The Vitals: the spot: Furrbie's 210 SW 6th Ave Amarillo TX the eats: Burgers the bucks: $5-$11,  my burger was $7.25 the full nelson: play your cards right and savor a classic Texas roadside burger experience

If I was a writer for the New York Times I probably would start with some interesting history or facts about this little cafe/diner in the quiet city of Amarillo Texas. That would mean a little more research beyond a quick peek at google which revealed that Furrbie's doesn't have a website and some YouTuber made a video of Furrbie's "Gut Grenade", a triple cheeseburger with two kinds of cheese, ham, bacon and turkey. I didn't order that.

Going off brand

My son went off brand and got a hot dog. It was a Nathan's frankfurter, a familiar tubesteak if you have been to the East Coast. The tater tots appeared solid. My wife went seriously off brand with a club sandwich. That could not have been farther from the delis of either coast. Don't do that.

Why you stop off the interstate.

Furrbie's does a good job with their burgers. As unpretentious as their haphazardly decorated 1950s diner interior, they do what's essential to do them well. Beef sourced from a local butcher, freshly ground and cooked to order with care. Furrbie's isn't the place that namedrops a bakery on the menu but I wouldn't be surprised if that wasn't locally sourced too.  

My order: green chile cheeseburger

You might want to clarify if you're asking for a bowl of Texas red or New Mexico green, but the latter is what I got here. New Mexico's famous hatch green chile is one of my top 3 burger toppings. The sneaky kick of heat and the subtle texture of a tender chile that's been roasted plays so nicely on a cheeseburger. I got a double patty which totals to a half pound of beef. It was a meal. The produce was fresh as well. Topped with only mustard as my wet condiment, this was a true Texas burger experience: unpretentious but steeped in pride.

Classic Texas burgers come in many forms

Furrbie's may not scream classic Texas roadside burger experience based on decor. But the burger delivers. As long as you skip the gimmicks and go for what make burgers great in the first place: quality ingredients, cooked with care and when in Texas, a burger driven by mustard.

Pro Tip: get the strawberry limeade

Furrbie's might have some misses, like that club sandwich, but they have some absolute go to's that are worth a stop in Amarillo TX, even if you're short on time. Get that Green Chile cheeseburger and wash it down with a strawberry limeade. It's a perfect lunch.

The Vitals: the spot: Cree-Mee Drive In 31089 Cimarron New Mexico 87714 the eats: Green Chile or Red Chile, Strawberry Shake the bucks: $5 or less - CHEAP EATS the full nelson: maybe the best hole in the wall in all of New Mexico

Cimarron New Mexico is about as small town as it gets. Even still, I got recognized at the local market that doubles as the only gas station where you can get air in your tires. Next door to that market is Cree-Mee Drive In, one of the most memorable hole in the walls I have ever been too.

Lunch pit stop on the way to the slopes

My family made the trek from Austin to New Mexico to hit the slopes of Red River NM. I've been to Taos before and if you recall we did an episode of Cheap Eats in Albuquerque NM. New Mexican food is unique, and unlike Tex-Mex, it's far less polarizing. That might be because the cuisine doesn't tread too far from the state lines. Regardless, if you're in New Mexico you need to eat something that involves hatch chile.

In a hurry? Get a bowl of Green chile.

I suppose you could get red or a combo which New Mexicans fondly call "Christmas". The bowl of green chili above is the celebrated New Mexican stew where pork is simmered for hours with hatch chile. You can choose green or red, green being the spicier one. We were in a hurry and decided to forgo any exploration into green chile cheeseburgers and get the chile. I knew that would be quick because it has to be made in advance of service.

Legit Cheap Eats

At just $5 this bowl of Green Chili with a flour tortilla and a little shredded cheese is a perfect road trip meal. Skip the burger bloat and get a bowl of piping hot New Mexican tradition. That being said, as I probed their facebook posts, I can tell the smothered chicharron burritos and diner style breakfasts are legit Cheap Eats as well. Gems like this only happen so often, so hit this spot if you're heading to or from the ski slopes of New Mexico.

The Vitals: the spot: Tommy Dinic's 51 N. 12th St. Philadelphia PA 19107 (inside Reading Terminal Market) the eats: Roast Pork sandwich the bucks: $12.25 with sharp provolone and broccoli rabe the full nelson: a must stop for anyone serious about Philly's greatest sandwich: Roast Pork

Pardon the ancient iPhone 5 pics but I just got around to sharing my notes from hitting up Dinic's in Philadelphia for their renowned Roast Pork sandwich. If you saw Cheap Eats Philadelphia, you know that 1) Roast Pork sandwiches are THE sandwich of Philadelphia and 2) I love John's Roast Pork. Well, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't present you options and Dinic's is certainly an option you need to exercise if you are serious about Roast Pork sandwiches, like I am. I really am too.

Reading Terminal: an OG food hall

Before food halls became fashionable, places like Reading Terminal could only be described as "heaven" for foodies. Loaded with local eateries that span the unique culinary makeup of Philadelphia, you will need multiple days to take on the Amish apple dumplings, the dangling roasted Peking Ducks, and diner breakfasts starring scrapple. I didn't even mention the cannolis but we are here for Roast Pork and Dinic's roasts a lot of pork.

The lowdown

Dinic's isn't the biggest bang for your buck Roast Pork experience. That speaks more to Philly being such a great Cheap Eats town than anything else. I'm partial to John's Roast Pork because of the atmosphere of South Philly and the owner, John Bucci, who is the sweetest guy and is often at the shop. However Dinic's does do their Roast Pork justice by serving it with Broccoli Rabe. The sharp bitter green is a classic pairing to succulent herbaceous roast pork. You simply have to try it if you're serious about the Philadelphia Roast Pork experience. Coming in at almost $12 this sandwich could be considered tame size wise for Philly standards, but clearly Dinic's knows what they are doing because odds are you will be standing in a long line. And it's understandable because Reading Terminal is a place for tourists, like you and me. It's a hot spot and you're paying for that too. My next visit might have me trying their roast beef with long hots or a meatball. They can clearly build a fine sandwich and be advised that you should make a dessert stop at Termini Bros for a cannoli. This is the part where I'm supposed to make Godfather reference but just take the cannoli. And the Roast Pork. And possibly a meatball with long hots to go. God, I love Philadelphia.

The Vitals: the spot: Patrizi's 2307 Manor Road Austin TX 78722 the eats: Pomodoro, Patrizi's Red Sauce, Carbonara Alexandra, Meatballs  the bucks: $12-$13, Meatball add on is $5 the full nelson: Italian comfort food truck in Austin is the Austin way

Back in 2019 I found myself seated at picnic table in the middle of a steamy Austin Summer, eating at the best Italian food truck in Austin while the cameras rolled for an episode of Best Thing I Ever Ate. Sadly the episode as of 2022 never aired(but they have a habit of popping up eventually) so I feel like the time is right to shine a spotlight on Patrizi's in Austin TX.

Drawing a crowd on a hot summer day

Austin might not the be the first city that comes to mind when someone says "Italian food" but in my travels there's always the possibility of a hidden gem around the corner. Sometimes a long line on a hot summer day gives that gem away. Patrizi's is spitting distance from my abode. In fact I walk passed it almost everyday when I walk my dog, which is another reason I'm down for it: this is my neighborhood Italian joint. And not surprising that in Austin, that means it's a food truck/trailer.

The move: pick a pasta and get a meatball

So here's the nitty gritty: all the noods/pasta are the same and you just gotta pick the sauce. When I bring the family that means we get three pastas and mix up the sauce order. I love the carbonara, it's an eggy version but Patrizi's take on the Roman pasta classic hits the bacon beats hard with a cured and smoked pancetta. Still, I can't resist a good meatball. Whether in sandwich form or on a bed of noodles, splashing in red sauce, I'm gonna order one up.

A tale of two reds

I ordered up the Carbonara which is a red sauce that lands on the sweeter side. There's also Patrizi's red sauce which packs a little more bite plus has savory tones thanks to pork trimmings and Grana Padano(think Parmesan). Sounds awesome right? Well when you get the Pomodoro, it hits a little softer thanks to a kinder and gentler garlic confit plus the addition of butter. And that scoop of white in the pic above? It is a farmhouse cheese that works like Ricotta. It all adds up to a slightly sweeter and creamier red and when you bring in a monster meatball? It's pretty much the Best Thing I Ever Ate, even if it didn't make the airwaves.