Eddie's Steak Shed (Granger, IN)

12685 Adams Rd, Granger, IN 46530-9641, T: 574-277-1076

Normally, I don't include steakhouses in my pig out spots, but the way A. and I went to town at Eddie's Steak Shed in Granger, Indiana, deserves full inclusion. That said, Eddie's is a great steakhouse, not a grease hut, and can be enjoyed to pig out as well as to dine in atmosphere.

As soon as you enter Eddie's you see the meats, just like Argentinian restaurants in Europe. However, the menu features also various other dishes, such as chicken, fish, and seafood. We went for the Michiana's Original Sirloin For Two, a 32+ oz steak which comes with salad or soup and your choice of potato. We went for salads and fries. Moreover, we had it blackened (+$1.75). The end result was a meat bonanza! The salad was basic and fresh, the fries decent, but the steak was amazingly tender, juicy, and tasty. I would rate it among the best steak I had in the US (and I ate at places like Ruth Chris, Bones in Atlanta, and St Elmo's in Indy).

VERDICT: 94/100

Eddie Steak Shed is a little treasure in the middle of Michiana. The steak is fantastic and the prices are unbelievable. Our whole meal. which included two sodas, came to $37,41, including taxes! Go there!!!

CJ's Pub (South Bend, IN)

417 N Michigan St, South Bend, IN 46601, T: 574-233-5981

When I asked a colleague with local roots where you could get the best burgers in South Bend, he unhesitatingly answered: CJ's Pub. I went there about a month ago and was very happy, so I decided to return and bring a(nother) colleague (A.) and my camera. Both from outside and inside CJ's doesn't look like much, but the food fully compensates for it.

CJ's has a huge variety of 10 oz (!) burgers, but on top of that you can by and large make whatever combination you want. We ordered a "jumbo basket" of waffle fries ($4.75) while we pondered the endless combinations of burger we could make. In the end, I decided upon the Bubba: 10 oz burger, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions and spicy BBQ sauce (at $7.50). Then I added jalapenos ($0.75) and Canadian bacon ($1.75). Incidentally, the picture is A.'s burger (I forgot the combination and name).

VERDICT: 93/100

Let's start with the waffle fries, which were perfectly fried and very crispy. You really have to be careful not to eat them all, as the burger deserves your full attention (and most of your stomach). The burger itself is very tasty and huge, while the bacon is crisp, the sauce tasty and spicy. Hands down the best burgers in South Bend, if not the whole of Michiana.

Coney Island (Detroit, MI)

Lafayette Coney Island, 118 W. Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226, T: 313-964-8198
American Coney Island, 114 W. Lafayette St, Detroit, MI 48226, T: 586-219-0995

One of the most famous pig out spot rivalries is between two hot dog places in Detroit, Michigan. I heard about it on my favorite pig out show, Man v Food, presented by Adam Richman. The American Coney Island was founded in 1929 by a Greek immigrant, while Lafayette Coney Island was founded a couple of years later by a relative. For decades the two shops have divided Detroit over who has the best coney island hot dog. Where Adam didn't dare to proclaim a winner, my friend A. and me are less diplomatic.

We first went to Lafayette, which was quite small and very crowded. The crowd was fairly mixed although predominantly white (and that in downtown Detroit!). Clearly Lafayette is a favorite pre-game stop for Red Wings fans, as there were many in the shop. The menu is very limited: hot dogs, fries, and only a couple of other things.

We went for a Coney Island ($2.35) each and shared a fries ($1.90). The fresh sausage came on a fresh steamed bun and with a very tasty chili, hot mustard, and fresh onions. As good as chili dogs come. The fries, on the other hand, were unremarkable.

We paid and went next door, to American Coney Island, which was much larger, but almost completely empty. Maybe as a consequence of that, the staff was much more relaxed. Unlike Lafayette, American has a much larger menu, including Greek specialties and donuts.

We went for exactly the same, but this time we were given two Coney Islands each (the prices per hot dog were exactly the same). The bun and sausage were less fresh and the chili had much less taste. On top of that, the mustard was almost tasteless. The fries, on the other hand, were crispier.

VERDICTS: 89/100 and 80/100

A. and I had no doubt on who served the better Coney Island: Lafayette! Everything about the hot dog was better and we both wish we would have had two there, instead of at American. That said, any real fast foodie would check it out for her/himself.

Tom's Fritten (Berlin, Germany)

Tom's Fritten, Oranienburger Strasse (corner Auguststrasse), Berlin

Whenever I see a stand with fries, I have to sample them. It's a Dutch thing. In any case, In Germany they think the best fries come from the Netherlands and thus market them as such (interestingly, in the Netherlands they think the best fries come from Belgium, which is true). Tom's Fritten is a stand in an alternative part of Berlin-Mitte, which almost exclusively sells fries and a huge variety of sauces (including the classic mayo and ketchup, the unlikely avacado and guacamole, and the unique jalapeno mayo).

I order a small fries (2 euro) with German mayo (20 cents). I should have gone for Dutch mayo (20 cents extra), which isn't that good, but better than the oily mayo the Germans eat. Anyway, I'm happy I didn't go for the large fries (3 euro), as they taste pretty bad; fat and salty, as if they are baked, rather than fried.

VERDICT: 59/100

If you are looking for good fries in Berlin, Tom's Fritten will unfortunately not provide them. In fact, I prefer McDonalds fries over these.

Curry Point (Berlin, Germany)

Curry Point, Friedrichstrasse, Berlin-Mitte (Near U-Bahn Oranienburger Tor)

Currywurst is (allegedly) a Berlin invention, so as soon as I arrived in Berlin, I looked for a real Imbiss in search for the real thing. In my area, as in most other places in Germany, it is easier to find a kebab place than a regular sausage stand, but after a bit of walking I stumble upon what looks like the real deal.

A semi-alcoholic guy runs the stand, which offers little else than traditional German sausages and meats (Wurst, Schnitzel, Frikadelle). I order a currywurst, which comes with bread and is cheap (1.80 euro). However, they deep fry the sausage (rather than fry it)!!! Consequently, the sausage is tasteless, while the bread is reheated. The curry sauce is decent though.

VERDICT: 55/100

Although the Currywurst was cheap, and the sauce tasty, the overall deal is very poor. So, avoid this place, you can do much better pretty much everywhere in Berlin!

Zante's Fast Food & Submarines (Hammond, IN)

3619 169th St, Hammond, IN 46323, T: 219-844-0222

Zante's is a greasy diner/family restaurant in Hammond, Indiana, just south of Chicago. It offers pretty much anything a non-licensed cook can prepare. It seems to claim Greek roots, but I'm not certain about that.

I had a Chicago dog, which comes with fries (at $3.29). The sausage was quite tiny, but I love the spicy peppers. The fries were pretty decent too. Who knows, their gyros might actually be good (will have to sample next time).


VERDICT: 80/100
Zante's offer decent food for very decent prices.

Gene and Jude’s (River Grove, IL)

2720 River Road, River Grove, IL 60171, T: 708-452-7634

Gene and Jude’s Red Hot Stand is a grease spot in a suburb of Chicago, housed in an old run-down shack at a parking lot. Allegedly, it sells more Vienna dogs than any other place in the country. Then again, it sells only hot dogs, fries, and… tamales (don’t ask).

I had a double dog with fries for the 1950s price of $2.55. The hot dog comes with two sausages, onions, mustard and small spicy peppers, while the fries are heaped onto the dog. The hot dog tastes great, the sausages are very snappy, while the fries are almost of Belgian quality! Hmmm, if only they had the mayonnaise.

VERDICT: 97/100

In terms of hot dogs and fries, you can hardly get better than this. Although it is out of the way, do stop by whenever you are in the Chicago area!