No Reservations - Tony Bourdain

i found the laos episode to be very illuminating....i'd have to say that episode or the spain one.

Good show last night. The island with the dolls was really frightening.

I think my two favorite episodes were Ireland, where he waxes poetic about Eire's literary tradition. Another favorite is Paris, where he hallucinates in the swimming pool after an absinthe drinking binge.

Ha! Last night's episode was a surprise! It was nice to see Les Halles in the piece.
And Carlos..... If I would have known...... we saw him on Dec. 20th at the second Ave. Deli, and talked to him. Should have snapped a pic, but seeing him did not evoke stardom, just surprise.
He was with a really pretty red head!

LOVED the Sichuan episode. Hilarious, and I really wanted to try that steaming vat of pepper infused oil.

I love the brashness and humor of the show, but it was very touching at the end of the Sichuan episode when he traveled into the countryside and ate with the family of farmers that had lived on the land for a few hundred years. It was so simple, yet beautiful. The guy definitely has a big heart.

I've started getting into his shows recently. Maybe it's my exposure to the New York attitude here in the northeast that makes it more palatable. It's interesting to see him sample local, sometimes weird cuisine without doing it for the shock value, unlike the Bizarre Foods guy. Bourdain shows a great deal of respect for the local people and culture while practicing his dry humor.

...I never thought he'd quit smoking - but I'm so glad he did!...

I was watching one of his middle-east shows the other night (maybe Egypt), and after he took a toke off of a hookah, he made a comment about having emphysema.

I've started getting into his shows recently. Maybe it's my exposure to the New York attitude here in the northeast that makes it more palatable. It's interesting to see him sample local, sometimes weird cuisine without doing it for the shock value, unlike the Bizarre Foods guy. Bourdain shows a great deal of respect for the local people and culture while practicing his dry humor.

Steve - I think Andrew Zimmern (Bizzare Foods) also shows a great deal of respect for the local people and culture. I am a bigger fan of Bourdain overall, but Zimmern's show isn't all about eating weird stuff, and most of the weird stuff he eats is common-place in the diet of wherever he is. The show is often similar to No Reservations - traveling around with a local, eating street food, etc. He does seek out odd things to eat, but there's more to it. Not only is Zimmern a classically trained chef, but he lectures and writes frequently about food and culture. He and Bourdain are similar in many ways, which is evidenced by their friendship.

It's interesting to see him sample local, sometimes weird cuisine without doing it for the shock value, unlike the Bizarre Foods guy.

That Zimmern guy really ruins what could be an otherwise interesting show. It makes me feel uncomfortable watching him disrespect people that just went out of their way to provide him with what they consider to be great local fare.

The show is often similar to No Reservations - traveling around with a local, eating street food, etc.

Much like how the band Wham! is similar to Black Sabbath in that they both made popular music.

The show is often similar to No Reservations - traveling around with a local, eating street food, etc.

Much like how the band Wham! is similar to Black Sabbath in that they both made popular music.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree on that one (well, I agree with you that Wham! is not similar to Black Sabbath). Like I said, I don't watch Zimmern as much as I do Bourdain, but I have yet to see Zimmern disrespect anyone, and have seen him go out of his way to discuss the culture of where he is.

Fair enough...it is a bit of a stretch to say Wham! made music anyway.

The show is often similar to No Reservations - traveling around with a local, eating street food, etc.

Much like how the band Wham! is similar to Black Sabbath in that they both made popular music.

I hate to do this to you, but you brought it upon yourself

The show is often similar to No Reservations - traveling around with a local, eating street food, etc.

Much like how the band Wham! is similar to Black Sabbath in that they both made popular music.

I hate to do this to you, but you brought it upon yourself

Haha. Good stuff. I was sitting here wondering if when I clicked the links I was going to get comparison videos of No Reservations vs. Bizzare Foods OR Wham! vs. Black Sabbath.

Hey! You guys leave Wham! alone!! I love Wham!

I thought George Michael was so hot back in the day. Now I watch that video and wonder how I could NOT know he batted for the other team. Of course, when that video came out, I was 9 or 10...maybe younger.

Tonight at 10 PM: Venice!






Wake me up, before you go-go, don't leave me hangin' on like a yo-yo.... /earworm