OT Food: French Fries
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Years ago, Primanti's made one hell of a sandwich. It was truly something special-worthy of all the praise. An unorthodox concoction coming together to create a wonderful mix of flavors and textures. When I got a job in another city, I couldn't return to my home town without eating a Primanti's sandwich at least once.
Now it's like nobody there is paying attention to quality control. The last five or so times I've eaten a Primanti's sandwich (on a return visit), it had very little meat and undercooked fries, making it taste like a mushy peppery slaw sandwich.
What a shame. Goodness... What happened? Unfortunealy, I now feel I have one less reason to return home.
I'm assuming that everyone understands the history of Pirmanti's sandwiches in the Strip? It was a way to give truck drivers a complete meal in a sandwich that they could eat while driving. Somehow it took hold and became a regional identity. Once it went "corporate", the quality has suffered unfortunately.
is this the adult entertainment establishment with the drive-thru lane? There is a place on 22, way the hell out there, that has a Drive-thru option? It is usually closed, not sure if it's out of business.. I'll be the first to admit I've ventured into some of these shadier businesses in my younger days, inebriated of course so im not judging here. Just trying to figure out what exactly is the market for people that want to go see some squirrel but are too lazy to get out of their car..
I don't think that the negatives expressed here are necessarily shared by everyone; Primanti's still has a solid following. What I have noticed is that there are differences among the various Primanti restaurants; this is the risk of branching out.
Everyone has an opinion about restaurants and food, and they usually vary greatly. I know that there have been restaurants that have gotten rave reviews, so we've gone to check them out - only to walk away disappointed. (And no, I'm not hard to please.)
This reminds me of that old Yogi Berra quote. Yogi was asked his opinion about a certain restaurant. His reply: "That place? No one goes there anymore because it's too crowded."
the primanti's in lebo is always packed. For as crappy as everyone says they are, they sure as hell do a good business. Sort of reminds me of the yogi(ism) "nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded"
The Climax has been closed for a good while. And yes, it actually had a drive thru lane in it's last few years of existence.
Yes, I guess it has been open for a while. Time flies. Rick's was originally on the right further out 22. It had to relocate twice while rt.22 was being modernized and finally ended up at it's current location. I've been travelling rt.22 to the Burgh for over 45 years and have seen many, many changes. I actually traveled it when it was a 3 lane road with passing allowed in the middle lane from both directions. Good reason it was once called suicide highway. I never believed I would see it completed as a 4 lane road in my lifetime. It makes the trip so much easier.
I don't know if it was a drive thru, but it was definitely a dive and a dump and BYOB. It was my first strip club visit, like 1990 or something like that.
People don't know. They have a following because they don't know better. And seriously, because it has been ingrained on us as yinzers, that "THIS IS OUR LEGACY FOOD!" An' at. So we flock to there in droves. And ex-pats when they return, consider it like Mecca or a Shrine that they must visit. And it is nostalgic in some ways, especially if you are really drunk.
Again, I have traced their decline in quality in the fries, but again....when anything is expanded and becomes corporate, well the margins and P&L become much more important than the food. It is why I always will support independent mom and pop places over chains for the most part.
We'd always hit up the "Highway Playground." NOthing like you and a couple of buddies when you are 22 years old, piling into a car at 2am after 8 hours of drinking, and driving another 45 minutes with an open case of beer in your car, all to see some 39 year old heroine addict take her clothes off.. The good ol days..
I am only passing along what I've experienced. To be fair, I probably should have mentioned that my last four visits were to the same Primanti's restaurant (in Oakland). Others have told me they've had a similar experience. I must have introduced more than 200 people to the Oakland and the Strip Primanti's over the years. But I stopped when it felt like corners were being cut and the lack of attention to detail was affecting the quality of the product. At least at that particular one.
It is very possible (as you say) that some Primaniti's do a better job of making sure fries are not undercooked and plenty of meat is on the sandwiches. Please let me know the one that you feel is as consistently good as it used to be and I will be there in a heartbeat.
That Yogi Berra quote is one of my all time favorites, yet for me it's not that I stopped liking Primaniti's because it became too big or famous. Like I mentioned, I just can not continue to endorse something when I am personally finding it's not living up to the same great product I knew and loved.
My parents are Belgian and we had fries almost every night. My mother hand cut the potatoes double fried them and salted. They were freakin perfect. She also made her own mayo for us.
I miss those days
I miss those days
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