OT - Regional eateries
To coattail on Nina's fast food thread, what local or regional eateries, not national chains, are in your area and worth s visit. Doesn't have to be gourmet, just really good.
Since moving to Louisville, I've discovered that no real Louisvillian actually eats at KFC. There's a reason for that, to whit, half the gas stations in town have better fried chicken than KFC. There are three contenders for best fried chicken in Louisville. Kings, Indi's, and Dixie Chicken. I've had the latter two and they're both so much better than KFC it's like comparing stripper OTC to HIV infected, crackhead street hookers. I've heard equally glowing reviews of Kings; it's next on my list.
These are my picks, others might beel differently.
For steak, it's Pat's Steakhouse and Del Frisco's. Both of them are at least on par with Ruth's Chris, and far more reasonably priced.
For fish it's Passtime, a place in Middletown that looks like an old broken down redneck bar, and Mike Linnigs, a more family oriented place in the western part of town. Irish Rover serves up a good fish fry too.
For burgers, Mussel and Burger Bar. Locally sourced beef. I'm told the other menu items are fantastic as well, but I'm not very adventurous.
In the so-called NuLu section of town, there's a ton of different ethnic places, and on Bardstown road you can find a hundred little specialty places. Jack Fry's is really good American food, but a little on the pricey side.
Comments
last commentI use TVfoodmaps.com when I am in an unknown area. It lists every place featured on the food network. I'm planning on going through Louisville on my way to Indianapolis around the 10th of January if everything works out ok. Was thinking about driving and making a trip out of it. I'll try to remember your suggestions in Louisville
Log in to vote
In vegas the best breakfast spot is a local mini chain. omelet house.
In la. King taco is your best bet for good cheap food. Fat sals and
Log in to vote
Three Brothers Diner in Danbury, CT.
The Little Pub or Hoodoo Brown's BBQ in Ridgefield, CT.
Log in to vote
In the Detroit area, Tubby's Submarines.
Log in to vote
Here is a plug for Del Frisco's:
www.youtube.com
I just finished watching the whole movie on Netflix
Log in to vote
Not my area but I thought for a chain Portillos makes some pretty good Chicago stuff.
We got a Jets near us now a Detroit pizza chain, I actually like and I’m usually not a fan of Detroit style pizza.
And I can’t really get the kind of cheesesteak I want unless I’m in Philly but Tony Luke’s expanded to up here and I like that spot.
I can’t think of one chain for NY food that I would reccomend this, isn’t Nathan’s everywhere now? There used to be spots called Weston’s hamburgers that my dad loved but I never got the chance to eat one.
Log in to vote
@Muddy: There are a couple of Jets here in Louisville now too. Their 8 corner pizza "pan" pizza is pretty good.
The best pizza places in town though are Impellizzeri's, Wick's, and Bearno's. By far.
@shadowcat: Is that movie supposed to take place in Louisville?
Log in to vote
GMD - Law Abiding Citizen was filmed on location in Philadelphia.
Log in to vote
@shadowcat: Huh. I wasn't aware that they were a chain. Though the website for the Louisville location claims that they are "the first Del Frisco's.
Log in to vote
Not sure how many locations there are but Dreamland Barbecue in Alabama is great. Haven't been in a long time but it was damn good.
Log in to vote
Best regional place I remember (all but gone now) was Charlie Brown's Steakhouse. At the height of their run I think they had 40 or 50 locations, mostly in NJ, a few in PA and NY. Mostly known for prime rib, but all their steaks were fantastic. Good selection of other stuff too like seafood, chicken dishes, etc. One of the main features was a massive all-you-can-eat salad bar that was hands down the best I ever saw in my life. And very professionally run from both a food quality and service perspective. You would almost forget it was a "chain" because they ran each location like a family-owned business. FAR superior, I mean WAY better, than its competitors back then like Beefsteak Charlie's, Sizzler, Ponderosa, etc.
Several ownership changes, a big scandal where one of the top executives was taking kick-backs from suppliers, then some guy was fired and sued for embezzlement of millions, recession beat them up a lot, declared bankruptcy and went through a reorganization, and it started going downhill.
Price increases, smaller portions, lower quality cuts of steak, high employee turnover... Sales gimmicks like putting bottles of wine on every table before you sat down and then asking which one they should open... WTF? When they got rid of real bacon bits on the salad bar and started using that crunchy artificial bacon-like substance, I knew it was over.
I think they were down to a dozen or less locations and then Covid killed them. There is only one left, which is the original location in Westfield, NJ that's been there since the 60's. I'll pop in there now and then. It's improved a lot, but not to the level it was at its peak.
Log in to vote
I miss Copeland's. It was a regional chain around New Orleans that wanted to be known for their cheesecakes, but their whole menu was great. My favorite one was located in Metairie next to the Huey P Long rail trestle. There was another in Harvey, after I moved to the West Bank, but the quality and the service were so bad I quit eating at that one. I always make it a point to have a brunch and a dinner there when I head back. Veal Copeland's and Carrot Cake for desert.
Log in to vote
In Vegas the best breakfast is Mr. Mama's and nowhere else.
Log in to vote
Primanti Brothers, the Pittsburgh and Western PA legendary sandwich shop has been expanding into some of the Midwest
Log in to vote
^ Primanti Bros. has a sandwich shop on Oakland Park Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale they do have great sandwiches
Log in to vote
^^
Wow. Didn’t know that. They’ve opened places in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana
Log in to vote
Mr mama's is overrated.
Log in to vote
In Vegas Peppermill FTW for breakfast plus people watching is way better than Omelet House unless you have a whale fetish.
Log in to vote
D'Angelos sub shop and Papa Gino's for pizza in New England. Papa Gino's is literally the only decent chain pizza.
Log in to vote
===> "D'Angelos sub shop and Papa Gino's for pizza in New England. Papa Gino's is literally the only decent chain pizza."
I'm speechless. Sure they are quite decent for chain joints, but any MA resident who can't pinpoint several excellent local restaurants must have no taste buds or at least extremely dulled culinary senses. The culinary scene in MA is unrivaled by any other state in this country and you post about...Papa Gino's and D'Angelos chain food made by kids?
Log in to vote
We have a one of hamburger place in Deerfield Beach called Charm City Grill that the hamburgers are awesome, there's always a long line, but damn their hamburgers are good.
Log in to vote
One day I got d walking fartz and I sounded like a lawn mower
Log in to vote
This is about regional eateries, not individual restaurants. Since Rick is upset I will choose Comellas and Siena.
Log in to vote
@skibum609: "This is about regional eateries, not individual restaurants"
Actually, regional or local is what I asked about. Individual restaurants are well within the scope of my interest.
Log in to vote
In Rhode Island:
Spike's Junkyard Dogs
New York System
Flo's Clam Shack
Fellini Pizzeria
Log in to vote
And just down the road from Club Desire is the Seaplane Diner, which is very good.
Log in to vote
New York System rocks, but for dogs, its Casey's diner in Natick MA. Pizza is Santarpio's in East Boston, Mexican is Casamigos in Tilton, NH. The restaurant all Chinese food lovers will miss forever? South Pacific, formerly of Newton MA. By definition no solo place can be regional, but hey, who cares about the truth.
Log in to vote
You guys touting various hot dog joints have obviously never been to Rutt's Hut in Clifton NJ.
Log in to vote
Pistola Peppermill is an overpriced tourist trap. Every place on the strip is now. Last time we barely got anything and spent $60 at IHOP. Hash house a gogo is a good mini chain. I like omelet house for the food.
Op if we're looking at one off restaurants then the topic is way too broad.
Log in to vote
@skibum609: "By definition no solo place can be regional, but hey, who cares about the truth."
I don't know who you're addressing with this comment, so just in case it's me, I was asking for regional or local. It's right there in my first sentence.
I didn't intend to exclude "solo" places.
Log in to vote
Tony's Clam Shop in Quincy, MA
Smokey's Barbecue in Morrisville, NC
Skylight Inn Barbecue in Ayden, NC
Log in to vote
dailyvoice.com
Log in to vote
And you can get beer, wine or liquor there.
Log in to vote
Just stop talking about hot dogs if you haven't been to Rutt's Hut.
Log in to vote
Hot dogs are too overpriced in restaurants. You can have a much better experience making it yourself or get a street dog.
But individual restaurants aren't by definition local or regional. The terms imply there being more than one but limited to a specific geographic area. Op should have just said restaurant if he didn't want to exclude anything.
I'd recommend dinos chicken
Log in to vote
Never been to Rutts, but Caseys has been around long enough so that the "new" casey's is a 1922 classic worcester dining car , while the "old" Caseys was a horse drawn wagon. 4 Generations of the same family making dogs for 120+ years.
Log in to vote
I've never been to any of the hot dog places mentioned, but I did used to go to Nathan's Famous at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Ave.'s in Coney Island can't imagine that there would be a much better or more iconic Hot Dog and I'm sure those places are good but they don't have a hot dog eating contest televised nationwide every Fourth of July
Another good spot for a hot dog is the sidewalk walk up window at Katz's Delicatessen on Houston street, plus they have the greatest combo sandwich in the history of sandwich, that's still the only place I know of where woman have a visible orgasm from eating that Pastrami, Corned Beef combo, don't believe it, check out This clip below
www.youtube.com
Log in to vote
@ski - South Pacific was good, but I can think of several other places in the Brookline/Newton/Wellesley area both present and past, that I think are/were better than South Pacific, one past example being China Sails in Chestnut Hill. Been gone many years, but that place was SO good.
Log in to vote