Time to let the cat out of the bag

[crouching tyler]

Congratulations. You asked for suggestions - I 've got one for you:

In Atlanta, there is a yellow, cinder-block building that houses the Havana Sandwich Shop. My mother lives in Athens, Ga - I live in Seattle. Every time I get into Atlanta airport, exhausted after a 5 hour flight from Seattle, and dreading the 1.5 hour drive to Athens, I bolster myself with a stop at Havana for a medianoche and a mango batido. It is a little ways off I-85 (take the Druid Hills exit).

I am sure the Atlanta e-gulleters have a host of other fabulous spots, but I thought I would share this one.

The best thing about it, besides the dose of real food and the friendliness that accompanies it, is how I found it - one day after a long flight, getting off the highway in search of something other than fast food, it appeared like a slice of salvation:

1. Yellow

2. Cinder block

3. Bars on windows

4. Full parking lot

5. the word Havana

It could have been a diasaster - but it was just what I had not yet known that I was looking for.

On a later trip, I took my California brother-in-law there, straight from the airport (he was visiting Georgia for the 1st time to go to a golf tournament). He actually blushed when he was asked, "What can I get for you, sweetie?" by a woman with strange mix of a southern and a spanish accent.

Good luck with the show.

edited, as usual, for clarity

Edited June 13, 2006 by crouching tyler (log)

[Chris Cognac]

Coffee , heck I am a cop, I live on that stuff (Igot back from NYC at 10 pm and had to work the streets at 5 am today) so trust me when I say I love it...and Cuban in Atlanta.....I am married to a Cuban so it will be interesting to see.....sounds like a really good option....

keep em coming!

I am gonna try to post those threads for each city but am at my "real job" right now w no time....maybe later this evening...

Edited June 13, 2006 by Chris Cognac (log)

[SheenaGreena]

I don't "know" you or anything, but congratulations!!!! Finally a show on FN that is worth watching. If you need any advice on Boston, I'm your lady!

[SheenaGreena]

Tacos Lupita

13 elm st

Somerville, MA 02143

Try the tortas (steak, chicken, tongue) and the burritos

Pho So 1

223 Adams St

Dorchester, MA 02122

Best Pho in all of boston

Santarpio's Pizza

111 Chelsea St

E. Boston, MA

Great pizza and lamb sausages

I'll list more as they pop up in my head

[LA_food]

Chris,

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

I always thought it was strange you taking Alton Brown to El Gringo's, now I see there was a method to your madness.

You've blazed a trail that I hope some of the other fantastic EGullet contributors will follow. Maybe EGullet TV someday

[RachaelN]

Oh that's terrific! I can't wait to see it all come together...

[carpetbagger, esq.]

Lindy's Red Lion

2040 I Street Northwest/Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

Washington, DC 20006-1805

202 785 2766

burgers...lots of 'em. get a double ___ and some cheese fries. it's popular with the gw crowd as it is practically a stone's throw from the dorms.

[Busboy]

What do you consider "off the beaten path?" We have one of the few -- possibly the only -- "Little Ethiopias" -- in the country. We have Central American, rather than Mexican, for our Latin food. And we have the Mini-Bar, serving avant-garde 40-course meals. There's a smattering of Soul Food, the great Vietnamese strip mall and, of course, all the little neighborhood joints.

Let us know what sounds interesting and we'll see what we can turn up.

[Gifted Gourmet]

Looks like we have a great opportunity to let the Food Network see the real Atlanta ... hope to hear some great ideas from our local food enthusiasts ... Julia, Tryska, Therese, Milt, Thomas, Dave, Collins, Greg ... just to name a few of our regulars ...

Off-the-beaten-path ... hmmm ...

maybe Watershed in Decatur for classic Southern cuisine? (too mainstream really...)

Fat Matt's Rib Shack on Piedmont for barbecue?

Tamarind & Nan Thai for authentic Thai cuisine?

Havana Sandwich Shop

more on Atlanta here

[akebono]

the best kept secret is a fried chicken shack

in forrestville MD...

it is on Marlboro Pike in PG county

it is called "The Golden Skillet".

hands down the best fried chicken on the planet.

it is in a pretty sketchy neighborhood,

but well worth the trip.

[golden brown]

The restaurant at the Rough Creek Lodge in Glen Rose, TX. About an hour+ outside of Dallas. Very off the beaten path. Well worth the trip.

http://www.roughcreek.com/dining/

[bjcohan]

Chris, that is *fantastic* news!!!

When you hit Philly, let me add my voice to the chorus of those offering help.

I have a little different perspective, having worked (as a prosecutor) in this town for nearly 30 years, and I also run a Mexican-French restaurant with my chef-husband. (Friends joke that I ruin people's lives by day, and dole out alcohol and chocolate by night.) I'd be happy to introduce you to some of the foodies among Philly's Finest!

Feel free to email me at barb*at*cohan*dot*com.

Barb

[artisan02]

For my regional two cents... I think the Heartland and the Southwest get overlooked, too often.

←

I second this...how about the NM towns/cities such as Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, and Las Cruces?

[Busboy]

Lindy's Red Lion

2040 I Street Northwest/Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest

Washington, DC 20006-1805

202 785 2766

burgers...lots of 'em. get a double ___ and some cheese fries. it's popular with the gw crowd as it is practically a stone's throw from the dorms.

←

The Red Lion would hold many fond memories for me, if I could only remember them.

Red Lion trivia: back in the day, when Red Lion Row was an actual row of houses rather than an office building with facades stuck on, the bar and the burger operation were separate, the latter being called Bonne Apetite ("The Bone," serving "boneburgers") and run by a woman named Diamond Lil, who was rumored to have been "friends" with Jimmie Hoffa. My favorite was the 19, "The Robert." Lil had also run a bar in the Row called, naturally enough, Diamond Lil's.

After renovation, the bar and the Bone were bought by the same individual and combined.

[gadgetgeek]

Its going to start airing in October...so we will be shooting most of the summer....and Holly...you are my go to guy in Philly...all I have to say it "cheesesteak" and not pats of geno's either.....I know you have got all the places down when it comes to good food in Philly!

PS you guys rule!

←

Congratulations Chris. We are all looking forward to your show for sure. Make sure you give Atlanta and the Suburbs a chance to make an impression on the audience. We have a highly ethnic and diversified population both inside the perimeter and OTP (outside the perimeter). Look one of us up for a pre-show tour so that you can catch the nuances that are here in the great state of Georgia.

.

[Jaymes]

I'm having a hard time understanding the philosophy here...

On the one hand, the phrase "off the beaten path" has been used repeatedly to describe the concept.

But then, there seems to be a list of cities that are nothing if not right smack dab in the big ol' middle of the beaten path. In fact, they define the beaten path.

Is it just me or is that puzzling to anyone else?

[nately]

Somerville in general has lots of good eats for your Boston show (same with Cambridge, except I wouldn't really consider most of Cambridge off the beaten path). It's not exactly a secret, but I think Vinny's at Night would be perfect for your show. It's an Italian place in Somerville, located in the back of a convenience store.

[Genny]

Holy Cow!!! Go MIA for a few weeks and see what I miss?!? This is the best news Chris, I'm so happy for you (and us too!).

OK the cities are set for the first 10, but you ***must*** hit the Phoenix valley too. It is a culinary mecca here for hole-in-the-wall places that serve fabulous food as well as James Beard winning chef driven restaurants. Pleeeeaaaaasssseeee! And if you need a personal assistant to run for coffee, or taste test for you, just let me know! Hell, I'll even travel if you'd like (on FNs dime, of course ).

You sure do make a fellow eGer proud!!

Best Wishes,

Genny

[Nishla]

Just a quick question...how far outside of Boston will you consider? Are the immediate suburbs of interest?

Anyway, here are a few off the top of my head:

Taiwan Cafe, 34 Oxford St in Chinatown. I know Chinatown isn't exactly off the beaten path, but this restaurant is definitely hole in the wall, and incredible. The hot basil eggplant is the best ever, and I'm an eggplant fiend. Also, the fried pork on rice, eel noodles, fish head hot pot, and a whole bunch of other stuff I don't know how to describe in english.

Baraka Cafe

80 Pearl St

Cambridge

Tiny north african (Tunisian?) place, with really tasty small plates. The smoked eggplant is my favorite, and try the lemonade.

Craigie Street Bistrot

5 Craigie Circle

Cambridge

Somewhat more upscale, they have pretty good deals on prix fixe menus after 9pm, and the food was really good.

Pupusa Guanaca

Centre St in Jamaica Plain

I haven't personally been here, but my best friend claims they have the best pupusa ever. She's also brought me take-out of fried yucca and chicharron, which were pretty darn tasty.

[TraciiTVCL]

I will have a no donut rule!...If we can ever show it we will....but the first thing anyone see's in the demo we made was me standing infront of a giant donut....it was really funny....I would like to see an ad or something along the lines of "for this cop, its about more than just donuts".....heck "more than just donuts" could be a cool t shirt, or even the new foodie mantra!

By the way, we are having dinner w one of the food net VP's tommorow night in NYC and I am dying to know where we are going...but he wont tell!

←

Well I know cops eat cake, but I guess Canada is a little far to come.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

OH Please tell me how you got over the fear of getting infront of a camera? I shake like crazy, my heart speeds up and my palms drip sweat every time. I never get used to it.

Edited June 14, 2006 by TraciiTVCL (log)

[Rebel Rose]

I'm having a hard time understanding the philosophy here...

On the one hand, the phrase "off the beaten path" has been used repeatedly to describe the concept.

But then, there seems to be a list of cities that are nothing if not right smack dab in the big ol' middle of the beaten path.  In fact, they define the beaten path.

Is it just me or is that puzzling to anyone else?

I don't find it puzzling at all. Perhaps Chris' producers could explain in more detail, but I think it only makes sense, if Chris' first season is to be a success, to focus on markets with strong local viewership, and for this particular concept, to also use cities that attract a lot of business travelers who would enjoy discovering interesting, affordable, non-tourist-trap venues.

[Bobby 2 Shakes]

One of the great things about Philly is the rivalries between nearby restaurants, ala Pat's & Geno's (for english-speaking cheesesteak eaters), Murray's & Hymie's delis, D'Alessandro's & Chubby's cheesesteaks, Charlie's Pizza and Franzone's Pizza out in the western burbs.

[jschyun]

grats Cognac. with your Culinary Detective column and ability to market yourself and network, it was only a matter of time.

[project]

Congratulations to you. You will likely have fun, meet a lot

of people good to know, learn some interesting things about

food from the food places you visit, build a <i>public

persona</i> for yourself, and maybe get a good start on a good

new career.

<br><br>

Alas, the program does not sound like one I would want to

watch.

<br><br>

I go to <i>food</i> programs on TV for exactly one purpose:

Plainly clearly <b>instructional</b> material to teach me to

be a better cook.

<br><br>

Your program does not sound very <i>instructional.</i>

Thus, for the food I see on the program, the program will do

little to teach me how to cook that food for myself, and I

will find no good reason to watch.

[tmgrobyn]

Way to go Chris! I would love to see the behind the scenes wrangling that led to this wonderful news! After your first season, and you truly get off the beaten path... I second the route 66 travels. There's a great little mexican place in Snowflake arizona. Best mexican ever, after San Diego that is.

I'll watch for certain. I watch to be entertained. There's nothing entertaining about MSM.