244322 Tue Oct 26 14:14:30 -0700 2004 7 19 Outer Boroughs 0 1297596 After a small dispute a couple of weeks back about veal parm heroes I went to chps two weeks ago for a sandwich. I called ahead and was told it would be ready in 20 minutes(a thursday at 11:30) so I headed over. I parked in front and walked in to a warm greeting and was told it would just be another minute. The owner, Marie, was asembling my sandwich and was telling me how the food writer Ed Levine was comming by for lunch. Just then he walked in and as she finished my sandwich we chatted. He seemed like a nice guy and he mentioned that he was working on a piece for the Times about Italian heroes. When I asked what he was having he said a chicken parm and a meatball hero. He told me that you have to call the day before if you want a meatball hero. As for the sandwich is was great. In the past my main complaint was the bread, I thought it was to heavy, it was a yellow semolina type. This time it was a long, nubbly and crusty baguette style. The meat was two round thick pieces. While I personally prefer it thinner, it was perfectly tender. The round pieces on the long narrow bread made for some fun nibbling. The sauce and cheese were terrific. A tremendous sandwich, well worth going out of the way to eat A little while later as I strolled past chps with my Lemon Ice King, lemon ice, I noticed Ed Levine still in the store. Talk about connected, the guy was sitting in the kitchen with the owners laughing and eating. Tue Oct 26 14:14:30 -0700 2004 0 stuartlafonda 1 1297616 Ed Levine has been promoting them for years - they have good stuff, but they do take forever to get it ready, and I personally like the mozzarella cheese more at Mama's, a few blocks away. I know that Moma's is more commercialized and that Ed Levine considers the CHPS ground zero for Mozzarella, but my taste buds say otherwise. Interestingly, the woman at the Latticini on Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg (Georgia is her name, but I can't remember the name of the place itself) once told me that she is a cousin of the owners of the CHPS, which they verified, although they never see each other. Both cousins spoke of the other's location as if it was in California... Tue Oct 26 17:00:43 -0700 2004 1297596 0 John Franco 2 1297670 I have no complaint about the wait. It was probably just under 30 minutes from call till it was in my hands. As "tigerwoman" writes, the people are so pleasant (although the daughter can be a little gruff)that you don't might the short delay. I also love Leo's and looking at your e-mail address I assume you have enjoyed the Leo sandwiches at Shea. The turkey, mozz and gravy is a great sandwich. That it is available in the food (and baseball) wasteland at chez shea is a miracle. Wed Oct 27 11:36:48 -0700 2004 1297616 0 stuartlafonda 1 1297644 my mom who passed in 98 was a well loved customer at CHPS. Even though she wasn't Italian, lived in Forest Hills and didn't go there weekly however, whenever she went, they would get a chair for her to sit down at the end of that tiny counter and have a long chat about family and life. My mother was very sick in the end and they always treated her with extra love and tlc. In fact, Mary Ann came to our house to pay a shiva call when my mother died - and asked her Jewish dentist what she should bring (cookies from Storks) We love their chix parm. I will have to try the meatball hero trick. She's a wonderful old fashioned cook and Frankie makes the best sausages and salamis. They are good people and Ed Levine recognizes that. They work so hard to produce the type of product that is fast dissappearing. Wed Oct 27 03:38:16 -0700 2004 1297596 0 tigerwoman 2 1297660 Does anyone know if they make an eggplant parm sub? And if so, is it good? Wed Oct 27 10:24:04 -0700 2004 1297644 0 Abbylovi 3 1297668 they do and its really good. Wed Oct 27 11:16:38 -0700 2004 1297660 0 josh L 4 1297769 the eggplant is REALLY good. my grandmother would roll in my grave if she knew i said this, but it is the best. i am humbled by her eggplant, it is that good. Fri Oct 29 12:24:22 -0700 2004 1297668 0 alice1derland 1 1297780 I didn't know that rule about the meatballs. I've ordered and received meatball heroes on the spot (well, within half an hour, anyway). Fri Oct 29 14:20:27 -0700 2004 1297596 0 Peter Cuce