Going on a road trip

[Terrasanct]

My daughter and I are planning a road trip in April of 2011. This gives us time to plan, save money, and schedule. We'll be meeting in Salt Lake City and taking a route through the Southwest and South, coming back a bit farther north. The states will include Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio (Cleveland area), Indiana, and Missouri. If I haven't forgotten any. Utah isn't known for its cuisine, but we have to have scones, which in Utah are like frybread or doughnuts. I know the middle of the country is known for various types of barbecue, and I lived in New Jersey for a while and the food there is really good. So what would you suggest for all the other states? What are the best things to eat? We won't have too many meals in each state, of course.

We'll just be going into NYC as far as I feel like driving--I'm a bit afraid of driving in a big city--but I know that's the food Mecca. If there's anything on the outskirts, it might be easier. I don't think Carnegie Deli will be on the agenda this time, but I'd like to say I've been to New York, anyway. As far as other cities are concerned, we're more interested in small towns and suburbs, but we just want to see interesting things and have good food and fun. All suggestions are welcome.

[rooftop1000]

For the "South" are you thinking rt 95 corridore or along the coast and up the DelMarva to NJ?

When you get to NJ we can go to Kinchleys in Mahwah for thin crust pizza then take the train to the City

tracey

[BeeZee]

I would check out Jane and Michael Stern's web site

http://www.roadfood.com/

I used to enjoy their articles in Gourmet magazine, they find the most iconic foods from various parts of the country...not always the most obvious.

[Terrasanct]

I don't have a map in front of me, but we'll be going through Shreveport and New Orleans, clipping the edge of Florida, and passing through DC. We lived in Villas NJ when my daughter was very young so we're going down there before heading up to NYC.

Is it easy to take a train up? I realize we could spend a lot of time in the city, but it's only a two week trip for six thousand miles.

[Terrasanct]

I used to love their books. I got my first one when I lived in Wyoming, where there was no cuisine to be had--the joke was that when you went into a restaurant, the waitress would ask how big you wanted your steak. Not far from the truth. I would read the book and want to travel to Maryland to eat a crab boil, or go to Carnegie Deli or try an egg cream, whatever that might be!

[NancyH]

Can you narrow down the types of cuisine/restaurants you are looking for? Cleveland has a huge amount to offer; I'd like to narrow it down a bit since your stay will be so short.

[Terrasanct]

We'll try anything. We're most interested in the real food that people eat every day, not expensive restaurants or haute cuisine. What is Cleveland known for? We'll probably be having one dinner in Cleveland. I'm hoping to get the expertise of locals.

[Jaymes]

Do you have your exact route - highways - mapped out?

I'd love to give you some suggestions, but, for example, 'Texas' is a pretty big state. Which parts are you planning on traveling through?

[Terrasanct]

Here is the map as we have it planned so far. I'm sure it will change in the next months to come, but this is the basic idea. There are a few places we want to see or are meeting people, but most of it is flexible.

http://tinyurl.com/ylbdw6q

[baroness]

Looking at your route -- Cape May may still be in its winter "hibernation"; I've driven through in late March and found a very pretty ghost town.

[Terrasanct]

That's okay--I've been there in midsummer and it's crazy. Quiet is okay with me.

On another topic, I want to try all of the distinct forms of barbecue in the states I'll be passing through. I'm somewhat ignorant on the topic, but I know there are various sauces, meats, and methods. I'm a barbecue fan, so I'd like to sample some of the best of each if I can.

I'll have to make sure to be at my training weight before I start the trip.

[Jaymes]

On another topic, I want to try all of the distinct forms of barbecue in the states I'll be passing through. I'm somewhat ignorant on the topic, but I know there are various sauces, meats, and methods. I'm a barbecue fan, so I'd like to sample some of the best of each if I can.

Then you absolutely have to come through Central Texas. You can find plenty of Texas-style brisket and smoked sausage all over the state, but it's definitely not representative of the best that Texans can do. In fact, it's often not even in the same league. You probably should plan your route through Austin anyway, as there's much fun available there, and a lot to see and do. It's really one of the great towns in the entire country. And San Antonio, too. Multi-cultured, multi-layered. And in the environs lie the small towns of Taylor, Lockhart and Luling. Best-case scenario would be to spend the night before in Dallas. Get on the road south to Austin fairly early. Be in Taylor for an early lunch at Louie Mueller's (about 10:30 or 11), and then arrive into Austin around noon or so - early in the day. See the sights of Austin, eat some terrific TexMex or something else indicative of Austin, then rise early the next morning, have a breakfast taco, hit the road south to Lockhart for Smitty's, Black's, Kreuz. Then on south to Luling for City Market. Luling is on I10, which you're probably trying to get to anyway. You do backtrack west somewhat for San Antonio, but it's only a half-hour or so, and I'd suggest you don't miss San Antonio. You should make it there early afternoon, time to see a few of the best things. Next morning, get up early and do a little more sightseeing. In the afternoon, back onto I10 for Houston and NASA, etc., only 3 hours or so down the highway, where you stop for your last night in Texas.

[Terrasanct]

So...brisket in Texas, then. If I had more than two weeks I could see more of each state, but it will probably just be one or two meals in most states.

[Jaymes]

So...brisket in Texas, then. If I had more than two weeks I could see more of each state, but it will probably just be one or two meals in most states.

Well, now that I check out your map, you're going through Amarillo in the north of the state, and then to Oklahoma. Frankly, I am Road Trip Girl, and I've lived in most of the southwestern states you're passing through, and have driven through them all, many times. I'm not aware of any really great Texas-style barbecue along your route through Texas. I don't mean to disparage Oklahoma - it's a beautiful state and I drive through it often - but if I were planning a sightseeing/eating trip, I'd probably suggest that after Albuquerque, you drop south through New Mexico - truly the land of enchantment with spectacular sightseeing and terrific food - to El Paso, and then to Dallas, then south to Austin/San Antonio, and across to Houston and then, during daylight, on that remarkable I10 bridge across the swamps to New Orleans.

__________________

Edited January 19, 2010 by Jaymes (log)

[PopsicleToze]

For New Orleans, you can't miss with Mr. B's Bistro for 2 of the most famous dishes, gumbo and barbecue shrimp (really not barbecued at all, but braised in butter and spices). See the links below for pictures and descriptions.

Gumbo YaYa, http://www.mrbsbistro.com/recipes_gumbo.php

Barbecue Shrimp, http://www.mrbsbistro.com/recipes_shrimp.php

Most people will only eat homemade gumbo at someone's house in New Orleans, but next to that, Mr. B's Gumbo YaYa is a fantastic version made with a dark roux base with chicken and andouille.

If you would prefer breakfast planter's style, try Breakfast at Breannan's. It's not cheap, but it is a marvelous experience. It's more of a brunch, and you won't be eating lunch afterwards. My personal recommendation, however, is to go down to Cafe du Monde for cafe au lait and beignets -- maybe not the best food in New Orleans -- but one of the best experiences IMHO. Then walk on the levy awhile and enjoy watching the barges meander along the bend in the river.

Rhonda

[Terrasanct]

Jaymes, that was the original route, but I have a friend in Tulsa. We might change the route to see her on the way back, though. A year of planning can work the bugs out.

[Terrasanct]

Thanks, Rhonda--New Orleans is one of the places I'm most looking forward to visiting.

[Jaymes]

Jaymes, that was the original route, but I have a friend in Tulsa. We might change the route to see her on the way back, though. A year of planning can work the bugs out.

That would probably be my suggestion. A southern route there, and a more northerly route home, perhaps along old Route 66 (through Tulsa) for part of the way.

[Busboy]

Well, as you come up the East Coast through Virginia and Maryland, you definitely want to try some crabs. A little early in the season, you may have to settle for softshells. And shad roe is an increasingly popular spring dish. Hard to tell so far out but Kincaid's in DC should have it on the menu then. For the crabs, I reccomend coming up Rt. 301 (rather than 95) and keeping an eye open for something on the roadside. Cantlersremains a favorite crab house.

DC has all manner of excellent food, from burgers to foie gras (or burgers with foie gras), but you may just want to slide into Little Ethiopa, in the general vicinity of 9th and T NW at hit Etete or Queen Makeda, for arguably the best Ethiopian food in the U.S.

[SaltySnack]

In East Texas, there's a small local chain of barbeque restaurants called Bodacious but I don't know if they have made it north to the Texarkana area. Bodacious barbeque is pretty damn good even if it's not the mecca of central Texas barbeque.

I would skip barbeque in shreveport and go for seafood, italian, or Tex-Mex at Superior Mexican Grill. And if you're going through Natchitoches you have to have a Natchitoches meat pie. And then there's someplace that people stop for pie going to Baton Rouge. Lee's pies? I don't know, My family goes west along I-20 to Texas not south.

[PopsicleToze]

For meat pies in Natchitoches, La -- Lasyone's Meat Pie Restaurant

http://www.lasyones.com/

It's a little hole in the wall place 1 street behind main street, but they're great.

Rhonda

[kayb]

A couple of points: You do not have Memphis on your list. If you want to sample barbecue, it is absolutely criminal not to go to Memphis, where they purely and simply have the best barbecue in the world, notwithstanding Texas, Kansas City, North Carolina or otherwise. (And that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

You should choose from among Interstate (order pulled pork, ask for sauce on the side); Cozy Corner (barbecued cornish hen); Central (ribs, pulled pork, or anything else); or Germantown Commissary (anything, but do not miss the deviled eggs).

It looks as though you're going through Texarkana. Stop at Bryce's Cafeteria, old-fashioned cafeteria, unadorned Southern cooking, for a very accurate sample of how the locals eat.

[dividend]

If your route takes you through Kansas City, Oklahoma Joe's is a good iconic choice, and easy to access from the major interstates, if you're passing through for lunch. Natives will argue for days about who has "the best" BBQ, but you definitely won't regret OK Joe's if it's your one KC meal.

[Peter B Wolf]

If your route takes you through Kansas City, Oklahoma Joe's is a good iconic choice, and easy to access from the major interstates, if you're passing through for lunch. Natives will argue for days about who has "the best" BBQ, but you definitely won't regret OK Joe's if it's your one KC meal.

.............and past Kansas City, in the middle of the State:

Russell Meridys Restaurant & Lounge 1220 S Fossil St, Russell (785) 483-4300

They serve some great steaks any time of the day.Breakfast anytime u want. Their breakfast steak is just wonderful. A daily noon buffet is featured also ssome evenings and weekends. Y ou may want to call ahead for reservations especially on holidays. Take a visit to Barneys lounge any evening full menu served here also .They have a wonderful banquet room for large parties and will cater out if u want.

The food is excellent!

.........I had the Breakfast Steak twice within six weeks, plus each time I bought one to go. Out of this world. It's a 14oz Ribeye, near "Prime" quality, skip what comes with it and only chomp on the salad

[Jaymes]

It looks like you might be heading west on I70 through St. Louis. If that's right, I'll recommend the Blue Springs Cafe, about 50 miles or so east of St. Louis.

Blue Springs Cafe