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Trip Coach: August 12, 2008

Roadfood experts Jane and Michael Stern answered your questions about roadside dining.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008 |

Jane and Michael Stern: We just did that trip a couple of weeks ago, but the other way, starting in San Francisco. There is no shortage of good things to eat right on—or just off—the Coast Highway. The one real diner-like gem is the Otis Cafe, just off 101 in Otis, Oregon. It is a tiny place, usually crowded. Hearty, homey food. While not precisely diners, some of the other casual Roadfood eateries along the way include the Marshall Store in Marshall, California, for oysters barbecued to order, served on makeshift tables overlooking Tomales Bay. In Oregon, a few favorites include the South Beach Fish Market in South Beach for excellent fried fish & chips (especially halibut) and fresh Dungeness crab, a place called Fresh Seafood NW in Tillamook across from the big creamery (great chowder), and the Ecola Market in Cannon Beach (fresh EVERYTHING; they have their own boats). Also in Cannon Beach, there is a bakery called Waves of Grain that makes sensational sticky buns, cheese biscuits, and cupcakes. Beyond Cannon Beach, in Gearhart, we like Norma's Ocean View Diner for a full menu of local seafood, along with a list of wines from Oregon. Oh, and one more place if you want to have a more upscale meal: Sidestreet Bistro in Florence. It is a small, cozy place with an ambitious menu of mostly Pacific Northwest seafood.

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Hot Springs, S.D.: I will be in Bellevue, Idaho a few days in September while my dog undergoes elbow replacement there. Where are good, reasonable places to eat?

Jane and Michael Stern: Wow, elbow replacement. That's amazing that it can be done. Sorry to say, we have never been to Bellevue, so don't have any recommendations (please let us know if you find something good to eat there!) but if you can get over to Boise, definitely give Andrade's Restaurante Mexicano a try. They've got a salsa bar where you help yourself to chunky salsa roja, pico de gallo, four-alarm habanero puree and a large variety of other tongue-tinglers that are just right for dipping tortilla chips. Another fine place in Boise is the Westside Drive-In, run by local celebrity chef Lou Aaron, inventor of the Idaho Ice Cream Potato (!). Great burgers and stupendous, gigantic baked potatoes.

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Vero Beach, Fla.: Wanted a quick stop for a pulled pork sandwich off Interstate 95 going north (or south for that matter) in North Carolina. There used to be a wonderful stop at Benson that's now closed. Boy were we disappointed! Our mouths had been ready for 200 miles. There is another (I think called the Swan?) in the vicinity that's no comparison. Can you suggest any alternatives, as it was one of the treats that made the ride back north worthwhile. Thanks.

Jane and Michael Stern: The place I'd recommend is Parker's in Wilson, North Carolina—a classic, old-time pig-pickin originally made popular by local tobacco farmers long ago. Get the chopped pork and Brunswick stew with hushpuppies, corn sticks, cole slaw, and boiled potatoes on the side. If you are willing to detour off I-95 and head east to Ayden, you will there find the Skylight Inn, which many consider to be one of the greatest barbecue parlors anywhere. It is whole-hog 'cue done the old-fashioned way, and there are exactly two items on the menu: a sandwich (pulled pork with cole slaw included) and a tray (pulled pork with cole slaw and a tile of cornbread). Either way, it is a meal to remember.

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Belleville, N.J.: Whenever we travel around the state, my wife teases me because it seems like I've been to just about every diner we drive by. (Yeah, it's a Jersey thing—although, California has a diner culture too, doesn't it?) So what is your one can't-miss diner?

Jane and Michael Stern: In New Jersey, I am especially fond of White Rose System in Linden, which my eater-pals Bruce Bilmes and Sue Boyles directed me to for the Taylor ham sandwiches with eggs, cheese, AND home fried potatoes. (As a New Jersey native, you KNOW just how beloved Taylor ham is in the Garden State; it is a treat that few out-of-staters know or understand. The fact is that New Jersey really does have the best and the most diners, although you will find some good ones all over the country, such as Mickey's Dining Car in St. Paul, Bobcat Bite in Santa Fe, and Bette's Oceanview in Berkeley. I'm not sure about California having a thriving diner culture any more. Even Bette's is a modern place that is more an ode to the diner (but a thoroughly worthy one). Another interesting dinerish place in Oakland is a place called Bakesale Betty's, known for great pastries and its chicken salad sandwich. At this place, you dine out on the sidewalk at tables made from old ironing boards!

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West Palm Beach, Fla.: We will be road tripping from Atlanta to Asheville then on to Charleston, then Savannah and back to Atlanta from October 9th to the 19th. We're two adults in our late 30s, no kids. We'd love to find some good food on the road but haven't found any websites that help you plan a road trip around food. Any suggestions?? Thanks, Angela

Note: This story was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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