Beef on Weck, it`s a Buffalo thing. EA TS

food& beer Atlanta
Atlanta Cuisine - August 2010
FOOD
www.foodandbeeratlanta.com
Beef on Weck,
it’s a Buffalo thing.
by Tom Maicon
B
tom EATS
eef on weck is a
sandwich indigenous
to Buffalo, NY. It’s
a beef sandwich (most use
roast beef) with a smear
of fresh horseradish on
Kummelweck bread, which
is unusually dense, adorned
with caraway seeds and
kosher salt.
Unlike the fiery Buffalo
chicken wing, beef on weck
never really took off in the
south, for whatever reason,
but that doesn’t mean there
isn’t a place or two right
here in the ATL that
serves a version
of this Buffalo
favorite. In
fact, here
are three
such
places:
Barkers Red Hots
3000 Windy Hill,
SE, Suite B-6
Marietta
770.272.0407
Owner Glen Robins
is the Soto of the hot
dog world minus the
prickly attitude. His
passion for perfection
finds him standing
over the hot coals
every single shift
carefully applying
perfect char to each
and every dog. No
wonder his hot dogs
are so darn good.
Barkers sells more
than just hot dogs.
At this unassuming
Windy Hill storefront
you’ll also find the best
beef on weck in the city.
Robins wisely chooses grilled
flank over roast beef. He cooks it
to a juicy medium — or, just a tad under
— over those sizzling coals. He then slices
it and gives it an au jus. It’s topped off with
a sinus-clearing layer of horseradish.
The insanely delicious bread is made in
house — loaded with caraway seeds and
enough kosher salt to make your cheeks
pucker.
Is there anything this little hot dog shop
doesn’t do right?
food& beer Atlanta
Taco Mac
Numerous Locations
This beer giant has been doing the Buffalo
wing thing here in Atlanta for 31 years.
They get the sauce just right.
They recently started doing “Beef on
Weck Wednesday” at all locations — and
they do it well. Roast beef is employed for
this sandwich, fairly generously I might add.
The bread, though nice, isn’t nearly as heady
as the version at Barkers.
The wonderful thing here is that you can
Galla’s Pizza, Wings, Subs & More
2 Locations:
1. 2986 Johnson Ferry Road
Marietta
770.642.0777
2. 4849 Peachtree Road
Chamblee
770.500.3184
This Buffalo-style pizza joint with two
outposts boasts all things Buffalo including
beef on weck. I believe the bread is shipped
in from Buffalo and is the best part of the
sandwich. Even after being plunked in the
au jus, it’s sturdy enough to hold together.
The roast beef is certainly piled on as
advertised — but it’s tough and
leathery, stringy to the bite
during all three of my
visits to the Chamblee
location. Maybe
there’s better luck to
be had in Marietta.
Though after three
miserable attempts
in Chamblee, I’m
not inclined to
make the longer
trip.
I was met with
cocky attitude
during one visit,
which is really
okay with me so
long as you got the
schtick to back
it up.
eck
Beef of W
dig deep for a beer pairing. I recommend
a slightly sweet malty brew to wrap around
the meat and contrast that spicy horseradish,
yet hoppy enough to stand up to the salty,
caraway seed layer on the bread.
Wish they served this sandwich every day.
ers
ark
at B
[email protected]