Saturday, June 30, 2012

Sunny Jim's Tavern




"Traditional slow roasted corned beef brisket cooked in our own oven, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing served on caraway rye. Grilled to perfection. Only the finest sauerkraut processed by W.W. II German POW’s housed in Dixmont’s tunnel system is used in this delicacy. It’s Emsworth’s finest treat and best kept secret."

I didn't even know that I wanted a rueben, but with that practically perfect description, how could one pass it up?

Sunny Jim's is one of those off the road places; the kind of place I've passed by many times to and fro but never dynamic enough from it's exterior to take the time to stop in. Such places are usually the best and are discovered by word of mouth on a random Sunday afternoon with an R-BFF.

Friendly waitstaff, delicious Bloody Marys on special, and a quirky menu– I found Sunny Jim's to be a casual, comfortable bar-restaurant that I'm looking forward to visting again and hopefully check out the patio (and they boast a 25ft outdoor TV? Crazy).

Now, the rueben! The feature of this sandwich was surely the meat. Nice and thick with the great brisket texture I'm looking for. Hot, but not dry. When it came to corned beef, much attention was paid there. The sauerkraut was tangy, but much like the dressing it was a bit sparse. The bread was nicely toasted and mild, however the predictable caraway isn't my personal favorite. I give this sandwich a 6 out of 10. A great reuben, but average. Nothing to dislike, but nothing to love.

In addition to the reuben, we also got the Cajun Tenderloin Tips with drawn butter. Fantastic. Looking forward to trying more from Sunny Jim's.

Friday, June 29, 2012

The Modern Cafe

This is my 1st post as a sandwich critic, so please bear with me while I adjust to my newfound celebrity status.

As you can imagine, any time the grape vine brings word of a tasty Rueben, my cohort and I make note and do our damn best to try it. This was the case with The Modern Cafe on Western Avenue on the North Side, with the source of the rumor being said establishment's own menu. "Reuben - Award Winning" right there on the paper in front of me. I've seen this particular claim before, and have always wondered "What award? And how do I sign up to be a judge?" Which was a question I intended on asking the bartender, but decided against it when he barely acknowledged my willing-to-give-him-money-in-exchange-for-food-and-drink existence.


Once ordered, the sandwich arrived quickly, and we immediately noted the structure, liking the way it was methodically built. Kraut in the middle, working out to the meat, cheese and dressing. I assume this was done to keep the bread from getting all soggy, which was the type of attention to detail that I appreciate.

The sauerkraut was really good, having a great combination of tang and texture. The corned beef was mediocre, appearing to be an average deli-style meat, though I did enjoy the thickness of the cut. No complaints about the Swiss, it was the right flavor and amount, not too sharp, but still prominent.

The Thousand Island dressing... to me this is the make-or-break component of the sandwich, needing the perfect combination of ingredients to deliver that tang that brings it all together. Sadly it was the Achilles' heel of this sandwich, and based on my limited knowledge on what makes up Thousand Island, it was extremely deficient in the relish department. It just lacked the necessary zip that marries it together, the final layer that brings it all home. The rye had a nice flavor, though I think the sandwich grill that it was prepared on may have moved the texture towards slightly over-toasted.

So with all that being said, I'm really wishing now that I had inquired about what award this sandwich had won, as it didn't really impress me or my fellow Reuben critic. We sat, we chewed, we compared notes, and came to the consensus that it had earned a 4 or 5 out of 10. A very, very middle of the road, take it or leave it sandwich, at best. Which really was a bummer, as we were both excited to be impressed.

On the upside, I highly recommend the Mediterranean Layer Dip, it was amazing and the highlight of the visit.

Upcoming: Bado's, Monterey Pub, West End Cafe, and Gullifty's to name a few.




Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Farewell, Smithfield Street Cafe

Before the 1st post could be made, the Smithfield Street Cafe closed it's doors on June 1, 2012. After serving up arguably one of the Best Damn Ruebens in Pittsburgh since 1933.
Read the City Paper article.