http://www.chow.com/boards/32 Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:54:41 GMT Keep track of the lastest threads on Chowhound http://www.chow.com/topics/563993#4184719 Twenty bucks for burgers for two is very expensive... but they were very good! We both loved the fries. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:13:05 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/563993#4184719 http://www.chow.com/topics/573067#4184440 I had one last year. There was a thread about them that I can't seem to locate. I was under the impression that they were deep fried, and then roasted, but I could be wrong. As I recall, it was good. Keeping in mind I'm not a big Turkey lover, or even liker, I thought it was better than a basic oven roasted. I'm not buying one this year. The only thing that has tempted me this year is the Fully cooked, Smoked Butterball. Pretty cheap at Aldi's. Truthfully, I'll likely pass on Turkey this year. Thanksgiving is all about Dallas Cowboy football, so maybe chicken wings. Wed, 19 Nov 2008 01:20:44 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573067#4184440 http://www.chow.com/topics/572999#4184206 I've only been to one of the Denver locations, but I didn't have any problems. It was only once, so that's a small sample size, but my friends who live there seem to go quite a bit so I'm assuming they have had decent service. While on the subject of family-style Italian chain restaurants, I have had atrocious service at Buca di Beppos at multiple locations on multiple times. The last time I went, our server forgot about us and didn't take our order until nearly 30 minutes after we arrived. We received the wrong salad (it was suppose to have olives, salami, etc) but we got a basic salad with only dressing. When we told our server when she finally returned, she simply brought us a side plate of the toppings that should ahve been tossed in our salad. Even with that delay, there was over 20 minutes between the time we finished our salads and time we got our entree. Presumably, they forgot about it somewhere, as when it finally arrived it was cold in the middle. It was over 2 and half hours between the time we were seated and time we left. It was terrible. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:49:16 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572999#4184206 http://www.chow.com/topics/359092#4183912 robert I liked the parts of the soup, the chicken, the fresh thick noodles, but at the Costco here near Philly the seasoning was odd and overpowering when I tried it recently so the broth didn't have a chickeny taste. Was the broth chickeny at your Costco? Maybe I just got it on an off day? Tue, 18 Nov 2008 21:42:59 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/359092#4183912 http://www.chow.com/topics/573083#4183311 That's bizarre. Although I admit I tip at Sonic, but they are bringing it out to me at the car. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:00:45 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573083#4183311 http://www.chow.com/topics/573251#4183275 Oh - I also forgot to mention that our server told us they also discontinued the onion loaf. I always thought that thing was way gross but I know it was a very popular item and she said a lot of customers are complaining. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:50:22 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573251#4183275 http://www.chow.com/topics/573100#4183046 I was just coming over here to post about Damon's, I will do that in a separate thread but IMO if those are your only 2 choices, I would select Outback. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:38:44 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573100#4183046 http://www.chow.com/topics/572674#4182648 "Rabbi Menachem Genack, director of kosher supervision for the Orthodox Union, said Tuesday that although meat production has stopped, Agriprocessors has continued to slaughter and process chickens. But it was not known how long that would continue" The full article is at http://www.thejewishweek.com/viewArticle/c36_a13913/News/New_York.html Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:32:45 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572674#4182648 http://www.chow.com/topics/564711#4182437 LOL, I think that's the salad I got as well, the last time I was (dragged, kinda) there a couple years ago, and I, too, asked if that was really the half order. It was. Even the server agreed it was funny and related the one time that she was on a double shift and hadn't gotten a chance to eat, something like that. She said that was the one time she finished, or got close to finishing, a full size salad. I've been to plenty of other places that have half and full orders of entree salads. CF's half order of this thing was larger than the full order at anywhere else I've ever gotten one. Really. The salad wasn't bad, but as you can see, it's the huge size of everything that sticks in your head. ;-) Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:57:55 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/564711#4182437 http://www.chow.com/topics/572973#4182421 This isn't a problem unique to Trader Joe's. In a tiny convenience store I frequent I had to point out an out of date half pint of milk the other day. No big deal, they threw it out. It's just something that sometimes gets missed when busy stocking or whatever. Yes, they should catch it, but any number of various scenarios could lead to them missing it. Who knows? Anyway, tell them about it, that's the only way they will know they need to watch a little more closely. Also, they will refund your money, no problem with receipt. Just talk to the manager or bring it up at checkout. They will need the manager to come over for a return, but they will fix it if you give them a chance to. A slip up can happen anywhere, in any department. I don't think it's a question of anyone's integrity, nor do I think we should give TJ, Whole Foods or anyone else credit for having "more integrity" than a local grocery chain. The business is pretty much the same and has most or all of the same potential problems. I remember once coming home from Whole Foods, we had bought some tetra pack of soup that turned out to be on the shelf with a use by date that was already weeks ago as I recall. At the very least, it was past the date when we bought it. We never even thought to check those dates for such items, as they're typically months ahead. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:50:29 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572973#4182421 http://www.chow.com/topics/569480#4182071 I was at Costco in Marina Del Rey today and asked the manager if they were stopping selling hebrew national. He said he didn't know anything about it and would check it out and get back to me. By the time I got home he left a message that said they were not stopping selling them, but it was on an indvidual basis. There are so many different answers outh there. Previously I posted that I emailed costco and the guy said they were, so only time will tell. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:04:36 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/569480#4182071 http://www.chow.com/topics/570044#4181486 If you really want to try WH, there are 3 that I know of in Phoenix. You could do a roadfood trip - make the stop in Wikieup for "Eat Joe's" BBQ, too! Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:34:13 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/570044#4181486 http://www.chow.com/topics/569237#4181467 I'll agree with the margherita pizza. It's a pretty decent pizza. I use the margherita as my baseline for pizzas. It is what I'll order at any place I'm at for the first time. Last winter, when I was laid up with a broken leg, my ex-hubby would drop by once a week with a whole pizza and one of the large antipasto salads for me. The salad was huge. It's iceberg, but with the cheeses, tomatoes, onions, and whatever else was on there, it actually made for a tasty meal for dinner and next day's lunch. I just didn't like the dressing, so I used my own. The pizza, well, I would try real hard to dole it out slowly to make it last a couple of days. It's good cold for breakfast, too. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:26:50 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/569237#4181467 http://www.chow.com/topics/573022#4181411 Noooooo! I never had a chance to try the pumpkin ice cream! A tjs opened near me at last this weekend and I looked for the ice cream. I figured they were just sold out. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:05:33 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573022#4181411 http://www.chow.com/topics/573071#4181401 Awesome! I swear I saw a sign for 5.99 my first trip to costco. Thought I was going insane. My costco was sold out of them on sunday. Such a good deal. Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:02:16 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/573071#4181401 http://www.chow.com/topics/561062#4180819 Discontinued... :( Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:22:07 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/561062#4180819 http://www.chow.com/topics/355253#4180468 Ditto for the Wisecrackers. As Andy Griffith used to say, "Goood crackah!" Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:40:38 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/355253#4180468 http://www.chow.com/topics/548437#4180441 I just made a TJ's run and so far one big-time loser has come forward: Blueberry oat bran muffins. Extremely gummy, like they were underbaked or something. They were ok toasted but you should not have to toast muffins to make them edible. Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:34:54 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/548437#4180441 http://www.chow.com/topics/572577#4178743 I ate there once. Server was fine and well maintained. My pizza was so sweet I couldn't eat it. I think I had the jerk chicken pizza. Way too sweet. My wife liked her pasta. If they gave me a gift certificate for a free pizza, I wouldn't use it. Mon, 17 Nov 2008 02:40:28 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572577#4178743 http://www.chow.com/topics/572456#4177869 You went to PF Chang's - there is your mistake Sun, 16 Nov 2008 19:02:01 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572456#4177869 http://www.chow.com/topics/454814#4177685 Frozen mini-croissants -- excellent! I bought them because the ingredients looked good and the price was reasonable ($3.99 for a box of eight). I baked them this morning and they're deliciously buttery and flaky. The only issue I had with them was that some of them didn't come out a croissant shape -- they're frozen with the ends folded in, and some of them stayed a solid round, more like a bun than a croissant. I think if I make them again I'll reshape them a little once they've thawed enough to be pliable. Despite being called mini-croissants, they're really quite a decent size, too. Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:13:43 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/454814#4177685 http://www.chow.com/topics/572557#4177640 Here's a very long thread from last April -- http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/355253 Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:49:12 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572557#4177640 http://www.chow.com/topics/563953#4177378 The box we got says 18-20 minutes so I think they updated the packaging. Even with that time, we ended up putting them back in the oven a couple of times and the results were still underdone inside, overdone outside. Maybe a lower oven temp? Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:05:39 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/563953#4177378 http://www.chow.com/topics/572628#4177246 I was looking at the completely uncooked kind of Brown Rice and noticed there were 2 different types..One was "Jasmine Brown Rice" and the other was "Basmati Brown Rice". What is the difference between the two?? How about taste as well? Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:19:29 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572628#4177246 http://www.chow.com/topics/564292#4175292 I think it depends on how much you like buttermilk bars and fried cinnamon rolls. They do open early - I think 0530 or 0600 m-f, and a little later on the weekend. I know traffic shouldn't be too much of an issue at that time! Sat, 15 Nov 2008 09:05:40 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/564292#4175292 http://www.chow.com/topics/572262#4174862 Look away now if you really don't want to know. 680 calories, 42 grams of fat, 35 mg of cholesterol, and 1400 mg (!) of sodium. Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:50:04 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/572262#4174862 http://www.chow.com/topics/563637#4174350 Was this back when Wal-Mart still had butchers and cut their own meat? I worked at a DC too and now all of their meat comes prepackaged straight from the suppliers. I like Wal-Mart's gizzards in their deli. They're not as good as when you fry them at home but for around $2 a pound it's worth it. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 22:00:09 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/563637#4174350 http://www.chow.com/topics/529852#4174347 Dudes -- Boston has stellar pizza. Regina's is superior to both John's (NYC) and Pepe's (NH) and on a par with Modern (NH). Conversely Boston's Gourmet Pizza is neither Boston, nor Gourmet -- and barely Pizza. This Canadian's chain's "gourmet pizza" is several rungs below frozen supermarket pizza. Their other pub grub fare does not even attain the mediocre soul-lessness it appears to aspire to: the wings are rubbery, potato skins watery, nachos bland and mozz sticks made of some flavorless plastic compound. If this is Canadian cuisine, they can keep it -- and take Olive Garden with you! Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:59:48 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/529852#4174347 http://www.chow.com/topics/327816#4174187 Yup, it's in Orlando too. I live near Universal Orlando and the McDonalds on the corner of Kirkman and Vineland has it back. I indulged today. Better than I remember. The pork patty was extra long. Sauce everywhere. Lots of onions and pickles. Frankly, I wasn't totally disappointed. The 99 cent double cheeseburgers and the occasional Big Mac are still better though. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:03:11 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/327816#4174187 http://www.chow.com/topics/373011#4173858 That's certainly one opinion. On the other hand, Marcella Hazan, who is to authentic Italian cooking here in the US as Julia Child was to French, was interviewed last week in the Boston Globe. An excerpt: Q: What is the biggest mistake we still make in cooking Italian food? A. Too much garlic! Too much ruins everything. We say in Italy that what you keep out is as important as what you put in. Too much garlic may be to your taste. But it's not Italian. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 19:32:44 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/373011#4173858 http://www.chow.com/topics/448680#4172603 I still need to try their "Fall Coffee." I agree with you about the bagels - they should have been more pumpkinny. Check out my review of their bagels on my blog! Fri, 14 Nov 2008 08:00:27 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/448680#4172603 http://www.chow.com/topics/571502#4172319 I've bought 2 bottles since I discovered this great value at Costco and can recommend it with no reservations. Try looking at there cinnamon too, it is a great value and has that true cinnamon taste; not like some of that cheap stuff at the supermarket. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 04:08:40 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/571502#4172319 http://www.chow.com/topics/538652#4172204 We bought some of these. Higher quality than most leading fish sticks and tastes better. The only problem is that it's such a huge bag. Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:15:07 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/538652#4172204 http://www.chow.com/topics/569945#4168022 I just got home from BJ's. Now, mind u, I'm not in PA (although I"m from there - ha), but I was duly impressed to see oxtails at $3.99/lb, little Fugi apples $7/5 lbs(I hate the mammoth ones at the grocery store), prosciutto at $9.50/lb and short ribs $3.39/lb. Not too shabby. FYI, our BJ's sells house made pizelles! If we've got them down here, you definitely have them up there in PA. :) Wed, 12 Nov 2008 20:26:09 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/569945#4168022 http://www.chow.com/topics/305048#4167585 As a former franchisee of Chicken Delight, I can only chuckle at the misconceptions of the company. We were not pressure fried, but it did take 24 hours to marinate our chicken. Overnight in salted water and ice and then the CD batter in the morning and refrigerate it for at least 8 hours prior to cooking at 275 degrees for 14 min and 30 seconds. The temp always had to be at least 350 for a 24 piece frying (the max our fryers could handle) or 300 for a 12 piece. You then set the temp back to 275 after the set down into the fryer. Chicken Galore and Chicken Holiday were both off takes Chicken Delight. A small company in Canada bought the CD name around 1972 from Consolidated Foods Corp (Sara Lee) after a protracted battle over franchise fees (long story involving the US Supreme Court). The small company from Canada was controlled by Marriott, which in my opinion wanted to close CD as they owned Roy Rogers, which was # 3 in chicken sales. KFC was # 1 and we were # 2. in the nation with over 1000 locations. There demands were abusive and in order to keep the CD name would have put most of us out of business just on royaly demands. One quote was, "sign this contract, do you desire to be a big fish in a small ocean or a little fish in a large ocean". Many of us decided to take the name down and hence Chicken Galore, Chicken Gal and Chicken Holiday were all born. A few CDs continued on, alas I made the mistake of closing rather than going on as I was drained of all cash due to the protracted legal battles and all of the signage changes. The year was 1974 and I wish I could redo it now! I do miss it. Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:04:16 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/305048#4167585 http://www.chow.com/topics/570919#4167543 Instructions on box are incorrect. Try baking at 375 for 18 to 20 minutes-regular oven. They are terrific!! Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:50:11 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/570919#4167543 http://www.chow.com/topics/567444#4167305 Thanks for the responce..my stoner ass will definatley try the recipie..But on this mission to find out exactley what name brands they used I got my answer..the cheese 711 used to used..is old el paso jalapeno cheese..the chili was a private label..but the website they got it from sells the product still to this day ..and can be aquired from famouschili.com..not sure whitch one of the 4 ..but im thinking its either "Famous Brand CHILI Sauce" ..or the "4 Star CHILI"!! Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:39:22 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/567444#4167305 http://www.chow.com/topics/565836#4167090 Same experience here. Wildly inconsistent from store to store. But the trick with the fries is to get them out of the bag ASAP. Trapped in the bag, they steam themselves into a heap of oily potato glop. Tear it open, and they stay crisp much longer. Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:32:29 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/565836#4167090 http://www.chow.com/topics/571445#4166342 I emailed OG once after a bad experience, and they sent me the gift card. They asked to follow-up, and of course the follow-up meal was awful (45 minute wait for table with a half empty restaurant, 45 minute wait for food, then pizza comes out with stretchy undercoooked dough and the rest super cold, etc.), so I told them. They sent another with a note saying (and I quote spelling and all) "We are gunna do better" Then the next visit was terrible, they offer another gift card - and I told them no. This particular OG is the worst, I have had OK food at others, but I haven't been there in years due to a child with food allergies. Wed, 12 Nov 2008 04:27:50 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/571445#4166342 http://www.chow.com/topics/561729#4165857 Try the new espresso truffle. Its the sig hot choc with espresso. Yummmmmm Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:57:06 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/561729#4165857 http://www.chow.com/topics/566838#4165161 Asiago bagel, butter only..... Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:37:05 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/566838#4165161 http://www.chow.com/topics/322777#4164846 Those cinammon buns with freshly piped icing deserve praise. Yum! Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:49:41 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/322777#4164846 http://www.chow.com/topics/571326#4164659 Those both sound awesome. But man, this is SO not a good time to be doing Weight Watchers! Tue, 11 Nov 2008 17:47:58 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/571326#4164659 http://www.chow.com/topics/570424#4163818 talk about a little technical innovation. i suppose if you already have the grease, dropping big bird in the fryer makes sense... now if chic fil a were to offer a turkey fried in peanut oil, they'd totally have my business. hmm...i wonder how the waffle fries would do as a mashed potato stand in? Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:55:51 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/570424#4163818 http://www.chow.com/topics/570716#4163689 Good recommendation... if there are any left that the big chains haven't run out of business. :( Unfortunately that's what I'm faced with in my area. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:55:31 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/570716#4163689 http://www.chow.com/topics/571033#4163557 i just cracked open the box out of curiosity...they're in a plastic pouch, but interestingly not vacuum-packed. it's obviously convenient that they're already peeled, and they're actually quite tender. the texture is much better than the frozen ones i got last year. HOWEVER - and this is a BIG however - you do pay a premium for having someone else do all the work...$5.49 for an 8-oz package. it's actually not horrendously expensive when you consider that a lot of distributors sell the fresh ones for $5 or $6/lb and then you still have to do all the work, and i've seen cooked, peeled chestnuts for $15 or $16/lb...but i still have a hard time paying that much for such a small amount. so yes, they're good, and if you're in a real pinch & need something super-convenient, they're probably worth buying...but for that price i'll track down some fresh ones and do the steaming & peeling myself. Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:24:48 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/571033#4163557 http://www.chow.com/topics/570698#4162259 And I strongly commend F&E on their marking down perishables on expiration day rather than letting them sit there and rot away, although a graduated pricing a day or two before expiration would make more sense. I find it amazing that fanatic greenies might key SUVs in the big grocers' parking lots but not take any umbrage at the waste of resources when rotting produce and meats have to be discarded. F&E's approach to the problem is much friendlier to the planet. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 19:57:59 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/570698#4162259 http://www.chow.com/topics/550274#4161939 I grew up in a very small town and it was one of those towns where there were very, very few "mom and pop" places to eat that had even serviceable food, let alone good food, and none of them Italian. When I got to be a teenager, we heard that an OG had opened up in the "big city" about 1.5 hours away and we used to drive there every year for my birthday, I thought it was great. It truly was the best Italian food I'd had. Once I left town and went to college and then on to other cities, obviously I learned to know better, but there are a lot of people who, for them, OG *is* the best Italian around. Mom and Pop does not automatically equal good. And in very small, very poor towns like my own, it often means very cheap ingredients, lazy and/or rude service and awful food. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 18:14:34 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/550274#4161939 http://www.chow.com/topics/436283#4161801 I tried these about a month ago and was very underwhelmed. I love anything pumpkin but these truffles were too sweet, imo. I think they would have been much better covered in dark chocolate than milk. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:34:21 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/436283#4161801 http://www.chow.com/topics/556998#4161458 The Soho in Port Angeles is not a chain, it was started by Don, a longtime Port Angeles restaurant owner. Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:39:34 GMT http://www.chow.com/topics/556998#4161458