every time I leave the house.

Thanh Mai. This is the Asian grocery on Rice Street. It's practically in the Morrell's parking lot. Hands down, this is one of the most far out crazy places to visit in Sioux Falls. It's small, the aisles are narrow, and the shelves are bursting with all sorts of things. It's organized, but it will take you several trips to get the hang of it and to locate some of the hidden gems. If you need dark soy sauce, kecap manis, thick soy, mushroom soy, or just want a gallon of regular Pearl River Bridge soy sauce, this is the place. Been missing out on duck flavored ramen noodles? No problem. Korean fermented pepper paste? Yup. Need a pot and basket to cook sticky rice? It's there. Thanh Mai is also my go to place for esoteric Asian vegetables. I honestly cannot identify a lot of what's there. If you really want to blow your mind, go explore the freezers. You'll find things like bags of pre-made pot sticker dumplings and some frozen fish. But I have also made note of the following: an entire pig skin, a tray of frozen duck heads, frozen frogs (not legs, whole frogs), and the prevailing champion (thus far) a package of four, whole, immaculately packaged and vacuum sealed frozen giant water bugs. They were labeled "Bait for Fish." Yeah, I have some doubts. You might also note a box full of fresh fish heads or maybe even some live blue crabs. Don't touch those.

Fareway at 41st and Sycamore. Yeaaaahhhh! The new Faraway store is open. And, I must say it is NICE! Very nice layout and a very nice store. You won't find the bells and whistles like you do at Hy Vee, but these guys have a great selection of all sorts of things. However, the real reason to go is the meat counter. Staffed by a small army of flying monkeys, it's all fresh out of the case, old school butcher service. It's fresh, good, and priced nicely. And chances are, if you need something a tad out of the norm, like skirt steak, just ask. They probably have some. It might be frozen, but you'll likely get what you need.

Start searching the inter webs for cool recipes, make a shopping list, fill your travel mug with coffee, crank up some good tunes, and go explore the awesome ingredients available in the little grocery stores around town. You'll be much richer for the experience and the efforts are well worth it.

Attic Kitchen Is Open! Get there!!!

One of the best options for a friendly beverage and a respectable, delicious bar meal on the East Side is The Attic. The lines out the door on Friday nights and some Wednesdays attest to the popularity of the food.  Well, if you've been by 41st and Sycamore in the last 30 days, or so, you may have noticed the kitchen has been closed due to the super cool expansion and remodeling going on there.

The kitchen is now together with about as much new, shiny stainless steel as the top of the Chrysler Building! And, with the kitchen open, there is now a new menu. Here's the low-down. 

Overall.  Kicked up. If you were loving something that rolled off a delivery truck in a processed pre-made, freezer ready form, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Goodbye big breaded "shroom" slices, waffle fries, and Nacho cheese the color of John Boehner's suntan. Hello whole chickens cut up in house, fresh steaks, and reformulated, house ground burger. Yeah, that new "Nacho" cheese? Creamy Manchego.  Impressive and tasty.  Chef Roger has totally revamped this. Some old classics like the club sandwich are gone, but there are some new contenders that will be hard to beat.

Burgers. Reformulated. House ground. The Attic always had a good, fresh burger, but if there was any complaint about them, it was that they could get a tad dry.  Now, it's a house ground blend with chuck and either short rib or brisket that delivers on the juicy flavor you want. And look at the menu pages below. A couple new contenders with a Pull Monty and a tricked out egg burger.  Probably more of a mess and a food coma than I am looking for, but I bet they get some attention.

Flatbreads.  Another nice addition. Anything pizza is usually pretty good. I had one last weekend and the buffalo chicken flatbread was really flavorful. And the presentation on a half sheet pan with some micro greens as garnish was very cool.  I'm looking forward to trying the Mediterranean version soon.

Way gourmet stuff.  A braised short rib glazed with plum demiglace? Sign me up.  And the half roasted chicken is phenomenal. That's a dish you'd expect to see at a place with starched white table linens. It almost begs for a wine list instead of an icy cold macrobrew. 

I dare say this is going to push bar food ahead just a tad here in River City. Give it a try!

Here's a bootleg look at the menu on the first full day of the new kitchen being open:

St. Patrick's Day Feast. Are you ready?

It's Ersatz St. Paddy's here in Sioux Falls. Paint the shamrock with Sylvia, get bombed with a bus load of Canadian Shriners, eat breakfast at McNally's, and stand around the parade.  Or not.  If you are, please be safe and don't drink and drive.

Me? I'm skipping the ordeal, oops, I mean festivities. But in honor of my Irish grandmother who treated St. Patrick's Day like Mardis Gras, New Years Eve, a birthday and V-E Day all rolled into one, I will be making some corned beef and cabbage to celebrate Thursday. Personally, I think a brisket slowly cooked with aromatics and vegetables is more Eastern European Jewish than Irish, but hey, it's 'Merica! And it is comfort food. A tough cut of meat (cheap, or cheaper than a nice tender steak) seasoned well and cooked into submission makes for great eating. 

For the second time, I am brining my own. In other words, I am taking a brisket flat I purchased at Costco and making that into corned beef.  Plain beef brisket, not that pre-corned crap in a bag. It sits in a brine solution consisting of water, salt, sugar, pickling spices, garlic, and the magic ingredient sodium nitrate a/k/a pink salt a/k/a saltpeter. I keep it in that brine for five days. Then I take it out, rinse it, and toss it into a crock pot. Add one bottle of Guinness, a healthy pinch of more pickling spices, and one roughly chopped onion, carrot and celery. Put the lid on, put it on low, and carry on. After a good 8 hours or so, add some new carrots and celery to serve with the meat. About an hour or so before you plan to serve it, put in some whole baby potatoes and some wedges of cabbage.

Use the internets to find a brine formula. It's not as precise as baking French macaroons, but this isn't a time to eyeball all the ingredients, especially the water, salt, sugar, and sodium nitrate. You need to hit a certain level of salinity. Oh, and you can get pink salt at Uncle Eds, or possibly Scheels or places where sausage is made. If all else fails, Amazon. Be careful with it. It's not pink to color meats, it's pink so you don't eat it or put it in a salt shaker. 

Serve that up with some nice mustard, or better yet for me some horseradish, a little soda bread with some butter, and knock yourself out. The leftovers will make for a killer corned beef hash and/or a good Reuben sandwich. Whatever you do, DO NOT toss the liquid left in the crock pot. Use that to cook a regular beef pot roast, a pork roast, or a chicken or something. It's amazing.

Today's Tip: Fromage Fort. Just in time for the Super Bowl

Jacques Pepin! I read your book! You magnificent bastard! 

Always like to use that line.  Anyhoo. Here's something to boost your Super Bowl food street cred.  Fromage Fort. It means "strong cheese" if you don't parlez. Heard about it from . . . you guessed it, Chef Jacques Pepin. It's basically cheese spread. But here's a good part: you make it out of all the leftover pieces of who knows what cheeses that you bought at Hy Vee or when you were drunk at Look's.  It's the best way to blow the remnants out of the fridge and make something awesome.

Find a half pound of leftover cheese pieces in your fridge.  Blue, Gruyere, cheddar, feta, sheep's milk, cow's milk, yak milk, mozzarella, whatever. You can even use that Hy Vee Monterey Jack leftover from taco night. Personally, I'd skip cream cheese, Velveeta, American, or anything flavored, i.e. Taco cheese.  Cut it into pieces. Grate the harder stuff like Parmesan or pecorino. Toss it in the food processor. Chop up a mediumish piece of garlic, add a couple grinding a of pepper, a quarter cup of a decent-enough dry white wine, and maybe a dab of Dijon mustard. Process until it's smooth and spreadable.  You might have to add a dab of wine or two, but not much.

Put it in a dish, cover it with plastic wrap, let it get comfortable with its recombobulated self in the fridge and then break out some crackers or toasted bread.  Or go completely nuts and use it to make some cheese bread to go with a nice soup. 

Leftover elimination. Fridge management. Good eating.  Enjoy.  

Hy Vee Market Grille: Credit Where Credit is Due

I have a love-hate relationship with Hy Vee. They try hard and have made many improvements to their shopping experience over the years. Unfortunately, some of those changes have been made at a political level (Sunday alcohol sales) and some crafty real estate purchases that have literally driven competitors out of the marketplace. I don't like that.

But what I do like is the new Market Grille concept that has come to all the local Hy Vee stores, with the sole exception of 26th and Sycamore.  It's a sit-down restaurant, complete with wine and beer service, inside the store. We visited the location on 37th and Minnesota last week while finishing some holiday meal shopping. 

Overall, I must say, not too shabby. Atmosphere is pretty good. Tables and some booths around the room, bare concrete floors, bar area in the corner, and a wall of wine. Staff was friendly and helpful. 

The menu is pretty extensive and features a lot more than what someone could run out to the deli/Chinese/sushi/fried chicken area to plate. There are good appetizers.  Try the maple bacon won tons, as mentioned by Cory Myers. They are unique and pretty tasty. Want to keep eating? You can select from salads, sushi rolls, steaks, chicken entrees, sandwiches, and flatbread pizzas. I tried the Sicilian flatbread. Not what I expected. Instead of getting a mini-pizza, it was on a crackly sort of bread with three different meats (meatballs, crumbled Italian sausage, and pieces of a spicy sausage link) and dollop of sauce and cheese. Was it the new culinary star of the SF dining scene? No. But it was well-prepared and pretty tasty.

And overall, that's my take on the place. Hy Vee is not going to pose much of a threat to the likes of Minerva's, Bros, or Ode. But it is a nice, convenient place to duck into for a casual meal or a refreshment of the adult beverage persuasion while shopping. It's a good addition to the overall food fabric of our community.

So, kudos, Hy Vee. Now, about that fresh meat pricing . . .

God Bless You, Paul Prudhomme

A week ago, Paul Prudhomme died at age 75. A lot of ink has been spilled about his passing and his enormous contribution to the American culinary scene. Chef Paul was an important piece of my own food background, so I am going to spill just a few more drops in his honor.

Paul Prudhomme was the youngest of 13 children. His parents were sharecroppers in south Louisiana, near Opelousas. This is the heart of Cajun Country. It's about an hour or so straight west of New Orleans. Lafayette is the epicenter. The towns of Eunice, Breaux Bridge, Church Point, and even Avery Island (the source of Tabasco) are within striking distance. If you ever have a chance to visit-- go. The area is rich with food and music traditions. We're talking country people. Small towns. It's a lot like any other rural part of America, except instead of corn or soybeans, you see vast tracts of sugar cane, and bayous and rivers instead of lakes and streams.

Paul Prudhomme grew up in that tradition, watching his mother and siblings using the foods they could grow or raise to make delicious, belly-filling and heart-warming meals. If you have an older relative who waxes philosophically about how his mother toiled to bake bread weekly and put meals on the table every week, while preserving meats and vegetables to get the most out of a hog or beef-- same thing, just with a Cajun French accent. This was original farm-to-table cooking, because it was essential to survival.

So, Paul learned these traditions, and perfected them really, eventually landing in New Orleans to become the executive chef at Commander's Palace. He then opened his own restaurant, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen on Chartres Street in the French Quarter. I confess, I've never eaten there, but I have walked by several times. It's hard to say what we are looking for in the French Quarter at any given time, but it usually is not fine dining. At any rate, if you are a fan of Emeril Lagasse, John Besh, or Donald Link, just keep in mind that Paul Prudhomme made straight the path that these chefs travel.

No, my encounters with Chef Paul were in cookbooks. I have a copy of Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen and another I will get to in a moment. If you want to make credible Cajun or Creole, this is the one you need. I studied it at length. Back in the early 1990's, it was extremely difficult to find some of the ingredients one needed to make basic dishes like jambalaya or gumbo. It was nearly impossible to find fresh jalapenos in a produce section, let alone tasso ham or andouille. But with a few substitutions, you could come close and now, those ingredients are widely available and there are even great south Louisiana retailers who will ship the real deal to you for a price. These dishes are eye-opening and delicious. One of Prudhomme's hallmarks is the use of spice mixes- heady mixes of cayenne, white pepper and black pepper, along with a few dried herbs like basil, thyme, or oregano, depending on the dish. But the peppers are a given and it's a magical mix. It's the blend that is responsible for delivering a brand of heat that only Cajun food can- a deep, slow, round burn that demands you take another bite. This isn't light fare and some of it is a bit of a project. For instance, making chicken andouille gumbo requires frying the chicken first- in oil, lots of it. Everything, and I mean everything in the house smelled of fried chicken, including socks in a dresser drawer. It's also one of those times it occurred to me that having a fire extinguisher nearby was probably a good idea. We survived and the smelly house was worth the gumbo.

Louisiana Kitchen also contains the method for making your own Turducken, just in case you want to test your patience and knife skills boning three birds. (Make sure you attempt assembly a few days before Thanksgiving in case you need the aid of a surgeon after you sever some tendons in your hand with that boning knife.) It also describes how to blacken redfish, chicken, or burgers. (Hint: do NOT try this in the house.) It's true that blackened redfish became so popular that Louisiana had to impose a commercial fishing ban on it.

The Prudhomme Family Cookbook is another sort of critter entirely. It contains recipes contributed by Chef Paul, as well as the Prudhomme siblings. I've never seen a cookbook put out by a south Louisiana Catholic parish Lady's Altar Society as a fund raiser, but I bet it reads about like this. In addition to the sorts of recipes you'd expect to find- jambalaya, shrimp Creole, gumbo, you are also going to find recipes that were selected to preserve them. I'm talking things like boudin rouge (a pork sausage that requires about a quart of fresh pork blood) and paunce bourre (stuffed pork stomach, yep, Cajun haggis). This book is out of print, so if you ever see a copy, grab it.

One quick diversion. I received a copy as a gift in 1990. I used to love to read it, especially one recipe for something I thought was absolutely nuts. About three or four pages are dedicated to the concept of getting a couple gallons of peanut oil together and frying a whole turkey. I thought the concept was fascinating and crazy, but by the end of the decade, you could purchase a rig to attempt this stunt at home. And by now, that craze has mostly passed after any number of wannabe Cajun rednecks have burned down their deck. However, that burner is exactly what you need to blacken redfish along with a big cast iron pan. How's that for irony?

Fall always makes me crave Cajun food, and Cajun music. The chill in the air demands something spicy that requires a cold beer and begs a dance in the kitchen after dinner.

Au revoir et bon chance, Chef Paul. Merci beaucoup!

Example of Odd Things in The Friendly Aisles

One thing that I find a bit more than a tad irritating is the odd pricing of those block cheeses at Hy Vee. 

The other day I was obsessed with making Eggplant Parmesan. I had some beautiful eggplants from The Good Earth, but needed a couple items to complete the dish, including fresh mozerella. So, off to the friendly neighborhood Hy Vee. 

I look in the usual spot where I find the balls and logs of soft, "fresh" mozerella. Out. All gone. Nada. Finis. I even checked up front to see if they moved it up front as some feature. Not there either. I really wanted the fresh cheese, but I wanted the eggplant dish more, so I set off clear across the store to the location of the everyday block-style cheeses. Why all the different cheeses can't live together in peace is beyond me, but that's a whole other rant. 

Upon reaching the block cheese area, I was confronted with the usual wacky pricing problem. Here's what I mean: The block cheese is sold in three different sizes- 8 oz, 16 oz (that's a pound in case you forgot), and 24 oz. the question is what's the best deal? You'd think it would be the big 24 oz, sort of a bulk discount thing. Nope. 

Check it out yourself. Here is the price for 8 oz blocks. Neato! A sale!

Here is the one pounder. 

And the 24 ouncer. 

What to do, what to do .... Well, the little 8 oz blocks were the best price, so I grabbed two and got the hell out of there. And made eggplant. It was good. 

Enjoy the local produce and brush up on those math skills!

Is Your Favorite Bar Divey Enough?

With all the recent kerfluffle over the comment of a downtown saloon owner considering turning the former Sid's Liquor store into a new bar featuring live music, similar to the legendary Pomp Room, or potentially named The Pomp Room, I got to thinking about what the local scene is looking like these days.

It occurs to me that a lot of the legendary sketch factor has been lost to the ages. My idea of dive bar probably wouldn't make the cut for the third D in Guy Fieri's idea of DDD. A good dive bar is dark, located in an area you're not quite sure you should park your car, smelly (once with the combination of stale beer and stale smoke), some broken furniture (like the booth with the spring that pokes your butt or a chair missing a back), and when it comes to food either a glorious cheeseburger or perhaps only a rack of potato chips and beer nuts and a jar of pickled turkey gizzards. These are places where you can generally find a group of regulars that not only day drink, they morning drink. Ideally, the place has been a somewhat recent crime scene- people forget there was a stabbing at the Pomp Room in the 1990s.

About the time the Pomp Room closed down, the Sioux Falls dive bar scene started disappearing in earnest. Let's take a little inventory to clear up what sorts of places I mean: Smoe's, certain iterations of Skelly's, Phil's Corner, The Arrow Bar, The Rainbow, The Lime Light, the original Crow Bar, The Stockman's, The Sportsman's, and the mac daddy king of all dive joints- The Frontier. Now, there's a memory, or rather a foggy string of vague semi-connected recollections. If the front of the house wasn't scary enough, with semi-catatonic patrons and people eyeing you wondering why you are in there, you could push through the back doors of swinging plywood where there was a stage set up for the, ummm, errr, "performers" and a bunch of bicycles lined up against the back wall that Charlie Johnston had collected for the law enforcement bike give away.

It seems like a lot of these sorts of places are gone, but a few are most definitely disbursed around town. I think people like to wax romantic about the old dives as they stand in line to get into the latest greatest strip mall sportsy, chicken wing-serving bar and grille. I don't often find lines to get into the Coalinga or Walter's Hi Ho. But if you want to go, they are out there, here's a short list: Little Coalinga (a cheeseburger nirvana), Walter's Hi Ho just up the street, Silver Moon over by the Farmer's Market, Log Cabin, just to name a few. These are great places to go check out, and I strongly encourage people to do so. I suspect we may lose a few more as 8th Street starts to change as the rail switching yards are relocated.

What else makes your list?

Credit Where Credit Is Due: Charcuterie at Hy Vee

I had to stop by Hy Vee today because I needed a relatively obscure ingredient (for Sioux Falls, anyway) and I sort of had a hunch this particular Hy Vee might have it. The ingredient? I needed some veal for a little cooking project. They had it.

On my way back to the meat department as I was winding through the maze of renovations, I walked by the new Charcuterie counter. And I must say . . . pretty forking impressed! When I heard Hy Vee was doing this, I figured the product would look a lot more like the deli counter and a lot less than the selection at Look's. I took a quick inventory and noticed a fine offering of cured meats, including speck, prosciutto, pancetta, double smoked bacon, mortadella, soprasetta (regular and spicy), and others. Overall, a very respectable offering. I have needs for these sorts of things in my life and I am very glad to have them here. At the Charcuterie, Hy Vee also sells a nice assortment of pickles and other accompaniments. Don't know what you want? They will slice you up a tray. And I bet the helpful smiles slice faster than the artisans at Prairie Berry.

In the future, I am looking forward to the other new features at Hy Vee, especially in the Grille or whatever they are calling it, where beer and wine will be offered. There are a lot of things about Hy Vee that drive me to drink, like their total rip off meat pricing. So, at least when I get pissed off, I can just wheel my cart over there and take a brief pause. Way to gauge consumer demand Hy Vee!

And thanks for the nice selection of tasty salted meats!

Legend's Steakhouse: A Nice Addition in Deadwood

Deadwood has some great dining options. Truly, there is something to fit most Midwestern tastes and budgets. You want prime rib and crab buffet? Ok. I don't. But good ones are available. Want fancy schmancy like a sorbet palate cleanser before your main course? Jake's can take care of that. Want a really nice steak at a really decent price? Legend's. 

This is a new venue. It is located in the lower level of the Franklin Hotel. Yes, in other words where Durty Nelly's Salloon used to be. For those without recent Deadwood history, the Franklin is Deadwood's version of a grand dame of an old hotel. Built in 1903, the Franklin is a commanding presence on Main Street. This is one of several buildings that will remind you that Deadwood was the epicenter of commerce and culture in western South Dakota back when Rapid City was just a hay camp. Be forewarned though, this ain't the Brown Palace and Durty Nelly's could make the Crow Bar look rather ritzy in comparison. 

Well, it's all gone. All the busted furniture. The bar. The stage. The poker area. The scary bathrooms. Gone. All gone. 

Now it is a relatively bright, well furnished dining area with a separate bar. Bare rock walls. Hardwoods. White tablecloths. Nice lighting fixtures, even though they are using them all to make the room quite bright. 

The staff is gracious and helpful. The menu is very steak-centric. There are five steak choices on the menu plus a chicken and lamb selection. Steaks are sirloin, ribeye, filet ( two cuts) and a prime rib. There are also pasta and dinner salad choices. All steaks are CAB cut and aged in-house. And get this! Legend's is bucking the trend of offering a la carte sides, so with your order you have a choice of potatoes or a rice and a choice of soups and salads! Kind of refreshing. 

Great wine selections by the glass or by the bottle. 

We had steaks at our table. And here's the low down. Not bad. The ribeye was good and tasty although not cooked to a barely medium rare as I prefer. But it was good and well seasoned. The salad was fresh and tasty- a steakhouse salad of greens, olives, blue cheese in a basil vinaigrette. Other choices included Caesar and a wedge. My au gratin potatoes were good. One of my guests had mashed potatoes. They included gravy, which I found odd. Nice wine glasses and great service. Did it blow my mind? No. Was it like a trip to a meat museum like Peter Lugar or another legendary protein palace? No. Was it outstanding? No. But for a party of four the entire tab was under $150 before tip and that included an $80 bottle of cab because I am dangerous with a wine list. At that price, I can't bitch and really, there was nothing to bitch about. Had that meal cost $400, there would be hell to pay. It was a reasonably good, well-prepared and well-presented meal at a very, very reasonable price. I'd go again. 

A couple things to pass on. One, if you are up to the challenge, go for the prime rib. A ribeye is $19.99. The prime rib is $29.99. I had to be reasonably functional for a business thing the next day, so I blew the 10 bucks on better wine instead of a more serious case of the meat sweats. Next time, it's prime rib. Remember the Flintstones intro where Fred gets that huge hunk of meat? Well, that's basically what you're going to get at Legend's. I'm getting sweaty thinking about it and teary because I didn't get it. Next time. Two, get there early enough to go have a drink on the veranda. It has also been refurbished and the view is awesome. 

Trust me. Legend's is one of the best bets you can make in Deadwood. Just make sure to call for a reservation. 

Live, from Rapid City! It's Philly Ted's!

There was a time when Rapid Citians had a serious dining inferiority complex compared to Sioux Falls. Oddly, this mainly had to do with the fact there was an Olive Garden location in Sioux Falls. The fools!

Well, they certainly aren't doing too shabby these days thanks to Philly Ted and a very authentic cheesesteak experience. 

Located in a strip mall on North LaCrosse and appropriately divey between a video lottery joint and a payday lender, this is THE location of THE BEST cheesesteak in South Dakota, iif not almost everywhere outside of South Filly. 

Ted is the guy behind the counter and he will patiently guide you through your order and even encourage you to get a small drink since refills are free. 

If you want the real deal: a steak with onions and Cheese Whiz (yes, Cheese Whiz) this is it. House baked bread. Boom. If you get one of those and an order of cheese fries, you'll only need a shower and a long nap for dessert. 

I could go on and on, but this witty sign (only one among several) really says it all. 

Get there you won't be sorry and you won't think Pepperjax has America's best later. 

Oh, Keg Chicken, How Do I Love Thee?

Assuming this blog has themes, one of them must certainly be how lucky we are to have such diversity and variety in food here in Sioux Falls. Hell, we have variety within variety! What do I mean by that? Take pho, for instance.  It's a huge steamy bowl of noodles, tasty broth. a variety of meats (er, proteins, since tendons and tripe might not be considered "meat") and delicious sprouts, herbs, lime and hot peppers to garnish. Well if you are a devotee of this ubiquitous southeast Asian comfort food like I am, you can not only get pho here, you can get it at several places-- Saigon Panda, Lam's, Dynasty, Pho Quyhn, and Phnom Pehn.

The same is true with one of my all-time favorite comfort foods: fried chicken. It is truly one of my favorite guilty pleasures. It's one of those things I just crave once in a while and need to spend time alone with enjoying every juicy morsel and crispy bit I can extract off the bones.

Although there are a number of places that serve a respectable fried chicken, including Mama's Phried and Phillies, Jono's/Botski's, and even groceries and buffet joints, let's face the facts. If you love fried chicken like I do, in this town, you fall into one of two camps that are as separate and distinct as the East and West sides of town. Yes, you are either a disciple of Bob's or The Keg. Period.

Both Bob's and The Keg are awesome. Bob's seems to be more of a straight-forward seasoned flour coating while The Keg has a bit more crust suggesting some sort of batter. Both are probably brined or marinated to some extent to make it juicy and plump up that meat. Both are fried to perfection- crispy, juicy, hot and good. Whoever invented the pressure fryer should have received a Nobel Prize.

I got absolutely nothing bad to say about Bob's, but my heart belongs to The Keg. And boy, am I ever glad they are back in town. The Keg was an East side staple, once located at 10th and Bahnson and later at 26th and Sycamore where OT is now. I LOVED that place. In an ill-fated expansion attempt, the Keg opened a branch office on the West side at 57th and Marion. Based on nothing more than keen observation and rank speculation, I suspect the West side joint became the drain that required closure of the East side location and then eventually sunk the whole ship. After a brief hiatus, Keg chicken re-emerged at the Hillside on Lake Madison. That was good for the folks of Lake County and the Soo Foo folks with lake homes, but bad for me.

Well, The Keg is back. Unfortunately, it's landing spot is the former location of Sneaky's Chicken (yet another Sioux City outpost that couldn't fly here) which is the former location of Taco Villa. As much as I'd like to bitch about the location, it's a Sioux Falls zip code and I'd rather jaunt across or around town, than go without.

So, welcome back Keg chicken! I've missed you! Now start checking out some of the East side vacancies and come all the way home.