More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints [Paperback]

Guy Fieri (Author), Ann Volkwein (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 3, 2009

Join New York Times bestselling author Guy Fieri, host of the hugely popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, as he takes you on a tour of 60 more of the best local restaurants across America, as featured in his very favorite episodes. Bursting with his iconic personality, the book will follow his hot-rod trips around the country, mapping out the best places you-ve never heard of. Wherever he goes, Guy showcases the amazing personalities, the fascinating stories, and most important, the outrageously good food provided by these American treasures. Replete with recipes, photos, and memorabilia, and featuring Guy-s hilarious voice and rampant enthusiasm for these hidden culinary gems, UNTI DINERS #2 is the perfect gift for the his countless fans and for lovers of the American food scene.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Book Description

Join New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star Guy Fieri for a second helping of the best diners, drive-ins, and dives across America!

Guy Fieri strikes again with More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, giving you a road map to road food that's earned its culinary citizenship in "Flavortown." Join Guy on a cross-country noshing parade, mapping out the best places you've never heard of—more than fifty establishments off the beaten path. Compete in a (no hands) apple-pie-eating contest at Bobo Drive-In in Topeka, Kansas, dip your taste buds in Sweet Spicy Love sauce at Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee, and get a load of the killer four-cheese mac-and-cheese at Gorilla Barbeque in Pacifica, California. Filled with Guy's hilarious voice and rampant enthusiasm for these hidden culinary gems, More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives is the perfect book for lovers of the American food scene and fans of Triple D.

Pleasure Cruising Through More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives by Guy Fieri

Dear Amazon Customers,

My drop-top culinary cruise to America’s most fun and funkiest joints is the adventure we’re all looking for--and I’m having the time of my life. I’m glad to get out there because it reminds me of what a great country we have. I have five restaurants of my own (three Johnny Garlic’s and two Tex Wasabi’s), and as a chef and restaurant owner, let me tell you, it’s a tough business. You really have to love it to keep with it. I thought having my own restaurants in Northern California’s wine country couldn’t be beat, but sharing these mom and pop joints across the country and highlighting not just their food but their stories is probably the greatest experience I’ve ever had. And on top of it all, the show results in an increase in their business and ends up changing their lives. We get stories emailed to us all the time: I opened a second location, I bought the building, I bought my wife a new Mercedes.

One of these folks was Gorilla Rich, owner of Gorilla Barbeque in Pacifica, California. I met him while at a NASCAR race, and I knew this guy had to be on television. I didn’t even know he had a barbeque restaurant at the time, so I wasn’t even thinking of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I even called my producer from the track and said, “I met this dude and we’ve got to get him on television.” Long story short, turns out he’s doing some slammin’ BBQ, we end up highlighting his restaurant on the show, and things are blown out! They’ve got a second smoker now and are looking into another location. Gorilla and I have become really good buddies, so when I’m home in California he’ll drive up to my house and we’ll hang out. Making these connections is one of the neatest things about doing the show. It can’t happen with all of them, of course, but at some of the locations--like Voula’s, Panini Pete’s, Grinders, Luigi’s Pizzeria, and Hodad’s--these people have become really close friends. And it’s not that we’re great friends because I came to shine a light on them and change opportunities for their business, it’s because they’re brothers from another mother. We’re all in this industry to make people happy, that’s what we love to do. So when you find these other brothers that are out there doing that same thing, it’s a culinary family reunion in flavortown.

Review

#7 Washington Post Bestseller (Washington Post )

#1 New York Times Bestseller (New York Times )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks; 1st edition (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061894567
• ISBN-13: 978-0061894565
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Travel > Reference & Tips > Food & Lodging > Dining
  • #39 in Books > Travel > United States > Regions
  • #40 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > U.S. Regional

More About the Author

In 2006, Guy Fieri premiered his first show, Guy's Big Bite, on Food Network after winning season two of The Next Food Network Star. Today, this "culinary rock star" hosts two additional top-rated shows on the network: Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and Tail¬gate Warriors. And on March 14, 2010, Guy made his debut as a game show host on the NBC prime¬time series Minute to Win It.

In 2011, Guy officially launched CWK (Cook¬ing with Kids; www.cwkfoundation.org), a program that encourages developing healthy eating habits to address the childhood obesity crisis, strengthen the family unit by sharing quality time in the kitchen, and as a result increase our children's self-esteem in a fun and positive way.

Guy's first two books were the New York Times bestselling Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives: An All-American Road Trip . . . with Recipes! and More Din¬ers, Drive-ins and Dives: Another Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints.

Guy owns five restaurants in Northern Califor¬nia, including three Johnny Garlic's and two Tex Wasabi's, and resides in Northern California with his wife, Lori, and two boys, Hunter and Ryder.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars IMHO, April 15, 2010

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The Traveling Eater (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints (Paperback)

I love 'Triple D' which is why I ordered both books. I was hoping to see a laundry list of places Guy has gone so I can back track him. I was not too happy to see a selected review on a few places, and really not happy to see food etc, in B&W. I still watch every show with drooling anticipation, but I wouldn't order either of these books if you anticipate the slightest imitation of the show...

25 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 3 of the best D's, November 5, 2009

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wogan "the book reader" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints (Paperback)

What more could a food lover want than diners, drive-ins and dives with a top down to drive. Guy Fieri has a sequel to his first book and it is enjoyable and definitely covers this all-American food.
The book covers how the program 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' is made and who the crew is that creates this popular show. There are many black and white pictures of the people and places and Guy's top 5 pranks, how to eat in 'the hunch'. (The position to avoid grease and spills from covering your shirt.)
The Northeast and Mid Atlantic, the South, Midwest, West and Southwest are covered, giving spots to get some of the great 3 D food. I do wish there were more states covered, only 22 are represented here, some states having several food places covered.
Some history for each location is given, their address, telephone number and web site - if available. There are one or two recipes from each place. Guy also includes many side spots `Guy Aside' giving his personal thoughts.
An index covers recipes by breakfast, burgers and sandwiches, condiments and sauces, starters, dinner mains, sides and sweets. There is also a list of all the restaurants that have been featured on the show, ones in red are in this book, those with an asterisk were in the first book and then the others that have been on the show; addresses, telephone numbers and web sites are given - a great resource.
If you enjoy the show, or enjoy diners and drive-in, dive food- this is a book for you.

26 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars More Triple D, November 6, 2009

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Steven A. Peterson (Hershey, PA (Born in Kewanee, IL)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives: A Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America's Finest and Funkiest Joints (Paperback)

Do you enjoy Guy Fieri's show on the Food Channel, "Diners, Drive0Ins, and Dives"? Did you get a kick out of his first book exploring the three Ds? If yes to either, you should enjoy this volume, too. If you want a lot of recipes, then this book isn't likely to engage you.

However, I do enjoy the author's televised Odyssey through diners, drive-ins, and dives throughout the country. Here, you get a brief sense of the uniqueness of a variety of joints--as well as an illustrative menu item or two from each. It all makes for a nice diversion. And there are always a few recipes that are a lot of fun to contemplate and to make.

As before, Fieri divides the country into regions--in this instance, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, South, Midwest, and West and Southwest. For each region, he selects a handful of places (between 10 to 18 per region). One of the charms, in the author's own words is (Page 3): I get to shine a light on a real group of people. . . . I get to bring out the kid and adventurer in all of us. . . . We're reminding people to get back to the basics: real food from real people."

Let's take a look at a couple representative D,D,or Ds.

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic: Kelly O's Diner in Pittsburgh. Fieri's visit boosted business quite a bit, according to the owner. The example from the menu: Haluski. Green cabbage, butter, julienned Spanish onions, garlic salt, sliced bacon, egg noodles, black pepper, and grated Romano cheese. Cook cabbage leaves in water; melt butter and add onions and half of the garlic salt stir in cabbage until onions and cabbage begin to caramelize; stir in other ingredients (except cheese) then plate and add cheese to the top of the dish. Down home cooking here!

West and Southwest: Pat's Barbecue in Salt Lake City. Nice, brief description of the place's operation. The dish? Smoked barbecue meatloaf. Ingredients: ground beef, eggs, seasoned bread crumbs, milk, barbecue sauce, dry onion soup mix, and grilled onions. Key to the recipe is smoking the meatloaf mix for 4 hours! Now that's a whole lot different than the way I make my meatloaf.

Once more, if you like the show, you'll probably enjoy the book. If not and if you are interested ikn a more traditional cookbook, this might not do the trick.