A couple of summers ago, we vacationed in five states. Whenever I visit a new place, I make it a point to find the best budget restaurants to dine at. Here are my best finds for each state.
Tokyo Sushi, in Ashburn, VA
If you’re a fan of sushi, you know that a good sushi roll costs $5-$12 or more. I need to eat at least two sushi rolls to feel full. At a sushi buffet, I can eat the equivalent of about eight sushi rolls. That’s why I’m so excited that Tokyo Sushi offers a sushi lunch buffet for $18. Included in the meal are all-you-can-eat soups, salads, and appetizers. You probably don’t live near Ashburn, but if you love sushi, you should see if there are any sushi buffets near you.
Mami Nora’s, in Raleigh, NC
I live in the Washington, D.C. area. One interesting thing about the food scene around D.C. is all the Peruvian chicken restaurants. So I was surprised to find the best Peruvian chicken I’ve ever tasted in Raleigh. Peruvian chicken is a type of rotisserie chicken where ample amounts of herbs and spices are covered onto the chicken before roasting over hot coals. If you ever try it, be sure to get it with a side of yucca fries and perhaps a cup of horchata or Inca Cola to wash it down.
Red Iguana, in Salt Lake City, UT
I had killer Mexican food in Salt Lake City. Seriously, their motto is “The Killer Mexican Food.” Red Iguana serves authentic Mexican cuisine, and they specialize in mole (pronounced mo-lay) sauces. The restaurant is so popular that they even opened a Red Iguana 2 and Red Iguana Express in Salt Lake City.
Snakebite, in Idaho Falls, ID
Everyone has heard of Idaho potatoes. I tried the waffle fries at Snakebite, and they tasted the same as the waffle fries everywhere else. But the real gem I found was the wild-caught salmon sandwich. Snakebite is great at grilling things. If you ever have the chance to stop by, order anything off the grill and you won’t be disappointed.
Teton Thai Plate, in Jackson, WY
Up in the mountains, everyone seems to love breakfast diners, steakhouses, and Mexican food. When we visited Jackson Hole, we didn’t want to get ripped off at a tourist trap like the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar. At that point in the trip, we were tired of breakfast diners, steakhouses, and Mexican food. It was refreshing to find a good Thai restaurant. What stood out was the soup. You can get a huge metal bowl of tom yum soup complete with a fire burning under it to keep it hot. Amazing.
As a side note, there was another Thai restaurant in town that we passed up because we couldn’t take it seriously. It was called “Thai Me Up.”
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