If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

On Monday night, Amanda and I were joined at Bistro 26 by a college friend of mine, Piasha Chanda. We were seated immediately when we arrived and our server, Mitchell, told us about the soups and the day’s featured dish. While the cod special sounded fantastic, we were there for pasta. There are five pasta dishes on the menu and they all sounded delicious. We each decided on something different and placed our orders. Every pasta entree comes with a side salad and grilled bread. The salads are pretty standard with mixed greens, red onions, tomatoes, shredded cheese, and cucumbers. However, it’s the house-made dressings that make the salads truly great.

Piasha decided to go with the Mediterranean linguine. A bowl of linguine was tossed with chicken, red and green bell peppers, kalamata olives, and onion all in a spicy marinara sauce. I like Mediterranean food, but sometimes I think kalamata olives can overpower a plate of food. This dish, however, was well-balanced. The marinara sauce gave it the right amount of heat and acidity, the peppers and onions added some sweetness, and the olives provided little bursts of salty goodness. The sauce itself was a little watery, but it gave us something to dip the grilled bread in.

Amanda ordered the cheddar chicken rotini. This entree started with rotini pasta in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce, tossed with char-grilled chicken, mushrooms, and broccoli. Everything was topped with seasoned, buttery breadcrumbs and browned until crisp. The noodles were cooked perfectly. The sauce was rich without being over the top. The vegetables kept their fresh quality even after being cooked and they added heartiness in addition to the chicken. The crunchy breadcrumbs on top gave it a fantastic, crisp texture and an added burst of flavor.

I chose the shrimp with angel hair. Ordinarily, I do not like thin noodles. I think they typically have an odd texture and mouth feel because of their delicacy, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good this dish was. Large shrimp were sautéed with yellow squash, tomatoes, scallions, spinach, red onion, and garlic, and were tossed with angel hair pasta. The shrimp were plump, buttery, and well-cooked. The oil was infused with the garlic in the dish and coated everything beautifully. Like Piasha’s dish, the sauce at the bottom of the plate made an excellent dip for the bread. The veggies in this dish also gave the thin pasta some needed body and texture which is what I really enjoyed about it.

Thank you Mitchell for the great service and meal. You will see us back again for sure. The address of Bistro 26 is 3557 W 26th St. in Erie and the number for information and reservations is 814.835.3553. They are open daily from 10:30 am to 9pm Monday through Thursday and till 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite pasta and noodle dishes to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

For just over two years, Michael Farsace has been the owner and chef at Mi Scuzi Ristorante Italiano.  Although the restaurant has changed owners since the last time I was there, the authentic and intimate atmosphere brought on by music and lighting remains the same.  Amanda and I got there shortly after six on Tuesday night.  We got seated and started looking through the menu.  I asked our server, Scott, for some pasta recommendations and he told us a few dishes that he liked as well as what was most popular.  We both decided on dinner and waited for our food.

Our meal started with the same delicious garlic knots as last time.  Two fluffy bread knots are topped with garlic butter and thick shavings of Parmesan cheese.  I could easily make a meal of these with some soup and a salad.  I ordered a side salad with my entree. Most of the menu is à la carte, so the salad was a few dollars extra.  The salad was mixed greens tossed in a house vinaigrette with a side of kalamata olives.  The dressing was tangy and paired perfectly with the bitter peppery greens.

Amanda ordered the Spaghettini.  A bowl of fresh pasta was served with the house tomato sauce and two pesto infused veal meatballs.  The meatballs were very moist and flavorful.  The sauce was chunky and bright without being too acidic.  The pasta was slightly past al dente, but was still very good.  When getting to the end of the dish, the sauce and pasta left a lot of water in the bowl.  We weren’t sure if the sauce was supposed to be that thin or if it just needed drained more.

I decided on the Carbonara.  A bowl of linguine was tossed with prosciutto de parma, peas, and garlic in a thick cheesy cream sauce and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano.  The linguine was fresh and coated with the sauce.  The peas and chunks of prosciutto gave the dish great body and I really couldn’t get enough of it.  I added some red pepper flakes to give it some heat and it was perfect.  The sauce was creamy and made the pasta even better.Despite how large the plate was, I cleaned the bowl.

Thank you to Scott for dinner and great service.  The hours of operation are Tuesday through Thursday from 5 to 9 pm, Friday and Saturday from 5 to 10 pm, and Sunday from 1 to 5 pm.  The phone number for information and reservations is 814-454-4533.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite pasta and noodle dishes to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

At the start of my vegetarian food tour, I was worried that it would not only be a struggle to find options, but it would be a struggle to write about.  I was wrong on both accounts.  I found some really fantastic options for vegetarian food and never missed the chicken, beef, or pork.  I enjoyed everything I was able to sample, but I did have my favorites from each location.  Here they are in no particular order.

• Vegan Demise Pizza from Papa Joe’s Pepperoni Cafe
• Falafel Platter from The Palm Tree Market
• Crowd Control Burger from The Whole Foods Co-op
• Vegetarian Drunken Noodles from Khao Thai
• Fettuccine Alfredo from La Bella
• Frekieh from Casablanca Grill
• Vegetable Ciabatta Bruschetta from Frankie & May
• Burrito en el Huerto from Torero’s Mexican Restaurant

Thank you again to everyone who made these last eight weeks possible.  My eyes have been opened to a lot of options that I didn’t even consider before.  I don’t see myself making the full switch to being a vegetarian, but I will be back eating at all of these places soon.

I can’t wait to start eating some local favorite pasta dishes.  Keep sending your recommendations, suggestions, and comments to AKochirka@goerie.com.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

Torero’s Mexican Restaurant is a small, local chain based out of Raleigh, North Carolina. They have called upper Peach St. home to one of their locations for almost the last six years. Last night, Amanda and I were joined by my friend Steve Anthony for dinner around 6:30. Every table is given a basket of double fried tortilla chips as well as individual bowls of fresh salsa when seated. While munching on the chips and salsa, we browsed the menu and found the page of “Mexi-Vegi” options. After a few minutes of decision making, we were ready to order.

Steve ordered the Vegetarian Expresso burrito. A large flour tortilla was stuffed with Mexican rice, their house Rancho beans, lettuce, and tomatoes. The Rancho beans are their cholesteral-free alternative to the refried beans. The beans were left whole and cooked until tender in a salted and seasoned broth. The burrito was served with guacamole and sour cream. The rice and beans combination was extremely flavorful. The cheese and red burrito sauce on top added just the right amount of moisture. Steve added El Yucateco green hot sauce as well as Tapatio hot sauce to his meal for a bigger kick of spice. It was a simple, but delicious plate of food.

Amanda went with the cheese quesadilla. Two crispy flour tortillas were loaded with cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheeses. Like the burrito, it was served with fresh lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, refried beans and Mexican rice. All of these elements are the basic staples of many Mexican dishes. The tortillas added the perfect crunch to the molten hot melted cheese. The cool sour cream and guacamole were a perfect contrast to the piping hot cheese. The refried beans and Mexican rice are the best accompaniment you could ask for with a meal like this. They add body and more substance to the dish and make sure you leave satisfied.

I wanted to try the Burrito en el Huerto. Translating to “burrito in the garden,” a big flour tortilla was packed with sautéed prickly pear cactus (nopales), sweet peppers, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms. The burrito was topped with their special sauce and melted cheese. I was happy to see that the vegetables used were all fresh. The thinly-sliced cactus had a texture similar to a green bell pepper. They were sweet with just a hint of tartness. The filling overall was wonderful and a terrific break from what I typically order at a Mexican restaurant. I have never had cactus before and I am that glad I tried it; it will be something I have again for sure.

Thank you to everyone at Torero’s for the hospitality and great food. I hadn’t eaten there in a while and now I remember what I have been missing. The phone number for information is 814-864-2803. Their hours of operation are Monday through Thursday and Sundays from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

This is the final week of my vegetarian tour of local restaurants.  Sending me some new ideas on what type of food to do next to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

In January of 2012, Frankie & May Fresh Grocer opened their doors to offer Erie local and high quality meats, fish, cheese, and produce among other things.  They also offer many different cooking classes in addition to daily lunch in their cafe.  I went in for lunch around noon on Monday.  You can sit at a counter overlooking the preparation area or at individual tables.  The cafe seats 20 or so people and it was filling up fast. I sat at the counter and just watched people pour in for the lunch rush.  The menu is full of light dishes including some vegetarian options and after a few minutes of looking, I decided on two dishes to try.

First, I tried their Egg Salad on Whole Grain.  Farm fresh eggs were diced and mixed with onion, garlic aioli, mustard, and dill to create a creamy and velvety salad.  Three pieces of whole wheat bread were sliced in half to create three smaller slider sandwiches.  The crust of the bread had a great crunch to it while the inside remained soft.  Using garlic and onion in the salad added more complex taste.  The mustard and dill gave the salad brightness and a lot of flavor.  I added the side of arugula garnish to my sandwiches for a peppery bite.

I also got the Roasted Vegetable Ciabatta Bruschetta.  Two thick slices of ciabatta were toasted until crispy and then spread with fresh goat cheese.  The cheese was topped with roasted peppers, squash, eggplant, onions, and a sprinkling of shredded cheese.    The vegetables were roasted simply with olive oil, garlic, and other herbs.  The goat cheese is tangy with an earthy flavor and pairs beautifully with the herbed veggies.  Though it was loaded with flavor, I did not realize that the dish would be served cold and I would request to have the entire thing heated next time.

Thank you to Tina for putting together a delicious lunch and to the rest of Frankie & May for providing such fresh products.  The number for the store is 814.836.0070.  The hours are Monday through Saturday: 9am to 7pm and Sunday: 12 noon to 5pm.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

Casablanca Grill has called 2174 W. Eighth St. home for almost five years now. Syria native Darin Masri is the co-owner of the restaurant and with help from her parents, has created an exciting and fresh menu of Middle Eastern favorites. Amanda and I stopped in for dinner at 6 o’clock on Tuesday night. To start, almost everything on the menu can be prepared vegetarian. We looked over the menu for a few minutes and Darin gave us some recommendations on her favorite vegetarian choices.

We started with the Casablanca Platter as an appetizer. We wanted to try a few of the appetizer options and felt that was the best way to do it. On the platter was hummus, baba ghannouj, tabooli, fattoush, and falafel. While every item was delicious in its own way, we each preferred different things. Amanda loved the seasoning of the hummus. It was super creamy and the tahini and olive oil on top gave just the right velvety texture. I enjoyed the baba ghannouj. The blend of grilled eggplant with lemon and garlic made for a wonderfully creamy dish with a bright and tangy bite. I also liked the tabooli while Amanda preferred the fattoush. Tabooli is a salad of bulgur wheat, tomatoes, parsley, mint, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. The herbs were quite strong, but mixed with the lemon and acid from the tomatoes, the flavors married together perfectly. Fattoush is a salad made of mixed greens and fried pieces of pita tossed in lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, sumac, and topped with sesame seeds. Subtle hints of the sesame seeds and the pepperiness of the greens gave it a unique taste. The falafel were wonderfully crispy on the outside and still moist on the inside without being greasy. I ate mine wrapped in a pita with some baba ghannouj. The plate was sprinkled with sumac (not the poisonous variety) which added a slightly salty and tart flavor. The sampler was a delicious way to start our meal and try a few of the choices on the menu.

All of the entrees come with a cup of soup or a salad. Since our appetizer platter came with two different salads, we both chose the yellow lentil soup. Lentils were pureed with carrots, onions, garlic, and some other spices. The soup had a texture comparable to a potato soup- a little on the thicker side, but it wasn’t heavy. I could have easily eaten the Casablanca Platter by myself with a bowl of the lentil soup and called it a meal, but I was eager to try more.

For her entree, Amanda ordered the Mucklouba. Rice was layered with fresh sautéed broccoli, squash, carrots, onions, peas, slivered almonds, and eggplant. Normally the dish is served with ground beef, but instead, the beef was substituted with more vegetables. Everything was cooked with their house blend of spices and topped with a sprinkling of sumac. Alongside the meal was a dish of their scratch-made yogurt sauce. Fresh, homemade yogurt is mixed with cucumber, mint, garlic, and garnished with sumac. Although similar to Greek tzatziki, it is thinner and added just the right amount of creaminess and tang to the dish.

I chose the Frekieh for my meal. The wheat used for this dish is sun-dried and then burned/smoked to remove the hull and chaff from the seed. Because of this preparation, the wheat is infused with a rich, smoky flavor that carries throughout the dish. The wheat was perfectly cooked and topped with peas and sautéed, slivered almonds. My plate was also garnished with sumac and served with the same yogurt sauce. On the suggestion from Badrieh, Darin’s mother, I poured all of the yogurt sauce over the wheat, which proved to be a great idea. The dish is normally served with a choice of chicken or beef, but, like many of the other vegetarian dishes we’ve tried in this tour, I did not miss the meat at all. The smoky flavor was intense, but was cut and rounded out by the yogurt sauce. I would gladly order this again.

We ended our meal with a delicious slice of cake. A banana cake was filled with melted chocolate chips, chewy raisins, and crunchy walnuts. It was served warm with dollops of whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The cake wasn’t overly rich, but satisfied my sweet tooth after such a savory and flavorful meal.

Thank you to Darin and Badrieh for such an enjoyable meal. We will be back again to try even more. The telephone number for information or reservations is 814-452-4544. They are BYOB and also offer beautiful outdoor seating in the summer months. Their hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

The former Hector’s Restaurant at the corner of 18th and Liberty Streets has been transformed into La Bella; Owner Harry Miller opened this, his newest restaurant, just about three years ago. Bold and vibrant colors inside are a reflection of the flavors in his dishes. Saturday night, Amanda and I made reservations for 6:30. Our server Jill brought us our drinks, and walked us through the specials. The menu is fresh and constantly being updated. If you have any dietary needs, they are more than accommodating. There are plenty of gluten free options as well as a full page of vegetarian choices. Jill is a vegetarian herself so she made some fantastic recommendations to us.

Our meal started with some warm bread and herbed olive oil. The smell of the oil alone made my mouth water so we couldn’t wait to dig in. All of the dinner entrees come with a house salad to start. The salads are basic with romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, shredded cheese, and fresh made garlic croutons. All of the salad dressing choices are made in house and are wonderful. Amanda got the chunky bleu cheese vinaigrette and I went with their famous creamy onion Fred. Both dressings were amazing.

All of the pasta that is used on the menu is local from Stanganelli’s Italian Foods. For my dinner, I went with the egg fried pasta. Fresh fettuccine is sautéed with egg and then tossed with whole cherry tomatoes, scallions, spinach, mushrooms, and topped with shaved Asiago cheese. The pasta was cooked beautifully and the egg flavor was exactly what I was looking for. Because of the egg, I initially thought this dish would be like a carbonara, but it isn’t really. There isn’t a heavy, creamy sauce. The dish was actually surprisingly light. The tomatoes gave the dish a bright acidity and the scallions, spinach, and mushrooms gave the dish more body. The gooey cheese was just the right binder to pull the dish together. Amazing, simple, and delicious.

Amanda’s dish was very similar to mine, but only in appearance. Fettuccine Alfredo is about as common of an Italian dish as you can find. A great one stands out though. Amanda wanted to try theirs and it stood out for sure. Jill offered to add vegetables to the pasta to give the dish more substance. A light, flour-less garlic Parmesan Alfredo sauce was tossed with the same fresh fettuccine used in my dish. Tomatoes, spinach, and mushrooms were added and really added a fantastic layer of flavor. The sauce was velvety, creamy and coated the pasta perfectly. This really was an amazing plate of food.

Thank you to Harry, chef Mike Augustine, and Jill for such a fantastic meal. I cannot wait to come back and try everything else. The phone number for reservations is 814-456-2244. Their hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. They offer a variety of dishes as well as options for kids. They are also BYOB with a $1 corkage fee per person.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

Next door to Hook’s Catfish Kitchen at 36 North Park Row is Khao Thai. Owner Tat King serves up traditional Thai dishes that are healthy, low in fat, and MSG free. Fresh ingredients, tons of vegetables, and authentic spices are what make Thai food so delicious. Amanda and I were joined for dinner last night by our friends Lacey Johnson and Jen Wright. Almost every dish on the restaurant’s menu can be made vegetarian. First, choose what dish you want and then decide how you’d like it to be prepared; vegetarian (with or without tofu) or with chicken, pork, beef, shrimp or seafood. After a few minutes spent looking over the menu, we were all ready to order.

Lacey kept dinner light with an order of fresh rolls and a bowl of Tom Yum (or Tom Yam)soup. The fresh rolls start with rice paper wrapped around thinly sliced cucumber, carrot, green onion, lettuce, chopped cilantro, and tofu. They were served with a tamarind sauce topped with crushed peanuts. The raw vegetables had a delightful, fresh crispness. The sauce gave the rolls a wonderful sweet and sour flavor that added brightness to the dish. We asked for a container of extra pepper sauce so that we could adjust the spice level to our liking and Lacey used it to top each of her fresh rolls in addition to the tamarind sauce. Tom Yum soup is the Thai version of hot (tom) and sour (yum) soup. The broth was made from fresh and fragrant lemongrass, kafir lime leaves, ginger, lime juice, oil, and hot peppers. Fresh tofu, cabbage, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, scallions, and cilantro were added to give the soup some substance. The broth had such a depth of flavor, it really elevated the whole dish to another level.

Amanda ordered vegetarian Pad Thai. This traditional Thai dish is made up of broccoli, scallions, carrots, onions, eggs, bean sprouts, fried tofu, and thin rice noodles in a sauce of tamarind, lime, ginger, chili, sugar, cilantro, and other seasonings and then it’s topped with crushed peanuts. The noodles were coated in the sticky sauce, binding everything together in a piping hot pile of tastiness. The sweetness of the sauce with the heat of the chili peppers rounded out all of the flavors in the dish. Everything we ordered was served (temperature) hot, but the noodle dishes in particular held their heat until the plates were empty.

Jen decided to go with a new dish on the menu, the Massaman Curry. This yellow curry is typically made from coconut milk, curry paste, Thai spices like basil, cardamom, star anise, chili sauce, and tamarind, among others. The curry broth was full of fresh chunks of potato, tofu, cabbage, green beans, peppers, broccoli, and onions. It was served with a side of steamed white rice to absorb the broth. Overall, this curry was light but still packed a punch of flavor. I haven’t tried the Panang Curry, but out of the other three (green, red, massaman), this is easily my new favorite.

Finally, I ordered a cup of Tom Kar soup and vegetarian drunken noodles. The soup was a creamy coconut milk-based broth that had similar ingredients as what was in the Tom Yum. Lemongrass, kafir lime, galangal, cilantro, chili gave the broth a wonderful collective aroma. The soup had beans, broccoli, tofu, mushrooms, cilantro, and scallions in it. It had a tang to it that I haven’t found in any of the other dishes on the menu. The combination of the tart lemongrass and lime leaves with the coconut milk really make this dish shine. Although the drunken noodle dish was similar in appearance to Pad Thai, it had a completely different flavor profile. Instead of being sweet from tamarind and lime juice, the sauce was packed with Thai chilies and Thai basil, giving it a distinctive spice. Fried tofu, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, broccoli, snap peas, and baby corn were tossed with the sauce and broad rice noodles. Like the Pad Thai, drunken noodles are just about the definition of perfection in my book. The balance of flavors and textures made for a very filling and satisfying meal.

Every dish on the menu can be ordered as hot or as mild as you would like. The menu displays options from one pepper to three peppers hot, but you can ask for yours at any spice level up to ten. If you’re feeling particularly daring, you can ask for it to be prepared as hot as it can be. They will also provide additional dry pepper flakes and/or chili sauce for the table if you’d rather control the heat level yourself.

A big thanks to Tat and the rest of the staff at Khao Thai for making such an awesome dinner. The restaurant is child friendly and BYOB. The phone number is 814-454-4069 and they offer takeout. Their hours are Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

The Whole Foods Cooperative at 1341 West 26th Street is a member-owned and controlled business combining an all-natural grocery store with a fantastic café. Amanda and I were joined by my friend Steve Anthony for dinner last night. We have all eaten at the café for lunch, but never for dinner. I was surprised by how crowded the seating area was. We looked over the menu at the counter and placed our orders. The food can be made with dairy or vegan products (if available) as well as gluten free; all you have to do is ask. A table opened up just after we ordered so we sat down and waited for our food.

Steve ordered the California Quesadilla. Most of the food is served in a large portion and this was no exception. A wheat tortilla was filled with spinach pesto, tomato slices, red onions, a creamy avocado spread, thinly sliced cucumbers, chopped artichokes, and topped with a Monterey and cheddar blend. The quesadilla was grilled to melted, piping hot perfection and it stayed that way until it was gone. Although a lot of the vegetables in the quesadilla are the same texture, the snap of the red onions and the crisp of the grilled tortilla kept it from being mushy. The artichokes had a briny flavor which added a nice salty layer to this quesadilla. The pesto and the avocado spread mixed well together and balanced everything out with a delicate creaminess.

Amanda ordered the Rice & Bean Wrap. This wrap was refreshingly cool and filling. A tortilla was stuffed with black beans, brown rice, avocado spread, sour cream, fresh salsa, and a spring mix of greens. The beans and rice were perfectly cooked and seasoned. The avocado and sour cream gave it a fantastic velvety texture and cut the acidity of the salsa. Having a mix of greens instead of just chopped iceberg or romaine give it a fresh taste. Overall, the wrap was fantastically balanced and very flavorful.

I chose the Mexicali Pizza and Crowd Control Burger. The gluten free crust was recommended to me because of how crispy it gets while it’s baked. The crust was topped with black bean dip, taco sauce, grilled peppers/onions, pepper jack cheese, salsa, and a small pile of the mixed greens. I also ordered mine with vegan sour cream on the side. The bean dip served as the base sauce and “glues” everything else to the crust. The peppers and onions were caramelized beautifully and added tons of flavor. I like spicy foods so I typically add some hot sauce to help enhance the taco sauce. The cheese topping was chewy and gave the pizza just the right amount of salt. The crispy, gluten free crust was my favorite part. I’ll definitely be ordering my pizzas there with that crust from now on.

I am not a vegetarian and there isn’t much I enjoy more than a big, meaty burger, fresh off the grill. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Crowd Control Burger didn’t leave me missing beef in the slightest. The huge lentil-walnut burger patty was placed on a sprouted sesame seed bun and topped with sliced tomatoes, red onions, an awesome Dijon mustard, ketchup, mayonnaise, the same Monterey and cheddar blend from the quesadilla, and a handful of the mixed greens. First, the bun was grilled perfectly so it was crispy on the outside but still pillow soft in the middle. The lentil and walnut combination in the patty was hearty and filling. The walnut flavor gave just a hint of sweetness and when paired with the acidic bite from the ketchup and Dijon, it was absolutely perfect. The fresh vegetables on top of the burger gave it great texture and crunch. I could easily eat this burger everyday.

All of the dishes came with pickle slices, blue corn chips, and fresh salsa. Thank you to everyone who gave the three of us such a great dinner. We will be back for sure. The store is open Monday – Saturday from 9 A.M. – 9 P.M. and Sunday from 9 A.M. – 7 P.M. The phone number to place an order is 814-456-0282.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food

If you haven’t yet, be sure to “like” Chew On It: Beard vs. Food on Facebook and follow me on Twitter!

Middle-Eastern in origin, falafel is a ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and other herbs and spices. Erie has a lot of places that serve falafel and I wanted to compare some this week. Out of the five locations I put on the weekly poll, I went to the top three.

Big Moe’s at 7666 West Ridge Road in Fairview has a menu full of delicious food. They have a great selection of vegetarian dishes that all sounded great, but I was there for the falafel. Their falafel wrap is stuffed full. The falafel patties are fried in peanut oil and then rolled tight in pita bread with a choice of either hummus or baba ghanoush as well as lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini. I ordered mine with hummus, but asked for it on the side so I could tear it apart and dip it in myself. The falafel patties were wonderfully seasoned. The spice blend used was strong, but not overwhelming and the tahini helped keep the wrap moist. Overall it was really good.

The corner of 10th and State is home to Jekyll & Hyde’s. I have been there countless times and have never been disappointed. The food is awesome and consistent. As much as I love the fried bologna sandwich or the steak burger, I was excited to try the falafel. Their pita sandwich was different than the first. The falafel patties were pan-fried and served in a folded pita. It was topped with mixed greens, tomato slices, tahini, and a cucumber-yogurt dressing. The falafel is not as heavily spiced so I could taste more of the fresh chickpea flavor and it paired well with the yogurt dressing. It didn’t have the hummus or baba ghanoush, which made this sandwich lighter than the other. I could easily eat at Jekyll & Hyde’s every day.

The Palm Tree Market and Cafe at 2705 Parade St. is full of Middle-Eastern products, foods, and spices as well as a deli serving traditional food. I ordered a falafel plate and it was the best choice I could have made. I watched over the counter as six large falafel balls were hand-made and pan-fried. The balls were served on a layer of seasoned onions and came with two large, fresh pitas, a side of hummus, baba ghanoush, pickled vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes, more onions, and lemon wedges. It was beautifully served and I couldn’t wait to eat it. I tore off a piece of bread, then a piece of falafel, topped it with some lemon juice and vegetables, and dipped it in the hummus. It was perfect. The falafel was really crispy on the outside, but still soft and moist in the middle. The bread was fresh and fantastic. The vinegar from the pickled vegetables added just the right amount of bite. Both the hummus and baba ghanoush gave the falafel even more flavor and the lemon provided brightness to the dish. I could have been full with three falafel balls and one pita, but it was so good that I had to finish it all. These really are a must try.

Who knew that falafel could be so different from place to place. All three were delicious and had their own unique flavors. I would gladly recommend all of them. Thank you to everyone who made this falafel comparison great.

Keep sending me your recommendations for local favorite vegetarian foods to akochirka@goerie.com or to the Beard Vs. Food Facebook.  Remember to come back and vote as well.

Until next time,

Andrew – Beard vs. Food