Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Okie's Butcher Shop

2107 Long Beach Blvd
Surf City, NJ 08008
(609) 494-5577
Website

Okie's is a staple of the Long Beach Island scene. I don't make it to the shore very often, but when I do, I love to check out the "beach version" of my favorite thing to eat, sandwiches. Okie's is a very good butcher shop, with a huge prepared food section. And a made-to-order deli, in which I partook.


This place gets packed on the weekends, so just grab a number and hang out for a bit.


The counter people work very fast, and are quite courteous for their speed. The hoagies come wrapped in saran wrap, which makes them perfect for a beach lunch. They are also huge. A "half" (shown below) is more than enough for one person.


They are like a hybrid "sub" and "hoagie" (soagie?), with a hard seeded roll, but cut all the way through.


The meat was freshly sliced, with the cheese nestled between layers. I would have loved some sharp provolone on this, but the overall package was a pretty damn good sandwich. The veggies were fresh, the roll had a perfect chew, and the meat was quality.


The setting certainly didn't hurt my enjoyment of this sandwich either. I would have to say, if I am getting a hoagie in LBI, there is only one choice.

Monday, June 22, 2015

Full Spirited Flavours

Schwenksville, PA 19473
(610) 933-6411
Website

I recently received a package in the mail from a company run by some sisters who make booze-infused cakes. While I was skeptical, because this seemed like a gimmick (and it admittedly is), I wanted to give them a fair shot.


Each box contains four individually wrapped cakes.


From twelve o'clock: Amaretto, chocolate razz, mango coconut and limoncello.


The cakes were very moist, and had a nice shine. Yes, sheen, shimmer, glisten. They looked mouthwatering.


The real shock was the consistency. These were surprisingly delicious cakes, and had a texture that many cakes lack. I assume that an ample use of oil didn't hurt.



The limencello was probably my favorite of the group. They had a nice lemon flavor, with a bit of zip from the sweetly bitter liquor, some extra sugary sweetness from the white chocolate pieces, and the glaze of more limencello helped balance the acidity.


Coconut rum and sweet mango was another favorite. Not cloyingly sweet, and like the rest of the cakes, had a great texture.



Chocolate razz was another crowd pleaser. It's not to say the amaretto wasn't well received, but these three were the definite favorites. I can see this product catering to a niche like work gifts, bridal showers, baby showers etc. I am still shocked at how well the cake turned out given my initial skepticism. Hopefully these sisters continue to do well.


If you're involved with any of the aforementioned events/groups, I suggest you give them a try. Build a gift basket around them!

Monday, June 15, 2015

Wayside Market

469 S Old Middletown Rd.
Media, PA 19063
(610) 566-9989
Website

Every once in a while, a gem escapes my radar. It makes me so happy to stumble upon a place that I never heard of. And love it.


When I walked in and saw the Lisco's bin, I knew I was in the right place.


To really gauge a place, I look to the big two: cheesesteaks and hoagies. In this case, I also ordered some BBQ ranch fries to go alongside as I was feeling particularly chubby.


The "Old World Italian" took the DelCo meat wrap to the extreme. This thing was literally draped with thinly sliced Italian meats.


Sharp Provolone, Genoa, Cappicola, Ham, Coteghino, Pepper Ham, Prosciutto, olive oil, lettuce and tomato are the standard fillings. Works for me. The Liscio's roll held everything together perfectly (as usual) and the ultra thin, fresh sliced cold cuts melted in your (my) mouth.


They didn't over-stuff the sandwich, but rather let the quality of the ingredients (and construction) speak for itself.


The cheesesteak was another no-frills winner. There was no gimmick, just extremely quality meat, a nice ratio of melted cheese throughout, and some sweet caramelized onions. This is how it should be done. My only concern was that it was dangerously close to having too little meat. The quality and seasoning of the chopped beef inside was so good, I let it slide. But I could see that being a complaint.


It was really true of both sandwiches, but they were so good I didn't care. I don't need a mound of meat to chew through, when I can have a great ratio of carbs-to-protein like we have here.


The BBQ Ranch fries were a surprising sleeper hit. The fries were very crispy, fluffy inside, and the salty dry rub was quashed by creamy ranch dressing. Another big winner.


This is the kind of out-of-the way market I LOVE to find. And it truly is out of the way. I don't know how anyone would ever drive past it unless they were lost. Or they heard about the hoagies.