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Season 3 Episode 20

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Gino's East of Chicago Chicken feat. Jacquis Neal

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In this episode of Fine Dining: The Quest to Compare All Restaurants to Chili's:

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○ Part 1: This week, we take a bite out of the legacy of Gino’s East of Chicago — a deep dish pizza joint started by cabbies and made famous by its buttery biscuit crust and graffiti-covered walls. With a flavor profile heavy on cornmeal and sausage (sometimes too much sausage), it’s one of Chicago’s big four pizza spots — but is it the GOAT?

Joining me is actor and comedian Jacquis Neal (Dropout, Last Week Tonight) as we dig into this crusty cornerstone of Chicago culture, debate sausage autonomy, and marvel at how many cab drivers it used to take to buy property.

Plus, Jacquis pitches his dream soul food/Chicago fusion restaurant, and we read some absolutely wild Yelp reviews — one featuring a “phat boi” pizza and another featuring a man’s descent into customer service madness.

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○ Part 2: This week, Jacquis Neal (Host of Dropout's upcoming show Crowd Control) returns as we give our full review of Gino’s East of Chicago in...not Chicago, but Sherman Oaks, California. From the deep dish pizza to the dessert (and the GIARDINIERA RANCH), we talk hits, misses, and whether this spot truly feels like home for two Chicagoans far from the Windy City.

We also visit the Calibration Station to hear about Jacquis's worst and best dining experiences, which include a Bob Evans dine-and-dash debacle and an unforgettable Disney breakfast.

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Location: Sherman Oaks, CA

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Michael's Score:                                     8.47

Jacquis's Score:                                   7.43

Tchotchke of Mediocrity Score:        7.95

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Host: Michael Ornelas

Guest Host: Jacquis Neal

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Music by: James McEnelly

Theme Song by: Gabe Alvarez

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Segment Transitions Voice by: Sandy Rose