Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (2006–…): Season 23, Episode 13 - East-West Flavorfest - full transcript

I'm Guy Fieri,
and we're rolling out

looking for America's greatest
diners, drive-ins, and dives.

This trip...
Get down
with your bad self.

...we're going
from the Atlantic

to the Rocky Mountains...

Whoa-ho-ho!

...for
an East/West flavor-fest.

You're gonna get warmed up
for it.

In Washington, D.C...

Now, watch this.

...an underground,
upstairs Asian joint...



Crazy!

...turning ramen
into an art form.

It is truly a masterpiece
of food.

In Ocean City, New Jersey...

There you go!

...a red-hot Italian spot...

There's no slacker
over here.

...firing up pizza
with a twist.

I'm a little
freaked out right now.

And in Colorado
Springs...

I love how you're getting
after this.

...a place where it's go big...
Look at that thing!

...or go home cooking.

20-pound top round!



That's all right here,
right now on "Triple D."

So I'm here on H Street
in Washington, D.C.

And you know the tag line
I say all the time --

"If it's funky, I'll find it"?

Well, today, it should be,

"If it's funky,
I'll try to find it."

You see, I'm looking for this
kind of secretive noodle shop

that everybody knows about,
but it's hard to find.

That's 1232.

That's 1236.

This has got to be it.
This is Toki Underground.

We got a red miso ramen,
table 21.

Every dish is
a work of art.

Absolutely
my favorite ramen place.

Kimchi ramen.

You can tell that so much
effort was put into everything.

There's so much flavor
and complexity to it.

Almost as complex
as the man behind it all --

Chef Erik Bruner-Yang.

I'm from Taiwan.

Me and my mom came over
to California when I was four.

You live in California?

Long Beach and then Japan.

And so we traveled,
and we've eaten a lot.

But eventually settling
here in D.C.,

owning this funky spot
hidden above a pub since 2011.

There's no signage outside.

You wouldn't notice it at first
when you walk past,

but as soon as you know
where it is, you never forget.

Especially with Erik's
serving up an Asian classic

he learned from his mom.

Vegetarian pan-fried dumplings.

Oh, these are crack.

Crunchy on the outside,
soft on the inside.

Very flavorful.

All right,
let's get into it.

First, we're gonna start with
our vegetarian dumpling mix.

Got it.

Scallions,
some Napa cabbage.

Someone around here has got
some mean knife skills.

Daikon radish
that's been blanched.

Shiitake mushrooms,
fried tofu.

- Fried tofu?
-Yeah.

Get down
with your bad self.

- Then we mix this up.
-Okay.

Then we add pureed ginger
and garlic.

That much ginger and garlic?
Oh, wow.

Salt.

Some black pepper, and then
since we put so much garlic

and ginger for flavor,

we add a little bit of mirin,
some sugar,

to kind of balance
that out.

Soy sauce.

And then to finish off...

You want to do the honors?
-Tell me.

A heavy sprinkle of togarashi,
and that's it.

Okay, so this is done.
Now we make the dumplings?

- Yep, exactly.
-I want to see this.

Locally made
dumpling wrappers.

Put the mix.

A little water.

And a nice little
four-pleat on there,

pressing a little bit
of the air out of them.

Sounds like
it's in your DNA.

Oh, I am
a dumpling-making machine.

Now, we're gonna
go straight from here,

a little bit of oil.
-Just brown on the bottom.

Just brown on the bottom.
Cover?

A little bit of water.

And because
they're not frozen

and because we don't
have raw meat in this,

these are gonna
come up fast.

Yeah, just about a minute.

We're gonna do the
dumpling sauce on the bottom.

Serve them skin-side-up.

Then,
we do the scallions.

Our Chinese chili oil.

And we finish
with a little sesame seed.

And it is gonna be
very hot.

I've never burned
my mouth before.

I doubt it.

If I was Pinocchio,
you would have been skewered.

That's really hot.

A little hot --
really hot!

Might be the best vegetarian
dumpling I've ever had.

Thanks,
I really appreciate that.

Like, they always ask, you know,
what's your last meal?

When I put
that list together,

I think I'm gonna put
this vegetarian dumpling

in that list.

There's so much texture
in here --

from the fried tofu
to the shiitake to the diakon.

And then the flavor explosion
that's going on

with all that ginger
and all the garlic

is so outrageous.

Fantastic.
-Thank you.

It's sweet.
It's spicy.

It's just got a clever
combination of textures

in it with the shiitakes
and then the daikon.

This is my culinary director,
Anthony Hoy Fong.

It works so well.

You bite into it and it's kind
of like a cornucopia.

Unlike
other vegetarian dishes,

you still feel satisfied
after you've eaten them.

I'm gonna say
that you probably couldn't make

two more dozen of those
and see if I could eat them.

- I bet you can't.
-Gotta get warmed up.

You're gonna get warmed up
for it.

Hanging out in D.C.
at Toki Underground.
See you in a bit.

- Unbelievable.
-Thanks, man.

Oh.
Welcome back.

Hanging out here
at the Toki Underground in D.C.

I just had probably the most
amazing vegetarian dumplings

you could ever imagine.

So since you start off with
a brief appetizer, what's next?

Our pulled pork that we put on
top of the Toki Classic ramen.

We're gonna pan-sear it.

I'm just gonna build
some crust.

So what happens next?

So we're gonna drop
this big hunk of pork shoulder

in the pot.

And then we do
low-sodium soy sauce.

I can already tell
this is gonna be fantastic.

Mirin, so it gets a nice
little sugary glaze on top.

Chinese cooking wine.

And then
just to top it off,

we toast our own little
Chinese five-spice blend up.

Dude, you are crazy!

We cover it in foil
and drop it in the oven.

- How long? At --
-Five hours.

- 325.
-325.

And the ramens have an abundance
of items that can go in it.

We usually have 8
to 10 different add-ons

that you can do.

Pork belly, I mean,
there's chicken oysters.

- You got chicken oysters?
-Yep.

You're harvesting
your own chicken oysters

from the chicken?
-Correct.

And you want to talk
about flavorful?

Now watch this.

There's like
a little piece of meat.

Right --
So right in this flank --

Wouldn't you call that
in the flank area?

Yeah, it's like
your love handle.

Yeah, it's
the chicken love handle.

Perfect.

And we'll sear it so you
get crispy skin, tender meat.

God, people gotta go nuts
for that.

Okay, next up?
-We're gonna show you

how we build all the soups.
-Okay.

Our stock is
triple stock --

pork stock, dashi stock,
chicken stock all combined.

Got it. So let's start off
with the dashi stock.

First up will be the kombu,
which is Japanese seaweed.

Drop the bonito flakes,
and then we have this tea bag

mix of different mackerels
all smashed up.

It is.
It really is a fish tea bag.

And then
you just turn the pot off.

Then we just let it rest.
-Okay, next up?

First,
we start with pork stock,

which is just pork bones
and water.

Add chicken stock.

Chicken stock is with garlic,
ginger, onions, and carrots,

and we do it
for about a couple house --

just the carcass.

- And then the dashi goes in.
-Yep.

Now we'll strain it,
creating the service soup.

We finally ready
to make some ramen?

- Yeah, we can finally eat.
-Let's get after it.

So we're gonna
do our braising liquid.

This is pork fat, salt.

This was the braising liquid
from the pork butt.

It is the fat
that we skim from the --

- Off the top.
-Yep.

And then here is
the actual braising liquid.

And then we're gonna
add the service broth.

Then we're gonna put
our noodles in the bowl.

Now locally grown
bok choy.

And we're gonna add pork,
perfectly cut scallions.

Some house-made
pickled ginger.

Sesame seeds.

There's a rumor that you wanted
to try the pork cheeks.

Oh!

There are those crispy
chicken oysters.

Then one of our signatures
is a slow-poached egg

that's been cooked
for an hour.

The chili oil,
then we're gonna finish off

with this
black garlic oil.

I don't know if you eat it
or put it on my wall.

It's like a seven-course meal
sitting inside of a bowl.

Okay, I just want to try
this broth right off the bat.

Oh, it's just heavenly.

What really
I'm digging right now,

I just got a little kick
of is the chili oil...

with the garlic sauce.

Yep.

Tremendous amount
of depth.

Little bit of rich,
little bit of tang,

little bit of chew.

And I didn't even crack the egg
and let that come out.

It is truly
a masterpiece of food.

Thanks, man.
I really appreciate it.

Toki Classic, chicken oyster.

The flavor in the broth
is very complex.

You can't stop eating it.
I love it here.

As soon as I leave,
I'm thinking

about the next time
I'm coming back.

Brother, you're doing
it one bowl at a time.

- Thanks, man, I appreciate it.
-Incredible.

Coming up
in Ocean City, New Jersey...

Props to that, man.

- ...a pizza-pasta place.
- Oh!

...putting a kick
into chicken...

Right on point.

...and a burger onto pie.

It's a cheeseburger
on a big toasted bun.

So I'm here
in Ocean City, New Jersey,

about 15 minutes south
of Atlantic City.

And it's called America's
Greatest Family Resort.

Now, in the summertime,
up to 150,000 people.

Wintertime, down to 10,000.

And the locals, well, they're
stoked to tell you about a place

that's open all year 'round.

But even more so because they
got the bomb wood-fired pizza!

This is Piccini.

Tomato gorgonzola.

The pizza is awesome.
Everything's great.

Pesto chicken, pick up.

- It's like comfort Italian food.
-Seafood cioppino.

A couple of streets that way,

you're right on the ocean,
on the boardwalk.

Or if you walk this way a couple
blocks, you're right on the bay.

You got the beach --
a good place to be.

That's definitely
what Dave Cates was thinking

in '95 when he and his wife
moved here from Pennsylvania

to open this joint.

I saw this property,
and I said,

"That would make
a great pizza shop."

Which one of you
does pizza?

I was the original employee
hired here 21 years ago.

Props to that, man!

All wood-fired?
-All wood-fired.

Yo, I got two minutes on
that bacon cheeseburger pizza.

It's just like eating
a cheeseburger.

With the great,
crispy pizza crust,

and it's wonderful.

Let's talk about
what makes great pizza.

Great dough.
It's like building a house.

Gotta start
from the ground up.

Great base
equals good pizza.

Great bass
also equals Metallica.

Absolutely.

First, we're going in
with semolina.

Salt, some water.

We gonna get
any yeast in this?

Believe it or not,
it goes later.

- Okay.
-Now we mix this.

Now we're adding flour.
-So no yeast yet.

Not yet.

Granulated garlic.
-Got it.

Thyme.

Now the yeast --
Dry instant yeast.

We let this go for,
what, 15, 20 minutes?

About 10, maybe 11.

Till it starts to pull
away from the side?

Maybe 11?

We go straight
from this to portioning.

- Yes.
-How long we gonna hold it

before we use it?
-24 hours.

24 hours, okay.
What are we making?

The bacon cheeseburger
pizza.

There you go!

No slacker over here.

Now we go ketchup.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
whoa, whoa, whoa!

No sauce on this one --
ketchup and mustard.

I'm a little freaked out
right now.

You're gonna love it.

What goes better on a burger
than cheddar cheese?

Cheddar jack down.

Our house-made
seasoned ground beef.

What did you season
it with?

Salt, pepper, garlic,
and taco seasoning.

It gives that beef a little bit
extra, okay, I get it.

Now a little bacon.

And she's ready to roll.

- Six minutes.
-Here we go.

If there was a pizza
that looked like a cheeseburger,

I'd give it to you
right there. Okay.

Top it
with a dill pickle.

That's it, that's a go.

Oh!

Yeah, get a pickle in there.
Cut through the fat.

It's a cheeseburger
on a big toasted bun.

A cheeseburger
with awesome texture.

Nicely done, man.
-Thank you.

Here's
your cheeseburger pizza.

Between the ketchup
and the mustard

and then the little kick
of the seasoning,

which is really,
really tasty and unique.

The wood-fired crust
is just excellent.

It's a big deal
for the restaurants

that stay open
during the winter months --

there's not many of them.

But that's a really important
thing for you guys

that are living here
full-time.

Yes, sir.

Plus, it's not just
a pizza joint,

it's also a full restaurant.
-Full restaurant.

And that's
Chef Mike Falzone's department.

Chicken with farfalle
in a vodka sauce.

Parties at our house --
We always get at least one tray

of the chicken farfalle.

It's got the sun-dried tomatoes,
creamy sauce -- very good.

Chef,
what are we gonna make?

Chicken with farfalle
in a vodka sauce.

I start it off
with some olive oil.

Okay.

We gonna do anything
to that chicken?

Yes, we're gonna dredge
it into the flour.

There we go.

Into the pan.

We're gonna brown
both sides.

Next, we're gonna add
sun-dried tomatoes.

Fire-roasted
red peppers.

Fresh prosciutto.

Now roasted garlic,
which is also done in the --

Wood-fired oven, okay.

A little butter.

Crushed plum tomatoes.

Homemade marinara.

Heavy cream.

- Hit it.
-All right.

Whoa-ho-ho!
That's a lot of vodka!

No bar -- just come in
and have the pasta.

- That's correct.
-Shh!

Pinch of salt.

Black pepper.
-Okay.

- Crushed red pepper seeds.
-Let it reduce?

Yes.

We're gonna finish this up
with some farfalle pasta.

Don't see
enough farfalle anymore.

- Parmesan.
-Okay.

Pecorino Romano, also.

Some chiffonade basil.

Let that simmer
for about a minute.

Looking good.

Garnish this with a little
fresh Italian leaf

and shredded Parmesan.

- This is a normal portion?
-Yes, it is.

You guys not have
a swimsuit season?

The sun-dried tomato

and roasted red bell pepper
make it.

I like the little crust
on the chicken.

This has plenty of vodka.

Then the whole plum tomatoes
being in there...

A little kiss of basil right
at the end really opens up.

That farfalle is cooked
right on point.

Nice job, buddy.
-Thank you.

This is the chicken farfalle
in vodka sauce.

The vodka sauce
gives you a little punch.

It has a good flavor with
the garlic in and everything.

Love the fresh basil on top
and the chicken is moist.

This is Chef G.

He's the chef
of Guy's Chophouse in Bally's.

What do you think of the pasta?
-It's delicious.

They toast up the garlic.

The sun-dried tomatoes give it
a great pop in your mouth.

Good home-cooked Italian food.
It reminds me of my mother.

Well, guys, I'll tell you
something -- Cool little place.

Come in, have some food,
and go to the boardwalk.

That's awesome.

Up next
in Colorado Springs...

...a cozy café
stacking up the savory...

Oh, yeah.

...and rolling out
the sweet.
This is getting good.

You know, there's something

about finding "Triple D" joints
in old houses.

Let's see --
Frank's Noodle House

in Portland, Oregon.

Then we've got 3 Sisters Cafe
in Indianapolis.

And then the Brick House
in Wisconsin.

Come on!
Here's another one --

in Colorado Springs,
this is Mountain Shadows.

We got a sausage
tortellini soup.

Love this place.
I can't say enough about it.

Just good home comfort food.

Sloppy with hot.

Oh, we love Kasie.

She's a great cook.
She loves cooking.

And it's safe to say

Kasie Swain also loves
this place.

I've been here
since '93.

- Get after it.
-Yeah.

First as a waitress,
then manager,

and eventfully co-owner,

when she bought the joint
with her son-in-law, Ben Zook.

You can count on the flavor
being great every time you come.

A cinnamon roll
to share.

The cinnamon roll is big.

It's just great.

Oh, man, it's our favorite thing
to share as a family.

- Cinnamon rolls!
-Hit it!

Okay --

Sugar, salt, milk,
butter, eggs, vanilla.

We're gonna bloom the yeast
in the hot water.

A little sugar
so it can eat.

Yeast.
-Got it.

And stir.

It goes in there.
Flour.

This is Clear Jel --
Instant.

How long is
this gonna go?

7 to 10 minutes.

- Not eight or nine?
-No.

- 7 to 10.
-7 to 10.

Flour down.

The last time
I made cinnamon rolls

that were this big,

it was like season two
of "Triple D."

Remember that?
Huge.

We're gonna butter
our cinnamon rolls.

Brown sugar,
then cinnamon.

And a little salt.

- Flour.
-Okay, flour, too.

Look at that thing.

Now we're making it off to see
where the cuts are gonna be.

You got a system
down on this, girl!

So I like this little can
in the middle.

- That's what they climb on.
-So now...

- You gotta cover this up.
-...got to proof,

and then straight to the oven.
-Mm-hmm.

350,
hour and 15 minutes.

Wow, they climbed
right up that, huh?

Yes, they did.

A maple glaze.

Powdered sugar...
-Right.

...maple extract
and milk.

- Okay.
-Butter.

There it is.
-My son, Ryder, would be

the aficionado
of this.

He's quite
the cinnamon roll machine.

That's pretty tender,
pretty light.

Lots of cinnamon.

And the maple madness
that you pour on there,

that's out of bounds.

What do you think,
Ryder?

Of course, you come to Colorado,
and who do you find?

One of your cousins
all the way from Cleveland.

This is Tommy Giribaldi.

You saw Tommy
on the family special.

That cinnamon roll is
a slice of heaven, man.

I don't think 10 people
could finish that.

Biggest cinnamon roll
I've ever seen.

We fight over it every time.
Nobody can get enough.

I'm gonna give up cookies
for this.

I don't know how you're gonna
get up or down any chimneys

if you keep eating that.

All right!
Carrot cake.

We've been
coming here for 17 years.

It's good service,
home-style atmosphere.

Serving home-style
classics but with a spin,

like roast beef turned
into a monster sandwich.

Mountain roast beef.

It's a mountain
of meat and bacon and cheese

and everything good in life.

- Okay, let's see it.
-You ready?

Carrots.

Onions in the bottom.
-Okay.

20-pound top round.

20-pound top round!

Add the beef bouillon
into the beef stock.

So you're fortifying
your beef stock

with a little beef bouillon?
-We are going for it, yeah.

- Okay.
-Garlic.

Onion, garlic powder.
-Okay.

- Paris seasoning.
-Paris seasoning?

Yeah, we're gonna pour
all of this in there.

And this is all going together
for a sandwich?

- Mm-hmm.
-Okay.

Put all of this rosemary
and thyme.

And we're gonna
cover this.

Roast it at 350
for about three hours.

Holy rosemary,
Rosemary.

Oh, yeah.

We're gonna give
this brioche roll

a little bit of a toast.

Let's put the onions
and the mushrooms.

You're gonna drop
that meat on top of it?

Mm-hmm.

Swiss cheese.
All right.

Whoa!

It's kind of shocking,
isn't it?
There we go.
Yeah.

Gotta put
some bacon on there.

You sure you give people
this much meat?

Rocky Mountain roast beef --
think big.

The rosemary,
when you cook that,

that is the kicker.

I like that you cook it
medium rare and then finish it.

Nice big piece
of top round like that --

Onion rings are ridiculous.
-They taste good?

Very nice job.

Got the Rocky Mountain
roast beef.

It is almost as big
as the cinnamon roll.

You just have a juicy bite
every time.

Homemade biscuit
with jam.

One of our favorite places
to eat.

We keep coming back,
and we're never disappointed.

Got a good family feel.

Seems like everybody feels
like they're family when
they come through the door.

- They are.
-That's what we shoot for.

Love it.

So that's it
for this road trip.

But don't worry --
We got plenty more joints

to find all over this country.

I'll be looking
for you next time

on "Diners, Drive-ins,
and Dives."

You've had that beard
for 20 years?

It's been there.

And I'm on my way.
I'm on my way.
You are.

I'm like an elf --
a fat elf, you know.

A little --
I'm an elf.