Food

Beat the Spread

Your Super Bowl Delivery Guide

Six days from now, alliances will be forged. Battle lines drawn. Denver vs. Seattle. Commercials vs. DVR. Chips and salsa vs. perfectly smoked meat. Okay, that last one’s easy. So arm yourself with these Super Bowl party snacks, and prepare for a few extra attendees this year.

BURNT NOTICE

Burnt Ends from the Grill MD

The Usual: Burgers on the grill.
The Upgrade: A platter full of double-smoked burnt ends from the Grill MD. The good doctor is cooking up these fatty hunks of brisket with a thick crust of seasoned bark and serving them with scratch-made barbecue sauce. You probably know someone who’d like that.

LONG LIVE THE KING

King Ranch Casserole from Holy Ravioli

The Usual: Seven-layer dip.
The Upgrade: Not seven but still many layers of chicken, red bell peppers, cheese and cream sauce combined and baked into a balanced meal of King Ranch casserole. Just stick it in the oven and give the people what they want. Which is beer, but also a heaping plate of this.

RED ZONE

Luscher’s Post Oak Red Hots

The Usual: An uninspiring package of Ball Park franks.
The Upgrade: These handmade, Chicago-style sausages from Brian Luscher (the Grape). They’re smoked over oak wood and ready to be piled high with the carnivorous adoration of your friends. And probably some mustard and sport peppers, too.

SPHERE FACTOR

Meatball Bar from Capriotti’s

The Usual: A sandwich tray from Capriotti’s.
The Upgrade: A meatball bar from Capriotti’s. Because while sandwiches are respectable, anything called “meatball bar” trumps anything that’s not. In this case, you’ll get a vat of homemade meatballs simmering in marinara. Hey, those would make a good sandwich.

TORTILLA FLATS

Quesadillas from Quesa-D-Ya’s

The Usual: A plate of nachos, maybe a taco or two.
The Upgrade: The 14-inch quesadilla from the aptly named Quesa-D-Ya’s. Request some grilled meat, veggies, cheese and whatever else you’d like as a topper. Bucket of queso seems right.