Good Regional Food

[yakers]

Is there still good regional food that is worth traveling for? If I had to pick one region for food it would be New Orleans/Cajun country. I have had good Cajun food elsewhere but there are so many good places that ‘the good drives out the bad’. I like the Mexican food in New Mexico more than Cal-Mex or Tex-Mex or even most of the food I had in Mexico. The best lobster I had was in Maine, don’t know why, the area is known for lobster but why is their’s better? Is salmon better in the Pacific NW or is it equally available everywhere now? Oh, yeah, I’m originally a Chicago boy and the pizza there is great. I have found decent stuff now & then around the country but it is consistently good there, another case of ‘the good driving out the bad’.

I guess what I am looking for is if I am out on a road trip what is available in specific locals that is not readily available everywhere that I should not miss?

[saluki9]

I really want to do a BBQ roadtrip. I've been to most of the spots, but I want to make a round trip of it.

I'd head down to Memphis for some dry rubbed ribs, Carolina for pork shoulder, texas for brisket and hot links, and wind it up through Kansas city.

I would stop for an angioplasty somehwhere in the middle.

[Peaceful_Warrior]

Any bbq recommendations in St. Louis? I'll be there for a couple of nights next week...

Also, any suggestions in Atlanta?

Originally Posted by saluki9

I really want to do a BBQ roadtrip. I've been to most of the spots, but I want to make a round trip of it.

I'd head down to Memphis for some dry rubbed ribs, Carolina for pork shoulder, texas for brisket and hot links, and wind it up through Kansas city.

I would stop for an angioplasty somehwhere in the middle.

[yakers]

Originally Posted by saluki9

I would stop for an angioplasty somehwhere in the middle.

[saluki9]

Originally Posted by Peaceful_Warrior

Any bbq recommendations in St. Louis? I'll be there for a couple of nights next week...

Also, any suggestions in Atlanta?

Suprisingly St. Louis is not a hotspot for BBQ. When I'm there I usually spend my dining energy and $$$ on italian food on "the hill" cunettos is my favorite http://www.cunetto.com/

One place that others have mentioned is Bandanas which has a bunch of bbq restaurants in St. Louis. I have not been there, but they do use the real Southern Pride smokers which is always a good start.

http://www.bandanasbbq.com/Flash/locations.htm

If you're nuts like I am you would drive 90 minutes to Murphysboro IL and go to 17th Street BBQ and Grill. The owner Mike Mills has won the Memphis in May competition 3 times I believe. It good enough that it's worth the drive!

As for Atlanta, I'm usually with clients when I'm there and don't get to look for good food on my own. That being said, check out the smoke ring forums, they are a very good source. http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/index.php

[wildcat]

saluk -

Do yourself a favor and go during the "Blues Fest", best of both worlds. First weekend in May I believe. I always try to go but it usually conflicts with Derby weekend.

[rjpatt]

I always try to go but it usually conflicts with Derby weekend.

By any chance does "wildcat" refer to UK?

[mathjak107]

Originally Posted by Peaceful_Warrior

Any bbq recommendations in St. Louis? I'll be there for a couple of nights next week...

Also, any suggestions in Atlanta?

we ordered on line from corkys in memphis. the ribs were flown out over night and were simply amazing

[Dawg54]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

we ordered on line from corkys in memphis. the ribs were flown out over night and were simply amazing

Can't go wrong with Corky's. I just ate at one last week in Jackson, MS. I'm gonna put in a plug for another bbq restaurant known as 'Moe's Original Bbq' located in Vail, Colorado and in Gulf Shores, AL. My nephew is a partner in the business and manages the one in Gulf Shores. Not a fancy place, but great bbq. If you are in the area, you might want to try it.

http://www.moesoriginalbbq.com/

[Cut-Throat]

Originally Posted by yakers

Is there still good regional food that is worth traveling for? If I had to pick one region for food it would be New Orleans/Cajun country. I have had good Cajun food elsewhere but there are so many good places that ‘the good drives out the bad’. I like the Mexican food in New Mexico more than Cal-Mex or Tex-Mex or even most of the food I had in Mexico. The best lobster I had was in Maine, don’t know why, the area is known for lobster but why is their’s better? Is salmon better in the Pacific NW or is it equally available everywhere now? Oh, yeah, I’m originally a Chicago boy and the pizza there is great. I have found decent stuff now & then around the country but it is consistently good there, another case of ‘the good driving out the bad’.

I guess what I am looking for is if I am out on a road trip what is available in specific locals that is not readily available everywhere that I should not miss?

Italy. 8)

[riskadverse]

Mexican food within 100 miles north of the border.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by yakers

Is there still good regional food that is worth traveling for?

Thai.

Especially northern Thai.

Kao soi... mmmm....

[Martha]

Come visit and have head cheese and viilia. um um good :P

[Khan]

Originally Posted by Martha

Come visit and have head cheese and viilia. um um good :P

Head cheese on rye with a touch of mustard.

Yum.

[Martha]

Originally Posted by Khan

Head cheese on rye with a touch of mustard.

Yum.

Maybe some blood sausage for color?

We have made special trips to Thunder Bay, Ontario to eat beige food at the Hoito.

[Khan]

Blood sausage, head cheese, onion butter(milk comes out funny when cows gorge themselves on spring onions)...

I grew up on a farm with German/Polish immigrant maternal grandparents, and tenants and neighbors who were central European refugees; and paternal grandparents were small farmers in rural Maine.

[Nords]

Originally Posted by Khan

Head cheese

Just in case there's one or two of you readers who don't know what head cheese is, I looked it up and I'm heartily sorry that I did so. Ignorance is bliss.

You head-cheese eaters should be permanently banned from donating blood. I thought the lutefisk & haggis threads were bad enough. Bleagh!

[Khan]

Originally Posted by Nords

Just in case there's one or two of you readers who don't know what head cheese is, I looked it up and I'm heartily sorry that I did so. Ignorance is bliss.

You head-cheese eaters should be permanently banned from donating blood. I thought the lutefisk & haggis threads were bad enough. Bleagh!

Movin' in on 20 gallons on blood donation.

They don't ask about haggis or head cheese.

[Trek]

Copper River Salmon from Alaska is the best in the world. It's expensive but worth every penny (about $14 - $20 a pound if I remember correctly). You start seeing it around mid-May in the PNW.