Ep 14. Grand Rapids, MI

The popular food challenge show Man v. Food returned for another installment of its eighth season, this time taking viewers on a culinary journey to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Host Casey Webb explores the city's diverse food scene, highlighting some of the most creative and delicious dishes that Grand Rapids has to offer.

In this episode, Webb dives headfirst into some of Grand Rapids' biggest and most glorious dishes. He starts his journey at a local bar where he takes on a food challenge that promises to put his stomach to the test. The challenge is to eat a towering multi-layer sandwich that includes everything from ham and turkey to a trio of cheeses, pickles, and lettuce. If that wasn't enough, the sandwich comes with a pile of crispy fries on the side. Webb has only 30 minutes to finish this gigantic meal, and he's feeling the pressure.

After the food challenge, Webb heads to a pub for some classic comfort food. He tries a unique twist on the beloved Midwest dish, the hot dish, which is like a casserole made with ground beef, tater tots, and creamy mushroom sauce. This version comes with a spicy kick – it's made with chorizo instead of ground beef and is topped with a healthy dose of jalapenos.

Next up, Webb heads to a restaurant that serves some of the best vegan food in Grand Rapids. He tries the restaurant's signature dish, a beef-less beef Wellington. The dish is a play on the traditional British dish, beef Wellington, which is made with tenderloin steak wrapped in puff pastry. In this version, the beef is replaced with a savory mixture of portobello mushrooms and lentils, then baked in flaky pastry.

Webb also explores the city's love affair with beer and visits a brewery that combines his two favorite things – sandwiches and beer. He tries a sandwich that's been infused with beer, with all the fixings like juicy pulled pork, melty cheese, and crispy onion rings. He washes it all down with a flight of the brewery's most popular beers.

Finally, Webb wraps up his culinary adventure by hitting up a food truck that serves some of the city's best tacos. He tries a unique take on a classic taco, with shredded duck instead of the usual chicken or steak. The taco comes with fresh cilantro, grilled onions, roasted tomato salsa, and lime wedges.

Overall, this episode of Man v. Food showcases some of Grand Rapid's most innovative and mouth-watering dishes that are sure to satisfy even the most discerning foodie. From huge sandwiches to spicy hot dishes, vegan beef Wellington, beer-infused sandwiches, and duck tacos, this episode has something for everyone. Casey Webb's intrepid culinary exploration of Grand Rapids proves that this city is a food lover's paradise, and leaves viewers eager to explore this delicious culinary destination for themselves.