Foods I miss:

Ledo's Pizza: Yummmm!
Festival Eatery: Just for the nostaligia (after school hang-out)

Clodfobble (on another thread) reminded me of another regional favorite:

Cashew chicken - This was a very popular choice when I was going to college in Springfield MO. That's the only place I've seen it made this way - the chicken is battered and fried much like for sweet and sour. But then the sauce is an oyster sauce and it's sprinkled with cashews and scallion bits.

Anyone else ever had this?

Unfortunately (in this regard) I live in Northern Virginia in the DC suburbs. Outside the beltway, the only thing that comes close is a Cracker Barrell (20 miles from here). There are a couple diners here but they really suck. Their chipped beef tastes like the microwave stuff you get in the frozen food section and their omelettes and hash browns are not worthy.

Beestie, if you ever make it down to Bristol, I'll take you to Memaw's, Mother's Restaurant and Treasure Island. Best breakfasts you've ever eaten, served on semi-clean tables, and available all day. :)

Ohhh Speaking of N.VA, I totally forgot about a little place called Mario's. Ah, their poppers were the best! Oh and their other stuff was good too. ;)

You got yourself a deal!http://www.cellar.org/images/smilies/yumyum.gif

From western Kentucky, Starnes BBQ, Whalers Catch Blue Cheese Dressing, Patti's Porkchops.

From So Cal Chariles Chili, Nick's Pizza (the best pizza ever!)

Shit, I forgot about Ledo and Mario's in the DC area...fucking awesome!

Rho and I ate at Silver Diner in Arlington once...God, that was awful.

mmm salmon jerkey from Trader Joes in the San Diego area.. man do i miss SoCal... :(

Chicago: Gold Coast Char Dog....yumm.
TX: Sonic #2 burger, onion rings and 44 oz limeaide.
TX: Shady Grove: Green chilie cheese fries.
TX: Guerro's: tacos, every damn kind.

From my college days in Atlanta ...

Fat Matt's Rib Shack (half chicken, half ribs combo - money!)
Willy's special burrito, no beans, chicken, easy on the cheese, diced jalapenos and extra guac

I mentioned to a friend the other day just how successful a Waffle House would be in NYC. I think it's got enough of a reputation that the place would be packed. Worried about not having waitresses with attitudes? Won't be a problem here in NYC.

Native foods from NJ ... any of you folks in the area must go to two places in Princeton:
Hoagie Haven (if you don't mind border jumpers sleeping above the same place they make you chicken parm sandwiches)
Chuck's Cafe (formerly owned by the Menendez brothers (anyone hear that Eric got married in prison recently? My brother was classmates with them in middle/high school), this place has the BEST buffalo wings in existence. Hands down.)

I live where I grew up, so I don't have any local treats to miss.

As far as my college years in Raleigh go, I can honestly say that there wasn't a damn thing down there that I ate or drank that I'd want but can't get here, now that Cheerwine has surfaced. Grits? Feh - wallpaper paste. Bojangles? Not interested. Checkers? There's one in Wilmington if I want it bad enough, and there are better burgers around here. Char-grill? Every town has its own mom-and-pop burger stop. Barbecue? REAL barbecue isn't vinegar-based.

Local foods to central PA for me are 1) disgusting, and 2) still totally available where I am.

- Scrapple: everything they wouldn't put in hot dogs, held together with corn meal

- Lebanon Bologna: highly spiced lunch meat with a large percentage of gristle.

:vomit:

Oh yes and "funnel cake"

:vomit:

Funnel cake has made it to Missouri (at least Silver Dollar City in Branson). It's been a while, but I used to enjoy it occaisionally when in a "damn the fat, full speed ahead" mood.

In the immortal words of one of the old Morning Zoo comics, "I won't eat scrapple, 'cause I won't eat anything that has the word 'crap' in the middle."