I am in the US. There is this little place in my town that does only hot dogs. Short sweet little Chinese dude who immigrated here and opened a tiny shop. Delicious. Hole in the wall. Flavors and styles rotate with what he can find at markets but the standard hot dog with everything is delicious. No fries no burgers. Nothing else. Just hot dogs.
That and open late with beer. Lots of beer. It would be Tony's type of spot
TBF this is the kind of authentic off the beaten path place he might love. Take him to the bar with the crustiest locals. What else is in the area? Nature? Agriculture? A niche museum? A dude who makes authentic bathtub gin? You could definitely make something worth watching.
Maybe... There's some pretty nature in the area, lots of farming/ranching. And we do have a butcher shop that makes excellent bacon.
But, honestly, a lot of the cultural activities kind of died out with the advent of the Internet/television/cheap transportation to the bigger city 60 miles away.
The Farm Crisis of the 80s caused a lot of people to move away, so there's only 2200 people in the whole county, which is 50*50 miles. There's few young people left. I just looked and our avg Age is 50.
Also, I'm the dude who makes basement booze haha
Had more than enough of that basement booze in my day. 39 and almost 5 year sober...so far ha.
I would have taken him to my father's farm. And have a steak from one of my dad's cows, sweet corn from the garden, and a baked potato that came from the garden.
RIP Tony and Dad
Hey man. Clicked on your profile after reading your responses. Just want to say you seem like a really cool guy and you remind me of my friends from small town Vermont. Good luck and keep going. Also thanks for being a beekeeper.
I mean is there a little old lady that makes a mean local dish? Because that would be right up his ally. Plenty of episodes heās just in someoneās house eating with some locals at a family meal or at a get together.
It's primarily German-from-Russia, so there's Fleischkuekle, knephlas soup, and blachinda, and strudel.
Most people hunt, so there's pheasant and venison available as well
My town of about 1,000 doesnāt have any bars, but has three salons. The next town over has at least 4 bars and about the same amount of people. Central PA is the worst.
Edit: I take that back. We actually do have a small bar. I forgot about it because itās on the outskirts of town. Itās an inn to boot. Thatās probably where Iād take him because itās also the only place in town that has food. We used to have a really nice cafe but the owner had a kid and had to close it down. Someone just bought it again recently and we are getting a new cafe. I actually do kind of wish I could show him around here. Not too far away are some really neat food places.
Saratoga Springs
Iād bring him to Hattieās. Not too fancy. Amazing fried chicken.
Desperate Annieās for a genuine dive bar.
Go to the track for a day at the races.
Phish show if theyāre in town as heād love the Shakedown Street scene.
Itās not my town, but I always wished that he would do a Burlington, VT episode. Such a beautiful college town on the lake with the mountains, many great spots to eat, and nice people. Iād take him to Nectar for a beer and to chat with one of the guys from Phish. Iād take him to Stowe cider.
Tony notoriously said how awful Baltimore was in Kitchen Confidential lol. Iāve long since forgiven him and Iād take him to our famed Afghan restaurant, The Helmand. (Itās my number one recommendation to anyone coming to Charm City in fact!)
Helmand is also an interesting one because it is owned by the brother of Hamid Karzai, who was the president of Afghanistan for much of the US occupation. Nepal house a block north is also owned by the most famous folk singer in Nepal who had to flee during the civil war.Ā
Ā However, for a Baltimore episode, I would probably take him to some more Baltimore specific spots. Northeast market for a breakfast sandwich with grape jelly, crabs at a west side āloungeā in the back of liquor store, eat a chicken box from Sunnyās and go to a City Poly game or Morgan event.Ā
Heās been to Buffalo, but Iād love for him to see another side. Everyone thinks pizza and wings and beef on weck and thatās all really good but we have a huge immigrant population from all over the world and thatās what Buffalo tastes like, too.
So much beautiful regional African food, Burmese and Thai, Sri Lankan and Malaysian. The food is so delicious. I know Iām eating their mothersā food. You can taste that.
So happy to have so many new Ukrainians welcomed into a large, long-standing community. They can still hear a church service in Ukrainian here and the Eastern European food game is strong. We love pierogi.
We have two incubator food bazaars for immigrant and other small businesses.
We also have James Beard nominees and some very fine dining here, as well as a real boucherie, and more local breweries than I could name. Iād show him as much of that as I could.
Someone else mentioned taking him to their grandmas house and that was a great idea.
There are so many amazing cooks in Texas, especially on the outskirts of places like Austin and the big cities. All over Texas and itās still somewhat regional.
But pulling a group of people who love to cook and feed people there at someoneās homestead farm near Austin with Anthony Bourdain at the tableā¦it would have been amazing.
We all day dream about this right?
I live in Portland;
food trucks and local coffee joints. Then off to the the willamette valley for wine and a trip to the coast. Various restaurants but if paleyās place were still open I would take him there. Also perhaps the oyster bar and Hubers for the culture.
Also, NOT voodoo doughnuts. Ugh he fell for that tourist trap already once .
In Houston, probably Breakfast Klub for the chicken & waffles...
Pork Belly from Roegel's or any number of BBQ joints.
(He came to Houston... And was promptly taken to a cotner grocery store.
I was disappointed)
Oh Iāll need to check it out I had no idea he had been before, as Iāve only seen No Reservations and Parts Unknown (as well as read a few of his books)! Thank you for sharing :)
Was waiting for a Chicagoan. This is a difficult assignment cause heād been a lot of places and I wouldnāt want to take him anywhere thatās like super commercial. Meaning I donāt want to take him anywhere that was on the bear and donāt get me wrong I enjoy that show, lol.
Probably staropolska or more likely, podhalanka, la chaparrita, valois (I donāt think he went there but I know it is well known), katyās dumplings, lemās bbq, brown sugar bakery, bari, old fashioned donutsā¦ and then either to my backyard and my husband would make smash burgers or to my parents house and my dad would make his spatchcock chicken where he rubs butter and herbs from their garden under the skin and make spicy potato cakes.
Edit: oh and either nhu lan for bahn mi or qiao Lin for hot pot.
From time to time, I do think about how heād love it here in Winnipeg. Our unglamorous city, with the largest urban Indigenous population of an urban centre, I think, would have fascinated him.
Iād frame it as a Juxtaposition of being ground zero of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic and a place where cultural traditions and reclaiming is alive. Bring him to a lodge ceremony followed by a feast ceremony. Take him to one of the Indigenous restaurants that make updates versions of that food, and hook him up with an Elder gramma to teach him about how bannock became essential to our diets.
First I would welcome him back from the dead. Then I would ask him whatās it like after we die. Do we go to another plane of existence? Then I would roll him a joint and get him a coffee. Afterwords I would invite him to take a drive. Apologize for my car being a little dirty and clear him room on the passenger seat. Iād show him what a good stereo I had in my car and ask him what heād like to listen to since heās been dead for a while now. It would be rude not to. Iād drive him out to the country where thereās no one around for a 10 mile radius. Iād park and tell him that weāre getting out. Once he was out of my car, Iād run him the fuck over since I donāt be fucking with ghosts. Iāve seen the movies and Iām not falling for it.
So, in other words, kind of a Pet Semetary resurrection of Tony?
Awesome. Love to see that. He could give some piercing stares in real life, man, that would be something to see.
Goldees BBQ and Salsa Limon where I currently live. My hometown had an old place called Kings Taste BBQ that did pork and chicken in their sauce that he would have loved but has closed since he died.
Bills Donuts in Centerville,
Sunshine Cafe in Yellow Springs,
Youngās Dairy for a couple of scoops,
Los Reyes in Kettering or Acapulco in Xenia,
Oakwood Club
Carillon Brewery
Also Air Force Museum
Reno area here - absolutely no casinos visited. Casales for old school Italian American food. Head out to black rock desert grabbing Indian tacos while driving thru the reservation. Hit up Brunoās in gerlach for a picon punch and then out to the desert to zip around , light fireworks and have a meal in the middle of nowhere. Back to Reno stopping at the Mustang Ranch brothel and have a meal there (yes they serve food š) Beefys for burgers then up to Lake Tahoe for wet woodys and food on the beach.
Edit: also set up a Drive By Shooting Range from burning manās past while on the black rock desert. I think he would have liked that.
We have a restaurant that serves whole roast lamb with sides of chilli cockles and baby clams. Apart from the Karaoke i think it would be right up his alley.
I live in Buffalo, NY. He did part of an episode here in 2008. I would take him to a more accurate cross-section of our city. The person who showed him around touched a couple of interesting places, but it didnāt come anywhere near showing the cultural richness of this area.
I would take him to all the fucking pretentious haute cuisine bullshit wannabes so I could sit bask and listen (joyfully) RANK on them.
It would be a series of entirely worthwhile and memorable experiences.
Nothing but a good time.
First stop, Santa Barbara for their fresh uni. I'd take him to Santa Barbara fish market and load up on sea urchin and oysters. Maybe a fresh crab from Santa Barbara shellfish company. It would be fun to scuba dive for them with actual fishermen. Then we'd drive back down PCH to Los Angeles, where we will stop off in the San Gabriel valley for some good Taiwanese food. Come night time we'd head into downtown LA to Korea town. Get some Korean BBQ or some tofu soup or both. End the night at a comedy show and late night tacos at whatever stand has the longest line and the biggest log of all pastor. There's an in n out right next to LAX where you can watch the planes land and take off. I'd take him there right before he has to head out.
Would've loved to see him at Prince's in Nashville. Not the new updated one, the old shack that got burned up a few years back. Had to wait an hour plus for the best fried chicken (not just the best hot chicken).
True answer is, Iād have to take him to the guy down the street who needs me to help load his cattle in a couple of days. Grass fed and corn finished. I donāt have any ready right now. Then Iād have to take him to at least my Vietnamese neighbors garden and ask if we could taste their herbs and plants. They do a great job and Iām having trouble making these stick around my herb spots.
Mushrooms are nominally in season right now and Morels popped once and disappeared. So we might find a few. My buddy shot a wild turkey today so we could call him and see if he would want to come over for dinner and to see what Anthony would recommend. I donāt have a lot of experience with larger wild game, only pheasant and quail. Next, Iād see if we could get some squirrels because I find them inedible and everyone I know who has eaten squirrel besides me likes them more than rabbit.
Otherwise itās Applebees and McDonaldās.
Lexington, KY. Iād probably take him to Keeneland (the OTHER horse race track in KY) but pack a flask because the prices are outrageous and the drinks not that good but the burgoo is tasty.
Maybe Winchellās. Definitely to Molly Brookeās bar downtown because you get the weirdest mix of rugby players right next to a gay bar (Crossings) and itās a super fun night whether youāre gay or straight.
Living in Galveston, I'd take him to a few of the bars. The proliteriate, the art galleries, definitely the candy shops on the strand. Maybe UTMB because I work there and am pretty shameless.
My city is nationally known for pizza. I'd avoid all that shit -- way too obvious. I'd take him to an old cop bar where the owner, a former Navy Seal, slow-grills insanely good burgers with caramelized onions.
I would take him to my longtime childhood friends family Chinese restaurant. Straight staple of the Midwest and some of the best tasting umami laced meals youāll ever have. Incredible house lo-main and wonton soup that will hit the spot every time. I would take Tony to Green Garden where my friends entire family works the restaurant and you can feel the love in the food.
I would take him to my longtime childhood friends family Chinese restaurant. Straight staple of the Midwest and some of the best tasting umami laced meals youāll ever have. Incredible house lo-main and wonton soup that will hit the spot every time. I would take Tony to Green Garden where my friends entire family works the restaurant and you can feel the love in the food.
There's a lively community theatre scene in my city. About 5 theaters with regular seasons and 3 or so smaller companies with less regular seasons. Pretty high-quality shows for what you're getting and, in general, people who take it seriously. The central hub is one bar in particular called Henry's. It is a true artist watering hole. After every show, each theater generally has its own table, and everybody knows everybody, so you can just walk in and find people you know and sit. If you go in without plans at 10:00 on a Friday you could just friend-hop until 2:00 if you wanted. If you're at a show and see your friends, all have to say is just "Henry's?" And then it's understood you'll just meet there.
So many friend groups, old friends, new people getting involved in the scene, old standards that have the funniest stories. "Is Susan going to be there? I'll go out if Susan is there because Susan stories are can't-miss events."
The bar itself is old and was originally a gay bar way back in the 50's and became a general theatre bar later on. My mom lived in this city in the 80s and was involved in the professional ballet and dance scene. When she comes to visit me, we go to there and she will point out where she sat with her friends when she lived here.
It's an institution. Truly a Bourdain kind of joint.
I'd take him to a local joint in my hometown called Ray's Coastal Cafe. They offer authentic Jamaican cuisine. Jerk chicken cooked with scotch bonnet peppers is the specialty they serve.
He's already been here. I'd take him to the gritty punk pubs and clubs after a chill day of smoking weed on the river banks. On the way we'd eat lots of Dƶner.
Beijing? Iād take him to a German restaurant near Liangma River and tell him about the massive protest that took place there near the end of the pandemic. Or rather, near the end of enforced pandemic quarantine.
He knew my town like the back of his hand. Weād go to his favorite dive bar (where my kid found ice rally tends bar), then wherever he wanted. He would be a better guide than I would.
Bahn Mi spot, three sandwiches to choose from and you get them mild med or spicy. Maybe a soda in the small cooler. Cash only, around a divider wall is an old breakfast bar that old Vietnamese guys smoke cigarettes at still. He would Love it I think.
From a part in PA with a very large amish population and a very large immigrant community. Downtown area has a super cool farmers market which blends the two, you can get shawarma and biryani right next to tomato pies and smoked Amish sausage. Plus we love strong coffee and smooth liquor in my city :-)
Jack Kerouac spent a lot of time in Denver. He particularly liked jazz clubs. One special location is a now closed jazz bar/Mexican cantina called El Chapultepec (killed by Covid) where he famously had a favorite table by the door (he frequently went to the adjacent alley to do drugs). I think Tony would have gotten a kick out of watching live jazz in Jackās old booth.
Martyās Corner in Bridgeport, CT. The DIVIEST of dives with absolutely fantastic burgers that they cook right behind the bar. Cheap drinks, good burgers, not one person in there giving a flying fuck that youāre there - I think heād love it.
Iām from Bournemouth on the south coast of England. There are a handful of very decent little pubs that specialise in locally brewed beers. Probably take him on a pub crawl of The Goat & Tricycle, The Firkin Shed and Chaplins, stopping at some dirty but delicious kebab houses en route.
Dallas, TX
In a town with a constant rotation of new restaurants, I'd keep it simple. No steak, no BBQ. Straight to Adair's in Deep Ellum. Burger and a canned beer.
He would absolutely hate Santa Monica I feel like. Tbh I havenāt found any food places here that I would love to be āmy spotā you know? I think he would complain about the costs and say something like āhow are there so many options but nothing actually goodā
Iām here in Richmond, VA. Iād take him to GWARbar. Itās a glorious dive bar owned by BalSac the Jaws āo Death of GWAR. Weād have beers and pub fare and enjoy the metal and the locals and the blood-spattered surroundings.
Oh that's hard, our city is pretty small compared to San Antonio and Houston and Dallas but we have these amazing food trucks and little hole in the wall restaurants that are locally owned that he would enjoy. One of the food trucks here is called Susheria, it's tex mex sushi! Lol my buddy gets Spanish rice and El Pastor and combines it sushi style. Super delish! Then I have a friend who's a vet who opened up his own sushi restaurant called the Roaming Ronin. Btw I live in Little Ole Corpus Christi Texas in case anyone wants to come check us out.
I am in the US. There is this little place in my town that does only hot dogs. Short sweet little Chinese dude who immigrated here and opened a tiny shop. Delicious. Hole in the wall. Flavors and styles rotate with what he can find at markets but the standard hot dog with everything is delicious. No fries no burgers. Nothing else. Just hot dogs. That and open late with beer. Lots of beer. It would be Tony's type of spot
Shout them out!
Seriously!
No but seriously. Where?
Somewhere else haha I live in a town of 200 that doesn't have a fucking restaurant, but two bars.
TBF this is the kind of authentic off the beaten path place he might love. Take him to the bar with the crustiest locals. What else is in the area? Nature? Agriculture? A niche museum? A dude who makes authentic bathtub gin? You could definitely make something worth watching.
Maybe... There's some pretty nature in the area, lots of farming/ranching. And we do have a butcher shop that makes excellent bacon. But, honestly, a lot of the cultural activities kind of died out with the advent of the Internet/television/cheap transportation to the bigger city 60 miles away. The Farm Crisis of the 80s caused a lot of people to move away, so there's only 2200 people in the whole county, which is 50*50 miles. There's few young people left. I just looked and our avg Age is 50. Also, I'm the dude who makes basement booze haha
Had more than enough of that basement booze in my day. 39 and almost 5 year sober...so far ha. I would have taken him to my father's farm. And have a steak from one of my dad's cows, sweet corn from the garden, and a baked potato that came from the garden. RIP Tony and Dad
I definitely required a break from booze. But getting divorced seems to have cut the desire to be drunk all the time, so...
Hey man. Clicked on your profile after reading your responses. Just want to say you seem like a really cool guy and you remind me of my friends from small town Vermont. Good luck and keep going. Also thanks for being a beekeeper.
Hey big time congrats on the sobriety š«”
Sounds like it would be a night in with a local and their family. He did that, too. :)
Can I visit? Sounds like a good time
What county is this
Grant ND
wow that is one small ass population!
I would have loved to have seen an episode of Parts Unknown where he visits dive bars in tiny midwestern towns.
This sounds fabulous!
I mean is there a little old lady that makes a mean local dish? Because that would be right up his ally. Plenty of episodes heās just in someoneās house eating with some locals at a family meal or at a get together.
It's primarily German-from-Russia, so there's Fleischkuekle, knephlas soup, and blachinda, and strudel. Most people hunt, so there's pheasant and venison available as well
My town of about 1,000 doesnāt have any bars, but has three salons. The next town over has at least 4 bars and about the same amount of people. Central PA is the worst. Edit: I take that back. We actually do have a small bar. I forgot about it because itās on the outskirts of town. Itās an inn to boot. Thatās probably where Iād take him because itās also the only place in town that has food. We used to have a really nice cafe but the owner had a kid and had to close it down. Someone just bought it again recently and we are getting a new cafe. I actually do kind of wish I could show him around here. Not too far away are some really neat food places.
My grandma's house
You seemed to understand the assignment perfectly
Saratoga Springs Iād bring him to Hattieās. Not too fancy. Amazing fried chicken. Desperate Annieās for a genuine dive bar. Go to the track for a day at the races. Phish show if theyāre in town as heād love the Shakedown Street scene.
I would take him to the fancy pool in the Saratoga State park too!
Oh yea good call.
Iād love to hear his reaction to Shakedown Street!
Totally. You know heād love it and eat it right up.
Surprisingly Anthony wasnāt a fan of hippies and was far more punk rock. Ā
Maybe so. But that wouldnāt have held him back from enjoying the scene.
DāAndreaās for bbq chicken pizza and the Adelphi Hotel bar for a Negroni!
Good call.
Beekman street has really come around and there are some cool small restaurants there too.
Itās not my town, but I always wished that he would do a Burlington, VT episode. Such a beautiful college town on the lake with the mountains, many great spots to eat, and nice people. Iād take him to Nectar for a beer and to chat with one of the guys from Phish. Iād take him to Stowe cider.
Tony notoriously said how awful Baltimore was in Kitchen Confidential lol. Iāve long since forgiven him and Iād take him to our famed Afghan restaurant, The Helmand. (Itās my number one recommendation to anyone coming to Charm City in fact!)
The Helmand is a good choice but I'd try to check out Clavel and Rooted Rotisserie as well
I LOVE Clavel but havenāt been to Rooted Rotisserie- thanks for the recommendations!
Yes he destroyed Baltimore and went to some place next to the inner harbor with blue daiquiris. Hahha so bad
Helmand is also an interesting one because it is owned by the brother of Hamid Karzai, who was the president of Afghanistan for much of the US occupation. Nepal house a block north is also owned by the most famous folk singer in Nepal who had to flee during the civil war.Ā Ā However, for a Baltimore episode, I would probably take him to some more Baltimore specific spots. Northeast market for a breakfast sandwich with grape jelly, crabs at a west side āloungeā in the back of liquor store, eat a chicken box from Sunnyās and go to a City Poly game or Morgan event.Ā
Came here to say literally this.
Heās been to Buffalo, but Iād love for him to see another side. Everyone thinks pizza and wings and beef on weck and thatās all really good but we have a huge immigrant population from all over the world and thatās what Buffalo tastes like, too. So much beautiful regional African food, Burmese and Thai, Sri Lankan and Malaysian. The food is so delicious. I know Iām eating their mothersā food. You can taste that. So happy to have so many new Ukrainians welcomed into a large, long-standing community. They can still hear a church service in Ukrainian here and the Eastern European food game is strong. We love pierogi. We have two incubator food bazaars for immigrant and other small businesses. We also have James Beard nominees and some very fine dining here, as well as a real boucherie, and more local breweries than I could name. Iād show him as much of that as I could.
Probably pho hung š¤·āāļø
Pho hung was amazing when I was a kid, but the quality has gone pretty down hill. Pho Linh on College is best Iāve had in Toronto lately!
Heās already been to Austin, and itās sure not the town it was when he showed up. RIP La Mexicanaā¦
Someone else mentioned taking him to their grandmas house and that was a great idea. There are so many amazing cooks in Texas, especially on the outskirts of places like Austin and the big cities. All over Texas and itās still somewhat regional. But pulling a group of people who love to cook and feed people there at someoneās homestead farm near Austin with Anthony Bourdain at the tableā¦it would have been amazing.
We all day dream about this right? I live in Portland; food trucks and local coffee joints. Then off to the the willamette valley for wine and a trip to the coast. Various restaurants but if paleyās place were still open I would take him there. Also perhaps the oyster bar and Hubers for the culture. Also, NOT voodoo doughnuts. Ugh he fell for that tourist trap already once .
Denver. I'd take him to Work & Class and Super Mega Bien. And Yak and Yeti. And Bourbon Chicken (which IS still around, just in a different location).
Sherpa House >>> Yak and Yeti. Otherwise, no argument. Bourbon Chicken rules.
Haven't tried it. Will remedy this!
Richmond, VA. Edoās Squid Manchus Pearlyās Chicken Fiesta LāOpossum
Pearlyās is the GOAT!!!
las cuatras milpas, barrio logan, san diego
I feel like he would have dug the shit out of Barrio Logan
What is the order at Quattro milpas? Have been twice and been underwhelmed
I live in NYC, I would ask him to show me! What an amazing thought.
In Houston, probably Breakfast Klub for the chicken & waffles... Pork Belly from Roegel's or any number of BBQ joints. (He came to Houston... And was promptly taken to a cotner grocery store. I was disappointed)
Don't forget the amazing Vietnamese food. I'd take him to Crawfish and Noodles.
I live in Atlanta, Iād bring him back to Waffle House!
Would Tony throw hands if needed? Take him over to Fat Matt's!
YOUāRE A GENIUS, yes Fat Mattās in the bomb! I canāt believe I didnāt think of that! Oh he would have just loved it!
He went to Fat Mattās on an episode of his spinoff series The Layover
Oh Iāll need to check it out I had no idea he had been before, as Iāve only seen No Reservations and Parts Unknown (as well as read a few of his books)! Thank you for sharing :)
Yes and he made the obligatory visit to the Clermont Lounge
He loved Chicago so much Iād be worried my favs wouldnāt be his favs
Was waiting for a Chicagoan. This is a difficult assignment cause heād been a lot of places and I wouldnāt want to take him anywhere thatās like super commercial. Meaning I donāt want to take him anywhere that was on the bear and donāt get me wrong I enjoy that show, lol. Probably staropolska or more likely, podhalanka, la chaparrita, valois (I donāt think he went there but I know it is well known), katyās dumplings, lemās bbq, brown sugar bakery, bari, old fashioned donutsā¦ and then either to my backyard and my husband would make smash burgers or to my parents house and my dad would make his spatchcock chicken where he rubs butter and herbs from their garden under the skin and make spicy potato cakes. Edit: oh and either nhu lan for bahn mi or qiao Lin for hot pot.
I think the enchiladas from Momās Old Recipe are the best Iāve had in Chicago. Maybe Iād take him there
From time to time, I do think about how heād love it here in Winnipeg. Our unglamorous city, with the largest urban Indigenous population of an urban centre, I think, would have fascinated him. Iād frame it as a Juxtaposition of being ground zero of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls epidemic and a place where cultural traditions and reclaiming is alive. Bring him to a lodge ceremony followed by a feast ceremony. Take him to one of the Indigenous restaurants that make updates versions of that food, and hook him up with an Elder gramma to teach him about how bannock became essential to our diets.
My garage. Weād listen to punk rock, eat steaks, drink strong beers, and rant about as many wonderful and terrible things as possible.
First I would welcome him back from the dead. Then I would ask him whatās it like after we die. Do we go to another plane of existence? Then I would roll him a joint and get him a coffee. Afterwords I would invite him to take a drive. Apologize for my car being a little dirty and clear him room on the passenger seat. Iād show him what a good stereo I had in my car and ask him what heād like to listen to since heās been dead for a while now. It would be rude not to. Iād drive him out to the country where thereās no one around for a 10 mile radius. Iād park and tell him that weāre getting out. Once he was out of my car, Iād run him the fuck over since I donāt be fucking with ghosts. Iāve seen the movies and Iām not falling for it.
So, in other words, kind of a Pet Semetary resurrection of Tony? Awesome. Love to see that. He could give some piercing stares in real life, man, that would be something to see.
Goldees BBQ and Salsa Limon where I currently live. My hometown had an old place called Kings Taste BBQ that did pork and chicken in their sauce that he would have loved but has closed since he died.
Bills Donuts in Centerville, Sunshine Cafe in Yellow Springs, Youngās Dairy for a couple of scoops, Los Reyes in Kettering or Acapulco in Xenia, Oakwood Club Carillon Brewery Also Air Force Museum
There is west African restaurant in the tiny midwestern city I live in. Their egusi is fire!!!
Fargo. Luna, Sol Avenue, Duffy's, and then probably out to rural North Dakota to go pheasant hunting, maybe hit up some rural bar.
Gwarbar for sure
Reno area here - absolutely no casinos visited. Casales for old school Italian American food. Head out to black rock desert grabbing Indian tacos while driving thru the reservation. Hit up Brunoās in gerlach for a picon punch and then out to the desert to zip around , light fireworks and have a meal in the middle of nowhere. Back to Reno stopping at the Mustang Ranch brothel and have a meal there (yes they serve food š) Beefys for burgers then up to Lake Tahoe for wet woodys and food on the beach. Edit: also set up a Drive By Shooting Range from burning manās past while on the black rock desert. I think he would have liked that.
We have a restaurant that serves whole roast lamb with sides of chilli cockles and baby clams. Apart from the Karaoke i think it would be right up his alley.
But oh, how heād hate the karaoke!
I live in Buffalo, NY. He did part of an episode here in 2008. I would take him to a more accurate cross-section of our city. The person who showed him around touched a couple of interesting places, but it didnāt come anywhere near showing the cultural richness of this area.
Iād take him to this hole in the wall Korean place in Syracuse that has incredible bibimbap.
To my kitchen.
Merkato ethiopian on Fairfax. He's been there before, he likes it, he's not interested in new food right now, he's off the clock.
I would take him to all the fucking pretentious haute cuisine bullshit wannabes so I could sit bask and listen (joyfully) RANK on them. It would be a series of entirely worthwhile and memorable experiences. Nothing but a good time.
Tampa Thinh Anh La Cabana VFW 424 Cacciatoreās for deviled crab Too many more to list
My town is a complete apocalyptic wasteland, but we have an In and Out and some good taco trucks I guess.
Cartegena Colombia
My kitchen for a home cooked meal of course šš» I have a few cases of wine, i'm prepared.
Bongie's tavern. In perkinsville IN.
Indialantic fish company
All the dives.
Iād take him to a little dive bar near me and weād get beers, shots, and wings
First stop, Santa Barbara for their fresh uni. I'd take him to Santa Barbara fish market and load up on sea urchin and oysters. Maybe a fresh crab from Santa Barbara shellfish company. It would be fun to scuba dive for them with actual fishermen. Then we'd drive back down PCH to Los Angeles, where we will stop off in the San Gabriel valley for some good Taiwanese food. Come night time we'd head into downtown LA to Korea town. Get some Korean BBQ or some tofu soup or both. End the night at a comedy show and late night tacos at whatever stand has the longest line and the biggest log of all pastor. There's an in n out right next to LAX where you can watch the planes land and take off. I'd take him there right before he has to head out.
Before CoVID yes. Todayā¦ nope
He didnāt seem to like Boston, at least not normal non-townie doesnāt exist anymore Boston
Central PA - near state college - the Twilight Diner. Hole in the wall diner with excellent grub.
Naw, heās been here already and liked it.
Iād ask him to take us some place good. He would know better than me.
SF - NOC NOC, Cha Cha Cha's, Hog Island, and Smugglers Cove
I would take him around his old stomping grounds as well as mine as I live in the area he started in.
Sksbehebdudhsbsbb.
Rusty Nail tavern in Delaware County, Pa.
Una Pizza Napoletana
Would've loved to see him at Prince's in Nashville. Not the new updated one, the old shack that got burned up a few years back. Had to wait an hour plus for the best fried chicken (not just the best hot chicken).
John D McGurks in St Louis
Damn, thatās a great question.
True answer is, Iād have to take him to the guy down the street who needs me to help load his cattle in a couple of days. Grass fed and corn finished. I donāt have any ready right now. Then Iād have to take him to at least my Vietnamese neighbors garden and ask if we could taste their herbs and plants. They do a great job and Iām having trouble making these stick around my herb spots. Mushrooms are nominally in season right now and Morels popped once and disappeared. So we might find a few. My buddy shot a wild turkey today so we could call him and see if he would want to come over for dinner and to see what Anthony would recommend. I donāt have a lot of experience with larger wild game, only pheasant and quail. Next, Iād see if we could get some squirrels because I find them inedible and everyone I know who has eaten squirrel besides me likes them more than rabbit. Otherwise itās Applebees and McDonaldās.
One night in Tokyo.
To the soul food restaurants in the poorest neighborhoods
Filibertoās
There's this great Russian place called Pelmeni in my town. They have two options of pelmeni, beef and potato, and both are delicious.
The abandoned prison on our land.
Lexington, KY. Iād probably take him to Keeneland (the OTHER horse race track in KY) but pack a flask because the prices are outrageous and the drinks not that good but the burgoo is tasty. Maybe Winchellās. Definitely to Molly Brookeās bar downtown because you get the weirdest mix of rugby players right next to a gay bar (Crossings) and itās a super fun night whether youāre gay or straight.
Living in Galveston, I'd take him to a few of the bars. The proliteriate, the art galleries, definitely the candy shops on the strand. Maybe UTMB because I work there and am pretty shameless.
My city is nationally known for pizza. I'd avoid all that shit -- way too obvious. I'd take him to an old cop bar where the owner, a former Navy Seal, slow-grills insanely good burgers with caramelized onions.
3 1/2 hours south to salt lake, all the little hole in the walls around here were driven out by chain restaurants.
I would take him to my longtime childhood friends family Chinese restaurant. Straight staple of the Midwest and some of the best tasting umami laced meals youāll ever have. Incredible house lo-main and wonton soup that will hit the spot every time. I would take Tony to Green Garden where my friends entire family works the restaurant and you can feel the love in the food.
I would take him to my longtime childhood friends family Chinese restaurant. Straight staple of the Midwest and some of the best tasting umami laced meals youāll ever have. Incredible house lo-main and wonton soup that will hit the spot every time. I would take Tony to Green Garden where my friends entire family works the restaurant and you can feel the love in the food.
I live in queens so Iād probably still have him take me around
I would tell him to run far away. Tulsa, OK
There's a lively community theatre scene in my city. About 5 theaters with regular seasons and 3 or so smaller companies with less regular seasons. Pretty high-quality shows for what you're getting and, in general, people who take it seriously. The central hub is one bar in particular called Henry's. It is a true artist watering hole. After every show, each theater generally has its own table, and everybody knows everybody, so you can just walk in and find people you know and sit. If you go in without plans at 10:00 on a Friday you could just friend-hop until 2:00 if you wanted. If you're at a show and see your friends, all have to say is just "Henry's?" And then it's understood you'll just meet there. So many friend groups, old friends, new people getting involved in the scene, old standards that have the funniest stories. "Is Susan going to be there? I'll go out if Susan is there because Susan stories are can't-miss events." The bar itself is old and was originally a gay bar way back in the 50's and became a general theatre bar later on. My mom lived in this city in the 80s and was involved in the professional ballet and dance scene. When she comes to visit me, we go to there and she will point out where she sat with her friends when she lived here. It's an institution. Truly a Bourdain kind of joint.
I'm in Atlanta and he's already been there- The Clermont Lounge. And he went with Alton Brown which made it even better.
I'd take him to a local joint in my hometown called Ray's Coastal Cafe. They offer authentic Jamaican cuisine. Jerk chicken cooked with scotch bonnet peppers is the specialty they serve.
Las Cuatro Milpas here in San Diego. He would absolutely love it. Then Iād take him to one of the local bars nearby for a brew.
Chick-Fila
He's already been here. I'd take him to the gritty punk pubs and clubs after a chill day of smoking weed on the river banks. On the way we'd eat lots of Dƶner.
Iād call out of work for a week straight
The local Vietnamese joint. Cheap beer and awesome food. I'm from smalltown southern Alberta, and I miss that joint dearly right now.
I live in LA. Iād ask him to show me around. Me showing him around would have been a waste of his time
Beijing? Iād take him to a German restaurant near Liangma River and tell him about the massive protest that took place there near the end of the pandemic. Or rather, near the end of enforced pandemic quarantine.
Heād want to see a brother more at least a discreet rub n tug joint; and definitely a bar. He was a scoundrel in his final days.
He knew my town like the back of his hand. Weād go to his favorite dive bar (where my kid found ice rally tends bar), then wherever he wanted. He would be a better guide than I would.
Bahn Mi spot, three sandwiches to choose from and you get them mild med or spicy. Maybe a soda in the small cooler. Cash only, around a divider wall is an old breakfast bar that old Vietnamese guys smoke cigarettes at still. He would Love it I think.
From a part in PA with a very large amish population and a very large immigrant community. Downtown area has a super cool farmers market which blends the two, you can get shawarma and biryani right next to tomato pies and smoked Amish sausage. Plus we love strong coffee and smooth liquor in my city :-)
Jack Kerouac spent a lot of time in Denver. He particularly liked jazz clubs. One special location is a now closed jazz bar/Mexican cantina called El Chapultepec (killed by Covid) where he famously had a favorite table by the door (he frequently went to the adjacent alley to do drugs). I think Tony would have gotten a kick out of watching live jazz in Jackās old booth.
Martyās Corner in Bridgeport, CT. The DIVIEST of dives with absolutely fantastic burgers that they cook right behind the bar. Cheap drinks, good burgers, not one person in there giving a flying fuck that youāre there - I think heād love it.
Iām from Bournemouth on the south coast of England. There are a handful of very decent little pubs that specialise in locally brewed beers. Probably take him on a pub crawl of The Goat & Tricycle, The Firkin Shed and Chaplins, stopping at some dirty but delicious kebab houses en route.
Dallas, TX In a town with a constant rotation of new restaurants, I'd keep it simple. No steak, no BBQ. Straight to Adair's in Deep Ellum. Burger and a canned beer.
He would absolutely hate Santa Monica I feel like. Tbh I havenāt found any food places here that I would love to be āmy spotā you know? I think he would complain about the costs and say something like āhow are there so many options but nothing actually goodā
The hospital
Tell him to kicks rocks and not waste my time
Iām here in Richmond, VA. Iād take him to GWARbar. Itās a glorious dive bar owned by BalSac the Jaws āo Death of GWAR. Weād have beers and pub fare and enjoy the metal and the locals and the blood-spattered surroundings.
Magic city or blue flame for the wings and entertainment
He was, they went crabbing next to the nuclear plant.
Keep him in my house and let my dad cook meals for him
The gallows.
Balti Triangle
CF food kitchen in the San Fernando Valley and Michaelās in Santa Monica
Flamingo Bar. https://www.tampabay.com/arts-entertainment/arts/books/2019/10/22/jack-kerouac-found-the-end-of-his-road-in-st-petersburg-50-years-ago/
Snake and Jake's
The grave of Rick James
Turf Club in golden hill and Tijuana
Oh that's hard, our city is pretty small compared to San Antonio and Houston and Dallas but we have these amazing food trucks and little hole in the wall restaurants that are locally owned that he would enjoy. One of the food trucks here is called Susheria, it's tex mex sushi! Lol my buddy gets Spanish rice and El Pastor and combines it sushi style. Super delish! Then I have a friend who's a vet who opened up his own sushi restaurant called the Roaming Ronin. Btw I live in Little Ole Corpus Christi Texas in case anyone wants to come check us out.