Watch out for the Weiner Wagon!!

The Vitals:
the spot: Red Rocket Weiner Wagon a pop up in Austin TX
the eats: Serious Hot Dogs
the bucks: $10.50 for the classic, $13.50 with brisket chili
the full nelson: Craft BBQ queens elevate a hot dog from stadium food after thought to premium tailgate food

Red Rocket Dogs just might be the breakthrough the hot dog world needs. Changing the game on what a premium hot dog experience means, much like the chef driven burger of the early 2000s, this is a hot dog I would gladly drop over $10 for. And finally, I can agree with that controversial debate on Twitter that a hot dog is a sandwich.

Because this one totally is.

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The Vitals:
the spot: Terry Black's Barbecue tested in Austin TX + location in Dallas TX
the eats: Beef rib, brisket, spare ribs, sausage, turkey and whatever sides you feel
the bucks: plan on $15 person
the full nelson: easy access, top tier Austin BBQ with an Old school Texas vibe

Terry Black's Barbecue most definitely makes the 10 best list of Austin BBQ round ups. In casual conversation, Terry Black's may get drowned out by names like Franklin BBQ or La Barbecue, which can add cookbooks, TV shows and a cult like following to their names. But that's not to say Terry Black's doesn't deserve a cookbook or a feature on a show like Best Thing I Ever Ate.

You ask me, they got the best darn classic Texas sausage link in town.

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Pork Chile Verde

It's a hearty, comforting Mexican icon. Superb in tacos, burritos, over rice or even just in a damn bowl, Pork Chile Verde is a staple on both sides of the border. Thanks to one of Food & Wine's Best of the Best cookbooks from years back, I stumbled upon a Rick Bayless version where chunks of pork shoulder are braised slowly in an oven along with tomatillos, cilantro and pickled jalapeños. Despite countless versions of Pork Chile Verde out there, I have yet to steer from this one. And my cookbook has the stains to prove it.

Here is how you make it.

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds of pork shoulder, cut into 1.5" cubes
• 1 pound tomatillos(husks removed)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 3-4 pickled jalapeños, stems removed and seeds removed if you want less heat(def. leave at least half in!)
• 1/2 cup of cilantro, rinsed and divided
• 2 cans of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon of salt + more to taste
• sugar to taste

Essential Equipment

• Dutch Oven/ Enameled Cast Iron oven
• Blender or Immersion Blender

Prep/cooking time

• 15 minutes of prep, cooking time 3.5 hours(3 hours inactive)

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The Vitals:
the spot: DeSano Pizza tested in Austin TX + locations in Nashville, Los Angeles and Charelston SC
the eats: Neapolitan Pizza
the bucks: small pies for $12, large pies for $21, plan on $15 person
the full nelson: Real Deal Neapolitan pizza that can satisfy the non pizza elites

There are two kinds of pizzas in this world. One is the kind you crave at 2am, ideally by the slice at a place like Joe's Pizza in NYC. The other kind of pizza is the one you might have had to make reservations for, perhaps a week or six in advance. DeSano Pizza tastes like the latter though far more accessible and kinda satisfies that 2am vibe as well.

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I don't always drop $40 a pound for steaks. But some things are worth it. Like birthdays. For my annual revolution around the sun, the Mrs. scored me two premium steaks: local(Texas) Wagyu Ribeyes from a couple local butcher shops. Suffice to say these are premium butcher shops and we ate well that day. Which one was actually worth the money?

Keep scrolling, friend.

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The Vitals:
the spot: Spicy Boys Fried Chicken 1701 E. 6th St. Austin, TX 78702
the eats:bone in fried chicken
the bucks: $11
the full nelson: how to get hooked on dark meat chicken

I've been eating fried chicken all wrong. I like white meat. And I order white meat almost every time. The thing is, you can't do that at Spicy Boys Fried Chicken. It ain't on the menu. And it's because like most awesome chefs, they know their food better than you.

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The Vitals: the spot: Antonella's Italian Kitchen 841 Conestoga road Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 the eats: Meatball Hoagie the bucks: $9 the full nelson: when your meatball fix needs a double shot of gluttony 

Antonella's Italian Kitchen is proof that the suburbs of Philadelphia can churn out a legit hoagie. Sure, some people might not think getting a Meatball sub is that hard. They probably have never had a real hoagie. Or a grinder. Yes, they all mean the same thing but when you are in a part of the country that will passionately correct you on the proper nomenclature of a giant meatball sandwich, you are certain you are going to eat a very, very good, giant meatball sandwich. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Hot Chick 7th N 17th Street Richmond VA 23129  the eats: Fried Chicken meals + Fried Chicken Sandwiches the bucks: $11-$15 a person the full nelson: Better Nashville Hot Chicken than I had in Nashville . . .

Hot Chick Fried Chicken hits the mark

Down in the historic Shockoe slip of Richmond VA, Hot Chick Fried Chicken hits the two most important factors in great fried chicken: crunchy exterior and juicy meat. Bam. That's it. That's what it takes. And the crazy part is that when I took my first bite of Hot Chick and experienced that crunchy exterior and juicy interior, it happened not in the dining room, but after it had been bagged up and brought back to an AirBnB some 10 minutes away. That is an exceptional feat. (more…)

The Vitals: the spot: Central BBQ 147 E. Butler Ave Memphis TN +multiple locations in Memphis and Nashville the eats: Ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens the bucks: $15 a head for meats by the pound and sides, sandwiches run under $10 the full nelson: a Memphis BBQ institution that disappointed . . .

Central BBQ in Memphis Tennessee has its fans, of this I am sure. Yeah I could tell you their high score on Yelp and the fact that they make the rounds of best BBQ in Memphis lists. But I like to source my own intel from, well, you: (more…)