Originally published at: Sometimes the best food comes from gas stations | Boing Boing
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The best…maybe. But Taco Bell still gets the best mileage
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I’ve never heard of Nevda’s “Doughcro” – but like usual, it’s probably a southern Nevada/Las Vegas thing. everyone from outside the state forgets that there are a zillion other things in the state besides Vegas.
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It took me a moment longer than it should have to guess what New York’s would be simply because Stewart’s is a daily part of our lives to the degree I don’t even categorize it mentally as “gas station food” even though I exclusively buy gas there to keep my $ local. Amazingly good ice cream and they’re basically no more than a few miles away from anywhere between the Canadian border and NJ.
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America is so weird.
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There is a gas station near me that has excellent street cart halal style chicken and rice! Their gyro is a little sub-par though…
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A location like inside or right next to a gas station can often be cheaper than an independently standing location for a start up restaurant. Where I live, we have lots of immigrants, as there is a refugee center, and there are tons of hole in the wall places serving great food, for a good price, many run by immigrants or working class people.
It’s a rent and/or zoning issue, generally speaking… and an access to capital issue.
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Hey, it’s not just an American thing! The 7-Elevens in Japan are legendary.
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Ah yes, parts of America can seem quite normal when compared to parts Japan - but it is an illusion.
Okay… what’s normal then? What is the baseline that so much of the world seems to fail at?
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I figured Texas’ would be Slovacek’s or the Czech Stop, both in West.
Some of the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had were from gas stations in Arlington, TX. As for @Mindysan33’s point, it was a long time ago but one of the Jackson’s there was being run by an immigrant family.
ETA:
In MD some of the best tacos in the DC-B’more area were supposed to have been from a gas station in Jessup. The quality suffered when they moved into a bigger place nearby; meanwhile whoever took over the gas station continued to serve up good tacos. But this is all 2nd-hand, based on reviews, as I haven’t yet tried either place. I can get good (if not great) tacos much, much closer to home without driving all the way up to Jessup.
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I’m in the area often. Care to share the name of either or both?
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Their choice for Ohio isn’t even the best in the Greater Cleveland area. Actually it isn’t even that gas station’s best food. They have great hummus.
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There’s also Rudy’s BBQ, which I used to love when I was living in Austin, but apparently it’s spread to New Mexico and Arizona, too. Started as a roadside gas pump/BBQ. IMHO, their brisket is consistently much juicier than Stubb’s recipe.
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I believe the one that started in a gas station & moved was R&R Taqueria (though Yelp reports it’s temporarily closed).
I think Maria’s Baja Café might’ve replaced it, but apparently it’s also temporarily closed.
Somewhat closer to me, in Laurel, is Taqueria los Primos which I’ve been meaning to try. Closer to home, we like 5 de Mayo in Landover Hills.
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I’ve yet to try a Rudy’s - back in Austin, people always thought I was talking about “Rudy’s” when I was actually saying “Ruby’s” (which is gone).
I wonder if they’re the same Taqueria los Primos that’s in a Sunoco parking lot on Route 40 in Ellicott City. I drove past that just yesterday at lunchtime and would’ve tried it had I known.
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I believe it is the same: when I searched for it just now, it mentioned a food truck in Ellicott City, but when I actually click on their website it’s just a placeholder with a link to their online menu.
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Just a personal opinion, but Rudy’s was waaaaay better than Ruby’s. 
Granted, I only had Ruby’s once, and it was so dry…
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A local gas station had excellent, homemade biscuits, served with a variety of toppings: local ham, gravy, butter, different jams, pulled pork. Then they got bought out by a new owner, who turned it into a 7-11.
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