Caleco’s Bar and Grill
724 N. First St.
St. Louis, MO 63102
http://www.calecos.com/Menu.html

Of all the  reviews I’ve done here, this was the second establishment I went to basically because it was convenient — meaning no prior endorsement from anyone. Caleco’s had a convenient location for me and I wanted to grab something local and fast. So I walked in. My previous experience in doing this on the trip was El Fenix in Texas, and we know how that turned out (insert frowning face, IM people). So I was obviously hoping this was a different outcome.

The atmosphere here was interesting. They had a pretty large fish tank in the middle of the dining room and a train track encompassing the perimeter of the ceiling (there are pictures on the website). I went there twice and it was incredibly busy both times, so I figured that must mean it’s pretty well liked by the locals.

Unfortunately, both times I went into Caleco’s, I was in a big hurry due to logistics out of my control. I asked the bartender what they were best at doing and she said pizza and pasta. As an aside, if you watch Big Brother on CBS (shameless plug!), she was a poor-man’s Jordan (you know, of “Jeff and Jordan”). Anywho, the pizza wasn’t offered by the slice and I was alone, plus I didn’t really feel like a huge pasta dish either time would work, as I had to hurry. Since toasted ravioli seems to be some type of St. Louis thing and I forgot to take a picture the other visit (again, pressed for time), we’ll just review the one time I got …

What I Got: Toasted ravioli; $6.69.

The menu description: “Ten deep fried pasta squares stuffed with beef and spices, served with our own marinara sauce.”

It’s literally what the name says: It’s deep-fried ravioli. No surprises.

Sadly, I wasn’t a fan. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it just wasn’t that appealing to me once I started eating it. I got the dish because it seemed to be a St. Louis fixture, but it’s just a deep fried noodle wrapped around ground beef. The marinara sauce was run-of-the-mill and the seasonings didn’t really add much. I ate all ten of my pieces because it wasn’t awful by any stretch, I just think this wasn’t really my thing.

Would I Buy It Again? No on the ravioli, yes on Caleco’s. The yes part might actually be a shocker, but my previous visit was two days before the toasted ravioli and I had a bacon cheeseburger. It was really good. Juicy, perfectly made to order and with the right amount of BBQ sauce on it. The service was great both times, despite them being absolutely packed to the gills and the pizza/pasta smell in the place made me salivate. I wish I either had time to get one of the more expensive/time-consuming pasta dishes or had a group with me so we could have gotten pizza. But, as I said, circumstances dictated otherwise and the cheeseburger was good enough to tell me this is a good place to grab a bite. Plus, I can’t say the toasted ravioli was poorly done. I just didn’t care for the item in general.

Considering this place is easy walking distance from Busch Stadium (three blocks or so), if you’re in St. Louis to catch a Cardinals game, definitely consider this as a pre-game meal destination. I’m pretty confident most of the menu is worthwhile and reasonably priced.

- Show

Brewster’s Italian Cafe
11 West Merchant Street
New Buffalo, MI 49117
http://www.brewstersitaliancafe.com

Brewster’s is a small Italian Café in New Buffalo, Michigan located just north of the Indiana border a couple of blocks off of Lake Michigan.  Although New Buffalo gets dumped on with lake effect snow all winter long, it is a summer hotspot for summer vacationers and the Chicago crowd escaping the city.  The menu at Brewster’s changes every day for both lunch and dinner making each visit a unique experience.  This local owned café is a small establishment with a small indoor dining room along with tables beside the kitchen so you can watch all of the action.  During the summer, there is a private shaded patio that with the cool Lake Michigan breeze gives visitors an opportunity to dine and enjoy the environment.  The bar has a large beer selection including local brews from Michigan and a wine selection that gives diners plenty of choices.

Along with a la carte choices, which I list the individual prices of each menu item I reviewed below, you can choose the Dinner for Two if you are on a date. Dinner for Two includes smaller portions but provides a salad, pizza, entrée, and desert for $32.99.  Some entree items such as the shrimp my wife and I chose add an additional charge of up to $6 and an additional $1.50 for the specialty pizza making our diner $40.49.  I have copied the Dinner For Two description from their website below:

DINNER FOR TWO     $32.99

You each begin with a House Salad, then you’ll split a pizza, followed by your choice of one of this evening’s Entrees.  Cookies and coffee are included for Dessert  $32.99
(Please add 1 for the Classico,3 for the Chicken and 6 for the Carne or Fruitta Di Mare)

What We Got:

Gazpacho; $3.99:  Gazpacho is a raw tomato-based Spanish/Portuguese soup primarily served during the summer since it is served cold and there is a more abundant variety of seasonal vegetables to choose from.  The Gazpacho is not part of the Dinner For Two but was actually my favorite dish of the whole night.  The soup was acidic and bold, yet refreshing on this hot summer day.  The teaspoon of sour cream added a base to balance the acidity.  I am hoping our readers can point me to some Indianapolis area restaurants that serve a good Gazpacho.

House Salad:  The salad was simple with spinach leaves, a few croutons, shredded cheese (probably parmesan) and a homemade Italian dressing that works well.  The salad is nothing special but gets the job done.

Pizza with Crispy Pancetta, Baby Spinach and Scallions on a Gorgonzola Base; $11.99.

The pizza was very rich and we only ate half of it but enjoyed our choice.  The crust at Brewster’s appears to be made in a wood burning oven giving it that nice crisp finish.  I did not see a wood burning stove in the kitchen but appreciated the effort.  Although I enjoyed this pizza, I would probably save the $1.50 and choose one of their more basic pizzas leaving you with more room for your entrée and dessert.

Tiger Shrimp, Brussels Sprouts, Broccolini and a Carrot & Bacon Sofritto; $23.99:  I always have a high appreciation of Italian cooking that does not include pasta.  This dish was cooked with butter and the addition of a small amount of bacon grease giving it a rich and salty flavor.  Many people hate Brussel Sprouts but I say they just haven’t had them prepared correctly.  The sprouts in this dish were fresh and did not include the water or mushiness of thawed sprouts.  Cooked on the grill, they maintained the firmness but had unbelievable flavor.  Ingredients were proportional but the six shrimp was a disappointment for two people sharing a meal.

Dessert.  Cookie and Coffee:

I had the white macadamia nut and my wife went with the oatmeal raisin.  These might be made in house, but if I remember correctly, I think a local bakery brings them in.  Regardless, they are good cookies to go along with Brewster’s own coffee.  The coffee has a nice kick to it but not overly bold like you find at some coffee houses.  Although it is not on the menu, you can ask to buy a pound of the coffee ground or whole bean for $10 if you ask.

Would I It Again?  Yes, without a doubt.  This was my second visit to Brewster’s in a year and both times I walked away impressed and completely satisfied.  On this visit, I sat next to the kitchen and watched the operation.  The kitchen was spotless and organized.  There was a visible head chef in charge and the kitchen ran smoothly with three chefs under his direction. Yes, the chef uses a clean pan for every dish he makes and at many places, they do not do this and you end up getting food that has flavors from another dish that should not be there.  Service is outstanding in that drinks were constantly full, the table was never empty of food including the in house mad bread and oil and I never felt like anything was pushed on me by the server.  The environment is local with the smallness of the restaurant, and the Bell’s Oberon Ale Kalamazoo, MI that I drank.  If you are ever headed to Northwest Indiana or through that area of Michigan, stop by and get some great authentic Italian food for dinner or even one of their homemade deli sandwiches or frittatas for lunch.

Can a reader recommend a Gazpacho that comes close to matching theirs in the Indianapolis area?

-EatHSE

Review: Augustino’s
8028 South Emerson Ave.
Indianapolis, IN 46237
http://www.augustinosindy.com

Italian food.  What’s not to like?  Sure there are tons of red-sauce emporiums around but there are also the more adventurous places that can take the world’s second most influential cuisine (Yeah, France at least you are number one at something other than being annoying) to new heights.  I’m easy; I like ‘em both.  Honestly it’s going to take a couple more visits for me to tell you with any certainty where Augustino’s fits.  I’ve had a few of my south-side brethren speak highly of the place so I decided to give it a try for lunch.  The décor is very comfortable and actually felt more fine-dining than strip-mall storefront.

What I had: I read in Indianapolis Monthly that the Italian wedding soup was good so I started with that and shared the Toasted Ravioli appetizer with my wife.

Before I get to those I have got to say something about the bread basket delivered to our table.  It was fantastic.  Hot and crusty with just the right amount of reluctance before giving way to reveal a wonderful spongy interior.  A slather of butter and I was very happy.  The Toasted Ravioli arrived and the too uniform appearance leads me to believe that they are not house-made and rather than toasted in a pan, I’m guessing deep fried.  Nonetheless, they were tasty, half with a beef filling and half with cheese., served with Alfredo and Marina served with a swirl in the same bowl for dipping.  Nice.

A cup of wedding soup was next.  My wife is a former regional manager for a high-end food manufacturer and one of the best things they made was Italian Wedding soup.  I think that Augustino’s is buying this soup. It was good but again, I just didn’t think it was house-made.

For my entree, I ordered the “Supreme Sausage Sandwich.”  If you’ve read more than just a couple of my reviews you know that I am a sausage junkie (Yeah, I just wrote that).  This really is a knife and fork sandwich for a couple reasons:  first, it is piled with sliced sausage coins, peppers, onions and cheese on that awesome bread and is just impossible to pick up and second, it was as hot as the face of the sun.  It was also really good.  I could have used a bit more sausage but that’s just me.  The pepper/onion mix tasted as if it was simmered in the generous marinara giving it a nice spicy bite.  Did I mention this was really good?

Would I Buy It Again?  Sure. The food was really well prepared, attention to detail was evident and it tasted good.  I do want to return for dinner so that I can see what else this kitchen can do.  I can’t remember what I paid for it but it was worth it so who cares?

-Smokin DB

Firehouse Subs
3516 West 86th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana  46268
http://www.firehousesubs.com/

Firehouse Subs is a chain started in the mid 1990s by a bunch of firemen, as I’m sure you’ll note by the name and when you go inside and see the design motif.  Playing up on that name and design motif, Firehouse has a countertop full of a bottles of at least fifty hot sauces that you can sprinkle onto your sandwich if you like. 

For their food options, Firehouse focuses primarily on a variety of sub sandwich options either hot, cold or steamed.  I had a friend recommend this one to me a while back and since I no longer work in this part of town, I hadn’t had a chance to get over there to test it out until recently. 

What I Got:  Italian Sub (steamed) regular combo, $8.38.  Served with chips and a drink (the drink was HUGE).

When I first walked up to the counter, I mentioned to the very friendly gentleman working the register (everyone in the restaurant was extremely customer friendly; big points there) that it was my first visit, he mentioned that this was one of their two most popular subs.  Since I’m a dope for Italian subs, I figured this was worth a shot, so I got it served hot and in the regular eight inch variety.  Ordinarily, I’m not a big fan of hot subs, but since this is their main business, I figured I would give it a shot.

The Italian Sub is topped with Genoa Salami, Ham, Pepperoni, Provolone Cheese, Italian Dressing and sprinkled with Italian seasonings.  Unless you ask other wise, every sub is served “Fully Involved” which means that it is topped with Mayonnaise (I had it removed), Mustard, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion and comes with a Dill Pickle Spear on the side.

As far as taste was concerned, this was pretty darn good.  Since the sandwich was served hot/steamed, the bun was a little soggy for my liking, but it wasn’t enough to take away from the sandwich.  The toppings were also fresh, plentiful and for an eight inch sub, this was a lot of food!

Would I Buy It Again?  Definitely.  I really liked this (good recommendation by my friend) and I wish there was one of these closer to me because this was a good sandwich.  $8.30 for a combo is a tad high for what I like to pay for a sub sandwich, but I’d be willing to put those reservations aside on occasion for a sub like this one. 

If you are ever in the neighborhood of this location or in their Avon location, give them a shot.  You won’t regret it.

-IndianapolisEater

Fazoli’s
http://fazolis.com/

For those of you that are longtime readers of the blog (I mean a REALLY LONG time) or have been bored and checked out the review archives, you may remember that Fazoli’s was one of the first reviews that I did on the site.  In that review, I basically divorced myself from Fazoli’s and implied that I was never going back and I had held to that statement until recently when I was overtaken by a craving for Italian food.  I didn’t feel like making it myself and I didn’t feel like going to a more expensive place and spending $10+ for a meal, so that left me with Fazoli’s or nothing.  I can’t say I was fired up about it, but since I was really craving Italian food, I took the plunge.  I get Fazoli’s ads in the mail all the time, so I decided to try out one of their new featured offerings from the ad.

What I Got:  Pizza Baked Spaghetti; $3.99.  Comes with two garlic breadsticks.

Fazoli’s Pizza Baked Spaghetti is spaghetti (obviously), marinara sauce, Italian sausage, pepperoni and mozzarella cheese all baked in an oven so that the cheese melts on top just like a pizza.  It’s not brain surgery, but something at a fast Italian joint never should be.

In terms of taste, this actually wasn’t bad.  Had it not been for the nice addition of the spice of the Italian sausage, I would have said that this was just bland and boring.  Instead, the sausage moved it from a “C” letter grade to a “C+” letter grade in my book.  They were a little skimpy on the sauce (I prefer a ton of sauce; for most people, the amount of sauce was probably just right), but the rest of the toppings were plentiful.  These cheese was melted perfectly, and the pepperoni was nice and crispy…it was almost as if I was actually eating a pizza.  Hey, wait, maybe that’s why it’s called “Pizza Baked Spaghetti”?  Wow, those Fazoli’s people sure are crafty!

Anyway, the portion size was pretty solid as well.  It wasn’t enough to fill me up, but as we know from this blog, I am a ridiculous eater when it comes to portion sizes.  For any ordinary person, this and a couple of breadsticks would definitely do the trick.

Would I Buy It Again?  I would actually.  Fazoli’s didn’t re-invent the wheel with this and they rarely do, but this Pizza Baked Spaghetti is a nice little fill if you have a craving for Italian food.  It’s tasty enough and when you are only paying a relative pittance at $3.99, you get a winner.

They also have two other varieties in their “Pizza Baked” line that consist of ravioli and lasagna (you can also get them “upsized” with more and different meats for additional $1), so I may give them a shot if I’m in the mood for fast Italian again.

-IndianapolisEater

We have talked about Penn Station a few times (just type it in the search box on the right side) and I have tried just about every sandwich on the menu.  I love the Italian, I like the Pizza sub just fine and my wife usually gets the Chicken Teriyaki.  

Btw, I can’t even mention chicken teriyaki without yelling  ”chicken teriyaki boy!”  You are not going to get that unless you watch “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and if you don’t watch that show, we are not friends anymore.

Back on subject.  This is the signature sandwich of Penn Station, the Philly Cheesesteak.   Now, until I convince my wife that a trip to Philly just for cheesesteaks makes sense (10 hours), then I am not going to be the best person to review this.  However, I have had plenty of imitations in my day.

What I Ate:  Philly Cheesesteak; right around $7.00.  Penn Station can get pricey once you add fries and a soda pop, so expect to pay around $9.00 for a combo.

As far as the taste…honestly, it is not very good.  I ordered mine with mushrooms and onion and there were a ton of onions on this ‘wich.  There was a thin layer of mozzarella and I found it to be dry.  Pictures can be deceving because it looks like there is a lot of gooey cheese, but it didn’t really affect the taste.

Also, it looks like there is a lot of fries, but they creatively spread them out in the basket to cover real estate.  The fries are the standard hand cut and fried in peanut oil.  I like their fries, I just wish they would give me the hook up!

Would I Buy It Again?  Cheesesteak, no.  Penn Station, sure.  The signature sandwich just might be their worst, except for the artichoke and that sounds terrible.  I think that I will stick with the Italian as I can’t find anything else on the menu that I like.

-wibia

Greek Tony’s Pizza and Sub Shop
1732 East 116^th Street
Carmel, IN 46032

For a year, I rented a place near Tony’s and I frequently visited for my ritual Friday night pizza.  Although it does not make my list of top 2-3 pizza places, it is a solid local choice offering a good variety of pizzas that are heavily covered with toppings and a good thin crust.  Although I always carry out, the inside is very casual with a dated décor including checkered table coverings and environment that just does not feel all that clean.  You serve yourself your own drinks and the only service is someone dropping your food off at your table making Tony’s a carry-out destination for me.  On this trip to Tony’s, I decided to try a couple of subs from their large range of choices.

What I Ate:

Tony’s subs can be ordered as a half ranging in price from $4.30-$4.90 or a whole usually around $9.

Stromboli Sub (half):  I am always on the lookout for a good Stromboli and recently had a good one that I reviewed at Lennie’s in Bloomington, Indiana.  The Stromboli at Tony’s was a more traditional Stromboli on a soft white bread that tasted so fresh that it reminded me of bread made in house even though Tony’s does not seem like the kind of place that would make their own.  The Stromboli had a heavy layer of Italian Sausage that had good seasoning and was ground to the texture that I like on a Stromboli.  Although the ingredients listed green peppers and onion, there was so little on the sub that the meat overpowered any taste the vegetables may have given.  The sub had a thin layer of cheese that was sufficient but the sub was very dry with only a small amount of red sauce.  All of this combined with the sub being served lukewarm on a day when they were not busy left me disappointed.

Italian Sub (half):  Although I favor a good cold Italian sub, on this day I decided to try Tony’s toasted version.  Like the Stromboli, this sub was served lukewarm at best.  I tasted the meats individually on this sub in an effort to try and determine what they actually were and what kind of quality they had individually.  I believe the meat on the top in the picture is a Capicola which comes from the shoulder or neck and usually packs nice flavor as a fattier meat.  The quality was low missing most of the flavor that one would enjoy from a good Capicola.  Below that was just a basic pepperoni and my least favorite meat, bologna.  A good quality bologna has potential but this was just some average process bologna you could buy anywhere.

Under the meat was a heavy layer of head lettuce, which for me is always a big turn off.  If that wasn’t bad enough, some of it was turning brown as it was clearly on its last day.  Under all the ingredients was a layer of what must have been 5-6 tablespoons of mayo that shot out from all sides when I took my first bite completely overpowering any other ingredient on the sub making it almost tasteless.  I have had some bad subs over the years but this one ranked among the worst I have ever had and I ended up throwing almost all of it out even after scraping off a good amount of the mayo.  Where were the onions or some vinegar and oil like you find on a good Italian like you might get at Jersey Mike’s?  Dreadful!

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes for pizza, but no for Tony’s subs. When the best part of your meal is the bread, much like the breadsticks at Olive Garden, it is not saying much for the product.  The subs were lukewarm at best when served and either had too much in condiments or too little sauce in the case of the Stromboli, and lack proportional distribution of ingredients as any good sub should have.  If you visit Tony’s, stick with the pizza.

-EatHSE

I usually go on an annual trip to San Francisco.  If you ask anyone in this country that knows anything about food, they would say that New York and San Francisco are tied for the country’s best restaurants.  I would almost tie in Las Vegas, but they are basically satellites of NY and SF restos.

So what I try to figure out, is it a must have when I go to San Francisco next year?  My first meal straight off the plane:

Ike’s Place
http://ilikeikesplace.com/

What I Got: Al Bundy $9.99.  Salami, Ham, French Dressing, Avocado and Smoked Gouda.

Btw, anyone that names a sandwich after the biggest G ever is awesome.

Man v. Food darling Ike’s Place was a must have for me when I was in SF.  Grub Grade had a few nice segments on it as well.  What makes Ike’s special is two things: 1. The garlic heavy “Dirty Sauce” and 2. The bread is baked to order.   It takes a few more minutes, but who cares?

It took us about 25 minutes to order, but the line can be an hour or so on the weekend.  Call ahead is available.  It took around 10-15 minutes to get the sandwich after ordering.

The sandwich was excellent.  Quality meats and the bread was crispy on the outside and soft and warm on the inside.  The sandwich was a good size and my uncle said that I wasn’t going to be hungry for dinner, but he was wrong.  This sandwich was about as good as it gets.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes, easily.  It’s a must have, although probably for lunch.

Barbacco
http://www.barbaccosf.com/

My beloved Aunt said that it is like tapas, but Italian.  Interior was trendy casual and packed at 5:30 on a Wednesday.  We ordered about twelve items between three people and were stuffed.  The total was around $110 with just food.  There were some flat out misfires like the pork, olive and almond dish that was oil drenched.

However, I did enjoy the roasted pork pasta:

Otherwise, 80% of the food was a let down. A cool menu and a lot of good looking items, they just need to learn how to make them.

Would I Buy It Again?  No.  A bad meal and really bad for San Francisco.

This is a continuing series, so I will cover day two in a future post.

-wibia