# The disappointment in ordering a local/regional specialty outside of that locale **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [September 21, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503 "2023-09-21T21:24:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/161 "2023-09-26T22:06:00Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > every local small-town style butcher shop we try is a disappointment compared to what we once had. Yeah, me too. I got used to brats from certain butchers and it’s tough to change tastes for comfort food sometimes ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/162 "2023-09-26T22:28:31Z")
> [@carrps](#): > > 1976 seems kind of late for introducing teriyaki. I’d been eating it since I was a kid in the 50s. The article didn’t really explain it in much detail. How is it made “fast food style?” It’s not teriyaki in the sense that the word describing a particular Japanese food tradition has existed for, dunno, a long time. It’s a particular kind of teriyaki as interpreted by Korean immigrants to be sold inexpensively to Seattle folks on their lunch breaks and whatnot. Imagine a place somewhere between ‘no-frills’ and ‘wow, this place is a dump’. In that shop, they have an assembly line operation continuously moving marinated chicken thighs\* from a vat onto a big, smoky grill. Someone takes the hot, charred chicken off the grill and quickly cuts it up with a cleaver. From there another person drops it on a bed of rice with a small side of cheap salad with a tangy white dressing. Before the box is closed up, you get the chance to squirt on more of the same sort of sauce the chicken was marinated in, hot sauce, or both. A short few minutes later, you’re on your way back to work with lunch in the bag. \*they have beef too, but it was never my preference. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/163 "2023-09-26T22:33:53Z")
Oh, man, Ream’s is awesome. It’s been many years since I’ve made it out that way, though. Need to change that. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/164 "2023-09-26T22:40:03Z")
Aw, so basically just a rice bowl. ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/165 "2023-09-26T22:44:32Z")
Yeah, with a very specific Korean-Japanese sauce and at the better places, a particular style of grilling that creates lots of nice charred bits ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/166 "2023-09-26T22:55:49Z")
Sounds yummy. I hate when places don’t grill teriyaki meat. It should _always_ have those charred bits. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/167 "2023-09-26T23:04:22Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > I could live the rest of my life off of rolled tacos, cheese enchiladas, carne asada fries, and the occasional chimichanga and I would be fat and happy. And dead within months. If you aren’t surfing every day to burn off those calories, 'berto’s kills. But, as you said, fat and happy. They serve 'berto’s in Paradise. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/168 "2023-09-27T00:07:04Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > I’ve found that bratwurst made outside of southeastern WI can be strange things. To me, the best brats come from Sheboygan county. I’ve sampled some made in Illinois and California that were pale, strangely seasoned sausages that did NOT punch my taste buds the way a true brat ought to. One whitish-pink specimen actually resembled a hot dog in taste and texture. Ugh! > > I’ve heard there are decent brats to be found in Ohio, but I’ve not had the chance to try them. To me all brats pale in comparison to one you can get at any schnell imbiss in Germany. Hard roll and hot mustard. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/169 "2023-09-27T13:21:58Z")
> [@Pork\_Rind](#): > > Before the box is closed up, you get the chance to squirt on more of the same sort of sauce the chicken was marinated in And it’s more like a syrup than a sauce. It’s one of the few things culinary that I miss about living in the PNW (along with personal crabbing on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/170 "2023-09-27T14:17:43Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Hard roll and hot mustard. That’s the standard for Sheboygan brats too. Served on what’s called a Sheboygan hard roll (or Semmel roll), and spicy mustard, and other toppings of choice. The city is heavily populated by those of german ancestry. Just south of Sheboygan is the village of Oostburg, settled by dutch immigrants. There they added a hamburger patty to the brat and hard roll to create the Oostburger. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/171 "2023-09-27T16:11:16Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > And it’s more like a syrup than a sauce. Yeah, teriyaki sauce should be syrupy. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/172 "2023-09-27T20:55:30Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > He was lured by the pull of exotic South Florida and got a chef job in Sarasota. Evidently the pull wasn’t all _that_ strong since he stopped in **central** Florida. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/173 "2023-09-27T21:39:35Z")
Well, it’s South_west_ Florida (tropical ☀☀), much further south from where I am (subtropical ☀). ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/174 "2023-09-28T01:13:47Z")
Sarasota is so far north of where I am they have lots more freeze warnings than we do every year. (ok, 3 or 4 versus 0 or 1 😁 ) ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/175 "2023-09-28T01:33:35Z")
Is there a fellow with a ruddy complexion who carries a pitchfork where you live? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/176 "2023-09-28T14:22:26Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > > [@Southern\_Yankee](#): > > > > I moved to a small town outside Charlotte, NC in 2004. > > Completely off topic, but I actually grep up in a small town outside Charlotte, NC (Mooresville, specifically). > > More on topic: You can’t get good North Carolina style barbecue here, either. You can’t find good eastern North Carolina barbecue in Atlanta, for that matter. It’s all this tomato-based pseudo-cue down here. I can imagine it’d be impossible to find in California. Hell, you probably have those Texas-style heathens who think that “barbecue” is something you do to cows. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/177 "2023-09-28T16:12:27Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > You can’t find good eastern North Carolina barbecue in Atlanta, for that matter. It’s all this tomato-based pseudo-cue down here. I can imagine it’d be impossible to find in California. Hell, you probably have those Texas-style heathens who think that “barbecue” is something you do to cows. We barely even have that. Please, those in America Sur - send us in CA some good, life-giving BBQ, in quantity! ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/178 "2023-09-28T16:23:45Z")
California does have its own local style of barbecue, smoked tri-tip. Although Southerners might say it isn’t “real” barbecue, as the preparation is more of a hybrid of Mexican style grilling and American barbecue, not the traditional “low and slow” cooking technique. There’s a place called Poor Red’s Bar-b-q over in the town of El Dorado that I thought looked promising, but a look at their [website](https://www.poorreds.com/)… just no. They’re attempting to make their barbecue too “fancy”, which is the problem with most places around here that claim to be barbecue places. ETA: And their menu seems to focus mostly on steaks and burgers, even though they call themselves a barbecue restaurant. They look more like a steakhouse that also has pulled pork and ribs on the menu. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/179 "2023-09-28T17:12:22Z")
Independent BBQ shacks are typically best, but [Woody’s](https://woodys.com/menu/#themainevent) (a Florida regional chain…with one location in Pennsylvania) isn’t too shabby—not shabby at all. I got the dry-rub ribs at [Rendezvous](https://hogsfly.com/history/) in Memphis over 30 years ago. Best BBQ ribs I ever ate. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2023, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503/180 "2023-09-28T17:16:13Z")
Yeah, those ribs are kind of one of a kind, somewhere between barbecue and grilling. Not as smoky as most traditional barbecue, but still quite good (though I prefer other places in Memphis.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-disappointment-in-ordering-a-local-regional-specialty-outside-of-that-locale/990503.md?page=10)