Road food, who has the best?

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 18 Jan 2006 5:24 pm

The first 3 tours I did back in the 70's were Alaska, the Midwest, & the New England states. Alaska had great Mexican food especially in Kodiak and Anchorage. Kansas had good restaurant food, but some of the very best was in New York at Mama Leoni's, Italian, the Pennsylvinia Dutch can really cook in Allentown. One time we had car trouble on our way to Ft Lewis in WA. We stood in the snow by the side of the road and froze for awhile. We finally got a ride into town to a cafe that had beef stew on the menu. I ate 2 bowls of it. Talk about warm the soul. Ah, wonderful. And then there's Texas!

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Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 18 Jan 2006 5:33 pm

In eastern Kansas, Beto Junction!!!

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 18 Jan 2006 5:58 pm

Now THIS is a critical topic for traveling professionals. Considering that one can play every state and province in North America for years and never see much more than the hotel room and the stage of the venue du jour, feeding opportunities make for a large part of the R&R experience.

When I was constantly on the road in the 1980's my mates and I compiled an impressive list of splendid and diverse eating opportunities, for example:

Atlanta - Blue Nile (Ethiopian)
Kansas City - Gabe's (BBQ)
Washington D.C. - Long Wong's (Chinese
Boston/Cambridge - Bombay (East Indian)
Portland (Oregon) - Plainfield's Mayur (East Indian), Abou Karim (Lebanese), Chin Yen (Szechuan),
Seattle - Ivar's (Seafood)
Chicago - Mama Leona's (Italian)
Anchorage - Sack's
El Paso used to have a fabulous Italian restaurant located in a little strip mall right off the freeway. We never wrote down the name of it but we always stopped there until one day the whole strip mall was gone, replaced by outlet stores or some such.
In Detroit there were several outstanding Lebanese and Greek restaurants, in Providence, Rhode Island we always ate the venue's in-house catering (The Living Room, hands down some of the best meals I ever ate).
All in all, there were about 120 such entries, including a number of top-notch truck stops that we had encountered over the years, where we always got plenty of good old American Diner fare.

When lunch time came if we were traveling by bus we had two firm rules: (1) We don't stop unless we can see it from the highway and (2) We don't order unless we can eat it on the bus. Gotta keep them wheels a rollin' after all....

Many of these fine establishments are no longer in business and I am no longer in a position to keep the list current. Nowadays I'm mostly eating my wife's cooking and that's jolly fine with me, but if anyone is ever coming through Portland, Oregon drop me a line and I'll point you in the right direction for sure.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 18 Jan 2006 6:02 pm

Addendum: NEVER eat at any restaurant named after a drink. No good can ever come of it.

Steve Hitsman · Post by **Steve Hitsman** » 18 Jan 2006 6:48 pm

Dave,

I assume you mean 'Gates' for barbecue in KC (not 'Gabes') but you would be wrong. The best barbecue in KC (maybe anywhere) is Arthur Bryants. LOL. Let the games begin.

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 18 Jan 2006 8:01 pm

Any BBQ joint in the deep south,that uses a mustard based sopping sauce.So hot it takes 3 big R.C.'s to cool you off.

Bob Martin · Post by **Bob Martin** » 19 Jan 2006 4:24 am

Mary's BB'q 14th and Jefferson Nashville TN best pulled pork BB'q and ribs I've ever had. Don't ask for hot sauce unless you're serious.

Prince's Hot Chicken Ewing lane Nashville TN. It makes no difference how hot you like it they have 2 styles hot and hotter again don't go there unless you want hot chicken fried in a 25 pound black skillet that they clain to be 150 years old and I don't doubt it at all. The skillet can probably fry up 5 chickens at a time and they use cajun spices for their heat not mexican.

Bob

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 19 Jan 2006 10:05 am

Since I lived in KC for 23 years. The Best KC BBQ sauce is Gates but the best BBQ and Fries is Arthur Bryant's.

The best ribs between Arthur Bryant's and Gates is Gates.

"North of the River" (KC North), Smokehouse BBQ in Gladstone is the best "white" BBQ. I always go for the "burnt end" dinner and the hot BBQ sauce.

I get Gates "Original" BBQ shipped in periodically, by our daughter that lives there.

If you are in Harrisburg, Pa, go for the "Greek" hot dogs at "The Spot" in downtown Harrisburg.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 19 Jan 2006 10:23 am

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[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 19 January 2006 at 02:04 PM.]

John Ummel · Post by **John Ummel** » 19 Jan 2006 10:25 am

When in Seattle, DO NOT miss "Mama's Mexican Kitchen", corner of 2nd & Bell, not far from the Space Needle. Great food, cool vibe. Walls feature art, photos, memorabilia of Elvis, Jimi, much more.....a must.

Rick McDuffie · Post by **Rick McDuffie** » 19 Jan 2006 10:40 am

Edited for basic decency

[This message was edited by Rick McDuffie on 19 January 2006 at 07:09 PM.]

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 19 Jan 2006 10:42 am

No doubt the mistake is mine, Steve, after twenty-some years more than a few memory cells have gone missing. All I remember about "Gabes" or "Gates" or whatever (besides the great food) is that every time we walked in the door the girl at the counter shouted out something that was either "how may I help you" or "Hi, may I help you" - we could never quite tell which it was.

Dave Grafe · Post by **Dave Grafe** » 19 Jan 2006 10:44 am

Oh yeah, I do know that Sack's in Anchorage is no longer in business, but there is still Roscoe's BBQ and M.A.'s Gourmet Dogs there.

Billy Henderson · Post by **Billy Henderson** » 19 Jan 2006 1:57 pm

Dayna come down here, we'll go to DOE'S EAT PLACE, then tell me what you think!! No you won't need to bring your own knife.

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 19 Jan 2006 2:14 pm

Out in this area "Road Food " is

Dear
Elk
Raccoon
possum
and once in a while a ! a -Coyote .

menus very day to day !

Dave White · Post by **Dave White** » 19 Jan 2006 2:17 pm

The old "Wheel Inn" truckstop cafe in Cabazon, Calif. off of I-10. Great home cooking and huge portions. I don't think it's there any more--there's a big Indian casino there now.

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 19 Jan 2006 2:58 pm

Another sometimes overlooked thing, is if you pull into a place and quickly notice they're still a few places to park "right up front" - put on the brakes and take a hard look around the parking lot.
After the initial glee of a close-to-the-main-entrance calms down, see how many vehicles are really in the parking lot.

Rule of thumb - more cars - better grub.

Less cars - buyer beware.

Just my take after 10 or so years on the road.

frank rogers · Post by **frank rogers** » 19 Jan 2006 6:27 pm

Ck. here: www.roadfood.com For steel clips and photos click here: http://www.geocities.com/frsteel/

Sidney Malone · Post by **Sidney Malone** » 19 Jan 2006 6:48 pm

Now if you want real BBQ, just stop in at Cooper's in Llano, Tx. If you do BBQ right like these folks...there's no need to cover it up with sauce!!

For seafood, just about anywhere in south Louisiana (that's left after the hurricanes) can't be beat!

We are definatly spoiled to good food around here. So when I travel, I've learned not to expect much!!

John Bechtel · Post by **John Bechtel** » 19 Jan 2006 6:56 pm

During the main years that I worked the road (’67 – ’80) and with all the various bands involved, the sure sign of a good eating place was always considered to be one that was loaded with 18~wheelers. The name of the restaurant was not even known or considered, except for future reference when traveling in that direction! This is a land of many wonderful sourses of great food! Witnessed by my oversize clothes!

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“Big John”
a.k.a. {Keoni Nui}
’05 D–10 Derby
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15”
Current Equipment

Skip Edwards · Post by **Skip Edwards** » 20 Jan 2006 8:09 pm

Arthur Bryant's is the best... you bet.
Seafood in Boston... Nick's No Name on Fish Pier.
NYC Italian... Luna in Little Italy- 112 Mulberry.
And I've found that anywhere you go it's hard to find a bad Thai or Indian restaurant, since they're almost all small family-run places.

Some of the worst food has been from professional caterers at gigs. Not all have been bad, but quite a few have been just awful. Example...They're always supposed to provide one entree for the vegetarians on the tour, and you'd be surprised how often they say, "And for the vegetarians we have chicken!"

Bon appetit![This message was edited by Skip Edwards on 20 January 2006 at 08:12 PM.]

Kenny Burford · Post by **Kenny Burford** » 21 Jan 2006 12:29 pm

I sure wouldn't argue that KC has some great BBQ places, but my personal favorite is Perry Foster's BBQ in Warrensburg, MO, which is east of KC about 50 miles on Hwy. 50. Hank Jr. has him cater just about everything for him including the Super Bowl a few years back. For anyone that like good home cookin' my favorite is the "Country Place," on I-70, in Odessa, MO just east of KC about 20 miles. Great fried chicken, pork chops, 15 to 20 different kinds of home pies, fresh light rolls and they serve you family style.

Jim Harper · Post by **Jim Harper** » 21 Jan 2006 2:37 pm

Any of you:ll ever eat at the Big Texan on the east side of Amarillo Tx?? I sure never walked away hungry==Jim Harper

Lawrence Sullivan · Post by **Lawrence Sullivan** » 21 Jan 2006 3:01 pm

Having spent most of my working life as a truck driver(appx 35yrs) I would say that because a lot of 18 wheelers are at a place is no indication of the quality of food that is served there. The first consideration of a truck driver stopping is do they have a place that is easily accesible and ample safe parking, next can I combine my meal stop with a fuel stop so as not to loose too much time, most major freightlines give you a schedule to keep and put some places off limits because of problems they have had there. Mostly you learn to avoid certain places and types of food if possible, nothing greasy or overly spicy that may not sit well over time, avoid buffet type meals that have been on the warming trays too long. Several years I looked at my log books and found I had spent over 300 nights on the road and meal costs were as much as it cost to feed my family at home. If you are traveling in a vehicle where you can make more choices, ask questions and seek out the mom and pop restaurants where the locals eat.
Respectfully,
Larry