ruexp67

My only point was that if the food TASTES just as good at a chain, you would still bash it simply because it's a chain. I think cooking CAN be made into an SOP.

See if you can track down an episode of Penn & Teller's Bullshit! from Showtime where they went after "The Best." They did a whole scam where they cooked food for people in a van behind a really nice restraunt using a toaster oven. They served them stale bagles with canned tomatoes and called it brushetta and everyone fauned over it. They served people DOG FOOD and they fauned over it. They served them a $10 bottle of wine. Simply because they thought they were getting the "best" they reacted as if they were.

All I am getting at, is I reccomend places I have been to and liked the food. I don't consider myself a connesuier of anything except beer. (See, I can't even SPELL the freaking word. ) So as long as I enjoyed the food, and the service is good, I'm happy. Many of the chain restraunts are independantly owned and operated so the owner is still very interested in making you feel welcome, and making sure you have a pleasant dining experience. Otherwise, you won't come back and they will lose their livelyhood. Same as a privately owned restraunt.

I can't, well, WON'T pay $100/person for dinner. To me, the private restraunt may be better, but not THAT much better to justify the cost. BTW -- I happen to LIKE the Olive Garden.

ruexp67

You know, beating the crap out of you is not considered foreplay to EVERYONE.

shift_9k

Does it for your sister.






Damn we havent done this in a while. Forgot how fun it was.


For the sake of the thread lets take it else where.

ruexp67

Had you ever seen my sister, you would realize how much you just ripped on yourself.

Let's take it to WC.

shift_9k

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.ph...f=163&t=322750

done!

ToeKneeC

on your 'only point', we, and i'm sure other foodies, will agree to disagree. i like some chains: fatburger, in n out (but fries and shake only), not to mention sweet tomatoes make a KILLER salad... majority of cases tho, chained food does NOT taste as good at the same price break simply because they've ISO9001'd cooking at TGIF. your meal @ OG (Olive Garden, not OLYMPIC GARDEN - your Vegas strip joint reference of the day fulfilled) can be surpassed at a moms n pops joint (not even necessarily a 'hole in the wall'). "Bullshit" can hardly be deemed a scientific study on 'taste buds', yah? if you served me stale bagels, i'd shove it up the maitre'd's arse. anecdote say 50% of Americans thinks they're the best drivers. apply same logic to P&T's show results.

as far as $100/pp meal..well... i mean... that's really your loss and prerogative some ppl refuse to buy $30K sports cars.. i mean.. you know...

ps. foodies, go rent 'tampopo' on DVD... it's a riot.

ruexp67

Fair enough.

blah

Haven't seen it mentioned, so I'll sugest Babaluci on Golf Rd. in Hoffman Estates (http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/s...,2719383.venue). Pretty good Italian restaurant.

tcho82

Ahh, now here is where we shall disagree. Sweet tomatoes, while decent for $7.69 a person(with coupon from Sunday's paper of course), and definitely good for the price. Does not taste all that great. Their pasta is almost always blan, mac and cheese is very watery, soups are decent, specialty salads are usually drenched in dressing, but it is pretty hard to mess up a regular salad bar.

There is a time and place for every single restaurant out there. It all depends on your mood, bank account, and your date. not to mention your taste buds, they may overtake all three.

I Love my Jimmy Johns and Chipotle

I can eat a seafood feast at Red Lobster or Bob Chinns and enjoy both equally

I'll take my steak from IHOP at 3 AM and scarf it down and enjoy it just as I would from my $70 from Mortons

And I'll take my $27 Sushi Buffett at Todai and eat my super dragon rolls at the trendiest sushi spots.


However, I will not pay top $$$ for crappy food. Well I have. And I don't go back. But the fact is chains are popular for a reason, and that is simply consistency. When you walk into a McD's you expect a Big Mac to taste like a Big Mac. I tried this when on a Business trip in Japan. After being wined and dined on all kinds of interesting creatures of the sea for 10 days we had just about had it, me and my co-workers "stumbled" upon the oasis they called McDonalds. We demanded a round of Big Macs, and guess what. They tasted exactly like Big Macs.

Sure there is always better and better. But a good franchise keeps business rolling by offering food that tastes at least decent, and usually at a decent price. Which is the main reason I suggested many of what I did.

I can enjoy a 99 cent double cheeseburger from McDonalds just as much as a $200 rare sea clam (1 clam) I had in Japan (although I didn't pay for it)

my .02 cents

If anyone wants any more info about the places I mentioned just lemme know.

Luke530

i'm probably going to end up at wildfire in schaumburg... i have talked to alot of people at my gym, and they all say it's some really great steak. either that or go to a houlihan's