Finding Good Food On The Road..that someone else cooks

[TimeTraveler]

I had been keeping a log of places, we ate, while RVing, worthy of note and sharing with fellow RVers.

Don't know where it is, possibly in coach, where we keep it, elsewhere.

We have at times wasted a day looking for good dining while parked.

Our old Garmin GPS, was a total waste every Restaurant, listed was out of business, in Indiana.

No more McDonalds for us.

We stopped somewhere, years ago and had a meal delivered to our coach, while we took a break, maybe it was Florida, and in KY we had a meal delivered to us at Cracker Barre, to the coach while in their lot. Good tip of course. It was just too crowded and too noisy after fighting that heavy traffic.

Won't find that often.

We like good and better as close to home cooking as we can find.

In Henderson Kansas or just outside, "Amish Owned" restaurant was a the rage. Good food but nothing memorable.

I have a few in the book in Michigan, and Missouri, and a few more that was too lazy to note.

So it would be an idea to note the good and the better places, not fast food, you would recommend and post here perhaps.

Note the ones we can stop at, en route, for a good meal with good parking or our mhs and toads.

Wife is a great cook, three blue ribbons and two red,  at this past years, state fair, but she likes a break too and something different.  I think I have the colors right anyway thee first an two second.

[jleamont]

The log is a great idea!

We have stopped along the road before at a few great hidden gems. Sadly I have no idea where they were. Last time in OK we stopped at a Walmart for the night, went to a little diner around the corner, best breakfast we've ever had, neither of us have a clue where that was . 

Great places to eat post by state would be helpful on here. We cook most of our meals, but I always take a peek to see if there is a place that was on TV for some outstanding dish nearby, if so we will go. Our big family trip every year we cook breakfast and lunch in the coach, dinner out.

[wildebill308]

Yes that is a good idea. The only problem is people have different ideas on how things should taste. One tool is Yelp for finding places or one I like is when we are exploring a new town and looking in different shops is to ask the people "If you were going to go eat well where would you go and I don't mean Mickey D." The locals have pointed us to some amazing places. You will get different responses if it is lunch or supper.

One of my all time favorites, The 7th street Chafee in ABQ is one of them. A great lunch place is  Woerner Warehouse Café  in Fredericksburg Texas. Or Pasta Jay's 4 S Main St, Moab, UT. Main street BBQ in Euless Texas. 

Bill

[richard5933]

I'll add one to the list - Del's Cafe in St. Charles, MN. Basic mom & pop cafe serving real food. Had a great prime rib when we ate there, and their salad bar has uniquely Midwestern items like pickled beets, pickled herring, and more salads & relishes than I knew existed.

Found this on the way back from Rochester MN (which is another wonderful place, especially during Rochesterfest in June).

[hermanmullins]

When I traveled in my work, all over the Southwest, I would seek out Hamburger Joints. A little place by the 7 UP plant in Paris Texas, Kings in El Dorado Arkansas, Georges in Durant Oklahoma. Any time I recommend a place to eat, I always start with "the last time I was here". When in Shreveport Louisiana we always try to have breakfast at "Straws".

I forgot, The Feed Sack in Windom, Texas.

Most of the time when we are traveling and see a place we would like to investigate, there is no place to pull off and park. I know we have passed up some jewels but couldn't park. 

As Bill said what is wonderful for one is not so hot for some one else. But what the heck Bon appetit to all.

Herman

[kaypsmith]

If ever in Pigeon Forge Tn., If you haven't already, make it a point to visit the Old Mill, not handy for parking your MH there unless of course you happen to be driving a class B , the usual wait is an hour to two, but well worth it, if you want some good home style vittles. I think that this is what keeps us going back to PF twice a year. Oh yes another is Buckners on I-75 about 20 miles south of Atlanta, don't remember the exit #, but the Flying J is on the right of the Interstate at this exit, just turn and go past the Flying J about 100 yards, on the right between the road that you are on and the interstate. They have an amish spread to be remembered. Almost forgot, they have a parking lot that will accommodate an RV, you might not be able to get back into the coach after a meal there.

[manholt]

When I was traveling alone, 27 years.  I turned to the Food Chanel, on line...I have a  complete pdf file by State's of "Dinners, Drive inns and Dives", in my computer!  Paula Deem, in Charleston..good place, so is just about every other restaurant in that town!

[wildebill308]

Kind of like this?

http://www.dinersdriveinsdiveslocations.com/

Bill

[manholt]

Yep!  I also have a binder, hard copy by State!

[jleamont]

9 hours ago, kaypsmith said:

Old Mill,

Ahh, our favorite when in Pigeon Forge .

Not a place to eat but a place to stock up, Bush Bean factory not far from Pigeon Forge. We always go and walk their country store and stock up on their products. I get gas just walking around that place with my cart 

[jleamont]

Glen Rio NM, loved this place. http://www.russellsttc.com/

Food was good, the car museum and gift shop were neat. 

[kaypsmith]

Joe, shame yours is a diesel coach, wouldn't cost to go back home. LOL

[TimeTraveler]

makin notes.

[dickandlois]

Kay, Wondering about this one.  

Oh yes another is Buckners on I-75 about 20 miles south of Atlanta, don't remember the exit #, but the Flying J is on the right of the Interstate at this exit, just turn and go past the Flying J about 100 yards, NOW is it on the  west or right side of I-75  going north or south?  Flying J 's can be found, but the DW is direction challenged,  but a good cook. Have to give her a brake when the timing is good for a pit stop.

Rich.

[jleamont]

19 minutes ago, DickandLois said:

but the DW is direction challenged,  but a good cook.

LOL,  mine is just the opposite  She tells me where to go all the time, really good at directions 

[kaypsmith]

Here is a link to their web page.

http://bucknersfamilyrestaurant.com/#directions

The picture shows just how they serve it, the center of the round table  is a lazy susan. Sorry Rich for not answering your question, will be on the west side going south or north, but on the right side going south. LOL! Exit 201, Bucksnort rd., what a name for a road.

[jleamont]

30 minutes ago, kaypsmith said:

Here is a link to their web page.

Surprised you didn't post that BBQ gem we went to in 16' . Told Ronnie next time down there we are stopping, picking up Kay and Sue and headed back for more ribs and slaw. 

[wildebill308]

I have to throw out a fun chicken place that use to have people waiting in line for hours. Seriously they would bring lawn chairs and coolers and wait in line 2-3 hours was a short line. They finally started expanding and the wait times have come down. Their stick is you get 1/2 chicken and all the sides you can eat.

 http://www.babeschicken.com/our-kitchens/burleson/

The family has another place, Sweetie Pie’s Ribeye's. Yes it is as good as it sounds.

http://sweetiepiesribeyes.com/

Bill

[hermanmullins]

Bill, Babe's has a number of locations and they are all great. We have also eaten at the one in Burleson. They have one in Granbury, Garland  and Sanger. The home style servings are great. The nice thing is that they have Fried Chicken, Fried Fish and Chicken Fried Steak (which is so much better than those other places with Country Fried Steak.)

Herman

[jleamont]

Bill, how far from Oasis? I'll be there after NM. I'm up for a road trip in the Toad. Or any places up there besides Big Texan, already going there 

[abyrd]

26 minutes ago, hermanmullins said:

Bill, Babe's has a number of locations and they are all great. We have also eaten at the one in Burleson. They have one in Granbury, Garland  and Sanger. The home style servings are great. The nice thing is that they have Fried Chicken, Fried Fish and Chicken Fried Steak (which is so much better than those other places with Country Fried Steak.)

Herman

Please tell a non Texans what the difference between Chicken Fried Steak and Country Fried Steak.

I lived in Star County for two years,  and I was told that it's not considered Texas by real Texans, however they had good Chicken Fried Steak.

Jim

[chindog]

The Honey Pot Eatery, on the property of Bee's RV Resort in Clermont, FL is pretty famous in this area.  They only serve dinner on Tuesday and Friday (and now seasonally on Thursday) from 4 to 7pm.  It's an all you can eat buffet, with a fixed menu and a fixed price of $10.  On Tuesday it's fried chicken.  On Friday it's fried fish.  And on Thursday it's pot roast and pork loin.  Crowds gather, and you can expect to wait in line for an hour if you don't get there early.

[richard5933]

I lived 20+ years in Texas, went to school there, and grew to have a fond place in my heart for chicken fried steak. Now that I'm in Wisconsin it's hard to find, especially done right. It was explained to me that the name 'country fried steak' was used to avoid having to explain to non-Texans what they were eating. I once took a few Japanese exchange students to have dinner in the Ft. Worth Stockyards. They couldn't understand the menu, so I just order chicken fried steak for everyone. Took forever to explain to them what it was. Then it took a while later to explain to them why someone would do this to a perfectly good steak. Then they got their food and understood.

[wildebill308]

3 hours ago, hermanmullins said:

Bill, Babe's has a number of locations and they are all great. We have also eaten at the one in Burleson. They have one in Granbury, Garland  and Sanger. The home style servings are great. The nice thing is that they have Fried Chicken, Fried Fish and Chicken Fried Steak (which is so much better than those other places with Country Fried Steak.)

Herman

Yes Herman if you go to the website it shows all the other locations. and menus. What I am waiting for is they are building a new concept store on that has both Sweetie pies and a Babes in the same building. It is going up at North 820 and Rufe Snow drive just to the East on the access road.

Go look at the menu at the Sweetie pies link.

Unfortunately Joe they haven't made it to Amarillo. I will get you some notes latter.

Bill 

[hermanmullins]

Jim,

No difference other than what it is called. Years ago where ever you were down south, if you questioned the menu a Chicken Fried Steak was always a good choose. However now many places go to places like Sam's but a box of frozen, heavenly breaded, pattie of hard to describe ground beef. When cooked the breading puffs up and the pattie sriviles up and you need a Steak Knife to cut it. 

A really good CFS is a nice thin cut of Flank or Round Steak, really tinderized, dregged in seasoned flour then milk and back into the flour and into the frying pan. And when done right you can cut it with you fork. A must is Cream Gravy and Mash Potatoes. Mmmm, I have just talked myself into lunch at Tracks in Sherman, TX.

Herman