What Roadfood places would you like Jane and Michael to visit?

I have been enjoying the latest copy of  Rooadfood  (Mother's Day gift  from the kids)  and it made me start to think.
Do you have a couple of terrific  Roadfood  places that you would like the  Sterns to visit?
I do.  I would  love to have them try the  Pioneer Pit Beef here in  Baltimore.......it is truly the best.
 
Another place that I would like to have them  try is  Wade's Diner in Oswego, NY.  This place serves only  breakfast and  you could not find a better breakfast anywhere.  The grill cooks  are fantastic  and do everything just perfectly  and the home made  bread is to die for!
 
What places can you think of that you would like put in next edition of  Roadfood?

Wow!  What a great question Greymo.  Thanks for starting this topic.  For years, my #1 choice would have been G & M Restaurant for their crabcakes, but they did visit it and it is now in the book!
 
In Pittsburgh alone, I think Jane and Michael would very much like Pierogies Plus, Tessaro's and especially Jozsa Corner.

I'd like them to revisit Peak Bros. Bar-B-Q in Waverly, Kentucky.
 
Peak Bros. was one of the places I took them to when they visited me in 2007.  It was going to appear on this website 30 days after it first appeared in Gourmet magazine.  Three days after it was published, it burned to the ground.  (Talk about bad timing!)  It's since been rebuilt and the food is as good as ever.  So I would like to see them check it out again.
 
http://img.groundspeak.co...-9bd8-57dd314c773d.jpg
 

I would also like to see them visit Knockum Hill Bar-B-Q in Herndon, Kentucky so they could feast on one of those humongous, delicious pork chops.
http://www.roadfood.com/insider/photos/1227.jpg
 

Excellent choice with Knockum Hill Louis!

Yes! The Seewee north of Charleston, SC. It's road food at its best.

Sue-
They've been there and have reviewed it.  I've also been there and it is a terrific Roadfood restaurant. 

Nini's Coffee Shop/ Cafe in San Mateo CA., got to serve one of the best breakfasts/lunches, on the planet. Their Italian Omlette, with homefies done up with peppers and onions, plus some tasty San Francisco toasted sourdough bread, is heavenly! Huge portions of everything, incredibly nice staff!

fred's cafe ft worth to try either the diablo burger

A Fredburger with chipotles, grilled onions, melted Swiss cheese,

pickles, lettuce, tomato and mustard

for lunch or dinner and his quail and egg breakfast

Two eggs, any style, served with home fried potatoes,

a sour dough biscuit and gravy

. Anything on the menu would please

Waddell's Longhorn Corral in Buckeye, AZ and Roman's Oasis in Goodyear AZ:
 
http://www.waddellslonghorncorral.com/
 
http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/locations/romans-oasis-9847/
 
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennis_larson/5512407307/

K and R Drive in-Rice Hill, Or-Ice Cream
The Wild Goose-Ashland,Or-Marionberry muffins
Novack's- Albany, or hungarian restaurant and Bakery
Cameo cafe- Portland, Or ,bread, acre pancakes, Korean omlette
El Sabor Bueno- portland, O, pupusas

I can see the itinerary for Roadfood 2014 taking shape already. Thanks so much , you guys...-M

Considering the number of places I've been around the country, I could probably write my own book of places that I've been to that I think the Sterns should visit, however since they do a helluva better job than I can do, in all fairness I will list the just the Rhode Island places since this is where I live.
 
1 .Modern Diner- Pawtucket (Specifically for the weekend breakfast specials)
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/41/451060/restaurant/Providence/Modern-Diner-Pawtucket
 
2. Crows Nest- Warwick RI-  blows Aunt Carries and Iggy's right out of the water- probably one of the best stuffies I ever had
http://www.crowsnestri.com/
 
3. Stadium Fish and Chips- Cranston RI- not only great fish, but the fries are fresh cut too.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/41/451539/restaurant/Providence/Stadium-Fish-Chip-Cranston
 
4. Spain Narragansett RI- Is it roadfood? on the higher end, but absolutely! Varied menu but excellent Spanish and Portugese seafood
http://www.spainri.com/

Singleton's Seafood Shack in Mayport Fl for the Minorcan clam chowder.

brisketboy-
They've been there, too!

The Brat Stop in Kenosha, WI !!!!!

Cason's Bar-B-Que, Newberry, FL.

The Redwing diner in Foxboro mass---just east of the stadium on rte 1
Morning Thunder in Chico Ca--awesome breakfast--and killer burgers---and HUGE portions--we order one meal and an extra plate--$1 charge--and worth it--also great coffee
Smokehouse Bob's BBQ 11th strret in Muskogee Ok--the pies ares to die for--best sweet potaoe pie i ever ate!
Lovera's Market--Krebs Ok---the BEST italian spot in the state--suppiers of meats and sausage for a group of Ok Italian restaraunts in the area and makers of one killer Muffalata!

5 O'Clock Steakhouse on 24th and State St. in Milwaukee. I have not been to Doe's, but I suggest this rivals it.Big time.

I would like to see the Sterns return to their roots. I would like to see them get in a vehicle and drive out of Connecticut and then not return for several weeks. I would like to see them bypass the major cities and explore the back roads and small towns across America.

On Amazon.com, a critical review of the 2008 Roadfood book complained it was “City Food, not Road Food”. There is some truth to this. Some of my most memorable Roadfood experiences have been in remote places like the Capital Reef Inn in Utah canyon country. I never would have stopped there in a million years except for Jane and Michael’s recommendation. And I never would have found Ridgewood Barbecue in eastern Tennessee without the Roadfood book - and I could barely find it with the book.

But now it seems that the Sterns don’t get off the beaten path that much. I understand the economic necessity of their trips to places like Charleston or New Orleans to write articles for the food magazines. But restaurants in these and other large cities have already been well covered by the food media. It’s easy to buy a guidebook for a large city. It’s a different story outside of the urban and tourist areas.

They don’t have to take an old jalopy like they had on their first road trip. A RV would be fine. But my hope is that Jane and Michael will remember the adventuresome days of their youth.

Well, Southern Fried, that's what Duncan Hines did in the 1930s and 1940s when he was doing what the Sterns are doing now.  His guidebooks listed some must-eat places in the cities, but the majority of his restaurant selections were designed for the traveler who was in-between cities.
 
And THAT was his claim to fame--along with their having spic-and-span clean kitchens that the customers could inspect anytime they wanted.  And if Hines ever learned that anyone was denied admission to a restaurant's kitchen so they could inspect it, they were removed from the guidebook, never to be seen again.
 
It must be said that restaurant food poisoning was very common in most of the first half of the 20th-century, and Hines was the one who pretty well put those unclean restaurants out of business with his guidebook.
 
I wonder if Jane and Michael Stern (or any restaurant/food writer) would like the challenge of finding restaurants across the country that live up to Hines' standards for inclusion in his restaurant guides.
 

Yesterday I got my first look at the new Roadfood book. By no means have I been able to do justice to all of it yet, but I was nearly crushed when I found that Jestine's Kitchen in Charleston was omitted!
Mrs. QFan & I have visited Charleston many times over the years and Jestine's has always been our reliable go-to place to sample authentic Charleston food in one of America's truly great food regions. I don't know the reasons Jane & Michael left it out, but please please please revisit it at the earliest opportunity.
Otherwise, keep up the great work you guys!
 
QFan
Bonita Springs, FL

I'm a newbie here and still trying to get the lay of the land.  Can someone please explain how or if all these great recommendations are coordinated? 
Are all the reviews in the book on the website?
Are all the reviews on the website in the book?
What determines which reviews end up where?
Are there non-Stern reviews included in the book?
Has there been any attempt to collect all the recommendations from the forums that are neither in the book or the website in a more easily accessible format?
ed
 

WarmBeer


I'm a newbie here and still trying to get the lay of the land.  Can someone please explain how or if all these great recommendations are coordinated? 
Are all the reviews in the book on the website?
Are all the reviews on the website in the book?
What determines which reviews end up where?
Are there non-Stern reviews included in the book?
Has there been any attempt to collect all the recommendations from the forums that are neither in the book or the website in a more easily accessible format?
ed

 
Are all the reviews in the book on the website? No
Are all the reviews on the website in the book? No- there have been several books published over the past thirty some odd years.
What determines which reviews end up where? The Sterns and the Roadfood staff members? 
Are there non-Stern reviews included in the book? Not sure
Has there been any attempt to collect all the recommendations from the forums that are neither in the book or the website in a more easily accessible format?  No

Thanks for the response WJ

wanderingjew

What determines which reviews end up where? The Sterns and the Roadfood staff members? 

Well, understood that it's their book/website.  I was just curious about if there might be some objective criteria used.  Seems if it is good enough to be in the book it should be on the website, at least everything from the previous edition.  I guess I could see not putting new places in the book on the web site right away so people buy the book but after some resonable amount of time seems they should be here also. 
In the same way I can see that limitations of space in the book or a desire to keep a balance between regions of the country or food categories could lead to leaving some less deserving places out of the book.  Might be nice to know if that were the case, as a way to gauge preferences when unable to visit all the places in a given location when travelling through.

acer2x


Waddell's Longhorn Corral in Buckeye, AZ and Roman's Oasis in Goodyear AZ:

http://www.waddellslonghorncorral.com/

http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/locations/romans-oasis-9847/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dennis_larson/5512407307/

I've been to Roman's Oasis in Goodyear 3 times. While it's a neat, unique place, the food is Mediocre at best.
Personally, I would be embarrassed to send them there for the food.
I've driven by the Longhorn Corral but have not stopped there yet. It's on my bucket list.

I'm going to jump out of the box and suggest a Drinking place, not an Eating place. There are many fine breweries in the country and I'm NOT talking about the Johnny-Come-Lately, Fern Bar Microbreweries with a vat in the window and the same old - same old bar food on the Menu. I'm talking about old time breweries like the Brewery that's been operating continuously in my home town by the same family since 1872! One Hundred and Thirty Nine Years.! It's the Straub Brewery, St. Marys, PA, Elk County - just 25 miles North of Interstate 80, Exit 111 if coming from the East, Exit 101 if coming from the West.
 http://www.straubbeer.com/
The Straub Brewery is one of the oldest breweries in the United States and one of the few still owned by the original founding family. It is also the smallest pre-prohibition brewery still in business in the United States.
They are famous for their Award Winning brews that are made with no salt, sugars or preservatives. They're also famous for their Eternal Tap. They offer tours of the Brewery and after the tour, head to the Eternal Tap. You'll be ready to enjoy a glass of ice-cold Straub Beer with their compliments. Taste the all-natural, honestly fresh beer right from the source. It just doesn't get any better than that!
The Eternal Tap is open to the public ages 21 and older Monday through Friday during the main office hours (9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) and until 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Not sure how they do it now, but when I lived there, you would go in , pick up a glass and draw a brewski right in the work area in the brewery. They had some picnic tables there and since everyone in town knew everyone else, you always had someone to shoot the breeze with about huntin', fishin' or the Pittsburgh Pirates or "Stillers" or why Joe Paterno should be President of the USA. When you were ready to go, you'd go over to the Bar Sink and wash the glass and put it on the Drain Rack for the next guy. I suppose the Health Dept Police have put the Kibosh to that method! Anyway, the place is unique and worth a visit.
Since I've not been home in many years, I don't know much about the local eateries.

Sinclair's Cafe in Newark, Delaware - great all-homemade breakfasts, real loose tea in your own teapot, delicious pancakes (different kind every day) and a charming, crunchy-granola ambiance AND Durham's Best Barbeque in Elkton, MD - a tiny log cabin with fantastic pit beef sandwiches, great ribs, pit ham and pork, bbq chicken, etc.  Good sides, too, especially the potato salad and coleslaw, and a homemade corn muffin with every platter.  The place must be seen to be believed -- true Roadfood.  Neither is too far off of Route 13, which I know the Sterns travel frequently.

I would suggest a couple of themes to expand the exploration for food possibilities in some previously 'uncovered' geographic areas. While I would love to see expanded coverage by adding MORE locations, I do understand space limitations, so my suggestions deal more with presentation of the current material(s).
1. Use the U S National Parks/Monuments/Historic Locations as a focal point and research the details of good eating either within the Park, or in the surrounding communities where folks might base themselves for a visit or perhaps, 'Just Passing Thru'.
    My example for this would be the towns of Blanding, Green River and Moab (and others) in Eastern Utah for all the Beautiful Parks in that area. We have enjoyed the Capitol Reef Park, and references to food there and would hope to find other hidden treasures in the Wilderness.  
    What about food for those who walk the Freedom Trail in Boston or the Gettysburg Battlefield?
We are ever-gratefull for the reference to Hogy's Catfish Hotel right next to the Shiloh Battlefield in Tennessee/Mississippi. We had a wonderful dinner there after touring the battlefield.
 
2. My second suggestion is more of an arrangment of food-stop entries from both the book and the website, rather than  new/more locations. Maybe an appendix of places could be included in the book that includes a LIST of the Website restaurant roster to give the reader additional choices of places for which there was not editorial space in the hard-copy publication.
     Another appendix could be a list of places in the book arranged in geographic order for the Long-distance traveler, East to West, and North to South. Proximity to the major travel routes would be good information to incude with this list. I don't think limiting the list to those places close to the interstate highways would be the best use of the list, but it would help the traveler on I 80 (for example) to know how far off the highway he would have to travel to visit Archies Waeside in Western Iowa.
 
I do like the latest (2011) edition of the book. It has very strong links in 'style' to some of the best of the older editions. Thanks for sticking to the basic theme that brought me here in the first place !

Would love to see the Sterns check out:
1.)  Peter Luger's in Brooklyn (for the burger.  I know they've had the steak but not sure if they've tried the burger.  Head and shoulder above any other burger I've ever eaten)
2.)  Shopsin's on the LES (for the excellent food and the unique experience)
3.)  Vanessa's Dumplings (LES location for the cross section of people, cramped quarters and watching the ladies make the dumplings)
4.)  Steve's Key Lime Pies and the Red Hook Ball Field food carts in Brooklyn -  a great way to spend an afternoon and I was exposed to foods I had never even considered before)
5.)  Kinchley's Tavern in Ramsey, NJ (for bar pie - thin crust pizza in a place that is mostly locals and the staff seemed to know who everyone was)
6.)  Red Arrow Diner in Manchester, NH (great food - pork pie, baked beans offered as a breakfast side, homemade whoopie pies and Twnkies plus the waitstaff will give you attitude, in a good way)
7.)  Holland Farms Bakery in Yorkville, NY (for jelly buns and half moon cookies.)
8.)  Ebeneezer's Cafe in Sherrill, NY (for their sandwiches and homemade pies and the staff is as nice as can be).
9.)  Mother's Cupboard in Syracuse, NY (for their huge and hugely flavorful breakfasts in a tiny place.  The home fries alone are worth a trip)
10.)  Syracuse area diners - (possibly more per square mile than NJ and the frettas at breakfast are a local specialty worth seeking out)
11.)  Nora's Candy Shop in Rome, NY (for their signature "Turkey Joints" candy.  Nothing else like it)
12.)  Tomato pies & Chicken Riggies in the Utica/Rome area.  (Definitely two signature dishes of the region with many fans.  Tomato pies found pretty much only in Italian or grocery store bakeries and the occasional pizza shop.  Riggiefest is held every year at the Utica Memorial Auditorium and local restaurants compete to see who has the best riggies)
13.)  Voss' Bar-B-Q in Yorkville, NY (for their BBQ sandwiches and hot dogs and for that matter checking out the BBQ sandwich/soft serve, summer-only spots in Utica/Rome/Syracuse.  The homemade BBQ sauce and chili sauce for the dogs at Voss' is just addictive!  I know Bruce & Sue reviewed it but not sure if you and Jane have been there.
14.)  The Only Cafe in Vernon, NY (run by Dave Furer, brother of RFer, Lexi and a real gem.  No set hours and more importantly, no menu.  He just makes big batches of food that he likes.  Dave always has an interesting story to tell and lots of interesting things laying around that usually have a story behind them as well.  Ask about the 5 ft tall Gumby!  His BBQ, stews, pralines, biscuits with sausage gravy, and crumble were all excellent!)