Pit Stop Restaurants

When out on road trips, we generally like local flavor. We try to find non-chains, and ideally something the locals recommend. It seems kind of hit-or-miss, though.

In West Virginia, I asked about a decent place to eat. They pointed me in the way of Denny's.

I'm more of the culture whore in the group of friends I have. My girls like to stick to chains since it's safe and you know what you're getting. But that defeats the purpose entirely too me. I go places to try new things - especially food. Being a fattie, I like to open the doors to all the possibilities.

Within the region, however, everything is generally the same. There are some areas you go to for specific foods (North End in Boston for mint Italian, North Shore for delicious roast beef, Maine for great lobster, yadda yadda yadda), and even more famous hole-in-the-wall places for specific specialties.

One day, when I get around to that national road trip, I am going to have to pick up a book which indicates all the Best Of's on my trip around the nation. Food is a VERY important part of my travels, if not the MOST important.

It's also thrilling to talk to the locals when you're in these places, provided they're Yankee friendly. I've been to a few places in the south which saw my plates and automatically shut me off. ;_;

How ya doing, buddy?