rant: fine dining

[Freed Roger]

Olive Garden by us has the manager's name in stone on the building entrance.

My wife and I got a laugh out of that, as we proceeded in for a weak attempt to use the gift cards. 2 hour bad experience, they comped it without us even asking. We were looking at it as an alternative to fastfood or panera-type places - and it failed.

[lukethedrifter]

There's a CiCi's pizza by my house and right now another chain is building their own pizza buffet directly across the street. There's a third chain with a location less than a mile away. There must be some money in it.

http://gatewayredbirds.com/forum/viewto ... ot#p966220

[lukethedrifter]

Took my wife to Bar Les Freres last night before going to see Father John Misty. Really nice. Really captured the French look she was going for and the food was fantastic- duck confit, seared scallops and cauliflower gratin.

Minor quibble from the drink menu. They have Classic Martini listed yet the barkeep asked if Absolut was good. Not Classic.

[jim]

I'm not a fan of Olive Garden, but I'm going to defend Red Lobster. They do not just fry stuff. To me Red Lobster is to seafood what Outback is to meat. Solid, unpretentious, and respectable. Outback isn't going to compete with Gibson's, but it's a pretty damn good steak for under $20. Red Lobster isn't going to compete with Chen's Crab House, but a pound of pretty damn good Crab legs for under $20.

I will say there are many things on the Red Lobster menu that I do not like. I almost always get the crab legs.

What pisses me off are "Irish" restaurants that serve Shepherd pie with beef. It's a Shepherd, not a Cowherd. Sheep, lamb. Not beef. What did the shepherd's do, whack the cows menacing their sheep and made dinner out of them?

[haltz]

They do not just fry stuff.

There are several methods of "unfreezing," but rest assured, that's all they do. I mean, the scampi comes in a bag that says "shrimp scampi" and the "cook" puts in a microwave.

Don't get me wrong, I could get down on some mediocre crab legs and cheddar biscuits with you, but the operation is no different than you pulling something out of the freezer.

[planet planet]

My uncle worked for Darden for years and his job was to travel the country to find the right markets to open Red Lobsters, Olive Gardens, and Joe's Crab Shacks. I always thought that was an odd job, but I wonder what he looked for regarding demographics?

Cini opens tomorrow on Grand. Checking it out for lunch; I like the concept.

Has anyone been to Blood and Sand? Is it really membership only?

[haltz]

Took my wife to Bar Les Freres last night before going to see Father John Misty. Really nice. Really captured the French look she was going for and the food was fantastic- duck confit, seared scallops and cauliflower gratin.

Minor quibble from the drink menu. They have Classic Martini listed yet the barkeep asked if Absolut was good. Not Classic.

When someone asks me for a martini, I start by asking "gin or vodka" and it's 90% of the time vodka. I don't blame that bartender too much.

Anyway, I've got to get in there soon. Have only heard good things.

[haltz]

Has anyone been to Blood and Sand? Is it really membership only?

Supposedly if you want to strike up a conversation with a member of the opposite sex at the bar, you have to ask the arm-gartered mixology master and they will ask that patron's permission.

I think it's $15/mo, just enough to be obnoxious but only exclusive to douchebags.

[haltz]

My uncle worked for Darden for years and his job was to travel the country to find the right markets to open Red Lobsters, Olive Gardens, and Joe's Crab Shacks. I always thought that was an odd job, but I wonder what he looked for regarding demographics?

Successful local restaurants to undercut.

[lukethedrifter]

Took my wife to Bar Les Freres last night before going to see Father John Misty. Really nice. Really captured the French look she was going for and the food was fantastic- duck confit, seared scallops and cauliflower gratin.

Minor quibble from the drink menu. They have Classic Martini listed yet the barkeep asked if Absolut was good. Not Classic.

When someone asks me for a martini, I start by asking "gin or vodka" and it's 90% of the time vodka. I don't blame that bartender too much.

Anyway, I've got to get in there soon. Have only heard good things.

But you can't call it a classic martini. Especially in a place like that.