FunnyJohn Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 This morning during my daily chat with my boss, she happened to reminisce about a place that used to be near the White House which had great Monte Cristos. She's from Las Vegas where apparently that sandwich is as ubiquitous as the hot dog in Chicago. Anyway she lamented that no one in this town makes good Monte Cristos. I told her that the Childe Harold IMHO made a quite decent version, so we went there for lunch today. Boy did I find out that I am wrong, wrong and clueless as to what a real Monte Cristo is. At the Childe they batter the bread in a french toast kind of batter, then assemble the sandwich (ham, turkey and cheese) and then grill or bake the sandwich. I have since learned that a "real" Monte Cristo is assembled, then dipped in batter and then deep fried. It is also served with Rasberry jam (I have my CH MCs with mustard). So to redeem my kiss-up act, can anyone let me know if there is anyplace in the District that does the real MC? I will spend the rest of this afternoon kicking-down to compensate for my failure.
Buckinghamilton Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 Sounds like The Diner might. http://www.trystdc.com:81/ I can have Dinerboy confirm.
Buckinghamilton Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 Oops- thought that linked to the menu... Here's their description: Monte Cristo with turkey, ham, swiss, & cheddar on thick cut toast, dipped in egg batter and fried golden brown
brian Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 Not in town, but all locations of Bennigan's make a KICK ASS Monte Christo. For serious.
bilrus Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 Not in town, but all locations of Bennigan's make a KICK ASS Monte Christo. For serious. Agreed - I was going to post this too.
JPW Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 Luna Grill used to have a good Monte Cristo. Can't comment on the "authenticity" of their technique.
wineitup Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 I was going to suggest Luna Grill as well. I had one there not to long ago that was pretty good. Here's hpw their menu reads: monte cristo 7.95 ham, turkey & swiss on batter dipped sourdough
Mark Slater Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 The Guards serves a Monte Cristo, but its the same owner as the Childe. They do serve a little package of jelly on the side.
Sthitch Posted June 7, 2005 Posted June 7, 2005 I was going to suggest Luna Grill as well. I had one there not to long ago that was pretty good.Here's hpw their menu reads: monte cristo 7.95 ham, turkey & swiss on batter dipped sourdough This is the only really disappointing thing I have had at the Luna in Shirlington. I found the bread too dry and flavorless. I would third the Bennigan's recommendation, as embarrassed as I am to type those words.
Mark Slater Posted June 8, 2005 Posted June 8, 2005 This is the only really disappointing thing I have had at the Luna in Shirlington. I found the bread too dry and flavorless. I would third the Bennigan's recommendation, as embarrassed as I am to type those words. Never, ever, never apologize for what you like. De gustibus non est disputandum means exactly that. There is no accounting for taste. Now excuse me while I go back to my peanut butter, sharp cheddar and Miracle Whip® sandwich.
DCMark Posted June 8, 2005 Posted June 8, 2005 I was terrified to post this but it seems I have company. Yes, in college I had a Monte Cristo from Bennigans and it was damm good!
TedE Posted June 8, 2005 Posted June 8, 2005 Yup: Bennigans! I waited tables at one briefly oh so many years ago and the one thing I used to get all the time between shifts was the Monte Cristo.
bilrus Posted June 8, 2005 Posted June 8, 2005 Bennigan's Locator From their site: MONTE CRISTO A delicious combination of tender ham and turkey, plus Swiss and American cheeses on fresh wheat bread. Lightly battered and fried until golden. Dusted with powdered sugar and served with luscious red raspberry preserves for dipping.
Woodleygrrl Posted June 8, 2005 Posted June 8, 2005 They also have a monte cristo at the Dubliner, here on the Hill. That is if you can't find a Bennigans in the Tri-State area
FunnyJohn Posted June 9, 2005 Author Posted June 9, 2005 Hey everyone -- thanks for helping straighten out this issue. Looks like a concensus formed around Bennigans for the sure thing. I must say that I would never set foot in the one at 7 Corners after the steak I foolishly had there the only time I ventured in. I've e-mailed this entire thread to my boss and she is laughing her ass off. Thanks much!
Stretch Posted June 9, 2005 Posted June 9, 2005 First the Childe Harold, now Bennigans for the boss. I hear they're looking for a good man at the consulate up in Novaya Zemlya.
FunnyJohn Posted June 9, 2005 Author Posted June 9, 2005 (edited) Well -- I'm not the one with the Monte Cristo craving. She could have joined me for lunch yesterday at Harry's, but instead I had to settle for Laura Bush. Edited June 9, 2005 by FunnyJohn
DonRocks Posted June 10, 2005 Posted June 10, 2005 FunnyJohn said: Hey everyone -- thanks for helping straighten out this issue. Looks like a concensus formed around Bennigans for the sure thing. I must say that I would never set foot in the one at 7 Corners after the steak I foolishly had there the only time I ventured in. I'll be fellated by a T-Rex before setting foot in a Bennigan's. Then again, maybe not...
Roger Troutman Posted June 14, 2005 Posted June 14, 2005 I've never been to a Bennigan's, but there's a similar mass-appeal "American" restaurant chain called Garfield's that used to serve up an awesome Monte Cristo. This was years ago, though.
Heather Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Not exactly a monte cristo, but the croque-monsieur at Beck is pretty swell.
Bob Wells Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 Not exactly a monte cristo, but the croque-monsieur at Beck is pretty swell. LOL I just happened upon this hilarious thread and I have to concur with the consensus. There are exactly two places where I have had great monte cristos: The late lamented Great American Melting Pot (AKA Gampy's) in Baltimore, and Bennigan's.
Heather Posted November 27, 2007 Posted November 27, 2007 The jam thing gives me the willies. I looked up the Bennigan's online menu and this is listed just below the Monte Cristo: TURKEY O'TOOLE™ Juicy turkey breast sliced thin, melted Swiss cheese and our Smoky Honey Dijon dressing. Served hot on a Bennigan’s pretzel roll. Awesome.
DonRocks Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Here,here. That is the first place I've ever had a Monte Cristo, and ended up being my standard there. My sister will be sad, since I think this was where her first date with her husband was. Fear not: Lost Dog Cafe has a new menu, and now features the Pound Hound ($6.95) - a de facto Monte Cristo with three layers of french toast, turkey breast, hickory ham, melted Swiss cheese, and strawberry preserves on the side. Cheers, Rocks.
jparrott Posted July 29, 2008 Posted July 29, 2008 Bennigan's was slightly different in that it was battered and deep-fried as a whole, then quartered for plating.
jparrott Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Might've been the same item. Does Sysco offer a Monte Cristo "concept"?
kwhitney Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich?
pax Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich? Yes. Everything in moderation. Even moderation.
Sthitch Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich? Since I considered "Fried" as one of the major food groups, I see nothing disgusting about it. I have to admit that it was one of my guilty pleasures, but I cannot remember the last time I partook in it.
synaesthesia Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich?Someone who gets disgusted by the thought of a battered and deep fried sandwich? To every man his own coronary...
Mark Slater Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich? Egg battered and sauteed in butter. Never had a Croque Madame?
DPop Posted July 30, 2008 Posted July 30, 2008 Fear not: Lost Dog Cafe has a new menu, and now features the Pound Hound ($6.95) - a de facto Monte Cristo with three layers of french toast, turkey breast, hickory ham, melted Swiss cheese, and strawberry preserves on the side.Cheers, Rocks. Actually, Lost Dog has always had this sandwich (at least as long as I have been going there), and it's really not very good. Soggy and lacking in flavor outside of the strawberries, from my experience. It doesn't hold a candle to the version at Bennigan's, if you can believe that.
turbogrrl Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 Having not set foot in a bennigans since... hrmm, homecoming of 1991, I have never had one of their vaunted and lamented monto cristos... but I will have the incarnation at The Diner every couple of months. So good. So bad for me. (crap. I just remembered. I think someone took me to lunch at Bennigans in August of 1994. *shudder* not like starving students can be choosers, though. At least it was free calories.)
Bob Wells Posted July 31, 2008 Posted July 31, 2008 Canyou imagine a more disgusting thought, a battered and deep fried sandwich? Doesn't disgust me at all. Someone at the Texas State Fair within the past couple of years (the mega state fairs are the breeding grounds for new deep frying techniques) was offering deep fried Coke. As in Coca-Cola. You read that right. He figured out how to fry Coke foam. Makes a monte cristo sound downright gourmet.
cocoagirl Posted August 4, 2008 Posted August 4, 2008 where can I get a Croque Madam- anyone know. Had a great one last week in a small town in Maine.
treznor Posted August 4, 2008 Posted August 4, 2008 where can I get a Croque Madam- anyone know. Had a great one last week in a small town in Maine. We had one at Bouchon a couple weeks ago, but that isn't any closer than Maine :-)
Heather Posted August 4, 2008 Posted August 4, 2008 I had one at The Diner in A-M a couple of weeks ago, but wouldn't call it "great."
ebgbdc Posted August 5, 2008 Posted August 5, 2008 Bennigan's is disgusting. But those damn fried Monte Cristo sandwiches they serve are friggin delicious. I am sorry, it's just true. Haven't had one in years, but they were the go-to late night snack at the Springfield Mall Bennigan's after sneaking into a rated R movie back high school. And the jelly they serve it with it RULES. I know--it sounds nauseating. For some reason, it isn't. Or--it wasn't: see Business Week story about Bennigan's going (ahem) belly-up Where will our children's children get their deep fried sammies?? Where?!?
jpschust Posted August 5, 2008 Posted August 5, 2008 There are 2 irish pubs steps away from each other on the hill, I can't remember their names but as you're facing them, the one on the left used to have a great monte cristo.
JimRice Posted August 5, 2008 Posted August 5, 2008 There are 2 irish pubs steps away from each other on the hill, I can't remember their names but as you're facing them, the one on the left used to have a great monte cristo. That would be The Dubliner and Irish Times. The one on the left is the Dubliner.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now