Today I had the honor of being featured in fellow BoardingArea blogger DeltaPoints’ fireside chat series. It was a pleasure to participate and many thanks to Rene for including me. If you want to check out what I had to say or pick up the tools of the trade from a regular Delta flyer, head on over to DeltaPoints and check out this post: http://boardingarea.com/deltapoints/2013/12/22/a-fireside-chat-with-jason-from-flydine/
One of the perks of doing the chat with Rene is that his readers now get to check out Fly&Dine. Welcome, DeltaPointers! I’ve already got a great question from a big time Delta dude and it seemed like a great time to answer his question publicly. Here goes…
Reader P.B. writes:
I read about you on Delta Points today and your blog is great. I don’t know how I missed it for so long. You now have another avid reader. I am currently in Stockholm, Sweden (first time) with my wife and we went on a food tour lead by Fredrik Linse who runs Food Tour Stockholm. Have you heard of him? Outstanding tour. I would recommend to anyone. The food scene here in Stockholm is growing I am told. Next stop is the Ice Hotel. Lots of reindeer on the menu I bet. Thanks again for your blog!
Question – best place to eat at ATL, MSP, and DTW. As a Delta Diamond I am stuck there on a regular basis.
Hey P.B.,
You haven’t missed much of anything! Fly&Dine is brand new, so you’re getting in well before boarding, so to speak. I hope you’re enjoying your Scandinavian adventure. Thanks to Rene Redzepi at Noma in Copenhagen, there’s actually a major movement towards Nordic cuisine these days so make sure to savor every bite of that reindeer – just stay away from Blitzen. He’s got a big job coming up in a couple of days.
I haven’t flown ATL, MSP, or DTW for a while due to my American Platinum status, but I’ve gone through the terminal maps and picked out the places I would hit if I were you.
ATL
Delta’s major hub has a ton of great dining options for weary travelers. Check out Duane Nutter’s “One Flew South†in Concourse E which bills itself as “The first upscale dining experience at the world’s busiest airport.†The menu features global-inspired food with a Southern spin and a robust wine and cocktail list. If you’re feeling pizza, go with Buckhead favorite Varasano’s in Concourse A; for burgers, try Grindhouse Killer Burgers in Concourse D; and for good ol’ fashioned Southern food, hit up Paschal’s in Concourse B, the airport version of the Atlanta classic that’s been around for over sixty years. If you’ve got an international flight out of Concourse F, I’d suggest Ecco, whose incredibly sophisticated menu offers charcuterie, pizzas, pastas, and even duck cassoulet.
MSP
For Minneapolis, I went straight for the city’s most favored culinary son, Andrew Zimmern. He gave an interview with CNN’s Eatocracy about his best picks at MSP:
“Taste of Shoyu, Surdyk’s Flights, MinniBar – Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
I saved the best for last. In my hometown we have some of the best airport grub in the country. Shoyu, a ramen and rice shop that I adore, makes bowls of pork ramen and platters of crab fried rice with XO sauce and a fried egg on top. Surdyk’s will send you off on your travels with terrines, cheeses, jamón Iberico and anything else you need for the flight. I always go for a prosciutto-and-mozz on pretzel bread that makes in-flight dining a pleasure.
There is also MinniBar from Andrew Zimmern, which makes the best airport sandwiches in America. But I am biased.â€
DTW
Since you’re in the McNamara Terminal for Delta flights, I would hit up National Coney Island at A46. It’s one of the few options paying homage to local fare – the Coney dog is a mustard/chili topped hot dog that Detroit residents swear by – and I always try to pick local over chain. DTW also keeps winning awards for their healthier options, so maybe look at that very generically-named Mediterranean Grill at A54 for some hummus and fattoush salad. Michigan is home to one of the largest Middle Eastern populations in the country and there’s a good chance that your hummus at DTW is going to be higher quality than elsewhere. If you’re stuck near Gate A1, you have a full food court full of choices, but I’d hit PB&J for their gourmet peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. A nice light meal before a flight is always a good idea.
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