Burger King’s Pulled Pork Earns Four Thumbs Up (but no coleslaw)

This week I reached out for a Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich from the No. 2 burger flipper, Burger King, with 12,300 restaurants in 50 states plus 76 international markets.

Take that, McDonald’s and your McRib — now Burger King is getting porky, too.

Here’s the blueprint: tender pulled pork with hickory-smoke Memphis-style barbecue sauce, topped with sliced onions and a “sweet Southern sauce” (more about this later) on a toasted artisan bun.

Total calories: 470. Fat grams: 16. Sodium: 1,420 mg. Dietary fiber: 1 g. Carbs: 61 g. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $3.49.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/681986_BK-s-pulled-pork-earns-four-thumbs-up–but-no-coleslaw-.html#ixzz1zap8iVhI

A Review Of The Milkman Lunch Co. & Cake Shoppe, Pottstown

Two friends and I paid a visit to the Milkman Lunch Co. & Cake Shoppe this afternoon.  I am instructed to tell you they are my very attractive friends, but I digress 🙂  Not long after the door closed I forgot I was in Pottstown.  The smell of cake and icing immediately filled our nostrils and we were transported to another place.

The decor and overall ambience immediately makes one feel at home.  My one friend said it makes her feel like she is in her grandmother’s kitchen.  The Milkman is a great place to linger over a leisurely lunch and some good conversation, which is exactly what we did.  I think we spent two hours there.

On a cold blustery day it was the perfect spot for lunch.  It was nice and warm inside and a great respite from the winter weather.  The owner Chris Longeway and Pastry Chef Sam Rhame were very welcoming and friendly.  The intimacy of the space makes you feel like you are visiting a friend’s home.

Today’s special was a Winter Bird Panini for $6.50.  The perfectly grilled sandwich included turkey breast, caramelized onion, tomato and other delicious ingredients.  We all had the special which came with the choice of a side.  Two of us had the pasta salad and one of us had pickles.   The pasta salad was a nice twist with a creamy dressing instead of the usual Italian and included asparagus, white beans, black olives and red bell pepper.  Delicious!

There is always room for dessert!  My companions each had a grilled muffin and I had the Mocha Spice cupcake.  Needless to say, this was a “makes you wanna slap your mama” good lunch!  Not a crumb was left!

I give two Roy’s Rants thumbs up to this little culinary treasure in the heart of Pottstown.

The Milkman is located at 451 North Charlotte Street.  They are right across Oak street from the North End Florist. 

Here is a write up from my friend Sue Repko of Positively Pottstown’s blog for some more information: http://positivelyptown.com/2011/06/06/the-milkman-serves-up-light-lunches-and-pretty-cakes/

You can also check out their Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Milkman-Lunch-Co-Cake-Shoppe/247142981979590

Taco Bell’s New Triple Steak Stack Reviewed

After work today I decided to forgo my Tuesday trip to Subway and went to Taco Bell instead.  I must admit, the commercial for the Triple Steak Stack sucked me in. 

The Taco Bell I went to is a combo KFC/Taco Bell.  I walked in the door and noticed there was no help at the counter.  The young woman who was running the register was busy talking with her boyfriend and sitting in a booth.  After a minute or so, she pulled herself away from her conversation to wait on me.  Always makes for a stellar first impression.   Service D.

I knew what I wanted before I walked in the door after seeing the Triple Steak Stack commercial on television.  I realize Madison Avenue always makes things look far better than in real life; however, it’s nice when there is at least a slight resemblance to the advertised product.

After ordering I waited at least five minutes for my food to come out.  When the tray came out I knew I was headed for trouble.  The size didn’t seem adequate.  I got the combo meal for $6.66, including tax.  The sandwich is $5.49 by itself.  It’s worth about $3.99.  C- for value.  For those of you keeping score, the cashier walked away from the register after she was finished with me, sat back down in a booth and continued her conversation which I so rudely interrupted.  The dude who made my food walked it out and apologized for the delay.  I was beginning to think they were running around in a pasture trying to bludgeon a cow.

When I sat down and unwrapped my sandwich, I had a WTF moment.  If I were giving a grade for appearance/presentation it would be an F.  The flatbread was wet on the outside.  I had to take napkins and dry it off.  Who ever assembled my sandwich got gravy on the outside of the flatbread.  I opened up the sandwich and noticed three things:

It looked NOTHING like the picture with nowhere near the amount of “steak”; so where does the “triple” come in?  Underwhelming would be a better adjective.

They call this meat “steak”, yet it’s more like a pot roast.

Calling this a “stack” is nonsensical.   There was no stacking involved.  The meat was in chunks and bits with gravy…like beef stew without the potatoes.

I can’t say it didn’t taste good.  I like pot roast.  I would give it a B for taste.  The cheese helped.  I put one packet of mild sauce on it.  Honestly, I thought it would have some onions, peppers or something else on it beside pot roast and cheese.

I had to eat my sandwich with a knife and fork as it was too sloppy to pick up.  Again, in the commercial it is picked up and eaten.  Not possible as served.  I can guarantee I would not tackle someone for one of these sandwiches nor would I have to slap my mamma because it tasted so good.  I would change the name to Underwhelming Pot Roast Slopper based on what I was served.

Maybe my sandwich was made incorrectly?  I am not buying another one to find out!

The sad part is I was still hungry.  In hindsight, I should have gone to Subway!  I could have gotten a 12” for $3.99 and at least been full!

Restaurant Review of the Pit Stop

This afternoon I attended a birthday party at the Pit Stop in New Berlinville.  The Pit Stop is one of those places I have always wanted to go but never got there.  Not sure exactly why.

The Pit Stop opens at 3:30 on Sunday and we were the first people there.  Actually, we waited outside until the door opened, LOL!  I liked the décor and the feel of the place, inside and out.

We had a party of 15 so there were several servers handling our table.  Our servers were very good.  They glided around keeping everything filled up.  

Our orders were taken and not long after food started making its way out of the kitchen.  I shared a Stuffed Jalapeno with Cream Cheese appetizer with a friend.  Five large, beautifully fried poppers were served with a raspberry dipping sauce!  They were not greasy and nicely crispy.  An excellent value for only $4.99.

Fresh sliced bread and butter were placed on the table in baskets as the salads made their way to the table.  I had the tasty Sweet & Sour house dressing.  My friend had the homemade Blue Cheese dressing, which she enjoyed.  The salads were a nice size and contained more than the usual wilted iceberg lettuce.  In addition to lettuce there was tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion and carrots.

For the main event we both ordered the 14 oz. NY Strip Steak & Shrimp on Skewer for $24.99.  We both added sautéed mushrooms.  That was one of the most flavorful steaks I have had in quite some time.  I requested my steak medium and it was prepared as such.  The steak was grilled to tender perfection and the sautéed mushrooms were a nice added accompaniment.  Sautéed onions are also available.  The shrimp were nicely grilled and seasoned.  There were maybe a dozen.  I had potato filling that really was potato filling.  Not glorified mashed potatoes that many places pass off as filling.  My friend had a baked sweet potato. 

I heard no complaints from anyone in our party nor did I see any food go back to the kitchen.  The food was hot when it was served.  The menu states that food is cooked to order.  I would agree.

We did not sample the dessert menu as the birthday gal’s niece is studying to become a pastry chef.  The chef-in-training made a to-die-for scratch pound cake with lemon filling and buttercream icing.  We passed the dessert case on the way out and they looked great!  The menu states the desserts are made from scratch.

I have nothing bad to report.  It was a great first experience on every level and I look forward to returning.  Service, food quality, portion size, presentation, value and any other category you can think of were superb.  I give the Pit Stop two thumbs up!

The Pit Stop is located at:

961 North Reading Avenue

Boyertown, PA 19512

Voice: (610) – 367 – 8244

Website: http://www.pitstoptavernandrestaurant.com/home.htm