Top Five Wednesday: Food Towns

[ 4 ] January 27, 2010 |

While on the phone with the boyfriend last night, the conversation turned to the big V-day plans. This year New Orleans seems to be on the radar for our destination on Lovers Day (*Translation: Valentine’s Day). Yum to New Orleans! This gives us even more motivation in the gym knowing we are going to a food haven in just a few weeks, not to mention Marti Gras will be kicking its heels by this time. We put New Orleans in our top five cities to eat in the U.S. and that’s what started the madness. We started thinking of the top U.S. cities where we absolutely love the food and could honestly take a trip to these cities solely to eat. Check it:

1. New Orleans– We don’t know if its the creole seasonings, the abundant crawfish or the beignets but New Orleans tantalizes our palates like no other. It’s funny because all the things that this food culture prides itself on, we don’t like…but they still manage to be our favorites. Now how is that?? We guess it’s like the guy you don’t want to like, but you like them soo much. Spice and sweets are not our friends but why is it we can’t seem to stop eating all the gumbo and beignets that are waved in our face??…

2. Chicago– Deep dish, Garrett’s popcorn, smothered ball park hot dogs/sausages, Harold’s Fried Chicken…should we continue?? This could honestly take all day.

3. Philadelphia– The East Coast destination for food. Be ready for an additional 5 lbs. and a little heartburn but the cheesesteaks are like no other!

4. Houston– “Everything is bigger in Texas.” That’s for sure. We went back and forth with the boyfriend about this one: he didn’t like, we loved it. Maybe this calls for a food trip there instead of New Orleans…

5. Charleston– We actually made a food trip here. Solely for the food. Probably the first time we didn’t care about site seeing unless it was from the car window as we road around digesting the food we had just ate. Low country grits, shrimp and all things fried… (*we have to just say no!)

Now you may wonder why our two favorite cities didn’t make the list: New York or Washington, D.C. For D.C. it’s probably because we are looking for that distinct taste which is what makes each of these cities listed above stick out in our minds. For NY, we love you but we’re from NY and in all the years we have moved through and out the city we have not found something that just mesmerizes our palate to no avail. The reason could be that its home and we don’t get excited about the food anymore…dunno, but looking at this list, we have every reason to book a trip. Anyone down for a foodie road trip??

Picture source

Category: Food.Fun.Stuff., Travels, Washington D.C.

About the Author ()

Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.

Comments (4)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. {Ms. P} says:

    I just returned from New Orleans a few weekends ago.

    LOVED IT!

    Café du Monde's (Decatur Street) was my last stop, but will be my FIRST the next-go-round.

  2. Johnna Knows Good Food: Yum Yum, Gimme Some! says:

    Ooo, Thanks for the heads up! Can't wait for all that delicious food…

  3. Johnna Knows Good Food: Yum Yum, Gimme Some! says:

    Ooo, Thanks for the heads up! Can't wait for all that delicious food…

  4. Johnna Knows Good Food: Yum Yum, Gimme Some! says:

    Ooo, Thanks for the heads up! Can't wait for all that delicious food…

Leave a Reply