Find of the month!
I was sitting at a red light near the intersection of Irwin and Boulevard, watching someone on a bike doing some sort of stand-still balancing act with their pant leg of their jeans curiously curled up, grease swiped on her tattooed calf, when four electric vehicles came buzzing down Irwin in succession, so I decided to follow. In the distance I saw a shimmering metal warehouse, what appeared to be an oasis of sorts but I considered it could be a mirage as the sign said “Parking $20″. Alas it was true, a fee for the parking festival in the area of Inman.
Inside I discovered that all of our favorite treats from around town are available under one roof, but with the convenience of not deciding where to sit, as seats were all occupied, even the large tables near the free water, carbonated or flat. You may feel flustered as you decide what you want to eat, but thankfully each person is provided twenty eight minutes in line to decide. To make things even easier, the menus are smaller than brick and mortar counterparts, a feature for which you will gratefully pay an additional $2-4 per menu item.
One such locale is Gu’s Dumpling, the new storefront from the defunct Gu’s Bistro. Thankfully this version has none of the exciting, spicy flair of the original which could cause one to get overexcited in the middle of the day. Never settling for perfection or intrigue, the dumplings and eggplant have been adjusted to make it more homogenous and acceptable to the masses. In addition, you won’t feel the guilt of wasting the white rice typically associated with Chinese take-away, for it costs $1 for those who truly desire its sustenance.
For Sichuan noodles, dumplings, or other “hot” and “numbing” treats, I cannot recommend anywhere else in the Old Fourth Ward.
Hilariousness and disdain aside, my favorite choice from the stalls is Fred’s Meat & Bread, where I’m currently in lust with the Italian Grinder. If Jersey Mike himself had a younger, more attractive secret side-piece it would be this sandwich.
The massive shaved lettuce with vinaigrette on top is like a tangy salad in every bite, setting your palate up for the joyous meats and cheese warmly wrapped in the supremely perfect bread from my bud Rob Alexander.
I have one tip – the sandwiches come tightly wrapped – immediately grab the sandwich and unwrap it such that the hot sandwich doesn’t steam, resulting in the loss of the perfect crackly texture.
The cheesesteak is deservedly talked about, but for my money, a sandwich greater than the sum of its parts, this Grinder is putting in work! Nicely done Team Fred.