I AM A WIMP

Yes, I hate to admit it but I am a total wimp. Recently I was attending a happy hour (big surprise there) where one of the speakers was a man who worked in marketing for Darden Restaurants. Umm, do you know what Darden Restaurants is????? It is the parent company of Red Lobster, as well as Bahama Breeze, Smokey Bones and Olive Garden (it is ok we all make mistakes). I thought to myself, a converstation with this man may open many windows for me. Maybe I would be offered a job doing PR for Red Lobster or maybe he would have read the blog and thought, hmm before this thing gets so big maybe I should advertise on it and secure good rates now (whatever, we can all dream). Anyway, there I was glass of wine in hand staring at a man I so admire and I froze, I did not go over and say hello, did not tell him how I love his bisquits, did not tell him about the blog, nope I did nothing. Instead I talked to some girl and told her I liked her shirt. I am not a shy person so I have no idea why I was such a whimp. When I saw Donald Trump and Patrick Ewing at the Taj Mahal a few years ago I had no problem saying hello to them. Hmm, I just don't get it. Hopefully I will come across someone in the chain restaurant world again and I will not get so shy. Until then, I will keep on eating and keep on blogging.

Gordon Biersch - A New Fav!

I knew it! Atlanta really is a chain food culinary destination. They have a plethora of chain food options from fast food to coffee chains to nice sit down restaurants. Today's posting will feature one of my new favorite chains, Gordon Biersch. This place is really awesome, it has nice casual elegance feel to it. This was not my first time there, I was lucky enough to have gone in both DC and Vegas. When I saw that one was in Atlanta too I said yipee and made sure to drag my colleague there with me. Also it was kind of fate that brought me there because it turns out it was really close to one of our appointments.

I would describe the menu as eclectic American. Their special thing is that they brew their own beer in these big metal things with red lights that look like they could be in a scene from 24. Anyway I am not a big beer drinker really, I mean $1.00 beers taste just as good as any premium lager to me so when I come here I am more concerned with the food. But, since it was a brewery I thought I should order one. What was so nice was that the waiter actually let me sample a beer I was interested in to see if I would like it or not. I got a heffenwizen (not sure how to spell that). It was good, kind of like Blue Moon but I still like Blue Moon better. Besides beer they have a very extensive drink menu that I wish I would have tried. Oh well, an excuse to go back again.

So let's move on to the food. I got this awesome appetizer that was hummus and all these other spreads and came with this yummy "European Flat Bread." It was a really large portion and really tasty. I really recommend it.

For my main course I got Sweet and Spicy Chicken Cashew Stir Fir. Wow, wow, wow! It was awesome, a nice sized portion, great sauce, good veggies and rice! It was tasty and I kind of think it was relatively healthy. I would totally get it again. I have also tried the Chicken Marsala here and it was also very tasty. They have lots of pasta and chicken dishes that sound good like the basic Chicken Parm, but wait - they actually serve the Chicken Parm with pesto pasta, that is really cool. I might get that next time. My colleague got a chicken sandwich which he seemed pleased with. It came with garlic fries. I tried one and they are really delicious. Not too much garlic but a nice amount to give it a unique flavor. OK, I am lying I tried two, I took when off his plate when he went to the mens room but like whatever, he was done anyway and I have a job to do, report about this restaurant so I figure it was not really a big deal.

Anyway, this place rocks, I really hope they open one in the NY DMA soon. I think it would do really well.

What is left for the great chain master?

I just want to thank everyone again for reading this blog and for posting comments. I am going to try my hardest to keep this updated at least 5 times a week and I am also going to try to make sure I respond to most of the comments posted.
I noticed a comment on one of my older postings...what chains haven't you been to that you would like to try? Well, amazingly there are so many. I pretty much have been to all the chains that have locations in the northeast with the exception of some of the steak ones that I plan on hitting up by the end of May. Many chains do not have outposts near NY so I have not been able to go. A positive thing is that I get to travel for my other job (I know I actually have a full time job and do not spend my days only blogging about and or eating at chain restaurants). Anyway I hope in my travels I will be able to go to most of these chains and tell you all about them.
Here is my list of chains I really want to go to and haven't yet.
1) Buca di Beppo - they always went on the Real World Vegas and it looked really good. There was one when I lived in DC but I guess I was too busy eating at Baja Fresh and Chipotle to go. I also read that Vinny T's in Boston became this but not it is Bertucci's or something. Too much to keep up with.
2) Roy's - There is actually one in NY so I am sure I will go soon. My brother said he would go with me. You always see this place advertised in airplane magazines. I think it looks good and different even though the menu seems a bit limited.
3) Bubba Gump Shrimp Company - A restaurant based on a movie, brilliant! There is one in Times Sq so there is no excuse for not going except that it is only like 2 blocks from Red Lobster so I always to there. Food Snob said she will come with me to this one.
4) Cozymel's Mexican - No real comments about this one, I just need to go.
5) Carrabba's Italian - I think there is on in Staten Island according to my brother so maybe cousin could hit up this place with me.
6) Ruth's Chris Steakhouse - I know, I know, how is this possible, but it is true. I am going very soon so I will be able to take this one off of the list. I know I am going to love it because I hear the steaks are smoothered in butter -- yum.
7) Morton's - I just never heard great things about this place so I never really felt the need to go.
8) Bonefish Grille - They are starting to open more in the NE so I am sure I will be there soon.
9) Rockbottom Brewery - Again another one in the DC area I did not go to that I always see on the Real World. This time it is the Real World Denver. Interested that the sluttiest Real World seasons (Denver and Vegas) are also the ones where the cast is always eating at a chain restaurant.

10) Hooters - I heard they have good wings. Maybe I will take a client here.

Red Lobster - Oh How I Love Thee

Wow, that is how I am going to start this. I am so in love with Red Lobster. It is just one of those places where you are guaranteed an awesome meal. People that do not like this place are just haters and do not know what they are talking about.

The birth of this blog, that you have come to know and love, happened at a Red Lobster. I was with my co-workers (some of which are haters) and a Mediavest dude (not a hater). My bosses realized my deep love of chain restaurants and said wow Rordawg you should blog about it, it would be really funny and here I am today doing just that.

So let's start talking about the food and there is no better place to start than the amazing cheese biscuits. They are truly a culinary delight. There is no better bread item in the whole entire world. They are the perfect blend of cheese, garlic, and goodness. So yummy and so delicous, they actually melt in your mouth.

I also love the salad they serve you with your meals here. I guess it is not really the actual salad that I love, instead the honey mustard dressing. A very solid, very sweet honey mustard.

I pretty much always order the same main course here - I get fried shrimp and shrimp scampi with a baked potato. The shrimp aren't that big but they are good! The baked potato is also really good because they put salt on it. I like that they have a kind of menu where you can pick and chose combinations. You can have chicken and shrimp, cocounut shrimp, steak and lobster, etc. Whatever floats your boat really!!

What I also love about this place is the passion people have for it (me included). Those of us who really love it are very loyal about it. We know how good it is and we are proud of it. I mean I talk about it and people get excited and want to come with me to eat there. I know of no other restaurant like this. I might even be taking some more people here today (I hope so).

Panera is a Wonderful Place for Lunch

Yup, it is, Panera is really a wonderful place for lunch. I discovered this gem while shopping with my mom in the burbs. That is what I usually do on the weekends. Escape the city to shop with my mom. If you are looking for me on a Saturday afternoon a good place to check is Paramus Park. The first Panera I ever went to actually was not in Paramus Park though, but it was close, it was at this cool outside shopping plaza called Tice's Corner. They have stores like Anthropology, Banana, and Talbots!

OK back to the food, sorry. Anyway when I first starting eating here I did not eat salads yet so I just got PBJ sandwiches, soon after though I saw the light and starting eating salads. I always order their You Pick Two combos that they offer which is a nice cup of soup and a salad. The soups I really love there are the French Onion, Creamy Tomato, a Roasted Pepper yummy thing that I do not know the exact name of and some Mushroom one my mom gets that I usually take some of. The salads I like are the Asian Chicken and the seasonal Strawberry Poppyseed one. That one is really awesome but they only offer it in the summer which kinda sucks. I guess it is just one more reason to love the summer though. I also always get a whole grain baguette with my meal (try to be healthy and all). What I like is that you can also get an apple if you do not want bread which is cool because I really like apples (I have one almost everyday at my desk for breakfast).

I do not really ever order the sandwiches but I see people do and they look ok. I just love the soups and salads and I get bread with it so I don't ever feel the need to get a sandwich.

Panera also has wonderful beverages. I get the Iced Green tea. It is so refreshing and yummy, a nice treat on a hot day! They also have these wonderful IC beverages which are kind of like frappaccinos but I think better. My friend swore that they were not as bad for you as frappaccinos but I just looked up the nutritional information and they have like 600 calories. I do not like liars!!!

The bakery goods are also awesome here. I like the bagels a lot because they have fun flavors like French Toast, Dutch Apple Raisin and Cinnamon Crunch. I love a fun bagel!

One thing that does annoy me is how they give you real silverware and plates. It is nice but really annoying when you have to throw away your food when you are done cause it gets messy. I mean just serve paper and plastic it would be a lot easier.

I really hope one of these opens in NYC soon, near my office would be excellent. I would go for lunch all the time!

Why No Chain Moussaka?

I am so excited because tonight I am going out for Greek food with my boss and some of our favorite clients. I know this is going to be an awesome, fun night but it got me wondering, why are there no major Greek Chain Restaurants? I know I am getting very deep now pondering such a thing but really, why are there none? I always thought owning restaurants was part of the Greek-American tradition. I hope this does not come out the wrong way but I mean there are so many diners that are owned by Greek people I wonder why none of them really expanded into the chain restaurant frontier. There are so many Brewery and Pub type chains, Italian chains, Asian chains, Buffet chains, Seafood chains, Breakfast chains, Steak chains but no Greek chains.
I think if one was to open a Greek chain they would have to make it very classy looking. You would not want it to be cheesy at all. I would try to make it like you are on a Greek Island, have lots of pretty blues and other soft colors in the decor. Essentially don't have big pictures of the Acropolis everywhere and stuff like that.
I was fortunate enough to go to Greece this summer and the one thing I was afraid of was not liking the food. Ummm, I was totally wrong the food was amazing and I think would transition very well into a chain menu. I bet if there was a big Greek chain in my mall I would not have been afraid of the food in Greece. I mean the Greek chain menu can have really good Souvlaki (I did not know Souvlaki was essentially chicken on a stick before I went to Greece - people need to know these kinds of things because Souvlaki sounds kinda scary), Moussaka, Big Greek Salads, seafood, humus, steaks (because one of the best Steaks I ever had was on a cliff in Santorini), fried zucchini, something for everyone. The most important thing they should have on the menu is stuffed tomatoes because wow, those were the best things in the world and I do not even like tomatoes. Oh and they could make really fun drinks with Ouzo! That is something that could be so fun and different. They also could serve delicious breads with fun olive oil and other dips.
I think this chain would be very successful because it is different than so many of the other chain restaurants around. I mean look how successful My Big Fat Greek Wedding was. It made millions!
OK, so I guess you get my point. I am pretty sure there is a small, non corporate type of chain called It's Greek to Me which I found rather delicious when I went to it this summer down by the beach. That place gives me hope that one day there will be a major, upscale Greek chain in my neck of the woods.
Hoopa

The Factory Vs. The Cafe

This posting is a special request from the Chain Restaurant King and whatever the King wants, the King gets. He asked me to compare the Cheesecake Factory to the Grand Lux Cafe. I was a bit apprhensive at first being that I love them both and feel they are rather similar. They both have the same owner and both are rather extravagent looking chains but if you really examine the two with a fine microscope like I have you will see that there are differences that make each of them unique.

I shall start with the decor. Both have a grand oppulence to them but the Grand Lux takes it a step further. I think it might even be too much though. It almost feels a little fake. It works in Las Vegas (where the original was built) but next to JC Penny kind of feels awkward. Cheesecake is a bit more understated so I think it works better.
Moving on to the menu options I think Cheesecake Factory has more chose from with their 20 page menu filled with advertising. Sometimes thought I get a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices, like what if I get the Grilled Eggplant Sandwich and the person nest to me is eating some awesome pasta dish or something , I might get jealous and upset with my choice.
In regards to appetizers I think Cheesecake wins because I simply love the Thai Lettuce Wraps and Avocado Egg Rolls. I recently got the Coco-Maca Chicken Satay at the Grand Lux but it wasn't totally amazing. It was like really good Coconut Chicken. I would give it an 8 out of 10. I was very impressed t see that they had edmame on the menu. I love that stuff! So much fun to eat! They also have Asian Chicken Nachos that I am curious to try.
In regards to entrees both have similar hearty dishes mostly inspired but Asian and Italian cuisine. Just comparing entree sized salads I think I like the Grand Lux Cafe's better. The Polynesian Salad is delicious. It is similar to the Lua Salad at Cheesecake but the Polynesian is just a bit better. I think it is the dressing that makes it better, it is sweeter. I also like the chicken in it better too.
I like the sandwiches better at Cheesecake Factory better but I still think Grand Lux does a stellar job with their offerings. Next time I go I am going to try a burger. Oh I also think that the mashed potatoes are better at Cheesecake. They are creamier and have skins in it. The ones at Grand Lux are more basic. I mean still better than at most chains but not as good as Cheesecake. My dad just got the Venetian Chicken at Grand Lux and it was very good. It was chicken in a cream sause. Good, flat chicken but the highlight of the dish were these pieces of fried zucchini they served with it. It was better than any fried zucchini I ever tried at any good Italian restaurant so because of that I think I will give Grand Lux the edge in entrees.
I like the desserts better at the Cheesecake Factory because I mean you kind of have to. The place is called Cheesecake Factory not Thai Chicken Pasta World. If you really think about it, it is pretty cool how many different kinds of cheesecakes they have and they are all amazingly delicious. I don't like at Grand Lux how you have to order certain "baked" desserts before your meal. How do you know if you want dessert before I even have a piece of bread (which is better at Cheesecake).
OK, so in conclusion I think both are awesome dining experiences but I think if I had to favorite it would be the Cheesecake Factory. That is not to say I am not eagerly awaiting the opening of Grand Lux in Jersey, I just think Cheesecake will always be #1 in my heart.

Quick Qdoba Update

Tried the Pesto Burrito yesterday and it was totally awesome. I do not know if it tastes a lot like pesto that you eat on pasta. I would describe it more as a spicy pesto so it works with the burrito. Also I tried the chips with queso and they were incredible. I do not even really like cheese and I could not stop eating them. AMAZING!!!
I really encourage people to check this place out if you live in Murray Hill. I met the owners of this place and they seemed like nice guys so you feel good about giving them your business.

Today I am off to Long Island to scout some more chains. Tomorrows post should be good!

The Ultimate Burrito

I was a bit opposed to writing about this subject because I was trying to keep the focus of my blog more on sit down, waiter service chains but I have realized that I can not ignore so much of the chain restaurant world. Therefore I am going to also write about a few fast food places. The first type I will cover is my absolute favorite, the burrito place. Burritos are a relatively new favorite food that I love but I think I have eaten enough of them to really appreciate them. I am going to talk about my three favorite Burrito places. Amazingly I think of the three I am going to write about all three are really delicious and awesome. I can not think of any other chain group where all three main choices are all stellar.

My favorite chain burrito place is Baja Fresh. I discovered this wonderful establishment while living in DC. I loved it so much that I even made my friend Nina drive to some random Boston suburb to try it for herself once I moved back to Beantown. I think she loved it too so I doubt she minded the drive.

This place really lives up to it's name because no word better describes it - FRESH!

The burritos are so fresh tasting and delicious. You totally do not feel like you are eating fast food. I always get the Burrito Mexicano because it is so yummy I do not feel the need to try anything else. What I also love about this place is that they give you chips and salsa with your burrito. It is a nice touch that I appreciate.

My second favorite burrito place is now Qdoba and I am pleased to announce that it is now opened in Manhattan in my hood. Yippee!!! I am not going to lie, I have only been there once but I enjoyed all the different types of burritos they offered. I got the fajita burrito and it was very tasty and filling. What I like about burrito places is that you can tell the people what you like and dislike and really get the meal made the way you want it. I am for sure going to try the pesto burrito that they have because I am obsessed with pesto.

The third burrito place on my list is Chipotle. The only reason it is not higher is because you get more options at the other places. I mean believe me, I really love Chiptole and go there a lot I just kind of think the other two are a tiny bit better. I do applaud Chipotle though for opening up a large amount of locations in Manhattan. I encourage the other two to do the same. At Chipotle I either get the steak fajita burrito or the chicken one. Sometimes Chipotle can be a bit spicy for me, I think they make the chicken much more spicy than the steak. If I am feeling tame I get the steak. They also have really good guac. At most of the Chipotle's in Manhattan the line at lunch time is so, so, so long which can be very frustrating but now they have this cool feature on their website where you can order online and pick it up in around 10 minutes. I pretty much only order Chipotle that way now. Oh I should also mention that when the first Chipotle opened in Manhattan I went on the day it opened because I was so excited for it's arrival.

OK so that is my take on burrito places. Let me know what you think.

Capital Grille - A Capital C for Class

This restaurant really exemplifies what it means to be a classy, upscale chain. I have been here many times and every time I go I am more than pleased. If you see my list below it is actually my #1 top upscale chain which really is a huge honor.

I need to thank my cousin for introducing me to this place. I think if it was not for him I would have been intimidated to even walk inside. The place oozes power especially the one in Washington D.C. My family went there for his 21st birthday and his graduation - good choice. I heard the one in Boston is a big hangout for the Yankees when they are in town. I probably should have went and tried to meet Jeter but really who am I fooling, he would have ignored me and I would have been crushed. I bet Melky would be really nice to me though. I have also been to the one in NY. I feel that one does not get the crowd it deserves. I should probably support it more and take clients there or something, perhaps. A great memory I have of the NY one is walking past with my friends after a Yankee - Red Sox game and saying oh that is my favorite restaurant let's go. Well we did and we all feasted on steaks, lobster and shrimp. Kind of made those Yankee Stadium hot dogs not so delicious anymore. Oh and we got free dessert because we were all wearing matching Yankees shirts and the manager thought it was funny. That was really cool. We also got to try on a Red Sox World Series ring (gross) because some lame Sox trainer was there or something and I guess you get a ring for being a trainer, who knew?

OK so let me now tell you what my favorite things at this restaurant are. First, I love their Stoli Doli martini. It is essentially a pineapple martini - very strong and very good! I also really love the bread they serve before the meal, especially the raisin bread (mommy loves it too). Of the steaks they serve I think my favorites are the Filet Mignon and Kona Crusted Sirloin with Caramelized Shallot Butter -hmmm delicious. For dessert you must get the Creme Brulee. The first and best Creme Brulee I ever tried was here. It is heaven on earth! My cousin ordered it on his birthday- wowzers! I later found out that he ordered it because Julia Roberts ate it in My Best Friends Wedding - makes me love it even more now!

All in all, if you are looking for a great dinner this is definitely a place to go.

The Worst List

OK a lot of people have been asking for it so here it is.
I know this may create some controversy but it must be done.
Here is my list for the worst chain restaurants.

1) Johnny Rockets (sorry cuz) This place is terrible. They essentially serve hamburgers and french fries and they can not even get that right. I just went to one in South Beach when I had the plague and was craving a burger and fries. How disappointed I was. It was almost not edible. I never leave over food and I could not finish the fries - that says a lot. I will say that they had delicious fresh squeezed OJ there - it may be because I was in Florida though.

2) Charley Browns - Just kinda gross. The salad bar is nothing special and the menu items are not original and not good.

3) Sizzler - There was a time when I did kind of like this place but I was a kid, I guess I did not know better. They do have very good ice cream as part of the buffet there. It reminds me of ice milk and I like that. So I guess if you have to go just order dessert.

4) Denny's - OK you are essentially a breakfast place and your eggs suck - come on I can make better eggs and I can not cook.

5) Friendly's - Overall I find this place dirty and consistently has bad service at all locations. I do like the sundae on the kids menu where they make the sundae look like a clown by putting the cone on top and using whipped cream to make curly hair and reese's to make the eyes and nose. That is creative so I will give them that. I guess it was also a fun place to go in High School after a movie or something. I have some memories of doing that I think.

6) Heartland Brewery - This is a NY chain. A Brewery should have a kick butt (I will keep my blog PG) burger and they do not. It is one of those burgers that is not juicy, very dry and does not have a lot of taste. I also do not remember really liking the beer that they brew which again I mean come on you are a Brewery have a decent beer.

7) Bennigan's - There was a time when this was like the only chain restaurant in Rockland - what a sad time it was. Thanks Bretty for calling Friday's and Cheesecake and telling them to open in Rockland - you rock. Anyway, again just a boring menu where nothing stands out. The other chains like Friday's and Chili's are just much better so go there.

8) Ninety-Nine Restaurant - They have these around Boston a lot - what a surprise like most things in Boston - not so good (Tara and Sombs are good though)

9) Cracker Barrel - You think it is going to be just like a delicious home cooked meal (because I get those a lot) but it is not. I do not love the breakfast and the lunch menu does not look good at all. If you are driving and see one, keep going.

10) Wagamama - ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGG YUCKKKKKKKK!!! Before I went to London a few summers ago everyone told me how much I was going to love this place how it was one of their favorite things about London. Ummm are you kidding me it was disgusting - I could not eat it. I would never go again.

11) Olive Garden - I simply have to write this because this place makes me violently ill. I know I do not have an iron stomach but I have never felt as sick as I felt after eating here. I will not go into details but you can imagine.

Alright let me know what you think. I am sure this will create some commotion.

The Theme Chain

Who can forget those family trips where you begged your parents to take you to Hard Rock Cafe so you could get a Hard Rock Orlando shirt to wear to school to show off that not only are so cool that you went to Orlando but that you are so hip that you went to Hard Rock too and have a t-shirt to tell about it.
I noticed that in the mid-nineties a phenomena was occurring. Theme restaurant chains kept on popping up almost everywhere and with every theme. There was the Fashion Cafe, (ummm yeah looking at a 100 lb model really makes me want to finish those fries), the All-Star Cafe (I kinda liked that place), Motown Cafe (I liked that one too probably because I love that kind of music, hello Dreamgirls!), Harley Davidson Cafe (went there - liked it, but I am afraid of Motorcycles), Rain Forest Cafe (a wild place to shop & eat - didn't last too long in the Palisades Center - good b/c my Cheesecake Factory replaced it), Planet Hollywood, etc. Most of these do not exist anymore but for a time they were extremely popular. Of the ones that still exist here is my list of the top themed chain restaurants.

1) Hard Rock Cafe - One of the originals and I think the best. Great hamburgers and fries and awesome memorabilia and they have a pretty cool casino even though I lost money there. Also, I kinda like the t-shirts I made fun of above and they do not allow drugs or nuclear weapons which is a good thing.

2) ESPN Zone - Awesome spinach artichoke dip, great salads and sandwiches and of course a fun place to watch a Yankee game or any game.

3) Planet Hollywood - Average food but cool memorabilia and I think they are planning a casino as well.

4) Senor Frogs - A lot of fun for the spring breaker in all of us.

5) House of Blues - I got a shrimp dish once and it was pretty decent. My brother claims that they have the best rum and coke in the world.

Where I Fell In Love

My love of chain restaurants definitely happened because of my love for Friday's. No, not the day of the week (though I do love them) but the restaurant T.G.I. Friday's. It was not the first chain I went to but it was the one that made me fall in love with the concept of them. I can remember back when I lived in Riverdale my family would drive to Tarrytown to take us to Friday's. I was like a kid in Disney Land. I was so excited to get my kids Chicken Fingers and French Fries. It even came with this delicious Strawberry Applesauce. Wow that meal made me so happy. Sometimes I would even get this dessert called mud or something. It was chocolate pudding with crumbled cookies on top and a gummy worm in the middle. YUMMMMMMMMMMM!
Anyway as the years progressed I never ever changed what I got. I only got the kids Chicken Fingers and French Fries. It took me until going to college to stop ordering from the kids menu. Once in college I would order the adult portion of Chicken Fingers. They also had these great bowls of pasta that were suberb. They were very tasty and filled with chicken, cheese, some veggies, etc but they are no longer on the menu. I miss them. You also got a salad and their amazing breadstick as part of the meal. I also really need to mention that during my Sophomore year of college me and my friends would go hang out at the Friday's in Cambridge. There was a DJ at night and they would serve us so we would drink Mudslides and dance on the tables at Friday's. Looking back, it was a little weird.
I also want to mention that Friday's was the first place I ever ordered a salad. It was that awesome Asian Chicken Salad with the two dressing - one totally peanuty. Anyway I think they took it off the menu because it hand more calories than a McDonald's meal or something. Whatever, it was still a good thing because it taught me to love big salads.
Also in the late 1990's/early 2000's Friday's introduced their Gold Points. I think it started around 7 years ago. Anyway you get points for every dollar you spend there and can redeem these points for free appetizers, free meals, etc. For a good 5 years I do not think my family paid for an appetizer because we had so many points.

OK so let me move to the present day. I still really like Friday's but with all of the menu changes and the rise of the more upscale chain (Cheesecake, PF Changs, Houstons) I can no longer really call it my favorite. I still go and enjoy it but it is not the same. I don't like their mashed potatoes, and find the fries not as good as they used to be but I do appreciate their new low fat menu options. I have tried the Dragon Fire Chicken and it was really good. I applaud them for doing this. I think it is very important.
Oh my god, how could I forget - Friday's does have the best sauce in the world. The Jack Daniel's Sauce. Wow, it is totally amazing and probably the best thing on their menu. I would get anything that involves that sauce in it.
They also have good dessert's but I think all chains do.

OK let me know what you think.

Steak Chains - MOO

I think the most disappointing type of chain is the mid-level priced Steakhouse chains. I mean none of them are really terrible but none of them really excite me the way other chains do. It might be that steak is really one food that you really have to pay more for to get really good quality. That being said of the three I am about to talk about all three are better than the world famous Peter Luger's (yuck - just an utter disaster). I waited 25 years to go to Luger's, I should have waited another 25. I know so many people love this place and I really wanted to as well but for some reason when I went with my family last fall we all hated it. I hope, I truly do, that it was a fluke thing and that the steak they served my family was just a bad piece.
Sorry, I digress back to the steak chains. So really they are all the same to me. If I closed my eyes and tasted a steak from Outback, Bugaboo Creek and Longhorn I do not think I could tell the difference. Even the honey mustard that I get on my salad tastes alike. Oh and even the breads, all come out on a cute little wood tray thing, scoop of whipped butter on the side and of course they all have some form of the bloomin onion. Come on a little originality please. I guess the point of the mid-level priced Steakhouse chain is a hearty meal and a fair price. You get a steak without having to pay for a $50.00 meal, just keep in mind that the steak will just be average. Of the three restaurants listed above I would say my favorite is Outback. Not that their steak is much better than the other two places, maybe I just like the feeling of being in Australia, seems like a cool laid back fun place. I mean better than the Canadian Rockies with dead moose heads everywhere. Of course if you are willing to pay more or have a special occasion or a corporate card (yippee) I think the higher priced Steakhouse chains are just as good as most of the top ranked steak places in NY, if not better.
Let me know what you think.

Food List Deux - The Ultimate Chicken Finger

If you know me, you know how much I love Chicken Fingers! I realize I do not eat them as much as I used to but that does not mean I love them any less that I used to.

I think there was a time in my life that I had them for dinner every single night. It was probably PBJ for lunch and Chicken Fingers for dinner.

OK so here it is the list of the best Chicken Fingers at chain restaurants. (Note: I am only judging the actual Chicken Finger, not the sauce or fries that might accompany them)

1) TGI Friday's - These are by far my favorite. I think they use some kind of egg batter or something. Anyway, I am obsessed with them and love them. They make me happy.

2) Chili's - The batter of these are also awesome. It is kind of like a fish and chips bater.

3) Cheesecake Factory - my brother really loves these and I trust his opinion

4) Applebee's - I like these because they are kinda flat, that might sound weird but that is why

P.F. Chang's Is A Culinary Delight!

Here is a restaurant that so many people I know love and I can tell you why - consistently they serve up outstanding dishes in a cool atmosphere. P.F Chang's is really an original concept for a chain. They serve Asian food with a kind of American twist. I am going to get right to it, here are my favorite dishes there. The lettuce wraps are probably the best lettuce wraps in the world. I just love them. What is kind of annoying though is that my dad and my brother do not eat them so when I go with my family it is hard to order them. Good thing a lot of my friends go to this place with me too. I went with my friend Nina and her boyfriend Brian once and was able to really hold my own in an eating competition against him. The best main dish is definitely the Mongolian Beef and I usually do not like ordering beef in my Chinese food (I am a chicken or shrimp kind of girl) but all rules go out the window for this dish. I also really love the Double Pan Fried noodles. I only order drinks here when I am at the one in Atlantic City at the Trop. I recommend the mojito drink they serve. Probably because I just really like mojitos in general.

Ok so if you really love Asian food I promise, you will really love PF Chang's.

If the world was a better place there would be more Jose Tejas!

OK people there is only one word to describe this place and it is awesome!

Jose Tejas is a tex-mex chain that a lot of people do not know about. I go to the one in Jersey and without fail every single time I go it is amazing. I make my parents drive 1.5 hours just so I can eat there. The chips and salsa they give you before the meal is awesome! The chips come out hot and salty! I also have been getting Margaritas lately - let me tell you - two and you are done. My mom gets the Frozen Sangria, usually I sneak a sip and it is really good too.

Now the best part of the Jose Tejas experience is the actual meal I always get the half beef and half chicken fajitas. I ask myself, Rori, what is better the chicken or the beef and I never come up with an answer. Really, they both rock! You also get rice and beans but I just get rice. It is so yummy and so spicy and so..... you guessed it awesome. I have also ordered the French Quarter Chicken and that is of course awesome as well.

The prices at Jose Tejas are so reasonable. The fajitas are only like 10 bucks and the portion is huge. Amazing value!

An important thing to note is that Jose Tejas also goes by Border Cafe. There is one in Cambridge, Mass. I used to go in college. Actually the summer between Freshman and Sophmore year I got my fake ID taken away there. It was pretty funny yet traumatic at the time.

Why I love the Cheesecake Factory

If you look at the list below you will see that the Cheesecake Factory is my favorite chain restaurant. I do not think any other will ever take the number one place. I love it for so many reasons. There is just so much on the menu to pick from. My favorites are the Laua Salad, Pesto Chicken Pizza, Avocado Egg Rolls, Thai Lettuce Wraps, and Grilled Eggplant Sandwich. They used to have this incredible sandwich called Oscar's BBQ Chicken. It was amazing, I used to get it almost every time but for some reason they took it off the menu. If anyone from the Cheesecake Factory is reading this, please put it back, please! My brother always gets Pasta Da Vinci, at Cheesecake, I think it is just OK. Ironically, I never really get dessert at the Cheesecake Factory but if I did I would get the White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake. It is delicious, actually all the desserts are, just gotta watch the calories! Oh I also love the mashed potatoes at Cheesecake. I usually substitute my fries for them. Amazing!

The First Food Item List!!! BREAD

I really think you can tell a lot about the quality of a chain by the quality of the bread they give out (if they even give out any). There are also some chains where I am tempted to order only a diet coke and just have the bread as my meal.

Here is my list of the top bread at chains.

1) Red Lobster - I think I could survive on it.

2) John Harvard's

3) Texas Roadhouse

4) Capital Grill

5) Cheesecake Factory

6) Outback

7) Carmine's - this would be higher but I am still having a debate with myself if this is really a true chain.

8) Joe's American

9) Olive Garden - Great example of just ordering breadsticks and soda

10) You decide - I don't know

What makes a chain?

OK NEW RULE

I think we have to decide what makes a chain.

Of course if there are two or more of a restaurant it is a chain.

Here is the exception - if there are only two and the only other one is in Las Vegas it really can not be considered a chain. I mean almost every good restaurant would be a chain then.

I might also make a rule it has to be owned by a corporation, not sure about that yet.

CPK in the Hill

Great news for all of us Murray Hill kids.

A second CPK will be opening up in Manhattan on the most prestigious block in the city - East 30th Street. This will be great, have a few drinks at P.S. 450 and then head over to CPK for some Spinach Aritchoke Dip and Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza. CPK is one of those restaurants where there is so much for me to choose from that I love. Some of my favorite dishes are the two mentioned above, the Thai Chicken Pizza, Thai Crunch Salad, and Kung Pao Spagetti.

I love this restaurant because it is where I discovered my love of Spinach Artichoke Dip. It was back in college, I mean I never would have thought I would like something with the word Spinach in it but oh I was wrong. Thank you CPK!

A Different Kind of List

OK so yes there are so many different kinds of chains.

I guess I have to make a second list.

I will call this one the Upper Chain list while the one below is more of a general list.

This list will contain chains that probablly started out in a big city and were just so awesome and delicious they had to open up mulitple outposts.

Drum roll please........ Top 5

1) Capital Grille

2) Carmine's (I guarantee at least one Olen bday celebrated here a year)

3) Del Frisco's (really delicious and a really nice atmosphere - it is like real men eat steak at this place)

4) Rosa Mexicano (my boy Arods favorite)

5) Joe's Stone Crab

The List

This List is really the centerpiece of my blog.

It is my top ten chain restaurants. Like the Constitution, the beauty of this document is it's ability to change with the times.

1) Cheesecake Factory

2) Jose Tejas (or Border Cafe)

3) P.F Chang's

4) Houston's

5) Joe's American

6) California Pizza Kitchen

7) TGI Friday's (just for historical purposes)

8) Red Lobster

9) Chilis

10) Maggianos

Big News Grand Lux Cafe Fans!

OK, when I heard this I did not believe it at first but according to my brother and Jason the Grand Lux Cafe will be opening late Spring at the Garden State Plaza. This is huge news!
For those of you unfamiliar with the Grand Lux Cafe it is a bigger version of the Cheesecake Factory (same owners). The first one opened at The Venetian in Las Vegas (my favorite hotel) as a 24 hour restaurant. Due to it's huge success they decided to open a few more in places like California and Florida. There is also one in Long Island but being a northern NY suburb girl Long Island is a far trip. This is great news, I think the Garden State Plaza needed more upscale chain eating options. It is something they were really lacking.
Truthfully, I do not have a favorite dish here because I have only been a few times because I have only been to the one in the Venetian but I can recommend the Polynesian Salad, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and the French Toast. My mom and brother simply love the Warm Pot Roast Sandwich but I do not really eat stuff like that.
There is one thing though that I am a bit annoyed at with GLC. They only serve the sourdough bread here, not the brown bread that Cheesecake serves as well.
OK, let me know what you think of this big news.

Hello and Welcome

Hello and Welcome to my BLOG!
I am so excited that I am finally doing this.
The focus of this blog is my love of chain restaurants. I noticed that in NYC a lot of people think they are too good for chains. They rather overpay for a so-so meal instead of enjoying an amazing dish, at an affordable price, at a place like Cheesecake Factory. Anyway, I want to share my love of chain restaurants with everyone so I will be letting people know which are my top Chains along with my favorite dishes are at each place. I will also be updating this with important chain restaurant openings in the NYC area. Another idea I have is interactive voting. I will let you, the reader, vote on what you think is the greatest Buffalo Chicken Finger or the best fries, etc. I have my opinion but I want to know yours as well, I mean mine is probablly right but I am curious.
It might take me a while to get this up and running to it's full potential but be patient. I promise it will not be as long as the wait at the Cheesecake Factory in White Plains!
Also thank you Andy Internet for helping me start this! Hoopa!