Little Love for Big Daddy
The French Dip at Big Daddy's Burgers And Shakes.
Big Daddy’s Burgers and Shakes is continuing its expansion push, opening a branch recently on the Upper West Side. I’m always delighted when a place shows up touting its burger, so I gladly tried it out. It was sore disappointing. The burger is unremarkable in just about every way. That isn’t to say it was bad, it just wasn’t particularly good, and certainly not good enough to build a franchise out of, in my opinion. Then again, people must be loving it, because Big Daddy continues his march across NYC.
The menu features all sort of comfort foods I ordinarily love, so despite the burger letting me down, I figured I’d give the place another chance and explore it.
This time at sat in the restaurant, as opposed to getting the food to go. The decor is headache inducing – bright colors that make you feel like you’re sitting inside a cartoon. I love cartoons and the magical reality they contain. Was there anything better than watching Bugs Bunny reach off camera and pull out whatever it was he needed or wanted at any given moment? If only I could’ve done that at Big Daddy’s, I’d’ve pulled out some better food.
The mac 'n cheese at Big Daddy's. The same color as the table. Yikes.
Beyond the garish decor, the service was disappointing. Our waiter was perfectly nice and friendly, but it took 20 minutes or so for our mac ‘n cheese to make it to the table. Sad to say the turnaround time wasn’t any better to get a replacement beer (which doesn’t need to be baked).
The mac itself was also unremarkable. The top was satisfyingly crunchy, but Big Daddy makes the common error of mixing the cheeses involved, diluting what should be a rich, buttery flavor. Texture was good, but flavor was lacking.
Oh, glistening lettuce. Oy.
Take a look at that salad. Your eyes do not deceive you. I do not know how it is possible to make a salad greasy, but they found a way.
The French Dip at Big Daddy's. Honestly, you should be paying attention to the tots instead.
We decide to take on the French Dip in lieu of the burger. The good news is that it is indeed better than the burgers, the meat evokes a Philly cheesesteak, and there’s a good pepper flavor to the dip.
Are there ribs beneath all that sauce?
The ribs were a sloppy, drenched mess. I love ribs, but prefer rub bbq, these are slathered in a much-too-sweet sauce and were basically a waste of time. The garlic mashed potatoes were tasty, though.
All that said, let me praise what I think Big Daddy does exceptionally well: its tots. The tots are crunchy, salty and delicious. They are better than the tots you remember from the cafeterias of your youth, which were steam heated, drippy, and flaccid. Big Daddy’s tots are just delightful, why can’t the rest of the menu live up to this standard?
Big Daddy’s Burger And Shakes 2454 Broadway New York, NY 10024 (212) 677-2004 www.bigdaddysnyc.comIn the Dog Pound
The Dog Watch Cafe, at the far end of Water Street, is somewhat away from the hub of the Borough of Stonington. But the bar, known as the Dog Pound, is the nicest one I’ve been to in the town.
That’s not a knock against the excellent Water Street Cafe, which will be reviewed at another time. It is simply an acknowledgement that the Dog Pound sits on a pier overlooking the harbor, and even on a Saturday night in the heart of summer it is not overrun, a la the Boat Basin Cafe in NYC. In fact, this is the place the Boat Basin aspires to be.
The pier is long and narrow, and the owners have intelligently placed a bar smack dab in the middle of it. The pier is actually behind the bustling cafe, which sells New England pub fare.
The pier is divided into lanes, most of which is public, the rest, tucked behind a narrow counter, is theoretically the Pound. It is a fantastic place to drink a martini and watch the sunset, which dips behind the boats rolling gently in the harbor.
The place is quite popular, and at first getting a seat was a bit of a challenge. However, the waitress is constantly calling couples to be seated in the cafe, squaring that problem away. That said, arriving at 7:30 on a Saturday night, I was told it would be 90 minutes for a table for two. She wasn’t kidding.
The sunset was great, the martini cold, and I switched to a delightful Mystic Island IPA. The people were friendly and we discussed whether it was Venus or Mars glowing so brightly in the evening sky.
Finally though I was brought to a table inside the cafe for dinner. The fried clam appetizer (whole bellies, and I didn’t see them on the menu though the place is known for them) was excellent. The clams were succulent beneath the crunchy, salty coating. However, the seared tuna, touted on the menu as “the best in America,” isn’t even the best in Stonington (Water Street Cafe’s is excellent). It is, however, large enough of a portion to club your enemies into submission with.
They prepare it with a faint coating of the same batter that adorns the clams, and run thick white, wasabi-infused sauce in narrow jets across it, though it sits atop some lo mein-style noodles and also gets served with soy sauce, if you want it. The tuna is tasty, the portion voluminous, but it’s handled in more if a TGI Friday’s fashion than not.
We also sampled the mussels, which I think was the better of the two entrees. The mussels themselves were on the smaller side, which frankly sometimes I prefer, as when mussels come too large they can offer too much of a fight. Again, it was a copious portion, served in butter and garlic sauce.
Next time, I’ll stick with the clams, or aim for the burger.
The bar is the winner, though.
194 Water Street
Stonington, CT 06378-1209
(860) 415-4510
www.dogwatchcafe.com
The Greatest Sandwich In The World
It’s hard to begin a blog about food with what is the ultimate sandwich on planet Earth. But that is in fact where I am starting, at the top, with the full expectation that everything else I will eat or blog about here that comes between two slices of bread will be lesser. And so, with that, I join the chorus of praise for the Hot Lob at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank, Connecticut.
The experience today begins with a lengthy wait on line. That makes sense, as it is a perfect summer Saturday. Nonetheless, it incentivizes getting everything you want at the order window, lest you be made to wait again.
That said, the wait is well worth it. The Hot Lob is 1/4 pound of chopped lobster meat on a grilled bun, dressed in butter. It is simple. It is perfect.
Today’s was particularly good. The bun was crunchy and flavorful, the lob nice and hot. On some occasions, we’ve had some less-than-hot lobs, and as good as the luke warm lob is, the Hot Lob is the best.
Part of what makes it work is the fact that when you bite into the conical portion, you won’t pull it all apart by dragging the one jumbo piece of lobster out. The preparation is better than that. The experience is more akin to eating a burger, made of savory chunks of fresh lobster.
On this excursion, I decided to also try the lobster salad roll. My conclusion is that it is precisely the equivalent of the burger at Peter Luger’s. Sure, it’s terrific, but to come all this way for anything other than the star of the show is ultimately an error and a waste of your trip. Unless, of course, a lobster roll is really all you want. Theirs is not too heavily mayonnaised, flavorful, with a slight vinegar note in fact. Not overwhelming, though.
Of course, part of what makes the whole thing wonderful is also the excellence of Abbott’s layout. You can enjoy the lovely afternoon at one of their numerous picnic tables, watching boats sail slowly by-or pull up to the restaurant itself. The restaurant abuts a harbor along Fisher’s Island sound. It’s a family friendly place, with a fair number of kids, but there’s plenty of space out back for them to run around without disturbing you.
FYI – there’s no liquor here. That said, plenty of people bring their own wine, beer or even champagne.
For me, this place is very close to paradise. The food is sensational, the view is tier one, the sandwich is the greatest thing between two slices of bread. The whole experience is pure magic. Just go.
Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough117 Pearl Street
Noank, Conn. 06340
(860) 536 7719
http://www.abbotts-lobster.com/
ME LIKE EAT 