Garlic Steak Done My Way

             Last month I received a grill pan from Macy's as a present, and after some testing with chicken skewers, sausages, and even the old favorite liver, I was ready to put this thing on the front line to battle a couple of steaks. I didn't want to make this just some ordinary steak, I wanted to give it an unusual flavor that's not far out of the realm, but at the same time advertised seldom. After reviewing a number of candidates in my head, garlic struck me as the way to go. Other than garlic fries, rarely is garlic ever mentioned in anything, yet its a key ingredient to an infinite amount of dishes, so garlic steak it was.

              Looking for something that would cook rather quickly, I went with a pair of thin shoulder steaks which came out to a little over four dollars only. Giving olive oil the night off, I went with Mazola Corn Oil to grease up the pan before starting. After gently swaying the pan left and right, its easy to coat the pan's surface with the oil, then pour any excess amount into the sink. Other parts to the machine include an onion, a garlic clove, black pepper, herbs, salt, and garlic powder. Placing the steaks onto a dish, I seasoned the meat on both sides with salt, black pepper, herbs, and most importantly, several dashes of garlic powder. While those flavors seep into the cold meat, I then take the time to slice up an onion and a few bulbs of garlic  into little diced pieces. With a small portion of the cut up onion and garlic (remember to only take a small portion of it!), place some of it in the grill and start the fire. This will help add flavors to the pan, plus after getting hot, the onion and garlic will sweat water to assist the oil to not letting the meat stick to the pan's surface. The benefit of the thinly cut meat is that it will cook fast and after three minutes the bottom half will start turning brown. Once that happens, turn the steaks over, and then pour the remaining pieces of onion and garlic onto it. Now the steaks will have garlic and onion pieces under and over it, soaking in their juices while it cooks on the pan.

             Keeping an eye on the meat so it doesn't burn, it will require a few more flips over, but it no more than in twelve minutes it should be ready to eat. Not wanting to just have meat by itself, while the steak was about halfway done, I heated up a pot of water and dumped in a few handfuls of dry linguini pasta. Typically I would use fresh pasta, especially with an important event such as this, but for some reason Fairway didn't have any in the usual spot I find it in, so I had no choice but to go with the dry version. One of the best aspects of the grill pan is that it removes a large dose of the grease from the steaks and automatically shuffles it off to the side so you can appreciate what's not going inside your stomach. Once everything was cooked and ready, I placed it on a large plate and even gave myself a squirt of ketchup (this cook wouldn't be insulted). It wouldn't take a psychic to predict that with the garlic powder and the fresh garlic dices used, that garlic jumps out as the predominate flavor, so far the mission was accomplished in that regard, but was it too much? That's where the black pepper and onion play pivotal roles in jumping in with enough of their respective flavors to balance out the heavyweight garlic. That with a dip of ketchup, and the grill pan had conquered it first major opponent in the steak world.

               Nothing else inside of Macy's would've fought so gallantly......

Whatever that Stands for

            With heat temperatures predicting to reach near 95 degrees during the middle of the week, I wanted to escape the city and find a place that has one gigantic air conditioner I can stay inside with. The only logical conclusion I came to was a casino, specifically Atlantic City. I enjoyed my time in Seaside Heights a couple of weeks ago, so tossing in more South Jersey boardwalk and beach, Atlantic City was the perfect bet.

             It was already hot and humid by the time I started my drive, and things were only looking better when the Cross Bronx was looking like drive-in movie with rows and rows and trucks and cars standing still. In no way was this going to be the breeze-through cruise I had on the Fourth of July going to Seaside Heights when all the roads were practically empty. It was so bad it actually took me a half hour to complete the step of entering the highway from the entrance ramp. Traffic moved at a snail’s pace and about an hour later I saw debris spread out all over the pavement and two cars anchored on the side of the road with a police vehicle. I’m not sure what happened, but that incident and the construction work being done on the Alexander Hamilton Bridge, just before the George Washington Bridge, wasn’t letting me get down to AC fast enough. Once I was past all that on onto the NJ Turnpike, the traffic flow was much better, although densely populated. It took about three and a half hours to finally make it down to Atlantic City and I had run out of quarters from the million toll booths along the Garden State Parkway. The streets along where the casinos are located were the inspiration for the board game Monopoly. When entering the area you’ll likely find yourself on Ventor Ave and then you make a left turn on either Pacific or Atlantic Ave., but there’s no B&O Railroad to be seen. When I go down to Atlantic City I almost always stay at the Tropicana because it offers a pleasant modern setting for some of the lowest rates in town. I’m on the Tropicana email list and I see when they have great deals available, and this time they were offering a weekday stay special for only $69 per night. I was only going to do one night.

             When I was checking in with use of my debit card, they have a new policy of a $50 deposit which is then refunded back to you after ten business days. I never had this before at the Tropicana and have no idea why they started that rule, but since I was to get the money back (hopefully), I paid it no mind. The rooms at the Tropicana are decorated with a seashore theme and there are pictures on the wall of vacationers enjoying Atlantic City back from the early part of last century. The only blemish in the room I had was the mini-fridge. Upon a closer look someone had dented the door with either a fist or some other type of blunt instrument, and then carved in the initials N.G., whatever that stands for. If I arrived earlier, I would’ve headed immediately for the beach, but it was already late in the afternoon thanks to the Cross Bronx Expressway. Instead, I went down to the casino floor to see some of the action. As soon as you walk in you smell the stench of cigarettes and cheap carpet cleanser; the scent of money being lost. The only games I dabble in is either blackjack or roulette. I saw there was an open spot at one of the roulette tables so I took a walk over. The poor economy perception certainly reached the casino because the minimum bet (during weekday daytime hours) for the roulette wheel was only a measly five dollars. When I first visited the Tropicana back in 2007 before the “recession”, the minimum bet was three times as much. I really didn’t come down to gamble, I was more interested in the boardwalk and beach, but since the beach was going to have to wait till tomorrow, I had time for a few turns of the wheel. With my sixty-dollar investment I found myself down to ten dollars rather quick as I couldn’t hit one number. Then I worked a system of number, even or odd, and red and black, combo and connected of all three to get myself a big boost of chips. Then after a few more lucky guesses on numbers, I had reached by sixty dollars level again and then even went up to double the amount, which would’ve nearly covered the room fare. Looking for more than just room fare, I kept on going, and found myself to ending up with zero.

            The drive down was long and I hadn’t had anything to eat since breakfast, so I felt it was a good moment to head down to the food floor on the street level for the reliable casino buffet. Again, back in 2007 the price was much higher and they offered crab legs, this time the buffet was only $25, and there no crab legs. The food available didn’t look so appetizing and indeed the economy issue certainly had forced the casino to pull back the reigns in quality. It’s very easy to use the buffet options as an excuse to put together the worst possible food combinations and end up with a sour stomach. I was aiming to keep things even keel and the portions to a reasonable amount. My first trip up included mussels, clams, ravioli, and a small slice of pizza, which is a classic Mediterranean dish (maybe). After, I went with a meat course, highlighted by baby back ribs, with sides of rice and mashed potatoes. Knowing I would need room in my stomach for boardwalk snacks later on, I kept the dinner part to two plates. The dessert dishes to finish it off included a small piece of marble cheesecake, warm apple cobbler, and some type of warm cushy treat, almost like flan. There’s a big window at the buffet in which you can see people strolling by on the boardwalk. I couldn’t wait to get out there, so I finished off my dessert course rather quickly. The sun was going down and there was a nice breeze off the Atlantic Ocean, it was the ideal time for the boardwalk. Along with the bright lights and luxurious architecture of the casinos reigning overhead, I could also see the run down houses and vacant lots which hang in their shadows. Near the Atlantic City Convention Center it looked like a show was about to go on. It turns out it was a local kids dance group and I was going to stay and watch some of it, but they asked the kids to each announce their name and where they’re from. The very first kid took nearly three minutes to spit out his name and that he was from Patterson, NJ. With a line of nearly forty kids yet to get to, in no way was I going to wait through all that, so I headed on my way.

           The first of the boardwalk snacks I decided upon came in the form of a vanilla malted from a Johnny Rockets stand. It was a small and simple order, but they still gave me the electronic buzzer to notify me when it would be ready, although I could just have stood there and saw it myself. I only drank about sixty-percent of it because I still wanted to leave room in case I had the urge for more snacks, plus a Johnny Rockets shake is very rich in texture, but super-delicious. I peeked over the rail and onto the sand and noticed a stray cat strolling about, then another, and then another. I saw them too back in 2007, but what I didn’t see previously was that these cats were part of a boardwalk program from Alley Cat Allies that neuters stray cats. There were other animals as well making an appearance in AC, seagulls lurked around in search of food, and I even spotted a small squirrel snacking on something. My favorite of the fudge-taffy producers, Steel’s Fudge, was still standing strong, as it had been since 1919. In addition, I was also happy to see a James Salt Water Taffy giving Steel’s a run for their money. I walked by Caesars, Bally’s, Trump Plaza, but I was really upset to find out Harrah’s Resorts had the crab legs this time, from the humongous advertisement sign they displayed. There’s a small amusement park on a pier, similar to what I saw in Seaside Heights, and this one is called Steel Pier. What makes this one stand out over Seaside Heights is that they offer helicopter rides, $49 for one person, $74 for couple, which consists of a three-minute spin over the casino-based skyline. It was tempting, but after losing the $60 earlier at roulette, I didn’t feel like dropping another $50. Plus, the mussels and Johnny Rockets shake in my belly might’ve not appreciated the altitude. The sun was down by now and it had already been a long day without a nap, so I turned around and made back to the Tropicana. I did have a freshly-squeezed lemonade before heading back in, but in terms of food I was done for the day. Before going back to my room I did take a few cracks at the slot machines with some of the small bills in my pocket, but of course ended up with zero with those too.

             I woke up in the morning rather early because I wanted to get a good breakfast and head to the beach before I needed to check out of the room by 11am. Not too far from the Tropicana on the boardwalk I found the Country Kitchen, which is basically like a diner. I’m not sure what the situation is with the business, but nearly the entire staff was Russian. I ordered a belgian waffle with a side of ham. The sign of the waffle was new and interesting, but the batter they used was too sweet, and the ham was as hard as a rock. One important thing I learned from the syrup on the table, one of them was called boysenberry, I always thought it was called “poisonberry”. I walked around the streets a little to digest and passed by an old bookstore as well as the Chelsea Pub, which featured statues of the Blues Brothers on their roof. The disappointment of the breakfast was certainly erased from the delight of the beach. Even though it was still in the early part of the day, the water was just the perfect temperature to feel refreshing while the sun’s rays begun to blaze down onto the surface. The water of Atlantic City is far rougher than what I experienced at Seaside Heights, and overall I would put the wave-power to that of Jones Beach, but not as towering as Montauk. I only spent about an hour and a half swimming, even though I could’ve stayed the whole day, but I needed to rush to check out of my room and get ready for the drive back to New York. I parked the car in the Tropicana parking garage, and you can leave it in there for as long as you want for $10, unless you exit that is.

             Before leaving town I really wanted to get the taste of an authentic Atlantic City restaurant for lunch, no casino buffet or chains like Johnny Rockets. I even ruled out the Carmine’s located inside the Tropicana. Leaving the car in the garage still, I walked around and came upon a great candidate called the Knife and Fork Inn, established in 1912, seven years before Steel’s Fudge and the same year the Titanic sunk. The only problem is they don’t open until 4pm, so I was too early for them. There was another good opportunity called Dock’s Oyster House, but they too were closed at the time. I was heading in a more tougher-looking part of town. With my legs tired and sweat dripping down my face from the strong sun, I was going to take the next whatever. Not wanting a pizza place, my choice was narrowed down to the Mexico Lindo Restaurant and Bakery, in which their sign is too cool to give out the area code of their phone number. The inside had no air conditioner, but a giant fan which I was lucky to get a seat at. There were a few patrons inside, eating their lunch and watching a Spanish-speaking station on a television. The inside is decorated with Mexican hats lined up on the walls and flag from several Latin American countries. The waitress brought over a plate of tortilla chips and salsa and took my order. I went with a hard-crushed chicken and onion tostada for the appetizer, and for the main lunch course I had the three tacos consisting of beef tongue. The meat is extremely soft and tastes just like any other type of beef. The waitress kept bringing me napkins so I could wipe the sweat off my forehead as the spices were taking their toll on my already heated body. The whole meal with a can of soda came out to a mere twelve-dollars, and it was probably twice as good as anything I would’ve found at the Knife and Folk Inn. I was happy they weren’t opening until 4pm.

             So while I traveled to Atlantic City in search of mass air conditioning, I ended up sweating bullets in a Mexican restaurant…..