Foods to go out of your way for

[miniman]

I was reading the foods I hate thread and then was intrigued by the thought of the opposite. What food would you go out of your way to get hold of. It could be a real comfort food or something that the taste just sends you flying.

Personnally my big comfort food is sausage, particularly salamis and other similar German or Italian varieites. We also would go out of way to visit a resturant in Harrogat, Yorkshire where they do family priced meals which are wonderful - the flavour of the stuffing in my son's canneloni was like nothing we had taseted before.

 

[auntdot]

The soft shell clams from the northeast of the US (also known as Ipswich clams).

Those are something I very much miss since moving away from the area.

Steamed or fried, those are great.

And return to New England every once in a while. Love the area, but I think it is mostly for the clams.

 

[Barbara L]

Around here we have to go out of our way for just about anything good (at least if we want to eat out). We drive 20 miles to the west for good Mexican food. We drive 20 miles to the northwest for Japanese, steak/prime rib, or Taco Bell (I can't help it--sometimes I have to have Taco Bell!). When we get the occasional IHOP cravings we drive 30-35 miles northwest to Charlotte (well, Matthews which is right before Charlotte). And if we are in the mood for a good Italian place we drive to Charlotte. The best shrimp around here is about 3 hours from here, but we don't drive that far just for that. Next time we go to Myrtle Beach we will head there though (in Calabash, near Myrtle Beach).

Barbara

 

[Claire]

Now it would be a lot of Asian cuisines. We no longer have a Chinese restaurant in town. We have to go to Dubuque for Chinese, Japanese or Vietnamese. For Indian, Korean or Thai it is a 7-hour round trip to Chicago (which never happens since we have an elderly, somewhat incontinent dog). I enjoy cooking, but would love to have any of these cuisines closer.

 

[RMS]

White Castle Hamburgers.
Although they were never my big favorite, now that I've moved and can't get them anymore, I find myself craving them. The frozen ones just aren't the same!

 

[BigDog]

Do we have to pick just one?

Growing up in New England, there was a Dunkin Donuts about every mile or so. We used to say that Dad trained his car to find all of the DDs along the route travelled, because their coffee is second to none. Even my Caribou Coffee (straight coffee now, not the more exotic beverages) can't compete. If I see a DD (which doesn't happen in MN) I stop. Wherever we travel, if I see one, I want to stop.

As others have mentioned, the New England seafood is the best. I love seafood, but generally do not order/eat it here because frankly it is lousy. That said, about 2 months ago I found the best NE clam chowder in the Midwest, but it was $6 for a (small) bowl at a ritzy restaurant.

If I ever make it back to the Cape, the one restaurant that comes most fondly to mind is Sandy's. Plus, having read GB's disheartening experience there, I want to see if it is indeed as bad as he mentioned, or if it was a bad day . . . . . one can hope, right?

The other place I'd go out of my way for is Friendly's. Another NE restaurant that I miss.

Okay, I guess I didn't mention a food specifically (well except coffee). DD, Friendly's and Sandy's I would go out of my way for, the latter again mainly to confirm GB's experience. If his experience still is true, then scratch Sandy's.

 

[GB]

BigDog, I can not tell you how much I am hoping we just caught Sandy's on a bad day!!! I really hope it lives up to your expectations the next time you are there.

I would go out of my way for any food that is great. We plan our vacations based on food. You better believe that Italy, Greece, Japan, and others are on our list because of that.

I have been known to go to NY for the weekend to get a good bagel or a pastrami sandwich from Katz's Deli.

Good food is always worth a trip IMO.

 

[DampCharcoal]

Last time I was in Toronto there was food vendor off of Yonge Street that sold the best gyro I've ever had. I don't know what he did to the meat or tzatziki sauce but it was absolutely to die for. I swear the thing weighed 5 pounds.

 

[college_cook]

My dad and I used to drive about 90 mintues east of our home to this teeny little roadside shanty that had the best pulled pork we've ever had.

And of course there was the drive to Chicago if we wanted some really good hot dogs or bratwurst/italian sausage. Also for great deep dish pizza.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I have to second Aunt Dot about soft-shell clams, having grown up harvesting my own on Long Island, NY. Luckily, during the spring-thru-fall season here in VA, there's a legitimate outdoor "truck" Maine seafood purveyor (The Great Eastern Lobster Company) about 45 minutes from me who carries the very freshest Maine seafood - including soft-shell clams. (His lobster bisque is also to die for!!) The clams sell out really fast, so I usually e-mail or phone them & ask them to hold several pounds for me to pick up. They're always glorious, sand-free, large, & tender. Absolutely wonderful!!

(For you Virginiaites, here's a link to their webpage: The Great Maine Lobster Company)

I guess the only other food I'd go out of my way for is GOOD French bistro-type food. Luckily, we have good one that's only about 20 minutes away. Not that all French bistro food is difficult to replicate at home, but there's something very comforting about sitting down to a wonderful piece of perfectly cooked skirt steak with one of 4 expertly prepared sauces & the most fabulous fries on the planet. Even if this place was much further away, I'd still make the trek.

 

[Flourgirl]

Do we have to pick just one?

Growing up in New England, there was a Dunkin Donuts about every mile or so. We used to say that Dad trained his car to find all of the DDs along the route travelled, because their coffee is second to none. Even my Caribou Coffee (straight coffee now, not the more exotic beverages) can't compete. If I see a DD (which doesn't happen in MN) I stop. Wherever we travel, if I see one, I want to stop.

As others have mentioned, the New England seafood is the best. I love seafood, but generally do not order/eat it here because frankly it is lousy. That said, about 2 months ago I found the best NE clam chowder in the Midwest, but it was $6 for a (small) bowl at a ritzy restaurant.

If I ever make it back to the Cape, the one restaurant that comes most fondly to mind is Sandy's. Plus, having read GB's disheartening experience there, I want to see if it is indeed as bad as he mentioned, or if it was a bad day . . . . . one can hope, right?

The other place I'd go out of my way for is Friendly's. Another NE restaurant that I miss.

Okay, I guess I didn't mention a food specifically (well except coffee). DD, Friendly's and Sandy's I would go out of my way for, the latter again mainly to confirm GB's experience. If his experience still is true, then scratch Sandy's.

There really is a DD on every corner here. We go there so much, my 3 year old knows the motto. Everytime we pass one, he says, "America runs on Dunkin". Perhaps we go too much.

I will go out of my way for several foods. S w a n k y Frank's hot dogs about 30 miles south of my town where I get their chili dog and top it with crispy onion rings. My favorite Indian pancakes with chicken curry dipping sauce is about 15 miles away. And the pizza I grew up on is in Norwalk, CT, about 25 miles from me.

 

[Amazing324]

Probably something Asian.
There is a little Hole-in-the-wall (strip mall) Asian Restaurant on the way in on I 20 to Atlanta. We had some really fantastic Sizzling Rice Soup. I'd go for that again.
(Anyone have a recipe???)

 

[mudbug]

Breezy, tell me about the French place. Since it's only 20 minutes away from you in Culpeper, I'm guessing it's not Chez Marc in Manassas Park.

I've seen the Great Maine Lobster truck at the intersection of Routes 15 and 50 many times on my way to the Leesburg outlet mall. With your ringing endorsement, I may just have to stop the next time.

 

[BreezyCooking]

Mudbug - the "bistro" I mentioned was/is "Tadpole's Cafe" in Warrenton. It's in the shopping center at the corner of Rtes. 17 & 29 (also housing Staples & PetCo).

"Tadpole's" is - as far as I know - still owned by the folks who used to own the very-well-thought-of "Frogs & Friends" in Marshall, which they sold. They also had a "Tadpole's Cafe" in Marshall as well, but I never visited that one & am not sure if it's still there.

I will, however, enthusiastically give high marks to the one in Warrenton. The food & service is both well-priced & excellent. My husband & I have eaten there a number of times & have never been disappointed in any way.

As far as the Great Maine Lobster folks - they're GREAT!! It's family-run operation - some of them here in VA; some in Maine - & everything is fresh, fresh, fresh. The lobster bisque is quite pricey, but boy was it good - chock full of lobster chunks. My husband nearly licked his bowl clean - lol!! And like I said before, their soft-shell clams are fabulous as well. Sand-free, & I have yet to have to toss even so much as ONE clam for not opening, etc. Unbeatable. The only way I think you could top them would be if you dug the clams yourself - lol!!

 

[kitchenelf]

I would go, and have gone, out of my way for good sushi. Really good sushi/sashimi/nigiri/maki rolls just makes me extremely happy!

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

Oh really Elf??

 

[-DEADLY SUSHI-]

So no one is going to put me in woodshed?

 

[YT2095]

there`s so many actualy, but a fave of mine is the Huge (8 inch+) Yorshire puddings, packed with sliced roast beef and then filled with gravy

 

[lulu]

I just can't choose one. I can't. I have to resort to foods we have actually gone out of our way to get to answer, and its still a list. I've picked two, at great difficulty, (there are countless stories - like the night DH NEEDED scampi, the car would not start, we were in Oxford, in the middle of the night and DH hired a taxi to drive us some half hour and back to buy some frozen scampi.....)

The right bread. On the A303 from London to the West country there is a bakery. Its bread is famous with the weekending crowd. We once made the one and a half hour journey for two loafs of this bread.

The right dim sum. I know, I raise my favourite dim sum joint in London all the time, but just as we have driven out of london for the bread, we would drive in for dim sum. My NYC family have given up on dim sum and only eat it when they have flown in to London, although, admittedly, they rarely say they have made the five hour flight JUST for the dim sum.

 

[CharlieD]

I love cold cuts, but not the American kind, Europian, Hungarian mostly. Nobody in the world makes better salami. Infortunetely it's not redily available in kosher variety. I was in Israel couple of years ago and wen to this amasing Beligian restaraunt where they had all kind of home made cold cuts. It was outstanding. The best i ever had in my life. I'd go back there just for that.