“I’m not leaving without sticking that Schlong-Dog in my mouth!”

I was in shock. It was the biggest fucking hot dog I had ever seen. I walked into to The Fat Dog and I asked the waitress what food they were known for? She mentioned a few things, we ordered, we sat down and the guy sitting next to us gets this GINORMOUS hot dog. I’m in shock! He looks at me and says, “Yea want to take a pictures of this?”

I pointed my camera in the air snapped a few photos and when the waitress came back I told her I needed to have one of those.

It was a nice Thursday afternoon Laura and I decided to get out. Tons of people have been telling me about this butcher shop on Fairfax called Lindy & Grundy and that I needed to go check it out. The shop opened up about 8 months ago and is run by two young women. The idea is that all the meat is organic and prepared right there in the butcher shop. This place has everything. Lamb bacon, pork bacon, beef bacon, as well aged meat they prepare right there on the spot…

I have been interested in doing an interview with Amelia and Erika to launch my pod cast next year. So I wanted to introduce myself and see if they would entertain the idea of me doing a blog post, photos, and a pod cast. They were a bit busy at the time so Laura and I decided to get something to eat. Next door was a coffee shop called the Commissary and then right next to that was The Fat Dog. Screw it! Let’s check it out.

It was only 3pm so it wasn’t really busy but I could imagine on a Friday night that this place would be hoppin’. We checked out the menu and I saw meat so it was good enough for me. The server said to sit wherever. The booths were nice and big and long. Perfect for the big boys like me.

I asked the server what they were known for on the menu. She said everything was very good, she pointed out the Jalapeño Mac and Cheese. So we got that; you can add hickory-smoked bacon and crab, so of course I added both. She also recommended a dish called “The Flight” it was 3 different mini burgers (1) Bacon & Guacamole (2) Mushroom & Swiss (3) Caramelized Onions & Gruyére. We got that as well and decided to wait and see how we felt afterwards to decide if we might want more (I always want more but she is in charge!).

Our drinks came quick Laura got the Coronado Islander (IPA) and I of course got the epic diet coke. I was told the beer was tasty with a kick but smooth on the way in. Medium, not too heavy, a great compliment to the food, and a perfect excuse for a nap afterwards.

The vibe here is really nice and laid back. They have wifi (password is the phone #) it is not too busy, not dead, but just enough people watching to entertain you while you work. The food came quickly and it looks marvelous. The mac and cheese was nice and stringy with chunks of bacon, minimal crab, and just enough kick to remind you there are jalapeños in it. It is not too wet or dry, but just perfect. Eat it too quickly and it may get a little spicy. Very little crab, not enough for me to get excited over but just enough flavor for sure.

The burgers were nice little handfuls of tastiness. There is a hint of extra flavor in each burger, just enough to go well together, but not enough to have to take a break between. The fries were crisp, thin, and simple. You could tell lots of love went in to those dishes and the cook wanted you to know that.

So as we where sitting there eating I see the waitress walk over to another table near us with a GIANT (at least 18”) hot dog with a bunch of little topping dishes next to it. I mean it was huge… This was the John Holmes of Hot Dogs. You knew it meant business and at the same time couldn’t stop thinking about how phallic it was. I knew right away I wasn’t leaving with out sticking this Schlong-Dog in my mouth.  So the second I saw the server I said, “Yea, I need to have what he is having!”

In minutes I had the most hung hot dog I had ever seen right in front of me. Lets just say yea Laura was jealous. She was already full from all the food so sneaking a bite wasn’t an option. The dog came with a side of ketchup, mustard, onions, pepperoncini, relish, and jalapeños. The flavor wasn’t anything special, it was your typical beef hot dog and standard bun, but all in all it was a complete blast.

The whole experience was awesome. The fun getting to take on something that everybody is starting at. That is what I call “Shock Food” people come from all over just to see someone eat it. The only issue is more often than not it ends up being all about the shock value and not about the flavor. I just wish there was some flavor pay off to eating this gigantic hot dong.

If I am going to get stared at for shoving something that big in my mouth I at least want the taste to be the pay off. Unfortunately I was not able to finish, but left with just a few scraps on the table.

So if it is not always about the prize, and more about the journey along the way I recommend you journey to The Fat Dog and see if you can finish this impressive beast of a hot dog… And if you can’t you can go MEAT ME!

For more information on The Fat Dog go to:
http://www.thefatdogla.com/hollywood.html
Twitter https://twitter.com/thefatdogla

I went back to Lindy and Grundy and they are totally into the idea of doing a feature with me. So make sure you look for that next month. In the mean time you can check them out at:
http://lindyandgrundy.com/index.htm
Twitter https://twitter.com/lindyGrundy

Me Love You Long Dog,
Sean Rice aka MEAT ME!

"I put ketchup all over my Coney's!"

The second Darin did that Jim’s jaw dropped in shock. I guess it is the equivalent of dipping an Oreo in mayonnaise… You just don’t do it!  With the LA auto show wrapping up Darin the creative director from Car and Driver Magazine and Jim Fets the Audi photographer, both from Detroit, were only here till last Sunday. I was on a mission to make sure they went out in style. I knew the Wings were here in town so it was only fitting that I take them to the Kings game at the Staples Center.

That morning at 9 am Darin hit me up for breakfast to watch the Michigan, Nebraska game. Both Darin and Jim were staying at the London just across the street form the Detroit Style Coney Dog. It was only fitting that we all start the day off with 2 giant chili dogs and some chili cheese fries.

10 minutes after I got off the phone I left to meet up with them. As soon as I arrived I looked in the window and some how they were all ready eating. My only guess was that being on Detroit time was still working to their advantage.  I entered to the smell of fresh hot dogs. That smell woke me up faster than coffee (I don't even drink coffee). I turned around and there they were giving me shit about wearing a Kings jersey and they hadn't even said hello yet. Fuckers!

I sat down and the first words out of Darin's mouth were "This is awesome!" "Who would have thought I could travel half way across the country and find a place that would make me feel at home."

Darin was telling me there is a place in downtown Detroit called the Layafette Coney Island in downtown Detroit made by Winter's Sausage in Eastponite, MI and taste just like this hot dog. This restaurant truly was all out authentic. Family run and very hands on. I spoke to the owner and it turns out everything is sourced right from Detroit. Actors Adam Sandler and Tim Allen are some of the investors. How cool is that! This is the reason I love living in Los Angeles. The entire city is made up of people from all over the world. You could have two places right next to each other and both are authentic. One could be Indian and the other NY Pizza. It truly is a blessing living in such a culturally diverse city!

After sitting down for a few minutes Darin has these 2 chili dogs with mustard and onions on top. They were, and I hate to say it, too darn cute… Cute enough to stick right in my mouth. The waitress then asked what I would like. I didn’t even have a chance to look at the menu and I said the obvious… “I’ll have what he is having!”

I got the Coney Dog and the Coney De-lux. Both are chili dogs with mustard and onions, just one has the ground beef in the chili. Normally in LA I feel at home with my Kings jersey on but not around these two. Little did I know it I was gonna feel like a bullied kid. ALL. DAY. LONG. Thank God the food came it was time to take one for team "Sean’s Stomach".

These dogs were awesome. Just a pure mesh of chili, onions, mustard, and of course hot dog. I have an issue with a lot of hot dog places out here most of them are really rubbery. You have to bite hard and almost pull the hot dog right out of the bun.  Places like Pinks and Carney’s are a lot like this. This hot dog was no work at all. It was a real pleasure.

Now I had always held my Coney Dog from the bottom before I put it in my mouth. Jim was quick to point out that I was holding it wrong. I was supposed to hold the hot dog from the top, not the bottom. How stupid could I be! This was not explained to me but I am guessing it is so the topping falls on my plate instead of my hand. I am sure if Jim knew me a little better he probably wouldn’t have wasted his breath. It doesn’t matter how I hold my food it is guaranteed to get on me no matter what. Sure enough before long I had chili all over my Kings jersey. I was hoping it was good luck but later I found out it was not. Damn you CHILI!

After I finished the regular Coney I went right on to the de-lux. The 2 really complemented each other. Normally I don’t like onions on anything but thanks to this blog I have been pretty open to trying new things. The onions really made this meal complete. They added a richness and a spice that kept the flavors alive.

Jim ended up ordering a plate of chili cheese fries that quite honestly looked like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. I really didn’t know what to say. It is over whelming when everything is this good. How do you top perfect with perfect?

Great college football, Michigan ended up beating Nebraska. Their selection of beer was right on with what they have to offer in Detroit. An epic meal and with rowdy company how could you go wrong? The Kings lost to the Wings 1-4, that's how. I had to hear about it all day long (I think I can still hear it now).

If you are looking for good college football, great hockey and the best chili dogs in Detroit. I recommend the Detroit Style Coney Dog. Spend 30 minutes here, you’ll get the best Detroit has to offer without having to go there.

I still want to go to Detroit to see what all the hot doggin' is about and hopeful watch the WINGS go MEAT ME!!!

Find out more about Detroit Style Coney Dog at:
http://www.coneydogla.com/

Hold your fuckin' hot dog right,
Sean Rice aka MEAT ME!

“Fuck Thanksgiving that’s a good lookin’ burger!” – Steve Cooper

That’s exactly what I was thinking. I wish thanksgiving were about hunting for my own food, skinning it, barbequing and then celebrating with the men I hunted with. Don’t worry the women there too… they’re were just pampering us (I know… It’s a wish remember?). Instead we dress up a turkey, sit around a table with a bunch of people we can barley tolerate, and complain about the people who aren’t there suffering with us. Just shut up and EAT.

I had no idea that there would be so much pressure around the holiday’s blogging about food, especially with the biggest foodie holiday being Thanksgiving. I had not prep time and no idea what to write about. I didn’t have holiday tips or tricks. My job is to eat the food and that’s it. So I invited my good friend Steve Cooper out to have lunch with me and shoot the shit over some BBQ. Steve lives in Burbank, CA not exactly a place known for great BBQ let alone great food. To me Burbank is known for places like Bob’s Big Boy and the Coral Café.

The only place known for its BBQ is The Handy Market. It is a deli and they only BBQ on Saturday. So I went strait to Yelp and typed in great BBQ in Burbank. A few places came up and The Hollywood Way was one of them. The pictures of the food were not doing this place any favors. I had lived in Burbank for about year and never heard of it so I was a little skeptical. I texted Steve our options and with out a doubt he chose The Hollywood Way.

We decided to meet on Tuesday around 3 pm right after he was done recording his radio show. I pulled up an the parking lot is attached to car wash. I got out and started taking pictures. It was kind of a mess out side. I am not gonna lie a little dumpy looking but since I am aiming for a good review will call it “divey”.

As I am standing there waiting I see this guys pull up in his Lance Armstrong bike and helmet and walks right in. Only in the valley do people exercise and then and then drink in the same hour… Drinking and well anything go together. At this point I am hoping he made the right decision.

Steve pulls up in his… lets just call it a red car. His head shiny as ever and it looks like he is ready to eat some good food. We walk in and it’s a little empty but that’s to be expected. I see the beautiful waitress come and greet us as we walk in. I look right at Steve and I am thinking, "Did he pick this place because of the view or because they actually have good barbeque. Oh well I am sure I’ll find out."

We sit down and get our typewriter style menus.  We got to chatting and right away the waitress comes up and I ask her the usual what are you known for on your menu. She said the, “ Pulled pork and the Tri Tip!”

They have those items pretty much any way you want them tacos, quesadillas, and sandwiches. I ask her what am I going to get the most meat out of and she recommended the center stage, which is just a big slab of meat. She also said their sandwiches are pretty good size. As she is building up this food I can see Steve’s eyes getting bigger and bigger. "If you’d like I would recommend the Memphis Burger", she says, “It’s a Cheeseburger with BBQ pulled pork on top of the beef with grilled onions!”

It was like my brain hit a wall. What did she say? Pulled pork on top of a cheeseburger! How the fuck was this place barley empty? This idea was so genius I had a hard time hearing anything she said after that. I was still trying to wrap my mind around this phenomenon. Steve looks at me and says, “I’ll have whatever you order!” He's pretty much overwhelmed at this point.

I can see it in his eyes. The meat humbled him. So I ordered the Tri Tip sandwich and the Memphis Burger. Of course at a BBQ joint you have got to get an appetizer and that has to be a meat as well. You can only complement meat with meat... It't the MEAT ME way! So I order the Rib appetizer. At this point I can’t wait...

Steve has an online radio shot called Cooper Talk at http://www.925kyhy.com on Wednesday’s at 4 pm you should check it out. Steve has a lot of celebrity guests and he’s one of the funniest guys I know.

We spend a little time catching up and in minutes the ribs are here. You can really tell right out of the gate that they really take the time to smoke these ribs and do it right. The taste was spent on with what great ribs should taste like. The hickory flavor can be strong but these were just the right amount. We dipped the ribs in the sauce and it was pretty much quite time after that. We both had a nice umm… umm… umm… conversation back an fourth until the main course showed up.

Our waitress shows up and the first words out of Cooper’s mouth are “Fuck Thanksgiving that’s a good lookin’ burger!” This burger was amazing. The burger got the same look Steve gave the waitress when she walked by a few minutes earlier. To me that was all the confirmation I needed that he was happy with what I ordered. The sandwich and the burger were just amazing and totally worth dying for. We decide to share halves of each sandwich and if Steve wasn’t such a nice guy I probably would have eaten his halves when he wasn’t looking.

Aside from the fact that he hilarious (I almost chocked) he’s a good spotter. I couldn’t count the amount of times this guy said, “Your dripping!”

How often have you been out and come home with an entire meal on your shit? I don’t think I have a completely clean shirt in my closet. My girlfriend gave up on me long time ago. So thanks to Steve she have to ask me about my day rather that just look at my shirt.

Not only had this place earned my respect it was affordable too. Steve was so put in his place he was ready for a nap and a colonic! Why was he screaming for a colonic? Who knows some people just can’t handle their MEAT.

You can find out more information about The Hollywood Way’s website @:
http://thehollywoodwaybbq.com/

You can check out some of Steve Comedy! http://www.925kyhy.com



I'm thankful for Steve,
Sean Rice aka MEAT ME!

reMEAT – Baby Blues BBQ

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For lunch I hit McDonalds really quick! I never do that and I thought why not… And then I found out why… Here I was trying to get respect for my taste in food, and shamelessly, as I pull out of the drive-thru… Standing right in front of me was the owner of Baby Blues BBQ. We chatted a bit, and even Buddy my pit-bull was so embarrassed he hopped into the back seat to hide.


I felt so bad I new I had to at least redeem myself for dinner.


I couldn’t stay awake all day but when I woke… Cheeseburgers! That’s all I could think of. I pealed myself off my leather couch and headed back to Baby Blues BBQ. Why go back you might ask? Why the HELL not! 

It was dinner, I was hungry, the lady friend was having a girly night and I needed to reward my body for putting up with the horrible McCrap I ate for lunch. I dove down, parked, and walked in. It. Was. Packed… In a good way. In the past, in order to give places a chance to have a good review, I had spent most of my time going during off peak hours. Mostly to take the time to enjoy their food. I had forgotten what MEAT ME was all about. The EXPERIENCE, and how much fun it was to be around other people that were having just as much fun as I was eating food.

I didn’t even think about asking for a table… I knew being at the bar, was where I wanted to be.  I got my diet coke and ordered “The Willie Brown” it had 8oz prime chuck with American cheese and maple bacon. It it topped with crispy fried onions and sweet bbq sauce. 

Normally I would avoid the fried onions, and in the past I do, but since I was on such a roll with trying new things. I figured this was the right way to go… Right I was. It was like receiving a diploma. I had graduated from convenience to taking the time to enjoy things the way they were meant to be enjoyed .  The burger was nothing but BBQ goodness and the fries were great support. 


No defeats here I finished every bite. It even left me wishing there was more.

So for now all the times I went to places at off peak hours to favor the restaurants. I regret. From now on I will do things the way they were meant to be done.

If you try to cheat in life you will FAIL, and if you don’t believe that you can all go and MEAT ME!


To read the read the rest of my first visit @
http://meatmeblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-blue-beef-rib-memphis-rack-tiger.html

To find out more about Baby Blues and their locations @
http://www.babybluesbbq.com/


Keep It Real,
Sean Rice aka MEAT ME!

reMEAT – Baby Blues BBQ

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Im too SEXY for ME MEAT!

That is exactly what it feels like when you eat really tasty food. Especially at ¡Lotería! Grill. You feel sexy. You are taking the time to enjoy and savor every. Single. Bite.  You feel like the entire restaurant is focused on you. Some are even shocked and awed.  You are almost nervous that everyone is going to approach you at any moment and ask you for some – almost as if they find you completely irresistible. But none of this is gonna happen if you can’t find fucking parking! My GOD!

Seriously, I don’t know, may be its me. It took me 20 to 30 minutes to finally give up and have the over priced, eight dollar valet guy park my car. I am on Hollywood Blvd. and there is no parking on either side of the street from 6pm to 6am, go figure. There is a parking structure on N. Cherokee Ave. but I think its $10 (I am not 100% sure).

I intended on being there at 10pm but by the time I was in the door it was about 10:23pm after pictures of course.  Going late to a restaurant does have its benefits. I walk in, there are just a few tables seated. The manager was quick to greet and seat. He says, “Where ever you want and I’ll follow.” How do you like them apples Rosa Mexicana!

Immediately they asked me what I wanted to drink, and then brought me chips and salsa. Rosa Mexicana 0, ¡Lotería! Grill 3 – suck it Rosa! I was handed 4 menus: the food, the 3-course meal, the specials, and the drinks. It was a bit over whelming handing me this encyclopedia of delights. I was here on a referral, thank you Jenny P., and I was told to have the giant tower of cheese aka the Chicharron de Queso. I asked the waiter what they were known for and he recommended the shrimp tacos and that’s just the type of meat I was looking for. Then I get the question… “Mild, medium or spicy?” Yea I’ll take my taco’s hot mister. As he walks away my spicy shoulder pads deflate. I will soon get owned.

That is such a loaded question because everybody’s gauge is different. Does anyone have a solution for this? I would love to hear it.

This all happened in about 1.3 minutes so in driving time I was on my third U-turn. Now Jenny built up this “Tower of Cheese” to be so huge that a small village could live inside of it. So ladies and gentlemen I bring you my first MEAT ME video.

Pretty suspenseful, I know. But at least you can see how they make it and it saves me 35 words explaining it. My carpal tunnel thanks you.

By this time the service is so quick and snappy I feel like I am saying thank you every 10 seconds. Do you like this? Some people don’t but for this place it is just the way I like it. Plus it makes me feel sexy!

So with my Cheese Tower I get 2 sides, salsa, guacamole, and some corn tortilla’s. I put them all together and take a bite… nothing. Not a whole bunch of flavor, but some. I got to make my second one and BANG there it is. The flavor is hiding in the middle of this cheese village. It's so good I have to have 2 more… Yeah and 4 more taco’s are coming. I am starting to understand that this was meant for more than one person.

By this time I am so sexy it feels like the chef is checking me out, or because I am taking pictures of my mouth while I eat. Either way I’m pretty sure it is because... I reek of sex appeal!

The score, Rosa Mexicano 0, !Lotería! Grill 10,000. Rosa has basically been reduced to the equivalent of a hot pocket. !Lotería! Grill has already won in my book – and am in now way trying to compare the two. But, Rosa’s has good food and everything else sucks (I have got Jenny P. to back me up on that one).

So it's nice to see that the little things can make an experience magical. Now the shrimp tacos arrive and they look like synchronized swimmers on a plate really to party in my mouth! Taco one, taco two, at this point they are delicious. A little more sauce than I am used to, but it is another one in the bag.

Now I am on my third taco and the shit is spicy. Yes… I referred to this amazing food as “the shit” and I still think it’s retarded good! You can see the sweat bullets on my face. My admiring chef approaches and asks, “Sir, is it to spicy?” I reply with my spicy shoulder pads completely gone (mouth full of food), “This-is-the-way-I-like-it!”

I am sure she could see the BS coming out of my ears. She even chuckled. How could you not laugh at this pathetic white dude? I am sweating at the counter taking pictures of myself. I would be in tears laughing. But, I am pretty sure it was once again the sexiness of the food that made me so damn approachable.

Not even this sexy beast could finish the fourth taco. At $35, $47 with tip (cause they were awesome) the bill was a little high but I didn’t mind, I felt I had earned it.

However I could not look at the half eaten taco as a defeat, because I was too SEXY for ME MEAT!

Ya! I said it!

Kisses,

Sean “Sexy” Rice

P.S. I found out later on that !Lotería! Grill makes their own tequila, and has incredible deserts. There you have it!  2 more reasons to go and check it out! Enjoy!

P.P.S Alright you people. I get over 200 of you guys visiting per day. And non of you have anything to say in the comment's section. Please... Please take the time to let me know what you like, and don't like. Even a simple "I like" will do the trick. I really wanna bring you guys things that your interested in, rather than me just going off on things that strike my fancy. Speak up damn it! Or places like iHop may be next. And... Thank You for taking the time out of your day to visit MEAT ME. I appreciate your feed back. Live long and eat meat!

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