Review: Burgers and Fries at Ollie's Trolley

This past weekend Matt and I hit road heading for Youngstown, Ohio. On the second day of driving Louisville was in our path right around lunch time. I read that Louisville is the home of a little establishment known for the best burger in the country. It goes by the name of "The Ollie Burger" and can be picked up in a little makeshift trolley (really just a tiny building with a fancy paint job) located near Louisville University, home of the Cardinals. I came across more than one account of people who claim this is the best burger they have ever had and that the fries were just as memorable. We were driving in the city of Louisville and spotted the trolley one block over and my mouth started to water immediately.

We walked into the front door of the diner which is actually a little box that is about 3 feet by 8 feet and fitted with two small glass windows that lead to the kitchen. One window is for ordering and paying and the other is for picking up your food and drinks. When we first arrived the store was empty, which is good because I always like to scan the menu at a restaurant new to me, and there is no place to stand back and observe inside here. By the time we ordered there was a line out the door, about three people long. As you can imagine there are no tables inside so we got our food and went back to the van to chow down.

The menu is not very extensive so we both went with the Ollie Burger with cheese and Ollie Fries. I also got an all beef hot dog because it was on the menu and I just cant seem to resist hot dogs. The burgers come dressed with lettuce, tomato, pickle, a slice of mozzarella cheese and the famous Ollie sauce. The sauce is very similar to thousand island just little lighter in taste. The burgers are very well seasoned and supposedly marinated over night so they are not lacking at all in the taste department. However, I felt that the patty was too dry, and I think I know why. Anybody ever do that osmosis experiment with the dyed water in a plastic bag back in high school. When you come back to class the next day the dyed water makes its way through the plastic to the saltier water outside the bag. This is why you should never salt meat until you are ready to cook it (unless you are using a brine which has a totally different effect). Ground meat has so much surface area, and all the moisture can be sucked right out with a salty marinade. The Ollie Burger is very tasty, but I wouldn't go so far as to say the best in the country. However, the service is fast enough to consider this fast food and I would take an Ollie Burger any day over any other fast food burgers.

The Ollie Fries also come with lofty expectations and I was equally as excited to get my hands on an order of these. The secret to these deep fried potatoes lies in the seasoning blend they are sprinkled with. The guy ordering right behind me got extra seasoning on his Ollie Fries, which made me wonder if I made a rookie mistake and now I wasn't going to get the true greatness I came for. But when I opened my bag I was relieved to see plenty enough seasoning to satisfy my well peppered New Orleans palate. Honestly, I don't know what that guy was thinking, just look at the bottom of this order of fries. Why would anybody need more seasoning than that. As soon as I put one of these fries in my mouth the seasoning blend reminded me of Andy Capp's Hot Fries, but without the annoying persistent heat delivered from the bagged snack. As I got deeper into the little paper bag of potatoes I began to notice more flavors such as fennel, sesame, crushed red pepper, and other seasonings not usually found on french fries, but all very welcome. Ollie Fries definitely live up to the any hype you may hear about them.

I saved the best for last. The total price of this meal for two was under $13. And remember I added on a hot dog for good measure. Apparently Ollie's is a blast from the past for a lot of people and the prices seem as if they are stuck in the past. I don't think I found the best burger around but it was well worth the stop to sample this American classic.

Review: Chili in Cincinnati

Actually it was freezing in Cincinnati, and everywhere else north of the Alabama-Tennessee state line. Even though I am not a fan of cold weather it does set the mood for a bowl of steaming hot chili. So after 12 hours of driving that was all my road trip buddy and I had on our minds. I knew I wanted to try some of this chili that Cincinnati is famous for but the question is where to go. This city is filled with chili restaurants and every one claims to be the best.

After a little internet research I picked a name that would stick out to any southerner, Dixie Chili. Turned out to be a winner too. The first thing that I noticed was the size of the menu. Cincinnati is known for 3-way, 5-way, or even 6-way chili, and that is what I came for. What I wasn't ready for was all the other choices suddenly in front of me. I didn't get too crazy though. An order of six way and some chili cheese waffle fries for me. My accomplice went with the chili cheese coney and an order of 4 way. In case you are saying to yourself, what the hell is with all this "WAY" talk I'll let you in. One of the biggest differences about Cincinnati chili is that is typically served on top of spaghetti. That combined with the chili is the first two "ways". After that you can add cheese, onions, beans, or even fresh chopped garlic. Each representing an additional "way".

Enough about the details. This meal was awesome. The cheese may look a little intimidating but it was shredded very fine and was very easy to eat. The spaghetti underneath all that Wisconsin cheddar is a little different than what I am used to but, makes this a really satisfying meal. The chili had a little hint of cinnamon in the aftertaste, which made it different from any I have had in the past. Then there was the chili cheese waffle fries, how can you go wrong there? I would have included a picture of the coney also but Matt must have swallowed it whole within the 30 seconds he beat me to the table. I am pretty sure he enjoyed his meal too.

Now, would I be good blogger if I only gave you one chili restaurant to try in Cincinnati. After all we did have to go home after working all weekend and there were quite a few places on the way that I hadn't tried yet. One of the more popular chili brands in Cincinnati is Skyline so we gave it a shot.

Basically the same concept. Chili served on top of a lot of items including spaghetti. Skyline prepares their chili a good bit thinner and obviously meant to be more of a topping than a main dish. I didn't enjoy my five way as much as the Dixie chili a few days earlier and I felt like the coneys I had didn't have enough chili on them. I think this is because the chili was so thin that it just ran to the bottom of whatever it was on. On the other hand my chilito was really good especially with some of Skylines own hot sauce. Matt loved his food again, but I think that kid will eat anything. If you like your chili on the thinner side maybe you should try Skyline. Their franchises are everywhere in Cincinnati so it is not hard to find.

My overall opinion of Cincinnati chili is a good one, and I plan to try a few more brands before I declare a winner. I do think that Dixie Chili might be tough to beat, but it will be fun to find out.

What Food is Your City Famous For?

I have given up my days as a sous chef, but for good reason. My wife has owned a dance competition business(VIP Dance) since before we were married, and ran it with her parents. This year, for the first time, she will be in total control. Now, more than ever she needs my help, and my job will be to drive across the country with a van full of music equipment and dance paraphernalia.

I chose to look at this not as an interruption to my culinary adventure through life but a window to new flavors that need to be discovered. I feel that the best food is not what you find at the most expensive restaurants around the country but in the recipes that are passed on from one generation to the next. So that is what I am looking for as I go out on the road this winter and spring. I am looking for the best dishes at the best mom and pops restaurants in cities all over the U.S.

Now this will take some research, but what I am really counting on is some feedback from you guys, my readers out there. My blog has been somewhat inactive lately so I realize not many people are devout followers. However, this new format should attract some new readers with some fantastic dining suggestions.

And of course since my first love is cooking, I will be writing about my attempts to recreate the treasures that I found while on the road. The first trip is form New Orleans to Macomb, Michigan. Cincinnati 5-way chili sounds like a winner for the first stop. Any suggestions?