Home, Sweet Home

We are seldom disappointed in any restaurant that bills itself as the “Home of _________ ,” with the conspicuous exception of the southern Midwest cafe with a sign outside boasting that it was “Home of the C.L.O.T.H. Sandwich,” where it turned out that C.L.O.T.H. was simply an acronym for an unremarkable combo of cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato and ham. Pictured above are some inviting homes we’ve run across in our travels looking for 500 Things to Eat Before It's Too Late. Doogie's extra-long hot dog has since trimmed down to sixteen inches; the Southside Market was a highlight of the Roadfood tour of Texas barbecues last year; Nick Tahou will be a featured stop of the forthcoming Roadfood tour of Rochester and Buffalo in September, 2009; Carol’s Bakery used to be a favorite stop in Cranston, Rhode Island; and Tropical Isle, “Home of the Hand Grenade (New Orleans’ Most Powerful Drink),” eluded us during the Louisiana Roadfood Festival in April. One of our favorite Homes is New York state’s West Taghkanic Diner, which boasts that it is Home of Home Cooking.