Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives - Season 18

First aired: 8/26/2013 13 episodes

Episodes

1. Neighborhood Knockouts

Aired: 8/26/2013

Crest Café (San Diego, Calif.) • Show Dogs (San Francisco, Calif.) • Industrial Café & Saloon (Portland, Ore.) This trip, Guy's traveling up and down the West Coast in search of funky neighborhood joints. In San Diego, the "everybody knows your name" all-day breakfast café servin' up decadent crème brûlée French toast and juicy butter burgers. In San Fran, the hot dog spot holdin' the block down with unique creations like a lamb merguez dog and a killer fried chicken sandwich. And in Portland, the father-and-son team crankin' out good ole Americana with dishes like corned beef hash and creamed chipped beef.

2. Meat Lover's Paradise

Aired: 9/2/2013

This trip, Guy's signing up for a meat-crazed master class. In Portland, Ore., the craft-cooking family joint with a chef who butchers, cures, preserves and smokes everything in-house, from headcheese to great-grandma's fried chicken recipe. In San Carlos, Calif., the pastrami-crazed neighborhood spot crankin' out burgers, cheesesteaks and signature sammies.

3. Servin' Up San Francisco

Aired: 9/9/2013

This trip, Guy's cruisin' the San Francisco coast for a diverse culinary road trip. First, Guy swings by the repurposed garage in the Mission District for some southern hospitality served up in braised beef short ribs and spicy shrimp and gravy. Then he's off to the NY-style deli crankin' out old-fashioned chicken noodle with matzo ball soup and potato latkes. And the food extravaganza ends at San Fran's food truck park, where the reinvented Japanese/Korean truck hooks Guy up with a totally unique take on Asian-fusion in the pork belly and short rib kojas.

4. Cannoli, Fritters and Wings

Aired: 9/16/2013

This trip, Guy's rollin' out for a festival of flavors. In Portland, Ore., the Guamanian food truck serving up righteous shrimp fritters and a unique spin on chicken salad. In Wheat Ridge, Colo., the family-run comfort food joint crankin' out killer cannoli and kraut burgers. And in San Francisco, the fusion food truck combining Filipino and Latin traditions in adobo buffalo wings and grandpa's recipe for pork tacos.

5. Aces of Authenticity

Aired: 10/21/2013

This trip, Guy's hittin' up some joints that are authentic to the bone. In Santa Fe, N.M., the farm-raised Chimayan owner turnin' out traditional dishes like blue corn enchiladas with red chile sauce and chile en nogada. In Portland, Ore., the noodle house cranking out mom's recipes for all kinds of authentic Chinese dishes like won ton soup. And in Albuquerque, N.M., the Italian joint with a native Frenchman at the helm, serving up totally fresh pastas like beef cheek manicotti and squid ink black pasta with calamari.

6. Sammies and Stew

Aired: 10/28/2013

Bocadillo's (Albuquerque, N.M.) • Jambo Cafe (Santa Fe, N.M.). This trip, Guy's diggin' into some super sandwiches and savory stew. First up in Albuquerque: the school lunch maven crankin' out creative sammies like turkey avocado with green apple chile chutney and a totally unique Duke City Reuben. Then on to Santa Fe, where the cafe with a native Kenyan in the kitchen serves up totally fresh fish, like island spiced banana leaf mahi mahi and a killer Caribbean goat stew.

7. All Kinds of Gobble Gobble

Aired: 11/18/2013

Golden Crown Panaderia (Albuquerque, N.M.) • Back Street Bistro (Santa Fe, N.M.) • Danny Edwards Blvd Barbecue (Kansas City, Mo.) This trip, Guy's gettin' a variety of Thanksgiving tastes and treasures. In Albuquerque, a powerhouse father-son duo bake up a turkey-shaped specialty bread. In Santa Fe, a "blink and you'll miss it" deli serving up award-winning soup and traditional pies. And in Kansas City, smoking whole turkeys for folks who don't want to cook one themselves. This is the kind of holiday food extravaganza only a dude in a red Camaro could drum up.

8. Comfort and Soul

Aired: 11/25/2013

B.B.'s Lawnside Bar-B-Q (Kansas City, Mo.) • Tin Shed Garden Café (Portland, Ore.) • Nexus Brewery & Restaurant (Albuquerque, N.M.) This trip, Guy's hittin' up some joints that'll warm the palate and the soul. In Kansas City, a barbecue and blues joint with a die-hard competitor dishin' up favorites like burnt ends for a local NASCAR hero. In Portland, a funky neighborhood spot crankin' out comfort vegetarian fare like a heartless artichoke sandwich that hits all the right notes. And in Albuquerque, a double-duty brewery servin' up their New Mexico twist on soul food faves like southern fried chicken and crackling cornbread..

9. Pork, Pasta and Barbecue

Aired: 12/2/2013

This trip, Guy's checking out some tried and true local faves. In Kansas City, Mo., the neighborhood favorite killin' it with their scratch-made standouts like pork hash with black beans. Down the road in Kansas City, right on the Missouri/Kansas border, the former chef to the President of Italy dishing up authentic homemade pastas straight out of the family recipe book. And in Albuquerque, N.M., the southern pride joint situated on Route 66, serving up a smorgasbord of dishes from smoked barbecue chicken to specialty hot dogs.

10. South of the Border

Aired: 12/9/2013

Guy travels to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and visits a taco joint that serves octopus and Guadalajara-style sauces. Also: stuffed fish with lobster sauce and a unique take on French toast; taquito trifecta and a Mexican twist on sushi.

11. Tennessee Holiday Traditions

Aired: 12/16/2013

This trip, Guy's digging into the unique holiday traditions in Tennessee. In Hendersonville, the barbecue joint with a storied past serving up the traditional shoulder pull and a holiday ham with a fiery finish. And in Nashville, the tiny taco joint wrappin' up traditional Mexican tamales and unique quinoa sweet potato tacos.

12. Family Time

Aired: 12/23/2013

Guy visits several family-owned restaurants. Included: A husband and wife in Nashville run a gourmet food truck specializing in grilled cheese; and a nearby Italian spot serves grandma's recipes for lasagna and lamb shanks. Also: Siblings in Kansas City embrace their Chinese heritage by making firebird chicken and chili pepper wontons.

13. Soup, Salad and Seafood

Aired: 12/30/2013

This trip, Guy's diving into all kinds of classic comfort foods. In Kansas City, Mo., the real deal chef serving up his dressed-up version of comfort food with dishes like chicken pot pie and steamed mussels. In Franklin, Tenn., the southern spot crankin' out comfort food favorites like jambalaya, chargrilled oysters and the regional favorite hot chicken. And near the airport in Nashville, the food truck turned deli keepin' it funky with all kinds of homemade soups, salads and even some graffiti.