Restaurant experiences

[Lost In Xanadu]

Every year, we get a gift card to a local restaurant for coaching football. Last year, we got $25 cards to 4 different restaurants. This year, we got 1 card for $100 to any of the "Bartolotta" restaurants in the Milwaukee area. I have taken my wife to one or two of them, but this was our first trip to Bacchus. The price has kept us away, but the gift card swayed us. It's a beautiful restaurant a stone's throw from Lake Michigan, and I thought it would be nice to take my wife there for her birthday.

 

We pull up, and a valet parks our car. We get seated immediately and we are offered a selection of 3 or 4 different waters (which amazingly was no extra charge!). We get our water and they come with a selection of breads for us to choose. My wife chose the dill-something and whole wheat. I chose rustic Italian and raisin walnut. Since this place is named Bacchus, I figured we needed to order at least one glass of wine. I got a glass of Merlot, and my wife a glass of Malbec. ($15 each)

 

They have a "tasting menu" which are smaller plates - kinda like tapas. My wife and I ordered seafood ravioli to share as an appetizer and we get a plate of 3 roasted grape tomatoes topped with one ravioli each about the size of a quarter. My wife and I each had 1 and a half. It was delicious, but WAY too small for $12. Our salads follow, each $11. My wife had the spinach (spinach, poached egg, maple-glazed pork belly, mustard vinaigrette) and I had the poached pear (wine poached pear, arugula, Dunbarton blue cheese, Marcona almonds).

 

For our meals, my wife got the Lamb Duo (roasted lamb loin and lamb meatballs, orzo salad, preserved lemon, feta cheese, herbed lamb jus), and I got the filet (Filet Mignon, Bourbon peppercorn cream, sauteed mushrooms, potato mousseline). $41 and $37.

 

For dessert, my wife got the buttermilk chocolate brownie (whipped cream, toasted pecans, salted caramel sauce) and I got the spiced bread pudding (Vanilla creme Anglaise, pomegranate seeds). $10 each. They also threw in a sorbet tasting plate (Triple Berry, passion fruit, citrus) for my wife's birthday.

 

All said and done, the food was amazing. One of the best tasting meals I ever had. I was very let down with the price and especially what you got for the price. All of the servings were extremely small, and our $100 gift cert only covered half the bill (after tip). I was actually embarrassed to see the total...

 

Website added:

http://bacchusmke.com/

Edited January 29, 2013 by Lost In Xanadu

[Tombstone Mountain]

I felt the same way about Emeril Lagasse's resturant in New Orleans. Everything was excellent...waaaayyyyyy tooooo much dinero for the portions we recieved

[bathory]

ate at checkers a week or two ago

 

damn good

[Janie]

I know the sticker shock can be something else BUT it's nice to treat yourself to a super nice, rare, wonderful and exquisite meal every now and then. I don't go to restaurants very often so when I do, it is a treat. I want to go somewhere where I will get a meal I wouldn't eat at home.

 

Portion size aside, if it's an amazing meal you wouldn't otherwise have, then, the cost is justified.

 

Besides LIX, you can't expect your wife to eat your (meat)balls every night.

 

Now you have me in the mood to find a babysitter and have a date night with the husband. Or maybe a night out with the girls is in order...

[Janie]

http://bacchusmke.com/

Took a look at the menu, which offered a number of yummy dishes. The 'Main Lobster' and 'Lamb Duo' (what your wife ordered) sound amazing!!

[rushfanforever!]

Anyone eat at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse?? I know you have to leave your wallet behind when you leave, but is the steak really to die for???

 

[ILSnwdog]

Anyone eat at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse?? I know you have to leave your wallet behind when you leave, but is the steak really to die for???

 

It's very good. Don't know if its the best I've ever had, but it was certainly yummy.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Anyone eat at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse?? I know you have to leave your wallet behind when you leave, but is the steak really to die for???

 

It's very good. Don't know if its the best I've ever had, but it was certainly yummy.

I'd probably rate it as just "good". BUT that might be because I kept hearing raves about it before I went. Off the top of my head I can think of a few better places to have steak

[Amy Farrah Fowler]

You're paying a lot for the experience and ambiance, not to mention the incredible quality of the food, itself. Plus, in our Super Size world, folks aren't used to what portions actually SHOULD be.

[librarian]

I would never recommend the place to anyone anyway, but one of the worst places I ever went to was Applebees just for service alone.

 

I asked the waiter how many chicken pieces were in the tender basket, and he ( the little F8ck8nteen piss-ant waiter snot) replied,

 

"Look at the picture, do you know how to count?"

 

Wow. Check, please...

 

There's Staten Island for you...

[Janie]

Anyone eat at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse?? I know you have to leave your wallet behind when you leave, but is the steak really to die for???

 

Absolutely not. I ate there once. Would never waste my time, appetite and money on that place ever again. There are much better places to go to treat yourself to an amazing meal.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Janie

[Janie]

A question about service... have you ever had someone way undercharge you (forgetting to bill you for dishes/drinks) in order to get themselves a huge tip? I've experienced this a few times. The last time, the waiter only billed us for half of what we ordered. So, of course, the extra money we would have spent on the bill went to the waiter in the order of a large tip.

[yaoi_myantidrug]

At a sushi place which has fortunately closed:

The first and last good experience was the way they took orders. You checked off what you wanted and wrote your name at the top of the menu. Different, and will make sure they cant mess up your order. You would think.

 

There were only about 16 people total in the place (10 in our party) but just 1 chef. Who was clearly still in training. On a saturday night. It took about two hours for most of us to get our food.

 

The waitress who took our orders wrote mine and another persons choices on one menu. After 2 hours we're the only ones without food. I don't know why we didn't ask sooner, but when we finally did, I see the chef look through our menus, hold ours up and say "oh I didn't see this one before." We cancelled our orders since we were suppossed to be at the bar 1.5 hours ago.

[rushfanforever!]

I would never recommend the place to anyone anyway, but one of the worst places I ever went to was Applebees just for service alone.

 

I asked the waiter how many chicken pieces were in the tender basket, and he ( the little F8ck8nteen piss-ant waiter snot) replied,

 

"Look at the picture, do you know how to count?"

 

Wow. Check, please...

 

There's Staten Island for you...

 

OMG!! Hopefully, your tip was $0.00!!!!! One of the many reasons why we don't live in NYC anymore: Who the hell can take all the nasty people, crime, noise, etc, etc,....you can just lose your sanity!!

Edited January 31, 2013 by rushfanforever!

[Mara]

You're paying a lot for the experience and ambiance, not to mention the incredible quality of the food, itself. Plus, in our Super Size world, folks aren't used to what portions actually SHOULD be.

 

True, but one of the more memorable (good and bad - good because it did have its elements of humor) dining experiences I had was about 15 years ago at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. I think they actually had a Michelin star, and the chef, Guenter Seeger, could do no wrong in the eyes of the food critics.

 

I went with my then-fiance and his parents. Fi's parents were more than passingly familiar with top drawer cuisine - his dad was, at that time, the President of the NYSE.

 

We couldn't figure why the waitstaff kept plying us with bread every 30 seconds before the meal, but eventually the reason became clear. It was a "big price, small food" kind of place, specializing in what used to be called nouvelle cuisine. I had bass, and it was two slivers of fish parked atop about two tablespoons of vegetables in a pool of sauce. Fiance had filet mignon, which turned out to be two quarter-sized medallions of beef with a small decorative dollop of mashed potatoes and a few mushrooms. (Fiance did not care for mushrooms, so his mother and I, desperate for more food, split them between us).

 

Fiance's dad was insulted and disappointed. No one expected, or wanted, the usual enough-to-feed-four American-sized portions, but neither were we prepared for what amounted to a little more than an hors d'oevres plate. For a meal that probably totaled at least $500, we should not have had to go directly to Steak 'N' Shake afterwards, which is what we ended up doing. I bet the staff was laughing their collective asses off as they plated entrees - "Hope they fill up on bread!"

 

I've eaten at plenty of fine dining restaurants and know it is possible to feed someone an adequate portion of beautifully presented, perfectly prepared and seasoned meals without ripping them off. Any of the Buckhead Life restaurants here in Atlanta, for example - they are expensive, but you absolutely get your money's worth.

[Amy Farrah Fowler]

You're paying a lot for the experience and ambiance, not to mention the incredible quality of the food, itself. Plus, in our Super Size world, folks aren't used to what portions actually SHOULD be.

 

True, but one of the more memorable (good and bad - good because it did have its elements of humor) dining experiences I had was about 15 years ago at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton. I think they actually had a Michelin star, and the chef, Guenter Seeger, could do no wrong in the eyes of the food critics.

 

I went with my then-fiance and his parents. Fi's parents were more than passingly familiar with top drawer cuisine - his dad was, at that time, the President of the NYSE.

 

We couldn't figure why the waitstaff kept plying us with bread every 30 seconds before the meal, but eventually the reason became clear. It was a "big price, small food" kind of place, specializing in what used to be called nouvelle cuisine. I had bass, and it was two slivers of fish parked atop about two tablespoons of vegetables in a pool of sauce. Fiance had filet mignon, which turned out to be two quarter-sized medallions of beef with a small decorative dollop of mashed potatoes and a few mushrooms. (Fiance did not care for mushrooms, so his mother and I, desperate for more food, split them between us).

 

Fiance's dad was insulted and disappointed. No one expected, or wanted, the usual enough-to-feed-four American-sized portions, but neither were we prepared for what amounted to a little more than an hors d'oevres plate. For a meal that probably totaled at least $500, we should not have had to go directly to Steak 'N' Shake afterwards, which is what we ended up doing. I bet the staff was laughing their collective asses off as they plated entrees - "Hope they fill up on bread!"

 

I've eaten at plenty of fine dining restaurants and know it is possible to feed someone an adequate portion of beautifully presented, perfectly prepared and seasoned meals without ripping them off. Any of the Buckhead Life restaurants here in Atlanta, for example - they are expensive, but you absolutely get your money's worth.

 

Yeah, THOSE places are almost just about the "art" of cuisine. Even if I were stinking rich, I don't think I could ever develop a "taste" for that kind of pretentious. ;) I love Steak 'n Shake. LOL

[Thunder Bay Rush]

I've had more than my share of crappy restaurant experiences... I've also worked as a chef in a few in years gone by.

 

I liked reading Mara's post about the $500 meal where her group had to go get a steak afterward. I rarely, if ever, go to upscale restaurants any more. This might sound "very Canadian" of me, but I truly believe the main reason most people go to these places is so they can brag to their friends about it. "Oh my God, the bill was like $800!"

 

Denny's... you won't have to go to "Steak & Shake" after! :clap:

 

If you're ever in Texas, a couple drive southwest of Dallas (If I remember correctly) there is a little place called "Loco Coyote." It was near Glen Rose, I think... Corrugated metal building, saw dust floor, benches and rustic wooden tables... you can write your name on the wall in black marker pen... very elegant. They serve mainly one thing - STEAK! They also serve a few others like deep fried shrimp, catfish and HUGE ass burgers and sandwiches.

 

There is a sign when you first arrive - "IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG PLACE." It's worth the wait.

 

There is always a line up... a live band plays outside (sorry, but it's always country music, but - it sadly, does fit - "YEE HAA") every dude wears a cowboy hat and has a clean, starched shirt... oh, and you can always see the chewing tobacco tin in the back pocket of their jeans. (Even some of the cowgirls!) But, my GOD, what a great place to eat! BIG ribeye steaks, pefectly grilled over wood/fire charcoal and not expensive. I think my 16 ounce ribeye was about $15 or something?? My friend had the shrimp and they almost had to use a goddam wheelbarrow (or down there, "wheelbarra") to haul them to our table.

 

We didn't have to go to Steak & Shake after... holy shit.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Thunder Bay Rush

[Amy Farrah Fowler]

Exactly. Status symbol.

[Mara]

One exception I will make for "upscale" restaurants is a place called Fogo De Chao. It was one of the first Brazilian churrascas to open. It is $50 per person, but the food is unreal, and it's also all you can eat. The staff walk around with skewers of various grilled meats - lamb, filet, sirloin, poultry, and all kinds of other wonders - and you just get whatever you want. Each diner has a little disc, green on one side and red on the other, and you flip to green when you want more meat. It is a carnivore's utopia. They also have these little rolls that are lighter than air. Even the salad bar is tremendous - smoked salmon, homemade mozzarella and other cheeses - it can be hard to not fill up on salad before the endless parade of meat.

 

Last time we went, I had my first experience with the Meat Sweats. I'd heard of this phenomenon, which apparently is a side effect of gorging on meat. Woke up around 3 am all sweaty and had to change clothes. It was a small price to pay.

Edited January 31, 2013 by Mara

[Lost In Xanadu]

One exception I will make for "upscale" restaurants is a place called Fogo De Chao. It was one of the first Brazilian churrascas to open. It is $50 per person, but the food is unreal, and it's also all you can eat. The staff walk around with skewers of various grilled meats - lamb, filet, sirloin, poultry, and all kinds of other wonders - and you just get whatever you want. Each diner has a little disc, green on one side and red on the other, and you flip to green when you want more meat. It is a carnivore's utopia. They also have these little rolls that are lighter than air. Even the salad bar is tremendous - smoked salmon, homemade mozzarella and other cheeses - it can be hard to not fill up on salad before the endless parade of meat.

 

There's one in Chicago - maybe ILs and I can check it out :)

[Mara]

One exception I will make for "upscale" restaurants is a place called Fogo De Chao. It was one of the first Brazilian churrascas to open. It is $50 per person, but the food is unreal, and it's also all you can eat. The staff walk around with skewers of various grilled meats - lamb, filet, sirloin, poultry, and all kinds of other wonders - and you just get whatever you want. Each diner has a little disc, green on one side and red on the other, and you flip to green when you want more meat. It is a carnivore's utopia. They also have these little rolls that are lighter than air. Even the salad bar is tremendous - smoked salmon, homemade mozzarella and other cheeses - it can be hard to not fill up on salad before the endless parade of meat.

 

There's one in Chicago - maybe ILs and I can check it out :)

 

Oh you must. It is SOOOO worth the money and the ensuing meat coma. :)

[JohnnyBlaze]

A question about service... have you ever had someone way undercharge you (forgetting to bill you for dishes/drinks) in order to get themselves a huge tip? I've experienced this a few times. The last time, the waiter only billed us for half of what we ordered. So, of course, the extra money we would have spent on the bill went to the waiter in the order of a large tip.

Yes, it happens at this one place out here that I've been going to for years. The MAJOR plus is that there is NO tipping whatsoever in this country. I believe it's just the owner's way to say thanks for the repeated visits. Basically it comes down to this: No matter how much food and beer we order the bill ALWAYS turns out to be about 20-25 bucks per person...and believe me there is no way that each person should be paying anything less than 40. Hell, the beer alone I drink there per visit should be double what I end up paying each time. May the gods bless Asuka (restaurant's name) and its round-faced owner.

[That One Guy]

I only touch upscale places on birthdays and holidays at this point, and even then, that often means "Olive Garden".

 

Carrabba's is a small chain restaurant that always serves amazing Italian food.

 

I also remember a restaurant called "The Cliff" (I think) in Laguna Beach that was quite good.

[JohnnyBlaze]

Carrabba's is a small chain restaurant that always serves amazing Italian food.

 

 

I only touch upscale places on birthdays and holidays at this point, and even then, that often means "Olive Garden".

 

Carrabba's is a small chain restaurant that always serves amazing Italian food.

 

I also remember a restaurant called "The Cliff" (I think) in Laguna Beach that was quite good.

Carrabbas can't be that small of a chain, can it? I'm too lazy to look it up but there've got to be hundreds of them scattered across the states. There are 5 in my hometown alone. But anyway, yeah it's pretty decent.

[That One Guy]

Carrabba's is a small chain restaurant that always serves amazing Italian food.

 

 

I only touch upscale places on birthdays and holidays at this point, and even then, that often means "Olive Garden".

 

Carrabba's is a small chain restaurant that always serves amazing Italian food.

 

I also remember a restaurant called "The Cliff" (I think) in Laguna Beach that was quite good.

Carrabbas can't be that small of a chain, can it? I'm too lazy to look it up but there've got to be hundreds of them scattered across the states. There are 5 in my hometown alone. But anyway, yeah it's pretty decent.

 

As it turns out, there are 231 of them hahaha

Only one around me! And it's 40 miles away!