Posted by ayersian
, September 08, 2009 08:30
Now that we’ve unpacked, settled, and taken time to go through nearly 2,000 photos, we’re looking back at this long roadtrip and have come up with some stats and best-of lists. The most amazing occurrence is that we managed to eat only a handful of mediocre meals, with the vast majority (approximately 95%) being four- and five-star Roadfood menu items. We quickly found out, however, that months and months of advance research sometimes didn’t hold a candle to a quick Internet or local newspaper browse when pulling into a town.
Miles driven on trip: just shy of 10,000
States and provinces visited: 26
Roadfood-reviewed spots visited: 38
Non-RF-reviewed spots visited: 101
Places that should be RF-reviewed: 74
Best burger: 911 Burger, Eddie Burger + Bar, Banff, AB
Best hot dog: Buffalo Dog, Billy’s Giant Hamburgers, Jackson, WY
Best “fast food”: Grilled Bratwurst, Woudstra Meat Market, Orange City, IA
Best sandwich: Roast Pork Italian, Tony Luke’s, Philadelphia, PA
Best bar food: Charlie Boy, Miles Inn, Sioux City, IA
Best meal eaten in a bus: Grilled Cheese Grill, Portland, OR and Motoraunt, Edmonton, AB (tie)
Best pizza: Pizza Pot Pie, Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinder Co., Chicago, IL
Best seafood: Smoked Mussels, Ecola Seafoods, Cannon Beach, OR and Smoked Salmon, Crabpot, Lincoln City, OR (tie)
Best sushi: Chef’s Choice, Yuki Hana, Chicago, IL
Best coffee: Captain Jack Mocha, Rusty Cup, Astoria, WA (also Friendliest service)
Best pastry: Raisin Scones, Fairmont Empress, Victoria, BC
Best doughnut: Bacon Maple Bar, Voodoo Doughnut, Portland, OR
Best pie: Strawberry Cream Pie, Cheyenne Crossing, Lead, SD
Best ice cream: Wilcoxson’s Mountain Berry, Yellowstone National Park, WY
Best milkshake: Huckleberry shake, Victor Emporium, Victor, ID
Best car food: Prime Rib Snack Sticks, S&S Meats, Grand Rapids, MN
Weirdest meal: Salami Curry, Manpuku, Toronto, ON
Favorite “new to us” meal: Meat and pizza pasties, Dobber’s Pasties, Iron Mountain, MI
Best breakfast: Chorizo & Avocado Eggs Benedict, Diner Deluxe, Calgary, AB
Most decadent item: 5-Layer Chocolate Pie Shake, Betty’s Pies, Two Harbors, MN
Most addictive food: Ginger Beef, Silver Inn, Calgary, AB
Best carnivore dinner: Greek dry ribs and sirloin, Lakeshore Steak House, Regina, SK
We’d also like to thank all the people who fed us, put us up for the night, and divulged their most secret places for fabulous food, especially: Jane & Michael Stern, Bruce Bilmes & Sue Boyle, Buffetbuster, Nocarolina, ChiTownDiner & Patti, the JRPfeff family, the Buffalo Tarheel family, WanderingJew, Sarah & Chris, Mary Alice, the Honey family, the Mr. Chips family, the Johnsons, the Westovers, Sarah & Kris, Kirsty & Darren, the Roseau crew, Susan, the Chafouleas family, SRO/Anthem, U.S. and Canadian National Park rangers, free wifi, and all the fine servers, owners, and customers of Roadfood spots across the continent!
