09/28/2024
Chef Z's Journey to the Food Truck Life:
Part Three "My Favorite Foods”
My favorite foods are Cuban sandwiches, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches, Gyros, really good burgers, original buffalo wings, Pizza, barbecue pork sandwiches, Italian, and of course an amazing thick cut steak. Desert?...Well, Hippie Little Donuts of course! 🙂
Here is a list of U.S. restaurants I visited during my travels for you to try:
1. Cuban Sandwiches are my favorite when traveling through Florida. You would think the best Cuban sandwich would be in Miami, but so far my recommendation is for a restaurant in Georgia off Chamblee Tucker Rd., called Little Cuba. This is also the only restaurant on the planet that I have been to that knows how to properly freeze a beer "Mug" with a perfectly chilled bottle, and when visiting this restaurant, I prefer a Modelo Negro. When you pour from the bottle in to their frozen Mug, a perfect amount of lightly frozen froth builds at the top, and it is the coldest most refreshing beer you will ever have. Unfortunately, I believe they have either closed down or changed ownership, so I don't know if this spot is as good as it was.
2. I love Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches, and i've eaten my fair share of them. I prefer a classic Philly with grilled onions, peppers and mushrooms...Never mess up a classic Philly. So, my recommendation for the best Philly on the planet goes to Penn Station East Coast Subs located in Northern states! Now, back in the day as a kid, I did love Philly Connection!
3. Classic Authentic Greek Gyros are so delicious! Classic Authentic Gyros are unfortunately a difficult find. Some of these new chains offering all kinds of Gyros don’t even use or serve, nor do their employees even know what authentic Gyro meat is. If you are lucky, you will find an old school Greek hole-in-the-wall restaurant that’s been around for 40 years that serves you authentic Greek ingredients. So, aside from that and believe it or not, some of the best Gyros I’ve ever had were at shopping malls across the United States. However, the two best Gyros I’ve had in the past two years were at the little spot in PCB wedged in the Ms Newby's bar between the outdoor bar entrance and the liquor store entrance. The first secret to an amazing Gyro is the perfectly seasoned a properly cooked ground lamb and lean ground beef then layered between each other and frozen. Then, you reheat on a vertical rotisserie and slice downward capturing both meats for the best flavor. The second secret is the perfect Tzatziki sauce. My friend Donna Demetra Dennison made me Gyros this year and let me tell you they were the best I’ve ever had, and she has a family recipe of the best Tzatziki sauce I’ve ever enjoyed.
4. Burgers! I’ve tried many burgers all over because I just love burgers, so it’s hard for me to give you a recommendation. However, during one of my last trips I visited Frisch's Big Boy in Ohio. They have an amazing burger and the best home-made Coconut Creme Pie you’ll ever have! Now, I am going to give you my recommendation for here in Port St. Joe and Mexico Beach Florida. Hands down, the best burger I’ve had so far is at Richey's Roadhouse Grill, and I can’t stop going back. When I go to Richie’s, I get a double burger with everything they have to put on top and with double bacon and extra cheese. My second recommendation is the Hangover Burger with everything on top, bacon and an over easy egg at The Brick Wall Sports Bar & Grillee in PSJ.
5. Buffalo Wings are one of my favorite go to foods for a quick choice. However, now days restaurants are trying too many sauces and styles and honestly they are mostly all unappealing to me. I happen to like a bit of a medium thickness to my wings and a traditional buffalo sauce, but without all that butter. One of the best sized wings and sauces I’ve had are actually at Taco Mac. So far, I haven’t had any good wings in PSJ, MB, or PCB. If anyone knows of a good place, please recommend them here.
6. Pizza…So, I love a good old classic New York style sliced pizza, and I also love a great thick meat lovers pizza with banana peppers and mushrooms smothered in ### cheese. I had the The The Italian Kitchen in PSJ when they first opened and it was a good pizza. The the best pizza I had in Mexico Beach, so far, was at the new Forgotten Coast Brewing Co. However, they unfortunately changed their crust and now I’m not a fan, so I hope they get their original crust back. If they do, I'll be back for more (I'm already there often for our very own locally brewed beer). I do have a third where i've never been disappointed and they are WindMark Beach - Bruno's Pizza. There are a few more pizza places and food trucks in PSJ and MB I still have to try.
7. I am very picky on my Barbecue and I will get angry if I spend money on any type of barbecue and it ain’t no good. Barbecue pork sandwiches with the flavor and tenderness I love, are a hard find anywhere. I do not have any recommendations, and I don’t know of any in PSJ, MB or PCB. If you have a recommendation, please respond!
8. Italian Foods are a dime a dozen and usually mediocre and overpriced. I actually prefer to cook at home if I want good Italian because no one is going to make better Italian the way I like it other than me for myself. In PSJ you have The Italian Kitchen and everything that I’ve had on the menu, at least one time, has always been amazing. However, unfortunately for some of us locals, we can’t afford to eat there because they are highly overpriced for a small town, and even overpriced for tourists. So, between PSJ, MB, and PCB, I would stay away from Italian restaurants…I also feel the same way about Italian restaurants in Atlanta. I will tell you that our very own Chef Max here in PSJ has made one of the best marinara sauces i've ever had with some of the best meatballs i've ever had. Unfortunately, you'll only be able to get this amazing dish if he cooks for you privately, but if he would, you should hire him for a private dinner.
9. And, here we go…Steak! Hands down the best steak I’ve ever had was at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Atlanta and it was the Tomahawk Steak…Enough said. The second best steak I’ve ever had was at Hal's "The Steakhouse" in Atlanta and you can take your pic because all their steaks are amazing! Now, in all of PSJ, SJB, MB, PCB and all the way until you reach Atlanta, the best steak I’ve ever had was a thick-cut Filet, so tender you could cut with a butter knife, and this was made by Chef KC who now manages Krazy Fish in PSJ. This is not a plug to have you go visit Krazy Fish…Unless, you’re doing it to go visit with Chef KC and give him some kudos for the amazing menu he has created. Also, if you want an amazing meal cooked privately in front of you, Chef KC is worth every penny. 🙂
10. Donuts...Who will I choose? 🙂 So, I literally love all donuts everywhere, and I always try new shops when I travel. My favorite donuts for the past two years is Weber's Little Donut Shop Cape San Blas. My next favorite local shop is Sweet Bunz Donuts and I lover their blueberry and sour cream donuts. However, I can't lie and say I don't love my own donuts...in fact, i've had to stop eating them because I find them to be amazingly delicious...Especially the Hippie Little Donuts Home-Made Cream Cheese Iced Donuts. Holy Donut Batman! Most of our customers seem to really like our Classic Vanilla "Glazed & Confused" donut.
"Never miss the opportunities of traveling. You never know where the experiences will lead you."
Chef Z ✌🏼
