Hoagie Quest: PrimoHoagies in Ardmore

What does it mean when two cops are known on a first name basis at your local PrimoHoagies? A high likelihood that you've come to a quality place.

Jokes aside, Primo (at least the Ardmore location) does make a darn good Italian hoagie. That’s a good sign for hoagie hunters because, with more than 80 franchise locations, an authentic, high-quality and convenient hoagie is never too far away.

The Italian comes with prosciutto, hot capicola, natural casing Genoa salami and provolone. Freshly sliced meat was a pleasant surprise and packed the flavor that the Italian hoagie at Pastificio lacked. The capicola stole the show as its spicy kick really came through on each bite.

The soft vs. hard balance of the bread was just about right and made for tasteful bites without the chewy feeling. I also liked the amount of oil that was used, which is too often underdone for my taste.

I would have liked more sharp in the provolone so next time I'll go with the sharp version instead of the regular. The tomatoes were also bland and it didn't seem like the onions were cut fresh. But, hey at least they didn't ask if I wanted mayo - not bad for a chain!

PrimoHoagies is not in the same class as Salumeria or Paesano's in our Hoagie Quest, but definitely one to keep on your short list depending on your location.

Guest Post: Where to Eat in Ardmore During the U.S. Open

What's up Tiger Woods

It's U.S. Open week at Merion Golf Club! We were both lucky enough to get Practice Round tickets on days that aren't pouring rain and have been soaking up the chance to see golf's greatest players up close.

The Open is bringing people from all over world to little Ardmore, PA, so our good friend at Lunchboy's Lunchbox helped us put together a list of the best places to eat while in the area. Here's a guest post from Lunchboy. Check out his Facebook page for his always clever take on lunch options in the Philly area, good photos and banter among his many fans.

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As golf fans near and far descend on Ardmore, PA, to catch a glimpse of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Adam Scott at the Merion Golf Club, they’ll hear plenty of tips on how to navigate the town and areas to park.  Any broadcast outlet, especially sports talk and our TV choppers, are all over the story.

Sadly, news reports are missing out on what should be the top story of the day, especially between the hours of 12 and 2 pm ET:  what’s for lunch?  While I might not know a lot about golf, I do have some knowledge to share about the most important meal of the day.  Here are a few places to consider in the heart of Ardmore, PA, while in town for the U.S. Open.  All places are found near the Ardmore Train Station and within walking distance to the parking lots on or near Lancaster Ave (Rt.30).

Lunching during the U.S. Open 2013:  The top picks by the founder and chief eater of Lunchboy’s Lunchbox, consider:

Hot Dogs at The Beer Shoppe in Ardmore

The Beer Shoppe is part of the mini beer renaissance taking place in Ardmore, Pa., where I work, that includes Tired Hands and a soon-to-open Iron Hill Brewery. The Beer Shoppe is located in a strip mall near the Ardmore liquor store.

As the name reflects, The Beer Shoppe is a bottle shop with an impressive array of between 800 and 1000 bottles of beer. You can find most anything and some rather unique beer ideas. I took home the Noble Rot from Dogfish Head, which is brewed with grape must, and DuClaw's Exile 4, a macchiato milk stout made with espresso verdi.

The beer selection is reason enough to check out The Beer Shoppe, but the small bar located in the back of the store is another draw. The Draft Bar has two rotating taps that you can choose to drink at the bar or take home in a growler. Note: Mondays from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. it has half price growlers!

The back bar's Vienna hot dogs are the highlight, though. Vienna Beef dogs were used back in the Great Depression when the original Chicago Style dog with "salad" on top was born, so The Beer Shoppe menu includes Chicago Style as well as Chili, Kraut and Texas Hold 'Em hot dogs. Some dogs are a combination of the listed ingredients. I ordered the Chicago Style and the Texas Hold 'Em.

The Chicago dog comes with mustard, a pickle, onions, relish, tomatoes and a few hot peppers. This was easily my favorite of the two. At only $3.25 it’s a good deal, too.