800 and Beyond!

 After getting home from the Michigan trip and being at 799 Triple D visits, my thoughts turned to getting to number 800!  As I started to plan it I got a message from Andy Pollin at the ESPN radio station in DC, the classic AM-630 (I grew up listening to the great shows on AM-630 like "Harden and Weaver" and Tom Gauger).  Andy, who had interviewed me about my Triple D travels a few months earlier wanted to do another one with me as a follow up as 800 was getting close.  I had a great time with Andy, it was a fun conversation!

With the COVID pandemic still an issue I looked at a few places to travel and saw that Texas seemed  to be a safe place to travel.  There was one place in Houston that I had yet to visit and there were a few places in Austin that I had yet to get to so I could do both, get to 800 and keep going.

I took an early morning flight to Houston and met up with my friend and Consistency Team co-worker, Lora, to set out for 800.  "Irma's Original" is in downtown Houston practically next to Minute Maid Park, home to the baseball Houston Astros (also the place where the Washington Nationals won their World Series championship just a year earlier in 2019!).  Irma's is a very eclectic place decorated with pictures, posters, colorful lighting and neon signs.  We arrived about 10a for breakfast and interesting enough they don't have a menu for breakfast. Our friendly server read off the the menu and we both chose the breakfast tacos.  Irma's is a family run place and all the staff seemed to be part of the family!  They told me that Irma was at the market shopping for the restaurant but would be arriving shortly.  As we waited they brought us a basket of chips and salsa and the salsa was very tasty and not too spicy. Soon our meal was delivered and the tacos were excellent!  Beef and cheese mixed with scrambled eggs.  I am not a huge egg fan and asked for light eggs and it was perfect! Very tasty and not too spicy.  The staff then presented us with a complimentary breakfast dessert!  Sopapillias,  puffy fried dough topped with nuts and honey, it was delicious! After we finished and waited for Irma to arrive we walked around and admired the very fun décor.  Irma's has hosted a lot of celebrity guests including a number of super star baseball players.  When Irma arrived she spent a few minutes with us, such a nice lady!  Both Lora and I felt like we had become part of the family and she graciously signed my book!  

After saying our goodbyes to the staff Lora brought me back to the airport so I could continue my trip to Austin and the quest to 900!  It was great to share this with Lora and although I wasn't sure beforehand, Irma's was the perfect place for the milestone 800th visit and without Lora this wouldn't have been accomplished, thanks Lora!

After a long mechanical delay I was off the Austin on the short 30 minute flight.  I immediately got my rental car and headed out.  Heading north I arrived in the early evening at "SLAB BBQ and Beer".  I walked in and headed to the counter to order my meal.  They have a large menu of sandwiches (or sammiches, as they call them).  They have fun names with a number of celebrity and movie references.  I ordered the McDowell ( a reference to the movie "Coming to America").  The McDowell is a rib sandwich topped with house made pickles, onions and a mustard based sauce on the side called "Soul Glo Sauce" (if you know the movie, you'll get the reference).  The sandwich was delicious, maybe one the best BBQ sandwiches I have ever had and the sauce was not needed, it was that good.  The bun made it even better!  As I finished, my server came over to sign my book and we talked a few minutes, she was on the show when Guy visited and took a picture of the book for the owner to see, thanks Abby for that! SLAB is a a must if you're in the Austin area!

SLAB motto is "Low, Slow and Bangin' " and they do it!  Abby told me that their goal is do it 100 and they did that, too!  I headed out to my next place just a few miles away.  

"One Taco Taqueria" is a small place that makes all their food, fast and fresh when ordered.  They make all their tortillas fresh.  Mexican Street tacos are their specialty and as I looked over the menu I decided to try the two that they featured on the show with Guy and also try the fresh Guava drink.  The place is nice, the tables all feature Corona beer logos and they have Mexican Soccer jerseys on the walls.  After a few minutes my tacos arrived.  I got the "Gringa"; a flour tortilla stuffed with marinated pork, cheese, cilantro, onions and pineapple; and a Taco Yucateco; a corn tortilla stuffed with Cochinita Pork, black beans and spicy pickled onions.  Both were really good, I really enjoyed the Gringa, very tasty!  The sweet of the pineapple really added to the flavor.  

The next morning I headed out to get to last few places in the Capital of the "Lone Star State".  Let me tell you that Austin is one huge road construction project!  I though it was bad in Northern Virginia, Austin has us beat by a mile (and a slow mile at that)!  My first stop was at a food truck.  "Valentina's Tex-Mex BBQ" was about a 20 minute drive from the hotel, which was a blessing because you have to order in advance on-line and I had just enough time to get there before my order was ready.  They feature tacos, sandwiches along and BBQ meats by the pound.  If you want to try Valentina's they are open from early morning until mid afternoon or until they run out and after getting back after the visit half of the menu had sold out!  I chose the Ultimate Bean and Cheese Taco, a flour tortilla filled with refried beans, cheddar cheese, bacon and a huge portion of pulled pork.  It was awesome, Tex-Mex is not one of my favorite types of cuisine, but this taco could make me a Tex-Mex fanatic!  After finishing I met the owner and one of his buddies who really lives the life!  He is local to Austin but travels all over the country photographing different BBQ restaurants and BBQ pits!  We talked for a few minutes mostly about Guy and how generous he is to the small restauranteurs.  These types of comment I have heard from people all over the USA!  Valentina's is a carry-out only place but they do have a small picnic area tht include a wash basin, an very important when eating BBQ!

I headed to my next stop which was a bit of a drive especially with the traffic and road construction.  "Pieous" is the only place in Austin on my list that was open only for carry-out.  It's located along a busy road west of the city.  They feature Neapolitan style pizza, pastrami, and pasties.  I decided to try the Marinara pizza, a pizza with sauce and toppings but no cheese.  I got it with sausage.  The sauce was tasty with a real garlic kick.  The crust was chewy and tasty.  I ended up having a few slices and saving the rest for later as a snack or maybe a cold pizza breakfast.  My server signed my book and he manager gave me a t-shirt, a very nice gift!  From what I could see it looks like a place that can be real fun, I hope to be able to go and eat in when this pandemic ends!

After a relaxing afternoon I headed to to my last Austin place.  Austin (or ATX it's known) has a lot off food trucks.  There are several places in the downtown area that have 4 or 5 food trucks with all types of cuisine.  "Boteco" is a Brazilian food truck in a food truck garden.  Their website showed the hours of operation to be from 6p-10p.  I arrived about 535p and waited for the truck to open.  The one employee was just waiting in the truck but didn't open until about 610p after two other customers showed up even though he saw me waiting, very frustrating!  I decided to try the Coxinha, which was 3 deep fried balls filled with chicken and cream cheese, I would describe it as the Brazilian Crab Rangoon.  It was very good, but the attitude and service from the staff made it a big disappointment for me.  I don't like to be negative so I'll keep it at that.

I finished the first part of my trip and it was a eventful trip.  I was able to get to my 800th place and start my quest for 900.  The second part of the trip would take me to San Antonio and one of the first places that Guy ever went to for "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" but that's another story. My count stands at 805! 

Going to a few places in Michigan!

 I was looking over the lists of places Guy visited and saw that there were a few in the Lansing, Michigan area I had yet to try so I decided to take a trip there.  Since it's easier to fly into Detroit and drive to Lansing, that's what I did, The drive took about 90 minutes.  

My first stop was at a small place that due to the COVD pandemic was only open for carry-out with all the tables and chairs set into the corner.  "Capital City Barbecue" has an interesting menu.  They feature what we would consider traditional barbecue, but they also have a large offering of Vietnamese cuisine.  Upon entering there was a table with paper menus and then you order at the cashier stand where he took my name and vehicle type for delivery.  I chose the PBLT sandwich with a side of macaroni salad.  I was told the wait would be about 15 minutes, but it turned out to be only 5!  The sandwich was pulled pork infused with house made chipotle mayo topped with bacon and lettuce (I passed on the tomato) all on a grilled bun.  The sandwich was really good, the mayo added a spicy kick but it wasn't too hot, made even better by the perfectly grilled, buttered bun. The macaroni salad was ok.

From Capital City BBQ I drove a few miles across town to another barbecue joint.  "MEAT BBQ" is in a small neighborhood which is home to a number of bars, restaurants and shops.  MEAT is set back off the sidewalk in a small alley, which in non-pandemic time serves as their patio area.  I was seated at the bar. The entire place, was at about 50% capacity.  They don't have menus and I had to scan a barcode to get it on my phone.  I chose Pork Belly Reuben and it was awesome.  Not the traditional Reuben.  This one was on thick cut pumpernickel with pork belly and brisket topped with swiss, sauerkraut, and thousand island dressing. The pork belly had a spicy bark on it and the brisket was also really good.  I think my favorite part was the pumpernickel bread, it was delicious!  I must credit the staff, they made sure that all protocols with the pandemic were followed keeping everyone safe.  

After a short break I headed out to my last stop of the day.  Guy visited a food truck called "The Purple Carrot" and after checking out their website I found out that the owners of the truck also run a "brick and mortar" restaurant, which I later found out Guy also visited called "Red Haven Farm to Table".  I arrived and was seated at a small table that faced the open kitchen.  They feature an eclectic menu that celebrates local farms and cuisine.  I chose the Shrimp Burger.  Red Haven was also operating at about 50% and it was full!  The sandwich came out and the shrimp was coarsely ground into a patty and topped with a celery root slaw in a truffle aioli.  The slaw was excellent!  The burger was good, too but a bit too salty for my taste.  The menu was so different that I can really recommend Red Haven, they have a lot of unique sandwiches and meals to try, I think I'll have to go back!

My second day in Lansing was a cold, windy and rainy.  I headed out about 11am to my first stop.  I remembered the episode that featured the "Eastside Fish Fry and Grill" because the owner employs those that may have had a rough lot in life and gives them a second chance, a very noble thing.  This is part restaurant and part fish market.  They will even cook the fish that you bring in.  They sell and serve locally caught fish as well as chicken and meat.  I decided to try what they call "The Guy Fieri Hard Times Special", 4 chicken wings, 1/2 lb. of chicken gizzards, 2 Pigskins, Fries and a drink.  They cook (or should I say fry) everything fresh so it took about 20 minutes for the meal to be done.  Eastside is decorated with different pictures of all the food they cook, which includes about a dozen types of fish and just about every part of the chicken that's edible!  My meal came out in a tin foil banquet pan covered in tin foil.  The huge meal could feed at least 2!  Pigskins are thick cut bacon slices battered in chicken flour and then deep fried, the gizzard portion was huge.  The wings were pretty good size and very meaty.  The whole meal was dusted in their seasoned salt mix.  I really enjoyed the entire meal but I think I enjoyed the wings the most.  The gizzards were very good, moist and meaty, which is great because sometimes places fry them too long and they become dry and tasteless.  The Pigskins were good, too.  One thing I can tell you is that you won't go hungry at Eastside!  

My next stop was one of the coolest themed places I have ever been to!  "The Cosmos" is combined with Zoobie's Tavern, due to the pandemic.  Cosmos features wood fired pizzas, salads and small appetizer plates.  I took a seat at the bar and decided to try two small plates.  I chose the Truffle Popcorn and the Cosmic Devils.  The friendly bartender made the popcorn at the bar, popcorn infused with truffle oil, black pepper and sea salt.  It was addicting, the spices really made it delicious, I wish I could get this at movie theatres!  The Cosmic Devils came out a few minutes later. Deviled eggs with candied bacon and pickled onions. I always like to try deviled eggs when I see them on a menu because they seem rare and always are a reminder of my younger days.  These were really good and the bacon was just the right amount of sweet and savory.  After I finished I walked around both places and loved the theming!  A lot of sci fi posters and pictures (along with a number of pictures of Lansing in the early 1900s.  The funniest thing was the sign outside the bathroom that showed it was open to Men, Women and Aliens!  Before leaving I got the manager to sign my book.  They told me that due to the pandemic they would probably go back on lockdown opening only for carry-out.  I really like Cosmos and highly recommend it!

My next stop was at a place I have visited a few years before and is not only a popular but a legendary Triple D place and one of my favorites.  "Joe's Gizzard City" is in the small town of Potterville, about 15 miles southwest of Lansing.  Potterville is a small town very reminiscent of the mythical town of Mayberry from The Andy Griffith Show.  Joe's had a nice crowd for a slow Monday morning, I was the outsider as everyone seemed to know each other.  I knew what I wanted, although their menu is filled with a lot of great choices including the Triple D Burger, which Guy created on their episode.  The burger is completed, bun, burger, onion lettuce and tomato. then battered and deep fried.  I almost got that but when at Gizzard City, you get gizzards!  I ordered the Gizzard Sampler Platter, which is a huge potion of batter fried gizzards, traditional deep fried gizzards along with garlic herb dusted gizzards and Cajun dusted gizzards served with a side of cocktail sauce.  As I waited for my meal I noticed the wall had a Piedmont Airlines logo, now you may or may not know but my first airline job was with Piedmont in 1985, so I always have a soft spot for anything Piedmont!  My meal came after a short wait and they did not disappoint!  The gizzard were not overly battered and perfectly cooked, moist and succulent.  I would bet that Joe's makes the best gizzards in the world, and I'm not kidding!.  I missed meeting Joe, but my server signed my DDD book in which Joe's has their own chapter. I know if I'm back in the area I will come back, it's that good!

After taking a break I headed out for dinner to my last place in Lansing.  "Zaytoon Mediterranean" was open only for carry-out so I checked out their menu before leaving the hotel and knew what I wanted before arriving.  The restaurant is pretty nice inside and it will be nice when they can get back to normal operations.  After ordering the Lamb Kabob, I got my server to sign the Triple D book and was given a number to put on the windshield of the truck I had rented while waiting for the meal to come.  The server brought it out and asked if I needed utensils, which I did, so he went back in and when he came back he had another bag of food and told me that they wanted me to try other items as well!  It was enough food to feed a family of three!  I took it back to eat in my hotel room and see just I had gotten.  Along with the Lamb met kabob that came with a bed of rice a small portion of hummus, salad with home made vinaigrette  and two pieces of naan bread they gave me a portion of tabbouleh (a herb and bulgur salad with parsley and lemon juice and olive oil), a huge portion of hummus, a second serving  of naan bread and two rolls.  They also gave me two pistachio dessert rolls.  I definitely had the Mediterranean feast to end my time in Lansing.  All of it was delicious, I especially liked the hummus, which was very tasty.  The lamb was cooked perfectly.  The slightly sweet dessert was a great ending to the meal.  I was surprised and appreciative of the hospitality and generosity of the people at Zaytoon!

All of the places I had visited had ben in Lansing, home of the Michigan State University Spartans. My last stop would be in Ann Arbor, home the University of Michigan Wolverines.  Ann Arbor is about an hour east of Lansing and about 30 minutes from Detroit where I was headed.  I had visited "Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger" in 2017 and figured why not go back.  The COVID pandemic had made the area around Michigan State in East Lansing almost ghost town like and Ann Arbor was pretty much the same.  I walked in around 1130a, prime lunch time and it was totally empty,  a very sad sight!  They have a very specific way to order and even have the rules on the wall.  They have 6 types of rolls to choose from as well as the number of patties you want from 2 to 10 or more..  Then you choose the toppings.  I decided to try two doubles, one on pumpernickel and one on Kaiser with grilled onions and bleu cheese on the pumpernickel roll.  They fix them up while you wait.  I took a table on the small dining room which is decorated with memorabilia about Krazy Jim's and burgers in general.  The burgers were really good and filling.  I really hope that this pandemic ends soon as places like Krazy Jim's are hurting, there should have been a line of patrons, very sad.

I left Krazy Jim's and headed back to Detroit to see a friend from college and then fly back home.  I was really lucky because I was able to get to all the places I had wanted.  The day after leaving, the Michigan Governor put the state on lockdown shutting down all of the inside dining in the state due to the pandemic.  I flew home with my Triple D count at 799, just one more to number 800!