My blog n'at

I’ve made it a personal mission to eat in as many Pho restaurants as I can in Pittsburgh. There isn’t a timetable so I can ease into each restaurant and make sure i’m in the mood for Pho. It’s a spiritual thing after all.

This trip took me to Mekong in Dormont. I’ve diven by it a few times and based on the reviews from Urbanspoon I figured it would be a nice little treat while Lushie and teaspoon were away last weekend.

The restaurant is very quaint with enough room for a small handful of tables. I took a peek at other dishes patrons were enjoying and every single one looked bountiful. One menu item caught my eye, Deluxe Eggroll. Turns out for $4 more it comes crammed with curry and shrimp. I stuck to my guns and when the very pleasant server arrived placed an order for a single eggroll and Pho. I know my stomach and that much food could slip me into a coma. As luck would have it  the eggroll had very chewy dough inside.

The Pho arrives and the bowl isn’t as big as Vietnam’s Pho but it does win on visual appeal (the pic above doesn’t do it justice). First thing I did see what that the broth was darker than usual. I let it sit so the beef could cook a bit and when I took the first taste I came up with a mouthful of bloody beef. I started to look at the meat and 1/2 of it was still mostly raw. I’m all about flavor in my beef but the time I waited the beef usually continues to cook but the temp was lukewarm. I picked out the pieces that were done, fished off the noodles and left the broth. I really did try to stomach it but the blood was too overpowering.

I will go back for other menu items and try them out but the Pho is something I’ll have to pass on.

If you’d like to meet for Pho sometime shoot me a message.

Lushie, Teaspoon and I pulled into the McDonalds drive-thru this morning and it wasn’t until I saw on their sign that there were new menu items. I’m not a big breakfast meal person so I usually just cruise by the fast food places while eating a breakfast bar. I’m always up for new items so I gave that a shot plus ordered food for the family. Normally I’d let them starve but I was feeling generous today and Lushie was buying.

Lets start with the food first. The Steak Egg McMuffin (not on website or I’d link) was a pleasant surprise. The butter was really pronounced on the steak but the meat was rather dry sitting on top of an overcooked egg and between chewy muffins, yeah not good. Overall as a meal it wasn’t bad but the dryness was a bit much.

OK, now with the fun part. As I pull up to the cashier she asks if I would like to fill out a survey and in return get $5. I figured taking an online survey would be fast and an easy $5 Lushie could use when she’s out with the kid. That’s when I got this…

That would be a NINE PAGE PAPER SURVEY! That’s right, its paper and there isn’t even an option to fill it out online! For a second I thought I was in a McDonalds Time Machine to 1995 and was waiting for my no. 2 pencil to arrive. If you click on the image you can see that I have 48 hours to fill it out and mail it (how on earth you’re going to do this tracking with snail mail is beyond me).

This is McDonalds, the overall king of fast food with innovative web marketing for its multi kajillion dollar company yet they’re making me fill out paper? Oh we’re not done yet. I start reading the questions and its like a tax form. There are codes look up for certain items, don’t fill out this if you answered A and B but do if you filled out C, your hair is brown and you like turtles.

I’ve taken the liberty of scanning this so you can see the insanity yourself. You can download the pdf here.

Now the kicker, at the very end they ask FOR YOUR EMAIL and it will take 4-5 weeks for delivery of the coupon. Needless to say I’m not wasting my time filling out 9 pages for $5. I’ve passed this along to colleagues who will most likely use it in their Marketing/PR classes for what not to do. The amount of money spent on this must be epic when you think about it. They printed up the survey, the envelope to give it to me and the envelope to send back PLUS paid for postage.

How do you handle this in 2010? Hand out business card size err cards at drive through with a surveymonkey link (I’ve done many forms online to know this would be no problem and really easy) and at the end of every day/week you run a report to get the info. Bam you’re done. You have instant feedback and can turn the reward around fast. Heck we’ve done shorter surveys with $50 itunes and $25 Starbucks gift certificates to hundreds of people.  $5 is just enough for a value meal, you could have given me a coupon to print out at the end and saved the postage.

If you want to find out more about how social media can save you from making costly (seriously, I’m just thinking about the money spent on printing and shipping and man hours to enter the data INTO A COMPUTER)  mistakes come to Podcamp Pittsburgh 5.  You can hear people like me talk and educate for FREE.

Lushie picked up beef kabobs from Giant Eagle for dinner tonight. They’re soaked in red wine (don’t ask me which, its not on the sign). Really, how can you go wrong?

Saturday while in 85F heat we thought “Hey, this would be a great day to take Teaspoon to the Arts Festival!” OK I’ll be honest, it wasn’t as bad as it sounds for him, he was under shade with a constant breeze and sunscreen while I was the dumbass walking around in shorts, sneakers, wait for it… and 2 shirts. Whenever I wear a polo I always have a t-shirt on underneath it. As luck, and my wardrobe would have it a black tshirt. Fluffy guys don’t like the heat so no matter what I’m screwed for the next 3 months.

The Arts Festival is very cool event to check out if you’re in Pittsburgh the first 2 weeks of June each year but make sure you pack an umbrella because it ALWAYS rains at some point. (Not simple shower rain but monsoon downpour and on this day though, it was just freaking hot). You can walk around Point State Park and the area surrounding Gateway Center to find incredible pieces of work from artists all over the country. That maybe why you go. Me, I’m there for one thing, festival food!

We gave Teaspoon his first taste of a staple in Pittsburgh cuisine with a small piece of Funnel Cake. He did 3 chews, looked confused and promptly spit it out to go back to his crackers. Don’t worry bud, I’m not a big fan either. Lushie settled on her go-to of fresh lemonade and I hit the sausage tent with fresh peppers. I don’t know why but that is my go-to when I see things like seafood being served by a guy that hasn’t washed in a couple days. I just can’t justify eating seafood that’s been sitting out all day in the heat and then gets cooked in front of you. I’d have an alien coming out of me.

The festival season for me has started and we’ll make our way to a few key parish festivals so I can humiliate old people with my crazy bingo skills. I grew up on church festivals and work a couple carnivals (Harborfest woooo)  so I appreciate any events like the arts fest or any outdoor event.

I enjoy walking around with my wife and son to public fairs which is odd because even 5 years ago i scoffed at the idea.

Maybe I’m at that point in my life now where I find joy in simple family outings like this.

Maybe I just really want to find the ultimate festival food

Maybe I’m becoming my dad…

The deal is done and I am now officially a home owner. I have to admit that the entire process wasn’t that bad and I’ve been told we were fortunate. The couple we bought off of were really nice and in fact this was their first house also. They told us about the neighbors, the best places to eat and who has delivery. It’ll be different that’s for sure especially when I have to fix my first thing and not wait for the landlord to come over 3 months later.

Signing the papers was very laid back and we were done within an hour. I couldn’t tell you what half the papers were I signed (I think I bought a bridge) but by the time I was done my hand was sore and all I could think of was “goddamn I betcha Red Lobster would be fantastic right now” so we did it.

We had someone watching Teaspoon for us and since this was the first dinner alone we’ve had in over a year we savored every bite. Half way through my glorious meal it hit me. I took Lushie’s hand and said “Holy shit we own a freaking house!” We looked at the papers once more and there it was, the mortgage would be paid off in 2040. We would be 64. Talk about a kick square in the nuts.

I know you’re wondering too; here’s what I had at Red Lobster. Lobster tail, bacon wrapped scallops, bourbon glazed shrimp on mashed taters and a corn mix

Next up is moving and we’re farther along than most people think. My question to parents is how the heck do you move with a kid since his crap has to get boxed up also. Teaspoon is already pitching a fit.

I’ve recruited my moving team. All of them are rookies to moving us so you vets can sit back and snicker. Fortunately for them the heavy pull-out couch has been gone for awhile and there is nothing else that creates that many obscenities.

We have a lot more surprises coming up. stay tuned!

I posted on Twitter that I was going to eat one of these bad boys. The reactions were pretty solid.

Lushie: why are you eating that crap. Now you get salad for dinner
jlknott: Man. I’ll miss you when you’re dead of a coronary infarction.
chachisays: that looks glorious.
k9radiotiki: Get out the defibulator…STAT…
burghbaby: I’m rather impressed you survived that adventure.
w0m: most impressive
FunkyDung: Shhhh…You don’t want the FDA’s food gestapo to hear you!!!
jayesel: I can’t believe you bought one! Your arteries are crying out for mercy
ScareHouseScott: Witnesses on the scene of a man’s fatal coronary say his final words were “holy crap is it salty.” Live coverage tonight at 5
TwinmamaTeb: I can hear your arteries crying from here

Here are the nutritional facts and info from the KFC Double Down website:

“The new KFC Double Down sandwich is real! This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun! “

For some reason everyone fears this meal so I figured “eh, why not?”. People, let me break this down easy for you. It’s 2 thin chicken fillets with light portion of bacon, slice of cheese and some sauce. It is better than most things on the KFC menu or in fact most fast food items. Because of its packaging and marketing everyone things this is a death meal when in fact its just a salty gooey mess… wait, that sounds bad doesn’t it.

Anyways take a look at the KFC Nutritional Guide (pdf) and look at the sodium and calories in most of those single items. You order a 2-3 piece meal and you’re already beating out the Double Down.

My Thoughts
Overpriced for the meal. It was very salty, little bacon and the cheese was chewy. I ordered the Original Recipe and thought the chicken was cooked perfect; mildly juice and not dry. Skin and breading was crunchy and a little peppery but again the salt started to ruin it.

I’ve found that each KFC in the Pittsburgh area is different. You never get the same tasting chicken (honestly most are WAY off) and the service is generally bad but the one in Moon Township was a beacon for customer service and a pleasant ordering experience. Whenever I get my KFC shakes I may have to go back, unfortunately it’ll be cold by the time I get it home for the fam.

The Burger King Whopper is hands down my favorite fast food burger of all time.  You mess with it and I get stabby. Throw some bacon on it and we could have a potential kegger in the belly. Or at least that’s what I thought when I saw the sign for it.

What you see above is a medium value meal priced at $7.59 That seemed a bit much but knowing how delicious a Whopper can be I figured the higher price was due to the bacon. Since I review craft beers lets take that approach.

Visibility
The first thing I noticed, the cheese is barely even melted. I’d expect this from a mom and pop joint not the King. Scratch that, anyone who knows how to grill a damn burger knows how to melt the cheese. The bacon is then totally worthless in this because of all the crap they piled on top and the beef patty is thinner than anything I’ve seen from a McDonalds. See, this is why I hate when you mess with a classic. Not to mention that it looks like someone sat on it before they wrapped it.

Aroma
Its a burger.

Taste
The only way to recreate this would be to get a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of mayo and squeeze both in your mouth while trying to eat meat. No bacon taste whatsoever. I didn’t even notice the lettuce until I edited the pictures

Body
I pulled out (I giggled too, go ahead) my trusty Handy Manny tape measure and wasnt shocked this was under 2 inches.

The regular Whopper, in all of its gloriousness, is a solid 3-4 inches of burger perfection.

*sigh* Burger King you have failed me.

Spoon rating: D

We’ll call this one a draw…

If you can finish that lyric of who I’m mocking you are one bad mofo and we should have drinks.

Last night was the crazy insanely hugely successful Tweet-up organized by Uncle Crappy at Vietnam’s Pho. In attendance (christ I hope I get all these right from what I remember on where people sat) – @Techburgh and his lady, @Beth910 and The Boy, @psylum, @douglasderda, @Bobtv and his girlfriend, @colindean, @illyrias, @ilikesleep, @pgha, @jamilbroom, @mrscrappy, @unclecrappy, @andreadisaster, @shanlin1022, and  @shadow.

The Dinner – Don’t even ask me what everyone had cuz that’s not happening. However I do recall @shadow taking a bath in the chili sauce. You know he was shooting fireballs about later, he just wont admit to it. You know you have a friend like that. No matter what they eat its not hot enough? That’s @shadow.  One of these days I’ll make him cry from heat. Lushie may need to break out her home made wing sauce that cleared a high rise with tears.

The Pho - I dined on an appetizer of Goi Cuon (Spring Roll w/shrimp, pork, vermicelli and fresh veggies rolled in rice paper with a peanut dipping sauce) and finally caved for the Pho Dac Biet (Beef Round Eye, Flank, Tendon, Tripe, Brisket, Beef Balls and noodles). You read that correctly, tendon and tripe. The tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and the first three chambers of a cow’s stomach. Thankfully the Beef Balls were these and not these as I feared.

The tendon was a mess as always so I just picked most of it out but the tripe was mind blowing. You have to get past the mental fact that you’re eating part of a cow’s stomach and dig in. It takes on the flavor of what its in so it consumed the beefy goodness of the broth. The Beef Balls were an odd texture but tasted decent. Kinda chewy and what i would expect heart to be like. Everyone else around me seemed to have been won over on their dishes which secretly really made me happy. I think more people need to open their minds and give this a try as you can order a simple dish of broth, meat and noodles to enjoy. Work your way up to the big boy stuff !  Our final bill, $170.  that’s right, 20 people ate full meals and drinks for $170. You can figure the math

Highlight was also finding out that it is BYOB and with a few growlers of East End beverages in hand I think a Pho-king-beer tasting will be coming up shortly.

Dare I say the Pho was spiritual? On the drive home I thought I saw God and he was eating a bowl of Pho also and drinking a beer.

Here are a few other pics

cheers!

The Pho jokes just never stop around here. You may recall that back in July I had my first bowl of Pho while contacting in the Strip. Since then it’s grown to an addiction that finally consumed my dear friend Uncle Crappy and spawned what will be my first official “tweet-up” attendance… I think. There’s a good chance I was a part of a tweet-up and didn’t know it.

If you’re in Pittsburgh, join us for a PHO-DOWN!
1. Show up at Vietnam’s Pho.
2. Eat.
3. Go home happy.

I never said these things were difficult. Complete details are at http://pittsburghtweetup.ning.com/events/pho-down

Would a fluffy guy like myself says something is good, you should probably listen.  Come be one of the Pho-king cool kids in Pittsburgh tonight!

July
Began the month with recording at the BeerDependence Day celebration at Bocktown. Attended the Penguins Stanley Cup DVD Release Party. Started a contracting job at EDMC that would become the longest month of my life and that’s all I’m going to say. Enjoyed my first ever bowl of Pho. Rocked the Beer on the Bay festival in Erie which the videos are epic and may never be released. End the month being interviewed by KDKA for the Craft Beer Summit.

August
Won a 2009 Mustang! Bees invade our bathroom (landlord still has yet to remove the dead bodies). I got a full-time job in social media/web dev that has turned out to be freaking cool plus I’m on a rockstar team. Threatened Lushie with divorce after she gets rid of the Back to the Future marathon channels.

September
Attended “Best of the Burgh” at the Warhol with sickpuppy, PittGirl, Woy and Rachel. Go big time and hosted Beer School at the Cabaret downtown to a sold out crowd. Teaspoon hits 17lbs.

October
Hosted 2 sessions at Podcamp Pittsburgh 4. Should I Drink That passed 500,000 download mark. Pens start defending the Stanley Cup. Revised Google Maps errors. Celebrate 4 years of marriage with Lushie. Lay the smackdown on poor fact checking by the Post gazette about Erie. Teaspoon goes pumpkin farming.

November
I blogged the whole month. Seriously. Bought a X-box. Teaspoon’s first Thanksgiving. Wonders of fatherhood and a kid who grows like a weed. Craft Beer Dinner with Lew Bryson, Education on the Pittsburgh Potty. Making your own Bacon. BEER AT GIANT EAGLE! Yinz Bowl 2.o

December
Still living it for 5 more hours. Remembering dad on his anniversary. Hosted a Christmas beer sampling at Bocktown. Saw KISS in concert. Teaspoon’s first Christmas. Finished the school year with a 3.65GPA. SNOW!

So what do I have to look forward to in 2010?  Come back tomorrow and find out!