Akron Life June 2023

CANTON LIVING

by Alexandra Sobczak, photos provided by Dereck Malone

THE DISH A Canton man invites TikTok viewers to join him on restaurant visits.

On camera, Dereck Malone dug into house-made queso, chips and salsa, garlic Parmesan and Shotgun boneless wings and a spicy habanero burger at Bubba’s 33 in Canton — all chosen by a waitress during a food review he made for TikTok in March 2022. “I wanted people to see it from my vision, what it was like to open my door, walk out, get to the place, show off the place,” says Malone, who used to be a professional video game player and is the vice president of the Hyperluxe gaming company. “My passion is helping mom-and-pop shops.” Malone takes his over 650,000 TikTok followers along with him as he films food reviews at restaurants throughout the country. The 40-year-old Canton resi dent draws from his previous experience livestreaming and creating vlogs as a gamer, engaging audiences with his playful com mentary and memorable mohawk as he samples dishes and talks to restaurant staff ers. He sometimes brings his girlfriend and son with him to his reviews, and he checks out places like chain locations and local restaurants, which are some of his favorites. His content, which averages 15 million monthly views, has made an impact. Restaurants have experienced an uptick in guests, like Bubba’s 33 where many came from Cleveland and farther and ordered the habanero burger Malone recommended.

Dereck Malone and son, Dom, at Penn Station East Coast Subs

“I had companies that were like, Hey, you posted a video for us. You literally shut us down for three weekends in a row because we ran out of food. That’s how viral it went,” Malone says. “I have chills right now when I think about it. I’m very passionate about what I do.” He recommends some of his favorite Canton spots. Bubba’s 33 From wings to lasagna to rib-eyes, the Canton location of the national chain has it all. “They do a coffee ground steak there, which is fabulous, but their burgers are my favorite thing,” Malone says, adding his favorite is the habanero burger. “It’s got a big, deep-fried cream cheese jalapeno puck that sits on top. It is phenomenal.”

He offers some inside knowledge: Some peo ple don’t know Bubba’s 33 is a sister restaurant to Texas Roadhouse. “The same cut of meat that comes from Texas Roadhouse is sold at Bubba’s at a cheaper price,” says Malone, who rated Bubba’s 33 a 9.3 out of 10. Gervasi Vineyard The winery resort is synonymous with Canton, and Malone says he visits frequently during the summer. His top picks include the steak at the Bistro, the risotto cakes at the Crush House and the garlic cream pizza at the Piazza. He also enjoys walking the grounds and unwinding. “I’ll go and have a cigar at the Still House and a drink,” he says, adding that he has another Still House favorite. “One of the best cannolis I’ve ever had.”

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akronlife.com | JUNE 2023