Author Archives: The Jab

Parker’s, Boston

Posted on by

Image from the Ford Treasury of Favorite Recipes From Famous Eating Places, 1955

The Parker House (now the Omni Parker House) hotel opened in 1855 in the heart of Boston, making it the oldest continuously operated hotel in the United States. Parker’s restaurant, which dates way back to 1832 when Harvey Parker took over Hunt’s Cafe, introduced or popularized many now famous recipes, including Parker House rolls, Boston cream pie, lemon meringue pie, and Boston baked scrod (arguably it is not a specific fish, instead it is the best local white-fleshed fish available, though often it is cod).

In the second half of the nineteenth century, many notable writers and intellectuals met for dining and drinking at Parker’s on the last Saturday afternoon of every month. The men-only Saturday Club included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Francis Parkman, Dr. Oliver Wendell Holmes, and many others.

Very fresh, tender Baked Boston scrod with soft & fluffy Parker House rolls

Many famous politicians and stars of stage and screen have stayed at the Parker House, but perhaps the most notorious guest was John Wilkes Booth, who stayed there and ate at Parker’s a few days before he assassinated President Lincoln (his brother was a successful actor in New England and was appearing at the Boston Theater). More trivia: Ho Chi Minh (future leader of Vietnam) baked Parker House rolls in the bakery in 1911-13, and Malcolm X was a busboy at Parker’s in the 1940s.

Boston Cream "Pie"?

On my recent visit for a late lunch (to a nearly empty restaurant) I enjoyed the delectable baked Boston scrod with Parker House rolls (which I could not stop eating!), but I was somewhat disappointed after ordering Boston Cream Pie when the waitress brought me their new, single serving version of the “pie”. She assured me that the ingredients are the same, but this was more like a cold, dense vanilla cake. I looked up the recipe online and the basic ingredients are sponge cake, vanilla custard, and a chocolate glaze, which didn’t seem to be the recipe served here. Is this the original, which has been modified over the years?

A brief history of the Parker House and restaurant.

Omni Parker House
(617) 227-8600
Parker’s Restaurant hours:
Breakfast M-F 6:30am-11:00am, Sat 7:00am-12:00pm
Lunch M-F 11:30am-2:00pm, Sat 12:00pm-2:00pm, Sun – bar only
Dinner Mon-Th 5:30pm-10:00pm, Fri & Sat 5:00pm-10:00pm, Sun – bar only
Brunch Sat & Sun 11:30am-2:00pm

Related posts:

UPDATE – Big 4 in San Francisco reopened today! The Big 4, Huntington Hotel, San Francisco Default ThumbnailKane’s Donuts, Saugus, MA Ken’s Steak House, Framingham, MA

How does Katz’s stack up to Langer’s?

Posted on by

Katz's pastrami on rye with russian dressing

I just got back from a trip to Boston and New York City (posting from my phone did not work, but I will figure it out before my next trip). Finally made it to Katz’s deli in NYC. Here is their formidable pastrami sandwich on rye with russian dressing. Katz’s pastrami is on a par with the pastrami at my favorite deli, Langer’s in Los Angeles, very tender and thickly sliced. And Katz’s tangy, relish-filled russian dressing is wonderful, perhaps better than Langer’s. But Katz’s sliced rye doesn’t come close to the fresh-baked rye at Langer’s, sliced for your sandwich still warm, with its crispy crust and soft center. Now I’m a Katz’s fan, but Langer’s still has the best pastrami sandwich anywhere. On my next visit I will try Second Avenue deli and see how they compare.

Katz’s Delicatessen
205 East Houston Street, New York, NY 10002
(212) 254-2246
Open Mon-Wed 8:00am-10:45pm
Thurs 8:00am-2:45am
On Fridays they open at 8am and stay open until 10:45pm Sunday night!

 

Related posts:

Schilo’s Delicatessen, San Antonio, Texas Where to get the best corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day (or any day) Default ThumbnailPostcard Panorama Langer’s Delicatessen, Los Angeles

Langer’s Delicatessen, Los Angeles

Posted on by

Langer’s #1 – Pastrami, cole slaw, and Russian dressing on rye, and an egg cream

Here it is! Easily my favorite sandwich in the world. Warm pastrami, trimmed and sliced thick to order. Piled on house-baked rye bread that is sliced for each sandwich from still warm loaves using a meat slicer – crispy crust but super-soft center. Condiments: house made cole slaw and tangy Russian dressing (like Thousand Island but more mustard and less ketchup perhaps). I’ll pass on the Swiss cheese (with is their #19). Their corned beef is excellent too, but pastrami is the way to go in my opinion. I crave these all the time!

My Mom, who was born in Queens and is still a reader of New Yorker magazine despite living in California since the 1950s, told me about Langer’s in Los Angeles years ago when Nora Ephron raved about it in the pages of said magazine. And they were right!

I’m going back to New York City next week so I challenge the great Gotham city to beat this sandwich! I have Katz’s on the top of my list but in 2007 I went there too late at night and they had just closed the doors. From online photos Katz’s pastrami sandwich looks great, but Carnegie’s looks more like quantity over quality.

Langer’s Restaurant & Deli
704 South Alvarado St, Los Angeles, CA 90057
(213) 483-8050
Open Monday – Saturday, 8am – 4pm
Closed Sundays
Langer’s website
Tips: they validate parking in the lot just east & across the street from the restaurant, they offer curb-side pickup, and they sell their pickles by the jar.

Related posts:

Billingsley's restaurantBillingsley’s, Los Angeles, California – REMODELED Offbeat L.A.: The Oldest Surviving Los Angeles Restaurants Schilo’s Delicatessen, San Antonio, Texas Default ThumbnailHow does Katz’s stack up to Langer’s?

George’s Steak House, Appleton, WI

Posted on by

I love the state of Wisconsin for the friendly people, but also for the food! Brats, lake perch, butter burgers, frozen custard, and of course the cheese! The beer’s great too. But when you’ve got a hankering for a steak you can’t go wrong with George’s in Appleton. Opened in the 1930s, remodeled in 1964 (and mostly unchanged since), it was purchased by the Quimby family in the 1970s, who run the place today. All steaks are aged choice and very reasonably priced – dinner steaks range from $17.95 for a petite tenderloin to $26.95 for a 22-24 oz. Porterhouse, including appetizer bar, salad, soup or tomato juice (a great old tradition you rarely see anymore), choice of potato, and rolls. I went for lunch so took a chance and had a small top sirloin (a leaner steak I rarely enjoy except for in the county of Santa Maria, CA, where it’s a specialty and always good), and I was pleased with this juicy, beefy, tender center-cut steak. If cut correctly and cooked rare to medium rare it’s a good steak for lighter appetites (and low in fat).

George's top sirloin 8 oz. lunch steak of center cut Angus beef.

The dining room is original 1960s decor with plenty of wood and a wall of horizontal stone, plus original furniture (check out photos on their website). George’s piano bar features a 125-year-old Steinway Grand with entertainment every Friday and Saturday night starting at 7:30pm.

George’s Steak House
2208 S Memorial Dr, Appleton, WI 54911
(920) 733-4939
Lunch Mon-Fri: 11:00am-2:00pm
Dinner Mon-Th: 5:00pm-10:00pm, Fri-Sat: 5:00pm-10:30pm
Closed Sundays and Holidays
George’s website

 

Related posts:

The Steak House, Circus Circus Hotel / Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada Hy’s Steak House, Honolulu, Hawaii Jocko’s Steak House, Nipomo, California Ken’s Steak House, Framingham, MA