Have you ever gotten amazing food from a place you'd never eat in just by looking at it?

There’s a deli on the lower east side of Manhattan that is a total dump. Ramshackle shelves, porn magazines in clear view at the door, smells sort of funny. Yet they make the yummiest sandwich; my friend had to twist my arm to try it but I did and now whenever we’re out drinking, wherever it is in the city, we cab it down to that deli for a sandwich.

There’s a Thai place not far from my house… their sign isn’t even distinguishable from the laundromat sign… like you get noodles with your laundry service or something. Their dining room is smaller than my bedroom (and my bedroom isn’t big), is very dark, the carpet is sort of dingy.. and from the outside, it looks like a secret entrance to a mob hideout or something. I went to pick up an order for the first time and almost just went home instead. But the pad Thai? Holy Helen of Troy… freaking amazing.

What dumps have you been to that are closet culinary geniuses?