The Everyday Joe

Back with style - Spanish flair to classic fare - The Sandwich Shack, 594 Federal Road, Brookfield, CT

Sometimes it takes something inspiring to get things moving.  I was inspired to get back to the keys and make some updates by a Spaniard, a Chilean, and a new take on turkey.

I've driven by The Sandwich Shack dozens of times over the last year, and always wanted to stop.   Yesterday it was getting to that time where I either stop and eat or wait for dinner, and took the opportunity to grab a quick bite.  Expecting just another sando, the specials board stopped me in my tracks.

Sandwiches and sides: Roma Italian Deli and Catering, 39 Mill Plain Rd, Danbury CT

In an old worn out shopping center, next to a local favorite bagel shop, is a classic delicatessen with a wide variety of Italian goodies.  Fresh made sausages, imported cookies and crackers, stuffed cherry peppers and salads, and of course, sandwiches.  Big, fresh sandwiches.

Pizza on Central Ave: EuroItalia Pizzeria, 2229 Central Park Ave, Yonkers NY

My wife is from the Bronx, and like most New Yorkers she is very particular about pizza.  I'm from the other coast, and have a much broader view of what pizza can be.  So when I give a recommendation to a pizza place and we both agree that it's awesome, it means that you've got two very different tastes agreeing on one great pizza.  And that pizza can be found at EuroItalia Pizzeria.

Argentinean Hot Grilled Happiness: Ernesto's Grill, 3717 Crompond Rd. (Rte 202), Yorktown, NY

Just west of the Taconic Parkway is a building that looks like a an old dutch windmill.  It's blue.  Outside of that windmill is a big green sign for Ernesto's Grill, a new restaurant run by an old man with a great sandwich.

His menu is basic, and doesn't even include the awesome rice and beans he gave me a plate to try while I waited.  

Classic Country Diner: Full Bellies, 241 Main St., Bennington VT

The last meal before heading home, the wife and I stopped in Bennington to check out the Bennington Battle Memorial (an ancestor of mine is the featured hero of that Revolutionary war battle), and decided to try a little place just outside of the main intersection of Routes 7 and 9.

Full Bellies is a very basic diner, with a menu that has some very Vermont offerings (Spicy Black Bean Burger, anyone?), but is otherwise seems inspired by my grandmother's specialties.  

Bar B Que and Picnic tables: Top of the Hill Grill, 632 Putney Rd., Brattleboro, VT

If you drive by at traditional lunch or dinner times, it's hard to miss the Top of the Hill Grill, a roadside shack and collection of picnic tables overlooking an algae covered pond.  When is the last time you saw 30 people waiting patiently in line to order off a menu that it drawn up on paper plates, stapled to the wall of a wooden shed?

Buff's Pub, 317 Washington St., Newton, MA

Across from the Crown Plaza and some office buildings, there isn't anything that special about Buff's.  But the food is good, and instead of going through the madness of the MASS-Pike, it's worth it to shoot over and grab a quick bite.

The locals seem to like it - it was packed from 5.30 until I left, and everyone seemed to know each other - and the food is good, but there are two things about the place that almost made me pass on a review:  they only take cash, and the attitude is kind of cold.

The service was fast though, so if you don't care to have anyone really give two hoots that you are alive, Buff's will fill the bill.  And remember to stop at the ATM next door before they present a bill to you.

Super Duper Weenie, 306 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield, Ct

I'm going to make this one quick, because they are a)famous, b) have been on the Food Network, and c) don't need anyone else talking about how great they are.

But Super Duper Weenie really is awesome, and you really should go.  Check out the website for more info: superduperweenie.com

My favorite part - the iced tea that is pre-lemoned.  Oh. So.  Awesome.

Rinaldi's, 456 Main Ave., Norwalk, CT

I'm a sucker for a good sandwich, and Rinaldi's delivered.  Not literally - though they do delivery to the local businesses, $20 minimum - but the sandwich was awesome, and they were willing to bend their menu to my tastes.

They didn't have fresh brewed tea, which is always a black mark in my book, but honestly, most deli's on this coast don't.  It's a sad fact, but something I deal with often.  

But if you find yourself hungry on the Merritt Parkway, pull off at the Norwalk exit for Rte 7 north, sit down with one of their many magazines, and enjoy a very good sandwich.

Cindy's Diner & Restaurant, 46 Hartford Ave, Scituate, RI

Scituate is the only real town on SR-6, and if you find yourself facing a green light when you get close, you probably wouldn't even notice Cindy's.  But turn away from the McDs across the street and turn in for a good quick meal.

Price was very reasonable, and the place was filled with locals, always a good sign.   I had the Linquica (a Portuguese sausage) omelette and homefries, some great coffee, and got back on the road satisfied.  I'll probably stop in again next time I'm working my way to or from MA.