Starkizzer

Tonight im2smrt4u and I went out for Chinese food. I had been craving it for awhile and I have tried to get my fix by making some at home. I make stir-fry and fried rice often but the craving just wouldn't go away.

As we were leaving the restaurant we were discussing the fact that while I can cook rather well, my home cooking of said food just didn't fulfill my craving.

So are there any foods that you simply must eat somewhere else to get the fix? Whether it be a relative, a specific restaurant, dive or etc. What is the reason that cooking it yourself just doesn't cut it? This goes beyond "I don't feel like cooking", this has to be something that you know you can make but you still can't shake the need for the food.

For me there is just something about Chinese food that must be prepared elsewhere. And it can't be from just anywhere, it has to be good. Maybe it is because they can get the wok super heated, the way it should be done. Or maybe, as smrt so sarcastically pointed out, it is all the MSG they use.

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Shagg

Shinsengumi has spoiled me for ramen. Great noodle house experience, and nothing homade can even come close.

tasineah

olive garden soup and salad...nothing else compares...

cdwonderful

tommys chili burgers

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Plan9

Breakfast cereal. There is nothing as satisfying as something I can buy in a box for $4.

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Whatever you can carry.

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Xerxys

^^Well, that doesn't count. You can't "cook" cereal ... or maybe you can.

Burger from Mo-Joes Burger joint. I fucken love it!

ring

Alberto's three rolled tacos with guacamole.
Been craving them since I left San Diego many years ago.

jewels

The burger thing, yes! I've grilled some great burgers in my time, but sometimes it's just gotta be a Backyard Burger!

Too bad they're only in the Southeast.

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spindles

Naan bread from an Indian restaurant. I've tried to replicate at home, but can't do it. We'll cook curry at home and get Naan from the local Indian place. That's a win-win

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Baraka_Guru

Indian cuisine gets my vote for this reason amongst others. Naan is usually baked in a tandoor, which makes it more or less "fire baked." That's difficult to replicate at home.

Also, beyond making chana masala, I've never really attempted to make any Indian dishes. All those spices, chilies, yogurt, and ghee, I just leave it to the chefs.

I'll never have a tandoor in my kitchen.

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snowy

Yeah, Indian food and Chinese food are two that I like to go out for. Pad thai, too. Sure, I could make pad thai at home, but I would rather not exert all of the effort when someone else is willing to do it on my behalf.

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Bear Cub

Chinese pork fried dumplings.

Pepe's Pizza

Chipotle's Burritos

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RogueGypsy

+1

I've been out of L.A. for too long, Tommy's Chili Burgers and Chili cheese fries are the shiznit. In & Out is great too. I had no idea Tommy's was in Ohio too.

The craving I just can't cure at home (yet) is Sushi. I've made my own rolls, Sashimi and whatever the correct name is for the Fish on rice, but It's just not the same. I think it's the rice that I just haven't gotten right. I think it's a matter of technique. I'll figure it our eventually, but for now, there are a couple of good places locally.

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Willravel

I used to stop off at a little Chinese restaurant in Lodi called "King Tsin" that had the best moo shu pork I've had in my life. It was a religious experience. They had all the elements that tiny, hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants usually have, but it was cooked with care to perfection.

I've been trying to recreate the recipe for years, but I have yet to crack it.

Lindy

Jaeger Schnitzel or Roast Duck at the Bohemian Cafe in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Bohemian Cafe
And there's a similar place in Cleveland that I know how to drive to it but don't remember the name.

Penang Malasian on Washington in Brookline, MA

Any Indian is way past my pay grade and skill level.

Lindy

Charlatan

While I can cook, Thai, Malaysia, Indian, etc... It's just soo much easier to go down the street where I can get any of these for $3 - $5 a plate.

I'd have to say the one thing I crave is President's Choice Mac and Cheese (white cheese). It bends the rules on this thread in that I have to prepare it myself but, I can't make it the same way from scratch. You have to buy the product.

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snowy

I was just thinking about this again this morning: pho. I could try and make pho, but I don't really want to spend the time or money on specialty ingredients when there are a couple places in town who make good pho.

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Jinn

Not enough MSG in the home kitchen, I'm afraid.

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Charlatan

mmmmm... pho!

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Willravel

I tried that, too.

Shadowex3

It's not just MSG, it's also that they're probably using extremely well seasoned carbon steel or cast iron woks over a proper flame. I can do pretty decent stirfry and whatnot at home but there's only so much I can accomplish with a flatbottom on an electric range.

As for me... Junk food. I can't cook unhealthy, I just can't do it. Wendys hamburgers and fries, chick fil a, just about anything battered and/or fried basically.

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Cynthetiq

Cereality

9'ered!


I can't buy massaman curry anymore. That used to be the thing that I couldn't replicate at home. Now, it's as easy as opening a can for the curry paste, which almost every restaurant across America uses either Maesri or Mae Ploy in food service sizes as the source of their curry pastes.

The same can be said for many Indian spices and curry pastes. I haven't gone down that rabbit hole yet, but one day I will find the source. I've got a friend who does own an Indian restaurant on the Upper West Side and he makes some great non-traditional Indian food.

That and Vietnamese are on my list of can't do at home. It just isn't cost effective for Vietnamese at all.

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noodle

Like many others the pho, thai, sushi, indian and chinese.

But I cannot master the Guinness Beef Stew or corned beef and cabbage at Culhane's Irish Pub. Even Mr. Fieri loves them. I also can't beat The Fish Company for seafood. Any seafood. They win in every category. I flat out crave their fish chowder sometimes... tomato-based with grouper cheeks, celery, small chunks of potato, herbs... oh man, I want it now.

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snowy

I'm hungry.

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Daka

In and out Burger....unfortunately not in FL
and, Chicken Tikka Masala....(Chicken Makhini ?)
Thanks, the salmon I bought to broil just aint' gonna' make it now.

DRP976

1. In-N-Out Burger (Double double with fries and a pink lemonade)

2. Falafel Drive In (Large falafel sandwich with extra hot sauce and a banana shake)

3. Barbara's Fish Trap (Coastside calamari w/fries or fish and chips)