Each City's signature dish?

[Schielke]

Seattle- Beer or Salmon

Edited February 11, 2004 by Schielke (log)

[donk79]

Calling Half-smokes DC's dish is like calling french fries New York's dish. There's no connect.

[Alex]

I second Coney Dogs for Detroit.

Grand Rapids: Hmm. Dutch through and through, of the Christian Reformed Church + Reformed Church in America variety, with a bit of "ethnicity" around the edges. If I were being flippant (but accurate), I'd say the signature dish could be anything cheap, bland, meat-related, and plentiful. Not being flippant, I'd nominate banket -- puff pastry filled with almond paste -- along with windmill cookies.

[theabroma]

New York City: Bialys

Dallas/Ft. Worth: steak, Palm Beach sandwich (grilled pimento cheese - Dallas), corny dogs, bbq brisket, bbq pork ribs, Tex-Mex (the mo' yellow cheez, the better!)

Theabroma

[mnebergall]

I have lived in the DC area for over 20 years. The only places I see half-smokes are on the carts on street corners downtown. Affectionately know as "the dirt water dog." I think the carts in NY sell the same thing. Made by Sabretts. I don't think there is anything distinctly "DC" about them.

Having lived here for 20+ years, I have a hard time discerning any peculiarly "DC" concoction. Perhaps crabcakes, but that is more regional than "DC." Maybe "hot air."

Edited February 11, 2004 by mnebergall (log)

[hollywood]

Los Angeles - Prozac or Valium (take your pick)

How about omakase, deep fried catfish, smoked salmon pizza, bacon cheese burger, tuna tartare, garlic mashed potatoes, Cobb Salad and Hot Dog on a Stick?

Edited February 11, 2004 by hollywood (log)

[Al_Dente]

Washington, DC - half smokes

I've seen the occasional half smoke at hot dog cart vendors downtown, but I'd never associate it with DC. Not sure what I would say DC's dish should be. Crabs are more of a Baltimore thing.

Make a political statement-- PORK is DC's signature dish.

[cbarre02]

Pan...

Skyline chili is actually a brand of chili, and food chain, in the cincinati area. It's the kind of chili that is put on hot dogs, or into chili mac. It's sweet and greasy, I personally hate the stuff. None the less ask anybody from cinci about the stuff and i am sure they'll know about it.

[hollywood]

Pan...

Skyline chili is actually a brand of chili, and food chain, in the cincinati area. It's the kind of chili that is put on hot dogs, or into chili mac. It's sweet and greasy, I personally hate the stuff. None the less ask anybody from cinci about the stuff and i am sure they'll know about it.

What about the 4 Way?

[Carolyn Tillie]

Los Angeles - Prozac or Valium (take your pick)

How about omakase, deep fried catfish, smoked salmon pizza, bacon cheese burger, tuna tartare, garlic mashed potatoes and Hot Dog on a Stick?

Okay, in my 12 years in the city, I can attest to having dined numerous times on all you mentioned except the fried catfish... (where did THAT come from?)

I was tempted to say something that is akin to quintessencial California Cuisine like hamachi tartare with passion fruit coulis accented with pomegranate molasses zucchini blossoms and white truffle oil....

[Dave the Cook]

Pan...

Skyline chili is actually a brand of chili, and food chain, in the cincinati area.  It's the kind of chili that is put on hot dogs, or into chili mac.  It's sweet and greasy, I personally hate the stuff.  None the less ask anybody from cinci about the stuff and i am sure they'll know about it.

That's a good start, Cory.

More specifically, four things characterize Cincinnati chili:

1) Texture: it's nearly uniform, with every bit of stuff ending up about the size of a BB, enrobed in an orange-red sauce.

2) History: it was concocted by Greek immigrants. Both Skyline and Empire, Skyline's main competitor, have been dominated by Greek families, though I don't know if that's still the case.

3) Seasoning: the sweetness to which Cory refers is due mainly to cinnamon.

4) Application: there is an ordering ritual associated with Cincinnati chili parlors. It has to do with what the chili goes on (usually some form of pasta), and what goes on the chili (beans, cheese, onions, etc.) This array has been distilled into a verbal shorthand. I don't recall the exact arrangement, but it results in an order that sounds like a precis for a porn film: "Gimme Chili-Mac, three-way!"

[mnebergall]

Let's try to fill in some of the blanks.

I've never been to Buffalo but "Buffalo wings" sure come to mind.

For Milwaukee, I'd have to say bratwurst.

For Providence, I'd guess quahogs.

[hollywood]

Okay, in my 12 years in the city, I can attest to having dined numerous times on all you mentioned except the fried catfish... (where did THAT come from?)

Shiro, Chinois on Main, Parkway Grill, et al.

[alithea]

For Providence, I'd guess quahogs.

Oh yes, but they're stuffed, and called "stuffies"!

And for boston, I think baked beans is fairly appropriate, though no one actually eats them.

[adoxograph]

I vote Chowder for Boston, because that needs to get in somewhere. Hartford? Um, something imported from Boston or New York.

Is Barbeque for Kansas City going to drum up too much controversy?

[marie-louise]

San Francisco [to tourists]:

Crab Cocktail

Parisian sourdough bread

San Francisco [to locals]:

... that's harder! My nominations for must-eats when you come to the Bay Area are:

burritos

dim sum

Acme sourdough batard bread

"California Cuisine" a la Alice Waters / Zuni, and countless other places that emphasize fresh ingredients, simply prepared

something Italian in North Beach

Hog Island oysters

and last but not least, See's candy!

I'm missing a lot of things-help me out here.

Edited to ask-Stephenc, what's this list for? Will you keep updating for us, please.

Also, wanted to add that this California native loves Cinncinnati chili-I heard about it on another cooking board. It looked disgusting as I was cooking it (for some reason, ground beef is boiled in water instead of sauteed) but it was quite good. Every year or so I make a big batch in the winter.

Edited February 11, 2004 by marie-louise (log)

[Mabelline]

For Cinncinnati, don't you all put the chili on spaghetti, too? And what about those deepfried ravioli? Or do I have it all wrong?

[mnebergall]

Is Barbeque for Kansas City going to drum up too much controversy?

What other signaure dish for the city can you identify? My guess is that different cities can claim barbeque as their signature dish, but they would merely be pretenders.

[Flocko]

Salt Lake City:

I am not at all pleased to say that it is, without a doubt,...........lime jello!

[ludja]

Signature Dishes:

San Francisco: Cioppino

Sacramento: HangTown Fry (from goldmining days)

Albuquerque: Green Chile Stew, Carne Adovada, Sopapillas

Boston: New England Clam Chowder

Memphis: Memphis-style BBQ pork

Raleigh: Carolina Pulled Pork

Hartford (area): Lobster Roll, Hot Dogs, White Pizza

Also second votes on:

San Diego: Fish Taco

Providence: Stuffies (Baked, Stuffed Clams)

Edited February 11, 2004 by ludja (log)

[Squeat Mungry]

San Francisco:

Food:

Cioppino as mentioned

Chicken Tetrazzini (invented in San Francisco for Luisa Tetrazzini, an Italian coloratura)

Celery Victor (celery stalks immersed in chicken, veal and vegetable stock and served with a topping of salt, black pepper, chervil, tarragon vinegar and olive oil -- invented at The St. Francis by legendary chef Victor Hertler)

Crab Louis (invented At Solari's Restaurant In San Francisco)

Green Goddess salad dressing (invented at The Palace Hotel at the request of actor George Arliss when he was starring in William Archer's play, "Green Goddess")

It's It Ice Cream Sandwich (invented by George Whitney)

Beverage:

Mai Tai (invented by "Trader Vic" Bergeron)

Irish Coffee (developed at Buena Vista Cafe)

Martini (some say)

[dls]

Tampa - Cuban sandwich

[Mizzy]

I went to college in Indiana, and everybody there loved either: A. Waffle House, or B. Steak n' SHake (Barf!) I had the unfortunate pleasure of working there. Maybe a steakburger can be the indy food...or a steak n' shake chilli bowl over pasta.

[ronnie_suburban]

I went to college in Indiana, and everybody there loved either: A. Waffle House, or B. Steak n' SHake (Barf!) I had the unfortunate pleasure of working there. Maybe a steakburger can be the indy food...or a steak n' shake chilli bowl over pasta.

Once you get out of Indianapolis, Pork Tenderloin sandwiches seem to be wildly popular all over the rest of the state.

=R=

Edited February 11, 2004 by ronnie_suburban (log)

[cherrypi]

BUFFALO: beef on weck