Blue Moon Cafe--You and the Cap'n Make it Happen

What do normal couples do on their 5 year anniversary? Well there's usually wine, roses, big fancy dinner, nice clothes, the whole nine yards. What do Ben and I do? We toss on our best jeans and t-shirts, go to a baseball game, and make it a Triple D double dip. Eh whatever, we admitted a long time ago that we aren't a normal couple. Baltimore has kind of become our mecca for Triple D days--it's a short drive and there's enough to do that you can fit in two meals with enough stuff in between so as not to be so ungodly full after your first meal that you never want to think about dinner. So for our 5 year anniversary at the end of August, we bought some O's tickets and planned a nice day in Baltimore sandwiched between breakfast at the Blue Moon Cafe and dinner at Brick Oven Pizza (check back later for that post).

The Blue Moon is in one of the most laidback, indie, trendy areas of Baltimore. A few miles east of the Inner Harbor is Fells Point, an eclectic li'l neighborhood full of tiny cafes and shops, plus a huge bread factory, which leaves the whole area smelling heavenly for most of the morning hours. Fells Point shares "borders" with Little Italy, which you have to drive through in order to actually get to Fells Point so there's always the danger that while driving with the best intentions towards this area of town for dinner or lunch or whatever, you'll detour into a little Italian eatery and you'll never get to experience the joy that is the Blue Moon Cafe. The Blue Moon was another re-visit for us. It was one of the 3 places that we had gone to before officially starting out on this crazy adventure, so since we've already covered Big Jim's and Blimpy's, the Blue Moon (apparently we only went to places that started with B before we started actually recording our visits) is the last on the short list of places that helped really spur this journey. What's also kind of cool about the Blue Moon is that it helped contribute to us almost completing a full episode of Triple D because it was featured on "Comfort Food" along with Grampa's and the Central City. If it had been a normal episode we would have completed it, since most episodes are only 3 visits, but of course, this was one of those rare episodes with 4, so alas we are still in search of completing a full episode, since we have yet to wander down to Texas to visit the Tip Top Cafe, which would make "Comfort Food" complete...but I'm getting off track.

It's kind of hard to not notice the Blue Moon when you're driving through Fells Point--not because it has some kind of crazy exterior or because it's huge or anything like that--no you notice the Blue Moon because of the massive throng of people always outside of the building any day of the week between the hours of 9am and 2pm. This is hands down the most popular place we've visited. When you combine amazing food, with an extremely tiny seating area (seriously we're talking like 7 tables), and a very very dedicated fan base the result is a very long wait. If you're planning on making the jaunt down to Baltimore plan your entire morning around the Blue Moon. Average wait is around an hour/hour and 15, longer if you've got a big party--honestly I would probably say if you have more than 4 people I wouldn't even try in the morning because they'll probably just tell you to come back later. Most of the time they tell you to wander around the area and go shopping and then check back, it's just that popular. Ben and I have taken to bringing books with us and sitting on the sidewalk outside while we wait, and I'd highly recommend that tactic. The Blue Moon is an experience, and one that you'll enjoy only if you go into it willing to wait and with patience. There's something oddly comforting about standing outside a restaurant with ten to fifteen other people all just waiting to eat, it makes you feel like you're a part of something bigger than yourself, and it also makes you feel like you're in on a big city secret, because people will drive by and look at all of you like you're crazy for waiting that long for food, but you know it's totally worth it and they're missing out. Plus, with that many people waiting there's guaranteed to be other Triple D visitors--it's happened both times we've visited, which makes for some interesting conversations and a great opportunity to swap stories about all the places you've visited. Believe me when I say though that the wait is worth it...when the wait is over an hour and people are willing to do it without a care in the world you know there's something good on the other side of that wait...and ya know what that is?? Cap'n Crunch French Toast.

This was once just a special at the Blue Moon--one of those things only on the menu..wait for it..once in a Blue Moon (ba-dum-bah), but it has become a standard on the menu because it's just that popular. If you haven't learned by now, I don't deviate when I find something I like, and that's why no matter how many times we have gone and will go to the Blue Moon I will always get this french toast. My good God is it good. I don't even use syrup on this stuff, and I love syrup so believe me it's not needed. 3 thick slices of Texas toast, coated in crushed up Cap'n Crunch and then cooked on a griddle so they get all crispy and carmelized and delicious. Then if that wasn't enough they top it with homemade whipped cream, blueberries, and strawberries. This is honestly probably my favorite meal I've ever had at any Triple D stop. I'm a sucker for sweet breakfast (pancakes, french toast, I'm sold), but this was beyond anything I've ever eaten before. Now my darling Ben kind of hates breakfast--especially sweet breakfast, so he always has a bit more of an issue ordering at places like this. However, he loves the Blue Moon because they have an awesome menu when it comes to breakfast gone Mexican. He's at various points gotten their breakfast burritos--which were huuuuge, to the point that he couldn't finish them because yes there were two--and their Mexican scramble, which was eggs, cheese, peppers, chorizo, salsa all that good stuff. For it being breakfast, he loves their food! When you order off of the menu, you get their homemade biscuits too, which are big, fluffy, and moist, essentially they're perfect. Now Ben's a wonderful boyfriend and since he knows I love bread, he let me have his biscuits, but I share as much as I can. Lastly, a ritual for us at the Blue Moon is ordering one of their plate size homemade cinnamon rolls for a kind of appetizer. They warm them up for you, and they're gooey and every ounce of them is homemade down to the filling in the dough. They are like Grands Cinnamon Rolls times 100. In some ways they're my favorite part of the meal, because they are just that good. Hopefully, that gives you a clue as to why this place is worth the wait. I would wait hours for my french toast and cinnamon roll...sometimes good food just takes patience, and that staff appreciates that you've waited that long so they don't rush you, they make sure your food is great, and that you enjoy your time. They give you a quality experience because they know how long you've waited to be there. They are nothing short of gracious, which is sometimes rare in places this busy.

Just a few more tips other than being willing to wait: they're only open until 2 in the afternoon most days, and then sometimes they re-open at like 7pm, but we've only ever gone in the morning, so plan accordingly. I would recommend giving it a morning visit. Also, parking is on the street, so have someone who doesn't mind parallel parking. Lastly, like I said before, bring a book!! It'll make the time go faster I promise.

No website for them--it helps them keep as low a profile as possible...being on Food Network doesn't really help that much :-)

Krazy Jim's Bilmpy Burger--Forever #1

The Triple D road is long and winding, criss-crossing the country, moving from small--almost invisible towns--to the largest cities in America. This process will most likely be one that Ben and I will be pursuing for the rest of our lives (a fact we are not afraid to admit), so it may seem a bit premature to proclaim that we've found the place that will always be #1, but trust me when I say, I don't see it changing. It won't change because Blimpy's holds a special place in our world for multiple reasons, the main one being that it's where this whole crazy thing started. Flashback with me to the early months of 2008, the beginning of our final semester of college. We'd taken to watching Triple D a little bit more frequently than usual. Food Network used to simply be what we turned on at night, but with little regard for what we were actually watching, but somewhere along the way we become Triple D fans, and then one night it happened. We were watching a particularly yummy episode (Burgers, Rings, and Fries to be exact) and what we saw was the most incredibly, greasy, delicious looking burger shack we'd ever seen. Now if you haven't noticed by now, Ben and I are suckers for grease. I'll admit it, even if the woman in my head who controls keeping track of my Weight Watchers points wishes she could kill this part of my personality. We love greasy food. It's actually one of the things that we bonded over when we started dating--Ben loved that I wasn't afraid to finish a meal in front of him (little did he know the life he had ahead of him with me constantly intoning "but I'm on points" but I digress...) . Now as we're watching I realize (and say out loud) "That girl is wearing a Michigan shirt!" which was then followed by "OH MY GOD IS THIS PLACE IN ANN ARBOR!?!?" Cue immediate jumping off of the bed and cueing up Google as quickly as possible (God bless the internet) and there it was....Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger S. Division St., Ann Arbor, MI. My beloved Ann Arbor. My favorite city in the world to hang out in was home to this burger mecca. "HOW HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS PLACE?!?!" I immediately made plans to seek this place out over Spring Break...and thus the Triple D adventure began.

Yes, I went to Blimpy's for the first time without Ben...I'm not proud of it, but hey you do what you gotta do for a good burger, and now over 2 years later, it is our most frequented Triple D spot. It's a go-to whenever we wander back to Michigan. It's like a cosmic pull on my car whenever I go to Ann Arbor...and it's just that good...trust me. It's true from the outside, hell from the inside, Blimpy's looks a bit odd. It's not creepy--it's not near as creepy as some places we've been, but it's tiny, it never ceases to be hot from the grill that is always going in, and it's always busy (expect a line people), and let's face it, it's a dive. It's not fancy, it's not designed for comfort or convenience, it's there to give you a good burger, fast. Blimpy's is not a place for the faint of heart. The cooks yell, they get frustrated, and you see your burger getting banged out on the grill in front of you--so if you're one of those people who can eat greasy foods as long as you don't have to see how greasy it really is, don't go, plain and simple. Here's what I would honestly advise...if you make the trek to Blimpy's use the buddy system, preferably with a Blimpy's veteran. If you don't know anyone in the good old A2, then watch the Triple D clip (it's on YouTube) and take notes, or check out their website and take notes. No I am not screwing with you. I'm being honest to God serious, take notes. The first time I walked into Blimpy's I had notes written on my hand on how to order, because honestly it's a strict process....

Blimpy's niche is sliders, you don't just order a burger (you have to be under the age of 7 to get a single patty burger no joke), you order a burger by the number of tiny patties you want on it, they'll go up us high as you want even though I think beyond 10 they might question your sanity. BUT again it's all part of a process so I'll walk you through the steps.

1.) Get a drink. It'll be the first thing you pass in line, so decide if you want a fountain pop or one of the umpteen bottled pops they have (I always go with IBC Cream Soda, Ben Stewart's Key Lime).
2.) Ask yourself: Am I eating here or getting it to go? I would advise eating there, unless you aren't travelling far. Travel too far with your burger and the grease becomes a bit of an issue when it comes to soggyness, I've done it once and it was my least favorite Blimpy's experience to date). IF AND ONLY IF you are eating THERE: Grab a tray. Getting it to go? DON'T TOUCH THE TRAYS. (You think I'm kidding about the rules? I'm not. Don't believe me? Try to screw with the process and see what happens)

3.) Do you want anything fried? They'll ask you if you want anything from the fryer. We loooooove their onion rings, they seriously take 3 days to make and they're friggin' amazing. But they also do all forms of veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) and of course fries, but we've only ever gotten the rings.

4.) Now it's time for your burger...PAY ATTENTION!!! You order the number of patties (double, triple, quad, quint, etc...), the type of bun you want (regular, onion, pumpernickel), and if you want anything grilled on it (bacon, onions, mushrooms, egg). DO NOT I repeat DO NOT talk about cheese at this point. I have seen many a poor soul get yelled at for ordering a bacon cheeseburger in line. They will ask you about your cheese before your burger is done...let them ask you.

5.) Cheese: like I said someone will ask you if you want cheese, just wait for the question.

6.) The guy at the end of the counter will ask you about other toppings: give him your wet ones first (mayo, ketchup, etc.) then the dry (lettuce, tomato, you get the picture).

Then you're good to go, but beware they only take cash!!! No credit cards here people! And expect to be handed your change in 50 cent pieces and $2 bills (again I'm not kidding). I know it seems complicated but it's worth it and after the first trip you'll be good to go and ordering will be as easy as riding a bike, just push through that first time. My ideal Blimpy's meal? IBC Cream Soda, onion rings, and a triple on a regular bun with bacon, grilled onions, cheddar cheese, ketchup, mayo, and lettuce. It's heavenly. If heaven is a big ball of grease in the sky that is. I've never deviated in my order...ever. Same thing every time. Ben has branched out...he's even gotten a quint--yes that's 5 sliders on a bun and yes he did finish it, it was nothing short of impressive. Don't plan on having a big dinner after you eat at Blimpy's, believe me when I say you won't need it. And one last thing, don't be intimidated by the process, don't be intimidated by the line. Because of the strict ordering, things move quickly, and they mean business so the line will dwindle fast, don't walk out because it's busy, you might never eat there if that's the case because it's always busy. If you are looking for a convenient time here's what I'd suggest: go in the summer. This place is a haunt for U of M students because it's in the middle of campus. If you go in the summer you cut down the number of people a ton. And again with a huge DO NOT!! go in the fall on a Saturday when the Wolverines have got a football game at home...it's a bad idea. So if it's a Saturday between September and November, check U of M's football schedule first, trust me. So is it hard to believe that after all rules that this place is our favorite? Maybe...but doesn't that tell you just how good the food is???

As usual here's the website, much more user friendly in the post-Triple D days...

http://www.blimpyburger.com/ (notice there's a tab on ordering...they are getting nicer believe me)

Nadine's--"It's a scuzzy bar..."

For those of you who watch Bones, you'll hopefully recognize fairly quickly that my title is an homage to one of my favorite episodes, an oldie but goodie from Season 2. The joy here is that when you are so invested in so many facets of pop culture, eventually there will be realms where your some of your loves collide, and this would be one of those moments, because no matter how many times I tried to think of a better title for this place, all I could here was Sully in my head telling Brennan he was taking her to a scuzzy bar. As it happens, one fateful day near the end of July, I think I was about 3 days away from finally finishing my hospital work in Pittsburgh, our date night (which was more of an afternoon in this case) ended up being to a scuzzy bar. Now, I'm sure that most people would read that and assume that either the food was total crap or the place was scary enough that we would never darken the door again...ya know the things we do for Triple D. However, while yes I'll admit I was a bit terrified when we stood outside Nadine's, it has become something of a haunt for us now. It's a bar, that oddly enough cranks out some of the most honest to goodness comfort food, that makes one forget that they're sitting on a squeaky, plastic covered bar stool, but rather leaves one imagining that they're sitting at their grandmother's kitchen table eating a big family dinner.

There is little to commend Nadine's to the mere passer-by unless you are one of two things (or possibly both): a. A local who has known about this place since you were 2 or b. A Triple D addict. Seeing as Ben and I fit one of those categories, we approached Nadine's, after an unbelievably frustrating 20 minutes spent searching for parking in Pittsburgh's Southside construction hell-zone. In all honesty, one would probably never simply pass by Nadine's. It's tucked away on a side street, surrounded on both sides by streets filled with cute little pizza places and eateries. Needless to say, in this part of town if you're looking for food, Nadine's probably wouldn't be your top choice. The outside is unassuming and the sign on the front reading "No one under 18 admitted" isn't exactly welcoming, but trust me on this...push on through. Fight off your tendency to judge a book by it's cover and believe me you'll be thanking me...if you like hot roast beef sandwiches that is.

Nadine's is run by a little, tiny, Italian fireball of a woman...Nadine (obviously). She runs the place with her kids and their significant others, and regardless of whether you're actually related to any of them, once you walk in you're treated like family. What makes Nadine's unique is that while there's a set menu, you don't really ever look at it. No, the second you walk in you look to the specials board on your left next to the door. That's what makes this place a diamond in the rough. Everyday they crank out 4 or 5 of their 11 specials, and once they're gone, they're gone, and when you're competing with hungry construction workers, you better get there at a decent time if you want to find some food. If you saw the show, you know that they cook all their food from two ovens, one of which is literally held together by string, but I'm tellin' ya that might just be the secret to their success. The first time we went we had a pretty broad range of specials: Hot Roast Beef Sandwiches with Mashed Potatoes, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Meatball Hoagies, and Chicken Salad Sandwiches. The roast beef is where you want to go, I promise. Guy loved this stuff, and so did we. Now I'll confess, I can be a picky eater, ESPECIALLY when it comes to soggy bread, so usually the whole hot sandwich and gravy thing is something I avoid, but for the sake of Triple D (and how good this stuff smelled) I went for it and oh. my. God. The helpings are huge and if you didn't get enough to eat on the first go round, they'll give you seconds. Yes seconds. For freakin' free!!! Ben, of course, took them up on this and to give you a glimpse of the type of woman/mom Nadine is, here's how that conversation went:

Ben: Do you do seconds on the roast beef?

Nadine: You want some more? Are you still hungry? (said like a total sweet Mom)

Ben: That's be great.

Nadine: You better eat it all or you'll be back here doin' dishes."

And I'm telling you she wasn't kidding, and yes she did check to make sure Ben ate all of his second helping. And if the second helpings weren't enough to add to the familiy feel, there's a big "Happy Birthday" banner that hangs over the bar with a detachable end, where they stick the names of regulars when it's there birthday. It was Joe's birthday when we were there, and it was just one of those unique little things that you find at Triple D places that just makes them all the more awesome. 'Cuz that's really the thing about Triple D...it might not be hard to find good food, especially in a city like Pittsburgh, but it isn't all that easy to find a place that knows it's customers birthday's by heart and is willing to feed you until you're full. The unique twists are what make Triple D places great.

Here's some tips for you though if you're planning on visiting Na's in the Southside:

1. Be prepared to fight for parking and walk. There's always a ton of construction so parking is a bit of a pain in the ass.
2. If you don't like smoke, don't go. Nadine's is a bar after all and they still are a smoking establishment, so just be prepared.

3. Be ready for it to be packed (you'll get a table) but it is a bar and they'll take care of you like you're one of their own, but don't expect an intimate setting.

4. If you want to change the TV channel or adjust the volume, check with the guys at the bar and then go do it yourself.

5. Again! Don't judge a book by it's cover. I'm tellin' ya the place is awesome.

We've also tried a couple of their appetizers on our various trips. Their wings are alright, they aren't great. They aren't covered in sauce, you drizzle it on yourself so these aren't your stereotypical wings. We've also gotten their fried mac 'n cheese which is quite awesome, but a little pricey compared to the specials. Personally, I'd say just stick to the specials board and it'll be smooth sailing. The prices are insanely cheap and the food's awesome, you really couldn't ask for anything more.

Per usual here's the website so you can judge for yourselves:

http://www.nadinesbar.com/

Kelly O's--Triple D goes to the Strip Mall???

If you want to see two people disagree about a restaurant, bring up Kelly O's in front of Ben and I. This was by far our most contested visit. Usually our impressions of a place are pretty similar--it's rare that one of us walks away having hated our meal and the other loving it--that's part of the fun of Triple D is that our taste in food is similar enough that it's rare one of us is left disappointed. This, unfortunately, was not the case when we decided to head to the North Hills of Pittsburgh to discover the hidden diner among a cluttered strip mall...welcome to Kelly O's.

We had spent a long day at Kennywood in the indecisive weather, which fluctuated all day between blistering heat and torrential down pours. We knew we were getting to the end of my summer working in Pittsburgh, and still had two more stops to make if we were going to get through Pittsburgh Triple D before I left to go back to Michigan. So we decided that we would bug out of Kennywood early and make the trek up to the North Hills in an attempt to make it to Kelly O's before they closed at 5. Now what made this a tough trip was that neither of us were particularly looking forward to it...in all honesty we were more nervous as odd as that may sound. Guy sampled a curious range of things at Kelly O's--none of which were overly appealing for us--mush (bad for Ben), polenta with veal bolognse sauce (bad for me), and Haluski (something neither of us had heard of). So we headed up with some hesitation...Ben more so than me, because here's the thing...I was intrigued by the Haluski, Ben however, hates cabbage and was wondering if he was going to be screwed out of a good dinner.

What's most impressive about Kelly O's though is that Kelly O'Connell has developed a popular diner in the middle of a strip mall, with ZERO restaurant experience. She just decided after years of waitressing that she wanted her own place, so she got a loan, and started her diner. Now she's a member of a group called the "Diner Ladies..." 3 or 4 women in Pittsburgh who all own diners and are doin' things their own way. Kelly O's is hands down the winner when it comes to the restaurant that has embraced it's Triple D affiliation the most. They have signs all over the place, it's on their shirts, they have a collage of pics from Guy's visit, a shirt he signed framed on the wall, and little mini menus on the table of just the stuff he featured. They love that Triple D has put them more on the map than they already were, and you can tell they're grateful. One word of advice I'd give to future visitors though...for a full Kelly O's experience...go early in the day, because then you won't be the only people in the place. At 4:30 on a Saturday, a half hour before closing, we were the only people there, and our waiter knew from our order that we were Triple D trekkers. The place is really cute though, with a classic diner bar with silver bar stools and black and white checkered tile. It feels homey. What was really cool was that they have a guest book for people to sign, and it was here we got to really see that we were definitely not the only people making the Triple D rounds. It makes you feel a bit connected to something outside of yourself--I know it sounds corny, but we've actually met some pretty cool people at places just from talking about Guy. Alright, so let's get down to it...what happened during this divisive dinner???

The menu for lunch/dinner is small (if I could ever convince Ben to go back-I'd go for breakfast, another piece of advice for future visitors). We ordered dominantly off of the Triple D menu, and like we've talked about before we're becoming soup people thanks to Triple D. Kelly O's speciality is Turkey Pot Pie soup, and it's exactly what it sound like. Homemade crumbled pieces of pot pie crust on top of a thick, creamy soup of peas, carrots, and chicken. We both agreed on this part of the meal that it was really, really good. For me, anything with crust on it is a-ok so it would've been tough to displease me. So here's the deal...like I said...I was intrigued by the Haluski. Ben's usually the adventurous eater out of the two of us, I like to play it safe. What I love about Triple D is that it makes me expand my culinary boundaries, and at Kelly O's I decided to do just that. It's not that Haluski is particularly crazy, but for me it's out of the normal realm of dinner choices. A Polish staple, at Kelly O's it's made with egg noodles, cabbage, onion, bacon, asiago cheese and a lot of butter. This was honestly probably the biggest serving of food I've ever gotten at a Triple D restaurant (just look at the picture!! Ignore my hair--remember blistering heat and rain earlier, it doesn't make for a great picture) I couldn't finish my dinner. It was actually really, really good, but it was one of those meals I didn't appreciate until I'd had some distance from it. I didn't realize until the next day, when I was still thinking about it that I realized I had really liked my out of the ordinary pick. Ben, however, was nothing short of unimpressed. He got a cheesesteak and fries, nothing too crazy, but then it ended up being not too great either. It wasn't bad...but when you've been spoiled with meals like we've had at other visits, it was kind of a let down. It was a visit that didn't go quite as planned, and it was a bit disappointing, but it did leave us with some great Triple D swag...they loaded us up with bumper stickers, pens, all sorts of stuff they'd gotten made after Guy's visit. So if you were to ask me if you should visit, I'd say yes. Go try the Haluski or go for breakfast and see if Kelly O's lives up to it's "Nice Eggs" motto emblazoned on their t-shirts, form your own opinion, maybe we were there on an off day. If you were to ask Ben...well, it wouldn't be a great response, but here's what we both figure...this is a long road trip we're on and not everywhere is going to be perfect, but if we were to skip them the trip wouldn't be complete...and hey I tried something new which made the trip worth it for me.

Form your own opinions folks:

http://www.kellyos.com/

Hillbilly Hot Dogs--"We've got the weenies!"

It has been far far too long...For those wondering if I'd simply jumped ship, fear not, I simply allowed myself to slack off far too much...if you were wondering if the road trips has ceased, again fear not. It is February 21, 2010--and we have just come off a Triple D day yesterday, and our next stop will be a watermark for us...for alas our next trip will bring us to restaurant #20. That's right, in less than a year we will have reached 20 spots--assuming all goes as planned, which hopefully we will. Reinspired by this upcoming milestone, our day spent in Baltimore re-invigorating our love of Triple D, and a first time viewing of Julie & Julia, I am re-committing to this joyous ride that has taken us to places we never quite expected. So...previously I had left us wandering around the streets of Huntington, WV after an extremely low-key meal at the Central City Cafe. In pure Triple D fashion, our next stop in West Virginia--the only other Triple D joint in West Virginia--took us to what is still the strangest, most unique, and quite insane place we've been thus far. This place was really the reason for the road trip in the first place. If you travel about 20 miles north of Huntington, you will see a highway exit for the small town of Lesage. I can't say for sure whether we actually say the town of Lesage, but we for sure saw one of it's claims to fame--possibly it's only claim to fame. If you weren't paying attention you would probably pass by the road side shack (that truly is the only word for this place) and possibly question what on earth was that place with all the junk in the front yard...but if you know what you're looking for you will find yourself in the gravel parking lot of Hillbilly Hot Dogs...the original hot dog stand that now has outlets in Huntington and LaValette.

If you watch Triple D, you may remember this place as the home of the HOOOOOOOOMEWREEEECKER where everyone eats inside of old school buses covered in graffiti. If you don't watch Triple D, let me try to explain. Hillbilly Hot Dogs is the brain child of Sonny and Sharie. Sonny's a West Virginia by birth, and when he moved to California he met Sharie. They decided after they got married that all they really wanted to do was head back to West Virgnia and do something where they could simply be together. The result a 12x16 shack that they affectionately labeled "The Weenie Stand." Opened on September 6, 1999--Hillbilly Hot Dogs was so named because they wanted something that epitomized hillbilly kickin back, taking it easy, and loving life. They wanted their customers to be comfortable, to relax, to not feel constrained by typical restaurant stuffiness. So the bought a couple old school buses, attached them to the shack, and they had instant seating. They put any and every kind of scrap antique and collectible they could find inside the shack and when that was full they started putting stuff outside. From the wall covered in 8 tracks to the tree outside completely covered in license plates it's hard to miss this place. They decided to let their customers leave their mark, so they started laying out permanent markers and letting people go to town. A decade later--there isn't an inch of space on any surface of the place that hasn't been enshrined with the names of happy customers. This is by far the most laid back, comfortable place we've ever visited, and they're more than happy to embrace the publicity Triple D has given them--from the place on the front door where Guy signed his name and wrote in big letters, "DINERS DRIVE-INS AND DIVES WAS HERE" to the continuous loop of their clip, Sonny and Sharie are nothing short of grateful for all the people the show has guided to their little place. We met a few other people who were there because of Triple D, including a couple celebrating their 10th anniversary with a Triple D trek. We goofed around with Sonny, who when asked if they took credit replied they took anything from spare tires to chickens. When Ben asked if they took girlfriends, Sonny gave me a wink and said sure, I could use another one with Sharie. The menu is impossible to choose from, but it's so cheap (the cheapest we've found in fact) that you can order 3 or 4 different hot dogs and not break the bank.

Now HHD is famous for the Homewrecker--featured on Travel Channel as well as Food Network. It's a 3 1/2 pound hot dog loaded with every topping they have and if you finish it in 12 minutes or less you get a free t-shirt. Now in all honesty, we debated it, but we decided we'd rather explore the menu. We went with an order of beer battered onion rings to split--which were thickly breaded, hot, and yuuuuummmmy. Honestly probably the 2nd best onion rings I've ever had (gimme a couple more posts and you'll see the best). Then we both got 2 dogs each, allowing us to sample 4 from their menu of over 20 options. Ben went with a classic and with a crazy--The Out Wayne Dog and the Taco Dog. The Out Wayne is a bit more traditional, but still a bit nuts, covered in nacho cheese, homemade chili, bacon, onion and jalapenos. The taco dog is exactly what it sounds like--jalapenos, nacho cheese (can you tell he likes nacho cheese??), crushed nacho chips, homemade chili, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, and shredded cheese. Essentially a taco on a hot dog, and amazingly it was really good. I went with a classic and then broke out of hot dog tradition--The West Virginia Dog and Pistol Pete's Chicken Parmesan. The West Virginia dog is a classic in the world of hot dog stands--homemade chili, mustard, onions, and cole slaw. Now I usually can't eat hot dogs without ketchup, but this absolutely didn't need it. The cole slaw was cool and creamy, and gave the dog a nice crunchy texture. The only warning I would give is, if you don't like your hot dog buns mushy, eat anything with cole slaw first, because it gets mushy quick--I made that mistake. My other choice was out of the ordinary, but sounded too good to pass up. Pistol Pete's dog is a chicken tender on a hot dog bun, with a mozzarella stick, marinara sauce, and shredded cheese. It sounds crazy, but honestly this has been one of my favorite things I've ever eaten courtesy of Triple D. Hey anything with a cheese stick on it can't be bad right?? We ate in the middle of a school bus and etched our names on a window and on our table. It was crazy and fun and weird and soooooooooo good. Ben still talks about driving the 4 hours from Pittsburgh just to go there again...it was that good. So if you're in West Virginia looking for a place to kick up your heels and tap into your inner hillbilly, go visit Sonny and Sharie and write your name inside the bus!

Don't believe how crazy this place is, see for yourself...

http://www.hillbillyhotdogs.com/

Central City Cafe--Simplicity, Simplicity

As fun as Pittsburgh is to wander around in, finding the different little areas, and their classic restaurants, Ben and I decided we needed a little vacation. I'd been working my tail off all summer, so it was time to take off and get out of the city for a few days. Now usually West Virginia wouldn't be our top choice, but we decided it was close enough to make a good weekend, and we could finish off the entire gamut of Triple D West Virginia in one weekend--since there are only two places! A lot of people thought that we were crazy for driving 4 hours just to go to a couple restaurants, but if we're serious about this thing we've gotta be willing to travel a little bit, and this was the first chance to really do a road trip like Guy--unfortunately we rolled out in a Ford Fusion not a '67 red Camero. We took off on a Friday afternoon and headed straight for Old Central City, Huntington, WV to discover the comfort food of the Central City Cafe.

Old Central City is the old downtown of Huntington, home to the old factories, 100 year old buildings, and tons of antique shops. Right in the heart of this cozy district, right across from a revamped, white gazebo is a brick building, highlighted by its green bunting, with old English lettering declaring you've reached the Central City Cafe. Open since 1993, Dave and Sherry Louther opened up the cafe after Dave retired from working on the railroad for 17 years. He was in charge of the railcar, cranking out 11 meals a week for 85 men--so now he cranks out just as many meals for all the Huntington locals looking for some heart-warming, just like Mom made food. This was probably one of the biggest places we've been in. Triple D has made us get used to cramped quarters, but at the Central City you've got plenty of room from the bar area in front to the full dining room attached to it. A shrine to Marshall University's Thundering Herd dominates the bar area, and you know that everyone in the place is devoted to the Herd and can't wait for football season. Inside the dining area, the walls are covered with old newspapers, antiques, Frank Sinatra's mug shot, and if you're a fan of the show Chuck like we are, a huge plastic marlin. They're famous for their homemade food, and our waiter--possibly the owner's son--gave us the low down on all the food Guy tried. Oddly enough we mentioned that we were checking out the other places in the area, and it turns out our waiter's sister is dating the son of the couple who own Hillbilly Hot Dogs--our other place to visit (check back in for their post 'cuz it'll be crazy). Guy didn't try a ton here--at least not that was aired, but the menu isn't huge, so we didn't have too tough of a choice. In pure cafe style they have about 9 hot dinners, 8 homemade soups, and tons of sandwiches...we opted for soup and some dinner.

Like I mentioned with LoBello's we had to try the soup that Guy tried even though we aren't really soup people--plus the soup came with their famous, brick sized cornbread, so we really couldn't say no. We went with the White Chili, which was spicy and warm, the type of thing you'd love to have a huge bowl of in the middle of December. The cornbread is literally the size of a small brick, super dense, and super moist. It isn't necessarily a sweet cornbread, but the texture was perfect and it was a good start to the meal. Now in terms of dinner, Ben and I had different opinons. He wasn't a huge fan of his dinner, and it's true the portions are kinda small, but it's a cafe so it comes with the territory a bit. He had the hot roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and cottage cheese. I opted for the meatloaf with mashed potatoes, peas, and cornbread. Now unfortunately they forgot my peas, but the mashed potatoes were absolutely insane. Hands down some of the best that I've ever had, very creamy, awesome seasoning, a great side to the meatloaf. The meatloaf had a very interesting seasoning, what we think was sage, which isn't usually how meatloaf tastes, but it was really really good--plus it was topped with ketchup so you can't go wrong. Overall, I liked my meal, but like Ben, I would say it was a one time stop--it was worth the visit, but there isn't anything that screams at me that we had that would made me itch to go back, but hey this was the first place that was a little rough for us, and that ratio isn't that bad, and we'd still recommend it to anyone who wants to do the Triple D rounds. Oh and try to get there early before they run out of the homemade desserts which we missed out on.

No website, but if you Google "Old Central City" you'll get a little information on the cafe.

LoBello's Spaghetti House--Picture it Sicily...

So if you ever find yourself cruising up 79 around Pittsburgh you'll eventually find yourself driving past the ghosts of steel mills and a city that was once the central hub of the steel industry...Coraopolis, PA. It can now be easy to breeze past the now small suburb and ignore it while heading onto bigger and better things, however if you persuade your car to pull off at the State Street exit you'll find in the heart of 5th avenue a little Italian restaurant that's been around for 65 years, a favorite of locals and used-to-be locals alike, and may just be the most talked about Triple D place we've encountered yet.

Of all the places we've visited no other has had so many accompanying stories from outside the confines of Food Network. It seems like everyone I know who has grown up or gone to school in Pittsburgh has a LoBello's story...Ben's parents used to eat there with some of their college friends, one of my friends from Seminary used to go there with his wife once a week, even at the hospital I worked at all summer I had veterans telling me that if I'm ever in Coraopolis I have to check out LoBello's. It wasn't just Guy telling us to discover the wonders of their real deal Italian but apparently everyone we came into contact with. Italian isn't how this place started out though...it all started with...hot dogs...yes hot dogs. 65 years ago when Rose LoBello's parents immigrated to the US from Italy they decided to open up a 24/7 hot dog stand, and by the time she was 14 Rose was waitressing and helping out her parents, but eventually the hot dogs lost their luster and they decided to go back to their roots and recreate their restaurant with the recipes they'd brought with them from Italy. Now years later Rose is still wandering around the tables chatting up regulars with plenty of hugs to go around, and the food is still as Italian as you can get. It's a small place, cozy, perfectly romantic Italian, with 8 booths and 3 tables as close together as you can get. Their history is literally written on the walls since the thing that you first notice when you walk in is that every wooden surface is covered with the carved names of past and present patrons (including the blonde haired Food Network star himself). Pictures of Rose's parents are still on the walls and the machinery they used 65 years ago are still hand-cranking out dozens of ravioli one order at a time, but believe me they're worth the wait.

All their pasta is cooked to order after each dozen is rolled out individually once the order rolls in. This is probably one of the few places where Ben and I haven't tried to cover as much of the menu as possible, but stuck to the classics...ravioli all the way. Before we got to the ravioli though we took a trip down the soup aisle, which is something we owe to Triple D. Soup is usually something we skip at restaurants, when the option is soup or salad we always go salad, never soup, but Guy loves trying restaurant's soups and LoBello's is no exception. Their specialty is Pasta Fagoli, made with homemade noodles creating a kind of Italian chili, thick, hearty, and heart-warming. The secret apparently lies in browning the garlic powder and gives it the kick it's become known for, and trust me it packs a punch for soup, but the next time I need something to warm me up during a Pittsburgh winter, this soup would be the number one choice. But if we thought the soup was good, dinner only got better. We got an order of meat ravioli and an order of cheese then split, but the edge would probably go to the meat, which tasted like there was a homemade mini-meatball inside. The dough was light and fluffy, yet dense enough to fill you up. The sauce is really the kicker though--don't expect a thick meat sauce at LoBello's--no no--their homemade sauce is thin with a depth of flavor I haven't found anywhere else...there's a kick to the spices and it's the perfect texture to be sopped up with the bread you get with your meal. While we weren't able to engrave our names on a booth, we will definately get another chance soon because they deserve a second (and third and fourth) visit to check out more of the menu and more real deal Italian.

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT THEIR HOURS!!! They're very different everyday so check out the schedule and of course the menu (same for lunch and dinner just different prices)

http://lobellosspaghettihouse.com/