Friday, August 22, 2008

Out and About Review

OUT AND ABOUT
Fox’s Pizza Den
2590 Maplewood Drive
Sulphur, LA
337-533-1181
www.foxspizza.com
Monday - Saturday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM $1 - $24

Situated in the “old” Dairy Queen and taking over from another pizza joint, this chain out of Pennsylvania has landed across the river. They spruced up the place although the floor of red tile bricks remains. The tables and booths sport a red and white motif on seating and banded wood tables coated in clear polyethylene. It is counter service. You order from an overhead board and they bring it to you.
First time in I could not resist a Wedgie. An unusual sandwich unique to this chain. They take pizza dough and dock it so it does not rise when baked. The baked dough is cut in half. Sandwich fixings go on one half. The other half goes on top and it is halved again, hence a wedge. I got the Beef, Bacon, & Cheddar. It comes fully dressed and proved quite tasty.
Next time I ordered a Pizza and Stromboli. Not a big fan of traditional pizza I got the BBQ Pizza. I chose grilled chicken. It comes with bell pepper and onions topped with both cheddar and mozzarella. The crust was thinner than most and quite crisp. I enjoyed this variation. Sad to say that was not the case with the Stromboli. A calzone like product it came out burnt nearly black but annoyingly the crust was still doughy inside. I got a pepperoni one and it was inedible. Last time in I got Cheese Garlic Bread, a Hoagie and Hot Wings. The bread made on a hoagie half was suitably cheesy and good. The Meatball Hoagie was a disaster. I opted for honey wheat bread. I got that fake dark bread nearly burnt black stuffed with mediocre meatballs and bland tomato sauce topped with shredded lettuce. Needless to say I did not like it. The Hot Wings were a mixed bag. The smaller wings were nice, good level of spice and cooked through. However the larger ones suffered from rubbery slimy textured skin.
Not a venue I would spend gas money going across the lake. It does give Maplewood another option other than the other pizza chains.
Brother’s Po Boys
808 Sampson
Westlake, LA
337-433-4662
Monday - Saturday 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM $1 - $15

Located in the former Golden Hen building little was done to the exterior. However the interior was painted with Mardi Gras colors (green, gold, and purple). Seating consists of black cafeteria chairs and laminated tables. The floor sports large black and white vinyl tiles. It is counter service here also. While they also do pizzas I concentrated on the sandwiches. Both a wall and the menus tell the story of how po boys began.
I began with the Brothers Special (ham, turkey, roast beef, spicy mayonnaise, and lettuce). The roast beef seemed to have been soaking in gravy. Except for the fantastic bread (crisp crust and soft crumb with great flavor) it seemed like a Darrell’s knockoff. Next came a travesty, the so-called “New Orleans” Muffuletta. I have had Muffulettas in New Orleans and this was not it. Because of the outstanding bread (sesame topped Italian round loaf) it would have made for a decent salami sandwich except they nuked the meats and cheese making them very greasy and unappetizing. Last thing I ate there was tremendous. A shrimp po boy, again wonderful bread, fresh coated and fried shrimp, shredded lettuce and tarter sauce.
This I would come over the lake for. If they would make a spicy tartar sauce to go on it, it would be sublime
Short Shot
It is a bad news good new situation. Cid's on Opelousas St has closed (a victim of the summer doldrums and bad location). I am glad my last meal there was pigtails. However Lagniappe Cafe has started doing their soul special, a trifecta of chittlins, tripe and pig’s feet. They will be doing every second Sunday. So give them a call at 436-1151 to get the scoop. I had to have all three. Piled in a bowl they proved tender and tasty with a fine cornbread to sop up the juices.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19967467/326591330

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19988038/326745997

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