Welcome to the See Food Diet podcast, where Bob, Kate, and special guest Nila live by their mantra: "If you see food, eat it!". In this episode, with regular host Matt away on a British Isles tour, the remaining hosts dive into recent culinary adventures.
The episode kicks off with Nila sharing her sparkly box-mix cupcakes with strawberry Pop-Tarts and Kate confessing to a summer diet of "garbage" food. They discuss Matt's TikTok share of fried fish, which Bob humorously deemed "trash". Kate also shares her ongoing hunt for illusive Littleton pastries and her attempt to find an alternative at Juice Time, which offered an overwhelming "Cheesecake Factory level" menu of juices and sweet treats that looked good but lacked flavor depth, leading to a confusing order experience.
A major segment recounts Bob and Nila's trip to Utah:
- The Mysterious Donut Shop: Bob describes a frustrating visit to an old-school donut shop near Ogden that had no menu, where an employee struggled to identify donut types, despite the resulting raspberry jelly donut being "delicious".
- Farmers Markets: They explored a large farmers market in Ogden, where Nila found a crochet shirt and fudge, and Bob's chocolate-covered Twinkie went uneaten. Their hostess, Nikki, discovered "delicious" homemade donuts with a huge line.
- Dining Highlights: Bob highly recommends Laurel Brasserie in Salt Lake City, a "wonderful" French-themed restaurant in a hotel with "great" mocktails. They also enjoyed the "amazing" and "very kitschy" mine-themed The Timer Mine, noting its unique atmosphere.
- Hits and Misses: Taboo Pizza in Ogden was "really good". Swig, a popular drink spot, was a frequent stop for Bob, who praised his "Pretty in Pink" water-based drink and their creamy push pops. The Back 40 Diner in Midway, Utah, offered a beautiful patio view. However, the Millionaire Cowboy Bar Steakhouse in Jackson, Wyoming, was deemed "expensive" and not recommended for its food, and a snack shop near Old Faithful in Yellowstone served "some of the worst food ever".
- Red Iguana: This Guy Fieri-featured restaurant in Salt Lake City is famous for its nine-flavor mole sauce sampler, which Bob found "great," though his bean and cheese burrito was a "mistake".
The episode takes a wild turn with a snack tasting session from Rocket Fizz:
- Idaho Spud: A chocolate-covered coconut bar with a marshmallow/coffee-like center received mixed reviews.
- Hispanic Snickers: The Strawberry flavor offered a bizarre "menthol cool" and tasted like "strawberry incense" or "Marlboro activity". The Passion Fruit flavor was universally reviled, described as "atrocious," "like eating a corpse," and a "crime against tropical fruit". Bob emphatically warns, "Absolutely do not eat that thing".
- Japanese Chewy Skittles: These "fruit and flower flavor" gummies smelled like candles and tasted like "soap" or "lotion" to some, yet others found certain flavors "delicious," with a soft, mini-marshmallow-like texture.
Finally, the hosts reminisce about college food as Nila prepares for Detroit:
- Kate fondly recalls Miami of Ohio's Bagel and Deli (steamed bagel sandwiches) and Wild Bistro (Chinese food).
- Bob praises Ohio State's Mark Pis China Express for its Almond Boneless Chicken (ABC), which he considers his number one college food.
- Nila anticipates trying Detroit's famous conies (hot dogs) and explores other local spots like Sign of the Beef Carver and Hibachi Me food trucks.
Kate wraps up with her experience at the Ohio State Fair, noting delicious corn dogs and French fries, but lamenting the absence of her beloved "steak on the stick".
Join the conversation and share your food stories by emailing seefooddietpodgmail.com or finding them on TikTok and Instagram @seefooddietpod.
