Cinnabon

There are some things that are so wonderful, delicious and decadent that they are almost too good to be true. One of those things is a Cinnabon. If Cinnabons weren't probaly 1,000 calories each I would have one every single time I went to the mall and walked by one (which is a lot because I shop a lot). I just read on their website that the cinnamon used to make the treat is actually from Indonesia which is really good news. I mean have you ever seen a fat Indonesian person, maybe these things are good for you?

I like the standard Cinnabon but the Caramel Pecanbon looks outstanding. Truthfully the buns are pretty big so I think getting a mini one is more than enough. They also have great coffee drinks here that are pretty much desserts. I like the Mochalatta Chill, I have not had one in a while but I remember it being awesome.

I think for my birthday next year I want a Cinnabon instead of a cake, not that I even had cake this year.

Happy Thanksgiving - All About The Sides

So I don't like Turkey. I don't like it hot, cold with gravy, without, doesn't matter, I don't like it. I actually don't think most people really like it that much either. They think they do but actually they like all the side dishes and desserts and would rather eat all that. The turkey is the centerpiece that you do not really need.

Since I only eat side dishes on Thanksgiving I am dedicating this post to the best side dishes served at chain restaurants.

1) Nathan's French Fries

2) McDonald's French Fries

3) Houston's Baked Potatoes

4) Cheesecake Factory Mashed Potatoes

5) Texas Roadhouse Baked Sweet Potatoes

Hmm I guess I really like carbs.

Have a great holiday everyone.

Jock's and Jill's Went Up The Hill

To fetch a pint a beer that is!

I just got back from Atlanta where the only restaurant I really got the chance to eat in was a southern sports bar chain called Jock's and Jill's. I have to say the name is really catchy. It makes me laugh at least.

The interior of this place is really your typical chain sports bar. It is pretty big with a decent sized bar and sports memorabilia everywhere. My favorite was the signed Jeter and Arod Yankees Jersey. It was right next to Manny's.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give the food here 7 overall which I think is pretty fair. For appetizers we got a spinach cheese dip and buffalo shrimp. The dip was OK, kinda watery so I would not really recommend it. The buffalo shrimp though was really excellent. You can tell this place really excels in the buffalo realm which it should as it is a sports bar. For my meal I got a burger and fries and I was happy with it. The burger was soft and flavorful and the fries tasted great. It is not a top 10 burger but better than a lot of others I have had recently. Most of the other people at my table got buffalo chicken sandwiches that looked delicious and seemed to be a crowd pleaser. Other items on the menu that stuck out to me where the buffalo chicken sliders,thai lettuce wrap salad and an oriental chicken salad. Next time I am back I would like to try those.

Of course the most important thing here is the beer and they had very nice list. My boss was into trying all the local Atlanta brews. It stuck with the Corona Light. I like when bars have Corona Light, why not ya know?

Anyway, if you are in the south and need a decent sports bar definitely check this place out.

Oh I just read more about this place on their website. It was actually founded by former Atlanta Hawk players. That is pretty cool.

The BIG Marathon Meal

As many of you know I will be running in the ING NYC Marathon. I am so excited, training has been a lot of fun and I was able to raise a lot of money for a very worthy cause. Of course one of the greatest things about training for the marathon is the CARB loading! Yup, the marathon is the greatest excuse to eat all the carbs you want. In honor of the big run I am going to list my choices (not in any particular order) of the best pasta dishes at chain restaurants. Please feel free to add some of your favorites.

1) Romano's Macaroni Grill Pasta Romano

2) California Pizza Kitchen's Chicken Tequilla Fettuccine

3) Grotto's (this is a TX chain) Pasta with Meat Sauce

4) Carmine's Penne with Garlic and Oil

5) Cheesecake Factory's Pad Thai

6) Maggiano's Chicken with Pesto Linguine

7) Bertucci's Shrimp Scampi

CPK For Your Catering Needs

As a professional person living in the Big Apple sometimes I need to cater food for meetings. Usually I go to all those standard city deli places but I had a big meeting so I wanted to try something new. I figured, I should go chain, I mean really if anyone is going to cater food for a big meeting from a chain, it better be me.

I decided on California Pizza Kitchen because I thought it would be perfect. I could get lots of salads and pizzas and everyone could try lots of new and tasty dishes.

They do not really have a catering department so you pretty much have to order the food the day of and pay a delievery fee. That is not such a big deal. I think it was worth it to try something new for my people. The one thing that really shocked me though was that they did not have plates, yup no plates. They had forks and napkins but no plates. CPK, if you are reading this, buy plates please.

Del Frisco's - Now That Is What I Call A Restaurant

I AM BACK!

I am so sorry it has taken me so long to post again but I have been a little busy. It is not an excuse but I promise I will never keep all my loyal readers waiting this long ever again.

Anyway I figure my for my fall debut I better write about something good, something really good.

This weekend I was fortunate enough to dine at Del Frisco's to celebrate my favorite persons birthday. The food is really outstanding. With all of the great steakhouses in NYC, this one really stands out. Lucky for me it is located right next to my office so I could literally go everyday if I wanted to, but that might make me really obese.

The ambiance of this place is outstanding. When you walk in here you know you are at a classy steakhouse and are in for a good meal. Big windows, dark woods and an imposing staircase are what catch your eye. The bread here is average. It is just a hot Italian loaf with butter. I mean it is tasty but for a steak place I usually like those bread baskets with lots of breads to chose from. For starters I had the onion rings. They were those huge onion rings lightly dusted with just the right amount of pepper for perfect flavoring. They also have nice salads to start. The house salad comes with bacon and I think that is pretty cool.

So of course the most important part of the meal here is the steak. I got the 8oz filet and I can not remember a better steak. It was perfect! Cooked the way I like it and with lots of flavor. The sides here were also wonderful. The one that stuck out as one of the greatest things I ever put in my mouth was the sweet potato casserole which was really sweet potato mashed potatoes. Really words do not describe how delicious this side was. It is not on the menu, it is a special, but really it should always be on the menu. We also got the sauteed potatoes and onions. These were like those fresh cut potato chips. I was not expecting that from the description but they were still really good, I think just a bit overshadowed but the goodness of the sweet potatoes though.

Sadly, I did not have room for dessert but I am sure they are delicious.

A great thing about this place is their business lunch. For 30 bucks you can get an appetizer, steak and dessert. That is incredible. I will surely start taking my clients here for special occasions.

Chili's New Menu Items

I was recently watching TV and saw an ad for the new menu options available at Chilis. This one just really stood out in my mind ......Buffalo Chicken Fajitas!!! OMG that sounds amazing!!! Two of my favorite types of food combined into one. I need to go soon and try this.

Who wants to come with me??????????

Red Lobster is Bringing Healthy Back

Besides being the sexiest restaurant in Times Square, Red Lobster will now also be the healthiest!

Read the article below, courtesy of my friend Erica who seems to love a good cheesy biscuit as much as I do. The article is about how Red Lobster is launching a new website to coincide with it's new healthier menus and fresh food choices. There is nothing I love more than healthy options at a stellar chain.

http://publications.mediapost.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.san&s=66424&Nid=33681&p=293105

I can not wait to go back soon!

The Chains of Atlantic City

I love Atlantic City and I am not ashamed to admit it! It really has all the elements I love about a vacation. The beach, boardwalk, gambling (but I wish they had Sports betting), shopping and most importantly excellent chain restaurants. AC is really a chain restaurant meca. Below is my list of the best chains Atlantic City offers.

1) P.F. Chang's - Located in the Quarter at Tropicana Chang's gets my number one vote. I can go on for hours about why I love this place. The lettuce wraps, wonton soup, mongolian beef, double pan fried noodles. It really is a culinary extravaganza!

2) Carmine's -Also located at the Quarter at Tropicana this family style Italian restaurant is a NY gem that standouts in AC. Their chicken parm is my favorite.

3) Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - Located at Caesar's (not the pier) if you are going to have steak in AC I would do it here.

4) Hard Rock Cafe - Located at Trump Taj Mahal this classic chain serves up some of the best burgers and fries any chain has to offer.

5) House of Blues - Located at the Showboat hotel this fun chain serves up great soul food. I recommend the shrimp! It is much better than the new Southern Hospitality that opened here in NY. Sorry JT stick to stealing Jeter's ladies and singing songs about Brit Brit.

Other chains that did not make the top 5

(Applebee's, The Palm, Hooters, Rain Forest Cafe, Morton's)

Also I was unsure if I could count all the Steven Starr restaurants. Yes many of them have multiple locations but are they really national chains???? I guess they are. Next blog posting will just be about how much I love them all.

LC Loves Pinkberry Too!

OMG did you see the Hills last night?????????????????????

LC and Lo love and eat Pinkberry too. They were eating it in last nights episode.

LC if you are reading this, next time you are in NY, Pinkberry is on me!

Bergen County Restaurant Row - Keep Them Coming

The second of the Northern Bergen County Restaurant Row opened last week. I of course ran over to check it out and I was very pleased. PF Changs opened its doors and from what I saw things were going very well. On Saturday night it was packed. I was lucky enough to get a reservation. The food was like always amazing and the staff was very attentive. This is a wonderful addition to Bergen County. I can not wait for the next one to open!

I think if the Sopranos were still on the air there would definitely be an episode about Tony eating at PF Changs. As king of Bergen County I doubt he would have to wait.

Oh How I Wish I Was in Cali

Tonight is a big night in the world of chain restaurants. Restaurants and Institutions is having an awards ceremony at the Ritz Carlton in Half Moon Bay, California. What a night, three of my favorite things, chain restaurants, Ritz Carlton's and parites all rolled up in one night. I really wish I was in California because I would go to this event.
Below is a list of the winners. You will see some of my favorites are on the list as well as some of my least favorites. Let me know what you think.
BURGERS:
Culver's Platinum Winner
Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Gold Winner
In-N-Out Burger Silver Winner
CAFETERIA/BUFFET:
Sweet Tomatoes Platinum Winner
Golden Corral Steak,
Buffet & Bakery Gold Winner
Ryan's Grill, Buffet & Bakery Silver Winner
CASUAL DINING:
P.F. Chang's China Bistro Platinum Winner
The Cheesecake Factory Gold Winner
California Pizza Kitchen Silver Winner
CHICKEN:
Chick-fil-A Platinum Winner
El Pollo Loco Gold Winner
Popeye's Chicken & Biscuits Silver Winner
COFFEE/SNACKS:
Starbucks Coffee Platinum Winner
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Gold Winner
Tim Hortons Silver Winner
FAMILY DINING:
Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Platinum Winner
Bob Evan's Gold Winner
Mimi's Cafe Silver Winner
ITALIAN:
Olive Garden Platinum Winner
Carrabba's Italian Grill Gold Winner
Buca di Beppo Silver Winner
MEXICAN:
Baja Fresh Mexican Grill Platinum Winner
On the Border Mexican
Grill & Cantina Gold Winner
Chipotle Mexican Grill Silver Winner
PIZZA:
Papa Murphy's Take 'N Bake Pizza Platinum Winner
Pizza Hut Gold Winner
CiCi's Pizza Silver Winner
SANDWICH:
Panera Bread Platinum Winner
Jason's Deli Gold Winner
Subway Silver Winner
SEAFOOD:
Red Lobster Platinum Winner
Joe's Crab Shack Gold Winner
Captain D's Silver Winner
STEAKHOUSE:
Outback Steakhouse Platinum Winner
LongHorn Steakhouse Gold Winner
Famous Dave's Silver Winner
TREATS:
Cold Stone Creamery Platinum Winner
Haagen-Dazs Gold Winner
Jamba Juice Silver Winner

(Thanks Shirra for this information)

The Palm is not the Bomb but it is still pretty good.

I recently had lunch at the Palm and I have to say, it is good, but it is certainly not the bomb.

The service is really what brings this place down a bit, at least the one I just went to. Our waiter pretty much told us that because a table of 10 is coming soon he is kind of going to have to pay more attention to them. What, who says that.?? Sadly, he did pay more attention to them

Ok, on to the food. To start I must give props to the bread basket. It is everything a steak place bread basket should be. There are lots of choices like garlic rolls, walnut raisin bread, breadsticks, etc.

There are lots of appetizers and salads to start which is nice because I like options. For my most recent visit I ordered a salad off the special summer menu and it was very eh. It was really just lettuce and watermelon in a light dressing. It was good but not outstanding. Next time I would like to try the shrimp appetizer or a house salad. Those looked good. For my entree I got a small Filet which was very good, cooked perfectly so I was happy with that. The annoying part of the entree portion were the sides. I again ordered off of the special summer menu which I think was a mistake. I got this slaw thing because it said it had apples in it. When it came out it was this weird purple thing that did not taste so great. Note to self, just eat apples as apples, you do not need them in your slaw. We also ordered truffle fries. They were essentially fries covered in Parmesan cheese. I liked them because I like fries and I like Parmesan cheese. Next time though I would stick with the staples like homefries (hmm those looked good) and mashed potatoes.
For dessert they bring out this huge tray with all of the options on it. Wow, everything looked so delicious, especially the carrot cake. I did not get any but it looked good!

The Palm is still family owned, probably one of the only chain restaurants around that still is. I think that is pretty cool.

Pinkberry - A Nice Treat

After a long run on Saturday I decided to treat myself to some Pinkberry. For those of you not in the know, Pinkberry is all the rage in California and is not making its imprint here in NY. What it is, is a pure frozen yogurt place, not fake chemical stuff (not that I mind that). They only have two flavors vanilla and green tea. I of course got vanilla. I love vanilla which is kind of ironic because I think my personality is so not vanilla. So because this is actual frozen yogurt it does not really taste like ice cream, instead it is more like actual yogurt and therefore a little sour. I think it takes a while to get used to it but once you do it is very tasty and refreshing. The awesome thing about this place is all the fresh toppings they offer. They pretty much have every fruit plus granola and cereal, yup cereal. I love cereal!

So, here is the annoying thing about Pinkberry, it is kind of expensive. It cost me close to 6 bucks for a small cup with pineapple and granola. Also because there are only a few locations in NY, the line here can be very long. Luckily I went early and did not have to wait in line.

Ruby Tuesday's Great Bar (Salad Of Course)

I recently went to Ruby Tuesday's and I have to say I was quite impressed. I used to love going to this place with my hetero-lifemate back when I was in college but since then I kind of forgot how good it is. Lucky for me, I was reunited last weekend.

No, this is not a Cheesecake Factory, Houston's kind of place, not at all. I would compare it more to a Friday's or an Applebee's.

The best thing about Ruby Tuesday's is definitely its salad bar. It is a vast bar of great options. I am really not a huge vegetable fan and I was still was able to find many things that I like. They had every kind lettuce to choose from. On my salad I got crasins, sunflower seeds, some yummy brown croutons. cous cous, cucumbers and edamame. I love that they had edamame. It was so trendy of them. For my dressing I got a low fat balsamic that was quite tasty. If you are normal and actually eat veggies they have lots of options for you as well as some fun pasta salads. They only thing missing from this salad bar was chocolate pudding and pineapple chunks. Back in the day I am pretty sure both of these things were on the bar.

A great feature of this place is that you can get some food options with your salad bar at a reasonable price. For example you can get the salad bar and then two mini burgers and fries for 9 bucks. That is great! I got a delicious White Bean Soup and the salad bar for around $8.50. I think that is a great deal.

Of course the menu is not just the salad bar. They had lots of great appetizers like Spinach Artichoke Dip, Thai Shrimp, Dumplings and Quesidillas. The that stuck out to me were the shrimp and salmon dishes as well as the multiply hamburger choices. What is most impressive is that they serve whole wheat buns on the burgers. Really, every place should do that, it is very smart.

Overall, I think this is a great chain. One is opening up very soon in Times Square and I hope to go there a lot! If you are lucky, maybe I will take you. We can sing some Rolling Stones songs along the way. Goodbye Ruby Tuesday. Who Could Hang A Name On You? When You Change With Every New Day Still I'm Gonna Miss You.

Tune In Tonight!!!

CNBC is doing an extraordinary special tonight that is not to be missed. It is a behind the scenes looks at my favorite and of course the biggest and best chain of them all.......McDonald's. This is not to be missed.
See below for a link to more information on the special.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/19168312

The Birthday Meal

I am sure many of you have been checking this blog to see where I had the big birthday lunch. I have to say, I am a bit disappointed in the lack of comments on where I should have gone. I thought more people would have voiced their opinion on what would go into my stomach. Whatever.

Anyway, sorry this posting is a bit late. I was kind of out of commission for a few days but I am back and ready to conquer the chain restaurant world.

Drum roll please, on July 18th I had the pleasure of dining at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse with the Food Snob. I was so excited to try this place because I only heard good things about it.

(side note: why is it Ruth's Chris and not just Ruth Chris, Ruth's is a very hard word to say)

I was very impressed and surprised with the atmosphere here. It is much more stuffy and high class than I imagined. You really feel like you are in a very high end restaurant. We did not have a reservation and because it is restaurant week in NY we had to wait a good 20 minutes for a table which was kind of annoying because the hostess was very vague on how long it would take to be seated. Once I was seated though all my annoyances vanished. To start I had a very simple salad with a vinaigrette. It was good, but not anything totally amazing. I was also kind of surprised with the bread here. Yes, it was very good, nice and hot, crusty outside and soft inside but I expect more variety when i go to a steak place, this was kind of plain. The best part of the meal here is definitely the steak. It really is superb. I got a wonderful Filet that was almost perfect. It was so soft and delicious. The steak is cooked in a sizzling butter. I am sure it is very unhealthy but it really is wonderful. I also got mashed potato's with my entree. They were good, but not spectacular. Again, the steak is what really stands out. For dessert I got a delightful chocolate moose pie. It was a very nice way of ending a fine meal.

All and all, a great meal on a great birthday. Rain and subway explosions do not stop me!

That Special Day Is One Day Away

One more day until one of the greatest days of the year, Joe Torre's birthday, oh and mine of course. This special day brings a huge debate to the table, what chain to I go to for my birthday lunch? This might be more simple if I lived in a suburb and had the luxury of almost every chain at my fingertips. Instead, I am stuck on Manhattan Island and must chose from what is offered here. What I am asking for is your help, my loyal readers, in choosing where I dine on the day I officially become kind of old.

Here is a list, in no specific order, of what the island of Manhattan has to offer me on my birthday.

1) California Pizza Kitchen ( I like it a lot)

2) Del Friscos (Can I handle a big steak for lunch, probably)

3) Capital Grill (Always a soft spot in my heart)

4) Apple Bee's (Two things to celebrate, being bought by IHOP and my Bday)

5) Red Lobster (The birth of me and the birth of the blog)

6) Bubba Gump (Been there, done that)

7) Ted's Montana Grill (Been there, done that, but would do it again)

8) McDonald's (Oh what a treat it would be, my favorite restaurant)

9) Wendy's (Very convenient, in my building and all)

10) Carmine's (We all know it is a chain now)

11) Nobu (OMG such a chain)

12) Heartland Brewery (No way jose)

13) McCormick & Schmicks (eh, rather go to Red Lobster)

14) Morton's (Never been, could be nice to try it)

15) Ruth Chris Steak House (Same as Morton's)

16) Pizzera Uno

17) Rosa Mexicana (I would usually pull for this but I am having Mexican for dinner)

18) Houston's (Almost forgot about that one, hmm that is a good one)

I will just put 18 up, for good luck!

Will Applebee's Serve Pancakes?

Good job NYPost.com! I just read that IHOP is buying Applebee's. I hope that does not bring the quality of the food at Applebee's down. I really like Applebee's, it would be sad to see it lose some it's neighborhood appeal.

Below is a link to the article on everyones favorite news website.

http://breakingnews.nypost.com/dynamic/stories/I/IHOP_APPLEBEES?SITE=NYNYP&SECTION=HOME

Stay tuned for more information about this business deal.

Breaking Carmine's News

Did anyone know that there was a Carmine's in some random slot machine casino in Rhode Island?????

I had no idea. I hope I am not off of my chain game.

Even though I love chain restaurants part of me is a bit upset that Carmine's is really turning into a big ol'chain. I can deal with the outposts in the Atlantis and AC but Twin Falls, Rhode Island? Something about it just rubs me the wrong way.

I guess at least I know now that the next time I am in the middle of nowhere Rhode Island I will be able to find awesome Chicken Parm and Ziti with Garlic and Oil (my personal favorite dishes there).

It's Hot in NY & I Need Ice Cream

Of course I do not really eat ice cream, I mean what NY girl really does. Ha, we all go and love Tasti D Lite. Tasti D Lite is really a NY institution. It might be one of my top 5 things I love about NY. For those of you who do not know Tasti D Lite is a low calorie (so they say), low fat frozen dessert. It is kind of like frozen yogurt, but I think better. You might remember it from a Sex and the City episode when my hero Charlotte was eating it while walking down the street with Harry. Anyway, what is so great about Tasti D Lite is all the flavors they offer. Of course they have the standard Vanilla and Chocolate but they also have just about every kind of dessert taste you can imagine. There are too many to list so I will just tell you my favorites. Drum roll please....................................................

(not in any specific order)

Oreos n Cream

Rice Pudding

Cake Batter

Pistachio

Creme Brulee

Dulce De Leche

Coffee n Cream

I really love this place. There was a time I used to eat it everyday. I am a bit better now, probably more like 3 times a week. One annoying thing is that I noticed the quality and service vary a lot throughout the different Tasti D Lites (there are like 1,000 in NYC). The one closest to my apt is very clean and nice but the servers all have attitudes. I yelled at them once and said come on guys, you serve ice cream (sort of) for a living, be happy, smile, you are making people happy and probably lots of money while doing it. They laughed and gave me a hint of a smile. Ever since they have been a bit nicer.

Nobu - OMG You Are Such A Chain

Really Nobu, who are you fooling, you are a such a chain. Now in almost every city you go you can find a Nobu. I think you were much cooler when you had one location in Tribeca and you had to know some secret number to call and actually get a reservation for 5:30pm on a Monday night. Besides opening a mid-town location to cater to business people like myself, you are also open in Mykonnos (FYI - I totally love Greece so I don't blame Mr. DeNiro for opening one there, I mean any excuse to go to Mykonnos makes sense). Other cities you are chaining yourself to include London, Dallas (umm really, if I go to Dallas I want Tex-Mex or BBQ not Tempura), Miami, Las Vegas (Ok, everything is in Vegas so that is fine), LA (3 locations), Honolulu, Milan (what, why would you eat Sushi in Italy), Melbourne, Hong Kong and by far my favorite Tokyo (give me a break).

Anyway this shows that really Nobu you are no better than P.F. Changs. At least they have killer Lettuce Wraps there, and not just Chicken Terriyaki that is still on the bone. Ok fine, your Rock Shrimp Tempura is amazing, I will give you that.

It Looks Like Chains Are The New Thing

Anyone who ever laughed at my love of chain restaurants, please see the article below.
It seems chains are not only helping my stomach but also helping the economy!
Awesome!
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyMiZmZ2JlbDdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5NzE1OTk3OA==

Ted's Montana Grill - I was Impressed

I have to say I was a bit apprehensive to try this place. Actually maybe I was intimidated. I thought it was going to be a scary meat place with lots of Bison. Oh, I was wrong.

First they have this awesome cherry lemonade. It was one of the most delicious non-alcoholic drinks I ever had in my entire life!
They also have some nice appetizers to chose from. I got the grilled shrimp. I like shrimp as an appetizer, I should get it more often. It is light and flavorful.

What I was most impressed with at Ted's was their varieties of hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. They have around 15 different versions of each. I got a chicken sandwich with avocado slices and a side of BBQ sauce. on a whole wheat bun. It was really delicious and not too heavy at all. The have lots of choices with different cheeses, onions, peppers, bacon, guac, etc. Really, something for everyone. They also have lots of side items. The fries and onion rings looked out of this world but I got the garlic mashed potato's and they were really good.

The entree choices are also good here. Of course they have lots of steaks that I would like to try sometime soon but what really stood out to me was the Beer Can Chicken. I bet I would like that.

Anyway, good job Ted Turner, not only can you revolutionize the way we get news round the clock but you also can make a pretty good chain restaurant!

Breaking News - New Chains in the Palisades

Yup you are reading it here first. The Palisades Center is set to open two new chains. Both of them look fantastic. The first is Buffalo Wild, Wings. I have never been but I know many people who have and I only hear good things about it. The menu looks great, lots of wraps and sandwhichs with many sauces to chose from. They also have what they call Naked Tenders which are Boneless Chicken Wings that are not fried. Brilliant!

Here is a link to the site.

http://www.buffalowildwings.com/index2.asp

The second one also looks really good. It is called Bravo. I have never heard of it before but it seems like a nice upscale Italian restaurant. Nothing really stands out on the menu for me but there are lots of nice Steak, Chicken and Seafood dishes along with some fun appetizers like flat breads.

Here is a link to their site.

http://www.bravoitalian.com/

Anyway this is great news. I am very excited that the Palisades Center is getting some unique chains. I will keep you updated on opening dates.

Kona Grill - Please Open More!

Well I am back from a fabulous stay in Texas. My, my Texas is just brimming with chains. It is really a Rori wonderland. I was lucky enough to sample a new chain I have never heard of. It is called Kona Grill and it is AWESOME!

I will start with the atmosphere. Very chill yet very classy. You walk into this place and you know you will have a relaxing meal.
I would describe the menu as Asian Fusion mixed in with some American. There are so many great appetizers to chose from for example Avocado Egg Rolls, Chicken Satay and Pot Stickers. There is also a full Sushi menu which of course I did not try. Of course I did not try it because Sushi is gross but my co-worker did and he approved.

The entree choices here are great. This is one of those places where I have a hard time deciding on what to get. It is not that it is too large it is just that almost everything on the menu looks good to me. Some that looked best to me are the Chicken Wrap (it has avocado and some pineapple sauce), Jerk Chicken, Macadamia Chicken (their specialty), Thai Chicken Noodles, Basil Pesto Linguine, and the Garlic Shrimp Pizza. I ordered a the Oriental Salad with Macadamia Chicken. It was the perfect lunch salad. Nice portion and light and refreshing! I was impressed. There was not much in the salad besides the chicken, cabbage and some noodles but it was really tasty so I was happy. They also have a nice drink menu which is always a good thing.

Now on a happy note a Kona Grill will be opening in the NY area soon. The website lists Stamford, CT as one of their next locations. That is great! So if you see one in your hood, definitely check it out.

It's Official, It's Open

Yup, you are reading it here first, the first of the three new restaurants making up Northern New Jersey's restaurant row is officially open. Maggianos opened this week at the Shops of Riverside and I recently went to see how this upscale chain is holding up.
The restaurant itself is very nice. It has a casual sophisticated ambiance. They also have a nice bar area with some TVs. I looked at the drink menu and there were some really nice fun drinks as well as a good selection of wines.
For my meal I started with the mozzarella marinara which was essentially just a big mozzarella stick. It was good but not ground breaking.
They also give you bread here. It is rather plain but heated so it makes it nice. They also serve it with a oil and balsamic vinegar. It is good but again not ground breaking. They should add some garlic or something to it.
For my entree I got the chicken pesto pasta. I substituted the linguine for whole wheat penne. I love that you have the option to do that. I ordered the 1/2 portion which was more than enough for a big meal. I was very happy with the dish. The chicken was good and the sauce was tasty. I also sampled the Chicken Marsala which was delicious! Only annoying thing is that it does not come with a side. Next time I go I would order that and share it with someone that is getting a pasta dish. You get 3 big cutlets so it is more than enough to share. I also tried the Chicken Fontina which was a nice choice and the Rigatoni D. I liked it, but the person who ordered it thought it was a bit on the bland side. I thought it had a nice refreshing taste. Another dish that I would really like to try is the 4 cheese ravioli. I have come to really like ravioli in my old age.
I did not order desserts but saw them being brought out to other tables. Everything looked really good especially the chocolate cake the these homemade profiteroles (pastry things) with ice cream all around it.
One last thing to note, they also offer a family style menu that allows you to sample a bit of everything. I would do that if I went with a large party and a big appetite.

The Chains of Israel

I am back from the desert with information on what chains are in Israel.
I have to say that my 10 days in Israel were the worst 10 days of eating I have ever experienced. I actually think I was mal nourished. Unfortunately I was forced to eat mass produced hotel food for the majority of my trip so I could not really sample the cuisine but I did see lots of chains. The one that I was most surprised to see was the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf in Tel Aviv. Of course I was unable to go in because I was not allowed to leave the group of 19 year old brats (some exceptions of course). Anyway just the sight of it really made me happy.
Other chains were McDonalds (see below for information), Burger King, KFC, Sbarro and Dominos. Mostly fast food of course.
There was also a Niki Beach in Eliat. They have these in Miami, NYC, France and there was once one in Atlantic City. I went here for a drink when I was allowed an hour to leave the group and was really disappointed. The drink was so strong it was undrinkable even for me. Also it took 30 minutes to get a menu and they tried to rip us off on the bill. Not cool!
Anyway I am glad to be home so I can feast again on chains galore!

McDonalds in the Holy Land

So I have this thing. Whenever I travel abroad I have to try the McDonalds. I like to see what different foods they offer. For example some serve pizza and food that is favorable in that country. For example, in Greece they served Gyros. Anyway that kind of annoys me. I mean if you want a Gyro go to a real Gyro place. Let McDonalds focus on Big Macs.
So usually I think that the McDonalds in other countries is better than it is in the US. Nope, not the case in the Holy Land. I got my standard, chicken nuggets and french fries. It was just kind of bland. I think that the US must add more grease or something. I was not impressed yet it was still the best meal I have had thus far.
Some of the unique things that they had on the menu though was this pita pocket of a hamburger. Nobody on the line ordered it. They also offered lots of salads that were different than the ones in the US. You could tell the people what you wanted in your salad like tuna or chicken. They also had walnuts and I love walnuts so I thought that was cool.
Anyway, not so impressed my Israeli McDonalds. I saw a Sbarro on the road. Maybe I will come across it again and will be able to try it.

The Last Supper

Before I begin my journey to bring peace to the Middle East I want to fully indulge on the perfect chain restaurant meal. I am taking suggestions so let me know what you think my last meal should be before I begin my mission (of getting really tan that is) .

Happy Memorial Day - Hello Summer!

Hello Summer, my favorite time of year! Yup because in the summer my suburban lunch favorite, Panera, brings back my favorite salad, the Strawberry Poppyseed salad. This yummy, delicious salad is topped with strawberries, duh, blueberries, pineapples, manadarin oranges, pecans and chicken. Plus it is made with a non-fat special dressing. Perfect lunch on a hot summer day. Have that with their classic iced green tea and it is guaranteed to be a good day. They also add a tomato and fresh mozzarella salad for the summer. I am not a big tomato fan but that salad looks good too. This summer they have added a new low fat strawberry smoothie to the menu that I would like to try and a passion fruit bagel. I think the passion fruit bagel sounds very interesting. The Chicken Pomodoro Panini is another new addition to the menu that I would like to try in the near future. The only thing I am a bit afraid of with that is that the chicken is smoked and pulled. I am not really a smoked chicken fan. I like it grilled.

Seasons 52 - Outstanding

I have been spending lots of time in Hotlanta lately which is really good for this blog because it allows me to sample chain restaurants in other parts of the country. Lucky me. Most recently I had the honor to dine at what I think should be the new trend in chain restaurants. The place is called Seasons 52. It is called that because they change the menu 4 times a year to coordinate with the 4 different seasons and use fresh ingredients in all their food. What is simply amazing about this place is that everything on the menu is under 475 calories. What, that is like a Lean Cuisine meal. I can not believe this. The menu reads like every other chain restaurant menu. Sandwiches, big salads, Entrees, etc. This was not some crazy health food, granola loving place. Oh no, it is a beautifully designed upscale chain. I think I found my heaven.
To start I shared the specialty of the restaurant, flat breads. These are just long, flat pieces of specialty pizzas essentially. We got the Garlic Chicken one and it was very good. It is perfect for sharing among a group of 4 people. They also have edamame on the menu which is one of my favorite foods so I was really happy to see that. The starter salads they offer also look very nice.
I did not get one because I was getting a big salad as my entree. Now, you will not believe what kind of salad I got. It was called a Chicken Parm Salad. How cool is that? It was just grilled chicken, peppers, capers, shaved parmigiana cheese, and a lemon-pepper dressing. It was delicious and very filling! They also offer lots of sandwich's, chicken and pasta dishes, fish and even steak! And remember they claim everything is under 475 calories.
One of the coolest parts of this restaurant are their desserts. Again all are under their calorie guidelines. They are "mini indulgences" So cute! They are fun desserts served in what looks like a big shot glass. I think their are around 8 choices that your waiter comes over and shows you. I got the Pecan Pie with Vanilla Bean Moose. I was in Atlanta so I figured that was a good choice. Others that looked really good are the Red Velvet Cake, Old Fashioned Carrot Cake and Strawberry Mango Cheesecake.
To sum it all up, they need to open up more places like this very soon. If anyone from Seasons 52 is reading this, please open up in NY. I would go all the time.

Texas Roadhouse - Yeah It Rocks

So I have to admit I was reluctant to love this place. My family would not stop singing its praises. They would even drive almost 2 hours to the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania to get the ribs. When I finally had the chance to eat here I liked it but did not love it. That all changed last weekend when I was lucky enough to eat here again and my oh my was I wrong. This place really does rock and is awesome. Amazing food!

I will start with the best thing that they offer, the rolls. Wow! They are soft dinner rolls that are coated with butter. If that is not enough, these hot delicious rolls are also served with a cinammon butter that makes this tasty treat really feel like a dessert. The hostess brings you your rolls right as you sit down. They also have peanuts on the table and in barrels for you as you wait for your table. These peanuts are extra good because they taste like they swimming in a sea of salt.

As you can probably tell by the name, Texas Roadhouse, this is a BBQ place. Good ol'fashion food like steak, ribs and chicken. I get the Grilled BBQ Chicken and it is delicous. It is a nice piece of grilled, chicken in a tasty sauce. What I love about this place is the options. You can get either two side items or a side item and a salad. I opt for the two sides. I figure I can get a salad anywhere, might as well have fun with the sides. Last time I got a baked potato and applesauce. I am such a little kid when it comes to food, but hey applesauce is fun! Anyway you can also get a baked sweet potato, mashed, rice, veggies, even chilli. I might try the chili next time, I bet it is good. I have tried the steak here as well and it is really, really good. Much better than the steaks you get at typical chains. They have a few combo options on the menu so you can get steak and chicken, steak and ribs, etc. Oh boy! The ribs are supposedly, "fall off the bone" spectacular. I am not really into food on the bone so I just take everyone elses word on that.

Truthfully, there is no need for dessert here, the rolls are enough of a dessert.

Of course there are a few downfalls to this place. The biggest being the wait. It is always busy, probably because it is so good. I recommend doing their call ahead seating. Another downfall is the clientel. I have to admit this place does not attract the classiest people in the world. Last time I saw a guy that really looked like ZZ Top. It was kind of scary. I think you just have to go and not pay attention to who is eating around you.

Supposedly they also dance here, kind of like Coyote Ugly. I think that is kind of cheesy.

The Day Is Finally Here!

It is finally May, 15th, my 1 one year anniversary at the Post and the Grand Opening of the California Pizza Kitchen in Murray Hill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A coincidence, I think not!


I am sure I will be here at least once before the end of the week. I would go tonight but the elitists that I work with refuse. Whatever, they do not know what they are missing.


Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza, Spinach Artichoke Dip. Thai Crunch Salad, here I come!

Thanks to my biggest supporter, he let me know that the opening was actually a big event in Murray Hill. Check out this link for pictures of the Grand Opening. I can not believe I was not invited.

http://www.wireimage.com/GalleryListing.asp?navtyp=gls====273840&nbc1=1

Coffee Fun In The Great State of CT

I had the opportunity to explore the great state of Connecticut this weekend and explore what they had to offer in terms of coffee. My first stop was the one I was most excited about. Imus Ranch coffee. Yes you read it right, I was going to be able to support my man Imus and his ranch for kids with cancer simply by ordering a cup of Joe. I ordered an iced coffee and much to my dismay it really was not that good. First big mistake, they served it in paper soda cups. Not the typical clear plastic ones that iced coffee is served in. Just by seeing that I knew the coffee was not going to be good. It was just kind of blah. Nothing exciting about it at all. Of course I recommend going there though to support Imus and his charity.

Now, my second stop in coffee exploration came to my by surprise. I was going to just get Dunkin Donuts for breakfast but I found this Tim Horton place. Wow, lucky me. It was awesome! At first the name scared me because it sounded like someone one of my friends would date or maybe it was too much like Bobs Big Boy, but I am glad I decided to try it. It is essentially a coffee and donut place with a small town feel to it. They have all your standard quick breakfast fare like donuts, bagels, muffins, etc. I looked it up on the Internet and they started in Canada but now have outposts throughout NY, New England & Pennsylvania.

Anyway the coffee was wonderful! First, they used small pieces of crushed iced instead of cubes, similar to the way they make it at the Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. This really was a treat. I ordered a Mint Chocolate Iced Coffee and it was AMAZING!!! They put actual chocolate in the iced coffee. It tasted better than any latte I had at Starbucks ever. I also was able to sample a "Cappuccino Supreme" that was fantastic. This was similar to a frappaccino but half the cost. Really tasty! If you see one near you, definitely stop in and try it.

Chain Your Mom

It is almost Mother's Day. If you have not bought your mom a present yet, hurry up, you only have a few more days. There is a new Barbra Streisand CD out so that is always a good choice. I know my mom would be happy with that.

Of course besides getting the lady that brought you into this world a present you should probably take her out to brunch or lunch or dinner and really, what better place to do that than a Chain Restaurant.

So, here is my list of chains your should take your momma to this Mother's Day.

1) Grand Lux Cafe - it is Mother's Day, everyone could use a little bit of excessive opulence. Plus this place has a great brunch menu and awesome lunch and dinner entrees. Really, something for everyone.

2) Joe's American Bar & Grill - They have a special menu for Mother's Day plus a brunch menu that includes a free drink! Awesome! It is also a nice atmosphere and pretty reasonable.

3) Maggiano's - This is a nice dinner choice. The atmosphere is very cozy, and nice. Mom will feel very at home here. It is almost like eating in Carmela Sopranos kitchen.

4) Cheesecake Factory - It is probably going to be packed on Mother's Day, but so what, it is worth the wait and Mother's Day is the perfect excuse to indulge in a cheesecake like the White Chocolate Raspberry one. Yum!

5) IHOP - Maybe she should not have grounded you so much and you would have taken her to one of the choices above, but really it would be kind of fun to get all you can eat pancakes for breakfast. Mom would love it!

Fox Sports Grill - Not Impressed

I feel bad saying this because I should really love the Fox Sports Grill. It is owned by News Corp, has a nice ambiance, a nice menu but it is just so blah. I mean the idea of a nice sports bar is something I should love, but Fox Sports just falls flat. I have only been here a few times and each time I left with a kind of empty feeling.

My first complaint about this place is not about the food, no, instead it is about the placement of the TVs. I just don't get it. It is not that easy to see a game from every seat in the bar and restaurant. I mean you are a sports bar you should be able to see a Yankee game from every seat if that is what you so chose. Very annoying.

Now the food. I once got this appetizer there that was skillet cornbread. I mean what is that really. I guess it is my own fault for ordering it. It sucked. I am looking at the menu online now and they actually have some cool things on the menu like Chicken Lettuce Wraps, BBQ Shrimp and a Mozzarella Bake. Maybe if I go back I will try one of those options.

Truthfully, I do not even remember what I ordered as an entree here. I think it was a Teriyaki Chicken Sandwich. Anyway the fact that I do not really remember what I ate is a big deal. I always remember my meals. I might forget most of my friends birthdays, but food, I remember. Anyway, similar to the appetizer options there actually are a a lot of cool options on the menu. Maybe my problem with this place is that I compare it to Cheesecake Factory because they have similar price points and Cheesecake just blows it out of the water. I bet that is what it is.

I also went here once with my friends for a drink. What a terrible scene. I mean yes, it is in a mall in Rockland County but still it was pretty bad. The only people in there were underage tools. No thank you.

I actually think that if this was not in the mall and perhaps a free standing restaurant it would be a lot better. I am sure some of the locations out West are a bit cooler.

Lenny's - It's Freakin Good

I had a special request for a post about Lenny's so here it goes.

A lot of my co-workers spoke so highly of this place but I was a bit apprehensive about it. You see, Lenny's is a bagel and sandwich shop and I am really not a sandwich person. I am so picky about what type of meat I like that I am always scared to try a new sandwich place because I think the chicken will be gross and hard or cold, yuck. Also I do not really eat cold cuts, so I am really limited in my sandwich options. Anyway, the first time I went I only got a bagel, it was OK nothing special. But, I was impressed with the cleanliness of this place. A lot of the NY sandwich places can be a bit dirty.

On a random day this winter I got to looking at the menu more and saw that there were a lot of options on the menu for me. I was assured by, I think Princess Lovey Dovey, that they chicken was top quality so I give it a try. Wow, much to my surprise I was in love. The chicken was good! Yippee!

Now I pretty much only get two things here. The classic, which is chicken, sun dried tomatoes, lettuce, onions and a little bit of fresh mozzarella. I also add some balsamic vinegar to give it some more flavor. You can pick whatever type of bread you want with your sandwich. I always get the wholewheat wrap now. I figure it is the healthiest choice and really brings out the flavor of all the stuff inside. Another great wrap here is the Chicken Terriyaki. It is chicken, terriyaki sauce, fresh mozzarella, lettuce and onions. I interchange between the two depending on my mood.

Other things I like about this place is that they have a quick and easy delivery service. Also, many cute boys go here at lunch. It is fun to see the boys who work at Rockefeller Center here in their suits.

One annoying thing about this place is that after you order your sandwich and pay they call out your number. Always, my sandwich takes so much longer than everyone elses.

Right now Lenny's is only in NYC but I think they could expand to places like Boston & LA.

Oh it is also cool because they have clippings of NY Post Page Six sightings of celebrities at Lenny's on the walls.

Dunkin Donuts - I think I love you

Nobody just likes Dunkin Donuts, you either love it or you hate it. I am proud to say that I love it. It really is one of the greatest places ever. They were one of the first people to introduce the Coolata that really revolutionized coffee drinking in the East.

I can probably write about it forever, so for now I am just going to highlight some of my favorite things and memories of this place.

1) Drinking Coolatas in the summer with my mom. These things are really the most delicious thing on the menu. When I found out just how many calories were in them I stopped drinking but if you really want a cooling, relaxing treat, go for it!

2) Having Nina drive the block to Dunkin Donuts on the way to school and drinking my iced coffee in my Journalism class while everyone else looked on in jealousy because they did not live near the Dunkin Donuts like I did.

3) Having Nina and Josh go and get us Dunkin Donuts on Sunday mornings. That was nice. She made eggs too!

4) French Vanilla Iced Coffee - when it is made just right, it is perfection!

5) Whole Wheat Bagles and Cream Cheese - With my iced coffee, it is the perfect Sunday breakfast.

6) Frosted Donuts with sprinkles - so yummy, what a treat!

7) Munchkins - When I first started at the Post I brought then on meetings, it was my signature move! Now I rely on adult beverages.

8) Going on dates with the sketchy kid I met at Dunkin Donuts. I do not know how many other places where you can be totally out of it the day after Halloween with sparkles still on your face and end up meeting a sketchy dude who is still in his Halloween costume that you only will refer to as Dunkin to your friends.

9) 3:00pm coffee runs to Dunkin for myself and the Finance boys. Yes, they never get it right when I order it but I like the 3:00pm coffee runs. It is cute.

10) Dunkin Smoothies - Thanks for advertising!!!!!!!!!!!!! They really are tasti and delicious and cost less than most other smoothie places.

America Runs on Dunkins and I like to run so we really are a perfect match.

Bubba Gump - I Came, I Ate, I Conquered

It was on the list of places I had to try. Bubba Gump Shirmp Co. Just 4 blocks south of my gigs at News Corp, it was destiny.

I was pleasantly surprised with my experience here. At first I was a bit embarrassed because my co-workers I went with told the host that I was a food critic with a website. Well I guess he told his manager and the guy came to the table to talk to us. We had to tell him that it was really only my little blog. Anyway he was not so impressed after that. I think he could have threw in a free dessert or something.
So to start we got Bubba's Far Out Dip. It was really good! It was pretty much spinach artichoke dip with peppers. Good idea! A bit on the greasy side, but really tasty.
For my entree I took the waiters suggestion and got the Shrimp New Orleans. It was actually outstanding. It was grilled shrimp in a spicy Cajun brown sauce with white rice. I ate the whole thing. It also came with a piece of garlic bread the size of a boat.
The most amazing thing about the meal was that I was peer pressured by Princess Lovey Dovey to try her Mahi Mahi. Usually I do not succumb to such antics but she swore I would like it. It was the first time I ate fish since fish sticks in 3rd grade. I have to say, not bad at all.
Bubba Gump also has some fab drinks. Fun Lemonades with real fruit like blueberries or strawberries. I also sampled an adult beverage (shhh!!! don't tell my bosses). It was a peach vodka drink. Not strong at all, but really tasty.
The service and atmosphere at this place is also noteworthy. Our waiter was a lot of fun and quizzed use on our Forrest Gump knowledge. I thought that was a nice touch. They also have ping pong paddles on the table which is cute.
So in conclusion, I think this place is really good. I thought it was going to be like Red Lobster, but it is different. I would say it is fresher tasting and more spicy. It was a bit on the pricey side, I mean at least you get amazing rolls before your meal at Red Lobster and a salad but, if you have one in your area check it out. I mean there is one in Bali so I bet there is one in your neck of the woods.

Applebee's - Feeling Good Now!

Oh Applebee's you seem to really be springing up all over now. I remember when you were a novelty, a treat when I was shopping in Jersey, but now you really are everywhere.

Rockland, Manhattan, Woodbury Commons. I kind of think I liked you better when you were smaller.

The thing I love about Applebee's is that although they are a chain they try to be a neighborhood restaurant. They do this by hanging stuff (a la old school Friday's) all over the restaurant that have to do with your town. Usually it is stuff from neighborhood high schools. When I used to go to Applebee's in Jersey I would always imagine how cool it would be to have my high school on the walls and maybe a picture of me. Anyway, one did open up my me and much to my dismay no pictures of everyone's favorite national honor society president and soccer bench warmer made the wall. Instead they put pictures from like 1987 up with people in MC Hammer pants. Whatever.

Usually when I go to Applebee's now I get the Oriental Chicken Salad. It is probably one of my favorite chain salads. It is filled with chicken, almonds, and noodles. You can get it with fried chicken or grilled. Obviously it is better with fried chicken but the grilled is good too. The best part of this salad is the dressing. It is called an Oriental vinaigrette, it is really light and sweet and tangy and good. Love it! What is also cool is they offer the salad in a wrap form. I get that sometimes if I am more in the mood for a sandwich over a salad.

I used to get the Chicken Fingers and French Fries all the time here. I think they are a very solid choice. Way back in the day they had a Riblet and Chicken Finger basket, that was a nice option too but I probably would not get that now because I do not eat ribs anymore.

Now on the menu they have a bruschetta burger. It sounds really good, next time I am here I am going to try it. It is made with pesto so I am sure it is outstanding.

Another really important thing to note is that Applebee's had tons of "Weight Watchers" choices. I have had the Confetti Chicken and it was really good. You do not feel like you are eating a healthy dish at all. It is a mexican chicken with rice. The description online says it is a party on your plate, wow, can't mess with that. They also have Teriyaki Steak 'N Shrimp Skewers. I would try that for dinner.

I think my brother has had some of the steaks here and he says that they are decent. Good to know.

The desserts on the menu here are really good too, they have a weight watchers one, never had it. I mean dessert is dessert go all out. I would get the Sizzling Apple Crisp because I love that kind of stuff. I am always tempted to try to Maple Butter Blondie. Never did though, I wonder why?

One annoying thing to note, like most chain restaurants in Manhattan, it is totally overpriced. I went with my co-workers recently and it was like 25 bucks each. We could have went to Del Frisco's for like 5 bucks more. Also there were no pictures from high schools up either.

Breaking News - New Dressings at Hale and Hearty!

I have breaking news to report and what glorious news it is! Due to the beautiful weather in the city I decided to have a salad and sit outside for lunch. I know, what a concept!

I went to Hale & Hearty today and was pleasantly surprised to see that they are introducing three new salad dressings. Yup, not one, not two, but three! What was great is that they had little samples of each so you could taste them to see which one you would like. Good idea!

The first one is a reduced fat sesame one. It was a bit weird looking because it looked so white, I kind of imagine my sesame dressing to be a bit more of a peanut color but even though it looked kind of weird it was very tasty. If I am in an Asian mood, I would get it and it is reduced fat so kudos for that.

The next one was called Plum Raspberry Vinegarette It was very tasty, tangy and unique. It reminded me of something they would serve at a Cheesecake Factory or something like that. It is a nice addition to the mix.

The last new dressing is a fat free Balsamic Vinegartte. This was my favorite one. It is pretty much what it says it is a Balsamic Vinaegarette but it had some sort of tangy kick to it. For a fat free dressing, very good.

Anyway, this is great news and makes me love Hale and Hearty even more!

Pizza Hut -Cute Little Comforting Place!

OK, so I am from NY and have the luxury of eating really good pizza every day if I want to. I have lived in other cities and it is true, NY really does have the best pizza. Even the bad pizza is good pizza. I am also very proud to admit that I love Pizza Hut! To be fair, it is totally different than real NY pizza but that does not mean that it is not good.

First thing to really praise Pizza Hut about is their Book It program. I have no idea if this still exists but when I was younger they had this program where you got a free pizza if you read a certain amount of books. How great is that, encourage kids to read! Wonderful, reading is fundamental.
So the food, well I actually think that pizza at Pizza Hut is delicious. I love the deep dish plain cheese pizza. I think the best size to get is the personal pan. The bigger you get the worse it gets. I love the massive amounts of cheese, sauce and dough. The crust of a Pizza Hut pizza is awesome. They just use lots of butter or something. Whatever, it is good! Also, Jessica Simpson seems to eat a lot of Pizza Hut and she is pretty hot so it can not be that bad for you.

What I also love about Pizza Hut is their salad bar buffet. That itself could be a meal. They also have pineapple chunks and chocolate pudding as part of the buffet. Awesome! Pizza Hut is where I learned about mixing sunflower seeds with chocolate pudding. This might sound gross but try it and you will love it.
Pizza Hut also sometimes has a lunch time buffet. Besides all of the salad essentials they have lots of different kinds of pizza so that is fun. They also have dessert pizza which is kind of just like a danish in the shape of a pizza.
Of course you can not talk about Pizza Hut and not mention the breadsticks. They are amazing! They are big, soft on the inside, crusty on the outside and coated in garlic and served with a marinara dipping sauce. Delicious!
Now Pizza Hut serves pizza with the crust stuffed with mozzarella cheese. I have not tried that yet but think it is a very good idea and would like to try it sometime soon.
Lots of places serve Pizza Hut now like Taco Bells, etc but I think to really get a quality Pizza Hut experience you should go to an actual Pizza Hut.

Rosa Mexicana - My Man Arod Likes It So It Must Be Good

If I was writing this blog a year ago I probably would not consider this place a chain. I mean yes they have always had a few locations in Manhattan but recently they have been opening in cities all over the country. They have locations in Florida, DC, Atlanta and soon the great state of New Jersey. Very nice, very nice.

All around I think this place is great! Fun atmosphere, good drinks and great food! As mentioned in the title of this piece of literature it is also a favorite of my boy Arod. An A-bomb, for A-Rod!
For starters the guacamole is top notch. I could probably go here and just eat that. What I love is not only do they give you great chips but they also give you hot tortillas. Eating the soft tortillas with the guac I feel like my dad must have felt chillin Guadalajara 35 years ago. According to him, that makes it really authentic. Other than the guac, I do not see the need to order any other appetizers. Yes, the flautas are really good but you don't need them. Chow down on the guac baby.

For main dishes their are 3 that I totally love. The first are the enchilades de Mole Poblano which is really shocking considering I do not even like chocolate that much. Anyway it is just a really soft, tasty and fun dish. I also really like the Shrimps with Rice. It has a fancier, ethnic name but it is hard to spell and really the dish is essentially garlic shrimp with rice. Sometimes it is a bit on the greasy side so if you can, tell the waiter not too greasy. Other than that, delicious. The third dish I recommend are the short ribs. Just really tender and juicy pieces of meat. I do not often order this but I should. Actually nah, I will just eat it off my brothers plate and get myself something else.

Of course I must mention the drinks. They are most famous for their pomegranate margaritas. Good thing, because they are great. What a treat. They also serve sangria that is really good.

The desserts do not really stick out in my mind but I am sure they are good. I guess maybe just skip dessert though and order yourself another margarita!