Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Road Trip USA: Las Vegas To Manhattan


Daniel

Recommended Posts

OK.. Sorry for the long over due submission of my road trip.. Me and my girl did a rather exhaustive 4 day trip from Las Vegas to Manhattan going the southern route with one driver. It was alot of fun and not too difficult until you take into consideration a 24 hour stop in New Orleans.. I dont have much time for Vacations, so we try to make the most out of the time we have. So we rented a convertible mustang on a thursday afternoon and with plans to be at work by tuesday morning.. I would say thats pretty normal..

I DAY ONE: This first place is a few hours outside of vegas.. Right before dirt road that leads you to the grandious canyon. It looks like a dump from the outside, but wait till you go inside.. Its even shittier.. Complete with one of the scariest party rooms I have ever seen... It was a gift shop/pirate bar. You could also purchase a Rosie's t-shirt with your very own iron nazi cross on it.. I bought a dozen for friends and family.

gallery_15057_181_1100633275.jpg

i got a cheese burger there and a couple of beers.. The burger itself was really good. The only problem with the burger was the bun completely fell apart.. It must be difficult to keep bread in 100 degree August desert heat.. Here is a picture of the board.. It amazing how much stuff they have crammed into that little space.

gallery_15057_181_1100633302.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DAY TWO :Gus Balons is a great little breakfast place.. The meals are huge, the prices are low, and they have a dozen or more different types of cream pie.. Now this is a way to start your day. Eggs pancakes and hash browns.. Like 3 bucks or something ridiculous. gallery_15057_181_1100633586.jpg

I know breakfast so far was pretty pedestrian .. I didnt get the fried porchop and eggs, or the massive amount of ham.. So i had to make up for it with dessert in the desert. One was a caramel cream pie and the other coconut.. They were awesome. I should have just had a few more slices of pies for breakfast..

gallery_15057_181_1100633612.jpg

Next stop New Mexico.. I can remember the place we stopped but it was horrific. I was imagining fields of chile peppers and people roasting them road side when we crossed the state, but that wasnt the case.. In fact, i dont think we saw more then 10 people in the entire state.

I got chile relleno, a enchilada, and a chicken taco.. It came with refried beans and yellow rice. Even though i didnt see any growing peppers, the spice of the food certainly indicated there presence. The picture doesnt look too bad, but this place was one of the worst places i have ever eaten. At least it didnt get me sick.

gallery_15057_181_1100633632.jpg

We drove into texas where i saw one of the prettiest sunsets I have ever seen.. It was like being in a painting. gallery_15057_181_1100633655.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100637144.jpg

That night we arrived in Senora Texas.. The place was very interesting. Not much going on besides a gas station, a couple of motels, and a damn fine burger place in that gas station. My girl friend still talks about this burger.. It was medium rare, with everything on it.. Mustard, mayo, ketchup, and lots of chiles. The fries were excellent too.. Who would have thunk at 2 am at a gas station this was going on.. Great stuff!

gallery_15057_181_1100633678.jpg

Edited by Daniel (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 3: The next morning we woke up and were on the road.. I was excited to see texas in the day.. There is a stretch of route 80 that resembles what one of my pictures of heaven might be.. The road just smells like one large smoke pit.. There are these huge signs just inviting you to come in a check them out.. Its just awesome.. The only disappointing thing is there are only so many meals one can eat in a day.. For me its around 7-8.. hehe. First stop, our fine presidents favorite BBQ place. Coopers.. 50 years and still smoking says the sign. Now standing in line with me at 9 am is an 80 year old man who makes sure to tell the trimmer that his wife wants an extra fatty piece. God i love texas.

gallery_15057_181_1100633701.jpg

This is the best brisket i have ever had.. Its just awesome, not too dry, the fat snaps when you bite into it.. Juicy, smokey, fantastic.. I think it was hickory. Now i ask you, what person could possibly drive by this scenario.

gallery_15057_181_1100633729.jpg

So that was in the morning.. Now its around 12 and we arrive in San Antonio River Walk.. This place is really cool.. Lots of restaurants and bars running along the Rio Grande on either side..

There were a bunch of places to choose from we decided to have a couple of margaritas at one place, and lunch at the county line

gallery_15057_181_1100633923.jpg

You know just a little something to hold me over for lunch number 2 down the road aways.

gallery_15057_181_1100633947.jpg

Smoked Turkey, smoked brisket, beef and pork ribs and some sausage.. The turkey was awesome, everything else was good.. The turkey was peppery and smokey, really juicy. We also had deep fried cheese balls served with a ranch dipping sauce.. Those were good as well.

A few hours later we were driving in Houston.. We didnt have time to stop in the city because we were on a mission to New Orleans.. Right before the city we saw a sign that I felt derserved investigation.. Unfortunately my instincts were incorrect.. The place was average at best..

gallery_15057_181_1100634097.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634121.jpg

It looks alot better then it is.

Next stop New Orleans.. We arrived at New Orleans around 8 oclock.. We/ I forgot the camera, or more likely left it at the hotel because the likelyhood of keeping the camera safe on a Saturday night in NO is not good. We went to Emerils and had a terrific meal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Day 4: The next day we started really early with a couple of hurricanes/beers and some seafood. What a way to start the day.. Give me some shrimp and oysters and leave the eggs for baking cakes.

gallery_15057_181_1100634149.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634171.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634196.jpg

Oh how i miss you New Orleans.

Next we did a quick lap around the square and then went for some PO Boys.. Frankie and Johnnies seems to be the place to go.. I have been to Mothers and like the price and food better at FJ'S. We got an order of fried green pepper rings, a Soft Shell Crab and an Oyster PO Boy.. The soft shell crab was outstanding.. Outstanding i tells yah.. The creaminess of the sauce mixed with the hot creamy crunchy soft shell crab, the cold lettuce and tomatoe with the soft bread.. Awesome. I see this in my near future.. The rings and oysters were good, but the crab cant be beat.

gallery_15057_181_1100634322.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634344.jpg

Notice the mans happy strut upon leaving this fine establishment

gallery_15057_181_1100634372.jpg

Next stop Winztels oyster house in Mobile Alabama... Since we were on a tight schedule and wanted to eat at three places in mobile, we had to conserve our strengths and could only get a few things at each place.. At Winztels we had the gumbo.. This is by far and away the best gumbo i ever had and want... It was just terrific. We also had a west indies crab salad.. People have raved about this dish.. To me it was fair.. Crab was mushy, it was like a ceviche.. I could live without it.

gallery_15057_181_1100634398.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634541.jpg

Next stop was Dreamland bbq.. When you go to sit at Dreamland, they immediately give you a loaf of white bread and a bowl of their famous bbq sauce served hot.. I knew this place was going to be awesome the second i tried the sauce.. They sauce was fantastic..

gallery_15057_181_1100634577.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634605.jpg

Unfortunately, that was as good as it gets.. The pork was pretty much tasteless. But that sauce, i bought four jars and use it on lots of things. Beans were good too.

At this point I was really full, uncomfortably full i would say..This definately cushioned the blow of the Brick Pit being closed.. I will return i promise.

gallery_15057_181_1100634627.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DAY 5: We stopped at a Peach Farm somewhere.. It was a really cool place.. We bought Peach Cider, and boiled peanuts, different homemade hot sauces, and some moonshine.. Haha. I wish, just kidding. We then went on to Charlotte to the Coffee Cup.. This place is incredible.. Great food, great service, and great vibe.. The best iced tea i have ever had... I could not believe they were able to get something so sweet with out it turning into a syrup.. Very good.. Best catfish I have ever had. Great mac and cheese, greens, and yams. And really good fried chicken.. Sylvia is the queen of soul food.. I dont think so.

gallery_15057_181_1100634654.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634788.jpg

For dinner we made it to Virginia. and the southern kitchen.. This place was highly touted and i thought it was pretty average.. Southern food definately good, but destination worthy, well its hard to say after the coffee cup.. Again we wanted something light.. So we went with deep fried chicken livers and french fries.. Peanut Soup, a oyster soup which was basically butter and oysters, and an order of onion rings.. The soups were so so buttery and i couldnt believe they were allowed to serve it.. The livers were awesome. And great to dip in the soup. The coleslaw tasted like ambrosia.. Very strange.. Alot of sour cream.

gallery_15057_181_1100634819.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634842.jpg

gallery_15057_181_1100634920.jpg

We then headed to manhattan stopping at White Mana right before the holland tunnel.. It was a great trip. A little hectic, but it was great to see the country..

Edited by Daniel (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great photos Daniel, thank you! Of course after reading this I could kill for a piece of fried chicken and some good bbq!

Barbara Laidlaw aka "Jake"

Good friends help you move, real friends help you move bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I went here on my road trip, too! And tried the West Indies Salad. Was Pinky your waitress?

JJ Goode

Co-author of Serious Barbecue, which is in stores now!

www.jjgoode.com

"For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together..." -Fat Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats funny i was just going to ask you about Winztels on your post. My waitress was a girl about my age around 28 who was into traveling to rock concerts. She stands out in my memory because she seemed more like a surfer then a waitress in the middle of alabama.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thats funny i was just going to ask you about Winztels on your post.  My waitress was a girl about my age around 28 who was into traveling to rock concerts.  She stands out in my memory because she seemed more like a surfer then a waitress in the middle of alabama.

That is a strange thing to see in Alabama! Wintzell's was a great place, though. Tons of character.

JJ Goode

Co-author of Serious Barbecue, which is in stores now!

www.jjgoode.com

"For those of you following along, JJ is one of these hummingbird-metabolism types. He weighs something like eleven pounds but he can eat more than me and Jason put together..." -Fat Guy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Which Dreamland did you go to?

Next stop was Dreamland bbq.. When you go to sit at Dreamland, they immediately give you a loaf of white bread and a bowl of their famous bbq sauce served hot.. I knew this place was going to be awesome the second i tried the sauce.. They sauce was fantastic..

We were at the one in Tuscaloosa this spring and thought it was very good. The white bread and sauce just makes me laugh!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

gallery_15057_181_1100634920.jpg

We then headed to manhattan stopping at White Mana right before the holland tunnel.. It was a great trip. A little hectic, but it was great to see the country..

Thanks for that great post!

What was the meat item that you got at White Mana?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The picture above my last statement is from Southern Kitchen where you can see the two soups, the fried livers, french fries, onion rings and slaw .. At White Mana, i didnt have batteries in the camera.. But we ended up getting a couple of burgers with pickles and split a french fry.. Why i still remember this is beyond me.. Hehe

Edited by Daniel (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was a GREAT POST!!!

What’s more impressive is how you had the same shirt on in all the restaurants and didn’t seem to get a spot on it from all that eating .  :biggrin:

Different shirts jerko. Hehe. And more then a lot of stains. I was dipping the catfish from charolette into the bbq sauce on my sleeve from texas.. hehe.

Edited by Daniel (log)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...