The Last Train to Clarksville

I get to visit some pretty remote locales on my ESPNU college basketball itinerary, and so it was that I found myself approximately 45 miles outside of Nashville, in the relative seclusion of Clarksville, Tennessee, home of the Austin Peay Governors. As is usually the case in and around a collegiate university, there can be some pretty stellar, if not unassuming, places to eat, especially if you want experience the local flavor.

So it was with that context that I found myself directly across College Street from APSU, at Johnny's Big Burgers. Some local spots... you just know. Johnny's is just that kinda spot.

Counter seating? Check. Menu board posted on the back wall? Check. Well-seasoned griddle, next to an even more well-worn fryolator? Check and check...

I was compelled to order along party lines: double cheeseburger, fries, vanilla milk shake. The shake was a bit of a misnomer, as there was no straw necessary (matter of fact, none was even offered or provided!) Ultra-thick, and with that state fair/soft serve flavor. Just right.

This is another of the places providing convincing evidence to yours truly that the best way to prepare a burger is to griddle it. The bun got a subtle yet healthy brush of melted butter before joining it's compatriot on the sizzling hot surface. The fries took their peanut oil bath and arrived piping hot next to the burger, all golden brown in their crinkle-cut glory.

This plate did not disappoint in the least. It looked classic. It felt like a classic. It tasted like a classic, in every way. Juicy, meaty, satisfying. A bit messy, just the way it should be. After devouring every bite with aplomb, it's safe to say this was a burger I'd put up against any I've had. Ever. Clarksville might be a mid-major town, but Johnny's can compete with the best of 'em...

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

After satisfying my own cravings, I returned shortly thereafter with my TV partner, so enamored was I with Johnny's. My intention (really!) was to keep AB company while he got his taste of burger nirvana. Only problem: there were whispers from the locals about a must-have dessert... the vaunted Toasted Honey Bun with Vanilla Ice Cream. Now, I am intimately familiar with this treat, having enjoyed many a THB at the Syracuse haunt, Cosmo's. Clarksville denizens refer to theirs as an "HB with Cream." Mmmmmmmm... right off the griddle (no thank you, microwave), icing all gooey, topped with vanilla ice cream. The warm and cold combo is always a winner. This one was a throwback for me, and oh so good. Sweet, creamy, with that ever-so- slightly crispy and caramelized shell (thank you, griddle).

At check out (cash only!), pictures of Muhammad Ali and Elvis share space on the wall, two Southern icons, much like the feeling I got from this place.

Johnny's is a snapshot of simple, tasty times. The classics always endure...

Back in the 'burbs...

Up in the Philly 'burbs again, prepping to go on QVC with Samsung this Sunday, so that means lots of food-related exploring to do in the surrounding area. The good news for me is that I have friends who used to live and work in this neck of the woods, so I have no shortage of recommendations.
Last night, ate in downtown West Chester at Pietro's Prime (http://www.pietrosprime.com/), a nice-looking place with a fairly classic steakhouse vibe. Got my spot at the bar, situated perfectly within range of three TVs, so I could keep an eye on the US Open, the Eagles-Jets game, and the Phils-Giants game. Ryan, my bartender, suggested the bone-in pork chop, and I took him up on it. Started with a spinach salad that had a great ratio of egg and bacon (but a little too heavy on the red onion for my taste), then onto the main course. One thing I love about a good spinach salad is how the warm dressing makes all the components come together so beautifully. This one was simple, no-frills, and just the way I like it. A good starter...
I ordered the pork chop Oscar-style, with the Hollandaise on the side, because I really wanted to make sure I got the full flavor of the chop without any impedance of other ingredients. The plate came out looking super and the taste was the same. I ordered it medium rare, and it was cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of succulent fat on the edges and juiciness inside. There was a healthy amount of lump crab meat, and the asparagus was thick and colorful. The Hollandaise on the side was key, because all of the items on the plate deserved to be tasted and appreciated on their own. Of course, I loved the few forkfuls where I combined all the elements, too!
I threw caution to the wind and ordered a tiramisu and a cappuccino for dessert. Tiramisu is an all-time fave dessert for me, and I've had it served many different ways. Sad to say, this one was not up to snuff for me. It was a bit too much like a spongecake texture, and I prefer more cream and cinnamon and amaretto, giving it more of a 'drunken' sensation to the lady fingers. Still, the disappointing final course did not leave me regretting my choice. Pietro's would be a place I'd most certainly return...

This morning, I embarked on a pilgrimage, of sorts. My good friend, Curt, was adamant about me finding the DK Diner. Now, Curt is as passionate about food as I am, and the way he gushed about this place made it a mandatory stop on my journey. You know, this is what I love about the Northeast, be it Jersey, Pennsylvania, or New York: there is never a shortage of classic diners and family-owned pizza joints (more on that to come!) ...
DK is your prototypical truck-stop-style diner. Stainless steel outside and in; countertop spots are at a premium; specials hand-written overhead. Hasn't changed it's looked or it's menu since it opened in 1947. And despite the plethora of diners in the area, it still regards itself as "West Chester's only Diner" since that time.
I had very specific orders, which I had committed to memory, and was only too happy to oblige. Here's the lineup: creamed chipped beef, on top of crispy home fries, with a side of scrapple. I didn't even look at the menu until after I placed my order!
While it took waaay to long to get my meal, at least the coffee was appropriately diner-style satisfying to keep me at bay...
Let me tell you, Curt got it right, and I could tell from the first bite why, even after more than a decade away from DK, he recited the order as if he'd had it himself just yesterday morning. The chipped beef had a lot of flavor, and reminded of biscuits and gravy without the gravy; it seeped into the nooks and crannies of the crispy potatoes, which had the perfectly golden browned crackle of a crust on top. Add the salty, sausage-like flavor of the scrapple, and you've got yourself quite a trifecta of diner-iffic food, P-A stlye! The DK did not disappoint...

More to come...