Turducken Pot Pie @ Carson Kitchen
When Carson Kitchen opened in June 2014, it begat a food revolution in downtown Las Vegas the likes of which Sin City had never seen. Since then, a dozen more worthwhile eateries have opened in its wake, but it remains the culinary leader to this day, and a tough table to score any day of the week. Even with the passing of founder Kerry Simon, the cooking remains as innovative and drop-your-fork-tasty as it did when the rock-and-roll chef was overseeing things. We know Kerry would approve of this turducken pot pie – a playful take on the ultimate stuffed bird -- that mixes three kinds of fowl (turkey, chicken, duck) and bathes them in an old-fashioned cream sauce that would make Betty Crocker proud. Top it all off with buttermilk biscuit crumble and you have the ultimate in comfort food, in a casual setting that belies just how serious this place is about its cooking.

Breakfast Tacos  @ Marcelino Pan y Vino
It is hard to stand out with breakfast tacos, but at this East Austin taquería, they do it twice. First, the egg and bacon taco has a deep rich filling of crispy, caramelized bacon. And second, the egg and sausage taco is made with local sausages from the nearby town of Elgin. Make sure you specify the Elgin sausage taco. The tortillas are handmade in front of you and the salsa sauces are very good. Tacos are $1.85 each.

Brisket Sandwich @ Salt + Smoke
St. Louis barbeque normally leads with pork. Here is an exception: The brisket sandwich at Salt + Smoke is superb. This isn’t your run-of- the-mill ‘que joint. The sides are thoughtful (a cheddar-bacon popover?), and there are craft beers and a cocktail menu. The beef is as tender as butter, and the sandwich wears a smear of mayonnaise flavored with burnt ends. For crunch and panache, they toss on a handful of tobacco onions, thin shreds that are deep-fried. There are lots of other good options from the smoker: chicken wings, trout and smoked tomatoes on a sandwich and a cheddar-jalapeno bologna (an American take on mortadella sausage) sandwich with chow-chow relish (a tart, chopped vegetable mix) are all notable. Of course, there are the traditional barbecue meats, like pork and chicken. Plus falafel so the vegetarians aren’t left out of the fun. Like many barbeque spots, they close when they run out of food. But here, that tends to be fairly late in the evening.

Pho @ Pho Van
Pho Van, without a doubt, has the best pho in Baltimore. The beef bone based broth is rich, full of beef flavor with the aromatics of cinnamon and star anise balanced perfectly. What meats you choose to go into your pho is diverse and additional portions can be ordered. The small bowl has always been more than enough for me, but a hearty appetite will finish the large. Fresh basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno peppers and wedges of lime are plated beside your pho, letting you customize your pho along with optional hoisin and hot sauces. The nondescript restaurant in a nondescript strip mall west of downtown, 40 West Plaza Shopping Center, is cash only, so come prepared. Service is friendly and fast, the owner greets everyone with a smile. While you are there, try the marinated quail (Chim Cúc). How good is Pho Van’s pho? On each visit, the patrons were mostly Vietnamese who were contented slurping the noodles and broth from their bowls of pho.

Italian Cold Cut @ Luigi's Italian Deli
Luigi’s is on “the Avenue” in Baltimore, which any true Baltimorean will tell you is 36th Street, the up-and-coming hot neighborhood north of downtown. Luigi’s shares the first floor of one of the numerous houses that have been converted to retail. In the right weather, diners can sit outside on the porch and people watch or enjoy the back patio. Luigi’s is self-serve. Place your order at the counter, give them your name and soon a hot or cold Italian sandwich will be yours. The No. 1 seller on the cold side of the menu is the Italian cold cut packed with Italian deli meats and cheeses; mortadella, salami, capicola, pepper ham, provolone dressed with extra virgin olive oil, field greens, red wine vinegar, tomato, crushed hot cherry peppers and grated cheese. What, no mayonnaise? True Italian cold cuts don’t come with mayo. In fact, there isn’t a drop of mayo to be found at Luigi’s. The Italian cold cut sub is huge, and will easily feed two people -- unless you are a football player or weight lifter.

Claypot Rice with Beef and Egg @ Wing Hop Sing
The classic version of this dish uses minced beef, but here they finely hand-chop the beef to deliver a more meaty mouth feel. Simply drizzle with a bit of soy sauce, then mix the rice with the runny egg along with the layer of crunchy rice at the bottom – the result of well-controlled heat from the claypot that crisps the rice without overcooking it. Other good choices of claypot rice are chicken or spare ribs.

Fried Chicken wings with Special Sauce @ Soyo Barstaurant
No one knows cabbage like a Korean, but for our money, this country’s ultimate comfort food is the humble chicken wing. Soyo is more of a restaurant than a bar, with cozy booths lining one wall and simple tables with bench seating occupying the rest of the place. (The actual bar only has four seats.) What Soyo also has is classic Korean dishes like ha mul pa jeon (seafood pancake), mandoo dumplings, kimchi fried rice, gamjatang (hangover soup) and bossam (boiled pork with spicy radish salad), along with lots of tweaked and twisted takes on a typical Korean menu. All of these have made it wildly popular with foodies, industry types, and the Asian hipster crowd – all of whom flock here at all hours. (It’s open til 4 am on weekends.) No matter what their affiliation, no one leaves without an order of chicken wings. Two types are offered: sweet and spicy and crispy garlic, and both will have your table fighting for the last appendage. Juicy, sticky, crispy and addictive doesn’t tell the half of it. One bite and you’ll swear off Buffalo wings forever.

Roast Beef Dede @ Dede
This bustling food stand has crafted a local culinary invention. The "Dede" is an omelet, coated with breadcrumbs and stuffed with a variety of inventive fillings. Choices include a "Dede" with roast beef, mayonnaise, mustard, arugula and tomatoes; a roasted red pepper, goat cheese and pesto "Dede"; and a mushroom, mozzarella, pesto and cream cheese "Dede." The breadcrumbs elevate the “Dede" from an ordinary omelet and the various fillings send it right over the top. Prices start at 6$ for the cheese Dede and go up to 10$ for the roast beef Dede.

P.B.R. Steamed Mussels @ 1157 Bar & Kitchen
A corner micro bar in Baltimore’s historic maritime Locust Point neighborhood, 1157 Bar + Kitchen serves internationally influenced small plates, sandwiches, entrees and desserts. Seasonally changing menus keep it fresh and local. One can choose from the rotating drafts and cocktails that are chalked up on the blackboards. A recent visit had us start with small plates: Korean fried chicken wings, honey bourbon glazed pork belly on French toast and the P.B.R. steamed mussels. Every dish was on the money, but the mussels, as they call them “The Big Ones,” were big, plump, tender and so good we ordered another bowl. The mussels ($11) arrive swimming in garlic, green Tabasco, shallots and butter with a hunk of crusty bread perched on top to sop up the rich broth. Arrive early for early-bird discounts. Executive chef and owner Jason Ambrose knows how to knock it out of the ballpark with his culinary creations.

Lomito La Rambla  @ La Rambla
For those looking for a taste of classic Buenos Aires, this traditional porteño café in the heart of Recoleta is your spot. Old-school waiters decked out in crisp white shirts and bow ties serve hot cortado espressos and succulent sandwiches. The go-to thing to order is the Lomito La Rambla, a filet mignon sandwich topped with ham, cheese, lettuce and tomato tucked between two lightly toasted pieces of bread. The steak is cooked a perfect medium rare and the entire sandwich is delightfully juicy and supremely satisfying. The sandwich costs about 180 pesos, about $12 US