Time to let the cat out of the bag

[robyn]

Why don't you just go to Golden Corral?  All you can eat - and the food is decent (especially southern veggies in the south).  I go there when I'm on a veggie kick - although I avoid the fried stuff.

You can get BBQ (all you can eat ribs for whatever numbers of dollars) in Charleston - and the rest of the south for that matter - but - since Charleston is a top food city in the south - and the US - it would be a shame to portray the city in that light.

I'm not sure what the point of this show is.  How to get fat on $10/day or less?  When you get to the south - you'll see from the number of double and triple wides - especially among people of lesser means - that we don't need any more help in that department.  I would respectfully suggest concentrating on quality as opposed to quantity.  Robyn

Robyn...Affordable, good food doesn't have to be fattening. Lots of working class folks (like cops) can't afford going to places that are $50 and up per person. There are a great many small places with excellent and inexpensive food that are NOTHING like Golden Corral. Not to mention that Golden Corral hardly qualifies as "off the beaten path."

I guess I don't understand the point of your post.

Would you rather Chris' show focus on delicious, out-of-the-way, little-known, four-star, expensive restaurants with our-of-the-way, little-known celebrity chefs?

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*I* am not sure what the point of my post was - I have just spent 2 *very* long days recovering from a hard drive crash - I'm not sure what people who don't keep backups do.

But - basically - from the perspective of the south - I don't think there are a whole lot of inexpensive (or expensive for that matter) out-of-the-way little known restaurants that are worth stopping your car for - much less a detour (after many too many disgusting meals - I've pretty much stopped trying to find them). That's just a fact of life given the proliferation of chains. And the chains - particularly those with buffets with lots of southern veggies - can be really good (fresh and simple). Just look at the parking lots. If they're crowded with locals - they're generally good. And - at such places - you can - more often than not - choose what you eat in terms of fattening/non-fattening (I wasn't kidding about Golden Corral - although it's not my favorite - it usually has a huge selection of veggies in all forms - and is certainly better than most of the sorry places that try to pass as "meat and threes" these days).

By the way - I don't eat pizza - and I only eat a burger perhaps once every month or two at home. I guess if that's what people are looking for - they're pretty easy to find everywhere (although I think it's a waste of a trip to eat that stuff when you're on the road - especially in a place like the south which has distinctive regional cuisines). Robyn

[robyn]

Robyn, we are going for quality, but with 5 segmants we would like to feature a good deal in at least 1 of them per episode...everybody loves agood deal....including myself!

←/

Will you be driving on your swing to Atlanta/Charleston/Miami? If so - your on the road time would probably be best for good deals. If you think you'll be in the Jacksonville area (which you probably would be if you're driving) - give a holler and I'll try to come up with some good ideas (Jacksonville hasn't found a buffet concept it doesn't like - there are dozens and dozens of them - and some are pretty good). Robyn

[Busboy]

Not sure in DC carryout culture is any more pervasive than anywhere else -- and a good amount of it is accounted for by chains -- but there are some good places.

There are the also the Hill Rat places, overrrun with 20-something would-be power brokers, a few sould food places in addition to Ooohs and Aaahs (which is no longer off the beaten path, but still quite good) and the places where tens of thousands eat every day: cafeterias in massive government buildings and the museums on the Mall. Maybe you can get into the Senate Dining Room for bean soup.

[Hill: We went to El Tapatio the other night. Not impressive except for the mole, which was damn impressive. On further thought, though, I'm not sure if an LA-based Food Network Prersonality who's also going to Houston and Chicago needs to find Mexican in DC. He should come up into my 'hood and hang with the Salvadorans, instead. Maybe we should consider exploring the Caribbean Stuff around Shaw and Howard U.]

[Chris Cognac]

Not sure in DC carryout culture is any more pervasive than anywhere else -- and a good amount of it is accounted for by chains -- but there are some good places. 

There are the also the Hill Rat places, overrrun with 20-something would-be power brokers, a few sould food places in addition to Ooohs and Aaahs (which is no longer off the beaten path, but still quite good) and the places where tens of thousands eat every day: cafeterias in massive government buildings and the museums on the Mall.  Maybe you can get into the Senate Dining Room for bean soup.

[Hill: We went to El Tapatio the other night.  Not impressive except for the mole, which was damn impressive.  On further thought, though, I'm not sure if an LA-based Food Network Prersonality who's also going to Houston and Chicago needs to find Mexican in DC.  He should come up into my 'hood and hang with the Salvadorans, instead.  Maybe we should consider exploring the Caribbean Stuff around Shaw and Howard U.]

←

Robyn, I think we are flying.....

Busboy....find me some "jerk chicken" or some Jamaician patties mon!...i dont plan to do Mexican unless its stellar.....I could do salvadoran....I am looking for a good breakfast and dinner as well.....

[hillvalley]

Not sure in DC carryout culture is any more pervasive than anywhere else -- and a good amount of it is accounted for by chains -- but there are some good places. 

There are the also the Hill Rat places, overrrun with 20-something would-be power brokers, a few sould food places in addition to Ooohs and Aaahs (which is no longer off the beaten path, but still quite good) and the places where tens of thousands eat every day: cafeterias in massive government buildings and the museums on the Mall.  Maybe you can get into the Senate Dining Room for bean soup.

[Hill: We went to El Tapatio the other night. Not impressive except for the mole, which was damn impressive.  On further thought, though, I'm not sure if an LA-based Food Network Prersonality who's also going to Houston and Chicago needs to find Mexican in DC.  He should come up into my 'hood and hang with the Salvadorans, instead.  Maybe we should consider exploring the Caribbean Stuff around Shaw and Howard U.]

←

The carryouts I'm talking about aren't the chains-these are independantly owned places where you and I would stand out like a sore thumb If my camera is working I'll do some research this weekend.

I think you're right about the Salvadorans or giving Carribean a shot. I'm still rooting for Ooohs and Aaahs though. It would be a good fit for dinner.

Busboy....find me some "jerk chicken" or some Jamaician patties mon!...i dont plan to do Mexican unless its stellar.....I could do Salvadoran....I am looking for a good breakfast and dinner as well.....

←

Chris-a little known slogan of DC is "Your Capital City, Where There is No Such Thing as A Great Breakfast." That being said, my favorite place is a little hole in the wall about three blocks from the Capitol called Jimmy T's. It's another one of those places where you will find Hill staffers and cops sitting next to each other Saturday morning.

What about Negrill for Jamaician?

[MarketStEl]

We are shooting Houston first....mid july it looking like...then maybe Chicago at the end of July, then around the 15th of August we will hit a 3 city swing of Charelston, Miami and Atlanta...hope that helps with everyones planning and research....Thanks a ton once again...now I am off to court in downtown L.A. for my real job...on my day off of course....uggh!

←

So you'll be in Philly in the fall, then?

[Jaymes]

I think you're right about the Salvadorans or giving Carribean a shot. 

What about...Jamaician?

How about the Aussies? Anywhere serving Aussie Pie? Oi oi oi?

[Busboy]

Not sure in DC carryout culture is any more pervasive than anywhere else -- and a good amount of it is accounted for by chains -- but there are some good places. 

There are the also the Hill Rat places, overrrun with 20-something would-be power brokers, a few sould food places in addition to Ooohs and Aaahs (which is no longer off the beaten path, but still quite good) and the places where tens of thousands eat every day: cafeterias in massive government buildings and the museums on the Mall.  Maybe you can get into the Senate Dining Room for bean soup.

[Hill: We went to El Tapatio the other night. Not impressive except for the mole, which was damn impressive.  On further thought, though, I'm not sure if an LA-based Food Network Prersonality who's also going to Houston and Chicago needs to find Mexican in DC.  He should come up into my 'hood and hang with the Salvadorans, instead.  Maybe we should consider exploring the Caribbean Stuff around Shaw and Howard U.]

←

The carryouts I'm talking about aren't the chains-these are independantly owned places where you and I would stand out like a sore thumb If my camera is working I'll do some research this weekend.

I think you're right about the Salvadorans or giving Carribean a shot. I'm still rooting for Ooohs and Aaahs though. It would be a good fit for dinner.

Busboy....find me some "jerk chicken" or some Jamaician patties mon!...i dont plan to do Mexican unless its stellar.....I could do Salvadoran....I am looking for a good breakfast and dinner as well.....

←

Chris-a little known slogan of DC is "Your Capital City, Where There is No Such Thing as A Great Breakfast." That being said, my favorite place is a little hole in the wall about three blocks from the Capitol called Jimmy T's. It's another one of those places where you will find Hill staffers and cops sitting next to each other Saturday morning.

What about Negrill for Jamaician?

←

Negril? Naaah. Maybe. Already discovered.

But let's make a date for next weekend to do a little location scouting up 14th Street and Georgia Avenue where yuppies like us are afraid to go. Been meaning to do that for a long time, this would be a good excuse.

[Chris Cognac]

I had the most amazing jerk chicken and lobster in Negril Jamaica with the Jamaica Gleaner critic Rosemary Parkinson (she wrote about it in the Jamaicain paper)...Jerk would work, but if Negril is trendy than we should find another place...is there a Jamaican consulate in DC?...Bet those guys know where to get some....

as for Philly....we are now thinking early Sept....as of today its going to be Chicago in mid to late July and then Charleston, Miami and Atlanta in late August (one big trip) then NYC/Philly next and then Boston and Houston then last but not least L.A....we want to finish 8 shows by Oct.....our first delivery is now Nov 1. It seams like a long time but I have to do this on my days off from work and a vacation I have planned for august (sans my week in Mexico w the family)...whew...gonna be a busy summer!

IF you can can get some pics that would help a lot!

Edited June 22, 2006 by Chris Cognac (log)

[KatieLoeb]

as for Philly....we are now thinking early Sept

This can be an excellent time of year to visit. Weather (if not unbearably hot and humid) can be very pleasant and conducive to walking around.

So you want we should look into the kielbasa factory? There's also a great big Polish market (Krakus Market) that has really good frozen pierogies in lots of different flavors right there.

Also good dive bars in that same neighborhood with good crabs (Bonk's or Byrne's) and pitchers of cheap lousy beers.

Tacconelli's isn't far away either...

[Chris Cognac]

as for Philly....we are now thinking early Sept

This can be an excellent time of year to visit. Weather (if not unbearably hot and humid) can be very pleasant and conducive to walking around.

So you want we should look into the kielbasa factory? There's also a great big Polish market (Krakus Market) that has really good frozen pierogies in lots of different flavors right there.

Also good dive bars in that same neighborhood with good crabs (Bonk's or Byrne's) and pitchers of cheap lousy beers.

Tacconelli's isn't far away either...

←

We are looking int the polish thing ....dive bars....could work as I got a drink in the pilot...but we need a good one with cheap grub or a really cool drink, home brew beer, something like that....

[jscarbor]

My money is on Houston at the moment....we are already talking Viet food.....Pho, Pho and mo Pho, Pho me and Pho you

←

Don't forget Banh Mi. Make sure to go to Givral's in Houston for those.

←

Givrals,thiem ha, cali sandwich. They are all good. There is also a good viet fish joint with fish lunch specials for $4. Really good stuff. We have beef done 7 ways and fish done 7 ways joints. Mi/pho it goes on and on.

Houston could be just an asian circuit in the sw part of town where the streets are in Chinese? Viet?

Or we could hit our base of mexican as well. Machacada con huevo in the morning, viet (pho/mi) for lunch and some peruvian (seviche) at night. Hit 3 continents and feast for $20 on that day.

[Chris Cognac]

OOOHHHHH!

are the street signs really in Viet? I might go for some Mexican there as it will be the best of the trip except L.A.

[jscarbor]

OOOHHHHH!

are the street signs really in Viet? I might go for some Mexican there as it will be the best of the trip except L.A.

←

I have no idea officially what language the streets are in but it is certainly asian of some sort.

I can say that yesterday was a great food day for me. I hit Sandong Noodle House for Beef Noodle Soup and pan fried dumplings. The funny thing is the perso I took usually eats "asian" food at PF Changs and his comment was something like "that order of dumplings would cost $15 at PF, what a bargain here for $3.50. Its a big plate of 12-15 dumplings.

For dinner it was grilled fish and a peanut lamb curry at Himalaya. Ohh my was that good!

[MarketStEl]

OOOHHHHH!

are the street signs really in Viet? I might go for some Mexican there as it will be the best of the trip except L.A.

←

I have no idea officially what language the streets are in but it is certainly asian of some sort.

←

Then it's probably not Vietnamese, which is written using the Roman alphabet, with diacriticals all over the place.

[misstenacity]

I just found out this evening that my brother is the DP (Director of Photography, aka "the camera guy") for the show. Cool! We were chatting on the phone about me taking a cheap SW flight to visit in early August and he said, "well, I'll be away for awhile on that Food Network show..." and finally we put all the puzzle pieces together.

Too bad New Mexico is not on the trip list, but maybe if the show gets "re-upped" for more episodes... That would be great.

Chris: of course you've got me for research on all things Southwestern - I can also help with any Phoenix/Tucson/El Paso/Denver digging for hot spots.

Andrea

http://tenacity.net

[I Dream of Tiki]

we want to finish 8 shows by Oct.....our first delivery is now Nov 1. It seams like a long time but I have to do this on my days off from work and a vacation I have planned for august (sans my week in Mexico w the family)...whew...gonna be a busy summer!

IF you can can get some pics that would help a lot!

How do you want us to send you pictures? What exactly are you looking for? Interiors? Exteriors? "Character" shots of the places we're recommending? Adjectives help. Thanks.

[Chris Cognac]

we want to finish 8 shows by Oct.....our first delivery is now Nov 1. It seams like a long time but I have to do this on my days off from work and a vacation I have planned for august (sans my week in Mexico w the family)...whew...gonna be a busy summer!

IF you can can get some pics that would help a lot!

How do you want us to send you pictures? What exactly are you looking for? Interiors? Exteriors? "Character" shots of the places we're recommending? Adjectives help. Thanks.

←

a good "street" shot of the front, inside if you can....maybe an upclose and some pics of the food you order....that way we can go over stuff and plan ahead as much as we can..

Thanks a ton for anything you can do....post the photos in this thread if you can....that way we can all go over them together!

and what a trip about Andrea's brother being our Director of Photography...small world!

right now its looking like "Philly/Boston" as the first shoots starting July 26....but that could change.

[Sony]

Hi!

Thought I saw the promo for your show- turns out that it was some new show for Paula Deen's boys, not you....just saw the tail end of the commercial where they were talking about travelling in search of good food.

Anyway, I'll be keeping my eyes open for yours! Continue to eat well....

[Chris Cognac]

Those guys are way more handsome than me!...I will be the fat bald guy in a cool aloha shirt...with a big smile!

[Andrew B Hurvitz]

Hello, Folks-

I am going to be working on Chris Cognac's new show, doing research. I have been on Egullet for a few years, mostly reading up on (nobody get offended) restaurants in France where I went on vacation two years ago.

However, I am very excited to be a part of the "Culinary Detective" team and as I understand it, our first two cities will be Boston and Philadelphia. I know there have been a ton of leads in Philadelphia, and we also will need your input for Boston (and other cities to come).

I was born and raised in Lincolnwood, IL just north of Chicago. I moved to Northern NJ in high school and frequently travelled around the NY Metropolitan area. I went to college in Boston at BU, and also lived on the Upper West Side of NY and now reside in lovely Van Nuys, CA.

I look forward to hearing from you and participating in your discussions.

Sincerely,

Andrew

[Chris Cognac]

Welcome to the team....now we can all try to make sense of the masses of info eG people have given us!

[hillvalley]

Negril? Naaah.  Maybe.  Already discovered.

But let's make a date for next weekend to do a little location scouting up 14th Street and Georgia Avenue where yuppies like us are afraid to go.  Been meaning to do that for a long time, this would be a good excuse.

←

Should we hit it before or after Komi Let me know when and I am there.

Hello, Folks-

I am going to be working on Chris Cognac's new show, doing research.

←

Andrew-could you tell us about how you are conducting your research, other than reading eG? Will you be coming to the different cities and trying the restaurants out? How do you decide what's in and what's out? How much do we have to bribe you to make sure our favorites make the cut?

[Andrew B Hurvitz]

To all my friends in Philadelphia:

Any opinions on these restaurants? Are they the "best" in their ethnic category? If you have eaten at any of these, what do you remember about them?

Dwight’s Southern BBQ (best BBQ in Phila?)

Merion Station: Hymie’s Merion Delicatessen (Jewish)

Lakeside Chinese Deli (best dim sum?)

Old Brauhaus Restaurant (German)

Thanks, Andrew

Edited June 27, 2006 by Andrew B Hurvitz (log)

[Andrew B Hurvitz]

Negril? Naaah.  Maybe.  Already discovered.

But let's make a date for next weekend to do a little location scouting up 14th Street and Georgia Avenue where yuppies like us are afraid to go.  Been meaning to do that for a long time, this would be a good excuse.

←

Should we hit it before or after Komi Let me know when and I am there.

Hello, Folks-

I am going to be working on Chris Cognac's new show, doing research.

←

Andrew-could you tell us about how you are conducting your research, other than reading eG? Will you be coming to the different cities and trying the restaurants out? How do you decide what's in and what's out? How much do we have to bribe you to make sure our favorites make the cut?

←

I've been using a number of Philadelphia sources to try and find the best and the undiscovered, but those two categories are usually not mutually exclusive. I posted a new topic, "Philadelphia's Best" to try and see if anyone had any comments on four restaurants. I would link you to that post but I don't know how to work this Egullet thing.