Four burgers in five days pretty much screams
meat sweats even if
brisket isn't part of the equation. But sometimes you gotta take advantage of your burger surroundings and so here ya go - 4 epic burgers meals in the city that
never sleeps. Unless you happen to eat four burgers in five days of course.
(more…)
The things you just may not know about your hometown. Like finding out that
St. Louis is the chess capital of the world. A fact to surely take pride in but something that also seems just a little trivial when placed next to the earliest memories of one's life. The first time I saw fireworks was off the banks of the mighty Mississippi. The heat of a humid St. Louis summer is synonymous with watching professional baseball(Go Cards!). And then there is the food that I grew up with. Late night burger runs at Steak 'n Shake.
Toasted Raviolis,
Provel laced pizza, heck veal parms - it ain't easy finding a veal parm sandwich these days. But that was not the St. Louis that Cheap Eats experienced. Like the saying goes, "you can't go home again" and we didn't. Our time was spent throwing the spotlight on
a barbecue scene that is coming into its own over the last fifteen or so years. And bold St. Louisans who resist the constant temptation to settle in the idyllic if less historic suburbs west of the city proper in order to bring life to a city that was once the center of the Midwest. St. Louis has changed . . . some, and I'm proud to say that. So even though I look fondly on the this town as where it all began for me, let's sink our teeth into a side of my hometown that is just as fresh and as different for you as it was for me.
(more…)
The time has come to put Des Moines on your food map. I can't say exactly when this Midwest town shifted from
land of pork tenderloin sandwiches(you have
company Indy) to a
James Bear nominated food scene but the food renaissance of the 21st century is making its presence known in Des Moines. Of course there are somethings that remain timeless in Des Moines, like
Miller High Life paired with quality fried
anything or a college bar that doubles as a brunch destination.
As I look back on the few days I spent in Des Moines, I recall funky neighborhood surprises like the uber hip clothing and knick knack store Raygun, visiting Midwestern yuppies, and more than a few meals I would happily make a return trip for. Oh Des Moines, the land of silent "S's"(thx Meigan Bell), you are more than some markings on a map, you are true blue hub of Cheap Eats.
(more…)
Chattanooga. Nooga. Gig City. Chat-town. Maybe you have heard of all the nicknames, or maybe your knowledge of this growing tech hub of the south is limited to the famous choo-choo. Whatever camp you fall in, you know now that Chat-town loves their food. Like big brother
Nashville to the north, the
Chattanooga food scene is rooted in the ways of the South but is also keenly
aware of the
adventurous palates of 21st century American diners. The Cheap Eats lunch stop at Slicks Burgers serves as a clear indicator that our current
burger renaissance is alive and kicking in the Nooga. Chocolate shops have long been a staple in the American food scene but it takes a modern day food specialist to deliver a
pot de crème of the caliber that the Hot Chocolatier does. Even
tacos, though in this case in Irish form, make a showing in Chattanooga. Despite a rich history, the side of Chattanooga we show in Cheap Eats is
young,
tech oriented(they boast one of the highest internet speeds in the country) and seems to draw in many a
first time entrepreneur. Hungry
Millennials make for hungry Cheap Eaters so let's take a big bite into why Nooga is a Cheap Eats kinda town.
(more…)
Omaha. I just didn't see it coming. Sure, a catch phrase like "Omahappening" puts you in a positive mood. Maybe you're thinking that Cornhusker pride serves up some hearty Midwestern fare that starts with all day tailgates and ends with a serious steakhouse scene. Well that's part of it. And so is hip neighborhoods, a thriving music scene and a quiet storm of Farm to Table cuisine. I came to
Omaha thinking it would be
all about the beef but what
dropped my jaw was the
dairy. Grass Fed Ice Cream and egg dishes that didn't play second fiddle to big brother bacon. My Cheap Eaters - Omaha is indeed Omahappening - it's a cool city that frankly offers more than I, and perhaps you, might have expected. The Cheap Eats here was my excuse to learn about one of the coolest cities in the Midwest. So let's start with some eats and see why the town that brought you bands like
Bright Eyes is a shining food city on a hill of . . . corn.
(more…)
So how do you say it? I went with version one, the one with the drawl, and it earned me more than a few nods of approval. Invoking that drawl also reminds you that
Louisville is a little bit Southern. As Baltimore straddles a line on the cultural map of the East Coast and the South, so does Louisville, with the South and the Midwest. This city might surprise you with a diverse set of famous former residents like Hunter S. Thompson and Muhammad Ali, Thomas Edison and even Tom Cruise. You probably know about the whole horse racing thing and the bourbon. And you probably could have guessed that both have been an integral part of Louisville's history and identity for well over 230 years. Point is you have heard of Louisville but do you know what's going on with the food here? First off, they got some food history, the most notable IMO being the
Kentucky Hot Brown and yeah we found one fit for the Cheap Eats Budget. This is a city that has more than a few nearby farms. And beyond that solid farm to table showing is a grip of talented chefs who are having fun with food. And on that note let's start off with the most fun breakfast we have found to date:
(more…)
If
Grand Rapids was the gentle small town reminder of my Midwestern roots and why this part of the country is just so darn livable, Indianapolis was that pause and a "huh" you drop when you step into a city in "fly over country" and are taken back by a
sprawling,
diverse urban landscape. Gentrification ain't just a real estate buzz word in Brooklyn, San Francisco or Silver Lake(LA), it is happening wherever it can. Case in point: Goose The Market. Like so many places we featured in Season Two of Cheap Eats, this beaut of an
artisanal butcher shop and deli was fueled by a dream, funded with modest means and holds a zip code that might drive your car insurance rates up. Or at least it did; the neighborhood that Goose calls nest(or home) is Fall Creek Place, and like the
Indy food scene, its an
up and comer. Being in a Midwest city, we knew there would be some iconic
Meat and Potato fare to be had. But there were a few "pause and a huh" moments to be had in the form of some Asian eats that would be a stand out in San Fran, along with with some
chef driven,
farm to table Midwest fare that you knew was going play a lead role in your Indy diet. Speaking of diets, it's time to put yours on pause and peep the Cheap Eats in Indianapolis.
(more…)
That smile on my face(along with the
best carnitas torta I have ever had) serves as an instant reminder on how happy I would be to return to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Now this is no slight against the other cities we have visited in Cheap Eats, from the no brainers like beautiful
Bozeman and
Jackson Hole to towns I would love to catch my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play(I'm looking at you
Pittsburgh). Its just that to be frank: Grand Rapids was a head scratcher. I had never been there, let alone Michigan, which made my expectations a bit of a blank canvas. A beautiful thing it is to travel to a place you have never been, without any expectation. It allows for the unforseeable to take hold of you; like Grand Rapids rousing my dormant Midwestern roots. Unless you are a sun drenched Californian or Floridian who fusses when the thermometer dips below 65, you gotta love
Autumn in a place like
Michigan. Now I did log in 20 years in Los Angeles but I have never been afraid of putting on a winter coat, it's the sunshine that always made me an advocate for Southern California. Thankfully we had a few sunny days there, certainly enough for me to summon back the Fall days of my youth, growing up in St. Louis MO. For the five days I spent there, Grand Rapids reminded me that I grew up in the Midwest by virtue of weather and environment. And as much as I feel drawn to the bright lights of major metropolitan areas, instantly bonding with all that teeming culture and diversity and forever willing to put up with the downers you hear on the nightly news reports, I am a Midwesterner by birth and rearing.
The colors of the Fall will forever feel like my childhood. Which is a lovely memory and all but add that to the aforementioned Carnitas Torta, and folks, I'm smiling all the way back to Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
(more…)
I had a lot of fun opening this episode with "
Cheap Eats is bringing the pepper to Salt Lake City!!" but it turns out the
SLC dining scene had the
heat turned up well before I arrived. Over and over, folks pointed to the 2002 Winter Olympics as a tipping point. The loosening of liquor licensing gave restaurants a boost in biz which meant diners and restauranteurs could try new things. Like many cities in Season 2 of Cheap Eats, we take advantage of an up and coming dining scene, meet excited owners, and exciting chefs. What sets SLC apart from the others is a preconceived opinion of what people might have towards both city and state. Utah is synonymous with Mormonsim/The Church of Latter Day Saints. The
Fried Mormon Funeral Potatoes is about as far as we trekked into this important and historic aspect of SLC, but it is but one part of a
diverse and
growing metropolis. On the drive in from Idaho, my eyes floated from an
In-N-Out burger sign to a mountain skyline and suddenly I got flashbacks of my days in Los Angeles. Sunshine and a relatively more arid climate than other Rocky Mountain cities certainly push towards that comparison. What I am getting at here is SLC may not be what you think it is, especially if your imaginations point toward the direction of
HBO's Big Love. And challenging preconceived notions is what I love to do. Almost as much as I love to eat and speaking of . . .
(more…)
As it turns out, nature in Jackson Hole Wyoming is no laughing matter. Despite my numerous Rocky and Bullwinkle and garden-variety moose jokes, even I, was and remain still, blown away by what I and my iPhone saw in Jackson Hole. And that's saying something because I am probably the most un mountain man to pass through these parts. Last night at a New Year's party, I was asked if I went camping. It was probably one of the most humorous (and honest) no's I have ever uttered. Still this is a landscape that would persuade me to become a member at REI, even if it meant spending a $1000 on equipment destined for a "like new" listing on craigslist. As far as Cheap Eats goes, my friends we have done you a tremendous service because Jackson Hole is damn expensive.
Not a single restaurant we featured on this episode offered table service. And that's not us being lazy.
It's THAT PRICEY HERE. There are a variety of reasons for this perfect storm of $$$ living: Ski Country plus tax incentives for the über wealthy, for starters. But saving money just ain't the point here. The point is pristine mountain beauty. And plenty outdoor activities to work up an appetite. So grab a knife n fork, your AMEX(black if you got it handy) and let the Jackson Hole feast begin.
(more…)
Four burgers in five days pretty much screams meat sweats even if brisket isn't part of the equation. But sometimes you gotta take advantage of your burger surroundings and so here ya go - 4 epic burgers meals in the city that never sleeps. Unless you happen to eat four burgers in five days of course.
(more…)
The things you just may not know about your hometown. Like finding out that St. Louis is the chess capital of the world. A fact to surely take pride in but something that also seems just a little trivial when placed next to the earliest memories of one's life. The first time I saw fireworks was off the banks of the mighty Mississippi. The heat of a humid St. Louis summer is synonymous with watching professional baseball(Go Cards!). And then there is the food that I grew up with. Late night burger runs at Steak 'n Shake. Toasted Raviolis, Provel laced pizza, heck veal parms - it ain't easy finding a veal parm sandwich these days. But that was not the St. Louis that Cheap Eats experienced. Like the saying goes, "you can't go home again" and we didn't. Our time was spent throwing the spotlight on a barbecue scene that is coming into its own over the last fifteen or so years. And bold St. Louisans who resist the constant temptation to settle in the idyllic if less historic suburbs west of the city proper in order to bring life to a city that was once the center of the Midwest. St. Louis has changed . . . some, and I'm proud to say that. So even though I look fondly on the this town as where it all began for me, let's sink our teeth into a side of my hometown that is just as fresh and as different for you as it was for me.
(more…)
The time has come to put Des Moines on your food map. I can't say exactly when this Midwest town shifted from land of pork tenderloin sandwiches(you have company Indy) to a James Bear nominated food scene but the food renaissance of the 21st century is making its presence known in Des Moines. Of course there are somethings that remain timeless in Des Moines, like Miller High Life paired with quality fried anything or a college bar that doubles as a brunch destination.
As I look back on the few days I spent in Des Moines, I recall funky neighborhood surprises like the uber hip clothing and knick knack store Raygun, visiting Midwestern yuppies, and more than a few meals I would happily make a return trip for. Oh Des Moines, the land of silent "S's"(thx Meigan Bell), you are more than some markings on a map, you are true blue hub of Cheap Eats.
(more…)
Chattanooga. Nooga. Gig City. Chat-town. Maybe you have heard of all the nicknames, or maybe your knowledge of this growing tech hub of the south is limited to the famous choo-choo. Whatever camp you fall in, you know now that Chat-town loves their food. Like big brother Nashville to the north, the Chattanooga food scene is rooted in the ways of the South but is also keenly aware of the adventurous palates of 21st century American diners. The Cheap Eats lunch stop at Slicks Burgers serves as a clear indicator that our current burger renaissance is alive and kicking in the Nooga. Chocolate shops have long been a staple in the American food scene but it takes a modern day food specialist to deliver a pot de crème of the caliber that the Hot Chocolatier does. Even tacos, though in this case in Irish form, make a showing in Chattanooga. Despite a rich history, the side of Chattanooga we show in Cheap Eats is young, tech oriented(they boast one of the highest internet speeds in the country) and seems to draw in many a first time entrepreneur. Hungry Millennials make for hungry Cheap Eaters so let's take a big bite into why Nooga is a Cheap Eats kinda town.
(more…)
Omaha. I just didn't see it coming. Sure, a catch phrase like "Omahappening" puts you in a positive mood. Maybe you're thinking that Cornhusker pride serves up some hearty Midwestern fare that starts with all day tailgates and ends with a serious steakhouse scene. Well that's part of it. And so is hip neighborhoods, a thriving music scene and a quiet storm of Farm to Table cuisine. I came to Omaha thinking it would be all about the beef but what dropped my jaw was the dairy. Grass Fed Ice Cream and egg dishes that didn't play second fiddle to big brother bacon. My Cheap Eaters - Omaha is indeed Omahappening - it's a cool city that frankly offers more than I, and perhaps you, might have expected. The Cheap Eats here was my excuse to learn about one of the coolest cities in the Midwest. So let's start with some eats and see why the town that brought you bands like Bright Eyes is a shining food city on a hill of . . . corn.
(more…)
So how do you say it? I went with version one, the one with the drawl, and it earned me more than a few nods of approval. Invoking that drawl also reminds you that Louisville is a little bit Southern. As Baltimore straddles a line on the cultural map of the East Coast and the South, so does Louisville, with the South and the Midwest. This city might surprise you with a diverse set of famous former residents like Hunter S. Thompson and Muhammad Ali, Thomas Edison and even Tom Cruise. You probably know about the whole horse racing thing and the bourbon. And you probably could have guessed that both have been an integral part of Louisville's history and identity for well over 230 years. Point is you have heard of Louisville but do you know what's going on with the food here? First off, they got some food history, the most notable IMO being the Kentucky Hot Brown and yeah we found one fit for the Cheap Eats Budget. This is a city that has more than a few nearby farms. And beyond that solid farm to table showing is a grip of talented chefs who are having fun with food. And on that note let's start off with the most fun breakfast we have found to date:
(more…)
If Grand Rapids was the gentle small town reminder of my Midwestern roots and why this part of the country is just so darn livable, Indianapolis was that pause and a "huh" you drop when you step into a city in "fly over country" and are taken back by a sprawling, diverse urban landscape. Gentrification ain't just a real estate buzz word in Brooklyn, San Francisco or Silver Lake(LA), it is happening wherever it can. Case in point: Goose The Market. Like so many places we featured in Season Two of Cheap Eats, this beaut of an artisanal butcher shop and deli was fueled by a dream, funded with modest means and holds a zip code that might drive your car insurance rates up. Or at least it did; the neighborhood that Goose calls nest(or home) is Fall Creek Place, and like the Indy food scene, its an up and comer. Being in a Midwest city, we knew there would be some iconic Meat and Potato fare to be had. But there were a few "pause and a huh" moments to be had in the form of some Asian eats that would be a stand out in San Fran, along with with some chef driven, farm to table Midwest fare that you knew was going play a lead role in your Indy diet. Speaking of diets, it's time to put yours on pause and peep the Cheap Eats in Indianapolis.
(more…)
That smile on my face(along with the best carnitas torta I have ever had) serves as an instant reminder on how happy I would be to return to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Now this is no slight against the other cities we have visited in Cheap Eats, from the no brainers like beautiful Bozeman and Jackson Hole to towns I would love to catch my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play(I'm looking at you Pittsburgh). Its just that to be frank: Grand Rapids was a head scratcher. I had never been there, let alone Michigan, which made my expectations a bit of a blank canvas. A beautiful thing it is to travel to a place you have never been, without any expectation. It allows for the unforseeable to take hold of you; like Grand Rapids rousing my dormant Midwestern roots. Unless you are a sun drenched Californian or Floridian who fusses when the thermometer dips below 65, you gotta love Autumn in a place like Michigan. Now I did log in 20 years in Los Angeles but I have never been afraid of putting on a winter coat, it's the sunshine that always made me an advocate for Southern California. Thankfully we had a few sunny days there, certainly enough for me to summon back the Fall days of my youth, growing up in St. Louis MO. For the five days I spent there, Grand Rapids reminded me that I grew up in the Midwest by virtue of weather and environment. And as much as I feel drawn to the bright lights of major metropolitan areas, instantly bonding with all that teeming culture and diversity and forever willing to put up with the downers you hear on the nightly news reports, I am a Midwesterner by birth and rearing. The colors of the Fall will forever feel like my childhood. Which is a lovely memory and all but add that to the aforementioned Carnitas Torta, and folks, I'm smiling all the way back to Gerald R. Ford International Airport. (more…)
I had a lot of fun opening this episode with "Cheap Eats is bringing the pepper to Salt Lake City!!" but it turns out the SLC dining scene had the heat turned up well before I arrived. Over and over, folks pointed to the 2002 Winter Olympics as a tipping point. The loosening of liquor licensing gave restaurants a boost in biz which meant diners and restauranteurs could try new things. Like many cities in Season 2 of Cheap Eats, we take advantage of an up and coming dining scene, meet excited owners, and exciting chefs. What sets SLC apart from the others is a preconceived opinion of what people might have towards both city and state. Utah is synonymous with Mormonsim/The Church of Latter Day Saints. The Fried Mormon Funeral Potatoes is about as far as we trekked into this important and historic aspect of SLC, but it is but one part of a diverse and growing metropolis. On the drive in from Idaho, my eyes floated from an In-N-Out burger sign to a mountain skyline and suddenly I got flashbacks of my days in Los Angeles. Sunshine and a relatively more arid climate than other Rocky Mountain cities certainly push towards that comparison. What I am getting at here is SLC may not be what you think it is, especially if your imaginations point toward the direction of HBO's Big Love. And challenging preconceived notions is what I love to do. Almost as much as I love to eat and speaking of . . .
(more…)
As it turns out, nature in Jackson Hole Wyoming is no laughing matter. Despite my numerous Rocky and Bullwinkle and garden-variety moose jokes, even I, was and remain still, blown away by what I and my iPhone saw in Jackson Hole. And that's saying something because I am probably the most un mountain man to pass through these parts. Last night at a New Year's party, I was asked if I went camping. It was probably one of the most humorous (and honest) no's I have ever uttered. Still this is a landscape that would persuade me to become a member at REI, even if it meant spending a $1000 on equipment destined for a "like new" listing on craigslist. As far as Cheap Eats goes, my friends we have done you a tremendous service because Jackson Hole is damn expensive. Not a single restaurant we featured on this episode offered table service. And that's not us being lazy. It's THAT PRICEY HERE. There are a variety of reasons for this perfect storm of $$$ living: Ski Country plus tax incentives for the über wealthy, for starters. But saving money just ain't the point here. The point is pristine mountain beauty. And plenty outdoor activities to work up an appetite. So grab a knife n fork, your AMEX(black if you got it handy) and let the Jackson Hole feast begin.
(more…)
