I know. It’s like some kind of unholy union between chili and pumpkin pie. It’s not just bad as chili, it’s hard to recognize it as chili at all. I came in here to mention that dish, but seeing you brought it up first had to agree.
I lived in Western New York as a small child; still visit relatives there occasionally.
Love the wings. Hate the beef on 'wick.
I don’t really eat red meat any more, but even when I did that shit icked me out. The beef was always so gooey, it seemed, and that kimmelwick shit (not sure how you spell it) with big ass carroway seeds that stick in between every tooth you have and enough salt to bait deer in your back yard … blech!
I’ll allow all you southerners to dis’ grits.
But you gotta admit, sausage gravy and biscuits is about the best damn thing ever.
I was pretty nonplussed by beignets at Cafe du Monde, which was shocking since every restaurant we collapsed in had phenomenal food. We were in New Orleans for 4 days, ate every meal out and I swear, I’ve never been some place that I felt it was illegal to serve bad food. I’m guessing Cafe du Monde got a waiver or something.
Alton Brown writes about their beignets in the second Feasting on Asphalt book. He was less than impressed, but he ate three while waxing poetic anyway. 
Quebec: Poutine. It’s good but it’s not like some freaking out of body experience or anything. It’s just good to really good. I’d say Nanaimo bars or maple tarts deserve the rep poutine has.
Midwest: Frozen Custard. I can’t taste the diff between this and ice cream.
New England: Lobster. Clam chowdah is actually really good but it’s seafood in a pound of butter and cream. Is it really all that special? In the grand scheme of seafood soups I’d say tom yum or bouillabasse is more impressive.
Probably a Maid-Rite – loose meat, sometimes in a sauce, sometimes with flavorings that you can’t see. Those are good.
Yeah, the corn is excellent too – it’s not overrated if you come in August and eat it within a few minutes of picking. But much longer than that and it’s not much different from the corn that comes in a can.
Some of our truck stop food is overrated, definitely. Except for the Irish stew and soda bread at Trump’s, just off I-35. I think it’s exit 42.
You are, of course, welcome to your own opinion, but whenever I hear grits criticized as being bland, investigation leads to the inescapable conclusion that they were cooked and/or served wrong. Grits are not a food unto themselves, but a delivery system for butter, salt, and various non-shrimp meats (preferably bacon or sausage). In much the same way oatmeal is a delivery system for brown sugar and dried fruits.
Fun story: sitting around with some co-workers recently, one (relatively new to the south) confessed that she had tried to make grits but really didn’t feel they came out as well as they should have. Three people sitting around her said, in chorus, without prior planning, “You didn’t use enough butter.”
Local (Amish): A second vote for shoofly pie. I really wonder if the Amish actually eat this anymore, or just keep making it as a joke on the tourists.
Local (not Amish): I’d say scrapple, but I don’t anyone overrates scrapple. It’s a (theoretically) meat-based product, and it’s gray. And mushy. How do you rate gray meat?
So I’m going to vote for soft pretzels. Nothing wrong with them, but they’re lightly baked dough with coarse salt on top. Perfectly edible, but food of the gods they ain’t.
First, I’d like to enthusiastically echo this recommendation. When I lived near the border, I found the Chile Relleno to be the single best bellwether of a Mexican restaurant’s quality. And now, many, many miles away… it’s still true.
Second, Cincinnati “Chili” is vile, as noted upthread.
Lastly, from my current location I’d like to add that there is absolutely no reason for anyone to ever eat a Kentucky Hot Brown. It’s not bad. It’s edible. It’s okay. But unless you just really want to eat a lot of cheese/cheese sauce with a little bacon smothering bland, dry turkey breast sitting atop soggy bread… don’t bother.
I’ll third toasted ravioli. There is nothing special about them and they are usually borderline dry.
Skyline or Cincinnati chili really sucks, a large pile of diced raw onions topped with shredded cheddar cheese on top of something that kind of looks like chili. And where the hell are the beans?
Okay, I laughed at this, but throw a 3000 mile plane trip into the equation and Philly soft pretzels, cheesesteaks, hoagies, tastecakes and decent pizza are foods of the gods.
so hungry 
It is hard to get a bad meal in New Orleans. I lived there for 4+ years and good food is a very, very serious matter of personal pride but also financial. Mediocre restaurants don’t stand a chance because there is so much competition at the top of every category. Cafe du Monde isn’t exactly a tourist trap but it is very limited for what they serve. You are supposed to enjoy the combination of coffee, beignets, and odd outdoor ambiance as a late night treat or for breakfast. I only went there maybe four times and found it good for what they do but mostly because of the atmosphere with out-of-state family and friends at 2 am.
Wisconsin.
I’m not all that fond of most bratwurst, actually…
A few local butchers make a halfway decent one, but even then I’d rather have a hamburger most of the time.
Mohs scale?
Pasties can go to hell.
Whenever you’re traveling in the south, someone will inevitably rave about some must-visit place where they serve either the absolute best fried chicken or the absolute best seafood in the entire world. Don’t listen to them; their entire world is situated within a 30-mile radius. Fried southern food is all crap and it leaves you feeling ill and craving fresh greens (which you will not find within 200 miles).
Beef-on-weck is the great discovery I made in Buffalo. I came for the wings. Only thought they were okay. The weck was, as another poster put it, sublime. I’m not sure what you mean by gooey beef, though.
Here’s the beef.
Here’s the weck.
Here’s the beef-on-weck.
And another for good measure.
(Taken at Charlie the Butcher’s).
Get a 4-way or 5-way with beans. Besides, beans don’t belong in chili. Ask any Texan.
Just stirring the pot… I actually do often use beans in chili, although I then call it chili with beans.
Yeah, but the thought of coming into contact with scrapple makes even carborundum cringe.
Glah…just looking at the bread makes me hurl. I can’t stand caraway seeds.