Review – The Cabbage Patch

Review: Pittsburgh Barbecue Company

Pittsburgh Barbecue Company

Delmont, PA

I have a rule when it comes to BBQ. Like this blog, it is both arbitrary and specific. If you are offering BBQ and you have a pig with a chef’s hat on your sign I’m stopping. Setting aside the implied cannibalism/sadism (and I am), this has proven to be a short-hand for good BBQ in my experience with one really notable failure.

Pittsburgh Barbecue Company does a lot of things very well, but they don’t fly the Bat Signal (Pig Signal?) as an indicator of their excellent wares, and as such, I passed their Delmont location several times before Mrs. Slaw suggested that we stop. While all their food is good, this is as yet not a general food blog, I will spare you my feelings on the larger menu and give you Slawheads what you are here for- a review of their slaw.

Cabbage: They use both green and red cabbage in their mix and it’s always still crisp which is welcome

Carrot: Ample

The Cut: They go with my preferred thick cut on the veggies

Dressing: They don’t overdo it. I usually stir the container a bit to make sure everything is covered, but flavor is excellent.

Salt and Pepper: Pepper apparent visually and on taste. They are probably one of the only places that put as much pepper on it as I like, and where I got the idea to finish my batches with additional coarse ground pepper.

Spice/Seasonings: Nothing worth noting

Overall Thoughts: This is my current gold standard for creamy slaw in the western PA area. They nail multiple important aspects and nothing is lacking. These are family-size portions served out of a resealable plastic container and are very generous. So generous I’ve had to save my cornbread side for later on one more than one occasion and I love cornbread. They put the whole kernels of corn in the cornbread. I love that. (Note to self: If this venture fails, I should start a new cornbread blog. Will need to change my name to Colonel Corny).

If you are driving by this location and are on the other side of the divided highway, it’s worth a u-turn to get this stuff.

Grade: A

Review: Long John Silver’s

Location: Irrelevant

The good and bad of chains is consistency. This is why drive-thru coffee is burnt everywhere you get it. Over-roasted beans produce a uniform, consistent cup. One of the great victors in consistency of experience is fast food restaurants. A Big Mac is a Big Mac everywhere. Long John’s Cole Slaw is no different. Despite the limitations of the form, they actually do an ok job.

Cabbage: They use two different kinds in my experience, as there are both light and dark green pieces every time I have ordered their cole slaw. There is also onion present which I’m not crazy about.

Carrot: They have the cabbage to carrot ratio just about perfect

The Cut: This is the biggest negative.

Without the option to hand-cut, they dice the veggies into small cubes/rectangles. This solves the problem of having soggy produce. While I’m sure the stuff moves quickly, I’m under no illusion they are prepping this more than a handful of times a day. Small-cut pieces don’t hold dressing well, however, and as a result, if a good amount of dressing is present, it will be leftover when you are done eating your bowl like cereal milk, except way less appealing.

Dressing: Dressing is fine. I’m assuming it’s coming from some sort of bag, and it’s non-objectionable.

Salt and Pepper: Maybe a touch salty. I usually add pepper.

Spice/Seasonings: Meh

Overall Thoughts: This is fine.

Really, it’s fine.

Especially because some of the other LJS side options are nasty. I do love me some crumblies, but the thought of paying for extra crumblies is a bridge too far. In a perfect world, I’d skip this altogether and get lunch from Popeye’s but the reliability and speed of my local Popeye’s drive-thru makes every trip there an adventure. Not in the fun way, but in the “we’re lost in the woods after dark and I only have a few handfuls of cashews, no water and a compass that I have no idea how to use” kind of way.

Grade: C- for cromulent.

Review: The Iron Bridge Inn

Stolen from their website- https://www.springfields.com/iron-bridge-inn/

Mercer, PA- Early 2019

Mrs. Slaw and I visited in early 2019 after a day of shopping at the Grove City outlets. Unfortunately, I didn’t snap a picture of the bowl, so I have attached a picture of the restaurant itself which is in a cool and historic building. They also have a huge and interesting menu- I got Rack of Lamb here once, so decidedly more upscale fare than the location would suggest.

Cabbage: Hand cut and acceptable size pieces

Carrot: Light on carrot, not enough to get some in every bite

The Cut: Good width

Dressing: Good flavor. A little heavy for my liking, but real mayo-based, so good adherence.

Salt and Pepper: No pepper evident

Spice/Seasonings: Nothing remarkable

Overall Thoughts (Previously Overall Review): Served in a large round bowl. Very generous portion for a side dish. I would definitely get this again.

Grade: B

Review: Red Robin

Greensburg PA 2/22/2019

Update: As of Christmas 2019 Red Robin no longer serves slaw as a side. I thought about writing a letter to someone, but then I realized that’s borderline Unabomber stuff. No one writes letters anymore. Perhaps I’ll angry tweet at them.

I went to Red Robin some time ago with Mrs. Slaw and her parents.

Cabbage: Solid cut, between a dice and a julienne. Some Red Cabbage although the Red Cabbage was cut in bigger pieces than the green.

Carrot: Maybe a touch light on Carrot

The Cut: Acceptable size pieces

Dressing: Just a bit on the sweet side. A bit too much dressing for the amount of ingredients.

Salt and Pepper: Adequate salt, a bit light on Pepper

Spice/Seasonings: Not too spicy or anything exotic going on. Likely just the mayo they’d put on a burger.

Overall Review: This a side portion that is offered with or instead of fries. Consistent with my ethos, I always get Slaw. It comes in a small square bowl that is ideal for this sort of dish. It was a small portion and I got seconds. Used a metal fork (4 tines).

Grade: B