The Swamp

After work I stopped off for some groceries for dinner, and saw Utz chips for sale. I marched right up with every intention of buying a bag of Crab chips, as if my $2.50 would somehow spite TB (and even though I prefer Herr's). Instead I ended up with Yuengling Buffalo Wing Sauce flavored chips. Excited.

I rarely buy potato chips. But, when there is an occasion (such as hosting poker), I always opt for Pringles. For some reason, that weird dried potato buds flavor works for me. Plus, the uniformity of the chips works well on the OCD level.

I've tried 3/4 of the Lay's flavored that were designed by fans. I can report they all suck so far. Bacon Mac n Cheese is a 6/10, cappuccino is a 1/10 and Mango was spit out by 3 people who tasted it.

Who the fuck green lit the cappuccino potato chips?

I saw Sriracha chips and Maple Bacon chips in Houston last weekend.

bfj wrote:I've tried 3/4 of the Lay's flavored that were designed by fans. I can report they all suck so far. Bacon Mac n Cheese is a 6/10, cappuccino is a 1/10 and Mango was spit out by 3 people who tasted it.

I liked the chicken and waffle and the garlic bread ones

govmentchedda wrote:I saw Sriracha chips and Maple Bacon chips in Houston last weekend.

Sriracha chips have to be good. Maple bacon, if done right, could be good, but most likely chemically tasting.

I just ate two giant bowls of ice cream. Blue Bell, cookie dough. So this goes here I guess.

I needed something after I went for a long-ish run. And opted for the ice cream bomb.

I have friends back in the States constantly telling me to ship them Happy Hippos. Quite frankly, if any of you people want some I'll send them to you too.

They are one of the most delicious chocolate snacks I've ever had. Seriously amazing. I have to not keep them in the house because I'd eat them all.

Most other German snackfood I haven't tried though. Besides, my "snacks" or imbiss end up being things like döner kebab, currywurst, shwenk, frikadelle, and the like.

I eat well in terms of avoiding junk-junk (as in bad for you with bad stuff in it), but I still and always will love Wise Cheez Doodles. Not sure what they taste like, but they're great.

I love doner kebab. There's very little of it here in Tampa.

Since I haven't been partaking for a while, my junk food intake has decreased (not that I ever really had the munchies too bad), but Hot Tamales have always been my go-to.

Those Happy Hippos are, quite frankly, adorable.

Extra Toasty (burnt) Cheez-Its!

Do they have this in the States?



Prefer the meli-melo to chips.

Or these?



These will kill you.

It's pretty rare to decisively have the best _______ you've ever had when _______ is a very common product, but today I had the best ice cream I've ever had. Van Leeuwen. We had 4 kinds and the A+ chocolate was the consensus worst behind honeycomb, strawberry and espresso.

Any of you NYC swampers been to fuku for the chicken sandwich yet?

govmentchedda wrote:Any of you NYC swampers been to fuku for the chicken sandwich yet?

How many of those people are standing in line more so they can say they stood line than for the actual sandwich?

And speaking of NYC, lines (still) and coffee ice cream, my wife's favorite is the Fair Shake at the Shake Shack. Can usually get through the dessert only line without wasting 1/2 a day.

Big thing hereabouts is (or maybe was - trends die so quickly) Japanese Cheesecake.

Two hour lineups for $10 pieces of cake.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/foo ... e24099905/

People who spend that much time in line for a piece of cake (or a burger, or any food) have no right to ever make fun of any trend follower.

North of Toronto there's a legendary burger stop along the highway towards cottages where Torontonians love to spend their weekends.

Hour long waits for a very adequate burger - an hour that could have been spent at the cottage barbecuing burgers.

Not everyone has a cottage, you know.



(I can't imagine a line for fast food. I've done it for beer or a full meal.)

mister d wrote:Not everyone has a cottage, you know.
)

For sure, but tis particular burger place is on the highway, not in any town. Locals do not go there.

Pruitt wrote:

mister d wrote:Not everyone has a cottage, you know.
)

For sure, but tis particular burger place is on the highway, not in any town. Locals do not go there.

Isn't Weber's just north of Toronto along the highway going up to Barrie? If so, I remember passing it when Mrs. Sabo and I went to the Algonquian Provincial Park several years ago. There was a line outside the door when we passed it.

Sabo wrote:
Isn't Weber's just north of Toronto along the highway going up to Barrie? If so, I remember passing it when Mrs. Sabo and I went to the Algonquian Provincial Park several years ago. There was a line outside the door when we passed it.

That's the place - about 40 minutes north of Barrie. Place is so busy that they bought a covered walkway that used to be in place near the CN Tower and connected it to the newly built second parking lot on the other side of the highway so people can stop on their way home from the cottage.

govmentchedda wrote:Any of you NYC swampers been to fuku for the chicken sandwich yet?

Went to Milk over the weekend for ice cream. Or, my wife and kids all got cereal milk ice cream, while I got a coffee and a cookie under the assumption that there would be some leftover ice cream. I underestimated because even though all three of them tried a sample before ordering, my wife and daughter #1 decided the cereal milk was too "sour" once they started eating it, and kid #2 couldn't finish it all. I really liked it. The cookie was good too, though nothing extraordinary.

The Triscuit engineers could have retired after the perfection that was Cracked Pepper and Olive Oil Triscuits, but thanks to them for keeping at it and coming up with Balsamic Vinegar and Basil Triscuits!

I've been back stateside for like 4 days now. Just about all the foods you get here is junk food. It's beautiful.

(But to the question: chips and salsa. I forgot how much I loved this stuff. I'm not talking the shit that is Tostitos brand either. I'm referencing the awesome local brands of each you can get.)

John hit up El patio de Albuquerque on Harvard. AMAZING New Mexican food.

Pericos De Albuquerque on Yale has some fantastic burritos for cheap, I highly recommend the chile relleno burrito.

So good

govmentchedda wrote:Any of you NYC swampers been to fuku for the chicken sandwich yet?

Still haven't gotten here yet, but the sandwich at Delaney Chicken in Vanderbilt food hall is excellent. Only complaint would be the toppings/sauces were too haphazard.

mister d wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:Any of you NYC swampers been to fuku for the chicken sandwich yet?

Still haven't gotten here yet, but the sandwich at Delaney Chicken in Vanderbilt food hall is excellent. Only complaint would be the toppings/sauces were too haphazard.

Went to fuku when I was in NYC in both July and December. It's worth every penny. It's also now available at MSG too.

A good fried chicken sandwich is pretty much the food pinnacle in my world.

Since Thursday:

Cheese sticks
Sliders
Fries
More sliders
More fries
About 30 beers
Sausage, jalepeno and cheese kolache (what you probably call a pig in a blanket)
Fried chicken sammich
More fries
Queso
Guac
Salsa
Tons of chips
Chili dog (only half!)
A Jon Daly (alcoholic Arnold Palmer)
The Dougie (margarita with a corona poured in)
Sausage and cheese kolache
Coconut chicken tenders
Ground beef burrito smothered in queso
Frozen margarita
Peach vodka and tonic (diet tonic!)

"I'm not OK. So fucking far from OK." - Giff's toilet

This place just opened by me a few months ago and the chicken (and chicken sandwiches) are pretty spectacular.

The Brombergs have several restaurants in NY and LA as well, though not the "fast casual" concept above.

ETA: I take it back. Guess they have one in the East Village. My bad.

mister d wrote:A good fried chicken sandwich is pretty much the food pinnacle in my world.

I'm with you. I need to give Delaney a try on my next trip up there.

The Shake Shack chicken sandwich is pretty good too. The lettuce and mayo standard topping give it a hint of the Burger King chicken sandwich flavor that I had a million times as a kid. The batter is more of a shell (think fish and chips) than the way Fuku and Chick fil A prepare their chicken.

Now, I need to go try this Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. That looks good too. How's the Blue Ribbon special sauce on that?

brian wrote:This place just opened by me a few months ago and the chicken (and chicken sandwiches) are pretty spectacular.

The Brombergs have several restaurants in NY and LA as well, though not the "fast casual" concept above.

ETA: I take it back. Guess they have one in the East Village. My bad.

wait what

govmentchedda wrote:The Shake Shack chicken sandwich is pretty good too. The lettuce and mayo standard topping give it a hint of the Burger King chicken sandwich flavor that I had a million times as a kid. The batter is more of a shell (think fish and chips) than the way Fuku and Chick fil A prepare their chicken.

Now, I need to go try this Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. That looks good too. How's the Blue Ribbon special sauce on that?

I like it. I don't know how to describe it, but it's similar to the sauce with the chicken tenders at Raising Cane's if you've had that before. Probably mayo based with some other stuff in there.

brian wrote:

govmentchedda wrote:The Shake Shack chicken sandwich is pretty good too. The lettuce and mayo standard topping give it a hint of the Burger King chicken sandwich flavor that I had a million times as a kid. The batter is more of a shell (think fish and chips) than the way Fuku and Chick fil A prepare their chicken.

Now, I need to go try this Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken. That looks good too. How's the Blue Ribbon special sauce on that?

I like it. I don't know how to describe it, but it's similar to the sauce with the chicken tenders at Raising Cane's if you've had that before. Probably mayo based with some other stuff in there.

Haven't had Raising Cane's. Won't stop me from trying Blue Ribbon. Getting hungry over here.

Also, one of the things that sets the fuku sandwich apart is that Chang uses all dark meat. It's much tastier than just your regular old chicken breast sandwich.

The raising canes sauce recipe can be found here...it's pretty dang good.