Those trendy sliders
I notice that Alexander's Tavern, Charlie Gjerde's new bar-restaurant in Fells Point, has not one but five different kinds of sliders on its menu. (I still remember the chopped sirloin one topped with foie gras at Salt.)
That reminded me that Bon Appetit's September issue featured meatball sliders on its cover.
Trend alert!
Sure enough, along comes this story in Newsday about these mini-burger descendants of White Castle.
Isn't it great that if you wait long enough, the foods of your childhood that you are embarrassed to admit you still love will eventually morph into something chic?
(Photo by Noel Barnhurst, courtesy of Bon Appetit)








Comments
I noticed that too. I ate at Mustang Alleys for lunch on Saturday and they had 4 kinds of sliders on their menu (burgers, philly steak subs, reubens, or pulled pork). http://www.mustangalleys.com/
Now if only I could get a slider sampler b/c I can never make up my mind ....
Posted by: Andy | November 2, 2007 2:17 PM
My wife and I were in Philadelphia recently and had Kobe Sliders made from ground Kobe beef. Very high-end White Castle / Little Tavern versions but excellent nonetheless.
Posted by: GregB | November 2, 2007 2:24 PM
I was re-exposed to sliders at a restaurant in DC called Matchbook (they also have great pizza) a few years ago. Since then I have made them instead of hamburgers for cookouts. I try to make different types, and the ones that have been a hit are blue cheese, teriyaki, jalapeno, and my favorite a peppercorn encrusted one. It allows guest to try different ones without getting too full. I have, also, noticed other restaurant doing this, like Mustang Alley and even Ruby’s Tuesday.
Posted by: MB | November 2, 2007 2:50 PM
As I recall Mustang's Alley also has at least 3 or 4 different kinds of sliders on their menu. We took a friend from LA, and she said she had not seen this slider trend there, so we are either ahead or way behind some curve here in Baltimore.
Posted by: Amanda | November 2, 2007 4:19 PM
City Limits has good sliders- and they've been doing them for well over a year!
Had the Kobe Slider special at Regi's a week or two ago, as well. Definitely fun food!
Posted by: Mather | November 2, 2007 6:20 PM
I am married to a native New Yorker who grew up eating White Castles. About every other month we make a run to New Jersey to get fresh White Castles ( he thinks that the frozen ones are just not the same). So, maybe there are others out there who have remained connected to the foods of their youth and crave them. Of course this is totally off topic.
Posted by: Regina | November 2, 2007 7:29 PM
For any of us lucky enough to have grown up on White Castles any new sliders, no matter how upscale, are poor imitations. I too still visit the one of my youth. At one time I remember they were 12 cents. Now they cost 54 cents. I am not sure how that works out with inflation, but they are worth it.
Regina's husband is right. The frozen ones don't cut.
Posted by: mdlrvrmuncher | November 2, 2007 9:47 PM
I think Regina may have come up with an interesting new topic "Foods of your Youth". What do you crave and where do you go to get it?
I agree! Coming soon.
Posted by: J.H. | November 3, 2007 8:38 AM
It was only a matter of time, right? I just got back from Chicago and Friday night we ate at a place called Minnies. It was a restaurant whose whole menu was sliders! They have a fun menu (http://www.minnies.com/) and you can mix and match so you don't have to order at least three of each type -- rather, in your order of three (or six, etc.), you can pick and choose. I happened to get six different sliders in my six pack! Delicious and fun!
Posted by: Andy | November 4, 2007 8:47 AM
I attended school in Boston and about 2 years ago a place called Match opened up. They had about 8 different kinds of sliders, including Kobe Beef, Tuna, Crab, Cheeseburgers etc.
I just recently had kobe sliders at a catered party.
Greene Turtle does sliders too...chicken, burger, riblets, sausage
Posted by: FoodBooty | November 5, 2007 9:53 AM
We gave Alexander's a try last week and the meat in the sliders looked more like beef jerky than the lovely, moist little patty you'd hope for. And their mini grilled cheeses are just an ordinary grilled cheese cut into quarters. And it took a full hour after ordering to get our food (in an empty restaurant). This place is lovely and homey inside -- but the service needs a lot of work!
Posted by: KB | November 5, 2007 10:25 AM
Went to Salt about a year ago with some friends. Just about everything we had was under-seasoned or largely tasteless but their version of the slider was top-notch. I spent my college years eating White Castles, especially after a rough night of drinking at rock clubs. I miss 'em. The frozen ones just aren't the same.
Posted by: Dan Taylor | November 6, 2007 5:37 AM
Kobe beef sliders at Salt and oZ. - yum!
Posted by: Eric | November 6, 2007 11:09 AM