At Casamento's Restaurant, the raw oysters are "a tradition," says Guy Fieri. Family-owned since 1919, the classic NOLA establishment is also known for irresistible fried-oyster sandwiches, fried shrimp and soft-shell crab.
Guy Fieri calls late night spot Casino El Camino home to "the best burger in town." Juicy and tender, the 12-ounce monsters come topped with everything from cheese and thick-cut bacon to roasted Serrano peppers and Texas-hot buffalo sauce. For a spicy side, pair your burger with Verde Chili Fries.
At Green Mesquite, the BBQ gets its spectacular smoky flavor from the spot's namesake: mesquite wood that is seasoned, or "green." On Triple D, Guy calls the ribs, made with brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, onion and garlic, "awesome." Other faves include brisket, pulled pork and chicken fried steak.
If you want to eat Chef John Conley's giant Navajo Taco, you can use your fork and knife, or follow Guy's advice and dig in with your hands. The "King-Kong-meets-popover" tacos are Chef John's idea of Mexican cuisine that uses big flavors like cilantro cream sauce, roasted pork and fresh salsa.
Enjoy classic scratch-made diner fare with a Southwest twist at Zia's. Guy appreciated the balance between the savory salmon and the sweet caramelized shallots in the smoked salmon quesadilla. He also recommends the corned beef hash and the refreshing corn and avocado gazpacho.
Nothing lifts the spirits like some good-old Southern comfort food cooking. Guy deemed the dense cornbread stuffing the star. Also memorable is the sweet, tender and moist fried chicken over mac and cheese. The hush puppies, battered catfish and grits are also popular.
You know they're seriously cranking it out when every steak goes through a needling machine, guaranteeing it'll be tender. Get the "Presidential Choice" T-Bone Steak, named after President Bush Sr., who ordered it while visiting the steakhouse. Or try the popular Pepper Steak with peppercorn sauce.
Locals claim they're serving the world's best sandwiches here, and they may not be lying. Try their best-seller, the Chipotle Pastrami topped with coleslaw and pressed on a double-faced grill, or the "real-deal-style New England Clam Chowder" made with fresh clams.
For delicious homemade tamales, drop by Mom's Tamales and sample one of eight options, all steamed and using scratch-made batter. The corn and cheese, chicken mole and beef tamales are particularly noteworthy. Also worth a try: specialties like stuffed peppers, queso fresco and sopes asadas.
Guy says, "the pork chops are the size of Cleveland"; they're so enormous, they can easily be a combo of two chops made into one. Paris-trained Chef Rick Valenzuela serves up unique concoctions like Rick's salmon in Potato, which is glued together with his salmon paste.
Guy says "they're knocking out the real-deal food from Trinidad" at Pam's Kitchen with dishes like Spicy Jerk Chicken and Pelau. A must-try is the Dahlpuri, an unleavened bread stuffed with yellow split peas, then rolled up and cooked to order on the flattop.
If you're skeptical on how authentic Mexican food could be in Milwaukee, you'll change your mind after trying the mole at Cempazuchi. Owner Bryce Clark has been traveling to Mexico and seeking out recipes to deliver unique authentic dishes like duck tacos and Fajitas de Nortenos.
If you're interested in "licking the volcano out of Flavortown," Guy recommends ordering Lankford's Firehouse Burger basted with cayenne butter and loaded with hot-sauce mustard. Also check out their 12 bold burger specialties and daily lunch specials like the Chicken Fried Steak and Texas Hash.
Landmark Restaurant Diner may be a Greek family restaurant, but the menu spans the globe, from the American Turkey Tom-Tom ("Thanksgiving on a plate") to the Italian tiramisu (one of just 230 baked goods). Of course, they've got Greek too -- Guy could eat the spanakopita not once, but 36 more times.
Make restaurant favorites at home with copycat recipes from FN Magazine.
Let Guy take you on a coast-to-coast tour Friday at 9|8c.