Tea Leaves

Road Food

For your edification, a few food places you should try if you find yourself on the road in upstate New York or Vermont.

Shwabl's: Buffalo NY

This is the original "beef on weck" place. Beef on weck is carved roast beef served on a bun that has caraway seeds and salt in it. The top half of the roll is dipped in the beef juice. The sandwich is given to you on a plate with slaw or potatoes or potato salad. The beef was really good. The sign says the place has been open since 1897. You should go.

The Beef and Barrel: Olean NY

This a "beef on weck" place (presumably inspired by Shwabl's) which started out as a single room over 20 years ago and is now most of a city block. They serve big roast beef sandwiches on salty rolls with various sides and various other American dishes which are nowhere near as good. Don't bother, just get a sandwich. I think Schwabl's is better.

Oasis Diner: Burlington VT

Here is an old style diner with a New England accent. Great eggs (they make their scrambled from scratch, no mix), good pancakes, good muffins, good coffee, nice coffee mugs. Home fries were only OK. They have an interesting single queue with an exclusive lock order processing system. Yummy. A bit expensive.

Penny Cluse Café: Burlington VT

Here is a breakfast place where you can observe the Burlington Liberal in their native habitat. Great omlettes, potatoes, pancakes and biscuits. Their famous gravy, however, is not made with sausage and so is sort of morally wrong, although it is peppery and tasty. It's a dilemma, but I'm not one to let such things get in the way of enjoying some biscuits.

The fruit plate was also wondrous.