History and Culture by Bicycle: May 2014

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Search for the Best Loose Meat - A New Leader

The number of restaurants and the loose meat sandwiches has increased from four to a total of 8.

The four additional restaurants include: The Garden Cafe, Tastee Inn and Out, the downtown Coney Island and Bob Roe's Point After. With these four additional restaurants having been reviewed there is now a new leader.

Here are the new results from first to last:

With 98 points Tastee Inn and Out is now in the lead:
Search for the Best Loose Meat - Tastee Inn and Out

97 points Billy Boy Drive Thru puts Billy boy Drive Thru in second place:

Search for the best Loose Meat - Billy Boy Drive Thru

The downtown Coney Island has 96 points for third place:
Search for the Best Loose Meat - Downtown Coney Island

At 95 points Little Chicago Deli and Grill is moved to fourth:

Search for the best Loose Meat - Little Chicago Deli and Grill

The restaurant that occupies the building where the tavern sandwich was originally invented, The Garden Cafe has 94 points placing them fifth position:
Search for the Best Loose Meat - The Garden Cafe

Jitters is bumped into sixth position with 93 points:

Search for the best Loose Meat - Jitters

Second to last is Bob Roe's Point After with 75 points:
Search for the Best Loose Meat - Bob Roe's Point After

Dead last with no possible way to redeem themselves is Riverside Dairy Queen:

Search for the best Loose Meat - Riverside Dairy Queen

Search for the best Loose Meat - Starting Over
Search for the best Loose Meat - How a Tavern Shall be Made
Search for the best Loose Meat - History
Search for the best Loose Meat - Billy Boy Drive Thru
Search for the best Loose Meat - Jitters
Search for the best Loose Meat - Riverside Dairy Queen
Search for the best Loose Meat - Little Chicago Deli and Grill
Search for the best Loose Meat - Who's in First?
Search for the Best Loose Meat - The Garden Cafe

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Tastee Inn and Out

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Downtown Coney Island

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Bob Roe's Point After

Established in 1982 and in its current location since 1991 Bob Roe's Point After has attracted such patrons as Woody Harrelson, Terry Bradshaw, and President Barrack Obama. It is a very nice, friendly and clean sports bar and restaurant with traditional American food. Bob Roe's has plenty of dining room space with tables and booths and they offer carry out.

One of the items they serve on the lunch menu is tavern sandwiches. The day these were taste tested Bob Roe's had a special of a cheese tavern with potato salad. The normal tavern sandwiches come with chips as a meal. What was ordered was the cheese tavern and potato salad special and one extra single tavern with no cheese and without the chips. What was provided was the cheese tavern special and the regular tavern meal with chips. The waitress did never explained if just a single tavern sandwich with no chips could be ordered at a lower price. She just assumed both meals were being ordered despite how the order was placed.

Right away it was noticed there is way too much moisture in the meat. This affected both the flavor and the texture. If there were spices blended in it was impossible to tell because of the amount of liquid beef fat or grease that leaked out of the meat. the moisture also soaked into the bun so much it was difficult to eat because the bun turned to mush from so much moisture. The bun heal literally started falling apart as the sandwiches were being consumed. With the amount of moisture in the meat there was confusion no the tongue and at one point it seemed like a hamburger patty was being consumed, not a loose meat sandwich. The pickles came on the side and were not crunchy at all. Pickles are supposed to be a bit cold and crunchy when bitten into even on a warm sandwich. A fork, not a spoon was provided to help eat the loose meat that fell out of the bun. A spoon should not have to be asked for when a loose meat sandwich is served in a professional restaurant. The taverns were way over priced for what they really are.

The dinner ware had a bit to be desired too. The drink cups were plastic and disposable and the plates were styrofoam, not ceramic or a non-disposable hard material. Bob Roe's is not a fast food restaurant like McDonald s or Burger King. It is a lot nicer and looks a lot more professional than a place where food is ordered and the containers it comes in are as disposable as possible.

With a total score of 75 points I will not have the tavern sandwiches again and might return for something else.

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Tastee Inn and Out

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Downtown Coney Island

Friday, May 30, 2014

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Downtown Coney Island

The Coney Island in downtown Sioux City has been in the same location for 93 years. As a downtown lunch crowd favorite they serve hot dogs and loose meats. Over the decades celebrities have eaten lunch there. The owners have supported local events, sponsored youth sports teams and are community leaders. The owners also had a Coney Island on Hamilton Blvd in the Market Place Shopping Center. Their son operated it for some time but it is now under a different owner.

Inside this pleasant and clean eating establishment there are newspaper articles and photos on the walls that tell the history of Coney Island and the owners. There is both table and booth seating available.

Two loose meat sandwiches were taste tested. Perfect ratio of meat to bun with pickles, onions and mustard as condiments. There was a bit too much salt in the meat, otherwise the blend of spices was very good. The sandwiches can be ordered to go for carry out but are best consumed while sitting or standing still. Each sandwich was served on its own plate with a spoon. The tray they were served could have been cleaner as it had salt spilled all over it.

With a total score of 96 points I will continue to enjoy loose meats at this historic eatery.

Previous Articles:
Search for the best Loose Meat - Starting Over
Search for the best Loose Meat - How a Tavern Shall be Made
Search for the best Loose Meat - History
Search for the best Loose Meat - Billy Boy Drive Thru
Search for the best Loose Meat - Jitters
Search for the best Loose Meat - Riverside Dairy Queen
Search for the best Loose Meat - Little Chicago Deli and Grill
Search for the best Loose Meat - Who's in First?
Search for the Best Loose Meat - The Garden Cafe

Search for the Best Loose Meat - Tastee Inn and Out

Tastee Inn and Out has been located on Gordon Dr. in Sioux City, Iowa since 1955. Their signature sandwich is the original Tastee. The Tastee is a perfect blend of steamed seasoned ground beef with onion, spices, pickle and mustard, cheese is an option added for an additional price.

Tastee Inn and Out has portability down to a science. The smaller size is perfect for hungry and busy patrons to eat on the go. The Tastee's are packaged in a wax paper pouch that keeps the sandwich at the perfect moisture and warmth until consumed. The meat, bun and condiment proportions are perfect.

For customers who want a larger loose meat sandwich Tastee Inn and Out now offers a newer sandwich called the Super-T Sandwich (large Tastee sandwich). It is not portable and comes in a foam container. It is just as good as the original Tastee, has the same condiments and cheese can be added to it. It is not portable and is best consumed while sitting/standing still.

Tastee Inn and Out includes a spoon and plenty of napkins with each order.

While Tastee Inn and Out is a drive though only service with no indoor seating there is an outdoor seating area with two solid picnic style tables under a shelter to keep the area cool from the hot summer sun. There is also plenty of parking for patrons who want to eat in their car while sitting still. The drive through lane has two order menu boards in case traffic starts backing up a vehicle can pull ahead to order while another can order from the second. There is even a walk up window to order from.

Three Tastees were taste tested. An original, and original that included cheese and a new Super-T Sandwich (large Tastee sandwich). The two original Tastees were perfect. The Super-T Sandwich (large Tastee sandwich) had a bit too much mustard, it was a bit to over powering.

The picnic tables and the area around the outdoor seating was not very clean. The tables needed to be wiped down and the non-biodegradable debris on the ground needed to be swept up.

With only a very small loss of points Tastee Inn and Out has a total score of 98 points. I will definitely return to Tastee Inn and Out to enjoy their signature sandwich and the new Super-T Sandwich (large Tastee sandwich).

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Search for the Best Loose Meat - The Garden Cafe

The Garden Cafe claims to be the Home of the Ye Old Tavern since 1926. How ever this is a misnomer. The Ye Old Tavern was the original restaurant in the building The Garden Cafe now occupies. The Garden Cafe has not been around in this location since 1926. The Ye Old Tavern restaurant is also where the loose meat was first created and was called the Ye Old Tavern Tavern.. The year of 1926 is also a misnomer because the sandwich was actually created in 1924. The original recipe has been lost to time, so calling the Ye Old Tavern is also a misnomer. Some may consider these misnomers to be "false advertising".

The Garden Cafe does offer both dine in an carry out orders plus they have a drive up window. With the exception of modern roofing and siding the outside design has remained largely unchanged and there is plenty of off street parking. The interior is a very nice, clean and pleasant atmosphere. Patrons wait to be seated and are seated right away. The service is excellent, prompt, courteous, professional and friendly.

The Sept. 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine listed The garden Cafe's tavern sandwich as the best in Iowa. The article was not able to be found online, just this: The Garden Cafe The article must have been in hard copy only. This article: These loosemeats have staying power speaks of someone the owner of The Garden Cafe knew that stated the recipe now used is very close to the taste of the original tavern.

There is also a You tube video of how The Garden Cafe makes their tavern sandwiches:

While it does not appear The Garden Cafe's tavern sandwiches are made the traditional way of steaming the beef as they are supposed to be made, this may upset and frustrate loose meat sandwich purists, the sandwiches are indeed loose meat's. But they do toe the line with adding ketchup, mustard and another type of sauce as they cook the meat.

The sandwich is served on a corn dusted bun that is toasted, making the bun unique. No condiments are put on the sandwich. It is up to the consumer to add them if he or she wishes. It does come with pickles on the side. The heal of the bun does get a bit mushy. The sandwiches are not portable in the sense they could easily be consumed in a moving vehicle. Too much meat would fall out if trying to do so. The flavor was very good. It was lacking in the slightly greasy flavor which may be because of the sugar added to the recipe. The flavor was well blended. One part of the flavor did not over power another.

The biggest loss in points is because of the misnomers with claiming The Garden Cafe is home to the Ye Old Tavern since 1926. The year is wrong and the original recipe is lost. A few points are lost because the heal of the bun becomes mushy in the middle, there is not enough of the slightly greasy flavor, plus it is not truly steamed as a loose meat purist would like.

Total points: 94. I will return to The Garden Cafe and continue to enjoy their tavern sandwiches.

Genji Monogatari (Tale of Genji)

To celebrate 10 years of being Sioux City, Iowa's Sister City, officials from the City of Yamanashi, Japan presented this beautiful tapestry which now hangs in Sioux City's City Hall:

Monday, May 19, 2014

Rain Drop Studios Open House

On Saturday May 17, 2014 Rain Drop Studios in Sioux City, Iowa's Morningside neighborhood held their open house during the Annual Morningside Days Festival.

The Rain Drop Studios Belly Dancers performed their dance routines just down the street from their studio during the open house: