Foodies – Everett Leader Herald

The Mike’s story like an explosion of interest in New England fast food

A slow moment at Mike’s Tuesday afternoon. (Photo by Joe Resnek)

By Josh Resnek

From the moment we broke the story about Mike’s Roast Beef being sold to Wynn Development two weeks ago, it broke records for widespread internet interest.

The Leader Herald’s Facebook site recorded 48,382 hits on the Mike’s posting alone!

This was an extraordinary number of viewers for a small hometown Facebook site.

As the week dawned, the story continued attracting thousands more visitors to our Facebook site.

It came as a shocking, sobering thought to fast food aficionados and lovers that one of the best known, and most beloved purveyors of five star roast beef sandwiches and fried foods of a wide variety was tossing in he towel to change.

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Richie’s Slush all spruced up for annual opening

Looking like a bit of Florida on the Parkway. (Photo by Joe Resnek)

By Josh Resnek

It is almost an impossibility to drive by Richie’s Slush without stopping in.

For decades, Richie’s Slush has been a purveyor of great products, led primarily with an enduring symbol, slush that stands alone for texture and sweetness…and an overall attraction that drives tens of thousands of area residents to descend upon the place.

Richie’s ownership has spent several months preparing for this spring’s reopening.

Richie’s opened in 1956 long before Mike’s Roast Beef was a thought.

Over the decades it has reworked itself repeatedly but never straying from its core business driver – slush.

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Why Mike’s matters to so many

By Josh Resnek

My relationship with Mike’s Roast Beef began during the early 1980’s.

In nearly a half century, I have never experimented at Mike’s.

Each time I order, I order the same product – a junior roast beef rare with cheese sauce and onion.

And each time that sandwich is delivered, to me in a simple white paper bag with napkins and salt and pepper packets, I take it in my car, I unwrap the sandwich. I take a bite.

Voila!!!!

It is a bit of five star junk food perfection that tastes exactly the same, that has exactly the right texture and which goes down smoothly in about five bites.

I wash it down with a Coca Cola – which from Mike’s – is always cold, always sweet and always just right.

The entire experience is about the perfection of a system, which the owners of Mike’s have never deviated from for a half century.

A legion of devoted customers has made Mike’s what it is, and what it might always be…about the best there is in a wide geography.

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Mike’s Roast Beef property purchased by Wynn Resorts

By Josh Resnek

Word spread like wild fire around the city and especially among those who frequent Mike’s Roast Beef when it was announced that the property has apparently been purchased by Wynn Resorts.

When Wynn Resorts started buying up properties on lower Broadway some years back, Mike’s steadfastly held firm.

The owners would not sell.

However all this changed last week when real estate transactions indicated that Mike’s Roast Beef had sold its land to Wynn Resorts for a reported $5.5 million.

Reports circulated Friday that Mike’s would remain open for an unspecified amount of time and that’s whatever is going to change as a result of the sale, would not be happening overnight.

Mike’s employees, none of whom wish to be on the record, were surprised by reports the land had been sold.

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Dumpling Delight goes down easy; short money for a bit of Asia in your kitchen

By Josh Resnek

This is another Market Basket favorite of mine.

I don’t know about you, but I love dumplings.

These vegetable and pork dumplings, which are available frozen, are in the $6-7 range.

The entire bag of them heated up at the same time will take care of 3-4 people as a quick starter.

Others who have a flair for cooking Asian food, use them in addition to the full monte of Asian dishes.

Served with shaved beef and pho or with soup, they are a great add on.

Leave them out on the counter to thaw.

Once they have thawed they are ready to toss into a pan.

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