Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Season 2008 Episode 14 Comfort Food

Guy Fieri travels the country in search of unique and delicious comfort food on this episode of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. From a BBQ joint in Kansas City to a soul food restaurant in Atlanta, Guy tries some of the best classic American dishes from around the country.

First, Guy heads to Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que in Kansas City, Missouri where he meets owners Jeff and Joy Stehney. They show him their legendary burnt ends which are slow-smoked until perfectly crusty and charred. Guy also tries their pulled pork sandwich, served with their signature sauce, and a slab of ribs brushed with their homemade rub.

Next, Guy travels to Atlanta, Georgia to visit Paschal's Restaurant, a historic soul food spot that's been serving up mouth-watering comfort food since the 1940s. He chats with Chef James Sanders and samples their famous fried chicken, mac and cheese, collard greens, and peach cobbler. Sanders shares the secret to their crispy chicken: it's fried twice, first on low heat to cook the chicken through, and then on high heat to crisp up the skin.

In Las Vegas, Nevada, Guy checks out Rollin Smoke BBQ, a no-frills joint cooking up hearty plates of smoked meat. Owner and pitmaster, Mike, shows Guy his huge smoker and explains his unique dry rub that features a combination of brown sugar, cumin, onion powder, and more. Guy digs into the burnt ends, brisket, and smoked sausage -- all of which are smoked for 16 hours.

For the final stop of the episode, Guy visits The Hangout in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Owner Shaul Zislin shows off their mouth-watering seafood gumbo, made with shrimp, crab, sausage, and okra. Guy also tries their po'boy sandwich stuffed with crispy fried Gulf shrimp, and a plate of oysters Rockefeller served with a side of Alabama-style comeback sauce.

Throughout the episode, Guy shares his love for comfort food and the stories behind the restaurants featured. He notes that comfort food is not only about the taste, but also about the memories and the love that goes into each dish.