This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef

One random day at the job one of my co-workers tells me about this place he and his brother use to go to a while back called This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef (TLPHRB...damn! Even when placed in an acronym it's still long...SMH!). Off the name alone I was immediately interested and decided to take a trip down there after I got off work.

That's a pretty catchy name...I'm guessing they sell roast beef?
You would be correct with that assumption. Hot roast beef sandwiches with all types of predetermined fixings or custom...the choice is yours. They do have a slew of sides as well that you can get in addition to your roast beef sandwich.

So what sandwiches did you get and how were they?
Where do I even begin!? I'll start from my first trip and work my way up:

- This Way: roast beef, au jus sauce, and cheese whiz. The perfect entry sandwich to this place. Sandwich was hot and juicy, each ingredient complimented the other, and for a sandwich on a roll it was pretty filling

- That Way: roast beef, mozzarella, and gravy. This one just might be my favorite sandwich but it's messy as hell! I mean the ingredients should speak for themselves.

- The Popeye Way: roast beef, au jus, provolone, and fresh spinach. You're probably scratching your head wondering where the hell that spinach came from and I'd be lying if I didn't say I thought the same thing at first. But believe me...it works. The spinach can be a bit chewy though, so if you're not looking to battle with a messy sandwich and chewy veggies, I'd advise staying aware from this bad boy.

- The Other Thing: pastrami, coleslaw, and spicy brown mustard. I tried this sandwich out of sheer curiosity! I mean if they're making the hell out of those roast beef sandwiches then the pastrami has to be good...and it was but... I'm not a fan of coleslaw and I think I let my greed and wanting to run through the menu cloud my judgement. Though not a bad sandwich the coleslaw really didn't do it for me. Also, there was very little spicy brown mustard...kinda disappointed.

- Lobster Fries: OK...so imagine you have KFC's potato wedges in a bowl of lobster bisque soup (chunks and all). Another thing that I don't think I would have EVER combined, but trust me...IT WORKS!

- Stew Fries: yeah so remember those lobster fries we were talking about a few minutes ago? Replace the lobster bisque with beef stew and you now have stew fries! A fat kids dream.

DAMN! Either you went a bunch of times or you are hands down the fattest dude in America!
I did go a bunch of times, but with those visits there was much...way too much food consumption. Each sandwich sounded so interesting I figured I would try as many as I could that were on the menu.

Well I think that the big question here is how does this sandwich measure up to Fiore's in New Jersey?
As good as these sandwiches are, they don't measure up to Fiore's! I don't think that I would even compare the 2 but for arguments sake comparing Fiore's RB to the Little Piggy RB is like comparing Ruth Chris Steakhouse to Tad's Steakhouse. Yes both are good in their own right BUT if you can you're probably going to go to Ruth Chris. Same thing with Fiore v Little Piggy. 

Damn! Tad's Steakhouse though?
Ok! Maybe not the best comparison. I couldn't come up with another steakhouse that wasn't as fancy as Ruth Chris. Let's be clear though...Little Piggy IS NOT TAD'S in anyway! 

What else is there that I should know about this place?
The place isn't all that big. Yes there is seating space available but don't think you're going to be at a table or anything like that. Bar stools and counter tops. If you're cool with that then you'll be fine.

Recommendation?
If you're into tasty, messy sandwiches that drip all down your hands and arms...you DEFINITELY want to go here

This Little Piggy Had Roast Beef

149 1st Avenue

New York, NY 10003

(212) 253-1500

----------------------------

 Nom in NY

The best Mozzarella you'll ever have...

So back when I was working at my old job, I received several recommendations from a good co-worker of mine. Unfortunately, the majority of the recommendations were located in New Jersey. Not really having the transportation or the knowledge of how to get around out there, I was pretty reluctant to take him up on these New Jersey suggestions. After much time and consideration I decided it was time for me to broaden my horizons and venture over to this new and uncharted territory and pay a visit to Fiore's in Hoboken, NJ

So what made you finally decide to go?
There were several reasons, but 3 main ones.

1 - the way my coworker RAVED about this roast beef sandwich that they make on Thursdays and Saturdays...there was no way I wasn't going to experience it for myself

2 - someone finally came along (with a car) who was willing to take the trip with me

3 - THEY MAKE THEIR OWN MOZZARELLA...if that's not reason enough I really don't know what is.

Make their own mozzarella huh? You couldn't find a local place that does that? Did you really have to go out of town for deli food?
I'm almost 100% positive that I could have found a place that was much closer to home. However, the majority of my food decisions are based on what I've seen and what I've heard and since I didn't see or hear about anything closer to home I didn't bother doing any research. Word around the town was that Fiore's was the place to go so that's where I had to go so that's where my quest took me. So to answer your question...Yes I did.

OK. So what exactly is this Fiore's place?
Simply put...an Italian deli in Hoboken, New Jersey that specializes in making their signature mozzarella cheese (either fresh or smoked). Of course there are other items on the menu but if you're going to go there...YOU WANT TO GET THE MOZZARELLA.

What did you get when you first went and how did you like it?
The roast beef special was what I heard about so that's what I was there for. Thin slices of rare roast beef piled high on Italian bread with the mozzarella and topped off with hot gravy! I REPEAT...TOPPED OFF WITH HOT GRAVY! I'm going to go on record and say that hands down, this is probably THE BEST roast beef sandwich I have ever had. You have your hot roast beef sandwiches and roast beef sandwiches with all types of dips and Au Ju sauces, but that Fiore's roast beef sandwich is how a roast beef sandwich was meant to be prepared. In addition to that sandwich I also picked up some peppers stuffed with provolone and prosciutto which were DELICIOUS! also.

Is the roast beef sandwich the only sandwich you've had from there?
It's not. They make an excellent Italian combo! So far the roast beef, turkey and cheese, and Italian combo are the only sandwiches I've had. As much as I would love to run through the rest of the items on the menu I just can't bring myself to order anything outside the roast beef.

Cool...anything else that I need to know about this place?
Umm...
1 - it is a deli and there are other sandwiches other then the ones I've mentioned. I believe everyday there is a different special and I'm sure they are equally as good as the roast beef special
2 - for what you get the price is VERY reasonable. For one sandwich you're looking to spend anywhere from $11-$13 bucks. Keep in mind that the sandwich will be almost as long as your arm and thicker then your fist
3 - you don't have to buy everything in a sandwich. Again it is a deli so you can go in and buy a pound of roast beef, a quarter pound of mozzarella, etc. Get your ingredients and make the sandwich how you want when you get home
4 - probably the most important (at least to me) is that the service is stellar! It doesn't matter who you get behind the counter, they are all courteous, friendly, and very generous with the samples :)

 

414 Adams Street 

Hoboken, NJ

(201) 659 - 1655

My man Lenny!

From time to time my lunch appetite brings me to wanting a sandwich. Not just any ole plain Subway/Blimpie sandwich either. I'm talking a deli sandwich with a little kick. Something that would remind me of a sandwich I would make in my house. If you are feeling the same way, then you may wanna take yourself over to Lenny's.

What is this Lenny's place?
Lenny's is chain deli that serves some AMAZING sandwiches. They have other items on the menu such as breakfast, salads, and soups, but they are widely known for their sandwiches. And these aren't just the typical meat and cheese sandwiches either (even though you can get that if you want). Each sandwich has its own unique kick to it and if that isn't enough you can add or remove any topping and get condiments on the side.

So what sandwiches have you had?
Umm....pretty much all the sandwiches that have roast beef or chicken in them. Sounds pretty fat of me, I know. Outside of going to an Italian deli or restaurant, Lenny's has a really good roast beef beef sandwich. Not that over cooked, dry, too rare roast beef, but that moist, juicy, melt like butter roast beef. But the roast beef in addition to the fresh green peppers, mushrooms, Swiss cheese, with a side of A-1 steak sauce is pretty unmatched. The chicken sandwiches are just as good. Lean, juicy, chicken cutlets, with all the fixings. Making me hungry all over again just talking about it. Outside of the roast beef and chicken sandwiches...I've heard that the other sandwiches are pretty good as well.

Well I know good sandwiches like this aren't going to come cheap so what's the damage in wallet looking like?
To be honest, Lenny's is a bit pricey for a sandwich. It can run you anywhere from 7 to 10 bucks. Granted that for the Times Square area that's not too bad, but still a little pricey. I'm use to paying $6.50 and getting a sandwich (on hero bread), a drink, and some chips for that price. $6.50 at Lenny's will probably get you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich if you're lucky.

Is there anything else I need to know about Lenny's?
Yes. I forgot to mention that sometimes ordering can be a bit overwhelming, especially to someone who has never been before. Don't think that you're going to be able to get on the line and decide what you want while the line is moving because you will be in for a rude awakening. The menu has a TON of things on there and a ton of ways to prepare it. Then you have to decide what type of bread you want the sandwich on. Do yourself a favor...look at a menu and know what you want before you go in there, because trying to figure out what you want and how you want it while the person taking orders is rushing you and the people behind the counter screaming out orders can be a huge distraction.

Lenny's
48th b/t 5th & 6th Avenue
(212) 871 - 6677