SCHENECTADY Legendary sandwich Morrette’s steak and bun draws TV show BY DAVID LOMBARDO Gazette Reporter
After making a steak sandwich on the griddle at Morrette’s, owner Micah Pasquariello started the procedure again, but this time spoke directly into the camera, demonstrating the process. With a thick white roll in one hand, Pasquariello used his other hand to manipulate a spatula that shuffled steak with melted cheese before dropping it onto the bun. Then a generous portion of peppers and onions were piled on. The hands working the griddle at Morrette’s King Steakhouse have changed over decades but the sandwich is a legend. Now it’s headed for national TV. On Thursday afternoon a fi lm crew took over the Schenectady eatery — founded in 1947 and a landmark on Erie Boulevard — to capture footage for an episode of the Travel Channel’s “Food Paradise” show that will feature great sandwiches. “I think we’re a perfect fi t for [the show],” said Pasquariello, who has owned the restaurant for two years and will be the face of the establishment for the show. Part of those responsibilities was sitting at the counter and talking straight to a camera — after another layer of “anti-shine” was applied to his face — and chatting in a casual manner about the unique attributes of the family restaurant. It required a few takes to get the interview down, with a producer helping him refi ne some of his comments. “That was interesting,” he said afterward, acknowledging that he had never done anything like it before. “I got comfortable for a minute and then all of a sudden I shelled back up,” Pasquariello said. “I’m a pretty good talker, so I worked my way through it. … We’ll fi nd out for sure in November when it airs.” REAL LIFE The restaurant continued to serve customers during the shooting, which took about four hours and extended through the dinner rush. Customers were informed of the filming by a big sign on the front door, then a member of the crew had them sign a waiver once they were seated. The restaurant didn’t resemble anything like the closed sets established in Schenectady for the filming of “The Place Beyond the Pines” last summer. Customers and staff walked in the background of shots and the crew even stopped at one time to move some lights so a customer in a wheelchair could exit. Pasquariello said the customers are part of the overall feel of Morrette’s, so he was happy to have them captured on film. In general, he hoped the crew was able to convey the “old feel” of the restaurant, which is part of its charm. Part of that feeling is on display on the walls of the restaurant, with knickknacks and pictures, including an original menu, tracing the decades of existence. Pasquariello wasn’t completely sure how his restaurant was chosen, but was under the impression that someone from the network had tried his steak sandwich and found it worthy. Tom Paige, of Rotterdam, who eats lunch at Morrette’s about three times a week and is a friend of Pasquariello’s, was eating there Thursday afternoon and said it made sense to highlight the restaurant. He said all the food is good, especially the pulled pork, steak sandwich and BLT, adding that the restaurant has great history and the service is “impeccable.” ............................>>>>...................>>>>...........................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00904&AppName=1
At least the homeowners in the city are not paying Morrette's taxes!
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Congrats to a small business owner who grew up in the area (Mr. Pasquariello happens to be a Schalmont graduate, although it's not listed here). Best of luck to you.
Well, the 'good' of this is that a 50 year old or better business that doesnt get a free ride on taxes or grants thru political connections get recognition! If Mplex heard beforehand about it, they would have tried to divert the TV show producers to go to a Mplex funded joint instead. You can be guaranteed of that.
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
You realize of course, that this thread totally debunks the "Box paradigm" of nothing good ever happening in Schenectady.................
The thread still has life... I wouldn't give up on it yet.
If this continues... I'll have to rephrase my Schdy motto to: Only One Good Thing Has Ever Happened In Schenectady... EVER!
The modern conservative is engaged in one of man's oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness. John Kenneth Galbraith
Logged
