Hub Grub

Calories (Sorta) Count...

2008-12-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

The Hungry Heart knows that he eventually has to pay the piper, and so do you if you plan on eating street fare.

Below you'll find calorie estimates for eight of the foods that I've blogged so far.

Curiously, I couldn't find any hard data for doughboys. Maybe that's by design, and maybe ignorance is bliss...

Holy Herrera's!

2008-12-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

Armando and Francisco serve great burritos at the Herrera’s stand in Downtown Crossing.

Armando pushed the steak burrito a few days ago, but your Resident Inhaler had a red meat hangover from the night before. So I ordered the bean and cheese option, which paid dividends.

Not Too Cheesy

They don’t overdo the cheese. Many burrito makers lay it on so thick that you have trouble tasting anything else. Not so at Herrera's. They give you a fair amount while leaving room for guac, hot sauce and rice.

But if you prefer flesh, Herrera's offers steak, chicken and fish burritos. And early risers can splurge on home fries. It's enough to get me up with the sun...almost.

Steak Out

When I go back—not if, but when—I’ll try the steak. Armando pushed it hard. You can watch him in the video below.

You can also watch me eat. I hold my grub right up to the lens in every clip. When your mouth starts watering—not if, but when—only one thing will do.

It starts with a B, and it rhymes with neat-o.

Enjoy!

Herrera's! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

PLUS...the Yelpers have lots to say about Herrera's. Check out my graph, if you don't have time to read their reviews!

Pretzels, with Packs!

2008-12-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

The Boston Pretzel Company has stands aplenty. I like the one at Downtown Crossing.

A nice guy named Jason works it. He’s got regular mustard, as well as the incomparable Gulden’s Spicy Brown.

Not Perfect, but Not Bad Either

I’ve had chewier pretzels, but the Gulden’s covers a multitude of sins. If you need something fast and cheap, these twisted treats hit the spot at $2.50 a pop.

And I’ll say this: Jason doles out just enough salt. No skimping, but no saturating either. He says he can move about 35 pretzels on an average day.

When I’m in the neighborhood, make that 36.

Packin’

Let me plug the packs—mustard packs, that is. Most stands have communal vats, and Jason does too.

But he also has individual Gulden packs at the counter, so you can just grab one and keep moving.

“A lot of people want the packs,” he said. Of course they do. Nothing upsets me quite like the wait at a Starbucks cream dispenser, or the interminable line at a McDonald’s fixings bar.

But with the packs, you can get your pretzel and jet. No hassle. No handling what so many others have touched.

Just your pretzel. Just the fixings that you need. Just imagine it…

Pretzel Power! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

PLUS...check out my slideshow featuring additional options in Downtown Crossing! Not sure if you can eat the geese, but it can't hurt to ask...or maybe it can.

Downtown Crossing Cuisine! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

Daddy Delivers!

2008-12-10T19:30:00.000-08:00

Where to begin with Rob, who sells Daddy’s Fried Dough by the Park Street T?

He’s got a few prepared routines, including a rap about being “known coast to coast/like butter n’ toast.”

Just say the word, and he’ll put extra butter on your order. He sells the traditional option (slab n’ sugar) as well as cherry, apple, blueberry and Boston crème.

Old School

I went traditional on a recent visit, with extra butter. It held most of the sugar in place, but expect a little powder to spill on your jacket (it makes a handy snack later on, when no one's looking).

The dough itself is a guilty pleasure, like all things fried. But Rob knows when to lay off. He won’t burn your snack to a crisp.

Running Commentary

Misanthropes need not apply at Daddy’s Fried Dough. Get ready for a heart-to-heart as Rob prepares your order.

He’ll ask about your hometown if you’re a tourist, your work if you’re a suit, and your mental health if you say, “no sugar, please.”

He does it all with a smile, plus a rhyming couplet. Read more about him here. Watch him work in the clip below.

Daddy's Fried Dough! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

And check out my slideshow for an intimate portrait of the man and his dough.

Daddy's Fried Dough Slide! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

Linda Lights Up Park Street!

2008-12-09T19:59:00.000-08:00

Linda runs a family sausage and dawg biz--the name escapes me--in several Bay State locations.

But the go-to stand for tourists and legislative aides lies just a few paces from Daddy's Fried Dough.

Beef Variety

Linda offers sweet Italian sausage, as well as dawgs made only in New England. I tried the gourmet dawg and sausage on consecutive days.

"Gourmet" at Linda's stand means "nightmare" for your cardiologist. Once she adds the onions, pepper and hot sauce, you'll think twice about that New Year's Resolution to eat healthier (a relative term if ever there was one).

The Real Thing

I'd stack these sausages next to anything you can get outside of Fenway--they're just as big, and just as bold.

And while the beef in the gourmet dawg weighs about half as much as everything else, you can still taste its slow-grilled flavor.

It stays with you. Stay with me now for a video clip, and watch Linda deliver the goods por moi and some Parisian tourists.

Sausage and Dawgs, Park Street Style! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

Freddy's Fare!

2008-12-09T19:20:00.000-08:00

Freddy sells Italian sausages and dawgs on Washington Street, right outside the Boston Historical Society headquarters.

While I can't picture John Adams scarfing one of Freddy's sausages, all living carnivores should hit this stand.

A Better Bun

He uses fresh bread that won't crumble after the first bite (is there anything more irritating in a large city?)

His bread has a lot of those yellow seeds on it--not poppy, the other kind. Whatever you call 'em, they remind me of a bygone era...one of solvent pension funds, high employment rates and neighborhood delis.

Pick the Peppers

Ask for everything, and Freddy drops a mountain of peppers and onions on your sausage. I daresay he gives more toppings than Linda, but not by much.

Julio, a souvenir vendor with a stand on the same block, said that Freddy studied for five years to master the art of grilling.

He may have embellished, but I'm not when I say that these sausages pack a wallop. I haven't tried the dawgs yet. But you'll have to get down there fast (like, tomorrow) if you plan to eat one before me.

Check out my interview with Freddy below.

Old Statehouse Sausage! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

One Trolley You'll Wanna Ride!

2008-12-09T18:42:00.000-08:00

The Campus Trolley, a 20-year institution at Boston University, caters mainly to students.

But I bet the Greek salad wrap could lure even the Emeritus crowd out of the faculty club for an occasional sidewalk lunch.

Greek (and good) to Me

My wrap came with a tangy dressing, as well as radishes and juicy tomatoes. I'd call it health food with zip.

Students Sound Off

Most BU kids share my enthusiasm for the little red trolley at 665 Commonwealth Ave., directly across the street from the new Starbucks.

But one Yelper called the food "mediocre" and "mushy" in a recent post. I beg to differ. My wrap held everything together, despite a ton of dressing that would have seeped through a flimsier surface.

Swift Service

Nadim, Trolley conductor, prepares orders in under a minute. He said the steak bomb's popular right now-guess everyone wants beef for Christmas.

You can get it cheaply here; most items cost under $5. Watch me go Greek in the clip below.

See you on the platform.

Campus Trolley! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

Healthy in Haverhill!

2008-12-09T18:02:00.000-08:00

Hector, a Haverhill native, sells lots of produce at the Haymarket Farmers' Market. But I zeroed in on the green peppers during a recent visit.

Softball-sized, shiny and plenty fresh, you can get three mammoth greens for a dollar. Drop them in an empty backpack, take 'em home and shake up your salad.

Like Chilled Veggies? How 'Bout Chill Service?

Hector's cashiers greet you with a smile--a rarity for the Haymarket bazaar. And they stand calmly as you consider your options.

You might enjoy a little quiet amidst the din of Greater Haymarket. I know I did. I also dug the peppers, and I'll be back for more.

You can find Hector's booth on Blackstone Street, about halfway down the block.

Check out my video for a preview.

Hector's Peppers! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

PLUS...check out my slideshow featuring additional Haymarket options!

Haymarket Slide! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

Carmine Comes Correct!

2008-12-09T17:23:00.000-08:00

Vendors twist n' shout at Haymarket, but no one hawks quite as loudly as Carmine of C&D Farm in East Boston.

Clad in a Sox jacket--which immediately inspires confidence--he barks at shoppers as they approach, but in a nice way:

"What do you need, boss?"

Try the steroid carrots. In fact, try three pounds...for a dollar.

While it sounds too good to be true, that's of course the going rate at the weekend market. You get cheap produce--some fresh, some foul.

'Roid Ready

Put Carmine's "steroid carrots" in the fresh category. He grows the foot-long variety, with a nearly two-inch diameter up top.

At least he says they're on 'roids. He also told me that Major League ballplayers use the same stuff, so maybe we can't trust him 100 percent.

But we can trust him to deliver great veggies every weekend. I saw peppers, squash and other items at his stand, but the jumbo carrots carried the day.

They're crunchy, flavorful and still in season (I think). Go get some. Just keep your wallet close by. See the video below for details.

Carmine's Steroid Carrots! from The Hungry Heart on Vimeo.

PLUS...The Yelpers have lots to say about the Haymarket experience in general. Check out my graph, if you don't have time to read their reviews!