All-Star Evening with All-Star Accommodations

Mets Merized Online was invited last Monday to cover a Mets food tasting at CitiField’s Delta Sky360 Club, or as they put it, “The All-Star Dining Line-Up.”  Due to some fortunate circumstances (for me), I was able to attend. So I headed out Monday with a camera and my appetite.

I know that there are some things that haven’t grown on me yet at CitiField, but their food options make it difficult to choose what I want to eat during games.  I swear, sometimes I just go for the hot dogs and crinkle cut fries from Nathan’s and be done with it!

Yet, I like so much that we were able to get.  My husband and I are big fans of the Nachos Grande stand.  I always like beer.  Though Shake Shack isn’t as much of a novelty to us as it is to others since we live within walking distance of one, Blue Smoke’s fried chicken sandwich was a new addition in 2011 and was a good one at that.  I sometimes get the elote corn on the cob at Taqueria.  While Box Frites did away with the disco frites (boo), my hub liked the parmesan garlic frites.  I like the popcorn shrimp at Catch of the Day, and eggplant parm hero at Cascarino’s.  If I have time to go to the Promenade Club during the game, the buffalo chicken salad gets high marks from me.

Like I said, it’s a little difficult for me to choose, since I have so many options.  So what do the Mets do for 2012?

They add more fabulous fanfare to the menu.  Sigh.

I guess the easiest way to go through the new options is to list them by area.  Before I get started though, I’d like to point out that I do have some weird food habits.  Like, I don’t do pastrami or corned beef.  Sandwiches are kinda lost on me.  I love sushi, but I’m sort of weird about getting it at a ballpark, or taste-testing it after eating a slider.  I love that CitiField has healthy options (like fruit, hummus, vegetarian and gluten-free options), but I didn’t try a lot of them.  I guess you can call me crazy, that though I wouldn’t put it past myself to eat a salad at a baseball game, the idea of pork osso bucco?  Eh, little too rich for this blue-collar girl’s tastes.  (Plus, I’m not that big of a fan of pork.)  Lastly, a lot of these menu items are in places many of us might visit once a year, at best if we’re lucky, like the Empire Suites or being invited by Metropolitan Hospitality to an event.

Taste Of The City

Box Frites has expanded their options by including a buffalo dog on their menu (all-beef dog with buffalo and blue-cheese sauce, pickled carrot and celery).  At the event, they paired the dog up with their new sweet potato frites option.  Box Frites is also trying their hand at desserts, by offering fried fruit pies!

I actually didn’t partake in the items, as I was getting full just looking at a lot of the food.  From what I heard, the fried pies were divine.  I didn’t get a good report on the buffalo dog.

El Verano Taqueria is introducing a vegetarian taco (which is also gluten-free), soft corn tortillas with portobello mushrooms, zucchini, corn and poblano peppers.  Total opposite from a vegetarian gluten-free taco is the barbacoa quesadilla, slow-cooked beef with chipotle and guajillo peppers.  Jason Fry from Faith and Fear in Flushing is a big Taqueria fan.  He was so-so on the tacos, but the quesadilla seemed to be a winner if you are a beef fan.

Catch of the Day now offers beer battered shrimp skewers.  These were fabulous, a little fluffier than tempura battered shrimp but closer to a corn dog consistency if I had to put a finger on it.

I might have had more than one of these pups.

Taste of the City is located in the Centerfield concourse area on the field level at CitiField.

World’s Fare Market

Much to Ted Berg‘s delight, Mama’s of Corona introduced a new hero to their menu, called the “Mama’s Special.”  It is a hero loaded on Italian bread with peppered ham, salami, fresh mootz, mushrooms and peppers on the side.  If you are a sandwich person, you might like it.  I do not share in the enthusiasm that the sandwich king Berg does!  But I will say, I might have helped myself to a few cannoli and a cupcake (strictly for my dog…and I don’t have a dog).

Daruma of Tokyo had a lovely looking sushi platter and boat available.  Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushing was helping himself to some of it, as he is a sushi fan.  I LOOOOVE sushi too, but I really wanted to try the other stuff.  I guess I’m just weird about trying sushi at a ballpark, though it did look lovely.

General Concessions

Aramark has made very few changes in the general concessions throughout the ballpark, but one item that I absolutely positively need to try is the Cholula Chipotle Crispy Chicken Sandwich.  The concession stand display had sliders of their Brooklyn Burger (including the Keith Hernandez Mex Burger) and the Cholula chicken sandwich.  The crispy chicken was one of my favorite things on the menu on the night, a chicken cutlet with Cholula (the hot sauce!) chipotle aioli (ay ai ai!), fresh guac, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese and bacon.  They put nearly every favorite thing of mine on one bun.  Depending on your level of tolerance, I didn’t think the hot sauce nor the jalapenos were spicy at all, then again I always get the global thermonuclear sauce at any wing place since they simply aren’t hot enough.  Yet, some people complained that it was too spicy.  Fair enough.  But it was still pretty damn fabulous.

I heard the Pastrami sandwich was a hit last year, so I’ll take people’s words for it.  They are offering a Pastrachos platter this year, nachos topped with pastrami, Swiss cheese sauce, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing and scallions.  If you’re into Reubens, knock yourself out!

Brooklyn burger is offering a Mex Burger, inspired by Keith Hernandez: a 6 oz. Brooklyn burger on a sesame bun with cheddar and jack cheese, topped with bacon, guacamole, chipotle aioli and jalapenos.  These are served with kettle chips and a Tootsie pop!

I love a tasty burger, and I’m a harsh critic, so I’m not sure I’d order the Mex burger on its own at CitiField.  It was a bit on the dry side, but again, I believe that the stand custom cooks them as you order, so they may be different from sitting under a lamp at a tasting event.

Other items of note: the Kozy Shack gluten free stand has a number of g-free options, as well as vegetarian options.  I heard the veggie dog and veggie burger were not worth whatever they charge (a piece of cardboard is what someone likened it to).  Melissa’s fruit cart offers a variety of fruit and packaged hummus, something any vegan would enjoy!

Delta Sky360 Club

Chances are, you won’t be going to the Delta club without an invite.  Too bad, as they had some damn good food available.  They’re introducing a fried flounder sandwich, Swedish meatball platter and seared beef tenderloin medallions.  NOM NOM.

I probably had about 8 million of the flash-fried shrimp, so I opted out of the fried flounder.  Kerel Cooper from On The Black tried it though, and said it was something he wouldn’t mind trying again.

I didn’t get a chance to try the seared medallions, though from the sounds of it (Angus tenderloin, bleu cheese polenta, fennel-tomato ragout, red wine demiglaze), it sounds like something I’d enjoy.  I did, however, try the Swedish meatballs.  AND OMG.  They were FANTASTIC.  The gravy wasn’t too creamy, but I could have done without the focaccia bread.

Caesar’s and Promenade Clubs

Cafe Roma at the Caesar’s Club is introducing two new items: the Reuben quesadilla (grilled flour tortilla filled with New York pastrami, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, Swiss cheese and scallions) and the NY cheese steak sandwich.  I passed on both items, but the buffalo chicken salad in that club is also very good if you were looking for other options.

The Promenade Club is offering three new items, called home run wings (served with your choice of either buffalo, chipotle BBQ, teriyaki, garlic parmesan, honey-black pepper or Thai chili), the New Yawkah sandwich (corned beef topped with sweet potato fries, bacon, pickles, slaw and Thousand Island, served on a pretzel roll), and the 7-1-ATE Special (hot or sweet Premio sausage, split and grilled, topped with a hash brown, fried egg, slaw & pepper hash on ciabatta).  Holy moly!  The New Yawkah sounds like they’re trying their hand at a Primanti Brothers-style sandwich (the Pittsburgh treat that serves you with everything on a sandwich, including french fries and slaw).

I didn’t try the wings or the 7-1-ATE though both did have some pleasant reviews from those who tried them.  And I wouldn’t be against trying them either when I’m in the Promenade Club.

Acela Club

Pork Osso Bucco is the only new offering on the Acela menu this season.

Really?

I didn’t try it, but I didn’t hear any reviews on it either.  ^Shrug^

Empire Suites

So who wants to split a suite this season?  Two new offerings in the suites include buttermilk fried chicken with corn bread and mac & cheese and southwest chicken salad.

Okay, I have to admit that I am a very harsh critic on fried chicken.  I have a southern gene and anything fried needs to have some TLC added to it for me to give it my stamp of approval.  BUT…my chicken piece was a little off the mark. It was a little gamey and slightly stringy.  Blech.  Then I realized that people don’t eat fried chicken for the chicken part…they want the stuff that makes it fried!  The breading was awesome.  And the accompaniments were also stellar — corn bread with real chunks of corn in it.  The baked mac was very good.  I didn’t get to try the southwest salad though…that because…I forgot I wanted to try it.

Turns out with my fried chicken though that I may have had a chicken that put up the fight!  Joe Janish from Mets Today said his was very tender and moist and gave it a thumbs up.  Ah well.  Guess I gotta do a quality assurance test in the suites this year to make SURE I don’t like it.

Metropolitan Hospitality

The hospitality group is serving up three new dishes.  Tuna tartare, chicken and waffles and seared Long Island striped bass.  I only tried the chicken and waffles, which were served on a mini waffle.

It was really tasty!  If I can get invited to a party where the hospitality group caters, I’ll be sure to station myself next to the chicken and waffles, which were served with a maple demiglaze.

Well, all righty then!

DESSERTS!!

I didn’t see anyone cut the Metropolitan Hospitality or Mr. Met cakes, but there were ice cream sandwiches from Coolhaus, Banana bread pudding served warm in an individual mug and assorted cannoli and cupcakes from Mama’s.

I would like to point out that this was a “dry” event — meaning, no alcohol.  They must have known I was coming.  They did provide us with a menu of beer options that will be at craft beer stands, including a variety of Shock Top ales and craft beers.

One other thing I noticed was that the Delta Sky360 Club, where the event was held, that one could not look out into the field.

So I couldn’t get any photos of the wall progress.

But as I bid adieu to the night and CitiField, Ted Berg said farewell and that we’d all be watching baseball in about 10 days.

I walked onto the train platform, and the past meeting the present promo greeted me as I went back to Manhattan.

This was a nice evening, and top notch food was served.  Can’t wait to sample it for real next week!

Legend has it that the Mets were never quite the same after Dr. Evil himself, M. Donald Grant, traded away the Franchise, literally and figuratively, for some spare parts. It was true, in a way, but then again, so was the dynamic changing in baseball. Indirectly relating to the trade of Tom Seaver was the underlying notion that he wanted to be paid up, suckas.  Grant didn’t think Seaver was above the Mets name, and subsequently got rid of him by planting some unfavorable quotes in the NYC sports “tabloids,” if you will.

But the dynamic was also changing because of the era of free agency. And to that, I ask, is the “franchise player” still relevant?

You know who that is: the guy who is known for playing for one team; who made his mark with one team; who may have played for another team, but was never quite the player he was with that synonymous team. I think the closest we might have today is Albert Pujols. That, however, may change this offseason due to his contentious situation with being the best player in baseball (well, maybe Alex Rodriguez takes umbrage with that) and being a free agent. I think his brand with the Cardinals is significant, but as my friend Bill Ivie has said, the Cardinals were a great franchise before Pujols, they’ll still be a great franchise without him. Time will tell.

But then look at Carlos Beltran. Perhaps one of the most divisive Mets in recent memory, his injuries may prevent him from ever making the Hall of Fame. Yet, I had a Twitversation the other day with some other Mets fans about him playing a few more years, uninjured. I think if it walks and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck, and Beltran cannot stay healthy. I said, the harsh reality is he could be another Moises Alou, a great player whose injury-marred seasons keep him from getting his call to the Hall. However, someone said, if he DID come around with great numbers and played into his 40s without as many injuries, it would be hard pressed to have him go in as a Met, even though he did play seven years with them.

I guess I am raising these questions because of the Mets’ own “Franchise Players” and “Faces of the Franchise,” David Wright and Jose Reyes.

The Mets and those of us who live, breathe and eat any information surrounding the team have a contentious situation on their hands, especially regarding Reyes’ status as a free agent after the 2011 season. Couple that with David Wright, which is another contentious situation in and of itself. While not a free agent, he has an option that he can decline if he gets traded (which makes him a less attractive trading candidate), but then he’s had a noticeable drop off, but on the flip side he’s had one of his first injury-plagued seasons in recent memory (he’s been relatively healthy, considering all the injuries this stupid team has had in the last three years).

It gives me pause because they are still young and productive, yet I wonder if perhaps we all need a change of scenery. Meaning we, as fans, with the same “cornerstone” players, and the players themselves. M. Donald Grant may have been a clueless idiot, but perhaps he was prophetic in trying to set with us, that a player isn’t above the Franchise. Well, he was wrong in the case of Seaver, but the dynamic of the game has changed since then.

Look at the Dodgers. Their two franchise players, Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, are essentially the equivalent of our Reyes and Wright. They even have an A+ starter in Clayton Kershaw. And they STILL can’t provide a winning season (or make money)!  I would say that Ryan Braun is probably the closest to a “Franchise Player,” since the Brewers see him as part of their long-term plans (and also since it appears Prince Fielder is going to go to the highest bidder in the offseason).

Look, the Mets situation is precarious, and perhaps I am too close to it. I was discussing on Twitter the other day with my friends over at the Daily Stache about the Reyes situation. Basically, I feel like the issue is now that the Mets are mailing it in (something that Terry Collins is NOT happy about), we are going on our third straight losing season, our legs and asses are cramped up from wanting to jump for joy but we can’t because there is nothing making us do that, and now the prospect of losing guys we feel should be in Mets uniforms forever is something we are nonchalant about. “Whatever” has been my philosophy at this point.

I know things will change once the postseason is over, and who knows, maybe the Mets and Reyes will come to an agreement and we’ll all be happy. But I think what will make us happier is WINNING. Reyes and Wright certainly have not been enough. The onus is on the personnel to seriously evaluate the team and not attend to what the fans want. Yes, I know Reyes makes us a lot of us happy. And his injuries are a cause for concern, especially since they basically have said his running game (what makes Jose Jose) has been halted because of his hamstring issues this year.

I know I would hold onto Reyes simply for emotional reasons because I love him and want him to be a Met forever. The other more rational side of me says that the time is not now. This team is a few years away from winning, and would it make a huge difference to lose with him or without him.

What’s funny about the team this year is that seemingly, EVERYONE gets thrown at first base.  After Ike Davis took a freak-accident-spill on a routine infield pop-up earlier this season, like many Mets injuries, it didn’t seem like much…but he hasn’t played since.  Evidenced as such, the Mets have thrown four guys at first base not named Davis.  In fact, Daniel Murphy holds the lead with 46 games started at 1B, and 37 games for Lucas Duda.  Ike Davis played 36 games at first base, and Nick Evans has started 27 game at 1B (as of Tuesday).  If Evans finishes out the season at 1B, four guys could theoretically finish playing less than 50 games each at 1B.  The Mets have not had a ton of turnover at first base in its history, so this is significant.

You know what I find interesting?  That when Ike Davis is anticipated to return next season, the Mets find themselves in a position of strength: a lot of guys who can play first base. Bonus: all of them have proven they can hit and play the position well enough to be every day players or at the very least, in a platoon situation.

Clearly, the position is Ike Davis’ to lose come next year in Spring Training.  At least, this is how I am looking at things.  Lucas Duda has been pretty much hand-selected by Terry Collins to be his starting right fielder in 2012, and obviously for the remainder of the season.  Leaving us with Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans as the odd men out.  All of a sudden, the Mets and their Front Office have a position of value and strength to use as trade bait.

Who is the odd man out, singular, though?  In that respect, odd “men” and that would be Nick Evans and Daniel Murphy.

It’s funny with these two.  I’ve made no secret about my appreciation of Daniel Murphy, as I feel his defensive woes are much ado about nothing, plus he’s shown he’s at a position of strength as a first baseman.  If he had a more consistent position, whether first, second or third base…anything in the infield, really…he’d certainly be a big asset to any team.  Nick Evans is a bit limited to where he can play, as his biggest strength has been showcased at first base, but he also has experience at left field.  However, we all know left field is locked up by Jason Bay till 2013.  Unless he is traded.  But that’s not the hypothetical here.

Anyway, defensively and offensively, Daniel Murphy might have a slight leg up on Nick Evans on the Mets.  Yet, his value could be used to get more parts in return in a trade.

See where I am going with this?  Is Nick Evans more valuable as an off-the-bench guy in 2012 for the team?  Or is Daniel Murphy going to be counted on for the team in a bigger way?

Another thing to consider is the Jose Reyes situation.  If Reyes is not figuring into the long-term vision of the team, where Ruben Tejada plays in 2012 will impact how the Mets will look at the future of the aforementioned players.  Clearly, the easiest scenario is that Reyes will re-sign, Tejada will play second base and all is right in the world.  But if Reyes flies the coop, Tejada will easily be penciled in at shortstop next year.  Right now, while Daniel Murphy rests his legs, he’s also the only one of the previously mentioned with any regular second base experience.   Another item that would weigh in his favor of staying with the team than Nick Evans.

Overall, Evans took several years to prove himself, but with regular-ish playing time, he’s shown that he can keep up with the big boys.  Murphy though was able to smack the hell out of the ball from day one pretty much.  We’ll also need to consider that Evans is out of options.  Like, negative amount of options at this point with how many times he’s been put on waivers (Cot’s and MLB Contracts has no information on his current status unfortunately).  Daniel Murphy isn’t arb eligible until 2013 due to his injuries in the last few years.  This could go either way: he’s so cheap it makes sense to keep him around, or trade him while his value is high and let him become another team’s “problem.” (But he’s a good problem to have)

There is a surplus at first base for the Mets for 2012.  I guess on one hand, it’s good that the Mets have so many serviceable players to fill in when their every day players go down at this point.  On the other hand, the odd men out look to be Daniel Murphy and Nick Evans.  Either way, their value is at its highest and it would make sense at this point to see about the future without either of those players in the organization.