NOAH’S ARK WAS A SANDWICH
Local eats on the road with Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship
by John Svatos
Editor’s Note: Omaha has developed a reputation as a ‘music town’
around the nation so we figured a good way to visit some of the food our
community encounters was to talk to one of the finer bands in Omaha
as they hit the road. John Svatos, guitarist and lead singer for Noah’s
Ark was A Spaceship, takes us on a culinary tour of the band’s fare
on a recent road trip.
M
any believe that life on the road is glamorous for the
members of a touring band. In actuality, it can be a
grueling, tiresome process. Despite the monotony that life on the
road may bring, I consider myself fortunate to have traveled the
country several times with my band, Noah’s Ark Was A Spaceship.
We have traveled from New York City to the desert playing
shows, and have found regional meals to be one of the most
comforting parts of these taxing tours.When the nuts, fruit and
tuna packets in our van’s cooler are no longer appealing after a long
drive, we enjoy discovering great food in a new city. As we travel
on a budget, this is a highly anticipated and enjoyable change in
routine for my band-mates and I.
“Learning about the food culture
of another city while simultaneously
awakening one’s inner rocker can
only be described as worldly
perfection.”
When traveling with my band, I have always found that the best
way to experience a new place is to eat what the locals eat.
For example, in a big city there is a never-ending plethora of
restaurants in which to dine. We usually pick spots within walking
distance to the venue or district we are playing.
Take a city like Chicago, for instance. Every time we play there,
we pick a new place to eat. One particularly amazing place is a
10
gourmet hot dog joint called Hot Doug’s. There is usually a line the
wraps around the building of this casual restaurant, but it is totally
worth the wait. They serve the traditional Chicago-style hot dog,
which includes an all-beef frankfurter on a steamed poppy seed bun,
neon green relish, chopped onions, tomato wedges, yellow mustard,
a pickle spear and celery salt. While this dog seems extreme, this is
only the beginning at Hot Doug’s. They have a huge, ever-changing
menu that includes something for everyone. They even have exotic
game sausages such as elk, bison, and alligator if you are feeling
adventurous. Everything is fresh, delicious and affordably priced.
Hot Doug’s is a must-stop spot
for visitors to Chicago.
Moving on to the eastern
part of the United States, you
will find one of my absolute
favorite sandwich restaurants of
all time. If you are in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, please do yourself
the pleasure of grabbing a
sandwich and a cold beer at one
of the Primanti Bros. restaurants.
Originally designed by truckers
who wanted a sandwich that had
“If you are in Pittsburgh, please
do yourself the pleasure of grabbing
a sandwich at one of the Primanti
Bros. restaurants.”
all the fixings inside so they could eat on the go, the Primanti Bros.
is no ordinary sandwich. Starting with two huge slices of Italian
bread, the inside of every sandwich contains a scoop of sweet Italian
coleslaw, fresh cut French fries, two tomato slices, sharp provolone
cheese and almost any type of meat you can think of.
My personal favorite is Capicola, a spicy Italian ham, or good
quality pastrami. Be warned, however: Primanti Bros. does
absolutely no substitutions. If you do not want tomato, or perhaps
you prefer fries on the side, too bad. What you see is what you get!
This place does not mess around and is a great way to get the true
Pittsburgh experience.
Another unique and fun restaurant to visit on the East Coast is a
Washington, D.C. landmark called Ben’s Chili Bowl.
Located next to the Lincoln Theater, Ben’s Chili Bowl is a historic
restaurant that has been a favorite among several presidents and
celebrities alike. Ben’s Chili Bowl is famous for its chili dogs,
sausages and delicious milk shakes. One of my favorite items on the
menu is the Half-Smoke, which is a pork and beef sausage topped