I confess that I can't watch Paula Deen's cooking show. Too fakey-fake Southern for me. To my taste, she's the personification of the ersatz-country tchotchke room at Cracker Barrel. Well, a Yankee writing for The Atlantic moved to Savannah, went to Paula Deen's restaurant, and concluded that it was a tourist trap. Can't say I'm surprised to discover that.
Readers, can you think of a restaurant in your area that serves an authentic and delicious variation of regional cuisine? Can you say what makes it so good, versus it's competitors? I'm thinking of Southern food in particular, but I'll expand my search to include any regional cuisine. To be precise, I'm not interested in the best Tex-Mex restaurant in Chicago; I'm interested in the best Tex-Mex restaurant in Texas. And so forth.
It doesn't have to be a conventionally "nice" restaurant -- and in fact, probably wouldn't be. One of the best places in my memory to get authentic Southern greens, beans and cornbread was a little joint near the LSU campus, long since gone out of business, called "Lyman White's Buffalo Wings" (Lyman White was an ex-LSU football player). Man, I'd strangle kittens to have a mess of Lyman White's mustard greens, and a plate of white beans right this very second.
It must be said that sometimes, authentically regional food just doesn't appeal to one. Most Southerners I know like to eat far more fried food than I can take these days. If you want to eat catfish like most Southerners eat it, you won't have it baked, you'll eat it battered and fried. Which is delicious, generally, but still, if you're not used to eating so much fried food, you may have trouble.
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WhollyRoamin', I am the previous comment of 3:15. Wasn't a comment on what barbecue was best. Very regional. Pork or beef. Memphis, Carolina, KC, Texas. Just stating the Salt Lick in Austin is different. Suggestion: If you go with a family, order the beef brisket (their best entree) by the pound and sides by the pint(s). Significantly less expensive.
Is there anything worse than a Paula Dean show?
A show featuring TWO Paula Deans.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFyeVySw-4A
Up here in Yankeeland, I think of the Clam Box, in Ipswich, Mass. http://www.ipswichma.com/clambox/
It specializes in fried seafood, especially of course, clams. I don't know, or care, what kind of grease they fry it in. It's just really good food: the crust is light, remarkably so and remarkably UN-greasy; and from what I can tell, it's very fresh, good quality seafood.
So what makes something like this good....these kinds of places lack pretension. They don't dress themselves up as "theme." They offer (for a price, it's true but it's still an offering) their owner's passion. Which is food, not decor. It doesn't mean they're dumps: they're just not chic in appearance.
It's not always a matter of price. The Clam Box is actually rather expensive, but my sense is that its justifiably expensive because they use really fresh seafood and prepare it well. People will pay for that, and feel afterwards "that was WORTH it." So they'll go back, make it part of their lives.
The "preparing it well" is important, I think: somehow it honors the people who are eating there. I'm too tired right now to be coherent probably.
Some reviews on TripAdvisor http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g41626-d322546-Reviews-Clam_Box_of_Ipswich-Ipswich_Massachusetts.html
And I agree about whatshername....
I agree about the Clam Box, YourName. It isn't cheap, but neither are Ipswich clams! If I find a fried clam dinner for less than 12 bucks, I'm suspicious. We're not talking about strips here, people---we're talking whole clams here, and not the cheap kind you put in chowders. They are the ultimate local dish---they can't be mass produced and they don't travel very well.
As for North Shore seafood recommendations, I would also put in a strong word in for Roy Moore's Lobster Co. on Bearskin Neck in Rockport. Get your scrumptious lobster (for a very good price!) and go eat it on the rocks overlooking the ocean.
Also, a special word in for Belle Isle Seafood in Winthrop (just north of Boston). Hardly anyone not local knows about it---a cheap hole-in-the-wall but great!
I have lived in small town Texas for 21.5 years of my 30 here on earth and I can say hands down that The Country Tavern, SE of Tyler on HWY 31 in Kilgore Texas has some of the best BBQ ribs on the planet. When "Granny Lois" ran it, it had not changed much from it's very humble beginnings in the 30's. After her death her grandson Toby took it over and has since opened a sister site in Shreveport, not as good. I recently heard that they changed the sauce, which makes me sad....I could drink their rib or thick sauce because they are so good.
For Mexican Food I nominate Posados in Tyler, Texas or Papacita's in Longview, Texas. The Papacita's in Tyler is a different restaurant and they do not make their own tortillas.
Bodacious is a chain in the area and they are pretty good as well, but the Tavern had rained supreme.
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