Joe Posnanski

1. Mean Dean

   I don’t think you can put Bonds in CF, because the version of him capable of playing CF wasn’t the version of him that put up the mind-boggling offensive stats.

   With respect to pizza, John’s is fine if you like thin crust, but if you want one slice that can feed an entire family, go with Ray’s on 11th & 6th (as opposed to the 1,519 other “Ray’s.”)

   Unpatriotically, I have to completely agree with you about the clam chowder.

   Dec 18th, 2007

2. Paul White

   Gotta disagree on Arthur Bryant’s. My personal favorite is the original Oklahoma Joe’s in the gas station as 47th & Mission. Leanest meat of any BBQ joint in town. And the fries are exceptional.

   Dec 18th, 2007

3. Mauichuck

   I need a little clarification on your third team.

   First, are we talking about the Skyline Chili with the spaghetti noodles? You know they put chocolate - chocolate - in that stuff. You’d get arrested in Texas if you tried to pass that stuff off as chili.

   Second, are we talking about the old Stadium Mustard - the best - also known as Bertmans’s Ballpark Mustard or are we talkin about the newer Authentic Stadium Mustard? I’m a bit confused about this. The mustard I remember from the old Municipal Stadium - you know that marvelous brown, horseradishy conconction the vendor would slather on one of those skinny dogs floating in some luke warm greenish water - that stuff was the BOMB! Made even those dogs taste great. The stuff they’re servin’ at the Jake is not the same - a little milder with a softer finish.

   And oh yeah, I gotta go with the Montgomery Inn for some ribs and Pat’s - right across the street from Geno’s - for a cheese steak.

   Dec 18th, 2007

4. Mauichuck

   Forgot to add Slyman’s on 31st and St. Clare for corned beef on rye - and bring the Stadium Mustard with you. Heavenly!

   Dec 18th, 2007

5. Eugene

   Try Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn next time you’re in New York City.

   Also, I can’t speak for Arthur Bryant’s, but I agree that OK Joe’s is amazing BBQ.

   Dec 18th, 2007

6. Rickie Weeks

   Odd. I’m hardly a world traveler but I have had Oklahoma Joe’s and Dreamland barbecue. I gotta say Dreamland wins that contest in a landslide (and Oklahoma Joe’s was really good).

   Dec 18th, 2007

7. Rob L.

   I got the signed bookmark in the mail yesterday. Thanks, I can’t believe it was self addressed and everything.

   It’s interesting about Thome, I can’t believe people consider him borderline, he seems like a lock. Plus he’s universally regarded as being a good guy.

   Dec 18th, 2007

8. Dave E.

   Joe, let me clarify for Mauichuck. Yes, Skyline has the noodles (and probably the chocolate, and probably an addictive narcotic, too). And, yes, Texans wouldn’t consider it chili. But, boy, is it the best.

   Dec 18th, 2007

9. Perry

   I get .347 for Joe Morgan, better than Jackie. Did I mess up, or did you?

   Editor’s note: It like we have slightly different totals because I am using the secondary average figured in Lee Sinin’s Encylopedia, which apparently does not take into account “caught stealing.” This actually makes sense since we don’t have caught stealing numbers on older players. So that may be where the differential comes in. With Morgan, for instance, I have a .271 average, a .431 secondary and a .300 runs average. That gives me a .334 big average, just below Jackie Robinson.

   Dec 18th, 2007

10. Erik

    Just a quick question unrelated to this…how/when do we know if we’re accepted as a pozcars voter?

    Dec 18th, 2007

11. Billy Martin

    I wanted to sound off on my support of Five guys burgers…but only for 2nd place. For 1st place I gotta go with Booches in Columbia, MO.

    Dec 18th, 2007

12. JD

    Even if you don’t like Five Guys, you have to appreciate their approach in the homgenized fast food world we live in (not going to go into details, but they ONLY do burgers and fries and do them all the way). Unfortunately, DC is almost completely bereft of local flavor when it comes to food. Our only real icon is the half-smoke, and even that is fairly unknown. I guess since the third team is consituted of mostly geographical specialties, the nation’s capitol doesn’t really stand a chance.

    Dec 18th, 2007

13. Perry

    Actually, not counting CS would make his Big Avg. even higher. No, I miscalculated his run average, he does indeed come in just below Jackie. Prima facie evidence the stat is flawed!

    Dec 18th, 2007

14. Donovan

    A guy I know, who’s going straight to hell, once referred to Chicago-style pizza as ‘retard lasagna.’ I happen to enjoy it, but it ain’t right.

    Dec 18th, 2007

15. Perry

    Okay, let’s just do a tiny little adjustment.

    Joe Morgan:
    Raw Big Avg: .334
    Penalty for being an insufferable idiot announcer: -.020
    Adjusted Big Avg: .314

    Jackie Robinson:
    Raw Big Avg: .337
    Penalty for supporting Richard Nixon: -.030
    Adjusted Big Avg: .307

    There. All fixed.

    Dec 18th, 2007

16. Matty

    I’m a big fan of Winstead’s, but the burgers at Fric & Frac (39th & Genessee) blow theirs out of the water. The fresh-cut fries don’t hurt things. Speaking of which, why is Winstead’s the only place I know that offers a 50-50 with half fries and half onion rings? It’s a great idea along the lines of my 2nd favorite burger in KC: the GenDare Twin at Fritz’s in KCK with hash browns, grilled onions, & cheese? Hash browns on a burger is something everyone should experience.

    Dec 18th, 2007

17. Tim S.

    Philly cheesesteaks: Jim’s Steaks on South Street and 4th (I think–maybe 3rd). Better than Geno’s or the other “mainstay,” Pat’s, both of which have been getting by on reputation for a while now.

    Last time I was in Philly I had steaks at Little John’s on 21st St. near the Art Museum (on Arch or Race), a little dive–they were great as well.

    Dec 18th, 2007

18. Kyle

    I am absolutely aghast at the notion that Chicago deep dish pizza was dismissed and noone objects. That is simply insane.

    Dec 18th, 2007

19. Jeff

    Better pizza than John’s: Cross the street. Turn left. Walk 75 steps to Seventh Ave. Turn right and walk in Bleecker St. Pizza.

    Or Joe’s on Sixth right nearby.

    Dec 18th, 2007

20. The Judge

    You cannot possibly say too many good things about 5 Guys.

    I checked up my favorite player of all time since there was no DH category listed. Edgar clocks in at a .346 clip which, while not good enough for first team status, still does halfway decent among the second group.

    Dec 18th, 2007

21. Pope

    I can’t believe you left out Chicago pizza either. Perhaps its so much better than New York style that you felt it didn’t warrent being put on the 3rd team?

    Dec 19th, 2007

22. Langer

    Five Guys does do hot dogs too.

    That’s the 2nd best burger I’ve eaten; first goes to a place called Nick’s (think that’s the name, it’s been 10 years) on North Decatur Road outside Atlanta, couple miles from Emory U. Pretty sure that place is long gone now.

    Dec 19th, 2007

23. Jim

    I’ve been a fan for a long time, but saying Chicago deep dish pizza is not pizza is almost like saying you voted for Bush. I’m not sure I can get around that.

    Dec 19th, 2007

24. Joe

    This was a baseball based post, wan’t it? You left out possibly the two most important baseball related consumables! Brats and Beer.

    With regard to Brats, you have to go with an Usinger’s brat available at many establishments throughout Milwaukee.

    As for beer (this will sounds ghastly to some) I am not going to count any BIG breweries (Miller, Pabst, Leines etc.). We will go with micro or mini breweries for that goodness you can’t get anywhere in the nation. I will go with the Kumbaleks Focktoberfest at the Lakefront Brewery, but that is seasonal. For year round, teh Riverwest Stein(Also at the Lakefront Brewery) is awfully tasty.

    Oh yeah, by the way…Larry Wayne Jones? Heck of a ball player and a HoF consideration, but the best all time Big Average Third bagger? That surprised me. Then I got to thinking, as far as offensive stats, who else was out there for 3B? Schmidt, Mathews, Brett, Boggs, Molitor (Hey, he played 3B in Milwaukee), Traynor. Some impressive names for sure, but not a lot of offensive depth at the position. You know what? I think I just started the Chipper Jones for the HoF push. Ok, there were those years in Left field, but that’s not important right now! Chipper, Chipper, Chipper!

    Dec 19th, 2007

25. Joplin Miner

    Drive south about 2 and 1/2 hours to Joplin. Come to a place on main street called “Fred and Red’s”. If it doesn’t stand up to Skyline’s Spaghetti Red, then I’ll buy you some next time I go to Cincy.

    Dec 19th, 2007

26. Noel

    Saw those Burger King commercials for the first time yesterday. Wow are they annoying. Honestly if I went to BK and asked for a Whopper and they said they were all out I would probably just order a chicken sandwich instead.

    Count me in as one who likes 5 Guys. It’s worked its way down the east coast to where I live. Although it was kind of nice to have to go to DC to eat there.

    Have to admit I’m blown away by Joe’s comments regarding Chicago pizza. In a way it’s probably for the best. For a while I was agreeing with everything Joe wrote so much I was wondering if we were related.

    Dec 19th, 2007

27. Dan

    Someone in St. Louis has to back me up that O’Connells is the best burger in the world. When I was in grad school at Washington University, it was the place to go for grad student birthdays. No other place I’ve been to compares.

    Dec 19th, 2007

28. Blue

    Best BBQ in KC is Fiorella’s, down in Martin City.

    Dec 19th, 2007

29. Melody

    Best New York pizza… John’s and Patsy’s both have their fans. But I love Totonno’s on Neptune Ave in Coney Island. Supposedly the guy who opened it learned to make pizza from the Brooklyn guy who invented it– and if you doubt it, there’s a newspaper article hanging on the wall as proof.
    On a summer afternoon in Coney Island… Mmmm. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

    Dec 19th, 2007

30. Robert

    New York does a fine job with pizza, but it’s no New Haven. Gimme Pepe’s or Sally’s any day over Totonno’s or Grimaldi’s or Patsy’s. Even “Bar” is better than the best NYC has to offer.

    Dec 19th, 2007

31. Adam

    I feel compelled to quote the greatest sage of our age, Homer J. Simpson:
    “O merciful god, who has blessed mankind with two kinds of clam chowder…”

    But New England is better.

    Dec 19th, 2007

32. Alan

    If you are traveling, here are some of my favorites:

    Barbecue - Jack Stack in Martin City (Kansas City).

    Steak - Del Frisco’s in downtown Ft. Worth.

    Dessert - Chef Vola’s in Atlantic City (the Italian is not bad, either).

    Dec 19th, 2007

33. Old Man Duggan

    Now I haven’t eaten at Five Guys (yet), but I’d have to say the best burger I’ve ever had was one starving night in Austin before I moved here at Casino el Camino on 6th and Red River. There are a few burgers in town that can come close on a good day, like Russell’s insane coronary-threatening concoctions at The Crown and Anchor near UT, but that one day I had the best burger I’ve ever had.

    Dec 19th, 2007

34. robustyoungsoul

    Coming from a Delaware perspective here.

    Best Burger - Charcoal Pit, Wilmington DE. People drive from all over to go to the original one on Concord Pike. Melts in your mouth.

    Best BBQ - Where Pigs Fly, Dover DE. However I’ve also had Smiley’s in Illinois and that was even better.

    Cheesesteak - I’m a fan of Pat’s over Geno’s myself, but my absolute favorite is Dellasandro’s which I hold in higher esteem than either of those tourist/drunk traps.

    Dec 19th, 2007

35. robustyoungsoul

    I also don’t understand all the Five Guys love. That place is just another burger chain.

    Dec 19th, 2007

36. Oddibe Kerfeld

    The best hamburger place is Top Notch in Austin, Texas. It’s been a family owned and run place for decades and they only have the one location. It’s been in films like Dazed and Confused and Varsity Blues, too. What makes them truly great is that they use a charcoal fire pit to cook all of the burgers. Here’s an Austin Chronicle review of the place.

    http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/review?oid=oid%3A102410

    HOME: SEPTEMBER 13, 2002: FOOD
    Mini-Review
    BY MICK VANN

    Top Notch Restaurant
    7525 Burnet Rd., 452-2181
    Monday-Saturday, 11am-8pm

    When you step inside Top Notch, you enter the world of “fast food” from the Sixties and Seventies, before chain restaurants destroyed our concept of what real food, served real fast could be. This is what someone of middle age grew up on, genuine food that makes no pretensions about what it is and isn’t. For the Top Notch, its fried chicken, burgers, and the rest, cooked quickly with quality ingredients, served at a fair price, made by people who care.

    Ray Stanish (who still pulls a few shifts weekly) bought Burkhart’s Motor Dining (1963-71) in January of 1971 and immediately reopened as the Top Notch. His son James, the current manager, started bussing tables there when he was in junior high. Frances, James’ mom and the owner, is likely to take your order at the counter when you enter. She is about 5 feet tall, has a voice like a bullfrog, and a heart of pure gold. All told, there are five family members who work the restaurant on a regular basis, and very little turnover in the other positions.

    You can get curb service if you don’t want to leave your car, but then you’d miss the subdued, spotlessly clean interior, mellow mood music, and the entertaining people-watching: an interesting mix of older neighborhood folks, professionals, and blue-collar workers. They are all here for the comfort food and the best fried chicken in town.

    Top Notch’s chicken starts with fresh, local chicken that’s never been frozen. It gets a light coating of batter, and then is fried at a sensible temperature in quality oil that knows its way around a filter, giving you an end product that’s light years ahead of chicken-chain offerings. The crust is smooth, crispy, and light golden brown, while the meat inside is juicy, tender, and flavorful. It’s hard to find chicken like this these days … really hard. You can get the chicken as part of a dinner, with fries, slaw, and Texas toast: $3.99 to $6.19, or as chicken only: $7.29 to $17.19.

    Burgers are probably the next-highest draw, and Top Notch makes a mean burger. The Top Pick ($2.69) features a delicious flame-grilled patty with onions, cheese, and hickory sauce on a grilled bun. We’re partial to the Longhorn ($3.85) with double meat, special sauce, and all the fixin’s. The fries are thin and crispy, without all of the disco coatings you find everywhere today. The onion rings ($2.59) are real onions, hand-battered in corn meal, and perfectly cooked. These rings aren’t the least bit greasy, and have the type of coating that grabs a hold of a dollop of ketchup and won’t let go.

    Chicken sandwiches, hot dogs, chicken-fried steaks, shrimp baskets, fish sandwiches and baskets, the Top Notch has it all, at very reasonable prices. You can even get a Weight Watcher’s Special ($4.59) that has two broiled meat patties, toast, salad, and tea if you feel too guilty about eating the superlative chicken. Top Notch recently celebrated its 30th anniversary (and the $12.95 commemorative T-shirt is to die for!) and it’s been around that long for a reason … trust us.

    Dec 19th, 2007

37. Byron

    Interesting topics here, I have a couple of Boston places you should check out if you’re ever in town to cover the Sox.

    The closest thing that Boston has to Five Guys (awesome burgers) is a place in Kenmore Square (a Manny homer from Fenway) is called UBurger. It opened in the last year and it’s phenomenal. Just a great place.

    Atlantic Fish isn’t too bad for clam chowder, but if you want the real good stuff, you might have to leave Boston. One place to try is in a town called Ipswich known as the Clam Box. It’s about 30 miles north of the city and is worth the drive.

    There’s also a place in South Boston (not the South End) that serves really good sea food called the Daily Catch. Awesome clam chowder. There is also another place in Southie, but I can’t recall what it is. If I do, I’ll post it here.

    There are a ton of bars in the metro-Boston area, but for my money you can’t get better than the Publick House in Brookline. It’s about two miles west of Fenway on Beacon Street. Over 100 beers and none of the begin with Bud or end with Lite. They also make killer mac and cheese.

    Unfortunately Boston doesn’t do BBQ, but my brother in law lives in Atlanta and every time we go down there we go to a place called Fat Matt’s. Amazing BBQ.

    Dec 19th, 2007

38. Mills

    2 Things:

    1) Winstead’s is NOT good. Sorry. As an Iowa transplant - if you are looking for a quick greasy burger (ala In & Out) the best EVER is a place called B-Bops in the Des Moines area. There are about 6 of them is all. I will say it again. Best EVER.

    2) How can you no include Chicago style pizza in the pizza list. I take my pizza eating very seriously (you would know this if you were able to see me). Chicago style pizza is vastly superior to New York style pizza. Think of it like this…would you rather have D’Bronx or Antonio’s? Antonio’s is not even chicago style (just stuffed really), but it still smokes D’Bronx like Charles Barkley taking down Dick Bavetta.
    ******And for your sleeper pizza pick. The OP (Other Place). So good.

    Dec 19th, 2007

39. DosCarlos

    I’ve never been an Arthur Bryant’s fan. For BBQ, I’d say Oklahoma Joe’s and Fiorella’s Jack Stack are at the top of the list. Booche’s in Columbia and Westport Flea Market are my choices for burgers. I haven’t been to New York, but my top pizza joints would be Minsky’s in KC, Shakespeare’s Pizza in Columbia, and Fat Jimmy’s in Louisville.

    Dec 19th, 2007

40. Carl

    Cheesesteak: John’s Roast Pork on Snyder Avenue. I will gladly eat at Pat’s or Geno’s any day of the week, but seriously, this place blows the doors off both of them. The roast pork sandwich is also excellent.

    Dec 19th, 2007

41. Brian Moritz

    For Buffalo wings, Duff’s (in Buffalo) has wings that are as good, if not better, than the original at the Anchor Bar.

    Dec 19th, 2007

42. Dan

    I’m stepping up the plate to admit I’ve never been to any of these restaurants ever. Never been to Iowa, Philly, Delaware, NY, Boston. None! I was in Chicago one day of my life and didn’t honestly have time for food.

    I live in a small rural community in West Michigan. I’ve always wanted to try some good Cheese Steak in Philly, maybe someday. Never had Chicago style pizza, never tasted Clam Chowder ever in my entire life. I feel sheltered and abused.

    Dec 19th, 2007

43. Oddibe Kerfeld

    This tread has almost as many posts as the infamous Chief Wahoo debate. Do they still have Bill Knapp’s in western Michigan? I think they were overrated, but everyone pretended to have their birthday there because you got a discount according to your age. If you were 80 you got an 80% discount, etc. I supose if you were over 100 they would pay you to eat there.

    Dec 19th, 2007

44. Michael

    “Totonno’s on Neptune Ave in Coney Island.”

    Exactly. I barely even count Manhattan as part of the City anymore. If you’re looking for the best of anything there, you’re going to be disappointed.

    And I’m glad that someone as wise as Joe has pointed out that Chicago style just ain’t pizza.

    Dec 19th, 2007

45. Bill Spurr

    Joe, at the risk of contradicting you and the sainted Calvin Trillin, I would submit that it’s impossible to get better ribs than those at Dreamland in Tuscaloosa.

    Dec 19th, 2007

46. Josh

    Can I make a joke about how this big post is rather average?

    No?

    Oh.

    Dec 19th, 2007

47. Pat

    BBQ- Jack Stack

    Burger- West Port Flea Market, but I look forward to trying Fric-and-Frac which I hear is very good

    Beer- Boulevard Wheat (best beer ever)

    *Sleeper Pick: Slice of cheese- Original Pizza (College Blvd. and Antioch location)

    Dec 19th, 2007

48. Dwight K. Schrute

    I’m from the Boston area and my favorite type of pizza is bar pizza (Town Spa in Stoughton, Lynnwood in Randolph, Alumni Cafe in Quincy), but the two best places I’ve ever had actual, real pizza are Giordano’s in Chicago and Pepe’s in New Haven, CT. Can’t speak for or against New York pizza.

    Also, the best “beer bar” in Boston has to be the Sunset Grill in Allston. The first time I walked in there, I asked what they had on draft. The waitress looked at me like I kicked a puppy and then, upon realizing I was a first-timer, politely pointed to the wall behind me. They have 112 beers on tap and at least that many in the bottle.

    Finally, I don’t understand the fuss about Philly cheesesteaks. I went to Geno’s back in June and I got a plain white sub roll with 4-5 pieces of dry, flat steak and soggy onions. Give me a D’Angelo’s sub any day of the week over that crap.

    Dec 19th, 2007

49. Brad Krapfl

    I agree that there are separate categories for St. Louis, Chicago, and New York style Pizza. If you’re going St. Louis style, you can’t top Imo’s, and to that end for some reason the Imo’s across 40 from Forest Park is better than the others. For Chicago style, got to go to Lou Malnati’s, the sausage patty is super duper. For New York, who cares, get Sbarro, it’s all the same.

    Dec 19th, 2007

50. Old Man Duggan

    Best Beer Ever - Schneider’s Aventinus. Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is great, too. I could go on listing about 50 of them. A couple more in the conversation: Summit’s Great Northern Porter, Young’s Oatmeal Stout, Hoegaarden, Duvel.

    Dec 19th, 2007

51. Old Man Duggan

    Oh, and best steak ever:

    Little Thailand’s wok-seared rib-eye. It’s in a pair of conjoined double-wides in Garfield, TX (a town of about 30 people about 10 miles outside east of Austin on TX-71). Sit in the back bar, listen to the jukebox, cut into your rib-eye. You’ll never want to have another steak in your life except for that one.

    Dec 19th, 2007

52. Mark

    Is it OK if I interrupt with a baseball observation — before I go, because suddenly I’m really jonesing for a burger.

    There’s a rule on the books (10.22) that says if the guy with the highest BA doesn’t qualify for the batting championship for too few ABs, you can add the missing ABs — if his average is still higher, he wins the title. Since Thome’s only 8 games short at 3b, add about 30 ABs to his total and I’ll bet he still takes the crown.

    Of course, this pokes a hole in the pure simplicity of the formula… and is probably too complicated for your 1977 calculator.

    Dec 19th, 2007

53. Devin McCullen

    Thanks, Joe. I wasn’t expecting Chipper at third. (Exhibit A in why era adjustments are a good thing.) Interesting to see Cochrane beat out Piazza.

    Dec 19th, 2007

54. Ryan

    The first thing I do after my family picks me up at the KC airport, when I go back home, is hit Gates. We don’t even discuss it.

    I have to say though, I never went to Bryants when I was a kid. The last time I was in town, however, I took some friends there. It’s great stuff.

    Beans: Hard to argue against Jack Stack’s although Gates has good ones.

    Rosedales and Oklahoma Joe’s both quality opponents, but are similar to the Orioles and Blue Jays…always fighting the fight in the same division as the Yankees (Gates) and the Red Sox (Bryants.)

    Also, you can’t get Boulevard Beer in Chicago, because they beer distributors are crooks. Boulevard is the only beer I drink when I’m back in Kansas City.

    Deep Dish: I live in Chicago…nothing has overwhelmed here. I think it’s an overrated food. Good job leaving it off the list.

    Dec 19th, 2007

55. Jason

    best burgers are Krazy Jim’s Blimp Burger in Ann Arbor, MI

    Dec 19th, 2007

56. Ryan

    oh, and Winstead’s rocks.

    Dec 19th, 2007

57. Alex

    Barry Larkin’s big average is .299. I just know he’s going to get screwed by the HOF voters and I will be ticked.

    Dec 19th, 2007

58. Kyle

    For New York, who cares, get Sbarro, it’s all the same.

    While I don’t necessarily agree, this is still hilarious.

    Dec 19th, 2007

59. Mills

    Sbarro is Michael Scott’s favorite NYC pizza.

    Dec 19th, 2007

60. SoxfaninKC

    The only Gates restaurant that serves smoked/barbecued chicken wings is the Gates on State Avenue in Kansas City, KS and it is well worth the trip. Their ribs are good too and for my money, their sauce is the best I’ve ever had.

    Dec 19th, 2007

61. Marty

    From the left coast:

    Best Pastrami sandwich in the country: Langers in L.A.
    Best Burger: Hawkin’s House O Burgers in Altadena

    Dec 20th, 2007

62. Jeremie

    Having to picking between Gates and Jack Stack is like having to pick your favorite Jessica - Biel or Simpson. Just enjoy both and be grateful for the experience.

    And Boulevard Wheat Beer…nothing better. Not up for discussion.

    Dec 20th, 2007

63. TK

    Skyline “chili” is awful. And I’m from Ohio (granted, I’m from the NE corner).

    But if you want great wings, go to Quaker Steak and Lube in Sharon, PA. They have locations sprouting up all over Ohio (and at a few airports), but you can’t beat the original location.

    As for cheesesteaks, you have to go to Jim’s. So much better than Pat’s or Geno’s.

    Dec 20th, 2007

64. John

    A few people have mentioned Pepe’s in New Haven. I agree. It’s very, very good. The Spot, also in NH is just as good as Pepe’s or Sally’s. You can’t go wrong with any of them. Zuppardi’s in West Haven, too, but I haven’t been back in a while and I don’t know if it’s still there or still owned by the same folks.

    Dec 20th, 2007

65. Jeff

    For Pizza discussion, it’s not that Chicago pizza isn’t good, just that it’s a whole different animal…sort of like comparing deli sandwiches to subs (or hoagies, heros, grinders or whatever you call them where you live). I will second the Frank Pepe’s recommendation and also tell you to try Brooklyn, which often has less heralded but superior locations to Manhattan.

    To the person who suggested that Langers has the best Pastrami, having lived in both LA and NY, I can say that Langers is a competitor for the West Coast title, but doesn’t hold a candle to Katz’s or 2nd Avenue Deli in NY…putting an LA deli up against NY is like comparing amateurs with professionals.

    So many great burgers that it’s hard to pick one, so a few recommendations:
    1) The Awful Awful at the little Nugget in Reno, NV. Go to the greasy spoon in the back of the little Nugget across from Harrah’s if you’re ever in Reno — the Awful Awful is among the best burgers anywhere, served on a great onion bun and atop a massive mound of seasoned fries.
    2) Shackburger — The Shack in Playa del Rey , CA (also locations in Santa Monica, Littleton, CO and 3 in Hawaii) — The Shackburger (with a Louisiana Hot Link), is the best and most unique burger in LA, which is, surprisingly, a great burger town.
    3) Chain Division - Fatburger - In ‘n Out is great, but a Fatburger on the char grill (have to ask specifically or they fry it) is heaven on a bun. No chain I’ve tried can compare. For adventurous types, try the Fatburger with a fried egg.

    For really great chowder, you need to get out of Boston and up to the Maine coast — among others, I’m a big fan of chowder at The Thirsty Whale in Bar Harbor, but just go to any Maine coastal town and ask the locals. Legal’s substitution of onions for other ingredients is a bit disconcerting….

    By the way, selecting a “best Jessica” without mentioning Alba is a bit like picking a greates rock band without considering the Rolling Stones. You might prefer Simpson or Biel, but Alba has to at least be in the set.

    Cheers,
    Jeff

    Dec 22nd, 2007

66. Jedidiah

    So I’m wasting some time at work on a Friday afternoon reading through the archives here, and I can’t believe that LC’s BBQ isn’t getting any love. I love Gates and Bryants, but I never go to KC without going to LC’s at least once.

    Mar 14th, 2008

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