"Original Tommy's with Jim Woods" is Episode 14 of Doughboys, hosted by Mike Mitchell and Nick Wiger. "Original Tommy's with Jim Woods" was released on August 12, 2015.
Synopsis[]
The ‘boys review a Los Angeles icon: Original Tommy’s, a chili burger and dog chain, with the help of actor and improviser Jim Woods (Reno 911!, The Office, Boom Chicago). Plus, a special boozy edition of Drank or Stank.
Nick's intro[]
Original Tommy's
For much of the 19th century, immigration to the young nation of America was dominated by Germans and the Irish. But by 1880, a new wave of Greek immigrants began settling on the other side of the Atlantic; a trend that continued into the early 20th century.
Across the country, many of these new Greek-Americans took to operating diners, a tradition carried on by the second-generation Tommy Koulax in 1946, when he opened his food stand near downtown Los Angeles. Koulax's stand specialized in burgers and hot dogs ladled with a signature sauce-like chili that was, and is, closer to a condiment than a stew.
Locals took some convincing, but after a few years, Koulax's chili-slathered fast-food chain caught on like a California wildfire and his chain expanded throughout the Southland in the '60s and '70s. But with success came intellectual-property theft and the brand continues to battle a rash of imitators who copy its name and menu.
Still, as it approaches its 70th anniversary, and now with 34 locations in California and Nevada, this chain proves that you just can't beat the original.
This week on Doughboys: Original Tommy's.
Fork rating[]
| guest / host | ordered | rating |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger |
|
3.5 forks |
| Mike Mitchell |
|
3.5 forks |
| Jim Woods |
|
3.5 forks |
| Nick and Mitch shared |
|
Member of the Hand-holding Club.
Drank or Stank[]
Pinnacle Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Vodka
In Drank or Stank, the Doughboys have a drink and rate it either 'Drank' or 'Stank.'
For this episode, they try Pinnacle Cinnabon Cinnamon Roll Vodka. This is the first alcoholic edition of Drank or Stank.
Mitch remarks that the smell reminds him of vanilla extract; Nick says that it reminds him of frosting. Nobody liked it very much, but Mitch could envision a use for it during the holidays.
| guest / host | verdict |
|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | Stank |
| Mike Mitchell | Stank / Holiday Drank |
| Jim Woods | Stank |
Quotes[]
| “ | [The food] all looks like you opened up a dirty diaper. It's a big messy glob. This yellow paper wrapped around everything. | ” |
–Mitch, on Tommy's chili-slathered food | ||
| “ | Where's the fan fiction on Cap'n Crunch? | ” |
–Jim Woods | ||
| “ | Nick actually yelled at me about that yesterday while we were at Tommy's: I kept eating ketchup at the table. | ” |
–Mike Mitchell | ||
#hashtags[]
- #HeyYouForgot or #HeyWhatAbout
- #HuskorNoHusk
The Feedbag[]
| “ | I'm writing to you today from the comfort of a local Arby's, pondering the curly fry. I believe that the shape of the fry is prioritized over its flavor and that this is a mistake. Have you ever eaten a curly fry that is not covered in bright orange seasoning? Follow up question: what is your favorite style of french fry? I think curly fries are my favorite, but I could not care less about their whimsical shape. It's all about that seasoning, baby. | ” |
–Ryan Inman | ||
| guest / host | plain curly fries | favorite fries |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Wiger | has had them | seasoned curly fries with ranch |
| Mike Mitchell | - | regular fries perfectly cooked |
| Jim Woods | - | seasoned curly fries |
Restaurants[]
| official visit | location | notes |
|---|---|---|
| Original Tommy's | Hollywood, CA | Nick and Mitch went together to the location on Hollywood Blvd. |
| restaurants referenced | location | notes |
|---|---|---|
| FEBO | Amsterdam, Netherlands | Jim Woods mentions this Dutch chain |
| El Coyote Mexican Cafe | Los Angeles, CA | Jim mentions this as a place he likes to go when he returns to LA |
| Johnny Rockets | Los Angeles, CA | Jim mentions Johnny Rockets for its shakes |
| Big Tommy's, Tomys | Los Angeles, CA | Nick mentions a couple of the knock-off Tommy's |
| Fatburger | Los Angeles, CA | they discuss Fatburger briefly |
| 101 Coffee Shop | Hollywood, CA |
Photos[]
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