A Better Life New York
Steve "The Judge" focuses on the art of enjoying yourself through food, fun and frolic. Steve conducts live Interviews on many popular and controversial topics. Steve has candid conversations about fine dining to BBQ, cigars to cars, history making events and everything in between. Recently, we added a special monthly addition ion collecting Antique Phonographs with experts Wyatt Markus, and Collector/Dealers Joe Hough and Tracy McKinney. Sponsored by Premium Botanicals the maker of Herbal Spectrum a line of full spectrum Hemp based CBD products. http://www.mypbcbd.com
A Better Life New York
Mid-Week Restaurant Review! Augustine's, Salumeri: Delights in the World of Artisan Sandwiches and much, much, more!
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George and I, Steve, just wrapped up an unforgettable lunch at Augustine's, Salumeria where the humble sandwich gets a Michelin Guide-worthy makeover. We're talking bread that's a cut above, proteins cooked to perfection, and toppings that transform the ordinary into the sublime. Our culinary escapade began with what we thought was a simple appetizer, but turned out to be a super-sized twist on mozzarella sticks that set the bar sky-high for what followed.
In this episode, we enthusiastically share our experience of flavors that left our taste buds dancing. I reminisce about the roast pork "Uncle Giuseppe style," a masterpiece of caramelized onions and oozing cheese, while George recalls the Italian beef, an epitome of tenderness soaked in savory brown gravy. And let's not forget the fries—we give due credit to this often-overlooked side dish that deserves its own spotlight. Join us on this gastronomic journey that promises to elevate your sandwich standards to new heights.
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hello everyone and welcome to a better life with george and steve.
Speaker 2:I'm steve how are you, george? I'm george, I'm great. Hey, steve, I appreciate this quick little, quick fire podcast we're gonna do. We just went to this amazing place for lunch over in Mimerinec, right across the street from the Mimerinec train station. Salut, maria Augustines. I think they've been open for two and a half, maybe three years now and I've been there a few times, but I think this is the first time you've been, and I think anyone who goes there for lunch has to start off with their amazing sandwiches. And when we say sandwiches, it's not like a deli sandwich, but think bonafide chef, thought passion, love, put into everything about a sandwich right the type of bread you use, the slice, the protein, the thickness, how it's cooked, what it's topped with caramelized onions, great cheese, nice sauces. What did you think? What did you think of it today?
Speaker 1:I thought it was great. Just a little more information. It's at across from the train station, it's 213 Halstead Avenue in Mamaroneck. From the train station, it's 213 Halstead Avenue in Mimarinick. They are a Michelin Guide restaurant. Just to let you know that. It's certainly a step up from whatever your usual lunch place is around here in Westchester. I thought it was amazing. We had an appetizer. It was fantastic.
Speaker 2:It was a special appetizer, it was yeah it was a play on cheese sticks right, mozzarella cheese sticks, but it was gigantic. It was. Yeah, it was a play on cheese sticks, right, mozzarella cheese stick, but it was gigantic. It reminded me of one of those special Kit Kats you get during Halloween, those giant size Kit Kats. Well, this was a giant size mozzarella stick. I think I took some pictures and we'll probably post them in various media formats. But yeah, it was perfectly breaded right, the cheese was gooey and melted right inside. The marinara sauce was spot on. I pulled the camera out and you're already halfway into your first bite.
Speaker 1:So that was uh, it was good it really tasted like the best mozzarella stick you ever had, only on steroids. It was probably 10 inches long.
Speaker 2:This is getting a little weird, oddly graphic.
Speaker 1:But yes, it filled the plate. This was great it feeds two, three inches around it easily feeds two.
Speaker 2:That was a nice way to start the meal. And then we split sandwiches. You got the roast pork I think they call it Uncle Giuseppe style, which just means it's loaded with caramelized onions, some cheese and some gravy. And I had the Italian beef which, again sliced beef, fork tender, and it just jazzed up with this really brown gravy sauce with onions. I think it had a little bit of peppers in there and some kind of cheese, but all in all toasted baguette. It was nice, it really hit the spot. And I don't know I can't recommend a better sandwich place, I think, Aside from all these amazing delis we have up here in Westchester. But when it comes to a hot sandwich made with a choice bread, choice meats and assembled to order, this is a step above everything else. And, as you said, it's Michelin guided. I don't know if it's a Bib Gourmand Michelin nod, but it has something to do with the Michelin Guide recommendation. So again, two thumbs up from me. What do you say, Steve?
Speaker 1:So definitely two thumbs up. I'm just looking at the menu and I need to see the mortadella sandwich because that's what I would have had. I love mortadella.
Speaker 2:The guy sitting next to us had this mortadella sandwich. I think it says pistachio aioli sauce mortadella, and I think that thing was like an inch and a half almost close to two inches of sliced beautiful mortadella. I just feel like that's something that you can go and order, take out and nosh in the car on your way to a meeting or something.
Speaker 1:Sure, and I'm looking at we Ate there and I really didn't pay that much attention to the menu but even their fries. So they have three kinds of fries they have smothered, which is in cheese and poteta, and then they have herb, whatever, and they have cracked pepper, sea salt and cracked pepper. Now they are fried in tallow rather than regular oil. Okay, I've been to a restaurant in Portland Maine that's called Duck Fat where everything is fried in duck fat and it's really amazing. I use tallow a lot for when I barbecue beef or beef ribs or even brisket. It really adds great flavor.
Speaker 1:We didn't try any of the pastas. I don't know if you ever did, but we also tried. Which was amazing was and George didn't have much of it they had a cannoli special. They had their regular cannoli, which the regular cannoli cream is fantastic. It does have some of those little chocolate bits in it. I know some people like that, some people don't, but they had a pistachio cream cannoli. That was just fantastic. It had crushed pistachios on it and, plus, the cream had such a rich and true pistachio flavor. I was pretty shocked. That was actually very good.
Speaker 2:I have to agree, I'm not the biggest cannoli fan in the world, but when I do encounter a good cannoli, especially that good custard. This pistachio cream was on point, and I can only imagine that was probably Sicilian pistachio puree mixed into that beautiful cannoli custard. So hats off. That was actually very nice.
Speaker 1:So there's something on the menu that I think is really an acquired taste, and I saw it was fish and chips. And thankfully, for lunch, george got to the truth of the matter with me and said it's not really fish and chips, it's house-made potato chips which are very good, by the way and caviar, and the caviar is Venetian-farmed caviar, imported, obviously. There's all kinds. For dinner there's bone marrow appetizer roasted bone marrow For you real Italians out there. That is something of a delicacy. It's a little bit of a special need, a special feeling. It's not something I particularly care for, but it is a delicacy.
Speaker 2:I love bone marrow. Bone marrow is divine and it's so easy to make but it's hard to get. Not too many butchers carry it and as a restaurant you have the luxury of having distributors that can split it for you and all that so you're able to get ready to go bone marrow and they just have to cook it and then broil it, get it seasoned and then you can just smear it on nice toast or onto other proteins and you have this amazing flavor of beef getting a little love from all the other dishes you have. Yeah, it's a solid place. It's really nice to see a owner-operator couple.
Speaker 2:I think chef I believe is Mark, he's in the back and then his better half, bree, handles the front of the house back and then his better half, bree, handles the front of the house and they're an amazing duo. I remember going when they first opened and just hearing their story. They had opportunities to open restaurants for so many restaurateurs in the city. I think his pedigree he was one of the chefs at the Russian Tea Room and he just has this amazing culinary CV. And we're lucky to have him in our neck of the woods up here in the east side of Westchester and they found this beautiful spot in Mimarinac and I think they will be there for years to come. So once again, hey, if you're in the area, even if you're not in the area, if you're within 15, 20 minutes drive, it's well worth it.
Speaker 2:Guys, head over to Salumaria Augustins, over in Mamaronec, right next to the train station. There's street parking all up and down the road. I think there is a municipal street, municipal parking lot, one block down the road. Yeah, they're open for lunch and dinner. Two thumbs up again. Really big fan.
Speaker 1:Just a little bit about Mark. Like you said, he's been with the Russian Tea Room. He was at Eataly, which if anybody's ever gone into the city and gone to Eataly I've never been to the one downtown but I've been the one at 23rd Street and they have some great pasta places, pizza place, meat places. It really is a great place to visit if you're in the city. But I have to say one thing about this restaurant there aren't a lot of tables so you need to be sure you get there either early.
Speaker 2:Or make a reservation. That's right. Does it take reservations? Yes, of course.
Speaker 1:So make a reservation. Be ready to eat If you like dried meats and specialty cheeses. They do different plates as an appetizer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they have a nice charcuterie selection right on top of the menu and then just an onslaught of pastas and they always have a daily pasta and they'll always have a daily preemie or one of the proteins. So it's really a chef-driven menu, really just a solid place to eat and if you're tired of a lot of the chain restaurants out there, this is such a great change of pace.
Speaker 1:This is going to be a new hopefully midweek segment where George and I test out other new restaurants or delis or places that we like to eat or want to eat. He's been here before. I have not. I will absolutely be back. It was a great meal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and if you guys have places you want us to review or just go in and just take a look, by all means shoot us a DM and we'll do our best to get there All right, so check us out on Instagram.
Speaker 1:You'll see the pictures of the food and a little info on the restaurant, and we look forward. Our next podcast full blownblown podcast should be out in a day or two, so we're looking forward to releasing that. And if anyone any of you don't know, today was a day we had a little bit of an earthquake, so it was a little bit of an interesting day in the first place. So, having said that, george, great time, great lunch, had a good time. Can't wait to do it again.
Speaker 2:Absolutely Ciao, ciao, ciao, ciao for now.
Speaker 1:Ciao for now.
