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Posted: Friday, August 3, 2012, 9:23 am
In brief
It's summer and a middle-aged man's fancy turns to love...of barbecue. And home fries. And enormous stacks of pancakes.
The Sterns have written the tried-and-true manual for satisfying the savage lust of "road food."
The book's subtitle suggests it's working the same side of the street as TV shows like Man vs. Food and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dung Heaps. While that's certainly true, the Sterns not only did it first, they do it better. The authors put the food, not themselves, center stage, and they don't shy from places "with all the ambience of a prison cell" (Sylvan Park in Nashville, TN).
Aside from their curious hatred of Belgian waffles ("waffles stink" is a direct quote), my only gripe is their disdain for table service. It's supposed to be comfort food and what's more comforting than a waitress asking, "What can I get you, hon?" Instead, the Sterns relish standing in cafeteria lines and eating in their car. That quirk notwithstanding, the book is well-organized, well-written and I've never been left disappointed (or hungry) by following their advice.
