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Bob Wells

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Everything posted by Bob Wells

  1. Bob Wells
    I wonder what percentage of members at the Chantilly Costco know about Price Club? Gotta be pretty low now, 25 years post merger. And of those that do, how many know that Price Club was named for fortuitously named founder Sol Price (who gave jukebox pioneer David Rockola a run for his money)?
  2. Bob Wells
    I bought a bag on a whim and the gang loves them. We are awaiting the return of the Nib-Mor chocolate with blueberries. Have you tried the dark chocolate-covered tangerines? Can you tell I like dark chocolate & fruit?
  3. Bob Wells
    Yes, I was going to mention the grilled pizza, and forgot to do so! It's not often there's an undisputed inventor of a dish, but this is one of the rare cases!
  4. Bob Wells
    PS Speaking of RI, the Modern Diner in neighboring Pawtucket. Iconic. (owned and run by people I grew up with. As noted above, RI is a very small place)
  5. Bob Wells
    Gotta mention Al Forno in Providence. Started the PVD dining renaissance in 1979 and still going strong 39 years later. My brother Jon worked at a photo agency above Al Forno's original location on Steeple Street and he became such good friends with George (RIP) and Joanne that he's been to their home in France and went with them to visit a neighbor you might have heard of... Patricia Wells (no relation). (RI is a very small place). NB: My quasi-cousin Emily Percelay Conn and her husband both worked at Al Forno and she is now killing it with her bakery in Burlington VT. Her Instagram feed is a must. http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/blog/food-entrepreneurs-series-part-iii-the-bakery-at-the-farmhouse-kitchen/
  6. Bob Wells
    Nothing gets the ball rolling like a good lobster roll debate!
  7. Bob Wells
    Eventide is not cheap, that's for sure. As for Bite Into Maine, solid lobster roll in a great setting!
  8. Bob Wells
    Thanks Marty -- definitely have heard about Rose Foods. And if Drifter's Wife is teaming up with TUG, that's a place I'd probably like! As for Eventide, they certainly don't need our business, but everyone should try that brown butter lobster roll at least once. Of course, you'll definitely find people who say that Fore Street is resting on its laurels these days too. One more note: High Roller Lobster Co is getting a lot of buzz these days, but we've found the lobster rolls to be nothing special and possibly benefiting from the lack of real competition in the Old Port area.
  9. Bob Wells
    Hi Team -- Just discovered this thread. I am really up on the Portland (and Maine in general) restaurant scene. We go up there at least once every summer and sometimes twice, and I have several partners in crime (brothers and friends) who are equally food-centric. I can help with any price point, cuisine, locale, etc. Regarding the places mentioned in this thread, I have been to and can give thumbs up to: Duckfat, Fore St, Street & Co, Two Fat Cats (NB: while the highly touted whoopie pies are perfectly fine, the fruit pies are outstanding), Bite Into Maine, Eventide, Miyake, Micucci's, Becky's, and Hot Suppa! Here are a few more places just off the top of my head that Portland-bound Rockwellians should consider: Palace Diner in Biddeford (a must), Scratch Bakery and 158 Pickett Street Cafe in South Portland, Black Dinah Chocolates in Westbrook, OTTO Pizza (several area locations), Day's Seafood in Yarmouth, and in Portland: Standard Baking Company (literally below Fore St), Belleville Bakery, Paciarino, Gelato Fiasco, and one of the most beautiful Whole Foods you'll ever see. Coffee By Design is my non-Starbucks choice but the city is loaded with interesting coffee places. If you want to try one of Maine's famous Italian sandwiches, Amato's and Anania's are safe choices. Italians should not vary too much from place to place; they have a very standard list of ingredients. Places in Portland I have not been to but definitely are on my radar screen include Emilitsa, Central Provisions, Petite Jacqueline, Slab, and Piccolo. This is just for Portland and the nearby towns. We are actually sort of kind of considering getting a little place on Peaks Island in Casco Bay at some point. Just love the area.
  10. Bob Wells
    Took the family to John's last December and enjoyed the roast pork sammy a lot. NB: Unlike many other top Philly roast pork purveyors, John's actually uses garlicky spinach instead of broccoli rabe. Locals rate it very highly. NB2: The rest of the gang got meatball sammies and they were excellent. Next visit I'd like to try the roast pork at DiNic's in RTM.
  11. Bob Wells
    Ritner is cute? it's just a street name in Phila. I kinda liked the street names. Yes. I was shocked when they got rid of the Pattison Ave (the pork, broccoli rabe, sharp provolone). That is an iconic sandwich in Filthadelphia, and to me that really said they had forgotten their roots, especially when they were putting out bizarre combos like that ChiKo thing.
  12. Bob Wells
    Sad news. Argia's was a go-to for me and my colleagues at Tax Analysts from the day it opened until I left TA in 2008.
  13. Bob Wells
    Pappas (and Faidleys) are supposedly a cut above the Phillipses of the world. And Don is right, Asian crab is tasteless. Beautiful but tasteless. The deliciousness of the crabcake should not depend on the other ingredients. PS Just checked the websites for G&M and Jerry's. None of them use the key word "blue" in front of crab. Thus I have to believe they all use the swimming crabs from Asia.This should be a freakin' scandal! Ah well, life goes on.
  14. Bob Wells
    Well this is distressing. We got Pappas crabcakes for my father-in-law's 91st birthday last weekend. He and my wife are full Baltimoreans and I've been eating these things for years, and we've never suspected they used those SE Asian things. The cakes were delicious as usual. Pappas has always been up there with Faidleys in our top tier. Will investigate more and circle back. I have had a Congressional press pass, so on some level I am a journalist. 😎
  15. Bob Wells
    I haven't been to this place in many years, but it looks to still be the go-to place for conch in all forms (fritters, chowder, grilled, etc.) and all sorts of other seafood. http://www.calypsorestaurant.com/calypso_about-us.html
  16. Bob Wells
    Not only is it quite possible the authors didn't write the header, it's quite likely.
  17. Bob Wells
    Conch fritters are the Florida equivalent of RI clam cakes. Either you love them or you don't. People who expect big hunks of clam (or something) are always disappointed with their first bite. Sometimes they come around, sometimes they don't.
  18. Bob Wells
    Not a huge Legal fan like I was back in my Boston days, but it's always been decent. Can't say I'm surprised, however. The place never looks too full, and the permanently shuttered "Legal to Go" takeout stand gave the place a forlorn look (to me anyway).
  19. Bob Wells
    I'm having a hard time picturing anyone other than a teenage boy eating the entirety of that thing or some of the other things described in the article.
  20. Bob Wells
    Dad's actually got a discussion on DR.com back in the day (And there's a link to the hilarious Chowhound discussion that I started).
  21. Bob Wells
    Anyone remember Dad's Backyard Burgers (or something like that) in Merrifield? Was just north of 29 on Gallows Road. Took about two years to open, then was open for about two weeks before closing forever due to road construction. That's the closest parallel I can think of to this fiasco, albeit one that didn't blow through millions of someone's dollars.
  22. Bob Wells
    Have you tried Yafa Grille yet? Very good felafel.
  23. Bob Wells
    But a good call. I used to eat way too many baked goods from Nordstrom.
  24. Bob Wells
    Yes, did not mean to lump Leb Tav in with the mediocrities. Definitely include CcF, though. It's ok, and not a bad value since you get three meals from each entree (or you should). But this is the Galleria, not a "value shopping" destination. And personally I kinda like TCB, but it's miles downscale from the stores at the Galleria. Paul is pretty good and fits pretty well at the Galleria, but I'm a Maison Kayser fan!
  25. Bob Wells
    This raises another good point. For a mall that has many -- not just a few, but many -- of the finest, most recognizable names in fashion/retail in the WORLD, the eateries are remarkably pedestrian. Anyone got a theory about that? Corner Bakery, Legal, Maggiano's... it's as if the restaurants are a completely separate entity, aimed at the white-collar drones in the neighboring office buildings, that was grafted onto the Galleria's retail. Are malls simply not conducive to higher-end dining?
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