Primanti Bros, Pittsburgh, USA, Yinz want a Sandwich?

Ohhhhhhh man, have I been waiting, and wanting, for this!  A long time a'comin fo sho.

A true Pittsburgh original, a must do, a must eat.

I normally provide the address and website for specific restaurants when I do a post, but Primanti Bros is now a chain, in multiple states, that it feels pointless to provide that info.  If you want one, you'll find a way to have one.  I WILL say that there are a lot of locations in the Burgh and several in Florida.  You gotta have this sandwich, at least once.  And if you do I suggest sitting at the bar right behind the grill.  You eat with your eyes before your mouth ever gets a taste.  Warm that fucker up!

I do feel an obligation to start with the fact that there is a lot of coleslaw, and the coleslaw is the majority of flavor.   So beware.  But keep in mind that this is more of a total experience than a simple culinary event.  I also suggest eating this sandwich when it's cold outside, snowing would be even better, and be ready for a nap after.....  Not in the snow tho, duh

If you are unfamiliar with this sandwich I'll briefly explain.

It was created as a way for truck drivers and other hard workin dudes to get a filling meal fast.  There is thick  bread (hand cut), the initial layer is a meat of some sort that has been warmed on the flattop, then a handfull of fries (yes, a handfull, and a large one) smashed into the meat and bread, then a handfull of coleslaw and a few tomatoes (again, smashed into the previous layer), served on butcher's paper (or maybe waxed paper, but butcher's paper sound more cool).

Let's take a look.....

I wish this photo was a bit more clear cause then you could see the sandwich options, dang!  Anyway, the 2 we tried were the pastrami and cheese and the Ragin Cajun Chicken and cheese.  The pastrami was the best for sure.  The employees also suggested the capicola (not a favorite of mine) and the Pittsburgher Cheese Steak (looked not so bueno).  Just get whatever, it's not gonna matter cause the coleslaw will overpower anything (honestly I could taste a lot of the pastrami but none of the Cajun chicken).  (and I know I'm randomly caplitalising stuff.  It's my blog, so I'll do what I want.....)

Here's the bread cutting station and cut potatoes ready for the frier.

Bread is cut

Fries are down

Warmin up the meat....

Want cheese?  Stupid question

Smash the fries

Coleslaw and tomato (onion is by request)

BAM!

Here's the Ragin Cajun Chicken and cheese

Here's the pastrami

DAMN I WANNA EAT THIS NOW!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously.  Thinking back now It's not all coleslaw.  You can taste all of this.  The bread, the fries, tomatoes, YUMMMMM!!!!   This shit is good, real good.  

Yes there is a beer and yes this was breakfast

The previous photos were all from the last visit before I headed home.  The following are from my first visit, the day I arrived.

I miss this sandwich, and the Steelers, and Pittsburgh so much.  A truly great sandwich in a truly great city.

Go Steelers!  

DVA

Long Island Mike's, San Diego, USA, East Coast Style Pizza

There are several topics to cover in this post.  I've thought long and hard about separating them into individual posts, but they're so very connected/related that it makes more sense to keep them together.  So I thank you for your patience as we hit them, all of them, hard.

Let's start by the title, the very definition of this type of pie.  Long Island Mike's calls their pie a New York Pizza.  There is also a very similar, if not identical, Philly style.  Another similar is New Haven.  Then New Jersey.  Essentially these are the same pies, same thin crust, crispy on the bottom, minor un-sauced outer rim, cooked at a very high temperature, toppings are kept to a minimum.  Seems to me a better, more accurate name would be East Coast Style pizza.  I know those that those that hail from these specific places want this pie to be their own.  But, come on man, it's the same shit.  A minor tweak here or there is awesome and can make a difference, an enhancement for sure, but it's really just a variant of the original.   As all of these locale's are quite near, and all on the East Coast, to me the name seems more apropos.

So from hence forth I'll refer to this style as East Coast Style.

Now on to the latest pie in my mouth, Long Island Mike's


Long Friken Island Mike's = GOOD PIE!

5250 Murphy Canyon Road

San Diego, CA 92123-4367

www.longislandmikespizza.com

I'd say that this place is in Kearny Mesa, Long Island Mike claims Tierrasanta.  I'll not argue the point, it's close enough.

The suggestion for this place came from a colleague of mine, Mr. Carlo Alvear.  Carlo, you were so right about this place.  An awesome East Coast pie.  I wouldn't say the best in SD, but very very good. Certainly in the top 3.  

Perfect balance of crust to sauce to cheese.  Enough but not too much.  Lots of pepperoni, but not too much.  It's SOOOO important to not have a heavy hand with the pie.  Certainly there are times when you need to go hard with the pie (stretching the dough, etc..) but patience always pays off.

Nicely crisp crust on the outside

 Fluffy and light on the inside

However light and yummy the inside might be, this is where I think they fall short, ever so slightly I might add.  There is only minmal pull, tooth, al dente sort of feel to this crust.  I want more, more chew.  I want to have to sink my teeth in and pull, and then a nice chew, tasting the mellow yeast flavor.   I want more of this, and I just didn't get it, at least not as much as I wanted.

Will all of that said, I give this place a huge 2 thumbs up.  It' a little far from my home, and they don't serve alcohol, but they did allow me to go 2 doors down and buy a beer and drink it in their place, so I thought that was another cool point for them.  Whenever I get a hankering for a pie when I'm at work, I know where I can go.

Now a rant

Do you like red pepper flakes?

I do, a lot.

The problem is these stupid fucken shakers that you see everywhere.  They are the dumbest shit ever.  I like red peppers, and I like a lot, however I don't think I go overboard, but I do like them.  

The problem is these shakers have holes that are too small for the peppers to get out.  Oh sure, if you flail your arm around like a moron you might get 3 or 4 of the deformed ones to fall out, but IT'S NOT ENOUGH!!!!!!  

  

Those of you that have shared a pie with me know that, and have seen that, I will remove the top of the shaker and pour them out.  And I hate to do it but I am left no other option, unless there are packets of flakes, and then I'm happy.

Long Island Mike is a genius!!!!  Please allow me to introduce you to....

The Slotted top red pepper flake shaker!!!!!!

This is the stuff of legends!

Eat at Mike's

DVA