What kind of food do you go out of your way for? (ingredients, restaurants)

[crazyme4878]

Let me start off that I really like good, real food, and love to try different ethnic foods. But...

We go out of our way to find a Taco Johns. I never ate out much growing up, but once in awhile we would go to Taco Johns as a treat. Then, as poor, vegetarian college students in a tiny town, my husband and I would eat there. Really, it's the Potato Oles.

Anyhow, we moved away to areas that didn't have the chain, so now when we are in Taco John territory, we make it a priority to find one. And really, it's isn't all that great (and nothing compared to the burros you get around the border), but it's comfort food. And did I mention potato oles?

[ackmondual]

I used to get deep dish pizza in one region I was at.


Nowadays, I keep things simpler and go for food that isn't local. It can be something like a Wendys, Chipotle, or local Mexican joint. On the more "fancy" end, I spring for steakhouses, places that can cook up a decent steak even if they aren't officially steakhouses, Indian food, or BBQ.

[Jukesgrrl]

Good barbecue. Seafood if I'm at the seashore. I'm always up to try a pizza if the maker has a positive local reputation.

When I'm traveling I go in for the popular local dishes. There are plenty of things I've only eaten once in my life.

[ralphfr]

BBQ, cheesesteaks if we're not in Philly because my wife is picky and she loves cheesesteaks, seafood and then pizza if we're somewhere I know the pizza is not good. Might as well look for the best of the worst!

[gentlearts]

Whatever the area is known for....fish fries in the Great Lakes, beignets in NOLA, shrimp and grits in the south, etc.

[nmnita]

of course good regional food for starters: If I am near an InandOut that would be one: good Chinese food and certainly top of the line Seafood. Living in the middle of the country it is rare we get fresh fish. We do have a wonderful fresh fish market but it is so expensive, we can only afford it about every few months.

[blueherons]

A local Cuban chain, Havana 1957 that we'll go out of our way to eat at. There is also a Cuban walkup, Nuevos Cubanos that we also like.

Also, Spring Chicken from the Yardbird people is insanely good.

[Gorges]

I would definitely prefer something that's not a chain, but when traveling, I would not travel a long distance for food, unless it's something very very special. We have gone a little out of our way to try DDD places, or deep-dish pizza in Chicago. We always do research and try not to just hit the place in the hotel parking lot, but when you're on a road trip, convenience sometimes wins out.

[tailsock]

Raleigh NC is a pretty good city with lots of variety. Plenty of good choices for BBQ/Southern, Mexican, sushi, Indian, and Caribbean

If I'm in Raleigh I'll travel 30 minutes or more for the following:

-German
-Cuban
-Vietnamese (Pho)
-Spanish tapas
-British/Irish Pub

Global cities like London, DC, NYC etc. are a real treat for me because I can find food and beer I wouldn't be able to back home

-Russian/Ukranian cuisine (nice bowl of borscht and manti which are meat stuffed dumplings
-Czech cuisine (schnitzel or duck with dumplings and gravy, red cabbage, rare pilsners)
-Authentic Chinese found in a Chinatown (gimme all the Peking crispy Duck)

[AngID]

(Fresh) Seafood. (Good) Chinese food. Not much of a selection of either here. About once a year I absolutely have to stop and pick up Chinese for dinner. Every year, I take one bite of one or two things and toss the container in the garbage. Every. Single. Year. (20+ years!)
This was a few months ago, the "gravy" I got with my Almond Fried Chicken:



Looked, and tasted, like corn starch and water. May as well have thrown a couple of 20 dollar bills in the trash. Thankfully, husband choked it down over a couple of days.