Having a religious experience at Langer’s Deli in LA. Dang this place is good.
We all come back from travels wishing that we had a ________ in our own home towns. For example:
A legit, premium Japanese sushi bar that’s different from all the look-alike places with the SAME MENU.
A great place for REAL Peking duck.
A bagel with a real crust and real chew, regardless of whether you like Montreal-style bagels or New York City ones.
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You get me. I live in the Twin Cities, and we still don’t have a real high-quality Jewish Deli. Or a sublime Korean BBQ spot. And I think both would do amazingly well here.
So what is it for you where you live? You get a magic wish. What type of eatery do you want to open tomorrow in your town. Share in the comments!
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Every strip mall in New Jersey has a bagel spot that if moved would be the best bagel in Chicago. Chicago bagels are bready and have a sweetness to them that shouldn't be there. Haven't found one here that competes with the glossy, crunchy, crusty, chewiness of any bagel made in the NJ/NY area.
a Jewish deli that has the really good New York potato knishes. The flat square kind. I’ve tried to reproduce it myself but not very successfully. Do you have a recipe for that?
I’ve traveled a lot of the world and most of the US and never found anything that compares.
Go to Cross Roads Deli in Minnetonka, Minnesota and order a thin sliced double portion hot fatty corned beef on caraway rye with Russian Dressing and fries with a Dr. Brown cream soda or Cel-Ray. It comes with a cardiologists telephone number.
Andrew- How can we suggest a new thread topic? I'd love to hear from people about their unexpected hidden gem experiences from their travels. I would trust your subscribers over other travel sites, and I would personally hunt such places down. Here's one: The amazing Italian food served at the Pecora Nera in the middle of the jungle in Costa Rica. It's a small standalone restaurant run by an expat chef from Italy.
You lucky duck, we haven't been since 2008. La Pecora Nera (pecoraneracr.com) is in Limon Province outside of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side. It's a bit of a chore to get there, but you will shed tears over their Spaghetti a la Matriciana. Even if you can't make it all the way there, Costa Rica has a lot of Italian expats, and a serious love of pizza. Also, I don't know what your plans are, but try to eat a few meals at a traditional Coata Rican "soda" (diner). You'll be making gallo pinto (beans & rice) with eggs for breakfast at home for years after your trip. One more tip - rent a car if you can. The road system is great, safe and easy to get around, and the Costa Rican people love (well behaved) Americans, especially children.
I think if I could open anything, I would love an actual honest to goodness Vietnamese Pho shop. There was an incredible place in Nashville years ago, but there's not been anything nearly as impressive in the Memphis area. My area needs a good anything honestly, too big a town to only have Mexican restaurants and BBQ joints (nothing against either, I love both styles).
I live on Saint Simons Island, off the Georgia coast. We have some of the best seafood restaurants on the entire East coast, including South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and all of New England. But what we do not have, to my great regret, is a good Chinese restaurant. We actually have only one on the island, and it's far from good. My favorite food is seafood, but a close second is Chinese food. If I had to choose a last meal, it would be Peking Duck. A few times a year, I can get that in Orlando, Florida, a 3-hour drive from my house, at the 'Morimoto Asia' Restaurant in Disney Springs. Chef Morimoto, the accomplished Iron Chef, puts out an amazing Peking Duck and the best spareribs of anywhere in the country. Every time we visit Disney World, I get my Chinese food fix from Morimoto.
I grew up in PA and NJ but am now living in VA. I would give anything for a good corner pizza place with decent prices. To get anything remotely close to NY or Philly style pizza here requires driving and paying a fortune (pushing $30).
I live in a place with few restaurants whatsoever. Making pizza at home isn’t too bad, if you take time with each step of the process, you can make pizza that will impress.
On the bagel front, I have resorted to making my own. I still can’t replicate all the flavors available in the artisanal shops, but I can make a decent plain or rye bagel. What can I do at home to take them over the top???
Absolutely and without question, a Jewish Deli! We have a good population of Jewish people here in Columbus, Georgia and I really don’t understand why we don’t have one. I truly feel like it would be very successful here!
I live in North Saanich, BC, Canada. While Victoria has a pretty good food scene, for me, everything is at least half an hour away and will be cold when I get it home. What do I wish we had in nearby Sidney? Really good Pho. Korean Fried Chicken. Good Szechuan. And yes, nice bagels with a really good chew - the place I used to buy those is gone.
My hometown is Reno, you've been there, and while the food scene has chanced in the several years since I left (apparently I hear for the worse) what I wish it had growing up was a good kosher deli and a good Italian-American bakery.
What I miss from there? A Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs breakfast. At least I can get a good west coast apple fritter. Only place I found that has them on the east coast are all in the Research Triangle area.
Well, I'm a CT native living in west central MN and there are moments I would give my right arm for an honest to God bakery. One with real bagels, of course, babka bread and a jelly donut covered in powdered sugar. Not a roll, not a bun, but a jelly donut!
Ha! We live in Elephant Butte, New Mexico next door to a cute LITTLE tourist town called Truth or Consequences. We actually have a few small gourmet quality restaurants here, but cuisine is still limited. I'd love to have a restaurant close by that serves anything Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and absolutely....a great bagel/lox/cream cheese!!!!
Here along the IL/WI state line there is no traditional Japanese food. Sure, you can get sushi at a few places, and there is a teppanyaki style restaurant for the Benihana crowd, but I would kill for a bowl of Oyaku Donburi or a plate of Katsu curry rice. Maybe in Chicago, but it's 90 minutes from here.
If only Buffalo had an authentic French bistro with the standard, simple fare such as duck confit, perhaps cassoulet, roast chicken, entrecote of beef, great frites, some good pate, etc.
I honestly have to say there’s not much I can’t get in Philadelphia but while we have some good barbecue it tends not to be traditionally regional. I’d love a good eastern NC barbecue - pulled pork with vinegar sauce!
Andrew, how about some VEGAN or plant-based eateries? That would be fantastic! I live in Roanoke, VA and lets just say there is next to NOTHING here for my type of diet. Thanks!
Cecil's in St. Paul is okay... for here. Anyone used to New York delis isn't going to find it a 100% substitute. But the kosher delis that have opened over the years last a little while and then they close. Not sure if serving authentic deli food is too off-putting to Minnesotans or too expensive, but they all seem to follow the same arc: open, promising a real NYC experience; adjust the menu after a few months to what sells; and then either dumb it down some more or close. You'd think we could keep one (better than Cecil's) open.
Really good Okonomiyaki and/or Yakitori. I live within the vicinity of Seattle, but despite the presence of places like Uwajimaya, finding those two made decently in the area...well...still looking, not finding. I have to resort to making them myself.
I live in the Iowa City / Coralville / Cedar Rapids Corridor in Eastern Iowa and honestly I feel like we have an amazing array of delicious, legit food to choose from! From vegan to Indian to Middle Eastern to sushi to gigantic steaks raised on Iowa corn to real deal soul food at a place you love - Vivian's Soul Food, I feel pretty darn lucky! I guess my one wish would be for fresh caught seafood!
Yup…good bagel hit a nerve, I’ve actually been craving a decent bialy. Other wishes to magically appear in my neighborhood?? A proper hot pot, real boba tea, our ramen place is ok….it scratches the itch….but since were wishin…I’d like better. And what I reallllly want? Not a restaurant, but a farmers market as amazing as what’s available on the west cost, or In Paris. I want a farmers market I can eat my way thru while I shop.
I live in West Kendall, Miami Florida we don't have a good beagle but I make some killer pork with very crispy chicharrones on top in the oven, but I would like to eat a good beagle specially for breakfast
I live in Savannah and we’re really missing some authentic Chinese and Singaporean food. Specifically I’d like some Chinese hotpot and Roti Prada or Nasi Goreng from Singapore.
Oh, my GOD, I am so with you on that! Every time someone tells me "Well, xxx is good" and I try it, I am SORELY disappointed! We have restaurants EVERYWHERE, and some really good ones, but there are some big empty spots in our eateries. I am looking forward to seeing what they are doing "Mediterranean" at the old Foundery site (Anderson & Habersham). We're not all that blessed in that area either.
Just north of one of the best asian communities offering Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai you name it (Buford Highway in Chamblee, Norcross, and Duluth) and several Latino restaurants overing Spanish, Mexican, Central and South American , we need a good authentic Jewish Deli.
Every strip mall in New Jersey has a bagel spot that if moved would be the best bagel in Chicago. Chicago bagels are bready and have a sweetness to them that shouldn't be there. Haven't found one here that competes with the glossy, crunchy, crusty, chewiness of any bagel made in the NJ/NY area.
a Jewish deli that has the really good New York potato knishes. The flat square kind. I’ve tried to reproduce it myself but not very successfully. Do you have a recipe for that?
I’ve traveled a lot of the world and most of the US and never found anything that compares.
The other thing is New York Bialy bagels.
Ooh yeah, bialy bagels. Our daughter lives in NYC and brings them home every trip.
Go to Cross Roads Deli in Minnetonka, Minnesota and order a thin sliced double portion hot fatty corned beef on caraway rye with Russian Dressing and fries with a Dr. Brown cream soda or Cel-Ray. It comes with a cardiologists telephone number.
No decent Jewish Deli?! Check out Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul! I’ve grown up eating there…
Andrew- How can we suggest a new thread topic? I'd love to hear from people about their unexpected hidden gem experiences from their travels. I would trust your subscribers over other travel sites, and I would personally hunt such places down. Here's one: The amazing Italian food served at the Pecora Nera in the middle of the jungle in Costa Rica. It's a small standalone restaurant run by an expat chef from Italy.
Oh my, we are headed to Costa Rica in a few days!!! What province is this in?
You lucky duck, we haven't been since 2008. La Pecora Nera (pecoraneracr.com) is in Limon Province outside of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side. It's a bit of a chore to get there, but you will shed tears over their Spaghetti a la Matriciana. Even if you can't make it all the way there, Costa Rica has a lot of Italian expats, and a serious love of pizza. Also, I don't know what your plans are, but try to eat a few meals at a traditional Coata Rican "soda" (diner). You'll be making gallo pinto (beans & rice) with eggs for breakfast at home for years after your trip. One more tip - rent a car if you can. The road system is great, safe and easy to get around, and the Costa Rican people love (well behaved) Americans, especially children.
You just did!
I think if I could open anything, I would love an actual honest to goodness Vietnamese Pho shop. There was an incredible place in Nashville years ago, but there's not been anything nearly as impressive in the Memphis area. My area needs a good anything honestly, too big a town to only have Mexican restaurants and BBQ joints (nothing against either, I love both styles).
In the Twin Cities suburbs, I would love a real whole hog bbq.
I live on Saint Simons Island, off the Georgia coast. We have some of the best seafood restaurants on the entire East coast, including South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and all of New England. But what we do not have, to my great regret, is a good Chinese restaurant. We actually have only one on the island, and it's far from good. My favorite food is seafood, but a close second is Chinese food. If I had to choose a last meal, it would be Peking Duck. A few times a year, I can get that in Orlando, Florida, a 3-hour drive from my house, at the 'Morimoto Asia' Restaurant in Disney Springs. Chef Morimoto, the accomplished Iron Chef, puts out an amazing Peking Duck and the best spareribs of anywhere in the country. Every time we visit Disney World, I get my Chinese food fix from Morimoto.
I grew up in PA and NJ but am now living in VA. I would give anything for a good corner pizza place with decent prices. To get anything remotely close to NY or Philly style pizza here requires driving and paying a fortune (pushing $30).
I live in a town in the West of Ireland and we have no proper Italian Restaurant just pizza takeaways 😭
I live in a place with few restaurants whatsoever. Making pizza at home isn’t too bad, if you take time with each step of the process, you can make pizza that will impress.
Oh, to have some good Irish food and music!!!!
On the bagel front, I have resorted to making my own. I still can’t replicate all the flavors available in the artisanal shops, but I can make a decent plain or rye bagel. What can I do at home to take them over the top???
I would love a great, even a good, bakery in the Phoenix area. I am originally from Wisconsin and they had great ones there.
Absolutely and without question, a Jewish Deli! We have a good population of Jewish people here in Columbus, Georgia and I really don’t understand why we don’t have one. I truly feel like it would be very successful here!
I live in North Saanich, BC, Canada. While Victoria has a pretty good food scene, for me, everything is at least half an hour away and will be cold when I get it home. What do I wish we had in nearby Sidney? Really good Pho. Korean Fried Chicken. Good Szechuan. And yes, nice bagels with a really good chew - the place I used to buy those is gone.
A real Jewish deli ala Katz's or Carnegie,here in Tennessee. But not in my life time.
My hometown is Reno, you've been there, and while the food scene has chanced in the several years since I left (apparently I hear for the worse) what I wish it had growing up was a good kosher deli and a good Italian-American bakery.
What I miss from there? A Chicken Fried Steak & Eggs breakfast. At least I can get a good west coast apple fritter. Only place I found that has them on the east coast are all in the Research Triangle area.
Well, I'm a CT native living in west central MN and there are moments I would give my right arm for an honest to God bakery. One with real bagels, of course, babka bread and a jelly donut covered in powdered sugar. Not a roll, not a bun, but a jelly donut!
Ha! We live in Elephant Butte, New Mexico next door to a cute LITTLE tourist town called Truth or Consequences. We actually have a few small gourmet quality restaurants here, but cuisine is still limited. I'd love to have a restaurant close by that serves anything Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, and absolutely....a great bagel/lox/cream cheese!!!!
Here along the IL/WI state line there is no traditional Japanese food. Sure, you can get sushi at a few places, and there is a teppanyaki style restaurant for the Benihana crowd, but I would kill for a bowl of Oyaku Donburi or a plate of Katsu curry rice. Maybe in Chicago, but it's 90 minutes from here.
If only Buffalo had an authentic French bistro with the standard, simple fare such as duck confit, perhaps cassoulet, roast chicken, entrecote of beef, great frites, some good pate, etc.
I honestly have to say there’s not much I can’t get in Philadelphia but while we have some good barbecue it tends not to be traditionally regional. I’d love a good eastern NC barbecue - pulled pork with vinegar sauce!
Andrew, how about some VEGAN or plant-based eateries? That would be fantastic! I live in Roanoke, VA and lets just say there is next to NOTHING here for my type of diet. Thanks!
Cecil's in St. Paul is okay... for here. Anyone used to New York delis isn't going to find it a 100% substitute. But the kosher delis that have opened over the years last a little while and then they close. Not sure if serving authentic deli food is too off-putting to Minnesotans or too expensive, but they all seem to follow the same arc: open, promising a real NYC experience; adjust the menu after a few months to what sells; and then either dumb it down some more or close. You'd think we could keep one (better than Cecil's) open.
Really good Okonomiyaki and/or Yakitori. I live within the vicinity of Seattle, but despite the presence of places like Uwajimaya, finding those two made decently in the area...well...still looking, not finding. I have to resort to making them myself.
I live in the Iowa City / Coralville / Cedar Rapids Corridor in Eastern Iowa and honestly I feel like we have an amazing array of delicious, legit food to choose from! From vegan to Indian to Middle Eastern to sushi to gigantic steaks raised on Iowa corn to real deal soul food at a place you love - Vivian's Soul Food, I feel pretty darn lucky! I guess my one wish would be for fresh caught seafood!
Yup…good bagel hit a nerve, I’ve actually been craving a decent bialy. Other wishes to magically appear in my neighborhood?? A proper hot pot, real boba tea, our ramen place is ok….it scratches the itch….but since were wishin…I’d like better. And what I reallllly want? Not a restaurant, but a farmers market as amazing as what’s available on the west cost, or In Paris. I want a farmers market I can eat my way thru while I shop.
I live in West Kendall, Miami Florida we don't have a good beagle but I make some killer pork with very crispy chicharrones on top in the oven, but I would like to eat a good beagle specially for breakfast
A legit butcher shop/deli in alexandria va. Where you can get high quality cuts on one side or a sandwich on the other.
Let’s Meat On The Avenue in Del Ray is a good butcher but they don’t do sandwiches
Also check out Stachowskis in Georgetown. They do both and the sandwiches are awesome.
A San Francisco style burrito joint in central NY. That's are a few chains but they just don't get it
We have great bagels where I live, but no good sushi, bahn mi sandwiches or Korean BBQ!
I live in Savannah and we’re really missing some authentic Chinese and Singaporean food. Specifically I’d like some Chinese hotpot and Roti Prada or Nasi Goreng from Singapore.
Oh, my GOD, I am so with you on that! Every time someone tells me "Well, xxx is good" and I try it, I am SORELY disappointed! We have restaurants EVERYWHERE, and some really good ones, but there are some big empty spots in our eateries. I am looking forward to seeing what they are doing "Mediterranean" at the old Foundery site (Anderson & Habersham). We're not all that blessed in that area either.
Just north of one of the best asian communities offering Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai you name it (Buford Highway in Chamblee, Norcross, and Duluth) and several Latino restaurants overing Spanish, Mexican, Central and South American , we need a good authentic Jewish Deli.
what about cecil's deli in st paul on cleveland?
It certainly scratches an itch.