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!

Hale & Hearty - Yummy, Yummy

Really, I should have posted this a long time ago but in honor of my lunch today I am going to talk about Hale & Hearty. I am absolutely in love with this place.
Hale & Hearty is a soup and salad place located on almost every other block in NYC. Most of them have lines a mile long at 12:30 pm so you have to scout out the good ones that are not as busy to ensure yourself a speedy enjoyable experience. Sometimes waiting in line for a long time makes me crazy and antsy and that is never a good thing.
I am going to start with the salads because that is what I most often get. I first must commend them for allowing you to get a few freebies. I mean really all salad places should do this. How dare they charge $3.25 for a bowl of chopped up lettuce and then think it is alright to charge you $1.00 for a scoop of almonds. Anyway, Hale & Hearty at least gives you some carrots, onions and cucumbers as part of the basic price. So I pretty much get the same salad every time I go and it is always delicious. I try to go to other salad places and none compare. I get carrots, cucumbers, apples, walnuts, golden raisin and my new pick, mozzarella balls. For dressing, this the tricky part, I get a mix of the Hale and Hearty vinaigrette and balsamic vinegar. I have to thank my friend red headed Kate for coming up with this combo. It is nothing short of genius. There are lots of other choices to put in your salad like avocado, chicken, shrimp, craisins, goat cheese, corn, etc but I found what I like so I am sticking to it. I also always get a piece of their seven grain bread which is very tasty.
The soups here are also far superior than that of what other lunch places serve. My personal favorites are the Senegalese Chicken (which pretty much tastes like pad thai and is amazing), Cream of Tomato with Chicken and Orzo, Texas Beef Chili, actually I like all of the tomato soups and once I tried the Spinach Artichoke Cheddar one and it was pretty much spinach artichoke dip so that obviously rocks. I also just looked online and they have a Vegetable one with pesto that says it is low fat so I clearly need to try that ASAP.
I know the soups here are generally a bit more than at other places but they are kind of worth the extra price because of all the extra flavor.
This place also has sandwich's but I never get those but word on the street is that they are decent too.

Old School Charm - Nathan's

I love Hot Dogs, I think they are so delicious. I am kind of surprised how much I love them because of what they are actually made of but I just don't think about it. I guess I am kind of picky about what kind of hot dogs I will eat because I notice a big difference between Kosher and non-Kosher ones. Pretty much I will only eat Kosher ones . They just taste so much better (and because I am so religious). Of course there is one exception, NATHAN's.
When I was younger I used to always go to the Nathan's on Central Ave. in Yonker's. It was a blast! I would play video games, eat some food and if memory serves me right there was a clown there sometimes that would put on a show for kids. I remember always getting upset though when I wasn't picked to be part of the show. I guess I was always attention hungry. Sometimes the clown did not see the true star power I had as a 7 year old.

When eating at Nathan's, one should not even think of wasting times getting the burgers or the chicken. No way, stick with the hot dog! Also you must, must, must get the French Fries. They are so good. They are by far the best fries in the world. Load them with lots of salt, pepper and ketchup and it is heaven in a paper plate! When you are in a mall food court and you want to indulge the perfect meal is a hot dog, fries and Nathan's lemonade.

Sadly, I have never been to the Nathan's in Coney Island but I really want to go. I will make it a priority this summer. Let me know if you would like to come with me.

I must also note that you have to love a place that sponsors the most famous eating contest. For a while I contemplated becoming a competitive eater. I do not think I could really eat large amounts of hot dogs though ( I think I could do Pasta, Chips & Salsa, Fajitas, Chicken Fingers, Fried Rice or Ice Cream), but this place originated the amazing contest that gets world-wide attention so I must commend them for that!

Finding Chain Selections in Your Local Grocery Aisles

I kind of consider myself a gourmet cook thanks in part to the wide selection of frozen foods chain restaurants make available. These selections are much better than any other frozen food options you might buy. I am going to use this post to highlight some of my favorite ones.

I think the best frozen chain foods are the California Pizza Kitchen pizzas. They are so good, especially the roasted garlic chicken and the thai chicken ones! In college I used to eat them all time. I mean they are not as tasty as what you get in the actual restaurant but for a frozen pizza they are pretty stellar. The only downfall is the amount of fat and calories in them, it is obscene. I recommend not looking at the nutrition label and just enjoy it. I tried to figure out once how it was possible for them to be that bad for you, I mean it is bread, chicken and cheese, how bad can it be?

Anyway other great frozen options are made possible by Friday's. They have a spinach artichoke dip that is awesome! People try to make their own dips all the time and really they are never better than the Friday's one that you can easily heat up in your microwave. Save yourself the time and effort people. They also have their famous rectangle shaped mozzarella sticks that are delicious, available at grocery stores, and these very good chicken bites with a smokey bbq sauce. It is a feast baby! Oh and I can not forget that they make they sell their drink mixes. I have spent many a night enjoying a Friday's Mudslide, thank you very much.
Boston Market also makes their sides available in the frozen food section. I have never tried them but I am curious to see how they taste. I like the sides at the actual store a lot, so I am sure these are pretty good too.

Recently I discovered these amazing granola bars that are made by Caribou Coffee. The granola bars are chocolaty and have a bit of a coffee taste, not too much, just a hint of it. It is perfect really. If you see these in the supermarket, definitely pick up a box and give them a try.

Starbucks makes coffee ice cream flavors that you can buy at the grocery stores. I have had this a few times and I was pretty pleased. Maybe they should just make ice cream and stop making bad coffee.

The Kobe Burger

I am a burger lover, really there is nothing better than a good, juicy hamburger.
Makes me smile.
Anyway, I decided that I would stray from my usual Asian Salad theme food that I usually get at the Cheesecake Factory and go balls to the walls, I would order a hamburger. Oh, but not just any old hamburger, a KOBE Burger!
Much to my dismay I was very let down. There I was, mouth watering waiting for this piece of cow goodness and it just was so blah. I ordered it medium and it definitely came out well done. It was not really that juicy and kind of had a weird flavor, like a bad spice or something. The best part of the burger was the sauteed onions on top and that should not be the case. I have had Kobe burgers at other places and they were much better. I think though, Kobe beef should just stick to steak. Why waste it on a ground beef.
Oh well, I know better now, no more Kobe burgers for me!

Johnny Carino - Johnny So So

I went to this restaurant because of a recommendation from one of my loyal readers. I was really excited to try it. I figured it would be similar to Macaroni Grill but better. Starting the meal I was in a great mood, Arod just hit a grand slam to win the game for the Yankees. It was like all was right in the world. My family decided to sit in the bar area because there were TV's and the sports channel was on so we could see replays of this glorious hit. Anyway, maybe that was not such a good idea because we were seated next to the weirdest couple in the world. More about them later.
What I did really like about Carino's is that all entrees come with either a salad or a soup. I opted for the salad, just a house one. One of the dressings they offer is a house Chianti Vinaigrette. Well my eyes light up when I hear the word Chianti, wine, of course I will order that one. The salad was good, but not amazing, pretty standard. I liked the dressing it was a bit spicy and different so that was good. My dad got the minestrone soup and that was pretty good. I think if I was to go again I would get the soup. Better value.
Anyway, they also serve a nice bread with the first courses. It is a hot Italian Loaf with this nice garlic dipping oil. I love dipping bread in oil so I was happy with that but I must say I saw so much garlic in the oil that I was surprised it was not a bit tastier.
In between my salad and main course I was entertained by the weirdest couple ever. This man was telling his date that he loved her even if she did not have the nicest body. "Most of my other girlfriends had what you would consider perfect bodies, but I like yours better, I would not even care if you got bigger, I would still love you. I remember when I saw you on one of our first dates and you were wearing that outfit, I was so attracted to that outfit and the way you moved. We did not touch so much when we were at the club, but we got it on in the car." What, is this what you talk about extremely loudly at chain restaurants??? He just kept on talking and talking I was afraid I was going to lose my appetite. Especially when he was telling her the difference between strip clubs in Memphis and New York. Apparently you have to pay for lap dances in New York, not so much in Memphis, good to know.
Finally it was entree time - here is where I was a bit disappointed. I ordered the Spicy Shrimp and Chicken Pasta. It claims to include succulent shrimp. I do not think they were so succulent. Kind of just blah actually. I will take Red Lobster Shrimp any day over that. The chicken in the dish was good though. Nice and thin sliced, just the way I like it. The main downfall of the pasta was that it was just way to creamy. My pasta was swimming in a sea of cream sauce. I think if about 1/4 of the sauce was used it would have been a much better meal. My mom and brother got similar dishes and felt the same way. I did try my dad's Chicken Marsala and that was very, very good. Light and airy with lots of chicken and a good amount of pasta. If I was to go back I would get that or try the Chicken Parm. After I ate my pasta dish I felt like I needed to go run laps around the shopping center.
One thing that I was very impressed with about Carino's was their drink menu. They have Sangria - in pitchers and individual glasses, booyah! I ordered a glass of their Italian Sangria, it was very good, very, very good. It has a more berry taste than more traditional Sangria's. I mean is this the way they drink it in Italy, perhaps not but at Italian chains, it works!

Houstons - A Real Winner

Houstons truly is one of the best chain restaurants around. It is one of those chains where chain snobs like to go. I think they kinda of feel that this is not really a chain, but alas, it is. I guess the dark atmosphere and jazz piano player at the bar is a bit different that what you might get at Applebees.
Most good major US cities have a Houstons. It is actually owned by Hillstone Restaurant Group. They have many upscale American restaurants in California. I think they should expand and open some in the New York area.

Anyway, let's get down to business. I shall start with the spinach artichoke dip which is delicious at Houstons. Not as good as the one at CPK, but a close second. My most favorite thing at Houstons are their burgers. Oh my god, they are incredible. By far my favorite chain burger. They are always big and juicy and beautiful. Sometimes you order a burger and you say medium and it comes out burnt, not here, they know how to get it right. Also they are very cool with letting you substitute fries for a baked potato. Good thing because their baked potatoes are awesome. They coat them with salt baby.
I also recommend the Grilled Chicken Salad here. So if I was to get the spinach artichoke dip I would probably get the salad as my entree. It is kind of like a good Asian Chicken Salad.
My brother once get a steak here and he really liked it, so if you are in the steak mood you can go with that but I still feel the burgers are just so good, stick with that if you are diggin red meat. I am also pretty sure my aunt always gets the tuna and she is a picky eater so I trust her judgement so if you eat things like tuna try that.
What is also cool about Houstons is their drink list. They serve cool, regional beers, not just your standard Miller Lite, etc (not that I don't like Miller Lite, I am just saying). They also have a stellar wine list. I usually get a glass of Riesling here and I always like it.

This is Intense - The Best Coffee Chains

I love coffee! It is my favorite non-alcoholic beverage. A day does not go by that I do not have my coffee. I need it like I need water, actually maybe more. This weekend I had the honor of trying my new favorite coffee chain, Honey Dew donuts.

This place is really incredible. The coffee is so smooth and delicious. The regular iced coffee tastes as good as a latte at some of the higher prices places.

Anyway to celebrate my new obsession I am going to be ranking my favorite coffee chains.

1) Honey Dew - Wow, they need to open these in NY. How about we tear down 25% of the Starbucks and open these up. They have many different coffee flavors, I tried the French Vanilla and it was awesome! They also have great muffins. I had the pistachio one. It is green and tastes like a cookie. I am curious to try some of their low fat muffins to see how they taste.

2) Dunkin Donuts - This was my old favorite. I try to have it once a day. I like the French Vanilla coffee here but sometimes I find it inconsistent at different locations. You need to find a good Dunkin to get the best quality coffee. Some of them are kinda shady and some are just like big coffee factories but I still love it! I also like their hot chocolate and vanilla chai a lot. I am not a big fan of their lattes. Of course their donuts are amazing but usually I get a wheat bagel or corn muffin. Both are very yummy.

3) Caribou Coffee - I just went here in Atlanta and was very impressed. Their iced latte was delicious as was just their iced French Vanilla. They have a very nice menu of different kinds of lattes I want to try like Mint Condition, and Lite White Berry (kind of sounds like me). One thing I do not get is the whole log cabin feel of the place. Isn't coffee from South America?

4) Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf - This place is only on the west coast. When I first tried it when I was in Vegas I totally loved it. They have a lot of great iced blended drinks with cool flavors like Caramel, and Peppermint White Hot Chocolate. I think they put powder is most of the drinks which is kind of weird but it tastes really good so I do not care. The only reason why this is not higher on the list because when I tried it for a second time in Vegas I did not like it as much as the first time and I found the service kind of slow.

5) Starbucks - So, so, so overpriced and so blech. I really only like the lattes here. The regular coffee is just not good. The only way it is drinkable is if you put tons of milk and sugar which is kind of annoying. Yes the white chocolate latte or the caramel frapachino is delicious but they are both really fattening. Also they only sell New York Times in their stores. I mean come on sell the Post that is what people want to read anyway.

6) Coffee Beanery - I remember going to these way back in the day but they just are not that good anymore. I feel the coffee is kind of burnt there.

Honorable mention - Guy and Gallard - they get this because their chai is the greatest hot drink in the world. It is like a dessert and I love it!

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.