One for the Road: Hungry City Guides

by Kelly Amabile on

These thin Glove Box Guides, known as Hungry City, are a must have for foodie travelers. My parents took the Hungry? Chicago guide with them to the Windy City this summer, and discovered a few good places to chow down around town. Their favorite recommendation from the book: Monk’s Pub on Lake Street. It was definitely a place were “real people eat” — an editorial angle the guides pride themselves on. The review of Monk’s as “downtown’s coziest burger and brew” checked out, and my parent’s left happy and hungry no more.

These compact guides are written by a team of local contributors who eat and drink their way through cities across the US. Restaurant listings are grouped by neighborhood, and in addition to alpha and cuisine indexes, there is a glossary of food terms that describes popular ethnic dishes — a nice extra touch. It’s good to know your mandoo (Korean dumplings) from your har gow (Chinese shrimp dumplings) before deciding where to dine.

Recent releases in this series include a Hungry? Thirsty? Miami,Hungry? Seattle Family edition and Hungry? New York City. Are you still hungry?? There’s more: Hungry? Boston will be out in November and Thirsty? Boston in the spring. Other titles in the works include guides for New Orleans, Las Vegas and the first international destination, Paris.

Ellen DeGenere’s Wish You Were Here tribute to towns. Add yours.

by Jamie Rhein on

The Ellen DeGeneres Show Web site has an AOL feature called Wish You Were Here. This is where people can enter details about the towns where they live. Sure, you can add in the best places to eat, scenic attractions and best activities, but to add some extra flavoring, there are catagories like unusual talents, facinating characters and most talented pets. There are also photos.

I did some poking around on the site and here’s what I found out so far, there are 25 states that have a town or city called Columbus. Columbus, Ohio is listed first which makes sense since it’s the only one that’s a state capital and also the largest of them. After typing in Columbus, Ohio to see what came up, I tried Hindman, Kentucky, my mom’s hometown–a small place in southeastern Kentucky. This brought me to Kentucky’s page. (There’s also a Hindman, Texas.) Nothing is on Hindman, Kentucky’s page, but a map showing where it is. On the Kentucky page there are 10 different listings in Kentucky. (Ohioans have been busier filling in details I have to say) One person, though waxes poetic about Northern Kentucky where I have two aunts. Once you get past the malls and suburban sprawl of Northern Kentucky, I’d say there are some interesting places to go. One of my most favorite is the Dinsmore Homestead.

With some further link clicking, I also found out that Morro Bay, California has an man with an unusual talent. He stands by the ocean every day trying to fly pieces of trash as if they were kites. Napkins, soda cans, whatever he can find, gets attached to a stick with string.

In a way this site reminds me of a gigantic scrapbook photo album which is probably the point. As people from around the U.S. add to it, it has the potential to make the U.S. look like an engaging, diverse place that is more than just the latest McDonald’s that’s opening. Clever idea. I like it.

Cultural Revolution restaurant opens in China. Oh Joy!

by Neil Woodburn on

It’s rather ironic to build a restaurant themed after an event in which 30 million people died of famine.

And yet, that’s exactly the spirit behind “Number One Production Brigade,” a restaurant in Shenzhen patterned after the Chinese Cultural Revolution.

According to a recent Reuters article, the restaurant is decorated with propaganda posters, portraits of communist leaders from around the world and features wait staff dressed in Red Guard uniforms from this time period (above).

The restaurant is intended to be nostalgic for those who enjoyed the Mao created communes in which simple fare was served during the ten-year revolution. If you ask me, it’s rather barbaric. This was a horrendous time period for the Chinese. And in fact, I’m very surprised that the government–which still idolizes Mao–has actually allowed it to operate. That being said, if I ever find myself in Shenzhen, I’ll certainly patronize this very odd joint. I just hope I’m not beaten to death for engaging in some cultural entertainment while dining there.

GADLING TAKE FIVE: Week of October 13-19

by Jamie Rhein on

If you missed that big things happened at Gadling this week, then all I have to say is, “Where have you been?” Gadling has a brand new look and we’re enjoying it. It’s kind of like a shiny new toy. Wow! What does this drop down menu do on the left? The information we used to have is all here, it’s just relocated and gussied up. Also, perhaps you’ve noticed the slight name change. Instead of the heading “Gadling: The traveler’s blog,” we’re “Gadling: go there.”

Here our some of the offerings we’ve dished up this week that hopefully will help you go there where ever that may be. Hey, and if you’re not going off on some huge whirlwind mega trip, that’s fine by us. Sometimes, it’s the close to home treasures that are worth writing home about.

Abha Malpani, who just joined our Gadling forces this week, has some ideas for the best places to hook up with someone if you are so inclined, while Catherine’s got you covered when it comes to avoiding tourist traps. Grant knows just where you can get your hands on some of the best street food in Europe, and if you have a sweet tooth craving, check out Martha’s top places in the U.S. for a sugar fix ideas. To help you gather a bunch of facts that might come in handy at a party, or on a bus, or on an airplane –or just to amuse yourself in the privacy of your own bathroom, pick up a copy of Take Me to Your Leader. Kelly’s always dishing up good finds with her One for the Road Series.

Okay, that’s five and I still haven’t mentioned Matthew’s wealth of Japan know-how this week. Lastly, don’t miss Neil’s post “Visiting an American embassy, Simpson’s style.” Perhaps, you can relate.

Off the beaten foodie path in New York City: Studiofeast

by Grant Martin on

With so many good places to eat in Manhattan, chefs are continuously trying to outdo each other in complexity and presentation of dishes. To that effect, eventually one beings to pay for elegance and setting as much as for the food itself. Is it really worth two hundred dollars a person to eat at Morimoto? Really?

For a different type of dining experience, where you won’t have to worry about what shoulder your Y-3 sweater is hanging from or the appellation of your Côtes du Rhône, try Studiofeast.

Recently slated in the New York Post as a having “code names, mysterious meeting places, a cult following and the intoxicating whiff of illegality,” Studiofeast is one of the numerous underground eating clubs that have popped up in the city over the past few years. It brings a unique, intimate air to dinner, where you can mill about a random Williamsburg or Red Hook studio, converse with the other diners, bring your own bottle of wine and not worry about the pretense of a normal awkward dinner on the LES.

Read the Post’s stub about Studiofeast here or check out their website. I’ll be at the November 3rd feast with my Y-3 cable knit sweater zipped all the way up. I should note that I met the creators a few years ago and have been regularly impressed with their fare and general zeal. My opinion aside, it should still be an excellent meal.