THE SHIL-SHUL DIARIES

The Shil-Shul Diaries!

The story begins in a cramped booth at the "faux" New York deli 'Noshville' in Nashville TN on a blustry day after thanksgiving November Friday day in 2008. In between my wife, Rachel, and my brother, Michael, I sat across from my "cooler than me" cousins Mark and Sarah, and Sarah's just as cool husband, Danny. Mark, who lives the awesome life being a lawyer living in San Francisco working for Facebook, with his only downfall being his SEVERE lactardation..which has never been medically or scientifically proven to exist in Mark.. Sarah and Danny are foodies from NYC who have tried every dive "chicken finger" hut and "curry on a stick" in the big city. Danny and Sarah had discussed that they were trying to go to as many places from Bobby Flay's 'Throwdown' show as they could, and that there was one in Nashville we had to try.....a place that I had never heard of in my 13 years of living there..I will get to that adventure later.
I got an idea from my cool cousins idea. An idea became a hobby. And the hobby became an obsession. And thus produced the list.....a world-famous spreadsheet...of every restaurant that has ever been featured on Food Network and Travel Channel....every restaurant from the famous shows like "Throwdown", "Man V. Food", "Man v. Food Nation", "Food Feuds", "Food Wars", "Best Thing I Ever Ate", and "Diners Drive-Ins and Dives" to the obscure "Best Food Ever", "Meat and Potatoes", and "101 Best Places to Chowdown", plus my additions of the restaurants of famous chefs and local places of legend. Names, cities, food they are famous for, and addresses. It was and still is an obsession. As of 5:07pm on December 17, 2011, the list had 1,612 restaurants on it....with a few overlaps here and there.
And then over Pastrami Eggs Benedict at Nate N' Al's Deli in Beverly Hills, Hannah and Andrew, our good friends, gave me the idea of the blog. Document every place I went. And thus, "The Shil-Shul Diaries" was born. I will log the places, the shows they are from, and what I had. So far, every place I have been has been amazing, except two, one being mediocre, and another being down right awful.

If there is a city you have been to, or are going to, or are from and want to know what from my list is in the city, send me a email at agmarks@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Mullen's

NO FEATURED SHOW...JUST BEST ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD.

212 W. MAIN STREET WATERTOWN, WI

I DON'T THINK THERE IS MUCH ELSE TO SAY.

HANDS DOWN, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, BEST ICE CREAM IN THE WORLD.

THIS PLACE IS FAMILY RUN AND I MEAN FAMILY RUN. FAMILY OWNS FARM AND DAIRY COWS. THEY MILK COWS IN MORNING AND THE MILK IS ICE CREAM BY EVENING.

IF YOU ARE WITHIN 100 MILES OF WATERTOWN, YOU MUST GO!

San Francisco Creamery

From Man vs. Food

1370 Locus St., Walnut Creek, CA 94596

We have found our first potential let down of the list and the gastrointestinal journey. San Francisco Creamery. This place was the sight of the food challenge on MvF and is known for the "Kitchen Sink" whihc is "We throw everything at you with this gigantic sundae served in our own specially made sink! We take three sliced bananas, scoops of yourchoice of up to 8 flavors of ice creams, 8 servings of toppings, mounds and mounds of whipped cream, chopped toasted almonds and cherries. Serves one (if you dare) to six people. Perfect for birthdays and special celebrations - 41.95" It's GINRORMOUS. However, this place has a few problems.

1. Its called San Francisco Creamery, but it's in Walnut Creek which is an hour AT MINIMUM from the city.

2. "It's just ice cream"-my grandmother

3. If you don't get the kitchen sink, this place is worthless and pointless.

4. I ordered the chocolate fudge brownie, my favorite ice cream flavor in the entire world, made by Ben and Jerry's. Bad news folks, but good news for me, I'm pretty sure they just scooped Ben and Jerry's ice cream into a bowl because it tasted the exact same, which made me happy, but disappointed me because it's not original. Why pay $4.99 for a scoop and bananas on top (YES $4.99 FOR A SCOOP) when I could pay $4.99 for a pint at the Albertson's next door to the store.

Overall, meh. No originality.

The Ranch House

(These photos are not photoshopped...this is actually what it looks like)

From Best Thing I Ever Ate

Ojai, CA

102 Besant Rd Ojai, CA 93023

Went to this hidden gem on our anniversary. My wife had her doubts about this place as she does most places on the list as they normally revolve around best shellfish or best meat dish....in this case best scallops according to Cat Cora, and the concern that they will A. have nothing for her to eat on the list or B. will have run out of the one thing she can eat on the list (this happened at Craft, Tom Colicchio's, you know head judge of Top Chef, restaurant on her birthday, so this concern is justified). My wife keeps kosher, so no pork, shellfish, milk and meat together, un-kosher meat, or fish without fin or scales. We keep a kosher home, but my wife says..."kosher home, but Albert has a un-kosher belly" and never given me grief about eating un-kosher out of the house. We have a very fair agreement= kosher home, un-kosher out of the home for me.

Anyways, Rachel was hesitant about Ranch House. We could have stayed at the INCREDIBLE resort we were staying at and played it safe, but she went along like the amazing wife she is, and boy was she not disappointed.

This place is magical. The food was delicious..we shared mushroom pastries for appetizer...I had the flat iron steak...and Rachel had the seabass, which they didn't run out of. The wine was great. But the atmosphere and ambiance and scenery...easily top 3 most romantic restaurants we have ever dined at in our 8 years of being together. This place is, as the name says, a ranch house converted into a dining experience. You eat outside on the back deck among the most amazing trees, moss, flowers, and ferns along with water falls and creeks, all decorated with Christmas lights. It is amazing!! My wife even mentioned going back again!

Monday, April 15, 2013

IKE'S PLACE

SAN FRANCISCO

FROM MAN V. FOOD AND BEST THING I EVER ATE

3506 16th St., San Francisco, CA 94114

EASILY TOP 3 BEST SANDWICH OF MY LIFE! THIS IS THE CLOSEST I HAVE GOTTEN THUS FAR IN MY GASTROINTESTINAL JOURNEY TO THE FAMED "FAT" SANDWICH OF RUTGERS (A TRIP TO FAT SAL'S SANDWICH SHOP, OWNED BY JERRY FERARRA OF ENTOURAGE (TURTLE), IN LA IS ON THE HORIZON FOR A TRUE FAT SANDWICH EXPERIENCE...THAT POST TO COME SOON) WHERE THEY PUT EVERYTHING ON THE LIST WITH INSANE TOPPINGS AND INSANE SAUCES. THIS PLACE IS MY BROTHER'S FAVORITE. THERE ARE NO TABLES, JUST ORDER AND GET OUT. IT IS RECOMMENDED TO WALK THE TWO BLOCKS TO THE PARK DOWN THE STREET FOR A PICNIC.

THE BREAD IS EPIC! THE SAUCE IS MIND BLOWING! FAT, ENORMOUS AMAZING SANDWICHES ARE WHAT ARE ON TAP AND IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT!

I GOT THE MATT CAIN...Godfather sauce, provolone, roast beef, salami, turkey on the dutch bread with onion rings on top....awesome...messy....awesomely messy....and definitely worth the trip and the wait!

PAPALOTE

PAPALOTE

From Throwdown

3409 24th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-3718

I will state this for the official record: this is far and away, hand down, no questions asked, the best burrito I have ever had. It is also far and away, hands down, no questions asked the best salsa I have ever had in my life. I ordered two jars of the salsa online the moment I got home. Sprint, do not run, you dare not walk, sprint straight to Papalote if you are anywhere within a 100 mile area of San Francisco. Mind-blowing! Epic! Epically mind-blowing!

The scary thing is that people of San Francisco will claim better burritos...which obviously peaks my interest...and my appetite

Thursday, February 21, 2013

KOPP'S

#80 BEST PLACE TO CHOWDOWN ON '101 PLACES TO CHOWDOWN'

18880 W Bluemound Rd, Brookfield, WI

AS PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED, MANY CITIES ARE KNOWN FOR A TYPE OF FOOD....NEW YORK HAS PIZZA....CHICAGO HAS HOT DOGS, ITALIAN BEEF, AND POPCORN, CINCINNATI HAS CHILI, MEMPHIS/KANSAS CITY HAS BBQ, ST. LOUIS HAS TOASTED RAVIOLI, MINNEAPOLIS HAS JUICY LUCY AND SO ON.

BUT RARELY IS A STATE KNOWN FOR A FOOD..LET ALONE A FOOD CATERGORY...BUT WISCONSIN IS KNOWN FOR DAIRY...CHEESE....AND CUSTARD.

WISCONSIN LOVES ITS DAIRY...AND THEY LOVE THEIR ICE CREAM AND THEIR CUSTARD. THE BEST ICE CREAM, HANDS DOWN, IS MULLEN'S IN WATERTOWN, WI...BUT THATS A DIFFERENT STORY FOR A DIFFERENT DAY.

CUSTARD IS, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL, A HYBRID OF YOGURT AND ICE CREAM...JUST THICK AND DELICIOUSNESS MADE FROM (NO DOUBT) WHOLE MILK....AND THE PLACE THAT DOES IT BEST...IS KOPPS!!

SMOOTH, CREAMY, SWEET, AND AMAZING! KOPPS IS A MIDWEST SUMMER MUST!

PS- KOPPS APPARENTLY HAS REALLY GREAT BUTTER BURGERS...YUP....WISCONSIN CAN'T DO BURGERS WITHOUT DAIRY INVOLVED...AND CAN'T DO BURGERS WITH JUST ONE FORM OF DAIRY IN CHEESE FORM....SO THEY JUST SLAP BUTTER ONTO THE BUN!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

INTERSTATE BBQ

MEMPHIS

#56 ON 101 BEST PLACES TO CHOWDOWN

2265 S 3rd St Memphis, TN 38109-2566

SOME SAY ITS GOOD, SOME SAY IT'S GREAT, SOME SAY IT'S THE BEST.....

I SAY IT'S THE BEST....

INTERSTATE BBQ IS MY FAVORITE BBQ PLACE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!

THERE IS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PLACE! THE HISTORY (BEEN IN THE SAME FAMILY FOR YEARS), THE CULTURE (THIS PLACE IS IN A NOT NICE AREA OF MEMPHIS...BUT IN MOST CASES, THE BEST BBQ PLACES ALWAY ARE), AND THE EXPERIENCE (BBQ SPAGHETTI)

THE NEELY'S...YOU KNOW THE FIRST FAMILY OF BBQ...THE FOOD NETWORK FAMILY...WELL THIS IS THEIR BBQ RESTAURANT...NEELY'S INTERSTATE BBQ...AND IT'S OWNED AND RUN WITH PAPA JIM NEELY, THE PATRIARCH, OF THE FAMILY AT THE HELM OF THE SMOKER

PEOPLE WILL DISAGREE THAT IT'S THE BEST, AND THEY ARE PROBABLY RIGHT, BUT IT'S MY FAVORITE!

I WENT TO INTERSTATE FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER MAKING A BALLSY CALL TO MY GRANDFATHER. MY AMAZING GRANDFATHER WAS BORN AND RAISED IN MEMPHIS, AND WAS PROUD TO SHOW IT OFF! ONE DAY, WHEN I WAS VISITING, WE WERE GOING TO THE SAME BORING BBQ RESTAURANT, CORKY'S...THIS PLACE IS TOURIST TRAP USA! ITS GOOD...NOT MIND BLOWING...I SAID "GRANDDADDY, LET'S GO TO YOUR FAVORITE BBQ RESTAURANT"...HE LEANED OVER AND SMILED AND SAID "YOU SURE YOU CAN HANDLE IT"....HE LOCKED THE DOORS OF THE CAR AND WE DROVE TO A PART OF MEMPHIS I HAVE NEVER BEEN TO....AND AFTER THE MOST AMAZING PULLED PORK SANDWICH, BBQ SPAGHETTI, AND SIDES...I WAS HOOKED

I LOVE BBQ...BUT I AM A INTERSTATE BBQ BOY THROUGH AND THROUGH....STILL HAVE THE T-SHIRT I BOUGHT FROM WHEN I WAS 14 TO SHOW FOR IT...."I'VE BEEN TO HOG HEAVEN" IS ALL IT READS...AND THAT PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT BEST!