#7 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 1886; fresh seafood; written up in Southern Living, GQ & Baltimore Magazine; parts of movie "Sleepless in Seattle" & TV program "Homicide" were filmed here
Phil's Special Dog hot dog link stuffed in Polish sausage, grilled & put in toasted French roll w/ smeared w/ Wisconsin cheddar & topped w/ mac-and-cheese-and-salami; not on menu; looks good
#96 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); started as a hauled-in lunch cart in Market Square since 1912 and then a permanently-situated diner in 1974; long lines; trivia: Guinness book of world records has cited Gilley's as having the most parking tickets ever issued (over 5,000) from 1912-1974
Famous Chili Bomb Pie (Pizza) cheese pizza w/ tots, chili-cheese, and scallions located in the center of the pie; looks good
Bengal Tiger Pizza a crowd favorite; inspired by the flavors of Northwest India; pizza w/ rich green sauce topped w/ tandori chicken, real crab meat, hearts of palm, cheese and cilantro
Chicken Paprikash cooked by George Detsios (self-proclaimed "Hungarian Delight") who comes once per week (on Monday's?) to cook Hungarian dishes; looks good
#101 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); formerly an auto parts store...eclectic atmosphere; owner/cook (and scupter) makes scuptures in back; "check your attitude at the door"
Chicken Andouille Gumbo boneless chicken, Andouille (a Cajun Sausage), okra & seasonings simmered in chicken stock; "Selected by locals as the best Gumbo in the city!" (from its website); looks good
#26 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); opened in 2011; specializes in macaroni & cheese offering 10 different variations; elementary school decor w/ tables made of re-purposed wood bleachers, chalkboard (for the menu) & a vintage card catalog where they keep customer loyalty cards
#47 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); est. 1959; cafeteria-style service; restaurant name came about when (husband & wife) founders were looking for a place to open their restaurant...while driving, wife laid her eyes on a little white house while driving & cried out "This is it!"...it has grown & re-located since then
Open Faced Hot Turkey Sandwich fresh baked bread topped w/ white & dark roasted turkey slices & side of mashed potatoes & topped w/ homemade gravy
Garlic Steak Sandwich filet mignon marinated in garlic oil overnight, slice & cooked on flat top; "that is ridiculous!"-Guy Fieri; looks good
Prime Rib spice-rubbed, smoked in-house for 6 hrs & served w/ side of au jus & horse radish; looks good
Mixed Grille combo of pan-fried scallops, prawns, fish & fresh Dungeness crabmeat topped w/ creamy shrimp-flavored sauce; "that's off the hook!"-Guy Fieri; looks good
#38 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); started in 1986; dive-bar w/ causal & simple ambience, food made from scratch & Friday night barbecue dinners; so unassuming, there's no sign on the building
Adam Emmenecker Challenge challenge: 12-inch deep fried pork tenderloin, 2 buffalo chicken tenders, angus steak cheeseburger, bacon, beef brisket, 2 fried cheddar cheese cubes, smothered in cheese sauce, plus 1-lb of waffle fries..all in 15 minutes; Adam lost
Hot Wings voted best wings in Des Moines for 3 consecutive years; smoked and then flash fried; looks good
The Jethro (huge) sandwich w/ battered & fried pork tenderloin, Carolina style pulled pork, house smoked pit ham, double order of thick slab bacon & topped w/ aged white cheddar cheese sauce; looks good
Burritos no rice as filler, but rather lingua (cow's tongue)
Carne Asada Tacos Dorados not on menu; "hard & soft" taco shell (2 shells: crispy on the inside, soft on the outside) w/ carne asada (thin sliced steaks), melted monterey jack cheese, beans, homemade salsa, green hot sauce, avocado & sour cream; looks good
#44 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); Italian eatery w/ a California Stucco design incorporating a Mediterranean style w/ a little touch of Spanish & Italian
Melt Challenge "monster" grilled cheese featuring 13 different cheeses, 3 slices of grilled bread & a pile of hand-cut fries & slaw (all over 5-lbs); eat all to be awarded a Melt t-shirt or Melt Pint Glass, a $10 gift card your name on online Melt Challenge Hall of Fame; challenge - 5-lb patti melt + fries; Adam won
#41 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 2006; specialize on grilled cheese sandwiches; get an approved Melt logo tattoo (design on its website) & get 25% for life; multiple locations in Ohio
#94 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); since 1873 (before CO became a state); so popular w/ locals, there's no sign in front of building; quirky atmosphere includes selling Girl Scout cookies year-round & free balloons for kids
The Bacon Bomb five pounds of ground sausage, pork & beef mixed w/ spices & wrapped in a weave of brown sugar bacon, & then slow cooked for 3 hrs on pig roaster; served with potato salad or fries; Bacon Bomb Challenge: eat 1 whole w/ 1-lb of fries in 45-min & you win free bomb, t-shirt & "admiration & disgust of your friends & family"...only 1 person (out of 61) has succeeded at airing
Santa Fe (Pancakes) 3 stone-ground cornmeal pancakes w/ chunks of bacon, cheddar & roasted green chiles cooked inside; recommended w/ maple syrup, hot picante salsa & sour cream
Sweet Potato Pancakes most popular; looks good
Village Smithy Sante Fe Cornmeal Pancakes Three stone-ground cornmeal pancakes with chunks of bacon, Cheddar cheese, and roasted green chiles cooked inside. Recommended with maple syrup, hot picante salsa, and sour cream; "one of the coolest, best thing I've ever tried"-Adam Richman
#48 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); opened in 1961; Nashville breakfast mecca; 23 pancake variations; long lines; where QB Ingle Martin ate growing up
[CLOSED]; #1 (Top 5 Restaurants-Best Hot and Spicy Foods); #23 (101 More Amazing Places to Chowdown); cozy joint specializing in Nashville-style hot fried chicken; specialize in fried chicken offering in varying degrees of hotness: Southernfied, Light Mild, Mild, Medium, Hot, X-Hot & XX-Hot; moved from original airing location (2821 Gallatin Pike)
