The Country's Best Dishes Based on Monster Movies
Follow Offbeat Eats host Jim Stacy as he hunts down quirky dishes inspired by classic monster flicks.
Jim, an Atlanta foodie, is a huge fan of classic monster movies, so it's no surprise that he starts his Cooking Channel special with pit stops at restaurants serving film-inspired fare.
Lucky for Jim, there's an entire sandwich shop dedicated to silver screen mischief-makers right in his hometown. At Villains Wicked Heroes, you'll find sinful creations like the Odd Job, a spicy fried chicken hero named after the hat-throwing bad guy in Goldfinger.
The Gojira, a pork tonkatsu sandwich with roasted cabbage, Kewpie mayonnaise and bonito flakes, is a tasty tribute to city-stomping Godzilla.
Before he leaves town, Jim can't resist sending in a monster of a helper.
At his next stop — San Diego's Carnitas' Snack Shack — Jim finds a dish inspired by the comedy horror Attack of the Killer Tomatoes.
True to its name, the California eatery loads up local heirloom tomatoes with plenty of pork, including cochinita pibil, pork belly and a tomato-bacon vinaigrette.
Back on the East Coast, in Easthampton, Mass., Jim drops by Popcorn Noir, a restaurant that doubles as a movie theater.
Chef Kristen Davis comes up with creative fare for every viewing, like spicy, hoisin-glazed "bat wings" to serve during Dracula.
The dramatically plated Vampire Vittles is actually chorizo sausage poached in red wine and garlic.
In keeping with the Dracula theme, the night's drink is a blood orange sangria infused with brandy and pear liqueur.
Tune in to Offbeat Eats with Jim Stacy to uncover more off-the-wall bites.