Me Like EAtlanta: The Varsity
Our first effort at dining in Atlanta went really well: Fat Matt’s Rib Shack was sensational. The Varsity was recommended to us by a very reliable source, so we set out to try it. I gather it is something of an Atlanta institution, or landmark. I had been told they make THE BEST burgers. Read more…
Me Like EAtlanta: Fat Matt’s Rib Shack
Let me start by saying that I am a fiercely proud New Yorker and therefore am basically ignorant when it comes to authentic Southern barbecue. I just haven’t been raised around the stuff. I would liken my knowledge of authentic ‘cue at this point to someone from Delaware who ate at their local “New York Pizza” joint and therefore thought they might know from a New York slice.
While on a visit to Atlanta, the word I heard (via my cousin Liz at first) was to try Fat Matt’s Rib Shack. Boy am I glad I took her advice, because they serve by far the best ribs I’ve ever had in my life, so far. Read more…
Simple. Glorious. Classic. The Hot Lob.
Longtime readers of this blog – and people who know me personally – are well aware of my love for Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank, Conn. and in particular their utterly winning sandwich, the Hot Lob. Indeed, the first entry in this blog is about the Hot Lob. In an article elsewhere, I characterized the Hot Lob as the best sandwich I’ve ever had, and the best there is, period.
Now as time as worn on, none of my affection for Abbott’s has diminished, nor their stellar Hot Lob, but I have been enough times to realize that it is a place that succeeds because the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The Hot Lob is amazing – but is it better than a Luke’s Lobster Roll? – I am no longer as certain. Sometimes the answer is definitely yes – when you get a piping hot Hot Lob, as opposed to the lesser and unfortunate Luke Warm Lob. But the place is better, the view is better, the overall atmosphere is better, the sandwich is delicious, the bisque marvelous, etc. etc. etc. Indeed eating a Hot Lob while watching boats tweedle by on even a gray day is marvelous. It is certainly one of my favorite places on Earth and feeds both me and my soul. (N.B. New for the 2012 season is Abbott’s “O.M.G.,” essentially a hot lob with double the meat, some seven ounces, piled into a ridiculous cone between the bun. I did not venture to try it this time).
Abbott’s has a clam shack sister a few hundred feet away – Costello’s – so despite a day’s gluttony at the former (Hot Lob, bisque, corn on the cob, cole slaw, potato chips) – we decided to give it a whirl. Whereas Abbott’s does lobster in the rough and so on, Costello’s does fried clams.
The approach. The tented structure at the end of the dock is Costello’s.
A word about the venue itself. Costello’s is located in a working dockyard. It is further down the same narrow, slow-speed street as Abbott’s. You pull in to a large parking lot and find your spot. Then it is a march down to the edge of a pier, and there, split on two levels, is Costello’s. On the lower level, you order you food. You can also eat at a few picnic tables. Above, there is more seating, under a tent-like roof, with tables and chairs as well as picnic tables.
The view from the upper deck. It is very nice, but not quite as pleasant as the view from Abbott’s.
The view is not as charming as Abbott’s, nor is the place. The view that immediately greets you is more docks and parked boats, as opposed to Abbott’s, where the boats go slowly past on their way out of the harbor. The boats pass Costello’s as well, but not quite as close, and there’s the intervening nautical parking lot and pier to see past. It’s neat, but not as nice.
The menu contains a lot of duplication from Abbott’s! Another source of the Hot Lob!
A pleasant surprise at Costello’s is this: You can get a Hot Lob there! I was well surprised to see that nearly the entire Abbott’s menu is duplicated. So it turns out there is a second place on Earth where you can get them… .
Nonetheless, it was for the clams we came, and so, ordered them. They come in two varieties: strips or whole bellies. Conferring with our teenaged server she suggested, it being my first visit, to get the strips, and, if finding them agreeable, advance to whole bellies another time.
Looking good… .
They were agreeable indeed, very much what you think they are: breaded clam strips. Crunchy but not to the point of having lost all of their clam meat within. Flavorful without being fishy. Crunchy and not greasy. Very pleasant and on balance wonderful clam strips. However, I do not know that they make for destination dining the same way the Hot Lob does. They are delightful for scratching your fried food itch, and I think I rate them better than most clam strips I’ve had, fresher perhaps, but nonetheless it is a deep-fried thing you dip in tartar sauce.
A closer look. It is hard to tell in this photo, but trust me, those fries are skinny (and delicious).
The french fries they are served with, however, really caught my attention. They are cut so narrow and thin to be more like strips than fries. They are utterly wonderful.
On balance it is easy to recommend Costello’s. If you are going all this way, however, the Hot Lob should remain the primary target. Costello’s fried clams are delicious, but mostly if you or one of your party is having a fearsome hankering for fried food. If going with that person, you should get the Hot Lob, and steal some of their fries.
Costello’s Clam Shack
145 Pearl Street Noank, Conn. 06340 860.572.2779
An unusual exterior… .
Tucked away off 10th Avenue and 54th Street, behind a bizarre, jail-like facade, is a small, inauspicious shop which serves up surprisingly fresh and tasty sandwiches. It is an important oasis in the middle of Foodblivion.
Part of the trouble with Cafe Ole – other than finding it – is that between the bars on the windows and what you can see looking through them, you wouldn’t be blamed for not knowing they sell sandwiches. The only thing you can see from the street is their coffee menu, so for quite a while I thought this was just a coffee shop. But people were leaving the shop with long, white paper bags that looked like they were filled with sandwich… .
The shop isn’t particularly impressive either inside or outside, visually. There’s a very relaxed feel to the place, but frankly it looks a little… shady? Shabby? Like it’s trying to be a boutique-y shop, but can’t afford the trimmings. It’s hard to put into words. What is wonderful, however, is the relaxing and transportive Flamenco(?) music constantly playing. The folks behind the counter are very friendly. There are a few seats tucked into a corner and a small round table or two.
The menu… .
Over on the right hand wall, out of the sight from the street, there is a food menu. It sits above and behind the counter containing much of the prepared food. The salads contained therein seemed to have good ingredients, but I am always a bit nervous about those large stores of prepped food covered with cellophane. It looked good, but so far, more things about the shop were making my spider sense tingle negative rather than positive. I am glad to have been wrong about that.
Doesn’t exactly look particularly promising, does it? Not bad, but… .
I opted for the salami and mozzerella sandwich. Watching it be prepared – the beautiful, fresh bread pulled from the box, the thick slice of fresh mozzerella, my attitude began changing, like the sun coming up or the tide coming in.
Look at that!
Just look at that beautiful sandwich! Whoever is providing them their magnificent bread deserves a good measure of praise, as does Cafe Ole for choosing to go with them. That is beautiful, fresh bread. Good bread can make or kill a sandwich. This is great, crusty (but not brittle or hard) bread with a good bite and decent chew.
Looks pretty good, no?
The mozzerella was cut thick and fresh. The salami was delicious. The sandwich was served with roasted peppers and fresh basil. It was a winner! So much so, I went back a day later and got it again. It clocked in, with tax, at around $8.61.
Lovely, no?
I’ve since also indulged in their turkey and brie sandwich, which was also fresh and delicious. They have a stack of vegetarian sandwiches as well – avocado this, sundried tomato that – and I am looking forward to working my way through their menu. In addition, considering the quality of their sandwiches, those prepped salads mentioned earlier are clearly worth a closer look and I will probably have to try some of them.
Considering how starved for quality food the far West side is, Cafe Ole takes on additional importance. It is an unassuming, comfortable break offering a pleasant, tranquil vibe, nice music, and good food. I’ve come to really appreciate what it feels like to step in there in the middle of a day at the office. It’s relaxing.
I’d rather get food from Cafe Ole than from the Lunch Box, which I had previously taken to be the only place around serving a fresh sandwich. Although that place is good, Cafe Ole is better.
Enjoy!
ME LIKE EAT 