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Tribute Rap Honors Jonathan Gold: "99 Restaurants, I Been to Every One"
Conor Knighton tickles our tastebuds and our funny bone with this just-released video showcasing his tribute rap to Jonathan Gold's 2011 99 Essential Restaurants list.
The feat: Knighton (formerly the host of the now-defunct and sorely missed Current TV show "InfoMania") ate at all 99 of the restaurants picked by Gold, the esteemed critic who is soon leaving the LA Weekly for the L.A. Times.
Knighton says it took him one year to hit up all the restaurants, but a mere three minutes to rap them all. "After eating at all 99 Restaurants, I felt like I should have something to show for it," Knighton explained when we asked what inspired the endeavor. Plus, it made for a great excuse to buff up his technical skills: "I'd been meaning to teach myself Garageband, and this seemed like a fun way to learn," he added.
99 meals at 99 lauded restaurants is a big task, but we wondered which stood out. "Favorite spots on the list include Bulgarini Gelato, Picca, Mozza and Din Tai Fung," said Knighton.
"I hope some form of the 99 continues at the LA Times," noted Knighton, a sentiment shared by us and many, since one of Gold's continual crowning achievements is to not only help Angelenos pick where to grab a bite, but also give intrepid eaters like Knighton a passport to dining adventure.
Props for some really clever plays on the restaurant names in his lyrics. One favorite: "You're a Good Girl, I'm an Animal, I got Mo-Chicas than I can handle," (that's Good Girl Dinette, Animal, and Mo-Chica).
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You can catch Knighton these days as a contributor at CBS Sunday Morning.
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