I dont know what you are talking about.I nor anyone I know has had bad meat/steak at Freddys steak house now or ever. Freddys is owned by the guy who owns Linz meats. Linz supplys a lot of down town steak houses.They deal in prime meat. I work downtown and I see their trucks delivering. I asked a waitress about this and was told that Freddys gets the best cuts first.Maybe I have another opinion because my schedule only allows me to dine there on fri-sat nights only.Maybe its lacking during the week.

[quote="dbrick59"]I dont know what you are talking about.I nor anyone I know has had bad meat/steak at Freddys steak house now or ever. Freddys is owned by the guy who owns Linz meats. Linz supplys a lot of down town steak houses.They deal in prime meat. I work downtown and I see their trucks delivering. I asked a waitress about this and was told that Freddys gets the best cuts first.Maybe I have another opinion because my schedule only allows me to dine there on fri-sat nights only.Maybe its lacking during the week.[/quote]
Or maybe you're enough of a regular that you get decent service and the "best cuts".

Take a look at my posts here on LTH, and you'll see that I was a big proponent of Freddy's for several years. But no more. Caveat Emptor.

Has anyone been to Madvek's recently? The last couple times I've driven by (afternoons), it's been closed...

Speaking of tacos.... There used to be a taco joint on 169th St. just east of Kennedy Ave. (maybe a block), that was called Fabulous Hot Dogs, or Fabulous Tacos, can't remember which. This is circa 1980. They made some real tasty tacos that I loved. The Purdue students used to pack the place. The filling was some kind of ground pork or beef that was stewed in a Mexican broth and served on flour tortillas. I know this sounds questionable at best, but I got used to them. Does anyone know if they are still around anyplace under a different name, etc.?

Alive and Well!
[url=http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/article_b731e62d-a0d5-517e-810e-db62d07ae01b.html]Madvek's Doghouse earns a Hall of Fame spot from Vienna Beef[/url]
[quote]Vienna Beef honored Madvek's Doghouse for what longtime customers of the Hammond institution already know: Its hot dogs are standouts.

Vienna Beef made it official Wednesday when it welcomed Madvek's, 6923 Calumet Ave., to its legendary Hot Dog Hall of Fame.[/quote]

Hi,

I always associate Madvek's for their loose meat sandwiches. IN my few visits, I don't think I ever had a hot dog.

Good for them on their new fame.

Regards,

dbrick59 wrote:I nor anyone I know has had bad meat/steak at Freddys steak house now or ever.

I've had a bad steak at Freddy's. Or at least bad enough that I won't return; it wasn't offensive, just not good. I went with MincyBits sometime last year and both of our steaks were far overcooked (she ordered hers rare, mine medium rare) the service was horrible (we barely saw the server and had huge gaps of time between being seated, ordering, getting food, and getting the bill) and the restaurant itself was a bit dirty.

Artie wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote: I have heard some good things about Taco Real and I still might check them out.

I have never understood the fascination in these parts with El Taco Real. IMO,at best it's mediocre food for Gringos.

I don't think El Taco Real is bad. I think their reputation for good food is earned, but it also creates unrealistic expectations. Mexican food is extremely common in this area, whether it's restaurants, bars or home cooking. Attend a few Quinceaneras annually, with home cooking, and you'll get your fill of good Mexican cuisine.

Llama wrote:

boudreaulicious wrote:If you haven't tried it, Memo's Taco Mex is also very good...

Memo's Taco Mex
2128 45th Street
Highland, IN, 46322

We finally stumbled across Memo's yesterday (strange that you need to stumble upon a restaurant in a town this small) and had lunch. I had some enchiladas and MincyBits had some sort of fancy carnitas plate (I'll let her elucidate further) but the stand-out was clearly the appetizer of queso fundido. Gooey but still crispy and brown on top, I abandoned my entrée in an effort to finish off the plate of delicious cheese. (Enchiladas will reheat better, I reasoned) though I'm still paying for it, gastrointestinally speaking.

Also, they had some of the best flour tortillas I've had in a restaurant. Though I'm usually a corn man, the flour tortillas had some thickness and substance that really set them apart. Sadly, the tortilla chips were stale and lackluster in comparison. I don't doubt they'd be better when fresh, but we were there at an odd time on Sunday.

We'll definitely be back sometime after my stomach ceases it's war.

I actually had the weekend special, cochinitas pibil. Thick blanket of slivered onions on top aside, it was absolutely delicious. Plenty of flavor, generous portion, seasoned well, served with a habanero onion salsa I didn't try. I really enjoyed it. The variety of sauces they bring to the table were all fantastic tasting, though none of them were very fiery.

The place is next to Buffa Louie's, which has pretty decent wings.

Well... My first week at the new job went well and to reward myself I stopped for lunch at the nearest place on Friday.

Cavalier Inn
735 Gostlin St, Hammond, IN
(219) 933-9314
Menu



Parked on the side street and noticed two entrances so I entered off of the main street. This led to the bar area.



The picture on the right is of their son, Wally Jr, the All American. He now coaches at a nearby school and still helps out. It is rumored he cannot be missed at 6'-5".



They had built this building and opened at this location in 1963. They had opened as a bar with a banquet hall in the back but word started getting around on how good Mary's cooking was and soon they transitioned the back room into a restaurant.

Before that they were just down the street and the original location was at 'The Harbor' which opened in 1949. Wally Sr passed away back in 2007.



Potato Perogies with Grilled Onions which had followed the soup of the day, Cream of Potato. I did ask if the entree came with a choice of potato.

Five to an order and much bigger that most (about 4 bites per)! Fried to have a perfect crust. Very good! I have come to consider bacon and onions to be a traditional topping and the waitress seemed to be surprised at my request. They do have bacon listed on the menu and must of gotten missed in her confusion.

The soup was very tasty as well. Not too thin or thick, just right. Bits of celery and onion and nice sized potato chunks. There appeared to be a different soup daily but they were blacked out on the menu board on the wall. I will have to stop in on Wednesdays to see if the soup is actually Mushroom that day.

The owner, Mary, comes in early every day to prepare all of the food fresh and homemade. Only Polish hands assist in the preparation. From where I was seated I could see into the kitchen and there was a gal breading the fish specials of the day. Obvious care was being taken as she was not rushing through the process and straining the flour mixture about every 10 minutes. The fish specials (Walleye and Lake Perch) were popular and amounting to about half the orders coming out of the kitchen.

Took less than an hour which worked out well. You can call ahead to have your order ready when you arrive and they were doing a lively takeout business.

All in all a good start in The Region!

Hi,

The next time you are in Cavalier, could you ask them which crimped edge applies to which filling:



They have told me several times, I think I have it commited to memory and later forget. Yes, I should write it down.

Thanks!

Regards,

Panther in the Den wrote: Before that they were just down the street and the original location was at 'The Harbor' which opened in 1949. Wally Sr passed away back in 2007.

Thanks for the review. I grew up in Hammond and have still never been to the Cavalier Inn, it definitely makes me curious to head back and give it a try.

One small quibble, their original location was actually "in the Harbor," which is Region speak for East Chicago.

SMT wrote:One small quibble, their original location was actually "in the Harbor," which is Region speak for East Chicago.

Thanks for the correction. This is fun!

SMT wrote:

Panther in the Den wrote: Before that they were just down the street and the original location was at 'The Harbor' which opened in 1949. Wally Sr passed away back in 2007.

Thanks for the review. I grew up in Hammond and have still never been to the Cavalier Inn, it definitely makes me curious to head back and give it a try.

One small quibble, their original location was actually "in the Harbor," which is Region speak for East Chicago.

The Harbor is a part of East Chicago, east of Kennedy ave...

From Wikipedia...

East Chicago Neighborhoods

Indiana Harbor
The Harbor
North Harbor
Washington Park
Prairie Park
Sunnyside
Lakeside
Darkside

East Chicago
Northside
Southside
Calumet
Roxana Park
New Addition (West Harbor)

Mikey wrote: The Harbor is a part of East Chicago, east of Kennedy ave...

"The Harbor" has almost taken on an epic sort of role in NWI's identity. When someone says they grew up in the Harbor (which is pretty common especially for many of the Region's politicians) one knows right away that he's from EC. I might even go so far as to say that it gives one a sort of blue collar cache, and it often means that the person is pretty well tapped into NWI politics and government. One of the most prominant examples of this is former EC Mayor Pastrick, who is a very proud alum of the Harbor.

YMMV of course.

Panther in the Den wrote:Well... My first week at the new job went well and to reward myself I stopped for lunch at the nearest place on Friday.

Cavalier Inn
735 Gostlin St, Hammond, IN
(219) 933-9314
Menu



Parked on the side street and noticed two entrances so I entered off of the main street. This led to the bar area.



The picture on the right is of their son, Wally Jr, the All American. He now coaches at a nearby school and still helps out. It is rumored he cannot be missed at 6'-5".



They had built this building and opened at this location in 1963. They had opened as a bar with a banquet hall in the back but word started getting around on how good Mary's cooking was and soon they transitioned the back room into a restaurant.

Before that they were just down the street and the original location was at 'The Harbor' which opened in 1949. Wally Sr passed away back in 2007.



Potato Perogies with Grilled Onions which had followed the soup of the day, Cream of Potato. I did ask if the entree came with a choice of potato.

Five to an order and much bigger that most (about 4 bites per)! Fried to have a perfect crust. Very good! I have come to consider bacon and onions to be a traditional topping and the waitress seemed to be surprised at my request. They do have bacon listed on the menu and must of gotten missed in her confusion.

The soup was very tasty as well. Not too thin or thick, just right. Bits of celery and onion and nice sized potato chunks. There appeared to be a different soup daily but they were blacked out on the menu board on the wall. I will have to stop in on Wednesdays to see if the soup is actually Mushroom that day.

The owner, Mary, comes in early every day to prepare all of the food fresh and homemade. Only Polish hands assist in the preparation. From where I was seated I could see into the kitchen and there was a gal breading the fish specials of the day. Obvious care was being taken as she was not rushing through the process and straining the flour mixture about every 10 minutes. The fish specials (Walleye and Lake Perch) were popular and amounting to about half the orders coming out of the kitchen.

Took less than an hour which worked out well. You can call ahead to have your order ready when you arrive and they were doing a lively takeout business.

All in all a good start in The Region!

nice john, looks like a rib stickin' great plate..

Madvek's Dog House for the loose meat sandwich.



The inevitable comparison to Maid-Rite. Could of used a little more salt, pepper, onions. Maybe a little juicer (grease)? A simple sandwich that cannot be faulted too much though. The toppings made it interesting enough. Are there other offerings in the area?

Madvek's Dog House
6923 Calumet Ave, Hammond
(219) 932-1060

Also made a return visit to Cavalier Inn to give their Polish Platter a try. Wow! One of each of their three pierogi (potato, sauerkraut and cheese), a single stuffed cabbage, two types of polish sausage (fresh and smoked) and sauerkraut, 2 potato pancakes and a side of corn with the accompanying apple sauce and sour cream. Served on two platters and at nearly $17, enough food for two. My Bride was very happy with the leftovers I brought home.

As always, fresh and great! It will be hard not to visit every week.

735 Gostlin St, Hammond
(219) 933-9314

I will be lunching in the area every Friday from noon to 1:00. I will try to post my intent and anyone is welcome to join me. PM for a phone number exchange.

How do you prepare the meat to make a "loose meat" texture as in the above sandwich?

Cogito wrote:How do you prepare the meat to make a "loose meat" texture as in the above sandwich?

From what I understand, hamburger is steamed (sometimes with a bit of onion), salt and peppered and slapped on a bun.

Another name is a Tavern Sandwich.

HI,

Once upon a time, there was Maid Rite not far from Madvek's. There once was a third shop selling loose meat sandwiches owned by a former employee who was sued by Maid Rite.

Madvek's had no direct link to Maid Rite, beyond being a competitor who made a similar sandwich.

Regards,

Hey! We got our own 5 Guys now. I think it just opened.

Crossroads Shopping Center (near the Verizon store)

1575 US Hwy 41
Schererville, IN 46375

tel: 219-864-5800
fax: 219-864-5805

___________

The better news is that we have a new (to us) entrant in locally owned sandwich/soup/salad spots: Poppy's Cafe.

Open 7 to 7, but closed on Sunday.
8929 Indianapolis Blvd
Highland, IN 46322-4100
(219) 595-0564

The soups have been hit or miss for me -- some excellent (tortilla, potato) and others blah. I'd suggest asking for a taste first.

The sloppy joe is very retro, and is the daughter's favorite. Better bread than Lincoln's. The food is billed as healthy-preparation; we think it's fresh ingredients with plenty of tasty fats. More like Mom's and definitely not vegetarian. She has her own spice mixes on the table, and her own mayo.

Actually the whole place is pretty retro and reminds of a 70's hippie coffee shop run by people who want to be hip but aren't. There is a lounging area with a fireplace and huge TV. The bonus is that the owner loves books and is running a lending library of all the best popcorn-type novels carried in airports everywhere. We trade a few books on every visit. Do the time warp and go! Enjoy the dissonance.

The person who I think is the owner (don't know for sure) is very kind, and will make suggestions. Somebody on the internet does not like her and writes really mean, dishonest reviews periodically. Disgruntled former employee? Ex?

We wanted to post about it this summer, but thought it had closed for good in July. Still not sure what happened. It's across from Miner-Dunn.

Anybody been to Dickey's BBQ in Schererville? It's part of a chain that started in 1941 in Texas and is now in 31 states. The Schererville location is the first in Indiana and their website says that there is one in Wheaton, IL. I first heard about it from a friend who knows the owner, but didn't go until I heard the owner on WJOB's Food for thought on Thursday mornings. (By the way, they had Phil and John Bacino from The Original John's Pizza as guests for 4 weeks in a row.) I had called in during the show and asked a few questions and went there a couple hours later. I saw the owner there, but didn't identify myself until after I ate. When I did, he gave me samples of the ribs and sausage and gave me a tour of the kitchen. We talked BBQ for about an hour, then the lunchtime rush started. Two weeks later, the guys from WJOB called me to be on the air and talk about BBQ and Dickey's.
I've been judging competition BBQ for three years now and I think that their Sliced Brisket, BBQ RIbs and Pulled Pork are better than most that I've had at competitions. They have eight different meats: Pulled Pork, Brisket(Sliced or chopped), Ribs, Polish Sausage, Virginia Style Ham, Turkey Breast, Chicken Breast and Hot Links, all smoked in house. I've had the first four and will soon try the rest. There are 11 different sides including a Southern Style Potato Salad that is more like flavored mashed potatoes (It's better than my mom's!). There are also salads and baked potatoes. I also like the three different BBQ sauces which are self-serve so you can have a little or alot! Finally, don't forget the self-serve pickles and ice cream included with all meals. (Should be a hit for any mothers-to-be!) He is planning on opening locations in Hammond and Merrillville and there will also be one in Portage in the future.
A friend of mine who travels alot says that the quality at the airport locations varies, but he was never disappointed at the regular restaraunt locations.
Good food and fast service!


http://www.dickeys.com/our_menu/full_menu.aspx


Dickey's BBQ
713B Indianapolis Blvd.
Schererville, IN 46375
(Near Lowe's and Jo-Ann Fabrics)

P: 219.322.9690
F: 219.322.9693

Store Hours:
Open Daily 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Woodbutcher68 wrote:Anybody been to Dickey's BBQ in Schererville? It's part of a chain that started in 1941 in Texas and is now in 31 states. The Schererville location is the first in Indiana and their website says that there is one in Wheaton, IL.

They're supposedly opening one in Hammond as well, but I have no idea where.

Was at Freddy's today with my bride. We both got garlic poor boys. A bit gristly. Place was freezing. Sad that there were only 5 tables at lunch time. 15-20 years ago you could not get a table there this time of the year.

So, the food wasn't very good and the restaurant was uncomfortably cold? Can't imagine why business has dropped off.

Sometimes one cannot go home. Shoulda gone to Cavalier Inn or Tiebel's while in that area.

Chinois wrote:The better news is that we have a new (to us) entrant in locally owned sandwich/soup/salad spots: Poppy's Cafe.

Open 7 to 7, but closed on Sunday.
8929 Indianapolis Blvd
Highland, IN 46322-4100
(219) 595-0564

Thank you so much for giving some info on this place. I've gone past it several times (actually I live fairly nearby), but I've never really heard anything about it.

Chinois wrote:Somebody on the internet does not like her and writes really mean, dishonest reviews periodically. Disgruntled former employee? Ex?

Yeah, I've seen those reviews on Yahoo too. I won't accuse anybody of anything, but after looking into each one a bit, I did find them to be pretty suspicious. It does seem like somebody has a personal vendetta against the place and or the owner.

I'll have to "pop" in some time and check it out. (sorry, I had to say it )

Thanks!

DKriv wrote:Mayden's Carnival Times Sweets & Treats
1935 W. Glen Park Ave. (45th St)
Griffith, IN
(219) 924-7570

It looks like they went out of business.

One of my workplaces is very near Dickey's, and honestly, I'd love to like them. I've heard great reviews. But my experiences haven't been good there. Perhaps my issue was I made bad picks? The turkey was alarmingly damp -- not moist and juicy, but damp and springy, as if it'd been sitting in liquid. The chopped brisket was dry and flavorless. The sausage was pretty good, actually, so no faulting them there. I maybe should try the ribs? I couldn't tell the difference between the three bbq sauces they had on tap. Even the free soft-serve isn't worth going for, though the bottomless pickle barrel is admirable. It smells delightful when I park to go into work; I just haven't had a great experience for what they are charging.

Similarly, I really want to like Poppy's cafe, but the staff seems spaced-out and not very helpful. The coffee has been pretty miserable the last few times I've been there, and the sandwiches were just sitting in the cooler, nothing prepared fresh. Could I have gone at the wrong time of day? I will admit to being a very harsh coffee judge, but I'd rather drink diner coffee. The lending library, the rotating ice cream flavors, and the whole ambiance are very cool. Haven't tried the soups - are they house made? Do they have hot food? Maybe I should go back, though it would be against my better judgement; it has been about a year.

This post is a bit of a downer... Whatever it is, I'm against it!

Had a great visit to Zel's Roast Beef.