Middle Eastern Treats

Fans of middle eastern cuisine in the Hub City now have a place to get their fix. 'Al Houda International Food Market' is serving up some delicious foods prepared daily. The market is an oasis itself where Jacksonians can find a number of hard to find products including meats, cheeses and a variety of spices.

Al Houda features a huge assortment of spices and herbs ranging from Tumeric and Sumac to Aniseed. There's also an assortment of dried ingredients like lentils, Garam Masala and tea leaves. Foodies can enjoy sodas from Holland and fresh pita bread.

There's a killer selection of cheeses from Syria and homemade butter from the middle east. Cooks can find filo dough and falafal mix to make their own dishes at home!

For those seeking a true Middle Eastern experience, Al Houda sells authentic herbal teas along with Shisha pipes and tobaccos. (Affectionately known in the west as 'Hookahs')

The crown jewel of Al Houda is their fresh cooked meals. Classic foods include lamb gyros and roasted shwarma. A wonderful marinated chicken dish called 'Shish Tawook' is a big seller. Owner and cook Alex Hanson serves roasted kabobs of beef, lamb and chicken alongside tasty bits like falafel and tabbouleh.  Vegans can try their cool and flavorful Mediterranean Salad served with garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. The rich eggplant dip Baba Ghanoosh and Hummus is also available eat in or carry out.

Al Houda International Market 

903 Hollywood

Jackson Tennessee 38301

Cheeseburger in Paradise

" But at night I'd had these wonderful dreams
Some kind of sensuous treat
Not zucchini, fettucini or Bulgar wheat
but a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat"


The great poet James Buffet truly spoke to the heart of many of us who yearn for that big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat. Cheeseburgers...is there a more perfect food? The quintessential combination of meat, cheese and bread. And while it seems very difficult to mess up this kind of combination, there are some that  find a way to do so.

The quest for the ideal cheeseburger can lead you into a number of diners and eateries. Want it served 'fast food' style in a value meal at your favorite 'Mc-Indigestion'? How about as the main star at a more formal burger joint that dries it out but serves it with a bottomless barrel of fries to compensate?

Yes the quest for the ideal burger can be rather daunting. But there is hope my fellow foodies...

Jennifer Boals has thrown down the gauntlet in the world of cheeseburgers. She and her staff operate Ruben's Drive Thru in Humboldt Tennessee and their weapon of choice is a delicious dish known as the 'Cheeseburger in Paradise'. Patted and cooked from real ground beef, the CIP is an 8 oz. patty of 100% ground beef served dripping with ooey-gooey American cheese on a buttery golden bun. Topped with fresh green lettuce and a ruby red tomato slice, the burger is amazing!

Jennifer shares that while it takes her staff a little longer to create a burger while not using a pre-made patty, it is definitely worth it.  Her customers come from miles around to get her famous burger. The Cheeseburger in Paradise is but one of their stars. Customers can try the jumbo size Double Corral Burger made from a 12oz. ground beef patty or truly step up to the plate and get a 16oz. Double Paradise Burger. All of their burgers can be custom built with toppings like chili, jalapenos, bacons or mushrooms.

'Ruben's Drive Thru' also serves a variety of dishes including Philly Cheese Steaks, Patty Melts and Chicken Sandwiches. They also offer dishes that no one else in the city offers including deep-fried green beans, deep-fried squash and sweet potato fries. When the winter months hit, Ruben's offers a variety of bread bowl soups. Summer months bring out a wide variety of salads to give customers a 'lighter' menu of items. 

On Saturday's Ruben's offers customers a taste of southern barbecue as they serve full and half orders of smoked baby back ribs. And while I must admit that I usually don't care for pizza from a restaurant that doesn't specialize solely in pizza, the pizza at Rubens is actually pretty dang good. I had a slice of the cheese which was a stringy, gooey, cheesy experience on a very tasty golden crust. 

Have a sweet tooth? Ruben's serves up a delicious array of deserts including chocolate chip cookies made from real butter, pizza desserts covered in Oreo crumbles and old-fashioned milkshakes.

Ruben's is a breath of fresh air in the world of chain restaurants. Remember folks: EAT LOCAL!

Rubens's Drive Thru

2216 East End Drive

Humboldt Tennessee 38343

Mexican Coke: No Drugs just Soda

A few years ago I was in a little Mexican grocery where I spotted a beautiful tall slender glass bottle of Coca-Cola. The fact that it was in a glass bottle and even better a 'tall' green glass bottle made it stand out. These types of bottles used to be standard fare in the little country grocery stores found throughout West Tennessee. I can remember sliding open a freezer's glass door and gripping a metal lid and pulling out an almost painfully cold soda pop.The little stars on a green Sprite glass bottle seemed to sparkle to my young eyes. I remember sodas being a treat, not simply an accompaniment that you downed with every meal. The whole 'ceremony' of using a soda machine seemed to build the excitement. The clunking sound of your change hitting rock bottom as you swung open a glass door and gazed upon this amazing gallery of colored bottles.

For those of you under the age of thirty, soda machines weren't always bright colored buttons distributing automated refreshment. At one time Coca Cola even released a machine that 'talked' with a robotic synthesized voice that amazed us wide-eyed kids in the Eighties! But there is a deeper thing that is missing in our world that goes deeper than the mechanics of soda machines...The soda.

Yes young Americans, there was a time when you could pop the top off of a bottle of Coca-Cola and the smell of lavender would immediately steal your senses. The first swallow of the cold dark syrupy treat would glide down your throat and immediately make your eyes widen. The burst of carbonated goodness was almost over bearing. Unfortunately, there are two wonderful elements that the illustrious Coca-Cola company sought to remove from their wonderful product that have left a generation of us wanting....lavender oil and real sugar.

Lavender oil used to provide Coca-Cola with a wonderful flowery perfume scent while real sugar gave the soda it's signature sweetness. Back in the Eighties Coca-Coal decided that it was to expensive to use real sugar and switched to high-fructose corn syrup to make the soda sweet.

For those seek the Coca-Cola of days gone by, the promises of this taste can be found again in what many are terming 'Mexi-Coke'. Found on the shelves of Mexican grocery stores and in some restaurants, the Mexican formula for Coke includes the inclusion of the much coveted cane sugar sweetener. The taste is a 'cleaner' taste that goes down smooth. Some have noted that it tastes more 'natural' than U.S. sodas.

 Newspapers have reported that the U.S. based Coca-Cola has expressed disapproval with the imported soda being brought into the U.S. The fear is that consumers will eventually demand the American based soda to be produced with actual sugar which the company feels is too expensive to make. (However Coca-Cola has made some exceptions such as the production of a sugar based 'kosher' Coca-Cola product called  'Passover Coke' around Jewish holidays. )

Here in the U.S. the Mexican drink has gained such a following that some have termed it the 'Cult of Mexican Coke' while there is even a Facebook page called 'Gringos who love Mexican Coke'. The popularity of the product has even caused some U.S. based businesses like Costco to carry the sweet Latin alternative.


So if your feeling a little nostalgic for the taste of sodas gone by, drop into your local Mexican grocery and grab up a bottle of Mexi-Coke. It will certainly take you back!

When barbecue was barbecue...

Many of you know that southern barbecue is a passion of mine. The iconic Southern barbecue joint that is the temple where this favorite dish is served is disappearing before our very eyes. Given place to the chain pre-fab barbecue merchants that sit like soulless halls of shame that taunt us with people in pig suits, neo-blues music and faux smoke from electric smokers...

One of the last few 'real' barbecue joints in West Tennessee is 'Sam's BBQ' in Humboldt Tennessee.  Sam's was originally started by local barbecue veteran Sam Donald. Sam and his brother in law began cooking barbecue back in the nineteen forties. Today Sam's daughter Seressa and her husband Jon run the pit and serve up some of West Tennessee's best old school barbecue.

 Jon still cooks barbecue the way his father in law did back in the forties. Jon slow smokes his meat over hickory wood . The process can take anywhere from 14 to 18 hours. The patience and discipline that it takes to cook using real southern techniques creates flavors that cannot be reproduced by liquid smoke or electric smokers.

Sam's serves pork and beef. Brisket is a unique addition to the southern barbecue scene, typically reserved for Texas and Oklahoma bbq joints. But Sam's serves up smoky beef brisket sandwiches drizzled in the house sweet smoky barbecue sauce. Another customer favorite is Jon's barbecue bologna. John takes a thick slice of beef bologna seasons it with his secret dry rub and slow smokes over wood.  John then cuts a generous slice of the meat and tops it with a helping of his homemade tangy vinegar coleslaw for an unbelievable taste.

Sundays at Sam's BBQ are a special treat. Sam's features a plate lunch with selections like homemade turkey and dressing, fried chicken, sweet potatoes and assorted side items. It's like eating at your favorite grandmother's house!

When dining at Sam’s, be sure to save room for dessert! The Ivory family has also become famous for their delectable sweets  like their many delicious homemade pies. Many of Sam’s customers have fallen in love with their signature ‘buttermilk pie’, a cool, sweet refreshing treat.

If your looking for the remnants of the great southern barbecue joint culture, look no further than Sam's BBQ in Humboldt Tennessee!

Sam's BBQ is located at 500 West Main Street in Humboldt Tennessee.

Summertime Food: Richard's Famous Hot Dogs

Hot dogs are such a flexible food. They can be prepared steamed, grilled or boiled. They can be served buck-naked or loaded down with extravagant ingredients. Hot dogs can appear differently among various geographic regions. There's always the famous 'Chicago Dogs'. Don't forget about 'Coney Island Dogs' or 'Frankfurters' (Who calls them 'frankfurters' anymore? Old German men with handlebar mustaches and frothy beer steins?).

Whatever you call them, the hot dog is the quintessential summer food. It can be prepared fast, its portable and it isn't heavy. For your summertime hot dog fix, you must check out 'Richard's Famous Hot Dogs' located in Humboldt Tennessee.

'Richard's' is located in a small trailer parked across from the city park. Colorful flags wave you in to the steamed goodness that is located in this wagon of flavor. 'Richard's Famous Hot Dogs', opened in December of 2010 in Humboldt to bring West Tennesseans a wide variety of tasty treats.

Richard Neal serves up a wide variety of hot dogs from the traditional hot dog with mustard and kraut to complex combinations like candied jalapenos and raspberry mustard. One of his more popular hot dogs is his 'Devil Dog'. The Devil Dog is covered in mustard, onions, kraut and his grandmother's 'secret sauce'. "The Devil Dog sauce is a recipe my grandmother used to make. It is spicy but has lot's of flavor. It's not just heat, but tastes good too!" Richard is right. The Devil Dog is a unique spicy, rich flavored dog.

Another popular dog is Richard's Raspberry Mustard Dog. A steamed hot dog covered in mustard, onions, kraut and a sweet and savory mustard sauce. One of my personal favorites, the Raspberry Mustard delivers a taste like no other dog you'll find in West Tennessee.   

Even Richard's traditional Hot Dogs are dressed up with a nice mild tomato based hot dog sauce found in many bigger city hot dog joints. And the buns, the buns are not your simple store bought hot dog buns. The buns are golden rich breaded rolls that can be eaten by themselves.

Richards Famous Hot Dogs is a very affordable summertime treat with most dogs starting at less than $3.00 

Richards offers punch cards for returning customers and is open Tuesday through Friday 10:30-4:00. 

Richard's is located at 585 B North 22nd Street, across from Bailey Park in Humboldt Tennessee.

Real Philly in West Tennessee...

    


The site of oversized trucks in West Tennessee is quite common as is the site of outrageous decorations on vehicles. (ie. 'R.I.P. Uncle Tricky' and 'My Pomeranian can out think your first grader!' You get the picture!)

However over the last few months, a monstrous red colored truck displaying the signage ‘Greatest Sandwiches on Earth’ has adorned a crowded parking lot on Vann Drive. Drawing more than peering glances from the frothy frappucinos at the nearby Starbucks, this gigantic rolling over-compensation heralded the arrival of a truly unique dining experience.

‘United Steaks of America’ grabs you from the moment you open their front door. Colorful chasing lights and pop art decorate the walls as rock and roll plays on the restaurants loudspeakers. The iconic face of Rocky Balboa can be seen throughout the place as it celebrates the city of brotherly love. For it is from here where their star Philly Cheese Steak comes from.

I know what you’re thinking “I’ve had Philly cheese steak at the 5 dollar foot-long place and I don’t consider a mostly bread little meat sandwich to be anything like a real Philly cheese..”. Served on a glorious buttery golden bun, the Philly cheese steak at United Steaks is made from honest to goodness rib eye steak. 

Chef Armondo brings out a beautifully marbled piece of steak wrapped and stamped by the USDA. Yep, real steak. 

But the Philly doesn’t stop there, loaded with sweet tangy onions and the classic provolone or even hardcore cheez whiz, you can custom build your Philly with green or sweet peppers, mushrooms, chili, tomatoes, bacon lettuce and jalapenos. Maybe Chef Armando will fix you one like he made me similar to the infamous ‘Fat Darrell’ sandwich of New Jersey with fries on it!

Now, steak is not the only boat afloat at United Steaks. Try the ‘Hillbilly Philly’ with smoky grilled pork tenderloin or grilled chicken. Want something really different? Try the Pizza Sub filled with steak, chicken or pork, cheese and pizza sauce and Italian seasonings.

Just to take a moment and pause from this gastronomic conversation and let me tell you about United Steaks drinks and desserts. As if the sandwiches were not unique enough, Chef Armondo brings Jacksonians some hard to find treats as well. Try a Mexican Coca-Cola. (Why a Mexican Coca-Cola? There is a growing trend across the U.S. with foodies seeking the syrupy beverage because of the use of cane sugar instead of the American version made high fructose syrup.) Also try a host of specialty desserts like Mexican 3 milk cake…but enough of this, let’s get back to the sandwiches…

Tired of the same combinations of thin sliced ham or turkey and standardized meal deals? Why not try United Steaks Cuban Sandwich filled with ham, turkey, cheese, pickles and mustard on a fresh buttered bun? Or how about Portuguese Spicy Sausage, a unique sausage covered in marinara sauce, green peppers, onions, mushrooms and provolone cheese?

Maybe you are seeking something a little more ‘primal’? Something to fill that secret ‘Man vs. Food’ fantasy that you keep inside? Behold…the Messy Mondo.

The Messy Mondo is a grand sandwich quite worthy of it’s sloppy name. The Messy Mondo is a sandwich made from fresh ground beef, grilled onions, mushrooms, rich red marinara sauce and Italian seasonings on a toasted long roll. It is served with a fork because it’s just too massive and messy to handle with a normal man’s hands!

United Steaks also features a variety of assorted sandwiches like lamb Gyros, pizza burgers, chicken Parmesan, hoagies, hot dogs and salads. And to our vegan friends out there, yes United Steaks can even satisfy your craving. They have an all veggie Philly and veggie wraps available as well!

The service is friendly, the atmosphere is lively and the food is tasty. Looking for something different in Jackson? Pledge your allegiance to the United Steaks of America….

United Steaks of America

901 Vann Drive

Jackson Tennessee

Tourist Tacos versus Authentic Cuisine

I think I have the formula down:

A=Tortilla
B=Beans
C=Beef or Chicken
D= Cheese

A+B+C+D=  The same dish served in many different combinations. Jumble them together, mix them up, any way you slice it these four ingredients are typically the same combination found in many Americanized Mexican restaurants. Now you can go the route of tourist tacos at your favorite McMexican cafe or you seek out the real deal. If you want authenticity in Jackson Tennessee, you need to go visit Taqueria El Mezcal,

Situated in the Hamilton Hills Shopping Center, El Mezcal Latin Grocery offers goods from a variety of Latin American countries. Looking for a pinata or dried Jalapeno peppers? The Grocery features a number of dried goods, spices and food products. But the focus of this journey is not what's in the front of the grocery but what's in the back of the store.

Walking through El Mezcal the smell of home cooking hits your nose. A little elderly woman with a bundle of fresh onions walks into a small kitchen. The sound of Telemundo Latin television can be heard from a small color television. The backroom of the grocery leads into a full service restaurant. The daily menu is affectionately written on a dry erase board.

The Taqueria features Mexican favorites like Menudo and Shrimp stew.The menu lists such specialties as beef tongue known as 'lengua'. For those who have never had lengua, it is like the most tender pot roast. Served in stews, taco and sandwiches called 'tortas'. It is wonderful. They also feature goat, steak known as 'asada' and one of my favorite's known as Al Pastor. Pastor is pork marinated in fruit juices, chilies and pineapple.  Mexican barbecue known as 'barbacoa' is also a customer favorite.

Mexican traditional dishes like tripe tacos, chorizo Mexican sausage  or pork carnitas are also on the menu. While perusing the menu I found one of my favorite dishes known as 'Mole Poblano. Mole is a sauce made up of several ingredients featuring Chili peppers and chocolate. Their mole poblano is a sweet, smokey dark gravy that is served over chicken.

From the warm fresh tortillas to the rich creamy gravy of the mole, Taqeria El Mezcal  is the real deal. You now have a choice, go to the same four ingredients or try out authentic cuisine...

El Mezcal Grocery and Taqueria
621 Old Hickory Blvd # J1
Jackson, TN 38305-2911
(731) 668-6980