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Today on Weird History Food we are talking about a real crowd pleaser - nachos!! These are a favorite appetizer, and even as a loaded main course! But, who invented nachos, and exactly how did they take over this great nation of ours? ...And most importantly, as we travel around the country talking various types of nachos, answer this: which is YOUR favorite?
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Nachos, a Tex-Mex staple, a ballpark favorite, and a late-night microwaved indulgence
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According to legend, these cheese-covered delights were invented by Mexican maitre d' Ignacio Nacho Anaya
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And it wasn't long before nachos moved up the American interior and spread their cheesy ways from sea to shining sea
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So, today, we're chowing down on every style of nacho across 50 states
0:27
All right, everybody, say cheese. While the typical nacho plate usually includes chips, cheese, and maybe jalapenos, beef, or chicken
0:41
unique takes on this 1943 classic have popped up just about everywhere
0:46
And since nachos first found their U.S. foothold in Texas, several restaurants around the Lone Star State have perfected their very own rendition of chips and cheese
0:54
In Houston and San Antonio, Chachos serves up their mountainous King Kong nachos with an iconic cheesy center
1:02
In Austin, Lucy's Fried Chicken serves up a nacho plate with fried chicken, cotija, and crema
1:08
And over in Dallas, E-Bar Tex-Mex sells nachos topped with straight-off-the-grilled chunks of beef and chicken fajita
1:14
Meanwhile, over in Arizona, Phoenix's Just Tacos and More has their famous JT Nachos, which are set apart from the pack by using homemade chorizo queso
1:24
And over in New Mexico, Santa Fe's Rio Chama Prime Steakhouse uses the state's signature green chilies to top their nachos with a fire-roasted chili sauce
1:34
along with chicken, cheese, and pico de gallo, among other ingredients. Up in Oklahoma, Wellston's Butcher Barbecue Stand makes the inventively titled Red Mexican Nachos
1:44
These barbecued-inspired nachos feature a white queso, roasted corn, and either brisket or pulled pork, all topped with barbecue sauce
1:52
Oh, what a beautiful nacho. Morgantown, West Virginia's Black Bear Burrito offers their Barely Nachos
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which boasts house-fried tortilla chips topped with all the usual suspects, and the addition of bacon crumbles and a house-crafted buffalo wing sauce
2:10
and ranch dressing combo. The Galaxy Hut Vegan Bar and Grill in Arlington, Virginia
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offers vegan nachos smothered in cashew queso, fake bacon, fried jalapenos, and avocado
2:21
For those not of the vegan persuasion, Galaxy Hut will happily switch out the cashew queso for real dairy cheddar jack
2:28
Down in Orange Beach, Alabama, Coastal sells tuna poke nachos, which have yellowfin tuna, mango cubes, and spicy mayo heaped on top
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Next door in Georgia, Atlanta's Tin Lizzy cooks up their classic TL nachos
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alongside their buffalo chicken nachos, which come equipped with blue cheese crumbles
2:46
diced tomatoes, and queso blanco. To the north, North Carolina's Raleigh Times Bar sits in the century-old building
2:52
that once housed the Raleigh Times newspaper. More importantly, their Times Nacho gives eaters a chance to try
2:58
what they call authentic North Carolina barbecue pork. Who says print is dead
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Meanwhile in South Carolina Myrtle Beach Nacho Hippo two locations offer over a half dozen nacho offerings along with a choice to make your own nachos from their list of over 20 ingredients Over in Jackson Mississippi Pig Pint makes barbecue nachos with pickled onions
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smokehouse beans, and Mississippi sweet barbecue sauce. In Little Rock, Arkansas, The Fold offers standard ingredient nachos made special
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by the option to load them up with bison meat. Down in New Orleans, Juan's Flying Burrito sells five different takes on nachos
3:35
including their bacon, olive, and salsa fresca smothered stadium nachos, and their grilled mango and pineapple-laden Hawaii Five-O Kamehameha
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And at the bottom of America's biggest panhandle, Key West's El Maison de Pepe makes Pepe's Cuban nachos
3:50
which have a plantain chip base and are topped with ropa vieja, guacamole, and cheese
3:56
Miami's Sweet Liberty makes cauliflower nachos, which smother the usual tortilla chip with sautéed cauliflower
4:03
radishes and pomegranate seeds to the north lexington kentucky's saul good makes seemingly
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traditional nachos but they swap out the queso for house-made beer cheese and top it all off
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with steak and memphis tennessee's central barbecue makes their nachos with either pork
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beef chicken or turkey and tops them off with cheese sauce shredded cheese and both barbecue
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sauce and some extra barbecue shake time to shake what your nacho gave ya
4:30
Way up in Girdwood, Alaska, Jack Spratt offers their mesmerizing Nacho Libre
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which they describe as adventurous vegan nachos. This delectable dish comes equipped with a chilled mushroom and walnut mixture
4:46
serrano peppers, scallions, and radish pico de gallo. Meanwhile, out in the Pacific, Honolulu's Sure Fry slings the more traditional Monakia nachos
4:56
nachos alongside their poke nachos which have a house-made wonton chip base topped with ahi tuna
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and asian fusion sauce spicy mayo avocado and sea asparagus back on the mainland downtown los
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angeles's bar ama serves up a nightly super nacho hour offering cheap nachos by the stack with what
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they claim is the world's best queso send a few samples for review would you meanwhile santa monica's
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Vamos sells half a dozen unique types of nachos, including their chicken tinga nachos, elote nachos, and asada nachos
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Las Vegas' Nacho Daddy, with 15 different offerings, has some of the most decadent nacho choices around
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These include their more down-to-earth options, like the southern fried chicken nacho and the nacho average burger nacho
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but they also include upscale options like their lobster and crab nacho and their filet mignon nacho
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Ooh la la. Up north, Portland, Oregon's expatriate serves their expatriate nacho, which has a base of fried wonton chips topped with Thai chili cheese sauce, spicy lemongrass beef, and both crema and salsa
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Seattle, Washington's delightfully named Some Random Bar makes both crab nachos and machaca beef nachos, both of which come topped with white cheddar cheese, grilled onions, and lime sour cream
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While Denver Colorado La Loteria Taqueria nachos may look pretty standard they come loaded with not just one but three types of cheese
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Nacho, pepper jack, and cheddar, along with the option to add chicken, beef, or shrimp
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Next door in Salt Lake City, Utah, cocktail bar, Lake Effect, serves up their tin can nachos
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which come topped with cheddar cheese, scallions, salsa verde, and your choice of either flank steak, chicken, or barbacoa
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To the north, Missoula, Montana's Tamarack Brewing Company makes their massive keg nachos
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which come piled up in a metal keg lid and can be topped with pork carnitas, tequila chicken, or bison
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Then Haley, Idaho's Powerhouse, which acts as both a bike shop and as a restaurant, makes their famous Idaho nachos
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These nachos come with everything you'd expect from a traditional nacho recipe
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Only they've switched out the tortilla chips for french fries. Is it even nachos at that point
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Meanwhile, Wyoming's oldest still-operating soda fountain, the 110-year-old Chugwater Soda Fountain, serves up both buffalo nachos and a more traditional nacho salad, both of which come with one extra special ingredient, Chugwater Chili
7:31
With locations through both North and South Dakota, the Blarney Stone Pub serves up Irish nachos far and wide
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And each plate comes complete with a bed of waffle fries instead of tortilla chips, along with a side of Dublin dip
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You might want to double your order. Over in Minneapolis, the Blue Door Pub's multiple locations make Nachos Tachos and the more extreme Hella Tachos
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both of which replicate the traditional nacho experience on beds of tater tots instead of chips
7:58
Near Iowa's Drake University campus, the University Library Cafe sells fresh flour tortilla nachos
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that can be topped with your choice of cheeseburger, chicken, roast beef, bacon, or corned beef
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Down in Wichita, Kansas, Augustino Brewing makes brisket nachos, which comes with homemade chips, cheddar cheese, and a white queso
8:19
Over in Missouri, Gettin' Basted serves up their basted nachos, complete with pulled pork, wonton chips, dry slaw, and jack cheese
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Bro, I'm so basted right now. Meanwhile, over in Nebraska, Tavern 180 makes their very own ahi tuna nachos, which use a bed of wonton chips topped with nori, sesame seeds, jalapenos, and a wasabi aioli
8:46
Jimmy's Famous Seafood in Baltimore, Maryland, serves up their famous nachos. These nachos come topped with steak, chicken, and shrimp, along with a crab dip, queso, and salsa crema
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Are they even nachos at that point or just a pile of meat? All over New Jersey, Taqueria Mexican Street Kitchen is the place to get nachos
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Their Viva La Nachos comes in both pie and full serving sizes
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and can be topped with carne asada, el pastor, beyond taquerizo, or guacamole
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Then in both Brooklyn and Manhattan, the Calexico restaurant chain serves up traditional style nachos
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made with roasted corn, black beans, pickled jalapenos, and a four cheese sauce
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in little old Wilmington Delaware La Pizzeria Metro makes their wood oven nachos which come topped with both pepidou and jalapeno peppers black olives and tomato salsa with the option to add sausage buffalo chicken
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Philly steak, or pork belly. And in Philadelphia, Lolita Restaurant makes their delectable guajillo chili braised short rib nachos
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Serve with queso mixto, Fresno chilies, charred corn, and avocado crema. Chicago's Broken Barrel Bar is known for its roasted sprouted nachos
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which are loaded with pickled onions, jalapenos, radishes, and Brussels sprouts, all smothered in a cheesy blend
10:09
Detroit's Taqueria Mi Pueblo serves Jalisco-style botanas, which come topped with your choice of ham, chicken, ground beef, beef head
10:17
beef steak, beef tongue, or alternatively, a variety of pork options. Over in Ohio, the Cap City restaurant chain makes a cheesy chip concoction they don't refer to as nachos
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Instead, they call the dish blue cheese potato chips, which are exactly as they sound
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with a layer of chives and Alfredo sauce for that extra zest. Next door in Indianapolis, the Tamale Place makes what at first may seem like traditional nachos
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but they offer both spicy chicken chipotle and steak options. Each is revered among locals
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And the entire restaurant has Guy Fieri's stamp of approval. And if it's good enough for Guy, near Wisconsin's border with Minnesota is the San Pedro Cafe
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They sell three varieties of their Caribbean-inspired lemon habanero aioli-laden nachos, including their chicken nachos, roasted tomato and sweet corn nachos, and their ever-luxurious duck nachos
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Way to the north, Portland, Maine's El Rayo Taqueria makes loaded tot nachos
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served with crema, Monterey Jack cheese, and house pickled jalapenos. But for those looking to go more traditional, they also serve nachos using good old-fashioned chips
11:29
In Burlington, Vermont, the Griffin serves up sweet potato nachos, which are a traditional nacho plate that switches out corn tortilla chips for sweet potato chips
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Next door in Concord, New Hampshire, Hermanos Cocina Mexicana makes their famous chicken and garlic nachos, which come complete with chicken, cheese jalapeños, and a garlic dressing
11:48
Down in Hartford, Connecticut, El Pollo Guapo makes their guapo nachos. These nachos come topped with the El Guapo specialty, rotisserie chicken, along with sriracha aioli, garlic lime aioli, queso fresco, and pico, Rhode Island
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Arguably the state least likely to serve nachos actually produces a huge selection of nacho platters at Newport's Brick Alley Pub and Restaurant
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They have six options to choose from, including the Ultimate Nacho Platter, the Machaca Beef Nacho Platter, and the Texas Chili Nacho Platter
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All of which are served on house-made corn tortilla chips topped with both cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses
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Rounding out New England, Boston's Sweet Cheeks Q restaurant makes Texas nachos, which swap out the chips for a bed of salt and pepper potatoes
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and top it all off with chili, cheese, and either pulled chicken, pulled pork, or chopped beef
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They're the most authentic taste of Texas you can get in Massachusetts
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which is weirdly appropriate for one of the most popular
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