Top 5 Restaurants

[coolstuff]

All of these are locally owned. If you ever visit Lafayette or West Lafayette, Indiana, check these places out.

1. South Street Smokehouse - best BBQ in town. I love the Kansas City Brisket and the blues music.
2. The Black Sparrow - A new place in downtown Lafayette. I ate there for the first time just recently. Fantastic Cuban sandwich.
3. Nine Irish Brothers - Authentic Irish pub, owned by a full-bloodied Irishman. Shepherd's Pie, Guiness Stew, Fish and Chips, Irish Breakfast, and live Irish music on the weekends.
4. Bruno's - A local institution. Bill Cosby's favorite pizza when he's in town. Lots of good pasta dishes too, and the atmosphere is great (meaning: lots of Purdue memoribilia).
5. Triple XXX - No, it's not what you think. Another local institution and college hangout. When I was a student, I always had breakfast there after the bars closed. Not until after I graduated did I eat there in the daylight. One of the hamburgers on the menu is served covered in peanut butter. On the hill but on the level.

[GIMNEPIWO]

All of these are locally owned. If you ever visit Lafayette or West Lafayette, Indiana, check these places out.

1. South Street Smokehouse - best BBQ in town. I love the Kansas City Brisket and the blues music.
2. The Black Sparrow - A new place in downtown Lafayette. I ate there for the first time just recently. Fantastic Cuban sandwich.
3. Nine Irish Brothers - Authentic Irish pub, owned by a full-bloodied Irishman. Shepherd's Pie, Guiness Stew, Fish and Chips, Irish Breakfast, and live Irish music on the weekends.
4. Bruno's - A local institution. Bill Cosby's favorite pizza when he's in town. Lots of good pasta dishes too, and the atmosphere is great (meaning: lots of Purdue memoribilia).
5. Triple XXX - No, it's not what you think. Another local institution and college hangout. When I was a student, I always had breakfast there after the bars closed. Not until after I graduated did I eat there in the daylight. One of the hamburgers on the menu is served covered in peanut butter. On the hill but on the level.

Never been there, but know I want to go so I can go to #3 ...

[coolstuff]

I have to give an honorable mention to The Frozen Custard. It's been in the same location across the street from the city park for like 80 years. It's all walk-up business - no dining room. They just installed a drive thru about 4-5 years ago. You cannot grow up in Lafayette and NOT go there. There is a 'cone-only' window that until recently was guarded by The Cone Lady, who passed away this year at over 90 years of age. She worked at the Custard until 2 years before she died. If you tried to order anything else besides a cone, she kicked you out of the line. Which leads to a local legend.....

Axl Rose, a Lafayette native, spent a lot of time around The Custard and the park when he was growing up. His grandmother lived right next door to the Custard. So the family who owned the Custard, including the Cone Lady, knew little Billy Bailey quite well. Even after he achieved fame, he still visited his grandma, who always insisted on buying an ice cream cone for her grandson.

So Axl shows up at the Custard with his entourage one fine summer day. He gets in the cone-only line, and when he gets to the window, he orders a sundae. The Cone Lady reminds him that he's in the cone-only line, and he has to go to the next window to get a sundae. Axl says, "Don't you know who I am?" The Cone Lady says, "Yes, William, I know who you are, now go to the next window." Reportedly, Axl just laughed and went to the next window.

[GIMNEPIWO]

TFF ... Cone Nazi

[fungodude]

For steak, I agree any Morton's is the best chain. My fave anywhere is Sparks in NYC.

For burgers, In-N-Out is the best chain. My DD and I hit one every weekend. My fave anywhere is Hackney's in Chicago. I also like the Apple Pan in West LA and Pie n' Burger in Pasadena.

For cheesesteaks, I really like the Philly's Best chain (Downey, Buena Park, etc.). They import the Amoroso rolls and Tastykakes from Philadelphia. My fave anywhere is Jim's Steaks in Philadelphia.

Next to Titos in Culver City is Johnny's Pastrami. Best I've ever had.

Italian? There are so many great ones, but for classic Italian I love Valentino in Santa Monica and Las Vegas.

What about Pizza? That's a whole new topic...