Meatloaf USA

Boston Market

2011-08-08T15:43:00.001-04:00

Does Boston Market do any food badly? I think not. This meatloaf is delicious, a can't miss meal. Many other folks agree, judging by the number of websites that recreate the recipe. I'm fairly certain that any side(s) you choose will complement this meatloaf perfectly. Don't forget to add the cornbread!

Bad Meatloaf Alert- Denny's Bacon Meatloaf

2011-05-24T17:54:00.000-04:00

I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised, considering that Denny's is not the most popular choice for dining; the joke goes, "Nobody goes to Denny's, they just end up there." But sometimes, there's nothing else open, and you just want what my wife calls "Least Objectionable Food." Besides, they do a decent job with burgers and breakfast.

This is, without a doubt, the worst meatloaf I have ever eaten in a restaurant. So bad, that I feel the need to tell you that in a bold font. The pre-formed meat patties had obviously never been part of a loaf to begin with, the texture was awful, the menu claimed that bacon was part of the loaf, although there was no evidence of this by looking and tasting. The "hickory ketchup" was really just an overly sweet barbecue sauce. And now, that we as Americans can make decent mashed potatoes by merely dumping an envelope of Idahoan into a bowl of hot water, we should never have to eat the tasteless, textureless, blob that Denny's serves. The cole slaw, however, was not half bad.

So there you have it. Our first bad review. If anyone has a contrary opinion about this, please I await your comments.

A Delicious Homemade Loaf

2011-04-11T16:35:00.000-04:00

This slightly blurry, heart-shaped delight was made by my wife, using Alton Brown's recipe.
It was terrific, and I'm not just saying that because she's my wife.

Mummy Meatloaf!

2010-10-27T16:58:00.000-04:00

From Gather and Nest, where you can find the recipe. It has noodles, so it has to be good, right?

Football Meatloaf

2010-10-27T16:54:00.000-04:00

I don't know that I would use pimentos for laces, and just what does this have to do with gum, anyway?

McKinney & Doyle, Pawling, NY

2010-10-27T16:47:00.001-04:00

From Molly B in New York:
This local landmark has been dishing up fine fare for decades. Dedicated to supporting local farms, the food’s always fresh, seasonal, and delicious. Consequently, the place is always packed, especially at lunchtime on a perfect October Saturday. I was delighted to note a meatloaf sandwich on the extensive and eclectic lunch menu. Served with a generous layer of monterey jack cheese and grilled to golden brown perfection on two thick slabs of homemade rye bread, the sandwich was served with a tasty side of garden veggie pasta salad. Not your run-of-the-mill meatloaf by any stretch! However, the meal didn’t suffer in the slightest for its unconventionality. The meatloaf was firm and flavorful, with crunchy bits from its time spent under the grill. The melted cheese and tangy bread combined to create a wonderful pastiche of tastes and textures. No single flavor predominated, but all came together in scrumptious harmony. Washed down with a mug of hot local apple cider at a cozy booth decorated with fresh flowers, it was the perfect fall luncheon. If your leaf-peeping forays take you to the byways of Dutchess County, it’s worth the trouble to seek out this unpretentious but top-notch restaurant. They also have a large variety of home-baked goodies to take home. I dare you to try to walk out without a carrot cupcake or a loaf of pumpkin bread! McKinney & Doyle, Pawling, NY

I don't know how I feel about this.

2010-09-27T18:05:00.000-04:00

This might be a nice gift for the meatloaf lover(s) in your life, but I think they would prefer the real thing. Anyway, you can get it here.

The Fishery, East Rockaway, NY

2010-09-27T16:39:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying that I don't like fish. I just don't. Sure, I'll have a tuna melt, or some cocktail shrimp, but that's about it. But sometimes you have to suck it up and eat where everybody else in your group wants to go. So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw "Meatloaf stuffed with spinach and mozzarella" on the menu of this apparently very popular dockside seafood place.
This is one tasty loaf o' meat. The spinach and cheese are not really "stuffed" inside the loaf, rather they, along with nice bits of onion, are more accurately scattered about, a nice combination of taste and textures in every bite. My go-to sides, mashed potatoes and broccoli, were also very good.

Eveready Diner, Brewster NY

2010-07-17T19:15:00.001-04:00

Sometimes, you know you're in for a treat before you walk in the door of a place. That's the vibe we got as we pulled up to the Eveready Diner in Brewster, NY. It's a modern building but the art deco style makes it a very inviting place to eat. So, how was the meatloaf? Very moist, with a pleasant slight sweetness. The mushroom gravy was excellent, complementing the meat, not overpowering it. The veggies provided the contrasting crispness, and the mountain of mashed potato was terrific, with a texture that seemed more like a scooped out baked potato. Washed down with an authentic egg cream drink, this was a great meatloaf meal.

Rigas Restaurant, Bellaire OH

2010-04-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

The Rigas family has been operating this cozy diner-style restaurant since 1963. I have eaten here on and off for 20 years, usually ordering their great chicken salad club, when it dawned on me that I had never tried the meatloaf. (Hand smacks forehead.) I set out to correct this grave error, and was not disappointed. It was very tasty indeed, with a large helping of smashed potatoes, and cole slaw.

Karen's Drive-In, Patterson, NY

2010-03-07T12:04:00.000-05:00

Meatloaf for breakfast! Karen's Drive-In, Rt 22, Patterson NY, is a small restaurant popular with the local residents. They serve eggs with a meatloaf topped with sliced tomato, cheddar cheese, and the one breakfast item that improves everything, bacon! Very tasty.

Neptune Diner, Oneonta, NY

2009-09-12T14:52:00.004-04:00

Bob S. in New York emails us to say that the Neptune Diner in Oneonta, NY has very good meatloaf. He particularly liked the mushroom gravy. He sends this photo:
The diner is open 24/7, as all diners should be. The plate that the meatloaf is on looks rather fancy for a diner, don't you think?

Hoss's Steak and Sea House, Wheeling, WV

2009-08-03T17:21:00.003-04:00

Hoss’s Steak and Sea House is a family restaurant chain with 38 locations in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Bigger than a mom and pop place, but smaller than Applebee's, for sure. Even though it's mainly a steak and salad bar place, the waitress told me that many folks do order the meatloaf. After trying it, I can see why. It had a great texture, not hard, and yet held together well, with bits of onion inside. I opted for ketchup instead of gravy this time (hence the inelegant stream of Heinz in the photo), and was not disappointed. This was one fine meatloaf. The stuffing with gravy was better than average, too. I would recommend this to anyone who is searching for a good meatloaf while on the road. And they receive one bonus point for wifi in the restaurant. You may notice a lack of veggies in the photo, there was a large salad on the plate next to this one, I swear.

Sonny Boy, Bridgeport OH

2009-07-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

Sonny Boy is a local diner that's been around seemingly forever. Located on the National Road, it's a good place for inexpensive, no-nonsense food. It's always busy, which is a good sign for folks who seek out these kinds of places. During all my visits there, I have only ever heard three different CDs playing: Anne Murray, Johhny Cash, and assorted polkas.
The meatloaf was pretty good, once I got past the extreme "brown-ness" of the gravy. It had a very uniform taste, no bits of onion or other things popping onto the taste buds (not that it's a bad thing). I think next time I eat there, I will order it without gravy and apply ketchup instead.

Meatloaf Musings

2009-07-15T10:33:00.002-04:00

From guest contributor Molly B in NY:
Is meatloaf inherently a manly food? Is there something about its saucy, savory solidity that specifically appeals to the Y chromosome? There’s much to recommend a food that can be eaten in slabs. And perhaps this predilection is hard-wired into the DNA of men. I’m not suggesting a government study, but we can speculate.

Does it remind men of their mothers and happier times round the Formica table, when people actually drank milk with dinner and ate Jell-O for dessert? Does it represent a more wholesome and orderly universe not yet pervaded by scary foods that you can’t pronounce? If you had to ask me what the opposite of meat loaf is, I’d have to say “quinoa.” Not only can you not pronounce it, nobody knows exactly what it is, and it tastes terrible, although it is reported to be good for you. About as far from comfort food as you can get, I’d say. Or maybe arugula. Not a comfort food. Definitely not a guy food. Guys may eat lettuce and even spinach on occasion, but anything that looks too much like a weed is not making the cut.

Or is it the ground beef aspect of le loaf that gives it such masculine appeal? Its consanguinity with burgers and chili and some canned substance that I myself cannot identify called “Manwich?” See? It’s even got “Man” in the title. This is unquestionably a man thing. Ground meat and some kind of gravy on a bun. For my money, the bun is a poor substitute for mashed potatoes, but I can see the appeal.

I want to hear from guys and girls on this. Yes, I know girls love meat loaf. I love meatloaf as much as the next gal. But, I do not worship at the shrine of Loaf. Ground beef holds no mystical appeal for me, nor does A1 sauce or any other topping—except gravy (see earlier entry). What makes us traverse the nation in search of the Holy Grail of meat loaves? Because I am prepared to do just that. I want a meatloaf that will make me cry tears of joy. Bring it on, America.

Perkins Restaurant, Wheeling, WV

2009-07-08T21:58:00.004-04:00

I ate at Perkins, a chain restaurant, mainly because they are open 24 hours on weekends. Of course, I ordered the meatloaf. It wasn't nearly as disappointing as I had expected. The crust had a nice hint of tomato, and the gravy did not overwhelm the meat. As premade meatloafs go, it was better than average. As a bonus, the place has free wifi, and great muffins.

Breezeway Cafe, Wheeling, WV

2009-06-17T14:45:00.004-04:00

The Breezeway Cafe is located at the Wheeling Island Casino. Today I tried the Cajun Meatloaf Tower. Described in the menu as "Two thick slabs of seasoned meatloaf with fried onions layered with mushroom gravy and smashed potatoes," it was quite good. The cajun seasoning was on the mild side, and the gravy actually tasted of mushooms. The only drawback was a lack of some kind of green vegetable, but that could be ordered on the side, I suppose. Overall, a good meatloaf find.

Prime Time Cafe at Walt Disney World

2009-06-15T15:49:00.003-04:00

From Molly B in NY:
Believe it or not, there is some very fine meatloaf to be had at the Prime Time Café in Disney's Hollywood Studios—part of the Walt Disney World theme park megalopolis in Orlando, FL. Even better, you and yours will be treated to the full 1950s dinner experience, complete with décor so tasteless that it's become cool and sassy waitstaff who will stand there whilst you shovel the last of your green beans into your mouth and check your fingernails to be sure that there's no dirt under them before you come to the table. My family deliberately misbehaves when we go there just for the fun of getting in trouble and being made to stand in the corner. (For some real fun, blow your straw paper at your server!) The meatloaf served here beats my mom's carapace-encrusted tomato monstrosity by a far cry, and the other comfort food on offer isn't bad either. (Sorry, Mom).

First recommendation!

2009-06-14T17:12:00.003-04:00

Bob S in New York says that he always enjoys the meatloaf from Bob Evans, a midwestern restaurant chain. Apparently, it looks like this photo. Any one care to comment?

Welcome!

2009-06-11T14:46:00.003-04:00

I was frustrated at not being able to find a good meatloaf meal while on the road. Then it struck me: why not harness the power of the internet for the good of mankind? And so this blog was born. But I can't do it alone, so I'm calling on you, fellow road warriors, to help. Submit the locations of diners, restaurants, roadside stands, or any other place that you feel has a meatloaf so good, it's worth stopping your vehicle for. Descriptions, prices, and photos are more than welcomed. America, won't you join me in this quest?