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Post Your Top Ten of 2006!

Post Your Top Ten of 2006!
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  • Post #61 - January 10th, 2007, 6:34 pm
    Post #61 - January 10th, 2007, 6:34 pm Post #61 - January 10th, 2007, 6:34 pm
    cilantro wrote:
    trixie-pea wrote:
    Worst:

    Bari – Italian Sub

    Hey, nobody seems to have noticed this or maybe they already know, but I thought that Bari was rather highly regarded around these parts. So what's the story here?

    I've not tried Bari yet, but I do enjoy Riviera's sandwiches quite a bit. For me, the weak part is the bread -- I have yet to get anything younger than a one-day-old roll that probably didn't taste all that good even when fresh. The filling more than makes up for it, but we really need Amoroso's in this town.


    I love the feel of Bari, but never really got the allure of the sandwich. I kept trying it on a number of occasions, feeling that it was consistently mediocre. A few months ago Pig and I went and ordered a proscuitto/mozzerella and an "Italian" sandwich. I just thought that the ingredients, especially the meats, tasted of a lower grade than I had recalled. Maybe it had to do with the fact that the meats were sliced thicker than normal, and they tasted tired, tough, and sweaty. I realize to say that it was one of the worst things I've eaten all year seems a little harsh, and perhaps unwarranted--but I tell you, I could barely swallow it. Pig and I walked there from our house (2+ miles) and we were starving when we got there--and neither one of us could eat more than a bite or two of each. Something was up.

    I've never done it, but I'd be interested in doing a side-by-side with Riviera--just tasting the cured meats. I think that Rivera's meats are fantastic, and have no problem driving the extra 7 or 8 miles past Bari to procure them. When there's such an overwhelming positive sentiment for a restaurant, I sometimes feel that maybe I'm missing something, but I think it's safe to say at this point, that I'm not a fan of Bari sandwiches.

    Cilantro, I agree with you about the bread at Riviera. It often takes over the meats. I usually end up taking off the top, and eating my Riviera sandwiches open-face. I'd be interested in hearing what you think of Bari. Do report back if you try them out.

    *trixie-pea*
  • Post #62 - January 10th, 2007, 10:01 pm
    Post #62 - January 10th, 2007, 10:01 pm Post #62 - January 10th, 2007, 10:01 pm
    When it comes to amazing food, 2006 was a great year for Ms. Greasy Spoon and myself. And I think we can confidently say that it mostly had to do with this site... It's a meager list. But it is entirely filled with firsts for us in 2006... (in no particular order)

    - Apple fritter @ Old Fashioned Donut
    - Pepperoni, mushroom & black olive pizza @ Burt's
    - Delirium Tremens @ Hopleaf
    - Taco & orxata marathon, toped off with a churro & cafe con leche@ Maxwell Street Market
    - Pear Martini @ China Grill
    - Hackepeter & Veal Chops @ Laschet's
    - Chocolate Martini @ Dante's (now closed)
    - Italian Sub @ Bari
    - Empanadas & Caipirinhas @ ñ
    - Kadu & Kabab-e-lamb @ Kabul House on Halsted (now closed)

    ~GS
    Last edited by Greasy Spoon on January 11th, 2007, 6:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.
    Greasy Spoon
  • Post #63 - January 10th, 2007, 10:12 pm
    Post #63 - January 10th, 2007, 10:12 pm Post #63 - January 10th, 2007, 10:12 pm
    I have probably had 50 Bari subs-- my friend and frequent work collaborator Wyatt lived on the third floor for years, now another friend of ours does-- and I have noticed variation between them to this degree:

    D'Amato's bread 3 hours old or less: sublime
    D'Amato's bread over 3 hours old: terrific

    Now I will say, Riviera probably beats Bari on the quality of many meats, certainly how Old World they taste-- my first comment about Riviera was that it smelled more like being in Europe than any other place in Chicago. But making a great Riviera sandwich is a challenge to which one may or may not rise on any given day; you may choose the wrong bread, meat and cheese which do not meld perfectly, etc. Do it right, sure, you get a sandwich named for you. But that's hard. Where a Bari sub is a thing, greater than the sum of its parts; just ask, and you shall receive glory, a harmonious blending of lunch meat, cheese, diaphanously fresh bread, oil and spicy giardiniera.

    So anyway, yeah, man, something musta gone wrong. Bari rocks, just look at it:

    Image
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  • Post #64 - January 11th, 2007, 10:38 am
    Post #64 - January 11th, 2007, 10:38 am Post #64 - January 11th, 2007, 10:38 am
    I'm reluctant to post anything less than a glowing review of such a board favorite, but I am not a big fan of Bari's. Italian subs are a regional specialty of south eastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware. Since I grew up in that area, I have a pre-concieved notion of what an Italian sub should contain,and what it should taste like. While the bread is very fresh and tasty at Bari, it is not the right kind of bread for me. The meats are OK, but not noteworthy, and the other ingredients just don't taste right to me. I have an open mind, and I'm willing to try again, but Riviera might be my next stop.
  • Post #65 - January 11th, 2007, 10:48 am
    Post #65 - January 11th, 2007, 10:48 am Post #65 - January 11th, 2007, 10:48 am
    FrankP wrote:I'm reluctant to post anything less than a glowing review of such a board favorite, but I am not a big fan of Bari's. Italian subs are a regional specialty of south eastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware. Since I grew up in that area, I have a pre-concieved notion of what an Italian sub should contain,and what it should taste like. While the bread is very fresh and tasty at Bari, it is not the right kind of bread for me. The meats are OK, but not noteworthy, and the other ingredients just don't taste right to me. I have an open mind, and I'm willing to try again, but Riviera might be my next stop.


    I would say that Italian subs are a regional specialty of lower New England and the upper mid-Atlantic states, not just PA and DE. I love Bari subs, and have never had one mediocre sub there (although I have had a mediocre sub at The Riviera, and not just because of the bread). To this day, my favorite Italian-style "grinders" come from an Italian market called Carbone's, in Torrington, Connecticut. Two things distinguish Bari, in my opinion, from Carbone's. One is the bread, which, while fresh and tasty, is too crispy and doesn't have the appropriate softness and "yieldiness." Two is that Bari's subs are missing a standard roasted pepper garnish which has a certain tang along with sweetness. (And before any jumps up to tell me that Bari has roasted peppers, I've tried them, and they're not the same.)

    Carbone's
    221 Oak Ave
    Torrington, CT 06790
  • Post #66 - January 11th, 2007, 11:09 am
    Post #66 - January 11th, 2007, 11:09 am Post #66 - January 11th, 2007, 11:09 am
    While I absolutely love Bari and go there whenever I'm in the neighborhood, I'd agree that their Italian sub is outshined by a couple of others I've had nationally. It's mostly a function of the bread (which I love) not being the right consistency for what I perceive to be the perfect Italian sub/grinder/hero (I agree it's too hard for that application) and there not being enough seasoning or dressing to really give it any zest. Maybe I prefer a low-brow version of Italian subs. That being said, it'd be in my top 5 Italians.

    I normally forgo their Italian and instead get smoked turkey, muenster, sun dried tomatoes, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes and mustard. That combination from them is one my all time favorite sandwiches, one which the amazingly crusty bread is perfect for, and one I'll drive 45 minutes round trip to get.
  • Post #67 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am
    Post #67 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am Post #67 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am
    if we're talking subs, i'll take fontanos off of taylor.
    "In pursuit of joys untasted"
    from Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata
  • Post #68 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am
    Post #68 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am Post #68 - January 11th, 2007, 11:45 am
    Here is my top ten list for 2006, Chicagoland area only. (In no particular order)

    1. Diavola pizza at Spacca Napoli
    2. Aged Ribeye at David Burke
    3. Steak Taco with cilantro and onion at La Pasadita
    4. Lamb and Beef lavash (sp?) with harissa at Semiramis
    5. West Town Potato Chips-West Town Tavern
    6. Anything off the varied cheese list with wine at Bin 36 Cafe
    7. Hot Links-Honey 1
    8. Strongbow (draught) at Elephant & Castle
    9. Burger-Rosebud
    10. Lobster on "Lobster-Night" at Sabatinos.
  • Post #69 - January 11th, 2007, 12:25 pm
    Post #69 - January 11th, 2007, 12:25 pm Post #69 - January 11th, 2007, 12:25 pm
    aschie30 wrote:I would say that Italian subs are a regional specialty of lower New England and the upper mid-Atlantic states, not just PA and DE.


    I imagine you're right, but I moved away quite a while ago and have not explored many sub shops outside Chicago or the area I mentioned. As a quick aside, there was a sub shop in Chattanooga that was started by a native of Philadelphia. He had the good bread, and to this day, it is the only Italian sub I've had off the east coast that met my ideal.

    I totally agree with you on the bread. Bari's has a crisp exterior, and I prefer the bread with a softer crust and more chew. The peppers here are just not right. I always ordered subs with hot and sweet peppers. Hot peppers are cherry peppers, not giardinera, sweet peppers were just as you describe. My favorite place, Penny Hill Sub Shop, closed years ago. When I get back to Delaware, I tend to go to Capriotti's http://www.capriottis.com/. Before someone jumps in with their lousy sandwich at Capriotti's story, or an explanation for why all chain restaurants are inferior, the place I starting going to as a kid, and still go to, is their original location on Union St. I can't vouch for any sandwich at what are now, many other locations.
  • Post #70 - January 11th, 2007, 2:02 pm
    Post #70 - January 11th, 2007, 2:02 pm Post #70 - January 11th, 2007, 2:02 pm
    Here's my list, in no particular order:

    Top 10 (with an inadvertent bias for places within a mile of my house)

    Ropa vieja, El Rinconcito Cubano

    Jonah crab and fried green tomato, Lula Café (first course of a Monday farm dinner)

    Baklava, Pan Hellenic Pastry Shop

    Muhammara (roasted red pepper and pomegranate molasses spread: epicurious.com recipe), my mother’s house in Lisle

    Corvina in poblano cream with house-made red salsa, Fonda del Mar

    Small plates (patlican salatasi, grilled portobello in red pepper cream, marinated seafood salad, homemade Turkish bread), Turquoise Cafe

    Chiles rellenos, El Pacifico

    Grilled skirt steak w/ truffle-poblano vinaigrette, Scylla (Green City Market benefit, July)

    Spicy white tuna maki, Hachi’s Kitchen

    Atlas tagine with chicken, Marakkech


    Honorable mentions:

    Reuben sandwich, Peaches Restaurant, Richland Center, WI

    Jerk chicken, The Winds Café

    Chirashi with greens, Capra’s Café

    Marinated beet salad with herb vinaigrette, prepared at home from Angelic Organics red and yellow beets and seasonal herbs

    Veal hot dog w/ natural casing, Kurowski’s Sausage Shop
  • Post #71 - January 11th, 2007, 3:17 pm
    Post #71 - January 11th, 2007, 3:17 pm Post #71 - January 11th, 2007, 3:17 pm
    Ralph Wiggum wrote: It's mostly a function of the bread (which I love) not being the right consistency for what I perceive to be the perfect Italian sub/grinder/hero (I agree it's too hard for that application) and there not being enough seasoning or dressing to really give it any zest.


    Next time, order the sub with their extra spicy giardinare. You'll be zested up the wazoo!
    Steve Z.

    “Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.”
    ― Ludwig van Beethoven
  • Post #72 - January 11th, 2007, 4:55 pm
    Post #72 - January 11th, 2007, 4:55 pm Post #72 - January 11th, 2007, 4:55 pm
    :lol: I think we're talking about different zest. For me, hot/spicy, isn't the taste of a perfect italian sub. It's more of an oil/vinegar/seasoning thing I'm after than a burn your mouth with hot pepper mix.
  • Post #73 - January 12th, 2007, 10:57 am
    Post #73 - January 12th, 2007, 10:57 am Post #73 - January 12th, 2007, 10:57 am
    But making a great Riviera sandwich is a challenge to which one may or may not rise on any given day


    I have to agree 100% on this.

    Quality of the meats: A+
    Quality of the finished sandwich: ? (This is really so dependent on so many different factors, I couldn't begin to give a grade. One thing I can say for certain, if you order from the menu, you're likely to be disappointed; the only successful sandwiches I've ever had, have been the customized ones.)
    Value: B+ (They do, however, give you a lot of meat [high quality] and bread [often not-so-good quality] for the money.
    "The fork with two prongs is in use in northern Europe. In England, they’re armed with a steel trident, a fork with three prongs. In France we have a fork with four prongs; it’s the height of civilization." Eugene Briffault (1846)

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