Category: Hot off the Grill

Featured Stories of the Week

Lunch Mate Hard Salami Review

Another bargain from Aldi’s (locator)  this week was their “Lunch Mate” brand hard salami at $2.99 for an 8 ounce resealable pack, making is $6 per pound.  Compare with your grocery deli counter, and you almost always save 30-50%. The product is made by Patrick Cuhahy’s Wisconsin plant, USDA establishment 28.    Cudahy, founded in… Continue reading Lunch Mate Hard Salami Review

Mama Cozzis Mega Meat Thin Crust Pizza

  Mama Cozzi’s Pizza Kitchen is an in-house brand at discount grocer Aldi, owned by the same German company that owns Trader Joes.  Aldi primarily contracts with food manufacturers to make products under brand names that Aldi has chosen, and they are quite often top manufacturers in the segment;  Aldi offers the products for significantly… Continue reading Mama Cozzis Mega Meat Thin Crust Pizza

Fear/Loathing/Loving the Letter “T” / And Texas Toast

When I was living in China, it didn’t take long for me to figure out the Chinese have a deathly fear of the letter “T”.   I learned this watching their television news, every time Taiwan, Tibet, or Tiananmen would come on the news, the story would be bleeped out.  See what i mean? Last week, I… Continue reading Fear/Loathing/Loving the Letter “T” / And Texas Toast

Beverly Hills, CA – The Palm Review

Recalling MY Weird and Great Thanksgivings I’ve had my share of weird Thanksgivings, as most people have. Some, like turkey day at Waffle House, I’ve written about before. The best one was when my daughter was about nine or ten, and she planned, shopped, and prepared an entire day of feasting beginning with breakfast, with… Continue reading Beverly Hills, CA – The Palm Review

Chicago Suburban Theater Chain – Classic Cinemas

What am I doing reviewing a chain of movie theaters?   Just letting you know how impressed I was  with this operation.  For first run movies, value pricing, clean facilities, enthusiastic employees, reasonable concessions, this family owned chain of theaters in suburban Chicago is just the ticket for your night out.  Classic Cinemas 13 theaters are… Continue reading Chicago Suburban Theater Chain – Classic Cinemas

Home Cookin’ – DiGiorno Frozen Pizza Review, Pizzeria Style (new product)

Busman’s holiday. A funny phrase. It means I’m taking time off from my job as a write to write this, which is supposed to be a hoppy, but has turned into a second job. No rest for the wicked, as they say. Developed originally by Kraft, the DiGiorno frozen pizza line now calls Switzerland based… Continue reading Home Cookin’ – DiGiorno Frozen Pizza Review, Pizzeria Style (new product)

Elgin, IL – Kendalls Kountry Kitchen Review

Damn.  Old timey diner, affable chatty waitresses (including the owner),  great food, great value.  So unassuming from the outside (left) you’d be likely to pass by if you weren’t looking for it, or one of the locals that has made a daily habit of stopping in for the last couple decades.  I know I would… Continue reading Elgin, IL – Kendalls Kountry Kitchen Review

New Orleans, LA – Cafe Degas Review

(From our archives) I’ve intentionally shied away from the Café Degas, because it’s one of those places that many natives find absolutely thrilling. That’s usually my first clue to avoid it like the plague. I frequently find that my view of “outstanding” varies widely from my native friends, but that’s largely due to the fact… Continue reading New Orleans, LA – Cafe Degas Review