Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives might be returning to Minnesota

[wheetbix]

Looking for a few more locations in the Twin Cities area - within a 30-minute radius of the airport.

Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks!

[rjayasuriya]

Bangkok Thai Deli - St Paul.
Izzy's - St Paul.

I'm sure there will be lots of other recommendations but I think the two above would be ideal for the show....local, funky, good food...Triple D style :)

[semanticantics]

The Triple Rock Social Club.

It would be pretty painful / hilarious watching Guy try to act cool around the hipsters and punk rockers.

I do not know how an ice cream place fits into DDD...

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Triple Rock
629 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

[rjayasuriya]

They've had ice cream places on DDD before. I remember a Gelato place in AZ being on one of the episodes...

[BigE]

Plenty of ethnic dive type places...not sure where to start.

I know this will draw some ire from the crowd, but Mickey's probably fits the bill.

Brasa would be a great choice.

I'd like to see what the rest of the 'Hounds think.

[GutGrease]

What places have already been done?

[BigE]

Places he's been to, off the top of my head...

-The Nook
-Al's
-Victors 1959 (bit of a head scratcher)
-The Wienery
-Psycho Suzi's
-Donatelli's
-Dari-ette
-Modern Cafe
-Bryant Lake Bowl
-Town Talk Diner (I think)

I might be missing a couple.

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Wienery
414 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454

[wannabfat]

im pretty sure hes been to psycho suzi's, dari-ette's, al's breakfast, and mickey's

i say blue door pub!

[rjayasuriya]

He's also been to the Wienery.

-----
Wienery
414 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454

[semanticantics]

Was at Town Talk Diner.

Has Guy ever had a bite in one of these places that wasn't one of the best bites of whatever he just bit?

[Foureyes137]

The bites seem to be so good they knock his sunglasses off his face and onto the back of his head!

[djtrouten]

He's been to Emily's Lebanese Delicatessen.

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Emily's Lebanese Delicatessen
641 University Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

[buenosds]

how bout Big Daddys

[Foureyes137]

Same advise I gave on Yelp:

Triple Rock
Bangkok Thai Deli
Jasmine Deli
Flameburger
Dusty's (Home of the Dago)
Gordita el Gordo
Elsie's
Country Bar (the food is terrible)
CC Club (the food is...well, the food is shitty on purpose)
Uptown B....Ooooo nevermind

Not sure where you have been already, but I have to presume you've been to Big Daddy's, Mickey's, Mayslack's and the like.

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Jasmine Deli
2532 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Flameburger
2534 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55113

Triple Rock
629 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

[Davydd]

The Minnetonka Drive In on Shoreline Drive in Spring Park (Lake Minnetonka area) is packed with classic cars every Thursday night. It in itself is your classic car hop drive in.

Another unique drive in is the newly remodeled and renamed Galaxy Drive in (formerly Wagners) in St. Louis Park. The concept creator of Rainforest Cafe bought the place and remodeled it extensively. That in itself is rarely done with drive ins.

In Minneapolis an often overlooked stool only diner on Central Ave. in Nordeast is the Ideal Diner. They have daily specials on food items like chicken fried steak seldom served elsewhere in the Twin Cities. This place is real whereas Mickey's is just a dining car with tired, standard food fare.

For pubs I would recommend McGarry's Irish Pub in Maple Plain off US Highway 12 west of Minneapolis. It was a small town cafe for many years owned by the McGarry family. They decided to upgrade to an all day and night Irish themed pub and still serve breakfast. The atmosphere is a lot closer to the older British Isles pubs I experienced than the very upscale Irish pubs with imported bars we have around the Twin Cities.

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Ideal Diner
1314 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

[qajohn]

I'd like to see El Burrito Mercado

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El Burrito Mercado
175 Cesar Chavez St, St Paul, MN 55107

[semanticantics]

Chatterbox Pub.

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Chatterbox Pub
800 Cleveland Ave S, St Paul, MN 55116

[Seige]

I've not been there, but what about Anchor Fish & Chips or Victory 44?

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Victory 44
2203 44th Ave N, Minneapolis, MN

[kevin47]

Sandy's Tavern

It is so obviously a dive I scarcely feel compelled to justify its inclusion. The place has not changed its curtains since its opening, it has a signature item (the olive burger). It's been in business since the 1930s, when Richfield was a farm town, and has been a burger joint since 1980. It is also rumored to be haunted. It is tailor made for the show.

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Sandy's Tavern
6612 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55423

[Skizzle]

Sandy's Tavern! I forgot about that place! It's still around?

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Sandy's Tavern
6612 Penn Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55423

[kevin47]

Indeed it is.

[pistachio peas]

Town Hall Brewery? Quang?

[Fudist]

Saigon
Skinners
El Burrito Mercado

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El Burrito Mercado
175 Cesar Chavez St, St Paul, MN 55107

[Seige]

Oh man - Skinners is a great suggestion! Very divey.

[drew13000]

Maverick's
Mayslack's
Colossal Cafe (though, how they would fit a camera crew in here, I don't know)
Grumpy's
Hard Times
Nye's (unique atmosphere, but I've never been a fan of the food. Prefer Kramarczuk's if I want good Polish.)

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Hard Times Cafe
1821 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

[drew13000]

Thought of two more:
Galactic Pizza: costumes, tiny cars, and delicious pizza with an environmentally-friendly spin. Not sure if I'd classify it as a dive, so this one may be stretching.
Red's Savoy: dive status unquestionable

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Galactic Pizza
2917 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408

[liney714]

Aesopes Table aka porkers pit http://aesopstable.com/
his chiolpte porker is the best int the world . Its housed in a non profit building and its got allot of great dicy( in the good sense of the word) history.

[Danny]

Aesop's table is DEFINATELY a spot that needs more attention. The Porker is 1/2 lb of pulled pork on a bun. They also smoke other meats, but The Porker is the thing to get. (I've always been disappointed by the ribs they serve on Thursdays.) It is fantastic.

The daily specials can be pretty good as well.

Any place that has a long line of cops eating is always a sign of good, cheap food.

[semanticantics]

Porky's on University in St. Paul. It's an old timey drive-through, and during nice weather, is packed with custom cars.

[John E.]

D, D & D goes to places that are owner operated, which is not the case with Porky's.
Somebody earlier suggested the new Galaxy Drive-In (former Wagner's) in St. Louis Park. That is so obviously the prototype for a chain that I doubt D,D, & D will go there.

The reason there seems to be a disproportionate number of Twin Cities locations featured on this show is because it is produced out of Bloomington.

[Davydd]

The Galaxy is owned by Steve Schussler and I did mention that he was the Rainforest Cafe creator but that does not mean the Galaxy will necessarily become a chain. It happened to be across the road from his office and from what I read it was picked up more out of desire and nostalgia (and probably creative challenge) being so close by. It is still seasonal (closed in the winter). I'm not so convinced drive-ins can become chains. It really is a dying concept that was killed off by McDonalds type fast food places. Yeah, I know there is Sonic but I would not bet on the concept in a cold climate. The remaining handful of drive-ins bank heavily on their history and nostalgia but us older folks who fondly remember them are, well, a dying breed.

[Davydd]

Porky's is a shell of what it used to be. It isn't even a true drive-in anymore and the food is sub par and not very interesting. I thought it was still owned by the same family but it is not an on premise operation that I could tell.

[green56]

Gopher Bar, DT Saint Paul.

[churchka]

Gopher Bar isn't exactly G rated. Or even PG.

[getgot211]

La Sirena Gorda - doesn't get much more divey than a foodcourt setup, and churns out some of the best Mexican food in the city.
Mesa Pizza - after 2am
Liquor Lyle's
Butter
Harry Singhs
Brianno's
Q-Fanatic
Abu Nader
Manana
the Bad Waitress
Good Day Cafe

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La Sirena Gorda
920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Good Day Cafe
5410 Wayzata Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55416

Brianno's
2280 Cliff Rd, Saint Paul, MN 55122

[Suburban Girl]

Cecil's in St. Paul.

[EarlOfSandwich]

I have never seen this show (must be on cable TV?), so I don't know if these fit the format, but a couple of places that have very unattractive surroundings but very yummy food:

The 311 E. Lake St. location of La Pineda Tacos. Whenever I go in there I think that I am entering an old basement boiler room, yet I find the burritos to be better than any others in town, including the other (nicer looking) Pineda locations.

Kabobs at 7814 Portland Ave. in Bloomington. A flourescent-lit takeout vestibule trying to function as a dining room! But oh-so-good Indian food.

For that matter, the entire Town & Country strip mall where Kabobs is located is interesting to me. I enjoy Kabobs, India Cafe (only a bit of a step up from Kabobs in ambiance), and La Mixteca mexican. There are also a broasted chicken place and a chow mein place, which I have never tried and may be decent or awful for all I know. All five of these establishments are almost in a row, with only the tax place separating Kabobs from the rest. There is also an Indian grocery store.

[squarelogo]

King's Place in Miesville.

A bit of a drive, but it is perfect for triple D.

[stymie]

can you tell us about King's Place? What are some of the menu items we should try?

[ssioff]

Any of their burgers. It is a family owned and run business. Not sure how much is scratch cooking and how much is Sysco, et al, but they do put out a good burger. Miesville is also famous for the Mudhen's ball team.

http://www.kingburgers.com/

[Davydd]

The Lion's Tap in Eden Prairie serving just hamburgers in a family setting would be an interesting choice. Could you turn down featuring this burger?

[leeniebeanie]

I am not a fan of The Lion's Tap, but if it redirects some of the Newbies from The Nook...I'm all for it!

[djtrouten]

He could try "Curry Up" in Maple Grove. Definitely fits the "dive" category -- it's hidden in the back of an Asian grocery store and has no ambiance to speak of. But it has a great menu of authentic dishes.

[mcflirty]

Fat Lorenzo's www.fatlorenzos.com is homemade nummy pizza, lasagna and Gelato. Its a great spot that you have to line up to get in a lot of the time. Minnetonka Drive Inn Spring Park, MN I grew up going to. It used to be an A&W and had kept up with the old traditions of that. Homemade rootbeer soda. Below someone already brought up the old car night on Thursdays....how fun and what a great place to visit with your convertible. Love your show!!!

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Fat Lorenzos
5600 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55417

[djtrouten]

Fat Nat's Eggs in Crystal is exactly what the show is looking for. Original twists on breakfast classics, obsession with fresh ingredients, some spicy choices, and a devoted clientele.

[cookkevin]

Fat nats in Crystal ?? New Hope, Brooklyn Park, now Crystal too were in Crystal is it ??

[Latinpig]

Ideal dinner. About as old school as you can get.

[MplsM ary]

Ah, the Ideal Diner. In my 20s I had a few morning after walk of shame breakfasts there before catching the bus home. Haven't been in a few years but the eggs are always perfect and the atmosphere is ideal. Real deal diner.

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Ideal Diner
1314 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

[djtrouten]

It's in a strip mall on 36th and Winnetka.

[John E.]

I think Fat Nat's is over-rated. I have eaten at the Brooklyn Park location twice and wasn't thrilled either time. The first time I had the biscuits and gravy. There was an excessive amount of black pepper in the gravy. I realize it's supposed to be peppery and I love a lot of pepper, that's why it was surprising to me that they had that much. The second time I had the corned beef hash. The hash was not made from scratch, it came from a can. It was the same as the Mary Kitchen stuff in the can made by Hormel. I could also tell that the fried potatoes that came with the meal both times had been sitting on the grill for a long time.

I've seen Guy Fieri watching people make hash on his show. If he knew the place was using hash out of a can, there's no way he would wish to go there with his crew.

[Foureyes137]

I highly doubt that dude has anything to do with deciding where they go.

[John E.]

You're right, but they have arrived on location and changed their minds in the past.
I doubt Fat Nat's would make it past the research process, maybe that's why they haven't been on the show. I didn't particularly dislike the place, I just found that it was over-rated and the hash was out of a can. That alone would nix the place from their list.

The Lion's Tap also probably won't be on the show. They only have burgers and frozen fries. What are they going to show for the other 18 minutes?

[Davydd]

Do you watch the show? They don't spend a whole show on one place. They usually hit at least three places and they usually feature the main items the places are noted for.

[John E.]

You're right of course. I was thinking of an episode. Ok, what would they do with the other 4 minutes? Each segment is about 7 minutes long. The Lion's Tap does hamburgers and that's all they're known for. It's the same reason they likely won't do a segment at Matt's Bar in south Minneapolis. They have good burgers but nothing else in terms of food.

You also won't see them at Mickey's in downtown St. Paul because that's been done on another show.

[sandylc]

We were terribly disappointed in Lion's Tap the one time we went there.

[Davydd]

Help me out here. When you say you were disappointed what exactly do you mean?

You can be disappointed in this?

[John E.]

It's been several years since I've eaten there. As I recall I had a regular cheeseburger. If I knew they only had burgers like the one you pictured I would never go there at all. Oversized burgers of any kind annoy me.

[Bill Roehl]

Because:

1. They cook their burgers one way--Minnesota done.

2. The burgers themselves are expensive and not worth the price.

3. The place is THE most overrated burger joint in Minnesota (and that's saying a lot). I have never been as disappointed in all the hype over a restaurant as I have been with the Lion's Tap.

[djtrouten]

It's called Fat Nat's Eggs, so you might want to try an egg dish before writing it off.

[John E.]

Actually I had eggs with both the biscuits and gravy and the hash. The eggs were fine. The biscuits and gravy were good too, if you really, really like black pepper. The fried potatoes had been on the grill too long and the hash was out of a can. Those were my only complaints.

[MSPD]

I was thinking I would sit out on this thread but I stopped in the Russian Tea House for a quick bite today and I'd like to put them up for consideration (in the "Dives" category, but very loosely).

Whenever I'm in there, I'm just struck by what an enduring labor of love the place seems like. It's so unassuming and the owners are so warm. The food is unique enough in context of the "usuals" on the show (how many times can you watch a burger or plate of pasta and think "oh, how different!) that it would make for an interesting change. I also think the yin-and-yang styles of Guy and the owners would be funny.

Anyway, there and the Triple Rock are the only things mentioned so far that I would likely not change the channel as fast as possible. Not that the places mentioned are bad restaurants, but I just can't see how they would make for interesting TV at all.

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Russian Tea House
1758 University Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55104

Triple Rock
629 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

[Skizzle]

Countryside Cafe in Medina. The walls are covered in pictures of celebrities and regulars. Plenty of funkiness, in a country sense, going on. Lines of suburbonites on the weekends. That or the Uptown Diner. Good stuff! Mmmmm.... cajun benedict...

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Uptown Diner
2548 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405

[Traceybelle]

Wagner's Drive-In (North) in Brooklyn Park. Great burgers and onion rings, fantastic malts (I'm partial to the banana myself). Definitely one of my all-time favorite places. Last summer I met the owner while there with my cousin and he invited us to a polka in Hopkins that night. How many other drive-ins are there where that would happen?

Afghan Restaurant in Crystal. I've only been once so far but definitely want to go again. Great food. Very friendly owner & staff. It's not all that noticeable, kind of hidden in a little strip mall. Best hummus I've had in my life, and the tandoori chicken was wonderful. http://afghanrestaurantonline.com/

Mesa Pizza in Dinkytown. Admittedly more of a late-night place for college kids than anything, but it's delicious pizza. $2 for pepperoni or cheese, $3 for everything else (and there's a lot of everything else). They're well-known for the mac & cheese pizza. Official hours are 11AM-After Bartime, and if you're going at peak times (i.e. late at night) you better have cash or people won't be happy with you and your card holding up the line. http://www.mesapizzamn.com/

And another vote for CurryUp in Maple Grove. Try the Mango Lassi. It's fantastic. http://www.curryupfoods.com/

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Curryup Foods
13601 Grove Dr, Maple Grove, MN

Mesa Pizza by the Slice
1323 4th St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Wagner's Drive-In North
7000 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55428

Afghan Restuarant
6408 Bass Lake Rd, Crystal, MN 55428

[wannabfat]

how bout hard times cafe, its open crazy late, has some decent food, but has a nice atmosphere

[Latinpig]

The Nook!

[KTFoley]

Latinpig, see Big E's post on Mar 24, 2010 01:52PM.

[BigE]

And just to clarify for people that misread it the first time, I listed places he has already visited...the Nook being one of them.

[qaeater]

try the boxcar in prescott WI just over the boarder in wisconsin great southern food in a small wisconsin town and the owner has been in the press alot lately for his local band. great food great place

[qaeater]

I forgot too mention what initially drew me to this place you can get snails , as well real southern bbq, crawfish, catfish , fried chicken and home cooking all in small town wisconsin

[baronworm]

Allow me to second that vote for Maverick's

[MNkateo]

I totally agree on Maverick's (divey AND delicious) and Triple Rock and Colossal Cafe- oh and Dominquez Family (great Mexican).

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Triple Rock
629 Cedar Ave S, Minneapolis, MN

[BigE]

I wouldn't call Maverick's divey necessarily. Unassuming, yes. But not divey in the dirty/dark/dingy sort of way.

[ahimpls]

The last thing they need is more people, But Sea Salt might be cool...Damn fine food and local boy(s) make good angle,too. OR- on a completely different note, The Java Restaurant on 28th & Nicollet , has certainly become a DIVE; but they have been there since 1974ish and they still make the best hummus in town. They are also among the few places that still make homemade shawirma. Unfortunatly, it's always been a bit dry...but there is some excellent tahini sauce and KICK-ASS hot sauce to remedy that. Supposed to be belly dancers on the weekends, but everytime we go they say that " she didn't show up" : )

[kevin47]

How is Sea Salt a dive? They serve quality seafood, much of it high-end. Java is a solid pick, though. It is one of our few ethnic dives.

I feel like we named virtually every restaurant in the cities on this thread, but I guess people have their own definition of "dive".

[isfahani]

That guy is an obnoxious twit IMO so it's hard to trust his judgement on food, but I'd love to see him do Kabobs (even tho it appears the food quality has tanked) The Java, or Holy Land, or the Hard Times Cafe (doubtful they would put up with him, but it would be amusing)

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Hard Times Cafe
1821 Cedar Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN

[jaybeedee]

I would like to see 50s Grill on Brooklyn Boulevard in Brooklyn Center, MN to be showcased on DDD for their on-premises bakery, made-from-scratch entrees, soup, and desserts, and unique "50s" decor.

I would also like to see Don Julio's in Forest Lake, MN to be showcased on DDD. I know it's a 60 rather than 30 minutes from airport, but this family-run Mexican restaurant is worth the trip. I love their burritos, chimichangas, and reasonable prices.

The Cup and Cone in White Bear Lake, MN is a fabulous ice cream shop/stand that is absolutely wonderful and also worth the 40 minutes from the airport drive.

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Brooklyn Center Restaurant
5637 Brooklyn Blvd, Minneapolis, MN 55429

[sweetkim]

The two places I would suggest are the Purple Sandpiper. Off of 494 and Lyndale in Richfield. I love the pumpkins pancakes and the lose lead tea, creme brulee French toast, scotch eggs and Lobster BLT.
http://www.purplesandpiper.com/wp/

My other suggestion is Bella Cucina in West Bloomington.Off of 169 and Anderson Lake Parkway. I love the Putenesca and I heard the Mussels are great.

I would love to know where you pick or if they have already picked a place :-

)

-----
Bella Cucina
9332 Ensign Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55438

[KTFoley]

This post is from last March; I believe they came and went already. The trip included Blue Door Pub, and the episode aired in October.

-----
The Blue Door Pub
1811 Selby Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55104

[sweetkim]

lol, I should read these posts more carefully. :-) Thank you for the info and happy holidays!!

[kevin47]

They come back pretty regularly, so there's no shame in bumping the thread. That said, nothing about Bella Cucina is remotely diner/dive, unless you have information I don't.

While we're on the subject, I would second 50's Grill. For years, we'd written it off as a phoned-in nostalgia joint, but they've actually been around for decades, and the food is a pleasant surprise all around. It would be a great pickup for DDD for the reasons jaybeedee mentions.

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Bella Cucina
9332 Ensign Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55438

[sweetkim]

Good point and PS I went the other night and got the goat cheese with peppers appetizer and they burnt the bread. I was sad, because it would have been good, I was a little surprised.

[MrStPaul]

I had to laugh when I saw the suggestion for the Gopher Bar. I can just imagine the Food Network producer asking the staff, "Umm...could you take down the 'Obama=Socialism' poster before we turn the cameras on?"

A little Guy goes a long way with me, but it's cool that he showcases these places all over the country. I appreciate that he's been to the Twin Cities twice, instead of coming here once and figuring that was enough.

[KTFoley]

If I recall from the coverage when he came through the last time, the crew is local. They like getting to film in MN and going home at the end of the day.

If we're lucky, we'll see another Twin Cities episode every so often.

[tipitina]

I would love it if they did a North Shore version of the show, because then they could feature the Trestle Inn in Finland, MN. They make some great burgers, including the Trainwreck which is a beef patty AND a bratwurst patty with bacon and cheese. Casualties are a buck extra. I can just see Guy pulling up on his red snowmobile!

[BigE]

They've done a good bit in great white north:

-Gordy's Hi-Hat
-Duluth Grill
-Chester Creek Cafe
-Lake Avenue Cafe
-Northern Waters Smokehaus
-Anchor Bar (Superior, obviously)

Nothing further north than that, as far as I know.

[FrankPierce]

My cable guide shows DDD next Monday "barbecue in Champlin, Minn". I'm guessing Q-Fanatic?

[BigE]

Yup. They were there in July, I think.

[swedeejean]

they were there July 3, 14 hrs of taping for 2 1/2 min. segment

[John E.]

It wasn't even that long. I think it's the first time that Guy didn't actually go to a restaurant that appeared on his show. I hope it is the last.

[John E.]

I just watched the episode with the Q Fanatic. It has to hold the record for the shortest segment to feature a restaurant in the history of the show. I don't think it was more than three minutes long.

[BigE]

I caught what I thought was the last few minutes, but must have been the whole thing. Pretty poor. Was Guy even there?

[Ousleyni]

Guy stood out front introducing the restaurant. There were no shots of him inside. Definately a short segment. I have never seen a episode where he didn't interact with the customers or inside the kitchen.

[cookkevin]

Yes, I have been to Q Fanatic, very good stuff but to be truthful I do not think it fits any one of the D...D...Ds sorry.

[John E.]

I'll have to watch it again. I was going to say he might not have actually been there and they did a green screen thing but we know he was in Minnesota. It must have been a timing thing but whatever the reason it was kind of a screw-job to the Q-Fanatics. I know I would be disappointed.

One place I think they should return to is the Dari-ette since they helped launch the show but they probably aren't doing anything new over there and the first time wasn't too exciting.

[swedeejean]

Guy was never there

[John E.]

Yea, I just watched it again. I don't know where he did the segue, but it wasn't at Q fanatic.

[John E.]

Outrageous Food is produced by the same outfit. You can tell even if they didn't say so in the credits and the the signature static thing at the end.

[spideranco]

Chimborazo in NE Minneapolis. Most undiscovered place in MPLS. It's Ecuadorian food and is absolutely yummy!

[spideranco]

And it's quite a drive but John Hardy's BBQ in Rochester. Amazing BBQ somehow found its way to MN through a man named John Hardy!

[BigE]

I know this post will probably get split/axed, but I just read about their upcoming segment at the Anchor Bar in Superior. Apparently, they also got the Q Fanatic treatment. 12 hours of taping, Guy wasn't even there.

[swedeejean]

apparently, it's a new a segment they throw in at the end of each show. Guy is just so big now with 3 different shows he can't possibly go to every location personally. But hey national advertising is all good, think about how much company's would pay for a 2 1/2 min. commercial on primetime national TV. And it airs several times and is easily found on the website. The Sat. following the airing was the busiest Q has ever been.

[kevin47]

He could absolutely go to every location. That's the whole damn point of the show. Otherwise they should rename it to "Meat and Poultry Exist, and Oil Does Wonders!"

I mean, it works out fine for Q-Fanatic, but is terrible for the audience.

[swedeejean]

i'm quite sure it would have been better if Guy actually showed up, and it was given the same time and attention as the other 2 restaurants in the segment, but it is what it is and some national exposure is better than none.

[John E.]

How is it decided which restaurants are graced with Guy's presence and which are not worthy of him?

[swedeejean]

if you find out, I'd like to know

[John E.]

I watched tonight's episode at the Anchor Bar. I used to live in Duluth and went there a few times years ago when the burgers weren't anything as good as they apparently are now. I understand that Guy is busy, but he was ten minutes away from the Anchor when he was in Duluth. They're cutting down on the number of restaurants he goes to and makes the first two segments longer and then throw in a two minute segment. I understand it but don't like it. I wonder how many viewers will even notice he's not really there?

[ibew292]

Or even care.....

[BigE]

The main thing I noticed (other than Guy not being there) was this. I've been to the Anchor...I don't know, 20 times in my life and I've never seen the owner there. In fact, I don't remember seeing a male working there at all.

As far as the food goes, the burgers are some of the best in the region and an excellent value. Fries are pretty tasty too. If you haven't been in a while, be sure to check it out.

[soupkitten]

the anchor bar! i still think about the burgers there, possibly the best burger i've ever had. the place is really and truly a dive, too. i think an influx of tourists would piss off the staff, it's not very big, it's not very toddler friendly, not very uh, tidy. . . it's more the kind of place you'd grab a stool and kill yourself through liver disease over 10-12 years, quietly, if you were so inclined. i visited and reviewed the place in this thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/710580

[KTFoley]

If I remember the news right, the Anchor Bar got filmed for DD&D and the episode premiers on Jan 31.