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| Jeff's Restaurant Reviews; The critic aims his sights at eateries! | |
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| Topic Started: Oct 3 2008, 10:22 PM (138 Views) | |
| Jeff | Oct 3 2008, 10:22 PM Post #1 |
Destroyer of Worlds
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The difficulty with reviewing restaurants is that each is independently managed and, as a result, the experience one reviewer might have at any given location might not be the same as the experience at another chapter of the same chain, or the experiences someone else has with the particular eatery in question. As a result, each review will be from my personal perspective and if I have been to multiple chapters of the same franchise, I'll be sure to make a note about it. With that out of the way - let's begin! Today's restaurant: Ruby Tuesdays I'm not going to lie - I freaking love Ruby Tuesdays. Why? Well, that's what I'm here to explain, now isn't it, so shut up and listen, you putz. First off is the location. The nearest Ruby Tuesdays to my house is literally four streets from my house - I could walk there in about 20 minutes, if I don't rush or mind going up a big hill on the way there. If that location were to cease to exist, there's another branch about ten minutes down one of the major roads anyways, so location gets an automatic gold star from my perspective. While it may not seem very professional to give restaurants bonus points for being nearby, I'd like to see you complain about it. Anyways, upon entering either of these Ruby Tuesdays, I am almost always greeted quickly by smiling and helpful staff. They sit my family and/or friends and I as soon as possible (almost always as soon as we enter, as both installments of the franchise have large sitting area) and usually have a waiter/waitress to our table in good time. The sodas aren't watered down (at least not to the point where I've ever taken notice) and routinely checked with each pass by. Within reasonable to excellent time, our food is brought out. That is to say, it's brought out assuming you did not get the salad bar - and Ruby Tuesdays is probably the only restaurant I can name off-hand that I've been to in a long time to still HAVE a salad bar so all you weird dieters or health nuts can have you fill too. Ruby Tuesdays primarily has American-style dishes, burgers, steaks, traditional pastas, etc, so the most exotic thing they offer is the bison burger (which is pretty good. It's like beef, but a little tougher). All-in-all, the cooking is extremely good, especially as American-style food goes without going too far north or south of the Mason-Dixon Line. The prices also tend to be reasonable, and the portions are sizable to boot, filling even me up without use of the salad bar or dessert menu. Speaking of desserts, my sole complaint lies in that the dessert menu is rather... well, small. There's maybe five choices on it. Not that they're not good - they are - but if you don't like any of those five then... ... No, if you don't like any of those five then you're obviously STUPID and don't deserve dessert you picky prick. All-in-all, Ruby Tuesdays is nice. It's casual, it has a relaxed atmosphere and is a nice place to have dinner at the end of a hectic day. Food's great, the place is clean and well-kept, service is good to excellent, salad bar is a nice plus, and rarely have to wait to be seated. I recommend it. |
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Come visit me and my thought processes at my website: http://www.publishedauthors.net/tdotdw/news.html "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, society needs its heroes." - John Hart; actor who played The Lone Ranger. | |
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| Rem | Oct 11 2008, 02:09 PM Post #2 |
Why yes, I do like snickerdoodles.
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I've actually never tried Ruby Tuesday's before. I'm not even sure if there is one in Staten Island, but if there is, I'll go to it. Ruby Tuesday always turned me off with it's commericials--Seriously, grilled pineapple burger--But I'll give it a try. |
 Have you ever wondered what color air is? | |
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| Jeff | Nov 5 2008, 02:29 PM Post #3 |
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Destroyer of Worlds
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Today's Restaurant: Chili's Like Ruby Tuesdays, this restaurant is just down the road, maybe a grand total of 7 minutes from my house, which is nice. Again, I'd like to see YOU complain about location convenience. During peak hours, particularly around dinner time (roughly 5:30-7) you can expect a Chili's to be utterly jam-packed with people, making getting a seat a particularly grueling experience. However, I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes to get a seat, even under these conditions. That's largely due to my local Chili's having excellent, speedy service and a fairly open building where a waiter/waitress can notice a need from a sizable distance, which is nice. The staff are friendly and accommodating and don't even get bent out of shape when I change like six things on the fajita quesadilla item. The food offers a wide variety of foods commonplace mostly in Canada/American regions, with a little hint of Mexican cooking present in the form of mild quesadillas or a taco salad. The menu has a wide variety of steaks and burgers, but a rather small menu in the name of... well, everything else. I suppose there is a possibility of not finding something you'd like, but from what I've seen there's at least one thing you could find on the menu that you'd like, including even a type or two of fish. The drinks aren't watered down, and the waiters/waitresses make it a point to keep up with the drink flow - which is quite fast when my family and I are involved. The price range varies a little, but I think it tends to get a bit too high in the name of steaks or fish. I know this is an "across-the-board" thing but I don't understand why salmon is so damn expensive. I mean, think about it. It's a commonplace fish, it's a BIG fish and the pieces you get can't possibly be more than 1/16 of the buggers, so why does it cost more per pound than the steak? Fillet Mignon, definitely not, but still... Anyways, if you shy away from the more gourmet options the menu offers, you're more than likely going to be satisfied by your experiences at a Chili's eatery. I recommend checking it out for yourself. |
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Come visit me and my thought processes at my website: http://www.publishedauthors.net/tdotdw/news.html "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, society needs its heroes." - John Hart; actor who played The Lone Ranger. | |
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| Jeff | Feb 5 2009, 10:43 AM Post #4 |
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Destroyer of Worlds
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Today's Restaurant - Applebee's Like the past two restaurant reviews, Applebee's is relatively close to where I live. This would be a point in its favor, but it's RIPPED AWAY as soon as it's given because every time I walk into the place, I'm forced to wait for one of the idiot staff to come up to the podium and sit my family/friends and I. EVEN WHEN THE RESTAURANT IS NEARLY EMPTY! That right there should've said it all, but I braved on. Every single visit, the waiter/waitress took forever and a day to come over. More than once I've noticed them loitering around, talking to people or in one more special instance, she was just... staring off into space or something. This is annoying because my family and I tend to go through soda like it's going out of style, thus an occasional checking-in wouldn't kill them, I don't think. The food? Well, it's not bad. That is to say it is - by definition - edible. I would dare go so far as to say it's actually pretty good, but good luck GETTING your food if you do order something. Did I mention yet I've been to like three different installments of the chain and this happens EVERY SINGLE TIME?! This isn't even a county-specific problem! Okay, okay, I'm being harsh. The food is adequate. But that's just it - adequate. Average. Run-of-the-mill. Unexciting and definitely nothing to write home about unless it's the first meal you've had in a month or two. Also, I've never gotten full at an Applebee's, even after the average desserts. Perhaps a smaller-stomach'd person than myself would find it quite filling but I, at 6'4", did not. The drinks were pretty good, but that's not saying much as you pretty much must go OUT OF YOUR WAY to sabotage a freaking Coca-Cola (I'm looking at YOU, Bob Evans). But, again, good luck getting your Coke because you'll be waiting for it a while. I swear, it's gotta be some kind of passive-aggressive psychological warfare they're doing. Take it or leave it, but for the amount the food costs, I'd expect at least better service or, if not that, then at least food that could color my experience at any given Applebee's a bit merrier a shade, but as it stands now the entire franchise comes off as distant, petty and rather annoying. Frankly you'd be better off spending your money elsewhere. |
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Come visit me and my thought processes at my website: http://www.publishedauthors.net/tdotdw/news.html "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, society needs its heroes." - John Hart; actor who played The Lone Ranger. | |
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| Root | Feb 13 2009, 08:42 PM Post #5 |
The Speaker for the Dead
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I agree totally with your Applebee's review. Where I used to live the service used to be great, no problems at all. However, here, it was terrible just like you said it was in Virginia. Man, they've really let themselves go, huh? |
Does being the only sane one make me the insane one, in a sort of way? Though my eyes could see, I was still a blind man; Though my mind could think, I still was a madman... "Yes there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run...there's still time to change the road you're on" | |
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| ddrattack | Jun 26 2009, 12:08 AM Post #6 |
The DDR of all things Rythm
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Jeff! We need more restaurant reviews, I need to new places to go in Albany! |
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| DarkManticoreX2 | Sep 29 2009, 03:04 PM Post #7 |
Member Rank 4
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I do like the salad bar at ruby Tuesday's but it's probably my second favorite restaurant of this particular genre. My favorite is TGI Friday's, which you don't even have up there. You should give them a try and a review. I find that almost everything on their menu is excellent, especially if you pick off of their "favorites" menu.
Edited by DarkManticoreX2, Sep 29 2009, 11:46 PM.
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| Jeff | Sep 29 2009, 03:37 PM Post #8 |
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Destroyer of Worlds
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I have been to TGI Fridays before, and several times. Unfortunately, though, it hasn't been for quite a while, so I don't think I could offer up a fair review of it as I am now. But I'll take that into consideration. And since I'm posting here anyways - and it has been quite a while - I'll discuss a local restaurant. Today's restaurant: El Gran Charro I'm not sure if it's a chain, but I don't honestly believe it is. However, I have it and, if it's not a chain, YOU DON'T and that makes it all the sweeter for me. Though, to be fair, a rudimentary net search did bring up a similar listing in Delaware, so I could be mistaken. As you might've guessed, the place has a distinctly Mexican motif, with various things such as sombreros or steer horns. The place was also hand-painted by a single artist. That's dedication to your trade. So, the aesthetics are pleasing. Upon entering El Gran Charro, my family and I are quickly ushered in and seated within minutes. I've seen the place even when it's highly busy but I've never had to wait for a table before. The waiters are fast and courteous, even those whose understanding of the English language is limited. Perhaps some of you out there consider me judgmental for assuming people working in a Mexican restaurant speak English. If so, you're a prick for not taking into consideration that this restaurant is, in fact, in America. So, all joking aside, we're always seated quickly and having paid for my own meal there once or twice, the prices are very reasonable and the selection is quite varied. Even picky eaters such as myself can find something there. Chips, mild salsa and what I've been told is a ranch dipping sauce (I don't use dipping sauces, to be fair) are provided as appetizers free of charge, though I believe their Nachos Texanos is the best appetizer there. The meals come in absolutely remarkable time, and always come piping hot and fresh. My personal favorite are the Fajitas Texanos which is a combination platter of fajita chicken, steak and shrimp, alongside a platter of rice, guacamole, beans and other various fixings. The portions are huge. Quite often, my family has to take boxes home (I never do, but the servings are perfectly sized for me). Dessert menu is somewhat limited between only 4-6 things, but they do have fried ice cream which is simply heavenly so I can't complain too much, seeing as that's my dessert of choice when I'm there. Service is quick and astute, ready to get anything you need at a moment's notice and are always friendly and helpful whenever I've needed them. As a result of fast service, small wait times, fantastic range of products and low prices, El Gran Charro has become a weekly trend in my household, encompassing each Friday evening. Should you pass through my neck of the woods, this is one you simply cannot miss. |
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Come visit me and my thought processes at my website: http://www.publishedauthors.net/tdotdw/news.html "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, society needs its heroes." - John Hart; actor who played The Lone Ranger. | |
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| Jeff | Sep 30 2009, 08:17 PM Post #9 |
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Destroyer of Worlds
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The irony astounds me. One day, I get a request to review TGI Fridays. Guess where I went to dinner tonight - without ever having said a thing? Today's restaurant: TGI Fridays We ended up going at a late, busy hour. However, we were seated after a moment or two and had our drink orders taken in a pretty short time, so it was a surprisingly good start. I'll go ahead and say here what put me in a bad mood was a nearby table full of drunkards who were loud, obnoxious and wouldn't shut the hell up and leave. But I can't fault the restaurant on this count, except that the manager should have gone to say something to them. Anyways, the waiter wasn't exactly quick. We had to wait for drink refills multiple times while I watched him wait on neighboring tables, almost as if he was deliberately skipping over mine. Say what you will, I sensed douchebaggery afoot. I also will take this moment to say that my Dr. Pepper seemed somewhat watered down. Didn't stop me from drinking it, but it still would've been preferable right from the can by comparison. We got our food in reasonable time, and he had the orders perfect in spite of not writing them down, so I couldn't complain. I had a large lunch, so I tried one of their sandwiches and sampled from my parents' plates (this being the first time I've openly admittedly to reviewing restaurants to them. Not that I have a reason to hide it, it just never comes up in conversation, usually.) My sandwich was really good though I found the fries to be rather mediocre. My mother ordered a ribs/shrimp platter which was not only huge but quite good and my father tried one of the burgers which I opted to pass on since he drowned the poor thing in ketchup. So, the food was good, however, the service at this point took a hit for the worse when the waiter became even SLOWER and the drunks got even LOUDER, which pretty much shot any chance of trying dessert during this sitting. Eventually, after my dad had to hunt down and drag over the guy just to get the check, we bolted to get away from the raving morons a few tables away. With the exception of the service, the biggest complaints I could issue really weren't the restaurant's fault, per se, but, again, my complaints could easily have been addressed some time in the duration of our visit. We were there for an hour and twenty minutes - which is TOO FUCKING LONG - courtesy of slow service at first and terrible service later on, and never once did I even so much as see a manager on-duty. All-in-all, the pricing is reasonable and the food ranged from decent to good, but all I can say is if you're going to go to TGI Fridays, don't go during happy hour and you're set for a pretty good experience. |
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Come visit me and my thought processes at my website: http://www.publishedauthors.net/tdotdw/news.html "In the cold light, justice and morality always look corny and you can't wave the flag and look cool. But like it or not, society needs its heroes." - John Hart; actor who played The Lone Ranger. | |
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| DarkManticoreX2 | Oct 4 2009, 02:21 PM Post #10 |
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Member Rank 4
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Sounds like you got a bad table, sorry to hear that. Drunks make everything seem a lot worse. IMO, firday's has the most flavorful food of the bunch. But i do feel like the servers are over tabled at times. I've found it's helpful to put your glasses and plates on the server side of the table. Generally, they'll notice the empty dishes and such a lot quicker that way. It speeds service up a bunch, especially if you have an inattentive waiter. |
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