South Florida is anything but the deep south

Yes as in Provence. The original recipe calls for a lot more mayo, and I cut it down as it is only lube pretty much. You can split it with sour cream, and mayo just a little oil I would think. Also I forgot sea salt .... and if I have time ill roast off the peppers first, but I'm OCD!

not for the express purpose of going there, but more than once I have routed U.S. to Asia tickets through HKG in order to go to this hole in the wall lunch place I like. I just book a layover long enough to go into town, grab lunch and then continue to my destination.

Lame as far as distance goes, but he have gone to Philly just to add to Marriott megabonus and eat at Moriomoto's.

Bern's Run! Back in 2000, a bunch of FT'ers flew to TPA solely for the purpose of eating steak at Bern's. I flew down from DCA in the afternoon, ate a beautiful dinner and flew back the next morning.

^

I flew to Chicago to have an italian beef sandwich... and to deliver a cell phone to my son who had just graduated from bootcamp. I was on the ground in Chicago for maybe 5 hours.

If it weren't for the fact that I was craving italian beef, I would have just mailed him the phone.

Could I suggest "Longest Restaurant Trots" as an alternative title?

Some of the posts are fascinating. We've never done any more than drive one or two hundred miles for a meal or some special food. When we're considering a destination, food and dining always are part of the conversation though.

Guess I am the food junkie - have done short (sometimes just day or overnight) trips to/for

1. Chicago - Italian Beef (Al's), Greektown - many times
2. Milwaukee - Cheese curds, Pabst, and smoked chub
3. Austin - what else, and of course, the only Salt Lick I like (Driftwood)
4. Sacremento - Squeeze Inn (blame Guy and Diners/Driveins/Dives)
5. Memphis - BBQ (I like Interstate better than Redezvous)
6. Kansas City - BBQ (lamb ribs, but I don't remember where)
7. Phoenix - One of the few Roy's we hadn't tried yet - on July 3rd no less. Convinced the manager to buy us a round of drinks for having traveled further for dinner than anyone else that night. Watched the fireworks over New Orleans on the way home the next day.

There's others (lots of weekend trips, but not primarily for the food). But why leave home when you have stone crabs here, and I have become a Truluck's AYCE convert.

I'm guessing the same place I've had them, Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque.

BTW, next time you are in Chicago, a BBQ place called Barn & Co does very tasty lamb ribs every other Thursday night www.barnandcompany.com I'm trying to get a Flyertalk dinner Do in the near future here.

open invite to anyone who has time at ORD, give me a PM, if I've got time, you'll get a ride to one of the best Italian beef places to try one.

haha, thanks

Impressive! Your response made my post worthwhile!

Well now I know what I am doing with that expiring WN old school awards. I've never been to a Trulucks. Normally when I am in FLL I'll eat at the Southport raw bar for my seafood fix. Usually hit Joe's or the Keys or the other side for stone crabs. I was just in the Fish House in early January and the App was $54 for the Jumbo's.

Speaking of triple D. I looking to go to the Blue water grill in San Diego. And lastly when you hit the south side of Chicago there is a place called Calumet Fisheries on east 95th st. right at the base of the bridge. http://www.calumetfisheries.com/ Greatest smoked chubs IMO and killer fried shrimp and smelt. Its a take out place. Actually Ill eat on the hood of the car. But I grew up on the east side so I have little or no manners

Would a visit to Gujo Hachiman, Japan count? I haven't done it yet, but it sounds like it needs to happen-- it's the epicenter of fake food, the kind you'd see in the windows of restaurants throughout Japan.

If anyone wants to go, I think Nagoya (NGO) would be the closest major city/airport, other than that, I haven't the foggiest of how to get there. May inquire at the Japan forum another time though.

a great place indeed, a James Beard award winner no less, here is a thread from the Chicago forum: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/chica...r-indiana.html

--

Ah, smelt - haven't seen those in years. Friday nights half a century ago were always at Phil Schmidt's in Whiting - butter fried boned perch to die for back then, altho I heard it went downhill later.

Truluck's Monday night was $79 for AYCE - they call them mediums, but they are large mediums, perfectly cracked, served ice cold, good mustard sauce, OMG here we go again Otherwise, just go for their happy hour - great stuff at a good price, and on Sunday, happy lasts all night long. Fantastic martini's as well, great with blue cheese olives.