In our area there are a number of very good restaurants... some of which are the franchise type with the rest being unique to the area. Some serve alcohol, and some do not. To me it makes no difference.
Restaurant quality...
- Thread starter Andy Griffith
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I could (and will, herewith) make an argument that there is not an inverse relationship between alcohol sales and the quality of the cuisine. On the contrary, it's been my observation that restaurants that serve alcohol "right", that is, those that serve cocktails in appropriate serving sizes, in the correct glassware, with suitable "presentation", etc., and which offer a wine selection that matches in sophistication and variety the food on the menu, tend to offer high quality food, and those which are not sophisticated about their alcoholic beverage offerings are likely to be equally indifferent to the cuisine.
You can bet that the food is not going to rise to the level of mediocre, if the choices of beer are limited to Bud, or Bud Lite, the waitress, asked about the best available Bourbon, offers Johnny Walker, and the wine list consists of two choices: Red/White.
You can bet that the food is not going to rise to the level of mediocre, if the choices of beer are limited to Bud, or Bud Lite, the waitress, asked about the best available Bourbon, offers Johnny Walker, and the wine list consists of two choices: Red/White.
Usually the cleaner the restaurant, the better the food quality. Not always, but it seems to be the case around here. Check this site. Division of Public Health | Environmental Health
And then there's Restaurant Ratings | Restaurant Reviews | Zagat
And then there's Restaurant Ratings | Restaurant Reviews | Zagat
Geez, and I thught El Paso was pretty uncivilized; we have several locally owned Italian restaurants that are very good, and probably more variety of Mexican food than anywhere else I've found; the Tigua Indian reservation restuarant serves a green chile that practically glows in the dark, but it's so good you can't help gulping it down and suffering. Several former GAFADS (German Air Force Air Defense School) students stayed and started restaurants: one, a German one unfortunately went belly up last year, but there's a world class steakhouse just outside of town.
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Sir,
It's not the food, but the animosity. If you had voted FOR liquor by the drink, this thread would have been about how much BETTER the meals are. No disrespect intended.
It's not the food, but the animosity. If you had voted FOR liquor by the drink, this thread would have been about how much BETTER the meals are. No disrespect intended.
One of my beliefs, based on my experience here in Tokyo, which has a lot of great food from all over the world, is that the smaller the restaurant, the more limited the menu, the better it is. I know one place where you don't even know what's on the menu for the evening until you show up. Dinner -- which will be one offering -- depends on what looked good to the chef at the markets that particular day. Seats maybe 15 people, tops. The chef is an ex-policeman, a slightly older female serves drinks and conversation, and they say they are just friends. Maybe so. Anyway, the food is terrific.
When I see a hundred items on the menu, I get worried.
When I see a hundred items on the menu, I get worried.
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There is an Italian place in Young Harris that is very good. Ask around and surely you will get the name. How many could there be in Young Harris? No alcohol served there. The Rib Shack is my lunch place of choice in Blairsville. In Blue Ridge there is The Harvest and Christie Lee's, both with bars.
Regards,
Tam 3
Regards,
Tam 3
Hobie1
Member
Any of you folks got a Texas Roadhouse close by? My wife and I are picky about our steaks and frankly, TR does an outstanding job for a reasonable price. Steaks are tender and done to your choice. The place is so good that if you don't call ahead, you might have a 45 minute wait, even in the middle of the afternoon. Consistently great. BTW, they serve some fine top shelf cocktails also.
Hobie
Hobie
dcxplant
Member
Epicurious.
Have fun and happy eating!!
Have fun and happy eating!!
Texas Roadhouse in Amarillo, Tx is about the only steak house that I will eat at. Excellent food and service.
I cook better beef at my home on my grills, but sometimes I don't want to cook or I'm in a hurry.
I cut my own mesquite to cook with.
Ribs do well on mesquite smoke fires.
The key to cooking good beef is use quality beef to cook with.
Lots of good Tex/Mex Restuarants to eat at in Texas.
My friend and I are fixing to go out for quality Chinese at lunch today.
Rule 303
I cook better beef at my home on my grills, but sometimes I don't want to cook or I'm in a hurry.
I cut my own mesquite to cook with.
Ribs do well on mesquite smoke fires.
The key to cooking good beef is use quality beef to cook with.
Lots of good Tex/Mex Restuarants to eat at in Texas.
My friend and I are fixing to go out for quality Chinese at lunch today.
Rule 303
labworm
US Veteran
Think of Walmart, they show up and all the small independents disappear, the same goes for all the small family restaurants.
The chains don't really put the little guy out of business, we the consumers are the guilty ones.
We have a Texas Roadhouse, have eaten there a few times.
This does not apply to the one in your area only to the one I have been at. Steak very salty, tenderizer? The noise level is unbelievable, you actually have a hard time conversing with your guests. They are off my list, we still have many small family run businesses that put any of the chains to shame, they get all my cash.
The chains don't really put the little guy out of business, we the consumers are the guilty ones.
We have a Texas Roadhouse, have eaten there a few times.
This does not apply to the one in your area only to the one I have been at. Steak very salty, tenderizer? The noise level is unbelievable, you actually have a hard time conversing with your guests. They are off my list, we still have many small family run businesses that put any of the chains to shame, they get all my cash.
I think of the Minneapolis/St. Paul area as a pretty good restaurant town. There are lots of good steak places; of course I have my favorites. There are always new trendy chef-driven places opening, some with a longer half-life than others. Some are so-so, the best are very good.
One of the best things to happen to these towns is the influx of immigrants over the last 40 years, especially Mexican and Asian, which means hundreds of ethnic restaurants.
Then there is my favorite Greek place, run by a Norwegian/Minnesota girl who married a Greek. It may not be the best restaurant in town, but she serves the best-tasting food.
Booze is typically available, sometimes just beer and wine, but often not at all at smaller ethnic places, where newness or neighborhood can make licensure an issue. Its presence or absence in a restaurant is no indicator one way or the other, except that "family" restaurants that are alcohol-free by choice tend toward the mediocre.
One of the best things to happen to these towns is the influx of immigrants over the last 40 years, especially Mexican and Asian, which means hundreds of ethnic restaurants.
Then there is my favorite Greek place, run by a Norwegian/Minnesota girl who married a Greek. It may not be the best restaurant in town, but she serves the best-tasting food.
Booze is typically available, sometimes just beer and wine, but often not at all at smaller ethnic places, where newness or neighborhood can make licensure an issue. Its presence or absence in a restaurant is no indicator one way or the other, except that "family" restaurants that are alcohol-free by choice tend toward the mediocre.
I agree with labworm about Texas Roadhouse. Way too noisy, mediocre steaks and too small booths. The waitresses look unhappy and disinterested when they have to stop and do the stupid line dancing thing. Outback is way better.
You can't really compare WM to chain restaurants. Local restaurants go out of business because they serve crappy food, have poor service, etc. Not because they can't compete on price and selection with Outback. There are always plenty of good local restaurants you can hardly get into and next door someone's boarding up the windows. You have good food, service, and value, people will come. One thing the chains are good at is providing something consistently decent. I've been in plenty of local places that think opening a can is like picking something off the vine. Pizza joints are a good example from what I've seen around here. I have a flat rule to never go back if you put canned mushrooms on my pizza. You know if they're skimping on something that cheap, that makes that much difference in taste, the whole place is a dump.
labworm
US Veteran
Who would ever think Guy Fieri is a member of the S&W forum.
You just never know who is sitting behind that screen name
You just never know who is sitting behind that screen name
GatorFarmer
Member
I'm lucky I suppose. My wife never really learned to cook. Her only real baseline as to what food ought taste like as an adult is what the U.S. Navy serves up. Her attempts to make something (she won't let me cook, because I tend to just eat the same thing out of cans for weeks on end) generally turn out worse than anything the Navy would serve.
Thus I eat at Golden Corral a lot. Young kids eat free and the steak like meat product is edible.
I did spend a lot of time smoking unfiltered cigarettes and drinking bourbon from the bottle as well. This was time well spent, since I can generally choke most things down without getting a real "taste" of what I'm eating.
Thus I eat at Golden Corral a lot. Young kids eat free and the steak like meat product is edible.
I did spend a lot of time smoking unfiltered cigarettes and drinking bourbon from the bottle as well. This was time well spent, since I can generally choke most things down without getting a real "taste" of what I'm eating.
rburg
Member
My wife's favorite restaurant around here is Longhorn. Primarily because they have the best filet. Neither of us like outback because of the outback sauce they dump their steaks in. Texas Roadhouse is a hamburger joint at best (not bad burgers, however.)
I agree the small family run places put themselves out of business. Or operate at a subsistence level until they go under. Food service is a tough business, and it must not only deliver objectively good food, its also got to account for variances in personal taste. Some of the snooty chef's think you should eat the creations they produce to their own personal expectations. Then they get offended when the customer (the guy paying) orders something without his slatherings of onions, garlic, or God forbid, anyting but bloody rare. So to show the heathens, he selects a poor cut of meat and then serves his customer (for the last time) the thing they order.
I guess I don't understand the theory that a customer must enjoy what the chef (or cook) feels is his favorite, or his masterpiece. If you don't like it, its your failure, not his. And you won't return, which is his fault. And he won't see it. And his joint will fail, and the blame will try to be put on everyone who doesn't deserve it. Its maybe why hiring anyone from a failed place may infect the new one and doom it.
I used to rate restaurants by looking at the salad and seeing if it contained radishes. I like them, but if it was still my system, none would pass my test.
At least at the chain's, you get a consistently good meal. Can't say that about the independent places. Chances aren't even good.
I agree the small family run places put themselves out of business. Or operate at a subsistence level until they go under. Food service is a tough business, and it must not only deliver objectively good food, its also got to account for variances in personal taste. Some of the snooty chef's think you should eat the creations they produce to their own personal expectations. Then they get offended when the customer (the guy paying) orders something without his slatherings of onions, garlic, or God forbid, anyting but bloody rare. So to show the heathens, he selects a poor cut of meat and then serves his customer (for the last time) the thing they order.
I guess I don't understand the theory that a customer must enjoy what the chef (or cook) feels is his favorite, or his masterpiece. If you don't like it, its your failure, not his. And you won't return, which is his fault. And he won't see it. And his joint will fail, and the blame will try to be put on everyone who doesn't deserve it. Its maybe why hiring anyone from a failed place may infect the new one and doom it.
I used to rate restaurants by looking at the salad and seeing if it contained radishes. I like them, but if it was still my system, none would pass my test.
At least at the chain's, you get a consistently good meal. Can't say that about the independent places. Chances aren't even good.
No chain restaurants for me! Call me a snob, but I frequent "family" owned establishments.
Yes sometimes there is a cover charge and a two drink minimum, but the buffet is to die for, served between 1pm and 3pm. They really put their hearts into the preperation of pizza rolls and sandwiches.
Many times if the "server" likes you, they bring you to sit in a private booth. I usually select one or two things off the "menu",then finish up in enough time to greet the wife when she gets home from work.
Yes sometimes there is a cover charge and a two drink minimum, but the buffet is to die for, served between 1pm and 3pm. They really put their hearts into the preperation of pizza rolls and sandwiches.
Many times if the "server" likes you, they bring you to sit in a private booth. I usually select one or two things off the "menu",then finish up in enough time to greet the wife when she gets home from work.
JcMack
Member
The last French restaurant around here(Jacque in zee Box) closed years ago. It's now a Leroy's barber shop n BBQ. A big night on the town around here is Macdonalds or Wendy's. A guy that really cares for his gal will supersize her.
tripledipper
Member
Longhorn is a Darden restaurant (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, etc.), therfore serving decent food with consistent quality, one of the best reasonable beef chains.
