Cost: $9
Prep: 30 minutes
Prep: 30 minutes
Showing posts with label fries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fries. Show all posts
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
The Pink Bicycle
This afternoon, Mommy went for a massage while Daddy and Charlie went to Miniature World. Then, we walked a few blocks over and had dinner at the Pink Bicycle.
I have only ever had appies here, and those were good. I have heard rants and raves about the burgers, and I guess it is all a matter of personal taste.
We sat inside at the back, but we should have sat outside since Charlie was being a terror. Seriously, worst child behavior ever. He hit the guy across from us with a fry. Twice. I was mortified. We should have left, or given him a time out, but we were cramped for space.
Anyway, food. Our appie was really yummy. We had onion rings. The onion rings here are spicy. I like that. Not everyone will though. Luckily, Charlie did.
Matt had a pork burger. He really liked this. I tried it, and more than did NOT. Not my thing, and I would have never ordered it for me.
After waffling on whether to have the special (a camel burger--is that real camel?), I just had a cheese burger. (The bun, indeed, was intact; the picture is after I gave Charlie some.) I have mixed feeling about it. The pickle was awesome--duh, preggo. The sauce and cheese and bun and veggies were good--especially the sauce--highlight! The burger patty was meh. It tasted home-made. And that is probably what some people like about this place. But you know what? You know where else I can get a burger that tastes home-made? Home. And it doesn't cost $13. I thought it needed more flavor, something special.
The fries were great though. And the service was, too.
I don't know; I don't really have any complaints that are valid. I just wasn't a huge fan of the dish I ordered. I will be back; I'm sure a place with such a great reputation deserves another chance.
I have only ever had appies here, and those were good. I have heard rants and raves about the burgers, and I guess it is all a matter of personal taste.
We sat inside at the back, but we should have sat outside since Charlie was being a terror. Seriously, worst child behavior ever. He hit the guy across from us with a fry. Twice. I was mortified. We should have left, or given him a time out, but we were cramped for space.
Anyway, food. Our appie was really yummy. We had onion rings. The onion rings here are spicy. I like that. Not everyone will though. Luckily, Charlie did.
Matt had a pork burger. He really liked this. I tried it, and more than did NOT. Not my thing, and I would have never ordered it for me.
After waffling on whether to have the special (a camel burger--is that real camel?), I just had a cheese burger. (The bun, indeed, was intact; the picture is after I gave Charlie some.) I have mixed feeling about it. The pickle was awesome--duh, preggo. The sauce and cheese and bun and veggies were good--especially the sauce--highlight! The burger patty was meh. It tasted home-made. And that is probably what some people like about this place. But you know what? You know where else I can get a burger that tastes home-made? Home. And it doesn't cost $13. I thought it needed more flavor, something special.
The fries were great though. And the service was, too.
I don't know; I don't really have any complaints that are valid. I just wasn't a huge fan of the dish I ordered. I will be back; I'm sure a place with such a great reputation deserves another chance.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Fernwood Inn
We have a whole bunch of Groupons that are going to expire, so in the next couple weeks we need to eat out a lot!
On the way to our "gender assessment" ultrasound today, we stopped at the Fernwood Inn to use our coupon. We had no idea they served brunch, but they do! They also are accommodating for people with children, even though I don't think it is their forte. They were great about turning on an extra TV to the soccer match so Charlie could watch.
And Charlie was being a bugger. Just got to throw that in there. He was kind of a butt all day, and this was no exception. We kept him fairly entertained, and I cleaned up the mesh he made, but I hope we weren't "those people" with their naughty infant disrupting everyone.
He looks innocent, but don't be fooled.
Generally, I like the food here. We tried the benny. Again it left me asking, why do people like the Blue Fox? This benny was a million times better. It was served on a flakey biscuit with thick smoked ham and a thin slice of cheese (smoked Gouda we guessed). It could have used a bit more Hollandaise, but the eggs were perfect. I really really like the fruit salad, but the hashbrowns....well, I liked that there were parsnips in the mix, but over all, the hashbrowns were served totally cold. Oh well.
We also shared the Down South Chicken Strips. I think it is usually served with 2 dips, but that wasn't really the problem. There was something wrong with the sweet potato fries today. They were really soggy, and that is not usual.
Oh well, we left satisfied, but it wasn't up to the usual standard. Generally, I would say they have good service and good food, but this visit one was a little off.
On the way to our "gender assessment" ultrasound today, we stopped at the Fernwood Inn to use our coupon. We had no idea they served brunch, but they do! They also are accommodating for people with children, even though I don't think it is their forte. They were great about turning on an extra TV to the soccer match so Charlie could watch.
And Charlie was being a bugger. Just got to throw that in there. He was kind of a butt all day, and this was no exception. We kept him fairly entertained, and I cleaned up the mesh he made, but I hope we weren't "those people" with their naughty infant disrupting everyone.
He looks innocent, but don't be fooled.
Generally, I like the food here. We tried the benny. Again it left me asking, why do people like the Blue Fox? This benny was a million times better. It was served on a flakey biscuit with thick smoked ham and a thin slice of cheese (smoked Gouda we guessed). It could have used a bit more Hollandaise, but the eggs were perfect. I really really like the fruit salad, but the hashbrowns....well, I liked that there were parsnips in the mix, but over all, the hashbrowns were served totally cold. Oh well.
We also shared the Down South Chicken Strips. I think it is usually served with 2 dips, but that wasn't really the problem. There was something wrong with the sweet potato fries today. They were really soggy, and that is not usual.
Oh well, we left satisfied, but it wasn't up to the usual standard. Generally, I would say they have good service and good food, but this visit one was a little off.
Monday, May 14, 2012
5th Street Bar & Grill
Cost: $10 for disaster, $30 for dinner
Prep: 35 minutes + clean-up + drive+wait
We had a dinner disaster last night. Matt chopped up a tonne of veggies for a stirfry. Peppers, broccoli, onion, green onion, carrots, and more. Then, just as he was finished, a can of fruit JUMPED from the cupboard above the veggies, landed on one of the Correll plates, and shattered it. No, not shattered, sharded it.
He was frustrated, the food was all COVERED with shards of glass, the clean up took quite a while (and involved moving the stove), Charlie was pissed that he could help vacuum, and hunger was roaring.
So, we went out for dinner.
We decided to try the Fernwood Inn again, since it was about 5PM on a Monday. However, on our drive over, traffic was heavy, and it was 5:15 by the time we reached Hillside.
We decided, in a split moment, to turn right instead. We haven't been to 5th Street in a while, so we decided to pop in.
The last time we were at 5th Street was almost a year ago, and honestly, it was a bad experience. I had the $20 Prime Rib, as did 5 of the 6 adults at our table. It was terrible. So much fat, about 75% fat, and WAY too much added fake smoke flavour (WHY?). THEN, to top it off, Glee star Corey Monteith had been dining there as well, and Glee is one of our favourite shows (mine especially), and he ran into Matt, who was carrying Charlie, then 6 months, and didn't apologize! It just left a bad taste in my mouth, both food and experience wise.
But, it was not a bad enough experience to cross 5th Street off. (Charlie, Grandma Sharon, and I have been here once since.)
There are things I do and don't like about 5th Street. The first thing I don't like is the parking lot. It is way too small, but at 5:15 on a Monday, it was great. Even when we were leaving at 6:30 there were still a few spots.
The thing I like is the menu, $5/$10/$20 (plus a bit more now). BUT WAIT. Those prices and that style of menu are DONEZO! I couldn't believe it. Overall, the prices really weren't that different, but I still think it is a mistake. One bonus is the kid's menu: $5.55 for any item (and great choices for when we need a meal for Chuck).
I also, generally, like the service. It is usually fairly quick, and the waitstaff is friendly and professional. Last night we had Maia (I think that is her name) who we have had a few times, and she is accommodating even to a baby stealing her pens and devices while she is trying to take orders.
We ordered three appies and a meal to share. It was a bit much, but I think Charlie would have liked a bit more food even though his patience was stretched.
Prep: 35 minutes + clean-up + drive+wait
We had a dinner disaster last night. Matt chopped up a tonne of veggies for a stirfry. Peppers, broccoli, onion, green onion, carrots, and more. Then, just as he was finished, a can of fruit JUMPED from the cupboard above the veggies, landed on one of the Correll plates, and shattered it. No, not shattered, sharded it.
He was frustrated, the food was all COVERED with shards of glass, the clean up took quite a while (and involved moving the stove), Charlie was pissed that he could help vacuum, and hunger was roaring.
So, we went out for dinner.
We decided to try the Fernwood Inn again, since it was about 5PM on a Monday. However, on our drive over, traffic was heavy, and it was 5:15 by the time we reached Hillside.
We decided, in a split moment, to turn right instead. We haven't been to 5th Street in a while, so we decided to pop in.
The last time we were at 5th Street was almost a year ago, and honestly, it was a bad experience. I had the $20 Prime Rib, as did 5 of the 6 adults at our table. It was terrible. So much fat, about 75% fat, and WAY too much added fake smoke flavour (WHY?). THEN, to top it off, Glee star Corey Monteith had been dining there as well, and Glee is one of our favourite shows (mine especially), and he ran into Matt, who was carrying Charlie, then 6 months, and didn't apologize! It just left a bad taste in my mouth, both food and experience wise.
But, it was not a bad enough experience to cross 5th Street off. (Charlie, Grandma Sharon, and I have been here once since.)
There are things I do and don't like about 5th Street. The first thing I don't like is the parking lot. It is way too small, but at 5:15 on a Monday, it was great. Even when we were leaving at 6:30 there were still a few spots.
The thing I like is the menu, $5/$10/$20 (plus a bit more now). BUT WAIT. Those prices and that style of menu are DONEZO! I couldn't believe it. Overall, the prices really weren't that different, but I still think it is a mistake. One bonus is the kid's menu: $5.55 for any item (and great choices for when we need a meal for Chuck).
I also, generally, like the service. It is usually fairly quick, and the waitstaff is friendly and professional. Last night we had Maia (I think that is her name) who we have had a few times, and she is accommodating even to a baby stealing her pens and devices while she is trying to take orders.
We ordered three appies and a meal to share. It was a bit much, but I think Charlie would have liked a bit more food even though his patience was stretched.
For appies, we had the oysters, fries (the dip is C's fav), and flat bread (our fav). Charlie likes to use 1 fry to eat as much dip as possible, lick that from the fry, and then dip again...and repeat. His most favorite food in the world is anything pickled, so olives, and thereby the flat bread, was also a hit.
As out shared entree, we had the burger with salad. The burger was great, huge patty and perfect for sharing.
Besides the change in menu, my only real complaint last night was the high-chair. It had no working buckle, which is a problem for parents with an acrobatic toddler and a possible liability for the restaurant. Actually, I do have another complaint, not 100% 5th's fault: there was a smoker smoking just outside the open doors, and the ENTIRE restaurant really stunk before they shut the doors/asked the person to move. THERE ARE LAWS AGAINST SMOKING THAT CLOSE TO DOORS AND WINDOWS YOU GROSS SMOKERS, just saying.
Anyway, I am not against 5th Street. We had a good experience last night and the baby genius like it.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Red Robin
The problem with trying to go out to dinner on a Friday night is the after-work crowd. We went to go to the Fernwood Inn, and although it was early, we weren't able to get a table, especially one that can accommodate a highchair. I guess that is the menace of trying to go somewhere "hip". Don't get me wrong: we like the FI and they are family friendly, but it was a bad choice on our part to go there on a Friday night.
So, instead, we went to Red Robin. Time was moving on, we all were hungry, and one of us has a seven o'clock bedtime.
Now that we have a real life-sized toddler, I totally understand the appeal of Red Robin. It has always been decent on our list of chain restaurants, but this experience took it up a notch.
1. It is loud, but not crazy music loud, just goings-on loud. So, when a young boy screeches because you aren't giving me a fry past enough, it is lost in the din.
2. It is FAST. Like, really fast. We had our food probably within 10 minutes of ordering it. Now, this doesn't speak highly to the quality of the food, clearly they aren't making anything fresh, but sometimes having to entertain a little monkey is more difficult.
3. It is accommodating to requests, both with food and otherwise. I wanted to add extra extra pickles to my burger. Done. No charge. We wanted two extra orders of fries. Done. No charge. We had 3 refills on Matt's lemonade (mostly so C could eat the strawberries). Done. No charge. Extra napkins. Done. A side-plate. Done. Another straw. Done. I hate being a pain to the waitstaff, but sometimes there are things you need or want. I really like that Red Robin does it all, and acts like it is no problem.
4. The kid's menu is pretty darn good. $6.29 for drink, entree, and side. Matt got Charlie a kid's meal when they went with a friend a few weeks ago, but we are still not quite there. Still, like many of the family's around us, when you have a brood, it is still reasonable to take the kids out to eat (and not that much more than McDonalds).
5. The food is tasty. It may not be the best quality, but it is consistent. People around us were ordering the calamari (same woman who ordered a Perrier) and fajitas, and I cannot speak to those entrees, but I feel like sticking with a burger, I know I will like what I get.
I had a Whiskey River Chicken Burger on a onion bun with pickles. I did get fries, although I usually get salad since Matt's fries are bottomless anyways. The chicken was a little puny, but, overall, it was a great burger.
Matt had some sort of Chop House Burger. It has provolone, mushrooms, and horseradish. He really liked it, but it is definitely not my thing.
Charlie had some tomato, lettuce, beef, chicken, cheese, mushrooms, lemon, lime, strawberries, and fries. (This is an off-menu item :P)
So, instead, we went to Red Robin. Time was moving on, we all were hungry, and one of us has a seven o'clock bedtime.
 |
| Entertaining himself: he loves to eat lemons and limes |
Now that we have a real life-sized toddler, I totally understand the appeal of Red Robin. It has always been decent on our list of chain restaurants, but this experience took it up a notch.
1. It is loud, but not crazy music loud, just goings-on loud. So, when a young boy screeches because you aren't giving me a fry past enough, it is lost in the din.
 |
| "How do I fit this lemon in this hole?" |
3. It is accommodating to requests, both with food and otherwise. I wanted to add extra extra pickles to my burger. Done. No charge. We wanted two extra orders of fries. Done. No charge. We had 3 refills on Matt's lemonade (mostly so C could eat the strawberries). Done. No charge. Extra napkins. Done. A side-plate. Done. Another straw. Done. I hate being a pain to the waitstaff, but sometimes there are things you need or want. I really like that Red Robin does it all, and acts like it is no problem.
 |
| "B, Charlie, B." |
5. The food is tasty. It may not be the best quality, but it is consistent. People around us were ordering the calamari (same woman who ordered a Perrier) and fajitas, and I cannot speak to those entrees, but I feel like sticking with a burger, I know I will like what I get.
 |
| Whiskey River Chicken Burger |
I had a Whiskey River Chicken Burger on a onion bun with pickles. I did get fries, although I usually get salad since Matt's fries are bottomless anyways. The chicken was a little puny, but, overall, it was a great burger.
Matt had some sort of Chop House Burger. It has provolone, mushrooms, and horseradish. He really liked it, but it is definitely not my thing.
Charlie had some tomato, lettuce, beef, chicken, cheese, mushrooms, lemon, lime, strawberries, and fries. (This is an off-menu item :P)
 |
| Chop House Burger |
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