Foodie TV

I'll be the first to admit that Food Network "sold out" a long time ago. Ever since they decided that celebrity primes substance, the quality of the programming has suffered. Since then I have turned to other programming that I have written about before, but the death of MOJO HD ended that love affair rather quickly. (Note: Old episodes of After Hours are still available on Hulu, and it looks like Fine Living Network will be picking up Three Sheets.)

But Sunday night restored my faith in Food Network ever so slightly. I really enjoyed the sneak peak of "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and hope that more programs of this format and content are to come. There were two episodes: one entitled "Totally Fried" and the other curiously nondescript. Both featured nothing more than Food Network's personalities confessing their favorite dishes from dining out, but through their words, emotion, and body language you truly could sense how much they enjoyed these foods. French Fries from Balthazar, Fried Shrimp Heads at Joss Sushi, Burnt Ends on Bun from Gates BBQ, and Beef Marrow & Oxtail Marmalade from Blue Ribbon. These are the things that that they crave ... and after watching, so did I.

There was an overwhelming sense of honesty exuding from each segment, and that's what made them great. The shows as a whole were very reminiscent of the highlights from Travel Channel's "At the Table with Anthony Bourdain" - which Rene had pointed out was an overall failure save for those few interesting tidbits such as the "Last Meal Game."

Tonight's episode of "The Best Thing" focuses on BBQ - with a scheduled appearance by Pascal's Manale. 8:30 PM CST (so set your DVR in case the LSU game runs late again). We shall see if Sunday's preview was, in fact, a sign of good things to come. Please let us know what you think.

TV Guide (Blackened Out Edition)

If you are like me, then you are "over" the Food Network. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy a few of their shows (Good Eats, Boy Meets Grill, and old reruns of Cook's Tour), but I really am not a fan of watching cooking challenges, which seems to be the majority of their productions these days. Seriously, how many more "Tours of American Diners, Cookouts, and Roadside Confectioner Castle Contests" do we need?

But I still love food and watching television about food. I have seen every episode of No Reservations (multiple times), and if ever the day comes that Bourdain is no longer able to endure eating another bowl of pho from a street vendor in Vietnam, then, Lord willing, Rene and I will assume his responsibilities as US food ambassadors to the world.

In the meantime, I have discovered my new favorite food show: After Hours. The concept is so simple - Chef Daniel Boulod (a native of our second favorite city in the world, Lyon) travels to different restaurants and hosts an "after hours" dinner party with other local chefs and celebrities. Boulod and his sous cook a few courses, and the resident chef whips up a few of his restaurants signature dishes. Add wine and good company and you have one hell of a meal and one hell of a show.

I also like to drink, but not nearly as much as this guy Zane Lamprey who plays a sort of "Bourdain of Booze" role on Three Sheets. Basically he travels all over the world with this stuffed monkey and drinks. A lot. I mean, this guy likes to get f*cked up. And that's what the show is all about: one man and his quest for intoxication. (I think they are in negotiations with Legend to host the next season).

So check out After Hours and Three Sheets on MOJOHD (Channel 751 in NOLA). I can almost guarantee two things:

1. You will enjoy both shows
2. You will burn with envy as to how these people are traveling all over the world to eat and drink ... and getting paid for it.