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You will never find International Meat & Deli across the street from the Garden Grove school district office just by a random pass by since it’s not on a retail commercial street. Look for the dark red awning on the south side of Stamford. International is too broad a name. It’s probably closer to Eastern European specializing in Romanian & Hungarian which are two neighboring countries touching east-west. They may have foods in common due to their physical closeness, but very different in terms of language & origins. Hungarian is in the Ural-Altaic language group which in Europe there are only a few others, Finnish, Estonian, Sami. Most of Europe speak some form of Indo-European. Magyarok/Hungarians probably migrated around the 8th century from the Ural mountains in what is now Russia. Romanians may have had their start when Roman soldiers & colonists under Emperor Trajan in the 1st century created a Roman province, Dacia Felix. Dacia referring to a group of people already living there. The Roman colonists spoke Vulgar Latin which gradually transformed into Romanian, a member of the Indo-European language group. Romanian also absorbed a good amount of Slavic since it borders Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia Montenegro. Small store, it is jam packed full of jars, package boxes of dry food, bottles, canned food. The refrigerated cases are also packed to the gills to maximize the variety of smoked meats, sausages, pâtés, bacon. Good selection of pastry, cakes, cookies. I was served by the Romanian gentleman who is affable & helpful in explaining some of the food items I asked about since much of the food in the cases are labeled in Romanian & Hungarian but not always in English. That is understandable since International caters to their clientele as well as having signage space to write trilingual signs may be impractical. 1) Cabanos may have originated in Poland as Kabanosy, and are long, thin pork smoked sausages w/ a thin casing. They are ready to eat & go well w/ potato salad & beer imo. Great snacky food that has a great favour from garlic & herbs, perhaps better than jerky. 2) Spied a huge whole rack of smoked pork ribs which I was really tempted to get. “It’ll only be $14.” Now I’ll have to figure out how I’m going to cook the ribs since the rib meat is still pretty chewy. Probably braising will soften the meat. Maybe in Japanese style Teriyaki sauce w/ sweet Sushi ginger that I keep getting at Sushi bars & take home since I hate to waste food. It may turn out to be a great East Euro-Japanese fusion. 3) All of a sudden the front door opened. A lady came in bearing big trays of rolled filled pastries still warm from the oven. Alluring fragrance of grass fed cow butter & that bready, homey, comfort yeasty smell magically & enticingly filled the entire store. My mouth half opened & my eyes had the look of food lust. I knew I had to get it. I looked at the counterman, our eyes locked on each other. He gave me a knowing look that he had me hooked. His baritone voice told me, “It’s Cozonac in Romanian & Beigli in Hungarian.” I got the Walnut filled, which seemed to be sautéed in butter w/ Marzipan & pleasantly sweetened egg based sauce, although there were other flavours like poppy seed. This pastry doesn’t look like sophisticated French, Viennese, nor Japanese-French, but it is a bucolic pièce de résistance. I took this exquisite Pâté Sucrée/sweet pastry to the Frat House & shared it with the owner, bartendress, & Yelper Jim W. All oohed & ahhed that it was just too good. The Cozonac/Beigli put International over the top. The lady baker should win awards. 4++Yelp stars…..Now if only the smoked ribs come out all right.

Deli & Butcher – Menu with Prices – 4165 Corporate Square, Naples

We have been coming down to Naples during the winters for the past 3 years.Peppers offers high quality cold cuts and their home made sausages are great.The Hungarian sausage is equal to any I have had.(I am of Hungarian origin).Cold cuts are plentiful with good variety and from quality European makers.Their hot food at lunch is also excellent.From Wiener schnitzel to roasted chicken the offerings are hearty.There are a few tables in the shop where you can dine but you are basically right in the middle of the store so itâ??s not intimate dining.One thing is that their prices have increased quite a bit during the past couple of years.In particular,the imported chocolate and other dry items are somewhat pricy.Make sure you sample everything you are considering buying.I wish we had such an excellent European style deli shop in the Twin Cities.

Palacsinta LLC Menu with Prices 1404 McLendon Ave NE, Atlanta

On our way back from our Florida road trip we wanted to stop by Palacsinta for a Hungarian treat. Since I am from Europe and have Hungarian roots this place and Maria were a special find. It was nice to be able to use my rusty Hungarian and have someone to talk to. Maria explained that over the months people have requested baked goods more so than crepes and her store has turned into a bakery instead. She still prepares crepes for private parties, however. She gave us some samples and the cheesecake was delicious! I was hoping for some savory/sweet crepes to fill us up though, so that was a little disappointing. It is interesting to note that she also mentioned that Hungarians do not tend to seek out her establishment, but that her clientele is mostly Americans and Europeans. We did end up buying one of the plum pastries and I had it for breakfast the next day. Yum! I do wish I lived closer to Atlanta to be able to stop by for a visit more often.

The Cleveland Museum of Art – Menu with Prices – 11150 East Blvd, Cleveland

The fact that this museum is free is amazing, especially while minimal art museums in Seattle and San Francisco cost $25-30+ and sometimes even much more. This museum surprisingly covers art from almost every part of the world from European to Egyptian to Arab to Asian (and so on). The reason this museum is so much better than the urban ones I’ve been to on the West Coast is the amount and extent of artifacts all housed under one place. I saw items I’ve never seen before in my life like Tiffany branded things, European weapons, and those Roman or Greek statues/busts all without having to go to Europe. The Muhammad Shah’s Royal Persian tent is also impressive in person. There was one entertaining painting by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo that stood out to me with a funny scene. None of the artwork here put me to sleep like the ones in Seattle and San Francisco do.

Russian Center – Menu with Prices – 2400 W Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus

Excellent hidden gem for sampling Eastern European Food stuffs with a variety of unique grocery items and cheeses, meats, fish, breads and desserts. Not just Russian food but different regional items from Eastern Europe as a whole. First off, the owner Boris is extremely friendly and sociable, offering insights and suggestions on different foods, happily offering up samples without even asking including different tips for preparation. They have everything from Hungarian smoked meats (melt in one’s mouth quality) to Estonian bologna’s and sausages, traditional Russian meats and a variety of fish. The bread is excellent and unprocessed without preservatives, which means that it must be refrigerated. The cheeses are fresh and delicious and Boris will help pair and match different food stuffs to make a perfect sandwich. Russian horseradish with beets which cuts down on the bite, creating a deeper flavor profile….A grocery for people who care for good taste. The desserts….One key Russian favorite is the marshmellow cookies, somewhat similar to Pinwheels or Mallomars except for one fact, they are gourmet (taste really good) and ten times as delicious. First, no processed preservatives or chemicals, instead sugar and cream, whipping up super addictive chocolate covered marshmellow cookies with touches of apple sauce or other natural ingredients that subtly send the flavor profiles into different directions. There are a variety of different manufactures with prices going up to boxed sets… A variety of gourmet chocolates by the bulk. Polish, Russian and other candies that are individually wrapped in shiny foil and have a mature flavor with more emphasis on the theme such as almond, pistachio or liquor rather than being overly sweet, a hallmark of European pastry, cakes and candy. Icecreams, large variety of mineral waters and fresh bakery items such as poppy seed cakes that are brought in from Brooklyn, New York. There is a charm to this deli with it’s almost hidden sparsely advertised front, but once inside, the feeling is as if stepping into a Russian or Ukrainian neighborhood grocery with top shelf items. Beyond being satisfied with the food selection, the ability to try samples and the educative process of learning about Eastern European foods from Boris is the fact that he’s sociable, isn’t rude or standoffish, especially in regards to answering questions and sharing stories about his life. A very nice and unselfish person. Really. Beyond the grocery within the same building is something called the Russian Club for Russian day care, language courses, plays and performances and other cultural activities and Russian cultural promotion which I believe is run by his wife. In total, you don’t have to be Russian, Eastern European to enjoy the healthy and tasty foods that are offered in this small grocery store. In fact, I would highly suggest taking a food adventure and visiting the place in which to savor and taste unique foods not found in the American palette. The food offerings aren’t strange or exotic, but definitely European in nature, with a strong emphasis on freshness and being naturally organic. I am going out of my way to review this place not just because of the food and pleasant culinary experience, but also the impressionable nature of the owner who made me feel at home and at ease. Sometimes visiting stores that offer foreign food, the proprietors can be offstandish, rude or unfriendly. Not here. The whole package awaits those ready to eat very good food. And again, the Hungarian smoked meats literally melt in one’s mouth. The glistening fat dissolves in a flavor rush that….well, what are you waiting for, go try it all out. P.S. Don’t forget the marshmellow cookies!

Hungarian Deli Ltd – Menu with Prices – 4008 26 St SE, Calgary

This is my home a way from home! No, I am not Hungarian, however I can find everything I want or need from all over Europe. The staff are more then friendly, always ready to help or give an advice, should you ask. The assortment of groceries is great and the delicatessen will make you hungry just looking around. A lot of times we would barely get to the car and would already munching on some delicious foods. This is our favorite store in Calgary. Go and visit, you won’t be disappointed!

Dolina Bakery & Cafe – Menu with Prices – 402 N Guadalupe St, Santa Fe

My friend and I came here after seeing a write-up on a local magazine while we were in Santa Fe. Mention of the Chef’s Slovak origins and certain Eastern European (including Hungarian) dishes/ influences peaked my interest. As the daughter of a Hungarian father who grew up in Slovakia, I have a fondness for the cuisine. To be clear, this restaurant is not (nor does it pretend to be) a Slovak or Hungarian restaurant. It is a new American brunch spot with some Central and Eastern European influences as well as New Mexican. I understand that, and I wasn’t expecting a traditional or 100% authentic experience. However, the dishes I had were disappointing in their drab flavor and their failure to fulfill the essential elements. I ordered the lángos, which is a Hungarian fried bread, typically a street food. Dolina’s serves an attempt at an upmarket version with burrata, cherry tomatoes and arugula. Unfortunately, the lángos was very underdone to begin with, very pale instead of the golden brown color it should be and no crispy texture to the outside. This was not helped by the fact that the moisture from the fresh cheese, greens, and tomatoes piled on top made the bread soggy as well. Perhaps it would work better if they served the toppings on the side, but they need to fry their bread properly. While the borscht was very fresh tasting, the flavors were not what I was looking for. Lots of dill, which is to be expected, but in my personal opinion it could have used some acidity and sweetness to round it out.

The Pantry Restaurant – Menu with Prices – 11401 N Rodney Parham Rd, Little Rock

Our waiter was great but seating took forever. Eat the appetitizers. I got the schnitzel and kraut, kraut was the best tasting thing, schnitzel could have used some more love and the potatoes were blandly useless. I wish I ordered the purple cabbage. One person I was with grew up in a polish household and ordered a burger because the food did not do European food justice. The pantry pie looked okay but the person who ordered it had to pick through it, it wasn’t 100% delicious. I enjoyed the brûlée cheesecake. It’s lighter and more granular than regular cheesecake which is something I like but if you’re a Cheesecake Factory fiend, you will be sorely disappointed by this pastry the waiter claimed was the “best cheesecake in Little Rock”. If that’s so, the rest of the cheesecake in Little Rock must be grocery store variety Kinda disappointed because I thought this was going to be the one German restaurant in America that was actually good and although it is better than most state side restaurants, it still can’t hold a candle to Eastern European food in Europe. It’s the best of the mediocre American-German food. Would go back for kraut and to try the purple cabbage

Kody’s Smoke Shack Menu with Prices 3517 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque

I have been driving by this place for sometime and decided today is the day to try this smoke shack. Ordering the food is pretty easy. They have all kinds of meats to choose from like brisket, ribs, and poultry items. They have a sandwich/wrap menu and a baked potato menu as well. Next store is Desert Valley Brewery. You can order here and hop on over and get yourself a beer. I ordered the three meat combo. I choose Brisket, Baby Back Ribs, and smoked sausage link with a side of fried okra. Their BBQ sauce display needs to be a lot better. It just looked messy and unpresentable. I think that they should work on presentation all around. Everything is served on paper boats (I think that’s what they’re called?) and it seemed a little cafeteria-like. But, the BBQ sauces they have here are definitely on point. Their brisket was flavorful, but a little on the chewy side. Smoked sausage was ok – it didn’t wow me. Their baby back ribs were cooked perfectly. Not a lot of people know this, but a perfectly cooked rib is NOT the fall off the bone kind. When you bite into it, the meat should come clean off the bone, and that is what I experienced here. The service was good and while the ribs were great, everything else was okay. I will give this place another shot some time down the road.

Moe’s Gas and Grill – Menu with Prices – 401 S Northshore Dr, Knoxville

Went here a couple days ago to try their new menu. It was great. I tried the ribs, greens, cheese grits, gumbo, and shrimp salad. I gave it 4 stars only because the gumbo wasn’t the greatest. Don’t get me wrong, it was tasty just not something I’d rush to order again. The ribs though, ridiculoussssssss! My wife doesn’t eat ribs and she had no trouble eating one. They were smoked ribs and had a dry rub on there that makes you want more for sure. I’d definitely go back. The chef was awesome too!

Tripoli Halal Meat – Menu with Prices – 585 Franklin Gateway SE Suite B-1, Marietta

Hands down the best meat store I’ve ever been to. You always get service with a smile! The store is neat, clean and well organized. The store never has a stale smell like you see with some butcher shops. The selection of cuts is out of this world! A few Thanksgivings ago we opted out of the traditional turkey dinner and paid a visit to our friends at Tripoli. We ordered an assortment of lamp chops, steaks and pre-marinated kebabs. The meat was fresh and juicy as usual. Check them out on the weekends where they feature prepared foods. The ribs are smoked for 6-7 hours with the meat falling off the bone and literally melting in your mouth. If you have a large order call ahead so you don’t have to wait and can get in and out. Wherever you are in the metro Atlanta area, Tripoli is worth the drive!

Soul Cal Smokehouse – Menu with Prices – 38 W Victoria St, Santa Barbara

Met some friends at the SB public market for dinner Wednesday night, and decided to eat here. I’m a sucker for smoked bbq, and been wanting to try this place out. I ordered a half pound of smoked baby back ribs, and 20 wings (Wing Wednesday special, $1 per wing) spoke with one of the workers there, and he said they use oak to smoke their meats. He also said that they brine the wings first then smoke them. As an amateur bbq smoker myself, I was excited to try the goods! First up, the baby back ribs. The meat was very tender, one bite and fall off the bone kind of ribs. They dont sauce the ribs up, and have them offered on the side. I chose the spicy bbq and coffee bbq sauces, both were good, but I preferred au natural for the ribs, can get a better taste and smoke flavor, and the ribs didnt disappoint. The smoke wasnt overwhelming, but present. The meat had a good meat/fat ratio which made it tender and succulent. Overall, They were tasty! The only knock I’d have to point out, was that they weren’t hot(temp) enough and was just warm. The wings. Wow. Very delicious and on wednesdays, just $1 per wing! As usual, I opted to have the sauce on the side and glad I went that route! These wings had a slight crisp to it, not too fried crispy, but still a very slight crunch to it. The meat was tender, juicy and HOT(temp) I waited a few mins before I could touch them. The wing sauce on the side was ok, tasted more on the spicier side, and a good compliment to the wings. I ate more than half the wings dry, with no sauce. Overall, I’m Pretty stoked to have this place near my house, and will be back next wednesday for these delicious wings!

Austin’s Live Fire Barbecue – Menu with Prices – 421 W Main Ave Suite 104, Spokane

Went to Austin for the first time along with friends who were returning. The restaurant has a simple setting and casual atmosphere. The service was very good. I was happily surprised to see a full bar and I had a good Margarita. Our group ordered ribs and brisket. The brisket was my favorite, but the ribs were good too. The brisket was as tender as could be. Not too much fat and not overly smoked which was really nice. Perfect! Ribs had a great flavor, but they were full size ribs and I prefer baby backs. Some had sweet potato fries and others the regular fries and the Mac n cheese. All were good, but I swear I would come back for the regular fries alone!! They were that good. I donâ??t know what you would call the cut because I have never seen it before , maybe a spiral ?, but it made them tender and crisp at the same time. Incredibly good. The only reason I did not give this a 5* rating is because they offered no bread. Not even a specialty one to buy. Come on guys gotta have Corn bread, biscuits, rolls or something with BBQ. In any case we look forward to our next trip.