Nonnette C. Bennett
I am in the soon to be high-risk for cancer with my delight in grilled food that is burnt and crispy. I like dark toast, crispy fried or grilled chicken or pork, or almost anything that is almost burnt. Publiquo’s Going Texas was everything Marian Catedral-King described with burnt end candies.
America in its vastness likes food two ways, grilled, and roasted. There is no home in America that is without a grill that can smoke two pounds of anything at one time. They have perfected this art so well that one can’t miss excellently grilled sausages, hotdogs, vegetables, fish, chicken, pork or beef. But the burnt end candies to me is simply heaven which is just letting the fatty ends get a little crispier or adding more bits and pieces of this to the dish.
Let’s dissect the Going Texas meal in this food trip. Beef brisket is my choice part of beef, anytime. The fat and tender meat that is the ingredient in corned beef is simply tastier than the other loins, ribs or t-bones. This part is savory. The grilled brisket is where the burnt end candies are derived that match the greasy tender slices of meat with the smokey flavor. This is dipped in the Texas barbeque sauce that has apple cider as its base with brown sugar or honey, tomato paste, and Worcestershire sauce.
There is the maple BBQ pork rib that goes with it. Akin to sweet ham, this one piece of rib has both the sweet maple and salty flavor to it. The texture is different from the gooey and limp brisket, this is firm pink meat with a thin layer of fat to it. This can go with the Eastern Carolina BBQ sauce that has apple cider as base but hot pepper sauce and cayenne with brown sugar in the mix. High on the chili, the sauce should be a warning or a splendid mix with the flavors of the rib.
The mac and cheese sausage is the unique element in the food basket. Shaped like any sausage this one has no meat inside but macaroni and cheese. It is surprising because one would expect more meat but instead get a cheesy stuffing of macaroni and cheese. This is easy to wolf down accompanied by a tomato-based sauce.
Yorkshire pudding is part of the ensemble that is actually a bland egg, flour, and milk mix that is baked. It is almost like a tongue cleaner to balance the rich flavors. If I should make a comparison, the egg rolls of the Koreans and Japanese are similar.
There is also the coleslaw as the salad that is like relish in this food assembly,it gives it a crunch. This is made of raw purple or green cabbage and carrots in a sweet-sour mayonnaise dressing.
Java rice with turmeric and annatto powder and chunks of meat can be eaten alone or this blends well with the meats and sauces. The Japanese sweet corn on the cob is a necessary presence in this meal because it goes so well with all the grilled food and this is also best grilled. The carbs in this is a filler to some eaters.
This basket is meant for one super hungry human who could almost eat a horse. The bits of so many things in the basket will surely make people who like variety in their meal ecstatic.
The truffle herbed potato fritz should surprise potato lovers. This is made of layered potatoes in each piece. I would like to describe it like a croissant potato because the thin layers of the potatoes that seemed to have been accompanied with herbs. It makes a wonderful starter while you wait for the food. A glass of craft pilsener should be paired off with this. This has chipotle mayonnaise that has lime, paprika, and chilies in its ingredients.
The Fattoush salad was a visual surprise. The basic ingredient to this salad is the fried pita bread. According to other recipes, croutons are also used here. This is also a yummy mix of crispy fried pita bread that is sliced like flat noodles. This is laid on a bed of green lettuce, cherry tomatoes, black olives, apple slices, and cucumbers. The delightful part is the raspberry vinaigrette that you pour over the merry mix of veggies, fruits, and the fried bread.
There are other good grilled Western dishes and meals at Publiquo, if you have a craving for grilled salmon or wagyu, this is where it should be available. The chef is said to be experienced in cruise ships cuisine.
There goes the salivation for greasy grilled food. This is worth a try and the setting encourages cozy conversation.
July 27, 2024
