 Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1
Loquacious
|
OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1 |
So as some of you know, I recently (okay 11 months ago) relocated from the Chicago area to Houston, TX. And for the most part, the food down here is not all that impressive. Sorry, no offense to the locals but your food choices suck. Aside from bbq, asian, and mexican, there's not too much tasty or original food here, mostly chains.
So anyway, I'm really missing certain things.... like getting a white castle(or what's affectionately known as a slider) or a gyro in the middle of the night, real pizza, or an Italian beef sandwich. And NO, James coney island does not sell a chicago dog, no matter what they call it! My wife is craving a pizza puff (people here have never heard of it). We're not junk food addicts...we just kind of miss the mom and pop places ...
Last week I found a gyro place right around the corner, tonight we stumbled upon Krystals. It's getting easier....
So, for you transplants and travelers... what are you missing from home?
And the rest of you... What is an absolute must have have? Where do you take visitors when they come 'round?
Stewart
.......
"It's outside your field of expertise."
"Poppycock normally is."
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 386
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 386 |
one word....Poutine! Pronounced "poo-teen" A heart attack in a bowl. Crispy french fries with mozzerella curds and piping hot gravy to melt the cheese! Now that I'm on Crestor I can't have it unless I sneak it when the wife ain't lookin'. Ha Ha EH!
1982 Pontiac Trans Am...K.I.T.T. in progress.
"It looks like Darth Vaders bathroom in here..."
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1
Loquacious
|
OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1 |
Saw that on one of our trips thru Canada, couldn't bring myself to try it.
Stewart
.......
"It's outside your field of expertise."
"Poppycock normally is."
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12
Complete Newb
|
Complete Newb
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12 |
I used to live near Toronto and now live in New York. Really miss poutine too! and Swiss Chalet chicken and TimBits!
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 885 Likes: 2
3/4 Throttle
|
3/4 Throttle
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 885 Likes: 2 |
Grew up in the Florida keys.. Seafood was all we ate, usually caught within hours of cooking. Around lunch time we would jump in a boat and come back 1/2 hour later with a dozen or more fresh lobster, crabs or conch. My dad was retired and did nothing but fish (deep sea), so Dolphin (mahi mahi) was a major staple. Twice a year, the shrimp would run and we would stay up all night netting them, winding up with more than we could fit in our second freezer.
No longer live down there unfortunately. With the cost of seafood, I'm lucky if I eat some once a month, and it's usually some frozen stuff out of a bag.
Cheers, Brad
To be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647 |
A subject close to my heart...
I relocated from Delaware to the Chicago area and I miss good old east coast food. First of all, the pizza here SUCKS! Ok, the deep dish pizza is ok, if you want to eat 1 slice with a fork and knife and be full. It's the thin crust pizza that's really bad, and why do they cut the pieces in squares? It's a round pizza! I miss floppy pizza that you have to fold to eat, philly cheese steaks, crab cakes, boardwalk style french fries with malt vinegar on them, steamed shrimp and Maryland blue crabs with old bay, scrapple, and Yuengling beer! But roundy rou're right about one thing, the hot dogs are top notch! I lived in Houston for about a year and the only food I miss from there is the crawfish boils. Went to a crawfish festival in Spring TX, I highly recommend it!
Last edited by KaiserSoze; 03/08/2010 1:08 AM.
06 America 904
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821
Bar Shake
|
Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821 |
Southwest born and bred. In Vegas for the last 43 years. One thing I would miss would be the carne asada chimichangas from Roberto's. Or the Saturday morning menudo 
Contra todo mal, mezcal; contra todo bien, tambiƩn
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 42
Greenhorn
|
Greenhorn
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 42 |
Haggis, neeps and tatties or deep fried mars bars mmmm...a Scottish national dish, all washed down with Buckfast Tonic wine or Iron Bru  Scotland first in the world for heart disease and proud of it 
When you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs your the one with the big Axe!
My Facebook
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964
Stickman Yogi
|
Stickman Yogi
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 12,964 |
I live in a predominately Italian community. If I had to move I guess I would miss my calzone the most. Calzone
Live to love, love to live.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,420
Oil Expert
|
Oil Expert
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 2,420 |
Here in St. Louis it's provel cheese, toasted ravioli, and Imo's pizza. The slices are thin, delicious, and cut in squares. Wouldn't have it any other way!
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,971 |
One of my favorite "travel" sites http://www.roadfood.com/There was a show on last night that featured Chicago's Wiener Circle http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Reviews/1306/wieners-circleLegend has it that after midnight, profanity is served up, along side special chocolate shakes. No camera's are allowed during the R rated shake creation process. Looked like a fun place to go. I was looking for Airguy & Glazer getting their late night dog on from Poochie, but no such luck.  Video contains expletives Poochie in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo1LPf9mnyU"I can't leave behind here to go whup nobody a``" And that's probably a good thing too
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,500
Learned Hand
|
Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,500 |
Quote:
Sorry, no offense to the locals but your food choices suck. Aside from bbq, asian, and mexican, there's not too much tasty or original food here, mostly chains.
Hate to say it, but if all you have found are chains, you aren't gettin' out enough. The state is full of great "Country Cookin" establishemnts that have been making Texas bikers full and happy for years!!!
Simply Country Cafe , Moss Hill, Tx- Great home cooking, and right in your backyard. They have a huge selection of pies that varies depending on the mood of cook each day. Go there- bring your friends.
Old Gallatin Store- Gallatin, TX- A real "hole in the wall" sitting in the middle of some great roads. Good home cooking.
The Shed Cafe- Edom, Tx, One of the best country cooking joints in the state (if not THE best). The pie selection is unreal- save room for a couple of pieces. A little farther North, but it's an easy lunch ride from Houston. The roads up there will make you grin as well...
The Hilltop Cafe- Fredericksburg, TX, Country cooking with a greek twist (sounds strange, but it's GOOD!). It's in the heart of the hill country, and can be done as a lunch ride from Houston (I know this for a fact, I met some friends from Houston/Galveston here for lunch!).
Koffee Kup- Hico, Tx- OK this one makes for a long days ride for lunch, but it has the BEST pie in the state hands down. Met the same friends from Houston here for lunch, so its possible as a day ride (but those guys are a little off kilter if you know what I mean...)
Also, don't forget the great food 2 hours east of you!
Steamboat Bills Seafood- Right off of I-10 in Lake Charles, LA- GREAT Acadiana Cookin'! The fried boudin is a specialty of of SW Louisiana, and Bill's is the best.
Great food is all around you, but you have to get out there and find it!!! Pick a Saturday, and a restaurant and I'll meet you there for lunch!!! 
Learning from my mistakes... again and again.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,210
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,210 |
Man I never fully appreciated the greatness of philly style food until I ordered a hoagie in Colorado...haha
And I was at a ski resort town so the "apparratus" cost me $15.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 413
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 413 |
Quote:
Here in St. Louis it's provel cheese, toasted ravioli, and Imo's pizza. The slices are thin, delicious, and cut in squares. Wouldn't have it any other way!
I don't miss Imos at all, but every once in a while I really miss the slingers at OT Hodges, & all the great local italian restuarantes on The Hill.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 162
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 162 |
Quad Cities area.
Well it's Whitey's Ice cream (old fashion hard serve) Their shakes and sundae's are the bomb. If you like soft serve, than Country Style, has bits of ice in it. Harris Pizza hand toss crust, get this cut into strips. The pizza is cut in half and than strips. Uncle Bill's Gryo's Other than that, mostly chain places, mexican or bar/grills. I'm bored with eating out around here. So if I ever move, the thing I will miss will be Whitey's ice cream.
Do not look back and ask why, look forward and ask, why not?
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1
Worn Saddle
|
Worn Saddle
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,432 Likes: 1 |
Quote:
So as some of you know, I recently (okay 11 months ago) relocated from the Chicago area to Houston, TX. And for the most part, the food down here is not all that impressive.
Man, I was just there for the Rodeo and we couldn't decide where to go there were so many choices: http://culturemap.com/map/food/?gclid=COaW3MbsqaACFRKfnAod7D8fag
And being on the edge of the Texas Bayou country you're really missing out if you haven't explored the cajun/creole genre of delights...
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. Herm Albright (1876 - 1944)
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647 |
Quote:
Man I never fully appreciated the greatness of philly style food until I ordered a hoagie in Colorado...haha
And I was at a ski resort town so the "apparratus" cost me $15.
Dude, people out here don't even know what a hoagie is.
06 America 904
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,210
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,210 |
yeah I'm pretty sure they called it a "sub sandwich" or something in Colorado. I knew it'd fall short, but we're talking a whole different kinda bread (think flatter) with pepperoni and ricotta and hot peppers or something wierd. It was insane. Heres what I'm used to. Now this is 30 minutes from Philly so its not "official" but its called the "Phat Mantua" (Mantua is the town I live in) Cheesteak with mozarella sticks, chicken fingers, bacon and french fries with honey mustard & ketchup  The thing weighs like 5 pounds and cannot be tamed..haha
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 973
3/4 Throttle
|
3/4 Throttle
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 973 |
I've never been one for thinking "I must have that to eat as I am in the area".
However as soon as we were in Germany on the way to the Euro rally my currywurst mit pommes und mayo radar went into overdrive.
Such an easy thing to make anywhere in the world but it just don't taste the same unless served by a sweaty Turkish guy from the back of a wagon.
Having said that Nick directed me to a fine shop in Bielefeld that served a quality currywurst.
I'm just a bloke of simple tastes.
Before the war on terror, if I saw an unattended package I used to think "I'll be having that!"
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,382
Learned Hand
|
Learned Hand
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,382 |
Stew, when I used to visit friends in Houston they would take me to a place called Dirty's. They have an extra large, big plate full of Chicken Fried Steak. If I remember correctly they call them Big 'Uns. Great meal with a couple of beers on the side. Pizza there sucks.
Tony G
'03 America
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7
Monkey Butt
|
Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7 |
Whenever I go somewhere I try to eat whatever the locals are famous for. Usually pretty good, but I'm NOT recommending lutefisk if you go to Minnesota. 
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,728 Likes: 5
Should be Riding
|
Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,728 Likes: 5 |
Quote:
Here in St. Louis it's provel cheese, toasted ravioli, and Imo's pizza. The slices are thin, delicious, and cut in squares. Wouldn't have it any other way!
don't forget bbq pork steaks!
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537
Check Pants
|
Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537 |
Here in Maryland, we eat a lot of these: I'll be up in Mystic CT on Thursday evening. I love their Stonington scallops, they are usually the size of a decent shot glass in width and about 1" thick. The best scallops I've ever had, for sure!
Al
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 525
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 525 |
In Rochester, NY, we have the garbage plate. Its ohhhh so good. (Though it should be served with rolaids). It is truely something to be experianced, and best experianced half an hr after last call. Nick Tahous
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,728 Likes: 5
Should be Riding
|
Should be Riding
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,728 Likes: 5 |
Quote:
Here in Maryland, we eat a lot of these:
I'll be up in Mystic CT on Thursday evening. I love their Stonington scallops, they are usually the size of a decent shot glass in width and about 1" thick. The best scallops I've ever had, for sure!
man, last time I was in Maryland I had that experience... sooooo delicious!! 
Always remember to be yourself. Unless you suck. Then pretend to be someone else.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647 |
Quote:
Here in Maryland, we eat a lot of these:
I'll be up in Mystic CT on Thursday evening. I love their Stonington scallops, they are usually the size of a decent shot glass in width and about 1" thick. The best scallops I've ever had, for sure!
Oh yeah! I drag the wife back home for 4th of July every year, we get a couple bushels and some beer and eat crabs until we're sick. For a midwesterner she's gotten really good a picking em!
06 America 904
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537
Check Pants
|
Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,537 |
This new Balmure treat just popped up on another forum: Cap'n Crunch French Toast
Al
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 269
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 269 |
Quote:
There was a show on last night that featured Chicago's Wiener Circle

Sorry, I was thinking of something else. 
Southern Missouri has the giant breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. You can just hear your arteries popping shut as you eat it.
I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. - Will Rogers
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 713
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 713 |
It's salmon here in the pacific northwest!! But after living in southern Italy for 7 years, I still miss their pasta. Real homemade pasta with FRESH tomato sauce and olive oil. Their pizza's are very different from the U.S. but they're so good and fresh.
Have a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, a touch that never hurts. - Charles Dickens
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7
Monkey Butt
|
Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7 |
Quote:
Southern Missouri has the giant breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. You can just hear your arteries popping shut as you eat it.
Those are real big here in Iowa too. We could never find them in San Diego when I lived there. I send a frozen package of them to a buddy out there twice a year.
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 478
Adjunct
|
Adjunct
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 478 |
A subject close to my heart, too...
I too miss Philly (w/ Velveeta, Cheez-whiz in a pinch) cheese steaks, crab cakes, boardwalk style french fries with malt vinegar on them (are we talking Thrasher's), steamed shrimp and Maryland blue crabs with old bay, and scrapple (it's not just for breakfast, anymore). As for beer, miss Pearl and Dixie, but that, Little Adam, is another story....
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7
Monkey Butt
|
Monkey Butt
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,630 Likes: 7 |
Quote:
A subject close to my heart, too...
I too miss Philly (w/ Velveeta, Cheez-whiz in a pinch) cheese steaks, crab cakes, boardwalk style french fries with malt vinegar on them (are we talking Thrasher's), steamed shrimp and Maryland blue crabs with old bay, and scrapple (it's not just for breakfast, anymore). As for beer, miss Pearl and Dixie, but that, Little Adam, is another story....
I enjoyed scrapple when I spent some time in Philly. I asked a local buddy what was in it. He replied that I didn't want to know. 
We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,580
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,580 |
 Locally produced food? Well I guess that leaves me with beer, marmite, beer, Branstone Pickle and beer OK the Branstone is no longer produced here, but it was invented here and takes it name from a nearby village were it was first produced If I go a bit further out (approx 10 miles) I could include Nescafe coffee, but we don't talk about that  Oh, did I mention beer? 
Too old to die young, too ugly to leave a good looking corpse
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,113
Learned Hand
|
Learned Hand
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,113 |
I have simple tastes, so it would be: Pork and Stuffing Batch, washed down with a good Ale. 
Paul.
"If at first you don't succeed... So much for skydiving."
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821
Bar Shake
|
Bar Shake
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,821 |
Branstone Pickle with ham and sharp cheddar. Excellent  oh yeah, and beer.
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1
Loquacious
|
OP
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,611 Likes: 1 |
I was, more or less, talking about the kind of places I could carry out on my lunch hour, pick up on my way home, or even go to in the middle of the night.
There are plenty of sit down places to eat here.
Nuthin- I may just take you up on that. Pick a day.
Stewart
.......
"It's outside your field of expertise."
"Poppycock normally is."
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,606 Likes: 2
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,606 Likes: 2 |
Hate the stuff myself...but others seem to love it and its a local favorite that seems to bring great happieness...well the faces here say it all.... 
THE VOICE OF REASON
per: Stewart
AF&AM/Shriner/Scoutmaster
130/45 TBS 2shim SS Uni 18/42
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,647 |
Quote:
(are we talking Thrasher's)
Oh yeah.  Thrashers fries and Grotto Pizza :drool:
06 America 904
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,590
Check Pants
|
Check Pants
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,590 |
37 replies & no one has yet mentioned Ma Baensch's pickled herring tidbits in wine sauce on a saltine cracker. I guess that's technically an Hor d' ou.....Hor DeVer.....the stuff you eat before a regular meal  jh
"It's not what I say that's important, it's what you hear" Red Auerbach
|
|
|
 Re: Regional food.....?
|
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,580
Loquacious
|
Loquacious
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,580 |
John, I think you ment Horses Dodahs
Or a 'Starter', as us yokals call it
Too old to die young, too ugly to leave a good looking corpse
|
|
|
|
|