CFB51 College Football Fan Community
The Power Four => Big Ten => Topic started by: ELA on May 18, 2024, 02:13:01 PM
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Its not news, and its not cooking. Figured it should be broken out. Any Houstonians have thoughts about Fajita Petes? Apparently they are coming to Pittsburgh, and with 3 kids, this looks like exactly the amount of "Mexican" thry can handle. We have Mad Mex, which makes good margaritas but when their best dish os a "Los Wingos wrap" which is juat a buffalo chicken wrap, that about sums it up. I would honestly kill for a juat a Chi ChiS
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I'm not a Houstonian and I've never heard of this place, but it turns out they have several locations in Austin, a couple of which are pretty close to me. So now, I have a mission to go check it out and report back to you.
The pictures online look the part, and a quick check of a Houston subreddit shows quite a few folks who say it's good.
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never heard of the place
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it looks like a place that prepares one thing and does it well
started in 2008 in the Rice Univ area
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(https://i.imgur.com/ibyxQZZ.png)
Not really true of my kids--we make them eat everything. And although it was hard at first, it worked out...
My favorite with the oldest when he was about 8...
- Do you like tomatoes? "No."
- Do you like onion? "No."
- Do you like garlic? "No."
- Do you like cilantro? "No."
- Do you like salsa? "YES!"
:smiley_confused1:
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Question for @OrangeAfroMan (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=58) and anyone else familiar with the Phoenix/Glendale area. My wife and I are taking my son to the Luke Combs concert there in a few weeks. Need to figure out where to eat dinner before the show, which is at State Farm Stadium.
They have a whole entertainment complex across the street, which I'm sure will be easy, but not very interesting. We're staying on the North side of Phoenix (I-17 & Peoria Rd), so anywhere between there and Glendale works.
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It kinda sucked when my kids figured out that crab and lobster are awesome. Going out to eat got a lot more expensive.
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Question for @OrangeAfroMan (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=58) and anyone else familiar with the Phoenix/Glendale area. My wife and I are taking my son to the Luke Combs concert there in a few weeks. Need to figure out where to eat dinner before the show, which is at State Farm Stadium.
They have a whole entertainment complex across the street, which I'm sure will be easy, but not very interesting. We're staying on the North side of Phoenix (I-17 & Peoria Rd), so anywhere between there and Glendale works.
Not a lot of great places around that area by the stadium. Fleming's is probably your best choice out there.
Do you like German food? There's a really good one on Glendale Road near HWY 60. I went there because DDD went there.
Haus Murphys (https://hausmurphys.com/)
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It kinda sucked when my kids figured out that crab and lobster are awesome. Going out to eat got a lot more expensive.
Our oldest is eligible but off the kid menu. He always goes for the ribs, no matter where we are. I think he's sent his compliments to the chef at Chilis. We went out to a new place last week when my parents came in. Brewery with the typical handhelds, they did have their own brick oven for pizza. He ordered a full rack of ribs, and ate about 3/4 of it. My meal was great, my wife loved hers, I tried his ribs, awful. I will never get why certain places feel the need to throw quickly cooked ribs onto their menu. It literally has to be for 11 year olds
I remember when my parents made the mistake of letting my then 13 year old brother get the surf and turf at my high school graduation dinner.
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Not a lot of great places around that area by the stadium. Fleming's is probably your best choice out there.
Do you like German food? There's a really good one on Glendale Road near HWY 60. I went there because DDD went there.
Haus Murphys (https://hausmurphys.com/)
Not thinking a steakhouse. It's expensive and not all that "special" for that bougie kid.
Might try Pappadeaux, which I just saw has a location near the hotel.
I'll check out that German place though... If nothing else it's unique and local. Thanks!
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Not a lot of great places around that area by the stadium. Fleming's is probably your best choice out there.
Do you like German food? There's a really good one on Glendale Road near HWY 60. I went there because DDD went there.
Haus Murphys (https://hausmurphys.com/)
My wife's whole family is Italian, Dutch, Irish hodgepodge...that all love German food. I can't do it
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Our oldest is eligible but off the kid menu. He always goes for the ribs, no matter where we are. I think he's sent his compliments to the chef at Chilis. We went out to a new place last week when my parents came in. Brewery with the typical handhelds, they did have their own brick oven for pizza. He ordered a full rack of ribs, and ate about 3/4 of it. My meal was great, my wife loved hers, I tried his ribs, awful. I will never get why certain places feel the need to throw quickly cooked ribs onto their menu. It literally has to be for 11 year olds
I remember when my parents made the mistake of letting my then 13 year old brother get the surf and turf at my high school graduation dinner.
I'd say restaurant ribs are bad--or at the very least mediocre--about 95% of the time. My kids know if they want ribs they need to ask me to make them :72:
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Not thinking a steakhouse. It's expensive and not all that "special" for that bougie kid.
Might try Pappadeaux, which I just saw has a location near the hotel.
I'll check out that German place though... If nothing else it's unique and local. Thanks!
If you go to Pappadeaux, get the alligator.
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It kinda sucked when my kids figured out that crab and lobster are awesome. Going out to eat got a lot more expensive.
my daughters got told , NO
I'm not paying those prices
scared for life
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My general rule is to avoid chains (at least larger chains with more than say ten outlets). We were in Orlando and nearly everything near us was a chain. we had lunch once at Carrabba's Italian Grill and it was not terrible.
My other general rule is to avoid Orlando.
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Carabba's is pretty good, at least it's all scratch-made not frozen and microwaved. Started in Houston.
Actually, the exact same statement can be made about Pappadeux. Those Houstonians know how to export a decent chain restaurant.
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Some chains are very good.
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We dined at Papadeaux's once, that was enough for me. It was a solid "OK". Carabba's was "OK". Some of this is because I had low expectations.
McDonald's can be "OK" if you have low enough expectations. I guess they all can be.
There is a seafood place near us we tried, once, "Oceanaire", I later learned they are in the Lindy's group (?). It struck us both as over priced "OK". Never went back.
We can be a bit hard on restaurants. My wife's favorite nicer place near us is called "Ecco", it's part of a group of about 8-10 restaurants of differing styles, and they are all pretty decent. They have outdoor seating which is often a plus for us.
There is a new sports bar type place that opened near us I haven't tried because I'm fairly sure they have ... bar food. Its close to a place called the Sugar Factory, which is always crowded with a very high percentage of black folks, they serve a pretty typical menu, I'm not sure why it has such a racial disparity. I think they have way too many menu varietals and not enough focus, we've never dined there. My wife bought some candy there once or twice (they have a candy story on the side).
Sugar Factory Atlanta Menu - Sugar Factory (https://sf3.sugarfactory.com/atlanta-ga-menu)
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Longhorn is pretty good. So is Texas Roadhouse.
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Carabba's is pretty good, at least it's all scratch-made not frozen and microwaved. Started in Houston.
Actually, the exact same statement can be made about Pappadeux. Those Houstonians know how to export a decent chain restaurant.
Ive actually met with Chris and Harris Pappas when I worked for a living.
They are good people and smart as hell concerning restaurant operation
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the Oceanaire is pretty good here in the midwest
not going to find something much better nearby
but it's very expensive
Ruth Chris is a chain that's pretty good, but over priced and can get a better steak for less around here
Longhorn and Roadhouse to me are OK, because lots of good steakhouses in the midwest
everything is relative, of course
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Chains that are horrible usually don't survive long. Chains usually offer an OK meal for the money, there no doubt are exceptions, which could be local. I've dined at both decent and bad Applebies for example (not in a long time for either). The McDs near us in Cincy was good for breakfast, had nice folks working there.
The chain food items are usually predictable and consistent but the service can vary widely.
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We use Longhorn and Roadhouse on driving trips. Very reliable and close to interstate hotels.
I just get the chopped steak.
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That's what we would do as well when traveling and staying somewhere where options are otherwise limited or uninteresting. We had lunch a while back at a Longhorn and it was fine and I had a burger. It met expectations.
Given a reasonable option, I still avoid chains.
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We use Longhorn and Roadhouse on driving trips. Very reliable and close to interstate hotels.
I just get the chopped steak.
I get the strip, like usual
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In the south, there often will be a BBQ place near an exit if we're staying at a motel heading somewhere. I'll try those, I'd say most of the time they are pretty OK and sometimes quite good. At a point the objective is merely to have food that won't make you sick. and we're lucky in the US and in Europe that getting sick is pretty rare.
I'm reminded me of the cafeteria style place we had lunch at in Korea, the ladies were really slinging stuff out there for a pretty large group. And it was quite good I thought, but the kimchi was as advertised.
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I don't mind a Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn, or Outback. But I don't order a steak at any of them.
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What IYHO is the best of the midlevel chains? I don't have one really, I'm OK with most of'em. But I'm not going to dine at any of them when we're at home.
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Question for @OrangeAfroMan (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=58) and anyone else familiar with the Phoenix/Glendale area. My wife and I are taking my son to the Luke Combs concert there in a few weeks. Need to figure out where to eat dinner before the show, which is at State Farm Stadium.
They have a whole entertainment complex across the street, which I'm sure will be easy, but not very interesting. We're staying on the North side of Phoenix (I-17 & Peoria Rd), so anywhere between there and Glendale works.
Sorry, I drove to LA and back in the past 24 hours, just woke up.
Pappadeax is good, but they haven't redecorated since the 1970s. Only been there once.
There are plenty of places at Westgate (by the stadium). The only one I've been to is Hot & Juicy Crawfish...it was messy and good.
There's a Portillo's down where the 101 meets I-10. Up towards Peoria, you could do Grimaldi's pizza.....Arrowhead Grill and Firebirds are fancy joints I haven't been to. Bobby-Qs is on I-17 (good BBQ), south of Pappadeaux's.
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Sorry, I don't do much fine dining.
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Huge fan of Charleston's. I think it's in AZ, IN, NE, OK. MO and TX. Extremely well run and good food.
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I recall Papadeaux being a salt bomb. Good but way too salty
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I recall Papadeaux being a salt bomb. Good but way too salty
Same. But not very good.
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Same. But not very good.
Ive eaten there for over 20 years and dont get the salt thing at all
very good food
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It could be overrated here because it's seafood and it's Arizona.
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Sorry, I drove to LA and back in the past 24 hours, just woke up.
Pappadeax is good, but they haven't redecorated since the 1970s. Only been there once.
There are plenty of places at Westgate (by the stadium). The only one I've been to is Hot & Juicy Crawfish...it was messy and good.
There's a Portillo's down where the 101 meets I-10. Up towards Peoria, you could do Grimaldi's pizza.....Arrowhead Grill and Firebirds are fancy joints I haven't been to. Bobby-Qs is on I-17 (good BBQ), south of Pappadeaux's.
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Sorry, I don't do much fine dining.
Thanks. BobbyQ looks interesting and it's VERY close to the hotel, so that would be easy.
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I've been to Pappadeaux's but can't remember anything I ate. I do think the dips at Chuy's are really good.
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Thanks. BobbyQ looks interesting and it's VERY close to the hotel, so that would be easy.
Unless it's owned by a Greek, there is way too much stuff on that menu.
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I think every major and most minor seafood places use frozen seafood these days even if they are on the coast. It could be they simply can't buy anything commercial that wasn't frozen. Everything comes from Sysco.
I know an oyster house in Hilton Head that has their own trawlers and their oysters are good.
I used to chuckle at seeing Red Lobsters in Florida.
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some fly in or otherwise serve stuff that hasn't been frozen, but it's a small number and expensive
some have a live lobster tank in the lobby
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Yeah, the ol' lobster tank. Some items may be fresh, but not your basic fish, even in Florida. I recall being in Boston not sure where to dine and we found a Legal Seafood (the illegal one was not nearby) and it was fine, I guess, but I felt as if I could have had the same meal in Atlanta. I know they are a chain.
I like really fresh fish, I used to find in on the coast at these little places (or big) that had their own fishing boats. Hard to find now. If everyone gets their fish from Sysco et al. it doesn't make any different to be on a coast.
Maybe my taste buds have changed or my memories are wrong. Fish tastes about the same as at a Captain D's. Well, probably not, I have not dined at a CD's in ages.
The seafood places near us are "OK", I think, my wife is not much of a fan of any of them. She brags about the seafood in Brittany, but frankly, I wasn't whelmed when we were there especially, it was good.
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I'd say 90 percent of the seafood we get here at restaurants is frozen. Even being on the shore, it's easier and cheaper to use frozen.
Fresh is premium, as it's only fresh for a day. After that, it's frozen, or, God forbid, wasted.
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Roy's says they fly in fish from Hawaii daily
not sure how true that might be
the Oceanaire in Minneapolis states this as well
I've had some stuff there that I think is very good
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The do fly the fish in, flash frozen. The Oceanaire fish I had was definitely frozen. And fish that's been on a plane even cold for 8 hours isn't really fresh. Then you have another 2 hours from airport to restaurant, and then it sits there for however long.
And oddly enough, Hawaii doesn't have much fishing, the waters are too deep. When we visited, I thought I'd find good seafood there, but never have. It's the same as here pretty much. I found some ahi at a grocery they said was fresh and it may have been.
I was told that as soon as the catch comes on a boat, it gets frozen, immediately. The only exception, pretty much, is when a restaurant has its own fleet, they go out, collect seafood, and chill it, and return directly to the restaurant. (Aside from lobster etc.).
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I had some great Poke in Hawaii
everything is relative
also the best calamari
Diners and dives often show places that go to the docks in the morning to pick out fresh fish
or have relations with captains of fishing boats
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Roy's says they fly in fish from Hawaii daily
not sure how true that might be
the Oceanaire in Minneapolis states this as well
I've had some stuff there that I think is very good
Salmon?
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One basic reason I think restaurants in France are mostly better than here is that the proprietor often goes out early in the morning to collect "fresh" food items. On the coasts, it may be seafood, but even in Rambouillet, I saw an impressive local market with two large fresh (?) fish vendors. And of course they get real fresh bread. The bread isn't at all like what you get at Subway (duh). And it's a good sign the meal is going to be great when they bring out the bread after you sit. I think this is the case in Italy and Spain and Greece as well.
They don't rely on "Sysco" for their food, and it matters. But it's a ton of extra work. Now I'm hungry.
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One basic reason I think restaurants in France are mostly better than here is that the proprietor often goes out early in the morning to collect "fresh" food items. On the coasts, it may be seafood, but even in Rambouillet, I saw an impressive local market with two large fresh (?) fish vendors. And of course they get real fresh bread. The bread isn't at all like what you get at Subway (duh). And it's a good sign the meal is going to be great when they bring out the bread after you sit. I think this is the case in Italy and Spain and Greece as well.
They don't rely on "Sysco" for their food, and it matters. But it's a ton of extra work. Now I'm hungry.
It's all about time, competition and costs. It's a tough business. Most fail.
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I would never, ever, EVER get into the restaurant business (again).
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I thought about it for a minute, with a buddy of mine. Fresh fish caught on our boats, in the Keys. The busiest time of the day is exactly when I do not want to work so that one minute thought was over.
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I had a one percent interest in a nice place that didn't survive 2008. I got a food credit there each year, so it sort of paid for some of my investment, but I lost money overall.
We had a chef for a while who was excellent, and the replacements turned out to be so so.
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I think every major and most minor seafood places use frozen seafood these days even if they are on the coast. It could be they simply can't buy anything commercial that wasn't frozen. Everything comes from Sysco.
I know an oyster house in Hilton Head that has their own trawlers and their oysters are good.
I used to chuckle at seeing Red Lobsters in Florida.
Maybe not anymore.
Red Lobster files for bankruptcy days after closing dozens of locations across the US (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/red-lobster-files-for-bankruptcy-days-after-closing-dozens-of-locations-across-the-us/ar-BB1mIuw1?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=9b6c756361e34f489dc69e3aef3870fd&ei=10)
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Even stranger was seeing Red Lobster in Maine...
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I've seen Starbucks in Paris.
Copenhagen had any number of KFCs.
I didn't see a Benihana in Tokyo though.
Kind of interesting, we have chain restaurants for ethnic foods from Mexico, Italy, Japan, Brazil, China ... but that's about it?
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I've seen Starbucks in Paris.
Copenhagen had any number of KFCs.
I didn't see a Benihana in Tokyo though.
Kind of interesting, we have chain restaurants for ethnic foods from Mexico, Italy, Japan, Brazil, China ... but that's about it?
La Madelaine is a French chain restaurant (at least, by intent).
Around here there are a couple of regional chains for Indian food, one is called Tarka and one is called Masala Wok.
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When I interned in London, one of the other interns went to a trivia night with her co-workers, and won a $100 gift card to TGI Fridays. We were laughing that it would feed us for the rest of the summer. But the only one in London was in Leisester Square, with a 2 hour wait, and the exact same menu for about 3x the price
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In Jacksonville, we'd drive over to Miss Becky's Seafood in Mayport. It was a shack on the water and they took the seafood from the boat out back into the shack for display.
When we'd have crab, they were alive when we boiled them at home.
I was too young to appreciate how privileged I was, lol.
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I only eat fish blackened and spiced to the point that I don't care when it was pulled from the ocean. So I'm probably why you can find seafood wholesalers anywhere
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It's rather rare and unusual to see a Brat, Italian, Polish or Chorizo on the menu of a restaurant in Milwaukee. Who the F would go out for something you're going to grill at home or have at a tailgate/ballpark.
Similarly, LJS tends to be hard to find in WI, the land of 100,000 fish fries on Friday. I've talked to enough chefs, almost nobody sells fresh fish.
Shorelunch in Canada and other states is about the one I can guarantee, along with some fresh clams I've had in New England
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(https://i.imgur.com/QiTa9wu.png)
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That meme, like so many of them, is a ridiculous over simplification, and just stupid.
What went wrong at Red Lobster as restaurant chain reportedly plans to file for bankruptcy - ABC7 New York (abc7ny.com) (https://abc7ny.com/post/is-red-lobster-closing-2024-bankruptcy-endless-shrimp-locations/14819751/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2wbBVpoGCXEIWhrXx9r28X6rKqKjed2wXR2mNuFmhqd-L19IzNPdw3lRE_aem_AXWx5VQgsz7196OObZXNyqr0roPUgwz4vKJDyY-bMSxYQFCtI2CzZtf78QqqmQvaw5VfHC9-j0PomsjP6VrQCZYk)
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I only eat fish blackened and spiced to the point that I don't care when it was pulled from the ocean. So I'm probably why you can find seafood wholesalers anywhere
(https://i.imgur.com/bT9Zz4l.png)
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I do think this "blackened" fad is mostly an effort to cover up the taste of tasteless fish.
If that makes any sense.
Which it doesn't.
I think the same about fried fish two.
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I enjoy spicy stuff.
I like the blackened prep on many things, even a steak once in a while.
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Fried fish is delicious. Fried chicken is delicious. Fried steak is delicious. I'm not sure why you'd suggest any of those preparations are to cover the flavor, rather than enhance or complement it.
I'm okay with blackened stuff too. It's just one of many ways to cook a protein.
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Good fried foods are delicious, I agree, but to often the purpose is to mask inferior product in my view.
French fries can often taste pretty good until you let them get cold, then you taste what's really behind it all.
Speaking of which, it's Totcho Tuesday next door.
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Steaks can stand up to blackening. Most seafood cannot.
Salmon, some groupers, some snappers, redfish, some shrimp and other tasteful varieties can handle it.
I prefer S&P, butter and maybe a little garlic. Maybe.
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We get the steelhead trout from Costco fairly often. I grill it, or broil it if I'm last. I just use lemon pepper on it.
If I can get good quality chicken/fish/steak, I don't want it fried. If it's medium quality, fried is just fine with me.
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I wanted to take my wife out last evening to a place we know fairly well called Lure. They have $1.50 oysters during Happy Hour and some other items, so we showed up, sat at the bar, were the first ones there around 5 PM. Ordered oysters, they were "OK'. Then it started getting crowded. Then two young guys came in who were VERY loud and boisterous. It really can ruin the event for me, they sat at the other end of the bar but we could barely talk to each other. The two people behind the bar were getting slammed, the manager stepped in to assist which was nice, but it really took forever to get our bill. I had ordered another glass of wine that got forgotten, it wasn't on the bill at least.
There was a large group sitting in the back who drifted in, they weren't a problem other than that the kitchen probably was getting slammed along with the bar orders. One of the barmen told me it was his first day, he didn't know where stuff was of course, but seemed to be figuring it out, I put a nice word in for him with the manager.
With tip, and the local discount, it ended up being $96. Kind of an ouchee. (We have three apps along with the oysters.)
I recall going during COVID and sitting at the bar, the place was nearly empty, we thought we'd give them some business when it reopened, it was quiet, and not bad.
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the oysters I had in rural Nebraska were tasty and fresh but small
I had 24 of them
then added a large pretzel with stone ground mustard and a wedge salad - very good
the place got busy but the staff was attentive and hard working
one of the owners sat with me for a while. I mentioned that the staff was top notch
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The wife and I tied one on last night. We went to...six different places I think? Got a little fuzzy near the end. Did get crab cakes at Ruth's Chris, as my wife enjoys eating them and enjoys me paying for them. They should sell chicken wings. We did get wings at one place and they were kind of gross. Should have known, as everyone there looked to be about 19. Plus they didn't have blue cheese. That place was a bust, but everywhere else did a good job. My oldest daughter is about to go on a trip so I won't have my free babysitter for a while, so had to take advantage.
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tell me you don't dunk chicken wings in blue cheese salad dressing, please
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tell me you don't dunk chicken wings in blue cheese salad dressing, please
I proudly dunk wings in blue cheese salad dressing, as all good wing eaters should do. If you aren't doing that, you might as well let Russia win.
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tell me you don't dunk chicken wings in blue cheese salad dressing, please
I do with standard wings if I order them (which is rarely). Any really tasty wings I don't, but "bar food" wings are usually other than tasty really. It's a cheap food item that now costs a near fortune.
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Wow I had no idea that chicken wing snobbery was a thing!
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Wow I had no idea that chicken wing snobbery was a thing!
It's up there with chili snobbery, and Mexican spaghetti snobbery.
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we've probably had this discussion in the past
slipping my memory
salad dressing is for veggies
not for meat
if a pre-teen wants to douse their chick nuggets in salad dressing I guess it's ok to get them to finish their meal and get some protein
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I put blue cheese on steak at times.
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I bite into my wing. Then I dip a veggie into blue cheese dressing and eat it while chewing on the wing.
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The only wings I get these days are at the Korean fried chicken place, unless somewhere has them buffet style somewhere. I might snag a couple then.
Our meeting at the ballpark only had dogs and burgers, and I had one of each. The burger was understandably dry as a bone, the dog was OK, I had some much kraut and mustard on it it probably wouldn't matter.
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I love Korean fried chicken, but not for wings. The great thing about wings is (if cooked properly) they come out crispy with no need for any breading at all.
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This Korean place serves the best wings I've ever had, by far.
Their chicken is killer too.
The only two practices I really disdain when it comes to food is putting sugar on grits (grrr) and ketchup on a hot dog.
OK, I'd add putting steak sauce on a really good steak.
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I put blue cheese on steak at times.
crumbles, not dressing
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I've mentioned before how we like the flat iron steaks, though the price like everything meat related has really gone up. I use the baking powder tenderizing now and it works better than the regular stuff based on enzymes and is cheaper.
My wife likes "blu rare", I'm more MR, but I can cook the steak so the center is BR and the outsides are MR and it works for us.
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What I really don't understand is how the French can like their meat blu, and yet the quality of that meat is so so bad. I don't mind going super-rare on a really nice piece of meat. Heck, I absolutely love beef carpaccio. But I'll only eat it that rare (or raw) if it's REALLY excellent quality beef.
In France I typically had to order "bien cuit" (well done) just to get them to cook it medium. And the cook would sometimes even come out of the kitchen to glare at me when I ordered it that way.
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I usually get the snow chicken at CM Chicken, but get it as tenders because it's a knife and fork dish and I'm a proper gentleman.
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(https://i.imgur.com/HdsC0Uk.png)
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I'll take the short rib almost every time
for steaks, I prefer strips and T-bones/Porterhouse
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Gonna do BBQ short ribs out at my BIL's ranch in Fredericksburg this weekend. The big ones off the plate. Gonna be a blast.
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I like ribeye, but only if they are well done. I do not like eating fat at all, but the fat keeps the steak juicy, even at well.
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I like only two kinds of beers...
(https://i.imgur.com/58wfgJg.png)
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yeah, I like both kinds, country and western.
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that ain't no Hank Williams' song
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There's a tear,in my beer,
'Cause I'm cryin' for you, dear
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you are on my lonely mind
I'm gonna keep drinkin until I'm petrified
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Headed here today.
Bokeelia On Pine Island, Florida - Lazy Flamingo (https://lazyflamingo.com/bokeelia/)
Just called. A boat just dropped off fresh triple tail this morning. I'm all in.
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Went to a strawberry festival at a brewery. One of the stands had Strawberry ribs. My wife got them, because I usually skip that stuff. But dang it, the sauce was great. Gonna spend some time trying to recreate it.
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There's a tear,in my beer,
'Cause I'm cryin' for you, dear
you are on my lonely mind
I'm gonna keep drinkin until I'm petrified
But this lonely bar is all
I have until last call...
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Went to a strawberry festival at a brewery. One of the stands had Strawberry ribs. My wife got them, because I usually skip that stuff. But dang it, the sauce was great. Gonna spend some time trying to recreate it.
One of life's little pleasures: experimentally recreating sauces
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The triple tail was fantastic.
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I can only imagine
had a 80/20 burger on the grill marinated with soy sauce after golf, with sauteed onions
no sauce, no bun
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(https://i.imgur.com/d0t19J3.jpeg)
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so, a large saltwater Crappie
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That's a good comp.
Light, sweet, flaky, buttery.
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Maybe gonna hit this place today. I think this is the last Monday they will be open for the season.
Riviera Bar & Grill Punta Gorda | Waterfront Dinning | Live Music (rivierabarandgrillpuntagorda.com) (https://rivierabarandgrillpuntagorda.com/)
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the season?
gonna get to hot & humid?
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"Season" refers to the time of year when all the f'ing snowbirds show up. January to May. Sometimes earlier.
They are mostly gone now, thankfully. Less traffic and much easier to get a table at a restaurant.
I'm sure @Honestbuckeye (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=37) also appreciates it, like the rest of our Florida contingent here.
I do kinda notice that a lot of people are becoming permanent residents lately, like us. Need more restaurants if that is the case - and I think it is.
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Authentic Chimichurri (Uruguay & Argentina) - Cafe Delites (https://cafedelites.com/authentic-chimichurri-uruguay-argentina/)
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They are mostly gone now, thankfully. Less traffic and much easier to get a table at a restaurant.
not easier on a Monday, apparently
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Chimichurri - I'll give it a try
finely chopped flat leaf parsley, minced garlic, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes and red wine vinegar
all seem to pair well with steak
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We generally don't go out on Mondays, except to our local haunt, which is open and has bingo.
Home (casscayrestaurant.com) (https://casscayrestaurant.com/)
I never thought I'd play bingo. It's actually fun. Getting old maybe.
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:72:
couldn't find the head shakin emoji
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It's the place to see and be seen. Kinda like a Kubbs game in Wiggly.
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what's the menu like?
specialties? yer favorite go-to?
well, besides Red Walker
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I quit drinking Scotch (or anything else that's not clear).
They have a fresh catch and butcher block selection every day. Grouper, Triple, Snapper, etc. Steaks are usually flat iron, ribeye and filet.
We normally don't eat after 5PM so we go for lunch mostly.
The regular menu? It's not complete in the online version for some reason. They use Sysco and other providers for their non-specials.
But gimme the smash burger.
We take the golf cart to and fro. Uses about 10 percent of the battery for round trip. Big regret.
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scotch is clear enuff for me
if I squint a little and the ice cube melts a little, that helps
if it's gotta be real clear, give me the Bombay Sapphire, with an ice cube and a citrus slice (lime, lemon, orange, tangerine)
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I've noted before, there are two kinds of beer, and two kinds of liquor, clear and brown (aged).
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Older whiskey is my preference
https://youtu.be/vnvMcX95G20
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I am pondering the best kind of restaurant to dine in when away from home in an unfamiliar location.
Chinese?
Pizza?
Burgers?
Bar food?
Major chain?
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Chinese is takeout only for us.
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I am pondering the best kind of restaurant to dine in when away from home in an unfamiliar location.
Chinese?
Pizza?
Burgers?
Bar food?
Major chain?
Chains can be safe... you know what to expect. But we usually venture and try something new.. or at least attempt to try something new. If you're in the US, we like to look at places Diners, Drive-ins and Dives have showcased as good options or guides. We also asked around the hotel to see what they recommend. Sandwich places are usually safe as is pizza.
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We both like Asian foods a lot. We have several Chinese places near us that are good, one is too spicy for my wife. Our DIL (almost, some day) is from Hong Kong and we took her to all three, she liked them, or was being pleasant (which she is). The fancier Chinese places really don't cater to take out, though I imagine they do some of it. They still are not very expensive in a relative sense. This place is quite good, not so much for takeout:
URBAN HAI (https://urbanhai.com/)
This place is pretty much spicy everything:
XI'AN GOURMET HOUSE, ATLANTA GA (kwickmenu.com) (https://xiangourmethouse.kwickmenu.com/index.php)
And this place has the coolest name:
@BIGBOSSCHINESE (https://www.bigbosschinese.com/)
They cater to students a fair bit as it's near Tech.
I've had decent luck trying Asian places when unsure of the area. I think bar food tends to be pretty predictable, as is pizza. I mentioned we're headed to SD on Saturday, staying up in Carlsbad, I'm checking places near there, we'll have some dinners with eleven people present and I'll probably be footing the tab.
If you know of any place really special in SD or north let me know.
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yup, Cincy's list to me would depend on my mood
I do check to see if there's a triple D place nearby
I don't eat pizza much these days - never been a big fan of Chinese, prefer Thai
I usually go to the bar. I can get burgers and pizza and sammiches at most bars. I eat a lot of wings.
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Among the various Asian cuisines, I lean to Thai slightly, but I like'em all. Chinese is so varied, I have to be careful with anything related to Szechuan because of my wife. Vietnamese ranges from quite good to excellent in my experience. If we count Indian as "Asian", I do really like Indian cuisine a lot.
We have two Persian restaurants near us, both are excellent in my view, and another "eastern Mediterranean/Turkish" that probably is one of the top three places to go near us for us.
Now if some brave soul would open a French bistro, nothing fancy, just good, I'd be content.
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If you know of any place really special in SD or north let me know.
This is in Oceanside. Awesome breakfast and lunch.
MARY'S FAMILY RESTAURANT, Oceanside - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g32815-d4609553-Reviews-Mary_s_Family_Restaurant-Oceanside_California.html)
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I am pondering the best kind of restaurant to dine in when away from home in an unfamiliar location.
Chinese?
Pizza?
Burgers?
Bar food?
Major chain?
Whatever is supposed to be good?
is you’re looking for safe/consistent, probably bar food or pizza. I feel like a burger is bar food half the time anyway.
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I'll look for it, we have had pretty good luck out there with restaurants in previous visits. My wife likes to visit Solana Beach because it's replete with artsy shops.
Oddly enough, when our SIL picks a place to dine, it has often been mediocre. He's a CIA trained chef, he doesn't work as a chef now. When he cooks, he uses every pot in the kitchen.
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Menu | Ocean Thai Cuisine (https://www.oceanthai.com/menu.html)
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"Season" refers to the time of year when all the f'ing snowbirds show up. January to May. Sometimes earlier.
They are mostly gone now, thankfully. Less traffic and much easier to get a table at a restaurant.
I'm sure @Honestbuckeye (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=37) also appreciates it, like the rest of our Florida contingent here.
I do kinda notice that a lot of people are becoming permanent residents lately, like us. Need more restaurants if that is the case - and I think it is.
Yes, the traffic has now lightened up a bit from “season“ but it’s still busier than it used to be because of so many permanent residents and the continuous building of houses and apartments.
Just got home from the trek from my place over to Cape Coral to visit my brother and hang out yesterday and swim, barbecue, etc. Traffic wasn’t too bad
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Damn. Next time you're over here look me up. A couple of drinks would be great.
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We had lunch at Tabla, Indian food, and superb, dined outside, weather very nice after some rain. This sort of dish is called "thali". My wife loves their "Dehli mules", I got one also. I chatted with the bar tender a bit after, they now have Louis XIII cognac, it's $195 an ounce. I've never had any, will probably give it a shot someday.
If I became vegan, I'd probably eat a ton of Indian style food.
(https://i.imgur.com/kspuHBG.jpeg)
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I mentioned we're headed to SD on Saturday, staying up in Carlsbad, I'm checking places near there, we'll have some dinners with eleven people present and I'll probably be footing the tab.
If you know of any place really special in SD or north let me know.
Try this place.
https://www.thisiscampfire.com/
If you like pizza and beer, Pizza Port is excellent for both. They don't have wait staff which I find annoying. So I usually try to get a seat at the bar.
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https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/27/us/hot-dogs-american-favorite-ijgdi-cec/index.html
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not clickin on a hot dog link
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I clicked. They guy is an idiot.
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Well, he has his opinions of course, he's probably not literally an idiot. I avoid hot dogs myself, I eat 1-3 a year probably. They probably are among the most "processed" foods out there.
Anyway, he doesn't like dogs, fine with me.
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His dislike for hot dogs is not why I labeled him an idiot.
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please elaborate
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please elaborate
First passage:
It’s Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial kickoff of summer in the US, which means Americans are practically required under federal law to gather friends and family, fire up the grill and cook something.
That is when I stopped.
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plenty of "yankee BBQs" around here the past weekend
it's grillin season
nothing low and slow about it and the only smoke is from the grease burning off
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We went to our local haunt last night. They had a smoked brisket special on the menu, so I got it.
Terrible.
Told the GM to never offer that again unless his chef could properly trim the fat cap prior to smoking. He didn't remove ANY of it. Not edible unless you like chewing on pure, unrendered fat.
He took it off my bill and 86'd it for the rest of the night so nobody else had to endure it.
I suppose they could trim it out and make chili. I'll watch for a chili special this week, but I'm sure he'll put beans in it.
First bad meal I've had there, in 4+ years.
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I made hot dogs! And T-bones and tried some smoked sausages because they were on sale. The hot dogs were better. Also made strawberry shortcakes, but not on the grill.
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A few weeks back, we dined next door and they had fried oysters which I ordered. The breading was tasty, the oysters, all of them, were rubber bands. I could not chew any of them. I told the server who got the manager who also took it off my bill. I told him "Y'all have good food, you really should not serve stuff like this.". He seemed to appreciated it. I tipped as if it was still on the bill.
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A few weeks back, we dined next door and they had fried oysters which I ordered. The breading was tasty, the oysters, all of them, were rubber bands. I could not chew any of them. I told the server who got the manager who also took it off my bill. I told him "Y'all have good food, you really should not serve stuff like this.". He seemed to appreciated it. I tipped as if it was still on the bill.
Always. It's a must-do.
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I made hot dogs! And T-bones and tried some smoked sausages because they were on sale. The hot dogs were better. Also made strawberry shortcakes, but not on the grill.
Save it for the cooking thread
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A few weeks back, we dined next door and they had fried oysters which I ordered. The breading was tasty, the oysters, all of them, were rubber bands. I could not chew any of them. I told the server who got the manager who also took it off my bill. I told him "Y'all have good food, you really should not serve stuff like this.". He seemed to appreciated it. I tipped as if it was still on the bill.
it's good to know when to just stay in your lane
Brisket in Florida, Oysters in Atlanta, Seafood in Iowa, steaks in Texas, chili in Cincy
just say, no
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I've had some really good brisket here. My favorite is nearby and owned by a Texan. He's in his lane.
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Save it for the cooking thread
Don't all threads eventually become cooking threads
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We went to our local haunt last night. They had a smoked brisket special on the menu, so I got it.
Terrible.
I've come to the conclusion that expecting good brisket at a restaurant is going to be a nightmare, unless it's the following:
- A place that is going to have a brisket rush and basically sells brisket "until it runs out".
- A very good BBQ joint that's known for brisket, and you get it at either the start of lunch service or the start of dinner service.
The key for either is that once you start cutting into a brisket, you should be putting brisket on plates and sending it straight out to diners constantly. If it sits for ANY length of time, it dries out. And as good as a nice fresh moist slice of brisket can be, one that has dried out is equally bad. And it could be the exact same slice of brisket, just 10 minutes later.
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Good conclusion. Lesson learned for sure.
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I thought I didn't like brisket because all I'd ever had was dry as a bone and tasteless. So, I stopped ordering it. My wife ordered it at Fox Bros. a while back and said it was excellent, I tasted it, and indeed it is. I get their mixed plate now, brisket and pulled pork, with okra and okra on the side.
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To keep my thread on point - has anyone gotten good strawberry shortcake from a restaurant? I used to think I hated the dish but that was when I only ever had it with angel's food cake or something similar. An actual shortcake is a hell of a lot better.
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Also made strawberry shortcakes, but not on the grill.
This is your new challenge.
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When I was a kid, I'd often get shortcake when we dined at a cafeteria. My guess was the stuff was sweet and I was a kid. My mom would make it fairly often with frozen strawberries and those little cakes bought in a store with a crater in them.
I can't recall having any other than as a kid.
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The best strawberry shortcake I ever had was at the strawberry festival near Lakeland where I lived as a boy. It was in one of the other towns, Mulberry, Plant City, Winter Haven, or Bartow or one of them.
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my grandmother's was more like a biscuit than cake
She had my brother and I pick the strawberries from the patch in her backyard.
She didn't like snakes.
I don't have much of a sweet tooth, so I didn't use much whipping cream.
Just strawberries and juice and the biscuit
(https://i.imgur.com/I0KpqDQ.jpeg)
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Was the biscuit sweet at all? Or just normal?
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normal
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I despise biscuits. No redeeming quality whatsoever.
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Good biscuits are hard to find. I used to make them myself at times, mine were delicious, but not good for me.
It's akin to good grits.
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Homemade biscuits call for just six ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter, and milk.
so, similar to bread or crackers or cake
I try not to eat much of any of them, especially the sweet varieties.
No redeeming quality whatsoever.
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You only need 4 ingredients to make delicious fresh pasta
All-purpose flour
Eggs
Olive oil
Salt
about the same
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Biscuits with cream gravy and bacon crumbled across them are delicious.
Definitely don't eat them very often.
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I despise biscuits. No redeeming quality whatsoever.
Who hurt you
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Who hurt you
Some old lady threw a biscuit at me and nailed me in the forehead.
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probably a Cubs fan
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Some old lady threw a biscuit at me and nailed me in the forehead.
I threw a Skittle across my math class and hit my friend by the ear. Knocked him right out of his chair.
Idk if he tastes the rainbow or not.
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This is your new challenge.
I've contemplated baking on the grill, though that seems more a camping activity. I swore off camping as a kid.
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(https://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/sloud7/picture240729426/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/biscuit%20world%20lineup.jpg)
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[img width=500 height=280.994]https://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/sloud7/picture240729426/alternates/LANDSCAPE_1140/biscuit%20world%20lineup.jpg[/img]
Fixed it. Don't fall prey to you-know-who....
(https://i.imgur.com/VwR9aAh.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/S4YbFiH.png)
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buy one get one is about right
I paid $6/lb for 6 pounds in Feb.
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I've contemplated baking on the grill, though that seems more a camping activity. I swore off camping as a kid.
We make biscuits in the Dutch oven all the time whilst camping. I suppose you could put those on top of a grill although we usually just put it down into the coals.
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I've contemplated baking on the grill, though that seems more a camping activity. I swore off camping as a kid.
If you have a grill that can cook indirect, baking works just fine. I have done it on my kamado as I have a ceramic a heat deflector to make it indirect. Before I replaced my Traeger with the griddle, I could do it in there as well.
Generally if you have something like a gas grill and you can hit your temps with just one burner (or two burners if the grill is large enough), or a kettle grill and build the fire only on one side of the grill, and put the item you're baking on the other side of the grill, that works fine too.
A grill will usually have more consistent temp control than most ovens, too. Ovens can have some pretty significant hysteresis between highest and lowest temps as the burners turn on and off and the temps overshoot/undershoot the set point. My kamado, once I have the vents properly set and the temp has stabilized, won't even vary more than about a degree. It's rock solid for temp.
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Those higher end grills have a lot of heat mass present and of course nearly constant heat, as opposed to cycling heat, as you note.
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If you have a grill that can cook indirect, baking works just fine. I have done it on my kamado as I have a ceramic a heat deflector to make it indirect. Before I replaced my Traeger with the griddle, I could do it in there as well.
Generally if you have something like a gas grill and you can hit your temps with just one burner (or two burners if the grill is large enough), or a kettle grill and build the fire only on one side of the grill, and put the item you're baking on the other side of the grill, that works fine too.
A grill will usually have more consistent temp control than most ovens, too. Ovens can have some pretty significant hysteresis between highest and lowest temps as the burners turn on and off and the temps overshoot/undershoot the set point. My kamado, once I have the vents properly set and the temp has stabilized, won't even vary more than about a degree. It's rock solid for temp.
I dunno if new ovens have that issue. I remember the old ones having it, but mine is about 6 years old and barely changes a tick in each direction. Also, much easier set up than the grill, so not sure if there would be any benefit to the work required.
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Our oven has an internal T probe I use often, it works great. There is inherent hysteresis in any such oven, I'm sure the better ones minimize it to the point of being inconsequential.
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Electric ovens are superior to gas ovens.
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I've been to a few these, in Vegas, Cali and Chicago. The Chicago one, probably 25-30 times over the years.
12 Restaurants Frank Sinatra Loved Across The US (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/12-restaurants-frank-sinatra-loved-across-the-us/ar-BB1irqLA?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=4d73eecf905344ec97531f3fe7c22144&ei=40)
Menu - Twin Anchors Restaurant & Tavern (twinanchorsribs.com) (https://www.twinanchorsribs.com/menu/#entrees)
Never had the "chili" because it's not.
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Only been to this one twice. It's great but $$$$$$$$.
Gene and Georgetti | Chicago’s Original Tuscan Steakhouse | Italian Restaurant (https://geneandgeorgetti.com/)
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don't know if I'll ever get back to chicago
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I'm happy to dine at a very good restaurant that has solid service, interesting food, and manageable prices. It doesn't have to be "elite", for me, as that usually means elite prices.
I took my wife here a while back, it's the "place to go for steak" in ATL apparently. It struck me as being a "place to be seen and hobnob". The steak was fine, but the prices were borderline crazy. I view it as a "go once" kind of place, I guess. In the US, at times dining at certain places is more of an event than dining. Places get some glorified reputation and then everyone wants to go just to say they went.
Bones Restaurant – Atlanta's Premier Steak House (https://bonesrestaurant.com/)
For us, if we want to "put on the feed bag" in a serious way, we'll go here:
Bacchanalia — Star Provisions (https://www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia)
But since they got their Michelin star, reservations are months out last I checked except for pretty early and pretty late.
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prices may have gone up as well
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Wife is going to wine tasting tonight, so I can sneak to CM Chicken while the kids are at taekwondo. Mouth watering already. I also love the pickled radishes they give you, need to figure out how to make those.
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I dunno if new ovens have that issue. I remember the old ones having it, but mine is about 6 years old and barely changes a tick in each direction. Also, much easier set up than the grill, so not sure if there would be any benefit to the work required.
Have you verified with a leave-in thermometer that responds pretty quickly? Something like this (https://www.thermoworks.com/dot/)?
The original (I think) oven from this house crapped out a few years ago, and our landlord replaced it with what I'm sure is an absolute bottom barrel crappy oven, but at least it's new. Natural gas. With the thermometer, I have seen swings of +25 to -20 degrees from set point at least. I've put some thermal mass in the bottom of the oven (pizza stone and a ceramic piece from the kamado; plan to eventually replace both with fire brick) which has gotten it a little smoother, but it still has about a 20-25 degree swing in total. The temperature display on the oven shows zero movement obviously.
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don't know if I'll ever get back to chicago
I have to go up there for a lot of reasons, but I'm not going into the city ever again unless they clean it up and clear out the crime. We used to go down on the train, probably one time a month or so.
The only part of Chicago we touch is ORD (or MDW, not often).
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Have you verified with a leave-in thermometer that responds pretty quickly? Something like this (https://www.thermoworks.com/dot/)?
The original (I think) oven from this house crapped out a few years ago, and our landlord replaced it with what I'm sure is an absolute bottom barrel crappy oven, but at least it's new. Natural gas. With the thermometer, I have seen swings of +25 to -20 degrees from set point at least. I've put some thermal mass in the bottom of the oven (pizza stone and a ceramic piece from the kamado; plan to eventually replace both with fire brick) which has gotten it a little smoother, but it still has about a 20-25 degree swing in total. The temperature display on the oven shows zero movement obviously.
Yeah I have the Thermoworks leave in I use for the grill.
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I was assured on the food thread that if you're checking the temperature of anything, at all, then you're not a real cook. :)
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Yeah I have the Thermoworks leave in I use for the grill.
Thanks. So your oven is within a few degrees up and down from the set point? Is it electric or gas? If it's gas, does it actually "cycle" on and off or does it control temp by regulating gas flow to stay more constant?
As mentioned ours is as cheap as cheap gets, and I can hear it cycling on and off, so it might be that despite being new, it's still based on the cheapest possible design.
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Our oven is Bosch electric and I'm sure it cycles. So does our AC. I don't THINK the hysteresis is very large.
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Thanks. So your oven is within a few degrees up and down from the set point? Is it electric or gas? If it's gas, does it actually "cycle" on and off or does it control temp by regulating gas flow to stay more constant?
As mentioned ours is as cheap as cheap gets, and I can hear it cycling on and off, so it might be that despite being new, it's still based on the cheapest possible design.
It's electric. Can't say I know a ton outside of that. I've read newer ovens are more efficient, especially in materials, but no clue what specifically it has
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Teh Samsung stays within 3 degrees of where it is supposed to be based on my thermometer I keep inside.
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Portillo's is the last place I'd go to in Illinois if I was just getting a hot dog. So many great mom and pops there. Don't get me wrong, they are not bad dogs at all. There are just better ones.
America’s Best Hot Dog Joints For Your Bucket List (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/america-s-best-hot-dog-joints-for-your-bucket-list/ss-BB1keNyP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=50219ccbc3c644fabf102cecce919632&ei=19)
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What is the best thing at Portillo's? We dined there twice in Orlando. It was in the OK range for the money I guess. I was whelmed.
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Italian beef, burgers and fries (with cheese sauce) are the go-to- things for me.
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Agree on the cheese fries. That sauce is addictive.
I personally find their Italian Beef just "ok", compared to all the great mom & pop places I grew up with. I prefer their jumbo dog to the standard hot dog--I think the proportions work better. And I agree with badge that their burgers are really quite good.
When I go to the local-ish one here, I always get two jumbo dogs (w/ everything obv) and cheese fries.
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Best Italian Beef Sandwiches in Chicago (msn.com) (https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/best-italian-beef-sandwiches-in-chicago/ar-BB1kpsdg?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=7632b814e17b4ac583d0ecafc3a4d1b9&ei=9)
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The Cincinnati-area restaurants Guy Fieri has visited on 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'
https://local12.com/news/local/cincinnati-restaurants-guy-fieri-visited-visit-diners-drive-ins-dives-food-restaurant (https://local12.com/news/local/cincinnati-restaurants-guy-fieri-visited-visit-diners-drive-ins-dives-food-restaurant)
1. Terry’s Turf Club
ADDRESS: 4618 Eastern Avenue (Linwood)
Although Terry’s Turf Club came under new ownership in 2019, their menu and recipes remain the same. Stop by this local Linwood joint for a hearty bowl of filet mignon chili and the aptly named “Fieri Burger” topped with the restaurant’s one-of-a-kind Burgundy wine sauce.
2. Blue Ash Chili (Blue Ash location)
ADDRESS: 9565 Kenwood Road (Blue Ash)
It’s no surprise that Fieri tried Cincinnati-style chili on his visit, and it's no surprise that he was wowed by the 6-way topped with fried jalapenos at Blue Ash Chili. Add the chili lasagna and the chili Philly cheesesteak to your order here and know that deep in his foodie heart, Fieri is proud of you.
3. Melt Revival (formerly Melt Eclectic Cafe)
ADDRESS: 4100 Hamilton Avenue (Northside)
Since Fieri's visit in 2014, Melt’s location, ownership, and even its name have gone through a few changes. It’s now called Melt Revival, but owners Shannon and Diane assure me that—although the BBQ chicken sandwich and vegetarian 3-way featured on Triple D aren’t always on the menu—they’re still available to guests who request them, in addition to their other locally sourced dishes served daily.
4. Island Frydays
ADDRESS: 2826 Vine Street (Corryville)
Jamaican-born chef and former UC football player Leo Morgan cooks up flavorful Caribbean fare behind the bright yellow and green facade of Island Frydays on Short Vine. The food has just as much flair as the colorful exterior, and Fieri had only good things to say about the jerk chicken and traditional Escovitch Snapper fish he tried when he stopped by.
5. Pho Lang Thang
ADDRESS: Formerly 114 W Elder Street (Findlay Market), since moved to 1828 Race Street (near Findlay Market)
Fieri called this Vietnamese restaurant “a full cultural experience” when he sampled the Pho Bo (beef and rice noodle soup) and their “special” Bahn Mi sandwich with headcheese and paté. If that’s a bit outside of your comfort zone, the menu also offers pork, beef, chicken, vegetarian, and vegan options to please every palate.
6. Senate Pub (OTR location)
ADDRESS: 1212 Vine Street (OTR)
Fieri visited three restaurants on this list in one trip because they’re all conveniently located near each other on Vine Street. Senate Pub calls its fare “gourmet street food.” But, Fieri gives the massive, specialty hotdogs a catchier name: winner wieners. For the full Triple D experience, try the Korean hot dog with braised short rib, kimchi, and pickled cucumbers.
7. Bakersfield OTR
ADDRESS: 1213 Vine Street (OTR)
Get a little tipsy on your next Taco Tuesday with the expansive selection of tequila and craft cocktails at Bakersfield OTR. Then, be like Fieri and round out your night with the braised short rib tacos on house-made tortillas, or the Milanesa Torta with chicken and black bean spread.
8. Taste of Belgium (OTR location)
ADDRESS: 1135 Vine Street (OTR)
Belgium native Chef Jean Francois Flechet melds the flavors of his childhood with a Midwest twist at his nine Taste of Belgium sites in Greater Cincinnati. Follow in Fieri's footsteps by visiting the OTR location. “When you walk through those doors off of Vine Street, you gotta kinda catch yourself and look around because you’re in another country,” says Fieri. Then, order the crispy, light, Belgian waffles (duh) and the Carbonnades (beef stew) poutine for a taste of Belgium in the Queen City.
9. The Governor
ADDRESS: 231 Main Street (Milford)
Fieri enjoyed a chicken sandwich and short rib grilled cheese with kimchi tomato soup. The Governor is a modern diner in historic downtown Milford. Owned by brothers Paul and Neil Barraco, the restaurant offers breakfast (all day), brunch, and dinner to pair with a creative cocktail menu. Paul is the former executive chef of 20 Brix and sister restaurant Padrino, where Neil also served as GM.
10. Kiki Cincinnati
ADDRESS: 5932 Hamilton Avenue (College Hill)
Kiki is a Japanese gastropub in College Hill serving up Asian specialties, small plates, cocktails, and flavorful ramen dishes. Chef Hideki Harada is the owner and was the previous owner and chef at Kaze. The space opened in August 2019 with a fresh, modern aesthetic.
11. Big Jay's Place
ADDRESS: 930 Hempstead Drive (Finneytown)
Food Network called Big Jay's a Cincinnati hidden gem that delivers Caribbean favorites. Big Jay's specializes in jerk chicken and other meats in a variety of dishes. It also has classic soul food sides, like collard greens and mac & cheese.
12. Citrus & Sago
ADDRESS: 1004 Delta Avenue (Mt Lookout)
Citrus and Sago is a restaurant in Mount Lookout Square inspired by authentic French, Malaysian, Cantonese, and other Asian cuisine. It’s also a catering venue and a rotisserie featuring fresh meats such as roasted ducks. Executive chef and owner Paul Liew sources local ingredients to create his unique, Eurasian dishes from scratch. Liew grew up in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he was influenced by an intersection of flavors from Southeast Asia. He moved to the United States and trained in various restaurants throughout Cincinnati before opening Citrus and Sago.
13. Lucius Q
ADDRESS: 1131 Broadway (OTR)
In Cincinnati, a smokin' spot is piling up a mega pork sandwich and the city's signature chili-pasta mashup. Pendleton’s BBQ restaurant and bar Lucius Q keeps its smokers hot. Those looking for smoked meat and vegetarian Veggie Q, delectable sides, and cocktails, can look no farther.
14. The Schoolhouse Restaurant
ADDRESS: 8031 Glendale Milford Rd (Camp Dennison)
Time travel back to 1962 when Dr. Donald and wife Phyllis Miller converted the old schoolhouse into a restaurant. Their goal was to create a place where families could gather together for a dinner time meal like they had in their childhood. The Schoolhouse menu features traditional entrees like fried chicken, roast beef, and meatloaf, to name a few.
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Blue Ash Chili was my go to place in Cincy. We also ate at the Schoolhouse from time to time, usually on a Sunday, it was solid, and interesting.
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I had dinner at this Kearney, NE restaurant last week.
Cattle country for sure............
Toasted sourdough bread in dry-aged tallow, topped with 45 day dry-aged Connealy New York Strip, top off with winter truffle butter. Also served with bone marrow canoes and parsley capers salad!
(https://i.imgur.com/2oY0Kjt.jpeg)
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Did you eat all of that by yourself?
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no sir, too old for that
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What was the name of the place?
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the Copper Mill
the guy also owns a few other great places in Kearney
Fyre Modern Grill and Cunningham's Journal on the lake
I come move south to Kearney some day
great golf course there, Awarii Dunes
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Heading here today, to listen to some music, drinks, eats. Cool place.
And they will give me an ashtray for my cigar. Bonus.
Dean's South Of The Border - Punta Gorda, FL (deanssouthoftheborder.com) (https://deanssouthoftheborder.com/)
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heading to the golf course
no ash tray required for my cigar on the back 9
maybe I'll take my bluetooth speaker for some cool tunes
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tried a restaurant I didn't know about for my daughter's Bday on the 30th in Lincoln
great location in the Haymarket
https://www.jtkrestaurant.com/menu (https://www.jtkrestaurant.com/menu)
had a nice strong martini at the bar while waiting for my daughter to arrive - $15
54% by volume
(https://i.imgur.com/HBtUzXW.jpeg)
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For some reason, I've run into overly loud tables near us a couple times lately. The first was at a "wine bar" which really is a tapas restaurant, pretty nice place, and the table behind us had one guy basically shouting, not angry, just a very loud voice. The second was at a nice place we like for lunch called Canoe, we actually sat at the table next to a group of 5 "ladies" and immediately asked to move a table further away. I guess they were deaf or something, even the table further away they were shouting at each other, again, not in anger, just raised voices. I could make out their every word. It was highly annoying.
Canoe has a very nice garden outside right on the river, but the outside tables were closed for the season. The inside has a lot of glass, so it's still nice, and the food is reliably good. Lunch ran close to $100.
We'll spend $50 or so every time we have lunch out pretty much. We don't do dinner often, it's just too pricey.
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We'll spend $50 or so every time we have lunch out pretty much. We don't do dinner often, it's just too pricey.
Same.
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Going to this place today. Birthday late lunch.
Waterfront | Miceli's Restaurant | Matlacha (https://www.micelis.com/)
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meeting customers at Cielito Lindo Mexican Restaurant on the south side of Blackhawk Lake in Lake View, IA for lunch
it's nothing special, but it's the customer's choice and there aren't many choices in the Lake View area
I'll probably have the taco salad
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Weird, we have a Cielito Lindo Mexican restaurant just a mile or so away, it's the closest Mexican place to our house. They have outstanding interior Mexican and fairly good Tex-Mex. I usually get enchiladas mole there.
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We have one also, about 6-7 miles away.
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It's a national chain!!
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The one here was definitely not a national chain. Tiny little mom and pop place.
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CIELITO LINDO - Updated January 2025 - 1020 White St SW, Atlanta, Georgia - Tacos - Restaurant Reviews - Menu - Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/biz/cielito-lindo-atlanta)
Walking distance, longish walk. They are all over.
Cielito Lindo Mexican Grill
Located in Haw River, NC, our story began with a dream to create a warm and inviting space where families and friends could come together to enjoy flavorful dishes made with the finest ingredients
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the one I was at this afternoon, NOT a chain
but, the owner/operator struggles with english
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We have a new one near us that is pretty decent. We have two South American places that are both solid, and 3-4 more TexMex kind of places, but the "best" ones are up Buford Highway from us.
Emilio's Tacos and Tequila (https://www.emiliostacosandtequila.com/)
They all seem pretty solid to me.
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Block 16 in Omaha
Lobster Omelette on toasted sourdough English muffin with truffle aioli and a boat of kaluga caviar. It's $15 but cmon.
(https://i.imgur.com/aupYSz6.jpeg)
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Seems like a good price.
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it's Omaha - not San Fran
I can afford to live here in dirt farmer country
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Weird, we have a Cielito Lindo Mexican restaurant just a mile or so away, it's the closest Mexican place to our house. They have outstanding interior Mexican and fairly good Tex-Mex. I usually get enchiladas mole there.
How do you rank the states based solely on their Mexican cuisine?
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How do you rank the states based solely on their Mexican cuisine?
- California
- AZ, NM, TX (excellent but more dominated by Tex-Mex)
- Other Southwestern/Western states (CO/UT/NV/maybe OK) -- proximity and population
- Everywhere else, but with a bias to large cities / population centers because you can find good anything if there are enough people around.
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- California
- AZ, NM, TX (excellent but more dominated by Tex-Mex)
- Other Southwestern/Western states (CO/UT/NV/maybe OK) -- proximity and population
- Everywhere else, but with a bias to large cities / population centers because you can find good anything if there are enough people around.
1) Texas (big state with a massive border with Mexico, with tons of actual Mexican food plus Tex-Mex, also a heavy New Mexican influence in the W/NW)
2) California, (very good Mexican food, much of the state is further from the border which results in decreasing quality as you move north. Cal-Mex is just okay. Fish tacos is a dish not a cuisine :))
3) New Mexico (very good Mexican food, but it's just smaller with fewer population centers and less Mexican food overall. But they do get bonus points for having their own New Mexican cuisine which is delicious).
4) All the rest, and agree with bwar that larger cities will just have more options and therefore more chances at being good.
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my small town bar.................. pretty good place to watch the Chiefs today
(https://i.imgur.com/XZERzod.png)
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Who are the Chefs?
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Blindly putting green chilis in everything. That's NM cuisine.
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Alaska has reindeer burritos.
(https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAEQuHN.img?w=800&h=435&q=60&m=2&f=jpg)
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adding green chilis to those reindeer burritos wouldn't hurt
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Blindly putting green chilis in everything. That's NM cuisine.
Uhhh... no. No green chile in this one:
(https://i.imgur.com/AljU1Lk.jpeg)
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We stayed with another couple in Hilton Head (2 bdr condo on the beach). We had lunch at Hudson's, which is always good. We had dinner at the Jazz Corner which is excellent, and the jazz was all that.
We then had dinner at a new place called the Black Marlin which had a nice looking menu and ... that was it, Red Lobster might be better.
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I tried a new fast food place called Dave's Hot Chicken.
Nope.
I'm not sure how it's even a thing. Unimpressive in every way.
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I tried a new fast food place called Dave's Hot Chicken.
Nope.
I'm not sure how it's even a thing. Unimpressive in every way.
My kids mentioned that place as there's one local that they went to with their mom. They were also not impressed. My 12 yo said it was WAY too heavy on the cumin, which should tell you what a little bougie eater she is :57:
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Buffalo wild wings for me tonight
always solid
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My kids mentioned that place as there's one local that they went to with their mom. They were also not impressed. My 12 yo said it was WAY too heavy on the cumin, which should tell you what a little bougie eater she is :57:
It's offensively mediocre.
Hot chicken feels like something you should make well or not make at all.
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Alaska has reindeer burritos.
(https://img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAEQuHN.img?w=800&h=435&q=60&m=2&f=jpg)
Goddamn I bet that's good
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I've had reindeer, it wasn't good.
But, it wasn't in a burrito
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When I travel and am looking for a place to eat, if I see a locally owned restaurant advertising it has been in business for 30 or more years under family ownership, that is where I want to stop, because it will not have been in business for decades unless it has great food and service.
And so it is here in Iowa. On Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, I took my wife and kids (daughter and son-in-law) here:
https://www.breitbachscountrydining.com/
Breitbachs is Iowa's oldest bar and restaurant, owned and operated continuously by the Breitbachs since 1852. It is a huge restaurant in Balltown, population 79. On Saturday there were far more people in the restaurant than 79. We waited 20 minutes to be seated. As always, it was worth the wait. And, surprise: My son-in-law of 1.5 years (but with a dating relationship of 13-more years with my daughter) had never been here with us. He sells cars, but his hobby is being a chef. When a guy cooks like him, and likes a restaurant, it is a huge compliment to the restaurant.
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In addition, the view in Balltown is spectacular. You can see the bluffs in Wisconsin about 5-miles away. The wind farm is about 15 miles away.
(https://i.imgur.com/n9Xkatu.png)
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When I travel and am looking for a place to eat, if I see a locally owned restaurant advertising it has been in business for 30 or more years under family ownership, that is where I want to stop, because it will not have been in business for decades unless it has great food and service.
I try, as well, but often we've stopped overnight in a smallish town on a freeway, and there isn't much around I can find. The chains have done a Walmart on most of the local places.
One thing I do like about France is a relative paucity of chains.
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https://www.breitbachscountrydining.com/
Breitbachs is Iowa's oldest bar and restaurant, owned and operated continuously by the Breitbachs since 1852. It is a huge restaurant in Balltown, population 79. On Saturday there were far more people in the restaurant than 79. We waited 20 minutes to be seated. As always, it was worth the wait. And, surprise: My son-in-law of 1.5 years (but with a dating relationship of 13-more years with my daughter) had never been here with us. He sells cars, but his hobby is being a chef. When a guy cooks like him, and likes a restaurant, it is a huge compliment to the restaurant.
I'll have to stop by when I get the chance
It's off the beaten path. I drove by it last year. The Great River Rd is my favorite drive in Iowa.
I was in Hawkeye, West Union, Monona, Elkader, Strawberry Point, Winthrop, and had dinner and drinks at Wolfey's in Quasqueton last week.
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I was at Wolfey's once. It is about 20 miles from here. I don't remember why I was there. Maybe it was a bachelor's party 15 years ago. It is not sufficient compelling to justify a return trip. Quasqy is in the middle of nowhere.
Next time you are in Manchester, stop by.
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It is not sufficient compelling to justify a return trip.
Correct.
The men's room has an interesting window with view of the bar. You can keep an eye on your drink or lady friend.
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Funny. In the 1970s there was a building downtown Minneapolis that had a men's room with a one-way window from the urinals giving one a view of passersby on the sidewalk while one did his business.
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I like my food pretty spicy, but what is up with all these "hot chicken" places where even the medium tastes like it's been marinating in ghost peppers for a week?
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I like my food pretty spicy, but what is up with all these "hot chicken" places where even the medium tastes like it's been marinating in ghost peppers for a week?
Apparently Nashville Hot Chicken is known for being insanely spicy.
I haven't been to any of these new chains, which I'm sure are much LESS spicy than the below. But I've had Nashville Hot Chicken sandwiches at restaurants that don't specialize in it, and a couple of them have been pretty hot even without actually specifying how hot it's supposed to be.
And that's from someone who has mostly obliterated his taste buds over the years so the things I eat without a second thought, my family (especially my wife) won't even touch a bite of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9ztecYHFwU
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Yeah, I can normally wolf down something that other people can't eat like it isn't even hot.
We had Nashville Fried Chicken in Columbus, and it was the original. But now they are everywhere. I just had Houston Hot Chicken, it was just as bad. Jay Birds is another, and on and on and on.
Not even good, just hot.
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Yeah, I don't typically go to any dedicated chicken restaurants, given that my wife has a poultry allergy.
My kids have been to "Dave's Hot Chicken" which I understand is a national chain, with their mom when they're not with us, though. My daughter (age 12) complained that it tasted like just about nothing but cumin (which for whatever reason she pronounces "kume-ON") and heat. So it didn't make me want to try that place lol. Even though I really love cumin.
I figure that it's just a fad, and it'll fade like so many of them do. Kinda think Korean fried chicken and Japanese (karaage?) fried chicken might to do the same.
We might just be in a fried chicken bubble lol!
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Big fan of karaage and Korean FC. We have Hattie B’s here which is quite good and crowded.
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I've yet to have hot chicken that was actually hot
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Many kids have now been raised eating hot cheetohs and the like, so I'm guessing their taste buds are screwed up a little bit.
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I like my food pretty spicy, but what is up with all these "hot chicken" places where even the medium tastes like it's been marinating in ghost peppers for a week?
It's all the rage to challenge people, like the reality shows on TV do.
I eat Nashville Hot Chicken, in Nashville. It's really good.
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I enjoy the hot lamb in Indian places
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There is no point to eating food that blows your face off. Nobody needs to eat a ghost pepper. If you do, you can't taste anything afterward. That's just plain dumb.
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agreed, Habaneros are hot enuff
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Personally I like very hot as long as it has flavor. Which why I don't care for ghost peppers. Yes heat, but bitter flavor. Most places that says there item is extremely hot, it is not.
A local company makes a hot sauce called the 3 kings, made with Ghost, Scorpion and Reaper peppers. plenty of heat, plenty of flavor.
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Yeah, a lot of restaurants (especially fast food places) that hype that their new menu item as a "ghost pepper X", they use such a tiny amount of ghost pepper in there that it's barely even medium. Because they know "ghost pepper" sounds like eating it means you're a tough guy, but the also want to sell food and if they make it as hot as real pepper heads are looking for, they'll piss off the other 98% of their customers...
I definitely want some flavor with heat. My son once seemed to go through a "spicy food" phase and ordered this spicy microwave popcorn online. I was the only one who would try it with him. But it was just pure heat--no flavor. It wasn't enjoyable at all.
I think one of the things about heat, though, is that it opens the taste buds. On Alton Brown's Good Eats, he had an episode which basically talked about the various taste buds basically being like little locks, and specific flavors (sweet, salty, sour, etc) were keys that would only unlock the taste buds for which they fit. Whereas capsaicin was like a skeleton key, unlocking everything. To me that's how heat should be--something that opens up the palate to fully experience the flavors. But we all have a different threshold where it goes from that, to pain. Some of us it's just higher than others.
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yes sir
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Personally I like very hot as long as it has flavor. Which why I don't care for ghost peppers. Yes heat, but bitter flavor. Most places that says there item is extremely hot, it is not.
A local company makes a hot sauce called the 3 kings, made with Ghost, Scorpion and Reaper peppers. plenty of heat, plenty of flavor.
Been there, I think. Wing Kings - Hell Sauce - combo of those three plus some extract from Hawaii. I did not like that.
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There is no point to eating food that blows your face off. Nobody needs to eat a ghost pepper. If you do, you can't taste anything afterward. That's just plain dumb.
Ed Zachery,I usually use Marie Sharp's Habanero sauce interesting story here she began Marie Sharp's Fine Foods. Her first product was called "Melinda's" after the farm owned by her husband's family. For ten years, she worked to build the family brand, expanding into jams, jellies, and marmalades made with tropical fruit. In 1988, with the help of the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the United States Agency for International Development, she attended Clemson University, studying food packaging.Sharp found a distributor in the United States and began to market the product internationally. It was the first Belizean-made export product to gain wide acceptance and the only habanero-based sauce on the market at that time. In a marketing move, the distributor filed a trademark on the name.
When Sharp found out in 1991 that the distributor had trademarked her product, she hired a lawyer. Because of the cost involved, travel constraints and the fact that as her sole distributor she could not work, Sharp eventually gave up the name to her sauce in exchange for a release of her contractual obligations, after a five-year struggle. Though the situation required that she start over with new branding, Sharp re-branded with her own name that same year.Sharp was contacted by a distributor for a major superstore and began exporting her products to U.S. markets in 2003, though she refused to sign an exclusive distributorship arrangement.
Good stuff just enough zest for my 7qt chili pot but nowhere near nuclear.
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I like the Melinda's sauce
https://youtu.be/kBZR-TGuwHI
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https://youtu.be/ms-cJBULe0U
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There is no point to eating food that blows your face off. Nobody needs to eat a ghost pepper. If you do, you can't taste anything afterward. That's just plain dumb.
Like I said, I like to pick up stuff from these guys who are local and sell at the farmer's markets: https://www.chonehotsauce.com/
One of theirs is a ghost pepper / habanero mix. It's quite hot.
But, as you can imagine, I don't drink the damn stuff. But when we make crunchy tacos with the kids, a few dashes per taco kicks up that heat level nicely for me. Doesn't blow my face off.
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I like the Melinda's sauce
https://youtu.be/kBZR-TGuwHI
I used to love that stuff, but I can't find my favorite flavor anymore, a habanero one with a green label that was the best hot sauce ever, and now instead there's just like 2 dozen new, goofy flavors that just don't hit the same.
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progress
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Went back to Atlantic Fish restaurant. A+++
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Must have a great wine list
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Don't recall the wine list but their food is great.
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The wine list was so so, but that isn't a factor for me at all. A massive wine list usually means a ton of wines I would never order because they are priced out of existence.
Food and service work for me. Our server recommended the swordfish which usually is dry and tasteless, here it was the opposite. My wife had a "lobstah roll".
The server gave us his email, he's a Red Sox fan and I'm hoping to go back and see a game with him in June maybe. I left a $100 cash tip on a $200 meal.
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The wine list was so so, but that isn't a factor for me at all. A massive wine list usually means a ton of wines I would never order because they are priced out of existence.
Food and service work for me. Our server recommended the swordfish which usually is dry and tasteless, here it was the opposite. My wife had a "lobstah roll".
The server gave us his email, he's a Red Sox fan and I'm hoping to go back and see a game with him in June maybe. I left a $100 cash tip on a $200 meal.
Absolutely. I prefer a shorter, well curated wine list. Oh, and if there's no French wine on your wine list, it's unlikely I'll ever return to your restaurant.
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I almost always ask the server for recommendations
usually works out very well
I'd like to see a game in Fenway some fine day
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Absolutely. I prefer a shorter, well curated wine list. Oh, and if there's no French wine on your wine list, it's unlikely I'll ever return to your restaurant.
Depends on the kind of restaurant of course, but I haven't seen a medium to higher priced restaurant without French wines in ... a long time.
It's a "mark of distinction" even if the wines they feature are mundane.
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Depends on the kind of restaurant of course, but I haven't seen a medium to higher priced restaurant without French wines in ... a long time.
It's a "mark of distinction" even if the wines they feature are mundane.
Some of the high end restaurants I've been to, at least around here, focus solely on California wine. There are certainly some good ones but it's... limiting... to say the least.
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I probably would avoid those places once I learned of this. I don't know of any here. Some places that would run $100 for dinner for two without wine have a fairly sparse but OK wine list. Some have a "flashy wine list" which I almost dislike more.
We had one meal at a place called Eddie V's in Boston which was OK, they had a splashy wine list, and a prominently featured bottle of Louis XIII. They are part of the Darden Group.
I'm "on the wagon" for now except weekends and travel, or trying to be, but a week in Paris will upend that no doubt. We have a lot of dinners scheduled with friends.
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Eddie V's?
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Boston | Locations | Eddie V's Prime Seafood Restaurant (https://www.eddiev.com/locations/ma/boston/boston/8523?cmpid=br:ev_ag:ie_ch:loc_ca:EVGMB_sn:gmb_gt:boston-ma-8523_pl:locurl_rd:1022)
Yeah, we sat at the bar and did Happy Hour which wasn't too pricey.
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Don't recall the wine list but their food is great.
Their wine list was "fine", not extensive, but the focus is seafood, as it should be. I had an "alvarinho" from Portugal but the glass, it was nice enough. I'd rather have really good food and OK wine than the reverse.
We also stopped at Legal Seafood during their Happy Hour, $2 oysters. We had the same kind as at Atlantic and they were not as good, but cheaper of course. Legal is a decent enough chain, they just are a bit short of elite in my book.
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not bad prices, even for the steaks
the carbs were pricey
I'd hafta try the warm goat cheese salad
lots of seafood from other places than the north atlantic
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We've been to Eddie V's. It's OK. That group owns a lot of concepts, most of which we've been to.
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Eddie V's started here in Austin, then eventually sold out to that group. It's always had very good food. I can usually find something on their wine list that I like that isn't crazy expensive.
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We went for happy hour one time. Had filet sliders and oysters.
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Yeah their happy hour has pretty good deals, we go there occasionally (maybe 2x per year?).
We took my i s c & a aggie wife's aggie parents there for their anniversary dinner back in September. It was pricey, especially when paying for our family of 4, and then covering half of their meal (split it with my BIL). But quite tasty.
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So, we had two dinners 'catered' in effect, one was before the symphony at the hall which was "OK". Happy Hour at Legal was OK, same with Eddie V's, but I'd call Atlantic Fish "exceptional". We also had lunch at the museum (MFA Boston) which was quite good for a museum, and in a nice spot.
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One of my very favorites back up North. We go every time we head back.
D&J Bistro (https://djbistrorestaurant.com/)
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Pasta da Pulcinella (https://pastadapulcinella.com/)
This is an Italian place near us we like a lot, know the owner etc. The wine list is fine with me, not incredibly over priced, not an 'expense account wine list'.
She has a brunello for $65. Not many French wines, but .... it's Italian, fair enough. Now I'm hungry.
(https://i.imgur.com/akKkKp3.jpeg)
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Yeah I can understand an Italian place not necessarily having French wine on the list, although my favorite Italian places do...
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The place I cited isn't "high end", but it's very good IMHO. It's good enough for me to enjoy a lot, especially when the weather is nice and we dine outside.
Two new apartment high rises are about to open near us with space for several restaurants on the ground floors, we're interested to see if anything latches on there.
They are both already renting under contract. They finish one to show and an office first. THey are giving away free weeks if you sign up now.
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Home Page - The Juniper
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Casa Bovina - Lincoln, NE
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We’re excited to be hosting Giorgio Bava on his first trip to Nebraska. Giorgio and his family run the Bava winery, an historical wine producer on the hills of Piedmont Italy. The Bava family has cultivated vineyards in the village of Cocconato since 1600 and in 1911 built the first winery. For this dinner, Giorgio will be showcasing the beauty of his favorite grape – Barbera. We will be serving a 6 course menu with wine pairings, including 3 examples of Barbera of varying ages and styles, showing its versatility next to wines more traditionally served with those courses.
Make your reservation at the link in our bio or here: https://www.exploretock.com/casabovina/search...
Event Details:
- By reservation only
- Six course tasting menu only, $295/person - includes food and wine pairing
- Cocktails at 6:00
- Dinner to begin at 6:30
- A $50/person deposit will be collected upon making reservation.
- You may cancel up to 48 hours prior to your reservation and receive a full refund of your deposit.
(https://i.imgur.com/k70TpaG.jpeg)
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Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish in South Pasadena, Florida, has been a beloved institution since its founding in 1947, serving up some of the best smoked mullet, mahi-mahi, and salmon on Florida’s Gulf Coast. By 1979, the restaurant was already a well-established landmark, drawing locals and tourists alike with its rustic, no-frills charm and dedication to traditional fish-smoking techniques. The family-run eatery became famous not only for its smoked fish platters but also for its signature German potato salad, freshly made coleslaw, and classic cheeseburgers. The roadside stand, with its open-air seating and laid-back Florida atmosphere, embodied the Old Florida dining experience that has become increasingly rare over time.
The smoking process at Ted Peters remains largely unchanged from its early days, using red oak-fired smokers to impart a distinct, rich flavor to the fish. This time-honored technique harks back to a fishing tradition deeply rooted in Florida’s coastal communities, where mullet and other local fish were smoked to preserve them before refrigeration became widespread. In the 1970s, as Florida tourism boomed and chain restaurants began to take over, Ted Peters remained committed to its original recipes and methods, keeping its old-fashioned appeal intact. Its dedication to quality and tradition helped the restaurant earn a loyal following, with mentions in travel guides, newspapers, and television programs highlighting its status as a must-visit destination.
Even today, Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish continues to thrive, preserving its legacy while welcoming new generations of diners. The restaurant has been featured on numerous food shows, including Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, further cementing its reputation as an iconic Florida eatery. Though the world around it has changed dramatically since 1979, the flavors, techniques, and atmosphere at Ted Peters remain a delicious link to Florida’s rich culinary past.
(https://i.imgur.com/YDHPXPU.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/pnFu2Lh.jpeg)
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I don't mind a Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn, or Outback. But I don't order a steak at any of them.
I think Lincoln no longer has any good steakhouses anymore; my parents used to go to The Steakhouse at the corner of Cornhusker and Adams (I think that is where it was) every year on their anniversary; it opened in 1949 the year they got married and I think it closed after their 50th - I never had a chance to eat there myself but Dad always swore by their steaks. It is a used car lot now.
We went to Texas Roadhouse off of Hiway 2 after my graduation from my master's program but it was super crowded, the service was horrible and by the time we got our food none of were in a very good mood - it might have been good food but we really couldn't enjoy it. There was another good steakhouse on the corner of 70th & O street (behind what is now the CVS) and it served pretty good food when my son-in-law worked there but was a bit expensive at the time for us. It is now a car wash. Had a gift card from my brother one year to Outback and I will never do that again - couldn't handle the seasonings.
Bonanza changed to Knickerbockers (or vice-versa) but neither one is open now. I loved the buffet at Golden Corral, but it is no longer open (Covid put a kibosh on that and it never recovered). Ditto for Red Lobster.
I sense a theme here. All my favorites are closed, lol. What remains are the Applebee's and Olive Garden at Gateway and tons of Chinese buffets or Japanese restaurants or Mexican restaurants. Anymore I tend to get Subway or McDonald's (I used to work for years as a manager there, so loyalty ya know) with an occasional foray into KFC or Runza. Simple tastes and I have never been too adventurous. I think if I ever make it to an away game I could be in trouble if I want to eat out.
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Did Misty's fall off a cliff or something?
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I think so, hanging on with the memorabilia
visited there a few years ago. Was good, but nothing real good.
there are a few new places in town that are very solid but very expensive - especially for Lincoln
Casa Bovina is one of them
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Did Misty's fall off a cliff or something?
oops! I completely forgot about Misty's - I've never made it there but it is another thing on my bucket list of restaurants that I would love to go to on my birthday, or least the Friday before (it's usually an away game on my birthday or a BYE week, lol). One of these days, though. This year the day before my birthday is the UCLA game which is away, so possibly the USC game the week before.
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I was there once when Switzer was holding court. He was most popular guy in the house. Always a fun place during game weekend.
Pretty damn good prime rib.
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Went here yesterday for the first time. Great value for the quality of food they serve. We will return for sure.
Harpoon Harry's Restaurant & Bar, Punta Gorda, Florida – Restaurant & Sports Bar in Punta Gorda, FL (https://harpoonharrys.com/)
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What's the most unusual "surf and turf" combo that you've ever eaten?
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I was there once when Switzer was holding court. He was most popular guy in the house. Always a fun place during game weekend.
Pretty damn good prime rib.
Yeah, I've heard good things about the prime rib and I guess the size of the baked potatoes is pretty awesome, too.
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We had some good surf and turf at my house w some Board members.
Oysters. Crab corn chowder and steak and lamb.
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Headed here as family is in town: https://www.kingsfishhouse.com/hb
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Is anyone else getting an influx of BBQ/Mexican fusion restaurants?
(https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/63caec03b722e659a46e73bd/b1609dfc-8c0c-49a6-82c3-1cb809e52c15/email-ig+-+burnt+ends+fridays.jpeg)
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What's the most unusual "surf and turf" combo that you've ever eaten?
A lifeguard and a park ranger. We were all very drunk.
(https://i.imgur.com/zRAuCpA.jpeg)
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not a classic steakhouse
but had a great steak here in Lincoln
Haymarket area, hidden away across from Lazlo's
https://www.jtkrestaurant.com/menu/ (https://www.jtkrestaurant.com/menu/)
I've heard great things about this place.
they have a Bacon Butter Ribeye
https://yourvenue.net/?utm_source=localsearch&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=wlso (https://yourvenue.net/?utm_source=localsearch&utm_medium=directory&utm_campaign=wlso)
This place is fabulous. I'd not heard of it but took my daughter there for dinner.
Also, not a traditional steakhouse obviously. but GREAT steaks
https://momo-pizzeria.com/menu/ (https://momo-pizzeria.com/menu/)
a few great steakhouses outside of Lincoln
https://ruhlmansteakhouse.com/ (https://ruhlmansteakhouse.com/)
In Ashland
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Casa Bovina
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✨ Scallop Stunner Alert ✨ crowned with @regiisova caviar, bright calamansi, zesty ginger and Nebraska’s own @millerdohrmannfarm popped sorghum.
A luxurious bite that’s sweet, silky and umami-packed.
(https://i.imgur.com/46SDL23.jpeg)
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This is too perfect not to share with you guys (at my expense).
Go to Burger King for breakfast. Order 2 sausage croissandwiches with no egg (of course).
Wait about 16 min "for the meat to cook"
Get my order, with a smile, it's Sunday morning, in no rush.
Get home.
2 croissandwiches with only egg and cheese.
Threw it in the garbage.
.
They had 1 job....
The egg taunts me....
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Been there OAM....few things get my in a lather quite like a food order getting botched, which of course is irrational.
we expect a perfect game from fast food, a hot bag of food, prepared and served quickly by human beings often in their first job or at least not necessarily particularly skilled labor.
I remember one time ordering a cheeseburger at a diner style restaurant and it was just a bun. the burger was omitted.
the waitress just laughed.
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Yeah, I usually just chalk it up to "that's why you're working at a fast food place." But to wait extra for something omitted was one thing, then to be given the precise opposite of what I ordered.... sheesh.
And the egg thing was just an add-on for yous guys....thought you'd get a kick out of it.
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I'm sure this type of thing happened 40 years ago, but not as often
folks were fired 40 years ago for this crap
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https://youtu.be/5x5NCDYB1Lc?si=T5WJoicAdAMDRAzL
do you like this song?
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(https://media1.giphy.com/media/xT5LMLnv5VSYHCNnBS/giphy.gif)
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do you like this song?
no
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Unpopular opinion-- I really hate the Beastie Boys. They suck.
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I like a handful of their songs
not that one
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I like a handful of their songs
not that one
I only like one. Sabotage. I really dislike all the rest.
My i s c & a aggie loves them, though. One of the first concerts she ever went to on her own with just friends, rather than parents. Although she did not enjoy getting stuck in the mosh pit.
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Only One Atlanta Restaurant Has Been Nominated For The 2025 James Beard Awards
https://secretatlanta.co/james-beard-2025-nominee/ (https://secretatlanta.co/james-beard-2025-nominee/)
About Aria
Aria is a fancy American-style restaurant that will add the perfect touch of elegance and elevation to your evening! They’ve got a very nice bar and a wonderful dining room, complete with a rotating menu of seasonal and local ingredients.
Aria says on their website,
Our dining room offers a cozy, hip space for unwinding and enjoying Chef Gerry Klaskala’s modern American cuisine paired with an award-winning wine list and distinctive cocktails. And no meal at Aria is complete without a sweet treat from Pastry Chef Kathryn King. Both à la carte and tasting menus are available, and reservations are recommended.
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I'd like to spend a food weekend in ATL.
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Heading here for our 28th this Saturday.
Cape Coral Fish & Seafood Market: Restaurant: Shrimp, Crab, Lobster (https://bestseafoodcapecoral.com/)
Hit the restaurant, and then the market.
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I only like one. Sabotage. I really dislike all the rest.
I don't even like that one.
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I don't even like that one.
I like it because it's really a heavy metal song.
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I'd like to spend a food weekend in ATL.
I'd rather spend a food weekend in your kitchen
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I'd rather spend a food weekend in your kitchen
The indoor one or the outdoor one?
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depends on the weather
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wednesday menu in a town of less than 100
(https://i.imgur.com/vHfhfv8.jpeg)
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wednesday menu in a town of less than 100
(https://i.imgur.com/vHfhfv8.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/z6un9GJ.jpeg)
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New drive-thru WTF:
order a "COKE"
was that a "DOCTOR PEPPER?"
no.
COKE
.
Again, not a big deal in any way. But to mistake a 1-syllable word for a 4-syllable term. I don't understand how that is possible.
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were you in Texas? Possibly near the measles outbreak?
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were you in Texas? Possibly near the measles outbreak?
That's not how it works. That's not how any of this works.
(In Texas)
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I am waiting for the measles to break out in AZ, as we have counties with lower vaccination rates than those battling the 'eliminated' disease there.
I swear to god, the stupidity knows no bounds. Just because you have the right to be stupid doesn't mean you must be stupid.
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Portillo's adding 900 locations to their existing 94.
Hurry up!
https://www.wsj.com/articles/chicago-hot-dog-eatery-portillos-slims-down-menus-to-expand-nationally-311be817?st=zQfKXv&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
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Love Italian beef sandwiches, but have never viewed Portillos as the place I'd seek out for it. Suitable alternatives.
Since I don't care for chocolate cake , not my cup of tea. That said, makes sense for them to make much smaller stores. They are unusually large restaurants.
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It's better than anything I can get down here, for sure. The closest to us is St. Pete. Fort Myers would be good. Across the street works too.
(https://i.imgur.com/nQzlNoe.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/FhjcBqK.jpeg)
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Love Italian beef sandwiches, but have never viewed Portillos as the place I'd seek out for it. Suitable alternatives.
Since I don't care for chocolate cake , not my cup of tea. That said, makes sense for them to make much smaller stores. They are unusually large restaurants.
Yeah, in the Chicago area I've got places I prefer over Portillo's for a beef. But in the rest of the country where people don't even know what an Italian Beef sandwich is... Portfolios is better than nothing.
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I think I'll head there now.
(https://i.imgur.com/bxx8ywD.jpeg)
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Bastage.
(https://i.imgur.com/hNlZsCw.png)
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You say that like you live in East Germany.
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You say that like you live in East Germany.
An argument can be made that I-4 = the Berlin Wall
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I-4 sucks.
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brother and I tried the Portillo's Grapevine - not good, won't go back
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brother and I tried the Portillo's Grapevine - not good, won't go back
What did you order?
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I-4 sucks.
I've driven it a few times over the years from Orlando to North Port and it seems OK to me. I keep hearing it's awful. I'm probably a bit early in the day.
There is a Portillo's across from where we stay in Orlando and I've tried it twice. I think I order the wrong things. Or something.
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What did you order?
Regular Italian beef sammich with sweet & hot peppers, cheddar cheese and standard gravy
not much beef, not many peppers and not much flavor
now the place had just opened in the last few weeks or a month - maybe working out the kinks
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Beef, giardiniera, and wet is how to order.
No cheese, ever.
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don't think giardiniera was an option in Grapevine
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Beef, giardiniera, and wet is how to order.
No cheese, ever.
So close.... but cheesehead here needs cheese, otherwise yeah. Wet
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It's "interesting"? how one hears about "X" all the time, and then one has "X" and thinks "Meh", fairly often, or worse. Think Coors beer back in the day, or In and Our burger, or Cincy Chili, or whatever. Here I kept hearing about Bones steakhouse, so I took the wife, and it was fine I guess, but nothing unique or special other than that it was packed on a Tueday night with folks who looked like they were more interested in being seen than dining.
In Cincy the top place was called the Maisonette, labeled one of five real five star places in the US. I went once, and the service was impeccable, the food was good, I wasn't any expert in French cuisine of course. $$$ Never went back, it closed a while back.
I'm hesitant to really call out anything as being "truly special" because others will have expectations often dashed,
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it's tuff to meet or exceed lofty expectations
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BATON ROUGE - A locally owned restaurant will be featured on Guy Fieri's "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on Friday night.
A crew shot the episode at Iverstine Butcher during Superbowl weekend.
Owner Galen Iverstine said he is hopeful that the episode, premiering at 8 p.m. on the Food Network, will bring more business to locally owned restaurants like his. Iverstine says he thinks the handmade aspect of their restaurant is what made Fieri want to feature their restaurant.
Iverstine told WBRZ that, when he first received the email from Food Network producers asking about featuring his restaurant, he thought it was a scam. When he discovered it was the real thing he said the feeling was surreal.
The family-owned restaurant opened as a butcher shop in 2016 and added table service in 2022, offering handmade Southern staples.
Ivertsine's is one of three restaurants in the capitol area featured on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Fieri also visited Dempsey's and Phil's Oyster Bar, whose episodes aired earlier in April.
@MikeDeTiger (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=1588)
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I fear my "standards" have gotten too high over the years, which is not entirely bad I guess, but way back in the day, my idea of a nice meal was at Red Lobster or equivalent. I recall on special occasions taking my kids to Benihana (which they really liked). (I took my wife back there a few years ago in Cincy and it was awful, nobody working was remotely Asian).
There are places near us where I enjoy the experience but it's rare I eat something and think "Wow, that was unique and great and I wouldn't be able to fix it at home.".
I think this is one reason I like good French "cuisine", making it at home usually would be complicated and with no certain success.
My wife fortunately has started really liking my "Mexican spaghetti", which I call "chili". I dialed back on the chili powder, she's not much for spiciness. I'm happy to eat that at home without dining out. Anyway, if I'm spending $100+ somewhere I'd prefer being somewhat wowed.
I have not had really good seafood in ages and ages, even at the beach. I have a feeling most places just use Sysco and get frozen whatever. Yes, I know I haven't found the right places. Maybe my memory is deficient. Hilton Head has a couple places that are good, but they do a lot of fried whatever which is kind of cheating.
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Went to Cooper's Hawk yesterday. They have good food and are very consistent. We are wine club members.
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They have one in Cincy I went to once with friends who perhaps oversold the place. It was fine, I thought, never went back. I see there is one north of us here. The traffic around there is ridiculous (?) but I drive further north for pitching lessons at times so we could stop by for lunch coming back. Traffic usually is "OK" after 9 and before 3.
Alpharetta, GA | Cooper's Hawk (https://chwinery.com/locations/alpharetta-ga)
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The food is good and it's very consistent. I know what to expect and I'm never disappointed. That's why we go.
We have a choice of two. One in Fort Myers and one in Sarasota. We generally go to FM.
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took my daughter to Archie's last night.
the extra thick cut special sirloin is $26 We each had one.
(https://i.imgur.com/OdZCQiC.jpeg)
30-day dry aged - 12 oz - rare
old school relish tray - salad dressings made in-house
with onion rings for an appetizer and a couple nice drinks each, the bill was $106 + $30 tip
I need to do this more often - it's a 30 minute drive in the Corvette
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My wife "fell in love" with the "French" restaurant on the ship because of their steak oddly enough. There is another "steak" place aboard called Cagney's that we tried and it was fine, but somehow the steak at the French (quasi) place was better. I tried various other items, their menu is pretty limited really, which were OK, but their steak was actually pretty good. I will say they treated us well, we got comped on a lot of stuff mostly after I left a nice tip on the first time there.
I don't generally order steak out because I can fix it easily at home when we want it. The closest steak place called STK has a decent 4-6 PM special that has a 3 ounce filet and shrimp for $19. The other apps are half price so it's easy to put together a pretty solid meal. It's not fabulous but their regular prices are. The place also is noisy at night.
$3 $6 $9 Happy Hour - STK Steakhouse (https://stksteakhouse.com/happenings/happy-hour/)
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3 ounce???
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3 ounce???
Yup, it's about enough for us, it comes with some shrimp, and we add a couple apps. $19.
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about 5 small bites but I understand not needing as much to eat as I get older
12 ounce is a bit more than I need
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3 ounces is fine, with some shrimp.
The big meal is lunch. Light dinner is all anyone needs.
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shrimp? We don't need no stinkin shrimp!
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Thems fighting words down here.
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not here
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3 ounces is fine, with some shrimp.
The big meal is lunch. Light dinner is all anyone needs.
LOL. Occasionally I'll eat next to nothing all day long and then a nice large dinner :57:
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I do that almost every day
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I most often don't eat after 4PM. The only time I do is when we go out with others to a restaurant.
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I most often only eat one meal between 5-7pm
last night was a bit later because of the daughter
just liquids otherwise - 2 cups of coffee and some water so far, there will be budweiser on the golf course about 2:22 when I hit the first tee
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I do try to eat before/during golf. Gotta keep up my energy to hit the ball as many times as I do!
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3 ounce???
That's 1 steak medallion where I come from.
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That's 1 steak medallion where I come from.
1 steak medallion was my dinner last night. I had the other two for breakfast.
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I do try to eat before/during golf. Gotta keep up my energy to hit the ball as many times as I do!
there's pork chop in every 16oz can of Bud Heavy
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there's pork chop in every 16oz can of Bud Heavy
Damn. I miss my mom's pork chops.
Do any of you ever miss a certain dish, but don't make it yourself because you want to leave it with the memory of someone?
I have a few. I like how just the idea of them conjures specific memories of my mom or one of my grandmas.
I could make them. They'd be fine. 95% of what I'm going for.
But I don't want to touch the sun.
I'll order those dishes in restaurants, but I won't make them myself. I want the last pork chop made that way to be one my mom made me. Hmmph. Something I'm sentimental about. Nice.
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I make almost all of my Ma's recipes that I liked. One I do not make - cabbage noodles.
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My mom made fried okra a couple times a week, I never have tried to make that myself, for one thing it makes a mess. Her FO was delicious.
Of course, fried anything is usually pretty good if done well and fresh.
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Love Italian beef sandwiches, but have never viewed Portillos as the place I'd seek out for it. Suitable alternatives.
Yeah, in the Chicago area I've got places I prefer over Portillo's for a beef. But in the rest of the country where people don't even know what an Italian Beef sandwich is... Portfolios is better than nothing.
For lunch last Friday, stopped into an Al's No. 1 Italian Beef location in downtown Chicago. Ordered the regular beef sandwich w/ Hot Giardiniera. 👍👍
(https://i.imgur.com/fDx09Xa.jpeg)
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Al's is really good.
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All the Chicago-connected restaurants in Phoenix all look the same. They look like antique shops with every inch of wall space covered in photos and shit.
Why does a place to eat need to look like a hoarder's house?
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That's 1 steak medallion where I come from.
An Hors d'oeuvre.
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An Hors d'oeuvre.
En effet, mon ami
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I think there can be "best food" and "best dining experience" and "best service", etc. Sometimes all of the above, but rarely.
Some of the most memorable dining experiences I've enjoyed were in little family operated bistros in France (one in Italy, I've only been to Italy once), and one in Athens, the old Athens.
Fantastic service, to me, is secondary if I get reasonable service and great good. Sometimes the view can be excellent or notable. I've probably mentioned this place before,
Home - Bistro Le Relais (https://www.lerelaisrestaurant.com/)
It ticks every box, for us. In Louisville.
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How's the view?
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How's the view?
In Louisville, that isn't a strong point for Le Relais, but it's in the old airport terminal building, so occasionally you see a light plane land.
I've found, often, a place that advertises a view is trying to compensate for over priced food. There is a place here atop the Westin on the 72 floor that used to rotate and had quite the view, and the food was pretty good, but last time I was there it didn't rotate, they apparently had someone get injured, somehow, and the food and service were pretty blah.
One thing we like a lot is outdoor dining, the view might be just of a street or whatever but we watch people strolling by. Most places near us offer it, and in winter many of them have heaters so you can still dine out when it's say 40°F.
Renowned Cincinnati chef Jean-Robert de Cavel dies after cancer battle
(https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/renowned-cincinnati-chef-jean-robert-de-cavel-dies-after-cancer-battle)This guy had some really good places in Cincy, not over priced, one was pricey but really good, they all closed but one, which is still quite good.
Le Bar à Boeuf - Bistro at Edgecliff Condos - East Walnut Hills - Cincinnati
(https://www.decavelgroup.com/locations/edgecliff/bistro)No view, but really good food. Not a steak place per se.
If you asked me for a really good place in Atlanta, I'd have to ask your price range. And of course we have not dined extensively here outside the 'hood. One place we do drive to is quite food, and quite pricey ($125 per person).
Bacchanalia — Star Provisions
(https://www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia)
21 Best Restaurants in Atlanta | Condé Nast Traveler
(https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/best-restaurants-in-atlanta)
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I'd want to hit Holeman and Finch for a burger.
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How's the view?
a hot dog at the ball park or a runza at Memorial stadium in Lincoln
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I'd want to hit Holeman and Finch for a burger.
There is one close to us, we tried it twice, once for lunch, once dinner. We might not have ordered the right thing, dunno, it was mediocre we thought. Just across from it is a place a friend started up that we do like a lot.
Saints + Council - Midtown, Atlanta, GA
(https://saintsandcouncil.com/)
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All the Chicago-connected restaurants in Phoenix all look the same. They look like antique shops with every inch of wall space covered in photos and shit.
Why does a place to eat need to look like a hoarder's house?
So Uno's, Giordano's, Lou Malnati's, Rosati's - I don't disagree (all Italian/Pizza chains), but who else?
Speaking of Italian/Pizza, you ever do Oregano's? They are not Chicago based (only in the Phoenix and Tucson areas), but boast Chicago-style pizzas & sandwiches. What gives them the edge in the Italian game (IMO) is fusing a bit of latin flair into what would otherwise be mostly an Olive Garden menu. Like the chipotle sauces and pepper mixes added into their pasta dishes. I always make a point to take my Dad to their Tempe location. Oregano's interiors are definitely antique-shoppy:
(https://i.imgur.com/3WyeGaW.jpeg)
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It's flare, you need a minimum of 28 pieces, some choose to have more.
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I like Oregano's.
I don't know the names of the Chicago places, but there's a beef sandwich place near 7th/camelback maybe and another Chicago slider place at 38th/camelback.
It just seems to be a theme to me. A Chicago pizza place in Vegas was similar as well - just infinite small, framed photos of everything. Even Portillo's is like that, with photos and wagons and random shit hanging up by the ceilings.
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Maybe Cracker Barrel made it widely spread, dunno.
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It's a Chicago thing.
Chicago Chop House:
(https://i.imgur.com/odNnm5S.png)
Twin Anchors:
(https://i.imgur.com/F3FZIKs.png)
Gibson's Steakhouse:
(https://i.imgur.com/8hPNht6.png)
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I noticed a hot dog at the Braves' stadium was $9.69. We had an event before the game with "free food", so I didn't partake. They sent me a survey about how I liked the game, I gave mediocre to low marks. My wife told me she enjoyed the game, which surprised me a bit, I didn't respond until she asked what I thought.
"I realize they try and cater to younger folks and families, which is fine, but to me, it isn't "baseball", it's some show that happens and in between some folks play baseball."
I go to one game a year because it's "free" and I get to see guys I know, fine, but the game itself today in person is not something I enjoy, and yes, I'm old and crotchety. Part of it was sitting in the second desk down the right field line, I could barely see the ball.
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I lean to thinking a lot of "crap" on the walls is to cover up having mediocre food, but obviously that's an over generalization. It doesn't do much for me unless it's a collection of interesting old photos of something. I dimly recall sports theme restaurants where the photos are of the owner and some pro ballplayer who dined there.
There is a steak house in Cincy called "The Precinct" that I'm told was considered the place to go for visiting baseball players. I dined there 2-3 times on the company's dime, I thought it was only "OK" foodwise, but we were a larger group. They had a lot of photos on the walls.
I wonder if it survived. Yup, this fellow Jeff Ruby runs a lot of steak houses in Cincy. I guess it's better than bare walls. Mebbe.
The Precinct | Cincinnati's Original Upscale Steakhouse (https://www.jeffruby.com/precinct)
The Precinct is the first of Jeff Ruby’s nationally-acclaimed steakhouses and where his vision for The Jeff Ruby Experience was brought to life. Opening in 1981 in the old Cincinnati Police Patrol House No. 6, it is now the longest continuously-running fine dining restaurant in the city. For more than four decades, The Precinct has served its guests timeless memories right alongside the ultimate dining experience.
(https://i.imgur.com/DkvScmp.jpeg)
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Lots of those national chains put a lot of crap on the walls.
(https://i.imgur.com/FXImBCx.png)
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this was a place in Lincoln, burger bar....... PO Pears - no longer there
(https://i.imgur.com/vhXRwT1.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/WMv7lW1.jpeg)
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I understand why national chains do this sort of thing. It comes with the turf, fine with me, I avoid them, mostly. I think some of the midrange national chains are "OK to decent", if I'm somewhere new I might seek one out in lieu of something locally owned, or not, usually not.
I don't know of any "national chains" in Europe beyond fast food places.
I'm still kind of rolling my eyes at seeing 7-11s over much of Asia everywhere, on every corner, and of course a ton of McDs and BKs and KFCs, especially the latter. KFC seems really popular overseas.
I can recall as a kid when Dad would bring home a bucket it was a cause celebre.
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(https://i.imgur.com/SIcCJ2W.jpeg)
Omaha, NE - don't know the year - 1971 or later
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(https://media.tenor.com/xdEpJNXm3IgAAAAe/simpsons-uncle-moes-family-feedbag.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/SIcCJ2W.jpeg)
Omaha, NE - don't know the year - 1971 or later
I'm not a fan of T-Bone or even porterhouse.
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I'm not a fan of T-Bone or even porterhouse.
What in the HELL is wrong with you???
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My wife for some reason loves the Brazilian steakhouse deal. I'm taking her to one for Mom's Day, she seemed excited. The thing is she rarely eats beef and doesn't eat much of anything, girlish figure and all. She does like dessert.
So, off to Fogo de Chai we go, to pay a fairly high price for relatively little actual steak. Whatever. I'm not one for any all you can eat place.
As for cut of steak, I like ribeye but not messing around with all the fat. Filet is fine with me, but can be somewhat tasteless at times. For my nickel, I go for flatiron every time.
My wife orders them blu rare, I've started to go rare if the steak is higher quality. the "French" restaurant on the ship had pretty good filet.
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What in the HELL is wrong with you???
I agree with brad. I'll eat one if served to me, but I'm never actively choosing that over a ribeye.
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ribeyes are a bit too fatty for me
the T-bone - porterhouse - strip steaks are my sweet spot between the fillet (not as much marbling & flavor) and the ribeye (too much fat) ..... I wouldn't say I'm not a fan of a good ribeye or fillet - I enjoy them. Heck a good sirloin is a great cut for me, great flavor. I need to try more flatirons. I guess I'm just a fan of steaks. Rare to med-rare.
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Don't like ribeyes, too fatty.
Strip is my cut of choice.
The rest of the fam loves fillet.
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ribeyes are a bit too fatty for me
the T-bone - porterhouse - strip steaks are my sweet spot between the fillet (not as much marbling & flavor) and the ribeye (too much fat) ..... I wouldn't say I'm not a fan of a good ribeye or fillet - I enjoy them. Heck a good sirloin is a great cut for me, great flavor. I need to try more flatirons. I guess I'm just a fan of steaks. Rare to med-rare.
I agree. Oh, and flat iron is great.
USDA Choice Black Angus Flat Iron Steak (https://wildforkfoods.com/products/usda-choice-black-angus-flat-iron-steak/)
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The origin of flat iron steak began with the National Cattlemen's Beef Association's Beef Checkoff program in 1998, as an effort to reduce waste and promote beef, which was selling at a 25-50% discount in 1996 as compared to 1993.[3][4] Dwain Johnson at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and Chris Calkins at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Just don't find them on menus around here
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Flatirons don't usually make restaurant menus. Kroger here has them, I get them if the wife wants steak, she loves them. I tenderize them with carbonate (baking powder). There can be some gristle on the back side I trim out.
It basically is chuck.
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Calkins and Johnson found that, while cutting out the tissue did result in a thin cut of beef, it plumped up well when cooked. The NCBA started promoting flat iron steak in 2001 and in the early 2000s Applebee's put it on the menu, and the Kroger grocery store chain started carrying the cut in 2006.
__________________________________
nearest Krogers are in Colorado and Illinois - at least 7 hours
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What in the HELL is wrong with you???
Filet is too lean. Not that I don't eat filet, but it's not my steak of choice.
I find strip to be a little on the tough side for the cost, and also a little lean. Not that I won't eat it, but it's not my steak of choice.
Ribeye is my ideal steak. More tender than strip, and more marbled/fatty than filet.
T-bone or porterhouse, IMHO, is just great marketing. "Two steaks, in one!" But for me it's two steaks I wouldn't choose on my own, having to be cooked together at the same time so monitoring doneness of both is a little more difficult than cooking each individually. And OFTEN the filet side of the T-bone isn't even all that big. I suspect that maybe in the old days of T-bone, it was a way to use up portions of the cow where the filet side wouldn't be big enough for anything but medallions, whereas the portions where the tenderloin was larger they skipped cutting it into T-bone and just cut it into separate steaks.
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Occasionally I'll see flat iron on restaurant menus.
Great cut if you treat it right. For me it's just a hard sear and finish medium rare, but to get the best out of it you need to slice it thinly on the bias across the grain for serving, much like a tri tip. It can be too tough to eat in chunks "like a steak", but slicing it properly makes a big difference to it not eating tough.
Flank steak is good in that way as well, but it's a LOT more lean than flat iron. For flank you really need to boost the flavor with a good marinade or something. Flat iron is good on its own just seasoned, but can also benefit from a sauce, topping (we like chimichurri), or a marinade depending where you want to take it.
Dang... It's 7 AM and now I want steak.
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Yeah, I totally slice flatiron very thin after resting. It's very tasty.
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Any steak eats better when cut against the grain. Even filet/tenderloin.
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I find strip to be a little on the tough side for the cost, and also a little lean. Not that I won't eat it, but it's not my steak of choice.
you're not getting the right strips - a prime 60 day aged - cuts like butter
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Was really surprised to hear on the radio the other night that Texas Roadhouse is now the number one casual dining chain in the US - from Restaurant Business Online: "Texas Roadhouse, the 664-unit steakhouse chain that has been growing rapidly for years, pushed past longtime leader Olive Garden and into the top spot in terms of systemwide sales. Texas Roadhouse’s U.S. systemwide sales surged 14.7% last year, to $5.5 billion...It also opened 26 new locations, a 4.1% change."
I was surprised because on one hand, it seems like there's a lot more Chilis, Dennys, Applebees, Cracker Barrels, etc. But on the other hand, whenever I pass by a TR, it's always packed. TR also does not have the type of aggressive advertising campaign that might give Applebee's and Chili's their larger awareness.
Without meaning to sound elitist, my first reaction to TR was how well it fit the expectations of "flyover country dining." Spending much of my growing up years in the Midwest, TR is exactly the style of cuisine that would be a hit. For whoever else has trekked through cities and towns like Peoria IL (& AZ?), Springfield MO (& IL & OH), St. Charles MO, Evansville IN, Columbus GA, and...I could go on, a new TR likely becomes the busiest joint in town overnight.
https://twitter.com/RB_magazine/status/1907820795168174552
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My parents really like Texas Roadhouse and are always buying us gift cards there. I have to say, the steaks and other proteins aren't bad. Their sides are pretty trash but the steaks are decent. And when they're free, well, I'm okay with that.
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There can be Number One in outlets, or in diners, or in revenue, TR is probably the latter.
They probably get quite a bit more revenue per table than say Applebies.
I've dined there or Longhorn a few times, total maybe ten? They seem OK to me. I don't really like steak places much.
I read somewhere Costco sells more wine than any retail outlet,but it's on a dollar basis, not bottle.
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TR has good steaks, especially at that price point.
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My parents really like Texas Roadhouse and are always buying us gift cards there. I have to say, the steaks and other proteins aren't bad. Their sides are pretty trash but the steaks are decent. And when they're free, well, I'm okay with that.
When I first moved to Austin I was telling a friend back home that, oddly, I didn't see any Texas Roadhouses up north, at least not off the interstate where I'd expect to find them. He joked that I was looking for the wrong signs, because when you're in Texas you don't have to signal it, so they're probably just called "Roadhouse."
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Texas Roadhouse has the best steaks for a chain - I still don't go there
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Road House (2024 film) - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_House_(2024_film))
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Ed Zachery why you don't move to Texas
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Ed Zachery why you don't move to Texas
Amen brutha.
Although that one took place in Florida I think. And the original one was set in Missouri as I recall.
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I either go to a high-end steakhouse and order steak, or...
...go to a low-end steakhouse (Outback, Texas Roadhouse) and...
...order a burger.
Burgers at the low-end steakhouses tend to be pretty decent.
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I either go to a high-end steakhouse and order steak, or...
...go to a low-end steakhouse (Outback, Texas Roadhouse) and...
...order a burger.
Burgers at the low-end steakhouses tend to be pretty decent.
I normally get the chopped steak at those places.
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so, a burger
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I took my pitching coach to a Longhorn for lunch a while back and we all got their burgers (wife was with me). They were quite good, I think about $12 each for lunch with fries and a drink.
I was pleased.
They often have a pretty good set of lunch specials.
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A good one.
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I don't recall ever having been to Longhorn Steakhouse. I don't even know where one is.
Google tells me there's one 6 miles away, on a busy street that I drive often. Looks like it's a pad at the front of a parking lot for a large box store strip center-- containing an Academy Sports & Outdoors that I shop at frequently. And yet I have absolutely no recollection of ever seeing this place.
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I don't recall ever having been to Longhorn Steakhouse. I don't even know where one is.
Google tells me there's one 6 miles away, on a busy street that I drive often. Looks like it's a pad at the front of a parking lot for a large box store strip center-- containing an Academy Sports & Outdoors that I shop at frequently. And yet I have absolutely no recollection of ever seeing this place.
I know there used to be some around your working vicinity, if you're still at the Blue Buildings Up North.
There was one at right at the entrance to the Texas State campus in SM when I lived there. Don't know if it's still there or not. I tried it once, it was okay.
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Longhorn and T Roadhouse are good choices on road trips. You know what you're gonna get and you won't be disappointed.
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https://www.nwestiowa.com/sentinel/it-s-all-about-family-at-archie-s-waeside/article_7e7fbd19-88f3-46f1-8c99-f89707cc8634.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawKAmSlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFYc3dEc2U3Qk5HWEFHaUFVAR5BkivWaa1cNmT_uxvtQgV3RYfPHTQoR5b4kh-H2OmWsQKdKfE54F4v2rWmQQ_aem_h7jz42vhg6qVWDBjBGSe6Q (https://www.nwestiowa.com/sentinel/it-s-all-about-family-at-archie-s-waeside/article_7e7fbd19-88f3-46f1-8c99-f89707cc8634.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawKAmSlleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFYc3dEc2U3Qk5HWEFHaUFVAR5BkivWaa1cNmT_uxvtQgV3RYfPHTQoR5b4kh-H2OmWsQKdKfE54F4v2rWmQQ_aem_h7jz42vhg6qVWDBjBGSe6Q)
It’s all about family at Archie’s Waeside
LE MARS — Archie’s Waeside in Le Mars has long been a destination for those who enjoy steaks and fine dining.
Archie’s got its start in 1949 when Archie Jackson purchased a restaurant that was started in November 1931. There was a constant change of ownership in the 1940s before Jackson became the owner in January 1949.
Now, just over 75 years later, Archie’s is on its third generation of family-member ownership bringing the finest steaks and dining to northwest Iowa.
Jackson’s grandson Bob Rand, owns the business now. Both he and his sister, Lorrie Luense, are active in the day-to-day operation at the restaurant, and are there each evening to greet customers, following in the footsteps of their mother, Valerie Rand.
“My grandfather died in July 1973, and to be honest, it was kind of a crazy time and our mom didn’t know how it was going to play out,” Bob Rand recalled. “She was just tough, went to work every day. She treated people great, and like Lorrie always says, we’re family here at the restaurant.’ I don’t care of you’ve worked here a week, you’re part of the family. That’s how we operate this place.”
Bob Rand purchased the restaurant from his mother in 1994, and he and his wife, Dana, still own the restaurant today.
The restaurant was quite a bit smaller in 1949.
The Waeside underwent building expansions in 1957 and 1963 to increase the size of the kitchen, coolers, and dining area.
“I think in about ’55 or ’57, our grandpa added on the back room and added more booths,” Rand said.
“My grandfather wanted the biggest and best walk-in cooler to dry age his beef,” Luense said. That was added in 1963. At that time, the bar went all the way back to the end of the back room.
“In 1977, the year I got married, we ran out of room, so my mom added the lounge out front (south side) of the restaurant,” Luense said.
That got the bar out of the dining area and opened up the back room for more parties and others events hosted by customers, according to Rand.
“Adding the bar made a nice place for people to wait, along with new restrooms,” Rand said. “It was a game changer for us. My mom told us, ‘yeah, I didn’t realize what a stress on the kitchen, gaining 100 seats, would do.’ The growing pains were painful,” Rand said.
Later, another remodel on the north side created a smaller room for meetings. In the late 1990s, a smaller, intimate dining room was created off the large back room.
When Jackson died in 1973, daughter Valerie took over the business, carrying on her father’s legacy.
The story of Archie Jackson
Archie Jackson was born in 1908 in Perm, Russia, where his father Antone was a Russian Cossack who served as a high sheriff in Siberia and was also a meat buyer for Russian Czar Nicholas, according to Luense.
During the revolution, Antone escaped from the country in a false bottom wagon being loaded on a ship and came to the United States through Texas. He saved enough money and arranged for passage for his wife Alexandria, and two sons Archie and Bill to come to the United States. Archie was just six years old.
The family found their way to Sioux City, and like most Russian and Polish immigrants at the time, settled in the South Bottoms, where Antone worked in the packing houses. He was very successful and actually became the first Russian to be a landowner in the city, Luense said. Within a few years, he purchased a farm north of Sioux City, When Archie was 12, he and his father were in the fields working. They were sickened from food poisoning from their lunch and Antone died. Archie then went to the packing house to work. In the evenings they had boxing matches in the cattle pens.
Archie went to Los Angeles in the late 1930s and early 40s and worked as a meat cutter, boxer, and professional wrestler. He learned the art of cutting and dry aging beef.
He came back to Iowa in 1946 and lived in Remsen, and owned the Remsen Recreation Parlor with his brother Bill. This included a bowling alley, two bars and a lunch room.
“In January, 1949, Archie’s mother Alexandria called him and told him the Waeside Inn was for sale and he should buy it. My mother Valerie was 19 then and she came up from Sioux City to work with him,” Luense said.
Growing the Waeside
Under Archie’s ownership, the Waeside’s business flourished. Friends and customers love telling stories of him coming out to the front of the restaurant, sill wearing his bloodied meat coat, and telling stories of his earlier life. He would lead the dancing on the dance floor. Many a night, the restaurant didn’t close until dawn.
Archie was also known for his roast pig parties in the 50s and 60s. Dinners were held for weddings, fundraising efforts, etc. He also was a big supporter of the Le Mars Community and Westmar wrestling teams, and many men’s and women’s bowling teams.
“We always think about our grandfather,” Luense said. “He died at age 65. He had some health issues, part from being a boxer in the 20s and working in the stockyards in Sioux City. But he had ideas, and we keep thinking, what level he would have gone to had he lived.”
Luense said when her mother took over the business in 1973, she was a pioneer of sorts as well, a single woman raising a family and running a successful business.
“My grandpa demanded excellence,” Rand said.
Rand has also learned a lot about the business when he travels.
“When you look around, the people in this industry who are good at it are a small world,” Rand said. “Grandpa started this in 1949. A lot of the big places didn’t start until the 80s and 90s, or even 2000. As I travel and talk with people in the industry, they tell us our grandpa had these same ideas 30-40 years before they even began to talk about it. That’s pretty cool.”
“Grandpa had such beef expertise, being in the packing houses. He had great ideas. Mom had great ideas, too, a great artist’s mind. She saw something she could make out of it,” Rand continued. “She could see it, and that was the cool thing about her.”
Archie and Valerie created the salad dressing recipes and sauces which are still used today.
“A lot of it is all of us all together,” Luense said. “That’s what makes it run, and the food. Bob is very, very professional in buying food.”
“We live in the greatest beef-producing area in the country, and we are literally buying the best of the best every day. Grandpa was the same way,” Rand said.
Rand said another game changer came for the Waeside when it got into the wine making business.
Connections with the owners of Gateway Computers in North Sioux City, South Dakota, brought a new opportunity for Rand and the Waeside.
“All of a sudden we were dealing with people from all over the world,” Rand said. “We were really good friends with those who opened Gateway. They really opened doors for us, giving us a position in the wine business. We were trying to get into the market. They knew great wine, all over the world, and they placed on us on the wine map.”
Rand has cultivated numerous relationships with vintners in Napa Valley and currently sells his own unique Archie’s vintages of wine produced in Napa Valley.
“My family and I are now making five to six labels of wine. The latest, which just came off the bottling line, is a beautiful wine that honors our mother,” Rand said. The label feature a sketch of their mom from 1965.
In 2015, Archie’s received the prestigious American Classic Award from the James Beard Foundation. This award is given to independent restaurants who have longevity in their ownership and are known for quality food from their region. Archie’s was also named to the Final Four of best steakhouses in America by Rachel Ray in 2009 and featured on NPR’s “Splendid Table,” as well as receiving national recognition from numerous other publications and websites.
It’s about family
However, the story of Archie’s Waeside always seems to come back to family, and not just Archie, Valerie, Bob and Lorrie.
For them, the employees become family, and family works together.
Luense and Rand quickly point out head cook Kim Staab, who has been with the restaurant since 1979.
“She began in salads and she knows every position in the kitchen,” Luense said.
Their longtime bartender, Molly Boever, worked for them for 54 years before retiring.
“We are one family here. My brother and I try to be here every night working with the employees and customers. The success of the family business started by Archie Jackson in 1949 is due in large part to the traditions that have been conserved and passed down from generation to generation,” Luense said.
“We’re definitely very close here and our employees stay for a long time. I would say they stay until they have to retire,” she added.
The children of Rand and Luense all took their turns in working at Archie’s as well.
“Bob’s kids love it, they’re still part of it and are included in our conversations,” Luense said.
Valerie loved to shop, and the many Department 56 Christmas village houses and accessories remain a part of the decor today.
Valerie lived in the front house at Archie’s until her death in 2024. “One reason she lived until 92 was she loved to hear the stories of the night’s business we shared every night after we closed,” Luense said.
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(https://i.imgur.com/X415cHq.png)
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I doubt I'll ever try that but ya never say never - I'd guess it's a good one
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(https://i.imgur.com/kyGzp4Q.jpeg)
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Maybe this should go in rankings.
T-Bone And Porterhouse Steaks From 13 Popular Chain Steakhouses Ranked Worst To Best, According To Reviews (https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/t-bone-and-porterhouse-steaks-from-13-popular-chain-steakhouses-ranked-worst-to-best-according-to-reviews/ss-AA1DxKX2?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=c269c9b7ae2d44e586da6740e18632c8&ei=14)
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yelp and google reviews are mostly idiots, but I'm not surprised Wagyu Porterhouse, CUT By Wolfgang Puck came in at #1.
Easily the most expensive place on the list - comparing Puck and Ruth's Chris to Outback and Texas Roadhouse is silly.
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We went to Sweetwater State Park today to hike a bit, and i wondered around the general area and stopped at a BBQ place for lunch.
Bar-B-Q Restaurant in Lithia Springs, GA | Fred's Bar-B-Q House (https://fredsbbqhouse.net/)
The pulled pork was pretty good, not fatty, the interesting thing was the sauce on the table. It was quite different, it tasted like a mixture of regular tomato based sauce, mustard sauce, and vinegar sauce. I kinda liked it. The Brunswick stew side was only "OK".
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yelp and google reviews are mostly idiots, but I'm not surprised Wagyu Porterhouse, CUT By Wolfgang Puck came in at #1.
Easily the most expensive place on the list - comparing Puck and Ruth's Chris to Outback and Texas Roadhouse is silly.
Pretty much, but Longhorn came in at #3.
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When traveling, I will glance at Yelp etc. reviews, a bit, looking for folks who appear to be giving their honest opinion, there are some. The average of course can be hammered by a few folks who had negative experiences. My buddy's Korean fried chicken place got one bad review from a person who parked outside and had their car booted and the person wanted the restaurant to pay the fine.
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there ya go - idiots - worthless
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Worse than worthless, my friend is really struggling to keep his place going, and they do a great job IMHO. They don't have many reviews so one that bad really hurts their average.
MUKJA KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN - Updated May 2025 - 533 Photos & 360 Reviews - 933 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, Georgia - Korean - Restaurant Reviews - Phone Number - Menu - Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/biz/mukja-korean-fried-chicken-atlanta?rr=1)
This is the review:
Scammers. Came to pick up food with my girl, and we got a boot. Damaged TPMS sensors.
When I contacted them. They refused to reimburse me. Came to pick up $40 worth of food. But got scammed for $75 parking boot.
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well, you're a writer............ put down a couple 5 stars
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Man I really do want steak now.
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Go to Longhorn.
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I'm heating up some leftover wings and tots from Tuesday evening at BWWs - you know BOGO Tuesday
had 85 cent wings Wednesday at the local bar last night - reaper sauce
but, I always want a steak!
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yelp and google reviews are mostly idiots, but I'm not surprised Wagyu Porterhouse, CUT By Wolfgang Puck came in at #1.
Easily the most expensive place on the list - comparing Puck and Ruth's Chris to Outback and Texas Roadhouse is silly.
When traveling, I will glance at Yelp etc. reviews, a bit, looking for folks who appear to be giving their honest opinion, there are some. The average of course can be hammered by a few folks who had negative experiences. My buddy's Korean fried chicken place got one bad review from a person who parked outside and had their car booted and the person wanted the restaurant to pay the fine.
Yeah... Yelp reviews can be ridiculous. But if you really spend the time to read them, you can separate the wheat from the chaff and figure out which reviewers are telling you something useful.
So you shouldn't look at, say, a 4.1 vs 4.3 rating and make a decision based on that. If you really want to make a good decision, you need to go deeper.
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Yeah... Yelp reviews can be ridiculous. But if you really spend the time to read them, you can separate the wheat from the chaff and figure out which reviewers are telling you something useful.
So you shouldn't look at, say, a 4.1 vs 4.3 rating and make a decision based on that. If you really want to make a good decision, you need to go deeper.
I don't have THAT much time - I'm busy enuff reading here
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Read faster.
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Yumbii, a food truck turned eatery, will be featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Food Network this Friday, May 9, at 9 p.m. Buckhead resident Carson Young founded the Korean taco food truck in 2010, pioneering the city’s food truck scene. Additionally, he is reportedly the first deaf chef to be featured on the show.
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What's the best food truck that each poster has encountered over the past, oh... six months?
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I haven't encountered a food truck in the past 6 months
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Me either. When we first moved here there would be a gaggle of them every day in a nearby parking lot. Post COVID they are gone except for special events.
I had fun trying them and decided they were A) Pricey and B) only OK foodwise and C) I didn't like eating off plastic standing up. Maybe others concluded the same.
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how about Yumbii, a food truck turned eatery??
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Yeah... Yelp reviews can be ridiculous. But if you really spend the time to read them, you can separate the wheat from the chaff and figure out which reviewers are telling you something useful.
So you shouldn't look at, say, a 4.1 vs 4.3 rating and make a decision based on that. If you really want to make a good decision, you need to go deeper.
Correct fried baloney BLT,toasted white bread and mayo - with a pitcher of draught
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What's the best food truck that each poster has encountered over the past, oh... six months?
One that sells Gyros in a Pub parking lot on the outskirts of town frequented by fireman,cops and drunks
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Guy seems to REALLY like this place ..................... not on the Riverwalk
https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/con-huevos-diners-driveins-dives-19970925.php (https://www.mysanantonio.com/food/article/con-huevos-diners-driveins-dives-19970925.php)
The new episode is title "Just Like Mom," according to the Food Network. Con Huevos is expected to show off its quesadilla deshebrada de res and a veggie taco, the episode description says.
Chef Hugo Garcia opened Con Huevos opened on San Antonio's Eastside in 2019, and since then, the restaurant has garnered support from local diners for its unique specialty tacos, which are each given feminine names like Carmen, Irma or Vicki. Previously, the taqueria had been featured on Netflix's Taco Chronicles series.
To watch the upcoming episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives featuring Con Huevos, tune into Food Network at 8 p.m. CST on Friday, December 13.
Find it: 1629 E Houston St, San Antonio, TX 78202
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I haven't encountered a food truck in the past 6 months
Same.
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Same.
Same.
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(https://i.imgur.com/p7GyVY4.jpeg)
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I'm hoping to find some good Mexican in San Diego end of this month, or maybe even in Palm Springs. I should look up places in the latter to see if anything looks promising.
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check with triple D - or James Beard
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Had to be about 8yrs back watching Triple D did a segment on some small diner one of those deep, long,narrow ones centered amongst a few storefronts in the Twin Cities. Guy made his own home made Sausages from recipes brought over. Any way one day he had enough after like 25-30 yrs and was going to close the place and retire. But one patron was so fond of the joint he thought he'd give it a go and bought it. After a little bit of coaching/learning side by side with the owner. Any way the place kept staying busy and end up getting one of those JB awards, Crazy - in my best Christopher Walken voice.
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Tons of food trucks all over the place down here. Some of the very best tacos on the planet are served from them. There's also lots of cool fusion food like Korean/TexMex and VietCajun.
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I'm hoping to find some good Mexican in San Diego end of this month, or maybe even in Palm Springs. I should look up places in the latter to see if anything looks promising.
DDD approved.
Me too.
El Indio Mexican Restaurant - Middletown / Mission Hills, San Diego, CA (https://elindiosandiego.com/)
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Palm Springs Italian Restaurant, Italian Food IL Giardino Restaurant (https://ilgiardinopalmsprings.com/)
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I'm hoping to find some good Mexican in San Diego end of this month, or maybe even in Palm Springs. I should look up places in the latter to see if anything looks promising.
This place is good... https://www.cafecoyoteoldtown.com/
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Last time out there, I found one we liked a lot in Carlsbad, and another one that was ... mediocre, same general area.
How hard can it be?
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This place is good... https://www.cafecoyoteoldtown.com/
Can't go wrong in that part of SD, pretty much.
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Authentic Mexican in San Diego:
https://locations.deltaco.com/us/ca/san-diego/1155-b-street?utm_source=G&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=google-local
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I'll report back, but we're there with "family", so my indepdence is ... dependent.
Palm Springs we're on our own. I don't even see a Mexican place near there.
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Authentic Mexican in San Diego:
For friends visiting San Diego I always tell them if you want fancy touristy Mexican fare, do Miguel's. If you want the actual taste/dining experience of Tijuana, do Roberto's.
https://locations.deltaco.com/us/ca/san-diego/1155-b-street?utm_source=G&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=google-local
^^
I drive by this Del Taco location on my early AM commute to work.
The Jack In The Box in the next lot over is a busy market for dope:
(https://i.imgur.com/kcNxrm6.jpeg)
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For friends visiting San Diego I always tell them if you want fancy touristy Mexican fare, do Miguel's. If you want the actual taste/dining experience of Tijuana, do Roberto's.
Both are good in their own ways.
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Sunday:
perfect-caper-dinner-menu-may-25.pdf (https://theperfectcaper.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/perfect-caper-dinner-menu-may-25.pdf)
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26 bucks for a chicken flauta is... something, I guess.
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My order (we split the apps)
(https://i.imgur.com/t1z7W6A.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/VdvKOnx.png)
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26 bucks for a chicken flauta is... something, I guess.
It comes out as a work of art. A lot of the costs at this place reside in the labor.
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It comes out as a work of art. A lot of the costs at this place reside in the labor.
I'll take your word for it whilst devouring delicious authentic chicken flautas for 8 bucks at my nearest Tex-Mex joint.
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22 bucks for a gourmet bacon cheeseburger seems in line though. My favorite place here isn't a fancy restaurant, it's just a fancy burger joint, and the same thing would run about 18.
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I generally don't find the burgers at more upscale places to be worth the ~$20 or so, versus more normal non-FF places which charge $10 or so.
Well, a good burger is easy to fix at home anyway.
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Bit disappointed in last night's dinner. We ended up ordering in from Grubhub, from a place that I'd heard good things about. They do both Chinese and Thai. I was in the mood for Asian.
About the only thing we really liked were the egg rolls. My wife got the Mongolian beef and it was largely weak and flavorless. I got a spicy Thai chilies and garlic pork dish which brought the heat... But not much else. Other than that it was a relatively thin and watery "sauce" without much flavor.
Given how rarely we do anything other than cook our own meals, it was quite the letdown.
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I'm lucky that Grubhub and other delivery places can't find me
saves me a ton of $$$
I'm not into take-out anyway
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I'm lucky that Grubhub and other delivery places can't find me
saves me a ton of $$$
I'm not into take-out anyway
Honestly we rarely do it. Usually we only use Grubhub for pizza delivery, as the local joint no longer has their own drivers (due to Grubhub).
Originally the kids weren't going to be showing up today until late (well after dinner). My wife is onboarding a new employee this week, and I had that big presentation for work, so we were going to go out to our little wine bar (https://www.ahiddenvine.com/) and then over to this restaurant for dinner (https://domenicosrestaurant.com/locations/domenicos-lake-mission-viejo/) tonight, especially since her office closes early on Fridays so we'd have an earlier start.
Well, the kids' schedule changed; they're coming this afternoon. And I got home from San Diego early enough to cook on Tuesday; we were going to do takeout that day but pulled forward our menu by one day, freeing up Thursday to be "TBD". We contemplated going to go to that restaurant anyway. But we just didn't want to leave the house by the time she got home.
For us, it's the rarity of actually going out to restaurants / ordering in that makes it so much more of a letdown when we do it and the food sucks.
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Man, we go out pretty much every Friday. After a long week, we have no desire to cook. There are a lot of places around here with a great happy hour and neither of us eat all that much these days, so we can split a few apps and get out of there for $20-$25 in food total.
Drinks on the other hand... :)
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went to an old school place in Omaha last night.
stand in line to order your food in the back - pay cash there at order
get all drinks at the bar, pay cash there
75 cent wings were good, only one sauce (Franks with butter) traditional
Supposedly the best burger in Omaha - I'll have to try it to believe it. Some pretty good competition
(https://i.imgur.com/UFsvU5b.jpeg)
Food was $17
Budweiser on tap! $4 a pint
(https://i.imgur.com/Q1wg6T4.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/LOFmg6C.jpeg)
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my kinda place
(https://i.imgur.com/SRVVEss.jpeg)
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Man, we go out pretty much every Friday. After a long week, we have no desire to cook. There are a lot of places around here with a great happy hour and neither of us eat all that much these days, so we can split a few apps and get out of there for $20-$25 in food total.
Drinks on the other hand... :)
We generally don't go out on Fridays when we have the kids... Especially this past year where my oldest frequently has had to work on Fridays, and my youngest has dance from 7-7:50 (which is effing ridiculous on a Friday). But with three kids, going out is annoying and it just ends up adding a bunch to the bill.
We we don't have them, Fridays are generally the day we're most likely to go out for dinner. Especially with my wife getting off work early on Fridays so we can go earlier, do the happy hour thing, etc.
This is a place we like on Fridays:
https://brugrill.com/
That said, Fridays are one of the days we like to cook. Often for Mon->Thu we're struggling to make a menu because after a long work day, we don't really want to cook, and many times we're rotating through the "old standby" recipes. It's more about getting it done because we know we have to eat something. Fri->Sun is usually when we put more ambitious or new recipes on the menu, because we're going to have more time. So it's easier to get excited about cooking in that scenario.
Generally we're more likely to go out for lunches than dinners, though.
This is a place that's a brewery/distillery, but has a surprisingly great menu:
https://webbsgrainworks.com/
Great lunch spot.
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Oh I didn't say we take the kids with us on Fridays. :) (They don't really want to anyway, they've got their own stuff going on Fridays)
But of course we see our kids 24/7, if we didn't I'm sure we'd want to spend more quality time with them at the house.
We actually manage to have family dinner, at the dinner table, home-cooked meal, with no phones, 5 days per week. Even with the kids' busy extracurricular schedules we still make it work, which is great.
I was the youngest and by the time I hit 6th or 7th grade, family dinner time was long gone. My brother and sister were always at football practice or dance team or whatever, and then once I was in high school, I was at the school from 6:30 AM to 8 PM pretty much every day, between band and drama and academic stuff.
So anyway I'm really proud we've made this work, and the kids tell us they actually really value it as well. Most of their friends don't have that with their families, and they really marvel that my kids DO have it. They think we're out of the 50s or something...
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I knew places near us in Cincy that had "kids eat free" and we pretty much would be regulars there. Sometimes a kids meal would be 99 cents, and even though I was the only adult, they let my three have whatever it was. Monday and Tuesday can be good days at some places for specials.
We prefer going somewhere that has a kind of food we can readily prepare at home. For me, that's a wide variety.
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I read the Great Gatsby in college, really enjoyed it and my number one Takeaway was that I would’ve gotten very little out of it in high school
Ate here when were up in Chicago last week.
Gatsby’s Pizza & Pub - Arlington Heights, IL (https://gatsbyssportspub.com/)
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At Jay Birds, you've gotta go with the Blazin' Fries
(https://jaybirdschicken.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/blazin-fries-web.jpg)
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someone spilled macaroni in yer fries
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We actually manage to have family dinner, at the dinner table, home-cooked meal, with no phones, 5 days per week. Even with the kids' busy extracurricular schedules we still make it work, which is great.
Bad ass.
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We have family dinner at the table most days of the week with no phones, usually no TV, but there are a few exceptions to that one if it's muted.
The mute button on the "telecommand" is a great thing.
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We actually manage to have family dinner, at the dinner table, home-cooked meal, with no phones, 5 days per week. Even with the kids' busy extracurricular schedules we still make it work, which is great.
Yeah, we do that as well... Basically every night they're here, it's a home cooked meal, at the table, no phones/tv/etc.
When the kids come from their mom's house, the first thing they usually do is look at the menu on the side of the kitchen cabinet to see what we're cooking :57:
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we didn't need a menu - when it hit the table, you ate it
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Gonna hit this place when we go up to Sarasota to see that next boat.
Miguel's Restaurant - French & Continental Cuisine - Siesta Key, FL (https://www.miguelsrestaurant.net/)
Been there once. It's great.
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I'm seeing more places with a section on the menu marked "Street Food". It looks like just regular stuff to me, Thai, Mexican, Chinese, Malaysian, I'm not sure of the difference beyond the "ambiance".
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I see the term too. Makes me think it's dirty food. Not appealing at all.
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Menu - Emilio's Tacos and Tequila (https://www.emiliostacosandtequila.com/menu)
This place has an excellent brunch menu, to me anyway. They have outside dining both at tables and at the bar, which can be fun, they raise "garage doors" so you can sit at the bar and be outside.
They got a bit busy with the decorating....
(https://i.imgur.com/P52gc6P.jpeg)
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I see this place is over the bridge. Might have to try it sometime.
Le Lambi Restaurant - Caribbean Restaurant - Port Charlotte, Florida (https://lelambirestaurantportcharlotte.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/585m7DE.png)
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Oxtail in gravy looks delicious, but a bit expensive
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I'd definitely check out the cabrito. I've never had it fried, I have had it braised/stewed, and IMO it's absolutely the best when it's BBQ'd.
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Everything is expensive these days.
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Badge, how is Pompano? Blackened grouper is my go-to, but I'd give it a shot if it's good.
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Badge, how is Pompano? Blackened grouper is my go-to, but I'd give it a shot if it's good.
I love Pompano. Not easy to clean, but it's really good.
My favorite fish are hogfish and triple tail.
Got a bunch of grouper and permit in the freezer right now. Cooking permit tonight, in fact.
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I love Pompano. Not easy to clean, but it's really good.
My favorite fish are hogfish and triple tail.
Got a bunch of grouper and permit in the freezer right now. Cooking permit tonight, in fact.
They offer sautéed or grilled...
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Sautee'd for sure.
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Thank you much, I'll report back
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In contrast to their menu, they only offered the pompano grilled or fried. I went grilled.
I'd try it again, but at a different establishment.
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Where are you right now? What place did you go to?
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Starfish Co in Cortez. Hole in the wall dockside type place.
It's my favorite place in the area. I've had their blackened grouper probably 10-11 times, so I took a gamble.
It's a good fish, they just overcooked it. No complaints on the rec!
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I've been there. Great food.
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Badge, how is Pompano? Blackened grouper is my go-to, but I'd give it a shot if it's good.
Last verse of Jimmy Buffett's "I Will Play for Gumbo":
I'm not talking quesadillas or a dozen Krispy Kreme's
Or a pile of caviar, that's a rich man's dream
No banana split or filet of pompano (https://genius.com/28428166/Jimmy-buffett-i-will-play-for-gumbo/Im-not-talking-quesadillas-or-a-dozen-krispy-kremes-or-a-pile-of-caviar-thats-a-rich-mans-dream-no-banana-split-or-filet-of-pompano)
No, I will play for gumbo
Yeah, I will play for gumbo
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Was going to post this in the "happy" thread, but we're hitting this restaurant this weekend.
https://broadwaybyamarsantana.com/
We've been there once, and to one of his other restaurants once. But it's been a few years. Excited.
When we were in Chicago, we went to Joe Flamm's restaurant. He was a Top Chef winner a few years ago and my wife REALLY wanted to go... He was the head chef at Tony Mantuano's Spiaggia at the time he won Top Chef and we went there in 2019. She said next time we go to Chicago it was a must stop.
https://www.rosemarychicago.com/
It was freakin' delicious.
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Looks really FANCY.
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Was going to post this in the "happy" thread, but we're hitting this restaurant this weekend.
https://broadwaybyamarsantana.com/
We've been there once, and to one of his other restaurants once. But it's been a few years. Excited.
You tricked me...
I'd be interested in the roasted beef bone marrow, the crispy pork belly, the branzino, and the beef cheek mole. But man I'd have to know the mole was good because tons of places don't do it very well.
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Lots of new hip places in Fulton Market. It will eventually replace River North, most likely, which has great places too, for now.
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This place is probably the best lunch I've ever had, and it's tucked away in a very modest motel ($60 a night).
Gastronomic Restaurant of the Hostellerie du Mont Aimé*** (https://hostellerie-mont-aime.com/fr/page/hostellerie-du-mont-aime-restaurant-gastronomique-champagne.27763.html)
It is rare in my experience for a US hotel to have a really extraordinary restaurant, but it's fairly common in Europe. We had lunch at this place with friends, it was exceptional, I don't know how much because my menu didn't have prices.
Ermitage de Corton – Chorey-lès-Beaune - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant (https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/bourgogne-franche-comte/chorey-ls-beaune/restaurant/ermitage-de-corton)
This place in Burgundy is also exceptional, it's in a rather pricey small motel. I happened upon it by accident.
(https://www.bellenormandy.com/)∞ Château Hôtel de Bellefontaine, 4 STAR HOTEL BAYEUX IN Normandy, Arromanches, Omaha Beach, Port en Bessin (https://www.hotel-bellefontaine.com/)
This place is in Normandy. We stayed three nights, it was very nice. After the first day we were pretty tired so we just ate at the restaurant at the place, it was so good we ate their every night after.
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I'm not sure I've ever experienced a bad restaurant in France, but I've also always either been going with the locals who know the places, or going to places recommended by the locals I was working with.
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My worst experience was in a 3 star in Marseille, but I was in a bad mood. But I also didn't like it.
I've had some mediocre meals in France, some in touristy areas. What surprises me is how good a restaurant can be in a fairly modest hotel.
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So, I went for the scallops over risotto. Excellente. My wife had branzino which she said was a bit too dry, that scored us a free dessert and two limoncellos. I left a hefty tip, the service was very good. We dined outside on their tree covered patio, some folks were bothered by mosquitoes apparently, not us. I thought the risotto the best I've ever had, so far.
We were laughing about any comparison with our earlier dinner at that "French" restaurant, Bistro Margot, there was none. About the same price, enormously better overall. This place did not get any Michelin notice, I think it worthy of at least their comment.
La Grotta Ristorante Italiano (https://www.lagrottaatlanta.com/)
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capolinea-summer-menu_2025.pdf (https://capolineaatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/capolinea-summer-menu_2025.pdf)
Pondering, it's downtown, and looks pricey, but maybe it's pretty good. Its in the new Hilton "Insignia" which I have on my list just to visit to see it. Apparenbtly one can pay for a "day pass" there to enjoy it's features, pool etc.
Authentic Italian Food, Handmade Pastas - Downtown Atlanta (https://capolineaatlanta.com/food/)
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Went to this place yesterday. Very good food, and UTee would love the beer selection.
The Salty Tarpon | Punta Gorda's Seafood Restaurant & Bar (https://thesaltytarpon.com/)
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Went to this place yesterday. Very good food, and UTee would love the beer selection.
The Salty Tarpon | Punta Gorda's Seafood Restaurant & Bar (https://thesaltytarpon.com/)
Salty Tarpon is a grade-A name for a seafood place in Florida!
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Salty Tarpon is a grade-A name for a seafood place in Florida!
It used to be in a different location and was called The Belgian Monk.
They still have some of the Monk menu items, but yeas, there is a lot more seafood choices than they used to offer at the Monk.
THE BELGIAN MONK, Punta Gorda - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34583-d13393776-Reviews-The_Belgian_Monk-Punta_Gorda_Florida.html)
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It used to be in a different location and was called The Belgian Monk.
They still have some of the Monk menu items, but yeas, there is a lot more seafood choices than they used to offer at the Monk.
THE BELGIAN MONK, Punta Gorda - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews - Tripadvisor (https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34583-d13393776-Reviews-The_Belgian_Monk-Punta_Gorda_Florida.html)
Ah, now I get why they'd have good beer!
Belgian is the best, as I always say. :)
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My wife and I walked over to this place, they usually have a superb "lunch special" for $17, and today was no exception.
Pasta da Pulcinella (https://pastadapulcinella.com/)
The owner is a nice Korean lady and the chefs are all Mexican. Nothing fancy, but really good, IMHO. We're headed to Rome in October and I'm hoping to find some good places there.
[color=rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.9)]Tagliatelle Verdi Alla Bolognese[/color]
[color=rgba(28, 28, 28, 0.9)]House made spinach tagliatelle with a hearty ragú made with veal, beef, pork, onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes, and a hint of cream.[/color]
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In my quest to find a "real" French restaurant somewhere around us:
Petite Violette Restaurant - Atlanta, GA | OpenTable (https://www.opentable.com/r/petite-violette-atlanta?lang=en-us&utm_source=opentable&utm_medium=tms_email&utm_campaign=reso_confirm)
Any thoughts on what I might order?
My wife is tough to please. I can be happy at Waffle House.
- Seabass Florentine$44.00
Chilean Sea Bass served over Pommes Purée and topped with Fresh sautéed Spinach, Tomato, Garlic and Onion?
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I'd go Foie Gras and Steak Frittes.
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I tend to lean to fish, but now I'm looking at the duck. The place has nice wine prices.:)
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Since I’m in rural Michigan at my summer Cabin on the lake, there’s not much around here as far as upscale restaurants. Which is totally fine.
we went to Big Rs hogs, and dogs yesterday to try it out
Holy shit. I ordered the two meat platter with two sides, which was brisket, pulled pork, baked beans, and macaroni and cheese. I’m a big boy and can eat pretty well, but I couldn’t even put a dent in it 😂😂
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I had the Duck platter @ a place called "What the Duck" in Lake Andes, SD last night.
I finished it, but shouldn't have. too much food - it was OK, nothing special
(https://i.imgur.com/VPmw6dL.png)
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I'd go Foie Gras and Steak Frittes.
Isn't that the martial art the IDF learns? :57:
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I had the Duck platter @ a place called "What the Duck" in Lake Andes, SD last night.
I finished it, but shouldn't have. too much food - it was OK, nothing special
Have you ever had a Christmas goose?
(https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.95debd2e1b8387f5eeec80af49b9d608?rik=cc5o0OcVgyvm5g&riu=http%3a%2f%2fwww.raymondblanc.com%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2018%2f11%2fRaymond_Blanc_Web_Winter18-165-e1575368761400.jpg&ehk=azRHkP%2fg%2fWPsbG7IlM%2fsLpxx3rXQQY%2fh0Py0r0X7F5w%3d&risl=&pid=ImgRaw&r=0)
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yes,, used to be bigger families - a Xmas duck & a turkey
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We enjoyed dinner, in part because my wife talked at length with a lady who was singing with an acoustic guitar so it wasn't too loud. The place was rather chilly. My dinner was quite good, I had some chicken and noodle thing. My wife had duck which she said was pretty solid and haricot vert, which I understand is green beans, which she said were good, and sweet potato puree which she said was too sweet. I've never seen sweet potatoes in France.
The singer lady said they had a long time server who has cancer and they are doing a benefit for her tomorrow (today), and it turned out she was at the bar, which was packed. So we stopped by and gave her our regards, she was in good spirits. I left a donation with the manager. The wine prices I saw on line were apparently old ones, way out of date, no bargains to be had on that list. I ordered a mediocre Rhone for her duck. They did have Hennessey VSOP for $12 which is pretty solid.
The place has white table cloths, which is one homage to being "French". They have outdoor dining which looked nice, but it was 93°F when we arrived. My wife said she'd go back, which is high praise from her. Was it "French"? Pretty much what one finds in the US outside some ultra posh place, but we only had the two dinner items.
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yes,, used to be bigger families - a Xmas duck,Christmas Goose & a turkey
FIFY,lest 847 sees that
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Turducken.
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We enjoyed dinner, in part because my wife talked at length with a lady who was singing with an acoustic guitar so it wasn't too loud. The place was rather chilly. My dinner was quite good, I had some chicken and noodle thing. My wife had duck which she said was pretty solid and haricot vert, which I understand is green beans, which she said were good, and sweet potato puree which she said was too sweet. I've never seen sweet potatoes in France.
The singer lady said they had a long time server who has cancer and they are doing a benefit for her tomorrow (today), and it turned out she was at the bar, which was packed. So we stopped by and gave her our regards, she was in good spirits. I left a donation with the manager. The wine prices I saw on line were apparently old ones, way out of date, no bargains to be had on that list. I ordered a mediocre Rhone for her duck. They did have Hennessey VSOP for $12 which is pretty solid.
The place has white table cloths, which is one homage to being "French". They have outdoor dining which looked nice, but it was 93°F when we arrived. My wife said she'd go back, which is high praise from her. Was it "French"? Pretty much what one finds in the US outside some ultra posh place, but we only had the two dinner items.
Shoulda had something French.
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sweet taters ain't European - as far as I know
sounds like the French place I've been to in Omaha - good and expensive, but not really french
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Well, the jury is out, I think, as to just how "French" it is. The menu is in French, at least the top part. They offer a couple of "Italian" style options too.
My wife ordered the foie gras as an appetizer which is not my favorite, she said it was OK, but not cooked like she prefers. Anyway, we'll go back, it was enjoyable which counts for a lot.
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Here in a few weeks.
Rustic Inn (https://www.rusticinn.com/)
Here on Friday.
Carmelo's Italian Ristorante | Punta Gorda Italian Restaurant (https://www.carmelosristorante.com/)
Here following Saturday.
Speaks Clam Bar (https://speaksclambar.com/)
and here following Sunday.
Crab & Fin Seafood Restaurant - St. Armands Circle Sarasota (https://www.crabfinrestaurant.com/)
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Going here tonight with the inlaws, it's my MIL's birthday and this is her choice. It's a regional chain of cajun/seafood places that started in Houston. It's actually pretty good, and I'm not buying, so hooray!
Edit: Darn, there's an X in the name which the software is automatically converting to the word twitter, so the URL won't resolve properly. Thanks, Elon!
Anyway, it's called Pappadeux. The one in Austin on Research Blvd if you're interested in seeing the menu.
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Here in a few weeks.
Rustic Inn (https://www.rusticinn.com/)
Here on Friday.
Carmelo's Italian Ristorante | Punta Gorda Italian Restaurant (https://www.carmelosristorante.com/)
Here following Saturday.
Speaks Clam Bar (https://speaksclambar.com/)
and here following Sunday.
Crab & Fin Seafood Restaurant - St. Armands Circle Sarasota (https://www.crabfinrestaurant.com/)
Any suggestions down in Naples? We'll be there this weekend and need one more night filled. We have Trulucks, Chops City Grill and Ocean Prime lined up. I know you're the opposite direction of flying into RSW, just curious if you have an recommendations or head further South. Nothing better than Gulf side of Florida.
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Going here tonight with the inlaws, it's my MIL's birthday and this is her choice. It's a regional chain of cajun/seafood places that started in Houston. It's actually pretty good, and I'm not buying, so hooray!
Edit: Darn, there's an X in the name which the software is automatically converting to the word twitter, so the URL won't resolve properly. Thanks, Elon!
Anyway, it's called Pappadeux. The one in Austin on Research Blvd if you're interested in seeing the menu.
Gnocchi bolognese. I am in!
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Going here tonight with the inlaws, it's my MIL's birthday and this is her choice. It's a regional chain of cajun/seafood places that started in Houston. It's actually pretty good, and I'm not buying, so hooray!
Edit: Darn, there's an X in the name which the software is automatically converting to the word twitter, so the URL won't resolve properly. Thanks, Elon!
Anyway, it's called Pappadeux. The one in Austin on Research Blvd if you're interested in seeing the menu.
We had one of those when I lived in Georgia back in 2005-07. I thought it was quite good.
I believe we also had the sister property, Pappacito's.
I may have hit it up at some point when I've been on layover in DFW, but can't recall whether I've actually eaten there at the time or whether that was purely liquid sustenance...
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We had one of those when I lived in Georgia back in 2005-07. I thought it was quite good.
I believe we also had the sister property, Pappacito's.
I may have hit it up at some point when I've been on layover in DFW, but can't recall whether I've actually eaten there at the time or whether that was purely liquid sustenance...
Yeah the "Pappas" family has quite a few different concepts. Pappadeux is the cajun/seafood one. Pappasito's is Tex-Mex, Pappas' Brothers Steakhouse, and several others. They're all good, usually on the pricey side for whatever their specialty is.
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Yeah the "Pappas" family has quite a few different concepts. Pappadeux is the cajun/seafood one. Pappasito's is Tex-Mex, Pappas' Brothers Steakhouse, and several others. They're all good, usually on the pricey side for whatever their specialty is.
Yeah, and at the time (and potentially still) the Mexican food that was nearby Marietta GA was... Terrible. So Pappasito's was good, even if it was Tex-Mex :57:
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(https://i.imgur.com/syuAA2N.jpeg)
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https://static1.squarespace.com/static/63d825ef5d8de544be89288f/t/67dda4a94b15241ea61ff8a7/1742578871455/Snap+Thai+Menu+2025.pdf
Going Wednesday.
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Anyway, it's called Pappadeux. The one in Austin on Research Blvd if you're interested in seeing the menu.
Just interested in a free meal but even if CD had his suped up crop duster don't think i'd make it on time.But thanx anyways
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you could drive to 11975 Northwest Blvd, Springdale, OH 45246
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(https://i.imgur.com/J1q1i2q.jpeg)
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Where's the pepperoni?!?
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Any suggestions down in Naples? We'll be there this weekend and need one more night filled. We have Trulucks, Chops City Grill and Ocean Prime lined up. I know you're the opposite direction of flying into RSW, just curious if you have an recommendations or head further South. Nothing better than Gulf side of Florida.
Mario s'up
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Any suggestions down in Naples? We'll be there this weekend and need one more night filled. We have Trulucks, Chops City Grill and Ocean Prime lined up. I know you're the opposite direction of flying into RSW, just curious if you have an recommendations or head further South. Nothing better than Gulf side of Florida.
This place is awesome, and even better when you go at 5PM - 20% off! @Cincydawg (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=870) would be jealous.
Dinner Menu at Bleu Provence - Award Winning French Restaurant - Naples, FL (https://www.bleuprovencenaples.com/dinner)
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Going here tonight with the inlaws, it's my MIL's birthday and this is her choice. It's a regional chain of cajun/seafood places that started in Houston. It's actually pretty good, and I'm not buying, so hooray!
Edit: Darn, there's an X in the name which the software is automatically converting to the word twitter, so the URL won't resolve properly. Thanks, Elon!
Anyway, it's called Pappadeux. The one in Austin on Research Blvd if you're interested in seeing the menu.
We had those in the Chicago area. I think there is only one left (the one I went to one time).
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There is a Papadeux up near Truist Park here, maybe there are more. We went once a long while back, it was OK, similar obviously to the one in Cincy, crowded, a bit noisy, food was OK, kind of an upscaleish Lead Robster.
The Oceanaire up the street from us closed, and a place called Lure near us we liked is closing. We've had a lot of closures recently, my friends Korean Fried Chicken place closed. Another Indian place opened up recently, we kinda didn't need another one of those. We have yet to try it. It's very fancy inside. A chicken and waffle place opened about a year ago, haven't been.
We decided to venture out maybe once a week and drive to some new place and try it, like the "French" place we just tried. Tomorrow it's a Thai place in Buckhead.
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you should take the Mustang convertible - oh wait............
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There is a Papadeux up near Truist Park here, maybe there are more. We went once a long while back, it was OK, similar obviously to the one in Cincy, crowded, a bit noisy, food was OK, kind of an upscaleish Lead Robster.
The Oceanaire up the street from us closed, and a place called Lure near us we liked is closing. We've had a lot of closures recently, my friends Korean Fried Chicken place closed. Another Indian place opened up recently, we kinda didn't need another one of those. We have yet to try it. It's very fancy inside. A chicken and waffle place opened about a year ago, haven't been.
We decided to venture out maybe once a week and drive to some new place and try it, like the "French" place we just tried. Tomorrow it's a Thai place in Buckhead.
You need to go to Naples. ;)
Or, when you're next in North Port...
This isn't that far.
Miguel's Restaurant - French & Continental Cuisine - Siesta Key, FL
(https://www.miguelsrestaurant.net/)Love the early bird menu.
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you should take the Mustang convertible - oh wait............
That hurts, man, that hurts.
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you need to snuggle up next to utee's in-laws
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I'm doing both weeks of baseball, again, We're headed to Orlando so I can run in better weather Jan. 2 and camp starts January 6-10, then I'm off recovering two days and the second camp is January 13-17. So, we're up for some decent grub.
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On occasion, I look at used Mustang GT convertibles for "fun", they are pretty $$$, $30 K and up usually without high mileage.
And I'd want a manual which are rare.
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(https://i.imgur.com/VhR7Z24.png)
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Alt+11 & alt+12 (twice)
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I've been told to leave (twice) not sure about Alt
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I'm doing both weeks of baseball, again, We're headed to Orlando so I can run in better weather Jan. 2 and camp starts January 6-10, then I'm off recovering two days and the second camp is January 13-17. So, we're up for some decent grub.
You could get a nice place for a good price on Siesta or Lido at that time of year.
This place is really great.
St. Armands Circle | City of Sarasota (https://www.sarasotafl.gov/Our-City/St-Armands-Circle)
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The Braves take care of me, it's only a Hampton Inn, but it's more than adequate, and "free". Our stay in Orlando is also quasi-free. It's a location well outside the hubub but the area is developing now, there is a Fogo da Chao nearby. The place has a nice pool and gym and importantly a walking/running track around a lake on property.
We don't "do" anything in Orlando really. No parks. I'm going to try and get to a batting cage.
The drive back home is boring, and I'm generally pretty sore, so we stop pretty often.
I'm told the Braves are building a hotel at the park so we'll be shifting there next year I suspect. Some of the guys stay at the on premise quarters the players use. Then they stay up drinking late into the night, which isn't good for baseball the next day. Some drag in pretty late, I can't manage that.
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We were at the one in Cortez. This one just opened. Excellent seafood.
North Port – Anna Maria Oyster Bar (https://www.oysterbar.net/locations/northport/)
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So last night we had the shrimp and crawfish fondue, raw oysters, and then I had the wild caught swordfish and jumbo crab, while my i s c & a aggie wife had the crispy skin redfish and jumbo crab. All of it was quite tasty. Servings were large, we brought plenty home for lunch today.
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Casa Bovina is in Lincoln, NE.
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How many layers of pasta did Chef use? 👀
Try our Lasagna Bianca made with toma mornay, broccolini, braised short rib, estate cipollini, ricotta.
A dish as rich in flavor as it is in layers.
#CasaBovina
(https://i.imgur.com/yqjifLI.jpeg)
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I pan seared the Costco tuna, my wife said it was the best she'd ever had anywhere. I thought it was terrific too. I seasoned it with pepper and Borsari and some olive oil and hit them on a cast iron preheated. I took the tuna out of the fridge about 1.5 hours ahead of time. I hit hers about 2 minutes a side, mine about four, with the stove on 7.
(https://i.imgur.com/BYooVSC.png)
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I had the 6 free wings at Buffalo Wilds wings in Sewer Falls after golf. (National Wing Day)
Traditional wings with Spicey Garlic sauce - a garden salad w/blue cheese and tots!
paired nicely with their own tall draw of Wild Herd beer
$14.18 included the $4 tip!
and put it on the boss's tab as an expense (3% cash back on my Capital One Savor card)
I can't afford to retire
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What is in Borsari?
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fresh herbs & spices
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They have different blends, I like the original a lot.
Original Seasoning – Borsari Food Co. (https://borsarifoods.com/products/original-seasoning)
Borsari’s Original Seasoning is pure sea salt that is infused with fresh basil, rosemary, garlic and balanced with ground pepper and nutmeg. The Original Seasoning is crafted in small batches and slowly cured after an age-old Bolognese recipe. Use the Original Seasoning for meats, poultry, vegetables, salads and sauces. It works perfectly for sautéing, roasting, pan-frying and grilling. Add it to soups and sauces as a corrective seasoning. The innovative stackable packaging saves countertop space creating a “tower of flavor” in a small footprint. Get ideas from our Original Seasoning Recipes (https://borsarifoods.com/tag/borsari-original-seasoned-salt/) for your next meal.
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Citrus blend looks good for fish.
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We have a wine dinner Friday of this week.
American Heritage Wine Tasting Dinner (August 1st) (https://store7374358.ecwid.com/American-Heritage-Wine-Tasting-Dinner-August-1st-p762431898)
Good price it seems.
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Snap Thai Fish House in Buckhead:
Qualified pretty good.
It's located in an closed off "atrium" of sorts in an apartment complex with two other restaurants, one Lebanese, one mentions tacos but looks fancy. We dined outside, the inside had few diners present at 1900 hours. Our server was a bit nervous, I had ordered wine (half priced wine night) and she struggled to open it, but we laughed with her to make her less nervous, she did an OK job otherwise.
I ordered grouper with "three flavor sauce", which was a bit spicy but I liked it a lot, the sauce. The grouper was overcooked for me but still OK. It was $28. My wife had Maine scallops which she said were not her preference but OK. A few tables filled up outside in time. It was quiet. My wife later commented she prefers Bangkok Thai, a place we frequent for lunch, same owner/chef. Total without tip was $106. I left $25.
Driving up there at 6:30 was not terrible, but there was traffic about, duh. Driving back we hit a frog strangler, some cars had pulled off the road even though the speed limit was 30. I could still see but had slowed down a lot.
I wish them well but suspect a fancy Thai fusion place kind of hidden is not likely to prosper even in Buckhead (where there is money and a lot of condos and apts). The valet parking ran me another $11.
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Driving back we hit a frog strangler,
Had to look that one up.
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(https://i.imgur.com/mPAIbHR.jpeg)
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Alas, I have no plans to be anywhere near a Whataburger. But cheers to it--I enjoyed them during my long-term stays in El Paso.
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Whataburger got bought out by a PE firm from Chicago a couple years back and they've changed a lot of things.
But the one nearest me is still good. It's also a big hangout for our kids since it's just a couple of blocks from the high school.
I'll likely swing by on 8/8 if it's not too crazy/crowded. If they'll let me order on the app, it'll be super simple.
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Hooters (Boca Raton, FL)
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SHUCK IT like summer is about to end!
6 Blue Point Oysters for only $6!
(https://i.imgur.com/Asp8pKM.jpeg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/mPAIbHR.jpeg)
Their drive-thru will look like In-n-Out's for a day.
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meanwhile in Iowa..............
(https://i.imgur.com/IpIA7D8.jpeg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/A79Gv8z.jpeg)
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Hooters (Boca Raton, FL)
·
SHUCK IT like summer is about to end!
6 Blue Point Oysters for only $6!
That's a good deal. We paid $30 for a dozen yesterday.
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I don't know if that's all Hooters but, You're only a 2 and a half hour drive across the everglades away from Boca
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That drive sucks.
I'll pay the $30.00.
Today we're going to a place that has them for $1.00/each (every Sunday in the offseason).
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Hooters (Fort Lauderdale, FL)
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🍔 Burger Monday just leveled up!
Get a cheeseburger, curly fries, and a Bud Light Pilsner for just $12 — all day Monday!
Not feelin' a beer? No problem — it's just $10 without it. 🙌
(https://i.imgur.com/D6IpT5g.jpeg)
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That's a really good deal for blue points.
I actually prefer gulf oysters over east coast or west coast oysters, and there's a place near me that sells them for $1/each from 11 AM - 6 PM every day.
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I think I can make it there by 2pm tomorrow!
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That's a really good deal for blue points.
I actually prefer gulf oysters over east coast or west coast oysters, and there's a place near me that sells them for $1/each from 11 AM - 6 PM every day.
What about Rocky Mountain oysters?
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midwest is best for those - Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Kansas
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Prairie oysters?
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yes Sir!
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Just no.
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That's a really good deal for blue points.
I actually prefer gulf oysters over east coast or west coast oysters, and there's a place near me that sells them for $1/each from 11 AM - 6 PM every day.
We had some good ones in Vancouver when visiting. I have to listen to my wife telling me about how good they are in Brittany every time. I've had oysters "off the boat" in Brittany, and they are fine, but to me, not something superbly different and excellent. I like the ones we get in Hilton Head in season. There is a place there with its own boats and beds.
Hudson's Seafood House on the Docks - Hilton Head, South Carolina
Each year our guests enjoy 3,000 gallons of cooked (https://www.hudsonsonthedocks.com/#menus)oysters (https://www.hudsonsonthedocks.com/oyster-program/), 70,000 pounds of shrimp (https://www.hudsonsonthedocks.com/fresh-local-shrimp/), and over 250,000 raw oysters served on the half shell. The Hudson’s family of hosts, servers, chefs, and managers warmly welcomes your family to our waterfront (https://www.hudsonsonthedocks.com/waterfront-restaurant-hilton-head/) restaurant and we are eager to provide you with a magical, memorable, low-country dining experience
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West Coast (Washington) oysters are really good, but I agree with UTee on this. Can't beat Gulf of America oysters.
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Today I'm taking the car for an oil change (the first four are "free"). I expect to have lunch nearby at this place, been once, it was unusual and very good, I thought:
Home - YGF Malatang (https://www.ygfatlanta.com/)
You pick a broth and then whatever ingredients you want in it, all sorts of stuff, and then pay on the weight. A few minutes later your soup is delivered. Our almost daughter in law suggested it to us and the four of us went.
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Utee probably has had oysters in France and maybe a more refined pallette than mine. I didn't find them exceptional, nor were they bad at all, very good, but tasted like oysters, to me.
We stayed with a couple in Brittany a while back and went to a dock one day to get them. Beautiful weather that day so we had them on their deck which overlooks the ocean with a couple bottles of something good, maybe I was more interested in the wines.
My wife is really taken with Brittany, I'm less so, I prefer Provence.
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Today I'm taking the car for an oil change (the first four are "free"). I expect to have lunch nearby at this place, been once, it was unusual and very good, I thought:
Home - YGF Malatang (https://www.ygfatlanta.com/)
You pick a broth and then whatever ingredients you want in it, all sorts of stuff, and then pay on the weight. A few minutes later your soup is delivered. Our almost daughter in law suggested it to us and the four of us went.
Just took a look at that menu. Pretty $$$. And I don't like any restaurant that charges for sauces. Hard pass.
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Utee probably has had oysters in France and maybe a more refined pallette than mine. I didn't find them exceptional, nor were they bad at all, very good, but tasted like oysters, to me.
We stayed with a couple in Brittany a while back and went to a dock one day to get them. Beautiful weather that day so we had them on their deck which overlooks the ocean with a couple bottles of something good, maybe I was more interested in the wines.
My wife is really taken with Brittany, I'm less so, I prefer Provence.
Yup I've had oysters in France, they're good, but agree they're not something above and beyond.
Also agree that although I really like the people and the history of Brittany, I prefer the culture, terrain, cuisine, and wine, of Provence.
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I like their herbs.
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Prairie oysters?
Same as RMOs aren't they? Unless you snagged them from prarie dogs antelope
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Hooters (Boca Raton, FL)
·
SHUCK IT like summer is about to end!
6 Blue Point Oysters for only $6!
Clams,mussels oysters - gotta be steamed,sauteed in oil,lemon,pepper,garlic butter.None of that fresh snot on the half shell
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Can't say I've ever had uncooked mussels or clams, but raw oysters are delicious.
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how about in a shot glass with some Tito's and tabasco?
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Modules et pomme frite. Autocorrect.
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Tonight.
(https://i.imgur.com/zuc38tG.png)
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heartburn city
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We never get that. We know people who do. Doesn't seem fun.
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red sauce, red wine, over eating, & top it off with Tiramisu
I have a pill
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We'll be taking a lot of food home. We don't often eat after 5PM. We're going to "get out".
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red sauce stuff reheats very well @ home
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Especially in the toaster oven.
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The only major food item I dislike is liver. My mom would cook it back when and I'd have to stay out of the house. My dad liked it, and he wouldn't eat much of anything else, beef, pork, chicken. We never had spaghetti and I was 16 when I had my first pizza (out). I was in college when I first tried Mexican.
Our favorite Thai place locally says it was the first Thai place in Atlanta, 1977. Hard to believe. When I was a kid, dining out usually meant the C&S cafeteria, and sometimes we'd go to the Catfish King or the Catfish Inn, which I liked a lot. My mom would take me to the Sizzlin' for lunch on occasion. I don't recall dining at a French place until grad school in CH. I guess I'm making up for lost time.
I took my kids to a variety of places, including some fairly fancy ones, so they'd know how to act at a nice place.
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I like chicken liver in various forms.
Anglerfish liver is one of the best things I ever put in my mouth.
What Is Ankimo And What Does It Taste Like? (https://www.foodrepublic.com/1513410/what-is-ankimo-monkfish-liver/)
I do love Fois Gras too.
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My wife loves foie gras. I can tolerate it, on a cracker, but I don't much like it, I let her have it all, same with caviar, which she likes, not so much the cheap fake stuff.
I can eat caviar, but I don't really like it, so I let her have it. Paying $100 or more for a tiny portion of black fish eggs is not my thing.
I do enjoy snails, raw oysters, smoked salmon, and a few other "delicacies".
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I'd never order caviar, nor would I eat it again. The texture is off-putting.
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I like goose liver, duck liver, chicken liver, in various forms.
In general I stay away from liver though, it's high in purines which is bad for uric acid and therefore...
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Definitely not a daily staple.
We used to order Rumaki. Can't find it down here.
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Tonight.
(https://i.imgur.com/zuc38tG.png)
It was excellent. The red wine was so good, we bought a case - 50% off for this event. $240 for a case of that wine is a huge bargain. I was great.
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Wifey and I went to Pagilai's Pizza in Iowa City 8/7/25. It was better than I remembered it when I was a student in the mid-to-late 1970s. And yesterday I learned its originator died a few weeks ago. Pagilai's Pizza founder (https://www.lensingfuneral.com/obituaries/Armond-Pagliai-Sr?obId=43593126&fbclid=IwY2xjawMDto5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHiDqgznbujIcDDIa5y2NDDBm3rNLdY5BOew0TG0djP3oBUvRzpHLY3R2DY2o_aem_LDoWvESXD-14yhN6NdpfYw)
Dad enrolled at University of Iowa in 1957 and Paglia's was started in 1957, but mom (age 91) said yesterday, she was not aware of pizza until later, and never ate there when dad was a student. I was born in 1957 and do not recall eating pizza until I was about age 10 or more. They did not eat at Paglia's until I was in school at University of Iowa.
Pagliai's Pizza Iowa City is an amazing place to eat.
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We dined at Boqueria last evening, sat outside which was nice. This is a small chain of Spanish tapas style places. My wife likes similar restaurants called Barcelona a lot, but we have to drive to either of them.
Best New Tapas Bar in ATL | Boqueria Colony Square (https://boqueriarestaurant.com/location/atl-colony-square/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpcsearch&utm_campaign=pmax-nyc&utm_content=&utm_term=&hsa_acc=6018442374&hsa_cam=22350425666&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22350431210&gclid=CjwKCAjw49vEBhAVEiwADnMbbI-TrtqYZxmOuIiFE-DGuScA0fSkX-K_fLcNA2DSi4ALo_d3F7Kd-BoCOMYQAvD_BwE)
We had the Chef's Selection, which is pricey at $65 each, but I was feeling frisky, and a pitcher of red sangria. We have leftovers. It was a lot, but we did sample some we liked and would reorder and some we wouldn't. The wings were overcooked and dried out. For the money, not a great deal, but was a nice experience. A couple could get some interesting small plates to share and a couple glasses of wine for $70-100.
They redid Colony Square a couple years back and it has become pretty popular now.
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a friend took me to Archie's Waeside last night for a belated Birthday dinner
I took it easy since she was buying - had the $25 extra thick dry aged sirloin rare - it was wonderful as always. She had the same steak cooked medium
appetizer, dinner, & drinks, less than $100
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That tapas menu and pricing does not excite me at all.
I'd love to go to Archie's. I'd order the chopped steak.
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a friend took me to Archie's Waeside last night for a belated Birthday dinner
I took it easy since she was buying - had the $25 extra thick dry aged sirloin rare - it was wonderful as always. She had the same steak cooked medium
appetizer, dinner, & drinks, less than $100
$25 for a thick dry aged sirloin is great. I think I'm gonna move to Iowa!
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(https://i.imgur.com/Uz0tgMw.png)
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I don't know anywhere here you could get a good steak with extras and drinks under $100, under $200 maybe, that would be a push.
There is a place called "Hal's" north of us we might try sometime, but I generally don't dine out on steak.
Hal's Atlanta Menu | Hal's The Steakhouse (https://www.hals.net/menu-atlanta)
I notice now the "sides" are getting pricey as heck, a side of asparagus can be $14 or more. A salad is $10-18 depending. Maybe the steak is $40ish, salad is $14, glass of wine $18, for one person. And this is on the low end for here.
The STK near us is featuring a 3 course for $69 each. It's not my favorite though they have an OK social hour.
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Believe it or not, Texas Roadhouse is a place to get a really good steak at a really good price.
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agreed, I just don't care for the atmosphere and wait.
Archies is much better and less expensive to boot
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I'd never order caviar, nor would I eat it again. The texture is off-putting.
You're finally on my side when it comes to eggs.
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I've always been on your side. When we go out to breakfast, I order a burger.
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I've always been on your side. When we go out to breakfast, I order a burger.
:88:
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if I order a burger for breakfast - it has an egg on it and bacon
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Believe it or not, Texas Roadhouse is a place to get a really good steak at a really good price.
Good to know, I get them confused with their competitor. Outback. We had lunch a while back at one of'em, they had a burger special for $12 or so that was OK. I looked it up, it was Longhorn. I get them confused. Steak for me is too easy to fix at home to order out very often.
I had a dry aged steak once, it wasn't my preferred flavor profile.
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The Boqueria place, I meant to note we'd probably go back some time, I'd give them a B. It was pretty fun getting all those dishes showing up, too many of course, but we learned some things we liked a lot we could order separately next time.
We're going to Ecco for our Anniversary tomorrow, it's my wife's second favorite place, or third maybe.
Menu | Midtown - Ecco (https://www.ecco-atlanta.com/menu-midtown)
NY Strip for $81, ouce. Her favorite place is always books a month or more ahead of time.
La Grotta Ristorante Italiano (https://www.lagrottaatlanta.com/)
And I still haven't tried this place which gets a lot of "news" for being special, also have to reserve well ahead of time.
Gunshow - Food Menu (https://gunshowatl.com/atlanta-glenwood-park-gunshow-food-menu)
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Good to know, I get them confused with their competitor. Outback. We had lunch a while back at one of'em, they had a burger special for $12 or so that was OK. I looked it up, it was Longhorn. I get them confused. Steak for me is too easy to fix at home to order out very often.
I had a dry aged steak once, it wasn't my preferred flavor profile.
Logans Roadhouse here has good steaks, great chicken sandwichs, very good food and service over all.
Best steak around here is at a restaurant that is in refurbished home in a neighborhood, the next best is in a pub.
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You're finally on my side when it comes to eggs.
There's no "side".
You don't like eggs. We get it. Nobody begrudges you for not liking eggs. Badge doesn't like caviar. I don't like coconut--I find the smell, taste, and texture all very offputting.
We give you grief because of how deeply held your anti-egg crusade goes. You speak of the egg lobby like conspiracy theorists speak of the Illuminati.
It's just... Weird.
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It would be weird to eat what you dislike. Others dislike things some of us like, and so forth. I mentioned a few items I can tolerate, but my wife really likes a lot, so I let her have all of it save maybe a bite, caviar, foie gras, ... she doesn't like popcorn, even the smell of it, which I find ridiculous, but means more for me.
We had a French fellow who visits pretty often over for dinner and I mistakenly made corn as one dish, it was good stuff, but he refused it, which I know is common for the French except my wife. I find it odd not to like good corn, but more for me.
When I was a kid I couldn't stand cheese, probably because what my Dad would buy was crappy cheese. But I digress.....
People were eating eggs for breakfast long before there was any Egg Lobby.
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long before ground beef was invented
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When did ground beef become a "thing"? When hamburgers were popularized?
My wife calls it "shredded beef".
Who Invented the Hamburger? History Doesn't Really Know (https://www.thespruceeats.com/history-of-ground-beef-1807605)
The term "hamburger" derives from the name of the city of Hamburg in Germany, known for exporting high-quality beef. It first showed up in print in 1834 in America on the menu at New York's Delmonico Restaurant, where the chopped and formed "Hamburg steak" was a prominent item.
In the late 19th century, Dr. James Henry Salisbury used chopped beef patties to cure Civil War soldiers suffering from camp diarrhea. Dr. Salisbury advocated eating cooked beef three times a day for a healthy constitution. The term "Salisbury steak (https://www.thespruceeats.com/stovetop-salisbury-steak-480751)" appeared in print in 1897 and the seasoned and broiled patty is considered a forerunner of the modern hamburger.
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There's no "side".
You don't like eggs. We get it. Nobody begrudges you for not liking eggs. Badge doesn't like caviar. I don't like coconut--I find the smell, taste, and texture all very offputting.
We give you grief because of how deeply held your anti-egg crusade goes. You speak of the egg lobby like conspiracy theorists speak of the Illuminati.
It's just... Weird.
I'm just having fun with it like others do, messing with me.
I find it weird that people act like any big-monied interest group doesn't do everything in its power to remain relevant.
That's what it's about. It has nothing to do with how I dislike or like eggs.
And the larger point is that the idea of 'breakfast food' is an odd suggestion. A burger or spaghetti in the early AM is no different than in the PM. Bacon is good, 24/7. So is orange juice or scrambled eggs.
We invent these unnecessary walls between things. I'm simply saying if there's no good reason for it, then why have those walls? "Breakfast food" isn't a load-bearing wall. So let's knock it out.
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https://www.bonappetit.com/story/why-do-we-eat-eggs-for-breakfast?srsltid=AfmBOooBIzqdP17yxWtj5k50eoDLgwXshv5WCDa3nZARXUkQBqSTRCdM
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I love Egg Foo Young!
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I respect traditions that are based on something. As none of us are day laborers needing 4,000 calories a day, we can move on from it.
For all of the cabbage-pickers on the board, please ignore my posts on the matter. All of you doing roofing work in Phoenix all summer, same goes for you.
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I'm just having fun with it like others do, messing with me.
I find it weird that people act like any big-monied interest group doesn't do everything in its power to remain relevant.
That's what it's about. It has nothing to do with how I dislike or like eggs.
And the larger point is that the idea of 'breakfast food' is an odd suggestion. A burger or spaghetti in the early AM is no different than in the PM. Bacon is good, 24/7. So is orange juice or scrambled eggs.
We invent these unnecessary walls between things. I'm simply saying if there's no good reason for it, then why have those walls? "Breakfast food" isn't a load-bearing wall. So let's knock it out.
I know you're having fun with it. I think it's funny, truly.
We all have our "things" and it's nothing to get bent out of shape about. I despise pickles and all things cucumber. Many (most?) people don't hate them like I do, and I get called out for it. It's okay, the differences are what make life interesting.
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I probably eat a pickle as often as I eat eggs. Maybe like 2-3x a year.
Good connection, actually.
Imagine if a vast majority of people who eat breakfast always had a big, dill pickle every morning. And here I go, on a college football board, questioning the need for such a tradition and suggesting (absurdly) that pickles are good any time of day.
Equally as silly, all the way around. Many of you would post links and opinions supporting early AM pickle-eating, for whatever reason. You'd ignore how cucumber farmers (grown for pickling) were bullied and preyed upon for being in the industry. You'd argue that by way of being in the majority, that I was "weird" and wrong.
Same-same.
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I mean, you're weird and wrong for a lot of reasons. It ain't just the egg thing. :)
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Love cucumber and pickles.
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"Breakfast food" isn't time-limited. A lot of people make "BFD", or breakfast for dinner.
Heck, when I was in West Lafayette we had a late lunch at Triple XXX before leaving town for Chicago... My late lunch? Biscuits & gravy. It was delicious.
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I want good BBQ 24/7, every day.
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My wife calls it "shredded beef".
The below is shredded beef. Shredded beef ain't ground beef.
(https://i.imgur.com/IEeLVT6.jpeg)
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She’s not from around here.
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Good shredded beef is my favorite.
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Fro and UTee will love these pickled eggs.
(https://i.imgur.com/WMv2zBo.png)
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I like pickled eggs. I like almost anything pickled.
Except cucumbers.
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My late lunch? Biscuits & gravy. It was delicious.
B & G done proper makes my short list for Last Supper,i don't care who ya are.With a deli pickle on the side
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Gravy.
Hold the briskets.
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Before my wife orders beef tartare, she asks whether the beef was ground or shredded with a knife. Apparently it makes a difference, somehow.
The origins of this dish are apparently pretty odd having to do with Mongols (Tartars), maybe.
The origins of a lot of things we eat are often mysterious and/or odd. Much of what we eat, say broccoli or corn, are not at all like what they once were. Apples of course are also very changed from the "wild". I think nuts are about the same.
Set a peanut on fire some time and get a sense of how many calories are in one.
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Having eggs for breakfast today.
Leftover eggplant from the other night.
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I usually fix eggs on weekends for us here over toast, cooked over light. It's quick and she likes it. She will eat some grits if I fix them, but I usually don't. My breakfast in HS was four fried eggs, grits, toast, OJ, and milk. I usually skipped lunch in the school cafeteria and went to either BK or McDs for lunch after school, sometimes I got out early, had Bball practice at 4 in season.
My BK year was nice because the same lady worked it by herself and would see my car pulling in and start the flaming.
Whopper, fries, and large orange for 98 cents. Every school day when I was a senior. And I couldn't gain weight.
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I forgot to eat yesterday so, I'm gonna have an egg and sausage and toast this morning with my coffee
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I always think of something being broken when someone says they "fix" something.
"Fix" and "prepare" seem interchangeable to some.
Is it a Southern thing?
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I'm about to make some scrambled eggs with chorizo for the family.
Then I won't eat again today until we have chile relleno fest at my folks' house tonight.
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I always think of something being broken when someone says they "fix" something.
"Fix" and "prepare" seem interchangeable to some.
Is it a Southern thing?
Sure. And there's one more meaning, down here if we say we're "fixin' to mow the lawn" it means we're about to mow the lawn, sometime in the near future.
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I'm about to make some scrambled eggs with chorizo for the family.
Then I won't eat again today until we have chile relleno fest at my folks' house tonight.
Make = Prepare?
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I'm fixin' to fix eggs for my wife.
We'll eat the fixins on toast. Then i'm fixin' to head out to buy her flowers at the local shop. The nice lady there will fix something up for me.
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Make = Prepare?
Sure!
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I'm getting ready to prepare some things today.
Baby backs, sea scallops, and grilled octopus are on the docket.
The ribs will be smoked for a couple of hours and finished in the oven. Scallops will be pan seared. Octopus will be grilled and finished with EVOO, reduced balsamic, and caramelized onions and peppers.
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I'm fixin' to head on over and partake of your delicious bounty, what time is soup on?
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an egg and sausage and over done toast have been devoured
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I'm fixin' to throw 30 lbs of pork shoulder on the smoker.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYYGKCanqfA
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X9x9VqtciA
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We'll eat the fixins on toast.
An important use of fixin' here. Noun. The stuff you put on something.
Synonyms: toppings, window dressing, bells & whistles
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We've had two seafood restaurants near us close in the past couple of months, one is a chain, Oceanaire, we went, once. The other called Lure is part of a small group of about 7 different types, we went to Ecco last night, which is in the group, but not the seafood kind. I asked the manager there what she thought the problem was with "Lure". She kinda didn't know. It was on a side street, but with a lot of other restaurants nearby, and Ecco is on a sidestreet but doing well. Maybe "we" don't like seafood much? Lure was pretty decent, I thought.
That leaves us with one sort of bar-seafood kind of place which I like OK but my wife doesn't as much. As you can see, it's more quaint than upscale looking, but I've had decent meals there, sitting outside is nice.
Steamhouse Lounge (http://www.steamhouselounge.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/H0EJbJt.png)
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Oceanaire is OK in the midwest where we don't have many other choices - expensive but fresh
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Our one visit to Oceanaire was in the OK range and pricey. So, no second visit.
I am concluding that finding a really good restaurant around here without paying superpremium pricing is difficult. We have a lot of places that are "OK", they do the job, the food is decent, but nothing is exceptional about them in general, and the bill for dinner is $70-100 without any alcohol (couple). And there often will be one miss, the server messed up something, an item was not hot that should be, the food arrived with improper spacing. Small things. So far, La Grotta has been a plus plus in every respect and decently priced. It's also difficult to get a reservation.
Last night we sat outside, it was a nice evening, the server was overly chatty, my wife asked for a glass of ice and he disappeared and after ten minutes she had to go inside to ask again. We had a split of Champagne and she likes a cube of ice in her bubbly.
We still may have a nice experience overall, like at Boqueria, but things could be improved. I'm slowly discovering I either pay $500 for a meal for two and get top notch everything, or just pay $30 for a couple of burgers at a good burger place. One place near us would run well over $500, I haven't had the courage to try it yet, and probably won't. The "tasting menu" is $250 each, the wine pairing is another $185. Each.
Lazy Betty | Midtown Atlanta (https://www.lazybettyatl.com/)
I'll just go to Kroger and make spaghetti.
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Restaurants are under threat as costs skyrocket and consumers cut back | CNN Business (https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/10/business/restaurants-food-costs-consumer-spending)
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I know restaurants were hit hard when the IRS clamped down on dining out expensing, circa 2002 or so. The place in which I had a small ownership was geared to hosting some Big Spenders from GE et al., and the wine assemblage showed it. Not many "normal diners" would order a $500 Bordeaux. They could stay afloat if 2 or 3 whales showed up in a week and they broke even elsewhere. I wonder how common this is. I know their model was to break even on food and make some money on alcohol, which worked until the 2008 debacle. They tried to hold food costs under 35% of pricing, and that was tough. Ergo, if they paid $3.50 for the food, they'd charge $10. Main dishes back then were in the $15-25 range.
Jeff, the manager, would give me good prices on "left over wines", which worked out pretty well as he knew his wines. They'd have a bottle or two of a something.
I know a sure fire way to make a small fortune in that biz.
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eating out has always been a cornsiderable expense and it's obviously a luxury
one of the easiest ways to cut personal spending
as regular folks get squeezed by inflation or whatever, restaurants are gonna be under threat
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(https://i.imgur.com/OzWTd8x.png)
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Whatcha Smokin' BBQ + Brew
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Come have a ball with our “Three Little Pigs” at the Iowa State Fair!! They’re large enough to share!
(https://i.imgur.com/RmL6uIr.jpeg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/OzWTd8x.png)
Only a bottle of Select wine? They don't have Choice or Prime?!
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^^^ Where is that?
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check the map for McCook, NE
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check the map for McCook, NE
Arby's?
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McCook also has a nice brewery with very good food and good beer
I usually stay at the Holiday Inn.
I've played golf in Benkelman, Curtis, and McCook
We are a Taphouse and Eatery in McCook, Nebraska
McCook, Nebraska’s go-to destination for good times, great food, and the best local craft beer. Born out of passion and a love for this community, The Station is the reimagined version of what was once The Loop Brewing Company—a cherished local hangout…
https://thestationmccook.com/ (https://thestationmccook.com/)
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Took the wife out to lunch today, to get out of the house bit.
Welcome to AMIMOTO JAPANESE RESTAURANT | Punta Gorda 33950 (https://amimotopgd.com/)
This place is really good. So fresh.
We both had the sushi and tataki tuna.
(https://i.imgur.com/Swz3IgU.png)
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(https://livingsweetmoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/asian-tuna-tacos-recipe-cover.jpg)
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Ummm....
(https://i.imgur.com/YSgzizO.png)
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I'd still give them a try cause......... they're supposedly braised beef ribs
and even if they're not, there's gravy!
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If you live in coastal FL and don't get fresh seafood....idk what to tell you.
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Not all of it is sushi grade. Some is, some isn't.
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I've been on coastal FL a fair bit and find it difficult to get fresh fish in restaurants. Most seem to buy flash frozen. I think I can tell the difference.
Captain D's for example I'm pretty sure uses frozen.:)
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You need to know where to go. Ask an expert next time you go.
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everybody is an expert these daze
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Only if you know where to find fresh fish.
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You need to know where to go. Ask an expert next time you go.
Yup. We have dined at several places near North Port that were solid, but I didn't think the fish was really fresh.
Maybe I have forgotten what that tastes like.
Dockside Waterfront Grill
in Venice. Was solid.
Tarpon Point near North Port
More casual, not bad, not fresh.
Dockside Grill in Punta Gorda
Sharky's on the Pier
South Venice, we have an event there each year. It's solid. Nothing special except location.
Some place on St. Armands I can't find now.
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Yup. We have dined at several places near North Port that were solid, but I didn't think the fish was really fresh.
Maybe I have forgotten what that tastes like.
Dockside Waterfront Grill
in Venice. Was solid.
Tarpon Point near North Port
More casual, not bad, not fresh.
Dockside Grill in Punta Gorda
Sharky's on the Pier
South Venice, we have an event there each year. It's solid. Nothing special except location.
Some place on St. Armands I can't find now.
Crab and Fin is the best bet there, bar none.
Crab & Fin Seafood Restaurant - St. Armands Circle Sarasota (https://www.crabfinrestaurant.com/)
Dockside in Venice is good. They have a fresh catch of the day but everything else is frozen. The grouper, oysters and shrimp are always fresh.
Never been to Tarpon Point.
Go here instead: Anna Maria Oyster Bar – Bradenton, FL Restaurant | Seafood & More (https://www.oysterbar.net/)
There is no more Dockside Grill in Punta Gorda. It is now Spinnakers and it's good. They have a fresh catch of the day, but everything else is not fresh. We just went to a wine dinner there a few weeks ago. I like their burgers...
This place is great. We go by boat quite a bit.
Riviera Bar & Grill Punta Gorda | Waterfront Dinning | Live Music (https://rivierabarandgrillpuntagorda.com/)
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Everything on the menu can't be right off the boat, unless you get it that way and cook it at home.
But certain, consistent things can be fresh at individual locations.
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Which is not trivial to find.
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When you live on the coast for some years, you learn the seasons of the different seafoods and the top few places for each in your area.
Like okay, it's peak scallops season (bleh), and this is the freshest, best place for them. But for shrimp it'll be a different time of year and a different place with the best fresh shrimp. Crab, different type of fish, etc.
What time of year is it and what do you want for dinner? There's a fresh place for that.
And hell, there's gonna be a place that prepares the best frozen everything, tbh. A "good enough" place in your back pocket. If you must.
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Decades ago, I'd drive along the coast looking for a place with its own fishing boats. They might look ramshackle on the outside, but the food inside would be incredible, even a simple fried fish platter for lunch. I think tourism took most of those places out. They even have Red Lobsters in Florida near the ocean. That's like seeing a Pizza Hut in Naples or Starbucks in Vienna.
Hudson's seafood on Hilton Head has its own boats, it's more oyster oriented, but it's solid all around, they have a new deck which is very nice when weather is good. Vancouver had a couple places with really good seafood and oysters. I couldn't find anything notable in San Diego, even good Mexican was hit and miss there, for me. These little quaint local "dives" are mostly a thing of the past.
There was a BBQ joint here called Harold's that was revered, it's gone now. I think most of the "local" places have been replaced with chains especially where there are a lot of tourists. This is why I strongly prefer dining here at "local spots", we've been able to try them and either shrug or go back often. We don't have many chains, a few "local chains" of 5-6-7 places, but few national chains. There is Chick-Fil-A, Chipotle, and a Panera nearby. They are "OK".
The amusing thing to me is how nearly every ethnic place has "Hispanic chefs" whether it's Persian or Italian or, well, not Indian, they are 100% Indian, and really good. The Indian food here is better than what we had in ... India, same with the Thai food.
But if finding actual fresh fish in coastal Florida requires one to be "in the know" about seasons and just a few places offer it as specials, well, it's not easy to find for a stranger.
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Crab and Fin is all fresh all the time. 48 hours or less or it's off the menu.
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Starbucks in Vienna.
(https://i.imgur.com/4jxhddC.png)
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so, there are plenty of idiots in Vienna.
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Plenty of idiots everywhere.
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Amen
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Crab and Fin is all fresh all the time. 48 hours or less or it's off the menu.
Yeah, we had lunch there a few years back. Probably give it another go. I'm doing both camps, again, so there are a couple days in between if I can still walk.
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Crab and Fin is all fresh all the time. 48 hours or less or it's off the menu.
Crab and Fin advertises having seafood from all over the world, including upper East Coast, New England and Canada, West Coast, Europe, and beyond. That stuff is not fresh off the boat. It would have to have been frozen. Which is fine, tons of excellent restaurants serve flash-frozen or iced fish that isn't specifically "fresh."
Of course I'm sure they have local stuff that's coming in off the day boats that is fresh.
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Yeah, I usually look for fresh on the menu, and know what kinds are local. I've had grouper in FL decades ago that was incredibly good.
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Crab and Fin advertises having seafood from all over the world, including upper East Coast, New England and Canada, West Coast, Europe, and beyond. That stuff is not fresh off the boat. It would have to have been frozen. Which is fine, tons of excellent restaurants serve flash-frozen or iced fish that isn't specifically "fresh."
Of course I'm sure they have local stuff that's coming in off the day boats that is fresh.
They fly it in fresh every morning from all over.
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(https://i.imgur.com/yniLuFs.png)
Speaking of famous higher end restaurants ... (not) ...this place was a treat when I was a kid. Now it's over priced over greasy stuff. I think they stick around based on tradition, not taste or value. Disappointing (not my photo).
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They fly it in fresh every morning from all over.
There is zero chance they're flying in anything fresh from Europe, Canada, or the West Coast. This isn't happening. It's frozen.
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Our Seafood | Crab & Fin Restaurant (https://www.crabfinrestaurant.com/our-seafood)
I recall it was a nice lunch, I didn't think whatever I ordered was "fresh", though it could well have been. They seem to dance around the term. Fresh, to me, means never frozen, which means it had to be caught recently, within a few hours, locally.
Our menus are created daily to reflect the freshest seafood available. We are committed in offering only pristine & unique seafood from around the world coming from ecologically responsible fisheries who promote only sustainable seasonal or aqua cultured varieties. NONE of our seafood offerings are farm raised.
Serving Sarasota since 1978, we are proud to be part of the excitement that is St. Armand’s Circle. Whether you are window shopping at one of the world class shops on the circle or are looking for a special place to dine on the best seafood the world has to offer, the Crab & Fin is the perfect destination.
We literally search all over the world to find the freshest and most unique seafood available. All of our fish arrives each day by air, and is cut from whole fish in house.
Preparing each meal from scratch is something we take great pride in. Your taste buds will surely notice the difference when tasting our fresh, homemade pasta and bread, made in our kitchen. It is our pleasure to make your experience delicious and memorable.
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(https://www.eastwestnewsservice.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/KDL_3991-Ceramic-chiles-copy-2.jpg)
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There is zero chance they're flying in anything fresh from Europe, Canada, or the West Coast. This isn't happening. It's frozen.
My local fish monger also flies everything in Fresh, including Faroe Island Salmon, semi-daily. He says so long as it's 72 hours or less, it's fresh.
I've had my own fresh catches (grouper) last up to a week in my fridge (that's the longest I let it, and it was fine).
Don't know what more I can tell ya.
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If fresh is so important, why not keep the fish alive until it is prepared, like they do with lobsters?
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Some of these fish are massive. It would be very hard to do.
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If you kept them sedated, they wouldn't need as much room to swim around.
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I had a fish monger (a friend of mine) who used to go to the wholesale fish market near O'Hare every morning to pick up fresh, flown-in fish. The only thing that was not fresh were his crab legs, which are generally steamed and frozen at sea.
Man, he had some good stuff.
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https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8041755/fresh-fish-may-not-mean-what-you-think/
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(https://assets.iflscience.com/assets/articleNo/66317/aImg/63606/how-big-do-goldfish-get-o.webp)
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I'll fight anyone on this, the best 'fresh fish' on the planet is the walleye or northern pike you catch in the morning and fry on the shore not even hours after catching, with a slice of raw onion, hot sauce on some crappy white bread for a sandwich.
I will have that, for a week straight coming up later this month.
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Meanwhile, I have a freezer full of halibut we caught in Alaska last month. it's still delicious ....after being thawed from its frozen state.
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If you kept them sedated, they wouldn't need as much room to swim around.
You don't want it to taste groggy...
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I'll fight anyone on this, the best 'fresh fish' on the planet is the walleye or northern pike you catch in the morning and fry on the shore not even hours after catching, with a slice of raw onion, hot sauce on some crappy white bread for a sandwich.
I will have that, for a week straight coming up later this month.
Sounds great.
I prefer catfish caught in a relative's pond, then fried out back later that day, with fries and hush puppies.
Gourmet!
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(https://i.imgur.com/yniLuFs.png)
Speaking of famous higher end restaurants ... (not) ...this place was a treat when I was a kid. Now it's over priced over greasy stuff. I think they stick around based on tradition, not taste or value. Disappointing (not my photo).
Yeah, my aunt said we HAVE to go there.
It's like Sonic fast food.
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the orangesicle frozen drink thing they have is pretty refreshing, but yeah, there are convenience stores with better grub.
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Today.
Miller's Dockside (https://www.eaglegrille.com/miller-s-dockside.html)
(https://i.imgur.com/8csThht.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/z88aHcO.png)
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Tomorrow.
Bokeelia On Pine Island, Florida - Lazy Flamingo (https://lazyflamingo.com/bokeelia/)
(https://i.imgur.com/GUmrLIS.png)
(https://i.imgur.com/UgTysf3.png)
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with those great locations you get great prices
looks great
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I'll fight anyone on this, the best 'fresh fish' on the planet is the walleye or northern pike you catch in the morning and fry on the shore not even hours after catching, with a slice of raw onion, hot sauce on some crappy white bread for a sandwich.
I certainly won't disagree. I rank some fresh caught ocean fish as being (nearly) as good.
I was pursing the "Interwebs" about the term "fresh" as applied to fish, and my conclusion is there is not actual hard definition of the term, certainly nothing legal. A place can advertise "freshest fish around" and sell stuff that was frozen. A lot of places use the term "freshest" instead of "fresh", which is ... fascinating. I maintain nearly all of it is frozen at some point. And it likely tastes better if the fish is more than 24 hours from being caught.
I think oysters are shipped cold and not frozen (usually), but not fish much at all. If a restaurant has its own ships, maybe some is fresh, if they buy from SYSCO, well ...
It's not the same, but the local pub downstairs has numerous trucks delivering food and booze daily, it's pretty interesting to see what shows up. They offer some fried fish usually, from SYSCO or whoever, no claim of being remotely fresh. It's a bar, the food is OK for bar food, no claim for being superb. We go when neither of us wants to cook and we don't want to walk somewhere further. Their well drinks are still $8 which is a deal around here.
We'll likely go back to the St. Armand's place, that little island is nice. I'd still like to find a "shack" somewhere with its own boats. That Tarpon Point place qualifies as a shack, but the last time we were there we walked in and waited to be seated several minutes and left, I have low patience for that. Tourism.
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The boat outings remind me of the "$100 burger" we used to have with the plane. It was fun.
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I'll fight anyone on this, the best 'fresh fish' on the planet is the walleye or northern pike you catch in the morning and fry on the shore not even hours after catching, with a slice of raw onion, hot sauce on some crappy white bread for a sandwich.
I will have that, for a week straight coming up later this month.
I'd be on your side if there's a fight
I'd also add,............. Crappies pulled through a hole in the ice and then cooked minutes later in the ice house.
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They have their own boats.
Star Fish Company - Seafood Market & Dockside Restaurant (https://www.starfishcompany.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/xyhxwFl.png)
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The boat outings remind me of the "$100 burger" we used to have with the plane. It was fun.
About 1 MPG with the new vessel.
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The Cessna 172 did a lot better than that. It had a 20 gallon tank as I recall. Boy that takes me back. It got 20 mpg at cruise I think? Four cylinder boxer engine, a big one, over 4 liters.
Magnetos, carb, 2 spark plugs per ... ancient tech.
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you're lucky to be alive
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you're lucky to be alive
We all are, really. I will note, again, when that engine started acting up (it was a Cessna 152 actually), my brain turned to complete mush, I couldn't get a thought out.
We hadn't really trained for that, talked about it, but no training in flight. When the engine quit, then my hands took over, it was interesting, I was going on training, not thinking. I was glad to be on the ground full stop. Then I looked around and realized I had no real idea where we were or where to go.
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The Cessna 172 did a lot better than that. It had a 20 gallon tank as I recall. Boy that takes me back. It got 20 mpg at cruise I think? Four cylinder boxer engine, a big one, over 4 liters.
Magnetos, carb, 2 spark plugs per ... ancient tech.
9000 pounds with twin 400's on water ain't fuel efficient.
It's pretty fuelish, really.
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Water is more viscous than air, film at 11.
I'm actual glad to have only one ICE vehicle.
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makes me think I can afford the 22MPG of 93 octane running on rubber tires
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If you don't drive much, 22 mpg is fine. I imagine the Vette will get 28+ on the Interstate if the speed isn't excessive.
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I imagine it's aerodynamics are pretty solid for speeds of 80mph
I still don't have 5,000 miles on it.
Didn't take it to Omaha this weekend for a golf trip with the fellas like last year
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2025 Chevrolet Corvette Review, Pricing, and Specs (https://www.caranddriver.com/chevrolet/corvette)
The Corvette earns EPA fuel economy ratings of 16 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 19 mpg combined. We subjected it to our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test and recorded 26 mpg, 1 mpg better than expected. The last generation—remember the Vette with the engine in the front?—managed a 27-mpg result in the same test. For more information about the Corvette's fuel economy, visit the EPA's website (https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.shtml).
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If yer gonna eat fast food...
Are Culver's Burgers Actually Fresh Not Frozen? (https://www.msn.com/en-us/foodanddrink/foodnews/are-culver-s-burgers-actually-fresh-not-frozen/ar-AA1Kgwy5?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=68a09326ce0c4c258e9a59cedb1989e1&ei=23)
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We usually grab lunch at a Culver's in North Port while waiting on our hotel room next door. We go to Orlando a few days ahead of time so I can run in decent weather. The drive to North Port for there is pretty easy in the AM I found. My wife doesn't care for the drive to Orlando from here much. I can get a nice condo in Orlando for nearly nothing in January. It's across the street from a Portillo's, so the northern chains are invading. I don't really like Portillo's much, it's "OK".
I take her to the new Fogo de Chao around the corner, she likes that place a lot. I'm OK with it.
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Portillo's is kickass.
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100 percent agree.
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I tried it twice, I think it's just not the kind of food I like. My wife was much more negative, as in "Don't bring me back here."
I might like it better if it was 10°F outside. Maybe.
We are back from the arts festival which has all these food trucks, I didn't see anything appealing, to me. And it's crowded and hot and expensive. We used to have food trucks in the 'hood every day, that ended with COVID I guess. They were a novelty to me for a while. One place offered a corn dog and fries for $14. No drink. No thanks.
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Portillo's has the best burgers.
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Good to know. Where we stay has a nice kitchen (and gas grills down below) so I could fix my own burgers easily enough. I usually get some shrimp somewhere and boil them. That's when I miss the induction, it takes forever to boil water otherwise.
I'm getting too picky about restaurants I guess. Back in the day I thought the Sizzlin' was upscale eatin'.
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I'm not a fan of Portillo's for hot dogs. Plenty of local dives in Chicago for that, and they're better, starting with this place.
Gene and Jude's | Voted Best Hot Dog in the United States (https://www.geneandjudes.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/MyXehPh.png)
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We did Devil Dawgz when we were there. Pretty good.
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I'm not a fan of Portillo's for hot dogs. Plenty of local dives in Chicago for that, and they're better, starting with this place.
Gene and Jude's | Voted Best Hot Dog in the United States (https://www.geneandjudes.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/MyXehPh.png)
I wonder how good a hotdog can be. Like what would you have to do to make an elite dog, far beyond the Hebrews National or Nathan's ones you get at the grocery store?
Not talking about bun quality or toppings, but the actual frankfurter itself.
Personally, I don't like the thick, 1-lb dogs, as it's just too much of that type of meat for me. I can definitely see the quality difference of the ones I mentioned vs cheaper ones like Bar S or others. But what would a dog a step above the HN or Nathan's be?
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@utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) I'm in San Antonio for the next few days and we'll probably hit up Whataburger while I'm here... What's the go-to order?
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A lot of mustard and onions, lol
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Get it with the NM hatch chiles.
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the Portillo's near my brother's place in texas wasn't kickass
maybe they were just getting up to speed, but it was ,more or less fast food
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I think some of you have an awfully high ceiling when it comes to a $15 meal.
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I know where to go around here for a pretty solid ~$15 meal. These days it would often be burgers, but I can get a pretty good burrito for under $15 at a place I like. Comes with beans, rice, guac, salsa ... $12, no drink. I bring it home. A key of course is knowing the area and the options. I know when I'm in a tourist area I'm probably going to get indifferent food, mostly from large chains.
Mexican Food Menu | Willy's Mexicana Grill - Menu (https://willys.com/menu/)
The Italian place I like a lot has lunch specials around $17, really good, comes with a salad. Farm Burger used to have "burger and a beer" for $10, it's now $12.50 though. Portillo's seemed to be centered on their Philly sandwich, so I ordered that. I ate it, wasn't overly impressed. I can get a solid one at this place near us, which also is in the OK range, as in pretty good, for $10.
Midtown Menu - Woody's CheeseSteaks - Cheesesteak Restaurant in GA (https://www.woodyscheesesteaks.com/midtown-menu)
Obviously prices have jumped since 2020 or so. We had a long stretch of low inflation post -2010. Restaurants have suffered in the main. Probably my favorite lunch near us is this place, Thali chicken is $17, and it's a lot of food. We sit outside, both of us like have small portions of different tastes.
Tabla Dinner and Lunch Location 1.pdf (https://static1.squarespace.com/static/52114de8e4b004f80b4aa7e9/t/683357e2239f15220f77268c/1748195299224/Lunch+Menu.pdf)
(https://i.imgur.com/O7daxJn.jpeg)
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I wonder how good a hotdog can be. Like what would you have to do to make an elite dog, far beyond the Hebrews National or Nathan's ones you get at the grocery store?
Not talking about bun quality or toppings, but the actual frankfurter itself.
Personally, I don't like the thick, 1-lb dogs, as it's just too much of that type of meat for me. I can definitely see the quality difference of the ones I mentioned vs cheaper ones like Bar S or others. But what would a dog a step above the HN or Nathan's be?
Vienna beef hot dogs are the gold standard.
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the Portillo's near my brother's place in texas wasn't kickass
maybe they were just getting up to speed, but it was ,more or less fast food
The Portillo's near my old place was different in your book.
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absolutely
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That was four houses ago!
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Vienna beef hot dogs are the gold standard.
Right. But what makes it so?
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@utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) I'm in San Antonio for the next few days and we'll probably hit up Whataburger while I'm here... What's the go-to order?
I like bacon so I get the #5 bacon cheeseburger, add grilled onions and grilled jalapenos.
The patty melt is also pretty darn tasty.
Of course while you're in SA you should also grab some Tex-Mex, I don't know the names of any of the really good places but just ask the locals and they'll know.
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That was four houses ago!
and almost 20 years
about 2007
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Right. But what makes it so?
Taste alone is not the only key. Texture and consistency are unmatched qualities.
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and almost 20 years
about 2007
We moved in 2008, sold in 2018, rented until 2020 when we bought here.
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Taste alone is not the only key. Texture and consistency are unmatched qualities.
they pour meat pudding into the machine that forms it into dogs
much more liquidy than pink slime
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Natural Casing Hot Dog Pack - Frankfurter - Vienna Beef (https://www.viennabeef.com/shop/natural-casing-hot-dog-pack-30-count)
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they pour meat pudding into the machine that forms it into dogs
much more liquidy than pink slime
You got me drooling ovah here! :'(
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Taste alone is not the only key. Texture and consistency are unmatched qualities.
So what does Vienna Beef do that other hotdogs don't do? A snap? More density? Their own % of spices, I'm sure. And the casing...I guess I'm asking what's cost-prohibitive for someone else to ape VB?
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You got me drooling ovah here! :'(
This place is really good.
Home (http://www.dazzosdoghouse.com/index.html)
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This place is really good.
Home (http://www.dazzosdoghouse.com/index.html)
They had me at 'Beef & Gravy' by the pound.
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So what does Vienna Beef do that other hotdogs don't do? A snap? More density? Their own % of spices, I'm sure. And the casing...I guess I'm asking what's cost-prohibitive for someone else to ape VB?
It's an Austrian recipe so it does have more spice than the normal regular hot dog, and yes, more density and snap.
There are places around here that sell them, along with other brands.
One place sells Nathan's but if you want Vienna you pay an additional $1.50.
Shake Shack (from NYC) only uses Vienna Beef. That says a lot.
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It's an Austrian recipe so it does have more spice than the normal regular hot dog, and yes, more density and snap.
There are places around here that sell them, along with other brands.
One place sells Nathan's but if you want Vienna you pay an additional $1.50.
Shake Shack (from NYC) only uses Vienna Beef. That says a lot.
Thank you.
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Hebrew National are a grade better than standard
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I think some of you have an awfully high ceiling when it comes to a $15 meal.
Exactly. This is always the problem when people experience In n Out for the first time. There's so much hype that nothing could possibly live up to what they've imagined.
It's an inexpensive fast food burger. It's just a really good example of one.
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Exactly. This is always the problem when people experience In n Out for the first time. There's so much hype that nothing could possibly live up to what they've imagined.
It's an inexpensive fast food burger. It's just a really good example of one.
Yeah InO is fine. It's just way overhyped by its fanbois.
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Exactly. This is always the problem when people experience In n Out for the first time. There's so much hype that nothing could possibly live up to what they've imagined.
It's an inexpensive fast food burger. It's just a really good example of one.
not good enuff for me
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That's what I've found ANY burger joint to be - too much hype it CAN'T live up to it.
In-n-Out
Culvers
Steak Shack
5 Guys
All good burgers, but.....just a FF burger. How does it garner hype?
All of them have a thin beef patty no one in their right mind would serve at home. Hell, once upon a time on the Rez, out of boredom, I recreated a Big Mac and couldn't because I couldn't get the patties thin enough, lol.
There should be no hype for fast-food anything, tbh. It's FF.
Not a Frosty, not McDonald's fries, not a Whopper, not Whataburger, none of it warrants any hype.
I think the hype is actually regionality losing its bearings, a la Cal in the ACC.
You see certain places in movies and mentioned on the interwebs, but it's not in your region, so it seems special.
I was obsessed with The Big Lebowski in HS and the first opportunity I had when I moved out west was go to In-n-Out. It's just a burger. No superpowers. Didn't orgasm. Nothing. Just a burger.
But I did learn one thing. They have the worst fries in the fucking galaxy.
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Yeah InO fries are truly terrible.
Also, do people actually hype a frosty? I could see hyping a blizzard from DQ, but a frosty?
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Yeah InO fries are truly terrible.
Also, do people actually hype a frosty? I could see hyping a blizzard from DQ, but a frosty?
Maybe in 1987. I'm getting old.
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The on thing the Varsity has that I like is a frosted orange. I've never seen them elsewhere.
As for fast food burgers, some places have pretty good ones, but like steak, I can fix burgers at home pretty easily that are better.
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Casa Bovina in Lincoln, NE.
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Our @incontrocured jamón embodies time, tradition, and unforgettable flavor. Best enjoyed on its own or when paired with the tajarin dalla forma!
(https://i.imgur.com/wLJcnvC.jpeg)
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Did Whataburger. Ordered the #5 with grilled onions & grilled jalapeno...
Positive: The patty was nice. Good char. Good size, good taste. Definitely solid. The ability to add grilled onions and grilled jalapeno is nice. I particularly liked the jalapeno. I couldn't really identify any grilled onion in there, but that might be that I prefer fresh onion anyway which are stronger flavor... Also, the fries were decent (which compared to InO, "decent" is an upgrade).
Negative: OMG could the bacon suck any more? It was the typical fast food paper-thin bacon. What's the goddamn point? Leave it off if you're going to serve me that crap. Also, the tomatoes were paltry. The lettuce was chopped pretty small and not really crunchy or appetizing at all. But the biggest issue was the construction. It was FLAT. I unwrapped it from the paper, and I could have sworn someone put a 5# brick on the damn thing before it came out.
Honestly, I was unimpressed. In a comparison to InO, I would say that the size of the patty makes the Double Double the better comparison, but even with Texas prices, a Whataburger (not the #5) is $5.99 while I believe a Double Double runs $5.65 in SoCal, a much more expensive location. And on the DD, you get an extra [thick] slice of cheese, a big slice of fresh cold tomato, a sizable amount of crunchy lettuce, as well as spread. And it's on a butter-toasted bun that isn't compressed by a boot under Andre the Giant before it's served to you. If you want pickles, grilled onions, or yellow peppers, all are available for free just like Whataburger.
So... It wasn't a bad burger. Honestly there were some good things there--although I'd never ever order it with bacon again. I'd put it equal to above the general fast food chains.
But it ain't no %&*#^% In n Out.
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In n Out doesn't even have bacon. :017:
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In n Out doesn't even have bacon. :017:
Apparently, neither does Whataburger. I don't know what that crap was :57:
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Whataburger was bought by a PE firm from Chicago a few years back and it shows in the decline in food quality.
But it's still better than InO tiny flavorless meat.
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I've never had Whataburger, but heard that it's nothing special.
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neither of them are special - fastfood
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It's fun to try these major chain burgers in foreign countries, they are always "different". I had a Whopper in Copenhagen, it was ... different. A Big Mac in London and in France, quite different from each other (and smaller than here). I wanted to try one in Asia but never had a chance. There are KFCs everywhere around the world (no burgers there).
The last Whopper I had in the US was not very good at all relative to what I've had previously, but I rarely get FF burgers.
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Whataburger was bought by a PE firm from Chicago a few years back and it shows in the decline in food quality.
But it's still better than InO tiny flavorless meat.
Flavorless? They put a nice char on the burger just like Whataburger.
I'll give you "tiny"--it's why I say the appropriate comparison is the Double Double. The single cheeseburger isn't the appropriate ratio for me when you've got all the rest of the good stuff on the InO burger.
Which you could ask "how can you compare a double cheeseburger from InO to a single Whataburger?" Well--despite WILDLY different costs of doing business between CA and TX, the Double Double is still a less expensive burger.
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Flavorless? They put a nice char on the burger just like Whataburger.
I'll give you "tiny"--it's why I say the appropriate comparison is the Double Double. The single cheeseburger isn't the appropriate ratio for me when you've got all the rest of the good stuff on the InO burger.
Which you could ask "how can you compare a double cheeseburger from InO to a single Whataburger?" Well--despite WILDLY different costs of doing business between CA and TX, the Double Double is still a less expensive burger.
We know, we know. Your InO fanboi is showing. :)
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Casa Bovina in Lincoln, NE.
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Our @incontrocured jamón embodies time, tradition, and unforgettable flavor. Best enjoyed on its own or when paired with the tajarin dalla forma!
Taking Latin classes are ya? I haven't the foggiest what any of that is,could be shit on a shingle gussied up in a fancy foreign tongue
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I've never had Whataburger, but heard that it's nothing special.
They're all just super sized sliders
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Taking Latin classes are ya? I haven't the foggiest what any of that is,could be shit on a shingle gussied up in a fancy foreign tongue
I included the picture just for you
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@utee94 (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=15) I'm in San Antonio for the next few days and we'll probably hit up Whataburger while I'm here... What's the go-to order?
https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/all-22-san-antonio-restaurants-featured-on-guy-fieris-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/Slideshow/38167687/38167697 (https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/all-22-san-antonio-restaurants-featured-on-guy-fieris-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/Slideshow/38167687/38167697)
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https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/all-22-san-antonio-restaurants-featured-on-guy-fieris-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/Slideshow/38167687/38167697 (https://www.sacurrent.com/sanantonio/all-22-san-antonio-restaurants-featured-on-guy-fieris-diners-drive-ins-and-dives/Slideshow/38167687/38167697)
Dude, reading through that and it seems like half those places are closed now.
Also, no point in going to a pizza place or home-cooking place in San Antonio, you can get that stuff anywhere.
Tex-Mex is what you want to order when you're in SA. They have some of the best.
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just thought I'd give betarhoalphadelta a few choices besides a FF Burger
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just thought I'd give betarhoalphadelta a few choices besides a FF Burger
He specifically ASKED about the burger.
I already suggested Tex-Mex, but i don't know the go-to places there, like I do in Austin. But the locals know.
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He specifically ASKED about the burger.
I already suggested Tex-Mex, but i don't know the go-to places there, like I do in Austin. But the locals know.
For the most part, we'll be eating at the in-laws house, so mostly not hitting restaurants.
That said, we hit this place when we first landed Saturday as it was going to be too late to cook:
https://laspalapas.com/
It was solid Tex-Mex, as far as I could tell. I have little to compare it to, as I'm sure Chicago Tex-Mex doesn't compare to what's down here.
I had the Carne Guisada Plate which was good but not "knock my socks off" good... Their tortillas were quite nice. The chips & salsa didn't wow me... The red salsa was milder than mild, and the green salsa had a little more heat but not much flavor. I did enjoy the schooners of Shiner Bock tho.
But for the money, it seemed like good value, and I have no complaints.
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in my experience, VERY few places anywhere serve salsa that is hot.
many places in Texas have it but, ya gotta ask for it
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Is San Antonio where the Southwest begins?
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Is San Antonio where the Southwest begins?
It's my goal to get past when driving from Phoenix to Gainesville, both ways. Get past San Antone, then sleep.
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in my experience, VERY few places anywhere serve salsa that is hot.
many places in Texas have it but, ya gotta ask for it
My two favorite places in Austin serve VERY hot salsa. You can ask for mild but if you don't specify, you're getting the hot stuff.
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great but, do you find that most don't?
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great but, do you find that most don't?
Well it kind of depends. If you're going to the gringo places that have fancy patios and happy hours with drink specials, then yeah, they're going to have a selection of salsas and the first one probably isn't that spicy.
If you're going to a little 6-table joint wedged into a strip center with an "el" or "la" before its name, then chances are they have only one salsa and it's probably pretty spicy.
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I like gringo places here, and I like the reverse as well, but they are a drive up the highway for us.
We both love dining outside, so the local gringo places work for us. My wife orders fajitas nearly every time, I have no idea if that dish is "traditional", it's pretty simple really, I make it at home when we have the gozintas. Our Kroger sells gozintas pretty much all the time fortunately. Even in Cincinnati I could find them.
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Sure, fajitas are traditional for both Mexican and Tex-Mex. It's just grilled marinated skirt steak.
I love them but rarely order them out because they're so expensive. They used to be super-cheap because it's a tough, stringy cut of meat. It was poor-people food. It has to be marinated and/or mechanically tenderized to make it edible. Back in the 80s and even early 90s I could buy it for $.59/lb. Now I'm lucky if I can find it on special for $8 or $9 per lb and that's at the carnicerias, the gringo grocery stores are a couple bucks more. And ordering it already prepared at a restaurant? Might be paying upward of $30 or $40 per lb.
Oh and because we excel at pedantry around here, there is no such thing as a chicken fajita or a shrimp fajita or even a ribeye fajita. "Fajita" refers specifically to the cut of beef-- the skirt steak-- and not the preparation of tacos.
If you order a "chicken fajita" then you're actually eating tacos de pollo asado.
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I like gringo places here, and I like the reverse as well, but they are a drive up the highway for us.
We both love dining outside, so the local gringo places work for us. My wife orders fajitas nearly every time, I have no idea if that dish is "traditional", it's pretty simple really, I make it at home when we have the gozintas. Our Kroger sells gozintas pretty much all the time fortunately. Even in Cincinnati I could find them.
It is traditional at Chili's.
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Sure, fajitas are traditional for both Mexican and Tex-Mex. It's just grilled marinated skirt steak.
I love them but rarely order them out because they're so expensive. They used to be super-cheap because it's a tough, stringy cut of meat. It was poor-people food. It has to be marinated and/or mechanically tenderized to make it edible. Back in the 80s and even early 90s I could buy it for $.59/lb. Now I'm lucky if I can find it on special for $8 or $9 per lb and that's at the carnicerias, the gringo grocery stores are a couple bucks more. And ordering it already prepared at a restaurant? Might be paying upward of $30 or $40 per lb.
Oh and because we excel at pedantry around here, there is no such thing as a chicken fajita or a shrimp fajita or even a ribeye fajita. "Fajita" refers specifically to the cut of beef-- the skirt steak-- and not the preparation of tacos.
If you order a "chicken fajita" then you're actually eating tacos de pollo asado.
Pedantic Fuckstickery.
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I had the Triple Tail, blackened. The Mulligatawny was really good too.
(https://i.imgur.com/LLJ16To.png)
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It is traditional at Chili's.
I blame Chili's for popularizing fajitas nationally to the point that the price escalated 15x over the past 30 years. Bunch of assholes.
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guess who I blame for the price of brisket skyrocketing?
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guess who I blame for the price of brisket skyrocketing?
Hipsters, I assume?
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See, I learned what "fajita" means now. My wife orders "chicken fajitas", which properly would be tacos de pollo asado.
Our local favorite place serves enough for two, we usually have them again for dinner as I order something different.
Menu - Emilio's Tacos and Tequila (https://www.emiliostacosandtequila.com/menu)
This place has solid margaritas for $8 also and has a nice outdoor area.
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Hipsters, I assume?
(https://i.imgur.com/g2mX2tm.png)
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What are "refried beans"? To me, they taste like mush, not good at all. Are they actually fried?
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(https://i.imgur.com/g2mX2tm.png)
Exactly. Hipsters. Waiting in massive lines so they can take pictures of their food.
To be fair though, Franklin has the best commercial brisket I've ever tasted in my life.
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yup, Franklin and other Texans ruining brisket prices for everyone
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Exactly. Hipsters. Waiting in massive lines so they can take pictures of their food.
To be fair though, Franklin has the best commercial brisket I've ever tasted in my life.
Most of us have to work.
Those who don't hang out for BBQ or never leave Starbuck's.
Bunch of fuckballs.
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What are "refried beans"? To me, they taste like mush, not good at all. Are they actually fried?
Yeah they're fried in the final steps.
They're just beans that are cooked normally (usually pinto or black beans in Mexican and Tex-Mex), and then lightly fried in fat, and partially mashed with a fork or a potato masher.
They shouldn't "taste like mush" in fact they should be quite flavorful. I usually cook mine in bacon grease to boost the flavor profile. They might feel like mush, I guess. They are mashed after all, intentionally. The texture never bothered me but I grew up with them as a staple of course.
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What are "refried beans"? To me, they taste like mush, not good at all. Are they actually fried?
Usually, refried beans are this terrible non-descript brown paste, that tastes and has the texture roughly what you'd expect from what they look like. Utterly gross.
I can only count a small number of times I've ever had good refried beans... But good refried beans are delicious.
The best I've ever had were a place outside Vegas where they used refried black beans for dipping your tortilla chips. It was a glorious experience that made me hate how bad typical refried beans are even more than usual.
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Usually, refried beans are this terrible non-descript brown paste, that tastes and has the texture roughly what you'd expect from what they look like. Utterly gross.
I can only count a small number of times I've ever had good refried beans... But good refried beans are delicious.
The best I've ever had were a place outside Vegas where they used refried black beans for dipping your tortilla chips. It was a glorious experience that made me hate how bad typical refried beans are even more than usual.
I've had lots of great refried beans.
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I did begrudgingly finish off the refried beans at dinner on Saturday... But that's mainly because I hadn't eaten anything except the Southwest airline snacks all day so I was absolutely famished. Can't say I actually enjoyed them.
(Note: that's not a criticism of that restaurant chain... Usually I don't eat the refried at any Mexican joint, so I'm not a good barometer. If anything, theirs were better than average...)
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Usually, refried beans are this terrible non-descript brown paste, that tastes and has the texture roughly what you'd expect from what they look like. Utterly gross.
I can only count a small number of times I've ever had good refried beans... But good refried beans are delicious.
this has been my experience
I usually tell them to hold the beans, because I'm not going to eat that tasteless brown mush
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Man y'all find some shitty restaurants. I feel bad for you.
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In this case, I realize it's a "me" problem. Most other people I know like the refried beans at most places just fine. Hell, most of the people I know like refried beans out of a can [blech!]...
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Ewww. Refried beans out of a can are truly terrible. They are accurately represented by your descriptions of "mush" or "paste."
Refried beans at a restaurant should be flavorful and tasty. If you're getting refried beans at restaurants, that are anything like refried beans out of a can, then you're just not going to the right places.
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Man y'all find some shitty restaurants. I feel bad for you.
find some shitty restaurants???
hell, ya can't swing a dead cat w/o hitting 4 or 5 shitty restaurants
and we all know there are plenty of them in Austin proper
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find some shitty restaurants???
hell, ya can't swing a dead cat w/o hitting 4 or 5 shitty restaurants
and we all know there are plenty of them in Austin proper
Maybe, but I'm not the one stumbling into shitty food everywhere I go.
If you meet one asshole in the morning, then he was an asshole. If you meet assholes all day long, then you're the asshole.
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Ewww. Refried beans out of a can are truly terrible. They are accurately represented by your descriptions of "mush" or "paste."
Refried beans at a restaurant should be flavorful and tasty. If you're getting refried beans at restaurants, that are anything like refried beans out of a can, then you're just not going to the right places.
My point was that I'm really not ordering refried beans, because even when they're "average to good", I don't like them. To me, they're still "mush" or "paste".
If they're "great", then I might like them. A bit. But probably not as much as I'd like something else on the menu that doesn't include them. So even then I rarely order them, and unless they're "great", if they're included with something I ordered I'll leave them uneaten on the plate.
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I avoid refried beans because every time I had them back when they were awful. Black beans usually range from OK to pretty good. I just don't understand refried beans, I probably should try them again at some of the better Mexican places here. My wife doesn't like either type.
I'd say the refried beans I have tasted are the worst common menu item I've ever eaten.
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the beans are filler like the rice they are usually served with
if they don't belong in chili, they probably don't belong on an upscale platter of tex-mex
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the beans are filler like the rice they are usually served with
if they don't belong in chili, they probably don't belong on an upscale platter of tex-mex
Who the hell wants an "upscale" platter of Tex-Mex? Tex-Mex is comfort food not haute cuisine. It's poor people food.
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"Tex-Mex" around here moved upscale pretty fast, aside from the "real" ones on Buford Highway.
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"Tex-Mex" around here moved upscale pretty fast, aside from the "real" ones on Buford Highway.
Well no wonder all you're finding is crappy versions then. The worst Tex-Mex places here in Texico, are the ones that are "upscale." Sure they might have good eye candy and decent drink specials, but the food is typically forgettable at best.
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El Rey Del Taco – The best authentic Mexican food in Atlanta (https://elreydeltacoatl.com/)
This is the best one I've tried, overall, but it's a drive for us.
El Rey del Taco! We live by our name and strive to bring you the best authentic tacos in Atlanta. So, expect real Mexican food, nothing less than delicious. But don’t take our word for it, give us a try! Come visit us today and let us know how spicy our house-made salsa really is!
We have been making authentic Mexican food for the past 15 years, day and night. Family-owned, we work hard to provide you with a small piece of our heritage and hope to give you a bit of happiness when you try any of our signature authentic dishes.
We feel proud and happy that you took the time to visit us and are grateful to have you at our home. As the saying goes, “Mi casa es su casa.” We hope you enjoy your visit and hope to see you back soon.
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Top Booked Restaurants in Atlanta This Week (https://whatnow.com/atlanta/restaurants/top-booked-restaurants-in-atlanta-this-week/?fbclid=IwY2xjawMRtGNleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHqmQST6drws4gKpPZP2JFIx96g5W68n4KUixdGhIOSOUYdsqy5iu98AsTwAM_aem_c0d778_SEzd8ZT7p5ViHTA)
Kinda neat, includes three of our favorites out of five.
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El Rey Del Taco – The best authentic Mexican food in Atlanta (https://elreydeltacoatl.com/)
This is the best one I've tried, overall, but it's a drive for us.
El Rey del Taco! We live by our name and strive to bring you the best authentic tacos in Atlanta. So, expect real Mexican food, nothing less than delicious. But don’t take our word for it, give us a try! Come visit us today and let us know how spicy our house-made salsa really is!
We have been making authentic Mexican food for the past 15 years, day and night. Family-owned, we work hard to provide you with a small piece of our heritage and hope to give you a bit of happiness when you try any of our signature authentic dishes.
We feel proud and happy that you took the time to visit us and are grateful to have you at our home. As the saying goes, “Mi casa es su casa.” We hope you enjoy your visit and hope to see you back soon.
Looks legit, I'd give it a shot if I were in the area.
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Who the hell wants an "upscale" platter of Tex-Mex? Tex-Mex is comfort food not haute cuisine. It's poor people food.
sorry, upscale may have been a poor choice of term.
I meant good or much better than average - didn't mean price or fancy digs
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Looks legit, I'd give it a shot if I were in the area.
You should come over for the CG unless you're AFRAID.
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You should come over for the CG unless you're AFRAID.
We ain't gonna make the CCG but it looks like a short trip from Athens. I could come watch the Horns lose at Sanford and then beebop over for some At-Mex.
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We ain't gonna make the CCG but it looks like a short trip from Athens. I could come watch the Horns lose at Sanford and then beebop over for some At-Mex.
If you come to the game in Athens, I'll go with you, and try to get tickets somehow. I'll even pick you up at the airport and drive you to Athens and let you stay on our sofa bed. That of course will likely be a hot ticket. You can wear burnt orange, I still even have a Texas cap. We'd go up early and see if we could get into a TG somewhere. Probably have Kurt and the boys there.
The weather should be prime. I like the term "At-Mex", which likely is what it is, even though nearly everyone dining there is Hispanic.
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(https://i.imgur.com/d9if1fu.png)
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I just checked if there are any Krystals in Dallas-Ft Worth, and all three locations are permanently closed. It's a White Castle takeover.
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I'm guessing white castle will be permanently closed soon
especially if they're counting on my business over Xmas
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I don't understand the seething hate for the In-N-Out fries.
I suppose they are a little bland if you just eat them plain. But it's not like they are soggy or greasy or anything that would normally ruin a fry.
Once you add the salt packet and drizzle a tube of the animal sauce over them, they are delicious.
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salt and sauce are delicious
the fries I tried back in January just had a little salt and tasted and had the consistency of Styrofoam
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I don't understand the seething hate for the In-N-Out fries.
I suppose they are a little bland if you just eat them plain. But it's not like they are soggy or greasy or anything that would normally ruin a fry.
Once you add the salt packet and drizzle a tube of the animal sauce over them, they are delicious.
They're generally limp. And nobody wants a limp french fry.
If you eat them IMMEDIATELY, they're just ok. Not great. But ok.
But even 10 minutes to drive home (if you drive thru) and they're utter trash by the time you get home.
I've often taken to ordering them "well done", i.e. double-fried. Then they're crispy at least, but overdone.
They're just... Not good.
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maybe that was a little bit of the issue.........
We stopped at 372 Gellert Blvd, Daly City, CA on the way to the airport. I sent my daughters inside to order, (they really wanted to try In & Out) I wasn't hungry a tall and don't enjoy fast food so I sat in the car. After 10 minutes or more, I went inside check it out. I had a bite of one of their burgers, it was very good. I then grabbed a few fries. They were not good.
When I mentioned that the fries were bad, they said they agreed and that's why they hadn't eaten many.
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Should have asked for your cash back after what they're charging - that alone would leave a bad taste in my mouth
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Should have asked for your cash back after what they're charging - that alone would leave a bad taste in my mouth
In n Out is surprisingly reasonable compared to some of the other fast food joints.
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hah, that's the REAL reason I stayed in the car for 10 minutes - not my tab!
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Now that I think about it, they don't seem like they would be very good with ketchup, which is probably how most people try them. Or they would get them "animal style" which likely does get soggy, with the sauce just sitting on them for an extended period of time.
You need to get the animal sauce packet on the side, and apply it just before commencing consumption.
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Now that I think about it, they don't seem like they would be very good with ketchup, which is probably how most people try them. Or they would get them "animal style" which likely does get soggy, with the sauce just sitting on them for an extended period of time.
You need to get the animal sauce packet on the side, and apply it just before commencing consumption.
I've only tried them "animal style" once, and didn't enjoy it. Part of it was that it was just weird to have a melted slice of American cheese on fries. I like cheese fries--with an actual cheese sauce. IMHO the animal style fries is just hiding weak-ass fries underneath other stuff that tastes better than the fries.
(Portillos has the best cheese fries IMHO. That cheese sauce is like crack.)
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Yeah, I've never braved the actual animal style, with the cheese and the grilled onions in addition to the animal sauce.
Seems a bit much.
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Animal style is like loaded fries/tots, etc. it’s not that great. The standard sauce packets are pretty good, though.
No one goes to In-n-Out because of the fries. You can do better elsewhere. But the burgers are quite good, and at a low price point for fast food. So you go in knowing the fries will be mediocre, and still enjoy it.
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They are definitely not in the same stratosphere as the Jay Birds Blazin' Fries.
(https://jaybirdschicken.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/blazin-fries-web.jpg)
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Animal style is like loaded fries/tots, etc. it’s not that great. The standard sauce packets are pretty good, though.
Tots often have enough crisp to stand up to being loaded.
The food truck I used to love, the Viking Truck, had these loaded tots called "dragon eggs" that were amazing.
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Portillo's and Culver's have the best fries in fast food. Especially when you pair them up with a cup of cheese dip.
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Portillo's and Culver's have the best fries in fast food. Especially when you pair them up with a cup of cheese dip.
Portillos fries are good, but I don't know that I'd say "best"... Especially bc Portillos is IMHO pretty close to "fast casual" rather than "fast food". I.e. the classic In n Out vs Five Guys problem... However I agree that the cheese fries are amazing.
My favorite fries from true fast food places are Wendy's. McD's are #2.
I can't speak at all to Culver's. No personal experience.
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In N Out's fries aren't mediocre. They aspire to be mediocre. They are actively atrocious.
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Portillo's and Culver's have the best fries in fast food. Especially when you pair them up with a cup of cheese dip.
Who in their right mind would ever get the crinkle cut fries at Culver's instead of those bomb ass cheese curds or onion rings?
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Crinkle-cut fries are the best type of fries. Why only get cheese curds when you can get curds and fries?
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Who in their right mind would ever get the crinkle cut fries at Culver's instead of those bomb ass cheese curds or onion rings?
you can get both or all 3
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(https://milwaukeerecord.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/curderburger22sh3-600x320.jpg)
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Tots often have enough crisp to stand up to being loaded.
The food truck I used to love, the Viking Truck, had these loaded tots called "dragon eggs" that were amazing.
The place next to us claims to have invented the "totcho". They are in fact pretty good, and very filling.
(https://i.imgur.com/NktoQaA.jpeg)
Dinner Menu 5.25.2024 final
(https://thenookatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/Dinner-Menu-5.25.2024-final.pdf)
About – The Nook on Piedmont Park
(https://thenookatlanta.com/about/#neighborhood)
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you can get both or all 3
Correct.
And a gym membership.
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The place next to us claims to have invented the "totcho". They are in fact pretty good, and very filling.
(https://i.imgur.com/NktoQaA.jpeg)
Dinner Menu 5.25.2024 final
(https://thenookatlanta.com/wp-content/uploads/Dinner-Menu-5.25.2024-final.pdf)
About – The Nook on Piedmont Park
(https://thenookatlanta.com/about/#neighborhood)
Dragon Eggs:
(https://i.imgur.com/6Wfxpnu.jpeg)
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Today:
The Perfect Caper – Punta Gorda, FL (https://theperfectcaper.com/)
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(https://i.imgur.com/HdJJp8D.png)
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My wife watches these cooking shows at times, and I catch a bit of them, they strike me as "fixed", contrived, I realize it's good pub for the other chefs.
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My wife watches these cooking shows at times, and I catch a bit of them, they strike me as "fixed", contrived, I realize it's good pub for the other chefs.
Most are not that at all.
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A thing I noticed is EVERY chef concludes just at the last second, every time, to build drama. That isn't statistically likely.
Then of course they use judges to determine the winner based on tasting a tiny morsel often minutes after its preparation. Stuff gets cold.
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I watch a rerun of Iron Chef last night. The challenger finished ~5 minutes early (one hour) and proceeded to make cocktails for his and the Iron Chef's crew.
No over-generalizing allowed here.
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probably forgot to fix the rerun
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I personally know 5 chefs who have competed on The Food Network (4 up North and 1 here).
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I rarely watch one, and then only for a minute usually when my wife has one on. Every time I've seen any of them they all finish in the very last second. I'm sure there are a few exceptions, but it looks entirely contrived to me.
Fixed. Etc. East German judges.
Entertainment.
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Better to finish right on time than to not finish (which I've happen seen several times).
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I enjoy Triple D.
I understand it's staged and made for TV.
One of the very few TV shows I enjoy
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yup, many times they "finish" right on time, but would take a few more minutes if there wasn't a time limit
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I rarely watch one, and then only for a minute usually when my wife has one on. Every time I've seen any of them they all finish in the very last second. I'm sure there are a few exceptions, but it looks entirely contrived to me.
Fixed. Etc. East German judges.
Entertainment.
IMHO on shows like Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay, that may often just be creative editing. Done to make it appear it came down to the wire.
I.e. you show a chef working and then cut to the clock showing 45 seconds left, when the chef was actually doing that step with 3 minutes remaining.
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perhaps
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Maybe so, but they make a big deal out of counting down the seconds and showing a very stressed chef who magically backs away at the very last second. At any rate, to me, it looks contrived, whether edited or just completely faked.
Then as I noted the judges get one dish to rate, and take a small bite of some portion of it, then pontificate, then the second dish comes in, not hot by now, then a third comes in some cases. You can't rate food items that way effectively. They should be equally fresh. But, it's entertainment. I guess. Every show seems the same, to me, no matter the title.
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They do a lot of second-guessing and refining with any time they have left, which is why it always seems to be last-minute. This has been explained to me. Richard Mancini comes to mind.
He's been on several competitions over the years. He's also worked as the top chef of many fine restaurants around the country. I like him but I'm told he's a bitch to work for and much like Jim Harbaugh, he wears out his welcome.
There are a few places he's worked for so little time, he doesn't even bother putting them on his resume.
Personal Catering Services (https://www.chefrichmancini.com/chef-mancini)
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A one hour episode of Iron Chef America takes 10-15 hours to shoot.
They prepare the 5 dishes in under one hour and then prepare the same dishes for the judges to eat, over the course of the rest of the day. It's a long day and it starts early.
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Ya those shows remind me of the Old Bull & the Young Bull on a hill overlooking the heard.Young Bull's bouncing around and tell's the Old Bull "hey lets run down there and mount one of those heifers". The Old Bull states "let's walk down there and mont them all".Same thing with eating what's the rush? Take in the dining experience in your old sweet time. It's a rare breed of cat that can toss down a dagwood over the sink drain then dash out the door for happy hour
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Thinking of trying this place for a date night next weekend...
https://xacallikitchen.com/
https://www.yelp.com/biz/xacalli-kitchen-silverado?start=10
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There are a few things on that menu I'd try.
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the old bull says, "Let's try em all"
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The menu doesn't really appeal to me that much.
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Shoot there's all kinds of stuff I'd eat off that menu.
Apps: Ceviche and the Cruda
First Plate: Eaquites, Brussels sprouts, fig mole enchiladas
Second Plate: Branzino, duck in chipotle
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Shoot there's all kinds of stuff I'd eat off that menu.
Apps: Ceviche and the Cruda
First Plate: Eaquites, Brussels sprouts, fig mole enchiladas
Second Plate: Branzino, duck in chipotle
Yeah- sign me up for the ceviche and Camerone
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Yeah- sign me up for the ceviche and Camerone
That's one of them.
Branzino has little flavor to me. Not worth eating. I don't like brussels sprouts or lamb*.
* Unless it's mixed with beef to make Gyros.
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Dude!
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Yes?
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My wife loves Branzino. She had it a while back at a local Indian place where it was fantastic and she keeps thinking it will be that good in other places but it isn't.
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Several good branzino around here. Mostly Italian joints.
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Yes?
brussels sprouts and lamb are WONDERFUL if prepared properly
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Enjoy.
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(https://i.imgur.com/VHNojX7.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/nsL0FjV.png)
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(https://i.imgur.com/xM6mp3S.jpeg)
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(https://i.imgur.com/nsL0FjV.png)
those don't look like brussels sprouts
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I lost my taste for some foods through my heart surgery. Game meats and birds are some of them.
Never liked sprouts, but I love all cabbages.
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sprouts are just baby cabbages
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Texture is off-putting, as is the bitterness.
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I grew up thinking I hated Brussels sprouts because my mom never made them. My mom never made them because my dad hated them.
Then one day in my 20s, some friends were having a dinner party and they served some Brussels sprouts trimmed, split, and roasted, with just some olive oil and salt and pepper. I decided to be a big boy and tried them, and my goodness they were tasty. Perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and almost creamy on the inside. I've been a huge fan ever since.
Oh, and nowadays I often make them as a side at Thanksgiving, and my dad has tried them, and discovered he actually loves them, too.
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Texture is off-putting, as is the bitterness.
Roasting them or deep frying them tends to reduce that bitterness and let the natural sweetness emerge. It can also cause them to be a little more crispy, which I'm sure is part of the texture issue.
That said, I'm not exactly a fair judge. I love bitterness. I was the weird kid who was excited when my mom made steamed Brussels sprouts--the method of prep that caused generations to hate them.
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I like em all, some are better than others, as most food
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I grew Brussel Sprouts one year in my garden, they were superb, but the bugs found them and I only got one harvest. Cooked properly they are delicious IMHO and healthy. I usually microwave them to almost cooked and then sautee them in a cast iron skillet with butter and a bit of vinegar.
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Yesterday I had to get two pages notarized. The lawyer tells me UPS does it, and indeed they do. Schwab folks say they only do it for Schwab documents, which annoys me, so I trapse off to UPS, my wife is busy. It's about a mile, a bit less. It's busy, I wait, the dude charges me $20. Well, OK I guess, no other viable option.
I decide to treat myself to a bar drink, somewhere, it's just after 4 PM, places have Happyish Hours. I go to "Fado's Irish Bar", a place we had lunch once long ago, never back since, you can imagine the bar.
Fadó Atlanta - Midtown - Fadó Irish Pub – Irish Food & Sports Bars in Atlanta, Chicago & More (https://www.fadoirishpub.com/atlanta-midtown)
They have a Mule for $9 and fish and chips for $8, OK, whatever, the lady bartender makes the drink which is a bit odd but OK. I'm the only customer there at that point though later a few groups drift in for an after work libation. The F&C is pretty good, very hot and crispy, they do give a 10% discount to residents to offset our 8.9% tax (which ostensibly in part goes to "transit", somehow, though we don't see anything new).
They have four TVs in sight showing soccer and golf, OK fine, overall it was a decent experience. It's a local chain, I guess overall decent. I might go back and order something else, like a "corn beef roll" whatever that might be. These "theme" bars don't generally do much for me, I suspect the put too much money into appearances and too little into food, but I guess that's par.
(https://i.imgur.com/ENATqur.jpeg)
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Fado is actually a national chain, though I think it's shrinking these days. There was one in Austin for many years during the late 90s and early 2000s. My first ever date with my i s c & a aggie wife was a meet-up at the Fado in Austin, back in 1997. It finally closed in 2018 which was too bad, I always liked the place.
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I remember a teacher in grade school made my brother eat a brussel sprout and he threw up on her.
To this day I've never tried one.
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Fado is actually a national chain, though I think it's shrinking these days. There was one in Austin for many years during the late 90s and early 2000s. My first ever date with my i s c & a aggie wife was a meet-up at the Fado in Austin, back in 1997. It finally closed in 2018 which was too bad, I always liked the place.
Yeah, we had one in Chicago. I think it's still there, for now.
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Fado is actually a national chain, though I think it's shrinking these days. There was one in Austin for many years during the late 90s and early 2000s. My first ever date with my i s c & a aggie wife was a meet-up at the Fado in Austin, back in 1997. It finally closed in 2018 which was too bad, I always liked the place.
I was thinking to myself "isn't that a chain?"
Not sure I've ever been. I assume it basically falls into the "Generic Irish Pub" genre.
Is there anything actually unique to it?
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I strongly prefer local places, maybe a chain that has 4-5-6 locations. I hadn't known this one was national, at least it's OK.
The "local" bar near me is the 11th Street Pub, which is where Sir Charles is known to show up late at night when he's in town. We've gone there for lunch a few times, my wife is not a fan, but I rather liked it. It's a few more blocks over from Fado's.
Eleventh Street Pub (https://www.eleventhstreetpubatl.com/)
There is a new place that opened where I've seen lines to get admitted in the evening, with three security guards out front. I don't get that at all, except the clientel seems to be 99% African American, and perhaps some pro athletes go there? I've seen some other apparent "pros" waiting to get admitted. Looks like this too is national.
Wicked Wolf - American Restaurant (https://www.wickedwolftavern.com/)
Then there is a cigar bar, again catering to African Americans, very fancy inside, we haven't tried it. Stuck our nose in after it opened, very upscale looking.
Atlanta Cigar Bar | Hookah | Food - Prime Cigar (https://primecigaratl.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/NTP2z4d.png)
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I was thinking to myself "isn't that a chain?"
Not sure I've ever been. I assume it basically falls into the "Generic Irish Pub" genre.
Is there anything actually unique to it?
I would opine no, it's a "fake" Irish pub, which can be OK.
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I was thinking to myself "isn't that a chain?"
Not sure I've ever been. I assume it basically falls into the "Generic Irish Pub" genre.
Is there anything actually unique to it?
Not really. It's pretty generic. Lots of kitschy crap on the walls, lots of Gaelic phrases painted over doorways. The one in Austin was quite large, probably 3x the size of a real pub, but they did have it walled off into little sections that made it seem more personal and intimate. It also had a nice outdoor patio with a stage for live music, like every other place in Austin.
They knew how to pour a good pint of Guinness, and their pub food, while pretty standard fare, was tasty and well executed.
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In musing about our local joints, I'm a bit struck by how many seem to cater to African Americans. There also is a Sugar Factory and an STK near us. Both will be 80-90% "black" in the evening and at lunch for SF. The local population is mostly white, so this is a bit unusual, to me. We go to STK on occasion for their "social hour", which is decent. For dinner it gets way too pricey quickly for the quality. A parking lot next to it will have 4-5 black Suburban limos in it every night.
This is a happenin' place. In contrast, there is a place called South City Kitchen which is quite popular and 90% white, it's more southern food oriented (which black folks mostly invented).
Then there is this place which serves .... tinned fish. I don't really get it, but they have a nice patio. We had brunch there once, no tinned fish. This is where the "white wimmen are at".
larakin_menu_25_07_24 - Google Docs (https://docs.google.com/document/d/19F2uAMB8At3KaJ2PbsjUEO4jWeF6E6GnQEFs5RvoQEA/edit?pli=1&tab=t.0)
(https://i.imgur.com/8Dz5Wyk.png)
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There is a new place that opened where I've seen lines to get admitted in the evening, with three security guards out front. I don't get that at all, except the clientel seems to be 99% African American, and perhaps some pro athletes go there? I've seen some other apparent "pros" waiting to get admitted. Looks like this too is national.
Wicked Wolf - American Restaurant (https://www.wickedwolftavern.com/)
Is it one of those places where it's a restaurant but then basically turns into a "club" late at night?
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"No thanks" to that kind of night club.
I prefer this kind.
(https://i.imgur.com/ZbhdH93.png)
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I prefer my living room.
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I listen to a lot of live music, so I'm cool with going to those kinds of clubs.
But "nightclubs?" No thanks.
(https://i.makeagif.com/media/2-22-2017/DvUoh6.gif)
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I prefer my living room.
Do you get live music in there?
That's something we enjoy, with friends, at various joints around here. We like that the music starts at Noon and ends (generally) by 9PM.
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Do you get live music in there?
No, but I avoid people.
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We like the people here, but yeah, I get your point. I probably would too. SoCal people are weird.
~:P
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(https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/stgeorgeutah.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/b2/5b2c0a5f-91c7-553c-868a-d09540d362a7/66421b9230ed2.image.jpg)
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Do you get live music in there?
That's something we enjoy, with friends, at various joints around here. We like that the music starts at Noon and ends (generally) by 9PM.
I do. :-)
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Is it one of those places where it's a restaurant but then basically turns into a "club" late at night?
Not by appearances, the floor is occupied with tables completely, as is the outside dining area. They do pump in loud music and there is a massive screen central located. So, at night they must remove tables.
Wicked Wolf is a lively tavern and social hub, blending a warm atmosphere with high-energy entertainment. Enjoy flavorful dishes like burgers, wings, and fresh salads, paired with signature cocktails, craft beers, and top-shelf spirits. With spacious dining, a vibrant bar, and wall-to-wall TVs, it's perfect for casual meals, game days, or celebratory nights out. Hosting DJ nights, live music, and special events, Wicked Wolf offers an unmatched experience for friends, private gatherings, or an electric nightlife scene.
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This is more our speed, on Saturday's they have a nice lady singing with a guitar. She's French so she and my wife hit it off.
Atlanta French Restaurant Petite Violette (https://www.petitevioletterestaurant.com/)
(https://i.imgur.com/jpocaSi.png)
It reminds me a bit of Atmosphere, our French place that closed. It's a bit lower in price and the food is not quite French according to the Boss.
Petite Violette is Atlanta’s premier, family-owned and operated French Restaurant. Started in 1974 by Wolfgang Gropp, under the name Petite Auberge, Petite Violette has delivered fine French specialties for over 48 years. Chef Gropp received training in the culinary arts as an apprentice in Europe and Canada, studying under renowned chefs, including some trained by Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern French cooking. After immigrating to the United States, Chef Gropp, his wife Ilse and Ilse’s brother Helmut poured their hearts and souls into making Petite Violette a favorite of Atlanta’s diverse population by providing a consistently superior dining experience to generations of satisfied guests.
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I took my wife here years ago, we were staying at the Hilton (hadn't moved yet).
Nikolai’s Roof Menu | Fine Dining & Caviar Service in Atlanta — Welcome to Nikolai's Roof (https://www.nikolaisroofatl.com/dinner)
I was mostly impressed that their wine list was on iPads, it was that long ago. My wife has mentioned going back some time. They feature French-Russian fusion cuisine which was pretty solid.
My favorite place is this:
Bacchanalia — Star Provisions (https://www.starprovisions.com/bacchanalia)
Bacchanalia offers a four course, prix fixe menu at $125. per person. The menu evolves slightly each evening and throughout the seasons. We offer a wine pairing suggestion with many of the menu options.
Then there is this place quite close by but we have not been brave enough to try:
menu | Lazy Betty Atlanta (https://www.lazybettyatl.com/menu)
It would run a grand for just the two of us to do the full monte. I dunno. Mebbe after the Dawgs win another NC?
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I know it's not particularly "unique", but this is always a nice place for special occasions...
https://www.mastrosrestaurants.com/location/mastros-ocean-club-newport-beach/
Can't beat the location, and they have an open-air atrium in the middle of the restaurant. We usually sit within the bar area just inside of said atrium.
They do have live music in the bar area. Usually it's one woman, or a mixed duet, doing covers of well-known music, and it's usually quite good.
You don't really go there "for" the live music, but it does give it a really nice ambiance.
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What's the best chain?
I nominate Der Dutchman
(https://dhgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/friedchick_bns_stuffing_crn_CMYK-2094x1396.jpeg)
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The Lettuce Entertain You group has a lot of great holdings. I'd call it the best chain group.
Restaurants - Lettuce Entertain You (https://www.lettuce.com/restaurants/)
They used to own this chain too, which is really good.
Maggiano's Little Italy | Italian-American Restaurant | Banquets & Catering (https://locations.maggianos.com/)
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Yeah, we just went to Maggiano's for my youngest's 13th birthday last weekend.
First time I'd been to a Maggiano's probably since I went to one at the Oakbrook mall growing up in Chicago, either HS or when home for college.
Decent place, but wasn't anything special as far as Italian food is concerned.
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Yeah there's a Maggiano's here, it's pretty good. It can accommodate large groups so we end up there for band parent functions and stuff like that.
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Yeah, we just went to Maggiano's for my youngest's 13th birthday last weekend.
First time I'd been to a Maggiano's probably since I went to one at the Oakbrook mall growing up in Chicago, either HS or when home for college.
Decent place, but wasn't anything special as far as Italian food is concerned.
I like them for their consistency across all locations.
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Yeah, we just went to Maggiano's for my youngest's 13th birthday last weekend.
First time I'd been to a Maggiano's probably since I went to one at the Oakbrook mall growing up in Chicago, either HS or when home for college.
Decent place, but wasn't anything special as far as Italian food is concerned.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this place. Granted my city has a sort of cliché mid level Italian restaurant that seem to dominate that space.
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I don’t think I’ve ever heard of this place. Granted my city has a sort of cliché mid level Italian restaurant that seem to dominate that space.
Can't vouch for accuracy here, but this is what I found:
(https://i.imgur.com/zq2Wj5f.png)
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That looks about right.
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I was going to say it's a little thin in Big Ten country outside of Chicago, but then I saw that there's about a million of them in Maryland and Joisey, lol.
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Can't vouch for accuracy here, but this is what I found:
(https://i.imgur.com/zq2Wj5f.png)
Never heard of it. I'll give it a try.
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Yeah, we just went to Maggiano's for my youngest's 13th birthday last weekend.
First time I'd been to a Maggiano's probably since I went to one at the Oakbrook mall growing up in Chicago, either HS or when home for college.
Decent place, but wasn't anything special as far as Italian food is concerned.
isn't it a chain owned by a big restaurant group? those type of big chain restaurants tend to have great locations with expensive ass build outs and pretty mediocre food.
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isn't it a chain owned by a big restaurant group? those type of big chain restaurants tend to have great locations with expensive ass build outs and pretty mediocre food.
This thread contains a description of Maggiano's and how it is no longer owned by its founding parent company.
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They are owned by Brinker who operates Chili’s as well.
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I haven't been to any of them since Lettuce Entertain You sold it off.
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Thinking about taking the boat here tomorrow. Need to call and ask about access. Lots of hurricanes since we've last been so the channel might be screwed up.
Blue Dog | United States | Blue Dog Bar & Grill (https://www.bluedogmatlacha.com/)
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Northside Yacht Club is coming to your TV.
The funky, nautical-themed bar and grill nestled in Cincinnati's Northside neighborhood at 4231 Spring Grove Ave. makes its "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" debut Aug. 29.
The eatery shared the news in an Instagram post, made July 31, of its feature in season 42, episode 4, of the Food Network show led by celebrity chef Guy Fieri. Under a photo of Fieri posing alongside staff, the bar wrote, "The rumors are true — (Guy Fieri) is coming to your favorite landlocked yacht club!"
In honor of its debut, the Northside joint is hosting a watch party complete with its beloved poutine and a batch of peanut butter spiked with Fieri's Santo Tequila.
https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/television/2025/08/29/how-to-watch-northside-yacht-club-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-guy-fieri/85873189007/ (https://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/television/2025/08/29/how-to-watch-northside-yacht-club-diners-drive-ins-and-dives-guy-fieri/85873189007/)
The episode titled "Soup, Salad and Sorbet Spins" at FoodNetwork.com describes the Northside restaurant as "a funky joint with nautical flair ... platin' prime-time pulled pork poutine, mouthwatering mustard smash burgers, and savory sesame-ginger cauliflower wings."
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Chef’s Table: A Modern Kaiseki Experience
Thursday, September 26 · Dinner: 7:00–8:30 PM
📍 Ballroom Terrace Patio · 2nd Floor of The Warrior Hotel
🎟️ $75 per person · No tickets at the door
EARLY BIRD PRICING THROUGH SEPTEMBER 2ND!
Join us for an elevated multi-course experience inspired by kaiseki — Japan’s elegant dining tradition of balance, seasonality, and presentation — reimagined with a playful, modern edge by Chef Andrew Hallowell.
🍶 THE MENU
Sakizuke – Amuse-Bouche
Beef carpaccio with sake ponzu, shallot, and microgreens
Owan – Soup Course
Fried tofu in delicate dashi broth, topped with scallion and katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
Shusai – Main Course
Seared pork with a touch of peanut butter richness, served with udon noodles, broccoli, and golden consommé
Dorayaki – Dessert
Fresh crepes with seasonal fruits and whipped cream
Each course features a thoughtfully paired wine, spirit, or cocktail.
🥂 THE EXPERIENCE
5:30 PM – Cocktail & Cigar Hour
The patio opens early for drinks and mingling. Enjoy the view and bring your own cigars — The Warrior does not sell them. Full cash bar available.
7:00 PM – Guided Dinner Service
The Chef’s Table experience begins. Each course will be introduced by the chef, with guided beverage pairings and light storytelling. Approx. 90 minutes.
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Worth $75??? it's a great venue
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I'd pay double for that lineup.
How much is the wine pairing?
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Yeah something like that could cost twice that much. I'd definitely do it.
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not sure about the wine paring
thanks
Damn, I have a conflict that afternoon!
Golf Tournament
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Golf should be over in plenty of time.
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it will be about 6, with dinner to follow
it won't be great food, but already paid for
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Last night: https://www.carmelitaskitchen.com/ in Rancho Santa Margarita.
I ended up with the combo plate. Shredded beef enchilada with mole, crispy shredded beef taco, and a pork carnitas chile relleno. It was outstanding. Had a spicy margarita and then an IPA.
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sounds like what I would have ordered
except for the IPA
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Yeah, I normally avoid combination plates at Mexican joints because too many of them seem addicted with the Taco Bell problem: "same four ingredients, but I'm the different shapes!"
But this was perfect. Great variety of flavors so the meal didn't end up as one note.
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anything with mole, and a pork carnitas chile relleno.
I might ask for extra mole~
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(https://i.imgur.com/H0Xn3Lw.png)
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Pics from Anna Maria Oyster Bar in North Port, FL, for @Cincydawg (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=870) .
(https://i.imgur.com/VopC7Lq.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/lb2Xi8J.jpeg)
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We had dinner in Cincy at Jean Roberts last remaining restaurant, Bar et Bouef. It was superb, really for me a reminder of how French cuisine can be in the US.
Jean Robert passed away not long ago, but the place is still up to his standards. His wife came by later to visit with us. And my wife told me the restaurant closed the day after that, she kept it open a bit longer because she knew we were coming.
There is a place in Louisville, KY that is up to this par, IMHO, I haven't been in years though.
Home - Bistro Le Relais (https://www.lerelaisrestaurant.com/)
Maybe the best example in Atlanta, which IMHO is not as good and more expensive, is this:
Le Bilboquet Atlanta | French Bistro and Bar (https://www.lebilboquetatlanta.com/)
It's decent, but pricey as heck. We've been once.
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Pics from Anna Maria Oyster Bar in North Port, FL, for @Cincydawg (https://www.cfb51.com/index.php?action=profile;u=870) .
(https://i.imgur.com/VopC7Lq.jpeg)
brussel sprouts?!?!?!?
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Where?
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bottom right - probably mussels?
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Oysters with spinach. Rockefeller style.
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My wife would groan seeing oysters Rockefeller. I like them OK at times.
Had lunch today at Bangkok Thai, really good, not pricey. We strolled through the botanical garden.
(https://i.imgur.com/x3mdK2M.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/iKgUiAC.jpeg)
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There are lots ways to get oysters at Anna Maria. That's the beauty of the place.
They also do a ton of work in the community. Good people.
(https://i.imgur.com/8uLtiCr.png)
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Mignonette is our preferred option.
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(https://i.imgur.com/a2tiFdU.png)
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Mignonette is our preferred option.
Mine too, but not easy to find an an oyster shack...
BYOM
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Man every joint around here serves them with mignonette. I actually don't like it, too vinegary, hides the flavor of the oyster.
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What's the best restaurant for escargot?
(https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/f344b0a8617559ad7013511d5683f31e?impolicy=wcms_crop_resize&cropH=646&cropW=1147&xPos=0&yPos=0&width=862&height=485&imformat=generic)
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I'm with Grandma Georgie
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I love escargot.
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the unpopular opinions thread is over there -------------->>>
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I love escargot.
Would you eat one of those giant snails pictured above?
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I love escargot.
It's okay. Chewy and salty.
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I had a deep fried escargot at Prhyme steakhouse in Tulsa about 2 1/2 years ago. It was fine.
I haven't had the traditional preparation since maybe my early teens. I'd give it another go without hesitation, but the opportunity hasn't arisen...
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I love escargot as well.
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Would you eat one of those giant snails pictured above?
No, I might keep it as a pet though.
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It's a great food. Love it.
Also want one of these, so people can point at me and say
"Look at that S car go!"
(https://i.imgur.com/UGbuQUO.jpeg)
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We walked over to a new place called Alici the other day for lunch, it claims to be an oyster bar. It was OK. I can't remember if I already reviewed it.
The restaurant business is brutal, small differences in margins are life and death. There are two small places near us that have almost zero business, they do some take out, rarely have diners inside. I'm guessing they are laundries. One is a burger place, we tried it once, it was OK. In decent weather the owner/operator dude is usually sitting outside on a picnic table looking at his phone, nobody inside. The other place is a Silverlake Ramen, named for the town near LA, it's a small chain, we like it pretty much. They might have one other table occupied when we go, usually for lunch.
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the hooters in Columbia was about half full last night
Monday and Wednesday special - buy 10 traditional wings, get 10 boneless wings for free.
3 of us at the bar ordered 10 traditional and told them to keep the chicken nuggets.
the bartender complained they don't have enuff staff and are overwhelmed on gamedays and other events.
they don't get time off because of short staff
the staff that was there last night looked pretty good to me
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No, I might keep it as a pet though.
(https://i.imgur.com/MUB8w3q.png)
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They come from Africa initially, but they have recently infiltrated Florida.
(https://assets3.thrillist.com/v1/image/2782673/741x741/scale;webp=auto;jpeg_quality=60.jpg)
They like to eat the stucco off of buildings.
(https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/imageserve/62c08596fe2aa540ce364b90/960x0.jpg)
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I'm sure folks would eat them in France. And Louisiana.
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and Florida
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No.
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What's the creepiest critter commonly consumed in Cajun cuisine?
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Red beans and rice.
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Crawfish? Squirrel?
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I feel like this is a dare.
The moment you come up with the creepiest critter you can possibly think of, some Cajun is gonna be...
...hold my beer. :57:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqFfYiMCYaE
The Nutria:
(https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*1HJMYL1hsIwi-8nNg70Tyg.jpeg)
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(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/uEaUfAPXA4U/hq720.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEhCK4FEIIDSFryq4qpAxMIARUAAAAAGAElAADIQj0AgKJD&rs=AOn4CLD04IAhiTA8C7b78Dx7_GetTlXqxw)
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I've had very good frog legs
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The oddest thing I've eaten was seiche. My wife told me it was a "kind of fish" when I asked her. Indeed it is.
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I've had very good frog legs
I visited an Asian grocery for the first time a long time ago, and found some unique (to me) options throughout. Grabbed a pack of frog legs with no idea what to really do with them. Threw them straight onto the Foreman grill. Awful, lol!!! Season them? Nah. Fry 'em up? Nope.
Learning experience, for sure.
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Frog legs are child's play at the Asian market.
They sell cans of pickled crickets.
(https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.aa267e172c29d47abe1a79c339b988f5?rik=DXh%2bfbIs%2b4nEbw&pid=ImgRaw&r=0)
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Oh, definitely. I didn't go with the pig snout ends (nostrils) in the saran-wrapped styrofoam package. Or the big jug of MSG.
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The pig snout ends might have been good if you fried 'em up.
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I lacked bravery.
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they go into the meat pudding that's formed into hot dogs here
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(https://i.imgur.com/5iTr11e.png)