Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives

After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe.

Thanks for the tip and sorry to hear that. I do really enjoy the show and hope this is but one exception to all the great places he visits.

I would say that Gaffney,SC is out of the way from Kalamazoo.
not everything is as it seems on TV. the places are putting on their best face for the camera.
did you ever see sunglass neck eat something he didn't like?

sk bob


I would say that Gaffney,SC is out of the way from Kalamazoo.
not everything is as it seems on TV. the places are putting on their best face for the camera.
did you ever see sunglass neck eat something he didn't like?

"Sunglass Neck", now that's funny. I have a feeling he grates on you, but I think he's just dumb, jovial, and harmless. So far everything I've seen him eat is something I think I would like including the pig's ear sandwich. I like all those traveling food guys....Zimmern and especially "Got a light" Bourdain.

I don't know how the producers select the shows to be featured on DD&D. I do know however, there are much better DD&D that would have been better represented than the shows that have been shown.

sk bob

did you ever see sunglass neck eat something he didn't like?

I can think of twice.  One was the peanut butter hamburger at XXX.  He flat out said he didn't like it at all.  The other was menudo he tried somewhere I can't remember. 

Minimal web site:  http://www.haroldsrestaurant.com/
 
Youtube videos of the D,D&D segment:
 
 
Part 1 -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ0MxUqv74Y
 
 
Part 2 -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaIXWIin6GI

DennisinKazoo


After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe. Don't go there.

Looks like you also went out of your way to come here to criticize Harold's.

I've eaten at Harold's a number of times and while the chili burger isn't a traditional chili burger, it's not a "horrible sloppy joe".  Usually when I visit there, I have at least one of them with whatever else I order.  I've eaten as many as four of them at one sitting.  The dogs are good and so are the beans and cornbread.

Is it the best food I've ever eaten?  No, but I'll continue to stop at Harold's whenever I'm in the area.

DennisinKazoo


After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe. Don't go there.

So Dennis, what's the name of your restaurant in Gaffney, SC?

I just re-watched the YouTube videos MiamiDon linked. One might not like Chili Burger but Harold's was in every sense a DD&D worthy and Roadfood.com worthy place in every way and deserves featuring. If you disagree with that go back to the Fast Food and Franchise forum and continue on.

Davydd: They did state in the show that there is no hamburger patty in the sandwich.  Did you catch that the price was $1.25?  We need one of the SC crew to wander over there for a second opinion!

Yep, I caught the price. Not bad. It was unique in that it did have fully formed meatballs with the chili sauce made with the same meatballs but smashed up. That is different than just a straight sloppy Joe to me. Can't judge the taste from a show but that uniqueness alone, made from scratch, using a recipe continuously since 1932 handed down, and independent  makes it more than worthy. That and the fatback.

I'm getting a bit disgruntled with Roadfood.com when a place like this gets panned while many of the regulars have been dwelling in the fast food forum fawning interminably over the comparative merits of mediocre hamburgers. I feel the spirit seeping out.

Perhaps DennisinKazoo just did not like the taste of these things.  It's not enough that the place is independently owned or old or quirky or interesting or whatever to be "Roadfood worthy."  The food also has to taste really, really good.

enginecapt

DennisinKazoo


After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe. Don't go there.

So Dennis, what's the name of your restaurant in Gaffney, SC?

Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle


Perhaps DennisinKazoo just did not like the taste of these things.  It's not enough that the place is independently owned or old or quirky or interesting or whatever to be "Roadfood worthy."  The food also has to taste really, really good.

As I said before, I've had the chili burger a number of times and I think Harold's is definitely roadfood worthy.  One person who finds their way here to criticize a restaurant, shouldn't be the arbiter of whether or not somethng is roadfood worthy.  I wouldn't classify Harold's chili burger as being gourmet fare, but I don't think that's a requirement for good roadfood.

Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyle


Perhaps DennisinKazoo just did not like the taste of these things.  It's not enough that the place is independently owned or old or quirky or interesting or whatever to be "Roadfood worthy."  The food also has to taste really, really good.

Sorry, if you really, really believed that then you could throw out the Roadfood book. Unless the meat happened to be rancid I doubt the taste of the Chili Burger at Harold's would turn anyone away from it being roadfood. I'd bet it tasted fine. DennisinKazoo said nothing about the taste. He said it was nothing but a "horrible sloppy Joe". There was nothing deceiving about the show. What was Kazoo wanting? Gourmet? If so, then throw the Roadfood book away and start frequenting the finer independent dining restaurants that are not in the Roadfood book or very much in this forum.

Do you see anywhere in this definition that the food has to taste really, really good? Do you see anything in this definition that would disqualify Harold's? Are you seriously defending a newbie three post wonder that started a new thread with, IMO, an obvious axe to grind?

Roadfood means great regional meals along highways, in small towns and in city neighborhoods.

It is non-franchised, sleeves-up food made by cooks, bakers, pitmasters, and sandwich-makers who are America’s culinary folk artists.

Roadfood is almost always informal and inexpensive; and the best Roadfood restaurants are colorful places enjoyed by locals (and savvy travelers) for their character as well as their menu.

It is our intention that Roadfood.com will lead the way to:

• great local color
• the best regional specialties
• unforgettable diners, celestial barbecue, and four-star pig-outs galore!

This show is a repeat..I have seen it at least 3 times.  Would I call it a burger.  Not really and maybe that's why Dennis was unhappy.  Of course it's more like a sloppy Joe.  The place has been in business since 1932!  That's amazing. 

I love Sunglass Neck!  Good one SK!  DDD is my favorite food show of all time.  Yeah, if you read between the lines, you can tell if he's not crazy about some particular item.  But over-all, he's going to places that have been recommended by lots of people.  He's never gonna trash a place. 

He takes us up front and personal into the kitchens to see what's going at these roadfood places and we can make a judgement for ourselves.  I love to watch all the people cooking.

Guy has the greatest job in the country!  He is a terrific tv personality..The best on that network IMHO.  Only Tyler comes close.  He is also a pretty damn good cook (Guy's Bites) and businessman.  No recipes..he just cooks!  He's got the gift.  I think he still owns two restaurants.  I love the guy.

Anyone remember Bobby Flay's old partner?  I think his name is  Jack..He has a diner in Philadelphia at The Terminal Market.  That guy can cook, too.  Guy reminds me a little of Jack.  These guys are great.  None of this 30 minute meals for $2.00.  We're in love and Cooking together..Biology in the klitchen....I cannot stand most of FoodTV's lineup.   

Sunglass Neck..I like it!

Davydd

Do you see anywhere in this definition that the food has to taste really, really good?

No.

Davydd

Do you see anything in this definition that would disqualify Harold's?

No.

Davydd
Are you seriously defending a newbie three post wonder that started a new thread with, IMO, an obvious axe to grind?

Yes.  I don't understand: where is his obvious axe to grind?
 
Regardless of the "definition" you cite, the food has to taste really, really good to be Roadfood.

I said IMO, In MY Opinion. Opinion. Do you understand that? The guy was trolling. Do you understand that? As far as food tasting really, really good I already answered. You could throw the Roadfood book away, IMO, if you truly believe that. Again, IMO, the food has to taste good but does not have to approach gourmet standards of eating. I was only quoting the standards "definition" set up in this forum I assume from the Sterns. If it is wrong, then fix it.

jman

As I said before, I've had the chili burger a number of times and I think Harold's is definitely roadfood worthy. 

Excellent!

jman

One person who finds their way here to criticize a restaurant, shouldn't be the arbiter of whether or not somethng is roadfood worthy.

You are, of course, correct.  Nobody is "the arbiter."  Not a person making his first post, nor someone with thousands of posts.  Everyone has a voice, a chance to weigh in with their opinions.
 

jman

I wouldn't classify Harold's chili burger as being gourmet fare, but I don't think that's a requirement for good roadfood.

Again, you are, of course, correct: gourmet fare is not a requirement for good Roadfood.  I don't believe anyone has made that claim, though.

Davydd


I said IMO, In MY Opinion. Opinion. Do you understand that? The guy was trolling. Do you understand that? As far as food tasting really, really good I already answered. You could throw the Roadfood book away, IMO, if you truly believe that. Again, IMO, the food has to taste good but does not have to approach gourmet standards of eating. I was only quoting the standards "definition" set up in this forum I assume from the Sterns. If it is wrong, then fix it.

No need to be nasty, Davydd.  He may or may not have been trolling.  I don't know.  Neither do you.  It's irrelevant.
 
Nobody has said the food has to "approach gourmet standards of eating."  You say the food has to taste good.  I said the food has to taste really, really good.  Is that really such a big difference?  Either way, DennisinKazoo said it did not taste good.
 

The orginal poster stated that he saw the show and then went out of his way to try it   So if this is true, why did he think it would be anything other than it was? 

Personally,  I thnk that no one should be telling  people not to go there.  All of us have different tastes and we are all not going to like the same things.  There was a hot dog place listed in the Stern's  very first book (and still listed).  The place has its admirerers but I thought  it was not anything that tasted "really, really good"  I certainly did not post about it  and would never tell anyone not to go there.

I am with Dave on this one  for sure. I would go there in a heartbeat  It says  "Roadfood" to me.

I bet that we never see this poster again.  I think there was a reason for his post that had nothing to do with the taste of anything.

He did not say it did not taste good. He said it was a "horrible sloppy Joe". If he watched the show where was the deception? Did he mean finding a meatball in his sandwich made a sloppy Joe horrible? Do you not wonder why a newbie gets online and the first post is slamming a restaurant not under discussion here but from a TV show? Do you really, really understand the term trolling? His was a classic.

As far as the difference in taste of food goes, it was YOU that started up countering me in that regard defending the troll against your own published definition. Really, really is a bit over the top, IMO, since it was ambiguous as to what he meant.

Greymo


The orginal poster stated that he saw the show and then went out of his way to try it   So if this is true, why did he think it would be anything other than it was? 

Personally,  I thnk that no one should be telling  people not to go there.  All of us have different tastes and we are all not going to like the same things.  There was a hot dog place listed in the Stern's  very first book (and still listed).  The place has its admirerers but I thought  it was not anything that tasted "really, really good"  I certainly did not post about it  and would never tell anyone not to go there.

I am with Dave on this one  for sure. I would go there in a heartbeat  It says  "Roadfood" to me.

I bet that we never see this poster again.  I think there was a reason for his post that had nothing to do with the taste of anything.

DennisinKazoo (the original poster) never suggested anyone not go to Harolds.  He said what he ate was a "horrible sloppy Joe."  That's all.  One person's opinion.

Davydd


He did not say it did not taste good. He said it was a "horrible sloppy Joe". If he watched the show where was the deception? Did he mean finding a meatball in his sandwich made a sloppy Joe horrible? Do you not wonder why a newbie gets online and the first post is slamming a restaurant not under discussion here but from a TV show? Do you really, really understand the term trolling? His was a classic.

As far as the difference in taste of food goes, it was YOU that started up countering me in that regard defending the troll against your own published definition. Really, really is a bit over the top, IMO, since it was ambiguous as to what he meant.

I understood what he said.  He didn't like the food he ate.  Very simple.
 
Is he a troll?  I have no idea.  But you are not the Roadfood traffic cop. 

I guess that you did not read his post before he "edited" it.

So here it is:

DennisinKazoo


After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe. Don't go there.

Greymo


I guess that you did not read his post before he "edited" it.

So here it is:

DennisinKazoo


After watching D3 I went out of the way to try Harolds in Gaffney SC. Their advertised Chili burger was really a horrible sloppy joe. Don't go there.

Interesting that he came back to edit his post, but hasn't bothered to offer anything else to this thread.

On the LTH forum (Chicago Culinary website, really fun BTW) There was an extensive discussion about Guy's visit to one of their landmark places... durned if I remember which one. They said it was quite the experience. And that he is a genuinely nice person to work with. The folks at Hillbilly Hotdog said the same thing. Not sure I can imagine a TV crew inside the busses, but they were!

When I went to Harold's one other person was going with me but 4 others invited themselves. All were disappointed.  All of the food was tepid(warmish) and the service was slow. I do hope someone else goes there and evaluates it.

DennisinKazoo


When I went to Harold's one other person was going with me but 4 others invited themselves. All were disappointed.  All of the food was tepid(warmish) and the service was slow. I do hope someone else goes there and evaluates it.

It's nice that you've come back to actually add something to the conversation, but it was childish to sneak in and edit your OP.

I've been to Harold's probably seven or eight times and have never been disappointed by tepid food, or slow service.  I've been there when they were slow and I've been there when they were busy.

The chili burger usually has 2-3 whole meatballs, plus a lot of crumbled meatballs and all of it is in a nice chili sauce.  I usually eat mine with a little mustard, and chopped onion and what really makes them special is the steamed bun.  I've also had their dog with chili, onions, mustard, and slaw.  Their bean soup with the chow-chow is excellent.  I'm not big on cornbread, but the fellow who usually goes with me says it's pretty good.

Usually, there is a pretty good crowd there, and I'll bet you'll not hear any of them complain about tepid food or slow service.  I've never had a bad experience there.  The next time I go, I'll try to remember to bring my camera.

You know, people in the south have a tendency to pick up on how people are and maybe you and your friends didn't impress them much either.

Come to think of it, about the third time I was there, I got a dirty fork and once I turned the table over to get their attention, they brought me a clean one out pronto.