After moving from Kentucky to eastern Washington, there are two restaurants I miss very much: Waffle House and Steak n’ Shake. Particularly when the former has no functional equivalent whatsoever (no, IHOPbP absolutely does not count). When I worked at the movies, Waffle House was our go-to dive after a long night assembling films on Thursday nights during the summer, when it wasn’t uncommon for us to leave the theater after 3 in the morning.
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Absolutely not hyperbole… it’s 100% truth. They are a life’s worth of seeing and learning and experiencing all rolled into hourly bites that leave you simultaneously filled and wanting more…
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I must admit, I have an NYC bias.
NYC bias is legit. NJ owes its rich immigrant culture to its proximity to Ellis Island (historically) and NYC (historically and currently).
It’s hard for me to accept that there could be good food in Jersey that can’t be found in the five boroughs.
You’ve got the pizza too, but you don’t have the diners.
BTW - surely you meant 4 boroughs. Staten Island has nothing to contribute and you know it.
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That Waffle House is generically terrible/terrific like other greasy spoons? I missed that, I’ll have to watch again.
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Fully. Loaded. Hashbrowns.
Nuff said.
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Jersey has great Indian food and Colombian bakeries
God bless immigrants indeed. Like my grandparents for example.
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I’d say to anyone with depression to definitely seek a professional to talk to, but being able to open up to a loved one or friend is just as important. Make sure to find time to really ask someone in your life that is struggling how they’re doing.
My best friend was instrumental in me putting my shitty broken life together by taking the time to hang out with me at a local bar over drinks and pool. We talked, bullshitted, cried and laughed so much in that smoky Vegas bar and I feel like I owe her everything I’ve accomplished since.
We just need to listen and be there when needed. It can save and change someone’s life.
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The Waffle House. Make it right, please.
Because I love the Waffle House, and I loved Bourdain.
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Well spoken.
Not true! Where would the Staten Island Ferry go if it weren’t for Staten Island?
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I’ve always thought Bourdain was full of shit. He always seemed to be playing to whatever host he was with. If it was street food, it was better than everything. If it was haute cuisine, it was better than everything. I know I’m in a serious minority with this opinion, and I did not know him personally but, his on-screen persona seemed like bullshit.
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Being from the rural midwest (more mid-south, really) yeah, the opening of a chain restaurant can be exciting. You’re not going to get fine dining at the Olive Garden, but you know what you’re going to get whether that particular Olive Garden is in Manhattan, NYC or Manhattan, KS. If you want to drink with the locals, ask around. If you want to find where the traveling businessmen visiting a small town are gathered at the end of the day, try Applebees. The steak isn’t fantastic but you know a medium-rare will be exactly medium rare because they come out of the bag that way.
Mom and pop places, for all the romance and charm, are hit and miss. When I was a kid, there was a family-owned Greek place that had mostly the stuff you expect in a Greek place, but they made this stew that had the gyro meat in it…mmm. The mother of the family was sharp as a tack because you could stay away, go back three months later, and she’d list off your previous order and ask if you wanted that.
Earlier this week I was in the Yodeling Kid’s hometown and the choices of restaurants are, you might say, limited. We ended up eating in this charming little place called the Dairi-Barr. Spelled just like that. It’s…it was alright. Probably tastes amazing after a day of deer hunting.
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Which beer is the best beer?
The one that’s right there in front of you.
Let the bad takes go. Life is too short.
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So I wanna add something here, because I think it taps into how Tony felt about a place like Waffle House…
Livin’/growing up in parts of the country (especially 80’s/90’s) where lookin’ even the slightest bit weird might catch you a beating from a jock/ted, 24hr diner chains were a SAFE HAVEN. When the rest of the world around you looks at you like you’re scum of the earth, the server at country kitchen/waffle house/etc. DGAF as long as you left a decent tip. Was the food good? Maybe not. Was it worth what you paid for? It’s three AM! You’re surrounded by queers, drag queens, transfolk, leather daddies, punx, metal heads, g’s… Fuck yeah it’s worth it. A full belly and an hour or two spent without lookin’ over your shoulder-- my dollars never went further.
The last time I was in a Waffle House was years ago (unfortunately,) my band was on tour in the deeeeepest south, somewhere between Nashville and Atlanta. I was extremely broke, trying to decide between a waffle or some hash browns. Our server, an older gay black man, took note of my indecision, and without thinkin twice said, “honey, don’t even worry your head, you’re a long way from home. I got you.” and just like that, bought me my breakfast. It was delicious, and more importantly, one of those little moments in life that you’ll never forget.
So yeah, I’m with Tony.
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I’ve eaten at his place… yeah, it was damn good.
Best ever… yeah, probably.
But there are so many other great places that I’ve never been.
I’ve eaten at the Waffle House a couple times, not the least bit drunk, and at chain diners farther north hundreds of times in various states of mind. The Waffle House has the best pork chops I’ve ever had at a chain restaurant. Didn’t try the waffles.
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I’ve lived in both NJ and NY, and NJ’s Greek diners really are great. A lot of the great diners in NYC are Greek-owned too. If I were to guess why, it would maybe be a speciality a lot of Greek immigrants cornered the market on after WWII?
NJ’s Italian pizza is also excellent, and better than most Manhattan pizza places I’ve found. Which is probably due to many working class Italian families no longer being able to afford living in Manhattan.
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