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    <title><![CDATA[Glam Media Network Blog Posts for - Travel]]></title>
    <link>http://www.glam.com/</link>
    <description><![CDATA[Current Glam Media Network Blog Entries for - Travel]]></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2012 18:01:47 PST</pubDate>
    <generator>Glam Media Publishing Engine</generator>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Wave Hill Breads - Norwalk, CT]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/3360-3294/wave-hill-breads</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I became an acolyte of Mitchell Rapoport and Margaret Sapir when they started baking their three-grain pain de campagne at a little shop off Route 7 in Wilton. What a magnificent loaf it is: muscular crust, dense crumb, and flavor that is fine with nothing added and even finer dipped in olive oil or spread with good butter.

According to the bag in which it's packed, the loaf is made from flour, water, spelt and rye berries, sea salt, and yeast. The spelt and rye berries are organic, of course; and loaves are baked each morning (except Tuesday). They are available at the bakery as well as several local grocery stores and the every-Thursday Farmer's Market in Westport.

Since debuting with that one great loaf, the Wave Hill repertoire has expanded to croutons -- huge, gnarled, crusty things that make any soup or salad deluxe, available plain, hot-peppered, garlicky, or lemon and thyme -- and an item called "just crust," which is a buff chip for crust lovers. The bread selection now includes a deliriously chewy olive and roasted red pepper ciabatta and a multi-grain loaf. A panoply of pastries also is on the menu: croissants, muffins, macaroons, gibassiers, and sticky buns. And best of all, the Norwalk store includes a small cafe where you can sit down to eat those pastries or sandwiches made on Wave Hill breads.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:04:12</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Pepperhead - Cortez, CO]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7841-9308/pepperhead</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If there was one thing that we thought we could depend on in this world, it was a dearth of good food in any national park gateway town.  Apparently it took Mesa Verde National Park to prove that we were sadly mistaken. Fairly new to the downtown strip, Pepperhead Restaurant was opened by the daughter-father team of Tess and Pete Montao. The small town of Cortez, Colorado is less than an hour from the New Mexico border and Four Corners National Monument. As a result, their proximity to the Land of Enchantment luckily means that it is still possible to order northern New Mexican specialties within the Centennial State. All of the food at Pepperhead is made from scratch, and the care and quality are evident from the first bite. Not only do they roast all of the green chile themselves, but they even make the lemon, lime, and orange liquors that give their margaritas an extra kick. 

Even though the homemade mole was exceptionally rich and flavorful, the chiles rellenos and green chile sauce rose to the top. We have been let down time and time again by rellenos that were subpar or sometimes even downright terrible, but for some reason this is one of the only items that we continue to order even though the odds of deliciousness are most always stacked against us. Paired with chicken and beef enchiladas, the chile relleno immediately garnered our highest lauds: perfectly fried with a light, almost tempura batter, the flavorful thin-walled pepper gave way to mild, creamy cheese accented by the green chile sauce on the plate. We would like to think that wed dive deeper into the menu next time we are in Cortez, but expect it would be difficult to resist the allure of the R combination plate. Plain and simple, this option includes three chile rellenos served with a bowl of either red or green sauce for your dunking pleasure.

Items are available to satisfy the palates of both venturesome (posole, carne adovada, carne seca) and cautious (nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas) Mexican restaurant goers. A far cry from the stuffed clams of the Ocean State, here, stuffies are sopapillas filled with meat, beans, and rice and then smothered in green or red chile sauce. For dessert, the same sopapillas are drizzled with honey for a warm, puffy treat. Pepperhead is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-8:30-ish p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:38:32</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Mike's Candy Shop - Buffalo, NY]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/3285-3221/mikes-candy-shop</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Where did the Charlie Chaplin log come from?  You can find it in just about every chocolate store in Buffalo, yet nobody we spoke with has a clue about where or how it originated.  Sold as a candy log about the shape of a loaf of biscotti before it's been sliced, Charlie Chaplins wrap chocolate, coconut, and cashews around a soft marshmallow filling (like Rocky Road spiked with coconut).

At Mike's in Buffalo, another chocolate store we discovered through the maddeningly tempting writings of Jane and Michael Stern (in the 2002 edition of Roadfood), the marshmallow is homemade, with a texture poised between solid and flowing.  The spectacular marshmallow filling is key to this Charlie Chaplin, resulting in a much lighter effect in the mouth than the appearance and weight of the loaf would suggest.  Make no mistake, this is very sweet (and sticky and messy) candy, but the combination of good ingredients makes this more than just kids' stuff.

Sponge candy, another Buffalo favorite, is at its best here.  We've always had mixed feelings about sponge candy.  While the flavors agree with us, the candy often leaves chewy bits stuck to the teeth.  At Mike's, however, the sponge part of the candy truly does melt away on the tongue, leaving only the sweet taste of pure, homemade molasses-touched dark chocolate.

Mike's is a neighborhood chocolate store, located in a Polish section of Buffalo.  When you enter, the candy cases are to your right, and you'll probably see large trays of freshly-made chocolates cooling on racks to the left.  The chocolate scent is fairly intoxicating.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:04:23</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Toni's Country Kitchen - Laurium, MI]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7801-9305/tonis-country-kitchen</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Toni's is a few blocks off U.S. 41, the main road leading up through the Keweenaw Peninsula. We likely never would have found it if an enthusiast we met down in Houghton hadn't told us that we needed to detour there for the nisu and saffron breads. Those loaves, which are made by many Finnish bakeries in northernmost Michigan, were just a few of the wondrous eats to be had at Toni's.

Sticky buns, for instance. We smelled them the moment we walked in the front door. Three big round loaves of pull-apart buns were set upon the glass bakery case to cool. Each roll severed from the motherloaf was modest-sized but big-flavored. Just inside the front door, to the left, we peeked into the semi-open kitchen, where bakers were rolling dough on a floured table and another woman was plowing forearm-deep to hand-mix a big pan full of ingredients destined to be the filling of pasties. Toni's pasties are exemplary, light and elegant yet profoundly beefy. 

It was late fall when we stopped in. The modest, one-room cafe was buzzing with conversations among locals who were reminiscing about the summer and anticipating the snows to come. When we ordered pasties, the waitress beamed with pride and exclaimed, "The best, ever!" We left with bags full of oven-warm molasses cookies to munch as we drove.

Note: Toni's closes just before Christmas and reopens at the end of January.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:52:06</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Red Barn - Exira, IA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7842-9298/red-barn</link>
      <description><![CDATA[South of Audubon on a country road across from a row of feed silos, the Red Barn is a Roadfood gem that serves breakfast, lunch, and supper and is a gathering place where locals come to chat over coffee between meals. It's a tiny place, about the size of a house trailer with a third of its interior occupied by the kitchen. There are four tables, two with seats for six, so it is common, especially at lunch, for different parties to share space with one another. Nearly everyone who eats at the Red Barn knows everyone else, but as strangers we felt completely welcome and at ease.

We found this place while on the tenderloin trail, and sure enough, the BPT here is ravishing. It is wider than its bun, but not ridiculously so, and it is thick enough to be really juicy inside its snug, savory crust. When we visited, it was mid-August, so the standard battery of pickles and onions was supplemented by a couple of lovely slices of fresh garden tomato. The first-rate tenderloin is just one item on an exemplary Hawkeye-state menu that also includes pea salad with shredded cheese bound in Miracle Whip, a gently-seasoned loosemeats sandwich, nutmeg-dusted custard, and rhubarb crisp that the waitress recommended we order a la mode so as to offset the natural tartness of the pie plant.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:31:57</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Dutch Kitchen - Frackville, PA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/444-9294/dutch-kitchen</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I make many trips from upstate New York to Maryland to visit my grand kids. The Dutch Kitchen on Interstate 81 is my favorite spot to stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  I am always pleased with my meal and plan my trips so I can stop there to eat.  There is always a few good homemade soups and the salad bar is always fresh with enough extras to make it interesting.  I happen to love the Thousand Island Dressing.  The daily specials always include a yummy homemade meal.  

On New Years Day the restaurant offered the traditional local favorite of pork and sauerkraut, of course with real mashed potatoes.  It was awesome.  Could not have made it better at home.  I was curious as to why this dish was a local favorite on New Years Day and asked the waitress.  Before I knew it, the owner was at our table explaining that when pigs eat, they move forward, but when chickens eat they move backwards.  Therefore, it is traditional to eat the pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day to symbolize moving forward.  Sounds good to me.  I hope to be back next New Year's Day and many times before that.  And oh, I should mention, the sugar cookies are like something your grandmother would have made.  A great take away for the rest of the ride.

Try the Dutch Kitchen.  You will not regret it!]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:16:35</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Mike's Kitchen - Cranston, RI]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/1174-1174/mikes-kitchen</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If you happen to drive past Mikes Kitchen, you probably wont notice its a restaurant. Located in a VFW hall with only one little sign outside other than the Post Number, Mikes doesnt need to advertise. To those who seek out great Italian food at low prices, it is a appetite-stirring magnet. At mealtimes, its tables are always crowded. (Be sure to call ahead; when the Vets meet or when private functions are held, it is closed to the public.)

The menu, posted on the wall, is extremely appetizing: a catalog of dishes that are mostly Italian, a little Portuguese, and very Rhode Island. You can begin a meal with a stuffie (a stuffed quohog clam) or the unique Ocean State appetizer known as snail salad, then move on to perfectly broiled swordfish or scallops; or it is possible to indulge in such delectable old-world favorites as sauted broccoli rabe (or a rabe and provolone sandwich), gnocchi Sorrentino, sole Florentine, and chicken with cannellini beans. On the side of anything, you want polenta  a cream-soft block of steamy cooked cornmeal available with fennel-spiked sausage, meatballs, or a blanket of thick marinara sauce.
	
Many of the Italian dishes are familiar: veal cutlets in a variety of sauces, Parmesans galore, scampis, and even spaghetti and meatballs and linguine with nothing but oil and garlic. Seafood pastas are especially wonderful, offered with a choice of red or white sauce; at $16.95, the top of the line is seafood Diablo  lobster, scallops, and shrimp spread out across a bed of noodles.

To drink with your meal, wine and cocktails are available from a bar at one side of the dining room. You will pay for these separately, as the bar is run by the veterans who own the building.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:11:03</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Beto's - Pittsburgh, PA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7835-9291/betos</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Growing up in the suburban South before delivery pizza became so prevalent, we quickly learned how to make homemade pizza  and not the Chef Boyardee pizza-from-a-box, either. Toasted English muffins made the perfect crust, topped with a spoonful of jarred Pizza Quick sauce, a handful of shredded mozzarella, and maybe a few slices of vacuum-packed pepperoni. Of course, what was assembling these portable pies without a mouthful or two of cold cheese and pepperoni? Betos builds on that concept by baking large sheets of crust covered only with tomato sauce, then adding cold toppings afterwards. By the time your cuts (Pennsylvanian lingo for slices; this term is also used when describing Old Forge pizza) arrive at the table, the bottom layer of shredded provolone has already melted to the pie, which in turn has warmed the other toppings to room temperature. The result, once the wieldy slice is hoisted off the plate (after some loose cheese and toppings fall off), is a retro taste sensation straight from our childhood  and an extremely unique style of American pizza.

Roadfood authority Buffetbuster took us to Betos when we visited Pittsburgh, and we were bowled over by their exceptional pizza. The crux of this pie is its excellently crispy yet chewy crust and the fresh-tasting tomato sauce, and the pre-cooked sausage crumbles, peppers, and mushrooms only enhance an already great pie. The menu also features hoagies, Buffalo wings, salads, and fried cheesecake bites for dessert, but folks come in droves for the ultra-satisfying cuts. Practiced in only a handful of shops around Pittsburgh and neighboring West Virginia, this particular pizza style is not for those who prefer piping hot pies from the oven. But for the rest of us, Betos holds a very special place in our hearts  and in our stomachs. Betos is open daily from 11 a.m. to midnight, with take-out open until 12:45 a.m.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:07:16</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Old South Bar-B-Q - Smyrna, GA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/6271-9288/old-south-barbq</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Old south barbecue is simply delicious! The key words there are simply & delicious barbecue! My wife and I routinely drove 4 hours just to enjoy eating there. Now we live 9 hours away and are planning our next visit - YES IT'S THAT GOOD! The family owned and operated restaurant does what it does extremely well - make good BBQ! It's simple un messed with barbecue - not smothered in sauce,  the meats stand on their own merits. The Brunswick Stew ruins me - I can't find it made better anywhere! The restaurant is simple and not fancy - it's an old converted house. The food on the other hand is a masterpiece worthy of royalty! Try it for yourself - you will be making roadtrips too!]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:42:45</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Dairy Sweet - Dunlap, IA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7832-9280/dairy-sweet</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Awarded the Best Tenderloin award by the Iowa Pork Producers Association in 2005, Dairy Sweet is a small mom-and-pop operation on Dunlaps main drag. After winning the coveted prize, the number of visitors to the Dairy Sweet multiplied, until they sold 6,000 sandwiches in 2006 and 12,000 the year after. The sandwich is certainly worthy of the praise that has been bestowed upon it. The tenderloin itself is thickly cut and covered in a crispy, gnarled crust. Unlike those thin, perfectly symmetrical tenderloins, this sandwich is like a snowflake  no two are ever the same.

The cheeseburgers are a carnivores delight: hand-formed, slider-sized patties packed to the thickness of a steakhouse-style burger. We havent made our way deeper into the menu yet, which includes the regular assortment of fried foods (onion rings, mushrooms, chicken tenders), sandwiches, and hot dogs  primarily because the tenderloin is a must-have with every visit. We were always a little envious of those Dunlap denizens who used the laundromat across the street, for they had the opportunity to indulge in one of Iowas best BPTs between wash and dry cycles any time they had a craving!]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:45:36</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Ralph's Italian Deli - Ishpeming, MI]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7833-9279/ralphs-italian-deli</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If you plan to visit the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame this winter, we have a great dining suggestion for you. Across the street from the winter-sports shrine and cattycorner from a boring Pizza Hut, you will find Ralph's Italian Deli. It is anything but boring; it is an Upper Peninsula gem.

From the house bakery come sweet rye, cardamom loaves, and Italian breads as well as enormous frosted apple-cinnamon rolls for breakfast. The butchers in back make sausage of all kinds, including the local fave, cudighi. Pronounced cud-a-gee with a hard G, it is such a specialty of Ralph's that there is a map posted on the back wall of the dining room where pushpins indicate all the places in the U.S. and beyond to which the butchers have shipped their sausage. The map is titled "Where has all the cudighi gone?"

A cudighi (sandwich) is available made with a grilled patty of mild, medium, or hot sausage on a house-made white or whole wheat roll. Standard dressing at Ralph's is mozzarella, mustard, ketchup, and onion. It's a strange combination of condiments, but somehow on this dense, crusty-edged sausage with perfumy seasoning, it works. For those interested in reducing their calorie intake, Ralph's makes turkey cudighi.

Of course, the menu offers pasties. They are juicy enough that they need no gravy, although the waitress will supply some if you ask. Their savory crust, reminiscent of a good, sturdy pie shell, encloses shreds of beef and onion and little cubes of potato and rutabaga. It comes with a fork, but would be easy to eat out of hand like ore miners of long ago might have done on lunch breaks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:16:41</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Luau Grill - Jacksonville, IL]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7830-9277/luau-grill</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Tucked away in Jacksonville, IL, just about 40 miles West of Springfield -home of the Horseshoe Sandwich is the Luau Grill where the pork, chicken, and links are tended by proprietor Roger Davis in his smokers just outside the kitchen door.  This is BBQ with a Hawaiian tilt, from the Huli Huli chicken to the Big Kahiki (incredible baked & stuffed potato), to the Kalua pork Nachos and we've not even gotten to the moist and smoky pulled pork, the not too tender ribs, or the brisket (possibly the best restaurant brisket I've ever enjoyed).  Seating is fair weather only, as it is outside, but there is a drive by window and you can call your order in, so it will be ready when you arrive.  There isn't much room at the order counter, but if it's slow, you can stand there, enjoy your BBQ, and talk BBQ with Roger.  I have eaten here several times and have yet to be disappointed.  The food is very good and reasonably priced.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:55:44</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Pie N Burger - Pasadena, CA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7828-9273/pie-n-burger</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Since 1963, Pie N Burger has been feeding Pasadena residents and CalTech students primarily two staples extolled in their name: superior pies, at least a dozen baked fresh daily, and thin, crispy-edged burgers, perfectly grilled and topped with fried onions, pickles, and housemade Thousand Island dressing in the classic California style. Little has changed inside the spacious restaurant since the 60s: the Formica counter, old-timey stools, and tables have held hundreds of thousands  possibly millions  of customers. Since theyve never installed a modern soda fountain, the wait staff will whip up a cola from syrup and seltzer, or maybe youre feeling like a cold glass of buttermilk?
 
The pies deserve special attention. Seasonal fruit pies sport fragile crusts and ultra-flavorful fillings, like blueberry, cherry, and the curious olallieberry (a blackberry hybrid). The meringue pies stand tall against the pull of gravity with such rarities as peanut butter, butterscotch, and banana. Pie N Burger also carries mincemeat pie during the wintry months, that wonderfully aromatic, old-world jumble of apples, raisins, and spices, its crust topped with a dollop of hard sauce for a British touch. Hearty breakfast plates are popular, though well be satisfied as long as burgers are always available. Pie N Burger is open Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-10 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday 7 a.m.-9 p.m. And don't forget: cash only!]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 03:06:37</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Trina's Starlite Lounge - Somerville, MA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7823-9265/trinas-starlite-lounge</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Without actively searching for it, we recently found some of the best non-regional Roadfood in Boston. Trinas Starlite Lounge, known simply as the Starlite by regulars, is an extremely nondescript black building in Inman Square, where Prospect Street changes names to Beacon. Its Miller High Life sign recalls a small-town American Legion hall, the type of place youd walk by a hundred times and never give it a second thought. Half lounge, half restaurant, youre likely to be treated to rowdy renditions of the Happy Birthday song from the bar side of the building while chowing down on your meal, but this is a major part of the Starlites neighborhood charm.

Three menu items immediately caught our eyes as being regionally appropriate in other states: the pepperoni roll (West Virginia), fried chicken & waffles (Southern states), and a Cuban sandwich (Florida). Our server, Camille, was an absolute expert in explaining the chefs twists on tradition of our choices. For starters, the pepperoni roll is a perennial favorite with locals, and for good reason: the combination of meat, cheese, and upscale-bakery-quality bread is amazing on its own, but the red sauce steps it up more than a few notches. Chunky tomatoes and a peppery kick had us ladling it all over the roll like strung-out pizza addicts. Camille didnt have to tell us that folks go crazy over the pepperoni rolls, because it is so obvious from the first forkful.

Its moniker reflecting the chefs hometown, the Cuban de Tallahassee is a triumphant pressed sandwich, oozing with tangy pimento cheese made in house. Both pulled pork and succulent pork loin provide the overall juiciness, with homemade pickles and Tabasco aioli bringing up the rear with a vinegary smack. Again, the crusty bread makes all the difference here, as does the side of excellent cole slaw. Maybe the chef is old enough to remember Shingles Fried Chicken, which thrived in Tally in the 1990s, because the fried chicken ranks among the best weve had anywhere. Bon Apptit Magazine agreed last year when they counted it among The Top 10 Best Places for Fried Chicken, though its crust is unlike the typical Southern-fried variety. Savory, herb-crusted skin thats virtually greaseless locks in the heat for maximum flavor in each tender, juicy bite. Cooked in a thick, Belgian-style iron, the waffle is greatly enhanced by hot pepper syrup. Though we are staunch thin waffle fans, this is easily overlooked, thanks to the spicy/sweet syrup that tastes like liquefied pepper jelly.

We capped this incredible meal with a slice of pumpkin-chocolate chip pie with real whipped cream. Not only was this food some of the best weve had in Boston, but the service went so above and beyond that well ask for Camille on every return visit. Their Monday-only industry brunch is particularly popular and goes way beyond frilly mimosas and heavy egg dishes with homemade Pop Tarts, sweet cornbread, and throwback faves like Tang and Nestle Quik. The Mac Daddy is one such masterpiece: sausage patties sandwiched between three fluffy pancakes and covered with gravythis could be the best breakfast in Boston! The Starlite is open every day from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., serving dinner until midnight and brunch on Monday only.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 23:50:46</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Chatterbox Cafe - Audubon, IA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7360-9267/chatterbox-cafe</link>
      <description><![CDATA[We came across the Chatterbox while hunting Iowa's best tenderloins; the one served here is a beaut. It overhangs its bun, but it is not freakishly wide nor disappointingly thin. With a little effort the sandwich can be lifted from its plate. After teeth breach its gnarled crust, they sink into a thick ribbon of full-flavored pork. The sandwich comes accoutered with a pile of pickle chips and a slice of white onion. Apply your own mustard and/or ketchup and you're in hog heaven.

If a perfect tenderloin is somehow not satisfying enough, perhaps you'd like to try the Chatterbox's hamberloin. That piles a hamburger atop the fried pork patty in a bun; but as much as we like burgers in nearly every form, this combo doesn't do beef justice. Compared to the pork it crowns, the red meat is cloddish, adding only avoirdupois to what is, without the burger, a rather elegant sandwich.

Fans of Midwest cafe life will love this friendly place, the name of which is no lie. Townsfolk come not only to eat, but to chat and sip coffee, helping themselves to refills; and when we asked Samantha, our waitress, about the origin of the hamberloin, her account was casually joined by that of several customers from other tables, who delighted in sharing their knowledge of town history. The Chatterbox is open for three meals a day, as well as for conversation in between.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:06:15</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Fort Sandwich Shop - Fort Madison, IA]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7822-9261/fort-sandwich-shop</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Its easy to drive through the nearly forgotten town of Ft Madison, but its hard to drive past this tiny diner known as The Fort Sandwich Shop, or as Jake & Walt's Fort Diner. Eat the Fort reads the sign, facing Highway 61, the BNSF Railroad triple tracks, and the mighty Mississippi River just yards away. The diner isn't just small, its old. 1941 is the date the employees give me, it feels like a classic prefab railcar diner. The tiny building has been here a while under different owners.  The stools are above a small step just in front of the counter stretching across the dining area, there are small tables in front of windows facing the street. Like many Mississippi River view joints, there is a fish basket or fried shrimp along with the usual burgers and sandwiches. Stuffed Peppers were the special on the day I walked in, Raisin Creme Pie was the highlight of the Pie Board. The advertized specialty is The Wallyburger, made of 1 lb. of ground beef topped with onions, mushrooms, American, and Swiss cheese for just $7.50. I opted for just the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich. Its soft white meat exposed after being cut in half before serving. The light breading keeping the juicy pork flavor inside while turning a great golden brown on the outside, and the $5.00 price tag was a great value.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:23:09</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[J.R.'s Ribshack - Panama City, FL]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/6115-9254/jrs-ribshack</link>
      <description><![CDATA[J.R.'s Ribshack was an epiphany for me. From the first whiff of deep, rich, pit-smoke scent, I knew that this would be a new eating experience. The staff are friendly and made us feel right at home. Dinner started with crisp and tasty onion rings and fried green tomatoes. The entrees were generously portioned and the flavours divine. The ribs are fall-off-bone tender and rich with smoky goodness. Dipping the moist shards in the restaurant's three sauces was a nice change from pre-sauced ribs. The sides we tried we all good, but the MUST HAVE is the homemade Brunswick stew. It was my first experience with thid dish, and I can't imagine having it better anywhere else. It is a lovely concoction of soft lima beans, shards of tender pork and a rich spicy tomato sauce. So good that if I ever have a chance to go back, I will make it the main focus of at least one meal. We finished with the creamy-good homemade banana pudding, the perfect sweet counter to the savory flavors of dinner. This restaurant is worth a trip  :)]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 16 Jan 2012 01:50:50</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Jean-Kay's - Marquette, MI]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7819-9256/jeankays</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Having had its ups and downs, Jean-Kay's pasty shop is currently flying high. It was started by the Harsch family in 1975 in Iron Mountain and, as Jean Kay's Sweet Shop, its specialty was donuts. But then Mr. Donut came to Iron Mountain. Tourists favored the franchise, and when donut sales plummeted, Jean Kay Harsch suggested they change their business plan and make pasties. She felt the Upper Peninsula could use a place that made the Cornish meat pies the way her grandmother used to do it back when they were a staple in the diet of the region's settlers.

If you want to know what grandmother's pasties were like, I suggest a visit to Jean-Kay's of Marquette, a restaurant started by Jean Kay's son Brian, sold to someone else, then rebought by Brian when he didn't feel the pasties were up to snuff. Here you will savor a classic, made with steak (not burger meat) and suet (not lard). Although rutabaga-free pasties are on the menu, Brian explained the value of rutabagas in the filling  an ingredient frequently ignored by Jenny-come-lately bakers. "It is an amazing vegetable," he enthused. "Aside from its own flavor, it works with whatever else is in there to keep the moisture flowing. It is a conduit."

While Jean-Kay's is a small storefront with a few tables inside and out, the pasty-making part of the operation is big. Being USDA-approved, it can Fedex half-baked, frozen pasties coast-to-coast, any time between September and May. Available varieties include steak, veggie with cheese, and mini pasties that make wonderful hors d'oeuvre.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:50:24</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Hoot Owl Cafe - Ponderey, ID]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7817-9249/hoot-owl-cafe</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The Hoot Owl is a North Idaho highwayside cafe dating from about "30-40 years ago" according to our waitress, although the building has been there since 1942 and was a drive-in in it's previous incarnation.  It is just a couple miles from Sandpoint and not far from Schweitzer ski area.

When I was living in Sandpoint, it was a weekly tradition for friends and I to meet for breakfast there.  My kids and I stopped in on a quick visit back a couple days ago for breakfast.

The portions are HUGE, so bring your appetite.  There are some items that are so ridiculously enormous that they do offer 1/2 portions, such as biscuits & gravy and their wonderful Hashbrowns Supreme, which are sort of a thick-shredded fresh potato hashbrowns fried up with chopped onions, green pepper and mixed with ham and scrambled eggs and melted cheese on top.

I had a half order of biscuits & gravy, which was still a plateful as you can see from the picture.  They make their sausage gravy with breakfast sausage from Woods Meats north of Sandpoint, which processes locally grown meats and makes wonderful sausages and bacon and other meat products which are sold around the area.  The Hoot Owl also has Woods' german sausage on the breakfast menu and it's wonderful stuff!  We bought a few packages at a grocery in town to bring home.

My daughter, who wasn't hungry, made do with a 1 egg breakfast with hashbrowns and toast.  My son had a Bacon, Swiss and Mushroom omelet and said it was one of the best omelets he'd ever had.  He also said there must have been 5 or 6 slices of their amazing thick cut bacon in there.  I'm not sure if the bacon is a Woods product or not, but it's very good.

I wish we had come with bigger appetites, or been able to stay another day so we could get pictures of more menu items for you all!
Also, I have been here many times throughout their open hours, and have never made it past the breakfast menu, but I've heard their lunch menu is also very good.

The Hoot Owl is only open from 5:00 am until 2:00 pm, but both breakfast and lunch menu items are available at any time.  They do accept cards but no checks.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 15 Jan 2012 04:07:26</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Murphy's Steak House - Bartlesville, OK]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/3278-9246/murphys-steak-house</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Murphy's is a true 60's throwback.  Chrome stools at the bar and booths.  In fact, Murphy's was destroyed by tornado in the 80's and was rebuilt on the same footprint with virtually the same interior.  If trendy, modern atmosphere is what you want, then Murphy's is not your place.  If great food, surrounded by friendly working people is what you want, then this is your place.  If you get there around lunch or dinner time, be prepared to wait for a table up to an hour (it's that busy).  They have a waiting room to get out of the weather, but it'll be full too.  They also have a carry-out window if you do get there at peak time.  Call your order in and show up 20 minutes later and avoid the rush.  Get there before prime rush (5:15) or best wait until after 7:30.

Hot Hamburger is the signature dish.  A spinoff of the old hot roast beef sandwich, it starts with toast on the bottom, topped with a hamburger patty, smothered with french fries, and a smooth, brown gravy.  Variations are a Hot Steak, Hot Cheeseburger, with sauteed onions.  The fries are freshly cut and rival anyones, and the gravy just finishes it all off.  By the time you get to the bottom, you've almost forgot about the hamburger and toast.  Other resturants in the area have added hot hamburgers to their menu's, but don't be fooled; none have replicated the fries and especially the gravy.

The original owners have passed on, and are laid to rest about 1.5 miles from the resturant under a headstone that reads "And Gravy Over All".]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sat, 14 Jan 2012 03:13:50</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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