5 QUESTIONS WITH TROY JOHNSON OF THE FOOD NETWORK’S CRAVE

What truly makes your mouth water?

Local San Diegan and food critic Troy Johnson has hit the main stage with Food Network’s newest popular series entitled Crave. You might remember Troy from his days on Channel 4 working the Padres pregame or on his local “Fox Rox” program, but now the witty, one-liner, ‘not-so-chef’ like takes viewers on a cross-country journey for the most perfect versions of the foods he craves.

Troy will travel anywhere and try anything in pursuit of his obsession. Whether it’s pizza and pork or fried chicken and ice cream, Troy is on a quest to discover foods that make his mouth water while taking viewers on his nation-wide expedition to indulge in his food fascinations.

In the Bacon episode, Troy found his ultimate bacon satisfaction from a food truck in Los Angeles. Lardon is an all bacon food truck that serves up a bacon taco termed ‘The Baco,’ which is potatoes and cheddar in a bacon shell served with horseradish bacon sour cream. Now that is bacon goodness!

Crave airs tonight (Monday, September 26th) at 5:30pm pst and Troy is on a mission to discover his ultimate barbecue meal.

Upcoming Episodes: Burgers (Monday, October 3rd), Fried Chicken (Monday, October 10th), Chocolate (Monday, October 17th)

Of course we had to interview Troy and see what local menu items he truly craves.

5 QUESTIONS WITH TROY:

1. What does ‘crave’ mean to you?
It means that I hopped in a van with six movie quote-spewing TV dudes and drove across the country eating anything that got in my way. And stuff that didn’t get in my way. And stuff that just begged to be eaten because it smelled kind of nice. Then I came home to San Diego and spent quality time with my treadmill and multiple salads and flax seeds so that my belly wouldn’t serve as a shade tent for my feet.

2. What menu items/restaurants (in San Diego) do you crave for…
Breakfast: JSix California Bennie. Avocado, heirloom tomatoes, poached eggs and tarragon Hollandaise. I’d sell your children for a bite (Keeping my own).

Lunch: Porchetta Panino at Bencotto. Pork belly and loin roasted with herbs and garlic. Your breath will scare away potential suitors, but your mouth will do a happy jig on your face.

Dinner: A big ole Rocky’s Burger with some fries, and a beer. It’s the kind of ugly, lumpy, only-a-mother-could-love burger that tastes like carnivore enlightenment.

After Dinner: Ewephoria sheep’s milk gouda from Venissimo Cheese. Cheese for dessert will realign your chakras.

3. What is the one menu item you crave for the most (in San Diego)?
Drunken noodles with duck at Amarin Thai, I eat it at least once a week. Spicy enough that my mouth immediately regrets my decision-making.

4. What Cocktail and/or Beer do you crave?
Cocktail would have to be the 100-day aged Manhattan at Grant Grill. Smooth like the bartender from Love Boat.

5. Which episode of Crave do you think will make viewers ‘crave’ the most?
Barbecue. In California, we think that torching defrosted chicken breasts with six feet of direct flame while we drink a beer is barbecue. But a little town in Texas showed me how to do it right; it changed my life. And I try to convey that divine barbecue intervention with the viewers.

And…follow Troy if you’re a twitterer – he’s definitely someone worth following.

[Photo: Food Network]