New Series: Informed Edibles
I have a thing against hotel restaurants. They are almost never good. I’m also a huge non-fan of fast food. I don’t see the point in it. Aside from a wicked hangover–which let’s just all agree you shouldn’t have more than maybe once a month, ideally less–there’s just no reason to eat at McDonalds. Yet when you are traveling, hotel restaurants and fast food often appear to be your only option. But I’m here to tell you–you are wrong.
There is always an alternative to these two terrible options–and ninety-nine percent of the time, that alternative isn’t ‘hunger’ (though there is the 1%; there’s always the 1%). Enter–Informed Edibles.
In the next–well, forever–I’ll be traveling as I always have. But I’ll also be traveling in a less-than-ideal fashion–I’ll be traveling for business (see also: the soon-to-be-extremely-prolific Observation Desk series). And I’ve made a personal vow to avoid hotel restaurants and fast food whenever possible. More than that, I’ve made a vow to seek out interesting, healthy, and convenient dining options wherever I go.
It’s 2013. There’s no reason you have to suffer through a plate of roadside rest stop Sbarro spaghetti. There’s no reason why you should have to endure a soggy airport terminal Outback salad (for the record, these are both things I’ve ‘enjoyed’ more than twice in the past. Far more than twice.) There’s an app for that. In fact, there are several.
Thus, I’ll be structuring Informed Edibles in a way that only a super-OCD travel blogger can–with a well-laid-out series of guidelines and categories.
Guidelines
- All Informed Edibles posts will feature establishments whose primary business is ‘the sale of food (and occasionally alcohol)’
- All Informed Edibles posts will feature establishments that are neither located within a hotel nor feature a drive-through window.
- All Informed Edibles posts will feature iPhone photos of the food described, whenever possible.
- All Informed Edibles posts will include the location of the establishment, so that Suitcase Scholar readers may easily find it.
- All Informed Edibles posts will ask for readers suggestions of other similarly amazing options in the same general geographic area. Because I’m not the expert–you are all experts. I’m just hungry and on the road.
Categories
- Method: For each Informed Edibles establishment featured, I will describe the method by which I researched and located that establishment–whether it was a drive-by sighting, an ill-advised mid-highway Yelp search, or a desperate shot in the dark on a hungry, rainy night. Did someone recommend the establishment? Who? How did I get in touch with them?
- Impetus: Each Informed Edibles post will also briefly explain why I happened upon–or, more likely, was forced to locate–the establishment featured. Was I on a road trip? Stuck in an airport? Lost in a new town?
- Justification: Finally, Informed Edibles posts will rate each featured establishment by four criteria: value, convenience, uniqueness, and healthfulness.
Stay tuned for my very first–but I assure you, not my last–Informed Edibles post! It shall be published the day after tomorow!
Sounds like a great idea. It’ll be neat if you can do an “Observation Desk” post, an “Alley” post and an “Informed Edibles” post on the same locations.
If you are ever down around Charlotte or Gastonia, NC, you just HAVE to try OUR restaurant. It’s called Rodi. Mostly a Mediterranean-American menu- but we’ve been changing up the menu a bit more lately. Sourced locally whenever possible.
And I wouldn’t give all hotel restaurants a pass. But I would ‘require’ at least a couple of good, strong recommendations from people who have eaten there.
WRT: Observation Desk, Alley, and Edibles–ah ha! You have figured out my master plan! Muahahahaha!
Where is Gastonia? Googling…ah yes, right outside of Charlotte. Sadly, I will be in NC next week–in Raleigh for work. I leave on July 3rd (I think) but don’t need to have the car back until the 6th (it was cheaper to rent for a week than for five days; odd). If not for the stupid holiday, I’d make a little after/side trip to come meet you (finally). Ah well–I’m certain I’ll be in the area again. Soon, actually–as soon as mid-August.
And yes, I know that not all hotel restaurants are bad. Just most of them. In fact, I had an amazing meal at a hotel restaurant in New Orleans last time I was there.
But I can confidently say that all roadside rest stop food is bad!
Too bad about next week- wouldn’t work for me either. Going back to San Diego to see America in concert on July 5th- back on July 6. Was just there last week to see Doobie Brothers. Love Humphrey’s Half Moon Inn!!!!
Funny.. I just gave up restaurants with a drive thru starting this past Sunday.. I have a terrible habit of grabbing breakfast on the way to work from the Y. Really defeats the purpose of exercising.
You still going to be in New Mexico in July or did your summer road trip get cancelled by work?
It’s REALLY hard to avoid when traveling! Good for you for giving it up! That’s a fantastic choice. Let me know if it leads you to eat anywhere new or interesting!
WRT New Mexico–yes and no. Summer road trip did get cancelled by work. But work is most likely taking me to Albuquerque in early August.