Since Steve Franks always seems to mention food in the interviews, and like Shawn, seems to be a Foodie, I thought we'd gather up some "places to hit" (just the really good ones) for Steve Franks, in case he's in those areas.....
In general I'm picky about food since, like Gus, I am a super-taster, super-smeller. These places have made the cut (Though I hope the economy hasn't caused them to make any changes, as some of these places I haven't been to recently):

My recommendations are:

Chinese:
Din Tai Fung in Arcadia, CA (they have a website with directions, just look up Din Tai Fung) makes authentic Shanghai soup dumplings....thin wrappers filled with juicy meat and soup and steamed to perfection) I heard movie stars in Taiwan wait in line for this place...

Ton Kiang http://www.tonkiang.net/ in San Francisco (dim sum)

Italian:
Mulberry Street Pizzeria in San Rafael, CA http://www.mulberry-street-pizzeria.com/ (Their mushroom pizza won a Food Network award in a national competition, flavors awesome, crust, I would prefer Pizza Nova.)

Pizza Nova in San Marcos, CA (http://www.pizzanova.net/) Perfect crusts on the pizza, a divine portabella and pancetta pizza with truffle oil....

Trattoria I Trulli in Encinitas, CA (it's on Hwy 101 where the highway has become a small road lined with shops) Excellent seafood pasta, generous portions

Biaggi's in Champaign, Illinois (http://www.biaggis.com/) Lasagna. Chopped Salad. Yum. (Please note, I am picky about my lasagnas, but this is good)

Indian:
Bombay Grill in Champaign, Illinois (Chicken Makhani, Dal Makhani, Naan....)

Japanese:
Niban on Clairemont Mesa in San Diego, CA (ignore bentos. The best, cheap sushi you will ever find anywhere. Cheap, but better taste and quality than a lot of the more expensive restaurants)

Ki Ku Ya in La Jolla, CA on the crossroads of Governor and Genesse. The Best Bento boxes. Good calamari tempura, too.

Kisho Japanese Restaurant in Valencia, CA on Valencia Blvd. Best Teppan.

Random:

Best Clam Chowder:
Jakes in Portland, Oregon

Best Eggrolls:
Pho Lucky in Vista, CA on Sycamore. These are Vietnamese eggrolls, and they are the best eggrolls I've had from any culture, better than the homemade eggrolls my mom made while I was growing up.... The rest of the food here is hit or miss; the BBQ pork chop is really good, I'd avoid the BBQ pork (non-chop) though, as it is very fatty.

Best Risotto:
Okay, so I've had great risotto in Illinois at a place I can't remember the name of but I think it might be the Bread Company..., once in Austria also at a place I can't remember, and the place I do remember is:

Wild Fox in Novato, CA. I've had so many terrible risottos, that I generally hesitate to get it when I see it on the menu, but sometimes I try anyways, just because the good risottos that I've had are REALLY good. No need to hesitate on risotto at Wild Fox. (http://www.wildfoxrestaurant.com/index.shtml)

Best Soft Serve Ice Cream:
Gotta say, the best one was in CA Adventure (next to Disneyland) in the Paradise Pier area?, where they have flavored syrups swirled into the vanilla ice cream. I was surprised a theme park actually had something that good....


mmm. Yum! =D

This sounds fun. Although I haven't really eaten anywhere other than North Carolina. And they're usually small towns (I don't think Steve Franks would be in any of these places but...:

Frazier's Steak and Seafood- Asheville, NC- They have the best freaking rolls and hush puppies in the world. My sister and I actually stole the rolls off the table and put them in our purses. http://www.frazierssteakandseafood.com/

Belagios-Weaverville, NC (20 minutes north of Asheville)- They have amazing really anything with Italian sauce. They also have Greek food.

Vito's Pizza- Southern Pines, NC (right in the quaint downtown of So. Pines off of US 1)- Amazing pizza!

Mount Fuji's Japanese Steakhouse- Aberdeen, NC (right on US 1)- It's so much fun. If you sit in the back, they cook right in front of you. And if it's your birthday, they throw shrimp tails at you. Great Japanese food.

Big Al's Soda Fountain and Grill- Manteo, NC (on Roanoke Island part of the Outer Banks right on 264)-This place is so cool. We went there for the first time when my grandparents moved to Manteo. It feels like an old '50's soda shop and the food is great (burgers are EXCELLENT). It'll take you right back to "Happy Days" http://www.themefifty.com/
Poor Richard's Sandwich Shop- Manteo, NC (located right on the waterfront in the quaint little town of Manteo)- You can sit inside and look out at the boating dock (or even outside). They have great sandwiches. Whenever we go down to visit my grandparents we always go to Poor Richards. (There's even a bar that opens at 5:00). http://www.poorrichardsmanteo.com/

The Coffeehouse- Manteo, NC- Great coffee (iced, cappachinos, etc) (I love it and I'm not very much a coffee person), GREAT ice cream, smoothies, milkshakes, cookies, etc. We ALWAYS go there when we go to the beach. And it's not crowded like a Starbucks is.

Sugar Creek- Nags Head, NC- Great place with great food. The place is literally on the water. Sometimes there is even a shrimp that waves at you on the side of the road. http://www.sugarcreekseafood.com/

Bubba's BBQ- Cape Hatteras or Manteo, NC- Awesome BBQ. Lots of great memories at that place too. Just minutes from the tallest lighthouse in the US (if you're on Hatteras Island). http://www.bubbasbbque.com/
There are lots of other great resturaunts on the Outer Banks but that would take up too much space.

I recommend this for anyone: Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream

Also, if my grandma owned a resturaunt, I swear the place would never be empty. She cooks the best seafood, Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner (and her famous Christmas cookies), chicken salad, desserts of all kinds, mashed potatoes. If you drop a name I'm sure she'll let you stay for dinner.

It is my moral obligation to let the world know of the phenomenon that is "The Big Texan". It's a world-famous steak house and roadside attraction just outside Amarillo, TX. that serves some damn fine food. Home of the world famous 72oz steak! If you order one of these bad boys, they seat you on a raised table in the middle of the restaurant so everybody can watch you try to eat the steak, a baked potato, and a shrimp cocktail in less than one hour. It you win, the meal is free AND you get another 72oz steak to go. And for the record, the giant live rattlesnake in the gift shop is bigger around than my arm.

http://www.bigtexan.com/


For seafood, I LOVE the seafood buffet at The Rio Hotel & Suites in Las Vegas. Those miniature lobster tails and crab legs are delicious.

http://www.riolasvegas.com/casinos/rio/res...fet-detail.html

Barbeque - Hickory Creek BBQ in Lake Dallas, TX. Flat out the best BBQ and smoked sausage you'll ever eat in your life.


And if you happen to like the Brazilian style Churrascaria-type restaurants where they walk around with a selection of meats in spits, this is, in my opinion, the best of them. Texas de Brazil. Their meats are SO delicious andexperly prepared, plus they have a magnificent salad bar with a KILLER lobster bisque.

http://www.texasdebrazil.com/

Bon a petit!

Texasartchick

This sounds like a great idea!! Virginia Beach is a pretty big tourist area so of course we have some great places to chow down around here

Pi-zzeria - The coolest Pizzeria in the area. The whole restaurant has an algebra theme as the logo is the Pi symbol. The staff is super nice and it has a really colorful atmosphere.... and it's located right off the beach too! their Brushetta appetizer is to die for, last time I went there my and my friends devoured the entire plate in mere minutes. Definitely go for the Calamari Fritti, it's cruchy but not too chewy and it is greasy but that's actually why I love it. As for pizza choices I love the Barbecued Chicken Pizza, not only is it delicous but it's really pretty too. They drizzle BBQ sauce in a swirl on top of the pizza which makes it really tangy and different. Also spring for the California Veggie, the artichokes really makes this pizza an epic win.

Pocahontas Pancakes-Another great boardwalk find. You know they take their breakfast seriously when they close up shop at 1pm! They take the name Pocahontas literally, and you figure this out pretty quickly after seeing the giant Teepee built into the back of the restaurant and life sized carved Indians scattered throughout the restaurant. As for menu choices well, Pancakes are their specialty, but they also have amazing waffles and eggs too. I usually go for the breakfast sampler as it has a little bit of everything....although I did see someone order a giant stack of pancakes smothered in strawberries and I think I wanted to die.

Otani- The most amazing Japanese steakhouse around...it's always packed and the hibachi chefs are very entertaining. Great place to take your family for a nice dinner. They have probably the most HEAVENLY fried rice I've ever had...and I don't even like fried rice usually, plus they make it right in front of you!

Seafood is a major staple in this area as we're right off the Chesapeake Bay, which makes it hard to choose just one, Rockefeller's, The Anchor Inn and Rudee's Inlet are probably you're best bet.

right now, the only thing i can think of is if you ever find yourself in New Brunswick, NJ, go eat at "Stuff Yer Face" its my family's favorite restaurant (me included)
they have at least 32 types of stromboli and they have over 70 types of beer or something.

seriously, my favorite place to eat. and now i want to go there. right now. but its 12 AM and its 45 minutes away. so thats not happening.

http://www.stuffyerface.com/

ok, first off-great idea for a topic

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Best Soft Serve Ice Cream:
Gotta say, the best one was in CA Adventure (next to Disneyland) in the Paradise Pier area?, where they have flavored syrups swirled into the vanilla ice cream. I was surprised a theme park actually had something that good....


mmm. Yum! =D
[/quote]

they do have wonderful soft serve! i was also impressed

palm springs
-Las Casuelas Nuevas on palm canyon dr- family owned and HUGE portions

san diego
- filippi's pizza grotto on india st in little italy downtown- everything they make is amazing and i mean, everything
-cafe zucchero also on india st in little italy downtown- best gelato outside of italy
-extraordinary desserts on union st also in little italy downtown- good sandwiches, great desserts (well duh!)
-fred's mexican cafe in the gaslamp district- and they dont actually serve mexican food great burgers though

north san diego county
-101 cafe in oceanside just south of the pier- just a great little 50s diner serving the best omelets on the planet among other things
-angelo's burgers in oceanside on pacific coast hwy- onion rings that have surely descended from heaven, and giant delicious everything