Virginia is for lovers, or so the cool t-shirts say. When I think about how Cheap Eats has hit up the Commonwealth three times in two season, I think the t-shirt could be tweaked to say "Virginia is for
Food Lovers". I love Virginia and I say that thinking about the terrifying events that unfolded in Charlottesville over the weekend. I'm yearning for love and healing while dealing with the fear and anger that has enveloped us with the events of Charlottesville; a city we also visited this season. It seems trivial to want to dive back into the Cheap Eats episode of Alexandria while so much more is happening in Virginia and as a nation, but I am also reminded that
food brings people together and I think that is what we need to do right now: come together. So with Cville on my mind and lots of love for my friends there, let's check out the killer eats and celebrate the great peeps in Cheap Eats Alexandria.
(more…)
If someone was to ask me for a good Indian restaurant recommendation, my first thought is a divey curry joint. Not one in particular really, although I think back to the four or five blocks of
LA's Koreatown that became designated
Little Bangladesh, and the ideal spot has a row of steam trays
to be avoided, Bollywood videos blaring off a cheap television set, members of the Indian sub continent diaspora lounging about for most of a hazy afternoon, and of course one regional specialty, like a goat biriyani, that really brought you here in the first place. Expect your china to be chinet, your silverware to be plastic and your appetite to be truly sated. Portions will be generous and the powerful aromas of the dining room will also be found on your plate(and your clothes). If you order wisely your meal will be most certainly regional, "authentic" if that words suits you. Legit is how I like to describe places like these.
(more…)
Portlandia. PDX. Or just plain Portland, Oregon. Whatever you call it, we all know this city has a rep for food, style and weather. This was not my first visit to the PDX. In 2014 I was sent all along with an army of food
bloggers(vloggers) armed with the now defunct
Tastemade app to shoot and eat the heck out of this venerable food town. I discovered loads of young chefs taking fried chicken seriously, farm to table tacos, plenty of killer hip Asian eateries and of course food carts. In 2017 not a lot had changed. The
food carts were very much a part of Portland's food culture and the chefs I met were as energized as they were in 2014 and their dining rooms packed with happy customers with insatiable appetites. If you don't know, it takes three days to shoot an episode of Cheap Eats and frankly that just ain't even close to enough time to check out the bounty that exists here. Still we found some damn fine grub so let's just sink some teeth right into it!
(more…)
Washington D.C. - Chocolate City - City of Magnificent Intentions. Call it what you like, after Cheap Eats hit this town up, I know how it tastes:
international and forward thinking. Long standing in the shadows of NYC, Washington DC has come into a culinary standing of its own, with high end cuisine drawing even New Yorkers down to the beltway. But as far as Cheap Eats goes - heck I was scared. Little know fact is that
I worked on a show called $24 in 24 whose similar
Cheap Eats premise had me researching the District of Columbia for affordable fare back in 2012. And frankly, I was coming up with goose eggs. Cut to 2017 and lordy DC is having a different convo with me and budget friendly grub. This town kept me plenty occupied with all kinds of Eats, Cheap and more, so let's just dive right in!!
(more…)
I'm gonna be so real right now: I was straight STAR STRUCK to call into
Ryan Seacrest. The adrenaline was
flowing and I just went with it - I think it worked!
If you watch
Cheap Eats, read this blog or peep my
Instagram you know
tacos and
burgers are going to be in the mix. Well we also found love for a creamy cake, Italian cold cuts and hey - listening is better than reading so check out my picks for
Cheap Eats in Los Angeles via On Air with Ryan Seacrest here!
Ahh, Charlottesville. Or "
Cville" if you are a local. Or just
loco for the UVA Cavaliers. This quaint East Coast college town might seem timeless thanks to the
Jeffersonian architecture of the University of Virginia's campus but the
food scene is very much in the
21st century. This episode of Cheap Eats starts off with familiar enough territory at
Bodo's Bagels. And let's face it, what college kid didn't survive off the occasional bagel? But Cheap Eats also found familiar comfort food turned sideways like
Korean Hot Wings, a
BBQ Sundae and
Chicken Fried Octopus. Now before I get in trouble with the italics police for overuse and abuse, let's take a big bite into Cheap Eats
Cville . . . oops. I didn't mean that italics police officer. Can you maybe just let me off with a warning?
Please?
(more…)
And so Season 3 began. Fitting that we start with Annapolis, MD for this little town was where Cheap Eats was "born". In the winter of 2014, days before Christmas, I flew out to Annapolis to shoot what would become the inspiration for Cheap Eats: a 10 minute short of Ali Khan literally eating Annapolis, with crab on the brain, #crabcakedestiny if you will. For a town that just ain't that big, the food is unforgettable and it really does start with the seafood. Crab cakes abound but so does a touch of the South. This is Maryland after all, the Northern most state of the South so finding biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits and warm smiles is just all part of doing Cheap Eats business around here. Well, onto it right? Let's sink into some Cheap Eats Annapolis!
(more…)
Cheap Eats returns with all new episodes this summer, Wednesday nights, starting July 12th 10pm EST/ 7pm PST. In his third season, Food Blogger Ali Khan,
aka yours truly, heads first to the
Mid Atlantic, scoping out Cheap Eats in
Annapolis MD,
Charlottesville and
Alexandria VA and
Washington DC. Then the Cheap Eats tour heads out west to Portlandia aka
Portland OR, and
Spokane WA. Things shift south when Cheap Eats heads to
Nashville TN, before crossing the Mason-Dixon line into
Cincinnati OH, then
Detroit and finally
Milwaukee. Cheap Eats Season 3 wraps up the final leg of this food frenzy in
New England with stops in
Providence RI,
Portsmouth NH and
Burlington VT. From heavy hitter food scenes like PDX to up and comers like Portsmouth, Cheap Eats Season 3 just might become the road map for your next great eating vacation.
Head to Cooking Channel's site to check up on the latest
Cheap Eats airings.
And check out the latest
Promos for Cheap Eats
here,
here and
here!!
And remember,
It Khan Be Done!!
It often starts in a backyard where a Dad dumps lighter fluid over a pyramid of charcoal briquettes. Hotdogs stand at the ready to be charred. You inevitably eat outside. For a moment, the modern suburban American is somehow a little more connected to nature and the primal beginnings of human civilization. Eating around the fire is both ancient ritual and modern day American food tradition. In either case, while the scenario is fun, eating well from fire is often an art best left to the experts. Enter American Barbecue, the Central Texas smoked meat tradition, and our current food renaissance's obsession with the pit master obsessed with brisket. There is just nothing quite like it. Sure, Memphis fanatics will talk up the supremacy of sugar rubbed ribs and Carolina pulled pork enthusiasts will mock anything that isn't porcine focused but man who doesn't love beef in America? Further, who doesn't love the pure satisfaction of beef kissed with smoke, salt and pepper? There is plenty of room on my table for all kinds of Barbecue and not just our domestic fare either, but I happily now count myself among the ranks of the brisket obsessed and I can thank living in Austin for that. There has been a renaissance, wait I used that word already, well F*** it, it is what it is, there has been a
Renaissance in Central Texas Barbecue that has stretched out as far west as Compton CA and as far east as the Big Apple. But today we will focus on Central Texas Brisket found right here in Central Texas. So here we go - 5 Austin picks where you will find some Bang for your Brisket Buck.
(more…)
Ask someone about
Texas BBQ and they will respond with something to the effect of "
it's all about the beef". True, but also true is the Bovine Supremacy of the Tejano Taquero.
The best beef tacos I have ever had, have been in Texas, and as of now that means Austin, Texas. And I ain't just talking fajita platters and skirt steak tacos either. My time in Austin has been a revelation in what can be accomplished with a $2+ taco in the categories of
fajita(
skirt steak),
lengua(
beef tongue) and
barbacoa(
beef cheeks braised slowly, referred to as
cabeza outside of Texas). But beef isn't the only pick in this list.
Tejanos love goat as much as folks down in Guadalajara and I threw in one elusive goat barbacoa joint that you will have to set your alarm clocks for, because she runs out usually before noon. As always the bucks are accounted, for so feel free to hit up more than on, grab some napkins and let's get our taco on.
(more…)
Virginia is for lovers, or so the cool t-shirts say. When I think about how Cheap Eats has hit up the Commonwealth three times in two season, I think the t-shirt could be tweaked to say "Virginia is for Food Lovers". I love Virginia and I say that thinking about the terrifying events that unfolded in Charlottesville over the weekend. I'm yearning for love and healing while dealing with the fear and anger that has enveloped us with the events of Charlottesville; a city we also visited this season. It seems trivial to want to dive back into the Cheap Eats episode of Alexandria while so much more is happening in Virginia and as a nation, but I am also reminded that food brings people together and I think that is what we need to do right now: come together. So with Cville on my mind and lots of love for my friends there, let's check out the killer eats and celebrate the great peeps in Cheap Eats Alexandria.
(more…)
If someone was to ask me for a good Indian restaurant recommendation, my first thought is a divey curry joint. Not one in particular really, although I think back to the four or five blocks of LA's Koreatown that became designated Little Bangladesh, and the ideal spot has a row of steam trays to be avoided, Bollywood videos blaring off a cheap television set, members of the Indian sub continent diaspora lounging about for most of a hazy afternoon, and of course one regional specialty, like a goat biriyani, that really brought you here in the first place. Expect your china to be chinet, your silverware to be plastic and your appetite to be truly sated. Portions will be generous and the powerful aromas of the dining room will also be found on your plate(and your clothes). If you order wisely your meal will be most certainly regional, "authentic" if that words suits you. Legit is how I like to describe places like these.
(more…)
Portlandia. PDX. Or just plain Portland, Oregon. Whatever you call it, we all know this city has a rep for food, style and weather. This was not my first visit to the PDX. In 2014 I was sent all along with an army of food 
Washington D.C. - Chocolate City - City of Magnificent Intentions. Call it what you like, after Cheap Eats hit this town up, I know how it tastes: international and forward thinking. Long standing in the shadows of NYC, Washington DC has come into a culinary standing of its own, with high end cuisine drawing even New Yorkers down to the beltway. But as far as Cheap Eats goes - heck I was scared. Little know fact is that I worked on a show called $24 in 24 whose similar Cheap Eats premise had me researching the District of Columbia for affordable fare back in 2012. And frankly, I was coming up with goose eggs. Cut to 2017 and lordy DC is having a different convo with me and budget friendly grub. This town kept me plenty occupied with all kinds of Eats, Cheap and more, so let's just dive right in!!
(more…)
If you watch Cheap Eats, read this blog or peep my Instagram you know tacos and burgers are going to be in the mix. Well we also found love for a creamy cake, Italian cold cuts and hey - listening is better than reading so check out my picks for Cheap Eats in Los Angeles via On Air with Ryan Seacrest here!
Ahh, Charlottesville. Or "Cville" if you are a local. Or just loco for the UVA Cavaliers. This quaint East Coast college town might seem timeless thanks to the Jeffersonian architecture of the University of Virginia's campus but the food scene is very much in the 21st century. This episode of Cheap Eats starts off with familiar enough territory at Bodo's Bagels. And let's face it, what college kid didn't survive off the occasional bagel? But Cheap Eats also found familiar comfort food turned sideways like Korean Hot Wings, a BBQ Sundae and Chicken Fried Octopus. Now before I get in trouble with the italics police for overuse and abuse, let's take a big bite into Cheap Eats Cville . . . oops. I didn't mean that italics police officer. Can you maybe just let me off with a warning? Please?
(more…)
And so Season 3 began. Fitting that we start with Annapolis, MD for this little town was where Cheap Eats was "born". In the winter of 2014, days before Christmas, I flew out to Annapolis to shoot what would become the inspiration for Cheap Eats: a 10 minute short of Ali Khan literally eating Annapolis, with crab on the brain, #crabcakedestiny if you will. For a town that just ain't that big, the food is unforgettable and it really does start with the seafood. Crab cakes abound but so does a touch of the South. This is Maryland after all, the Northern most state of the South so finding biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits and warm smiles is just all part of doing Cheap Eats business around here. Well, onto it right? Let's sink into some Cheap Eats Annapolis!
(more…)
Cheap Eats returns with all new episodes this summer, Wednesday nights, starting July 12th 10pm EST/ 7pm PST. In his third season, Food Blogger Ali Khan, aka yours truly, heads first to the Mid Atlantic, scoping out Cheap Eats in Annapolis MD, Charlottesville and Alexandria VA and Washington DC. Then the Cheap Eats tour heads out west to Portlandia aka Portland OR, and Spokane WA. Things shift south when Cheap Eats heads to Nashville TN, before crossing the Mason-Dixon line into Cincinnati OH, then Detroit and finally Milwaukee. Cheap Eats Season 3 wraps up the final leg of this food frenzy in New England with stops in Providence RI, Portsmouth NH and Burlington VT. From heavy hitter food scenes like PDX to up and comers like Portsmouth, Cheap Eats Season 3 just might become the road map for your next great eating vacation.
Head to Cooking Channel's site to check up on the latest Cheap Eats airings.
And check out the latest Promos for Cheap Eats here, here and here!!
And remember, It Khan Be Done!!
It often starts in a backyard where a Dad dumps lighter fluid over a pyramid of charcoal briquettes. Hotdogs stand at the ready to be charred. You inevitably eat outside. For a moment, the modern suburban American is somehow a little more connected to nature and the primal beginnings of human civilization. Eating around the fire is both ancient ritual and modern day American food tradition. In either case, while the scenario is fun, eating well from fire is often an art best left to the experts. Enter American Barbecue, the Central Texas smoked meat tradition, and our current food renaissance's obsession with the pit master obsessed with brisket. There is just nothing quite like it. Sure, Memphis fanatics will talk up the supremacy of sugar rubbed ribs and Carolina pulled pork enthusiasts will mock anything that isn't porcine focused but man who doesn't love beef in America? Further, who doesn't love the pure satisfaction of beef kissed with smoke, salt and pepper? There is plenty of room on my table for all kinds of Barbecue and not just our domestic fare either, but I happily now count myself among the ranks of the brisket obsessed and I can thank living in Austin for that. There has been a renaissance, wait I used that word already, well F*** it, it is what it is, there has been a Renaissance in Central Texas Barbecue that has stretched out as far west as Compton CA and as far east as the Big Apple. But today we will focus on Central Texas Brisket found right here in Central Texas. So here we go - 5 Austin picks where you will find some Bang for your Brisket Buck.
(more…)
Ask someone about Texas BBQ and they will respond with something to the effect of "it's all about the beef". True, but also true is the Bovine Supremacy of the Tejano Taquero. The best beef tacos I have ever had, have been in Texas, and as of now that means Austin, Texas. And I ain't just talking fajita platters and skirt steak tacos either. My time in Austin has been a revelation in what can be accomplished with a $2+ taco in the categories of fajita(skirt steak), lengua(beef tongue) and barbacoa(beef cheeks braised slowly, referred to as cabeza outside of Texas). But beef isn't the only pick in this list. Tejanos love goat as much as folks down in Guadalajara and I threw in one elusive goat barbacoa joint that you will have to set your alarm clocks for, because she runs out usually before noon. As always the bucks are accounted, for so feel free to hit up more than on, grab some napkins and let's get our taco on.
(more…)
