Zip's Cafe (Cincinnati, Oh)

Cinci’s Best Burger? Vol. II

For more than 85 years residents of Cincinnati's gorgeous Mt. Lookout neighbourhood have called Zip's Cafe their local watering hole. Opened in 1926 it's made it's reputation not on it's service, beer lineup, (which incidentally now features offerings from the terrific Great Lakes Brewing Company) or quaint atmosphere but on it's burgers.

Such is their reputation for burgers that they're often rated as best in Cincinnati by local diners, bloggers and media outlets alike. In fact, they're burgers are such an institution in the area they resisted adding bacon for almost their entire existence. However, in the spring of 2013 they gave into the smoky, salty overlord. At 5pm EDT Wednesday, April 24, 2013 they held their bacon release party. An event marked earlier in the day by Cinci mayor Mark Mallory declaring it "Zip's Cafe Day" in the Queen City.

What makes their burgers so good?? 2 words: Flat Top. Well, that cooker of all things delicious and of course quality ground beef delivered daily by Bleh-Avril & Sons, Inc. and the soft honey egg buns from Klosterman Bakin Company on which they are served.

The cafe sits right in Mt. Lookout Square and has an almost European feel to it. Hanging baskets adorn the facade and a nice green awning punctuates the front door.

Inside it's dimly lit adding some ambiance and is rather a tight squeeze. The main dining room out front seats about 30. Behind that is the "Code Room" which is really just the bar area and behind that the kitchen. There is a number of beautiful old Cinci-centric photos scattered through out. A toy train circles the dining room and pokes its head into the bar for a short stretch.

But enough of all that,  time to get to the million dollar question; are they the best burgers the city has to offer?? In my mind, no. That's not to say that they aren't fabulous eats though. So let's get a look shall we??

The Chili Cheese Fries are good even if they are pretty low brow. Shoestring fries are covered in a very tomatoey chili and smothered in cheese sauce. It really is a very tasty dish however the complete antithises of fine dining. They very much reminded me of the ones at Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg, WV. Where the chili and cheese almost completely dominate. While I think the dish would be better suited with a heftier fry, I'd miss this mess if they changed it. As with Ritzy Lunch, it was almost like chili cheese potato soup. Which as I'm sure you can imagine is a good thing.

Their Burger is a text book rendition of the Classic American Cheeseburger. Fresh ground beef, simply seasoned, done on a flat top and served on a Wonderbread style bun. It's right in line with the likes of Miller's Tavern in Detroit. It's absolutely perfect, tasty, juicy and beefy. It practically melts in your mouth.

I just couldn't resist the Train Wreck Burger. This is their basic sandwich with deli ham, three cheeses and Mettwurst. It also comes with a host of condiments but I skipped most of them. I don't care for tomatoes on a burger and for the most part, can't stand lettuce on one. There are of course exceptions to rules but I wasn't about to make one here. Anyway, all the flavours worked nicely together and at times took turns standing out. Delicious.

Well there you have it folks, some great burgers in a historic Cincinnati pub located in a quaint part of town.

You can find Zip's Cafe at  1036 Delta Ave, Cincinnati, Oh.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.


Well that's all for now folks, we'll catch ya later in the food court.

Cinci's Best Burger?

If you’re a fan of vintage neon signs you may have heard of Cincinnati’s Terry Carter. Terry owned a night club aptly named Neon in the Over the Rhine neighbourhood. Terry has moved on and now owns and operates Terry’s Turf Club in the near by Mt. Washington neighbourhood. While the old place was a night club, the Turf Club is all about the food. Other than Terry, the two places have one thing in common. Terry’s extensive collection of metal and neon signs, figures and other sundry quirky items. 

The Turf Club may be a neon museum but it’s the food that brings people in. Often voted Cinci’s Best Burger (along with it’s main rival, Zips). What makes Terry’s burgers so special isn’t the meat or the bun. Even though they’re great. It’s not that they’re cooked on a flat top. The best way to cook a burger. No, it’s the toppings. And I’m not talking Pickles and Lettuce here. Terry, an avid outdoorsman, has travelled the country and the world and is always looking for something unique that’ll work on a burger and take it to another level. Like Fois Gras or Swedish cheese or Mangos or Lobster Tails. Heck, even his burger seasoning has off beat ingredients like Grains of Paradise and Annatto. He’s constanly reinventing the wheel. Always trying to keep it fresh and interesting. With a reputation like that line ups can be long and arduous. It’s not uncommon for there to be people snaking out the door and down the street. 

Terry’s looks like it used to be someone’s home. It rests on the side of a hill and is an awesome spectacle. Gorgeous hanging plants shroud the large front porch and The collection of restored metal and neon is worth the drive itself. They’re everywhere and add a nice level of kitsch.

Inside place mirrors the exterior. Neon, neon everywhere and cylindrical coolers known as Bevadors. There are basically no light fixtures so the whole place is bathed in neon glow. Space and seating are minimal at best. Every nook, every cranny has a function or is otherwise employed. Because it’s so busy and seating is limited it’s communal. So don’t be surprised if you’re seated with people you’ve never met. As well, don’t be a stranger with these people. We met a father/son pair when we sat down and had a wonderful conversation about absolutely nothing in particular. After they left, 3 gentlemen about my age sat down and we chatted food. Food, food and more food. We didn’t meet 5 strangers. We made 5 new friends.

A few years back I started compiling a bit of a “To do” list of places that I felt we needed to visit. On that list was Terry’s Turf Club. It took a while to get there but it became a high priority after viewing the visit of Guy Fieri and the Triple D gang.

Seeing what Guy was served made it just that much more tempting.

To start things off, I'll explain the menu for you. It's basically in 3 sections. Appetizers, Sandwiches and, to borrow a Starbucks term, Modifiers. If you order a sandwich it comes bare bones. There is a small section of free condiments like onions and pickles. The standard stuff. Then there's about a full page of up charge extras like cheese, bacon, crab cakes, specialty sauces, etc., that you can add as well to customize your sandwich. For instance, when Guy was there he ordered a Burger with Swiss, Grilled Onion and Burgandy Wine w/ Wild Mushrooms & Truffles Sauce. Not really my cup of tea but he sure enjoyed it. So you get the idea.

Anyway, on to the food.

All sandwiches come with potato chips but since I hate plain potato chips (unless there's dip) I added fries. They're fresh cut and cooked to a beautiful brown colour. They had really good potato flavour but lacked a good crunch. There was a bit of crispness so it's not like they were limp, soggy tuber sticks but not the best either. So satisfactory all in all and certainly better than the chips would've been.

Our lunch guest, The Squire, opted for the Portobello Burger with Provolone and Mango/Curry Sauce. It comes out looking really nice as you can see but sadly, that didn't last. It lost complete and total structural integrity (and not in the good way) almost immediately. The Squire was mildly frustrated but quickly picked up a knife and fork and set to it. He said it was fantastic all in all with just the right amount of kick.

Both Mrs. Sippi and I went fairly old school. The standard burger with American Cheese and Bacon. What we got was a burger that was way up in the heirarchy of best burgers. This is magnificent. Definitely a top 5 burger for both of us. The meat had as good a taste as any I've had. Almost steak like in flavour. The cheese adds a nice creamy component, not to mention the cheesiness. The bacon, 3 strips of it, was good quality and really stood up well to everything else. Again, this is one incredible burger.

So there you have it folks, one of the US's best burgers in a cool and funky place.

You can find Terry's Turf Club at 4618 Eastern Ave, Cincinnati, Oh.

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You can also find them on facebook.

Well that's all for now folks, we'll see ya next time in the food court.

A Family Treat….

….To eat with us.

Nola Schmucker had an ability to make pies like no other. In 1948 she and her husband opened Schmucker's Dairy Bar. Serving the fine folks of Toledo ice cream and her delicious home made pies. Their son Allen would peddle his bike around the neighbourhood selling ice cream novelties to the locals. Eventually Allen would dedicate his life to the family business which would go on to become Schmucker's Restaurant. A basic, no frills diner serving scratch cooking for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
While Allen's kids would work the restaurant all through high school, it would be Doug who would take over and become the third generation behind the counter.

Some of the things I love most about places like this are the big neon signs out front and the feel inside. These classic signs from yesteryear have gone the way of the dinosaur. The chrome stools and phone booth inside are original and for the most part, everything is as it has been for decades. There's a certain charm that comes with that kind of tradition. 
Schmucker's has always  been about family dining. Even employees are treated as one of their own. All wear name tags and how long they've been a "Family member." For some, it's "Since 2010." Others, such as Doug himself, has a tag that says "Since birth."


The diner is a fairly inconspicuous box in the Reynolds Corners neighbourhood of Toledo. Were it not for the sign, you may miss it. Inside it's all diner. Counter seating, booths, open kitchen and of course, a dessert cabinet that looks more like a trophy case. That's where Doug keeps his pies. And make no mistake, this place was built on those pies. So well known, so good, so in demand it's not unheard of for them to "whip up" nearly 2,000 of them around Thanksgiving. All from their main kitchen in the back. There’s a standard line up with "Doug’s Pie of the Week" rounding things out.

They say man can not live on pie alone (though I'm willing to try) so the rest of the menu better deliver. Let me tell you, it does and then some. 

I ordered a side of chili. It was nice but nothing mind blowing. I found it rich in tomatoey goodness and chili spice but seemed to lack some balance. A little Tabasco helped with that. The acidity and heat provided perked it up. While it's not the best I've had it's a good solid bowl of red none the less and as such, enjoyable.

Mrs. Sippi, as you can imagine, was all over the Hot Beef Platter. A gravy enveloped roast beef sandwich on white bread with mashed potatoes. The picture on the menu was inviting. What arrived at the table was mouthwatering. It hit on all points. Gravy; nice and rich. Beef; Beefy and tender. Bread; Just there to provide structure. Mashed Potatoes; Creamy and flavourful. If all that wasn’t enough, the horseradish was potent. Seriously, this stuff is not for the timid. Use it respectfully. Just a fabulous dish.

My Dagwood was more or less a Club without the chicken or a BLT with ham. It also had a fried egg on it. Either way you (ahem) slice it, it was great. It was just one of those satisfying, “Comfortable old shoe” type foods. Calling it a "safe bet" doesn’t do it justice but that’s what it is. It’s not sexy in anyway, shape or form. It’s just a terrific sandwich.
The fries were a bit undercooked and as such, underwhelming. They’re fresh cut and tasted great but were a little too flaccid and a few were al dente. Next time I'll order ‘em well done.

It would be nice if everything was made in house at every restaurant. Sometimes this is not possible. That doesn’t mean it can’t be good though. Take for instance the Perch Sandwich. Unless you have the ability to buy a large piece of whole fish daily and cut to order, you’re best off with frozen. Fish and seafood deteriorate as such a rapid level, IQF is the way to go. Here, locally caught Perch from Lake Erie is enveloped in a crunch, tasty batter. Encasing the delicate tasting and creamy fish. Topped with mayo, lettuce and tomato on a dinner roll it’s one fine sandwich.
I added a nice pile of Hash Browns (with onion) on the side and they were quite satisfactory.

Now for the pies.
 
Mrs. Sippi went with the Cherry Crumb. It’s tough to say that this is the best cherry pie I’ve had. All the others have been the traditional double crust type. This has your typical “Crumble” on top and it adds a dimension that’s really difficult to beat. The balance of sweet to tart from the cherries was perfect. It was spectacular.

A long standing tradition is the use of the term “Scutterbotch” which in Schmuckerese means Butterscotch. One of their more popular pies is the Scutterbotch and it’s easy to understand why. Delicious butterscotch pudding under a pile of whipped cream and caramel drizzle.

Being the gigantic chocolate fiend I am there was no way I could turn down something named Triple Chocolate Indulgence. I would however be lying if I said it was everything I hoped it would be. It was just that much better. The crust is nothing special but it’s really just an exoskeleton for the most part. On the bottom is chocolate pudding topped with chocolate mousse and garnished with hunks of chocolate brownie. I know, right?? Well, I took a couple bites and was utterly blown away. Ya see those coloured streaks in the mousse?? Well those are M&M’s. Totally unfair!!

So there you have it folks. A fantastic little family diner serving all your favourites.

You can find Schmucker’s at 2013 N. Reynolds Rd, Toledo, Oh.

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You can also find them on the web and facebook.



Well that’s all for now folks, we’ll see you next time in the food court.

"Character and Characters"

Perhaps it would be impossible to phrase it any better than the young man sitting at the counter of Corner Grill in Bowling Green, Ohio. The little diner that began life in 1951 and has become a staple in the small north west Ohio college town. It's the type of place where pretense is checked at the door. Where people from all walks of life meet, greet and eat. It’s a place where the unemployed drink Maxwell House Coffee with community leaders. Where a farmer, muddied from a days work in the field will talk Falcons football with a hair dresser. Where people come for a quiet breakfast or some greasy food and raucous atmosphere at 3am. After a hard night of partying of course. It's where, back in the day, you came in to check the pulse of the town. Heck, even the mayor is a regular. Probably couldn’t get elected otherwise. Yep, it's the kind of place that is "Full of character and characters." I couldn't have said it better myself.

Some would say, it has seen better days. Granted a stay of execution in 2010 when city officials cited fire, building and health code deficiencies. Others, such as myself, say you can’t recreate the feeling a place like this has. The stories are legen-wait-for-it-dary. One such anecdote sees judges and attorneys excusing themselves from the local courthouse, huddling in a booth and spelling out terms for a plea bargain. Another has a former owner keeping regulars in line with a fly swatter.
In a delicious microcosm of society, the Health food store/Vegan restaurant directly across the street had gone out of business.

The interior is exactly what you’d think. Counter service, open kitchen, worn out décor, (usually) cluttered with regulars. There’s a row of booths along the outside wall. All in all, seating for a couple dozen or so.

There’s also a kitchen in back where a lot of the baking and prep work is done. So let’s get a look at the goodies being served up at “The diner.”

We started with Cheese Cubes. These are your typical cheese sticks you'd find at a TGI McScratchy's. The only differences are the size,shape and, (perhaps because of the environment) they were much better. They come out of a bag from the local food distributor but I don't discount something simply because of it's pedigree. Taste trumps all right?? They were cheesy, crunchy and had a little kick. The big star here is the Ranch Dip. Made in house it's a little less "Ranchy" tasting than the stuff in a bottle and somewhat more "Mayonnaisy" but ultimately incredibly good. A perfect match these two and a very popular item.

The Chili Dog (with cheese) is a fine specimen. A nice soft bun (toasted) and a great, natural casing dog (a little less spicy/garlicky than I usually like but big snap) and a basic chili. Simple and delicious. A couple of these and you're in business.

Another favourite on the menu is the Cajun Burger. It wasn't one of mine. It wasn't bad or anything like that, it just really didn't do it for me. The patty is spiced with Cajun seasoning and comes plain. I added Swiss cheese (as was recommended) sautéed onion and tomato. There's really nothing wrong with it, it just wasn't a favourite. Clearly, I'm in the minority on that. Along with Mrs. Sippi.

On the other hand, the Bacon Double Cheeseburger was "All that." A fine example of what the Classic American Cheeseburger can and should be. Done on a flat top (ding, ding, ding) it's just perfect. The balance of meat to cheese to bacon to toppings (I had to remove the lettuce on my half because I hate that cooked lettuce taste) was spot on. There's just nothing more I can say about this other than, it's perfect.
 
To wash it all down I had a piece of pie. Their pie du jour was Pecan, Apple, Custard. A terrific piece although, loving cinnamon, I'd like to have seen some apple pie spicing in it. It came from the fridge and I think it would probably taste better at room temperature. I'm not sure warmed would work that well as the custard might be too loose. This pie is also made in house.

For what it's worth, the Soup du Jour was Chicken Noodle. Another diner had a bowl and it smelled fantastic. The young man of which I spoke before said it's made by "The man in the back." Nice.

So there you have it folks, a local legend, a meeting place, a party place, a community "water cooler." Call it what you will.

You can find Corner Grill in the heart of downtown at 200 N. Main St. (The old Dixie Highway) Bowling Green, Oh.

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You can also find them on facebook or follow the night shift on Twitter.



Well that’s all for now folks, see ya next time in the food court.

Davwud

Where Friends Meet-n-Eat

As I had written before, the Interstate system that now networks the United States wasn’t always the way people moved about the country. People in the Great Lakes region for instance travelled the Dixie Highway between the north and Florida. The eastern Midwest equivalent of the Great River Road or US 101/El Camino Real.
The DH was not a linear thoroughfare per se, but a network of interconnected roads stretching from Canada to Florida. Two main arteries, DH East from Sault St. Marie, Michigan to Miami and DH West from Chicago to Miami had loops and connectors funneling cars to the main lines. The introduction of the interstate meant the dismantling and renaming of portions of the Highway. The Dix was, roughly speaking, replaced largely by I-75 and in part by I – 65 and I – 95. In a north/south direction anyway. You can still see signage for the DH in states like Kentucky and Ohio but more than often you wouldn’t even know you’re on the historical road.

Many of the businesses that thrived along this highway died when the interstate pushed through. Some did manage to survive and you can read about two of them here. One lives on, one does not.

In north Cincinnati the suburb of Sharonville, once on the DH, is a mecca for chain restaurants and hotels. However at least one hold out still exists. Hanging on to it’s pre interstate days. The Rootbeer Stand has been delighting south central Ohioans and visitors for over half a century.
Originally opened under the A & W banner by Mick and Nancy Rideour along with (Nancy’s parents) Jim and Catherine Clark. Mick found a seasonal (summer) business was the perfect counter to his seasonal (fall to spring) job as a teacher. Right on the outskirts it was the first place to grab a bite as you hit town. (Or last depending on which way you were going of course.) In 1982 they’d discontinued their affiliation with A & W and were independent.
By the late 80’s Mick and Nancy were winding down their careers and Nancy’s parents had both passed. It was time to move on. That's where Scott and Jackie Donley stepped in. A deal was struck and the Donley’s opened the 1990 season as the new owners. They immediately changed….nothing. Why would they?? They had a good thing going. The chili and most importantly the root beer recipes developed by Catherine back in the 50’s are still the same today.The root beer is even made with the same equipment they’ve been using since they opened in 1957.

On the outside very little has changed. There’s been some cosmetic alterations and of course all the A & W signage was replaced with The Rootbeer Stand but the place is still in the same spot it was when it opened. Car hops have been gone since the early 70’s as well.

Inside the kitchen and a few other areas have been moved around but the signature feature has remained. The hat hall of fame that adorns the ceiling. In by gone days, truckers were the predominate customer as they travelled up and down the Dixie Highway. They’d leave their ball caps as a form of advertising. The tradition has continued ever since. They get thinned out once in a while and when they took over, the Donley’s had a great number of them cleaned. Another tradition still observed is the hiring of young, high school aged kids for the season. Most often, this is the first job these young boys and girls ever have. A nice way to kick off their working life. Even better for a couple of young girls in the 60’s. Both working as car hops met their husbands at the stand. Today they can be found working in the kitchen.

Well all this tradition is wonderful the food is really what matters. So lets have a look.

The double cheeseburger was good but not great. Mrs. Sippi was far more enthusiastic about it than I. It was very reminiscent of the one at Texas Tavern in Roanoke. Both of those burgers to me just screamed nostalgia.

The foot long chili cheese dog was very good. An ordinary wiener and bun with chili, cheese, mustard and onion. The surprise, being that we’re in Cinci was that the chili was more of a traditional chili. It, on its own was also very good. It had a nice cumin hit and good chili flavour. No real heat which would’ve made it even nicer but you just don’t get that in hot dog chili.

The Big E sandwich is the normal Cheeseburger with warmed Deli Ham and Swiss Cheese. It came dressed with pickle, onion, mustard and mayo. In future I think I’d skip the pickle and add tomato. All in all this is a delicious sandwich. The ham and swiss take this to another level. As I said above, the Cheeseburger was good. This is very good.

The star of the show as you can imagine is the root beer. Made with water from their own well which they claim gives it it’s personality. It has a nice smooth flavour and little carbonation. It’s also not overly sweet. Just enough to take the edge off. They even serve it up in a mug which is a nice touch. Notice the pop corn. They don't serve fries so chips or pop corn are your options.

The root beer float was even better. The vanilla ice cream complimented the root beer perfectly. This is where the less sweetness of the root beer really mattered.
My Grandmother would often make us Ginger Ale and Butter Pecan floats when we were kids. (It's a great combo, give it a try). I never really thought much about them until the last few years when I rediscovered the float. Great memories.

So if you’re in the Cincinnati area and are feeling nostalgic, head on over to The Rootbeer Stand.

You can find The Rootbeer Stand at 11566 Reading Road in Cincinnati, Ohio.

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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.



Well that’s all for now folks, see ya next time in the food court.

Davwud