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Hall of Fame baseball writer Hal McCoy has retired from the Dayton Daily News after covering the Cincinnati Reds for 37 years. Hal's blog, though, will continue to be a must-read for Reds fans. He'll share his thoughts on the team this season and will file updates from Great American Ball Park. You also can catch Hal in print every Sunday in his popular Ask Hal columnHome > Blogs > The Real McCoy | Cincinnati Reds baseball news > Archives > 2009 > August > 22 > Entry
Eating it up - and landing in last
If you don’t want to read about the Reds falling hard, not only losing to the Pittsburgh Pirates to fall into last place, but losing by 10 runs, well, skip down a few paragraphs and make yourself hungry.
I’ve listed my 10 favorite places on the road to eat lunch and today I wish I had stayed in a restaurant rather than to wander into PNC Park and watch the Reds seek their level - last place in the NL Central.
Justin Lehr, who doesn’t throw hard enough to break your grandma’s rocking chair, relies on location to get hitters out. It was evident early he was aiming for Pittsburgh and finding Pottsville in the first inning.
The Pirates reached him for three runs and four hits in the first and another run and two hits in the second and the Reds could have gone to the restaurant of their choice. This baby was history.
The Pirates just kept stretching it out - 4-0, 4-1, 5-1, 6-2, 10-2, 12-2.
The dreary reality: The Reds are 9-26 since the All-Star break when they were five games out of first place. Now they are a season’s worst 20 games under .500 and are in sole position of last place for the first time since April 8 when they were 0-2.
Enough of this stuff. As I write this, KC & The Sunshine Band is performing on the field and a very fat and a very bald KC went to the mike and said, “I’m 58 years old take a good look, because this is what Justin Timberlake is going to look like in 30 years.”
That might be the quote of the year.
A SATURDAY afternoon in Pittsburgh means an automatic six-block walk for me to Primanti Brothers for lunch and it was nice to walk into the place and have somebody at a table immediately say, “Hey, Hal McCoy. We’re going to miss you brother.”
I’ll miss all of you, too. In fact, if ever you see me, anywhere, any time, whether I’m alone or with Nadine or eating or with a bunch of people, please stop by and say, “Hi.”
And now, as a culinary service to all of you, I’m listing my Top Ten places where I go for lunch on the road.
ONE: Charlie Gitto’s in St. Louis: I get the sausage linguine every time. In fact, we had a three-day trip there this year and I was at Gitto’s all three days ordering the same thing.
TWO: Primanti Brothers in Pittsburgh: They stuff a mountain of french fries and a bucket of cole slaw between the bread on every sandwich. Messy? You bet. Good? Beyond great.
THREE: Jim’s Steaks in Philadelphia: I’ve tried most of the famous places in Philadelphia, but Jim’s, to me, serves the best Philly cheesesteaks. Locals tell me to just find a mom and pop place on any side street and they’ll be better. After Jim’s, better can only be by a small degree.
FOUR: Pappasito’s in Houston: A Tex-Mex delight. The chips are hot, right out of the oven that sits in the middle of the restaurant with a senora making them. Any Mexican dish you order is a delight.
FIVE: Rocky Mountain Diner in Denver: If you’ve never had buffalo chili or buffalo meat loaf, don’t turn up your nose until you’ve tried it. I had to take my nose off the ceiling and be talked into trying it, now it’s chili and meat loaf, every time.
SIX: Front Page News in Mid-town Atlanta: Why? Obvious. Check the name. Very good sandwiches. Why is it The Front Pages News? The owner just likes reading the newspaper. My kind of guy.
SEVEN: Giordano’s in Chicago: Best deep-dish pizza I’ve found. For lunch they serve individual small pizzas. The first time in there I tried to order a regular small pizza and they talked me out of it. Said I wouldn’t be able to eat half of it. I saw one at the next table and it looked like a truck tire. The waitress was right.
EIGHT: Alioto’s in San Francisco on The Wharf: I never go inside. They serve New England-sytle clam chowder in bowls made out of sourdough bread on the sidewalk outside the place. Get a bowl, grab a bench and peer out over San Francisco Bay at Alcatraz or watch the sea lions and listen to them bark.
NINE: Oreganos in Scottsdale (Phoenix): A great outdoor setting where you can stare at Camelback Mountain while eating the Pablo Picasso salad, a meal in itself and all of the portions are as big as Camelback. A salad? Well, I had to get something healthy in this list.
TEN: Any hot dog vendor on almost any corner in Manhattan: If I don’t get one of these for lunch, I get one when I get off the subway after coming back from a game at the ball park. Late? Yes. Dangerous to the stomach and to a fitful night of sleep? Yes. Worth it? You betcha.
**Special note: Any Five Guys & Fries in any city: Best hamburgers ever and enough delicious skin-on-fries to feed McHale’s Navy.
THERE IS another game tonight, The Battle for the Bottom of the NL Central. Loser of the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game clunks to the bottom of the standings.
And here is manager Dusty Baker’s 101st different lineup/batting order in the first 122 games: Drew Stubbs, cf; Adam Rosales, 3b: Joey Vott, 1b; Brandon Phillips; Jonny Gomes, rf; Wladimir Balentien, lf; Ryan Hanigan, c; Paul Janish, ss; Justin Lehr, p.
SCOTT ROLEN played his two games on rehab for Louisville and is back with the team. He’ll be activated Sunday and Baker said he will play.
Rolen was examined today by what he called one of the nation’s foremost authority on concussion, “Tested me and we talked for a long time and he cleared me,” said Rolen.
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By Rick
August 23, 2009 10:24 PM | Link to this
Notice nothing for Los Angeles. The BEST place for BBQ in the LA area is a place called Dr Hogly Woggly. It’s in the valley about an hour or so from the stadium, but the BBQ is the best I ever had. Going to miss you Hal.
By Evan
August 23, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this
Hal, lived in Pittsburgh myself a couple years. If you want great burgers, try Tessaro’s in Bloomfield (Pittsburgh’s Little Italy), about 10 minutes from the stadium. Everything’s good there, but the burgers are the best I’ve ever had. Of course it’s no Primanti’s.
By Scott
August 23, 2009 12:52 PM | Link to this
@ the quote from “KC” in the story: ROTLMAO! Hal that was awesome. This is one of the reasons I’m going to miss your stories. That’s quote of the year so far, and probably has even odds of winning. Anyone want to check Vegas on that one? LOL!
By Casey
August 23, 2009 11:42 AM | Link to this
Clean house at Cincinnati Reds from top to bottom especially “Toothpick”. This is “Toothpicks” team and he has done a very poor job of managing this year “his son could have done better”
By Joyce Sumner
August 23, 2009 11:19 AM | Link to this
Hal, you should do a travel/food show for the Food Network. Alton Brown needs some competition.
By steven ross
August 23, 2009 10:01 AM | Link to this
Hal, I live near San Francsico. Alioto’s is okay but it’s a tourist trap. The view is nice but walk down to the Ferry Building. So many better options. Speaking of better options, why is Dusty still our manager?
By bill
August 23, 2009 9:52 AM | Link to this
Hal, be sure to give Terry’s Turf Club in Cincinnati a try before the end of the season. Five Guys is very good but TTC is on a completely different level. And I concur wholeheartedly with your assessment of Giordano’s.
By Mike
August 23, 2009 8:03 AM | Link to this
You know your team is in last place when the topic becomes “restaurants” instead of baseball.Sad reality is though, this team will probably finish last and the Castellini’s, Jocketty’s and Baker all tell you ” we have a plan, we are evaluating and the winning starts now! ” Castelllini and Jocketty are going nowhere. But there are three that need to pack the bags, and leave without looking over thier shoulders. You know who those three are. Baker,Pole, and Jocoby, and while we are at it, throw out Spier too. Start from scratch, new staff, new ideas and a fresh new approach with ayoung team. Funny, how that simple solution is not in the “plan “
By John Ockomon, Indpls
August 22, 2009 11:27 PM | Link to this
Thanks for the top ten. Indpls ? Any favorites here? Hope to meet you some day.
By Deaner
August 22, 2009 11:18 PM | Link to this
You’re right Hal. Primanti’s is great stuff! If you’re ever in central Pennsylvania, stop by Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub in Clearfield. They serve 15 pound hamburgers! They also serve a Paterno burger which I guarantee JoePa never eats, there’s no way he could live as long as he has if he did.
By Reinstate Pete
August 22, 2009 11:14 PM | Link to this
Hey Hal, Whats your favorite place in Cincy?
By ohio ex patriate
August 22, 2009 9:28 PM | Link to this
Hal: New career…Road Food Expert!…blog made me hungry. Best from Key West.
By SI and Ritter
August 22, 2009 9:25 PM | Link to this
Hal what is your favorite place to eat in the Dayton/Englewood area? I know you like the Maid Rite hamburger place in Greenville.
By Mark in Granville
August 22, 2009 9:20 PM | Link to this
I second Bern’s Steak House in Tampa. They took me downstairs to the wine cellar and showed me a 1700 era bottle of sherry, along with many quality wines. Great place.
By Randy
August 22, 2009 6:48 PM | Link to this
I hope someone tells Stubbs not to swing at the 1st pitch.
By Bruce
August 22, 2009 6:29 PM | Link to this
Dickerson is hot, so bench him. Vote for Baker to win MOY! Moron of the year! CD has been on base two and three times each game, leading off; and Stubbs is like 1 for nine, in last two games…
By Mr. Redlegs (Original)
August 22, 2009 6:00 PM | Link to this
I’m very disappointed Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa isn’t on your Top 10 list. After all, I believe you can still smoke a fine Arturo Fuente in the Harry Waugh Dessert Room.
By Wiz
August 22, 2009 5:39 PM | Link to this
Outstanding! Well said. By oldtimer August 22, 2009 1:53 PM Back in the day when Birdie Tebbetts was managing the Reds he was asked how he could play light-hitting Roy McMillan at shortstop. Birdie replied: He adds a hundred points to his batting average with his glove. Ditto Jannish.
By Danielle
August 22, 2009 5:24 PM | Link to this
Hal, If you ever find yourself in Washington “Home of Five Guys” DC again, I’d love to pick up your burgerlicious tab.
By Ron
August 22, 2009 5:22 PM | Link to this
it’s hard to wait till game time for tonights battle for wirst.
By MisterRedLegs
August 22, 2009 5:22 PM | Link to this
Atlanta? Nothing but nothing is good in Atlanta except the view from the window as your leaving.