Video Emerges Of Obama The Food Critic

Then State Senator Taped Restaurant Review Show On Chicago Public TV In 2001

(AP)  Barack and Michelle Obama are known for nights out on the town in Chicago, dining at some of its poshest restaurants with the smartest chefs. But who knew the president-elect was a food critic?

"Check Please!," a Chicago public television round-table restaurant review show, has posted online two 7-year-old clips of Obama touting a favorite eating spot, the Dixie Kitchen and Bait Shop in Hyde Park.

"I ordered the Southern Sampler just because I couldn't make up my mind," Obama says during the panel discussion, taped in August 2001 when he was in the Illinois Senate.

"I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for," he says. "It's not gourmet cuisine, but that's not why I go to Dixie Kitchen. What I'm looking for is food that tastes good for a good price."

David Manilow, creator and executive producer of "Check Please!," said Tuesday the program was one of the first episodes taped and it never aired. He said he chose Obama because of his comfort in front of television cameras.

Manilow said he's never forgotten about the episode, but decided to wait to air the entire show on Chicago's WTTW until the Friday before Obama's inauguration, Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. He plans to release a third clip on Wednesday as a teaser.

"He's the kind of guy who can go to a pizza place or the fanciest place in town and be comfortable," Manilow said. "What you get to see from him is that seven years ago he was the same person."

Ever the politician, Obama gave a shout-out to his state Senate district during the show.

"You can do some good business out on the South Side of Chicago," Obama said. "We're glad to have you, since it's my legislative district. I want to see our small business owners succeeding out there."

Dixie Kitchen owner Carol Andresen said she's served the Obamas for years, describing them as gracious and unassuming guests. She likes what Obama had to say about her restaurant.

"It's true," she said. "He said this is not gourmet food and it's not. We are one of the few restaurants left today that makes almost everything from scratch."

Andresen also said she's delighted with all the attention.

"We've always been very successful so this will probably make us more successful," she said.

"Check Please!" has aired in Chicago for eight seasons and has thousands of people vie to be reviewers, Manilow said.

But what if Obama wanted to come back?

"There's an open seat at the table for him anytime," Manilow said.

[flsunjnky]

That is where they get their thoughts for each day.

Posted by johndevinejr

Ah yes, and their inspiration.

[johndevinejr]

HILLGIRL - do you just randomly throw things out and hope everybody else is in the same mental state as you, and buys it?

Posted by texasbeta at 01:42 PM : Jan 07, 2009

She''s so stupid she is not even fun.

[johndevinejr]

It took Bill Clinton 7 years to slowly brake the snowballing debt increase to a stop and actually decreased it in his last year in office.

The debt has doubled just during the past 8-year bush administration.

By the time Obama is able to bring it to a halt again, it will likely reach 15 trillion or more, due to the massive interest due each year on the existing debt.



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Posted by jn122736 at 09:49 AM : Jan 07, 2009

You have to understand, republicans are not interested in facts. They have beliefs. They will believe ANYTHING, ANYTHING at all as long as someone like rush limbaugh says it. That is where they get their thoughts for each day.

[texasbeta]

LoonyLeft - I never thought I would come across a monkey who can type

[texasbeta]

What a hoot! All Bill Clinton did was rob social security and government holdings to pay down the debt...and then kept running it back up with old Lyndon Johnson''''s entitlement programs...highest national debt in history when he walked out of the White House...FOOLS!


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Posted by TexHillGirl

HILLGIRL - do you just randomly throw things out and hope everybody else is in the same mental state as you, and buys it? Just because Limbaugh says it, doesn''t make it true...in fact, you can almost count on it being a lie. Bush Jr has increased the national debt more than anyone in the history of our nation...even passed the Truman years. Clinton took more off the debt than anyone in 100 years

[clathrate]

Of course, he still is clearly a a Kerry-like shallow, arrogant, platitude-spouting, elitist, Marxist, narcissistic, flip-flopping gas-bag who is so mentally deficient from extensive drug use he even has to plagiarize his hollow platitudes, who hijacked the nomination with fewer votes than Hillary received, and who stole the election with extensive ACORN fraud.
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Posted by LoonyLeft

It''s only the 8th of January, and yet I think we already have a winner in two categories:

1) Biggest Republicon whine.
2) Most egregious example of run-on sentence.

[hatesthecolt]

have a solution to unemployment, euthanize them! This will give workers still with jobs an incentive to go that extra mile.

Posted by lady_organs

What happened to the "Thou shalt not kill" part? Oh, I forgot, that only applies to fetuses.

[jn122736]

Oh yeah, he''''''''s going to rescue the nation with Bush''''''''s FRESH NEW IDEAS...cut taxes, and hand out $500 checks...awesome!

My grandkids get another $100 BILLION dollar bill, and the national debt rises like the tower of Babel...Awesomeeeeee!!!!
Posted by TexHillGirl at 07:18 AM : Jan 07, 2009
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TexHillGirl = hypocrisy personified.

When Reagan took office in 1981 the national debt stood at less than ONE trillion dollars.

Today, after a quarter century of trickle down, borrow and spend, republican policies, the Debt stands at 11 trillion dollars. An unbelievable 1100% percent increase.

It took Bill Clinton 7 years to slowly brake the snowballing debt increase to a stop and actually decreased it in his last year in office.

The debt has doubled just during the past 8-year bush administration.

By the time Obama is able to bring it to a halt again, it will likely reach 15 trillion or more, due to the massive interest due each year on the existing debt.

[irmcvet971]

Guess you didn''''t read the article. Figures.

Posted by kansas1946 at 11:25 PM : Jan 06, 2009

LOL First you must be educated enough to read!

[brianbwb-2009]

"Obama will rescue the middle-class as soon as he finishes his Petrossian caviar." Posted by b4ucmyI

Petrossian is for suckers, most of the medium to better stores carry just as good a product without the fancy name. If you know about Petrossian, then you should know that it is overpriced.

[rf35]

DILLIGAF!

[memerider]

Gosh, maybe Washington, DC might import a Dixie Kitchen and Easterners can enjoy some good down home Cajun and Southern food, too.

And I do hope Obama is successful at working with legislators and agencies to jumpstart the economy and help the middle and lower classes avoid bankruptcy when they are injured or become sick.

[vincan-2009]

If anyone can rescue the economy it will be President Obama. Bush has just about ruined America with his total incompetence.

[kansas1946]

Obama will rescue the middle-class as soon as he finishes his Petrossian caviar.


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Posted by b4ucmyI at 10:59 PM : Jan 06, 2009
+ report abuse
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Guess you didn''t read the article. Figures.