My new favorite TV show...

...is "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives." At least until "Real Time with Bill Maher" or "Curb Your Enthusiasm" comes back.

If you haven't seen it, "Triple D" as it's also known, is on the Food Network and is hosted by a character named Guy Fieri. He's a bit of an acquired taste (typical California Dude: spiked, bleached-blond hairdo, goatee, lots of tattoos and jewelry, and the requisite Valley-speak), but he grows on you. First of all, he's a cheerful, pleasant man and makes a good host. Also, as I have come to find out, he really knows food. He has at least one other show on the Network where he actually does the cooking.

But on "Triple D" Mr. Fieri is more of a travel guide as he scours the countryside in his vintage red convertible looking for cheap restaurants that serve good food. That alone makes him my idol. The show usually visits three spots on-a-theme per episode. They start out by giving a quick thumbnail sketch of each place and a rundown of the menu. They show the various dishes and interview the patrons (who all look like they could be on "America's Most Wanted"), but my favorite part is when Guy actually goes back into the kitchen to visit with the cook. This behind-the-scenes look is fascinating to me. I'm often struck by how much trouble these people go to for their customers; many of these dishes are made from scratch! Fieri gets to sample a few of these wares and for junk-food junkies like me, well, I can't imagine a better job on the planet.

There's a list on the Web site of all the spots he's visited and I'd like to get a road trip together some day to sample a few. I have a red convertible myself that is rapidly approaching vintage status although my hair now is pretty much limited to a Number Two buzz-cut. Oh well, let me know if you'd ever be game.