Bizarre Foods vs. No Reservations

[SmootSmack]

I think many (some?) of us watch both these shows, so the question is which one do you prefer?

Bizarre Foods - TV Shows - Travel Channel

Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations - TV Shows - Travel Channel

[Lotus]

Personally, I find Andrew Zimmern to be more likable. He also goes to cool places and approaches foods with an open, but not uncritical, attitude. So when I watch such shows, I watch his. When I travel abroad, I like to eat adventurously (among other things, I've eaten horse, donkey, and scorpion), and he is somewhat of a hero for me in this regard.

I stopped watching Bourdain's show. Something about him as a person just rubs me the wrong way. I also don't always agree with his choices of places to eat. For example, regarding his show about Chicago, I was able think think of at least five places which I thought were better choices than the ones which he showed.

My

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Personally, I find Andrew Zimmern to be more likable. He also goes to cool places and approaches foods with an open, but not uncritical, attitude. So when I watch such shows, I watch his. When I travel abroad, I like to eat adventurously (among other things, I've eaten horse, donkey, and scorpion), and he is somewhat of a hero for me in this regard.

I stopped watching Bourdain's show. Something about him as a person just rubs me the wrong way. I also don't always agree with his choices of places to eat. For example, regarding his show about Chicago, I was able think think of at least five places which I thought were better choices than the ones which he showed.

My

me and the lady watch both shows. i like them both for different reasons but i agree with your reasons for not liking bourdain as much besides him being a bit of an ass, but thats his angle/approach to his show.

what reaally got me about bourdain is that for one of his shows he was going to see 3 down on their luck "rust belt" towns as the show called them. so he did detroit, another city and for some reason baltimore.

so he goes to baltimore, and chooses to go to this out in nowhere indian food place surrounded by empty warehouses and stuff. then he decides to meet up with some hood lady from the show the wire and she takes him to something like a lake trout in the ghetto west baltimore.

it just sucked that he actively had to go to they very worst and emptiest parts of baltimore so it meshed with his theme of down trodden "rust belt" cities.

he didnt go to fells or canton or lil italy or charles village or fed hill or inner harbor where there are a ton of real nice high end restaurants from chains like ruth chris to smaller awesome restaurants like peters inn.

i really didnt like how the show went well out of their way to try and display baltimore like its this abandoned city akin to buffalo or cleveland.

they literally went to the far east and far west spots of baltimore (where noone goes) to find neighborhoods that appeared to be run down.

im repeatting myself but man, that show really changed my perception of whether other cities he visists is a true representation of that city or whether he picked and choosed what he wanted the viewers to think of that city.

fuck bourdain, i never curse on here but fuck him actually.

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

me and the lady watch both shows. i like them both for different reasons but i agree with your reasons for not liking bourdain as much besides him being a bit of an ass, but thats his angle/approach to his show.

what reaally got me about bourdain is that for one of his shows he was going to see 3 down on their luck "rust belt" towns as the show called them. so he did detroit, another city and for some reason baltimore.

so he goes to baltimore, and chooses to go to this out in nowhere indian food place surrounded by empty warehouses and stuff. then he decides to meet up with some hood lady from the show the wire and she takes him to something like a lake trout in the ghetto west baltimore.

it just sucked that he actively had to go to they very worst and emptiest parts of baltimore so it meshed with his theme of down trodden "rust belt" cities.

he didnt go to fells or canton or lil italy or charles village or fed hill or inner harbor where there are a ton of real nice high end restaurants from chains like ruth chris to smaller awesome restaurants like peters inn.

i really didnt like how the show went well out of their way to try and display baltimore like its this abandoned city akin to buffalo or cleveland.

they literally went to the far east and far west spots of baltimore (where noone goes) to find neighborhoods that appeared to be run down.

im repeatting myself but man, that show really changed my perception of whether other cities he visists is a true representation of that city or whether he picked and choosed what he wanted the viewers to think of that city.

fuck bourdain, i never curse on here but fuck him actually.

I thought that was the whole point of the show, to go where tourists typically don't go. And I thought that whole episode's point was to show how much these one prosperous cities (i.e. Detroit with the car industry boom) were, how they were affected by economic problems, and how people have coped with it. I'm sure Bourdain rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but that's kinda of his whole point. He goes to places that are not touristy, places that are not mainstream, and to me that's what makes his show interesting.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I thought that was the whole point of the show, to go where tourists typically don't go. And I thought that whole episode's point was to show how much these one prosperous cities (i.e. Detroit with the car industry boom) were, how they were affected by economic problems, and how people have coped with it. I'm sure Bourdain rubs a lot of people the wrong way, but that's kinda of his whole point. He goes to places that are not touristy, places that are not mainstream, and to me that's what makes his show interesting.

you have a good point re. going places that arent touristy. he could have gone to G&As on eastern ave (which was featured on diners, drive ins etc) or a ton of other places that arent touristy. the lake trout i can understand, but i dont think he went there, just some place like it.

just didnt appreciate the way he portrayed baltimore, exclusively playing to the high crime run down reputation of the city while going to extra efforts to not include anything positive or vibrant. no short shots or pictures of fells or inner harbor. they literrally had to turn off their cameras when they were in the east part of town, drive through highlandtown, canton, fells, lil italy, inner harbor past MLK to get to the ghetto west side before things looked crappy enough to fit their theme.

but point well taken ruhskins.

[MTK]

I've been a big Tony Bourdain fan for years now. I've read a few of his books, still have a couple more to read, and I saw him recently on his speaking tour back in November.

Bizarre foods is just a little too over the top with the gross out factor.

[SmootSmack]

Some of the foods on Bizarre Foods...I'd rather just starve

[Ruhskins]

I'm a big fan of Tony Bourdain. I watched his show on the Food Network (I think it was called "A Cook's Tour" or something like that), and I've continued to watch him on the Travel Channel. I like the fact that he doesn't go to the touristy places and you really get a sense of those places when you watch his show.

Just a quick plug, the upcoming No Reservations show airing on March 1st, will be visiting my home country of Ecuador. I'm pretty excited to see it, especially since I haven't been there in five years.

[MTK]

To be fair can you really represent 100% of what a city has to offer in just 40 minutes? Of course you're seeing his viewpoint, what he wants you to see, and the story he spins it in to.

[tryfuhl]

I like both but I think that I'll go with Bourdain, I dig his style more and it's not a show that's out there to surprise you like bizarre foods.. that being said I like bizarre foods and would probably try everything that I've seen

I see no reservations being more like a man v food or diners drive ins and dives on a higher level

[MTK]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

I like both but I think that I'll go with Bourdain, I dig his style more and it's not a show that's out there to surprise you like bizarre foods.. that being said I like bizarre foods and would probably try everything that I've seen

I see no reservations being more like a man v food or diners drive ins and dives on a higher level

Speaking of food shows, DD&D is one of the best

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Speaking of food shows, DD&D is one of the best

I enjoy it quite a bit

how's everyone feel about bobby flay since we're on the topic of people with attitudes? personally I'm a big fan

[MTK]

Originally Posted by tryfuhl

I enjoy it quite a bit

how's everyone feel about bobby flay since we're on the topic of people with attitudes? personally I'm a big fan

Big fan of Bobby and his food. Went to his place out in Vegas in '05, great meal

[itvnetop]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Speaking of food shows, DD&D is one of the best

My buddy (and work supervisor) just got on that show! He owns the Don Chow taco truck... not sure if it aired yet, though.

[tryfuhl]

the show has "creative directors" as well, they'll choose to represent what they want

I'm sure if they had a different theme he could show bmore much better