You Gotta Eat Here: Season 2

[kwass]

So "You Gotta Eat Here" is beginning Season 2 on Friday, and the Toronto restaurants that will be featured on the show are as follows:
Caplansky's, Dr Laffa, The Burger's Priest, Banh Mi Boys, Fanny Chadwick's, Murray's Sandwich Emporium, and Chino Locos.

Is anybody questioning their choices, and which restaurants do you think are missing that should be featured?

Some restaurants that I think would be great for that show are: Stockyards, Emma's Country Kitchen and White Brick Kitchen.

One of the criteria for being featured on the show is that you have to be willing to drive @ least an hour to eat there.

[glickjor]

Barque is being featured this season as well - which I think is a great choice...

[Davwud]

I've heard mixed things but can say that my one visit was very pleasant.
Had the smoked burger and thoroughly enjoyed it.

DT

[Michael N]

They might have just been having an off day, but when I had the burger at Barque it was mushy and horrible. Not undercooked, mind you -- well done and inexplicably mushy. It was pretty gross, actually.

[abigllama]

Lakeview and Stockyards are being covered by DDD. Still not sure how Lakeview got on there.

YGEH died for me when they covered Dangerous Dan's. Don't expect to agree with all of their picks but DD is just nasty and flat out bad.

[Bobby Wham]

I don't like how he looks directly in the camera while he takes bites, it's weird.

[Googs]

Does anyone really drive an hour to go to Black Skirt? Nuff said.

[prima]

Sadly, some people I know drive 40 minutes to dine at the Joey at TSADM, when they live less than a 20 minute drive/subway to Pizzeria Libretto Danforth, Milagro, Holy Chuck, Black Camel, etc. That's worse than driving an hour for Black Skirt, isn't it?

I think there must be some people who would drive an hour for Black Skirt, but I'm not sure who they might be. Maybe some people drive in from Woodbridge? (Tongue-in-cheek)

I'm curious. Which restaurants would you trek an hour out of your way to visit? I make a few trips to Markham/Richmond Hill/Scarborough (carpooling and cramming in several stops on these trips) each year, and I visit Cafe Polonez/Chopin/Campagnolo/Enoteca Sociale a couple times a year (a roughly 40 minute drive/TTC trip each way), but there aren't too many places I would travel 30 minutes, let alone an hour, out of my way to visit, on a regular basis. I don't think I've travelled to Etobicoke for the purpose of trying a restaurant since 2006!

[Davwud]

I generally wouldn't travel that far just to go to a restaurant but it's more because in that hour drive I'll drive by a bunch of other places that I'd love to visit.

Perhaps the most "Out of my way" I've gone for a meal is Bell Buckle Cafe in Bellbuckle, Tn. It's about 30 - 45 mins from Jack Daniels and we'll do both on one trip.

DT

[Googs]

Honey, I live in East York. Everything is 45 minutes away.

[Midknight]

They also shot an episode at "That Italian Place" in Brampton. It's supposed to be aired in April.

[terrycar]

Let's see if Catucci's evaluation of the food goes beyond "WOW".

[kwass]

Funny...and so true!!

[bytepusher]

I wrote the show off after the Haugen's episode.

Any resemblance between the food and cooking shown on the show and what they actually serve in the restaurant (which in this case if pretty meh, it's only charm is that it's so purely retro including the mediocre food) is purely coincidental.

In short, they can't be trusted to not be completely faking the food when the place just looks cool or has a good story.

[magic]

Agreed, food MUST be first. If a place looks great on TV or has a good story that's all well and good. But if the food isn't there it should not be featured on the show. I'm not sure Season 1 understood that.

Season 2 looks a bit more promising from the sounds of it, but we'll see...

[afong56]

the haugens show was a real jump-the-shark episode. . .it told me all that i needed to know about the series. coincidentally, was in burger's priest when they filmed that particular episode, and if that is the best that the priest can pull off, then holy chuck wins hands down.

[Davwud]

I understand that Made in Mexico in Newmarket is part of this upcoming season as well. I'm not sure if that fits into the TO part.

Anyway, the show is what it is. I'm not a fan of Catucci but don't dislike him either.

I've gotten a few ideas of places to eat thanks to the show.

I'm all for the recommendations that people have posted. I'll add Folia Grill and Stack Smmoked. Love both those places.

DT

[ylsf]

Did he do one for Memphis Fire BBQ in Winona? I thought it was suppose to be in Season 2 but I looked at the "list" that I found and didn't see it on there. Was it in Season 1? I am pretty sure they announced filming there at the time.

From the episodes of the show that I have seen they tend to focus on a dish or two that is really popular at a restaurant no vs a spot being "overall" good. I place like Caplansky's has a good "Story" behind it, revival of the deli, jewish history, etc so would make for good tv (plus, he is already somewhat known from his Dragon Den's appearances/etc). Burger Priest has the "theme" with church related things, secret menus, etc.

[bbbradk]

I hate when he isn't in Toronto, makes me want to travel lol

plus one for Stockyards

Holy Chuck too

[disgusti]

those are all decent-ish toronto choices, the only one i've never been to is fanny chadwicks but only three of them (laffa, priest, banh mi boys) fall into any kind of regular rotation. the blt at murrays is chill and caplanskys has been ok in a pinch once or twice, but the last time i went to chino locos (church location) i got like... congealed or curdled or something sour cream in my burrito and i almost yakked. was a shame cuz i had enjoyed it the couple times i had tried beforehand. obviously my experience isn't reflective of the overall qc at that place but it was enough to turn me off, oh and then chipotle opened near there too so i never went back.

it's cool that most of those places are relatively recently open too, i have found on YGEH in the past they were focusing on these 'institution' kind of places. in my eyes, a solid 80% of the time institution just means 'crap that people grew up on and can't look at objectively' and i avoid the hell out of it, so i'm glad they've stepped up a bit.

agreed on all three of your other suggestions too, i haven't been to wbc or eck but have heard good things about both and they seem to fit the vibe, i bet they could win over some new customers with an appearance (myself potentially included)

not sure what else is in there... to the guy who mentioned rose and sons i definitely don't think it has a YGEH vibe haha

[afong56]

recently tried chino locos @ greenwood, and definitely not impressed--had their chicken tinga and it was pretty underwhelming, with no distinguishing flavour notes--it was nicely toasted, but didn't rise above simply being filler. definitely not destination worthy

[Spanglo]

What is the big deal with the choices they made to feature on their show?

Why should anyone question them? It is their show and their decision.

You mention The Stockyards,ECK , WBC( which have ties with one another) Why not The Lakeview?why not Rose and Sons?

Why is it that one of the criteria for the show be to drive at leats an hour to get there? Are you talking about one hour to get there from the tv studio? From the producers home?From Yonge and Bloor?Where does point A start?

Alot of questions I think no one here has the answers to kwass .

Maybe you should email the show.

[kwass]

Wow!! You need to take a pill Spanglo. It was just a topic to have fun with. Was there any criticism in my original post? Absolutely not.

[Spanglo]

Kwass I just took my meds im feeling better now :)

I am sure that if YGEH survives to see a couple of more seasons you will see all of your favorite restaurants on the show.

[kwass]

:)

[piccola]

The idea is that anyone should be willing to travel an hour to eat at the chosen restaurant, not that the restaurant should be within an hour of any given departure point. And frankly, I can't imagine anyone travelling an hour to get to the Lakeview.

[kwass]

Exactly piccola! And it's the show's criteria. Not mine.

[caitlink]

I personally don't find the show as appealing as Triple D. I have gone to many Triple D recommendations in the US and am rarely disappointed. Not fine dining - but always good variety, great value and tasty - not always healthy but always fun. The owners always get a kick making it a special treat for out-of-towners.

I am familiar with the restaurants featured on this show - those in BC, Calgary, Ottawa, GTA and Toronto and so far, have only found Pizzeria Napoletana (?) a 'find'. And would be interested in trying out Musket and the Polish place. After googling the menus of the places featured, my kids and I usually decide to PASS. So here's hoping this year's choices (outside of the GTA) are more interesting.

[kwass]

Really? I like YGEH. I think John Catucci (I think that's his name) is fun to watch, and I like the fact that they feature restaurants that I could actually go to, if I so choose. Whereas, I don't travel that much to the States anymore, so as much as I love Triple D, and would love to try some of those restaurants, the chances of me doing so, are pretty slim.

[piccola]

I don't feel particularly strongly about either show, but if they're going to call some places must-tries, then I'd hope they'd pick places that are distinctive, memorable and more than just the latest fad.

I think their choices in Toronto are defendable, even though they might not be my top choices. The only ones on the list that I haven't tried are Chino Locos and Fanny Chadwick.

[magic]

I agree. I have been to many many DDDs and quite a few of the YGEH places and I must say, DDD's success rate is much higher. For me, at any rate.

Don't get me wrong, obviously YGEH has had some superb picks but some just leave me scratching my head. The Musket? Chino Locos? Uggh. I've also researched some of their other pics and many have not had favourable reviews. Not all mind you, but certainly many.

[pearl3]

Yup, the Musket--Vegeta Ahoy!--and The Lakeview...

And, an unpopular opinion coming right up--I can't stand Catucci: the mugging, posing, and generally dumb statements put me off the show some time ago.

[magic]

The hosts, at the end of the day, I don't really care about. I just care about the food and place. But I think many don't care for Catucci or Fieri. Me, all I care about is the food really.

[justsayn]

+1 Can't watch because of him.

[Davwud]

FWIW I have German neighbours and they think The Musket is fabulous. They have family in every spring from Germany and make at trip there.

I've never been but I'd take that as a pretty good tell.

DT

[magic]

Only been once.

Service was dismal. Food was mediocre to blech. Certainly not worth the fat. A great space and would look great on TV, but I wouldn't go back personally.

But hey, check it out if curious. Maybe you'll have better luck.

[Spanglo]

Ok the Lakeview was a bad example.

[JennaBean]

The Burger's Priest and Banh Mi Boys are the only ones I would go out of my way for from their current list. I would and do that for Stockyards now and I want to try Dr Laffa but it is too far for me! :-)

[piccola]

I wouldn't go to Dr Laffa without access to a car. :) I know several people who will brave a long transit ride to get to Stockyards; Burger's Priest (the original) is just a little too far for me, but then again, I'm not crazy about their veggie burger. Luckily none of us have to go too far for Banh Mi Boys.

[kwass]

Dr Laffa is opening a 2nd location @ Bathurst and Lawrence, so you'll be able to try it soon :)

And I would also travel an hour for Stockyards!! Love that place!!

[magic]

Yikes. Okay.......