Andrew Zimmern's Diner Go-To Order Is Surprisingly Simple

Vacations and travel bring out the gluttonous kid in all of us. Diets be damned, we are more likely to eat foods we shy away from when we are doing the daily grind. Local diners and their regional specialties, along with fast food restaurants like Chick-fil-a and Wendy's are must stops on many a traveler's road trip. Why? Maybe it's the Andrew Zimmern in all of us that wants to truly experience how others eat. It's a fact that we are more relaxed with our habits. Per the Hindu Times, the University of Georgia did a study a few years back and found that despite how active people are on vacation, 61% of those surveyed put on almost a full pound when they went on that coveted vacay. 

But speaking of Zimmern, the Travel Channel's "Bizarre Foods" host recently took to Instagram to share he was in the middle of a vacation of his own, posting a photo of what he likes to order up when he visits a local dinner. It might surprise fans to learn it is not dung beetles or horse rectum. It's actually a dish that will get you thinking about the holidays and how to use up those leftovers we all love.

Zimmern shared a photo showcasing a plate filled with comfort writing, "Currently in middle of nowhere going off the grid for a week. Last meal was one of my all time favorites: hot open face turkey with gravy on sliced white bread. . .note the lettuce/orange pin wheel garnish! If I see this on a menu in a small town diner it's my automatic go-to." If this simple meal conjures up vibes of Thanksgiving dinner, we're with you. Hot turkey smothered in gravy along side those creamy looking mashed potatoes have our taste buds going into overdrive. 

So, where did the food host find this diner delicacy? According to blogger Barry Popik, this dish is often referred to as "Turkey Manhattan" and it dates back to the 1950s with the state of Indiana leading the way in serving it up. Still readers can only guess where Zimmern is enjoying his — however, if we are just guessing, it has to be someplace outside the confines of city life because he ended by asking his fans, "What's your rural diner comfort food must have?"