Dining runs
Mar 9, 2013, 6:32 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Paris
Programs: Delta, United
Posts: 40
Dining runs
As a part time food and travel writer, I'd love to hear some of your craziest stories of runs for the simple pleasure of dining in a particular restaurant (or place). How many of you have flown to Tokyo for a cocktail or Lima for a ceviche? Combined with a mileage run is ok as well, but I'd love to hear about the hardcore foodies here ....
Mar 9, 2013, 7:01 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: south of WAS DC
Posts: 10,131
As a part time food and travel writer, I'd love to hear some of your craziest stories of runs for the simple pleasure of dining in a particular restaurant (or place). How many of you have flown to Tokyo for a cocktail or Lima for a ceviche? Combined with a mileage run is ok as well, but I'd love to hear about the hardcore foodies here ....
i have gone to lyon for a restaurant run(foie gras and oysters), paris for lievere royale (2 or 3 times), and london for a Bangladesh run.
Mar 9, 2013, 9:00 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: BWIADCA
Posts: 1,902
Not part of a MR, but few years ago I drove from DC to Toronto for 9 hours, in Toronto I had pierogies in Polish restaurant and then drove back home to DC.
My first MR to Japan from DC with 1.5 day in Tokyo. For breakfast I had Starbucks, for lunch Subway, for dinner French food from Café CROISSANT
Next day for breakfast I had McDonalds and for lunch Burger King.
Only when I came back home I realized that I didn't even try any of the Japanese food. On my next MR to Japan I had nothing but Japanese food
My first MR to Japan from DC with 1.5 day in Tokyo. For breakfast I had Starbucks, for lunch Subway, for dinner French food from Café CROISSANT
Next day for breakfast I had McDonalds and for lunch Burger King.
Only when I came back home I realized that I didn't even try any of the Japanese food. On my next MR to Japan I had nothing but Japanese food
Mar 9, 2013, 10:00 am
#4
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Not quite the same as a dining run, but if I have a long enough layover in some cities, I'll go deal with traffic (vehicular and human) just to get a bite at a place I like.
HK for example makes this very tough. The food court at the shopping center at Tung Chung is IMO a food hell. Cantonese, Chaozhou and Taiwanese food (and terrible attempts at Japanese) have led me to board a bus to get South Asian grub in TST. Granted, that mall has a supermarket in the basement, but it all depends on how much time I have.
HK for example makes this very tough. The food court at the shopping center at Tung Chung is IMO a food hell. Cantonese, Chaozhou and Taiwanese food (and terrible attempts at Japanese) have led me to board a bus to get South Asian grub in TST. Granted, that mall has a supermarket in the basement, but it all depends on how much time I have.
Mar 9, 2013, 10:23 am
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Over the Bay Bridge, CA
Programs: Jumbo mas
Posts: 38,626
This has to take the :-: "worst title of the year" award :-:
Dining runs sounds like something that happens when the chef had norovirus, or the chicken had salmonella.
I have certain "must eats" in different places when I travel, but I've never gone someplace "just to eat" ... well, with the exception of a couple of Wine Dos in NYC
Dining runs sounds like something that happens when the chef had norovirus, or the chicken had salmonella.
I have certain "must eats" in different places when I travel, but I've never gone someplace "just to eat" ... well, with the exception of a couple of Wine Dos in NYC
Mar 9, 2013, 12:50 pm
#6
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
I was needing a few miles once, or there was a promo or something, so a flew from somewhere in the New York area to Atlanta simply to try the hot dogs at Varsity. Did the CNN tour, and then headed back for the return flight.
Loved the hot dogs by the way.
Loved the hot dogs by the way.
Mar 9, 2013, 2:15 pm
#7
Moderator: CommunityBuzz!, OMNI, OMNI/PR, and OMNI/Games & FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: ORD (MDW stinks)
Programs: UAMM, AAMM & ExPlat, Marriott lifetime Plat, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 23,503
Flew to Philadelphia for the purpose of trying the famed Philly Cheesesteaks, whoa what a mistake that was, friggin' cheez whiz. The roast pork was great.
They still don't hold a candle to Chicago's Italian beef sandwiches but of course this Chicago based/grown guy might be biased a bit there.
I'd have to say Singapore is my food runs back in the day when one could get cheap fares from ORD. While sure I was able to get a great return on the miles I would earn, my sole focus when going would be to just eat my way through the endless options in Singapore, what a great food town.
For those that went with me to the Seoul Do, a few years ago, there was no doubt that the trip had a certain food focus to it.
They still don't hold a candle to Chicago's Italian beef sandwiches but of course this Chicago based/grown guy might be biased a bit there.
I'd have to say Singapore is my food runs back in the day when one could get cheap fares from ORD. While sure I was able to get a great return on the miles I would earn, my sole focus when going would be to just eat my way through the endless options in Singapore, what a great food town.
For those that went with me to the Seoul Do, a few years ago, there was no doubt that the trip had a certain food focus to it.
Mar 9, 2013, 3:38 pm
#8
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Flew to Philadelphia for the purpose of trying the famed Philly Cheesesteaks, whoa what a mistake that was, friggin' cheez whiz. The roast pork was great.
They still don't hold a candle to Chicago's Italian beef sandwiches but of course this Chicago based/grown guy might be biased a bit there.
They still don't hold a candle to Chicago's Italian beef sandwiches but of course this Chicago based/grown guy might be biased a bit there.
Mar 9, 2013, 6:12 pm
#11
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chicago
Programs: Marriott Lifetime Platinum, AA Platinum
Posts: 373
As I am quite the gourmand I once went to LAX for an afternoon to grab in n out. It was mainly because I forgot I had an expiring frequent flier ticket, but the lunch and 4 double doubles I was able to bring home were worth it!
Mar 9, 2013, 9:05 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL DM, SPG Gold
Posts: 77
End of last year I did a dining run to Stockholm in order to reach PM.
Here's my blog post on that trip.
http://blog.travelchannel.com/the-tr...er-am-i-crazy/
Here's my blog post on that trip.
http://blog.travelchannel.com/the-tr...er-am-i-crazy/
Mar 9, 2013, 9:13 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
End of last year I did a dining run to Stockholm in order to reach PM.
Here's my blog post on that trip.
http://blog.travelchannel.com/the-tr...er-am-i-crazy/
Here's my blog post on that trip.
http://blog.travelchannel.com/the-tr...er-am-i-crazy/
Mar 9, 2013, 9:55 pm
#15
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Except that Arthur Bryant's was the one worth going back to, Gates was terrible, and Jack Stack was ok.
Embarrassing that I forgot, since it was a long time in the making.