Road Food

[winesonoma]

When I'm out on the road, I try to plan ahead a little. But how does one chose where to eat? I hate the chains,

but can you find good local food easily? Ask at the gas station? Look in the yellow pages at the gas station?

[Jensen]

Whenever I plan a road trip, there are a few different ways I research where I'll eat:

* checking out the area through Yahoo listings

* the forums on Roadfood.com (assuming you mean real road food as opposed to just "where to eat in [insert destination name here]")

* searching restaurant reviews in the local papers' websites

I've found some pretty good ones through the latter, including fabulous enchiladas suizas in Eugene OR, a great little bistro in Laramie WY, and some damn good barbecue in North Little Rock AR!

[Amy Viny]

I always use the egullet forumns. Whenever I travel I'll search the cities I am visitiing and I've found great places. Egulleters are current, and very honest, often offering far better advice than any guidebooks or magazines. In fact just this weekend while visiting Boston I enjoyed tooling around the North end per a great Egullet post. The Modern Pastry shop described in the post was a fab spot my family loved which we would have never found on our own.

[Genny]

We do 2 kinds of "road trip". First is the 'Bomber Run' in which we go, get there and are in familiar territory with family. In these instances we eat at old favorites and on the way it is my husband's driving motto "We gas, pee and eat in one stop!" So that is boring, usually Taco Bell or Wendy's (NEVER McDonalds for anything other than breakfast...do you know what they do to their beef?????!!!) The second is travel to a new place for leisure. In these instances we have historically checked with local sources when we get there, the hotel consierge, local magazines, talking to people we meet there. We (sadly) have not been on one of this type of trip in a while so next time we get a chance (should be this summer) I will do some queing of my fellow eG's and website searches

[Holly Moore]

First, get off and stay off the Interstate. If that's impossible, take a small town exit, drive away from the plastic places surrounding the exit. Most any small town, especially most any small town in the south, has at least one good eatin' place. I'll drive down Main Street and the side main streets. Can usually find a promising place.

Or ask. My resources: sheriff's or police office, fire department, local newspaper editor. But never, never, a motel desk clerk. Never.

Finally, keep driving. Don't cave and end up at a Denny's or McD's. Hang in there. There is road food out there. You'll know it when you find it.

[Chris Amirault]

In addition to the suggestions above, I'd see what folks in the know have to say, including our own Holly Moore and the inestimable Jane and Michael Stern.

[Jensen]

Or ask.  My resources:  sheriff's or police office, fire department, local newspaper editor.  But never, never, a motel desk clerk.  Never.

←

Unless it's the owner/clerk of a restored Route 66 motel in Tucumcari NM. Then you can ask them.

I did make the mistake of asking a motel clerk for a restaurant recommendation in Toledo. (Okay, the big mistake was stopping in Toledo in the first place.) There was a young girl, maybe 12, in the lobby at the time and she told me that "there's a Bob Evans around the corner."

I'd never heard of Bob Evans. (What can I say? I'm a foreigner!)

The desk clerk passed a tired hand over his eyes, sighed heavily, and said "That's not a restaurant. It's a bar."

Apparently, he'd never heard of Bob Evans either! (Of course, this was the same desk clerk that didn't know what a corridor was...)

[kiliki]

I wish Holly's advice held true in the West. Without a doubt, some of the worst food you'll ever have is at mom and pop places in small western towns, so no, I can't always find good food. Where else will you get margarine with your pancakes?? So I ALWAYS research before I leave-even if all I can find is a local tourist guide online, I can make a pretty good guess as to where the decent places will be. Some guidebooks, like the Moon Guides, are surprisingly good at recommendations as well.

[jsolomon]

The other good people to check out are the delivery people. Stop by the UPS or flag down a UPS man. Hospital staff are also pretty up on where to eat.

[maggiethecat]

In addition to the suggestions above, I'd see what folks in the know have to say, including our own Holly Moore and the inestimable Jane and Michael Stern.

←

In Borders yesterday I noticed that there is an updated version of the Sterns's guide. And yes, eGullet is an honest resource here.

But get a cooler and pack some food, just in case. A well-planned Road Picnic is a beautiful thing.

[winesonoma]

I have a trip the end of the month and Toliver, bless his heart provided me with places that will work on this one. But what about Ely NV, Montana, Idaho. When you really are out there?

[MT-Tarragon]

I have a trip the end of the month and Toliver, bless his heart provided me with places that will work on this one. But what about Ely NV, Montana, Idaho. When you really are out there?

←

I don't know if Boise counts as "out there," but I had a great meal at Angell's Bar & Grill there a few years back -- a game plate: elk steak, quail and rabbit sausage. Mmm. Idaho Falls is a bit more "out there," but they've got Rutabaga's which was delicious. I haven't been through either place in a few years, but hopefully they are both still in business. I don't think I ever stopped to eat in Montana, so I can't help you there.

Edited to add the following:

You might also want to follow this developing thread to see if anyone posts recommendations there.

Edited April 19, 2005 by MT-Tarragon (log)

[Susan G]

I use eGullet, other food discussion boards, serendipity, and stop at every single VFD picnic or dinner I can find! I agree with getting off the Interstate to search for food, with the corollary that the fewer the choices, the worse the eventual pick will be. Towns with a single restaurant have little incentive to be good........especially if surrounded by miles of empty space.

Really, it's not all romantic B&Bs with great coffee and fresh muffins........or great BBQ........pack Plan B food so you're not miserable with hunger!

[Pan]

Before eGullet was an idea in anyone's mind, I looked for Greek diners with some Greek food on the menu and found that a pretty decent opportunity to get food that was at least OK. I actually found a more upscale Greek restaurant in the German Village part of Columbus, Ohio that was quite pleasant and good enough to eat at repeatedly. Even their regular and dessert wines were worthwhile.

[handmc]

Eg has worked for me every time. Pop into a state or city forum toss in a question and watch the replies roll in. I usually have too many choices and too little time the hard part comes figuring out which places are a must visit.

Don't always ignore the places listed on the blue highway signs. For example in VA I would have missed out on Dixie Bones BBQ in Woodbridge Va and there is a real nice German restaurant heading south on 81 on the other side of Va. Sometimes you have to take a shot and pray there are alot of rest stops later if you make a bad call...wait thats another thread all together

Edited April 19, 2005 by handmc (log)

[winesonoma]

I realize that it is a lost battle in small town's, except that I had the BEST biscuits and gravy and the Best Fish&Chips in Bouse AZ. I was there for the weekend. Kinda off the beaten track. Maybe the desert made me crazy.

[mizducky]

I do the usual research on the Web and in travel guides, including the AAA guides. But sometimes I just do what Holly recommends, pick a likely-looking exit off the interstate, and follow my nose (so to speak) towards whatever looks promising. I have had some mediocre meals that way, true, but I've also discovered some gems. And whatever else you can say for this method, one thing it isn't is boring. (Admittedly, I am easily amused ... )

[fifi]

First, I think you have to define what kind of road trip you are going on. When I used to travel on business, it often meant flying in to the closest somewhat major airport and then getting in a car and driving. (Many fabrication shops were in small towns and my general rule has been that if the place was in a three hour driving radius I didn't bother with a commuter airline. Since 9/11 that increased to four or five hours.) If the place I was visiting included taking me to lunch, I was in the hands of knowlegeable locals (well, most of the time) and had some really good eats. If I was on my own, I really didn't have time to explore or research. That is where the chains came in. In that case, I was eating to live on a short clock and that was ok.

But, then there is the meandering road trip that is undertaken just for the hell of it. That would involve much research and discussion. That would occur even if we are just driving from Houston to San Marcos to go to the discount mall. (They have a Le Creuset outlet.) On one of those trips, the research yielded a knock-out place for a Mexican breakfast. Darn. I can't remember the name. Anyway, eGullet is my best source. Then my next source was some of the guys at work that are into motorcycle cruising for good eats. They nailed it every time. A lot of them have cruised all over the country.

[Susan G]

But how does one chose where to eat?

←

OK, thinking about this a little more, I realized that I also use negative criteria for choosing where to eat:

- No Italian outside major cities if not on the East or West Coast. Can you say ketchup on spaghetti?

- Chinese in small towns if the Mandarin characters on the sign *don't* match the English name. I have no idea why this works, but it does.

- Restaurants with empty parking lots at noon are a no-no. The locals are telling you so. Disregard at your peril.

- No seafood at truckstops in the midwest. 'Nuff said.

- If your coffee was tepid and weak, the dessert will be soggy and stale........don't bother.

Anybody else use this kind of negative criteria?

[Pan]

[...]

- No Italian outside major cities if not on the East or West Coast.[...]

←

Even on the East Coast, it can be hazardous. I remember having a horrible meal in an "Italian" restaurant outside of Worcester, Mass. in 1996. Of course, there are doubtless way more bad than good Italian restaurants within major cities on the Eastern Seaboard, too.

[thecuriousone]

You might try the chowhound website. They usually come up with some good ideas.

My husband and I usually have a 6th sense about this. We find the gentrified area of a city, and start looking for a non-chain thats full of people eating (not just drinking). We then check the menu. It sounds like a simple process, but we have had very good results with it. If the owner cares enough to care for the outside, that usually means that it carries over into the kitchen.

[...]

- No Italian outside major cities if not on the East or West Coast.[...]

←

Even on the East Coast, it can be hazardous. I remember having a horrible meal in an "Italian" restaurant outside of Worcester, Mass. in 1996. Of course, there are doubtless way more bad than good Italian restaurants within major cities on the Eastern Seaboard, too.

←

[phaelon56]

Just last week I was staying for the night in Concord CA (bay area suburb of SF). Aksed the young lady at the hotel desk where I might find some interstign ethinc cusine in the area such as Vietnamese, Thai, Ethiopian or others. She assured me that "the plaza across the street has lots of great restuarants - must be a dozen fo them!".

Yeah. Fuddruckers, On the Border, Claim Jumper Steak House, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice... not an independent among them and nothing more exotic than Mexican food.

[Pan]

You might try the chowhound website.  They usually come up with some good ideas.

←

Thanks but no thanks. I'd ask here. But note that I was talking about 1996, when neither site existed.

[winesonoma]

Just last week I was staying for the night in Concord CA (bay area suburb of SF). Aksed the young lady at the hotel desk where I might find some interstign ethinc cusine in the area such as Vietnamese, Thai, Ethiopian or others. She assured me that "the plaza across the street has lots of great restuarants - must be a dozen fo them!".

Yeah.  Fuddruckers, On the Border, Claim Jumper Steak House, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice...  not an independent among them and nothing more exotic than Mexican food.

←

We in the Bay Area are very hurt you did not ask us.

[Chris Amirault]

I have a trip the end of the month and Toliver, bless his heart provided me with places that will work on this one. But what about Ely NV, Montana, Idaho. When you really are out there?

←

If you make it to beautiful Libby MT, be sure to visit the Libby Cafe and get the huckleberry flapjacks with the homemade sausage.